The Mansion at Forsyth in Savannah, Georgia

Welcome back!

Last week, we talked about the first of the five tips for a great wedding venue visit.  This week, we’ll round up our last bit of tips that will help you choose a wedding reception or wedding ceremony location with ease and confidence. 

1. Become a complete space cadet.  One of the most important features that makes your potential site a viable choice is its ability to accommodate all of your guests.  You will want to inquire into how many guests can comfortably fit at the venue, because size matters.  Can you have the ceremony and reception at the same place?  Are there options for inclement weather?  If there are tenting options  for outdoor weddings due to space or weather concerns, how much extra is this option in addition to the costs of the rental?  Some venues will require you to book an additional space as your backup—be prepared to factor this into your budget when comparing costs later.  If there are multiple rooms at the venue, ask how many other events are booked on your wedding day.
2. Gain absolute clarity on the role of your “coordinator”.  Many venues erroneously give their on-site catering manager or coordinator the misnomer of “wedding coordinator”.  This gives most brides the impression that their “venue comes with a coordinator”.  In most cases, this is true and false, and causes much stress and frustration for those on-site coordinators who deal with questions that they cannot and should not deal with.  The coordinator is on hand to answer your questions in terms of your wedding ceremony and or reception, not the entirety of your wedding.  Some on-site coordinators do not stay at the wedding the entire time to execute or oversee, so these will be questions you will want answers to prior to booking your venue.  If their duties are limited, ask for recommendations for wedding coordinators that can work with you on a day-of-wedding level. 
3. A matter of convenience. Since you and Mr. Fabuluxe know your guest list the best, consider your guests in your decision.  How large is the parking lot?  Is their a fee for valet parking?  How far is parking from the venue?  Take note of the number of restrooms  and their locations– compute if it will be convenient for your guests.  If there are only two stalls in the bathroom, your guests will spend more time in line than at the wedding reception.  If you have elderly or handicapped guests, make sure that the exits are easily accessible, with ramps, if necessary.  If your venue is a resort, ask if there is shuttle or cart service to get guests to the main hotel areas.   
4. Is there room at the Inn?  Ask ahead if there is a changing or private room for you and your groomsmen if you will have your wedding ceremony there as well.  When planning your timeline, having an onsite room will be most convenient for you. If it doesn’t, it gives you notice to pad your travel time in the the wedding day timeline. This room could also be a perfect hideaway if you would like a private moment with your new husband in the midst of the festivities.
5. Don’t Go Solo.  Have your fiance, maid/matron of honor, parents or wedding planner attend your venue visit with you. It is good to have a second opinion—especially if you are madly in love with a specific venue.  Another person’s point of view will help you see things you had not or considered.

As many of you know, I absolutely love where I live and work.  Surrounded by gorgeous islands and beaches, and so many other awesome parts of nature and history, it is a wonderful place to live.  I keep up with the happenings of all local wedding and event professionals with blogs and social networking.  The Jekyll Island Authority had a brilliant campaign on Twitter: a picture would be posted, and if you recognized where it was on the island, you would win a guest blogger spot on the official www.jekyllisland.com blog.  Having met so many beautiful couples and planned so many gorgeous destination weddings here, it was so nice to let everyone know why I love this area so much.  Check out our guest blog post on the Jekyll Island blog!

Check out this week’s gossip from other fabbloggers:

DIY Bride had a great post on determining your tent size.

Casa Sugar talked about 10 awesome ways to display your new wedding pictures in your home.

The Luxury Spot gave a date  and location for the upcoming Swap Party. 

Yum Sugar gave some awesome ideas and recipes for Seafood Cocktail which would make  great hors d’oeuvres for your wedding’s cocktail hour.

Whitney from Southern Weddings showcased the retro chic wedding of Alison and David.

Katasha from K. Sherrie + Co. gave an outstanding post about plus size wedding gowns.

Sway and Cake announced their June 27th Denim Trunk Show with Rich and Skinny:

Know any good gossip?  Did you feature something awesome on your blog?  Share it with us in the comments!

