By Design Brides

By Design 2012 Leap Day Challenge

2012-02-28T19:46:00.001-06:00

http://www.facebook.com/ByDesignEventDecor

Pinning Wedding Love

2012-02-07T22:01:00.002-06:00

What is Pinterest?

An online bulletin board that lets users organize and share images from around the web.
According to Mashable, "brides-to-be have replaced bulky three-ring binder wedding planners with the simplicity and portability of a Pinterest account". Nearly 60% of Pinterest users are female, and it's all about visual engagement and effortless sharing.
Like Facebook posts, pins can go viral since followers can like, comment or re-pin your pieces of inspiration to their boards.

Getting Started

Get an invite! From the Pinterest homepage you can request an invitation, but expect to wait. A quicker option is to request an invite from a current Pinterest user like By Design Event Decorating ....hint hint.
Create boards! Each pin must be assigned to a board so you'll need to create a few boards before you start pinning. You can create general wedding inspiration boards, or boards focused around your interests.
Start pinning! Download the Pin It button and anytime you see an inspiring photo, click the button, select the image, assign it to a board and write a brief description.
Follow up! The more pinners you follow, the more relevant inspiration you see, and the quicker you build up your boards and follower count. Don't you just love the social media circle of life? Start by following By Design Event Decorating then check out the Pinterest users we follow and who follow us.
To find more pinners to follow, hover over the Everything dropdown and click Weddings & Events from the Pinterest homepage.

We can't wait to see you on Pinterest!
https://pinterest.com/bydesignevent/

Haute Cake of the Week

2011-09-14T20:00:00.000-05:00

Calligraphy & Scrolls

Whimsical scroll patterns and cherished words unite

to complete this sweet display of cakes.

Wendy Kromer

via marthastewart.com

Include Your Groom in the Planning

2011-09-01T22:34:00.000-05:00

You know you love this guy and you can't wait to marry him, but how do you get him to add some input into the wedding details? I asked myself the same question as I was planning my own wedding. My husband doesn’t say much, unless it’s about guy stuff, so discussing wedding plans was one of the last things he wanted to talk about. I wanted to make sure the wedding wasn’t all about me. Sure it would be girly, but I wanted to find a way to incorporate him as well.
He only had a few things he was very adamant about; an outside reception in our front yard and no Church for the ceremony. Well, I gave in to the front yard reception, but he had to compromise on the Church part.

The next task was to stop and listen to some of the cues he was giving me as I mentioned wedding details. I knew he wanted to be comfortable and feel like he was in his own element, without the stress of being put on stage, so I went with a family table dinner seating arrangement. Instead of being up on a stage or risers, we opted to be in the center of our guests and invited our parents and grandparents to sit at our “head table” with the bridesmaids and groomsmen. It felt like we were just sitting down with the people we would normally have Christmas dinner with; in other words, comfortable.

My husband hated the idea of tuxedos; too traditional, uptight and uncomfortable for him. Instead of tuxes we opted for khaki pants and a button up dress shirt. All of which I found on sale and he could wear again, if needed. I even decided to one up the attire and allow him to wear his “work boots”, which he lives in (no tennis shoes for him). But the week before the wedding I realized his boots had reached their last days, so I went out and bought a new pair of Doc Martens as a substitute; new, but casual and he could wear them again.

My husband is very in to tractors, Farmall to be exact. I wanted to add in some of his cute tractors that he played with as a child and decided the cake table would be a perfect place for the splash of red. Just that little touch of red on the table didn’t detract from any of the other areas of the “girly” type décor, but made him feel a part of the décor, or maybe I should say, I felt like he was a part of the decor.

Even though I wasn’t able to incorporate all of the hints he gave me, for fear of a redneck party, I was able to add some smaller touches that made him feel comfortable and in his own element so he could enjoy the fun day as well. We ended up with a perfect blend of his and her styles.

We would love to hear about some of the ways you incorporated your fiancé/husband into your wedding details, so please leave us a comment below.

Haute Cake of the Week

2011-08-29T17:44:00.000-05:00

Love the simplicity of this cake.

Absolutely perfect for the rustic chic outdoor wedding.

Help Wish Upon a Wedding Win Charity of the Year and a grant for $15,000 to Help Them Make Wishes Come True!

