The Pink Book - The Nashville Blog

Oh... the dress.

2009-01-09T23:48:00.000-08:00

Firstly.... I would like to thank you ladies for the kind comments on my last post. That was truly inspiring for me! I've really been needing a little extra support! Believe it or not, no one has scoffed at my wedding date since the year change! Now that is exciting!

But. To my real post. I want to blog about my journey so far in searching for... my dress.

You've seen what's out there. Hopefully, you've found something that enchanted you at first sight! If you did, lucky you! This doesn't always happen. Everyone around me talks about finding "the dress" and that the moment the moment in which they discovered "the dress" was beautiful. If we're just just supposed to be looking for a moment... then I've found my dress dozens of times. So why don't I have it? They weren't the dress. The "it" factor for a dress isn't always how great you feel in it. Other things are important too!

Timing. Price. Shade of white. Size. Availability.

If each of these x factors lined up for you and your dress is to die for... that's awesome! Congrats! You'll look stunning and feel spectacular. So... why hasn't it worked for me? Okay, before this begins to sound like I'm trying to pass on my angst to you... a positive note - I think I've found it! Except... it's in my mind.

Really. My dress isn't at a local wedding dress chain or one of the more painfully expensive bridal gown boutiques. I hadn't realized it yet, but it's waiting to be developed. Ever since the beginning of my engagement (and to be honest... way before it!) I had been toying with the idea of having my dress made for me.

About eight months ago I was shopping at a local store that puts designer brands at a major discount... when I cam across the most lovely, long ivory dress. It was a J. Crew Special Occasions dress... one of their wedding gowns! It was $19.99! Add on sales tax and I just found a wedding gown for twenty-one bucks and change! It is a rather plain dress, definitely not the dress of my dreams, but it had potential. I immediately pulled out my costume designing supplies and sketched up some ideas I had for the gown. I added some lace around the waist and a few ribbons made the the train (which were easily tied into a bow for the reception).

But I didn't stop looking at dresses.

Once you've found your dress... you are supposed to know that's it. No more looking. I kept looking.

The Fall 2008 lines came out and in August I fell in love with an ivory lace strapless gown at a popular bridal chain... but now it wasn't that I didn't love the design of the dress... That one simply wasn't the dress because of timing. Yes! Timing! I had only a week home from college, my parents and I were unable financially to seal the deal and there were no gowns in my size. We tried on a size smaller, but it didn't quite fit right and I was not able to get the necessary visual affirmation. I would have to order the dress first. Something in that deal did not sit right with me... and even though I cut out a picture of the dress, taped it on the back of my dorm room door, messaged my bridesmaid, MOH, Momma, and future Mother-In-Law for their opinions (which all came back positive)... I didn't feel at peace.

For a while I had played around with a wedding gown designer website, Olivia Luca .com, where you can choose from different top styles, skirt styles and lengths, fabric choices, and then order your dream dress! I poked around this site for quite some time and had even saved multiple dresses under such names as "Elizabeth," "Anne," "Jane," "Elinor," 'Emma," and "Marianne." Have you caught my theme yet? They are all named after the heroines of Jane Austen's novels!

And so far has been my "the dress" adventure. Nothing suits me that is already out there. Nothing has the simplicity I desire. I don't want to be a sparkly-cupcake-princess consuming all beneath my tulle ball-gown and Tiffany tiara complete with cathedral length veil. I want to be class. I want simplicity.

Now, if you are in love with tiaras and tulle frocks, that is wonderful! One of the best things about wedding is that no two are alike. No bride is exactly similar! Each one has a different smile. Each bride tears up at different points throughout their big day. Each bride's gown is perfectly suited to their personality. And I ... well I haven't been able to find my personality in anything offered (that also aligns the aforementioned x factors). That's why I've begun negotiations with a local wedding gown designer, who shall remain nameless because I forgot to tell her I am a PB blogger and because I've yet to clue her in that she is an answer to my fervent prayers! Of course, if everything does work out (x factors included!) then I'll be gushing non-stop about the entire process!

So. What's the moral of this story? Why in the world have I blabbed on this long?

It's your dress. It's out there. Give it time. Don't rush it. Mostly, don't worry. Even if you have to walk down the aisle in your second choice... you husband-to-be will still be there waiting to make you his bride. And he will still think you're the most beautiful creature his eyes ever beheld.

Happy planning!

Winners!

2009-01-09T09:59:00.001-08:00

Thanks Ladies - I have my 12! You will be receiving your tickets in the mail in the next few days! Enjoy!

Win Tickets to Bride Wars!

2009-01-09T07:03:00.000-08:00

I am so excited about Bride Wars opening today and I'm guessing a lot of you are planning to go see it! Well, we have 12 pairs of tickets to Regal Cinemas to give away!

Quick! The first 12 ladies to leave a comment with your name and mailing address will receive a pair of tickets! Ready, set, go!

Slow as She Goes...

2008-12-26T10:22:00.000-08:00

Maybe you've wondered why I've been non-existent for the past few moths... one or two posts and then... nothing. But, I have a feeling more brides go through this. There are periods in wedding planning where everything seems to stop. You've done as much as you can do for the time being... and that's it. I've been waiting for my 18 month mark. As I'm not getting married until June 12th, 2010, I've run out of early stage planning items.

Research, research, research.

What now? What could the next step be?

Now it's taking the research and doing something with it! I'm about to enter quite possibly the most fun and 2nd most stressful part of wedding planning. I have to actually go to the vendors, try on dresses, scout out venues... and all while living my normal life! On top of that, I live for the majority of the year about an hour and a half out of Nashville. Therefore, planning out meetings can get a little hairy. Oh summer. I need you now! Haha!

So, if you don't remember me... that's okay. I'm back! I've hit my 18th month mark and in less than a week when I tell people my wedding date... they won't be looking at me in shock! It will sound reasonably far off and (here's hoping) I will get less of the "Oh my! That's so far away!" or "Haha, did he want to put you on lay-a-way?" remarks. I mean, come on guys. After a while that starts to hurt.

Have a Happy New Year! Keep those close whom you love and try to keep this holiday giving spirit of grace with you as we start a new year!

Is the Economy Crashing Your Wedding Plans?

2008-12-12T09:16:00.000-08:00

Many experts say the wedding industry is recession proof, others say it is absolutely not! While there is no question the spiraling economy is affecting all of us in our daily lives, are brides really trimming back their budgets? Many businesses have experienced a decline in sales during 2008 while others say business has increased due to them slashing prices and offering hard to resist discounts.
It’s no secret a bride dreams of her wedding day her entire life. Some parents begin saving for their daughter’s wedding the day she is born. So will the sagging economy cause them to hold back or will they go for it?
We want to hear from you? Brides, are you planning your dream wedding without cutting corners? Vendors, what creative techniques are you using to drive brides to you? How is the economy affecting you and your wedding?

Leslie & Clay - A GREAT wedding day!

2008-11-13T20:06:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful time this past weekend as we covered Leslie and Clay's wedding day. I invite you to visit our blog to read all the details about the day -- I've also posted alot of photos (frames grabbed from video footage), and a couple of clips from the reception.

Both Leslie and Clay were wonderful to work with, and its obvious that they are very much in love. We felt honored to be part of their day.

Couture Boudoir Contest

2008-11-11T19:57:00.000-08:00

Critsey Rowe of Couture Boudoir is having a contest to celebrate her new website!

The winner will receive a luxurious Couture Boudoir session to include a Custom Designed Couture Boudoir Album with the session photos. To enter submit a short story about you and your guy - two photos of yourself - your name - location - and phone number.

Special Offer for Pink Book Readers!

2008-11-11T11:18:00.001-08:00

We have posted about Kate Aspen favors before so you may already know how adorable and unique (not to mention affordable) these favors are. We have a a special offer for our readers for the month of November...10% Off!!

Here are a few of my personal favorites below. Look around on the website and you are sure to find something that will complement your wedding or shower theme perfectly!

1. "Olive You!" Glass LOVE Oil Bottle in Signature Tuscan Box
2. “Have a Blast!” Biodegradable, Celebratory Wedding Poppers
3. "Set Sail" Frosted Glass Sailboat Tealight Holders
4. 'Mint to Be' Bride and Groom Slide Mint Tins with Heart Mints
5. “Icing on the Cake” Winter Wedding-Cake Candle
6. "Have a Ball!" Stainless-Steel Melon Baller
7. Petite Merlot Wine Glass Gel Candle with Heart Charm
8. "Love is Brewing" Teapot Timer in Classic Retro Gift Box

Tips to a Video You'll Love -- Tip #2

2008-11-05T23:42:00.000-08:00

This is the second in a series of tips that will help us capture the type of interesting video footage that is needed to create an emotional, entertaining movie of your wedding day. (Tip #1 can be read here.)

It sounds silly, but its important to remember that video shows movement. While chewing gum presents a problem even for your photographer, it is a huge problem for us when editing the footage for your video. It's really best if you and the wedding party members use mints rather than gum.

Also, don't be afraid to react to the presence of the camera. This is especially true during key moments of your wedding day. Turning away from the camera typically renders the footage unusable. We don't want you to "pose" for us, and its natural to be a little camera shy, but you've hired us to capture the key moments of your wedding day, and you'll be much happier with the video if you're able to see your faces rather than the back of your heads.

Hopefully, if we're doing our job right, you won't even notice that we're there. So just be yourself. Behave as you normally would -- and just let the moment happen.

Engaged and Underage Casting Call!

2008-11-04T09:55:00.000-08:00

LOVE IS IN THE AIR!!!

And MTV wants a front row seat

on your special day!

If you are already engaged and between the ages of 18-22, then MTV wants to hear from you!

MTV’s popular documentary series, Engaged & Underage, wants to tell your love story – the excitement of the engagement, the ups and downs of the planning, the fun along the way, and, of course, THE BIG DAY!!! This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity…

You and your future spouse should both appear to be between the ages of 18 and 22. Best case scenario: you're getting married in 2008 or January 2009.

TO APPLY FOR THE SHOW, DOWNLOAD A CASTING QUESTIONNAIRE AT: http://www.mtv.com/ontv/castingcall/index.jhtml?castingId=1509138

OR EMAIL US TO OBTAIN ONE AT: engagedandunderage@mtvstaff.com.

Tell us when and where you are getting married and why this is important to you. Include your name, phone number, email address and a digital photo of you and your future spouse, if possible.

Good Luck!

Studio Warming Party!

2008-10-31T12:32:00.000-07:00

Our friends at Gray Photography have a new studio and are hosting a party!

What: Studio Warming Party - Swing on by and say hi, meet us if you have yet to, grab a cupcake, chat with other wedding vendors & friends and be on your merry way

When: Sunday, November 16^th, 2-6pm

Where: 808 Broadway, Nashville 37203 (look for the big red doors – right off Broadway in downtown Nashville)

Who: Wedding vendors, brides and grooms, friends – come one, come all!

This will be great time to come by and say hi, catch up on how everything is going, and even more imporant – enjoy some delicious goodies from Cakes by Shara!

Email Zach and Jody and let them know if you will be able to stop by!

Speakers? Need 'em!!

2008-10-26T07:05:00.000-07:00

Ook everyone,

I am in desperate need of some BIG speakers for my wedding THIS Saturday.

I need speakers with a big amplifier that uses different connections (which I don't mind buying) for my Macbook Pro, keyboard and kareoke system thingy for microphones.

We will be outside... and I need them Friday night - Saturday @ about 5pm.
In Hendersonville.

I have music people coming that know how to work and hook up the speakers, but they don't own speakers the size and volume we need for outdoors and a lot of people.

I'M STRESSiN ABOUT THiS HELP OUT iF YOU CAN!!!!!!!

Kimberly

e-mail me or marc:
sowhatkimberly@hotmail.com
marc19850308@yahoo.com

Send Me Your Questions

2008-10-20T14:04:00.000-07:00

Okay....let me be a bit transparent with all of you pink book blog followers. I am suffering from writers block right now and am struggling to come up with some blog material for wedding photography. I can be honest right?! Just am tapped out right now a bit creatively.

So...I NEED YOUR HELP! Send me some questions to caleb@nashvillephotogroup.com and I will start posting answers that our lovely nashville brides and their peeps may have! In the meantime, here is an image to chew on. Look for answers to your questions coming soon!

Dove Wedding Photography Trashes the Dress!

2008-10-18T13:59:00.000-07:00

Whitney and Peter Carlson were kind enough to share some images from a recent Trash the Dress shoot with us - these guys are amazing photographers...enjoy!

Kimberly's Wedding Progress!!

2008-10-18T08:17:00.000-07:00

TWO WEEKS TIL THE WEDDING!

YAY!!

We are so excited, and so ready! We have so much done, I am even less nervous than a few weeks ago! I'm ready to see Marc's reaction when he sees me in my wedding dress for the first time, I'm ready to say "I do" and for our kiss at the end. I am so ready. :)

First of all, since we are now in the 2 week period I can now look at the weather forecast daily! (Accuweather.com is the only 15 day forecast site out there for you future OCD brides like me) The forecast is B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L!!! The BEST part about it is the "Abundant Sunshine" part on November 1st!!!! God couldn't be showing up any more! :)
Secondly, guess what!? I have scheduled my bridal portraits!!!! Casey Talbot, our friend and great photographer has agreed to October 22 -- next Wednesday @ Rock Castle. I am so grateful she could do it that day, because that afternoon I am getting my trial run with my extensions!! I am only doing extensions that will emphsize the braid on the right side of my hair, and enough to wrap the left side around into a curly bun at the bottom. I am getting my hair done at 2:00pm and also learning to put my veil in... should be a task in and of itself! I am so excited to finally get everything REALLY rolling and watching these next few days fly by. Example pictures of how my hair will look are below!!

So I am going to be wearing my dress, shoes AND veil for the first time next Wednesday!!

Last but DEFINATLEY not least, Marc and I both have our Bachelor and Bachelorette parties coming up soon... Marc's is tonight! Him and the guys are very excited about what they have planned and they have been great to make sure Marc knows to leave his wallet at home and enjoy a night to celebrate. They are doing total guy stuff, and mine is Friday night!!! Temesa is having me a lingerie shower at her house and we are to have a girls night... MUCH needed!! I am excited and can't wait... also very thankful for Mesa and all her help in this wedding. She is the best friend a girl could ask for.

Tanning.

2008-10-16T13:45:00.000-07:00

So Pink Brides and Pink Pro's...

I am in DESPERATE need of a major tan for my wedding in 16 DAYS.

I have heard a few opinions, from mega tanning beds to spray tans.

Please let me know what your best advice for me would be by voting below:

Where Do You Find Your Vendors?

2008-10-16T02:00:00.000-07:00

Are you a bride? If so, I would appreciate it if you would take a second to answer a question for me. With so many choices out there, how do you find your vendors?

Everyone loves looking through bridal magazines and getting ideas for your big day, but is that where you find your vendors? What about the internet -- Is that where you find them? Or do you rely on friends and family to recommend someone to you?

I realize that its probably a combination of these choices, but which do you think plays the biggest part when you start shopping for those that will help to make your wedding day the special event that you want it to be?

I appreciate you taking time to give me some insight on this topic -- thanks for voting!

A Pink Bride Needs Your Support!!!!!

2008-10-10T15:41:00.001-07:00

Ok, I want everyone who knows me to help me out...its easy I just need a vote.

I have entered a contest at my school Nossi College of Art. It is for the Nashville country music radio station 103.3 WKDF newest show "Locals Only with Billy Block" they asked for a Logo Design.

16+ students from Nossi have submitted logo designs, and ANYONE can vote on the one you like. I NEED YOU TO VOTE FOR MINE!!! I want to win this so bad, I want to get my foot in the door in the country music industry and mostly get my name out there.

Ya'll who know me know how important this is to me, and how bad I want to suceed in the Graphic Design industry.

Help me out if you can...

STEP 1:

Go to http://www.nossi.com/vote

STEP 2:
Scroll down the page til you see a logo resembling this:

STEP 3:
Click the button under my logo...

STEP 4:
Scroll to the bottom of the page and Click SUBMIT

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR LOVE AND SUPPORT!!!

Tips to a Video You'll Love! First of a Series

2008-10-09T15:21:00.000-07:00

"Tips to a Video You'll Love" is a series that we are going to do over time on this blog. It is meant to point out things that brides can do that will make it easier for your videographer to produce the video of your dreams. The first tip is one that, in my mind, is very important.

Don't forget that this is YOUR wedding day. Don't let anyone influence you away from what is important to YOU. When choosing your vendors, make sure they all know that it is important to you that everyone work together collectively to insure a memorable wedding day. This is YOUR special day -- they work for YOU.

When giving advice on how to best insure that you will be happy with your wedding video, I have always stressed that the quality of your video is directly related to who you choose as your videographer. And that is still true. But a recent experience made me realize that there is another component that is also important: cooperation between all vendors.

For instance, if one of your vendors thinks that video is not important, they may think nothing of minimizing the amount of video coverage for certain parts of the event. That behaviour will definitely compromise the quality of your video, and you'll end up disappointed with the result.

We've had many pleasant experiences during our years of covering weddings and had the pleasure of working with many wonderful people who truly care about their product and the bridal couple. Unfortunately, I now know that's not always the case. And it's too bad, because the bride ends up paying the price.

