Kelly and Darryl May 2nd

Kelly found a lot of inspiration from one of my other brides. In fact we were at the same venue with a similar color scheme. I always worry that I will end of up copy cat weddings when using the same venue and colors, but that was not the case at all. This wedding was definitely not that the other and was another fabulous job by the couple in the planning.


Decorations were in shades of pink. Pink round paper lanterns hung over the back porch. Tables were draped in black with pink napkins. One of the money saving ideas this bride used was to reuse her ceremony decorations. She placed galvanized buckets of flowers at the ends of the pews. After the ceremony we moved those from the pews to the centers of each of the tables. They were perfect for both. The night was filled with fun, food, friends, family, and dancing. They were so happy and so much fun to work with. And now for the behind the scenes credits. I know that Kelly blogs and will most likely put her reviews up there and I can link you to that once she gets back from her honeymoon. So I will just name the ones I know about and if I think about it some general thoughts.

Venue: Star Hill Ranch Adam is always such a joy to work with.

My assistant: Nery Lauderdale-bravely volunteered to climb the ladder to hang lanterns when I realized I was too short. She was almost too short as well, but the husband of one of the bridesmaids came to the rescue and saved the day.


Make Up: Make up by Adrienne. Kelly looked great so that should be all that needs to be said. I do enjoy her work.


Pre-Wedding Food: Tea Sandwiches and a deli tray from Central market. They were missing the garnish tray when i went to pick it up, but they gave me one from another party not coming in for pick up for another hour so she had time to make another one for them. It looked good.


Rentals, Set-Up, and Catering: All Handled by Dagars. They showed up earlier than planned in order to make sure things were set up in time in the chapel area.


Iron Cross: Mancino Iron Rentals


Floral: Visual Lyrics


Photography: Inked Fingers. Carli and her husband did great at getting all they could before the wedding so that once it was all over they were able to get some whole family shots and such and were done. It took them very little time at all. They also experimented with some HD Video as well. I saw a little clip on the blog and can't wait for more.


Ceremony Music: Mark Cruse


Cocktail Hour was appetizers with a coke and dr. pepper car set up on the wagon. Dagars took care of all this.


Cocktail and Reception Music: Byrne Rock I love working with Byrne and I can't wait for our next wedding together. I can't say enough about him. His new second in command, Ryan, was with him. I look forward to working with him in the near future as well.


Cakes: The Cake Pan


I will have to get with Kelly to find out where she bought the sparklers. They were the easiest to light and lasted the longest I have ever seen. I liked them a lot.


Shuttle for guest: Carey Limo services part of the limo company below


Get Away Car: Antique Limos of Austin. There was a miscommunication on the pick up time, but they worked out a solution so we had a wonderful car when it was time for our happy couple to say goodnight.
I will add any vendors I might have missed as I go back over the day. And once Carli get photos up on her blog I will link you to those as well.

Where have I been?

Sorry I have not updated my blog in a few days. Well right now we are between weddings. I find August and September to be pretty slow months for weddings because well honestly its just so darn hot. Oh and the fact that school starts back and everyone is getting back into the swing of things. I know that is how it is at my house. The usual juggling of getting kids to school, gymnastics, feeding then (that's harder then you would think on a busy week), and homework. I do find these moths to be very productive planning months. I have the time to make all those calls and contacts for the upcoming weddings and plan out the details of those as well. I also get to meet new vendors during this time of year. I am excited to be able to find new people to put into the mix. For example I have meet Virgina a wonderful florist in San Marcos. She does not like to deliver to Austin just because it leaves her shop unattended for a couple of hours. That is her only draw back. I have rarely met a florist with the passion she has for her work. And she is so great with people. She understands what weddings cost and really tries to work with you on your options in your budget. And when she does not know the answer she does not mind telling you that and getting back to you. For example when asked about a rumor of a flower running out she said its not something she had heard, but she would call her supplier and a few others in the area to check on things. I appreciate this honesty. At the same time she told us if the rumors are true then we could use the following options to get a very similar effect. I like her and hope we get to work together more in the future.

(Flower photo is from internet search not Virgina's work. She is sending me photo's and I will update it then)

Who is Teresa?

