By Laura, ECC

“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!

We still have a few open dates left in December for holiday parties! Be sure to check out our special rates for events during the week as we have rates starting as low as $400 (http://www.plazalecea.com/conference-room-prices.html). For Friday events, we have rates starting at $1250 (http://www.plazalecea.com/reception-hall-fees.html). Call us today to schedule an appointment to tour: 210.615.0009.

By Laura, ECC

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

Looking for a makeup artist or hair stylist for your big day? Here is a short list of some of San Antonio’s finest:

Makeup

MAC Stores:

• Macys

2310 Southwest Military Drive

P:210.334.2000

• MAC (Northstar Mall)

7400 San Pedro

P:210.375.7804

• Dillards (Northstar Mall)

7400 San Pedro
Suite 900

P: 210.344.3450

• Macy’s

200 Northstar Mall

P: 210.340.4302

• Macy’s

6301 Northwest Loop 410

P: 210.647.2562

• Nordstrom

15900 La Cantera Pkwy
Building 13

P: 210.332.1900

Even if you don’t wear makeup on a regular basis, it’s important to have some on your wedding day as you will be taking a lot of photos and you’ll want to look your best. Just a little cover up, blush and lip gloss goes a long way if you are not comfortable with a complete look. Another note is to make sure you do a trial run before your big day (the day of your bridal shower would be perfect so you don’t have to worry about doing your makeup for the event and you’ll get to show it off to family and friends who will give you their opinion of how it looks). It’s important to do this so you will be comfortable with someone else doing your makeup if you haven’t had it done before and you’ll also be able to give the makeup artist feedback as to what you like and don’t like before the big day.

Hair:

Visible Changes:

• Northstar Mall

7400 San Pedro

Suite 810

W: www.visiblechanges.com/locations/northstar.pdf

P: 210.349.1581

• La Cantera

15900 La Cantera Pkwy.

Suite 10020

W: www.visiblechanges.com/locations/lacantera.pdf

P: 210.256.8770

Versi:

5528 Broadway

W: www.versi.com

P: 210.828.8725

Changes Natural Salon & Spa:

11745 IH10 West

W: www.changesnaturel.net

P: 210.641.0900

Sergio’s Salon & Spa:

116 Losoya Street

W: www.sergiossalonandspa.com

P: 210.224.4968

If you are comfortable with your hair stylist, ask them if they specialize in up-dos or wedding-day styles as some only prefer to cut or color hair. If they do, use them as you already know them. Ask for photo references if they have any or any suggestions for styles as they know your hair and see a lot of styles on a regular basis. Also schedule a run-though as well!

Hair & Makeup (in-store or on-location specializing in wedding day looks)

Madame Makeup & Hair:

520 N. Main Ave

W: www.madamemakeup.com

P: 210.826.0138

Blush:

On location

W: www.facesbyblush.com

P: 210.842.3794

A Very Good Hair Day:

On location

W: www.averygoodhairday.com

P: 210.836.5885

Pure Posh:

Village at Stone Oak

W: www.pureposhsalon.com

P: 210.490.7873

Indulgences Hair & Body Salon:

300 W. Bitters Ste. 229

W: www.indulgenceshairandbodysalon.com

P: 210.384.0134

Ciao Bella:

On location

W: www.theciaobellastudio.com

P: 210.385.8005