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!