The second round of The Smart Planner's UnBirthday Giveaway is being generously sponsored by the ladies at Southern Weddings Magazine!
I received the first issue of Southern Weddings in the awesome swag bag from Engage!08 and was so impressed by how well put together this magazine is. Lara and her team have found the perfect balance of ads and editorial and the content is both beautiful and full of practical advice. The Southern Weddings blog is also full of great eye-candy, and the editors are free to branch out and feature real wedding from across the United States and not just the South.
To help celebrate The Smart Planner's six month UnBirthday, the winner of this giveaway will receive a month-long ad on the Southern Weddings blog and banner ad creation if you don't already have a button-sized ad. The ad will be placed in the Sponsors section on the right-hand side of the page. This is a $200 value and a great opportunity to get your brand in front of more eyes.
Here are the official details and fine print:
*To enter, simply leave a comment on this post telling us the most creative detail you've seen at (or have created for) a wedding.
*This giveaway is open to any professional working in the wedding or event industry, not just wedding planners.
*You must include your website with your comment! Since this giveaway is only open to wedding and event professionals, this is how we will verify that you do in fact work in this industry. Comments without a website will not be considered.
*You have until this Sunday, August 24th at 11:59 pm to enter. The winner will be chosen randomly and will be announced on Tuesday, August 26th.
*Limit one entry per person, but more than one employee per company may enter.
Good luck!
Welcome to 
43 comments:
My new favorite detail is a surprise for the bride and groom and theirs to keep after the reception. My printing gal and I have partnered to create a unique serving tray used for signature drinks and/or hors d'oeuvres that features the wedding motif or logo/monogram in a waterproof label on the tray. Its a fun surprise for the couple and far cuter than any hotel serving tray. They love using them after to entertain guests in their new home.
Lindsay Pitt
TOAST
Atlanta, GA
www.toast-events.com
We surprised the groom by having a "guys room" at the wedding reception. Our venue had a dark lounge with a bar, NCAA Final Four basketball games on the big flat screen above the fireplace, the groom's cake, big comfy leather sofas, and the best part...
an authentic cigar roller making 'made to order' cigars for all of the guests. He was such a hit! You can view pictures of the guests and groomsmen enjoying their cigars on my site under the 'Lauren & Stuart' gallery. I also had a pre-rolled specialty box of cigars made for the groom, groomsmen, and fathers prior to the wedding to ensure that they each were able to enjoy a cigar.
Jenessa Bailey
J.Bailey Occasions, LLC
Fayetteville, Arkansas
www.jbaileyoccasions.com
I have a great sewing machine that is perfect for heavier linen and pressed papers. I've done quite a few stitching details on programs, invites and other stationary items. It's a great way to tie in another color and a textured peice onto stationary. Not to mention it doesn't have to break the budget either- chucky yarn and an upholstery needle can add a lot of dimention!
Alicia Caldecott
A Day in May, Event Planning & Design
Traverse City, Michigan
www.adayinmayevents.com
I truly believe it is always in the smallest of details! I mail my bride and groom's a thank you card just after the wedding to ensure that it will be there when they return from their honeymoon and I include a set of return address labels for the new couple! Brides are always so excited to see their new name so soon.
Even though it was for our own wedding, I still love the split-rail fence and gazillion flowers we put around our dance floor.
I have had several crafty brides but there is one bride that sticks out in the creativeness dept. Her father had just cut down a pine tree in her backyard so instead of instantly burning the wood, she is using it as her centerpieces! It is a Fall wedding and the wood goes perfectly with her brown and ivory theme. On the buffet table she is going to put the biggest piece of wood, which her fiancé carved their initials and wedding date into it. So cute!
- Natasha Colkmire
www.allureeventconsulting.com
www.allureeventconsulting.blogspot.com
I created a custom guestbook for my sister's wedding last month. I used photos from their engagement session to create a custom album with room for their guests to sign well-wishes at the wedding and reception. It was so much more personalized than the typical signature-line-style guestbook! And she loved it!
My favorite detail was a small gift from the groom to the bride. Throughout the wedding day he had a half a dozen roses placed in different places the bride would be... in her car, where she was getting ready, etc. The other half were brought to her through out the day by the groomsmen. When she saw him for the first time he was waiting for her with the last rose. A bride can't plan such a thoughtful detail like that!
