Event lighting is an often overlooked aspect of wedding and event decor, when in reality it is one of the most cost-effective and impactful ways to give a wedding reception or special event a “wow” look.
I always recommend that brides leave room in their budgets to hire a lighting company. Even if there isn’t enough money to have an elaborate, custom-designed lighting scheme, adding just a few uplights or spotlights really makes a difference in a room, especially a large room like a hotel ballroom.
As a bonus, professional event lighting can help professional photographs turn out much better! So you can be sure to get your money’s worth out of the expensive wedding photographer you have hired! 
Here are some lighting examples from DC metro area lighting guru, John Farr Lighting:
John Farr Lighting
John Farr Lighting
John Farr Lighting
Everybody who’s anybody has heard of Style Me Pretty, the gorgeous looking wedding blog, right?
Well now, Style Me Pretty is even better. They recently launched Style Circle, a community where wedding planners, brides and anyone involved in the wedding industry can come together and share ideas.
My favorite feature of Style Circle is the Inspiration Board tool. Once you create a Style Circle account, you can add pictures from the gallery or upload your own pictures and create stylish inspiration boards just like you see on all the popular wedding blogs.
Check out the one I recently made for a client:
You can see the lots of other inspiration boards here.
Windows Catering is having an open house. If you are having a wedding or special event in the near future, attending events such as this open house is a great way to see new trends in food presenation as well as get ideas for a delicious and beautiful spread at your event.
I’m planning on being there – I always get inspired at events like this.
I must apologize for my recent lack of posts. My husband and I are in the process of purchasing a home. The home buying craziness + a busy/stressful time at work = NO time for posting. I promise to resume regular posting soon!
In the meantime, check out Ivy Robinson Weddings and Events. Ivy is an amazing, Charlotte, NC based wedding planner who has been featured on Whose Wedding is it Anyway? and numerous other wedding TV shows. She and I share a love for bright, modern and sophisticated wedding style. Notice the black, white and yellow on her site? Love it!
I’m attending Ivy’s License to Wed Wedding seminar in a couple of weeks and I’m super excited to be in the midst of Ivy and many other super talented wedding vendors. I hope to have tons of ideas to share upon my return! Stay tuned 
I often recommend to brides to consider holding their wedding at a restaurant. Many restaurants have banquet facilities for large parties such as weddings and their prices can be very reasonable.
Some of the benefits of hosting a wedding at a restaurant:
- often chairs, tables, linens, glassware and cutlery are included at no additional charge which can save a large sum of money over renting these items
- the room rental fees are very reasonable if they charge one at all
- the food is good and the kitchen is on-site so there is no need to hire a caterer
- the food will be hot and fresh since it will be coming straight from the kitchen
- unlike ballrooms, restaurants usually are already decorated, which can save on floral and lighting fees
A great option for brides in the D.C. Metro area is 2941 located in Falls Church, VA.
2941 has four banquet rooms with either waterfront or waterfall views, very reasonable package pricing, a beautiful outdoor area for wedding ceremonies and most importantly, great food!
I’ll leave you with some wedding images from the 2941 website. Have a great weekend!
I have been gathering inspiration for a potential client who is having a navy, blush and white wedding. I love this color scheme because it is simple, elegant and timeless. My potential client’s wedding is going to be on a yacht and this color scheme compliments that type of venue perfectly. The navy is boat appropriate and the pink keeps it modern and pretty.
Stay Swell!
How chic is this “Modern Kitchen” inspired bridal shower I found over at Hostess with the Mostess? It’s the perfect theme for any bride with a flair for cooking. And, I’m in love with all things kitchen and cookware right now, so I’m drooling over these colorful, kitchen-inspired details!
Check out the entire article here, complete with images and instructions on how to replicate this amazing shower yourself! And by the way, Hostess with the Mostess is a MUST VISIT if you are planning a party of any kind.
Have a fabulous weekend!
I came across this little gem while catching up on some blog reading.
http://fabu-luxe.com/blog/2009/06/15/20-things-to-never-do-when-planning-your-wedding/
This is from a great blog by an event planning company called Fabuluxe.
Check it out, especially number 17
If you plan on hiring a professional wedding photographer to document your wedding, chances are you will get hundreds (sometimes thousands) of photos from your day on a DVD or CD. Although most photographers create stunning albums, many couples simply can’t stomach the idea of spending hundreds of extra dollars to have a professional wedding album created. This is especially true after the wedding when the credit card statements and invoices start rolling in.
Don’t fret, though, because this is where Shutterfly, Snapfish and Blurb come into play! These sites help you design your own professionally printed, one-of-a-kind album from your favorite wedding images.
Shuttlerfly Album Cover
Snapfish Album
My favorite site is Blurb. Blurb lets you choose to a) design your book using their downloadable software b) upload your own design or c) find a professional designer using their network of professionals. You can choose from multiple book styles, sizes, and page counts.
Here are a few examples of wedding albums recently created on Blurb:
The best part is, making a photo book online is really affordable. Blurb’s albums start at $12.95.
Check out their Book Ideas page if you need inspiration.
Stay Swell,
When I was planning my wedding, I was all about the black and white. I happened upon an amazing blog called Black and White Delight. I ended up getting SO much inspiration from this blog and actually bought a few items that the blog highlighted such as these Eco-Chic reusable tote bags that I gifted my bridesmaids:
Black and White Delight led me to Décor by Color, which hosts a bevy of other color-coordinated product blogs. This site is the perfect place to hunt for items that match the color theme for your wedding or event. Check it out!
A few items from Pink and Brown Love…
Wouldn't this bag make a perfect bridesmaid tote?
I can envision a multitute of wedding related uses for these boxes.
Purple Punch is absolutely amazing. Check out these purple finds:
How cute are these coasters?
Change out the lightbulbs for candles and these would make great centerpieces.
Everything Turquoise showcases some real turquoise treasures. I’m loving turquoise right now especially when it’s mixed with fun and interesting colors such as yellow, red or orange.
I. Must. Have. These.
Hope you enjoy stalking these blogs for color-coordinated finds!
Stay Swell,
