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 :) .

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!

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!  :)

Themed-up Thursday: A Vintage Garden theme

Are you a Green Thumb?  Do you enjoy gardening or visits to the arboretum?  Capturing the beauty of the outdoors is a common theme among weddings.  Gardens remind us of love and romance, taking us back to novels and tales that set our hearts a-flutter.  That’s why I love Vintage Garden Weddings.

Set amongst the backdrop of nature, your event can be set under the stars, or under the morning light.  There are so many ways that you can reinforce your Vintage Garden theme, and here are just a few ideas.

- A whimsical Garden cupcake topper, like those found at Lollipop Workshop.

- Give guests a romantic floral handkerchief as their take-home favor.  You can find beautiful vintage ones at Sadie Olive, Vintage Nelly, and Artemisia’s Closet.

- Arrange your ceremony programs in a vintage garden cart.  You can find carts at Garden Plant Stands and Hobby Lobby.

- A lovely treat for your guests would be Flower Pot Cupcakes.  Martha Stewart has a great recipe and tutorial here.  I’ve made them before, and believe me – not only will they impress your guests, but they taste delicious!

- Instead of a regular satin ring pillow, have your Ring Bearer carry your rings on a lovely tufted moss ring pillow.  You can learn how to make them at this tutorial at Once Wed, or if you aren’t very good at DIY Projects, you can purchase one similar at April Hiler Design.

There’s so many possibilities with this theme.  What would you include in a Vintage Garden theme wedding?

An Indian Affair

I love learning about other cultures and seeing those cultures and traditions incorporated into a couple’s wedding day.  A perfect example of this was a lovely Indian Wedding that I had the pleasure of helping out with.

This was my first ever Indian Wedding experience.  Atlanta-based event planning company Kis3 Event Planning contacted us to see if we would be interested in helping coordinate this two-day wedding with their team.  I was excited to be part of it, and I learned a lot about Indian traditions.  The girls from Kis3 taught me the meaning of all the different ceremonies, and my favorite would have to be Bharat.

Bharat is the Indian tradition where the Groom rides a white horse to his Bride’s home.  His family follow him, dancing along the way – like a big, colorful parade, with drums and music and celebrating.  Then when he arrives at her home, the Bride and her family welcome in the Groom and his side of the family.  This tradition was modernized for this Houston wedding at Hotel ZaZa.  Instead of a white horse, the Groom rode in a yellow Viper, and the Houston Police Department were on hand to direct traffic while the Bharat festivities hit the streets of the Houston Museum District.

The Bride really liked bright colors, and her palette reflected that Indian flair with modern Western touches such as glass cube vases, along with the swanky Hotel Zaza ambience.

The wedding went wonderfully, capturing all the color and fun of India, but with a modern Western twist.

Themed-up Thursdays: A School Themed Weddings

Are you marrying your high school sweetheart?  Are you both school teachers?  If so, then a School-themed wedding might be a fun theme for your wedding day.

What do you think of when you think of your school days?  Books, chalkboards, apples for the teachers… and if you went to a Private school like I did, you’d think of plaid uniforms.

The best way to make a resonating theme throughout your wedding is in the small details.  Introduce the theme in your wedding invitations so that guests will have a sneak-peek of what to expect on your day.  You could make your invitation look like a note that you passed in class, but instead of ratty, torn-up paper, you could have it professionally printed on cardstock with a feint-ruled background, but have the edges hole punched like it was ripped from a notebook.  Another way you could do it is to have your invitations inserted into a vintage schoolbook, similar to what Jessica Claire did here for her wedding invitations.

Here are some ideas for different elements of your School-themed Wedding:

Favors: Apples, pencil sets stamped with your names and the wedding date, a copy of To Kill a Mockingbird (or another book that was required-reading in school that you enjoyed), a lunchbox with your favorite type of sandwich for guests to munch on for the ride home.

Decor: Apple place card holders, a chalkboard seating chart, a locker to store coats/jackets.

