OmniBride™ & TWC: New Beginnings & Fond Farewells
The Wedding Chat has been a labor of love and a launching pad to something new and exciting for the entire online wedding community. You see we discovered a black hole…
As bloggers in the wedding industry we adore the vast blogosphere but, for a while, have felt such a deep void when attempting to research and find great content. Oh, we know it’s out there. In fact we take pride in the topics we’ve covered. But think about it-when you try to find something it’s often a time-consuming, hit-or-miss experience. There is so much valuable information out there and searching is like drifting aimlessly out in space.
Well, our frustration turned into opportunity. We connected with some tech virtuosos to help us create OmniBride, the first search-find-share destination solely for the wedding industry.
Our mission was to bring the entire online wedding community together so none of us has to wander aimlessly through the Internet to find great ideas, inspirations and resources.
We are just beginning to officially launch OmniBride and say a fond farewell to The Wedding Chat. We are sad for TWC to end as it has been steadily growing in popularity but feel our mission to bring together the entire online wedding community is the best use of our energies. We felt it even more when blogger Kelly Gribben, Keg Design, landed on us while she was randomly checking her site meter…”I discovered OmniBride as a referring site and one that is solely devoted to wedding-related things. What a cool concept! It’s definitely something the online wedding community can use.” We hope you think so too!
For brides: You’ll find that OmniBride is the most comprehensive destination for researching and planning your wedding.
For bloggers: Your voices will be heard by an exponentially greater audience. If the community loves your content, your stats will grow—and so will your fan base.
For industry: You have the opportunity to find out what the online wedding community is saying (or not saying) about your goods and services. You can engage in the community dialogues.
For journalists: This is your tool for researching and uncovering the latest buzz and resources.
You have the power to rate the value of a search result by either “loving” or “trashing” it so, unlike a general search engine, the community determines what rises to the top. So participate often and let your voice be heard throughout the wedding universe!
But there’s more to OmniBride—check out our feeds for the daily news and the most current wedding-related contests and giveaways. And if it’s being talked about—we’ll find it!
You may have noticed that this is a BETA version of OmniBride. This means that Version 1 is ready for take-off. But our vision doesn’t end here—count on an explosion of features and functions in the near future. For now, enjoy your exploration…and let us know about your experiences of finding it in the wedding cosmos.
Modern-Ancient Roman Wedding
If you want to create impact and something totally unique - add fire to your wedding ceremony! Imagine how dramatic two of these Tower units from EcoSmart Fire would look – a great alternative to an arbor or floral display. And when the wedding’s over, you’ll have a haute alternative to a traditional fireplace in your home.
EcoSmart Fire is an Australian innovation and every one of their products is environmentally friendly and safe. They’re flue less and don’t require special utility installation so they fit anywhere. Fueled by denatured ethanol, they burn clean and are virtually maintenance free.
The Tower is a modern interpretation of the entrance lighting that signified prominent status during the Roman Empire. Constructed of black or white powder coated steel, it features a stainless steel burner insert and toughened glass surround. It can be installed indoors or out. You can find EcoSmart Fire products all over the world. – JM
Wedding Design Find…Just Add Water!
I can recall just a handful of years ago, I shopped till I dropped everywhere on the San Francisco Peninsula trying to find enough clear and teal glass pearls to fill some extraordinarily large Martini centerpiece vases.
So you can imagine why these “Just add water” decorative Water Pearls caught my eye while perusing the online weddisphere and landed me at MYWEDDINGFAVORS.COM. My how times have changed! The 2oz. Water Pearl packages are about the size of a large coin purse and when water is added they expand 400 times their original size and yield a total of about 1.5 gallons! Well, I think it is obvious what I would use if I had to do this design all over again…browse product pictures and package instructions below.
Package Instructions:
Add 1 teaspoon of dehydrated pearls to 1.5 cups of tap water. Allow a minimum of 2 hours to expand. To fully hydrate, leave overnight. Total contents of one package will create approximately 5.75 litres/1.5 gallons of hydrated Water Pearls. Over time, the water will evaporate, and the pearl level in your container will shrink. Refresh by simply adding more water. The product can be stored and saved for future use. It is recommended that hydrated Water Pearls be placed in an airtight container and stored at room temperature. Rinse in fresh water prior to creating your next Water Pearl decoration.
