Erin and Wai Wedding Weekend

Ohhhh our poor little blog.. it takes the back seat to everything in our crazy schedule. Since it has been over a month, (yikes, actually, and shamefully over 2 months)  we felt as though it deserved a little attention. Remember, if you want daily updates be sure to follow us on twitter at “Marynatalieh” or on facebook at Mary Natalie Hester, although we only post daily to twitter so be sure to follow us there. So back to our blog, please enjoy this wedding recap from one of our favorite weddings ever this summer!! Warning…it’s a bit long..

When brides with busy schedules, or those that live out of town ask me how I plan when they are too busy/too far to do meetings the answer is easy…. emails! And thank goodness for that!! Meet Erin and Wai…. Erin is originally from Brentwood, but took a job and moved to Hong Kong several years back, where she met and fell in love with Wai. For this fun loving, world traveling couple, Nashville was their pick to say “I do”, but not just any wedding would work for these jet setters. They desired a weekend worthy of their friends and family traveling from so far. Now when I say “traveling”, I mean more than half the guest list was from overseas visiting from places like India, China, Thailand, and England, just to name a few.  It was amazing to see such love for a couple, that guest were willing to come so far, just to witness two people get married. And was it worth it….well, after 11 months of planning, 7 events in total, 3 days of celebrations, over 30 vendors, 38+ hours of load ins/set up/ load outs, I can honestly say it was worth every second!!

So here is a rundown of each event:

Friday night: Early arriving guest enjoy a southern BBQ  dinner at the Wooter’s home in Brentwood. Where guest enjoyed southern flare food, live music, and the release of wishing lanterns at the end of the event.

Saturday: Ceremony rehearsal  followed by the rehearsal dinner on the Shelby Street Bridge. Ladies if you have considered this an option as a location for your event, it is wonderful! I would highly recommend an planner as the logistics of this site are by far the hardest of all venues I have worked with, but definitely a great location! And you cannot beat the sunset view of the city! For Erin and Wai’s rehearsal we went with an all red and white theme, red being the predominate color choice. We served a fun menu including blackened catfish, hushpuppies, and 7 different southern pie options from apple, to blueberry, and even chocolate! YUM! The guest were entertained by a jazz band, and enjoyed cocktails as they watched the sunset over the city.

Sunday: Wedding Day at the Schermerhorn Symphony. The guest arrived at 5:00pm for a preceremony toasting party where they were ushered to the West Lobby of the Schermerhorn for champagne and the Schermerhorn Violinist playing throughout the room. At 5:30pm chimes sounded, and guest were next ushered to the Main Lobby of the Schermerhorn for the ceremony. Due to extreme heat issues the ceremony had to be changed the night before from the courtyard to the lobby.  As guest entered the Main Lobby they were serenaded by the Schermerhorn Orchestra. The bride wore her first gown of the evening as the couple stood inside a circle of rose petals for their nuptials. Immediately following the ceremony, guest returned to the West Lobby for cocktail hour including a full bar, lots of delicious foods, and the Schermerhorn Jazz musicians playing in the back ground. At 6:30pm chimes were once again rang, and guest were ushered to the Laura Turner Concert Hall for dinner and dancing.  Just when the evening is usually winding down….at 10:00pm the reception ended and the after party in the courtyard began. Complete with a lounge feel, pasta bar, and after dinner beverages such as Irish Coffees, and Bourbons. Guest danced the night away as a DJ played current hits until 3am!! It was quite the party!!   

AMAZING weekend, and you want to know the real shocker..this was just a piece of their celebrations. The weekend after the Nashville wedding Erin and Wai enjoyed a 2^nd reception in Canada hosted by the grooms family, and once the couple returned from their honeymoon they hosted a 3^rd reception in Hong Kong. When Erin and Wai celebrate…they really celebrate!!! And their guest were not disappointed!!  We were honored to be a part of their Tennessee wedding planning. I have truly missed working with not only Erin and Wai, but their wonderful families too. Thank you again for letting us be a part of your special weekend! Please enjoy the pictures below courtesy of Gray Photography -MN 

Bridal Gown

Yes, it is true girls…. Our beloved Faccio Bridal is closing their doors on Sept 30,2011. After 8 wonderful years, my dear sweet friends Elizabeth Maxwell, and Beth Bowman have decided that with their little families growing it is time to step back from the industry and focus on their little ones at home. I know first hand the professional experience they have offered my clients as well as many others over the years, and their dedication to personal service, and fabulous designers will be greatly missed!!

So this is your chance girls to purchase an amazing gown from some of the leading gown designers for 40% off the retail price!!! You cannot beat that!! Even if you already have your gown, don’t forget they also carry veils, head pieces, shoes, and jewelry, all at 40%.  Their last day of business will be September 30, 2011 and selections are already starting to diminish, so don’t wait!!In addition, they have 50% off bridesmaids gowns, and while most of you need more than one gown, don’t forget these fun dresses can be used for engagement parties, bridesmaids luncheons, or even rehearsal dinner dresses. From more information you can visit their blog at  http://facciobridal.blogspot.com/     MN

Pic from Faccio Blog- Lazaro Noir Collection.

sweet reviews

Annnnd we have let our little blog slip once again. If you had any clue just how busy we have been , you would totally forgive us!! Today we wanted to share a sweet review we just recieved from one of our recent mother of the brides. To read this review as well as others on our company, please visit   http://www.weddingwire.com/reviews/weddings-by-mary-natalie-nashville/6135163fde270649.html

5.0 out of 5.0	Quality of Service:		(5.0/5.0)
	Responsiveness:		(5.0/5.0)
	Professionalism:		(5.0/5.0)
	Value:		(5.0/5.0)
	Flexibility:		(5.0/5.0)

Services Used:
Wedding Planning

"Mary Natalie had wonderful ideas and recommended amazing people to us to make a fairy tale wedding. Equally important to us was her wonderful personality. She was always a joy to meet with and made planning fun.
When we got close to the wedding date nerves were running high but she remained calm and professional and took care of every thing. SHe was also able to make some last minute changes for us with grace and calm -- and they were not minor changes either! I have two more daughters to plan weddings for, and Mary Natalie Hester will be the one I call for assistance."

