Mariah & Stephen | Wedding

Mariah and Stephen were married in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin this fall. Outdoor weddings in the midwest can be tricky to plan, knowing you might need an alternate location, in case it rains. (But they say rain on the wedding day is good luck, so that should be okay!) Mariah and Stephen had a beautiful day, with just a bit of rain after their ceremony. Aside from needing to do a few family portraits inside, we were able to capture the rest of the day outside with the fabulous fall colors.

These are a few pages from their wedding album that Mariah picked up today- just in time to show off at Christmas!

Alecia & Jon | Wedding

Alecia just picked up her finished wedding album from her August wedding. This was such a fun wedding! Alecia and Jon were such an easy-going couple and they really were relaxed and able to enjoy the day. Right after her wedding, I had asked Alecia what her favorite part of the day was. Her answer was watching the guests arrive for the ceremony while she waiting in her hiding place. She was pretty sure that Jon's favorite part was shoving cake in her mouth.

Alecia used buttons as her theme. Her button bouquets, inspired by etsy, were whimsical and fresh. The button details spilled over into the reception: on name cards, as decorations and even on the cupcakes. They were "cute as a button"!

Accessorize Your Inner Diva!

I just made my first shopping trip to Charming CHARLIE and LOVE it. I love accessories, and Charming CHARLIE has no shortage of choices.

Charming CHARLIE opened a new store at West Towne Mall in Madison about one month ago. This is a store dedicated to jewelry, handbags and shoes. And the prices are easy enough to keep your inner diva happy while allowing you to change your accessories as often as you change your mind.

When you walk in, you can see that the store looks very organized even with the eclectic variety of styles. They keep it easy to shop by organizing everything by color. So, say you find that perfect blue dress that is calling for a great necklace or fun ring: you can find that perfect piece easily by heading to the blue jewelry section. Then you get to browse until you find just the right style.

This store would be a lot of fun for a bride planning her wedding. Just imagine all the ways that she could accessorize those bridesmaids dresses! And how fun would it be for the bride to add splashes of color to her own dress!! Forget being a bridezilla and be a brideDIVA!

Wedding Cake and Dessert Trends

Wedding Cake and Dessert Trends | eleGALA.com

Inspire your imagination with this list of today’s top trends for wedding cakes and desserts…

Much more than a sweet finale to the reception meal, wedding cakes and desserts are a major style statement, and the trends, like all other wedding details, evolve with the times. The wedding cake presents a perfect opportunity for creative brides to play with shape, color, and embellishments. For those of you who need a little inspiration, consult this list of top trends for wedding cakes.

Back to Buttercream
Buttercream was once the traditional frosting for wedding cakes, but sleek cakes came into favor, and rolled fondant became the frosting of choice. Not anymore, thanks to advanced tools and techniques that allow buttercream to look as smooth as fondant, cakes iced in buttercream are again the norm. We love this trend, since buttercream frosting tastes better, has natural ingredients, and costs less than fondant. Now you can literally have your stylishly sleek cake – and eat it, too.

Keeping it Simple
As brides look for creative ways to meet their budgets without sacrificing style, simple cakes are making a comeback. Classic ivory fondant embellished with ribbon or flowers is a gorgeous and safe choice, but many brides are taking things to the next level with contemporary and fun “messy” icing. These cakes have gorgeous texture and a truly modern look while requiring less labor, which will help keep costs down.

Creative Toppers
While unique cake toppers like pinwheels, paper rosettes, and bird nests are adorning contemporary cakes, many couples are going back to the traditional bride and groom but with an interesting twist: completely personalized toppers that bear a likeness to the couple themselves. Etsy artist, Milk Teaoffers a plethora of pre-made toppers to choose from, but will also create a completely customized mini version of you and your honey.

Square Mini-Cakes
Cupcake towers in lieu of wedding cakes have been around for awhile, but brides are making cupcakes interesting again by playing with shape and size. Brides are stacking square shaped mini-cakes (slightly larger than cupcakes) adorned with flowers or dressed as presents for a completely different take on the cupcake frenzy.

Think Pink
Pink – the perpetual hot color for weddings – had begun to fall out of favor as brides experimented with more non-traditional hues like browns, grays, and even black. But soft pink is back in a big way, and brides are incorporating the blush tones throughout their wedding cake designs. Pink instantly freshens up classic white. Tone down an all-pink cake with real ivory flowers or lace details.

Cupcakes
For years, cupcakes have been replacing traditional tiered cakes and somehow, the tiny confections continue to evolve. From floral embellished towers to intricate icing and creative toppers, cupcakes always seem to both wow and please the wedding guests.