2011-08-22T20:05:00.000-05:00

The Stay Classy Awards program is the largest philanthropic awards ceremony in the country, honoring the achievements of the nation's top charities, businesses and individuals. This year's program will be in San Diego on September 17th.

Out of over 2,000 entries, Wish Upon a Wedding (http://www.wishuponawedding.org) was chosen by judges as one of the TOP 25 philanthropies, nominated to win Charity of the Year in the 3rd Annual Stay Classy Awards.

This award could help the organization secure grant money valued at $15,000, enabling them to further enhance their current programming and services. It is their goal to begin providing travel and accommodations for distant families, which they currently lack the funding to do. Your vote can help them reach their goals more quickly!

It only takes a moment to VOTE, so please do so today.

http://classyawards.stayclassy.org/classy-awards/voting

Black & Yellow Inspiration

2011-08-12T18:35:00.000-05:00

We intended this to be a simple "Haute Cake of the Week" post but you can easily see why we couldn't stop at the cake alone. The possiblities of this lively color combo are endless.

Images from: Wedding Cakes, Wedding Bee, RnR Wedding Tracker, Limiga

Haute Cake of the Week

2011-07-25T20:51:00.001-05:00

Maggie Austin Cake

This cake has inspired an entirely new obsession for us....ruffles are amazing!

Haute Cake of the Week

2011-07-17T13:57:00.000-05:00

Piped Buttercream by Wendy Kromer & Avery Wittkamp

via Martha Stewart Weddings

Chair Covers

2011-07-13T21:55:00.000-05:00

You may not think chair covers are such a big deal, but for those of you who can work covers into your budget, you won’t regret the end result...if you make an informed choice.

Chair covers really add a touch of class by pulling the whole room together and also hiding crazy colored or outdated banquet chairs The important thing to remember when renting chair covers is “you get what you pay for”. Be sure to ask lots of questions before agreeing to rent from your vendor.

Too many times, while browsing the internet, we have noticed wrinkly covers, covers that don’t fit the chair or covers that look old and dingy. Covers come in many types of fabrics, but they are not all created equal. Satin covers wrinkle quickly and can be slippery when guests sit on them. Bag type covers usually hang onto the floor more and can be a hassle with guests tripping when coming and going from the table.

You really want to learn about the quality, fit and condition of the covers you intend to rent. You may find vendors that are cheaper than others, but do some investigating and find out why they are so much cheaper.

Our main concerns with chair covers are that they are clean, tear free and unwrinkled. We are also very conscious about sash placement. We feel it is important that all of the sashes are lined up evenly and look uniform. The results of this detail can be seen below in the this ceremony set up at Mankato City Center Hotel.

Wedding Ceremony at Mankato City Center Hotel, Mankato, MN

At By Design, we use wrinkle free scuba chair covers. They are 100% polyester and have a scuba stretchiness to them. This means no wrinkles and a snug fit on the chair. The before and after photos below are a great example of the dramatic improvement our chair covers have made to the ambiance of this banquet room at Jackpot Junction.

Before (Jackpot Junction, Morton, MN)

After (Jackpot Junction, Morton, MN)

Haute Cake of the Week

2011-07-05T22:33:00.000-05:00

Superfine Bakery

Candy Table

2011-06-30T21:31:00.001-05:00

Candy tables have become a very popular alternative to individual guest favors at weddings. Whether you prefer a mixture of salty snacks or chocolaty treats, candy tables are a fun way for guests to choose the items/favor they prefer.
A normal candy table includes a few vases/containers with different types of treats, some scoops for grabbing the treats and a cup, bag or container for guests to get their treats to and fro.
As mentioned above, we have seen anything from trail mix to dum dum suckers. Some of the most common we have seen are M&M’s, Skittles, and Kisses. It’s always fun for the bride and groom to pick out their favorite treats.
For a more elegant touch, some brides choose to do all of the treats in a few colors that coordinate with the reception décor. There are many vendors online that will color coordinate almost any type or brand of candy.

http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l4f8wdE0CY1qaqh6b.jpg

http://www.hotfrog.com/Uploads/PressReleases2/Candy-Buffet-Table-Raleigh-NC-292416_image.jpg

http://www.hotfrog.com/companies/Candyland-buffets/images/Candyland-buffets_63119_image.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3036/3060578086_54c1a16354_o.jpg

Haute Cake of the Week

2011-06-24T09:30:00.004-05:00

Maggie Austin Cake

Guest Favors

2011-06-21T21:35:00.000-05:00

We have seen many creative guest favor ideas; from personalized golf tees, to snowflake bookmarks to flower seeds. Some are handmade, while others are purchased. Sometimes it’s just the way the favor is packaged that makes it unique. Each type of favor seems to reflect the bride and groom in one way or another. We feel the added personality makes the favor that much more fun.

