Inspiration Series: Real Weddings

They say that art imitates life. Or, maybe it's the other way around... Whichever the case, when it's time to plan your wedding, don't be afraid to search for inspiration. What better place to get inspired than a real life wedding? Fortunately for you, we've dug up some of our faves! Check out the following links for some awe-inspiring wedding art to imitate! Then, Premier Bride's website awaits you with an encyclopedia of fantastic wedding resources to plan your dream wedding today!

Fave Wedding One!-----> Bride and Groom Have AMAZING STYLE!

Fave Wedding Two!-----> We love the elegance of the theme!!

Fave Wedding Three!----> Beautiful Vintage photos!!

Bachelorette Bonanza pt.2: Party Plannng Checklist (cont.)

We continue our Bachelorette Party blog series with a follow-up to the party planning checklist. Remember Maid of Honor...this list's for you! Insuring that everything is done in a timely manner, make sure you have the following completed by:

One Month Before:

*Follow up with the invitations. Email or call guests and let them know that a contribution to the festivities is standard, give them a price or product list to adhere to.

*Finalize your itinerary. Even if you're only doing a restaraunt and drinks it's important to note how long you'd like to be at each establishment, and what you'll be doing while you're there. If you plan on doing a pub crawl, know ahead of time which pubs you'll be traveling to and make a schedule . This way, you can estimate how much cash everyone should need and coordinate transportation.

*If you're planning a home party, help the hostess decided which snacks, games and outside entertainment everyone will enjoy.

One Week Before:

*Confirm transportation arrangements

*Confirm RSVP list

*Buy all necessary party favors and "props"

*Confirm all entertainment

One Day Before:

You've finally arrived! The most important thing to do on this date is to get plenty of sleep. You'll be directing an epic event in just one night so, you're going to need energy. Also, give the bride highlights of what to expect ( a few choice details to get her excited). Check with all venues to make sure reservations are ready to go and make sure all guest understand the itinerary.

Now, you can sit back and relax...for about 24 hours or so! Then it's time to throw away the checklist and throw the best darn bachelorette party anyone's ever seen...or close to it anyway. Check in with us next time as we discuss fun party themes and ideas.

Don't forget to head on over to PremierBride.com for wonderful resources including bridal consultants, djs, venues and more!

Venue Shopping: A How To...

Once you've aced that all-important search for the perfect mate, and the two of you have agreed to spending forever together...it's time to find a place to host your party! In other words, you will need to find a venue. But, how will you know when you've found the right one? A simple adherence to the following venue search tips will insure a simpler search for the perfect location.

*Roomy Fit- Make sure the place is large enough to accommodate all the guests on your list. Sure, the room might look big enough now, but imagine it with tables, chairs, dj booth and a dance floor...quite different! The way to make sure your space is going to be big enough is to check it out when another wedding is being set up. Of course, if you're more committed to the venue than the guest list, you can always trim the latter.

*A great View-- What are your guests going to be focused on? I mean, besides the incredible vision of you in your bridal gown of course. When they look outside your venue, will they see the skyline of the city, mountains, a beautiful garden or forest? Will they be enraptured at the site of the architecture or the paintings on the walls? You want to make sure and find a place with a visual ambiance that enhances wedding experience.

*A place to Park-- Make sure the venue is near a large parking lot, or has ample space for parking. If not, is there another way to get everyone to and from the party such as a shuttle service or bus?

*Good Vibrations-- If a place is creepy, no one's gonna want to stick around to see the bridal bouquet get tossed. That said, watch out for venues with little to no natural lighting, echo-ey rooms (this could be the cause for reverb from the band) and a color scheme that will match the one you have planned for your wedding. All of these elements if combined correctly will give your venue a warm, celebratory feel. Guests won't want to leave!

For a look at some awesome Texas venues check out these sites: www.thevineyardsofwaverlymanor.com, www.ashelynnmanor.com, and www.silversycamore.com

Professional Socialites: Planners with High Society

Houston’s New Event Planning and Public Relations Firm Puts a “Spin” on Tradition
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Houston, TX– Professional Socialites, a new Houston company specializing in event planning and public relations, was founded in April 2009 by Crystal Milton and Megan Ford, the Creative Director and Public Relations Director, respectively. They saw a void in the event planning industry for fresh, chic consultants, and stepped in to fill that role. This boutique firm handles coordination for mid-to-high-end weddings, social events, and corporate special events. The company also touts itself as the “go-to” resource for finding up-and-coming venues and hot parties in the Houston area.



