Vendor Spotlight: May Flowers

April showers bring May Flowers and this year it also brought a big move!

We set down with the owner of May Flowers, Christy Staven, to discuss the move, her goals, and who a May Flowers Bride is!

                                               Photo by: Bamber Photography

You can now find May Flowers at 800 N. Market St. in Chattanooga, TN and it couldn't be a more perfect spot to showcase their floral talent! The history of the building is a story all in itself! It was actually built in 1920 and served the community as a local market! Christy said she couldn't be more honored to carry on its story.

Christy told us she is also so excited about her new space because of the amazing, open floor plan. As soon as you open the doors, you are welcomed by tons of shelves full of gorgeous rentals May Flowers has to offer. Once you take a few steps in, you can see Christy's amazing team in the back designing away for your big day! You can also see a large cooler where the flowers are stored and a small desk where they get down to business! It all comes together to create magic!

Photo by: Amanda May Photography

Christy said that her main business goal is to add more weddings each year and to gain larger-scale events. Best news is, since she opened in 2013, she has hit her goal every year!

We wanted to know a bit more about who a May Flowers Bride is. Does she like traditional flowers or trendy, loose bouquets? Or is she somewhere in-between? Christy assured me she is all the above! With classic, traditional training from Mississippi State, but also an ability to follow trends and keep up with the latest, Christy and her team at May Flowers can do it all!

Christy said, "We like to look at nature as inspiration. With classical training, nature, and then following trends, I like to think we are a happy blend of all those things."

On a scale from 1 to 10, a May Flowers Bride would fall towards the 10 side of loving and appreciating flowers! A May Flowers Bride is also someone who is laid-back, fun, and able to trust the professionals.

Photo by: Jennie Andrews Photography

"I love to see someone who is so inspired by flowers and is able to come up with some ideas but allows us to actually take that and run, putting our own twists and our own suggestions on something specific. Someone that is open to our creative freedom is my ideal client."
                     -Christy Staven

            Photo by: Cinderella Photography

There is so much more that goes into floral design than what meets the eye. Christy said she receives the flowers at the beginning of the week and will prep them and place them in the cooler to keep them fresh. Then, beginning Thursday they will start designing for whatever event the weekend brings! And designing continues all the way up until hours before your event to ensure every last petal is in its place!

Event days are Christy's favorite part because everything they have worked so hard on all comes together to create their vision. You may have 2 staff members or as many as 5 or 6 to create the event space you have envisioned!

         Photo by: Lanie Kay Photography

Are you getting ready to meet with May Flowers for your upcoming event? Here's some things you may want to have picked out ahead of time:
-Style
-Theme
-Colors
-Inspiration Photos

But, if you're overwhelmed and unsure, not a problem! May Flowers will walk you through every step.

With these April showers coming to an end, we are full of excitement to see those sweet May Flowers at our upcoming events!

                                                Photo by: Bamber Photography

If you think you just may be a May Flowers Bride, you can check out some of their amazing designs on their social media pages:
Facebook: @MayFlowersChattanooga
Instagram: @mayflowerscha
Twitter: @MayFlowersCha
Pinterest: @mayflowerscha

Or you can email Christy directly at christy@mayflowerscha.com or call the office at (423) 486-5320.

Happy Planning!
Soirées

Top 5 Spring Wedding Trends

Dear Bride-To-Be,

I’m writing you today with a little extra excitement because it’s the first day of SPRING! While everyone loves the gorgeous flowers and warm weather the spring season brings, of coarse here at the Soirées office we are excited because we are in full fledge wedding mode! And we LOVE it! Here are a few things we are looking forward to this spring wedding season!

1.)  Pinks and Yellows and Blues- OH MY!

-While mutes have been the go-to colors in the past for an elegant, romantic wedding, this spring, say hello to color! Using a few pops of bright colors is a great way to wow your guests and give your wedding a little touch of extraordinary!

Check out this incredible Spring Collection from BBJ Linen!

                Photo by: Our Ampersand Photography 

2.)  Vertical Space- the Perfect Place!

-This spring, look UP! Brides will be taking full advantage of every square inch of their venue! Hanging florals are a gorgeous way to add depth to your wedding design, plus, they are absolutely breathtaking.

                                        Photo by: Andy Baxter Photography

3.)  Enticingly Eclectic

-Can’t choose just one tabletop design? Choose them ALL! This spring, Bride’s will be shying away from the perfectly uniform past and will be moving forward with some organized mayhem! 

