Inspiration

If you asked me what my favorite Wedding book is, I honestly couldn't answer. I have soooo many and for so many different reasons. Of course there are the classics like InStyle Weddings, and then there are the all out amazing show stoppers likeWeddings, Valentine Style (I Love her by the way!).

Today, my inspiration however, came not from the book-but the book title!

If you don't have Colin Cowie's Extraordinary Weddings, definitely invest the money to buy it. As if the book itself isn't enough, the subtitle "from a glimmer of an idea to a legendary event", truly sparked my creativity today. I was working on the design for an upcoming event and realized that something was missing...and finally, after spinning my wheels, I realized we were missing was just a little "bling". It was a major "aha" moment for me-and I certainly feel like I took my event from just a "glimmer" to legendary.

Thank you Mr. Cowie, you've done it again!

Linens N' Things

I'm often contacted by couples in the beginning phase of their planning process, looking to create an event "unlike any other". While I always advise my couples to make sure their event reflect thier styles and their tastes, I also remind them that financially, they should stay within their established budgets.

The easiest way by far to create a spectacular event is by allocating a percentage of the budget to decor. Now, this can include lighting, pipe & drape, glassware, flatware and any absurd number of rentals, but the easiest way (and usually quite affordable) is by far...the Linens.

Linens can transform a regular table instantly and create the "wow" factor most couples desire. These days, the choices are sooooo amazing. With new colors, textures and patterns options are endless.

With pricing typically ranging from $14 for plain polyester to $+++ for options such as silk/bengaline, it may not be practical to "dress" each of your 30+ guest tables. A nice option however, is to use overlays on the tables which are typically less expensive or if you are truly limited in funds, use linens to highlight options such as the cake, guestbook or head table.

I made a visit to one of my favorite rental showrooms last week to look at linen. Here are some of the cool items I found: