by Melissa Porter on March 9, 2010
Ashley and Jonathon were married on a chilly winter day at the beautiful Lake Junaluska Chapel near Asheville, NC. It was a destination wedding for all of their guests so even though the temperatures were frigid their guests stayed warm with a holiday weekend full of activities. Thank you to Blossoms at Biltmore Park for such gorgeous flowers! A special thanks to Angela Stott for these stunning bridal portraits and wedding day photos. Angela’s vision and creativity really shine through in these photos!
Congratulations Ashley and Jonathan! We wish you a lifetime of happiness!
by Nikki.Mitchell on March 4, 2010
With all the snow and cold weather we’ve been enjoying here in the mountains of Western North Carolina, we couldn’t help but get inspired by the thought of a sun filled wedding day. Yellow takes on an upbeat, modern twist mixed with a classic black and white palette. Imagine an afternoon wedding at the Biltmore Estate or the glow of a sunset wedding outside at Homewood. Add fun personal touches like cupcakes, specialty cocktails and tasty guest favors to make your special day unique. With the expert planning, creativity and local knowledge, the ladies at Asheville Event Co can take your inspiration for the perfect wedding and turn it into a dream come true.
by Melissa Porter on March 2, 2010
Jamie and Bryan’s wedding at Claxton Farm was so full of spectacular details! Jamie was a DIY bride from the beginning and it was so much fun to collaborative with her, her mom Helene and Bryan to create this vintage-inspired wedding of their dreams. Jamie gathered a lot of inspiration from Style Me Pretty, as well as Martha Stewart when planning all of the personal touches.
Jamie found mis-matched china from flea markets, yard sales and antique stores and incorporated the dinner plates and salad plates into every place setting for her nearly 100 guests. Vintage tea cups, sugar bowls and gravy boats served as vessels for some of the floral decor on the tables. And as always, Stacey from the Bloom Room’s floral designs were amazing. All of the linen runners and napkins were hand-sewn by a friend of the family. Love birds became an understated theme throughout the celebration and were used in their table setting and on top of the cake. An antique bird cage served as a place card holder, while bird nest lanterns were hung from the rafters in the barn.
The color palette of melon, sunshine yellow, granite gray and slate blue complimented the vintage theme. Flip flops in every size (including toddler’s for her nephews) were waiting on the dance floor in baskets. Every sign was hand-stamped by the bride from their hand-made guest book to the “Hitching Post” sign to the signpointing to the “Hoe Down.” Miss Pickle’s Press’s tags adorned the late-night smore’s by the fire, the local, home-made peach butter for guest favors and the stir-sticks for their signature cocktail, a Peach Smash.
Yellow parasols shaded the sun from the guests and the ceremony and made a fun prop for family photos. The programs fans were hand-made by Jamie out of vintage style paper. The children’s table featured butcher block paper, vintage toys and candy and an authentic “I Spy” game. The lounge area was accented by hay-bale couches, chairs and coffee tables, accented by custom fabric runners and wood stumps for end tables.
Thank you so much for allowing us to be part of your special day! Congratulations Jamie and Bryan!
by Becca Knuth on February 24, 2010
Haifa & Doug were married on January 9, 2010 at the Grand Bohemian Hotel. They have been together for 14 years and brought together an amazing circle of friends and family for their nuptials. Their creative ceremony and decor ideas translated into a very personalized and unique experience.
Each guest was given a river rock prior to the ceremony. During the ceremony the guests were asked to say a prayer, wish or blessing for the couple and asked to come up and place the rock in a wooden bowl for the couple to keep.
Originally Haifa and Doug planned to have their ceremony on the Fabulous Tyrolean Terrace however freezing temperatures forced us to move the ceremony inside to the Ballroom
The ceremony was in circular formation and Haifa and Doug were surrounded by river rocks, candles as well as their guests. The ceremony was performed by a dear friend who has known the couple as long as they have been together. The very original, creative ceremony and vows were created by Haifa and Doug. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house (and that included their wedding planner)!
The Grand Bohemian’s elegant lobby provided for some wonderful photo opportunities.
Alan from Blossom’s did an amazing job incorporating all of Haifa & Doug’s unique ideas with the elegance of the Grand Bohemian Ballroom. Simple white floral arrangements combined with lots of candles and natural elements such as river rocks, rose petals and evergreen sprays complemented the elegant ballroom decor.
The “Smash” cake from the Chocolate Fetish was quite a hit and a surprise to the guests when Haifa and Doug “hammered” into it instead of “cutting the cake”.
Matt Hanner provided a Photo Booth in addition to photographing the weekends events. Guests had fun with words and props but no one had more fun than the bride and groom hamming it up here…
Many Thanks to all the Vendors for making this wedding such a success and bringing Haifa and Doug’s vision to life!
