A Delightful Day - Event Planning - Blog

Changing your Name

After all of the wedding planning, the wedding day, and the relaxation of your honeymoon, the next most difficult challenge is changing your name. I know when I was going through the process it was time consuming, tedious, and difficult in knowing all of the steps to take. There is a solution to all of this stress!

When Amber and I attended the Association of Bridal Consultants convention back in November in California, we as bridal consultants get to meet some of the new up and coming vendors/products that are being produced and put onto the market. One of which I think is perfect for brides and saves them so much stress and time. MissNowMrs listened to brides and heard their complaints about the process and how long it takes finding the forms, making the trips, and knowing what to do in order for brides to take their husbands name. A new website and company was created called missnowmrs.com that allows brides to go onto their website and for $29.95 their name change package will take away all of the misadvantages of the process. Once you log onto the site, you will be asked a series of questions that will auto fill in information for all of the forms that you will need. Once your forms and notification letters are created, you will be able to review each form and letter to check for accurate information. You will next be able to either print directly from the website, or save to your computer and print later. The ease in this is that each form will have an information sheet for you with order of submission, fees, required documents, where the offices are located in your state, and mailing addresses for each form. They can also file for a certificated print of your marriage certificate which you will need before you file any of your forms for proof. This is an additional $4.95.

This is another wonderful opportunity for brides to save in the stress of a wedding! As a thank you to our clients, for 2009 brides, we are offering this service free to our brides who sign a contract for our two top tier planning packages as a gift from us and one more stress free process from us!

If you're interested in looking into this further for now, or later, click on the missnowmrs.com button on the right side of the blog and it will take you directly to the site.

Happy Marriage~

Mary Alice

A Delightful Day- Nashville Wedding Planning

A Personal Account- The Sandals Regency

As many of you know, Amber and I are Sandals resort specialists, as we had the honor of a trip to the Sandals Jamaica in March of this year to tour Jamaica's resorts and learn about Sandals themselves. We have had several couples take honeymoon's this year to Sandals resorts, and I asked Meagan, our November 8th bride, to share with us their experience and pictures from their trip for you to see. By the way, her wedding recap will be coming soon. Pictures by Gray Photography are almost up! Enjoy Meagan's beautiful pictures from her honeymoon and what she thought about the Sandals resort and experience.

To tell you a little about the Sandals Regency, it is known for its rolling fairways, villa suites that are set into the bluffs of St. Lucia, and it has one of the largest freshwater pools that looks out onto the beach. It has been coined the name “The Emerald of the Caribbean”, which suites it perfectly for the 210-acre masterpiece of emerald fairways, flowering bougainvillea and curvaceous, alabaster-sand crescent beach, all bounded on both sides by twin bluffs. As is all of the Sandals resorts it is all-inclusive with 7 dining experiences, for many different tastes, on the property and the ability to go to the other Sandals resort nearby for dining as well.

1.       What Sandals resort did you attend? Sandals Regency

St. Lucia

 

 

2.       What made you choose that resort for your honeymoon? We were hesitant at first about an all-inclusive resort being cheesy or too self-contained, but after all the wedding planning we knew we wanted to go somewhere that the resort would handle everything and allow us to relax.  We also wanted to go somewhere that neither of us had been, so St. Lucia fit the bill.  We chose the Regency because of the “resort within a resort” potential.  We were drawn to the rooms that sat on top of the cliff and away from the main buildings.  We wanted to feel the slight exclusion.  Of course, we really wanted the private plunge pool and butler as well!

 

        3.           Describe your experience with the Sandals resort.  We loved it! We could come and go everywhere on the resort that we wanted.  We loved that we could stay by our own pool all day with a fabulous view and excellent butler service.  We had breakfast on the patio everyday.  We had reserved seats by the pool.  We had someone who could help us no matter what questions we had whether about the excursions, the food, the drinks, anything.  We felt safe and well taken care of which are the keys to a truly relaxing experience.  They made our lives easy for a week.

