Real Weddings: Vamsi & Jason {9/9/11}

This past weekend we had the honor of sharing in Vamsi and Jason’s beautiful wedding day. Mother Nature blessed them with the picture-perfect day: mid-70’s temps, bright blue skies in the day and a full moon that night. The bride wanted to celebrate her family’s heritage with a traditional Hindu ceremony in the morning. The groom wanted to treat his bride and their families to a traditional American reception in the evening, which would also incorporate various elements of Indian culture throughout. As you can see in the images below, Vamsi and Jason share a special bond of love that will continue to bless them for the rest of their lives.

Here are a few frames from their Big Day! We are so excited to see the rest of the images captured by Photography by Anne and share with you many more of the intricate details that went into creating their picture perfect day!

It was a joy working with such a fabulous team of vendors this weekend who all contributed to a successful and memorable wedding day for Vamsi and Jason:
Design & Coordination: Embellished Events
Photography: Photography by Anne
Belly Dancer: Kaitlyn Belly Dance
Hair/Makeup: Celeste Iannazzo
——-
Embellished Events
{Inspire} {Create} {Embellish}
Phone: (843) 757-7762
Email: Info@EmbellishedWeddings.com

Hospitality at Its Finest: Your Guide To Creating the Perfect Wedding Welcome Bag

Welcome bags are a fun and hospitable way to welcome out-of-town guests to your destination wedding location! Filled with everything from gourmet goodies and gifts to local maps and things to do, your guests will be delighted at how thoughtful and resourceful this hospitable gesture is!

via Martha Stewart Weddings

Welcome bags are also a great way to introduce your guests to the overall theme of your wedding! If you’re going for a tuscan theme and your colors are wineberry and apple green, try incorporating those colors into the packaging. You should also base the items inside around your theme. In the case of the tuscan theme, you could include a bottle of wine (or wine split, which serves 2 glasses), a personalized corkscrew and a serving of cheese and crackers.

via Dust Jacket Attic
Welcome bags can be prepared for each guest or groups of guests staying together. You’ll need to do a bit of pre planning to arrange for them to be delivered. If you’ve blocked off rooms at certain hotels, you can call reservations to find out who has booked under your block name. This way, you’ll know how many bags to deliver to each hotel and be able to provide the front desk with a list of guests who they should be delivered to. Some hotels will charge a small convenience fee to hand out the bags upon your guest’s arrival so be sure you ask ahead of time so there are no surprises.

via A Charleston Bride

IDEAS OF THINGS TO INCLUDE:

  • Local Map (contact the local Chamber of Commerce to find out if anyone disburses them free of charge)
  • Restaurant Recommendations
  • Important Phone Numbers:
    • A family member or friend who can answer any wedding related questions from guests
    • Emergency phone numbers (hospital, police department, fire department, poison control, etc.)
    • Taxi Cab Companies
    • Bride and Groom’s Phone Numbers
  • Personalized Bottled Water
  • Local Goodies (i.e. Savannah Bee Company honey, Pecan Pralines, etc.)
  • Wedding Itinerary (just in case someone forgets the invitation)
    • Rehearsal Details
    • Ceremony location, start time and directions
    • Reception location, start time and directions
  • Local Magazine (many towns/cities have free publications that they will give to you to)
  • Emergency Items (i.e. Bandaids, IBU Profin, etc.)
  • Symbolic Gift of:
    • The wedding
    • The couple
    • The couple’s home town 
    • The wedding’s destination location
  • Thank You Message from Bride and Groom

Here is a welcome bag we’re putting together an upcoming wedding:

Reusable Shopping Bag and Tissue Paper ($3.00 each)

Key Lime Cooler Cookies ($5.00 each), Coffee Crunch ($10.00 each)

Charleston Cheddar Biscuits ($2.00 each), Personalized Chocolate Covered Oreo Box ($5.50 per box of 3)

Personalize 20oz Water Bottle ($2.00 each), Local Publication, Sunscreen Travel Size ($1.50 each)


——-
Embellished Events
{Inspire} {Create} {Embellish}
Phone: (843) 757-7762
Email: Info@EmbellishedWeddings.com

Tutera on Tybee for the Wedding Chapel’s Grand Opening!
The Tybee Island Wedding Chapel is hosting their grand opening celebration tomorrow from 10:30AM until 4:00PM with celebrity host, David Tutera! This is the perfect opportunity to tour one of the South’s most beautiful wedding venues and celebrate this exciting occasion!

