With Christmas around the corner, Southern Charm Wedding and Events is booked with weddings and other special events.  On December 14, 2012, we planned a Christmas party at a historic home in Avondale.  Guests started to arrive right on time, 5:30 p.m.  Before entering the home, family and friends got to admire the classic red Corvette convertible parked in the front yard with

Courtesy of Christy Whitehead Photography

Santa waving and Rudolph leading the way.  But before we the guests could arrive, a lot of planning and coordinating had to take place.  So let’s start from the beginning, where everything started to make this event happen.

In order to set up for this Christmas party we first removed chairs and tables, filled coolers for drinks, began to blow up the Bouncy House in the back yard, and made a designated place for Santa.  Next, we began working on the kids’ dishes:  rolled meats, cheese cubes, grapes and apples were arranged.  They were finished just in time before the cater was scheduled to arrive with the food for the adults.  Time quickly passed as little things were being taken care of.  We soon realized the cater was nowhere to be found!  Thirty minutes before guests were supposed to arrive, we find out that the cater misunderstood the date of the event and accidentally rescheduled it for another weekend.

With some quick thinking and extra help, a trip to the Publix grocery store was top priority.  Time was the key factor in this trip.  Quickly choosing items that would be easy to prepare in a short amount of time, the grocery cart filled up fast!  Shrimp cocktail, quiche, egg rolls, loaded potato skins, crescent dogs, hummus and pita bread were purchased.  Speeding back to the house, unloading the groceries and preparing the food was a race for time.  The shrimp cocktail was the first thing out adding to the collection of meat, fruit and cheese platters.  Egg rolls and quiche followed.  The potato skins and crescent dogs were last to make  the table and seemed to be one of the favorites.

While we were making the Publix trip, Tanya was quick on the phone and called another caterer and asked for help.  This second caterer was gracious

enough to help at the last minute and provided more food.  We gained pecan crusted chicken on skewers, crab cakes, a variety of cheese and crackers and sauces.

Preparing multiple entrees was hectic.  Timing everything, remembering what food was where in the ovens, what food needed to be reheated that was on the table, what food needed to be restocked; it was such an organized chaos without the cater.  At the end of the night, the Christmas party turned out to be a success.  Guests raved about the food and could not believe the story behind our madness.

It was unfortunate that there was miscommunication between vendors for this event, however, things like this happen.  When they do, it is great to have an event planning team willing to pitch in and do what they can to pull off an event the best they can!  This can also be a lesson learned for future hosts.  Hiring an event planner will help keep everything in order.  If chaos happens to break out, we are there to make sure everything is under control.  We do what we have to do to ensure a great event for the host and guests.

Love this blingy table linen. Really makes a statement

A very elegant Channel inspired tablescape

This is a very unique idea. Have your tablescape hanging above the tables!

What a very cute idea for the sweetheart table! Love the Mr. and Mrs!

Some great advice from our very good friends at A Fantasy in Flowers. If you are working with long skinny tables, drape them where they are joined and place a long and low centerpiece!

Everyone loves a cool beverage. This is a great way to spruce up your beverage table!!

Pink and Peach really make a splash on a table!!!

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Here is Wedding Dress Wednesday for October 24, 2012

A Wedding Dress fit for a Princess. Or maybe Cinderella?

Beautiful sequin embellished Wedding Dress!

Lovely Mint Green Wedding Dress – Are colors becoming a new tradition?

This gorgeous pink wedding dress is so soft and romantic.

Wow!!! This gorgeous champagne mermaid dress would show off a great figure!

Hate Dancing?  Reception Activity Alternatives

For some brides and grooms, the idea of having to dance at their wedding causes an extreme amount of anxiety. The moment that the dancing starts is the moment that every guest over the age of thirty decides to leave.  There are a multitude of reasons to leave dancing out of the wedding reception, but for many celebrations, this would mean a large span of time where guests aren’t really doing much.  It is a good idea to plan alternative activities so guests will enjoy your special day for as long as possible.

Karaoke / Games

Having some sort of electronic game corner is a fun way to get guests involved with the fun.  Karaoke is a popular choice, and many deejays offer karaoke service.  For more intimate weddings, a home karaoke machine may work just as well.  If singing isn’t your style, try a video game that will bring increase the energy in the room, such as Guitar Hero.  For a more old-fashioned take on the gaming theme, you can rent blackjack or pool tables to scatter throughout the reception area.  Games such as Corn Hole or Horseshoes are great options for casual, outdoor weddings.

