KL Wedding Designs LLC

June Inspiration Board

2011-06-10T08:24:00.003-04:00

I know, it has been a while but I am back!! This month I am back with a lemonade inspiration board.

And if you are going to have a lemonade inspiration board - you better include a lemonade stand!!!

Lemonade Stand, Cotton Cady Wedding Gown

Lemon Table Scape, Lemon Cake, Seersucker Invitations

Wooden Wedding Sign, Small White Bouquet, Lemon Curd Favors

March Inspiration Board

2011-03-03T06:44:00.003-05:00

Ahh, March, how I have been waiting for you. Thank you for the beautiful sunny days you have brought us:)

My daughter's spring break is in March so I thought this would be a great month for a destination wedding!

Orchid Bouquet, Starfish Invitation, Personalized Necklace,

Cayman Rental Property, Tangerine Bridesmaid Dress, Orichd Centerpiece,
Sophia Gown, Rum Cake, Blue Moon Cocktail

Congratulations Adam and Lisa

2011-02-17T12:50:00.008-05:00

I have written a few times about the wedding of Lisa and Adam and how much fun it was. But for today's post I would love to share with you some of the beautiful photos by Lowry Photography.

All of the stationery was designed by Lisa's very talented brother.

I love the series of the next three photographs:

Adam's smile is great, but the expression on Lisa's face is priceless!

I am becoming a believer of taking pictures before the ceremony because these "first look" pictures are great!

Such a cute couple

One of Lisa's friends made her guest book - just one of the many personal touches

Gorgeous flowers

Yummy (and pretty) cake!

The ballroom at The Phoenix looked beautiful

Swing Band, too much fun!

Ceremony: St. Timothy's Episcopal Church

Reception: The Phoenix

Flowers: Mt. Washington Florist

Photographer: Lowry Photography

Cake: Sweetwater Bakehouse

Band: Jane Andra Jazz Combo

Lighting: Goodwin Lighting

Red Carpet Hair

2011-02-08T09:57:00.005-05:00

It is Awards Season and this is a perfect time for Brides to check the Red Carpet for some great wedding hairstyles.

Sure, bridal magazines give some great ideas but Red Carpet hair is always fashion forward and perfect for a wedding.

Here are some of my favorites from past ceremonies.

(photo credit)

February Inspiration Board

2011-02-03T09:38:00.004-05:00

Is it February already? What the heck happened to my January?

I went straight-up Valentine's Day with this board. It is pink, it is romantic, and it is girly -everything the month of February should be about.

My favorite part, the pink Tom's Glitter Shoes. I love these shoes and although I have no business wearing them (can't even think of when I would wear pink shoes, let alone glitter ones) but wouldn't they be fun to slip into for the reception:)

Ruffle Wedding Gown, Pink Glitter Shoes, Vintage China

Pink Hibiscus Earrings, Damask Wedding Stationery, Chiffon Bridesmaid's Gown, Shabby Chic Chandelier

Pink Rose wedding Cake, Heart Cookies, Pink Rose Bouquet

Congratulations Joya and Forrest

2011-01-25T15:41:00.006-05:00

First I want to congratulation Joya and Forrest, who were married this Fall at The Manor House. It was such a pleasure to work with you. Second, I want to thank Innovatory Photography for the great pictures. This was our first time working together and I think their work is just fabulous. I hope to work with them again soon.

Stunning

Super fun shot - I guess I will forgive you for being a Verizon Customer:)

Lok at all those lovely ladies in red!

I love a good wedding party shot!

This iron gate is beautiful. The people in the picture a beautiful too.

Floating candles lined the aisle in The Manor House Atrium

The Atrium at The Manor House, what a pretty room!

Again, sooo pretty!

I also love a good sparkler send off!

Specal thanks to:

The Manor House

Innovatory Photography

The Flowerman

Butterfly Productions

Cincy DJ Entertainment

Jerry's Cheesecakes

Vendor Spotlight - Marti's Floral Designs

2011-01-19T16:38:00.003-05:00

In reading through my past Vendor Spotlights, I was amazed to find that I have not yet written about Marti's Floral Designs. You see, I love Marti's Floral Designs and I love working with Marti.

Why do I love Marti's Floral Designs?

Because every time I have had the opportunity to work with Marti her flowers have been beautiful. Okay, so beautiful flowers are easy to come by but I have also had brides tell me that Marti saw their vision perfectly and delivered exactly what was promised. I have never had bride's rave more over their flowers than when they have worked with Marti - and I can say that has happened on more than on occasion.

Why do I love working with Marti?

Because she works her tail off. All florists work hard but not as hard as Marti does. She has been personally invested in every wedding we have worked on together and not only does it make everything better for the bride and groom - it makes my job a whole heck of a lot easier.

So, if you are still looking for a florist, please take a moment to sit down with Marti because she is great!

If you want to check out her work, she did all of the flowers for our Style Me Pretty Feature.

January Inspiration Board

2011-01-13T19:28:00.007-05:00

For this Month's board I drew inspiration for the traditional and classic Black and Silver New Year's Eve HatsWith wonderful touches like the velvet tuxedo, mercury glass accents, and everything crystal, this wedding would do 2011 proud!

Anemone Bouquet, Velvet Tuxedo, Mercury Glass Globes, Black & White Guestbook

Waterford Champagne Flutes, Mermaid Crystal Wedding Gown, Black and White Wedding Cake,
Ribbon Invitations, Black Glitter Shoes

Matching Silver Wedding Bands, Damask Table Runner, Crystal Bottle Stoppers, Simple Ring Pillow

KLWD on SMP

2011-01-06T16:13:00.003-05:00

Check out this beautiful wedding feature on Style Me Pretty. I had the pleasure of working with Erica and Rick on their special day. And a special shout out to Marti's Floral Designs and StephCarson Photography. What great work ladies!!

Please follow the link below to view the feature:

Cincinnati Wedding by StephCarson Photography

December Inspiration Board

2010-12-09T14:39:00.008-05:00

As I was starting to plan my December Wedding Inspiration Board I definitely knew I did NOT want it to scream Christmas, infact I did not even want it to whisper Christmas. Now, don't get me wrong, I love Christmas but just because you are getting married in December doesn't mean you have to have a Christmas themed wedding (unless, of course that is what you want).

So, it surprised me that as I was flipping through my most recent Crate and Barrel catalog, it surprised that my inspiration came right from the Holiday itself!

The jewel tones totally caught my eye and the deco style made it even more interesting. So, now to my Google search of "jewel tones, deco style" where one of the first things to pop up was this:

A peacock feather, PERFECT! My favorite part of this board - the shoes. Oh my goodness, look at those shoes!

peacock feather hairpiece, white mixed flower bouquet, tall white centerpiece, Vera Wang wedding dress

gold peacock feather invitations, iridescent bridesmaid dress, peacock feather shoes, peacock inspired necklace
brown pin-striped suit, Union Terminal Museum, white pearlized cake, vintage rolls royce

November Inspiration Board

2010-11-04T08:40:00.009-04:00

Can you believe that it is November already!? November is actually one of my favorite months, Autumn has officially set-in and you can feel that winter is near. November is also home to my favorite holiday - Thanksgiving, and my favorite food - Stuffing!

Thanksgiving stuffing is actually where I am drawing my inspiration for this month's board. We aren't actually going to use the stuffing as the inspiration but let's deconstruct it into some of its base ingredients.

Sage and Wheat (bread). Two beautiful colors the truly represent everything that this month is really about.

