Dishy Events » General

Do What You Love

Ashley — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 03:20:25 +0000

And now for some deep thoughts, brought on by some recent life activity. To sum it up…I realize that with each wedding I work, each vendor I connect with and as I continue to build these amazingÂ relationships, this is the life I love! Making someone’s day unforgettable and special is what it’s all about for me! And as with anything you do in life, you should always do what you love and what makes you most happy! Don’t settle for less, especially not for any longer than you absolutely have to! Same goes for love and weddings!

So how does this apply to weddings you ask? Well, actually I say – how DOESN’T this apply to weddings?!? When you’re planning your wedding or even if you hire someone else to plan your wedding, remember to always follow your heart. If you’re not in love with the burnt orange, speak up! If you’d rather have calla lilies instead of roses, you better let it be known! If you want to include some LED place cards, then make it happen! (Sorry had to throw that one in there, I think I’m obsessed)

Most weddings come once in a lifetime, so make your wedding something that you love, even if that means disappointing your mom by not wearing a bright white gown or including a unity candle at the ceremony. Decide what’s most important and right for you and make it happen! In the end, everyone will understand that your wedding day is just that, YOURS!

So there you have it, my feelings for the night! I’m looking forward to a fabulous (and not too hot) wedding weekend coming up! What could be more fun than the St. Louis Zoo and animal noses, right?!? Not much, I’d say!

Happy Labor Day everyone! Cheers!

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Blogging for STL Weddings

Ashley — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 02:22:57 +0000

Every now and then, I’m offered an opportunity to share my love of blogging with other sites. Recently, I was offered one such opportunity with STL Weddings and by golly, I wasn’t going to pass that one up! I’m officially a blogger for STL Weddings now so be sure to head on over there and check out my VERY FIRST post – How to Create a Wedding Timeline!

Learn how to make the perfect wedding timeline by incorporating what I like to call the BIG ONES in your planning….

“The BIG ONES are those events and moments where you would absolutely balk if you did not get a photograph of them!

No, Iâ€™m not going to tell you where you should put them or where I think you might put them. But I will tell you MUST think about them when putting together your time line!”

Thanks to Tyler for asking me to be a part of STL Weddings! I’m truly honored!

And I promise not to neglect the Dishy site either, especially since I have plenty of upcoming weddings to blog about not to mention LOTS of Wish Upon a Wedding action to share!

More good things to come in the future! Cheers everyone!

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Wish Upon a Wedding Announces its Inaugural Gala!

Ashley — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 02:02:42 +0000

Hey, hey St. Louis and surrounding areas! I have great news to share with you from the Wish Upon a Wedding St. Louis Chapter! We’ve finalized logistics for our inaugural black-tie gala, the Blissful Wishes Ball, and we couldn’t be more excited to share the details! Are you ready for this?!?

Join us for a night of dinner, cocktails and dancing at the Starlight Roof at the Chase on Sunday, November 14, 2010 at 6:00pm! If you’re familiar with the Starlight Roof at the Chase, you know what an amazing VIEW and amazing space it truly is, so you won’t want to miss out! More details are being finalized daily along with specifics on all of the wonderful vendors (wish granters) donating their goods and services to make it all possible! Check back frequently as I’ll be updating this blog post with a current list of those vendors!

I’ll be there, gown and all, and I know if you’re interested in a night of great food and great fun, in support of a fabulous cause, you’ll want to be there too! We’ll also have a plethora of auction items for you to do your bidding, not to mention some items from the online auctions! Tickets are on sale RIGHT NOW for $100 a person or $900 for a table of ten (10) and can be purchased online via our WUW EventBrite page!

BUY YOUR TICKET(S) NOW!

On behalf of the St. Louis founding board of directors, we look forward to seeing you there!

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Going to the Chapel…

Ashley — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 03:06:42 +0000

As all of my event planning professional friends here in St. Louis approach yet another wedding weekend in the Lou, I feel the need to throw some advice into the wind for all those blushing brides out there! Your wedding is a once (or twice) in a lifetime experience, one that you should enjoy and savor for as long as you can! For many of us, the wedding bug only hits once and therefore you must take advantage!

