Paying the Price - Part I of II

This week, we wanted to touch a little bit on the importance of photography. It seems one of the biggest concerns in planning any wedding is the dreaded "b" word: budget.

And, while keeping within your budget can be extremely important, and sometimes even critical, we at MasterPiece Weddings firmly believe that photography should not be the place to skimp.

Take a look at these photos. These are beloved photos from our very own Melissa's wedding back in the early 1990s. For budget reasons, Melissa opted not to hire a professional photographer and regrets it to this very day.

The sad part is that a fair amount of these people are no longer with us, and these are the last images I have of them.

Instead of opting out of hiring a professional photographer, we suggest hiring the best photographer you can find and just getting their cheapest package.

Do you have any thoughts on skimping or saving with photography?

Dash for the Dress

Thrilled to announce that Gainesville's own Solutions Bridal is hosting their 1st annual Dash for the Dress, a charity bridal sample sale. The event is to take place on June 27th from 8AM to 12PM and a portion of the proceeds are to benefit the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. Designer Dresses will be priced anywhere from $99-$699 (dresses that are valued up to $5000)! And they will also have some bridesmaids and mother of the bride dresses on sale. But the event will be cash only and they are encouraging brides to get there early because dressing rooms will be limited. Brides, if you are still looking for that perfect dress, who knew you could have a designer one fit your budget!? Please contact Solutions Bridal in Gainesville at (352) 367-0070.

Wedding Video: The Bloopers

Since we were on a roll with wedding videos this week, we figured why end it there? So, to conclude our week of films, here is one of our favorite wedding blooper clips. Have you seen it? Hilarious, right?

Wedding Series: Budget Chic - Part II of III

On Tuesday of last week, Part II of the Budget Chic Wedding Series aired on TV20. This time Melissa discussed reducing your food cost, custom and DIY invitations, and budget decor.

To see what Melissa had to say about it and her strategic ideas on how to keep your guests happy and your budget met, you can check out Part II here.

Wedding Series: Budget Chic - Part I of III

Thrilled to announce that our very own fabulous Melissa DiStefano, Owner and Lead Planner of MasterPiece Weddings, was asked to be on TV20 last week. 

Her interview made up three parts of their week on Budget Chic Weddings. Part I can be viewed here and discusses cutting your guest list, faux cakes, reducing your floral budget, and limiting your bar options.

In Honor

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Rather than a normal post today, we would like to take a moment to thank all the men and women who have given and those who continue to dedicate their lives to our military. Wishing you all a happy Memorial Day and hoping that you will find time today to appreciate those around you as well as all those who have fought for your freedom.

Vineyard Inspiration

Ashley, our new intern at MasterPiece Weddings this summer, just put together her very first inspiration board. On her own, she picked out "vineyard wedding" as her inspiration and threw this together. Honestly, I could not be more impressed. It is almost hard to believe this is her first board!

Doesn't it just scream sophistication and glamour? I think it's perfect.

{Sources: bride, flowers, grapes, invitation, corks, bottles, table, bridesmaid, cake}

What do you think?

Kaycee and Ley: The Pro Pics - Part II of II

Now for Part II of Kaycee and Ley's beautiful wedding. Kaycee and Ley had a blast before their ceremony and have plenty of fabulous photos to prove it. Seriously, what better way to loosen up and have fun on your big day?

Stunning photos by Gina Leigh Photography.

Love this one! How happy does Kaycee look!?

Apparently they wore the groom and groomsmen out!

Gorgeous cake by KB Kakes.

Seriously, how ridiculously cute are these girls?

...and a final farewell from the MasterPiece Weddings Team...

(in case you cannnot tell, we are blowing bubbles...)

Kaycee and Lee: The Pro Pics - Part I of II

Kaycee and Ley were one of the most fun couples to work with. Their excitement and joy over their day was entirely infectious and truly shows in their photos! Their fabulous photograher was Gina of Gina Leigh Photography and she was kind enough to send us a bunch of the beautiful shots from their day. This is Part I of II -- shots of Kaycee and Ley getting ready, having their first look, and having some fun with their bridal party at the fabulous University of Florida Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. But you will want to come back tomorrow to see how much fun they had before their wedding skating and bowling and then their gorgeous ceremony and reception.

The groomsmen look so studly here. Love it!

Loving this first look shot... so much emotion even without their faces.