Wedding video is an artform developed over time, and a difficult job in which the videographer must navigate smoothly around many obstacles during the day. Cooperation from everyone makes a difficult job easier, and will help in the production of a video that the bride and groom will be happy to watch for years to come.

Wedding Decorating Advice?!?

2008-10-06T14:21:00.000-07:00

Girls I need advice!! I have bought tons and tons of Mason Jars for my November wedding, I bought them with the intentions of putting candles in them to light the path to my reception...

Well plans changed and we are doing an early afternoon wedding instead of an evening wedding, and candles won't be necessary because it won't be dark out...

But I LOVE the idea of Mason Jars for my "Country Antique" theme and just don't want to not use them.... I need a GREAT alternative idea for these jars so I can still incorporate them.

Also, we already have the centerpieces, so these are more of "accents" around my reception site, not really used as my centerpieces.

Here are what they look like so far, I love the raffia and charm, and the coffee beans smell great... so I'd like to keep what I've done but get a GREAT CREATIVE idea on what to use them for.

THANKS FOR ALL YOUR HELP!!

You can comment or e-mail me: sowhatkimberly@hotmail.com

Dare To Be Different!!!

2008-10-06T07:18:00.000-07:00

So here is a blog that is probably a bit more from my heart as a photographic artist than an "advice" piece from stories of gloom and doom and how to avoid it at all costs. Consider this an encouragement to throw caution to the wind and dare to be different.

Here is my solo thought for brides today: DARE TO BE DIFFERENT!!!

In almost every conversation I have with potential clients, or existing clients in preparation for their big day, many brides express their desire to have their p

hotography be different or unique. This is especially true in talking about their portraits. The ceremony and reception pieces are always photojournalism at its' finest. As a photographer, you are somewhat limited in these pieces to what you have on hand and what angles you can get.

The portrait pieces, well...those can be as unique and different as you want them to be!

Back to my thought...despite these brides communicating that they desire their photographs to be unique, about 75% of these brides soon let that flare fade and accept images and poses that have been done coun

tless times before. Please do not hear me saying to do so is bad. That is not what I am saying at all. I am just encouraging those who truly want to push outside of the box, be unique, and

be different to DO JUST THAT!

Push your photographer. Dare to turn typical wedding photography on its' head a bit and put in some different flares. Take pictures that accentuate your personality and individuality. Let your wedding photographs take on a high-fashion flare, all the while communicating the very essence of romanticism.

All this to say this...if you want different, GO FOR IT! DARE TO BE DIFFERENT! Dare to start the next trend. Dare to be a bit outside of the box. Go for something that others say they want but shrink back

from.

Fall Reception Meal Ideas

2008-10-02T13:03:00.000-07:00

Honey Glazed Ham

Whole or half ham, ready to eat

1/8 c. prepared mustard

3 tbsp. honey

Whole cloves

3/4 c. brown sugar

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place 1 tablespoon flour in turkey size (19" x 23 1/2") oven bag for whole ham or in large size (14"x20") oven bag for half ham. Place bag in 12"x8" baking dish. Insert ham in bag, fat side up. Close bat with twist tie. Pierce bag 6 to 8 times on top. Bake 12 minutes per pound. Remove from oven 30 minutes before it is baked. Carefully slit bag down center and to sides to expose ham. Remove skin, if any, and score fat, diamond shaped, 1/4" deep. Brush entire top of ham with mustard. Insert clove in each diamond. Cover generously with brown sugar. Drizzle with honey. Return to moderate oven, 375 degrees, for final half hour.

HARVEST PUMPKIN SOUP

Makes 6 cups or 6-8 servings

2 tbsp. butter

1 lg. onion, chopped

1 lg. potato, pared and diced

3 c. chicken broth

1 (16 oz.) can pumpkin

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/8 tsp. white pepper

1/2 pt. heavy or whipping cream

Packaged croutons

In a 3 quart pan over medium heat, in hot butter, cook onion and potato for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add chicken broth and heat to boiling. Cover and cook over low heat until vegetables are tender. Ladle 1/2 of vegetable mixture into container of electric blender; blend until smooth.

Add remaining mixture and repeat. Return mixture to saucepan. Add pumpkin, salt, nutmeg and pepper. Over high heat, heat to boiling. Cover; reduce heat to low and cook 10 minutes. Stir in cream; heat through.

To serve, ladle into a seeded pumpkin shell or soup bowls; garnish with croutons.

Pumpkin Pecan Spice Bread
1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (or 1/4 tsp ea. cinnamon and ginger)
1 large egg
1/3 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon molasses
1/3 cup pecan pieces
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
Put all ingredients into bread machine or follow your user's manual. Select correct bread cycle and medium crust color, then press start.

Orange Poppy Seed Muffins

Makes 12 muffins

1/3 c. butter, softened

1 c. sugar

1 1/3 c. all purpose flour or part whole wheat flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tbsp. poppy seed

1 egg

1/2 c. sour cream or yogurt

2 tbsp. grated orange peel

2 tbsp. orange juice

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Grease 12 cup muffin pan or line with paper baking cups. Cream butter and sugar. Stir dry ingredients together; add with remaining ingredients to creamed mixture, stirring until just blended. Fill muffin cups about 2/3 full. Bake for 17 to 20 minutes. Serve warm with Orange- Cream Cheese butter.

Orange Cream Cheese Butter
1/2 c. butter
1 (3 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/4 c. powdered sugar
1 tbsp. grated orange peel
Combine all ingredients; mix until smooth. Store in covered container in refrigerator.

Mini Pecan Pies

1 (3 oz.) pkg. Philadelphia cream cheese
1/2 c. butter
1 c. sifted flour

Mix cream cheese and butter together. Mix in flour and blend well.

FILLING:

1 egg

1 c. brown sugar

1 tsp. butter

1 tsp. vanilla

1 dash salt

1 c. chopped pecans

Beat egg, sugar, butter, vanilla and salt until smooth; then add pecans. Bake mini pies at 325 degrees for 25 minutes.

Spiced Apple Cider

Makes about 16 Cups

32 whole allspice berries

24 cinnamon sticks

24 cardamom pods

12 whole cloves

12 strips (2 inches wide) orange zest (from about 3 oranges)

1 gallon apple cider

Combine all ingredients in a pot. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, and cook until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Cider can be kept warm over very low heat. Strain before serving, reserving cinnamon sticks for garnish if desired.

Upgrade that slideshow!

2008-10-02T10:18:00.000-07:00

Want a different alternative to the usual photo montage shown at most rehearsal dinners? Why not star in your very own music video?
We recently put together a combination montage/love story/music video for a couple, and had a fun day with them while filming it. You can view the "music video" portion of it by clicking on the photo below.
This is definitely a fun "surprise" for your dinner guests -- plus you'll have a blast putting it together!

Harlow Salon Wedding Package...times TWO?

2008-10-01T16:27:00.001-07:00

Hello out there in blogger world! I apologize that I'm a day late in my blogging but I was out of town with NO internet connection!! We just got back home a few minutes ago and I jumped online as fast as possible! You readers out there in PinkBook Land were never far from my thoughts, I promise!

I wanted to tell you about this amazing double-princess package we at Harlow Salon did last Saturday, September 27th. First of all, I'm sure you're thinking "double" package?? WHAT? Well....I had a bride email me asking about the September 27th date and it happened to be free so I booked her. She signed her contract and everything was great...I got to work the next day and told the girls about the package I booked and it turned out we had DOUBLE BOOKED! I panicked for about 30 seconds and then thought...this can be REALLY FUN! I contacted both parties and they were totally cool with sharing the space and thought it would be awesome!

I planned out two different quiches, ham and biscuits, cinnamon rolls, a grapes and cheese platter, strawberries and chocolate sauce for dipping and assorted donut holes for the food...double everything! Of course on Thursday night my caterer called me...she was sick! I had to do all the food myself and I had a blast! I love to cook and creating this gorgeous feast was something I fully enjoyed doing.

I made a bacon and cheddar quiche and a ham and swiss quiche (both were gone in less than 30 minutes! haha!), homemade biscuits with shaved ham (dijon mustard and mayo on the side), fresh strawberries, homemade chocolate sauce to dip the berries in, chocolate, glazed and powdered sugar donut holes (sad to say I didn't make those...shhh don't tell!), assorted cheeses and black grapes plus a platter of different chocolates. I also made a sparkling non-alcoholic fruit punch and mimosas to drink. It was truly a beautiful spread...if I don't say so myself! LOL

We provided a matte for each party to sign for their bride-to-be!

one of the brides enjoys a relaxing hand massage

The three wedding stylists (myself included) created the most gorgeous hairstyles and did some flawless makeup for the entire bridal party...times TWO!

Did I mention both parties showed up at 10am and had to leave at 2pm?? So in less than 4 hours the three of us completed 20+ hairstyles and makeup, too! What a fun time!

I've decided the more the merrier when it comes to wedding parties...for some reason I was nervous, but once everyone arrived we settled into our respective jobs and everything flowed like clockwork. I couldn't ask for a better staff or a more fun group of girls...everyone had a superb time and I can't wait until the next big Princess Package to hit Harlow...maybe next time we can host 30 girls!!

Until next Tuesday... xo Shana

Fall Weddings

2008-09-29T12:23:00.000-07:00

Fabulous Favors!

2008-09-28T17:03:00.000-07:00

I have an exciting new website to share with you ladies today!

Kate Aspen sells wedding (and any occasion) favors that are so cute and so creative - best of all - they are extremely affordable. The prices of course are based on how many you order, but they are all less than $3.00 apiece.

A few of my favorites are below - it was very difficult to choose only a few for this collage, so check these out and then browse the website - I am willing to bet that you will find something that complements the theme of your wedding perfectly!

1. Topiary Photo Holder/Place Card Holder
2. "It's a Shoe Thing" Shoe Bottle Opener
3. "Ain't Love Grand?" Piano Place Card Holders with Cards
4. Miniature Gold Chair Favor Box (Can be Monogrammed)
5. “The Dress” Satin Gown Favor Bag
6. Fall Leaf Cookie Cutter in Autumn-Themed Gift Box
7. "Buttercream Dreams" Cake Candle on Porcelain Pedestal
8. "A Place in my Heart" Bud Vase and Place Card Holder
9. “Chinese Tapestry” Votive Candle in Silken Pouch with Tassels
10.“The Pink-Plaid Purse” Favor Box Kit

Above All: COMMUNICATE!!

2008-09-26T14:51:00.000-07:00

Ok...so I owe the blog world a large apology. I have been so incredibly overwhelmed the last two weeks that I have had every intention of blogging on my friday slot. I love blogging. Maybe it is busyness, or maybe it is a huge case of ADD, whatever the case be, I have not blogged and for that I am sorry!

All that aside....I am now sitting in Phoenix Skyharbor Airport on my way to Los Angeles as I am shooting a wedding in Santa Barbara, CA tomorrow. I thought that I would take this layover time to blog a bit on something that I have on my radar the last couple days.

One of my 2009 brides contacted me the other day about sending me some samples of work that she absolutely loves. Funny email conversation but a couple things came up. First of all, she was a bit apologetic about emailing me as much as she does. She felt like she was some sort of irritant to me. Her wedding is in West Palm Beach, FL and she has been very thorough in her communication. I explained to her that I LOVE her communication!

Second, she was reluctant to send me to links of work that she enjoys. She thought it might be an insult. I told her to send it!

Here is the deal....ABOVE ALL ELSE COMMUNICATE! Communicate your expectations. Communicate, through sending links to photographs online, your desires. Communicate your information. Communicate, communicate, communicate!

Brides, remember this...this is your day and we, photographers, are here to serve you. We are here to visually capture everything as it happens. Of course we each have our flare, but make sure that through communication you set the ground work so that you get the photography that you want. Please do not be a bride that waits for the week before, or heaven forbid, the day before to connect and talk with your photographer.

I encourage my brides to communicate as often as they want. I encourage them to send me all the info. In pre-wedding consulations, I also encourage brides to be very detailed as to specific shots they may want. For example, some couples have grandparents who have passed away and in their memory, a candle has been lit as a remembrance for them. Brides....tell your photographer about all these little details. No matter how many weddings I shoot, I always ask brides to tell me about all the little details that would not be considered "big picture".

The more my brides have communicated, the more successful I have been in providing them with the photography they desire.

So...COMMUNICATE!!!!! Be redundant. Be thorough. Be detail oriented.

Bridal Accessories for The Big Day!

2008-09-25T12:13:00.000-07:00

So you are shopping, buying, deciding, choosing and picking so many things for what? Your decor, bridesmaids, gifts, colors? Why not splurge on a few little "special" accessories for yourself... the bride!

I have picked some great thing from shoes to hair accessories, and even a few things that I have bought myself! This is the one day in your life, probably, that you will get to feel like a princess, all the attention is on you...why not have something that you can keep forever and pass down to your future bride.

Etsy.com is a great place to find special and unique gifts. You can even search by color which is awesome to match your wedding!!

enjoy :)

1. Freshwater Pearl Bracelet Watch $45.00 (Etsy)
2. Crystal Custom designed Tiara $$$ (Aye Do Wedding Jewelry)
3. Cream Iridescent Tea Rose Flower for Hair 4.50 (Etsy)
4. Swarovski Pearl Bracelet $44.00 (Etsy)
5. Swarovski Crystal Tiara $129.00 (Shop for Bridal.com)
6. Vintage Crystal Tiara $275.00 (Perfect Details)
7. Vintage Rose Hair clip $55.00 (Etsy)
8. Vintage Rose Hair clip $55.00 (Etsy)
9. Dyeables Shoes in Hot Stuff (Dyeables)
10. Diamond Barrett $120.00 (Perfect Details)
11. Dyeables Shoes in Passion (Dyeables)
12. Pearl with Sterling Silver Filigree Bead $17.00 (Etsy)

To See Or Not To See

2008-09-25T00:17:00.000-07:00

To see or not to see (before the wedding ceremony, that is), seems to be the question these days. As wedding videographers, we've seen the trend change from year to year.

For us, it makes no difference what the bride and groom decide to do about seeing each other before the ceremony or waiting for that magic moment when the doors open and the bride walks down the aisle. We want whatever the bride and groom want. However, it may affect other aspects of your wedding day.

Most photographers will encourage you to see each other prior to the ceremony. It helps the couple arrive at the reception quickly since there are only a few formal shots left to be taken. If the couple chooses to wait for the ceremony before seeing each other, the photoshoot afterwards will naturally take longer.

The trend seems to be changing over the years. When we first started in the wedding industry, it was pretty much "half and half". Half the couples we worked with chose to see each other prior to the ceremony, and the other half chose to wait. Then we moved into several years where it seemed that almost all our couples chose to see each other beforehand. And now it seems that the pendulum is swinging back in that most couples we've worked with this year have chosen to wait. Maybe its because brides enjoy that moment when the doors open knowing that their groom has not yet seen her in her dress. It's a once in a lifetime thrill that they will not be able to do again. That's just our guess -- but lately we've also had several grooms express their preference to first see his bride in that "magic moment".

It's fun for us either way! And whichever you choose, we want it to be fun for you too! Remember, it's YOUR day!!

Building Your Business

2008-09-24T00:34:00.001-07:00

Hey guys (and girls!)!

Pink Pro Shana here, and I wanted to take a few moments to chat with those that own their own business. I know, I know...this is a bridal blog, but hey, there are brides out there that own a business, right?? And I know all my other Pink Pro's own their business, or they wouldn't be a Pro!

I've recently been introduced to this amazing business concept, and I just had to share it with you...A while back my business partner and I had a meeting set up with our insurance guy. Now, he totally rocks, so if you need insurance you should check him out - www.ihatebuyinginsurance.com (shameless plug for Joe - hey, we think he's fantastic!) - and when I arrived at the meeting he had someone with him. This person introduced himself as a business coach. My first thought was "A WHAT??", but I stayed quiet and let him give his presentation to us (I was also quiet because he brought us pizza...and I was chewing lol...see, he had me from "pizza" ...he knows the way to a stylists heart...lol!). He told us that he worked with small to medium-sized businesses (hey, that's us!) and helps them grow financially. He helps with marketing, gaining clients, promoting, growth, organization and much more. I was seriously blown away. WHO was this guy?? I'd never even HEARD of this!! I kept eating and he kept talking, explaining that he would meet with us one a week and help us get on track. We had his unlimited support. Phone...email... whatever. The cost was more than affordable, especially for a small business like ours, cost was our main concern! But Eva and I made the decision right then and there to hire him for a year. How could we not?

Okay, shameless plug for our business coach - visit his website at: www.achievesuccesscoaching.com His name is Scott and he'll get you on the right track, for sure!!!

Now, I'm not bad at marketing, in fact, I rather enjoy it. I built our website and our myspace pages, and I'm constantly sending out postcards and offers on craig's list, but I couldn't wait to hear what this guy had to say...pick his brain. We set our first meeting for the following Tuesday and my life hasn't been the same since.

Apparently he seems to think I have some sort of gift for marketing and event planning, so he told me about these seminars that he conducts all over the United States. The idea and vision of this seminar was so powerful to me I immediately offered to help him for his seminars here in Nashville. I didn't care how much time it took, I wanted to help!

