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Media Madness!

It’s only February, and we have already been bit by the media bug!

Angela wrote an article that was featured in the newest issue of MidSouth Magazine. It was even mentioned on the cover! Click the picture below to view the full article.

MidSouth Magazine 2010 Article

She was also featured in the  February issue of the Special Events Galore Newsletter. You can click the picture below to read “Seating Charts Avoid Day-of Problems, Put Guests at Ease.”

Special Events Galore 2010 Article

Also, be sure to watch out for the February issue of At Home TN magazine. We have a featured wedding! We’ll post as soon at it hits the stands, which should be in the next week or so.

We have four weddings (three that we planned and one that we did flowers) in the latest issue of Memphis’ Premier Bride. Those are available now, and they’re free!  Here’s a link to their web-site: http://www.pbmemphis.com/ 

Happy Planning!
Southern Event Planners
Memphis, TN Wedding Planners

Wedding Wednesday #5: Jessica and Ken

Jessica and Ken had a beautiful wedding at the Memphis Zoo! This location was close to their hearts because Jessica’s mom volunteers there and they’ve always loved the zoo. 

Jessica and Ken said their loving nuptuals on the sealion stage, and afterwards, the guests chatted and watched the polar bears swim around in the Northwest Passage Exhibit.

Jessica and Ken had a lot of vegan and vegetarian friends, so food was definitely important to them. Jessica is a pastry chef, so an ordinary wedding cake was out of the question. She opted for orange cupcakes arranged on a three tiered stand. She mixed mini-cupcakes with regular sized cupakes for those who wanted just a bite of dessert.

Jessica and Ken Collage


 

 This wedding was beautiful, simple, and focused on the guests. Jessica and Ken were wonderful hosts and we know they’ll have a great life together!

Happy Planning!
Southern Event Planners
Memphis, TN Wedding Planners

Meeting with Wedding Photographers

Photography is an important element for any event – it captures little moments in time. When we sit down with our brides and ask them about the importance of certain areas of their wedding, photography is usually about an 8-9 out of 10. With so many great photographers to choose from in Memphis (and the rest of the country!), you need to sit down with your fiance and talk about what you want. Here are some things to think about:

Photographer Style:
Do you like a more journalistic approach? Less posing, more sporadic, real moments? Or maybe you want more planned poses. What about a photographer who’s more involved with the shots as opposed to a photographer who captures the moments that just happen? Each photographer is different, as is his or her level of involvement.

Photo Style:
Do you want your wedding photos to look more colorful? More vintage? Black and white, color, or a mix? Do you want artsy photos or personal ones? This will also help to determine your photographer. Check their portfolios and let them know which photos you like and why.

Photos Captured:
Think about which moments you want captured during your wedding. Are there certain family members you want included? Certain design elements? Let the photographer know! If you want great bouquet and centerpiece shots or more shots of you and your guests having fun, let him or her know.

After-Elements:
What do you want done with your pictures? An album? Framed canvas? Slideshow? DVD? Make sure the photographer knows up front what you want. This will save time and heartache if he or she can’t fulfill what you’re wanting.

When you meet with photographers (and really any vendor) for the first time, be specific. They don’t know what you want or expect unless you tell them. Communication is key!

Happy Planning!
Southern Event Planners
Memphis, TN Wedding Planners

Bridal Photography Tip – Camera Shy?

Some brides absolutely love being in front of the camera. Others are a little camera shy and they aren’t really used to the attention. That’s perfectly ok!

Camera Shy, Jessica and Ken

So how do you fix that? Easy! When you hire your photographer, use him or her for the engagement pictures too. That way, you can try different looks and poses with less pressure to get the “perfect” shot. This also gives you a chance to get to know your photographer and his or her shooting style.

Once the day of your wedding arrives, you’ll know what to expect from your photographer, which angles work and which ones don’t, and you’ll be a lot more comfortable. We don’t want you to feel awkward on your wedding day!

How did you deal with being camera shy at your wedding? Leave a comment and let us know. Hey, it may even help other brides out there!

Happy Planning!
Southern Event Planners
Memphis, TN Wedding Planners

How to Shop for Your Wedding Dress

Since the moving of offices took up a lot of our time in December, we skimped on the blog posts (sorry!). So we’re going to post one more about shopping for your wedding dress. Now, on to the post!

All brides are different, and the method of finding a dress for one bride may be completely out of the question for another. Nevertheless, we have advice for each type of bride.

We mentioned in a previous post about scheduling a dress consultation during the week, earlier in the day – preferably in the morning. Take pictures that inspire you. It doesn’t have to be of a dress necessarily. It can be a pattern, design, color, or shape. This will give the consultant an idea of your style and personality.

The next, most important thing that we tell our brides for just about anything: be open! You may think you like one style, color, or fabric, but once you try it on, it may not be what you thought it was. Some brides think they want a full ballgown, but once they actually wear it, they opt for an a-line shape instead. So don’t completely shut out an option when looking around.

If you’re not sure what type of dress you want, go to a larger store to try on a variety. They have more dresses in stock than a smaller, specialty boutique. Once you narrow down the dresses you like, you can go to a smaller store to find “the” dress if you didn’t find it there.

