Local Event for Brides!

My fellow wedding planner Shanika Butts from SJB Weddings and Events is hosting the "The Ultimate DIY Bridal Workshop: A Day with the DIY Bride Khris Cochran". This is a definite must attend. Khris Cochran is the queen of DIY wedding projects!

Sign-up and let them know that StylePerfect Weddings and Events sent you!

Here are the details.

When: Saturday September 26, 2009 and Sunday September 27, 2009
Time: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Where: Embassy Suites Charlotte
4800 South Tryon Street
Charlotte, NC 28217
Cost: $135

Khris Cochran is the creator and founder of the award winning DIYBride.com one of the most popular bridal crafting websites and is also the author of The DIY Bride: 40 Fun Projects for Your Ultimate One-of-a-kind Wedding. Khris is dedicated to helping brides personalize their weddings by assisting them with designing elements that will enable them to put their own personal stamp on their wedding.

Topics for the day include:
Intro do DIY Bride:
How to do it well, on a budget and with your sanity in tact.
Invitations 101:
Invite basics and hands-on time creating rubber stamped invite set
Favors for under $1:
Showcase favor ideas that can be made for under $1 + hands-on project time
Pimp My Wedding:
Ideas for adding pizazz to basic wedding products. Learn how to embellish items such as shoes, gowns, favors, etc.
The $20 Veil:
Learn to create a fabulous veil for $20
Creative Centerpieces:
Showcase of inexpensive + creative centerpiece ideas

This workshop is designed to be fun and an open environment for questions for Khris as she shows you how to make beautiful items for your wedding day. You will come away with actual projects that you have made during class and the know how to create additional items.

The workshop fee includes the hands on instruction by Khris Cochran, all class materials, hand-outs, takeaways and lunch. Please choose one of the two workshop dates that fit your schedule.

You can register here. If you have any questions please send an email to info@sjbweddingsandevents.com.

Wedding Cupcakes

The week before last I had the privilege of moderating a panel discussion with four of Charlotte’s premier wedding cake bakeries and bakers:

Iris Austin, Austin Bakery and Design
Dominica Clementi, Nona’s Sweets
Erica Baez-Horton, Cloud 9 Confections
Lisa McRae, Elizabethan Delights

It was such a delight to pick the brains of these awesome women. They spoke about trends in wedding cakes and best business practices. One of the questions that I asked was “Cupcake tiers have been all the rage these past few years. Do you see this trend continuing throughout 2009?”

And the verdict is, “Cupcakes are here to stay.” from Dominica Clementi of Nona’s Sweets. All of the panelist agreed that cupcakes are a sweet treat that are fun and cost effective.

That being said, don’t rule out these charming confections when determining your desert of choice for your special occasion. There are so many perfect ways to incorporate cupcakes in to your day. Whether it’s having a smaller two tier cake paired with a cupcake bar for guests to chose their flavor and icing or a beautifully adorned cupcake tier. The possibilities are endless.

What are you serving up at your wedding or special event? Cake or Cupcakes.

Fabulous Local Store Find: Paper Lanterns

The Dollar Tree does it again! They have mini paper lanterns that are battery operated. Paper lanterns are a great addition to any event. Whether hanging from the ceiling or tress, or on shepherds hooks lining the aisle, lanterns are so whimsical and modern.

Flower of the week: Chocolate Cosmo

This post is for my winter brides who are planning ahead and going for a chic and modern style. Chocolate cosmos are a unique flower that are a very deep burgundy color, leaning toward a chocolate shade, but at times photographing black. Adding chocolate cosmos to your bouquet or centerpieces will definitely provide a sassy and distinct look to your wedding.

The Art of the Napkin

When setting the table for a small dinner party with friends or a wedding, you can really add some great style to the table by having fun with your napkins. From the type of fold you use, to adding bold and whimsical napkin rings, or playing with colors and fabrics, your "napkin style" can really add some "Wow!" to your table.

Here are a few "how-to" resources for napkin folds and table settings:
- The International Guild of Professional Butlers
- Napkin Folding Guide
- BBJ Linen

Happy Dining!

Wedding and Event Professionals

StylePerfect Weddings and Events had the opportunity to plan and host a networking event for the Charlotte Wedding and Event Professionals Networking Group. This was the second networking event that we planned for the group. The beautiful Palmer Building, a restored fire school, hosted the event and A Tasteful Solution Catering and Events did the catering.

The event featured a great panel of local wedding and event planners, Shanika Butts (SJB Weddings and Events), David Klingel (Mint Museum of Art), Tammi Cole (Elegant Creations Weddings and Events and the Bridal House) and Jessica Keyes (Lake Norman Laughliner). I moderated the discussion, which touched on wedding trends and best business practices.

If you're looking to enter the wedding and event industry in Charlotte, this is a great start because there is no cost to join the group and they hold monthly events.

Here are some pictures from the networking event. Pamela Hempstead from The Perfect Negative did the photography.