Make Up: Blend True - Photographer: AKFotograf

Schedule a Trial Make up Consultation
A trial make up consultation is when you will decide on your final wedding day look. This also allows you to see first hand the style of the make up artist you are working with.

A make up trial does not obligate you to an artist, feel free to trial with numerous artists. Trials are not a free service but well worth your time and money. Bring photos or email them in advance of make up and hair styles you are interested in. Your make up artist will help you determine which would best suite you. Also bring a picture of your dress so the artist can get a good idea of your style.

Plan for a Touch up Kit
Unless you hire your make up artist for the full day you will need a touch up kit. You can either ask your artist to obtain a touch up kit for you which will add to your final cost. Or you can have your artist look over what you already own. This way the artist can tell you what if any thing you would need to purchase to maintain your look through out your special day.

Trial Hair
Not all make up artist do hair and may specialize in one more than the other. The day of your trial will help determine exactly which style you will choose for your wedding day. The hair style chosen will determine if they want you to arrive with clean hair or washed the day before. Make sure to bring any hair accessories you are interested in incorporating into the hair style with you.

Your trial should be a fun exciting experience, after all you are planning your big day. So enjoy your trial and all of your wedding plans ahead of you.

Guest Blogger, Laura Barone, a Blend True Make up Artist is located in Tampa, FL and available for worldwide travel. She Specializes in make up design for weddings, engagement, editorial, commercial, fashion, video, and TV.

model before & after by Blend True

BlowoutParty.com - Fairy & Dragon Party

The ultimate favor or additional dessert is becoming the trend that you want a taste of. A sweet station can add fun and color to your social event or wedding. Before you begin designing your sweet station, an important thing to remember is that it is an added expense and must be included in the planning of your event budget. Also, it is time consuming and you would be purchasing vases, containers, accessories, and linens you will only use on the event day. You can easily hire someone else to make it since there are outside companies that specialize in building sweet stations

Here is the fun part! Figure out what type of sweets you want to have for your station. Some options are candy buffet, chocolate fountain, dessert bar, ice cream station, the options are endless. You can choose to match the candy or pastries to the color scheme of your event or choose a rainbow of colors. Next, figure out how you would like your sweet station to look. Browse the web for pictures of others to give you more ideas.

thebridalsolutionllc.com

Look for unique vases, glasses, colored plastic bags, cup cake stands, dessert trays, etc. Clear containers are the best to show off your candy displays. Also use containers that are wide enough for a candy scoop to fit inside. A suggestion to make the whole look pop is to use display risers for some of the containers, giving your sweet station height. A finishing touch to the sweet station would be some flowers, a frame, candles, or diamond confetti that matches your color scheme.

Lastly, think about how your guests will take the sweets away from the station. Some great suggestions are using small cellophane bags, or classic white bags, Chinese takeout boxes, or favor boxes that may match the color scheme of your event. Whatever type of container you use, make it fun and personalize it with small stickers. A sweet station can look amazing if done right and will surely be a big hit with all the guests since it is different and unique. So whatever the occasion, a sweet station is a crowd pleaser!

For your next event, hire Vintage Ivy Events to create your amazing candy buffet that your guests will love and delight in! Please visit our website or contact us for consultation.

Trafalgar square Central London - Neli Prahova photography

Anniversary Wedding Photography is a variation of the famous concept ‘Trash the Dress’ but rather than photographing only the bride this is an opportunity for the couple to have some creative photos. Trash the dress type of photography session has gained popularity over the last few years with brides deciding to do something unique with their wedding dress rather than let it sit hidden in the wardrobe. If you store it it’s already forgotten.

The anniversary wedding photography is on the opposite end – it’s supercharged with vivid, romantic, beautiful, glamorous memories of the couple after their wedding…it is pure art. Destination wedding photographer Neli Prahova, prefers to call this type of session, “Creative wedding photography.” Such wedding photography sessions offer unique opportunity for the bride to wear her gown again, but this time in a less stressful atmosphere.

Central London Westminster Parliament - Neli Prahova Photography

Without the stress of the wedding day, the anniversary wedding photography provides plenty of time for set-up, different lighting scenarios, posing experiments, and a plethora of fun. As this session is fully dedicated to the couple it allows for some beautiful and creative images with a touch of romance to be captured. Also, without the pressure of the guests waiting for them, the couple is much more relaxed, which makes the results very rewarding.

The time and location for a session like this is limited only by one’s imagination. It is certainly more enjoyable for the couple to choose a place that they like or maybe a romantic place that has some significance to them. Neli Prahova has done shoots like these during the day on the beach, at sunset in a park, or at night in Trafalgar square in Central London.

