Reception Decor - Tables

For a refreshing twist in the reception venue, mix round and square tables. Photo Credit: Photography By Lisa + James.

New Website Launch - Coming Soon

It's been a busy year and unfortunately that has resulted in our blog being sorely neglected. But we are here and will be posting often. We are undergoing a few changes that I hope will better serve our Clients and various audiences. In October, we will launch our new website, so please stay tuned and thank you for your patience. Our normal website is still active until the changeover takes effect. Here's an exclusive preview of the new website. We hope to see you there!

Recession-Free Resource Series: Michael's Easter Bonus Coupon

Etiquette Series: Wedding Website

Wedding Web Site Tips

Wedding web sites— sometimes called “wed sites” are one of the most popular new trends for engaged couples. These sites can include photos, information on travel and lodging, wedding plan updates, electronic RSVP options and links to store gift registries. Here are some tips for a polite “Wed Site:”

Your Web page should represent you as a couple. Take the time to develop a design and content that you are both comfortable with – one that reflects your personal aesthetic style.

Electronic RSVPs. If you plan to let people RSVP on your site, simply add a printed sentence at the bottom of your reply card sent with your invitation saying, “You may also reply by way of our wedding Web site: www.ckasevents.com.”

Don’t list your Web site on your invitation. This may be tempting, but refrain. There are plenty of other ways to let people know about the site, such as including the Web address on other items enclosed in the invitation packet, such as the response card or maps.

Keep it Simple. A few well-designed pages will speak volumes.

Keep personal info private. Some pre-designed Web templates prompt you to type in personal details such as when you shared your first kiss, what you did on your first date, and so on. This may be good fodder for the bachelor(ette) party, but there is no need to share such intimate moments with your entire guest list – and anyone else who may stumble across your site. Keep your postings tasteful and inclusive.

Don’t put the emphasis on gift registries. It is fine to post links to various on-line gift registries on your home page. This is one of the conveniences of your site. It is important to strike a balance between discretion and a desire to make things easier for your guests. Place such links to the side of the page in modestly sized type.

Don’t overlook your unwired guests. Remember, not everyone has ready access to the Internet. If you know that a certain invited guest is not connected to the Web, be sure to send hard copies of any pertinent information

After the wedding. You can use your site after the wedding to post wedding and honeymoon pictures, anecdotes and a heartfelt ‘thank you’ to all. This thank you does not replace the individual thank you notes that must be handwritten.

Rice Paper Parasols

Rice paper parasols come in various shades and designs, they are the perfect outdoor event accoutrements for guests and the wedding party. They can be an essential accessory for the Bride and Bridal Party, who typically withstand up to three hours of exposure at outdoor weddings. Beautiful and practical, rice parasols offer fashionable style and cool relief from the sun and heat. Parasols keep your guests from wilting, look great, cost a fraction of the price. The latest trend is having your brdesmaids and flowergirl walk down the aisle in a monogrammed desgn or add a bold color to your wedding palette by incorporating it here. The ideas are endless.

Google rice paper parasol to find numerous vendors that carry this product. If you are giving these away as a favor, create DIY tags with your monogram or wedding date and place on chairs or in a basket by the entrance. Another option is to line the ceremony aisle with rice umbrellas in your wedding color.

CKAS EVENTS & WEDDINGS LLC Wins Wedding Wire's 2009 Bride’s Choice Awards™!

WeddingWire, the nation’s leading wedding technology company and partner of Martha Stewart Living, announced that CKAS EVENTS & WEDDINGS LLC is a recipient of the 2009 Bride’s Choice Awards™!

In its inaugural year, the Bride’s Choice Awards™ recognizes and honors wedding professionals from the WeddingWire Network that demonstrate excellence in quality of service, professionalism, responsiveness, value of cost and flexibility. Unlike other awards in which winners are selected by the company, the Bride’s Choice Awards™ are determined exclusively by recent newlyweds through surveys and reviews. This year’s recipients represent the top three percent of WeddingWire’s vendor community, which includes over 100,000 wedding professionals from across the US. That places CKAS EVENTS & WEDDINGS LLC in the top 3 percent of Wedding Planners in the Washington DC, Maryland, Northern Virginia—considered the best wedding planners and coordinators in the area!

