Thursday, April 26, 2012

Can’t get enough of the Pink, Black and White’s




We had the pleasure of hosting the wedding of Tanya and Brandon such an adorable and sweet couple. Their love was apparent and the room shouted with joy, love and laughter. Tanya and Brandon had a gorgeous wedding reception in which they had chosen pink, black and white as their choice of colors. We just can’t seem to get enough of this color scheme. We lined the tables with black satin linens, accented it with a bright pink napkin, followed by pink sashes tied to our golden chivary chairs. It was definitely a bold look hot look. The cake was a perfect black and white which was enhanced by the glow of the pink lighting in the room. Cinderella Cakes(www.cinderellacakes.com) did a fabulous job making their wedding cake.

It was a marvelous and fun filled night. We send our congratulations to Tanya and Brandon and thank you for sharing your day with us here at Pacific Hills.






Thursday, April 19, 2012

Spring Wedding Myths Busted!

Spring is the time of year most often associated with weddings, so you might feel there are even more expectations about what kind you should have. But we're here as always to tell you that the kind of wedding you should have is the kind that works for you! We've broken down some of the most common assumptions about spring weddings to help you make your own rules.

Myth #1: You Must Use Pastel Colors

Though some spring brides embrace the colors traditionally associated with the season, others cringe at Easter egg-inspired hues. If you find yourself in the latter category, go with a color scheme that fits your style best. Pulling off an unexpected palette gives your wedding an element of surprise that will wow your guests. If you want to go with a seasonally appropriate but still unconventional choice, take the pastels up a few notches and go with brighter hues like hot orange, acid green, and magenta.

Myth #2: You Have To Have Flowers Everywhere

On the one hand, spring is a bride's bonanza for flowers -- a huge variety of blooms are in season and easy to get. But if flowers aren't your thing, there are lots of options for creating interesting and unusual decor. One way is to incorporate other kinds of natural elements into your centerpieces: Think moss, wheatgrass, river rocks, or herbs. While these will still evoke a spring-like feel of freshness and rebirth, there's not a flower in sight. Want something more dramatic? Towering, blooming branches like cherry blossoms, quince, or dogwood look modern and incorporate some flowers without being in-your-face. Best of all, they look great anywhere -- whether on the altar or on your reception tables.

Myth #3: You Have To Have a Daytime Wedding

Dreaming of an evening affair? Don't let the season stop you. Some associate spring with a brunch reception. Brunches are beautiful, but they're not the best option if you want to have an all-out dance party. Though the days are getting longer, you can still wait until sunset (or even later) for your ceremony. If you want a daytime wedding -- particularly outdoors -- go ahead and take advantage of the fair weather. Spring's milder temperatures make a midday wedding much more comfortable than it would be in the heat of summer.

Myth #4: You Have To Stay Inside

We know, we know -- April showers. While in many places early spring (in other words, March) can be unpredictable, don't rule out an outdoor wedding for the entire season. The elements will be a factor in an outdoor celebration at any time of year, but rather than giving up on going al fresco, just plan ahead. When you're looking at ceremony and reception sites, ask what other couples had done as a rain plan and whether any changes needed to be made. Get the details on those other spaces so if you're planning to have 200 guests, you won't choose a site where the indoor space can only hold 120. Another option: Reserve a just-in-case tent.

Myth #5: Your Attire Should Be Informal

The weather's warmer so hemlines can be higher. Sure, your bridesmaids won't have to worry about freezing in tea-length dresses, but it doesn't mean you have to have them. If floor-length is more your style, that's just fine. Same goes for your gown and the guys' attire. Though a light-colored linen suit would be perfectly apropos for some springtime affairs, if a classic tux better suits the tone of your wedding, go for it. No matter what time of year you're marrying in, the main thing that's important is comfort -- so if you love the look of satin dresses but are worried your maids will be melting, choose a similar style in a more forgiving fabric like a silk blend.

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Great article on costs and trends in the wedding industry

