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.

And for the Groomsmen:

We don’t want to forget about the groomsmen.  You can give them something to keep them organized, keep the man cave clean and give them their own “thirty-One” style!   This Men’s Essentials Case is a great gift.  How about adding a little something they may need for your wedding; let’s say some aftershave lotion, cologne etc?

Now the guys are going to have their “Boys Night” too.  So, how about a thermal bag filled with their favorite drink(s), or filled with other special items on your list.

For a more formal gift, their leather Money Clip Wallet with their initials placed on the wallet with laser etching.

Most items can have either embroidery or Laser Etching for personalization.   Whether you go the “Thirty-One” style or another style, there are so many things to choose from.  For more information about “Thirty-One”, you can go to www.MyThirtyOne.com/Ginas31.

• Heavenly Gourmet Catering: www.heavenlyg.com
• Raul’s Photography: www.raulsphotography.com
• Cakes & More: www.sacakes.com
• Cupcake Photography: www.cupcakesphoto.com
• Got it Covered Events & Catering: www.gotitcoveredsa.com

Stop by our venue from 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. and try out some San Antonio’s finest caterers, photographers and cakes! Plus we’ll get you caught up on all the latest trends in linens and colors as well as show you around the space. RSVP here today: http://bit.ly/plazaopenhouse.

-Preregister! By going to http://www.weddingfairshow.com/orderform.asp you not only save $3 on admission, but you also save about 15-20 minutes when you get there by filling out your information online instead of waiting in line. Just remember to print out your receipt so there are no hassles or confusion on the day of the show.

-Wear comfy shoes. You’ll be thanking me afterwards. Since the show is at the JW Marriott, there is a lot of close, convenient parking; however, if you arrive when the show has already started, you may have to walk a pretty good distance. And, when you get inside you’ll be spending a good 2+ hours walking around. Give your feet a little break. On the flip side, if you wear something uncomfortable, there are some couches outside of the large room where most of the booths are if you (or fiancé or dad) need a break. And if you are super tired, check out the 5 hour energy sample booth! How awesome is that?

-Don’t eat ahead of time…unless you’ve already chosen your caterer, cake and chocolate fountain company. There is a lot of food at these shows, and you’ll get to taste and critique with your fiancé/mom/friend/insert any other person attending with you here. And seriously? Who doesn’t love a little cake or a chocolate dipped strawberry? They are hard to resist! Some of our caterers that will be on display at the show are:

• Absolutely Delicious Catering
• Catering by Celebrations
• Heavenly Gourmet
• Spice of Life Catering

And if you are super thirsty after tasting all of these delicious foods, you can stop by our booth for some water and to chat! We love to see our already booked brides just as much as the new ones.

-Make labels with your wedding info. Most vendors will ask you for your info, including us. Instead of your hand going numb from writing your wedding info over and over again, we have found that if you includes these items in a label, it will really save you a lot of time and hassle:

• Name, Fiance’s name
• Contact info: Address, email, phone
• Wedding date
• Approx. number of guests

-Bring a camera/camera phone. There will be lots of fabulous ideas and trends to check out at the show, so take some pictures to help you remember it all. And do not be afraid to go to booths and just take pictures of their set ups–we love the compliment that you like our taste and style, even if you’ll be having your event at another venue!

We really hope you have a fabulous time at the show. There are so many vendors to check out and we’d love for you to stop by our booth for more information about our facilities. There are only a few opportunities each year for wedding fairs and they really are worth the money to attend. You can knock out half of your wedding to-do list (or at least do a lot of the leg work with narrowing down your list of vendors) with your best friends while checking out some of San Antonio’s finest wedding vendors!

Til next time…happy planning!

There are so many traditional elements to a wedding that make up the day. From the first kiss to the first dance, we love them all! But today we are here to focus on first dance songs. Your first dance is one of the moments in your lifetime that defines you as a couple. It can show off your quirkiness or even your deeply romantic side. Whether you are classic, contemporary, a bit off beat or a country couple, choosing the genre and the song that means the most to you guys is super important. Think about the one song that has great meaning between for the two of you.  It may be the song that was playing when you first met, one that you always played while being together, or one that just tells your story.

