Brotherly Love

As a wedding coordinator for the Bald Head Island Club, you can assume I've seen my fair share of weddings. And you'd probably think I'd be immune to the emotions that can take over seeing a beautiful couple celebrating their union with all the people they hold nearest and dearest.

You would think so, but you'd be wrong - about the emotions part. At least that was the case when Alyssa & Chris arrived to the club, post wedding ceremony and ready to celebrate. Everything was all fine and dandy until Alyssa's brother/Man of Honor/Official toast-giver/Meany who made me tear up - stood up and asked everyone to raise their glasses in honor of his sister and now, brother in-law. I'm a sucker for a man who can express his feelings and he did just that. It was an amazing speech from a proud brother for his beautiful sister. He spoke of the imense pride he felt for having Alyssa as a sister and how lucky Chris and Alyssa both were for finding one another. And if I'm not mistaken, I think he had something to do with that.

In any case, it was a beautiful reception for two beautiful people, Alyssa and Chris. And PS - the rest of their family and friends - ALL AMAZING. I felt like I was at one of my family get-togethers. All of their guests were so friendly and genunie and just downright good people.

I loved this group and I am so happy that I am able to share some images from the wonderfully talented Rachel Barker of Millie Holloman Photography with you. Rachel is such a talented photographer. Make sure to check out her blog if you are in the market for a wedding or portrait photographer. She makes everyone feel so comfortable and at home, and she's a ton of fun to be around too.

Alyssa & Chris - I'm so glad I was able to be a part of your wedding and I'm so excited to hear about what's to come in your futures together. Congratulations again!

Featured...

The Bald Head Island Club was recently featured again on the Style Me Pretty blog, for the wedding of Jenny & Rob Johnson, held earlier this year. I absolutely love this wedding, from the gorgeous blues and greens in the hydrangeas, the unique use of a NYC Metro card as escort cards and the stunning room design and table displays by Salt Harbor Design. Jennnifer is just a classic beauty, and her sparkling glow absolutely lit up every one of the images captured by Joey & Jessica Photography. I'll let the wonderful ladies at Style Me Pretty fill you in on the rest of this beautiful wedding, Just click here.

PS - Here's a quick little peak for you shoe lovers. I do love me some Jimmy Choo. Seriously...

Crazy about Shoes...

Anyone who know's me, knows the infatuation I have for beautiful shoes. I have always been obsessed with shoes, from the days as a child when I'd sneak into my grandmother's shoe closet (who by the way, had and still has amazing taste in shoes). I was all of 3 1/2 feet tall, prancing around - yes, i pranced - on my grandparents hard wood floors in 3.5" heels.

Amazingly, that obsession for shoes has never faded and although there were some questionable choices in footware over the years, I will always save my few extra dollars for a great new pair of heels. Preferably sparkly, or adorned with something floral.

As the event and wedding coordinator for the Bald Head Island Club, I spend part of my day perousing various websites and blogs of photographers who I've come to respect over the years, searching for inspiration and picking up on new trends. And inevitably, some of my favorite images turn out to be the shoe shots... I'm sure you've seen them:

Image Created by the amazing Jose Villa

Image Created by the uber talented Jasmine Star

Image Created by the amazing Jose Villa

Image Created by the uber talented Jasmine Star

Image Created by the delightful Jenny Sun

I just can't get enough of them. ANYWAY... the only thing better than oogling at all the beautiful selections for wedding shoes  is the idea that I could design my own pair of wedding shoes. Pulling together all of the very best in bling and fashion and chic attire I've seen over the years. Ok, I may need to tone it down some.

What's my point? I recently discovered Milk & Honey Shoes, a custom shoe design company, geared specifically for brides and bridesmaids and I just had to share. I mean how many gorgeous shoes have you seen while scouring the various wedding blogs and websites? And how many times did you say to yourself  "I have to have those!" ?? One too many times I say. So why not design your very own pair for that oh so special of days?

You can go online now, pick from a wide variety of silhouettes, colors, heel heighth, embelishments, sizes, materials and more. And even if you're not getting married - it's a ton of fun

Happy Monday and happy shoe shopping!

Wedding Day Keepsakes...

Most brides will tell you, your wedding day flies by in a flash. But there are a ton of ways to help keep it close to you over the months and years to follow. I suggest making a keepsake box with all the little details and trinkets to help remind you of your special day. Fill it with photographs, invite cards and escort cards. Favors, a dried bouquet or boutinneire, a copy of your vows and perhaps the notes you and your "soon-to-be" wrote to each other the morning of.

Trust me, years from now, when you're describing your wedding day to your daughter or future daughter in law, it will be nice to have a little treasure chest of memories to pull out and share.

I just saw this cute idea for a keepsake and thought I'd pass it on. It's a personalized hanger designed with your future "Mrs." name to hang and display your wedding gown from. How cute is this!?