 

        4.           Of all the activities provided by the resort, what did you partake in and how did you feel about it?  We did the free snorkeling trip.  It was nice but quick.  We also took the shopping excursion in to town.  It was interesting to go out of the resort in to town, but the shopping was not that exciting.  We heard the other excursions were very fun in the rainforest, but we were pretty lazy.   We did go to another Sandals resort for dinner.  We were happy to go to visit the other resort and feel at home there as well.

        5.       What restaurants did you eat at, and what was your opinion on those? We ate in all of the restaurants at the Regency except The Pitons.  We did not like the buffet at the main restaurant, The Pavilion, but other couples did.  I was pretty picky.  We loved the Italian restaurant, Armando’s.  We ate there often.  The pasta was great for lunch and dinner.  We ate also at the Japanese restaurant, Kimono’s, one night.   It is set up for group dining.  We enjoyed meeting other couples and our chef was hilarious!  The food was good too.  The Regency restaurant is French and is pretty good. 

Arizona

’s, the southwestern grill, was combined with a pizza place.  The pizza was great and a lot of the southwestern items were good as well.  Overall, we preferred room service and the Italian restaurant, which was right outside our front door. 

 

        6.       What were your favorite things about the resort?  The “Dirty Banana” drink at the pool bars and our butler “Don”.  He was so great and happy to help us everyday.  We liked to be able to do whatever we wanted whenever we wanted. “No pressure, No problem” as they say on the island.  Also they have a great local beer called “Piton.”  It was similar to

Corona

, but better.

        7.       What were you disappointed or unhappy with about the resort? On the next to last day of our trip, we realized that we were staying in a room that was yet to be renovated.  The other suites that were similar had been renovated and those guests likely paid the same that we did but their rooms were nicer do to the upgrades.  It was disappointing.

 

        8.       If you could choose this resort again for your honeymoon, would you? Yes, we enjoyed ourselves and the people of

St. Lucia

.  We will definitely be considering Sandals for trips in the future.

 

Thanks so much Meagan and Jerry for sharing you experience, and your adorable pictures with us! It truly looks like you had a very romantic and relaxing honeymoon! Best Wishes!!!

~ Mary Alice

A Delightful Day, Nashville Wedding Planner

Sylvia + Brice- A Black Tie Affair

Sylvia and Brice were such a sweet couple that came to me with a very short engagement time, 3 months to be exact, with many expectations for how she wanted her wedding to look. She wanted to use 3 colors, eggplant, burgundy, and gold. Eggplant was her main color of choice and looked stunning in their venue choice of the Country Music Hall of Fame. Sylvia and Brice chose to have a simple ceremony created in collaboration with Ralph Griggs, who performed the ceremony, in the Ford Theater at the Country Music Hall of Fame. The baby grand was used by the pianist Teri Reid for the prelude and ceremony music, followed by a jazz band and DJ for the reception. Julius Genius band rocked the house for the crowd and Blake Chaffin was our DJ playing many requests of the guests for the remainder of the night. Following the ceremony, the cocktail hour and passed hor's doeurves took place in the Rotunda upstairs, followed by a sit down dinner. The staff at the Country Music Hall of Fame were a delight to work with, as we have many times, and executed their wedding wonderfully in this short period of time. Enjoy the fruits of our, Sylvia and I's, labor of love through incredible shots by Krista Lee Photography. Nashville Wedding Videos also chronicled the day for Brice and Sylvia.

 

Sylvia's beautiful Melissa Sweet was an ivory trumpet style made in a luxurious silk satin. Her beautiful hair and makeup by Sherita Leslie complimented it perfectly. She donned an elbow length veil for the ceremony and then replaced it with a white orchid for the reception to dance the night away. She had one bridesmaid, her maid of honor, which looked beautiful in her eggplant frock of chiffon.

 

This is the groom's son! Isn't he adorable?? I love this shot. I totally shows his personalty!

 

Sylvia and Brice chose to see each other beforehand. This beautiful shot was taken outside of the Country Music Hall of Fame. Brice was in full uniform, carrying his sword. They even formed the line when introduced into the reception and she got the ceremonial spank on the butt with the sword after their kiss!

