Tools to help in the Search for the Perfect Dress

The expedition to find your wedding dress can be frustrating and time consuming. Not every bride's budget will allow her to fly to New York, London or elsewhere to find the best and most stylish dresses available. I found a resource to assist brides in their search for the attire that will make her groom's jaw drop. It is called Dimitra Designs, and is a dress shop based out of South Carolina. However, they also have a webpage which is uniquely categorized to help you decide on that perfect dress. It also advises you in bridesmaid dress selection, jewelry choice, mothers' dresses, accessories and more. They have developed a blog which gives great tips for all sorts of occasions; a successful destination wedding, fabulous photos, choosing flower girl dresses and much more. So check out Dimitra Designs when you are exploring dress selection. Let them aid you in making that method easier, less time consuming, and more affordable.

Erin Joyner, Wedding Planner, Bryan/College Station, TX

2012's Trendy Wedding Color

Trendy colors are interesting to me because I love color. One of my favorite aspects of weddings is the colors the bride and groom choose. There are so many hue combinations to choose from in flowers, decor and linens.

According to Pantone's, the 2012 Color of the Year is Tangerine Tango. This color pallete will give you some ideas for colors that will blend and accent this color of the year. It would be perfect for a spring, summer or fall wedding!

Erin Joyner, Wedding Coordinator/Planner, College Station/Bryan, TX

The End of the Vintage Wedding Trend

It seems that the wedding trend these days is for brides to have something at their wedding that none of the their guests have seen before. One of these latest trends is having a vintage wedding. According to the Huffington Post (not necessarily the experts on wedding trends ) this movement is now coming to an end. It seems as though it just begun! It just goes to show that it is difficult to completely follow what's fashionable in your wedding, especially when you plan a year or two in advance. What may be trendy when you begin the planning of your wedding, may be completely out of style by the time your big day arrives. Also, that one of a kind event that you plan, such as an ice cream sundae bar, may have become a trend by the time your day arrives and it may not be the first time your guests have experienced it. So, plan your nuptials according to your tastes and preferences. Don't let society dictate what transpires at your wedding. I think when you can let go of those expectations, then your wedding truly will be a one of a kind event.

Erin Joyner

Wedding planner and coordinator, College Station/Bryan, TX

Ginann and Kevin

I had the privilege of coordinating an extremely beautiful and sentimental vintage wedding. The ceremony and reception took place at 7F Lodge which is one of my favorite venues in the Bryan/College Station area. It is always beautiful and their managers and staff are so accommodating. I did about half of the set up of the amazing decorations. The bride and her mom spent hours creating areas to set up pictures, a chest of love, some hanging ribbons, antique family lace and doilies; all the decorations were either truly vintage or designed to have a classic appearance.

Their photographer was Tara Swain. This was my first time meeting and working with Tara. She has an gentle and easy temperament and her pictures are simply incredible. Sandee Moss with Cinderella Stories created the delectable cake. Chance with Livewire was the Master of Ceremonies for the evening. Post Oak Florist created the romantic ambiance of the evening with candles everywhere including hanging from the trees. One touch of detail that Post Oak thought of was to use electric candles in the holders hanging from the trees. Since Texas has been in a drought for virtually a year, trees are extremely flammable. The artificial lights were just as beautiful as real candles and it was nice to feel safe knowing that they were not a fire hazard. I met a new and fabulous videographer; a fellow Aggie named Jensen Yancey with EP Wedding Films. His highlight video from the wedding can be found posted on his blog. It is fabulous. The food was delicious and the caterer, Home's Haven was so fun and helpful. It's always nice to work with a group of people who will work together to make an event fabulous for the bride and groom. This league of wedding vendors was fantastic and it made for an incredible night.

Overall, the ceremony and reception ran seamlessly. I enjoyed getting to know this sweet couple and their family. I found out that Kevin and Ginann have been sweet hearts since the 8th grade. How often do you hear about couples that are so devoted to each other?

Erin Joyner, Wedding Planner, Bryan/College Station, TX

Coordination Success!

I haven't had time to blog about the wedding I coordinated last weekend for Kevin and Ginann, but their photgrapher has been busy editing photos and posted some pictures on her blog.

