Favors!

Your guests bring you gifts for your wedding. Are you going to give them a thank you gift for coming to your special day?

Wedding favors use to be required. Now it is more of an option. If you have money in your budget, I would recommend coming up with a cute favor idea to give to your guest as a thank you. The nice part about favors is that it can be as simple or extravagant as you would like. It is just something nice for your guests to take home and enjoy after the wedding. If you do have a smaller budget, do not be afraid to DIY it. There is a lot of cute ideas that would be easy to make. I worked with one bride that made chocolate chip cookies with her bridesmaids the night before the wedding. It was nice because it was a relaxing evening before the wedding with all her sisters.

When thinking about what kind of favor to have, think about the following tips.

1) Think about your budget. You do not want to over spend. Your guest will not judge on how extravagant your favor is.
2) Think about what kind of thing you would like to give your guest as a thank you. Do you want to give them a yummy treat that is gone after the wedding or a keepsake that they will hold on to forever? It could also be something that they use at the wedding. I had one bride make mason jars for all her guests. If you are having an outdoor ceremony, you could give custom sunglasses that are on their chairs.
3) Work with the theme and style of your wedding.
4) Make it represent you as a couple. If you are both music lovers, make a CD for all your guest with your favorite songs or a soundtrack to the wedding.
5) Start planning favors somewhat early on. You will need time to order or make them.
6) Make it your own. You do not have to go with the traditional wedding favors. You can have fun with it.

I had one couple that LOVED coffee! They did not have the traditional bar at their wedding. They had a coffee bar. For their guests, they gave them bags of coffee and a pastry. They literally brought a suitcase of coffee on the plane. See the picture below. 

Check out these other cool favor ideas!

My personal favorite favor is the photobooth! I love taking photobooth pictures. I also think that it is a great favor. It is a keepsake that they can remember your wedding with for a long time.

Thanks for reading! Remember to check back for other tips, inspiration, and vendor information. Remember to like my Facebook page!

- Jessica

*Please note that I did not take these pictures other than the coffee bag one. If you would like the exact location of these pictures. Please email me at perfectlyblossomed@gmail.com .

Pick a seat or assign a seat?

Hello!

Summer time is getting closer! That means for many brides and grooms their wedding day is fast approaching. You probably have already or are about to start sending out the invitations. That means you are going to start getting those RSVP cards back.

As you are getting closer to the wedding day, you need to think about how you are going to seat your guests at the wedding reception. Are you going to assign people seats or let it be a free for all? This post is going to tell you about the pros and cons about doing a seating chart. I will also give you some great tips on how to do a seating chart. 

Many people know right off the bat if they will be having a seating chart or not. Before you make the final decision think about how it will affect your wedding day.

Below are some cons about having a seating chart for the reception.

• Seating charts take a lot of time to make. 
• It can be stressful to figure out who should sit by who. There is a lot to think about when placing people on a seating chart.
• It can be an additional expense, because you need to find a way to tell people where they are sitting. That could be either by a map or escort card. See some examples below.
• Guests might not get to sit with people that they want to sit with.
• It can be to formal for your type of wedding.

I love having seating charts at weddings. Below is a list of pros about having a seating chart for the reception.

• It helps keep things organized.
• You will not have a table with two people and twelve at another. 
• It helps the caterer set the tables for the correct number of people. 
• It makes it less awkward for guests that are coming alone to find a place to sit.
• Your family will be able to have a table next to you. 
• It is a great way for your guests to meet new people and socialize.
• Families and couples will get to sit next to each other even if they are the last ones in the room.
• It keeps people from feeling uncomfortable and having to rush into the reception to save a seat.

Now that I hope you have chosen to make a seating chart, below are some tips to help you out.

