LovelyGirls Weddings + Events

Dresses + Cardigans = Toastie!

2011-11-14T12:37:00.000-05:00

The temperatures are slowly dropping here on the east coast and what better way to add a little pop of color to your bridal style with a cardigan (plus it will keep you or your bridal party toastie during those chilly spring and fall evenings!) This is such a chic way to add a feminine, flirty, yet casual feel to your wedding day and to incorporate your wedding colors. Can't get past the idea of wearing a cardigan during your ceremony? Consider adding this accessory after your ceremony and once you have finished with the formal family pictures. Include these in your playful pictures of just the bride and groom, or even with your gals! Thinking of including your bridesmaids into the mix? Well here at LovelyGirls, we think it works best if you use the same style cardigan for bridesmaids who are wearing different dresses, or vice versa; if the bridesmaids are all wearing the same style dress then have suggest they get different style cardis in the same color (with specifications of course i.e. length). This will provide texture and depth to your pictures!

If you are looking for options, you can pretty much find cardigans anywhere and everywhere at your local retailers, but we just love the cardis offered by J.Crew. The "jackie" cardigan is our favorite and it comes in a range of eight to ten colors every season. Right now we are crushing on the burnished olive and the pacific color. If you think it breaks the budget just a little, you can also find similar styles at Target, but the color selection might be somewhat limiting. You can even check out Forever 21 or H+M (even for some leopard print styles!).

Before + After

This is what we mean not to do... it is just too matchy, matchy for our taste:

nicole brennan . 302.545.0412 . nicole@lovelygirlsevents.com . wilmington

Vie by Cescaphe: Un-VIE-led!

2011-11-11T13:16:00.000-05:00

Just the evening before, the LovelyGirls team had the opportunity to attend the Vie by Cescaphe showcase and catch up with the gals from Beautiful Blooms. One word. Stunning. And of course here are a few more... beautiful, elegant, modern, tasteful, and every bit of a venue that we thought it might be. The Cescaphe Event group has outdone thsemselves again. Liza and I are so fortunate to have been given the opportunity by our lovely couple, Eneida and Jason, to work there next June! Vie is located at 600 N. Broad St in Philadelphia. Did we mention that the venue can accommodate up to 600 guests? Must be something special with the number 600!

The decor that evening was brilliantly done by the Beautiful Blooms team and no detail went unturned. The venue was set for 225 guests with a mix of rounds, long family style tables, and a sweetheart table (that we will spill the secrets on later). The white chiviari chairs and black cushions (however, could have easily have been navy blue) contrasting against the gray silk linens, mirrored vases, candlelight, and layers of multiple height centerpieces adorned with white textures of hydrangea, orchids, peonies, and garden roses only rose to the occasion of the floor length drapery and white chandeliers.

Enjoy our tour through Vie with our mobile iPhone pictures and tell us what you think (and in all honesty, I swear they looked better on the phone!).

the Entrance

the Entrance complete with handicap accessible ramps!

Lounge seating and cocktail tables throughout

Centerpieces by Beautiful Blooms

Loving that white chandelier... we are too!

Beautiful centerpieces and table decor by Beautiful Blooms

The bar in the ballroom... there are four inside at Vie!

the Sweetheart table... which by the way, rotates!

Notice the Flat Screen in the Bridal Suite? Yes, you say.
It monitors your guests during your event for your viewing pleasure!
You don't even have to think two now about missing your cake cutting.

the Bridal Suite

We hope that you enjoyed the video tour, but honestly... it might have given you motion sickness. For that, we apologize. Wondering about the outdoor garden space? Well it is yet to be finished, however, we look forward to its completion once the spring is upon us and wedding season is once again in full swing! Liza and I hope that you enjoyed our iPhone tour of Vie and we cannot wait to share all of the yumminess of Eneida and Jasons wedding come next summer!

Liza and Nicole signing out.... LIVE from Vie!

the perfect duo: kraft paper + bakers twine

2011-11-08T12:30:00.000-05:00

Do you remember the days when youwould go to the grocery store and they would ask you if you wanted paper orplastic? Well, I do, and I am thirty. I cannot imagine that many of you are toofar behind me, but if so bare with me! Well those paper bags that they used tobag our groceries are what many brides and couples are now using for their invitations; it’s called kraft paper. They tend to use more of a stock for theinvitations, but none the less, it is a brown paper and I am in love for its many uses: invitations, escort cards, packaging, favors, gift tags, and etc. We adore its vintage, shabby chic, and romantic feel that it brings to weddings worldwide. Most of the fonts are done in whites, metallics, or black for visibility. We just are just loving the white fonts paired with hints of lace.

Once you have designed your invitation set add a touch of whimsy with bakers twine. Bakers twine is no longer just for deciphering between "regular" and "no sugar added" treats from your local bakery or grocery store. Leftovers? You can use any remaining bakers twine by hanging your escort cards, bookmarks, save-the-dates, favors, and packaging your bridal gifts that will become an instant hit that your guests will never want to open. We heart the bakers twine because it is available in array of colors and it helps to easily tie (get it?) in your wedding colors and theme with your stationery. You can find suppliers of kraft paper invitations, rolls of kraft paper, and bakers twine on Etsy; most notably our favorite shop for bakers twine is the Twinery because they are a Philadelphia based company, and being as we are based in Delaware, we like to keep things local. We also love customer calligrapher Rachel Carl on Etsy as well. Decided to wrap your gifts in kraft paper? Next time you visit your local grocer, ask them for paper bags. They may look at you funny, but at least they would be free!

nicole brennan . 302.545.0412 . nicole@lovelygirlsevents.com . wilmington

Metallic Pumpkins: Chevron + Gold

2011-11-07T11:12:00.000-05:00

Im super in love with shades of gold and chevron patterns right now, and have been working them into my home over this past year. It came to no surprise to me when I started pinning metallic pumpkins on Pinterest when the fall season was approaching, so I guess you could say this was a Pinterest challenge of my own, but technically it was out of holiday laziness and decor friendliness!

My family actually went pumpkin picking a little late in the season this year... only a couple of weekends ago. But, my thoughts were clear... pick late and let them be used as double duty for Halloween and as close as I can get them to Thanksgiving. So far, so good! I picked out pumpkins, birdhouse gourds, mini pumpkins, gourds, and cinderalla pumpkins (the white/ivory ones). I went for different sizes and types!

I went to my local hardware store and picked up some Rustoleum Metallic Spray Paint in Gold, Silver, Copper, and of course in Black (in Halloween spirit), and then some Frog Tape painters tape (which would be used to tape out the chevron pattern). Outdoor firepit blazing, glass of wine in hand, and of course a big piece of cardboard, I went to town and enjoyed a Saturday evening to myself with a few cans of spray paint (and of course some girlfriends as well!). I have to admit, the chevron pattern around the pumpkin was a little bit of a pain, but I am super excited for the turnout! I have recieved a lot of compliments from our neighborhood trick or treaters, and of course from fellow Facebook friends who seem to be taking this trend and using it for next year! In the mean time, enjoy my photos and let me know what you think (or share any pointers!).

nicole brennan . 302.545.0412 . nicole@lovelygirlsevents.com . wilmington

Babys Breath... a Wedding Budget Dream!

2011-11-03T16:22:00.004-04:00

Boutonniere by LovelyGirls Events and photo by Sanderson Images

And a dream they are! When it’s come to wedding flowers, baby’s breath might just be the new carnation this past wedding season. Like carnations, baby’s breath is not exactly glamorous, but has a lovely fragrant scent. This seasonless flower available all year long has a reputation for being a cheapo filler flower, but en masses and monochromatic – stunning! This stand alone flower is now used for wreaths, bouquets, boutonnières, ceremony décor, event décor, and beautifully staged tablescapes. You will find blogs nationwide showcasing this trend that has seem to take over the hearts of the vintage inspired bride.

Just this past fall, the Knot.com event in Philadelphia used baby’s breath throughout the event; staged in beautiful urns on pedestals and on small cocktail tables as centerpieces! At around $4.00 for 10 stems (in Delaware), you could get a bouquet and about 3-5 boutonnieres for your bridal party. It is a wedding budgets dream! We just used baby’s breath in Jess and Bryans wedding for the boys’ boutonnières and secured them with twine. It was the perfect vintage pairing that the couple was seeking during their fall affair! In the winter, secure pomanders of babys breath above the dance floor in resemblance of snowy clouds... just add a dusting of sparkle with some glitter spray and you could also place bundles of baby’s breath in birch sleeves for the perfect wintry feel!

As seen on the wedding report and written by *mwaa*!

nicole brennan . 302.545.0412 . nicole@lovelygirlsevents.com . wilmington

One Love: Fresh off the Press Release

2011-10-20T12:30:00.000-04:00

Lovely Girls Events & BG Productions Offer Free Same Sex Civil Union Ceremony: ONE LOVE Couple Contest Winners and Others to take part in January 7th Group Ceremony

(October 17, 2011—Wilmington, DE) To celebrate the implementation of the same sex civil union law in Delaware, all engaged gay, lesbian and transgender couples are invited to take part in ONE LOVE on Saturday, January 7, 2012, at 7pm at the Delaware Art Museum. ONE LOVE is a series of activities that culminates in a collective same sex civil union ceremony that will solemnize the legal union of any gay, lesbian or transgender couples who have obtained a Delaware civil union license and registered to participate. As part of ONE LOVE, the guests of each couple will be able to share in the joy of not just one, but multiple, unions and meet representatives from businesses that welcome the LGBT community with open arms. Among the couples taking part in the ONE LOVE Group Civil Union Ceremony will be three couples who have entered and won the ONE LOVE Couple Contest.

Says event co-organizer Nikki Brennan, of Lovely Girls Events, “Many LGBT couples and their loved ones have waited years to enjoy a ceremony in Delaware, and they shouldn’t have to wait one more day…nor settle for a courthouse ceremony. For those anxious to wed, I wanted it to be SOON, and I wanted it to be FABULOUS!” Brennan and her event partners agreed that giving the public a preview of some love stories of soon-to-be-wed LGBT Delawareans would add to the excitement of the collective ceremony, and devised a Couple Contest.

The ONE LOVE Couple Contest

LovelyGirls Events and BG Productions, in conjunction with Sodexo Catering, The Wilmington Photo Booth Co., and Bliss Unisex Day Spa and Salon are the presenters of the ONE LOVE Couple Contest. Three prizes are offered to contestants in the contest—one prize to each of three couples to include one gay couple, one lesbian couple, and one transgender couple.

ONE LOVE Couple Contest entrants will be asked, in 100 words or less, to share “what makes you laugh, what makes you cry, and what makes you unique as a couple,” by email to onelove@lovelygirlsevents.com . Deadline for email submission is November 3, 2011 at 12 Noon EST, and the email should include the names of each member of the couple, a phone number and email address. Winners will be selected on November 4^th and announced on November 5^th, and photo/video shoot will take place by November 23^rd. Additional contest rules available here.) A panel of judges, made up of representatives of ONE LOVE’s sponsoring businesses, will choose the top three responses (one from each category—gay, lesbian and transgender) and highlight the three winning couples’ stories on the LovelyGirls website.

Says event co-organizer Cathie Berrey-Green of BG Productions, “We know there are some moving love stories out there, and we want to capture and highlight those stories through our lens.” The prize for each of the three ONE LOVE Couples Contest winners is an engagement photography/videography session with BG Productions, resulting in a free 8”x10” print of their choosing and a free video of their “love story” on DVD (a $400 value), each to be used on the Lovely Girls website. One grand prize winner, selected by Facebook fans from among the three winning couples, will also receive a complimentary floral order and spa or beauty treatment (a $150 value) on the day of the ONE LOVE event.

the ONE LOVE Group Civil Union Ceremony

Couples who wish to take part in the ONE LOVE Group Civil Union Ceremony are not required to enter the ONE LOVE Couple Contest; however, they will be asked to: RSVP by December 1; acquire a Delaware Civil Union license between January 2 and January 6; and, show proof of licensing upon arrival at the ONE LOVE event. Each couple who RSVPs will be allowed ten total guests at the group ceremony. Nondenominational officiants and staging areas for each ceremony, as well as music, ceremony décor, hors d’oeuvres, and cake will be provided; couples are encouraged to provide any ceremonial elements they desire (vows, ring pillows, toasting glasses, cake cutters, guest books and bouquets/corsages/boutonnieres).

A complimentary group toast will take place, and a cash bar will be available for additional refreshments. Guests will enjoy passed hors d’oeuvres and a DJ. BG Productions will photograph the event, and participants can purchase photos online following the event. The Wilmington Photo Booth Co. will also be on site with a photo booth, and guests will be able to take home keepsake photo strips.

Nearby accommodations include Mariott, Doubletree, Hotel DuPont, Sheraton and Hilton (click here for a searchable database), and the event will conclude in time for couples and their guests to retire to the venue of their choice for a private celebration.

