Orange as a wedding color has always inspired me, so ...]]> Out of everything that went into the preparation for our vow renewal, I probably had the most fun and least stress planning the day after brunch.  It was held at South City Kitchen in Midtown, just steps from our hotel blocks and our venue from the vow renewal the night before.

Orange as a wedding color has always inspired me, so I knew that I wanted to use it for the brunch.  It’s so fresh and clean!  I kept things super-simple, bringing in only one accent color (yellow) and using lots of fresh fruit as decor.

Each place setting was decorated with an orange wrapped in parchment paper and tied with raffia.  The leaves were goccoed with “Bonne Annee!”, French for Happy New Year, written in calligraphy by Laura Hooper (continuing the slightly-French theme that was carried through from our RSVP packets, do not disturb signs, menus, and other printed items).

{Jessica Claire}

The bar was lined with oranges and lemons, purchased from Whole Foods and donated to a local food bank after the event.

{Jessica Claire}

You might recognize the tissue paper wreath!  I loved how it turned out and even though it’s a time-consuming project, I would highly recommend it to anyone.

{Jessica Claire}

A tip as you are working with venues: if they already have fresh floral or decor in place, ask them if they will place their order in your colors/theme.  South City Kitchen displayed a flower arrangement already and they were perfectly happy to order it for that week in orange and yellow.  Free decor for me!

{Jessica Claire}

Because it was January 1, the restaurant was not open, so we had the entire place to ourselves.  South City Kitchen is just such a perfect space and the food is just to die for…

{Mark Brooke}

{Jessica Claire}

{Jessica Claire}

{Jessica Claire}

… especially their made-from-scratch banana pudding.  Le sigh.

{Jessica Claire}

Now for a few more fun DIY projects!  I purchased several dozen mango-colored hemstitch cocktail napkins and using a drawing by Laura, I embroidered oranges onto the napkins in white thread.  They were a huge hit – several guests asked if they could take home a dozen of them, and I happily obliged!

{Jenna}

{Jessica Claire}

Favors were assortments of our favorite candies.  I purchased mango-colored boxes from Papermart and used Martha Stewart’s template to create dividers for the candy.  The top label was goccoed in orange ink and said “Sweet Treats”.  Kim and Julie displayed the boxed favors perfectly using cake stands and wrapped oranges as props. A few tissue paper pomanders I created with left-over wreath material completed the look.

{Jessica Claire}

{Jenna}

{guest photo}

Inside the boxes was a little goodbye message for the guests.  In the four squares of the dividers, under the candies, I goccoed “We miss you already!”.  I got lots of calls after people ate their candy and discovered the surprise!

{Jenna}

You’ve seen enough photos of my husband and I to last you a lifetime, so I’m only including one from our brunch portrait session here – how COOL is this shadow picture?

{Jessica Claire}

As I close the photo recaps from the event, a huge huge thank you has to go to our amazing photographers, Jessica Claire, Mark Brooke, and Michael Norwood!

{photo by Jenna on Jessica’s camera!}

So that’s all my friends!  My last post will be a quick recap of the DIY projects for the event – a full list including instructions (or links to instructions) for everything.  If there is anything else you’d like to hear about please let me know!  :)

PS – The archive of our vow renewal recaps can be found {here}.

© Elizabeth Anne Designs: The Wedding Blog, 2009 · Permalink · 4 comments · StumbleUpon It!
Posted in: day after brunch, DIY, e's vow renewal, favors, floral and decor

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The First Dance.

The hubby didn’t have to do much to prep for the vow renewal… much except for one thing.  He agreed to learn to dance.  So for 18 months, twice a ...]]> Out of all of the undertakings for the vow renewal, there was one that I spent by far the most time on and was undeniably the most nervous about….

The First Dance.

The hubby didn’t have to do much to prep for the vow renewal… much except for one thing.  He agreed to learn to dance.  So for 18 months, twice a week, we took lessons at Chicago Dance and we learned to waltz.  Our coach and I and choreographed a 2 minute Viennese Waltz to “You and Me” by Lifehouse, one of our favorite bands.  I, having been a figure skater and dancer, was not at all worried about the performance, but the hubby has never performed in his life, and up until we took the floor at the beginning of the reception, we had never danced the routine in public, so you can imagine my apprehension (and his!).