Here are some ideas to get the ball rolling:

Classics:

• Unforgettable-Nat King Cole
• Can’t Help Falling in Love with You-Elvis Presley
• The Way You Look Tonight-Frank Sinatra
• It Had to Be You-Harry Connick, Jr.
• At Last-Etta James

Country:

• You Just Get Better All the Time-Tim McGraw
• Bless the Broken Road-Rascal Flatts
• I Cross My Heart-George Straight
• I Swear-John Michael Montgomery
• Making Memories of Us-Keith Urban
• It’s Your Love-Tim McGraw & Faith Hill
• Amazed-Lonestar
• From This Moment-Shania Twain

Modern classics:

• (There is) No Greater Love-Amy Winehouse
• You and I-Michael Buble
• For Once in My Life-Michael Buble
• Love Song-311 (The Cure)
• She-Elvis Costello
• Fade Into You-Mazzy Star
• I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing-Aerosmith

Not so mainstream:

• First Day of My Life-Bright Eyes
• I’m the Man Who Loves You-Wilco
• I Wanna Grow Old With You-Adam Sandler
• I’m Sticking With You-The Velvet Underground

For more resources, there are hundreds of pages on google when you search for wedding songs, but we love The Knot’s lists:  http://wedding.theknot.com/wedding-planning/wedding-music-ideas/articles/wedding-song-ideas-real-brides-must-play-lists.aspx

Or for a more unique selection, check out the Offbeat Bride’s blog here:  http://offbeatbride.com/2010/03/unique-first-dance-songs

And, always, always, always, consult with your DJ or Band. This is their whole world! They know the most songs and are able to steer you in the right direction!

Hark! Hark to the wind! ‘Tis the night, they say,
When all souls come back from the far away-
The dead, forgotten this many a day!
~Virna Sheard

For many across the world, today is Halloween, a day of tricks and treats, fun costumes and spooky decorations.  As we celebrate, it is fun to reflect on the dark history that has shaped Halloween into what we know it as today.  Halloween is a holiday with ancient roots beginning around 2,000 years ago.  During this time, the Celts recognized Samhain, or New Years, on November 1.   Samhain signified the end of the year bringing an end to summer, the harvesting season and the beginning of winter.  Winter was a feared time of year and a time of death and famine among the people and their livestock.  The Celtics believed that this was due to the boundary opening between the living and the dead on October 31, unleashing the spirits of the dead.  Some of these spirits were believed to possess the living, ruin crops, or search for passage to the afterlife.  Costumes were worn in an attempt to ward off the evil spirits from the land giving birth to the modern day wearing of costumes.
It was also believed that during this time faeries would dress as beggars and ask for food from door to door.   Faeries rewarded those who gave food and punished those who did not.   This is believed to be the origins of what we know as “trick or treating” today.
When Christianity began to spread over the next several hundred years, the Christian church attempted to replace Samhain with All Saints Day or All Hollows, to honour the dead church saints and martyrs.  Since Samhain was celebrated the night before November 1, the celebration became known as All Hallows Eve, and later Halloween.
May you all have a safe and eventful Halloween!

Looking for a way to add unique details to your wedding or special event?  Check out artisans and local artists to your area featured on Etsy! (www.Etsy.com) Featuring a large assortment of unique and homemade items, Etsy supports handmade goods and is a great way to add a unique and personal touch to your wedding or event from start to finish!  For details on the specific items featured here, check out local San Antonio/New Braunfels artisan and wedding stationer Jennifer Bishop of Architette Studios. http://www.etsy.com/people/architette.  Architette’s Etsy page features hand drawn prints that are perfect for cards, wedding invitations and save the date cards personalized to add that unique flair to your wedding or special event!

“Autumn, the year’s last, loveliest smile.” -William Cullen Bryant

Autumn has officially arrived and while the weather here in San Antonio may not always look or feel like autumn, let Plaza Lecea give you some great autumn décor ideas to bring the look and feel of autumn to your event!

