For this week's ask Beth, I'm cheating just a bit! One of my personal inspirations, Chelsea Fuss over at Frolic Blog, asked me to share some of my top tips when helping couples to design their wedding, and I thought you just MIGHT be interested in hearing the answer too. You can see the full, in color version over at Project Wedding!

1. Do What You Love
Forget everything you've ever heard about having to have a set color scheme, crisp white linens, classic tuxedos and so on. When designing your wedding, think about what you really love and find a way to pull it together. It doesn't have to "match" it just has to reflect your style. If you are clean and modern, go that direction. If you are a classic beauty, let that inspire your day. If you are eclectic in your every day life, then why would your wedding be any different?

2. Consider Approachability above Over-the-Top
The most successful weddings are not necessarily the most expensive. Instead they are the ones that create a comfortable atmosphere where guests can relax and enjoy. I like to throw in a few simple but unexpected details to remind guests that they are not at their every day wedding.

3. Go Residential
When thinking about comfort, what comes to mind? For me and many of my clients, it's our homes. Adding touches throughout your event that remind people of being at home such as couches, rugs and dressers is not only a great design addition but also a good way to set the tone for your guests.

4. Make Your Own Rules
Don't be confined by tradition and etiquette unless that's who you are as a couple. Breaking the rules a bit can not only be fun, but also give your guests a new experience. A great example is the "tattoo parlor" that was at one of our recent events. The couple was a little edgy and this was the perfect favor and activity for their style.

5. Be the Life of the Party
If you want to have a wedding where guests dance into the wee hours of the night, then you must dance until the wee hours of the night. If you want a low-key dinner party with great conversation, then start talking. Simply put, guests are there to celebrate you and will follow your lead in how to act at your wedding day.

Fresh Face : Part II

Last week I talked a bit about how stress can wreak havoc on your precious bridal skin. This week onto sleep...

If you’ve had a late night at the office or a night out on the town with your girlfriends, or maybe you are a little stressed out lately, you may not be getting enough sleep which may have a profound effect on your skin.

Essentially, a lack of sleep dehydrates our skin, causing it to sag and can also lead to the appearance of dark circles. Not catching enough z’s can also cause a decrease in circulation and have an adverse affect on your immune system, so you are less likely to fight off infection, including bacteria that can cause a breakout.

Our bodies repair themselves when we rest, so what can you do to make sure you get the best sleep possible? Well, try to relax when you get home and remove whatever stressors you can to get a good night’s sleep. Try turning off the TV, Blackberry, iPhone, etc, at least 30 minutes prior to bed and listen to some spa-like meditation music. Have a good cuddle with your fiancé and talk about all the good things happening in your lives. Maybe a journal is a way to get out your frustrations, or call a friend to chat and laugh a bit. Exercise can help, too! It gives you endorphins and also leads to better rest. I know it can be hard to schedule that into our busy schedules, but you are worth it!

When you’re rested and feeling your best, it’s easier to deal with life’s little crises, so on your big day, that stress isn’t written all over face.

Designing a Wedding You're In Love With : Part I : Look For Inspiration Everywhere

                       

  
 Day in and day out, couples come to me and ask, “Is it okay if I do this, or will it look all wrong?” to which I always respond, “It’s your wedding – you make the rules!” The very first (and probably most
important) piece of advice I give my clients is to just do what they love. Of course, that is always easier said than done. With so many expectations to meet from parents, friends, and even themselves, it’s really hard for most brides and grooms to feel free to create a day that completely represents who they are as a couple. But producing an atmosphere that allows guests to enjoy a glimpse into your life and personality doesn’t have to be complicated – and you will love your wedding day that much more.

When beginning the planning and design process, I suggest first taking inventory of everything you
love, from your favorite food to the cultures and music you like best. Once you determine the things in
your everyday world that truly move you, start thinking about how you can incorporate the items either literally or figuratively into your wedding day. Do you have a favorite cupcake shop that you always stop by when you’re running errands? Those cupcakes can make a yummy dessert or take- away for the wedding. Do you have a particular dress that you are absolutely in love with? The look and feel of the fabric can be translated into the perfect table linens or as the pattern that lines your invitation envelopes. Even the menu of your favorite restaurant can help determine the type of meal you will serve your guests on your wedding day. Inspiration can be found everywhere; so consider the things that make you both happy and write them down.

Photography by Steve Steinhardt
 

Vendors Talk!

Sorry for the late start today! I'm traveling on the East Coast in preperation for a lovely wedding that will take place in the Hamptons in August. I couldn't be more excited for this couple and just cannot wait to share the results of the marathon planning sessions I'm currently a part of! In the meantime though, I must tell you about my day. It began by hopping off of a red eye straight into meetings, meetings and more meetings, where I was reminded of how much vendors talk amongst themselves. We are planning this sweet wedding in a very small community where literally every vendor knows everyone and most knew all about the wedding long before I even scheduled our planning sessions. Literally...we went into the caterer for a tasting today and he had some how obtained a quote from our rental company without me even telling him which company I was using. The florist knew the color palette and tent we were going with by chatting up another local vendor and the site manager knew exactly what type of honey my clients preferred on their figs. Okay, well the last one is an exaggeration, but it definitely might be possible for all I know! And, you can best believe that the color story and rental details were not all they discussed!

