With every event regardless of size, budget, time of year, an invitation is always a key element in the planning process, a key decision to be made; after all the invitation is somewhat a prelude to the event. The invitation sets the tone to the event; it gives your guests an idea of what’s to come and what’s to be expected. Whether you’re requesting the company of your guests to attend a farewell brunch, a bachelorette party, an intimate dinner party, or a wedding, you want the invitation to impress! You want that first impression of the event which you’re planning to make a statement and nothing will make a nicer statement than a beautifully designed invitation.
I have to confess that I’ve had a very healthy obsession with the amazing designers at Praez Occasions! If you’re ever lucky enough to work with those phenomenal designers, you too will develop a healthy obsession with their work!
Praez Occasions full-service design firm, a true atelier with an unconventional flair for the fine details, committed to helping you announce your life’s most precious moments with exceptional quality and sophistication. Their passion is the expression of your unique vision, style, and taste. Inspired by everything around them, Praez Occasions custom design and handcraft creations that evoke lasting memories, from your Save The Date to your Thank You notes.
I love these planning tips from their website which I think most brides can certainly appreciate. Off course you absolutely must visit their site for more information about their scrumptious invitations.
Planning Advice from Praez Occasions.
We employ a collaborative 3-part process that spans approximately 8-10 weeks, during which we analyze your needs, explore custom styling options, and execute the fine details. For best results, we offer the following tips:
• Start out a minimum of 3 months before the event to provide ample time to achieve your desired results
• Share your ideas & “design wish list”
• Provide details and images of the event site
• Submit venue maps & directions, as they can be incorporated into your design
• Submit images of your floral arrangements whenever possible
• Supply any special wording or phrases that you want to use
• Proofread everything carefully! It costs more to fix a mistake than to do it right the first time
We provide digital proofs on every design via Adobe PDF file by email, and make a physical sample available for final approval before commencing production.
Loving everything Praez Occasions,
Violaine Diogene
“Prisoner of Love!” This is my absolutely, without a doubt my favorite invitation. The title sums it all for me. Can you imagine being the invite to receive such an invitation? What would you think about this wedding? I know I would gasp!
Can you imagine getting this as your Save The Date? I’m giggly just thinking about it!
I just love the peacock feathers in this menu card. What a grand way to dress the tables and make a statement. Do allow your eyes to wonder to the little details of the fine fabric and peacock studs.
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After years or months of dating, you’ve decided to make it official. You’ve asked her parent’s permission to take their baby girl’s hands in marriage and now you’re on your to getting married to the love of your life! Since you and only you can truly express your love for her, you want to write your weddings vows. Splendid! The only problem is you don’t know the first thing about writing vows. It’s alright, you’re ok, you’re going to be amazing and she’ll love you even more just for trying. So, with that said, let’s go over some very basic ways to accomplish this and get you on the way to writing a beautiful, simple wedding vow for your ceremony, because you know that this very simple gesture will be a memory that’s embedded deeply in her mind and those heartfelt words will last a lifetime.
Here are 4 tips to help you write your own memorable wedding vows:
First and Foremost, Speak from Your Heart
This sounds easy but sometimes it’s not. Find a peaceful place in your mind which will allow you to slow down and relax a bit. It’s ok to close your eyes for a few seconds to collect your thoughts and imagine this amazing person standing in front of you, smiling at you and about to commit their lives to you.
Look into their eyes and take a trip down memory lane of all the wonderful experiences shared with this person. Think of all the secrets you’ve shared, the laughter and the intimate moments shared together. Feel how in love you are with him/her. Then, as you open your eyes to see this amazing loved one in front of you, think about what you would like to tell him/her at this very moment. Think no one else is there. No one else matters, it’s just the two of you and let him/her hear whatever your heart sincerely feels and desires.
I’ve seen a lot of my brides and grooms do this and often they tell me that they found themselves expressing their true and simple feelings. They often make a promise which reflects a special time of their lives. One bride said to her groom “I promise to wear your shirt to sleep every time you travel!” The look on the groom’s face was simply priceless and his smile simply told you that’s an intimate moment between them and he loved that. Their vows was received in a very deep and heartfelt way and what else could you ask for in your wedding vows?
No Matter What, Don’t Try to Impress People
In the course of planning so many weddings, I’ve heard quite a few wedding vows. One mistake I often come across is when people try to write their vow that is mouthful and impressive with the assumption this will make their ceremony more special. My darling brides and grooms, the truth is that it’s completely the opposite. Doing something like this will only accomplish one thing; it will only make your words sound fake and insincere and with that, your vow won’t have any impact on that amazing person standing in front of you and it certainly will not impact your guests.