4.)  Metallics, Pleases!

-Metallics make a great accent and their versatility make them useful in any design scenario! This spring, metallics are here to stay! Just a little tip- don’t go overboard! A little goes a long way! Using metallic linens at the cake and guest book table should be just enough!

                         Photo by: Cinderella Photography

5.)  Sheer Bliss!

-The most important detail in any wedding is the Bride and her wedding look. This spring, brides may be showing their guests a little something extra… some skin! Sheer dress details this spring are HOT! Illusion necklines, beaded backs, and airy fabrics are perfect for this season!

Follow these tips and you’re sure to have your guests in full Spring Fever!

Happy Planning and Happy Spring!

Soirées

Spring Break Do’s and Don’t: Bachelorette Party Edition

 Dear Bride-To-Be,

Spring break… one of the best weeks of the year! It’s one of those “holidays” we like to write in our planner with a pretty color and follow it up with stickers, highlighter, and arrows pointing all around it! Planning a Bachelorette Party during Spring Break can be a lot of fun, but we’ve come up with a few do’s and don'ts you may want to keep in mind!

Do: Let your Maid of Honor and Bridesmaids

know a few things you expect for your 

Bachelorette Party. If a stripper is a no-go,

 let the girls know! If wine is a must, 

make sure your girls have plenty in stock!

Don’t: Your Bachelorette Party is meant

 to be a close-knit group of friends you 

feel comfortable enough to let loose with. 

Don’t feel like you have to invite every

 girlfriend you ever made in college!

Do: Capture everything on camera!

 This is your “last fling before the ring” 

so you want to remember every single detail!

Don’t: While the beach can be a super

 fun environment for a girls weekend, 

during Spring Break, you may want to

 shy away from spring break hot spots. 

A less crowded beach can make for a 

classy spot to relax with your girlfriends!

Do: Choosing at least one night to get

dressed up for dinner with the girls will

serve as a great night for lots of fancy drinks

and laughter but can also serve as a great 

photo-op! You can later use these photos as

adorable “thank-you’s” to your bridesmaids!

 

Don’t: A bachelorette party the night 

before your wedding is never a good idea. 

Grabbing a quick drink or snack after your

rehearsal with your bridesmaids can be lots

of fun, just make sure you get a good nights 

rests to avoid tired eyes on your big day!

Your Bachelorette party should be all about YOU!  Don’t be afraid to tell your girlfriends about your dream Bachelorette Party and all YOUR do’s and don’ts! Just make sure you allow them to celebrate you the way they see fit, as well! They may have a few tricks up their sleeves that will knock you off your feet! After all, you chose them as bridesmaids for a reason, so trust them to give you some of the best nights of your life!

Happy Planning!

Soirées

Start Pedaling Your Way to Fun

Your wedding is all planned. NOW it is time to celebrate! Engagement parties, showers, bachelorette & bachelor parties!

 OR 

You have a birthday approaching and you don’t want to just go to dinner again.

You are wanting to do something unique, but still fun! Well throw that idea of another boring dinner or party out the window. We are happy to recommend Pints & Peddles! Pints & Peddles is perfect for any celebration- girls’ night out, pub crawl, graduation celebration, a birthday party or  bachelor/bachelorette party.

Pedals & Pints is so accommodating. You just book, bring 15 of your friends and a cooler of your favorite beverages that are less than 5% alcohol and start pedaling your way to one fun night that you won’t soon forget. The price is very reasonable and can be booked as an entire “bike” or per seat.

Established by true blue locals, Chattanooga Pints & Pedals is the original and ultimate bike pedal tour and bar crawl on wheels in Chattanooga. Chattanooga has such a plethora of awesome bars and restaurants both downtown and in the Southside

. Pints and Pedals will take you on a bicycle tour of all the cool spots in town. Pints and Pedals is the ideal choice for your party on wheels.

You won’t have to worry about breaking a sweat throughout the night, the Pints & Pedals bar crawl bicycle is hand crafted with super lightweight materials for easy pedaling. No stretchy shorts required!!

Go to Pedals and Pints today to book your next celebration!

They are also on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram- follow them today. 

The New Girls in Town!

