December 12th, 2014
The gals over at Big Events Inc. are sharing their insider perspective and expert tips on hosting a memorable + thoughtful rehearsal dinner that is enjoyable for everyone on your invite list. The Big Events team is one of our all-time favorites to work with…We are indebted to them for sharing their ideas that stem from creating (literally!) hundreds of rehearsal dinners. Get the inside scoop from wedding planner + designer Lacey below…
ON THE EVE OF THE WEDDING – While the wedding day is full of love and celebration, the night before is a chance to spend time with those in your closest circle. Rehearsal dinners are usually quite personal – with even the littlest details uniquely curated to the taste and personality of the couple. Families unite, friends walk memory lane and everyone shares the joy over a delicious meal. Make yours even more memorable with these night-before ideas:
THE TOASTS – This is the most sentimental, sweet, funny and entertaining portion of the evening…but only if the toasts don’t drag on and on, don’t turn in to roasts and aren’t hijacked by Uncle Billy!
– Kindly request that their toasts not exceed 4 to 5 minutes.
– Ask your Best Man or a close family member to act as the evening’s MC. He is in charge of the mic and knows the order in which friends and family members plan to speak. He’ll take the mic at the end of each toast and pass it with introductions to the next speaker.
– Traditionally, the Father of the Groom will open the toasts with a greeting and some words of gratitude for all those who have traveled near and far to share this weekend before speaking directing to his son and future daughter in law. The Groom goes last and closes the toasts and the evening with some sweet sentiments for his bride to be!
THE MUSIC – We’re in Music City!! Hire a singer/songwriter to give your out of town guests a true taste of Nashville music. Ask your musicians to play their songs during cocktail hour, transition to light background music while guests are eating, take a break during toasts and come back to play as guests say their farewells after dinner. If not live music, then certainly consider the venue and don’t forget the tunes.
THE DRINKS & DINNER – It’s the groom’s night, so let him shine with his favorite signature cocktail or brew. Be sure to consider your wedding menu when planning the meal. If you’re having chicken at the wedding, serve pork or beef at the rehearsal dinner. Keep this simple by offering only one entrée option, rather than a selection. If guests have dietary restrictions – they will likely let you know and most caterers are willing to accommodate. Let dessert be his choice…if he loves apple pie and ice cream, he gets apple pie and ice cream!
WRAP IT UP! – You have a long and exhilarating day ahead of you and everyone needs their beauty sleep. Start the dinner early (no later than 6:30pm, if possible) so that you can leave at a reasonable time.
Gorgeous paper reflecting the couple sets the tone for a thoughtful event long before the celebration ensues! The team at EOH would love to help you make your ideas (a very pretty!) reality. Be sure to browse the signature EOH line of rehearsal dinner invitations (& wedding suites!)
Big thanks to Lacey for these helpful hints + creative ideas with us!
Photos courtesy of Mary Rosenbaum via Big Events Inc.
September 29th, 2014
The Southern gal behind the Bride Room, Charlotte Poling, wanted to throw a party, so she gathered lots of her favorite folks…And Emily O. Holmes Paper got to play along! It was a dreamy night from the chic runway show right down to the fun bubbly bar…all with the Cordelle as a gorgeous backdrop!
We loved working with Charlotte (and her insanely beautiful wedding gowns!) She is fun, so sweet, and down to earth. We were inspired by the way she strives to put family first and how she curates her shop with such great taste!
One of the owners of The Cordelle , Leigh Watson, helped host the party. She has a striking look and personality! She and her twin, Chandra Watson, along with Nealy Glenn own the space. The Cordelle is simply AMAZING – charming, lovely, open and modern with a southern flair. If you need a venue space, definitely check it out! But reserve quickly because it is booking up fast for 2015! The bridal runway show was open to anyone – so many fun people attended…brides, event planners, stylists, and photographers.
We’re excited anytime we get to work with the ladies at Big Events and this time was no exception. Martha Greenwood and her team designed a modern yet warm aesthetic and brought lots of their one-of-a-kind rental pieces to the space. You can now find amazing rentals on their website! Big Events is a wedding and event company – I highly recommend their services. They are the kind of folks that are (very!) on top of it but at the same time warm and so much fun, like you want to go sit in their kitchen and chat for hours. Great style, great energy, great team.
There were delectable treats to snack on while guests oohed and aahed over the bridal runway show. My favorite was the bubbly bar featuring The Bang Candy Company syrups – Hibiscus Orange Blossom Ginger & Peach Basil Nectar & Lavender Mint (all delicious!) Passed apps were created by Chef’s Market and tasty sweets by Frosted Affair.
