Wedding Woes and Wisdom: Mother Knows Best

This week's Mother Knows Best comes from the Memphis belle, Denise Rose. She is the mother of the now Chelsea Jewell, who married the handsome Seth on May 29, 2010. Denise was a mom who was very involved in the process for a multitude of reasons. Number One, she was the only one of us on the planning team in the event city! Number Two, smarty-pants Chelsea and Seth were both juggling graduate school at the time. And Number Three, she is a super crafty, super creative mom who had lots of great ideas. Read on to learn more from this Mother of the Bride...

What did you enjoy most about your daughter’s wedding day?

I enjoyed the entire thing! I especially loved seeing how much she was enjoying herself and how all the planning was worth it!

Was there any detail about the wedding and reception that made it unique to your daughter and her personality?

I think the entire wedding had her personality in it. She was very specific on many of the details and we made sure to try to think of everything that would make the day special for them. However, having the reception at a fabulous new building at the Memphis Zoo was really quite appropriate for her personality. When she was a baby and would get really fussy, I would put her in her stroller and head straight to the zoo to walk around. It would always calm her and she loved it there. It was quite special then to have her wedding reception there many years later!

What would have made wedding planning an easier and more enjoyable experience?

It would have been a little easier if she had lived here in the city where she was getting married, but really, with the help of Jenessa and email and the internet, it really wasn’t as bad as I originally thought it would be with her living five hours away during the planning process.

What expense was well worth the cost?

Definitely having Jenessa and her team! I would have never believed it before we did this, but I was truly able to enjoy the entire event and every moment of it without having to worry about things getting done. I have had so many guests comment since the wedding of how smoothly everything went and how relaxed I looked. We also had the best photographer and they also made things very special for the bride and groom’s wedding day and worked very well with Jenessa and her team, so the money spent on that was also worth the cost.

If a mother of the bride is not seeing eye to eye with her daughter when planning a wedding, what advice would you give her?

I think every mother and daughter have their own way of dealing with conflict, so this one is hard to answer. I would just say that trying to let each person explain their point of view on a disagreement calmly is the most important thing. It is sometimes difficult to get your point across on something when emotions are involved, and this is very evident when planning a wedding! I do think keeping a priority list of the things that are MOST important to the bride herself from the beginning helps to keep things on track and helps to avoid some disagreements in the planning process.

How involved were you with the wedding planning? Do you wish you would have been more or less involved?

I did as much as I wanted to do. I tried to help by doing some things that my daughter couldn’t do because she was finishing up her Master’s degree while planning the wedding, but having Jenessa was great because she helped with the timing part of when we needed to do what, and that was something I was a little unsure about. I think I was the right amount of involved for me. I felt like I did something, but also let my daughter do the things she wanted to do too, so it all worked out beautifully!

Thank you, Mrs.Denise! Great advice for all of the mommas out there!

Wedding Woes and Wisdom: The Brides Tell All

This week's bride feature is from the lovely Chelsea Jewell, whose wedding details you have seen on the blog in the past day or so. Chelsea was a wonderful, fun bride to work with. We had three major obstacles that we managed during her engagement. First, this girl does it all. Between grad school, teaching, and planning a wedding we had a tight schedule to work within for planning. Second, while Chelsea and I are located in NWA, the wedding was taking place in Memphis. Can you believe it only took one trip to Memphis for my crew to make this happen? And last, my baby boy was born a short two months just prior to this wedding date. Thankfully, Chelsea and Denise (her fun momma who you will hear from tomorrow) worked with me to be prepared ahead of time for my absence after D was born.

Here is some wonderful advice from this bride of 5 months:

From your own experience, what advice would you give other women for their wedding day?
Enjoy every minute of it!! After all of the planning, work, and stress, your day has finally arrived, and you need to have the time of your life! One of the best decisions we made was to hire a planner (not just any planner, the best!) to carry out our plans for the weekend. We had everything set and ready to go on Thursday so that my entire family was able to relax and enjoy the weekend! I highly recommend having someone help you that weekend (and all the weekends before) so that you don’t have to worry about all of the details falling into place.

