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Sunday, January 31, 2010

A run-down of last week's Eco-Beautiful Weddings launch party in NYC

We were thrilled to attend this super fun soiree at 632 Below in NYC last week for the Eco-Beautiful Weddings E-Zine.

Nick and I had a smashing time (great food, excellent company, and a really outstanding idea!) and were so happy to put faces to so many names we've known for awhile!
The Valleys with the super sweet Katie Martin (voice behind Eco-Beautiful Weddings)

Hudson 632 is so cool - check out their speakeasy cafe in the basement!(and scroll back a few posts - we showcased some photos and their site last week)



Nick + I with Dana + Hunter AKA the Broke-Ass Bride and Fresh Hubby of LA - can't wait to hang out with them again soon!

*stay tuned for more adventures in NYC posts and of course, photos from Preston Bailey's amazing party!

Friday, January 29, 2010

An Amazing Night at Preston Bailey's Celebrations Launch Party

Wow. That's all I can say at the moment! Nick + I were extremely fortunate to attend Preston Bailey's Celebrations launch party (you must pick up this awesome book!) at the Armory in NYC last night. While we aren't sharing too much today, we wanted to say what an amazing man Preston is. He's the warmest person we've met in this industry and boy, does he know how to throw a party!

While we have tons of photos to share, I wanted to post some teasers shots taken by Lisa Barr at the Examiner in NYC (stay tuned for some amazing photos and our full write-up of the fabulous event).

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

I couldn't help but share these killer images from the always awesome Seattle based photographer Laurel McConnell. Not only is she so cool, but her work rocks!!
Check out these shots from an art soiree and be sure to check out her site: http://www.mcconnellphoto.com/

Don't you LOVE this furniture??

Last night we attended a fabulous launch party for the Eco-Beautiful Weddings Magazine launch (thank you so kindly to the awesome and sweet Katie Martin (the voice behind the magazine) for inviting us. While we'll be sharing photos when we return, we wanted to spotlight the magazine and the awesome venue, Hudson Below. The atmosphere was so charming (there was a super cool speak easy cafe downstairs!) and a kick-ass band! There were loads of lovely industry friends and we had a ball! Looking forward to the rest of our week in NYC!
*be sure to check out Eco-Beautiful's blog - they spotlight some pretty sweet stuff!




Sunday, January 24, 2010

Easy Entertaining: cute + simple Valentine's Day napkins

A departure from our typically more elaborate table stylings, I wanted this little DIY project to be super easy and cute! Why not host a casual Valentine's Day brunch and spruce up each place setting with a sweetly adorned napkin? You don't need much more than some scrap felt, ribbon, fabric glue, and a little gem for materials. You'll also need scissors, a ruler, and marker or white crayon to mark your felt. *I wanted to use some fun and funky colors rather than "standard" red, white, and pink for Valentine's Day.
1. cut a felt square to 4" x 4"
2. fold the felt in half and freehand trace a heart as shown here (think back to elementary school!) 3. cut the heart out (I used a gold pen to mark my felt but you can use a white crayon to trace)

4. use fabric glue to adhere your heart to your ribbon - thick ribbon or thin will work
5. wrap your ribbon around an oversized buffet napkin and glue the ribbon together to secure


6. Use a dot of glue to adhere a little gem or rhinestone for a sweet touch
7. Voilà! For this super easy (I mean super!) brunch setting I used a glass cake stand to elevate our creamer and accoutrements to give space as I used a small pub-style table.




I hope you enjoy and Happy Valentine's Day!
Aleah
*stay tuned to the blog for a week of posts from New York!

Friday, January 22, 2010

It's Love: London Nuptials

This London wedding is so stunning for all the right reasons. The bride and groom look so happy, the setting is perfect, and the photography amazing. I hope you enjoy these images from Segerius Bruce



Enjoy! Aleah

Thursday, January 21, 2010

It's always fun to offer guests a variety of classic and new cocktails at events. Here are a handful of classic cocktail recipes that are simple to make and crowd pleasers:

The Americano
Mix 1 oz. Campari, 1/2 oz. sweet Vermouth, and club soda over ice in a highball. Garnish with an orange slice

The Gimlet
Combine 1.5 oz. gin, 1/2 oz. lime juice, garnish with a wedge of lime in the glass; serve over ice in an old fashioned

Harvey Wallbanger
1.5 ounces vodka, 4 ounces orange juice, 1/2 ounce Galliano, 1 orange slice for garnish
In a highball glass almost filled with ice cubes, combine the vodka and orange juice. Top with Galliano and garnish with orange slice

Pimms Cup *while this calls for more ingredients than the other cocktails, it can be made in large batches well ahead of your event and is a very refreshing drink
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
2 cups Pimm's No.1*
1 cup fresh Meyer lemon juice
2 Meyer lemons, thinly sliced
1 orange, halved, thinly sliced
1 6-inch-long piece cucumber, thinly sliced
1 3-inch-long piece fresh ginger, thinly sliced
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
1 1/2 cups chilled club soda
Ice cubes
Cucumber spears (for garnish)
Stir sugar and 1/2 cup water in saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Combine Pimm's and next 6 ingredients in large pitcher. Mix in 1/2 cup sugar syrup, mashing slightly to release flavors. Cover; chill at least 1 hour and up to 3 hours.

