Planning an outdoor ceremony, Houston bride? An al fresco vow exchange is a great opportunity to get creative and show off your personal style with an altar that goes beyond the basic flower-twined arch or filmy canopy.
Don’t overlook interestingly textured materials like bamboo, wrought iron and driftwood, which make sturdy foundations and offer interesting contrast to softer textiles and floral. Maybe you want to add internal illumination to stretched-fabric posts, or forgo floral in favor of hanging crystals, seashells or sculpted branches. Perhaps your ceremony setting has the good fortune of a natural feature—say, a massive willow tree or sparkling lake—that can serve as a special focal point for your nuptials with little or no added decoration.
While you’re considering these altar alternatives, have a look at a handful of intriguing, unexpected, and altogether wonderful altar examples we’ve pulled together for you:
How cool is this “stage” altar, crafted by Oakland, Calif.-based Because We Can for the wedding of stationery company Hello!Lucky’s creative director?
Photos by Gia Canali with Sara Remington
This contemporary, elegant black wrought-iron chuppah, on the Fountain Terrace of The Four Seasons Hotel, Las Vegas, doubled as a canopy for the reception’s sweetheart table. Stylish and practical.
Wrought Iron Altar
Photos by altF Photography
We love the glowing, ethereal “posts” on this simple but spectacular outdoor canopy. And the bright, willowy-stemmed flowers? What a magical effect.
Illuminated Altar
There’s not much to this understated bamboo canopy—but what is there is refined and lovely, and draws attention to the wedding couple, rather than to itself. You could always add tropical foliage or accent the aisle with floral for a lusher, more feminine look.
Bamboo Altar
And, finally, we are totally in love with this hand-hewn altar, made by the bride’s younger brother to resemble an old-time country church. Check out the “windows,” the yellow dresser, the black iron chandelier and antique candle-holders—amazing, totally original, absolutely beautiful.
It’s no secret that the Houston Wedding Blog has some serious love for haven-of-all-things-handmade, Etsy. And now we have yet another reason to love the ubiquitous online artisans’ marketplace. You see, the Etsy Wedding Team Shop has launched a team event to raise money for Haiti, which, as we all know, was devastated by a massive earthquake, and subsequent aftershocks, on Jan. 10.
Here’s how it works:
Members of the Wedding Team—these are artisans who make wedding-related items, from jewelry to favors to décor, and more—have donated a selection of their wares to the event. Purchase a donated item and the proceeds (minus Etsy and PayPal fees) will go directly to the American Red Cross Haiti Relief and Development Fund. It’s that simple.
The items themselves, on the other hand, are intricate, elegant, fanciful, fun and unique. Check out, for instance, this delightful floral headband—perfect for your most fashionable flower girl.
Flower Headband
Or how about these filigree and glass-pearl earrings? We think they’re a very pretty pairing for an ivory bridal gown, and also great for a bridesmaid gift.
Filigree and glass-pearl earrings
And weren’t we delighted to find this clay-flower accent arrangement from DK Designs (remember when we blogged about Martha Stewart discovery Diane Phillips way back in November?). Those peach-hued English roses and creamy magnolia blossoms? Hard to believe they’re not real flowers!
Clay Flowers
You’ll also find cupcake pick tags (cute!), wedding signs (handy!), coffee cup corsets (darling!) and other wonderful wedding extras. So check it out and pass the word along. Haiti needs our help, and Etsy’s got a terrific opportunity to give it.
So you’re getting married. Congratulations! Now it’s time to make one of your first big wedding planning decisions: Where will you and your groom hold your reception?
Just like a perfect setting is essential to every great story, your reception venue will set the mood for the party. It’s one of the first things your guests will notice when they arrive to fete you and your guy. It’ll also provide the backdrop for your wedding photos, your first dance, and the cutting of the cake. Your reception venue may also dictate what kind of food and drinks you can serve. So you want to select a venue that embodies the sort of ambiance you want for the biggest party of your life.
If you like the idea of a venue that’s both grand and intimate, check out The Majestic Metro. This one-of-a-kind wedding venue makes its home downtown in the old Ritz movie theater, which opened in 1926. With much of its original Art Deco architecture still intact, The Majestic Metro will make your wedding celebration one for the ages.
