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(Invite by Michelle Mospens)

As a wedding+event planner, I often turn into the go-to gal for etiquette info with friends and family. Over the holiday, one of my relatives brought out a wedding invitation she recently received and as it got passed around it became a topic of debate, until it finally made it into my hands for a final verdict.

The scenario: The very lovely invitation included not one, not two, but three registry cards from various retailers. One was even nice enough to include a coupon.  The question that arose—is this acceptable?

The verdict: Absolutely not. You should never include any mention of gifts in your wedding invitations. This is acceptable in shower invitations, but not in the actual wedding invites. You can also include this information on a wedding website!

Do you have etiquette questions you’d like answered on the blog? Email them to Jessica (at) StellaEventDesign (dot) com and we’ll feature them in an upcoming Wedding Etiquette 101 post!

(Cristalier)

Whether you’re on a $15,000 budget, a $50,000 budget, or a $150,000 budget, no one wants to spend more than they have to on wedding essentials. So if you’re heading out for some holiday shopping deals, don’t forget to pick up some great deals for your wedding, too!

If you’re providing the alcoohol for your wedding—which many of my brides are lucky to be able to do—you can save yourself a ton of money on beverage costs. If you’re considering offering a champagne toast for all of your guests, the peak time to buy is coming up! Keep your eye on the shelves and you’ll notice Champagne (and sparkling wine) takes a drastic plunge in price between Christmas and New Years Eve! So if you’re planning on stocking up on bubbly, head out during the holidays, stock your cart, and save yourself some much-needed money!

Stay tuned next week for a great book giveaway, just in time for holiday entertaining!

Tomorrow I’ll be busy mingling with family, enjoying delicious food, and even exchanging some early Christmas presents, so today I wanted to take the opportunity to share a few things I’m thankful for. After all, the food is great and Christmas presents are nice, but I think being thankful for everything we have is really ”the reason for the season,” as cheesy as it may sound!

I’m thankful for my wonderful and supportive husband and family, for the opportunity I have to pursue my dream and build a business that I love. I’m thankful for all of the amazing couples I’ve had the chance to work with in the past, and for the amazing couples I get to assist in 2009. I’m thankful for the wonderful growth Stella Event Design has been blessed with in the last year and a half, and for all of the great things I know we have in our future. What are you grateful for?

I hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday! We will be out of the office Thanksgiving day through Sunday, and will return any emails and phone calls promptly on Monday!

(photo by Amy Carroll)

If you’re looking for a beautiful gift for your bridesmaids—not to mention a lovely accessory for pictures—consider getting your girls a pashmina wrap (also called a stole). This can also offer a great option to ‘maids who may not be comfortable remaining sleeveless all night, or who could use an extra layer in cool weather. Buy them in a shade to match your motif, and you’ve got a winning combo of beauty+usability!  Check out The Pashmina Store to pick your perfect shade!

(Coastline Studios, Grand Rapids)

This weekend I had the opportunity to meet two wonderful West Michigan vendors. On Saturday morning I stopped by Coastline Studios in Grand Rapids. I met with owner John Pottenger, and had a chance to learn about the company, its philosphy, their role at the wedding, and even their equipment. I definitely left feeling like I could much better serve my brides in the area of videography, and again wishing I could go back and hire a videographer for my own wedding!

Coastline Studios can best be experienced by visiting their website and blog, and looking through some of their amazing wedding films. Their cinematic style embraces hollywood techniques to create wedding videos that are far from the stereotypically boring films of the past! Stop by their website and check out what your wedding could look like on the big screen (or in your living room).

Stay tuned for another fabulous West Michigan Vendor: La Stellina Studio

(photo by Marie Labbancz)

Before you jump into all of the “fun” of planning a wedding, do yourself a favor and take some time to sit down and do the grunt work. Determine how much you can spend, write out your personalized budget and list the things that are essential to making your wedding day what you’ve always dreamed of.

Whether it’s amazing centerpieces brimming with your favorite flower, live music, or a world-class photographer, determine how much you have to spend, what you want to spend it on, and what your “extras” are. “Extras” are all of those little things that you would love to have (if you can) but can live without. You’ll save yourself a lot of time, money and even more stress, by knowing what you want before vendors start telling you what you need!

(photo by Jessica Claire)

When you’re flipping through the endless bridal magazines out there, it’s easy to get sucked into all of the glossy pics and think your wedding has to be a mirror image.  To make your wedding beatutiful and unique, keep a few things in mind when looking for ideas for your big day.