 

The gorgeous, rich bouquet and florals were created by Rhonda Patton Designs, whom I am always impressed with, and always amazed at what she comes up with. Her bouquet contained dahlias, roses, calla lillies, carnations, hydrangea, and orchids.

 

I love these little personal touches that are added by brides. They truly make the day their own. Bouquets are an excellent way to personalize your wedding, especially since it is in so many of the days pictures.

 

The beautiful papergoods were created by Papered Wonders close to the hometown of the bride in Georgia.

 

 

 

Two of these 10 foot iron trees by FABU flanked the bride and groom at the altar, and were covered in draping crystals, votives, and adorned with pomanders of burgundy carnations.

 

 

 

Each of the tables were named after places that the bride and groom had been together and were important to them.

 

 

The beautiful cake was designed by The Sweetest Day and complimentary cupcakes in alternative flavors served as the groom's cake. Brice and Sylvia also had us set up a candy buffet which the guests devoured by nights end, snacking between songs and taking home a bag full!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brice and Sylvia, we wish you many, many years of happiness to come and I know that your household with grow to more than just the three of you! We loved working with you and thanks again for allowing us to be a part of your day!

~ Mary Alice 

A Delightful Day, Nashville Wedding Planner

Happy Holidays from A Delightful Day Event Planning

Design by Sweet Life Designs

Stay informed with A Delightful Day's E-Newsletter

A Delightful Day is excited to announce the launch of our new monthly E-Newsletter! Here you will find many "delightful" articles on news of A Delightful Day, Event Recaps, Exclusive Offers, Honeymoon Destination Spotlights and much more! Click here to view the December 2008 issue that was sent last week to our subscribers.

Don't miss out, sign up today by entering your email in the sign-up box on the left-side of our blog. January's issue is only a couple weeks away!

- Amber Housley
Nashville Wedding Planner
A Delightful Day Event Planning

Sweet Life Designs Blog Launch

One of my favorite elements of a wedding or event is the paper goods and design scheme that really ties the whole look together! I have been doing some form of graphic design for over 5 years now, but it was really when I designed the paper goods for my own wedding in September 2007, that i realized my true passion for creating custom invitations and design elements for social events. With that, my little online design studio, Sweet Life Designs, was born.

As Creative Director for A Delightful Day Event Planning, I am able to be the first resource our clients can turn to for creative direction for the elements to help make their event as unique as them! While I still offer digital design services for crafty do it yourself brides, I am more and more working with clients who truly want a custom designed professionally printed invitation suite and associated wedding paper goods - and I am happy to flex my creative muscles!

With that, I'm excited to announce the launch of the Sweet Life Designs blog that will feature many Real Weddings and behind the scenes look at the design process with clients. Many of the featured weddings are clients of A Delightful Day, so you will enjoy seeing spotlights on the creative design elements and hopefully find a few ideas for yourself! I also have many clients from around the nation, so stay tuned for spotlights on them as well. :)

Thanks again to all the fabulous brides and grooms of A Delightful Day in 2007 - I enjoyed not only being apart of your planning and coordinating process, but also being apart of your day in the design elements as well!

- Amber Housley
A Delightful Day Event Planning, Nashville

Make your Bridal Jewelry Live On by Re-Wearing it

After the wedding day, every bride gets her bridal gown cleaned and packs her wedding dress, shoes, tiara and veil away for safe keeping.  Some brides pack away their bridal jewelry too.  Considering there are so many options for bridal jewelry on the market that are both elegant and sophisticated but also timeless and complimentary to many styles and fashions.

 

   

Keeping out your bridal jewelry, by storing it in your jewelry box is a great way to keep the special moments and memories from your wedding day alive.  When you open your jewelry box and glance onto that sparkley bracelet, earrings or necklace, you smile with fond memories of your most special day.  That's just one reason to keep those cherished pieces with your other special jewelry.

 

 

Wearing your bridal jewelry for your anniversary is the perfect way to tie together the time you've now spent together with the day you promised your commitments.  Other than photographs, the bridal jewelry that you wear on your wedding day is something that can be taken out and enjoyed often.

