Your Daily Wed

Cassie & Tom: Tricia Huddas & Co. Real Savannah Wedding

2012-01-30T12:30:00.000-05:00

There really is no excuse for our lack of posting because we know how much you love seeing photos from our weddings!

I'll begin our updates with Cassie & Tom's beach style wedding on Hilton Head Island. With Labor Day behind us and school back in session, September 10 was a lovely Saturday for a wedding. After the ceremony at St Andrew Chapel in nearby Bluffton, the wedding party hopped on a bus and headed to the beach for some photos near the waves. Then, it was on to the party at The Golf Club at Indigo Run on Hilton Head Island where everyone enjoyed dinner and dancing...and a late night S'mores bar at the outdoor fireplace!

Special thanks to Denise Gonsales for these beautiful photos!

Congratulations Cassie & Tom!

Wedding Day Vendors:

Denise Gonsales Photography

Pretty Women Day Spa

Saint Andrew Chapel, Bluffton SC

The Golf Club at Indigo Run
Dream Weaver Photo Booth
All About You Entertainment
Timeless Motor Coaches

Intimate Weddings

2012-01-23T15:33:00.003-05:00

Two weekends ago, Julie and Jeff were married at the Mansion on Forsyth Park. An unusually warm and sunny day for mid-January, everything went smoothly and I was impressed by how calm, personal, and intimate their ceremony was. Apart from the beautiful weather, the couple was surrounded by their closest friends and family, an intimate 25 guests, giving everyone the chance to be close to the bride and groom as they said their vows. Even before the ceremony, all attendees met for a group photo, with everyone fitting easily into a single frame, sharing laughs and hugs before the bride left to get ready for her walk down the aisle.

The organization of this event made me appreciate and remember what I love about small, intimate weddings. Everyone attending has a chance to feel an involvement in the ceremony that you just can’t have when there are so many people. I’ve attended many beautiful weddings where the bride and groom spend the first couple of hours after their ceremony "making the rounds" through the room of guests in order to say hello to everyone. It seems challenging to enjoy yourself on what should be one of the happiest days of your life, and also give your thanks to a huge room full of guests for attending your wedding!

Intimate ceremonies give more creative power to the bride and groom, with more freedom to customize every aspect of the day. A small guest list can also open up more potential small venues and of course save a few bucks. Many couples choose to have a small wedding in order to splurge on the things that really matter to them, like an open bar, unbelievable dinner, or special wedding favors.

Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Burson!

Thanks for the photos from Matthew Kent!

Comfort Food Goes Fancy

2011-11-05T17:17:00.003-04:00

This past summer I went to a wedding, and after hours of dancing and a few too many drinks, the night was coming to an end and I was hungry! My delicious dinner from 4 hours before was long forgotten, and I began plotting my stops on the way home to satisfy my late-night craving. Then, to my surprise, out came a midnight mashed potato buffet - complete with martini glasses to hold the delicious creamy potatoes and a plethora of toppings including sour cream, chives, bacon bits, butter, parmesan cheese, broccoli, and onions. Every single guest was elated by the cozy late night food and we all went home full and happy!

Bringing the nostalgic and sentimental appeal of comfort food into a fancy setting can be a delicious way to add a casual element and focus on the simpler things in life. You don’t need to have a less-formal wedding to enjoy a twist on these classic favorites as buffet food or passed appetizers:

Mac & Cheese with applewood smoked bacon or chopped jalapeños

Sliders with Kobe beef and an array of toppings

Pot Roast with fresh veggies

Tomato Soup with mini grilled cheese made with specialty cheeses

Pizzas mini-sized with gourmet toppings

Soft Pretzels with sea salt and honey mustard

Pigs in a Blanket with puff pastry dough and homemade ketchup

Need some sweets past cake time?

Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies served warm with shot glasses of ice cold milk

Cupcakes decorated in your wedding colors

Cotton Candy who doesn't love this fair inspired treat?

Happy Eating!

The Classy Bachelorette

2011-10-13T21:30:00.003-04:00

Gone are the days when the words “bachelorette party” only incurs images of excessive drinking and inappropriate accessories. I recently planned bachelorette festivities for one of my best friends, and I was happily pleased to find a wealth of ideas for fun activities that wouldn’t embarrass the bride (or everyone with her!) that would still be a unique event she will always remember. As you begin working on your plans, think about what the bride enjoys and how she would like to spend time with her friends. After all, the day is about her! Whether it’s one night or an entire weekend with the girls, bachelorette parties are meant to bring everyone together and shower the bachelorette with love and good wishes before she begins a new life with her husband. And maybe showering her with presents too...

Some unique ideas to get you started:

Host a spa day. Why not get everyone together for manicures, pedicures, facials or massages? To save some money at my friend’s bachelorette, we paid a family friend who is also a masseuse to come over for 2-3 hours and give “mini-massages” to everyone, which was a big hit. Head out to a spa for a full day, half day, or do-it-yourself at home - you don't have to bust your budget for a day of relaxation.

Attention Foodies! Attend a cooking class or make dinner together (if you have a smaller group). Pick a theme the bride would love - french food, fondue, comfort food, anything would work - and enjoy a good meal with great friends.

Like wine? Visit a winery for the day, or look into how much it would be to hire a sommelier for a few hours to come over for a professional wine tasting. Serve cheese, bread, and fresh fruit as appetizers. Play games and give away bottles of wine as prizes, or head out to your favorite restaurant in town and test your new knowledge.

Out on the town. Bring your group to a comedy club and call ahead to see if they can make the bride the center of attention (if she's up for it!). Dance studios sometimes offer “girls night out” packages for a bride who would love to learn to salsa....or maybe some more risqué moves! Even just renting a limo for the night to take you around can be the most fun part.

Tea, anyone? Host a fancy tea party and show off your backyard, or go to a real tea room. A lady-like bride would love the opportunity to show off her new hat and share finger sandwiches, petit fours, and scones with her besties. A friend of mine once made homemade tea bags as the favor for a bridal shower, and everyone loved them!

If you want to stay in, hiring a professional for a few hours could be tons of fun. A cook, a masseuse, a tarot card reader, card dealer (why not bring Vegas to your living room?), dance instructor - just let the bride blow off some stress of planning the big day and have fun!

Eco-Friendly Weddings

2011-10-02T21:31:00.000-04:00

Sustainability is a hot topic, and why not in regards to events? Unfortunately, it’s not always easy or economical to go green when you host an event for a group of people, but it can be possible without sacrificing your budget, elegance or sanity.

An obvious start, using recycled paper for your invitations can be a quick solution. There are so many options, and companies like Crane and Co. produce beautiful paper that is 100% biodegradable or organic cotton. Unlike events where Evites might be appropriate, your wedding invites can also cut back on printed sheets or additional envelopes. For a really unique idea, check out Botantical Paper Works for paper embedded with...wait for it...SEEDS!! Guests can plant your invitation in their backyard and it turns into flowers, plants or herbs instead of ending up in a landfill. Seeds can also be a great wedding favor, as a symbol for beginning a new part of your life.

Everyone wants the perfect dress, but maybe your perfect dress can be one that was used by others as well. This might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s worth it to check out websites that help recycle dresses which might otherwise go to waste. Some are even bought but never worn with the tags still on them. Try Recycled Bride or Once Wed and check out what's out there.

If you’re not sure whether to keep your gown, consider donating it to charity or selling it and donating the proceeds. Your bridesmaids can donate their used gowns to charities such as The Glass Slipper Project or Fairy Godmothers Inc., both of which help give underprivileged teens a chance to find a prom dress if they can’t afford it.

Cooking organic or all-natural can be expensive, so maybe consider taking any leftover food from the reception dinner to a local shelter or soup kitchen instead. Just shopping local grocery store or farmer's market (or your caterer doing so) can make a big difference, as well as choosing fruits and veggies that are in season and don’t need to be grown in a greenhouse. Same with flowers, which is cheaper no matter who your florist is!

Go with the "green" theme and look at vintage materials for decorations, or raid your recently married friends' garage to see who might have supplies you can re-purpose. You can also look at outdoor venues or those run by non-profit organizations. Use all-natural makeup/beauty products and register for earth-friendly housewares. Explain to guests what it means to you to be green and why you made certain decisions in your wedding planning, and they will be happy to jump in the green boat with you.

Finally, check out the I Do Foundation to find ways to support charities through your special day! There are a million ways to be mindful of the environment when throwing a bash - I hope these help you get started :)

Tricia Huddas & Co. Real Savannah Wedding: Jennifer and Kris

2011-09-08T17:35:00.003-04:00

Jennifer and Kris were married on a beautiful May day at the Isle of Hope United Methodist Church surrounded by family and friends. Jennifer did an exceptional job with all of her plans, and I was excited to take the reigns the day of and ensure she and Kris had the wedding of their dreams. This was helped along by a great group of friends in their wedding party - "We're professionals" one of the groomsmen assured me!

The couple exchanged traditional vows and did not take their eyes off each other the whole time. Following the ceremony, the wedding party took a trolley to the bluff around the church for photos before joining guests at the Telfair Academy for a night of dancing and general merriment. Friends of the groom, the ladies at A to Zinnias outdid themselves and found the most beautifully saturated blue hydrangeas to enhance the decor.

Creative Catering provided the yummy southern fare, including pigs in a blanket and fried chicken! Almost as soon as the cake was cut, it was all gone, thanks to the delicious designs from Carrie Briscoe at Two Cakes. Filled up with delicious food and cake, everyone hit the dance floor for the rest of the night, only taking breaks to refill a beverage or to catch their breath between songs. As the guests lined the sidewalk outside ready to send them off under a canopy of sparklers, Jennifer and Kris shared a final dance by themselves in the rotunda before hopping on a carriage to take them off into the next chapter of their lives!

Tremendous thanks to Christine Hall for these lovely images.

Congratulations Jennifer and Kris! We wish you a long and happy life together.

Tricia Huddas & Co. Real Savannah Wedding: Heather and Cory

2011-09-07T11:42:00.001-04:00

Heather and Cory had a beautiful June 4 ceremony and reception at the Davenport House Museum Garden. This St. Louis couple fell in love with the city of Savannah on a previous trip and given that the groom's last name is also Davenport, why not get married in the house with his out namesake! Like many out of town couples, we got plans started via email and phone and put the finishing touches on everything during a weekend trip into the city. This is my favorite part of planning because I get to spend some quality face time with the couple and really see their personalities, which helps me to ensure the couple's personalities shine throughout the wedding day!

The couple had a small ceremony with close family and friends, with a delicious dinner reception to follow catered by Paul Kennedy Catering. Heather looked absolutely stunning in her white lace gown and Cory's light gray suit was a perfect touch for the garden wedding. The flowers were a mix of ivory, lavender, accented with greenery giving the feel of a quentissentially Savannah garden wedding. Heidi and Natalie at A to Zinnias took the couple's idea and ran with it to enhance the already beautiful gardens. Kerry O'Connor Cake Design created the delicious wedding cake featuring a lace design to match Heather's dress and light blue accents. Guests were entertained on the dance floor all night long with the musical styling of the Silver Lining Trio. The couple even had a special personal touch to their reception with monogrammed cookies baked especially for the couple by a friend from St. Louis...yummy!

Heather and Ryan from Heather Roth Photography shot the following beautiful photos. They traveled all the way from St. Louis to shoot the wedding and we had such a great time!

So happy to finally be married...these two are the epitome of sweet love!

Congratulations, Heather and Cory! We wish you a happy and healthy life together!

Tricia Huddas & Co. Real Savannah Wedding: Danielle & Trey

2011-08-01T10:14:00.001-04:00

Danielle and Trey were married the first weekend in May and they could not have asked for a more beautiful day! This fun loving couple was surrounded by their family and friends as they exchanged vows at the Bluffton United Methodist Church. After photos, everyone was ready to kick off their heals at the home of the parents of the groom where a tent housed the evening's festivities.

Providing the perfect natural backdrop, the May River gave us a cool breeze, which kept the afternoon heat off as we waited for the sun to go down. Guests arrived for cocktail hour to the sounds of the steel drums and a premium tequila bar. As was expected, the fire pit recently installed in the back yard drew quite the crowd all night long as guests enjoyed a rock in the rocking chairs between turns on the dance floor thanks to the wonderful DJ Andy with Hilton Head Entertainment. One of the perks of having the reception in your backyard is the party can go on as long as you want!

Neil Cowley with Make Love Real photography was able to capture these beautiful images of the day. Trey and Danielle are sure to remember every detail of the day thanks to Neil's work. Click Here to view a slideshow of the day.

Danielle with her father just before they enter the church.

Some alone time before the party gets underway!

Amazing Event Rentals and Ohh Events! put together the beautiful tenting, lighting, and rentals. Jan with Ohh Events! also provided the exceptional floral and linen design.

I just love this photo of the tiki torch flame with Danielle and Trey in the background!

Before heading out for the night, Neil was able to snap one last photo of the couple enjoying their wedding day.

Congratulations Danielle and Trey!

Tricia Huddas & Co. Real Savannah Wedding: Erin and Phillip

2011-07-01T12:12:00.006-04:00

Erin and Phillip were married on Memorial Day weekend at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, and had their reception at the DeSoto Hilton on Liberty Street. The couple was very laid back and were just excited to be getting married!

The wonderful ladies at A to Zinnias provided all the flowers for the day and made everything look beautiful. Carrie from Two Cakes made the delicious wedding cake and it matched the day perfectly! Guests were entertained by the wonderful Trae Gurley, who serenaded everyone with his beautiful jazz style.

