Bety & Tony

Wow, Welcome to Southern California! Less than two months, and we've been busy over here at Adair Weddings. I have been remiss in updating, and for that I apologize! I'm a little behind in posting a fewnt events, but due to circumstances, it's going to be that way for a while! So, I'm skipping a little ahead and posting the most recent event we did, a bilingual ceremony/reception for a lovely couple here in the High Desert of Southern California, Bety & Tony. Bety is from Panama, and she made a simply stunning bride! The couple choose a gorgeous palette of fall colors, and with some custom linens, and some creative budgeting, we turned a simple affair into a smashing success!

>For her bouquet, Bety choose Hydreangeas, Roses (Safari, Circus, and Freedom), and gorgeous Yellow Oriental Lilies (that smelled divine!). I did it all up in a hand-tied arrangement with a base of chocolate satin ribbon, and a gorgeous two-toned silk wired ribbon in the French-Wrap style with pearl accents.

For the bridesmaids I used just one flower, red carnations. The effect was a stunning yet simple bouquet that smelled lovely! I used a shimmery light chocolate wired ribbon for the wrap.

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Bety and Tony also had us create the Bridal Cake, about 250 cake balls (in leiu of a Groom's Cake), and a custom coffee-bar. With the problem of not having access to a kitchen, we took the huge silver coffee pots, filled them with bottled water, and an array of instant coffee, hot tea, instant cappucino, and a gorgeous tower of speciality cookies! For the coffee table I had various toppings, from chocolate powder right down to the miniature marshmallows for the hot chocolate. I think this may become one of our signature items, it was fun to do, and the guests really enjoyed having the treat. (this was a non-alcoholic wedding)

20/Tony+Wedding+116.JPG">The cake was a 3-tier White Chocolate cake with buttercream and a white fondant covering. I used this gorgeous chocolate satin ribbon to wrap around the cake, and an antique crystal brooch on the bow that was on the center tier. The cake topper was provided by the groom's mother. We "staged" the whole cake table, with custom linens, tiers of plated cake balls, and a few extra touches.

Bety's sons also treated us to a selection of their singing, they are pop stars in their native country of Panama. I recommend looking them up on youtube, Amor by Cesar y Thiago. I wish them luck in their future together, and can't wait for them to release a CD!!

Cheers!

Julia

Miller/Hornbeck Wedding, 9-12-09

Some images from a wedding we did in McKinney, Texas on September 12, 2009. Held at the historic Heard-Craig Hall, it was a gorgeous evening affair, despite the raging thunderstorm outside! The bride chose chocolate, teal & diamond white as her colors, and what a stunning combination it was! She wore a diamond white strapless dress accented by a mocha beaded sash. Her bridesmaids wore chocolate dresses, and her maid of honor a gorgeous teal dress to match the vests that the groomsmen wore.


The Bridal Cake & Groom's Cake were made by the talented Annie Hall of Annie's Culinary Creations in Murphy, Texas. One of the most talented bakers I have had the privilege to work with, not only are her cakes works of art, they taste as good as they look!






The bridal cake was a 3-tier Italian Cream cake with buttercream icing. The groom's cake was a classic Chocolate, except the shape took it from a yummy cake, to a spectacular LOOKING cake as well!! Add in all those hand-dipped tuxedo strawberries, and it becoming a simply delicious cake cutting.

The bride ordered gorgeous arrangements for her centerpieces, consisting of Antique Green Hydrangeas nestled at the mouth of large 20" cylinder vases with 6" tall Curly Willow branches sprouting from the center. We also hung crystals to reflect the candlelight from below.



These are quickly becoming my "signature" centerpiece....they really are gorgeous, and do make a nice statement, especially if your reception is held in a location with tall, tall ceilings. We help keep the costs reasonable by renting the vases & crystals at prices lower than any other vendor (that we know of!!). Depending on the size of willow & amount of hydrangeas (or if you want additional flowers nestled in the hydrangeas), these range anywhere from $45-$150 per table.

For the bridal bouquet I used dark purple calla lilies nestled among the gorgeous hydrangeas, and accented with Polar Star white roses. The handle was wrapped french-style with teal & chocolate satin ribbons. The groom wore a single dark purple calla lily wrapped in teal ribbon.

The bridesmaids carried a combination of Polar Star Roses & assorted colors of hydrangeas wrapped in chocolate & teal satin ribbons.

