Local Vendors Shine in Southern Weddings!

Two of our favorite vendors were mentioned in Southern Weddings. The Amazing Floral was Designs by Design and the entire Biltmore event was coordinated by Charlee Geisler at Signature Events. Don't you just love the Tiffany lamps festooned with red roses on each table? See more of Leanne + Robert's beautiful wedding at Marriott Photography.

Rock Solid Love

Every once in a while, I start reading blogs and following links. I found this image from a great photographer in Seattle, Gerald Pope. Nice way to start the day?

Wedding Favors

Wedding Favors are a touchy subject to me. I really don't enjoy most tshatshkes (little trinkets) placed so lovingly by my plate. I feel obligated to take it home even though it isn't my taste and I hate little things like that cluttering up my home. Today I found something different and you can give me one of these any day. I found them on www.leweddingfavor.com.

Here are a few of their items:

Brushed Silver Placecard Frame

Silver rectangular place card, 2" x 3", packaged in a black box with PVC lid.

On Sale for $1.25

Abstract "Squares" Glass Plate

This beautiful square deco platter 7.5" x 7.5", comes in a corrugated white box.

On Sale for $3.00

Heart Shaped Cup and Saucer

This very cute porcelain heart-shaped espresso cup and saucer comes as a set of two. It is packaged in a stylish rectangular brown box.

Size: 90 ml (3 oz)

On Sale for $4.00

Chartreuse Leaf Plates

This lovely set of two small chartreuse leaf plates comes delivered in a black box with PVC lid.

Size: 11"L x 6"W

On Sale for $3.25

This lovely set of two large chartreuse leaf plates comes delivered in a black box with PVC lid.

Size: 14"L x 7"W

On Sale for $5.00

Brown Murano Glass Handle Bottle Opener

$12.99 Sale Price $4.00

Salt Ball and Pepper Ring Shakers

This unique favor, comes delivered in a yellow gift box.

4" X 2.5" in size

On Sale for $2.50

Of course, if these are not to your liking, you can always make a donation to your favorite charity in honor of your guests.

Bespoken, Betrothed, Engaged!

The Wedding Chronicle's May-June issue is now available throughout the valley. This issue is dedicated to the ENGAGEMENT portion of your grand adventure.

Congratulations! You have become a bride (not bride-to be). You are engaged. What to do next? Here is a little cheat sheet to help you start your wonderful journey towards your nuptials.

First, spread the news! Make sure you tell your parents first and close friends so there is no chance for them to hear it elsewhere.

Get a manicure. If everyone is going to be looking at your hand, make sure it looks great.
Gather the parents together if they don’t already know each other. Let them have a chance to size up each family. Listen for expectations for your wedding. Not necessary to voice opinions at this early stage of the game. Make sure you are prepared and pick your battles wisely. Not everything is worth it.

The engagement party is your opportunity to celebrate the beginning of the journey. Robin and Christine from The Flower Studio have offered an excellent idea for the budget conscious bride to really shine in Flowers Married to Design.

Get your ring sized and insured! Don’t forget this important step. It often is simply a matter of adding a rider to your homeowners or renters insurance.

Unless you are accustomed to hosting $30,000 events, meet with a wedding coordinator. We have several great planners here in the paper we can highly recommend. They will help you get started and head you in the right direction.

If you haven’t figured out, this issue is dedicated to your engagement. We have asked many of the finest photographers in the valley to submit their favorite engagement photos to give you ideas. We could not get all of them into this issue so we will continue to feature more pictures in future publications, blog posts and on our website. Enjoy your engagement. This is a wonderful time to sparkle.

Pick up your copy today! And watch for the return of our online edition!

Curtis Whipple, BS

Judy, Bobbie and I had the best time yesterday watching our friend Curtis Whipple receive his diploma at The University of Phoenix Commencement held at the University of Phoenix Stadium. He received his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. Many of you know Curtis as the new coordinator of the Wedding and Event Network here in The Phoenix Area. He is also the President of the American Disc Jockey Association Phoenix Chapter.

If you haven't met Curtis, you have missed out. Bright, funny and a bit whacked (in a good way); he plays the piano, guitar, sings and is one of the most popular and professional disc jockeys in the valley. I am proud to call him my friend.

Congratulations Curtis! Job well done.

How Much Liquor Should I Buy for My Wedding?

As more of our brides try to shave expenses, new pieces of information need to come to the forefront. One of the largest if you are having it at home is "how much liquor should I buy?" As a responsible journalist I must first warn you that you are taking a major liability on yourself and your parents if you provide this on your own. Things happen and it would be awful if you lost a guest on the way home because you didn't know how to say no more.

The best course to follow is to hire a professional bar tending company like Black Tie Events or Pourmasters. All their bartenders have TIPS Alcohol Certification and the Arizona Food Handlers Card. I know these companies personally and can highly recommend their services be it just bar tending, complete bar services or just to sell you the liquor.

But if you are sure you don't need outside services, I have found a nifty little calculator to give you a rough idea about the amount of liquor you should buy for a wedding. I found it on one of my favorite sites REAL SIMPLE. They have set it up by time of day, number of guests and whether you are serving a full bar or just wine, beer and champaign. You can find it here and may your wedding be joyous and safe.

What Are They Thinking

As a publisher of The Wedding Chronicle I receive some strange Press Releases. With the wedding economy being one of the most stable during this recession, companies now believe if you can link it to marriage, it will sell. Hence the following press release:

With This Ice Cream I Thee Wed

Blue Bell Creameries Introduces Groom’s Cake in May

Blue Bell's New Flavor - You'll Love it Enough to Marry it

BRENHAM, TEX. – Every wedding should be celebrated with a toss of the bouquet, a toast to the happy couple and a bowl of Blue Bell Ice Cream… Blue Bell Groom’s Cake Ice Cream to be exact. The newest creation from “the little creamery” is sure to become a wedding tradition.

Groom’s Cake Ice Cream is a luscious chocolate ice cream with chocolate cake pieces and chocolate coated strawberry hearts, surrounded by swirls of strawberry sauce and chocolate icing.

“The inspiration for this flavor came from an actual groom’s cake I tasted at a family friend’s wedding,” said Brenda Valera, director of research and development at Blue Bell “It was so delicious, a chocolate cake with chocolate icing, a strawberry filling and chocolate coated strawberries on top. The flavors were perfect for an ice cream. ”

The tradition of a groom’s cake originated in the South, just like Texas-based Blue Bell Ice Cream. Many Southern weddings feature a cake for the bride, which is usually the larger, more grand creation with a groom’s cake displayed nearby.

“Our ice cream might just change the whole groom’s cake concept,” Valera added. “We have already had employees request it be served at their weddings in place of an actual cake. It’s a great-tasting flavor that you can enjoy at a wedding or at home for no special reason at all.”

Groom’s Cake Ice Cream will be available in May and can be found at Albertson’s, Fry’s, Basha’s, Super K-Mart, and Walmart.

For more information and ice cream recipes, visit Blue Bell online at www.bluebell.com.