The guys at Beacon Photo provided these fantastic photographic memories from the day. What a wonderful day for a wedding!

Erin showing off her fun personality!

The beautiful and delicious cake from Two Cakes!

The couple happily married!

Erin and her father as he walks her down the aisle.

The gorgeous bride so happy on her wedding day!

Congratulations, Erin and Phillip! Thank you so much for allowing us to share this wonderful day with you!

Dear Fellow Savannah Event Professionals...

2011-06-24T17:27:00.008-04:00

Some of you have heard, but for those who have not, we want to pass along some news about one of our own. Ricky Moore, one of the Savannah Special Events delivery leads was in a terrible car accident over the weekend of June 18. So many of you have met him but may not actually know him. He is currently in the ICU and the doctors recently put him under a chemically induced coma to allow his brain time to heal along with his other injuries.

Ricky and his wife, seen below with their oldest son, had another baby just days before the accident, and this is an extremely hard time on their family. He is a gentle soul and in need of your thoughts and prayers to pull through this because it is going to be a long, long recovery.

Ricky and the delivery guys at Savannah Special Events do more than just deliver and setup their rentals - they help us unload our cars, show up early, and help us out when they really don't have to. Let's show our support and help Ricky and his family through this tough time.

An account has been setup at Wells Fargo Bank to collect donations - Charles Moore Donation Fund: Account # 7964140623. The Moore family needs our help now more than ever. Anything will help.

Tricia Huddas & Co. Real Savannah Wedding: Tara and Eric

2011-06-19T11:54:00.000-04:00

Tara and Eric were married during an intimate ceremony on May 21st at Bethesda Home For Boys, with a small dinner reception following at the Olde Pink House. The Bethesda chapel served as the ceremony venue and was decorated with candles by the altar and flowers lining the aisle. A memory candle was placed at the front of the chapel in memory of Eric's late mother, which provided an extra special and unique touch to the ceremony. Tara looked very elegant in her ivory lace gown, and she was filled with excitement to be marrying the love of her life!

After a guided tour of historic Savannah, guests were taken to The Olde Pink House for the reception for an intimate dinner with close friends and family. The decorations were simple but beautiful, with candles lining the center of the table and the fireplace mantle. Thank you to Garden on the Square for providing the amazing flowers for the ceremony and reception! Kerry O'Connor Cake Design provided the marvelous and gorgeous cake for the reception.

The beautiful chapel at Bethesda

The Olde Pink House reception site

In memory of Eric's mother.

Flowers courtesy of Garden on the Square

The menu cards for each guest, with the wedding favor on top.

Beautiful wedding cake, courtesy of Kerry O'Connor Cake Designs

It was a beautiful wedding! Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Mora!

Tricia Huddas & Co. Real Savannah Wedding: Jennifer and Michael

2011-06-17T15:51:00.010-04:00

Jennifer and Michael's beautiful April 30 wedding took place at the Plantation Club at the Landings on Skidaway Island. You could tell that Jennifer and Michael were so happy and in love from the smiles they wore all day! The ceremony was held outside the club along the banks of a small pond. Savannah Special Events by Ranco provided the seating for the ceremony and linens for the reception.

Amy and her team of wonderful designers at Harvey Designs outdid themselves with this one making the location even more beautiful with their amazing floral creations. There had to be over 100,000 flowers in the entire reception area! No two centerpieces were the same, which made the reception that much more unique. Kerry O'Connor Cake Design provided the yummy and beautiful wedding cake, which looked elegant next to all the floral arrangements. Guests were entertained on the dance floor all night long by the rockin' sounds provided by Andrew Thielen Big Band. Hunter McRae from Memories n More Photography provided all these gorgeous photos from the day!

Jennifer looks so happy to be walking down the aisle to marry the love of her life!

Officially Mr. and Mrs. Lacovara!

Congratulations, Jennifer and Michael! We wish you a lifetime of happiness!

Tricia Huddas & Co. Real Savannah Wedding: Katie and Brad

2011-04-08T20:34:00.002-04:00

To kick off our 2011 wedding season, we had the opportunity to work with a beautiful couple. Katie and Brad got married the first weekend in February at the Mansion on Forsyth Park with close family and friends in attendance. From the first moment I met with them, I could tell Katie had a clear vision of how she wanted her wedding day to look and the creativity to pull all of her details together…and I was happy to be able to allow her to enjoy those details!

The morning kicked off at 700 Drayton with a bridesmaid’s luncheon before heading off to Park West Salon for hair and make up. Katie was a gorgeous bride in her lace gown accented with a gray sash. Her gunmetal and silver color scheme with pink accents looked stunning under the beautiful crystal chandeliers at the Mansion on Forsyth Park, and the flowers by A to Zinnias were beautiful, as usual! Many thanks to her photographer, Kimberly Wilson, for these beautiful photos.

Katie and her sweet bridesmaids were all smiles and laughter while they got dressed, primped and anxiously awaited the time to walk down the aisle. Helping her daughter get dressed and put the final touches together, Katie's mom was all smiles throughout the night.

Joined by her father as she prepared to walk into the arms of her love five years after they met, Katie was calm, cool, and collected, just like her husband-to-be. Listening to Brad talk about Katie made me melt and I could plainly see why these two were meant to have their "Happily Ever After."
After an intimate ceremony beneath the tent in the Marble Garden Courtyard, Katie and Brad took a walk through Forsyth Park to enjoy some "us" time before the reception. As the sun began to set, the newlyweds joined their guests…but not before snapping these sweet photos.

After wiping the tears from my eyes during the father of the bride's welcome toast to his daughter and son-in-law, guests enjoyed a delicious meal, followed by yummy cakes from the fabulous Carrie of Two Cakes. The music picked up after a lovely round of the Happy Birthday song for Katie’s father and uncle, his twin brother, and everyone danced into the wee hours of the night!

The smile on Brad and Katie’s faces at the end of the night was the icing on my cake, and I enjoyed working with them to help make their wedding day the celebration they envisioned. Following a sparkler send off, the couple took a ride around the city in a horse and carriage to begin the new chapter in their lives together.

Congratulations Brad and Katie!

Real Savannah Wedding: Tricia & Danny

2011-02-05T10:00:00.003-05:00

Yes, this is finally the post that I have been asked and asked to post of the pictures from my wedding last May. I have no good excuse, other than being busy and that my clients and their weddings come first!

I married the love of my life, Danny, on May 15, 2010. I could not have asked for a more amazing day - the weather was just perfect, and considering I planned an outdoor (not fully tented) reception, that was a good thing! Yes, I am a wedding planner and I planned a fully outdoor reception without a tent for my cocktail hour - and honestly, I just set my mind that it would not rain, and as luck would have it - it didn't! Amazing, since rain was predicted all week - whew!
I will say the hardest part about planning my own wedding was having to choose vendors. I am honored to know some of the best vendors in the wedding industry! How do you choose just one Florist, one Photographer, etc??

These amazing pictures are compliments of Donna Von Bruening with DVB Photography!

These cuties, Madeline and Mallory, are the daughters of Danny's oldest brother John and his wife Dee Dee. This was their first time as flower girls, and by the end of the year they were old pros - appearing in two family weddings in one year!

We had an afternoon ceremony at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in downtown Savannah. When I was a 10 year old Girl Scout visiting from Michigan - I went to mass at the Cathedral. I told my mom that I would get married in that church one day - little did I know, God heard me that day and I ended up living in Savannah and marrying a local boy! It has to be one of the most amazing and beautiful churches I have ever seen!

Heidi and Natalie, the owners of A to Zinnias florist, are not only amazing florists, but I am lucky to call them great friends! Having friends in good places allowed for me to have such beautiful details and flowers throughout my wedding.

Following the ceremony, the wedding party and guests hopped on a Trolley from SweptAway Tours and took our guests out to Danny's parents property overlooking the back river and marsh on Wilmington Island. While the wedding party stopped for pictures, guests enjoyed cocktail hour while listening to my favorite local singer, Trae Gurley!

Following cocktails and hor d'oeuvres on the lawn, guests were shown to the back of the house, where an amazing tent from Savannah Special Events overlooked the Marsh! It was a stunning site; even more than I could have imagined. My colors, Gray and Blue - with hints of Pink, were taken from the beautiful natural backdrop and was inspired by Oyster Shells and the stunning view.

I loved all the candles, flowers and oyster shell place cards (hand made by my mom). One of Danny's groomsmen and a great friend made beer for our wedding, it was delish! Chef Nick Mueller went above and beyond for our wedding...from the hors d'oeuvers to the Filet Mignon and Grouper served for dinner - we are still receiving compliments on our menu! Nick and I also collaborated to surprise Danny with a Banana Fosters station in lieu of a groom's cake. It was hidden until dusk, when Nick's team quickly moved into action bringing out a table draped in red linen and Danny's University of Georgia flag. This was a great surprise - it really got everyone's attention - and Danny just loved the banana's foster groom's cake!

My AMAZING cake was the creation of Minette Rushing's Custom Cakes! Lead designer, Kerry O'Conner, created this beautiful and stunning cake based off my request for a gray cake. She took inspiration from my invitations, and I could not have been happier. I have also never seen cake disappear so quickly! Not a slice was left! YUM!

As our evening ended, we sent the guests off with Krispy Kreme Doughnuts for "Breakfast in Bed" - it was a long day, and I knew that Danny and I would not be up for a brunch the next day.

I could not have pulled off my wedding without my wonderful team of planners! Genina, Jackie and Meredith worked hard on my wedding day to make sure it was perfect - and it was!! I have a wonderful team of girls that work with me, and though two of them were in the wedding - I know they worked that day as well!

Here is a list of my wonderful Friends and Vendors who helped pull my wedding off:

Dress: Monique Lhuillier Swan Lake
Hair: Tre Wyrosdick
Make-up: Genevieve Routon, Salon 2010
Photographer: DVB Photography
Florist: A to Zinnias
Videographer: Savannah Wedding Films
Ceremony Music: Violinist Ricardo Ochoa and Harpist Kristin King, New Arts Ensembles organist Patty Shreck and vocalist Andrea Dove
Cocktail Hour Music: Trae Gurley
Catering: Chef Nick Mueller
Bar Service: Whitemarsh Beverage
Cake: Minette Rushing Custom Cakes
Rentals: Savannah Special Events by Ranco
Transportation: SweptAway Tours
Rehearsal Dinner: The Olde Pink House

The Knot Best of Weddings 2011

2010-12-16T21:15:00.006-05:00

A huge thank you to all of our current and past brides for voting us as The Knot's Best of Weddings for 2011!

As we close out another year, we take a look back on the past 12 months and realize how wonderful it is to work with not only the best brides and grooms but the very best Savannah has to offer in wedding vendors. Here's to another great year of beautiful weddings in 2011!

New Jewelry Line from Designer Liancarlo

2010-11-29T21:38:00.000-05:00

Liancarlo designer Carlos Ramirez, and father of our own Genina Ramirez, has a new line of bridal jewelry that is just as beautiful as his gowns! Genina recently gave us a sneak peek of the first pieces and I think I can speak for the rest of us when I say, "I don't have to be a bride to wear these, right?!?"

Selecting just the right bridal jewelry to compliment your dress can be just as daunting of a task as choosing the dress itself. With this new jewelry line, Ramirez makes this decision much easier with such beautiful necklaces, headpieces and bracelets. In addition, these pieces will be ones you'll go back to long after the cake has been eaten and the guests have given their final "Congratulations!"

Necklaces

Headpiece

Bracelets

Cuff

We can't wait to see more from Liancarlo's jewelry line!

A Royal Engagement!

2010-11-18T21:13:00.012-05:00

What a wonderful way to start a Tuesday with news that Prince William and Kate Middleton have made it official with the announcement of their much anticipated engagement! So many little girls spent their Saturday mornings dressed up in tiaras, pearls and white gloves attending a tea party surrounded by stuffed animals pretending to be a princess. To actually become a princess is quite an exciting prospect and it seems that Kate will transition beautifully into Princess Catherine! She certainly already looks the part in one of her many unique hats.

Photo Credit: Ian Jones/Telegraph UK/Zuma Press

After keeping the engagement a secret for nearly a month, the couple looked relaxed and happy to share the news with the press at St. James's Palace in London earlier this week.

Photo Credit: Ben Stansall/AFP/Getty Images

William presented Kate with his mother's stunning sapphire and diamond ring because he wanted to be sure that his mother was part of the engagement.

Photo Credit: Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP

BBC News journalist Tom Bradby was granted the only interview with the couple following their announcement, and it is one of only a few times in which the public had a chance to hear from Kate herself. The soft spoken couple talk about the development of their relationship from friends to fiances, the romantic proposal, and why William waited so long to propose.

Like many in the wedding industry, we are eagerly awaiting news of more details as they unfold. Martha Stewart Weddings recently interviewed Mark Niemierko, a top London wedding planner, about what to expect for a royal wedding. Check out the full interview Here.

We plan to tune in and see what this wedding looks like for ourselves, no matter what time we have to get up...will you?

Clever Ways to Personalize Your Wedding

2010-10-21T13:10:00.014-04:00

I recently received an invitation to my cousin’s wedding in the mail and once I got past the absolutely impeccable calligraphy, I noticed something that I wish I thought to do for my wedding. In the upper right corner were two stamps with my cousin and her fiancé smiling at each other!

With so many invitations printed on heavier weight paper and in shapes needing more than your typical 44 cent stamp, this is a great way to showcase you and your fiancé even before your big day begins! Zazzle.com has tools to help you create a personalized stamp by uploading your own photo, or you can select from one of their many wedding themed designs.

