When to Order Invitations?

With the frequency of the question, "When do I order my invites," we decided that an answer post might be very helpful to many browsing brides. The process of creating and ordering invitations should be a very fun and enjoyable one, as long as you are not under a time crunch. Pre-designed wedding stationery packages, which can be found at any local stationery shop, are the quickest way to order your invitations. We recommend this process to all wedding clients who do not have at least 4 months before the wedding date. If you have the time and budget, creating a custom invitation can be very fun and rewarding. Having a unique and personalized invitation set is a great way to send your guests a preview of the wedding day. After all, in most cases it is the first glimpse of the wedding for your guests. For custom invitations you should allow anywhere from 2 to 6 weeks for proofing and decisions, 4 to 6 weeks for printing and shipping and 2 to 4 weeks for calligraphy (if you choose to use a calligrapher). You should send your invitations 4 to 6 weeks before the response date (which should be printed on the response set). We like to advise clients to ask for a response date which is 3 to 4 weeks before the actual date of the wedding. Many guests will send their responses back at the last minute (sometimes after the requested response date) and most of your wedding vendors will require a head count 2 weeks before the wedding date. This will give you a few weeks to gather your final guests list. And if you choose to use a pre-designed set you can take quite a bit of time off the above estimates.

And don't be afraid to get creative with your invitations. The trend is becoming to really personalize and make a statement with your invitation set. Unique sizes and colors are being used more often than you would expect. For more information on local stationery shops and resources, please feel free to send us an email at info@soireesonline.com.

Lounge

One of the hottest new trends in weddings and events is lounging. Lounge sections create a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere for guests to enjoy. Many people are choosing to sacrifice additional table seating arrangements to set-up lounge sections at their events. If you are interested in placing lounge areas with couches and/or ottomans at your event, please let us know. We carry many different lounge pieces that are available for rent without using our planning services.

A Fresh Alternative

With the high expense of fresh cut florals, we like to use other alternatives for certain elements of events. Here, watermelon guords and green apples were added to glass hurricanes to match the theme and color schemes. Don't be afraid to add your own personal touches to your event by using fresh fruit or vegetables. These unique ideas are an inexpensive way to spruce up a room. Visit your local grocer or fruit stand and ask for a bulk purchase discount. Fruits and vegetables can also be purchased by the case through a produce wholesaler.

AIGA Ten Show/Artini

We had the honor of working with Allied Arts of Chattanooga and the local AIGA on the Ten Show this past weekend at The Church on Rossville Avenue. What a super fun event and huge turnout! We set up lounge areas in a few nooks of the church to give the setting a relaxed feel. Candle chandeliers were hung inside the church and outside at the entrance which matched the rustic setting very well. Accents of blue and fuschia were used throughout the church to match the color scheme chosen for the event. Thanks Helen and Josh for letting us be a part of the show! For more event photos please visit the following link: http://www.flickr.com/search/?w=all&q=tenshow&m=text

2006 Year End Review

As our first post, we decided to show a few of our favorite photos from events in 2006. Our first year was a huge success and we want to thank all of our 2006 clients for letting us be a part of such awesome events. Check back for more photos of our December events as well as photos from some of the professional photographers we worked with on these events, which are not included in this slideshow.