Tennessee Farm Open House

Last night I finished two long days of set up and design for Southall Eden Farm's open house. Premier W.E.D. has the privelage of being Shannon's preferred event planning/wedding directing company for the farm. Of course, if another event planner is brought to the farm, we are thrilled to welcome them with open arms! :-)


I am exhausted and excited at the same time! Kind of like after a huge wedding...as a matter of fact, my friend who owns Southall Eden Farm in Leipers Fork has referred to her open house as "her wedding". I am sure in many ways it felt like that. Shannon O'Kelley has been working diligently to prepare her precious farm for the open house of the season! It rained both days of set up and we were ignoring all of natures pessimism. It was a who's who of the wedding industry and I am so relieved to have had the turn out in the pouring down rain! The feel was obviously relaxed, but hip and cool. Several vendors helped to make this event a hit and Lisa Coffman with Unique Flavors deserves a round of applause! Her staff is so friendly and they all worked through the humid inclement weather to supply all of us with delicious treats! Many others deserve a bow as well....
A Village of Flowers

Eye Design Floral


Branching Out Event Florist





Tent/China rentals: Music City Tents and Events




Decor Rentals: Fabu

Photography: Photo Graphix
Shannon would love to show you the farm in person if you didn't get a chance to attend the party. It was a great night to meet vendors I haven't had an opportunity to put their face with their name. I can't wait to help my clients Jessica and Dane have a fabulous farm wedding there on Oct. 3rd! In the meantime...I hope you enjoyed the party pictures!

Fall Decor and Autumn Delights!


Autumn delights are approaching in the wedding and event world! September through November is now one of the most popular times to be married in Nashville. Being married under a Southern Sky in September is spectacular, if I do say so myself. (My anniversary is September 9th) Yes, I do blog mostly about the wedding world I live with in and love it but I also want to share some of the most amazing events I have had the privilege of being a part of. One of those events is perfect to share with you this time of year. It brings the warmth and elegance of the fall to a whole new level. No pumpkin patches here!

Sandy Knox (a well known and very talented songwriter)turned 50 in a way that I can only hope to celebrate. Sandy wanted a celebration of LIVING not life....she has survived colon cancer and a severe heart attack. Her home was the perfect setting for a soiree' with dear friends and her sweet, sweet mother. This party was not only a pleasure to plan and design, but one of my favorites to "attend". Hearing such kind words during the open toasts and the laughter from Sandy (along with tears) made me so proud to be a part of a CELEBRATION OF LIVING!

Design Details: Mirrors were used through out the inside of the tent and outside on Sandy's Lani to honor a mirror Sandy created with her grandmother's heirloom jewelry that had been passed down. The mirror hangs in Sandy's Dining Room and is stunning. I had to mimic it in design..



Sandy's father was a lapidaries (someone who studies rocks) and Village of Flowers incorporated pebbles into the table top arrangements along with white roses which Sandy's father also tended. Orchids and jewels topped off beautiful copper cased arrangements. White is a beautiful pop of color against the warm tones.
The show stopper was a 16x16 chandelier that I had designed and asked my friend to help create. Ellen Summers is a wonderful artist and prop designer. She helped me cut down the branches from a trimmed tree at a Brentwood residence and then take 3 truck loads back to her studio! They were then painted and I purchased 500 crystals that we hung by hand to create an organic chandelier that played beautifully against the lights in the tent. Nashville Event Lighting helped me create a warm glow of sunset by a triple layer gel. The branches of the chandelier were hung one by one as to create the perfect form.

I hope this can serve as inspiration to you and your event or wedding plans for the fall season! Rustic elements gleamed from nature will help to create the perfect fall affair! Happy Planning!
Rentals/Tent- Liberty Party Rental
catering- Chef's Market

Wedding Ceremony Music


It is a question I am asked often, "What should I walk down the aisle to?" Brides are overwhelmed with choices these days and music is among them. I recently attended a dear friends wedding who is in the industry and her music was superb! Unconventional, yes, but heartfelt and personal. I loved it! There are those churches who will not allow secular music to be played. I understand their concern that the reverent part of a wedding ceremony could be stripped away with Beyonce's ballet being played but if they could hear my friends arrangement of U2 they would see another side. I think there are things for the musically challenged Bride to know...


a. Classical Music can be a beautiful entrance with out being too ostentatious.


b. There are companies out there that specialize in writing songs/arrangements for weddings so that they are personable and also pleasing to the church.


c. The music you choose for this day will be etched in your mind forever and when you hear it again...it should evoke joy.


