Happy Valentine’s Day! Today’s inspiration board is a little bit vintage with a dash of love. enjoy!
{image source: Boutonniere, Table, Stairs, Red Bouquet, Chair }
Tag Archives: Black and White
A Coco Chanel Bridal Shower-Classy and Fabulous
I’m up in the air about a bridal shower. I started planning one. Stopped. Started again. And finally gave up. As much as I want to have a party, the thought of putting something together, planning and paying for it myself was a little overwhelming. In a perfect world, my bridesmaids would come together to plan something small but it doesn’t seem like that’s an option. Well, that was my thinking until my fiance’s sister called the other day and told me to send her some of my ideas. I’m not sure if her delegating will get the girls on board but it did get me thinking of some new ideas. And that is when my Coco Chanel inspired bridal shower was born. Suddenly, my creativity was in full force and visions of macaroons started dancing around in my pretty little head.
The party will have a little black dress only dress code, finger foods and sparkling French lemonade (the daintier the snacks the better), chic black and white invites, and party favors consisting of tiny lotions from Bath and Body Works, preferably their new scent, Paris Amour. We will wipe away crumbs with cocktail napkins printed with Chanel inspired quotes, sip from stripped paper straws and for dessert, we will feast on petite desserts, Petit Fours, and of course French macaroons.
The decor would be simple and sophisticated with a delicate color palette of pink, black and white, fresh flowers will grace the tables and there will be lots of candles. A perfect event, until I realized I was back to planning my own bridal shower….
The Wedding Guest
Last weekend my fiance and I attended the wedding of two friends in Islamorada, Florida. It was a beautiful wedding on a private beach of a rented house – La Playa Estate - and as a soon-to-be bride, my eyes had magnifying glasses on and I made sure to take in every pretty (and not so pretty) detail.
What I learned:
Outdoor weddings are pretty. Mosquitos are deadly! If you are planning an outdoor affair, don’t forget the bug spray.
Welcome your guests with a drink and make sure they know where to go. People swarm to the bar at weddings so try not to set the bar up in a place you don’t want guests. We walked straight to the bar, which happened to be next to where dinner was served, turns out cocktail hour was supposed to be by the pool….far from the bar, but conveniently located by the photo booth!
Gift Tables are a must. Set up a table where guests can drop of their gifts and envelopes. It doesn’t have to be a huge table or even something that takes up tons of space.
Wedding planners are a godsend but they can also be from hell… If you decide to hire a wedding planner make sure you are in the loop of what is going on. I heard the wedding planner hired to plan our friends wedding was fired a few minutes before the bride walked down the aisle. Added stress is something you want to avoid. Research your planner but also have a back up plan because you never know what is going to happen.
Don’t blink. I heard the bride say a few times that everything was all a blur. Although it will probably be hard, don’t forget to take it all in – and also hire an awesome photographer and videographer…because chances are you might miss a few things.
Don’t sweat the small stuff. It doesn’t matter what happens – it’s you day and you should enjoy it. Things are not going to be perfect no matter how detailed you are. Something is going to go astray but don’t fret. No one is going to know that your centerpieces are the wrong color. Enjoy the time you have with your friends and family and make the most of it because the night will go fast!
The wedding was beautiful and a lot of fun! Congrats L and J!
