San Antonio Event Inspiration | The Event Center at Plaza Lecea » Reception Ideas

Spring 2012 Trends

Stephanie — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 23:48:48 +0000

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!

Guest Book Alternatives-Part 2

Stephanie — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 20:48:05 +0000

Thanks for checking back in with us! Here are some additional alternatives to a traditional guest book:

Engravables: Such a fun and fancy way to remember your special day! This company offers an engravable mat or tray with a “signature engraving scribe” aka diamond-tipped pen for guests to engrave their well-wishes! And these pewter mats and trays with never fade or tarnish. Here’s the site: http://www.idoengravables.com/
Platter sign-in: Sort of a spin on the engravables idea, but with a platter that has some color to add to your sign in table decor. Plus this is a fun and funky way to remember your wedding when you display the platter at home. You could have the guests sign the front or back!
Wine bottle/Champagne: This is the kind of DIY project I could handle. Print up five labels to put on your favorite wine or champagne bottle-mimic the same font as your invite or put one of your engagement photos on the front of the bottle. Lay out a few sharpie fine-tip pens and ask your guests to sign your bottles. On each of your first five anniversaries, open up one of the bottles and toast to your marriage and the guests who signed your bottles!
Family tree: Had I know about this when I got married I would have certainly done this alternative guest sign-in…ugh, can I get married again? Find an etsy seller, or if you the creative gene in you, and paint a tree without the leaves. Pick up a green ink pad and a fine-tip sharpie at your local Hobby Lobby and instruct the guests to place a thumbprint on the branches and sign their name next to it! I mean how cute is that?! Here is a sample: http://www.etsy.com/listing/36216397/large-wedding-tree-pdf
Calendar: By far one of the most creative ways we’ve seen from our brides has been a calendar sign-in. Our bride filled the pages of the calendar with photos of them throughout their courtship and engagement and asked the guests to fill in their birthdays, anniversaries, etc. The guests signed around their photos too, but it served dual purpose so that the couple could get all their close family and friends birthdays and special events. This idea may be a fun shower guestbook idea as well!
Wishing rocks: One of our fun Irish brides set us up on this guestbook alternative! You will need polished black stones (you could use any color really), a silver permanent marker and a vase with water. Leave a directional sign asking guests to sign the rocks and make a wish for the happy couple as they put the stone in the water. Later, the bride can put her bouquet in the vase or just regular flowers when she gets home.
Make-a-wish, take-a-wish: This is kind of a twist on the wishing rocks idea above. Ask guests to leave a well-wish for the happy couple and have them place it in a designated vase. After they have put their well-wish in, have them take a well-wish from the couple in a separate vase. Normally it is a quote on love or something that the bride and groom want to share with their guests!

Guest Book Alternatives-Part 1

Stephanie — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 23:01:58 +0000

Besides your photos and video, having your guests sign the guestbook is the next best thing for remembering your special day! We heart our brides over at Plaza Lecea because they are so darn creative! Here are some quick ideas for making your sign-in completely different and uniquely you:

Matted frame: Put your beloved engagement photo in a frame that you’d like to display in your casa. Make sure you choose a mat for the frame that is large enough for all of your guests to sign. Pick up a couple fine-tip sharpies and you are all set! Put the mat in the frame for guests to sign because otherwise they might sign too close to the edge and their message may not be readable when you put the glass and frame on.
Quilt: Have guests sign or leave a well-wish on swatches of fabric in the colors of your wedding (or really any colors you’d like to have a quilt in). Ask a quilting enthusiast to help put your lovely quilt together!
Photo booth: Love this fun idea because it gives your guests an opportunity to take home some instant photos of your special day! Most of the photo booth companies will print two copies of the pictures you take and give one to your guests as a keepsake and put another in a book and have them sign it. And there are so many fun accessories that the photo booth companies bring to make your pictures memorable! We recommend San Antonio Photobooths: http://www.sanantoniophotobooths.com/ or TNT Photobooths of Texas: http://www.tntphotobooths.com/
Guest Book Store: Ok, so we haven’t seen this one here, but I came across it on another blog and thought it was too cool for school! People always find it troubling figuring out what to write in that small two inch space, and a guest book from the Guest Book Store gives them an opportunity to answer a couple of fun questions and even draw a picture of the bride and groom! You will be amazed at the funny things your guests come up with! Here is the site: www.guestbookstore.com.
Wishing tree: Pick up some branches or curly willow from your local florist or Hobby Lobby and spray paint them the colors of your wedding. Cut out shapes (we’ve seen lots of hearts) and connect a hook to the shape so guests can hang the wishes from the branches. You can display this tree at your home or put the shapes into a scrapbook later.
Photo book: Gather all of your favorite photos as a couple (or even as kiddos) and put them into a photo book on Kodakgallery.com or shutterfly.com. There are so many ways to personalize the book

