BG Design Studio

Thursday, October 27, 2011

A NY Wedding Plan…

In July, we took a trip to New York to help plan Amy and Nick’s wedding. Okay, okay. I know you’re thinking… July!? Yes, I know. It’s taken me a while to get to it… but when you’re a mom and a BG Girl, you live a full life!! I wouldn’t have it any other way.

The bride Amy, contacted us in January to create custom modern chic wedding invites for her intimate fall wedding in NY. We immediately bonded. For one thing, the BG Girls LOVE LOVE LOVE all things New York-- we go every spring for the National Stationery Show and of course use it as an opportunity to enjoy the city and all that it has to offer! For another, Amy is magnetic, charming, high energy and a sassy bride who knows E-X-A-C-T-L-Y what she wants!


She was a dream to work with in designing her invitations and loved to get her hands dirty and partake in the designing herself. Over the course of several months and a dozen phone conversations, I actually offered her a job as a BG Girl in case her day job didn’t work out! Coordinating her wedding became a perfect fit and we assembled our dream team for her. Along with BG Designs, Brandi Smith of High Society Event Planning and Hurriyet Bulan of A Hurriyet Design, all joined forces in creating the perfect wedding for Amy and her groom Nick.

During our July trip, we first met Amy in person. While we were there we did a walk-through of her venue; Trump SoHo. This Trump hotel opened its doors in 2010 and is as impressive and impeccable as you would expect from anything with the Trump name. First of all—is this ceiling not a statement in and of itself!?


Not to mention that the 1,800-square-foot, Handel-designed SoHi room on the top floor of the hotel has three walls of floor to ceiling windows! It has spectacular views of the Manhattan skyline stretching to the Hudson River, Statue of Liberty, and Empire State Building. Talk about breathtaking! It was the PERFECT spot for Amy and Nick’s ceremony and reception!

In addition to walking (and staying at!) the Trump, we also had the opportunity to join Amy at her dress fitting at the highly acclaimed Amsale boutique on Madison Avenue! A little fun fact: Amsale had its own reality TV show on WEtv last year called Amsale Girls! Sadly the show was cancelled. Amy looked stunning in her dress and we got to help pick out her wedding jewelry! Just look at it!!! Isn't it beautiful??



After her dress fitting, we headed back to Trump for lunch at The CafĂ©, where we presented Amy with her invite mock up. An invite mock up is just that: a mock up of their actual wedding invitation. After they have approved their digital proofs with us, we put together their mock up and mail it to the bride via snail mail.  This gives them a chance to see what the actual invite will look and feel like, and they get to see what their guests see when they receive it in the mail. We usually never get to hand deliver a mock up since so many of our brides are all over the world, much less get to SEE their reaction when they first open it! As you’ll see in the photo, Amy had tears streaming down her sweet cheeks as she opened the treasure inside the envelope!!! It was one of the BEST moments in our career for sure!


We’re SO happy that Amy took us in as not only her coordinators, but like one of her girlfriends. She allowed us to share in her joy in each step of her wedding planning. Look out for next week – I’ll share with you more photos from our more recent trip back to NY and the wedding itself!!!

Friday, October 21, 2011

Fall-ing in love….

Photo courtesy of Suzie Beezie.
There’s something that’s just so magical about autumn! Maybe it has to do with the way the light starts to change, and a soft golden glow settles over each afternoon. Or maybe it’s the way the leaves all change to brilliant orange, red, and yellow (okay, maybe not so much in southern California as other places, but we do still feel it here somewhat!) Whatever the reason, it definitely adds that extra special something to fall weddings! Autumn is a transition from summer to winter, just as marriage is a transition to a whole new life together.


Photo courtesy of Grey Likes Weddings.
I’ve been perusing some of my favorite wedding blogs, soaking up all of the season’s inspiration, and there’s just so much fall goodness to be had! I couldn’t make up my mind so I nabbed some of my favorite pictures from a couple of different weddings to share with you.


Photo courtesy of Gabriel Ryan Photography.
This first one is from Green Wedding Shoes, from Heather and Scott’s wedding. I had to feature the gorgeous bouquets that they had decorating all of their tables! They were so soft and warm and elegant, all white with splashes of orange and pink. And you know me… I’m a sucker for anything with succulents!!!

