A Look Outside

These days more and more brides are looking to give their special day a more relaxed feel. This means that they have moved away from the traditional church and hotel for the reception and have begun to use the backyard, a farm setting, or even gone for the vineyard. If you choose to do this kind of wedding, it is definitely going to give more of a feel of a get together rather than the formalness of a really structured wedding. Not every couple is like that, and that’s okay. Each couple should do what they fall in love with and think best represents them. This is the day to show all your friends and family what the two of you now represent. Perhaps the two of you are avid wine aficionados, and so a vineyard reception at your favorite local winery would be the ideal location. Or perhaps the appeal of horseback riding and tables under the stars has always brought a warm fuzzy feeling to you.

These outdoor venues leave you with room for creativity. Using flowers from the garden in antique vases or mismatched china is definitely acceptable. With settings like this, the atmosphere doesn’t really call for perfectly coordinated table service or restricted décor. Using things that are already there, like a wooden fence or gazebo, can be the perfect pairing of something old and something new. If outdoors isn’t exactly your style, you can also opt for the historic mansions. These offer a unique atmosphere themselves and once you add your style it can truly be a one-of-a-kind wedding. This is another opportunity to show who you are as a couple and what the two of you value. There is nothing better than getting a glimpse of the life of the new couple.

Whether you choose the outdoor setting or just an outdoor color scheme, it can be the perfect move away from the traditional wedding and reception of that’s what you are looking for. Don’t be afraid of doing “something new”. Who knows, maybe one day it will be the inspiration and become “something borrowed”.

Written by: Jenna Howe

Wedding Coordinator

Green Lily Events

Going the Extra Mile for the Guests

Usually a wedding is a “look-and-see” event for guests. They come to the ceremony and watch the bride walk down the aisle, witness the exchange of vows, and then move to the reception. Here they see the spotlighted cake and enjoy the delicious food. The bride and groom mix and mingle with their guests, but leave the guests sometimes wondering what they should do. Now, there is finally a solution to enhance the your guests experience at your wedding. There are new ideas popping up all over the place on ways to add unique experiences at your wedding.

Perhaps, photographs are a real passion and have a important role in your life. I recently helped coordinated a wedding where the bride and groom wanted to have a photo booth. Who would think of that at a wedding? It went over extremely well, and everyone looked like they were have a good time. They also included a speech bubble that you could use for the pictures to send couple wedding greetings or something along those lines. It was also a way to get the guests to meet new people and the family to get to know each other better. Some other ideas may be caricature or silhouette sketches. It is still important to have these activities be representative of the bride and groom. If they are avid beer or wine drinkers, it could be fun to have tastings perhaps, of their favorites kinds. Another thing that could be used would be a hands-on activity like cigar rolling. Things like this make sure your guests are still having fun and create memories. Not only, will the guests remember the memories from something like this, but it makes your wedding stand out in their minds.

Today, weddings are all about personalization and being remembered for something that is a little out of the ordinary. With something as easy as a hiring someone to sketch caricatures, the guests have received a favor from your wedding that is personal to the bride and groom, but also to the guests. Make sure that if you choose to do something like this, that it doesn’t draw attention away from you, but compliments who you are as a couple. Everyone likes to act like a kid every once in a while, so why not make it at a wedding and with the people that have come to share your special day with you.

Written By: Jenna Howe

Wedding Coordinator

Green Lily Events

Adding a Punch of Color

While I was traveling in Rome, I happened to walk by a wedding dress shop. Of course I did what every girl does, and stopped in my tracks to look in wonder at the beautiful gowns inside. Every detail seemed to pop out and every gown was different. Each one meant for a specific bride. After finally forcing myself to keep walking, I came across an Italian version of the wedding edition of Vogue. Even though it was all in Italian and I couldn’t actually read it, I found myself enthralled with the magazine. The funny thing I found was even though I could see similarities with the weddings on the United States, there seemed to be something unique about these dresses. It has been said that it takes about a year for the trends from Europe to come to the United States.

What I began to notice as I was flipping through the magazine was the subtle pop of color that was appearing on the dresses. It was unexpected but I found myself drawn to it. One thinks of a plain white, cream, ivory, or some version of those colors as the wedding dress, but who would have thought to add a punch of a red or navy. As I recall, the first time I ever saw a wedding dress like that was the wedding of Trista and Ryan from The Bachelor and her dress had hot pink accents. Obviously color catches your eye and it makes the dress stand out. I know find myself quite fond of the simple touches of color on a wedding dress. Though it is a move away from the traditional, but as I have discovered it is becoming more and more popular to twist the traditional in all aspects of the weddings.

