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Author: Jamie | March 28, 2012, at 5:56 pm
A destination wedding is a wonderful way to start your journey into marital bliss. But planning one can be less than dreamy. Here are a few tips to help you plan the perfect destination wedding.
Photo: Diana M. Lott via Project Wedding
1. Take time to pick out your own destination wedding accessories. Purchasing your own destination wedding favors and invitations can save you a bundle on your wedding price tag. Shop the internet for unique destination wedding invitations, like message in a bottle invitations or island themed invitations. Look around for some unique destination wedding favors that embody the exotic and intimate feeling you are trying to capture.
2. Search for great travel deals that could lower the cost of the expense for you and your guests. Although traditional destination packages include travel, sometimes your guests have frequent flyer miles that they would like to redeem. Or perhaps some of them are planning an extended stay, and wish to make the arrangements themselves. Consider all of the costs and determine if you will book the travel all at once, or offer vouchers to your guests to help offset the expense of the trip.
 
Photo: Embellished by Tiffany on Etsy and Invitation In A Bottle With Boat Anchor from HansonEllis
3. Be sure to give plenty of notice to your guests so that they can coordinate their vacation plans accordingly. When people receive the news of your impending wedding, they may not assume that they will need a few days off to help you celebrate in style. Allow them several months to arrange their schedules so that they can plan to be there for the full festivities.
4. Think logistically about your destination. Consider everyone you would like in attendance and pick a spot that is centrally located to all. If your guests can drive to your wedding, and even avoid overnight accommodations, you may be
able to have more people attend. Although islands tend to be popular for destinations, Central Park, historical cities, national parks and even zoos have all been locations for amazing destination weddings. These spots allow you to cut down on costs, and design a truly unique wedding experience that complements your style and interests perfectly.
5. Consider purchasing destination wedding insurance. Illnesses, inclement weather, and other unforeseen circumstances can temporarily halt or delay any wedding. In order to guarantee you are protected from losing the entire cost of the wedding, shop around for different insurances offered for this type of event.
6. Make special arrangements for the very young and the very old. Children who attend a destination wedding will need special activities to keep them busy. Inquire as to whether there are planned activities for the youngest set in your party when you start looking for your perfect wedding spot. For the older folks, remember that some of them may not be able to travel. Although they may not make an appearance at the wedding itself, they should receive an invitation regardless and should be included in all of the pre and post wedding events.
7. If money is no object, look for an all-inclusive destination wedding package. Although these plans may be at the top of the price list, they will surely take the pain out of planning all of the details yourself. There are many great packages available online, and most companies use a certified wedding planner to ensure all of your wedding needs will be met.
Author: Jamie | March 27, 2012, at 10:33 am
Don’t gamble on anything when you plan your wedding day. We will help you make sure all the details are in order and that you’ve got everything you need to plan a perfect Las Vegas Styled Wedding! Start by figuring out your budget. You don’t want to have to cash all your chips in halfway through the game, so be sure you are being realistic when you plan expenses. Next, pick a venue. One option is to fly all of your guests out to Las Vegas and put them up at the Bellagio, but unless you’ve already hit the jackpot, you may need to fold on that idea. Any reception hall will do, but choose one big enough to have some poker games set up.
Photo: Mindy Bean via Wedding Obsession
Photo: Poker Themed Wedding Invitation from Woodlark Designs on Etsy
Once you’ve picked a location, get ready to fill the house! Send out some invitations that tell your guests just what you’ve got in store for them. Consider finding invitations in the shape of playing cards, or announce your impending nuptials in the screen of a slot machine! Keep it fun and colorful. Throw in a personalized poker chip or two, with your names and date on it as a special save the date for your guests.
Set the stage for the VIPs! Place a velvet rope outside the hall and have a doorman awaiting the guests. Bright lights and bells are a must for a Las Vegas Wedding. Get some flashing Christmas lights and hide them under the table cloths and around the perimeter of your room. Set them on the random mode and let them flash all through your reception. Sprinkle each table with playing cards and candy poker chips. Keep it really fun by putting green felt table cloths on all of the tables, and set a miniature slot machine in the center as a centerpiece!
Have the wait staff dress in Las Vegas style clothing. You might have to tip them a little extra, but what an impact that will make! Have them carry trays of cocktails, just like the Vegas girls do. And be sure they are wearing skimpy outfits with fishnet stockings too. Serve the food buffet style, and offer an array of gourmet delights for your guests to indulge in. Desserts are a Las Vegas tradition, so make sure you have tantalizing treats set out for your guests as well.
