Month: November 2010

Fall Photo Shoot

Posted on by prampy

I am so excited to post these pictures of a mock wedding shoot we did this week in honor of Thanksgiving and all things Fall! Events by Shelbi Rene collaborated with Three by the Quill Pen and EE Photography to show our autumn brides just how elegant an Autumn wedding can be.

From the very beginning we knew we wanted to create an outdoor atmosphere amidst a pure autumn setting. Due to the cooperation of God’s creation, we succeeded in having a backdrop perfect for our vision. We wanted this photo shoot to reflect the colors of the season with a romantic flare so we veered toward neutrals with a few pops of reds, purples, oranges, greens and yellow. In addition to elegant furniture and silver candlesticks, we created a juxtaposition of design by incorporating as many natural elements as possible. When the leaves began to fall on our table, we left them! The setting was meant to accommodate everyone from cowboys to king. A special thank you to Erin Woolsey for capturing the setting perfectly with these gorgeous photos…

We used personal Pumpkin Bundt Cakes from Nothing Bundt Cakes in Dallas, Texas as place card holders (and dessert of course!).

Cranberries can be frozen and added to water or punch as a replacement for ice.
You’ve heard of adding cucumber or lemons to water to add a slight touch of taste, for the fall season try adding pomegranate and oranges for a more unique combination that will more likely match your color scheme!
We tied the rings to a pumpkin as a unique idea for the ring bearer to carry down the aisle.

The S’mores favor bags include two graham crackers, a chocolate square, and a marshmallow for guests to make more S’mores at home or at the reception! (Hence the label on the bag which says “S’more Love!”)
For the brides bouquet we used a lantern with a pumpkin candle that matched the grooms tie and boutonniere.

Be looking for a DIY tutorial on the S’mores sticks soon. Until then, visit Erin’s blog for more eye candy!

Thank you to the following vendors for making this event possible:
Floral and Event Design and Coordination: Events by Shelbi Rene; Rene Watten, Shelbi Rampy and Morgan Watten (EventsByShelbiRene.blogspot.com)
Paper Products and Unique Furniture: Three by The Quill Pen; Marsha Bonneau, Aubrey Bonneau and Chandra Chen (http://www.quillpen3.com/)
Photography: EE Photography; Erin Woolsey (ee-photography.com and eephotography.squarespace.com)
Hair and Make-up by Joanna Cole
Nothing Bundt Cakes: Craig and Wendy Moore (http://www.nothingbundtcakes.com/ and dallas@nothingbundtcakes.com)

This photo shoot could not have been a success without the help and assistance of the following people:
Trey Watten
Haley Conaway
Preston Rampy
Ed and Barbara Bonneau
Anna Smith
Amanda Berres and Nancy Deveneau

Jam Jar Sweets

Posted on by prampy

I’m always looking for something new and different to incorporate into a wedding and this little idea takes the cake…literally. These Jam Jar Sweets would be perfect for wedding/party favors, hostess gifts or welcome gifts for out of town guests! They would also be precious on a dessert table or in place of a cake. So many great uses for such a fun product.

First up…the pies and cobblers!

Apple Pie, Peach Cobbler, Pecan Pie and Mixed Berry Cobbler

And now the cakes and brownies…

Birthday Cake, German Chocolate Cake, Rocky Road Brownie, S’mores

Ok stop. Look how fun that birthday cake is?! I love it! I love them all!

David and Julie Havard

Posted on by prampy

The moment Julie saw art deco style the Power and Light building, she knew it was where she wanted to get married. David and Julie tied the knot on the steps of a cascading staircase amidst marble walls and regal columns in the old Power and Light building across the street from the Magnolia Hotel in downtown Dallas.  The delightful Ms. Carol Sage officiated one of the most unique and meaningful ceremonies I have ever witnessed. Both David and Julie are from Scottish descent and chose to recognize their heritages during the ceremony with scarves from their clans to represent the joining of their families. It was a breath of fresh air to watch such a creative display of union!

Check out the gorgeous pictures courtesy of Lara Bierner…

And a special shout out to the mother of the bride, Mrs. Cathie McNabb, who found humor in every situation, even after her dog completely obliterated not just one, but TWO pairs of wedding shoes! I might not have been so forgiving!

The culprit…he looks so innocent! 🙂

Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. David and Julie Havard!