Each bouquet was carefully put together by hand, hand tied, and wrapped with luscious double-sided satin ribbons in colors to match the various colors the bride picked out for her special day. The effect was stunning, and each bouquet was unique!!

See our facebook "fan page" for more pictures from this event!

Facebook Photo Album for the Miller/Hornbeck Wedding
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=140747&id=98018008614&ref=mf

Next up, photographs from the Zimmerman/Williams Wedding on September 26th, 2009. A gorgeous affair at the El Dorado Country Club in McKinney, Texas.

Cheers from Sunny California!!

-Julia

Adair Weddings has moved!

Adair Weddings is now located in sunny Southern California! We will still be providing services to brides in the DFW area upon request, and look forward to making new contacts in California.

The only real change is that the roses we normally get may be a touch smaller, as the source we normally use isn't a chain. However, the quality of our work will stay the same, and our pricing will still be affordable.

We're running a moving special, take 10% off any floral order! Book your date & place a deposit to hold your date by the end of 2009, and take advantage of the savings. No restrictions on dates, as long as your deposit is in by December 31st, 2009.

Keep an eye out, we'll be posting pictures of a few recent weddings. Combine the move with two HUGE weddings, and we're a little behind on blogging.

Cheers!

BIG Changes on the way!!!

Keep an eye out for some changes, news, and annoucements! Some very exciting things are happening around here in the next couple of months!! (in addition to the one wedding I still need to post pictures from, and the two I have coming up in Sept)

Cheers everyone!


-Julia

June Wedding

A while back I had the pleasure of doing the flowers for a lovely bride, Ashley.

She wore an Ivory beaded strapless gown, and her bridesmaids wore Lavender strapless dresses that had a beaded bodice. The groomsmen wore all black, and the groom wore a black suit. The ties were in shades of lavender, to match the bridesmaids dresses. It was a very chic look, and enabled the bridal party to stay cool in the 100-degree weather! (even at 5pm!!)

Here's some pictures, both from the event, and the flowers before. The photographer was a friend of Ashley's, when I am able to find her name, I will give her credit. She did a fabulous job!

The ceremony was held in Ashley's mother's back yard garden, and they had a reception following. While a simple affair, it was simply stunning! Her mother's back yard is a wonderful place to have a party, even more so for a wedding!

Bridal Bouquet, with Calla Lilies

& Blue Curiosa Roses. Two of the Bridesmaids Bouquets, also with the Calla Lilies, but with Vendela Roses.

All were tied with Ivory Satin ribbon, and the Bridesmaids Bouquets had beautiful organza ribbon bows. I also attached a

lovely little pendant on the Bridal Bouquet for Ashley, it was a Champagne Diamond, to match her Engagement Ring. (she has a lovely Champagne Diamond solitaire!!) I don't have any pictures of it, but it was "something old" for her.

Corsages, Vendela Ivory Roses, and Blue Curiosa Roses with a wired ivory satin bow. Could either be pinned or worn as a wrist corsage.

Some shots of the tables & the red carpet. The centerpieces were sand-filled vases with sea shells & candles, with a scatter of rose petals on around them.

For the aisle that Ashley walked down, she found a gorgeous red carpet, and I scattered rose petals on it. Such a fun touch, the red carpet!

She was such a beautiful bride, and it shows that you don't have to spend a small fortune to have a BEAUTIFUL wedding!!

I was even able to "upgrade" all of her flowers, adding some things she didn't even expect. This is what I love about what I do, being able to provide beautiful items for a bride who may have otherwise had to go down to Costco, buy flowers, and put them together herself.

Next up, photographs from the Jackson-Barlow wedding! A last-minute affair I threw together in 7 days (it was a blast!!)

Twitter!

Adair Weddings is now on Twitter!!

https://twitter.com/AdairWeddings

Nothing very exciting yet.....I can't decide what to "update" about to be honest!! I don't think "the heat is driving me crazy" is interesting...since I'm sure it's driving everyone in Dallas crazy!

Also, sorry for not blogging lately, I've been having a wee bit of trouble getting INTO blogger the past couple of weeks. BUT, I have been writing a bit, I just need to do an edit and copy/paste on here.

Stay cool everyone...seems like summer here in the Big D is going to be WICKED!!! Keep your flowers in the fridge as much as possible before your wedding....no bride wants wilted flowers on her big day!

