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We just stumbled upon Style Me Pretty's new Best of 2010 Weddings e-glossy and just had to share it with you!! It's filled with gorgeous photography, dresses, flowers, papers, and more drool-worthy details!
We hope you enjoy perusing it as much as we have!
Happy Monday!!
Jennifer
It might have been months ago, but here at Jennifer Carroll Events, we're still swooning over Lori & Nick's summer wedding at Veritas Vineyard! We're so excited that The Knot is currently featuring this couple's rustic nuptials in their Spring issue and we just posted a larger peek at the entire day on our Facebook page. Lori and Nick really embraced their wedding's vineyard setting and, inspired by their enthusiasm, we intertwined their love for Virginia and each other into all the day's rustic details. Love this look, but aren't quite sure how to get it? Here are a few tips for bringing Lori and Nick's Big Day into your every day:
This wine cork place holder is super easy to re-create for any event-- from a wedding for 200 to a casual dinner party for 20! The key is ensuring that the cork doesn't roll. After slicing the cork top, to place the card in, shave the bottom to create a flat edge for the cork to rest on. If you're using a tent card (like Lori and Nick did, above), you don't have to shave the bottom-- just insert only the front flap of the card into the cork and allow the back flap to stablize the cork. Don't have a huge collection of corks at home? Your local winery will usually give their used corks away for free-- so be sure to ask!
{photos by Jen Fariello}
Another detail we loved was the cider plank menu cards-- the look and feel of the wood added an extra jolt of "Wow" factor as soon as guests sat down. For this design element, visit your local builder's supply company and ask if they have any extra cedar plank shingles. Cut the shingles down to size, then sand everything-- you don't want anyone getting a splinter when they pick up their menus!
A vineyard theme can be incorporated into any event, whether it be a cozy dinner for two or a large corporate luncheon. Lori and Nick really emphasized the natural summer colors of Veritas-- lavendars, greens, browns-- and by incorporating those into your space, you'll invoke a summery, wine-soaked scene.
Happy Wednesday!
-Jennifer & Stephanie
A few questions we constantly get asked are usually the simpliest for us to answer: "Why do I need a wedding planner?" and "What's the difference between a planner and designer anyway?" We're always happy to explain the necessity of having a planner in your corner when heading into your Big Day-- having someone other than your family or friends organizing the day and ensuring that everything runs smoothly allows you and your loved ones to relax and enjoy the entire point of the day-- your marriage!
{photo by Jen Fariello}
A designer is a fantastic expansion of the planner-- beyond organizing and managing, the designer is there at the very beginning of the conception process. A designer takes your ideas, your relationship, and your wedding's details (the venue, the season) and helps you create your dream day! Today's weddings are "branded" to be unique to each couple and a designer works with brides and grooms to craft the perfect ambiance to reflect their unique love.
It's not just wedding planners themselves who get these questions-- countless other vendors find themselves facing brides puzzling over the question "To hire or not to hire a planner...?" Our friends at Stone Blue Productions, a fantastic photo, design, and film company, asked us to explain to their clients and blog readers the importance of finding both a planner and a designer to help you create your dream day. Jeremiah at Stone Blue featured Jennifer Carroll Events recently on their blog-- head here to check it out! Thanks Jeremiah!
An exerpt from our post:
"At the end of the day, countless gorgeous weddings go off without a hitch with just the services of a resourceful day-of planner, but to craft a truly unique wedding, a couple must tap into their inner graphic designer, interior designer, and party planner while simultaneously staying true to their priorities as a duo. A wedding designer will take all your dreams and make them into a reality, giving you a “wow”-worthy wedding."
{glamour.com has a fun wedding section- and a local bride is featured, although not the one above}
In case you need some extra weekend reading, check out this Charlottesville bride's video Save the Date. She and her fiance chalked their Save the Date on Charlottesville's Freedom Speech Wall on the Downtown Mall, filmed the process, and sent it out to their guests! The video has gone viral and Glamour.com is currently featuring it. Watch it here. What a fun-- and incredibly local-- idea!
Happy Friday!
-Jennifer & Stephanie
Wedding blogs are huge these days-- who doesn't get happily sidetracked into hours upon hours of browsing Style Me Pretty or, more locally, The Brides Cafe? But a new trend growing in the bridal blogging world is real life brides detailing their progress throughout their planning process. Here at Jennifer Carroll Events, we think this trend is such a cute idea! We love when brides scrapbook their planning experience or somehow keep a tangible record of their engagement period-- and blogging just takes this to a whole new level!
{How glam is this couple? Great style inspiration!}
One of our 2011 brides, Annie, is doing just this with her blog, Nick and Nora Getting Married. First of all, we're swooning over Annie's use of Nick and Nora Charles, the couple from Dashiell Hammett's novel (and subsequent film adaptations) The Thin Man, as her style muse. Annie's blog incorporates inspiration from recent weddings, tips for her fellow brides, what she's learned throughout her planning process, and her own discoveries and decisions regarding her upcoming nuptials. We're so excited to follow along as she explores what she would love to see and experience at her wedding-- and we're even more excited to make those dreams a reality!