Sponsors: LovelyGirls Events / BG Productions / Sodexo Cat. / Bliss Salon / the Wilmington Photobooth

the new group shot: Heart Shaped!

2011-10-10T12:08:00.001-04:00

If you are really looking to make art from your wedding day, we have found ourselves “pinning” heart group shots. Yes, we LOVE this new group shot trend because it is such a unique way to showcase your guests, and it will be something that you may actually want to include in your album from your photographer. Of course this type of thing is best done outside and may take a little bit of coordinating between your venue, photographer, and of course your coordinator. Here are some pointers in getting the shot of your dreams:

• Scout out the location with your photographer during a walk-through of the venue about the time of the day you want to get the picture taken. Make sure you minimize as many shadows as possible, depending on the sunlight and positioning during that time of day.

• A group shot is best done immediately after the ceremony (because all of your guests are in one place), so make sure to have your officiant make an announcement to all of the guests to stay around after you make the walk back up the aisle. If you are having a church wedding make sure this is done during the cocktail hour at your venue, and have the DJ make an announcement. Also ensure that all VIP family members are aware so they can plan to be ready.

• If your photographer does not have an assistant for the day make sure that a coordinator that you brought in for the day assists. And if you have not hired one then see if the venue coordinator will be able to assist with lining up all of the guests and making sure the photo is perfect!

• Make sure your photographer has coordinated a ladder with the venue if they are not able to supply one of their own.

• Make sure you have between 75 to 100 guests on hand to make the photo a success!

Still looking for something unique? Try creating your wedding date or new initials and monogram. Just think, 11-11-11 is quickly approaching!

As seen on the wedding report and written by *mwaa*.

nicole brennan . 302.545.0412 . nicole@lovelygirlsevents.com . wilmington

chelsea + george | 5.28.11

2011-09-29T11:00:00.000-04:00

The first time I ever met with Chelsea and George, I met them for a consultation at the University and Whist Club in the City of Wilmington. I had never been so impressed to be an invited to the members only club and then had the opportunity to dine with Chelsea, George, and Chelseas mother Melanie! Melanie and myself were enjoying trying the new fare that the chef was sending out to our table, and I enjoyed watching as Melanie ordered for both Chelsea and George, knowing what the both of them would want to order. She was the most gracious and attentive of mothers. And of course, Melanie and I were able to reap the benefits of keeping an open mind and enjoying the caviar on crisp wontons with mango since Chelsea and George would not even dare to sample. I knew we would enjoy ourselves during the planning process when they decided during dinner that LovelyGirls would have the opportunity to work with Chelsea and Georges family! I am so glad that we did.

Chelseas mother, Melanie, had the biggest heart! Chelsea had a huge fondness for candy, so Melanie arranged for limousine pickup at their house, and arranged for Chelseas entire bridal shower be moved to Dylans Candy Bar in NYC. Could not have asked for a better day. Well, in hindsight, maybe for the DVD player to work! All in all, Chelsea could not have been more surprised.

Chelsea and George held their wedding at the beautiful St. Hedwigs in the City of Wilmington. Chelsea dressed her bridesmaids in beautiful sage green Bari Jay floor length dresses while they carried a full bouquet of lush fuchsia peonies and roses by Le Sentier Flowers. After being whisked away by their convertible Rolls Royce, they were taken to the beautiful University and Whist Club where Chelsea had wanted a very PINK wedding. Pink linens, pink sashes, pink peonies, and beautiful pink rose petals around the base of her three tiered buttercream cake by the University and Whist Club. Each tier was adorbed by a ribbon of rhinestones, and the candlelight from the table just made it sparkle from across the room. You would have thought there was a disco ball on the dance floor! Dominique Ho of Le Sentier Flowers was amazing to work with and the bouquets of peonies and roses, and the centerpieces of hydrangea were stunning! If you ever have the opportunity to make it to the University and Whist Club, we suggest asking for the Basil Ice Cream (even if it is not on the menu). It is worth second, thirds, and fourths in my book! Enjoy the images courtesy of Clair Pruett Photography (and a course a few our ours mixed in)!

nicole brennan . 302.545.0412 . nicole@lovelygirlsevents.com . wilmington

Guest Post: how to choose your Wedding Photographer

2011-09-28T16:09:00.000-04:00

We are so excited that today we have a guest post from Emily Troutman of Emily Troutman Photography. Ooooh.... her website is so cute and I am so glad that I get to gush about it here. Emily chooses to spend her days not only as a photographer, but as a mommy of three! She love spending time with her twins, 6 month old, and hubby, Matt. They love to go to the beach, head to the park, and pretty much anything else fun outdoors! As far as her photography goes, she loves to shoot on location with a classic feel. Emily loves working with beautiful natural light to illuminate her subjects and finding the right location for the subject makes all the difference. I loved reading what Emily had to say about choosing your wedding photographer, and could not wait to share it with our readers:

Howto Choose Your Wedding Photographer

By: Emily Troutman

Other than a spouse and rings, thephotos last the longest from your wedding day! I joke with friends that yourwedding day and honeymoon is really the best you will ever look! You will certainlynot get any younger and most likely not any thinner… at least that’s the casefor most of us!

It is important howyou go about choosing your wedding photographer. Unless you are one of thefortunate girls with an unlimited budget, I think a lot of brides start outthinking “What can I get for the least amount of money?” with almost everyaspect of the wedding. I have to say, that’s probably the worst way to approachmost things, especially photography.

I personally wentthrough this experience planning my own wedding, I got down to twophotographers that I had met with and had personal references for. First guywas a gentleman who I knew would do “fine” and was inexpensive. As for numbertwo his work was way more my style, current in wedding photography, and I couldimagine treasuring the images he would create. He did cost 3 times the amountof the first guy but I have learned that “you always get what you pay for.” Ididn’t want to walk away from my wedding with images I felt “blah” about….Iwanted pictures to capture my day specifically to my own style and aesthetic. Ialso considered who I could imagine being my literal shadow on my wedding dayand photographer number two fit the bill much better than number one. Donot underestimate the importance of getting along with all of your vendors youchoose for your big day, after all they are creating your wedding experience.With all that said, we chose to invest into the more expensive photographer andare so glad we did!

Here are some important things toconsider when choosing –

Style is a great place to start. Start looking at photographers in your area and get a feeling for what types of images you are drawn to. What type of end result do you want when all is said and done? You cannot hire a JCPenney Portrait photographer to try to take Annie Leibowitz type images. This is just a research phase, where you learn what you like and don't focus on budget.

Reputation and references go hand in hand with researching style. Start asking friends who did their weddings. Ask if they were happy with not only the photographer’s final product but their personality? Was he or she an asset to the day? If you find a photographer that you love but no one you know has used him or her, feel free to ask him or her for a few references you could contact. Any photographer with professional services will be willing to give you a reference. I cannot tell you how many wedding photographer horror stories I have heard & witnessed but I will save those for another blog post!

Budget is of course essential to consider as you start to narrow down. You might love a photographer that starts at $10k but have a $2k budget, this is when you can get realistic about who might start to fit the bill. The average wedding photographer cost or package now in the US starts around $3k. There are certainly options under this, as mine even start below this point but please be realistic with your starting point. If something seems too good to be true, it usually is. Someone offering to do your entire wedding for $399 is definitely suspect...they might be extremely inexperienced and therefore unprepared for what might come on your wedding day or they might turn up so-so images.

Product options are important once you narrow down who might fit your style, personality, and budget. If you know you are only interested in buying the digital files, make sure that’s an option for you to purchase. Every photographer will have options, just make sure you can see some samples and you like what they offer. I know that I keep my product line fairly simple so if someone wants something very elaborate, I might not be their best fit.

Availability, of course you would need to find out who is available for your date so once you get narrowed down to a few, see who is even available! More popular photographers book quickly as well as prime dates like Saturdays in June fill up quickly!

These five things are just a fewsuggestions on how to go about who to work with on your wedding day. I ammaking these suggestions in relationship to photography but they actually workfairly well with all the vendors you will choose for the day! Make sure youwill love the people, love their work, and feel like they are worth theinvestment you are making in them, as well as being trustworthy to deliver!

Outdoor Lawn Games... We do!

2011-09-26T11:29:00.000-04:00

Summer is coming to an end, andthe cooler temperatures have just started to take a turn for, shall we dare sayit, comfortable. This is just around the time when I actually enjoy outsidecocktail hours and watching the bride and groom from afar, especially theguests. Most often times they linger, and strike up casual conversation and oftentimes find an excuse to go grab another cocktail and move onto the next guest. Whynot turn up the FUN factor?

After watching so many outdoor cocktailhours at a distance, the one trend we have enjoyed (and even giggle at onoccasion) is watching guests partake in interactive games on the lawn. Yes, youhave read this correctly. Games. No, not the cheesy games that you dread whenattending a baby or bridal shower (and even those haven’t been so bad as oflate), but actual lawn games. Yes, the ones that you may find at a tailgate oreven at a BBQ, but none the less... interactive and enjoyable to watch; evencrowd pleasers! Think cornhole, horseshoes, bocce, and croquet. Black tie orkhaki suited, we don’t mind if we do. It is a great way to entertain yourguests and just another way to work your theme and colors into your wedding(think custom colored bean bags and silhouette painted boards!). We just adorethese images shared by BG Productions from Marissa and Brians vintage wedding at the John J. Audubon Center this past season. Don’t forget to place Adirondack chairsfor the spectators because we promise this will be a crowd pleaser! Enjoy the inspiration <3

As seen on the wedding report and written by *mwaa*

nicole brennan . 302.545.0412 . nicole@lovelygirlsevents.com . wilmington

Obsessing over Dusty Miller

2011-09-14T11:03:00.000-04:00

Between my new found love for pinterest and the current falling temperatures, I took a look back at my floral board after an evening of "pinning" and found that my last seven pins all had one thing in common... dusty miller. Talk about trending (without even knowing!). I find myself fascinated with the mixtures of monochromatic blush pinks, creams, and the grays of the dusty miller with the silver brunia; then I find I am drawn to more saturated combinations of jewel tones against the silvery tones of the dusty miller (perfect for the holidays!). I love when the dusty miller is accented with black privet berries or the silver brunia berry, as we always feel it lends a more modern feel to the arrangement. We love all of the bouquets below and we can't wait to share the bouquets from our wedding labor day weekend! Can we say dusty miller and black privet berries (courtesy of Beautiful Blooms!)? We wish we could fit in all of the beautiful flowers that have inspired us, but we were afraid this might mean inspiration overload to our viewers :) I hope that one of these bouquets at least inspires you for the seasons ahead.

nicole brennan . 302.545.0412 . nicole@lovelygirlsevents.com . wilmington

Late Night Treats and "Truckies"

2011-09-13T13:25:00.000-04:00

I have a confession to make: I am a foodie. I have always liked the idea of candy and dessert bars as a favor, but I am absolutely in LOVE with late night treats being served to guests as a way to revamp and refuel their appetites for just a few more sets on the dance floor! If you think back to your single days, before you met the love of your life, you spent evenings out with the girls (or boys) dancing the night away and somehow always worked up an appetite (well at least I did!); Evenings ended up at the nearest diner, closest fast food restaurant, and if we were at the beach, then it was a late night at the pizza shop! Should your big party be any different? Well maybe a little... serve up your favorite late night snacks or treats in style before sending guests on their way (or to the after party of the after party!) And really who needs an actual favor anyhow? Honestly (yes we are being real) we end up throwing about 25% of them away at the end of the event, and the other percentage gets stuck in a junk drawer to be thrown away 6 months down the road. So it has been decided... You are going to find the way to your guests’ heart through their tummy, but where do you begin? Check out these fun late night snacks and food trends I have lined up for you!

Lets begin. Servers donning white gloves (I wish!) and endless trays of shooters filled with sea salt and peppered french fries served with ketchup, mini grilled cheeses and tomato soups, milk and cookies, but I also cannot shake the idea of mini pizzas, empanadas, mini pulled pork sandwiches, tacos, slider burgers, mac n’ cheese cups, cones of potato chips, and bite sized pancakes drizzled with syrup for your taste buds delight!

Looking to bring in some local flavor and save some “dough” in the mean time? Talk to your caterer and inquire about having your favorite pies delivered from the local pizzeria, or chinese takeout containers filled with your favorite noodles! Want to find the way to my heart? Consider ordering off of the dollar menu from McDonalds and serve trays of McDoubles and their World Famous Fries. Just because I know you want to take it to the next level, consider having the McDoubles wrappers or chinese takeout boxes secured with a sticker that includes your monogram, wedding date, or theme from your big day. You know when your guest goes to throw your favor away, it’s just going to be the wrapper and it’s a sure way to put a few dollars back into your pocket!

If you want to show some love to your favorite city consider dishing out their famous fare! Philadelphia – Herrs potato chips, Tastycakes, soft pretzels, or cheesesteaks. Cincinnati – chili. Maine – lobster rolls. Chicago – deep dish pizzas... I think you know where I am going with this!