Just remember to carry your theme throughout your event – from your favors, to your decorations.  Have fun with it, and remember details specific to your schooling experience as a couple.  It will make for a memorable day for all your guests!

Don’t forget about our Engagement/Anniversary shoot contest.  Come by and enter over here.

Win a free Engagement/Anniversary Shoot!

One of the most important wedding vendors you could possibly choose would be your photographer.  They are responsible for capturing the special moments of your day – one of the only tangible reminders you’ll have after the wedding is over, so choosing a great photographer is imperative.

Precious Nuptials & Destinations is teaming up with MFL Photography to bring to you a fantastic giveaway – a photo shoot captured by MFL Photography and styled by us!  We are excited to be working together with Prashant, the owner and head photographer, who is full of creativity, fresh ideas, and passion for the wedding industry.

CONTEST DETAILS:

This contest is open to any couple who will be available in the Houston area on the afternoon/early evening of Sunday, September 26, 2010.  You can be engaged or married, as this shoot will be either an engagement shoot or an anniversary shoot.  The prize will be a one-hour photo shoot captured by MFL Photography and styled by Precious Nuptials & Destinations, along with 20 digital images and two 8×10 prints.

HOW TO ENTER:

1. We want to hear your story!  Email me at dionne@preciousnuptials.com in 250 words or less either how you two met or how he proposed.  Make sure that in the Subject Line of your email you put “Photoshoot Giveaway”  and then both your names (eg. Photoshoot Giveaway: Alexandra & Jason) or your entry might not be included.

2. Please also include a brief sentence or two about your personal style and tastes so that we can start thinking about how we’ll style your photo shoot if you win (eg. “we both like bright colors, the beach and picnics, and quirky movies”).

3. Also make sure to attach a photo of the two of you together.

4. “Like” Precious Nuptials & Destinations and MFL Photography on Facebook.

CONTEST DEADLINE:

The submission period ends Tuesday, August 31st 2010 at 12 midnight.  Any emails received after then will not be entered into the contest.  Then from there we will review each story received and pick our three favorites, and then post them here on the blog and Facebook for the world to see on Tuesday, September 7th, 2010.  At this point, the contest is in the hands of blogland.  Readers will have one week to vote for their favorite story by “liking” the couple of their choice’s post on Facebook, or by emailing me at dionne@preciousnuptials.com with the couples’ name as the Subject Heading (i will repost how to vote when we get to that stage).  The winner will be emailed and announced here on the blog no later than Friday, September 17th, 2010.

Good luck!

Themed-up Thursdays: A Long-Distance Themed Wedding

One of my favorite things about Weddings is how personal they are.  The most memorable weddings to me have always been the ones where you can really see the personality and background of the couple in all the details.

To kick off Themed-up Thursdays, I thought it would be appropriate to get the ball rolling by talking about a theme close to my heart – Long-distance themed Weddings.

My husband and I had a 2-year Long-distance relationship before we got married, so we really wanted to reflect that in our wedding details.  Some ways that we made that theme clear was to have our flower arrangements sprouting out of suitcases (the suitcases symbolized all our traveling back and forth), a quirky suitcase wedding cake, guests threw paper airplanes instead of confetti or rice, and our wedding invitations also carried the long-distance theme saying “Brian & Dionne’s ‘Kiss Long-Distance Goodbye’ Wedding Celebration”.

Everyone at the wedding commented on the theme, and said it was one of the most memorable weddings they’d ever been to.

When planning a long-distance themed wedding, think about items that remind you of that.  Items like vintage telephones, letters, postcards, passports and luggage tags are all great ways to punctuate your wedding with this theme.  Other decor elements like world globes and maps would add an interesting, unexpected element to your decor.  Remember, not everything needs to be white and frilly.  Today’s weddings are more about the couple themselves, not traditional frills and lace.  You want to make your wedding be recognizable as your day instead of a generic wedding that could be for any couple.

Here are two great Long-distance themed elements online.  A set of recycled map envelopes from Picklehead, along with a lovely vintage telephone from Tessimal.  If you have any great ideas for Long-distance themed items, feel free to share them with our readers in the comments!