DIY Favors: Paper Cake Slice

We saw this posted on the How About Orange blog and loved this idea as a DIY project for wedding favors.  The paper cake slice is so adorable and perfect to fill with whatever candy or favor you want!  It is a great unique detail to add to any wedding.  You can even use different color paper to make different "flavored" cakes! 

Find the simple instructions at Paper Source Blog.

Alternative Headpieces

We are loving all the new trends in wedding headpieces!  Steering away from the classic tiara or real flowers, there are some very unique new fashions that may fit perfectly to your style.  From a bold, sassy, and vintage look with the birdcage vail, to a sweet, delicate, and whimsical look with a feathered headpiece, we love them all!  Which is your favorite?

The Birdcage Vail

The Silk Flower

The Feathered Headpiece

The Headband

All of these fabulous handmade creations can be found at Etsy.

Entertaining Tips: Food

Rule

Something easy, cheap and delicious your guests will go bonkers over.

Chicken Salad Cups

Buy Frozen Filo cups, and bake according to the package (8-10 minutes, I think) - let cool and fill with your favorite chicken salad, make the chicken the day before, or buy it pre-packaged.

Fill the cups about 10-20 minutes before your first guest is set to arrive.

Then sprinkle with your favorite fresh herb if you have some on hand, if not dried parsley will do just fine.

Deanna and Adam's Wedding!

Deanna and Adam's Keystone Heights wedding was so elegant, romantical and fun!  We started with the ceremony at Community Church, then headed over to the Keystone Women's Club for the reception to enjoy some fabulous food by Omi.  The day went so smoothly, even the thunderstorms cooperated!  Powers Photography got some really beautiful and classic shots of the day. 

How hot is this last picture of the night that Powers captured? Love.

Vendors:

Florist/Decor: Flower Petals

Caterer: Omi's Elegant Catering

Entertainment: TDC Entertainment

Photographer: Powers Photography

Cake: Janice Goetzman (family friend)

Transportation: AP Limo

Rentals: Party Time Rentals

Planning: MasterPiece Weddings

Glenda and Jake's Inspiration Board

The bright pinks and greens of this board are perfect for Glenda and Jake's Sweetwater wedding next spring.  It is going to be a gorgeous, whimsical, and super fun day! Thanks to Courtney in our office for putting this together!

Links: {kissing balls}{cocktails}{limes}{shoes}{favors}{bouquet}{balloons}{grass}{bouteinnere}{couple}

Friday Funday!

You need to be able to fit a little bit of fun in, no matter what you are doing. And during a wedding while we were prepping the music, I grabbed a microphone rose and starting singing....

The question is, what was I singing. If you guess it right, you win a prize!

Leave your guess in the comments section.

Oh, and yes, I sing with my eyes closed....

Thanks to Power's Photography for sneaking these hysterical images.

Jennifer and Jason's Inspiration Board

Jennifer and Jason's wedding is going to be a classic evening to remember.  The royal blue and ivory color palette provides the perfect feel of simple elegance.  How beautiful is this board that Courtney in our office put together for them?

Links: {cake}{bouquet}{flowers}{shoes}{socks}{bridesmaid}{tarts}{rings}{hairpiece}

Entertaining Tips: Food

Rule

Make sure you have enough food. Sounds easy right, but for some reason my Grandmother always over made food, and my other family members never had enough.

So how do you plan accordingly?

First what time is your party, if it's prime meal time you'll need to plan for more food, if it's inbetween meal times, a bit less.

On average plan on 5 pieces of food per person, per hour. For a cocktail party... if you are serving stuffed dates, assume people will either love or hate them, so maybe 3 per person.

Know your audience, is it a dessert reception or a full on dinner party... all of those things will make a difference.

First and foremost, always have food available when your guests arrive... pretzels, veggies, roasted potato's something.

April and James's Inspiration Board

We are so excited for April and James's wedding this September!  We are loving the pinks, purples, and greens together to create a bright, fun, and elegant wedding!

Links: {bouquet}{drinks}{boutonniere}{fan}{table}{lanterns}

Joanne and Jay's Inspiration Board

Joanne and Jay's beach wedding is going to be absolutely gorgeous with the sunshine yellows and touches of navy.  We figured with all of this dreadful weather lately, what better than a bright super fun wedding to cheer you up?

Links: {name cards}{drinks}{boutonniere}{bridesmaids}{shoes}{cake}{bouquet}{place setting}

Nautical Inspiration

We think that this nautical themed inspiration board that Courtney in our office made is super fun.  All of the tiny details are just perfect! 

Love. Love. Love.

