All images ©The Caketress.
Thursday, December 23, 2010
The Caketress
I have always loved wedding cakes and think it is the perfect place to express yourself as a couple. I recently stumbled upon the Caketress from Toronto and fell in love immediately. Their cakes are drop dead gorgeous and their attention to detail is immaculate. I don't even need to go on as a picture is worth a thousands bites in this instance.
All images ©The Caketress.
All images ©The Caketress.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!
Lily is one very lucky little girl I must say. I had the opportunity to work closely with my good friend Nicole Chibnik from Flour Cake & Pastry for her daughter's 2nd birthday party. Nicole had an ice cream theme in mind and wanted something very pretty and modern.
There is so much to talk about for this pint sized birthday that I have added descriptions to the images. We hope you think outside the box and hope we inspire you to plan something special. Please click images to enlarge and all photos are ©Just Say Yes Events!
The event was held in a private tenant event space offered by the Palmolive building. On our initial walk through I spied a gorgeous modern round black table in the foyer that had candy buffet written all over it. For some time now I have been wanting to design a candy buffet on a round versus the usual banquet size table to try something different. Nicole and I ran all over the city brainstorming together for a centerpiece & candy. When you think of candy buffet you think candy of course so we used GIANT versions of lollipops for the centerpiece and kept all jars glass so the vibrant candy was visible. The candy had to be vibrant so we went with twist lollipops, gumballs, starbursts, pixie sticks, hard candies, skittles & Nicole made custom chocolate lollipops to match the invitation. I think back to when I was a child and this candy buffet would have been absolute heaven. It was a huge hit with both the children and adults but most importantly Lily loved it.
Table Design: We kept it very modern, simple & pink of course. The event space is divided into three rooms all in a row with large open doorways. With such a large or should I say long space we knew a very long table would be perfect. Nicole needed to sit at least 30 guests at the main table and an additional two 60" rounds that would seat 8 guests tucked in the windows overlooking the street below. All tables were covered with a bright pink satin linen and all chairs, plates, cups & balloons would be white. While designing this birthday we had a go big or go home attitude and ordered extra large 40" balloons to hover over the main table in a row, which took quite a bit of helium I might add. To hold these down I used a balloon weight tucked into a glass cylinder vase that was then surrounded by gumballs. Nicole being a pastry chef custom made candy bars for every place setting using the graphic that was on the invitation. Instead of place cards each place setting received a personalized ice cream cone cookie with guest name.
This was a very simple and modern design but packed some punch with just one main accent color....PINK!
Lily's Play Space: For all those parents who have attended a kid's birthday party, you know it's best that the children have their own area. The venue space had two additional rooms flanking the main space so we utilized one as the play space and the other for the adults food buffet & lounge.
Nicole purchased two awesome kid size table in white with twelve chairs in different colors which we placed towards the front of the room as the focal point. The center of the room remained clear since there would be games, face painting, pinata & more for the children. As a mother of three I knew we had to have kid friendly food & beverages so we set up one food station along with one drink station. It was a huge hit since smaller children are usually picky eaters ;)
Details: *Sigh* Oh how I love details.
Nicole is the owner and pastry chef for Flour Cake & Pastry so we knew the cake was taken care of. She out did herself and re-created an exact replica of the ice cream pint invitation. Honestly it was the coolest cake I have seen in a while and so excited that it would be the centerpiece of the main room. To make it just a bit more special Nicole made white chocolate dipped pretzels & sable cookies to compliment the cake. We also brought in taffy apples & french macaroons all in bright colors that we pulled from the invitation.
Let's talk ice cream!! what ice cream themed birthday with be complete without it's very own real life size ice cream cart.....YES, that's right we brought in a huge ice cream cart stuffed with all your old favorite ice cream bars fromGood Humor. Little Miss Lily will turn 3 years old in August of 2011 and I am already looking forward to it. She is my new little friend =)
-Just Say Yes Events!
There is so much to talk about for this pint sized birthday that I have added descriptions to the images. We hope you think outside the box and hope we inspire you to plan something special. Please click images to enlarge and all photos are ©Just Say Yes Events!
The event was held in a private tenant event space offered by the Palmolive building. On our initial walk through I spied a gorgeous modern round black table in the foyer that had candy buffet written all over it. For some time now I have been wanting to design a candy buffet on a round versus the usual banquet size table to try something different. Nicole and I ran all over the city brainstorming together for a centerpiece & candy. When you think of candy buffet you think candy of course so we used GIANT versions of lollipops for the centerpiece and kept all jars glass so the vibrant candy was visible. The candy had to be vibrant so we went with twist lollipops, gumballs, starbursts, pixie sticks, hard candies, skittles & Nicole made custom chocolate lollipops to match the invitation. I think back to when I was a child and this candy buffet would have been absolute heaven. It was a huge hit with both the children and adults but most importantly Lily loved it.
Table Design: We kept it very modern, simple & pink of course. The event space is divided into three rooms all in a row with large open doorways. With such a large or should I say long space we knew a very long table would be perfect. Nicole needed to sit at least 30 guests at the main table and an additional two 60" rounds that would seat 8 guests tucked in the windows overlooking the street below. All tables were covered with a bright pink satin linen and all chairs, plates, cups & balloons would be white. While designing this birthday we had a go big or go home attitude and ordered extra large 40" balloons to hover over the main table in a row, which took quite a bit of helium I might add. To hold these down I used a balloon weight tucked into a glass cylinder vase that was then surrounded by gumballs. Nicole being a pastry chef custom made candy bars for every place setting using the graphic that was on the invitation. Instead of place cards each place setting received a personalized ice cream cone cookie with guest name.
This was a very simple and modern design but packed some punch with just one main accent color....PINK!
Lily's Play Space: For all those parents who have attended a kid's birthday party, you know it's best that the children have their own area. The venue space had two additional rooms flanking the main space so we utilized one as the play space and the other for the adults food buffet & lounge.