A special thanks to the following vendors…

Ceremony/Reception: Magnolia Hotel Power and Light Buildling
Officiant: Carol Sage with Love Notes 
Harpist: Ester Vermillion
Photography: Lara Bierner
Cake: Dallas Affairs
Florist: Park Cities Petals
DJ/Videography: Richard McClure

Hostess Gifts {Etsy Finds}

Posted on by prampy

I am always hard pressed for an answer when asked for ideas for hostess gifts. It depends on the party, the hostesses and your own personality but otherwise can be a pretty generic gift in my opinion. I always try to look for something that I personally would enjoy receiving. With that in mind, here are a few ideas I found on Etsy. The great thing about Etsy is you can purchase as many as you need and some items can be custom made for you as well. With all the love I give to Etsy you would think I’m being paid to do so. I assure you I am not, I just have a slight obsession with adorable things and Etsy delivers when it comes to adorable! So without further ado, if I were hosting this holiday season, I know I’d love to receive any of these wonderful gifts!

If you’re having an autumn shower or party, these little cozies would be a darling gift. There are a few different styles and they come in many different colors too! You can also have them custom made depending on your hostesses’ personalities! Love it!
When I first saw this I thought it was food. It looks THAT good right? It’s a Pumpkin Spice Latte Foaming Sugar Scrub. Also a great autumn hostess gift and probably not something you would normally find in stores. After working hard to plan a party for you, the first thing your hostess needs is a nice long bath don’t you think? This seller has many other soaps and scrubs you can purchase as well.



This is Sweet Pumpkin Pie goats milk soap. I love these because they come pre-packaged in that darling box you see in the picture. These are great gifts because they’d be perfect for your hostesses’ kitchen or bathroom sinks!

If you’ve never had mulled cider you’re missing out! These Organic Mulling Spices make it SO EASY for your hostess to add to hot cider or wine for a party or for her family during the holidays AND $9 gets you 3 bags so they are super affordable if you have a lot of hostesses!

 

Happy Halloween!

Posted on by prampy

I have been itching to host a Halloween party for years but it has just never been the right time. Last week (a week before Halloween) I finally decided to bite the bullet, live in the moment and just do it! I’m so glad I did so that now I can actually share my own Halloween party but I think next time my husband would appreciate it if I made up my mind more than a week before the party!

I wanted the theme to work for a Halloween party but also for a Fall or Thanksgiving party since Halloween would be over by the time I was going to be able to post pictures. My inspiration for the color scheme came from a Halloween sign that I’ve had for years. I tried to use a lot of whites and browns and a just a little black and orange. I even threw some gold in there! If you change the signage, I think this party would be perfect throughout November too.

An easy decorating tip: scrapbook paper comes in all different colors, themes and designs at your local craft store. Whenever you decide on a color scheme, peruse the scrapbook paper aisles to find papers that match your theme. Then you can use them as backdrops on chargers or plates to add a pop of color that not only creates an interesting aesthetic but also turns those boring old plates into something new and unique! I found my papers on sale at Michael’s and just cut them to fit the size of my chargers.  
Mummy Dogs. Pigs in a blanket with mustard eyes!
These “Nutty Ghosts” are SO EASY to make! Dip Nutter Butters in white chocolate and then add eyes with icing.
Caramel Apple toppings: Halloween Sprinkles, Crushed Kit Kat, Crushed Pecans and Heath Bar.
I used tree branches as the apples sticks for two reasons: they’re affordable and adorable!
I found these “Dragon Blood” labels on Martha Stewart and just changed the name on the label.
For smores I had three different types of marshmallows, Hershey’s bars, Cookies and Cream Hershey Bars and Reeses to put on Regular and Cinnamon Graham crackers! How’s that for a smore!?
There’s a tutorial for these Witches Brooms bags on Martha Stewart also.

 
I made all the printables on Microsoft Word because I know not everyone out there has access to Photoshop or knows how to use it for that matter. I used the drawing tool to make the circles and then placed a text box in the center. The outer yellow circle is 1.97″ with a 3 pt. thickness so that I could use a 2″ circle cutter to cut my circles perfectly. Then I bought full sheets of sticker paper from an office supply store, cut the circles and stuck them on black cardstock! Easy smeasy…minus all the problems I had with my printer (it needed more cleaning pads…whatever those are). Sometimes technology is so great, other times…
 
I hope everyone had a Happy Halloween! November is one of my favorite months so I am excited about what is it to come. I am coordinating a wedding this weekend so you won’t hear much from me this week but look for more Thanksgiving ideas soon!