I love this board, and had a great time making it. From the vintage guestbook to the herb bouquets. I like the combination of both elegant and rustic. My favorite item, the long sleeve wedding gown. It is difficult to find a long sleeve wedding gown, but J Crew came through for me again and offered up the perfect piece!

Vintage Guestbook, Croquembouche Wedding cake, Herb Boutonnieres

Rustic Bouquet, Favor Box, Duchess Satin Wedding Gown

Golden Khaki Bridesmaid Dress, Gold Accent Invitations, Wheat Centerpiece

And, for the boys, how about opting to wear a sweater vest under you tux instead of the traditional vest. An idea I stole from this wonderful Fall wedding featured on the blog of Mark Garber Photography. Plus, it is a great way to incorporate my love for all things argyle.

Men's Wearhouse

Nick and Beth Got Married

2010-10-26T10:56:00.005-04:00

I am about two months late on this - but Congratulations to Nick and Beth! Technically, this is not a couple I "worked with" only because the beautiful bride is my Sister-in-Law. Now - being that she planned this wedding from DC, I do like to think that I was a valuable resource to her during the planning process. From picking the venue to confirming ceremony music the day of - I was half bridesmaid/half wedding planner.

It was a beautiful wedding, a ton of fun, and just a great night. Please head over to the Locke Innovations to see more pictures of the beautiful couple!

A few details from their wedding:

1) DLM Oreo Balls were their favors - yummy

2) Family is very important to them so they displayed pictures of parents, grandparents, and siblings on a Heritage Table

3) Keeping in simple they had a small wedding party of brothers, sisters and their spouses

4) The were married by a close friend in a very heartwarming ceremony.

5) They lucked out and got a wonderful fireworks display from Red's stadium

6) Sliders were served late night!

Special Thanks To:

Drees Pavilion

Paul Otten Band

Petals and Things Florist

Patricia's Wedding Cakes

Locke Innovations

October Wedding

2010-10-22T08:59:00.007-04:00

Okay, so I know that I have totally not been a very good blogger lately, but that is because have been so busy with weddings!!!!! As Wedding Season comes to an end and things begin to slow down (kind of) I promise to get back on track.

One of my plans is to offer up a monthy inspiration board. Creating this board was quite a journey for me. I have two little girls so when I think of the month of October the first this that comes to mind is Halloween.

Halloween means, jack-o-lanterns:

But that is a bit too literal for me. So my jumping off point was this:

Just your traditional lantern, great but not really that inspiring. But I soon came across these:

I thought the warm orange glow from these Moroccan Lanterns would be a great, until I came across these:
I love the antique finish on these oil lamps.

So here is the finished product. I love the warmth of the oranges and the reds. I love the comfortable vintage feel it has and with these beautiful sunny October days we have been having, I think it would be a beautiful Mid-West Autumn wedding.

Mum floral centerpiece, vintage wallpaper stationery, wedding dress

Oil lamps, billy ball boutounieer, champagne wedding cake

recipe card guest book, bridesmaid dress, milk glass decorations

mixed fall bouquet, mulling spice favors, pecan pie tartlets.

Lisa and Adam Jam Circle

2010-09-29T08:58:00.002-04:00

Yet another example of the excelent dancing at Lisa and Adam's wedding. Keep in mind that NONE of this is rehearsed! Yes, I am sure that some of these people have danced together for a while but all dancing is done on the fly. Talk about talent!.

A Little Birdie....

2010-09-28T19:36:00.003-04:00

Adam and Lisa are a wonderful couple that I had the pleasure of working with this weekend. The were blessed with a beautiful fall day, perfect to compliment their fall color scheme filled with different shades of red.

Although they are a wonderful couple and they planned a beautiful wedding, one of the very coolest things about the two of them - they are competitive swing dancers!

Check out the video of their first dance.

Needless to say, their reception was very entertainment filled with music from a great band and amazing dancing from many of their swing-dancing friends!

The Knot

2010-08-18T14:02:00.001-04:00

Have you gotten your Fall/Winter issue of The Knot: Ohio yet? If so, turn to page 30 and you will see.....ME!!!!!

Vendor Spotlight: Neysa Ruhl Photography

2010-07-27T19:55:00.002-04:00

I don't think you could ask for a better photographer than Neysa Ruhl. I had the pleasure of working with her a couple of months ago for Jeremy and Catherine's Memorial Day Wedding. Not only is Neysa a great photographer but she is also a great person.

It is so important to have a good relationship with your photographer. When you think about it, this is the person you will be spending the most time with on your wedding day and it is also the person responsible for documenting your entire day. So, please, get to know your photographer - take advantage of the engagement session so that you may get to know her/him better.

I know for a fact that Catherine and Jeremy really liked Neysa. When I first starting working with Catherine she had already booked Neysa as her photographer and could not stop gushing about how much she liked her and how excited she was that Neysa was shooting their wedding.

Please check out pictures of Catherine and Jeremy's wedding on Neysa's blog and I think you will see that when you know your photographer and your photographer knows you, your pictures will turn out better than you could have ever imagined!

Congratulations Tina and Matt!

2010-07-14T16:53:00.007-04:00

Tina and Matt were such a great couple to work with. They were high school sweetheart who, after 15 years of dating finally decided to get married! You couldn't have asked for two better people more perfectly matched for each other.

A huge thank you to Crystal Lee Ann Photography for all of the great pictures.

A beautiful gown with a cathedrial veil - stunning!

One of the coolest venues I have ever worked it. Currently a private residence, the owners rent the former sanctuary out for special events.

Some of the best food I have ever eaten, and not just for a reception - I mean ever!

Classic Confection's cake - one of my favorites!

Tina's dad bottles wine and he made four different flavors to give out as favors: Apple, Cherry, Raspberry & Blueberry.

Ceremony: Old Price Chapel

Reception: Moraine Country Club

Photography: Crystal LeeAnn Photography

DJ: All the Right Tunes

Cake: Classic Confection Cakes

Flowers: The Flowerman

Transportation: Your Chauffeur Limousine

Rental: Finch Rental

Photo Booth: Red Eye Photo Booths

Neha's Inspiration Board

2010-06-28T14:12:00.005-04:00

Neha is a bride I have been working with for a few months now. She is getting married next April but just moved to Texas last month, so we had a lot of work to do before she left. One of the things she has asked me to help her with is the design of the ceremony and reception. The entire wedding will be at the breathtaking Drees Pavilion so we won't have to do a lot, but she still wanted to make sure to add her own personal touch to the space.

Her ceremony will be a traditional Hindu ceremony so she wanted to keep with the traditional colors of reds and golds, but with a little bit of a modern twist. Below you will find the inspiration board I brought with us to our design meeting

buttercream cake with fresh orchids, red and gold favor tins, red and gold reception room,

burgundy cymbidium orchids, rose and calla lily bouquet, champagne raspberry cocktail

ivory napkin with gold border, gold picture frame table number, rose centerpiece

Vendor Spotlight - The Cincinnati Club

2010-06-07T07:29:00.002-04:00

I love Memorial Day Weekend - there is just something special in the air during this unofficial start of summer. This year was no different at Catherine and Jeremy's wedding. One of the things that made it so wonderful was their venue - The Cincinnati Club.

This was the first time I have ever worked with The Cincinnati Club and I hope to be bake there many times in the future. The Building is beautiful with a variety of rooms to choose from. Catherine and Jeremy were married in the Pompadour Room, Cocktails in the Grill and Reception in the Oak Room. The staff was wonderful to work with and the food was delicious!

