We are so excited to introduce our lovely couple Zeina and Mauth who will be celebrating their big engagement party at the US Grant the end of the month and will have their extravagant wedding next spring in Jordan…We are happy to share some of their pictures from Kristina Chartier Photography

Leading designers like Ziad Nakad, Zeina Mrad Haute Couture, Gina K, and Adlene Azar are some of the geniuses behind these fashion forward sensations.  They create the gowns of luxurious fabrics and hand stitch all the finishing details. All in all each piece is unique and unlike many of the bridal gowns seen before!

With summer just around the corner, we can’t help thinking of all the great tropical drinks that come with the warm weather! For a jamaican influence, try a Coco Loco, a rum-based drink served in a giant coconut. Here’s a recipe for one of our favorite specialty cocktails for a beach wedding. Fun, fruity and refreshing.

COCO LOCO

1 oz. Dark Rum

1 oz. Light Rum

1/2 oz. Creme de Banane

1/2 oz. Pineapple Juice

1/2 oz. Coconut Cream

1/2 oz. Sugar Syrup

Wedding Elegance is proud to be a part of the US Grant Luxury showcase this year. The event showcases a collection of fashion designers, retailers, wedding coordinators, entertainers and photographers, as well as florists and wedding cake designers. Come meet with us and let us help you simplify your wedding planning!

Wedding Elegance designed two tables for this event. The first was in the Bridal Bar, which is our brilliant pink and yellow themed table shown here. This is a sweetheart table, intended for the bride and groom! Here, we wanted to show that it’s possible to mix bright, bold colors together and make it work- reflecting your culture or just a vibrant bride’s personality. We used fun little apple soaps here as favors, keeping it simple, but also presenting something that useful that is easy for bride’s to further carry their wedding theme through their tabletop design. The menus are done in an amazing clear acrylic with pink crystals and yellow etching. The perfectly over-the-top floral arrangement is expertly coordinated with the linens and chairs to create a fantasy dinner date for any bride and her groom!

Outdoors at the competition, you could find our festive orange and brown table, which bride’s actually came through and judged against the competing tables. (We’ll let you know the results when they’re in! There were several different categories, including things like Most Romantic to Best Use of Color, etc…) With this table we mixed a modern elegance with natural elements, while bringing together unique and trendy design choices. The whimsical lanterns float gracefully above a fall-like harvest setting, drawing in guests to a warm and welcoming place to eat, drink, and be merry. The fresh, clean linens are executed expertly with beautiful charger plates, silverware and ornate napkin rings. Guests names are carved on earthy wood pieces, which are setting upon Little Brown Espresso cup and saucer favors. This is a look which can be pulled off with any budget, as many of the items could be substituted out for simpler, less expensive choices, for the money-conscious bride.

A special thanks to:
* Art Quest Floral for their always incredible floral design on the sweetheart table
* Indulge Florist for the intricate work on our Orange table
* Fete Accompli Events for the sleek chairs
* Rock, Paper, Scissors for the gorgeous menus
* BBJ Linens for our sweetheart table
* Concepts Event Design for the linens on our Orange table

Invitations

From save-the-dates to RSVPs to ceremony programs, the amount of paper used in your wedding stationary definitely adds up. Amid habitat destruction and the global warming crisis, it is essential to find eco-friendly substitutes. Consider tree-free paper alternatives (such as hemp or bamboo) or 100% post-consumer recycled stock (such as old newspapers and magazines) in your wedding invitations.

• Go Green with the printer by using soy- or vegetable-based inks.

Paperless Annoucements–Using Technology to Save Money & Trees

• Go Greener with paperless announcements! Take advantage of the cyber world—personalized save-the-dates can be sent via email. Setting up a wedding website is easy with no fuss and it reduces the amount of paper needed to share important information with guests! (think RSVPs, program, ceremony & reception locations)

Some Suggestions:

1)      http://www.ewedding.com

2)      http://www.weddingwindow.com

3)      http://www.mywedding.com

Flowers

Eco-friendly wedding flowers that are organic and sustainable usually are free from chemical pesticides and insecticides. Look for flowers that are organically grown, in-season, and grown locally. Silk flowers are another great option as well.

• Go Green at your reception by having potted plants instead of traditional centerpieces; this way, your guests can bring them home!
• Go Greener with an outdoor wedding and/or reception! Nature will surround you and your guests on your Big Day as the backdrop—thus saving you more green, if you know what I mean!

Some Suggestions:

1)      http://www.organicbouquet.com/

2)      http://www.seedsofchange.com/

3)      Your Local Farmer’s Market

Wedding Gown

Your wedding attire will be one of the most important choices, and there are many eco-friendly options for every budget. Wearing your mother’s or friend’s gown is definitely an easy and eco-friendly option. If that’s not available, you can rent or buy something you’ll wear again (and let your bridesmaids do the same!).

• Go Green by picking clothes made of sustainable fabrics, such as hemp or organic cotton
• Go Greener buying your dress from charity, such as Brides Against Breast Cancer, at remarkable prices with proceeds going towards Breast Cancer Research.

Some Suggestions:

1)      http://www.bridesagainstbreastcancer.org/

2)      http://www.thedressmarket.net/

3)      http://www.getconscious.com/about.php

Catering, Food & Drinks

Choosing local, organic and seasonal foods is a great green move. You can ask your caterer if they can prepare the food organically. After the event, consider donating the leftovers to a homeless shelter or local food bank (Check Out http://feedingamerica.org/ for more information); this way, food will not be discarded, but will go to an excellent cause!

·        Go Green by hiring a local company who uses only local ingredients

·        Go Greener by using non-disposable plates and utensils, or recycled materials

Some Organic Caterer Suggestions:

1)      http://www.ecocaters.com/

2)      http://www.localharvest.org/ to find organic restaurants in your area!

3)      http://organictogo.com/

From simple and tasteful weddings to fancy and elaborate weddings, there are many “green” options to choose from. You can preserve our environment, and still have the perfect wedding! Cheers!

You know the old cliché “The difference between ordinary and extraordinary–is in that little ‘extra’”.

So what exactly is that little extra?

• In timed races, the difference between a silver and gold medal depends entirely on performance. Most often, the champion wins by less than 1/10th of a second.
• If you made 1 or 2 more sales calls everyday, that’s 500 more sales calls each year!
• Spending a few extra minutes each morning using SPF cream moisturizes and protects your skin from the sun’s damaging rays; thus, maintaining a youthful, and healthy glow for incredible skin.

So how does this pertain to us, you may ask? We make ordinary days–extraordinary! Excellence and quality is the goal of our profession, and we strive to Plan, Perform, and Present your event that suits you to a Tee!  We work with you one step at a time, every step of the way–until the Big Day! From weddings to private functions, no detail is overlooked with Wedding Elegance.

At Wedding Elegance, every event–large or small–will be an extraordinary event, because we believe it is all in the details! We are committed to honoring your unique visions and style…And you will notice the difference!

To end with the Quote of the Day:

Martin Luther King said, “If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted or Beethoven composed music or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweet streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, ‘Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well”.

Cheers, and don’t forget to make it an extraordinary day!