Charlotte Wedding Venues: The Duke Mansion

If you are a Charlotte area bride you will be very happy to hear this news, if you have not heard it already. The Duke Mansion now allows wedding receptions!! If you're asking what is the big deal, you have never had the pleasure of visiting The Duke Mansion. Still undecided about your wedding venue, do yourself a favor and give them a call and take a tour. It is guaranteed to be at the top of your list.

Image from Christopher Record Photography

Southern Weddings Magazine: beautiful, inspiring, a-must-read

Have you picked up your copy of Southern Weddings Magazine? You haven't? What are you waiting on? I bought four bridal magazines on Monday to try to catch up on my wedding magazine reading and Southern Weddings Magazine was by far my favorite read. Not only is the magazine full of amazing wedding photography it also is dripping with inspiration from the Watercolor Palette section (my favorite) to the Real Weddings section. If you are planning your upcoming nuptials, this is a must read!

Top Charlotte Wedding Venues: Fleming's

If you are having less than 50 guests at your wedding reception and you are looking for a private dining room experience. Please, run, don't walk over to Fleming's Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar to take a tour of their space. With delicious food and wonderful service you are sure to enjoy this warm venue for your wedidng reception.

Currently, they have this fabulous offer: Book your event by December 15 and hold itanytime through next year. You'll receive a$50 Fleming's Card for every $500 you spend,plus a $25 Card for each of your guests! View all of the details here. Please tell Allison, the Private Dining Room Director, that Shanika sent you over!!

Below is an image ( I took it, so don't judge me) of an event we did there this past summer.

Smokin' Hot Giveaway for your Groom: Coastal Cigars

Well, because of a crazy stomach virus that invaded my house, I unfortunately did not complete my mission of blogging for 31 days straight. I'm pretty disappointed because I was on a roll too. But anyway, I wanted to start the week off right with a great giveaway.

The fabulous cigar rolling company hailing from Charleston SC, Coastal Cigars is giving away their popular Boss Box pictured in this post. The Boss Box is a cigar box that includes compartments for holding four cigars, matches, cigar cutter and even a special compartment to hold a mini bottle, poker chips or Nike golf balls. This sophisticated gift can also be personalized with the name of the groom on the front of the box.

If you are interested in winning the Boss Box for your groom all you have to do is leave a comment with a valid email address and of course the name of your groom. I will randomly select the winner on Friday June 17th and contact you via email.

Coastal Cigars not only provides custom cigar gifts but also are available for cigar rolling at your event. If you are having a vintage themed event, they can even provide Cigar Girls to help provide that classic feel to your event. Please visit their website for more information on their event services.

More Pretty Paper:: The Bee Paperie

I think I have become a tad obsessed with paper these days, especially pretty paper. The super talented ladies of The Bee Paperie, I love that name, is offering the readers of this blog a 15% discount on all of their amazing custom designs. Please take a look at their website to see their beautiful portfolio of wedding and party stationery, all of which can be customized to fit your individual style. Here a few of my favorites.

Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens Wedding Promotion

Are you looking for a great venue to have a garden wedding? Well, one of the most beautiful locations in this area is offering an amazing promotion. Book your wedding at Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens by April 30, 2009 and receive 15% off on any Friday or Sunday Package. Your wedding must take place before or on March 31, 2010.

The Interactive Wedding:: Caricature Artists

There is one thing that brides with big budgets and brides with small budgets have in common, they want their guests to have a wonderful time. They want them to walk away from their wedding and consider it a memorable event. Over the next couple of weeks I'll post about how you can get your guests involved in the wedding festivities. There are some ways that are budget busters and then there are others that will not break the bank.

Having a caricature artist is one of those fun little touches that will get your guests talking to one another and having a great time. Caricature artists are normally booked by the hour and can be used at your rehearsal dinner, cocktail hour or even your reception. So if you are looking for something to keep your guests entertained while they wait for you guys at the reception, this may be a great idea for you.

Caricature courtesy of Joel Kweskin, Caricatures by Joel, Charlotte, NC

Couture Boudoir Contest from Critsey Rowe

Well it has been awhile since I have posted, but I am now back into the swing of things. Thanks to all of you who have continued to check back!