Mini Cheese Steak Crostini

Still raging as we speak? Food trucks (and lets not forget about ice cream trucks). Being centrally located to four major cities - Baltimore, Philadelphia, D.C., and New York, I am lucky enough to be able to enjoy all of the local fare of food trucks and these new “truckie” conventions! There is something for everyone and every taste – Thai, Chinese, Pizza, Mexican, Caribbean, Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, and gourmet Desserts! If you are in the Philly area, then check out the Guapos Tacos truck, Sugar Philly, Cucina Zapata, Sweet Box Cupcakes, and Gigi & Big R. Want to do a little homework, then check out the Best-of-the-Best from the 1^st Annual 2011 Vendy Awards from Philadelphia this past July. We love this fun food trend, but expect to dig a little deeper in your pocket, as it can typically run you about $10-$15 per guest, not including permits, and etc. Want to get a sample in before you dish out the big bucks? Then look for the next “truckie” convention coming to a city near you!

As seen on the wedding report and written by *mwaa*

nicole brennan . 302.545.0412 . nicole@lovelygirlsevents.com

Rain, Rain Go Away

2011-08-24T11:55:00.006-04:00

... come back after wedding season is over! With Hurricane Irene looming over us this upcoming weekend (and an earthquake behind us) what better way than to cheer up brides-to-be with some wellie, rain boot, and colorful umbrella inspiration? So far, August has proven to be one of our rainiest months, and with rain in the forecast for the next two weekends we couldn't help but put a little sunshine into your day! This is a great way to take control of your wedding pictures and incorporate your wedding colors into your photos! Cathie from the dynamic husband-wife photography duo of BG Productions says that "after a rain everything (including color) really pops outside. And remember, at the end of the day you are still married!". - We couldn't agree more!

If you are looking to keep things on the cheap and pressed for time, you can find these items at various retailers such as Target, Old Navy, and Walmart! If you have a little more time on your hands, then you may want to check out online retailers such as Zappos and Piperlime. Happy Shopping!

nicole brennan . 302.545.0412 . nicole@lovelygirlsevents.com . wilmington

In like with M-A-C-A-R-O-O-Ns and CakeBAR!

2011-08-07T14:29:00.002-04:00

This weekend LovelyGirls was wedding-free, so we had the opportunity to set up a client meeting for a bride and groom from Columbia, MD down in the first states', first town - Lewes Beach! Even though Delawares beach traffic is something to be reckoned with on the weekends, let alone a Saturday, I decided to make a day out of it and have my family join me and take in what the small beach town of Lewes had to offer. I am so glad we did. As they say, if there is no risk, there is no reward!

After I dropped off my family off to the nearest beach, lathered them up in sunscreen, and helped them unload all of their beach neccessities, I headed on my way to do a little sightseeing on my own before the meeting began at one of the towns newest bakeries (and bistro), CakeBAR! First of all... what a great little town full of amazing antique shops, boutique hotels, and eateries such as Agave, Buttery, and Kindle.

Yes, that is me taking the pictures in the reflection! - I can be adorbs :)

I finally stumbled upon CakeBAR after parking a few blocks away in a public parking lot, and I definitely was in LIKE at first sight! What a cute little place, that doubles as a bistro around the lunch crowd hits. As you walk in you are first met with cases filled with all sorts of confections... cakes, cookies, macaroons, pastries, and cupcakes. There are pink walls, black chandeliers, and cakes displayed on the walls; All tactfully done... not too girly where a gentleman would not feel comfortable upon arrival. But wait there is more, once you walk past the cases and the lovely staff, there is whole another room with a bar for cocktails and table for lunch and dinner with a full menu! There is even a window into the bakery so you can watch the staff hard at work bringing you fresh pastries and treats.

"Come for dessert, and stay for dinner" is definitely a motto that they have adopted and has held true with the guests. A little behind the scene info for Cake Bar is that it is owned by the same husband and wife duo behind award-winning SugarBakers Cakes (another 2011 Knot Best-of) out of Catonsville, MD.

Honestly, the employees must have thought I was a little crazy when I just started snapping shots of the cute little shop with my iPhone (sorry about that!), but I just could not get enough and I definitely had to share with our readers. Once my meeting was complete (good one at that!) I definitely stopped by the cases and picked a treat bag of raspberry macaroons. Now, I have never had a macaroon. I have always enjoyed the sight of macaroon cakes on blogs and the displays of macaroons on dessert bars, but I have never actually seen one, touched one, or tasted one, so I was super excited to finally get my teeny fingers on one of these delectable treats. I am so happy I did.... how amazing are they???? AMAZING! I really cannot wait until my next trip down to the Delaware beaches so that I can make it a regular on my things-to-do while at th beach!

So, I am on a need-to-know basis, and I need to know... do any of the northern bakeries in Delaware carry these fancy, dandy macaroon treats? I think I want some for my 30th Birthday! I have never come across any, but I haven't looked very far either.

nicole brennan . 302.545.0412 . nicole@lovelygirlsevents.com . wilmington

Watermelon: for the Cocktail Party!

2011-08-05T13:07:00.000-04:00

The temperature may have dipped down this week, but our love for watermelon keeps getting hotter! An outdoor wedding during these hot summers months should definitely require working at least one of these delightfully chilled watermelon appetizers into your caterers menu. Paired with items such as goat cheese, mint, honey, balsamic, prosciutto, pico de gallo, red onion, and fruits of the season... how could you go wrong?

Watermelon Balsamic Cubes

"These watermelon balsamic cubes were just the right size, continued the somewhat elegance of the night, and yet gave it a casual, down-home tasty treat" is the perfect description by Chef Cathy Shambley of the Showfood Chef. Hosting a backyard summer soiree and in a pinch? Substitute the balsamic reduction for a creamy balsamic dressing!

We are even absolutely L-O-V-I-N-G its plated appearance... very modern, simple, and elegant. It will definitely hold its own during a formal cocktail hour!

Sweet n' Savory Fruit Salad in Watermelon Cup

Looking for the next best thing? We would like to think of these as "Summertime in a Cup!". Try these sweet and savory fruit salads in watermelon cups! The sweet and savory fruit salad is made with yellow peaches, watermelon, jicama, maui onion, garlic, cilantro, lime juice, and jalapeno. The salad cups are then topped with a dallop of tangy (and slightly spicy) cilantro, lime, and a feta creme fraiche. These even double as a great vegetarian option for guests!

You may even suggest to the cater this delicious watermelon, goat feta and mint leaf appetizer. I tried this Simple and Savory Watermelon Salad recipe by "Eating Out Loud" out at home, and it pairs excellent with Riesling. I love Riesling but pairing it with this delectable treat made it all the better!

Confused as to why they call it a salad? You take all of the ingredients and mix them together in a bowl just like you would prepare a salad. This way the watermelon cubes can marinate in the ingredients, and then you plate each piece invididually on a serving platter. However feel free to serve it as a side salad just like Paula Deen shows here in her Watermelon Salad with Mint version!

Sweet and Savory Watermelon Salad

Looking for something simple? Take watermelon cubes, top with mint and goat cheese, and then drizzle in honey... and that there ladies is a LovelyGirls original!

Lastly, on our watermelon appetizer menu are these fabulous watermelon, mint, feta (or goat cheese? or bread? I cant really tell, lol!), and prosciutto skewers found from Cook-Eat-Love! Wanting something a little different but with the same idea, then try these Watermelon and Prosciutto Skewers drizzled with balsamic from Rachel Ray!

I have so many other Watermelon Recipes to share, and as I am typing this post, I realized I will not be able to fit in all of my love in for watermelon, so I guess we will be having a watermelon series. Do not forget ladies (and gents) to mention this lighter chilled appetizer to your caterers for a hot summer day wedding. It is a great cool down option for your guests, even the vegetarians. Up next... salads!

nicole brennan . 302.545.0412 . nicole@lovelygirlsevents.com . wilmington

Outdoor Ceremony Must: Beverage Station!

2011-07-27T14:13:00.001-04:00

Holy heat wave!... So thankful that is over with (for now). Those high 90's and low 100s' temperatures made us thirsty, so we put together a few options to keep you hydrated, and your guests hydrated as well during the high temps in the summer months.

Having an outdoor ceremony? Make sure not to leave your guests parched. Provide a beverage station complete with beverage dispensers of iced tea, mint infused lemonade, bottles of Pellegrino, or a tub filled with chilled bottles of water. Wanna go the extra mile? Try things like cucumber mint water, watermelon mint water, or even lemon basil water. Just make sure to let the fruits and herbs soak for 6-8 hours before the ceremony to let the water take in all of the robust flavors. Wa la... a refreshing beverage for your guests and no one will pass out ( just make sure the bridal party does not lock their knees!).

Want to keep the lines down during cocktail hour? Try this take on "Something Old, New, Borrowed, and Blue" for a self-serve beverage station taken from our couple Kara + Marc. Something Old: Mojito, Something New: Lychi Martini, Something Borrowed: Grandmothers' secret Sangria recipe, and Something Blue: Blue Margarita. Beats guests having to wait in those long bar lines during cocktail hour if you ask me!

Make sure to have signage letting guests know that they can serve themselves. Want to personalize it just a bit? Try personalized cocktail napkins, mason jars, and maybe some paper straws. Don't forget to leave a trash can for recyclable water bottles, paper cups, and napkins... and inconspiculously if you ask me.

Check out these other great takes on incorporating beverages into your wedding:

We are loving the triple use of these mason jars... escort cards, favors, and drinking glasses for the evening... just one way to go "Green" (and another way to ensure the favors do not end up in the junk drawer, just the cabinet!)

"Your glass for the night for whatever tastes right!"

"Find your seat and down your drink"... a great way for guests to grab champage if they wish or toast with their beverage of choice!

Another great way to incorporate your colors into your wedding and doubling the refreshments as escort cards!

nicole brennan . 302.545.0412 . nicole@lovelygirlsevents.com . wilmington

devon + ethan | 5.07.11

2011-07-15T10:48:00.001-04:00

Devon and Ethan were such a great couple to work with over the course of their planning! I had known Ethan through a friend of a friend, who had a friend from around ten years ago... you know the story! So, we were thrilled when Ethan introduced us to his bride-to-be and said they needed a little extra help having things come together. They held their ceremony at the Golden Sands Club in Ocean City Maryland the weekend of May 7th, and had a theme of black and white damask print with touches of hot pink in their bouquets, floral centerpieces, and even in the bridesmaids shoes! To bring in touches of the beach into the reception, Devon wanted to incorporate fuchsia orchids and river rocks with some floating candles into centerpieces.

It was such a beautiful weekend, and Liza and I spent most of our first evening in our hotel room stripping roses and making bouquets. The morning however... wow, we had the most spectactular view of the sunrise over the ocean and then it was off to get some DD to keep our day going strong, as we had a 9:30am start time. We really heart long days that start with extremely beautiful visuals! Devon and Ethans ceremony was in the sand on the clubs grounds, but as the sun started to set behind the condos, so did the temperature, so the cocktail hour was quickly moved up and into the reception space. The team at the Golden Sands did a great job of getting set up very quickly and getting the party started. We had the pleasure of working with Teri Pozniak of tPoz Photography, and she was a blast all day and evening! She kept it light and fun and was able to catch some great shots of Devon and Ethan that you can check out here:

nicole brennan . 302.545.0412 . nicole@lovelygirlsevents.com . wilmington

turning the "Dirty" Thirty!

2011-06-21T13:45:00.001-04:00

August twenty-second is fastly approaching which means that I will be turning thirty in just two months. Oddly, I am embracing it with open arms and honestly, turning twenty-nine was really the bummer. I mean honestly... twenty nine? What fun is in twenty-nine? I would rather go around and tell everyone that I am already thirty (and to some I have... sorry!). My twenties were filled with great times, awesome friendships, and some stories that I would rather just forget (yes, there are quite a few of those!). I am really just ready to embrace thirty with huge open arms... giving up the bar scene and hangovers and now enjoying sushi and wine dinners and front porch happy hours with friends. I am so happy with where I am at in life and really just enjoying the past two years with LovelyGirls grow. Yes, my twenties came with some regrets, but I consider them hiccups and learning curves... But I am also embracing the LOVE that I shared during those times!

Speaking of turning thirty... this means that I can start putting together my 30th Birthday Party Wish List! Now this is something that has definitely changed throughout the decades. I would say up until I was sixteen or so it was written on a piece of art paper and displayed on the refrigerator for the family (and friends) to see as they passed by. From the time I was seventeen until about, lets say twenty-two, the birthday wish list was sent over email (tacky I know), but my sister, mother, and significant other always found it easiest. Then of course from twenty-three until twenty-nine, these emails then became hyperlinked directly to the gift and the price that you found (hoping that it was the best price around the web). And now, for thirty, I have just decided to put it out there for the whole world to see on my blog. Really, no one has an excuse now and like I said, the birthday wish list has really changed through the decades! Yes, this means I am sharing it with you, the readers... and feel free to snag up some of these items as wedding gifts or for a housewarming party. These are in no particular order of importance, but enjoy!

