Guess where I am? Not in the office....

That's right! My honey has swept me away to a much warmer place on this earth for some much needed Mom & Dad relaxation. I will be back in the office next week! Until then, enjoy browsing and find inspiration for your wedding day! And, yes, that picture above is where I am right now!!!

One & Only Palmilla

The Brides {and moms!} Tell All: Lucy Semple

{Remember when I said I was 9 months preggo at this wedding? Love those pregnant chubby cheeks!}

Here are Lucy and Cynthia's Wedding Woes and Wisdom for you brides and moms out there....

From your own experience, what advice would you give other women for their wedding day?
Listen to the expert (Jenessa) for wisdom she’s gained from experience, but if you feel strongly about something, remember that this is your day! Tear out as many pictures of things you like and don’t like (from flowers, table arrangements, paper products, etc…). This makes it easier to figure out your style and vision for the day.

Looking back, are there any details from your wedding you would have changed or excluded?
Absolutely not. My day was actually exactly how I imagined and hoped it would be. ☺

In your opinion, what are some good ways to keep costs low when planning a wedding?
Prioritize. I LOVE flowers, so that was a priority for me. I was not as concerned about other things. Also, be willing to do some work yourself. I know we saved money because I was willing to type up my “guest booklets” that we put in everyone’s rooms and then we had an expert (Sincerely Yours) make what I wrote look pretty.

In what ways did you make your wedding and reception different from all the rest?
-We served some of our favorite foods (queso, chips, salsa, bread pudding),
-we had 3 types of personalized cookies as party favors,
-we used our save the date as sort of a ‘theme” and carried it through onto our guest boxes and cookies,
-we had a “day of the wedding” bbq lunch so that all of our guests could get together
-we brought in a cigar roller for the men to enjoy
-we had a photo booth which entertained adults and kids
-signs that said “Sparklers to light the Semple’s way” and “Sweets to send you on your way” on our departure table that included sparklers, personalized matches, and cookies.
-we had pizza brought in about 45 minutes before we departed as a sort of “late-night treat”. It was a hit!

What was your favorite detail about your wedding and reception?
The flowers!!! I had torn out so many pictures and had described as best I could what I wanted it to look like and the flowers were beyond my wildest expectations. They were amazing!

What was your favorite experience or memory from your wedding and reception?
Taking a few minutes to walk around just my husband and me and take in everything at the wedding. We took a few minutes to talk to eachother and walk around the entire reception without talking to guests…..those are the pictures in my mind that are not a blur. I also remember dancing a lot – I wanted to have fun at my wedding and I did! ☺

What is the best way to keep your guests excited and involved at the reception, so they won’t leave early?
Surprise them by having some things that are “special” and not like all the others……We had a few:
The pizza that we brought in a little bit before our departure was one fun part.
Our band was REALLY great, so people wanted to keep dancing.
The photo booth helped the children stay entertained so that they weren’t ready to leave.
My mom kept telling her friends that they shouldn’t leave because the sparklers were going to be so pretty! ☺

What do you suggest as good wedding music? Is it best to use live music or a DJ?
I think it totally depends on budget. If you can afford it, a live band always helps to get the party going and get people on the dance floor. They can also “Read” the crowd to see what type of music they should go to next. If you have a DJ or a CD playing, just make sure to consider what type of music you want playing when. Be specific with whomever you work with so that they know what YOU like and what music YOU enjoy. I remember that our band played a couple of songs that weren’t our style, so we went to them and asked them to go another direction and the problem was solved.

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?
Most of my stress was because I was planning a Fayetteville wedding from Dallas and I felt out of the loop sometimes. Jenessa always did a wonderful job of calming me down and getting me back into the loop. ☺ Other than that, the most stressful is the budget, for sure! My advice for both issues is just to communicate with everyone you are working with. Our flower budget was a bit higher than we wanted it, so my mom had a long phone call and went through all of the expenses with our florist. They were able to compromise on some changes and the problem was solved.

What is something you did not expect about planning a wedding that you experienced?
Bonding with so many of the vendors we worked with for those months. We were lucky to have worked with wonderful people who I now consider friends! It was also special bonding for my mom and I because we did so much of it together. It can be stressful, but it also has so many fun parts!!!

Thanks, Lu! Now on to Cynthia...
What did you enjoy most about your daughter’s wedding day?
I loved the whole day, but especially the actual wedding and reception. It was all we had planned for and hoped it would be.

Was there any detail about the wedding and reception that made it unique to your daughter and her personality?
Both venues (a small chapel and the barn) were perfect for her.

What would have made wedding planning an easier and more enjoyable experience?
It was an enjoyable experience, and I wouldn’t change anything.

What expense was well worth the cost?
Flowers

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?
It’s the daughter’s wedding, not hers.

How involved were you with the wedding planning? Do you wish you would have been more or less involved?
I was very involved in assisting and carrying out plans, but my daughter made all the major decisions. I wouldn’t change it at all.

I hope you have enjoyed learning all about Lucy and Chris' wedding day from start to finish! Leave some comment love or any questions you have below!

Lucy and Chris' Pratt Place Barn Reception Comes to Life

Want to see Lucy's beautiful reception come to life? Check out this super fun time-lapse video of the process!


Come back tomorrow to hear advice from Mrs. Lucy and her mom, Cynthia!

Lucy and Chris' Pratt Place Barn Reception

Following Lucy & Chris' ceremony, guests were whisked away to the lovely Pratt Place Barn for the celebration of this new marriage. The flowers, food, and entertainment were to die for!

The draping in the Barn for this reception was truly a new concept, never before created at Pratt Place. We chose to draw the eye upward to accent the Barn's architecture. Floral wreaths and trailing ribbons hung from the Barn's iron lanterns down the center of the venue.



