Event Design Ideas - Fire & Ice

Lately, I've really been enjoying winter. Especially since last year's was so mild. Well, it is Minnesota and we just got a huge snow storm!  My kiddos have been playing in it non-stop. We've been ice skating outdoors, sledding, and building snowmen. Of course, when we come in from the cold we like to warm up with a hot cup of cocoa.

It was really sunny and beautiful the other day, which made the snow lined trees absolutely sparkle. This got me thinking about how awesome it would be to do a winter wedding. If it were up to me, I would do a "fire and ice" event design because it is so fun to go out in the cold and then come in and warm up by a toasty fire.

I would incorporate a lot of sparkly elements paired with an unusual color scheme for winter - dusk blue and fire orange. Of course, I think having the girls in short, gray glittery dresses would look amazing!

Additionally, it would be so easy to make some outstanding centerpieces using Dollar Store vases. First, coat them in Modge Podge and then roll them in white glitter. Next, wait for them to dry then rub off any excess glitter and coat them in modge podge again. Finally, roll the vases in Epsom salt. They end up looking like they are covered in sparkly snow! Glittered branches, white hydrangeas and orange roses would make a beautiful floral arrangement to go along with your Faux icy vases.

Speaking of table-scapes, dusk blue napkins in glittered napkin rings would really add some elegance. Lot's and lots of white candles create a very romantic ambiance. Of course, there are other fun touches to add, like an ice luge serving signature cocktails. A S'mores bar where guests roast their own marshmallows would be phenomenal! I also love the idea of having the walkway to the venue lit with ice candles. A vintage broach bouquet would be heavenly, and maybe the groom could sport an icicle boutonnierre?

There are so many fun details that would make a fire and ice wedding fantabulous! I truly hope that I've inspired.

Happy Planning!

PHOTO CREDITS: CAKE -LEE ANN BELTER BRIDAL, ICE BLOCK W/FIRE - EHOW.COM, BROACH BOUQUET - ERIN HU PHOTOGRAPHY, INVITATIONS - ETSY.COM, SHOES -DRESSSALE.COM, ICE LANTERNS - THE NESTING JOURNAL, S'MORES BUFFET - HELLOCOTTON.COM, SNOW & ICE JARS - WONDERFUL DAY WEDDINGS LLC

Emerging Trends - Coordinating, Not Matching, Bridesmaids

 Allowing bridesmaids to pick their own dress as long as they follow a set of guidelines is becoming increasingly popular. I'm really loving this trend because it alleviates some stressful situations for the bride. I mean let's be honest. Although we love our girlfriends, going dress shopping with all the different personalities, and body shapes, can be a challenge.

It can be almost impossible to find that dress that makes everyone happy. Inevitably, there will always be one friend that just hates the dress that was chosen. Either because she feels it doesn't flatter her figure or she hates the color or the fabric makes her itchy. So do yourself a favor and skip the stress inducing fiasco that is bridesmaid dress shopping!

So this idea, coordinating bridesmaids dresses, is a perfect solution! I think it works especially well for brides with a large wedding party. The best way to go about letting your bridesmaids pick their own dress is to set strict guidelines. This means you will have to let them know the color, the length and maybe even which fabric you prefer.

First, the bride must provide an example of the acceptable color shades. A simple, no fail way to do this is to go to the local hardware store and pick a paint sample with strips of the same color in different shades. Send the paint sample to each girl in your wedding party and write on the back the length of the dress you desire. This will be very helpful for them to bring along when they go dress shopping!

The next step is to simply trust your friends' fashion sensibilities. If your bestie likes romantic, ruffled skirts and a sweetheart neckline, she can choose it as long as the length and color fit the guidelines! It really is cool to see all the different fashions represented and yet everyone will appear aesthetically cohesive.