Looking back, are there any details from your wedding you would have changed or excluded?
I loved the favors we passed out after our wedding (caramel corn in clear sacks with one of our engagement pictures printed on them), but we had so many left over! I liked them, but I think they were pretty overlooked when our guests were on their way out. I think this is the one thing that might’ve been unnecessary.

In your opinion, what are some good ways to keep costs low when planning a wedding?
I think it is really important to prioritize when selecting everything for your wedding. By determining what is most important to you, you can decide where to focus your money. In the end, you can save money on things that are less important to you.

In what ways did you make your wedding and reception different from all the rest?
In Memphis, there are several great reception venues, but we have been to numerous weddings at all of them. Seth saw online that the Memphis Zoo (a nationally-recognized award-winning zoo) hosted weddings, and he was insistent that we looked into it. I am so glad that we did! Our reception venue was pretty unique, especially for our guests from out-of-town, and I think it made for a gorgeous site and a great party!

What was your favorite detail about your wedding and reception?
I loved, loved, loved the flowers and the candlelight at our ceremony. It was just what I had envisioned! I also loved some of the smaller details that I think were somewhat different… the monogrammed wrap for my bouquet, our silver monogrammed toasting cups, my “Mrs. Jewell” hanger for my wedding dress, and our ring bearer pillow that now lives on our bed at home. I had such a great time selecting even the smallest details for our wedding and reception, and I loved how it all come together wonderfully!

What was your favorite experience or memory from your wedding and reception?
Hmm… so hard to choose a favorite! I loved spending the day with my best friends getting ready with the anticipation of finally marrying my best friend! Putting my dress on and the walk to meet my husband-to-be was such a surreal experience, and I love that I remember every second of it! I didn’t want to be a bride who looks back and says “It was all such a blur,” so I tried to really take in every moment and every detail. I am so glad I did! I also loved our reception because we were able to visit with all of our friends and family, but we also really enjoyed the band and dancing together! It was the perfect combination.

What is the best way to keep your guests excited and involved at the reception, so they won’t leave early?
Make it a party! If you want your guests to be entertained enough to stay, it needs to be fun! We had a great group of people that stayed on the dance floor, enjoying drinks and food, until we left. We wanted our reception to be fun for our guests, so that they didn’t feel obligated to stick around, and I think we achieved that!

What do you suggest as good wedding music? Is it best to use live music or a CD?
Being from Memphis, we have such a great selection of bands that most of the weddings we attend have awesome live music. I’ve been to some great weddings with DJs, but a band can set such a fun vibe that I don’t think you get with a DJ and CDs.

What is something that stressed you out while planning, and how did you alleviate that stress and what solution did you find for the problem?
Oh, I pretty much stressed about everything! ☺ Like I mentioned earlier, I realized pretty quickly that we needed to prioritize what was most important to us. We wanted to host a party that our friends would enjoy and that would be a great way to celebrate our nine years of dating finally resulting in a wonderful marriage. Through endless discussions about what we wanted and what wasn’t as important to us, it became easier and less stressful to make decisions. You have to make a TON of decisions when planning a wedding, and I had a wonderful mom, fiancé, and wedding planner to help me. That is the solution… find good friends to help keep you calm and make decisions!! ☺

What is something you did not expect about planning a wedding that you experienced?
I didn’t expect everything to book so quickly! We started planning almost 15 months out, and because we did, we were able to get everything we wanted. Had we waited about a month or so later, all of our preferences would’ve been booked. I was just very surprised at how far in advance wedding vendors fill up, especially for a summer weekend wedding.

Thank you, Mrs.Jewell! I know that your advice will be super helpful to all of those brides-to-be out there! Tune in tomorrow to hear from this girl's Mother of the Bride! Thanks, Benfield Photography for the pic at the top!

