Happy Anniversary :: Loretta + Jacob

Loretta + Jacob

April 29

We put together a fabulous candy station for Loretta and Jacob's wedding. One of my all time faves! We used shades of pink, black and white to match the table settings, and the guests had take home bags so they could load up with any candies they wanted. It was a hit!

The bride and groom are generally the last to arrive at the reception to make a grand entrance, and from that point they're off and running through the festivities! The candy station they so carefully chose their favorites for may be picked over by the time they arrive. I left a box of candy treats from the candy station with a thank you card at each of their place settings when we did the setup.... just in case, so they didn't miss out!

DIY :: Late Night Snack Boxes

I am in love with this idea! I posted recently about a DIY Pizza Party, and you could combine the two and use these boxes at the pizza party! Guests can make their own pizzas from the party post, and take them home in these pizza holder boxes. Or, they can be used as surprise snacks for any type of party. Perfect for a late night snack at a wedding reception!

SUPPLIES:

• Kraft Single Slice Holder Pizza Box, #8114549
• Kraft Snack Sacks, #1114100
• Kraft Cookie Window Box , #85159000
• Sticker Paper
• Home Printer
• Scissors
• Pizza, donuts or chips
• Our free printable labels at the end of the post!

Pizza

Start by downloading our free pizza label at the end of the post and then print it onto 8.5″ x 11″ sticker paper. Cut out each label. There are 3 per sheet.

Assemble + Adhere

Fold the darling pizza boxes together, peel the backing from the sticker and adhere to the front of the box – so cute!

Reception Timing

We need to make sure that your pizza is as fresh as can be, when it hits the dance floor. So you’ll want to assemble these boxes ahead of time with the stickers and all, and then give them to your waitstaff to fill before bringing them out later in the evening. If your venue doesn’t make pizza, you’ll need to coordinate for delivery by your favorite pizza place which can easily be done ahead of time.

Donuts

Start by downloading our free donuts label at the end of the post and then print it onto 8.5″ x 11″ sticker paper. Cut out each label. There are 10 per sheet.

Fold the darling donut boxes together, both the top and bottom, add a donut, peel the backing from the sticker and adhere to the front and around the side of the box – so cute!

We need to make sure that your donuts are as fresh as can be when they make their entrance on the dance floor. So you’ll want to assemble these boxes ahead of time and have the stickers cut and ready to adhere to the boxes. Coordinate for someone to pick up your favorite donuts the morning of your wedding and either have a donut assembly party while your getting ready or let your wedding planner take care of it.

Chips

I have to talk about these bags for a moment because they are awesome! They don’t get greasy! They are made of sturdy #45 grease resistant Kraft paper and so your yummy treats will look fabulous in them… no matter what kind you choose to serve! Peel and adhere a label to the front of each chip bag – so cute!

We need to make sure that your chips are as fresh as can be when they hit the dance floor. So you’ll want to adhere the stickers to the bags and have them and your bulk bags of chips ready to go for the waitstaff. Since chips can get stale easily, you’ll need the waitstaff or friends to fill up the bags on the spot and then bring them out to share. They would be SO cute tray passed like appetizers!

Click here for "Pizza" Labels

Click here for "Donut" Labels

Click here for "Chips" Labels

Paper Mart is the largest discount packaging supply company in the United States, with an emphasis on retail, food and industrial packaging items. Now in its 96th year of business, Paper Mart is a 4th generation owned & operated family business that currently lists more than 26,000 items for sale. Paper Mart prides itself on giving everyday low prices to everyone with exceptionally speedy service and delivery, making them the perfect resource for the DIY bride!

See the original post at Something Turquoise

Planning Tips :: Planning Your Wedding Rehearsal

The best thing to do prior to your wedding is to have a rehearsal. You should invite everyone who will be involved in the ceremony so that everyone can run through when to be there, where to go when they arrive, when to enter, where to stand, etc.... There are a lot of details to go over in order to make sure your ceremony is as smooth as possible, so if you don't do a "practice run" it can cost you valuable time and stress on wedding day.

Here are a few tips to remember when planning the rehearsal:

If the church/venue coordinator wants to take charge, let them.
They've done this many times and will be able to give you the most information on what and what not to do. If you had a different idea about something, or you find something personally unacceptable to you, bring it up during the rehearsal with the coordinator. While the crew in charge has done this so many times that they could do it in their sleep, it's your day...and it should be done the way you want it as long as the venue and time permits.

If you have ceremony musicians, see if they can attend.
Some musicians include the rehearsal cost in their overall price, and for others it may be an additional fee. It is so much better to have the musician(s) as a part of the rehearsal! They are the cue as to when everything starts and when everything ends, so having them on the practice run is really important!

Invite those involved in the ceremony rehearsal to a rehearsal dinner.
Traditionally the groom's parents are in charge of planning and paying for the rehearsal dinner. In today's times, that may be different in your case...either way, it is polite to invite everyone who's participating to a dinner after the ceremony rehearsal. Depending on the size of the group, you may need to make reservations in advance. Some of my past brides and grooms have held the rehearsal dinner at a parent's house and had it catered.