Remember, you set the guidelines so they are as specific as you want them. For instance, if you really hate Taffeta make sure that your wedding party knows that all Taffeta dresses are off limits. Your ladies will appreciate the guidelines but also love the fact that they will have a lot of lee-way to pick out something that flatters their sense of style and body type. This will drastically cut down on any bridesmaid drama on "the big day" because you won't be spending any time having to reassure anyone that they look great.


Happy planning!

PHOTO CREDIT - WEDDINGCHICKS.COM

Vendor Spotlight - Graddy Photography

This September I had the opportunity to work with one of the best photographers in our industry, Graddy Photography. My clients, Leah & Jonathan, chose the Full Service package but they already knew who they wanted to hire as their photographer. Usually, I give quite a bit of input about this aspect of the wedding. It is so important to hire a professional photographer, so I was a little hesitant when they told me that they'd already found this vendor. My apprehension didn't last long, color me ecstatic when they told me they'd hired Graddy Photography!

Photography is one of the most important aspects of your wedding and I would highly encourage you to spend a sizable portion of your wedding budget on it. Like so many photographers will tell you, it is an investment. There are no "do overs" on your wedding pictures so it really is important to hire a photographer with a style that speaks to you. Graddy really takes the time to discuss what is important to you because they are passionate about making your wedding photographs as unique as your wedding. If you look at their gallery you will see photojournalism that is distinctly original for each client.


Graddy Photography has won MN Bride's "Best of" award for both 2011 and 2012 and was also nominated "Top Photographer" via The Knot. It is easy to see why. The candid moments that Justin captures are nothing short of amazing! He does it in the most unobtrusive way possible. I was standing next to him when he took picture after picture of the first dance between the bride and her father. Every single shot was flattering and yet he was mindful not to disturb this precious moment between them.


Graddy Photography takes great care to get the right angle, use the right lighting and do masterful editing. With over 350 weddings under their belt, you can be sure that they know exactly what to capture. As a planner, it was very pleasant working with Graddy Photography because the professionalism was immediately apparent after one conversation. I definitely think they deserve the spotlight!

 











Happy Planning!

Tips & Tricks - Submerged Centerpieces

Hello everyone! Recently, I realized that it has been about a month since I posted so I had to update this little ol' blog of mine. Phew - it is hard to be a wife, mom and small business entrepreneur; so thank you all for your patience and understanding!

Today I want to share some tricks of the trade. After all, not everyone can afford to have a florist do their centerpieces. The easiest way to have a centerpiece look expensive is by doing a submerged floral arrangement. They don't use a lot of flowers and the beauty of the ones you do use is magnified by the water. I had a client that needed to stretch her floral budget. Since I've done wedding centerpieces before, I offered to do them for her. Now, I'm sharing my knowledge with you! :)

Of course, I prefer that centerpieces be done by a florist because it makes my job a million times easier and, quite frankly, they do a better job. That being said, if you are absolutely unable to budget for centerpieces done by a professional  florist then DIY submerged centerpieces are the way to go.

Start out by purchasing cylinder vases from a garage sale or the dollar store. Then choose glass beads that coordinate with your color scheme. Next, order hardy flowers with full blooms. Great flowers for submerged centerpieces are Roses, Dendrobium Orchids, Spider Mums, and Gerber Daisies. I like to use wholesalers like Sam's Club or  Bunches Direct.

Make sure that you cut your flowers so that they are an inch or two below the top of the vase. You must fill the vase with the glass beads first, then place the flower. This is so they are centered.

Also, there is a trick to getting the flowers to stay in place under water. (Otherwise they will float to the top even if they are surrounded by rocks.) You must use fish weights! You can get these for $2 a bag at your local hardware store in the fishing section.

Use floral wire to secure the fish weights to the stem of the flower and then stick them into the beads. Then fill the vases with water. It is important to note that these centerpieces take a long time to put together. Therefore, if you decide to assemble them before the wedding day then you should not submerge the flowers until you put the centerpieces out on the tables. Instead, only fill the vases about a 1/4 way full so that the flowers are getting water but are not submerged.