{Jessica Claire}

Something magical was in the air, because we got through the dance with flying colors – and it was by far one of my favorite moments of the night. Here we are after the first dance – me looking incredibly happy and relieved and the hubby looking sheepish and slightly proud of his success:

{Mark Brooke}

After our work was over, we watched the pros do it.  We brought in two ballroom instructors to perform between courses and also teach steps during the reception.  Needless to say, we were glad we danced first. :)

{Mark Brooke}

Then we ate…

{Jessica Claire}

{Jessica Claire}

… and partied…

{Jessica Claire}

{Mark Brooke}

{Jessica Claire}

{Jessica Claire}

… and ate some more – yes you spy a gelato bar!

{Jessica Claire}

Then it was time for the best part of the night.  Our Same Day Edit.  Rainer and the crew of Simply Cinematic worked tirelessly through the reception to put together our video – and it was absolutely perfect.

{Michael Norwood}

This is Rainer.  He’s the man.

{Mark Brooke}

And last but not least, we counted down to 2009!

{Jessica Claire}

{Jessica Claire}

{Jessica Claire}

{Mark Brooke}

And when all was said and done, this is what was left:

{Jessica Claire}

And everyone took the trolley back to their hotels to sleep – because the next day, we had brunch!

{guest photo}

Look out for the last of my recaps, the day after brunch, next week!

© Elizabeth Anne Designs: The Wedding Blog, 2009 · Permalink · 8 comments · StumbleUpon It!
Posted in: ceremony and reception, e's vow renewal

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{Our dessert table – more on this later… Image via Jenna}

Starting out, I knew a few things regarding the food that we would serve. First of all, because I was holding people hostage for over six hours, I knew we needed a lot of it! ...]]> Ah food. One of my favorite subjects! Planning the menu was so much fun.

{Our dessert table – more on this later… Image via Jenna}

Starting out, I knew a few things regarding the food that we would serve. First of all, because I was holding people hostage for over six hours, I knew we needed a lot of it! Secondly, my husband and I both wanted simple, well-made items that reflect quality, not creativity. Third, this was not a wedding, and I wanted no part of wedding cake. Fourth, I needed the caterer to understand my vision for the event and potentially contribute to it. And lastly, there would be nothing at my event that I personally would not eat.

We met with four caterers in Atlanta and quickly narrowed the choice down to two. One choice violated criteria 2-it was a bit frou-frou for our tastes. Another choice was nixed due to criteria 4-they were too mainstream. After tastings with our final two choices, I had a clear winner – Bold American Catering. William Neal at Bold was the epitome of criteria 4. He not only took our choices and ran with them but he also suggested several ideas on how to present and pair the menu, as well as contributing his knowledge to the overall direction of the cocktail hour and reception, even advising on the lighting.

So what did we end up with, you ask? A veritable smorgasbord of our favorites!

Cocktail Hour:
We knew we wanted passed hors d’oeuvres and drinks. We also had passed bellinis (which went out on trays with my glass charms adorning them!). The white-glove service and passed drinks added to the vintage atmosphere we wanted our cocktail hour to convey.

Final choices
Angel Hair pasta with zucchini, squash, pesto, and shaved romano on a fork
Bruschetta with sundried tomato, basil, and reggiano
Duck confit, raspberries and shallots in a crispy french crepe
Roasted and thinly sliced beef with sharp cheddar and horseradish cream on crispy french bread

{Images by Jessica Claire}

Seated Dinner:
There would be steak. Plain, served rare to medium rare, paired with mashed potatoes and haricot verts. Of this, my husband and I had no doubt. Naturally, there would be a vegetarian entree as well, and on the recommendation of William, we chose cheese agnolotti.

{Image via Jenna}

Our biggest obstacle here was the accompanying courses. A caprese salad topped our list of choices, however, the availability of beefsteak tomatoes is an issue in December. Eventually, I had to abandon my beloved tomatoes and mozzarella in favor of a classic Caesar. French onion soup also was a must for me, however, our venue had no broiler, so melted cheese and a crock were not to be. We compromised with an onion soup with cheese crouton.

