There are many traditions in the wedding world that are changing and being updated as each decade passes, but there is one that seems to remain true to form: The time honored tradition of that Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed and Something Blue!! Today I thought I would share a few of my favorite things that would be excellent representations of this special tradition and what I found out each item symbolizes in the process! I have heard of this many times but never knew the true significance of each piece!

The meaning of the Tradition:

Something Old: This is meant to represent the link between the bride and her family!!

Something New: Represents good luck and success and hopes for a bright and beautiful future!!

Something Borrowed: This piece is to remind the bride that her friends and family will be there for her in the future and on her special day!

Something Blue: In ancient times, this represented the symbol of Faithfulness, Purity and Loyalty!

I hope some of these cute ideas will help inspire you to find the little things that mean the most to you! This tradition is meant to wish you luck, remind you that your family (Past, Present and Future) is holding you up and guiding you through this next Beautiful Chapter of your life!

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So – every girl wants to be able to say that her fiancé is going to be super involved in every aspect of the wedding planning process, but let’s be real here girls, that just ain’t gonna happen.

But it is y’alls wedding, right? I mean, the BOTH of you are getting married, aren’t you? Therefore, I think it is exceedingly important that he has some kind of role in the planning process, whether he is really interested in the Purple Mountain Majesty’s swatch for your bridesmaids’ dresses, or not.

Before you throw all of your plans for damask linens and cute little pomanders all over him, let’s take a step back and do some evaluating:

i) As aforementioned, leave the hip wedding lingo to conversations with your planner, mother, MOH, etc. Throw a couple of those words at him and he’ll give you that confused look your daddy gave you when you mentioned you spent $4,000… on flowers.

ii) Make a list. Sit down with your soon-to-be hubby and talk about what you think he would be really good at being in charge of. (Be sure to add lots of “well, you’re so talented with this,” or “babe, you would be so much better at that than me”). Let him know how much you would appreciate his help, even if you only need him to do a few things here and there.

iii) If you ask for his opinion, be ready to actually take it into account. And I know most girls will read this and be like, well duh? But really, if you are already leaning heavily toward an option, and you think he may not agree with you, it may be best not to ask him (chances are he won’t notice on your big day).

 

So, now that we’ve gotten all of THAT out of the way, how about we talk about some ways that your Boo-Boo can help you out with all of this stressful (I mean, uh – wonderful) wedding planning business. I’ve thought of a few things that I would definitely feel comfortable leaving up to my fiancé. Now, feel free to leave comments and tell me about your experiences!

  • Have him type up his half (or less-than-half) side of the guest list, and you two can grab a glass of wine for a pre screening of your wedding guests.
  • If your betrothed is super creative, ask him to help you choose your invitations, after all – your invitations should tell a story of your relationship, so input from both sides of that relationship should be helpful.
  • Put him in charge of selecting the drinks to be served at your reception, maybe have him attend a wine tasting with a few of his buddies to get a better idea of what he likes.
  • If you share a common taste in music with your beau, think about letting him choose the music to be played at your reception – but be prepared to tweak his list a bit to add a few more “romantic” songs in there.
  • Should you choose to forgo the limo and if your guy were anything like mine, he would LOVE the chance to choose the getaway car. Let him choose the car you all use to make your “great escape”. Make sure you stress to him the importance of HAVING a way to leave your wedding, also.
  • While it may be tradition for the groom to plan the honeymoon, I know many brides aren’t 100% comfortable with that, so maybe put him in charge of finding the best deals for hotels near your wedding venue for your out-of-town guests to stay at. He may be able to find some good bargains and also make sure your guests are taken care of.

 

Now, with all of that being said, if you ask for his help, make sure you’re willing to let go of those responsibilities yourself. I know that I am QUITE the control freak and I want to oversee absolutely everything, but if I were to nitpick Wes’ way of doing things I know that it would really upset him. Remember that you trust this man and realize that he is going to take this seriously because he wants to make YOU happy.

Also, don’t forget that everyone needs a break from their own wedding. Don’t be afraid to take some time away from the planning and the stressing for the two of you to be engaged, your budget sheets and linen swatches will be there for you when you return. Enjoy your time with your fiancé, your wedding day will come soon enough – followed by the rest of your lives.