Ta-Ta for now

Recent Creations

So, yeah, I have been rather remiss in my blogging as of late. It's this brutal transition from spring to summer....ugh! One would THINK that after 10 Dallas summer, I would be used to the brutal heat, scorching sun, and wilting humidity!

However, the heat has NOT stopped the creative machine that I am (hahaha!), here's some recent things I've thrown together, and a view of what happens when you keep curly willow branches around!!

I found these GORGEOUS pink bi-color roses, white roses, and a few solid pink roses, hand-tied (and all the roses are the HUGE ones, I really do try to always work with the larger roses...60-70cm. They just make that much MORE of a statement! And contrary to what many will tell you, they are NOT that much more expensive. Don't settle for 40-cm roses ladies!!!!) with this unique two-tone wired ribbon, accented with a gorgeous antique "something blue" brooch. Even more amazing, I took all the pictures! (in the middle of the night...and even employed a couple new photography tricks!)

A close up of the brooch I stuck on here. Another brooch that I picked up in a lot on ebay (love ebay for wedding items!! IF you know what to look for!!). I put it on here merely for the purpose of taking the picture, so if this brooch is your hearts desire, I am sure I can part with it. It's blue crystals, and tiny little seed "pearls" (not real I am sure). Even further creating the authenticity of it being an antique, it's missing a couple stones. Very much a "something old" item!! I just love this one, it's really one of the more unique brooches I have come across.

Curly Willow is VERY popular for centerpieces. It's gorgeous, TALL, and it really makes a statement. Plus it's not a small fortune. However, I have recently discovered something new about this little branch. When kept in water, water that is changed and kept fresh, it makes roots, THEN it makes new growth! So while the hydrangeas have long since dried out (but I keep them, just because they are still beautiful, plus it's great to see an example of "width" in a centerpiece), these curly willow branches just get prettier!!

As I started only really "tending" 3 of the 5 "sticks", only 3 have sprouted at this point. But you can see in this closeup, how much new growth there is! When I first purchased these about a month ago, they were just sticks, with about 5 green spots.

Now they have roots, and are really sprouting! So my experiment will continue, to see how green I can actually get these suckers. I have faith I can get them pretty green, because the curly willow from the Ling/Lichliter wedding is doing the same thing, it just has about a month head start on mine. I need to pop back down there and take a picture of the two big vases of them, they are GORGEOUS!! We used those HUGE vases (that are really big candle holders from Target), and put the rocks in the bottom. Now the roots are growing into the rocks, the branches just so green & lovely, that I am going to attempt to make the bit I have in MY house do the same thing!!

I didn't take a picture of the roots on MY curly willow yet, because it's not enough to show up on the camera. I estimate a few more weeks, it will really be awesome!!! And yes, those hydrangeas are dead...they've dried out, but still retain their shape, color, etc. I love it!!

A pretty little bouquet. White & Pink roses, Hot Pink Hydrangea, Blue Hydrangea, and these GORGEOUS big leafy green things that I have NO idea what they are, but I have to find out, because they are just awesome!

Side view. You can see the fun "treatment" that I gave the handle...with the chocolate satin ribbon, and chocolate "sparkle" tulle. I don't normally cover the handle entirely, but I thought it would be pretty on this one. Especially with the big green things in the bouquet.

For some reason, I cannot get the second bouquet to "flip" (the photograph!!). It's white roses, bi-color pink roses, with blue hydrangeas throughout. I did the hand-tied effect, on this one I first wrapped the stems with chocolate satin ribbon, and then did a french-style wrap with the turquoise blue ribbon, and added some pearls. A bride of mine, Karen, we are doing something nearly identical, but with just WHITE roses, and then the gorgeous dark purple calla lilies. Her color of blue is a tad lighter, but I believe she's wanting a similar wrap on the handle. Unless I find something so fabulous, she changes her mind! *smiles*

Which brings me to this. So I had mentioned the whole finding dresses on the fly, etc. I found the most GORGEOUS silk Lazaro gown. It's this stunning Ivory silk, but the style, no way, it's such a throwback to the 90's. However, I picked it up so cheap (under $20), I am going to do the unthinkable and take it apart for the fabric. Ivory silk bouquet wraps....how gorgeous will that be? *drools* At a cheaper cost than the synthetic ones I can get through my wholesaler! (and can be completely custom!!)

