embellishedevents, Author at Wedding Planner Hilton Head, Savannah, Charleston

The Proper Place Setting

You’ve pulled out grandma’s china, polished the silver and shined the crystal, all in preparation for the perfect Thanksgiving feast. Now it’s time to set the table! Do you know precisely where all of these lovely pieces go on each place setting? Here is a simple guide to reference and jog your memory. After all, like your heirloom china, silver and crystal, proper table etiquette never goes out of style.

Linens should be crisply pressed and luxurious in texture. The napkin should be nicely folded and placed on top of the base plate, or charger. For ideas and instructions on napkin folds, visit The Napkin Folding Guide here.

The Charger is the large under plate that the first course is served on top of. When it comes time for the main course, the entree plate is exchanged out with the charger. The charger will remain set for all courses preceding the main.

Forks are on the left side of the plate. As shown in the image above, the order for forks from left to right are: Fish, Entree, Salad. If the salad is preceding the entree and there is no fish course, the salad fork would stand to the left of the dinner fork, which would be closest to the plate.

Knives and Spoons go to the right of the plate. As shown in the image above, the order for knives are: Dinner knife, Fish knife. The soup spoon goes to the right of the knives and the oyster fork goes last. No more than 3 of any utensil is ever placed on the table at the same time, with the exception of oyster forks. Knife blades are always turned toward the charger plate.

Butter Plate goes above the forks on the left side of the plate.

Glassware is placed above the knives. The water goblet is first and is placed above the knives. To the right is a champagne flute. Below the flute come your wine glasses. No more than 5 glasses should be placed on the table at the same time.

Dessert Spoons and Forks are brought in on the dessert plate when the course is served.

Place Cards should be used to direct guests to their chair. This is where you can get creative and pull in some beautiful details to your table.

An Informal Place Setting is a scaled down version of the image above. The salad plate and coffee cup are placed on the table. The salad plate goes to the left of the forks and the coffee cup and saucer go to the right of the drinking glass, above the spoon.

There is nothing better than gathering around the table with those dearest to your heart to give thanks for all of your blessings. Many of you will play host to family and friends in celebrating of Thanksgiving on Thursday. Your dining table will serve as a focal point for the day and will be the center for all the action. Ensuring your table is properly set and adorned with beautiful details will leave a lasting impression on your guests and help create beautiful memories. So pull out the fine china and polish the silver and crystal because this is one holiday that deserves the very best in the house! Happy Thanksgiving y’all!

Happy Planning!
xoxo
Jen

Embellished Events
Luxury Wedding Design and Coordination
:: Serving Hilton Head, Savannah and Beaufort
Phone: (843) 757-7762
Email: Hello@EmbellishedWeddings.com

Hilton Head Island, SC Wedding Planner
Savannah, GA Wedding Planner

6 Books That Inspire Creative Weddings

While winter may not be a busy time for weddings here in the South, it sure is a busy time for us wedding planners! As a creative artist myself, the winter months for me are spent coming up with unique and smart designs for my upcoming brides. The art of creating a wedding that is properly staged, full of beautiful details and flows effortlessly requires artistic talent, expertise in the field and finding inspiration in the world around us. In an attempt to build on my library of books to challenge my creative process, I thought I would share with you the 6 books that are en route to my doorstep…thanks to Amazon.

Vogue Wedding: Brides, Dresses, Designers

Domino: The Book of Decorating

Black and White (and a Bit in Between)

Design*Sponge at Home

Style and Substance: The Best of Elle Decor

Style Me Pretty Weddings

Cover image from Brides.com

Happy Planning!
xoxo
Jen

Embellished Events
Luxury Wedding Design and Coordination
:: Serving Hilton Head, Savannah and Beaufort
Phone: (843) 757-7762
Email: Hello@EmbellishedWeddings.com

Hilton Head Island, SC Wedding Planner
Savannah, GA Wedding Planner

10 Tips for The Perfect Proposal

According to The Wedding Report, 40% of engagements take place between the months of November through February! That statistic comes as no surprise considering all of the romantic holidays and celebrations that take place in that time frame.

