Destination Wedding Tips

When you imagine your wedding day, where do you picture yourself? Are you on a tropical island with the sand between your toes, are you at a cozy lodge in the mountains or are you somewhere closer to home? Options for your wedding local can be endless if you expand your venue search outside of your hometown,

These days, destination weddings have become an increasingly popular choice for couples. Destination weddings can often be more cost effective and intimate than weddings at home. This is due in part to their smaller guest lists. Not only does this allow you to spend more one on one time with your guests, but it allows you create a more unique and personal experience for you and your guests to enjoy.

Here are some tips to help you get started planning your destination wedding:

1)      Check With Close Family And Friends: Make sure that those most important to you will be able to come. If a close family member won’t be able to make the journey you may want to reconsider having a destination wedding.

2)      Plan Ahead: Destination weddings require a lot of planning. You’ll want to have the venue, room blocks and major vendors booked before you invite your guests. At least one planning trip to check out the venue and meet local vendors is also a good idea. A certified wedding planner with destination wedding experience can be you best ally when securing vendors and working with your venue.

3)      Give Guests Plenty Of Notice: Guests will need time to make travel arrangements like flights, rental cars and hotel rooms. It is courteous to give them at least six months notice. If you are planning on getting married out of the country this is especially important because your guest will need to have all of their travel documents like passports and visas up to date.

4)      Know The Facts About Getting Married At Your Destination:  The embassy or tourist information bureau of the country in which you wish to get married is a great source for this information. Each country has different requirements; some require blood test and a myriad of other documents in order to get married there. Be knowledgeable and have all of your documents in order before you arrive for your wedding.

5)      Have A Back-Up Plan: Make sure you plan for that unexpected hurricane or natural disaster which can affect travel for you and your guests. Travel or wedding insurance is a great idea for destination weddings. It can cover everything from a postponed event due to weather, damaged property, and even lost luggage.

The world is filled with exotic destinations, but the perfect location for your destination wedding may be closer than you think. If you live in Houston, there are beautiful resorts and boutique hotels in the Texas Hill Country and gorgeous historic properties in New Orleans that are just a few hours drive away but will give you and your guests the same feeling of escape and relaxation as a tropical resort. 

Bon Voyage!

Megan Hardy
Wedding Planner
Green Lily Weddings

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Chic Fall Color Inspiration

 

 

Are you considering a fall wedding, but worry that your wedding decor will be limited to pumpkins, fall leaves and earthy colors? Well, have no fear! Fall is the perfect time to play with color. Bridging the bright, sunny colors of summer and the darker tones of winter, there is a huge spectrum of colors that will make your fall wedding pop.

Pantone’s Fashion Color Report for fall 2010 is a great tool for finding the perfect palette for you wedding. It showcases this season’s hottest colors for fall, chosen by fashion and design experts. I love the combination of Oyster Grey and Endive with touches of Golden Glow for pop and pairing Chocolate Truffle with Living Coral is just plain fabulous.

Don’t be afraid to experiment with color! It is an easy way to showcase your personality and make your wedding unique. Be sure to check out The Knot’s Weddings Color Guide for even more color inspiration. 

 

 

Megan Hardy

Wedding Panner

Green Lily Weddings

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Sprinkle a Little Love....

Sprinkle a Little Love on Your Wedding Day with Sprinkles Cupcakes - A special treat for your guests.....

Looking to offer your guests something different and delicious? Why not consider a trendy cupcake tower which doubles as  conversation peice and makes your guests anticpate the dessert ? 

Cupcakes offer flexibility in flavor choice (why settle on just one?), ease in serving, and diverse presentation options. For brides who want a traditional wedding cake but are excited about cupcakes, they can send guests home with a sweet souvenir from their wedding celebration. At Sprinkles, they offer Favor Boxes which package individual cupcakes as a parting gift. For an added surprise, place a thank you note inside the boxes!    

 Recently, the Sprinkles staff has told us that they received many requests for custom decorations on cupcakes. We place couples’ monograms or even photos on sugar decorations which adorn the cupcakes. This really adds an extra touch!

