Pop Presentation

I purchased one of the adorable cake pops for my little one yesterday at Starbucks, and was pleasantly surprised at the presentation. No bag for this pop, rather the pink deliciousness was given to me in box that screamed wedding favor!

The cake pop craze is not going anywhere, but I find that brides do struggle with the idea of cake overload, and are torn about serving wedding cake and more little cakes on a stick. Cake pops make a great favor to go if packaged properly, so today's blog serves as a homage to pop presentation.

I think the Starbuck's box rules supreme, and will definitely be on the search to get these boxes in different colors and with wedding branding, rather than that famous Seattle coffee shop!

xo
Jen

{Photo Credits: 1.Rick Torres, 2+3. My Sweet and Saucy Blog, 4. Le Petite Buttercup Blog 5. Laced in Weddings Blog}

Spotlight on Bride Sarah

I just received a few images from Sarah and Ben's wedding that took place in Naples, FL this past fall. Once I saw the sampling of photos from Binaryflips Photography, I knew that the images from this real wedding were going to fill up more than one blog post! I met Sarah at Washingtonian Bride and Groom's Unveiled Show last year, which I just so happened to be honored to participate in again just yesterday! I thought it was fitting to showcase Sarah in all her bridal glory. Sarah was not only a beautiful bride on her wedding day, but honestly one of the most kind hearted and thoughtful people I have had the privilege to work with. I know that I have gained a life long friend in this bride!

The elegant bouquet above was not only beautiful but a very special gift! The bride's dear friend Suha Kaidbey, owner of Le Printemps, brought the lily of the valleys with her from DC and carried them on the plane in a cooler!

The photos of the Rivini dress from Carine's Bridal Atelier above are a few of my favorites! This was another special delivery from DC to FL. I remember holding my breath taking the dress through security and I may or may not have asked the man next to me to move to another seat so the dress could sit next to me!! I didn't think it was such a outlandish request, but his eye rolling as he moved may have suggested otherwise :)

More of this wedding to come, think mirror calligraphy, bourbon bars and....a Guns n Roses Axl Rose and Slash reunion?!??!?!

xoxo,
Jen

The Down Side of Hair

Yesterday we navigated through the updos of wedding hairstyles and today we will tackle the downs. Who doesn't dream of having flowy curls on their wedding day...Kate Middleton anyone??? Wearing your hair down or slightly pulled back is not only romantic, but dare we say sexy.

The first rule of this hairstyle is you have to have hair, and lots of it. Sorry girls but if you can get out of the shower and your hair air dries perfectly straight in five minutes, this may not be the choice for you. Unless of course you call on the experts for "reinforcements."

Below are two examples of hair extensions to pull off the half down look that many girls crave. Even if you have thick locks, the hair extensions add body and volume to make your hair look full and beautiful. Don't worry, you do not need to be a "real housewives" star to get extensions. There are many great options that are clip in (and not the kind that gets you an audition for Jersey Shore), just ask a trusted stylist and run from any that are not real hair!

Both of these lovely ladies were styled by Jean of Salon Jean and Day Spa and photographed by Jennifer Lust, and they both happen to be named Bridget....I promise they did not marry the same groom :)

Wearing your hair down allows you the freedom to be "yourself". Some brides are known for their gorgeous hair, like our bride Carine, yes the same one of Carine's Bridal Atelier. Her hair is just too beautiful to pull back. Giselle of Elegant Hair by Giselle created a masterpiece when working on Carine. Not only did she look stunning, but the look was all her own...again, dare we say sexy!!

Hair down does not always have to be super glamorous, but more beach appropriate. Our Nantucket bride, Rachel was effortlessly chic and preppy in her beach friendly do. And if you think she looks eerily familiar, that is her sister with hair extensions above. I was honored to be asked back by her family to plan the second wedding the next year!

If you simply cannot answer the age old question of "up or down" simply do both! Ismail of George's Salon at The Four Seasons created not one but two looks for our bride Avni. She wanted the more formal look of her hair up for the ceremony, but then wanted a more Hollywood look for her 2nd costume change just in time for dancing.

So what did our bride from yesterday's post, that prompted this hair exploration decide? Well we left the trial with a beautiful updo, but a recent email from her is clearly longing for some of the styles above. I say she does both!

xoxo,
Jen

Navigating the Ups and Downs....of hair

Even though the last few weeks were filled with holiday cheer it was planning time over here at SoCo Events. Holiday weeks are busy with our out of town brides that come home for the holidays. One of our May couples was in from sunny San Diego and we had a few days of "marathon meetings" before sipping on holiday cheer.

The bride's hair trial was one of our top priorities and she followed my instructions well and came with several pictures for inspiration. While the styles were all beautiful and would look great with her dress (always important to keep in mind), they were split down the middle: half were photos of "updos" and the other half were down and pulled back.

This lead me to mentally catalogue my previous brides to see which style wins out in the polls and what the advantages of each are. Today we will look back at brides that chose to wear there hair up.

