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.

We love assisting our clients in finding fun group activities to include as part of their wedding weekend of adventure!  I hold the Cancun / Riviera Maya / Yucatan very near and dear to my heart.  This area is so much more than beautiful beaches.  The culture is rich and there’s much to be experienced.  Not to mention, a quick direct flight via Continental Airlines from our very own George Bush International Airport (IAH) to Cancun International Airport (CUN)!

This week on Where 2 Wednesday :: Xel-ha [shell-ha]

As the largest natural aquarium in the world, this ecological park has fun and adventure to be had by all!  In addition to experiencing your destination wedding, your guests will also want to experience some of what your destination has to offer.  Chances are, you will have a variety of adventures to choose from.  Xel-ha is a great location to couple a variety of adventure options in one all-inclusive location.  At just over $70USD per adult and 50% off for children, this is noted at the best value adventure in the area.

In addition to all beverages,

snacks are included,

breakfast and lunch are also included,

you’ll enjoy ecological and cultural tours,

kids can take part in a child friendly adventure section,

visit a cenote [se'note] “The Mayan Cave”,

enjoy snorkeling,

cliff diving,

bicycling through the jungle,

relax on an inner tube,

and of course…  swim with the dolphins!

Share with us your Xel-ha experience in the comment box below!

Don’t forget to enter to win our free location styled engagement or anniversary photography session contest sponsored by MFL Photography and Precious Nuptials & Destinations.

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!

The Wonder File actually looks like a must try! I, of course, would order it in black and make it into a Precious Nuptials’ couture original. It’s a perfect wedding planning work station that you can fold right up and take with you. You’ll find slots for your inspiration pages, checklists, notes, fabric samples, receipts, check book, calculator and more. Wouldn’t this be a functional wedding planning organization station?

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!

As you write the chapter to your next adventure, this week on Where 2 Wednesday, we invite you to take a close look at Grand Velas All Suites & Spa Resort in Rivera Nayarit Mexico.  As a member of The Leading Hotels of the World®, you can count on a true luxurious experience and unparalleled service.

• 40 miles from Cancun International Airport (CUN)
• EST. Nov. 2008
• Minutes away from Xcaret and Xel-Ha (two of the area’s most beautiful ecological and water parks)
• 496 luxury suites with dedicated concierge service
• Adult only section — 96 Ambassador Suites
• Luxurious spa situated in the middle of a tropical jungle

Take a look at a few of the images we captured during our visit last year!

Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit Grand Entrance :: Your driver will slowly enter this jaw dropping stone wall entrance into clear glass opening gates. Brace yourself... your jungle tropical oasis awaits you!

King Suite offers sliding doors to expose bath area

Beautiful wood work and hand stone work graces this property perfectly. Opt for a personal plunge pool! You won't regret it.

Enjoy a clean eating experience. Pictured are the different offerings, a Grand Vela chef making his evening dinner catch and dinning room options.

The jungle location of the spa certainly sets the tone for total relaxation!

Our amateur images can’t do Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit justice!  We invite you to click virtual tour and photos selections below take a tour.  Once you’re done, immediately begin your honeymoon planning.  We know you won’t be disappointed!  If you have any questions, feel free to email our travel concierge directly at margaret {at} preciousnuptials {dot} com.

Dionne is originally from Australia, but moved to Houston from California this past year.  She brings to the industry an awesome ability to create unbelievable designs from basic details to vintage eye catchers.  You will come to know Dionne as a must have in your wedding planning and design experience.  She’s original, fun and loves to make her mark on weddings!  With out further ado, I present to you Dionne Christiansen!  {Crowd Cheers}

1. What do you love most about weddings?
I could say that I love that it celebrates the joining of two people in love, and that they get to celebrate with all the special people in their lives – but that would only be half true.  The other half would be that it’s the most detailed, personal, lovely party you’ll ever have!