To start things off I have to post a very exciting contest that I'm sure brides-to-be out there are going to love. I know the men in their life will definitely love this! Actually, you may have read about it by now, but just in case you have not seen it on your reader here is the contest: A Couture Boudoir Photo Session from the wonderful Critsey Rowe! Here are the details:

The winner will receive a luxurious Couture Boudoir session to include a Custom Designed Couture Boudoir Album with the session photos. The session includes a fabulous Hair and Makeup Stylist to create different looks throughout the shoot and many wardrobe changes. A $100 lingerie gift card. A 4 day 3 night stay for two at one of the Couture Boudoir tour locations (see website for tour details)

To enter, submit the following to critsey@critseyrowe.com

-A short story about you and your guy

-Two photos of yourself

-Your name, location and phone number.

Boudoir is the hottest trend in Bridal Photography. This would be a fabulous gift for you and your guy! Married ladies are welcome to enter! Valentines is just around the corner - what a great surprise!

Contest ends on December 15th and the winner will be announced on the Couture Boudoir website.

Sponsors are:

The Bridal ShowCase

Joni lineberger Stylist

Best Wedding Blogs



If you have been watching My Fair Wedding, Critsey has been the photographer for a few of the shows. Take a look at her blog to see some of the beautiful photographs. If you are unsure of what Boudoir photography is here is are a few photos to give you an idea!

Use Creativitiy with Engagement Photo Sessions

A great photographer is a must have at your wedding! I think I have probably said that twenty times before on this blog. When you are doing your planning, please do not skimp on your wedding photos, because you will live to regret it. Trust me! But anyway, I'll get off of my photography soapbox now!

Most photographers offer engagement sessions in their various packages. This is a service you absolutely must take advantage of. You and your fiance get the opportunity to take photos before all of the formal wedding stuff. So these sessions are designed to be fun and creative. The fun and creative part also is going to depend on your photographer. So, if you are looking to have a little fun with your pictures make sure you choose a photographer that can accommodate that request. Take time and look at their photos, this will definitely tell you if they have that creative eye, you're looking for.

For instance if you guys met at an ice cream shop, why not take some shots where you met? Consider wardrobe changes if your photographer allows it. Just use this time to have fun and let the camera capture it all.

Here is a shoot recently done by the fabulous Kristin Vining! The bride-to-be is a librarian and the groom-to-be is a local theater actor. The shoot was done at the Main Library and the Children's Theater. See, be creative! Visit Kristin's Blog for more pics from this shoot.

My Hometown..Tallahassee, FL: Dorothy Oven Park

Since I have been here I can't help but reminisce on where I spent time for my wedding. Dorothy Oven Park was the location of my bridal portraits and our engagement portraits. We just loved the park so much. It is full of so much color from the beautiful gardens. This location is always in high demand for weddings, receptions and bridal portraits, so plan early. I wish I had some of my own photos to post, but I got married when film was what the majority of photographers used in this area and if they used digital it would've put us over our "little" budget. So anyway, if you are trying to decide on a wedding location in Tallahassee, please consider Dorothy Oven Park, you will not be disappointed.

Here are some photos I stumbled upon from local photographer Lou Kellenberger Photography.

Charlotte Brides Want to Know: Cheesecake Etc

I met Gail Buff, owner of Cheesecake, Etc. when I first started out. I was new to the city and the industry and she welcomed me into her studio and fed me cake and gave me a true lesson on the wedding industry as she saw it. I have always been so appreciative of Gail and I still value her opinion immensely. I have worked with Gail numerous times since we first met which means I have had a lot of cake from Cheesecake, Etc. If you are in the market for a cake that tastes as good as it looks for your wedding day allow Cheesecake, Etc to be your first stop on your cake-tasting journey.

Here is more from Gail Buff at Cheesecake Etc!

How long have you been in the wedding industry?

10 years

How did you get started in this industry?

I was tired of corporate America. One day I just lost my mind and decided to follow my passion full time.

What do you love most about the wedding business?

Working with the brides to create the wedding cake of their dreams.

What are you most excited about these days?

Besides going home at the end of a 14 hours day?? Trying new cake decorating techniques and having it all come together.

Who or what inspires you most?

My brides.

What is your most popular service or product?

Besides wedding cakes? Cheesecake and cannoli. All occasion cakes also keep us very busy.

