Just Keep Pinning...Just Keep Pinning!

Are you a part of the Pinterest craze? If you aren't and you are a bride-to-be, you should be!! Pinterest (a social media virtual pin board) is the PERFECT tool for a bride to get amazing ideas for her big day...and SHOW her ideas to her planner! What an amazing way to develop and communicate your vision!

Check out the Charleston Celebrations Pinterest page to see what WE like! Just search for Melissa Lunsford and look for our logo!

As always, happy planning, AND happy PINNING!

~The Charleston Celebrations Team

It's All in the Details!

This past weekend was full of weddings! Our two brides had some really cute details incorporated into their wedding that really made it their own.

Heather and Beau got married Friday evening at Founder's Hall with a movie-themed wedding. Their fun detail was a game for the guests to play to find their seats. Placed at each table was a movie title, and on the name cards for guests, were quotes from one of the movies. There were two quotes per movie so everyone at the table didn't have the same. It was a little difficult for guests who hadn't seen their movie, but luckily we had a cheat sheet!! Going along with the movie theme, we wrapped one of the three cylinders in each centerpiece with real movie film, and they gave out popcorn for favors! What a fun wedding this was!

The wedding on Saturday was at the Lighthouse on the Creek, and Marc and Sarah had a lovely Charleston-themed reception. For their table names, we found post cards representing historical Charleston landmarks like Rainbow Row, Middleton Place, and the Morris Island Lighthouse. They also had a single barstool on the patio. On the barstool was a sign "Ed's Chair" for Marc's father. There were strict instructions that it was only for Ed, and it was to stay on the patio, because they knew that Ed would want to be outside by the view of the creek, taking in the sweet Charleston air.

Remember to add your own personal touches to make it YOUR celebration!

Happy Planning!

~The Charleston Celebrations Team

Bride VS Metabolism

I was chatting the other day with my personal trainer, Ryan Thiele, about how we can jointly educate brides who have fitness questions, as I know many brides of mine have been frustrated as they try to look their best on their big day.  Ryan has agreed to be a Charleston Celebrations guest blogger, and we are SO excited that we have his wonderful expertise and knowledge to tap into!   Please see below for Ryan's credentials and contact info, and stay tuned for more great blogs!  As always, Happy Planning...and Happy Training too!   ~Melissa

The Metabolic Rate...What You Don't Know

by Ryan Thiele

So this weekend I was in the gym and saw another group of overweight people just ripping it up on the treadmills, bikes, and ellipticals. I HATE THIS!!!! So obviously the majority of you are already puzzled…Cardio training is great for blood flow, heart health, and endurance…but I promise you, as sure as I am sitting here typing this that you will never see tremendous results from this. This is so for a few reasons…


1.)  My guess is you have been doing cardio for a long time, and consider yourself to have great endurance but you don’t know why you can’t get a flat stomach or six-pack that you want so badly. The answer is your body has already adapted long ago to your cardio routines that you put so much effort into; you haven’t changed your workout- so your body isn’t going to change. If you want results from just cardio, you might as well make it 3x harder than the last time you did cardio, so I’m guessing by doing the math in your head, tomorrow you’d have to run a triathlon to keep seeing results…


2.)  The next reason is that since there is no resistance to other muscles and no new resistance to the same muscles that you have been training, nothing will ever grow…


3.)  Which leads me to my introduction of the all-important metabolic rate… You’re not creating any new muscle because you haven’t changed your workouts to provide muscle confusion (the basis of muscle growth) your body will never be forced to change for the better. Improving your METABOLIC RATE (the rate at which your body burns calories during normal daily routines based on the amount of lean muscle mass one carries) is the only way you’re going to break through that stubborn plateau…SO GET OFF THE TREADMILL AND START BUILDING MUSCLE!!!!

After playing Baseball and Golf at the Division I level in college and working with the Texas Rangers professional baseball team, Ryan has learned from and acquired knowledge from the some of the best trainers in the world today. In addition, Ryan is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS Certified) and is AFPA certified.  You can contact Ryan at nextlevelfitness1127@gmail.com.

Charleston Celebrations on The Wedding Row ~ Sarah and Mark

Check it out, we're on The Wedding Row again!

Click here to see the article on The Wedding Row!