Party favors are great ways to thank your guests for coming to your event and can also add that touch of festivity to your event décor.  When we think of autumn, it just doesn’t seem complete without pumpkins!  Mini pumpkins can be purchased locally at craft stores and some grocers.  A simple ribbon hot glued around the pumpkin adds a great finishing touch to these easy and fun party favors.  For extra detail, a “thank you” note can easily be tied on to the stem!

Centerpieces:

For those events with multiple or even one main table, think candy corn for the centerpieces!  These bright and colorful little candies add the perfect blend of fall colors to create a brilliant centerpiece.  By filling a glass jar with your desired amount of candy corn and topping off with either candles or flowers, a festive and elegant centerpiece is born!

Another fun idea is using pumpkins and leaves! What isn’t more autumn than this duo? We love the idea of pinning leaves to the top of a pumpkin so that the pumpkin looks like a vase and the leaves look like flowers. Using silk leaves with wire “veining” works best and using lots of leaves will give the best full-effect. Even using a combination of pumpkins, leaves and candy corn will really bring an autumn theme to life!

Decoration:

When deciding upon your event decorations, don’t think expensive, think CONSTRUCTIVE!  For a spook-tacular event, these fun and simple decorative candles can be made with an inexpensive glass votive and black construction paper!  A hole punch and a permanent marker can be used to create the appearance of eyes.

Want a more elegant feel to your candles?  Choose a burnt orange or a crimson red and a leaf or floral shaped hole punch that can be located at your local craft store!

Linens:

Don’t forget that your table linens can create all the difference when it comes to bringing color to your event!  We have tons of fall colors, including burnt orange, deep red, chocolate brown, champagne, olive green, plum and ivory in lots of different textures! At Plaza Lecea, we provide linens for your booked event with us, so stop in and we will show you the perfect linens for your autumn event!

While there is not a specific date that the tradition of exchanging wedding rings began,  it is to the surprise of many people that the wedding ring is a tradition that dates all the way back to Ancient Rome. However it was not to be used in the Western World however until the late 13^th century.  While modern day wedding rings are typically exchanged as a symbol of love and devotion, historically speaking, the wedding ring was a symbol of valuables and the contract of economic safety between two individuals.  During this time, the wedding ring was traditionally only given to the bride and the male partner did not wear a ring.  The double ring ceremony is more of a modern tradition beginning in the 1920’s as a result of the American jewelry ad campaign promoting male engagement rings.

While the exchanging of wedding rings is a popular tradition through the United States and Europe, it is not the only tradition used worldwide.  The exchanging of wedding rings as we know it today throughout the United States is heavily based off European influence, namely the Church of England’s Book of Common Prayer whose vows included “With this ring I thee wed, with my body I thee worship, and with all my worldly goods I thee endow: In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen”.  This practice is also seen in the Jewish, Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox religions.

While the use of wedding rings or marriage bands are nearly universal throughout the world, other symbols are used in some cultures to signify marriage.  For instance throughout South Asia, a married woman of the Hindu religion wears a gold necklace known as a Mangalsutra and the groom marks the forehead of the bride with vermillion to symbolize marriage.

In the Amish society, marriage is a very sacred institution; however, because those of the Amish community do not wear jewelry, there is not an exchanging or wearing of rings to symbolize marriage.

However you choose to symbolize your marriage, with a ring, a necklace or without a symbol at all one thing is universally consistent with nearly all cultures and societies and that is the celebration!  When you are ready for your celebration, no matter what the occasion, let Plaza Lecea help make the process a memorable one!

Photo Credit: Alamo Photographic

Local Resources:

Alfred Angelo: http://bit.ly/aabridesmaids

Two locations in San Antonio:

• 9951 I-10 West
  San Antonio, TX 78230
  (210) 558-3168
• 209 Northwest Loop 410
  San Antonio, TX 78216
  (210) 530-5100

Hours of Operation:

M-F: 11 am to 8 pm
Sat: 10 am to 6 pm
Sun: 12 pm to 6 pm

Bella Bridesmaid: www.bellabridesmaid.com

5800 Broadway St #201
San Antonio, TX 78209
(210) 804-1000

Hours of Operation:

T-F: 10 am to 6 pm
Sat: 10 am to 5 pm
Sun-Mon: Closed

Designers: Alvina Valenta, Amsale, Anna Elyse, Badgley Mischka, Carol Hannah, Coren Moore, Jenny Yoo, Love by Enzoani, LulaKate Bridal, Priscilla of Boston, Melissa Sweet, Monique Lhuillier Maids, Simple Silhouettes, Two Birds

Photo Credit: Alamo Photographic

Bridal Galleria: http://www.sawhost.com/bridalgalleria/

7319 San Pedro Avenue
San Antonio, TX 78216
(210) 342-5752

Hours of Operation:

M-F: 10:30 am to 7 pm
Sat: 10 am to 6 pm
Sun: Closed

David’s Bridal: http://www.davidsbridal.com/Browse_Bridal-Party

Two locations in San Antonio:

• 5841 NW Loop 410
  San Antonio, TX 78238
  (210) 680-5094
• 125 NW Loop 410 (Plaza del Norte)
  San Antonio, TX 78216
  (210) 340-5385

Hours of Operation:

M-F: 11 am to 9 pm
Sat: 10 am to 7 pm
Sun: 12 pm to 6 pm

Julian Gold:  www.juliangold.com

4109 McCullough

Photo Credit: Alamo Photographic

San Antonio, TX 78212
(210) 824-2493

Hours of Operation:

M-Sat: 10 am to 5:30 pm
Sun: Closed

Designers: Amsale, Vera Wang, Melissa Sweet, Priscilla of Boston, Lazaro, Bill Levkoff, Watters & Watters

Nordstrom’s: http://bit.ly/Nordstromsbridesmaids

Nordstrom The Shops at La Cantera
15900 La Cantera Parkway
San Antonio, TX 78256
(210)332-1900

Hours of Operation:

M-Sat: 10 am to 9 pm
Sun: 12 pm to 6 pm

Designers: ABS by Allen Schwartz, Adrianna Papell, Adrianna Papell Day, Aidan Mattox, Alexia Admor, Amsale, BCBGMAXAZRIA, Betsy & Adam, Cachet, Calvin Klein, David Meister, Donna Morgan, Donna Ricco, Elie Tahari, Eliza J, Ellen Tracy, Glint, Halston Heritage, JS Boutique, JS Collections, Laundry by Shelli Segal, Maggy London, Max & Cleo, ML Monique Lhuillier Bridesmaids, Nicole Miller, Patra, Suzi Chin for Maggy Boutique, Tadashi Shoji, Tahari by Arthur S. Levine, Taylor Dresses, Xscape

The Bridal Connection: www.bridalconnectionsa.com/

6909 N Loop 1604 E
San Antonio, TX 78266
(210) 967-4696

Hours of Operation:

Photo Credit: Alamo Photographic

M-F: 11 am to 7 pm
Sat: 10 am to 7 pm
Sun: 12 pm to 6 pm

Designers: After 6 by The Dessy Group, Mori Lee, Alexia, Bari Jay, Forever Yours, Eden Bridals, bill Levkoff, Mary’s Bridal

The Bridal Salon of San Antonio: www.bridalsalonsa.com/

2150 East Hildebrand Avenue
San Antonio, TX 78209-6333
(210) 828-7931

Hours of Operation:

T-Sat: 10 am to 5 pm
Sun-Mon: closed

Designers: Watters & Watters, Wtoo, Vera Wang Maids, Jim Hjelm Occasions & Separates, The Dessy Group

There are also tons and tons (we really mean tons) of resources online that you can order from as well. Here are some unique choices that you may already shop at already!

Online Resources:

J Crew: http://www.jcrew.com/wedding/Wedding_Bridesmaid/bridesmaidpartydresses.jsp

Photo Credit: Alamo Photographic

The Dessy Group: www.dessy.com/bridesmaid-dresses/

The Limited: http://bit.ly/limitedbridesmaids

White House Black Market: http://bit.ly/whbmbridesmaids

And remember, think about your bridesmaids feelings and budget before choosing the dress. You will be in their shoes one day too! Happy planning!