Next event is scheduled to be on
June 14, 2012

This unique bridal show will be held at
Pier 5 Hotel/Harbor Magic from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm
711 Eastern Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21202
for Directions Please Click Here

The Hotel is located directly on the water facing the Inner Harbor, ajecent to the National Aquarium. Easy access from I-95 and I-395.

Admission is ONLY $5.00 at the door, ONLY $3.00 if you register online. And all the funds go to support Caring Communities, a local charity that helps children and adults with disabilities. See www.caringcommunities.org for more info.

Baltimore’s newest and most exciting bridal show and wedding expo… if you are engaged, or planning a wedding or other social event, then DON’T MISS THIS BALTIMORE BRIDAL SHOW!

Tour the beautiful Pier 5 Hotel with it’s lovely waterfront view, adjacent to The National Aquarium in Baltimore, and within walking distance of Little Italy and Power Plant Live. Make it a date night by attending the show and dining in downtown Baltimore.

]]> http://www.vintageivyevents.com/2012/charm-city-brides-and-grooms-expo/feed 0 http://www.vintageivyevents.com/2012/gay-and-lesbian-wedding-expo-in-dc-may-6th http://www.vintageivyevents.com/2012/gay-and-lesbian-wedding-expo-in-dc-may-6th#comments Sat, 05 May 2012 13:02:04 +0000 vintagei http://www.vintageivyevents.com/?p=2436

Photo © Mary Wood Photography, Atlanta

Join Vintage Ivy Events on Sunday May 6, 2012 from 1:00-4:00 pm as we celebrate the enactment of equal marriage rights for LGBTQ couples in the nation’s capital at the elegant Renaissance Washington, DC Dupont Circle Hotel.

The afternoon will be filled with joy and a diversity of helpful resources to facilitate you & your partner in planning Your Perfect Ceremony. And best of all, attendence for the general public is FREE!

Communicate with over 30 gay-friendly businesses: Wedding Coordinators, Officiants, Ceremony & Reception Venues, Cake Decorators, DJs and Musical Ensembles, Floral Designers, Travel Professionals and Honeymoon Getaways, Legal Professionals, Parenting Resources and many more. Each exhibitor is supportive and welcoming of marriage equality; ready to assist you & your partner in creating the Special Day of your dreams!

The Expo will feature Tips & Trends, Music, Samples and Interactive Presentations, including words from the founders of RainbowWeddingNetwork.com, who will share vital insights about making a difference every day in our attainment of equal rights across America.

Photo by Eikon World

Are you planning your Yoruba (Nigerian) Traditional Wedding? Well, here is how the process is done.

The Introduction Ceremony: This is the part of the ceremony where the groom’s family introduces themselves to the bride’s family, and asks for their daughter’s hand in marriage to their son. It would take place before the traditional engagement ceremony or wedding.

The Traditional Engagement

The participants of this are:

*The groom and his family

*Olopa Iduro (this translates to ‘standing policeman’): an appointed speaker by the groom’s family; could be a family member, or hired for the occasion.

*The bride and her family

*Olopa Ijoko (this translates to ‘sitting policeman’): an appointed speaker by the bride’s family; could be a family member, or hired for the occasion.

*Others if the families so choose.

The introduction takes place at the bride’s house or venue choice, and her family is responsible for the preparations and costs, but if the groom’s family is able to, they can suggest helping out with some of the costs and/or the food. Both parties are in traditional attire, and I have not heard anywhere that these have to be matching.

Upon entrance into the bride’s home, the groom’s family kneels (the women do that) or prostrate (the men do that) for the bride’s parents. The groom’s family and the bride’s family sit on opposite sides of the room, with the bride and groom sitting closer to the center, and the olopa iduro and olopa ijoko sitting in the very middle.