And no, The Majestic Metro’s age won’t spoil your wedding day fun. The venue has been updated to include a top-of-the-line 21st century sound and lighting system, so you can dance the night away on the Texas-sized dance floor. The Majestic Metro even has its own first-rate DJ to get your guests moving to more than 5,000 tunes by everyone from Beyonce to Alicia Keys to George Strait to the Righteous Brothers to Snoop Dogg.
Having a huge wedding? The Majestic Metro can accommodate up to 400 guests with banquet-style seating. And you can serve whatever kind of food you want from any caterer you choose. That’s right, Houston bride, it’s your wedding, and you can eat what you want to. Your fave barbeque? Check. The dish you were eating when your guy proposed? Ditto.
Don’t stress if you don’t have an opinion on what kind of food to serve or which caterer to use, though. The Majestic Metro is happy to recommend caterers that it has worked with previously.
That’s because The Majestic Metro’s staff knows you and your groom are the stars of the show. They’ll even feature your name and personalized message on its outdoor marquee. Now there’s some A-list treatment every Houston bride deserves!
We here at the Houston Wedding Blog do NOT believe that ho-hum bridesmaids somehow elevate the beauty of the bride. And neither, thankfully, does Joanna August. We love that the newbie bridal designer’s line emerged directly out of her own dilemma over sending “her best friends down the aisle in dresses whose beauty ran a distant second to that of the table settings” at her 2008 wedding.
Know what we love even more? Her absolutely gorgeous bridesmaid dresses. And know who loves those dresses even more than we do? Uh, that’d be the lucky bridesmaids who get to wear them—over and over and over again.
Who wouldn’t love flouncing down the aisle (and then turning up at Skybar) in the ultra-chic Erica, with its one-shoulder bodice and flirty skirt? Then there’s the slightly more daring but equally romantic Dara Mini. Like the Erica, this one’s 100% silk, but instead of a solo shoulder it’s got a ruffled neckline, a higher scalloped hem and a figure-flattering wraparound style. Picture-perfect for spring weddings, right? But doll it up with some sparkly earrings and a pair of stilettos, and your maid is dressed for a sophisticated summer dinner date. Yum!
Dara
Planning a formal affair? You have got to check out Joanna August’s Jae Long, with shirred asymmetrical neckline and floor-grazing A-line skirt. You can get this Grecian-inspired bridesmaid dress in any number of vibrant colors, from aquamarine to scarlet, but we think it looks simply stunning in basic black. Wow.
Jae Long
Joanna August also makes lovely, unfussy, sophisticated wedding gowns, all of them 100% silk, all of them under $4,000 (with one, the ethereal Kelly, under a grand!), and each utterly unique in silhouette and style.
All of Joanna August’s dresses can be ordered online, but to see them in person, you’ll have to get yourself to Bella Bridesmaid in Dallas. For now. Joanna, whose hubby hails from Texas, and who says she “LOVES Houston,” is hoping to get her dresses in a local boutique soon. And guess who’ll let you know when she does? Uh, that’d be us.
First up, we’d like to remind you that Weddings in Houston has a fab-u-lous new Facebook page that’s already racked up more than 2,000 devoted fans. Aww… we love you too, ladies (and gents)! As for the rest of you—we really encourage you to check it out. It’s a great way to connect with other Houston brides, share tips, sympathize, support, offer opinions, seek advice and, of course, view awesome WIH fashion-show vids, get updates on new Weddings in Houston content and find out about upcoming, not-to-be-missed events.
We at the Houston Wedding Blog also heart Facebook’s handy Daisypath wedding and anniversary ticker app, which lets you, and all your Facebook friends, count down to your wedding date. Customize your Daisypath ticker with your own personal text, add it to your profile, and voila! Your FBFs will always know just how many days they have to wait until your big day.
And speaking of Facebook…while our fave social media site may be a vital part of a bride and groom’s life in SO many ways, this just may be taking a tiny step too far (or not, you be the judge!):
Hey there Houston bride, remember how, a few weeks back, we commented on how cool it would be to have your very own personalized wedding song, like the lucky Roula Christie? Well, guess what? You totally can!
If you’ve got the desire to set your feelings to music with a beautiful, professionally written song that will bring your gathered guests to tears (or possibly to their feet for a little dancing, if that’s your thing), Felice Keller Productions can make your wedding dreams come true. Keller, a music industry veteran and recent bride herself, taps into some pretty amazing talent to get the job done. Her writers include hit-makers and Oscar-winning songwriters who have penned tunes for the likes of Faith Hill, Clay Aiken and Johnny Cash among others, and she expertly matches writers with to-be-weds to create genuine music magic.