Design your wedding cake like a giant slot machine! Or, if you really want to do it Vegas style, have a giant paper cake wheeled in and have an Elvis Presley impersonator jump out to serenade the crowd. That will really get the party started!
Set up some real poker games throughout the reception hall. Poker table tops can be purchased very inexpensively, and this will complete the feel of a true Las Vegas Wedding. Let your guests play with your very own personalized playing cards that can also be taken home as party favors. Put a poker chip set on each table and let your guests pick their poison. Rent a real roulette wheel and let your guests spin the night away!
No one will have to have a poker face on when they attend your Las Vegas Styled Wedding. Their smiles will be authentic, and they will be genuinely thankful that you let them Viva Las Vegas!
Author: Jamie | March 6, 2012, at 2:04 pm
Spring will soon be in full bloom and its colorful palette provides the perfect backdrop to any wedding. Take advantage of the many natural resources available to you and incorporate some spectacular spring wedding ideas into your planning to make your wedding a sensational success. If you are planning an indoor wedding, use lots of fresh flowers to add an air of spring flair to the event. Bring the outdoors inside by placing window boxes along your head table and scatter potted plants throughout the room. Try placing fresh herbs in tiny pots at each place setting and give them as a wonderful garden wedding favor. Insert a small wooden stake in each pot displaying your date and name and let the loving feeling continue to grow.
Photos via Ritzy Bee (clockwise from left): garden arch from Moosey’s Country Garden,
centerpiece and herb favors from Brides.com, vintage seed packet from Country Living
If your wedding is going to be an outdoor affair, spring is the perfect time of the year for it. Seek out a location that accentuates the beauty of the season. Botanical gardens, historical homes and public parks are wonderful settings that take advantage of all that spring has to offer. Perhaps you will get married in a gazebo at your town green. Surround it with beautiful wildflowers and bring it to life with accents in pastel colors.
Many brides and grooms choose to celebrate the season of spring with a beautiful garden themed wedding. This is a wonderful way to throw a casual and classy wedding event. Pick from an array of floral patterns to accentuate your day. Whether you use flowers on the tablecloths, or on the dresses, keep them as a recurring theme throughout the day. Place some lovely fresh flowers in tiny wicker baskets and set them at each place setting as wedding favors.
Photo: Mywedding.com
Spring makes people think of gardens. Try to bring in some wonderful garden items as spring wedding favors. Perhaps a small shovel and garden rake tied together with a beautiful satin favor ribbon. Or fill a small pot with seeds for a vegetable garden. Anything that inspires growth and new life will express the sentiment of spring perfectly. Consider antique antique wagons with blooms of every hue and place them whimsically throughout the yard. Surround them with colorfully painted watering cans to enhance the natural rainbow of colors even further.
Photo: Austin Wedding Blog
Food can make or break your big day. All spring weddings should include a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables. Surprise your guests by letting them share in your wedding cake laced with strawberries. Or fill the cake with delicious blueberries or peaches to give it a truly fresh from the garden flavor. Fruit kabobs are a unique and fun way to serve appetizers. Have them prepared for your guests or let them create their own. Vegetables should be a prominent theme at the table. Consider using colored peppers as containers for dips or sauces. Punchbowls should also pack a punch should be filled with fruit shaped ice cubes and chunks of fruit of every kind.
Photos: John Allen via Frolic
And lastly, keep the attire casual, for the guests and the bridal party. Sundresses and sunhats are not only comfortable, but they are elegant and eclectic too. The bride should consider an off the shoulder dress with simple lace and beading adorning a full skirt. Men should wear grey or beige rather than black and white. Be sure to use natural flowers in the hair of the bridesmaids and flower girls. And keeping with the spring theme, have your guests shower the bride and groom with sunflower seeds rather than rice. All of these simple ideas can be interwoven into any wedding to make it a spring affair to remember.
Author: Jamie | February 9, 2012, at 11:47 am
Whether it’s for work or play, our new line of totes and handbags are designed to fit any lifestyle. Choose from comfy beach bags and travel bags, or stylish and chic quilted handbags.