Another great way to personalize your wedding is to design your own stationary as it sets the tone for what your guests can expect on the wedding day. Now, I know that many brides these days don’t even have enough time to plan a wedding, let alone design their stationary...but, with the help of online resources, designing your wedding stationary isn’t just for your amateur Martha Stewarts out there.

For those of you who are hesitant to embark on this potentially time consuming task, start with your Save the Dates. You may uncover a new talent you never thought you had!

The same cousin who put her face on a postage stamp used a great online resource for her Save the Dates called Premium Postcard. This website is a USPS Approved Postal Provider, so not only are you able to design a beautiful Save the Date card with just a few clicks of your mouse, but you can also upload your guest list to the website and they mail everything out for you...talk about a time saver!

To create a one of a kind post card, simply upload your favorite photos of you and your fiancé to the available spaces on the card and add the particulars using the site’s text editor. Now, I have to admit that my cousin is a professional graphic designer and the image on her card is her own design, but you don’t have to be a professional to create a lovely design using the website’s available tools.

Here is a sample announcement post card I quickly created:

As an added bonus, using post cards instead of the traditional card and envelope cuts down on your paper consumption…and Mother Earth appreciates the gesture!

By designing your wedding stationary, programs, menu cards, etc., you can also tie together a common theme from start to finish. As you can see with these invitations, my cousin was able to carry the bird theme from the save the date to the invitations and through to the overall wedding design, and this gives her guests a little taste of what to expect on the day of your wedding.

However you choose to personalize your wedding, it should be a reflection of you and your fiancé and the love you share together.

Many thanks to my cousin, Beth, and her soon-to-be-husband, J.R., for allowing me to post their clever ideas, and to Jade McCully Photography for the announcement card photos.

Welcome Fall!

2010-09-22T09:00:00.006-04:00

It is the first day of fall today...well, not officially until 11:09pm, but I am known to celebrate early! Like many past autumnal equinox in Savannah, it doesn’t necessarily begin to feel like fall until October and sometimes even into November. Even though the weather may not cooperate until later in the year, the change of seasons from summer to fall brings with it an excitement that radiates throughout the city. Kids return to school, another football season is well underway, and I don’t get heat stroke walking from the front door to the mailbox!

Here at TH&Co, fall means we kick it into high gear as the days of 95-degree weather turn into weekends filled with weddings! Rich, bold colors make their return to wedding design, and to help you get in the mood for fall, here are a few great ideas for autumn weddings.

An easy way to infuse fall themes into your wedding is through your floral design. Whether you opt for a bold mix of colors or select a single color in various shades, fall hues create a rich, warm atmosphere for celebrating during the cool months.

Many brides are opting to forgo a floral table design and autumn is the perfect season to do this. Fill your tables with fall favorites like pumpkins, squash, cranberries, and finish it off with lots and lots of candles. Pottery Barn has wonderful inspiration for non-floral designs.

Using wheat as an alternative to flowers is always a popular choice, especially for a casual, outdoor affair or at a location with a rustic ambiance. Wheat can be used in lieu of flowers for nearly any aspect of the wedding, including aisle decorations, bridal bouquet and boutonnieres.

I am a big fan of the not so “matchy matchy” look for wedding parties, especially when a bride is faced with the prospect of dressing women with varying hair colors and skin tones. One way to combat this is to dress each woman in a different shade of the same color, but I found another suggestion on Real Simple’s website that I loved, especially if you have a mixture of blonde, brunette and redheads…pick the same dress, just change up the colors! These beautiful fall colors look great individually while still providing a cohesive color palate for your photos.

Let’s not forget about the men! To give the groomsmen a sense of individuality, choose a range of colors like these from vibrant red to soft peach.

Food plays a huge part in many autumnal activities and what better way to incorporate the season into your wedding than with food and drinks! Cocktail hour is a great way to provide your guests with signature fall treats like these mini candied apples and caramel apple martinis.

These cakes exude the warmth of fall without being too overly themed. The brown orchids and bold reds and oranges provide a lovely contrast against a traditional white cake. I especially like the idea of using chocolate icing for fall bridal cakes.

Pecan and apple pies are staples of many a Thanksgiving table, so why not share these crowd pleasers with your guests and send them home with a miniature version!

Photos courtesy of: Martha Stewart Weddings, The Knot, Pottery Barn, Good Life in the City, Geoff White Photography, Melias Floral, Williams-Sonoma, Real Simple Weddings, Francoise Weeks , The Wedding Bee

Tricia Huddas & Co. Real Savannah Wedding: Claire and Joseph

2010-09-12T12:41:00.028-04:00

Claire and Joseph were married under the beautiful chandelier and draped tent of The Mansion on Forsyth Park’s Marble Garden Courtyard this past August. The bride and groom were surrounded by friends and family as they exchanged vows under the lightest of rain showers. I think the sound of light rain on a tent provides a romantic backdrop to a ceremony, though most brides would choose to forgo the romantic atmosphere for a dry day! Claire and Joseph could not have been a more relaxed, easy going couple. Even the sudden arrival of rain did not phase these two.

Claire's father was bursting with pride the entire day!

A to Zinnias provided the colorful flowers and lined the pool behind the couple with candles and magnolia leaves to enhance the intimate ceremony as a string trio from New Arts Ensembles provided the music.

Many thanks to Memories n More for providing such beautiful photos from their special day. Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. McPhail!

Tricia Huddas & Co Real Savannah Wedding: Emily and Justin

2010-08-12T14:44:00.007-04:00

Emily and Justin were married this past July at the Telfair Museum of Arts Academy Building - WOW is all I can say! Emily was such a joy to work with. She is Southern to the core, polite and had a very specific vision for her wedding. We spent hours picking the perfect linens, discussing the exact layout to fit her vision and putting the finishing touches on the overall day. Well, those hours paid off in an absolutely stunning wedding that took my breath away.

Emily and Justin have been together for 8 years - a perfect couple who share a strong faith and love for their families. It is always so special to be a part of such an important day - and when you end with results like this - it is just an extra reward!!

AND Check out the dress - Vera Wang!! Stunning!! Thank you Ashley Brokop for sharing these images!

A clean, simple color palette and classic flowers from Garden on the Square complimented the space brilliantly, and that amazing cake was done by the one and only Minette Rushing of Savannah Custom Cakes!

Congratulations Emily and Justin - thank you for allowing me to share in your wedding day!

Tricia Huddas & Co. Real Savannah Wedding: Tricia & Danny

2010-08-03T20:31:00.007-04:00

Yes, This is the first post on MY wedding - I was married this past May to my love, Danny! Many of my clients, friends and colleagues have been asking and asking when I am going to post about my wedding! Well, Ainsley gave you a sneak peak with her picture from the wedding, but I promise to share more pictures and details. I will give you this sneak peak today, but will leave you hanging while I fill you in on some of our weddings that we are behind on. Don't worry, I have a goal to get caught up soon, so I will show and share with you all the great details, vendors and pictures of my own wedding.

I think it is great to have been a wedding planner for 5 years prior to getting married. I know what it is like to plan an event and be emotionally involved, but now I have such a deeper understanding and great respect for my brides. I don't think that my experience would have been the same had I been a "bride-turned-planner" either - there is just something about doing a job for so long and then to personally experience it, it just gives you such a greater understanding.

First, here is just a sneak peak at my wonderful husband and I on our wedding day - and stay posted... you WILL want to hear about our honeymoon...

Tricia Huddas & Co. Real Savannah Wedding: Cailey and Tyler

2010-08-01T09:46:00.009-04:00

So it has been a while since we posted - and Cailey and Tyler have actually been married almost a year now and are expecting their first child. WOW, how time flies!! Between corporate events, weddings and my own wedding this past May we just had to focus on the task at hand and allowed ourselves to get behind on updating the blog - we do apologize and hope to get ourselves back on track to showcase our beautiful brides and work!

Back to the task at hand! Cailey and Tyler were an exceptional couple and they both held surprisingly refreshing values in todays world! Tyler and Cailey didn't just meet and start dating - it all started with Tyler asking to Court Cailey (date with the intent to marry) and a short time later they young couple became engaged and Mom was quickly planning a wedding!

Here's the catch - they had never kissed - they had decided to save that special moment for their wedding. Who does that now days!! It was wonderful to be a part of a couples wedding that had such values and faith, that they saved that moment for their wedding.

Cailey and Tyler, a beautiful couple from the inside out, were wed last August in a touching ceremony at Calvary Baptist followed by a colorful reception at The Mansion on Forsyth Park. The wedding colors were black, white, hot pink and lime green! Bold colors, but elegant in design!

They had an amazing group of wedding vendors to work with, including a very Special Thank you to Ainlinn Kate Photography for sharing your photography!

Sneak Peak - A Wedding Planner's Wedding!

2010-05-18T12:26:00.002-04:00

What will a wedding planner's wedding look like? People have been asking me this about Tricia's wedding all year, and this weekend we finally got to see! There is a lot to share, but we'll start with this little sneak peak from my trusty-dusty iPhone camera.

Congratulations to Tricia and Danny! I love you both.

Real Tricia Huddas & Co. Wedding Featured on Southern Weddings

2010-05-13T12:44:00.003-04:00

Cori and David's November Savannah wedding at the Mansion on Forsyth Park was the culmination of a weekend of Savannah fun for their close friends and family that traveled from all over the country to spend Thanksgiving weekend with this fantastic couple.

Cori put so much care into both the details, and a luxurious, welcoming experience for her guests that I was mostly just jealous I wasn't one of them. As a bride that used blogs for some of her inspiration, I'm so glad that her wedding - in turn - was featured yesterday on Southern Weddings Magazine's blog!

Check it out! Real Georgia Wedding: Cori + David

Tricia Huddas & Co. Real Savannah Wedding: Julie and Pat

2010-04-07T07:00:00.000-04:00

I had the pleasure of spending a few days with this Wisconsin couple in August to pick out the low country venues for their destination wedding. They were interested in exploring both Hilton Head and Savannah. I am so happy they chose Savannah for the intimate affair because their Owens-Thomas House Garden wedding ceremony and Olde Pink House reception were beyond charming. Julie's whole look was so perfect for the historic venues - Tricia and I ogled over her whenever we had a free minute. There's just something extra-special about a bride whose dress and style completely fit the venue...

The beautiful flowers by A to Zinnias. Julie's favorite flower is the Gerbera Daisy, and I was so happy to see my first fluffy pink peonies of the season.

The Owens-Thomas House Garden is reason enough to have a small wedding!! It's so beautiful, but the space works best for an intimate affair.

Guests enjoyed cocktails during a trolley tour of historic Savannah, ending at yet another historic venue, the Olde Pink House. It is my favorite restaurant in Savannah and they really take care of wedding parties. Guests started in the Study and had dinner in the Master Bedroom.

Welcome, Spring!

2010-03-19T12:56:00.000-04:00

It has been a long winter, and I think you can relate no matter where you live in the country. It snowed in Savannah...'nuff said. But now you can feel it in the air, and see it bursting from the ground - tomorrow is officially Spring!

It's actually official for me the first time I see a daffodil. And this year that was pretty accurate because I don't think they were coming up prematurely in many places considering the snow and frigid temps. What a cheery flower to include in your spring wedding - fresh and bright!

Daffodil Wedding Cake

Spring bruch table from OnceWed

Bouquet of tulips, daffodil and ranunculus

Happy St. Patrick's Day - A Lucky, Green Wedding

2010-03-17T06:57:00.001-04:00

St. Patrick's Day is a BIG DEAL in Savannah. And everyone jumps on the bandwagon of this festive, cultural celebration (it must be the booze). But there are some people who take their heritage pretty seriously, and a wedding is the perfect time to celebrate that heritage - national holiday or not. Here are some pretty, literal gems of green-spiration for the Irish ladies out there.

Happy St. Patrick's Day, everyone!

Lucky Shamrock Bouquet and Boutonniere, Green Wedding Cake from Real Simple, Bridesmaids radiant in green, Moss and vintage milk glass, Guinness on the menu, And of course, Bagpipes

Simple Wedding Ceremony Programs

2010-03-12T07:00:00.000-05:00

If you are not working on your wedding ceremony programs with a stationer, it tends to be a project that falls to the wayside, to be taken care of at the last minute. That's probably because it's also one of the items that leave a lot of brides thinking - do I really need programs at the ceremony?

I understand the thought behind that - some people never even take one, most people leave it behind, etc. I do however, think that it's a good idea to provide some sort of program - especially if your wedding ceremony is a traditional ceremony in a church where some of your guests may not understand what is going on and need some guidance. It also serves as a helpful coordinating resource - a place to give guests information about post-ceremony logistics. For example, directions to the reception venue or transportation and parking information.

That said, if you are not a stationery fanatic, it's one place that you should really think about keeping it simple (for all of the reasons you have for not wanting to use programs at all). I just saw this simple, cute and chic Program Cover Template on Martha Stewart Weddings that is easy to use, but doesn't look like a complete throw-away!

If you use a decent card stock, you could print the ceremony information on the inside of the same sheet, and you wouldn't even need cords to bind the program, just a nice fold.

Wedding Q&A Thursday: Mother of the Bride

2010-03-11T04:00:00.000-05:00

Q: I know that she's just trying to be helpful, but my Mom is driving me a bit crazy. I'm sure you deal with a lot of Mothers, is there a way for me to politely" ask her to back off? I don't want to hurt her feelings!

A: As you said, your mother is just trying to help, and if she's really all over you about things, it may be because she's actually a little overwhelmed herself! I think the best way to "control" family members in general is to think about what their traditional roles in the process should be, combined with what they are capable of, combined with what you trust them to do, thereby creating a personalized role for them. Then sit down with them and discuss all of your plans, and the thought process behind them, highlighting specifically where you would like their assistance, advice, etc.