Ceremony & Reception Venue: The Grand Bohemian Asheville
Flowers & Decor: Blossoms at Biltmore Park
Photography & Photo Booth: Matt Hanner
Chocolate Smash Cake: The Chocolate Fetish
Wedding Coordinator: Asheville Event Co.
Hair & Make Up: Suraj Spa
by Becca Knuth on February 19, 2010
Here are the top 10 Wedding Trends from One Wed’s Savvy Update…
1. Screw the Trends – Be Yourself
The top wedding trend for 2010 is personalization. Instead of a cookie-cutter ceremony and reception, the new focus is on customizing the big day for the bride, groom and wedding party. Do you and your future hubby share a special hobby? Whether it’s exotic travel or tennis, find a way to make your passions part of the celebration. Also, the emphasis on individual style includes your bridesmaids. Instead of clones wearing the same dress, shoes and identical updos, try picking a color scheme and giving each bridesmaid the opportunity to choose a dress that shows her personality… and complements yours.
2. Bright Color, Black Backdrop
For the latest wedding look, the only thing white should be the bride’s wedding dress. Black accents and bright, bold colors are in, for everything from bridesmaid dresses to flowers to table linens. However, if you want a timeless dress for your bridal party, you can always do classic black with vibrant accessories and bouquets.
3. Earth-friendly “I Do’s”
You can have a sustainable love and a sustainable wedding. Eco-conscious nuptials are all the rage, featuring pre-owned and vintage wedding dresses, LED lighting, recycled paper invitations and locally grown food and flower choices. Couples are making a commitment to each other and the environment with green weddings!
4. Groomed for Success
Today’s groom not only rocks a tux, he dives into the planning process… and a little man-scaping along the way. As a fashion-conscious guy with a vision for his wedding (or at least a few worthy ideas), he’s jumping online and searching blogs like: The Man Registry, The Plunge, Temple of the Groom, The Groom Says, and Ben the Groom. It’s wedding planning with a healthy shot of testosterone and a great distraction while you go dress shopping.
5. Everything Old Is New Again
Maybe it started with Mad Men, or with the desire to wear a pillbox hat, or a fixation with a fabulous birdcage veil. Brides are catching vintage fever and falling head over heels for retro looks like Depression era glass and tea-length dresses. On the upside, vintage looks are not only classic but eco-friendly and affordable. Brides can channel old-school glamour with a modern twist… and keep budget worries in the past.
6. You Can Go Home Again
Backyard rustic chic is the best way to describe the newest wedding venue – your own backyard. Whether the wedding actually IS in your own backyard, a local park, beach, barn or even the “backyard” of a fabulous resort, the idea is to invite just your nearest and dearest to a wedding that’s long on comfort, charm and love, but low on artifice, pretension, and unnecessary extras. Low heels, casual dresses, and a tent in case of rain are all you need!
7. Mix and Mingle
Instead of a traditional sit down dinner, experiment with a new twist on wining and dining. To get your guests mingling, try an extended cocktail hour, lounge-style seating or a family-style meal. Anything you can do to shake up the format will give your guests a chance to socialize more freely… and avoid the awkward introductions at the table with assigned seating. Also, couples want to maximize their time with guests and are taking advantage of first-look photo sessions (to cut down on photo time after the ceremony), pre-wedding festivities and after-parties to keep the celebration going.
8. Return to Romance
Forget the “perfect day.” Now couples are letting go of the pressure and creating a “perfect for us” wedding. Romance is in the air with special engagement photo sessions, videotaped proposal stories to capture the memory (and possibly share at the reception) and a renewed focus on marriage. A few other romantic touches include the abundance of lace and tulle on the bridal runway for 2010 dress trends and the continuing popularity of deeply emotional vows and toasts.
9. Food You Can Eat
We all cheered when wedding menus expanded beyond chicken, beef and fish, but let’s face it, infusions, foams, mousses and “bites” left a lot of us speed-dialing for delivery after a wedding reception. Fortunately, today’s wedding receptions are serving upscale comfort food at sit down meals, buffets and as late night snacks. Desserts are getting a make-over too as hard-to-eat fondant is upgraded to butter cream icing on wedding cakes (softer and sweeter) and the cakes are paired with palate-friendly sweets like pies, brownies and cakes.
10. iDo
Tech-savvy couples are embracing online wedding planning to save time and money…and tweeting about it along the way. Aside from status updates, brides-to-be are experimenting with LED lighting, iPod DJ’s and digital cameras to complement their professional wedding vendors. WeddingPreParty.com is also a top destination for Facebook-friendly couples who want to bring their friends and guests into the planning process.