Provide thank-you gifts for those involved in your ceremony.
Your bridesmaids and groomsmen are doing a lot to be a part of your big day, so be sure to thank them for participating. The rehearsal dinner is a great time to give thank-you gifts for the bridal party and parents while everyone is together. Wedding day will whiz by for you and there will be a ton of guests to greet, so the rehearsal dinner is a much more intimate setting to thank them for being involved in your big day.

Vendor Spotlight :: LaTonia Freeman MUA

For those inquiring minds, MUA means make up artist. LaTonia is a make up artist and she's fabulous at what she does! She did all of our make up for the photo shoot this weekend, and I absolutely loved my fake lashes that she put on! Accenting the make up a bit makes it show up better in the photographs, and I was happy to see how accented my eyes were! Fabulous work LaTonia! She is back and forth between Atlanta and Dallas, so you'll have to check her schedule to see if she's available for your date...look her up! It's worth it!

Contact her on Facebook - LaTonia Freeman

Wedding Day :: Cutting the Cake

In doing over 100 weddings and events, I've seen many so many different options when cutting the wedding cake. Everyone should make it personal and their own style! The cake cutting is the first task you complete or accomplish together as husband and wife and it symbolizes your promise to each other, so make it great! Here are a few do's and dont's, tips for choosing music, things to remember to make it go off without a hitch, and even some alternatives to having a wedding cake.... 

Choose a Great Cake-Cutting Song
It's important to choose a great wedding song! Here's a link to some great cake cutting songs to choose from! I've been asked to research alternative interesting songs for all sorts of weddings. Some want traditional songs, some want a song no one's ever heard before at a wedding....here are a few links with options for whatever you want!

9 Totally Unexpected Cake Cutting Songs from Loverly

Most Popular Cake Cutting Songs from Project Wedding

10 Country Cake Cutting Songs from Wedding-Music-Help.com

Photos :: Cut the Cake, Feed the Cake to Each Other and Smash the Cake
Your photographer is going to want to get the perfect pic of you cutting the cake, so don't feel like you have to rush through it. Go slow, take your time, laugh and enjoy the moment. Generally you want to cut the bottom tier, and the top tier is saved in the freezer to enjoy on your first anniversary. The venue may provide a cake knife and server, but most choose to buy their own and some even have them engraved.

After the cake cutting, take the slice you cut and plate it. You each take a fork and feed a bite to each other. Again, don't rush...your photographer is wanting the perfect pic for you, so go slow and enjoy the moment. Then it's on the cake smash. You take a small portion of the cake you cut and smash it in your new spouse's face. Some choose to leave this out (maybe she doesn't want to take the chance of getting chocolate frosting on the dress, or maybe she doesn't want to chance her perfect make up being smudged when cleaning off cake... Several reasons might halt this part of the tradition...and that's ok! It's your day, so do it however you choose.

When to Cut the Cake
Most weddings opt to use the wedding cake as the dessert for the evening, so that means the catering staff needs time to cut it and plate it after it's cut. Generally the best time to cut your cake is before dinner. That way, the staff has it cut to pass once the guests are finished eating. If you're not serving a plated dinner and you're having a cocktail and hors d'oeuvres type reception, you can alter the time and have it served whenever you choose.

Where to Place & Cut the Cake
Make sure to cut the cake in a central location that all the guests have a front row view...depending on your venue, maybe the center of the dance floor, maybe near the head table...just make sure to make your cake table front and center! Everyone loves to see the cake and watch as the bride and groom cut it. It's a fleeting moment that happens quickly, so make sure everyone has a shot to see it! You can even add some flare to the moment by having the bridal party line up and create an entry way to the cake location.

Options Instead of the Traditional Wedding Cake
These days it is becoming popular to provide something instead of the traditional wedding cake. No matter the situation or what you decide to use, you can still order a small cake to cut into and feed to each other so you can have the traditional moment for your reception if you prefer. Here are a few ideas of what we've used in the past instead of wedding cake:

Cupcakes - Cupcakes are a great alternative to the traditional wedding cake. They can be presented in the same fashion, as you can see in the photo there are 6 tiers for a dynamite presentation. One bonus to choosing this option is you forego the cake-cutting fee some venues charge to take your cake in the back and slice it up and plate it. This way, your guests can grab their own cupcake after you're done cutting the top tier together. If you want to keep the top tier for your first wedding anniversary, have a separate small cake like the top tier make for you to cut into...or even take a cupcake, plate it, cut it together, and feed it to each other.

Pies -  Pies can still be cut traditionally as a wedding cake and fed to each other the same way too. It is always wonderful to get a delicious different dessert when going to a wedding. the cake is expected, so the surprise of a delicious alternative is always welcomed! In this particular photo, you'll notice they opted for the small wedding cake to cut for tradition and photo purposes, then they have a pie/dessert bar available for the guests. Loved it!

