Our One Heart

Papeterie Save The Date Cards

Linette Gerlach — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 04:38:59 +0000

I’ve been covering destination wedding venues the last several days, and I have several more beautiful locations to show you in the next few weeks. One thing you should send out if you’re planning a destination wedding is a save the date card. A save the date card can let your wedding guests know several months in advance when your wedding will take place.

If you’re planning a destination wedding, and you want your family and friends there, then you should definitely send out a save the date card early enough they can plan to take a few days off to attend your wedding. The same is true for out of town guests, even if your wedding is local.

Papeterie has a beautiful line of save the date cards that are beautiful, elegant, and most importantly simple. Instead of the typical save the date which comes with both the actual card and envelope (and is almost as complicated as the actual invite) the new Papeterie line is a postcard that’s easy but elegant.

They come in a variety of designs, themes, and colors (to help match whatever design scheme the wedding might have) and are an easy way to ensure that the news of the big day will stand out upon delivery without necessarily taking up a lot of money or time.

Images Papeterie

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Destination Venues~Berry Hill Plantation

Linette Gerlach — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 01:55:54 +0000

Berry Hill is a National Historic Land marked Plantation home, located in Southern Virginia on 675 acres. Weddings are their forte. With 92 rooms, an in-house chef and wedding coordinator, they are able to make each bride the center of attention and tailor their wedding weekend to exceed their every expectation.

If you’re looking for a truly historical venue for your destination wedding the Berry Hill Plantation definitely fits the description. It’s rich in history and in luxury, a wonderful combination for a wedding venue.

Here are just a few Berry Hill Plantation features:

A magnificent mansion surrounded by a thousand acres of pristine Virginia countryside.
Picture perfect locations for an elegant ceremony – the rolling lush lawns, manicured rose gardens, or under the dramatic columns of the historic Berry Hill mansion.
A grand dining room, or a reception under the stars.
Be treated like a queen or a king with European-style body and beauty treatments at Blackberry Spa to relax and rejuvenate your spirit.

Your custom package will include:

Use of ceremony site
Use of reception site
All food & beverage items from your selected menus
Personnel needed to adequately service your guests
Cutting & service of the wedding cake you provide
Complimentary room for Bride & Groom on wedding night

For more information on planning a wedding at the Barry Hill Plantation, visit the BerryHillOnline wedding page.

Images courtesy of Berry Hill Plantation

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Destination Weddings~ Sheraton Nassau

Linette Gerlach — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 03:05:38 +0000

Over the next few weeks I have several wonderful destinations and venues to share with you. All of them are fabulous and beautiful, especially the location I have today. The Sheraton Nassau is situated on a 1,000-foot stretch of one of Nassau’s spectacular white-sand beaches, in The Bahamas.

This stunning location helps make it the ideal Caribbean location for the couple who dreams of a unique destination wedding. The resort even has wedding consultants ready to work closely with the bride- and groom-to-be to ensure that their wedding fantasies come true by providing the flexibility of tailoring packages to meet specific requests and budgets while also offering select upgrades and discounts.

The Sheraton Nassau Beach Resort’s basic Simple and Elegant Wedding Package, starts at $1,850, and includes a marriage officer, affidavit, marriage license, certified copy of marriage license, personal escort to the Registrar General, tropical bouquet for the bride, groom’s boutonnière, wedding site and set-up, room amenity and personal wedding consultant.

Sheraton Nassau Beach Resort Offers Customizable Bridal Planning Fit for Any Budget. Because any couple’s wedding day should be the happiest day of their life, the Sheraton Nassau Beach Resort’s bridal planners work with the future bride and groom and their budget parameters to ensure that their special day is nothing less than magnificent. In addition to any wedding package, couples can pick and choose from an array of upgrades and enhancements that include wedding cake, photography, themed décor, extra flowers, music and videotaping of the wedding day.

A true partner to the Sheraton Nassau Beach Resort in creating splendid bridal settings for both the ceremony and reception is Cacique International, a full-service event and design company. Whether couples would like their special day to have a specific color scheme or theme, Cacique International offers affordable décor packages that can be tailored to specific needs and offer exceptional solutions for any bride and groom no matter what the budget. From simple yet elegant flowers and linens to grand and extravagant events with live entertainment and fireworks, Cacique International events are tailored specifically to the bride and groom’s wishes.

The Sheraton Nassau Beach Resort Offers Awe-Inspiring Ceremony and Reception Sites Along with Great Food, Fine Spirits and a Lifetime of Memories. The most sought-after wedding ceremony location at the Sheraton Nassau Beach Resort is undoubtedly the resort’s beach, which is completely unobstructed giving the couple and their attendants a sweeping view of the soft white sand and crystal-clear ocean. Other locations for wedding ceremonies include the Beach Pavilion, which overlooks the Caribbean’s most beautiful waters; the West Gazebo that sits prominently among the property’s lush pool area; or the West Gazebo Patio which offers a romantic setting with cascading waterfall and tropical landscaping.

