Here at The Event Group, we love holidays and happy occasions. Valentine’s Day is most definitely a happy holiday . No matter where you are or who you are celebrating with, it is fun to do something special. If you’re fresh out of ideas, no worries; we’ve found some great options for all ages.
Hosting a dinner party? Turn the lights down low and set your table around candlelit centerpieces. This will cast a romantic glow throughout the room and really set the mood for the night.
Looking for a unique date night for just the two of you? If you’re somewhere warm, (we are very jealous!) this is a great opportunity to charter a boat for the night and have a picnic on the water. Bring all of your favorite foods and don’t forget the bubbly. Pro tip? Make sure to find out what time the sun sets to ensure that you’re on the water during the prettiest and most romantic time of the evening.
If you’re like us and are stuck in a colder climate, grab lots of blankets and have a movie night at home. May we suggest a little champagne and popcorn? To make it fun, we suggest doing a popcorn tasting. From dark chocolate sea salt popcorn to truffle popcorn, the options are endless. Get really into it and do champagne and wine pairings with each ‘flavor’ of popcorn. For example, dark chocolate popcorn pairs well with red wines like Cabernet and truffle popcorn pairs well with Brut champagne.
Don’t forget to include the kids. Setting up a sweet treat buffet in hues of red and pink will get the kids excited. A great idea is to let them decorate their own heart-shaped sugar cookies.
Our fool-proof way to have a great Valentine’s day? Gift your love with Cartier’s beautiful gold love ring.
Have you been keeping up with Paris Haute Couture Week? At The Event Group we are always looking towards fashion houses to see the latest and greatest for trends and inspiration. Not to mention, many of the couturiers showcased incredible wedding gowns within their presentations.
Elie Saab presented a stunning gown evocative of champagne. The fitted bodice was accented with gorgeous floral lace detailing to match the full skirt. The almost-translucent veil, draped over most of the gown creating soft romantic lines.
It girl and supermodel Cara Delevigne graced the Chanel runway with designer Karl Lagerfeld and his godson for the revelation of Chanel’s latest bridal gown creation. The gown’s silhouette was quite simple but the beaded details and long train created interest. Something that also created interest? Every look on Chanel’s runway featured models clad in sneakers. Even Delevigne, who closed the show, sported white sneaks. According to New York Magazine, each pair of tennis shoes took about 30 hours to create! To see more of the looks from the Chanel presentation, check out The Guardian’s article.
At Alexis Mabille, bridal eye candy was all around. Fluttering papillon were all over the walls of the presentation evoking a soft, romantic feel, just like the looks themselves.
The Georges Hobeika show was stunning to say the least. Models strutted down the aisle, er, I mean runway in gorgeous white gowns that were truly works of art. Besides white, pale pastels in yellow, blue, pink and purple were also prevalent. See photos of the entire presentation on the Georges Hobeika Facebook page.
Which was your favorite presentation? This has us excited to see what Bridal Fashion Week has in store!
We’re thrilled to have master invitation designer Andrea Liss of Hannah Handmade join our team as a guest blogger. Andrea is the creative force behind the inspiring designs of Hannah Handmade, the company she founded in 1991. We’ve worked with Andrea on projects large and small and she always brings freshness and originality to each of our collaborations. Her workmanship and personal service are impeccable and we’ve experienced the WOW she creates when one of her designs hits the mailbox.
We asked Andrea for some tips on creating invitations that start the buzz from the moment they arrive.
Invitations matter. Their arrival in the mailbox marks the moment that the magic of your wedding begins for your guests … a moment of connection, emotion, and anticipation of what is to come. There are lots of design tools you can use to make yours stand out and get noticed – the kind of invitation that inspires your friends and family to pick up the phone and let you know how excited they are to be included in your celebration.
The best invitations arouse and awaken the senses. Their visual and tactile qualities, careful wording, and type design come together to create an experience in the hearts and minds of your guests.
A well thought out invitation provides guests with all the details they need to relax and enjoy your celebration, and a great design kicks the excitement up a notch. Remember that your invitation suite is the first glimpse your guests will have into the kind of celebration you are planning – and it will be a special keepsake long after your wedding day.
When the location of your wedding is a destination for many or all of your guests, a save the date is the perfect way to provide them with all of the details they will need to plan their travel. Save the dates are mailed at least 6 months before your wedding date and get the excitement started for your guests. It is a nice touch to carry the design of your save the date through to your invitation to create a cohesive story – you can build in surprises by adding in new materials or colors to the mix.
Including meaningful cultural elements in your invitation is a wonderful way to express your heritage and include all of your guests in the celebration. Using symbolic motifs and translating your invitation into a second language are ways to add a personal touch to your ensemble.
There are many activities surrounding your wedding and what better way to show your closest friends how much you care than to plan a special “girls day”. Unexpected elements for your invitation – think acrylic, metal, custom box – can add extra excitement to their arrival in the mailbox.
Incorporating color in your invitation design and mixing solid fabrics and printed papers are great ways to get noticed. Vintage stamps add the perfect finishing touch.
Invitation inspiration can come from many places. For a bride and groom getting married at a Ritz-Carlton mountaintop resort, this branded wood invitation in a handmade box set the perfect tone
Incorporating a motif in your invitation design is a lovely, subtle touch that can be carried through on your programs, menus, cake, napkins and more to brand your wedding. Whether traditional or contemporary, colorful or classic, a well-designed invitation sets the tone and creates an aura of anticipation for your wedding. A skilled invitation designer can guide you through the process from save the dates to invitations, menus, programs, seating cards and thank you notes – make them personal, meaningful and one-of-a kind special keepsakes filled with the WOW factor.
Some things to keep in mind as you begin:
1. Keep true to your vision. Try to step back and take a look at the planning process as a whole so that all the details of your wedding and your paper suite come together with one voice.
2. Express yourself and your individuality. Invitations are as personal as your wardrobe or home décor and make a statement about you. By infusing them with colors, motifs and meaningful touches, you add to the overall effect, and will delight your guests.
3. Keep in mind the formality and tone of your wedding. The look and feel of the design and materials used in your invitations will be a signal to your guests of what to expect.
4. Think of your guests and what they need to know. As important as the design of your invitation, is the information you convey. An experienced designer will help guide you in the proper etiquette and wording for your invitations and enclosure cards. The idea is to give guests all the information they need to enjoy themselves and feel comfortable.
5. Be sure to proofread your layouts carefully, checking all the dates, times and spellings before giving your approval.
6. Allow time for hand calligraphy. Personal addressing and custom or vintage stamps are the ultimate finishing touches.
7. Order early to give yourself plenty of time to have the most custom options available to you.
The Event Group blog is your place to find the latest and most inspired tips and trends in wedding planning & special events. Along with sharing our insider information, we will also be featuring our very talented colleagues within the industry as guest bloggers for a more in-depth look at the many facets of event and wedding planning to keep you inspired.
We welcome you to share your thoughts, special event ideas and inspiration with us. We hope you enjoy exploring our events as much as we enjoy planning them! Follow my blog with Bloglovin