Keller can also provide professional vocalists and musicians—her artists have shared the stage with music superstars including Etta James, Melissa Etheridge and Michael McDonald to name a few—to perform your personal song at your wedding. Or you can let one of Houston’s own fabulously talented bands do the honors.
This kind of personal attention and professional songwriting doesn’t come cheap: Prices start at $5,000 and can soar to the six-digit range depending on the celebrity status of the songwriter you want and which “extraordinary add-ons” you choose. But if you’ve got the budget, a custom song written exclusively for your once-in-a-lifetime occasion is an incredibly special way to celebrate your love, and a truly unique keepsake that will let you relive the emotion of the occasion over and over and over again.
We highly recommend you check out Keller’s own recent wedding video montage (scroll down on page for video link), featuring “Here Today,” a moving ballad custom written for Keller by a songwriter for country star Faith Hill. And have a tissue or two on hand.
Looking for an unforgettable gift for the love of your life? Keller’s services also include The Rockstar Experience, which lets ordinary human beings collaborate with famous songwriters, record their own song in a professional studio, or simply enjoy rock star experience in either Los Angeles or Nashville (VIP club access, fine dining, Champagne—you get the picture). Rock on.
If you’re one of the more than 1,000 lucky brides and assorted family and friends who attended the Jan. 24 Before You Say … “I Do!” soiree, you’re probably still reeling from the thrill of the experience. We know we are.
This year’s show featured nearly 80 in-demand Houston wedding experts and purveyors of wedding beauty and bounty (thank goodness for that Java Pura coffee bar…with so much to see and such divine cuisine and drink from the ever hospitable Houstonian Hotel, Club & Spa, we needed a caffeine kick or two!)
We want to thank the wonderful Lisa Hopkins, director of catering for The Houstonian, and her amazing staff, without whom the soiree would not have been possible. And this year’s show wasn’t just possible, it was “fabulous,” notes Weddings in Houston publisher Radhika Day. “Gorgeous weather, great turnout and incredible displays” were all on hand, she says. As for those designer tablescapes and cake displays? “They were show stopping! And the cocktail reception was a big hit with the brides.” Shocker, huh? But it was the Houston BoyChoir, which performed on stage just before the spectacular soiree fashion show, that really wowed the crowd. As Day says, “Their angelic faces and beautiful voices stole the show!”
Houston Boychoir - Photo: Nhan
We’ll have more Before You Say … “I Do!” wrap coverage coming up, but take a look at these photos for a little taste of our sweetest soiree yet!
If you’ve seen Weddings in Houston’s March issue (and if you haven’t—what are you waiting for??), you’ve no doubt been seduced by the swank, sophisticated Hotel Sorella CITYCENTRE, featured on our cover (as backdrop to a beautiful bride holding a custom floral handbag by Darryl & Co.) and in our knockout “Urban Elegance” fashion spread. Recounts Weddings in Houston publisher Radhika Day, “The hip and chic hotel was the perfect setting for our fashion shoot, especially when the city was being pounded with rain.” And the “sexy bar and the cabanas by the pool actually inspired us to add to the story—it was a lot of fun!”
So here’s the scoop: Before you get too excited about having your wedding at the spectacular Sorella, we want to let you know: The property’s on-site meeting and event space will open in fall, 2010, and be able to accommodate wedding receptions for up to 300 guests. So all you super-stylish city brides who plan to wed in 2011 and beyond, make sure you check it out when it does. Word is, it’s going to be gorgeous. The rest of you glamour gals, take note:
Even if you can’t have your whole shebang at CITYCENTRE’s crown jewel (for now Hotel Sorella can accommodate very small ceremonies in its lobby lounge followed by festivities in its open-to-the-public bar and restaurant), you sure can take advantage of its European-influenced opulence in other ways.
For instance, how about getting your bridesmaids or BFFs together for a pre-wedding overnight escape? Sorella director of sales Jodi Doughty says that with its sleek “Italian designed-furnishings, hardwoods that transition to carpet in all right places [and] two- or three-seater sectional sofas,” the hotel is the perfect place to gather “a few girlfriends in your room for a great glass of wine,” followed by a divine dinner at culinary hotspot Bistro Alex, and perhaps a chick flick, with cocktails, natch, at CITYCENTRE’s Studio Movie Grill.
