Wedding Reception Rentals

Hello there!  I’m Melanie with Sun Rental Center - 

Being involved in the party and event rental industry for over 20 years, I have faced many challenges, met many fabulous people and witnessed several great and memorable events!!!  I love what I do, obviously, 20 years into it!  Planning events and seeing everything come together in the end is so gratifying.  Coming up with the ideas, putting it all together and having a successful event are what keep me coming back for more!

- Melanie

Custom Wedding Jewelry

Hi! I’m Nichole Meyer and I’ve had a little addiction problem for the past six years now.  It happens all the time.  Suddenly, an idea pops into my head and it’s all I can think about.  The next thing I know, I’m buying more crystal.  No, not that kind of “crystal,” thank goodness! The type of crystal I’m referring to sparkles like no other and is the finest crystal used in jewelry design – Swarovski Crystal.

I’ve been custom designing jewelry ever since I left my job of ten years in Corporate America to raise my two little girls who are now ages six and three.  My whole life I’ve always been a bit obsessed with jewelry. From the time I was a little girl, my mom would drag me into antique stores.  While she browsed, I would immediately make a beeline to the vintage jewelry counter.  And today, while others are watching award shows and talking about the gowns, my eye immediately goes to the jewels.  I literally couldn’t stop thinking about Angelina Jolie’s emerald drop earrings for a week after the 2009 Oscars.

I design all types of jewelry, but the pieces I create for brides and their attendants get me the most excited and inspired.  It tickles me to know that on any given weekend, my creations are making their way down the aisle on a beautiful bride, her bridesmaids and flower girls.  As I carefully string each bead and fasten each clasp, I love knowing that my jewelry will soon be framing a smiling face that says “I do” and dangling daintily on the wrist that cuts the cake.

I’d argue that jewelry design is one of the most expensive crafts out there.  Thank goodness I’ve found hundreds of brides who love and appreciate my work enough to wear it on their big day.  Yeah, I’m an addict and a “dealer,” too J

- Nichole Meyer, Owner and Lead Designer - Frosting Accessories

Flip Flops

It may sound tacky, but I wore flip flops on my wedding day.  And I’m not just talking about after the ceremony.  All day, I wore my flips.  They help me to let go. I can be free.   I’m comfortable; I can step outside of my perfectionism.

And I am such a perfectionist; it sometimes gets me into a lot of trouble.  Mostly with myself though.  There are so many stupid things I just simply can’t let myself get away with.  There must not be any dishes in the sink when I go to bed.  All the kids’ toys must be put back exactly where they belong, four times a day.  My eye shadow must match my lip gloss that must match my shirt that must match my socks that must match my shoes that must match my purse and belt and coat.  So when I’m walking out the door, and step on a baby wipe that one of the twins so kindly left out for me and my sock gets all wet, I must go change my whole outfit because that was the only pair of socks that matched everything so perfectly; which is why I prefer flip-flops.  They just go with everything.  It’s simply one thing to make my life a little less crazy and a bit more enjoyable. 

That’s why I wore flip-flops on my wedding day.  Everything was absolutely wonderful and perfect and amazing about my wedding day.  I did things exactly the way I wanted them done.  I know that there is so much pressure from everyone.  “Mom and Dad are paying for this, so I have to do it their way”, “His parents are paying for the reception hall, so they get to chose how it’s decorated”, “Aunt Mae is paying for my dress, so she gets to chose which dress I choose.”  Well, I would say in a polite fashion, “Mom, Dad, Aunt Mae, I appreciate you helping out with my wedding, but you had your wedding, let me have mine”; which is what I did.  This is your day, you can be grateful for any help that you get, but you should be able to pick your colors and flowers, location and shoes.  It’s one of the most important days of your life.  You don’t want anything to ruin that. However, something that I tell all the brides that I meet with, “The most important thing is that at the end of it all, you will be married, and it will have all been worth it.”  But, you may as well enjoy the journey.  So, if you want to wear flip-flops on your wedding day, then do it.  Have fun, relax, happy wedding planning & Bonne Chance!