This download does not come from Fabuluxe, but from a brilliant iPhone App designer.  You can now keep track of your planning details in the palm of your hand with your iPhone or iPod Touch.

Find out  more details at their site and download from iTunes.

All pictures from the iWedding App Site.

I laugh every time this commercial comes on—I feel like this describes how wedding planners make it happen, create opportunities and fix things before they get broken every weekend in the world.

The quintessential Southern wedding—Gone With the Wind via Boxwish

Being in transplanted in the South, especially in Coastal Georgia, it is so nice to see the different traditions in place for weddings. Even those who are not from our area and come for destination weddings still want to include a southern tradition into their wedding ceremony or reception.  With great locations like plantation houses, low country mansions or the regal playgrounds of the rich, like the Jekyll Club, there are so many places that can lend themselves to create a nostalgic event experience.  Moreover, you could allow them to continue to influence the flow and concept of the rest of the event. Get inspired by the grounds, decor colors, etc. and tie them in with your invitations, linens and other parts of your wedding

But what if you want to kick it up a notch? What if you want glitz and tradition, or contemporary design and classic heritage?  Let’s look at a few well-known traditions and see how we can have “you” written all over it.

Groom’s Cake—This was once only a southern tradition but has spread across the country as another way to include the groom and his personality (like the one above).  Any excuse for more cake works for me. Southern brides would “gift” their grooms with a single layer cake at the wedding.  The grooms cake is typically chocolate or frosted chocolate, but as you can see, it has gone into a work of art itself.  While the wedding cake has been for the bride (in an unspoken understanding), the groom has an opportunity to represent during the wedding.  It is not restricted to being chocolate either—designs vary from different cake flavors to cupcakes and even fondant covered rice krispy treats!  Surprise him by making it something that reflects his interests and present it at the rehearsal dinner or at a scheduled time during the  wedding.   See the Top 5 Groomscakes of 2008 at Pink Cake Box. 

Liquid Refreshment—Sweet Iced Tea (seen here from Southern Living)  is a staple here in Georgia. It makes it appearance at every meal,so be sure to include it in your wedding, along with other Southern fail safes:  lemonade, mint juleps, bourbon and whiskey.  We previously talked about Southern Cocktails and Signature Drinks and making them more modern.  What other things can you add?  Try changing up the way you present them: opt for lucite trays, oddly shaped glasses or even mason jars,  as well as “props”.  For example, add a magnolia or gardenia bloom to the trays of passed drinks.  If you want to go for a non-alcoholic bar for your southern wedding, offer sweet tea, lemonade, Arnold Palmers (a mixture of the two) and dress them up—rim the glasses for your drinks with colored sugar.  Or really spice things up by adding different flavors like mango, strawberry or blueberry.  Peach is a hit in Georgia (go figure!).  Include lots of fresh fruit as garnish.

All in the family—Believe it or not, it was once tradition for members of the family to bring a “covered dish” to the wedding.  While you don’t want to necessarily go pot luck for your wedding, you can add an interesting twist.  Prior to your wedding, ask all bridal shower guests to send in or bring their favorite recipes and a picture of themselves.  Have a family member compile them all and put them in a photobook from places like Blurb or PhotoWorks, as a gift to you and your new husband.  This family cookbook will be a great heirloom filled with the loving memories and aromas of kitchens past.  If you or your fiance have a special dish that your parents, grandparents or other family members make, give it to your caterer!  See how they can create a more modern version with killer presentation.

When in Rome… Another great way to tie in your Southern location is to share the experience with your guests.  A great way to do this is through your favors. If you are opting for a candy bar, check out southern favorites like pralines, toffees, caramels, brittles, etc.  Don’t forget to add your pecans and peanuts if you’d like to add a twist.  Southern Candymakers is a great resource!  Another idea for favors is to incorporate your Southern wedding location.  For example, if you are having your wedding in Georgia, offer personalized peach preserves (like those featured above from Dewey’s) as a favor or personalized hot sauce for Louisiana weddings and painted Valencia oranges for those in Florida. 

