By Susan, ECC

Fire-up Your Reception!

…….with magnificent lighting ! Back when, lighting up your reception was just stringing up Christmas lights on the ceiling and candles on the table.  It was the only real choice we had.

Well, the new age is here. Today there are so many more choices.  You can go from simple and soft to extravagant and wild.  It’s like taking your pen and creating your own fantasy.  Your personality will show through the creation of lights throughout your reception venue and will bring lots of oohs’ and aahs’ as your guests walk in.   As the night draws near you’ll see how the whole mood of the room changes, then the magic really begins.

One of the popular chooses our brides choose is what’s called “up-lighting.”   Lighting is placed throughout the venue in the most special places creating a mystical gathering place.  Choose colors that best fit the colors and style of your wedding.  If your colors are blue and white, you might want to use white on your linens and then light up the room in blue as an accent color.  In our facility you can do as little as 4 uplights for the corners of the room, or as many as 20 to really take lighting to another level. And, these days lighting experts are using more and more LED lights that can actually change color throughout the event. You can start off your reception with pinks and purple hues and when the dancing gets going turn the entire space blue and green, or even just different colors throughout the rest of the party.

Pinspoting is another popular choice to highlight your cake or extravagant centerpieces. This looks great especially when you have tall centerpieces. Another favorite of our brides is the monograms floating along the floor or that perfect wall where all will see.  It’s you and your groom’s initials in lights; a perfect way to personalize your reception and enhances the glow in the room.

We also really love lighting up our patio or Boardroom when you are having a lounge area–it really brings the whole lounge concept together. Just take a look at these pictures:

As a today’s bride, you are so lucky to have these options to brighten your day.  Enjoy and create!  A few of our preferred vendors are Allustra Events (www.saweddingdj.com), Holtz Entertainment (www.holtzentertainment.com), Illuminating Celebrations (www.illuninatingcelebrations.com).

by Laura, ECC

It’s almost the big day…wedding dress and shoes? Check!  Bouquet?  Check!  Hair, nails and makeup appointment?  Set!  So what might you be forgetting?

Perfection is in the details and bridal accessories are just as important for assuring that your special day is as close to perfect as you could dream.  Add a few (or all) of these must have bridal accessories to your wedding checklist:

Reception Slippers/Flip-Flops:

Unless you are used to wearing high heels for five hours or more while standing, dancing and walking, we would like to suggest a pair of bridal reception slippers to slip into while dancing and conversing!  Trust us…your feet will thank you!

Wedding Handkerchief:

There is nothing more graceful than a teary eyed bride wiping her nose and the running makeup from her eyes with her hands.  Obviously we are kidding.  Be sure to have a wedding handkerchief in your handbag, at your table, in your groom’s pocket, anywhere within hands reach for those “happy tears” moments.

Jewelry:

Probably one of the more obvious accessories is of course your jewelry.  While the amount of jewelry varies depending on personal, cultural and religious beliefs, a simple standard is to pick jewelry that only accents your dress.  Carefully selected jewelry is an easy way to add detail and elegance without distracting too much from your dress and of course, your lovely smiling face.

Bouquet Accessory

Assuming that you already have your assortment of bouquet flowers chosen; accessorize the stems with a bouquet buckle, pick, cuff, wrap or ribbon.  There are many ways to add a little elegance to your bouquet. Be sure to check with your florist or at bridal specialty shops for one that best suits the rest of your bridal accessories.

Wedding Garter:

The bouquet has been tossed, the groom’s men are in position and your new husband slowly reaches up to find…the garter is missing!  Don’t forget to pay some attention to this fun wedding accessory!  The toss of the garter is a fun wedding tradition that engages and entertains your wedding guests.  It’s also to be seen by all so be sure that like the rest of your accessories that it fits the look and feel of the rest of your gown.

Bridal Handbag:

“You may now kiss the bride!”  Eep!  Your lips are dry and cracking because your lip gloss is in your purse at home.  Or Aunt Flow has come to town early and you simply were not expecting it.  All humor aside, these are real things that you need to be prepared for on your wedding day.  A bridal handbag helps you keep only the bare essentials with you for any “just in case” moments that should arise.  Be prepared and select a handbag that beautifully compliments your bridal wear.

Hair Accessories:

To determine you perfect hair accessory, you first have to know the type of bride you are.  Are you simple and natural?  Perhaps you would prefer your hair to be lightly dressed with a few simple floral buds.  Or maybe you are a flashier bride and would love a shimmery tiara.  Whether you choose a classic veil or a unique hair piece, choosing a hair accessory is a perfect way to make a statement to the rest of your bridal wear.

By Laura, ECC

Wedding Decor: Rough Luxe

Are you a trendy spring bride looking for the latest trends for your Spring 2012 wedding?  Well the Plaza Lecea has you covered. This year’s spring trends are leaning toward the “rough luxe”.  Combining the look of the “rough” and the raw with the elegance of luxury.  Natural raw woods/twigs and linen cloth paired with delicate flowers and laces. To keep the elegance subtle use soft spring hues: muted blues, greens, yellows and pinks.  Monogramming is also becoming a popular trend, custom napkins, linens, etc.

The Dress: Illusion Necklines and Vintage

Illusion necklines are becoming ever popular with our 2012 spring brides!  Delicate fabrics, sheer lace and often with an embellished layer of fabric, veils the skin that would normally be left bare above a strapless dress line.  This transforms a stark sexy look to a more elegant look. If you want to get the same elegant look without the illusion necklines try a vintage 50’s and 60’s wedding dress design or simply a bird cage veil is a great way to add this vintage look without overdoing it.

The Cake:

Think ruffles and monograms personalized to your wedding needs!  Teamed with some muted spring colors!  Still need help, come visit us at the Plaza Lecea!

We’re not talking about age here, but a unique gift idea for your bridal party.  A company called “Thirty-One Gifts” has a large assortment of stylish and affordable products to fit every personality and situation.  You’ll find items from signature purses and totes to storage solutions that help organize your life.

For the Bridesmaids:

Your bridesmaids will love receiving something beautiful yet quite useable in their everyday life.  For instance, this thermal tote shown in painted floral cupcake (one of many styles), with their names embroidered on them.   Surprise them with them with the bag full of different types of your favorite chocolates. They won’t melt waiting for them to receive them either.

How about a cosmetic bag filled with items they may need during your wedding events, or grab them a gift card to get their make up done for the wedding day and put in their personalized pouch. We love the zipper pouch and at $12, it’s a GREAT deal!

Another option would be getting them a basic tote to carry all their belongings on the day of the event, like a Tote-Ally Awesome Tote or the Expand-A-Tote Day Extender. And you really can’t go wrong with the Retro Metro Bag.

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