Chelsea Rose and Seth Jewell say I DO in Memphis, Tennessee

It was one of my truest pleasures when this wonderful couple asked me if I would plan a Memphis wedding. I met Chelsea and Seth while I was on staff at the University of Arkansas, and fell in love with their story, their relationship, and the two of them both as individuals and as a couple. I remember the night that I saw Chelsea volunteering at an event just after getting engaged. I was secretly sad that they were getting married in her hometown and that I probably wouldn't be able to help plan the big day.

After a few months (and after tearfully watching their engagement video...maybe more than once), I got a call from the bride-to-be that they wanted to chat about bringing me on board despite the long distance. From there, we hit the ground running. Thanks to the internet, email, wonderful vendors, and a great mom in Memphis we were able to make this day happen.

There were so many fun details of this wedding, but I had to narrow down my favorite moments.
Check out her Mrs.Jewell hanger for her bridal gown!


Moments like this are what make wedding days wonderful! Seth was surrounded by his best friends, and covered in prayer before tying the knot.


Just moments before seeing each other for the first time on their wedding day, I love the focus and anticipation captured here.


And this is why you see each other before! This moment just couldn't happen in a ceremony. Remember that you can react however you would like when you have private time. Tears, jumping & skipping, hugging & kissing...you name it, I've probably seen it! And I love it every time!


How cute! Take a close look at the kiddos in this shot.


The ceremony was designed with the colorful church in mind. Chelsea wanted something simple, but would also make a statement. We chose 3 large arrangements for the altar, surrounded by varying heights of floating candles. The pews were marked with lush nosegays of white flowers, and the doors leading into the sanctuary were adorned with beautiful floral wreaths. The center aisle was also "ribboned off" with a floral garland that was removed for the wedding party processional.




Here are our little lovebirds in the church!


One of my favorite details that Chelsea carried was her monogrammed bouquet wrap with her new married monogram! She will be able to use this in her home for years to come.


The bridesmaids carried neutral white and green bouquets to pop against their royal, floor length dresses.


Here's Ki checking the list twice before sending Chelsea & Seth down the aisle.


A teary eyed bride is about to walk the aisle and marry her childhood sweetheart! This image is a perfect way to show you that even if you see your groom prior to the ceremony, you still have all of the emotion that comes with the big moment!


Adorable flower girls make their way down the aisle...


The ceremony was perfect! It was the best representation of Chelsea and Seth, and I am pretty sure there were no dry eyes!



This super cool getaway car can also be seen in the movie "Walk the Line!"


The reception was held at the newest venue in the Memphis Zoo, the gorgeous Teton Trek!

The Teton Trek was a truly unique venue, perfect for this simple J.Crew-style wedding. Guests were greeted with a geyser shooting high into the sky!


Here is a view of the back of the Teton Trek, taken from above the waterfall!


And here is the backdrop of the Teton Trek at night. During the day, this is where the bears play, and the gorgeous waterfall runs throughout the evening.


Here are some of our centerpieces, all made up of white and green flowers, surrounded by candlelight. Chelsea chose a beautiful twisted taffeta in a a royal shade of blue for her linens, so these neutral yet vibrant flowers popped right off of the tabletops.



We had guest tables lining the zoo path in the back of the venue, all decorated with the bright white centerpieces.


The bride's cake was simple and stunning, sitting in front of a gorgeous backdrop. The Teton Trek's fireplace mantel went from floor to ceiling (I would guess 40-50 feet). We designed the floral and candlelight accents just for a photo like this. The fireplace was 2-sided, so since we had a cool evening we had it running for the guests sitting on the back patio.


And this incredible groom's cake showed off one of his true passions, fishing!


We had a custom GOBO for the dance floor, which was designed by Amy Nelson Hannon of Sincerely Yours Paper. Guests had been introduced to this logo in the couple's invitation suite. You can see it here!