The wedding planning process is so different from normal life. Everyone wants to help, everyone wants to be put to work. So give them a job! If they have an assigned duty they are less likely to just arbitrarily give you advice and opinions that could start to drive you crazy. Even if your justification comes from a good place - "Mom, I just want you to relax and enjoy the wedding..." - some people will not be satisfied with a hands-off approach.

That said, the "traditional" mother of the bride roles are less defined than, say, the father of the bride or maid of honor. Her job, vaguely enough, is to help! So if she's a little frantic, overwhelmed and, therefore, overwhelming, keep her filled in on the process (maybe suggest a weekly phone call to keep it in control) and ask her to do specific things that will actually help you...

- Mom, would you mind making me a list of addresses of all of our family members as well as your guests, including their full names and the names of their children?

- Hi Mom, I'd love for you to talk to Grandma and our other female relatives and come up with some family traditions that we may consider using in our wedding.

- Hey Mom, I've got that under control, but ya know what I could use a little help with? Calling area hotels and finding out the rates they offer for group reservations! (yay)

- Mother Dearest, you are such a great hostess! I know that you're going to come up with some great ideas for the welcome bags we leave in our guests' hotel rooms (wink).

Your Mom is excited! She will throw herself full-force into whatever task you assign her and be a much calmer ally in the process.

Tricia Huddas & Co. Real Savannah Wedding: Christina and Mika

2010-03-08T04:00:00.001-05:00

Above all else, Christina knew she wanted to get married in her hometown of Savannah, GA. So she and Mika packed their bags and flew from the City of Angels to Savannah to celebrate their wedding with 125 of their close friends and family. And celebrate they did! Two weeks ago Christina and Mika tied the knot in the courtyard of the gorgeous Mansion on Forsyth Park. The courtyard looked incredible with beautiful flowers from Garden on the Square. I especially loved the fuchsia stock! But nothing could compare to the look on Mika's face when he saw Christina for the first time as she walked down the aisle. Congratulations Mr. & Mrs Fineo!

Savannah Wedding Photographer Katie McGee captured the couple's style so well, right?

The Most Important Meal of the Day - The Breakast/Brunch Wedding Reception

2010-02-23T14:42:00.004-05:00

I don't understand people who do not eat breakfast. If I do not eat within 15 minutes of waking up, I am mean, and sad, and awful! I also get a little sad on Sundays, which must be leftover from my days of M-F office work. Those two personal traits combined lend some insight into my delight this weekend as my husband and I mixed up our usual Sunday routine to spend the day at a friend's wedding in Pennsylvania.

If good friends and the joy of marriage was not enough to combat my Sunday blues, it was also a BRUNCH reception! With the wedding ceremony at 11:00 am, I'd had my fingers crossed from the moment we received the invitation that we would be feasting on some eggs and breakfast carbs and the reception. Wish granted.

Brunch is one of those meals that feels like a special occasion no matter when you have it! Let’s be honest, it’s generally a luxury that we reserve for weekends, holidays, vacation and celebrations. These associations make it a natural fit for your wedding. And Butler-passed Bloody Marys and Mimosa’s will create the feeling of ease for your guests that only daytime drinking can do!

via Style Me Pretty, by Annie Packman of marryyoume.com

If the appeal of breakfast food alone is not enough to push you toward a brunch wedding, consider the savings. Many reception venues require a lower spending minimum for events held early enough in the day to allow them to turn the room over for an evening wedding, even during peak wedding season, even on Saturdays.

And if THAT is not appealing enough - what about a donut wedding cake?

via martha stewart weddings

Wedding Q&A Thursday: Re-Purposing Ceremony Flowers

2010-02-11T11:02:00.000-05:00

Q: Is it possible to re-purpose the flowers from my ceremony (pew markers, altar arrangements, etc.) at my reception. I'd like to save some money and don't want those flowers - that were only really in use for 20 minutes - to go to waste.

A: Waste not, want not. I hear you loud and clear. The value per time used is always a consideration when deciding whether or not you should have elaborate ceremony decorations at all. The answer about whether or not you can re-purpose is also not a simple yes/no.

Yes if...

...there is, logistically, the time and staff available to disassemble, transport and re-purpose/re-assemble those flowers at the reception site between the time your guests leave the ceremony area and enter the reception. You don't want your guests to see the seams of the event - the work behind it. So you can't, for example, expect your ceremony flowers to adorn high-boys during your cocktail hour if it immediately follows. It's also probably not a good idea to attempt this if there is not separation of space between your cocktail hour and reception. Consider your guests arriving to empty vases and unadorned tables, then seeing your coordinator and staff scrambling to get this set - it's not the effect you were hoping for, right? And if you don't have a coordinator, it's not something you want to ask friends and family to do. They may be willing, but do you want to put them to work on the wedding day?

...the flowers are hearty enough to handle the move. If your ceremony was outdoors, on a hot day, chances are that your florist strategically timed set-up to give the flowers enough life to look great through your ceremony before wilting - especially the arrangements without water like your pew markers. However, after that, these tired blooms could end up looking worse for wear after the move and, once again, not have the intended effect.

Otherwise, it's not something to count on. When breaking down a ceremony site, we always keep as many of the flowers as time and transport permit, and bring them along to the reception site. If there's time and a place for them, we will use them to spruce up bars, cake tables, gift tables - anywhere there may not already be a lot of decoration. But it's not something that we like to be a major project. The time between the ceremony and reception is often a busy time for your planner and event staff, as it's the last chance to make everything is set and perfect for your reception.

If you are concerned with your floral budget, talk to your planner and florist about finding a balance between the ceremony decor and your reception. Less is often more, and your florist probably knows how to get the most "bang for your buck," (sorry, I don't like that expression...it's all I could come up with) in a particular venue. For example, things that will and will not show in photographs.

Love stories...

2010-02-08T16:16:00.002-05:00

It's Valentine's week! The week leading up to the holiday-o-love. Commercial-creation-of-the greeting-card-industry or not, it's a nice reminder to us of how lucky we are to be, more or less, in the business of love. Some couples have stories that are simple, but strong. Some are amazing, involving twists of fate, struggle and amazing leaps of faith. But they are all pretty special.

I hope you can take a little time each day this week to remember love! This Super Bowl Commercial by Google should get you going...

Tea-Length Wedding Dress Crush

2010-02-05T15:27:00.002-05:00

My husband and I were sitting side-by-side on my couch a few days ago as I was rummaging through my google reader. A few short wedding dresses caught my eye and I remarked to my husband that if we ever get married again (we not I...that's very important in such a conversation), I would wear a short dress. After all, we both agree that my legs are one of my better features, and I would be well-served to keep them exposed.

The conversation however, took a turn to discuss whether it would really be right in the church where we were married. Not a question of appropriateness...just looking out-of-place. My conclusion was - well, it would depend on the dress.

Lo and behold, I stumbled upon this photoshoot on the Daria Bishop Photography blog and the dress neatly fit itself right into my scenario. Isn't it sweet?

The Josephine dress by Stephanie James Couture is, I guess, not really short - it's tea-length. I'm normally not a fan of this length, but I can't imagine this dress another way. It's traditional and un-traditional all at once.

Take a look at Stephanie James' blog for pictures of some of the cutest brides I've ever see together on one blog. I honestly just have a crush on these tea-length dresses!

Tricia Huddas & Co. in The Knot Georgia

2010-01-29T09:05:00.004-05:00

Joyous Friday, everyone! I'm in Washington, DC and it's FREEZING - so if you're not snug in the South, keep warm.

Garden on the Square's Julie Driscoll was kind enough to send me images of a wedding that I worked on that was featured in The Knot Georgia along with a gaggle of other beautiful Savannah weddings. I'm not surprised that Freddie and Brian were chosen - they were a beautiful couple!

This wasn't our only feature, so stay tuned!

Jekyll Island Wedding Inspiration Collaboration - Recognize Anyone?

2010-01-27T20:28:00.003-05:00

Always a planner, sometimes a bridesmaid! Check out Blue Door Photography's blog for beautiful work from Liz Demos, the Blue Door Team, Garden on the Square, and Mitchell Hall...and, of course, Tricia and I playing bridesmaid!

Oyster eating, bud-drinking bridesmaids!

No rules...Rules.

2010-01-22T12:35:00.002-05:00

This wedding, featured on the Southern Weddings blog, shot by wedding photographer Meg Perotti, is definitely the coolest wedding I've seen ever. Lately I've been watching too much Say Yes to the Dress and maybe getting a little bit of wedding overload (yeah, yeah, yeah...sue me) - and I just keep thinking, "you all look the same! Why do you want to look the same?!" And even when there's effort made to give bridesmaids choices and mix things up, it always involves coordination and compromise and the effort is visible (not a complaint).

But this bride clearly gave her bridesmaids no rules, and they all look great individually and as a group. Maybe you don't agree, but I find it refreshing. And the bouquets! Go to the photographer's blog post for a good look at all of them. The bride just picked flowers she liked, made bouquets and let the bridesmaids pick their fave! Amazing.

Have a great weekend!

Wedding Q&A Thursday: Reception Seating Charts

2010-01-21T11:27:00.004-05:00

Q: Since I am having assigned seating at my wedding and already using place cards at the tables, won't escort cards be a little bit redundant?

A: Well, yes, I guess so! There is a lot of redundancy in formal wedding etiquette that is based in practicality, but seems less so over time. The escort card vs. place card redundancy, however, serves a very clear purpose - one card tells guests at which table they will sit, the other designates the exact seat at said table. That said, you can mix it up a little bit on the escort end of the seating direction by using a seating chart in lieu of escort cards.

The seating chart can be as simple as a list of guests' names, in alphabetical order, with corresponding table numbers beside each guest's name - sort of like a guest "index," displayed in large format where escort cards would normally be set out (entrance to the ballroom, display at cocktail hour, etc.). The list can be accompanied by a diagram of the reception, so that guests can easily find the location of their assigned table, or any variation of those two general features.

Here is a beautiful seating chart from Laura Hooper Calligraphy.

I also adore this chalkboard seating chart featured on Style Me Pretty. It not only looks neat, but also allows for last-minute changes! Who doesn't appreciate a little bit of flexibility?!...looks like those devastatingly-hip man-guests sure do...

Classic Wedding Flowers - Something's A-Foot

2010-01-13T08:12:00.000-05:00

In line with the recent trend of the vessel being just as, if not more, important than the flowers at your wedding, my eye has been pleasantly drawn, more and more, to wedding flower arrangements in footed and pedestal bowls.

There's something about the pedestal bowl that makes an arrangement instantly look classic and soft. The foot gives the arrangement some height and room for blooms and greenery to gracefully hang over the edge. I think this is the perfect look for weddings in Savannah which are often in historical venues that beg for a more antique-chic tablescape.

Photo Credits: Martha Stewart Weddings

Savannah Wedding Professionals

2010-01-06T15:48:00.003-05:00

We are happy to announce that we've joined the Savannah Wedding Professionals, a network of prominent Savannah wedding vendors. Though we've worked with most of the vendors before joining the network, it will be exciting to see what new collaborations come out of the relationship that will benefit our brides and the Savannah wedding community in general!

New Year's Resolutions and Your Wedding!

2010-01-05T15:45:00.004-05:00

Happy New Year! What's new for you in 2010? It is clear from our chirping email inboxes that "Step up my wedding planning!" has made it onto the list of resolutions for MANY a future bride. Are you one of them? If so, Kudos - there is nothing more stressful about planning a wedding than thinking about it constantly but not doing anything! Once you pick up the phone and send a few e-mails you will be surprised to see how quickly and smoothly the ball begins rolling.

Where to begin really depends on what's most important to you! Is it crucial that your wedding is on a specific date - like the anniversary of your first date which happens to be on a Saturday this year? Or do you have your heart set on a specific venue - such as the very popular chapel at your alma mater? You MAY even be a real, what I call "vendor groupie," who just can't imagine getting married if your favorite photographer is already booked! As you dig into planning your wedding, take a second to think about what's important to you and let that be your guide!

Is there some unique detail, venue or circumstance that is directing your wedding planning?

What we've been up to...

2009-12-17T15:08:00.003-05:00

There is just no excuse for our lack of blogging! We've been busy, of course, but so are our readers. I guess we have our New Year's resolutions cut out for us, huh?

If you need a break from last-minute online shopping, coordinating endless social gatherings, baking...all of the stuff that we love and loathe about the holidays...sit back and enjoy these slideshows from some of the recent Savannah weddings that have been keeping us on our toes this fall.

Denise and Erik's classic Savannah wedding was featured on the popular wedding blog, Perfect Bound, which is a great source for fresh and stylish wedding inspiration - or just fashion and design inspiration really. Their photographer, Jade McCully, is just the greatest at finding the perfect spots and shots around Savannah - click here to see a slideshow of some of the best.

Jade McCully was also the photographer for Amanda and Chris' vintage-styled, intimate wedding that took guests from one historic venue to another with a Davenport House ceremony and dinner reception at The Olde Pink House. It was all-around-lovely, but the flowers by A to Zinnias really took my breath away that day - keep an eye out for them in this slideshow!

And, no photo teaser here, but this is a must-see slideshow. Cori and David's Thanksgiving-weekend, Mansion wedding was full of details and personality - just like the bride. And who better than Tim Willoughby to photograph it - magic happens somewhere between his eye, the camera's lens and the subject...that's the best way that I can think to describe it.

Enjoy.

