MAGNIFIQUE BOUTIQUE IS CLOSING

agnifique Boutique is closing it's doors and just keeping open the wedding and event planning side of the business (Magnifique Weddings & Events). Having said that we are having a HUGE closeout sale and we have a ton of fantastic gown samples that need good homes. Some are still brand new, never tried on! Along with all of the gowns we have shoes, accessories and decor items that will be sold. We will only be open on weekends for walk in's and by appointments during the week after 3:00pm. If you already have an order with us your order will be fufilled we are just not taking any new orders. Our last day is going to be Saturday September 29th so come in early for the best selection! To make an appointment please
call 503-236-7001 or email jennie@magnifiqueboutique.net

Tips on Making your Seating Chart

The seating chart is can be one of the most daunting tasks with the wedding planning process. You get all the way to the end of the planning and you almost feel a little burn out, and now you have to do the grand seating chart. Here are some tips to help you with the seating…

MAKE A CHART

There are several online forms of making charts now – theknot.com & weddingwire.com both have great online charts to help. If you want to do it the old fashioned way, get a large poster board, some post-it notes and push-pins. Draw out your diagram (your venue should provide one for you) and label each table number. Know how many seats will go at each table, and then start pinning names to each table. If you don’t want to do a visual chart then I recommend making an excel sheet. Label the table number or name as the header and assign people to those specified tables with their names below.

START EARLY

Start putting your chart together as your RSVPs come in. If you know there are FOR SURE YES people, such as immediate family and wedding party, you can start early and add people as your RSVP cards arrive.

ESCORT CARDS & PLACE CARDS

Some people still don’t know what the difference is… escort cards take your guest to a assigned table, a place card will actually assign your guest to an assigned seat at that table. I recommend for large groups, SKIP the place cards, it eliminates more to do before the wedding day, and also allows your guests the opportunity to sit by who they want to sit by at there table. However, don’t skip the escort cards or assigned table board. You definitely want to assign guests tables and you definitely want to make sure your parents have a A+ table!! If you want, consider place cards only for VIPs,  like parents or your wedding party.

 CONSIDER RELATIONSHIPS

When making a seating chart take into account who guests may know or what their marital status is. You would want to avoid having one single friend at a table with all married couples whom this single friend doesn’t know. Put college friends together, put uncles and aunts together. Make sure children are close to the dance floor and definitely close to their parents, guardian or sitter. Ask your parents who they would like to sit with. Be open to their suggestions of their friends and their friends relationships. Also, be aware of who you are putting in the corners… would they be offended?

DON’T SQUEEZE

Nothing is worse than sitting at a table that you don’t fit in. Make sure that you don’t over pack the tables just so you will have less tables and save on a centerpiece or two. Your guests will be very uncomfortable sitting at a table bumping elbows with the person next to them. Leave your guests some breathing, eating and socializing room; leave them space to pull their chair in and out as well. When considering a venue, make sure you consider your guest size so you don’t run into a “tight” situation.

Wedding Trends 2013: Somewhere Over the Rainbow

Early predictions are calling rainbow one of the biggest wedding trends of 2013. I know, I know, a rainbow color palette feels like something a 9-year-old would dream up. ("Rainbow bridesmaid dresses! And a UNICORN will walk me down the aisle!") While this bold and vibrant theme isn't for the faint of heart, we've found some breathtaking ways to take your wedding day somewhere over the rainbow.

Tie together a rainbow look by using flowers from each of your bridesmaids different colored/flowers in your bouquet. Add a little white to your flowers as well to keep this themed from becoming too overpowering.

 A fun ombre rose bouquet is a stunning option for rainbow weddings. Why not have your bridesmaids carry the same flowers in other ombre shaded bouquets, such as yellow to blue or green to purple?

Think rainbow flowers and a variety of bridesmaid dress colors will be a tad too much for you? Pair your bright babes with classic white flowers for a look that won't clash or compete.

Take at look at this fun color pop on the guys! 

It's easier than you think to bring a little--or A LOT--of color to your decor!

If all of this is a little too bold for you why not try using this idea with soft colors...

 What do you all think of this new rising trend?

~Erin

Audrey Hepburn Inspires Weddings!

Audrey Hepburn is a true icon, not only for her movies, but for the civic work she has done for the community nationally and globally. She is a absolute doll, a class act, and we love her femininity and of course how she influenced fashion.

