I am loving the new trend of creative and unique wedding progrmas. Lately I have seen many brides moving away from the traditional paper programs. There seems to be a new twist on how to display your wedding party and ceremony elements. Here are some of the ideas I’ve seen recently:

Rustic doors- I had a bride last Fall who’s maid of honor (who happens to be very artistic) took an tattered, distressed wooden door and hand-painted all the names of every on in the wedding party on it. This was propped against a tree for the outdoor wedding ceremony and was the perfect accent for the natural setting. It was so different and creative the guests could not stop talking about it. Check out the pic above.

Easels- Another bride that I am working with is going a little more formal and polished. She is using a framed easel to display her wedding program. Her guests will be holding fans and sunglasses, her favors, to help accommodate her outdoor setting in early August. So it was important to her not to overwhelm them with one more thing to carry. We’re collaborating with her florist to make sure the easel is beautiful, elegant and the perfect accent for the ceremony.

Fans- A couple of years back I had a client that was really concerned about her guests getting overheated. Georgia tends to get pretty sweltering in the Summer, so heat exhaustion is always something to keep in mind, particularly with elderly guests. So, she decided to print her programs on hand held fans. This way guests had the info right there and could use the fan to cool off.

These are just a few of the really cool ways I’ve seen brides spice up the wedding program. It’s important to recognize all of your wedding party and family, so why not find an artistic way to make it a little more personal and add to the unique style of your wedding.

I’m excited to announce that Chelsie Green, one of my former brides, has agreed to join Beyond Events to help plan, design and direct weddings. While I worked with her on her wedding last September I realized how creative, self-motivated and organized she is. To say that I was impressed is an understatement. It is rare to find this combination of traits in one person, but she pulls it off quite nicely, I must say. I am so excited to have her on board and look forward to creating some amazing weddings with her!

Stay tuned for more info, gorgeous event pics and updates. I’ll be posting some great stuff soon and you won’t want to miss it.

Looking for a Wedding planner, vendors or venues? All of these and more can be found through this new multi-media, comprehensive source for Atlanta’s brides. Social Lilly hosts a website (www.sociallilly.com) that brides can click through to find wedding specialists/ vendors, upcoming wedding related events and even offers an insider card (their featured wedding specialists offer discounts through this nifty little card). In April of 2010 Social Lilly will Launch their first annual print edition, this will be a fusion of a magazine and a coffee table book. Keep an eye out for the new publication at your favorite vendor locations in the next few months. Locations are to include Studio Wed, Beyond Events and many more. Their launch party is tonight, I’ll report back soon and give you all an update on the event!

Originating in Los Angeles,The Bridal Bar , an innovate ant unique bridal experience is a high-end complimentary planning experience where brides and their families can educate themselves with the assistance of knowledgeable wedding professionals.The Bridal Bar seeks out the best, most unique products, vendors, concepts, locations, and so much more so that every bride who walks through the doors leaves as a virtual expert themselves. This original concept allows brides to preview and plan for their perfect event.

Brides-to-be and party-throwers alike are encouraged to come in and lounge on their couch, sip complimentary champagne, view videos & DVD reels, listen to music samples, browse photographers’ images, and taste the cakes of from the exquisite list of vendors.

This launch event is a party wedding professionals won’t want to miss. I will be there for sure!

Recipe Guestbook

At one of my recent weddings the bride and groom opted to use a recipe book in lieu of a traditional guest book. What an innovative and unique touch. Rather than having a book that they would likely look at once and then put away, by using the recipe book they will have the opportunity to randomly stumble upon the well wishing and congratulations of their wedding guests anytime they use it to cook. I was and continue to be really impressed with this idea.

Buttons

At one of my recent weddings the florist added “buttons” to the bases of the bridesmaids’ bouquets. This simple touch of a circle of mums at the base of the bouquet added a little panache to the overall look of the flowers.  Sometimes it’s the simple details that create the biggest impressions.