The best thing to do is to be simple and genuinely speak from your heart. Regardless if you choose to do it in a format of your every day conversations just be genuine and your feelings will be reflected in your words.
Write Your Vows Down
Yes, it’s perfectly ok to write your vows down in the form of a letter and not on your Blackberry or any other phone for that matter. Writing this often makes you feel a little more comfortable and confident in what you’re about to say to your new spouse and yes; the same rules above still applies.
Feel Free to Read a Spiritual or a Romantic Prose
If you’re lost for words and you can’t seem to adequately express your thoughts; reading something beautiful, spiritual and romantic is a great way to get you thinking about what to say.
When reading, let yourself be inspired by the author’s language. If any of the words describes your loved one, write if down and before you know it, you’ll be writing a deep, romantic and beautiful sentence that reflects your feelings and in return you’ll have written the perfect wedding vow.
Well, you know I have to ask you what your plans are for your wedding vows! Are you writing your vows? Did you write your vows? Did you parents write their wedding vows? How are you approaching writing your vows? I know, tons of questions but you know I would love to hear from you.
Happy vow writing,
Violaine Diogene
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It seemed like the entire month of July was consumed with curiosity for Chelsea Clinton’s wedding. While the news coverage was a bit much, I must admit I was taken back when her photos were released and now here I am blogging about it. To simply put, Chelsea Clinton beamed of happiness.
I was reading this article and looking for inspiration from her wedding and I thought I would share with you. This article was copied from New York Social Diary.
Inspired,
Violaine Diogene
The Wedding …
Astor Courts. Built between 1902-1904 and originally used as a sporting pavilion with guest bedrooms, it houses the 1st indoor swimming pool in the U.S., and a huge indoor Tennis Court. To get there you have to go through this long winding road, and the grounds are truly breathtaking on the Hudson.
Ceremony. It was all outside and the weather was great. They had yarmulkes for the men, and fans for everyone in case it got hot. The chuppah was the most amazing one I have ever seen. It was constructed out of willow branches and decorated with white roses and hydrangeas. It was shaped like a dome, almost like a pavilion, and in the evening, after the ceremony during the dinner dance, it was lit up so we could see it.
The Ceremony was very Jewish, about 80%. The rabbi did most of the talking and they had a nice Ketubah on display, and they had a Sheva Brachot whereby the Rabbi read each one in Hebrew, and then a reader repeated it English.
At the end when Marc broke the glass, the Rabbi told us that they would use the broken pieces and put them back together to make a mezuzah for their apartment. Chelsea told a friend it was her idea, and that she researched it and bought it at the Jewish Museum. Clearly a lot of thought had gone into the ceremony and it was really lovely right at sunset.
Marc Mezvinsky and Chelsea Clinton at an outdoor ceremony at the Astor Courts estate on Saturday, July 31 in Rhinebeck, N.Y. (Handout / Getty Images)
Dresses. As has been reported Chelsea was in Vera Wang, She really looked lovely, and it had a long train. Hillary really looked spectacular in a beautiful red dress with embroidered flowers and she was so attractive. Bill looked great and had lost over 20 pounds for the wedding. Both of them were beaming throughout the whole ceremony.
The bridesmaids also wore Vera Wang in a soft purple (one of a kind, because they had white dresses dyed to the right color). After the ceremony Chelsea changed into another white dress (Vera Wang again). Needless to say Vera was in attendance.
Flowers. I don’t think there was a hydrangea left in the Northeast. The main house was decorated in large bouquets of white hydrangeas and roses and over the fireplaces were long displays of white lillies (like they have at the Hotel George V in Paris where they arc across the room). In the main reception area (a tented construction behind the house), there were a variety of arrangements but the tables had a minimum of 3 to 4 different arrangements, this time in purple/pink roses and hydrangeas again. I mean a minimum of 100/150 roses per table.
Reception. They set up a marquee in the back behind the tennis courts. It was an amazing sight. Chandeliers, air conditioning and a huge dance-floor. There were about 450 people but it didn’t feel that big. The tables were mixed arrangements in shape – some round, some square; a very long dais (where Chelsea/Marc/Bridal Party/Family were). The flowers were arranged mixed, some high, some low, with a variety of candle/water arrangements. The color palette was a soft lilac/white.
We were seated at each table, with a personalized printed menu for each person (instead of a name card). Of course everyone was split up so couples were separated.
Band. The band was amazing, about 20/25 people with a full string section, as well as a standard band. They could play anything and did, really leading the crowd through the entire festive night. The first dance was great and Marc and Chelsea did a pretty sexy tango style which was showed how much in love they were. Bill was crying when he danced with Chelsea. They did a Hora, and yes, both Bill and Hillary were raised on the chairs and carried around the room. Hilarious.