We blogged about this one back in June (scroll down for more details)!  Sarah and Mark got married at The Sandcastle on Kiawah Island.  This one was fun and unique!  The bride wanted to use peacock feathers, shades of teals and limes, but she was afraid of it being too bright.  With our guidance, this is how it all turned out.  We think it was really stunning and fun (just like Sarah!), don't you?  And we were so excited have the amazing duo of Amelia + Dan Photography capture the day!

Enjoy, and happy planning!

Fun With Table Names

Yes, I'm sure we can all agree that the task of deciding who will sit next to whom at your reception is a daunting one. But choosing how to "name" your tables doesn't have to be!

The most important thing, is to have FUN with it and make it a reflection of you! Choose a theme that means something to the two of you, like places that you've traveled together, your favorite movies, or numbers that are significant to your relationship (the date you got engaged, your address, etc). And if you get stuck (probably because you need so many different names to accommodate your number of tables), you can always do what Travis and Katie did for their September 2011 wedding!

Travis and Katie live outside Chicago, so Charleston was a destination wedding site for them. They loved the water, and The Charleston Yacht Club was the perfect setting for this Labor Day Weekend Wedding. And since the wedding was to be at the Yacht Club, Travis and Katie decided to name their tables using nautical terms. Brilliant!

Since Charleston Celebrations was handling the printing for the table names and place cards, I loved the idea of the nautical terms, but I was afraid that guests wouldn't know what terms like "bosun" and "bollard" meant! So I asked Travis and Katie if they wanted me to put the definitions on the table cards also! At the reception, the guests really loved searching for their table and learning about the nautical terms too! I even named Travis and Katie's sweetheart table "hitch", since it's a type of knot!

Remember, it's YOUR wedding, so remember to have elements that are a reflection of you!

As always, happy planning!

~Melissa

Charleston Celebrations on The Wedding Row

Charleston Celebrations has been published!  Check out Ashley and Robert's BEAUTIFUL wedding this past April at Founder's Hall.  Ashley and Robert were SO AMAZING to work with, and we are certainly honored to have one of our events featured on The Wedding Row!

Ashley and Robert on The Wedding Row

Just the Two of Us ~ Elopement Ceremonies in Charleston

Did you know that Charleston Celebrations performs elopement ceremonies too?  We recently rolled out our "Just the Two of Us" elopement package, and Christy and Wade--our newest newlyweds--did just that yesterday!  We make eloping in Charleston super easy, especially since there is only a 24-hour waiting period for your South Carolina marriage license!

Talk about full service...that's me, Melissa, officiating Christy and Wade's customized nuptuals, and I also made their bouquet and boutonniere! So if you're searching for that perfect place as for your wedding's destination, consider beautiful Charleston, and contact Charleston Celebrations to handle all of the details, from elopement to full-service planning and coordination!

(A special thanks to Kate McKinley Photography for capturing Christy and Wade's special moment!  And we LOVE that Christy's "something blue" was her dress!  Gorgeous!!)

Happy Planning, and Happy Autumn!

~Melissa
  

Do I or Don't I?

Hello Nearlyweds!

A few weeks ago, I was chatting about etiquette rules with some friends, and I thought it might be helpful to share some things NOT to do when you're planning to say, "I DO"! We don't need Emily Post rolling in her grave, now do we? ;-) And yes, these have all actually happened, so even if you'd never think of doing any of these travesties, hopefully you'll get a chuckle that someone actually did!!

*Shower Thank You Notes: it is NOT okay to hand your guests envelopes to address their own thank you notes at your shower AND/OR write what they gave you on a card and put it in that envelope!

*Cash Bar at Your Reception: if your budget is squeezed, opt for a smaller bar package, just beer and wine, or even just a specialty cocktail. Cash bars are tacky, and chances are good that most of your guests won't have cash on them! Better to have NO bar than a cash bar!!

*Opening Gifts: Sure, open your gifts in front of your guests at your showers if you choose to, BUT NO ONE wants to watch you open presents at your reception. Seriously.

*Asking for Cash: If cash is really what you want, this is something that should be communicated verbally from your loved ones to your guests, NEVER printed on an invitation. Keep in mind also that you're going to have guests who want to actually get you something, so don't get upset. After all, it IS a gift!

*Different Entrees than Your Guests: Unless you have dietary restrictions, don't upgrade your own meal so that you're eating something different than your guests. I was a guest at a wedding recently, and the bride and groom chose to have filet and lobster tails when the guests were served stuffed chicken (which was delicious, but it wasn't surf and turf).