The Laurel Flute Set from Z Gallerie $23.80

I really just love these champagne flutes, and I alread have a stemless collection (if you consider two a collection anymore... I have since broken two in the sink), so I could definitely use this more modern update for a dinner party... and maybe two sets would be nice. 2 sets = 8 glasses!

Umbrella Boot Stand from Z Gallerie, $79.95

Now, I just adore this wellie umbrella stand. I wanted one so bad last year but they sold out. And of course, they brought them back this year due to popular demand, and I am pretty sure they upped the price tag by an additional $30.00 too.... and that is why they are on my wish list!

Deer Head Mount from Z Gallerie, $49.95

I could definitely foresee this deer head stand somewhere in the house... with the modern white, I figure it would be a great addition to our walls and help tie in my significant others mountain roots (It is definitely my excuse, and I am up for taking my chances!)

Wire Capiz Sunburst Wall Mirror from Target, $84.99

I have always loved, loved, loved this mirror, and have definitely found a space for it in my dining room finally after getting settled. I was even more excited when I saw that photographer, Laura Novak, felt the same love for this mirror and hung a simlar version in her Delaware Ave. studio when I visited last spring for Kara + Marcs consultation. The mirror is on sale this week for $72.74, but I doubt it will be on sale much longer... Keeping my fingers crossed!

White Apple iPad 2 16GB Wifi

And of course... the beloved iPad. I was really not interested in one of these until around March or April... that is until I got my first White 16GB iPhone and I fell absolutely in love!... and that is when I decided I would totally forego a 30th birthday party/dinner/celebration and suggest my friends and family all pitch in for one these. Ballsy right? I know. Very doubtful to happen, and still very indecisive on my birthday plans (which will be a whole 'nother blog post.)

I hope that everyone can welcome "30" with open arms just as I am, and not worry about if you have kids yet, maybe not married yet, or just not quite where you saw yourself. Remember 40 is the new 30... so you have ten more years to get there!

Live. Laugh. Love.

nicole brennan . 302.545.0412 . nicole@lovelygirlsevents.com . wilmington

katie + chris | 4.9.11

2011-06-14T20:58:00.007-04:00

I was so thrilled when a previous little league teammate of mine, Katie, reached out to me to help plan her wedding last summer. Katie and her fiance, Chris, had been winners of the 2010 Christiana Hilton Free Wedding Giveaway where they won a variety of services by some of Delawares talented local vendors! We were a little late to the punch, but we were so excited for the opportunity that Katie and Chris were extending to us, and the new vendor relationships that we would be forging! Katie and Chris held their ceremony at the St. Margaret of Scotland RC Church, with the reception following in the Christiana Ballroom at the Christiana Hilton, and after party in the Hunt Club! I could not imagine any other way to kick off our 2011 wedding season. Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Yandell!

The girls at Gloss Salon, where Katies sister Jamie is a stylist, came to the suite for the morning for the bridal party hair and makeup. Their work is amazing, and it was fast and efficient! Katie had one request, that her sister Jamie style her up-do for the wedding. It was elegant, beautiful, and we could not have thought of a better sister, MoH, or stylist to pull off that creation!

Katie and Chris decided upon a movie premiere themed wedding complete with popcorn, red carpet appearances, movie ticket escort cards, and a popcorn bar with ten different flavors! They even tied their theme into their florals by using white hydrangea in a tall square white vase by Creations for Celebrations so that it resembled popcorn in boxes... it was the small things that brought their theme to life! They were so fortunate to have Dave and Donna Shoemaker of Life Images Inc. documenting all of these great ideas by Katie.
Katie and Chris also went to stationery designer, Greenleaf Paperie, for their custom invitations and they absolutely loved every inch of them, as did we! Hands down, our favorite detail to the wedding was the three tiered ice sculpture with the tulip vase topper and custom monogram by the Christiana Hilton team. The staff at the Hilton was nothing short of A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! Oh, and did we mention that each table was a theatre number with a coordinating movie playing? Yes. Pair of movie tickets given away by the bride and groom at each table? Double YES!

Dana McDonald from WSTW rocked the house all night long, and even prompted some impromptu table dancing by Katies uncle (which we hear is a family tradition at Gallagher weddings!). Everyone rushed the room, and needless to say, we enjoyed it! Peter Marroni and his crew from the Wilmington Photo Booth Co. also kept the party going all night long. I have to admit, I freeze when I get in those things (and I feel like I am the crazy one of our bunch)... but no one else did! The bridal party even used the props for their bridal party entrance.

Enjoy the detail pictures below, because there are so many fun ones and I really had difficulty choosing!

nicole brennan . 302.545.0412 . nicole@lovelygirlsevents.com . wilmington

Parson Desk Redo: Take Two!

2011-06-10T10:13:00.001-04:00

Where do I begin? I heart it! So, it has taken me about three weeks, four coats of ultra white Behr paint, touch up paint because I was impatient, two coats of a polyacrylic (?) for protection because I was impatient, some new hardware, and a can of gold spray paint for the hardware... but its now complete! If you are just joining us and you have no idea what I am talking about... I just recently inherited "my new PARSONS desk!", and it was going to need a complete redo. And yes, I do consider paying $25.00 for this desk the same as inheriting. It was basically a steal! Check out some images below of it placed in my home:

There are two pretty staple things that I had to have for my desk. One was of course my favorite book, Domino: the Book of Decorating, which I consider to be a bible to all inspiration (and of course my desk). The second thing I had to had to have was my gifted bronze horse (which is now gold thanks to a can of purchased spray paint) from Delaware Park Race Track and Slots because you should never forget your roots. If you did not know, I held employment there for eight years until 2008 before venturing out on my own.

I pretty much think that my inspiration was matched, but needless to say... you do not have much of a desk without a chair. That will more than likely become a task for the flea market guy. I have a few ideas in mind, and hopefully he will be able to scour the local markets with success! However, if he is not able to find a chair similar to the chair below on your left, then we will probably pick up the Ikea Gilbert Chair similar to the one on the right in a black/brown.

How do you think I did?

nicole brennan . 302.545.0412 . nicole@lovelygirlsevents.com . wilmington

DIY: Tissue Paper Lantern

2011-05-26T10:02:00.000-04:00

Martha Stewart does it again... First the tissue hanging pom fad (which we love), and now this amazing Tissue Paper Petal Lantern that closely resembles a peony flower just before bloom! And if that was not enough, these masterpeices only take about thirty minutes each. If you have not picked up your Martha Stewart Living Spring June '11 Issue, then do not worry, we have the complete how-to here :

Tools and Materials: Double Sided Tape

5" Tissue Paper Circles in Pastel + Primary, $6 for 480, hyglossproducts.com

Wire-frame Spherical Paper Lantern, $3.25 to $4.25 for 14-18", pearlriver.com

Martha Stewart even offered up the ideas of creating an ombre pattern (gradations of the same color), or even using round green tissue paper at the top for the illusion of berries! We honestly cannot wait for the opportunity to use these at our next event... whether it is a shower, wedding, or 30th Birthday Party (hint hint - that's right, mine is coming up soon!)

Directions

Starting at th ebottom of the lantern, use small squares of tape to being attaching tissue paper disks around the hole, overlapping them. You will use approximately 70 of the 5" tissue paper disks, depending on the size lantern that you choose to use.
Working toward the top, continue sticking and overlapping disks to cover the lantern.
Tip: You may find it easier to rest the lantern upside down before you start sticking the circles from the bottom up.

Seriously. Thank you Martha!

nicole brennan . 302.545.0412 . nicole@lovelygirlsevents.com . wilmington

my new PARSONS desk!

2011-05-16T13:32:00.001-04:00

Okay, so in my continued effort to move away from working out of my dining room and into my currently "under renovation" office, I just purchashed my favorite piece of furniture that I came upon on a whim! The Parsons Desk.... a "versatile 1930s icon - crisp, clean, and modern." Ta da...

I know, I know... in all of her glory, she just isnt much to look at yet, but believe me she will be! For $25.00 I am pretty happy with my find... especially compared with the $199 and up prices that I see at West Elm and World Market. Even cooler, the front drawer slides out so that I can hide my laptop when it is not in use, and store paper on one side, and miscellaneous items on the other. I will be refinishing her in a nice white gloss coat of paint after I sand her finish off. I havent decided if I should change out the hardware to a tassle knob (or other modern piece) or should I just fill in the holes with wood filler and just have no knobs like all of the pictures below. Thoughts? Check out my inspiration on other parsons desks around the web:

Come back in a week to check on her progress... I'm gonna name her Parson! - NB

nicole brennan . 302.545.0412 . nicole@lovelygirlsevents.com . wilmington

Day of Coordinator vs. On-Site Coordinator

2011-04-16T15:05:00.001-04:00

Nicole ready to send Kara down the aisle

Not too long ago we had a potential bride who had inquired about our day-of coordinating package. We we very happy to speak with her in regards to all of her wedding details, style, theme, and what she was looking for in her wedding day. We then went over in detail all of our packages so that she could choose which package she felt would be best suited for her needs and gave her time to discuss it with her groom-to be. After a week went by, she kindly followed up and stated that "I really enjoyed talking with you and was very impressed by the services you offered. Unfortunately, at this time, I think I am going to hold off on hiring a wedding planner. When I met with the caterer this weekend to discuss menu planning, I was informed that the venue/caterer provides an on-site coordinator as part of the package." Fail.

I cannot express enough that at a wedding or any other big event, it is important to have someone who can keep things on schedule for you and your guests. Even though many event spaces employ wonderful banquet managers and on-site coordinators, a planner you have personally hired will have a deeper understanding of your vision, and what makes your event unique. But it goes beyond just the set up of the event, it is ensuring that your parents do not miss your cake cutting, your first dance, and making sure that you get to see everything in its beauty, just like all of the countless inspiration photos you had saved to your hard drive.

Question: The venue that I'm getting married at told me I don't need a consultant. Why would they say this?

As with all types of vendors, sometimes venues have had bad experiences with wedding planners. This is usually due to the planner not being professional or respectful of other vendors or the property. We pride ourselves on working as well with the vendors as we do with our clients. These are valuable relationships that we will be working with time and time again, and we foster strong business relationships. A vendor referral is the highest compliment you can be paid!

If you really must know why we became wedding planners, it was because of the dissapointment that we shared amongst our own weddings, and finding that it was not as "picture perfect" as we envisioned. A common problem amongst most venues is that the group sales manager that you have met with time and time again, is most often not the same person who will be there to oversee your day. So, all of the details and ideas that you shared are now being communicated on a piece a paper (excitement, smile, and sparkle in your eyes not included). In Lizas case, her venue communicated nothing in the event order to the manager that was overseeing her own wedding that day... so the big shark tank reveal when the bride and groom walked in. Forget it. Already exposed to her friends and family. In my case, the sugar flower on the top of my cake was completely cracked. Why did no one even try to fix it? And the mirrors on the tables that were listed NOT to be on the table (that was in the notes)... were there as I was walking through being announced, and yes I did notice. I am sure the picture the photogapher was taking as I was being introduced as Mr. & Mrs., was not the one they (nor I) had imagined. Fail. I am just warming up... caters/venue of whom broke three out of four glass beverage dispensers, only to replace them with three plastic ones from the Christmas Tree Shop. Why not all four?

Okay, so I am done ranting. Personally, I love all of the venues that we work with (and some will probably kill me for this post), but it brought back all of the nightmares that I had experienced on my own wedding day. If Liza could add to this, I am sure she would... but I probably kept it a little more "G" rated than she would have :)

nicole brennan . 302.545.0412 . nicole@lovelygirlsevents.com . wilmington

Cake Pops Tutorial

2011-03-31T14:41:00.003-04:00

I see these cute cake pops all over great blogs such as Amy Atlas, Bakerella, and a personal favorite, Couture Parties by Stephanie Grimm, and trust me many, many more... but when Stephanie shared her cake pop recipe and then asked her readers to share their attempts, I decided "why not?". I had a little extra time on my hands this past weekend (who are we kidding?) and a fondue pot in the attic that was getting a little dusty. I thought that this would make for a great day activity with the kids, and by day, yes we mean all day! It was great because the kids are able to participate in little spurts, so when they get bored they run off to play, and then join in the for the next step when called upon. Alright ladies, and gents... pull up you your sleeves because you are about to get dirty!

I decided to keep it simple and not attempt any characters or cute themes. I am a firm believer at getting the basics down... and now, I'm ready to make these little "suckers" for a baby shower or bridal shower! I did however, do things a little differently than the instructions that Stephanie had given, but I will advise you of what I did differently as we go through the instructions.

