Congrats, Suzanne and Robert

On Saturday, December 12 Suzanne and Robert were married at the TFWC Mansion. It was such pleasure working with this couple. Here is a glimpse of their wedding.As always, its a pleasure to work with Bob and the entire TFWC staff. Its such a unique and grand location to have any event!

The ceremony took place in the Georgian Room. I was able to work with one of my favorite photographers, Blanca Garcia with Photography by Blanca (note the shots in this post are from my iPhone. Blanca's work is MUCH better).

The ballroom looked stunning in black and bright pink decor!


The simple yet stunning florals were done by The Glass Fountain



I get to sample a lot of cake and it takes a lot to impress me. Lavender and Roses did a fantastic job! I only was able to capture the groom's cake (yes, that is an edible camara, complete with a picture of the bride and groom in the viewfinder).

Cute little details!

The happy couple.

I also have to give props to Primizie. The food was beautiful and extremely tasty. They're so great at their job, it makes my job just a bit easier.
All in all, it was a successful, beautiful event!

My Favorite Things

Since it is the season for giving, I decided to post this week's blog on my favorite gift ideas. Okay, so maybe I was inspired by Oprah, but who isn't?
This year when picking out my presents I decided to focus on giving meaningful gifts that help out the economy and the overall planet Earth.

The majority of my presents came from http://tenthousandvillages.com. You can find absolutely wonderful gifts at amazing prices here, but the really cool thing about this site is that they, "work with over 130 artisan groups in more than 38 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America.... As one of the world's oldest and largest fair trade organizations, [they] build long-term relationships with artisans that are based on mutual understanding and respect. Fair trade enables artisans to earn a fair wage and provides the opportunity for a better quality of life," (Ten Thousand Villages. 2009. 7 December 2009. http://www.tenthousandvillages.com). Not only is it great to know that you are contributing to a wonderful cause, but there's just something about giving a handmade authentic gift that is not mass produced.
Another big gift idea for this season.....Buying presents from small businesses instead of big name, national chains. Nothing against Walmart, but did you know that when you contribute to a small business it improves the quality of the economy substantially more than that of a chain. One of my favorites is http://etsy.com (which many brides know about). I just can't get enough of Sweet Life Paper (http://www.sweetlifepaper.com), which I found on Etsy! They have the cutest personalized stationary and wonderful customer service to boot! Austin is an amazing city to carry out the idea of contributing to small business gift ideas. We are very fortunate to have wonderful and distinctly Austin shops around every corner. One of my personal favorite things to do is shop the jewelry stands (or any of the quirky stores) on South Congress. Not only are you contributing to small businesses, but you are also helping the local economy.
Face it....The elderly are very difficult to shop for. If your grandparents are anything like mine, they have lived a long, amazing life and have just about every kind of trinket to prove it. Last year I decided instead of contributing to their collection of things that they really don't need I would donate to a certain charity for them. Last year I decided on Save the Children...This year I'm going with Habitat for Humanity. I'll write them up a letter and explain the contribution. They absolutely love it!
Well, I hope this article inspired you and helped you to find some meaningful gifts this year!

Keeping in Shape

Whether trying to fit in your wedding dress or you just want to be healthier, it is always great to exercise and eat right. Not only will you look great, but you'll feel great, as well.
I am always looking for wonderful businesses that I can refer to my brides and until recently, I had never come across a great personal trainer. I had the pleasure of meeting Jake Bellonzi at none other than one of my weddings and when he asked me whether I had a boot camp that I referred, I could honestly say no. Being the professional that I am, I made him aware that it is not so easy to make my preferred vendors list. First, I have to see you in action and second, you have to be exceedingly good at your trade. Well, needless to say, Train with Jake qualified for the list.
If your looking to get in shape or stay in shape, you should definitely check him out. His approaches are challenging, yet accomplishable and he motivates you to do well without being a drill sergeant. Not only is his pricing better than the typical gym memership, but he will also provide you with nutritional advise and give you personalized attention so that you are not wasting your workout by doing all the exercise incorrectly. I encourage everyone to check out his website (http://trainwithjake.com) and get involved with his boot camps.

Chic in the Heart of Texas

This Tuesday, Kristi and I had the pleasure of attending a dinner at the Driskill put on by NEAWP (Nuptial Essentials Association of Wedding Planners). The key note speaker was none other than the amazing Colin Cowie; event planner for the stars. It was such a wonderful and educational night. It was absolutely amazing to see how Colin converts an ordinary venue into a magical space. To learn about Colin Cowie go to www.colincowie.com. Here is a photo of Kristi and me with Colin taken by the fabulous Laura with Anthology Photography.

Tips on How to have a Low-Stress, Successful Wedding

One of my most asked questions is what makes a wedding successful. Here is the advise that I give my brides.


1) Hire The Right Vendors

Your vendors are going to make or break your wedding. If you are not using a wedding planner's preferred vendors list, you should really do your homework. Talk to past brides, read reviews on the Knot, meet with the vendor before hiring, have a list of questions of things that are important to you. If you are using a reputable wedding planner's vendor list, make sure you ask the planner which vendor would be the right choice for you specifically. They should be able to point you in the right direction, but be sure that the planner has worked with these vendors and is not suggesting them because they get a kick-back. I highly suggest hiring a professional band or DJ. They will be front and center and they will determine whether your guests have a great time or whether they leave early.


2) Have Everything Done a Week Before the Wedding

This means that you should not be purchasing things the week of your wedding, you should not be calling and confirming vendors the week of your wedding (that's your planner's job), and you should have all responsibilities assigned and all of your friends/family aware of their responsibilities (i.e.vehicle that will be taking the gifts). All of the personal items (guest book) and decor that you are providing should be packed neatly in labeled boxes and handed to your planner or delivered to the reception site the day before the wedding. This will ensure that nothing is left behind in a rush to get everything completed and that all of the decor is placed in the proper place on the day of the wedding. The week leading up to the wedding should be spent with friends and family; not trying to put together last minute plans.

3) Relax, Have Fun, and Realize the Significance of the Day

Not everything is going to go as planned, but if you keep in mind that no matter what, this is the day that you will be marrying the love of your life, you will be able to keep the meaning of the day in perspective and enjoy the wedding. Also, be able to relinquish the control over to the wedding professionals. They do this every week and know what works and what doesn't. You will not be able to relax if you are trying to manage them and they won't be able to do their job to the best of their abilities.

If you keep these few tips in mind, you should have a blast on your day, no matter what life throws at you!

Credits:
Top Photo- Photography by Blanca, Funky Old Soul (Band), Olden Lighting
Middle Photo- Sledd Photography, Bouquets of Austin (floral arrangements)
Bottom Photo- Crosswhite Photography

Update

I know, I know.....Its been awhile since I've last updated, but I'm back and after a BUSY couple of months, I've got so much to post. Let's start with an update of Buon Affaré Events. First of all, here is a glimpse of some of our weddings that we've been busy with:

Alisha and Chad's Wedding, Temple CAC and First Baptist Church of Belton













Crosswhite Photography
Catering by Las Casas

Heather and Robert's Wedding, Phillip's Event Center





Photography by Scott Sprague

Flowers by the Glass Fountain

Austin Wedding Jookbox for DJ

Catering by Crave

Cake by Michelle's Patisserie







Regan and Brian's wedding, Vintage Villas



Flowers by Bouquets of Austin

Cake by Michelle's Patisserie

DJ Complete Music

Photography by Sledd Photography