You’re Engaged! Congratulations! Next Step Gift Registry

  I know what you are thinking, “One more item to add to the ever growing “To Do” list.

It’s true this is one more item that needs to be taken care of and the sooner the better.   Sit back a moment, this is a FUN task, but one that needs a plan.  This is a short list of how to have fun and register for awesome gifts to fill your new life together.

1. Choose your stores wisely.

Who makes up your guest list?  Will guest want to travel to a store or purchase online?

When choosing your two stores (make it easy for guest and you!), be certain you are aware of the return policy.  Online stores are great, but don’t you really want to see , feel, and touch the item to check it’s quality, before you add it to your home?

2. Take stock of what you have.

If I walked into a store and registered without some idea of what I needed/wanted, the list would be very, very long!

Remember you are or may have already combined two households.  This is your chance to throw out that old crappy pizza pan and register for a brand new improved crust crisper pizza pan.

Make your list, include color choices, amounts, and sizes of the items you would like to register for.

3. Registry is not just for the Kitchen & Bath

I love the fact that couples have the opportunity to register for a ladder, garden tools, power tools, or any kind of tools.  This is an enormous help, especially if you are purchasing your first home

4. Over Register

Remember you can always return items.   It may sound like a lot to register for twelve place settings, but take it from me, it isn’t.  (I have age on my side)  Those extra plates will come in handy one day.

5. Make it a Date Night

You have your list ready; your appointment at the store of your choice is scheduled.  Now make a dinner reservation.  Allow a few hours at the store to start registering, then go to dinner and relax.   You can always go back to add items if you do not finish.

Remember, This is a FUN task!

6. Thank You

I see you rolling your eyes!   This can be another one of those tasks that can be made easy.  When you receive a gift, pull out that Thank You that is already addressed and write it. (HINT: When addressing your Wedding Invitations, address the Thank Yous as well).  Mail it; check it off the guest list, DONE!

These are just a few helpful hints to making Registering for your Shower & Wedding Gifts FUN.

Enjoy and make room on your shelves for all your awesome gifts.

Thanks for joining us today, be sure to share with your friends.

Follow us on Twitter& instagram  @elegant_whims

Elegantly,

Patti & Meinda

Pottinger Photography

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2016 Wedding Trends

It’s never too early to start looking into the new year’s trends! 

We are slowly but surely coming to the end of the year.

What this means for us is that most of the weddings we are planning are no longer taking place in the great year of 2015.

As Planners we always have to be several steps ahead with designs to offer our clients for their events.  We are coordinating Fall and Winter 2015 Weddings, but creating and planning for the 2016 season.  What’s cutting edge and will be the next trend.  Be a trend setter with your Wedding and Even design with the help of Elegant Whims.

Take it away Meredith…..

Elegantly,

Patti & Melinda

Pottinger Photography

So what can you expect pinterest and Bride Magazine to have in store for you in 2016?

We got you covered. 

According to planyourperfectwedding.com, weddings are will shortly become the lavish feasts they were in the past. As in, waay in the past. What do we mean by lavish?

Live Music.   We are seeing more and more live music for the Ceremony. But in 2016 we will see Live Reception Music grace the Reception venues, giving guest a wonderful evening of live music and dancing.

 

Desserts & Food

Think  pudding cakes, Tiers of Cheese Wedding Cake, little tarts, and pies savory mini pies. Multicultural foods served on multi colored dinnerware. Different but wonderful flavor combinations, rubbed meats, food stations and a show stopping menu of  hor d’orver platters. Forget the lighted cake table, be a trend setter and light an appetizer station for a 2016 Wedding statement.

The biggest design element is the instragramable (yes, it’s a word. I just made it up.) factor. Brides and designers have been more and more focused on the idea that whatever they choose will end up on the social media site. So everything is starting to be arranged so that the size and filters of Instagram will show it off to the best advantage.

Read more of their predictions here: http://www.planyourperfectwedding.com/article/receptions/wedding-trend-predictions-2016

What else is new?    Well it’s not new, but a continuation of this year’s trend. Vintage. 

Who doesn’t want an old world feeling to their big day? This year we saw it in the form of rustic, and shabby chic. in 2016 there will more of an emphasis on the elegant vintage whimsy.

As always, make your wedding your own. Don’t be swayed by what’s the latest trend. Instead, be inspired by them!

Elegantly,

Meredith

Elegant Whims Intern

Confessions of a Wedding Planner Intern

Confessions of a Wedding Planner Intern

What I learned while hiding in the shadows of your wedding. 

Happy Wednesday Everyone!