“We are excited to launch this annual award program to honor high-performing vendors based solely on the experiences of our WeddingWire community,” according to Timothy Chi, WeddingWire’s Chief Executive Officer. “This year’s recipients have set the bar high, exhibiting excellent service and expertise in the wedding industry.”

CKAS EVENTS & WEDDINGS LLC would like to thank our past clients for speaking on our behalf and helping us win the 2009 Bride’s Choice Award™!

Visit: www.ckasevents.com

Signature Wedding: Grace Kelly

Ever dream growing up that'll you would meet and marry your Prince Charming, become a Princess, and live happily ever after in his Kingdom? And once you reached adulthood, did these dreams disappear over time...did you think to yourself that these are only storybook tales from your childhood?

Possibly...but dreams do come true if you believe and they did for our inspiration for this Signature Wedding board. In 1956 award winning film and stage actress and star Grace Kelly became Her Serene Highness Princess Grace of Monaco when she wed Prince Rainier Grimaldi III of Monaco. One of the most admired women in the world, she is the epitome of beauty, style, elegance, and grace. Conde Nast voted Grace Kelly's wedding dress as the Number 1 wedding gown of all time. So this week, we would like to inspire you...to have your fairytale princess wedding. Our first board is the real wedding of the Princess with photos from her wedding and actual items used in her wedding (her shoes and prayer book she held instead of a bouquet). The second board includes a few key Grace Kelly signature wedding items that can be included throughout your wedding.

Photo Stamps

Are you set to send out your Save the Date cards, invitations, or Thank You notes? Why put a boring postal stamp on wedding stationary you spent a small fortune on??? A very cute and unique idea is customizing your postal stamps with your photo. And...imagine how surprised your bridesmaid will be when you present them with a personalized photo stamp of themselves or the bridesmaids.

Some great sites to visit are:
http://www.zazzle.pb.com/
http://www.photo.stamps.com
http://www.zazzle.com/custom/stamps
http://www.pictureitpostage.com/Custom_Postage_Design/
http://www.yourstamps.com/
http://photo.stamps.com/Store/

Recession-Free Resource Series: JC Penny

The recession got you down? CKAS will be sharing some cost saving resources and coupons for the bridal couple on a limited budjet in our Recession-Free Series.

In our first post for this series, we would like to share a great resource that you can be found at your local mall: JC Penny. JC Penny (depending on the location) carries inexpensive bridal wear and accessories that would compliment most budget brides and grooms. Click on this coupon link to download and print the in-store coupons, but you have to hurry because the offer ends Saturday, February 28th. If you shop online use the code EXTRA during checkout for the same savings; use the keywords "bridal" or "wedding" to search online for bridal dresses, jewelry, etc.

Additionally, JC Penny is offering a free portrait sitting for one person (savings of $9.99) and a 8 X 10 portrait with the purchase of a photo package...inexpensive solution in case you have not taken your engagement photos or wedding favor photos. This 0ffer expires July 30, 2009.

Why Is It Important to Find a Certified Wedding Planner?

The below email was sent to me this evening from a potential Bride. I find it a sad state of affairs that the Planner / Consultant / Coordinator, whatever her title was...just left this bride (and all of her other brides) without a suitable replacement, giving the rest of us who work very hard for our Clients--A BAD NAME. I am unaware of this Coordinator's circumstances but there isn't any excuse in my book for not giving her Brides a full or partial refund of their monies for services that were not performed. So I would like to take the opportunity to share this email and warn all Brides and Grooms that is very important to find someone that is a certified professional in their industry and a member in good standing of a legitimate association such as the Association of Bridal Consultants (ABC). True professional Wedding Planners/Consultants/Coordinators that are here for the long-haul invest a good fortune in their industry certifications.

