#TemptationTuesday - "Shabby Chic, Vintage Rustic"

Ok, so this week's design is a little bit vintage and a little bit rustic. If you and your partner have mixed personalities like this, then this design will work for you! Let's look at the elements that bring out the best of both worlds.

What catches my eye initially about this design, is the delicate dining ware. The patterned china takes me back to a era not too long ago when fine china was a family's prized possession, passed down through the ages. There's always a history that seems to follow fine china. And the formal place settings are traditional with a hint of proper dining etiquette entwined. Thus the vintage feel of the design.

Yet, the fine china has been placed on a weathered wood table, and lays in the midst of a hodge podge of decor. There's no rhyme or reason for the old box other than to create height and conversational interest. Using glass bottles and the yarn balls at a wedding (instead of say just in your den at home) screams outside of the box thinking. Thus the earthy and rustic feel.

When you combine the vintage with the rustic, I only think of one thing to call it....Shabby Chic! An excellent way you can achieve this look on a dime, is to use the dining ware your reception hall provides you with. And then take your girls out shopping to tag sales! Yes, I said it! Tag sales! Tis the season for finding treasures among the trash! LMBO But seriously, once you select a color scheme, in this case purple and lime green, look for eclectic wares at local tag sales that you can place on each table. I'm sure you'll find all kinds of items like tea cups, vases, boxes etc., and for dirt cheap! The beauty of it is nothing has to match other than in color, if you even want to do that! The key is to create interest and uniqueness for every table. And you can stay on budge by scoping out tag sales.

Rent our small square glass vases and sprinkle elegant floral arrangements throughout the tables. We can also make the arrangements for you! Live or silk florals would be a stunning addition similar to the picture.

Also in this design if you look closely, are place cards in front of each place setting. This is a tedious task! Seating which people at which table is stressful enough, so actually telling them who to sit next to could cause you to have a break down! LOL but there is an "old world" style and elegance about it that captures attention. If you decide to take this task on, make sure you stay organized with lists of RSVP'd guests and table arrangements, and buy a package of place cards from the local craft store. They usually have a template to set Microsoft Word to, to make it easy to type and print.

Also keep it light and fresh with a floral backdrop for your escort cards. Check out our Temptation Tuesday and Thirsty Thursday boards on Pinterest for some examples of floral walls. Not crafty to do it yourself? Hire us!

And last but not least, the sweets for the sweet...dessert! In this design, they used dessert items that compliment the color scheme. You don't have to do it, but it would be certainly fun to try! Also, don't just have cake, mix it up a little and offer a Venetian table of dessert treats for your guests. But only if your budget allows! Reception halls tend to jack up the prices on added extras like venetian tables and chocolate fountains.

So you CAN have "shabby-chic-vintage-rustic-ness" (my new word, and I'm sticking to it) if that's what your heart desires. Like I always tell my clients, if you're going to take on DIY projects for something as huge as your wedding, whatever you do, do it with elegance. Don't go overboard with hodge or podge! Just keep it classy and stay on budget. If you can't do it, keep calm and hire a professional. We're happy to help!
Email us now at http://www.mysimpleelegance.com/#!contact/c24vq.

#TemptationTuesday - "Hollywood Glam"

It's ‪time to quench your thirst for how to get this designer look for less. Let's go!

So as you know, David Tutera, the Party Planner has high end taste for his celebrity clients. Since us mere mortals can't afford to spend hundreds of thousands on a wedding, I'm here to show you to get a similar look for what you CAN actually afford. The first step is compromise. You have to tell yourself, okay I am not going to get this design exactly cuz I don't have Beyonce & Jay Z money, but I'm going to get damn close! Same concept, less money, that's our motto at Simple Elegance!

We start with the all white decor. My personal favorite, it's classy, elegant and screams "Hollywood glam." When you do all white decor you have to make sure you have quality goods and that all your whites are the same whites. Quality doesn't have to mean expensive, but white has to mean white...not off white, not ecru, not cream..white. So pick actual white, or a shade of white, and stick to it! In regards to quality, your best bet for your budget is to go with silk white roses.
I know, I know...I'm always talking about silk florals! I'm telling you, you are guaranteed to save $1,200 or more off your wedding cost when you use silks. Silks can be prepped ahead of time, last longer, and when bought in bulk, come from the manufacturer's same dye lot. Thus your white roses are inexpensive AND the same color.

David used silver as his accent color since it compliments the crisp white color so effortlessly. You can use textured floral stands and chargers to duplicate the look. Even if your silvers aren't the same, the effect is. My suggestion is to rent our Silver Floral Stands and Silver Chargers. We'll make the floral arrangements and hook it up for you! No sweat!

A closer look at the folded napkins that hold the menu cards, you'll see that the diamond embellishment on the napkins match the embellishments on the satin chair covers. These chair covers are super pricey, so my suggestion is to use satin chair sashes instead. Sashes without the covers are less expensive, and can be just as beautiful. Simple Elegance offers white and ivory sashes. And to get the bling that you so desperately want? Use rhinestone hair pins or floral pics! Yes, I said it, hair pins! There's a way to add them to the chair sashes, but I can't tell you...(ancient chinese secret, grasshopper lol)..you'll just have to hire us and let us work our magic!

And last but not least, the blinged out tables in this design. Well that's where more compromise comes in. If you're an average joe like us, you're reception is at a banquet facility that won't allow you to embellish their tables. You're solution? Fabric! Rent white and silver overlays to drape the tables in elegance. Overlays and tablecloths are much more cost effective and you won't need blinged out tables if your centerpieces are done right. Add bling elsewhere on the tables, like on votive candle holders and favors.

