Martha stewart weddings

16 INDUSTRY INSIDERS' TRICKS FOR EASING INTO WEDDING PLANNING

February 4, 2016

"You're engaged (!) and probably brimming with excitement, happiness - and questions galore. Before you dive headfirst into planning your big day, consider these baby steps from some of the best planners in the industry, which will help you ease into wedding planning. The toughies can be tackled later! Our piece of advice is to take a second (or a minute, or weeks, or month, depending on your timeline) to soak up being engage. Now, we'll hand over the floor...

Set a budget: "Start by discussing general financials. What is too much? Don't get too detailed, just design a big-picture, realistic budget and start prioritizing what each line means the most to both of you." - Elizabeth K. Slossberg of EKS Events in Aspen, Colorado." [Full article here]

a formal outdoor wedding in aspen, colorado

september 2, 2012

"Soon after Steve moved to Texas, a mutual friend insisted (three times to be exact) that Jennifer come along to a cocktail party to meet him. After a few years together, the duo said I do on September 2, 2012, in the mountains of Colorado. Their chic destination wedding played up Aspen's wintry gray-and-white scenery, and celebrated a few Brazilian traditions as a nod to the 10 years Steve lived in the South American country. 

Having spent several holidays skiing in Aspen, the snowy town held special meaning as a wedding location. "And since we lived in Houston and my parents live in South Florida, we were looking for some place cool in September," said Jennifer. Even though it was a destination wedding, the number one priority for the couple was hosting a wedding that included all their friends and family. Two-hundred-fifty loved ones traveled to help them celebrate, including Jennifer's 89-year-old grandfather and 35 friends from Brazil.

Guests were greeted with white gift bags adorned with a custom map highlighting the couples' favorite spots downtown. Inside were some necessities like sunscreen, a water bottle, and lip balm, along with a few special treats, including a bag of "Aspen Trout," aka Swedish fish, cookies from Paradise Bakery (a favorite après ski stop of the groom and bride), and Bayou Blend coffee, which supports on of the couple's favorite charities. 

Jennifer wore a Vera Wang dress and veil from Casa de Novia in Houston and a pair of Michael Kors wedges. Steven looked dapper in Tom Ford. The bridesmaids wore a mix of gowns from Two Birds, Amsale, plus one custom made in Brazil. They carried white bouquets full of various textural flowers for a look that wasn't too "matchy-matchy." Beth from Aspen Floral Branch chose pale pink garden roses to play up the blush liner in the bride's wedding gown. They also resembled Jennifer's favorite flower: the peony. The bride is a big fan of succulents, so they were used for all of the gents' boutonnieres. Groomsmen wore their own suits with ties from Tom Ford - a gift from Jennifer and Steve. 

"We wanted people to immediately enjoy themselves so we had a beverage station at the ceremony," said Jennifer. The table played up the chevron, gray, and white theme, which was used throughout the day, including striped straws DIYed by EKS Events, and bow ties found on Etsy. On the menu was Oklahoma Sooner's iced tea, a shout out to Steve's favorite team, and Florida Sunshine lemonade to honor the bride's home state. "You could mix them together for an Arnold Palmer!" said Jennifer. 

Amy at Express Yourself created the ceremony programs, which included heartfelt bios of each member of the bridal party. They were tied with the gray and white string. Instead of a flower girl, Steve's niece strolled down the aisle as ring girl carrying a note from the bride for Steve that read: "I can't wait to kiss you!" Just before the bride walked down the aisle with her father, ominous rain clouds had everyone worried. "But when I got to the alter, the sky opened up," said Jennifer. "It was stunning, and we took it as a good sign!"

The bride and groom selected all the readings and music for the ceremony. Steven's sister recited meaningful bible verses and interpreted their meaning in a day-to-day married life. A vocalist sand "Ave Maria" by Schubert during the ceremony, and a few unique songs played by a string ensemble were also incorporated: "Ey Sei Que You Tea Mar" by Moraes and Jobim, a famous Brazilian love song; "Clare de Lune
 by Debussy, a favorite of the groom's mother; and "Viva La Vida" by Coldplay for the newlyweds walk up the aisle.

A custom logo adorned napkins printed in a variety of colors for the weekend's different events, including gray and white for the wedding cocktail hour. A tent featured beautiful Indian fabric furnishings for the reception. Dangling lights were grouped together to highlight different areas, including the tables and the dance floor. Clear chairs that almost seemed to disappear created a clean and modern look. "We wanted to play with scale and texture, so we had a variety of vessels and containers," said Jennifer of the centerpieces that showcased succulents and a variety of green and white flowers. Chris Keating at Pine Creek Cookhouse created a menu that played up the local staples: ruby red trout, beef tenderloin, and handmade pasta. The dessert-loving duo wanted a vast assortment of goodies for guests to indulge in after the meal. Caribou Club's pastry chef Donna Lilah created individually wrapped favors of Bem Casados, a traditional Brazilian wedding dessert, literally meaning "good marriage" in Portuguese. "People stuffed them in their pockets as they left and ate them later that night and the next day," said Jennifer. Gallagher also created a mix of cakes playing in various shapes, sizes and settings - all were iced with a smooth finish and topped with succulents and air plants. [Full article here]

Photography: Joe Cogliandro Photography || Venues: Rehearsal Dinner & Welcome Reception: Viceroy Snowmass || Ceremony & Reception: Grounds at Pine Creek Cookhouse || Wedding Planner: EKS Events || Catering: Pine Creek Cookhouse || Florist: Aspen Branch ||Stationary: The Hello Co.|| Officiant: Reverend Rick Bagget, First Presbyterian Church of Ardmore || Desserts: Aleece Gallagher of Hotel Jerome & Donna Lilah || Entertainment: DJ Kalcutta ||Hair & Makeup: Full Circle ||Engagement Rings & Wedding Bands: Davidoff Diamonds || Videographer: 31 Films