DIY : Customized Hanger

Last October I posted a great tip for the bride: do not forget the dress hanger. Well, here is a little follow up for out DIY brides, mod podge hangers. What a fantastic idea from Make It and Love It, and one that can be customized for every wedding! Now there is no excuse, ladies!!!!

Not getting married? Well, this would make a great hostess gift, housewarming gift, baby shower gift, a just because you're awesome gift! All it requires is some fabric, a hanger and of course, Mod Podge!

Current Music : Primary 1

Primary 1 is my new music obsession, in particular the song Princess. There's a little hint of The Cure in the song and a whole lot of Rene Magritte in the video. Definitely playlist worthy!

Photo courtesy of Primary 1's Facebook Page

Edible Sugar Diamonds

Diamonds are forever, unless they are edible and placed on a piece of cake. In that case, it's anybody's guess how long they'll last. That's right, the next way to bedazzle a cake is by snazzing it up with cake jewels. Completely edible little bites of diamonds. I love it!

This gorgeous Tiffany cake designed by, Janet Mohapi-Banks, is inspired by the Tiffany lamp design and features these awesome edible diamonds!

Think it's too much for your wedding cake...well, there are a ton of ways to utilize these sugar monsters: on top of bridal shower cupcakes, bachelorette cupcakes, use as decoration on the table for a dinner party -Sex and the City is coming up! Visit, Diamond Party Confetti to pick yours up. They are not cheapest decor pieces on the market but they are certainly not as expensive as these bad boys!

TOTW : It's Flower Time

Taking on the task of coordinating your own wedding will be, well quite frankly, it will be at times overwhelming. Thorough planning is a great way to alleviate this feeling. Seriously, plan everything. That's my motto.

When you get to the part where you are coordinating the event day details with all of the selected vendors, make sure that you have your personal flowers arrive at least an hour before the photographer and videographer. Especially if your packages have a time limit on them.

You don't want to have your photog and videog arrive, and not be able to snap pictures of the flowers. First, you will miss out on capturing the beautiful arrangements you've purchased. And lets be honest here. How many times in your life will you be toting around a custom made bouquet AND be dressed to the nine AND have bangin' hair AND have fresh make up AND be surrounded by all of the people who are closest to you in your life AND have a professional photographer and videographer on hand to document it all? Yeah, not that often right!

But beyond this, without bouquets...what will all of you be doing with your hands? Can you say awkward. Most wedding gowns and bridesmaids dresses don't come with pockets. I sure don't want to be responsible for creatively posing, oh let's say nine bridesmaids plus a jittery bride when the don't have their bouquets to hold on to.

Lastly, time is of the essence on your wedding day. Most venues and vendors are flexible but only to a certain point. If you go over the contracted hours, you might end up paying overtime. So plan wisely!

Photo courtesy of My Phoenix Wedding Photographer

West Palm Beach Wedding Planner : 102

A few months back I posted on why you should hire a wedding planner. This is such a great question, and one that I get asked a lot. The answer is literally never ending, and here is the second reason why. Again, this list is not in any type of order :-)

2. FORGOTTEN DETAILS

Not all special events are about the details. A lot of corporate events are pretty cut and dry. A wedding is anything but. A wedding is all about the details, and it is the little details that make each wedding unique. Chances are that you will not find yourself saying on your wedding day, "Oh my gosh, we forgot to hire a caterer," or, "sh$t, we never picked out a venue for the wedding!" These are not details that you forget to cover. Now you may not pick the right caterer or venue but that's another post :-)

What typically happens is something like you forget to turn the volume off on the house phone when the ceremony is on the patio, and just as your about to be pronounced man and wife the phone rings, or, you forget to take off your watch like the bride in the picture posted above. I could list a gazillion things that are forgotten on the wedding day. Some important, some no-so. Either way, a wedding planner will think of these details for you and tend to them allowing the bride and groom and both families to enjoy the day.

And any bride out there who is intentionally planning on wearing her watch on the big day...take it off! Love knows no time on your wedding :-)

Lauren Daversa Events is a full service event planning boutique specializing in all social and corporate events.
Known for their fresh and innovative style and personal attention to clients, Lauren Daversa Events is South Florida's premiere wedding and special event planning company!

Photo courtesy of Lemon Drop, and yes, those are people streaking in the background.

L+O+V+E

L+O+V+E, L+O+V+E, L+O+V+E Wild Flower Linens.

Wedding Gowns Under $250

I can hardly believe it's been since November since the last Wedding Gowns Under $250 post. What can I say? Time flies when you're planning fun!