Whether on the beaches of Hilton Head Island or under the mossy oaks in the Historic District of Savannah, GA, Embellished Events is the solution to all of your wedding planning needs and will guide you every step of the way. From full service planning and design to month of wedding coordination, we’ll customize a package exclusively for you and your wedding planning needs. 
Avoid the stress that often accompanies planning a wedding and have a peace of mind knowing the most important day of your life is in the hands of a professional planner who has years of experience. Contact us today for a complimentary consultation on how we can assist you throughout this special time!
——-
Embellished Events
{Inspire} {Create} {Embellish}
Phone: (843) 757-7762
Email: Info@EmbellishedWeddings.com

Tips for Creating the Perfect Reception Timeline

You’ve said, “I Do” and now you’re husband and wife…TIME TO CELEBRATE! When it comes to the flow of the reception, many brides and grooms do not even know where to start. You want to throw a fabulous party for your guests, but you’re not quite sure how to balance the special heart-felt moments of the evening without losing the momentum of the party or the duration of the evening.

As a wedding planner, I think this is one of the most important steps of planning. So many aspects have to be taken into  consideration and the options are endless. Consulting with your wedding planner will allow you to work through different scenarios of the day and work through any pitfalls such as inclement weather. They will also help you make sure you haven’t left out any important events and that the flow of the evening will create the celebratory atmosphere you’re envisioning.

Below is an example of a well thought out timeline. You’re welcome to use it as a template and then tweak it according to your own needs!

Timeline Assumptions:
5 Hour Reception (including cocktail hour)
Plated Dinner
Live band to play for a total of 4 hours and requires one 30 minute break
Toasts by Maid of Honor (MOH) and Best Man (MB)
Grand Exit with Sparklers

6:00PM | Cocktail Hour
Guests mingle and enjoy a beverage and hors d’oeuvres while wedding party takes pictures. Band plays appropriate music from iPod playlist or music provided by bride/groom.


7:00PM | Band Begins 

7:00PM | Introductions of Wedding Party & Bride/Groom First Dance
This is a very exciting moment as your guests anxiously wait to see your first introduction as bride and groom! Emotions are running and you have everyone’s attention. This is the perfect time to ease into your first dance.
Depending on the space, I usually direct the wedding party to make their way to the dance floor as their announced and line up in front of the band. This way they are in perfect position to watch you enter and dance through your first dance. It also allows the photographer to capture beautiful pictures of you dancing while also capturing the emotions on the faces of your wedding party.
7:10PM | Father/Daughter & Mother/Son Dances
Again, you have everyone’s attention and emotions are running high, which makes for a great time to dance with your parents. Music for the father/daughter and mother/son dances are typically slow and with heart-felt lyrics. I like putting these dances towards the beginning of the evening before the music kicks into party mode.
7:15PM | Welcome Speech and Blessing
Typically the host of the evening will say a few words, which may include:
  • Welcome guests
  • Thanking them for traveling and being part of your special day
  • How beautiful the bride looks and how lucky they are to have found each other
  • Finish with a heart-felt congratulations to the bride and groom…CHEERS!
7:20PM | Dinner Served, Band plays light music appropriate for dinner
If you’re having a seated dinner with 3 courses, this is a great time to walk around to each table and speak to each guests individually. Just make sure you take the time to eat!!
8:30PM | Band plays upbeat dancing music

9:15PM | (Band 30 minute break) Toasts by MOH and BM, Cake Cutting
Make good use of the 30 minutes that the band will not be playing. Everyone will need a break from boogying and will appreciate the down time being used to sit back, relax and enjoy the comical toasts. When the show is over, the band will play prerecorded music until their break is over.
If you want to serve your cake earlier, consider cutting the cake upon conclusion of dinner and saving only the toasts for the band break. 
*This is also a great time to feed and hydrate your band members
9:45PM | (Band break ends) DANCING!