Dessert Tables
Dessert tables are an increasingly popular option that allow you to offer several different types of dessert. Pies, cupcakes, macaroons, rock candy, and M&Ms are often among the color coordinated sweets that dominate the dessert table while a single tiered cake tends to play a central roll for the traditional cake cutting. Often creatively decorated, dessert tables can become a fun, focal point of your wedding décor.

Groom’s Cake
The old Southern tradition of the groom’s cake is shedding its regional trappings and growing in popularity throughout the nation. And no, it doesn’t have to be the iconic red-velvet armadillo fromSteel Magnolias. Today’s groom’s cakes, now just as elaborate as the wedding cake itself, often reflect the groom’s interest in a dramatic and whimsical expression: a deer grooms cake for an avid hunter, shaped like a race car for an diehard Nascar fan, or decked with his favorite sports team logo.

Bridal Show Advice

Lori and Carla from Vacation Designers are fellow The National Association of Wedding Professionals (NAWP) members and they have some great advice to share about how to get the best out of the bridal show. You can see their whole newsletter here.

Vacation Designer's Top 6

Ways to keep your sanity at a bridal show

1. Dress for a marathon: wear your sneakers or other comfortable shoes. This is not the place to break in the new Manolos.

2. Plan your route: What do you need to get accomplished at this show? Make a list, bring it with you.

3. Dont' follow the crowd: You have some serious work to do. The 40 person pile-up in front of you is going nowhere fast. Break away from the crowd and start at the opposite end of the show, where the booths aren't as crowded... yet. If you don't need to watch the fashion show, use this time to talk with the vendors you are most interested in

4. Make labels: Other than comfy shoes this is the single most sanity saving tip there is. Unless you enjoy writing your name, adress, phone, email, and wedding date 87 times in one day, you should print up labels ahead of time. You don't want to miss registering for any prizes!

5. Find your Ohm: Focus. Walking in the door can be overwhelming. It's easy to trudge through a show with your jaw unhinged, staring at all the gorgeous cakes and dresses. Do your sightseeing AFTER you finish your to-do list.

6. Bring the other decision maker: Is that your fiance? Your mother? If there is an individual who needs to be in on decisions, bring them. Whoever this person is, they should start training those biceps, they also get to carry your bag-o-brochures.

Vacation Designers' first-hand knowledge of resorts, geography, and culture is indispensible. You can count on their experience and knowledge to guide you through the entire honeymoon planning process. Call them for a free consultation! 608.850.3025 or visit them online at www.vacationdesigners.net They are also on facebook here.

WP&G Summer Bridal Show

It's once again time for the Wedding Planner & Guide summer bridal show in Madison!

The bridal show will be Wednesday, June 15th, from 4pm-9pm at the Marriott Madison West. Parking is free and hors d'oeuvres will be served. The fashion show is at 7pm. Ticket info can be found on the Wedding Planner & Guide website and can be purchased at the door.

Our booth is near the front door. We would love to have you stop by to see us!

We have been part of the prize package for several years, and will be again this year. We include an engagement session package in the prize package. This year's package is worth over $8,000! Last year's winners were Stephanie and David, and in addition to photographing their engagement session from the prize package, we are excited to be photographing their wedding this summer.

Appleby Photography's Aqua Colored Wedding Inspiration Board

I just loved all the color details of this wedding! Even the candy buffet was all perfectly matched with the colors of the wedding!

Mike & Kathryn

The month of May kicks off our "wedding season"! We started this year with a wedding in Dubuque, Iowa. The weather was absolutely perfect and the day was relaxed and fun.

Simple Details

"Like the little things that you appreciate about your partner, it's the simple details that make the biggest impression on your wedding day. Those personal touches are what your guests will walk away remembering. By hiring qualified and trusted wedding professional who understand your vision, you can have peace of mind that all the details will fall into place, and your wedding will be as unique as your love for each other."

-Kerri & Eleni, Boston Bridal Lounge, Boston, MA

Great Save-The-Date Advice

This great advice for Save-The-Dates comes from eleGALA.com

Save-the-Dates

Our save-the-date cards guide includes rules, etiquette, trends, and save-the-date wording samples.

Although save-the-dates are not absolutely necessary, these cards have increased in popularity with the rise of destination weddings and modern guest lists spread over the country. Since they are a relatively modern concept, no real rules apply – a fact that sometimes causes confusion for brides when planning their wedding stationery. We’ve sorted through the information that’s out there to bring you the real ins and outs concerning save-the-dates…

Who Needs Save-the-Date Cards?

If your guest list includes a number of out-of-towners or if your wedding takes place during a holiday or other peak time, you are a prime candidate for save-the-dates. Since invitations don’t go out until six or eight weeks before the big day, save-the-dates are the perfect way to give wedding guests a preliminary heads-up so they can begin making travel arrangements. These days, however, more and more brides send these cards regardless of the time and location of their wedding. Why? Save-the-dates provide a fun opportunity to get the word out and foreshadow the style of your big event!