In a small or even a large community, couples and vendors should know that many talk in the industry. If you are the most gracious bride ever, you will be bragged about. If you are cruel to the cake designer, under value your florist or praise your videographer with nothing but love, you better believe that many people know. As a planner, I'm pretty much sworn to secrecy no matter what I encounter behind closed doors, but other vendors, well, not so much. That's why often I can schedule a meeting for a client only to find out later that their reputation, good or bad, has preceded them. Whether you are kind or cruel, word travels fast! So, do yourself a favor, whether you are a bride or a vendor...treat everyone as if you may have to cross their path again sometime in the future. You never know if that florist you insulted is the sister of the photographer you love, or if the caterer you dissed is besties with your stylist. While everyone is here to serve you, it's best to make friends throughout the process. I'm sure it goes without saying that treating people well will ensure they go above and beyond for you. And, who wouldn't want that on their wedding day?!

Real Life Bride: Week 22

Saying "yes" to my dress was definitely easy. Saying yes to a mother of the bride outfit, groom's suit and suits/ties for the groomsmen? Not so easy. Let's start with my mom. Back in my week 12 post I shared that her quest had begun for just the right outfit. It's about 10 weeks later and still no outfit! We did end up going to a bridal store that carries Watters, a brand with a couple looks she was interested, but after deciding on an adorable skirt and jacket combo, we found out that they no longer carry the color that she wanted! We aren't sure if it's completely discontinued or just a seasonal switch-up. My mom was about to just settle on a second choice, but her friend and I convinced her that we still have plenty of time to find something that is exactly what she wants. I think what we need to do is get on the phone with Watters and find out the story on the fabric she's interested in.

As for the menswear, we had loosely decided on grey (and actually based the entire color palette around it!), so of course Ryan recently announced that he thinks he actually wants to wear black. Go figure. Black works, and we will be able to tie in the color palette through the ties, but I can't seem to find any ties that we like! We've looked both online and in stores, but have been unsuccessful thus far. Ryan keeps trying to tell me to "let it to him" - yeah right! If it were left to him, we'd be looking for suits and ties the week of the wedding! I regularly follow Style Me Pretty and have actually started asking where ties that I like came from - so if you are reading this and had success with colorful ties, let me know where!

We are coming up to six months out, and we've actually booked all of our vendors! They are:

Venue - Saddlerock Ranch
Caterer - The Food Matters
Invitations/Calligraphy - Laura Hooper Calligraphy (of course!)
Cake - Susiecakes
Photographer - Steve Steinhardt
Videographer - Aquavivus
Florist - Holly Flora
Bride's stylist - Fiore Beauty
BM's & Moms - Beauty by Grace
Rentals - Town & Country
DJ - Dash Entertainment
Ceremony Musicians - Ace of Hearts
Rehearsal Dinner - Wine Cellar at Westlake Village Inn

And MOST importantly is the team at Beth Helmstetter Events pulling them all together! Now that we have the outline, I'm looking forward to figuring all of the details leading up to the big day.

Dreaming of Pastels

I love pastels so much, I don't even need an excuse to use them, BUT, just in case you need a bit of inspiration for your spring celebrations...

Fresh Face : Part I

Hello, all!  I am so honored to be part of the Beth Helmstetter Events team and super excited to contribute to the blog each week.   I’ll share some of my insights, tips I’ve learned along the way, fun new things every girl should know about, and all-around loveliness that is out in this world.    

Beth truly made me blush with her glowing commentary on my skills – and that got me thinking: glowing… blush… calm… all important keys to good skin care, so let’s begin my blogging there!  This will be Part 1 of a series on skin care, including tips, products, and advice from some very trusted aestiticians and industry professionals.    

It seems that a clear, glowing complexion is never more important than on a girl’s wedding day.  Each person’s skin is unique to them, so while there isn’t a cure-all, there are some things you can do to give your skin a fighting chance for putting your best face forward.   

TRY TO RELAX

To kick things off, let’s all just take a deep breath and relax a bit.  You guessed it: cutting down on stress and being more relaxed is one of the simplest ways to improve your complexion.  I know, easier said than done, right?  There is a lot of stuff going on – you are getting married after all!  And while we planners try to alleviate the stress associated with planning a wedding, some of it can still creep in from other areas of life like work, your relationships, or just the excitement and anxiety of the actual wedding day.   

Many scientific researchers have found a direct link between stress and adult acne.  One culprit is oil.   When we are stressed, our hormones are running higher than usual, which causes skin to secrete more oil, which can clog your pores and lead to acne.  Even worse, stress can lead to weight gain, increased blood pressure, and other adverse physical attributes. Ick!  

Come back next week for another trick to keep your skin aglow...