 

 

There are other occasions that make for perfect events to put on your most prized jewelry pieces.   Other couples weddings are the perfect time to add that extra style and glitz to your outfit for their special day.  Wearing your bridal jewelry for romantic dates on Valentine's day or to a fancy restaurant, play or show is another fun way to incorporate your bridal jewelry with your current outfit.

 

 

Cherish all of your wedding memories by taking the time to preserve your gown and other pieces, that maybe a daughter can even wear in the future.  Keep your bridal jewelry out, because re-wearing it is one of the nicest ways to keep those special moments and memories alive and part of your life after the big day.

 

Http://www.bonitaj.com

info@bonitaj.com

888-430-2623

 

Thanks so much to Bonnie from BonitaJ for sharing this wonderful article about how to keep those wedding memories alive, at the same as enjoying an item you purchased for that big day more than once. The beautiful jewelry throughout the post are products of BonitaJ. Take a look at BonitaJ and as a Delightful Day blog reader, go to www.bonitaj.com and take advantage of a special offer. When you place your order, type in the coupon code DELIGHTFUL2008 for 15% off your ENTIRE order!!! Thanks so much to Bonnie for allowing our committed readers to take part in this offer.

 

~Mary Alice

Nashville Tennessee Event Planner

 

California Couture Part 2

On our second day of the convention, we had a lot going on, especially our special luncheon featuring our speaker, Colin Cowie!!!!

 

Amber and I attended the Master's Breakfast, meeting those who have met the criteria to have the top ranking in the association, that which is my goal to meet! It takes months of preparation and hard work. Our state rep, Sonya with A Perfect DAy in Knoxville, was awarded that honor at the breakfast. Go Sonya!!!

 

The room for our special luncheon was draped in pink satin, with pink uplighting, and these gorgeous centerpieces.

 

I love how the roses have pearl pin clusters in the center. Kate Aspen provided the adorable Love Dove bottle openers as favors for our luncheon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Colin Cowie in the background, these beautiful cakes were featured on pedestals around the room by a wedding cake designer in the Newport Beach area.

 

 

 

 

Colin came and spoke to us and did an amazing presentation of some incredible weddings he has done over the last year! I was speechless as he was showing the pictures of these events and their magnitude. During his speech he offered an auctioning off of doing an event with him to benefit a scholarship program for planners in the association. That planner got the honor of working with him on an international event within the next two years and he would pay for all expenses. Twelve planners would up paying $10,000 each for the opportunity raising over $100,000 for the scholarship program! It was incredible! He's very down to earth and very appreciative of the wonderful women that work with him and create these amazing events!

 

At the end of day, we had a beachside soiree to end the convention at an incredible ocean museum up the coast. We had a fun evening of sampling stations, a photobooth for photos, and a fun DJ to dance the night away to!

 

Adorable station and bar decor!

 

 

More station decor

 

Warming up next to the fire pit on a chilly California evening!

 

 

 

 

At each of the stations the station items were displayed in a plexiglass box so that guests can see what each item looks like as well as having a menu showing all ingredients important for allergies.

 

My favorite station of the night was the mini grilled cheese and tomato basil bisque. YUMMMM!

California was a blast for Amber and I, and we learned a lot to bring back to Nashville! As our 2008 wedding season is coming to a close, we can't wait to impliment these ideas for 2009! Happy Holidays!

~ Mary Alice, Nashvile Wedding Planner

A Delightful Day

California Couture Part 1

Amber and I returned from California a few weeks ago and I had to share some of the gorgeous trends and decor from California. Definitely different from here in Nashville! We attended the ABC convention, Association of Bridal Consultants, for which we are both members of and learned a lot about how to cope in the industry with the economic issues we are facing, as well as the trends of the moment on the west coast.

 

Our first full day at convention we had the California Couture luncheon and 4 California florists were represented in the 4 section of the ballroom. This was the unique centerpiece at our table of phalenopsis orchids, roses, and rose petals. They were suspended on a plexiglass ball. It was a very unique centerpiece. The table was perfectly accented with linens and chair covers from Wildflower Linens, which have incredible, one of a kind linens for rent with worldwide delivery. They are expensive linens, so if a full ballroom of linens isn't in the budget, you can rent one to do an incredible cake table display.