Here is the first introduction to the staff of Stress Free Events. Teresa Lauderdale is not only my assistant, she is my little sister. She currently is 18 years old and a recent graduate of San Marcos High School. In high school she was a dancer on the award winning Diamond Line Dance Team. She also was an officer on that team for the last two years. She often helped with costumes, choreography, and music preparation for the dances. She is very creative (I wish I had a picture of the shoes she decorated for last years contest they were outstanding). During that time she also auditioned for the HTE Kick and Dance Academy. Making those teams allowed her the opportunity to travel with them to Paris France. At this time HTE dance has given Teresa a place on the staff of HTE that Teresa is proud to be a member of. She is currently attending Austin Community College to further her education. During her time at SMHS she also had several opportunities to work with a fabulous Austin area florist during some of their more hectic seasons. Teresa has an eye for details and takes every effort needed to make something look perfect. She is a natural leader and can step in and take charge of any situation she is faced with. I am a proud big sister that she is so willing to work with Stress Free Events. She is an asset to our team, and is willing to do what it takes to make every wedding special.

Amy and Cory July 12th 2008

This was another fun wedding. I have to appologize for how long its taking me to Blog this wedding. I should have done is sooner and while it was all fresh. I can say for sure that we had a blast at this black and white affair at Mercury Hall.

The reception was held at Mercury Hall following the church ceremony in South Austin.

They had a friend of theirs that was a karaoke DJ that keep the music spinning throughout the whole evening. He did an outstanding job.

Matt Montovlo was our photographer and he was great. He really captured the fun and outgoing couple.

Carino's catered and I have to say I was very happy with them. The food was great and they really worked with the couple making sure they had plenty of food for all the guest.

I can't say enough good things about the people at mercury Hall they were great and it was a joy working with them. I can't waif for my next wedding there.

Amy and Cory thanks for letting us be a part of your wedding.

Alexis and Tim May 24th 2008

This was such a wonderful wedding. Alexis and Tim were great to work with and Star Hill Ranch was the perfect setting for their Texas wedding. Alexis paid great attention to details and that really made for a great experience for their guest and made setting up and coordinating this wedding a real pleasure. It had a great Texas feel for all their out of state guest but there was nothing in the wedding that said country western. It was a very classy and fun wedding.

Here is a list of vendors that helped make the day so special.

Location: Star Hill Ranch - this was such a great venue. I have several more weddings that will be here in the next year and I look forward to each one. It beautiful well cared for and Adam was so easy to work with

Catering: Dagar's Catering - I have to say these guys do it all. We had stations set up for this wedding and they were great. Food and Staff both. I can't complain about a thing.

Cake: Michelle's Patisserie - The cake was simple and elegant. Getting to try wedding cakes is one of the better parts of my job. Michelle's was there on time, set up and it tasted so good.

Alcohol: Wildwood Spirits - We worked with Josh he was easy to reach most the time and I would definatly use them again.

Photography: Jennifer Nichols I don't think I can say enough about Jennifer and her husband CJ. The photos are wonderful and they were the easiest photographers to work with. Not only did they get great photo's they did it in such away that the guest never were bothered by them. I even caught them dancing in a line of wedding guest for some awesome photo opportunities. I may be wrong but I think they were having fun.

Music: A-Town DJ; Los Brilliantes Both were great captured the feel of the wedding and A-Town kept the party going.

Shuttle: Star Shuttle - Not the easiest to get a hold of, but once I had the right contact information they did a great job. I recommend them especially with a wedding so far out from downtown allowing guest to enjoy themselves but get home safely.

Flowers: Visual Lyrics They were beautiful arrangements. Alexis said they were not always the easiest to get a hold of, but I had no problems the week of the wedding.

Officiant: Sam Riccobene - Very straight forward and easy to listen to. He had some other commitments but never made us feel rushed the night of the rehearsal knowing he had somewhere else to go.

Hair: Anne Shackelford, Hairy Situations - All I can say is the hair looked great

Make-Up: Makeup by Adrienne (Adrienne Pitkin)- they make up did as well.

Jennifer and Todd

This past Saturday I had the pleasure of working with Jennifer and Todd on their wedding. It was such a fun wedding.

They had a great country western theme.

The ceremony was held at Emilyanne Theatre in Wimberly Texas. http://www.emilyann.org/

it was an outdoor venue and they were married under the huge oak tree.

The reception was a short drive from there at Fischer Hall. http://www.visitwimberley.com/category/travel/fischer-ls.shtml

This is an old dance hall. No central air. Its a wood rustic building with fans and lights hung from the rafters. The tables were decorated with white lace table clothes. and flower arrangements in mason jars. Simple and very nice.