Author: Jamie | January 12, 2012, at 11:27 am
Every bride is unique. And her bridal shower should be too. Some women prefer the traditional friends and family, sit down luncheon. Other’s like to keep it a little crazy and just want some naughty fun with their BFFs. And many couples today choose a Jack and Jill shower. No matter which style is yours, it should still be as unique and special as you are. Here are a few out of the box shower ideas to help you plan the perfect shower for you!
1. Cruise for a Day
If you live in a warm climate, you most likely have access to services that offer dinner cruises or afternoon cruises. This is an entirely unique and exciting way to throw a bridal shower. Invite your guests to enjoy a beautiful sunset as you sip on Mojitos on the lido deck. Use some beach or island bridal shower favors and be sure to tell your guests to bring their dancing shoes. Lounge by the pool, or take in a show. Either way, this type of bridal shower will be sure to leave a lasting impression.
Photo: A La Mode Bride on Etsy
2. Pool Party Bridal Shower
This type of shower works equally as well for the bride or as a Jack and Jill. Let your guests take turns shooting each other with squirt guns or tossing water balloons. Get a spirited game of water volleyball going and get the grill fired up. Who says showers have to be stuffy? Some people prefer them wet and wild! Throw in some cute flip flop favors or beach wedding shower favors too. So put on that bikini, grab the sunscreen and get ready to make a splash with your Pool Party Bridal Shower!
Photos: Weddings Chicks, Style Me Pretty
3. Tea Room Bridal Shower
A Tea Room is a perfect location to hold an intimate bridal shower. Bed and Breakfasts often serve a formal lunch, and that will do if you do not have an authentic Tea Room nearby. Invite the ladies to don their Sunday best, and encourage fancy hats. Many Tea Rooms will have hats for the guests to wear, if the ladies don’t bring their own. Place parasol or floral favors at each setting, or use tea party favors to give your guests something flavorful to take home with them. Come up with your own bridal shower favor ideas by making miniature baskets of herbal teas. Let the ladies enjoy the luxury of being taken back to a simpler time while they partake in your Tea Room Bridal Shower.
Photo: Martha Stewart Weddings
4. Asian Themed Bridal Shower
Fortune cookie favors, Chinese Take-Out Box Favors, and personalized chopsticks are all things that you can use to create an Asian Themed Bridal Shower. Wear a Kimono and place bamboo mats and pillows on the floor. Have sushi served and offer your guests tea and Saki. Keep the theme going by letting your guests make their own meals in the wok! Asian music should be playing, and you can even hire geisha girls to serve the meal. This is a fun and different way to create a bridal shower that will make your guests feel like they are worlds away from home.
5. Born to Be Wild – Motorcycle Ride!
Having a motorcycle ride of any kind is a great way to throw a Jack and Jill shower for the easy riders! Encourage all of the bikers to take a long ride together, and end at a favorite spot or park. Have a pig roast or barbeque, and let the horseshoes fly and the tunes blare! The bride and groom will love having all of their friends around them, and both the young and old can enjoy some element of the day. Encourage guests to come casual, and register for gifts that will keep you riding high as you drive off into the sunset on the road to happily ever after!
Photo: Two Wheel Weddings
Author: Jamie | January 11, 2012, at 1:51 pm
Photo: Sprinkles Cupcakes
You’ve got the guy, and now you’ve got the ring. And if you’re like most brides to be, you’ll want to share the big news with all of your friends and family members. There’s no better way to let everyone celebrate your impending nuptials than to throw an engagement party. Although there are many different types of engagement parties you can have, there are five basic rules to follow to ensure that yours will go off without a hitch.
1. Send out the right engagement party invitations. The invitation is the first taste your guests will get of the whole wedding event. If you are planning a casual party, use casual invitations. If your celebration will be a formal event, pick your invitations accordingly and be sure that you request formal attire. Don’t leave anything up to chance when sending out the engagement party invitations. Have all of the details spelled out clearly, and be sure to set a definite end time so that there will be no late night stragglers.
Photo: Invitation from Minted.com
2. Whether your engagement party is in your back yard, or at the Ritz, it is still an event to be remembered. Decorate your venue in the style of your celebration. If you are planning a barbeque pool party, be sure your engagement party favors are fun and festive. If you are choosing an adults only sit down dinner, than pick out some distinguished engagement party favors that convey the formality of your affair. No matter what your style, etiquette dictates that you, as the hostess, should return the gift of your guests’ presence with the perfect engagement party favor.