Nicole purchased two awesome kid size table in white with twelve chairs in different colors which we placed towards the front of the room as the focal point. The center of the room remained clear since there would be games, face painting, pinata & more for the children. As a mother of three I knew we had to have kid friendly food & beverages so we set up one food station along with one drink station. It was a huge hit since smaller children are usually picky eaters ;)
Details: *Sigh* Oh how I love details.
Nicole is the owner and pastry chef for Flour Cake & Pastry so we knew the cake was taken care of. She out did herself and re-created an exact replica of the ice cream pint invitation. Honestly it was the coolest cake I have seen in a while and so excited that it would be the centerpiece of the main room. To make it just a bit more special Nicole made white chocolate dipped pretzels & sable cookies to compliment the cake. We also brought in taffy apples & french macaroons all in bright colors that we pulled from the invitation.
Let's talk ice cream!! what ice cream themed birthday with be complete without it's very own real life size ice cream cart.....YES, that's right we brought in a huge ice cream cart stuffed with all your old favorite ice cream bars from
-Just Say Yes Events!
Mr & Mrs. Campano 9.3.2010
If there was ever someone who is not afraid of color, it's Vanessa. Our wonderful client Vanessa loves and wanted to incorporate vivid pinks, oranges, teal & golds into their wedding. After finding out that Vanessa is a professional make up artist and representative for Urban Decay it all made sense!! How could she not love color and we were overjoyed. Most couples tend to keep it simple and go with one or two colors but this wedding would vibrant using about 6 all complimenting each other.
Vanessa also mentioned loving peacock feathers & Morocco which was great since it would pick up some of the colors being used. We grabbed color and Moroccan design.... ran with it never looking back!
First up was going for a walk through of their venue Astroria Banquets in Buffalo Grove.Honestly they couldn't have selected a better venue and the staff was extremely helpful at all times. The main ballroom where the ceremony as-well as reception would be held was perfect in color. Astoria has wonderful damask print walls in a rich copper color that accented the wedding perfectly. One look at the carpet and we knew we had made the right decision with the linens since it was brown & copper. All guest tables would had a gorgeous chocolate pintuck linen, copper napkin & gold charger which would be the base to ground the color. We never forget a chair so the chairs were covered in a chocolate slip cover and copper sash. The last detail for the base was lighting and what better place to use color so Vanessa selected a vibrant pink color to compliment the floral.
Now bring in the COLOR!! Each guest table was adorned with gorgeous floral in vibrant colors Palomino Floral Designs.
For the short centerpieces Palomino used urns in gold filled with lush floral like Orchid, Hydrangea, Roses, Berries & Stock. To take it up a notch Just Say Yes added black lanterns to bring in some of the Moroccan design and VOILA gorgeous table-scapes. Onto the tall arrangements which were very eye catching. Tall pilsner vases were filled with bright orange orchids and tall branches keeping the base color chocolate in mind with a punch of color. Vanessa's bouquet and the bridal party floral all created by Palomino were vibrant and exactly what Vanessa wanted. We were on the right track.
Everyone who knows me knows I love the details. Vanessa & Lee's wedding was full of personalization and details. To incorporate the peacock feather we added one feather on every single napkin and made custom escort cards each with a feather as-well. Even the cake brought in something special using their wedding invitation as inspiration. Instead of a guest book a Moroccan inspired box was filled with well wishes for the couple. Vanessa even had a special hanger custom made with her new last name to hold her wedding gown. Details, details, details!
Vanessa & Lee were wonderful clients and in them we have friends forever. We hope they have many years of happiness & joy together.
*Please click images to enlarge.
-Just Say Yes!
Event Planning & Design: Just Say Yes Events!
Venue: Astoria Banquets, Buffalo Grove
Photography: ©Bella Photography & Just Say Yes Events!
Floral: Palomino Floral Designs
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Mr & Mrs. Marinelli 9.4.2010
I remember my first meeting with Kate very vividly. She was very casual, laid back,funny and calm about the wedding planning process which is rare! It was a joy working with her and making sure that their wedding day reflected them as a couple and brought in the look & feel that they were seeking.
Kate began telling me about a special church that the majority of her family had been married in. It was such a romantic idea to be married where her grandmother, mother & family had all been married. The church is Our Lady of Pompeii and is located in Chicago's Little Italy. I was inspired by her story and couldn't wait to begin designing something special for Kate and Christopher.
The second major item on the list was reception which was selected by Kate Zapatista's Restaurant just 10 minutes from the church. Zapatista's has a very ethnic feel inspired by Mexico with Terracotta, ironwork and rich colors. Kate mentioned loving the colors yellow and grey and during a walk through of the venue which is when I noticed the walls were yellow. Zapatista's was the perfect venue for them and the colors worked fantastically.
We ran with the colors and used them in linens, floral & print materials. There is one thing I love and it's linens!! I love taking clients to the linen showroom to drool over all the lavish linens and that is exactly where Kate and I ended up.
Staying within the yellow and grey color scheme we selected a pale yellow satin linen for the guest tables, twist grey linen with texture for the escort card table & soft grey bengaline napkin that I would be tying with yellow ribbon.
Once the base of the tables was designed I began working on the floral design making sure it felt as if it "belonged" in the venue. After another meeting with Kate we narrowed down type of flowers, colors & size for all floral. We would be using Calla lilies, Roses, two types of Mums, Alstromeria & orchids all in the yellow and orange color family. The guest tables would have two different arrangements to keep it interesting. Centerpiece #1 would be three rustic wooden boxes filled with floral and two black lanterns in between the boxes. Centerpiece #2 would be three rustic wooden boxes with glass cylinders in the middle holding a floating candle. When it came to the head table I wanted to make sure it had extra drama and clearly noticeable as head table. The head table arrangement was a play off of the guest tables but much larger in scale. The table held a whopping 6 large lanterns and 5 large wooden boxes all holding a medium sized cylinder. To assure they were eye catching we used a very unique and delicate orchid shooting up from the boxes along with lush floral.