Red velvet has long been a popular wedding flavor at Sprinkles. However, coconut and vanilla come in a close second. For couples looking for a chocolate cupcake but desire white frosting for aesthetics, our black & white cupcake is a popular choice.

For more information on Sprinkles visit :Sprinkles Highland Village, Houston or call: 713.871.9929.


Happy Tasting !

Jessica Zapatero
Green Lily Weddings

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No More Diva Dilemas with Clean Heels: High Heel Stoppers !

No More Diva Dilemas with Clean Heels: Announcing High Heel Stoppers !

When I received this email, with an introduction to this product, I thought-"WOW" ! This is really a showstopper. What creative genius thought of something such as protecting a girls most important posession- her shoes !

How many times have you been invited to a wedding or a special occassion where you sport your most special part of your ensemble only to have your heel cought in the crack of of stones or tiles or embedded deep in the dirt? Not to mention the uncomfortable feeling of wobbling your shoe out.

The ingenious inventor of Clean Heels/ Heel Stoppers is Ally Stevenson, a savvy fashionista that thought outside the box to bring us this very important accessory.

Her mission was to provide a product so that ladies no longer have a fashion dilemma while dressing for an outdoor event. High Heel Stoppers prevent even the thinnest heel from penetrating the lawn by providing a discreet platform that prevents sinking in grass or getting stuck in-between decking. No more sinking stilettos, no more ruined heels. The wide rubber base will keep you worry and damage free when walking on wooden floors or teak decks. No more dents and dings, no more walking barefoot in a cocktail dress while your gorgeous heels sit lonely and abandoned by the door. High Heel Stoppers even protects wood flooring from stiletto damage and have become wildly popular throughout the mega-yacht industry for protecting their luxurious flooring while keeping the Fabulous fashionable. To order your Clean Heels High Heel Stoppers please visit : http://www.divadilemmas.com/
or email : divasavers@gmail.com
Happy Dressing !

Jessica Zapatero
Green Lily Events

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The Perfect Touch for your Wedding Reception

Linens are probably the most important design feature of your wedding. It is an opportunity for you, the couple to showcase your personality, style and theme of your wedding.There are many options to consider for your tabletop to bring your personalized panache into the decor. One of the most important is layering.

While most venues will provide a basic tablecloth,those linens will most likely not reach to floor. Getting a full size tablecloth is very important as it creates the backdrop for your tablesetting, china and flowers. The first step is to call the venue that you have chosen and ask them what size tables they offer and how many chairs will fit in each table.The second step is to idenitfy what type of chair you will need to cover so that you can select a fabulous cover that compliments your tablecloth. Don't forget to bring this information with you to your linen appointment.

There are so many wonderful vendors in Houston for linens and many of them offer one stop shopping for your tabletop such as chargers, napkins, napkin rings and votives. One of our favorite vendors that has the widest selection of colors is : The Perfect Touch Linens, located at 2506 South Boulevard, Houston TX 77098. Make sure you check out their website for their specials and pictures of their new arrivals: http://theperfecttouchlinens.com/index.php

 or call today to make your appointment: 713.523.4567 and get your complimentary consultation today.

Happy Planning !

Jessica Zapatero
Green Lily Events

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My Good Green Greetings

Choosing a wedding invitation sets the tone and feel for your guests on what to expect for the formality of your wedding. The invitation also is an opportunity to say a lot about you and your sense of personality and style. If you have been making choices lately that are more eco-friendly, then you may consider the type of paper you choose for your invitations.


Seattle based, My Good Greetings debuts their custom stationary all printed eco-friendly green on 100% recycled paper stock. Hip, modern, contemporary cards, including social stationery that you can personalize and preview with your photos and text are the perfect way to mark life's worthy occasions. Upload your photo, and add your text to create a unique contemporary card that will be treasured and you can feel good about it too.

