Breaking Dejanae Events NEWS!!!

I'm so excited to finally announce that Dejanae Events can now help even more with your stationery needs!  We are excited to announce our PARTNERSHIP with Wedding Paper Divas!!!  Check out their beautiful wedding invitations and much more!  If you are interested in receiving this discount, "Like" us on Facebook, then contact us at office@DejanaeEvents.com to take advantage of the partnership we are so very honored to hold!

Wedding Paper Diva's is different from other online stationery sites!  "We are driven to design the finest, highest quality stationery you can find online or in stores. Unlike many other stationery companies, which simply provide an extensive, something-for-anyone offering, Wedding Paper Divas works with talented artists all over the country to translate the hottest new trends into perfectly unique products. We are proud to offer products from both seasoned veterans in the industry, as well as younger, fabulously talented designers. Many of these up-and-coming designers are even making their debuts into online boutiques with us! Our designers have created stationery for many celebrity customers."

And because Dejanae Events only wants the best for it's clients...a partnership was formed!!! #EXCITED

Until next time...WEDologize!

Yellow and Purple Inspiration

So I'm trying something new Blogger family...I'm going to create more inspiration boards to share with my readers.  Today's board comes by way of blending yellow and shades of purple together in what I consider a fun "almost" summertime color scheme.  What do you think?

Until next time...WEDologize!

(photo credits: macarons - www.onevanillabean.com; centerpiece - www.elizabethannedesigns.com; invitation - www.weddingwire.com; bouquet - www.bouquetweddingflower.com; bridesmaids - www.oncewed.com; furniture - www.indulgy.com)

The Sequin Comeback

Yes I said it! Everyone is all about the Bling craze and I know that to be true because our most popular blog posts to this day are about Bling. But remember the sequin? That small, flat, shiny disk that when clustered together makes an powerful statement. Check out some of these ideas using sequins.

This sequin-infused Ines Di Santo gown
would make an AWESOME reception gown

Add the WOW factor to your cocktail or reception
with these gorgeous sequin linens and overlays

Consider wrapping the bouquet handle with
sequins for that ultimate POP of elegance

Add a few or a strand of sequins to your wedding invitation.
Imagine the guests positive response to that lovely detail!

LOVE the idea of adding sequin chair "covers"
to the primary reception chairs

Imagine the ohs and ahs of seeing this wedding cake displayed at the reception.
The sugar sequins are amazing!!!

Until next time...WEDologize!

(photo credits: cake - www.cocoadotts.com; chair - www.karentran.com; bouquet - www.bellethemagazine.com; invite - www.dogwoodblossomstationery.com; linens - www.weddingobsession.com)

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

There is just something about a boxed invitation that reeks grandeur!!! But wouldn't you just scream opening up this stunning back satin box and seeing this gorgeous crystal swan brooch sitting smack dab in the center of this invitation?!?! Today's Pin It Pic is certainly the WOW Factor of invitation design!  Enjoy!

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


(photo credit: http://www.wanderlustcards.co.uk/)

Pinterest Interest!!!

www.Pinterest.com/DejanaeEvents

 Are you familiar with Pinterest???  Well if you aren't, as a bride...or someone planning an event...I need you to crawl from up under that rock and get into the KNOW! LOL! Pinterest is awesome and my newest creative outlet for wedding vendors and brides.

So what is this Pinterest and how does it work?  Pinterest is a virtual pinboard that allows you to organize and share all the beautiful things you find on the web by "pinning" them into boards you have created. You can browse pinboards created by other people to discover new things and get inspiration from people who share your interests.  When it comes to weddings, as a bride, you can now post the photos of your dream wedding and gather them all on one board or within multiple boards for later reference when meeting with vendors.

Check out a few of our most popular pinboards:

Showcases some of the most beautiful wedding cakes I've ever seen photographed!

My love of stationery is captured on this board
with some of the most beautiful and unique invitations I've ever seen

Showcasing stunning bouquets for the bride and bridesmaids.
What until you see them...WOW!

My most popular board among my followers.
This board captures the WOW Factor tablescapes.
View at your own risk...they are gorgeous!

And I'd like to post a disclaimer now - I can not be held responsible for the amount of hours you will spending pinning your dream wedding and other beautiful items that inspire you.  With 52 boards, over 3200 pins and almost 200 likes, I'm officially and pinning addict...and I wouldn't change it for the world! :)

Until next time...WEDologize!