• Make a seating chart that will be the easiest for you. You can either use a computer program or pieces of paper. Wedding Wire has a really great seating chart program that you could use for free.You do not have to go out and buy a wedding software to do a seating chart.
• Make it easy to move guests from table to table when planning the seating chart. You can use post-it notes, flags, or note cards.  
• Make sure to use your reception floor plan when doing the seating chart. It helps make sure some people are not to close together if they should not be. It also helps you know how the room is shaped and if there is something that could be in the way visually.
• Plan close family and bridal party seating first. Family is going to want to sit by other family. 
• Think about peoples interests and backgrounds when placing them at a table. You do not want your grandparents sitting at a table with all of your college friends. 
• Ask your parents for help when seating guests. They might know things about some of the guest's relationships with another guest that might cause some uncomfortableness at the table. 
• Make sure to keep you and your boo in the spot light. Your guests are there to see you. Don't sit in the corner even if you will not be at your table for long.
• To make a seating chart less formal, assign guests to tables not seats. This will give them some choice in where they want to sit but keep it organized.
• Get creative with your escort cards or seating chart at the wedding. It can match your theme and add decor. You could use your favors as the "escort cards" or "place cards". There are so many creative ways to tell your guests where to sit. 

 

Thanks for reading! I hope this post helps you not stress out about making the seating chart! Comment below with creative ideas of telling your guests where to sit. Also remember to like and check out my Facebook page!

- Jessica

*Please note that I did not take these pictures. If you would like the exact location of these pictures, please email me at perfectlyblossomed@gmail.com
 

The art of being engaged!

There are so many people that are getting engaged right now! I thought it would be a great time to talk about the engagement.

Congratulations your engaged! You have made the first step in spending the rest of your life with the love of your life. You either said "yes" or popped the question. It is going to get crazy now. Hopefully you have shared the news with your parents and/ or children. If you have not yet, make sure to tell your family and close friends first before posting it on social media. They want to hear about it from you personally.

There is going to be a lot of emotion happening during your engagement. Just remember that even though this is a exciting time for the two of you, it might be difficult for other people. If someone is taking it kind of hard, don't angry or upset. Talk it out with them. They might be worried about loosing you as a friend or jealous that it has not happened to them yet. If they are worried about loosing you as a friend, reassure them that you will still be friends. During the planning time, think about how they can be apart of it. By keeping them involved in the planning, it will help them feel special. If they are jealous, be careful around them when talking about the wedding. Just remember to not let their emotions bother you. It is your special time, and you have the right to enjoy it.

People are going to start giving you advice, ask you a lot of questions, and want to know all the details. This wedding is for the two of you but it is also for your family and friends. They want to help out. The best way to handle people giving you advice is to say thank you and that you will think about it. If you already have something planned, do not be afraid to say that it is already taken care of. People are going to be asking you a lot of questions about how the planning is going. You might answer the same question multiple times. Stay calm because everyone wants to know all the details. If you have a wedding website or blog, share some details on how the wedding planning is going. It will help people feel like they are involved. Just remember not to give all the information away. You do want to keep some surprises for the wedding day.

It is going to be hard to do all the planning yourself. There is going to be people that are going to want to help you plan your wedding. Ask for them to help you with different tasks. If someone in your family is really good with food, maybe put them in charge of finding a couple different caterers to choose from. If you are going to be a DIY bride, ask some of your craft friends to come over a couple days to help with some of the crafts. Giving people that want to help different tasks to do will make them feel special and apart of your day. It also never hurts to have extra help.

Once you are engaged, there are some decisions that you will want to make. The first one is how long do you want your engagement? Are you wanting a quick six month or a couple years? You need to think about when would be the best time for you and your love. You also need to start coming up with a guest list. It helps to know kind of an estimate when starting the planning. It will help you know how your budget is going to be spent.

The next thing is the budget. You need to think about who will be paying for the wedding. Now a days, the couples are more likely to pay for most of the wedding themselves. It is good to have a sit down conversation with your parents about how much they are willing to pay. Remember to be happy with no matter how much they are willing to give. You do not want to put them in financial problems just to get your dream wedding. There are ways to have your dream wedding with out breaking the bank.

