Monday, September 30, 2013

{make it your own} MONDAY :: resources : save-on-crafts.

good morning, lovelies!

i haven't shared a resource with y'all lately and figured it was fate when style me pretty featured a "where to buy" story the other day.

a pretty cool site that you absolutely, positively must do yourself a favor and check out is save-on-crafts.

a sampling of what you will find:

{black chalkboard tags}
 
these black chalkboard tags would be great escort cards or labels for your food stations!

{silver plated mint julep cups}
 
what's more southern than a southern mint julep cup? even if you aren't planning to serve the celebrated cocktails at your wedding, they make fantastic vases for your table centerpieces!

{silverware envelopes}
 
these little envelope packets will keep flatware organized for your rustic chic buffet style reception. add an extra touch of personalization by writing guests' names + table numbers on them for useful escort cards!
 
{white slate pieces}
 
white slate makes a lovely statement and is the updated, modernized answer to its traditionally grey counterpart. use these as escort cards, table numbers or even little blessing stones!
 
so, what do y'all think?
 
let me know if you find anything fabulous!
 
as always, have a beautiful monday & happy DIYing ;)
 
XO,
 
jennifer

Sunday, September 29, 2013

Future Savannah Wedding: Abby + Chris

Abby Wellen and Chris Bruno

Date Engaged:
December 10, 2012

Where did you meet? 
We met in Hartford, CT. We were set up on a blind date by his old roommate and my neighbor. Since Chris travels a lot for work and hadn't gone on a date in a while, I was asked to be a "guinea pig" for him. As for Chris, he found out about the date about two hours beforehand.

How did he propose?
We were visiting his parents, who live in Savannah, over the holidays and we went ring shopping to get an idea of what we both liked. As Chris puts it, I wouldn't stop talking about all the pretty rings we saw so he decided he would start teasing me about it! The whole second half of the trip, he kept playing around until one night we went on a walk in the square. He teased me saying, "I'm going to propose to you right now." This time he meant it because he hopped down on both knees and popped the question. After the reply of "You're kidding me," he finally got the yes he was looking for.

When is your wedding date?April 26, 2014

Why did you pick the area you are getting married in?
We are to be getting married in the same square where he proposed.

Where do you reside now?
We just moved to Savannah, GA this summer.

Anything interesting or out of the ordinary you are including in your wedding day?
What started off as a "destination wedding" for us has now turned into a hometown wedding...since we are super proud to show off our new city to our family and friends, we plan on doing a mini-trolley tour of the city for our guests.

Looks like that was one successful blind date! We can't wait for your big day in the best city in the South :)
XO
The MGE Team 

Friday, September 27, 2013

{floral} FRIDAY :: the final friday in september, 2013.

 {100 layer cake}
this lovely bouquet is whimsical, bohemian and utterly perfect for a non-traditional bride.
 
 {100 layer cake}
something about the all-cream palette with the one striking blue-patterned bloom is so perfectly eye-catching!

 {100 layer cake}
while I love the unique table set-up and copper linen, what really makes this blog-worthy for me are the tall purple flowers!

 {100 layer cake}
sometimes, less is more - but particularly in the case of this perfectly pink bridal bouquet!

{green wedding shoes}
peach, hot pink and green work wonderfully together, especially in a free-flowing, asymmetric configuration - think preppy with a twist!

{green wedding shoes}
i adore daisies for a laidback country celebration!

{green wedding shoes}
the colorful wildflowers used in these table arrangements are too pretty not to share. mixed with the rustic wood slices and bare farm tables, these are perfect!

{ruffled}
again with the cream palette interrupted by a few bursts of bright yellow - simply stunning!

{ruffled}
i usually have a strong dislike of red roses, but these classy arrangements are making me reconsider my opinion.

{snippet and ink}
plain little clay pots are anything but against a bold backdrop like the black and white chevron table runner pictured here.

{southern weddings}
such a classic bridal bouquet for a classic southern plantation wedding!
 

{southern weddings}
full blooms like this one are made even prettier when seated in a tiny teacup atop a lace doily.

{southern weddings}
are those tomatoes i spy? never be afraid to play with your centerpieces a bit - you needn't limit yourself to flowers!

{southern weddings}
a lovely pastel bridesmaid's bouquet perfectly accents their peach frocks. too pretty!
 
have a beautiful weekend, y'all.
 
XO,
 
jennifer

Thursday, September 26, 2013

{thirsty} THURSDAY :: sparkling whiskey.

we all know that fall = pumpkin spice lattes, obviously.
 
and while pumpkin-flavored-everything is one of the main reasons we all love fall {and if you don't love it, well - i don't see how that could be true!}, let's please not forget about apples.
 
i, for one, am particularly fond of apple-picking, or at least the idea of it. that's why the following recipe, which also involves bourbon {clearly one of my favorites}, makes me think of autumn and happiness.
 
