Decisions, Decisions!

Posted by The Summerlin House At Thornton Park
The bride does tend to have a LITTLE more fun planning the wedding than the groom. However, that doesn't mean that he should be any less involved in all of the decisions you make regarding your special day. It is, after all a day to celebrate the rest of your lives as a couple. We found this quiz that you call can take together. It is okay to have different answers--print this out and fill in your answers with different colored pens ;)

1. How comfortable are you at formal celebrations (wedding, black tie, etc)
a. VERY -- love getting dressed up and looking my best
b. SOMEWHAT -- it is fine for the first few hours
c. HATE IT -- nothing is worse than dressing up to look good in someone elses pictures

2. What's the best location for your wedding?
a. In our home town, it will be nice weather and it is close for all our guests
b. It would be nice to get married at our favorite vacation spot with all our favorite foods
c. Somewhere we have never been before and bring everyone along!
d. Somewhere not our home town but not a 5 hour flight either...

3. How do you feel about an outdoor wedding?
a. Perfect!
b. I am too worried about weather and bugs
c. It is good if there is a place that it could be moved indoors in case of rain.
d. Hate it! Who wants to sweat through their dress up clothes?

4. What is the worst part of a traditional wedding?
a. same old food
b. same old music
c. It is expensive no matter how you plan it
d. having to go by the rules of the church

5. How important is it for you to invite everyone you know to the wedding?
a. VERY. It wouldnt be a wedding without all our friends, family & their kids
b. NOT TOO important. I'd be happy with a small group of friends and family.
c. I really don't care as long as we get married.

6. How do you feel about a wedding being FUNNY?
a. We and our guests would love it. We would like to incorportate humor into the ceremony and reception.
b. It would offend our guests
c. I think weddings should be serious. Funny toasts etc are for the rehearsal only.
d. We are okay if the toast makers want to be funny but we are not going to plan anything funny.

and the results......


well, there is no special way to tally the results! This exercise was to inspire conversations that should help you move to the next step in your wedding planning....! TRICKED YA!
Category:

Groovy Groom

Posted by The Summerlin House At Thornton Park
On Friday we had the pleasure of having the wedding of the new Mr. & Mrs. Brown here at The Summerlin House. It was a gorgeous wedding! One of the things we liked the most was that the groom and his groomsmen were all dressed in gray and it looked awesome! So we got to thinking...what other colors are grooms choosing these days? Let's see...

Black - Traditional...and never a bad thing!


White - very UNtraditional, in our opinion...we thought the bride was the only one wearing white?



Brown - a little less harsh than the black...a very sleek look


Tan - SUPER summery and light. LOVE THIS


Gray - like at our latest wedding. How trendy!

Category:

Myth Busting!

Posted by The Summerlin House At Thornton Park
As usual, The Knot makes some great points! They have a list of 'Top 10 Wedding Myths' that we just ADORED! So, here they are and here is what we think...

Myth #1 - Hiring friends is the same as hiring wedding vendors
That couldn't be more far from the truth. This is a wedding, not a house party and unless you have worked one before, you are not going to realize all of the things that come along with such an event. If you are trying to save money BE UPFRONT ABOUT IT. There is nothing wrong with saving money...we all are! If a vendor can't help you on your budget, they should be able to reccomend someone who can!

Myth #2 - You have to wear a white dress
Negative! We actually like the idea of NOT wearing white. Get on board with this trend so that one day you can show your kids and grandkids your wedding photos and they won't believe that people actually USED TO think you HAD to wear white.



Myth #3 - If you went to their wedding you have to invite them to yours
Everyone has different budgets for their wedding which will allow them to invite or not to invite people aside from immediate family.

Myth #4 - A wedding planner is too expensive
Many planners have "the hook up" with other wedding vendors and will know little tips and tricks to get your the results you want within your budget. You are in theory paying for an extra service but you get what you pay for and it will save your hours of unecessary stress and PLENTY of money in the long run!

Myth #5 - Going DIY will save you money
Initially when you think DIY you think about skipping out on overpriced items and making your own instead but in reality most of the time people resort to DIY because they WANT something that they cannot buy. Do your research before you start buying in bulk because it may save you time and money (and sanity) to just have a professional do your invitations and or floral.



Myth #6 - You have to have the same number of bridesmaids and groomsmen
Do not recruit extra people to be such a key part of your special day unless they are that special to you!