Seriously, how much fun does this look?

Do not forget to come back tomorrow for Part II!

We Have Winners

Remember this? Well, we finally got around to picking out our winners of the Sally Hansen Diamond 12-Hour Lip Treatment lipgloss sets.

To be fair, we used a random integer generator. And here are our results. So, winners, please e-mail Melissa at Melissa {at} MasterPieceWeddings {dot} net with the phrase "Lipgloss Winner" in the subject line so we can get your set your way!

And enjoy, these babies are sure to keep your lips feeling smooth and looking gorgeous!

Invitation Shots

With everything a bride has to remember on her wedding day, it is no surprise that bringing along a copy of her invitation isn't usually high on the priority list. But, it should be! That extra copy may not last forever, but having photos of it taken on your wedding day will. And, why wouldn't you want to preserve that first piece of paper that started it all? Plus, while you have your photographer contracted to be with you and taking photos for you anyway, why not have them snap a few of your lovely little invite? Still not convinced? Check out some of these beauties.

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Colin Cowie Launches Design Division

The fabulousness that is Colin Cowie is nothing new and is surely nothing that I have to tell you about. But, the fact that he is launching a whole new department to his ever-spectacular Colin Cowie Lifestyle certainly is. Now, brides have the option of just booking with Colin Cowie Flowers, the new strictly floral and event decor division of his corporation. By doing so, brides are able to achieve the beauty of a Colin Cowie wedding for a fraction of the price as they handle the management side themselves. “Flowers and decoration are the most artistic elements to any event and bring a party to life. Our floral designers will give you the look you want and work within your budget. Style is not related to money and you don’t need to have an extravagant budget to get a Colin Cowie signature event,” said Colin Cowie of his new floral division. And he is so right. What bride wouldn't love to have the elegant look and modern appeal of a Colin Cowie-designed wedding? Here is some eye candy of his work....

Nothing is more classic than an all-white setting.

I didn't even know taupe flowers existed! How beautiful are these!?

...and shades of lavender. Could those roses be more gorgeous?

It is no surprise then that we are incredibly excited about Colin Cowie's expansion. And, I am quite certain it will excite many brides who formerly may not have had Colin Cowie design in their budget!

Tracey and Matt Tie the Knot

First of all, let me say that I am beyond excited to be contributing to the MasterPiece Weddings blog. For those of you that have the memory of an elephant, you may remember that this blog was the inspiration for starting one of my own.

And, I've been lucky enough to work under Melissa for a while now.... helping with Let's Eat Cake, weddings here and there, and even Bridal Shows. But now, well, I couldn't be more thrilled to be officially working at MasterPiece and have the best mentor out there for learning the ropes.

And of course, there is the perk of getting to blog for you all along the way! So, I truly hope you are as excited as I am and I hope you will come along with me for the ride.

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So, it seemed only appropriate that my first post on the MasterPiece Weddings blog be about... well, a MasterPiece Wedding. Last weekend, Tracey and Matt tied the knot at the Holiday Inn in Ocala, Florida and it was gorgeous. With a couple as beautiful inside and out as Tracey and Matt are it is hard to not have a beautiful wedding, but it seems their wedding was just like them -- not only meaningful but also physically stunning.

One of the beautiful images of the bride and groom from their fabulous e-session with Lindsey of Pure.

We are still eagerly anticipating seeing what I have no doubt will be a fabulous recap by Lindsey of Pure, but until then here are a few taken from our personal camera (remember, we're not photographers!) to show you the very sweet details.

For starters, the swankiest Holiday Inn I have ever been to!

How fab is this lobby?

Their gorgeous petal-lined aisle.

The runner was made by the brother of the groom. So sweet.

Beautiful arch designed by The Plant Shoppe.

I'm a sucker for details. How cute are these napkins?

Simply elegant centerpieces and table numbers -- a fabulous way to incorporate your engagement shots, which many of your guests may not have seen.

Beautiful petal-lined head table; we put the girls bouquets across the front as well at the end of the ceremony.

Kristy of Posh Pastry putting the finishing touches on their stunning cake.

Seriously, how gorgeous is this cake. Look at that peony!

To Tracey and Matt, your wedding was gorgeous and you and your families were a joy to work with. Thanks for letting us help with your special day. We wish you a lifetime of happiness and fulfillment in marriage!