The cakes were cute and were provided by Pennington's Cakes in San Marcos. Everyone seemed to really enjoy them. http://www.penningtonscakes.com/ I will say its best to call them. I don't always get a quick response from email but they are so sweet to talk to.

The dinner was provided by the Bake House out of Austin. While I didn't personally get to try it hot the left overs warmed up well and tasted amazing. The chicken was just wonderful. I have to say that the staff was awesome. They sent out three people. One manned the bar exclusively and the others handled the buffet. They were so nice and personable and did what ever they could to make sure that the couple and their guest were happy.http://www.austinbakehouse.com/

The flowers were silk and put together by the bride and family.

Friends and family danced the night away to the music of Sunny Sweeny she was awsome. http://www.sunnysweeney.com/

The photographer was great Clarke Wendell out of San Marcos. He was right where he needed to be and got some great photo's. http://www.clarkewendelphotography.com/

Here is a link of photos from the wedding that he took. http://www.flickr.com/photos/becdiddy/sets/72157604795289251/show/

The video was done by Brandon Santiago. He was working with Alamo HD out of San Antonio. http://www.alamohd.com/index1024.htm Brandon is an old friend of mine that I had lost track of and so running into him here was awesome. He is a film maker so I am sure these video's will be awesome. He has his own production company and I want to give it a credit here. He said he has not done much with his website yet, but check it who knows what you will find http://monkeytoesproductions.com/

This was such a beautiful couple and a fun wedding.

Thanks for letting us be a part of your big day.

Jimi and Michelle Wedding

This wedding has definitely been one that has presented itself with many challenges. First the bride was in Canada and the groom was in Oklahoma for most of the planning process. The wedding was planned for here in Austin. I met Michelle on the knot and was glad to be able to help her out.



The wedding was held at House on the Hill. It was the perfect venue for this wedding. Our guest count planning was for about 100. I think I counted last night about 60 or so guest.

The bride was stunning and thanks to Katie for a fabulous job on makeup.

We had planned the wedding to be held outside in front of the water fall. The weather though was not on our side. It was dark and over cast. We would get a heavy sprinkle here and there and then it would stop and then a light rain and then it would stop. The groom was on site and called his bride and they decided to have it inside and if at the last minute the weather turned clear we would move the chairs. So we set the inside of the house up for the reception creating a walkway and place in the center for the couple to get married. It was right in front of a big window. Very nice.

The challenge was we had two hours. This amount of set up really I like to have 3-4 hours to set up for, but we had two. That is fine we knew we had to make it work my team was great (Thanks JT and Nery). And the brides brother and father and the best man and his wife were all on hand. With a plan at hand they all took directions well and we worked together and all the furniture was moved tables set up and chair covers put on, and sashes tied



The tables were covered with brown table cloths in the center of each one was a record bowl (a bowl made by softening and shortening a old record) those were filled with pink and green tissue paper. And there also was a cut out of the couple dancing. It really looked great. The bride and her bridesmaids put it all together themselves.

The cakes were chocolate cakes from central market 4 total. They were so good and looked perfect. The original plan was to make these look like records by adding labels to them. Well the labels were left at the hotel and so that did not happen. We (well one of her bridesmaids) added some ribbons on them in her colors and it was just fine. (side story on the cakes. When we got to House on the Hill there was a white three tiered cake and a chocolate grooms cake the grooms cake had the US Army symbol on it. Well I knew the white cake was not what she wanted and I didn't think they were having a grooms cake. But being that the groom was active army I thought maybe some of the guys decided to get him a grooms cake as a gift. No problem. I talked to the groom he didn't know said his bride took care of the cakes but he knew the white tiered cake was all wrong. So I called the hotel and talked to one of the bridesmaids she talked to the bride and they said hey its a cake its paid for it will be fine. So no worries. Well at 4:15 Central Market shows up with the cakes ordered. They had not been out already they don't know who those other cakes were from. So we had the correct cakes yeah. But someone somewhere did not. I called several bakeries that I had numbers for and no one delivered the cakes there was not a name or card on the box. The officiant showed up and she started calling other venues in the area while my team and I finished setting up. She was hoping they just delivered it to the wrong house. She called all the places she thought even sounded like House on the Hill. No one was missing cakes. So if you know someone that was missing their cake on their March 9th wedding I am sorry I tried to find you).