“Houston’s social calendar is constantly overflowing with parties and events. We attract clientele that reflect our company and its image: young, hip professionals who want their event to be an exciting twist on the normal. Even when clients opt for ‘traditional’, we help figure out special ways to make the event unique to them and their personal style,” said Milton.
In addition event planning, Professional Socialites handles public relations for small business vendors within the special events industry – a previously untapped PR specialization in the Houston area. While publicity for events and companies is not a novel idea, the concept of “wedding PR” is relatively new. Professional Socialites sees the potential for widespread local and national exposure for the vendors in the Houston market.



“There are several great small business vendors within Houston’s event industry who do not get any exposure outside of bridal shows. While the shows are a great opportunity to showcase a company, they aren’t the only way to get the name out,” said Ford. “Many wedding and event shows are dominating television airwaves, making people increasingly aware of the capabilities – and the need – for highly skilled vendors.





Through branding strategies, content creation, social media and targeted media placement, we increase visibility – thereby increasing revenue – for our small business clients, who traditionally have not had access to these outlets for exposure.”
Free-flowing libations, flashing paparazzi, a live deejay, and a bevy of desserts and hours d’ oeuvres – from 20 of the city’s best vendors – greeted and entertained the nearly 200 guests in attendance at Professional Socialites’ launch party. The late summer event, held at the Darryl & Co. showroom, has set the tone for the company’s all-but-subtle entrance to the industry.
With a strong assembly of vendor relationships and confidence in their inimitable abilities, Professional Socialites is primed to make its distinctive, untraditional mark on a highly traditional industry.



For more information on Professional Socialites, visit http://www.professionalsocialites.com/.






Megan Ford Professional Socialites, LLC


Megan@ProfessionalSocialites.com


Office: (713)581-0486 Fax: (713)583-1386

Receptions: 6 New Trends in Wedding Design

There used to be a time when pretty much all wedding receptions used plain white linens. If it was a wedding, then you used white. Period. Of course nowadays, it’s all about color, texture, layers and personal expression, and really, the options are endless. To spark some creative fire we’ve identified six new trends appearing now in wedding reception design.

#1 - Color my worldAs mentioned above, color in weddings is huge. Any color family that appeals to you will offer a huge range of shades that are beautiful and current. In fact, there really isn’t any color that’s considered “out” – so the sky’s the limit! Love “blue”? That could mean midnight navy, Tiffany blue, pale ice blue, bright aqua, ocean blue… You get the idea – the list goes on! A few new colors worth pointing out are persimmon – a spicy, vibrant shade of orange; saffron – a rich, deep yellow; and butter – a warm, soft, golden yellow.

#2 – Texture is hotTexture in weddings – from bridal gowns to napkins – is huge. In linens, this can mean a crushed look, pintuck fabrics, damasks, or other tone-on-tone designs. It can also be expressed through layers, such as using sheer overlays on tables or table runners on buffet tables, and accessories such as beaded candlesticks.

#3 – Think metallicAs you may have noticed in the fashion world, metallic is sparkling hot these days! Mixed metals, matte metals and texturized metals are all very current looks that can be incorporated into your wedding reception design, through metallic fabrics, accessories or even the furniture.

#4 – Cool grey is hot, hot, hot You’ll find that many of these trends are interrelated, such as grey, which can be expressed using metals such as silver, aluminum or nickel. Using a brushed aluminum planter for your centerpieces would actually incorporate three trends: texture, metallic and grey. A wide range of styles and shades of linens in grey tones is also a beautiful, trendy look, and can be accented with other colors such as black and/or white, any shade of red from blush pink to fire engine red, and so on. Experiment!

#5 – Lace is backIn wedding gowns and now in wedding design, lace has made a big comeback after being missing in action for many years. It’s a beautiful way to incorporate a sense of tradition, history and romance into your wedding day. Table linens, especially, have appeared in a variety of tone-on-tone laces, and more colorful options as well. Incorporating a metallic lace over a solid color fabric is another new look.

