Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Wedding Wednesday: 3 Items You Don't Want to Forget

The most important items can be the easiest to overlook...
They may not as exciting as your dress, floral decor or invitations, but these items are the most necessary! 

Here are some reminders and tips to getting hitched.. without a hitch!

Marriage License
- Check your state's application rules at least six months before your big day.
- Marriage requirements can differ even between counties, so do your homework! 
- Talk about the plan for signing the marriage certificate before your BIG DAY.
- Make sure that who ever is sending it in makes a copy beforehand. 

Photo courtesy of Estate Weddings and Events 

Destination Brides:
Triple check the local laws of your destination, including residency requirements
(how long you must be in the country before you apply).
OR
Hold a civil ceremony in the U.S. before you go - just to be safe!

Check out The Knot for tips on tying the knot internationally.  

Name Change
- Change your Social Security card and your drivers license in person and do this first.
- Everything else, credit cards, bank accounts, et cetera, can usually be done online. 
- You can never check the the spelling enough - it all must match!

Passport 
- Start this process at least 3 months out if you are traveling internationally for your honeymoon.
- Changing your name could take six weeks to process.
(If you're too close for comfort, wait until you return from your honeymoon.)  
- The name on your tickets must match the one on your passport. 

Photo Courtesy of Serendipity Beyond Design 

Common Mistake:  Based on the time of departure, make sure that your passport has at 
least six months before expiration.  If you're close - update it to avoid hassle!


Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Wedding Wednesday: Invitation Etiquette & Tips

Wedding invitations do not always have to be traditional, but when it comes to etiquette, there are a few items we think must stay classic!

Here are a few helpful tips to invite etiquette...The AE WAY!

What to include:
The hosts.
Your names.
The date, time, and location of the ceremony.
 Reception information.
RSVP information.

Photo Courtesy of Paper Petal

Who receives invitations and how many do I send?
Married couples & couples living at the same address:
Receive one invitation

Families:
Receive one invitation (however, children 18+, should receive their own invitation)

Singles Guests:
Each receive their own invitation

"Plus-Ones":
Should be included with the invitation for the guest receiving the "plus-one"


When do I send my invitations out?
Invitations should hit mailboxes about 2 months before your wedding date.
RSVPs should be due 1 month before your wedding date.
This gives you plenty of time to finalize planning and loose ends.  


Wording Guidelines:
Wording wedding invitations should be as much about your personal style as anything.  Not all invitations need to be formal.  Some invitations can be modern, but traditionally worded.
 When in doubt go with your gut.  

Photo Courtesy of Kleinfeld Paper 

One more AE Tip:
Wedding invitations should only include the critical, basic, information.  Any items regarding registry, accommodations, directions, etc. should be included on a wedding website or a separate card. 

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Wedding Wednesday: Wedding Flower Secrets

What's the secret to nothing-less-than-perfect flowers on your wedding day?
TRUST YOUR FLORIST! 
They know the secrets.
(But, we're helping you out with some of them.)


Your Bouquet Should Fit YOU
Besides your bridal glow, this is your most important accessory.  It needs to fit your personality and also your physical size.  If you are tiny, don't have a bouquet that is too large for your frame. 

Photo courtesy of Way to Enliven 

Know the Seasons
Don't make any decisions on flowers or colors before you know what is available. 
Using in-season blooms will give you the most vibrant florals.  
Teleflora is a great reference.


Find Substitutes
There's always a way to achieve the look you want.
Instead of paying a fortune for flowers that are not in season, trust your florist to use look-alike substitutes.

Garden Rose (on the left) versus Peonies (on the right).  They're an awful close representation!
Photos courtesy of Country Garden and The Wedding Bee
Your florist can also help incorporate less expensive flowers or tasteful fillers to give a luxe look at a not-super luxe cost.


Keep your Guests in Mind  
Be sure to not overcrowd your dinner tables with over the top centerpieces.
You don't want your table to look empty, but your guests need room to eat.
Keep your arrangements to appropriate heights - be sure not to block the view of your guests.

