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Happy Walk Through Day Claire and Scott!

One of the most fun days of my job (besides the actual day of helping a bride fluff her dress and open the door with a flourish as she sees her soul mate for the first time on the wedding day) is the walk through. 

This is the last day they will be in the venue before it's officially their wedding day. This is the day when all of the ideas, plans, and pinterest boards come together. 


Today we celebrate Claire Carlisle and Scott Young as we make final preparations at Foxhall Resort and Sporting Club for their wedding August 11th. 


Check out Claire and Scott's engagement session by Peach Blossom Photography and get ready to wait with bated breath for their guaranteed-to-be-gorgeous wedding photos. 

Calling All Brides! A Bridal Party Invitation!

Engaged or Soon To Be Engaged? 

The Chandlery, one of Roswell, Georgia's longest standing home and life boutiques is hosting A Bridal PARTY!  

Join me and other Atlanta vendors give away all of the secrets! 

Guest speakers include: 

Erica Prewett - "Top 10 Things You Must Do After Getting The Ring"

Suzanne Feeny - "Tips and Trends in Wedding Invitations"

Jack Tuszynski - "Questions You Must Ask When Hiring a Wedding Photographer"

Laurie Clark and Cheryl Taylor - "What To Consider When Purchasing Your Wedding Dress" 

Register here  (http://chandlerybridalparty2-es2.eventbrite.com/?srnk=1 ) 

to let us know you're coming. 

Lot's of food, guest speakers (yours truly) and SWAG bags. 

Hope to see you there!

Music Monday: Something Old, New, Borrowed and Blue

Today's Music Monday is brought to you by our friends at Sam Hill Entertainment. We love working with them and pairing their bands with our couples. 
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Picture by Matt Yung Photography for Casen and Anthony's wedding at 

The Georgian Terrace in December 2011.

From Sam Hill Entertainment's vantage point as the link between the couple and their wedding band, we put our eyes on a lot of special song requests. From the traditional to modern, tried-and-true to out of left field, we've seen them all -- and our bands have learned and performed them.

A newly married couple's first dance is a beautiful moment, one that everyone in attendance will remember. It can reflect a special meaning to the couple, or just be a classic love song. Here are some suggestions for first dance songs that are cool, aren't cheesy…and are easy to dance to.

Something old: Van Morrison's "Moondance" never disappoints. It's simple, beautiful & timeless.

Something new: Jack Johnson's "Better Together" is a laid back favorite.

Something borrowed: The President's impromptu rendition of Al Green's "Let's Stay Together" has given this classic new life.

Something blue: Brad Paisley's cover of Ryan Adams' "When the Stars Go Blue" has always been a big hit as a first dance number for the Jangling Reinharts. 

StudioWed Atlanta Open House

Come see me this afternoon from 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. at StudioWed Atlanta for this month's Open House. It's a free event for engaged couples to get one on one time with some of Atlanta's top vendors and inspiration for their upcoming wedding. Would love to see you there!


StudioWed is located at 1000 Marietta Street, Suite 216, Atlanta, GA 30318. We're located in the same building as 5 Seasons Brewery in West Midtown, just across the street from Octane Coffee. Park on the upper deck and walk down. 


Can't wait to see you there!

Real Atlanta Wedding: Gudrun and Todd

Weddings are sad for me.

I know... I know... Yes, they are amazingly happy occasions when the couple starts their new life as a married couple. That part is happy.

But I am often sad because that means I don't get weekly or monthly check ins with them anymore!

So, I find myself watching the slideshows of weddings past as a reminder and connection to the people who have touched my life during their wedding planning process.  This week I am remembering Gudrun and Todd.
Their wedding was at Callanwolde Fine Arts Center in June 2011. As we approach the one year anniversary mark for Gudrun and Todd's wedding, I find myself viewing their wedding video again.

Here it is. What a fantastic, and fun group. I miss them. I hope your first year has been amazing.

Real Atlanta Wedding: Adrienne and JM

We were so blessed to work with Adrienne Digman and her husband JM Lynch last weekend. Their wedding was at The Foundry at Puritan Mill in Atlanta. 


Truly, what a gorgeous (inside and out) couple.


Here's a recap of the day, thanks to WalkOnWater Productions. 


The creative team that made the day happen flawlessly: 
Planner: Erica Prewett, A Big To Do Event
Venue: Wendy Collins, Puritan Mill
Catering: William Neal, Affairs To Remember Caterers
Photography: Aislinn Bierley, Aislinn Rain Photography
Videography: Paul and Elaine Larsen, Walk On Water Productions
Ceremony and Reception Entertainment: Lou Guzzo, SE Events
Florist: Eva Behrendt, Tulip
Transportation: Julian (driver) & Kim Butler, Cooper Global Transportation

Real Wedding: DeAnna and Kenneth are published!

