Favors & Escort Cards: A Lovely Idea From Pearls Events

Aletha from Pearls Events has become one of my favorite wedding planners and bloggers.  I am so excited that she is stopping by In This Instance to guest blog today. She has a portfolio filled with such pretty and lovely weddings and she has to be one the most positive, energetic ladies I have met through blogging. {We have only met online but hopefully that changes one day!} Favors and escort cards can be such a surprisingly challenging decision during wedding planning.  But wait until you see this simple, gorgeous idea that Aletha is sharing with us today...

If you're doing assigned seating and struggling with your escort cards choices, might I suggest this lovely idea. Our March 7, 2009 clients, Amy & Carlo, took gorgeous, thick paper to wrap king sized candy bars, and personalized each one with the guest's name and table number. The escort cards doubled as favors, which worked out well. They used different complimentary patterns & colors to wrap their candy and guests picked up their escort card upon entering the venue. Some of them (especially the children!) nibbled on them during cocktail hour, however I saw many guests simply put the candy bars away for later.

This is an inexpensive DIY project that anyone with a little time and effort could pull off. The bride found the paper at Hobby Lobby in one of the thick, big books of scrapbooking paper. The couple used the same paper to make table numbers and pages for their scrapbook-style guest book. I loved the cohesive feel of the day. 

Be sure to head over to Pearls Events to see more on Amy and Carlo's gorgeous wedding! And thank you so much Aletha for stopping by today to share this completely lovely idea!

{Photos via Pearls Events taken by Amy Carroll}

Fabulous Day Date Look: Styled by Yellow Brick Blog

I am a huge fan of Lyndsy's Yellow Brick Blog and her fabulous, upbeat style.  She always finds such cute, fresh outfits that are budget friendly.  I so excited that she is guest blogging today and sharing her savvy style ideas with us!

 When Tara asked if I would be interested in a guest post while she made the big move, I was completely honored, flattered and excited. I have been reading In This Instance for over a year, and always impressed with her creativity and suggestions for weddings or everyday life. Thank you Tara for allowing me to be a part of your fabulous blog!

While the economy continues to look gloomy, and people have begun filling their piggy banks again, it is important to remember that you can still look fabulously chic for cheap. March 20 marks the first day of spring, which means all those short sleeve tops, tanks, dresses and bright colored clothes are able to breathe again and come and play.

Below is my ideal day date outfit. Doesn’t matter if it is walking the local Farmers Market, cruising on a yacht, reading a book in the park or shopping downtown, you’ll look spectacular in all of the items below for under $150.

Farmers Market Day Date by Lyndsy

 This Stripe Block Poplin Dress from Topshop screamed spring to me. It’s flirty, sporty and fun (perfect for an outing with the girls or that special someone). While spring always brings some more warmth, it is always a good idea to bring a little something for when the sun goes down. This City Style Fringed Pashmina from New York & Company will the get the job done and done. When accessorizing is best to stay simple with a bold print, and these Aspen Leaf Earring from Modcloth.com and City of Angels Sunglasses from Lulu’s will keep the focus on beautiful you, but add just a little glamour to your day. Since I am a bit of a shorty, I like to try and always wear some sort of heel or wedge to make my legs look just a little bit longer and H&M has a great variety of heels (and flats if you were blessed with longer legs) at affordable prices.  Clicking on the picture above will take you to Polyvore with links to each of the items in this outfit.

Times are tough, but looking cute and feeling good can all be achieved with a few well priced items and confidence. Chances are no one will notice how much you spent, but rather how marvelous you look with the smile on your face from saving lots of dough.

Cheers!

 Thank you, Lyndsy, for sharing this cute outfit idea with us! 

And if you don't already have Yellow Brick Blog in your reader click over to check out Lyndsy's fab finds!