The olopa iduro introduces the groom and his family to the bride and her family. He then brings a proposal letter from the groom’s family, usually tied with a pink ribbon, and gives it to the groom’s family, through the olopa ijoko. The letter is read out, and responded to verbally on the spot. Since this is mostly a formality, and it is already known that the couple will marry, there usually is not much rejection at this point. Usually, a prayer is said at this point, and some symbolic items of food are tasted by the olopa’s and then passed around to the guests. These include:

*obi (kola nut) is shared, during which the following words are repeated:

*Won ma gbo (they will ripen). Won ma to (they will eat and not go hungry). Won ma d’agba (they will grow old)

*ata ire: this consists of many seeds, and it is opened up, and the superstition is that the number of seeds that fall out is the number of children the couple will bear.

*oyin (honey), sugar, ireke (sugar cane): these all symbolize that the union will be sweet.

Some additional words may be exchanged, then gifts are exchanged, and then the families and guests eats traditional food, and there may be singers and drummers for some celebration later.

During the engagement ceremony the families are introduced to each other formally so the invited guest are familiar with everybody in either family. The two family would normally have a speaker each to relay messages across to the other, this is done in the ceremony (the brides family would sit on one side and the grooms on the other. A reply to the letter asking for their daughters hand in Marriage is read out by the brides sister or younger relative or even the speaker on the brides side. Along with other things, the grooms family will come to this ceremony with traditional food stuff such as; yam, palm oil, sugar, ram, drinks and many more.. other things the grooms family will provide is a suitcase packed with traditional clothing include shoe, bags, jewelry and in some cases they will have to give a DOWRY…This is known as the bride price.The couple usually gives each other a Bible or Quran, give each other rings, and they may say some words to each other. After this ceremony the bride goes back to her fathers house to prepare for the wedding day. please visit www.motherlandnigeria.com/life.html.

CHESAPEAKE BEACH RESORT & SPA BRIDAL SHOW

Romance awaits at the Chesapeake Beach Resort & Spa Bridal Show. Let their waterfront views sweep you off your feet as you discover their new Waterfront Wedding Dome. Come sample culinary delights, listen to live music and envision your perfect wedding day. Featuring the best vendors in the area, the Resort will be lined with florists, deejays, bakers and more for planning with ease.

Sunday, March 31, 2012
2PM-5PM
Chesapeake Beach Resort & Spa
4165 Mears Ave, Chesapeake Beach, MD
Tickets $8 in advance, $10 at the door

To purchase tickets visit http://a3.acteva.com/orderbooking/bookEvent/A312811
For more information call: 410-257-2735
or email: lori.kirby-medlin@cbresortspa.com

Date: Saturday, March 24, 2012
Location: McLean Gardens Ballroom
3811 Porter Street, NW, Washington, DC 20016
Time: 3:00pm until 6:00pm
Website: RSVP for Tastings by TUM

After two successful networking vendor-customer events in 2011, TUM (The Urban Marketplace) is hosting “Tastings by TUM” – a food and dessert showcase by the area’s best chefs and confectioners. Come network, meet and sample savory and sweet eateries and dress up your menu for your next glamorous event! TUM events have a reputation for connecting successful businesses directly with their customers as well as providing a gorgeous atmosphere for networking and relaxation. RSVP today and save the date for March 24, 2012.

Also, stop by Vintage Ivy Events booth at Tastings by TUM!

Photo Credit: Elizabeth Messina/Created by: Dolce Designs Studio

The big style news for the new year, from the hottest themes down to the tiniest details.

By: Rachel Griffiths (Bridal Guide)

The flower of the year? No surprise here—it’s the peony. “I don’t know if anything will ever upstage the peony,” says Beth. Kim Foren, a Portland, OR, event designer agrees, and also gives a nod to other fluttery blooms such garden roses, ranunculus and even frilly massed carnations. Kim predicts that white mini calla lilies will have a moment, and Beth expects resurgence for a wedding classic—the elegant orchid.