I went to my local Target to make most of my purchases because the prices there are lower than my local grocer. Then I went around the shopping center to Michaels Craft Store and purchased the remaining items on my list. These items were as follows:

1 Box of Cake Mix (any flavor)
3/4 of a tub of frosting
13 x 9 baking pan
Parchment Paper
Lollipop Sticks
Cake Melts
Mini Ice Cream Scoop
2 Bowls
Cookie Sheet
Spoon

Instructions:

Bake cake according to box instructions. Cool completely. Crumble completely into a bowl.Not going to fib, we stuck our cake outside to cool completely because it was 40 degrees outside and it kept me from having to rearrage my refrigerator. I also think it sped up the process a little bit! We also suggest doing the cake crumbling over the sink, but that also might be because we had the kids participate in this step.
Mix in 3/4 of a tub of frosting thoroughly. Yes, this means wash your hands, pull up your sleeves, and get your hands dirty :)
Line cookie sheet with parchment paper. Using small ice creap scoop, scoop cake mixture. Use hands to form balls. Place onto sheet. Continue to roll balls until mixture is gone. About 45 balls from one box. Who are we kidding... ice cream scoop? Just put your hands in there. We suggest rolling them no bigger than the size of a blow pop.
Chill in refrigerator for a few hours, or you can place them in the freezer for about 20 minutes, but do not forget about them! We definitely went the freezer route and set the timer on the stove. Perfection!
In a deep bowl, melt candy melts in microwave according to bag instructions. Remove balls from refrigerator. Insert lollipop sticks into melted candy. Insert lollipop sticks into cake ball, making sure not to push all the way through. Okay, so we cannot confirm or deny the candy melts because we decided to bust out the good 'ole fondue pot and melt white chocolate for this step. Please make sure that if you are melting chocolate to add a teaspoon of vegetable oil and to stir constantly. This is an important step... we know! We burnt a couple batches of chocolate in the process. Oops!
Once all of the balls have sticks inserted, place them back in refrigerator for 15 minutes, or freezer for 5minutes.
Re-melt chocolate. Remove cake pops from refrigerator and dip the cake pops in the candy melts/chocolate. Use a spoon to cover the entire pop, gently tapping off excess. Place back onto cookie sheet (if you would like to add sprinkles, this would be the time to do that before the melted chocolate hardens).
Place back into refrigerator for 15 minutes to harden.
If you would like to add a second color to your pops, you can place melted chocolate/candy melt in a zip lock bag, cut a very tiny hole, and then pipe onto harden cake pops
Enjoy your finished product, and of course the images of ours below!

Thanks again Stephanie for the instructions, and we hope we did not dissapoint! The kids surely loved them :) If you are looking for a little more direction... check out this video by Bakerella!

nicole brennan . 302.545.0412 . nicole@lovelygirlsevents.com . wilmington

Office Renovations... have begun!

2011-03-22T00:04:00.002-04:00

I know that I can honestly say that we are all really excited for the office remodeling to begin! Here is a re-cap... I am taking my 15'x23' attic space which is partially redone, and making into a fabulous office space for LovelyGirls to collaborate amongst each other and offer it as a meeting space for clients until we decide to open up shop; One where all of the home decor bloggers will be drooling over once the space is finished!

The winding staircase would be more functional if it boasted a wider entrance than the 2.5 feet wide dimensions, but 2.5ft could even be stretching it! There will be very little assembled furniture headed up the staircase, more like boxes and boxes of Ikea and target furniture. I have managed to fit a desk up into the office that I plan on breathing a little bit of life into.

But imagine, a nice fresh clean coat of white paint on the side walls and on the underneath of the steps. The wood grains will shine through on the top of the step with a deep, dark black walnut stain (just like the rest of our home). The eventual plan will to have a frosted glass door at the base of the steps for some privacy. In the mean time, a fresh coat of paint will have to do on the current door that is original to our 1937 colonial duplex home. I have thought long and hard, and have decided that for the time being, the wood banister at the top will stay, some minor changes, but it will keep with the rustic aspects of the original wide plank flooring that that we plan to refinish.

If I had to answer what my favorite part of the remodel would be after it is all finished, I would have to admit, my little nook near the window which I plan on wallpapering and hanging a pendant lamp over my desk. The big debate is to face my desk at the window and enjoy the natural sunlight, or have my desk face the room taking in all of the beautiful hard work and decor geniusness after it is all finished. Here is a list of some of the projects that are on the "honey-do" list:

paint all walls and ceiling white, keeping the original red brick on the wall
re-do trim around new windows.
wall paper little nook with floral wallpaper around windows
pendant lamp in nook over desk
trim all around the floor base
refinish wide plank flooring
solution for attic doors (still at a loss)
replace hideous ceiling fan with track lighting
replace all outlets and outlet covers
buy new furniture (ummm... yay!)
... TBD. I'll have to let you know!

I would say half of the battle was to cleaning out the cross space areas in the attic which were cluttered with old metal mini blinds, huge mirrors, and soccer pads from the previous owner. <-- Yes Really! Then we went through and organized all of the apothecary jars, vases, pictures frames, cupcake stands, vase fillers, and etc. for LovelyGirls into one corner. The other corners, well they are a mix of Steelers memorabilia, miscellaneous furniture pieces, pillows, and yes, sad to say, a brand new box of Calphalon pots and pans that we haven't used yet. Its bitter sweet!

Here is the proposed layout that I designed with the Ikea Planner services for offices (I can now only find kitchen + wardrobe planners now). I did this over a year ago, so some of our furniture selections have changed in the mean time! We will of course have a meeting area, desk space, a media area for fax machines, paper, and printers, and then the Ikea Expedit bookcase for files and to display some featured rental pieces.

We can't wait to share the before and afters. In the mean time, enjoy some of the "before" pictures of the space! It is going to be so great, and we really cannot wait to showcase it! :)

Below is the small corner in the attic that I am currently working out of. Trust me, it is better than being in the dining room and living room at times, and it allows me to focus on clients and completing tasks that I have set aside for myself. The desk below is the desk that I plan on refinishing, and once painted white, I think it is going to look great against the dark walnut stained original plan flooring. This is also the area where I plan on locating our media station. In the mean time, I've got some painting to do this week... make sure to stop back by and monitor the progress!

nicole brennan . 302.545.0412 . nicole@lovelygirlsevents.com . wilmington

guest blogger: Sparkles + Bling

2011-03-15T09:23:00.000-04:00

Since we have been a little MIA on the blogging scene (renovations being completed), we reached out to bride, Christina Cameron, and asked her to share a DIY tutorial on the completely encrusted Swarovski crystal bridal shoes that she just completed in 16 hrs (if you do that math, that is four friday nights out with the girls you would be missing!). Completely worth it though... how amazing are they?

From Christina:

"I love sparkles and bling, so of course I had to incorporate that into my wedding theme! After seeing numerous celebrities like Beyonce' and Sarah Jessica Parker in their Christian Louboutins, I became obsessed! Unfortunately, Christian Louboutins come with a price tag of about $3,000.00 which is a tad over my wedding budget to say the least! After searching store after store for the perfect bridal shoes and coming up empty handed every time, I decided that if I couldn't find what I was looking for I would just make it! I did some research online, and found an awesome website to order supplies. From there I began the process of creating my dream wedding shoe."

Supplies you will need:

1. The Bead Smith Magical Pick For Rhinestones: This tool is amazing! It has a sticky tip that is perfect for picking up the crystals, but not so sticky that it will leave a residue. There is also an angled tip that is great for placement of the crystals. After a while the tip will lose some of its stickiness, but it does come with a rejuvenating kit and instructions on how to clean and re-use.

2. Magical Tray For Flat Back Swarovski Crystals: This tray helps to keep all the crystals face up so they are easier to pick up and apply. The less crystals you put in it, the better it works.

3. E-6000 Glue: This glue can be found at just about any craft store, and it is super strong! It can get very gummy when too much is applied, so it is best to buy a small glue brush to spread the glue thinly and evenly across the shoe.

4. Glue Applicator Syringe: This helps to get the tiny spots on the shoe. I would suggest to get maybe2 syringes (one for each shoe) because the glue clogs them and they are pretty much one use only. I saved the syringe for the end to fill in the spots with small, hard to cover spots on the shoe.

5. Crystals: For a pump like mine, I needed two wholesale packs of ss16 crystals, 2 wholesale packs of ss12 crystals, and one pack of ss5 crystals. Even though they are more expensive, I highly recommend the use of Swarovski crystals because they are better quality and clarity, which achieves the extra sparkly look of the shoes.

6. Shoes: Though you can use many types of shoes, I suggest using patent leather because the glue and crystals adhere to it very well and gives the shoe a sleek, even look. The color of the shoe also makes a difference in how the crystals will look on the final product. If you plan on using clear crystals, be sure to use a silver or white shoe for best results.

Application:

Brush glue evenly on shoe (or fill syringe with glue and apply). Be sure to not use too much glue, because the crystals can sink into the glue which gives them a cloudy look. Use the Magical Pick to pick up the crystal, and simply place on the shoe...it's that easy! I would suggest starting out with small patches until you feel comfortable enough with the process to try a larger area. The glue can get tacky very quickly, so be sure to place the crystals as soon as the glue is applied. For my shoes, I used the ss16's on the heel, ss16's on the tip of the shoe, and then slowly integrated the ss12's going up the shoe for a multi dimensional look. I then used the ss5's to fill in the smaller spaces. The closer you place the crystals, the more sparkly the effect will be. Be sure to let the shoes dry completely (24 hours) before wearing them. This is a very time consuming process, but well worth it in the end. Make sure you give yourself adequate time to complete...just to give you an idea, my shoes took a total of 16 hours.

The shoes I used are the Jessica Simpson Acadia pumps in White Pearl Patent. The crystals I used are Swarovski Crystal Moonlight, which you can find at wholesale prices on websites such as http://www.lovetocrystal.com/.

Here is the cost run down:

BeadSmith Magical Pick For Rhinestones: $11.99

BeadSmith Magical Tray For Flatback Swarovski Crystals: $5.49

Glue Applicator Pink Syringe (2): $1.49 each

E-6000 Glue 3.7 Ounce: $7.69

Crafter's Choice Black Bristle Flat Brush - 1/2" Width: $2.19

Crystal Moonlight Wholesale Swarovski Crystals (Flat Back) ss5 (1 pack): $48.00

Crystal Moonlight Wholesale Swarovski Crystals (Flat Back) ss12 (2 packs): $58.00 each

Crystal Moonlight Wholesale Swarovski Crystals (Flat Back) ss16 (2 packs): $76.00 each

Jessica Simpson Acadia pumps in White Pearl Patent: $79.00

Total Cost: $425.34

Only a fraction of the price compared to what you would have spent! Keep in mind, you can save a lot of money by buying cheaper shoes, and you can buy any kind of flat back rhinestone. I chose Swarovski because of the quality. For brides on a tighter budget, here is another website for much cheaper: http://www.rhinestonebiz.com/c-473-flat-back-rhinestones.aspx.

nicole brennan . 302.545.0412 . nicole@lovelygirlsevents.com . wilmington

Marry Me Cupcakes... We do!

2011-02-08T16:21:00.003-05:00

How cute are these conversation heart style cupcakes by Cupcake Kaboom? The MARRY ME cupcakes are perfect for the non-traditional groom-to-be who is looking to pop the question this Valentines Day, but just is not quite sure how to get down on one knee! You can ask her with 1, 2, or 4 cupcakes and starting at $3 a cupcake or $28/dozen dozen, we feel that is a steal (of course you will be stealing her heart too!).

We love the BE MINE cupcakes and the UR TO GOOD 4 HIM are a very tight 3rd! We have a few friends we would love to gift those too (whose men are undeserving of their awesomeness)!

We included a few more mouth watering images just to entice you along with their extensive flavor list! Contact Nikki at 302.293.2728 or at nikki@cupcakekaboom.com! You can also "Like" Cupcake Kaboom! on Facebook.

Cupcake Flavors
Vanilla
Oatmeal Raisin
Buttermilk
Boston Crème Pie
Brown Sugar Pound Cake
Lemon
Marble
Snickerdoodle
Oreo
Black Forest
Chocolate Fudge
Strawberry
Chocolate Brownie
Orange Dreamcicle
Devil’s Food
KoolAid (any flavor)
Soda (any flavor)
Chocolate Chip
Carrot
Movie Theater Popcorn
Coconut
Sundae Funday
Red Velvet (also in Green or Blue)
Bubblegum
Tiramisu
Peanut Butter and Jelly
Peanut Butter
Pumpkin (in season)
Banana Split
S’mores

Breakfast Cupcakes
Blueberry
Mocha
Applesauce Spice
Streusel
Banana
Bacon

Cheesecake Cupcakes
(Any) Fruit Cheesecake
Cookies and Cream
Snickers
Pumpkin
Vanilla Bean
Peanut Butter

Filling
Peanut Butter
Jelly
Cookies and Cream
Chocolate Mousse
Mint
Vanilla
Fruit Filling
Pudding
French Crème

Icing
Royal
Fluffy White
French Vanilla
Buttercreme (any flavor)
Cream Cheese
Meringue
Chocolate Fudge
Ganache
Peanut Butter

DIY: Fluffy Lantern

2011-02-07T15:23:00.003-05:00

So as I have been a little under the weather, I have taken to scouring lots of home decor and DIY blogs for my upcoming renovation. When I came across this lighting fixture made out of over 1200 Coffee Filters on the Parlour blog, I fell in love with the size and the texture. She orginally was inspired by the same lamp on the cover of Downtown Chic: Designing Your Dream Home: From Wreck to Ravishing. <--- sounds kind of like my home! Now, I just have to find the right place to put this... the office maybe? Here is a step-by-step tuorial just for you!