Last but not least my favorite design element....The escort card table. It was very unique and brought in the color scheme, Invitation design & ethnic feel but in a modern way. The linen for the table was a grey twist linen for texture and something a little different than the guest tables. Since it was a escort card table we had to make sure that the centerpiece wasn't too large and could be placed towards the rear of the table. We brought in three lanterns in bright yellow and three glass cylinders varying in size to hold bright yellow floral. Opposite the arrangement were picture frames of the couples family and a decorative box to hold cards.
I was very excited about the place cards since I was able to take the graphic that was on their invitation and duplicate it onto the place cards. I truly believe all the small details count 100%
To this day Kate & Christopher remain one of our favorite couples and their wedding was loved by all. CS Brides Magazine recently published a photo from their wedding in the "With Love"issue on page 274.
We wish Kate & Christopher the best and hope they have many year of happiness.
-Just Say Yes!
Please click to enlarge.
Please click to enlarge.
Please click to enlarge.
Please click to enlarge.
Please click to enlarge.
Please click to enlarge.
Photos ©Wedding Creativo & Just Say Yes Events!
Kate began telling me about a special church that the majority of her family had been married in. It was such a romantic idea to be married where her grandmother, mother & family had all been married. The church is Our Lady of Pompeii and is located in Chicago's Little Italy. I was inspired by her story and couldn't wait to begin designing something special for Kate and Christopher.
The second major item on the list was reception which was selected by Kate Zapatista's Restaurant just 10 minutes from the church. Zapatista's has a very ethnic feel inspired by Mexico with Terracotta, ironwork and rich colors. Kate mentioned loving the colors yellow and grey and during a walk through of the venue which is when I noticed the walls were yellow. Zapatista's was the perfect venue for them and the colors worked fantastically.
We ran with the colors and used them in linens, floral & print materials. There is one thing I love and it's linens!! I love taking clients to the linen showroom to drool over all the lavish linens and that is exactly where Kate and I ended up.
Staying within the yellow and grey color scheme we selected a pale yellow satin linen for the guest tables, twist grey linen with texture for the escort card table & soft grey bengaline napkin that I would be tying with yellow ribbon.
Once the base of the tables was designed I began working on the floral design making sure it felt as if it "belonged" in the venue. After another meeting with Kate we narrowed down type of flowers, colors & size for all floral. We would be using Calla lilies, Roses, two types of Mums, Alstromeria & orchids all in the yellow and orange color family. The guest tables would have two different arrangements to keep it interesting. Centerpiece #1 would be three rustic wooden boxes filled with floral and two black lanterns in between the boxes. Centerpiece #2 would be three rustic wooden boxes with glass cylinders in the middle holding a floating candle. When it came to the head table I wanted to make sure it had extra drama and clearly noticeable as head table. The head table arrangement was a play off of the guest tables but much larger in scale. The table held a whopping 6 large lanterns and 5 large wooden boxes all holding a medium sized cylinder. To assure they were eye catching we used a very unique and delicate orchid shooting up from the boxes along with lush floral.
Last but not least my favorite design element....The escort card table. It was very unique and brought in the color scheme, Invitation design & ethnic feel but in a modern way. The linen for the table was a grey twist linen for texture and something a little different than the guest tables. Since it was a escort card table we had to make sure that the centerpiece wasn't too large and could be placed towards the rear of the table. We brought in three lanterns in bright yellow and three glass cylinders varying in size to hold bright yellow floral. Opposite the arrangement were picture frames of the couples family and a decorative box to hold cards.
I was very excited about the place cards since I was able to take the graphic that was on their invitation and duplicate it onto the place cards. I truly believe all the small details count 100%
To this day Kate & Christopher remain one of our favorite couples and their wedding was loved by all. CS Brides Magazine recently published a photo from their wedding in the "With Love"issue on page 274.
We wish Kate & Christopher the best and hope they have many year of happiness.
-Just Say Yes!
Please click to enlarge.
Please click to enlarge.
Please click to enlarge.
Please click to enlarge.
Please click to enlarge.
Please click to enlarge.
Photos ©Wedding Creativo & Just Say Yes Events!
Monday, December 20, 2010
Mr & Mrs. Wynn 10.9.10
I'm very excited to blog about this gorgeous wedding! I absolutely love PINK and was very excited to find out this was the color chosen by Brian & Isenia. I was informed by Brian to keep the pink in check, after all the wedding had to reflect him as-well.
There are so many details to this wedding that I have created a few collages of different parts of the wedding from "Getting Ready" to "The Magical Reception"
I hope you enjoy this wedding and that inspired you to see PINK!
Event Planning & Design: Just Say Yes Events!
Floral Design: Just Say Yes Events!
Venue: Stonegate Banquet & Conference Center
Photography & Videography: © George Street
Please click to enlarge images.
These are a few shots from Isenia getting ready for her big day!! I loved making her bouquet and think it turned out absolutely wonderful.
Please click to enlarge images.
Every bride has an idea of what they want and Isenia wanted BIG & FLUFFY! I used lush hydrangea, Football Mums & Vendela roses to create large pew clips, entry display, Unity candle & candelabras. The aisle runner was a collaboration between myself & Isenia. I designed a large graphic that she had printed and used as a guide to hand paint the logo. It was a very special touch to the aisle.
For the Bridesmaids I used large pale pink roses tied with double faced satin ribbon to create a sophisticated bouquet. The flower girls carried large pomander rose balls covered with pale pink roses tied with chocolate satin ribbon.
Please click to enlarge images.
These are a few more shots from the ceremony. I love how the candelabras make the ceremony so romantic. The ceremony was perfect in every way.
Please click to enlarge images.
After the ceremony the bridal party hit the city to snap some dreamy wedding day photos! The moss covered letters were designed and created by Just Say Yes to hang on the white church doors. I love how large they were and the couple could hang them in their home after the wedding.