Myth #7 - You have to take out a second mortgage to pay for a wedding
Not true! If you have always had your heart set on certain things like your venue or your dress than go ahead and make your dreams come true. By making a list of must haves, then you can figure out how to save money on everything else. This should be your plan whether you are on a tight budget or not!

Myth #8 - A DJ will play too much cheesy music and a band will take too many breaks
Both can be avoided. You should be very clear on what you do and don't want your DJ to play. As for the band, maybe suggest taking breaks a member at a time or working the reception so that something else entertaining (besides dancing to the wonderful band) is occuring while they are on their break.



Myth #9 - Wedding food always tastes bad
ABSOLUTELY NOT! Both Puff N Stuff and Big City Catering have phenominal food! Check them out!

Myth #10 - All wedding dresses are created equal
Just like clothing or purses or SHOES...much of the time you will pay for better quality. That does not mean you HAVE to have a dress that costs a fortune to look good. Bridal salons can point you in the right direction as far as the most flattering dress shape and style for your body type and then it is up to you to shop around for a dress that is of the quality you expect in whatever your price range may be!

We hope you learned a thing or two from this cute little list :) We sure did!
Category:

Maid with LOVE

Posted by The Summerlin House At Thornton Park
The lovely ladies that you chose to be your bridesmaids and maid of honor are normally the most important ladies on your life. Whether long time friends, you sister or your fiance's sister, family or "almost family" it's very likely that girls people mean a lot to you! So why, why, WHY would you dress them up in something atrocious?! We feel like most brides just lack new ideas and therefore resort to that old fashioned "prom looking" bridesmaids attire and there is really no good that can come from that look! You should want to dress your brides in something that makes them feel beautiful and special....because they are!

Below we give you a little run down on some new dress ideas (by length) and some shopping hints and places to try so that you don't end up with a boring bridesmaid!

Floor Length
You normally see more of these in the cooler months. These tend to be the dresses that you can't avoid prom like fabrics...but just keep in mind less is more! Floor length dresses, despite how much they cover up, can be VERY sexy! We found a few that we like. Impression Bridesmaid seems to be a favorite for this dress length but the key to finding a non tradition bridesmaids dress is to go somewhere that you would buy a REGULAR dress. Think Ann Taylor or department stores!



Tea Length
Tea length dresses have a very sophisticated look and fall below the knee but not to the floor. You can avoid these type of dresses looking "old lady-ish" by choosing fabrics and patterns that don't adhere to the sophistication implied with a dress of this length. Check out what we found.


Short
A "short" dress is normally one that falls above the knee. You don't want your bridesmaids to look scandalous, but shorter dresses tend to yield a younger bridesmaid and are flirty and fun. To avoid these dresses looking TOO casual, opposite the long or tea length dresses, you should look to fabrics that are a little more subtle, classic and sophisticated. We are OBSESSED with bridemaid dresses from JCrew.



Happy Shopping!
Category:

It's a BIG deal!

Posted by The Summerlin House At Thornton Park
Breaking news! Here at The Summerlin House we are all about the bride (well, and the groom too!) and we are pleased to announce that for your catering pleasure we are bringing BIG CITY CATERING on board as one of our preferred caterers. We are so pleased to be able to feature both Puff N Stuff and Big City Catering at our beautiful venue!


Big City boasts, "The careful coordination of the Culinary and Operations teams blends menu creations and logistics into a seamless experience enjoyed by both guest and host alike. From the simplest party to the most lavish, casual or elegant, Big City is ever mindful of the details, assuring a successful event, regardless of budget." ...and we agree! Be sure to check out their site for more details or feel free to contact us if you have any questions at all about our wonderful new addition!


Also, be sure to *save the date* because on Wednesday, November 10 we are going to have a Fall networking brunch hosted by Big City Catering! More details to come...!
Category:

Fall in love with Fall

Posted by The Summerlin House At Thornton Park
Fall is our favorite time of year! The holidays are approaching and soon enough it won't be so hot that you instantly sweat when you walk outside. It might even be......COOL out (GASP!!)!! Fall themed weddings are a wonderful way to embrace the season, but we encourage you to think outside of pumpkins and cornucopias and strictly orange color palettes. Focus on colors that warm you up in the crispy, cool breeze, vibrant colors that light up the room when it starts to get darker earlier and nature itself and all the wonderful things that come from it! Below are some pictures to get you inspired.


We love the nature..fruit, nuts, rocks....



Excessive lighting is almost a MUST during fall and VERY romantic



Fall bouquets don't always have to be all orange. Even colors that are not traditionally fall colors like blue and ivory can be paired to be fall friendly!