The image below from Greg Gibson is a classic example of a polished updo. Here, my bride Rebecca wanted to channel Audrey Hepburn and be the epitome of class and style. Paula from Salon 4 did just that, by creating a sophisticated updo. Plus with the beautiful neckline of her Monique Lhuillier dress, up was the only option.

My October bride, Jacquelyn didn't just share a name with Jackie O, she shared her style and look as well. Here the amazing Justine Ungaro captures her entire look, and how the off center chignon, courtesy of the one and only Ismail at George at the Four Seasons Salon, was the perfect choice.

Not all updos have to be tailored and polished, they can also be romantic and soft. Our Bride, Nicole's style was nothing short of dreamy. Here is Ish again,working his magic

Adding the fresh flower made this look complete, as it played off of the flowers on her Monique Lhuillier dress. This is one of our favorite images from the day...thanks Jennifer Lust!

Wearing your hair up is a great choice if you want to rest assured that everything will stay in place, after all it is a long day! Pulling your hair back also allows you to draw attention to your beautiful dress or showcase some amazing jewelry. Girls that do not have hair like Rapunzel will find that an updo works best and can even give the appearance of more luscious locks!

Tomorrow we will dive into the world hair extensions (oh yes) and more when looking back at brides that opted for loose free flowing waves!

xoxo,
Jen

Engagement Season in The Washington Post!

We were very excited to see that Santa left a copy of The Washington Post in our stocking on Christmas morning! Ellen McCarthy's piece on engagement season is a great read and we were honored to have been included. This time of year, many lucky ladies will be receiving a ring, and this article gives some insight into the vendor side of engagement season.

"Even couples who got engaged long before the holidays often double down on their planning efforts after the new year. “Over the holiday, everyone asks these girls, ‘When’s your wedding? What’s your wedding date?’ And those who don’t have an answer want an answer quick,” says Jennifer Stiebel, founder of SoCo Events, a Washington wedding planning firm. “If they don’t have that all squared up, panic sets in.”

Stiebel typically gets 50 percent of her inquiries for the year in January and February, so she’ll spend much of next month meeting with prospective clients, polishing her portfolio and touching base with favorite vendors. She gets some calls from couples just starting out and others from brides who got halfway through the planning process and began to feel overwhelmed."


Click here to read the full article and "let the planning begin"!

xoxo,
Jen



image courtesy of The Washington Post

Remembering Loved Ones

A few weeks back during a meeting one of my brides expressed the difficulty she was feeling that her mother, who had passed, would not be there with her on her wedding day. Unfortunately, this is not the first time I have been presented with this scenario, and I always want to make sure we include a parent or loved one who is no longer with us, in a way that honors their memory but also focuses on the happy celebration. I have had brides wear their father's favorite dress shirt as they are getting ready or wear a piece of their mother's jewelry walking down the aisle. Grooms have clutched a grandfather's pocket watch as they recite their vows or even choose to use their father's wedding band from this day forward.

While these were great ideas, this bride was looking for something more. I thought about some ideas over the next few days, and "it" came to me while in a department store. I was passing by the perfume counters and I saw a bottle of Chanel No. 5 that immediately made me think of my own mother. This is her "signature scent" and it often lets me know she has come into the room before she even speaks. I called my bride right away and asked what perfume her mother wore. The sales lady was kind enough to give me a sample, which I brought to our next meeting. I suggested that she wear her mother's "signature scent" on her wedding day and when I sprayed the sample, she was instantly reminded of her mother.

Scent has such a way to conjure up memories,and I could not think of a better way for a bride or groom to remember a loved one, then to wear their perfume or cologne on the wedding day.

"Long after one has forgotten what a woman wore, the memory of her perfume lingers." -Christian Dior

xoxo,
Jen

Thank you to Jennifer Lust Portrait Design for the beautiful images!

Halloween Candy For Troops

Happy candy overdose day! If you are anything like me, you over bought in anticipation for the hundreds of princesses and super heros you thought you were getting, and now have pounds of left overs! Instead of engaging in the battle of "to eat or not to eat," stay healthy and do some good at the same time by donating your candy to the troops. There are several organizations that are accepting your post Halloween treats, so find one below that works for you and purge those mini diet busters...

For DC Locals:
MoverMoms is a 501 (c)(3) non profit group of moms who have dedicated themselves to doing regular volunteer projects around the community. Their Treats-4-Troops Candy Collection has several drop off locations all around the DC, MD and VA area through Saturday, November 5th. You can drop off at any time, so find a location close to you today!

If you are not in the DC area, Operation Shoebox, accepts your donations by mail. Operation Shoebox is an amazing organization that is committed to sending care packages that are handmade with love. Each bag contains a hand written letter to the soldier letting them know how much they are loved and appreciated. They even try to include something for the troops to hand out to the children in the area.
Mail donations to the following address
Operation Shoebox
8360 E Highway 25
Belleview, FL 34420

So get the candy to one of these great organizations and have a big heart, rather than bigger hips :)
xoxo,
Jen