For the complete collection of wedding invitations, check out their website: http://www.mygoodgreetings.com/Just-Wedding-Invitations.html  or call  800-658-1547.

Happy Planning !

Jessica Zapatero

Green Lily Events

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Discover Your Floral Style

There are so many options when choosing your flowers for your wedding. It can be confusing and overwhelming when you are not sure where to start. One of the first things we suggest to our Brides is to start tearing out all the pictures that appeal to them from current and past Knot editions. You will notice that there is a theme in what you like. Even if your selections are all over the place in regards to colors and flower types, you will soon see that you will have a trend in your selections.


Take as many of these tear outs to your florist with your swatches of bridesmaids dresses, linens, and any other colors that you can. Your floral designer will help you discover your floral style.

For inspiration, make sure you visit The Knot Complete Flower Guide: http://wedding.theknot.com/wedding-planning/wedding-flowers.aspx?MsdVisit=1

Happy Planning !

Jessica Zapatero
Green Lily Events

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Get the Star Treatment at Macy's Registry- Sip & Scan Event for Knotties

Attention all Knotties! Join Macy's Wedding & Gift Registry for an event featuring fun beverages, hors d'oeuvres, and great registry experts to help you create your dream registry. Bring your fiancé and he can play 007 with the scan gun while you sip your drink and approve his choices. You'll also receive a fabulous gift from Macy's. The perfect weeknight date!
Call the number below to reserve a spot now, or email Macy's.  Please be sure to include your phone number and how many people plan to attend.

Date: Tuesday, June 22nd

Time: 6:30pm

Macy's Galleria Hidalgo
5135 West Alabama
Houston, TX 77056
2nd Floor

RSVP: 832-667-4309 stan.ware@macys.com

Cheers !

Jessica Zapatero
Green Lily Events

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A Touseled Chignon

Summer is here and it often beckons us to put our hair up. There are many beautiful options for wearing hair up elegantly. While up do's have been the popular style to ask for in the past, today, a tousled Chignon adds chicness with more movement forgiveness than an up-do.   The popular term Chignon,  pronounced “sheen-yon,” is actually derived  from the French phrase “chignon du cou,” which translates to “nape of the neck”. An artful pull back of the hair, touseled or styled can reflect your beautiful facial features and serve as a great base for a gorgeous pin, feathers, or any floral accent you place in the hair.

Many salons specialize in up-do's but ask your hairdresser for a touseled chignon and see how you feel wearing a modern twist on the up-do.

Jessica Zapatero
Green Lily Events

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From Start to Finish a Georgia Wedding

 Looking for that perfect destination for your fairy tale wedding, but wanting something different than everyone else? What about setting the date in the beautiful location of Savannah, Georgia? Here is Alli & Jeff and their dream wedding in Savannah, Georgia. Photography by Christine Hall.  

How did the two of you meet?  Tell us your story.  My best friend, Laura, and I were meeting with a friend at the mall. As luck would have it, our friend was good friends with Jeff, and we were meeting him at Radio Shack where he worked. Once we got there our friend was gone and we got to meet Jeff. His eyes were so blue and I instantly developed a crush. We waited for him to get off of work so we could hang out with him longer. Well, during his break we decided to ride the carousel. We chose to ride in the teacup because that was Laura and Is favorite ride. You can spin so fast and because Jeff was so tall we had to cram into the tiny teacup. As we’re riding Laura begins to say, “Your hurting me, you hurting me!” while pushing my legs until, BAM! I go flying out of the teacup, slamming my ankle on a tiger. They stopped the entire ride and I was humiliated, but apparently I made quite the impression! 

Describe the proposal. On December 3, 2007 we were taking our dogs out for a walk and he insisted we stand by the fountain because it just looks so beautiful at night. It was freezing out so we were standing there holding one another and I notice (through my earmuffs!) that his heart is racing. Next thing I know he is on his knee asking me to marry him! And of course the answer was YES!

Three adjectives that describe the day are:  Beautiful, Magical, Extraordinary


Our favorite detail of the wedding was: It was everything! The location, our families, favors, flowers, everything and every vendor made my day/details spectacular!

