Flowers, We Love Flowers

If you have ever been to the hotel, you know that we have fresh flowers both in the window boxes and in the lobby.  We love fresh flowers. In fact, if you purchase our Classic Wedding Package, flowers are part of the package!

Today I thought I would share with you some photos I took of the flowers that were at our Wedding Tasting two weeks ago.

Maternity Wedding Gown

Even a pregnant bride can look stunning on her big day!! ...be inspired with these looks we put together from David's bridal to Tiffan to da Vinci to Demetrios...

You can order any of the above dresses...or any other dress you like...visit wedding bells bridal boutique Namanga/Masasani

What is a Wedding Planner - Kathryn Evans

Kathryn Evans, Personal Wedding and Events Planner for Being Bridal discusses the full time
role of being a wedding and event planner and offers advice on how to choose one thats right
for you. 

What is a Wedding Planner?

Very few brides-to-be are experienced in organising an event as large and important as a wedding.

Planning a wedding can be a full time job! The average bride spends 250 hours organizing her wedding - that's equal to 6 full-time working weeks! Few couples have the time in their schedules to successfully plan, manage, and execute such an event effectively. And sadly, many couples don't realise or acknowledge this until it is too late, when parts of their dream wedding have already fallen apart leaving behind huge disappointments.

Your Wedding Planner can do as much or as little as you like. From discussing a budget to organising flowers, cake, hair and makeup and every other detail that goes into planning a wedding, you choose what you would like a helping hand with. Wedding planners have an abundance of creative ideas and insider's know-how. They have connections with the best suppliers in town and have learned to become polished negotiators to get you the best deal and value for your budget. They can manage the overall event and ensure that everything goes exactly as planned right from the initial stage to the closing stage. They can assist you in making the right selection and choosing the perfect wedding vendors and venue, and also help maintain a balance in what is happening, when it is happening, who is doing it, all the while keeping a strict watch that everything remains within your budget. Importantly, a wedding planner will help you set a realistic wedding budget, based on how much you have to spend, and in most cases, a wedding planner will save you money.

Should you decide to proceed with this service is when the costs are incurred. Travel expenses and the time spent planning your wedding are both taken into account, the costs - like the functions of the wedding planner - depend largely on what the bridal couple wants.

Being Bridal charges a flat fee, rather than accepting commissions from the vendors. This ensures that your wedding planner is working for YOU and not the suppliers. Different options are discussed during your free initial consultation, from small weddings requiring minimal assistance, to larger weddings requiring constant attention over 12 months or more.

Hiring a wedding planner might seem like an extravagant extra, but it could be the best investment you make.

Please contact me, if you would like to arrange a time to discuss your special occasion.

Kathryn Evans: beingbridal@hotmail.com

 *Pictures Supplied by Being Bridal

International Wedding for Marcia and Hugo!

Marcia and Hugo planned a big party on April 28, 2012 at the Page-Walker Art and History Center to celebrate their marriage. They originally planned to just go down to the courthouse and get married the day before the party, then they began to have second thoughts about such an impersonal ceremony for this big milestone in their lives. Marcia called me in January to see if I could marry them before the party. I had a wedding at 4:30 that day but could marry them in my wedding garden earlier in the afternoon with just a few guests present. So, intrigued with the notion that they could have a custom ceremony if I was their officiant and curious about my garden, we set up a meeting.

They were thrilled with the possibilities of the ceremony, especially since I suggested they bring in elements from their diverse heritages. Hugo was born in Chile and his family moved to Los Angeles when he was 10 years old. Marcia's mother is of Italian lineage and her father Irish. I suggested the Wine Unity ceremony as a possibility and they ran with the idea. Hugo would get some Chilean wine and Marcia some Italian wine that they would pour together. Then they would do a toast after the ceremony with Irish Whiskey, Bushmills, to be specific. Bushmills distillery located at the very northernmost tip of Ireland is the world's oldest whiskey distillery--I happen to know because I was there last August and Marcia and Hugo were on a trip to Ireland last year as well. Hugo also wanted to include a reading by well-known Chilean poet, Pablo Neruda. So, we were good to go.

But plans changed a few weeks later when they decided that they would like to have the ceremony timed closer to the reception and in the garden next to the Page Walker Art and History Center in Cary where the reception was to take place at 7:00. We worked it out where I would get there as soon as I possibly could from the wedding before theirs, hopefully by 6:00.

Marty and I made it there easily and earlier than planned. When we arrived, Marcia was in the garden being photographed by Chad Williams, a talented young man still in high school just getting started with his photography career. This is our third wedding together this year! The CateringWorks truck was in the parking lot. Then Lenny Fritts, one of my very favorite DJs appeared on the scene! A surprise! I had recommended him to the couple but did not know they had booked him.

When we were ready to begin, Marcia's father, Ed, escorted her into the garden.

He started handing her off to Hugo when I said "Wait, I haven't asked the question yet!"

The question was "Who has the privilege of presenting this woman, Marcia, to be married to this man, Hugo?" He of course said he did and so the transfer was made.

Hugo's best friend. I am sorry I did not get his name! Maybe they will tell me and I will add it later!

On the left is Alexis, Hugo's sister, Chad Williams, and Lenny trying to duck out of the photo!

This was really a fun wedding. It was very loose and informal and we laughed a lot.

Marcia's brother Andrew, his wife, Michelle, Marcia's mother, Aggie, and her father, Ed.

Right here I am honoring and thanking everyone present at the ceremony and remembering Hugo's parents, Hugo and Pauline, who could not be with us this day.

Hugo made sure everyone heard his "I do!"  

Then Marcia said her "I do." 

Marcia's ring was snug and Hugo had to push it on her finger with some force but he made sure it got securely on her finger!

 "With this ring, I thee wed."

Pouring the Italian and Chilean wines together.......

 "Drink now and may your lives be full to running over!"

"As you have shared this wine, so may you share your lives. May you find life's joys heightened, its bitterness sweetened, and all of life enriched by a constant love." 

 

 The pronouncement of marriage.....

 And they kissed and kissed and kissed! 

 

Time for the Irish Whiskey! 

"To a long, happy and healthy life together. Cheers! Salud! Salute!

 

 

 

 

 

Marcia and Hugo, what a fun wedding! What a great couple you are. Thank you for allowing me to share a very important occasion in your lives. I wish you the very best life can bring your way....