Basically, the seminar (called "The Launch") is a two-day event for stylists, massage therapists, nail techs, skin care specialists and salon owners. It's jam-packed with speakers on all types of subjects like financial planning, accounting, organizing your business, marketing (me!), and salon education. These beauty professionals are going to get training in extensions, cutting, coloring AND all the business stuff, too! Um. WOW. I've just never heard of any company doing that, and I've been in the business for a LONG TIME! Most classes we attend are either one or the other, but never both. Education MEETS Business!!! Brilliant!! You see now why I love this whole idea??? AND they only work with small to medium-sized salons! I love that!

(By the way, check out the website: www.ascclaunch.com)

There are several consulting firms in the US but they only work with large salons that are bringing in $500,000+...well that's not fair!! My salon on Music Row isn't bringing in near that much, but we still need help! Why should we be punished??

The more I worked with Scott and this company, the more I wanted to officially WORK for this company (know what I'm sayin'??)....So now I'm going to be traveling and promoting and putting on these seminars with the entire team! HOW COOL! I love helping people...I always have. My mother used to get so mad at me because I'd bring home any stray dog or cat I found...I was always lending people money (that eventually came back to bite me, so I don't do that anymore - don't want my email filling up with people asking for money LOL), and I became a stylist and makeup artist so that I could help people feel beautiful. I think the two go hand-in-hand.

When I first started working on this I got an email from a friend on myspace. He said to me, "Not to be rude, but why are you doing this?? Isn't this like...well...helping your competition??"

I replied back by saying this, "I don't think of it as helping my "competition", I think about it as helping my sister or brother in the styling industry. Each salon is geared towards a different type of client and there are plenty of clients to go around! If I can help the salon down the street achieve success then I've done my job. I love my clients and want them to stay with me forever, but if they feel more comfortable with another stylist, I'm going to let them go. I want them to be happy, I don't want to hold onto them for my own selfish reasons. I think this is one of the most selfless things I can possibly do by helping another stylists or salon owner. Especially by BEING a salon owner and stylist myself, I know first-hand what they're going through and the challenges they face. Helping them is the dream I never knew I had. That missing link in my life. My calling."

It's funny, he never wrote me back. I don't know if he didn't believe me, or thought I was crazy, or what....but I know what's true in my heart and what God is calling me to do.

So the reason I'm writing about this in my blog this week (besides the fact that it's MY blog and I can write about whatever I want - LOL) is to tell everyone who owns a business about this seminar coming up in Nashville. The dates are October 19th and 20th (that's a Sunday and a Monday) and it'll be taking place at BB King's downtown off of 2nd Avenue. One of the things I've come up with to "add to" the seminar is to offer services and products to the attendees. We're going to have booths set up on Sunday from 12pm-7pm to allow the salon owners and stylists to shop! We are only allowing one person from each category to have a booth, so there won't be two photographers, two florists, two Arbonne reps, etc. ONE from each category so that it's fair to all that participate. If you are interested in promoting your business, please email me or visit:

www.nashvilleopportunityshowcase.eventbrite.com to register your booth.

The best part is....(another marketing strategy!) from 7pm-9pm we're offering a concert to the attendees and their friends and family. We're also going to open it up for the public, so that just TRIPLED your chance at exposure! Imagine....2nd Avenue?? At 7pm! There will be people lined up to get into the venue for a concert...especially with the Artists we've got lined up (hey, I'm on Music Row...I've got my connections! LOL)...

I certainly hope you'll join us in promoting your business. This is going to be AMAZING!

So, after all my rambling, I hope you can understand why I'm doing what I'm doing. I will continue to work in the salon full-time. I will continue to be a partner in my business. Nothing has changed, I just have added this incredible opportunity to my life, and I'm thrilled about it! My husband is proud, my children still see Mommy on a regular basis. Nothing. Has. Changed. Except me. I'm happier. Happier than I've ever been.

Much thanks to Scott, our business coach, for exposing me to this amazing adventure. It's going to be a wild ride, and I can not WAIT!!

Until next Tuesday...
xoxo
Shana

The steps to greater sex

2008-09-23T19:35:00.000-07:00

Is sex for you just another chore? Is it a process or something that requires steps 1 through 7, and at the end, you feel as though you should take a bow? Sex should be more than that. What has happened to the fun part of sex? What about the adventure, the element of surprise, or
trying something new and different? Let's get back to the fun, kinky, and wild sex we once experienced and enjoyed!

One of the most important aspects of good, fun sex is knowing your partner. What do they like...what makes them smile, quiver, and absolutely go crazy? Explore each other's bodies. Find those erogenous zones, and those favorite positions. Experiment with things that will excite each other, and get you to that "oh so good spot"! Finding out exactly what makes the eyes roll back into their heads is something that can be used to your advantage. Remember, these are things that will make your relationship last longer.

We all have heard that once you get married, the sex stops (quickly decreases). We become to busy with our day to day lives, that we put it on the back burner. Yeah, I know we get "headaches", and we are just too tired, but if we were having fun with sex, I think we would be more inclined to deal with that headache for a little "rumble". The dreaded bedroom sometimes feels like a prison cell, but what about the kitchen, bathroom, or even outside on the deck. Now we're talking! There's nothing wrong with a "quickie" here and there. That keeps the relationship fresh. Get rid of the same old thing, which makes it boring, and then eventually causes the beginning of the end. This is not the "good ole days", and we need to remember that.
Times have changed, so why not change our sexual behavior? There are so many things available to help us spice things up, so why not take advantage of them. People this is sex...I said this is SEX...not algebra, so let's have fun with it!

Which brings me to a things that will definitely help light a fire in your pants. Lotions, potions, and toys...yeah... toys. OK, so there are toys for big boys, so why can't us ladies have our toys too? We'll get back to them in a moment. Lotions are for the softer, gentle times. We should have things that smell sweet and sexy. Cucumber melon, passion berry, raspberry chocolate, and vanilla passion... just thinking about those scents gets you all worked up! Nothing like a good rub down before we get things on don't you agree? How about something like a pheromone lotion or mist, and of course a little "body dew". A massage mitt rubbed all over your body surely sounds like a treat. I think you and I are on the same page now. Let's use these products to enhance what we are already doing, and make it that much better. Don't keep the "wham bam, thank you ma'am" mentality. We need to be rubbed before we're loved!

Now we get to the toys...the things that some of us say we would never use, or don't need to use.
Not taking anything away from our partners, but sometimes we just need some time on our own,
if you know what I mean. Some of those things can be scary, but if you get them from the right place, and the right person (I'll help you with that next), you will truly enjoy that time...every time! Not saying to go toy crazy, but a few things here and there should work out just fine. Now I won't go into detail, but make sure new batteries are within reach. Not only can you enjoy them by yourself, but hey, they even have things that both of you can enjoy together...at the same time! Now how wild is that? That is exactly what I'm talking about. Bringing the fun back to sex.
It will be like the state fair or something in the bedroom now. All that buzzing, vibrating, and
"oohs and aahs"! Fun, kinky, wild, and down right amazing. Is that not the goal we all want to achieve? After all, we're born to mate.

I bet I've got you all excited... hopefully not too excited, but you know what I mean, and you're wondering where you can find such items to bring that passion, that spice, that FIRE. Passions & Pleasures is the place. They offer in-home parties (yes, they are called parties) for Bachelorettes, co-eds, divorcees, or just us girls wanting to get together to update our current inventory. They have the lotions, the potions, and do they ever have the toys! There is no cost to have party, the hostess gets FREE stuff, and everyone can leave with their gadgets the same night! Give them a call at 888-TOYS4U-1, or look them up on the web at http://www.passionsandpleasures.com/. Book your party now, so that you can begin that road to HOT, PASSIONATE, WILD, and of course FUN sex with your partner. It really does strengthen the relationship, keeps it fresh, and helps it last.

Until next time, this is Katherine signing off. Remember, if there is a topic you would like to hear me talk about, just let me know. I hope I have not offended anyone, but this is real life people. You know you do it!

Sometimes, Only A Video Will Do . . .

2008-09-18T11:02:00.001-07:00

At every wedding we shoot something always happens that confirms why it is so important to have a video of your wedding day. There is just something about sound and movement and how it can capture your day in a way that only video can.

It might be something as simple as a great toast, or as silly as a garter being tossed onto a light fixture and then being knocked down by a shoe, or an awesome first dance by the bride and groom. Without a doubt, video is the best way to fully enjoy and remember a moment.

This past weekend we had a wedding where something happened that we had not experienced before. The power went out during the reception. That isn't what was so interesting, but rather it was what happened while the lights were out that was interesting.

Since the band couldn't play and everyone was standing in total darkness (except for the table candles and our camera lights), I assumed the party would come to an early end. Instead, I was surprised to hear the guests start singing songs so the bride and groom, as well as they, could continue to dance. I think having the lights go out might have been more fun than having them on since everyone seemed to be having a great time laughing and dancing and singing with the bride and groom!

As I was recording this moment on video, I thought to myself how great it was that we were still there. Of course the photographer was taking pictures, but this wasn't a "still" moment. It was a "movie" moment, and we were getting it in full action complete with sound. For years to come when the bride and groom watch the video of their reception, they will not only be able to see what it was like when the lights went out, but see how everyone was dancing and enjoying themselves, and hear how their friends sang for them to keep the party going on their special day.

Sometimes, only a video will do . . .

Lovebird Theme Wedding.

2008-09-18T06:00:00.000-07:00

Lovebirds. What a cute and original idea for your wedding theme?!

Definition: Lovebirds (noun) A pair of lovers, esp. a married couple who show very close mutual love and concern.

The more I think this theme could follow thru every season also! Here are some color schemes that I think would be perfect.

Spring- Blues/Pinks, even yellows
Summer- Hot, bright colors like Lime Green and Hot Pink
Fall- Sage Greens/Chocolate Browns and Yellow Golds
Winter- White and Navy or shades of Pale Blue

Birds have a longstanding tradition as a symbol of love - here are some ideas for a love birds theme wedding.

1. Lovebirds Wedding Congratulations Card (ValerieCards)
2. Personalized Napkins $19.00 per 100 (The Knot Wedding Shop)
3. Wedding Chapel Birdhouse $14.96 (Hepkat Gifts)
4. Tiny Lovebirds Round Sticker by Stacy Claire Boyd (InvitationBox.com)
5. Lovebirds Cake Topper $29.98 (MyDreamWedding)
6. Bird Nest and Candy Egg Favor Idea (Joyful Weddings)
7. Personalized Water Bottle Labels $29.95/per case of 24 (The Knot Wedding Shop)

**Kimberly's Wedding Update**
We are now 7 weeks away from tying the knot! We have firmed up all of our rentals, including linens (chocolate brown and sage paisley runners :)) Tuesday morning. Wedding cakes plans were finalized last week, and we booked our wedding night hotel room!

I also ordered my personalized napkins tonight from the Knot.com... they are chocolate brown and sage lovebirds *wink wink*

I need to do a few major things, like get/find my wedding day jewelry, finish the attendants gifts, and finalize the menu for the reception.

Thanks to everyone for your help and support! I love this whole wedding planning thing. :)

The Water Bottles get Personalized!

2008-09-17T08:09:00.001-07:00

I find myself up a 5:00 am many mornings lately because I am just. so. dang. excited! This morning I woke up and thought "10 more days! I can find an accurate weather forecast now!" Haha! You guys will be glad to know it's looking sunny and has very low chance of precipitation for next weekend in middle Tennessee. :)

On that note, it might be a little muggy. We decided to provide water bottles for our out of town guests in their welcome bags. And of course, I saw the water bottle as a blank canvas for yet another chance to DIY!

To make the custom water bottle labels, I first created a logo using elements from our invitation. I printed three "labels" per page on 8.5"x11" photo paper. Since I didn't know the exact size to make the labels, I included a brown border on the labels which could be cut down and adjusted as needed to fit the water bottle.

At Costco I bought 2 large pallets of water bottles. I then removed the labels from the bottle and used them to indicate the size to cut my labels. (I realize this would have been a bit easier had this been done first...but that's just how I seem to operate these days!) As you can see the brown border ended up not being needed at all; and I think I like the simplicity of all-white! Then, using the stickiness still on the bottles from the removed label, and one small piece of double-sided scotch tape, I wrapped the new labels around the bottle. And voila! They fit perfectly!

I am not planning on putting the water bottles on ice, however I decided to use photo paper for it's durability and resistance to smudging. I do not recommend using photo paper if you do plan on putting your bottles in ice.

One more item checked off the to-do list!

One Fine (Hair) Day

2008-09-16T23:57:00.000-07:00

So this is my third official blog as a Pink Book Pro Blogger (trying saying THAT fives times fast!) and totally can't wait to tell you about an amazing wedding I did the other day....

*disclaimer. The names have been changed to protect the newly-wed. Ha. Get it? Newlywed? Okay...moving on. lol

My client and friend, Suzanne, and I have known each other for 8 years. I first met her when I was working at a very large salon in North Nashville. She was "given" to me, as many of my clients were, because we were primarily a walk-in salon. The minute she sat in my chair I knew she was going to become more than a client. She and I had so much in common and after a detailed consultation, I started coloring her hair. We went from her naturally dark blonde hair to a deep gorgeous auburn color and then....we cut it all off!! It was so cute on her and she loved it! Throughout the years I've taken her from red to blonde to dark chocolate and back again over and over! She's never afraid of change and loves to do new and fun colors.

Okay, fast forward to about a year ago. Suzanne was now divorced and spending a lot of time at her best friend Julie's house (I do Julie's hair, too). Now Julie met her husband while on a cruise with her parents back in 2002. They met, and as they say...the rest is history. Julie's husband lived in England and they knew they had to be together, so after flying back and forth a few times, it was decided that Jim would move to the US where the work was better and Julie could stay near her family. They wed in December of 2003. Suzanne had met all of Jim's friends and family at the wedding and never really thought anything of it, until last year Julie called and said "Jim's best friend is in town for two weeks and we're going out...care to join us?" So Suz reluctantly went out with the three of them and saw Jim's best friend, Walsh again. Maybe because she was married before, or they never really talked, but she hadn't really thought much about Walsh until this night. They were inseparable! For the entire two weeks he was here they spent as much time together as possible.

So, Suzanne is sitting in my chair last year and she says to me "I think I'm in love with Jim's best friend!" I was totally shocked and excited for her! This was a huge deal, especially after dealing with the divorce. Now, no one likes the "D" word, and especially on a bridal blog, but as we all know, it happens. It's never a good thing but we accept it and move on. She didn't stop talking about Walsh the entire time she was in the salon...it was precious! I was so thrilled to see her so happy. So, ladies and gentleman....the wedding that I just did the hair and makeup for was none other than the wedding for Suz and Walsh! He was able to come to the US in July (July 4th to be exact - how cool is that??) and they married on August 30th, 2008.

Now doing this wedding was special for me, because it was a friend, so I must admit I went above and beyond...but boy was it worth it! We started at the salon and I did all the bridesmaids hair and makeup (3 of them) and then Suzanne went last. I wanted to make sure her hair and makeup were FLAWLESS and didn't fade or fall flat for her special day. She looked amazing. I did an Audrey Hepburn hairstyle on her with a "pouf" on the crown of her head and barrel curls tucked at the nape of her neck.

Her makeup was a smoky eye and gorgeous false eyelashes with a nude lip, so she really stood out in the photos.

She wore a simple slip dress that fit her to a T and an elbow length veil.

Everything was so elegant and perfect....I even went to the church and kept the girls touched up throughout the photos and before and after the ceremony.

My fabulous husband ended up being their photographer (he's a professional photographer, but he does sports, not weddings! LOL) and they loved the pictures. It's amazing how someone who usually catches shots of someone sliding into home was able to take wedding photos, but...what can I say? He's multi-talented!

The ceremony was beautiful...they wrote their own vows and there wasn't a dry eye in the house.

After the "first kiss",

the happy couple stepped down and handed each of the mother's a red rose and gave them a hug...it was just so sweet.

The reception was in the basement of the church and the food was quite elegant and the cake (from Tea & Co in Hermitage) was delicious! They just had background music playing while everyone ate and drank and chatted....no frilly dances, no garter throwing (not a tradition in England)...just a simple wedding for an elegant couple.

Before the two left the church, my husband took them over to the side and did some shots of them by this gorgeous tree.

You can see the love in their eyes in these photos...it just amazes me when you find the one you're suppose to be with...it shows in your eyes. As they were walking back to the church, Doug snapped a photo of them, and I think it's my favorite. It just perfectly speaks "Suz and Walsh".

As they were about to drive away she shouted something I don't think I've ever heard a bride shout before....she said, "Thank you!!!" and waved to the crowd. She meant it, too.

Look how far they've come...look what all they had to endure. Finding each other for the second time...being thousands of miles away...it blows my mind. They even put a wedding together in less than two months and spent less than $2,000. That, my friends, is AMAZING in this day and age! His parents paid for the food, her mom paid for the dress. The rest was up to them.

Congratulations, Suzanne and Walsh! May you have all the happiness you deserve, and more!

Until next Tuesday...
xo
Shana

The Pink Ladies Go to the Martha Show!

