DESIGN BLOG
IRA + LUCY FEATURES
Katie + Craig's Warm Springs Wedding
ST. JOHN CATHEDRAL | WARM SPRINGS | JUNE 25TH 2016
“To love is nothing. To be loved is something. But to love and be loved, that’s everything.”
“..they are so happy..and so of course we are so happy. What a wonderful wedding. You were incredible and you are so gifted at what you do. Have anyone call me anytime if they want to visit with a past, very particular “mother of the bride” …my reference will be shining and for very good reasons. Thank you for making the day go so smoothly and so beautifully. While we did this for Katie and Craig, I can’t help be pleased when the compliments keep rolling in..the food, the flowers, the décor, the venue, the staff, the music, the …….you should be very proud! Cheers to you Heidi…our love and admiration for a fantastic job so very well done.”
“I know Patty said thank you, but I wanted to echo that sentiment. Obviously, we are pretty fond of Katie and Craig. You really made their special day perfect. You, and your staff, were wonderful to work with and fun to be around. Taking all those organizational tasks off our hands allowed us to relish the occasion, what a blessing.”
“You are really amazing. You are passionate about what you do and you poor your whole self into it. My favorite comment was that people ‘could really feel the love’ during the whole event! Isn’t that the coolest?
Some other comments:
“They moved a LOT of people through the event and it never felt like it”
“ The decorations were incredible”…people were so impressed with every detail…
Loved the farm tables
Loved the bars
Loved the pics
Loved the table settings
LOVED the tent
Loved the DJ
“The food was remarkable” – everything here was perfect and people were wondering how you fed so many without any food being dry or cold. Wow. “The staff was really professional and worked so hard”. Everyone was jealous of the ear pieces. “There were a lot of photographers. Those pictures are going to be amazing” –”
It's with bittersweet emotions that I share Katie and Craig's beautiful wedding day! It took almost a full year's work to plan, design and manage their wedding and I have come to care very much for Katie and Craig and their families. I consider myself extremely blessed by the clients and the friendships formed from the relationship we build and so sometimes when it's all over.... it can be a little sad. I know that the emails and texts and meetings will become memories, but they are cherished memories. Katie and Craig have thee biggest hearts and are two of the most kind individuals I have ever met. This was truly a labor of love! Thank you Katie and Craig, Patty and Derrick, Teresa and Jeff... thank you for sharing this intimate and cherished time in your family's lives with me and allowing me and my team the honor to create a remarkable and memorable wedding I know we will all cherish. Blessings! - H
VENDORS
Ira + Lucy Wedding Coordination and Design
Let It Shine Photography
Just So. Event Floral
Open Table Catering
Stevi Raff Cakes
VCI Audio, Sound and Lighting
Tates Tents + Events
La Tavola Fine Linen
Behrens Artistry
The Grove Hotel
St Johns Cathedral
Boise Shuttle Service
Boise Township Tours
2nd Shooter, Vlad, Radion Photography
Sammie + Beau's Boho Wedding
Sammie + Beau
Still Water Hollow | April 29th, 2016
Yet everything that touches us, me and you,
takes us together like a violin's bow,
which draws one voice out of two separate strings
- Rainer Maria Rilke, "Love Song"
The Design
Custom wedding design by Ira + lucy
Sammie shared with me a love for moody jewel tones and wanted to be sure it didn't feel too "girly" or too "country rustic". We focused on giving some boho vibes and playing up the jewel tones with a softer blush hue in the mix to add some depth to the palette. Pheasant feathers were a must for Sammie and Just So. Event Floral did a beautiful job incorporating them into the Bridal bouquet and Groom's boutonnière. I pulled away from a country vibe by adding a dramatic textured black and white print linen, from La Tavola Fine Linen, for the large head table. Adding vintage brown bottles, brass candlesticks with black tapers, gold geo shapes, air plants and ferns helped create a WOW focal point. Last minute, I decided to surprise Sammie with stunning calligraphy place cards from Sarah Pearl Studio. I requested them on black paper with torn edges and white text to add to that edgier vibe I wanted.
Authentic Mexican Equipale chairs made for the perfect Bride + Groom special seating and after dinner we pulled one out for the garter toss! I'm so excited about these new chairs now a part of our rental collection! The Honey Harvest Rattan Chargers pulled in the warm wood hues seen in the chairs, the brick backdrop and flooring.