Water Pearls are available in aqua, pink, sapphire, black or clear crystals and can be purchased through the online wedding favor retailer www.myweddingfavors.com. -LM
$5,000 Wedding – Dancing Under the Stars
BRIDAL GUIDE asked me to come up with a elegant wedding idea for fifty guests at a budget of $5,000: It’s strictly ballroom these days thanks to the Hollywood’s current culture craze. So it’s time to celebrate in Tinseltown style and have your first wedding dance under the stars. Here’s how you can pull it off brilliantly…
VENUE: Ballroom Dance Studio
THEME: Dancing Under The Stars
GRAND ENTRANCE: Red Carpet & Stanchions (Rentals) Guests will walk the red carpet and enter through Dance Studio Entrance.
COLOR THEME: Ruby Red, Dark Teal, Silver, & White
ROSE CONSTELLATION (STARS): The star effect is created using LED Floralytes tucked into roses hung with clear fishing line. 100 to 150 rose lights can be hung by pinning in the acoustic tiles or, pinned into fabric or hung from clear netting.
Rose Constellation Photo By: Soo Photography.com
MUSIC: Typically Dance Studios have a sound system in place, so you can load up your MP3 player with hours of the perfect dance music. Go to www.abc.com to the Dancing with the Stars on the ABC website for a list of the music played each week and make your music play list from this.
ENTERTAINMENT: Hire a ballroom dance couple for an hour at the reception to teach a few steps and to entertain your guests.
ADDITIONAL DECOR: Give your dance-shy guests a place to hang out and drape a few tall cocktail tables with Teal Linen and create vase luminaries to give the glowing star effect by wrapping star punched craft paper around straight, clear, candle-filled glass vases. Tuck a few votives and rich red rose heads around the base of the luminaries so your centerpieces will have a touch of elegance. Add additional chairs around the studio when your guests feel like sitting one out.
FAVORS: If the dance studio has a ballet bar, hang custom CD’s with your favorite dance tunes. They’ll reflect the light for a Disco Ball effect and let them double as the wedding favors. An alternative idea is to send your parched guests home with a bottle of spring water with a custom star-themed label from Beaucoup Fine Favors or Silver Star Bath Beads from Loop Creations, so they can kick of their dancing shoes and relax their tired feet.
MENU: For this party budget, the caterer can provide the 5 additional passed hors d’oeuvres, various cigar cookies, and the service to include the Caviar Station Attendant.
- DIY American Caviar Tasting Station -
You don’t have to spend a fortune to enjoy this ocean treasure. The American Caviars such as Hackleback Sturgeon, Paddlefish, and Flavored Whitefish Roe are very affordable, decadent and can be creatively displayed and served with traditional accoutrements to include lemon slices, crème fraiche, and toast points. With gourmet infused flavors such as Truffle, Ginger, and Beet-Saffron from San Francisco’s Tsar Nicoulai Caviar Company, this station is sure to impress your guests!
To make it even more special, ask the caterer to provide a station attendant (This person can also manage portion control.)
The tasting station should be set up using a 6ft. table with a shimmery Teal Tablecloth such as Wildflower Linen’s Iridescent Teal Taffeta.
Use Tall Clear Glass Vases partially filled with rock salt or recycled glass chips. Rock salt can be found very inexpensively at any local hardware store. Recycled glass chips can be purchased online from American Specialty Glass.
Photo By: Soo Photography.com
Nestle in tall, extended branches and hang silver star ornaments among the branches to add sparkle. The caviar can be displayed and served using two–part martini glasses that often double as caviar servers.