Stir 1 1/2 cups club soda into pitcher. Fill 8 old-fashioned glasses with ice, then cocktail. Garnish with cucumber spears.
*this recipe courtesy of Epicurious
Enjoy! Nick

Photo by myrecipes.com

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Planning advice from the bride and groom, VOL II

Renee + Alex were such a joy to work with. Renee and I had a close relationship throughout the planning process and I loved each meeting with her - we had so much fun! Nick and Alex got along swell and they lent their advice on planning as a couple and why it's important to join forces on certain aspects of planning:

What parts of the wedding did you want to plan together or decide on together?
From the very beginning, we wanted plan the ceremony together, especially in regards to the prayers, vows and music. We also wanted to plan the food and beverage at the reception together because we are both “foodies.” We wanted to make sure we had great food and drinks to serve our guests. On the other hand, Alex was less concerned about the “aesthetic design,” than Renee was, so we did not worry much about deciding on the flower arrangements, centerpieces or other decorations together.

2. What was most important to Renee? Alex?
In planning the wedding, Renee felt that the overall décor and “atmosphere” of the wedding was the most important (probably no big surprise there J). From the gobs of roses and candles at the ceremony, to the warm toned centerpieces and accents at the reception, creating a comfortable yet unforgettable atmosphere was top priority for Renee. Alex felt that it was important to have a good selection of music, suitable for both the younger and older guests; and songs that would make even the most stubborn guests get up and dance.

All of the things mentioned above actually happened, and not only that, they happened without a hitch because of Nick and Aleah!! Planning our ceremony with the perfect vows, prayers and elegant music was much easier thanks to Nick and Aleah. The food, drinks and cake were all excellent… both in taste and in appearance, on behalf of Nick and Aleah’s suggestions. Renee actually teared up when she saw all of her flowers and candles for the first time, and our guests danced ALL night long (even the “sticklers”), because of the advice and assistance Nick and Aleah provided. In the end, our dream wedding actually happened; and we were never that stressed out engaged couple planning our upcoming wedding… Nick and Aleah’s services are invaluable for that reason alone.

Thank you so much; you guys are so great (and such a gorgeous couple)! Aleah + Nick
*Photo by Alex Studios

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Bride's Choice Winner 2010!


Seattle, Washington

Fine Line Management & Events - WeddingWire, the nation’s leading wedding technology company, just announced Fine Line Management & Events has been selected to receive the 2010 Bride’s Choice Awards™ for Best Wedding Planner.

The annual Bride’s Choice Awards™ recognizes and celebrates excellence in quality and service within the wedding industry, as determined by recent reviews and extensive surveys from over 500,000 newlyweds.

Fine Line Management & Events is among the top five percent of all vendors in the WeddingWire community, which includes over 100,000 wedding professionals across the US and Canada. Awards were given to winners across 19 different service categories, from wedding venues to wedding photographers.

“We are excited to recognize and honor the success of the top wedding professionals within the WeddingWire Community” said Timothy Chi, WeddingWire’s Chief Executive Officer. “The annual Bride’s Choice Awards™ program has given us the unique opportunity to highlight the best wedding professionals in each region as reviewed by brides and grooms who have utilized their services in the past year.”

We are happy to announce that Fine Line Management & Events is among the very best Wedding Planners within the WeddingWire Network, which includes WeddingWire and Martha Stewart Weddings. We would like to thank our past newlyweds for nominating us for the 2010 Bride’s Choice Awards™.

For more information, please visit our WeddingWire Storefront today by clicking here

About WeddingWire, Inc.
WeddingWire is the only online wedding planning resource designed to empower both engaged couples and wedding vendors. WeddingWire enables engaged couples to search, compare and book over 100,000 reviewed wedding vendors nationwide, from wedding photographers to wedding cakes. WeddingWire also offers an online community and a suite of cutting-edge planning tools, including wedding websites and wedding checklists, all at no charge. For wedding vendors, WeddingWire provides free online management tools creating the only market opportunity that gives businesses control over their clients, reviews, leads and performance. In addition, WeddingWire has partnered with Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc. (NYSE: MSO) to provide its network of local vendors and online wedding-planning tools in the Weddings section of www.MarthaStewartWeddings.com. For additional information, please visit www.WeddingWire.com.

Monday, January 18, 2010

Monday Coffee: save the dates

We recommend that all of our clients (whether their guests local or not) send out save the date cards as a courtesy for their invited wedding guests.

