Planning Your Vegas Getaway!

Bachelorette Party

Bachelor Party or Couple's Getaway

| VEGAS |

Ira + Lucy understands that your wedding experience is full of many special celebrations along the way. Your engagement party, bridal shower, bachelor and bachelorette parties, rehearsal dinner and morning after brunch! Ask our team about these package add-ons!

How can you best plan a Vegas trip for your clients if you haven't been? No worries! We have done our research and continue to connect with the hottest clubs, bars, restaurants, shows and hotels! We've even spent time touring some beautiful options for wedding salons offered in Vegas's most luxurious resorts! We tried out a variety of transportation options and can give you some insider tips on how to save money. 

I can tell you that the Wynn Las Vegas is hands down our favorite hotel option! We can't wait to share more about WHY... this is the best!!!!

WHAT TO WEAR?!

Don't know what to wear, forgot an evening outfit, the shoes are killing your feet! I found some perfect shopping areas for you and the girls AND guys to find your night out on the town attire! p.s. a jumpsuit or a romper is a great way to go! Sexy, yet so comfortable to navigate lots of walks, Uber rides, crowded clubs and more!

Our team looks forward to helping you plan your perfect Vegas trip!
xoxo

Ira + Lucy Design and Coordination Services

Ira + Lucy Design and Coordination Services

It's so fun to update our service package covers with images from some of our couples! Ira + Lucy first began as a vintage rental business and quickly expanded to offer both coordination and design. It's much like being an interior designer, there is a need for designers, here's an analogy for you: for many of you, if given a bunch of home decor dropped at your front door...you'd first get excited, you'd jump in, sifting through boxes and trying to arrange furniture and then you'd get overwhelmed and end up sitting on the floor eating pizza, crying all while surrounded by a lot of "stuff" and no idea how to pull it all together. For many of our renters, they would rent decor and then feel frustrated figuring out how to make it look the way they saw it on Pinterest. This is WHY we offer design services, either "Enhanced Day-Of" for the DIY'r out there who has a good handle on the majority of your decor and then the Full Designer service, in which you have a designer's touch on everything! Think of us as your "interior designer" for your wedding! You can learn more about our different design and coordination help under the "services" and sub-page, "packages" page. We have a variety of options to fit your budget!

Here's a great article from Bride's Magazine "Should You Hire a Wedding Designer?"

"For starters, you can think of a wedding planner kind of like a house contractor and a wedding designer (or stylist/architect) like the interior designer for the home. "Wedding planners excel with the logistics, such as timelines and budgets, and are often certified in event management, whereas wedding designers excel at visual presentation and creating the overall cohesive look of the event from start to finish," says Lynn D'Ascanio of D'Asigner Events. In fact, many wedding designers are licensed interior designers and fashion designers too.

They can help you with all of the aesthetic and creative decisions, according to event designer Tracy Taylor Ward. "This includes floral design, floor plans, lighting design, linen, furniture and rentals selection (china, glassware, flatware), bride and bridal party styling, invitation design and reception stationary consulting."

If you're still not sure if a wedding designer is right for you, here's how to decide" READ MORE HERE

Stephanie Mballo Photography Ira + Lucy, Wedding Design Behrens Artistry

Inkling Calligraphy Custom Gift From Ira + Lucy

I am so thrilled to announce a new offer for our wedding and special event clients! As a token of our appreciation when you book our Design + Coordination services you will receive a custom hand lettered sign by Inkling Calligraphy to use at both your event or wedding and then for keeps in your home or business. We're offering this for both our "Enhanced Day Of" Design + Coordination Package and our Full Design + Coordination Packages *new bookings only.

We adore Claire's incredible talent with calligraphy and hand lettering and are so excited to offer such a beautiful gift! We're sharing below some of her beautiful portfolio! Please inquire for more details!

Fine Art Boudoir Photography, Dutch Still Life Inspired Shoot by Katie Rivera Photography Radion Photography

TIPS for DIY Brides working with Wedding Coordinators

We recently wrote an article for Sound Wave Music and Lighting about the DIY bride with some tips! Head on over for the full article. Since writing that guest blog post I have continued thinking about the DIY couples and how as designers and coordinators we can help our Do It Yourself Couples with some helpful tips! So, get your notepad out and start taking notes! Here are some tips for DIY Brides working with wedding coordinators and designers!

