Throwback Thursday: Chad and Sarah Ward

Couples Name:   Sarah and Chad Ward

How did you meet?   We met at a party after a basketball game over Thanksgiving break in 1996.  However, during the Pumpkin Fest Parade that same year I was working at the Sports Booster’s pork chop booth, and saw him on the Sycamore News Float in the parade and thought he was cute!  We went on our first date at the beginning of December and just before Christmas I saw a picture of him on the float and realized it was the same guy!!!

 When and how were you engaged?   We were engaged officially in January of 1998.  We had already selected the diamond from a friend in the US Virgin Islands and had the ring created there and shipped.  I expected him to propose at the Blackhawks game we went to the first weekend in January, but he didn’t.  The ring came in the mail on January 8^th and that same day Chad’s boss sporadically played a song that reminded him of me and he left work quickly, ran across the street, bought a red rose, and raced up to my classroom where he proposed. 

 

Wedding Snapshot:

Wedding Date:   11-28-98 (Happy 15th Wedding Anniversary, Sarah and Chad!!)

Ceremony Location:   Disciples United Methodist Church, Mt. Morris, Illinois

Reception Location:   Ballroom of a Hotel in Rock Falls, Illinois

Number of Guests:    between 275-300

First Dance Song:    Is it bad I can’t remember?  ; )  I’ll ask Chad. (neither one of us could remember!) ;)

Bridesmaid dress color:  Black

 

Most memorable wedding day moment?    My favorite part of the entire wedding weekend was the time spent with our closest friends AFTER the rehearsal dinner.  We hung out in the pub connected to the hotel and stayed up way too late laughing, talking, and reminiscing.  At that point in my life, many of my closest friends were far from home at grad school and working out of state. It was a gift to have them all together.

As for the wedding itself, the flowers (fire and ice roses) were absolutely stunning!  I wanted a holiday feel to the wedding and they really felt festive. 

If you could do it all over again would you change anything?  I would do a destination wedding!

 

What is one piece of advice you can give to our Bride and Grooms? 

Don’t let outside conflicts and opinions factor in – as much as possible.  More is not always better and in the end, looking at the photos should bring you joy, not bad memories.

If you are interested or would like to submit a family member or friend to be featured in an upcoming Throwback Thursday feature please contact amanda@ladievents.com

Throwback Thursday: Chuck and Glenda Stowe

 

Couples Name:

Chuck and Glenda Stowe

 

Wedding Snapshot:

Wedding Date: May 10,1980

Ceremony Location: Salem Lutheran Church, Sycamore, Illinois

Reception Location: DeKalb Elks Club

Number of Guests:250

First Dance Song: "Help Me Make It Through The Night"

Bridesmaid dress color: Light Blue

 

 

How did you meet?

We met when I applied for a job as Service Secretary at Appletree Stereo. I got the job after the other person turned it down! That was the beginning of Oct 1979.

 

When and how were you engaged?

We became engaged in Feb 1980. We had been dating for a couple months and I thought that it was going to cause problems with my job so I went to tell him that we should probably stop dating and he said "How about marrying me?" He came and picked me up the next day and we went to pick out an engagement ring.

 

Most memorable wedding day moment?

The best man lost his tie and it was in his pocket the whole time! When the wedding ceremony started it was dark and rainy. Then 20 minutes later when our pastor was ready to pronounce us husband and wife the sun came shining through the church window. The pastor said God had blessed this union!

 

If you could do it all over again would you change anything?

Well we would have had a  photographer who had a camera that worked! Half of our wedding pictures were supplied from our parent's Polaroid's. Also, the powder blue tuxedos!!

 

What is one piece of advice you can give to our Bride and Grooms?

That it's one day in your life together! My husband and I planned our wedding in 2 months! Treat it as a party, not a production! All you need is food, friends, and family- and Chuck says beer and a band! No DJ!

 

If you are interested or would like to submit a family member or friend to be featured in an upcoming Throwback Thursday feature please contact amanda@ladievents.com

We were featured on Style Me Pretty!

Want to see something GORGEOUS?! Of course you do! Well you're in luck, because Kelli and Aaron's gorgeous Blumen Gardens Wedding was just featured on Style Me Pretty Illinois, and literally everything about it was breathtaking. We are so happy to have been a part of this amazing day, and to have helped make Kelli and Aaron's dream wedding a reality.

Sneak Preview:

Now, if you think you can handle this spectacular fall wedding in all of its loveliness, CLICK THIS LINK to see the Style Me Pretty Feature!!

Centerpieces: Thinking Outside of the Flower Box

I think we're all in agreement that floral centerpieces are absolutely gorgeous. You know Anne Hathaway? Well before she won like every award on the planet for playing Fantine in Les Miserable, she spent a solid $100,000 on flowers for her super secret wedding. Unlike last minute wardrobe changes, flowers are always a do. (OMG what was the deal with her Oscars dress, amiright?!)

