Contributed by Ancient Lore Villages | Written by Carrie McConkey
Cover Photo by Kelsey Shea Photo 

There’s a reason destination weddings have been growing in popularity for decades. In addition to exchanging their vows, engaged couples want something more: to create an unforgettable experience for themselves, their family members and their special friends. A destination wedding comes complete with accommodations, planning assistance and a built-in honeymoon retreat. The event can provide a true getaway containing all of the romance and none of the hassle. Sound like your kind of nuptials? Read on for tips on how to choose your perfect wedding location – curated by dreamy destination experts, Ancient Lore Villages.

(more…)

Written by Gloria Schulz, Gloria Schulz Events | Photography by Glorianna Chan, Glorious Moments Photography

If you opted for a diamond for your engagement ring gem, you probably are familiar with the 4Cs of diamond shopping. The concept of the 4Cs was created in the 1940s by Robert M. Shipley, the founder of GIA, as a way to characterize a faceted diamond. These four tenets being: color, clarity, cut and carat weight. This amalgamation of the four characteristics then determines the overall quality, and therefore price, of a faceted diamond.

I’ve developed a similar 4C methodology to consult when planning your wedding. It doesn’t gauge overall value and isn’t universal across the globe, but it can help serve as a guide on how to approach your wedding planning. Likely, you haven’t planned a wedding before, so let this framework give you a starting point for how to approach your wedding decision making. So without further ado, I present to you my 4Cs to consider when wedding planning.

(more…)

Venue Pictured: Ventanas | Feature Photo by Authentic Collective

When planning their wedding, many couples start with selecting and securing their venue. After all, your venue will ultimately influence the mood, logistics, and design choices for your celebration. From the rehearsal dinner to the ceremony to the reception, there are a lot of options for what your wedding landscape will be. Keep things simple and streamlined by planning all your festivities in one spot or treat your guests to several locations. Whatever you choose as your venue(s), take into account the aesthetics and overall vision, but also think about these important aspects:

• Location — How easily will guests be able to arrive and exit your venue? Is the venue located near hotels? Do you want something within the city or in the suburbs? How far are you willing to travel?
• Cost — Will you have to move around other items in your budget to accommodate for a certain venue? Does your desired wedding date have a higher peak-season rate?
• Amenities & Decor — How much will you be provided by the venue and how much will you need to bring in? How many restrooms are there and what are they like? Is it handicap accessible? Is there a catering kitchen?
• Size — What is the maximum capacity? Will the venue be too large or too small for your guest list?
• Preferred Vendors — Does the venue have a list of preferred vendors that you’re limited to?
• Privacy — How private or public will the venue be? Is there a risk of strangers and passersby stumbling into it? What is security like?

(more…)

Featured Vendors

LOCATION Distillery of Modern Art
PHOTOGRAPHY Erin Hoyt Photography
STYLING Alexandra Dillard
HAIR & MAKEUP Beauty By Beé
JEWELRY Plum Diamonds, Easter Ahn Design, Grace Loves Lace
FLORAL JJ’s Flower Shop
GOWN SALONS Bel Fiore Bridal, Bridals by Aimeé, Camellia Bridal, Grace Loves Lace, Queen Custom Couture, The White Magnolia, Winnie Couture
SHOES Dillard’s North Point
MODELS Ursula Wiedmann Models; Kylie Rain, Tati Morales

Your wedding day is a complete reflection of you and your partner. You put everything you love into this day. From including your best friends as your wedding attendants to crafting a menu of favorite dishes to marrying your favorite person in the world, your wedding is all about what you love most. So why not tie your ideals and values in as well?

(more…)

The greater Atlanta area is full of new and notable businesses to make your wedding come to life. Here are a few of our top picks!

FEATURED PHOTO: The Great Hall at InterContinental Buckhead Atlanta

Snap and Fun Photobooth Rental

Atlanta, GA 30022
786.942.2558 | snapandfun.com

Snap and Fun Photobooth Rental is a new photo mirror booth rental company dedicated to creating the most memorable moments for your special events. Their stylish, LED full-body mirror photobooth can include text and email forwarding, photo printing, prop kits, a professional attendant, personalized photo templates and more — depending on the package. The touch screen interface can display custom animations, photo countdowns, photostrip designs and whatever customization your heart desires! If an interactive, illuminating and memorable photobooth experience is on your wedding wish list, look no further. (more…)

Is your pet just as important to you as your significant other? For many couples, incorporating their furry friends into their wedding is a must. While they might not make the invite list, they certainly deserve to be represented in the festivities one way or the other.