Truth be told, she has also been inspiring countless weddings for decades. Lets check out some of Audrey & her wedding influences…

DRESS LIKE AUDREY

A true style icon, this tea length dress that she wore in her role in the movie Funny Face, has inspired classic and timeless wedding dresses of today…

Audrey Hepburn’s spirit inspired us in her role in the movie Breakfast at Tiffany’s, not only did her optimism in life make us excited, but so did her wardrobe and her stunning and classic hair throughout the film. Audrey hair has definitely been a must have with weddings and red carpets …

AUDREY & WEDDINGS FITS LIKE A GLOVE

In some of Audrey’s most famous photography she is wearing gorgeous gloves. Gloves are often depicted as a symbol of purity and innocence in weddings, and although not as often seen anymore, when we do seem them, we just swoon. Definitely worth bringing back this trend!!

“Let’s face it, a nice creamy chocolate cake does a lot for a lot of people; it does for me.” — AUDREY HEPBURN ON CAKE

No matter what Audrey was doing, she looked adorable, even if it was baking a cake. Weddings and Classic go hand and hand, so it doesn’t surprise us when our Brides want to see a more classic cake… and Audrey sure inspired classic design and style and we see that with todays modern Audrey Cakes …

Black and White Color Palette  Inspired by Audrey Hepburn as Sabrina

 

 What about a Breakfast at Tiffany's Theme?

  Lets hear how Audrey inspired you? 

~Erin

THE DEBATE: NOT SEEING THE BRIDE BEFORE SHE WALKS DOWN THE AISLE…

A lot of people don’t even know why they celebrate certain wedding traditions, they just do it because people have done these traditions for years. One of the biggest ones is keeping the Bride hidden before her big day… but why is that… let’s check it out…

This actually began because marriages were pre-arranged and Brides and Grooms did not see or know each other before the wedding day. Prearrangement included bargaining the Bride for things like cattle, chicken, grain, etc.

Because the couple never actually met before the wedding day, the not seeing each other kept the Groom from running away before he saw what the Bride actually looked like. Running from the Bride is said to have brought financial bad luck to the families bargaining their marriage. Other superstitions talk about bad luck seeing her in her dress, but that came years later to lighten the blow of the woman being more of an object.

Today most Brides think its bad luck for her Groom to see her in her wedding dress before she walks down the aisle. Actually, if you follow tradition, they say it is also bad luck for the Bride to look at herself in the mirror before the big reveal. That tradition died fast!!

The first look is now becoming more and more popular, and the big reveal walking down the aisle is sort of becoming what puffy sleeves were of the 80s. Most Brides have never walked down the aisle before, so they don’t know the response they may get might not be all they are hoping for… the big reveal of the dress is not as dramatic because you just don’t get a chance to talk to each other about the moment. Plus a lot of Brides and Grooms I have spoken with have the same butterfly feelings as they do if they do or do not see each other before they walk down the aisle… so why not do the first look anyway?

The first look, that happens before the wedding ceremony, is probably one of the most romantic moments I have seen. The Bride walks up behind the Groom taps him on the shoulder, or walks down a large staircase and he is waiting for her at the bottom, or he comes up in the elevator and she is there awaiting his arrival. When the couple sees each other for the first time, it’s just them and the photographer, the moment is very private and the couple can share emotions they normally won’t get to share when they reach each other at the top of the aisle because they can’t really talk. The Groom spins his Bride around and sees her in her dress, and he really gets to enjoy her. Most Grooms aren’t thinking about the dress the Bride puts so much thought into when she walk down to the aisle, or likely even after ceremony because they are just thinking about tying the knot. If you want the compliments and the emotion… first look is the perfect option!

The first look is also great for photos… after ceremony the couple typically will only have about 45 minutes of photos which will need to include – couple, family, and wedding party. 45 minutes is NOT a lot of time and NOT a lot of photos. With the first look, they can have a full hour of couple photos if they want, 30-45 minutes of wedding party photos that are playful, and family photos can be done before or after ceremony. Then if the Bride & Groom want to attend cocktail hour, they certainly can, or they can do more couple photos – like sunset shots or more playful shots.

Event planners and photographers get a lot of questions from clients on the pros and cons of whether or not to set up a “first look” before the ceremony. From a photography standpoint, there are usually many more pros to seeing each other beforehand than cons, but what it comes down to is your personal decision. Usually, the biggest hesitation for most couples in seeing each other before the ceremony is in the thought of breaking tradition or not having that “moment” of seeing each other for the first time walking down the aisle. The trend in weddings lately has been moving more and more into breaking traditions or making new ones that fit today’s savvy couples.