Below are some fun and creative guest favors that may work perfectly with your wedding theme or personality.

Personalized Mints | Monogram Cake Pops

Decorative Candy Box | Personalized Jam Jar

Flower Pot | Personalized Deck of Cards

Mongram Cookies | Homemade Dessert

http://www.1weddingsource.com/blogimages/2009/06/wedding20favors200922.jpg http://www.wedding-planning-101.com/image-files/personalized_playing_cards_wedding_favors.jpg
http://www.plantamemory.com/plantart/accent/seedkit_rose_400-400.jpg
http://www.elizabethannedesigns.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Cupcakes-in-a-Jar-DIY-Wedding-Favor-Ideas.jpg http://aperfectcelebration.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/honey-wedding-favor-ideas.jpg http://content.beau-coup.com/prod/2194/personalized-flower-topped-favor-box-wedding-250.jpg
http://www.fairytaleweddinginfo.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Wedding-Favors-Edible.jpg
http://www.beau-coup.com/Pictures/personalized_wedding_lifesavers500.jpg

2011-05-02T20:01:00.001-05:00

Donated By Design
During early spring we are not heavily booked with weddings, but that doesn't stop us from being busy. It is a great time to get out in our community to help local nonprofits with their décor and planning needs.

In late March we helped decorate the Relay for Life’s annual Taste of Life event in Mankato. This fundraiser supports the annual American Cancer Society's Relay for Life event in July. It is made possible by a dedicated group of volunteers lead by Pat Hoehn. Their theme this year was a Night on Bourbon Street. We had a great time transforming the Madison East Mall in Mankato into Bourbon Street! http://relay.acsevents.org/site/TR/RelayForLife/RFLFY11MW?fr_id=30299&pg=entry

We had a fun time helping MSUM with their annual MS Walk on May 1st. This walk raises funds for the Minnesota MS Chapter. This was our first time working with this event and are pleased to be a part of another great cause. http://walkmnm.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR/Walk/MNMWalkEvents?pg=entry&fr_id=14751

Wordless {Wedding} Wednesday

2011-03-09T18:59:00.000-06:00

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_KOrqom464Zc/S04CyFVkBrI/AAAAAAAAAQ8/VBYK5e54bCM/s320/lemon+centerpiece.jpg | http://www.mayweddingflowers.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Spring-Wedding-Flowers-Daffodils-Bouquets-300x300.jpg | http://www.ifood.tv/files/images/Daffodil_wedding_theme_-_spring_wedding.jpg | http://www.google.com/images?q=spring+yellow+centerpiece&hl=en&rlz=1T4ADFA_enUS418US418&tbs=isch:1&ei=R-VyTcjNFZOugQeF2ek7&sa=N&start=234&ndsp=18

Thank You for Your Visit

2011-03-01T12:47:00.000-06:00

Thank You!

We wanted to put a huge thank you out to all of the nearly-weds that stopped by our booth at the Southern Minnesota Wedding Show on Sunday. It was great to meet you and we hope to have the opportunity to help make your wedding day amazing.

We are excited to announce the 5 drawing winners, they are Jennifer C, Jackie L, Rachael D, Cami H and Allison T. Congratulations, you will receive your choice of $100 off of your full service decorating package or 20% off of your DIY rental package.

We enjoyed our brief meetings with you all, but we would love to schedule a free consultation to discuss your event décor in more detail. Contact us to schedule your free consultation.