Annie finds some of the most gorgeous details from real weddings to inspire her own planning! A few of our favorites are below:
{Annie loves these colors! via Ritzy Bee}
{Inspiration for a bridal party cake or guest favors? via The Sweetest Occasion}
{As an English major, Annie wants her wedding to be library-inspired. These centerpieces are divine! via Rock n' Roll Bride}
What blogs have you been bookmarking lately? Happy Wednesday!
-Jennifer & Stephanie
It's Tuesday, and Jennifer Carroll Events is off and rolling this week! We had a fantastic weekend of meetings with 2011 brides and we're hard at work putting the finishing touches on several projects we've had this month-- yes, 2011 is starting with a bang!
{photo by Jen Fariello}
In between planning this year's weddings, we've been hard at work on our upcoming newsletter! After the jam-packed December issue, we're finding all kinds of inspiration for celebrating January and February in style-- and as a result, we're presenting you with a double issue chock-full of winter events, weddings, and DIY goodies. The gorgeous shot above, by the fabulous Jen Fariello, is just a glimpse of one of the weddings we're featuring in this month's newsletter... we can't wait for you to see more!
Happy Tuesday!
-Jennifer & Stephanie
Most brides want their wedding to make a splash right from the very get-go-- and what better way to establish your wedding's theme and ambiance than with your Save the Date? While some couples dismiss this sweet custom as an antiquated waste of stamps, others delight in finding unique and innovative ways to announce their ceremony date. There's no right or wrong way to inform your guests of your wedding date-- although we hesitate to advise a couple to send out a Save the Date email! Everyone loves to receive snail mail and there's really no better way to get guests buzzing about your Big Day than with a fabulous card.
{Leigh and Scott's Save the Date}
At Jennifer Carroll Events, we create custom wedding paper suites, with the Save the Date acting as the first hint of the designs and details to come from the wedding itself.There are so many fantastic ways to design a Save the Date, but the most important factor to consider is your personality as a couple. Are you a quirky pair? Would your friends and family describe you as traditional or classic? Do you love to surprise each other with handwritten notes? These details could be a deciding factor when choosing your invitation suite.
Some of our favorite Save the Dates to design have been classic and crisp cards with gorgeous typography and dainty design schemes that accentuate the combined personality of the couple and the spirit of the day. Couples like Lori & Nick and Valerie & David incorporated an engagement portrait into their card as a fun way to personalize their message, while others such as Lauren and Jason included a cute sticker for guests to place on the appropriate date in their calendars!
{Lori and Nick's Save the Date}
The most important thing to remember when creating and sending your Save the Dates is who is meant to receive them. Sending a Save the Date to someone you leave off your guest list is often in poor taste-- so be sure to finalize your guest list before sending anything off! Guests who receive Save the Dates will expect an invitation to follow.
There are dozens of ways to spice up your Save the Date-- remember, a good Save the Date includes the wedding date, location, and any other pertinent travel or accomdation information. If you have a wedding website, the address can be included, but leave off registry information {save that for the website}. But above all, be sure what you send out is decidedly you! We've updated our papers gallery with some of our favorite Save the Dates-- be sure to check it out when brainstorming for your own!
Happy Wednesday!
-Jennifer & Stephanie
Is it too late to be thinking about New Years Resolutions? We at Jennifer Carroll Events think not! We might be a few weeks into 2011 already, but that doesn't mean we can't reflect on our past year and plot out some ways to make the most of our new year!
{This place card is a fantastic way to incorporate thankfulness into our everyday lives!
photo via the November Issue of Celebrating Everyday Life With Jennifer Carroll}
1) Be thankful everyday.
There are so many wonderful people and opportunities in our lives, it's silly to find oneself at the end of a day not as thankful as we should be! Remembering to take time out every day to give thanks for the fantastic support systems we have in our lives is key to be healthier, happier, and more gracious. Success and happiness are never discovered alone, so we need to remember to thank those who contribute to our daily lives.
2) Take time for ourselves.
Everyone is busy these days-- that's an understatement! Here at Jennifer Carroll Events, we are constantly taking on a ton of projects and events... not to mention the impending arrival of Baby Carroll! That will certainly impact our schedules. But we know that we're victims of putting too much on our plates-- and with that in mind, we need to take more time every week to go to a quiet place and reflect, plan, and pamper ourselves.
3) Prioritize our passions.
Yes, there are always going to be obligations in our lives that aren't as thrilling as other projects and adventures. But in 2011, we're going to put our passions to the forefront. By being organized, planning early, and getting in touch with what really makes us happy, we're going to prioritize our true professional loves.
4) Get Inspired.