The officiant was Sarah Delefuente. She was wonderful. Very personable. Very comfortable ceremony. And like I said in the above paragraph a real helpful person.

After the ceremony all the guest went to the pavilion for appetizers and drinks. The DJ (DjDeuceMusic@yahoo.com ) did a great job of keeping the music and spirits up while the barkeeps (also friends of the couple) were keeping spirits flowing.

The rain held off and the couple and family took some photos outside before the next round of rain hit. Stacy Cross and her assistant did a fabulous job with the photo's and were a delight to work with I can't wait to see them and add some to this post.

After photos everyone came in for dinner. This was a buffet of potatoes, veggie medley in a wonderful sauce, salad, breads, and bar-b-que chicken and brisket. It was so good. It was catered by Dagar's. The staff was great. The food was great. I enjoyed working with them.

After dinner and toasts delivered by the best man, maid of honor, the couple, the parents of the bride, and father of the best man cake was served and everyone proceeded out to the dance floor and bar for continued merriment. You could tell they were all having a great time.

I don't want to forget the flowers were done by Christine with Eventfully Yours' Floral Design. She was so easy to work with and did fabulous even working in a budget. Getting the bride just what she wanted. I have an email for her if anyone is interested before I have her link available.

Congratulations Michelle and Jimi I loved working on your wedding.

DIY=Do it yourself wedding

There are a lot of ways that couples can do things themselves. This sometimes saves money and definitely makes the wedding more personal.

I got an email from Better Homes and Gardens with lots of great DIY ideas.

Here are some links to their site.

Enjoy

This one is for simple centerpieces. It takes you to a great slide show

http://www.bhg.com/bhg/slideshow/slideShow.jsp?sssdmh=dm17.302091&slideid=/templatedata/bhg/slideshow/data/1145482331032.xml&esrc=nwcu35&email=775126558

Wedding invitation slide show

http://www.bhg.com/bhg/slideshow/slideShow.jsp?sssdmh=dm17.302091&slideid=/templatedata/bhg/slideshow/data/1191607867832.xml&esrc=nwcu35&email=775126558

DIY to make it personal

http://www.bhg.com/bhg/slideshow/slideShow.jsp?sssdmh=dm17.302091&slideid=/templatedata/bhg/slideshow/data/1177088938192.xml&esrc=nwcu35&email=775126558

Okay not so do it yourself but here are some creative wedding cakes.

http://www.bhg.com/bhg/slideshow/slideShow.jsp?sssdmh=dm17.302091&slideid=/templatedata/bhg/slideshow/data/Weddings_SSWeddingCakes_06152005.xml&esrc=nwcu35&email=775126558

First Dance with Dad

The first dance a bride has with her father after her wedding ceremony is often emotional. The song for this dance has to be just right and fit the father and his daughters relationship. I know many brides and fathers for that matter stress over this little so much.
About.com has a great list of songs just for this occation. I will copy it here
http://fatherhood.about.com/od/daughersanddads/tp/wedding_songs.htm
1. Butterfly KissesBob Carlisle's Butterfly Kisses is one of the all-time favorites. The message is loved by dads and daughters alike and the tempo makes dancing easy.
2. When Angels FlyWhen Angels Fly is a new addition to our top ten list of father-daughter wedding songs. Performed by Tony Ransom & The Heavely Light Orchestra, it is at once inspiring and memorable.
3. I Loved Her FirstWhat a great song for a father-daughter wedding dance! By the country/pop group Heartland, this song will melt the heart of daughter, father and every onlooker.
4. Through the YearsThrough the Years by Kenny Rogers is a timeless song of love and is a favorite of many of my friends. It is a little bit country, which appeals to many dads and daughters, but is sweet and memorable.
5. Sunrise SunsetThe wedding song from the Fiddler on the Roof is a long time favorite for the dad and daughter dance. It was sung at my wedding reception 26 years ago, and has special memories for me. And it makes for an elegant dance given the slow and graceful tempo.
6. How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)This James Taylor classic hit is a great but less often used wedding dance choice. Many dads remember it from their youth and it is a lot of fun to dance to. This is not your classic waltz, but it is still memorable.
7. The Way You Look TonightAn old Frank Sinatra tune (with the Count Basie orchestra) is a wonderful dad and daughter dance number. It has a fun beat and is well crafted for a litte swing dance at a wedding or reception.
8. UnforgettableYou can't listen to Natalie Cole's version of her father's hit Unforgettable without feeling the warm affection between a father and a daughter. And it is easy to dance to as well.
9. Lullabye (Goodnight my Angel)One of Billy Joel's soulful songs sings a lullabye to his daughter and provides a favorite dance song for weddings. This is a unique song--not one you'll hear at every wedding--and still is meaningful to a dad and his newlywed daughter.
10. My Father's EyesAmy Grant's performance of My Father's Eyes is sweet and soulful and will be loved by both you and your daughter.

