Although I’ve done a darling champagne bar before I actually don’t recommend doing anything alcoholic before you’ve given your guests a nibble. I do though love a lemonade bar or even just spa water in a pretty glass dispenser. If you live in Los Angeles or another busy city I also highly recommend doing a 15 minute hold on the ceremony. It’s all planned this way from the beginning so you don’t have to worry if your shuttle bus is running late or the freeway or valet is backed up. Everyone can arrive and de-stress and be ready to fully enjoy your ceremony.
The pre-ceremony drinks table gives them something to do and a place to congregate without feeling like they need to go sit in a chair facing straight ahead at nothing. In fact, I don’t even seat the guests till after the invitation time. I like to give people a chance to connect before sitting down. It warms people up and again, avoids the awkward moment of sitting and waiting for the ceremony to start. Some brides are wary to set their wishing tree or other fun guest “book” things out because people won’t have the time to sign it before hand but if you do a 15 minute hold than many people will have time to sign it AND again, it gives them something to do. Can you tell I really hate awkward moments at weddings? I think you have to help your guests avoid those and really get them comfortable and in a place to truly open up and enjoy your day. You’d be surprised how many people get nervous when they go to events.
Also, the pre-ceremony drink /sign in table gives you one more place to carry through your palette and décor. I love to deck this table out. It’s their first taste of your wedding style. Check out Tin Parade’s latest designs for the line of Table Banners by Tin Parade. You could be one of the first to get your hands on the I DO table banner just in time for your spring or summer wedding drink or dessert table. (make sure you go to the updates tab to see the I DO design)

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1291657177/table-banners-for-your-parties-unique-concept

Written by:
Ryan Larson of Savoir Flair Wedding Design and co-designer of Tin Parade Vintage Party Goods
www.savoirflairweddings.com
www.tinparade.com

Vintage film canisters held our succulent centerpieces.

Fabric bouquet found on Etsy for our very allergic bride.

The amazing team of professionals making this night spectacular were:

Photography: Beautiful Day Photography

Dessert Bar: Magnolia Bakery

DJ: Danny with NYC DJ’s

Furniture: Classic Party Rentals

Wedding Design: Ryan Larson, Savoir Flair Weddings

(Paperwhites Photography)

We loved working with the amazing creative professionals below who came together to make this a spectacular night.

Photography: Paperwhites

Site: Terranea Resort

Florist: Gilly Flowers

Dessert Bar: Magnolia Bakery

Furniture: Form Decor and Classic Party Rentals

When you are a wedding designer in Los Angeles, it is such a relief to do a wedding at the beach that is not beach  themed. You are already AT the beach.  Need I say more?  Designing this wedding was a breath of fresh air for me as a designer but on a personal note I just really enjoyed working with this bride.  Her family was great. She was a doll.  Just a pure joy for me to help them create a fabulous night.

The amazing team of professionals making this night spectactular were: .

Photography: Susan Bordelon

Flowers: Fiore Designs

Linens/Chairs – Classic Party Rentals

Specialty high gloss dancefloor - Barker Decor Services

Dessert bar – Vanilla Bakeshop

Band - Tom Nolan Band

Lighting – Aspect Lighting

Site – Shutters on the Beach

I’m very excited, because I’m featuring one stunning party all week long. It’s going to be served up like a gourmet meal, one delicious course at a time.

This event was planned by Ryan Larson of Savoir Flair Weddings, the event planning maven to stylish Angelenos and beyond. Her weddings have been featured in Modern Bride, Inside Weddings, Elegant Bride, and The Knot Wedding Pages, as well as a celebrity tabloid that shall remain nameless! Ugh, I want the scoop on that as I’ve been known to enjoy a rag or two during my weekends…but I digress.

Ryan has stopped by this week to share the wedding she planned for Stacy and Marty last summer. The details for this wedding are perfection, and this couple just looks so happy to tie the knot. But don’t let me get ahead of myself here. Remember, just one course at a time. Today appetizers are served, and we get to meet the beautiful bride. Join us for the second course tomorrow, when bride and groom meet. Enjoy!

Bride & Groom: Stacy & Marty

Wedding date: July 19, 2009

Wedding venue: Bride & Groom’s home in the Hollywood Hills

Colors: A natural palette of the peacock; a gradation of blues, greens, browns

Inspirations: Old Hollywood, art deco, al fresco dining under the stars

I like to get to know the couples first before we do any design. I ask things like, “What do you do for fun?” and “What kind of decorating style do you have in your home?” Then the big question: “What kind of feelings do you want conveyed that night?” This to me is extremely important, especially because so much can come out of the feelings….colors, style, food, music type…etc.