Links: {cake}{shoes}{groom}{invitations}{sparklers}{flowers}{bridesmaid}{dessert shots}{silverwear}{rings}{candle}

Real Simple Weddings 2010

We just received the Real Simple Weddings Magazine for 2010 and are absolutely in love!  It is full to the brim with useful information, without being overwhelming.  The layout is beautiful, organized and...well....simple!  The pictures are crisp and clean and everything flows so effortlessly.  We love the 10 Common Questions in every section as helpful hints that every bride could benefit from.  We highly recommend to all our brides out there to pick up a copy for yourself!

Entertaining Tips: Guests

Rule # Whatever we are on...

Make sure you get to mingle with your guests, and if that means you and your spouse/partner/room-mate need to spilt up. That's okay. Make your guests feel welcome, always start with a compliment, I love your necklace, your tie, your dress, your shoes... small talk is okay. Promise!

Introducing A Pen for Pearl

We are so excited for our friend Gina Leigh in launching her new web journal, A Pen for Pearl.  It is named after her grandmother, Gloria Pearl, who was tremendously faithful to handwritten leters and always surrounded herself with the lovely things in life. We are touched by the sentiment of her new project, it is just the sweetest thing! 

Gina also has a brand new custom website!  We are loving everything she has done, it truely reflects exactly who she is as a photographer.  Great job Gina, we think that all of your work is awesome-tastic!

Knot Best Of!

We are so thrilled to announce MasterPiece Weddings has been selected as a 2010 winner in The Knot Best of Weddings, a special section in The Knot North Florida magazine, the number-one wedding resource that’s most trusted by brides. We were the only winner in Gainesville, Florida for the wedding planner category.


The Knot Best of Weddings 2010 provides a “by brides, for brides” guide to the top wedding professionals across the country, and is a must-have when it comes to selecting the best-of-the-best wedding resources. From New York florists and Seattle bridal salons to DC makeup artists, engaged couples will find detailed feedback on local wedding businesses reviewed by thousands of newlyweds who had great things to say.

Thank you so much for nominating us, we are truly blessed to have such amazing clients, if there was a Knot Best of 2010 for clients, ours would surely win!

Family Friday

So, normally - I wouldn't do this. But I am breaking my own rules. It probably won't be the last time either. Personal, family post ahead.

Blog world, I'd like to introduce you to Gabriel. Our son. He is one month old- and Powers Photography took some incredible images of him. Take a peek... here. We cannot thank Aunt Susan and Uncle Stewart enough, we are just in absolute love with these photographs.

We know it's something our family will treasure for a lifetime and maybe more.

Limon Inspired

Check out this Awesometastic Limon inspired board that Courtney in our office made. It's so springy and fun I want to hang out at the pool with a frosty drink and an umbrella!

Links: {candy}{rings}{boutonniere}{shoes}{couple}{bowl}{roses}{cake}{lemons}{kissing ball}

Entertaining Tips: Music

Rule #5

Play fun music. Remember this isn't a club, but you don't want soft jazz if you expect your guests to stay awake. Unless it's a soft jazz party.

Remember your crowd, who are you playing for? Is it a Christmas Party? If so, play Christmas music! Is it a dinner party, play something soft, maybe light rock... but don't play club-hard-rock-heavy-metal to a dinner party for your closest business associates.

Have the ipod already set and playing 30 minutes before the party is set to begin... this way you aren't "radio silent" when your guests arrive early.

Heather and Daniel: Fun at First Sight!

Heather and Daniel had the funnest wedding weekend ever! It started New Years Eve with a fantastic Sushi Party at Dragonfly Sushi for all of their friends and family, that lasted well into the morning. And then on the 1st a relaxed and fun Pizza Rehearsal Dinner at Blue Highway Pizza!

The wedding day was incredible, including an 8-hour reception at Villa East. The PhotoBooth from PhoBooth was a huge success! Thanks to Photography 35 for amazing images and a super smooth day!

Food: Celebrations Catering, Dragonfly Sushi, Sarkis Pastry, Karma Cream, Mildred's

Flowers: Prange's Florist

Decor: Celebrations and Heather Sarkis (the bride)

Photography: Photography 35

Ceremony: Baughman Center

DJ: Wayne's World Entertainment Planning: MasterPiece Weddings

Spring Fever!

As winter winds down, we couldn't be more excited about spring. The bright colors. The warm weddings. The beach. We kind of think that this board says it all! Thanks to Lauren in our office for putting it together!

Links: {bouquet}{shoes}{bride}{board}{aisle}{cocktail}{cake}{invitation}