Are you ready for The ART of Weddings?

Who: Heidi Elnora, Swoozies, SCAD, Get Married, many fabulous Atlanta event professionals and of course...yours truly

What: An event pulling together top event professionals in the Atlanta area to show their talents for a good cause. Heidi Elnora will debut her NEW 2010 Collection and each gown will be paired with a piece of Art, caterer (yes, there will be food and cake!), florist, hair & make-up artist so that each group of event professionals become their own work of art.

When: 2.19.2010

Where: The Bill Lowe Gallery

Why: In support of the Make-A-Wish foundation, an organization giving hope, strength and joy to children with life-threatening medical conditions. Make-A-Wish began in 1980 and has evolved into an organization that now grants a wish to a child every 40 minutes equating to over 13,000 wishes a year...amazing.

Tickets are $15.00 and all sales will benefit the Make-A-Wish foundation. We will also hold a silent auction so brides-to-be please be sure to come as things like wedding day make-up or a bridal bouquet, etc. will be auctioned off benefits all going to make a wish for a much deserving child.

We look forward to seeing you there!

~Rebecca

Color Inspiration

Pantone is the world leader for colors, from graphic design to interiors, fashion and even weddings. Fashion designers use Pantones color system to specify colors they use in their collection. Each season Pantone releases color swatches of the selected colors for the upcoming season.

Seek inspiration for your wedding colors from Spring/Summer 2010's neutral shades and soft tones. Choose one of the colors below as a starting point to build your color palette.

From Pantone comes the color forecast for Spring/Summer 2010:

Here are a few of our favorite color palettes utilizing colors from Pantone's trend report:

A Nautical Summer

Tuscany, Amparo Blue, Pink Champagne

A Modern Affair

Fusion Coral, Turquoise, Pink Champagne

Rustic Elegance

Pink Champagne, Violet, Eucalyptus

Hot Summer Days

Tomato Puree, Tuscany, Aurora

What color combinations can you come up with?

Vendor Blogger - Chaviano Couture

Designer, Annette Thurmon could not find the wedding gown of her dreams, so she designed her own. From there a business idea was born. Annette believes a bride deserves to have a wedding gown that is as unique and special as she is. At Chaviano Bridal Couture we specialize in creating a custom one-of-a-kind gown for your special day. There are no rules, only possibilities.

Shara, pictured above, wanted a whimsical gown that incorporated many different fabrics and textures. Her dress included fabrics such as silk tulle, organza, chiffon, dupioni, and hand-made flowers over her shoulder. It was a magical dress for a magical setting in the Colorado Mountains.

Advice from the designer:

Find ways to make your gown unique and custom to you. Add personalized touches such as you and your fiancée’s initials somewhere on your gown. A family heirloom, or a piece from your mothers wedding dress.

Sandy, pictured above, added lace from her mothers wedding gown to the bottom of her dress. She also included her and Russ’s initials onto her sash.

Your dress will be a one-of-a kind gown that will be unforgettable and personalized for your special day.

Contact us, we can’t wait to design your gown with you!

Warmest,

Annette

Website:www.chavianocouture.com

Twitter: @chavianocouture

e-mail: chavianocouture@gmail.com

phone: 770-366-0072



Get your smile on in the SMILEBOOTH!

Produced by Our Labor of Love, the Smilebooth is designed for fun and FUN it is!

Sooo...What is Smilebooth and how does it work?

The Smilebooth is a photographic wonder invented by the geniuses at Our Labor of Love. It is the digital grandchild of the old school photo booth, tweaked to meet our modern need for immediate photographic gratification and interactive technological experiences. With the Smilebooth, subjects take their own pictures using a remote shutter button and the images pop up immediately before them on an LCD screen. From there, users can take as many photos as they want and can use the photos they’ve already taken to set up poses for the next ones, doing more of the things that worked and less of the things that didn’t. The possibilities (and outcomes) are literally limitless. After the event, the photos are uploaded online where family and friends can view them and are now are free to download or "steal" as Whitney likes to say straight off the web so that you or your guests can have their own keepsakes of the event. The Smilebooth can come in a varay of sizes however it normally is 8ft X 8ft which means you're not limited to the number of people that can fit in a traditional photo booth.

Do you have to book Our Labor of Love to book the Smilebooth? No. Although they'd love to shoot your wedding the Smilebooth can be booked in conjunction with any photography company although you won't get the famed Whitney and Jesse in any of the shots!

Can the Smilebooth be booked outside Atlanta? No. The Smilebooth can travel nationwide.

Want the experience? Check out this you tube video of an entire array of Smilebooth photos from a recent wedding put to music...you won't be able to stop watching!

Special Bridal Bar Pricing:

Smilebooth with basic black backdrop $999

Smilebooth with an an already loved backdrop add additional $149

Smilebooth with backdrop customized for your special day add additional $249

Memories to laugh at forever: Priceless

-Rebecca

Vendor Blogger: 103 West

“The Details are in the Menu”

Being the Private Event Facility for the Buckhead Life Restaurant Group we provide impeccable service, exceptional value and world-class cuisine. When you decide to have your special day with us, we deliver service tailored to you as our bride. Our one-on-one private event managers love the opportunity to sit down and learn from each bride what they envision serving their guests on their wedding day.  So make it fun, memorable for you and your guests, and let the professionals do what they do best.

One couple loved the Buckhead Life Restaurants and chose to incorporate a signature item from each restaurant they had shared a memorable dinner in. We created custom design menu cards to tell the guests where the menu originated. This Thai Chicken Four Way station consisted of chicken satay, peanut sauce, steamed chicken-leek dumplings, sesame soy sauce, chicken nam sod, lettuce and cucumbers in a spicy chicken pad thai noodle box complete with chopsticks was inspired by Bluepointe.  They also dined on the Buckhead Diners Maytag Blue Cheese Chips, Chops’ Kobe Beef Mini Burgers, Pricci’s Dessert Cannolis and more…

Another big trend carrying over from 2009 to the new decade is the fact that brides are making it easy on their guests by having the wedding events all in one venue. 103 West is the perfect location for an intimate ceremony in the Buckhead Ballroom, followed by a sleek and modern cocktail hour in the Lounge.  This is great for the bride & groom to spend time capturing their pictures while guests dine on signature cocktails and stylish hors d’oeuvres. 

Then all guests can retreat to the Grand Ballroom to dine and dance the night away.

Or perhaps transform one of our ballrooms into a post reception party with modular lounge furniture, gathered off draped areas, and beautiful lighting to create a Club escape the guests will love.

 
Tips for brides:

Do not be afraid to ask a venue to customize menus, just because they do not have it on their sample menus does not mean that the Chef will not be excited to do something out of the box. Be creative and know that this added upgrade will not break your budget but instead give guidelines for the culinary experts to work for you.

Also, having your ceremony & reception in one venue can also cut down on your transportation, parking and design costs.  Using the floral and décor from the ceremony as centerpieces during your reception is a great way to maximize your budget.

The Bridal Bar Atlanta venue 103 West is Atlanta's private dining destination right in the heart of Buckhead. With accommodations for parties from six to 600 guests, the renovated space provides contemporary, sleek and stylish ambiance, to make any event unforgettable.