Dressing Your Bridesmaids

Bridesmaids dresses can sometimes be a sensitive subject, of course the bride should stand out but that also doesn't give her the right to put her friends in yards of bright pink tulle that may or may not resemble a dress (we have all see 27 dresses, right?) When choosing what your ladies in waiting will don on the big day keep in mind that these girls are not only going to be the ones helping you throughout the day but they are most likely your loved friends and family! Putting them in dresses they will be uncomfortable in will just make for some unhappy bridesmaids and who wants that?? The dress style and color should match the wedding theme and complement the brides' dress which will make a beautiful picture for your guests and photographer. With all the selections out there you can be sure to find some fabulous dresses that you and your ladies will love! Check out some of these great designs by Watters- all of which are available in custom colors!

xoxo

Juliana

A Fan-Tastic Idea!

A summer wedding in Florida is a dream for some couple’s, with the beautiful beaches and breezy palm trees, but the reality is that most outdoor events are just downright hot. Well instead of letting this obstacle get in the way of your vision, let it be inspired! A popular wedding website GetMarried.com is now offering an item that can double as favors and a way to keep your guests comfortable in the hot heat. With prices as low as $1.00 you can receive an elegant Asian white paper fan. The best part is that these fans are simple and can easily be adjusted to incorporate your theme. A few suggestions that GetMarried.com recommends are using a stamp or calligraphy for personalization, weaving colored paper through the spokes for place cards, or attaching ribbon, the possibilities are endless! And don’t forget about all the great pictures you could get with this fun little accessory :)

~Juliana

Celebrity I Do's: Kendra & Hank

Last night on E!, star of reality show Girls Next Door Kendra Wilkinson was married to NFL Eagles player Hank Baskett. Although I am not huge fans of either celebrities their wedding was definitely one for the books. The decor was simple and elegant with all white everything. I loved the pristine white aisle which they walked down as well as the huge outdoor tent that was set up at the mansion with all white floors and flowers. Kendra's dress, that she designed, was a beautiful satin princess style with a lovely long veil. Here's a few pictures I found online of the new couple!

~Juliana

Save the Dates!

One of the first major tasks after an engagement is to pick the date of your wedding. It cannot be too soon since you will need to allow ample time for planning, therefore many weddings are set to take place anywhere from 9 months to two years later. It is customary to send out invitations approximately two months before the wedding but for some this can be too short of notice, especially in the case of destination weddings or those scheduled over holiday weekends. Well my future bride-to-be’s, that is where save the dates come in! These handy little pre-invitations, that have only been introduced in the past decade, are becoming more and more popular in the wedding world as a way to let future guests know about your engagement as well as what weekend they should mark off their calendars. They started out simple, just a card with the date, but couple’s are becoming even more creative with so many innovative ideas! Looking through past samples I have seen magnets, picture slideshows, videos, individual treats, buttons, stickers, cards printed on wood or plastic, theme-related props, and just about anything else you could imagine! Some important things to remember with these save the dates is that they should go out no more than a year before your date, and of course everyone who receives one should be followed by an invitation!
Check out these great ideas that have been used by couples!!

This will be your first chance to express your wedding style so have a little fun and be creative!

-Juliana

Behind the Scenes

Working as a Wedding Planner we get to see both sides of the wedding. There is the outside view seen by guests, where all the details have come together perfectly. Then there is the inside view that only the vendors can see. A lot goes on in those short hours before the reception begins. For the wedding of Becky & Dale, myself and another A'vie intern, Lauren, were put in charge of setting up the reception. Although it was a hard days work with many tedious details, it felt great to accomplish everything & get to see the finished look! Here are a few photos I snapped throughout the day to show you all a little bit of what we do! Enjoy :)

Unwrapping EVERY little streamer popper for the Bride & Grooms entrance! 200 in total!

The throw bouquet- so cute!

The reception, held at the UF Hilton, was decked out in pinks, purples, and blues and showcased Becky’s favorite, ribbons!!

The dance floor was found underneath hundreds of ribbons hanging from the ceiling creating a fun setting for the guests to dance the night away with music provided by Mike Collins and Darrin Legree.

Grooms Cake!

Each of the 24 tables was dressed with white linens and interlacing ribbons handcrafted by the Bride! In the center were tall vases filled with water and topped with stunning floral arrangements provided by Petal Pusher in Ocala.

Beautiful toasting glasses!