In addition to being a great facility, it is in the perfect location. Garfield Park is right across the street and is a beautiful location to take pictures. Garfield Suites Hotel is just next door so that your guests do not need to worry about driving home. Fountain Square is just a few blocks away for any of your guests looking for some post-reception activities and the Covenant First Presbyterian Church is just down the street (one of my favorite ceremony locations).

The Cincinnati Club offers everything you would need for a beautiful downtown wedding!

Table Design Competition

2010-02-23T12:44:00.007-05:00

I am currently participating in the Prime Time Party Rental Table Design Competition and I am asking for your votes! All of the tables are beautiful but I am hoping that you will find that the table KL Wedding Designs LLC designed, stands out to you just a little bit more than the others. If you have a facebook account, please follow this link and leave a comment under one of the pictures for KL Wedding Designs LLC. I appreciate it very much and hope to soon be able to announce that I was the winner!

Bride's Choice 2010!

2010-01-31T14:36:00.005-05:00

For those of you who follow me on Facebook you already know of this wonderful honor I have been given by Wedding Wire, however, for everyone else out there I just wanted to brag on myself a little and announce that I have been chosen to receive the Bride's Choice 2010 Award!

Here is a section from the letter sent to my by Wedding Wire:

Congratulations! We are excited to announce that KL Wedding Designs LLC has been chosen to receive the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2010. This award recognizes the top 5 percent of local wedding professionals from the Wedding Wire Network who demonstrate excellence in quality, service and professionalism.

The Bride’s Choice Awards™ are determined exclusively by recent newlyweds (brides and grooms) through extensive surveys and reviews, which means your past clients have spoken on our behalf and selected you to receive this honor.

We are so excited to be included in this group of wonderful wedding vendors and would like to thank all of our past clients for your kind words and wonderful reviews.

Kathryn and Paul

2010-01-05T09:49:00.006-05:00

Kathryn and Paul got married in a beautiful ceremony at Benham's Grove this past May. I could go on and on about the details but I think these pictures from Childer's Photography say it better than I ever could!

Signature Gazebo shot at Benham's Grove

Everybody should have a harpist play during their ceremony, so romantic.

Beautiful and delicious!

They are a great couple and I loved working with them

They incorporated "wishing stones" into their ceremony

(which also came in handy to make sure their programs didn't blow away)

Too cute and so sweet

Check out that gorgeous bouquet
All images courtesy of Childer's Photography

Ceremony: Benham's Grove

Reception: Benham's Grove

Officiant: Wedding Vows and Promises

Caterer: Jeannette's Delicacies

Photographer: Childers Photography

Videographer: Mark Lang Video

Ceremony Music: Bobbie Strobhar

Reception Music: JamRe Entertainment

Cake: Frosted

Florist: Sherwood Florist

Rental: Kosin's Party Rental

Make-up: Ashely Matho on Location

New Year - New Look

2010-01-04T12:48:00.002-05:00

Well, after much hard work - the new website is up and running. Please feel free to let me know what you think!

Congratulations Jennifer and Matthew

2009-11-09T14:32:00.007-05:00

Jennifer and Matthew were such a great couple to work with. Jennifer's mom was the winner of my "Wedding Weekend Discount" giveaway and I am so glad she did because it was great to work with her also. The were blessed with a beautiful day for their wedding and The Heritage Club made for a breathtaking backdrop.

I love a bride who isn't afraid to get her feet wet!

Striking flowers by Petals & Things

Yummy!
Everything is always more fun when golf carts are involved
Just another pretty picture

Jennifer's mom hand calligraphied the place cards - now that's what I call love

Photos courtesy of Images by Daniel Michael & Co.

Congratulations Eric and Christie!

2009-11-04T13:11:00.007-05:00

I had a great time getting to know Eric and Christie during the planning process. By the time their wedding date arrived, I felt like we were life long friends! They really are two great people with wonderful friends and family. What I liked the best is that there wedding day was very ceremony focused and the detials of their faith and their love were at the center of if all.

The ceremony took place at St. Gabriel's in Historic Glendale - beautiful.

These two stole the show. One of my favorite moments was when their mom, who was the maid of honor, got a little misty eyed as they started down the aisle.

And yes, their dog was there, dressed for the occasion in a little black tux.

As for the reception, at the Glendale Lyceum, fun was had by all!

All photos provided by Images by Daniel Micahel and Co.

Congratulations Mike and Charlotte

2009-11-02T10:40:00.008-05:00

For some of you readers, you may remember a couple previous posts about Mike and Charlotte's big day, but I am happy to finally be able to post some professional pictures of this dynamic duo!

Beautiful Flowers provided by Avant Gardens

Charlotte arrived for the processional is a horse drawn carriage, so sweet.
Following the ceremony, Mike and Charlotte climbed back into the waiting carriage.

GQ anyone?
Charlotte, breathtaking as always.

The setting was beautiful.

The barn was decorated with vintage chandeliers Charlotte found.

Beautiful cake by Dor0thy Lane Market
This picture was too cute not to post.
Your friendly neighborhood wedding planner!

All images provided by Images by Daniel Michael & Co.

Big Thanks: Images by Daniel Michael & Co.

2009-10-30T12:16:00.003-04:00

This past summer, I had the opportunity to work with the crew down at Images by Daniel Michael & Co. on three separate occasions. They are such a great group and all of the photographers take wonderful pictures.

Today in the mail I received a great little care package from Office Manager, Amanda full of great pictures of all three weddings. I am so excited to get these pictures up and posted on the blog! It will take some time to go through and find my favorites but I check back Monday for the first of 3 beautiful posts!

Props

2009-10-28T13:18:00.002-04:00

I love the idea of having props when you get your pictures taken. I think it is just a little something extra to help you express your self but to also make the picture taking process a little bit easier. It could be as simple as making sure that all of your groomsmen have sunglasses or that all of the bridesmaids have pretty little parasols to twirl around.

But, if you want to get a little more creative what about picking up some balloons, or maybe even hula hoops! Bikes are very popular in pictures right now as well.

These props don't need to be saved for your wedding day, try picking up a bunch of flowers on your way to your engagement shoot, just for that little extra something!

Whatever it is you decide to do, just make sure that it fits the two of you as a couple as well as the theme of your wedding.

Dylan's Candy Bar

2009-10-27T12:35:00.004-04:00

We must be getting close to Halloween because I am just a little obsessed with candy right now! My favorite? Why Candy Corn of course! But who could beat this incredibly cute Halloween Tackle Box from Dylan's Candy Bar.

But, of course, who could beat anything from Dylan's Candy Bar - I wouldn't expect anything less from the daughter of designer Ralph Lauren and photographer Ricky Lauren. She has stores in New York, Texas & Florida but, lucky for us they are also available online.

You all know that I am a huge fan of edible favors and if you are looking for something just a little bit extra I would highly recommend you check out Dylan's Candy Bar.

Vendor Spotlight - Jessimel's

2009-10-23T13:09:00.003-04:00

DELICIOUS, is all I have to say about the sweet treats Jessimel's has to offer. I met this great duo (Jessica and Melissa) when we worked together for a wedding that they provided a dessert/sweets table for. Being the thoughtful pair they are, they put together a nice little box of goodies for me to take home with me - yummy.

The Caramel Chocolate Pretzel Rods are the best, the combination of salty and sweet all topped off with white chocolate was just the pick-me-up I needed at 1 o'clock in the morning. I liked the pretzels so much that I ordered some more, along with an assortment of truffles, to add to a "happy engagement" basket for my sister-in-law and her fiance.

If you are looking for an added special touch for your big day, I would definitely recommend checking Jessimel's out!

Congratulations Nick and Beth!!