A Greener Wedding : Carbon Offset

2009-11-17T21:23:00.002-05:00

I have said before, and will say it again now - it can be difficult to have a completely "green" wedding and if you do your best to be a responsible ambassador to the environment in your daily life you shouldn't beat yourself up over the transgressions incurred by your wedding. Do what you can, by all means, to make the most ecological decisions possible, and remember that the small things do make a difference. That said, I do like to share tips for greening your wedding when they are simple and significant. And it doesn't get more so than a little carbon-offsetting!

This is the basic gist: Global warming is caused by the release of carbon dioxide and other pollutants into the atmosphere. Many of our daily and more wasteful activities leave these pollutants in their path - our "carbon footprint." You can calculate your carbon footprint, the carbon footprint of a business, even the carbon footprint of your wedding! By donating money to businesses and foundations that fund and/or research new, efficient technology, re-forestation and other processes that aim to reverse and slow the process of global warming, you are purchasing "carbon offsets" to make up for your part in pollution.

Carbonfund.org has made it easy for you to calculate your wedding's carbon footprint and offset it through a charitable donation. I used the tool and put in some realistic data for an imaginary wedding with 150 wedding guests, many of which will travel significant miles to attend, and it calculated only a little over $100 to offset the carbon footprint of the event. In the scope of a wedding budget, that is not much to ask!

Their mantra is such a good one to remember in everyday life and also when you're planning a wedding - Reduce what you can; offset what you can't.

Tricia Huddas & Co. Real Savannah Wedding: Michele and David, Part 2

2009-11-05T11:05:00.004-05:00

Michele and David's wedding ceremony was at St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church on Wilmington Island. The excitement about the union, among arriving family and friends, was palpable. But I think everyone was really moved when Michele surprised everyone by walking down the aisle with her daughter, Alysha.

From the moment Michele and David were announced husband and wife, to the last song at their reception in the Garibaldi's Grande Ballroom, there was nothing but smiles from the bride and groom. Michele has called it "the most joyful day of her life." She deserved it, and I wish their new family lots of luck in Texas!

Tricia Huddas & Co. Real Savannah Wedding: Michele and David, Part 1

2009-11-05T09:37:00.004-05:00

Michele and David were married on my birthday (early September, go Virgos)! From my first meeting with Michele on, I knew that I would be ok with working on my birthday. She was sweet, funny and getting married to David after 25 years of knowing one another! Their story gave me goosebumps. It's obviously a long story - taking place over the span of 25 years, practically a lifetime - so I can't share it all, but allow me to share my favorite tid-bit...

Michele and David were on the track team together in high school. As Michele tells it, Dave was a total "hottie" with a full head of bleach-blonde hair (it was the 80s). She had a huge crush on him and would pretend to swoon and faint into the arms of her girlfriends whenever he walked by. She still giggles like a teenager when she talks about it. Unfortunately, David's military family moved before Michele could make her high-school crush known. But, as you can see from their beautiful wedding photos below, she eventually got the guy!

The happy couple got together at the Avia Hotel for some daylight pictures with DVB Photography's Kelli Boyd before their 7:30pm wedding ceremony at St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church on Wilmington Island. There wasn't a dry eye between Michele and all of her bridesmaids just in anticipation of their first meeting!

The pictures of David, and Michele and her daughter - Alysha - are especially touching. Dave has always been very involved in Alysha's life, so it was so special to make their new family official.

Tricia Huddas & Co. Real Jekyll Island Wedding: Cara & Tommy, Part 2

2009-11-03T04:00:00.000-05:00

We gave you a sneak peak into Cara and Tommy’s Jekyll Island wedding a few weeks ago – but here are some of the great details from the weekend.

When Cara called us, she honestly didn’t feel that she had the time to plan her dream wedding. She is a busy professional and Tommy was your average guy – not super interested in all of the details that go into planning a wedding. We happily stepped in to help bring Cara's ideas and to fruition.

Cara had booked the Jekyll Island Beachview Club for both her ceremony and reception. The ceremony was to take place outdoors, below the wind blown oaks on the club's property – a breathtaking setting overlooking the ocean. Unfortunately the weather had other plans, and we had to relocate it to the reception tent –but they happy and easy-going couple rolled with mother nature's punches, with a firm grasp on what this day was really about - the two of them!

Cara and Tommy were true to their home state of North Carolina, incorporating the Carolina Blue into the wedding quite a bit. The bridesmaids wore beautiful Carolina Blue dresses by Pricilla of Boston, while the groom and company accesorized their khaki suits with Carolina Blue vests and ties.

And the groom's cake featured, of course, the face of the Carolina Wolf Pack!

The evening was filled with delicious food, touching toasts and a filled dance floor!

And, fortunately, the weather cleared up long enough for Brooke Roberts, their photographer, to get them out on the beach for some beautiful shots together.

Anticipation

2009-11-02T19:07:00.003-05:00

...I will be sharing pictures from a real Savannah wedding photographed by DVB Photography's Kelli Boyd. In the process of picking which shots to share, I decided I had to stop and post this shot to preview the post because of what it so perfectly captures - anticipation!

Fall Issue - Martha Stewart Weddings

2009-11-02T11:15:00.010-05:00

If you have not had the chance to buy your own copy of the Fall 2009 issue of Martha Stewart Weddings Magazine, take a look at the images of our work below.

Cover Page: photography by earl carter/martha stewart weddings fall 2009

Southern Comfort: photography by tara donne/martha stewart weddings fall 2009

Go and buy the issue for a better look - it is filled with wonderful articles, ideas and information!

Also, check out Grace's blog - Design*Sponge for all the details about her wedding. She did a five day post about all the local vendors and the wedding from her perspective.

Part One
Part Two
Part Three
Part Four
Part Five

Thank you to Grace and Aaron - you two were a pleasure to work with!!

Don't get me wrong - Modern Wedding Stationery is also Fabulous

2009-10-14T13:04:00.005-04:00

I was certainly not being exclusive with yesterday's post. I love classic and traditional, but I love modern too. Fortunately, I'm no longer a bride and don't have to make these choices.

When I got married 3 years ago, my friend Brooke designed my wedding invitations. At the time it was a side thing for her - what she loved and hoped to do professionally someday. Today, Brooke is a designer for the amazing Two Paperdolls custom boutique. And I just had to share this modern letterpress design from their blog, Louella Court. My wedding was in Philadelphia, and if I had to plan it again now, these would be the invitations...

The Charm of Classic Wedding Stationery

2009-10-13T11:24:00.002-04:00

I think that a lot of brides actually become overwhelmed with all of the ideas and options presented to them by wedding web sites and blogs. I know that I would! How do you decide what you want for your wedding when you like so many different styles, colors, motifs, printing methods....it can be a bear.

On Saturday I had the pleasure of sitting down with a June bride and her mother to look at stationery for her Savannah wedding. She knew what she wanted as soon as she saw it in the first book we looked through, and I just love it. A classic invitation will never go out of style and I think think that this White Dots Invitation by William Arthur is so perfect. Beautiful script keeps it traditional, and the dotted embossed border adds interest and some fun.

Do you think that the classic is too easily confused with boring? I do. But don't be confused about this bride - her thank you notes are crimson.

Design*Sponge Savannah Wedding

2009-10-12T11:12:00.003-04:00

We could go on and on about what a treat it was to work with Grace and Aaron. They are creative, kind and have a sweet sweet love that shone through the entire day. But do you want to know the biggest perk to working with a blogger? She blogged about her wedding for us! In 5 parts! What could we say about the day that she didn't say better? More behind-the-scenes information on the planning process will be shared on The Bride's Guide in the coming week or two, but reading Grace's thoughts is a treat.

Check out what Grace had to say about her Savannah wedding on Design*Sponge, accompanied by the beautiful pictures from Belathee Photography.

Part One - Part Two - Part Three - Part Four - Part Five

October's Look for Less on PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com

2009-10-05T14:44:00.002-04:00

Seasonal potted plants and your wedding! Read more in our monthly post for PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com.

Current and Seasonal Wedding Decor Ideas are Everywhere

2009-09-30T15:19:00.003-04:00

If you keep your wedding eye open throughout your planning process, you can really find beautiful ideas for decor and design - especially within the season of your own wedding - everywhere. Window and in-store merchandise displays, advertisements, restaurant table settings - it's all fair game.

I am constantly on the lookout for ideas. I am in the midst of a move and just took some time to look through a pile of catalogs that has been building while I've been otherwise occupied, and immediately found these two lovely tables from a Pottery Barn catalog that I added to my collection of tear-outs.

I've seen apples, lemons, limes...lotsa fruit centerpieces. But I think these pear and almond centerpieces are sophisticated and perfect for a fall wedding.

This advertisement for the store's bridal registry program is so modern and lovely. What a beautiful way to use the bright, fresh green color of the Mums' stems to break up the clean white table!

Tricia Huddas & Co. Real Jekyll Island Wedding: Cara & Tommy

2009-09-28T12:18:00.008-04:00

Cara and Tommy were married this past July on Jekyll Island at the Beachview Club. We have been a little crazy since their wedding and I am sorry to just be posting now. Here is a sneak peak at some of the details with more to come later.

Photography by Brooke Roberts Photography

Wedding Q&A Thursday - Shower Invites in a Destination Situation

2009-09-24T04:00:00.000-04:00

Q: Hey Tricia, Here's a question for the girls @ TH&C to bounce around... Is it improper etiquette/tacky to invite people to a bridal shower if they are NOT being invited to a destination wedding, but they ARE being invited to the large, 200+ person reception in my home town one month following the wedding?

My Aunt wants to throw a couples shower in Louisville for my fiance and I, in February, prior to the wedding in March and big reception my parents are hosting in Louisville in April. I don't want to put anyone off, but it would be nice for the said guests (mostly extended family) to meet my fiance in person - and vice versa - before the wedding/reception. They are extended family, so the majority are not being invited to Savannah in an effort to keep the actual wedding smaller/intimate. But they will be invited to the second reception in Louisville, which will include full meal, open bar, cake, favors, etc. In other words, all of the "perks" guests get in return for going to a wedding! What are your opinions?

A: Thank you for the question! I love it when our brides show that they read our blog - it reminds me that we should be blogging more!

Tricia and I both say yes! "Said guests" are not invited to your Savannah wedding, but you are - pretty much - having a second wedding in Louisville. You are going out of your way to have a big, inclusive party - that's not something you have to do. It's generous and speaks boldly of your intention to include everyone in the celebration. If any of your extended family members do feel somewhat slighted by not being invited to Savannah for the destination event, I think that an invitation to a shower would actually make them feel more included in your marriage, not "put off."

Readers, this could possibly be seen as an etiquette grey-area since it's an a-typical wedding situation. What do you think? Are you planning something similar - and how are you handling it?

Do you have a question for us? Email us at info@triciahuddas.com and we might feature your question next!

Four Weddings and an Engagement!

2009-09-20T11:31:00.003-04:00

It was a busy weekend for the Tricia Huddas & Co. team. We would like to congratulate all of our wonderful couples.

Kate and Gabe were married on Friday in Forsyth Park with perfect weather despite the threat of rain all day. Saturday was the big day for Gracie and Nick as well as Lindsay and Ryan - both had beautiful courtyard ceremonies at the Mansion on Forsyth Park. And Sunday wrapped our weekend with the morning wedding of Samantha and Jordan wrapped. So we are all ready to put our feet up for a bit...very short bit.

As for the engagement - we had nothing to do with it, but while we were setting up for Kate and Gabe's Forsyth Park ceremony, we witnessed a surprise engagement just around the fountain from us! It's fun to imagine what an exciting and romantic weekend followed for our mystery couple...ahh fall love, so sweet.

Cheers to all of our fantastic couples this weekend! Enjoy your honeymoons!

Tricia Huddas & Co. Real Savannah Wedding: Amie & Richard

2009-09-16T10:26:00.004-04:00

Here is a sneak peak at Amie and Richard's wedding from this weekend. They were such a sweet couple that they actually made their officiant tear up! The love that the two of them expressed to each other, combined with the joy and happiness radiated by their families was so touching that there was barely a dry eye in the house!

I'm excited to share their unique and beautiful ceremony set-up, so stay tuned!
More to come...

Photography provided by Beacon Photography.

A New Generation of Instant Gratification!

2009-09-01T04:00:00.000-04:00

As you may or may not know, Polaroid discontinued production of their traditional, instant film in early 2008. Certainly a disappointment to all those who love the fun, vintage feel of a polaroid print - an image that instantly takes you back to the time when we couldn't preview a picture, disapprove, and ask for it to be re-taken! A sillier, more honest time, no?

So maybe you reacted to this news by hitting up ebay and hoarding Polaroid film for your wedding's guest book. Or maybe you moved on to Guest Book Plan B. Both unnecessary! Fujifilm has jumped in to fill the void with the release of their new Fujifilm Instax 200!

And Adesso Albums, a company that we mentioned in an earlier post about guestbooks, jumped right in and developed an Instant Photo Guestbook designed for Fuji's Instax prints! They sell their albums, the camera and film - so it really could not be easier to pull together a fun photo guestbook with one purchase.

In celebration of this new product, our blog readers can enjoy 10% off of their next Adesso Album purchase by entering the code "dailywed" when prompted at checkout.

Jackie's Wedding Planning Journey - Thank you

2009-08-31T07:02:00.000-04:00

This past Wednesday was exactly one month from my wedding day! I have to admit it has been hard to get back into my daily groove after 2 weeks off of work, and a week playing on the beaches of St. Maarten. I am back though and ready to blog updates from the wedding and honeymoon but first some kudos to my vendors.