Supplies:

Paper Lantern Lamp

Glue Gun

over 1200 Coffee Filters

Above is the paper lantern before she started gluing. Below are all of the "supplies." 1000 coffee filters (wow) and a trusty glue gun.

Progress (very slow going.) It feels like I'm coffee filtering the moon. Seriously.

I thought a picture is worth a thousand words. Not much for crumpling, just close placement.

1200 (literally) coffee filters later, and this is what it covered. STILL not done.

We think it just looks stunning in all of the pictures that she took of her home after she hung her lamp. Job well done Parlour! We hear its around 36" in diameter. Wowsas!

nicole brennan . 302.545.0412 . nicole@lovelgirlsevents.com . wilmington

White by Vera Wang at Davids Bridal

2011-02-04T01:02:00.001-05:00

If you ever wanted to say that you could wore a Vera Wang wedding gown, then your will get your chance starting February 11th, 2011 when the new WHITE by Vera Wang bridal collection launches its debut in the Davids Bridal stores across the country! The collection of ten gowns ranges between $600 and $1400 with accessories starting at $58. It just so happens that I am in love with Style VW351010 which retails for $1200. It was LUST at first sight! What can I say? I still have expensive Vera Wang taste! Stop into your nearest Davids Bridal location to slip into one of these beautifully detailed dresses; with their drop wastes, hand-cut organza, and crystal sashes. In or near Wilmington? Stop into the Kirkwood Hwy location and ask for Trisha! Who knows? Maybe we will see you there. After all, a wedding planner needs to give her honest opinion, and what better way than by trying on Vera!

nicole brennan . 302.545.0412 . nicole@lovelygirlsevents.com . wilmington

caitlin + rodney | 8.13.10

2011-02-01T15:56:00.001-05:00

I knew Caitlin when we were in high school, but as the story goes, Caitlin joined the ARMY, fell in love with this great guy named Rodney while stationed in Iraq, and decided to marry. Classic story of girl meets boy, girl falls in love with boy, and boy proposes. But there is a twist! Caitlin and Rodney were married by proxy on September 11, 2008 while in Iraq so that they could continue to serve their deployment together. Proxy meaning that while they were in Iraq, there was a ceremony held in Montana and a couple (of whom they never met) stood in for each of them!

In July of 2009, Caitlin reached out to me in regards to planning their Catholic wedding back in the states! Their ceremony was to be held at St. Thomas the Apostle R.C. Church and her reception to be held at the Winterthur Museum and Gardens, and I was ecstatic... It was great to be able to reconnect with an old friend and help her plan the wedding of their dreams! After hearing their story, I suggested to Caitlin that they should submit their love story to the Philadelphia Wedding Project. It was amazing news in October when she found out that they won six fantastic photographers from the Philadelphia Area that would visually tell their story all the way through their vendor meetings, bridal shower, hair trial, engagement session, and wedding day. Through this amazing opportunity, they were able to connect with such great vendors as Synergetic Sounds for their DJ and Lighting needs, as well as Beautiful Blooms for all of their floral centerpieces and bouquets.

Caitlin chose a color pallet of teal, aqua, and lime green

Caitlin and Rodney wanted to originally have a beach wedding, but decided that they would instead bring the beach to Winterthur Museum and Gardens! And they did just that with elements such as sand, starfish, coral, driftwood, and orchids. Take a look for yourself how their story played out through our teaser pictures that LovelyGirls captured during their special day! Stay tuned later in the week for a preview of their wedding invitation by Greenleaf Paperie!

Ceremony: St. Thomas the Apostle R.C. Church

Venue: Winterthur Museum + Gardens

Floral: Beautiful Blooms

DJ + Lighting: Jason of Synergetic Sounds

Stationery + Invites: Greenleaf Paperie

Cake + Catering: Restaurant Associates Catering

Hair + Make-up: Town and Country Salon

Transportation: Daves Limousine
Photography: Philadelphia Wedding Project - Sofia Negron Photography, LeapFrog Photography, Ryan Estes Photography, Jennifer Childress Photography, 217 Photography, and Joy Moody Photography

nicole brennan . 302.545.0412 . nicole@lovelygirlsevents.com . wilmington

DIY: Photo Booth Wall

2011-01-25T10:44:00.000-05:00

Never having been one to walk the straight line, I have always been inspired and intrigued by art, color, floral, and decor; Things that qualify as maybe just a little bit offbeat. When I came across all of these untraditional options for a make shift photo booth for guests at childrens parties and weddings, I could not help but share! How cute are they? You might find familiar between all of the pictures the IKEA Ung Drill frame all varying in different shades of pink, orange, white, green, and black! We included a really great DIY Photobooth Wall from Ruffled. For $80.00, it might just peak your interest! Next week we will include templates for DIY Mustaches, Lips, Glasses, and etc!

DIY: Valentines Day Freebies!

2011-01-23T18:18:00.002-05:00

I LOVE just enjoying a lazy day of football and just perusing the internet and blogs for inspiration and ideas! This weekend I came across these really cute Valentines Day cards by 74 Lime Lane that were inspired by the WWII "Keep Calm and Carry On" posters!

And then there were these absolutely adorable mini Valentines Day cards by Style Crush that you can pass out to your co-workers or print up for the kiddies and send with them to their local gradeschool classroom! Download the PDF here and make sure to print in landscape mode.

And if you are looking for something as a wedding or bridal shower favor, how about these charming "Love in Bloom" seed packet favors by Martha Stewart? I may have the blackest thumb but I’d take these charming seed packet favors in gorgeous Springtime colors any day! Get the free seed matchbook favors how-to from Martha Stewart!

nicole brennan . 302.545.0412 . nicole@lovelygirlsevents.com . wilmington

DIY: Picture Frame Dry Erase Board

2011-01-17T11:03:00.002-05:00

james wojcik

I am constantly taking mental notes of items I will need from the grocery store as I realize I am running low on something , but often times, I end up forgetting to put it on my list by the end of the week. I can never find a sticky note pad with a pattern that I feel is worth while to invest in, and if I do, I feel the need to buy the entire stock on the shelves. Of course, it will last me a long time, but it reminds me of when you run out of your favorite red lipstick, and just as conveniently your department store has stopped stocking it as well. So, when I came across this great DIY from realsimple.com for a dry erase board, I figured I would share it with you as well. An idea for a pretty dry erase board that serves as wall art when not in use. Now, that is right up my alley! One for the kitchen and one for the office, so how could I say no? I think they will even serve as great christmas gifts for next year, or even to be able to change out seasonally, or as my decor moods change. I will say that the DIY is pretty self explanatory, but I was gracious enough to include instructions :)

Materials: 1. Picture frame with glass or plexi insert (I recommend the Ribba frame from IKEA 2. Fabric scraps, wallpaper, wrapping paper, or scrapbooking paper 3. Heavy duty tape 4. Dry erase markers 5. Velcro (optional)

Step by Step How To: {click image above for larger step by step view} 1. Remove everything from the frame (paper, mat, backing) except for the glass. 2. Cut a piece of fabric slightly larger than your frame backing (about an extra 2 inches all the way around). Whether your backing is hardboard or cardboard, this tutorial will work, so don’t worry. 3. Place cut fabric over frame backing and then flip over. 4. Fold over excess fabric and then, using heavy duty tape, attach the fabric to your backing. 5. Place the now fabric-covered frame backing into the frame and you are all done! ( Optional 6. Place a small piece where you desire on your picture frame and also on the side of your Dry Erase Marker so that you can keep it handy at all times! ).You are now ready to write notes all over your pretty dry erase board.

Check out these DIY inspirations by others:

Check back later to see how mine came out! I am thinking a white frame paired with a simple gray + white fabric pattern. - NB

nicole brennan . 302.545.0412 . nicole@lovelygirlsevents.com . wilmington

DIY: Felt Holly Corsage

2011-01-08T11:58:00.000-05:00

For a playful nod to the traditional seasonal/holiday pin, try these cheerful corsages! Do not mistake, these are just not for the holiday season, as they can be used in any winter themed wedding or party. They're easy enough for a child to make but sophisticated enough for her mom to wear! Once you gather your supplies, it's a snap to make multiple corsages in a single afternoon. You can use an assortment of trimmings: tiny glass ornaments, pom-poms, snipped pieces of tinsel, and velvet and silk ribbons to embellish ours, but you could also use buttons, beads, special fabric you've been saving, or antique milliner flowers found at a flea market.

Step 1
Print the template, and cut out. From a piece of felt, cut one 2 1/2-by-5-inch rectangle for each pair of leaves. Fold rectangle in half lengthwise.

Step 2
Crease with an iron set to "wool." With the rectangle still folded, trace the template and cut out the shape using scissors. Unfold. To make the 4-leaf design, cross 2 felt shapes; using a low-temperature glue gun, attach at the center. For the 2-leaf version, dab glue at the center of 1 felt shape, and fold, angling the leaves.

Step 3
Glue desired trimmings to the front and a bar pin or a barrette to the back.

Step 4
To prepare as a gift: Cut a 4-by-5-inch piece of card stock. Punch 2 small holes, about 1 inch apart, into the center of the card. Attach the pin or barrette. Using a rubber stamp and a white ink pad, stamp a "tag." Write the recipient's name and a greeting. (see first picture)

Read more at Wholeliving.com: Felt Holly Corsage - Martha Stewart Crafts

We were a 2011 pick for the Knot Best of Wedding!

2011-01-07T17:27:00.002-05:00

Yes, you read that correctly... LovelyGirls Weddings + Events was chosen as a 2011 pick for the Knot Best of Weddings! Honestly, when I received the email from theKnot.com on December 30th I honestly thought it was spam to my inbox. We just wrapped up our first official wedding season with all of our amazing couples, and we did not think it could have gone more amazing, but could we be so fortunate? Turns out we were! It took me a week to make the phone call because I just admired the email from my inbox. Finally I picked up the phone, dialed, and spoke to JoAnne who represents the Knot in the Philadelphia/Delaware region and she said it was true. Yay! Who are we kidding?!?! We are jumping up and down with joy. Sushi anyone?!

So, to all our brides and couples, we want to THANK YOU! Because of the opportunity you had given our LovelyGirls to create and execute the wedding you had envisioned, in addition to the amazing reviews that you had given us, we could not have done this without you!

Curious to know what our brides and couples are saying? Check out the reviews they are leaving here! Keep a lookout, because theKnot.com will be posting their "Best-of" section on January 21st, and you will be able to find LovelyGirls Weddings + Events listed.

In the mean time, we are just going to give ourselves a pat on the back. It was an amazing first year, what else can we say?!

nicole brennan . 302.545.0412 . nicole@lovelygirlsevents.com . wilmington

Gray + White: Winter Glam Dinner

2011-01-04T10:50:00.001-05:00

I have always bee a fan of modern. Modern meets old, modern meets bright, and modern meets rustic. Once, when I was younger, I thought I would really enjoy a log cabin in the middle of a large city, or a brownstone in the middle of the woods. I could never quite find the right explanation. However, in my search for the perfect winter inspiration, I found this great Winter Glam Table on Hostess with the Mostess. Chainlink fabric table runner, silver spray painted succulents, sparkly beaded napkin rings, white grapewood branches (also spray painted), and fluffy white floral arrangements embellished with dusty miller foliage for a festive, wintery vibe.

This "Rustic-meets-Modern" style from Carissa of JL Designs is fantastic (even if it is for a holiday party!). This could so double for a small winter wedding, bridal luncheon, or even a chic bridal or baby shower! Did we mention that this is very D-I-Y friendly?

“I found the gray & white chain link patterned fabric in the garment district in downtown LA. The silver “flowers” are actually succulents that I spray painted silver! Great diy idea for new years! I did something similar in gold for this Martha Stewart photo shoot – it’s super cheap & easy and adds that instant touch of glam to a party! I also spray painted grapewood branches white and accented them w/ the silver succulents." - Carrissa from JL Designs

The rest of the florals consisted of: {white} hydrangea, ranunculas, reflexed roses, and tulips – accented with gray dusty miller foliage and kochia.

Styling & Design – JL Designs
Party Rentals – Signature Party Rentals (Orange County)
Photography – Aaron Shintaku

2011 FREE Printable Calendars!

2011-01-01T19:08:00.001-05:00

Start 2011 off organized with these fresh, free, printable calendars! We all know that a new year is a fresh start to stay organized for upcoming dinner parties, appointments, work obligations, and future brides + grooms! Thanks to RedStamp.com for these FREE printable calendars in 5 different styles!

