Surprise Birthday Party

Back in October we threw my mom a surprise birthday party when she turned 50!

Here are just a few of the decor pics I wanted to share. (Note: these pictures have led me to see the value in getting my own digital SLR camera! More on that to come. I'm not trying to become a photographer or anything, but it would be nice to take semi-professional looking shots of my event design/decor work for the blog and website!)

We had several of these highboys scattered throughout my parent's house and patio.

Two smaller tables were out on the porch.


Here is the delicious cake from Sheila's!


The fabulous food was catered by The Perfect Pear and it was wonderful!


Flowers by Shirley provided all the floral arrangements.

My mom was completely surprised and everyone was so impressed by the decor. Too bad she'll only turn 50 once!

5 Steps to a “Magazine-Worthy” Wedding

I would venture to say most women planning their wedding have flipped through at least one bridal magazine.

Buying that first bridal magazine as you proudly sport your new ring is almost like a rite of passage. You smile happily as the cashier knowingly looks at your hand.

You page through the magazine and see stunning pictures.

You think, “I hope my wedding is this beautiful!”

It can be. The real weddings that make it into the magazines have five things in common.
Here are our top five tips to ensuring that your nuptials are worthy of your favorite wedding mag!

1. Hire an outstanding photographer.
You never see mediocre pictures in the magazines. A good photographer doesn’t have to cost a fortune though. There are many fabulous artists just starting out who can give you a good price. If funds are available, however, by all means, splurge on the best photographer you can afford.
2. Don’t neglect the details.
Some of the simplest details have the biggest impact. Can you make a cute “Wedding This Way” sign? Can you label the action stations at your reception? Go through the things you have to have in your wedding anyway and personalize them. Some places to start: place cards/ escort cards, table chart, table numbers, menu cards, station labels, favor stickers, etc. Also, make sure your photographer gets creative shots of these details, because that’s what the magazines want.
3. Create “pops” of color.
Color stands out in magazines, and in photos. Even if your main colors are pale, find places to accent with color “pops.” Think table fabrics, bridesmaid gowns, flowers.
4. Coordinate your paper goods.
Have a coordinating motif, monogram, pattern, font, logo, etc. on all your printed details. From your invites to your programs to your menu cards and table numbers, there should be continuity. A coordinated suite, especially one custom-designed is wonderful.
5. Focus on one or two “wow” factor items.
Most of us can’t afford to have every fabulous idea out there. There’s also the risk of going overboard, which you want to avoid. But focus on one or two really show-stopping design elements to give your wedding that special flaire. Think about an over-the-top escort card display. A fabulously set candy buffet, completely color coordinated, using specialty containers. A ceiling treatment or an out-of-this-world cake table.

By following these simple steps, your wedding will be worthy of any bridal magazine! Try submitting your wedding photos and detail shots to various blogs, magazines, and websites. You’re bound to be featured on at least one!

Blogger Brides' Roll Call

Calling all Blogging Brides!

We’d love to get you all connected, and hear about your fabulous upcoming weddings!

To participate, here’s what you need to do.

1. Repost the following Blogging Brides questions on your blog, with your responses.
2. Comment on this post, letting us know you’re participating in the roll call. In a week, we’ll post a list of all the blogging brides that responded with links, so you can meet each other in the virtual world and find out all about each other’s ideas!
3. We’ll randomly choose one bride who comments to win a special give-away!
4. All brides are welcome to participate (even newly-weds).
5. Feel free to spread the word about the roll call on your own blog!

Blogging Brides Introductory Post:

1. Tell us a bit about yourself, your fiancé, and the proposal.
2. When is (was) your big day? Describe the theme, or overall look of your event. Tell us the venue if you’ve already chosen it.
3. Are you using (did you use) a wedding planner? If so, who? If not, why not?
4. Who is your photographer? Tell us why you chose that photographer.
5. What is one detail about your wedding that has you really excited?

Stay tuned to the blog in the months to come for more “Blogger Bride” posts! We look forward to hearing from you all!

Announcing: Spring/Summer Internship Program

Flaire Weddings and Events Internship Program

Flaire Weddings and Events is seeking a few good women who are interested in interning with a successful event planning firm! We are currently seeking 3-4 interns for our upcoming Spring/Summer Wedding Season. All applicants are welcome! Past event experience is preferred but not required.

Interns will have a variety of duties, including:

Office time – contacting vendors, responding to bridal inquiries, returning calls, etc.
Blogging and Research– We love creativity and want to see what you’d show the bridal world in a blog post, and what wedding trends you’ve scouted.
Rehearsal assistance – organizing and assisting the lead event planner with wedding rehearsals.
Wedding Day assistance – Your chance to assist one of our fabulous bridal couples with the wedding off their dreams! Wedding Day Duties will include set-up of décor items, placement of menu cards and place cards, assisting with the venue set-up, assisting with the wedding ceremony, and being on-hand to help throughout the reception!

Upon successful completion of your internship, you could become a candidate for employment with Flaire Weddings and Events as an event assistant, and maybe even start down the path to becoming a lead event planner for the team!

Interested applicants are asked to submit the following materials by December 15th, 2008 to info@flaireweddings.com:

Recent Headshot or Photo
Current Resume
List of three non-relative references
Personal statement (up to one page) on the topic: Why would you make a good wedding planner?

Once you submit your internship application, selected applicants will be sent some additional materials to complete before our final selection is made.

Interns will be announced via the blog on January 1st, 2009!

Thanks so much to all who are interested, and we wish all the applicants the best of luck!

~Cassandra