2009-10-22T13:12:00.005-04:00

So I wouldn't exactly call Nick and Beth my clients since, Beth is my Sister-in-Law, but they still get all the benefits of having a wedding planner (one of the perks I guess). So....congratulations to the two of them. I am super excited to not only stand up with them as one of their bridesmaids but also to help them plan a Cincinnati wedding all the way from Washington D.C.

A week after they got engaged, Nick and Beth traveled to town to celebrate their engagement with family and friends, but also to get started with the planning process. So far they are having their ceremony and reception at the breathtaking Dree's Pavilion - you couldn't ask for a better view of the Cincinnati Skyline - and have booked the super cool Paul Otten Band for their reception.

For their next visit in we will be dress shopping, meeting with photographers as well as florists. I can't wait!

So, congratulations to the two of you - I couldn't be more happy and am looking forward to the big day!

Late Night Snacks

2009-10-05T14:50:00.003-04:00

My favorite thing about the wedding this past weekend is that the bride had arranged for Skyline Chili to come in at about 10:45 and set up a buffet complete with the works! I have noticed that this is a growing trend in the area and I think it is great! Whether it is Skyline, White Castle or just something you have arranged through your caterer your guests will go crazy over a late-night snack, and it really isn't a budget breaker! So, if you are still in the works of finalizing the details of your big day, you might want to think about what your favorite "late-night joint" is and see if they deliver!!

Laura and Brian got Married!

2009-09-29T12:48:00.006-04:00

Congratulations to Laura and Brain who got married this past Saturday at The Country Club of the North. After a week of rain, we were blessed with a beautiful Autumn day and were lucky enough that The Buckeye's won! Both the Father of the Bride and the Groom are very big Ohio State fans and, I have to admit, I was a bit worried about what the reception would have been like if the Buckeye's didn't win. But, thankfully we didn't have to worry about that and we ended up with a breathtaking outdoor ceremony and a super-fun reception!

I am hoping that we will soon get to see the amazing photographs Mark and Jennifer Garber took of the wedding, but for now you will have to suffer through the extremely amateur (not to mention taken with my phone) pictures of some of my favorite things from this wedding:

1) Laura's red shoes - matched perfectly with the Bridesmaid's dresses.

2) The stunning centerpieces created by Cady of The Flowerman.

3) The Buckeye necklace favors. This is the first wedding I have ever worked on that there were absolutely no favors left over at the end of the night.

A big thanks to all of the vendors who helped make Laura and Brian's wedding wonderful:

Country Club of the North
Mark Garber Photography
All The Right Tunes
Phase Two Productions
The Flowerman

Monkey Party

2009-09-22T13:06:00.004-04:00

So my baby turned two just a couple of weeks ago and, as some of you may remember reading, we planned a monkey themed birthday party inspired by the "Jungle" line of Gymboree clothing. We were blessed with a beautiful day and some great guests. As far as decorations go, this may have been one of my favorites. Many of the things were handmade and - without sounding too much like I am bragging - they turned out great. My favorite were these great paper flowers that I made. I followed the hand crafted flower garlands posted by Birthday Girl but decided to use scrapbook paper instead of a magazine.

Some other highlights included the ever popular birthday banner as well as a flag garland, monkey craft visors courtesy of Oriental Trading, and a Birthday Express pull string monkey pinata (the pull string is a much better idea than giving a two-year old a bat).

And, of course, my favorite - the birthday girl herself!

So, thanks for letting me brag a little bit about the birthday party and I promise to get back on track with wedding posts soon!

Congratulations Jen and Rogelio!

2009-09-02T14:05:00.003-04:00

I had so much fun working with both Jen and Rogelio - they are both great people individually and a great couple together. Both are law students living in Washington D.C. but decided to plan a more intimate wedding here in Jen's hometown. Both the ceremony and reception took place at Cox Arboretum and you couldn't have asked for a more beautiful day. The bright orange and deep red flowers sealed the deal on this fall inspired wedding!

The wedding was originally going to take place next September, but just a few months ago the couple decided to move it up to this year. Cox Arboretum only had a few dates available and, unfortunately, I already had a wedding schedule for the date they chose - no worries, my assistant Heather stepped up to the plate and managed to handle everything that was thrown at her that day (and a lot was thrown at her that day). I joined them late night just as the party was getting started and am really glad that I got to see the bride and groom on their special day.

My favorite part is that I am now facebook friends with both the bride and the groom so we can keep in touch for years to come!

Please head over to Mark Garber's blog to see the beautiful pictures of this wedding.

Mike and Charlotte's Wedding

2009-08-11T12:54:00.003-04:00

It has been a long time coming but here are just some pictures from Mike and Charlotte's May 30th wedding. I have known Mike for a few years now (he is a fraternity brother of my husband's) but I really enjoyed getting to know Charlotte and the two of them as a couple. I had such a fun time working with them and they really did plan a beautiful wedding. Both the ceremony and reception took place at Mary Nelle's Windswept Farm in Lebanon OH. The ceremony took place overlooking a small lake followed by a tented cocktail hour and then everyone moved into the barn for some dinner and dancing. Avant Gardens did a beautiful job on all of the flowers and a delicious cake was provided by Dorthy Lane Market. And thanks so much to Jessica, of Images by Daniel Michael & Co., for the beautiful pictures.

The Wedding Cardigan

2009-08-03T15:33:00.002-04:00

It makes me a little bit sad that I can't find a picture to show you what I will be talking about, but I will do my best to describe it anyway!

We have been blessed with some cooler weather here in South-West Ohio and it has started to get me excited for fall which is my favorite season for weddings. I was watching a "wedding television show" today and noticed that one of the brides was wearing a beautiful ivory cardigan over her strapless wedding gown. I loved the contrast of something as glamorous as a wedding gown covered by something as comforting (but still equally as beautiful) as a cardigan. Then, I received a J. Crew catalog in the mail today and in the J. Crew Weddings section, there was a bridesmaid wearing a cardigan!

It is a look I have seen on flower girls before as summer evenings turn chilly but I love that this look is turning up on the more mature members of the bridal party too!

I'm going on Vacation!

2009-07-26T11:39:00.003-04:00

Yes, I am going on vaction to one of my favorits spots - Huckleberry Island in Parry Sound, Ontario. I grew up taking family vactions to my Grandparents Cottage and love taking my very own family up there too. The best part of it - no cell phone coverage - which means that both Matt and I can truely turn off and relax. I will be back next week to catch up on my blog but until then, enjoy the picture below of some of the most beautiful country you will ever see.

JK Wedding Entrance Dance

2009-07-23T13:24:00.001-04:00

Okay so I know this is posted on wedding blogs across the nation, but I just couldn't help myself. This is too much fun! The best part is that I still got tears in my eyes when the bride started her processional - happens everytime.

Locally Grown Organic Flowers

2009-07-22T07:33:00.002-04:00

A few weeks ago, I received and email from Susan Studer King informing me of her wonderful organic flower farm Buckeye Blooms. Here is just a little snippet of the email to let you all know about this great company.

Buckeye Blooms, a new business that specializes in the production of chemical-free flowers for weddings and special events. We grow all of our flowers organically on our family farm near Lima, Ohio approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes north of Dayton. As a Dayton area leader in wedding planning, we thought you might be interested in learning more about what we can offer to you and your clients.

As a brief background, Buckeye Blooms is part of a growing “green” business and wedding industry that caters to clients who are seeking locally grown and environmentally friendly flowers and services. Most of the flowers in florists’ shops have been imported from South America or other regions of the world where they were treated with harmful chemicals. Having lived in Ecuador for over two years, I can attest to the amount of pollution and water shortages created by the commercial production of roses and other flowers that are destined for the U.S.