Once they are out on the tables, use a pitcher to gently fill the vases up. Put a floating candle on top and, wallah, you have a beautiful centerpiece that didn't break the bank! Because they are so simple, I suggest using mirrors, candle votives and petals to punch it up notch. This will definitely give all of your tables the "wow factor" you're striving to achieve.

I truly hope that I've inspired! If you use this tutorial, let me know how it goes. Or better yet, send me some pictures! :)



Happy planning!

New Rental Items

So, it has been an incredibly busy wedding season. I've been falling behind on the blog a little bit so I decided to take some time out of my busy schedule to tell you all about some exciting new things going on with Wonderful Day Weddings LLC.

I'm thrilled to share that I have several new rental items and I'm a busy bee working on my PDF catalog. It is not done yet, and probably won't be until October because I have three full service weddings this month. I know, crazy busy! Once I get some time to work on this, I will put it up on the website.

As you know, I cater to "green", vintage and shabby chic weddings. I love, love, love upcycling junk into beautiful wedding props. Earlier this summer, I had the opportunity to work with Wing Ta from Canary Grey Photography. She came out to shoot some of the vignettes I put together and also take some family photographs!

Of course, I took a few photographs of the vignettes as well because the majority of our time was spent with my adorable family. :) I worked really hard to stage the pieces so that clients can see their potential.

The rental items I specialize in are a few small furniture pieces and lot's of accessories. My furniture pieces include a petite white dresser, burlap bar stand, old farm door and a lovely Victorian settee. Most of my stash consists of accessories such as chalkboards, card containers, cake stands, apothecary jars, suitcases, etc. etc. A lot of it is also vintage.

One of my favorites is the picture fram with wire mesh insert. It is perfect for escort cards or even to do a flower arrangement. I imagine that a couple's initials could be done in flowers and displayed as an accent on the cake table or by the guest book.

I have a couple of chandeliers, one is candle and the other is electrical. Both are very "French country" looking. I just love the romance of this style!

Recently, I created a "shabby chic" chalkboard door for a client. It is absolutely adorable. I cannot wait t use it! What do you think about her? I've decided to call her Rose because she will be used at Camrose Hill Farm in Stillwater. (Not the best photo, I will update it when I get a better one!)

I also really love the rustic style for weddings so I have quite a bit of those items as well. Lot's of galvanized tubs, rusted tool boxes and wrought iron vases. Mixing and matching things that don't necessarily belong together creates some really charming eye candy.

I think one of my favorite pieces has to be my vintage type writer. Cannot wait for that client that wants to use this in lieu of a guest book. Wouldn't it be so much fun to have guests type out little "love wishes" to the happy couple?

I could gush about this stuff for hours but since I'm really short on time and have a wedding tomorrow I'm going to stop bragging about all my cute stuff and get back to work. I'm leaving you with a picture of my family! Wing does truly amazing photography, I shall have to do a vendor spotlight on her at a later date.






 PHOTO CREDITS: CANARY GREY, WONDERFUL DAY WEDDINGS

Ettiquette Advice - Escort Cards VS Place Cards

In the wedding industry there are little nuances that signal how formal an event is. Often times, these things can be overlooked by those that are not familiar with the different levels of entertaining protocol.

One of the questions I get asked about the most is the difference between escort cards and place cards. Many people think they are the same thing and use these terms interchangeably. However, there really is a difference! If you don't want to confuse your caterer, it is important to learn the role each plays at your wedding reception.

The more formal of the two is the place card. Place cards are usually used at black-tie events with plated meals. They are a representation of assigned seating. This means that the hosts have taken the time to decide exactly where each guest will sit. Place cards are set out at each place setting before the event starts. Often times, a large seating chart will be available in the lobby to direct guests to their table number.