2008-09-14T16:51:00.000-07:00

Our own Pink Ladies have been invited to be in the audience for Martha Stewart's show all about Blogging! PL Jessica entered our blog and Martha chose The Pink Book Bloggers to attend the show!

The show is Wednesday, September 17 at 11am Central, 10am Eastern. Be sure to tune in and see what Martha has to say about the wonderful world of Bloggers! Keep an eye on the audience, you may just see Pink Ladies!!

If you catch the show, enter here! We wil send a PinkBook.com t-shirt (see below) to 5 entries, and every entry will receive a pink "I DO" window decal!

Ready for Inspiration!

2008-09-12T20:26:00.000-07:00

Inspiration can come at any time! Inspiration for my wedding colors surprised me when my MOH and I were traipsing through Victoria Secret's make-up section. A small eye-shadow compact caught my eye. The colors were rich and beautiful. I pointed the compact out to Casey, who immediately stated that she thought those colors were very "me."

Hmmmm. The colors represent me? Now, the lilac isn't really my thing. I thought on this a while and began to shift my ideas of color from bright yellows and oranges to deep jewel tones! Then, after walking through IKEA in Orlando, Florida with my mom... there was a silk pillow case with a wide variety of my new colors! Could the universe be pointing toward something?

I quickly bought this pillow cover! I keep it around when I look through wedding magazines or scan bridal sites I keep the pillow within sight. I read somewhere that it is good to have a concrete reference for others to see. This makes it easier for others to see your vision. If the fabric idea doesn't float your boat, then collecting pictures from magazines or printing them off and storing them in a binder. If you're really creative, then try scrapbooking your ideas. I started with some white card stock, 20+ wedding magazines, and a pair of good scissors. While I only got about 1/2 of my pictures pasted, it was still very satisfying to see what I liked spread out before me.

If you're starting out and feel lost, get those scissors in your hand! Start cutting up Brides and The Knot like a mad-man! It's worth it! Keep your eyes open for inspiration by having your camera within reach. You never know when you'll walk past the make-up counter and find your next idea! Good luck!

Your Wedding Night!

2008-09-11T12:00:00.000-07:00

The most special, romantic night of this whole wedding experience! A time where just you and your hubby get private, alone, intimate time ALONEEEE!!! :)
I wanted to write a blog about some of the Downtown Nashville area Hotels for Hooneymoon suites... because we experienced many of them yesterday :)
We started off our morning heading down the interstates from our little country small town to head to the BIG CITY! Exciting in itself, we felt like it was a special fun day... I totally recommend you and your fiance plan a day like this. We ate lunch and went to our first appointment.
1. Loews Vanderbilt Hotel * West End area, Nashville

BEAUTIFUL... We had our car valet parked, walked into a beautiful high class, Roman style, Ivory towers, and beautiful marble floored lobby. We went up to the "Swan Suite" for a look at the Honeymoon Suite on the 9th floor. HUGE HUGE HUGE... It had its own living room, HUGE, BEAUTIFUL master bath w/ jacuzzi tub, Office, FULL Kitchen, and even more fabulous Master Bedroom with a beautiful huge bed and 2 flat screen Plasma T.V.'s.
A good thing about the Loews is the 9th-11th floors have their own private lounges for only the guests on these floors, totally special and fabulous and delicious looking food.
EXPECT to pay the big big buckss :)
2. Union Station Hotel * Broadway, Nashville
Union Station Hotel was UNREAL on the inside... this was a train station from 1900-1980 and it was renovated as a hotel, and updated about a year ago 2 million bucks worth :)
I will be honest, I didn't like the rooms one bit. The colors were great, I loved that but didn't like it.
The restaurant inside was beautiful, it was very ritzy and felt like the most romantic place to have a dinner. :)
**BUT** The winner was...
HOTEL INDIGO
It was unreal. Fabulous. Classy. Modern. Clean. Fancy. Helpful. AWESOME.
There is a fabulous bar, cafe and restaurant in the hotel. The restaurant is a Japanese Hibachi and its called Goten. Its such a good special place for lunch or dinner the day after :)
I made a slideshow of the pictures of the hotel at the beginning of the blog, check it out and if you are looking for a great place to spend your wedding night in Nashville...
TRUST ME YOU WILL LOVE HOTEL INDIGO!!!

Your "First Dance"

2008-09-11T00:27:00.000-07:00

A first dance between husband and wife is one of those "firsts" in life that you can't take back or do over. That's why it is so important to capture this "first" on video.

Your wedding day is a blur. We've been told that so many times by our clients. There is just so much going on that your mind can't process and hold onto it all. After watching their video, many of our brides tell us that they didn't remember alot of what happened on their wedding day and are so glad they have a video that "reminds" them of their day and shows them what they missed. The first dance is often one of the "firsts" that couples can't remember. It all goes by so fast.

We had a wedding this past weekend where every detail was beautiful, and I wondered as I was capturing all the details for the video what the bride and groom would think when they saw it. The first dance, for example. The couple was announced to their guests and everyone applauded as they took the floor. The couple begins to dance and they are tuning out the room and the noise around them. They are not dancing to entertain the guests. They don't have a choreographed dance, but they are swaying with the music, looking only at each other. They are dancing only for themselves. And it was beautiful to watch. After the dance is over and the music stops, they are once again reminded that they are not alone after all. But for those three minutes of music, they were the only ones in the room. So quickly it is time to go into another dance or another activity that memories of their first dance already begin to fade. But, with video, they will have their first dance forever.

As they watch their video over the years, they will once again be back on that dance floor remembering the way they felt, remembering the words to the music, remembering how the room smelled of white icing and pink roses. And they will relive their first dance over and over again for the rest of their lives together.

In Case of Emergency...

2008-09-10T15:57:00.000-07:00

With 2.5 weeks until the Big Day, I am starting to freak out a little. I find myself waking up frantic with something else I just remembered that has to be done! Needless to say, I DON’T want to be stressed or worried about forgetting something on my wedding day. That is why I decided to follow some advice and make a Bride’s Emergency Kit! This was a lot of fun to make, since it involves scouting the travel-size toiletry aisle at your favorite sundries stores! I also picked up a really fun cosmetic bag to hold the arsenal.

And here is the shot of the contents of my kit! Hopefully I won’t need many of these items, but if anyone in a mile radius gets a scuff on their dress, forgets their deodorant, or their hair falls down...My trusty kit will save the day!

Here is a list of the contents of my kit (click to enlarge):

The TRUTH about SEX

2008-09-10T08:45:00.000-07:00

Let me apologize for not posting last week. We had some internet problems, but they have been fixed... I HOPE!!!

As I thought about how I was going to talk about a subject that is so private, yet so public without offending anyone... I had difficulties! Not because it's a difficult subject to talk about, but because our society is extremely embarrassed to talk about sex, especially in an environment that is educational as well as a little risque! We're going take an approach to the subject which will ensure that everyone is understanding how the body works and why it works.

Nature's way of ensuring that humans reproduce is to provide us with that powerful biological urge to have sex! We engage in sexual behavior because our bodies are produced to reproduce! It is normal to have sexual feelings in your tummy and your toes (and all the places in the middle!), especially when you're being sweet talked and swept off your feet. Unlike other "animals", we have linked the act of sexual intercourse with the notions of emotion, love and romance. Therefore, we hold the act of sex to moral standards and fidelity, not just an act of re- procreation. This has prevented open discussions and open observations of sexual matters because it's supposed to be so private and personal. Sex is a subject of the highest importance to man and yet it also is the one thing we are extremely reluctant to talk about. There are several ways to learn to become a better partner, but we're all born with our own natural instincts.

Everyone dreams of love potions and life long mates, Passions & Pleasures offers you lotions and potions and things of delight, we even have something for those not looking for Mr. Right! If you need a "PLEASURE POTION," or something to make you say "O'MY," call Passions & Pleasures to get more information on the intimate gifts and accessories that we offer!!

If you're planning the bridal shower, we offer the bride a FREE gift bag in addition to the free credit she will receive for having her Bachelorette Party with us. 888-TOYS4U-1

If you haven't made plans for HALLOWEEN, Passions & Pleasures will be partying at Mercy Lounge Oct. 31st @ 9:00. We have some sexy and clever costumes available. If you need more information please contact me for further details.

Check back next week to to see what topic I choose to write about. If you have a particular topic you'd like me to write about, please e-mail me at katherine@passionsandpleasures.com

Pink book blogger...

Katherine

Women are less likely to share their wishes

Women are more reluctant to be open and honest

Women probably set the moral standards for sex

I know we're talking about joining the wonderful world of marriage, but there's some straight talk we have to have first... the notion of love and romance leads us to sex and marriage! Our moral standards tell us that when we get married we are free to have all the sex we want because we've picked a life partner, but lets be honest here, we want to believe our partners will be loyal and faithful but statistics show we have to be aware of the standards of today...

1 in 4-5 TEENS have a STD

at least 1 in 3 adults have an STD

Adultery rates are increasing

Divorce rates are up around 50 - 60%

That's some scary information! Entering into the world of marriage should not be done lightly... it's a serious commitment and it takes a lot of work! I bet you're asking "Why is she talking about this stuff?" It's because I want to make sure you're fully prepared for life after the beautiful wedding you're planning.

Check back next week for some additional information! If you are ready to book your *Bachelorrete Party (or JUST BECAUSE party) with Passions & Pleasures, please call or e-mail us at Katherine@passionsandpleasures.com *Mention the BACHELORETTE SPECIAL to get your free Bride's Bag!!!

Passions & Pleasures does in-home parties to assist in the instructional use of adult product that will enhance your bedroom experience... Stay tuned for more next week!

Katherine

888-TOYS4U-1

Bridal hair and makeup BEFORE the big day!

2008-09-09T22:50:00.000-07:00

My second week as a Pink Book Pro Blogger!

Well this is my second blog entry since officially being a Pink Book Pro Blogger, and I must say, the comments and emails that everyone sent on my first blog were SO sweet and unexpected! Thank you all for welcoming me to your little group!

I know last week I talked about my baby, Harlow, and all the wonderful wedding things that we offer there…well THIS week I thought I’d talk about the things that need to be done BEFORE the wedding, such as color, cutting, waxing and of course...the TRIAL RUN!

About four to six months before your wedding you should decide what you want your hair color to be for that special day. If you want to try highlights or a new deep chocolate color, now is the time!! You want to give everyone in your life (including your fiancé!) time to adjust to your new look. The same applies to a new haircut. Most brides want to grow their hair out for their wedding so they can put it up with a tiara and veil, but some brides choose to cut it short and wear flowers or just a simple jeweled piece in their hair. Whatever you choose, it’s going to be beautiful! Eyebrow and lip waxing should be done the week before the wedding, and any strays can be plucked the day of the wedding. Waxing the day of a big event is NEVER a good idea. If you can hold off on a haircut, do it. Most brides prefer to come in a week or two after the wedding a get a good trim or even cut their hair off totally! It's a fun way to begin your new journey as a "wife" and quite liberating! Whichever services you choose, make sure they're done in plenty of time for the big day....

The MOST important part of the hair and makeup when you are getting married is the trial run. Now, most salons charge extra for this service because it takes several hours, but at Harlow, we only charge the same as the day of the wedding. We figure you’ve got enough to pay for while planning your wedding, and we want to keep everything as stress-free as possible! When choosing a hairstyle, you want to look for photos online, in magazines and maybe even ask to your friends. Sometimes they have suggestions and ideas for you that you didn’t even realize! We have several books full of styles that we’ve done so even if you come into the salon with just your veil and not a clue as to what you want, there will be no worries. Many brides like the front of one style, the back of another and the side of still another…that’s fantastic! That means you’re creating something unique and something that only YOU will have on your special day. The day of your trial run, you’ll arrive at the salon and just TALK. We like to consult with our guests for at least ten to twenty minutes, or more. I want to know everything about your wedding…colors, theme, flowers, number of people, style of your dress…every detail. Those all play into how your hair and makeup will be done. For instance, if you’re having a small ceremony outside in his parents backyard and you’re wearing a flowing slip-dress, carrying wildflowers and going barefoot, we’re probably going to suggest something loose and possibly down or half-up. A tight very curly upstyle wouldn’t really work with the ambiance of the wedding. A lavish upstyle WOULD work, however, with an evening wedding at the Cathedral with bridesmaids wearing black and a reception at Union Station. See where I’m going with this? 80% of our brides have a vision of themselves on their wedding day, so sometimes the long consultation isn’t needed, but for that 20% that have no clue…we’ve got the ideas, I promise you that! Below are some photos of some hairstyles we’ve done throughout the years for our brides…as you can see we’ve done up, down, no veil, a big veil, no headpiece, a large headpiece etc…Like I said before, everyone is unique, and we want you to look like yourself on your special day.

Makeup. The word itself seems to scare some brides. They’re afraid when they get their makeup professionally done they’re going to have blue eyeshadow and hot pink lipstick. Well, if you WANT that, it certainly can be arranged, but we prefer to do natural looking makeup that enhances you and your beauty. We want you to look like yourself on your wedding day, just a “bridal” version of… We will do FULL makeup at the trial run. None of that “half-face” stuff…who can really tell what they’re going to look like if only ONE eye has color on it? We are always asking, “is there anything you would change?” and that gives the bride a chance to say, “well I think I want more eyeliner” or “less blush”…and that’s what the trial run is all about! Practice! And one of the most important things to remember is that there will be MANY photos taken on the day of your wedding, in black and white AND color, so your makeup will need to be a bit heavier than you're used to... but we promise, no clown faces here. Here are some photos of makeup we’ve done for our Harlow brides….

I hope this blog helped you a little bit in the world of beauty when dealing with the "before the wedding" hair and makeup. Any questions or comments can be emailed to me at: PinkProShana@gmail.com and until next Tuesday….I hope you have a great hair (and makeup!) week!

XOXO
Shana

Outdoor Weddings

2008-09-08T08:57:00.000-07:00

Hi Brides, Grooms, and Wedding Vendors!

I'm so excited about posting fun and educational wedding information to the new Pro Pink Blog! I am a wedding planner here in Nashville, working with weddings almost 4 years. I own a wedding planning company by the name of A Delightful Day, with myself as the Event Planner and director, Amber Housley as an Event Director and also Creative Director, and then 4 wonderful assistants that help us at weddings; Leigh Hosek, Kerren Barker, Jessica VanTrease, and Stephanie Hill. We love southern weddings and southern brides, and when The Pink Book came to us to blog for brides, we couldn't resist. With another bridal show behind us yesterday, so many brides were telling us that outdoor weddings are what they are hoping for. So, what else would be fitting than a post about outdoor weddings. I hope you enjoy and feel free to post comments!

Outdoor Weddings- Pros and Cons
It's that time of year where brides are in the process of planning their spring and summer weddings. So many brides have that fantasy of an outdoor wedding, under the stars, with a tent draped in fabric and beautiful light, dancing the night away. The Wedding Report has estimated that 2.3 million weddings are going to be planned for outside this year alone.

However, there are many things to consider when planning an outdoor wedding. Sometimes that fantasy becomes rainy, with a muddy ground, and unhappy guests with dirty shoes. I don't at all want to discourage a beautiful outdoor wedding, but definitely take all issues into account, and always, always, always, have a Plan B! Here are some things to consider when looking at the outdoor wedding option:

Being outside you have such a natural backdrop for your event. Decor should be minimal to play up what is around you. Choosing an outdoor location with beautiful surroundings will be decor enough. Having a focal point for your ceremony, such as a large oak tree, or a natural arch created by trees is going to provide the natural beauty that outdoor brides are looking for.

Check the weather! This isn't something that you can predict, especially months ahead of time as most brides are planning. But take into account the times of year that you have the best luck for great weather. Take into account the area that you live in and how your region's climate changes each season. The Weather Channel's online wedding planner can help when considering weather in areas all over the world you aren't familiar with; www.weather.com/activities/events/weddings.

Survey the area that you're going to be holding your event in. Does it have the potential for bugs? Is it near water? Do your guests suffer from allergies that are going to inhibit their enjoyment? Does the area have shade in case of the hot sun, or do you need to provide parasols or umbrellas? Does the area have an even ground to prevent any twisted ankles during dancing or lopsided tables? Are their noise disturbances in the area like water, an airport, or a high traffic area? These are questions to ask yourself to determine if this area is going to be the best, or if you need to be doing some other searching.

Do you need professional help? Hiring a wedding planner will truly relieve the headaches and the questions behind an outdoor wedding. They will have resources that you will need and have dealt with these types of issues before, so you really want to consider hiring someone who'll handle all the details on the day of so that you can enjoy your beautiful wedding day! While you're getting dressed, you don't want to be making decisions about an uneven dance floor, making sure all your vendors have electricity, etc.

Get ready to spend! There are a lot of items to think of as you're starting with a blank slate. First think about the size tent you're going to need for the number of people you're going to have. You want your guests to be comfortable and free to move about and have plenty of dancing room. Also flooring, air conditioning for heat, heaters for a chilly evening, embellishments like draping and lighting, on top of all your other rentals such as tables, chairs, linens, china, glassware, flatware, etc. Your budget is really going to guide you as to how elaborate you can get.