3. Pick your guests carefully. Engagement party guest lists can be tricky. Only invite people to the engagement party if they will be invited to the wedding too. Be sure not to leave anyone out either. Even the littlest oversight on your part could cause big ripples on your big day. The last thing the bride wants to plan for is how to diffuse family squabbles on her wedding day. Start off on the right foot by inviting all of the family members to your engagement party.
4. You’re throwing the party, so you should give the gifts. Never ask your friends to bring gifts to your engagement party, although many probably will. Consider writing something such as “Your presence at our engagement party is the only gift we desire,” or similar words on the invitation, that will let your guests know that they are not required to bring goodies. If they do, place the gifts in a separate room and open away from the party. This will eliminate awkward feelings for those who do not bring gifts.
5. Even though it may be months away, you will have people asking you thedetails of your big day. Unless you want a lot of unsolicited opinions, it may be a good idea to keep the details of the wedding separate from the engagement party festivities. Most brides and grooms will not know the exact date or location of their wedding yet. However, many people will offer their little tips or ideas. Thank them for their input, but don’t divulge any details. The focus of the celebration should be the engagement. There will be plenty of time to evaluate everyone’s ideas for your ultimate celebration.
Author: Jamie | January 10, 2012, at 4:37 pm
Weddings are a celebration of love. Many brides and grooms design their wedding in a unique, contemporary way. Others plan a themed wedding. But if you are a romantic at heart, you will most likely design your dream wedding around the elements that embody true love.
Photo: Elisabeth Perotin Photography
Here are some simple and easy steps you can take to ensure that everyone who attends your wedding will be swept up in pure romance.
Music speaks volumes. Play classical music throughout your reception. The sound of violins and harps will fill the air with a delicate and delightful ambiance. Place authentic instruments on each table as a place setting and adorn them with rose petals. Even the classics from Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole will inspire your guests to fall in love all over again.
Use love themed favors throughout your event. Place heart shaped bells at each place setting to encourage love’s first kiss over and over again. Or fill a basket with keys to your heart and let your guests play along with unlocking the mysteries that lie within each of them. Decorate the venue with all of the elements of romance, including lace, roses, and heart wedding favors.
 
Inspire the taste of romance by filling candy dishes or mint tins with heart shaped candy valentines. Create your own and have special messages of love printed on the candies for all to share in your sentiments. Give each one of your guests a heart shaped cookie cutter and let them spread the amorous feeling throughout their own home long after the day is over.
Photo: Photographix
Consider decorating your event with antique elements that create an air of vintage romance. Place natural wooden baskets filled with wildflowers on each table. Set potted plants on windowsills. Drape ivory satin or lace embroidered fabric across the back of the chairs. Visit your local fabric shop to discover different ways that coverings can enhance the atmosphere of your wedding.
 
Photos: Brides and Shiraz Events
Get creative with the food and drink you offer your guests. Have your caterer create several heart-shaped finger sandwiches or appetizers to serve at your reception. Fill the punch bowl with heart shaped ice cubes or use sugar cubes with a heart motif when serving tea and coffee. Or offer champagne flutes in sets of two that complete a heart.
Create your own wedding vows. One of the most romantic things that you can do at your wedding is to speak your words of love for all to hear. Take some time to put into words just how much your fiancé means to you. Describe how you first met and the journey that brought you to this new beginning. Share with your families all of the things that make your heart flutter and your palms sweat when you are around this special person. This is a surefire way to guarantee that your guests sit a little closer, and hold each other a little tighter during those dances.
Remember that the day is about you and the love you share. Express it in ways that are special to you. Adding a few of these small ideas and features to your day will allow it to retain all of the elements that you want and still strum at
the heartstrings of everyone in attendance.
Author: Tracy | June 4, 2011, at 3:37 am
Paparazzi is always welcome at this event. No Academy Award, Oscars, Emmy Award is required for this red carpet event, just a photogenic smile and the right pose is all you need. In the last years, celebrities have created a big following, from where they shop, eat, and whom they are seen with seems to be our big obsession. We want to look like them, dress like them and buy what they are buying. Who doesn’t want to look and feel like a star.
This month, Hollywood has arrived at HansonEllis. Come take a look at our Red Carpet Banners, all personally designed by our in house designer just for you. You can select from traditional, ethnic, modern, or fun designs to cater to your personal style or wedding theme.