I encourage you to listen to a classical radio/sattelite radio station for a week and see if something stirs. You should also consider that any song you love could be written in a manor to suit you and your Groom. Live music is preferred, but sometimes the simplest and the least expensive is a CD arrangement that a sound technicians runs. What ever your tastes...there is help available. Check out these sites next time you are searching for the right sound!




Jeff Curtis Composer-Fragile Age Production Company Jeff will compose music for your occasion.

A Hollywood/NewYork Glam Wedding In Nashville

Ashley's Bride Guide did a feature recently on one of our weddings this summer. It was a spectacular celebration, but it was also a sincere and sweet ceremony with the union of two very spiritual people. Laura Thomas and Jason Sonn were so fun to work with and it was so great to see Laura's visions come to life and Jason's face light up when that happened. Here is the blog about the glam wedding for you to enjoy...

Downtown_Nashville_Wedding_PHoto

Laura and Jason are uniquely different but kindred soles. Think Green Acres, the television show from the 70’s! They both share a strong Christian faith and have wonderful senses of humor. As beautiful as they are on the outside, they strive to be as beautiful on the inside. This kind of attitude made it so easy to work with them. Laura has a great sense of who she is and the look she wanted to accomplish. She came to my office for their initial consult with the New York/Old Hollywood idea in mind. She also knew her colors but was really able to narrow the choices with the help of my BBJ Linen swatches. With in a few conversations, we were off on our 6 month venture!

Grooms_Cake_Cracker_Barrell


Laura, who has a background in the arts and theatre, had spent time in NY. She calls herself a “city girl trapped”. Jason is a true Nashville southern guy. Cracker Barrel is his favorite restaurant! (See groom’s cake below). Jason was gracious with the fact that this wedding was definitely designed around his stylish bride’s interests and loves. And WOW what a site it was!




Let me break down the design of the evening into Details and Challenges:

Wedding Details:

□ Cerise (hot pink) was our pop of color for the night with accents of gunmetal gray and black. (Marilyn Monroe walking down the steps in her hot pink dress was my visual during design process)

□ Lots of rhinestones and jewels adorned everything including votive holders, throw pillows with chandelier appliqués, drink trays, and the Bride’s bouquet.

Pink_Signature_drink


□ I designed the women’s bathroom to be a “powder-room” with boutique chairs, mirrored side table, a chandelier, assortments of perfumes and monogrammed paper guests towels.

□ I chose Blue Nova Designs -Maria and Link Tipton, for their draping because they carry this fabulous Austrian Drape that I wanted to use to cover the walls of an outside patio that I would later transform into a beautiful ballroom with a black and white floor.

white_drapes_wedding_reception


□ Lounge seating with custom black covers (Liberty Party Rental) provided the chaise feel of the Sinatra days.


□ I am a huge fan of the LED ice cubes that rotate their flash. We used a constant beam of hot pink in the fabulous signature drinks. As guests entered, they were greeted with jeweled covered trays and a pink potion that lured even the manliest of guests.

□ The Bridal cake was changed at least 3 times if not more and the final design was chosen only TWO WEEKS before the wedding. When all ales fail, go with your gut! Laura ended up choosing the cake that she walked in my office with and it was spectacular! Very art deco and Jay Qualls with Maples Wedding Cakes as the designer.



□ The Buffet was beautiful as it was plentiful and designed by Shannon Bates with Chef’s Market.

NewYork


□ Lighting transformed the original urban space into a pink palace fit for even Marilyn herself.

hollywood_glam_wedding_reception


□ I commissioned Blue Nova Designs to make light box coffee tables that I had been dreaming up for at least 3 years. They were the perfect company to fulfill my dream! I had them make metal framed boxes with a white spandex cover and then top them with mirrors so that guests had table top space at their lounge seats. To add to the vibe…I had Jason Davis with Davis Lighting Design add LED lights to the boxes so they would glow and no cords to mess with!

