Day Dream: Top 2012 Destination Wedding Locations

 Intimacy, romance, and breathtaking scenery in an exotic place, are all reasons that destination weddings are on the rise when it comes to wedding locations in 2012.  More than ever, brides are not sticking with the conventional way of getting married and choose to fly their immediate family and friends to their dream location for a wedding that no one will forget.  There are many wonderful reasons as to why a destination wedding would be a perfect location, including that it provides you and your guests a wonderful excuse to get away from all the stresses of life and come together for an important moment in a magnificent place.  Whether it is putting your toes in the sand, saying “I do” under an important monument, or celebrating your special day in a vineyard surrounded by enchanting countryside, one of these Top Eight 2012 trending destination wedding locations will be perfect for you. 

Paris, France

The city of romance has been the most popular wedding destination for many years and for many charming reasons.  The way of life in Paris inspires pure romance and peaceful tranquility.  The incredible locations including the Eiffel Tower or the Louvre could be the perfect locations for your wedding ceremony with many different hotels and venues to choose from for your reception.  The combination of the tremendous sites, the impeccable service and the delicious food, all make Paris, France a luxurious wedding location for any bride.

Mexico

Whether it is the upbeat culture or the white sandy beaches, Mexico is a very popular spot for wedding locations in past years and especially in 2012.  There are many resort cities to choose from, including Cancun, Cabo and Puerto Vallarta.  The warm weather, the bluest oceans, the welcoming and upbeat civilians and the sandy beaches, all make Mexico a dream come true. 

Hawaii

You do not have to travel very far or out of the country to find your perfect destination wedding location.  Hawaii is unique because it is close enough where your friends and family do not mind traveling to and it looks and feels like an island in the tropical Caribbean.  This paradise group of islands is not only beautiful, it is relatively inexpensive and there is a lot for you and your guests to enjoy.  The remarkable culture provides a fun atmosphere that you will appreciate on your wedding day. 

Jamaica

Jamaica has long been a very popular vacation spot and is now becoming one of the best wedding destinations around the world.  From the exquisite Atlantis Hotel, the white sandy beaches, to the beautiful jungles and waterfalls, there are stunning locations to choose from for your big day.  The colorful culture, the fabulous scenery and the extraordinary people will all combine to make your day one to remember.

St. John-Virgin Islands

Would you like your photos to look exactly like a postcard?  The Virgin Island’s clear Caribbean waters, the warm weather, the beaches and the tall palm trees, will all make this dream a reality.  Not only is this location unforgettable, it is within the United States borders so you and your guests will not have to stress about getting your passports.  This location is so beautiful you will not want to leave. 

Turks and Caicos

Within the last few years, Turks and Caicos has really become a popular travel spot, and we can see why.  This incredible chain of islands in the Caribbean gives miles and miles of white sandy beaches and clear blue water that creates a luxurious background to a wedding ceremony and reception.  This island is known for its calm atmosphere and would be a perfect spot for a romantic and relaxed wedding. 

Napa Valley

Why leave the United States when Napa Valley has the most romantic and chic feel for any fall bride.  The beautiful colored leaves, the rustic oak, the sweet smelling vineyards and the breathtaking countryside all combine to make one dream setting.  We would recommend having a rustic, vintage or country theme if you choose to wed here.  The colors of these themes, candlelight and the never-ending view will all combine to create a romantic atmosphere that most have never experienced before.    

Tabernash, Colorado

Wasn’t expecting this location were you?  This past year, Tabernash, Colorado has become one of the top locations for couples who want to be married in a gorgeous mountain and wilderness setting.  Not only is this destination unique for it’s view, but it is also unique because it is one of the top eco-friendly locations in the world.  Tabernash is located one hour west of Denver and includes a relaxing spa and a series of luxurious cabins where you and your guests could stay.  The grand mountains, the sweeping meadows and the rustic atmosphere are a great alternative for a memorable destination wedding.

What could be more romantic than saying “I do” on a beach where the waves are crashing and a beautiful sunset is the background?  Or sitting under candlelight in a miraculous vineyard, sipping wine and having that beautiful never-ending view of Napa Valley?  A destination wedding is a combination of a wedding and a honeymoon and you could share this experience with your close family members and friends.  Before setting your location, be sure to find out about their marriage laws and if they have any wedding packages that could make your wedding less expensive and less stressful.  Besides sharing this beautiful location with your loved ones, another incredible perk to having your wedding at your dream location is that you will not have to worry very much on decorating and transforming your venue, the location is absolutely perfect on its own.  Aloha!