If you ever have etiquette questions, don't be afraid to ask your planner! We won't lead you astray, and we'd rather you ask! The only dumb question is the one that remains unasked!!

As always, Happy Planning!

~Melissa

Monday Nuptials at Kiawah ~ Sarah and Mark

Yesterday, we had our first Monday wedding, and we absolutely LOVED working with Sarah and Mark, our latest newlyweds from Tennessee! Kiawah Island is a special place for the bride's family, so The Sandcastle was a fitting location for Sarah and Mark's BIG DAY! Peacock feathers were the bride's inspiration for this teal, white, and lime wedding. Amazing ocean views were the backdrop of this 5:30pm ceremony, and the bride's sister/ bridesmaid even sang Sarah's processional--can you say goosebumps? What a sweet moment! Following the ceremony, the guests enjoyed Firefly Mojitos form Mix Charleston and a delicious spread from Newton Farms Catering. Dessert was a trio of scrumptious cakes from Sugar Bakeshop--coconut, lemon with sugared blueberries, and strawberry with sugared strawberries--which delighted the guests' (and this wedding planner's) taste buds. An amazing night for this fantastic couple! Congratulations, Sarah and Mark! Xoxo

Tip for the Summer ~ Bathroom Baskets

We've all been to swanky hotels and clubs that provide little niceties in the restroom...you know, mouthwash, tampons, hand scrub, lotion, and so on...so why not do the same thing for your wedding guests?

This is the basket Danielle Januski Couch did this May for the ladies' room at her wedding. Good call, Danielle!! Especially during these hot summer months, having things like deodorant and body spray are a great addition to this little basket of comfort. Hit the travel-sized aisle that we all love and think of what YOU might need if you were a guest, but before you do, double check the counter at your venue that it will go on to make sure it fits! And don't forget about the guys too!

Here are some suggestions for a bathroom basket...just make sure it all fits! ;-)

*deodorant

*hairspray

*kleenex

*Shout wipes or a Tide to Go stick

*tampons/ pantyliners

*bobby pins

*Band-Aids

*lotion

*mouthwash

*dental floss

*nail file/ emery board

*Q-tips

*lint roller

Happy Planning!!

~Melissa

May ~ A Month of Gardens and Beaches and Beautiful Brides

It feels like May went by in a blink. We were elated to be a part of four amazing weddings this May, all uniquely beautiful and a reflection of each couple.

May 14th brought Emily and Andrew and their loved ones to Middleton Place for a beautiful ceremony in the Octagonal Gardens and a reception at the Pavilion. Emily really wanted to carry the natural beauty of Middleton Place inside the Pavilion, and chose a color palate with a variety of greens. Even the cake by Twenty-Six Divine reflected the theme!

The following weekend brought us back to back weddings on Saturday and Sunday, which we made an exception when we met locals Tara and Scott in January, because we really wanted to help them out! They were halfway though the planning process and needed us! They chose Alhambra Hall for their May 22nd wedding, a stunning setting overlooking the Charleston harbor, and they exchanged vows under a large oak tree. The bride and groom wanted a fun, casual atmosphere for their navy and khaki event, so they brought Cornhole and other lawn games to be enjoyed at cocktail hour--what a hit! Miniature adirondack chairs were used as place card holders--SO CUTE!

Mount Pleasant locals Danielle and Darren chose the Citadel Beach House as the venue for their May 21st wedding, and it was a stunning day. The ceremony was on the back lawn under a simple and elegant white arbor, and the ballroom was decorated in neutrals with hints of light turquoise and a touch of soft pink. Darren's family is affiliated with a local seafood restaurant who catered the event, and constructed an ice sculpture raw bar--the focal point of the room, besides the bride of course.

May 29th brought us back to the Citadel Beach House, the venue of choice for Pennsylvanians Tobi and Jeremiah. This fun couple wanted to exchange their vows on the beach, and it was a stunning day for it! They brought the essence of the beach inside using hues of teal and sand, and the bouquets and boutonnieres by First Bloom of Charleston even incorporated sweetgrass roses, grasses, and seashells.

I love the fact that, even though two of our may weddings were at the same venue, the events were totally different. We really encourage our couples to have fun with their choices and to put their personal touches on their BIG DAY!