 

 

This beautiful centerpiece of the same phalenopsis orchids, roses, dendrobium orchids, and rose petals was featured in the center of the room with the other three large centerpieces from the other florists.

 

I loved this accent of using tea cups full of roses as side centerpieces featured with the one large one. Such a cute alternative vessel idea!

 

 

This was another centerpiece being featured by another florist. Aren't the leaf purses used as floral vessel's adorable??? Such a cute accent for a luncheon centerpiece or a reception, with the additional large centerpiece. These linens were also provided by Wildflower Linen.

 

 

The base of this centerpiece is comprised of glass cubes with crystals and a single rose bud, accented with glass cubes full of white feathers.

 

Isn't this adorable, the rose bud is used as a votive cup with the tea light nestled in between the petals.

 

 

This centerpiece was featured by another of the florist with the linen provided by Wildflower Linen as well. I love the black, acrylic vessels. Its a bold centerpiece, but very girly with the accent of pink and the bling in and amongst the flowers.

 

 

 

The last florist featured the bust form with crystals and ribbon wrapped votives! Gorgeous!

 

 

 

I just had to share this. At our conference, we don't just socialize with planners from all over the world, but we also have educational classes that we take. In one of our classes on the first full day, the planner who was presenting captured our attention with a unique rendition of Canon in D. The beginning of the song was a recording of the typical classic Canon in D and then this electric guitarist came out and added the rock twist. Very fun and a great idea for that type of bride!

 

Here are the Tennessee girls that were represented! Myself and Amber, Brenda and Lisa from Knoxville, Sonya from Knoxville, and Kristyn from Knoxville.

We had a blast on our first day, full of great information, but tiring!

~ Mary Alice, Nashville Wedding Planner

A Delightful Day

Caitlin + Daniel- Songs of Love

This wedding recap is well overdue! This beautiful wedding we blogged about a little while ago, as they were a Tennessean wedding pic of the week. This beautiful couple was one of the most in love, most appreciative, most fun couple I think that A Delightful Day has had the priviledge to work with. Caitlin and Daniel were both in grad school, for vocal performance, during the planning, so I had so much fun with Caitlin's mom Chris. She was so organized and such a ball of energy to work with! She was one of the most organized mom's I've ever seen as well.

 

Caitlin and Daniel professed their love for each other with a beautiful ceremony filled with love and singing at the always gorgeous Scarritt Bennett chapel and a fun night of dinner and dancing was had at The Hermitage Hotel. Enjoy these beautiful photos taken by the wonderfully talented Photograhix. A Delightful Day hadn't had an opportunity to work with the fun team of Jen and Ann, and we can't wait to work with them again!  

Caitlin's gorgeous porceline skin and curly hair was done by the bride herself. They had a blast getting dressed at Scarritt Bennett.

I love that in this picture Daniel's mom is in with the boy's having a beer in her gorgeous silk dress!

 

Daniel and all of the handsome Shirley men.

The handsome groom and his traditional, refined tux.

Caitlin choose for her beautiful bridesmaids a light sage, tea length, chiffon dress that was perfectly accentuated by bouquets created by Elaine McCord Florals.

 

The gorgeous bride!!! I love the emotion in this picture. These are moments that a wonderful photographer captures.

The rentals that complimented the gorgeous florals were provided by FABU.

 

 

The beautiful cake was created by Dulce Desserts.

The centerpiece set ups, with the intricate Hermitage Hotel ballroom in the background, were created by Elaine McCord Florals with rentals by FABU.

 

 

 

 

 

The day ended with the floral arrangements being donated to Perenity of Nashville, which is a nonprofit program that will pick up floral arrangements, rework them, and take them to hospice patients. The bride has had family members who have suffered from cancer and donated her beautiful flowers in their honor since they weren't physically present at the wedding. It was such a moving gesture and as the bride's mother explained this at the wedding, there were hardly any dry eyes in the house.

Caitlin and Daniel, it was a beautiful day with so much love and emotion! Thanks so much for allowing A Delightful Day to be apart of your wedding. We wish you many beautiful years of making music together!

~ Mary Alice