Chelsea carried her Chi Omega hankie with her as she said "I Do."


Which later led to the Chi Omega circle of beautiful ladies singing to the beautiful bride!


And here is one of my favorite shots ever! Dale and Mere just happened to be behind the newlyweds as they drove back to their wedding night hotel. They snapped this picture from their car. What a perfect ending!


Didn't Dale and Mere from Benfield Photography do a gorgeous job of capturing the day? I am in love with the way they showcased Chelsea & Seth's day. Thanks for sharing the photos!

Check back this week for advice from the bride & mother of the bride! Chelsea and Seth, what a treat to be a part of your wedding day. Thank you for taking the "risk" of hiring us when we had never worked in Memphis before and for trusting that we could get the job done. It was a beautiful day that we will never forget, and will count as one of our favorites for the books!

2010 In Review

Hey hey blog readers! This year we all know that my blog has been nothing short of absent, but can't we all agree that it has been for one very CUTE reason? That's right, my baby boy Dyer has taken up the "extra" minutes of the days that were filled with blogging, website updates, and sharing some super fabulous real weddings with you in my "past life." Would I trade a second? No way! But now, it's time to play catch up!

I will be featuring the weddings that have happened since spring of this year in the upcoming weeks on the blog. Not only will you get to see many of the fabulous details and moments that truly made these days turn into life's best celebrations, but you will also hear from many of the brides & their mommas with advice for you brides- and mothers of the brides-to-be out there. And believe me, it's some great advice!

We'll get started tomorrow with the Memphis, Tennessee nuptials of Chelsea and Seth Jewell. Tune in for the details on Tuesday, advice from Chelsea on Wednesday, and tips from Denise on Thursday. It's one you don't want to miss!

Here are some other weddings that we will be highlighting in the weeks to come:
Lucy & Chris Semple's Spring Stone Chapel Wedding & Pratt Place Barn Reception
Brittany & Chase Priest's May Central UMC Wedding & At Home Reception
Rachel & Travis' June Old Main Lawn Wedding & Inn at Carnall Hall Reception
Kimberly & Chase Cunningham's August Chapel on the Creeks Wedding and Fayetteville Town Center Reception
Allison & Chris Elledge's Pratt Place Barn Wedding and Reception

We'll also be hearing from some 2009 brides & moms with their advice, including Maggie & Pamela! Are you excited yet? I am!

Shiloh and Jonathan: An Arkansas Destination Wedding at the Pratt Place Barn

On Saturday, September 18th two New Yorkers were wed at the beautiful Pratt Place Inn and Barn in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Shiloh, a native Arkansan, knew she wanted all of her friends and her fiancee, Jonathan, from the North to fall in love with her home state. And from the energy and atmosphere of a Friday night welcome on Dickson Street, to a Saturday cheering on the Hogs as they pulled a last minute victory on the Georgia Bulldogs, to a truly casually elegant wedding at the Pratt Place Barn, I am pretty sure this bride made it happen.

Shiloh wanted to showcase a true Southern soiree in the details of this wedding. They started with a fabulous location, a charming red barn, in the Pratt Place Barn.



Where do we begin? How about with some of the fun pre-wedding details!
Here is the beautiful bride's bouquet, which was adorned with vintage cameo broaches. The bride also wore a vintage cameo ring.


She gifted these truly rustic tote bags to her bridesmaids, each with their personal monogram stamped on the front. The bride and her girls all donned their cowgirl boots for the reception.


Jonathan, the super stylish groom, had a custom suit made for the big day. It was pretty swanky if you ask me. The striped lining was my favorite part, along with bringing in a vibrant lavendar in the guys' ties & socks to complement their navy jackets and pants. Check out his great boutonniere as well!