Photo courtesy of the ever talented Red Gallery 





Friday, January 17, 2014

Ask Ady: Columbus Bridal Show 2014

Something new for Ask Ady...
We bring you a little segment from the AE presentation at the Columbus Bridal Show 2014  

We were SO flattered to present the "Do's and Don'ts of "I Do's."  

The Greater Columbus Convention Center gathered a curious crowd which provided us the forum for our very first live segment of Ask Ady!  





A big AE X&O to Columbus Bride for having us!


Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Wedding Wednesday: Bridal Jewelry Tips

Wedding Wednesday: Wedding Day Jewelry 
The first rule in wedding jewelry - don't over do it!  AE brings you a jewelry guide to match your metals to your whites and your jewelry to your necklines.


Select the metal that compliments your white dress best!   
Bright White
Stick to pearls or platinum.

Off-White (or Diamond White)
Pairs with gold or silver, or rose gold or pearls (you get the picture)! 

Ivory
Gold will pull out the tint in the fabric. 


Necklaces and necklines - pick the perfect pair!
Strapless or Sweetheart 
Pick a statement piece!  A dramatic necklace will take this style of neckline from pretty to pretty amazing!  Our STUNNING bride, Katie B, chose a bolder option to complement her sweetheart neckline and kept it simple with a beautiful stud earring. 
Pull back long hair to make some room for this piece.
Photo Courtesy of photographer, Amanda Julca  

One-Shoulder
Skip the necklace all together.  
Instead, slip on a pair of dramatic earrings and/or a thick cuff to balance out the look. 
Photo Courtesy of Martha Stewart Weddings

V-Neckline
Pair this plunging neckline with a delicate necklace.  A pendant will compliment the cut nicely! Pick out a noticeable earring to draw attention to your face.
Photo Courtesy of Coral's Bridal 

Halter and Reverse Halter
Accessorize your tresses, it's great way to dress up your halter gown!  Whether using a headband or crystal hair pins, adding some sparkle to your coif will complete this look.

Photo Courtesy of Sweet Beginnings 

Bateau Neckline
Pick a necklace with little length!  When done right, layers complement this neckline beautifully.  When matching earrings, don't over do it, select a slight drop or stud to complement the jewels on the necklace. 
Photo Courtesy of Martha Stewart Weddings


When in doubt, remember, the wise philosophy of Ms. Coco Chanel:
When accessorizing, always remove the last piece you put on.  

This is surefire way to stay well-edited when deciding on your bridal bling.  



Thursday, January 2, 2014

AE Events: 2013 Year in Review

What a year 2013 has been for us!  We count our many blessings as we say goodbye to one fab year and HELLO to a new one. 

January rang in the New Year with Dan and Alicia's fantastic New Year's Eve celebration. Oh how we loved this evening!  A&D and their family remain dear friends.

Image courtesy Red Gallery Photography 
Check out more prettiness courtesy of the talented Red Gallery Photo.   And Studio Z Films.  

February brought us back to one of our favorite events of the year and one with an amazing and touching cause: The Black Tie Blue Jackets Style Show.  It's such an honor to be involved. 
Image courtesy of Capital Style
See footage from the 2013 event.  We can't wait for 2014! 

May kicked off a busy summer for us with three events...

Heather and Willy's charmingly perfect Downtown wedding...
Image courtesy Rouxby Photography

...which was also recently featured on Style Me Pretty! 

Ashley and Tom's swanky soiree at the Ivory Room...
Image courtesy of Red Gallery Photo

...we just ADORED these two!  

And, another one of our favorite recurring events...The Nicklaus Museum Dinner for Nationwide Financial/The Memorial Tournament.   

Photo Courtesy of Andy Mahr
See more here!  Gosh, we sure were proud of this event. 

June brought us Maggie and Quinn's uber special wedding in Knox County...these high school sweethearts and their families are about as lovely as they come. 