Please click to enlarge images.
Where of where do I begin?!?!? This reception was breathtaking in every way. Lighting is key for a dramatic effect and the room was completely illuminated with pale pink lighting & spot lighting for the tables. The guest tables were enrobed in luxurious damask print linen with Ivory lamour napkin. Each place setting received a custom menu created by Just Say Yes and the napkin was wrapped in Ivory tulle for texture. For the guest table centerpieces we opted to do half high and half low for interest using Hydrangea, Pale pink roses, Vendela roses, mums, curly willow & crystals for bling! To make the family tables feel special we used our signature crystal trees that once placed reach a staggering 8.5 feet tall.
The base of the crystal trees were filled with tons of floral for a very luxurious look.
Brian & Isenia wanted to make sure their guests were always entertained so a band & DJ. Just in case they weren't the dancing type we added a photo-booth from Magnolia and large sweet bar from Just Say Yes Events.
Lets not forget the cake which was jaw dropping and created by the pastry chef at the Stonegate & floral was added by Just Say Yes Events.
It was truly a dreamy wedding and we are so honored that we were part of their special day! May they have many years of joy and happiness.
-Just Say Yes Events!
There are so many details to this wedding that I have created a few collages of different parts of the wedding from "Getting Ready" to "The Magical Reception"
I hope you enjoy this wedding and that inspired you to see PINK!
Event Planning & Design: Just Say Yes Events!
Floral Design: Just Say Yes Events!
Venue: Stonegate Banquet & Conference Center
Photography & Videography: © George Street
Please click to enlarge images.
These are a few shots from Isenia getting ready for her big day!! I loved making her bouquet and think it turned out absolutely wonderful.
Please click to enlarge images.
Every bride has an idea of what they want and Isenia wanted BIG & FLUFFY! I used lush hydrangea, Football Mums & Vendela roses to create large pew clips, entry display, Unity candle & candelabras. The aisle runner was a collaboration between myself & Isenia. I designed a large graphic that she had printed and used as a guide to hand paint the logo. It was a very special touch to the aisle.
For the Bridesmaids I used large pale pink roses tied with double faced satin ribbon to create a sophisticated bouquet. The flower girls carried large pomander rose balls covered with pale pink roses tied with chocolate satin ribbon.
Please click to enlarge images.
These are a few more shots from the ceremony. I love how the candelabras make the ceremony so romantic. The ceremony was perfect in every way.
Please click to enlarge images.
After the ceremony the bridal party hit the city to snap some dreamy wedding day photos! The moss covered letters were designed and created by Just Say Yes to hang on the white church doors. I love how large they were and the couple could hang them in their home after the wedding.
Please click to enlarge images.
Where of where do I begin?!?!? This reception was breathtaking in every way. Lighting is key for a dramatic effect and the room was completely illuminated with pale pink lighting & spot lighting for the tables. The guest tables were enrobed in luxurious damask print linen with Ivory lamour napkin. Each place setting received a custom menu created by Just Say Yes and the napkin was wrapped in Ivory tulle for texture. For the guest table centerpieces we opted to do half high and half low for interest using Hydrangea, Pale pink roses, Vendela roses, mums, curly willow & crystals for bling! To make the family tables feel special we used our signature crystal trees that once placed reach a staggering 8.5 feet tall.
The base of the crystal trees were filled with tons of floral for a very luxurious look.
Brian & Isenia wanted to make sure their guests were always entertained so a band & DJ. Just in case they weren't the dancing type we added a photo-booth from Magnolia and large sweet bar from Just Say Yes Events.
Lets not forget the cake which was jaw dropping and created by the pastry chef at the Stonegate & floral was added by Just Say Yes Events.
It was truly a dreamy wedding and we are so honored that we were part of their special day! May they have many years of joy and happiness.
-Just Say Yes Events!
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Isenia's Bridal Shower
A few posts ago I raved about Isenia's gorgeous bridal shower invitations. I must say she is one of the most creative and detail oriented clients I have ever had which I love. Her fiancee Brian frequently jokes about us being separated at birth since we are equally in love with weddings and design.
Isenia wanted floral that was fun but incorporated her invitation and love for pink. I designed something that was unique and was inspired by her pink invitation that was accented with a feather.
Please click images to enlarge.
-Just Say Yes Events!
Isenia wanted floral that was fun but incorporated her invitation and love for pink. I designed something that was unique and was inspired by her pink invitation that was accented with a feather.
Please click images to enlarge.
-Just Say Yes Events!
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Tailored to perfection.
Brides spend months looking for the perfect dress so why shouldn't the groom do the same. I feel the groom should look handsome, confident and comfortable on his wedding day and the best way to achieve this is with a custom made tuxedo or suit. When you step into the custom world you will see it is a great experience and ensure that your tuxedo reflects you on the most important day of your life. There is nothing like putting on a garment of clothing and having it fitting impeccably, knowing that it is unique to just you and that your garment has been cut by hand to your specifications.
Our favorite custom clothier in Chicago who attention to detail and perfection is outstanding is Eric Kipp of Eric Kipp Custom Clothiers. Eric personally works with each clients making sure that they receive impeccable service and we love his motto;
“My approach is simple… I let my client talk about himself, his life and his views. It is only after understanding who my client is that I can help him develop himself outwardly.” Eric Kipp
It shows that the client is #1 to him and he strives to make sure they have exactly what they want for their big day.
When It came time to plan our wedding and finding the perfect dress I knew that we had to find the perfect tuxedo for my future husband. I recommended Eric to my fiancee and he was thrilled about wearing a custom tuxedo for our wedding day. I have to admit My fiancee Daniel spent more time selecting his tuxedo than I did searching for the perfect gown. He had a wonderful time with Eric selecting fabrics, styles as-well as special personalized touches to reflect his personality and style.