Check back tomorrow for six more awesome ideas–you’ve most like not heard of a few of them!!!

Cake Toppers

Stephanie — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 03:49:31 +0000

With so much to do to plan a wedding, one thing that sometimes gets overlooked is what kind of cake topper you want. Today there are so many choices compared to years ago. There are also various styles to toppers such as traditional, contemporary, fun, romantic or religious.

Make the cake topper unique and special to you as a couple and more personal than the traditional bride and groom standing next to each other with hooked arms. One trend is to put a monogram of your new last name or initials on the top. These can be plastic with glitter, glass, crystal or other materials. Adding a few small flowers will make the cake topper really beautiful, colorful and really stand out. Depending on your cake, if you are working with sugar flowers on the cake you may want to ask the baker if they will make your monogram of fondant or chocolate.

A different idea is to use a cake topper that reflects your personality or the personally of the couple. There are lots of fun and whimsical wedding toppers such as, the bride pulling on the groom, the groom holding the bride up to kiss her or the bride on a lower layer with the groom on the top layer helping the bride up to the top layer. These days you can express your view and who you are by the cake topper you select. For example, one bride and her groom had a topper with them both holding shot guns, to make the joke of the wedding be a shot gun wedding or even some with the couple in a car or on a motorcycle. There are even some companies that will use pictures of the bride and groom to make the faces as close to the couple as possible.

As for the toppers, there are many ways to go and many ways to express the type of wedding you would like to portray. It’s your special day and you can be as creative and as imaginative as you like.

Wedding cake toppers can be purchased from specialty retailers online, such as www.Beau-coup-.com, www.Weddingcollectables.com, Advantage Bridal, or Cake Toppers.com. Local wedding supply and party supply stores may also have cake toppers, although the selection may not be as vast as on the Internet. The bakery making your wedding cake may also be able to supply wedding cake toppers for you.

The Rarest Favor of Them All

Stephanie — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 04:25:55 +0000

When looking for the perfect favors for wedding guests, it’s important to pick something that reflects the bride and groom’s personalities and remains sinuous with the overall theme of the wedding. Anyone can put M&M’s into a goody bag and call it a favor, but why not spice it up a bit?

My Wedding Favors (www.myweddingfavors.com) offers extremely unique wedding favors at reasonable prices. For example, their “Love Birds in a Window Salt & Pepper Shakers” are adorable, simple and different. For a fun-loving couple, the “Perfectly Suited Personalized Playing Cards in a Travel Case” are a great way to thank your guests while giving them something they can actually use! My Wedding Favors has everything from “Luxurious Silk Fans” to “Ocean Breeze Scented Seashell Soaps” to “Lucky Elephant Tea Light Holders”. This website is a great source for purchasing favors or to get some good ideas!

Favor Warehouse (www.favorwarehouse.com) is another fabulous favors website. Favor Warehouse makes choosing the perfect favor even easier by categorizing them by seasons. Fall favors include: “Fall for Love Personalized Cappuccino + Optional Heart Whisk”, “Fall for Love Acrylic Luggage Tags” and “Fall for Love Personalized Notebooks”. For winter, Favor Warehouse boasts “Snowflake Design Bookmark Favors” as well as “Winter Wonderland Collection Wine Stoppers”.