I am sure - or I would hope - every bride ends up feeling like her wedding day was perfect, and I am no different. I knew from the moment I booked my vendors that I had nothing to worry about. I had surrounded myself with some of the most talented people I know; and more importantly, people who genuinely cared about my wedding day. It also helped that I had enlisted Tricia, Ainsley and Genina from Tricia Huddas & Co. to run around and save my family from themselves!

First, the flowers! There are few words that can explain how blown away I was with how they turned out. Heidi and Natalie, A to Zinnias wonder women, searched high, low and across oceans to find pink peonies in late July. Some would have just told me no. Not these two. Check out my peonies!

Carrie Briscoe, of Two Cakes, was my cake designer. Yes, I say "designer"! We wanted something on the cake that really represented us. The ceremony was very traditional so I wanted more of our fun, quirkey sides to be represented at the reception. We gave Carrie an engagement picture that we loved and she re-created us (being silly) with fondant and stuck us on the cake!

Here is the picture we gave Carrie.....

and here is the cake with Matt and I made out of fondant and other sugary media! I just love it..she even gave me hot pink shoes!

Teresa Earnest, with Memories 'n More photography, took all of these amazing pictures. She is so laid back and calm that she is a true joy to be with as she is capturing all of the night's events. Many more of her photos to come in later posts!

Dewayne, with VIP Entertainment, comes highly reccomended. He is just grand. I wrote about him in an earlier blog and he did not dissapoint us! He even played the Gator "chomp" song...when in Georgia that is risky but he knew this crowd would love it!

I am blessed to be surrounded by such talent and I just want to thank each and every one of you from the bottom of my heart for what you do.

More pictures to come...

Welcome to the biz!

2009-08-21T08:16:00.004-04:00

Though my wedding is months off, I have been thinking about recent trends, styles and how I want to style my own wedding almost non-stop. I am aiming for a wedding with a timeless feel, and I've chosen my ceremony venue, reception venue, caterer, bar service, etc. But as I make a final decision on my dress, bridesmaids' dresses and décor, I have decided to consult with a good friend who - though she is not new to the business of event design and overall style - has just recently decided to enter the world of weddings!

Liz Demos is the owner of @Home here in Savannah – a wonderful and unique store filled with furnishings, antiques, textiles, home and garden accessories and so much more! Well, Liz has decided to jump into the world of Event Design and Styling – something that, as your planner, we can absolutely help you with, but we always welcome Event Designers because it is fun to collaborate and see a fresh take wedding style.

I have a decent idea of a color scheme and what I'd like the overall feel to be; but with this being MY wedding, I am having much more trouble focusing then I ever thought I would. I have decided that a little consulting with such a fabulous stylist is just the thing! Keep your eyes out for some great things from Liz!

Tricia Huddas & Co. Weddings in Savannah Weddings Magazine

2009-08-19T08:06:00.004-04:00

The new Fall/Winter 2009 issue of Savannah Weddings Magazine features two of our real Savannah weddings - Lauren and Ian, and Roya and JB!

Tricia Huddas & Co. Real Savannah Wedding: Amanda & Jeremy Part 3

2009-08-17T17:18:00.004-04:00

We wanted to feature a few of the details from Amanda & Jeremy's wedding now that you have seen the beautiful couple. She went with a very simple and chic white color palette featuring classic white rose bouquets, black bridesmaid’s dresses, crystal candelabras in the ballroom accented by crisp white linens and candles – beautiful!

It was such a beautiful set with a mix of square and round tables and a large head table that sat the bride and grooms family. It was truly a spectacular wedding – and I love the table mix of square, rounds and banquet style – it is exactly what I have planned for my wedding and I love the set once I saw it. That is the nice thing about being a wedding planner – I get to see some of my ideas before my wedding day!

Also, we addressed one of our Forsyth Park brides most common concerns about how do I make sure everyone doesn’t see me before I walk down the aisle. We used cute paper umbrellas that the bridesmaids held, and one by one as they walked down the aisle, they dropped their umbrella – and slowly, the bride was revealed. It is hard to really see in the pictures, but it was a super cute reveal!

Cheers to Amanda and Jeremy!

Photography by Memories n More.

Wedding Q&A Thursday - Vendor Meals

2009-08-13T07:30:00.000-04:00

**I know what you're thinking..."Yay, Q&A Thursdays are back!" Sorry for the little hiatus.**

Q: Do I need to provide vendor meals for the florist? What about the ceremony musicians? My band has it in their contract, but other vendors don't, so do I only provide meals for those that request it?

A: Vendor meals! They are a hidden cost that is often not revealed to a bride until the week or so before her wedding when she, or a the family member paying, is reviewing her final bill. They may even be forgotten, leading to frustrated vendors and possible scrambling and annoyance at the reception. But they are important!

Many of your wedding vendors are working long hours (active work at that) on your wedding day. If they are smart, they know they need to eat. Some vendors do include a meal requirement in their contracts, other don't. So how do you know who gets a meal? I generally use the 4-hour rule - if a vendor works for 4 hours or more, they get a meal. This typically includes your planner, photographer, videographer, and reception entertainer (dj or every member of the band). But there may be more, so do the 4-hour test with all of your vendors. For example, photo booths usually include a technician for the entirety of your reception to make sure the machine continues to function properly, not run out of supplies, etc. This attendant should be included in vendor meals.

What that meal is will depend on your preference and the options provided by your caterer and may be anything from a boxed lunch to the same entree you are serving your guests. Obviously, I am biased, so I won't make a blanket statement about the choices you should make, but I will give you a few pointers that your vendors will appreciate:

1- You ask your guests about their food restricitions, give your vendors the same curtosy. Ask if any of your vendors are vegetarian because unless you specify, they will most likely not be able to eat their vendor meal. If there are food restrictions that cannot be accomodated by your caterer's vendor options, let the appropriate vendors know that you will give them money ahead of time to bring their own food.

2- If you have a buffet or stations reception, it is fine to have your vendors eat from the buffet, but it is nice to have a private area for them to eat in. After all, this is their break time.

3- Vendor meals will usually be available when your guests are eating. If there is a scheduling reason to have any of your vendors taking a break much earlier or much later, let your caterer know so that their food is available for them when they are ready to break.

Readers, do you have an unclear vendor-meal situation that you would like clarification on?

Do you have a question for us? Email us at info@triciahuddas.com and we might feature your question next!

Tricia Huddas & Co. Real Savannah Wedding: Amanda & Jeremy 2

2009-08-10T08:49:00.003-04:00

Check out how beautiful of a couple Amanda and Jeremy - take this external beauty and multiply three fold for their internal beauty. They were such a gracious, loving and friendly couple. Their friends and family were so happy for them, and you can just tell how great a couple is when their guests can't stop gushing about them to anyone that will listen.

This is a classic Savannah ceremony in front of the sought after Forsyth Park Fountain. On any given Saturday you will be able to either see a couple weddings happen or you will see wedding party after wedding party stop for wedding pictures. I think I noticed at least three other brides during the 3 hour permit time that I was in the park for Amanda’s wedding!

I absolutely love black and white images, so as I was working on the second post for Amanda and Jeremy, I was naturally drawn to the images that Memories n More provided that were in black and white.

Tricia Huddas & Co. Real Savannah Wedding: Amanda & Jeremy Part 1

2009-08-04T08:45:00.005-04:00

Amanda and Jeremy were married in Forsyth Park, in front of the fountain in a classic Savannah ceremony. It was a hot day, but once they saw each other there were no more thoughts about the heat - just thoughts of their love for each other as they wed their high school sweet heart.

Amanda prepped for her true love at the Mansion on Forsyth Park, were the reception would later take place. She wore a stunning Melissa Sweet dress that looked amazing on her. Stay tuned, more to come...

Photography by Memories n More

Tricia Huddas & Co. Real Savannah Wedding: Toni and Brent, Part 3

2009-07-28T09:57:00.007-04:00

Toni and Brent know how to throw a party and they did just that for their wedding reception at the Hyatt Regency Savannah. The ballroom looked beautiful with gold chivari chairs and flowers by John Davis Florist. As the guests arrived they were serenaded by the soothing voice of Trae Gurley - my favorite - and the gentlemen were offered cigars from a custom Thermador - a gift to Brent from his Batallion. The cakes were done by none other than Savannah Custom Cakes, and photography by the DVB team.

Guessed received bottles of champagne as wedding favors, and had the chance to pose in an uber-fun photobooth while the DJ they brought in from NC rocked the dance floor all night.

The couple was sent off in style for a midnight cruise around town in a classic car.

Cheers to Toni and Brent – and their baby Bradley (just a dog, but don’t tell them that)!

Excuses and Excitement!

2009-07-27T13:46:00.003-04:00

Your Daily Wed has surely been a daily disappointment lately! Big time apologies to all of our loyal readers. A busy July, and fully-booked Fall right around the corner, have kept us on our toes recently with little time for blogging. But that means, of course, that we have a lot to share. So stay tuned.

But nothing could keep us from taking just a moment to share a little family picture of us and a very special bride - our very own Jackie! She was a stunning bride, and her wedding was rich with the humor, energy and love that she exudes in all that she does. Jackie is so comfortable in her own skin, that she is just fun to watch, and had all of her vendors saying to each other - all night - "I love her!" Including us - we love you, Jackie! Have an amazing time in St. Maarten with Matt.

Sneak a peak at more images from Jackie's wedding on her Florist's and Photographer's blogs!

Savannah Wedding Style - Invitation by Milkmaid Press

2009-07-21T15:49:00.005-04:00

As a native of the Northeast, who has lived on the West coast, and now finds herself at home in the South, I am endlessly fascinated with the associations that people make with different regions of the country. Many of them are obvious and quite fitting - it rains a lot in Seattle. A lot of them revolve around food - the Philadelphia Cheesesteak. And once in a while I find myself getting frustrated by the over-simplification that is involved in conjuring up these associations - the South does have a lot of pride in tradition, but innovation and creativity also abounds here, y'all.

That said, when I find something wedding-related that invokes Savannah, I am always interested to see if I think the association fits. I stumbled upon Milkmaid Press when I was cruising around the web for interesting wedding invitations and found their Savannah invitation.

...and it made me happy how it really does invoke this charming little city, without being obvious! The scroll work and viney design takes me right to the entrances of many a historic garden, or neighborhood porch in Savannah - some of the most magical spots in Savannah.

Tricia Huddas & Co. Real Savannah Wedding: Toni and Brent, Part 2

2009-07-20T12:39:00.005-04:00

Toni and Brent were married at Wesley Monumental Church on Calhoun Square in Savannah. It was a beautiful November day, and the bride could not have looked more stunning.

I will let you in on a little secret – this is actually Toni’s second dress! She picked out a dress that she was going to wear to the ceremony and planned to change into a second dress for the reception – but once she found this second dress she decided that it was the one and her first dress was history! So, if you think you couldn't possibly find one dress that would be everything you want, allow yourself to be surprised.

The new Mr. and Mrs. exited the church under a traditional military Sabor Arch. I love little touches like this – it is always fun and the men chosen for the team always appreciate what a true honor it is.

Photography by Donna Von Bruening of DVB Photography!

Southern Signature Cocktail

2009-07-14T04:40:00.000-04:00

Hard Sweet Tea

A Tall Glass (or Mason Jar) of Ice

1/2 Water

1/2 Sweet Tea Vodka

Squeeze of Lemon

What drink is more Southern than Sweet Tea?

Photo from Flickr

Jackie's Wedding Planning Journey - DJ Jazzy Jackie

2009-07-10T06:20:00.000-04:00

For the last week I have been suffering from a ridiculous sinus infection! It's been a very long time since I have been this sick, so I guess it has just built up over the last year and then, BAM, hit me like a ton of bricks. On top of that, I woke up on Tuesday morning with pink eye! So much for "Zen" bride - less than 3 weeks until the wedding and I am a walking pharmacy! I sure hope I get better otherwise no one will want to hug the bride!!

On to this weeks topic - Music!! I know I'm probably a little late in the game on this but I just started working with my DJ to pick songs. Dewayne, with VIP Entertainment, has the greatest web site where you can make an online playlist for the DJ. There are three sections for you to fill out, including 50-60 songs for your "must play" list, 10 for your "absolutely do not play" list, and any extras you would like to hear on the "play if possible" list.

Matt and I are going to spend the weekend searching VIP's site of over 30,000 songs and try to pick our favorites. I know for sure what will be on my "absolutely do not play" list......YMCA and the electric slide. I don't mind the cha cha slide dance but the other two just don't do it for me. There is always the argument that these songs are "crowd pleasers" and get people out on the dance floor. But I'm hoping, with our guests, it will not come to that.

What do you think about popular line dances as a part of the wedding? Do you have any songs that were show stoppers at your wedding? I can use all the help I can get!

Tricia Huddas & Co. Real Savannah Wedding: Toni and Brent, Part 1

2009-07-03T04:00:00.000-04:00

In honor of our Independence Day, I have saved this real Savannah wedding to post for your 4th of July Weekend! Toni and Brent, a beautiful and fun-loving couple, were actually married last November. Brent, is an officer in the Army, and our hats go off to him and all who unselfishly serve our country! That is to you too Chris - Ainsley's husband who is also in the Army.

I was lucky to have Toni as my first official “Tricia Huddas & Co.” wedding! Almost two years ago I made the leap to go out on my own after working for another company for a few years and Toni was ready to be my first official client! She is stunning, and a Reese Witherspoon look-a-like, don't you think?