This is by no means compleate list of songs, but its a good place to start. Have some other recomendations feel free to comment and add them.

Getting the Groom Involved

This question seems to be one that comes up more times then I can count when talking with a Bride about wedding planning.

Here I have gathered some tips from various articals on the web.

Step 1:Take note of your fiance's hobbies and tastes. See if any of them fall in line with an aspect of wedding planning.
Step 2:Ask your fiance what he's most looking forward to about the wedding.
Step 3:Mention any aspect of that part of the planning process that might still need to be completed.
Step 4:Turn over any resources you may have already found regarding that aspect to your fiance.
Step 5:Involve your fiance in all aspects of the wedding that are specific to him, such as his tuxedo or groomsmen gifts. Let him take charge there if he wants to.
Step 6:Make menu and cake tasting a shared experience by planning a day around it. You can go to a local hotspot afterwards or plan a romantic pre-wedding honeymoon near your venue.

http://www.ehow.com/how_2134426_fiance-more-involved-wedding-planning.html

Here are the top 10 ways to include your man in planning for the big day.

Request His Help. This may sound like a "no-brainer," but often the groom doesn't get involved because he has been under the mistaken impression that his help wasn't desired. Sit down with your fiance and ask him what he would like to have at the wedding/reception. Tell him what you would like and develop a plan together.
Give Him The Knowledge. The fact that almost every bridal magazine is directed at brides is not lost on your fiance. He may be hesitant to help with planning because he simply doesn't know what's expected of him. Give him a checklist with dates that tasks need to be accomplished. Offer suggestions for each area. Remember, he may not do things exactly the way you might, but that's okay. He's getting the job done.
Enticements. Finding the most delicious wedding cake or most bubbly champagne can be a good way to have your fiance have input into the wedding plans. Spending a few afternoons or evenings eating delicious desserts and sipping on champagne isn't work; it's fun!
Gift Registry. Remind your man that the gift registry isn't just for china and crystal. While he may genuinely care about those types of gifts, today's gift registries are much more diverse. If he's had his eye on a great barbecue set or barware, remind him that the wedding gift registry is the way to go.
Entertainment. Choosing the entertainment for your reception may be just the ticket for getting your fiance involved. Chances are he has very definite opinions in this area. Put those tastes to good use. Have him "audition" the various bands or DJ's your considering. Spending a few evenings together going to clubs listening to music is a date not wedding planning!
Invitations. Chances are you haven't met everyone in your fiance's family or group of friends, yet it is important that they be included in the guest list. Ask him to make a list of people he wants to invite. Better yet, ask him to address the envelopes of his guest list. Don't worry if his handwriting is illegible, there are many computer programs available for printing labels.
Keeping Track. If your fiance is a natural organizer, ask him to keep track of receipts, schedules, contracts, and appointments. Not only will this lighten your load, but also he'll be involved in the planning process.
Accommodations. Asking your fiance to arrange for accommodations for out-of-town guests can be a good way for him to stay involved. Just give him a list of acceptable hotels, and let him do the arranging.

Rehearsal Dinner. Your fiance probably knows that this dinner has traditionally been the groom (or groom's family's) responsibility. If he doesn't already have ideas for this event, give him a few suggestions, and let him have at it. Don't worry if his ideas of fun for all differ from yours. It's his wedding, too!
Honeymoon Planning. If your guy doesn't already have a plan for your honeymoon, give him a few suggestions. Let him know the type of hotel you would find acceptable and be prepared to be pleasantly surprised.

http://www.brideandgroom.com/wedding-articles/get-the-groom-involved.asp

Green/eco-friendly weddings

I have had many brides that are wanting to make their weddings more eco friendly. There are many ways to do this and I want to list some of them here. The one thing to know is that in some of these ways you can save money in others it may cost you a little more, but think about the difference you are making on the environment.