This morning, and by morning I mean 1 AM, I was checking in on the Internet. While I was busy getting lost on talented vendor's blogs like Wild Flower Linens, I some how ended up on my good-old friend Nordstrom's website. Oh how I love Nordstrom. There once was a time when I use to visit there on my way home from work, almost every day. Yes, I had a bit of a shopping problem but honestly, what girl doesn't? I digress...so, I found my way to Nordstrom and of course found another gorgeous dress for the Wedding Gowns Under $250 series.

The dress pictured above is a form fitting Adrianna Papell evening shutter pleat bateau neck gown. Wow, say that five times fast; or even once! The shutter pleats place this dress into the chic category. One might even describe this as architecturally interesting, if they themselves are trying to be interesting. I would say, strikingly-dramatic. Anyway, put it however you want to, this floor-length gown will make a great wedding dress if you're not in a place to part with a few grand or more. This number will set you back $198 bucks, proving yet again that beautiful can be affordable.

L | D Finds : LumiGram Fiber Optic Tablecloth

Calling all platinum clients. Looking for that wow to razzle-dazzle your guests at that oh so important soirée you're planning -Side Note - I'm sure we're working on this event together ;-)- Well, let me suggest using LumiGram's luminous fiber optics tablecloth.

LumiGram's is the project of Jacqueline ("Lumi"), a French fashion designer and I think she is fabulous! Their concept is based on the association of light and technology for style. They use the latest luminous technologies for creating and offering stunning fashion, clothing, decoration and luxury articles making their collections a unique blend of sharp design, traditional handicraft, and advanced technologies.

The luminous fiber optics tablecloth would most definitely create a truly memorable event. Picture this, it's summer time and you're throwing an intimate, garden dinner party for thirty of your closest friends to celebrate. What? I don't know, you're celebrating celebrating! As the sun is just moments away from setting, dusk is literally about to sweep over the sky, and your guests are transitioning from cocktail hour on the patio to dinner in the back yard...you dim your lights and BOW! The ethereal silvery-blue glow from your luminous fiber optics tablecloth dazzles them and you are an instant diva hostess...wait for it...with the mostess!

The price for this dazzling wow factor is not for the budget friendly. These bad boys start at $500 and go up and up and up! But how worth it to add that extra sparkle! There is a silver lining to the cost. They are hand-washable. No dry cleaning!

TOTW : DIY Gladiola Floral Arrangement

Hello. I am an event planner and I have at least two sides to my brain...(since I'm a Gemini, I actually have a lot of different sides, but that's for another time and another place!) Getting back on track to the two sides of my brain: the rational side and the escapist side.

The escapist side is the creative side where I come up with my inspiration for events. The rational side is how I try to figure out how to execute it. And since all of my clients are not working with the same budget, I need to determine exactly what the different stroke is going to be for each folk...so to type.

Here is a neat tip for brides who are on a tighter floral budget: gladiolas. Yup, they are great options when your floral budget is on a diet. First, when buying in bulk, they are priced very well. Second, they come in a variety of colors, which means they will fit into a whole lot of different color schemes. Third, they have their own flair. Yeah, that's right. I just brought back flair! They are long, and elegant, and bright and beautiful. Hmmm, sort of sounds like The Girl From Ipenama.

Check out this tutorial from Flower Arrangement Advisor. The flowers used are...gladiolas, of course. Check out just how long they are, the florist has to trim them to size. The height is important because is gives the arrangement that "wow" factor.

Now, the style of the arrangement may not be exactly what you are looking for...so tweak it to make it work for you. Pick up unique vases, add some ribbon, crystals, rocks, moss. Whatever ties it in to your event and makes it pop. But remember, arranging your own flowers is a lot of work. And not just the effort. It takes creative skill, which is not something that comes with directions. Hey, there is a reason why a good florist costs money. If DIY flower arranging is not for you, talk to a florist about incorporating gladiolas into your flowers!

Top photo courtesy of Opulent Creation Events
Bottom photo courtesy of The Knot
Video can be seen full screen at Video Jug

libby + jon

Just a few months ago, I received a call from Jon inquiring about planning a destination-esque wedding. First off, I absolutely love it when grooms are involved in planning their wedding!!! Second, I use the term "destination-esque " because they do live in Florida, just not in the immediate area. Anyways, I met with Jon and Libby and we all hit it off right away. They are relaxed and cool and will be married this November. Yes, I did type November of 2010! No worries, Lauren Daversa Events has had less time to plan an event! Though I can't share all the details yet, I can share their engagement shoot - shot by the amazing Kat Braman.

Ah, love is grand and their wedding will be too!

TOTW : How To Really Pin A Boutonnière

About this time last year, I posted on how to pin a boutonnière. Now I fully stand by my original post, however. When I came across the video below, I knew it was superior to my post. Watch, learn and enjoy!

How To Pin A Boutonniere with Carrie Scribner of Dutch Bloemen Winkel