Bouquet Charms

Some of my favorite parts of a wedding are the small, simple details a bride incorporates into her day. I'm a firm believer that the small touches can make a big impact on the overall feel of a wedding. I just adore these bouquet charms that our October 30th bride, Brienne, attached to her bouquet. There are so many ways to honor your family ancestry and passed loved ones, and one of the simplest ways to do so is by attaching a charm to your bouquet. There are many different styles of bouquet charms, and one of my favorite sites for these (and a million other wedding related items!) is Etsy. 

What are you doing to honor your family ancestry at your wedding? We'd love to hear from our readers!

Photo courtesy of Caryn Azure Photography.

2011 Bride's Choice Awards

We are very pleased to announce that Simply Perfect Weddings has won the Bride's Choice Awards 2011 for the 2nd year in a row! Thank YOU to all of our fabulous 2010 clients for your love and support - you guys ROCK! Much appreciation & love! xoxo

Here is the official press release :: 

Pittsburgh, PA – January 26, 2011 - WeddingWire, the nation’s leading wedding technology company, is thrilled to announce Simply Perfect Weddings has been selected to receive the prestigious annual WeddingWire Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011 for Wedding Planning!

Recognition for the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011 is determined by recent reviews and extensive surveys from over 750,000 WeddingWire newlyweds. Our past clients are among those that shared their experiences on WeddingWire, the largest wedding review site in the nation.

Simply Perfect Weddings stands among the top five percent of wedding professionals in the WeddingWire community, representing quality and service excellence within the wedding industry. Awards were given to the top wedding professionals across 20 service categories, from wedding venues to wedding photographers, and were based on the overall professional achievements throughout the past year.

“WeddingWire is honored to celebrate the success of the top-rated wedding professionals within the WeddingWire community,” said Timothy Chi, WeddingWire’s Chief Executive Officer. “With the annual Bride’s Choice Awards™ program, WeddingWire has the unique opportunity to recognize the best wedding professionals across the US and Canada. We applaud Simply Perfect Weddings for their professionalism and dedication to enhancing the wedding planning experience last year.”

We are happy to announce that Simply Perfect Weddings is among the very best wedding planners within the WeddingWire Network, which includes leading wedding planning sites WeddingWire, Martha Stewart Weddings, Project Wedding and Weddingbee. We would like to thank our past clients for nominating us to receive the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011.

For more information, please visit our WeddingWire Storefront today.

For more information on the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011, please visit www.WeddingWire.com.

Wooden Doll Cake Toppers

Adorable, right?! This wooden doll cake topper is from our August 28th wedding of Marisa & Daniel. I love the modern twist of these toppers. These doll cake toppers are available on Etsy, and can be customized to match your exact personality and style (you can even include your pets!). 

To see all of the cake toppers that are available head on over to Etsy. 

Photo courtesy of Craig Photography. 

Mini Cinnamon Rolls

I seem to be on a dessert kick lately (can you tell from our recent blog posts?!), and just couldn't pass up these mini cinnamon rolls on a stick. How perfect would these be for a fall or winter wedding? I love the idea of sending guests home with a warm treat after the reception is over. These cinnamon rolls would also work great for a bridal shower or Sunday morning brunch.

Photo courtesy of Zoe Bakes.

Preparing for Vendor Meetings

Now that you're engaged, you're probably ready to begin interviewing vendors. Before you head out to meet with your potential vendors, there are a few things you should know ahead of time. In wedding planning, proper planning is key; therefore, knowing how to prepare for your meetings ahead of time will save you a great deal of time and stress in the long run. 

What to Bring :: 

• Basic details about your wedding day - date, location(s), times (if set), & approx. # of guests

• Wedding budget (or at least $ estimates of what you are prepared to pay for each major wedding category)

• Photos of your wedding day vision (especially if you are meeting with a wedding planner, event designer, or florist)

• Dress or fabric swatches (helpful for florist meetings) 

It's also a good idea to come prepared with questions to ask the vendor(s) that you are meeting with. This not only helps the dialogue between you and the vendor, it also helps with understanding how each vendor works. If you are interviewing 3-4 photographers in the same day, your memory may be a bit hazy as to which one was which. Having a separate Q+A sheet for each vendor you meet with helps to keep you organized and on track when it comes time to make your final decision. 

Other Helpful Tips ::

• Don't be shy to ask vendors for referrals of previous clients they've worked with - reading testimonials on their website isn't always enough. Thorough research is a must. 

• Less is more when it comes to the number of attendees at vendor meetings aka don't bring your entire bridal party. You + your fiance or you, your fiance, + your parents (or whoever is paying for the wedding) is plenty. Too many people in attendance creates confusion and can derail your focus when it comes to making key decisions on which vendor you think is the best match for you.

• Out of town couple? Ask vendors if they can set up an initial meeting via Skype (or video chat) instead of just a phone call. This may help put you more at ease about hiring a particular vendor. 

• Lastly, if you change your mind about interviewing a particular vendor, please be kind and let them know ahead of time. Often times vendors have to arrange for daycare, take time off from their "day job", or are driving a far distance to meet with you. A simple one minute email (or call) letting them know that you've decided to go another direction will be much appreciated.

S'mores Bar

Ok, so who's up for having a S'mores Bar at their wedding here in Pittsburgh?! I'm totally in! 

Photo courtesy of Jolynne Photography. 

Unique Guestbook Idea :: Wood Wedding Puzzle

Kudos to my awesome assistant, Meghan, for sending me this fun guestbook idea she found on Etsy. Meghan and I both share a love for unique wedding elements - we're suckers for anything fun and original! Since this puzzle obviously meets both of those criteria, I had to share. 

How does it work, you ask? First, display your puzzle face down (puzzle can either be assembled or disassembled - whichever you prefer). Your guests then sign the back of the puzzle pieces (each puzzle piece has space for a name and a short message). After the guest signs their puzzle piece, they flip over their piece and put it in place. After all of your guests have signed the puzzle pieces, you will have a completed puzzle that can serve as a wedding memento for years to come. Cute, huh? 

For more information regarding the puzzle, head on over to Etsy.