So, off to find a decent pair of scissors. I lost my really good pair at a recent wedding. WHOOPS!

Wowzers, I've been a little naughty over the past week, not writing anything!! With the holiday weekend, and the last week of school, it's like bam!, things are insane!

I thought I'd cover some cute things today....accessories!! Favors, garters, fun little touches that are what makes a wedding personal!

I came across this fabulous little company the other day, they are based in Miami, GirlyBows, and they make the most exquisite party favors, table decor, and some really "girly" accessories! Great for showers, weddings, birthday parties, etc. I especially love the money/card boxes, and I LOVE that everything is custom made!

http://www.girlybows.com/

Garters...
To wear or not to wear. Brides, even if you aren't going to do the all-famous (and embarrassing!) toss, I think you should wear one, even if only you and your husband are the ones who see it. (and maybe the photographer because he/she took a shot of it before you put it on) It's just a tradition I feel shouldn't be forgotten!! However, there is always the problem of finding ONE that is "you". I mean, who wants the same old boring one from Wal-Mart that everyone else buys? It's not like you can walk into any department store or lingerie department and BUY one either (they really are quite hard to find!!), so many brides turn to the internet. There are many sites that have some gorgeous (and expensive ones), but hey, you only get married once, right? =) Here's some sites I love for this (and one ebay seller that has pretty ones!) Many of these places also sell coordinating accessories for other aspects of your wedding as well. Several do custom orders.

Wedding Favors Unlimited
http://www.weddingfavorsunlimited.com/Wedding_Garters.html

My Garter, personalized & custom garters
http://mygarter.com/

Ice Standard
http://www.icestandard.org/content/view/102/wedding-bridal-garters.html

Eye Catching Creations (Military & Sports themes! Website is a little difficult to navigate)
http://www.eyecatchingcreations.com/mystore/

Trent Valley Mercantile-Canadian Ebay Seller
They do alot of custom items, all is very good quality, and fabulous customer service. What more could a girl ask for?? Oh yeah, they don't charge you a small fortune!
http://stores.shop.ebay.com/Trent-Valley-Mercantile__W0QQ_armrsZ1


I have to say, I know I listed several different companies to find garters, but hands down, I recommend the last the most. Their pricing is amazing, and they just have gorgeous items! Debbie is quick to respond, and I always like to recommend small-time merchants if I can. =)


As far as other wedding accessories, ring pillow, guest book, flower girl basket, there are just SO many options out there. Most of the companies I posted in regards to garters also sell these other items, many of them to match the garter. A really neat option for the flower girl & ring bearer is to buy plain white (or ivory) basket/pillow, and then "dress" them up with your wedding colors by using ribbons, crystals, charms, etc. You can take a $6 pillow and turn it into a work of art without spending $45 on something that is going to be used for less than an hour! Same with the basket. If you are really creative, you can actually make these two things.

For the guest book, a fun idea is to use a scrapbook, start a few pages back, and have guests write in their "advice", "best wishes", etc. Then you can add your pictures in after the pages of the written advice, and the first few pages can be your invitation, program, and other items from you wedding (place cards, table numbers, things like that). It's a great keepsake, and you'll have it forever! Plus you can display it on your coffee table! Whereas the normal guestbook, well, if you're like me, it'll be stuck up in a closet for the next million and a half years! In the years since my wedding, that guest book, that was SOOOoooooooooooooooooo important (and that I spend like $40 on!) hasn't been opened more than once. The ONLY reason I've even opened it? Because I was digging in a closet for something and it fell off the shelf it was on and bonked me in the head!

How about instead of buying a $20 pen with the feather & weird stand, taking a few plain Bic pens, wrapping them in ribbons (to match your colors), and topping with various silk flowers. Place these in a ribbon wrapped cup (try ikea for a glass, they are under $1!) or clear glass with some type of rocks or clear gems at the bottom, and voila!, you have a pretty container that is actually pens! You can also take these pens (and you can use gel inks if you want some color & sparkle) and make them like a small flower "garden" by using larger containers. Use some sand in the container, and wrap the pens with green ribbon for a "stem" of the flower at the end. Way cooler than a feather pen (unless you have feathers incorporated in the wedding...which feathers are REALLY fun to use in centerpieces!!)

Voila! Some fun ideas that also save you some money. Great for the bride who likes the whole DIY route, or is super crafty. I've done many of these ideas myself for brides....well, I mean, that IS why you hire a wedding planner......to have someone to do all your wonderful ideas while you enjoy your engagement!