In February, we had the privilege of working with DeAnna and Kenneth celebrate their first day of married lives together. 

Today, they are published on East Coast Bride Blog! 

Take a look:  http://theeastcoastbride.com/2012/05/04/a-rustic-georgia-wedding-by-buffy-dekmar-photography/#comments 

Headed To A Non-English Speaking Country for Your Honeymoon?

Photo from 100 Layer Cake.

So, you're honeymooning in a different country.  A different country...with a different language.

If you're not already fluent (or at least competent) in that language, it'll be hard to brush up on a different language before you leave, what with the time crunch for the wedding.  So you're going to need all the help you can get when it comes to the language barrier during your trip.  That's why we love this app!

If you take a picture of a sign with it, it will automatically translate for you.  The best part is that it works off of an internal dictionary, so it's really fast and doesn't have to connect to the internet (and you don't get slammed with a huge data bill).

Photo from isobarmobile.

Music Monday: First Dance

We love hearing from you for suggestions for Music Monday! Last week, one of our favorite DJ's, Tom Russo with SE Events (Spectrum), suggested this for First Dance Music Monday. 


Sweet lyrics. Fun. Not too slow. The perfect recipe for your first dance as a married couple! 



What's your First Dance? 

Music Monday: First Dance Song

Happy Music Monday, good people! I woke up feeling quite nostalgic this morning and thought there would be no better First Dance song suggestion than this by the ultimate swooner.

One of our couples this coming weekend is using this song to speak to each other during their First Dance. How sweet.

Enjoy!

Engaged? Don't Know Where To Start? Join Me.

Are you recently engaged but not quite sure where to start? Or have you hit a bit of a plateau in your wedding planning momentum and need a little inspirado? 

Join me and some other of Atlanta's top wedding pros as we give tips and tricks in a full day wedding immersion. 

The Wedding Experience is perfect for newly engaged couples to jump start their journey down the aisle, featuring workshops geared toward helping couples plan a successful wedding.  The event will consist of interactive workshops, table inspiration designs, pop-up wedding shops, lunch, dessert, and cocktails.

The event runs 11:00am - 6:00pm, Saturday April 14th.

This event will be held in conjunction with our studio grand re-opening. Come see our brand new 2400sf studio space! In celebration of our new studio we will have lots of great giveaways and plenty of cocktails on hand!

Register here  (http://studiowedexperience-eorg.eventbrite.com/) so we know you're coming and have a seat and special binder ready for you! Tickets are $15 each.  

Can't wait to see you there!

Honeymoon Destinations You Won't Want to Leave and can Afford to Stay

One of the items on every Wedding To Do List is "Plan Honeymoon." We’re going to try and make this task a little easier for you with our new Honeymoon Destination series! In every Honeymoon post we’ll give you two great options, one for a higher budget and one for a lower budget!

Today we’re featuring some cold weather locales: Banff National Park in Canada and Colorado, USA

Banff National Park is less than 2 hours from Calgary, Alberta, Canada and can accommodate any adventure seeker's need for thrill with hiking, whitewater rafting, and of course skiing. The views from The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise are truly breathtaking and as one of The Travel Channel “World’s Top 10 Honeymoon Hot Spots.” They’re sure to know how to pamper newlyweds.

If your honeymoon budget doesn’t quite get you to Canada you can find much of the same activities and accommodations in Colorado! Most people think of skiing when they hear Colorado but it can also be a very romantic honeymoon destination! Think of being cuddled up in front of the fire after a long day of snowy adventures (or a long day at the spa, let’s be honest). Colorado can be a very affordable honeymoon option. We found a 5-night stay at The Chipeta Sun Lodge & Spa in Ridgway including spa treatments and dinner for under $1500!

Where are YOU going on your honeymoon? We'd love to hear your plans or even feature your trip on our next Honeymoon Destination Series! Send details and pictures to Weddings@ABigToDoEvent.com.

Be on the lookout for the next post in our Honeymoon Destination series!

Look at Your Event Upside Down

I am a huge believer in using spaces and objects in ways they were never intended. For parties, I often use an upside down bowl to serve as a riser for a platter in the food area. I also have been known to use colorful, unique drapery as table runners. Today, let's talk about using items that are meant to be used from the ground up, rather than from the ceiling down. 