With all the work on our plate, it's easy to forget to take a break and look around us! We are a part of such a fantastic community and we work with so many talented professionals. In 2011, we want to make sure we don't forget about all the incredible work our friends in the industry are doing as well! Taking a few minutes to look through the work of our favorite photographers or florists once in awhile will do wonders for our own creative visions.
5) Remember to be balanced.
We could spend hours-- days even!-- in the office. We do what we love, so why would we ever want to leave? But we have so many other fun places and people in our lives, we need to remember to include those fun around-the-house projects or plans with friends into our schedules. Without balance, work can become overwhelming! And overwhelmed is not a mood we want to be in during 2011.
What are some of your 2011 Resolutions? We hope you are already having a fantastic year!
-Jennifer & Stephanie
We at Jennifer Carroll Events are excited to announce that one of our gorgeous couples, Lori and Nick, are featured in the current issue of The Knot! We are so honored and excited to have one of our lovely couples recognized by one of the industry's best publications-- and we hope each bride-to-be who picks up the issue will be inspired by the details of Lori and Nick's Afton wedding!
{photography by Jen Fariello}
Lori and Nick were inspired by Veritas Vineyard's natural beauty when choosing their palette of lavendar and chocolate brown. We placed each escort card in a Vertias wine cork and draped the ceremony site with sheer fabric, while the reception site featured antique urns as centerpieces.
We're so honored to have been included in Lori and Nick's day! And we're thrilled that The Knot found inspiration in the details we helped the couple create. Thanks once again to all the fantastic vendors we worked with! {You can check them out in the Knot pages above or in our blog post on Lori and Nick here.}
Have a fantastic weekend! Happy Friday!
-Jennifer & Stephanie
Living in Central Virginia is heavenly-- the rolling mountains, the gorgeous skylines, the beautiful colors year-around-- but being a part of such a fantastic and supportive community is a huge draw for us here at Jennifer Carroll Events as well. Our fellow wedding vendors are incredible-- so when our events get recognized by our friends in the industry, we are so honored! The lovely Danielle Freedman of the fun Charlottesville Weddings blog showcased Marissa and John's Veritas wedding yesterday. This pretty April event was full of lavendar details, delicate papers, and, of course, a happy couple!
{photo by Meg Reunion}
Head here to check out more images of this springtime wedding on Danielle's blog! Thanks so much Danielle for featuring one of our couples!
In other editorial news, our friends over at the Skyline Tent Company are in the running to grace the cover of In Tents Magazine-- for an event that we designed! We helped Sarah and Jason plan their fall Batesville wedding with this sophisticated clear-topped tent from Skyline, and the results were glam, romantic, and enchanting. Skyline Tents is one of our favorite vendors to work with, and we're so excited for their nomination-- so help us show our appreciation for their innovation and hard work by voting for Sarah and Jason's tent to win the cover! The contest ends Monday, January 10. Vote here!
{photo by Allegra's Studio. Check out Sarah & Jason's wedding in our gallery here.}
We hope you're having a fantastic week! Happy Wednesday!
-Jennifer & Stephanie
Happy New Year dear ones!! It is hard to believe that 2010 is passed and 2011 has arrived! It was a quiet New Year's Eve here at our home but our hearts were still as festive as this delightful vintage print I found on flickr! But as I come into my last month of pregnancy I find myself a bit more tired and not quite up for the high energy late night that a typical New Year's fete requires :-)
None the less, I am excited about all of the blessings that the New Year has in store! I'm obviously most excited to meet my new baby girl due in just a few short weeks - this will be the highlight of my life much less the year! I can't wait to introduce her to you soon!
There are more fun adventures and delights that I'm looking forward to sharing with you too! Stephanie and I will be sharing lots of details with you in the days and months to come but here's a taste of what's ahead in 2011:
I've been named one of Victoria Magazine's Artists' in Residence for 2011 along with my fabulous go to gals, Pat Roberts, Sherry Spencer & Jen Fariello! We've lovingly and dilgently prepared something special for every issue of the magazine in 2011! The first issue is on newstands now - check it out!
Southern Living magazine will be featuring one of my Jennifer Carroll Designs notecards in their March issue!!! Can't wait!!
Southern Lady is going to be featuring me and my cards in their March/April issue!!
{I heart all 3 of these magazines and can't believe I'm getting to be part of them!}
I've just been picked as a 2011 Best of Weddings winner by readers of the Knot magazine and by the editors too - a double win!! I also have designs that will be featured in their new book The Knot Ultimate Wedding Lookbook hitting your local book shelves soon!
Not to mention the amazing couples whose weddings I am designing this year - I am so excited to be a part of the celebrations of each of these sweet, unique and inspiring couples!!
I'm thrilled and very humbled to say that there is also so much more coming!! Can you believe it?!
God has been blessing me and opening doors that truly only He can open and I'm so excited (and a little scared) to be walking through them but you know me - if God is with me than I will go - even if I'm totally afraid!!
I hope you find the strength to be brave and adventerous in your life in 2011!!! This can be YOUR best year ever!!
Hugs and Happy Monday!
Jennifer