Some DOs:

- Ask and Verify their Certification with their educational institution they claim to have attended (an online certificate-mill does not count).
- Inquire on their professional associations, their "current" standing with them, and Verify with the Association (don't just take someones word on it).
- Ask to see their portfolio (preferably with them in action, not just photos that could be anyones).
- Ask for a reference-- Request to speak to at least one former Client.
- READ your contract thoroughly--a good Contract not only protects the Professional but would also protect the Client!!!
- Remember that even in the best circumstances of due diligence, unfortunate incidents such as these can still take place, follow-up by filing a complaint with the Better Business Bureau...so that the next "potential" Client can avoid a costly situation.

________________________________________
Hi,

I'm trying to get some information about a day of coordinator for May XX, 2009 for a wedding at the (Name of Place Removed) in Leesburg, Va. I know this is short notice, but I had a planner and she just recently moved to Kuwait without telling any of her clients, so now I'm out my deposit and have no planner. Please let me know pricing information as we are on a budget.

Thank you!
M. A. (Bride's Name Removed)
__________________________________________

A Certified Wedding Planner is a professionally trained wedding consultant who knows exactly when to begin on each phase of your wedding, providing you with reliable quality service.

L - O - V - E is in the Air... Happy Valentines Day!

I hope everyone is having a sweet Valentine's Day. I am celebrating Valentines day with my beloved, dinner alone for the first time since we've been married and had our beautiful children. We always take our kids to every we go and include them in everything we do...dates, breakfast/lunch/dinner out, outings, you name it--our kids are always there. Our kids are awesome, but it is nice to be able to have dinner without them arguing or picking on each other. We are both excited; we wish you all a great holiday.

With love in the air, couples will be celebrating tonight their relationship and what their significant other means to them. Some of these celebrations will culminate in an Valentine's Day marriage proposal and engagement! In the spirit of love and all the newly engaged couples, I have put together some inspirational boards: one red Valentines-inspired theme board and a few pink & fuschia Valentines-inspired theme boards.


(NOTE: All photos belong to their respective owners (these photos are not CKAS Events & Wedding property), they are for educational purposes and to give you ideas for your special day.

Happy 2009 Brides and Grooms!!!

Hope everyone enjoyed their holiday vacation. CKAS Events & Weddings LLC was closed for the Christmas and New Years holiday for the past two weeks. I can proudly say we tried to give back by donating cash to Toys for Tots. Now the holidays are over we have returned refreshed and ready to focus on our brides and groom. The next big event is of course Inauguration Day and the parties that will take place. We are currently catching up on all the email requests for potential customers and will be answering all of your emails within the week.

Friday evening we will be hitting the theater to enjoy Bride Wars starring Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway. It looks like it's going to be a big hit! Here's a link to the trailer.



Bride Wars

Emma (Anne Hathaway) and Liv (Kate Hudson) are best friends, and since they were young, they have always wanted to be married in The Plaza Hotel. Planning to marry their respective husbands to-be, everything seems to in going perfectly--the dates are set, their dresses are beautiful, and the maids of honor, each other, are as joyful as can be. However, when the pair of friends receive the bad news that their weddings were planned for the same day, the pre-wedding bliss is ruined. With neither willing to give up her dream wedding, Liv and Emma declare themselves to be engaged in the most heated and dangerous kind of war known to man--Bride Wars.

Are you having kids in or at your wedding?

Consider a Wedding Nanny / Babysitter - This person is valuable. He/she entertains and directs the planned activities for the children as well as monitoring the children’s dinner. The planned activities may be in a room adjacent to the main wedding party where easy access is available for parents. You may be required to have more than one babysitter, depending on the number of children attending.

Need color/trend ideas for your Spring 2009 wedding?