Crochet is so rustic and romantic and since it is a little bolder than lace it yields a little more of a fall feel. We also are OBSESSED with ANYTHING in a mason jar.



Lastly, we love wheat and anything done in that color. It is so fall without being the usual pumpkin etc.

Category:

Sit Pretty or Act Natural

Posted by The Summerlin House At Thornton Park
Recently, we can't help but notice that brides seem to be shying away from the "usual" wedding photographer and candid "capture the moment" pictures and leaning more towards a trendy "put this in a magazine" look for their wedding photos. Neither one is better than the other, but both are on such opposites on the photography spectrum that we wanted to delve deeper into the matter and gather info for all you brides out there on all the different types and qualities of photographers and wedding pictures as well as some stories from past and future brides so that you may make an informed photography decision.

Simplified, wedding photography can be divided into 3 types. We have defined them for you below:

Traditional or Classic Wedding Photography
This is the type of photography that would normally come to mind when you think "wedding pictures". It consists of posed group photos and portraits and for the most part is worked like a script...the same at every wedding. These are the types of photos that hang above the fireplace or sit atop the mantle. However, this type of photography stands the test of time and will be pictures that you are happy with today as well as 10 and 20 years from now.

Photojournalistic Wedding Photography
This type of photography is big right now and if executed properly will do like it's name claims and record the "story" of your wedding day. The photographer will stand in the background and capture images throughout the day, with possibly no posed photos at all. At the end of it all, you will have a wonderful storybook of your happy day. Though it may seem more dramatic, avoid shooting in black and white because you can ALWAYS make color photos into black and white shots but you cannot take a picture shot in black and white and add color. These, for the most part are not the type of pictures that your parents and grandparents will frame and display of you. If you are okay with the lack of formal images and trust in your photographers judgement of what is a good and not good moment to capture then this type of photography can be beautiful.

Contemporary or Fashion Wedding Photography
This type of photography is more difficult to define because it can mean many different things to different photographers and couples. Trends change in fashion just like they do in photography and that being said, it is possible that your trendy pictures may not stand the test of time and be pictures that you like in 10 or 20 years. These are pictures that win awards and look like they come from magazines because of the ideal lighting and settings that are most of the time involved. The downside is that these photos may not provide an accurate record of your wedding day as much as they will a stunning snapshot.

So what is the solution? What kind of photographer should you choose? Ultimately, your photographer should be a person that you trust and that you feel CLEARLY understands your vision and expectations regarding the outcome of your wedding photos. A good photographer should be able to capture images in all three of the ways mentioned above if that is what you would like. Maybe you want a little of each...fashion photography for your engagement shoot, traditional for your ceremony and journalistic for the reception. It doesn't matter what is trendy or what your grandparents expect or what former brides are raving and ranting about on The Knot discussion boards! You know what you are looking for in your wedding photos and if you feel like you have found a photographer who understands what you want then your pictures should turn out just like you dreamed they would!

We are lucky enough to have 2 former brides as well as 2 future brides share with us their photography hopes and dreams as well as sucesses and regrets. Read on to learn more!

Tristin is a bride to be and she and her fiance make a great point in what they shared with us regarding their search for the perfect photographer! [They don't have their engagement photos yet, but check out that proposal candid below :)]

"What we required, when looking for a photographer, was professional with alot of prior experience. And that they brought another photographer with them so we don;t miss any of the imortant shots. We also required that they do Engagement Sessions, because we wanted to use the Engagement Session to get comfortable with the photographer so our wedding shots would be more natural."



We agree that it is SUPER important to insure that your photographer has a second shooter especially if you are having a larger wedding. They also mention being comfortable with the photographer and this is REQUIRED in our eyes. Your photographer will sometimes be a little closer than normally comfortable in order to get "the shot" they want, and if your first time spending more than a few minutes with them is on your wedding day...your discomfort WILL show in your pictures. Using your photographer to take your engagement pictures is the best way to be sure that your wedding pictures will turn out how you would like them and is a great jumping off point for making suggestions and requests of things you'd like to see done differently for the pictures on your wedding day compared to the ones you receive from your engagment session.

Ana also shared her photographer must haves with us for her future wedding. She had some specific things that she wanted and if you do too...do not be afraid to ask for what you want and ask and ask until you find someone who can do it (and you will!)!

