Well it finally hit 70 beautiful degrees here in Woodstock today!  Spring is officially here and you know what that means...flowers!  And it just so happens that beautiful blooms of all sizes are one of the hottest trends in bridal gowns for the 2010 wedding season.  Flower applique's offer that touch of feminism whimsy and romance.  Top wedding dress designers like Melissa Sweet, Claire Pettibone, Maggie Sottero, as well as newcomers like Beth Elis all of their own unique take on the trend.  Check out some of the hottest styles below!

    
Claire Pettibone                               Maggie Sottero

    
Melissa Sweet                                 Beth Elis

    
Farah Angsana                                Galina Signature

Ahoy Mateys!

It has been quite an eventful party planning month, especially for what is typically a long, cold February here in the northwest suburbs.  February, however, is filled with family birthdays…hooray!  Therefore, Something Blue Weddings, a.k.a. me, has had the privilege of planning two different events: a Pirate Party for my now 25 year old husband, and a 50^th Surprise Birthday party for my mother-in-law.

First, the Pirate Party was an absolute blast to plan and coordinate.  No matter the size of the event, it is always the details that make it or break it!  And, you can be sure the details of this party definitely made it.  For decorations we used several treasure chests filled with costume jewelry, gold coins, and gold confetti.  Also, we had a great piece of netting that we hung up on the wall an placed different sea creatures in it.  Each guest of the party came in their finest pirate garb including eye patches, bandanas, hoop earrings, and even a parrot.  All of the pirate guests were given their very own weapon (cut from wood and painted silver and black).  The menu was made up of what pirates have in abundance…seafood!  We served shrimp, crab, and chicken skewers along with faux rum and pina colada punch to drink.  And, we even designed a treasure map that led the birthday boy to his “buried treasure” a.k.a. presents!  It just goes to show that any event, big or small, can be a planning success with just a little creativity and attention to detail! 

The 50^th Surprise Party was held at the Woodstock Opera House Stage Left Café for about 80 guests.  It was the perfect venue for an old movie themed party.  It has movie posters, a big velvet red curtain, stage lights, and over twenty small café tables for guests to be seated at.  The staff, Lori and Jean, were a delight to work with and extremely helpful.  The surprise party has been in the works since last October and managed to remain a secret the whole time!  I really wanted this event to contain some of my mother-in-laws favorite things, so it would truly be an event that she would enjoy.  First of all that meant getting all of the people that she loves and those that have played a part in her life there.  I sent out handmade invitations that I designed that incorporated the theme colors of black, ivory, and burgundy with a gold accent.  Enclosed with each invitation was a card asking guests to write a word of encouragement to the birthday girl and also bring along a photo to share at the party.  So many people responded to this!  All of the notes and photos are being put together into a memory album as a keepsake.  Also, as a form of entertainment I designed a game for guests to play if they so chose.  Throughout the room were ten frames containing scenes and quotes from my mother-in-law’s favorite movies.  Guests were invited to guess and check their answers at a large answer board I had designed out of thick foam poster board.  And, even the cake was complete with a quote from her favorite movie of all time, It’s a Wonderful Life.  All of the planning and effort was worth it when she came walking into a surprise from 80 of her closest friends and family.  And, she has since let me know that it was the best birthday she has ever had because it was so very, very personal.  Another success! J

If you have a party coming up…shower, anniversary, birthday, etc. please don’t hesitate to call.  I’d love to help plan and coordinate, or just do some major brainstorming together.  Something Blue Weddings loves to plan more than just weddings because my heart is for the planning!

Time to start selecting and sending out your Save-the-Date cards all of you 2010 summer and fall brides!

Save-the-Date cards are used to inform your guests of your upcoming wedding so that they can arrange to keep your big day free.  Although not necessary, it is advantageous to send a Save-the-Date card particularly when your wedding takes place near a holiday, during a busy wedding or tourist season, if you’re inviting many guests from out of state, or if you’re having a destination wedding.  In general, Save-the-Date cards should be sent out anywhere between 6-9 months before your wedding date.  Also, each guest that receives a Save-the-Date must receive an invitation.  A good idea is to always add “invitation to follow” at the bottom of the Save-the-Dates so guests don't confuse it for the actual invitation.

Save-the-Date cards are typically informal so use your imagination to generate excitement about your wedding.  A great way to personalize a Save-the-Date is to have a photo of the two of you on it.  Also, a popular way to help guests remember your wedding day is to have the Save-the-Dates printed on magnets that guests can place on their refrigerator to help them remember.  And, it’s a fun keepsake for friends and family as well!  Check out Magnet Street Weddings online at http://www.magnetstreet.com/store/home/market/517 for a great selection of Save-the-Date magnets and quick service as well.  Check out the examples below!  Or, DIY (do it yourself) and have your own photos printed or create your own Save-the-Dates out of cardstock and other scrapbooking embellishments.  Just make sure that they reflect your personal style!

Something Blue Tip: Cut costs by sending out Save-the-Date cards only to those traveling great distances or those needing to request time off work or make other arrangements far in advance.

Never underestimate the power and impact of pattern and texture.  I find a lot of brides spend hours and hours contemplating a color scheme, but then end up stopping there.  Choosing a pattern, shape, or texture adds a whole new element of interest to your wedding design.  For example, imagine a simple country wedding, held outside in the summer, with refreshing cold lemonade served to the guests.  The bride has chosen a pretty white, tan, and pale yellow color scheme, but to it she adds a yellow gingham checked pattern.  This pattern is used on the table runners or table cloths, used in the ribbons that tie the bubbles, the bow on the flower girl's dress, etc.  It just adds another dimension and really accentuates the country wedding theme. (See pic example below)

And the great thing about pattern is that there is a neverending supply of them.  Anything from polka dots, to stripes, to paisley, to flowers, to geometric shapes...anything your mind can imagine!  One of my favorite patterns that is very popular right now is the damask.  It's very traditioal, but a lot of brides and designers have really put a modern twist on it and it looks very clean and contemporary.  See my Black & White Winter Damask design board below.

Well brides to be, as you consider the look, feel, and design of your big day, I hope I've convinced you to consider adding a pattern to your color scheme as well!

I just had the chance to swing by the Swiss Maid Bakery located on our wonderful Woodstock Square!  I met with Laura who took the time to explain what they can offer to brides and grooms looking for that perfect cake.  Here are the highlights:

1)      They meet with each couple for a full hour and allow them to page through a myriad of books filled with all of their cake design work.

2)      They encourage brides and grooms to bring in pictures from magazines and the internet and Swiss Maid has the experience and skill to create almost anything you can bring in.

3)      The Swiss Maid bakery cakes servings are GENEROUS to say the least…much larger pieces of cake compared to competitors in the area.

4)      The bakery has been serving Woodstock and the surrounding areas including as far as Rockford and Lake Geneva for 75 years.

5)      Also, they provide many other ways to indulge and add a real wow factor to a wedding reception including dessert tables, cupcake towers, chocolate covered strawberries, and much, much more.

Well there you go!  Just some info about local bakery and wedding cake designers Swiss Maid Bakery located at 122 N. Benton Street, Woodstock, Illinois 60098.  I’ll be heading back soon to do my own personal cake tasting with Laura and I’ll be sure to post all of the delicious details from that meeting as well!