Toni was on her own for most of the planning, as it was done while Brent served time in Iraq. A difficult time for Toni, excited to be engaged and planning a wedding, yet constantly on pins and needles as her fiancée was overseas serving our country. She was lucky to have a very devoted mother, who was there every step of the way to help her only daughter through the planning!

Flowers by John Davis, Ceremony at Wesley Monumental Church, and the photography is by the ever impressive Donna Von Bruening and Kelli Boyd of DVB Photography!

Jackie's Wedding Planning Journey - Yogi Bride

2009-07-02T07:37:00.000-04:00

This past weekend marked 1 month until my wedding day! A month ago I really felt like I didn't have a whole lot going on in the realm of planning my wedding. Almost everything was picked out and ordered, all of my vendors were on track, and I just felt like everything was in order. My, my, what a difference a few weeks make. For any of you who have gotten married you know what I mean. In the last two weeks I have been running around like a chicken with my head cut off - verifying details that I didn't know existed, paying vendors, preparing timelines, paperwork , etc. I can hardly fall asleep at night without thinking of 5 things I need to do the next day that are wedding-related! But who wants to hear about all of that? How about a post about my new-found method for relaxation! Bride or not, we could all use 20 minutes sometimes; so read on...

My new salvation is 20 minutes a day of Yoga (for beginners, naturally). Yoga is a great way to relax yet still work out muscles! It's like a 2 for 1 deal. I found a cheap pink yoga mat at Target, and that is all I have purchased! No need to buy a DVD, when there is so much on the Internet and even OnDemand television. My favorite resource thus far is Mind, Body and Spirit Fitness. These 3 simple poses are so easy to do and only take a few minutes to calm me down.

You Tube is also an excellent, free resource from which to learn breathing techniques and new yoga positions. I found over 500,000 yoga videos! So, grab a mat and take 20 minutes to relax!

Tricia Huddas & Co. Real Savannah Wedding: Roya and JB, Part 4

2009-07-02T04:00:00.000-04:00

Roya and JB's wedding reception was one for the books! From the moment the band, Squat, started playing, the guests were dancing! I think that the Pink House was a little worried that the guests would never sit down – I finally just told them to start serving the food, and the guests would eat when they were hungry!

Again, Persian elements were pulled into the reception. Roya’s mother, Soraya came to town early that week and spent the week cooking with the Pink House chef to teach him how to cook the Shirin Polo (a Persian Sweet rice) that was served to each guest. She also had special Persian cookies and sweets flown in for the celebration.

I was warned that I was welcome to make a timeline for the night, but the Persians would be on their own timeline – and I am glad they were. Once the reception began, all involved just went with the flow. Even when the band would take a break, the Persian music would begin and dancing would continue un-interrupted.

The young, beautiful Persian women danced for JB as he tried to pay them for the knife to cut the cake - a very fun tradition made even more comical, I believe, by this particular group!

Let’s just hope that JB does not publish the pictures that were taken with his own camera, set up as a photo booth. Because I am pretty sure that most of them are of Christine Hall and myself having fun while the guests were eating! The couple’s personalities and cultures completely merged together during both the ceremony and the reception. Cheers to Roya and JB, and to your beautiful futures!

Tricia Huddas & Co Real Savannah Wedding: Roya and JB, Part 3

2009-07-01T04:00:00.000-04:00

Two distinct wedding ceremonies, and a number of unique cultural elements, made Roya and JB's wedding a stand-out. The bride’s mother is Persian, and Roya is very proud of her heritage. She had a traditional Christian wedding ceremony at the Bethesda Home for Boys' Whitefield Chapel, which was performed by her brother, who is a pastor in England. Once the traditional Christian ceremony was over, guests boarded Trolleys to head downtown for the Aghd, a Persian Wedding Ceremony.

Tornado sirens ceased to sound only minutes before guests arrived in Reynolds Square for the Aghd! But even stormy skies could not detract from such a beautiful ceremony, with such beautiful meaning. I encourage you to follow the link above to learn more. Her mother was diligent in her efforts to make sure that I fully understood the Aghd and the meaning. She sent links, articles and pictures so that I would be prepared on the wedding day. But even then, the set-up of the tent, chairs and staging area for the ceremony was delegated to a team of Persian women who came from St. Louis and pored over the layout of the sweets, flowers, platters, mirrors, candles, etc. until everything was in exactly the right place. It is my understanding that they do this for each other when their children get married, and it was absolutely beautiful!

Tricia Huddas & Co. Real Savannah Wedding: Roya and JB, Part 2

2009-06-30T04:00:00.002-04:00

The weather forecast had called for rain during the entire week leading up to the wedding, and throughout the weekend. Based on the forecast, we made provisional plans for the outdoor elements of the wedding the amazing rental company, Savannah Special Events.

The wedding day started with the bride, her sister, Sara, and her lovely mother, Soraya, having their hair and make-up done, just the three of them, at one salon, while the bridesmaids had their hair and make-up done at a different salon.

Roya wore a stunning Amsale lace and tulle wedding dress. The bridesmaids each wore a different style of Vera Wang bridesmaid dress, each in a different shade of green. The girls joined Roya for for some pre-ceremony pictures before she and JB met for a private, pre-ceremony shoot.

It was a good thing that the day's schedule initially prompted the couple's choice to see each other before the ceremony for pictures. The forecast storm rolled in during the first ceremony and hung around the rest of the night, so theses beautiful, outdoor shots of the couple would not have been possible after the wedding ceremony.

Christine Hall expertly captured the personality of the couple in these pictures! Amazing work as usual.

Liancarlo on the cover of Inside Weddings Summer 2009 Issue

2009-06-29T15:02:00.010-04:00

Liancarlo is a Miami-based wedding dress designer that we are very fond of - not only are his dresses stunning, but his daughter, Genina, works for us as an assistant! We are very proud at his latest accomplishment of making the cover of Inside Weddings Summer 2009 Issue!

If you have never checked out Liancarlo's designs, we recommend you visit his site right away- http://www.liancarlo.com/.

Don't forget to pick up the magazine while you are at it. I read it from cover to cover as soon as I got it! It features the fall lines of many of the greats - such as Vera Wang, Oscar de la Renta, Priscilla of Boston and Amsale - and many inspirational real weddings.

Congratulations Carlos!

Tricia Huddas & Co. Real Savannah Wedding: Roya and JB, Part 1

2009-06-29T06:42:00.000-04:00

Roya and JB were married in March during a very stormy weekend – but that did not stop us from having one of the best wedding weekends! I just got the photos from their amazing wedding photographer, Christine Hall, and I am so excited to share them with you. You may remember that we blogged about their rehearsal dinner the weekend after the event, and have just left you hanging, waiting for more!

The two met when they were awarded Fulbright Fellowships and were preparing for their trips abroad. So with Fulbrights and various degrees from Vanderbilt, Emory and and Harvard, you can see that we are dealing with a very intelligent accomplished couple. They had visited Savannah during their courtship, and once they were engaged the couple knew that this was where they wanted to get married. It was to be a destination for all, as the bride's parents live in St. Louis, MO, the groom's parents in Atlanta, and the couple in NYC. Roya is a writer for a financial magazine and JB is a photographer.

Roya was a bride after my own heart. She knew what she wanted, and was willing to explore all ideas to get her outcome. This amazing day featured both a Christian Wedding Ceremony at Bethesda, a Persian Ceremony in Reynolds Square, and an amazing reception in the Pink House.

Tricia Huddas & Co. Real Savannah Wedding: Brittany and Matt Part III

2009-06-25T18:52:00.006-04:00

Brittany and Matt’s reception at Savannah Station was as fun as the couple. A to Zinnias did a beautiful job with the flowers and really helped transform the space. Matt loved paisley and we were determined to bring a little bit of Matt into the wedding - enter Carrie with Two Cakes who created a beautiful paisley design in the center section of the cake.

Guests danced the night away until we sent the Bride and Groom off in style with Savannah Pedi Cab driver dressed to the nines in his tux to ride off to the Gastonian with our newly weds!

Brittany and Matt are back from their honeymoon and are enjoying the married life – Cheers to you Brittany and Matt!

Photography by Memories n More

Tricia Huddas & Co. Real Wedding: Martha Stewart Weddings Magazine

2009-06-24T13:36:00.014-04:00

I just received my issue of the Summer 2009 Martha Stewart Weddings and it has me so excited for the next issue to come out - Fall 2009, due around August or September. I had the pleasure to work with Grace Bonney of Design*Sponge to plan her April 2009 Savannah wedding and it will be featured in the Fall Issue of Martha Stewart Weddings!!!

The wedding and reception were absolutely spectacular, and the local vendors, as well as the Martha Stewart team, were all so great to work with that I know you are going to be blown away! I wish I could tell you all of the details and show you pictures, but I have to keep my mouth shut until the issue comes out so you can all fully enjoy the beauty of this event as it was captured by the pros. Grace, of course, has magnificent style; and her wedding truly reflected her and Aaron's personalities!

I will remind you when to go and buy the Fall issue once it comes out; until then, you can read the blog history on The Brides Guide where Grace chatted about her wedding planning- just search for Grace Bonney or Design Sponge on the blog!

PS - go buy the summer issue while you are at it - it is full of great DIY projects, perfect in today's economy!

Tricia Huddas & Co. Real Savannah Wedding - Brittany and Matt, Part II

2009-06-23T18:15:00.000-04:00

Brittany loves bold colors, and built her wedding color scheme around reds, oranges, pinks and greens. Red was the stand-out color with the bridesmaids and junior bridesmaid wearing red dresses, and the groomsmen clad in red vests. I would definitely characterize the wedding flowers from A to Zinnias as bold and beautiful!

At the the ceremony’s conclusion Brittany's mother had a surprise planned – and I wish I had a picture of Brittany's and Matt’s faces! She called me about two months before the wedding hoping to do something special for the couple in the form of a butterfly release for the conclusion of the ceremony. She found a supplier on the Internet and had the butterflies shipped to me the day before the wedding. The surprise was a great success as each guest released his butterfly on perfect cue from the minister. At first confused, Brittany and Matt were elated once they saw all of the beautiful butterflies. One even walked out with them on Brittany's bouquet!

Even better than the butterflies, was Brittany and Matt’s choice in a recessional song – Celebration by Cool and the Gang. They are a young couple and they wanted people to know that this was a celebration and they were about to have some fun!

I will let you in on a little secret of mine - I was extremely nervous about the butterfly release and told her mother so! I had organized a butterfly release before, and about 3 butterflies actually “flew.” The rest were alive, but just sort of fell to the ground upon their release. They eventually got up and flew off…but too late for big impact that the couple was looking for, and most of the guests just started laughing that their flightless butterfly rather then paying attention to the newly married couple!

Etsy Wedding Jewelry

2009-06-22T07:23:00.004-04:00

I absolutely love this very cute, very literal necklace from the etsy shop YellowGoat.

Jackie's Wedding Planning Journey- Fascinators!

2009-06-19T08:20:00.000-04:00

And now...for this week's topic...The Fascinator! If you have not heard of it, do not be ashamed. I hadn't either before I started researching this.

It started out after I had just made an appointment for my wedding day hair and make-up trial run. I am so excited to get together with Jenny, from Hair Comes the Bride, and play but I am so torn as far as what I think I should do with my hair. Up? Down? Hair piece? These questions have consumed my week!

Thank goodness for my Matron of Honor. She recently returned from another wedding in Florida and brought back some great ideas for hair. The bride had her hair curled and lightly pined up in the back. After the ceremony she removed her veil and her maids took out the pins. The curls were still in tact and she had what the bridesmaids dubbed the "fascinator"....a big white flower that her mother crafted out of fabric...that she pinned in her hair for the reception. I love the idea of having my hair up for the ceremony, and then letting it down for the reception - with, perhaps, the addition of a "fascinator" of some sort.

So began my research on fascinators! They are hair pieces of all different shapes and sizes, and can be made from almost any fabric. You can find them in any color to match your wedding or just look for traditional white or ivory. Etsy - everyone's favorite online purveyor of handmade goods - is a great place to start, as I found more than my fair share of fascinators in a variety of price ranges. I am still not sure if I could pull off such an accessory, but it is definitely something I am thinking about.

A white or ivory option might be good if I choose to fascinate at both the ceremony and reception...

Twigs & Honey

But if I decide to add my fascinator after the ceremony, maybe I should go with something more bright and funky that matches my wedding reception color scheme?

Top - Bethanylorelle; Bottom - BrassPaperclip

Are you considering a "fascinator" or special hair piece for your wedding day, or playing around with the idea of a hair change between your wedding ceremony and reception?

Paint Chip Place Cards

2009-06-17T04:00:00.001-04:00

I'm a big fan of Real Simple Magazine. It's the only magazine that I actually save apart from bridal magazines for work. The recipes are simple (duh) and delicious and each issue is chock full of great ideas. They always feature New Uses for Old Things, and the new issue had one that I thought would interest brides.

Behold, Paint Chip Place Cards!

I have been a fan of the hardware store paint section as a source of wedding color inspiration for a while now, and Tricia is currently toting around her wedding's color scheme in the form of paint chips she picked out while she was supposed to be choosing colors for her new home. So this idea is naturally appealing to me. They certainly aren't formal; but I would say they are modern and, of course, inexpensive place card alternatives. They would have been perfect for a couple that I know who has their own business flipping houses! They always had paint chips around - in every drawer, in his car, in her purse - so it would have been a cute little joke that most people would have understood as part of their wedding.

If you had, as they say on the description above, a "technicolor" wedding palette, you could make each table a different color family.... Ohh, so many ideas from this one page in a magazine!