Our Red Carpet Celebrity Banner is great for wedding receptions, bridal showers, bachlorette parties, bachelor parties, corporate events or any social functions. It is a fun way to have you and your guest be photographed and remembered.
Ideas:
Have your photographer take digital group photos of families, friends, or your bridal party and print them out and insert the photo in a frame for them to take home. Makes a great keepsake.
Author: Jamie | May 13, 2011, at 8:08 am
Summer is a wonderful time of the year for a wedding. The sun is shining, the flowers are in bloom, and love is in the air. If you are planning a wedding during this time of year, there are a number of ways that you can stretch your budget. Read on to find some unique and creative wedding ideas for summer celebrations.
Photos from Martha Stewart Weddings
Take Advantage of Mother Nature
Outdoor weddings are almost always less expensive than indoor events. With very little cost, you can pull off a truly magnificent outdoor wedding. Consider holding your nuptials surfside for an intimate and romantic feel. Simply rent a few chairs and perhaps a trellis. Adorn them with fresh lilies and greenery and let Mother Nature take care of the rest.
Parks and public gardens provide beautiful backdrops to any event. Contact your local municipality to find out how to rent one of these locations for the day. Work with a party planning company and have them provide you with a tent, tables and chairs, and any other items you need to complete your day.
If you have a friend or family member with a truly spectacular yard, perhaps they would be willing allow you to hold your wedding there in lieu of a gift. Ensure them that you will take responsibility for all of the details. And offer to hire a cleaning service to pick up after the celebration is over.
Shop Retail
Summer weddings are more casual than winter affairs. Rather than buying your bridesmaids dresses from a wedding shop, spend some time in local department stores and online. You can often find a wide selection of lovely dresses in many different styles and sizes. This could save you a significant amount of money, and your bridesmaids will probably be able to wear them time and again.
Look through various stores to locate the perfect centerpieces. Many retailers will discount their summer items before the season even begins. This is a great way to get your hands on some very unique and festive centerpieces and party accessories at a significantly reduced price.
Photos from Martha Stewart Weddings
Create It Yourself
Even if you do not live near the ocean, you can easily create a seaside feeling by incorporating beach wedding favors into your celebration. Use shells and natural sea grass to accent your tables. Give all of your guests a pair of flip-flops and sunglasses to really put them in the mood. And hire a steel drum band to help your guests surf the night away.
If you have some family members who are top chefs, ask them to donate their culinary skills to your big day. Perhaps they can prepare a barbeque for your rehearsal dinner. Or maybe they can provide the appetizers at your reception. Either way, nothing says love like a home cooked meal.
Use flowers from your own garden. If someone you know has a green thumb, perhaps they would love to share their creations with you on your special day. Some of the loveliest centerpieces and bouquets come from family gardens. Summer means casual, and wildflowers of cascading colors often make the most stunning arrangements.
Author: Tracy | April 28, 2011, at 11:00 am
 April 29, 2011 at 11am The Royal wedding of William and Kate is less than 24hrs away.
From the Americans to the Brits, we all have anticipated this special day and have been counting down the days for the celebration to arrive.
Some may ponder as to why we are so obsessed with this royal nuptial, having so much media coverage on the young couple all over TV networks and online. Reporting on every move they make, from Kate’s fashion style, to the expansive guest list and down to the type of hors d’oeuvre that will be served. It is not every day that we can witness an actual fairytale wedding taking place as prince charming takes the hand of a fair maiden to be his princess. Secretly we all wish that our wedding would be as lavish, blissful, and memorable and have a happily ever after ending. It’s no wonder we are obsessed with this royal wedding.
The big day has arrived and we cordially invite you to watch with us this royal affair and share in His Royal Highness Prince William and Miss Catherine Middleton as they walk down Westminster Abbey to say
“I do”
If you are inspired by the royal couple and their wedding, leave a comment on our blog and share your thoughts and opinions.
Did the wedding meet up to your expectation of a fairytale wedding?
Did Kate’s choice for a wedding dress live up to a royal affair?
Was Prince William dashing and charming and swept you off your feet?
Was the décor romantic and opulent as you pictured?
Ultimately, did the limitless budget make this wedding the wedding of the century?
What would you have done differently if you were Kate Middleton or Prince William.
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