BBFN,
Olivia

Top 5 Reasons Pintrest Can Help Plan Your Wedding

From the dress and the flowers, to the food and the linen, Pinterest seems to have everything, down to the last detail. Young women and even some men are now using the recently popular website Pinterest to plan their dream wedding. Pinterest can save a bride a lot of time and money because the content is mostly free, it has endless possibilities, and it is very easy to access. We counted down the top 5 reasons why Pinterest can help a bride plan their dream wedding, and here they are:

1. Organization is Key

I am sure most of us when we were little, would cut out pictures from Bridal Magazines, or write down ideas that came to us about our dream wedding and store them away in a secret spot. Well now there is a more convenient and less time-consuming way to do this. Pinterest allows users to do all of this but by using online sources with infinite possibilities and is stored in an online file or “corkboard”. Each user can make as many corkboards as they would like and can label each board to make planning easier and more organized. Example titles of these boards could be “Wedding Dresses”, “Table Settings”, “Invitations”, and“Wedding Cakes”, the list goes on and on.

2. Various Pins from Various Users Can Give a Bride Many Options

Over eleven million people are now using the Pinterest website. With this many people, comes a lot of ideas and a lot of pins. Brides to be can use search words such as “wedding” or “wedding dresses” in order to pull up hundreds of thousands of ideas for inspiration for their own special day. Brides can search words as specific or broad as they would like. Pinterest has just about every possible idea and every possible detail for a bride to see what captures her attention and what goes along with her vision.

3. Most “Pins” Can Directly Connect A Bride

By just a click on a photo, users can be directly connected to the website where an item, such as a dress or centerpiece can be purchased. Or if the bride would like a recipe for a certain meal to be served at their reception, all she has to do is click on the picture and a recipe will be pulled up instantly. Pinterest is a way to see what the bride wants and it’s as easy as 1, 2, 3 and she can have it. Convenience is also key.

4. Follow the Experts

Experts, planners, and wedding magazines are now on Pinterest and are pinning hundreds of beautiful and creative ideas for Brides-to-be. They can pin their own creations, their ideas, and what they believe is the latest trends for weddings. Their boards are open for any user to view and brides can repin any ideas they might want to use for their special day.

www.pinterest.com/oliveaire/

5. Receive Feedback

While brides are pinning and grabbing ideas for their big day, they can ask and receive advice on what their family, friends, and even complete strangers think about their ideas and their vision. This makes it very convenient and can help guide a bride to what she truly wants. Serenity will also be an effect because the bride will be more confident in knowing that others love her ideas as well.

 

From all aspects of wedding planning, Pinterest will not make everything come together, but it definitely will help in the inspiration and organization processes. Planning a wedding can be the most stressful time of a woman’s life, and with the helpful tips, convenience, organization and ideas that Pinterest provides, planning for the special day can be just a little easier. 



BBFN (Bridal Bliss for Now)
Olivia  

Setting the Mood with Lighting - Illuminate Your Event

When first looking at a venue, it is hard to imagine how to turn this blank canvas into a masterpiece. Many details go into planning your special day and transforming your venue, and one important factor that creates a certain mood, atmosphere and vibe is lighting. Lighting seems to be overlooked, but it is an essential detail that enhances the look of your venue space. It will complete your vision and will reflect you and your fiancé’s personalities. Lighting can be used in many different ways, but all will illuminate your event space in a dramatic way.

What is more romantic and classic than candlelight? Incorporating candles into your big day can really create a warm and cozy feeling as well. Candles add an extraordinary glow to any venue that will take everyone’s breath away.

The use of patterns can really add a texture to any surface. Whether it is being used as uplighting on the walls or down the aisle, patterns add a creative and personal touch to any venue. As featured in the 25th Anniversary Edition of Chicago Style Weddings, check out the feature on page 336 at: http://www.chicagostyleweddings.com/emagazine.aspx 

   

Uplighting is a great way to enhance the details of your venue space that you appreciate, and it allows you to hide any details you do not see fit for your occasion. It can accent the architecture of the venue, as well as add a glow of the color and patterns you desire. When transforming a venue to what your vision is, uplighting is one of the most essential parts and can really bring everything together.

If you want to create different moods during your special day, do not be afraid to experiment different types of lighting at different times. Maybe you would like to create a soft and romantic atmosphere during the ceremony, and then create a fun and upbeat atmosphere during the reception.

Whatever you choose, always remember to showcase who you are as a couple, and lighting can help reflect that beautifully.


BBFN (Bridal Bliss for Now)
Olivia

Picking the Perfect Wedding Date

Today we are over at Top Wedding Sites talking about how to pick your perfect wedding date. Come check it out!



http://www.topweddingsites.com/wedding-blog/wedding-planning/picking-the-perfect-wedding-date

Hi lovely brides,

It's been a very busy start to the event season. Today I am sharing some photos from a beautiful wedding we were honored to be a part of on May 29, 2011. Oliveaire provided all of the floral, decor, lighting, linen, chivari chairs and planning for this amazing couple's wedding celebration. We hope you enjoy the photos as much as we do!