From the Wedding to the Home

I am going to guess that most who read my little blog have seen photos from Amanda's incredibly gorgeous wedding and have seen how completely filled her blog, Vintage Glam Weddings, is with pretty inspiration.  I am so excited that Amanda is here today to share her fantastic ideas on how to utilize those lovely, hand picked decor pieces after the wedding.

Vintage items can be incorporated in wedding decor in so many different ways. I might be a bit biased, but I love when couples incorporate vintage pieces to fit their wedding style. Better yet, almost any vintage item used in weddings can be brought home and be displayed as part of their home decor.

If you were not sure what to do with vintage items after your wedding day is over, here are some ideas on how to incorporate them in your home decor...

(left,  Oh Happy Day; right, Country Living)

Use cake stands as a centerpiece for holiday parties. Farmer's market flowers look charming on pretty displays like the ones above. I also love the idea of using antique cake stands to display jewelry or perfume bottles, but that deserves a post on its own.

(left, Martha Stewart; right, Apartment Therapy)

The classic candelabra centerpiece can be a sleek dining table centerpiece. I've also seen people spray paint old candelabras in black to give a modern gothic look.

(left, Punam Bean; right, Apartment Therapy)

Keep a few milk glass vases in different shapes and display them on a shelf. I love the monochromatic/minimalistic look!

(left, Meg Perotti;right, Apartment Therapy)

Typewriters are such a fun idea for a guestbook and they make a cool piece to place on your vintage credenza. It sure beats any antique vase.

(left, Megan and Bryan's wedding; right, Book Decor)

After scouring flea markets and thrift shops collecting these books to be used a centerpieces, why not keep them and use them as decor? This website sells books by the yard - check out their images for more inspiration!

(source, one and two)

Vintage frames can be used to display your families wedding photos on your wedding day and hung them on wall at home. Love how different shape frames in the same color look when grouped on a wall.

(source, one and two)

Last but least: vintage ring boxes figurines and figurines. This ring box is gorgeous and it is a neat piece to place your wedding rings at night. Vintage figurines are always cute when used sparingly.

All these items are great wedding mementos that don't require you to hide them in your attic.

A huge thanks to Tara for inviting me over to guest post at her blog!

Thank you Amanda for stopping by to share these truly lovely ideas for taking the hand picked wedding decor elements to the home with style! 

And as I know many of you have been recently married- how have you incorporated those lovely little wedding decor elements into your daily life?  Or did you sell them?

Working With Your Floral Designer: Tips from Nancy Liu Chin

I am so excited for today's post. When I was planning my wedding, I was constantly trying to figure out how to achieve the most impact while staying within my budget. Florals are often one of the elements of planning that can be a challenge in terms of figuring out what flowers to use, which vases go best, and keep it all within my frugal budget please! During my search for floral inspiration I came across Nancy Liu Chin Designs and I have been smitten with her work ever since. A quick tour of her website shows why it is no surprise that she is one of the most sought-after floral designers in the Bay Area.

Nancy is known for her ability help clients translate their vision into reality. Thus why I am so excited for today's post... Nancy has stopped by to guest blog and give us tips on working with your floral designer to get the most out of your budget for floral design.

1) Agree to a Seasonal Buy
When in doubt, request a seasonal buy. What does this mean? The florist will go to market and select what they love for your vision/style and what looks the best. It like saying to a cook, here's $200 to cook a meal for 4 people. Find the best ingredients and do it. It really allows a floral designer to be more creative. If you specify that you only like this flower, that flower than a floral designer has no choices. I always recommend seasonal buy for those on a budget. Allowing your floral designer to be creative will take your budget further.

2) Avoid High Maintenance Flowers
Believe it or not there are flowers that are high maintenance. Try to avoid them. Flowers like gardenias bruise so easy. When a bride orders gardenias for a corsage, boutonniere, hair piece or for their bouquet, I always have to cushion the proposal because I might have to buy more and make a few more boutonnieres. Ask your floral designer to recommend flowers they think would work for your type of wedding. They will be able to make suggestions to fit your style.