I remember walking down the aisle looking at Daniel and checking out his tuxedo since he did not allow me to see it.
After the ceremony he showed me and I was very impressed with all attention to detail and how much the tuxedo reflected Daniel. The lining of the tuxedo was lined is a gorgeous red silk lining which is also his favorite color. They worked together on selecting all the details that would work for Daniel such as: Peak lapel, double vents, besom pockets and even loop to secure boutonnière in place. Eric also made a tuxedo shirt for Daniel in black with picque bib & peak collar which Eric said was a first! He loved the idea of the shirt being black and not your traditional white and for those who don't know my husband his entire wardrobe is black!! He was very proud of his tuxedo, looked absolutely amazing and was beaming with confidence.
Now let's talk about suits! Oh yes every man should own a well made and tailored suit. Many couples opt for a more casual wedding and the groom normally wears a suit. What man wouldn't want to own a custom made one of a kind suit in his wardrobe. If you are going to wear a suit for your wedding you should invest some money and ensure that it will last for years to come as I live by the motto "You get what you pay for"
This would even be a great grooms gift surprising your future hubby with the experience of designing his own suit, Just an idea!
Visit Eric Kipp at: www.EricKippCustom.com
Here are a couple images of Daniel in his tuxedo.
Our favorite custom clothier in Chicago who attention to detail and perfection is outstanding is Eric Kipp of Eric Kipp Custom Clothiers. Eric personally works with each clients making sure that they receive impeccable service and we love his motto;
“My approach is simple… I let my client talk about himself, his life and his views. It is only after understanding who my client is that I can help him develop himself outwardly.” Eric Kipp
It shows that the client is #1 to him and he strives to make sure they have exactly what they want for their big day.
When It came time to plan our wedding and finding the perfect dress I knew that we had to find the perfect tuxedo for my future husband. I recommended Eric to my fiancee and he was thrilled about wearing a custom tuxedo for our wedding day. I have to admit My fiancee Daniel spent more time selecting his tuxedo than I did searching for the perfect gown. He had a wonderful time with Eric selecting fabrics, styles as-well as special personalized touches to reflect his personality and style.
I remember walking down the aisle looking at Daniel and checking out his tuxedo since he did not allow me to see it.
After the ceremony he showed me and I was very impressed with all attention to detail and how much the tuxedo reflected Daniel. The lining of the tuxedo was lined is a gorgeous red silk lining which is also his favorite color. They worked together on selecting all the details that would work for Daniel such as: Peak lapel, double vents, besom pockets and even loop to secure boutonnière in place. Eric also made a tuxedo shirt for Daniel in black with picque bib & peak collar which Eric said was a first! He loved the idea of the shirt being black and not your traditional white and for those who don't know my husband his entire wardrobe is black!! He was very proud of his tuxedo, looked absolutely amazing and was beaming with confidence.
Now let's talk about suits! Oh yes every man should own a well made and tailored suit. Many couples opt for a more casual wedding and the groom normally wears a suit. What man wouldn't want to own a custom made one of a kind suit in his wardrobe. If you are going to wear a suit for your wedding you should invest some money and ensure that it will last for years to come as I live by the motto "You get what you pay for"
This would even be a great grooms gift surprising your future hubby with the experience of designing his own suit, Just an idea!
Visit Eric Kipp at: www.EricKippCustom.com
Here are a couple images of Daniel in his tuxedo.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Seductive Summer Shower
At Just Say Yes we love bridal showers!!! Bridal showers are the perfect opportunity to implement a fun theme and make it reflect yourself the bride. Our wonderful client Isenia Hererra will be celebrating her shower this August and has sent us one of her gorgeous invitations. We love when brides get creative and Isenia came up with a wonderful design with pink and back the colors of the shower. We love the unique element of a black feather and we have been assisting her with floral and implementing the feather into the centerpieces.
Here are a few snapshots of her wonderful invitation and we hope you too are inspired!!
-Just Say Yes Events!
Gorgeous pink cardstock with satin ribbon, black feather & rhinestone. The envelope for the invitation had a beautiful embossed feather decorative element.
Invitation Design By: My lovely October 9th bride Isenia Herrera
Photo By: Just Say Yes Events!
Here are a few snapshots of her wonderful invitation and we hope you too are inspired!!
-Just Say Yes Events!
Gorgeous pink cardstock with satin ribbon, black feather & rhinestone. The envelope for the invitation had a beautiful embossed feather decorative element.
Invitation Design By: My lovely October 9th bride Isenia Herrera
Photo By: Just Say Yes Events!
Monday, July 26, 2010
The perfect venue.
For those of you that frequent our blog you know that I was married this June to my fiancee and love of four years Daniel Mouradian. There was so much planning put into our wedding and so many small details that I will be selecting one detail, vendor or element and blogging about them individually. I love that we are both in the creative industry and we would be able to design EVERYTHING! I am the Senior Creative Director for Just Say Yes Events and Daniel is a Senior Art Director for an Creative Agency here in Chicago. The creativity between us on a daily basis is absolutely insane with constant ideas of creating and design everything from art to furniture.
Once the planning started it was actually very easy for a few reasons; The first reason is very obvious, I'm a wedding/event designer and the second Daniel and I have very similar styles as-well as likes and dislikes. We both agreed very early on that the wedding would be black and white and definitely a black tie affair. Daniel and I love getting dressed up and feel one should do so for a wedding as it is a very special occasion. Once we had a direction and style we were going in we set out on finding the right location. For my 27th birthday Daniel took me to ZED451 with some friends and I told him that I wish we could get married there. ZED451 is American Churrasco so I knew the food would be amazing and its gorgeous inside. The decor inside ZED451 is contemporary yet warm with wood floors combined with leather and a few event spaces all different in design which is nice.
They also have a massive roof top right smack in the middle of downtown that has three cabanas, giant bar, outdoor fireplaces and lounge areas. This was the place and we both knew it so we BOOKED it!
