I love small intimate events! They are inevitably more budget friendly than larger events, and they allow you to spend your limited resources on personalizing every little detail.  In the very beginning stages of planning any event, especially your wedding day, you need to take the time to think about what’s really important to you and then get a good grasp on the cost of what you want so you can decide on the appropriate number of guests. The guest list can significantly impact what you can and can not afford for your wedding day.  If you’re a foodie and want great local sourced artesian food with wine served with each course, your budget may not allow you to invite 150 guests. While your parents may enjoy having 20 of their closest friends and their dates at their son or daughter’s wedding, it may significantly increases your guests count and in the end limit your ability to have the wedding that’s all about you and what you love. At this point it may be time to discuss who will be invited with all those involved with setting the guests list.  Everyone should understand what you want for your big day and the reasons why the guests list may need to be reined in if you have a limited budget to work with.

Now whether you’re having a small intimate or a large event, the use of long family tables can bring a great cozy family feeling to your wedding or event. Sharing a single table makes everyone feel like they’re sharing a great meal and celebrating together.

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As brides and grooms continue to think outside the box, household furniture and architectural details are increasingly being used as accent pieces in ceremonies and receptions. If you enjoy antiquing, you may find or already have a great piece that speaks to you, and this can be a great starting off point for your event design. The use of your favorite fabrics, pillows, and even area rugs can create a cozy, inviting, and uniquely personal event. After the big day, the pieces can then be used in your home and remind you of the day you said “I do”.

Here are some images from around the web that show how the use of furniture can create a unique and personal look.

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We like to create lounge areas where guests can kick back, relax and socialize.  The lounge continues to become more popular for weddings; it’s another aspect of the reception that adds excitement while giving that chill vibe to a room. Lounges can be added right around your dance floor for people to enjoy the entertainment; or they can be included in quieter surroundings where quests can have easy conversation.

Some designs can be very elaborate and some quite simple it all depends on the room you are working in, your design aesthetic and you vision of how your guests will enjoy their evening. In designing a lounge keep in perspective the room is for relaxing and socializing.  In this environment a lounge can be as simple as one sofa, and focal point of a refreshment bar or flowers.  The design should encompass some, if not all, of the five senses including sight, touch, smell, hearing and taste.

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So… if you are reading the current bridal blogs, you know that “Rustic” is Texas hot right now.  You can’t spit a watermelon seed around the internet without hitting a rustic or vintage barn wedding of gorgeousness!  And I think this has so much to do with the open barn door to creativity.  Barns are a blank slate begging for bridal personalization.  Dress it up for elegance, accept it as is for a barbecue feel, or meet it half way for a marriage of both.

Grace and Adam planned a barn fete June 26th with a touch of Irish whimsy to wink at the bride’s heritage, elegant tablescapes, and personal flourishes… in a gorgeous century old barn on the Armstrong Farm homestead.

This working farm features three event barns, and the homestead bed and breakfast, with various amenities (one even boasts geo-thermal air conditioning!) and each barn comes complete with a bed and breakfast residence for the bride and groom’s overnight stay;  Convenience and a pristine setting maintained with a great commitment by the ownership.

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hello hanna 2010 National Stationery Show Booth

The  coolest new product I came across at the 2010 National Stationery Show came from hello hanna, quite possibly the cutest creative studio ever!  Hello hanna’s Wishing Tree is the perfect addition to any bridal shower or wedding reception.  The FSC-certified tree comes with 40 ready-to-hang paper wishing ribbons with a display and adorable pink flowers to attach to the branches as well.  The Wishing Tree is available for only $39.95 starting in July.

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All you can say about this new color combination is HOT, HOT, HOT!!!!  It’s just so spicy and elegant all at the same time, I just love it

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In {take 1} I focused on a vibrant Spring or Summer fuchsia partner for a black and white damask base.  In {take 2} I ushered in the possibility of lush Fall hues as the counterpart to the black and white.  For {take 3} I want to share the quintessential accent for the black and white: RED.

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I’ve shown you black and white with a hot Spring or Summer color like fuschia for a partner in {take 1}.  How about black and white in a Fall setting?

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Lets jump into the first five out of top ten best crystal inspired winter wedding accents:

1.  Branch Decor:  Be it birch branches, curly willow, or manzanita…when festooned with some hanging votives, crystal drops, metallic glitter spray or lighting you have instant winter drama.  Branch decor can do double duty by accenting your ceremony location and then being used to add sparkling seasonal beauty at your reception as well, and it can be scaled down in size for table centerpiece presentations.  Check out my favorite retailer if you are a die hard DIY bride:  Save-on-crafts.

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We recently had a couple who wed at an ‘amusement park-turned-national park.’  Glen Echo in suburban Washington, DC is quickly becoming a hot spot for weddings and rightly so!  Photos by Documentary Associates:

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