in my heart all year.

new years eve.

it does something to make me just want to sit down and pen my thoughts as I think back on the year. the joys, the pains and the accomplishments. they are all part of the journey.

there is something exciting about starting a new year. some people have had a hard year and want to start afresh. some have resolutions, and some have goals.

mine are wrapped into both all year long. not only today or tomorrow. but all year...

find joy in each day. even if the day is hard - choose joy.

treasure moments. moments that are simple. moments that are full of life. moments to store in the depths of my heart.

follow my heart. God will lead my steps. trust Him.

to my friends, happy new year. may this year exceed all our dreams.

All my love and gratitude,

Elizabeth

love life.

"I want silly bands for Christmas!"

"What are we doing today?"

"I'm bored."

"Can we make cookies?"

"Daddy's making us pancakes!"

"My tummy hurts."

"Can we go sledding?"

"Can I help you wrap presents?"

These are all the sounds in my household this week. The girls' are off from school and relishing in the season around us.

Yesterday Rob and I stole away for a few hours to finish our Christmas shopping and eat a light lunch. As we sipped our coffee, we looked at each other and talked about how amazing our 30's have been. So much easier than the 20's. Maybe it's because the kids are older, maybe it's because we are more mature and able to 'handle' life with a bit more grace...whatever the reason, we are loving life.

My prayer is that you are loving life as well. The big and the small. Because it's all amazing.

Merry Christmas!

All my love to you in this beautiful season!

xo, elizabeth

real wedding=Kate+John

Their eyes sparkled as I watched & listened to them talk about how they met, the proposal, and their dreams for life. Kate is full of life even as she manages life as a doctor and strange shifts. John is her stability and rock to lean on.

and I don't doubt for a second how much they adore each other.

Their September wedding sparkled as the clouds gave way to a beautiful fall day.

um, yes. Kate really is this beautiful.

The first look was under a willow tree.

Pure genius photog skills was too be had all over this day by the amazing Brandon Werth.

He blows me away.

Flowers were from Pearls and Lace

John's parents + grandparents were married in this same church: Lake of the Isles Lutheran Church. Such beautiful memories for them all.

Reception was held at Pracna on Main.

John's mom may be the next Martha Stewart. She is that amazing. All the reception floral was from her garden and made by her loving hands.

Sweets provided the delicious cupcakes that graced each table. They were a big hit!

Each guest took home an herb plant & some amazing candy treats.

All my love + congrats to this beautiful and sweet couple. Your wedding was beautiful and it was such a joy to share in it with you. Your both amazing!

All my love,

Elizabeth

linen fabulous.

When planning your wedding reception, think seriously about providing your own tablecloths. It adds such an element of personality to your wedding and does not have to to break the bank either.

Going with a pattern adds drama and more personality--which is perfect! You can do every other table to take away some of the cost but still have that punch of color.

This small wedding “sweet heart” table was put together with mismatching china patterns, glass vases, old books, lace and blue tablecloth. Look for things around your home, or even your grandmother’s home for ways to create a similar shabby chic feel.

You can find old lace tablecloths at thrift sales and dye them to your choice color.

The sky's the limit! Don't get tied down to white linens. Continue to think outside the box to make the weddings yours.

xo,

elizabeth

real wedding::John + Shirlee

The first time we sat down on a chilly day last winter, I fell in love with their love. They seemed to feed off one another as we chatted about their September wedding. Shirlee was a girl after my own heart. All her ideas and inspirations for their wedding was so exactly what I would do if I was getting married again. Complete with bird cages, games, and many-many sweets-this wedding had it all.

I was beyond honored and thrilled to work alongside of John + Shirlee. They are so fun and LOVE LIFE. Even though they are both doctors and have crazy schedules, they poured their hearts into every detail. It was beautiful + personal.

It was perfect.

The ceremony + reception was at the Gale Woods Farm.

The land is a beautiful Minnesota spot.

All the guests had a Polaroid picture taken as they arrived and it was placed in a guest book where they were able to pen a personal message.

Flowers by Linda of Nature's Gathering. She is so sweet and always does a beautiful job.

Each place setting held a different plate design. I loved this aspect. loved.

The cake table held a variety of delicious cakes from around the metro. They were amazing!

No wedding is complete without a candy bar. And did this wedding have candy! :)

Yes, they are really this fun + cute!

*photography by Laura Ivanova who is fabulous and so nice.

Shirlee+John, I really do heart you. I love that you love footsie pj's and love to travel. I love that you aren't afraid to go for your dreams and that you respect and honor one another. Whenever I see a scrabble game, I think of you two and I smile.

because, truly, you two are gems.

I also had the joy of making a video montage for J+S which is a service I offer all my clients. They are fun to make and through it, I really learn so much about the couple and their lives. To view their montage click here.

Independent Wedding Association=love.

I recently was blessed to join a wedding association.

Not just isn't just any association. It's one that stands for quality, excellent value, and amazing service. 3 things that I aim to follow in my own business. How amazing to be a part of an Association that has the same basis that I follow.