We believe there is a better way to grow flowers. In addition to being earth-friendly, the quality and freshness of our flowers is unrivaled in the region. Just as a home-grown tomato tastes better than a store-bought one, the freshest and most beautiful flowers come from the garden rather than the refrigerated section of a big box store . Our flowers arrive fresh and fragrant, just as nature intended.

We offer full floral design services and for brides seeking a unique way to choose their wedding flowers, we offer exclusive bridal “flower parties” on our picturesque family farm. For summer and early fall weddings, the bride and her bridesmaids have the opportunity to actually help pick flowers from our fields and gardens for their bouquets. We then give step-by-step instructions and help them to make their very own bridal bouquets. It is a fun and unique way for brides to create personalized bouquets for their special day.

If you would like additional information on how to contact Buckeye Blooms, please leave a comment with your email address and I send it your way.

Tip of the Day

2009-07-14T14:13:00.001-04:00

Tip of the Day – Bridal Wedding Attire

Posted using ShareThis

Birthday's - Part II

2009-07-13T12:38:00.005-04:00

So it is round two for birthdays here in the Leedy household. My daughter Peyton will be turning two this September and I am now starting to figure out all of the details for the party. Here is what I know so far....

It will be a Monkey theme inspired completely by this adorable outfit from Gymboree:

I found some supercute Stitched Monkey Invitations from Polka Dot Designs and even a Pull String Pinata from Birthday Express. I love the idea of a pull string because it will really give the two-year-olds a chance to participate and not just stand around watching the older kids hit the pinata. Finally, there will be a Monkey Visor Craft courtesy of Oriental Trading.

I also know that here will be A LOT of balloons! Peyton is obsessed with balloons and can spot them anywhere, even if it is just a picture of one hanging up on the wall.

I am still in the process of organizing a guestlist, coming up with a menu, and figuring out what the rest of the decorations are going to be but, I am pretty proud of myself for what I have found/accomplished so far.

Tune in September 14th for pictures to see if I really pulled it off!

Vendor Spotlight - Classic Confection Cakes

2009-07-12T13:03:00.008-04:00

Yes, it is time to spotlight another one of my favorite vendors again! I spent all last week in vendor meetings with Heidi and Geoff who were in town last week from Atlanta hoping to book all of their vendors for their December wedding.

One of the places I took them to was Classic Confection Cakes and they were blown away, for good reason. Margarita and Rene make some of the best cakes I have ever tasted - their buttercreme is really the best in town. In addition, their decorating style is suburb - they can make about any type of cake you would like and I promise you it will be beautiful and delicious. They make all of their own ingredients including their own fondant and gumpaste flowers.

If you want your wedding cake to be the spotlight of your reception, or just want something your guests will enjoy as a dessert, I would highly recommend scheduling a tasting with Classic Confection Cakes!

Photos courtesy of Classic Confection Cakes

Corsage Magnets!

2009-07-10T12:47:00.002-04:00

I know that this may not be very exciting to most of you brides out there, but as the woman who is usually the one pinning corsages onto the MOB's, MOG's and G-ma's, I think that the Lomey Corsage Magnets are the coolest! Big thank you to Mark of The Flower Shoppe for introducing me to these.

Mother Of dresses have come along way and many of them are so beautiful I just had the idea of sticking a pin through them to create big ol' holes in them. these corsage magnest are so great because all your florist needs to do is attach one side to the corsage and we then just put the other side on the inside of the fabric. No messy holes and no worries about getting stuck (or sticking someone with a pin).

When meeting with your florist, please see if using a Corsage Magnet is an option. It may be a little more expensive but it will be well worth in and all the special women in your life will greatly appreciate it.

Anne and Jeff

2009-07-09T08:57:00.007-04:00

I don't know how I missed it, but the photos for Anne and Jeff's wedding have been up weeks, on 808 Studio Photography's blog Shooting for the Soul, and I have not yet posted about it yet.

We had the opportunity to work with Nick and crew for Anne and Jeff's wedding and they are a wonderful group. First of all, Anne and Jeff planned a beautiful wedding which Nick captured for us in beautiful pictures. Please head over to their blog to see a full slideshow of the days events!

Photo courtesy of 808 Studio Photography

Boutonnieres & Bow Ties

2009-07-08T09:52:00.004-04:00

Although it has been up and running for a while, I just stumbled across this amazing blog - I don't know how I have missed it. Finally there is something out there to help style your guy for the big day too. I would definitely recommend that everyone check this out. I love their post about suspenders (my second style love to argyle) as well as this great look:

Camp Wedding

2009-07-07T10:51:00.006-04:00

I came across this wedding today on Style Me Pretty and I just had to share it with you. Most of you may not know this but, I worked as a summer camp throughout my high school and college years - some of the best summer's of my life! I couldn't think of anything more fun than a camp-inspired wedding.

Photos by Orchard Cove Photography

Pair it with this graphic from Capture the Moment and you have a match made in heaven.

Happy 4th of July

2009-07-04T15:09:00.002-04:00

Happy 4th everybody! I am still in Chicago for our friends Kristen and John's wedding. Not quite sure what is going to happen (which I love by the way), but I am hoping that there are some fireworks in my future. The girls are at my parents and they have a fun filled day of parades, picnics, and maybe fireworks if the girls can stay up that late. Independence Day is one of my favorite holiday's and although I am having a great time in Chicago a little part of me is sad that we are not back home for the Centerville for the Americana Festival but there is always next year.

What do you like to do for the 4th?

I'm a Guest!

2009-07-02T08:55:00.005-04:00

I am off to Chicago for a wedding and.......I'm going as a guest!!! I love weddings (obviously) and although I love my job, I love attending weddings as a guest even more. What is even better is that Matt and I will be getting a weekend away without the girls.

Chicago is a great city and I am looking forward to doing some touristy stuff too. Matt is a groomsman so I will have all morning on Saturday to visit Navy Pier and get in some shopping on Michigan Ave. I am also hoping to get in a nice run down on the shore line of Lake Michigan. And maybe, if I am feeling brave, I will even check out the glass balcony on the Sears Tower (or maybe not).

But the best part of it all is that John and Kristen are getting married. They are long time friends of ours and we are so happy for them.

Here is a picture of the happy couple:

Welcome Heidi and Geoff

2009-07-01T14:15:00.001-04:00

A big welcome to Heidi and Geoff who have just joined the KL Wedding Designs LLC family. Heidi and Geoff will say their "i-do's" on December 20th, 2009 in Kettering OH. The ceremony will take place at Christ United Methodist Church (which just happens to be my church) and the reception at NCR Country Club.

So happy to have you guys with us!

Save-the-Date

2009-06-30T15:15:00.002-04:00

Check out these great Save-the-Dates by Mark Garber Photography! Laura and Brian are a great couple we are working with and I am so excited for their September wedding at CCN. I look forward to working with Mark Garber and all of Laura and Brian's other amazing vendors!

Baby's Breath - Part 2

2009-06-25T08:40:00.005-04:00

To continue on from my post yesterday, check out these pictures from The Bride's Cafe of Jennifer and Josh's wedding. Again, I love the use of Baby's Breath as the main flower for the event - it has such a dreamy feel about it and was a great addition to creating the atmosphere of this beautiful wedding.

Sedona Bride

Baby's Breath

2009-06-24T12:28:00.004-04:00

I saw this post at Wedding Bee today and was reminded how much I loved the look of clusteres of Baby's Breath. There is something so fresh and airy (not to mention cost effective) about this bouquet.

