Wedding Trends for 2012

2011 was an amazing year for the Oliveaire team, but as the year turns, it’s out with the old and in with the NEW.

Here are 5 things we are looking forward to seeing at weddings in 2012:

1. Lollipop Hors d'oeuvres
Couples are making their cocktail hour food simpler for their guests to enjoy, with a touch of whimsy. You’ll see everything from lobster, to cheese and sweets.

2. Food Trucks
They hit the road strong in 2011, and we’ll see them pulling up curbside at many weddings in 2012. Have them stop by for a cocktail hour surprise or late night treat.

3. Crystals
Her marriage may not have lasted but Kim Kardashian’s wedding style has influenced design requests for 2012. We’ll see lots of sparkle and shine this year

4. Botanical Design
Brides are asking for simplified designs, made mostly of plants and greenery. Whether they found inspiration from the Royal Wedding or their overall movement toward a more eco-friendly lifestyle, we like it.

5. Lace
Romantic touches are being added to gowns, table linens and aisle runners. This is also a great way to incorporate family heirlooms.

We're excited to see how you incorporate these ideas into your big day!
Cheers to a New Year!
Olivia

2011: A Year in Review

Thank you and congratulations to all of our Brides & Grooms from 2011!
It was such an honor to be part of your special day. Thank you for trusting us to bring your visions to life. It is an amazing experience to get to know you and your families so well through the planning process.

2011 was an exciting year with many new trends and décor pieces being introduced.

Here are a few highlights from some of the extraordinary themes that were presented:

Romantic Red

Garden Zen

Lush Lavendar Elegance

Heaven on Earth

Special thanks to R.E.M. Video and Photography for their photographs, as well as the Hyatt Regency O'Hare, Westin Lombard Yorktown Center and Intercontinental Chicago O'Hare.

Check back next week to see what we’re predicting for 2012.

Cheers!

Olivia

Meet the Team: Sr. Event Archtiect Mahvish Bhatty

We are very thankful for our team. Today I'd like you to get to know another of our Senior Event Architects, Ms. Mahvish Bhatty. Mahvish came to Oliveaire with event planning experience, and has impressed her clients with her professionalism and expertise.

What is your favorite part of planning a wedding?

My favorite part is picking out décor with the client. I love to see the wonderful stages and center pieces.


How would you describe your style? Has it changed since you started working in the event industry?

My style is to work closely with the client so I am on top of every detail throughout the wedding planning process. However, this does change when the client wants to take full control.


What has been your biggest challenge in planning a wedding or event?

Getting information on time has been my biggest challenge. The other challenge is making multiple changes too close (less than 2 weeks) to the wedding.


What one piece of advice would you give a newly engaged couple?

Wedding planning can be very stressful and it’s overwhelming when there are many decision makers. Make a plan with your fiancé and families and make one contact person. The less people involved the better, prioritize making yourselves and your parents happy and don't worry so much about the distant relatives.

Put a budget in place and stick to it.

Also, work with your planner and ask for their candid opinion prior to hiring a vendor. We have experience working with vendors and can make suggestions on who we have both positive and negative experiences with. Listening to us and that will make your planning smoother and successful.


Do you have a favorite wedding moment or event (i.e. first dance, when the groom first sees the bride, parents reaction, etc.)?

I love the entrances and all the announcements. The ambiance is very vibrant and energetic. The couple and the family is entering to their favorite songs and doing a little dance. I love it.


How would you describe what you do everyday?

I not only do I plan the weddings/events, but I also try to advise the clients and to keep them relaxed so they can enjoy this process. Being organized is very important as we’re managing multiple weddings at the same time. I interact with all vendors, develop the wedding paperwork (which consists of timeline(s), checklist(s), menu, diagrams, bridal party entrances, and much more. It’s a very busy position, which is fun but also requires great organization and time management skills.

If you you are interested in speaking with Mahvish about your wedding or special event call her at 847-885-3200 or e-mail her here.



Happy Thanksgiving to all of you, we hope you have a wonderful holiday weekend with your friends and family.

Cheers!
Olivia

Sending the Right Message

Often the first impression guests will have of your wedding will be when they receive your invtiation. To make sure you are sending the right message to your guests we turned to paper expert JoAnna Gibbons of J.Invites and asked her to share a few words of wisdom. Take it away JoAnna...


People say the first impression you give should always be your best and should really say something about you. This guideline holds true for your wedding. Before you see the beautiful bride walking down the aisle, before you walk into the reception to see the fabulous decor, it's the invitation that you see. The invitation is the very beginning of your wedding. It is a glimpse into what your guests should expect, from the colors to the ambiance to the formality.


The invitation should speak volumes through its designs and reflect not only your event but also you - the couple to be married. Below are a couple invitations that do so.