What is a save the date? A save the date comes well before an invitation and lets your guests know that you're tying the knot in a fun and more casual way than a formal invitation. We usually create them as a post card (though mailed in an envelope) and list the bride + groom's name, wedding date, and on the back of the card you may list your wedding website and direct guests there for lodging and travel information and wedding updates.

Save the dates are critical these days, especially when you are asking your guests to travel from out of town or overseas to your celebration.
When do we send them out? We recommend sending save the date cards out 10-12 months in advance for foreign or out of state weddings. This allows guests ample time to make travel arrangements. For in-state weddings where most guest are local, mailing out the save the dates 6-8 months in advance is perfect (be sure to think ahead for holiday weekend weddings).

Should a save the date card represent the style of the wedding or what we anticipate the invitations to look like? No! We tell our clients to have lots of fun with the save the date - use fun colors and a funky text - things you likely won't do for a more demure wedding invitation!
Happy Planning, Aleah + Nick

Saturday, January 16, 2010

Captured: Romance in Paris

Olivier Lalin is an incredible talent who photographs the most amazing weddings worldwide. This gorgeous couple was snapped in Paris (my all-time favorite city) and the result = simply breathtaking photos! Enjoy!

Friday, January 15, 2010

We came across some delicious little gems for the ladies and gents on Etsy today:
These earrings are absolutely sparkly, gorgeous, and oh-so fun! At less than $20 each, you can't go wrong to pair with a bridesmaid's gift! Check out the Lara Lewis shop on Etsy
And how about these awesome cufflinks! So vintage and handsome! Again, at about $20 you can't go wrong! HauteKeys on Etsy

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Spring love: violet, pale blue, and pretty pink

We got so much lovely feedback from the Valentine's Day inspiration board I created and I've been thinking spring. The result = a nautical inspired spring board. I love this combination as it speaks to a nautical theme without being "themey." Adding violet + pink touches to your event with bolsters, orchids, and lovely letterpress paper goods will bring a unique touch. Hope you enjoy! Aleah
1. Vinage map 2. polka-dot spring wedding gown from Nibs 3. picnic basket by Roberto Pie 4. boat photo captured by yours truly in the South of France 5. pink orchid by direct-bouquet 6. violet pillows by ismoyo 7. nautical rope place mats from beach house decor 8. scrumptious scallops from MontereyWineCountry 9. violet cashmere throw by justblankets.co.uk 10. luxe letterpress stationery by Bella Figura (our 2nd feature; love them!) 11. seersucker fabric intotextiles.com

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Nick's Picks: Lending a Helping Hand

Given the recent earthquake and following tragedy in Haiti, I wanted to talk about how to help today in my Nick's Picks.
Remember that even a little can go a long way.

1. Donate to the Red Cross
2. Music superstar Wyclef (who is from Haiti) says: Help Haiti Earthquake Relief Donate $5 by texting YELE to 501 501 right now
3. You can also visit http://www.yele.org/

*Here is another great website for other ways to help those in need elsewhere in the world
Give Your 10 http://www.giveyour10.com/

Without the world's help, this is a tragedy that won't fix itself.
Nick

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Valentine's Day is just around the corner so I wanted to share a vintage-inspired Valentine's day vision with you. Mixing and matching textures, patterns, and funky design elements like vintage books, modern stationery, and fresh flowers = a lovely and romantic table. Enjoy! Aleah
From left to right:
1. red wellies 2. lovely tulle dress by bridalwavetv 3. shabby chic chair by the bella cottage
4. roses from one of our brides, image by kate mcelwee
5. cappuccino image by homebaked memories 6. chandelier by kaboodle
7. vintage pillows by country living 8. felt heart from design evolution
9. lovely books from blue bird notes 10. lovely letterpress in joy by bella figura

Monday, January 11, 2010

Monday Coffee: weddings + cocktail hour

We wanted to dedicate this Monday's Coffee advice to weddings and cocktail hour. We have so many clients who have this debate as to whether or not they'll offer guests tray passed hors d' oeuvres and drinks before dinner or how long to host the cocktail time for. We most always suggest having a cocktail time and staging it for no more than an hour and a half (an hour is usually perfect).

Often times this is necessary at a venue where the ceremony + reception are in the same room. The room will need to be smoothly turned for dinner service and this is a great opportunity to magically transform it.

Cocktail hour is also a great chance for the bride and groom to steal away for photos or a moment to breathe and gives your guests a chance to relax and visit. Make sure to offer non-alcoholic beverages as well as beer, wine, and mixed drinks (if you're having an open bar). Offer a variety of either tray passed or stationed hors d' oeuvres (one vegetarian option is always a must). Keep in mind anything more than our recommended time will likely leave you with antsy guests who are getting hungry (and drinking). We want our clients' guests to feel well taken care of, enjoy the food and drinks and atmosphere, and feel relaxed. The last thing you want is for your guests to wonder where the bride and groom are or wait two hours for dinner. These simple little cocktail hour tips will be sure to make for a successful event!
Happy Planning, Aleah + Nick
Photo by Laurel McConnell