Custom Projects
Sammie is going to school full time for nursing and truly, just didn't have the time or capacity to plan a wedding. Not to mention, just a few months before the wedding, her original venue canceled all their booked weddings, so we had to scramble to move the wedding to a new venue. At that point Sammie gave me full rein and told me to just take total creative and logistic control and pull her wedding together. It was pretty incredible to be able to have so much creative freedom and then get to surprise Sammie and Beau with all the little details we planned for them. The week of the wedding Sammie and her Mom wrote me in a panic that they forgot about a ring bearer pillow! So, I chatted with Kara, the florist and we put our minds together and I created the ring pillow and she made the flower girl baskets to match!
Farm House Tables
Our NEW Farm House Tables making their debut!!! They were incredible and made for the perfect special seating for the reserved family tables! Aren't they gorgeous pushed together for a dramatic tables cape and they pair beautifully with Tates new cross back chairs.
Team Member Pic by Peyton! Cake by Stevi Raff, Design Ira + Lucy
Ira + Lucy Team Member Pic, by Peyton. Sarah Pearl Calligraphy. Just So. Event Floral
“I’ve just been crying since last night and still can’t stop. I am in absolute awe. Thank you just does not do it. I’m overwhelmed with gratitude... I don’t have the words to thank you. That wedding was something out of my wildest dreams. You guys are miracle workers. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!””
This was one of those "get you in the feels" weddings and couple. When Sammie and I first met in person there was an immediate connection, one of those God moments where you know you were brought into one another's lives for a bigger purpose. I won't got into the specifics, as it's personal for both Sammie and I, and we don't need to get too weepy eyed in our blog, but I'll forever feel connected to Sammie and giving her her dream wedding was a joy. I know all the vendors went above and beyond to love on this couple and I couldn't be more proud of our team and showing why we do what we do! To bless others! Love you so much Sammie! xoxo
VENDOR TEAM
Ira + Lucy Full Coordination + Design
Just So. Event Floral
Still Water Hollow
Open Table Catering
Stevi Raff Cakes
Hair by Shawna Hines, Bride + Bridesmaids HMU
Bridal Makeup, Blush by Jamie Rose, Bride's Sister-In-Law
Radion Photography and Blue Chip Media
VCI Audio
Tates Tents and Events, Chair Rentals, Dishwater
La Tavola Fine Linen Rentals
Plum Pretty Sugar Robe, Gifted to our Bride
Vera Wang Gown, David's Bridal
Hiring a Wedding Coordinator and What That Means For Your Wedding Day
"Getting Ready"
BLOG SERIES | PART 1
I'm going to bounce around a bit in the next few blogs about why hiring a wedding coordinator or planner is a benefit for you. It'd make sense to start with discussing planning, vendor negotiations, logistics etc, but we're going to jump in first with chatting about your wedding day, in particular, the getting ready part.
As your Wedding Coordinator and Designer I want nothing more than to know that my Bride and Groom are free of stress, relaxed, being pampered and know that everything is handled so that they can enjoy their time with their closest friends and family as they prepare to walk down the isle. I adore this image of our Bride, Megan, as she and her bridesmaids look out the estate windows overlooking the property and watch as our team hustles around the property setting up. We are submitting Megan and Kaleo's wedding for publication, but I realized that some of these behind the scenes pics don't make publication galleries, but they are also such a HUGE part of what we do. These images are awesome in telling the benefits of having a coordinator. Here is our bride with her best friends relaxed and enjoying seeing it'll all come to life.
When I sit down with couples, and often those consultations include the Mother of the Bride, when we start talking about what are their hopes, how they envision their day I always hear about what the bride and mother want for what happens BEFORE the ceremony. I want you to think about that as well. For my own wedding, I didn't budget for a wedding coordinator and that is with major regret... instead my sisters, mom, aunts and even grandmother were not with me in my hotel room helping me prepare for the happiest day of my life. They were out in hot summer temps running around trying to set up our wedding. They were dealing with stress and vendor frustrations and trying to figure out how to set up the wedding decor to fit my dream I had worked hard planning... They then had to rush into the bridal suite moments before the wedding to day they loved me and to quick change into their dresses for their part of walking down the isle... REGRETS.... When we first started many of my couples didn't hire a coordinator, instead they just hired us to set up the wedding and leave. Ohhhh.... how many times did I see the repeat mistakes that I had made... frustrated, exhausted, irritated, hurt moms, friends and family members who, yes, had volunteered to set up and were happy to volunteer... but, they had no idea what amount of work and stress they had signed up for AND what they would miss out on come the wedding. It is VERY rare for it to go otherwise.