Since 2007 TheKnot.com and WeddingChannel.com have kept tabs on the $74 billion wedding industry by annually surveying nearly 20,000 couples on every detail of their event from the planning process to napkin colors. The results for 2011 are in and, frankly, they’re pretty surprising. We spoke with TheKnot.com’s site editor Anja Winikka about the staggering cost of a wedding, what’s replacing traditional wedding cakes and why September was the most popular month to say “I do.” W e know that celebrities' fashion choices have a huge influence on what we all wear. How much of an impact did the royal wedding have on couples' wedding decisions?
I’d say the Kate Middleton effect is huge. The wedding was in the end of April so it really made an impression on people planning winter weddings. We saw a lot of lace, sleeves, ball gowns, more traditional settings and details like having flower girls and a white budding bouquet. But people are still talking about it on message boards. It will impacting the weddings people are having this year for sure.
I can guess the answer to this, but what’s the most expensive place to get married? Manhattan is always the most expensive. That’s not a shock, it’s true. But what’s interesting is that two unexpected places made the “overall wedding spend” list for the first time— the Poconos and Detroit. They came in at Nos. 19 and 20. (Editor's note: See below for a full list of the top 20 cities)
One of the biggest revelations from the survey is the amount of money people are spending on their events. Was this a surprise?
Absolutely. We found that for the first time since 2008 the average wedding budget has increased. In 2008 it was $29,334 per wedding. In 2009 the number went down to $28,385 and even further down to $26,984 in 2010. In 2011 we saw an uptick to $27,021.
Let’s talk about wedding colors. Anything unusual there? Purple is the fastest-growing wedding color. Blue and green have been high on the list for a long time at 30% and 24%, but purple is up to 15% from 21% in 2010 and 16% in 2009. Right now in 2012 we’re seeing a lot of pink weddings, so that might make a jump next.
Classic wedding cakes are on the outs?
The majority of brides (67%) still go for the traditional tiered cakes but cupcakes are gaining in popularity. They’ve gone from 13% in 2010 to 17% in 2011. People think they want a wedding cake but by the time they get around to ordering it, they realize it’s not going to fit in their budget. Cupcakes are a great cost-savings.
According to the survey, our summer weekends may be looking less crowded.
That’s right. Summer is still “wedding season,” but not as much as it used to be. Only 37% of weddings took place in the summer, down from 41%, while fall increased to 36%. One of the reasons was that the dates 9/10/11 and 11/11/11 were hugely popular, so that may have swung the pendulum. Four times as many brides got married on 9/10/11 as opposed to any other Saturday in September. The number phenomenon started back in 7/7/07, another summer Saturday.
Was it an attempt at off-season cost-saving? I think these wedding dates
skewed the numbers, because September is also one of the most expensive times to plan an event. If you’re looking to save money, just like when you’re traveling somewhere and looking to save on a hotel, look for dates during the shoulder season. Exactly when that is depends on where you live. For people in Tucson, for example, the high season is March, April and May, so January and February would be less expensive. For Florida, summer is actually the off-season and winter the most expensive. How about formality. Should guys plan on renting, not buying, tuxes?
We’ve seen a rise in casual weddings— “casual” in terms of dress code and also feel. Think outdoor weddings with mason jars and wild flowers."Semiformal" still reigns at 65% but “casual” increased to 16% from 14%. At the same time “formal/black tie” fell to 16% from 18% back in 2010 and 20% in 2009.
You’re planning a wedding—have you noticed yourself following any of these trends?
I haven’t gotten very far yet, but I’m having a wedding website which the majority of couples now have— 69% in 2011, up from 65% in 2010. And I’ve done a lot of planning on my phone. The survey found that 58% of brides use their smartphones to share wedding-related pictures and 47% use them to look up vendor info. Three-day long “luxury” weddings are more popular. I don’t know if I’d consider mine ‘”luxury” but it will be three days of events, not just a one-day affair.
Top 20 most expensive places to get married (according to TheKnot.com and WeddingChannel.com)
Based on average wedding spend in 2011, these are the areas around the US where couples spend the most on their wedding:
1. New York City (Manhattan): $65,824
2.Chicago, IL: $53,069
3.NY Metro (Long Island, Hudson Valley and NYC Outer Boroughs): $50,087, $46,560, $40,356
4.Northern/Central NJ and Southern NJ: $46,600, $38,103
5.Rhode Island: $41,307
6.Santa Barbara/Ventura, CA, and Los Angeles, CA: $37,823, $37,690
7.Philadelphia, PA: $37,014
8.Boston, MA: $35,560
9.Southern Florida (Miami, Fort Lauderdale and surrounding areas): $34,465
10.Washington, DC, Northern Virginia and Suburban Maryland: $34,203
11.Connecticut: $33,789
12.Baltimore, MD: $32,702
13.Northern, CA, San Diego, CA, and Orange County/Inland Empire, CA: $32,261, $30,482, $29,826
14.Hawaii: $31,461
15.Pittsburgh, PA: $29,703
16.Louisiana: $28,790*New to Top 20 List in 2011
17.Dallas, TX, Houston, TX, and Austin/San Antonio, TX: $28,717, $27,459, $27,735
18.California/Nevada (Sacramento, Tahoe and Reno): $28,028
19.Lehigh Valley/Poconos, PA: $27,339*New to Top 20 List in 2011
20.Detroit, MI: $27,017*New to Top 20 List in 2011