Put your guests first! Think of their needs and as the host, you want them to feel comfortable and enjoy your big day! If it's a warm and sunny venue, think about sunscreen being provided. If it's a beach, have a shoe check in and provide your guests with flip flops. If it's a fall wedding, provide space heaters to keep your guests cozy. Make sure to let you guests know it is an outdoor wedding with information on your personal website or on the invitation. Also, think about your vendors and provide them seating and water if it is a hot day and they will be setting up for an extensive period.

Choose a menu that is going to work for the setting. Talk with your caterer about the setting and what types of foods would be a do and a don't for being outside. Also, your cake and it's frosting is going to be a huge factor with wind and heat. Also, definitely pay attention to the weather and the foods you choose. For warm weather, choose fun, cool foods that people are going to want to eat. They're already hot, so they won't necessarily want hot foods. Same for cooler weather, choose warm comforting foods.

In choosing your blossoms, make sure you coordinate with your florist on flowers that won't wilt with warm or cold weather. Always make sure that your florist will have spare flowers on hand in case of drooping flowers. Some suggestions per Mark Held from Mark's Garden says that roses and small cala lillies hold well in warm weather. As well as green hydrangea, but more risky choices would be tulips and lily of the valley. Flowers on the cake most definitely will wilt in warm weather, so if florals are a must, go with sugar flowers created by your cake designer.

One last note, always, always, always have a Plan B, C, and D! There are a lot of things that can occur, so hire a planner than can carry out as many plans as needed to have the most wonderful event for you and your new husband!

~ Mary Alice

Get Me To The Reception QUICK!!!!

2008-09-05T19:53:00.000-07:00

Okay...so here we are a week later and I have another wedding day ailment to share with you that I hear about constantly...THE LENGTHY FAMILY PORTRAITS SESSION!!! (Cue terrible horrific screeching stringed instruments!)

Today, in a pre-wedding consultation with one of my september brides, I was reminded of this wedding day downer that all of us have experienced first hand, or as a guest at a wedding in which this has occurred. My bride told me how she had just attended a wedding in which the guests were waiting at the reception for about an hour and a half for the bride and groom to arrive after their family and personal portraits taken immediately following the ceremony. Wow....that is a long time!

Brides and grooms all share one request...GET ME TO THE RECEPTION AS FAST AS POSSIBLE! It's your party so of course you want to be there to experience it. Who wouldn't want to be there?

That being said, let me give you a couple hints to help speed up this session between the ceremony and the reception, if not eliminate it altogether! Now....remember this...I am merely giving suggestions. Ultimately, do what fits you and makes you happy.

1. Take All Portraits Before Ceremony -

Many of my brides are now opting to take all of their portraits before the ceremony. This is a bit unconventional in light of traditions that hold that a bride and groom should not see each other until the ceremony. I get tradition. That was what my wife and I chose to do. However, brides who are choosing to shoot all of their portraits prior to the ceremony are going immediately to the reception without skipping a beat. The party just keeps right on rolling. Most couples who choose this also choose to have a very intimate "reveal" moment when the bride and groom meet each other at the location of their ceremony. Just a moment that is shared with just the two of them. Once they have that moment, their portraits are taken, which occurs after each individual side of the bridal party. Then, after the couple's portraits are finished, we immediately take all the family portraits. Our brides have had a time scheduled with family to arrive early to ease the stress between the ceremony and reception and the families have been more than happy to cooperate!

2. Make A Shot List

Whether you go the traditional route, or the route I mentioned above, make a list of the shots that you want for your family portraits. THIS SMALL PROCEDURE WILL SAVE A LOT OF TIME!!! Simply write out each shot i.e. Brides mom/dad with siblings or Groom's uncle Steve and Aunt Kim plus kids. The more organized you are, the quicker the family portrait session will proceed. Lets face it....your photographer is new to the family...usually just a couple hours new, if that long. So, the more you can have a shot list written down with specifics, the quicker the shots can be called, people moved into place, and the portrait taken. Make a list and it will save time! Don't just wing it....usually people end up forgotten, left out, or pictures tend to look hurried rather than relaxed.

3. Designate Someone to Help Photographer Call Shots

This is crucial. Have someone who knows the family members available to help the photographer get family members ready to take their pictures with the bride and groom. This is a bit like baseball. The ones getting their picture taken are up to bat. Those getting their picture taken next are "on deck" etc. Whenever we shoot, I always have this person calling the next shot and getting family members organized while my staff and I work on getting people into position and their picture taken quickly but in a relaxed manner all the same. Having people ready to go is a huge time saver in this process!

4. Encourage Family Members to Talk and Congratulate You at the Reception

Without being rude, kindly ask family members to catch up with you and congratulate you at the reception rather than in between portraits when they are entering or leaving the scene. Sometimes it is better for your photographer or coordinator to make this announcement to the whole group before you start. I know this may not seem like a big time saver but let me show you how this played out for me. We were doing a family portrait session between the ceremony and reception. The bride and groom's families would stop them and want to have small 1-2 minute conversations between each shot. I started counting considering this was a rather large family and I counted 12 conversations that lasted about 1.5 - 2 minutes each, some longer. Do the math and you quickly realize that these conversations ate up about 18-24 extra minutes of time, if not more.

I hope that you take a few minutes to put these 4 tips into practice. Trust me..they will save you time and anxiety! Go enjoy your party! Celebrate with your friends and family!

8 weeks away.

2008-09-04T06:22:00.000-07:00

We are now eight weeks away from my wedding day. :) I couldn't be more excited, but also am feeling very UN-prepared. I still have so many things to do and get, and people to see and call. But even through all this, my excitement is growing and so is Marc's.

It was a surreal moment when Marc came over tonight because I was putting our hand designed invitations in the envelopes. He looked at me and he and both knew, wow we are INVITING people to this day that we have thinking, dreaming, planning and hoping for, for so long... It is so exciting but scary at the same time. I can't believe the day is almost here! I wish I could snap my fingers and make it come THIS Saturday instead! :)

Here is a sneak peek at my invitations!

So... coming up wedding festivities are my first and only Bridal Shower! It is next Saturday... and the theme is PiiNK!!

We Love Weddings!

2008-09-03T22:57:00.000-07:00

One of the best things about being in the wedding industry is getting to know the couples that we work with. We, at McNeal Video, have had the pleasure of working with some of the nicest people ever! It truly is an honor to be a part of one of the happiest days of their lives. And by the time we deliver their video, we consider them to be friends. Many videographers begin by shooting weddings, but soon move on to easier and more lucrative jobs outside the industry, but we love working with bridal couples, and have committed to specializing exclusively in wedding videography. (You can read about the wedding couples shown in the photos above by visiting our blog.)

As much as we love what we do, however, it is frustrating when a potential clients tells me that they don't want a video. I know that what they're really saying is that they don't want a bad video. Because that is the only kind of video they've seen. Unfortunately, there is no shortage of terrible wedding footage shot by family members, friends, and just plain bad videographers that directly affect the way "wedding video" is perceived.

One of the McNeal Video team members recently showed a wedding clip to one of her friends who expressed surprise at the quality of the clip. Even though she had been a bridesmaid in a couple of recent weddings, she thought videographers simply shot the ceremony and delivered it unedited. Uh . . . no. This is not your mother's wedding video.

Jaime and Justin were married on March 1, 2008. We recently posted some chapters from their video online for them to share with friends and family. We also posted the raw footage chapter of the toast given by the bride's dad. It was such a touching speech that I wanted everyone who cares about them to be able to hear (and see) it.

Take time to look at some of their clips, and you will see that wedding video has come a long way in the last few years. A professionally produced wedding video will preserve the memories and emotions of your wedding day while telling the story in an entertaining and interesting way.

My advice to brides is to budget appropriately for both a videographer and photographer. Both are needed to fully capture your wedding day.

More wedding samples can be viewed in our Screening Room. And our most recently edited videos are posted on the Weddings page.

Day-of Tips!

2008-09-03T19:30:00.000-07:00

Hello out there all you brides, brides-to-be, bridal pros, and general wedding aficionados! Pink Bride Stacey here with a list of some Day-of tips that I have been gathering throughout this wedding planning journey. This list is made up of snippets of advice that I have pulled from various friends, blogs, and websites, and is supposed to make our big days easier! I like the sound of that! I plan on following much of this advice at my own wedding. So without further ado...

Day-of Tips and Advice:

* Have a designated person to be the personal attendant of the day. This friend - usually not part of the wedding party - will be responsible for assisting the bride in matters such as running last minute errands, helping with last minute touch-ups, helping to make sure the wedding party knows where they are going, etc. It may even be helpful to have a separate bride’s attendant and groom’s attendant.

* Be extremely specific about when each person involved in the wedding should arrive. Don’t automatically assume that everyone will know when to show up…you might be surprised as to how many people think they are exceptions! Be clear on when musicians vs. vendors vs. the bridal party vs. family members and other helpers such as ushers and greeters should arrive.

* Have 2-3 greeters and a separate gift table attendant, and be clear on who is transporting what to and from the ceremony. The 2-3 greeters can focus on making sure people know where to go and ensuring guests sign the guestbook properly, while the gift table attendant should focus on receiving and tracking the gifts.

* Another reason it is important to have a person focused specifically on the gifts is for their watchful eye, as there have been occasions when gifts have disappeared. Weddings are prime targets for theft, as passersby know that guests are bringing lots of bright and shiny things for the newlywed couple!

* If you are having your reception in a separate location, have 2-3 people assigned as transporters, differentiating between people who will transport the welcome table items (i.e. guestbook, picture frames, etc.) and the gifts. They should most likely be a couple of trustworthy guys with a van or SUV that can fit everything nicely. They should leave immediately after the ceremony, bringing the welcome table items to the reception in time for cocktails and bringing the gifts to a safe and secure location.

* Provide your photographer with a list of exactly which portraits to take. On average, it takes ~3 minutes to do each post-ceremony portrait with family and friends. Having the list will not only help you budget your time, but will also allow the photographer to push back when the random relative tries to jump in and have their own family pictures taken.

* This is a tip for brides and bridesmaids alike, but it’s a good idea to have a bridal emergency kit! Suggested items include: hair spray, travel sewing kit, hair pins, tissue, sanitary napkins/tampons, hair brush, toothbrush, floss (who would’ve thought!), toothpaste, pantyhose, touch up make-up, deodorant, tweezers, mirror, schedule, bandaids, straws, water, and q-tips.

* Be sure to apply an oil-free moisturizer and a shine free primer

* Once the rehearsal starts, let go! At that point onward, the planning and worrying over all the details should stop, and the enjoying and basking in the moment should begin.

What are Bachelorette Party's for anyway...

2008-09-03T06:08:00.000-07:00

Hello Ladies, let me introduce myself since we'll be getting to know one another over the next several months... My name is Katherine and I'm with Passions & Pleasures. We are an in-home party company that does ADULT toy party's. One of our specialty party theme's are BACHELORETTE PARTY'S, and since you're either on the verge of getting married or know someone that is, this is a great place to start your adventure. This party is an essential part of the planning process, because like men, women need a chance to hang out with their girlfriends one last time to get last minute tips and suggestions. I am gonna share some of my favorite tips and tricks to help you go into the wonderful life of marriage with some of the most important tools... TOYS! Make sure you check back weekly to see what all the "BUZZ" is about!

We're gonna talk about the secrets that lots of men and women have no clue about, how it works and what to do to make it work even better... yep, we're talking about the bedroom tango!!! I'm gonna give you some advice that your parents wouldn't dare and your teachers weren't allowed! Hopefully I won't ruffle any tail feathers over the subject since it's an all natural process, and when we get married... WE HAVE TO DO IT, if you want to keep your husband happy!

Unlike Men's Bachelor Party's our party's are designed to allow friends to hang out at home in a safe environment that we can laugh and share comments as well as reminisce about life before marriage. This is a safe way for the ladies to have a few drinks, laugh and cry. The bride to be usually gets some sexy lingerie and hopefully some much needed partner toys to ensure the couples happy marriage!

All women need a "LAST FLING BEFORE THE RING" party and that's what we're here to help you plan. If you are interested in having a party or to learn more please contact me at 888-TOYS4U-1. If you have questions or a subject that you want to discuss let me know and I'll try to ensure that you get the information you're looking for. One important fact to note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR, I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT FEMALE PROBLEMS, if you have a problem, please call your doctor!!!

I'll be back next week to start touching on the subjects that are important to you. I have a "FRUIT CAKE LADY" approach to life, so you're sure to laugh as you learn! Bachelorette Party's are a fun way to celebrate?

If you have any questions or want to have a specific topic addressed, please don't hesitate to contact me at Katherine@PassionsandPleasures.com.

See ya next week!

My First Official Blog as a Pink Book Pro!

2008-09-01T21:52:00.000-07:00

Hello out there in blog-land!
This is my first official blog as a Pink Book Pro blogger and I’m so excited! Let me introduce myself…my name is Shana (see artsy photo below - yep that's me!)

and I’m a 31-year-old hairstylist, makeup artist, salon owner, mother, wife, daughter, sister and aunt. I am thrilled to be a part of the Pink Book Bloggers and I hope you enjoy my Tuesday posts as much as I enjoy writing them! Please feel free to email me at PinkProShana@gmail.com with any comments, questions or suggestions. I look forward to hearing from you!

I was told I could blog about anything I wanted, so of course my very first blog will be about my favorite subject…my salon!

My business partner and I opened our salon after 25 collective years in the industry and we couldn’t be happier. It’s amazing how things just “happen”…We had talked about opening our own place for years, but we never could find the right location, or the right PRICE. Somehow, we were lucky enough to find both about two years ago, when Harlow…A Salon On Music Row was born! Yes, I said born. I feel like Harlow is my baby, and I would do anything to nurture her and watch her grown and prosper. Right now she’s almost two years old and getting so big! We are just so blessed and love every moment in our quaint salon.

When we were sketching out plans for our salon (many years ago and over a few margaritas *giggle*) we knew we wanted to cater to the client. We wanted everything to be special and relaxing and UNIQUE. We knew we wanted to serve wine and soft drinks, offer hand massages, scalp massages and the most educated hairstylists in the industry! We have achieved all those goals and yet something was still missing…It’s our favorite thing to do, in fact we specialize in it… BRIDES. Bridal parties. Formal upstyles. Makeup. On-site weddings. We LOVE everything having to do with brides and their bridal parties. From the excitement of the day to the veil to the flower girls…we just love it all!

Now, my partner and I have experienced some not-so-great wedding moments…like the time a bride was crying in Eva’s chair. She said “Ohhh no! What’s wrong??? Are you nervous??” The bride said, “They (bridesmaids) all took pictures of each other while y’all did their hair but no one is taking MY picture and it’s MY day!” That simply broke our hearts. Another bride was rushing to a fast food restaurant to get lunch for her and her EIGHT (yes, I said eight) bridesmaids while they stayed and got their hair and makeup done. Why was SHE fetching the food?? It was HER day! We were totally dumbfounded. HOW could we fix this problem of the bride not being treated like it was HER special day?? How could we bring our uniqueness into the bridal scene without doing something that someone else was already doing?

After a few cosmos one night (yeah, yeah…we do our best thinking over fruity drinks) it hit us. WE could provide the perfect environment for the bridal parties right inside our own salon! Heck, WE owned it so WE could do whatever we wanted…right? Absolutely! We came up with the “Princess Package” that night and immediately started calling all our vendors to make sure they were on board. They certainly were! They’d never heard of a SALON offering what we were dreaming up and all of them wanted to be a part of it! (See, we’re blessed – great friends, great vendors…it’s amazing!)

The Princess Package consists of: Hair and makeup for the bride, a full buffet-style brunch (with foods such as quiche, muffins, fruit, ham and biscuits, cinnamon rolls, bagels with whipped cream cheese and SO much more), unlimited beverages (mimosas, sodas, coffee, tea etc), a photographer to capture every moment of the beginning of your big day, all your photos on a CD, 25 of the best prints in 4x6 size and the most important thing…NO WORRIES. Harlow Salon takes care of it all! We even have an “a la carte” menu where you can add bridesmaid’s hair and makeup, boxed lunches, extra prints, extra CD’s and more! The response to this idea has been overwhelming and we’ve never seen happier brides! They’ll email after they’ve seen the package on our website and say “Is this for real?? I won’t have to worry about anything? You guys take care of EVERYTHING?? That’s so awesome!”

Here are just a few of the photos from some of our Harlow Princess Packages and our on-location weddings, also...I hope you enjoy! As you can see we love to have fun at Harlow! Weddings are HAPPY times and we guarantee you will have a blast at our gorgeous salon...and if nothing else, some GREAT food! :)

Finally we’ve created a stress-free environment for our precious brides that we love so dearly. If you’d like more information on the Princess Package, or my baby, Harlow, please visit the website at www.harlowsalon.com …Until next Tuesday…

XOXO
Pink Book Pro Shana

You're Invited!

2008-08-29T21:21:00.000-07:00

Now that our invitations have gone out (a month ago, I’m a little behind!) and the RSVP’s are rolling in...I thought I would post an example of the finished product!
Early on, for reasons I can’t explain, Mr. Fiance and I wanted to design our own everything when it came to wedding-related paper products. We designed our Save-the-Date’s, our water bottle labels, and our invitations. This was definitely an undertaking since we are both opinionated designers; needless to say the task took WAY longer than it should have! I will post more about the first two projects in a later post, but today is all about the invitations.