- Passed Hors d’oeuvres Menu Ideas -
Mini ‘Cobb’ with Watercress, Shaved Point Reyes Blue Cheese,
Crisped Pancetta, & Early Girl Tomato Vinaigrette Drizzle
Served in Tiny Butter Lettuce Cups and Garnished with Quail Egg
Dungeness Crab & Asparagus Tartlets “Au Gratin”
with Red Torpedo Onion Marmalade
Sambuca Marinated Breast of Chicken
Wrapped in Hobbs Rustica Prosciutto on Crostinis with Scallion Pesto
Medallions of Porcini & Garlic Marinated Beef Tenderloin
with “ Merlot-Morel Jus” on Rosemary Ciabatta Rounds
Marinated Portobello Mushrooms, Toasted Pine Nuts and Banyuls Glace,
on Herbed-Asiago Brioche Bread Pudding
- A Sweet Stogie Ending -
Ending with Cigars is a luxury experience. A perfect end to an elegant evening, without the smoke, would be passing “stogie” sweets: a myriad of handmade Butter Tuille, Florentine, and Meringue cigar-shaped cookies, elegantly displayed in cigar boxes.
Additional ideas include, replacing the inside box label with a custom design, or you can even individually wrap the cookies with custom cigar labels. Empty cigar boxes can be found for a bargain price or free at your local smoke shop. The cookies can be purchased at your local bakery or the caterer might have a pastry chef available. You might even find something acceptable at a gourmet grocery store. – LM
These Chairs are Rockin’!
Can You Sing Louie, Louie?
LOUIS CHAIRS that is!!! BLUEPRINT STUDIO COLLECTION has recently added to their Studio Couture collection of event furnishings these new chairs inspired by the Louis Ghost Chair. These chairs will add a touch of elegance to any wedding or event and as you can see below, they come in a variety of popular colors such as Ruby Red, Emerald Green, Blue Topaz, Silver, Gold, and Black.
BLUEPRINT STUDIOS is based in San Francisco and services the Bay Area, plus destinations throughout the United States.
All that’s left to say is..MOVE OVER CHIVARI, because LOUIS is on its way!
Visit www.blueprintstudiocollection.com to request pricing information and availablity.
Mirror, mirror on the wall…
Whose got the best selection of them all?
If you are looking to make your event, wedding, or trade exhibition stand out from the rest, then BLUEPRINT STUDIO COLLECTION is the be all and end all when it comes to event rental furnishings. They are based in San Francisco and service the Bay Area, plus destinations throughout the United States.
BLUEPRINT STUDIOS furnishing collections, with names from Soma, to Milano, to Barcelona, and more, include a vast selection of seating, tables, and accent pieces ranging in trend-setting styles, designs, and colors to create that perfect lounge environment.
No dud apples to be found here, just luxurious damask lounges, yellow mirrors, leather couches, and ruby red chandeliers!
I am a HUGE fan of this company and their furnishings. I think they are by far THE best lounge act in town! Visit www.blueprintstudiocollection.com to request pricing information and availablity.
Bright Lights – Oh, Starry Night!
There are many tricks of the trade, and here I will share with you one of them…how to bring a touch of bright light to your event with the use of LED (light-emitting diode) lights made by ACOLYTE.
ACOLYTE FloraLytes™ come in all colors of the rainbow and are available in a submersible model. They can be used to light up decorative glass or marbles, floral arrangements, promotional displays, and even the night sky by hanging from Chinese lanterns or the trees. Oh, starry night!
In the pictures below, I planned the lighting for a walkway using the small LED FloraLytes tucked into and strung through real rose heads with clear fishing line. It not only created a magical starry-night feeling as the guests exited the event, but it was also beautiful while the guests arrived, because it just looked like there were pink roses hanging from the trees. The lights weren’t even noticeable. This design was a surprise for the bride and created such an amazing effect that I can’t wait to do this one again! Surprised she was…and she was all smiles!
Above Photos Courtesy of www.soophotography.com
In the picture below, I created a custom caviar station for an event in Carmel, and you can see that the ice in the square vases with floating gardenias is slightly glowing.
There is endless creativity when it comes to using ACOLYTE LED FloraLytes. Click here to view the colors and details in PDF format or visit their site at www.acolyteled.com
To purchase ACOLYTE products, visit www.partybrights.com