(more…)

WRITTEN BY Kelly Joslyn, Owner of Sākred Bridal | PHOTOGRAPHY BY Tags Photography

Finding “the dress” is on the to-do list of most brides. But it can certainly be one of the more daunting (and sometimes stressful) tasks to check off. However, with proper planning, it can be one of the most enjoyable, memory-making moments unto itself. Let’s dive into a few ways in which you can make the most of your dress shopping day.

(more…)

Whether you have children already, younger siblings or are a blended family, including the kids most special to you in your wedding day is important. While a full wedding day might not be thrilling to a little one, use these options to make sure all your guests — no matter their age — feel welcomed and ready to celebrate.

(more…)

The culinary world is as ever-changing as the wedding industry. This means new trends enter the scene all the time. To help get your forks spinning and your chef hat on straight, we’ve got 10 food and drink trends we’re loving right now:

(more…)

Written by Allison Moorman | Photo by Taylor Rae Photo

It’s no wonder that picturesque Charleston, Travel + Leisure’s top- rated U.S. city, has become a haven for destination weddings and splendid Southern affairs. Within this vibrant and sought-after locale lies Hamby Catering, the city’s oldest caterer. We chatted with their president and owner, Candice Hudnall, about how her daily to-dos translate into catering some of the most delicious and charming nuptials in the Southeast — and what to look for when it comes to hiring a caterer.

(more…)

Featured Photo by Tags Photography

Whether you have guests traveling from out of town or you opt for a destination wedding, your loved ones will need a place to stay. And not just any place, you want their accommodations to be comfortable, easy and able to set the overall tone for the weekend ahead. One great way to ensure comfort and ease is to secure a hotel block.

It’s likely that you don’t have past experience in booking hotel blocks though. What is it? Why should you do it? How do you do it?

We asked Jacqueline Vizcaíno, founder and lead visionary of Tinted Event Design, Production and Planning, to share her expertise on all things hotel blocks. As a well-versed Atlanta event planner, Vizcaíno knows how important it is to have such details ironed out so that you are set up for success.

(more…)

Featured Photo by Kim Hymes Photography | Stationery by Robbin’s Nest Design Studio

Yes, you’ve been knee-deep in wedding planning and dreaming since your engagement, but your guests’ first entry into your wedding world comes with the invitations. The stationery (or invitation) suite is the place to really set the scene for your celebrations. Couples have the opportunity to communicate a lot more than just the date and time on their wedding invitations. A wisely crafted invitation suite can share everything from event logistics to the overall feel to attire expectations.

In a digital world, formal invitations sent in the mail are a treasured rarity. So it can be confusing to understand the details like how to address them, how to word the invite itself and whom to include in the address.

A good designer can make sure the stationery aesthetics are just right, but you have to know what details to print on them! Here is a quick guide to what information to include and how to say it.

(more…)

Words and Photography by Hellen Oliveira, Hellen CO Photos + Film

Your wedding photographer probably has a long list of tips they want to share about how to guarantee the best pictures. After all, photographing weddings is what they do day in and day out! However, it would also be pretty overwhelming to share years’ worth of knowledge and experience all at once.

As a starting point, Hellen Oliveira of Hellen CO Photos + Film shares here a few tips on how to work harmoniously with your photographer. You’ve poured your heart into planning every meaningful moment of your wedding, you’ll want to make sure your photographer is on the same page as you. With these tips in mind, you’re sure to be a satisfied customer.

(more…)

It’s easy to see how Savannah earned its nickname “the Hostess City of the South.” Bedecked in historic charm, ocean breezes and spanish moss, Savannah should be on your wedding destination radar.

Written by Visit Savannah | Photography courtesy of Visit Savannah

Is this the day you’ve been waiting for? Perhaps it’s the day you never knew you wanted until the right person came along. Maybe it’s another chance to get it right. Your wedding day is the opening act to the true headliner — a blissful marriage. Where you choose to get married could determine where you celebrate anniversaries and milestones, start a family, relocate or even retire.

It may seem unlikely for a location to leave a lasting impression after the event, but Savannah is not like most. The task of listing all the reasons why Savannah should be on every wedding bucket list would prove impossible. But we’ll give it a go. Here are eight reasons to consider hosting your wedding in Savannah.

(more…)