Whitney Carlson
Dove Wedding Photography
Nashville, TN
www.doveweddingphotography.com
I love paper crafts and for the special clients, such as close friends/family or for those that choose my ulimate planning package, I personally create handmade notecards and invitations for events surrounding the wedding, such a bridal showers, bachelor/bachelorette parties and rehearsal. For my latest, a bridal shower's theme was Something Blue and instead of using the evite the bride wanted, I create a card using the same picture. But the extra touch is the ribbon attached to the card that allows you to hang it up and it doesn't get lost but enjoyed.
The most creative detail that I saw was a recent wedding where the bride and groom were married at her parent's home which is surrounded by olive trees. They had the flower girls toss olive leaves down the aisle, they had packets of olive leaves passed out to guests to shower on them for the recessional, and each napkin treatment had an olive leaf sprig tucked into it. Just a beautiful way to tie everything in!
I hit publish too fast...sorry just too excited! (hope this doesn't disqualify me)
Christina Wright
Simply Modern Weddings
www.simplymodernweddings.com
I also forgot my info:
Carey Bunker
Lasso'd Moon Designs
www.LMDinvitations.com
I think the most creative item was at our wedding (not to toot our own horn). Instead of the normal guest book we set out crayons and designed sheets of card stock paper with borders on them and blank on the inside. We instructed our guests that this was our own guest book. Being graphic designers before we were photographers, we love creativity and artwork and laid out crayons for our guests to use to draw images (write in pretty colors if they couldn't draw) or to scribble wildly (if under the age of 3). At the end of the day we had a beautiful collection of artwork from our entire family to enjoy for years to come. :)
David Bock
Cathy and David - Photographers
www.cathydavidphoto.com
Bloomington, Indiana
My favorite wedding detail we have created for a bride recently would have to be a custom cupcake stand. Our bride Katrina (previously featured in SWS Real Wedding of the week) had a organic/green/travel/bird theme for her wedding and wanted cupcakes instead of a cake. We used a photo she provided of a much smaller cupcake stand for inspiration. Because of her large guest count, we didn't want the caterer to have to replenish and the bride had a request that the cupcakes not spill out onto the table. We created a very large, three tier, moss covered stand and three "satellite" stands to accomodate all the cupcakes and the small cake the couple cut for tradition. We added tiny birds nests, white jordan almonds and white satin ribbon for embellishment. It turned out great and was a real focal point for the wedding!
Jeannine Kennedy
Owner
FAVOR Events
Atlanta, Georgia
770-883-8598
www.favoratlanta.com
jeannine@favoratlanta.com
I think the most creative detail I've seen at a wedding was for a wedding of a classical muscian. They went to garage sales and estate sales and found old books of classical piano music. They then used the antique pages to create cones to hold rose petals that were tossed as they exited the ceremony. It was vintage and classic and something close to the groom's heart.
Becka Knight
Studio222 Photography
www.thestudioishere.com
The most creative thing I have seen at a wedding was the dancing that took place during the reception. The bride was an Irish Step Dancer who also did a lot of folk and English & Scottish country dancing (aka Contra Dancing). She hired a folk band and a Caller (teacher) to lead the guests in dances such as The Virginia Reel and The Walls of Limerick. The wedding program prepped the guests for what was coming by explaining what Contra Dancing was as well as history on each of the major dances and what countries or regions they came from. It was a HIT and the guests still talk about it 7 years later. Oh, wait, that was my wedding.....I get all of my weddings mixed up these days!
So many fabulous and fun ideas, but perhaps my favorite was actually for my own wedding (not surprising, eh?). Our wedding was a weekend wedding celebration which included a 24-hour hospitality suite for our guests. Because they had traveled from places including Sydney, Australia, Johannesburg, SA, London, Tennessee, Florida and a dozen other states, we thought it would be a great conversation starter (for those who didn't know each other) to create a 'Where do you call home?' map.
We took a world map and mounted it on foam core, provided nice map pins, tags and pens and everyone indicated where they traveled from to celebrate with us.