The age of the single centerpiece is over. 2012 will be all about collections, says Kim—lots of vessels, flowers and candles on the table to create a full landscape. Instead of one vase of calla lilies, she might do a scattering of different mercury-glass vases filled with mini bouquets of flowers. “The look is tons and tons of flowers, abundance— super sexy,” says Kim.

Beyond the bloom. Flowers won’t be the only botanicals peeping out from centerpieces this year. Succulents and herbs will both take a turn in the spotlight. Kim especially likes grouping clutches of fresh or dried herbs like rosemary and purple basil on a table.

Natural still looks new. A wild-card centerpiece look from last year is still going strong. Terrariums—glass-domed arrangements of pebbles, flowers, succulents and found objects such as shells or bird’s nests—keep popping up on the wish lists of Kim’s chicest brides.

Photo Credit: Altura Studio

Product item, Vibrating Lipstick Vibe from Platinum Treasures

Are you planning a bache party or bridal shower, with the theme Sexy Boudoir or Sex and the City? Think no more, because Platinum Treasures has all the great intimate novelty products and lingerie.

Last year, Vintage Ivy Events had a pleasure of planning a Pink Carpet Affair for Breast Cancer and contacted Platinum Treasures, CEO, Carl Mallory to donate an item for a silent auction for the event. He more than just delivered the item in 2 days, but he donated an awesome gift, a dance pole.

The CEO of Platinum Treasures, Carl Mallory is funny enough, also known as the ‘Toy Guy’ on Facebook. He provides clients with trendy and traditional intimate novelty products while giving fun and factual tips about them on FB. By providing clients with this type of social media service, it makes them feel more comfortable to ask questions about lingerie and other intimate items. With additional fan base, the company also host theme parties and provides male or female entertainers. This allows his clients to concentrate on other areas of planning their event such as catering and cocktail drinks.

Platinum Treasures is big on communicating and providing their clients with top notch customer service. They constantly read product reviews as well as conduct surveys from clients and their panel of intimate product testers. The company is able to access over 60,000 products and can receive orders for clients in a prompt, discrete and timely manner.

Platinum Treasures main goal is to make a difference in peoples’ intimate lives and bedrooms all across America, therefore catering to everyone!

Please contact Platinum Treasures for your intimate products and lingerie as well as hosting bachelor/bachelorette parties or hiring entertainers!

Item, Heart Shaped Edible Massage Candle (Chocolate) at Platinum Treasures

platinumtreasures@gmail.com
410.701.0230
www.facebook.com/toy.guy1

www.twitter.com/pt_treasures

www.pttreasures.com (coming soon)

Date: March 18, 2012
Time: 11am-6pm
Location: Loft Ballroom 9375 Washington Blvd (Route 1), Laurel, MD 20723
Website: http://www.mcbridalshow.com
Contact: (240) 353-7407

Admission at the door is $10. BUT you can Save $3 on your ticket by submitting online form in advance and save another $2 by “Liking” our Facebook page. http://www.facebook.com/mcbridalshow

Photo Credit: Jose Villa

The big style news for the new year, from the hottest themes down to the tiniest details.

By: Rachel Griffiths (Bridal Guide)

The number-one trend for 2012? Top event designers across the country say that this is the year when formal black tie is making a comeback, a phenomenon they attribute to the enormous influence of the royal wedding. “The glamorous look is here to stay,” says Tara Guérard, a celebrity planner based in Charleston, SC.

Whether the celebration is full-on formal or takes a more homespun, rustic route (still going strong, say the pros), color schemes have gone back to the classics. “Pink will be making a comeback,” says Tara. “You’ll see pale pinks in combination with neutrals such as champagnes and creams.” Chicago’s Debi Lilly, the go-to event designer for Oprah herself, agrees. “The color schemes for weddings always follow fashion. Right now it’s the nudes—oyster gray, pale gold. Just what we’ve been seeing on the runways and in all the fashion magazines.”
But even as color gets softer, patterns get bolder. “Floral will always be big, because it is such a wedding classic,” says Tara. “But I love doing custom prints for our brides. And bold prints such as chevrons and stripes will be back in a major way.” In San Francisco, event designer Alison Hotchkiss reports that pattern is a big look for table linens. “We’re going back to the basics with our linens, using heavier textures and weights. We’re custom-making them with really graphic patterns on everything.”

