Top 5 Reasons Pintrest Can Help Plan Your Wedding

            From the dress and the flowers, to the food and the linen, Pinterest seems to have everything, down to the last detail.  Young women and even some men are now using the recently popular website Pinterest to plan their dream wedding.  Pinterest can save a bride a lot of time and money because the content is mostly free, it has endless possibilities, and it is very easy to access.  We counted down the top 5 reasons why Pinterest can help a bride plan their dream wedding, and here they are:

 

1. Organization is Key

I am sure most of us when we were little, would cut out pictures from Bridal Magazines, or write down ideas that came to us about our dream wedding and store them away in a secret spot.  Well now there is a more convenient and less time-consuming way to do this.  Pinterest allows users to do all of this but by using online sources with infinite possibilities and is stored in an online file or “corkboard”.  Each user can make as many corkboards as they would like and can label each board to make planning easier and more organized.  Example titles of these boards could be “Wedding Dresses”, “Table Settings”, “Invitations”, and “Wedding Cakes”, the list goes on and on.   

     2. Various Pins from Various Users Can Give a Bride Many Options

            Over eleven million people are now using the Pinterest website.  With this many people, comes a lot of ideas and a lot of pins.  Brides to be can use search words such as “wedding” or “wedding dresses” in order to pull up hundreds of thousands of ideas for inspiration for their own special day.  Brides can search words as specific or broad as they would like.  Pinterest has just about every possible idea and every possible detail for a bride to see what captures her attention and what goes along with her vision. 

3. Most “Pins” Can Directly Connect A Bride

By just a click on a photo, users can be directly connected to the website where an item, such as a dress or centerpiece can be purchased.  Or if the bride would like a recipe for a certain meal to be served at their reception, all she has to do is click on the picture and a recipe will be pulled up instantly.  Pinterest is a way to see what the bride wants and it’s as easy as 1, 2, 3 and she can have it.  Convenience is also key. 

4. Follow the Experts

Experts, planners, and wedding magazines are now on Pinterest and are pinning hundreds of beautiful and creative ideas for Brides-to-be.  They can pin their own creations, their ideas, and what they believe is the latest trends for weddings.  Their boards are open for any user to view and brides can repin any ideas they might want to use for their special day.

www.pinterest.com/oliveaire/

5. Receive Feedback

While brides are pinning and grabbing ideas for their big day, they can ask and receive advice on what their family, friends, and even complete strangers think about their ideas and their vision.  This makes it very convenient and can help guide a bride to what she truly wants.  Serenity will also be an effect because the bride will be more confident in knowing that others love her ideas as well.

From all aspects of wedding planning, Pinterest will not make everything come together, but it definitely will help in the inspiration and organization processes.  Planning a wedding can be the most stressful time of a woman’s life, and with the helpful tips, convenience, organization and ideas that Pinterest provides, planning for the special day can be just a little easier.   

BBFN (Bridal Bliss for Now)
Olivia

           

Set the Mood with Lighting - Illuminate your Event

When first looking at a venue, it is hard to imagine how to turn this blank canvas into a masterpiece. Many details go into planning your special day and transforming your venue, and one important factor that creates a certain mood, atmosphere and vibe is lighting. Lighting seems to be overlooked, but it is an essential detail that enhances the look of your venue space. It will complete your vision and will reflect you and your fiancé’s personalities. Lighting can be used in many different ways, but all will illuminate your event space in a dramatic way.

What is more romantic and classic than candlelight? Incorporating candles into your big day can really create a warm and cozy feeling as well. Candles add an extraordinary glow to any venue that will take everyone’s breath away.

The use of patterns can really add a texture to any surface. Whether it is being used as uplighting on the walls or down the aisle, patterns add a creative and personal touch to any venue. As featured in the 25th Anniversary Edition of Chicago Style Weddings, check out the feature on page 336 at:      http://wwchicagostyleweddings.com/emagazine.aspx 

   

Uplighting is a great way to enhance the details of your venue space that you appreciate, and it allows you to hide any details you do not see fit for your occasion. It can accent the architecture of the venue, as well as add a glow of the color and patterns you desire. When transforming a venue to what your vision is, uplighting is one of the most essential parts and can really bring everything together.