Pantone fashion color report spring 2009: New York Fashion Week, September 5–12, 2008:

Spring traditionally evokes a sense of freshness and new beginnings, with sprouting shoots and blossoming flowers that inspire designers to breakout of the winter doldrums. Bright colors return to the top 10 list for spring ’09, as designers incorporate vibrant pops into their collections, yet temper the vibrancy with deeper, translucent or neutral tones.

http://pantone.com/downloads/articles/pdfs/PANTONE-FCR-sp2009.pdf

Spring 2008 forecasted color trends are (click link above for more details):

Fuchsia Red
PANTONE 18-2328
Salmon Rose
PANTONE 15-1626
Palace Blue
PANTONE 18-4043
Lucite Green
PANTONE 14-5714
Super Lemon
PANTONE 14-0754
Dark Citron
PANTONE 16-0435
Lavender
PANTONE 15-3817
Vibrant Green
PANTONE 16-6339
Slate Gray
PANTONE 16-5804
Rose Dust
PANTONE 14-1307

Original Runner Company 15% Off Sale

Original Runner Company announced their annual aisle runner sale. If you purchase by December 15, 2008 you are eligible to receive 15% off all runners ordered. Use promotional code annsale08.

Happy Veteran's Day!

CKAS Events & Weddings, LLC would like to wish you a Happy Veteran's Day! We also like to Salute our men and women in the Armed Forces and our thoughts are with our military serving in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other countries abroad. Please be safe.

Need a Theme? Go Green...

Every engaged couple wants their wedding day to be a special celebration that reflects who they are and what they care about. Going green is a great way to make the festivities unique and meaningful--and show friends and family just how fun, beautiful, and delicious a sustainable lifestyle can be. Here's how to start planning the kind of wedding:

1. With this ring...
A green wedding begins where any engagement does: with a ring. Don't start off on a sour note. The beautiful alternatives to "blood diamonds" (those that are mined in war zones and fund conflicts) include:
• vintage rings, whether a family heirloom or an antique find (you can even have old gold melted down and refashioned)
• lab-created diamonds (greenKarat's are set in recycled gold too)
• diamonds mined in peaceful Canada or Australia, like those from Brilliant Earth, Cred Jewellery, or Leber Jewelry's Earthwise line
• diamonds certified as "conflict-free" under the Kimberley Process, an ongoing effort to reform diamond mining in Africa (ask your jeweler the questions in Amnesty International's buyer's guide)
• one-of-a-kind wooden bands

2. Location, location, location
Your choice of venue sets the tone for your wedding day--and accounts for a big chunk of the money you'll be laying out. Spend it wisely! Consider:
• choosing a setting that's convenient to the most guests to minimize travel impacts
• having the ceremony and the reception at the same place, or providing ecofriendly transportation between them
• picking a unique local spot--like an art gallery, nonprofit space, organic restaurant or farm, green hotel, botanical garden, or green-roofed building--that supports a cause you believe in
• an outdoor setting that will infuse the whole event with a natural sensibility (and require less decorating too!)
• arriving at the ceremony in a horse-drawn carriage, cycle rickshaw, or hybrid car
• offsetting your guests' travel (or asking them to do it as your wedding gift)

3. Please join us...
Your invitation is the first impression guests will get of your green wedding. Look for:
• recycled, handmade, or plantable papers processed chlorine-free and printed with vegetable- or soy-based inks
• tree-free paper made out of hemp, banana stalks, bamboo, kenaf, or organic cotton
• a printer who will use paper with a high percentage of post-consumer recycled content
• papers that aren't metallic or plastic-coated, characteristics that make them hard to recycle
• opportunities to reduce paper use, like sending a postcard (instead of multi-enveloped notes) for your save-the-date, or using online invitations and a wedding blog to let people know about the bachelor/ette parties, rehearsal dinner, and gift registry
In your invitations, let guests know about the ecofriendly hotel and transportation options in your area, whether it's hybrid rental cars or directions to the ceremony on public transportation. And don't forget to pick up some extra green paper products for your guest book, place cards, and thank-you notes. (You will be writing thank-yous, won't you?)

4. The final fling
Plan bachelor and bachelorette parties that will keep the green theme going:
• Stay local (and spend more time with your friends, and less dealing with travel stress).
• Offset your trip if you choose a "destination" party.
• Travel by train (and start the party early in the bar car).
• Indulge in organic wine (or beer) tasting or an organic spa treatment.
• Take a class and learn to make your own wedding flowers or jewelry.
• Do something low-impact and outdoorsy like a camping, surfing, sailing, kayaking, or fishing trip.

