Archive for 'Trends'
Ever since I caught wind that Pike Creek Coffee was going to be serving up macaroon deliciousness from the MacarOn Cafe in NYC, I could not get there fast enough! Well, it took me about a month, but I figured what better gift to one of my besties (who has a hobby for desserts and pastries, especially of the Parisian sorts) for her 30th birthday than these delectables. Of course I dabbled in the “one for you, one for me”, but hey, I needed some material to back up my blog post. Wow, were they amazing or what? So amazing! And yummy, and everything I wished for them to be. I decided to choose six different flavors (for each of us) - salted caramel, pistachio, honey lavender, raspberry, pumpkin cinnamon, and lemon. The barista at Pike Creek Coffee wrapped them up so daintily in their box, and I felt like I was staring at a rainbow of deliciousness. Read the rest of this entry …
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| For the home decor enthusiast |
When I think about guestbooks I’m reminded of a Sex and the City episode where Miranda’s wedding duty was to “man” the guest book. In the episode she’s standing next to a book on a table, with a pen in her hand saying, “sign the guestbook?”. Gone are the days where a guestbook consists of a book and a pen. These days couples are breaking boundaries of creativity and being inspired by what they love… music, photography, home decor, and using their guestbooks to incorporate them into their guests into their daily lives.
They say a picture is worth a thousand words; here, your guests can have the best of both worlds. Set up a table with a Polaroid camera, blank-paged guestbook, and several pens. Each guests or couple can have their own page where they will post their Polaroid portrait and have ample room to write their best wishes, advice to, or favorite memories of the newlyweds. Larger weddings will require a larger guestbook (or just more paper) while a photo booth (DIY?) could take the place of a Polaroid camera. Not only will you have a special note from your loved ones, but you’ll have priceless pictures of them the very momoment they wrote it!
Read the rest of this entry …
Read the rest of this entry …
Disclaimer: There is a soft spot in my heart for Sweet and Saucy cakes. Please be prepared for inspiration overload!
For a refreshingly unique (and often less expensive) way to end your reception’s dinner, couples are moving away from the traditional tiered wedding cake. Instead, they opt for a more distinctive style: several smaller cakes, an assortment of homemade pies, and cupcakes to create a bite-size dessert buffet. While a larger cake has its appeal (grand design, picturesque, very tall, more to eat), this contemporary approach certainly has its advantages. 
Multiple dessert options allow you to satisfy many sweet-tooth levels. Believe it or not, some guests do not actually like dessert (gasp!), but for those who do, what’s better than multiple options? If you choose a cake or pie buffet, it will encourage your guests to mingle as they fill their plates (and mouths) with a bit of deliciousness. Check out inspiration from Sweet and Saucy Shop (by far one of my favorite cake designers for inspiration) and of course a few more from around the world wide web. These cakes are lathered with cream cheese or buttercream and adorned with over sized beautiful blooms such as peonies and dahlias. These cakes could easily be made at home (transportation is on your own!) with the floral picked up at either your local floral shop, grocer, or wholesale shop. Include blooms from your bouquet to keep things cohesive.
In broadening your dessert horizon, you can also incorporate your wedding colors or theme into your dessert. Are you looking to create a garden experience? Adorn your cakes with an array of flowers and garden creatures (think butterflies or over sized peonies!). Think your cupcakes are missing something? Add your initials in icing. The options are endless and there is so much room for creativity. Want to involve your family and help keep costs down? Ask close family members to bake their favorite pie for the wedding. Incorporate the rustic atmosphere of the season with multiple flavored pies (like seasonally appropriate favorites such as pumpkin and apple in the fall, and cherry and strawberry rhubarb in the summer). 
Like what you see? Then head on over to Pinterest and check out our Cake board… and of course there are about twenty-seven others. Trust me, we spent hours being inspired and clogging up our followers feeds!
Also, we would like to introduce one our newest bloggers Lauren to the mix… and how appropriate that her initials just happen to be “LG”. Coincidental, or was it?
Disclaimer: There is a soft spot in my heart for Sweet and Saucy cakes. Please be prepared for inspiration overload!
For a refreshingly unique (and often less expensive) way to end yourreception’s dinner, couples are moving away from the traditional tiered weddingcake. Instead, they opt for a more distinctive style: several smaller cakes, anassortment of homemade pies, and cupcakes to create a bite-size dessert buffet. While a larger cake has its appeal (grand design, picturesque, verytall, more to eat), this contemporary approach certainly has its advantages.