The next thing you need to think about is the time of year and date that you would want to get married. Depending on what is important to you, you might base your date off of what day your dream location is available. It also might be based off of your budget. You might want to have a Winter/ Spring wedding instead of the summer to have a cheaper price. Friday weddings are becoming more and more popular because of it being cheaper.  

The last major decision is the style of wedding you would like. You do not have to decide on a theme or colors just yet. You just need to think about if you would like a formal, semi-formal, or informal wedding. You want to think about what is going to be the most comfortable for you and your guests.

Once you have talked about all of that, it is the time to start looking for the place you will say "I do."

Check out this cute proposal below!

Thanks for reading! Come back tomorrow for more tips, inspiration, and vendor information.

Remember to like my page on Facebook for more information. Perfectly Blossomed Weddings and Events. 

- Jessica 

Event Friday/ Inspiration

You have made it to the weekend! Now is the time to get some wedding planning done. There is not a lot of event planning events going on this weekend. There is an open house at the Neal Creek Resort outside of Salem, Oregon. It is tomorrow Saturday the 22nd from 10AM to 4PM. This place is great if you are looking for a great outdoor forestry venue.

Since there is not a lot of events going on, I thought I would do a little wedding inspiration for you as well. I did format this a little different. This inspiration is close to my heart because this is what my inspiration is for my future wedding. It is a wishes shinning star theme. The main colors are a lavender and white. The other colors are from a sunset. There would also be sparkle and glitter (which I love). The first set of pictures is the ceremony. The second set is the reception decor.

When planning a wedding, think about what you can do to make your guests feel comfortable and special. A popular idea for summer weddings is to give out flip flops to your guests. It is great because the woman that are wearing heels will be more comfortable during the reception. It is better to get larger sizes. They most likely will not keep these forever, so it is ok for them to be a little bigger. You just do not want to to have to small of sizes. Depending on when your wedding is, try getting flip flops from Old Navy during their flip flop sale. They are only a $1 each. You can only by 10 at a time. You will want to recruit some friends to help you out.

Happy planning this weekend! Remember to like me on Facebook!

- Jessica

*Please note that I did not take these pictures. Please contact me if you would like the exact location.

An oh no moment!

Hello everyone,

I hope you are enjoying a great week so far. The sun has been out for most of the week.

Some of your events are coming up with in the next couple weeks. Others, you still have some time. You have been planning this event for months now. You are hoping to have everything in line so everything goes smoothly. Not to burst your bubble, but there is going to be oh no moments during the event. It is going to happen, so why not prepare for it now?

I get to work with many different kinds of events with my job. Part of my job is to help the best I can with the oh no moments. These moments are things that you can plan for but also can not be planned for. To make it through those moments, you need to have a oh no moment box and quick ideas. This week has been a very oh no moment kind of week for the events that I have been working. Below are some stories for you.

I was working at a wedding last Saturday. Everything was going great! The reception started, and there was a rummer going around about the brides dress. The alterations people that did her dress did not put in the bustle. Later in the evening the bridesmaids tried sowing the bustle in to the dress. It ripped the dress. The bride just wanted her dress up. No one had any safety pins. I quickly tried thinking of something to fix it. I garbed a bunch of the big black paper clips and clipped her dress into a bustle.

Now you may be asking what could they have done differently to keep this from happening. There is a couple different things that they could have done. 1) They should have checked the dress to make sure the bustle was put in. If you are getting any alterations done, make sure to check it before leaving the alterations place. You should also have them show someone from your bridal party how to do your bustle. They can be kind of confusing. 2) At any event, there should be an Oh No Box with different items in it for random problems that may come up. See below for a list of items to have in your Oh No Box.