This wedding invitation suite is for a more casual wedding, which is represented by not only the wording and style, but also the layout. A formal invitation usually has only the ceremony information on the main card, whereas this one includes the reception information with the cocktail hour, dinner, and dancing all represented by symbols. Also, the RSVP card is a postcard which is usually less formal than an envelope. This invitation speaks volumes about the couple. They're such a laid back pair, and origami cranes really played a large role in the beginning of their relationship. One year for Christmas when Emmitt didn't have the money to splurge on a gift for Katie, he made a bunch of origami cranes and scattered them all over the house with sweet sayings in them. Ever since, cranes have held a special place in their hearts. They chose this as the focus of their wedding decor.

This couple is very elegant and traditional, but at the time very organic. In this invite, the organic nature of the couple is offset by the whimsical look of the tulle and the graphic elements. The colors, fonts, and wording bring an elegant feel to the invite.

Lastly, Kathy and Andrew wanted their invites to look traditional yet rustic. They used cotton papers and letterpress printing, which are very traditional, along with rustic and graphics. Together, these elements show who they are as a couple.

Thanks again to JoAnna of J.Invites for sharing some invitation design tips with us today. As with all other aspects in your wedding, make sure your invitations are a reflection of you as a couple!

BBFN (Bridal Bliss for Now),
Olivia

Meet the Oliveaire Team: Sr. Event Architect Adel Domingo

It takes a team to provide all of the services we offer at Oliveaire, all of us have our unique roles, personalities and styles. In the coming weeks you will have the chance to meet the team that makes the Oliveaire experience.

Enjoy getting to know Adel Domingo, Sr. Event Architect with Oliveaire. If you’d like to talk to her about planning your wedding or special event contact her at 847-885-3200 or e-mail her here.

What is your favorite part of planning a wedding?
It’s that moment when my bride and groom start trusting me. That means all will be well because we can tackle anything at that point. That trust between the clients and me is vital.

How would you describe your style?
As a planner I love taking care of my clients by simply listening, responding with a real, relaxed enthusiasm, and executing patiently. I’m a calm person and I think my clients and vendors feel it and they stay calm. I do love researching what my clients like and don’t like, I take great interest in each client I work with. After I’m done with an event, I keep a few notes and photos in their file to remind me how unique they are.

What one piece of advice would you give a newly engaged couple?
The wedding of your dreams is possible, just be realistic with your time and budget.

Do you have a favorite wedding moment or event?
It would have to be when I see the couple’s body language when they are announced as husband and wife. They are just so relaxed and relieved that the main part is over. You can feel everybody exhaling.

How would you describe what you do every day?
It’s sort of this crazy job but it takes a sane person to do it. Most of the time during the planning and creative process, it seems like my day is full of phone calls to vendors, email correspondence, reading, research, and making appointments. Creating time lines takes great focus and sometimes I like to do them in the middle of the night when it’s quiet. Despite what people see in the movies, it’s not always glamorous and easy. Time goes fast for planners; we know how much time a task takes even while a couple does not. We treat time like gold. I also know I can’t take being a part of an important event for granted so despite being laid back and calm, I get very serious and nervous and double check everything leading up to an event.

What advice would you give someone who wants to start working in the event industry?
If you don’t like people, don’t do it. Plan several personal events on your own, take a course, get a great pair of comfortable shoes, and work as an intern. When you want to take the plunge, try it out for a year and see if you still love it. If you can answer an emphatic YES, then it’s for you.

What did your wedding meal look like?
My husband and I were young and did not have the wisdom in planning menus and picking a good caterer like we do now. Our wedding meal was a buffet of mediocre roast beef, Spanish rice, and I don’t remember the rest. I do remember our hazelnut-flavored wedding cake being delicious and the German wine was great.

If we ever do plan a menu for a future wedding anniversary party, I would probably do an authentic mixture of Asian and Mexican fare, my favorite kinds of food, with great bottles of wine and beer and a mojito bar.


Thanks Adel for the great interview.

BBFN (Bridal Bliss for Now),
Olivia

Silhouette to Buttons: Trends for your Wedding Party!

Today, we have team member Sayira Khokhar sharing some Bridal Party trends with you.

So much effort is spent on picking the bridal gown and the groom's tuxedo, one almost looks at the groomsmen and bridesmaids as an afterthought, but they are just as important as the flower arrangement on the reception tables!

When scouting dresses and suits for the bridal party, keep in mind the theme of your wedding. They will need to compliment the bride and groom.

Open any magazine and flip to the wedding pages, you will see they all have several components in common. While we don't encourage you to copy everything you see, we hope you'll find inspiration you can put your own unique stamp on.


In bridesmaid dresses, think bold & solid colors. The colors of the season range from the a light sage green (at the lighter end of the spectrum) to vibrant colors such as a red orange. I am loving the more exotic and non-traditional colors, such as rust or bright yellow.


The silhouette most popular this season is the “A” line dress. This is a very flattering silhouette for women with curves because the fabric glides over the hips. The top is more fitted to reveal a nice waist. To accentuate the slimmer waist, a wide sash is added. It can be of the same, or a contrasting, color.