Rules & Etiquette

Again, few rules apply. The only information you must include is your names and the wedding date, although we suggest including location information as well so wedding guests can begin their travel plans. Aim to send save-the-date cards soon after you secure your date and venue, or about six months prior to your wedding. Remember, everyone who receives a save-the-date also receives an invitation, so have your guest list finalized prior to sending them. Although formal replies are not required, you can get preliminary attendance estimates through word-of-mouth.

Trends & Ideas

These cards will be the first impression of your wedding festivities, so take advantage of this opportunity to build excitement amongst your wedding guests. If you already know the colors and/or theme of your wedding, now’s your chance to provide a sneak peek. Or try including a favorite love poem or quote that symbolizes your relationship. Here are some of our favorite ideas and trends:

• Use vibrant colors that will “pop” as soon as guests open the envelope.
• Incorporate graphics that correspond with the season and/or location of your event. See Unique Wedding Invitations for Every Season for motif and color suggestions.
• If the timing is right, turn your save-the-date cards into holiday greetings. Incorporate your engagement photo or another photo taken shortly after the proposal.
• Who says they have to be printed stationery? Set yours apart by turning them into scrolls, pens, stickers, magnets, or a creative calendar-marker.

Wording Samples

The content of your save-the-dates should be short, sweet, and to the point – providing a basic who, what, where, and when. There is no standard wording; they can be as formal or as whimsical as you’d like. In any case, make sure to include “Formal invitation to follow” somewhere on the card.

Here is the basic layout for the save-the-date cards:

Save the Date: [bride & groom’s name] are getting married on [wedding date] in [city, state]

Here are some other wording samples you might want to consider:

Traditional
Please save the date:
May 4, 2006, for the wedding of
Mike & Ansley in Charleston, South Carolina

Fun and cutesy
We’re Tying The Knot!
Justin popped the question, and Katie said yes.
Please join us on October 2, 2006
Orange County, California

For a destination wedding
Please join us in paradise on June 17, 2006
when Lisa & Jay say “I Do”
in Maui, Hawaii

Newsletter Feature - Wedding Planner & Guide

We absolutely adore The Wedding Planner & Guide, with their beautiful printed book, easy-to-use website and large, professional bridal shows. Their team is so wonderful to work with and we feel they are such a great source of information to couples planning a wedding. So, we were thrilled to be featured in their March newsletter! You can check it out here, and, of course, you can sign up for your own monthly newsletter to help with all your wedding planning. They send out great tips, ideas, and keep you up to date about upcoming events.

Please take a look! We are so excited to be featured!

Chelsey & Jeremy

Chelsey & Jeremy were married in Coggon, Iowa. Coggon is such a tiny town that there is one stop sign in the middle of it, and not a single car was on Main Street (this worked REALLY well for photographs!). Yet, it was perfect- not just for wedding photography, but because it is the hometown of Chelsey and Jeremy's family, as well as my family. (Once upon a time, my father was a dairy farmer, just outside of town.) We had a beautiful fall day and using the historic Opera House was a fun backdrop.

Bridal Show

We had a great time at the Madison, Wisconsin Wedding Planner & Guide bridal show the weekend of January 15 & 16th. With almost 200 wedding vendors, it is a great place to start wedding planning. And with almost 1,500 brides, along with their family and friends, it was one busy place! We had fun showing off some new albums and engagement books. We also had the Cheeky Booth there and show attendees were able to check it out and have their photos taken in the booth, complete with 2 photo strips to take home.

This Saturday, January 29th, we will be at Spielman's Bridal Open House in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, from 1pm to 4pm.

You’ve found your soul mate. Now you can be sure that the memories of your wedding day will be captured beautifully with Appleby Photography’s professionalism and reputation of excellence.

We have been creating breathtaking portraits of wedding couples for 11 years, and we would be honored to add you to our list of satisfied customers.

Call Appleby Photography now for pricing and other inquiries at 608-280-8845 or 319-540-9449. Our schedule books up quickly, so call today.

Nicole & Nathan

Nicole and Nathan were such a sweet couple! The cool, cloudy, misty weather was no match for the love and warmth that they shared with everyone they talked to that day. There were so many emotions, from Nicole and Nathan, as well as their family and friends- it was hard to not cry right with them! The colors they used were some of my favorites. I love brown dresses, especially with pink flowers. And their candy buffet was a hit with all the guests, not just the kids.

Marieke & Andrew

Casual, laid-back weddings can sometimes have more interesting details than formal ones. Marieke and Andrew were married in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin and had their wedding reception in a barn across the border in Illinois. From the roses in mason jars to the doughnuts on the tables as favors to the man calling directions for square dancing, they made their day unique.