Vendor Spotlight :: Photographer David Deaton

This weekend we did a photo shoot to get a few new pics of our new sign and new head shots for me....I haven't had head shots since 2012, and I have changed a LOT! I was so happy with the results from David Deaton! They turned out great! He's really amazing at lighting concepts and making the photo pop before any editing or filters are even applied. More to come soon, can't wait to share!

Photography :: David Deaton

Flower Arrangement :: Michéll Events

DIY :: Wine Cork Place Card Holders

Place Card Holders from Karas Vineyard Wedding

Here's how to make your own cork place card holders:

1. Get a bunch of corks and face them the way you want them to face (logo side forward, maybe?).
2. Sand the bottoms flat so they don't roll around all over the tables.
3. Use a utility knife to score a straight line into the top of the cork, holding the blade straight up and down. Re-cut the scored line until you get a fairly deep cut. Watch your fingers!
4. Clean out the extraneous pieces of cork with a plastic card, like a credit card.
5. Add your placecards and test one out before repeating the process on the rest.

Not into DIYing these bad boys? You can buy them pre-made on Etsy!

Bride Ashley made these wine bottle cork place card holders with a wax seal for her wedding. Fun factoid: the snowflakes determined whether the guests were having steak or chicken!

                                                 Photo by Yaritza Colon Photography

See the original full post at Offbeat Bride

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Here are some of the wine cork details we've created for our weddings! I always like to incorporate jewels, ribbons or some other detail to add, but they're really not necessary...the cork and the card look elegant enough by themselves! If you're not interested in DIY'ing your own wine cork place cards, we can create them for you! Just contact us for information!

 Photo by Terra Sol Studio

Photo by Michéll Events

Photo by Michéll Events

Planning Tips :: 7 Tips for Selecting the Perfect Venue

In my experience, deciding on the venue is one of the most difficult back-and-forth decisions a couple will have to make when planning a wedding. There may be one certain location you both fall in love with, but with the size of the guest list (or the size of the budget) that particular venue just won't work when it comes down to it. Here are the main things to consider and decide before you begin the process of looking for a venue. Completing these tasks first will save you time (and possible disappointment) when searching for the perfect venue!

1. Decide on a Preliminary Guest List
I've seen first hand where a bride falls in love with a small venue, but her parents guest list size made the location absolutely impossible. I've seen a bride select and book a ceremony location with 15 parking spaces, and our job was to figure out where her 90 guests could park and how to shuttle them there. It's really best to have a good idea of your guest list number before you begin your search for a venue. Not all venues can accommodate larger sized events.

2. Decide on a Preliminary Budget
Again, I've seen a bride fall in love with photos of a certain location but when calling about the cost is was unattainable and a complete let down. Make sure you have a budget established before you begin ANY of your wedding plans, including your venue search.

3. Decide on your Style
This is something most know first before anything else - - what they want their wedding to look like! Outdoor or indoor ceremony? Indoor or tented reception? Formal or Semi-Formal? Rustic, Vintage, Country, Modern? Decide the style and theme you want your wedding to have before you begin your search. This will make it easier to immediately cross many locations off the list.

4. What Services Are Offered?
Different venues offer different services. Some provide everything from catering to bar service to clean up service and wait staff. Some venues you have to provide some or all of these details on your own (or bring in outside vendors to handle these details). Catering, Buffet or Plated? Bar Service? Linens, Chairs, Tables? Flatware, China? Onsite coordinator? Make sure to find out what is offered in your package when booking the venue. You may have added expenses that you also need to take into consideration.

5. Based on #1-#4, consider venues that will accommodate these points
Taking your preliminary plans into consideration, begin looking for a venue that fits your guest list size, budget and style. If it doesn't fit into exactly what you want, don't visit it right away. There are so many wedding venues available these days that you're surely to find exactly what you want if you do enough searching and eliminating the not-quite-right's.

6. Prepare a List of Questions to Ask
Think about the details that are important to you before hand. Are you concerned with having an area for your bridal party to get ready before the ceremony? Are you concerned with parking or valet, or handicapped access? Do you need special considerations with the catered food? Do they charge a cake cutting fee? Make a list of the questions and points you'd like to bring up before you tour the venue. Once you're there and touring, you'll be on information overload and might not remember all the details you want to find out. Take a list and they'll be happy to go over your questions with you!

7. Schedule Venue Tours
Schedule your tours of your favorite venues during the time of day your event will take place. This way you can see how the venue will actually look during your event. Saturday is the best day to visit if possible, because they'll be preparing for other events and you'll get to see the venue in action and how it looks for an event rather than empty. Be sure to check out all of the options while you're touring - - parking, restrooms, handicapped access, services included, etc....

Some couples find the task of locating, comparing and touring venues to be beyond stressful. To assist with that, Michéll Events offers a Venue Selection and Touring Package. We assist you with establishing preliminary guest list and budget, discuss the style you have in mind, find out what services are offered at suitable venues for you, provide a list of venues that will fit your needs and let you select the ones you'd like to tour, then schedule the tours (and tastings, if they apply). All you have to do is show up and take a look at the beautiful spaces to make a decision. Email us at info@michellevents.com for more information!