The designer, lilafrances, can be found on Etsy.com and this precious image was captured by Chelsea Nicole Photography.  

Enjoy!  

How to choose a wedding photographer

When you're planning a wedding, you want everything to be perfect. The flowers, the cake, fhe food, the lighting, the DRESS! But in the end, it flies by much too quickly. Months after your wedding, you'll find yourself reliving the moments in your head, over and over. And what better way to do that then with the images captured by your tireless, inventive, creative, magical Photographer!

Photo by Jose Villa

Choosing the right photographer to capture all those precious moments of your special day is a big decision. You should really take the time to research your options to make sure the photographer you choose really understands what you're looking for. I've spent years working with wedding photographers, so I thought I'd share some tips on how to select the right wedding photographer with you all:

1. Consistency: Any photographer who's been in business long enough will hopefully have 1 good day = 1 good album to show you. Ask to see others. Make sure they are consistently producing quality imagery. Don't just take their word for it.

Photo by Anne McGowan

2. Diversity: Your wedding day will contain a slew of challenges and opportunities for your photographer. Will it be inside or outside? Or both? Daytime or Night? Large bridal party or small? Will they need to bring a flash or can they rely on the natural, available light? Every wedding is different and therefore, your photographer should be prepared for every possible scenario. Make sure they're comfortable with that and make sure you've seen a few examples of their work in each of these scenarios.

Photo by Jim Garner

3. Comfortability: Some of the world's greatest photographers are masters at making their client - you the bride and groom, feel comfortable having their pictures taken. This is not an easy feat to accomplish but the resulting images appear more real and true to your personalities. A really great photographer will take the time to get to know you, starting with your first introduction, and engagement shoot and right up to the big day. I have many photographer friends who end up becoming very good friends with their clients and continue their relationships even after the wedding. Think about it, would you rather have a good friend or a complete stranger taking your pictures on your wedding day??

Photo by Jasmine Star

4. Creativity: Of course you're going to want some of the old traditional family portrait style images on your wedding day as well as all the various combinations with you and your fiance, your bridal party and more. But you're also going to want to have your photographer get a little creative. Take a look through their sample albums and take notice of the images that stand out for you. First of all, were there any? Were there a ton? Is their creative range diverse and does their style match yours?

Photo by Yervant

5. Style: Style is important and probably the easiest concept to identify when comparing various photographers. If their images appeal to you, if  their contrasting use of light and dark in their images stands out, if you find it hard to turn away or can't wait to see the next image in an album - than you are in good company. Finding a good photographer is a lot like finding your favorite new pair of shoes. You want them to stand out with their brilliance but also fit like they were made specifically for you.

Photo by Elizabeth Messina

6. Timing: Every photographer is different. Some like to spend 5 minutes or so, setting up a shot. Some just want to photograph the moments as they occur. Some want 3-4 hours with a couple while others only need 20 minutes or so. Make sure they know what it is you want. The easiest thing to do is to give them a list of the various combinations you want them to include. Make sure you both understand what your expectations are and provide them with a schedule for the big day.

Photo by Millie Holloman

Lastly, when you have selected your photographer - make sure to give them a little flexibility and creative time.  Those just may be the images that surprise you. And have FUN! Hope this helps someone!

Go Together...

There's an old African proverb that says:

 "If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together."

I just got this image yesterday, from Kristopher Gerner, a photographer we had at the Bald Head Island Club a couple months ago who photographed Sean & Karen's wedding. I think these two are going places together.

Happy Thanksgiving to you all tomorrow!

I hope you all have somebody you're grateful for this holiday season! 

It's Time for the Send Off!

Many of my brides are asking what to use for a wedding reception send off. Sparklers? Flower Petals? Rice? There are actually a ton of different things you can use. You just have to get a little creative!

This past weekend, our bride selected sea oats which I thought was very original. They filled small navy blue and white decorated paper cones with sea oats and passed them out to guests as they made their way to the bald head island club entrance. The paper cones were held in a couple weaved baskets designed by the brides grandfather.

I also wanted to share this idea, which I adore. This "Toss Table" idea was provided by The Knot.com online newsletter today and I think it's adorable! The toss table has several assorted bowls and cones with various "send off" items to choose from, including lavendar herbs, glitter, confetti and even some air-popped popcorn!

So have fun with your send off! Get Creative!

An Intimate Affair to Remember...

Sometimes bigger isn't better.

Houses - Usually. Diamonds - Always. Stacks of laundry - Never.

But when it comes to your wedding, it just all depends!

The Bald Head Island Club had the very special honor of hosting the wedding reception of Kristyna and Tom this past October for a very intimate wedding of just 16! They were married at the Village Chapel which itself is such a charming and quaint space - perfect for this group.