ZED451 was fantastic during our planning process and it helped that a friend from my modeling days Sammy Ojeda is the Event Manager at ZED451. She helped immensely and we couldn't have asked for a more perfect venue planner than Sammy.
We started with figuring out what space we would use for our ceremony which was really important to us as that is the most important part of the day. For the ceremony we selected The Fireside event space which is on the second level of the restaurant and has a wonderful warm feeling with hardwood floors, double sided floor to ceiling fireplace and Juliet Balconies. The ceremony was to be set up directly in front of the fireplace....Can you say ROMANTIC!
After that was settled we moved onto the cocktail hour which was suppose to be downstairs in the massive bar area that has lounge areas, fireplaces & gorgeous decor.......But Dan had his eye on something else!
Dan wanted the rooftop.....CRAZY! I loved the idea but I knew the restaurant would be hesitant as that is their big money maker during the summer. With the motto of whats the worse that can happen? they say no?!?!? We asked ZED451 what they could do for us and they said YES!!! I died with excitement, we would be hosting a full TWO hour cocktail reception on the rooftop at sunset. Okay now i know I said this earlier but "How romantic".....LOVE IT!
So now we had our ceremony in The Fireside and cocktails hours set on the rooftop of ZED451. We now had to figure out where the reception would be and the dancing and misc items that I will share in another post =)
After another walkthrough we decided that The Fireside would be turned over from the ceremony to the reception during the two hour cocktail reception. I am in the industry and plan wedding with 300, 400 & 500 guests every weekend so I knew that I wanted a small more intimate wedding to avoid all the craziness. The Fireside room was perfect as it seated 90 guests and that was it we had our invite LIMIT 90!! We couldn't budge since the venue space was a 90 guests space and we love that we had to stick to that no matter what.
After all that all that was left was our dancing area and other surprises area. I love when weddings have different spaces for guests to visit and wander to and not be confined to their table and thats it! ZED451 has another event space right off the Fireside room called the Mezzanine that is gorgeous and open to the main dinning below. After being in the Mezzanine I knew it was perfect as its openly divided into a few spaces that we could play with.
That was it floor plan DONE & DONE!
Here are a few images with before and afters of the spaces & descriptions.
Before shot of ZED451 double sided fireplace. This is the area that we set up as the ceremony altar.
After of the ceremony area set up. We flanked the fireplace with two pedestals covered with grey pintuck fabric. Each side had a collection of three different floral pieces. The first glass cylinders were placed on the pedestals filled with a giant manzanita branch, crystals, hanging votives, hydrangea, vendela roses, freesia and orchids. I absolutely love how everything turned out and think It made for a unique and magical altar.
Before image of ZED451 Fireside room.
After close up shots of table designs for reception.
Full after shot of Fireside room used as reception area. We used two different centerpieces for interest to the eye and to balance the heaviness of the crystal tree centerpiece. The secondary centerpiece was a collection of tall cylinder vases holding hydrangea, vendela roses, freesia & orchids. I also added crystal hanging from the vases to make them cohesive to the trees.
All before images by: Just Say Yes Events!
All after images by: Studio This Is
Once the planning started it was actually very easy for a few reasons; The first reason is very obvious, I'm a wedding/event designer and the second Daniel and I have very similar styles as-well as likes and dislikes. We both agreed very early on that the wedding would be black and white and definitely a black tie affair. Daniel and I love getting dressed up and feel one should do so for a wedding as it is a very special occasion. Once we had a direction and style we were going in we set out on finding the right location. For my 27th birthday Daniel took me to ZED451 with some friends and I told him that I wish we could get married there. ZED451 is American Churrasco so I knew the food would be amazing and its gorgeous inside. The decor inside ZED451 is contemporary yet warm with wood floors combined with leather and a few event spaces all different in design which is nice.
They also have a massive roof top right smack in the middle of downtown that has three cabanas, giant bar, outdoor fireplaces and lounge areas. This was the place and we both knew it so we BOOKED it!
ZED451 was fantastic during our planning process and it helped that a friend from my modeling days Sammy Ojeda is the Event Manager at ZED451. She helped immensely and we couldn't have asked for a more perfect venue planner than Sammy.
We started with figuring out what space we would use for our ceremony which was really important to us as that is the most important part of the day. For the ceremony we selected The Fireside event space which is on the second level of the restaurant and has a wonderful warm feeling with hardwood floors, double sided floor to ceiling fireplace and Juliet Balconies. The ceremony was to be set up directly in front of the fireplace....Can you say ROMANTIC!
After that was settled we moved onto the cocktail hour which was suppose to be downstairs in the massive bar area that has lounge areas, fireplaces & gorgeous decor.......But Dan had his eye on something else!
Dan wanted the rooftop.....CRAZY! I loved the idea but I knew the restaurant would be hesitant as that is their big money maker during the summer. With the motto of whats the worse that can happen? they say no?!?!? We asked ZED451 what they could do for us and they said YES!!! I died with excitement, we would be hosting a full TWO hour cocktail reception on the rooftop at sunset. Okay now i know I said this earlier but "How romantic".....LOVE IT!
So now we had our ceremony in The Fireside and cocktails hours set on the rooftop of ZED451. We now had to figure out where the reception would be and the dancing and misc items that I will share in another post =)
After another walkthrough we decided that The Fireside would be turned over from the ceremony to the reception during the two hour cocktail reception. I am in the industry and plan wedding with 300, 400 & 500 guests every weekend so I knew that I wanted a small more intimate wedding to avoid all the craziness. The Fireside room was perfect as it seated 90 guests and that was it we had our invite LIMIT 90!! We couldn't budge since the venue space was a 90 guests space and we love that we had to stick to that no matter what.
After all that all that was left was our dancing area and other surprises area. I love when weddings have different spaces for guests to visit and wander to and not be confined to their table and thats it! ZED451 has another event space right off the Fireside room called the Mezzanine that is gorgeous and open to the main dinning below. After being in the Mezzanine I knew it was perfect as its openly divided into a few spaces that we could play with.