#6 – Geometric designs offer a modern look. Looking for a clean, modern, streamlined wedding day look? If “no frou-frou” is for you, then consider applying some 1960s-style geometric design elements. If you’re feeling casual and funky then use lots of color with strong geometric designs – like white, bubblegum pink and chocolate brown; or black, white and lime green. If you want a more elegant, formal feel use tone-on-tone designs or a geometrically designed fabric like a pintuck.

A final thoughtThe best advice, really, is “don’t be a slave to trends!” Follow your heart, trust your instincts, and create your own unique wedding style. Of course, don’t underestimate the help, input and advice of wedding professionals who can make your dream a reality with minimum stress and maximum results. With their professional guidance and years of experience, your wedding day will be beautiful expression of your personal style.

My Makeup Rocks!-Theresa Rocabado

The latest looks from one of the best make-up artists in Southeast Houston, TX.

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History of Wedding Tradition

Here is a blurb from KOCO in Oklahoma I found interesting. The media reports, in a down economy, families are getting back to basics. Traditions can often be watered down when we allow ourselves to 'think outside the box' or wish to be out of the ordinary with design and decor. Although most brides crave individuality, putting a spin on forgotten traditions can be a way to differentiate your wedding from your six-pack of girlfriends.


KOCO: The Wedding Planner reports:

The Wedding

The wedding is one of life's primeval and surprisingly unchanged rites of passage. Nearly all of the customs we observe today are merely echoes of the past. Everything from the veil, rice, flowers, and old shoes, to the bridesmaids and processionals, at one time, bore a very specific and vitally significant meaning. Today, although the original substance is often lost, we incorporate old world customs into our weddings because they are traditional and ritualistic.Old world marriage customs continue to thrive today, in diluted, disguised and often upgraded forms. Customs we memorialize today were once "brand new" ideas. Although historical accuracy is hard to achieve, the historical weight attached to old world wedding customs and traditions is immense. While reading through these pages, feel free to use, reinterpret, or omit them in your own wedding.Remember, as you plan for your wedding, to create new family traditions and customs to be handed down to your children and their children. Just think, maybe someday, your "new custom" will be as unique and exciting as these presented here.

Wedding History

Up to and during the Middle Ages, weddings were considered family/community affairs. The only thing needed to create a marriage was for both partners to state their consent to take one another as spouses. Witnesses were not always necessary, nor were the presence of the clergy. In Italy, for example, the marriage was divided into three parts. The first portion consisted of the families of the groom and bride drawing up the papers. The bride didn't even have to be there for that. The second, the betrothal, was legally binding and may or may not have involved consummation. At this celebration, the couple exchanged gifts (a ring, a piece of fruit, etc.), clasped hands and exchanged a kiss. The "vows" could be a simple as, "Will you marry me?" "I will." The third part of the wedding, which could occur several years after the betrothal, was the removal of the bride to the groom's home. The role of the clergy at a medieval wedding was simply to bless the couple. It wasn't official church policy until the council of Trent in the 15th century that a third party (i.e., a priest), as opposed to the couple themselves, was responsible for performing the wedding. In the later medieval period, the wedding ceremony moved from the house of the bride to the church. It began with a procession to the church from the bride's house. Vows were exchanged outside the church (by the way, the priest gave the bride to the groom...I don't think she was presented by her father) and then everyone moved inside for Mass. After Mass, the procession went back to the bride's house for a feast. Musicians accompanied the procession.

"Let's Tie the Knot" or 'Let's Get Hitched"

Tying the Knot, an old term for a ritual now being renewed in our weddings today. Not new-age or western-slang about 'hitchin' up yer gal like a horse'. Although the term hitching was a rope making process used for tying up horses with ancient old world roots, it is undoubtedly associated with 'tying the knot'. These terms are analogous with a proposal of wedlock. The term Tie the Knot came from the Renaissance Ceremony called "Handfasting". 'Handfast' and its variations are defined in the Oxford English dictionary as "to make a contract of marriage between (parties) by joining of hands." This could also be interpreted today as a proposal of marriage for a specific period of time, traditionally a year and a day. A Hand Fasting ceremony is incorporated into formal wedding ceremonies and sometimes done at or as an Engagement Party.


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