True Love Tuesday: Brian & Dionne

Today we are introducing a new series on Precious Nuptials Blog – it’s called True Love Tuesdays.  Each Tuesday we will be featuring a true love story, whether it be about how a couple met, how they got engaged, or some other romantic story.

To kick off this segment, I thought that I would share my husband Brian’s and my story.  So here we go!

Brian and I met back in 2004 at Laguna Beach in CA when mutual friends had put on a beach bbq.  I recruited him to come build a sandcastle with me, and I was immeditely attracted to him – I could tell that he was smart, mature, and yet had a funny goofiness about him.  At the time he designed jets for a company in Adelanto and I was a Graphic Designer, so I thought that he was way out of my league – he designed jets, while all I could do was design business cards :D , I never thought he would be interested in me.

We became good friends and then eventually best friends.  It wasn’t until three years later that we confessed that we had feelings for each other (even though my parents and friends of ours pointed out numerous times that we should get together!).  But then after one blissful month of dating, Brian got offered a job contracted with NASA and relocated to Houston for the job.  Normally I wouldn’t even consider a long-distance relationship, but after our solid 3-year friendship, I knew he was worth it.

After two years of only seeing each other once or twice a month, Brian proposed.  But it wasn’t your ordinary proposal.  It was one that he needed help with, because he wouldn’t have been able to do it on his own.

A friend of ours’ boss had been in a car accident, and my friend called me up saying that his boss had two massage gift packages that he now couldn’t use because he was going through back rehabilitation due to the accident.  He asked if I wanted one of them for free, so of course I said yes.  I excitedly called Brian and told him about the free massage I was about to get.

My friend picked me up and off we went to get massages.  I had never had a professional massage and had been wanting one for years.  I was expecting to go to some small little massage place, but we ended up at The Montage at Laguna Beach!!  As we pulled up, I commented to Evan that this was right near where Brian and I had met, but I had no idea what was about to happen next…

We had gotten there about 15 minutes late for our appointment, so when we got to the Spa, I asked the receptionist if there were more openings that day, and if we could push back our appointment so we could have the full one-hour service, instead of just the 45 remaining minutes due to our lateness.  “What name is the reservation under?”  The hostess asked.

“Evan Winter.”  I said.  Evan had a strange expression on his face, but at the time I dismissed it.  She nodded and said that she could change our appointment and then said that I could go in and explore, and my friend went off to check out another part of the hotel.

That afternoon I came out of the spa all rejuvinated and relaxed after an amazing massage.  I came out into the hall in my white robe, and there was Brian – all dressed up in a tie, waiting for me to come out.  I was totally surprised.  I immediately hugged him and knew that he must have come to propose.  But he didn’t right there.  He whisked me off to a wine and cheese tasting, and then at night we went to Laguna Culinary Arts school for a fantastic couples cooking class.

Finally that night we went to the beach where we met – we were the only ones on the beach, and a light from the hotel above was illuminating the sand, and that’s where he presented me with a ring that he had designed for me and proposed.  It was beautiful and so romantic, and of course I said yes!

Side note: Back to Evan’s strange expression at the Spa.  This was all planned by Brian, there was no free massage package from Evan’s boss, so of course there was no reservation under Evan Winter.  So when I told the hostess that we were booked under the name Evan Winter, he knew that there would be no reservations for us, and that I would become suspicious.  The huge coincidence is that there was ANOTHER Evan Winter booked in for a massage that day!  Of course, the other Evan’s appointment was put back to it’s original time – but isn’t that amazing?

(Don’t forget that today is the last day to enter the MFL Photoshoot Giveaway.  Stop by here to enter.)

Themed-up Thursdays: Corporate Office Themed Wedding

Did you and your fiance meet at the office?  Is that where the sparks started flying?  Why not pay tribute to that and have a Corporate Office themed wedding?

Think about the objects, colors and textures that you’d find in a corporate office.  The navy pinstripe of a man’s suit could easily be incorporated into your theme with pinstripe linens.  You could also include memo boards (like the ones at Luxury Gifts by Nikki) to attach your seating assignments to.

Don’t forget your contacts!  Filofaxes are a fun way to replace your traditional guest book, as seen at this lovely wedding.  Along with your guest book, guests would also have fun with Post-it-note cubes as favors.  You can even have them custom printed with your names and wedding date at specialized Post-it printers like Basler or Image Maker Graphics.

When it comes to your color scheme, think what colors represent the corporate office to you.  I think of navy and light blue, with rich reds as highlights.  Then of course I think of steely greys to go with them.