If you want to create different moods during your special day, do not be afraid to experiment different types of lighting at different times. Maybe you would like to create a soft and romantic atmosphere during the ceremony, and then create a fun and upbeat atmosphere during the reception.

Whatever you choose, always remember to showcase who you are as a couple, and lighting can help reflect that beautifully.

BBFN (Bridal Bliss for Now)
Olivia

How a Food Truck Can Enhance Your Event

Want to make your wedding one for the books? One that everyone will be talking about for months to come? One of the hottest trends right now is incorporating a food truck into a wedding. Whether it is during the cocktail hour, the dining hours, or used for late night treats, food trucks bring a certain “wow-factor” that you and your guests will remember forever.

So why and how would you incorporate a food truck into your wedding? If any part of your wedding is outdoors, then this could be a great idea for you. Maybe you could show what your favorite foods are in a fun and unique way. Or maybe you and your fiancé have a favorite street vendor that you both enjoy and would like to share that with your guests. Whatever your reason may be, food carts can spice things up, while still offering different foods you know your guests will enjoy.

There are many different ways to use a food truck and different foods they can provide.

Ethnically Inspired Food Truck

An ethnically inspired food truck can help you incorporate and celebrate your heritage. Trucks can provide anything from Latin Tacos to Mediterranean “Falafelwiches”. Whatever your heritage is, food trucks provide a way to enjoy your cultures best cuisine.

Sweet Truck

Another way to incorporate a food truck is to use it to deliver sweets to your guests. A Sweet truck allows you and your guests to choose from a variety of different tasty treats. Sweets can range from mini cakes and smores, to chocolates and ice cream. Everyone has a sweet tooth, so why not provide a way for your guests to choose how to satisfy it.

Late Night Snack Truck

After dancing the night away, guests will definitely be hungry and ready to eat again. By incorporating a late night snack truck with comfort foods, you and your guests can refill and reenergize. These special late night snacks can be anything from sliders and hotdogs, to popcorn and smores. Whatever your guests choose at the end of the night, they will surely be thankful.

There is a reason why food trucks have become such a popular trend. They provide a fun atmosphere, they reflect the bride and groom’s personalities, and ultimately, they will make the event one people will be talking about for a very long time. If you feel like doing something unique and special for your event, a food truck is definitely the route to go.

Remember to make it unique and have fun!!
 
BBFN (Bridal Bliss for Now
Olivia

The Summers Hottest Venues

As completely different as they may be, barns and warehouses have become two of the hottest venue trends this year. From the romantic and intimate vibe a farm has, to the modern and sleek feeling a warehouse projects, there is something for everyone in these locations. Both of these locations can create a breathtaking wedding that no one could ever forget.


Romance and Intimacy

A little bit country, a little bit casual, and a whole lot of romance. Barns are being discovered and used by women everywhere for their special day. Whether the bride is from the city or the country, bride’s can appreciate the romantic and intimate atmosphere a barn has. Also, barns can be a canvas for any bride’s décor style. If you truly want to appreciate this venue and use it to its best advantage, then a rustic elegance with a touch of modern is a great theme to have for your wedding day. There are many decorations that have been trending when it comes to barn weddings. The use of mason jars, chandeliers, chalkboards, rustic wood, lace, lanterns and greenery are just to name a few. But the most important element to really bring out the romance of a barn wedding is candlelight. There is something about candlelight in a wooden barn that just screams romance and intimacy. Not only are barns a beautiful place to have a wedding, they are also budget savvy and something different that not a lot of brides in the Chicago land area have used yet. Barns bring a unique and vintage charm that could provide an amazing place to have a wedding