On the map we included customized wording - at the top it said "WHERE DO YOU CALL HOME?" and then on the bottom another label saying "When you're not partying with us, please tell us where you call home. Thanks for sharing in our special day! Love - Jody & Paul"
Jody Taylor-Smith
Good Taste Weddings & Events
www.goodtasteevents.com
206.730.5320
Although I love the visual details of weddings, my favorite detail from a wedding I attended last fall doesn't involve menus, place cards, or favors. The bride is a nurse in Children's Oncology, and she is deeply invested in the lives of her young patients. As a surprise at the wedding, her mom had "The Cancer Dancers" come in to perform a dance for everyone. The mission of the Cancer Dancers, according to their website, is "to spread the message of hope and inspiration to other young people and their families suffering the devastating effects of cancer." These kids were so inspiring, energetic and amazing performing their hip hop routine -- there was not a dry eye at the reception. It was such a beautiful, fun moment, and it reflected what an amazing heart the bride has.
Brooke Canale
designer
Louella Press
www.louellapress.com
After four years working for Two Paperdolls and Louella Press, it's hard to choose just one favorite wedding detail! The creative extras that catch my eye are usually those that say something about the couple, and also add some fun for the guests.
With that and maybe a little bias in mind, I think my very favorite creative detail was a surprise my husband planned for me at our wedding. Late in the evening, everyone was asked to gather near the band and friends directed me to sit at the front. My husband, who happens to be a rather cute musician ;), then stepped out with his guitar and serenaded me, and all of our guests, with a song he had secretly been writing and practicing in the weeks before the wedding.
Call me biased, but it was the high point of the night for me and many of our friends and family agreed!
Cat
Louella Press
www.louellapress.com
I think my favorite detail this year has been the Polaroid guest book. Yes, lots of us have seen this before, but many guests have not. Guests were amazed by this detail, and seeing everyone crowded around the table, getting their photo taken, putting together a scrapbook page and watching the couple look through it has been my favorite detail this year.
Aletha VanderMaas
www.pearlsevents.com
One of my favorite details this year was a surprise fireworks display for the couple by the parents of the bride. The band encouraged everyone to head out to the edge of the water as an elaborate display of fireworks was set off over the lake. Everyone loved it!
This year the most unique detail I saw were what the bridesmaids at one wedding carried down the aisle. The florist made these amazing purses out of a few large leaves, and some flowers. They were amazing!! I have never seen anything like it.
Here's a link to a picture of them:
http://tinyurl.com/6br2eq
Here's a link to our blog post of that wedding:
http://blog.davidwittig.com/blog/2008/07/boris-and-david.html
Cheers,
Nancy
__________________________________
David Wittig photography
http://weddings.davidwittig.com/
http://blog.davidwittig.com/
I’m not sure this is the most creative detail, but it is by far the most unique thing I’ve seen or experienced at a wedding that I have coordinated.
At my most recent wedding, the couple decided to do a unity candle ceremony as well as performing a “salt covenant”. The idea comes from Biblical references where salt was used metaphorically to signify permanence, loyalty, durability, fidelity, usefulness, value, and purification.
In biblical times, men carried pouches of salt on their belts. When a pact, promise, or contract was made, the men from each of the participating parties would intermingle the salt from their own pouches with the salt from the pouches of the other party. This reminded the men that they could not retrieve their own salt from the other pouch, symbolizing the fact that they could not go back on their word.
A Marriage Salt Covenant does the same thing by asking the bride and groom to combine their grains of salt. Their commitment to each other can not be broken unless they can each retrieve their own grains of salt. Since this is not possible it is a symbol of an unbreakable covenant and promise of love.
And so the while the couple made their way to the table to light the unity candle and perform the covenant, the officiant gave a brief explanation of what the couple was doing.
It was deeply spiritual and beautiful.
Thanks for the opportunity to share!
Giliane
www.pouretrejoli.com
One of my all time favorite details isn't super fancy or overly creative. It was, however, sentimental and personal. I had a bride order custom made bouquet charms that featured the photographs of her mother, grandmothers, and great grandmothers on their wedding day. It was so touching, personal, and intimate.
Candice Dowling
Jubilee Events
http://www.eventjubilee.com
I recently had a bride that wanted to honor her and her future husbands culture. She also wanted to have an item that represented the two of them. Instead of the typical favor each guest received a small cellophane bag that had traditional wedding favors from the Virgin Islands & Haiti. A box with a piece of traditional rum cake (Virgin Islands), a bottle of cremasse (Haiti), traditional candies and a seashell bottle stopper (they both collect wine). Each item had a custom label that explained the tradition for the country. The favors were displayed in large hand made baskets that the mother of the bride collects. The following week comment after comment could be found on their wedding website about the favors.