The fabrics vary depending on the length of the dress. For example, stiffer fabric is made for something above the knees such as mix of cotton-silk faille or silk organza. These are lightweight but crisp and clean. The sharp and clean lines add an element of modern or abstract design.


Floor length dresses are typically made of feathery fabrics such as, my favorite, silk chiffon. Again, depending on the theme of the wedding, this would add the classical accent to the ceremony. It has a feather light look. It adds a beautiful whisper in the light breeze.

Another trend is exposed shoulders. There are many halter necklines and strapless dresses. The shorter dresses tend to have the exposed shoulders whereas the longer dresses have a halter neckline.

The most interesting trend is ballet flats! This adds a very cute, flower girl look to the bridesmaid. They are also less painful and fun to dance in when the night is long!

Don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten about the groomsmen.

The piece that has grown in fashion is the tie. It is no longer the traditional black or gray. We are seeing the bold splash of color, to compliment the bridesmaids. Usually the breast pocket napkin is the same color but I have seen many mismatching ties and handkerchief.


Depending on the theme, a 3 piece suit gives the feel of the traditional English country wedding, however, the fishtail is not always present. The most fashionable twist is using difference shades of the same color in the men's ensemble. The vest might be a light heather gray, the coat a medium black with matching pants, a white shirt and a white bow tie to contrast the vest. The combinations are endless! (Within reasonable limits of course.)


Buttons. Yes, groomsmen, buttons. Add them to your attire. We like to see different shaped buttons, such as diamonds or squares. Sometimes they are darker or lighter than the coat to accentuate the style.

Enjoy shopping for your favorite ladies and guys, and be sure to give them the chance to personalize their look to show the personalities you love so much!

BBFN (Bridal Bliss for Now),
Olivia

Now Raise Your Glass...

The wedding ceremony was absolutely beautiful and the reception is going along fantastically. The MC has started to announce the people to make toasts. Oh no, what will he say? What will she bring up? How long is dad going to talk? These are some of the questions that may be going through your mind but can be handled with a little preliminary work. Toasts can be a very memorable part of the evening and you certainly don’t want it remembered as the time that the best man was too drunk or dad’s speech was 40 minutes long. Here are our top tips, you can share with your toast-givers, to guarantee a successful toast:


Don’t make it about you
You have been asked by the bride and / or groom to give a speech about why the wedding is happening and what makes it so great. The number one key to a successful toast is to make it about the couple you are toasting. Don’t talk about you, rather keep it focused on the bride and groom.

Save the Drinks Until Toast Time
This point seems quite obvious, but it is not. Wait until after your toast to visit the bar. Even if you are traditionally a fantastic speaker, slurring your words will certainly not impress the guests. Also, if one has had a bit too much to drink they may tend to ramble and repeat the same story, and they will not even know they are doing it.

Be clear and concisePrior to the big day decide upon three stories (Max!), and at least one good thing about both the bride and groom as individuals, and one of them as a couple, to incorporate into your toast or speech. The more these stories relate to each other the better.

Don’t get side-tracked
Stick with the pre-planned work you have done on the toast. Stay with the three stories and comments about the bride and groom. Sometimes when you are recalling memories they will lead you to more memories, which can lead to another story, and all of the sudden you are rambling and taking far too long to make a memorable toast. Since the wedding reception room is filled with family, older relatives, and close childhood friends, your toast should be PG or PG-13 rated. Steer clear of any topics that may offend.


Start preparing early
Type or write down your thoughts on the speech. By writing it down it will help you remember it better, and assist you in honing it down, and then it is quite easy to edit if needed. Also by writing it down you can practice in front of the mirror, or a loved one, to get more comfortable in delivering the speech.

Use your Speech 101 skills
All of us at one time or another in high school or college took a speech class. Now is the time to recollect and use those skills. Keep the toast short (3 minutes is a good starting point), keep it simple and keep the audience entertained. Make the guests understand why you were chosen for this special moment. Mixing in some humor and keeping it about the bride and groom is sure to be a winner.

Keep it real
The more true to yourself, the more the audience will be on your side. Some of the best speeches are two to three sentences, sharing a heartfelt congratulations and genuine wishes for full of love, because they were delivered with sincerity that you can see if their face or even hear in the sound of their voice. As long as you are comfortable in honoring the bride and groom this works best.


Have fun
Have fun but not too much fun. You want to deliver your speech fluently and clearly. You want to show emotion and sincerity and that can sometimes be difficult if you are having too much fun. It is a tradition and honor to be selected for this task, and should be given your full attention and regard.

Know that the actual purpose of giving a toast is to wish the couple happiness and blissful life ahead. Make sure you keep this in mind when you say your toast. Give your perspective of why that is the case and then you can gracefully make your exit to the bar.

Cheers!