Anyone who saw the newest Twilight movie was in awe of Edward and Bella’s wedding, and if you happen to be obsessed with weddings you watched that scene over and over taking in all the details. Possibly the most breathtaking detail was the floral canopy under which the ceremony and reception took place.

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Let’s face it, most of us don’t have the Hollywood-sized budget to make this look happen but there are ways to bring some of this look into your own wedding without a team of vampires doing the manual labor.

Suspended flowers or arrangements can be used instead of or in combination with centerpieces placed on the table. Or maybe place mirrors down the center of the table to reflect the details up above.

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Draping the ceiling gives a light, romantic feeling no matter the theme, creating interest in a usually boring area.

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Hanging fairy lights in the trees gives a magical, wisteria look similar to the canopy in the movie. You can also string the lights instead of letting them hang to create a different but still romantic look.

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How are you using general items in extraordinary ways? Would love to hear your ideas!
For more of our inspiration, follow us on Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/abigtodoevent/.

A Song By Any Other Name...

Fun Fact Of The Day - I thought it was very appropriate for today's Music Monday.

Did you know that the very popular wedding processional song, Clarke's "Trumpet Voluntary" is officially titled "Prince of Denmark's March"? 

By any other name, it sounds just as sweet. 

Music Monday: Ave Maria

For today's Music Monday, I thought we could get back to the basics. Let's go old school. Really old school. 



If the 1700's and Bach aren't quite your style, how about a 2004 rendition by Pavarotti? 



Or Charlotte Church style? 



All are beautiful. Eager to hear which one you choose. 

Put This In Your Calendar!: Wine Down Thursday

StudioWed Atlanta is co-hosting an event at Millennium Gate near Atlantic Station next Thursday, March 1st. 

Attendance is free, but like any good event, an RSVP is required. RSVP here: www.winedownmilleniumgate.eventbrite.com

Venue Tour This Sunday

Are you getting married in Atlanta but don't have a venue yet? Or are you getting married at one of our fair city's chic venues but need some inspiration of how to make the space work for you?

Join us this Sunday, February 26th, from 10 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. for a tour of Atlanta's Chic'est City Venues.
Each venue will give ideas for how to use their space for your event and provide nibbles and cocktails.
You must register so we know how many swag bags to fill! Register here before the bus gets full! Click Here to register: http://studiowedvenue-eorg.eventbrite.com/

Music Monday: Bridal Processional

I love when our couples give us their song list and there are songs I would *Never* have thought of as processional songs, or otherwise attached to weddings. But on this, I stand corrected. The lyrics couldn't be better for a processional.

Take a listen.

Music Monday: Whitney

This song has special meaning for me as it was one of the very first songs I performed. Today I give you my favorite Whitney Houston song as our Music Monday inspiration.

Follow us on Pinterest!

We've created a new A Big To Do Event Pinterest! Until now we've all just had our individual Pinterest accounts but now A Big To Do Event has its own! We're devoting this account to what we do best: weddings and events. If you haven't already discovered Pinterest, its an online pinboard that is perfect for finding inspiration and will be a huge help in your wedding planning.

Here's a sampling of some of the pictures we've been pinning. Click here to go to our page and follow us! We'll continue to pin an array of amazing inspiration and you'll even be able to see some of our own work pinned!

Magnolia Bouquet by Twigg Botanicals

Woodsy Wedding Cake

Metal pegboard as centerpiece and runner



Wedding Trends - Like it, Love it, or Leave it?

Wedding trends are constantly changing; every year brings something new. This month we’ve collected some of the current trends and we’re asking you whether you Like it, Love it, or Leave it!

White Attendants Dresses – Ever since the Royal Wedding we’ve seen white bridesmaid’s dress. Pippa Middleton looked fabulous in her fitted, white dress but is it a trend that’s going to last? It’s always been taboo to wear white to a wedding unless you’re the bride so as not to steal her spotlight. What do you think? Like it, love it, or leave it?

Cowboy Boots – Attendants and even brides everywhere have been foregoing the traditional pair of heels or flats for something a little more memorable: cowboy boots. We’re seeing this trend especially paired with short bridesmaid’s dresses to really show off the boot. Like it, love it, or leave it?

Textured Florals – Succulents, billy balls, thistle, dusty miller. That list may look strange but these are the floral trends we’re starting to see everywhere. Brides are choosing to combine traditional flowers with these more textural additions to create interest. Adding textured florals definitely brings individuality to an industry dominated by roses. Your thoughts? Like it, love it, or leave it?