Next time.....why are flowers SO expensive anyway? The myth of Silk VS Real!

Okay, so maybe not. But I'll come up with something interesting.

Simple Rose Hand Tied Bouquets

Just a couple of bouquets I threw together recently. The purple (it really is purple...I don't have the most fabulous camera, so it looks a little "off" in the color) roses are Blue Curiosa, wrapped with a shimmery organza ribbon & accented with a gorgeous crystal brooch (antique of course, for the "something old"!)

I actually found the brooch on ebay in a huge lot of antique brooches. I love to use these in completely random ways, such as adding a brooch to a plain tank top, using it to "pick up" part of a skirt, attaching to a beautiful satin ribbon & tying around neck or your wrist,
taking a pair of matching brooches and putting
on your favorite pair of shoes (yes, yes, I love shoes!), or even placing one somewhere on a handbag to add some extra "flair". (yes, I used the word "flair". It's a requirement, those 15 pieces of flair!) *grins*

Seriously though, there are so many neat uses for brooches, I think it's wonderful that such an awesome piece of jewelery is becoming popular again!





This particular pink is my second favorite rose variety, Rosita Vendela. They range from pale to deep pink with a hint of white/cream in them. They are almost a bi-color rose, but not quite. This year Martha Stewart used them in her Mother's Day arrangements on FTD.com

This particular bouquet of the Rosita Vendela's have a gorgeous "bouquet jewel" in them, a pink crystal bow. The pink crystals range from light to dark pink, and I think they add something special to this already gorgeous bouquet!

There are 17 roses (normally I use 18-22, but it was all I had...I made these just to make them really!) hand tied with a white satin ribbon (I use double-face satin, it's a heavier weight, and is nicer to the touch), and accented with a gorgeous pink crystal dragonfly brooch!









These sweet little arrangements have the Rosita Vendela roses, and small daises for accent. Ivory satin ribbon is wrapped around the container (the "vases" are actually sorbet cups!!), and I made small ivory bows with some wired ribbon.

I made these for my daughter's preschool teachers, just to brighten their weekend! They were SO pretty. You can see the darker Rosita Vendela roses in these arrangements!



This corsage was done for my neighbor's daughter Stephanie for her prom. She wore the most gorgeous blue cinderella ballgown, and the ribbon on the corsage matches it perfectly (and it also matches the ribbon on the corset back of her dress. Intentional matching of course!) It has an Oriental Lily (mmmm, yummy smell!), a single Blue Curiosa Rose, and a sprig of Blue-Purple Hydrangea from my personal garden. I also made a matching flower for her date, Caleb. It's just a single Blue Curiosa Rose with simple greenery. I'm hoping to have some pictures of the two of them, as she looked stunning!!! (I did her makeup as well)


Next time....I'm not sure yet. Perhaps a post on some details, and how to have gorgeous accessories for prices that won't break the budget!

A peek into Fall

So yesterday I had a "pow-wow" with one of my brides, Erin. For the occasion, I threw together some bouquets, a couple of table arrangements, and of course...I made some chocolate cake balls. Here's some pictures of the flowers!

We also had a wonderful cake tasting at Annie's Bakery, a cake place located in the tiny suburb where I live in Murphy. I just love this bakery, they have fabulous cakes, and she does cupcakes for her tastings! I even got to take a couple home...they have GREEN icing on them, my son's FAVORITE color. I guess now I don't have to bake him that green cake this week! =) While I'm not a huge fan of icing, her White Chocolate Buttercream, mmmmmmm. That was yummy. I highly recommend her, especially as she's got great talent, AND she's not a small fortune either. She never freezes cake (yay!), and only takes a couple of weddings each weekend, which makes me VERY comfortable because I know that the cake will be there on time, it will be gorgeous, AND it will be fresh!


Erin has choosen a gorgeous paprika color for her bridesmaids dresses, and they will all have accents of a gorgeous gold color. It's a fall wedding, and we are completely running with the theme!! Hydrangeas, red roses, orange roses, these gorgeous yellowy-orange roses with red centers (the prettiest bi-color roses I've seen. Now to find their NAME!), red hypercium berries, the miniature calla lilies in the reds, Mmmm, it's going to be GORGEOUS!