Email: ByDesignEventDecorating@gmail.com

Or use the contact forms available on our websites at:

www.ByDesignEventDecorating.com or www.ByDesignRentals.com

Casual Outdoor Wedding

2011-02-18T09:12:00.000-06:00

To continue with our warm up wedding ideas post, we wanted to share a local outdoor wedding we planned and decorated this past summer. The couple wanted a warm, casual feel for their guests to enjoy. There were many fun details incorporated into the overall feel of the reception, including the river rocks as place cards and the bug station. Living in Minnesota, you never know when the mosquitoes might carry you away and the couple had plans to dance the night away; that in which they did.

The couple added a pop of color to the cake table using, a tractor that the groom played with while growing up. They also used two antique cake plates from their Grandparents.

The hay bales added extra seating during the cocktail hour and

the pictures of the couple, growing up and dating, on the trees added a fun personal touch.

Vendors:
Ceremony Venue – Church of Saint Peter
Reception Venue – Couple’s yard in North Mankato
Décor Services – By Design Event Decorating
Floral – St. Paul Farmer’s Market
Photography – Descend from Above Photography, Amie Johnson and Dennis Wilkins
Cake – Hy-Vee Hilltop
DJ – Midwest Sound and Light

Love is in the air...

2011-02-14T10:42:00.000-06:00

It’s your first vacation together you are out for a walk down the beach. He bends down to pick up a shell and holds it out for you to see. As you realize that he is holding a ring, he drops down on his knee….

Strolling through a local art gallery during an evening out, you pause in front of a framed sketch. The curious piece simply says “Will you marry me?” You turn to him, your heart skips a beat, and he gives you his charming smile…

Its Christmas morning and you are opening presents, the present you think “sounds” like a ring box turns out to be something entirely different. You open your next present which is clearly a box of golf balls...how romantic. Then your mind registers that instead of golf balls, there is a little box inside. He moves closer to you and slides down on his knees…

Over 200,000 couples will get engaged today and whether your fiancé opts for a traditional proposal or a unique proposal, remember, he did it for love. Best wishes to all of you, and happy planning.

http://ruffledblog.com/anthropologie-beach-proposal/

Warm Up with Outdoor Wedding Ideas

2011-02-07T22:32:00.000-06:00

http://budgetdreamweddings.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/family-wedding-photo-tree.jpg

http://www.aolcdn.com/photogalleryassets/aisledash/875800/family-attic310kk042810.jpg
http://www-static.weddingbee.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/13/10.jpg
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FGhv6PLnR_0/S9-cjnbf1CI/AAAAAAAAAIk/fek2SjGyPPE/s640/outdoor_texas_wedding.jpg
http://www.intimateweddings.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/IMG_1636-500x750.jpg
http://www.cedarwoodweddings.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/IMG_5028.jpg

Best of 2010 Minnesota

2011-01-27T21:33:00.000-06:00

Wow! What a week!

We just got notice that we were voted Best of 2010 Minnesota by OneWed.com. We were one of just three winners throughout Minnesota in our category; Decorations and Rentals.

Words just cannot express our gratitude to all of our brides who voted and submitted reviews for us! We feel so special! This just goes to show that hard work and dedication really do pay off.

www.onewed.com/vendor/search/best-of-2010/minnesota/mn

Bride's Choice Award for 2011

2011-01-25T21:47:00.000-06:00

Look What We Received...So Excited!

WeddingWire delivers this award to the top 5 percent of local wedding professionals from the WeddingWire Network who demonstrate quality and service excellence in the wedding industry. This network includes leading wedding planning sites WeddingWire, Martha Stewart Weddings, Project Wedding and Weddingbee.

We can’t express how happy and excited we are to receive this recognition. We want to thank all of our past brides who submitted all of the wonderful reviews. It melts our heart to know that we helped make your special day beautiful. Your ideas greatly add to the design and feel of each event.

We also want to thank our amazing staff for helping us make each wedding unique and beautiful. (An added thank you is due for putting up with our craziness too.) We really wouldn’t be able to do it without you! You each bring something special to the team and help produce beautiful events.

Ahh! Have we mentioned how excited we are!?!?

By Design Rentals

2011-01-22T19:33:00.000-06:00

We are so Excited to Announce the Re-Launch of our
Rental Website:

http://www.ByDesignRentals.com/

For all of you DIY brides out there, this site is for you! Why buy 30 centerpieces, only to try to find a use or home for them after your wedding? With By Design Rentals you can rent beautiful centerpieces for your wedding at a fraction of the cost of retail pricing.