Once they receive that information, they then find their place card and sit. For many formal weddings, there are three or four different entrees available to guests. To keep the staff from having to ask each guest what meal they have, place cards are often color coded to signal the dish to be served to that person. This is a very efficient way to make sure everyone gets the right meal.

Another option is to use a meme on each place card, for instance a stamp of a chicken or fish. I did this with one of my clients and it was an absolute hit!

Escort cards tend to be used at semi-formal weddings. They do not assign guests to seats, rather they assign them to tables. Their function is very similar to a place card but a notable difference is they are often set up on a table with a flower centerpiece.
Another difference is the guest's name will have a number after it, for instance John Smith -14. Escort cards can also be color coded for plated meals. However, they are also used quite a bit at buffet dinners. Brides are becoming more and more creative with how they display their escort cards. I've seen everything from magnetic escort cards to jars of jam with guest names on them. (Having favors double as escort cards is cost effective and looks great!)

I hope that I've cleared up any misconceptions that you might have had about place cards and escort cards. Their differences are mostly in function instead of form so it is easy to get them mixed up. Happy Planning!

Wedding Inspiration - Red, Black & White

I'm so excited for the wedding I have coming up. We meet today to finalize our design plans! The "theme" of this wedding is sophisticated Southern elegance, which should be pretty easy to pull off with the classic color combination of black, red and white.

To create the ceremony space, we're borrowing from the Jewish tradition and using a "Chuppah" that will be lavishly draped in red fabric. The aisle will be flanked by tall wrought iron candelabras decorated with red roses. It might be steamy, so the programs will also double as fans for guests to keep cool.

As for the reception, it will reflect the groom's southern background. Soul food is on the menu with chicken, collard greens, black eyed peas, sweet potatoes, cornbread and Ceaser salad. Yum!

The table linens will be black with ivory napkins and the red rose centerpieces will add a pop of color. We're also doing chair covers with black sashes. How elegant! I'm putting together her centerpieces and I'm really happy to have the opportunity to create exactly what she wants within the parameters of her floral budget. :)

We are using cylinder vases with a single red rose and a floating candle. It will sit on top of a beveled mirror and be surrounded by red rose petals and candle votives. It will be absolutely romantic. In addition to rose petals around the centerpieces, they will also surround their three tier red velvet cake!

Of course, the cake won't be the only dessert! We are planning to have a lavish candy buffet with ornate apothecary jars filled with red, black and white sweets. Plus, we'll have chocolates in red favor bags at each place setting for guests to enjoy.

Yes, it certainly is coming together. I'm happy that we're finalizing all the details and I'm happy to share this inspiration board with you. After the wedding, it will be interesting to see the similarities and differences from the original plan.

I truly hope that I've inspired. Happy planning!

PHOTO CREDITS:WEDDINGS BY COLOR, WED THEMES,THE KNOT,PROJECT WEDDING,ONEWED,BARE FOOT FLOOR,ZIMBIO.COM, QUICKBUY.COM, FRANCOISE WEEKS

Hillary & Brent - Urban Chic Wedding

Phew! It has been such a busy wedding season. I know I've been slacking on the blog a little bit so I'm asking for your forgiveness and I promise to do better! Now that I have my "housekeeping" out of the way, I wanted to spotlight Hillary & Brent's wedding.

I had the pleasure of being the "Day of Coordinator" for this very fun, chic and creative couple. They were married this past May at the Day Block Event Center in Minneapolis. I cannot say enough good things about Brent & Hillary and their unique and inspiring wedding!

The Day Block Event Center has so many fantastic features, like high windows, a balcony and well worn wood floors. It definitely has that urban "warehouse" feel and boasts exposed brick and wooden beams. This is a perfect venue if you have no problem working with a blank slate. That is why my clients chose it!

Brent & Hillary's ceremony took place in front of the high windows that characterize this type of building. Flowing curtains were hung to create just the right amount of light which made a very romantic backdrop. We kept the decor of the ceremony space to a minimum because the room was flipped during cocktail hour to create the dance floor.