Here is the criteria for our invitations that was important to us:

1. Tree-free or recycled paper
2. Minimize paper used; not too many enclosure cards
3. We were hoping for letterpress, but would have settled for something else
4. No response card

I searched and searched for affordable letterpress vendors...and while I found some truly GORGEOUS invitations out there, I could find nothing in my price range. Luckily, I soon discovered that there are letterpress companies that will let you DESIGN YOUR OWN, hence removing the hefty design fee! This worked well for us, since you already know we like to take graphic design matters in to our own (untrained) hands.

We eventually settled on Mercurio Brothers printing out of California. They were extremely easy to work with; we simply emailed them our digital file and they printed it and mailed the invitations back to us! Easy as pie! And since letterpress works best on Cotton paper, they were TREE-FREE, making us very happy.

We used a damask motif in chocolate brown that is also being used elsewhere in our wedding. We used Orange for the text because...well, we love orange. Go Vols!

The enclosure card directs people to our website, where we have the mother-load of information stored. This also serves as the RSVP! The website has an RSVP function which I am loving because it helps us save more paper, and also helped to save money that would have been used for stamps, etc.

And here is a shot of my best friend and MOH helping me assemble and address the whole lot! I owe her big time!

Anyone else find that their invitations were a labor of love?

Allow me to Introduce Myself...

2008-08-29T14:00:00.000-07:00

Hello excited brides and hard-working professionals! I am entirely too excited about being a new addition to the Nashville Pink Book blog!

My name is Sarah and I was born and bred in Nashville, Tennessee. My family is my strength and shelter. I have a great spiritual family at my church in Brentwood, Tennessee. My life is centered out here in Cookeville, Tennessee since I'm attending Tennessee Tech University. My actual wedding will be in Nashville area. I am, in a small way, planning a destination wedding!

My handsome fiance's name is Cage, and he has truly captured my heart. He was first my best friend and now is the best friend I could hope for! He keeps my feet grounded and my face aching from smiling entirely too much. We grew up within a mile of each other, but did not know each other until years later in our senior year of high school. This picture was taken on my 20th Birthday at the Chattanooga Aquarium just over a year ago while we were dating.

Since my entire life is in Middle Tennessee, where else would be the perfect place to have my dream wedding? My ideal ceremony is outside under the blue sky. My ideal reception is under a big tent with lots of food, family, candles, and music. Locations? I've researched just about every Historical Plantation Home in the Nashville area, and I hope to choose a location by January.

The look will hopefully be a Jane Austen novel with modern and simple elements. I love jewel tones! Good, deep purples, blues, greens, and some brown and ivory for accent. Cage and I want our honeymoon some where beachy and tropical.

My wedding is early summer of 2010. Many people ask me why we were engaged so early... Well, when you know who the love of your life is, how can you let that pass you by? Below is my gorgeous engagement ring. The center stone is my birthstone, an aquamarine, with six diamonds on either side in a white gold setting. The first sign Cage is the man for me, he listens! I said for the longest time that I wanted my birth stone, not a diamond for my engagement ring. And boy, did he ever listen!

I am excited to blog here with wedding updates, wedding woes (though I pray they be few!), and the little pieces of joy that come with wedding planning. If you have any questions, comments, or want me to elaborate on something specific in a future blog... e-mail me! pinkbridesarah@gmail.com
Have a great Labor Day weekend! Relax, rejuvenate, and see you next Friday!

Photography: Don't Sacrifice Style For Price

2008-08-29T10:09:00.000-07:00

First of all...let me introduce myself. My name is Caleb Magnino and I am an owner / lead photographer with Nashville Photography Group. I have been asked to be your friday photography contributer to the blog. Hopefully you find this information helpful and informative. Questions on anything, contact me at caleb@nashvillephotogroup.com

Introductions done...Ok so moving on.....

Whenever I shoot a wedding, I inevitably hear some horror story from someone at the wedding about their wedding photography and/or photographer. In some sick way, I enjoy hearing the horror stories because I use it as an educational tool to sharpen what my staff and I do at Nashville Photography Group for our wedding clients.

One horror story that I hear over and over again is one in which ladies continually tell me that they wish they could go back and redo their wedding photography. I usually will inquire as to why. Their typical response is, "It just wasn't my style," or, "It just wasn't what I really wanted." When asked why they chose the photographer they did, the overwhelming response is price.

Being married myself, I understand all to well planning a wedding on a budget! That being said, let me encourage the future brides and grooms out there to make sure you get the style of photography that you want. There are many different photographic artists out there and each artist has his/her own photographic flare. That is what makes them an artist and good at what they do. In my studio, I have 5 wedding photographers, each with his/her own unique stylistic flare when it comes to wedding photography. We use our unique flares to provide each bride with the photographic style of images that she wants...not just one style that we hope our clients like.

Now, here in Nashville, there are plenty of photographers! We are in a market where there are a lot of talented professional photographers. I know that as a bride/groom, you seem to have the daunting task of finding the right photographer who will give you the images that you love that you will keep a lifetime. Let me shed a little light on the subject for you...DO NOT SACRIFICE YOUR STYLE!!! Know what you like, know what you want, and stick to it. Look around and find photographer and studios that have the style you want. Then make your decisions on who will photograph your wedding taking price into consideration.

One thing that I remind brides as they consider their wedding photography choices is this: The only aspects that you will walk away from the wedding day with are: each other, your promises to each other, rings, photographs, video, and memories. Everything else has a short life span....namely one day. So, take it from someone who hears all the stories, invest in what will be with you for a lifetime! Don't sarcrifice style for price! Don't be another horror story that I hear about years down the road...get the wedding photography you want. Trust me...you will thank me for it later!

JUST FOR KICKS>>>here is an image of a bridal session we shot at the Governor's Mansion last week. Christin wanted images that were elegant so we provided her with just that. Take a look at more images at www.nashvillephotogroup.com

The Wedding Party.

2008-08-28T06:31:00.000-07:00

The Right People.

Not sure who to choose...?

Take the stress out of picking your wedding party with these tips.

Which friends and/or relatives will be in the wedding can be a crazy time of opinions, decisions, hurt feelings, excitement and stress. Of course, it shouldn't-- but unless your just one of those girls who knew from the day you turned 10 years old, who stand by you at your wedding 15 years later... it IS a huge, tough decision.

1. Decide how many.

This may depend on a few different things... including budget, ceremony site, ceremony style, and number of guests. The general rule is one attendant per 50 guests... but that's not to say if you are having a large, traditional wedding that you may just have a maid/matron of honor and best man. If you are having a small, intimate ceremony then 10 bridesmaids might be a bit much.

2. More isn't Merrier.

Lets face it, the more hormones and estrogen you try to fit in one room is a recipe for complications. Women are opinionated, and women that love you and want the best for you are even MORE opinionated... and women love to talk. More people to agree, which isn't always easy and sometimes may cause a "wedding hysteria" moment or two.

3. Blood is Thicker than Water.

Even though your sister may be your total polar opposite right now, she will always be the one who (for the most part) will never leave your side. Even though you say red and she says blue, or you say outdoor and she says indoor...you still have a connection that no one else has, and to prevent any and all pain in the family tree...include family first.

4. Guilt Card.

You should never, ever, ever ask someone to be in your wedding because the day of the engagement she told you, "Oh I can't WAIT for your wedding, its going to be so beautiful and I'm going to be there beside you every step of the way to plan, and I HAVE to be in the wedding!!" This is a recipe for disaster too. So is the awkward situation of asking someone to be in your wedding just because she asked you to be in her wedding. Also, on a personal note with my wedding...don't ask anyone who you have a "feeling" about from the very beginning, this person may like to be the center of attention, selfish, hard to get along with, etc. This day, is 100% all about you, the bride. No one should out-shine you, or make you feel inferior, or "less important" they have had/will have their day in the "wedding spotlight", but it is not a good idea to include anyone like this on the most special and important day of your life.

5. Consider the effort.

If you are expecting and needing your bridesmaids to help in ALOT of the planning details {i.e. dress fittings, invitation decisions, site locations, rentals}, it might be difficult for Sorority Sister Suzie from the upper most part of Alaska to fly in for every momentous occasion of decision. It is also tricky for locals because they have work schedules, families and obligations that might come before your wedding, as harsh as that may sound. Also, don't assume that someone is too busy, or too involved with something else to be in your wedding... they are normally the ones who have it together and can balance everything that is important in their lives.

6. Other Honors

Still stuck? Keep in mind that there are plenty of other roles good friends can play in your wedding if they don't make the cut -- do a reading, hand out programs, or perform a song.

And in the most polite way, Emily Ehrenstein writes, "Once you make up your mind about your bridesmaids, you'll want to get the word out. The only thing worse than a coworker who thinks she's invited to your wedding is a friend who assumes she's going to be a bridesmaid. If you're afraid of hurting someones feelings, remember that, as cliched as it sounds, any true friend will understand whatever decision you ultimately make. And finally, the sooner you make your decision, the sooner you get to check off one more box on your endless wedding checklist. "

Movie Posters

2008-08-27T21:33:00.001-07:00

Megan and Chad were married a couple of weeks ago -- on August 9. They had a beautiful ceremony at Harpeth Hills Church of Christ with a fun reception afterwards at Hillwood Country Club. We printed this poster for them -- postcard size; a stack of them were put out at the reception for guests. Everyone loved them!

I've begun developing poster type graphics for all our wedding couples. After all, the production we produce for them is more of a "movie" than a video. I plan to do this for all our 2008 clients. If you'd like to see some of the posters we've already designed, click here. And while you're there, check out the post on Megan and Chad to read about all the details of the day. Lots of photos are posted too!

30 Days...

2008-08-27T12:27:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone! Today is a bittersweet day...it is exactly one month until we get hitched!! Today I start counting down the DAYS instead of MONTHS! Today is when I finally need to begin to wrap up the outlying tasks, and today is when the diet starts! (just kidding!)

I accidentally skipped my posting last month for the 2-month Task List but that’s okay because here comes the mother of all FINAL task lists!!

As you can see, there is nothing checked off the list yet! All are in the works, just not finished. We are not having a formal seated dinner at the reception, so that task doesn’t apply. We are having heavy hors d’vors and I wanted the guests to mix and mingle, so the idea of seating assignments didn’t appeal to us. Our biggest task of the week is finalizing the honeymoon plans...we still don’t have any! The Caribbean is out, since we will be honeymooning in the height of hurricane season. Any suggestions out there?!

My RSVP date is this Monday, so next week I can begin getting a final attendee count and send out the Rehearsal dinner invitations.

Do any of you other Brides-to-be feel like the fast-forward button gets pushed somewhere around six months out?

Introducing Kimberly...

2008-08-21T06:01:00.000-07:00

Excited and oh so happy to be here, by such an odd happening but I am here now and let me introduce myself as the newest part of the Pink Book team, I am Kimberly.

I am a born and raised southern girl. I've lived in Middle Tennessee all my life, and know just about everyone it seems. I've had some of the best experiences and worst experiences in this small town, but I firmly believe everything has lead me, and made me the person I am today. I have an amazing family, who means everything to me. I also have a great group of friends who I have grown up with and continue to make me laugh everyday, there during the hard times and will be there in days to come.

I am an interesting girl, in the way that I am sooo girly girl, but at one point or another you WILL see me jumping out of our Jeep Wrangler, covered in mud, screaming and laughing saying, "Let's do it again!" I do love to be outdoors, I get restless inside. Anything from camping, fishing, hiking, being on the lake, swimming, 4-wheeling and trail riding, to horses. I am most happy when I am out in the great outdoors.

I am also a NOVEMBER BRiDE! I am getting married November 1st, 2008 to my best friend. I met Marc April 13, 2007 at our previous job, Nissan. We both gave love a shot and we have grown into something I never thought I would find, he is my love, my friend, my protection and my provider. He is a country boy too, probably why we get along so good. :)

We are planning a traditional southern style wedding with the theme of "Antique Country". My colors are Sage Green, Ivory and Chocolate Brown. I have a full Ivory lace form fitting wedding dress from the Galina collection at David's Bridal, wearing my mothers veil and tiny slip on shoes with huge ivory bows on the toes. Our wedding planning is going great, hit a few snags along the way, thrown in some nervous break downs, guest list drama and vendors backing out. But in two and half months I will walk down the aisle to the most amazing man and we will start a new journey...together.

I am excited to blog about wedding ideas, pictures, stories, questions, advice, trends, traditions and creative touches. I am a DIY girl all the way and plan on sharing MANY ideas along the way. Please comment on what you love, hate, like or don't like... and share ideas! This is the time of my life right now, and I get the privledge to share it in a wonderful place. I look forward to many great blogs with ya'll!

Thanks and have a beautiful day!

Wedding Video

2008-08-20T00:02:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone! We are Lynette, Cheryl and Amanda of McNeal Video.

As a team of women who love what we do, we are trying to make a difference in the world of wedding videography. Our goal, of course, is to give the bride and groom the best record of their day that we possibly can. But we are also on a mission to change the stereotypical perception of wedding video. You know the one we mean . . . the boring, shaky footage, cheesy type video that we've all had to sit through at one time or another.

A professional videographer is a creative artist that specializes in documenting one of the most important days of your life. While photos document moments of the day, video allows everyone to relive your wedding day as it actually happened. And, if you do your homework and hire a videographer who has the same vision as you, I guarantee that you'll enjoy sharing it with friends and family -- and you'll watch it over and over again for years to come.

We are excited to be a part of the Pink Book family and look forward to making posts here each Thursday. In future posts, we plan to show you some of the weddings we've covered and some of the exciting things that our brides are doing. I have to admit that we have some of the sweetest and prettiest brides in Nashville, and we're excited about the opportunity to put them in the spotlight.

We invite you to visit our blog and meet some of the couples whose weddings we have recently covered. Also, take a little time to view some of the clips we have posted in the Screening Room of our website. And be sure to check back here each Thursday to see what's new in the world of wedding video.

Fun With Words

2008-08-18T00:45:00.000-07:00

This website just came across my radar, and I had to share! Wordle will create a fun blurb-y word grouping out of any text you type in, or any internet feed you link. To create this one I wrote a list of 10 reasons why I love my fiance. The larger words are the ones used more frequently. You could use Wordle to create a card for your bridesmaids, or input your wedding vows as a fun momento of your wedding day! And since the one-year anniversary gift is paper...Wordle could help you out!

Some Quick Vendor Reviews

2008-08-14T17:29:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone, I’m back from my whirlwind trip to Tennessee! (for those of you just tuning in, I am planning my Tennessee wedding from 5 time zones away.)

I was one busy girl, and now have a cold because I ran myself so ragged, but I got so much done! This is what happened over a 10-day span:

1. Had my first dress fitting. Ann Allen, of Alterations by Ann, is fabulous! Phone: 615-218-8409

2. Met with ALL of my vendors! A large feat, but I feel much better about everything.

3. Witnessed my younger brother tie the knot with his sweet and gorgeous long-time girl friend! The wedding was beautiful and the after-party a blast! Here are my reviews of two of their vendors, from a guest’s point of view.

Wedding Car: J.R. Browning Wedding Cars. Phone: 615-405-4777
Mr Browning is a class act! He arrived very early to the church, rolled out the red carpet, and was all around the sweetest man. He has several gorgeous wedding cars in his fleet.

DJ and Emcee: Spangler Entertainment. Phone: 615-451-3432
These guys really got the party started! I was impressed with the professionalism of the Emcee and how well prepared he was. Just look at how much the party was jumpin’!

The Perfect Shot Nashville - Part 4

2008-08-12T18:36:00.000-07:00

Nearly Naughty Pix!

This week I am featuring Jan Horrell of Nearly Naughty Pix. Not your average wedding photographer, Jan shoots boudoir photos. Check her out and make hubby-to-be a happy man!

Favorite Color: Red

Favorite Ice Cream: Coconut

Favorite Animal: LION - I am a Leo!!

Q: Your idea of the perfect lazy day: Laying on the beach or at the pool in the Caribbean....

Q: What goal do you have for every session?

To bring out the best in the person & make them feel better about who they are.. We all have things we hate about our bodies - just don't have to show it and be able to accentuate the positives! That is why important to have a discussion about what my clients like / dislike about their image and if for a gift, what the recipient likes. For example, my husband loves my backside, where I am not so thrilled with it. For him, pics from the back would be a plus, but for me they might be harder to look at & pick out.. I need to reinsure that idea with my clients!! In addition, the photo session can turn out to be a fun hour or two where the client can get a sense of what it's like to "strike a pose"!!

Q: How did you get started?

Have always loved photography & knew I had a very creative side.. Am in my 50s now, left big job on east coast to be closer to newly arrived grandchildren (2 in 2 years) and started thinking of working with women doing photography & this just evolved. Since I was divorced in 1985 and didn't remarry till 2003, I like to think that even at 50+ I have a sexy side! I know there are women that feel the same way - and would love to capture that element of themselves - just for them and the fun of it, even it they are not doing this as a gift. The process of the photo session itself can be very much fun, especially with a close friend or two.

