Howerton+Wooten Events Blog. The musings of a Maryland Wedding and Event Planner

Lace Love Found on Etsy

Nothing evokes "vintage pretty" like lace.  And there is plenty of lace love on Etsy!

 

This Lace Capelet reminds me of weddings that I attended as a kid on the shore.

This French Alencon Lace Shrug is custom made to order.  It definitely has a bolero feel.

This French Vanilla shrug features vintage crochet and machine laces.

This vintage lace Wedding Shrug can be custom made to complement your wedding dress.  This shrug would go well with your engagement party dress or your rehearsal dinner dress too.

Love & Soul Always, Kay

Come See Us at the Washington Wedding Show

Are you coming to the Washington Wedding Show this Sunday?  It should be fun.

If you do decide to come, please stop by our booth and say hi.  We would love to meet you.  Here are the wedding show details --

Washington Wedding Show
Sunday, April 26, 2009
11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

The Waterford at Springfield
6715 Commerce Street, Springfield, Virginia.

You can register here for two complimentary passes.  Which is a pretty good deal since tickets are $10 at the door.

My colleagues and I will be on hand to share a little about our services, showcase a few weddings that have received the Howerton+Wooten Events love, and give you some cool ideas for your special day.

We look forward to seeing you on April 26th!

Love & Soul Always, Kay

Wedding Planning Tax Write-Offs

In honor of our beloved tax day, I thought I would share some possible wedding planning write-offs that I have read about over the years.  Before you include any of these recommendations on your tax forms, please run this by your tax accountant first.

The Wedding Venue -- If you hold your wedding or reception in a museum or public-owned park or historic house, it is typically a tax deduction.  Why?  Many museums and historic homes are owned by non-profit organizations, so the rental fees benefit the upkeep of the museum and often considered a donation (aka tax deduction).  Check with the venue before you sign on the dotted line.

Wedding Gown -- Consider donating your wedding gown to a charity after your special day.  A charity, such as Brides Against Breast Cancer welcomes the donations of contemporary gown styles, slips and veils dating from the year 2000 until now. You will be happy to know that each gown that arrives at most of these organizations is carefully prepared for sale to brides on very limited budgets.  Fortunately for you, your wedding gown donation is tax deductable.

Wedding Guest Favors -- Instead of giving wedding favors to your guests, consider making a donation in their name to your favorite charity.  Many charities, such as Truffles for a Cause, allows you to make a donation to a cause and give a traditional wedding favor at the same time.

Bridal Party Gifts -- If your bridesmaids are like me, they have more stuff than they know what to do with.  There is a web site called, Changing the Present.  This web site connects you with more than 1,500 meaningful gifts that are created to help improve the world that we live in.  I wrote quite a bit about this site last earth day -- In addition to setting up a wedding registry, you can give wedding favors that help reduce your carbon footprint.

Wedding Flowers -- When your wedding day has come to an end, ask a trusted family member to take your flowers to a local nursing home.  They can use the flowers to decorate the community room, the lunch room and even some of the guest rooms.  You will be surprised to find that this incredibly thoughtful act is a tax deduction.

Happy Tax Day!

Love & Soul Always, Kay

 

Wedding Day Suit

Remember that scene from SATC where Carrie showed off her vintage wedding suit?

I thought her suit was absolutely perfect for a bride that loves her partner but isn't interested in the fanfare that comes with a wedding day. (Of course we love the fanfare! But we understand that it isn't for everyone)

If you are a bride in search of a wedding day suit, check out Stephanie James Couture.  There are three fabulous wedding day suits that offer the vintage glamour without the pouf.

Love & Soul Always, Kay

(Photo: Stephanie James Couture)

A Thank You Note That Rocked My World!

 

I don't know an Event Planner out there that doesn't love a nice thank you note from a client!  They are an incredible validation for your hard work, and they are quite the morale boost when you are experiencing a "less-than-stellar" day.

So, you can imagine how great it was to receive the following e-mail message last month from the mother of a bride!

******************************************************************************

Hello Kay!

THANK YOU and your fantastic staff for making Marisa's and Patrick's dreams come true!  EVERYONE, and I mean EVERYONE, went away with memories of the most awesome wedding they ever attended.  You were the driving force that made everything seem to flow so smoothly and without a hitch.  I thank you from the bottom of my heart.  You have made my baby so happy.

Your (and your staff's) attention to detail was so comforting.  I appreciated having you as the "mom back-up," towards the end of the evening.

Thanks again, and I will sing praises of you to anyone who will listen!  I would recommend you to even Michelle Obama!

 

Sincerely, Carmen Santiago

******************************************************************************

Man oh man!  This note was better than a new pair of shoes.

Thank you so much Ms. Santiago!  You rocked my world!

Love & Soul Always, Kay

Casablanca Trunk Show at Occasions House of Bridal

Occasions House of Bridal is hosting a Casablanca Trunk Show on April 18th and 19th!

During the trunk show, Occasions House of Bridal is showcasing the latest styles in bridal fashion as well as hosting a clearance sale on all Casablanca samples to make room for the new season.

Trunk show viewings are by appointment only.