Image from MadBrewLabs.com

Image from MadBrewLabs.com

Always remember to take the price of alterations into consideration for your budget. We can’t stress this enough! If your wedding dress budget is $2,500, don’t buy a dress at $2,500 expecting that to be it. You need to include alterations which can run from $30 for simple corrections, all the way up to $300 or more for complicated changes.

And if you don’t find your dream dress at the first few places, don’t worry! You’ll find it. Like everyone says, you just know when it’s your dress. If you can’t see yourself as a bride walking down the aisle in it, that dress is  not yours.

Happy Searching!
Southern Event Planners
Memphis, TN Wedding Planners

Valentine’s Day Gift!

Some women don’t know what to get the man in their life who seems like he has it all. Southern Design Studio has solved your problem!

Sara Beth is offering “Free Teaser Cards” with your Boudoir Session! You can have a fun, sexy photo shoot, and these little cards are sure to drive your handsome love wild! They are wallet sized, silver cards with your photo on the front and a cute message on the back.

You can e-mail her for more information at: info@southerndesignstudio.net or call her at (901) 652-6224. You can also see her work at www.southerndesignstudio.net.

Happy Valentine’s Day!
Southern Event Planners
Memphis Wedding Planners

Wedding Wednesday #4: Kate and Joel

Kate and Joel were married near the end of July and they were an absolute blast to work with. Studio J Photography was there to capture some amazing moments.

The ceremony was held at St. Paul’s Catholic Church, and everything went so smoothly. It was a beautiful ceremony, and there were definitely a few tears that were shed. After they were pronounced husband and wife, guests went downtown to the Westinwhere they were met with some great cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. After mingling and watching a slide show of Kate and Joel’s memories, a buffet dinner was served.

Kate is in the Navy and they decided to slice the top tier of their “cake” with actual swords. It was great! Muddy’s Cupcakes had the guests coming back for seconds. The ice cream sundae bar was a huge hit. Once the guests had satisfied a sweet tooth or two, they danced the night away!

Kate and Joel Collage

We continue to wish them all the best!

Happy Planning!
Southern Event Planners
Memphis, TN Wedding Planners

We’ve Moved!

SEPMovingTruck

Last time we said we were moving, we just moved our blog. But this time, we’ve moved! We still have the same phone number [(901) 757-9339]. Our new location is easy to find and it’s right off of Interstate 40 near Covington Pike. Our new address is:

5148 Elmore Road, Suite 1
Memphis, TN

We’ve decided to expand our showroom and meeting space for our customers. Our retail space has closed, but we will still offer a small selection of bridal accessories.

This year is going to be one of good memories, excitement, and craziness all rolled into one! Join us in our journey and have a wonderful new year!

Happy Planning!
Southern Event Planners
Memphis, TN Wedding Planners

Wedding Wednesday #3: Myia and Thomas

This week, we’re introducing you to Myia and Thomas. They were true wedding troopers. Their wedding was the night of those horrible storms. Luckily, the storms calmed down by the time their ceremony was scheduled to start, and it was a wonderful night!

Myia and Thomas were married in a little known chapel, and unfortunately, the power was knocked out from the crazy weather. This didn’t stop the wedding. Guests actually stood and sang “Amazing Grace” as Myia walked down the aisle to her future husband. It was such a breathtaking moment.

After the ceremony, guests headed to the reception where a four piece band entertained them all night. The food was delicious, drinks were flowings, and the cakes were devoured. Yum! There was an “uh-oh” moment with the groom’s cake – it almost didn’t make it! Since that was the day of the bad storms, a tree actually fell on the baker’s kitchen! She was a wonderful trooper and showed up in the nick of time with the cake. Here’s just a sampling of the fabulous night:

Myia and Thomas Collage

We truly wish them all the happiness in the world! They were wonderful to work with.

Happy Planning!
Southern Event Planners
Memphis, TN Wedding Planners

Wedding Wednesday #2: Tiffany and Dan

Tiffany and Dan were featured in the fall issue of Premier Bride. You can see the full article here. We loved working with them!

Tiffany had a great idea to remember the guests at her wedding: make a quilt. She had everyone sign square pieces of fabric instead of signing a guestbook. People could write messages and good wishes for the new couple. After the wedding, Tiffany was going to sew the squares together to make a keepsake quilt. It’s such a cute idea, and it’s something that can be passed on to their children and grandchildren.

The food was definitely something to remember. Tiffany decided to do food stations instead of the normal buffet. She had a Southern Station that featured baby back ribs, cheese grits, and a sausage cheese tray. There was also a Caribbean Station with Jerked Chicken Brochettes, Cuban Meat Pie (in empanada form!), grilled fruit, and of course, black bean and corn salsa with homemadechips. For the spicy food lovers, she had a Creole Station with chicken and seafood jambalaya, jalapeno duck poppers, and smoked catfish quesadillas. Guests were coming back for more all night long!

On to the pictures!

 Tiffany and Dan Collage

Happy Planning!
Southern Event Planners
Memphis, TN Wedding Planners