Invite Designer - Creative Wedding Planning & Ideas

Last weekend i attended one of the most fun weddings I have ever been to, and I accredit most of this to their amazing dj! I think that most couples planning a wedding have so many important details to work out that they don’t take the time and careful consideration that they should when hiring a dj. It makes such a huge difference when you have someone that really knows what they are doing! The first and most important thing you need to consider is your guests, are they a lively bunch or more conservative and mellow. If your guests are looking to party and dance all night you really need an up beat, interactive dj with creative ideas to help everyone to feel comfortable enough to get out on the dance floor. At last weeks wedding the dj started a blind folded dance contest with the bride and groom as the judges, it was a great icebreaker and had everyone in hysterics! He really did a great job keeping the mood light and fun. If you want a more intimate, low key reception look for a dj with your kind of music and a laid back personality. Your dj is responsible for a lot more than just playing music, a good, experienced dj will know when to give important announcements and play a key role in keeping your wedding on schedule. So before you book your dj really try to find the one that best suits you and your guests, not just your wallet!
I highly recommend TroyBoy! troy@partysourcenw.com

Our best wishes go out to Bryan & Danielle who were married this past weekend at Craven Farm in Monroe, Washington. Bryan and Danielle chose a custom design using the Envelopments 5 x 7 landscape pocket fold.

I was lucky enough to be a guest at this wedding and it was truly one of the most personal, fun weddings I’ve ever been to. It was obvious to all of the guests that every detail had been thought out carefully, right down to the place cards which were homemade caramel apples wrapped in cellophane with a kraft paper tag that each guest’s name had been written on. The ceremony and reception took place in a converted barn. Originally the ceremony was planned for outdoors on the farm’s beautiful grounds but unfortunately, true to the Seattle stereotype, it was raining. I’ve always heard that rain was a sign of good luck on a wedding day and I happened to notice that as they were saying their vows it was coming down pretty hard, lots of good luck! After the ceremony we were escorted to the cocktail hour which was held in outdoor tents that had a great view of the farm’s grounds.

While we were sipping on local wines and brews the barn was being transformed for the reception. The reception was just as great as the ceremony and marked with special touches like individual apple pies for dessert. One of the things that I absolutely loved was something I had seen once before at a wedding in Hawaii. At each table there were post cards for guests to write their wedding wishes to the newlyweds on. The post cards were then put into a vintage mailbox for safe keeping until after the wedding when the mother of the bride will mail one post card a day to the bride and groom. This way they get to keep enjoying memories and well wishes from their wedding every day! I also loved the bride’s translation of “something blue” which you can see here in a photo of the happy couple dancing at their reception (hint: look at her feet!).

It was a beautiful wedding and my congratulations go out once again to Bryan & Danielle. Best wishes in your new adventure together!

On your big day you want to look natural and timeless, you should look back at your wedding photos and say wow not whoa! Stay away from all dramatic makeup trends. Choose a foundation and powder with a yellow undertone, this eliminates redness and is also compatible with flash photography. Avoid translucent power, it can make you appear washed out in photos. For eyebrows use a pencil a slight shade darker than natural, fill in where needed then brush with brow comb, it will help to blend a natural, soft brow line. Next, find a soft shimmery or matte eye shadow color. For example: pastel purple or an earthy brown or bronze tone. Bypass greens and blues, these shades will date your photos. Eyeliner pencils can look heavy and make the eye appear smaller. Try lining eyes with dark brown shadow using a thin slanted shadow brush. For more intensity wet your brush first. Last but not least find a flattering shade for your lips. If you have intense eye makeup go for a light natural lipstick or pigmented gloss. If you have light eye makeup play up lips a bit with pink, red, or maroon, depending on your skin tone. Always apply lipstick with a brush and finish off with a touch of gloss for shimmer. You have too many important things to do and people to see to worry about your makeup holding up, so ask a bridesmaid to follow you around with extra lip gloss and powder so you can maintain a flawless face.

We got married last July in Aruba, and it was the best decision we could have made. The follow-up reception back in Seattle…was not the best. Anyway…we had 30 of our family and friends join us for an unforgettable week. We scheduled the wedding on a Wednesday so that we had time to spend with our guests before and after the main party. Before the wedding, our parents hosted a couple of really casual parties allowing everyone to mingle and get to know each other. By the time the wedding rolled around, we were like one big family – and so none of the weird familial awkwardness could affect our big day.

Why Aruba? Our must-haves: a beach, good diving (tropics), our family and friends HAD to be able to get their without too many logistical issues. Oh, yeah, and since it was happening during the summer, had to be out of the Hurricane zones.

Aruba has an extensive list of Wedding planners – great for having choices, but time-consuming to decide which one fit our needs best. Well, let me narrow it down for you. We had THE BEST, MOST WONDERFUL wedding planner. Her name is Lissy Lampe of Ceremonies & Celebrations in Aruba. She exudes the “One Happy Island�? motto in every way. As soon as my husband and I met with her on our first day on the island, I was instantly put at ease. Lissy’s attention to detail was impeccable. Before we left for Aruba, I was very unsure of what we would be faced with in this foreign land. All I can say is that I was stressed and nervous for NOTHING. Lissy took all the stress out of my wedding day. All we had to do was show up!

Our wedding was held at the Bucuti hotel on Eagle Beach. They set up a beachside & barefoot ceremony, followed by a buffet dinner on the beach. The buffet was set up under a tent, with some traditional Caribbean treats (fried plantains, keshi yena – delish); the bar was set up right next to that tent. We had 2 waiters and a bartender that were absolutely amazing. Since very few of our guests had to drive anywhere (most staying in very nearby hotels) they were free to partake liberally of the rum punch! After dinner & toasting we had the best dance party I’ve ever been to (hee!). At the last minute I decided to hire a DJ (yep, set up right there on the beach!), because it just wouldn’t be my wedding without dancing. I gave the DJ a playlist I had found on the web and it turned out to be the BEST playlist EVER! I did not stop dancing for 2 straight hours.

Recommendations:
1. Hire a wedding planner unless you know the destination really well, or have friends in that area to help – it was seriously worth it (and I’m a notorious cheapskate!!)
2. Get video – you are going to want to watch your perfect day over & over. I didn’t have the videographer stay for our reception, and I wish I would have – that was the best part.

If you have questions, or want to see pictures, let me know – as you can tell, I’m happy to share!

I’m sure you can find these cakes in other places online, but I always get a kick out of seeing some unique cakes. For all those who grew up loving Nintendo!