Oh No Box list:

• Pens, pencils & Sharpies®
• Post-it® notes
• Dental floss, toothbrushes, packets of toothpaste
• Bandages & Ace™ bandage
• Tissues
• Small 1st aid kit
• Hand Sanitizer
• Contact lens solution and case
• Small travel sewing kit
• Tide® stick
• Hair spray, brush, comb
• Safety pins, bobby pins or hair ties
• Lint roller
• clear nail polish and remover
• Granola bars & one can of OJ (in case someone is diabetic)
• Mints & gum
• Bottled water
• Extra business cards w/ your cell listed, 
• Emergency number list: local taxi, closest hospital, and the hotel if applicable
• Antiperspirant wipes, sunscreen travel packets, baby wipes, Windex® wipes
• Roll of paper towels & TP
• Feminine hygiene products
• Universal phone charger
• Mirror
• Nail clipper

• USB Flash drives w/copy of power point presentations
• Contact information for the facility and any vendors you use
• List with all attendees and their travel arrangements (especially if you helped to organize this for them)
• List of food allergies for your guests if there is a breakfast, luncheon or dinner
• Extra copies of any handouts
• Biography on each presenter so you are prepared to introduce them properly
• Extra name tags & markers
• Tape measure
• Double-sided tape, Scotch® & masking tape
• Flashlight
• Screwdriver, pliers, wire cutter
• Scissors &/or retractable knife or Leatherman
• Stick pins & paper clips
• Adhesive hooks
• Carabineer key chain
• WD-40®, Goo Gone®
• Power strip
• Garbage bags
• Twist ties, fishing line
• Remote mouse & extra batteries
• Medication
• Pain Medication
• Hydrogen Peroxide
  
  
  
  
  Depending on your event, you will not have to have all of those items. That is just a general list to give you some ideas.
  
  
  Another story for you.....
  
  
  I was working a corporate event. They had a TV and DVD player that they needed to show a video on. They left the power cord to the TV at home. We did not have a power cord that they could use. We then tried putting it on in the theater but it completely messed up our system. We finally found a cord that fit the TV for them to use. Now, I am a list person. I think lists can save events from forgetting something. They should have made sure to pack the power cord. That is a key piece of the event. Sometimes you cannot help forgetting something no matter how hard you try not to. You should always have a plan B in place. 
   
  When you are planning an event no matter the size, there will be oh no moments. Make sure to have a plan b. While planning, think of what could go wrong with each part of the event. You will want to go into each moment with an open mind. Go into the event knowing that these moments will happen. Just remember that usually there is a way to fix it. If not, most of your guests will not notice that it was missing. Stay calm and enjoy event.
  
  
  Thanks for reading about how to handle those oh no moments. Please make sure to like Perfectly Blossomed Events on Facebook! Check back tomorrow for Event Friday and some inspiration! Comment below with an event oh no moment!
  
  
  - Jessica
  
  

Vendor Mondays- Photography and Video by Rayleigh

I am so excited to talk about this weeks vendor! She is a great friend and photographer.

This Vendor Monday is all about Photography and Video by Rayleigh!

A new trend for brides and wives is getting portraits done for their husbands. It makes a great gift for Valentines Day, the wedding day, and birthdays. You do not even have to do it for your husband. You can just do it for yourself! There are so many different kinds of portraits you can do. Rayleigh is an expert in boudoir and couture portraits. Watch the video below to meet Rayleigh.

Every woman wants to feel sexy and beautiful. Once you see your pictures, you will definitely believe it. During your session, she will make sure that you feel comfortable. She helps guide you on what to do to make sure you look your very best! She has a studio inside of her house to make you feel even more comfortable. If you are interested, you can get your hair and makeup done in her studio as well. Check out some of her work below!

She also does other kinds of photography like maternity and family portraits.

Are you getting married? She does all kinds of different services for people that are getting married. She can help you with your engagement pictures or do a video. She also can do a special bridal shoot with you from just in your wedding dress to your wedding night lingerie. If you are still looking for a wedding photographer or videographer, she and her husband can help you with that as well. A fun bachelorette party idea would be to have a boudoir or couture portrait party at her studio for all your friends!