Speaking of escapes…there’s nothing like a little pre-wedding getaway with your future hubby to reconnect you two, and relieve the stress of constant planning. Hotel Sorella’s 520-square-foot are just the ticket, with their insanely luxurious beds, decadent walk-in showers and awesome views.
Of course, with its CITYCENTRE location, stylish design and gracious service, Hotel Sorella is also a great place for visiting guests to stay. Doughty says visitors love being able to “look down at the CITYCENTRE development from their windows, people-watch and get in on the action.” And CITYCENTRE offers much-needed “balance for the groom’s side,” she adds, in the form of dude-friendly gathering spots like the Yard House, with its burgers, big screens and 80-plus beers.
If you haven’t yet seen Hotel Sorella, we highly recommend a visit. You’ll be able to get a great sense of the space by checking out (or checking into) a room, sipping a cocktail beside the sleek fireplace at the seductive Monnalisa bar and gazing at stars, and into your fiance’s eyes, in the open-air courtyard. And if you want to star in your own on-property bridal fashion shoot? Hey, for a fee, and with a fabulous photographer on your side, you can do that, too.
There’s nothing wrong with a nicely presented plate of meat and potatoes—for a fancy dinner out with your fiancé, that is. When it comes to your wedding reception, however, wouldn’t you like to serve up something with a little more pizzazz? Something that will get guests talking, moving, perhaps even salivating in anticipation a little? Something that says, “This here is a celebration, folks. Let’s have some fun!”
Courtney Campbell of Campbell’s Catering sure thinks so. And she and her culinary crew are catering to wedding couples who share her passion for food that looks elegant and exciting, and delivers fabulous flavor and fun in equal measure.
Sound good to you, Houston bride? Here are a couple of Campbell’s specialties, which are, she notes, “elegant and unique without breaking the bank”—what a concept!
“We have encouraged many of our recent brides whose receptions are taking place at 8:30 p.m. or later to go with some very upscale and unique passed hors d’oeuvre, such as our duck wontons served with a spicy mango chutney, our Italian chicken lollipops, and our Spanish shrimp cocktail shooters garnished with guacamole and blue corn chips.” Uh, yum. “These are all very hearty and elegant at the same time.”
To add a dynamic and delicious interactive element to the festivities, Campbell suggests her signature Gourmet Potato Boat Bar, featuring dressed-up potato skins filled with fun “theme” goodies. Our faves?
The New Yorker, topped with sliced Italian sausage, and sautéed peppers and onions, and topped with fresh mozzarella.
The Califonia Fresh, loaded with fresh sprouts, homemade guacamole and shredded Monterey jack cheese.
The Mojo, topped with rum-sautéed shrimp and zingy Cuban mojo sauce.
The BBQ, filled with barbecued pulled pork and topped with barbecue sauce and sliced scallions.
Campbell says the Gourmet Potato Boat Bar, with 25 themes to choose from, is especially “great for weddings that have two different nationalities being combined,” and a nice icebreaker for rehearsal dinners where guests are reconnecting or meeting for the first time.
And now if you’ll excuse us, we have to go dab the drool from our chin.
Sure, flower arrangements are a splendid choice for your bridesmaid luncheon or bridal shower. But you can’t eat roses. Harvard Sweet Boutique’s centerpieces, on the other hand, are not just lovely to look at, but ridiculously delicious too. We absolutely adore the pink-and-green Garden Party centerpiece, with its fancifully tied, modern striped boxes. For a case of the blues you won’t want to kick, the Ocean centerpiece combines tranquil blue hues with rich chocolate brown for a look that’s both hip and classic. Any centerpiece you select can be filled with mouthwatering Harvard Sweet confections of your choice, from toffees to fudge brownies to peppermint bark and more.
We also have a hunger for Harvard Sweet Boutique’s wedding favor boxes. How pretty these babies will look on your tabletop, and how pleased your guests will be to open them and find decadent chocolate truffles or diminutive gourmet cookies inside.
Rachel Ray’s a big fan of Harvard Sweet Boutique—she featured their sinful chocolate chip cookies on her show as the “snack of the day,” much to gobbling guests delight. Your guests, too, are sure to cobble. Um, can you add us to the invite list—please?
