Color Me Gorgeous!

The weather has been contagious! Warm rays of sunshine... Soft night time breezes... These months are my favorite, to say the least. I thrive on beautiful weather. It's this weather that's to blame for making me a very happy wedding planner.

With beautiful weather comes a lovely ray of color. When you see me roaming the streets of Houston, you'll see me draped in color. Beautiful greens, bright yellows, tangerines... I LOVE COLOR! Think of the beautiful array of color seen in Indian Garb. That's the color! Yep... A nice color combination can be the best antidote to a drab day.

Okay, here's a great dose of color for you to explore: India Collection by OPI. DELICIOUS!

Here are a few of my favorites:
CURRY UP DON'T BE LATE -- Perfect neutral for a bright fashion statement.
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KEYS TO MY KARMA -- Wouldn't this be perfect against yellow?
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ROYAL RAJAH RUBY -- I can't wait to see this against my oh so fabulous green dress!
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I'M INDIA MOOD FOR LOVE -- ... because every girl needs a luscious hot pink!
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Visit OPI for more details on the entire collection!

{Photo Credits: OPI}

Hats Off To Terrica!!

Oh my gosh!!! I'm so fond of Terrica Skaggs of Fabu-Luxe Events! If you haven't visited her blog. You are missing out on some pretty fabulous straight talk from The Diva herself. Terrica recently submitted a post to her blog titled "Four Wedding Planning Myths You Can't Afford To Believe." I'll end with: YOU MUST READ IT!

A Fabulous Contest from a FANTASTIC Photographer!

Hello guys,

Valentine's Day is quickly approaching and Mark Eric (the brain behind www.trashthedress.com) has a wonder Valentine's promotion running for guys planning to pop the question on either February 14th, 15th, or 16th. The lucky winner will win a documented proposal photo session, a free engagement session, and a few other fabulous undisclosed prizes. Visit his photo journal at www.markeric.squarespace.com!

A Glimpse Into Houston's 2008 Wedding Trends!

As we begin a new year, it's always exciting to take a look at the current wedding trends. Let's take a look at what Houston has in store for 2008 wedding trends!

BLING, BLING, and more BLING...
Count on seeing crystals of all kinds evolve into every little aspect of this year’s wedding décor. What begin as simple crystal accents in a bridal bouquet has come full circle into a total statement! Darryl Murchison and his team of designers do a remarkable job of pulling crystals into the overall décor design. Brides to be will notice a wonderful array of wedding designers who offer very trend complimenting gowns designed with Swarovski crystals. You'll notice bling everywhere: flowers, centerpieces, stationery, favor accents, attire, linens, and cake toppers and brooch accents!


Goodbye Chocolate... HELLO Noir!
We all know that for the past few years, chocolates and browns were a great mix with pastels. There's no doubt that chocolates are taking a back seat to black accents. Black will be the accent color of choice amongst many this year. There's a certain level of elegance that no other color can come close to. From simple additions to black bridesmaids’ dresses, black will be a canvas to allow color to POP! You will also see a trend of black and white paired with an accent color: green, red, purple or pink, almost any color of the rainbow will work! NOIR… it’s an unspoken elegance!



Speaking of color... Go BOLD
Couples will embrace the use of bold color schemes. Houston is a cultural melting pot, and many cultures use rich, bold colors as platforms for their wedding décor. This tradition has spilled into the trends of so many others. The proof is in the pudding. As couples step out of their traditional way of doing things, it's certain that there are little boundaries when developing color palates.


Textures and Feathers
Texture is popping up everywhere, what begin with fruit filled centerpieces is now growing to use of other elements, namely feathers. You will notice a wider use of feathers in centerpieces and floral arrangements. OHHH... I would so love to see this at a French inspired space such as Chateau Polonez! Totally YUMMY...!!



A Total Space Transformation!
Once upon a time, couples would shop for a reception location that's dressed and ready for a party! This meant that they would not have to invest as much into dressing the place up for their reception. Today, that couldn't be further from the truth. Couples are totally transforming blank space or tenting space and totally bringing it to life. Today's couple want their guest to live an experience, from over the top cakes, customized lighting, large centerpieces made up of more than flowers, plenty of candle light, customized lounge areas, coffee shops, cigar stations, and fabulous favors. Couples are making sure their guest truly enjoy their wedding and experience an event that's over the top and unique to their personalities.

Going Green
Couples embracing the green wedding concept and are doing what they can to help the environment by hosting a "green celebration." This doesn't mean that they will have a wedding based on the color green. Green weddings are weddings planned with while using environmentally friendly ideas. How can you have an elegant wedding that your guests will rave about for ages? Simple! There are so many resources and ideas available. Many vendors are ready to help you do your part in saving the environment. From plantable invitations to organic food items, the possibilities are endless. Our friend, Liene Stevens over at Blue Orchid Designs has begun a group on flicker that has member submitted pictures of green items to help you develop your overall green wedding elements. We have a list of other resources available to help you keep your wedding as green as possible. Contact us for details.