~Abbie Fellenstein~

Candlelight Creations – Cards & Invitations

Cake Boss & Cupcakes

Hi, it's Debbi from Cakes to You!

Has anyone ever tasted Champagne cake? That has become one of our specialties. I just heard about wine flavored cakes too. Can't wait to try that one.

Been watching alot of the foodie shows. I especially enjoy watching Cake Boss. If you have never tuned in, you'll have to catch an episode or two. It's not just about cakes. It's also about family, the bakery's history and the way all the employees (mostly Italians) work together. It's pretty comical and extremely enjoyable. They make some real masterpieces. Masterpieces that also have hefty pricetags. Word has it, most of the cakes start at $1700.00. Wow! I wonder what the highest priced one costs.

Cupcake shows are also a big thing now. These creations put hundreds, sometimes even thousands of cupcakes together to create a massive display. The displays usually have a theme. The show provides each contestant with a carpenter to build the display according to the "cupcaker's" vision.  Of course, these shows also have challenges, where each contestant is vying for not only the title but a cash prize as well. It's amazing the things they can create with cupcakes. About 20 years ago, I started the concept of placing cupcakes together to make one cake that pulls apart. I thought that was ingenious, but that is nothing compared to the cupcake creativity you see now.

There are so many unique flavors too! Too many to mention. It used to be ice cream stores would pride themselve with how many flavors they could offer. Now cupcake flavors have surpassed the number of ice cream flavors Baskin Robbins has to offer. Just think of the possibilities!

Well, until next time always remember... Eat cake first!!!

Debbi

Preparing for a Wedding Floral Consultation

You, the bride,  know how busy you are trying to cover all the details of the wedding. However, there are some things you can do to make the bridal consultations with the florists you interview go more smoothly and  make the best use of your time.

 1)      Take a moment to think of a budget for your wedding flowers. Wedding planners say that flowers are usually 5-10% of the total wedding budget, depending on whether the reception hall offers centerpieces as part of their banquet package.

2)      Collect pictures – bouquets or flowers that you like, pictures of the bride’s and bridesmaids dresses. Bring the pictures to the consultation so that your florist can match your taste to your flowers. If you don’t know the names of flowers, visit the www.aboutflowers.com website to research names, textures and colors of flowers. The site can also give you ideas about availability for the date of your wedding.

 3)      Prepare a list of your wedding party and service details.  A single sheet of paper with the date and time of the service and reception, addresses, numbers of people in the wedding party and names, addresses and phone numbers of the bride and groom can save time with your florist as well as other services  that you are interviewing.

 4)      Research quality florists – Check out the websites of florists in your area. Ask family and friends for recommendations. Your pastor or wedding planner can offer recommendations for good florists in your area. Try to match your florist to the demands of your wedding – a small neighborhood florist may not be a good match if you are having a large outdoor event with 50 centerpieces or an event florist may be overkill if you are having a small family service. Don’t be afraid to interview more than 1 florist. Each florist will have their own interpretation of your wishes and you might find that your ideas will develop as you get input from several sources.

 5)      Listen to your florist’s advice when making your final decision – A quality florist will do their best to match the best design and flower selection to your needs. But they will also make you aware of potential problems with your selections based on flower or color availability and conflicts between the fragility of a flower or design and the time you are expecting the flowers to last. The goal is to produce a floral design that will accent the beauty of your wedding without wilted or broken flowers that don’t last through the reception.

 6)      Have fun with your selection – Selecting your wedding flowers should be a fun experience. Your florist is there to help you with the process. They are happy to show you samples of flowers and designs, customize a bouquet to marry form with the flowers or colors of your choice.

Happy consulting!

- Pat, A Classic Florist

Abbie from Candlelight Creations

Hey all!  I’m Abbie - I am the manager & Wedding Invitationist for Candlelight Creations – Cards & Invitations.  