Photo Booth

Renting a photo booth provides your attendees with a great souvenir from your wedding, eliminating the need to make or purchase wedding favors.  Most photo booth companies will provide copies of all photos for the bride and groom, so it is also a fantastic way to get a lot of fun, goofy shots of your guests.  Have interesting props available (hat, mustache, glasses, toys, etc.) so guests can customize their photos.

Entertainers

Rather than plan an activity for guests to participate in, consider simply entertaining them.  Hiring a band that guests would be excited to listen to is a great way to entertain your guests, since they do not have to be dancing to enjoy the show.  Some couples will hire local entertainers to put on a performance, while others may commission a caricature artist to draw guests as they mingle.

Whether you decide to include dancing in your wedding reception or not, it is always a good idea to have some music.  Even while guests are talking, background music sets the mood and helps people feel at ease.  If you won’t be having dancing at your wedding, but are worried that the crowd won’t mix well, try placing small, bar-height tables around to keep people mingling instead of seated at tables.  It is your wedding, and if dancing isn’t your cup of tea, there are a lot of alternatives to dancing that your guests will love.

Here are some sneak peeks courtesy of Jenn Guthrie Photography and Brent Culbertson Photography!

Vendor list for this fabulous wedding:

Wedding Planner: Southern Charm Wedding and Events | Ceremony: Englewood Christian Church | Reception: Hilltop Restaraunt | Caterer: Hilltop Retaraunt | Cake & Cupcake Bar: Choux Bakery | Linens: Kirby Rentals | Photographer: Jenn Guthrie Photography & Brent Culbertson Photography | Hair & Make-up: Stephanie Rodriguez | Florist: Special Arrangements | DJ: Check 1,2 DJ

The purpose of a wedding dress is to make you feel wonderful, it’s supposed to accentuate the parts of your body you love, and disguise the parts you don’t, but with all the styles of wedding dresses there are it can be a challenge to find a gown that flatters your body type. To aid in what sometimes seems like a never ending search, I’ve put together a brief guide to show what dress styles cater towards which body types. Wedding planning is enough work on its own, dress shopping should be the fun part!

A-line:

A-line dresses are fitted in the bust then flow downward into a flared skirt that creates an “A” shape. This dress is great for any body type, however this style works especially well for brides who want to cover up their midsection, hips, or thighs.

Ball gown:

Ball gowns are typically the most formal choice of wedding dress (think Cinderella), they are fitted in the bodice with a full skirt. Ball gowns are great for brides wanting to accentuate their waist, but still hide their hips and thighs.

Empire:

Empire gowns have a raised waistline that actually begins right under the bust and has a skirt typically made out of more sheer, light material that allows it to flow softly to the floor. This dress, like A-line gowns, flatters most body types and is particularly flattering for small busted brides.

Mermaid:

This style is exactly as the name indicates, these gowns are fitted from the bust to the thigh or knee where they then flare outwards to the floor. Mermaid style is considered one of the sexiest styles of wedding dresses and they are perfect for the bride who wants to show off those curves and is proud of what she’s got! If you have a problem area you want to hide, be advised this dress is not for you.

One of the most stressful parts about planning a wedding is the endless amount of suggestions and advice everyone is so willing to give out regarding the right way to plan things. Every bride has dealt with it, whether it’s the conservative grandmother who insists the wedding dress must have sleeves or the crazy uncle who can’t understand why someone wouldn’t have an open bar. With each new wedding plan made there will always be someone ready to give their opinion, and that’s exactly what it is, their opinion. 

Brides often get so caught up in all these opinions that they start to forget what it is they actually want their wedding to be like. They start tossing out their original plans so they can please everyone else, but fail to realize no matter how many changes they make there will always be someone who is still unhappy. Don’t get me wrong, there is plenty of good advice that should be heeded, but couples should learn to step back during the planning process and evaluate whether they’re making decisions based on what makes them happy or other people. Weddings should be designed in accordance with what the couple wants and their vision of the perfect day because in the end people won’t care about the seating arrangements or how the cake looked, all they’ll remember is the joy and love they felt when the bride and groom said “I do.”

After minutes into the first demonstration, we also realized that our lack of tools necessary was not impressive. We needed way more than what could possibly fit in our “little pretty pink box.”

Needless to say, we took mental notes of the necessities required to fit in a floral tool box and will be updating our emergency kit to include floral supplies!  Out of all of the items suggested by Julia, we only had about ¼ of the supplies, but luckily that didn’t discourage us from being eager to learn more. Some useful tips that were given to us were that:

•  Metal dethorners can damage the flower stem, which in turn creates bacteria. This bacterium causes the flower to die more rapidly.
• Fresh flowers are determined by the petals and whether you can hear the distinct snap or not.
• Never ever touch flower buds with your hands. Clean the residue off with pipe cleaners to avoid staining on hands, clothes, etc.
• Always finish off your ribbons on a bouquet. It definitely makes for a more well put together appearance.
• Always cut your stems at a slant for minimal damage and to allow more room for flowers to soak up water.