{image and recipe via pinterest from this site!}
 
mmmm. doesn't that look lovely? you can even use hard cider if you're particularly daring, or add a teensy splash of fireball to that sparkling cider while you're at it;)
 
XO,
 
jennifer

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

{real wedding} WEDNESDAY :: megan + david {featured on borrowed & blue!}

YAY!
 
ladies & gentlemen, borrowed & blue has long been one of my favorite websites to peruse and i often lamented its absence on the savannah wedding scene. luckily for me {us, really}, they finally include coverage of our gorgeous city on their site!
 
proof that their taste for uniquely fabulous weddings is amazingly on point?
 
they published one of my favorite mge weddings today!
 
{image by geoff duncan}
 
megan and david had a beautiful wedding ceremony at wormsloe plantation followed by a gilded reception at the ever-breathtaking brockington hall.  
 
you absolutely must click here to see the feature.
 
{image by geoff duncan}
 
have a beautiful wednesday, y'all!
 
XO,
 
jennifer
 

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

{tips & tricks} TUESDAY :: choosing a venue, part 1.

choosing a venue is no joke, y'all.
 
after determining your budget and deciding on your guest list, the next step is to pick out a venue. if you have already decided on a city or state {or are otherwise limited to a certain location} in which to hold your wedding, you're off to a fabulous start and have by mere virtue of that fact narrowed down  your potential venues.
 
congrats!
 
this post is for you.
 
{if you have not decided on a city or state, or are vacillating between a handful of different locations, look out for next week's post - that will be geared toward you all!} 
 
the first thing to do once you've decided on the general location of your venue {say savannah, ga for example ;)} is to decided on the general type of venue you're looking for:
 
a mansion?
{brockington hall}
 
a museum?
{telfair}
 
a garden?
{ships of the sea}
 
a plantation?
{ford plantation}
 
a restaurant?
{cha bella}
 
an historic site?
 
{old fort jackson}
 
you get the idea.
 
once you've gotten that far, visit a website like weddingwire, the knot, or borrowed and blue {to name just a few} to sort through available options by cost and type.
 
or, if you've done the right thing and booked a planner, you can ask us for recommendations geared specifically to you and your needs! this is obviously the best option;) if you're a full service client, we will even give you a personal tour of each site in which you are interested.
 
once you've found a few venues wherein you could see yourself getting married, here are a few questions to keep handy that you should either ask the site coordinator or be sure to look for in any contract that you sign for a venue:
 
 
{} is your preferred date available? if not, is there another date available that you would consider?
 
{} how many events does the venue book each day? is it possible there would be another event in your venue in close proximity to your wedding?
 
{} is there any construction planned prior to your wedding? if so, is it guaranteed to be complete by your wedding day? if not, to what extent will it affect your wedding? is there a discount due to any inconvenience it creates?
 
{} what is the site fee, if any? does it change based on the day or time that you hold your wedding? if a venue is significantly cheaper on a week day or during the day, for example, you might consider being more flexible with your wedding date to accommodate your budget.
 
{} are there any hidden costs associated with your venue? for example: service charges, gratuities {both usually associated with restaurants and hotels}, cleaning fees, membership dues {often required at historic sites and museums}, overtime fees, or cake cutting charges?
 
{} what is the venue's cancellation policy? is the deposit refundable? what about a security deposit?
 
phew! hopefully that gives you ladies a good place to start. suggestions? questions? additions? let me know in the comments!
 
XO,
 
jennifer

Monday, September 23, 2013

{make it your own} MONDAY :: how to make an inspiration board.

ladies, i know you all love pinterest. we all love pinterest! i actually have to limit myself to only logging onto the site a handful of times each week because once i'm on, i'm on - i'm sure more than a couple of you know just what i mean ;)

 
probably one of the best features of pinterest is that it allows the user to sort images and links into different boards. this is vastly helpful in the design process when planning a wedding {we even use it with our brides!} but is not - i repeat, NOT - always a good thing.
 
while it's a great way to get an initial idea of likes and dislikes, pinterest can all too easily snowball out of control into a massive design dump full of helter-skelter ideas.  
 
this, my friends, is where an inspiration board comes in! this is where you compile just a few of the zillions of ideas you love alongside one another to ensure that they coordinate, make sense and create the overall aesthetic you seek.
 
so what goes into one?
 
i'm glad you asked!
 
some of the most important elements to include are: 
color palette
venue
flowers {or alternative}
centerpieces/tablescape
 "mood"
details

so for the dual purpose of illustrating my point and indulging my adoration of all things autumnal, i have created a sample inspiration board for a hypothetical {and obviously very cool} bride whose heart is set on a wedding inspired by the fact she got engaged in a pumpkin patch.
 