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This week has been a busy one at the studio!! Not only have we been getting ready for the Diamond Rings and Pretty Things Bridal Show this Sunday but Simply Love Studio held its first night of the Bridal Benchmark Series yesterday! For those of you who couldn’t make it out, there are still five more weeks left! We had an amazing turn out of beautiful brides and three wonderful vendor presentations including AP Luxury Travel!! While we were recovering from the sugar coma that Tinker’s Cake’s put us in, we started really kicking Bridal Show preparations into high gear! Burlap is cut, frames are painted and ready, gorgeous, luxurious linens are ready to be laid out and the girls of Always Planned are so excited to get to meet with you and share our love of weddings! The Bridal Show will take place at Embassy Suites off of Newtown Pike from 11am-5pm. There is NO admission charge for anyone!!  We would love to see everyone out there and get to spend time some time visiting with you all!  We (the interns!!) are just so excited for our first Bridal Show! Come out and stop by the booth to say hello and see yet another inspired design by Rayna and Mallory! Hope to see you all there!

Happy Planning!

 

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11

Sep

My First!!!

General, weddings // No Comments

It’s official! The “interns” have officially passed the first milestone, Our First Wedding!!! Thank you so much to Angela and Logan for letting us be a part of their beautiful day!

I was so excited to get up early and go visit with the girls while they got their hair done by Sarah at The Color Room. The girls each got to pick their own looks and they all looked so beautiful!! Getting to know the girls through inside jokes and sweet stories in the morning was the perfect way to start the day.

We were all ready to rock when we arrived at Headley Whitney for the ceremony and reception. I have never felt such a beautiful, crazy rush as when the clouds started to sprinkle on us right before the ceremony and we found out we had a few extra guests come then planned. But leave it to the “A(P) Team” to seamlessly glide through each little hiccup as if it never happened. Umbrellas were on hand until the clouds parted just as the grandparents took their seats and the extra tables and place settings were added with flawless execution! What else would you expect when you put two teams like Always Planned and South Van Events together! Sam and his crew are always exceptional and yesterday was no different!

I am so blessed to get to work with these Crazy, Amazingly Wonderful ladies: Rayna, Mallory and Shelby! This had to have been the best “first wedding” I could have ever imagined!

Thank you so much to Angela and Logan again and to everyone who participated and contributed to such a beautiful wedding!

Happy Planning! Love Always!

 

 

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So you’ve found your dress; that beautiful, one of a kind, once in a lifetime dress and now you are given the task of choosing the fashion for your beautiful attendants.  This can be a daunting task going into it, but never fear. If you are anything like me, dressing just one person in the morning is stressful enough for many reasons, let alone multiple people! But don’t let this overwhelm you! As a rule, we girls tend to either have too many options we love, or sometimes you just can’t find that one thing that fits just right.

The last thing you want to do is put one of your amazing friends in the position of really disliking the dress or being uncomfortable in the dress she is wearing on your special day. As the recent trends in weddings have leaned towards personal touches, vintage affairs and eclectic style, new “rules” for bridesmaids’ dresses have followed suit. Consider choosing a color, fabric and length and giving the girls the option to choose their own style that they love. Brides have even gone as far as to pick a style and a few different colors or shades and let their friends choose a hue of their liking, (perfect for an outdoor vintage setting in pale pastels maybe?). Finding a dress that could be worn outside of the wedding would be an added bonus to any friend who is contributing financially to her own dress.

This day is about you and your honey, and your girls getting to stand beside you when you say “I do” is an added bonus and a special moment you will all share forever! Making sure they look AND feel great, while creating the “attitude” you want for your wedding will ensure that they are able to relax and enjoy those special moments with you!

Happy Planning!!

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In my most humble opinion, I believe that the most luxurious weddings are held at illustrious estates in the deep, vast countryside.  What is more enchanting than a lush, ambrosial setting stationed away from the busyness of the city streets?

This most intimate setting mimics the antique feel of days past, of the simple times, and most importantly – the true love that radiates from a soon-to-be bride. The rosiness in her cheeks, matching the blush of the lacy peonies in her bouquet. The light breeze that awakens the old oaks, lining the drive. The fresh scent of recently trimmed bluegrass.

The thought of it all makes me so giddy! (: I can just see it now – swaying tree branches, light wind chimes, the smooth hum of the crickets – eek!

But – while this may be MY dream come true, it could very well be another bride’s worst nightmare. For example, my best friend’s ideal wedding would take place in a Grand Ballroom of a very swanky hotel in downtown Chicago, with her reception following in the Penthouse Suite. Forget being outside, there would be eight feet of snow on the ground! (brr). She wants a very modernistic wedding, without many floral pieces or patterned linens. Clean lines and classy corners are what she is all about. And you know what? I love it!