"The first and most important thing we decided when picking the photographer was finding someone who had a similar personality; Someone we felt we could get along with and carry a conversation with. We knew that this photographer would not only be taking some of the most important pictures of our life, but would be a major part of our special day, so it was extremely important to find someone who we got along with and felt comfortable sharing our special day with. [We AGREE TOO, Ana!]

Another major "must have" for us was having a photographer who would bring a second shooter. Since I can remember from weddings, everyone always looks at the bride when she walks down the aisle, but I always looked to see the groom's face. Seeing that happiness spread as he's seeing his bride for the first time - Their eyes and smile is genuine and pure. So when it came time for our wedding, we not only wanted to capture my face as I walked down the aisle, but my fiance's face as he saw me for the very first time. [Again, we agree...this is shot is PRICELESS and requires a second shooter if it is one that you want captured professionally.]

The third "must have" for us was flexibility, creativity and patience. We wanted to find a photographer who would be willing to take whatever shots came into our and their heads and would always be willing to try something new. We wanted to have our dog in our engagement shots, so we really wanted to find someone who was flexible and ok with working with our very hyper dog. Also, neither of us are used to having a ton of photos taken, so we needed someone who would be patient with us and help us feel more comfortable while taking photos. All in all, our main goal was to find someone who could capture our happiness and love through photography on our special day!"





We couldn't agree more with all of the things you have said Ana. We are sure that there are brides who have special requests (like doggies!) and we are glad you were able to find someone who you could be comfortable with and have confidence in!


We shall continue on and share stories of two brides that have already had their special days. Here is what they had to say regarding their photography experiences:

Amanda is a former bride of ours who shared her photography success story!

"When I chose my wedding photographer for my wedding last November I knew exactly what I wanted and I looked for someone that was laid back yet had amazing work. While price was a big concern since I was on a budget I definitely had to rule out photographers that were out of my price range. I ended up finding someone who had great still life shots as well as candids. I like the idea of a story being told without too many posey pictures. I chose Valentine Becker, and he was amazing! One of my favorite pics is actually of the shoes I wore on my wedding day, it looks like it is straight out of a magazine."



We love that you were able to find a photographer within your budget and your comment shows other brides that it can be done! Having and staying within a budget is important.

Kami is also a former bride of ours as well as a good friend. Her photography tale is less glamorous and a lesson learned. We think her information in INVALUABLE and a MUST read for future brides.

"A brides wedding day is one of the most important and memorable days of their lives. While weddings can be very overwhelming to plan, there are certain areas that corners should not be cut. One of these areas is the photography that is going to document every aspect of your special day. This does not mean you need the most expensive photographer it just means you should take time to research and be organized with what you definitely want captured on that day. As a bride who had an unfortunate experience, there are a few suggesstions I would like to share. While wedding websites and chat rooms are excellent references, don't get caught up in the petty gossip. This caused me to panic and "unhire" an amazing photographer that I will forever regret. Base your decision solely on the photographers previous work, budget, and your heart. When looking at a photographer's gallery, look for their attention to detail: my photos were missing details such as a beer bottle in the group photo of the bridal party, eyes closed in several photos or people moving around, and the 2nd photographer in the photos off to the side. We did all of our photos before the ceremony (which I highly recommend) and didn't have wedding bands on. I feel a detail orienteded photog would have caught this and made the suggestion to put them on. Another example of detail would be in the attatched photo: there were two wooden chairs but the photog put us in a wooden and plastic one. If possible, hire a photographer that doesn't book two weddings in the same day. This way they are not rushed and fresh when they arrive. Also, prior to the day of the wedding, make a list of must have pictures with your family. When I received my pictures, I realized there was not a picture of my grandmother, mother, and myself which I am still bummed about. I also had to ask right before I walked down the aisle for a photo with each of my bridesmaids. Please remember, that even the most seasoned photographer cannot possibly know everything that you have in mind; and the day of you will be so busy that you will not remember everything. This is why it is important that you are organized prior to your big day to ensure that everything goes off without a hitch~ with the exception of you being hitched of course!"



We are so grateful that you shared this experience and we hope that other brides can learn from this as we know WE have!

We hope that all brides, future brides, bridal parties and parents of the bride and groom can read these and learn from everything that both the brides and brides to be had to say! If you have any questions, further comments or concerns regarding photography please do not hesitate to email us (thesummerlinhouse@gmail.com) and if we can't answer it, we will find you someone who can! Thanks to all the wonderful women who shared their stories with us...you have officially helped us create one of the most informative (and one of the best overall) blogs we have had so far! Say "Cheese!"
Category:

DIY!