Brent is a lighting designer by trade, so he had vintage light bulbs hanging from the ceiling to create a really cool art installation in the reception space.

Hillary, also a creative personality, had chemistry beakers hold their flower centerpieces which were provided by the talented Amy of Flora Etc.

The flowers were so simple and elegant, and very high quality. They really created a gorgeous representation of the colors Brent and Hillary wanted for their wedding.

Square tables were used in the event design to maximize space and give a very clean aesthetic. Instead of having traditional table numbers the couple opted to use the letters from their names. The letter were painted black and placed on all the tables to help guests find their seats.

Three Sons Signature Cuisine did a fabulous job catering. During cocktail hour they provided butler passed Hors d'oeuvres, like mini cream cheese wontons.

Guests were treated to four delicious entrees to choose from for the plated dinner. The timed and coordinated service of the catering staff made everything run smoothly. It was like watching synchronized swimming only with wait staff!

Of course, the reception was an enthusiastic expression of joy. Instant Request provided the entertainment and, as usual, they kept the party going the entire evening. Guests were out on the dance floor reveling in the great music and fantastic mood lighting. It was a perfect mixture of slow, romantic songs and booty shakin' dance music.

Finally, this perfect day was captured by Viveria Photography. They are a husband and wife team that work so beautifully together. It is like they can read each others' minds and know exactly where to be to get the right shot! They're both fun and professional, artistic and scientific. After all, they have the art form of photography down to a science that creates the most beautiful images. I'm really happy to have had the opportunity to work with Viveria and I have a feeling that I will again in the future.

Brent & Hillary's wedding went perfectly. Every vendor worked seamlessly together to create their vision. This is why I love my job. This is why I do wedding planning. Getting to see the joy on my client's faces at the end of the night and watch all of the guests celebrating makes all the hard work worth it. Mazel tov!

Vendor Credits: Catering - Three Sons Signature Cuisine, DJ - Instant Request, Dress - The Wedding Shoppe, Flowers - Flora Etc., Photography - Viveria Photography, Rentals - Midway Party Rental, Trio - Zene String Quartet, Venue - Day Block Event Center Wedding Planner - Wonderful Day Weddings LLC

Photo credits: Viveria Photography, Wonderful Day Weddings LLC

Event Design Inspiration - New Twist on Mason Jars

Using mason jars as vases for wedding centerpieces is popular among a cross section of genres. They are mostly used in vintage and country style weddings. However, with a little tweaking they could easily be used in any type of wedding! All it takes is a little bit of color.

I love this idea because it is very Earth friendly and cost effective. I found it in Women's Day Magazine and thought it would make such a fun wedding project for the stylish, yet budget savvy bride. You will need large and small glass jars, a couple pints of paint in your color scheme, painters tape and old towels/paper towels.

Start by collecting non-vintage, smooth glass jars. You can find this type of glass jar in the condiments aisle at your neighborhood grocery store. (Think peanut butter.)Trader Joe's Almond Butter jars are perfect for this project.
>br>The next step is totally wash and remove any label that may be on the jar. It is really important that you get all of the glue and paper off. Once this has been done, wrap painter's tape around the top of the jar. Then, carefully dip the jar into the pint of paint until it is completely submerged up to the tape. I would let it soak for about 30 seconds before removing it.

Slowly pull the jar out of the paint and let the excess dribble off. Gently wipe the bottom with a paper towel to take of any excess then set it down (right side up) on an old towel to dry. Once the paint has dried remove the painters tape.

When you are finished, you will have a vase that perfectly matches your floral color scheme. Make each one unique by simply placing the painters tape at different heights. I think this would look spectacular to group several different sized jars together. Keep the flowers simple by using the same type or color of flower to make a great impact.

Finally, I would do something a little different by adding a table number onto the largest jar. That way your centerpiece does double duty. This could easily be done using stickers from a craft store or you could make your own out of coordinating scrapbooking paper and a die cut machine.