The cake was made from four square tiers that were wrapped in; you guessed it, more ribbon!

Although it was a large wedding it was the small details that made it unique such as the candy bar that coordinated with their colors, the Photo Booth where guests could strike a pose, and the personalized pictures used as table numbers!

The best part is seeing all of the couple's ideas become reality to make their perfect day!

xoxo

Juliana

Becky & Dale

On June 13, 2009 Becky and Dale were married in a beautiful ceremony at University Auditorium located on the University of Florida Campus. If you have never been to University Auditorium you should know that it is a gorgeous, grand, Cathedral-like setting and the absolute perfect atmosphere for a wedding. Here are a few gorgeous shots all taken by Powers Photography.

Becky made a beautiful bride- I love those earrings!

Here are some pictures taken on site at Univerity Auditorium. The background window makes a great setting for these pictures!

The Wedding Party making some cute shots!

Even though it was pouring outside, the inside looked immaculate! Such a wonderful atmosphere for beginning your new life together!

After the ceremony and between the raindrops Becky, Dale, and the wedding party in tow were able to stop by the Ben Hill Griffin Stadium to take some great pictures that show their love for the Gators!

Here is Becky getting down on the dance floor at the reception, held at the UF Hilton. (Another post soon including decorating details!)

Becky & Dale were a pleasure to work with & I wish them the best wishes in their new life together!!

A perfect end to a perfect day :)

~Juliana

Strike A Pose

Although the day of a wedding can be hectic for the planners, somewhere between the introductions and cutting the cake we find a little time to eat and rest up, or in our case take full advantage of the Photo Booth!! Myself, Jasmine, Lauren, Ann Marie, and Caitlen all had a blast working together and I think these pictures display that perfectly :)
Another blog with all the fun details of this wedding coming soon!

~Juliana

Katie & Amir

On May 30th, 2009 Katie and Amir were married at the beautiful Thomas Center. The Jewish ceremony took place outside in the Turtle Courtyard while the reception was inside the Spanish Court Room. Even with the constant Florida rain we have been encountering we were lucky enough to have the sun shining all day long. The aisle was lined with flower balls hung on the chairs and the flower girl holding a similar arrangement. Although the day before had been extremely hot, Saturday was breezy and beautiful, we couldn't have asked for a better day!

Inside the Spanish Court room each round table was draped with pink linens. The floral centerpieces were provided by Joan at Pranges Florist. They were beautiful arrangements and added a touch of green to the atmosphere.

Catering provided by Terranova was a delicious buffet of salmon, fillet, vegetables, potatoes, and breads. My favorite part were the pre-served salads of organic baby field greens with goat cheese, cranberries, red onions and toasted almonds and a garlic red wine vinaigrette- so delicious!

The inside of the Thomas Center was a tight squeeze for almost 120 guests but the beautiful window ceiling really opened up the room!

The picturesque cake made by Cakes by Jenny was three tiers and featured sour cream pound cake with orange filling and chocolate cake with raspberry filling.

Coffee table- love the added bouquet!

Angela adding some last minute touches!

Myself & Benay (another intern). Having fun wtih our trusty clipboards & pouches!

Myself & Angela

The best part of the night was provided by Jay's Entertainment and their DJ Darrin. He played great music & encouraged everyone to dance the night away! After the bouquet and garter had been thrown Darrin blindfolded the guy who caught the garter while he was sitting in front of the girl who had caught the bouquet with instructions to put the garter on her--using his teeth! Little did he know that while he was blindfolded there had been a little switch.....

I did not get any pictures of when Darrin took the blinfold off because of lighting but let's just say he was a little surprised!!

Katie's dress was a beautiful white satin, strapless, sweetheart neckline. This was the only picture I got of her but you can check out all of her pictures by JS Photography (here). I loved loved loved her hairpiece which was a little feather adornment that was tucked into her side-swept bun. It was so cute but elegant and perfect since she was not wearing a veil. Katie's hair was done by Graceful Strands.

In all the whole day was definitely a success- even with my Publix runs for forgotton items!

At the end of the night all of us at A'vie were tired and had very sore feet but it felt great to have pulled off the whole night!

From left to right: Myself, Benay, Angela (Lead Planner), Jasmine, and Jessica

This wedding was definitely one that I have worked the hardest at but I think it made me enjoy it even more :)

Congratulations to Katie & Amir!!

~Juliana