Photo courtesy of Gabriel Ryan Photography.
  
Photo courtesy of Gabriel Ryan Photography.
Photo courtesy of Gabriel Ryan Photography.

Photo courtesy of Yvette Roman Photography.
Then I just had a heyday when I saw Style Me Pretty’s blog about Ashley and Christian! This wedding was just gorgeous!! As if this picturesque country setting wasn’t enough – I gasped when I saw all of the lanterns hanging from the trees!!! It’s a total fairy tale. Swoon. Is it possible to want to get married… to a wedding? Okay maybe I’m being (a little) dramatic, but this is why I love this whole industry. I just can’t get enough!

Photo courtesy of Yvette Roman Photography.

Photo courtesy of Yvette Roman Photography.

Photo courtesy of Yvette Roman Photography.

Photo courtesy of Yvette Roman Photography.

Photo courtesy of Yvette Roman Photography.
Photo courtesy of Yvette Roman Photography.

Photo courtesy of Yvette Roman Photography.

Photo courtesy of Yvette Roman Photography.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

A Unique Wedding Reception Seating Arrangement!!


Photo courtesy Troy Grover Photographers
Are you thinking you’d like to do something different for your wedding reception to make it special and unique? I just heard the most wonderful idea for a seating arrangement and I had to share!!

Typically when you set up a seating arrangement for your reception, you put a lot of time and effort into putting guests where they will be most comfortable. You try to find the perfect balance between seating people that they know together as well as giving them the opportunity to make new connections. Then there’s the head table, where the bride and groom sit side by side, surrounded by their parents, maid of honor, best man, and sometimes other family.

Although there’s nothing wrong with this, it doesn’t give much opportunity for the guests to chat with the newlyweds – the two people that they are there for! Well here’s a creative idea that will definitely leave an impression on your guests and make the whole reception even more fun for everyone!!

When you set up all of your tables, leave two empty seats at every single one. Then you, the bride and groom, have a timer and set an equal amount of time, say 6-8 minutes per table (you will have to change this to suit the number of tables you have, of course) and each time the timer beeps, you grab your plate and move to the next table!

If you have a really large reception, this might not work as well – you simply won’t have time to visit with everyone. But for small and medium sized receptions, this is SUCH a fun idea! Your guests will love the opportunity to get to spend a few minutes connecting with you! It makes the whole event that much more personal and gives you the chance to really involve everyone!!

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Truly Succulent!

Photo courtesy of Kristin Rogers Photography.
I am SO excited to share with you the most gorgeous wedding that was just featured on Inspired By This. I am just sitting here swooning over how much I love everything about it!!

I am completely obsessed with succulents and grey and yellow so this one totally hit the mark! I absolutely LOVE the centerpieces!!! Cinder blocks with succulents and wooden table numbers made with screws and yarn!? I mean… really???!!! I’m in heaven!

Photo courtesy of Kristin Rogers Photography.
Photo courtesy of Kristin Rogers Photography.
The big event took place at Smog Shoppe, a solar powered private indoor/outdoor haven for desert plants, vertical gardens, chic vintage furnishings and dozens of other stylish, recycled and sustainable features! This is possibly one of the greenest event spaces in California. Part of the reason they chose it was that Evan (the groom) is an Architect and many of the guests were in the field, too. I think they couldn’t have picked a more perfect spot!!

Photo courtesy of Kristin Rogers Photography.

Photo courtesy of Kristin Rogers Photography.
I also think it’s so yummy that all of their hors d’oeuvres were inspired by their love for breakfast! Not only is breakfast just plain delicious, but it’s the little details like this that truly make the day so special because they reflect the personality of the bride and groom.

Photo courtesy of Kristin Rogers Photography.
Photo courtesy of Kristin Rogers Photography.
I love the whole vibe of this wedding-- how beautifully the grey and yellow pair together and that the succulents add another grey element. Oh, and LOVE the enormous succulent wall behind the bride and groom as they’re saying their vows. And the little glass cube with succulents in it-- I am SO doing this in my Crate and Barrel three part dish I received as a wedding gift 12 years ago!!! I just can’t get enough!!


Photo courtesy of Kristin Rogers Photography.

Photo courtesy of Kristin Rogers Photography.

Photo courtesy of Kristin Rogers Photography.