The Knot

Blown Glass Pens

2009-06-23T20:26:00.003-04:00

I love these Blown Glass Pens from Beau Coup. I think they would be a great way to add an extra special touch to your guest book. Very elegant!

Vintage/Rustic Wedding

2009-06-22T13:32:00.004-04:00

So I stopped over that the Green Wedding Shoes blog today and the first post was a feature of a beautiful rustic and vintage wedding. As I was reading through the description I knew I would love the pictures featured below. Not only was the wedding beautiful but it included two of my favorite things, argyle (check out the groom's socks) and large wedding parties (just love the picture it makes). Here are just some of the pictures featured in the story but please stop over to read more about Darren + Kayli's Vintage Rustic Wedding.

Photos by Aaron Shintaku

Personalize

2009-06-20T09:18:00.002-04:00

If you are looking for a great way to personalize your big day then I would definitely recommend heading over to I Do Originals. For everything from aisle runners to banners to unity candles to just a straight up monogram - whatever it is you are looking for, I am sure that owner, Kristen, will be able to create it for you.

Feelin' the Love

2009-06-18T19:47:00.003-04:00

This past Tuesday I arrived home, after a long weekend visiting my sister in North Carolina, and found three "thank-you" notes from past brides in my mailbox. It is so great to hear from brides after they get back from their honeymoons and it always makes me happy that they were so pleased with all that KL Wedding Designs LLC did for them. I won't bore you with every single note but here are a few exerts.

"You truly made it possible for us to relax and enjoy the day, we couldn't have done it without you. We sincerely appreciate your hard work, dedication, professionalism, and attention to detail."

"Having you there really allowed us to focus on each other and our guests and really let us have a great time. Asking you to help us was the best decision I (we) made during the whole process"

"You are so creative and relaxing to be around. Your suggestions were always right on target and made us less stressed"

Yep, I am definitely feelin' the love today!

Heart Shape Week

Fun Favors

2009-06-17T11:02:00.007-04:00

I saw this article in our local newspaper and thought to myself "what better shower favors than handmade soaps". Get it...shower favors/soap. Okay so I am a little bit of a dork, but still a good idea right? The easiest way would be to follow the "melt and pour" method listed below. Very easy but still gives you the opportunity to add your own personal touch through color and scent as well as finding a creative wrapping to match your color scheme.

Buy pre-made blocks of unscented soap "base" from a craft store or supplier.
Melt the base in a microwave oven or by using a double boiler
Add fragrance, as well as color and additives if you wish
Pour the soap into a mold and it's ready as soon as it hardens.
Create your own packaging and labels, if you wish.

For complete instructions you may visit a variety of websites such as http://www.teachsoap.com/. Most soaps will cost anywhere from $0.90 to $2.00 per bar.

Photo Courtesy of Ginger Soaps

$1,195,000 Anybody?

2009-06-17T10:47:00.004-04:00

I saw this listing in our local newspaper and WISH I had the money to purchase it as a reception location. Dayton is somewhat lacking in great reception locations and this would be a great addition. Just read the listing below: This property has 5.9 lush acres surrounded on 3 sides by a nature reserve. Over 8000SF of the finest quality. Impressive gated entry leading to a circular drive surrounding a Japanese Koi Pond. A focal point of the beautiful ext. of the home are the southern upper & lower verandas. The front to rear gallery entrance hall will impress as you enter. Great room w/commercial grade kitchen enhanced by a marble preparation & eating island, 4 dishwashers & more. Elegant formal dining room. Academic library. Luxurious owners suite w/elevator to LL off season closed & workout room. 4BR suites each w/private brick terraces. FR/media room, office computer room w/work stations. Top of the line marble & limestone pool. Large decorative terrace/tent pad (ideal for weddings, events etc.) Heated bath floors w/exception of 1/2 bath on 1st floor

Call Andrew Gaydosh 937-305-9570 for more information

BIG HILL GMAC REAL ESTATE

So really, who wouldn't want to get married here?! I mean, just the veranda sold it to me! Any investors?????

Place Cards

2009-06-16T10:18:00.003-04:00

I found this in the July issue of Real Simple. What a cute place card idea for an engagement party or shower. Just use paint chips from your local hardware store and you will have perfect place cards to match any color pallet!

Fearrington Village

2009-06-10T13:10:00.005-04:00

I am going to visit my sister and her husband this weekend (they live in North Carolina) and I am so excited to see the new house they just bought on Fountain Place in Burlington. This is an area my sister has wanted to live in since her freshman year at Elon College. As it turns out, the house across the street from her is now for sale so I got an email from her today telling me that I needed to buy it and work here:

Such a great place to have a wedding! I love reception locations because there are so many different options available to fit any couples needs. We are blessed to have many wonderful locations here in the Cincinnati/Dayton areas but, if I ever do move to North Carolina I know where I will send any bride looking for a wedding with a Martha Stewart feel!

Welcome Catherine and Jeremy

2009-06-04T09:40:00.002-04:00

We would like to welcome Catherine and Jeremy to the KL Wedding Designs LLC family! I just met the two of them Wednesday evening and they have decided to book our Wedding Weekend Package (Catherine didn't want to miss out on all of the fun of planning a wedding!). We will be there with them for assistance whenever needed throughout the planning process and will be on hand in full force to make sure all the details of their wedding are executed perfectly!

The wedding and reception will take place at the Cincinnati Club.

Vendor Spotlight - Ashley Matho

2009-06-03T13:55:00.005-04:00

This week I would like to feature Ashley Matho of Ashley Matho On Location Make-up Artistry. I worked with Ashley a couple of weeks ago for Katheryn and Paul's wedding. Kathryn was already beautiful but what Ashley did to enhance those features was wonderful. I think that every bride should get her make-up done by a professional the day of and what better than someone who will come to you. Ashely has some great before and after pictures on her website so you can see the magic she works. Here area a couple of the "after" pictures for your viewing enjoyment.

Carnival Inspiration

2009-06-02T20:33:00.004-04:00

After my post yesterday I began to think about all of the bold colors and the lights that can be found at a carnival and how that can be used as great inspiration for a summer wedding. The red, yellow and orange colors of the carnival lights can sometimes seem more like colors for a fall wedding but I think the inspiration board below does a great job of setting the stage for a bold summer color pallet.

Clockwise from left to right: Pomanders, Juice Pitchers, Shoes, Wedding Program, Bouquet, Cake

Summer is Here

2009-06-01T13:22:00.004-04:00

Okay, so I know we still have twenty-one more days until the actual start of summer, but I don't care - in my mind summer is here! The carnival came into town yesterday and we headed out for a family fun-time. As a kid I grew up spending my summers getting as dizzy on carnival rides and I couldn't wait to share that experience with my children. My oldest daughter is quite cautious but I was so proud of her when she rode on the kiddie Ferris Wheel all by herself. My youngest is a dare devil and was very sad that she was still too small to ride any of the rides - maybe next year!

Here is a picture of Lainey enjoying some popcorn in front of the Ferris Wheel.

What are some of your favorite things to do in the Summer?

Tordano Warning!

2009-05-31T12:59:00.004-04:00

Yep, that is what happened last night at Mike and Charlotte's wedding out at Mary Nelle's Windswept Farm. We kept a close eye on the weather and were very lucky that the storm passed south of us. For those of you in the Mason area, I hope that you and your families are safe after last night.

We did have a great time last night. Mike and Charlotte put on such a great party that even a thunderstorm couldn't overshadow it. Their ceremony was under a shade tree with a backdrop of beautiful flowers and a pond, then guests were off to the tent to enjoy cocktails and appetizers provided by Mrs. B's Catering. After that, guests picked up their votive candle escort cards and moved into the barn for dinner.