Italy was a source of inspiration for me and every day, I find myself looking back to my experiences there and find a way to combine them with the things that are popular here. Though it takes a while for trends to make their way to the United States, it is definitely worth the wait.

Written by: Jenna Howe

Wedding Coordinator

Green Lily Events

And the Green Tiara Goes To…

There is something to be said about the women that choose to have cleaner weddings, and focus on the lifestyles changes that people are beginning to make. They are making it a priority to incorporate cleaner techniques in every event, not making an exception because it’s there wedding day. By creating a greener, cleaner event it helps to inspire those around them. Brides can be some of the most influential people for the industry, and they have begun to help lead the industry in a greener direction. Christina Garcia, creator of “accessories of distinction” has launched the Green Collection. This collection of headbands, pins, and flower combs has taken the idea of Eco Chic Bridal wear to a whole new level. The pieces are each named for endangered plants. When a piece is purchased, a tree is planted in the Atlantic Forest, which is one of the most endangered forests. These pieces are handmade with pineapple fabric.

What is pineapple fabric? Pineapple fabric is made from the fibers of pineapple leaves. The process to create these fibers starts with coconut shells and porcelain that are used to strip the fibers. The fibers are then washed in a stream and laid in the sun to dry. Bamboo sticks are used to separate the fibers, which are then tied together to produce one continuous piece of “thread”. The fibers are woven on a loom, made of coco lumber. Though the process is time intensive and doesn’t yield large quantities, it is another reason these pieces are so unique. It is no surprise that the fabric is expensive, but there are some real draws. Not only are you acquiring a gorgeous hair accessory, but also it lends a helping hand to the environment.

Nowadays, the traditional veil is being replaced with shorter veils and perhaps being excluded all together. No matter what your tastes are, there are ways being unveiled every day to bring a little more eco chic to your wedding. You may not be hosting a completely green wedding, but what bride doesn’t want to have a fabulous hair accessory for her special day. Just go for the green, and pick up your own piece from the remarkable collection.

Written by: Jenna Howe

Wedding Coordinator

Green Lily Events

Location, Location, Location

There is nothing like getting back from a vacation and looking back at the things you saw and experienced, and remembering all the memories you created. I just back from Rome and had the best time of my life! I think that the way you look back at your wedding should be just like that. While I was there, I happened to see bits and pieces of four different weddings. It was such a thrill to see how they do things in other countries. The churches there are beyond words for how beautiful they are and to be able to be married there would be a dream come true. The city is a modern place, but filled with history and still lives in the glory of Rome at its peak. Not only, can your ceremony take place in an extraordinary church, but places to take your pictures are overwhelming. Imagine taking your wedding portraits in front of the famous “Four Rivers” fountain, created by Bernini. I happened to be there when a couple was doing just that, and I found myself constantly keeping an eye out of perfect places that would be amazing for pictures, and found that each place would be perfect for just the right person. The thing about the people of Rome was that they aren’t really “in the box” thinkers. Another time we were at dinner and a couple was roaming around the piazza, taking pictures with the busy dinnertime scene as the background. They played around with the photographers and were taking pictures with some of them. It was really apparent that for the couple, it was truly about whom they were and expressed their personalities beautifully.

Although, I know that we all can’t go to Rome to get married, it did make me think about how important the location of the ceremony and where you take your pictures actually are. I believe that every part of your wedding should describe something unique about you. If you had a first date in a park or you spent lots of time talking at coffee shops, then think about creative ways to incorporate these aspects into your wedding. Perhaps, you would like to have your reception in that park, or you could give your favorite blend of coffee in specialized packaging to commemorate your day. Sometimes I feel like details for pictures get lost in all of the other planning, but the pictures will be the one thing that you can actually hold in your hand and look at. Take some time to think about if there is some place that holds a special place for you and then go for it. Don’t worry about the normal places. It’s your wedding and you define what normal is. Remember that you can always create a little piece of Rome for yourself.

By: Jenna Howe

Wedding Coordinator

Green Lily Events