I truly hope I've inspired. (Now, I'm off to go try this technique on a bubble vase from the Dollar Store and see if it turns out just as cool.
Happy Planning! PHOTO CREDITS: WOMAN'S DAY MAGAZINE

Insider Inspiration - Art Nouveau Wedding

Hello everyone!

I've been a busy bee lately with the start of wedding season, however, I've really got to take the time to to talk about an emerging genre within vintage wedding design. It is called "Art Nouveau" and it hails from the very early 20th century. What makes this genre so stylish is the craftsmanship of the furniture, and the originality of the art.


For this type of wedding, bright colors mixed with pastels work perfectly! I like teals, yellows, peaches and mint green. Stained glass windows or Art Nouveau advertisements would be a source of inspiration.

I absolutely love the fonts of this era. They are bold and yet intricate, which would really make your invitations stand out. Incorporating a swirling frame or an Art Nouveau figure (such as a peacock)would be fabulous.

The fashion from this era is so stylish. I love the idea of large costume jewelry, unique head pieces and chic, lace wedding dresses that drape perfectly. Of course, the gentlemen would look

dashing in a gray pinstripe suit. I can imagine the getaway car after the ceremony being a Model -T. That would make for really cool pictures!

Finally, I have to say that the event design for this genre of wedding would be so fun! Can you imagine all the props you could use to set the tone of the event? Cool furniture, ornate broaches mixed in with lush flower centerpieces, gramophones, old cameras, stained glass windows as backdrops...ahhh it would be so lovely.

I truly hope that I've inspired!

PHOTO CREDITS: RUFFLED BLOG, ETSY, PEW PEW PEW BLOG, PINTEREST, NIAGARAATLARGE.COM, SAVE ON CRAFTS, EXAMTHEMES.BLOGSPOT.COM

Vendor Spotlight - Three Sons Signature Cuisine

Hello everybody! Sorry if I've been slacking a bit on my blogging, I've been so incredibly busy with my weddings. After having such a great experience with this vendor, I had to get on here and spotlight them right away.

I had the pleasure of working with Three Sons Signature Cuisine on a wedding recently. Honestly, I cannot speak highly enough of this catering company!I'm sharing my experiences with all of you because I believe in word of mouth and I love to give credit where credit is due.

So let me give you the scoop on Three Sons Signature Cuisine. The business started in 2000 by the father of Aaron McCallum who is the COO/Director of Events. He had been an Executive Chef for over 30 years when he decided to create a legacy that reflected all of his children, and thus "Three Sons Kitchen" was born. However, by 2004 they changed their name to Three Sons Signature Cuisine to better reflect the high quality food they offer.

When I say "high quality" I mean that very sincerely because they are By - Design caterers. This means they specialize in creating all of their cuisine from scratch and work with their clients to assemble event menus to fit each individual's unique style and taste. Aaron McCallum has it right when he says, "Well prepared and designed meals can be a highlight for an event and set the stage for the festivities to come."

Three Sons Signature Cuisine is an extremely flexible caterer. They allow all of their clients to customize their menus. I asked Aaron how they make this work and his reply was, "We integrate our passion for food with experienced event planners and talented Chefs, who then get to know the client’s tastes and palates through meetings and tastings. Although this is a lot more work for us, the end result more than pays for itself in the satisfaction of our clients because they know they had a hand in the meal design which makes it a special event indeed. We also gain new clients and word of mouth referrals from the guests at each event."

Another by product of their flexibility is being able to work around any dietary restrictions because they make everything from scratch. Additionally, their Executive Chef, Ben McCallum can accommodate special requests, such as recreating that heirloom family recipes. Did I mention that they have their own Pastry Chef, Shontae Watson? She not only does divine wedding cakes but every type of dessert you could imagine!