The Independent Wedding Association had a wedding fair last Sunday and I was excited to be a part. This wasn't any kind of wedding fair I've ever seen. It was laid back, personalized, and FUN! There was food, drink, and a real wedding for guests-along with instructive panels and a dance class. Seriously? It was nothing short of amazing.

Here are a few pictures to show you it's fabulous-ness.

The fair was held at the Varsity Theatre. I am in love with this venue.

A portion of my table. I decided to use some wonderful comments that my clients have left me and place it on a fun chalkboard.

I loved Sweets table!

All the vendors who participated in the fair!

If your bumming right now that you missed it, don't despair. The IWA is hosting another fair on Saturday, February 5th at the Campus Club. Stay on the lookout for ticket information because you do NOT want to miss out.

Happy weekend!

xoElizabeth

Hot chocolate favors.

I've been loving helping my Pastor plan her annual Christmas bash this year. I had the idea to bring hot chocolate & ugly sweaters into the theme of the party.

because I'm that cool.

And really? who doesn't love hot chocolate in the winter paired with an ugly sweater.

It's a win-win. :)

If your looking for a fun favor, think about this one for your guests. It's perfect for a winter wedding and oh-so-cute. :) {not to mention completely affordable!}

What you’ll need:

- 100, 12″ Disposable Decorating Bags (x3)

- Chocolate powder (x2 from Costco or Sam’s club)

- 75 teeny, tiny hair ties (x2)

- Marshmallows bags (x4)

- Twine (x1)

- Favor tags

Instructions:

Step 1: Cut decorating bags around 6.5″

Step 2: Fill bag with 2 tablespoons (or whatever your chocolate powder suggests) with chocolate.

Step 3: Use the teeny, tiny hair tie to close off the chocolate. (You may need to cut the access bag after tying it off. The picture below, for example, should be cut so there’s just about a 1/2 inch of bag showing after the hair tie.)

Step 4: Insert chocolate filled cone into another decorating bag; make sure seams line up.

Step 5: Scoop out a 1/4 cup of marshmallows and poor into decorating bag on top of the chocolate cone.

Step 6: Tie a piece of ribbon, yarn, or string above the marshmallows. You need to make this tight so the marshmallows don’t dry out. I tied it into two knots.

Step 7: After string is secure around bag, add your favor tag and tie it into a pretty bow.

Step 8: Repeat as many times as necessary.

And there you have it, a quick, easy, and affordable wedding favors that are perfect for fall and winter weddings!

Enjoy! :)

xo~Elizabeth

Inspiration + Pictures from Ruffled

I choose.

I have started and stopped writing this blog entry for days. I don't know why exactly, but blog writing is like the face of truth to me. It's when I get real and at times, vulnerable.

One of my reasons for keeping a blog is to let my clients know who I am. I feel like that's really important when your hiring someone. And in my profession, you want to know that you can trust that person so completely. How do you get to that point?

Well, relationship, obviously.

I'm big on relationships. My hope is that, that is what sets me apart in this profession. I desire to know who you are. I want to be friends after the wedding comes to a close. A cup of coffee after the honeymoon and unpacking all gifts? yes, please.

It's easy to get sucked into this industry and feel-well...defeated. At least it is for me. I beat myself up if I didn't book as many weddings as so-in-so.

When I get to that place, I have to stop. Stop my mind from going all over the place and ask myself some simple questions. Why are you doing this? Is it to book X amount of weddings a year?

And obviously, it's not.

When I started this business, I didn't want to book a lot of wedding, on purpose. I want to give each of my clients the very best that I can give and if I'm spreading myself to thin, that shows. I also started this business because this is my passion. My heart is to bless couples with a wedding that their heart dreams of. I also happen to have the traits of a leader, organizer, and creative thinker, so it's like truly the best job I could be in.

So, this is me. I choose to not beat myself up. I choose to put God first and let Him lead my steps. I choose to play with my kids and not worry if I have a wedding in July or not.

Because I know my steps are ordered and this business is my gift from the Lord. With that, I know that it will continue to grow and blossom.

I choose to sit back and enjoy the ride.

Photo by Dominique Nelson at a recent wedding. More to come on this backyard wedding next week!

frame love.

Inspiration Thursday-on Friday. :)

I may or may not have dropped the ball lately with my inspiration posts and I apologize. Sometime it feels like no one is reading my posts but than in one day I get like dozens of people tell me they love my blog and it fuels me to keep posting. :)

So, I have been really inspired lately by picture frames. They offer so much style and design in more ways than actually a picture frame. Think outside the box and see what you can create!

Hang pictures frames on a tree or anywhere for your outside ceremony/reception to add a splash of fun!

Use a frame to write on. You can spray chalkboard paint and use it as a chalkboard or you could get a mirrored one.

Take out the back of the frame and use the inside of it for your escort cards or just to place a flower arrangement in.

This is to get you thinking-what can you create?

Let me know what you come up with!

Much love,

Liz