Use Elements
When you find a picture you like, decide what element makes it so appealing. If it’s a beautiful bouquet you’re gazing at, what makes that bouquet stand out? Is it the structure of the arrangement? The use of a single bloom? The combination of colors? The unique handle wrapping? Even if that bouquet isn’t your exact color scheme, look for the elements that make it attractive to you, and apply those to your own design. You  don’t want your wedding to look like someone else’s photo spread—instead, choose elements that you can make your own!

Be Flexible
You don’t have to carbon copy a design concept to make it your own. Take a picture of that stunning Martha Stewart bouquet into your florist—but be prepared for sticker shock if you’re on a tight budget! If you can’t swing $400 on that bouquet of your dreams, ask your florist to substitute some blooms.  Does that silk and orchid covered chuppa make your head spin with bridal delight? If it’s not within your budget to have one professionally made, seek out a friend or family member who could construct one, and substitute more reasonable fabric and floral accents.

Using inspiration will give you lots of elements to pull into your own design concept, while imitation will make you feel restricted and cookie cutter—so go out and be inspired! (and send us pictures—we’d love to see the results!)

(photo by Scarlett Lillian)

Recently, I was contacted by a bride who wanted to honor her mother at her wedding. Her mother passed away when she was very young, and she was raised by her stepmother, so she wanted a way to honor her mother that would be meaningful but subtle. In the past, this has been done in a number of ways—a special note in the program, an altar arrangement dedicated to a loved relative, or using a special belonging of theirs, such as a handkerchief or piece of jewelry.

One of my favorite ways to honor a loved one at the wedding is pictured above. Lockets are filled with the pictures of loved ones and are tied into your bouquet handle.  It’s classy, subtle, and very personal. Have you seen any other creative ways to honor a loved one who has passed?

(photo by Ben Pancoast Photography)

Recently, I made a stop at my favorite jeweler to have my rings inspected and cleaned. I try to do this at least every 6 months, which is required to keep my insurance up to date. But, truth be told, I get it cleaned just about every time I’m in the area because I love to see that rock shine!

However, it seems that while I am incessant about cleaning it, I’m not taking the best care of it, and my jeweler gave me a good old fashioned lecture.  I was surprised by what I learned, and wanted to pass it on to all you gals sporting shiny new rings!

First, she was none too happy that I had not soldered my rings together. I’ve always intended to, but it was just something I never got around to, and I got used to them twisting and sliding around on my finger. However, I was told this is actually horrible for my ring, and not only scratches the rings finish but can also weaken the structure that holds your diamonds. In my case, I found out the bridge underneath my middle stone was cracked, and I probably would have lost my middle stone very soon!

Looking back, I would have soldered my ring before the wedding—trust me, once you tie the knot you won’t want to take that ring off! Instead, I’m stuck without my rings for a whole week while they get a shiny new finish, a fix-job on the cracked bridge, and they solder my pair together! Don’t get me wrong–it’s not all bad—those rings are going to look brand new when they get back on my hot little hand!

{Fast Forward: I got my rings back and they look AMAZING! And it’s so nice to not be twisting them around all day to re-align them! I was pretty OCD about lining up my rings, so I figure I’ve gained at least 40 minutes of extra time each day—maybe a little extra blogging with all that free time?}

(Mill Creek Barns, opening May 2009)

Last weekend I had the chance to stop by Mill Creek barns, the new venue from the owners of the Blue Dress Barn. It was just as lovely as I thought it would be, even though it’s not fully completed just yet. I shot a little video with my Flip Video, so I’ll post that soon (that is, if I get the courage to hear my voice broadcast over the internet!) It has all of the beautiful details I expected, and I can’t wait to post pictures of the inside when it’s completed.

(outdoor ceremony location nestled between the barn and the woods)

There’s a beautiful ceremony area, TONS of natural light in the dance hall, and too much charm to mention. There’s also tons of opportunities to utilize the outdoor beauty including several french doors in the dance hall, several patios and bonfires to cozy up to at the end of the night.  Definitely look into Mill Creek if you’re seeking a beautiful venue with rustic elegance. It is so far from a cookie cutter hall, I guarantee you’ll love it! It’s opening in May of 2009, and I’m excited to have a couple tying the knot there on the 16th! I’ll update as our planning goes along, and as it nears completion you can expect more lovely pictures!