Push Pops – The new dessert trend sweeping the industry now is push-pops! Like the ice cream versions from your childhood, these are filled with layered cakes (strawberry shortcake seems to be a favorite)! Guests will be wowed by this creative new dessert presentation but what about you? Like it, love it, or leave it?

Chandeliers – Chandeliers used to be confined to ballrooms but the new trend is to incorporate chandeliers into any venue, even outside spaces! Brides are hanging them from trees and arches and covering them with candles and flowers. No matter what the theme, a chandelier seems to fit! Do chandeliers fit your vision? Like it, love it, or leave it?

Flower Girl Tutu Dresses – Let’s face it, kids could wear anything and still steal the show but the newest trend for flower girl attire is putting her in a tutu dress. This is just an extended version of a tutu that sits higher on the body. In one of these dresses your flower girl will look adorable but is it polished enough for your wedding? Like it, love it, or leave it?

Shot Glasses Serving Ware – A few years ago we were introduced to martini glasses used to serve food, most commonly mashed potatoes, now we’re seeing shooters. Caterers are using these to serve soup, milk with a cookie on the rim, shrimp cocktail, and more. These seem like the perfect portion but would you agree? Like it, love it, or leave it?

DIY Weddings – With the addition of Pinterest to the online scene, brides everywhere are going DIY crazy! It’s so easy to find inspiration with step-by-step instructions that bridal craft parties are becoming a norm. Just make sure you don’t put too much on your craft to-do list and get overwhelmed! And remember you can always call us at A Big To Do Event to help with your planning and execution (we’ve been known to pick up a glue gun ourselves for office craft days). DIY Weddings: like it, love it, or leave it?

Tangerine Tango – Pantone’s color of the year was recently revealed as being Tangerine Tango. This fiery orange could be used as just a pop of color or as table linens, florals, and bridesmaids dresses for a bolder look. Could you see Tangerine Tango in your color scheme? Like it, love it, or leave it?

Colored Wedding Dresses – White may always be the traditional bridal color but more and more brides are choosing dresses with a bit of color. Vera Wang’s Fall 2012 collection is done in nudes and blacks! Black may be a little too unconventional for most brides which is why we’re also seeing lots of blush tones. Reese Witherspoon even chose a stunning pink dress for her recent wedding. Are you going out of the box or staying traditional with the white color family? Like it, love it, or leave it?

  

Let us know what you think of these trends and whether you Like it, Love it, or Leave it!

http://pinterest.com/pin/238127899017054635/

Engaged? About To Be? Come to the Chandlery for a Bridal PARTY!

The Chandlery, one of Roswell, Georgia's longest standing home and life boutiques is hosting A Bridal PARTY! 

Register here (www.thechandlerybridalparty.eventbrite.com) 

to let us know you're coming. 

Lot's of food, guest speakers (yours truly) and SWAG bags. 

Hope to see you there!

Music Monday: Proposal

More engagements happen in these two weeks than in any other two week period of the year. If you are planning to pop the question, why not do it with this song?

Let us know what he/she said! Can't wait to celebrate with you!

Contest: Who's Your Valentine?

Win 2 Tickets to attend a cocktail party with cocktails sponsored by Godiva at StudioWed Atlanta at 5:00 pm then the pre-screening for the movie The Vow at 7:30 at Regal Cinemas Atlantic Station.

How to Win:
Go to the StudioWed Facebook page and tell us who your valentine is and why.  Then subscribe to the StudioWed mailing list.  Winners will be randomly chosen and announced on Friday, February 3rd.

Music Monday: First Dance

Here's a First Dance song from an artist I had previously not known, Christy Angeletti. Love the lyrics.



What do you think?

New Spins for Old Traditions!

There are so many wedding traditions that have lovely meanings behind them, but they may not be your specific style. Here are a few twists to the traditional ring pillow, which usually doesn't have the actual rings on it because a very cute little person is carrying it. However, if you use one of these more container-type objects you may want to place your rings inside!

A Bird Nest 

(crafted of course!) for the BoHo Chic Bride

This pretty can be found on Esty in the nestedlove store. This would be beautiful in photos of outdoor vows and as a centerpiece on your anniversary picnic down the road. 

Antique Silver Ring Boxes 

for the Classic Bride that wants a " new" family heirloom

I found these at Country Living. This is a beautiful option that could easily be passed down to future generations to use during proposals and weddings.

Simple Ring Plates 

for the Minimalist and Modern Bride

I found these at Etsy as well, at Paloma's Nest. These will look beautiful on a vanity to holding your special jewel for years after the wedding and will likely bring a smile to your face everyday.

Good Luck deciding, they are all beautiful pieces!