Tricia Huddas & Co. Real Savannah Wedding - Brittany and Matt

2009-06-16T04:09:00.000-04:00

Brittany and Matt are back from their Costa Rican honeymoon and are enjoying the married life. Brittany was a beautiful young bride that had been dating Matt for nearly 7 years when they got married. They meet through friends, and have been together since.

The day started off gloomy and that was cause for concern for Brittany – but I kept my eye on that radar (thank goodness for radar on my phone!) and we caught a break for their Lafayette Square wedding ceremony.

Here are a few of the getting-ready shots by talented Teresa Earnest with Memories N More Photography. Brittany got dressed at the Gastonian, in their honeymoon suite - it is a charming and spacious room, perfect for her and her maids to get dressed! She looked absolutely stunning!

Jackie's Wedding Planning Journey - More Showers!!

2009-06-15T09:33:00.000-04:00

This past weekend I took a mini vacation to Bradenton, FL, my home town, for another wedding shower and some quality family time - seeing my family so often has been one of the best perks of the wedding planning journey. My family went above and beyond to make the shower amazing. There were custom napkins with my name and the date of the shower, food galore, amazing cupcakes, and it was just perfect.

My Grandmother gave me a really special gift that I had to share. I am not a cook. I am a baker. Grandma taught me to bake as soon as I was old enough to stand up on my own. She even had a special apron for me that said "Little Helper," with pockets for my baking tools. Well unbeknownst to me, she has kept it after all these years; and she gave it to me with the hope that one day I will have a "little helper" of my own and pass on the baking tradition! I, of course, cried. It was so touching and I just love her so much.

Seriously, how could you not love this woman?!

And here I am, the "Little Helper" all grown up.

Not only was it my bridal shower, but it was also my youngest cousin's dance recital. I started taking dance lessons when I was three and continued up until I went to college, so there is a special place in my heart for a 3 hour long dance recital. I am so excited that she shares my love of dance and I was so happy to be able to make it home for her recital! She danced beautifully and also won a $500 dance scholarship. Here she is on stage after accepting the scholarship.

Wedding Q&A Thursday - Wedding Reception Send-Off

2009-06-11T05:00:00.000-04:00

Q: Are formal exits from the reception necessary? Is it tacky if we just stay 'til our guests leave, or do we have to do some grand send-off where people throw something at us as we exit? [Our venue] will not allow you to throw anything like rose petals or lavender so I am stuck on how to exit if I do one. Help!

A: I think it's clear from your tone that you know the answer....right? Just in case - No, of course you don't have to have a formal exit. I think that it's a lovely way to, if you will, complete the circle. I also think it's best to keep it simple. Whether or not you have a coordinator, it can be difficult to smoothly position your tired (maybe intoxicated) guests into some sort of complicated position, hand out props (flower petals, sparklers, etc.) and coordinate a complicated send-off. And, as you mentioned, your venue may put restrictions on where you can have the send-off and what you can and can't toss, pop, or ignite.

Based on your toss restrictions, and the fact that I know that you are staying at the hotel where you reception is - thereby negating a send-off using a car - why not keep it super simple and combine it with another component of your reception, like the bouquet toss?

Martha Stewart Weddings

About 15 minutes before your reception is set to end (or earlier if you're tired) have the band leader or DJ announce that the bride and groom have asked all of their guests to join them on the dance floor. Once the guests are gathered, thank everyone for coming and then have the MC bring all of the single ladies to the center for the bouquet toss. You and your husband (yay!) can then turn so your backs are to the ladies (and hopefully your fronts are facing the exit). Throw. Go! Everyone will be there, paying attention, but you won't have to go around hugging everyone good-bye and finding yourself stuck on long, drawn-out goodbyes. (It's not that you don't appreciate everyone enough for a personal good-bye, but you are tired!)

I think that, back-in-the-day, the bouquet toss was actually a part of the send-off. So it's simple and it makes sense! If your wedding reception venue has some sort of staircase or balcony, that would be just perfect...

Tricia Huddas & Co. Real Wedding - Carly and Brett

2009-06-10T15:18:00.000-04:00

If you are a Savannah blog follower – you have seen everyone a-blog and a-twitter about the crazy, unusually abundant, rain we've experienced over the last month. Don’t get me wrong, we get our fair share of rain in Savannah – but May was just too much! We had more rain delays and implementations of “plan b” this year than in years past, but it probably affects our free time more than actual weddings - rain is just a bummer sometimes!

Carly and Brett's Forsyth Park wedding ceremony fell in the middle of a particularly long stretch of rain that didn't look to be ending anytime soon. But the "wedding gods" prevailed and while radar showed rain surrounding Savannah, we enjoyed 3 hour break that was timed perfectly for their outdoor ceremony!

Congratulations Carly and Brett – may luck always be on your side!

Photography provided by Denise Gonsales Photography

Including Man's Best Friend

2009-06-09T12:36:00.003-04:00

Just a quick post today, to show you something that made me smile yesterday and will hopefully do the same for you!

I was surprised and flattered, as always, to get a little "thank you" package in the mail from an April bride...side note: I can't believe it's June, her wedding seems like it was yesterday. And check out her stamps...

Those are their 2 beloved Corgis! Let's face it - animals are a part of the family. It's often very hard to have them involved in the wedding, but if you think small there are certainly ways to keep them in the mix. These are from stamps.com.

Following the same train of thought led me to dig up this picture from the With This Ring blog of a great table number idea that involves the family pet.

What a great way to keep your pet in the hearts and minds of your guests! They do so much for us, why shouldn't we make a place for them in all that we do... For example, my dog is currently warning me about, and protecting me from, the presence of the landscapers that have been cutting our lawn every two weeks for two years! How thoughtful of him!

Rain on your wedding day...

2009-06-08T10:44:00.004-04:00

It has been a rainy spring in Savannah! But the warm and often light showers that have been peppering the usual hot sun have been pretty easy to work around. And the city looks lovely and green. And, of course, we can only thank the rain for special shots like these...

What's more intimate than an umbrella for two?

Jackie's Wedding Planning Journey - Choosing wedding vows

2009-06-05T09:47:00.000-04:00

This past week I have been working on getting my wedding ceremony together, making programs, and finalizing details. We are getting married at First Presbyterian Church in Savannah, where I am a member. Here's a picture of First Presbyterian from 98 Productions' blog. Pretty, right?

In preparation for a meeting with the minister who is conducting our ceremony, Rev. Andy Meeker, Matt and I sat down to review the mock ceremony and variety of vows, charges, prayers, and so on, that we can choose from. Who knew there were so many options for a Presbyterian ceremony?! I know that people write their own vows, or make changes here and there to the traditional set, but I figured there was one standard set that most people use. I was so wrong.

But I'm glad there were so many because Matt and I had a lot of fun reading over them and almost practicing by reading them to each other as we culled through the options. Discussing the differences in each set of vows and which suited us both the best was a true bonding experience - I even shed a tear or two.

How did you go about choosing your vows? Did you stick with traditional, write your own, or something in between?

Wedding Q&A Thursday - Expecting the Worst?

2009-06-04T04:14:00.000-04:00

For this week's Q&A Thursday I thought I'd address the question that nearly everyone - friends, family, brides, grooms, random strangers - asks us...

Q: What is the worst thing that has ever happened at a wedding?!

A: Really? I am a wedding planner, I work for people leading up to, and on, one of the most special days of their lives; and you want to know about disasters, meltdowns, fights and the other wedding-day crises that "reality" shows like Bridezillas would have you believe are commonplace. Humph....

I understand the question from a bride, during an initial meeting, to some extent - it is an interview and she is testing your experience, problem-solving skills, etc. But even in that situation, it is still a reflection of the doom and gloom that has settled into the wedding industry - which is sad. Sad-face-icon-sad :( Where did this expectation of stress and turmoil come from?

Guess what?! Not every wedding goes exactly as planned, but they are all wonderful! And they are as happy an occasion as the couple getting married. What do you have to compare it to? And are you going to sit down the next day, go over notes, and decide how to make it better the next time? Relax and enjoy!

"If that's the case," you ask, "why do I need a wedding planner or coordinator?"

Well, I don't think I can even begin to answer that without getting too wordy for a blog entry. But I will say that any planner, or wedding vendor, who is appealing to you in the capacity of damage control, is doing you and the entire wedding industry a huge disservice.

Tricia Huddas & Co. Real Wedding - Wish Tree and Sneak Peaks

2009-06-03T10:13:00.006-04:00

I promised professional pictures of the Wish Tree from my March Savannah wedding of Roya and JB a while back. These are much better then what I could have taken with my little camera.

After much research, the bride and I came up with the vision for this tree and it was assembled by Harvey Designs. We used this table as both the escort card table and the Wish Tree table so guests were able to enjoy it all night. Behind the wish tree was a fireplace mantle where we displayed the wedding pictures of the couple's parents and grandparents - always a sweet touch!

I'm sharing these sneaks peaks because I have finally made my way over to Christine Hall Photography's studio to pick out some images, and I will post the amazing wedding of Roya and JB from March next week - but here is a sneek peek of the beautiful couple!

Pre-Ceremony Photographs

2009-06-01T09:54:00.003-04:00

It's a point of debate between wedding professionals, and the subject of much thought by most brides - whether or not to see the groom for pictures before the ceremony. I can argue for either - that the look on the groom's face when the bride enters the ceremony is priceless if it's the first time he's seen her, or that the moment can be captured before the ceremony, without losing any of the emotion, when time for photographs after the ceremony is limited. Savannah wedding Photographer Nichole Barrali shared images of one of our Mansion on Forsyth Park weddings with me. I really love the way she set up Annette and Marc's first meeting, captured the intimate moment beautifully, and then took them for pictures on their own for a while before including the bridal party.

Jackie's Wedding Planning Journey - The Big Move and a Touching Gift

2009-05-29T08:43:00.000-04:00

The last few weeks have held some big and exciting changes for Matt and I. We closed on our new house last week, and I have never felt as grown-up as I did signing those final papers and being handed the keys to our house! 5 days later we are almost moved out of the rental house and into our home! And if that's not great enough, my cat, Soozie, has been returned to us after living with my parents for 2 years due to space issues with the dog! Matt thinks she's evil...I think she's just spoiled.

On to wedding-related posting... I wanted to share this picture of my shower, and the story of the most meaningful gift I received.

Matt's grandmother gave us this wonderful surprise - her 50-year-old China...from Japan (got that?). When Matt's grandfather was in Japan, on his way to Vietnam, he bought this China for her. He picked out the pattern and they made the 96-piece set right in front of him! She still has every piece after all these years. It was so thoughtful of her to give it to us, and the gesture really made me feel like a part of the family.

Are you registering for China, or are you counting on China - or other family heirlooms - to be gifted to you for your wedding?

Wedding Q&A Thursday - Peony Alternatives

2009-05-28T10:32:00.008-04:00

Q: I love Peonies but I just found out that they are not a good option for my October wedding because they are not in season and will be hard to come by. I'm a die-hard Peony Fan! Are there any flowers that are similar and more seasonal in the fall?

A: Many a fall bride is temporarily set back by her love affair with spring wedding flowers. There is so much inspiration from all seasons available with little reference to the season in which the wedding is taking place, and when a fall bride is doing a lot of her planning, it is usually in the spring - when the greatest selection of flowers is available, including the lovely peony. But there are big, cabbage-y alternatives - like Garden Roses.

If you are like many many brides that we work with, I know that you probably start off your flower story something like this, "I don't like roses." I understand the compulsion to rule them out, but such a statement is usually made about Standard Roses. But there are over 100 species of Roses! And there are probably 10 (I'm just making up the number...but it's a good variety for sure) types of garden roses that look like Peonies...there's even a breed called the Peony Rose.

To set up a little comparison, these are peonies...

Beautiful! I tell ya', I know it and plan on having as many Peonies at my wedding as my little budget will allow. But these are some Garden Roses...

They are nothing like the standard rose that many expect and object to – and they are absolutely beautiful with a similar full shape and number of petals. Maybe a little smaller, but available year round.

I think that is your best best to replace out-of-season peonies. Readers, can you think of another peony alternative?

Don't forget - we feature a new question every Thursday. Do you have any questions for us? Send yours to info@triciahuddas.com and we might feature your question next!

Patterned Bridesmaid Dress

2009-05-27T11:53:00.002-04:00

I am, generally, a fan of the patterned bridesmaid dress. You don't see it very often! And I understand the difficulties of keeping a tight look among many attendants, and so on... But as part of the right wedding, I'd love to see all of the bridesmaids in different patterned dresses.

JCrew Marbella Lorlei Dress and JCrew Printed Erica Dress in Clementine

Do you have pictures of a real wedding in which the bridesmaids wore interesting floral patterned bridesmaids dresses or dresses with different patterns? If so, send them along to us at info@triciahuddas.com.

Inquiring minds want to know...Tricia's Engagement Story

2009-05-26T09:33:00.000-04:00

As you may have heard (or just read), Danny and I got engaged on a trip to Michigan which we planned in honor of my parents' retirement. We are extremely excited and I am enjoying the adjustment of being on this side of the table. So everyone is asking, HOW DID IT HAPPEN?

Well, the short version goes a little something like this: Danny arrived in Michigan a few days after me, and knew he wanted to ask me on the pier in Grand Haven as soon as we planned our trip. He wanted to make sure to have my father's blessing first, so he asked my father that morning, and that evening - as we took a stroll out to the pier - he got down on bended knee and asked me to spend the rest of my life with him!

It was perfect, and I am excited to plan the wedding!

Here I am, right after the proposal...

We stopped and took these great pictures on the rocks at the base of the pier, with our proposal spot in the background – The Grand Haven Pier.