If I still have not convinced you to use her, check out her website! She is an amazing photographer. You can also find her on Facebook.

Thanks for reading about Photography and Video by Rayleigh! Check back tomorrow for more tips, inspiration, and vendor information.

- Jessica

* Please note that all the photography and videos found on this post were taken by Photography and Video by Rayleigh!

Wedding Inspiration- Carnival

Hello everyone!

I hope you all are having a great week. I have been slacking on posting this week. I am so sorry.

Did you go to the two trunk shows today? I hope you found the gowned of your dreams.

Today's post is inspiration for a carnival themed wedding. Carnival weddings are fun and whimsical. It is a casual setting for your friends and family to have a great time. There is a lot of color and activities that can be done at this kind of wedding. You could also do this theme for almost any kind of event. Fundraisers and kids parties would love this.

If you are in the Portland area, you could have your wedding or event at Oaks Park. It is a little amusement park that is perfect for this theme. You would have the main event or reception inside The Dance Pavilion. It is a fun and unique location.

 
Thanks for reading! Check back tomorrow for my tip, inspiration, and vendor information.

Remember to check out my Facebook page!

- Jessica

*Please note that I did not take any of these pictures. If you would like the exact location, please email me at perfectlyblossomed@gmail.com

Auction Season

March and April are the most popular months for fundraisers. Silent auctions are happening everywhere. Are you planning a silent auction? If so, this post is for you.

I am currently working on two different auctions. One for a preschool and another for a chamber. What is the hardest parts about putting together a silent auction fundraiser? It is getting the items for auction and sponsorships. With there being so many silent auctions, it is hard to find auction items. Businesses are getting hit up so many times during the year. If you do not ask early enough, you might lose out on an auction item. Below are some tips about getting auction items.

1. Make sure to start asking for auction items early. 
2. Think outside of the box. Do you know someone that has a beach house or is a really good cook? Think about what a family or friend might be able to donate. You do not always have to ask just from businesses. 
3. Think about the people that will be in attendance. Make sure that they items will sell to your audience. Even though all donations are great, you will want to think about the price and item. For the preschool auction, I am trying to find family friendly with some adult activities. I also know that the people in attendance are lower income. I will want to have small items for them to bid on. 
4. Think about if you are doing a silent auction, live auction, or both. You will want to save larger items for the live auction. 
5. Do not only send out donation letters. You will want to actually call and go in to places. For larger items, they are more likely to give if they see who is involved. It shows that you are really working hard on the auction. It also shows that you are interested in their business and not just for the items. It is respectful.
6. If you are doing a fundraiser for a school or children's program, have the kids in each class make a auction item.

What is next when planning a silent auction fundraiser?

Once you start getting the auction items and sponsorships in, you will want to think about your event details. What is going to be going on at your event? Will it be a cocktail hour or dinner? Typically, silent auctions usually have dinner. You can charge about $20 to get into the door. Do you want a theme? How are you going to decorate? Are you going to have alcohol? The answer is yes! Silent auctions with alcohol are usually more successful. It helps people relax and make the event more fun.

The nice part about fundraiser events is that you do not have to go all out on the decorations. You can be as simple as just a nice centerpiece on the table to major amounts of decoration. Just remember that the idea is to raise money. The more money you spend on decoration the less you will have fundraised.

If your event is a cocktail hour, you do not have to worry about different activities. Guests will mingle with people, eat, drink, and bid on items. You will want to have casual music playing in the background.

If you are having a dinner, you will want to think about what will be happening during the event. Usually there is the auction period where people drink and bid on auction items. They would then be invited in for dinner. At the chamber auction I am helping with, they are going to be doing their award dinner as well. They will be giving out their yearly award to their chamber members.

Below are some other activities to have during the event to raise money.