For receptions, the resort offers various outdoor locations including the beach and pool areas as well as the Dolphin Grill, which is located near the main pool and still offers beautiful views of the ocean. For smaller wedding receptions, the indoor Rum Runner Room, an 800 square foot space on the second story of the hotel, faces the beach so that although the reception is indoors, the views of the water make for a lovely backdrop. The Sheraton Nassau Beach Resort also has the capability of hosting large weddings and receptions at its Independence Ballroom which can accommodate up to 1200 guests.

An exceptional culinary experience for the couple and their attendants is provided by the resort’s award-winning chefs. Offering menus for any size party from 75 to 1,000, combined with world-class service, the culinary team at the Sheraton Nassau Beach Resort will ensure each plate is delivered hot and delicious, and that no guest is ever unattended.

Couples planning their upcoming nuptials can call the Sheraton Nassau Beach Resort at (877) 782-0149 or visit www.sheraton.com/Nassau for more information.

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Wedding Gift Etiquette

Linette Gerlach — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 19:30:44 +0000

Wedding gift giving is not always easy. Especially these days, when many couples have already been on their own for a few years, or are combining households when they get married. The traditional wedding gifts may not apply.

edivvy.com is a new gift giving website that helps guests combine their purchasing power when they’re shopping for a wedding gift. They sent me some wedding gift giving tips and etiquette to help you find that perfect wedding gift idea.

In today’s economy, more and more couples are asking for people to contribute to the wedding itself – or at the very least are finding ways to slim down on the extravagant costs and create something meaningful and having friends/family participate more directly in the wedding.

More and more people are realizing the waste that can be involved in couples getting dozens (if not hundreds!) of smaller random gifts that may be soon forgotten. So instead consider going in with others on gifts (be it a few friends or family members getting together) so you can get something bigger and more meaningful they can really use. It can be not only better on the pocketbook, but also better for the environment.

Wedding Gift Etiquette:

As a bride & groom, its ok to ask for people to contribute towards the wedding. Instead of having them buy you a gift for after the wedding, you can have individuals contribute towards items for the wedding itself that everyone can enjoy. Asking just for a cash may be a hard, so instead think of asking for someone to buy the flowers for the ceremony/tabletops, or a case of champagne that can be popped during toasts. Don’t forget during the wedding to thank the person who provided it at some point during the night – they may love the added recognition they get!
Gift giving should be FUN, not stressful. Going in with others to give something the bride & groom really want can make it a fun experience since you can get something bigger. It’s ok to ask other family members or other friends if its something they want to do – say instead of each buying a $50 gift, get 5 people together and buy a $200 gift, so you’re all saving a bit but ultimately giving something great.

Wedding Gift Ideas… great wedding gifts to give as a group:

Gift certificate to a major airline (American, United, etc) or a hotel chain (Hilton, Marriott, or a site like Expedia) so they can use it towards their honeymoon or at a later date
Ceremony or tabletop flowers for the wedding
A case (or two) of champagne to be used in toasts
Something for their new home (if applicable): a plasma TV, a new stove or dishwasher
Instead of products, get creative with services they may be able to enjoy — housecleaning services, cooking lessons, etc.

Image sxc.hu Garrison Photography

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Destination Wedding~Stone Crest Cellar

Linette Gerlach — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 03:07:03 +0000

If you’re planning a destination wedding, stay tuned over the next couple weeks. I have several destination wedding locations and ideas to share with you here at Our One Heart. From tropical beach weddings, to charming bed and breakfasts I have several destination venues to share.

First up I have the Stone Crest Cellar Bed & Breakfast in South Beach, Oregon.

If you just got engaged and you’re feeling a little lost you can can meet with the wedding planning pro, Judy Joubert at Stone Crest Cellar Bed & Breakfast. Judy is the go-to resource for putting together a wedding, having supervised over 79 weddings in 2008.

Judy offers a free wedding expo every year where couples can participate in food and wedding cake tasting sessions, select linen, table and floral designs, meet musicians, officiants and photographers and even rent tuxedos.

The ocean front property bed & breakfast offers an all-inclusive custom wedding and elopement package that can include guest lodging, bridal bouquet, boutonniere, wedding cake, champagne and photos.

You can find more information at the Stone Crest Cellar Bed and Breakfast page at Bnbfinder.com.

Images: Stone Crest Cellar Bread & Breakfast/ BnBFinder

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A Green and White Wedding Cake

Linette Gerlach — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 04:47:54 +0000

While I was at the bridal show a couple weeks ago, I saw several wedding cakes. I love checking out decorated cakes, probably because I enjoy decorating them myself.