5. Here comes the bride...
...in a gorgeous hemp-silk gown. When it comes to outfitting the bridal party, green options abound. You can:
• go vintage (and update your look as necessary with tailoring and modern shoes and accessories)
• pick clothes made from hemp, bamboo, and organic cotton or silk--or find a dressmaker who will make a one-of-a-kind item out of these sustainable fabrics (men's suits and shirts come in organic cotton or wool too)
• borrow an elegant gown from a stylish friend
• buy something you'll wear again (and let your bridesmaids do the same)
• accessorize with a unique recycled purse and/or jewelry
• use vegetable dyes on your shoes (or go barefoot for a beach wedding)
• accentuate natural beauty with all-natural makeup
• donate the dresses to charity after the event

6. Set the stage
Add beauty and style to your wedding décor, naturally. Here's how:
• opt for organic flowers
• find a florist who's diligent about recycling packaging and will source locally raised flowers
• have bridesmaids carry matching purses or silk bouquets instead of cut flowers
• decorate with branches, dried grasses, grains, greens, berries, or live plants (potted or dried arrangements can double as favors)
• choose beeswax or soy-based candles over those made with paraffin, a petroleum byproduct
• arrange to have decorations moved from the ceremony to the reception (if you opt for separate sites)
• use leaves or other natural objects as place cards
• throw biodegradable confetti or organic rose petals instead of releasing butterflies
• donate the flowers to a hospital or rest home at the end of the day

7. Eat, drink, and be merry
Showcase green gustatory pleasures (and spoil your guests) by basing your menu around local, organic, and seasonal foods. Don’t forget the organic wine, beer, and spirits, and the free-trade, shade-grown coffee and tea! Some tips:
• Ask the venue's preferred caterers and bakers if they can do your event organically.
• Find a local organic restaurant that does off-site catering.
• If your wedding won't be complete without a specific type of food, get married when it's in season.
• Find a caterer you trust to pick the best seasonal selections (since you may not be able to taste those exact items ahead of time).
• Consider vegetarian selections and seek out cruelty-free meats and wild, rather than farmed, fish.
• Make sure the venue offers comprehensive recycling facilities, and ideally composting too.
• Have your cake decorated with organically grown flowers or other natural materials instead of plastic toppers.
• Rent real glassware, dishware, and linens instead of using disposables.
• Go for a chic eclectic look by mixing and matching thrift-store plates and dishes (and donating them back when you're done).
• Use biodegradable utensils and dishes made out of cornstarch, potatoes, wheat, or sugar cane--if your venue can compost them.
• Make arrangements to donate leftover food to a local food bank or homeless shelter.

8. Lasting memories
Whether you prefer film or digital photographs, look for a photographer who will do digital proofs to save paper and chemicals. Avoid single-use cameras, but ask friends with digi-cams to share their photos with all the guests online in a free Flickr group or Snapfish group room you set up for your wedding.

9. 'Tis better to give...
OK, OK, giving and receiving are both great! For your gift registry, consider:
• asking for gifts to charity instead of material goods
• registering with the I Do Foundation or another site that gives a percentage of gift purchases to your chosen cause
• registering with stores that offer local, fair-trade, handmade, organic, or other ecofriendly products like Branch, Gaiam, Greenfeet, GreenSage, Ten Thousand Villages, UncommonGoods, or VivaTerra.
• registering for outdoor gear or contributions to an ecofriendly honeymoon
• creating a custom wish list of ecofriendly items like a fresh-produce subscription from a local farm, organic gardening supplies, organic linens, park and museum passes, gift certificates to organic restaurants, and subscriptions to green publications or memberships in green causes
For your favors, give something your guests will really use and enjoy, not disposable plastic souvenirs. Some ideas:
• gourmet organic chocolates or another organic or local food item
• attractive bags of fresh or dried organic herbs
• seeds in a commemorative container
• reusable cloth tote bags
• a small plant
• natural soaps
• soy or beeswax candles
• a compact fluorescent lightbulb
• a downloadable playlist of your favorite songs
• a small charitable donation in each guest's name
• place cards made of seeded paper that can be planted at home
For your helpful, loyal attendants, you'll want to up the ante a little, perhaps with:
• gift baskets of organic skin-care products
• recycled jewelry, wallets, handbags, or drinking glasses
• selections of organic coffees, teas, and chocolates
• recycled paper journals and stationery
• great bottles of organic wine

