I had the pleasure last week to attend an Open House at Camargo Rental in Cincinnati, OH. The rentals they have to offer brides are phenomenal from the glass tents and clear dance floors to the exquisite linens and luxury bathroom trailer. Anything you can imagine or dream up… Camargo has to offer. They even have an in-house florist available whose work was absolutely gorgeous. The staff was a joy to talk to and I believe that any bride would feel welcome walking into the showroom. If you are looking for something different and unique this is definitely the place to go! Below are some of the tables that were set up for the open house….the pictures don’t do them justice.
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Ok… I love my job!! Yes, it gets a tad bit stressful at times, but at the end of the day this is what I love to do! So, being a person who loves to read fiction I was so excited when Nora Roberts came out with a series about a group of women who run a wedding planning business. The series is called The Bridal Quartet which is made up of four books and the last of which is coming out this November. Of course each book has a love story mixed in, but they also talk about the stress of owning and running a business and the crazy happenings that wedding planners deal with on a regular basis. They are a quick easy reads and I would recommend them to anyone in the industry or if you are a bride looking for a good book to take on your honeymoon to read while relaxing on the beach. Check it out!
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It’s funny where our inspiration comes from! On my daily Starbucks run it suddenly hit me – hugs and kisses rock! Here are some fun takes on hugs and kisses, X’s and O’s. Enjoy!
Super cute and sweet necklace from Etsy.com seller HammeringRedhead.
Seriously how freaking cute are these?? Perfect for your special man on the big day! From Etsy.com seller Numpty.
Loving this fantastic and fabulous pillow, perfect for your super swank seating arrangement! Rustic, romantic and full of hugs and kisses! From the Etsy.com seller RamonaOwenDesigns.
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For the bride who wants to mix things up a bit…. moving away from the traditional floral centerpiece may be the way to go. One idea is making a centerpiece out of dishes; plates, teacups, etc… It’s very elegant, you do not have to worry about it wilting before the reception begins and when is the last time you went to a wedding where there wasn’t’ flowers for the centerpiece! Each table can have a different theme or color. Just go to your local thrift or antique store and pick up a few different sets. It can even be a fun way for you and your honey to spend a Saturday afternoon…. it can be like a treasure hunt!
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Here is a teaser from the amazing wedding of Rachel and Josh! Imagine romantic, organic and simply southern!! More to come. YAY!
Photo by the super talented Frank Becker of The Time Photography!
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The guestbook is an old and tired tradition, so brides nowadays are always looking for something different to use for guests to sign. A regular guestbook just gets stuffed in the back of the drawer and is never seen. So… what about plates! Go to an antique shop or department store and buy a few different size plates that match the décor of your house. Then have your guests sign them at your wedding. Finally, mount them on the wall as piece or art and décor for your house. You will be reminded of your special day and those who shared it with you every time you walk in the room. An Always Planned bride will be doing just this next weekend!!
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I am so excited to blog about this beautiful wedding!! The first time I met with Jamie I knew that I just had to help her with her wedding! When she was describing the southern grace and Kentucky charm she wanted to portray to all of her guests, especially those from California. After chatting with her I found out that she was busy living in LA and working on the movie Avatar – yes THE HUGE blockbuster movie! EEK!! So exciting and from then on I referred to her as Jamie my Avatar bride, lol!!
OK so here are the amazing details you have been waiting for!
This next photo is one of my all time favorites! Something about men all dressed up and hanging out together…. not sure but I love it!!
The fabulously gorgeous Headley-Whitney Museum was chosen as their venue and DaRae and Friends as their caterer. The food was to die for and I have found that I love shrimp and grits! YUM! Purdon’s Rentals provided us with a beautiful tent and all tables, chairs and linens while the guys at Bluegrass Beat did a wonderful job with uplighting and DJ. All of the stunning flowers were provided by the uber talented Crist Creona!
All of these gorgeous images were from the very talented Harper Smith Photography based in Las Angeles, CA and New York, NY.
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Go Green!
Right now it is all about “going green” and at Always Planned we have been trying to be “green” as much as possible. We have been using a brand called Eco Clean that carries all purpose cleaner, bathroom cleaner, dish wash, glass cleaner and hand wash. All the ingredients are Danish products grown and found around Scandinavia. One of the main ingredients used in all of the products are sugar beets. The sugars used from the beets have very high detergency properties for cleaning and sanitizing. Eco It is child friendly, pet friendly, “green” and even smells good!! What more could you ask for in cleaning products!!! (These products can be found at Alice.com.)
As wedding/event coordinators we never really know what we are going to get ourselves into, so we always have hand sanitizer with us at all times. Clean Well is a naturally based sanitizer that we have been using for the past couple of months. It is the only hand sanitizer proven to kill 99.99% of germs without using alcohol or all of the other toxic chemicals used in everything else. It even leaves yours hands soft!! (These products can be found at Target, GNC, Whole Foods Market and many more!)
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One word: PINWHEELS! No matter if you are having an outdoor wedding and want to add something a little whimsical to it or a party and need to add a little fun, pinwheels are the way to go!! They are so cute and inexpensive. Plus, there are many sellers on www.etsy.com which make custom pinwheels to coordinate with your other decor! Below are some pictures of parties and weddings where pinwheels have been used. Hopefully these pictures will give you a little inspiration for your next fabulous event!
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One of my favorite parts of a wedding is the Father/Daughter dance. It is what I believe to be one of the sweetest and most emotional moments of the whole day because you have a daddy dancing with his little girl who he has just had to let go. However, it seems like brides seem to use some of the same songs over and over such as “Butterfly Kisses,” “I Loved Her First” and so on… However, Edwin McCain has come out with an new single “Walk With You” that would be perfect for a Father/Daughter dance that most people have not yet heard. Now I know Edwin McCain has not done much in the past couple of years and I personally think of him as the guy who’s songs were played a lot on the old show Dawson’s Creek, but believe me you should check out the song. It’s a father briefly explaining the life he has had with his daughter and what he wishes and hopes for her and her new husband. The lyrics are very truthful and I believe most fathers have had these same words running through their head in one way or the other on the day of their daughter’s wedding. Perfect song if you’re still looking for something to have that special moment with your dad!
Walk With You
(Edwin McCain, Maia Sharp)
I’ll take this slow sweet walk with you
You’ll let go of my hand to say “I do”
He will discover just how blessed a life can be
I know ‘cause all those years ago someone handed you to me
Every step that we take brings back the memories
Winter snows and horse shows and dancing on the beach
I can’t help thinking that I’m the lucky one
You’re still my baby daughter and now I’ve gained a son
I’ll take this slow sweet walk with you
You’ll let go of my hand to say “I do”
He will discover just how blessed a life can be
I know ‘cause all those years ago your mom handed you to me
Don’t miss a chance to put each other first
Now that you’ve vowed for better or for worse
Don’t let the beauty of this life pass you by
In the times of trouble you’ll stand side by side
I’ll take this slow sweet walk with you
You’ll let go of my hand to say ” I do”
I picture a slow sweet walk yet to be
When you’ll take my hand and say “Daddy come see”
Then you’ll know what it felt like
You won’t believe what it feels like
Then you’ll know what it felt like when she handed you to me.
She handed you to me
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