If you’re feeling a little stressed, so much so that you are putting your big day at risk, I highly recommend taking a small chill pill to keep it all together. Besides, it’s pretty likely you want to remember your wedding day as one of the most memorable events in your lifetime, and I don’t mean memorable because you spent the whole day freaking out!

If you’re still prone to stressing out, here are some tips to help you get through the day!

Take a DEEP Breath. Hold it. Okay, now breathe out. Remember to breathe on your wedding day, not just because we don’t need any suffocating brides out there, but because deep breaths may actually help you RELAX!
Don’t Sweat the SMALL Things. It’s extremely rare that every single little tiny detail will go just as planned on your wedding day, so don’t sweat it if cousin Jane stumbles on the reading. Laugh it off and enjoy the moment!
Take a Mental Snapshot. Okay, I think I got this from The Office, but still a great tip. Pick out a moment, or two or two dozen from the day and take a mental snap shot to remember it all! You’ll be glad you did!
Have a Cocktail (or two)! When in doubt a drink can always reduce your stress level, but please, please PLEASE do not think this means you should get wasted on your wedding day. I’m thinking a mimosa or two will do (until the reception that is)!

Moral of the story…ENJOY yourself, live in the moment and go with the flow! What might seem terrible is probably not that bad. What you forget to do can always be done another time (hint hint marriage renewals). Just don’t forget to take it all in! Plus, if you’ve hired a wedding planner, well then you have no reason not to let go and enjoy!

Happy wedding weekend everyone! Cheers!

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Cupcakes & Wine? Yes Please!!

Ashley — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 02:44:34 +0000

If you were in St. Louis on Saturday, July 24th and didn’t make it to Jive and Wail in Maplewood for the Cupcake and Wine Pairing class put on by STL Wine Girl and Bunny Cakes STL, I must say YOU MISSED OUT! And I’m not just saying this because cupcakes and wine happen to be two of my most favorite things in the entire wide world! I’m saying it because it’s 100% true.

Angie (STL Wine Girl) and Melissa (Bunny Cakes STL) put together five pairings of wine and cupcakes that were delicious, with flavors that complimented each other perfectly. I know I was thoroughly impressed with how separately each were great, but together they were fantastic! Check out the cupcake and wine combos below, plus some fabulous photos taken by moi!

Strawberries & Champage Cupcake paired w/ Riondo Prosecco Rosada
Carrot Cake Cupcake w/ Orange Buttercream Frosting paired w/ Quady Orange Muscat
Snickerdoodle Cupcake paired w/ Adler Fels Gewurztraminer
Red Velvet Cupcake w/ Cream Cheese Frosting paired w/ Jam Jar Sweet Shiraz
Chocolate Cupcake w/ Caramel Frosting paired w/ Otima 10 Tawny Port

And just in case you were wondering about combo number three there with the snickerdoodle cupcake and Gewurztraminer…yeah it ROCKED my socks off! So did the strawberries and champagne! If you see these two ladies joining forces again in the future for a tasting, I highly recommend signing up for the event. I guarantee it will be well worth the price you pay to have a couple of hours of great wine, great food and even better lessons!

Thanks again to Angie and Melissa! It was great to meet you ladies! Cheers to you both!

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Wedding Guest Hospitality Bags

Ashley — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 02:24:15 +0000

You know what time it is, time to talk wedding guests! Everyone’s favorite subject! The reason I bring up this topic is because at some point during the preparation for your wedding, it’s pretty important to consider how many people on your list are actually coming from out of town! Now think about how many of those guests will be staying in a hotel. It’s probably a decent number right? And even though you’ve been kind enough to secure a discounted room rate at a fabulous hotel, it might also be nice to consider distributing the infamous hospitality bag!

This handy dandy hospitality bag/box is a great way to make your guests feel at right home, no matter how many miles they’ve traveled to be with you! Checking into a hotel room after a long trip and being handed a nicely made goodie bag is a great feeling!