Multiple dessert options allow you to satisfy many sweet-tooth levels.Believe it or not, some guests do not actually like dessert (gasp!), but forthose who do, what’s better than multiple options? If you choose a cake or pie buffet, it will encourage your guests to mingle as they fill theirplates (and mouths) with a bit of deliciousness. Check out inspiration from Sweet and Saucy Shop (by far one of my favorite cake designers for inspiration) and of course a few more from around the world wide web. These cakes are lathered with cream cheese or buttercream and adorned with over sized beautiful blooms such as peonies and dahlias. These cakes could easily be made at home (transportation is on your own!) with the floral picked up at either your local floral shop, grocer, or wholesale shop. Include blooms from your bouquet to keep things cohesive.
In broadening your dessert horizon, you can also incorporate yourwedding colors or theme into your dessert. Are you looking to create a gardenexperience? Adorn your cakes with an array of flowers and garden creatures(think butterflies or over sized peonies!). Think your cupcakes are missing something? Add yourinitials in icing. The options are endless and there is so much room forcreativity. Want to involve your family and help keep costs down? Ask close family members to bake theirfavorite pie for the wedding. Incorporate the rustic atmosphere of the season with multiple flavored pies (likeseasonally appropriate favorites such as pumpkin and apple in the fall, and cherry and strawberry rhubarb in the summer). Like what you see? Then head on over to Pinterest and check out our Cake board… and of course there are about twenty-seven others. Trust me, we spent hours being inspired and clogging up our followers feeds!
Also, we would like to introduce one our newest bloggers Lauren to the mix… and how appropriate that her initials just happen to be “LG”. Coincidental, or was it?
The temperatures are slowly dropping here on the east coast and what better way to add a little pop of color to your bridal style with a cardigan (plus it will keep you or your bridal party toastie during those chilly spring and fall evenings!) This is such a chic way to add a feminine, flirty, yet casual feel to your wedding day and to incorporate your wedding colors. Can’t get past the idea of wearing a cardigan during your ceremony? Consider adding this accessory after your ceremony and once you have finished with the formal family pictures. Include these in your playful pictures of just the bride and groom, or even with your gals! Thinking of including your bridesmaids into the mix? Well here at LovelyGirls, we think it works best if you use the same style cardigan for bridesmaids who are wearing different dresses, or vice versa; if the bridesmaids are all wearing the same style dress then have suggest they get different style cardis in the same color (with specifications of course i.e. length). This will provide texture and depth to your pictures!If you are looking for options, you can pretty much find cardigans anywhere and everywhere at your local retailers, but we just love the cardis offered by J.Crew. The “jackie” cardigan is our favorite and it comes in a range of eight to ten colors every season. Right now we are crushing on the burnished olive and the pacific color. If you think it breaks the budget just a little, you can also find similar styles at Target, but the color selection might be somewhat limiting. You can even check out Forever 21 or H+M (even for some leopard print styles!).
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| Before + After |
This is what we mean not to do… it is just too matchy, matchy for our taste:
nicole brennan . 302.545.0412 . nicole@lovelygirlsevents.com . wilmington
Do you remember the days when youwould go to the grocery store and they would ask you if you wanted paper orplastic? Well, I do, and I am thirty. I cannot imagine that many of you are toofar behind me, but if so bare with me! Well those paper bags that they used tobag our groceries are what many brides and couples are now using for their invitations; it’s called kraft paper. They tend to use more of a stock for theinvitations, but none the less, it is a brown paper and I am in love for its many uses: invitations, escort cards, packaging, favors, gift tags, and etc. We adore its vintage, shabby chic, and romantic feel that it brings to weddings worldwide. Most of the fonts are done in whites, metallics, or black for visibility. We just are just loving the white fonts paired with hints of lace. Once you have designed your invitation set add a touch of whimsy with bakers twine. Bakers twine is no longer just for deciphering between “regular” and “no sugar added” treats from your local bakery or grocery store. Leftovers? You can use any remaining bakers twine by hanging your escort cards, bookmarks, save-the-dates, favors, and packaging your bridal gifts that will become an instant hit that your guests will never want to open. We heart the bakers twine because it is available in array of colors and it helps to easily tie (get it?) in your wedding colors and theme with your stationery. You can find suppliers of kraft paper invitations, rolls of kraft paper, and bakers twine on Etsy; most notably our favorite shop for bakers twine is the Twinery because they are a Philadelphia based company, and being as we are based in Delaware, we like to keep things local. We also love customer calligrapher Rachel Carl on Etsy as well. Decided to wrap your gifts in kraft paper? Next time you visit your local grocer, ask them for paper bags. They may look at you funny, but at least they would be free!
nicole brennan . 302.545.0412 . nicole@lovelygirlsevents.com . wilmington
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| Boutonniere by LovelyGirls Events and photo by Sanderson Images |
And a dream they are! When it’s come to wedding flowers, baby’s breath might just be the new carnation this past wedding season. Like carnations, baby’s breath is not exactly glamorous, but has a lovely fragrant scent. This seasonless flower available all year long has a reputation for being a cheapo filler flower, but en masses and monochromatic – stunning! This stand alone flower is now used for wreaths, bouquets, boutonnières, ceremony décor, event décor, and beautifully staged tablescapes. You will find blogs nationwide showcasing this trend that has seem to take over the hearts of the vintage inspired bride.