Well, first of all, I would like to congratulate you on your engagement, or for knowing someone who is getting married or just really loving weddings.  I know from experience how exciting this time can be.  And I also know how exhausting it can be as well.  I coordinated my entire wedding myself and loved every minute of it, yet I could have used someone who has been down the road I was about to venture to help my dream wedding come to fruition the way I dreamed.  That's why I wanted to start working in the wedding industry. 

In today's fast paced world, it can be quite impossible to get everything done that needs to get done, even if you do have 6, 18 or even 24 months to prepare for your BIG DAY.  Not to mention the whole experience can be quite daunting.  So, my passion is to help brides and grooms transition into marriage in an as smooth and delighting adventure as possible.  I realize that I’m just handling the invitation aspect, but I promise to carry out my duties in helping couples be as stress-free as possible even in that task.

I first got started making invitations when I was planning my own wedding.  I’m very artistic and free-spirited and I wanted to create something truly unique and special to add a special touch to my invitations, just as every other aspect of the wedding.  I got so many compliments.  My sister even suggested that I start making my own cards and invitations to sell.  So, I did.  That was five years ago.  I loved doing it so much; I went on to become a certified Wedding Consultant through Penn Foster College.  I have always loved weddings, every aspect.  Now I really feel well equipped to help brides and grooms in a way I’ve always wanted to.

The idea of the invitations that I make is to let your guest know exactly who you are just by looking at the invitations.  I want them to breathe everything that you and your future Mr. (or Mrs.) are and love.  And that's exactly why I made my own wedding invitations.  I just wasn't happy with my options in the Wedding Invitation market. 

With the invitations that I make, you get to pick out exactly what you want.  They can be as formal or as eclectic as you wish.  They can be small or large, sparkly or transparent, black and white with pink diamonds or have an antique look with your own picture and a "treasure map" to your reception site.  Whatever it is that you and your fiancé/fiancée are interested in or even something you always dreamed you could be, that can be incorporated into your hand-made, personalized wedding invitations. 

And as I said earlier, five years ago when I was planning my dream wedding, I wasn’t happy with my choices for Wedding Invitations in the Wedding Invitation market.  But, I must say, the Wedding Invitation market has come a long way.  There are so many different choices out there.  There is something for everyone.  Which is why I’m proud to announce that Candlelight Creations is now selling commercial Wedding Invitations from three very sound, well-established companies; Carlson Craft, Stylart & McPhersons. (I’ll be sharing more on those companies in the future.)

I’m very confident that at Candlelight Creations we have something for everyone.  I would love to talk to you or just have you browse through our Invitation books.  We are located inside Prelude Photography at the Great Lakes Mall, Mentor.  I hope to see you soon…and until then you’ll be hearing more from me here at the Wedding Showcase Wedding Blog.

 My best to you,

~Abbie~

Congratulations, Heather & Jeremy!

Hello, Blogosphere!

Matt and I had a great time shooting Heather and Jeremy's wedding this weekend! Despite the scattered showers and the limo's flat tire (!), their energy and excitement carried the event with that special magic that can only happen on a wedding day. Talk about a charismatic bride and groom - smiles and mushy stuff all over the place! :)

These are the couples we have the most fun with; the ones who are having fun themselves, dancing, talking to their guests, and truly enjoying one another and their wedding day. We love the couples who can go from silly to sentimental in a second... because that's how we are. We love the goofy stuff, but we're suckers for that whole "Your life has changed for good now because you've found The One" type stuff, too. (You know it's true, Matt, don't try to act like it's all me being sappy during the first dances. Or the father-daughter dances. Or the mother-son dances... :p)

We wish them well on their honeymoon and beyond, and look forward to getting started on their wedding album!

Cory

Quail Hollow Bridal Show

Hey, good times at the Quail Hollow Bridal Show last weekend.