What is the last thing you read?

Always reading trade magazines and bridal books looking for new ideas.

How do you describe your style?

Classic elegance.

If you could vacation anywhere where would it be?

Italy

What food could you not live without?

Only one? That won't happen. It has to be pasta and chocolate.

If brides only knew this….

Your wedding should be a joyful event, and one that you are able to relax and enjoy. Expect a few glitches. And hire either a wedding planner or at least a "day of" coordinator to lessen the stress.

Here are a few of my favorite cakes, showcased on her site.

Bridesmaids Gifts: Paperluxe Studio

Are you looking for a great gift for your bridesmaids? Of course you want to give something that they will use and you want it to be a nice gift. This gift is after all a "thank-you" for being a part of your wedding. Well, Paperluxe Studio has a wonderful answer for you...beautiful personalized stationery. I don't know anyone who doesn't like pretty paper with their name on it! :)

Sarah Masci, is the owner and designer of Paperluxe Studio and she also is the publisher of my favorite new blog to stalk BabyLuxe {daily}, a blog of baby product reviews and if I might add, beautiful baby products. She is a busy lady and has become my new email buddy. It's great when I find another wonderful vendor who lives in Charlotte, NC.

Run over to her site and see more of her custom designs and make your bridesmaids feel appreciated with this personalized gift.

Sunday's Event

We had wonderful time at Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens this past Sunday at the Wedding Showcase. I got the opportunity to meet so many of you and have determined if you're thinking about getting married April or May 2009, you better get on your planning because I met so many (almost everyone) brides who picked next spring to tie the knot. I will be contacting the lucky bride this week who won our Weekend Wedding Coordination Package, so hopefully it will be you.

I did get the opportunity to taste some wonderful food from Side Porch Catering, who went all out with the beef tenderloin and the different salads in martini glasses, but honestly the best touch of all was giving out Voss Water!! Oh my goodness, I had not tasted it before and I probably would never buy it, but it was great water. Also I finally got the opportunity to meet the infamous Iris Austin from Austin's Bakery and taste her absolutely delicious cakes! Delicious! I also got special treatment from my pal Gail Buff at Cheesecake Etc. who gave me two slices of her delicious almond cake! Thanks Gail!

Rehearsal Dinner Locations in Charlotte

One of the great perks of this job is that I get the opportunity to go into different restaurants and hotels and taste their food. A good wedding planner is able to give good solid recommendations based on their experiences. I'm not saying that I've been to every single venue and restaurant within the Charlotte area, but I have had the opportunity to see a good number of them. Which brings me to my rehearsal dinner venue recommendation.



The first location is Woods on South (the old Southend Brewery) is an amazing restaurant. The first thing you notice when you walk in is the Carolina Beer Company on-site brewery. I'm not a beer drinker, but it is pretty amazing to see how the beer is made. Carolina Cuisine is created by celebrity chef Marvin Woods and it is absolutely delicious. Woods on South has two private banquet areas and enough space to seat 100 comfortably. The food is absolutely amazing and so is the service. The Director of Sales and Marketing Cortenay Matters made sure I had an opportunity to taste all of the restaurant's specialties, and there were a lot of them. This is a great location for your rehearsal dinner one that you and your guests would enjoy.



Next is The Capital Grille located in Uptown Charlotte Center City. If you are looking for an upscale location for your rehearsal dinner, folks this is it! The food and service was absolutely delightful. The Capital Grille has a private dining room that seats 50 and also their wine room is available and seats up to 28. The Private Dining Coordinator, Lindsay Metzelaars treated me wonderfully as she gave me a tour of their event space and treated me to a delicious lunch. She also gave me a black linen napkin, instead of a white one, because I was wearing black pants and she knew the white linen would surely leave lint. I thought that showed great attention to detail and wonderful service.

I would highly recommend either one of the two restaurants above. Both are set up perfectly for intimate parties, such as a rehearsal dinner. So if you're stumped and are unsure of where you should treat your wedding party to dinner, try one of the venues above. Please tell them Shanika sent you!

Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens: Wedding Showcase 2008

It seems like lately we've been having a bridal show every two weeks around the Charlotte area, which is a great thing for you brides who may still be in the hunt for vendors or just a little wedding inspiration. Well, here's another one. Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens in Belmont, will be having it's annual Wedding Showcase on Sunday February 24th from 1:00-6:00 pm. This event will showcase some of the best vendors in this area, including us, SJB Weddings & Events. If you are even considering to have your event at Daniel Stowe this would be a great opportunity to come look at the venue. It will be set up for a wedding so you can get a great idea of how you would look standing at the altar. Also, keep in mind Daniel Stowe books at least one year in advance so if you're interested be sure to jump on those available dates, because they will not last long.

Please come by the booth to say hi, I would love to meet you. We're sure to have something to satisfy your sweet tooth and we'll have a great giveaway for one lucky winner. Also, quick note, this event is tented so it will happen rain or shine. I'll see you there.

where was she when I was getting married???

I'm talking about the amazing photographer, Susan Stripling. She is based out of Tallahassee, FL, my hometown, and oh how I wish I would've known she existed in 2002. Then I wouldn't be stuck with the awful pictures I have for my own wedding. I stumbled upon her blog last night and I'm glad I did. I am such a photography snob and I love to ooh and ahhh over gorgeous pictures. Here are few pics from her blog. Go over and check out her site. She does outstanding work and when I go home to Tallahassee this spring, I'll be looking her up!

Here a couple of my favorites!

Book Your Venue and Support a Charity

On yesterday I attended a luncheon with my NACE buddies at the South Charlotte Banquet Center and I must say the food was delicious and the space was decorated beautifully. Too bad I didn't get any pictures. I wanted to make sure I blogged about this great venue because it is a great use of space and it assists various charities throughout our community. It's not often you can book your wedding venue and give to a charity simultaneously.

The South Charlotte Banquet Center is a non-profit facility and is located in the Ballantyne area and is owned and operated by the Knights of Columbus Council. All proceeds after building expenses are donated to local charities. All you eco-chic brides in Charlotte consider this venue one on your list.

A Beautiful Green Destination Wedding

Now who wouldn't want to get married in the shadow of this masterpiece? Absolutely beautiful! This is The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise in Alberta, Canada. Now since I've shown you how beautiful the place is you'll be equally delighted to know how this huge company has placed such a great emphasis on being eco-friendly.

I was reading the November edition of Special Events Magazine and one of the featured articles was entitled "Green Plate Special", written about the Toronto-based Fairmont Hotels & Resorts. The article announced that, "This summer all 51 hotels in 12 countries will begin a brand-wide commitment to trying wherever possible to offer menus using sustainable, locally sourced, organic products as part of everyday foodservice operations."

Fairmont already has the award winning Green Partnership Guide that has helped pioneer the idea of sustainable hotel management:
The Green Partnership Guide focuses on key areas such as energy management, water conservation, and innovative community outreach programs, while also providing detailed insights on how to start, maintain and grow an environmental program, including case studies on reducing operating costs, keeping employees motivated and tracking cost savings.

I thought this was so impressive! When you see these types of practices from the hospitality and tourism industry, you know that this "green thing" is here to stay! How great is it to know that you can have your wedding at such a beautiful destination and you will not be causing harm to our environment! I think that would be considered a Green Destination Wedding!!

Hot New Photographer in Charlotte!

At least I think so! :) This afternoon I had the pleasure to have coffee with one of Charlotte's newest and hottest photographers, Cheyenne Schultz! I am a total photography snob, so when I saw her blog and realized she was in Charlotte, I had to meet her because I was in love with her photos. So, over a Pumpkin Spice Latte at Starbucks, we sat and chatted about everything under the sun. Starting with her recent wedding this summer, her love of photography and then about working in the Charlotte area. So, if you're in the market for a wedding photographer in the Charlotte area, go check out her blog and leave her some love. You won't be disappointed!

Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden Fall Festival

I heard about this fun event on the radio and have put it our family calendar for the weekend. If you haven't had the privilege to visit Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens this would be a wonderful opportunity for you and your family to enjoy the fall (excuse me, summer) weather! :) Check out the link for more information, but it sounds great. A day filled with hayrides, pumpkin decorating, the botanical zoo (Wow, animal shaped topiaries! I'm looking forward to this one) and the beautiful maze. This place is known amongst brides as one of the most beautiful places in this area to be married and a great place for family fun this weekend!