At American Bridal (www.americanbridal.com), you can find everything from cool “Luminous Mini-Lantern Favors” to elegant “Photo Glass Coaster Favors”. If you’re looking for something really different, check out “The ‘Gratest’ Love of All Stainless Steel Cheese Grater Favors in Showcase Gift Boxes”, the “Meant to ‘Bee’ Ceramic Honey Pots with Wooden Dippers” or the “We Clicked Mouse Pads”.

Be sure to pick the favors that suit you and your partner’s personal styles the best, and your guests will be sure to love them!

The Tradition of the Groom’s Cake

Stephanie — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 23:36:16 +0000

What began as a Southern tradition is spreading across the U.S. rather rapidly thanks to Food Network’s Ace of Cakes and TLC’s Cake Boss. More and more brides and grooms are adapting this tradition and putting their unique personalities into the mix. The groom’s cake actually started as a fruitcake and was decorated with marzipan and placed besides the bride’s cake. This small square or rectangular cake was not normally eaten at the reception, but rather packaged up and taken home as a treat from the bride and groom. An old-wives tale is also wrapped up in this tradition: If a single woman slept with the small piece of cake under their pillow, they would apparently dream of their future husband. Who know if that superstition is true!

In recent years, these cakes have transformed from the bland fruitcake to more popular flavors and have a true spotlight in the wedding! Many grooms are opting for chocolate cake for the groom’s cake since the bride’s cake is normally white cake with some sort of flavoring. This cake can be any flavor that the groom desires and we’ve seen it all! Chocolate, marble, carrot, red velvet and even an ice cream cake have made it into our venue. With so many creative bakers in San Antonio, the options are endless!

Now, you have two options when serving the groom’s cake. It can be served at the rehearsal dinner or at the reception. If serving it at the wedding, make sure to opt for a different flavor from the bride’s cake to give your guests options. Also, the groom’s cake does not need to feed all of your guests, but there aren’t normally leftovers!

As far as the design or theme of the cake, let your groom’s imagination run wild or surprise him with something you think he’ll like. Think about his occupation, hobbies, interests or favorite sports teams as a starting off point and then lean on your baker for ideas of what to do with this idea. We really have had some amazing and totally unique groom’s cakes here at Plaza Lecea, from a replica of a Costco store, to military branches, music instruments or a fav band to poker-themed ones and the ever popular sports team cake.

Sweet Treats!

Stephanie — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 04:11:06 +0000

We love candy bars, like LOVE candy bars…(who doesn’t btw) but in keeping with trends, we are finding that the modern bride is uber creative. Here are a few great ideas if you’d like to take your sweet treats to the next level:

1. Ice Cream Bar: Oh my my goodness! What better way to cool down then to treat your guests to a refreshing and decadent dessert? First and foremost, make sure you have your caterer put everything out once you are ready for it so that the ice cream doesn’t melt! Offering guests an option of putting the ice cream in a waffle cone or cup is a great option. You can choose your mix of toppings a la Cold Stone Creamery or Marble Slab…and make sure you don’t forget your fav ones! You can even offer a signature scoop and make it like the one you shared on your first date or just maybe your favorite combination. Don’t forget to provide spoons!

2. Cupcake Bar: Let your guest’s imagination run wild! Put out a few dozen cupcakes in the flavor of your choice (or more depending on your number of guests) with a couple different types of frosting (this is a great way to tie in your wedding colors!). Then put 5-7 different toppings in containers of your choice and label them for guests to choose. Don’t forget to provide spoons! Some awesome toppings would be sprinkles (another way to bring in your wedding colors), chocolate chips, crushed peanuts, m&ms, finely chopped candy bars, gum drops, liquorish or graham crackers. Really the options are endless and sweet!