This is a very special edition of “Tips & Trends from Elegant Whims”

Melinda and I want to take this opportunity to Thank our summer interns, Meredith and Caitlyn for their help.  Caitlyn, a student at Ohio University has headed back for her senior year.  Graduating  Spring 2016 with a degree in  Communications. We wish her all the best and the door to Elegant Whims is always open!

Meredith a student a NKU will be with us for a few more years until she graduates.   She has taken over writing our Blog. Can I just say this has been an enormous help!   Melinda and I have been brought into the 21st Century, introducing us to Instagram, and a You Tube channel.  ( I learned it is called a Channel and not a Station)

In this Blog she is relating what she has learned from us, but this has been a two way street.

Elegantly,

Patti & Melinda

What I learned while hiding in the shadows of your wedding. 

Around late April this year it occurred to me that I may want to pursue something other than Stage Management just to make sure that I was in the right field.

Since Wedding Planning has many of the same elements as Stage Management (or so Google told me), I sent my resume to several different companies in the Cincinnati area to see if any were hiring.

Elegant Whims met me by accident while I was speaking with another planner. Two days later they called me asking if I would be interested in taking a position. Even though it was unpaid, I’ve never been happier with my decision to be on their team.

Patti and Melinda immediately took me under their patient and guiding wings. Using humor and sharp observation skills – they showed me the ins and outs of the wedding world.

Since May, I’ve helped with over 5 weddings, each with different challenges and obstacles that I witnessed being smoothed over. While I followed Patti and Melinda around like a puppy I was able to pick up on a few things:

1.) Wedding Planning isn’t about the wedding 

It’s about the memories of the wedding. Planners essentially make sure that all of the Bride’s memories from that day are good ones. It’s our job to make sure that she doesn’t know that the groomsmen were almost late for pictures. Or that the florist didn’t label the corsages. Or that the caterers set up the tables with the wrong amount of chairs at each one. This is wedding planning. This is what we do.

2.) Humor can get you through anything 

I’ve always been a firm believer of this, but Patti and Melinda are experts. No matter how stressful, no matter how difficult, there is always something to laugh about. If all else fails, shrug and say “Ooookay.” then smile do your best to fix whatever situation as at hand.

          

3.) Save your comments for the car.

Not everything goes our way, and that’s fine. It’s part of the job. Never let it show. Besides – it makes the ride home much more interesting, while enjoy a Coke Zero.

4.) Sometimes people ask you what to do and you have to make it up. 

The day I got the Elegant Whims badge was the day people started asking me what to do. Apparently having and badge and a timeline makes you qualified to answer questions. Who knew. I’ve told so many people where to put chairs and or where to park their cars. The first time it happened I hunted down Melinda and asked if my answer was correct. Melinda laughed and said thats why I was there. I have since embraced my new power.

5.) It’s not eves dropping if you’re helping people.

over half of my job consisted of hearing grievances and reporting back to Patti and Melinda, or just taking care of it myself. Guests saying they couldn’t find their seat, or a vendor wondering if they got a meal, or maybe a child begging his mom for cake and mom not knowing when that was happening. I had answers for all of those things (the badge again) so why not make them known? Some would call it eves dropping, I call it volunteering my services.

Needless to say, I’ve loved my summer with Elegant Whims.

I can’t wait to see what more I’ll be a part of this coming fall.

Until next week,

Elegantly,

Meredith Russell

Elegant Whims Intern

Top Ten Ways Pinterest Has Dominated the Wedding World

Because you should be able to tell the difference between your boss’s daughter’s wedding photos and your own.

In the past two years we have seen Pinterest dominate our Bride’s Wedding Vision.   While we enjoy offering a “Secret Board” for our Brides, we also offer design tips on putting a spin on their ideas, so their Wedding reflects the couple’s personalities.      Let’s be honest, you wouldn’t walk into Dillard’s and buy the same outfit your friend just bought because you loved it.   You would look around and find the style and color that fits You.

This is a humorous look at how Pinterest influences our lives.    Thank you Meredith for this fun look into Pinterest.

Elegantly,

Patti & Melinda

Pottinger Photography

 

Elegant Whim’s Top Ten Ways Pinterest Has Dominated the Wedding World.

1)  Mason Jars

Anywhere. Seriously. There is other glassware available. Unless you are actually using it for canning purposes, look at other options before using these. We’re not saying you can’t find a unique way of incorporating them – but it will be have to be incredibly creative at this point.

* Planners Note:  Visit your local thrift stores or charter stores, ( Goodwill etc.)  you purchase all types of unique glassware to use as vases.  It doesn’t have to be a vase, to be used as a vase.