Posted by The Summerlin House At Thornton Park
Are you (or were you) a DIY Bride? send us pictures of your DIY projects and we will feature them on our Blog! Here is a great wedding full of Homespun fun!!!
(from ruffledblog.com)

Katie and Landon’s wedding is DIY heaven. She designed everything herself, and came up with an all around sweet and effortless look throughout the entire wedding day. I love the mix of fabric patterns – specially the groomsmen’s orange striped shirts. This cheery color palette will leave you longing for hot summer days! Thanks to Yasmin Khajavi for sending over this gem of a wedding.


Katie said: I wanted our wedding to be foremost about family, but to also be a really fun and comfortable atmosphere. I also wanted to do most of the decorating on my own, rather than hiring out, to give the day a more “homey” or handmade feel. I wanted soft colors, lots of fabrics, paper, and a good deal of storytelling (Landon and I were both journalism majors in college). I tried to combine the colors, fabrics and words to create fun decorations that our guests would remember.
We were married in the front yard of my parents home in Happy Valley, Oregon. I’ve always wanted to have an outdoor wedding, so when my parents moved 4 years ago into a home with 1.5 acres of land surrounding, I knew that was the spot. Having our wedding at home was not only meaningful, but very, very convenient. We didn’t have to transport any food or decorations, which made for a fairly simple setup and teardown process.

In terms of DIY projects, there were a lot! One side of our programs had the ceremony order and wedding party, and the other told the story of how Landon and I met and fell in love. I also did a bigger version of our “story” and had it set up during the reception. It was fun little detail that I think our guests enjoyed.



I wanted to stay away from the typical “2 wedding colors”-look, so I used different shades of gray, yellow, tangerine and a peachy pink as the focus for most of the decorations and flowers. The table flowers were all different colors, and I loved how organic and natural they looked.
One of my favorite details was incorporating our parents and grandparents’ wedding photos. I suspended them above the guest book table with painted dowels and ribbon.

My mom made dozens of batches of jam for our favors, and I painted the shelf they sat on. We went to Vermont for our honeymoon, which is why “Vermont Cotton Co.” was perfect on the shelf, which my sister found.



The guest book table had two typewriters that guests could use to type little notes to Landon and I! One of the typewriters belonged to my great aunt, who used it to type birthday letters to my siblings and I when we were younger. The other was given to me as a graduation present from my grandparents. It belonged to my great grandfather, and was made in 1925! I took them to a local typewriter shop before the wedding to have them checked out and to get the ink replaced. I printed a little “L&K” monogram on standard printer paper to use in the typewriters.
We served strawberry shortcakes instead of traditional wedding cake, which tasted delicious and looked beautiful! My mom, again, made the shortcakes and had a very able kitchen staff to execute the plating of them during the reception!



The story of the table flowers is one of my favorites from the entire planning process. My mother-in-law works at the local Curves and posted a flyer on the bulletin board asking women to drop off any cut flowers from their yards they were willing to donate on her porch. When she came home that night, her porch was overflowing with all different types of GORGEOUS flowers! Landon’s aunts and uncles arranged the flowers in glass jars, which were each painted with a table number and used as the centerpiece on each table.


My mom made the table runners and napkins (275 napkins!) as well as all the pennant flags, which my sister and I assembled.




Katie’s advice: Don’t be afraid to let go of traditions if you have ideas for making your day more meaningful. I’ve never liked the flower/garter toss at weddings, so I scrapped it altogether. Instead, I presented my bouquet to my grandma during the reception, which turned out to be a much more meaningful than the traditional flower toss. I also don’t like most wedding cakes and I really wanted to get fun with dessert. Strawberry shortcakes allowed us to bake and prepare them on our own (saving money) while also giving guests something different than any traditional wedding cake!

You can also see her equally adorable DIY wedding invitations here.

Wedding Vendors (Happy Valley, OR):

Photographer: Yasmin Khajavi / Dress: Bride’s mother, fabric from Mill End Store / Bride’s shoes: Gap /Bridesmaid dresses: Loft / Bridesmaid shoes: DSW / Bride and Bridesmaids’ earrings: Noon Designs / Bridesmaid necklaces: made by bride using ECAB tutorial / Groom’s suit: Overstock / Groomsmen’s attire: Old Navy / Groomsmen’s ties: Solid Color Neckties / Groomsmen’s shoes: Converse
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