Alternatively, you could make it even more personal by using the colors of the company you met at, but for some, that might be too much work during play-time :) .

Where 2 Wednesday :: Your Nearest Hobby Lobby!

Wedding couples start your engines, and head over to your nearest Hobby Lobby!  Hobby Lobby is having the must visit 50% off sale once again.  All wedding items in the floral section are included.

Don’t stop at shopping only the wedding related aisle in the store.  You absolutely must stroll through the array of home accents for decor elements to incorporate into the grand scheme of things.  Don’t tell anyone, but this is hands down my favorite section of the store.  We know you’ll find something to inspire you or tie into your wedding decor plans.  It’s so much fun finding good value and great eye candy!  Doesn’t it add to the pleasure of the whole shopping experience?  You’ll swoon over the options, because all home accent items are 50% off as well.  

Stop by our blog for this week’s Fun Find Friday.  We’ll show you all the half off goodness we spotted for our clients at Hobby Lobby.  We want to know all about your bargain goodness as well!  Who knows, I may even see you there.  [wink]

Texas Destination Wedding Planner

Spotlight Saturday

This week the spotlight is on  “Who Made the Cake!” These exquisite cakes are made by Nadine Moon and  absolutely “WOWED”  me when I saw them.

“Who Made the Cake!” is one of  Houston’s premiere custom cake design studios. Nadine Moon has made a strong reputation for spectacular custom designed cakes.

Not only is “Who Made the Cake!” locally known in the Houston area but it’s also known nationally. Nadine and her cakes have appeared on Martha (Martha Stewart), TLC’s Perfect Proposal, KPRC’s Channel 2 Throws a Wedding, Roseanne Rogers’ The Buzz on Weddings, Southern Bride, ABC 13′s Hometown Live, KTBU’s Wild About Houston, Channel 11′s Walton’s World and more!

Nadine’s cakes feature buttercream, fondant, or a combination of the two. Their cakes are known for being rich, moist and delicious, with a huge variety of flavors. My stomach is growling thinking about it!! I found myself looking at her photo gallery for an extensive amount of time. Her creativity  is Amazing!!

So if you’re looking for a baker with a great reputation, look no further!!

“Who Made the Cake!”

1811 S. Shepherd Dr.

Houston, TX 77019

Consultations are given by appointment only. You can also e-mail info@WhoMadeTheCake.com

Chelsey

FUN Find Friday :: Eat, Play, Love This Deal of the Day!

This deal is too good not to share!  It’s ideal for a mini-honeymoon or fun, sun and relaxation.  Email us at travel [at] preciousnuptials [dot] com for details.

Dreams Punta Cana Resort & Spa

5 Days/4 Nights for $355 per person

Book by: 8/31/10
Travel: 8/29-12/31/10

Round-trip transfers between airport and hotel
Accommodations for number of nights selected
All meals, snacks, beverages
Activities & non-motorized watersports

Hotel tax & service charges
Save 45%
$200 resort credit

Texas Destination Wedding Planner

Themed-up Thursdays: Urban Industrial

Urban Industrial themed weddings find the perfect balance of modern and rustic.  There’s that blend of contemporary minimalism with that gritty, urban look.  Think exposed brick walls with steel details.  Great locations to have Urban Industrial weddings are modern galleries, warehouses, or any spaces that have that raw edge to them.

When choosing your colors, think about colors of the city.  Shades of grey work perfect for this, and are a great base color to add pops of brighter colors to.  Perhaps anchor the greys with a deep purple, and then to lighten up the palette, why not contrast with white, and introduce a warm color like a peach?

To really reinforce that gritty, urban edge, setting up a graffiti wall guest book would be a memorable addition.  From an art store, purchase a long, wide canvas and a few cans of spray paint in your wedding colors.  Don’t forget to buy a drop cloth to protect the floor around the canvas, and then your guests can spray their sentiments for you, graffiti-style.

Some Decor ideas to pull off your Urban Industrial event are:

- Homme/Femme Male and Female vases from CB2 really give that industrial look, and are a great way to represent you as a bride and groom

- An unexpected bridal bouquet would be to include black flowers.  You could try Black Tulips or Black Dahlias to make your bouquet look feminine yet a little edgy.

- Industrial Iron Tealight holders from CB2 would also be a great addition to your theme.  The modern boxy shape with the circle perforations and grey, antiqued finish really give that rustic element to the Urban Industrial look.