Some Background

SAVING MONEY! From experience talking with DIY couples, many assume they can't afford a professional Coordinator or Designer. DIY, usually lends to a couple being serious about having their wedding on a strict budget , so they are opting to tackle the details as much on their own as possible to save money. They immediately write off any option of having a Coordinator OR they hope to use a family friend or relative to help with coordination. Sometimes this works great and other times not so much... In our own wedding, many years ago and pre-wedding industry professional, I was in the same boat. I felt that $10k was a lot of money and had no clue what weddings cost and thought it would stretch far. I made the mistake of blowing through a decent amount of that buying decor, as there weren't vintage rental businesses back then. I certainly thought hiring a coordinator was out of the question!

Questions to ask yourself:

• Budget - have you actually figured out an itemized budget? Not just an overall budget, but how it is broken down? Usually DIY brides are reaching into the unknown trying to estimate price range for services: venue rentals, catering, DJ, flowers, attire etc. Often the answer is... "I had no idea how much that costs!" A professional coordinator can help you navigate the budget with a clear idea of what the different services cost and how to best guide you to reputable vendors that fit your budget.
• How much of your budget went out the window on those spontaneous shopping sprees at Hobby Lobby? You know exactly what I'm talking about. I know how tempting it is! That $75 here and $50 there and another $130 last month... Those add up! Instead, that money could have been saved up to go toward catering vs your family having to prep all the food. Or that dream floral arch for your ceremony! Those details will last in photos and give you the real bang for your buck vs. all those cute chalkboard signs. Really go through and ask yourself what you definitely need. Return the extras before you get any further into planning.

• Prioritize needs: (some of the main things to consider)
  • Venue
  • Officiant/Ceremony
  • Catering
  • Photography
  • Rentals (chairs, linen, tables etc)
  • DJ
  • Attire
  • Floral + Decor
  • Lodging
  • Travel
  • Hair + Makeup
• Coordinator fees. We highly encourage you reach out to local coordinators and ask lots of questions! Each of us offers different packages and services and all share the belief that each couple will find the coordinator that fits their personality and needs. It's okay if you meet and find that it isn't a good fit. It's all part of the process. Ask about coordination and design services - YES, there is a difference. Let the coordinator know your budget up front. Talk about it. See if you can figure something out that works for both of you. Maybe you need to pick between having a designer/decorator or a coordinator - what do you need most? ASK why they are beneficial to your particular needs. *side note! As with all industries there are always businesses that want to get into the industry and therefore do research on the market and then underprice the competition in hopes of getting experience and business starting out. Beware. As a couple with budget on the mind, that doesn't mean the cheapest coordinator is quality.
• Utilize PINTEREST. Pinterest can be a bride's AND coordinator's best friend or worst enemy! Autumn is a perfect example of how awesome Pinterest can be utilized for DIY couples!
  • Set your Pinterest Wedding Board to SECRET! You don't need the opinions and input of everyone AND you want to keep some elements a surprise right?
  • Start pinning things that catch your and your fiance's eye.
  • EDIT and DELETE pins that no longer fit the vision (or move them to a different board if you are attached to them)
  • Once you have narrowed down your board make sure to put in the comments the specific description:

With Autumn giving us all the details we knew EXACTLY what she wanted! This is perfect for the DIY bride who really wants to make sure her hard work comes together at the end; how SHE envisioned it. Autumn functioned as the designer until the last three months and then handed the reins off to our incredible team.