                                                                 Tell us about finding your wedding dress: It took me one trip to Priscilla of Boston to find my wedding dress and bridesmaid dresses. The moment I put on my Melissa Sweet gown I knew.

Describe your wedding flowers: For my wedding flowers I wanted something simple. I was on a budget and flowers were the least of my worries because Savannah is so beautiful I didn’t need many. To keep from going over budget I chose the hydrangea. Since they’re such a full flower I didn’t need to buy more than one stem, saving me money to spend in other areas!  


Describe your wedding cake: We wanted our cake to taste delicious. And to save money we chose to go to Publix for our cake. Not only was it beautiful and delicious but it was affordable!

What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? Honestly, I did all the planning myself including making the wedding favors and I enjoyed it so much that now I am working to be a wedding planner!


What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? I have two moments that made my day spectacular! My photographer had my dad sit outside waiting for me while I got dressed. She had him face away from me as I approached him. The moment he turned around we both cried and I will never forget the way he looked at me. I’m a Daddy’s girl, can you tell? And of course the moment my husband and I said our vows.

What’s next for you as a couple?  What are you looking forward to in the future?  We’re moving to Virginia! We are looking forward to buying a house and starting a family!

                                                                   Who were your vendors? Photography: Christine Hall

Rehearsal Dinner: Cha Bella

Ceremony: Forsyth Park (Fountain)

Reception: Vic's on the River

Forist: Garden on the Square

DJ: First City Events (DJ Jeff)

Hair & Makeup: Robs at Drayton Towers

Wedding Favor: shop.alli

Bridal Gown: Melissa Sweet (Priscilla of Boston)

Bridesmaid Dresses: Melissa Sweet (Priscilla of Boston)

Tuxes: Men's Warehouse

Earrings: Anna Bellagio

By: Alli Geary-Weisenhorn

Wedding Coordinator 

Green Lily Events

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Capturing Your Day in Creative Ways

Wedding days are filled with emotion, ranging from uncertainty and nervousness to pure joy and ecstasy. The creative photographer can find ways to capture each of these moments beautifully. Creative photos convey emotion and cause the viewer to smile, laugh, or even shed a tear as they recall these special moments.

Creativity also shows the level of commitment of a photographer to his or her craft and to your wedding. Creative photographers are engaged in their art and go far beyond the point-and-shoot approach. Creativity requires a photographer to get out of his or her comfort zone and do something different when the opportunity presents itself.

How can you assess whether a photographer is creative? Take a look at these areas:

• How do they manipulate light?

• How do they compose images?

• How do they photograph details?
• How well do they capture emotions?

• Is everything staged?

There is so much going on at a wedding emotionally, and this translates into a powerful story. The photographer must be alert and trained to anticipate these stories and capture them. Combining artful images creates a visual story of the wedding, and photos will allow a couple to endlessly revisit their wedding day.

Although couples should also consider the ethics, credibility, accolades, and integrity of a photographer, choosing one who creates beautiful, unique, and creative images will leave a bride and groom with photos they will be proud to display.

Photos courtesy of Owen Woghiren, Jr.
http://www.owenjunior.com/

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Spring is Here!

      

It might be a bit chilly compared to normal March temperatures, but spring is here! The sun breaks through the clouds and brightens the hearts of couples anticipating their wedding. New life is created all around us! Hatchlings and bunnies are born and flowers blossom. Most significantly, vibrant colors fill our surroundings once again. If you are entering wedded bliss in spring, then your color palette is of great importance. It should be light-hearted, carefree, and beautiful. You can mix colors like lavender, teal, and pink to go for a soft and unique color combination or stick with a bold color combination like deep purple and yellow! Whatever colors you choose for your spring wedding keep with the feel of the season; enjoy emerging beauty and the new life ahead of you!

Sarah Chesley

Wedding Coordinator

Photos courtesy of Morris Malakoff
http://www.morrismalakoff.com/

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