Kristyna and Tom arrived at the Bald Head Island Club and I was quite taken back by the calm, serene easiness that seemed to encapsulate the couple. She was pure grace and elegance and he was strikingly handsome, dressed to the nines.


We set them up in our Green Room for a wonderful dinner which included our infamous cashew crusted grouper, filet mignon with cremini mushrooms and port wine, Roasted Prime Rib Au Jus, Crabmeat Stuffed Flounder and a Grilled Vegetable plate with a balsamic glaze. But dinner would not begin until each of Kristyna and Tom's guests wished them a very happy life together. The champagne toasts were definitely a highlight for the evening.

Lynn Moser provided the centerpieces for the reception as well as Kristyna's beautiful bouqet. A stunning mixture of white florals really gave the room a classic elegance. I adore Lynn's work as I'm sure you can all see why!

The cake - in a word - phenomenal. When it arrived to the club, there were oogolers galore surrounding this sweetly divine creation. It was gorgeous. And as the reception was ending, the generous mother of the bride, Eva (who i absolutely fell in love with while working on this wedding) insisted I try it. Now first let me tell you, I've never really been a big fan of cake.But after one bite of this little piece of heaven and I was converted. It was absolutely mouth-watering. I snuck a small piece to one of the girls working the event who hadn't eaten sugar in 3 months. She tried to put up a fight, but once I convinced her just to try it, she was done for. I know, I'm evil but if you're gonna cheat, cheat good! The bakery who created this masterpiece was Miel Bon Bon out of Carrboro, NC so if you're in the area, definitely make this a must-try!

But all of this would just be a mere memory if it weren't for the talented photography of my dear friend Anne McGowan. Anne has her studio on the island so I run into her quite often. But I was so happy to hear she was going to be photographing Kristyna & Tom's wedding so we could spend some more time togehter. Anne is not only amazingly gifted as a photographer, but as a friend - she is completely warm, welcoming and easy going. The moment I met her I knew I would absolutely love her!

Congratulations to you Kristyna & Tom! I hope for only happy days in your future together!

October Wedding at Bald Head Island Club

October is always a busy month at the Bald Head Island Club but even with all the weddings and rehearsals and tournaments to keep me busy, nothing was more pressing on my mind than the images from our first October 2010 wedding of the season - Lauren and Mike.

I've been eagerly awaiting these photos for many reasons, but here's a few:

One - Lauren was probably the most beautiful bride I've ever seen. I seriously had a hard time looking away from her! Absolutely Stunning.

Two - Mike wasn't too shabby either. At all.

Seriously, take a look at these two...

And then there were the flowers, the lighting, the cake - it was all just perfection! So needless to say, I could not wait to see these pictures!

And so when I found out via Facebook that the photogapher, Courtney Aliah, had sent me a bunch of images to share with you all I was beyond excited. But my excitement was short-lived as I found out on Tuesday that our server at the club was down! I was litteraly burning a hole in the carpeting as I paced up and down the hallways, trying to find someone to fix the internet problem.

But 4 days later, I arrived to my office to find the internet back up and running and the photographer had so kindly emailed me the entire batch of images again! Thank you so much Courtney!

And without further adieu...

Lauren & Mike were married on the beach on Bald Head Island on October 1, 2010

Brunswick Town Florist lined the dinner tables with a gorgeous display of centerpieces and decorated the beautiful chandeliers provided by High Performance Lighting. It was all just breathtaking in person and Courtney captured it amazingly!

The guys at Flower & Flour put together a very unique wedding cake for Lauren & Mike, keeping with the picturesque Bald Head Island beach atmosphere. I just absolutely love*love*love this cake!

Lauren's wedding coordinator Cara, from A Southern Soiree, helped Lauren put together a stunning reception inside the Club's Ocean Room.

Lauren & Mike enjoying some "alone" time before we formally introduced them!

The happy couple enjoying their first dance as husband and wife!

Congraulations to you Lauren & Mike - It was so much fun having you guys here at the

Bald Head Island Club!

Bald Head Island Club - Ocean Terrace

Many couples and families who come to the Bald Head Island Club to tour our various event spaces fall in love with the Ocean Room & Terrace - understandably so. But there's always a question of whether or not to use the club's tent on the Ocean Terrace. We have it available for guests use, but we typically have the tent down unless an event has requested it.

Personally, I absolutely love the elegant look and comforting feel the tent provides so I always recommend it. But it's definitely a personal choice. One of my favorite images of the tent being used on our Ocean Terrace is from photographer Millie Holloman. She captured this beautiful moment just over a year ago and it honestly takes my breath away each time I see it. I even have a copy of it hanging in my office! I hope you'll enjoy the image just as much as I do and hopefully this will help future couples in their tent decision making!