Brilliant Blog

Dream Dessert on a Stick

May 18, 2010

Cheesecake lollipops are the latest trend in decadent desserts.  They’re a great addition to a “dessert tapas” table for large-scale events, or as finger food for a baby or bridal shower.  For those DIY hosts out there, click on the photo for the step-by-step instructions on how to make your own cheesecake lollipops.  Feast your eyes on these!

Photo Credit: PoshPosh.com

Coaster-Inspired Wedding

April 27, 2010

I came across this beautiful coaster by Nectar Ale at a local pub and loved the color palette so much that had to create an inspiration board for it!  Just goes to show that your event inspiration can come from anywhere.

Photo credits:  Flowers, Earrings, Bridesmaids, Strawberries, Shoes, Interior.

Avoid a DIY Disaster

April 22, 2010

Before you take on any DIY projects you should check out this decision flow chart from Heart of Light via 100 Layer Cake.  Not just funny & cute, the message is absolutely right on the money.  Click here to download the full version.  Instead of planning DIY for everything, pick and choose a few elements you want to do yourself and purchase the others ready-made.  Your sanity will thank you.

PlaceCard Holders Get Glam

April 8, 2010

The creative ladies at 100 Layer Cake have really outdone themselves with using vintage earrings as placecard stands.  If my name were Theodore, Camille or Madeline, I’d feel very lucky to sit here.  What a glam way to bring in a little mix-and-match sparkle to any tables – bridal shower, baby shower, wedding or dinner party!

Photos by Jose Villa for 100 Layer Cake.

Platinum for Pennies: Envelope Liners

March 25, 2010

Envelope liners are typically $$$$ but the talented team at Cards and Pockets will let you pick out a pattern, choose the perfect color to print the pattern in, and then create your envelope liners for a cool 45 cents each!  Check out these examples below.

If you don’t like any of the 15 pre-designed patterns, you can work with their print department to have custom-designed liners like the gorgeous fuchsia and turquoise one below.  Don’t forget that you should also order your envelopes from them to be 100% certain the liners will fit perfectly.

All images courtesty of Cards and Pockets.

David Lee Roth: Event Planning Genius

March 16, 2010

Little known fact:  David Lee Roth may have missed his calling as an event planner.  Van Halen had an infamous “brown M&Ms” clause which required the venue to provide M&Ms backstage with absolutely no brown M&Ms.

Just a diva move?  Not quite.

David Lee Roth did this so he could quickly assess if the venue had read their contract. If there were no brown M&Ms, it was very likely that all other requirements had been taken care of, allowing them to put on a safe, successful show.  If they hadn’t, he would order a check of the entire production.  That famous brown M&M-induced fit that allegedly cost $85,000 in damages? Actually was $85k in damage to the arena floor because the venue hadn’t followed their weight requirements in their contract.  ”Who am I to get in the way of a good rumor?” said David.

Make sure you are reading through all of your vendor contracts from start to finish, there’s usually a legitimate reason for even the smallest requests!

Image via The Smoking Gun, additional information via Christopher Cummings and Wikipedia.

Escort Card Tree Challenges

December 14, 2009

We love trees and branches as a dramatic touch for any event.  But, when it comes to escort cards, hanging tags on a tree isn’t the best route.  Since it’s not in a logical, alphabetical order, guests won’t be able to “grab & go” and it will create a bottleneck.

If you have your heart set on an escort card tree, split it up into a few trees and label them with ranges of letters (i.e. A-L, M-P, Q-Z, etc.).  Or, you can use the tree concept to display special photos and mementos.

Photo courtesy of Blue Olive Photography.

Got a light?

October 28, 2009

Here’s a pretty striking “before” and “after” shot from Kyla & Jordan’s wedding at Le Parker Meridien.  What a difference the lighting makes!  Photo by KC Gunn and lighting by Prestige Lighting. Even more gorgeous photos coming soon!

Wood Wedding Signs

July 29, 2009

These wooden signs are such a thoughtful touch to any wedding or event. Whether it’s a family reunion picnic, a cozy wedding on a historic farm or nuptials on the forest floor – these signs not only provide a useful function, they add an extra detail that will be sure to wow your guests.

My favorite is the signpost where one of the arrows points to happiness! These signs are courtesy of the folks at Vintage Sign Projects but you can also search on places like Etsy to find similar items.

5 Tips for Hot Summer Weddings

July 19, 2009

Summer has always been the most popular season for weddings. As you’re planning your summer nuptials, make sure you consider the effects that really hot weather will have on your day! Here are 5 top tips for making sure your day goes smoothly.

1. Provide shade in the form of umbrellas or decorative parasols during the ceremony
2. Avoid chocolate as part of your candy bar or as favors – they’ll melt into a terrible mess
3. Make sure your venues have sufficient air conditioning inside and shade outside to shield everyone from the burning rays
4. Select flowers that can stand up to the heat and make sure your floral arrangements aren’t placed too early in the day or stored in a hot room
5. Keep guests happy and hydrated by greeting them with ice cold bottled water and lemonade when they arrive