The First Bride of 2010!

Happy New Year!!                  I  am so happy to share some pictures with you all from the first wedding of 2010, although Feel the Beat was not involved with the event.  My long-time friend and former college roommate got married to her high school sweetheart on January 1, 2010!  The event was held at Jester's Florist in downtown Tuscaloosa.   The setting was casual and intimate, with only the bride & groom's closest friends and family in attendance, which fit this couple perfectly.  The entire occasion was filled with unique & personal touches that really spoke to the couple's personalities and proved that even on a smaller budget, you can still create an event that reflects your style.

The venue was a unique space in historic downtown with an open, lofty feel and more space outside to mingle by the fire pits.  The food served was a twist on typical New Year's Day fare with black-eye peas, ham sandwich sliders, and spanakopita to reflect the groom's Greek heritage, but made with greens so that we can all look forward to a prosperous new year! In lieu of the traditional wedding cake, we had bridal cookies from Celebrations Bakery and a Little Debbie groom's cake from Mary's Cakes!   I have to admit, I was nervous about Swiss Rolls on a cake but one bite and I was a believer! Yummy!

Tables were decorated in silver and white to create a simple and elegant background.   Carnations, packed tight in large, low silver urns, took on an elegant air surrounded by candlelight in the center of the tables.  Even the music was hand-picked by the bride & groom and had all of their favorites including Band of Horses' beautiful ode "No One's Going to Love You" (which seems like an unromantic title until you hear the next line - "more than I do").  It was a beautiful event with special touches everywhere and I was happy to be a part of it!  Here's to more beautiful weddings in 2010!!

Linda & Harriet Moose Lovelies

Linda & Harriet Moose Lovelies: "



I am loving all the moose items over on the Linda & Harriet site for the holidays. Go check them out!  Although, I think these are mainly for Christmas gifts, this is such a great example of how to tie a theme into various parts of your wedding.  Start with a basic image used on your printed materials - invitations, save-the-dates, etc - and carry it on throughout the events with it recurring in the placecards at the rehearsal dinner, a theme for the cake table, or incorporate it into the favors.  It creates a great unity and ties everything in to your special day!

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Gold Glam Holiday from Swanky Tables

Gold Glam Holiday: "
Bring on the glam and glitz with gold holiday decor. The gold pear display is amazing! I love it!

Images: Home and Garden, House Beautiful

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Epic Save-the-Date

If you are looking for some fresh ideas on what to send out for a save-the-date, the newest trend is to send them electronically.  This gives you the opportunity to work with your photographer, videographer, or just some creative friends to create a save-the-date that is truly unique.   I've seen a few video save-the-dates on YouTube but today I found one that is really a work of art.  I can not imagine the amount of hours that went into putting together a trailer like this but it truly will be something that they treasure for a lifetime.

See it for yourself here - Jeff & Erin's Wedding Trailer

Thanksgiving Cake Wrecks

Having been there myself, I found this site pretty amusing.  I have definitely made some 'special' cakes in my time :)   The turkey cakes made me laugh out loud - http://cakewrecks.blogspot.com/

A little bit about the site: 


A Cake Wreck is any cake that is unintentionally sad, silly, creepy, inappropriate - you name it. A Wreck is not necessarily a poorly-made cake; it's simply one I find funny, for any of a number of reasons. Anyone who has ever smeared frosting on a baked good has made a Wreck at one time or another, so I'm not here to vilify decorators: Cake Wrecks is just about finding the funny in unexpected, sugar-filled places.

Movie Night at Royal Oaks & OPL Game Show

Last week we had two events that were really great!  The first was a movie night at Royal Oaks with my good friend, Mary.  She is always looking for something to keep the residents at her apartment property happy!  So she decided to take advantage of this lovely fall weather and have a movie night out on the tennis courts.  She teamed up with Feel the Beat to have an outdoor screening of Twilight.  It was such a great event!  They blacked out the fencing around the tennis court to block out lights and distractions, and also some wind, which I thought was such a cool idea.  Then there was pizza, hot chocolate, popcorn, & cookies for everyone to snack on.  There was even a raffle for a free month's rent!  The turn-out was great and I think everyone had so much fun snuggling up in their chairs and blankets, munching on snacks, and enjoying a movie right in their own backyard!  Big thanks to Mary & Regina at Royal Oaks for putting everything together!

The other event that night was an over-the-top fun game night for Optical Prescription Lab!  These guys know how to throw a party!  Even their meetings incorporated the game show fun.  They had name tags just like the ones on Price is Right and they gave away prizes all night!

Who wouldn't want to attend that event?!  Feel the Beat provided classic game show set pieces and also a huge set for our own game show!  There was Wheel of Fortune, Price is Right, $20,000 Pyramid, Family Feud, and Hollywood Squares.  Then we played Family Feud and Jeopardy games with the whole group after dinner.  This group was such a blast!  They have some genuinely fun-loving people that they work with and it made it a lot of fun.

Get with the Program!

If you are looking for an easy way to add some creativity into your wedding ceremony, there are tons of ways to play up your program!   The program is a great guide for guests to know what to expect during the ceremony, but it can also convey theme, formality, and a little bit of personality!

I loved these 'ribbon' folded programs pictured to the left!  How clever to just use the way the program is folded to make a statement!  The color is gorgeous and I can imagine it makes a stunning presentation to have them all stacked at the entrance to your venue.

Are you serving a delicious dish at the reception?  Include the recipe in the program, and your guests leave with more than just a favor.  If it's a family recipe be sure to give credit!  Personalize it even more by including a short explanation of why you and your fiancee love the dish or how it came to be a family favorite!