(credits - http://pinterest.com/about/help/; www.pinterest.com/DejanaeEvents)

BLINGing Out Your Wedding

BLING. The quintessential term made famous by P.Diddy or was it the Cash Money Brothers, either way...it speaks of diamonds and sparkle.  Brides have since formulated the term to mean anything that shines, such as crystals, rhinestones, and diamond-like items intertwined into their wedding day.

In August 2010, I wrote a post on adding BLING to your wedding accessories and my reader count went through the roof!  Well, BLING has certainly evolved even more since that post, so I decided to share some additional ideas with you.  Check out the fabulousness below:

Becoming more and more popular is the BLING wrap around vases

Add brooches to your bridal bouquet and BLING out the handle

BLING out the serving utensils, cake knife and server set or even your toasting glasses

Crystals hanging from a head table centerpiece would add such drama to the table of honor

Instead of ceremony chair decor, place those florals inside a crystal container
and hang from metal stacks down your lovely aisle

How beautiful is this crystal backdrop to divide a space
or create dimension inside your reception space

Don't just display your wedding cake, add a BLING'd out cake stand to the scenario

Crystal chandelier would certainly accentuate your reception space

Add some BLING to your wedding invitations for that additional WOW Factor

Until next time...WEDologize!

(photo credits: www.heavenlybloomsblog.com; www.luxefinds.com; www.bridesdiary.com.au; www.etsy.com; www.wedlux.com; www.bridesmagazine.co.uk; www.the-chandelier.assault.com; www.designsbyhemingway.com; www.asianfusionweddings.com)

Table Number Scavenger Hunt

Table numbers play a major role on your tablescape.  They let the guests know which table they are seated :)  And when plotting out your stationery designs for your big day, they are certainly an item that should be cohesive with the table design.  And believe me, there are more whimsical ideas on how to incorporate the table number than just a plastic number in a silver stand...the standard fair you'll see at most banquet locations.  That is what lead me on a table number scavenger hunt for the 2nd time to bring a host of ideas when designing your tablescape.  Check out some of my favs below:

Use table number tents fashioned after your invitation design

Add some playfulness to the design w/ different size fonts or spelling the number out
I especially love the idea of the number on the cap of the chair

Frame the table number and back w/ patterned paper

Give the number meaning like this couple did...they met on the 5th day

Chalkboard picks make fabulous table numbers for and outdoor or rustic affair

Consider trips you and your fiancee' have taken and name the table after that location

How about the tables show photos of the both of you at that particular age,
or places you plan to visit, and for the DIY bride, make them yourself with colored coil

Let the table number double as a centerpiece
such as the design seen using this table number wrap

Or make them yourself w/ translucent paper, ribbon and a votive candle for illumination

Until next time...WEDologize!

(photo credits: www.ct-designs.com; www.theknot.com; www.marthastewartweddings.com;

www.tulipsandflightsuits.squarespace.com; www.weddingwindow.com, www.weddingsbycolor.com; www.shineweddinginvitations.com; www.bellethemagazine.com; www.ohsobeautifulpaper.com; www.sofiesfavors.com; www.eventluxe.com; www.unitedwithlove.com)

Stamps Have Gone Up Again!

Effective on Sunday, January 22nd, postage rates have increased once again. Gotta love this economy :)  See the details below as your move forward with your wedding stationery budgets.

Letters (1 oz.) are now 45 cents.  These stamps will be needed for your basic Save The Date and reply card envelope.

Letters (2 oz.) are now 65 cents.  These stamps will be needed to mail your standard size wedding invitation set, which include the invitation, reception card and reply card.
***Note: Square-shaped invitations and postcards will still cost extra.

Postcards are now 32 cents.

So if you have 44 cent stamps, you will need to apply a 1 cent stamp in order to receive it back in the mail.  Still, I always suggested to take your wedding mailing inside the Post Office to have it properly weighed to ensure your guests will receive their envelope.

Until next time...WEDologize!

(photo credit: www.perfectpostage.com; www.brides.com; www.stamps.com)
 

Guest List Decisions

Today's post is simple...I'm going to focus on the dreaded wedding guest list and tackle some of the questions that every couple faces.

Almost immediately, you need to start discussing who you are going to invite to your wedding. And understand, this is a joint effort between the bride, groom and both sets of parents. I suggest creating three lists - (1) must be invited; (2) should be invited; and (3) would be nice to invite. Then decide do you want children to attend your wedding reception. Once the lists are compiled is when you can start making the final invitee list and begin working on your stationery items and pre-wedding functions. And to make your life easier in the long-run, create the list in a spreadsheet including their name, address, phone and email address.