3. Aguas Frescas Bar: This drink is a must-try if you live in South Texas! If you aren’t familiar with this yummy concoction, aguas frescas means cold, fresh waters. These drinks have water, fruits, cereals or seed mixed with sugar to make a blended beverage. Although they originated and are more common in Mexico, they are an awesome idea for your event! With flavors such as cantaloupe, guava, mango, melon, papaya, cucumber, lemon, lime, orange, pineapple, strawberry and the ever popular horchata (rice and vanilla—don’t judge just yet…it’s pretty awesome!).

4. Smoothie Bar: If you are worried about that ice cream melting, think smoothies! Again, make sure you have a vendor for this one so Aunt Ruth doesn’t have to man the station all night long. We heart The Lemonade Co (http://www.thelemonadeco.com/catering.html) who can provide this service at an affordable rate! Tie in your favorite flavors or have all the standard ones available for your guests to cool down with.

There is no doubt that candy treats are a sure way to your guest’s heart, but these creative ideas may also be the new “it” thing to do. Always try to incorporate something that is special or near and dear to your hearts as a couple. So if you had a certain type of cupcake on your first date or when he proposed, try to integrate that into your reception for a way for your guests to get to know a little more about your “sweet love”!

Until next time, happy planning!

Invitations 101

Stephanie — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 06:28:21 +0000

Putting words to paper makes everything seem a bit more real so for many brides. This is the moment that you feel that the wedding you are planning is finally here! Invitations are a great way to let on some details about your upcoming nuptials without giving away everything. Invitations set the tone and formality of the event as well. Now-a-days brides are more creative than ever and this week we plan to spend the next couple of weeks going over different types of invitations you might want to consider for your wedding festivities. Here’s what we’ll show you:

Bridesmaids
Engagement Party
Save the Date
Bridal Shower
Rehearsal Dinner
Wedding Invitation
Thank You Card

We’ll start with the first one, the Bridesmaid’s Invitation:

Asking your friends to share in your special day is uber important! They are the people (because you can totally have a male bridesmaid or Man of Honor) that have already been by your side through thick and thin and sharing this day with them is almost as important as the groom . We have found a great source of pre printed selections here: http://bit.ly/dlapbx. Although a lot of these already have a poem or some sort of copy already included, a nice personalized note would be a fabulous addition!

I have to say this was my favorite invitation that I sent out (actually hand delivered) was to my bridesmaids. I went to The Invitation Chickshere in San Antonio and made a fun little card asking them to be a bridesmaid in my wedding. I think the girls loved it more than the gifts I got them later on! I spent hours searching the internet for the perfect wording and I came up with this:

You have always been there, more than just a friend.
You know just who I am and everywhere I’ve been.

You’re the one who I can turn to, any hour of the day.
Seems, I only have to think of you and you’ll be on your way.

No matter where life takes me, no matter where I roam.
When I’m with you my friend, my heart feels right at home.

So on my wedding day, I will need you more than ever.
Please say you’ll be my bridesmaid now…. and my friend forever.

Here is another example:

Our friendship just gets better, through every passing year.
But it really has been this one, that I hold truly dear.

In helping with my wedding, and knowing you will be,
sharing in this day, by standing up for me.

You’ve taken something special, and added from your heart,
all the things that made us friends, right from the very start.

And though our lives are changing, our friendship will stay true.
This my heart will count on, as my life begins anew.

Thank you for being such a wonderful part of my life.

OR this is a fun spin on how to ask your bridesmaid, a la Letterman style:

Top 10 Reasons to be My Bridesmaid

10. You look great in (color of bridesmaids’ dress).
9. Someone has to help me go to the bathroom in a ballgown.
8. I know you will plan a great bachelorette party.
7. I will give you a great bridesmaids gift.
6. I want the people at my wedding to see how beautiful my friends are.
5. These wedding favors won’t make themselves.
4. You get to have the best seat in the house at the ceremony.
3. I need someone to pretend to want to catch the bouquet.
2. My fiance asked for some hot girls to be in the wedding party.

