Monogram Fever | Merrily Wed Lake Tahoe Weddings

Monograms have been the oldest form of identification in the world – always omnipresent for royalty, but now it seems everyone is taking pride in their initials or initials to be…   How to show these off in ways that best suit you and your style of wedding?

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Ways To Rock Your Monogram

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Ideas are endless here. 

In the Ceremony you can make your mark on your aisle/aisle runner, your program, bouquet wrap, altar decor, chair backs, ring bearer pillow, flower girl baskets…

In the Reception you can showcase your initials on pillows, your menu, your napkins, your cake topper, the dance floor, personalized signs, centerpiece vases, linen decor/runners, gift bags or actually create letters out of flowers or wood.  These are just a few!

For your Attire, personalized jewelry is at the top as well as lounge wear for your wedding party, personalized hangers for you, tote bags or any garment – nothing is off limits!

A very popular look in Tahoe is the woodland look but we love to jazz this up (or down) depending on the taste of our bride.  Softening the wood look with fabric and flowers is a sure hit but also unexpected elements also from nature like berries or gemstones work too.  If gemstones aren’t in the budget, some great inexpensive crystals can give an unforgettable effect too. Some of our favorite woodland finds from Etsy artist BraggingBags:

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Some of our favorite monogram looks from our past Merrily Wed weddings:

 

Photos courtesy of: clockwise from top – Jay Reilly Photography, Catherine Hall Studios and Zorn Photography.


Photos courtesy of: Kendall Price Photography, Jennifer Baciocco Photography and Kendall Price Photography.

 

Express yourself!   There are many websites that create custom wedding monograms and logos for you.  If you are more of a DIY type, there is even a whole blog spot dedicated to helping you create your custom monogram.  It gives you a step-by-step tutorial: weddingmonograms.blogspot.

Caroline & Simon – Storybook Puppy Love | Merrily Wed Lake Tahoe

Caroline and Simon married lakeside last September at Storybook Cottage with 90 of their closest friends present.  We shouldn’t forget to mention Darcy either, their beautiful and loyal Bernese mountain dog who proudly walked down the aisle and appropriately joined her parents in the recessional too!

Shades of pink and purple contrasted by darker shades of wine, plum and berry dressed the ceremony and reception.  Moss green, light and dark, accented the juicy color palette aesthetically and literally.  Discreet touches were found in moss lined votives, cake stand and cake topper, table numbers and playful moss balls decorated the tables.  Floral stringers graced the trees around the bar area.

This stunning wedding was a treat to enjoy from the pre-ceremony champagne toast, the ice oyster bar, the authentic bagpiper and the details go on and on…


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Private Lakefront Estate Wedding, Storybook Cottage, Jay Reilly Photography, Merrily Wed Lake Tahoe Weddings

Private Lakefront Estate Wedding, Storybook Cottage, Jay Reilly Photography, Merrily Wed Lake Tahoe Weddings

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Photography by Jay Reilly Photography. Florals by Bellissima Floral.

Lovely Spring Inspiration | Merrily Wed Wedding Style

This cream, light blue and blush colored vintage inspiration board created by our intern Alex, instills a very romantic feel with hints of Spring.  We fell head over heels for the illustrous fantasy mood evoked by the hanging votive light bulbs, lounge area and wedding dress.  The vintage Save the Date handkerchief makes an unforgettable stylish and lingering impression for guests in anticipation of the wedding day.  Soft, feminine and most certainly lovely.

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Photo Credits:
Top row: Once Wed, WM Events and Ruffled
Second row: Style Me Pretty, Style Me Pretty, Ruffled, Jim Hjelm and Junebug Weddings
Bottom row: Ruffled, Pink Stilletos, Wedding Chicks and La Tavola Linen

Amazing! …not really

The word amazing has been bugging me lately and become sort of a pet peeve.  I cringe whenever I hear it or read it.

This is the most excessively used word in the English language.  Really it is – last tested on 9.30.10.  Do you seriously take notice or believe when someone says “That was amazing” or “What an amazing time”?  It’s completely lost any credibility and descriptive powers.

If it’s not too late, I would like to add this to my New Year’s resolutions – to stop using the word amazing!

This word has been used so much on this season’s The Bachelor, a late-night TV-show host couldn’t resist to make a drinking game out of the number of times it is said during an episode (hear amazing, drink – you get it).  You feel your IQ shrink a little after watching this show.

I am sure I am guilty as well for overusing this word in describing past weddings (and probably even on this blog) but now that I am consciously aware of it, I am striking this word from my vocabulary.  You will not see or hear it in any of my correspondence with my clients and colleagues – email or phone.

Let’s use our noodles a little and think of suitable synonyms for this word.  Dust off that thesaurus or download an app – whatever you favor.  Our English teachers will love us for it!

Feel free to comment about your opinion on this word, but please, try not to use the word amazing.


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5 Engagement Party Tips | Lake Tahoe Wedding Design

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Thinking about an engagement party?  Read up on this Engagement Party 101…  As a nice follow-up to our earlier post on “Announcing Your Engagement” and with so many engagements around the holiday season, we thought we would clear up the etiquette around engagement parties. 

An engagement party is a time to celebrate the engagement of the bride and groom while spending time with close family and friends.  Who wouldn’t want to do that??  I always think it is a perfect time to get everyone excited about the trip for the destination wedding (if they aren’t already!) as well as introduce possible single travel buddies to each other. 

To clear up any confusion about the proper engagement party etiquette, here are 5 simple tips to help you….

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1. When should the engagement party be held?

There is not an exact proper time to have an engagement party but it should fall sometime after the couple is officially engaged and before the wedding.  The engagement party should be closer to the beginning of the engagement than to the date of the wedding.

2. Who should host the engagement party?

Traditionally the parents of the bride host the engagement party.  It is not uncommon anymore for the groom’s parents, siblings or friends of the couple to host the party.  The bride and groom should not ask someone to host the party for them nor host the party themselves.

3. Where should the engagement party be held?

Engagement parties can range from being formal to very informal depending on the venue – a house or a restaurant are the most popular.  Guests should not travel to the party, especially if  having a destination wedding.  Therefore having multiple parties are common when hosted in different towns or by different groups of family/friends.

4. Who should be invited?

Engagement parties are usually small and intimate affairs but can also be quite large.  Generally close family and friends are invited to celebrate the engagement.  Only guests attending the wedding should be invited to the engagement party.

5. Should guests bring gifts to an engagement party?

The couple should not expect any guests to bring gifts.  BUT some guests may bring a gift so it is important to have a gift registry started before the engagement party.

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Here’s to all the newly engaged couples as they revel in this special time in their lives!

Live, Love and Laugh…