What better present to yourself on your anniversary than to bring back the memories of your wedding day by dressing up and spending romantic moments in a beautiful place especially if it already carries special memories.

Docklands London - Neli Prahova photography

If you think about every little detail of your wedding, can carry a shade of green. You can start with wearing a silk or vintage dress, serve organic foods and decorate your venue with bamboo and potted plants. Every green choice will make a difference!

Here are some more great ideas on going “green” on your wedding day!
~ Offer an organic signature cocktail and toast with your local, organic wine!

~ Have your bridesmaids wear cute purses decorated with gems and rhinestones

~ Use local vendors! Have your local wedding bakery bake an organic cake!

~ Decorate with soy candles at your reception. They not only last longer than other candles, but are also better for the environment.

~ Save some paper when creating your invitations, there are companies out there that use recycled paper or enjoy the world of online invitations for date-savers and prewedding-parties.

~ Instead of printing escort cards for every single guest, surprise your guests and have ushers in white gloves walk your guests to their seats. Don’t have ushers? Print your guest name and table number on a stone as an alternative.

~ Edible favors are a great way of adding that special touch to your table setting or instead of spending money on favors you can ask your guests to donate to one of the many deserving charities out there.

~ Believe it or not but there are also eco-conscious jewelers out there that use recycled stones and metals to create one of a kind jewelry.

~ Because many conventional cosmetics contain toxic chemicals, using all-natural beauty and hair products or seeking out a green salon for your wedding day will be much better for your health.

~ Most of our photographers are already one step ahead, they went digital a long time ago and we all know the huge benefits of that!

~ A romantic ride on a white horse carriage, a ride on that antique bicycle or even crossing the lake on a canoe.. all of these transportation ideas can reduce the air pollution if chosen instead of the traditional limousine.

Happy green wedding planning!

WeddingWire, the nation’s leading wedding technology company, is pleased to announce that Vintage Ivy Events is WeddingWire Rated 2011 for wedding planning services in Maryland. WeddingWire Rated is an annual award program that distinguishes wedding vendors across the country for their excellence. Based on hundreds of thousands of recent wedding reviews, WeddingWire Rated is the most recognized and trusted brand among engaged couples looking to find the best local businesses for their wedding.

“We are delighted to unveil the 5th annual WeddingWire Rated program,” said Timothy Chi, CEO, WeddingWire, Inc. “Vintage Ivy Events has made a commitment to capturing their clients experiences on the nation’s leading wedding review site.”

Reviews by our brides include detailed ratings and insightful descriptions about their experiences working with our business and staff. Our reviews provide transparency for potential clients, assisting them in making the most informed decisions for their big day.

As the largest site for wedding reviews, WeddingWire empowers engaged couples with the most comprehensive and trusted review system available. The WeddingWire Rated program provides Vintage Ivy Events with a simple platform to capture customer feedback from their wedding planning experience. Newly engaged couples can easily access all of the reviews for Vintage Ivy Events on WeddingWire.com.

We would like to thank our brides for our WeddingWire Rated 2011 recognition.

photo - imabeautygeek.com

Start a Skin Cleansing Regimen

Beauty starts with flawless skin and beginning a regular skin cleansing process is the perfect way to improve skin health. There will be many pictures taken on the wedding day, some of them close-up, and the many guests offering congratulatory hugs will bring the bride’s skin even more into focus. A skin-cleansing regimen should include cleansing, make-up removal, and a daily moisturizer. Add an exfoliant once or twice per week for additional cleansing.

Drink More Water

Water is essential to women’s health and during the stressful wedding planning months, it is important to stay hydrated to remain healthy. Resolve to drink 8 to 10 glasses of water per day to promote skin, bone and body health. In addition, drinking water aids in weight loss as feelings of hunger can actually mean dehydration.

Start a Fitness Program

For many brides, the stress of planning a wedding can lead to weight gain due to stress eating and lack of exercise. For the new year, resolve to begin a regular fitness program, by either joining a gym, taking walks during lunch or simple at-home exercises that can be found online. For brides who are already exercising regularly, resolving to continue the routine regularly or adding additional stress relief exercises, such as yoga or Pilates can be beneficial.

photo - dcdentistoffice.com

Begin Teeth Whitening

Nothing makes a bride feel more attractive than a bright smile, and using teeth whitening products is one of the best ways to insure that smile is the brightest it can be on the big day. Although dentists offer whitening services, a simple at-home whitening kit can whiten teeth noticeably as well. If a more professional look is desired there are many Maryland, Virginia and DC Dentist offices that offer a variety of services.