One of the reasons I’m writing this article is because we have found that weddings where couples see each other before the ceremony usually have a far less stressful timeline. You also get to have plenty more natural light to shoot in and time with the couple for more creative portraits.

Here are two examples of normal wedding timelines – one with seeing each other beforehand and a more traditional timeline.

Traditional Timeline:

- Getting ready shots of bride and groom

- Groom and Groomsmen shots - making sure bride is hidden or in a different location

- Bride and Bridesmaids shots - making sure groom is hidden or in a different location

- Ceremony

- Family Formals – during cocktail hour

- Bridal Party together – during cocktail hour

- Romantics – during cocktail hour

- Reception

First Look Timeline

- Getting ready shots of bride and groom

- First Look – few romantics

- Family Formals

- Whole Bridal Party plus Bride with Bridesmaids/Groom with Groomsmen

- Ceremony

- Romantics – during the first half of cocktail hour

- Bride and Groom entrance during last half of cocktail hour/spend a few minutes by themselves/or keep on shooting romantics and more creative bridal party pics till reception time.

- Reception

So, from looking at both timelines, here are the pros to the First Look

- More time for romantics! This is a big advantage because the more time I have with the bride and groom, the more creative we can get with the location, poses, etc.

- Family members get to enjoy cocktail hour since all family formals are taken beforehand

- The bride and groom get to enjoy cocktail hour a bit (with the traditional timeline, you are shooting the whole cocktail hour)

- We don’t have to try to squeeze family formals, all the bridal party together, and all the romantics into cocktail hour. With a traditional timeline, this usually causes a feeling of being rushed and usually results in less time for pictures of the bride and groom together. It may even result in missing the chance to shoot during the golden hour (the last hour before sunset and best light/most “romantic light”

- Once the ceremony is over, the bride and groom just have to worry about getting more shots of the two of them and then party time! There is definitely more “flow” in this sort of timeline.

- Make-up and hair look “fresher” in the images shot before the ceremony (this is especially true in the hot summer months)

Hopefully, this article has answered some of your questions and helped in planning out your wedding day. If you have any other questions, please don’t hesitate to e-mail us!


Really against seeing eachother before the wedding but need a way to calm your nerves?

Here is an alternative to seeing one another before the ceremony! Why not share a private letter. Why We Love It: The bride and groom shared a special, private moment together before the ceremony—without seeing each other but still getting great photos!

A Facebook Wedding!

Facebook is one of our favorite places to be as most of you know. And as most of you know Mr. Facebook married is partner in crime Priscilla Chan – a beauty he met in college.
The couple had spent more than seven months planning the wedding but had not even revealed they were engaged. Here were some of the fun details from the wedding… check it out…


DRESS

She wore one of the beloved designers in the wedding industry – Claire Pettibone. It was a laser cut lace neckline and sheer back. Such a stunner. You can also have your own if you love it as much as us.

THE SURPRISE GUEST

They had a special guest at the wedding. The internet entrepreneur’s dog, Beast, walked Mark’s wife down the aisle. The one-and-a-half-year-old Puli, a type of Hungarian sheep dog, has been a prominent figure in Zuckerberg’s life. The puppy even has his own Facebook page where he documents his daily activities like eating, sleeping and bathing.

THE VENUE

They were married in a smaller ceremony (under 100 guests) in their gorgeous backyard in Palo Alto, California! Simply Stunning! All of the guests thought they were there to celebrate Chan’s graduation.

THE DECOR


From some of the pictures posted you can see that they had gorgeous lanterns with white pillar candles along their path in their yard.
As you can see from Mark Zuckerberg’s update – you will find bistro or globe lighting in the background! An intimate and lovely choice for lighting for a backyard wedding.

DRINKS

Lots and lots of beer was delivered to their home the Friday before their wedding. Talk about a fun time.

DINING


One of their favorite restaurants, the couple served Fuki Sushi as part of the guests meal.

and Palo Alto Sol Mexican Food… delish!

DESSERT

Guests were served LA Burdick’s chocolate mice for dessert, a treat the couple shared on their first date.

ENTERTAINMENT


Yes, you got it – Billie Joe Armstrong, Green Day front man, was said to be heard over the microphone and played as a gift to the couple.