Friday, November 1, 2019

Ellie & Daniel


Weddings are always beautiful, but they truly shine when the love between the couple is evident in all that they do. That was the case for the wedding of Ellie and Daniel this October in Ocala.




Ellie had lots of fun getting ready surrounded by her bridesmaids. They all wore floral silk robes as they eagerly awaited getting dressed, with special robes for the bride and mother of the bride. When ready, Ellie's mother helped her into her flowing white gown in a sweet mother/daughter moment.


Another sweet moment came when two of the bridesmaids who were in Ellie's sorority fulfilled a sorority tradition with her. Their sorority gives its members pearls to be worn in some way on their wedding day. The two bridesmaids each sewed on the pearls to the bottom of Ellie's wedding dress. Talk about making a wedding personal!



You have heard of first looks at weddings, but have you heard of first touches? Ellie and Daniel shared a first touch and prayer by their priest outside the venue before their ceremony officially began. There were plenty of tears and laughter as the soon-to-be husband and wife reached out to one another. We absolutely loved it!





The work of a wedding planner is never done! We are here to help on your wedding day in any way possible, and sometimes, that includes helping carry your dress as you head to the ceremony. Ellie experienced this firsthand -- as did her gorgeous gown! 

Additionally, Ellie & Daniel got us for our extended planning package. This means they got six meetings and unlimited time on their wedding day from us. It is a great option for anyone who wants us to be there at all of the fun and detailed meetings along the way!





Our florist, the Graceful Gardener, truly outdid herself when she made Ellie's bridal bouquet. Not only were the flowers stunning and the perfect pop of color, but the bouquet also had a secret up its sleeve -- the toss bouquet! Wrapped in a separate ribbon, the toss bouquet sat nestled in the actual bridal bouquet to be unwrapped and used later. How genius is that? 


The reception took place at the Country Club of Ocala, a stunning venue with beautiful outdoor landscapes, a fun entry room, and a spacious, decorative ballroom. Guests were greeted first by this piece above. Florals from the Graceful Gardener mixed with pinned lace really made the wooden backdrop pop. 







Ellie and Daniel made good use of signage at their wedding. Signs were placed around the venue to add both a hint of personality and warmth to the space. We also loved the photos of themselves that sat alongside them. We always encourage couples to include bits and pieces of their love story into their decorations because it really does impact the venue space and atmosphere.





To add some variety, Ellie and Daniel chose two different centerpieces for their big day. The first was a floral arrangement filled with white and light pink flowers. The second was an assortment of floating candles surrounded by greenery. Each centerpiece was surrounded by navy blue napkins and silver chargers. Everything turned out so elegant and really filled the space in an earthy way.






Before the night's festivities, the couple took a walk through the country club's golf course for some intimate photos. The timing was perfect, as the dim lighting of sunset made the couple shine. That is the beauty of choosing a picturesque venue like this!




After a night full of dancing, it was time for the couple to head off to their new journey as husband and wife. As a special gift, they rode off in this stunning set of wheels. A trail of sparklers and their wedding guests led the way for this absolutely radiant send off!



We had the best time getting to witness the love and joy shared between Ellie, Daniel, and their families and friends. Ellie and Daniel, may you experience happiness and many blessings as you start this new chapter together. We loved helping you!


Thank you to our vendors: 

Wedding Venue: Christ The King Church (Ocala)
Reception: Country Club of Ocala
Flowers: Graceful Gardener 
Photography: Carolyn Ann Photography
Cake: Betty Cakes
Hair: Graceful Strands
Makeup: Cynthia McMillian

Friday, September 27, 2019

ICYMI: We are doing a giveaway!

To kick off fall wedding season, we are doing a giveaway! The rules are that you need to follow us across our social media pages, comment on our post which Tervis cup we’ve created (posted below) is your favorite, and tag a friend in your comment all before September 30th (9/30). 

From that, we will choose two winners on October 1st who will get the cup of their choice, along with one of the following additional prizes of their choice created by us:

-Custom drawn fingerprint guestbook
-Personalized chalkboard rental
-Hand-drawn custom city map for guests

Enter to win, and get excited for Fall wedding season! 



Thanks to Dr. Kay Designs for the quote inspiration! Check her out on Etsy!

Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Stick your thumb into these thumbprint guestbooks!

Sometimes, a personal touch is what makes a wedding really stand out and become memorable to both guests and the couple. A unique way to accomplish this is through the use of a thumbprint guestbook! 

Thumbprint guestbooks are fun, easy to make, and great keepsakes to have after the wedding is over hung up in your house. You can customize them with the colors of your wedding and your wedding theme. The extent of what you do is only determined by your imagination, so let these following examples inspire you to create something memorable!


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These thumbprint guestbooks are your traditional designs, with a couple holding up a bundle of balloons. With these two, guests will simply sign their name over the balloon they like best. However, if you wish, you are able to have them place their own balloons and write their name on top of that. Also take note of the way the second photo utilized a printed background for their thumbprints. Depending on the look you are going for, either way is perfectly fine for your wedding day keepsake!




Though couples holding balloons is cute, they are not the only ones who have to do so! These designs all incorporated some aspect of their wedding and the couple's relationship into their thumbprint guestbooks. You can also see in them examples of actual thumbprints being used, as well as the incorporation of wedding colors. Be sure to leave some room like they did for your guests to sign their name!




Though trees are also common thumbprint guestbook designs, these designs are anything but common! You are not held to any specific type of tree or season when making your guestbook. If you live near the tropics, the palm tree design may be the way to capture your setting in art. For the more wintery or outdoorsy weddings, the pine cone technique of the second guestbook works wonderfully. As for the last one, though traditional and fitting for any setting, it documents just how in depth your drawings can be for your thumbprints to be placed upon. Just because it is a tree and this is fingerpainting does not mean it cannot be elaborate! 



If you enjoy fishing, thumbprints can serve as bubbly memories for your wedding! Here are two different examples long the same themed line of where your thumbprint ideas can take you. As we mentioned before, the only thing stopping you is the breadth of your imagination. Feel free to make your design simple and elegant like the first one, or detailed and quirky like the second!



Okay, we are a buzz about these unique thumbprint designs! Whether you are a nature lover or simply a lover of all things insect, we highly recommend this out-of-the-box idea for your wedding day. 




Ultimately, when considering thumbprint guestbook designs, go for something that is as quirky and personal to you as a couple. These can be framed and hung in your house forever, and they hold so many memories of your big day for you to see. If you want a piano or a gumball machine, then go for that piano or gumball machine! It is your wedding day -- be creative and spontaneous!

Oh yeah, and they are not just for weddings!



If you are not planning a wedding now but want to take part in the thumbprint guestbook fun, no worries! There are plenty of other ways they can be used for other special occasions. The first guestbook here, for example, is a  thank you gift for a preschool teacher! The next two are baby shower guestbooks. This same idea can apply to anything from graduation parties to birthdays. 

Grab some paint, sketch out a design, and let your guests create beautiful works of art. 

Do you have any thumbprint guestbooks of your own? Have you been to a wedding or gathering with a guestbook you absolutely loved? Tell us in the comments!