A MOMENT THAT LASTS A LIFETIME
Instead, what I had wished happen and what all of my clients share they desire is a different experience. Instead, you, the bride, are surrounded by your closest girlfriends and women in your life that are there with you in a peaceful and joyous state. Refreshments and small bites are available to keep each of you comfortable and relaxed. It's a quite time to give gifts to your bridesmaids if you wish. You can share quiet time reflecting on your vows and relationship and what this day means to you and your family. Your best friend and mom can help you into your gown. If you have a summer or winter wedding, you can all be indoors in a temperature controlled environment. You're not just feeling your best as you have your hair and makeup done, but so are these incredible women you cherish. Megan gave each of her bridesmaids a special clutch. They laughed, they enjoyed watching the set up, they helped one another dress. It was peaceful and perfect. Megan's mom then helped her into her gown. A moment that we talked at the very beginning about being a priority.
Creating time for the bride and groom allows flexibility. Here, we were able to have the officiant take some one on one time with Megan and Kaleo beforehand to review any ceremony details. This also alleviates any last minute stress about the ceremony flow and specifics. This reassurance can calm nerves and allow the bride and groom to enter into a headspace that is more relaxed and able to take in the moment better.
And we're not JUST talking about the girls. The guys too, should be hang'n out, relaxed and enjoying some guy time and not stressed about anything else. Kaleo and his best friends played air hockey, ping pong, watched some football, enjoyed snacks and refreshments. This also allowed our photographers to have time to shoot getting ready pics for both the gals and guys without issues.
Think about how you want to feel on your wedding day, especially in the moments leading up to the ceremony. Who do you want with you? What kind of environment do you imagine? A Wedding Coordinator makes this happen. We work hundreds of hours leading up to this moment to bring that vision to reality and maybe even better! Stay tuned for more of this blog series!
FROM THE BRIDE...
"I want to start off by saying that I was always the girl who NEVER needed a wedding coordinator. I knew “exactly” what I wanted my wedding to look like, and I’ve always been a natural planner, so why would I need someone’s help? Once upon a time I even dreamed of being a wedding planner myself, so I felt like planning my own wedding would be a piece of cake. A few weeks in to the planning stage and my head was spinning while trying to find 300 of the perfect chairs, a task that I thought would be so simple. Turns out, planning your own wedding isn’t easy. Pinning gorgeous photos to your “Fairytale” pinterest board may be a dreamy no-brainer, but it doesn’t work that way in real life. It’s a lot harder than one might think to pull together a luxurious seating lounge or take 50 of your carefully thrifted bowls and vases and turn them into collaborative centerpieces. And lets not even get started on the not so obvious details- linens for breadbaskets, reserved seating signs, extension cords??? There is more that goes into planning a wedding than I ever could have imagined.
I first contacted Heidi because my mom wanted to hire someone who could take the stress off of the wedding day set-up and tear-down. But after hearing about what she could offer in the coordination department and after seeing the beautiful work on her site, I could not help myself but get lost in the idea of having someone rescue me from my never ending planningchallenges. Right from the moment that I met Heidi and her assistant Molly, I felt like 300 pounds were lifted from my shoulders. They knew exactly what needed to be done to make my dream day come true and they were just as excited about it as I was. They gave me a strict to-do list and a firm deadline to make decisions while they got busy calling vendors and pulling together the seriously impossible. They put together a vision board that was absolutely perfect for me and finally I was able to start enjoying the whole process. It wasn’t long after that when I told my mom the best thing I had spent my money on so far was my wedding planners. They worked like crazy making sure that I could have everything that I envisioned for my day. Not only did they make the planning process so much easier- they made it so that I could spend my wedding day focusing on all of the important parts. The night before my wedding I was able to go home and relax and get my rest. The morning of my wedding I was able to spend the day with my bridesmaids and my mom at the salon getting our hair, makeup, and nails done. I didn’t have to worry about a thing but just showing up and looking pretty. I knew without a doubt that their team would have everything under control and that everything would get done just how I wanted it and in plenty of time for my walk down the aisle. I didn’t stress. My family didn’t stress. Everyone was able to enjoy the day just as they should have.
I look back at my dream of becoming a wedding planner and I can’t imagine ever thinking that it was something that I could do. It takes a special kind of person to not only be able to work that hard, but to want it so much for someone else. Heidi is that person. That is what her team stands for and I couldn’t be more grateful that I chose them to help me with my wedding." - Megan
Starting 2016 Saving Money!
Ira + Lucy Wedding Tips
brrrr.... it's cold outside!
So, last night we were down to 1 DEGREE!!! And today's high was only 12.... Brrrr it's freezing! But, then I found this HOT deal today out running errands! I'll be honest, I don't shop much at Craft Warehouse, I think it's too pricey there and I'm very selective on what I do buy and that is usually if I have a coupon. As a Designer and working my butt off trying to find ways to give you beautiful weddings, while thinking of your wallet I do love when I land on cost savings. AND I usually try to source items via wholesale outlets and other connections we have. So, today I found these Pashmina scarves at $5 each in a wide variety of colors.