{Image via Jenna}

As we were sans wedding cake, our seated dinner also contained a plated dessert of creme brulee, not only a favorite of ours but also in line with our slightly French influence.

{Image via Jenna}

Last but not least, our beloved dessert buffet!  We chose:

Taste of twix
Caramel apple crisp
Raspberry green tea tartlets
Lemon meringue tarts
Red velvet cakes
Cheesecake dipped in chocolate on a stick
Cherry pies
Carrot cakes
Egyptian dark chocolate cakes

(all in miniature of course!)

{Images by Jessica Claire}

Did you encounter difficulties in planning your menu? Has your caterer been accommodating to your needs? And what do you think was the most important / least important decision you made when setting your menu?

PS – For more of my vow renewal recaps, visit the archives!

© Elizabeth Anne Designs: The Wedding Blog, 2009 · Permalink · 5 comments · StumbleUpon It!
Posted in: cakes and catering, e's vow renewal, floral and decor

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Come on, let me Shake My Tail Feather to…

Shake it up baby, let’s Twist and Shout to…

We’ll be dancing, Shagging on ...]]> Scattered about our tables we had stacks of song request cards.  I loved the little premise that I ended up with of having song names that are actions for the headings on our cards.  Here are the headings we used:

Come on, let me Shake My Tail Feather to…

Shake it up baby, let’s Twist and Shout to…

We’ll be dancing, Shagging on the Boulevard if you play…

We’ve gotta Jump Jive An’ Wail to…

{Jessica Claire}

I inkjet printed on 3.5×5 Paper Source cardstock, rounded the corners, and voila!  Each song from the card titles above was played during the night too.  We had so many song requests that the DJ couldn’t fit them all in, so if you want your guests to participate this is the way to go.

Are you setting a playlist?  Letting your guests request songs?  Giving your DJ and band free reign?

Previously: Choosing My Venue, Out of Town Baskets, Do Not Disturb Signs, The Welcome Party (Part 1, Part 2), Welcome Party Wrap-Up, Lighting the Lawn and Porch, Bathroom Baskets, DIY Coat Check Tags, Ceremony Music, Our Same Day Edit Video, Getting Pretty, Getting Ready Part II, Portraits, The Ceremony, Ceremony Readings, Cocktail Hour Decor, DIY Wine Glass Charms, Time Capsule Guest Book, Cocktail Hour Entertainment: Blackjack, Reserved Signs, Embroidered Napkins, and the Cocktail Hour, Estate Table Centerpieces

© Elizabeth Anne Designs: The Wedding Blog, 2009 · Permalink · 5 comments · StumbleUpon It!
Posted in: DIY, e's vow renewal, music and entertainment, stationery

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The centerpieces consisted of roses in ...]]> FINALLY… the reception!  You read awhile ago about the process of choosing my floor plan, and saw the layout of my reception.  As you may recall, we chose two 24′ estate tables, and here is how the centerpieces shaped up!  I was pretty much in love with them, so excuse the gratuitous amount of photos…

The centerpieces consisted of roses in varying shades of blush, cream, and white.  The roses were clustered in both low and lush rectangular arrangements and round arrangements.  Pedestal candle holders, pillar candles, votives in vintage and mercury glass, and scattered gold pebbles completed the look.

{Mark Brooke}

The whole room:

*all images by Jessica Claire unless otherwise noted

The recaps will be back next week with more tabletop specifics (menus and favors and place settings, oh my!) and the rest of the reception decor!  What do you think so far?

Previously: Choosing My Venue, Out of Town Baskets, Do Not Disturb Signs, The Welcome Party (Part 1, Part 2), Welcome Party Wrap-Up, Lighting the Lawn and Porch, Bathroom Baskets, DIY Coat Check Tags, Ceremony Music, Our Same Day Edit Video, Getting Pretty, Getting Ready Part II, Portraits, The Ceremony, Ceremony Readings, Cocktail Hour Decor, DIY Wine Glass Charms, Time Capsule Guest Book, Cocktail Hour Entertainment: Blackjack, Reserved Signs, Embroidered Napkins, and the Cocktail Hour

© Elizabeth Anne Designs: The Wedding Blog, 2009 · Permalink · 39 comments · StumbleUpon It!
Posted in: ceremony and reception, e's vow renewal, floral and decor

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The reserved signs were a super-easy project.  Here they are (backwards) on the chairs).