Lush, sweet centerpieces were presented in many variations to create visual interest at different heights in the room, as well as different textures as your eyes swept the room. All of the arrangements were surrounded with twinkling candlelight to make the room glisten. So much loveliness to take in!







The stunning cake was highlighted with pin spot lighting, as well as framed by a floral wreath hanging above. This cake was created with the most intricate details, including folded sugar flowers and golden ribbon, an identical match to the bride's couture wedding gown. Its prominent placement in the center of the room made it a highlight of the reception design.


Guests danced to the beats of Dallas party band, Cuvee, snapped crazy party pics in the photo booth, and enjoyed hand-rolled cigars on site throughout the evening. {Sorry, Cyn, but this is one of my favorite photos from the whole wedding! Woo Pig!}



Before heading out the door, guests had their choice of custom sweets. Lucy and Chris chose their signature wedding design, a nod to their Texas home, and a hand drawn image of the Barn all to be laid on sweet cookies. Sparklers were passed out for the grand getaway, and the horns played "When the Saints Go Marching In" as the newlyweds went on their merry way!






Lucy and Chris' wedding day was a true reflection of them, their families, and their friends. Their vision came to life with the work of so many talented vendors from a multitude of states! What has been your favorite aspect of this wedding? Let us know by leaving your comment below! Come back on Monday and Tuesday to see {yep with video!} how the Barn was transformed, and to hear advice from the bride and her lovely mother!

The Vendor Team:
Wedding Coordination: J.Bailey Occasions
Photography: Polito Photography
Videography: NILO Productions
Ceremony Venue: Stone Chapel at Matt Lane Farm
Reception Venue: Pratt Place Barn
Floral Design, Draping, Lighting: Distinctive Designs by Tanarah
Rentals: Festivities
Catering & Bar: Catering Connection
Cake and Cookies: Shelby Lynn's
Wedding Invitations and Paper Lovelies: Sincerely Yours Paper
Photo Booth: Making Memories Photo Booth
Band: Cuvee
Transportation: HETXNA

Lucy and Chris' Stone Chapel Wedding Ceremony

Lucy and Chris were married Saturday, March 13th at Stone Chapel at Matt-Lane Farm. After sitting through a wreck at the entrance (see that story here) we were able to move forward with the I Do's!

A few of my favorite details from the ceremony were the tall and lush altar arrangements in garden urns, tied with a cream sash. I also thought that the lovely pew markers of soft green and peach hydrangea with trailing ribbons were a perfect match for this antique-styled setting.



It's about time to get married! Sweet father of the bride, W.L. is about to walk his last little girl down the aisle! I love the garlands created for the entrance at the Chapel's antique doors.


And, finally Lucy and Chris are saying their vows and on their way to becoming Mr. and Mrs! What a lovely ceremony!


Come back this week to see their sweet, Southern reception! Thank you to the team from Polito Photography of Dallas, Texas for the beautiful photos.

Lucy's Bridal Florals & Details

Today I wanted to share some of the details on the "personal" side of things for Lucy & her girls. The ladies all prepared for the day at the Inn at Carnall Hall. Here, we took family photos and gave each of the wedding party their personal flowers. All of the gorgeous florals were created by Distinctive Designs by Tanarah out of Little Rock.
The bridal bouquet was made up of garden creams, greens, and whites.

Bridesmaids carried hand-tied bouquets of soft peach garden roses, green hydrangea, and cream peonies to compliment their soft green and gold dresses.


Before we headed off to the Chapel, the bride stopped for a sweet photo with her incredibly precious nieces. Can it get any cuter?


Heading out the door we wrapped Lucy up in this adorable cream shrug that a bridesmaid had on hand. It was the perfect accessory for this March bride.


Come back tomorrow to see the wedding ceremony of Lucy and Chris! Photos all courtesy of Polito Photography of Dallas.

Lucy and Chris' Spring Arkansas Wedding

As we approach the Spring wedding season, I am thinking back on all of the lovely 2010 spring weddings that we were a part of. I was big & chubby & 9 months pregnant when this "destination Fayetteville" event took place {yep, D was born 2 weeks later!} for Lucy and Chris. I am hoping that now the details and stories from these brides' weddings can provide inspiration for you as you plan your big day.

A few pre-wedding details that were FABULOUS were all creations of the one & only Amy Hannon! When I say "Destination Fayetteville" I mean that Lucy and Chris truly treated their plans as a destination wedding, as they and their guests all lived in different locations. None in NWA! To announce the date, directions, and give them guidance through their time here in Arkansas, Lucy enlisted the always-creative Amy Hannon of Sincerely Yours Paper! Here are a few of Amy's photographs of Lucy's wedding paper suite.

Lucy's Save the Date was a fun, custom design that you won't want to miss! Want to see what's inside of this blue window wrap? Click here!


Next up, her wedding invitation suite was full of classic creams and golds, along with a hand drawn map of Fayetteville itself. To see more about Lucy's invitation suite, click here.



When guests arrived, they were greeted by fun guest boxes in their hotel rooms. You'll notice that the logo from the Save the Date has been modified to say WELCOME! We filled boxes with bottled waters with custom labels, handmade soaps from the mother of the groom with custom labels, snacks, and their wedding weekend guide.




Lucy's Wedding Weekend Guide was even recently featured in Martha Stewart Weddings Magazine Special Travel Issue!


Don't you just love what you see? It's so much fun to continue a look & theme from the first time your wedding is announced (Save the Date!) until they leave at the end of your big day! Check out more of Amy's incredible work today at Sincerely Yours Paper. This week we'll be going through every detail, which will inspire you at every turn! Come back tomorrow as we begin with Lucy's personal flowers. You're gonna love em!