Holiday Sip-n-Shop Party!!

I cannot believe the Holiday Party frenzy has begun! We are happy to be apart of this fun, boutique event hosted by one of our favorite people- the talented photographer- Christine Gallagher. Join us on December 3rd to shop for unique and creative LOCAL Holiday gifts while enjoying cocktails and good company. RSVP by e-mailing Christine at info@christinegallagher.net and be sure you visit her BIG, beautiful new blog! Hope to see you there!

Sneak Peek: Anne Barge & Badgley Mischka Brides Fall 2009 Collections

I was so excited to be one of the few people in the country to preview Anne Barge and Badgley Mischka Brides Fall 2009 collection at "An Evening of Bridal Style" in Anne's beautiful Atlelier here in Atlanta tonight. These are just 2 of my favorites:

And for a stunning splurge...... This gown is hand beaded by the same crew that beads Valentino's gowns

See the Manager Nicola or Sales Consultant Annie for an unparalleled sales experience in the heart of Buckhead! And don't be suprised if Anne herself is there- she is so gracious and modest!

luxe bites

I LOVE this idea! Serve this classic duo: edible spoons full of caviar with mini vodka chasers. Worried about breaking the bank? Don't fear- the catering pros suggest limiting exotic or expensive foods to cocktail hour. You won't need to splurge on the cost of a serving for every guest and anyone who isn't interested will enjoy other options.

VOTE

I hope everyone is planning to vote tomorrow! I thought this design board from Snippet and Ink would get us all in a patriotic mood... The only thing I would add to this board is these stunning Manolo Blahniks as seen in the Sex and the City movie. I think that last post has me dreaming of fabulous shoes!

Think Pink!

Just a reminder as we wrap up the month to continue to think pink! with breast cancer awareness and screenings all year long- not just in October. These fabulous hot pink Christian Louboutins {featured on the cover of Brides Magazine this Summer} have been on our mind as they are the inspiration for Jennifer and Greg's wedding in the Spring. They are using a simple and sophisticated black and white color palette with bright splashes of pink. I can't wait to see this design board we created come to life!

{click on image to enlarge}

Happy Anniversary Elizabeth & Brendan!

I wanted to post this earlier in the month {closer to their actual wedding date}, but the month flew by! I would like to wish my good friends Liz & Brendan a Happy 1 Year Anniversary! They were married last October at Rhodes Hall. It was such an honor (and a nice change of pace!) to be in a wedding and it was so much fun! Here are some of my favorite images from their day courtesy of the super talented Marc Climie:

Liz affectionately refers to Brendan as "Bear," so he sent her a bear for her wedding gift as she was getting ready. This bear had a super sweet note attached along with a second wedding band Liz had her eye on...

I love this shot of Liz and her Dad just before they walk down the aisle...

I see this at almost every wedding and it always makes me smile {it takes a while for the groom to get used to his new hardware}

One of Brendan's friends is a fabulous swing dancer and he managed to get Liz's step-sister out on the dance floor. I love her dress and shoes!

Erica & David

Erica and David had their Fall garden wedding and reception at Glen Errol Estate on September 13th. I love that Jewish weddings are so rich in tradition, so I thought this would be the perfect post to talk about some of those traditions. Erica and David were fortunate to have Erica's Aunt cater their wedding- she really went all out for them. As guests arrived, they were greeted with champagne and hors d'oeuvres and were able to mingle with friends and family for a bit. Just before the ceremony began, Erica and David signed the ketubah, which is the Hebrew marriage "contract" that the couple will hang in their home as a reminder of their comittment to one another. The ceremony then took place outside under a beautiful birchwood chuppah- a marriage canopy that symbolizes the home the bride and groom will build together. The chuppah is typically open on all sides as a symbol of hospitality to their family and friends. As the ceremony progressed, the Rabbi said a blessing over a glass of wine. This ritual of sanctification- with blessings recited over a cup of wine- is known as kiddush. Erica and David then both drank from the kiddush cup. As the ceremony came to a close, David broke the wedding glass as everyone proclaimed "mazel tov," which literally means "good fortune" in Hebrew, but is often used to mean "Congratulations." Guests then enjoyed cocktails and more hors d'oeuvres until both Erica and David's Uncles blessed the challah bread before dinner. Erica's Mother made the Challah and the family was so excited because they all say she makes the best challah! Everyone then enjoyed 2 elaborate buffets of a variety of food and a huge dessert display prepared by Erica's Grandmother. Family and friends then danced the night away including dancing the hora when the bride and groom are raised up in chairs as their guests join hands and dance in a circle around the couple. Guests enjoyed a candy bar on their way out and as I was cleaning up for the night, I noticed that one of the guests is a dentist and had left several of his cards on the candy bar- hilarious. What a lovely day full of special traditions and family touches. Thank you so much to Shannon Belletti for these beautiful images and for always being a pleaure to work with!

DOUBLE Blog Love + a Giveaway!

The fabulous Southern Weddings Magazine blog is hosting a giveaway from one of our favorite Atlanta stationers, Gia Graham. Gia, formerly of the stationary design house Paper Dolls Design, has created a new stationary company called betsywhite with truly unique, beautiful and fun stationary. Betsy White is offering $100 Gift Certificate to one lucky Southern Weddings reader, valid for any purchase on betsywhite.com. All you have to do to enter is to stop by the SW blog and leave a comment before this Friday (October 31st). Good Luck and be sure you stop by betsywhite's blog, Flights of Fancy, for regular inspiration and some of our real weddings!

Walking, walking, walking.....

This weekend I will be doing the Susan G. Komen 3-Day 60 mile walk to promote breast cancer awareness a raise money for research. Thank you to all of my friends, family, clients and colleagues who donated to this great cause- you are the best! I will not be available via e-mail and phone through Monday, but we will be answer all e-mails and phone calls no later than Tuesday and will be back to the blog next week with info on wedding websites and pictures from Erica and David's lovely garden wedding. Wish me luck!!!!

winter wedding warm up

Since the weather has been cooler this week I have had my mind on Winter weddings and ways to stay warm. What came to mind, you may ask...? Hot chocolate, of course! I was thinking that it would be so fun to replace the oh-so-typical coffee station with a hot chocolate bar with white, milk and dark hot chocolate and lots of flavors of homemade marshmallows such as those found on Plush Puffs. Mmmmm- I'm getting warmer already!