Kerline Docteur, PBC
www.joiedevieevents.com
One most creative details that I've seen at a reception is postcards. The bride and groom left self-addressed, stamped envelopes at a table instead of a traditional guest book. The guests were instructed to pen their well wishes the day after the wedding and drop the post card in the mail. When the happy bride and groom returned from their honeymoon, they were greeted with tons of mail congratulating them on their marriage.
I thought is was very unique at our last wedding we filmed to see that instead of the traditional guest book they had a large bottle of champaign with a gold marker for the guest to sign.
Paul Jackson
Four Seasons Films
www.foursesaonsfilms.com
One of my bride's from last november had a mom who loved to quilt. They chose to create squares from material in her wedding colors and use them for their well wishes from guests. We placed squares at each guest table along with pens in their colors and asked guests to leave the couple advice, well wishes or just a message of love and friendship. We collected the squares after for her mom to make a quilt from for the couple to keep. Now they can literally be wrapped in love. Just so heart touching!
Wendy Kidd
Each & Every Detail
McKinney, Texas
www.eachandeverydetail.com
One of the most unique items I've seen was a guest paint project instead of a traditional guest book. The bride and groom had an artist sketch a picture on a large canvas. The canvas was then divided into small squares - drawn like a grid. Various brushes, paints and instructions were provided. Guests were invited to paint one of the squares of the grid. At the end of the night the artist did a little touching up and fillng any squares that were not painted by the guests. The final product is now hanging in thier home. I thought this was a great alternative guest book idea because it's a piece of art that will always hang in thier home and remind them of thier wedding day and all of the guests who helped create the painting. You can see this on One Love Photo's blog - it was Sweetest Thing #7. Here's the link: http://tinyurl.com/5l6vkr
Kasey Skobel-Conyers
Bliss Weddings & Events
Columbus, OH
www.blisseventsohio.com
Instead of a traditional guest book we sent added an extra insert to the invitations that was blank on one side and had instructions on the other. The guests were to write stories about the couple, give advice or whatever they wanted to share. The couple could then add them to a scrapbook to enjoy.
Kristyn Burnette
Panache Productions
www.panacheconsulting.com
We had a couple whose reception was held at a beautiful venue with a large grassy area out front. We made a large monogram, just like the one the bride had used, out of rose petals on the grassy area. As the guests arrived they drove past the monogram. Everyone loved it.
One of my very good friends hired a pair of praise dancers from our church. They were both dressed in all white and halfway through the ceremony, danced a beautiful symbolic dance to India Aire's "Beautiful Surprise". The song is the story of life anew once a woman meets the man she wants to spend the rest of her life with..."a beautiful surprise"! Lovely!!
Wendy Robinson
Sacred Moment Weddings
www.sacredmomentblog.com
Sorry Guys - I failed to leave my info:
Being a coordinator, I have seen so many amazing ideas. One particular idea was an enhanced version of the breakfast gift box (handwritten thank you note enclosed) that was delivered to every guest's room while the reception was going on - I did this for my own weddding.
The enhanced verrsion: not all the guests will be staying at the hotel where the reception is taking place, the bride would like a chinese take out box placed in the guest's car by the valet (at the end of the evening) with a thank you note so that when the guest gets in their car to leave, there is a big surprise and a last thank you.
Samantha Darr
soireebliss!
www.soireebliss.com
I've been thinking about this for a while, but when I was in Colorado, I was fortunate to work a wedding where the entire bridal party (and all the guests) had to arrive by gondola at the top of a mountain. Watching the bride and her father come out of the bright blue gondola was really special!
Catherine Katz
www.cherishedcelebrations.com
One of the most creative details at one of my weddings was a twist on the Polaroid guest book. The MOB took pictures of the bride and groom in their wedding outfits several weeks before the wedding and had them blown up to life sized foam core cut outs. The guests had a blast taking pictures with the "bride and groom" and the couple got tons of great pictures for their guest book. Of course the cutouts wound up on the dance floor after lots of alcohol - who knew foam core could dance so well? :)
Emilie Duncan
Emilie Duncan Event Planning
www.emilieduncan.com
As a stationery designer I am partial to the "paper details" of the wedding and reception, but for this example I have a favorite thing for the reception. We worked with a couple that requested their guests to submit a special song with their RSVP. It is going to be played at the reception, and they will receive a "shout-out" for that particular song. I loved this idea because it really makes your guests feel like they were a special part of your wedding day!