Occasions House of Bridal is located at 6505 Old Branch Avenue (2nd Floor) in Camp Springs, Maryland.  Their telephone number is (301) 449-6677.  All viewings are by appointment only. 

Enjoy!

Love & Soul Always, Kay

Wedding Day Love for Marisa and Patrick, part 3 (A doggie in the wedding party)

 

The "Grooms Dog" Einstein was a very active participant in Marisa and Patrick's wedding day.  I was truly impressed by his participation -- Which is huge because I am not really a "dog person."

But I think Marisa and Patrick got it right.

Noted below are some steps that Marisa and Patrick took to ensure that their dog, Einstein, was a good wedding guest.  And I believe these steps made a difference for everyone at the wedding reception.

1.     Like babies, dogs are not aware that they should be quiet during the wedding ceremony, so only allow your dog to participate if s/he is relaxed in front of a large group of people.  It will be difficult for guests to hear the ceremony over a barking dog.

2.     Give your dog a bath shortly before your wedding day.  This will help minimize dander reaction for your wedding guests (or wedding planners!) with allergies.

3.     If you decide to dress the dog in a “Tux” like Einstein's, try it on him or her for an afternoon to ensure that s/he is comfortable in it.  Again, a comfortable dog is much more relaxed.

4.     Make sure that your dog is fed and walked prior to the ceremony.

5.     Assign someone to take care of your dog throughout your wedding day

 

6.  Check with the venue beforehand to ensure that you are permitted to bring your dog on-site.

 

7. Consider using a leash during parts of the wedding ceremony or reception.

 

Marisa and Patrick (and Einstein), thank you so much for allowing us to be a part of your special day!  When we come to NYC, we are on for lunch!

Love & Soul Always, Kay

(Photo: Jason Knauer Photography)

Wedding Day Love for Marisa and Patrick, part 2 (so much love)

When I met with Marisa and Patrick in November 2007, I remember thinking, "Gosh, I really like this couple!"  They are the type of couple that makes people feel good when they are around them, and I really wanted to be a part of their wedding day.

  

In fact, it wasn't the wedding day details that pulled me in, it was the story that Marisa shared about the first time she saw Patrick.  And the way that Patrick touched Marisa during our discussion.  I was even touched by their affection for their little dog, Einstein.

Yup, I was hooked.

  

You gotta love a woman that knows the value of a comfortable shoe!

 

Marisa took some time before getting dressed to write a special "wedding day" note to Patrick.

 

They chose to see each other before the wedding ceremony.  Even amidst all of the pre-wedding "fun," Marisa and Patrick were able to share a private moment alone.

 

One of Marisa's wishes was the ability to enjoy a walk with Patrick from the hotel to the Science Center. (so NYC!)  It actually rained on the day of the wedding, but this couple definitely didn't let that damper their joy.

 

No matter what I was doing that day, I always found Marisa and Patrick kissing.  It truly was romantic.  The photographer, Jason Knauer, managed to catch them stealing a kiss a few minutes prior to the cake cutting.  BTW: Don't you just love their toy cake toppers?  It reminds me of Clark Kent and Wonder Woman.

 

Doesn't this picture look like Marisa and Patrick were receiving a great big bear hug?

  

Here is a picture of Marisa and her incredibly sweet mother.  Check out Marisa's bouquet.  Patrick made it!  In fact, Patrick made all of the bouquets, boutonnieres, corsages, and centerpieces out of origami paper.  And he did an excellent job too.  What a guy.

Check back for more tomorrow!

Love & Soul Always, Kay

(Wedding Picture: Jason Knauer Photography)

Wedding Day Love for Marisa and Patrick, part 1 (the fun details)

As promised last week, here is a little wedding day love for Marisa and Patrick.  I thought I would share the details first because they were truly fun.  Everyone had a blast at this wedding.

In honor of Marisa and Patrick's professions, their wedding had this really fun Comics/toy theme going, along with a science feel that made you yearn for high school again.  In fact, their wedding took place on March 14 (which happens to be 3/14 aka π AND it was Albert Einstein's birthday)! 

 

The wedding ceremony took place in the Davis Planetarium of the Maryland Science Center.  Marisa and Patrick didn't want to add a lot of decor to the room.  They truly wanted to feel as if they were getting married under the stars.

 

This is the front cover of their wedding program.  So awesome.  This cartoon even includes a picture of Einstein.

 

The photo booth had a "Batman Signal" shining on it.  Along with props from the Super Mario Brothers games.  Here is a picture of their dog, Einstein, in the photo booth next to the "Bat Signal."

  

We placed the wedding cake and the sweetheart table under the T-Rex.

 

  

Finally, I can't stop sharing without showing you their Seating Chart and Escort Cards.  As you can see the seating chart was a Periodic Table.  It was so well done that everyone easily found their seats.

Each escort card was a beaker with an LED light.  Once all of the lights were placed on the tables, the room sparkled like the planetarium.

Okay, more of Marisa and Patrick's wedding tomorrow.  Take care!

Love & Soul Always, Kay

(Photos: Jason Knauer Photography -- Well, the pictures of the periodic table and the escort cards were my pitiful attempts at photography!