Q: What are some of the reasons you enjoy photography?

I love working with women (or even couples) and being able to bring out this pure, womanly, sensual side of them - that they trust me enough to do this. being a female photographer here is a plus, because I have a sense of the type of photo they are looking for. I love seeing the images and working with them for processing to add the romantic touches that make it special. That satisfies the creative side. I also love the type of women that I will meet - everyone from a new bride to a "Red Hat Society" member. I am so proud to be able to say, "We've come along way, baby!"

Love This!!!!

2008-08-12T08:47:00.000-07:00

Who doesn't love Pez??

I found these little lovebirds at pez.com and thought they would be a really fun wedding favor.

Supply is limited for these, but if you can't get your hands on the bride and groom, there are plenty of other options for Pezzy favors - check it out!

Short & Sweet

2008-08-09T17:47:00.000-07:00

Short wedding dresses are becoming popular and making quite a statement. These little numbers are unique and I must say a little sassy. Less than fabulous legs need not apply.

So what is your opinion? Check out my top 25 and cast your vote below!

Quizzes by Quibblo.com

1 - Vera Wang

2 - 3 - Ramona Keveza

4 - 5 - Adele Weschler

6 - 8 - Priscilla of Boston

9 - 13 - Oscar de la Renta

14 - 16 - Watters & Watters

17 - 20 - Maggie Sottero

21 - 23 - Mori Lee

24 - Carmela Sutura

25 - Casablanca

Comfortable Kicks

2008-08-09T14:33:00.001-07:00

I know a big part of the wedding day ensemble is - what else but...shoes! In order to keep your little tootsies from screaming in pain by the time the night is over - why not try flats? Flats are super trendy right now and come in all styles and colors. I love bright, vibrant shoes with a wedding dress - this could even be your something blue!

1. DRU New York Lauren Floral - $105.95
2. Stuart Weitzman GlamFlat - $295.00
3. Gabrielle Rocha Razzy - $39.00
4. Stuart Weitzman Bolshoi - $275.00
5. J. Crew Salina - $138.00
6. French Sole Season - $134.00
7. Jimmy Choo Morse Liquid - $415.00
8. Nine West Love Life - $39.99
9. kate spade brette - $338.00
10. London Sole Camilla - $225.00
11. Jimmy Choo Watson - $385.00
12. Arepazza Nigeria - $132. 00

1. J. Crew Salina Iridescent - $138.00
2. Banana Republic Whitmore - $98.00
3. Burberry Metallic Quilted Ballet - $270.00
4. London Sole Pirouette - $165.00
5. Christian Louboutin Sequined Ballet Flat - $880.00
6. Bernardo Women's Brad - 134.99
7. Nine West Gain - $59.99
8. Christian Louboutin - Chiffon Ballerina - $695.00
9. Ras Satin Opera Skimmer - $215.00

Top This

2008-08-07T15:17:00.000-07:00

Wedding cakes have been a tradition since medieval times, when each guest would bring a cake to the wedding. The cakes would all be stacked in layers, and if the bride and groom could kiss over the top of the stack, it was considered good luck!

Cakes have come a long way since then! The cake can be as intricate as the bride's dress. One little fun element to the traditional wedding cake is the topper. I think it's the part that most reflects your relationship. You can make it whimsical, elegant, silly, or fun!

What are your topper plans?

Love Lifts Us Up Where We Belong...

2008-08-06T06:17:00.000-07:00

This British couple exchanged their vows while "wing-walking" on an airplane. The officiant is on the plane in front of them. The ceremony was broadcast to their guests on the ground using a PA system - check this out!

Pimp My Bride

2008-08-05T06:16:00.000-07:00

This is too funny - had to share!

Inspiration Board

2008-08-04T13:58:00.000-07:00

Pink Pro Ashley's interview with the bride at the Franklin Bridal Ball whose wedding colors are red, white and black were my inspiration for this collage - enjoy!

Sweetest Finds from the Franklin Bridal Ball

2008-08-02T12:51:00.000-07:00

Hi, I'm Ashley of AshleysBrideGuide.com, a fellow Nashville wedding blogger. I am very honored that Pink Lady Anna invited me as a guest blogger to give my recap of the Franklin Bridal Ball.

It was a great bridal show that featured amazing dresses from The Bride Room and The White Room. Brides had lots of fun and proudly wore their cute bride caps and tees, which my girl Whitney of Dove Photography blogged about last week. I wanted a hat too! But since I am no longer a bride-to-be, the hat was out but there was still cake to look forward to:). Check out my video interview with Nashville brides.

Video 1

Video 2

I get so excited at shows that often I lose focus. But, I tried to visit as many as possible because I knew you would want all of the details.

In my opinion, here were the Sweetest Finds from the Franklin Bridal Ball:

1) Most fabulous finds - Diana Warner Jewelry, The Bride Room
Diana Warner Jewelry - Stunning jewelry for brides and bridesmaids plus super chic pieces for every day in between.

The Bride Room - I loved this dress!

2) Custom guest gifts and paper - Designs in Paper

In addition to great custom wedding invitations, Designs in Paper offered custom notecard giveaways. Theirs had a DnP design but they can create one to complement your wedding theme that's even cuter. I love the idea and know that this is a favor your guest is likely to use.

3) Tastiest treats - Maples Wedding Cakes, The Sweetest Day, Jo's Cakes and Catering

Maples Wedding Cakes - offers an elegant taste of heaven. There really isnt much better. The dedicated team is constantly introducing "innovative" flavors to their menu and their cakes are stunning! I love their peach cobbler pound cake and at the show they introduced "red delicious", an apple cake...yummy.

The Sweetest Day - Red Velvet is one of their most popular flavors and I wasnt sure if I was going to like it but I gave it a try and loved it! I also liked their fudge cupcake.

Jo's Custom Cakes and Catering - I am not a fan of cheesecake so I asked my friends to give it a try. Verdict? They loved the cheesecake balls!

4) Most creative booth - A Magical Affair Wedding and Event Planning

Courtney and Jennifer wowed everyone with this innovative booth depicting wedding day pictures. What a neat concept! I really liked the couple on a wedding cake (my pic cut off the cake they were standing on - sorry) and the dog in tux. Cute! Loved the design and out of box thinking.

5) Most stunning booths - Selah Style and Events, A Delightful Day, Fabu, Enchanted Florist

These booths offered great wedding ideas for design, rentals and themes and showed the vendors ability to execute on wedding concepts.

Selah Style and Events - loved the wall of flowers and how the booth incorporated details that can make your ceremony / wedding pop.

A Delightful Day - loved the light display on the ground (courtesy of Nashville Event Lighting) and the table tree.

Fabu - romantic and whimsical

Enchanted Florist - I was completely drawn to the Enchanted booth because it's always romantic, vibrant and breathtaking.

6) Best twist on a traditional service - McNeal Video

McNeal Video is so innovative. They don't just video your big day, they partner with brides to create a wedding cinematic production. I fell in love with the wedding video "coming soon" trailer posters. The ways to use these posters are endless and are a great way to keep everyone excited until your video arrives! And, the posters can be framed and used as wall art for years to come.

While some booths stood out more than others, these booth vendors were super-friendly and friendly vendors are always in style:

Wedding Music - Dave at Blue Tone Music (always friendly!); Wedding Photographers - Harmony Designs Photography; Dove Wedding Photography, Shannon Jenkins Photography, Mint and Sage Photographic Artists; Wedding Planners - Creative Designs and Events; Wedding Videographers - Dynamic Video and Lifetime Reel Productions...and Photo Booth Nashville, Signature Cakes

Free-for-All Friday!

2008-07-31T14:41:00.000-07:00

Okay, so it’s not quite Friday yet, I know. However, by the time Friday rolls around I will be landing at BNA for a whirlwind week of wedding activities! I am so very
excited to be coming home to Nashville. And I am also looking forward to (in no particular order): My younger brother’s wedding (Yaaay!), seeing my friends and family, My 10-year High School Reunion (Omigosh!), and an engagement party & bridal shower for myself and Mr. Fiance! I am also immensely relieved to be meeting with some of our wedding vendors to finalize details, and also I will be going to my first dress fitting! Yikes! A lot to do in one week, but I can make it happen.

While I am buzzing all over middle Tennessee I have put together a fun list of wedding-related freebies to keep y’all entertained:

Design freebies(font downloads, stationary downloads, general design fun):

Free wedding planning checklist(this is the one I have been using to post my progress here on the Pink Book)

Free Samples! I have heard of some girls filling their out-of-town bags or bathroom baskets with these. Just remember, shipping generally takes about 6-8 weeks, so plan ahead!
Walmart Samples

Free wedding day make-up advice

Free videos on how to do just about anything relating to a wedding

Online exercise/training videos, workouts, and tips to help get you ready for the big day

I hope you Enjoy!

Wedding Myths

2008-07-31T12:12:00.000-07:00

I stumbled across this wedding myth quiz today which was the inspiration for the admittedly random collage below. I learned some interesting little-known facts - namely that uncooked rice is safe for birds to eat - who knew?? (Maybe we should call MythBusters.) I also found this poem about which day of the week is best to get married...

Monday for wealth,

Tuesday for health,

Wednesday the best day of all.

Thursday for losses,

Friday for crosses,

Saturday for no luck at all.

How Very Martha

2008-07-29T18:50:00.000-07:00

Every now and then I have to give the DIY Goddess some credit. Among a bazillion other things...Homegirl sure knows how to decorate for a wedding on the cheap! I am especially in love with this sweet printable, customizable paper banner. In addition to being a wedding banner, one could be made for a shower, bachelorette, or birthday sign!

I also like these funky round container covers. They could be perfect if you are giving favors in a round container. All you need is a color printer and maybe a 3” circle punch, and you are set for a full afternoon of Martha-tastic fun!

A full list of her current downloadable wedding-related templates can be found here.
Has anyone else Martha-ed their wedding?

The Franklin Bridal Ball!!

2008-07-26T10:43:00.000-07:00

Well, I know it has been a while, but I finally have a chance to sit down and share with you what a fabulous time we had at the Franklin Bridal Ball!

Many thanks to Dove Wedding Photography for these beautiful images!

Brides were there in abundance, wearing their super-cute Bride hats!

The fashion show was beautiful!

The booths were amazing...

And we so enjoyed meeting Diana Warner and checking out her fabulous jewelry!

Special thanks to Enchanted Florist for providing us with unbelievable arrangements...

All in all, it was a fantastic show! Stay tuned for details on the next Franklin Bridal Ball in February 09!

In the meantime...don't miss Weddings the Bridal Show on August 24 at the Nashville Convention Center! Click here to register for your $2.00 off admission coupon!

A Love Letter to Google

2008-07-24T14:48:00.000-07:00

Dear Google,

Where do I begin? You first wooed me with your Gmail and Gchat when I realized I could now converse with my faraway friends and bridesmaids so easily; almost like a face-to-face conversation. Many gossip chains and wedding details were discussed through your internet wizardry.

We then took our relationship to the next level when you introduced me to Google Calendar, which I not only can customize and share with whomever I please, but also access from anywhere! This application alone has already saved my (upcoming) marriage! As the tasks and events pile up I simply input them in the “Wedding Calendar” that Fiance and I share, and I can rest assured knowing that nothing will be forgotten.

And lastly, you have sealed the deal with Google Documents. I am forever enamored with the fact that all of my meticulous Type-A personality lists and spreadsheets are safely stored within your server. I have made my own (Airport Shuttle Timetable, Lodging List) and also used the amazing Wedding templates that you have so lovingly provided for me. Google: I heart you.

Pink Bride Stacey

P.S. I have even used Google Earth to stalk our ceremony and reception venues for a bird’s eye view!

Love is in the Air(waves)

2008-07-18T17:00:00.000-07:00

I am currently searching for our First Dance and Father/Daughter dance songs. For most couples this is an easy one, however my Fiancé and I have never really had “our song.” Therefore I am scouring the internet for some inspiration. If you are in a similar boat, here are some links I have found that may help:

Y! Music - Top Wedding Songs For The First Dance
This site will even let you listen to each song

and

Top 10 Father Daughter Dance Songs

...and then up the hill for a party!

2008-07-16T16:43:00.000-07:00

Now that you know the scandalous history of our wedding/reception site, you can take a look at how we plan to get the House party-ready!

The Drouillard House has several dining rooms inside, but we will also have a clear tent from Nashville Tent and Awning for extra outdoor seating. Live music (currently TBD) will be on hand for cocktail hour and dancing afterwards! And we plan to hang many large paper lanterns in the trees to help light up the night. And the best part: I plan on throwing my bouquet from the second story balcony! How fun!

"Tis the Season...

2008-07-08T09:02:00.000-07:00

For Bridal Shows!!

First up, here in Nash Vegas...the Franklin Bridal Ball!

This promises to be an event unlike any bridal show you have ever attended! On the agenda - wine and cheese samples, frozen drink samples, Diana Warner Studios Giveaways (yes, more than one...26 actually!), Platinum Jewelers Giveaways (for two of you lucky brides), oh-so-fabulous fashion shows (think "Carried" Away!) and much much more!

The first 300 brides to purchase advance tickets on the website will receive this little number at the door...

Perfect for the rehearsal or bachelorette party!

Many vendors will offer special discounts for attendees only, as well as samples of their work - so come ready to taste some wedding cake!

If you need a photographer, band, wedding gown, caterer, honeymoon advice, florist, registry, videographer, favors. laser treatment, invites, rehearsal dinner or any other wedding-related service...you can be sure you will find it at the Franklin Bridal Ball.

I will definitely be on hand along with several other Pink Ladies to show you around and answer any of your questions...it will be a Ball!!

Goin to the chapel...

2008-07-07T18:24:00.000-07:00

Early on in the wedding planning I knew that my ideal ceremony and reception location would be: quaint, close together, and have a strong connection to the outdoors. Since being engaged, I have considered/researched numerous Nashville historic homes and gardens. However, when it came time for the decision to be made, I have to give credit to my friend Tommy who actually suggested the location about 7-8 years ago, before I was even engaged (I told you that you’d get a shout-out TK!)

We were touring historic Charlotte and Dickson county with a school tour when we were shown Calvary Episcopal Church and the Drouillard House. The Drouillard house is full of history...and scandal! Mary Florence Kirkman, a Nashville debutant, caused quite a stir with her post-war marriage to a Union officer! The two had to flee Nashville and settle in the iron ore-rich Cumberland Furnace, where they built the Drouillard Mansion, and then later the little Episcopal church by the creek. Somehow my friend had the vision and foresight to suggest I get married there when the time came...and I am so glad he did.

However, since the church will only hold about half of the number of guests we are planning on, we will be getting married beside the church! (A picture of the church can be seen in a previous post.) Here is how we plan to style out the church yard:

Next up: the reception!

Summer Reading

2008-07-03T17:01:00.000-07:00

To kick-start this long independence day weekend, I thought I would post a few light summer reads that have come across my radar lately.

Here Comes the Bride: Three Books about Weddings is a story I heard on NPR recently. (click on the link to read the story and view the book titles.)
I love the title of the first book: 'Somebody is Going to Die if Lilly Beth Doesn't Catch that Bouquet'. Haha! A guide to hosting the perfect southern wedding...recipes included!

And if you are more in to picture books to oooh and ahhh over, check out this one: Southern Weddings: New Looks from the Old South.
This is one book that I actually purchased as soon as I got engaged. I found it while perusing Amazon one day and it doesn’t disappoint! The pictures are inspirational whether you are planning a wedding, or just love to entertain with southern hospitality!

Mighty Good Gifts

2008-06-30T12:14:00.001-07:00

If you’re like me, you love a good party. And with “wedding season” officially upon us, there are an abundance of soirées and the opportunities that come with them for needing shower gifts, hostess gifts, and the like. Many thanks to the shopping blog “Mighty Goods” for publishing this list of 15 Great Shower Gifts Under $40! Snag some of these for your friends, or for yourself...I know I have my eye on a few.

Diana Warner Studios

2008-06-30T11:23:00.000-07:00

I wanted to let you ladies know about a fabulous jewelry designer,Diana Warner Studios New York. Check out some of my favorite pieces below!

Not only does she create beautiful and oh-so-trendy jewelry, she also works toward a cause.

While spending six weeks in Africa, Diana realized a juxtaposition—the natural beauty of the third-world areas of the globe and its stark contrast to the devastation left by extreme poverty and disease. Diana believes once her eyes were opened to the devastation that AIDS and extreme poverty leave, she had to respond.
By using her gifts and talents to serve people, to create jobs through the production of her design, and by giving her time and passions to the fight against AIDS and extreme poverty, Diana believes she can offer the public excellent design while aiding in the fight to which she has been called.

Now, I know what you're wondering...Does she also create bridal jewelry? Well, are you in for a treat!!
Diana will be premiering her first ever bridal line at the Franklin Bridal Ball on July 17th! That's right - right here in Middle Tennessee! Every bride at the door will have a chance to win one of 25 jewelry prizes and an extra-special grand prize!

Need a ticket? Visit the website and buy yours today!