{yes, that actually happened in real life. i have no idea what that bride's wedding ended up being like, but pretend with me!} 
 
okay, so the first step is to decide on a color palette. this should include primary and accent colors that you want to incorporate.
 
first, find an image that fits your aesthetic. i chose this beauty:
 
{image via bing image search}
 
next, go to an online color palette generator like this one to receive a strip of the most vibrant colors pulled from the image. you can do this multiple times until you feel you have enough variety to work with; i.e., even though the above picture doesn't feature a deep eggplant purple or a soft grey, or a bright red, any of those {though probably not all} would be a beautiful pop against the others.
 
congratulations - you have a color scheme to start working with!
 
once that's done, move on to venue ideas. keep this to just one to two images so that you can somewhat streamline your ideas. if you've already settled on a venue by this point in your process, even better - include a few photos of your actual venue to keep it in mind throughout the rest of the design!
 
for this pretend wedding, i think the bride would go for a rustic, wooded outdoor ceremony and indoor reception location sometime in the fall, when pumpkins are ripe and the scenery is at its most colorful. ergo, these are my inspiration choices for her:
 
{image via pinterest}
 
this obviously isn't an actual venue, being that it is right next to a road, but the key here is the color and that gorgeous old tree as a ceremony backdrop idea.

{image via pinterest}

rustic weddings and barns go together like cinnamon and pumpkin - something similar to this {but not necessarily exactly like in the picture} would be just right with our faux bride's theme.
 

{image via 100 layer cake}
 
if finding a colorful old tree to serve as the ceremony backdrop proves impossible, this set-up is a lovely alternative!
 
so now that we have a general color palette and some venue ideas nailed down, let's move on to flowers {or lack thereof}.
 
my hypothetical bride is actually not too big on flowers and doesn't want many aside from her bouquet and her bridesmaids' bouquets. that's fine by me, since this is the perfect opportunity to draw in some of her favorite fall fruit - pumpkin!
 
{image via green wedding shoes}
 
the best fall bouquets of all time? i think yes. these colors also stand out nicely from the orange of the pumpkins that are yet to come.
 
so far as centerpieces/table décor go, i would be torn between fancy all-white ghost or cinderella pumpkins like
 
{image via babble}
 
and mini orange pumpkins {hopefully mixed in with some other mini gourds!} like

{image via babble}
 
so i'd probably end up incorporating both, possibly with candles like...

{image via babble}
 
now let's move on to my favorite: details!
 
this is where you capture a bit more about the mood you want to set during your day. for this bride, it's an intimate, cozy affair with little touches of hospitality that leave guests feeling warm inside and out.
 
{image via pinterest}
 
pre-ceremony coffee - pumpkin spice lattes, of course! - would be the perfect way to keep guests toasty during the outdoor affair.

{image and recipe via 100 layer cake}
 
apple cider donuts are the perfect accompaniment and would keep guests from getting hangry {i love that word} in the event of a late dinner reception.

{via pinterest}
 
providing blankets at the ceremony is a nice gesture and will ensure your guests stay cozy!
 
{via pinterest}
 
i love the look of white calligraphy on kraft paper. this has the same effect but on leaves! how cute would these be for escort cards or place settings?
 
i could go on and on {pinterest is the ultimate enabler} but you get the idea. that, ladies and gentlemen, is how to create an inspiration board! i hope you enjoyed reading all that;)
 
questions? concerns? suggestions?
 
let me know in the comments!
 
as always, have a beautiful monday.
 
XO,
 
jennifer


Sunday, September 22, 2013

Future Savannah Wedding: Amy + Phil


Amy Guy and Phil Calandrino

Date Engaged:
April 27, 2013

Where did you meet?
In 2003, Greg Wilson, an attorney, hired Amy as his receptionist. Later that year, Phil Calandrino (Amy's now fiance) moved into the office building. Phil and Amy's casual conversations eventually led to their first date - a homemade Italian dinner and movie night. They had a second, third, and many more dates before becoming best friends and falling in love. They live in Dr. Phillips (near Universal Studios in Orlando) together with their three rescue kitties - Binky, Rambo and Tutu.