With engagement season upon us, many of you are probably planning to pop the question in the coming months. Proper etiquette should be exercised daily, but most especially during special occasions like weddings. As you layout in your head the perfect proposal for your soon-to-be fiancé, consider these 10 tips and pieces of etiquette advise:

Ask for her father’s permission – After all, a gentleman prides himself on manners, etiquette and tradition. Plus, most women still prefer you ask her parents before you ask her. It’s important to know she has her parent’s blessing in your marriage.
Make it personal – Incorporate something personal to you two in the proposal plan. Maybe it’s the restaurant you ate at on your first date. Maybe it’s the same mountain you skied on your first vacation together. Maybe it’s the location where you said, “I love you” for the first time. Maybe you plan a trip to a dream vacation spot you’ve always talked about and pop the question on the first night. There are so many blogs out there with fun and creative ideas. Try to incorporate a personal element into whatever you decide to do.
Don’t tell anyone (except her parents of course) – You never know who might slip up. The surprise element is important to woman even though they will probably have an idea when it finally happens.
Make it genuine, not pretentious – Don’t be fooled by the glitz and glam of recent Hollywood engagements. Women appreciate things that are simple, beautiful and romantic more so than extravagant and over the top. You don’t need to rent out a sports complex or fly her across the world on a private jet to the top of the Eiffel Tower to create your perfect engagement story.
Hire a professional photographer to capture the engagement on camera – Make sure they setup somewhere in a discreet location. They can use their extra long lens on this occasion so that they’re plain out of sight.
Propose in private – Being on stage in front of family adds unnecessary stress to an already emotional day. Plus you want to have time to relish together in this once-in-a-lifetime moment without others “oohing” and “aahing” all around you. You’ll have plenty of that in the coming months.
Speak from your heart – Tell her the story of when you first knew you loved her and tell her why you want to spend the rest of your life with her. Don’t rehearse your speech to the point it sounds scripted. Plan out the main points you want to say and let the rest of it flow freely from your heart.
3 Musts – 1) Get down on one knee (if you’re able) 2) Say her full name and 3) Say, “Will you marry me?”
It’s ok to choke up – After all, you’re about to ask the most important person in your life to marry you. Emotions are sky high on this special day so let that cup runneth over and shed those tears of joy!
Plan something romantic to follow – Even if the proposal doesn’t come off as a complete surprise, I can guarantee you she’ll have no idea what lies ahead for the day/night/weekend. Book a room at the local B&B, escape for the weekend to a destination unknown or head to your parent’s cabin in the mountains. You can keep it as simple as cooking her favorite meal for dinner. Just make sure you have plenty of candles and a special bottle bubbly to celebrate.

Cheers and congratulations to you on this exciting new chapter you’re about to begin! After she says, “yes” and you’re ready to start planning the perfect Hilton Head wedding, Embellished Events is here to assist you in every way. It would be our honor and pleasure to be by your side during this exciting journey. Our passion for luxurious design, expertise in wedding planning and careful attention to organizing details help bring your fairytale wedding to life.

Happy Planning!
xoxo
Jen

Embellished Events
Luxury Wedding Planning and Design Serving Hilton Head, Savannah and Beaufort
Phone: (843) 757-7762
Email: Hello@EmbellishedWeddings.com

Hilton Head Island, SC Wedding Planner
Savannah, GA Wedding Planner

Liz + Scott {married 10.05.13}

Liz and Scott were married at beautiful Colleton River Plantation on Saturday, October 5, 2013. Their ceremony took place on the lawn of the Dye Clubhouse. The large oaks created a picture perfect backdrop as they tied the knot with David Leininger. After the ceremony, guests proceeded to the Jack Nicklaus Clubhouse for cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and a sunset that will take your breath away. For dinner, guests were treated to a taste of the South during the 4 course plated dinner. For dessert, Ashlee Perkins of Tier Luxury Cakes, created a cake that was as beautiful on the outside as it tasted on the inside. Guests danced the night away to the sounds of Momentum Party Band before seeing the bride and groom off in a vintage car with sparklers!

Liz and Scott’s wedding colors were black, emerald green and white. Black was incorporated into the attendant’s attire, the custom table runners and the accent linens. Emerald green was pulled in subtly through their custom stationery suite and artichoke accents. A Floral Affair graced the entire day with their breathtaking floral arrangements. From the cross at the altar to the colorful centerpieces on the tables, every detail was laid perfectly in place by Dawn and her team.

I am so excited to share these images with you from Liz and Scott’s very special day. Hunter McRae Photography has once again taken my breath away with her talented photography skills.

CONGRATULATIONS LIZ AND SCOTT!