Attire: Comfortable, loose natural clothing. There’s no need for attendants to match- just ask them to wear casual clothing they’re comfortable in. You'll probably want to focus on natural fabrics like cotton and linen. Polyester is very hard on the earth's resources, and other fabrics aren't particularly animal friendly. By all means avoid fur. For men the rental tux is not a bad option if still wanting a tux as it will get many uses as one purchased probably won't. Many people are going with matching shirts and slacks for the men. Like Mexican Wedding Shirts.
Brides can buy organic fabrics and have their dress made from that, or again think re-use and shop the thrift stores or family attics to find that special something. Also another great place is ebay see what they have there that has already been worn (just remember to ask for actual measurements in case it has been altered).

Flowers: Wildflowers or daisies, tied in a loose bunch. The look is that you picked them yourself just before the wedding. Also buy your flowers from a local grower that can assure you they are grown pesticide free. Also look into alternatives to flowers. Candles, lanterns, and baskets can be used as well. Scale down the number of flowers. Another option instead of fresh cut flowers on each table consider using potted flowering plants and give them to your guest as they leave or use them to start your own little garden.

Setting: In the woods or other beautiful natural setting. Consider parks, nature preserves, or botanical gardens near you. If you two have a favorite spot, its often possible to get a permit from the Parks Department- just be mindful that they may have rules about fires, trash, or amount of people. Ask around if there is a venue that has been certified green. I know if at least one in Austin, Texas. Check out their recycle policy.

Favors: I have more then once picked up bags and bags of Jordan Almonds that guest did not take, or fan, or various other items. These couples spent time and money putting these favors together, yet the guest do not seem to come to the wedding for the favors. Let your guest know how much you appreciate them by making a donation in their name to a local eco-friendly charity. You can leave a note on the table or better yet have it announced during the reception. Another option would be to give each guest seed packets for flowers and plants that grow in your area and they can help you make an imprint. Small tree seedlings are also available.

Menu: Serve organic food and wine, and perhaps a vegetarian or vegetable centered menu. Think lighter fare that will mesh with the beauty of your surroundings. If you're planning a vegetarian or vegan menu. Many caterers have this option now and it will not cost you nearly as much as you might think.

Invitations: Print your invitations on recycled paper. Also throw out tradition and the inner envelope. The way invitations are printed now you also don't need the sheet of tissue paper in there. That was there to avoid ink smudging or leaving an imprint on the rest of the invitation. So ask your printer to leave it out. Also limit your inserts. Create a wedding web page that guest can use to respond to and get all the maps and details. This saves on many additional envelopes (remember Aunt Mary that does not have a computer and make sure you give her a way to respond to you not all your guest will be computer savy but most will be).

Other ideas: Instead of a unity candle ceremony, plant a tree (this will only work in a park setting). Also limit the number of guest. Weddings are fun for friends and family, but not everyone of your parents co-workers are going to be as excited to come to your wedding. Save the invitations that would be sent to them. Also less bodies means a smaller venue with less energy used. Less food, and less waste is an option as well. Rent organic fabrics for your table clothes. Don't forget the plates. You can rent china instead of using paper or foam plates. Many caterers have the option to rent table setting and silver ware from them, just ask.

November the Slow

I have talked to several people (friends and colleagues) in the wedding industry and have found that it is not just me, but that November is just in general a slow month for weddings. I feel better knowing that.

I have decided not to let it get me down, but to let it get me motivated. I looked at my referral list and noticed I have many, many photographers that I can recommend and enjoy working with. Each one a little different from the other and some are a better fit for some couples then others. That is what I do, I get to know the photographers and then in getting to know the couple decide who will work best with them.

But then I looked at my list of bakeries. Well it was dismal at best. I have had several favorites, but over the past year things have happened and I have had to update the list. I had one bakery that after two negative customer service issues, I researched some more, and found out that it was not just me that was having problems. Their customer service is lacking. Its a shame the cakes are great. And then another of my favorite bakers moved out of town. (Any one getting married in Galveston let me know I have a name for you). And then another was a start up bakery. The cakes were great, and unique, they were fun to work with. They also were so cheap I just couldn't believe it. Well, it seems that their prices were too good to be true, they just didn't have the start up capital that they needed. Well with three bakeries off the list I need a few new cake and pastry contacts. So I made some calls, read some boards, talk to some colleagues, and well I came up with a list of 10 new bakeries that I would consider. I have been working this month on meeting with them all and tasting their cakes. Oh my this has got to be one of those perks you just don't get at every job. Free cake!! I am still in the process of weeding through the bakeries and individuals, but feel I have a better idea what is out there.