We will be choosing the Multi-colored Modern Typography and the Preppy Chevron in Navy + Coral to be used around our office! We will be printing these up on cardstock to frame them or just to place in a clear acryclic easel stand for easy referencing.

Click here to download your calendar of choice from RedStamp.com! They easily print on an 8.5X11″ piece of paper or cardstock. Frame on your desk or hang on your wall for a stylish calendar!

nicole brennan . 302.545.0412 . nicole@lovelygirlsevents.com . wilmington

DIY: Tinsel New Year's Number Banner

2010-12-31T00:08:00.006-05:00

Got a little extra time between say now and midnight? Well these sparkly tinsel garlands make flashy party decor for New Year's Eve!

Don't pack up the Christmas decorations before you ring in the New Year. Sparkly tinsel garlands make flashy party decor. Here's how to turn the countdown into a glittery affair.

Make a Number Banner

Download the Martha Stewart "2011" template and print onto card stock. Cut out, and punch 2 small holes at the top of each numeral. String numbers onto a 2-yard length of ribbon. Use a hot-glue gun to attach a length of tinsel garland to each number, snipping ends. Hang with thumbtacks.

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Tinsel New Year's Number Banner - Martha Stewart Crafts

Currently Loving: Confetti Systems!

2010-12-30T23:37:00.002-05:00

ahh, Holiday windows! Full of sugar, spice, and most everything nice! They sparkle, twinkle, and inspire delight. Have you seen J.Crew's delicious displays? They are masterminded by the talented team of Confetti System and make me want to pop a bottle in celebration of all the eye candy to behold! I was first introduced to these pinatas and garlands in the J.Crew Holiday 2011 display windows at the Christiana Mall in Newark, DE... and I just thought they were amazing! Its a sea of tinsil, snow, glitter and piñatas! I must admit that while the windows feel much more like New Years than Christmas, I find them quite refreshing. The color palate is not typical for J.Crew, and I love that they are taking chances and mixing it up. However, I am a little sad that they took them down before the NYE festivities. P.S. It is a good thing we were able to snag a few of these for our own personal use :)

Confetti System has designed a modern collection of handmade piñatas ($140) created from shreds of mylar (metalized plastic sheeting) that are sleek enough to double as party decor, so let the kids have their papier-mâché.

Available in a range of metallics including silver, gold and quartz, the piñatas would add sparkle to any festive event especially New Year’s Eve. Although they may seem to pretty to hit with a stick, the piñatas are filled with handmade confetti for those that choose to break them open.

To complement the piñatas, Confetti System has created tissue paper and mylar garlands ($130) in neutrals, silver and copper, Hang a few of the 12ft strands along a window sill or above a table for some instant party glamour. Custom colors can be ordered with a two-three week lead time.

nicole brennan . 302.545.0412 . nicole@lovelygirlsevents.com . wilmington

Office Furniture + Decor... coming soon!

2010-12-27T00:17:00.007-05:00

So, last week I was telling you about my office remodel, which I am super ecstatic about! A place where I am able to take clients other than meeting them in the hustle and bustle of coffee shops. Truly, I don't mind, however, I thoroughly enjoy putting out a spread of cheese, crackers, and having my own beverage bar available for whatever may quench their thirst! Plus, it will give me a little piece and quiet to work that doesn't consist of working in my dining room and shifting papers around. Seriously, I have a file organizer hiding behind my curtains for when company comes over. Did I mention the neighbors can see it from the outside? Lol. This will make for a nice new addition to my home and I am super excited! I love mixing modern + vintage. I plan on working off of a neutral wall pallet... more than likely my favorite Benjamin Moore color called Cape Hatteras Sand. Sometimes it looks gray, and other times it looks tan depending on the lighting in the room. The floors will be a nice dark walnut stain on plank flooring. I will be using a lot of white furniture, shelving, and decor and pairing that white with some nice bold floral print accessories and textiles. I did find the neatest thing today on the Urban Outfitters website that was a white textured floral print wallpaper that is paintable. Umm... yes, I will be finding a wall space for that to inhabit. Even it if is only like 5'x 8'! The office will be in my attic so the ceiling is slighting slanted, so I will not be able to hang artwork, however, I will be having several canvases done to display our absolutely stunning brides and details from our weddings and events in which we have worked. Below is an idea of the pieces that I will be purchasing... don't worry, there will be a lot of contrast with the white furniture!

From Left to Right:

Row 1: Blomster Candlesticks $14.99 | Ikea Docksta Dining Table $179 | Ikea Swoop Arm Chair in Pewter Gray Velvet $199.99 | Target Tradig Bowl $24.99 | Ikea

Row 2: Wire Capiz Sunburst Mirror $84.99 | Target Mariposa Canister Collection $34.95-$99.95 | Z Gallerie Oversized Gold Sunburst Mirror $69.99 | Target

Row 3: Athens Chaise Settee $549.99 | Target

Torsby Sideboard $299 | Ikea

Not Shown: Expedit Bookcase $129 | Ikea Micke Desk $79 | Ikea Summer Paintable Wallpaper $30 | Urban Outfitters

nicole brennan . 302.545.0412 . nicole@lovelygirlsevents.com . wilmington

getting ready for a remodel for a new OFFICE!

2010-12-08T22:51:00.002-05:00

So the Thanksgiving festivities are all over, and all I can say is that brining a turkey is the way to go! I got an A++ on my first turkey, and I was even told it was better than my future mother in-laws by my fiance. Now that is big doings. She is always the perfect hostess!

Now I am super excited about Christmas, but the only thing I have on my Christmas wish list is to remodel my attic into my own personal office. It is about time to give the dining room back to the family... and with 345 of square feet to work with, I am super inspired, and extremely excited! Close your eyes and just imagine an exposed brick accent wall, white walls (or maybe my personal favorite, Cape Hatteras Sand by Benjamin Moore), exposed ceiling beams, pendant lamp, dark walnut stained plank flooring, white furniture, and textiles of accent colors (to be decided). My only problem is that I have always had extremely expensive taste, but never big enough pockets, so I have always been able to find great pieces curbside, at Target, or even at my extremely furniture friendly place, Ikea! My newest love of white decorative pieces is Z Gallerie... just had to share :) New windows will be installed in my new office in late January, so it looks like I will begin painting after the New Year! Here is a sneak peek at a few decor photos that inspire me, and then in my next post I'll feature some of the pieces I have my eye on to furnish my new fabulous space! To be continued...

nicole brennan . nicole@lovelygirlsevents.com . 302.545.0412 . wilmington, de

Thanksgiving: My first Turkey... part deux!

2010-11-23T16:33:00.010-05:00

Wow... Thanksgiving is two days away! I promised to document my experience, but I have been so busy, that I hardly even had time to sit down and open up a browser. Extremely exciting though... I did do all of my Thanksgiving shopping last night during Monday Night Football. I am a late night shopper. I can't explain it, but there is just never enough time in a day for me it seems. Of course, it was better for me because I was able to miss all of the hub bub of the holidays crowds. Now, I will tell you that I was extremely nervous. I had planned on purchasing my Thanksgiving feast on Monday evening, but my future mother-in-law informed me that I needed to allow several days for my turkey to defrost if I was purchasing frozen (and of course I was... it was cheaper!). I could not really reroute shopping earlier because I would not be coming back into town until Monday afternoon from Pittsburgh. At least the Target Sales ads treated me well!

The Invitation | I decided to send out an Evite to family members and friends for my first fabulous Thanksgiving feast. Since we decided to do a potluck, it was great because they could RSVP on the invitation and include what they would be bringing so that we would not have doubles. I thought it was festive and informative!

Pillsbury Caramel Apple Pie

The Menu | Well of course the staples. My family has a lot of traditional menu items that we have grown up with through the years that would be hard not to include. My grandmother is bringing her famous beans, my aunt her sweet potato casserole, my other aunt is bringing deviled eggs, and my mother is bringing the French's green bean casserole, pumpkin roll, and biscuits! I have taken on the task of the turkey, traditional stuffing, stuffing balls (always a request!), mashed potatoes, and my turtle pumpkin pie! What is truly exciting is that my younger sister, Melissa has decided that she is going to try her hand at cooking and will be contributing glazed carrots with cranberries, a pumpkin chex mix for snacking, and a caramel apple pie. Needless to say, for twelve people we will have more than enough food!

The Serverware | Well, I have a slight obsession for all white serverware which started with Pampered Chef, Kohls, and Pottery Barn. It has now moved onto the Christmas Tree Shop, and I am constantly picking up new pieces at an extremely affordable price. My newest joy... an all white teapot for $4.00 (after using a 20% OFF coupon!).

My Color Scheme + Decor | So, I completely opted out of the traditional oranges, reds, and browns, and went more with a green and brown paisley pattern from Waverly. I was able to pick up matching table linens as well from the Christmas Tree Shop (its my new favorite place!). I decided to decorate with glass cylinder vases staggered at different heights with pinecones, green apples, and pears! My best investment were these white pumpkins that I will use at each place setting with green napkins. I believe they are going to look fabulous :)

My Turkey | They say that you should plan on 1 1/4lb of turkey for each guest that you have and I plan on hosting for twelve. With this calculation I should have purchased a 15lb turkey, but since I was looking for leftovers, I went ahead with a 20lb frozen turkey. Yes, it is in the refrigerator thawing out. My mother actually called me today to check on that! I was extremely excited the last time I spoke with Lisa from Williams Sonoma. She was extremely helpful on planning for my first Thanksgiving and tips on brining my turkey. I planned on making my stop into the store this week, however, after shopping at my local Giant store, I was able to find a similar Apple & Sage Brine mix for only $3.50 on sale. How could I pass it up? I did however, make my stop in to Williams Sonoma and picked up my Fig Jam, which paired exceptionally well with goat cheese crumbles on crackers during a soiree earlier this week! I did not realize how unprepared I was for my first turkey until I realized all of the necessary items I was missing. What could I live without when roasting my turkey? Here is a list of what I purchased and what I did without.

Turkey Roasting Pan (purchased)
Turkey Roasting Rack/Lifter (purchased)
Sharp Carving Knife and Fork (own)
Cheesecloth (chose to live without)
Carving Board (own)
Turkey Platter (own)
Bulb Baster (own)
Flavor Injector (chose to live without)
Brining Bags (purchased)
Wooden Spoon (own)
Flat Whisk (own)
Gravy Separator (chose to live without)
Thermometer (own)
Linen Twine (purchased)
Trussing Needles (chose to live without)
Gravy Boat (own)
Liquid Measuring Cups (own)
Saucepans (own)
Fine-Mesh Sieve (no idea - chose to live without!)

Check back later for tips on roasting your turkey!

nicole brennan . nicole@lovelygirlsevents.com . 302.545.0412 . wilmington

a Thanksgiving Timeline

2010-11-23T15:09:00.001-05:00

While some home cooks have years of experience preparing a Thanksgiving dinner, I however, do not. I already did my grocery shopping and chose my 20lb Turkey for twelve guests. However, because I was a little overwhelmed with all of the days feastivities, I decided to check in with Williams Sonoma to see what kind of advice they could offer! Williams Sonoma compiled this timeline to help you plan and prepare your feast. Their tried-and-true timeline has helped many a Thanksgiving cooks over the years, so here is to hoping that it will guide me.

They recommend that you begin planning and shopping a week or two in advance. I however did my shopping lastnight. Oopsies! Apparently, you will be better able to relax and enjoy the pleasures of cooking for family and friends. I will have to fill you in on that later, because for some reason I feel like I will end up with mashed potatoes in my hair before it is all said and done! - Happy Roasting, Nicole

A Few Days Before Thanksgiving

Finalize your shopping lists.
Shop for staples, produce and other fresh foods.
Prepare any food that can be made in advance, such as pie pastry and cranberry sauce.
If you purchased a frozen turkey, begin thawing it out in the refrigerator.
If you plan to brine the turkey, prepare the brine but do not add the turkey; cover and refrigerate.

The Day Before Thanksgiving

If you ordered a fresh turkey, pick it up or have it delivered.
If you are going to brine the turkey, place it in the brine and refrigerate.
Complete your food shopping.
Make turkey stock for gravy and dressing.
Chop ingredients for the dressing, such as onions and celery; refrigerate in covered bowls or plastic bags.
Chop the herbs for various dishes; refrigerate in covered bowls or plastic bags.
Bake the pies and tarts.
Chill the wines and water.

The Evening Before Thanksgiving

Cut fresh bread into chunks for the dressing; leave out overnight to dry.
Set the table.
Organize the before-dinner drinks.
Organize the tea and coffee service.
Determine what time the turkey will go into the oven (see our tip for Roasting the Turkey).
Organize the serving dishes.
Get a good night's sleep!

Thanksgiving Day

Early Morning

Have breakfast and organize your day.
Confirm the time to remove the turkey from the refrigerator and the time to put it in the oven.
Peel and cut the potatoes; set them in cold water.