Other great modern resources for your wedding in the South are Southern Weddings—the blog is full  of inspirational pictures and ideas of weddings in the South.  Also check out the queen of weddings in the South as well:  Tara Guerard, and her book, Southern Weddings: New Looks from the Old South.  Remember, two of the greatest Southern wedding traditions are grace and family.  Be a good hostess for your guests and work creatively and fervently to bring your two families together.

You like shopping, I like shopping. We will love Shopbop.  With great designers like the fun, but girly Juicy Couture, Marc Jacobs and the fabulous Alexander Wang. You can sop by category, designer or trend (I love that!). Shopbop also offers look books as well as sales—which sometimes go as far as 70% off!  Great for finding those rehearsal dinner dresses!

Enjoy, Luxelings.  Enjoy.

Color is life.

Color is life’s method of non-verbal communication, with symbolism and meaning.

You could choose colors because they have a deep meaning for you or just because they are pretty.  However, choosing colors for your wedding will be a very important choice and will dictate the design of the event vision.  Color means different things to different people and cultures.  If you plan on incorporating traditions that reflect your heritage, take notice as to what colors are prominent and meaningful.

Let’s discuss color basics:

Contrasting/Clashing Colors—despite the name, working with these colors doesn’t necessarily cause an eyesore.  They are called this because they sit across from each other on the color wheel.  This can create a very dynamic color combination with depth and contrast.

Complementary Colors—On the color wheel, these colors are separated by another color.  When paired together, it is said that they can cause an undesired “visual vibration”, however when integrated with another color, they can complement each other well…hence the name.

Adjacent/Harmonizing Colors—These colors lie right next to each other on the color wheel. Even though they harmonize well together, there may appear washed out as there is not be enough contrast. 

Because of the varying shades and tints of all the colors on the wheel, you can achieve a very personal look.  Pick your colors from something you love already—a dress, photography, floral arrangement, etc.  Select three colors—light, medium and dark.  These colors could be found in anything and doesn’t necessarily be something that you introduce, but something to play off of in your design.  Just remember—light recedes, darker draws in.  Be sure to distribute the color evenly—this can be done with centerpieces, linens, lighting, present colors at your venue or in nature.  In design, using contrasting/clashing colors creates a more formal feel, while using adjacent/harmonizing colors can create a casual feel. On that same token, you are more likely to have more dimension and depth when using contrasting colors.  For easier selection, go to stores like Home Depot or Sherwin Williams for paint samples, where you can play with various colors.  To stay up with colors that are hot and in season, check out the Pantone color trends.  Be sure not to go overboard with “trendy” colors; it can cause your design to look very dated in years to come.

Remember that you want your color to invoke a feeling that is congruent to the event experience you want to create.  Will your vision be alluring and seductive or playful and demure?  Do you want your colors to be energizing or tranquil?

The Imperial Ballroom at the Atlanta Biltmore

I love going on venue visits with brides and grooms. Even if I have been to a particular wedding ceremony or reception site several times before, it is always great to visit with renewed purpose and see it through their eyes.  When you visit your venue, think of it as visiting a home you and Mr. Fabuluxe are considering purchasing.  You want something that reflects both of you and your lovestory, makes you feel comfortable and is conducive and complementary to your overall event vision.  Just like when buying your home, as soon as your foot crosses the threshold, you should feel like you are “home”.  You should see the two of you cutting the cake in the corner or stealing a kiss by the door.  You should see your dad doing that dance that you wish he wouldn’t on the dance floor.  You should see your best friends marveling at the centerpieces and beautiful decor.

