Something you really should see

Brooklyn Bride has launched her new site and its as gorgeous as her pillows.
So catch up on my posts from this week and then make sure to go check hers out!

The Grand UnveilingWedding Trends for 2009

I'm still trying to decide what to do on my tablescapes for this event. I'm completely torn. I have like 82 ideas.
Oh, I should probably tell you what this event is. Um, it's great. You should go. Why? Let me list a few better than good reasons:
{Invitation only vendors} This is key. It means that everyone there has proven themselves worthy to the event host and there won't be 500 vendors clawing at you.

Grandezza Country Club. If you haven't considered this space for your wedding or event, you will after visiting it. We love doing events there! And let's face it, we all love to listen to Sean Hynes speak with that cool irish accent he has.

Debra Mehrberg. Have you seen her work? Off the charts phenomenal custom invites.

Lace and Roses Bridal Boutique. Yep, all the pretty new dresses.

There are others too of course. We will be there (Weddings by Socialites). I am personally inviting you to come over and see us. Really, I do want to see you all.

So, call Sean now to listen to his accent. Wait, no, to RSVP before there aren't any invitations left! 239-948-3569.

The event is this Thursday, January 15th from 6:30pm to 8:30 pm at Grandezza Country Club. Comment if you're coming, we'll put you on our very own VIP list. That means you'll get a cool swag bag.

Bride Wars & Wedding Pros: A night out

Front (L to R) Shari Bare- photographer, Eva Dunnolastname & Jen Dube from Casa Ybel, Tiffany Nara from Impressions Photography, AnnMarie Epple from AMC Video
Back (L to R) Ashley Brockinton- Photographer, Jen King- Stylist, Isabella & Julie Goodacre- photographer, Cher Hanna- photographer, me, Lisa Hardy- graphic design
We started out with a fantastic dinner at Bacchus. Special thanks to Shannon Yates, and Executive Chef, Heath Higginbotham for an amazing meal as always. We'll be back if you'll let 12 loud wedding pros in again. The dinner and wine and wine were just what we all needed to kick off our 1st gathering.

This next photo would be the first big laugh at the movie theatre. Note that it isn't the actual movie, its me dropping a ridiculously large bag of popcorn all over the place. All the remaining laughs inside the theatre were due to the movie being very funny. We really enjoyed it. But the bouquets...not so much. Its funny the things we noticed about the movie. It was hard to just sit back and watch it for entertainment and not pick apart the "that is so not real" things about the movie. I can't say that I've ever had a bride walk in, tell them to sit(hand gesture and all), and that they have have been "dead to the world until they came" to see me. Seriously, I was dying. Oh and appointments with this planner...15 minutes and a contract was signed on the spot, without even so much as a consideration for ummmm- anything. Oh, and can you imagine being referred to as bride 1 or 2? Hilarious.
After the movie we took a bit to chat in the side lobby. This photo is everyone checking out Ashleys new point & shoot that takes unreal HD video. I think it was shortly after this that we noticed we had an audience listening to our next conversation on the chicken suit engagement photos and forest nymph wedding. If you haven't seen these pics, search google, you're bound to find them. Ashley and I nearly broke into tears we were laughing so hard after realizing 15 people thought we were insane talking about the naked bride with the cowboy hat and chicken suit.
Next night out: Shopaholic.

Best favor : The girls are back!

The Girl Scouts that is! Last year I posted about using girl scout cookies as wedding favors. Well, we used them at 3 of our 17 weddings last year and they were hands down the fastest to leave the favor tables.
Side note: I prefer favor tables over placing them on dinner tables as I am not a fan of clutter. Also, favor tables make for another focal point opportunity in a blank space or a space taker in a too large room.
If you can't find a girl scout in your neck of the woods, send me an email. Our neighbor, little Amanda, will be more than happy to get you some!

U.S. Wedding Travel

Over the last few months, we have been traveling back and forth to Europe quite a bit. Through our travels, we’ve met many young people from Europe traveling to the U.S. for destination weddings.

If you think about it, it makes perfect sense. In the U.S., there are more locations, more options, more venues and more vendors. Given the weaknesses of the U.S. dollar against the Euro, it’s also a lot cheaper for them (although the dollar has bounced back a little over the last two months).

With that said, there are big changes to the U.S. Visa Waiver Program coming tomorrow. The Visa Waiver Program is for residents of certain countries to travel to the U.S. without a visa – mostly Western European countries.

Effective tomorrow, if you are part of the Visa Waiver Program (i.e., you don’t need a visa to travel to the U.S.), you must still register with the U.S. Government. This new registration system is called ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization). You can fill the form out on the Internet and approvals take seconds. Once completed, you will be able to travel to the U.S.

The program is designed to give U.S. law enforcement more time to screen for potential terrorists. Unfortunately, this means it takes more time for non-U.S. residents to enter the U.S. (and more hassles).

If you are thinking about a destination wedding in the U.S., you should be aware of this additional step you will need to go through. And if you are a destination wedding vendor in the U.S., you should consider mentioning this to your foreign clients so they aren’t caught by surprise.

Design My Wedding - Wedding Innovators Challenge

Oh how I do wish that DC was a bit closer so that I could attend this one! C'est la vie. The good thing however is that it's a tour, so many many of us will have the opportunity to go!
DC Nearlyweds (one of my favorite wedding blogs) is hosting the Wedding Innovator's Design Challenge and Bridal Show. It will start in Washington, DC and travel to 5 additional cities (New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Miami, and Toronto).
Here is why I think we should all go- it's for wedding designer-planners and brides! It's a three prong event : Design Challenge for Event Planners, Bridal Show for Brides and a Silent Auction to benefit Brides Against Breast Cancer.
The DC Show is being sponsored by My Day Weddings Magazine and The Wedding Podcast Network and is being held at the Liaison Capitol Hill in Washington, from 10:00 - 5:00 pm on Saturday February 21, 2009.

From Vicky Johnson of DC Nearlyweds, "Leading our panel of judges is Los Angeles celebrity wedding and event planner Diann Valentine. She is also the host of the new Mark Burnett/Dreamworks TV Show Wedding Day debuting this Spring. There will be a ticketed VIP networking event following the show as well, so there's a great deal to see and do in DC!
We also welcome donations for the Silent Auction. Proceeds will benefit Brides Against Breast Cancer.(www.makingmemories.org)
Information and registration can be found on the show website www.weddinginnovators.com"

The tickets are $20 each, but if you're reading this, guess what? You get a deal Lucille! When purchasing your ticket use the code Socialites and your tickets will be just $15.
The event website is www.weddinginnovators.com Go buy a ticket or three.

I'm considering entering the challenge myself...what do you guys think? Should I do it?

Love love love Southern Weddings

And again I say Love Love Love. I think nearly all of you brides and wedding planners will agree with me, once you have the chance to read the premiere issue of Southern Weddings Magazine, that this is what we have been waiting for. FOREVER. Yes, I am screaming that. It deserved a scream.
I have read it 3 times now because I keep finding new elements to love some more. Hello! The true bride confessions- oh my gosh, cutest thing ever. Probably the most obvious fantastic thing about this magazine however, is the fact that there are over 20 real weddings covered! Are you kidding me? I could pass out in inspiration bliss.
If by chance you can't find it at your local B&N or BAM because its sold out, you can order it from the Southern Weddings blog. We also have a couple copies here in our studio if you happen to be local the Cape Coral or Ft. Myers area.

Congrats to Lara and all the editors at Southern Weddings! Love love love