It was a nice turn out and always good to hang out with fellow showcasers, Jesse and Debi as well as seeing Mel and Pat's set up. Very pretty.

Special thanks to the Quail staff for keeping everything flowing smoothly and providing awesome food!

-Matt

Flower Girls

Flower girls are so cute but petals in a basket are so "been there, done that" plus a lot of churches dislike the mess of cleaning up all the petals. I always love coming up with new ideas for the little ones. 

Silk flowers on a barrette or as a pomander ball are great for the 1-3 year olds because they are pretty and durable. If your flowers girl is 4 to 6 years old, my favorite is the magic wand - this is a wand that has silk flowers and streamers in a ball on the end and the wand is a wooden dowel wrapped in ribbon to match the wedding party.

Another favorite for this age is the hair garland. We make a halo of flowers and ribbons sized to fit the little girls' head. The garland can be fresh or silk and we add combs to the band to make it easier to secure the flowers into her hairstyle. For the 7 to 10 year olds, we are at the awkward age - too big for little girl items but too small to be a junior bridesmaid. 

My favorite solution to the challenge was a garland/bouquet combination we did for a fall wedding. The wedding party had 2 flower girls. We created two small bouquets with a floral garland between. The girls walked down the aisle holding their bouquets with the garland draped between them. After the pictures, the bouquets were separated from the garland. The girls kept their little bouquets and the garland was used to decorate the head table.

- Pat, A Classic Florist

Melanie's Display

Yo Melanie (our rep from Sun Rental, she'll be blogging soon)

Just wanted to say we had moved your photo candy bar display up front and it's getting some nice comments. Of course we'll do a free shot at our studio to use on the Candy Bar wrappers. But people are talking about the display, not just for weddings, but for communions, parties, special events, etc.

Hopefully they're calling you about it. (Check Sun Rental out HERE)

Later,

- Matt

Cake Masterpieces

Ladies and Gentlemen . . . Debbi Stanicki . . . Debbi owns and operates Cakes to You and has been making cakes for almost 40 years. Her part of this blog will begin with cake decorating trends. Here's the first part of that: 

CAKES have gotten quite a bit more attention today, than in years past. Wedding cakes seemed to be the only cakes that create excitement before. However in the last few years, Ace of Cakes and the Cake Boss have created masterpieces for any occasion.  Their influence has brought worldwide attention to the unending possibilities that can transform the average cake.

Their cakes are usually engineered to include heavy supports and mechanisms. These cakes are usually covered in fondant. Fondant is a sugar dough that is rolled out and laid over the cake to achieve an extremely smooth surface. Fondant, modeling chocolate and gumpaste are used to form figurines and various decorations to decorate these masterpieces.

You may have seen these techniques used on the Cake Challenges on the Food Network where contestants compete for $10,000!  They are usually given a theme to create their cake designs around. Not only do they have height, width and time restraints, but they also have to move their cake to a display table after it is created. Moving it is always the most tense part of the competition. There have been many catastrophes. However, they are allowed to take the cake back to their work station, fix it and move it again. The judges for these competitions are very particular. Cakes are judged on creativity, technique and neatness of the work station.

What a delicious undertaking!

- Debbi

Wedding Season Kicks Off Next Saturday!

Yeah, we've done a couple of weddings since January, but the season really kicks off May 1st for us with Kara and Joe. Then the DOOR starts.

What I mean by that is on my office door I have little cards with each wedding we have booked. So at a glance I can see where we're at with weddings, what dates are still open, what months might need help, etc. So throughout the blog, if mention the DOOR, I really mean The schedule of upcoming wedding booked with Prelude Photography, but it's easier to just say the DOOR.

:)

- Matt

A Bit About A Classic Florist

Hi, I'm Pat Deschler and I am the florist featured in the Wedding Showcase. I have been a florist for the last 5 years but have loved flowers my whole live. My grandmother got me hooked when I was a little girl. She would take me to the botanical garden in St Louis. It's still my favorite place to visit whenever I get back there.