These simple New Year’s resolution ideas for brides can help reduce the stress involved in planning a wedding as well as create the beautiful, flawless skin, hair and body that every bride desires.

http://www.duy.im

Happy New Year Everyone!

Vintage Ivy Events is so excited about 2012 and the many projects we will be working on. But let’s start off with congratulating our newly engaged brides and all of the brides who are getting married in 2012. We are looking forward to planning, designing, supporting, advising, coordinating, counseling, and so much more with all of you.

In time for the new year, we have updated our website because we realize the importance of our clients and vendors viewing our website mobile and unfortunately, having a flash website was just not doing it. In every aspect we thought of You!

Another great concept on our website is our newsletter request, which we sent our first newsletter this morning, Hooray! VIE wants to give back to the wedding community valuable information they can use to have an unforgettable wedding. We want to help as many brides as we can with great tips that can save them time and money. So sign up for our newsletter so you won’t miss out.

While going through the updates of our website, we revamped our blog page as well. This year our goal is to feature articles from guest bloggers as well as us. It’s important to collaborate with other colleagues in the wedding industry and I must say it’s great to find out how other people view different topics and you learn other ways of getting the job done or hot new trends for weddings.

Also, check us out on Twitter and Facebook. We’ve updated our FB fanpage to something more appealing (don’t forget to like us).

Twitter – www.twitter.com/vintageivyevent
Facebook – www.facebook.com/vintageivyevents

So with out further a do, We Welcome U into the New Year and we look forward to working with you!

(article from Black Weddings website)

When you book your reception site, be sure that you understand what’s included in the rental fee. Each venue is different, so you have to clarify with the site manager which items the venue provides and which wedding rentals you must provide. (this list of questions to ask your wedding reception site will help you determine what’s included) As always, make sure that everything you have agreed upon is put in writing. Depending on the venue – and the type of reception you’re planning – you may need to supply some, if not all the items listed below.

Wedding Rentals Checklist

Tables

Here’s a breakdown of the types of tables you may need:

Guest Tables -

36-inch rounds seat 4-6 guests

48-inch rounds seat 6-8 guests

60-inch rounds seats 8-10 guests (most common size)

6 ft rectangle seats about 8 guests

Cake Table(s) -

Appropriate size depends on size of cake, whether you’ll also have a groom’s cake, and whether you’ll display both cakes on the same or separate tables. 48-inch round usually works well

Head Table -

Seats bridal party. Often consists of rectangular tables placed end-to-end.

Sweetheart Table – in place of head table, small table that seats the bride and groom while the rest of the wedding party sits at guest tables.

Buffet Tables -

If you have decided on a buffet dinner, you’ll need to arrange several food stations, such as meet carving, etc. (Buffet tables may be provided by the catering company.)

Gift Table -

Size depends on the number of guests you are expecting.

Guest Book Table -

A small table for your reception guest book.

DJ Table -

A small table (6 feet rectangular) for the Deejay’s set up and equipments.

Chairs

For a seated dinner or buffet, you will need to provide seating for all reception guests. For a buffet style cocktail reception you may able to get away with enough chairs for half or more of the total number of guests. You may need to rent or purchase chair covers separately. High chairs for children should be available from rental companies.

Linens and Chair covers

Linens and Chair covers may be included with the rented tables and chairs, or you may need to source them elsewhere.

Tableware

For a formal sit-down reception, tables are usually set with complete place settings. At a buffet reception where guests serve themselves, plates and silverware may be located at the buffet table.

Tent

A large tent or canopy may be required for receptions held outdoors to protect you and your guests from the sun or rain.

Options: Tents and canopies come in different sizes and colors. A smaller tent (20-by-20 feet) will accommodate about 40 guests at a sit-down dinner. A 20-by-40 about 200, and a 60-by-100 about 500 or more. Depending on the shape of your reception area, you may need to rent several smaller canopies rather than one large one. Contact several party rental suppliers to discuss the options.

Take pictures of the site for references for your tent rental company. Although they should survey the facility themselves before they set up the tent, the pictures are a good reference for them when you first set up an appointment.

Heaters/Air Conditioners

You may need to rent heaters if your reception will be held outdoors and if the temperature may drop below sixty-five degrees. There are electric and gas heaters, both of which come in different sizes. Gas heaters are more popular since they do not have unsightly and unsafe electric cords. In warmer climates, portable AC units may be rented for outdoor events.