Absolutely amazing photo shoot on Sunday. Comments during the shoot included “Audrey Hepburn, Paris, romance, classy, cute, Coco Chanel, and trendsetting”. Hope that gives you a hint as to what to expect from the shots. Thanks again to Autumn Burke Photography for sharing great vision and talent.

Strapless dress? Celebrating an event outdoors? Annoyed with wearing your date’s suit jacket over your cute dress? Need some classy and different ideas for adorning a shawl? Bridesmaid in a wedding and need to cover your shoulders during the ceremony? Watch International Image Consultant, Lori Ryno of Images Matter show three unique ways to wear a shawl with formal attire.

Note that the video refers to our former company name, Adorn.

Have you struggled with finding unique and fun ways to wear a shawl? Especially with jeans or casual attire? We hope this video gives you some inspiration. Watch International Image Consultant, Lori Ryno of Images Matter show three unique ways to wear a shawl with casual attire. Perfect for a happy hour date, shopping with friends, or a day at the office.

Note that the video mentions our former company name, Adorn.

Here are some tips to create a wedding where your guests party all night long – and talk about it for years afterwards!

• Offer late night snacks. Some great options are bagels and cream cheese, donuts, popcorn, finger foods, cookies, or a candy and dessert bar.
• Oxygen bar. Rent an oxygen bar to keep everyone moving. In high elevations (Denver and mountains) a little extra oxygen will keep your guests awake. You can even get flavored and scented oxygen!
• Provide comfy shoes. Consider offering your guests cozy slippers, fun flip-flops, or fabulous ballet flats. We’ve all had those nights where our cute high-heels turn not-so-cute due to blisters and sore feet. Offer your female guests a change of footwear to keep them (and their dates) dancing all night. Place them in a basket or put them at each female guest’s seat, wrapped with cute ribbon and their name. If you’re having a winter wedding or one that’s more formal, check out some portable, roll-up flats in four fantastic colors.
• Prep your guests. Let them know that you’d like them to stay and party late. They’re more likely to be in the partying mood if they’ve gotten a night’s rest the previous night. It’ll also give them the chance to make arrangements if they want to have some drinks.
• Provide childcare. If you’re inviting children to the wedding, make sure you have childcare on-hand. Try to have a Pack ‘n Play available in a quiet room for toddlers who may want to sleep. Even better, if your reception is in a hotel and your guests are staying there, provide a list of local babysitters to your friends with children. They can arrange for a sitter to stay with their children in the hotel room late night while they’re hitting the dance floor in the ballroom. It’ll enable your friends with little ones to stay longer and relax. If your wedding is in Colorado, we highly recommend Wedding & Event Sitters by Charity. They’ll provide amazing service and even activities for the children.

Here are our votes for top 5 most detrimental wedding decisions.

1. Not hiring a wedding coordinator (at least for day-of). I speak from experience. I didn’t hire a coordinator for our wedding because our venue promised that they provided one. Well, on the day of the wedding, our “coordinator” left for the night just as I walked down the aisle. Our photographer, the venue GM, and the banquet captain totally saved the day. We stayed on schedule and nothing went wrong, but it was all due to the hard work of our other vendors. A venue coordinator is just that – to handle the venue only. A true wedding coordinator will help you with everything about your wedding, from timeline planning to vendor recommendations to helping guide you through the day. If you’re still looking for a coordinator, check out my two favorites (Dramatic Events and Save the Date Events).
2. Not having a back-up plan for outdoor events. You’re spending all this time and investment planning a wonderful celebration for the beginning of your life together. Why risk having it cut short or even canceled by inclement weather? Check out some back-up options: tent, umbrellas, or indoor location.
3. Going cheap on music. Although it may seem easier just to use an iPod® for your reception, we recommend that you think again. DJs and bands offer so much more than just music. They can adapt to your guests’ tastes, really getting them up and dancing. They also provide more of an emcee for the evening. They can help invite guests to dinner and introduce you for the first time.
4. Not creating a wedding timeline. This is such a crucial piece of information for your event. Not having a time line is like an orchestra conductor not having sheet music. When you hire a wedding coordinator, they will work with you to create this document and will convey the information to your vendors. Just keep this in mind – it’s so important.
5. Lacking communication with your vendors. Keep in touch with your vendors throughout your planning. Depending on the vendor, you don’t need to update them at every turn. However, it’s a good idea to check-in with them periodically to let them know about any major changes to your time line or update them with ideas you’d like to incorporate. Communication is the key to a happy relationship, vendor or otherwise.

**Creating a Wedding They’ll Talk About for Years**
As a former wedding planner, Splendor owner, Nilufer Soucek, has some suggestions for making your wedding truly unique and an experience that your guests will recount for years.

Shawl as Place Card & Favor

1. Set-up a fun photo booth at your reception. Ask guests to cut one photo from the strip and include it in your guest book along with a personal note. You can share the book and photos with your guests at a future anniversary!
2.  If you’re planning to use place cards at your reception, combine a favor, place card and chair decor in one. Adorn each female guest’s chair with a personally-embroidered shawl and some bling (see photo to right).
3. Do a fun, choreographed dance with your bridal party.
4. Offer locally-made items in the food, favors, and welcome baskets. Include stories about why you chose the item or what you love about your wedding city.
5. Hire a magician to entertain your guests during cocktail hour. It will generate some great conversation!
6. Incorporate photos and music from the weddings of your parents and grandparents.

Whatever you do to make your wedding unique, just remember to include your guests and have fun with it!