Supplies needed (makes 8):

* Ribbon * Two pieces of 8.5 x 11 cardstock * One piece of 8.5 x 11 Accent paper * Self-adhesive velcro ...]]> Two small details from the vow renewal that you haven’t yet seen are the reserved signs for the ceremony chairs and the embroidered hemstitch cocktail napkins.

The reserved signs were a super-easy project.  Here they are (backwards) on the chairs).

Supplies needed (makes 8):

* Ribbon
* Two pieces of 8.5 x 11 cardstock
* One piece of 8.5 x 11 Accent paper
* Self-adhesive velcro dots (8 pairs)
* Adhesive

Instructions:

1) Cut 8.5 x 11 piece of cardstock in eighths vertically (two rows of 2.75 x 4.25″ cards).
2) Cut accent paper into 2.25 x 3.75″ cards.
3) Cut 8.5 x 11 piece of cardstock into 2 x 3.5″ cards.  If desired, pre-print “Reserved” on cards – I use MS Word tables for this purpose.
4) Mat 2 x 3.5″ cards on accent paper cards.  Calligraph or write names on cards.
5) Cut ribbon to desired length and if desired, cut inverted V in ribbon ends.  Length will be dependent upon the measurement of your chairs.  My ribbon was approximately 24″ in length.
6) Leaving 4″ or so at end, glue the middle of the accent paper backing to the ribbon.  Then glue the accent paper to the 2.75 x 4.25″ cards.  The ribbon will now be secured between the accent paper layer and the backing.
7) Attach self-adhesive velcro circle to back of card.  I attached only one side at the point of making them, and when we wrapped them around the chairs, we adhered to the other side of the ribbon.

Me, fixing aforementioned backwards reserved signs:

You may remember that our printed materials had a small flourish motif, which I carried forward into the event.  One place it showed up was on the embroidered linen hemstitch cocktail napkins.  I loved the way these turned out – such an unexpected little detail!

Some more photos from the cocktail hour before I move on to the reception!

Everyone had a blast looking at all of the old photos for the time capsule…

(look closely, can you see my husband on a mule?)

… and playing blackjack.

Charlie had fun being the most adorable puppy on earth:

We also got some wonderful shots in front of the mantle and around the venue:

{My gown: Melody by Peter Langner, in champagne.  My sister’s gown: Sasha Long by Jenny Yoo, in champagne}

And there were bellinis too (it is Atlanta, after all):

Up next: the reception!

*all photos by Jessica Claire

Previously: Choosing My Venue, Out of Town Baskets, Do Not Disturb Signs, The Welcome Party (Part 1, Part 2), Welcome Party Wrap-Up, Lighting the Lawn and Porch, Bathroom Baskets, DIY Coat Check Tags, Ceremony Music, Our Same Day Edit Video, Getting Pretty, Getting Ready Part II, Portraits, The Ceremony, Ceremony Readings, Cocktail Hour Decor, DIY Wine Glass Charms, Time Capsule Guest Book, Cocktail Hour Entertainment: Blackjack

© Elizabeth Anne Designs: The Wedding Blog, 2009 · Permalink · 1 comment · StumbleUpon It!
Posted in: ceremony and reception, DIY, e's vow renewal

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I haven’t really talked about my hair yet.  I decided, since I was not a bride, to go with an updo, something sophisticated, but more Oscars than tiara-and-veil.  I’m also completely obnoxious about my hair not being on my face or my neck, so I spent a few months growing it out so that ...]]> Gowns and hair and puppies, oh my!

I haven’t really talked about my hair yet.  I decided, since I was not a bride, to go with an updo, something sophisticated, but more Oscars than tiara-and-veil.  I’m also completely obnoxious about my hair not being on my face or my neck, so I spent a few months growing it out so that I made sure it would all get up and stay up!