Its a New Year and Soirees is trying some new things, such as two new addition! Cureton Gannon and Kelsey Sue Matheny became part of the Soirees team at the beginning of this year. With 6 month under their belt, they wanted to share their ups, downs and all-arounds:


Cureton

I have always enjoyed planning and facilitating events, but I never thought I would choose it as a career or learn so much about myself in the process. Since joining the Soirées team in early August 2014, I have helped plan more than 10-15 weddings. As a graduate with a Bachelors in Public Relations from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, I never really saw myself in the wedding planning business. However, after interning and working full-time for several agencies, I feel like I have found a home.

Not only are the clients and ladies I work with so wonderful, I love the aspect that I come in every day and not know what to expect. I’ve learned about floor plan designs, GOBOs and other foreign words that are event lingo. Being a public relations practitioner I knew that more went into planning an event than the attendees would ever realize, but I was skeptical that it would be much more than the average events I had planned in the past. Well Soirées has proved me wrong and I have found a new appreciation and understanding for the event “behind-the-scenes.” I have always been drawn to details within an event, whether it be a birthday or a wedding extravaganza. However, now each event takes on a life of its own. Each party or wedding has its own message to give its guests and as a coordinator I have the distinct privilege of being able to create it. I cannot wait to see how I am able to grow in this career. It is not about the ideas, it is all about making the ideas come to life.


Kelsey Sue

Chattanooga has been my home-base for most of my life. I love this city, but never thought I would be pursing my dreams here in this awesome town. I lived in Charlotte, North Carolina while I was in high school and college, then decided that Chattanooga is where I call home. Event and wedding planning has always been a passion and dream of mine. During those years, my friends and family were wonderful and encouraged me to make it happen.

After I moved back to the Scenic City and had been living here for 10 months, the opportunity to pursue my dreams presented itself and I reached out to Soirées for an internship. It turned out that they were hiring for their winter season. I knew then that this was the way that the Lord was blessing me with my career. I was hired in August and have learned and enjoyed more and more aspects of event coordination. Being a part of one of the most memorable days of a client’s life and making every little detail come together on their wedding day, birthday or corporate event is truly the best feeling I could possibly have.

Simple Nautical Ideas to Add to Your Event!

With the start of summer comes the love of all things that do with water. From beaches to boats, sand to shells, fishing polls to surfboards it seems like no one can get enough of oceans and lakes. Nautical themes are formal, yet a little more fun and relaxed. Done right, they are classic, timeless themes that can add the perfect element to your wedding or event.

The key to adding a nautical element to your event is keeping it simple. Nautical themes really allow small details to shine. The common element between all these ideas is that they are crisp and clean. When any idea or theme gets too busy, it can come off as tacky. Like every concept, it is important not to go over do it! Below you will find our favorite ideas that can be incorporated into any event, nautical or not!





The deep colors really make these invitations visibly striking. Dark blues, clean whites and light browns are colors that compliment each other well. Once again, simplicity is key! What we love about them the most is the combination of formality and ruggedness.

Outdoor venues provide the perfect opportunity to add nautical elements. Like the invitations, linens and décor are kept simple. An idea we loved is tying small pieces of rope around teacup candles. A personal favorite is also the linens on the marsh- the two elements combine perfectly!

This multi tiered cake is a great example of adding a theme without overdoing it. Some beach and nautical themes can look cheap, but this cake designer was able to bring out the best concepts.






Adding a nautical element to your event, when done correctly, can make it pop! Just remember to keep it simple and don’t go “overboard”!

Modern Twists on Traditional Guest Books

Even the best of guest books can become cluttered, messy, and difficult to read. Below, you'll find several ideas that we love to add an unique twist to an old-fashioned tradition!



This innovative guest book personalizes each message, and its colorful envelopes have a fun and youthful appeal. The envelopes also allow guests the opportunity to leave more private and meaningful messages, something they may not be inclined to do if they know another hundred and fifty people will be reading what they wrote.



Wine bottle guest books are one of the latest trends in weddings. Simple, easy and creative, this idea allows your guests to be concise in their messages, taking the pressure off of those who have difficulty putting their thoughts on paper. It can also be be used later as a decorative piece in your home, serving as a constant reminder of your special day. All you need is a large enough wine bottle and colorful sharpie pen (silver tends to work best)!



A Mad Lib guest book is a lighthearted approach that let's your guests show their sense of humor. An easy icebreaker, the personalized Mad Lib is a fun way for your guests to send you their well wishes while making you laugh at the same time. Easy to create, this idea can be created using any simple word processor!