Inspiration of the Day

I recently discovered a new blog that I have gotten many many many ideas from. Its called The Party Dress (thepartydress.net) and its filled with pictures of inspiration and ideas for parties. Here are a few tabletop pictures that have inspired me from the site:

All of these are just beautiful!!

10 Money-Saving Flower Tips

Celebrity event planner, Colin Cowie, offers up his top 10 tips to save money on flowers for any event:
1. Rather than using expensive cut flowers, use candles and intersperse a few fully blown blooms in between.

2. Consider incorporating fresh fruit and vegetables into your arrangements.

3. Use smaller tables to seat your guests. I like to have 8-10 guests at a 54″ round, and 10-12 guests at a 60″ round. Avoid tables larger than 60″ rounds; it’s difficult to make conversation and you’ll spend a fortune on your centerpieces just to fill the empty space in the middle of your table.

4. Serve dinner family style so food becomes the centerpiece. A platter of grilled chicken, a plate of crispy potatoes and small bowls of fresh green beans placed on the center of your table will look visually appealing and inviting.

5. Select inexpensive materials and use them in mass. Bunches of carnations, Baby’s Breath, Gerber Daisies or even Spider Mums will look rich and lush. The key is to keep them on their own and not mix them with other materials. No filler and no greens.

6. For a country look, instead of buying vases or renting them from your florist, use coffee pot creamers and sugar holders found at your local flea market. When stuffed with herbs and a few blooms, you’ll achieve a stunning country look without spending a fortune.

7. Use pots of planted flowers and herbs instead of costly arranged flowers.

8. Stay away from vases with large openings. Instead, select small vases that can be packed tightly with a few blossoms. Have a few on each table interspersed with candles to provide a rich look without the cost.

9. Instead of renting containers from your florist, use fabric remnants to cover inexpensive cardboard boxes.

10. Use floating candles in vases that have been filled with colored water. Select vases of different heights and size to achieve a dramatic look.

(images via Colin Cowie)

Wedding Location Site Visits in Seattle, WA

I spent almost the entire day yesterday in Seattle. It was a gorgeous day, I couldn't have asked for better weather, and I had so much fun checking out new wedding venues!

Actually, my first stop of the day was not a venue, and it was not in Seattle, it was a floral shop in downtown Issaquah! I met Jon, one of the designers, at A Countryside Floral and Garden. Its a fantastic little floral shop and accessory store. The name doesn't do it justice at all! Inside, it is very modern and colorful, not country-like at all.

The store is bigger than most floral shops. They have lots of home decor items, and cute little purses too.

In the back corner of the store, they have this little nook, where brides can sit down and have a consultation with one of the designers.

They do amazing work! Their flowers are all high quality and they have limitless ideas for arrangements. All designers are AIFD certified, so you know you are getting quality when you book with them.

Thanks Jon for meeting with me! I had a wonderful time checking out your store!!!

Next I was off to the Seattle Yacht Club near the U District to look at their space for weddings.

Above is the front of the Yacht Club. Below is looking at the back side of the Club from the lawn.

Covered stairway down to the lawn (nice to have for the bride in case it's raining)

If you are having your ceremony out on the lawn, this is a great space because the lawn is pretty big, right next to the water, and they have a very nice tent to go with it (usually the supports are covered in nice white drapes).

My next appointment wasn't for another hour and a half, and I didn't want to drive all the way back across the bridge to Bellevue just to drive back into Seattle again, so I decided to take advantage of the nice weather and Mike and I met up for lunch at Joey's on Lake Union. We ate outside on the water and it was so nice! I'm so happy he is finally over here now that he graduated from WSU.

So after lunch I had a site tour at Pravda Studios on Capital Hill. And what did I think of it?? I LOVE the space! Its one, big, 5000 sq ft open room with huge windows as the walls.

Above is about half of the room, empty. You can see how it can really transform to anything you want it to be. Tables, chairs, decor, drapes, and lighting can all be set-up however you want.

Below are a few pictures from events they have hosted. The space picks up any color you put in it. The white really makes the colors pop.

It was definitely a great day in Seattle for me! I love going on venue tours and meeting the event staff at each. Its helpful to put a face to a name, and it helps me build a relationship with the venue, which is my goal for going to them!

What a Great Idea!

If you don't have enough in your budget for floral centerpieces AND bridesmaids bouquets, I really love this money saving idea.

Have the bridesmaids' hold bouquets during the ceremony, then have the bridesmaids hand them over after the ceremony (before all the guests arrive at the reception) and use them as part of the centerpieces on each table. Its so genius!

Here is an example. I wish I had a better picture of the bouquet, but it was very sunny that day and the light just reflected off the white flowers. But you get the gist of it I hope!

Then after the ceremony was over, the bridesmaids went inside and just placed the bouquets on top of the vases to finish the centerpieces!

A beautiful mix of peonies, hydrangeas, and tulips

They had a few different vase shapes, with leaves folded over as a frame to the flower bouquets, and ribbon tied around each

If you are looking to save some money on the flowers, I hope this inspires and helps you!