We offer so many items; it almost blows our mind that we have space for all of this fun stuff. You can either rent just the pieces from us, or we can put all of the pieces together so you just have to take them out of the box and place them on the table.

We offer many items other than centerpieces; overlays, runners, accent fabric, linens, accent items…oh, the list could go on forever. Check out our new website for all of our items. If you are looking for something specific, let us know, we may have it, or have been looking to buy it. We are always adding to our inventory, just don't tell our husbands!

Happy Planning Brides!

Things We Love

2011-01-20T17:58:00.000-06:00

We invite you to check out GingerP Designs. Gina was one of our brides last year and we just love her. Her style compliments our style so well. We have worked with GingerP Designs for a few of the venue tasting events we have done in the area and have heard so many great compliments about her work.

All of her items are completely customizable to your style/theme. She not only does weddings, but bachelorette parties, showers and probably any type of event you can think of.

She also has a great selection of additional fun items, such as Save the Dates, wine bottle labels and table number signs, just to mention a few.

Best part - she is quick and offers Free Shipping (probably our favorite word when shopping online).

Have fun!

Click Image to View Other Fun & Trendy Designs

http://www.etsy.com/shop/gingerpdesigns

White Wordless Wednesday

2011-01-12T17:06:00.000-06:00

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_r3B9lL7KwY0/R96lv0YPtpI/AAAAAAAAAh8/SXElJGAbjQw/s320/wedding%2Bdecor%2B2.jpg
http://www.wedding-flowers-and-reception-ideas.com/images/reception-centerpieces-01.jpg
http://www.perfect-wedding-day.com/image-files/wedding-centerpiece-ideas-11.jpg
http://floralthoughts.webs.com/wedding-centerpieces.jpg

2011 Wedding Colors

2011-01-10T16:38:00.002-06:00

     2011 has come in sooner than most people expected! Along with the New Year comes many new trends in dresses, décor, flowers and themes. A hot topic for brides of 2011 is color combinations, since the colors you choose are the cornerstone for your wedding flowers and decor scheme.
     Choosing a wedding motif is helpful in coordinating your overall wedding day décor or theme. Last year we saw a lot of eggplant/purple combined with sage green. Apple green was also very popular in 2010. In searching the web, we found that 2011 brides are looking more toward neutrals, vintage, earthy and sunwashed shades.
     Experts are suggesting that apple green, lilac, hot pink, slate grey, coral, red, violet purple, mocha/chocolate/brown and navy will be hot colors for Spring and Summer weddings.
     Dark chocolate, dark charcoal gray, sangria, deep blue, mocha taupe, and antique white are expected to be the “IT” colors for Fall and Winter weddings.

Our Favorite Colors for 2011

Latte | Clover | Tangerine

Back in Motion

2011-01-06T14:12:00.003-06:00

Well, we hope you all had a great holiday weekend. It seems so strange that Christmas is over and there are only 73 more days until the official start of Spring!

In counting down the days we realize that means only 73 more days until wedding season hits us in full swing...wait...Its here already!

January and February are very busy months for us. This is when we meet with most of our brides and grooms to mock up different centerpiece options and work out all of the details. We like to get a really good plan placed so our brides don't have to stress about a thing! One less thing on their plate!

We also get an amazing amount of first time consultation requests, since 35% of engagements happen during the holidays. We love all of the excitement and we would love to hear from you!

Check back soon for: New Color Trends for 2011

Who Are We?

2010-10-27T21:54:00.001-05:00

Accountants by day; wedding and event decorators by night. We specialize in wedding décor with specific attention to all of the details.

Looking for inspiration for your wedding or event? Our intention with this blog is to feature real weddings and real insperation and include helpful tips and ideas to help your wedding “Get Noticed”.

Have a question? We are more than willing to give you our opinion/expertise. We’re not sure if we are of expert status yet, but we are definitely working on it. We started By Design with our first wedding in August of 2008. Now finishing our third wedding season, we have learned so much and our designs have evolved even more. We really strive to keep current with new trends and incorporate something new into each wedding, while providing the bride the look she has been envisioning.

As we finish up our 2010 wedding season, please continue to look for updates, as we will keep our eyes peeled for new and exciting trends to showcase.

You can also view our website and gallery at www.ByDesignEventDecorating.com.