Food. Very good (and now I know that Chelsea is a Vegan – there were gluten free breads and the huge wedding cake was gluten free as well). Salad, Risotto, choice of Arctic Char, Angus Steak or Vegetarian, plus Desert and Cake. We didn’t finish eating until 1am or so.
After Party. The band wrapped up at 1:30, and then we went into the Tennis Court which was converted into a lounge, with different flowers (this time red hydrangeas and roses everywhere) and a dance floor surrounded by couches, etc. Then came the comfort food: Grilled Cheese with Truffle, Seared Tuna, Red Velvet Cupcakes, Mini burgers etc). They had a DJ playing, as well as someone playing the electric violin. It was really great fun, and we headed back on the buses at 3am, and got back to the hotel at 4am. We had started the night at 4pm, so it was a long night.
Guests. The press had it all wrong, it wasn’t a Hollywood event but more of a family and friend event. So the only “stars” were Mary Steenburgen and Ted Danson (who partied till 3am as well), Madeline Albright, Vernon Jordan and Terry McAuliffe. There were a lot of Washington people, but mostly it was family and friends which was great, as it was very comfortable and everyone knew people.
Speeches. Hillary and Bill made the welcoming speeches and both were excellent. Hillary welcomed everyone by saying “The press was saying – who is invited – well you are, everyone in this room has touched the lives of Chelsea and Marc either in the past or present, and we hope you will be part of our lives going forward – we thank you for all that you have done for them both.”
Bill then said that he has been outnumbered in his house with Chelsea and Hillary and was looking forward to having an ally. The best men (brothers) made nice speeches and the matron of honor made a really heartfelt speech. The highlight was Marc’s speech where he described the moment he went to ask Bill (and Hillary) for Chelsea’s hand in marriage, which was funny and surreal. He also said that Chelsea embodied the finest qualities of both her parents and he thanked them for raising such a special person (Bill had tears at this point).
Marc also said that as people have been there for them, he wanted to make it clear that he and Chelsea would always be there for everyone else – good times and bad. It was very touching and meant a lot to everyone in the room who knows them well. Chelsea ‘s speech was also great (off the cuff) and she radiated when she spoke of her love for Marc and again for everyone in the room.
The next day we had the Brunch.
Location. The brunch (again hosted by Hillary and Bill) took place in this magnificent barn in Rhinebeck. We had to drive (ID checked again and again), and then on a arrival, a golf cart took us to the barn, which was just amazing. They had two 20-foot walls covered in Sunflowers and we sat at communal tables (it was informal) and had very good brunch food (again wheat/gluten free options). It was a beautiful morning, and you could look out over this huge expanse of land; it was really special. Even though we were all tired, it was great. Hillary was out in force, being very Mother of the Bride and looking very summer cool. Bill showed up towards the end of the Brunch; and Marc and Chelsea were both there (Chelsea again in a beautiful bright blue dress). It was a great end to the weekend.
Highlights. Madeline Albright dancing with Vera Wang, and hearing Hillary say to Madeline at the Brunch, “You were one hot mamma last night!”
Bill and Hillary being lifted on chairs during the Hora. Secret Service made sure there were plenty of men to do the carrying.
The grounds of Astor Courts lit up at night framing the marquee, pool area and the chuppah under the stars.
The relaxed elegance and beauty of the brunch – it was a special place.
Gift Bag. Last but not least they had a great gift bag (again with the same logo/writing as the invitations/save the date) – with wine, maps, sweets, pen, stationary, all local things sourced at Rhinebeck as a tribute to the Wedding.
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If you attend any event this month, make it count and attend Wish Upon a Wedding Atlanta Official Launch Party!
Wish Upon a Wedding is the world’s first nonprofit wish granting organization providing weddings and vow renewals for couples facing terminal illness and serious life-altering circumstances regardless of sexual orientation. Our organization offers couples a chance to enjoy a very special day, without any thoughts of existing health or other serious issues, while surrounded by their closest family and friends.
By celebrating the courage & spirit of these couples, we help create lasting memories that will be cherished for years to come. It is our hope that others facing similar situations will find hope, strength, and the promise of eternal love.
Officially launched in January of 2010, Wish Upon a Wedding currently has over a dozen chapters to serve Wish Applicants. We service couples residing in or wishing to get married within 300 miles of any one of our chapter locations. New Chapters open regularly.
If you would like to be a part of our Wish Granting Team {or know someone who would} please submit a Wish Granter application.