All was decorated beautifully with flowers by Avant Gardens as well as some great Shabby Chic iron chandeliers Charlotte found to use as lighting.

I took a couple pictures with my phone (see below) but know that Jessica from Images by Daniel Michael will send me some better ones here very soon!

Vendor Spotlight - The Flowerman

2009-05-29T13:43:00.004-04:00

I am going to try to spotlight a wonderful vendor each week. To kick it off, I would like to tell you about The Flowerman in Centerville. It is such a wonderful place where brides (and grooms) have the freedom to be as involved as possible in creating their flowers. They offer classes for brides that want to create their own bouquets and centerpieces - they will even let you use their workspace and coolers if you choose to do so. Not a do-it-yourself kind of gal, that is okay too because Cady is a wonderful florist and is such a pleasure to work with. She will sit down with you to help you come up with the perfect floral touches and then create them herself.

So, to all of you getting married in the Dayton area - give them a call!

Thank You

2009-05-27T15:12:00.005-04:00

I just got the sweetest note from Kathryn and Paul that I just needed to share with you.

"Thank you for all of your help with planning our wedding and being there for us on our special day. We were able to fully enjoy our wedding knowing that we could depend on you to handle all the details (big and small). We truly appreciate all of your hard work, your professionalism, and your thoughtfulness."

Check out the cute stationery they sent their note on, from Wedding Paper Diva's.

Paul and Kat got Married!

2009-05-26T13:53:00.003-04:00

This past Sunday a beautiful wedding between two wonderful people took place at Benham's Grove in Centerville, OH. Paul and Kathryn may have been two of the nicest people I have ever met - in addition, their wedding was filled with love and joy, everything a wedding should be.

For the second weekend in a row, we were blessed with beautiful weather for an outdoor ceremony and the clouds parted just as the processional began to shine sun down on everyone!

We enjoyed great food from Jeannette's Catering, great cake from Frosted, and great fun provided my Jason Skusa of Jamre Entertainment. In addition I would like to give a shout-out to Ashley Matho for the wonderful job she did job enhance the girls already natural beauty!

For now, please enjoy these amateur shots I took with my camera phone but check back soon in hopes that Chuck of Childers Photography will send me some great pictures of the event!

Day Off

2009-05-25T11:38:00.003-04:00

I am taking a day off to relax! I hope you all have a wonderful Memorial Day.

Pottery Barn Hammock

Wedding Quotes

2009-05-24T11:56:00.005-04:00

This month's Real Simple Magazine is filled with all sorts of good ideas that can be used for/around weddings. My previous post about the customized comic page was found in the magazine as well as these great quotes about love and marriage.

"There is no remedy for love, but to love more"

-Henry David Thoreau, The Journal of Henry D. Thoreau, Volumes I-VII (1837-1855)

"A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person."

-Mignon McLaughlin, Atlantic (July 1965)

"There is no more lovely, friendly and charming relationship, communion or company than a good marriage."

-Martin Luther, Table Talk

"He is husband, she is wife. She fears not him, they fear not life"

-Robert Frost"On the Heart's Beginning to Cloud the Mind"

Mark Weber Custom Comic

2009-05-23T18:00:00.002-04:00

This would be such a fund gift idea for a couples shower, a bachelor/bachelorette party or even an anniversary. Design a custom six-panel comic book frame describing the couples love story told by cartoonist Mark Weber.

Bridesmaids, Bridesmaids and More Bridesmaids

2009-05-22T12:43:00.005-04:00

Keeping in mind that I, myself, had eight bridesmaids-I love large wedding parties! Here are some great pictures of the bride with all of her best gals. The contrast of the bold colors on either side and the pop of white right in the middle is just great.

Photos clockwise from the top:

Nathaniel Edmunds Photography, Jennifer Lindberg, Mint and Sage, Island Photo

Its Baaaaack!

2009-05-21T09:01:00.003-04:00

Tune in June 9th to meet the couples!

More Pictures

2009-05-20T13:27:00.002-04:00

I just can't help myself. Ron Carroll keeps sending me pictures from Mike and Leah's wedding. I love the Old Hollywood/Glamour shot of Leah in the upper right hand corner - beautiful!

Congratulations Mike and Leah

2009-05-19T13:22:00.006-04:00

Mike and Leah were wed this past Saturday on the front steps of Wiedemann Hill Mansion in Covington Kentucky. We had some early worries about the rain but a hard downpour at 4:00pm seemed to be all we were in for and the sky parted for the 5:30 ceremony. The weather got even more beautiful from there so guest could enjoy dinner and drinks outside enjoying the stunning view of Downtown Cincinnati.

Here are some teaser pictures courtesy of Ron Carroll Photography. I hope to have more up on the website soon.

Color Trends

2009-05-18T12:58:00.002-04:00

HGTV's "10 Can't-Miss Color Trends of 2009" are great for decorating but even better to use as inspiration for your wedding day!

HGTV

It's Wedding Day!

2009-05-16T07:59:00.004-04:00

Leah and Mike are getting married today! They have planned a beautiful event at the Wiedemann Hill Mansion in Covington Kentucky. The Mansion in and of itself is gorgeous but the view from the front porch is amazing, overlooking downtown Cincinnati. I will have to remember to take a picture of it tonight to post for you tomorrow. The Mansion lends itself to a certain type of intimacy that fits Mike and Leah's laid back but still elegant style. Innocienti Strings will provide music for the ceremony and the cocktails with food by Savor Catering. Be sure to check back soon where I hope to have some pictures (taken by Ron Carroll of Ron Caroll Photography) to show you.

From Blossom to Bead

2009-05-15T08:00:00.001-04:00

What a great way to preserve your wedding flowers and enjoy wearing them in beautiful jewelery. All you have to do is ship your wedding flowers to From Blossom to Bead where they will turn your blooms into beautiful jewelery

I wish I would have known about this service when I got married because I think I would have had my bouquet made into a couple of necklaces to pass on to my daughters for their wedding day. Too late now, my dried bouquet is in a hope chest with other memorabilia from my wedding day - probably wouldn't be appropriate to walk around with it hanging from my neck;)

Monogrammed Cookies

2009-05-14T08:00:00.000-04:00

I am a huge fan of edible wedding favors and these monogrammed cookies from Gumdrop Cookie Shop are no different. I love the bright colors and different styles, perfect for any wedding!

Etsy Guestbooks

2009-05-13T08:00:00.001-04:00

I love all of the personalized guestbooks available on etsy.com. Here is just a little taste but there are many more out there to fit your special day.

From left to right: Shea Chic Designs, KC Scrapper, Lily Elle, Uber Art, Red Otter, Enji Beck

Argyle

2009-05-12T08:00:00.000-04:00

I am a huge fan of Argyle and think this sweater vest may be the cutest thing I have ever seen!

Photo courtesy of Jeanne Ciasulla Photography and Makeup, found on Thoughtful Day.

Lainey's Party

2009-05-11T10:37:00.004-04:00

As some of you may remember, a couple weeks ago I posted about my daughter, Lainey, and the cowgirl themed birthday party she decided to plan (we were originally just going to spend a nice weekend at Great Wolf Lodge). Well, it was this past weekend and we had a great time - she really is following in her mom's footsteps!

We were blessed with a sunny day so all the kiddo's got to play outside. The horse shaped cake was a success and all the kids loved their cowboy had favors! Here are some pics of the big event.

And now its back to wedding planning......