The two bouquets here are just a starting point, for size, to see some colors, etc. I cannot wait to see the reception with the HUGE dramatic centerpieces...the tall vases, the gorgeous antique hydrangeas, the tall budding curly willow branches, and clusters of hydrangeas on the branches! We're actually going to do several types, to make it not completely uniform. Smaller vases with roses, probably some dahlias, and lots and lots of candlelight!

The detail's are all still coming together, but with the cake tasting yesterday, and the meeting about flowers, I just want to fast-forward to September, to see how all the hard work will play out, and to see a truly wonderful couple share their joy & love with their families!!


A look into my "office". =) Yup, my kitchen table loaded with all the wedding "stuff". And of course the all-important computer...where all the magic starts! Okay, so maybe thats really my brain, but I didn't think posting a picture of my brain was very wedding-y!

Up next.....some spring & summer flowers, and a peek into the world of Tiara Making....wait, okay, so maybe just a peek into some ideas FOR wedding tiaras! *grins*

Money

This is completely off topic, but Monday is my son's 3rd birthday. Birthday's are usually HUGE around here, I go all out, big cake, party, the whole she-bang.

However this year there was a caveat, as daddy (my husband) was called out of the country on business (lucky bugger actually!!! Back down in Sydney, I'm incredibly jealous!). So, we decided to postpone the birthday celebrations, since Theoden IS only 3, he'll be okay and not really notice the difference.

OOPS. I think I was a little wrong on that front! Because Eowyn (big sister, my oldest) has it all figured out, and she knows how to read a calender now! (smart, but ruins my plans!!) So she's been telling Theoden all week that his birthday is on Monday. Then today, the mail came, and of course Miss Eowyn found the birthday cards before I could intersect them to hold them until Monday.

Yeah, didn't work out so much! But this is where is gets adorable. His Sugar and PawPaw sent him a small amount of "mondey" (as he says it), $5 to be exact (little stinker, he KNEW how much it was too!! How on earth did he learn about money???). Then there's a second card, this one JUST a card. Total 3-yr old MELTDOWN because there wasn't any "mondey" in it! SO, being a mommy, I took it back and said that maybe he missed it, ran into the kitchen and slipped in the only bill I had in my wallet, a $10 bill. Little stinker knew how much THAT was too!! So now he is RUNNING around the house yelling that he now has enough "mondey" to buy the toy noise-making helicopter he wants at Wal-Mart (yes, he said he's buying it from Wal-Mart). The best part? The toy he's talking about is $15 even at Wal-Mart! This was something he saw 2 weeks ago, and I had told him "no, it's $15, you can spend $1". He REMEMBERED the amount of money he needed to buy that toy!


Just so adorable! I wish I had taken the time last night to clear my camera, because a picture of that would have been priceless!! However, I'll leave it with some pictures of him from the wedding a couple weeks ago....he made the most ADORABLE ring bearer!! I still cannot get over how darn cute his little tux was!!

Yes, it was as hot and humid as it looks that day...the two of them just look like they are melting a bit once they got to the steps!!!

Next time....I will post some pictures of the lovely flowers I've assembled for this weekend. It's prom (ugh, corsages!!! All those tiny bows), and I have a couple of floral consultations as well. Of COURSE I made a lovely batch of chocolate cake balls for the occasion. Hey, I have to serve my brides something sweet, don't I? Might as well me pretty too!

Photography

So, a few days ago I mentioned that I would put up some information on Wedding Photography...sometimes a controversial issue! Mainly due to cost, many couples struggle with this decision. Personally I feel that wedding photography is not only as important, but also as personal as the type of undergarments the bride chooses to wear!

There are many types of photographers....different styles, personalities, approaches to the art. I call it art because it IS an art form, and when it is your WEDDING day, it becomes very very personal. You want a photographer who will not only take the key shots (walking down the aisle, groom's reaction to the bride's beautiful entrance, the first kiss, family shots, etc), but also one who will capture the essence of your day! There's always videography, but lets face it, how many times are you REALLY going to watch the video of your vows? Most couples who choose to do the videography choose this option due to special friends and/or family who are unable to attend their wedding. But pictures are something you will display in your home, on your walls, and give to your family! (especially your parents, even more so if they are the ones paying for it!!!)

I ALWAYS recommend to my brides to first set a budget for photography. THEN start looking at photographers that are in your budget. Photography for your wedding can be anywhere from $500 (any less, and I really tell them to be completely SURE the photographer is worth it!! There is HOURS Of post-processing in wedding photography...at LEAST 20, typically close to 100 and this is factored into the price you pay) to over $10,000.