While we weren't planning on a sweltering evening in September, we got one! We tucked Shiloh & Jonathan's ceremony into a lush nook on the Pratt Place grounds hoping for gorgeous scenery and a shield from the sun. Look at the sweet setting we found. I love this shot of Shiloh and her dad coming over the crest of the lawn to make her way down the aisle.



The simple square arch was a gorgeous pop of bright white in front of the green backdrop.


Time to celebrate! Here they are as Mr. and Mrs!


After the ceremony the guests were invited to a fun cocktail hour on the lawn of the Barn. We set up lawn games, including Washer Toss, Horseshoes, Bean Bag Toss, and Bocce with cocktail tables at each station for guests to set their drinks while they played a round. On the patio of the barn, we draped bales of hay with navy linens and set up stations for checkers games. These games were played late into the night. I must say, this was a hit, and probably my favorite part of the wedding.





Have I mentioned that this bride LOVES piggies? We served a beer called Pork Slap {thanks to Shiloh's wonderful parents for going out of their way to find this on the East coast} during the cocktail hour just for its fun can. And, it's one heck of a beer according to S&J!


On to the reception details...

Guests were greeted as the Barn doors opened to a fun display of escort cards, with a custom burlap banner reading "PLACE," the couple's last name, hanging above. Each card had the guest's name and their table assignment inside the outline of the Natural State. We displayed these in old barn wood frames and green grass mats.



You may have noticed that the escort cards had famous names on them. Did you know that these are all famous Arkansans? {John Daly, Bill Clinton, and Maya Angelou to name a few.} Shiloh named each table for one of our stellar natives, and provided each table with a quick bio on their host. They were all beautifully displayed in golden frames.


There was no mistaking whose seats these were. The bride and groom each had custom burlap banners for their seats at the head table.



The layout we designed for this room truly showcased the scale of the Barn. We chose two very long banquet tables running parallel to the Barn and a head table that ran across the front of the space. These tables were topped with gorgeous, simple tall arrangements of baby's breath and white larkspur.




The tabletops were filled with mason jars of candlelight and a variety of white and creme garden flowers. The gorgeous {and I mean GORGEOUS} feminine lace linens laid perfectly over the rough burlap to make a great contrast of texture and color. For a fun piece of interest, we chose a tiny gingham print in navy in white for the napkins, and tied them with jute.



The head table even had a few piggies, just for the bride, that we found at a local antique store.


This custom menu was the perfect display for a true Southern meal of barbecue. And of course, another piggie detail!



Shiloh chose her hometown band, Mr.Cabbagehead and the Screaming Radishes, to get (and keep) the dance floor hoppin'.


I'm pretty sure they did just that! This is a shot of the crowd dancing even BEFORE dinner began!


The bride's cake was sweet, simple, and stunning. I had the opportunity to surprise Shiloh and Jonathan with the vintage fireplace mantel display of family wedding photos just behind the cake. They were super excited that this detail came to life!


Shiloh surprised Jonathan with a really great groom's cake. He loved it!


Some Chi Omega sister love...


Now for some Razorback love...


As the guests were leaving we paid one last tribute to the great state of Arkansas in these state-shaped sweets from the bride's hometown bakery of Paul's in Van Buren.


We ended the night with a beautiful sparkler send-off!


Congratulations to Shiloh and Jonathan! It was a treat to be a part of such a fun day with you all, and I appreciate you and your lovely families. THANK YOU to all of the incredible, hard working wedding pros who made this such a tremendous success.

Photography: Benfield Photography (Thanks for all of the gorgeous shots! You can read their blog posts about this wedding here, here, and here!)
Videography: NILO Productions
Location: Pratt Place Barn
Flowers: Jules Design Events
Rentals: Festivities
Catering and Bar: Catering Unlimited
Cakes: Rick's Bakery
Music: Mr.Cabbagehead and the Screaming Radishes
Photo Booth: Vintage Photo Booths
Cookies: Paul's Bakery
Paper Products: Ashley Tucker
Guest Transportation: HETXNA