Things you might consider including in your gift bag/box:

Bottled Water. This is a must! Most hotels charge for water and well tap water is just alright in most places, so tuck in a bottle or two to keep those thirsts quenched!
Snacks. Whether it be cookies, pretzels, candy or chips be sure to leave your guests a little something to nibble on while they wait or for after they’ve had a few drinks!
Directions. If you’re wedding ceremony location or reception location are a bit hard to find, include a map to help your guests get around. I’m sure they’ll thank you!
Itinerary. If you’re having a destination wedding or a jam-packed, event filled weekend, you might consider adding a schedule of events. No need for anyone to miss the fun!
Brochures/Local Information. I’m not talking any old brochures here, this is more about providing your guests with some ideas of what to do around town while they’re there. Brochures for a zoo, museum or other tour would be ideal! Also think restaurants!
Something Personal. Last year I went to a wedding where the bride and groom included two small bottles of appropriately named liquor, Jameson and (Captain) Morgan…hint they’re last name. Super cute!

While hospitality bags are something you can 100% do on your own, as with everything else, you can always hire someone to take care of it for you! Here in St. Louis, we have a fun new company called Goodies for Guests, specializing in custom hospitality boxes! These neat little boxes can come filled with just about anything your little heart can imagine…and maybe even some St. Louis originals!

Happy bagging or boxing! Cheers!

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The Rise of the Photobooth

Ashley — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 02:42:13 +0000

Until a few years ago, if someone had suggested you have a photobooth at your wedding reception, you probably would have laughed right in their face. And yet here we stand just a few years later where a photobooth has actually become quite a staple for all wedding receptions. With the increase in number of companies offering the service, a slew of new ideas on props for the booths and well just a crazy amount of fun, the photobooth has started to take over the wedding reception world! If it hasn’t in your town yet…just wait, it’ll be there soon, which means you have reason to be excited!

And if I must say so myself, the photobooth is one trend I FULLY support! While I may not be behind ALL of the prop ideas (i.e. those weird mustaches on a stick), I do think having a photobooth is a great way to get those candid, silly and ridiculously fun shots of your guests baring it all (and I don’t mean literally) in front of the camera.

If you’re in the St. Louis area and looking for a photobooth, you’re in luck because we have a plethora of different companies with various photobooth options, so be sure to check them out! Some are retro, some traditional and some even open for the room to see! Here is a list of some photobooth companies in St. Louis to get you started!

So if you want to guarantee a little extra fun on your wedding day, or just have a bunch of extra pictures, I say give it a shot. Several of my brides for this year are all doing photobooths and I am excited! I may even have to hop in for a picture or two myself!

So get in that booth, throw on a straw hat, a lei and some sunglasses…and SMILE! Cheers!

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It’s All In The Cake Topper

Ashley — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 00:59:43 +0000

Alright, so I haven’t done a just for fun post in quite a while, so I thought I’d do a little hunting and see what kind of unique cake topper ideas I could come up with. Of course, it didn’t take too long to find some classic, humorous and even some really odd ones to share!

The cake topper has gone from super traditional to uber creative and I always thinks it’s fun to see what people come up with. Now I’m not suggesting traditional is bad, but it definitely is nice to see what else is out there! But don’t be afraid to go either way! As usual, nothing is wrong or right, it’s just about what you feel! See below for some great ideas!

Pictures taken from Martha Stewart Weddings and, Beau Coup, Super Punch and Wedding Star!

Man, some of these are just different, but who am I to judge! I think they’re all fun in their own way because they exude a certain type of personality, don’t you think?? Nothing better than when a bride and groom brings their personality to every part of the wedding!

Happy topper picking! Cheers!

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Wish Upon a Wedding St. Louis: How to Help

Ashley — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 15:14:38 +0000

Remember that fabulous Wish Upon a Wedding Launch Party we had here in St. Louis just about a month ago!?! Well now that we’re officially launched here in town, things are only getting started! We still need everyone’s continued support to make the Wish Upon a Wedding St. Louis Chapter a success!