In addition to the fantastic food, Three Sons "delivers on the dream" by applying phenomenal service to each of their events! I was in awe as I watched them deliver plated meals to the guests. It was just like synchronized swimming only with food. What was even more clever is this was done in such a way that the catering team was timing themselves to make sure that everything got out as quickly as possible. Their service is truly an art form!

I was really impressed with their organization doing an "off-site" job. They do this by fostering communication between themselves and their clients, the venues and other vendors. With 12 years of experience under their belt, it is no wonder that they are professional collaborators. They also have a team of event consultants that know exactly the right questions to ask. Speaking of off-site jobs, according to Aaron, "Three Sons Signature Cuisine is also a preferred caterer at over 20 other venues in the Twin Cities. We love to cater in client’s homes, and out-of-the-ordinary places such as backyards and open fields."

Three Sons uses their experienced Events Team to assist all clients in the planning, ordering and implementation of an exceptional event. They can provide bar service, staff service teams, and also have rental items available. If they don't have a specific item you are looking for, they are more than happy to help you order it from another vendor. Furthermore, their hands on approach to setting the room is very impressive. The service staff will help wherever they are needed. They did a lovely job of helping with both set up and tear down while I was working with them.

Another thing I really love about them is they're well versed in wedding receptions because this is 60% of their business. However, they also do catering for a variety of events. Birthdays, proms, graduations, rehearsal dinners...any and all types of special events that require magnificent food.

Of course, they also have their own venues that they are the exclusive caterers for. Saint Anthony Main Event Centre and Blaisdell Manor. You might recognize them as a couple of the top wedding venues in Minneapolis!

It is clear to me that Three Sons Signature Cuisine has gotten to where they are today because of their talented Executive Chef and their uncompromising commitment to customized and well executed events. It is no wonder that they've been nominated for a number of awards within the wedding industry and have won quite a few awards as well. They've been named "The Knot's Best of Wedding" catering vendor in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012! If that is not swagger, I don't know what is!

Ok,ok. I will stop gushing now and instead leave you with some great advice from Aaron. Here are his suggestions, "Read all your documents and be familiar with what you are signing and agreeing to. Ask lots of questions and never use the word assume to describe any aspect of your event details. Be sure your expectations are very clear and that your vendors understand and can clearly articulate them as well.Take good notes and stay organized. Don’t try to plan your wedding in a week, take your time and pay attention to the details."

I couldn't have said it better myself!

Happy planning,

NEW RENTALS!!!

I am so excited to introduce a few new rental items into my inventory. As you know, Wonderful Day Weddings has amassed a collection of very cool things over the years. All of them pertain to weddings. Seriously, I've had so many clients give me things like candle votives, mirrors, extra bolts of tulle... I quickly realized that these items could be useful to other clients. I knew that my collection of nifty things was worthy when my husband had to build me huge shelves just to house everything. I have a lot of great table top accessories but decided to expand. You see, I kept finding unique items at garage sales, thrift stores and antique shops and if I thought it could possibly be used at a wedding, I bought it. Now, a year later I have so many wonderful accessories!

Meet one of my newest. His name is Albert and he is a black 1939 Smith & Corona type writer. He still works great and would make a lovely and unique guest book! Guests can type out just their names or well wishes. Of course, he could also be used as the escort card table centerpiece! I also found this lovely, round galvanized tub that I like to call Betty. Betty is fantastic for housing water bottles or beer on ice. She could also be used as a container for your wedding programs.

Speaking of containers, I found this lovely, vintage 60's suitcase, Penny Lane.

I think she would be perfect for holding cards or favors!Finally, I have to introduce Collette. She is a beautiful, antique, French frame that has been given a new life as a large chalkboard. I like to envision Collette displaying the menu or serving as the seating chart! What would you do with her?

I'm sure I will be updating my inventory a lot this summer. I'm always on the hunt for things that are cute and useful at weddings. Plus, I love salvaging and giving new life to otherwise forgotten pieces!