I have two weddings coming up in March I look forward to sharing those with you. One is a full on planning, and the other is a day of consultation. They will both be wonderful.

Mark and Shelby Spire 10/6/07

Last Tuesday I was sitting in my Ladies Bible Study and we were talking about what is going on in our lives and such, when one of the ladies told us how she is getting no sleep as her wedding was coming up that Saturday and everything was just caving in on her. So after the study I asked her what was going on and what she needed help with. She and I have not talked much and she did not realize that I was a wedding planner. I volenteered to help her out and let her get some sleep. Friday I got to the location at 2:30 and meet up with a group of her family and some friends and we decorated the location. The wedding was in San Marcos at Aquarina Springs (wedding on the lawn reception in the old resturant). The brides mother was very prepared. She had mapped out where every table was going and gave it a letter. Then she put all the decorations for one table into a box and labled it with the letter. And then in the box was a diagram of the table and how the decorations should be set out. We had the tables set up in a matter of an hour and a half. That is including putting all the chairs around. I don't know her official colors but everything was fall. Browns and Ivory accented with red orange and golds. Very nice. Each of the guest tables had a white table cloth with an ivory runner set on it diagonally. In the center of the table was a gold charger plate. On the plate was a glass hurricane with a white candle in the middle. The candle was surrounded by pebbles (natural brown pebbles). The pebbles were on the charger a bit as well. Then there were three candle tea light holders that looked like fall leaves that surronded that and then loose fabric leaves in fall colors scattered on the table. Simple but nice. There were artificial flower arangements in brown and golds on the cake table and two wood gold initials of the couple. THe cake table itself was drapped with the train of an old brides dress (the mother picked it and a veil up at a yard sale for $15.00). It was a nice touch. The grooms cake was a red velvet cake frosted in an ivory color and was decorated with fresh flowers from the flowers used in the bridal party flowers. Brides cake was also ivory (chocolate cake) pain with peach ribbon on each layer and dots for the boarder. A small bride and groom on top were actually sitting on the edge. Fresh flowers were placed behind the couple and around the cake. Again simple and lovely. The ceremony site itself was basic white chairs facing Spring Lake. A Table was at the end. It had an ivory table cloth that was passed down from the grooms family. On it was the items they needed for a salt covenant (I will post later what that is for those not familiar with it). ANd there was a floral arrangment that matched the ones on the cake table.

Bride wore a white sleeveless dress with bead work at the waist and a detachable train. This seemed to continue the Simple but elegant theme going with all the wedding. THe bridesmaids were in strapless brown gowns that came just below their knees with gold stappy sandles of their chioce. The groom and groomsmen were all in brown pin stripped tuxes with ivory vest and ties and brown shoes. Very nice. Wedding was at 1:30 and started on time. Service was short and the pastor was the grooms father. There was definatly a lot of personal touches to the ceremony because of the family connection. The caterer was with the University and the only one allowed at this venue. The food was not what I would call great, but this is not a refelction of the couple they did what they could with who they were working with. They served Cheese Quesadillas (that all tasted a bit overcooked to me) with chips and queso (that actually was burnt and hard by the end of the reception) and then cheese and veggies with ranch dip. Those were fresh and no problems and had just about enough. There was also some great cookies sugar, peanut butter, oatmeal, snickerdoodles and there were pleanty of these. They only had one gallon of punch and three gallons of lemonaid with pleanty of water. The punch and lemon aid ran out very fast. The caterer said this is all the mother of the bride ordered. I talked to her and she confirmed it and just thought it would go further. But didn't want them to bring more so it was water for all after that. I can not beleive that they would not tell her when placing the order that would not be enough for 140 guest (ended up with 160). They also did not have enough plates for the finger foods. Guest ended up just using napkins eventually.
Bride and groom were sent off under bubbles and their car was shrink wrapped with paper stick to the windows and a trail of things behind the car. Including a few pvc pipes and an orange caution cone. It was a beautiful wedding and such a happy loving couple.