How did he propose?
Over the years, one of Phil and Amy's favorite vacation spots grew to be Savannah. Phil said it'd be a great idea to go there for Amy's birthday. Nathan and Michelle Buckland as well as Laura Milham all joined - oblivious to Phil's motives (Laura and Michelle are two of Amy's best friends). As they all enjoyed the sights and food, Phil carried the ring in his pocket waiting for the opportunity to propose in front of the Forsyth Park fountain. After a "birthday" dinner at the Olde Pink House, they all took a taxi to Forsyth Park. Amy ran ahead to the fountain. With the necessary buffer, Phil told Laura what was about to happen. She coordinated with Michele and Nathan to take pictures and video of the engagement. Phil and Amy stood in front of the fountain for a birthday video, where he asked for her hand in marriage. She squealed YES with glee.

When is your wedding date?
March 8, 2014

Why did you pick Savannah to get married in?
Some people are beach people. We are Savannah folk. We have known for years that we were going to be married in Savannah so it was perfect that Phil proposed in Savannah.

Anything interesting or out of the ordinary about your wedding day?
We are having a ghost pub crawl after the reception dinner in lieu of dancing.

Anything else you would like to add?
We will be together 10 years on October 8, 2013. Phil's parents are celebrating their 50 year anniversary on November 9, 2013. Phil and Amy have a lot of the same hobbies, including wine, cigars, and golfing. They are in the process of planning their honeymoon which will be a golf/wine trip up the Pacific Coast Highway with lots of time in San Francisco and Wine Country. 


A ghost pub crawl instead of dancing - that's how you know it's real love! Can't wait for your big day!

XO
The MGE TEAM





Friday, September 20, 2013

{floral} FRIDAY :: the twentieth of september, 2013.

{100 layer cake}

this spring-y bouquet mixes warm tones with a surprisingly cool shade of pink/purple and would be very pretty for an outdoor wedding!
 
{100 layer cake}

there is something so chic and modern about this simple-yet-stunning bouquet. isn't it lovely?
 

{100 layer cake}
 
this sweet, diy arch would be the perfect backdrop for a casual outdoor ceremony.

{carats & cake}
 
i love love love the succulent and the pop of pink in this otherwise pretty neutral bouquet - it's fantastic.

{every last detail}
 
oh look, it's my soul flower {ranunculus} in my soul color {pink} AND this is the shoot designed by jessi of mge, who also did the florals!

{green wedding shoes}
 
i'm not sure which i adore more: the idea of a flower potluck, or the super cute design of taping little bud vases to a poster board.

{green wedding shoes}
 
the coordinating escort cards for aforementioned flower potluck? my favorite.

{green wedding shoes}
 
this color combination is so lovely, particularly with nude bridesmaid dresses in a venue that features a plethora of gorgeous stonework.

{green wedding shoes}
 
again, i really like the color palette used here! particularly that striking vase in the upper right quadrant and its pairing with some unique blooms.

{southern weddings}
 
pretty in pink was never more apt a description. i love this bride's ruffled gown, too!

{ruffled}
 
this arrangement is wild and beautiful - its placement in a wooden box-turned-vase is just right.

{ruffled}
 
so the first thing i'd like to point out is the groom's bout - that's a ridiculously lush bloom that takes up a good portion of his upper body. i'm not sure how i feel about it. the bridal bouquet he's holding, on the other hand, is unquestionably wonderful.

{ruffled}
 
hey, she looks familiar - that's local savannah photographer izzy hudgins! she had a diy floral crown feature up on ruffled this week that's pretty fab. check it out!

{snippet and ink}

i'm a huge fan of the itty bitty yellow flowers that pick up the pop of yellow napkin so well and contrast perfectly with the greenery that otherwise characterizes the arrangement.
 

{southern weddings}
 
if what you want is a white/cream bouquet, look no further - this one is about as gorgeous as you're ever going to find!

{wedding chicks}
 
this bouquet is perfect for the organic, nature-loving green gal!

{wedding chicks}
 
don't be too quick to judge these baby's breath pomanders - imagine the effect of an entire hanging "wall" of these as a ceremony backdrop!
 
{southern weddings}
 
here's one option for a pretty yellow bouquet for those of you who crave yellow but are not big fans of sunflowers.

{wedding chicks}

on the one hand, i love this because it features my soul flower {ranunculus}. on the other hand, i love this because of the perfect use of a minor {and ergo all the more effective} pop of color on a pure white backdrop. so yes. i double-love this.
 

{wedding chicks}
 
this is the perfect - perfect! - example of how amazing it is when your bridesmaid's bouquets do not perfectly match their dresses. i adore the yellow-and-grey combo, but some others i think would be lovely: coral {bouquet} and turquoise {dresses}, lavender {bouquet} and neutral/nude {dresses}, deep purple {bouquet} and ice blue {dresses}.  
 
inspired? i hope so!
 
have a beautiful weekend, lovelies.
 
XO,
 
jennifer
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