They are amazing! Consider hiring Tara Swain for your photographer. She is enjoyable and easy to work with and her pictures are fabulous.

And stay tuned for my viewpoint of this picture perfect day.

More Weddings!

Last weekend, I had the privilege of participating in the wedding of a girl (uh hem) woman I've known since she was about 6 years old. Bethany has always been a beautiful person on the inside and out and was one of those children you just knew was destined for something truly special.

Bethany is now a professional dancer, and met her husband in the Netherlands while she was participating in a mission based dance program. Bethany is an amazing dancer and when she dances, she is communing with the Lord. So, we viewed numerous dance performances (including one that Bethany had filmed beforehand for her awaiting husband-to-be just before she walked down the aisle) All the performances were truly amazing and beautiful. We worshiped, we cried, we laughed. It was one of the most beautiful weddings I have ever witnessed.

The photographer was Michelle B Photgraphee. I was searching through her blog right now and her pictures from the wedding are spectacular. The cakes were incredible creations by Fabulous Fare. As always, they were simply fabulous! The ceremony was held at Aldersgate United Methodist Church with the reception taking place at the S.O.S Ministries facility. The amazing food was provided by Casa Rodriguez. It was delicious. Words cannot describe the beauty of this very special day.

With such a tremendous beginning, I have no doubt this couple will sustain the marriage that the Lord intended for them to have. I wish you many blessings and wonderful years together, Patrick and Bethany!

Erin Joyner, Wedding Coordinator, College Station, Bryan, TX

Keeping Wedding Guests Cool in Triple Digit Temperatures

I recently asked some of my friends who own outdoor venues what they recommend to brides to help them keep their guests cool in this excruciating hot Texas weather.

Darlynne Beard from The Greenbranch said:

...Inform your guests.

In your printed invitation, state that you are having an "outdoor garden wedding". This is very important especially for older family members and guests. Overheating could pose a health risk to them.

...Adjust your wedding time.

In the movies outdoor weddings do look so beautiful, but remember they are filmed in cool California! During our Texas summers, 6:00 in the evening can be the hottest time of the day. Think about having your wedding either early or late. If your wedding venue has a shaded morning site, a 10:00 am wedding followed by a brunch could be a hit. When planning a summer evening wedding, adjust your time to as late as possible. Your guests will thank you and the bride will have a beautiful sunset glow.

...Keep family and guests cool.

Encourage your ushers to have family and guests wait inside the air conditioned spaces of your venue and reception area. When the wedding party is ready to lineup for the ceremony, have the ushers dismiss

the guests to seat themselves because the wedding is about to begin.

...Provide cool water.

Printed labels on water bottles with name/date on them can be iced and ready for the wedding ceremony. Try color coordinating several large plastic tubs; these will look great to hold your water bottles.

...A wedding favor that everyone will like.

Instead of using the old-fashioned paper fan with your wedding ceremony information printed on it, invest in a real fan! The paper ones really are just no help at all when it is hot. Go online and research and you will find grass woven fans from the islands or even wooden or cloth fans. This will be a gift they will use and keep.

If the budget won't allow this , then buy then, get them back from your guests, and then sell them on e-bay!

Kelley Shelton from Mesina Hoff:

We suggest Fans as programs; White Sun Umbrellas as a favor to the guests given at the Outdoor Ceremony Site; or Personalized Bottle Water. We also have set-up Lemonade Stands at the Ceremony.

Jerry Wagnon from Rock Lake Ranch states:

At Rock Lake Ranch, our best defense against the heat is the siting and design of our Waterfront Pavilion and ceremony site. We ensure that there is shading from large oak trees over the ceremony site and we keep sunscreens as well as regular canvas panels down on the west side of the Pavilion to shield the floors, tables and chairs from the sun during the day. We raise the panels in the evening, since we have a nice breeze off the pond from the south to make the area quite pleasant. We have an air conditioned service building with restrooms as well as a super-chilled room for the cake and hors d’oeuvre. Finally, we provide a place to set up a lemonade station as guests arrive.

Applying these tips from the experts will ensure that your guests remembering your wedding and NOT the hot temperature!

Erin Joyner, Wedding Planner, Bryan/College Station, TX