Once you have set a budget, really do alot of research, what style you want, if you want a traditional wedding style, or the current trend of "photo journalism" type coverage. Then look at what type of post-event processing you want (airbrushing, toning, changing the colors, sepia, black & white, etc. The possibilities are ENDLESS!!!), and then start interviewing.


In the age of digital (because 99% of wedding photographers shoot in digital these days...it's more cost effective, and you can do more effects. Airbrushing is SO MUCH EASIER in digital! Any photographer worth their weight will be able to do this in a way that is natural and NOT weird looking) more pictures are shot, and you can even go the route of not having your photographer make your wedding album or any proofs. They can throw it all up on a website for you to share with your family and friends, and throw everything on a CD for you to print yourself. They will probably need to be contacted if you want SUPER DUPER huge pictures (large than 16x20 usually), but this keeps costs WAY down, and gives the couple a little more flexibility and time to create their wedding album.

Photography, there are many options. From finding a fabulous photographer who is just starting out in weddings (this takes trust, but if you are on a budget, I recommend it. I personally keep a list of this type of photographers, and you can get your entire wedding with engagements & bridal sessions for under $1,000) to the super-duper pro who's done more weddings than they can possibly remember (this category goes for photographers who have done at LEAST 100 weddings. You will also pay a HUGE premium for this type of photographer....at the least $3500 is the base price...but you'll average around $5,000 if you want albums, engagement session, and bridal sessions. Some of these types of photographers even cover the rehearsal, which I think is really awesome. You'll have some great memories of what is usually a fun relaxed family affair!!

I do have some favorite photographers, but I never EVER push them on my brides....because while I do like some vendors, how they work, their personalities, etc, every bride had a different idea of what SHE wants (okay, the groom too!), and I feel that while I can give recommendations, when it comes to the wedding photography, it's just such a personal thing!

My top three Photographers here in Texas

Laura Haney Photography (Excellent photographs, and great pricing for those brides on a budget)
Stacey Reeves Photography (quite a unique gal. I've got some fantastic pictures of her "dancing" at a recent wedding!!!!)
Ed Verosky Photography (while based in Austin, he is FABULOUS. I just adore him and his work!!!!)

Of course there are others I love....and I have a huge list of great photographers. These are just some I enjoy working with, and they are all a pretty good range as far as pricing, so it gives you some different ideas on how much to spend!

And one parting word of advice. Please please PLEASE do not count on Uncle Joe to take your wedding pictures!!!! UNLESS he is an experienced wedding photographer and is also willing to actually give you some type of contract (just to put everything down in stone, and gives you options if he drinks too much and just gets shots of your shoes). Just because he has a nice camera does NOT mean he knows how to use it for a wedding!!! This is just something I feel so strongly about. If your budget is tight...cut something else out. Alcohol, special favors, those super designer invitations....you HAVE to have good photography, because you can never EVER recreate the 'bridal glow' that you will only have on your wedding day! Sorry guys, re-doing them, it's just not going to be the same. TRUST me on this one!!!

Cheers!

Julia
Photography credits go to Adair Weddings and Ed Verosky Photography.

Ling/Lichliter Wedding May 2, 2009

A selection of arrangements & special details from

the Wedding of

Miss Zi Ling & Mr (soon to be Dr) Gary Lichliter

Ceremony Program (outside) I did these at the very last minute...as in the day before! They came out wonderfully!

The ribbon in this picture is NOT the one we used. In fact, I purchased the thin little ribbons in Chocolate Brown, Taupe, Champagne, and Ivory, and so the programs ended up having different ribbon colors. Gary (the groom!) picked out slightly different paper as well. The paper I used to a "template", I only had ONE sheet of it, but the end result was nearly identical. Fairly easy to put together, and the total cost was under $30 for 150 programs. Programs from a printer will run anywhere from $75-$1,000 for 100 programs (depends on the detail!) I've never had the cost run over $100 for DIY programs. (okay, so I don't factor in as much time as I should...but that is why you have bridesmaids....to tie bows & finish things like this!)