Just this past fall, the Knot.com event in
As seen on the wedding report and written by *mwaa*!
nicole brennan . 302.545.0412 . nicole@lovelygirlsevents.com . wilmington
If you are really looking to make art from your wedding day, we have found ourselves “pinning” heart group shots. Yes, we LOVE this new group shot trend because it is such a unique way to showcase your guests, and it will be something that you may actually want to include in your album from your photographer. Of course this type of thing is best done outside and may take a little bit of coordinating between your venue, photographer, and of course your coordinator. Here are some pointers in getting the shot of your dreams:• Scout out the location with your photographer during a walk-through of the venue about the time of the day you want to get the picture taken. Make sure you minimize as many shadows as possible, depending on the sunlight and positioning during that time of day.
• A group shot is best done immediately after the ceremony (because all of your guests are in one place), so make sure to have your officiant make an announcement to all of the guests to stay around after you make the walk back up the aisle. If you are having a church wedding make sure this is done during the cocktail hour at your venue, and have the DJ make an announcement. Also ensure that all VIP family members are aware so they can plan to be ready.• If your photographer does not have an assistant for the day make sure that a coordinator that you brought in for the day assists. And if you have not hired one then see if the venue coordinator will be able to assist with lining up all of the guests and making sure the photo is perfect!
• Make sure your photographer has coordinated a ladder with the venue if they are not able to supply one of their own.
• Make sure you have between 75 to 100 guests on hand to make the photo a success!
Still looking for something unique? Try creating your wedding date or new initials and monogram. Just think, 11-11-11 is quickly approaching!
As seen on the wedding report and written by *mwaa*.
nicole brennan . 302.545.0412 . nicole@lovelygirlsevents.com . wilmington
Summer is coming to an end, and the cooler temperatures have just started to take a turn for, shall we dare say it, comfortable. This is just around the time when I actually enjoy outside cocktail hours and watching the bride and groom from afar, especially the guests. Most often times they linger, and strike up casual conversation and often times find an excuse to go grab another cocktail and move onto the next guest. Why not turn up the FUN factor?After watching so many outdoor cocktail hours at a distance, the one trend we have enjoyed (and even giggle at on occasion) is watching guests partake in interactive games on the lawn. Yes, you have read this correctly. Games. No, not the cheesy games that you dread when attending a baby or bridal shower (and even those haven’t been so bad as of late), but actual lawn games. Yes, the ones that you may find at a tailgate or even at a BBQ, but none the less… interactive and enjoyable to watch; even crowd pleasers! Think cornhole, horseshoes, bocce, and croquet. Black tie or khaki suited, we don’t mind if we do. It is a great way to entertain your guests and just another way to work your theme and colors into your wedding (think custom colored bean bags and silhouette painted boards!). We just adore these images shared by BG Productions from Marissa and Brians vintage wedding at the John J. Audubon Center this past season. Don’t forget to place Adirondack chairs for the spectators because we promise this will be a crowd pleaser! Enjoy the inspiration <3
Summer is coming to an end, andthe cooler temperatures have just started to take a turn for, shall we dare sayit, comfortable. This is just around the time when I actually enjoy outsidecocktail hours and watching the bride and groom from afar, especially theguests. Most often times they linger, and strike up casual conversation and oftentimes find an excuse to go grab another cocktail and move onto the next guest. Whynot turn up the FUN factor?After watching so many outdoor cocktailhours at a distance, the one trend we have enjoyed (and even giggle at onoccasion) is watching guests partake in interactive games on the lawn. Yes, youhave read this correctly. Games. No, not the cheesy games that you dread whenattending a baby or bridal shower (and even those haven’t been so bad as oflate), but actual lawn games. Yes, the ones that you may find at a tailgate oreven at a BBQ, but none the less… interactive and enjoyable to watch; evencrowd pleasers! Think cornhole, horseshoes, bocce, and croquet. Black tie orkhaki suited, we don’t mind if we do. It is a great way to entertain yourguests and just another way to work your theme and colors into your wedding(think custom colored bean bags and silhouette painted boards!). We just adorethese images shared by BG Productions from Marissa and Brians vintage wedding at the John J. Audubon Center this past season. Don’t forget to place Adirondack chairsfor the spectators because we promise this will be a crowd pleaser! Enjoy the inspiration <3