3) Summer Brides - Avoid Heat Sensitive Flowers
Some flowers are so heat sensitive. If you are getting married in the summer be aware that flowers might "POOP" out. Even the most seasoned floral designers have had issues. Hydrangea is a good example of a flower that's heat sensitive. Half an hour in the sun during 100 degree temperature will "kill" these flowers. I don't know of a single floral designer who hasn't faced this dilemna yet again year after year when a bride wants delicate flowers during the summer heat. Be realistic. Once again, if you know it will be warm, ask your floral designer for suggestions. Don't force them to buy the flowers you like only to have them "die"!

4) You don't need to know the names of all Flowers
My brides are so savvy and smart. I love how knowledgeable they are but frankly, I don't think that a bride needs to know every name of a flower in order to get wonderful floral designs. I would never expect this from a bride. Yet in recent years more and more brides feel that they need to know this in order to have great flowers. I stress to my clients that it is more important that the floral designer or florist has a portfolio that shows their range. They should be able to do all different styles. They should have some weddings that are on the more expensive side and others that they do that are more moderate. The best floral designers have great tips on which flowers are best for a bride's proposal. That's what a good floral designer does. And even the most experienced floral designers may not know every single botantical name but the good ones have years of experience and know what works.

Rely on their knowledge, don't try to outsmart them or feel that they expect you to know everything about floral design.

5) Be prepared.
There's nothing more frustrating for a floral designer or florist then a bride who has nothing prepared for a floral consultation. I can't think of one advise more important than this. Do research. You don't need to know all the names of every flower. But go through magazines to determine a style that you like. Do you like romantic floral arrangements? Do you like avant garde? Go to some ready made flower sites to see what the costs are. When you look at a photo on a flower website like ftd.com, teleflora.com, etc, count how many stems of flowers there are. You would never believe how many couples who come see me and say a flower should be so and so price. Often times they are quoting me a price for a flower on a website that's in a bulk box. It's like asking Paula Dean to charge you the cost of the flour and butter to make her famous pancakes. Commodity price is not the same as a finished, hand craft arrangement.

Bottom line: be prepared. Bring magazine tear sheets. Bring swatches. Bring photos of things you like. Bring a floor plan of your ceremony site, reception site. Think about style aspects. Instead of focusing on the name of flowers, think about what you want your day to be about.

6) Avoid generic questions
The first question every bride or groom asks when they contact a vendor is "how much do you charge?". This question is probably one that you will get answered when you meet a florist/floral designer. However, if you email this question, it really is like asking, "how much should I spend for a car?". It's so generic that no decent floral designer can answer that. It's too broad. Avoid questions like this because you may not get the right information or answer. You might end up with answers like ," our minimum is___________." Would that really help you as a bride or groom? Keep in mind without knowing you, a floral designer has not idea what you like, what colors are want, what flowers you will like, how many centerpieces, and on and on and on.

If you are going to begin communicating with a florist/floral designer, ask them if a budget of _$____ would be doable for a wedding of _____(# of guests) for a __________(your event date, i.e. Sunday afternoon). Give them some descriptions and show a bit of your own personality. Here's a good example of how to communicate:

"I like arrangements that are filled with flowers especially romantic garden varieties. Pieces that are great for an afternoon lunch wedding at an outdoor winery on the 2nd Sunday in August for 100 guests. My wedding colors will reflect my like for summer citrus fruits. I love the use of foliage when it is appropriate. I may not have a huge budget but I'm looking for someone who is creative, experienced, and reliable. If you've worked at my venue I would be even more thrilled though I'm open. Most importantly, I want to have fun. I don't want my wedding to be overly stuffy and I looked at your work and there are many different images that could work so I would put my trust in your abilities"

Now that's a wonderful email that gives your floral designer several great bits of information and this will help the florist/floral designer understand your unique needs and bit about your personality.