However, that does not mean that you HAVE to stick to a strict garden theme when deciding on your centerpieces. You've got options ladies, so feel free to mix it up. Your wedding is a reflection of you and your style, and if your style is a little less floral than most, that's okay!

So with that, I'd like to present some lovely centerpiece options that are not garden grown.

Teacups:

How adorable is this?!  I have been obsessed with this image since I saw it for the first time on Martha Stewart Weddings, and I cannot wait for a La Di bride to run with this idea.  It's such a sweet and timeless way to infuse elegance and femininity into your wedding, while still doing something unexpected.  And (bonus!) the teacups can double as wedding favors for your guests, allowing everyone to take home a permanent and memorable fixture of your big day.   

Lanterns:

Oh hey, GORGEOUS!  This is a real La Di Wedding, and it looked even more OMG breathtaking in person.  Lantern centerpieces allow you to capture all of the romance of a candle and make it the focus of your table in a simple, clean, controlled way.  This is a perfect option for a bride planning a rustic country wedding with a modern twist. (BTW: This lovely lantern/flower combo was brought to you by The Petal Boutique. Tiffany is amazing.)

Books:

What is more reminiscent of a classic love story than a stack of classic love stories?  This is such a great personal touch for big readers, academics, or anyone who just really loves the look of a stack of vintage books (i.e., everyone in the world). It allows you to either incorporate items that you already own into your centerpieces, or to build a fantastic library that you can display in your home after your wedding as a subtle reminder of your special day.

Cakes:

Have you ever met a person who does not love cake?  Yeah, me neither.  Cakes, much like flowers, are universally beloved, and making them your centerpieces is a sure way to make all of your guests giddy about your wedding.  I actually attended a wedding with cake centerpieces and people flipped out. "Did you see that there's a little cake on our table?! OH MY GOD, I LOVE IT!"  Guests have become accustomed to receiving some kind of cake-like dessert at a wedding, but putting it whole and pretty on their tables from the beginning of the night is a lovely unexpected twist.  PLUS, because cakes can be decorated essentially however you want, making the cake your focal point allows for a pretty much unlimited color/style palate. 

So brief recap: Flowers are AMAZING.  Anne Hathaway's Oscar Dress was of questionable taste. Centerpieces can be tailored to reflect your personal style.  Teacups, lanterns, books, and cakes are all good  options. People get crazy when presented with desserts.  And now I want cake.  That last one wasn't really part of the recap, but I felt like it was important that it be said.    

Wedding Puzzle

 This is a custom wedding puzzle used as a guest book by BellaPuzzlesToo shop on Etsy.  Not only is it a great activity but a great heirloom to keep.  As guests arrive at your wedding they can sign  the back of a puzzle piece with a special message for the Bride and Groom.  Then throughout the night many of your guests may attempt to put the entire puzzle together

This puzzle has about 60 pieces large enough for signing. They come on 10 piece increments to suite any wedding size. They recommend that you get enough pieces for 70% of your guestlist. But make sure to place your order early as these custom pieces take 14 weeks to produce!

 They can even create custom cuts at your request, here are some examples:

1. Two names with a maximum of twelve letters (for example, “Sam & Lindsay”)

2. The couple’s initials (for example, “S & L”).

3. Event date (format will be “Jun 26 2011” or “26 Jun 2011” with no punctuation)
4. Two figure pieces (heart, leaf, animal, or state)

Each puzzle comes packaged with two pens perfect for signing on the pieces.

Here are the steps to place your order!!

- You purchase your puzzle and provide instructions for personalization.

- You send me high-resolution .jpg image file (minimum 200dpi, 1MB).

- They confirm details of order with you.

- They design and create your puzzle.

- They ship the puzzle to you with USPS Priority Mail (insurance, tracking, and delivery confirmation are included).

- Guests at your event sign the puzzle pieces. There is space on each piece for a name and short message.

Check out their site here!

Build your own Tuxedo!

This if for all our Grooms out there!  We are always creating design boards for our clients and I am just in LOVE with the Build a Tux feature that JoS A. Bank has created!  This allows me to create a look for the the gentleman in our design boards very easily.  I have created one for you today to show you the steps and how easy it is for you to design your own tuxedos! 

Step One: Select your Jacket

Step Two: Select your Pants

Step Three: Select your Shirt

Step Four: Select your Vest Pattern and Color

Step Five: Select your Tie Style and Color

Step 6: Select your Shoes

After you are finished it will give you a full report of your selections for you to print out and take with you to one of their local storefronts!

Here is the link for you to start Building your tuxedos!