And the number one reason you should be my bridesmaid is…because you are one of my best friends and I love you!

There are surely other ways to ask your bridesmaids, and you can use your endless imagination if you want to create your own poem/wording but whichever way you ask your nearest and dearest, they will surely remember how special you made them feel that day!

Wedding Flowers for Each Season

Stephanie — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 01:50:03 +0000

If you can spring for fresh flowers for your upcoming reception, we highly recommend it! There is no better way to add that extra flair to your wedding than with fresh flowers. Plus your reception space will be filled with the fresh aroma of these gorgeous additions.

A way to keep down costs for your fresh flowers is to purchase ones that are in season. You can even combine in-season flowers with flowers that are available year-round to make it more cost-effective. Here is a list of flowers that you can get all year round and by the season. Happy searching!

Year-round florals:

Alstromeria

Aster (if from Africa)

Gerbera (Gerber Daisy)

Winter (December-January)

Aster (US grown)

Filler foliage: Ivy, Holly, Baby’s Breath, Wax Flower, Hypericum Berries

Spring: March – May

Filler foliage: Banana leafs, Heather, Wax Flower, Baby’s Breath

Summer: June – August

Love in a Mist (Nigella)

Filler Foliage: Mint, Baby’s Breath

Fall: September – November

Filler foliage: Ornamental Cabbage, Hypericum Berries, Euonymus, Heather, Baby’s Breath & Wax Flower

Reception ideas: Color Ideas for Your Holiday Party

Stephanie — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 04:49:09 +0000

It’s never too early to start planning your next holiday party! There are so many fun ways to celebrate the glorious season and lots of fun themes and color palettes to choose from. Wow your guests or co-workers with these stunning ideas:

Color combos you might not expect for the holidays:

Lime Green, True Red and Black: These bright versions of traditional holiday colors dress up very well with black decor and bring a level of chicness to the event.

Tiffany Blue and True Red: Perfect mesh of a winter wonderland meets traditional Christmas. This seemly odd color pair actually comes together quite nicely.

Any Color Plaid: Plaid is not just for school uniforms, it’s a staple for the holidays. So mix it up and find a fun plaid and mix with traditional holiday elements such as ornament balls and pine cones

Bright Pink, Orange, Yellow, Blue and Purple: Think of your conventional Christmas tree lights and kick it up a notch. These bright colors will be an unexpected and fun twist.

Turquoise, Lime Green and Blue: Retro party in full swing. These fun and funky colors can make for a twist in your winter wonderland theme as well.

Hot Pink and Lime Green: Great way to play off red and green. These colors add a lively spark to your decor and ultimately your guests will love the delightful spirit of the season.

Black, Hunter Green and White: Last Christmas we did a dashing combo of these colors with black and white damask linens and hunter green accents. Talk about opulence! This combo was spectacular.

If you favor tradition, there is nothing wrong with going with colors that you are used to and grew up loving. Who doesn’t equate red and green with the holidays? So think along the lines of Christmas trees, bows and snow (even if we are in South Texas)! These color combos shine:

True Red, Green (and Gold): Super traditional, yet never understated. The first thing you think of when it comes to the holidays include these two colors. So spice up your party with holly and mistletoe. You can even add in a little gold to make it a polished look. We love this union of traditional colors in our facility because it pairs so well with our carpets and other decor.

Blue, White and Silver: The ultimate way to frost your guests than with colors that will glimmer and dazzle in your guest’s memories.

Silver and Gold: The perfect way to treat your guests to an elegant celebration. This luxurious blend of metallic shades will take your event to the next level.

Anyway you cut it, color adds that special sparkle to any event. Whether you are interested in a super formal event or just a fun get together, adding those thoughtful touches will leave your guests remembering what a special time they had.

And if you are still looking for the perfect location for you holiday party, we are here to help! We currently have a few dates available for holiday parties! It may be July, but it’s better than waiting until last minute to book. Contact Stephanie at 210.615.0009 for more details!