That was it floor plan DONE & DONE!
Here are a few images with before and afters of the spaces & descriptions.
Before shot of ZED451 double sided fireplace. This is the area that we set up as the ceremony altar.
After of the ceremony area set up. We flanked the fireplace with two pedestals covered with grey pintuck fabric. Each side had a collection of three different floral pieces. The first glass cylinders were placed on the pedestals filled with a giant manzanita branch, crystals, hanging votives, hydrangea, vendela roses, freesia and orchids. I absolutely love how everything turned out and think It made for a unique and magical altar.
Before image of ZED451 Fireside room.
After close up shots of table designs for reception.
Full after shot of Fireside room used as reception area. We used two different centerpieces for interest to the eye and to balance the heaviness of the crystal tree centerpiece. The secondary centerpiece was a collection of tall cylinder vases holding hydrangea, vendela roses, freesia & orchids. I also added crystal hanging from the vases to make them cohesive to the trees.
All before images by: Just Say Yes Events!
All after images by: Studio This Is
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Mr & Mrs Beasley
It was an absolute joy working with Nakeisha & Nathaniel on their July 23rd 2010 wedding. Just Say Yes Events was brought on to create two massive 16 feet candy buffets and the bridal party flowers. The color scheme for the wedding was a kiwi green accented with brown which is very in this season. Nakeisha the bride requested a flower ball also known as pave flower pomander and we had fun with it. We decided to use a few different flowers for some interest to the eye and green satin co-ordinating ribbon.
Here are a few images of their special day!
Creative Direction: Barbara Mouradian, Just Say Yes Events!
Photo By: Just Say Yes Events!
Creative Direction: Barbara Mouradian, Just Say Yes Events!
Photo By: Just Say Yes Events!
This was a pave pomander requested by the bride as her bridal bouquet. This is bar far to date one of our favorite bridal bouquets and truly unique. To stay within the clients budget we opted to use mums and baby green Hydrangea in between roses with an accent of orchids.
Please keep this in mind when selecting your wedding floral to keep costs down. Now a days there are so many fantastic florals that you can achieve any look by just swapping out your floral for something more affordable but similar in look and style.
Creative Direction: Barbara Mouradian, Just Say Yes Events!
Photo By: Just Say Yes Events!
This image so you have an idea of just of massive this pomander was. It was definitely heavy but fabulous and most importantly the bride loved it!
ENJOY!
Just Say Yes Events!
Here are a few images of their special day!
Creative Direction: Barbara Mouradian, Just Say Yes Events!
Photo By: Just Say Yes Events!
Creative Direction: Barbara Mouradian, Just Say Yes Events!
Photo By: Just Say Yes Events!
This was a pave pomander requested by the bride as her bridal bouquet. This is bar far to date one of our favorite bridal bouquets and truly unique. To stay within the clients budget we opted to use mums and baby green Hydrangea in between roses with an accent of orchids.
Please keep this in mind when selecting your wedding floral to keep costs down. Now a days there are so many fantastic florals that you can achieve any look by just swapping out your floral for something more affordable but similar in look and style.
Creative Direction: Barbara Mouradian, Just Say Yes Events!
Photo By: Just Say Yes Events!
This image so you have an idea of just of massive this pomander was. It was definitely heavy but fabulous and most importantly the bride loved it!
ENJOY!
Just Say Yes Events!
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Honeymoon Game
My husband and I live rather busy lives as he is a Senior Art Director, I'm a business owner and we have three children...PHEW!
When it came time to plan our honeymoon we had no idea where to go. Our original idea was to fly into Barcelona and travel all over Spain taking a day trip into Morocco. That like I said was our Original idea...There have been about 100 since that one from Thailand to Australia and everything in between.
One evening we were discussing our honeymoon yet again and where and when we would go. My daughter Kayla who is 9 years old now said "Hey, why don't you write all the places you want to go and I will pick one. No matter what you have to go there"
At first I hesitated but then I thought we we take a month off every year and travel all over the world so why not! It might actually be a fun adventure and were always up for adventures.
We wrote all the places in the world we would want to go! The entire world was literally in that glass globe from Thailand, Sydney, Cape Town, Egypt to Dublin and everything in between!!
All the cards went in along with a few blank cards which meant that we had to get a giant map and throw darts at it.
........DRUM ROLL
Our three children each selected a card and they were:
Jeremy.... Cape Town
Kayla.... Amsterdam
Noah.... Australia, Sydney
We then put those three in the jar and my husband Daniel selected ONE!
........DRUM ROLL AGAIN
We are going to.... AMSTERDAM in the Netherlands.
Okay so our plan is to fly into Amsterdam and basically do a tour like we did last year. This trip we are heading to Amsterdam, Prague, Vienna, Munich, Zurich, Bruges & Brussels. We leave this October after my last fall wedding and will be gone for three weeks. Next year we plan on visiting Greece, Egypt and Hawaii with the children.
When planning your Honeymoon...Think outside the box. You might find a location that isn't necessarily your typical honeymoon destination. Also think of time of year, we are leaving in October when all the crowds are gone but October fest in Germany is in full swing!! It pays off to do a little research on different destinations.
When it came time to plan our honeymoon we had no idea where to go. Our original idea was to fly into Barcelona and travel all over Spain taking a day trip into Morocco. That like I said was our Original idea...There have been about 100 since that one from Thailand to Australia and everything in between.
One evening we were discussing our honeymoon yet again and where and when we would go. My daughter Kayla who is 9 years old now said "Hey, why don't you write all the places you want to go and I will pick one. No matter what you have to go there"
At first I hesitated but then I thought we we take a month off every year and travel all over the world so why not! It might actually be a fun adventure and were always up for adventures.