Photo Galleries

We have updated our wedding and event planning galleries!  Check out all the fun we have been having!!

La Di Events Presents: Decadent Dessert Classes by Lillycakes!

Have you heard? We have partnered with Lillycakes to host Decadent Dessert Classes!  These are the
how-to classes to make fabulous desserts that will impress guests at your gatherings!

This Thursday we will be hosting our second class and you don't want to miss out!

Decadent dessert class:

Thursday February 3rd

Sub Zero/Wolf Showroom

196 Exchange Blvd

Glendale Heights IL

Cost: $30

Check out what is on this Thursdays lesson menu:

 Chocolate Dipped Hi-Hat Cupcakes

Red Velvet Whoopie Pies

You will work hands on at the class to create these yummy desserts!

We still have openings for this Thursdays class!  To Register contact me at amanda@ladievents.com or

815-739-5234.

If you are unable to make it to this class check out our upcoming classes.

For more information on Lillycakes check out their website here!

We're in the latest issue of Chicago Social Brides!

We are so excited that our clients Courtney and Kevin were featured in the current issue of Chicago Social Brides.  Click here to see the digital copy of this issue. You will find this feature on page 180.

To see more of Courtney and Kevin's wedding you can check out their real wedding post right here on our blog!

Engagement Party

You are engaged!! 

Well the Engagement Party is the time to announce your engagement and celebrate with family and friends.  But recently I was asked what is the "correct" etiquette for an engagement party.  So here is the answer straight from the source of all wedding etiquette, Emily Posts Wedding Etiquette by Peggy Post.

Who Hosts?
The Parents of the Bride host the Engagement Party.

What kind of Party?
There is actually no standard party format.  The most popular types are cocktail and dinner parties,

Who is invited?
Generally the guest list is limited to the couples relatives and close friends.

How do you invite guests?
Written or printed invitations are normally sent, but for an intimate gathering phoned invitations are acceptable.

Do you open the gifts at the party?
Only if gifts are given by everyone should the gifts be opened at the engagement party.  After opening the couple should personally thank each guest. However, written thank you's are still required.

What type of engagement party is your family planning?

Black Friday Survival Kit

Looking for a favor for your Thanksgiving guests?  How about a Black Friday 2010 Survival Kit.  This year I have heard my family talking more about Black Friday than Thanksgiving!  So I decided to honor the 5am shoppers with a fun gift!

 All of the items above I placed in a simple brown bag and labeled with the Operation Give Thanks thank you prints by Hostess with the Mostess. 

 On the back of each bag I printed a list of the items included!

What are you giving as a favor this Thanksgiving?

Last Minute Halloween Party Ideas!

Are you interested in throwing a Halloween Party but don't have the time or maybe the budget?  Here are some easy and affordable ideas for food, decor and music this Halloween!

FOOD

Pumpkin Cheese Ball 

You can change your traditional cheese ball into a pumpkin!  All you need to do is cover it with Dorito chips and make the face with black olives and the stem with a pickle!

Pretzel Fingers

Also if you look to the left of this picture you will see "finger food"  You can cover pretzel rods with white chocolate and add chopped almonds for the fingernails.  Then for the container you can cover a cup with an old shirt sleeve! So Easy!

Spooky Dips

An easy way to make your dip more festive is to just add food coloring!  Here you can see not only did we dye the dips but we also placed them in small plastic cups and cut out the top of the pumpkins to display them in.

Ear Wax Sticks

This snack is creepy and fun!! These sticks are made to look like used q-tips. Place a small marshmellow on either side of a small pretzel, then dip the marshmallow's in butterscotch!! So Yummy!

Worms

Buy a few different types on gummy worms and arrange them all on a platter.  You can add a few fake spiders for decor! 

DECOR

Spiderwebs 

No need to go out and buy a bunch of decorations  Just cover your current decor with spiderwebs! You can find bags of fake spiderwebs at the dollar store.  A little goes a long way...literally.  Stretch the spiderwebs all around your home. Add tiny plastic spiders for a finishing touch.

Lighting

Everything looks scarier in the dark.  Change out some of your traditional lights and replace then with black lights.  You can find these in the Halloween section at most stores.  Or also check the local hardware stores.

Candles are also great to create that haunted look.  Stop by the dollar store and get some black or white tapers to light throughout your home. 

MUSIC

Satellite Music

If you have digital cable you probably have a series of music channels. You can turn on the seasonal channel and listen to spooky selections all night!!

AOL Radio

You can stream the AOL Radio Halloween Station from your Computer for free!

Ipod

You could also make a fun playlist for your party on your IPOD.  Some of the songs that are on my playlist include:

"The Monster Mash"

"Thriller"

"The Witch Doctor"

"The Time Warp", and

"Ghostbusters"!!

Happy Halloween Everyone!!!