1. Dessert Dash: Once everyone is seated for dinner, have everyone at each table try to put together as much money as possible. Later in the evening, have a list of all the tables ranging from most amount of money to least. Contact different businesses and bakeries to donate desserts. You would have the setting out during the dinner for everyone to see. Once ready for dessert, you will have your MC call out each table in order of most money. Each table will choose one person to go get the dessert that would be shared with the table. The MC will call out a new table every 20 to 30 seconds. People seem to really enjoy this.
2. Have boxes with numbers inside of them. Each number goes with a gift. People will pay $5 and choose a box. They can choose a box then get the gift that goes with that gift. People can trade with other people .
3. I just saw this cute idea at an event tonight. You can have a wine pull. You pay $20 and would randomly pull a bottle from a wall. The bottles are all covered, so you do not know what you are going to get. See a picture of it below.
4. You could never go wrong with having a item or 5050 raffle. 
5.  If you have a special guest coming to your auction, have a special raffle to sit at the table with them. 

Check out the pictures below of an auction that I worked tonight.

Thanks for reading! Check back tomorrow for more tips, inspiration, and vendor information.

- Jessica

Event Friday- Upcoming Trunk Shows

Hello everyone,

Yay, today is Friday! I hope you are all excited for the weekend? Are you going to an event this weekend?

So there is no event/ wedding planning events happening around the Portland area this weekend.

Are you still looking for a wedding dress? There are a couple trunk shows happening in the Portland area on the 14th of March. Check out the information below!

Martina Liana Trunk Show
When: 03.14.14 10AM to 5PM
Where: Charlottes Weddings & More
             8925 SW Beaverton Hillsdale Hwy.
             Portland, OR 97225

Elizabeth Fillmore Trunk Show
When: 03.14.14 11AM to 4PM
Where: Divine Designs Bridal Boutique
             2325 NW Westover Rd
             Portland, OR 97210

What is a trunk show?
It is a special event at which a wedding dress designer or a representative visits the stores with their new line of dresses. You will want to schedule an appointment, so that you will be able to try on the dresses and possibly meet the designer. If you have a particular designer in mind, check out their website to see where you can find them. They usually have a list of dates and locations on their website.

Thanks for reading! Enjoy the weekend.

- Jessica

Wedding Inspiration: Fall

Fall weddings are becoming more and more popular! The fall theme is exceptionally becoming more popular in Oregon. There are many reason why. 1) Fall is so beautiful in Oregon. I love walking around Washington Park during fall of because of all the colors. 2) It is usually nice weather. August and September are usually the nicest months in Oregon. 3) There is so many cute idea that can be inexpensive. 4) Venues are usually less busy during fall because everyone is getting married during the summer.

Check out the fall inspiration below.

Check back tomorrow for event Friday!

Thanks for reading!

- Jessica

* I did not take the pictures in this post. They were found on Pinterest and Google. If you would like the exact location, please email me at perfectlyblossomed@gmail.com

Vendor Monday: Bust A Move DJ Services

Hello again!!

I am back from vacation! I am so excited to get back to blogging wedding and event planning tips. Today is Vendor Monday!!!

On my last post I talked about music. Every event needs a good soundtrack! You need to think about how you are going to play that music. You can do it on an IPod or have a band. You could also have a DJ! Today I am going to be talking about a local DJ service that I have seen/ used a couple of times.

Bust A Move DJ Service!!

I used them for a college Halloween dance. They also worked a wedding that I did this past weekend. I have to say that I truly enjoyed working with them! They DJs are all young and fresh. When working with them as a client, they really wanted to make sure that they played the music that best fit the crowd. My school loved them. They said that they were the best DJs we have ever had. When I had the chance to work with them professional, they made sure that I knew what was going on. They communicated great and got everyone out on the dance floor. That was the first time that I saw the dance floor so full. The DJ played with the crowd. He went off of there cues on what they like and do not like. Everyone looked like they were having a great time!