Right now we’re prepping for our gala, one of many Blissful Wishes Balls taking place around the nation as part of WUW’s official Month of Giving! If you haven’t already marked the date for the St. Louis Gala, it’s Sunday, November 14th!

In the meantime, check out some of the many great ways you can help us out!

Make a Contribution. Regular old donation made via PayPal, 75% of which goes toward fulfilling wedding wishes, 12.5% for fund-raising & 12.5% for administrative costs!
Bid In (Or Donate To) Our Online Auctions. Announced on July 1st, we’ll be auctioning hundreds of products and services in 46 states through November 30, 2010!
Donate Air Miles. If you’ve got them and you’re not using them, consider donating them! You’re donation will help fly a loved one (or two) in town for a wedding wish!
Volunteer on a Committee. Lacking monetary funds to support Wish Upon a Wedding? We’d love you have your extra time too, whether via committee or volunteer!
Online Social Networking. Help us spread the Wish Upon a Wedding word via your Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or other social networking account! Also be sure to follow us on Twitter @WishUponWedding and check out the St. Louis Chapter on Facebook!
Sign Up for the Newsletter. Now this is easy! Just go online and sign up for the newsletter to stay current on all of the latest Wish Upon a Wedding news!
Become a Wish Granter. Do you have a product, service or space to provide in order to help grant a wedding wish! Well, we still need you! St. Louis covers a 300Â mile radius so we need Wish Granters in Kansas City, Columbia, Springfield and Memphis too!
The Wishing Well. Support Wish Upon a Wedding by donating 1% of your profits from one event ORÂ 1% of your profits from the sale of your products!
Donate Products. Wish Upon a Wedding accepts new (unused) products to support the organization! Fill out an online application for approval prior to shipping!
The Wishing Star. Purchase a beautiful Wishing Star pin for $50 so you can WEAR your support for Wish Upon a Wedding!
In Lieu of Favors or Gifts. Have a bride or groom looking for an alternative to gifts or favors? Suggest that they consider making a donation in lieu of favors! Or their guests can make a donation is lieu of gifts!

Whew! Was that enough options for you?!? Visit the Wish Upon a Wedding web site to find out more about this great organization!

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Prepping for a Summer Wedding

Ashley — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 17:52:36 +0000

If you live in or around the St. Louis, Missouri area (or the Midwest region in general) you know that we tend to have some vicious and unpredictable summers. If you’re planning a wedding in St. Louis, well, you know that you absolutely need to be prepared between the months of June and August for some serious heat! We’re talking 90 to 100 degree weather here!

So, if you’re thinking an outdoor wedding might be in your future, be sure to throw out some goodies or appropriate time frames to help your guests make it through the day. They’ll thank you for it, and you’ll probably thank yourself when you put on the fabulous dress, get your hair done and apply all that gorgeous make up!

Have ice water on hand. This is an absolute must for an outdoor wedding! Bottled water is super cheap and so is ice, so go ahead and make it happen!
Fans as favors. These are always awesome to get when at a wedding, provide a personalized fan so your guests can wave that heat away!
Make shade readily available (when possible). Whether it be in the form of a pavilion, tent, umbrella or even parasol, a little shade can go a long way!
Provide some sunscreen. Seems odd I know, but why the heck not! If you’re guests are going to sit in the sun for a wedding, they may as well avoid a sunburn, right?
Avoid the hottest times. I know 3:00 in the afternoon might seem like an ideal time for an outdoor ceremony, but it won’t be for your guests. Shoot for earlier in the day or later in the evening to make sure you avoid the hottest times of the day!

Here are some great favor ideas from Beau Coup, that are ideal for summertime weddings!

Remember that when it comes to a summertime wedding, be mindful of your guests and their comfort level! I know I always say the wedding is about you and your groom-to-be, and you should do what you want! And it is! But you definitely want your family and friends to attend and have a great time, and not spend the day sweating it out!

Happy summer planning! And good luck to all you summer brides out there! Cheers!

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