Let's Party... and party a little more!
So... you don't want the celebration to end? Well you're not alone. Many of today's couples are opting for additional reception hours and activities. It's not uncommon for a local wedding celebration to literally last all day and spill into the wee hours of the morning. More often we are seeing couples add hours to their reception timeline with plenty thought into their ultimate goal of keeping their party alive. You're not alone if you're planning a party like a rock star!

The Destination Wedding Trend Continues...
As Echo Boomers (offspring of baby boomers) reach their peak wed age, destination weddings continue to be a huge hit. As Baby Boomers were the first to truly step out of traditional way of doing things, their children will no doubt continue along this path and host non-tradition nuptials. Destination weddings remain to be the better option for various reasons. Couples who want to share their wedding experience on foreign ground often decide to plan a fête afar. Those who want to plan an excursion of island hopping may choose to wed in one location and immediately honeymoon on neighboring islands. The reasoning may vary, but the idea is still very much a trend that will spill into this year. Contact us to find out if a destination wedding is a right fit for you.



Did you say.... "Trash the Dress?"
I most certainly did! I have to credit the fabulous Marc Eric for introducing us to the idea of a trash the dress session. Many couples are deciding to end their festivities with a fun photo shoot in an untraditional setting. This idea is very fitting, but not limited to, a destination wedding. If you are planning a destination wedding, don't forget to book your photographer for a romantically fun and artistic trash the dress session. There something about a newly married couple laying in a puddle starring into each other's eyes that only the camera and a trained photographer can capture. Visit Marc’s website and Trash the Dress blog for a beautiful display of trash the dress sessions.



{photo credits: brides.com; bbjlinen.com; weddingbycolor.com; americanbridal.com; beau-coup.com; decoratemywedding.com; partysparkle.co.uk}

Fantasy Island

Welcome to Fantasy Island!

Today’s fantasy: Guana Island. Guana Island is a part of the Caribbean that remains untouched. Located in the British Islands, Guana has seven powder white sand beaches, miles of tropical forest, mountains, hills, and valleys that total 850 beautiful acres that houses 32 guests on one island. It’s located at the meeting point of the sparkling Caribbean waters and the Atlantic.


What’s the fantasy? One can rent out the entire island! To arrive on the island, you must fly into Beef Island, take a taxi and then you will be transported by boat to the Island. Known for its hidden luxury, each guest will enjoy acres of privacy. Each guest accommodation has an average of 30 acres of privacy. There are no public facilities of any kind. You won’t be totally excluded from the happenings, as Guana has WiFi access. It’s a perfect private get-away!


What’s included in this private island rental? Mean inclusions are three meals per day, with wine at lunch and dinner, prepared by your West Indian Chefs. By the way, these chefs are known for their excellent American, Continental, and Caribbean cuisine preparation. You’ll also enjoy afternoon tea and coffee, daily cocktail hour and hors d’ oeuvres. Standard bar and beverages, beach barbecues, three group round trip boat and taxi transfers to Beef Island, and wash and fold laundry service. Activities include tennis, sunfish, kayaking, pedal boats, windsurfing, kicking, crocket, ping pong, snorkeling, fishing, and more. All of these activities are included, but additional excursions are available.

To keep with the untouched feel, there are no guest room phones or televisions. You may use your own cell phones may be used out of sight and sound of other guest.

What does it cost to fulfill this fantasy? Rates start at $19,500 per night for up to 32 guests. That’s only $610.00 per night, per person. Yes, Guana is available for small intimate weddings!

What may be a fantasy to some, can be a reality to others? Absolutely!

{images from guana.com}
visit www.guana.com

Spring 2008 Fashion Trends

We stumbled on clips featuring spring 2008 fashion trends. Surprisingly, Paris will be graced with floral prints and floral dimensional elements in their designs. Being the fashion icons for everyone else’s trends, I'm sure American designers will tail this trend in 2009. Visit Style.com for a look into what all the designers have planned for us this spring!

Yum! Yum! Just in time for Christmas!!

If you're anything like me, Christmas is a perfect reason to throw a fabulous bash! I so look forward to the holiday season and all the wonderful party opportunities. Big parties, small parties, house parties, corporate parties... I LOVE THEM ALL!

In my quest for this year's signature beverage, I instantly fell in love with Blueprint's cover. Okay, okay... I admit. I'm a sucker for anything pink, but this holiday decor really works. America fell in love with the pink and gold color scheme in the 1940's and 50's. Well guess what? History repeats itself! My only problem is that, in my house, masculine males are of the overwhelming majority. I don't think they'll embrace the idea of a pink tree just yet . However, for those of you that can get away with it... Go for it! Pick up a copy of Blueprint or view the online version to view it yourself and get all the details of this retro holiday decor design. Let's face it, anything Martha Stewart is definitely worth taking a break and viewing!

At any rate, I've found my signature beverage for this year's bash. Doesn't it look scrumptious?! This light and festive champagne beverage is sure to wow your party goers. Here's the recipe link directly to Blueprint's website.

Once you have your perfect holiday cocktail, you have to have the perfect cocktail glass to display your creation. Cocktail Vibe has just the eye candy you need. You're sure to find something you'll absolutely adore. After all, your holiday cocktail just won't be the same without fabulous means to display and serve it. Right?!... R I G H T! So go ahead... What are you waiting for?