Now how do I feel about inviting someone to the wedding ceremony, but not the reception...in my opinion don't.  The worst thing that could happen is the "uninvited reception" guest shows up to the reception" guest during the ceremony and hurt feelings evolve.  If you are limited in who you can invite to your wedding reception, just send those guest a wedding announcement after your nuptials to avoid unnecessary conflict.

There are also some rules of etiquette that must be considered. If you send someone a Save The Date, they should also be on the final guest list to receive the official wedding invitation.  Also, if a guest is invited to your bridal shower or couple shower, it should be your intentions to invite them to your wedding day celebration as well. Otherwise, it looks like you "used" them for a gift.

Until next time...WEDologize!

Jazzing Up Envelopes

I love wedding invitations and what they represent...a couple inviting family and friends to witness and celebrate their first day as husband and wife. But let's not forget that envelope in which the invitation is being mailed. Outside of hand calligraphy or digital calligraphy to address the envelopes, what can you use to jazz up your invitation "packaging"?

Consider an envelope liner in the color(s) of your invitation suite. They can be order from your stationery designer or even created by you as a DIY project.

If you have to use a label to address your invitations, how about a whimsical wrap that shows the guests name and address on the front and wraps around to the back with your return address.
How about a label to close the envelope and a matching postage stamp on the front. I love the coordination!

Or the elegance of a custom created wax seal to close your wedding invitation envelope.

Until next time...WEDologize!

(photo credit - www.plushpaper.com; www.perfectpostage.com; www.primandpixie.com; www.karikdesign.com)

Invitation Pointers

I've been thrown into wedding invitation craziness this week as I'm on a mission to get three suites prepared and mailed by Thursday. So considering this fact, tons of thoughts have crossed my mind about the very 1st impression your guests will see regarding your wedding day...the wedding invitation.

Preparation

Instead of using clear mailing labels on your envelopes (because they aren't really clear) consider contacting a calligraphist to hand address the envelopes. But should that be out of the budget, ask the calligraphist or invitation designer about digital calligraphy. The cost is a fraction of what you would spend on actual calligraphy, plus their are tons of lavish fonts and still adds elegance to the envelopes.

Also, add a tiny number to the back of the reply card consistent with the spreadsheet you have created for tracking the replies. This way, should a reply card be returned with no name or the hand writing isn't legible, you will still know who sent it.

Postage

Make sure to take a completely assembled wedding invitation to your local post office to have it weighed. You will need postage for the outer envelope and for the respond card envelope. Most standard invitations will need a $.61 stamp for the outer envelope and a $.44 for the reply envelope.

Mailing

Upon speaking with one of my friends that works inside of my local post office, she disclosed to me - do not mail wedding invitations around the holidays because the flow of mail is usually backed up due to closures. Also, don't mail invitations on a rainy day. Sometimes the adhesive from the envelopes comes untacked. Last, don't drop the invitations into a mailbox. Take them inside and have an invitation weighed one last time before mailing them off to your wedding guests.

Until next time...WEDologize!

(photo credit: http://www.dejanaeevents.cceasy.com/)

Postage for Wedding Invitations

One of my favorite invitation designers, Christy of CT Designs, wrote a blog about envelopes and a thought popped in my head to discuss postage! Many brides are ordering and now receiving invitation suites for their summer 2011 weddings. It's now time to pay that visit to USPS to get the invitation and it's enclosures weighed for mailing.

Below you will find the current postage rates:

Postcard
$0.28

1st class up to 1 oz
$0.44

1st class up to 2 oz
$0.61

1st class up to 3 oz
$0.78

1st class up to 3.5 oz
$0.95

Non machineable surcharge (Square)
$0.20

But please note, some of the postage rates listed above will are scheduled to change on April 17, 2011.

Until next time...WEDologize!

(photo credit - http://www.weddingsbycolor.com/)

Going to the Chapel

I believe it's always a nice addition to provide your guests with directions to the ceremony and from the ceremony to the reception. This information can be placed on your wedding website along with hotel accommodation information. Or should you make welcome bags or baskets for out-of-town guests, consider adding a map along with things to do in the city over the weekend. The map can also be an enclosure with your invitation ensemble or given to guests as they are departing the wedding ceremony.

When creating this type of information, you have to decide do you want an actual map showing a compass, highways and landmarks, or do you want to only use text on the map. I'm actually very fond of using both. I think a drawn map looks so lovely mixed in with the wedding invitation attachments. Then I love the idea of the guests receiving a map after the ceremony by a hostess or usher.

Until next time...WEDologize!

(photo credits: http://www.bigdaymaps.com/; http://www.ohsobeautifulpaper.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)