My husband and I both so grateful for Heidi's and her team's part in making our wedding day truly memorable and amazing. It was more than we dreamed about, and it was surreal to walk into the space with all the little details I'd been planning and working so hard on fully executed beyond my wildest dreams. It was beautiful, and I wouldn't change a single thing about any of it. The Ira & Lucy team was truly incredible - so kind, thoughtful, and hard working, and their dedication means the world to us. Because of all their hard work, we were able to relax and enjoy ourselves from the first second to the last, and focus on our vows, our guests, and most importantly, each other. My husband even made a point of telling me the next day how happy he was that we found Ira & Lucy - we couldn't have pulled it all off if we hadn't! Special thanks to Arielle for her attention to detail - she had lots of questions in the days and weeks leading up to our big day, and it really showed that she was thinking through everything to make sure it was just how we pictured. You know you've had a successful event when there isn't a single thing you'd change when you look back! - Autumn

We work with DIY couples often and don't want you to shy away from contacting us to inquire about our services. Hopefully these tips will help you in your planning! Certainly, we could give many more tips, but this post is already long enough! After you take a look at your budget with realistic expectations and think you may benefit from hiring a coordinator or designer/day of decorating team - shoot us an email and let's chat! You can see our packages here. Now put the car in reverse and pull out of that Hobby Lobby parking lot!!!

[button url="http://iraandlucy.com/book/"] Email Here[/button]

NEW Wish List Feature!

We are very excited to announce a new feature for you! Talk about simplifying the process! Now as you browse through our online rental inventory you can select which items you are interested in and create your very own WISH LIST! When you submit the wish list I am notified immediately and can send you the itemized price list. Hope you find this helpful! We look forward to hearing from you! Visit our [button url="http://iraandlucy.com/inventory/"]online rental inventory gallery[/button] now and submit your wish list!

Bride + Groom Boudoir Sneak Peek Part 1

Some seriously sexy going on here! We often see just Bridal Boudoir, however what about Bride AND Groom Boudoir? So much thought goes into your wedding, what about after the wedding? Have you considered the special intimate details for your honeymoon? As you whisk away, with tired feet and honestly quite a bit of exhaustion... what atmosphere is waiting you as you step into your hotel suite? We'd love to help! We can handle those private intimate details for you. Let us create a romantic atmosphere that fits your and your sweetie's hopes. We can work with your caterer to create a perfect modern picnic basket with delicious nibbles and refreshing sips! Ask us more! We'll assist in making sure your honeymoon luggage and needed items are moved from your wedding location to your hotel. Many of our clients want to keep their location a secret from their family and guests. Let's keep it secret and we'll handle the details! Thank you to a GREAT TEAM in bringing this vision together! For fabulous collaboration and hard work!

Creative Director, Vintage Rentals & Styling Ira & Lucy Laken Fulton Photography Fleur De Lis Floral Couture Floral Design & Styling Behrens Artistry Hair, Makeup and Styling HeartFelt Bridal Open Table Catering Boise Cassandra Hayes & Conner Skeen

Abby & Dylan Fall Wedding

Click on above Digital Magazine to view Featured Wedding.

Chalkboard Signs - a popular trend!

I will fully admit I am obsessed with signage! It makes a massive, yes MASSIVE difference in pulling your event design and styling together. I certainly can't and don't handle doing all signage myself. Sometimes our client's needs require the serious paper pros, of which I have some awesome local businesses I turn to for help. Stay tuned for more details on one of my favs - The Paper Crave! I just adore Jennifer and am so excited to share her work with you! Here is one of our chalkboards with a quote from The Secret Garden from one of our June Bride's, Krista's wedding. Her wedding had a subtle Secret Garden theme and I wanted to add this little touch, knowing how much she loved the book growing up. It was one of her favorite details! Photo by Raft Media, Flowers by FlowersAtWill, Still Water Hollow Venue.

 Tonight, while I watched the Seahawks play their final preseason game (GO HAWKS!) I worked on these custom chalkboard style signs for Bride Kristin. While I do work a lot with brides, I also work quite often with mothers of the bride. I just adore Kristin's mom, Charlene who has gone above and beyond wanting to make her daughter's day as special as possible. She even ordered custom macarons from New Orleans for the dessert bar! Her mom is handling all the decorations and picked a few select items from our inventory to help pull it all together. This is the perfect example of the flexibility we offer! We can do full event design OR you can rent just a few select items! Let us know what you need, let's chat and figure out how we can be of help.

Head on over to our Pinterest Boards to view some of my personal favorite chalkboard typography inspiration! P.S. Be sure you don't take the chalkboard craze overboard... chalkboard shouldn't take over your design! Like with all styling, don't let a "theme" or specific item engulf everything...