Photo courtesy of Lauryn Byrdy photography
 See more here! And one of the most touching wedding vids ever

July brought us a trip to our favorite part of the country - WINE COUNTRY, for our best friend's wedding.  It was such a special experience to be in the wedding and to play a large part in the planning process.  Cheers to G&B.   Love you!
Image courtesy of Mike Arick 
See more love, pretty, and happy here...

July also brought the wedding of Emily and Nick.  Super sweet affair at the Columbus Museum of Art for a super sweet couple.
Image courtesy of January Newbanks

August brought the first of two big bits of news for AE Events.  Brittany Sitz, our long-time intern, starting with us as our first full-time employee.  Brittany has been an important part of AE and it's been great to have her official.  

Image courtesy of Ink and Ivory Design Studio

September came with another of our favorite yearly events - the always fabulous Rowe Fashion Show celebrating it's 5th year (and 5 years with us, too)!  This event is near and dear to us for several reasons:  Maren Roth (owner) was our first friend in Columbus and the Rowe Show was one of the first events we booked when we launched AE.  We cannot thank Maren and Rowe enough for the constant support, friendship, and fashion advice.  xx


October was also filled with fun.  It was Adrianne and Sherman's birthdays, as well as, we had Lauren and Ed's amazing affair at the Columbus Museum of Art. This event and our beautiful bride were grace and elegance through and through. 
And here is a little teaser video - their day was just so special!

October also brought to Leah and Tom's wedding.  Brittany did an amazing job planning and executing while Adrianne had the honor of being in the wedding.  Leah and Tom are so in love and truly epitomized what it means to be a bride and a groom.  
We also embarked on a site inspection to the British Virgin Islands for our special client and friends, Lacey and Blake.  Man, this sure is a tough job! 

November and December have been filled with friends, food, fun, new clients, and the holidays. 

January begins with yours truly speaking at the 2014 Columbus Bride Show and then we zip off to Ft. Worth, TX for the Nationwide Financial Sales Summit.

We have also been keeping very busy the past couple of months with our second peice of exciting news.  We have moved into our very own darling cottage.  We can't wait to share it with you!

It's been a fabulous year.  We love our job, we love our clients (past, present, AND future), and we love life.   Cheers, my dears.  xx, AE 

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Wedding Wednesday: Winter Wedding Attire

It's Wedding Wednesday and today we are bringing you a few tips for dressing yourself, your gals and your guests for a stylish wintry affair. 

BRIDES
We adore a long-sleeved wedding dress for your winter wedding.
Too heavy?  A lace sleeve is also seasonably appropriate, and won't make you feel overly covered.

You can also find beautiful removable pieces that will add warmth during pictures and the ceremony (churches can be drafty!), but that can be removed for the party.

Pair a strapless dress with a bolero jacket or fur wrap.  Here is a lovely and moderately priced beauty from Alice and Olivia.

Try evening gloves!  They are a "look" but when done right, they make for an impactful and beautiful accessory.  

And the creme de la creme (in our humble opinion) of winter accessories is the under-utilized fur muff.
Oooh La La!  

Photos Courtesy of Ruffled Blog

BRIDESMAIDS
Don't feel like to have to dress your maids in wool and long-sleeves for your winter wedding.
Go with what speaks to you and your your wedding style...
...BUT, DON'T LEAVE THEM FREEZING!

If you plan to take outdoor pictures, give your gals something to cover up with!

Common winter accessories make for fun pictures!

TOPSHOP has an array of mittens at great prices that will complement almost any wedding style/color palatte.    

We also love festive hosiery to complement a winter look.
(we think every gal should own a pair of Wolford's).

You can find fab faux fur wraps and capelets at many moderately-priced stores starting in the Fall.  We love this one from Kohls.  Etsy is a great resource, too!

Tip: be careful with hats and even scarves, they can wreck havoc on beautifully coiffed do's.
Photo Courtesy of Koru Wedding Style   



GUESTS
Dress appropriately for the occasion, but be prepared for the cold weather!

When in doubt, call ahead to ensure the venue offers a coat check.

Bundle up and protect your feet, too - we don't want you turning blue or ruining your Choo's in the snow.

xoxo