Forsythia (silk) & red lanterns that were hung from the trees. The Groom's mother, Carol bought the forsythia branches, and her friend Michelle took a set of plain white paper lanterns on a lighted string (from Target of course!!!) and spray painted them red, since red is the color of "luck" in Chinese Tradition. (Zi is from China, so this wedding was a huge blend of east meets west.


The effect was just stunning, and you can see the yard is already beautiful without anything else! These pictures were actually taken AFTER the tents have been taken down, but still give an idea of a cool look for an afternoon wedding! Best part? Since it was overcast, we were able to actually turn the lights ON, and they just glowed!!!




Another lovely little detail...inexpensive, yet can be really pretty when used! I made these paper cones out of 4 different shades and textures of Ivory paper and then using the same stamp as we used for the invitations AND programs, stamped the top inside of the comes. We chose to not emboss these (as the programs and invitations were done) simply because they were only for the rose toss. Sadly because of the rain, we didn't get a chance to use them

Little bows can also be added to paper cones, as well as the couple's names and wedding date. There is even paper you can buy that is embedded with wildflower seeds, and your guests can plant the "cones" after the wedding!



Small table arrangement with Gebera Daisies, small sticks of curly willow, and Hypercium Berries (the red type). Placed in a rectangular vase of clear crystal. Can be placed in any type of lower vase. These vases were about 6" high.
These cute little arrangements were used for small "cocktail" table in a "mingling" area. (the wedding was a cocktail-type party...not a seated or buffet dinner/lunch) We chose these types of flowers because they blended in beautifully with the gorgeous garden backyard of the groom's parents!

Something like this can also be sent home with your guests....it's not super expensive ($25) yet has a wonderful personality of it's own!!!








Creamy Hydrangeas with blue-green accents (SO gorgeous) with Curly Willow.

These large arrangements used creamy hydrangeas that had green and/or blue accents to them. (I believe they are the "antique" hydrangeas. Doesn't matter, they were GORGEOUS!! Also, these pictures were taken 6 days after the event...shows how well they stood up!
























One of the "bouquets" that I threw together at the last minute to place on the cake.








Assorted roses in "julep" style silver containers. We used the green, orange, yellow-red, and these pretty reddish roses I found. These centerpieces were used in random spots throughout the event. They added a nice pop of color, and a couple of the roses actually had that gorgeous scent that you usually only get from either purple varieties or roses or roses from your garden!








Green dendrobium orchid boutonniere with hypercium berries. For the "background" (the two leaves) I used leaves that I had snapped off the hypercium stems.





Another of the Gebera daisy, Hypercium Berries, and Curly Willow centerpieces. This sits on the most popular spot for the indoor portion of the event...the bar!

This photograph was taken 5 days AFTER the ceremony, so it just shows you that if taken care of properly, fresh flowers will last a long time! Of course it helps buying flowers wholesale, the same day they are delivered from the grower! (I try my best to plan all trips to the floral wholesale site within 48hrs of their delivery. This way you'll have the freshest flowers possible, but they won't look like one of those 1-800 flower places send out from time to time!



A smaller Hydrangea & Curly Willow arrangement (note the different vase used here...it's smaller and not nearly as all) I cannot take ANY credit for his, as it was Dr Wayne Lichliter (the groom's father's twin!) who put this together! In fact with all the late nights pulled for this event, he really saved me a TON of time. Plus he's just awesome to hang out with. =)





















For those of you who are on a tight budget, anything above can be re-created in smaller sizes, what will work with your budget, etc. Also if you have a special set of vases you would like me to use, please let me know! I love using vintage items, or items that are sentimental to a bride and/or groom in their wedding. One of my favorites is taking fabric from a favorite relative of the bride & turn it into a super unique, completely customized ribbon/wrap for your bridal bouquet! And of COURSE slipping in something blue (even if it is just a single crystal!) and attaching hankies. 90% of brides start crying at some point, and this will come in handy. Plus it'll keep you from ruining your makeup....the professional makeup that probably cost a small fortune to have applies.

*unless otherwise noted all photographs, designs, and floral arrangements are courtesy of Adair Weddings. All items can be re-created! Please bear in mind we at Adair Weddings like at LEAST 2wks notice if you need/want us to create and finish programs for your ceremony, paper cones for a rose toss, place cards & table numbers, and reserved signs (a MUST if you are having an outdoor wedding, or not having ushers escort guests to their seats). We can either purchase paper for these items, or create them from paper provided. Contact us for pricing on these items, as they tend to vary depending on the style/design you choose.