About Savoir Fair Weddings: For Ryan, no two weddings could ever be alike because the design is inspired by the couple themselves. Ryan meets with the couple to really get to know them before she can even think about design. She feels there is nothing worse than a “canned wedding.” Ryan believes the key to a truly memorable wedding celebration lies in making it personal and unique. She has a reputation for dreaming up distinctive, one of a kind weddings that speak to the couple’s style and personality.

Photography & Photobooth: Beautiful Day Photography / Cake: Hansen’s Bakery / Florist: Fiore Designs / Caterer: Easy Entertaining 

Ryan Larson, the founder of Savoir Flair Wedding Coordinating joins us today to discuss how to create an effective Makeup and Hair Schedule on your wedding day. She plans all types of weddings and is based in Southern California. Take it away Ryan…

HOW TO: MAKE A MAKEUP/HAIR SCHEDULE FOR YOUR WEDDING DAY

Makeup artist Deborah Pannier shot by photographer Sara France

The reason you should sit down and take the time to do what can be a crazy puzzle of a schedule is that there are many elements to take into consideration. For one, you want the ladies to get their hair and makeup done as late as possible BUT with lots of buffer time built in of course.

Many brides assume they will just tell the makeup and hair people and the bridesmaids to get there at 8 or 10 am and then just have a mass getting ready day.  But in the end this gets so messy with timing and puts more stress on people.  If they know what time they are needed and that there is plenty of time built into the schedule, everyone will have a better day.

First of all, these are standard times based on MOST makeup/hair stylists in the wedding industry that I’ve come across over the last 9 years.  However, some artists have different requests so be sure to check with your artists to be sure this is the time frames they need.

Standard time needed:

Bridesmaid’s hair: 45 min.

Bride’s hair: 1hr.

UNLESS, the bride or one of her maids are getting hair pieces.  If that is the case you will need to add 15 min. to 30 min. to each of the times above.

Bridesmaid’s makeup: 45 min.

Bride’s makeup: 1 hr.

UNLESS, the bride or one of her maids are getting fake lashes.   If that is the case you will need to add 15 min. to each of the times above.

Hair and Make-Up Schedule

TOP 5 TIPS FOR STRUCTURING YOUR GETTING READY TIME ON THE WEDDING DAY:

1. Tell the ladies to be in the getting ready room at least 15 minutes prior to their scheduled time in case the artist is ready for them early.
2. Tell the ladies (nicely of course) that if things are running behind and they are in the makeup chair when the bride is to be, they need to high tail it out of there and get back in after the bride is ready. A late bride puts the entire day off schedule.
3. If a bridesmaid is having an updo, having hair that is a LITTLE dirty is best. Not a lot dirty though. They could wash it the night before or early the next morning but not right before their schedule updo appointment if possible. However, if they are wearing their hair down they should arrive with it washed and blow dried already. (even if they are getting a special blowout).
4. Make sure you think of food. It’s a simple thing but many brides forget this important element on the wedding day. And you don’t want a fainting bride or a cranky bridesmaid. Schedule a time with the hotel for a tray of finger sandwiches to be brought up and remind the ladies to eat BEFORE putting on their dresses.
5. When scheduling, try to schedule those with kids later in the day so they can show up as late as possible. And try to schedule the maid of honor DURING the bride’s appointments as well so she is available to help the bride dress.

Again, for all of these notes please check with your own makeup/hair stylist on timing. These are standards but some stylists have different ways of working. Some stylists will have an assistant do all blowouts and set rollers and then have the bridesmaid or bride get in their chair just for the style. In this case, adjust your schedule accordingly and have the assistant have 30 min with the bridesmaid and then 15 with the stylist for instance.

www.savoirflairweddings.com 818-631-4957

Every year MOST couples get engaged between Thanksgiving and Valentines Day.  This means that come January (after the holidays of showing off the ring to friends and family) couples are ready to get down to the nitty gritty with planning their weddings.  Which means that they are all vying for the same vendors and sites at the same time.  Don’t fret.  But,be wise.  IF you were lucky enough to get engaged before Engagement season…do not procrastinate.  Get in what I call “decision making mode.”  You will want to secure the following before engagement season if at all possible:  Coordinator, Site, Photographer, Band/DJ, Florist.  These are the vendors that book up first and in that particular order. If you have all of those set before engagement season you can rest easy and enjoy your holiday season.  If you don’t get that done before, you will want to try to secure them DURING the holiday season.  This can be a bit more difficult as vendors like florists are busy with seasonal events and don’t have as much time to meet and put together proposals. But keep on them and get those appointments on the books, even if its not till after the season,  because as soon as January 2 rolls around their phones will be ringing off the hook for appointments and you’ll already have yours set.

I don’t mean to stress all of you out with this news that there is a time crunch on your planning.  But I do think its good to be informed so you can plan wisely.

Happy Planning

Oh and be sure you’ve got some time to kill. It’s hard to get off it once you’ve started clicking. And please let me know what delicious finds you come across.

We love these hand made fabric roses.