2. What inspires you?
Unusual color combinations – when I see colors put together that I normally wouldn’t see together, it gets my brain thinking about other possibilities.
My husband – Brian is completely humble and selfless, and the way he lives his life is such an inspiration to me.  It’s that humble spirit that drew me to him in the first place, and he is always inspiring me to be a better person.  It sounds cheesy, but it’s so true.
My mother – my mum is the best cook ever!  Everything she cooks turns to gold.  She is known in her town for being a great cook, and people are always hoping for an invitation to Connie’s house for a yummy meal.  She is definitely my Cooking Muse!
Children – their innocence and unbridled creativity really is a marvel.  The things they say and the things they dream really spur me to be broader and less inhibited in my own plans and dreams.  I don’t have children of my own yet, but when I do, I am sure I will be inspired by them on a daily basis.

I have a double Bachelors Degree in Graphic Design and Marketing.  I was a graphic designer for 5 years, and my favorite thing to design was always wedding invitations.  I am such a romantic at heart.

I love people and I love creativity, so entertaining, cooking and baking are big hobbies of mine because I get to combine these two loves.  I really enjoy photography too, and pretty much like anything that involves me creating something.  I also like making things out of paper, and collecting tea cups and pretty plates.

Creme Brûlée.  Hands down.  I love that combination of the silky custard and the hard crackle of the hardened sugar on top.

Cherish every moment, and soak it all in – because it flies by so quickly.  And one more tip (this isn’t the most important, but I found it pretty handy on my wedding day) – don’t wear your garter all day, especially if you’re getting married outdoors or on a hot day, because it could get all hot and sweaty for the poor guy that has to catch it later on that day.  Instead, put it on half an hour before the garter toss – no one will ever know, and it will still be fresh and lovely for the lucky guy who catches it!

Dionne will immediately making regular appearances on our blog, local events and through social media.  So when you see her, please be sure to say hello!  You can also email her direct at dionne {at} preciousnuptials {dot} com.

Rose shaped organic sugar cubes! This is just too darn cute.

Wedding cake organic sugar shapes!

Sea shell shapes! How perfect for your destination wedding?

Don't know which flavor to try? Order a sample pack and customize the shape to your needs.

Be sure to visit their website and become their friend on Facebook.  Be sure to tell them you saw it first here!

PS::  A special thanks to Carter Elite Travel for sharing this with us!

But…

Before we talk about the beauty, tradition, heritage, the people and the wonderful destination wedding possibilities, let’s talk about the reason many are shying away from a destination wedding in Mexico due to the ongoing reports of  Mexico’s drug cartels violence at the border.  These reports are real and one can’t help but question the possibility of safe travels.  To this I say, “We Houstonians are closer to the border violence than The Yucatan, Mexico (referring also to Cancun and Riviera Maya) is to its own border violence issues.”

We visited our local Fox 26 Houston website and took the last ten reports (as of May 5, 2010) and placed them on a pin map.  What did we find?  Houston is approximately 300 land miles from the border violence.  Yes, it’s that close to home.  Which is understandably why it’s such a  hot topic of discussion.  However, The Yucatan, Cancun and the Riviera Maya is 800 flight miles away.  Depending on drive route, more than double the miles by land (1700+).  For the record, I can’t imagine anyone in their right mind that would attempt a drive through Mexico to get to The Yucatan.

It’s a given, crime can be found globally.  Everyone is responsible for their own destiny.  We can simply testify that during our two trips to this area in the past five months, we didn’t see nor experience  violence-ridden Mexico in the Cancun, Riviera Maya and The Yucatan area that is unfortunately taking place at the Mexico Border.

To visit our interactive map here for details on pin points, please send us your email address.

To your precious nuptial  :: Cheers!

No doubt, it’s all in the attitude.  We can’t control the weather, but we can certainly control our reactions and overall attitudes to things we cannot control.  If you’re planning a tropical destination wedding, it’s not uncommon for the sky to open up one minute and the sun to peak through the clouds the next.  Embrace this possibility and run with it… the grown and sexy way!

Here’s a clip of Molly and Jason’s beautiful rainy day wedding from ABC’s The Bachelor ::

Tell us…

How would you like a wet, rainy wedding ceremony?  I’d totally dig it!  After all, rain on your wedding day is a sign of good luck.  [wink]

Until next time!

[Here's to your precious nuptial :: Cheers!]