1. Stacking Set in Oval and Large Rectangle
2. Gold and Black Faceted Nautical Cuff
3. Renee Necklace Silver and Pearl
4. Diana Warner One of a Kind Cocktail Ring
5. Black and White Sparkle Set
6. Emerald Shape Cocktail Ring
7. Taryn Earring
8. Jamie Necklace Long
9. Mayra Earring in Grass
10. Nine Set of Square Sparkles
11. Phindi Necklace in a Box
12. Sparkle and Color Set

Need a little help from my friends

2008-06-27T18:34:00.001-07:00

So somehow...and I don’t know how this happened...but somehow it is now only 3 MONTHS until the wedding! Wow. I am so completely excited, but also completely overwhelmed by all of the decisions that have not yet been made. I know a lot of things will be taken care of during the two times I do get to visit Nashville before the wedding, but still...

Time to re-visit the To-Do list! Here is where we stand:

A few of these have me stumped. For instance: The rehearsal dinner. We are trying to keep the wedding simple and “local” style...do any of you have a good Southern restaurant that you can recommend?

And the Honeymoon. We have still yet to decide on this. Since we are currently living in a tropical locale, cold mountainous areas would seem the logical place to go after the wedding, right?

My FI and I are also interested in keeping things as eco-friendly as possible, so it was perfect timing yesterday when my friend Melissa sent me this link about eco-friendly honeymoons! Check it out if you are someone who is more interested in a different sort of honeymoon than, say, Sandals.

Is anyone else going on an eco-friendly or cold climate honeymoon?

TGIF!

2008-06-24T12:13:00.000-07:00

Yellow polka-dot bikini - that she wore on her honeymoon! It's getting to be that time of year. Vacations, honeymoons, and weekend trips to the beach (for those lucky enough to be close-ish to one!)

Instead of going website to website to find the suit that's best for you, why don't you let your fingers do the walking, and try using shopstyle to browse tons of different styles from different sites.

1. Gap 2. Juicy Couture 3. Vix 4. Radio Fiji 5. Vix 6. DKNY 7. It Figures!

One awesome feature they offer is price alert. If you find a suit you like and have some time before you buy it, you can set a price alert and they will let you know when it goes on sale. If you're just dying to buy that $300 designer suit that you fell in love with but can't afford, set a price alert and they'll let you know when it goes on sale!

Another feature at shopstyle is to create a stylebook, where you can store all your favorite suits (and honeymoon outfits, and shower dresses) to store & compare them - you can even share them with others!

Now you'll really want to hit the gym so you can look great in all of these fantastic suits!

Miss Bright Eyes

2008-06-23T13:29:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone! I apologize for my short hiatus, but I had a good reason...I had LASIK eye surgery last week! Everything went well and I am recovering now (actually wearing sunglasses as I type this because the computer screen is still a little bright to my new eyes) and I am thoroughly enjoying my new bionic vision! For those of you who aren’t familiar, here is a good explanation of the procedure.

Many people have asked me why I chose to have the surgery, and my answers is short: I’m vain. :) I have worn glasses/contacts since I was in second grade and they are always getting in the way when I do any sort of sports, plus I have always hated the way I look in glasses. With my upcoming wedding I definitely did NOT want to wear my glasses as I walk down the aisle, and I didn’t want to worry about problems with my contacts as I’m sure I will be a blubbering baby all weekend. SO...I went under the laser for the sake of my sanity, for the sake of being able to clearly see each guests’ smiling face, and for the sake of looking good in my wedding photos!

Getting LASIK was always something I knew I would do when the time was right; however the up-coming wedding did push the date forward a bit!
Are there any special procedures (cosmetic, etc) that you are considering before your big day?

The Perfect Shot Nashville - Part 3

2008-06-14T12:27:00.000-07:00

When Michael S. Wade photographs your wedding the instructions are simple. “Have fun and pay no attention to me” is what he tells clients. The photos captured gives each couple a unique perspective of their wedding. They see the things they never thought about looking for in the first place. Little smiles, gentle touches and big laughs ….. You get it all and no stress to boot.

Michael’s business practices earn him as many brides as his photos. He gives each couple a high resolution DVD with every photo within 2 weeks after the wedding. They are free to print, share and make copies for anyone with no extra fees or waiting. “Times have changed and the days of holding the photos for ransom have passed. Brides want their photos and they expect them much quicker” says Wade. He should know after doing this for 2 decades.

Based in Northeast Tennessee, Michael S. Wade frequently travels up and down the East Coast and west to the Nashville area for weddings. He accepts up to 32 dates per year and shoots weddings exclusively along with the bridal and engagement sessions he does for his clients.

Check out his brand new video!

'Maid For the Party!

2008-06-13T19:28:00.000-07:00

When it came to choosing the bridesmaid dresses...let’s just say I was feeling less than inspired with the typical choices available to brides today. Since FI and I are actually getting married outside the church (pictured in my previous post), I wanted the girls to wear something more casual, short, and definitely re-wearable for other functions after the wedding. Also, since I currently live 4,000 miles away from my bridesmaids, the shopping outing was not going to happen with all of us together. After many hours of web-searching and emailing, we decided that the girls would just pick their own! They knew the basic criteria I had in mind, so they went to the mall one weekend and picked out this sassy little BCBG number:

Won’t they look cute?! I had never pictured having yellow as a color in my wedding, but I love it! And they love it too, which is even more important. So, now we are faced with a shoe dilemma. I will put it out to you readers to vote on your favorite style/color. Tell me, what do you think?

Take the poll

Free Poll by Blog Flux

Favors and Other Fun Stuff

2008-06-10T06:53:00.000-07:00

Good Morning Ladies!!

I want to give all of you a heads up on a great place to find favors, accessories, decorations and lots of other fun wedding details. Creative Celebrations has a fabulous selection of runners, personalized chair covers, unity candles, favors, tiaras, toasting glasses and much much more!

The store is located in Mt. Juliet and they will be holding a Grand Opening to celebrate their new storefront very soon...stay tuned for that info. You can also check their website to browse and shop for all the little things that really do make a big difference!

Below is a little preview of a few items I liked - let me know what you think!

Vendor mania

2008-06-09T19:05:00.000-07:00

For us, the three most important pieces of the day are (in no particular order):
1. Music
2. Food
3. Photography

Listed below are our vendors for these and other areas:

Wedding Venue: Calvary Episcopal Church (shown above), Cumberland Furnace, TN.
Reception Venue (also caterer): The Drouillard House, Cumberland Furnace
Photography: Mary Davidson Photography, Dickson, TN
Wedding Coordinator: Patricia Terry, Dickson, TN
Cake Maker: family friend
Wedding Dress: Southern Belle Rose, Belleview
Groomsmen’s Suits: Banana Republic
Bridesmaid Dresses: coming in a future episode!
Invitation Design: by myself and FI! coming in a future episode!

Does anyone have any recommendations for a transportation vendor?

Checking it Twice

2008-06-06T19:03:00.000-07:00

I love making lists! I make lists for every little thing in life...and have been known to put silly things on the list just so I have the satisfaction of crossing it off. Therefore I have been thrilled to find many handy lists out there for wedding planning. This site has more than enough to keep you on schedule...and busy crossing things off!

Taking a look at my list, it appears that I am a little behind. I still have things left unchecked in the past month’s section! I need to book our premarital counseling and finalize some of the attendant’s attire. That should keep me busy this weekend! I may come to the blog readers here for your opinion & to vote on an aspect of the Bridesmaid’s attire...stay tuned!

Modern-Country-Chic?

2008-06-05T18:22:00.000-07:00

Now that we have been properly introduced let's jump right in to the good stuff: some details on the big day!

Now, I was never that girl who dreamed about her wedding and had the flowers and bridesmaids picked out...before even getting engaged. So, back in October when the planning had to start somewhere, I had no reservations and no expectations. However FI (that’s code for Fiance) and I did have this set of criteria:

1. The location would be somewhere quaint & unique; keep the ceremony & reception at same locale.
2. We would try to be as “green” as possible with our decisions; make eco-conscious choices where possible.
3. We would keep it simple and celebrate our Tennessee roots! (even though he’s from Florida, but whatever) :)

Setting the budget has been somewhat difficult. I know that I don't want to spend a ton of money (this goes against my thrifty-chic principles!), but my parents have also never given me a real budget, per se. Of course they do have full veto power on anything I throw at them, but so far there hasn’t been anything to veto. I am aiming to keep it around $15-$20,000 and if it comes in under, then even better! I am not including the second (Hawaii) reception in that budget because it’s going to occur months later (and I haven’t even begun planning that one yet, yikes!).

The guest list is currently at about 250, which is quite a bit larger than we had intended! Many of these guests will be from out of town...some have never even been to Tennessee before! I am excited about showcasing our amazing state and showing them all a good time with some southern fun and hospitality.

And now for some visual stimulation: a few ideas and images I have been collecting along the way. You can see that I am trying to keep things subdued and natural...but my tastes are still all over the place!

What do you think the “colors” should be...green, orange, yellow? I guess this is going to be a citrus-themed wedding!

Howdy Y'all!

2008-06-03T16:19:00.000-07:00

Let me just say how thrilled I am to be a part of the Pink Book team, and also so be connected with such amazing bloggy peeps as all of you readers! I am definitely looking forward to to the journey. And so, without further ado, allow me to introduce...myself!

I am a middle Tennessee gal who loves all things outdoors, has an occasional need for some serious retail therapy, and who spends waaaay too much time researching and reading every design/architecture/DIY article she can get her hands on.

My fiancé and I met at the University of Tennessee during the first week of our freshman year. We initially met in my friend’s dorm room during the requisite “let’s run around campus and compare rooms/roommates” time (he was my high school friend’s roommate). However, he soon showed up in all of my classes...turned out we had the same major! Five years later we graduated and wanted to move “west” just to try something new. Having no ties and no plans holding us back, we moved as far west as we could without needing a Visa...Hawaii! Since I had never even been to Hawaii before, this was exciting and also terrifying...as well as a true test of our relationship. Apparently we passed the test because last October, during a trip to the North Carolina mountains, we got engaged! And in September of this year we will be getting married back in Tennessee where it all began.

Now that the countdown clock is officially at LESS THAN 4 MONTHS until our wedding, it is going to be an exciting race to the finish! I look forward to sharing ideas and stories with you all, as well as soliciting some serious feedback! Feel free to ask any questions and post any comments!

Alooooha!
Pink Bride Stacey

Donate Your Flowers!

2008-06-03T09:09:00.000-07:00

Hello Brides!!!
So, I wanted to let you all in on an incredible opportunity I recently learned about. Perenity Flowers was started in Birmingham, Alabama by a lady named Jennifer Slaughter. For 7 years she has been picking up wedding flowers every weekend, turning them into small bouquets, and delivering them to hospice patients in her area. Over 20,000 bouquets later, Jennifer's ministry has grown, no pun intended. This opportunity is now available in Nashville and Tri-Cities in Tennessee. It does not cost anything to donate your flowers. So, consider giving back by donating your flowers after your wedding. If you are in any of these areas, contact Jennifer about how you can give back. For more information, go to Perenity.com.

If you know of other places that have this opportunity available, leave us a post about it!

Introducing... our first Nashville Pink Bride!

2008-06-02T19:49:00.000-07:00

Ladies and Gents,

It's a pleasure for us to introduce our first Nashville Pink Bride... Pink Bride Stacey! You'll still get lots of great tips from Pink Lady Anna, but our local brides will log their planning experiences along the way! You can tell the difference in Pink Pros and Pink Brides by the color of their hair!

Without further ado, I will let Pink Bride Stacey introduce herself! Welcome, Stacey!

Hello!

2008-06-02T19:48:00.000-07:00

I am excited to be a part of the Pink Book Blog! My introduction will be coming soon!

2008-05-29T07:35:00.001-07:00

Carried Away this Weekend!!

2008-05-29T07:33:00.000-07:00

So, we all know what's coming up this weekend... Sex and the City : The MOVIE!

Who's already got tickets? Who has a ticket to one of the early premieres? Looking for a date? I'm available!

Since we all love SATC and we all love weddings, what do you all think of the big "wedding" in the new movie? Will she or won't she? Will Mr. Big really take the plunge and become Mr. Bradshaw? Only time will tell. In the meantime, we can take a look at some of the candid shots from the wedding scene.

The dramatic Vivienne Westwood gown. So Carrie. What do you think of the peacock feathers? While it's not the choice of every bride, there is something to be said for original style. So, what do you guys think of Carrie's wedding day choices? How about the BM dresses? Three different colored dresses in a solid color. Do you think this is something that will catch on?

So, which SATC bride are you? The fashonista, like Carrie? The traditional bride, like Charlotte? What about the Pseudo-Bride, like Miranda?

Tradition

2008-05-27T05:51:00.000-07:00

There are several traditional symbols that can be incorporated into your ceremony. My favorite is the Unity Sand.

For me this is a beautiful symbol of two lives joined that can never be separated, just like the sand after you have mixed the two colors.

Plus, the vase would be beautiful displayed in your new home after the wedding.

Another very traditional symbol is of course the Unity Candle. This often incorporates the bride and groom's parents and again gives the idea of two becoming one.

In the Jewish faith, the "breaking of the glass" is often incorporated into the ceremony. I had seen this done, but never realized the significance until I went to a wedding this weekend. The glass symbolizes the destruction of the Temple in Old Testament days. What is the significance to a wedding? My understanding is that the bride and groom are to be reminded that marriage is fragile and requires attention and commitment and also that marriage is irrevocable, much as the glass can never be put back together, you and hubby-to-be are in it for the long haul!

What traditions or variations are you planning for your ceremony?

Celebrity Weddings

2008-05-22T10:59:00.000-07:00

From Jay-Z & Beyonce to Jessica Alba & Cash Warren to Ashlee Simpson & Pete Wentz, celebrity weddings are oh-so-elusive and oh-so-exclusive. But here are two celeb weddings that happened recently where we actually have photographic evidence! Jenna Bush's wedding and Eli Manning's nuptials were both within the last month. While one had images that was released in a White House press packet, the other one was captured paparazzi-style via helicopter. What do you think of these celebrity affairs?

Jenna Bush & Henry Hager

photos

I loved Jenna's casual outdoor affair. It looks like she really stayed true to what she wanted despite being the Commander in Chief's daughter. Everyone was pushing for a White House wedding! She even went veil-free. But, is her cake tilting?

Abby McGrew & Eli Manning

photos

Eli and Abby took their vows in Mexico. Their affair was lush and tropical... gorgeous!
Big bro Peyton must've been so proud!

Do any of these events give you inspiration for your big day?

Photo Magnets

2008-05-20T08:54:00.000-07:00

If you are looking for a unique and supercute idea for your save-the-date, favors or thank-you gifts - check out MagnetQueen!

You can order photo magnets for your guests with any image you choose. Here are a few I liked!

I actually have a couple of these magnets - they come individually in a plastic sleeve and are very high quality. The thickness of the magnet, along with the image quality and the fact that the photo will never peel in the corners makes them a gift that your guests will keep and enjoy!

MagnetQueen can even take photos of you and the lucky groom as children and morph them into one image - look how cute!!

(Images Submitted) .......................(Finished Product - awwww!)

Right now, you can order your photo magnets and receive free envelopes, free shipping, and free sleeves, PLUS up to 50% off! That is a huge discount for Pink Book Brides until the end of this week - May 24th. Click here to view more options and find out how to order!

I am going to my cousin's wedding this weekend (naturally, I will be blogging about it!) and she sent out these save-the-date magnets. I have one hanging on my fridge!

Have you ever received a photo magnet save-the-date? What do you ladies think about these?

The Perfect Shot Nashville - Part 2

2008-05-14T07:21:00.000-07:00

The next fabulous Nashville wedding photographer in my Perfect Shot series is...John Gentry Photography!

John offers free engagement sessions with all his wedding collections because he really enjoys making a friendship with all his clients. He wants them to enjoy the photography sessions and put them at ease in front of the camera long before the wedding event.. His photography style covers a spectrum of modern art to classical timeless portraits. He spends time with couples looking at his gallery to find out what it is they really like and tries to personalize the photography to fit their style. John puts people at ease and makes the process enjoyable.

You can see more of John's work on his website. Don't miss his booth at Weddings the Bridal Show on August 24 where you will have a chance to meet John in person and view more of his work!

Bridal Fit Challenge!

2008-05-12T07:04:00.001-07:00

Ladies, I have an awesome opportunity to tell you about today! Deborah Wright of Becoming Thin Within will premier Nashville's first semi-annual Bridal Fit Challenge on June 1! Ten lucky Nashville brides will go through a twelve-week program to work toward a new healthy body before their wedding day!
Deborah has partnered with the largest bridal show in the Southeast, Weddings-the Bridal Show, so that all ten participants will grace the fashion runway at the bridal show on August 24, 2008 for the big Reveal!
The winner will receive fabulous prizes, including free wedding planning services from A Magical Affair, free teeth whitening from Dr. Jane Bacon, wedding hair and makeup from Relache Day Spa (oh so fancy) and much more!

I love this program because it is not just about getting into a smaller dress size. It is designed to help women heal their mindset about food and exercise and truly make lifestyle changes. What an awesome way to start this new chapter in your life!

Want to get involved? Email Deborah and get started! I can not tell you how proud I would be to see one of my bride readers on that runway in August!!