My inspiration:

The end result:

{Jessica Claire}

I loved it.  Amber at Vis-a-Vis did a great job – I highly recommend her if you are in the Atlanta area.

While I dressed, I was accompanied by two of my besties, Marcella and Laura, the ever-awesome Jenna, my amazing sister, and yes, the most adorable pup in the world, Charlie.

{Jessica Claire}

{Jessica Claire}

{Jessica Claire}

{Jessica Claire}

{Jessica Claire}

The boys were down the hall getting pretty too!

Our officiant and dear friend John:

{Jessica Claire}

The bestest best man ever, J:

{Mark Brooke}

And my hubs doing his best to tie his tie (he did succeed):

{Mark Brooke}

Last up, one of myself that I love:

{Jessica Claire}

Next we are on to lots of fun DIY projects and details – promise!

Oh, and the gown!  I forgot to give you details.  It is Lucia by Claire Pettibone.  Comfiest thing to wear ever and so easy to move in!  If anyone is interested, I will definitely be selling it – you can email me at {info at elizabeth anne designs} and we can chat.

Previously: Choosing My Venue, Out of Town Baskets, Do Not Disturb Signs, The Welcome Party (Part 1, Part 2), Welcome Party Wrap-Up, Lighting the Lawn and Porch, Bathroom Baskets, DIY Coat Check Tags, Ceremony Music, Our Same Day Edit Video, Getting Pretty, Portraits, The Ceremony, Ceremony Readings, Cocktail Hour Decor, DIY Wine Glass Charms, Time Capsule Guest Book, Cocktail Hour Entertainment: Blackjack

© Elizabeth Anne Designs: The Wedding Blog, 2009 · Permalink · 6 comments · StumbleUpon It!
Posted in: beauty, e's vow renewal, what to wear

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First, perhaps my favorite photo of Scott and I from the whole vow renewal shebang.  We are in the Turner Field bullpen, people.  That is the Braves bullpen phone behind us.  Oh yes, this photo ...]]> You’ve already seen lots of details of the Welcome Party, but there were just a few photos that I couldn’t resist posting before I move on…

First, perhaps my favorite photo of Scott and I from the whole vow renewal shebang.  We are in the Turner Field bullpen, people.  That is the Braves bullpen phone behind us.  Oh yes, this photo rocks.

{Jessica Claire}

I am loving this photo on the warning track too:

{Jessica Claire}

I don’t think you guys got to see too many pics from while we were on the field during the tour – but I particularly love this one of Bekah…

{Jessica Claire}

… this one of me with two really amazing girls, Jenna and Morgan…

{Jessica Claire}

… and this photo of me with my college best friends.

{Mark Brooke}

We also got everyone together for an awesome group shot!  Doesn’t everyone look positively fabulous in their red, white, blue, and Braves gear?

{Jessica Claire}

Last but not least, two photos from the contests that we held during the party that crack me up.  Why, you ask?

Exhibit A: My sister, who clearly knows the answers, grinning like a cheshire cat.  She would win this particular contest, on a tie-breaker!

{Jessica Claire}

Exhibit B: On first glance, this is a photo of my dad, looking extremely confident in his Braves knowledge.  But look a little closer and you will see Bekah and her husband Frank in the background, hands outstretched, eagerly anticipating prizes.  Classic.

{Jessica Claire}

Going through all of the photos has been so fun!  More tomorrow.

Previously: Choosing My Venue, Out of Town Baskets, Do Not Disturb Signs, The Welcome Party (Part 1, Part 2), Lighting the Lawn and Porch, Bathroom Baskets, DIY Coat Check Tags, Ceremony Music, Our Same Day Edit Video, Getting Pretty, Portraits, The Ceremony, Ceremony Readings, Cocktail Hour Decor, DIY Wine Glass Charms, Time Capsule Guest Book, Cocktail Hour Entertainment: Blackjack

© Elizabeth Anne Designs: The Wedding Blog, 2009 · Permalink · 2 comments · StumbleUpon It!
Posted in: e's vow renewal, rehearsal dinner

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