Replace mirror  with a circle of burlap  instead of a table runner.                                       Fay the edges and you have your own take on a pinterest pin.                        Replace several of the flowers with baby’s breath

.

2.) Chalkboard signs. Any kind.

Chalkboard art can be a beautiful way to include a talented cousin or sibling, but white curly cue writing does not art make.

   Have the seating chart printed 

and framed in distressed wood

3.) Twinkly lights

Lighting is a huge part of the reception. Unfortunately, regular icicle lights are everywhere. There are other soft lighting options out there with different ways of hanging them, etc. Do a little digging.  Here are a couple.

                      

4.) Outdoor weddings

In the pictures it looks like a fairy tale. In reality it’s sticky, buggy, hot, dirty, and it might rain. Food for thought.

5.) Gold Glitter.

Ladies. Please. It gets everywhere. There are other things that sparkle

.

Instead, use a scented body  glimmer powder that will give you a   subtle glimmer and lovely fragrance.

6.) Wood

It’s a natural resource, it’s durable, and you can do anything with it. That doesn’t mean you should do EVERYTHING with it.

 

7.) Burlap

If you have a fresh (and we mean fresh) take on it, by all means go for it. Otherwise, we’re ok with never seeing another burlap table runner for as long as we live.

8.) Date idea/ marriage advice guest book

Usually on popsicle sticks that go in mason jars. Your wedding is not the only one that your guests will have to attend this year – give them a break from trying to think too hard. Most of them just want to wish you well anyway. Your single friends will especially thank you.

* Planners Note:  Choose something you can use as decor in your new home. That way it will be a reminder of everyone that shared your Special Day and not collecting dust on a shelf or worse yet, tossed out when you move.

9.) Candles

They’re beautiful. Who’s going to light them/get rid of them when they burn out?   Other options, test the candles before you buy them in bulk.   This way you will know if they will last the 6-8 hours needed for the reception time.   What time of day is your reception, chances are if it is in the summer, it doesn’t get dark until 9 or after.   Use the battery operated ones,they have a great life span.

10.) Tin buckets/watering cans as vases and/or drink coolers.

Real vases really aren’t that bad, and actual coolers work better. If you are going to go for the tin though, at least decorate them. Just not with burlap.

* Planners note;  At my son and daughter in law’s rehearsal dinner, I used a large cooler, draped it with  white satin and lined with white clean plastic.   Filled it with Ice, added a scoop.    It worked great and the ice did not melt.  Unfortunately, I was having such a great time, I forgot to take any photos.

All of these things can be done in a unique way. Take some time to really think about who you and your fiancé are, and how you can make even the smallest details your own. Remember that people are coming to celebrate your matrimony, not your pinterest board.

Elegantly,

Meredith

Elegant Whims Intern

 

Pinterest……. Good OR Evil

It is Blog Wednesday at Elegant Whims, pour yourself a cup of coffee or glass of wine and enjoy!

   Chapter 1 ….  A look into a Bride’s Pinterest Boards.    Stop in next week for Chapter 2,

Thank you Meredith !

Elegantly,

Patti & Melinda

So you have lots of awesome ideas for your wedding. 

You have a Pinterest board full of great ideas that you can’t wait to start working on.

Suddenly your phone buzzes. It’s your sister. She saw your latest pin, and her boyfriend’s sister’s friend made one just like it, and she’s sure that the boyfriend’s sister’s friend wouldn’t mind making more for a small fee.

    

Wait, now your aunt just emailed you about five different pins (that you added months ago in the early stages of planning) and she’s telling you exactly how much each one will cost according to her local high-end craft store. She wants to make them all for you, and then bring them with her. On the day of the wedding. When she flies in from New Jersey.

Sound familiar?

Here’s a tip from Elegant Whims:

Make your wedding Pinterest board a secret one. Only allow the people you want to see it, see it. This way, no one is making suggestions they shouldn’t be making, and being helpful in ways that aren’t helpful.

Now that you have your own space that you can create with, here is what we suggest:

1.) Start with your venue.

You can’t create an atmosphere without a space.

2.) Decide on a color scheme.

Keep it original, and keep it under 4 colors.

3.) Use Pinterest as a tool, not a Bible.

Don’t just duplicate something just to duplicate it. Take an idea and let it spark your creativity to make it your own. Put your own twist on them, and who knows? You may end up creating the latest Pinterest Wedding Trend!

Want to know what the Top Ten Overdone Pinterest Wedding Ideas?  Check back next Wednesday, so your Wedding Photos won’t look like everyone on your Photographers Gallery.

Enjoy the rest of your week!

Elegantly,

Meredith 

Elegant Whims Assistant