Have I quenched your thirst? Hope so. Now email us for a rental and decoration service quote right now! http://www.mysimpleelegance.com/#!contact/c24vq
Cuz you know you want this look for less!

#‎TemptationTuesday - "Radiant Multi Colors"

#‎TemptationTuesday - "Radiant"

Okay, this week's event design is 360 degrees of fabulous-ness! (Sorry Webster's dictionary, that's my word and I'm sticking to it!)

This design has every hot trend in it, I can't even stand it! First up..let's talk about the elephant in the room...the room itself! This is obviously not your typical banquet hall space, with drab curtains that don't match the ugly carpet! LOL Renting not-so-typical-spaces is hashtag hot right now when it comes to weddings. Couples are finding places that exude their personality, or that suit their style, or just look amazing to them; as their ceremony and reception sites. If you're looking to do something out of the ordinary, research museums, art galleries, historic homes, and barns (yes, barns!) in your area. Keep in mind it may be cheap to rent the space for 4 or 5 hours, but you may spend the rest of your budget on bringing everything else into the space...tables, chair, dinnerware, linens, etc.

Finding one rental company that suits all of your rental needs is your best bet. Depending upon your guest count, select that vendor's 6 foot or 8 foot tables, to get the family style seating illustrated in the design. But don't break your budget renting the awe-inspiring Chiavari chairs. Those could set you back a small fortune. Instead, select a medium priced chair from the rental company..something elegant but that won't cost you an arm and a leg! Visit the party rental headquarters to see all of their options before you reserve anything.

Next, the vibrant colors of this design are also trending now. Long gone are white tablecloths and napkins. Crazy color combos are here to stay! Use colors that not only match your wedding, but that will fill the space you rent with life! Bring in your colors through linens, a relatively inexpensive design element. But don't go crazy! If you're on a budget, you don't need silk or chevron linens or any other high quality (codename: expensive) linen. And since full tablecloths have higher rental prices than Overlays (a smaller linen, silk, or organza drape that goes on top of a white or ivory tablecloth), bring in your colors by renting overlays instead. The overlays will pop with the color you want, saving you money your wallet needs.

I use CT Rental in Middletown, CT whenever I need tables and chairs. Taylor Rental is also a good choice in the Greater Hartford region. These places also have dinnerware and linens. You can also shop around for a catering company that will provide dinnerware along with meal service.
And since I'm a firm believer in one stop shopping...hire Simple Elegance to do the rest! We can do the table and chair set up according to your seating arrangements. I also have a preferred vendor that I work with regularly for linen rentals; giving you a discount just for being our client. Simple Elegance will dress the tables and place settings as well. We also can provide crystal candle holders for the taper candles you see in this design.

Another way to get this high end style on a budget, is to use silk floral arrangements. As you can see from the picture, there are several arrangements on each long table. You will go broke and bonkers trying to do all real flowers on this design! Do yourself a favor and re-think silk! I'm not talking about the silk flowers your great aunt had in her 1950s style pink bathroom when you were growing up. Go to any A.C. Moore or Michaels Stores and check out today's silk flowers. They're beautiful and cost effective when you need a whole lot of arrangements. Their beauty will captivate your guests, and your wallet will thank you for it.

Since we are a jack-of-all-trades, we specialize in making silk floral arrangements as well. We can also provide the Uplighting that makes what could be a cold rental space, more festive. Our uplights are wireless for easy set up and safety; and they can be set to coordinate with your wedding colors.
So this week's key words are: RENT and ONE-STOP-SHOPPING!!

Want this champagne style on a beer budget??? One vendor can make it happen. Simple Elegance Event Planning.

#TemptationTuesday - "Vibrant Orange"

Alright, so on #TemptationTuesday, we showed you a vibrant design, perfect for the spring and summer season. Just as purples are trending, so are many shades of orange. From pastels to slap-you-in-your-face-neon, you can find orange everywhere! If you choose to go bright, use a complementary color. In this case, yellow was used. But blues work well with orange too. Play around with paint sample cards or check out this website, www.apartmenttherapy.com, they give their expert advice on mastering the color wheel.

Next, let's talk about the big picture of the design...family style seating. It is THE thing to do at any celebration now. Long tables allows your guests to mix and mingle freely. You can still designate which tables they sit at, but with family style seating, they will be able to have more open conversations. Most banquet facilities are set up for round table seating, so if you really love the family style seating idea, rent a hall. Then you can do what you want.

The color scheme was brought into this design in so many ways, I especially love the paper lanterns; which you can buy at any party store. Save money on buying the 3 pack of small, medium, and large sizes at Party City, you'll get more bang for your buck, and the variety of sizes will add pleasure to the eyes.

Next you'll see a picture of some tickets in the middle. Couples are coming up with great ideas for escort cards. Escort cards tell your guests which table they are going to be seating at. In this case, they guests received an "admission ticket" to fun at the reception. Get some great ideas on our Thirsty Thursday Pinterest board.

And last but not least, we can't forget about the sweet for the sweet in this design. The square vase with color coordinating jelly beans tells you that this couple had a sweets table. Of course everyone knows, sweet tables are an inexpensive way to give your guests favors. If you choose to incorporate a candy table at your next event, have fun with it; order personalized M&M's U.S.A. And be smart...don't go SWH...shopping while hungry! Trust me, you'll buy everything in sight.