Although my best friend and I have very different tastes, there is no way that I would allow her to be swayed by my opinion. When deciding on a venue for your wedding, don’t feel pressured to choose based on what others think. Talk with your fiance, make a pro/con list, discuss indoor/outdoor options with your planner – but make your final decision with your heart. Let yourself feel a connection to the location, and keep reminding yourself of that feeling as you continue your planning process. And though it may be stressful at times, remember – YOU’RE IN LOVE! (:

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What girl doesn’t love to go shopping? Especially when you are getting to make your dream wish list of items to begin your new life with! The task of registering can be a fun afternoon outing for you and your fiancé, but the most important thing (and personally I believe, the hardest!) to remember is to keep yourself from going “Scan Happy”.

When thinking of your new home, a million and one things may come to mind that you would love to decorate with, add to the kitchen and so on and so forth. It is important to keep in mind the important things and not forget the special things! Using wedding registry checklists you can find online is a great tool to help you pick and remember the basic things you would need but also stay true to yourself and your couple style! For example if you love to be outdoors more than inside cooking, add more sports or camping equipment for those romantic hikes or weekend getaways.

This registry is about you as a couple so it is most important to take your time, do this together and remember to stay true to who you are!!

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Hey yall!

My name is Shelby Willen, and I’m the new baby intern here at Always Planned! I’m a Sophomore at THE University of Kentucky here in Lexington, but I hail from just north of Cincinnati, Ohio. Kings Island is literally in my back yard! While I’m the youngest of the Always Planned family, I am the oldest of three children, as well as the proud owner of my dumbo-eared rat, Cayenne, and the newest addition to my apartment, Rex, my rambunctious 10 week old kitten..

Back in July, I found Always Planned and immediately fell in love with Rayna and Mallory before I even met them! I think that I may have read every page on the AP website, twice. I knew that if I wanted to gain knowledgeable experience and credibility in this field, I had to become a part of this amazing team. (:

My marvelous and talented mother is who has inspired me to really chase my dreams of becoming involved in wedding planning. She started her own graphic design firm right out of college and has been growing her business ever since. While most consider graphic design to be all about logo creation, her company is so much more than that. Together we have hosted silent auctions and galas, and even created 7′x7′ giant stuffed spiders to hang on the Kings Island sign during the Halloween season! She has given me the ambition to really pursue what I want in my life, and for that I am eternally grateful!

Being in the Always Planned studio yesterday, I started to get chills thinking about how amazing this opportunity is for me and how truly blessed I am to have been offered this position. Wedding Planning is my true passion, and to see how much effort Rayna and Mallory put into each wedding demonstrates that it is their true passion as well. Seeing this compassion, I know that my semester here at Always Planned is bound to be one of the most rewarding experiences I will have in this business, and I cannot wait to truly begin!

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Favors don’t just come in the shape of a small box or cute bag at your reception; you can also incorporate a little keepsake for your guest at the ceremony for an extra special touch! The ceremony is the moment of your wedding when all eyes and ears are focused on you and your beloved and you wouldn’t want anything to distract from that. In an outdoor wedding what a better way to help “beat the heat” by providing small fans that coordinate with your décor or maybe even provide small shawls or blankets for friends and family to snuggle up in during the evening hours. A cute pair of flip flops or small painters brushes would take a beach wedding to the next level so your guests could transition from ceremony to reception sand free. Flip flops could also be used as sweet relief for those tired feet while dancing all night long! With the focus of the day on you and your honey, you would never want to have a silly thing like Mother Nature distracting from any of those special moments. Adding a cute little touch in the form of a favor could make the ceremony experience even more special and flawless for you and your guests!

 

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Hey! My name is Stephanie Carlon and I’m so excited to be joining the Always Planned team as an intern this fall!!! I’m from right here in Lexington and I am beginning my third year at the University of Kentucky. I am studying Hospitality Management and Tourism at UK with the dream of making a career out of my love for planning and design!

Growing up, both of my parents worked in the customer service and entertainment industry and I was lucky enough to get to be the little kid running around backstage. Watching the details and passion that went into each of these amazing events, it inspired something in me. I knew from a very young age that I would love nothing more than to be able to work in this industry and help someone else to have their “Perfect Day”!

I feel so blessed that Rayna and Mallory have given me this opportunity to work with them and I can’t wait to learn so much! I’m so excited about working with such a sweet and amazing team! I can’t wait to see what is in store for me this semester and can’t wait to get to help create a beautiful experience for you all!

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