Check out this great post from our friends at Foodie Registry: Modern Wedding Registry Tips

The Enchanting Varmala

It is no surprise that South Asian weddings have the grandeur of a Royal Wedding, but these trendy weddings are meticulously designed, down to every last detail. The exchanging of the garlands is an intricate part of a Hindu ceremony. A marriage is not complete unless the bride accepts her husband into her life.


Photo courtesy of R.E.M.

A traditional Varmala (or Jaimala depending on the region you are from) is made of Marigolds. But since Indian weddings have stepped into the world of modern and couture trends, brides and grooms are looking to honor the ritual of exchanging the garlands, with a stylish lei of blooms.

Here are some concepts from our design studio, giving you some out of the box ideas to:


GO SMALL: The beauty and charm of mini spray roses vs. full bloom rose can add simplicity to the competing bridal sari and sherwani.

BLING IT: Add crystal studs to add sparkles to your blooms. Embellish the garland with an antique brooch that can be saved long after the ceremony as a memory of your acceptance of marriage.


LOVE the orchids: Mokara orchids are sophisticated and elegant. Orchid garlands can keep the tradition but bring the chic element to the ritual.

STYLE IT: Garlands don’t have to just be about connecting the flowers. Include patterns into garlands that can tie in the design theme of your wedding.

Can you FAKE it?? As a designer I am torn on answering this question. And I mean about using Faux flowers to create your garlands. I am partial to fresh flowers in most design situation. However, I have seen families order beautiful and superbly designed marriage garlands from India. The main advantage of these “fake garlands” is that you can preserve your garlands whether or not the blooms you want to use will allow you to do so. Whichever you decide, these garlands are rooted deep in culture and tradition, and they are beautiful.

Whatever your choice may be in selecting your garlands, know that you are not bound by color or blooms in creating your one of a kind designer garland.

Cheers!

The wedding ceremony was absolutely beautiful and the reception is going along fantastically. The MC has started to announce the people to make toasts. Oh no, what will he say? What will she bring up? How long is dad going to talk? These are some of the questions that may be going through your mind but can be handled with a little preliminary work. Toasts can be a very memorable part of the evening and you certainly don’t want it remembered as the time that the best man was too drunk or dad’s speech was 40 minutes long. Here are our tip tips, you can share with your toast-givers, to guarantee a successful toast:


Don’t make it about you
You have been asked by the bride and / or groom to give a speech about why the wedding is happening and what makes it so great. The number one key to a successful toast is to make it about the couple you are toasting. Don’t talk about you, rather keep it focused on the bride and groom.

Don’t get hammered before taking the microphone
This point seems quite obvious, but it is not. Wait until after your toast to visit the bar. Even if you are traditionally a fantastic speaker, slurring your words will certainly not impress the guests. Also, if one has had a bit too much to drink they may tend to ramble and repeat the same story, and they will not even know they are doing it.

Be clear and concisePrior to the big day decide upon three stories (Max!), and at least one good thing about both the bride and groom as individuals, and one of them as a couple, to incorporate into your toast or speech. The more these stories relate to each other the better.

Don’t get side-tracked
Stick with the pre-planned work you have done on the toast. Stay with the three stories and comments about the bride and groom. Sometimes when you are recalling memories they will lead you to more memories, which can lead to another story, and all of the sudden you are rambling and taking far too long to make a memorable toast. Since the wedding reception room is filled with family, older relatives, and close childhood friends, your toast should be PG or PG-13 rated. Steer clear of any topics that may offend.


Start preparing early
Type or write down your thoughts on the speech. By writing it down it will help you remember it better, and assist you in honing it down, and then it is quite easy to edit if needed. Also by writing it down you can practice in front of the mirror, or a loved one, to get more comfortable in delivering the speech.

Use your Speech 101 skills
All of us at one time or another in high school or college took a speech class. Now is the time to recollect and use those skills. Keep the toast short (3 minutes is a good starting point), keep it simple and keep the audience entertained. Make the guests understand why you were chosen for this special moment. Mixing in some humor and keeping it about the bride and groom is sure to be a winner.

Keep it real
The more true to yourself, the more the audience will be on your side. Some of the best speeches are two to three sentences, sharing a heartfelt congratulations and genuine wishes for full of love, because they were delivered with sincerity that you can see if their face or even hear in the sound of their voice. As long as you are comfortable in honoring the bride and groom this works best.


Have fun
Have fun but not too much fun. You want to deliver your speech fluently and clearly. You want to show emotion and sincerity and that can sometimes be difficult if you are having too much fun. It is a tradition and honor to be selected for this task, and should be given your full attention and regard.

Know that the actual purpose of giving a toast is to wish the couple happiness and blissful life ahead. Make sure you keep this in mind when you say your toast. Give your perspective of why that is the case and then you can gracefully make your exit to the bar.

Cheers!