Escort Card Table Prettiness!

Today's blog is sharing some of the gorgeous escort card tables we have designed for our clients over the last couple of years using amazing card stock, digital calligraphy or hand calligraphy.  The cards have been placed on lush linens with a punch of florals and candles.  Take a look:

Please understand, escort cards are the cards that guest pick up BEFORE they take their seat at your reception.  The escort card will show their first name, last name, table number and entree selection.  A place card is a card that already is at the guest's place setting.  It will show the guest's first name, last name and entree selection.

Until next time...WEDologize!

(photo credits - www.rushphotovideo.com; www.vsphoto.com; www.kellybramanphotography.com; www.imphoto.net)

...I Found It, You Pin It...Friday!!!

Now I love a GREAT escort card, but can I tell you how I feel in love with these Lucite escort cards written in calligraphy!!! GENIUS and simply gorgeous!  What a statement piece they'd make as your guests walk into your reception space to take their seats. WOW FACTOR!!!
 


Until next time...PIN IT and WEDologize!

(Photo credit - StyleUnveiled.com)

Components of Wedding Stationery

I thought today would be a good time to share the components of wedding stationery.  You might not necessarily include all of the elements within your wedding planning due to the budget constructions, but where you can include paper...do so.  It truly finishes off a wedding design.

Save The Date Card:  Sent AT LEAST 6 months before the wedding to alert guests of your wedding date. It's also useful to put your wedding website link on this card.
Invitation:  The official formal announcement of your wedding including the date, time and location of the ceremony.
RSVP Card:  The card that accompanies the wedding invitation that guest will return to you stating if they can or cannot attend the ceremony and reception.  It is proper to add postage to the RSVP/return envelope.
Reception Card:  Alerts guest where the reception is located and the start time. If the reception is located in the same location as the ceremony, it is proper to add "Reception immediately following ceremony" at the bottom of the wedding invitation.
Direction Card:  A wonderful gesture to give your wedding guests directions to the ceremony location and to the reception location.
Accommodations Card:  The card used to let guests know of your room block(s). This information can easily be added to your wedding website and the card omitted.
Schedule of Activities:  Wonderful paper item if you are having pre-wedding activities during the wedding weekend or if you are having a destination wedding.
Ceremony Program:  Gives the sequence of events during the actual wedding ceremony.
Escort Card/Place Card:  The escort card is given to the wedding guest when they arrive to the reception venue and will let guests know what table they are seated.  A place card is a card that is on the table and lets the guest know which chair they are seated.
Table Number:  Have the design from your wedding invitation transferred to the table numbers to tie the stationery design all together.
Menu Card:  Adds another design element to the tablescape and let's the wedding guest know the food courses.
Favor Tags:  These can be an added detail to anything you may be giving to your wedding guests during or at the end of the night.
Thank You Cards:  Suggest you order them when you order your invitation suite so that you can send out a thank you card as you receive wedding gifts.

Until next time...WEDologize!

(photo credit - http://www.dejanaeevents.cceasy.com and Invitations by Colette)

Escort Cards Plus Drinks

I'm in love with one of the newer trends I am seeing - escort cards + a drink.  It's truly a fun way for wedding guests to enter into the cocktail hour immediately following the ceremony.  The guests get a refreshment and their seating assignment all at the same time.  The guest name and table number can stand out in so many different ways from using bottle labels to acrylic attachments.  Check out some of the "cute" ideas below:

Flavored sodas w/ name and table number labels

Acrylic name tags w/ champagne

Custom tumblers w/ the guest name and table number

Drink stirrers showcasing name and table number

Until next time...WEDologize!

(photo credit - 100 Layer Cake;  Style Me Pretty; Creative Print Media; VanCityAllie)

Wedding Clothespins By Design

Clothespins aren't just for hanging up your laundry anymore.  This handy household item has now become a fun wedding trend when designing a shabby-chic celebration or if you are diving into the D.I.Y (do it yourself) arena.  Check out some of the whimsical ideas we located using clothespins.

Awesome idea of using ombre-colored clothespins as a backdrop for a dessert table

Frames, ribbon, and mini clothespins makes a darling "picture" for escort cards

Cover an "ugly" wall with photos of you and your fiance' attached by clothespins to twine

You don't need ushers when you attach wedding programs to the guest chairs with ribbon and clothespins

Clothespins are a great prop for photographing the engagement ring and wedding bands

Hang your D.I.Y wedding signs by using clothespins

Until next time...WEDologize!

(photo credit:  dessert backdrop; framed escort cards; pictures; wedding programs; rings; D.I.Y. sign)

...I Found It, You Pin It...Friday!