While I was browsing through Mrs. B’s Cakes I saw this really pretty green and white cake and fell in love. The cake was actually in the back row, so I had to get just the right angle to get a picture of it. I’m so glad Mrs B’s was kind enough to let me take a picture.

I adore the color green, that’s probably why I fell in love with this cake, I also love polka dots, and I like the flowers on top.

This cake would go really well with the pink and green wedding theme that Christine wrote about here, and that I’ve written about at She Knows Parties. Here are links to some of the pink and green wedding ideas.

Image (c) L Gerlach

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Simple But Elegant Destination Gowns

Linette Gerlach — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 04:43:55 +0000

When you’re looking for a destination wedding gown, you’re usually looking for something that will travel well, something that doesn’t have too much fuss, or need too much attention right before the wedding.

Even if you’re looking for something a little simpler for your destination wedding, it doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice, or pick out a plain wedding gown. You can still find a wedding gown that’s elegant, or that fits your style.

You can even have ruffles and layers, just maybe not quite so many layers.

You can even find destination gowns with some of the latest trends, like layers with angles, and one shoulder gowns.

There are so many options to choose from in destination wedding gowns these days. You can even find gowns with a splash of color at the sash, or in the embroidery, or a gown with some bling.

Just because you’re traveling for your wedding, it doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice your wedding gown style.

Image (c) L Gerlach

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MissNowMrs Gift Card Winner

Linette Gerlach — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 23:46:17 +0000

Today I have the winner of the MissNowMrs gift card to help them along with the name change process. I want to thank everyone who participated in the contest. It was great fun reading what everyone had to say.

I want to say a huge thank you to MissNowMrs for sponsoring the contest.

Now lets get to the winner! The winner was chosen by Random.org. Congratulations to Jessica who says, “My husband would LOVE it if I won! I got married back in October and still haven’t gotten around to changing my name. I really wanted to get it done before the new year so all my tax information would be in my new name this year, but I put it off too long! He’s starting to question whether or not I even want his name (I do, I just procrastinate!)”

Thank you Jessica for participating in the contest! I’ll be contacting you in the next day or so to find out where to send the gift card.

Thank you to everyone who participated!

Image: sxc.hu

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Wedding Paper Divas~Top Wedding Trends 2010

Linette Gerlach — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 04:30:29 +0000

Are you wondering what 2010 will bring for wedding themes, and colors? What trends are emerging for weddings in this new decade?

Wedding Paper Divas has been surveyed several of it’s top selling wedding invitations and save the date cards to put together the hottest trends emerging for 2010. From stylish wedding themes and fresh inspiration to this year’s best new color schemes, here are some of the emerging wedding trends for this year, including:

Wedding Themes & Inspirations:

Enchanted Forest: The spring bride of 2010 is inspired by the earthy (yet heavenly) feeling of an ethereal wedding. Soft, romantic elements and pastel tones are perfectly accented with fanciful details.
Sweet Nostalgia: The “Mad Men”-obsessed bride-to-be is in love with1950s and 1960s flair for her big day, gathering inspiration from refined-retro style, carnival-chic food and playful decor.
Jewel Tones: The glamorous bride loves 2010’s rich jewel tones for a luxurious fall wedding. Plush and pretty peacock inspiration is refined in an elegant but decidedly bold new way to incorporate this look.
Dark Romance: For winter 2010, vintage Hollywood glamour and dark fairytale romances are all the rage, with rich red hues, black and white accents and sparkling chandeliers making everything glimmer in a subtle and sophisticated way.

Fresh Color Trends

Expect to see both classic and fresh, new palettes appearing as top trends for wedding colors, including bold turquoise, coral and peach tones, vintage violet, pumpkin, champagne, pink, ivory and golden yellow.

The Rise of the Localista

In today’s economy, many couples will move away from the exotic in favor of the practical. Expect destination weddings to take on a new twist with the rise of the “localista.” This bride will plan a local “destination wedding” at a nearby location to celebrate the unique personality of the couple, but also allow easier access for friends and family.

What wedding trends do you hope to see in 2010 and beyond?

Image: Newscom/ Wedding Paper Divas

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An Ice Sculpture For Your Wedding Buffet?

Linette Gerlach — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:58:29 +0000

I hadn’t thought about an ice sculpture as a part of a wedding buffet table, until I saw this one at the bridal show last weekend. Check out this swan ice sculpture by Ice Sculptures By Ramon in Dayton Ohio.

An ice sculpture can be a beautiful addition to your wedding buffet table. Most ice sculptures will last from 6-8 hours, depending on the temperatures in your reception location.

It’s definitely something different from the normal centerpiece you would find at a wedding reception. Ice Sculptures By Ramon website says they could do any design, from pictures, logos or just from a persons imagination. You could have your wedding’s theme done in ice, your favorite flower, or even a wedding cake made of ice. Fun!

Image (c) L Gerlach

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