Surprise Event - Hint # 2!

A few weeks ago I posted about how Allure is doing a surprise event in the Spring! Well the first hint was Grease, and now the second hint is MJ! Oh I know you all are just dying to find out what in the world this event could be! The same event involving both MJ and Grease!??? I am just dying to tell you all but like I said, the person that this event is for doesn't know that it is being given for them and we can't give them any chances to spoil the surprise!

I'll keep posting more hints throughout the next few months. Can any of you guess what it is?

Invitations with Style

One huge part of your wedding is your guests. To even get your guests there, you need to send out invitations. If budget allows for you to purchase invitations rather than making them yourself, then you definitely need to check out this Wedding Stationery. They pretty much have whatever kind of stationary that you could ever want, whether it be for your Save the Date Cards, Bridal Showers Invitations, Rehearsal Dinners Invitations or Modern Wedding Invitations, the styles and designs range from simple and chic to elaborate and formal.


I have had the opportunity to see the invitations for myself and I love them. (My favorites are the longer cards...anything out of the ordinary is sure to catch and keep hold of your guests' eyes!) If you are really wanting to surprise your guests with a nice invitation, use the Letterpress Stationery collection that is available. The textured look and feel of the invites are sure to tell your guests that your main focus is to pamper your guests and do it with style!

With the huge collection that is available through Wedding Paper Divas, you are assured to find something that will fit you and the look of your wedding. If it is not a wedding but another type of event that you need stationary for, browse their website to see if something could match your event. They have a wide variety so there very well may be something to suite your party as well!

Inspirational Story

No Wedding, But the Cake Isn't Wasted

www.criticalbride.com

At church yesterday, the pastor told us of a story that I will always remember. Of course when anything that has to do with a wedding is said, my attention is grabbed, just like a dog when you say the word "treat". I know, it's pathetic! Anyway, here is the story:

Kathleen Gooley was to have been married today. The wedding was called off, but the reception went on. Instead of friends and relatives, Ms. Gooley's guests were 150 people from homeless shelters, soup kitchens and drug rehabilitation centers in Norwalk, Stamford and Bridgeport.
Ms. Gooley, who works for a company that recruits doctors, was to have married a psychologist this morning, but she said he called off the wedding two months ago. The couple had already paid the Canongate, a catering hall, $5,800 for the reception, and the owners would refund only $1,350.
So instead of a reception, Ms. Gooley decided to have a party for the homeless at the Canongate. ''This is better than a wedding,'' she said today as her guests dined on hors d'oeuvres, garden salad, fruit cup, stuffed chicken breast, string beans almandine, baked potato and cake and ice cream. ''It's making 150 people happy. If it were a wedding, I would have been the only person who was happy.'' Soft drinks and coffee - but no alcoholic beverages - were also served.

Several businesses donated flowers and favors for the party and provided transportation for the guests, who came from places like the Norwalk Kiwanis Shelter and the Thomas Merton House in Bridgeport. Many wore jeans and T-shirts, baseball caps and sneakers and walked tentatively into the Cotillion Room at the Canongate. At each place setting was a handwritten note from Ms. Gooley's 11-year-old daughter that said: ''Hope you have a great day. Love, Tara.'' Pictures of teddy bears adorned the note.
The chandeliers, pink tablecloths, spacious dance floor and wedding menu were foreign to some guests. ''It's been a long time since I've been at something like this,'' said Johnny Rivers, a 47-year-old homeless man who said he lost his job because of problems with alcohol. ''It's been a real long time. I just didn't have the money to be doing something like this.''
Marvin Minkler, an advocate for the homeless who attended the party, said there are 800 to 1,200 homeless people in the metropolitan Stamford area. ''For some of these people, this will be the only hot meal they get all month,'' Mr. Minkler said. ''Some of these people live in abandoned cars or the woods. But this is theirs today. This is their party.''
The uneasiness that some guests experienced at the outset dissipated when the music - everything from rap to big band tunes - started. The men did not hesitate to ask Ms. Gooley to dance. Some women danced with babies in their arms.

While fingering an unlighted cigarette, a homeless man with three stitches above his right eye explained what the party meant to him. ''Even when you're homeless, you try and maintain some pride and dignity,'' said the man, who identified himself as Paul A. ''At something like this, you can. This woman did a wonderful thing. She made us feel like real people again.''

New Fabulous Venue

THE MILL OF CHATTANOOGA

The Mill of Chattanooga is such a beautiful place! It is in an old building that has been refurbished. I love the old but new look to it. My first experience working with them has been great and I know that they will take care of my October wedding. If anyone needs a place that is affordable, yet spacious, call Lisa at The Mill - 423-400-1459.

Poor Grooms...

picture by www.theage.com.au

As I was searching the web today, I came across a website that I will definitely be checking on a regular basis. It is a blog named Weddings by a Groom-To-Be and it ids hilarious! This poor groom is experiencing what a lot of men go through during the engagement period...they feel that their lives have been overtaken by wedding talk. There once, perfect, content life with their girlfriend has become a mad-rush of cakes, flowers, reception venues and a fiance that can't make up her mind. Girls, give your fiances a little bit of slack if they do not want to jump into the wedding details with you. All they want to do is to be married to you, not to have to stress for the next several months if the color of the flowers will match the color of your mother's dress...

Win It!

Win a Toss Designs Nantucket Knot Carry-on!

Go to The Nest to enter to win. What a perfect Honeymoon bag! Good Luck!

Magenta & Lime

Love these colors together! They are bold yet chic....perfect combination!

Thanks to the following for the pictures: www.orquideas.com, www.telegraph.co.uk, www.alisonandoliver.com, www.infinitelooks.com, www.palmerpkg.com, www.amazon.com, www.fabsugar.com, www.handcellphone.com, www.whatscookingamerica.net, www.myearthquakes.blogspot.com, www.ashleylaurencheney.blogspot.com

This Sunday, August 10th, we will have a booth at the Dayton Bridal Expo from 11:00am - 4:00pm at the Dayton Convention Center. We will be offering special rates for those that attend the Expo, so make sure you come and stop by our booth! Toya, the head coordinator for the Ohio office, and an event assistant will be working the booth. They look forward to meeting all of the eager and happy brides!

Surprise Event!

There is a SURPRISE party that I am working on for next Spring. It is so exciting!!! Let's just say that the picture above has a little something to do with the event...

I'll try to post more about it as things come up, but I don't want to give away what the SURPRISE event is. I know that the client that I am doing it for reads the Allure blog and I don't want to spoil it for them!

SO EXCITING!