This is a great option for buying in bulk! Have 150 guests? Estimate half are female and plan for only a portion of those guests will use a scarf. I'd suggest 50! Keep your receipt and anything that isn't used you can return.
PASHMINA
Pashmina is the finest type of cashmere wool. The textiles made from it were first woven in Kashmir. The name comes from Persian: پشمینه / pašmina, meaning "made from wool" and literally translates to "Soft Gold" in Kashmiri -
Sure, you can find these a little cheaper on wholesale sites around $3.50 each, but I vote for the $5 option where you can see the colors in person and feel the quality! I say the peace of mind is well worth the extra $1.50! Plus, any you don't use simply return! Keep your receipt!
RECEPTION DETAILS
Drape scarves over your guests chairs, allowing them an option for warming up while toasts, cake cutting and other formalities are happening.
Jen Rodriguez Photography
BRIDESMAID GIFTS
Don't forget your girls! Take care of your bridesmaids and think through how to keep them comfortable while looking their best!
Meagan Ramirez Photography
GUEST GIFTS
Place rolled scarves with customized notes and place in a basket, industrial metal crate, vintage apple crate or other design element that matches your decor.
Laura Murray Photography
Guest Post - Wedding Welcome Gifts
I am so happy to introduce you to Jamie, the gifted gal of custom gift packaging! I found Jamie on Instagram and immediately reached out to her! As a wedding and special event planner and designer it's important to me to offer our client's new and fresh designs and concepts. When it comes to those of our clients planning destination weddings, wedding welcome gifts are even more of a must-have. Jamie has some awesome tips to share with you today!
How to Create Wedding Welcome Gifts on a Budget
Marigold + Grey
I work with a lot of clients who have large budgets that allow for them to do custom welcome booklets to go inside the welcome gifts. However, I also work with clients on a tighter budget where we have to get creative. In these situations, a small insert card with a simple welcome message does the trick.Sure, we all wish budget didn’t play a role in planning a wedding. But of course, that isn’t reality. Today’s post is all about how to create wedding welcome gifts on a budget. It can be done! And yes, they’ll still be well-balanced, thoughtful, and will undoubtedly set the tone for an amazing wedding weekend.
Packaging
Opting for a custom tote bag or high-quality box or basket is a way to quickly use up your entire budget without even taking into consideration the contents that go inside. Instead, opt for simple packaging so you can allocate the majority of your budget to the gift contents. Sturdy kraft gift bags with handles, gable boxes, two-piece gifts boxes, and even small-sized jute totes are great budget-friendly options!
Image via The Knot
Color Scheme
You may not have a huge budget but the gift can still look well put-together. Consider adding a splash of color, especially one from your wedding color palette. Guests will appreciate a little sneak peek of what color your bridesmaids are likely walking down the aisle in or a hint about what your bouquet may look like!
Mainstream Snacks
Instead of opting for ALL locally-sourced, artisan, small batch goodies for the gifts, go a little more mainstream with your choices and you’ll save some money. Sure, it isn’t QUITE as personal as choosing items that are made locally but in the end, your guests will still get their “something sweet” and “something salty” and will love you for it.
Personalized Items
Typically when I’m designing custom welcome gifts for my clients, they always want personalized items. This can still be done on a budget. They key here is not to go overboard. Rather than high-priced personalized totes, buy inexpensive water bottles and pay for a batch of customizable labels to wrap around the water bottles. Or, print your names and wedding date on the gift tag. Either way, stick to one portion of the gift rather than personalizing everything.
Hydrate
No matter what, there’s nothing worse than checking into your hotel as a guest and finding that bottled water isn’t included. This is why it’s crucial to provide your guests with water upon check-in. Standard bottled water is fine but if you want to up your game, consider sparkling water. Sure, the glass Pellegrino bottles can be pricey but Perrier now makes sparkling water in a smaller-sized can and the pricing is very reasonable.
Image via Style Me Pretty
At the end of the day, it’s the thought that counts. Decide on your budget and figure out a way to work within your budget. Don’t let the budget cause you to procrastinate. Or worse, cause you to cut the welcome gifts altogether. Treat the gifts like any other portion of the wedding planning. Decide what you want to spend and then get creative within those parameters. When your guests thank you for taking good care of them, you’ll be so glad you did!
Jamie Kutchman
Founder, Marigold & Grey
Web: http://www.marigoldgrey.com
Blog: http://www.marigoldgrey.com/blog
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/marigoldgrey
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/marigoldandgrey
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WEDDING DESIGN
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CORPORATE EVENTS
DECOR RENTALS
FARM HOUSE TABLES
FINE LINEN
SPECIAL EVENT PLANNING
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