4 to 5 Hours Before Dinner

While the oven preheats, prepare the turkey for roasting.
Place the turkey in the oven at the determined time.
Prepare the dressing.
Check the table setting to make sure all is in order.

1 to 2 Hours Before Dinner

Cook the potatoes.
Put the cranberry sauce on the table.
Serve drinks and hors d'oeuvres to guests.

45 Minutes to 1 Hour Before Dinner

When the turkey is done, transfer to a warmed platter and cover with aluminum foil.
Finish preparing the dressing, then bake the dressing and cook or reheat side dishes.
Make the gravy.
Mash the potatoes.
Place the dinner plates in the warm oven.
Seat your guests, carve the turkey and serve dinner.

Thanksgiving: My first Turkey

2010-11-11T09:35:00.017-05:00

Stuffing Balls

As I rapidly approach thirty this upcoming year in twenty-eleven, my fiance told me that I needed to "woman" up and learn how to cook a turkey. It is true. I have never made a Thanksgiving turkey. That was always left to the previous generations; my mother and my grandmother. I have always contributed stuffing balls and most recently turtle pumpkin pie. Both made with love, but lets face it, I couldn't do it without kraftrecipes.com. Honestly, they were no fail... and I suggest if you are looking for something that you are sure your family will like, I definitely suggest checking out those recipes. But now since I have been handed over the task of the turkey its time to step up my game a little more than a lot.

Turtle Pumpkin Pie

Being inspired by my new found best friend, Erica, due to her elegant taste and always delightful light bites that she serves at home, I decided to venture into Williams Sonoma. It just seemed like the elegant place to begin this turkey adventure that I have decided to embark on. Not only that, but they have the most amazing fig jam that is served best with goat cheese crumbles spread on a cracker. Enjoying the sounds of that? Then you should try slices of pear with blue cheese.

As I strolled by, I saw the word turkey on this fabulous container that said "Turkey Brine: Apple & Spices". It seemed like a fabulous starting point. What really met me at the door though was the scent of Hot Mulled Cider. I perused through the Turkey Gravy Base, but what I really found exceptional was the advice. The associates in William Sonoma talked me through brining my first turkey, offered me tips and advice, and listened to my ideas for my menu. They handed me the informational material to help me get through my first Thanksgiving. Even though I did not purchase anything that evening (because I purposely left my wallet in my car), I will be back next week to make those purchases to help me prepare for my first thanksgiving, and of course to help me feel more sophisticated. Stay tuned on my journey and my final menu selections!

nicole brennan . 302.545.0412 . nicole@lovleygirlsevents.com . wilmington

DIY: Button Boutonniere

2010-11-09T13:19:00.000-05:00

We found this great DIY on Inspired Bride, and Karen from Silverberry Occasions was kind enough to share with them some of the lovely DIY projects she created for the Vintage Sewing shoot featured over a month ago. First up is an absolutely adorable (and super colorful!) button boutonniere that will add a little quirk to any wedding!

What you'll need:
Buttons

Floral Wire

Floral Tape

Ribbon

Glue Gun

Scissors

Safety/Push Pins

For each flower, cut approx. 16” of floral wire. You can cut this down shorter once you are finished, but it’s easier to initially handle if the wires are longer. Fold your piece of wire in half so it is 8” on each side.

Starting on the top of the button, slide one end of the wire through one button hole and the other end of the wire through the adjacent button hole. For layered flowers, repeat with as many buttons as you like. Remember to start with the button that will be in the front (we started with yellow). Once all buttons are strung, twist the wire behind the last button to keep them secure and wrap each one in floral tape – this helps bulk up the stem and makes it easier to bunch.

Arrange each stem until you have your desired look. Wrap the all of the stems together with floral tape – this will keep your arrangement in place. Trim any excess floral wire from the bottom.

With ribbon, cover the area that you wrapped with floral tape to create a beautiful “stem” for your button-iere and secure with hot glue. Using a safety or push pin, affix if to your groom as you would a real boutonniere.

Images from Purple Martini Wedding and Event Photography and Silverberry Occasions.

caitlins bridal shower

2010-11-04T11:06:00.023-04:00

I was so excited when I got my invite to Caitlins SURPRISE bridal shower during her visit from Germany! Turns out it was not so much of a surprise, but it was still an amazing time. Her MOH and Bridesmaids put together a fabulous shower, and it was nice to sit back and relax for once. Especially after the week that Caitlin and I just had during our whirlwind week of wedding planning throughout the Philadelpia region! The shower was so much fun with interactive (not tacky) games that kept the guests entertained and competitive! Job well done Allie, Madison, Hope, Katie, and Emily! How could I forgot the ladies from the Pool Club for helping to host this wonderful occasion and opening up their hearts and their homes! The bridesmaids put together these adorable favors and Caitlins cousin designed, decorated, and baked this beautiful cake, all which stayed within the beach theme that Caitlin and Rodney were using for their August wedding. All of the photos were taken by Geoffrey Horrowitz of Leapfrog Photography as part of the Philadelphia Wedding Project, and as always, we are never disappointed by his artistic abilities! LovelyGirls has had the pleasure of working with Geoffrey on several occasions, including Caitlin + Rodneys engagement session held at Gibraltar Gardens (which we can't wait to feature later), their wedding, and also Mythri and Prakash wedding as well!

favors courtesy of the bridesmaids!

cake baked and decorated by Susan McGarry

Caitlins "something blue" for her big day!

Madison, Hope, and our bride-to-be Caitlin!

nicole brennan . 302.545.0412 . nicole@lovelygirlsevents.com . wilmington

mythri + prakash | 9.10.10

2010-11-01T13:25:00.006-04:00

For our first meeting, we met at this great little coffee shop in Rittenhouse Square. We immediately fell in love with Mythris fun, care-free spirit and how Prakash just adored her! She was prepared with all of the necessities... samples of her invite, favors, even one of her sample overlays. With guests flying in from Texas, San Francisco, Switzerland, India, and all across the world (literally), we had to make sure that they had the best day ever. Mythri was very clear with the theme of their day. FUN. With two ceremonies (one in front of a carousel), a parade, and a reception at the Please Touch Museum... you could say that they did just that. Palace at the Ben and Max & Me Catering put together a traditional indian menu for all of the guests to enjoy!

Each wedding comes with its own complications, so the only snafu was only three weeks out when Mythri + Prakash had to part ways with their florist due to creative disagreements. Liza and myself were happy to step in and save their day! We packed up and loaded all of the elements that Mythri had purchased for her centerpiece vision... peacock feathers, purple and teal ostrich feathers, floralytes, butterflies, eiffel tower vases, overlays, and the list could go on. We were ecstatic after receiving a phone call from Prakash two days after Mythri viewed the mock ups we put together for her to view, and how she loved them!

Now sit back, and count how many outfits that Mythri + Prakash change into throughout the day... if you count 3, you missed one, but its okay because the fourth isn't pictured here. For Mythris last outfit of the evening... (drumroll please).... Mythri changed into black yoga pants and a vintage t-shirt. She danced the night away and did a number of numbers. She was the entertainment! All of these amazing pictures were taken by Sofia Negron Photography.

Christian Ceremony: Church of the Holy Trinity in Rittenhouse Square

Hindu Ceremony: Carousel House at the Please Touch Museum

Reception: Memorial Hall at the Please Touch Museum

Photographer: Sofia Negron Photography

DJ + Lighting: Jiten Patel of JP Entertainment

Centerpieces: LovelyGirls Events

Mandap: Mandaps Etc.

Caterer: Max & Me Catering
Food: Palace at the Ben
Cake: Imagicakes Cake Design

Buses for Guests: Wertz Motor Coaches

Limousine: Global Limousine

Hotel Accomodations: Raddison Plaza - Warwick Hotel Philadelphia

nicole brennan . 302.545.0412 . nicole@lovelygirlsevents.com . wilmington

Marchesa vs. Sweet & Saucy

2010-10-29T17:39:00.003-04:00

Wow... could these two be any more identical in style? I am not even sure which came first... the design of this Marchesa Spring '11 gown that just debut during the NYC bridal market last weekend, or this fabulous large white garden rose Sweet & Saucy cake in which we have kept filed away for inspiration in one of our picture folders for the past few weeks? Either way, they are both to swoon over!

nicole brennan . 302.545.0412 . nicole@lovelygirlsevents.com . wilmington

green + black: damask decor and stationery

2010-10-27T22:40:00.126-04:00

With the demo and renovation of my home office beginning soon (secretly jumping and down with joy!), I am constantly searching for inspiration. However, don't let me fool you... I have it all designed in my head: white walls, dark walnut flooring, white ikea shelving, plush couches and chairs, and of course a showcase of the LovelyGirls portfolio! But decor and interior decorating for me is to the bride who is searching for the perfect cake and wedding dress, and the internet is just a wealth of information that can sometimes be overhwelming! So since I have been inspired by so many beautiful rooms, I have decided to start a series of blogs where I take the decor of a room and turn it into an inspiration board.

For our first feature, our inspiration began with the newly decorated office of Stephanie Grimm of Couture Parties located in Newport, Rhode Island. She has a beautiful new space located on Thames St., and it is still in a work in progress (but we would have never known!). If you get a chance take a visit to her blog and check out her halloween window display! She has done a beautiful job mixing her style and decor. A mix of classic and modern pieces, a neutral palette, bold patterned accents, with a pop of my favorite color. Green!

picture is courtesy of Stephanie Grimms smart phone for Couture Parties!

We have decided to feature this beautiful space with invitation and stationery designed by one of our favorites vendors, Greenleaf Paperie! This invitation suite was designed for one of our June weddings between Kara and Marc, who had a beautiful ceremony and reception at Appleford Estates in Villanova, PA. What do you find inspires you when choosing your theme and decor from your wedding? Sometimes it can begin with the cake, or maybe even an outfit from your closet. Personally, mine mostly comes from room decor! It could be a candlestick, a pillow, or even a bold patterened curtain like above! All photography below provided by Laura Novak Photography.

These stunning invitations were used in Kara + Marcs wedding and they were accented beautifully by the floral team of Beautiful Blooms. And of course, these images below were captured by the talented Laura Novak, who did what she does best; have fun and capture unique and stunning images with her photography taste!

See you next week for our take on cobalt blue and raspberry!

nicole brennan . 302.545.0412 . nicole@lovelygirlsevents.com . wilmington

Martha Stewarts Prop Room... a girls decor dream!

2010-10-26T01:00:00.003-04:00

I have been an avid Martha Stewart follower for many years. In college, my girlfriends and family nicknamed me "Martha" as a joke! So, imagine the excitement that came upon me while I was reading one of my favorite blogs, Couture Parties, based out of Rhode Island. Stephanie just posted photos from a recent Martha Stewart Bridal Industry Party that she attended during the NYC Bridal Market. Go her! We just thought we had to share her experience (and a peek into Marthas prop room). This ones for you Dana (of Desserts by Dana!). All photos were taken by Stephanie of Couture Parties + Weddings.

a rainbow of glassware and vases

candlesticks + urns

cookie jars, storage, and cake stands galore!

cake stands + silver

chairs + cookbooks, oh my!

Darcy Millers office at MSW

upcoming inspiration board for MSW

cupcakes, cheesecake pops, photography... oh my!

2010-10-18T19:22:00.002-04:00

I was enjoying the Phillies game this Saturday evening when my friend Kelly wanted to introduce me to her friends cupcake business (Yes, cupcakes + phillies do go together!). She took out her smartphone and pulled up her friends facebook account, and under photos she introduced me to my next love... an entire album full of cheesecake pops + cupcakes! And it gets better... her husband is the owner of his own wedding photography business, Rob Naylor Photography (with packages starting at $800 for the bride on a budget!). This is perhaps a wedding and event planners dream duo!

So without further adeau... Melissa's Cupcakery!

With over 24 specialty flavors to choose from... where do you begin? Everything looks beautiful and tastes delish, but I think what really caught our taste buds was the apple pie, pb + j, and the ballgame cupcake! Did we mention the smores, lemonade, and snickers cupcakes? We can't wait to serve these at our next soiree!

all photos provided by Rob Naylor Photography

Not to mention the cheesecake pops, which are fully customizable, start with your choice of cheesecake flavors... original, peanut butter, or oreo cheesecake! Then comes your choice of chocolate (milk, dark, white, or colored). Finish it off with one of the fifteen available toppings (which by the way, doesnt include the 8 colors of sprinkes that were available!). And then there you go... cheesecake pops. These are going to look beautiful on our next candy + dessert display table!

all photos provided by Rob Naylor Photography

Cupcakes start at $35/dozen and you must choose three flavors per dozen. Mini bite size cupcakes are available at $20 dozen (must purchase two dozen). Cheesecake pops are available at $22 dozen. You can also place orders in bulk as well. To place an order contact Melissa at melissascupcakery@gmail.com or call her at 302.547.0018. Find Melissas Cupcakery and "Like" them on Facebook.

( ... to be continued )