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Okay so, I LOVE wine and I mean I LOVE wine! One of the most important elements in planning a very nice wedding is knowing the kinds of wine you should offer your guests (should you choose to offer your guests wine at all). Now you know when we started this blog, we wanted to talk to you about all sorts of things and this wine 101 I’m thinking is a great post for those who’s looking for information on wine.
I was reading about this from Brides.com and I came accross this wonderful aritcle and I thought I would share with you. Let me know if you found it useful and if there’s any questions I can asnwer for you.
Always thinking of you,
Violaine Diogene
A top wine expert offers her insider tips for choosing your wedding-day drinks
There’s no doubt about it: Choosing wine can be one of the most enjoyable parts of wedding planning. And selecting your big-day libations doesn’t have to be stuffy or pretentious. Anu Karwa, who holds an Advanced Certification from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust, founded trendy wine tasting event organizer Swirl Events to share her passion for approaching wine in a fresh, fun way. Here, she shares her best advice for picking the wine for your wedding.
How should a couple pick wines for their wedding? What should they order?
When picking wine for a wedding, you want to pick one white wine and one red wine. Make sure they’re food friendly and that they’ll please a wide spectrum of palates. Don’t pick extreme or non-food friendly wines, e.g. a sweet white wine, a big Barolo, red Zinfandel, etc. Plus you need a sparkling wine for the toasts. My picks for wedding whites include: a Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand (especially the Marlborough region), a dry Riesling from Washington State or Alsace or an unoaked Chardonnay (known as White Burgundy in France.) For reds, I would pick a Pinot Noir (known as Red Burgundy in France.) Great choices come out of the Willamette Valley in Oregon and the classic region of Burgundy. They’re very food friendly or perfect on their own and easily please a wide taste range.
How many glasses of wine should a couple budget per person?
Assess your crowd. Some crowds are more likely to consume wine, beer and cocktails. The ratio is up to you, but assume people drinking wine consume one glass per hour.
Champagne’s expensive but necessary for a Champagne toast. What can a couple do to save money without losing this special touch?
My favorite wine tip for weddings involves Champagne. Champagne is a major wedding expense (since people usually budget two glasses per guest.) Instead, pick a Prosecco, a sparkling wine from Italy, or a Cava, a sparkling wine from Spain. Both are equally elegant and you can find fantastic bottles for about $12!
How can oenophiles incorporate wine into their wedding?
Pick wines that are special to you and indicate the meaning behind the choice to guests via small tent cards. Place the tent cards in front of the wine or near the bar. This gives guests a little insight into you as a couple.
Not sure which wines to pick? Here are a few questions to get your imagination going:
- Do either the bride or groom come from a wine-friendly area? Pick a wine from their home state or country.
- Have you vacationed in wine country?
- Are you especially environmentally conscious and planning a “green” wedding? Pick all organic or biodynamic wines.
- Have you picked a wine to be your new “home” wine?
- Do you have a special restaurant: Where you shared your first date, where he proposed, etc…? Pick a wine off their menu.
- Are you going to a honeymoon spot known for its wine: Napa, Australia, France, Italy, Egypt, even India?
Cocktail hours all seem the same. How can a couple make it more fun?
Have a wine tasting! If Swirl doesn’t cover your area (NY, NJ, CT), do it yourself. Set up stations, each with one wine and a sommelier or bartender pouring and discussing the wine. Pair an appetizer or cheese with each wine being tasted and keep it at the station. Get score cards printed with the names of the wines and the station number. Hand these to guests so they can vote for their favorite or write notes. This keeps guests occupied and encourages mingling between guests who might not know each other.
— Kathryn Papanek
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A few months ago I had the sheer joy and pleasure of planning one amazing slumber party for a very deserving twelve year old. Since I’ve received a lot of requests to blog about some of my events, I figured this slumber party would be a great place to start. I know it’s not a wedding but planning this slumber party felt as though I was planning one. You see, the twelve year old is my twelve year old daughter, Nastajea which put the pressure on me to deliver.
This party was the celebration of many different things. One was turning twelve, a year spent on the honor roll in an honors program and her very first slumber party just to name a few.
To start, Nastajea invited eight of her closest girlfriends from school. After a few site tours, Nastajea choose the stunning Mansion Hotel on Peachtree because she always wanted to have a pool party and with a February birthday, such party was never possible. The Mansion Hotel on Peachtree featured an amazing indoor pool as well her favorite restaurant NEO which is where the girls would have dinner for the evening and breakfast the next day.