Hollywood_glam_reception_seating
□ FEATHERS! - Such an important part of the entire design…Laura’s invitations were designed by the fabulous Southall Eden Paperie, Shannon O’Kelley. Shannon accomplished the Broadway feel that Laura requested and she added a feather with a pink jewel and gunmetal wrap to the outside to pull all the elements together. (Even more detail…we chose a square jewel for the invitations because Laura’s engagement ring had a square setting.)I found beautiful feather arrangements through a company I use for wholesale event décor. Premier W.E.D. staff spent many hours assembling the 15” white ostrich feathers for over the top dinner table arrangements.





□ FLOWERS! A Village of Flowers, Dora Bowling-lead designer for this wedding, met with us to create that lush, hot pink feel that Laura loved. I think VOF used over 4 cases of carnations to create the square bases that I designed for the feather arrangements to sit atop. It was something that I felt was necessary to bring them up to a comfortable height for the seated guests, but it brought the element of “pink fluff” that Laura loved. At the ceremony….I talked Laura into doing lacquered branches that were HOT PINK. Of course matching her linens and her custom painted bar. VOF created two 7ft tall arrangements for either side of the foyer of the Woodmont Christian Church adorned with prisms and tufts of hot pink peonies. Davis Lighting Design-Jason Davis added the wireless LED lights into the base of the branches so that I could get the glowing effect from my design.
□ I commissioned artist Ellen Summers to create the NY skyline that I had painted & hung behind the buffet.

hotpink_flowers

□ Last, but NOT least….I couldn’t have captured the before and after with out the help of one of my favorite photographers KEONI KEUR of KeoniK Photography. He flew to NY to shoot Laura for her bridal portraits. I had asked that while he was there that he shoot classic shots of the city (taxis, etc.) in black and white so that I could blow them up and use them as art with in the event space. Those shots were my absolute FAVORITE! The wedding day pictures were amazing as always but limited by light and time with my sweet client being over an hour late to the church. (Hey…can’t judge…no one wants to be rushed on their wedding day and yet somehow they always are!) Even still…Keoni managed to take some really edgy and yet refined shots of the couple. He was able to capture the classic side of Jason and the urban side of Laura.
NewYork_wedding_reception


Event Challenges□ Set up time…..to turn One Eleven into the Old Hollywood/NY glam space that I had designed and Laura had dreamed of was a battle against the clock. One Eleven required my staff and vendors to leave the premises the night before by 5pm and that was limiting. However, it is rare to find a venue that will allow you time at all the day before with out a hefty fee. Of course both days of set ups a key vendor was late and that was a crucial factor in the other vendor’s schedules.
□ Wind….The evening of the wedding was a perfect night except for the winds that blew across the oberservation deck where several of the feather arrangements not to mention candles were toppling over. Tye with A Village of Flowers worked diligently on securing the arrangements to the tables with no luck. A last minute change was necessary to the overall design and drapes with in the space had to be readjusted. Mother Nature…
□ Music…The entertainment agency for the band had burned a disc of the important songs (father daughter dance, first dance, etc.) and when it came time to introduce Bride and Groom…the disc didn’t read on their mother board. Luckily, the lead guitarist had a back up. Ooops! That wasn’t working either! In a complete panic, we were scrounging for a lap top or a wireless service and realized we could download the music straight from iTunes on our sound guy’s iPhone. Thank you God for iTunes! With in a minute, we had downloaded 4 of the special requested tracks and we were ready for the Bride and Groom!
All weddings are a process of ups and downs. I think perfection is what the client dreams of when imagining their special day and absolutely what a planner strives for. However, it is never perfect. Did I mention never? The end result should be perfect and that is what matters. This wedding was just that! The families and the bride and groom were gracious and kind and had a wonderful evening but behind the scenes of getting that perfection? Well, let’s just say I took a long vacation when it was over but I’d do it again tomorrow if asked! I am truly blessed to LOVE my job and the amazing people I work for.
Congrats to Laura and Jason!