A Note From The Bride and Groom:

“Jen – I can’t thank you enough for helping us put together the most perfect wedding and celebration. We couldn’t have asked for anything more! You were so patient with us during the process, especially with the crazy schedule! You were completely go-with-the-flow and I knew on my wedding day all was in good hands! Thank you for making our day so special!”

xoxo
Jen

Embellished Events
Luxury Wedding Planning and Design Serving Hilton Head, Savannah and Beaufort
Phone: (843) 757-7762
Email: Hello@EmbellishedWeddings.com

Hilton Head Island, SC Wedding Planner
Savannah, GA Wedding Planner

13 Jaw Dropping Bridal Gowns For Fall 2014

Bridal Fashion Week just wrapped up on Monday and my heart is doing flip flops over the latest and greatest collections from the industry’s top designers. This year, Vera Wang really knocked my socks off with her shades of pink gowns. From coral to peony and everything in between, PINK was the hot topic this season. To that I once again say, “Bravo Vera!” She shocked us with red in 2012, black and white last season and now it’s pink. I wonder what color will be next!

Another trend I’m loving, thanks to Romona Keveza, is pairing metal belts with traditional silhouettes to create a youthful and modern look. If you’re the fashion savvy type, this look might be for you.

Other trends I’m loving for fall 2014 bridal collections:

Metallic threadwork
Peplum and fly away waist lines
Floral appliques
Re-embroidered lace
T-length styles
Plunging necklines

If these were the dresses of Bridal Fashion Week 2008, the year I married my sweet hubby, my choice would be this blush and gold number from Romona Keveza…metallic belt and all. I just LOVE, LOVE, LOVE everything about it!

Romona Keveza Fall 2014

Oscar de la Renta Fall 2014

Monique Lhuillier Fall 2014

Marchesa Fall 2014

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Oscar de la Renta Fall 2014

Which dress is your favorite? Do you dislike any of the latest bridal gown trends?

xoxo
Jen

Phone: (843) 757-7762
Email: Hello@EmbellishedWeddings.com

Hilton Head Island, SC Wedding Planner
Savannah, GA Wedding Planner

10 Creative Ways to Present Your Signature Wedding Drink

One trend that isn’t going away any time soon is the signature cocktail. This specialty drink is typically concocted from the bride and groom’s favorite libations. Since there are already a zillion blog posts out there with recipes for signature cocktails, I thought I would take a different angle and talk about some creative ways to present the beverage to your wedding guests.

When determining your signature cocktail, I think we can all agree that taste is most important. Equally as important however is the beauty in the details that accompany that beverage. You want to ignite your guest’s taste buds before they even put the glass to their lips. This is where color (think garnishes and ingredients), textures (as in the napkins or style container they’re served in) and even elevations (stir sticks and sprigs of fresh herbs) all come into play.

Since your signature cocktail will likely be butler passed as guests enter cocktail hour, this is your opportunity to not only show gracious hospitality, but also make an impact with the first impression of the party. Here I share some of my favorite ideas to accomplish this:

1. Have Servers Pass on Unique Accents – Think Beautiful Trays, Vintage Mirrors, Chalkboards, Cutting Boards or Small Window Panes. Look around your house at what you already have and be inspired.

From Style Me Pretty

From Pinterest

2. Garnish Creatively – I love that this bride chose to garnish with a rock candy stick! It’s fun, colorful and will surely pull out a child-like smile in everyone.

North Shore Bride

3. Adding Fresh Ingredients = COLOR! – The spring of fresh rosemary that accompanies this drink looks fresh, delicious, colorful and complete!! I think every week should end with one of these on Friday afternoons.

4. Make It Personal – Have your mixologist cut your initial from fruit. Melons are the easiest to accomplish this with. Personalized stir sticks are another idea that I just adore! We can’t forget those sweet little cocktail napkins too. Go for personalizing ones with a pattern on them!

Creative Touch Decor

5. For the DIYer – This cute little stir stick is so easy to make at home! Simply place a wooden stir stick from your grocery store between two stickers and TA-DA!

Photo by Nancy Gould

6. Brand Your Wedding Drink – If you’ve hired a talented graphic artist to create all of the printed items for your wedding, go ahead and add signage for your beverages as well as stir sticks and cocktail napkins. You’re already having them create a custom monogram or motif for your invitations and programs so go ahead and pull your wedding “logo” into your signature drinks as well!

Vows and Cake

7. Add Edible Flowers – Chef’s use them to garnish plates so why not do the same for your drink! It’s the perfect little gem for a simple cocktail that needs a punch of color.

8. Consider What Kind of Container It’ll Be Served In – If you’re trying to think outside of the mason jar box, you’ll love this idea! Use beautiful mini bottles to serve your little drink! It won’t be enough to quench your thirst, but it will work perfectly alongside a perfectly paired hors d’oeuvre!