They were 2013 pick for The Knot Best of Weddings and Wedding Wire's couple choice awards in 2014. 

They have a couple different packages to choose from. Below is information about the best package for wedding DJ service.

PREMIER PACKAGE $925

This fantastic extra hour package comes with up to 5 hrs performance time, and includes a SOUND SYSTEM, LIGHTING, CORDLESS MICROPHONE.  

Your experienced DJ is also your master of ceremonies who can coordinate and orchestrate the event to make it worry free, successful and fun for all.   Additional time is available @ $75.00 per ½ hr.

They also have a basic package for events that are just wanting to have music playing. You could use this for silent auctions, gallery openings, launch parties, and more. Check out the information below. 

BASIC PACKAGE $ 625

This is the right package if you’re just looking for music and is a SOUND ONLY package with up to 3 hrs of performance time.

This package includes SOUND SYSTEM, CORDLESS MICROPHONE and DJ/MC with excellent crowd reading skills. Additional time is available @ $75.00 per 1/2hr.

They also can do filming of your wedding day! They have packages for just filming or filming and DJ service. Click here to see a video sample!

WEDDING FILM PACKAGE    $ 2295

This is an excellent package in which your video is recorded in 1080p HD and you will receive a DVD with all the days highlights edited to your music. Let us capture your special day’s events so that you never forget! Extra copies can be purchased for family, friends or those that could not attend for only $14.00. This includes shipping and handling.

We can not guarantee quick delivery but 6-8 weeks is common. (Video quality can not be guaranteed due to lighting and other circumstances and conditions beyond our control.) By signing this contract, you agree that BUST A MOVE DJ SERVICE has the right to use all video and photo contents for promotional purposes.

ULTIMATE PACKAGE $2695

Our most popular package includes up to 5 hrs of performance time and includes, SOUND SYSTEM, LIGHTING, CORDLESS MICROPHONE. COMPLETE VIDEO PACKAGE, with highlights DVD of the day’s events.

Also includes: PROJECTOR & SCREEN for your video or photo montage. Additional time is available @ $75.00 per 1/2hr.

They have 6 different DJs that you can choose from. 

I have seen them many times at the Portland Bridal Show. Make sure to check them out at the next one you go to! 

Below is their information! Contact them for a quote.  

Bust a Move DJ Service

2812 NE 186th Ct, Vancouver, WA 98682 

(503) 201-3710

Vendor Monday! Laurie Clarke Cakes

Hello everyone,

I hope you had a great weekend. We made it through the snow. Now, we have to make it through the wind and rain.

I am so excited to talk about this vendor. As I have said in other posts, I work with events at a local event venue. I get to work with many different vendors. Well, I got to work with one vendor this weekend, and I wanted to share. Today I am going to be talking about Laurie Clarke Cakes.

She made the cutest cake that I have seen so far at a wedding. It was a 50's theme wedding. I wish I would have taken a picture of it. There was so many little details all around the two tier cake. She also had cupcakes that had little records, music notes, and other things on them. There was one cupcake that was super cute because it looked like whipped cream with a cherry and straw.

Other than the cake looking so cute, she was also really nice. She got it all set up for the bride and groom. She also has different kinds of stands that people can rent, so they do not have to buy one.

She started baking as a pre-teen. She has works in different bakeries in New York and was a pastry chef in the UK. Now, her and her husband own Clarke's Restaurant in Lake Oswego.  

She does cakes, cupcakes, cake pops, and cake bombs. Now, I do have to say that I have not tried her cakes, but I bet they are really good!

Cake Pricing: The price is based off of the number of servings you would like and the design. Price per serving ranges from $3.75 to $5.75.

She really focuses on using good quality ingredients.

She also has many different flavorings for cakes. Some of her top favorites are Lemon Buttermilk, White Chocolate Raspberry, and  Milky Way. There are many more flavors. You will want to check out her website!