When I was working in corporate America, I always designed flowers as a hobby, for myself and friends and family. Since I've been a florist, I have loved working with the brides to create unique designs just for their wedding.

My brides always tell me I ask more questions that any other florist they have talked with. My shop does 20-30 weddings a year but we try to keep each one a personal relationship with the bride and groom. The thing I like best is the couples who come back to me year after year for anniversaries, new babies, and birthdays.

I Love to Cry at Weddings

I'm Cory, a lead wedding photographer at Prelude Photography, and I love to cry at weddings. Yep, like the song.

No matter who's getting married, there's always some point during the day when I will cry. Sometimes it's when I see the look on the groom's face when he sees his bride for the first time. Sometimes it's when the couple kisses for the first time as husband and wife. Often it will be during the father-daughter dance, and even every once in awhile, at a little kid who has stayed at the reception way past their bedtime and has conked out on Daddy's shoulder or a row of reception chairs.

I think we cry at weddings - at least, why I cry at weddings - because we are witnessing what is considered the biggest commitment you can make to someone: the promise to love them forever, be there for them always, be their family. I mean, how can you NOT get all teary when you're honored with an invitation to be part of such an event?

People may think that wedding photographers would get kind of numb to the emotion of that after a time... after all, we usually don't really know the couple past our professional relationship, and we've been to so many weddings that we've pretty much seen it all. But I'm here to say it's not true! Being connected with other people is part of photography. Being able to capture those authentic moments, look at a photo and see how much two people love each other just by the looks on their faces... is amazing.

It's really the reason I'm a photographer... to celebrate the amazing things that happen in our lives, and find the extraordinary in the ordinary. To connect with people, and help them connect to each other.

I'm not always a sap, I promise... but I figured on a wedding blog, where I'm supposed to introduce myself, you should know why I love what I do. We'll get silly later. :)

Have a great day, and check back for more wedding words soon!

Cory

Welcome to The Wedding Showcase!

Click play to view a sampling from each of our vendors...

What a way to start a wedding blog, a proposal in our store! A few days ago, we had a nice couple get engaged in our store, on our red carpet. I’d post the pics we took for them, but I want to give them a little time to tell their friends and families. So more on that later.

Anywho, WELCOME to The Wedding Showcase Blog. The WEDDING SHOWCASE is a network of seven different - and elite - wedding vendors, all of whom have a mini-home within Prelude Photography at Great Lakes Mall. We had our grand opening at the end of January and figured it was time for our blog to get out there, and here it is.

I’m Matt, the owner of Prelude and the guy that put together The Wedding Showcase. Our goal in putting the Showcase together was to create a "One Stop Shop" for wedding services at the mall. We know there's so much running around involved when you're planning a wedding, trying to find the perfect vendors for the myriad of services needed to execute a memorable, beautiful wedding. So we figured, why not take the running around out of the picture, and bring some quality businesses together to present a smorgasbord of reputable vendors to choose from in one location?

We loved this idea so much, we moved our portrait studio into a larger location and dedicated half of our display area to The Wedding Showcase.

Now don't think I'll be monopolizing all the fun over here - our other vendors will be writing in this blog from time to time, as well, to give you insights into their specialities. We'll all share tips, samples, fun stories and more about running wedding-related businesses and working with today's brides.

And who are these other vendors, you ask? They are:

Jesse from Jesse Webb Entertainment, an established local DJ company

Pete from Viewpoint Weddings videography

Debbie from Cakes to You wedding cakes

Pat from A Classic Florist

Melanie from Sun Rental

Abbie from Candlelight Creations, who provides invitations, favors and more

and

Nichole from Frosting Accessories, who designs custom bridal jewelry!

We’ll also have some past and future brides writing about their wedding experiences in general... and who knows what other fun we might come up with!

I’m sure that’s plenty for the first blog... more to come soon. In the meantime, I'll invite you to check out Prelude's website here.

See you soon,
Matt