10. Happily ever after...
Begin your new life with a honeymoon that's light on the Earth. Consider:
• going somewhere local (you're going to be spending a lot of time in that hotel room anyway)
• engaging in ecotourism, which can be as rugged or luxurious as you want it to be (find listings that suit your style through Conservation International, National Geographic, Planeta.com, or ResponsibleTravel.com)
• taking a trip that benefits an environmental group; perhaps boating in Florida's Dry Tortugas, birding in Alaska, or walking the Italian Alps with Sierra Club Outings
• skipping the cruise and taking a relaxing, romantic train trip
• getting around at your destination by renting bikes or taking public transportation (the better to enjoy the sights instead of arguing about your spouse's driving habits)
• staying in a family-run B&B or inn, a luxury teepee or yurt, or a green hotel that's working to save resources and reduce waste
• offsetting your trip’s carbon dioxide emissions

Baltimore Knot Party

CKAS Events & Weddings LLC attended the By Invitation Knot BALTIMORE SEASON PREVIEW followed by a cocktails and hors d'oeuvres hour on Wednesday, October 1, 2008 at 6 p.m. at the Baltimore Museum of Industry. Celebrity Wedding Consultant Who's Wedding Is It Anyway? Linnyette Richardson-Hall organized the evenings events. Owner and Floral Designer Allyson Rexach-Smith from La Plata was my invited guest for the evening. We were actively engaged the entire evening, dining on succulent scallops and chicken skewers, the signature martini, and an dessert buffet. Here are some photos from the evening. Excuse my appearance, the party was on a weeknight and I went straight there from another event--it was a long day. :-)

Duties of the Groom

Start your marriage off on the right foot and have some fun getting involved in wedding planning. Believe it or not, there are plenty of tasks that are perfectly cut out for you!

Just think about planning a wedding. Let your mind lock onto the first image that pops into your head. If you're like most guys, you're picturing your fiancée happily picking out floral arrangements and place settings with her best friend or her mother at her side. You may not even be in the picture at all. That's okay- that's often how it is. Your bride-to-be has probably been dreaming of her wedding since she was a little girl. She may have a much clearer picture in her head of what she wants the wedding to be like than you do. This production, however, is no one-woman show. You've got to do more than just "pitch in" because you can help alleviate her stress and earn some points in the process by stepping up. The wedding is something your bride will be talking about for a long time to come.

Planning a wedding is a massive undertaking. It requires patience, dedication, and plenty of hard work. If you're not the most aesthetically-minded guy, it's okay to leave things like the flowers, wedding favors, and decorations to her. There's no shortage of other things you can do with her.

The Budget

Major decisions like the budget and size of the wedding, or key elements, such as figuring out a date and location are things that should not be decided by just one person. Sit down with your fiancée and talk these things through to see what you both have in mind. Trust us, if you have these conversations right up front, it will save you both a lot of headaches down the road.

Religious Matters

Another big issue is whether or not you're planning to have a religious service. Again, be sure to take the time to work this out with your fiancée from the start. Don't make the mistake of assuming she'll know what you want or vice versa. It is not uncommon for people who haven't even been inside a house or worship in years to insist on getting married in one. If you're a mixed-faith couple and you both want a religious wedding, you may have to get creative. It gets particularly tricky when trying to find a clergyman to officiate the ceremony. Some clergymen won't perform mixed-faith weddings, others have no problem with it. Choosing - and, if possible, meeting - the officiant together is critical to ensuring that you will have a wedding that you are both comfortable with. Religion can be a sensitive issue for a lot of people, so be sure to talk openly and honestly with your fiancée from day one.

Cake Design Resource

CakeChannel.com is an Internet resource to find cake designs. They promise over 1,000 photos of traditional and unique cakes. Find recipes, ideas for cake toppers... Be aware that you have to pay a fee (via Paypal) to view/access their cake galleries!