She gives free 4 sample tastings for cake order of 100 servings or more. It you are looking at a smaller cake, you can have the 4 sample tasting for $25.

You can either pick up your cake yourself or have it delivered. For a big event like a wedding, I recommend paying to have it delivered. It would be worth the money. She would set it up for you and fix any damages that she can. It is $1.25 per mile round trip. There is a $40 minimum. It is well worth it. That also saves stress from the person having to pick it up. You do not want anything to happen to it.

Cupcakes start at $2.50 each.

Cake Pops start at $2.25 each

Cake bombs start at $6 each

Below are some pictures of her amazing work!













I hope you enjoyed learning about Laurie Clarke Cakes! Below is a link to her Facebook page and her email.

Click here for her Facebook Page

Laurie Clarke Cakes
C/o Clarke's Restaurant
455 2nd St.
Lake Oswego, OR 97034
info@laurieclarkecakes.com

Thanks for reading! Remember to check back for more for vendors information, tips, and inspiration.

Don't forget to follow me on blogger and like me on Facebook.
Happy planning!

- Jessica

*Please note that I did not take the pictures. They came off of her website and Facebook page. Please contact me if you have any questions.

Wedding Inspiration Sunday: Vintage

Vintage weddings are full of lace and pastel colors. You do not have to go with the pastels. You can go with a brighter color, and do a carnival vintage theme.

You can never go wrong with a photo booth as your party favor. It is a great keepsake for your guest, and a great guest book for you. It is one that you will actually look at!

Check back tomorrow to learn about a great local vendor! Hint: Yummy

- Jessica

*Please note that I did not take these pictures. If you would like the exact location, please message me.

Lets Dance!

Music is an important part of any event. You want the music to match the event, the people that are planning it, and the people that are in attendance.

• For a wedding, you want the music to fit the couple and the guests. The hardest part is finding music that both the younger and older guests will enjoy. You will also want to think of the kind of wedding you are wanting to have. If you do not plan on having a dance party, you do not want to hear music like "DJ put that record on" or "Drop it Low." You are going to want to work with your DJ or band to find a good mix to make the event as entertaining as possible. Make sure to make a play list and do not play list. If there is a song or types of songs you do not want, make sure to tell your DJ before hand. You guests might request a song that you do not want playing. A good idea is to have your guest request a song when they RSVP. You can do that through your wedding website or on the RSVP it self. See below for an example. 

• Checklist of important music for a wedding that you will want to plan:
• Ceremony:
• Prelude music before ceremony
• Processional music to play while the bridal party and important guests are walking down the aisle.
• Bridal entrance music
• Interlude music to play during a special ceremony like the unity candle, sand ceremony, or traditional song to play. 
• Recessional music is to play while you and your love walk up the aisle as officially married. 
• Postlude music plays while guests leave to go to cocktail hour or reception
  

• Reception:
• Grand entrance is played when you and the bridal party is entering the reception. 
• First dance is a special song for you and your love. 
• Mother/ Son dance is a special moment with their mothers. Half way through the song, mothers and sons are usually invited out to join.
• Father/ Daughter dance is a special moment with their fathers. Again, guests are usually invited out to join in half way through.
• Cake cutting song
• Bouquet toss/ garter toss
• Last dance song is played just as you are about to leave. This could be at the end of the night or when you are leaving.

• For a social event, you will want to think about the type of event that you are planning. Are you going to be having dancing? Most of the time, you are just going to have back ground music. If you are having music, make sure to make a play and do not play list. You will communicate that with your DJ. For a simple event, you could even just use a IPod and plug into an audio box. You would then have the music preset. You could also enjoy having a live band at your event. 

You definitely do not want to wait until last minute to make of your music choices.  You will want to give time for your DJ to make sure he has the special songs or get them. You will want to start planning this about 6 months in advance no matter the type of event.

The fun part is getting to choose the music. Get recommendations from people.

Happy planning! Remember to check back to learn other tips and tricks about event planning.

- Jessica