Okay...here is the visual:  As a wedding guest, you enter the foyer at the entrance of a grand ballroom only to be greeted by a host or hostess who will direct you to escort card table.  And as you move through a sea of smiling guests hovering around you soon discover that this STUNNING table with a small pool of floating flowers and candles is the table where your escort card rests upon clusters of pave arranged carnations! Enough said!!!  Now this is WOW Factor at it's finest!!!

Until next time...PIN IT and WEDologize!!!

(Photo credits:  www.bellethemagazine.com; Gustavo Campos Photography, design by Lindesy Ladman Events)

Brooches Are Not Just For Coats

I'm sure by now you have seen the lovely and vintage trend of the brooch bouquet. Gorgeous as they are, also consider the idea of adding brooch details to other elements of your wedding day design. Check out the ideas below:

An all brooch bouquet won't need any type of preservation after the wedding

Add a simple brooch to a bouquet made of flowers for that unexpected detail

Adding brooches to the center of these bows that wrap the cake
adds an element of sophistication

How about this simple centerpiece on your cocktail tables?
Wrapping the vases w/ lace and adding the brooch...WOW!

What a gorgeous addition to these place cards!

Brooch detailing to the guests napkins and table centerpieces reeks glamour!

Until next time...WEDologize!

(photo credits: all brooch - www.poptasticbride.com; flower bouquet - www.eventdecorator.com; cake - www.zoeclarkcakes.com; centerpiece - www.blossomsatlanta.com; place card - www.onewed.com; invite/centerpiece - www.aileentran.com)

...I Found It, You Pin It...Friday!

Today's Friday find would accent a tablescape beautifully!  Aren't these plexiglass menu, escort card and table number GORGEOUS!?!?!  The design and font adds such character to this already awesome idea!  I'm in love with the Pin it Pic for Friday, February 24th!!!

Until next time...Pin it and WEDologize!!!

(photo credit: www.dragonflycustomdesign.com )

Branching Out With Your Wedding Decor

As we say bye-bye to the summer of 2011, the amount of weddings we are coordinating still has not diminished.  In fact, October is the 3rd most popular wedding month in the Midwest and having an outdoor ceremony is planned by many...but don't forget Plan B because the weather could change any minute.

Well for the bride who wants to bring the fall season into her wedding decor, I've always thought the mixture of branches, flowers and candles can truly create some statement pieces for your ceremony and tablescapes.

Using branches to bring the outdoors inside for the wedding ceremony. 
This easy DIY project joins branches together with ribbon and adds a few blooms at the knot.

Put branches in a tall wide vase and add flowers around the rim to create a dramatically tall centerpiece.

Make an escort card table tree by using branches, flowers and hanging crystals. 
Attaching the flower buds to the branches really softens to centerpieces.

Place branches in cylinder vases to add height to the space and surround them with
small bouquets creating a high and low effect.

Until next time...WEDologize!

(photo credits: www.boards.weddingbee.com; www.weddingpaperdivas.com)

Escort Cards vs. Place Cards

Although it can become a headache at the tail-end of the wedding process, assigning your wedding guests to tables is still a GREAT idea! And especially for larger celebrations, it's almost required at the reception venue. But you need to decide if you want escort cards, place cards or both.

Escort cards are the most common way of assigning guest to their tables. Although displayed in various, creative ways, the card is picked up by the guest upon entry into the reception. The escort card will have the guests name, table number (or name) and entree selection. And whenever possible, assign the each guest their own individual card.

Place cards are positioned at the guest's place setting. You might find it in front of their plate or charger; used as a napkin ring or attached to the wine glass. The information on a place card will be the guests name and entree selection, and should you have a smaller celebration or informal event, you can omit the guest's last name. Should you use a place card, your guests will need to know their table assignment upon entry and this is why you would still need to use an escort card or display board.

Now if you are against the expense of printing escort cards or place cards, assign your guests to tables in a spreadsheet and provide that information to your wedding planner and/or hostesses. Guests will need to see them personally as they entire the reception to learn of their table assignment. This idea will only work if you guests are being served the same meal.

Until next time...WEDologize!

(photo credits - http://www.vsphoto.com/; http://www.avery.com/)

Fall's Beautiful Arrival!!

Fall has to be my favorite season because of all the beauty it brings! Being the shortest season in the Midwest, more couples are deciding to get married during this time. The beauty of "Indian Summer" makes a fab backdrop for ceremonies, receptions and photography, but you must always make sure to have a 'Plan B' due to the changing weather.

You can see rich tones of red, orange, yellow, brown, and green canvas almost every detail of the fall-induced bride. Check out the inspritation below...pulled together in celebration of fall.

Until next time...WEDologize!

(photo credits: www.stephaniewilliamsphotography.com; www.melsrecipeblog.com; www.marthastewart.com; www.merimentevents.com; www.projectwedding.com; www.ct-designs.com)