After a few hands-on demonstrations and a walk through of items mandatory for our tool box, we were able to familiarize ourselves with and how to craft a proper boutonniere. Not only did we learn how to make them step-by-step, but we were also able to gather helpful tidbits along the way. From that experience, it is safe to say that patience and meticulousness are imperative to the success of a floral arrangement, no matter how simple or complex it may be. Things really are never as simple as they may look and the minor details are what make or break the foundation and/or beauty of an arrangement. It takes a lot of time and detail in perfecting these gorgeous displays of flowers. Thus, flowers do have a great significance in your wedding. Your flowers are the glue that bring all of your elements together beautifully to create the desired ambiance on your wedding day.  Wouldn’t you want a coordinator trained and ready to help with any floral mishaps after the florist has departed?

Photo Courtesy of Alex Michelle Photography

Recently, the Southern Charm staff met with Jill Stonier of Ruthless Beauty, a professional make up artist, (MUA) to give us the ins and outs of why professional make is a necessity and not a luxury. While there we discussed why brides SHOULD hire a make up artist for their wedding day and what our staff should have handy in case there should be any mess ups after the artist has left.

Every bride is unique in their own way and with a professional make up artist by their side, the MUA can create a look that is just right for you..natural, glamorous, etc. Unlike your cake or flowers, your makeup will “show” on your big day. It is important you look great from the start of the ceremony to the end of the night.

Photo Courtesy of Wes Weber Photography

The Southern Charm staff learned that certain makeup can last the longest on your face. For example, a foundation called “photo ready foundation” will last the longest on your skin and will photography much better than regular foundation, no matter what the cost. Generally, makeup needs to be put heavier to show up on photos. In addition, the MUA will use products such as a primer to help make the foundation last longer and perform better with the photography.

Beautiful wedding makeup is all about balance. This is where the skill of a MUA can come in to play. Before every wedding day, the MUA and the client will have a “trial run”, meaning a mock-up of what your makeup will look like on your “big day.” There will be no time limit for this, so you can feel confident you will look your very best on your special day.

We also learned clients should PLAN AHEAD! It is very frustrating for make-up artists when they did not have time to prepare before your special day. Their job is to make you flawless and without time for a trial run, this puts the MUA under the gun so to speak without the chance to find out your style and needs.

Lastly, Jill gave us a few tips on items that all wedding planners should consider keeping in their emergency kit. Jill also advised to ask your MUA if it is possible leave behind a sample of the eye and lip makeup so that you can do some touch ups before the formal photos are done.

Therefore, after putting so much money into your wedding, we learned it is important to hire a Professional Makeup Artist. The cost of a MUA is modest in comparison to the cost of a look you don’t like, or that won’t show up for the camera. So when trying to save money planning your wedding, don’t cut out having a professional help you feel and look your best!

Photo Courtesy of Ezra Marcos Photography

Our friend and esteemed collegue, Christy Whitehead, recently posted a great article on her blog as to Why You Need a Wedding Planner.  We thoght it was a nice follow up to our post on why you need a second shooter.  You can read Christy’s Entire Blog,  but we thought you might like to read a few paragraphs:

And now my two cents as the photographer.

The majority of weddings I shoot do not have a planner. Some have a venue coordinator, but in many cases I find that the event coordinator is gone as soon as the food is done being served. Which is when the bride usually turns to me to ask what to do next.

A wedding planner not only helps make sure you arrive on time and gets you down the aisle but helps ensure that at the reception everything is done in a timely manner. Which can mean money saved to you, because many of your vendors are likely charging you by the hour.

Let me put it this way, say you have to pay 3-4 of your vendors to stay an extra hour (happens ALL the time) that is likely to run you $1,000+ easily (And some vendors may have other weddings to go to and can’t stay!). Many day of coordinators start in that range and could have not only helped the wedding stay on time but have been on site all day to ease the tension of stained dresses, vendors arriving on time, and other emergencies that happen at EVERY wedding.

I hope you will consider hiring a wedding planner/coordinator for your wedding day. Not only can they save you a lot of stress, but sometimes the amount of money they can save you could cover the cost of hiring them. And I don’t know a wedding vendor who doesn’t prefer a wedding that has a coordinator in charge, it makes our day go by sooo much more smoothly. I also have someone to go to, should I have any questions, so that I don’t have to bug the bride who likely won’t know the answer for sure anyway.