Nastajea was really involved in every aspect of planning the party from choosing from her vendors from my list of preferred vendors to the décor. She really wanted her guests to go home feeling like her slumber party was like none other. She begins the design process by choosing her theme base on her love for retro polka dots and bright colors such as fuchsia and lime green. Below are the elements of her slumber party.
Loved planning this slumber party,
Violaine Diogene
The beautiful Mansion on Peachtree
Praez Occasions did an amazing job with the invitations. The designer came up with these fun hand drawn retro polka dots in Nastajea’s colors. Each invitation was customized with the invites names with a sneak peek to the slumber party
Each invitation were delivered in this lime green box with a hand tie fuchsia ribbon. Each invitation also included a sleeping mask.
The girls arrived promptly for the party and enjoyed the ride in the limo to the hotel.
Originally we booked a junior suite for the party but decided to surprise Nastajea with the Presidential Suite.
The girls were surprised with their own personalized swag bags which were displayed on the dining room table. Each swag bag included a silk polka dot pajama short with either a pink or lime green tank top. The bags also included fuchsia or lime green nail polish, earrings and flip flops.
The girls had Hilarye working every minute she was there. I wanted to capture the day so that Nastajea can always have the memories and pictures to reflect on the day she turned twelve. Hilarye from http://www.myfotographa.com/ captured all the photos of the day.
This is what it was all about to Nastajea; being able to go swimming in February with her friends! I love that Hilarye was able to get this shot of them jumping in the pool.
Perfect Petals designed these centerpieces with Nastajea’s favorite flowers; calla lilies with polka dots ribbons around the rim of the vase.
NEO was closed that early evening just before the Valentine dinner rush and the girls had the restaurant all to their selves. They each ordered from the menu.
Sugarplum Visions is Nastajea’s favorite bakery and her cake had to come from their shop. Jamie was so accommodating to this twelve year old. She even had her own tasting!
The girls along with Nastajea were shocked to see that they each received their very own mini cakes to take home.
The birthday girl at the end of the evening….
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I came across this stunning picture from two amazing photographers John and Joseph Photography who just had the honor of being featured on Junebug Weddings. I could not help but to stop and admire this photo of this beautiful bride.
Now, I named this post “In Route to the Ceremony” because as stared at the look on this bride’s face, I couldn’t help but share her butterflies. The way her index finger is resting on her lips brings me back to the day when I got married. I remember thinking “God, this church is far!” while the church was a mere five miles from my mom’s house. I remember just how nervous I was that day and as I sat in that limo with my index finger across my lips, a million thoughts ran through my mind.
I’m amazed at the look on her face. I’m amaze at how mesmerizing she is as she clearly thinks about her trip down the aisle. I’m amaze at the lace edge of her veil which frames her beautiful face and the how do you not feel like you’re taking that ride with her? Once again, I’m reminded this is what great photography is all about!
Mesmerized by John and Joseph Photography,
Violaine Diogene
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Like your wedding gown, your wedding cake and other aspect of your wedding; your centerpiece should certainly reflect your sense of style, personality and should make an impression on your guests. One of my current bride really knocked me of my seat when she decided to go opposite of everything she’s ever known. I’m talking about completely opposite and every one of her guests will not believe she had this person in her.
I’m sharing this with you because I want to remind you that this is your wedding and you’re able and allowed to do whatever it is that you wants. If’ you’re a bride like Kelsie and you want to just shock your guests upon their arrival at the reception, by all means make it happen. There is no rule to what and how you should do your own wedding decor. Well, you know what I mean. I don’t want you to go crazy with your colors or anything but I just want you to keep an open mind about what’s available to you. Be creative, step out of the box and surprise the most important guest of all; you!
Below are some of the most amazing centerpieces I’ve ever come across. I love, love and I do mean love the very first centerpiece as it just took my breath away. This actually more than a centerpiece as every other table were graced with handmade canopies of birch and vines which featured dripping votives. While mossy pots overflowed with garden flowers with wooden lanterns and votives to punctuate each lush table. Do you hear that? That’s your guests gasping in amazement as they step foot in your reception!
How do you envision your reception décor? Like to contact the florist responsible for such amazing work? Davinci Florist and Stone Blossom would love to speak with you if you”re a bride who can handle these daring centerpieces.
Daring you to be daring,
Violaine Diogene
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| 2 Comments Happy Monday! Or should I say Happy shoe Monday? Either way, this Jimmy Choo Quinze Bootie is poised to start your week in the right foot. Whether you’re attending a grand opening, a guest at a wedding or shopping for shoes (if you’re brave enough,) strut your stuff and show them what’s it’s all about in this stunning pair.
How would you rock this pair of stubbing bootie?
Loving Jimmy Choo,
Violaine Diogene
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