As for illumination, luxe candelabras are taking center stage this year. While classic crystal chandeliers—especially used outside—are an important look, Los Angeles designer Beth Helmstetter (who planned Jenna Fischer’s I-do’s) predicts that 2012 will see towering candelabras with elegant taper candles. “It used to be all about pillars, the chunkier, the better,” she reports. But my brides are really interested in the look of tapers right now.”

Photo Credit: Liz Banfield

photo credit: tyingtheknott.com

Article from Memorable-Events.com

Couples are often confused when it comes to tipping merchants who work at their wedding. Merchants who do exemplary work, who put in extra hours, or provide services beyond what you expected should be tipped, particularly if they helped in a difficult situation, such as cleaning up a mess. For most situations, the following general guidelines may be helpful.

• If you are working with a professional caterer, a gratuity (sometimes called a service charge) will be added to your final bill, so an additional tip is not necessary unless they went above and beyond what was expected. If you are working with a private or a very small caterer, they may not add a gratuity. Be sure to check the bill, then tip accordingly.
• If you hire a private baker to make your cake, you may choose to tip them, depending on circumstances, such as the distance they travel to deliver the cake, the time involved in setting it up, and any extra work they might do for you. Check your bill first to find out if you have been charged a delivery fee or other charges.
• Ministers charge for their services in a variety of ways. Some have an established fee; others accept a free-will offering. Be certain to find out how your officiant charges, then pay accordingly (and be generous). Remember that you will probably meet with the person several times before the wedding and they should attend the rehearsal, as well as the wedding. Be sure to compensate them for the time they spend on your behalf, and, if your rehearsal and ceremony are held at a location other than the officiant’s church, for their gasoline as well. If the officiant accepts a free-will offering, find out if a check should be written to the person or to their church. If the person refuses personal compensation, send a check to the church.
• If you are using the services of a professional musician, you don’t usually need to tip. However, if a private individual is playing for the ceremony and/or reception and they do not charge a set fee, then be certain to compensate them for their time. If the person is a family friend or relative, you might choose to give them a gift certificate instead of money.
• Wedding coordinators are often tipped. They will have spent a number of hours on your behalf that you may not be aware of nor have been billed for, such as making and receiving telephone calls (including long distance calls), sending and receiving faxes, answering e-mails, and dealing with merchants on your behalf. A tip is a nice way to show your appreciation for all the work they have done to make your wedding successful.
• Those who clean up after the reception may be tipped, depending on the circumstances. Some facilities have paid staff that handles the clean-up; other facilities expect you to do your own clean-up. If you leave a mess behind for someone else to clean up, be certain to tip liberally.
• Limo drivers may be tipped, particularly if the driver is not the owner.
• Hired bartenders usually include a gratuity in their bill and they may also place a jar on the bar to receive tips from your guests. If a friend offers to tend bar for you, they should receive some type of payment for their services. A gift or gift certificate may be more appropriate than cash, however. If you do not want a bartender to accept tips from your guests, be sure to tell him or her and don’t allow a tip jar to be placed on the bar. If a gratuity is included in their bill and they accept tips from your guests, they will actually be tipped twice.

Anyone who helps in a special way with the ceremony or reception should receive some form of acknowledgement for their efforts, including family members. A gift may be more appropriate than cash if the person is a close friend or relative.

When in doubt about whom to tip, ask your wedding coordinator. She can tell you what is appropriate in your area.  Even if you do not give a tip, be certain to send written thank-you notes to those who helped make your day special.  Too often, merchants hear the complaints, but they don’t always receive the thanks.

Photo by Steven Torres (via Brides.com)