Le'Trice Penn
Le'Penn Designs - Custom Stationery Studio
www.lepenndesigns.com
Mine comes from a wedding that is in about two weeks! We are going Old Hollywood with this wedding, so the music for the prelude, ceremony and cocktail hour will be songs from classic Hollywood movies. There will be a red carpet to the door of the cottage where the wedding will take place, with dancing spotlights. For lighting and decor, we are modeling everything after the Brown Derby, an Old Hollywood restaurant that was popular among the stars in Tinseltown's heyday. We will be incorporating ivory draping and low amber lighting.
Terrica
Fabuluxe
www.fabuluxeinc.com
One of my client's last year loved symbols - to the point where I began referring to him as 'Symbol Guy' (the name stuck as even his bride used it). As they were marrying in Costa Rica and not everyone could attend, I had them send out a small piece of material along with their invitations. Everyone, if they were attending or not, was asked to write a blessing, a wish, draw a picture - anything they wanted to share with the couple on the day. After they received all the squares back, a seamstress made them into the top of the chuppah under which they were then married. During the ceremony, the couple would look up and could see all the wonderful wishes and loving energy they were surrounded by.
For the reception, we continued the symbol idea by having the tables 'named' using different symbols from Hebrew, Chinese, Egyptian, etc.
Last year we had a unique wedding with clients who love the night life. So we created a reception that was a nightclub. Guests walked down a red carpet, we hired "pretend bouncers" and pre-entry pictures with paparazzi and the couples "logo" behind them. It appeared to be like an exclusive club.
The reception entertainment was a bumpin DJ who had a large video screen that played real videos with the songs and uplit boxes for the girls to stand on and dance. Later on we had break dancers come in the middle of the evening....popping, waving, spinning on their heads, dolphin diving. The crowd went bananas!!! In addition, we would show the pre-entry pictures that we took on the large video screen. We learned one thing very quickly, guests love to look at themselves!
Thanks for the contest opportunity!
Saundra
planning...forever events
www.planningforever.com
I have a detail from one of my couples that is not only creative, but also extremely touching. One of my recent brides was terminally ill with cancer. She and her fiance specifically selected ring settings that would allow her diamond to be reset into his ring after she passed away. After a beautiful, emotional wedding, everyone was extremely happy for the couple. Three months later, the bride did pass away, and her husband was able to honor her memory and keep her close to his heart by having her diamond set into his wedding ring.
Cassandra Cherneski
Flaire Weddings and Events
www.flaireweddings.com
One detail (if you can call it that) was a groom who changed tuxedos in the middle of the processional and entered the church for the second time! I had told him he couldn't wear a white tuxedo. He was dead set on it. So, he wore his classic black tuxedo during photos before the ceremony and during the processional with his two best men. Halfway through the 16 couple processional, the groom disappears. No one knows where he went (or so they told me). Two minutes later he reappears behind me in his white tuxedo and proceeds to traipse down the aisle. This time flanked by his two little sisters. That was seven years ago and we still laugh about it today!
Andria Lewis
Andria Lewis Events
www.andrialewisevents.com
www.theplannerpages.com
Of all the wonderful details that have encompassed the weddings that I have planned, there is one that stands out from the others. The bride had cut fabric squares and had ironed on a backing to each one. At the reception, the squares were arranged on a special table. There were black fabric pens that were attached to a beautiful purple silk flower. They were placed in a lovely vase. One sample was completed with a sentiment written on the fabric. There was a large framed picture of the finished product. As each guest arrived, a family member explained what they needed to do to complete the square. A disposable camera captured the moment for the bride and groom. There was one particular guest that caught my eye. She was 6 years old and delicately drew the most beautiful piece of art work onto the fabric square. I actually asked her to do another one. What were the fabric squares for? Well, the bride was going to sew each one together to make a quilt. Not only would this bring the bride and groom wonderful memories of all that attended their wedding but it will remain a family keepsake for children and grandchildren to come.
Debbie Rivera
Champagne Wishes
www.achampagnewish.com
One of the coolest details I've seen was at a Nigerian wedding where everyone was dressed in colorful traditional Nigerian costume. You could tell who was married because the husband and wife would wear different outfits using the same fabrics and I thought it was so cute! Also, during the ceremony, all the guests were asked to stretch out their hands towards the bride & groom in prayer for them and that is when I took the snapshot of it all. There were so many hands outstretched in the same direction and with all of the different fabrics, patterns, and colors, it was a sight to see.
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