The real wedding montage below is of a wedding that was during the summer in 2008. The bride did everything right to get the most impact for her budget. She deferred to me on floral issues. She didn't go for the most expensive flowers, she went for the ones that would reflect her "preppy chic" wedding. She didn't ask me for the cost of her flowers. She told me that she had # of guests and needed me to come up with creative ways to get her the most for her budget. She avoided high maintenance flowers and opted for sweet gerbers, spider mums, imported roses, mums, orchids and anything else that I thought would work. The results were florals that complimented her vision.

Images courtesy of Ken Buck Photography

Thank you so much for sharing these valuable tips, Nancy!  If you haven't seen the absolutely stunning work that is done by Nancy Liu Chin Designs then you must check our her site!

Guest Blogger: March 15th at A New Leaf

finally, the day we were planning for ... a chilly, snow/slush/rain-free March day full of warmth, laughter and love!! i say it all the time, but a new leaf is the kind of venue where a couple has the opportunity to paint the space with themselves, making it their own for the day. i cannot wait to see what tara and her hubs did with it! thanks for letting me guest blog, and thanks to all those who read or commented!

view mini album here

we made a day of it! rise and shine and meet at 9:30am!
the girls and i started by meeting at gro salon in bucktown, where we nibbled on yogurt and granola and muffins from milk+honey. from there, we picked up my gown from home and headed to hotel 71 arriving around noon for more primping. after doing make-up and picking out which jewelry to wear, we nibbled again on tofu or chicken wraps (i didn't want my girls to go hungry; the boys were eating buffalo chicken or skirt steak wraps themselves) and we all slipped into our dresses a little after 2pm.

photo shoot 2:30-5:30pm
admittedly, we ladies were behind schedule, what with visitors stopping into the suite and girly get-up fun ensuing.

hotel 71 penthouse:
finally, i was ready to head up to the penthouse ball room to await my first glimpse of my husband-to-be. if you saw dark knight, this is the ball room where the mayor was having his fundraiser and the joker takes maggie gyllenhahl all hostage like. i stood in the center of the room with my back to the entrance awaiting his arrival. my heart was pounding! as soon as i saw him, he melted all (almost all) my jitters away! i was so happy, that i completely over-smiled in nearly all our photos (i don't usually see my gums, i must have been one ecstatic lady!).

chicago "tour:"
we cruised to michigan avenue, nbc plaza, wrigley building, then up to wrigley field/addison el station, then stopped for st. patrick's day pub shenanigans (woah, how did that happen?). the crowds were fantastic with us.

let's get married!
we used this venue likely in a way that most do not. such is the beauty of a new leaf! it is each couple's own sanctuary for a day, to use in whatever way they wish, making each event there a unique reflection of the couple within it. i loved it! i still love it. and i am a little obsessed with the place! since our march wedding, i attended a wedding reception there as a guest of a friend, and also was the day-of-coordinator there for patrick's co-worker's july garden wedding! it was so fun taking on a different role in the same place i myself got married ... but back to our day:

we had the majority of our guests stand on the mezzanine level:

we did our processional from the front door area to the arch leading to the large center room, which was a procession that went toward our guests, instead of coming from behind them:

our parents, brother, sister, grandmother, and parents of flower/feather girl and ring bearer (also family) were sitting in about a dozen chairs on the first level.

as soon as we were announced as mr. and mrs. .... guests on the mezzanine level opened up envelopes filled with feathers for a feather drop. it was really pretty, though wasn't really captured in the photos.

we recessed to the apartment level and did our family portraits. we had our wedding party join the cocktail hour after one more quick photo with us so they could join the fun below. we snapped away with the fams, then did a grand entrance with just us, joining all our friends and family as husband and wife for the first time.

our guests died at the fact we had miniature hot dogs with mini buns and mini condiments as part of our passed hors d'oeuvres, the speeches were amazing, our guests loved the small plates themed buffet tables, patrick and i were able to steal a moment to ourselves to take it all in, then we celebrated and danced the night away! we were absolutely beaming ~ such a special day in our hearts!