Latest Review :: Laura & George 10.8.11

Here's what Laura & George had to say about our services: 

"Thank you so much for making our day go so smoothly! It was so nice knowing that everything was taken care of…after the wedding I started thinking about the little details and how I didn’t even have to think about them (like getting my bag in the getaway car or getting guests on the buses or setting up place cards, menus...I could go on and on). It was so nice to be able to just enjoy the day!! And the week of, knowing that Sumer was contacting all the vendors and making sure everything was taken care of was a HUGE help! I was able to just focus on getting married!! And the schedule Sumer developed for the day of was perfect…it was so great for our families and bridal party to have…everyone knew when and where they needed to be..and everyone was on time!! (which is very rare for our families). Every email/question I sent was answered w/in 24hrs (well most of the time w/in the hour!) Being an anxious bride it made me really feel at ease w/ everything! The schedule Sumer developed was a HUGE help and the day went so smoothly b/c of it…several ppl asked if there was anything that went wrong the day of, and I honestly cannot think of a single thing. Your services were excellent and I could not be happier with how everything went." 

We'll be sharing more photos from their gorgeous fall wedding in the coming weeks. Stay tuned! 

Photo courtesy of Milla C. Photography.

Latest Review :: Laura & Zack 10.1.11

Laura & Zack hired us for Wedding Day Coordination, here's what they had to say about our services:

"Zack and I loved having you as our day-of coordinator. We had an excellent experience from beginning to end. Zack and I will definitely recommend you in the future to any bride/groom. Thank you for a carefree wedding day!"

Photo courtesy of Craig Photography.

Real Weddings 2011 :: Jamie & Jon 9.10.11 {Part 1}

I am nearly jumping out of my seat with excitement to share one of our recent fall weddings with you today! Meet, Jamie & Jon. Jamie & Jon currently reside in Baltimore, but since Jamie is from the Pittsburgh area, they decided to exchange vows at her family's second home on Conneaut Lake. Because there are just too many great photos to share with you all in one post, their wedding will be posted as a two-part series. First up: getting ready + ceremony! 

Jamie & Jon's wedding day started off as quite a rainy day. While Jamie and her bridesmaids (9 total!) got ready inside the lake house (and Jon and his groomsmen got ready a few miles away at a nearby lake cottage), the vendors immediately went to work prepping the tent for an outdoor cocktail  hour & reception later that evening. Despite the rain, Jamie was still beaming from ear to ear when I went upstairs to greet the ladies who were being pampered with hair, makeup, and massages (lucky ladies!). As if you couldn't tell from these photos, Jamie has one of the most infectious smiles I've seen :)

By late morning, the rain was still falling, and by now, we had decided to implement our back-up weather plans and rearrange some of the decor that was originally going to be placed outdoors. A few hours later after we finished with our set-up we departed for the ceremony.

Their ceremony took place at Our Lady Queen of the Americas, a Catholic church just a few miles away. Given the rain, I kept a close eye on the radar during the hour long Catholic mass just PRAYING for a miracle that the rain clouds would roll away, and to my surprise, I saw that the radar showed the rain moving away from us in the opposite direction. Hallelujah! As soon as the ceremony ended, I showed the radar to Jamie & Jon who decided to re-implement our original plan, which included outdoor photos and a boat ride for the bridal party. Much to our surprise, the rain actually held off the entire rest of the evening. The newlyweds, along with their bridal party were able to enjoy an outdoor photo session along with a boat ride around the lake. 

Be on the look out for part 2 of Jamie & Jon's wedding later this week as I share photos of the reception and the absolutely gorgeous floral + detail shots! 

Photos courtesy of MichaelWill Photography. 

Latest Review :: Jamie & Jon 9.10.11

Here's what Jamie & Jon had to say about our services: 

"Simply Perfect says it all! I could not have asked for a better team making sure my wedding day played out the way I wanted it to. Sumer, your help in the planning process was so great, and I was so impressed with your prompt responses to all of my questions and requests. On the wedding day when you showed me the radar on your phone with the rain moving away from us, I swear it was a miracle! I am truly, truly grateful for all of everyone's hard work helping me plan and execute the perfect day. I could not have asked for anything more!" 

Aren't these two adorable?! We certainly think so!! We've got more photos of their Conneaut Lake nuptials coming later this week! Stay tuned! 

Photo courtesy of MichaelWill Photography.

Etsy Find :: Rustic Engraved Keepsake Chest

It's been awhile since I've done an 'Etsy Find' post, so I thought today would be fitting to post one of my favorite recent rustic finds (wow, say that 3x fast!). The shop responsible for this adorable keepsake chest is Bragging Bags. I have to say, this may be one of my favorite Etsy shops ever. If you're having a rustic/woodland themed wedding, then this is definitely a shop you won't want to miss - SO many fun engraved items available for purchase! Check out all of the details for the chest here, and then check out the rest of the personalized items here. 

Tip :: Use this keepsake chest as your card box, then display in your home as a decorative piece. 

Photo credit :: Morgan Hill Designs.

Rethinking Reception Entertainment

Who says your only wedding reception entertainment has to be a DJ/Band and perhaps a photobooth thrown in?! That's right, no one! When thinking of ways to entertain your wedding guests, try thinking out of the box for a change. Do you and your fiance live for nights by the fire? Do you love spending countless summer afternoons playing lawn games? Don't worry if you haven't seen it in a wedding magazine or on a wedding blog, just do what feels right to YOU. Here are a few fun ways you can entertain your guests...outdoors, of course! :) 

Firepit/Camp fire.

Lawn Games - Bean Bag Toss (Cornhole) & Croquet.

Lawn Games - Horseshoes. 

Photo credit # 1 :: Marianne Wilson Photography. 

Photo credit # 2 :: Green Wedding Shoes.  
Photo credit # 3 :: Prepare to Wed.

DIY Churro Bar

One word. Awesome. I seriously cannot even describe how much I love this idea for a wedding. I grew up eating churros. They were literally a staple in my diet as a child. When I think of churros, visions of trips to Disneyland dance in my head. Oh, and incase you were wondering, Disneyland has the best churros ever. Hands down. At least that's what my 5 year old self tells me. When I stumbled upon this DIY Churro Bar, I raced over to the blog so I could post this. 

In a nutshell, here's how it was done: 

1. First, purchase pre-formed (uncooked) churros in bulk. A good place to check out is Costco.
2. Second, set up a toaster oven with directions on how to cook. Two minutes is ideal.

3. Next, set up a roll station with ideal "rolling" ingredients - things like cinnamon sugar, oreo's, nutmeg, etc... Cinnamon sugar is a must-have.

4. Finally, set up a dipping station with various toppings - things like chocolate sauce, caramel, and even ice cream. 

5. Oh, and don't forget direction cards too. You'll need to clue guests in on how to make their churros. Set everything up on a long banquet table, and you're good to go! 

Enjoy! 

Photos courtesy of Carly Taylor via A Subtle Revelry.