11:50PM | Last Song

11:55PM | Guests Gather for Sparkler Send-off
Your band leader and wedding coordinator will be very useful in herding guests to the appropriate location for your grand exit! I suggest closing the bar after the last dance so guests do not get side tracked on their way out and to avoid the risk of juggling a lit sparkler with a cocktail. Yikes!

12:00PM | Reception Ends

——-
Embellished Events
{Inspire} {Create} {Embellish}

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

Tips for Creating the Perfect Reception Timeline

You’ve said, “I Do” and now you’re husband and wife…TIME TO CELEBRATE! When it comes to the flow of the reception, many brides and grooms do not even know where to start. You want to throw a fabulous party for your guests, but you’re not quite sure how to balance the special heart-felt moments of the evening without losing the momentum of the party or the duration of the evening.

As a wedding planner, I think this is one of the most important steps of planning. So many aspects have to be taken into  consideration and the options are endless. Consulting with your wedding planner will allow you to work through different scenarios of the day and work through any pitfalls such as inclement weather. They will also help you make sure you haven’t left out any important events and that the flow of the evening will create the celebratory atmosphere you’re envisioning.

Below is an example of a well thought out timeline. You’re welcome to use it as a template and then tweak it according to your own needs!

Timeline Assumptions:
5 Hour Reception (including cocktail hour)
Plated Dinner
Live band to play for a total of 4 hours and requires one 30 minute break
Toasts by Maid of Honor (MOH) and Best Man (MB)
Grand Exit with Sparklers

6:00PM | Cocktail Hour
Guests mingle and enjoy a beverage and hors d’oeuvres while wedding party takes pictures. Band plays appropriate music from iPod playlist or music provided by bride/groom.


7:00PM | Band Begins 

7:00PM | Introductions of Wedding Party & Bride/Groom First Dance
This is a very exciting moment as your guests anxiously wait to see your first introduction as bride and groom! Emotions are running and you have everyone’s attention. This is the perfect time to ease into your first dance.
Depending on the space, I usually direct the wedding party to make their way to the dance floor as their announced and line up in front of the band. This way they are in perfect position to watch you enter and dance through your first dance. It also allows the photographer to capture beautiful pictures of you dancing while also capturing the emotions on the faces of your wedding party.
7:10PM | Father/Daughter & Mother/Son Dances
Again, you have everyone’s attention and emotions are running high, which makes for a great time to dance with your parents. Music for the father/daughter and mother/son dances are typically slow and with heart-felt lyrics. I like putting these dances towards the beginning of the evening before the music kicks into party mode.
7:15PM | Welcome Speech and Blessing
Typically the host of the evening will say a few words, which may include:
  • Welcome guests
  • Thanking them for traveling and being part of your special day
  • How beautiful the bride looks and how lucky they are to have found each other
  • Finish with a heart-felt congratulations to the bride and groom…CHEERS!
7:20PM | Dinner Served, Band plays light music appropriate for dinner
If you’re having a seated dinner with 3 courses, this is a great time to walk around to each table and speak to each guests individually. Just make sure you take the time to eat!!
8:30PM | Band plays upbeat dancing music

9:15PM | (Band 30 minute break) Toasts by MOH and BM, Cake Cutting
Make good use of the 30 minutes that the band will not be playing. Everyone will need a break from boogying and will appreciate the down time being used to sit back, relax and enjoy the comical toasts. When the show is over, the band will play prerecorded music until their break is over.
If you want to serve your cake earlier, consider cutting the cake upon conclusion of dinner and saving only the toasts for the band break. 
*This is also a great time to feed and hydrate your band members
9:45PM | (Band break ends) DANCING!

11:50PM | Last Song

11:55PM | Guests Gather for Sparkler Send-off
Your band leader and wedding coordinator will be very useful in herding guests to the appropriate location for your grand exit! I suggest closing the bar after the last dance so guests do not get side tracked on their way out and to avoid the risk of juggling a lit sparkler with a cocktail. Yikes!

12:00PM | Reception Ends

——-
Embellished Events
{Inspire} {Create} {Embellish}

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

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