Emily O. Holmes Custom Paper Lovelies did the programs, bar signs, hashtag cards, and “hello love” stationery gift in the goodie bag. We went classic with all black & white, but brought in the trendy hand-lettering look for an element of fun.
There was amazing lighting by Bright Events Productions and beautiful make-up by Katie Russo. You can find all the other vendors below! They’re great to keep in mind if you’re planning to get hitched or throw a party anytime soon…
This night was a smash hit! We want to give a big thank you to The Bride Room, Big Events and The Cordelle…and for letting EOH be a part! (You can find more photos on the #funandfashion hashtag.)
Vendors: THE BRIDE ROOM @thebrideroom // THE CORDELLE @thecordelle // BIG EVENTS INC @bigeventswedding // BRIGHT EVENT PRODUCTIONS @brighteventproductions // SOUTHERN EVENTS @southerneventsonline // VISUAL ELEMENTS @VEDecor // CHEF’S MARKET CAFE @chefsmarketcafe // GRACEY’S GOURMET COOKIES @ggcookies // FROSTED AFFAIR @frostedaffair // KATIE RUSSO @krbeauty // EMILY O. HOLMES PAPER @emilyoholmes
Thanks to Mary Deaton Studios for the photography.
September 19th, 2014
We are so happy that the fall weather is finally heading our way and this gorgeous wedding made us excited about the cooler temperatures starting to blow through Nashville! We can’t wait to share the inside scoop Camille shared behind her classically elegant wedding at home…(And a million thank you’s to Overbay Photography for these pictures that tell the story!)
The (Happy!) Couple’s Names: Camille Farris Grote and Robert Davis Chaffin, Jr.
Wedding Date: December 29, 2012
Location: Nashville, Tennessee
Tell us “your story.” Davis and I grew up right down the street from one another…However, it was not until I moved back to Nashville for graduate school that we realized we had been crossing paths our whole lives! With the way Nashville is changing and growing so much, it seems perfect that we were both able to meet someone that shares Nashville roots and similar values.
Pick three words you would use to describe your wedding. Father of the Bride (that’s four words!)
Tell us a little bit about your aesthetic. I can honestly say that I enjoyed every single second of wedding planning…It was so fun! This time of year is always filled with fun, parties, and good cheer so we wanted our wedding to reflect that. My personal style is feminine and classic. I wore a custom Monique Lhuillier blush colored gown (that I am still so in love with!) and we incorporated blush tones throughout the florals. Since it was a dark winter evening, lighting was really important to me. The whole night was filled with candlelight. There were candles in the church, reception, and even floating in the pool! The black and white dance floor, tents, white dinner jackets, and crystal chandeliers, all had a very classic, Gatsby feel, while the black cocktail dresses for the girls, tulips, orchids, and blush tones kept things modern.
What was your very favorite detail from the day? It meant everything to me to have the reception at our home. I have always dreamed of a “father of the bride” type wedding. It was so fun to see such a familiar place transform into this beautiful party venue. Our home has always been filled with such fun and love and it made our reception all the more special to me for it to be held there. My mother and I collected china from friends and family that we served the cake on. My little brother played the piano with the band to kick off the party. We also served a late night treat of bourbon spiked boiled custard which is a family holiday tradition.
One thing you wish you would’ve know before you started wedding planning…Don’t sweat the small stuff. There can so much time making sure that every little detail is perfect. When it comes down to your actual wedding day, I don’t think I thought once about the details! You are surrounded by so much love and happiness…Enjoy and take in the moment. If you are still thinking about all the little details, you are missing the beauty of the day. At the end of the night, you will be left with the feeling that everything was perfect!
Tell us why you love EOH custom paper lovelies! When it came to my wedding invitations, I wanted something very traditional, formal, and without a lot of fuss. EOH custom paper lovelies worked with me to create exactly the aesthetic that I was looking for. I was thrilled with the result and felt like she really grasped what I was envisioning.
Thanks for sharing you classic white wedding with us, Camille!
Vendors: DRESS The Bride Room Custom Monique Lhuillier // HAIR PIECE Debra Moreland Paris // VEIL Made by my paternal grandmother (It was made with lace from her dress & from June Carter Cash!) // VENUE Westminster Presbyterian Church & Home of the Bride // PHOTOGRAPHY Overbay Photography // PLANNERS & FLORISTS Big Events Denise Sikes & Martha Greenwood // PAPER Emily O. Holmes Custom Paper // CATERER Kristen Winston // CAKE Dessert Designs // RENTALS Music City Tents and Lighting // BRIDESMAIDS The Bride Room Lela Rose // GROOMSMEN Street Tuxedos // MAKE UP & CALLIGRAPHY Val Cole
Don’t forget to browse our recently refreshed wedding paper line here for lots of modern + elegant paper pretties!