- Anything raw or exposed really contributes to the Urban Industrial look, so in addition to exposed brick walls, exposed pipes and fixtures also do the trick.  These Industrial Candleholders from Etc Ink are made from salvaged steel pipes and would be a great addition to your decor list.

- Nothing speaks urban more than a street sign.  Vintage street signs would be a great way to add texture and interest to your decor.  Think about relevant signs for a wedding, or you as a couple, instead of just random signs.  A great example of a relevant street sign would be a “One Way” sign.

- Terraniums are a great minimalist centerpiece. You could cluster them in tight groups on round tables, and line them up in straight lines along rectange tables.  The modern shape and clear glass housing a minimalist plant would definitely be a unique and memorable centerpiece display.  L Brandt Terraria has a great range to choose from.

Do you have any ideas on how to decorate for an Urban Industrial wedding?  If you do, please share in the comments!

Share Your Proposal Story and You Could Win a Free Engagement or Anniversary Shoot!

Simple, funny, creative, impromptu… We want to read them all!

We’re teaming up with MFL Photography to give you a personalized photo shoot styled just for you.  That’s right Precious Nuptials & Destinations will style your photo shoot backdrop and the talented Prashant of MFL Photography will document!  Three finalist will be featured here on our blog for our readers to decide on a winner.  With less than two weeks to go (deadline: midnight on August 31st), hurry here for all the details.

Texas Destination Wedding Planner

Fun Find Friday :: Cute Hair Accessories That Add POP!

Several years ago brides gushed at the idea of adding popping shoe colors to their wedding day attire.  We found these lovely hair accessories that can surly make a statement at your destination wedding attire, wedding reception attire or a fun casual backyard wedding!

Our first stop is Pixel and Hank.  This is bridal accessory haven!  Not only do they offer fun hair accessories, but also handmade boutonnieres – perfect for the vintage backyard fête.

Ali sales for $56USD and is a ruffled headband with a vintage broach.

Also retails for $56USD, Bree is adorned with vintage pale blue jewels against a dramatic fuchsia and wine fabric.

ZaraLee is a simple and soft headband of rosettes and sales for the bargin price of $16USD.

These are just a few samples of Pixel and Hank’s offerings.  Head on over to get a full glimpse of the rest of their fabulous handmade offerings.

We love the monarch butterfly!  You can view a previous post featuring a monarch design inspiration here.  I immediately thought of you and wanted to share this one with you too.  This would be perfect for a Mexico destination wedding (remind me to tell you about the connection with the monarch butterfly).

This cluster of Monarch butterflies are positioned on this comb as they are ready to take flight. At only $35USD, this comb is also featured in pastel colors. We love the authentic look.

Which Goose feature 173 fun items!  We’ll feature a quick glimpse, but invite you the click here to see the full collection.

Drops of Jupiter is a set of four hair pins that retails for $25USD

Ideal for a garden celebration, Queen of Woods is made of all natural elements and retails for $65USD.

We hope you enjoy viewing these items.  Before you go, don’t forgot to enter to win a free engagement or anniversary photo shoot.  We have all the details here!

Happy Friday :)

Texas Destination Wedding Planner

Themed-up Thursday: French Wine & Cheese

I have a background in Graphic Design, so I am often inspired by graphic and fine art.  Recently, I came across this painting by Janet Hill, “Port and French Cheeses” that would make a lovely springboard for Wedding Inspiration.

The intimate but stately room, with a table of french delicacies is definitely a great setting for wine and cheese enthusiasts, without doing the usual “vineyard theme”.  The French twist gives it another layer of dimension.

Some decor ideas to carry out this theme would be French urns in rich colors, centerpieces mixing flowers with fruit, elaborate cheese displays, wine favors with personalized labels (available from My Personal Artist), chandeliers, dark wood tables… there’s so much you can do with this theme.

I think I need to take a field trip to France, just to make sure I have this theme right!  :)

Where 2 Wednesday :: Magic comes to Galveston Island!

Copyright of Carnival Cruise Lines

Carnival’s newest Fun Ship ™ is slated to move from it’s European sailings to Galveston, Texas in November of 2011!  You will have a Western Caribbean variety of six, seven, and eight day cruises to locations such as (in no specific order) Costa Maya, Cozumel, Belize, Montego Bay, Isla Roatan, Key West, Freeport and Nassau.  Destination weddings and honeymoons are sure to be a hit on board the new Carnival Magic. Starting a wedding group is fun and easy.   Ask us how!

Texas Destination Wedding Planner