Modern and Sleek


If you are looking to create your vision from scratch, then a warehouse as a venue could be the perfect place for you. With large spaces, tall ceilings and a very sleek look, modern brides have been choosing to go with a warehouse as their venue site. There are many different ways a bride can transform this space into her dream come true. An advantage to having a warehouse as your wedding venue is the way you can transform the room. Use any colors and decorations that you would like. And if the space is large enough, you could easily break the room down into different rooms by using draping to utilize the space for the ceremony, the reception and the cocktail hour. This way you will only have to worry about renting one space and will not have to transfer your guests. Another advantage is with draping, you can make the room as large and grand or as small and intimate as you would like. A warehouse is a perfect blank canvas to create your perfect vision and create the atmosphere you were dreaming about.

Design by Elizabeth Anne Designs

Photo by: Daniel Taylor Photo

So whether you are looking for that romantic and intimate vibe or the sleek and modern feeling, either one of these venues would be outstanding for your special day.  There is a reason these two venues are trending and everyone can appreciate the details and creativity each venue can provide. 

Happy Venue Hunting

BBFN (Bridal Bliss for Now)
Olivia

Please Be Seated

We are over at Top Wedding Sites today, blogging about wedding seating. Come take a look...

http://www.topweddingsites.com/wedding-blog/?p=4535

Bridal Balancing Act, Keeping Everyone Happy

Being a bride is a balancing act in many ways. One of the toughest jobs you have is to keep all of the decision makers involved in your wedding happy. You have to establish priorities as a couple, and decide on what means the most to you. Then…

You need to figure out who else will be contributing to your wedding budget, and what spoken or unspoken expectations come with that financial contribution. Even if there are not immediately spoken expectations, they are there. Your father may be making a small contribution and seem laid back (but he assumes you want him to walk you down the aisle), your grandmother may want to pay for your gown (as long as it’s not strapless), mother may tell you that she trusts you to select a menu (as long as it doesn’t include fish), and his mother may make a passing comment that she knows a photographer (but what she is not saying is that she fully expects you to use said photographer).

Here are a few tips to help you navigate these tricky waters:

• Start the conversation early – the earlier you start to talk about each person’s vision for your wedding, the better. This gives you the most amount of time to find common ground.

• It is your day, be careful how often you assert that – everyone wants you to be happy with your wedding day. The memories will be most vivid for the two of you. BUT, you will surely earn the title of Bridezilla if you overuse that statement.

• Be prepared to make concessions – as you and your fiancee decide what is most important to you, also start to think about areas that you are willing to bend to keep people happy.

• Listen to others’ wishes – while you may be exhausted of listening to others opinions, you never know when someone will offer up a suggestion that you truly are excited about.

The old cliché is true, you can’t keep all of the people happy, all of the time. It is definitely in your best interest to figure out which people are most important for you to please, at least some of the time.

Happy Planning!

BBFN (Bridal Bliss for Now),
Olivia

Color of the Year

Our design studio team is busy working away on designs for brides throughout 2012. Our head designer takes time with each and every couple to truly bring their vision to life. Luckily, she took time from her busy schedule to sit down with me and talk the trends she’s seeing for 2012.


Color
The color of 2012 is… Purple! In every shade from lilac to plum to violet our brides can’t get enough purple. There are so many blooms that come in amazing shades of purple. Here are a few of our favorites:

We were somewhat surprised to learn that shamrock/kelly green has been sneaking its way into event design this year as well. We are using more green linen than ever before, and using green more often in lighting design as well. We have also been incorporating some green blooms into centerpieces and bouquets.

Moving Forward
Each year Pantone releases their color of the year, and in the past few years the release of that color has been making the news. However, it typically takes a couple of years for that color to filter it’s way into wedding and event design (thank you for pointing this out to us Sasha Souza). So while Pantone has said that Tangerine Tango is the color of the year 2012, we think it’ll be a year or two before we see requests for orange dresses, bouquets and linen.

We’re anticipating seeing lots of pink as we move into 2013.

What colors are you using in your wedding design?

BBFN (Bridal Bliss for Now),
Olivia