I’m sure that if you have a wedding planner, s/he will attend these visits with you and give you some key things to look out for.  Here are some additional suggestions:

1. Pay attention to how you are treated…on every level. Your family and friends will visit your venue and come across various members of the site’s staff.  If you are having a destination wedding, this will include hotel front desk staff, too.  In these instances, I would suggest staying at the resort/hotel prior to booking.  Granted, everyone has a bad day—but if you feel neglected, offended, or chastised, it may be time to look for another wedding location.  You will be less apt to forgive these attitudes and affronts your wedding day. 

2. Pay attention to any odd smells and stains.  I know, strange but true.  If there is a “unique” odor in the venue, it could be for various reasons—the site is old, there is a mold problem, etc.  Be sure to inquire into if it will be fixed (nevermind asking what it is); you are paying to rent the facility and have a right to know.  Look for things that could detract from your wedding like hard water stains on walls or other stains on the carpet/flooring.  Ask if any renovations will occur prior to your wedding;  you may be able to benefit from those new upgrades.

3. Does the decor make you soar or gives you a sore? In addition to the pictures you see online at the wedding venue’s website, be sure to check other sites like Flickr as well as blogs of photographers and wedding planners in your area.  You will be seeing the venue without any frills—but it will be good for you to get an idea as to what you are walking into as well as how much work you will have to put into your design to make it the way you want.  If the decor is antiquated, ask if you can make any non-permanent changes.  Also, if there are any decorations that you simply adore, ask if they will be in place for your wedding.  This would also be a good time to ask what the venue does anything special around the holidays if you are having a wedding at during a holiday season.

4. Take your own pictures.  You know what you are going for with your design and it can sometimes be hard to describe in conversation or in emails.  Instead, take your own pictures of your potential venues to review at a later date.   Print your photos at home or send them to a place like Walgreens or Walmart.  One tip:  Print them as 8×10s and have them laminated at Staples or Kinko’s.  With a set of dry erase markers, make notes or preliminary placement designs for your own records.

5. Know your limitations, restrictions and requirements up front.  It’s the pits finding out things after you’ve signed the dotted line.  The problem is that you may not have known to even ask those questions during your visit.  You will want to know if your vendors are required to have liability insurance in order to work there.  You do not want to run into a problem with booking a vendor only to find they do not have the required paperwork and refuse to get it.  Of course, you should ask about any design limitations and restrictions—which parts of the venue will you have access to? Are you allowed to affix anything by hanging, taping, pinning or stapling?  Can structures be built onsite?  Do they have any exclusive catering or photography rights?  Can you bring your own alcohol?  Are there any structural limitations that you could run into if you want to use a non-standard layout or lighting?  Are there any noise ordinances?  What about rose petals, confetti, rice or sparklers?  Can you have open flames or must you use enclosures?  How early can you set up?  These are all some great questions to get you started.

We’ll break this post in half, with the other five tips coming next Monday.  In the meantime,  check out 5 Venue Assets that Will Fabuluxe Your Wedding

I just love the variety of hair ornaments that have made it to the scene recently.  Before, wedding barrettes were overdone and overstated.  Now, they can be so simple and really appeal to so many other brides and work with various hairstyles and lengths. Your barrette can add a subtle or shocking of touch of color, enhance or play down a dramatic makeup look.  It can also tie in a theme—a vintage, beach or modern design.

Vintage

Vintage Charm by Model Bride

Dark Silver Deco Floral Barrette by Linda Levinson

Beach

Black Lucite & Crystal Starfish Hair Clip by PLASTICLAND

Multicolored Large Flower Clip by Michelle Roy

Flowers

Hair Clip by Antrhopologie

Pale Champagne Double Gardenia Hair Clip by Late Bloomer Boutique

Modern

Feather Barrette by Lori London

White Mermaid Rose Handmade Silk Flower Bridal Hair Clip Wedding Veil Accessory by Floreti

Glamorous

Sultry Style by Model Bride

Anthony David® Hair Clip Barrett with Swarovski Crystal – Hailey

Small

Gold Stephanotis by Miss Selfridge

Butterfly Clips by Juicy Couture

Which hairclip or headpiece did you decide on for your day?