Whirlwind Wedding Planning

2009-05-08T07:58:00.003-04:00

Holy Cow - it has been a busy week! Here at the Leedy household we have been preparing for the big birthday party coming up tomorrow (my daughter is turning 4), getting ready to host a Mother's Day Brunch, spending time with my sister-in-law who is visiting from DC, and finalizing the details for Mike and Leah's wedding next weekend. But that is nothing compared to the week that Mike and Erin have had.

Mine and Erin live in Boston but are planning a Cincinnati wedding for July 2010. They came into town this week to meet with vendors and start nailing down some details since they will not be returning until November. I am so proud of them because so far they have:

Found a Ceremony Location
Found a Reception Location
Hired a Florist
Hired a Photographer
Found a Stationer
Hired Transportation
Blocked Guest Rooms
Found a Bakery
Bought a Wedding Dress
and will probably be hiring their musical entertainment today!

The best part, now they can go back to Boston and take a well deserved "wedding break" until they return in November (yeah, right - all you brides out there know that when it comes to wedding planning, once you start you can't stop!)

Eco Salon

2009-05-06T14:51:00.007-04:00

Here at KL Wedding Designs LLC we are slowly taking steps to "go green" not just in the weddings we plan but also in our day-to-day business doings.

We featured a great Green Wedding Guide on Earth Day but aren't we supposed to be treating everyday like it is Earth Day?

Eco Salon had a great feature called 20 Online Resources for Planning an Eco Friendly Wedding. If you are wanting to incorporate a little "green" into your wedding, don't feel like you have to do it all - even if you just do one "eco-friendly" thing, that's something right?

Michael Bambino & Co.

2009-05-05T16:55:00.004-04:00

So I took a couple to meet with Michael Bambino today and I had almost forgotten how much I liked him. He has this natural ability to make a couple feel comfortable in their own skin (a great trait in a wedding photographer) as well as this wonderful eye to find and capture the beauty in any situation. I almost feel like my bride and groom were walking with a little more confidence when they left their meeting just because Michael made them feel so good!

On top of being a great wedding photographer, he is a great person and that is why I always enjoy working with Michael Bambino and Co. Below are some pictures from a wedding we worked on together a while back.

Austin & Dara

2009-05-04T12:37:00.004-04:00

Austin and Dara look like they would be such fun wedding photographers to work with (think I could convince them to move to Ohio?). They have captured some of the best shots I have ever seen! I also love the creative approach they take to the different settings of their weddings.

One of my favorites is a shot of a friend jumping "leap-frog" style over the couple. Totally spontaneous action that they caught on film perfectly. Of course, I am not techy enough to re-post it here so you will just have to jump on over to their blog to see what I am talking about!

Texture

2009-05-03T21:43:00.003-04:00

I love the texture of these La Tavola linens featured on the Sparkliatti blog!

Memories

2009-05-02T20:05:00.004-04:00

I had lunch today with some of my best girlfriends in the world and I miss them all already. All seven of us lived together in college and they are like my sisters. It was so much fun to see them all to catch up on their lives as well as see pictures of all the cute little ones we have now. During our lunch we got to talking about our weddings and sharing stories about each one - as best friends do we were all bridesmaids in each others weddings. I couldn't have asked for better people to stand up with Matt and me on our wedding day.

So, here they are in all their pink iridescent taffeta glory! Don't laugh too hard, it was a long time ago. But to all my ladies - Laura, Tara, Jill, Shelly, Krissy and Erin - we need to get together for lunch more often, I miss you too much and had a great time today!

August 10, 2002

Flirty Clutch

2009-05-01T14:38:00.005-04:00

How much do I love the soiree clutch by J Crew? Too much! It would be a perfect clutch to carry on your wedding day, or to give as a gift to your bridesmaids or to just make your rehearsal dinner outfit a little more special. Whatever the reason, every bride needs one of theses! Also available in black, mushroom and blush.

kate spade Fine China

2009-04-30T13:49:00.006-04:00

For all you brides-to-be out there registering, I am so jealous! I know that fine china is falling out of trend (I know I have only used mine three times in the seven years I have been married) but I am in love with almost every piece of Kate Spade fine china. I was initially drawn to the Gardner Street collection, but when I went to take a closer look online I also fell in love with three other sets!

kate spade "Gardner Street Green" Dinnerware Collection

kate spade "Corona Grove Platinum" Platinum Dinnerware Collection

kate spade "Downing Street" Dinnerware Collection

kate spade "Belle Boulevard" Dinnerware Collection

I know that fine china doesn't always get used but there is something a little bit fun about knowing you have this little treasure tucked away in a china cabinet to mark a special occasion.

Garnish

2009-04-29T12:22:00.006-04:00

One of my favorite things about some of the weddings I have worked on have been the focus the bride and groom put on their guests. Yes, this day is all about the bride and groom, but they have chosen to surround themselves with 100-200 of their closest friends and family.

The guests at your wedding are the people who have loved and supported you throughout you life and the favors at your wedding are a great way to show those people how much you care for and appreciate them.

I always encourage my couples to give their guests some sort of edible favor just because they can be enjoyed at the reception and your guests definitely won't leave them behind.

I came across the Garnish website the other day and I think it is just the best site to help dress up those favors and make them something a little extra special. The best part is that you can buy an "idea" kit or browse their "bits n pieces" and come up with something totally on their own.

Nikki and Micah

2009-04-29T08:00:00.002-04:00

Christina Ramge of CJ Photography has already posted some great pictures of Nikki and Micah's April 25th wedding. Here is just a taste but please visit Christina's blog for even more pictures of this beautiful day!

Pretty Dresses

2009-04-28T12:56:00.003-04:00

www.juddwaddell.com

www.priscillaofboston.com

Fuchsia and Navy

2009-04-27T08:00:00.000-04:00

The Knot has a great slidshow of the new and hot wedding colors for the season with Fuchsia and Navy being my favorite.

All pictures courtsey of http://www.theknot.com/

Cox Arboretum

2009-04-26T15:07:00.005-04:00

We took the girls out to Cox Arboretum today for a little lunch and (extremely) amateur photo shoot. We were fortunate enough that some of the spring flowers were still in bloom.

While we were there, I think we saw four or five couples having their engagement photographs taken.

Cox Arboretum isn't just a great place to take pictures but it is a wonderful place to get married. They offer a variety of locations from Crabapple Allee to the Huffman Gallery where you will get all the beauty of being indoors but the convenience of being indoors - no need for a rain plan!

Enjoy these pictures of Emily and Brendan's wedding reception in the Fifth Third Conference Center at Cox Arboretum. Big thanks to Journal Weddings for the pictures.

Tired!

2009-04-26T03:04:00.003-04:00

If I haven't gone to sleep yet, will this post still count for Saturday? Today was a great day for a wedding. Everything was so beautiful and came together so well. I can't wait to get some pictures of Nikki and Micah's wedding for you all to see.

What a Beautiful Morning

2009-04-24T09:07:00.002-04:00

I could not ask for a more perfect day to kick off wedding season! High of 80 today and tomorrow with a slight cloud cover to keep things from getting too hot - Nikki and Micah are in for a perfect wedding weekend! I can't wait to post the pictures Christina from CJ Photography will get of the couple in downtown Cincinnati's Garfield Park.

I am off to take my girls to the park, but from noon on it will be weddings, weddings, weddings!

Seating Cards

2009-04-23T09:43:00.005-04:00

How thoughtful of Jayme and Chris included a floor plan in their seating cards so that guests are not wandering around the reception area searching for their table.

For more pictures of their wedding, please visit the Martha Stewart Weddings Inspiration Page.