Jennifer Carroll Events Blog

{Blog Love} Cville Weddings features Lori & Nick

Happy Wedding Wednesday! Here at Jennifer Carroll Events, we are so lucky to have such a supportive local community-- and one of our recent couples, Lori and Nick, must feel the same way! We were so proud to work alongside this fun couple and some of the area's most savvy vendors to design a wedding that continues to inspire brides and bloggers alike. Danielle Freedman of the awesome Charlottesville Weddings blog featured Lori and Nick's lavender and green color palette and vineyard-inspired Veritas wedding yesterday.

 

{photography by Jen Fariello}

As many of our friends, family, and fans know, Lori and Nick utilized aspects of Veritas' vineyard to inspire their Big Day-- from using vines and grapes in their floral arrangements to channeling a rustic Southern vibe with menu cards backed by cedar planks and a cowboy boot-shaped grooms cake. It was, and is, truly an honor to have been such a big part of their day. Thank you Lori and Nick for letting us design your dream and thank you Danielle for showcasing their love on the Charlottesville Wedding blog!

Happy Wednesday!

-Jennifer & Stephanie

{Top Tips} Keeping warm on chilly nights

The calendar may say it's spring, but this past weekend we saw snow in Charlottesville! Here at Jennifer Carroll Events we have certainly experienced the ups and downs of Mother Nature-- rarely is there a picture perfect spring (or summer, or fall, or winter). Brides of all seasons, but especially early spring and late fall, should always be prepared to add some warmth to their receptions-- because as the night falls, so does the temperature!

{photo by Jen Fariello}

Fortunately, there are so many ways to keep your guests warm on a chilly spring evening-- and no, you don't have to ask everyone to wear their winter parkas over their cocktail dresses and suits. The top four warm must-haves for the fashionable and practical bride are:

-soft pashminas, wraps, or shawls: These can come in so many different colors, patterns, and textures and generally aren't too expensive if you buy in bulk. Choose some in your wedding colors and set them around your reception space with signs inviting guests to take one to keep warm.

-late night hot cocoa: While most guests will likely work up a sweat dancing the night away, those who aren't glued to the dance floor might get chilly watching the revelry. Have your caterer serve warm late-night treats-- anything from hot apple cider and hot chocolate to smores and grilled cheese sandwiches.

-tent heaters: Like our friends at the Skyline Tent Company, most tent companies have strong and portable heaters that can be included in your rental package. If your tent has siding, the heat will stay trapped inside and your guests will stay snug and warm after nightfall.

-keep a fur shrug handy, just in case: We know you searched far and wide for the perfect wedding dress-- and to cover it up would be sacraligious! But if you're even considering getting married in the spring or fall, be sure to pick up a gorgeous fur shrug (real or fake, whatever your preference!) as part of your wedding day ensemble. No one wants pictures of a shivering bride and your shoulders will thank you later.

Happy Monday! Keep warm!

-Jennifer & Stephanie

{Inspirations from an Icon}

Happy Wedding Wednesday! It's a bit of a grey, cloudy day in Charlottesville-- a sadly appropriate setting for paying tribute to one of the world's most gorgeous style icons, Elizabeth Taylor, who passed away this morning at the age of 79. One of the last vestiges of that vintage, Old Hollywood glamour, Dame Elizabeth will certainly continue to inspire generations of starry-eyed, elegant women. And although she caused a splash in her day with her eight marriages, we must say we can definitely find some inspiration in her impeccable bridal styles and effortless grace.

{photo via VintageCulture.net}

{photo via Since1910.com}

{photo via Life.com}

{photo via Wedding Paper Divas}

{photo via dreamdress.wordpress.com}

-Jennifer & Stephanie

 

{Happy Spring!} + News

Happy Spring! After a long, wet winter, we at Jennifer Carroll Events are so excited to see flowers budding and feel warmth in the air! Can you tell we're looking forward to our May and June events?

{photo by Jen Fariello}

We've been a bit mum on the blog lately, but that doesn't mean we've been relaxing! Besides the addition of Baby Emmaleigh into our lives, we've also been putting the finishing touches on some large paper orders. But we haven't fallen out of the loop of the local wedding scene! There are certainly some newsworthy items that deserve some attention:

-Jen Fariello Photography just started a Facebook fan page! Jen is one of our dearest friends and one of Charlottesville's many gorgeous photographers and we're proud to "like" her on Facebook. Be a fan and get a glimpse into her glorious work right in your Newsfeed!

-Melissa Burr, one of our favorite planners to work with, has just joined the staff of The Wedding Planner magazine! {Psst-- we'll have an article in the upcoming issue about the importance of paper design!} Congrats Melissa!

-The Charlottesville Free Wedding Project is seeking couples for their second annual contest! This year's date is 11/11/11 and the winners will get hitched at King Family Vineyards. Jen Fariello, Jack Looney, and Sarah Cramer are the project's photographers and Pat's Floral Designs and Floral Images will design the flowers, while Easton Events will be the event's day-of coordinators and Harvest Moon will cater. Submission deadline is May 1-- good luck to all couples who plan to enter!

Happy Monday! Enjoy the first day of spring!

-Jennifer & Stephanie

{On stands now} March/April Victoria

It's already March, and that means spring is sneaking up on us! Here at Jennifer Carroll Events, we are so inspired by the changing of the seasons-- especially when it means that flowers are pink and the world is green. For the second issue of Victoria Magazine, the March/April edition, Jennifer and the fantastic team of Jen Fariello Photography and Pat's Floral Designs created a tablescape inspired by the beauty of Virginia's outdoor spaces.

Jennifer and the fabulous Victoria Artist-in-Residence team created an outdoors luncheon tablescape with a pretty pastel palette and a dainty, mis-matched vintage aesthetic. Vintage tableware, soft fabrics, and patterned china complete the look-- transporting you to an almost other-wordly space.

Use the look for your first outdoor celebration of the spring season-- whether that be a birthday party, bridal shower, or just a book club gathering. Garner inspiration from the upcoming Cherry Blossom Festival {held in Washington, D.C. March 26 - April 10!} or your own growing garden!

Happy Thursday!

-Jennifer & Stephanie

{A Royal Trend}

A few weeks ago, we wrote about how at Jennifer Carroll Events, we're loving the trend of blogging brides {Annie, one of our 2011 brides, is detailing her planning progress and experience with this gorgeous blog}. A wedding website is now basically an unwritten requirement for modern brides-- with guests scattered across the world, the easiest way to update everyone is through the web. And while it was once seen as tacky-- you would still never want to send a wedding invitation via email!-- a wedding website is a way to give hotel or registry details, offer tips for fun things to do around your wedding location, and share your love story with guests who might not have been there from the beginning. Most of our brides create a wedding website-- and so has 2011's most royal bride, Kate Middleton.

{image courtesy officialroyalwedding2011.org}

We love that the royal couple is fully embracing modern trends when planning their upcoming nuptials! Okay, Will and Kate obviously have a few different requirements-- their guests literally will come to Westminster Abbey from all over the globe and not all of us can relate to having royal dignitaries on our guest list. But we're happy to share a trend with one of our favorite "celebrity" couples!

A basic wedding website can be made through pre-made templates at sites like TheKnot.com or MyWedding.com, although the design-savvy couple can also build their own websites from scratch, a la Will and Kate. Check out their site here!

Happy Wednesday!

-Jennifer & Stephanie