We wrote all the places in the world we would want to go! The entire world was literally in that glass globe from Thailand, Sydney, Cape Town, Egypt to Dublin and everything in between!!
All the cards went in along with a few blank cards which meant that we had to get a giant map and throw darts at it.
........DRUM ROLL
Our three children each selected a card and they were:
Jeremy.... Cape Town
Kayla.... Amsterdam
Noah.... Australia, Sydney
We then put those three in the jar and my husband Daniel selected ONE!
........DRUM ROLL AGAIN
We are going to.... AMSTERDAM in the Netherlands.
Okay so our plan is to fly into Amsterdam and basically do a tour like we did last year. This trip we are heading to Amsterdam, Prague, Vienna, Munich, Zurich, Bruges & Brussels. We leave this October after my last fall wedding and will be gone for three weeks. Next year we plan on visiting Greece, Egypt and Hawaii with the children.
When planning your Honeymoon...Think outside the box. You might find a location that isn't necessarily your typical honeymoon destination. Also think of time of year, we are leaving in October when all the crowds are gone but October fest in Germany is in full swing!! It pays off to do a little research on different destinations.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
There is no other wedding day shoe!
Personally I love Christian Louboutins and must say they are my guilty pleasure. Christian Loubtoutins were only available at reputable retailers like Bloomingdales & Barney's but I am happy to announce they have launched an online store. There is nothing better than purchasing straight from the designer and eliminating any chance of fakes.
They have always had gorgeous shoes and now have a collection geared towards "BRIDES"...How exciting!
The inside of the shoes is lined in blue which makes them even more amazing than before as they can double as your something blue.
In addition to launching the site they have added features that I find FANTASTIC. I am always weary about where I take my shoes to repair as they over very expensive. They have added a section on reputable shoe repair that they recommend. I can't tell you how this makes me feel, seriously. My first pair of CL are looking rather tired and need their front soles and back heels replaced.
I too have worn the famous red soles on my wedding day and there is a wonderful story behind them. My fiancee & I were taking dance lesson every week with Fred Astaire dance studio here in Downtown Chicago. It was our very last dance lesson and I was feeling exhausted from all the wedding hoopla and forgot to bring my dancing heels to our lesson. I was very upset about this since I was wearing flip flops and I was worried our dance instructor Vince would kill me!! My fiancee dropped me off at the studio and told me he was going to park the car and that he would meet me upstairs. Unknowingly I just went upstairs sat down and waited for our session to begin. In walks Daniel with a brown shoes box in his hands.....I KNOW THAT BOX BY THE WAY!! At that very moment I could not believe my eyes. He walked up and said "Now how could let you dance without the perfect shoes".....I DIED! I started screaming and hugged the box for what felt like forever until Vince said "Well put them on" and you better believe I did. We had the most amazing last session and Vince dimmed the lights and put the disco ball on for us. It was definitely a night to remember and something I will keep forever. Daniel being his always so smart self opted for black so that I could wear them again and they just wouldn't be the sacred shoes in the box! They fit in the wedding just perfectly since our color scheme was black tie affair with touches of white.
Here are a few images from the bridal collection, as-well as one of me on my wedding day!
If you would like to purchase any of these directly from Christian Louboutin please click HERE
This is one of my favorite shots from our wedding day! I love how there are layers and layers of tulle & dupioni silk framing the bright red sole! These were one of my wedding day gifts from my now husband Daniel.
Very Prive 120mm Available at http://us.christianlouboutin.com
Fifi 100mm Available at http://us.christianlouboutin.com
Tsarouchi 100mm Available at http://us.christianlouboutin.com
All shoe photos by: http://us.christianlouboutin.com
Photo of me by: Studio This Is Photography
They have always had gorgeous shoes and now have a collection geared towards "BRIDES"...How exciting!
The inside of the shoes is lined in blue which makes them even more amazing than before as they can double as your something blue.
In addition to launching the site they have added features that I find FANTASTIC. I am always weary about where I take my shoes to repair as they over very expensive. They have added a section on reputable shoe repair that they recommend. I can't tell you how this makes me feel, seriously. My first pair of CL are looking rather tired and need their front soles and back heels replaced.
I too have worn the famous red soles on my wedding day and there is a wonderful story behind them. My fiancee & I were taking dance lesson every week with Fred Astaire dance studio here in Downtown Chicago. It was our very last dance lesson and I was feeling exhausted from all the wedding hoopla and forgot to bring my dancing heels to our lesson. I was very upset about this since I was wearing flip flops and I was worried our dance instructor Vince would kill me!! My fiancee dropped me off at the studio and told me he was going to park the car and that he would meet me upstairs. Unknowingly I just went upstairs sat down and waited for our session to begin. In walks Daniel with a brown shoes box in his hands.....I KNOW THAT BOX BY THE WAY!! At that very moment I could not believe my eyes. He walked up and said "Now how could let you dance without the perfect shoes".....I DIED! I started screaming and hugged the box for what felt like forever until Vince said "Well put them on" and you better believe I did. We had the most amazing last session and Vince dimmed the lights and put the disco ball on for us. It was definitely a night to remember and something I will keep forever. Daniel being his always so smart self opted for black so that I could wear them again and they just wouldn't be the sacred shoes in the box! They fit in the wedding just perfectly since our color scheme was black tie affair with touches of white.
Here are a few images from the bridal collection, as-well as one of me on my wedding day!
If you would like to purchase any of these directly from Christian Louboutin please click HERE
This is one of my favorite shots from our wedding day! I love how there are layers and layers of tulle & dupioni silk framing the bright red sole! These were one of my wedding day gifts from my now husband Daniel.
Very Prive 120mm Available at http://us.christianlouboutin.com
Fifi 100mm Available at http://us.christianlouboutin.com
Tsarouchi 100mm Available at http://us.christianlouboutin.com
All shoe photos by: http://us.christianlouboutin.com
Photo of me by: Studio This Is Photography
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)