Thank you so much Julie for your kind words!! You were a pleasure to work with and we were honored to be a part of your family for the past year. Looking forward to daughter #2 and #3 's weddings!! MN

mock ups 2

I know that we have blogged about this once before, but I cannot begin to express how important a flower mock is for EVERY bride!! Out of your entire wedding day design, the flower will be the one element that really does define the event. From the colors, to the style, it can make a huge impact on your over all look. So it’s not that florist does not “hear” you when you are explaining what you want…it is just that you are describing a look and people can interpret this look into so many ways. As I always say, one persons pink is anothers red! I really encourage my girls to find pictures of designs, flowers, and colors that they like. Worse case, go to Lowes and pick up paint samples, or fabric samples at a local fabric store that best explains what colors you like.  Another thing to keep in mind that as you are explaining what your vision is, sometimes others see this vision much differently that you….such a shame we cannot take mental pictures and place  those on paper!!

The mock up is a perfect time for you to grab your linen and see that complete look. It is the opportunity for you to see what your wedding day arrangements will look like, and your one chance to say “ I love it”, or “ I like it, and can we change…”.  I have even had some florist create exactly what the bride requested, only for my bride to see the actual arrangement and decide that wasn’t what she wanted after all.  One of the biggest misconceptions for brides is always the size of the arrangement. Again, it is super important to know what you have coming!

Mock ups are usually done a few months prior to your event. Depending on the time of year, you are not guaranteed the exact flowers as some are only available during certain months. It is best to view the arrangement with the linen it is going on, and in the venue that it is going in to see that whole picture. You will be expected to pay for this arrangement, and it will most likely be around the same cost as reflected in your invoice for your wedding day arrangements. Girls, I am telling you… it is the smartest thing you can do to protect yourself and your design!!

Your florist should be more than happy to do one for you, but be sure to give them plenty of notice as the flowers have to be ordered in sometimes up to a few weeks in advance.MN

The heat has arrived

Well, welcome to summer in Tennessee! It is hot, humid, and a bad hair day for us southern girls for the next 4 months. Since it is a brisk 94 degrees outside today, I think it is a good time to discuss outdoor events during the summer months and your guest that we so badly need to stay and dance the night away with you. So what is summer in TN- you can pretty much count that mid May- September is going to be hot. I have even had wedding well into October that range on the hot side. One in particular a few years ago that was the first Saturday in October, and it was 92 degrees that day. The ideal weekends for outdoor weddings are the first 2 weekends in May and the last weekend in October, first weekend in November. Keep in mind that is never a guarantee as I have had guest freezing as soon as the sun set on an October 15^th event. Let’s face it, the weather here is crazy and unpredictable, so the best thing you can do is be prepared. If you are planning a wedding from the end of May- first of October, we have to assume it will be hot, and you must plan accordingly. Assuming that it is going to be the magical weekend of 70 degrees in the middle of July will only cause major issues to your wedding day. First off you need to be able to tolerate the heat. If you are a bride/groom that absolutely cannot stand being hot, then doing a summer outdoor wedding may not be the thing for you. Next, you need to take your guest into consideration. An uncomfortable guest will lead to an early end to the night you have waited so long to enjoy. So here are a few tips on having those outdoor weddings in the southern heat:

1. Consider having your ceremony start time later than normal. Esp if you are doing an outdoor ceremony. A start time of 7pm allows that extra sun set time, and your reception will most likely begin to cool faster too.
2. Be sure with outdoor ceremonies where the sunlight is directed. You wouldn’t want yourself, or your guest to be sitting with the sun beaming down on your faces.
3. Offer PLENTY of water at the ceremony as guest enter. I always tell my girls- just when you think you bought enough water for the guest, buy more!! You need about 2-3 bottles per person at the ceremony. You will be amazed at how much water guest will require while sitting in the heat waiting for the ceremony to begin. There are so many cute ways to display water, lemonade, or tea, that it would be easy for you  to incorporate this into your theme without looking like you tossed some waters in to your tacky lake cooler for the guest to enjoy.
4. Wedding programs as fans. I know we have all seen these a hundred times, but paddle fans are greatly appreciated when sitting and waiting. You can always opt for a quote, or a poem on the fans in instead of a ceremony program.
5. Market umbrellas are a great option for protecting guest from direct light.
6. The same rule applies to the reception on the water/drinks. It will be the most requested item, so have plenty! If you run out, your guest will leave.
7. Just as importantly as the drinks, please don’t forget the ice! No one wants a warm drink when they are hot.
8. When it comes to food on a hot day, keep in mind that guest will not want heavy items. Think salads, light finger foods, anything cold. With food being a major expense factor, you want to make sure you serve food that will be eaten, not wasted.
9. Assuming that you have access, and the venue allows, consider the misting hoses. They can cool an area by several degrees.
10. Where there is heat, there will by mosquitoes- place bug spray all throughout the event area.
11. It is common to not offer seating for all your guest depending on the type of reception you are having, but let’s face it…. Being hot, and not having somewhere to sit, can make anyone miserable. So this is the one time I suggest having seats for everyone.

The list can go on and on…. TN is a wonderful place to have a wedding! You just need to be prepared for the elements, and by making a few adjustments to your event can equal happy guest. MN