The events this month were shared with some amazing vendors: Newton Farms Catering, Gourmet Bay Catering, Event Works Rentals, Ascend Entertainment, Twenty-Six Divine, The Cake Stand, Wildflour Pastry, Mix Charleston, Wildflowers, Inc, First Bloom of Charleston, and The Party Music.

Congratulations again to Charleston Celebrations' newest NEWLYWEDS!!

This time last May...

...we were getting ready for some amazing weddings. Congratulations, and a very Happy One Year Anniversary to Meg and Andrew Jaffee, Laura and Sean Gildea, and Lindsey and Andrew Croy! I can't believe that it's been a year already! Thank you all so much for allowing us to be a part of your special day! <3

Hugs and Best Wishes,

Melissa

Legare Waring House Elegance ~ Julie and Pete

April 17 was one of the prettiest days I've ever witnessed in Charleston, and the Legare Waring House was the PERFECT setting for Julie and Pete's wedding! The ceremony took place under the Avenue of Oaks, an amazing canopy of oak trees, and the reception utilized the house itself and its grounds--truly the quintessential Charleston setting. And did I mention the weather was absolutely PERFECT? After the ceremony, guests enjoyed cocktails on the side of the house by the lagoon, and even though the property warns to not disturb the alligators, no reptilian guests were seen. Chef Eric Gaffin with New Dream Catering did not disappoint, Mix Charleston kept the guests refreshed into the evening, and guests danced the night away to the sounds of the Travis Allison Band. What a beautiful evening filled with lots of love for the happy couple!

April's Tip of the Month~Where's the Book?

Finding a spot for the guest book can be tricky. It doesn't necessarily need a 6 foot table all to itself, and it might get lost amongst all the awesome gifts on the gift table...so where should this extremely important little book go? Solution: a cocktail table! It can be put in a prominent, high-traffic location, and it's the perfect height for your guests, so they don't strain their backs trying to bend over a regular table while leaving their Best Wishes for you! Also, if I notice that many guests aren't frequenting the guest book table, I'll have the band or DJ announce its location at an appropriate time, and that usually does the trick! I would HATE for a bride to flip through a half-empty book post-wedding! Not up in here!! ;-)

Stay tuned for more tips for your special Celebration!

Happy Planning!

Melissa

Ashley and Rob have Tied the Knot!

April 9 was a beautiful spring day, and Founders Hall was the perfect setting for Ashley and Rob's Wedding. Pink hydrangeas, roses, orchids, and peonies added amazing color to the outdoor setting for the ceremony, while lanterns of shepherds hooks lined the aisle from A Floral Affair. Pink and white Japanese lanterns hung from the porch and swayed in the spring breeze while guests enjoyed post-nuptial cocktails from MixCharleston and a wonderful stationed dinner by New Dream Catering followed by a variety of cupcakes from The Cake Stand--topped with sugar orchids! Two3Ways entertained the entire evening, and Shannon Michele Photography captured the entire event. I can't wait to see those pictures! Congratulations to Charleston Celebrations' NEWEST newlyweds!!

Kelly and Collier are Married!

Congratulations to our first 2011 couple to tie the knot: Kelly and Collier! What a BEAUTIFUL Charleston day it was on Saturday--sunny and warm! The Thomas Bennett House was the perfect backdrop for this elegant wedding! Following the 5:30pm ceremony, guests were greeted with Firefly cocktails in Mason jars by MIX Charleston, while the wedding party had fun taking photos with King Street Studios. After an amazing seated dinner by Newton Farms Catering and scrumptious wedding cake by D'lish Dessert, Kelly and Collier's guests danced the night away to the sounds of local band Permanent Vacation under a gorgeous white tent with chandeliers from Event Works Rentals and florals by Branch Design Studios. What a fantastic start to our 2011 wedding season!

The Knot's 2011 "Best of Weddings" Winner!

We Did It! Thanks to our fabulous brides and fantastic vendors, we were selected as one of The Knot's 2011 "Best of Weddings" winners! Whoohoo!! THANKS FOR THE SUPPORT!!!

Burgundy and Gold Elegance at Hibernian

Congratulations to Lauren and Andrew, who tied the knot this Saturday at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist and had their reception at Hibernian Hall. It was a beautiful evening, filled with romance and elegance. Lanterns hanging from the rotunda and a spectacular floral arrangement welcomed guests as they arrived. In the hall, gold Chivari chairs and gold crushed linen echoed the gilded accents in this historic space, and touches of burgundy and candlelight added to the warmth and ambiance in the room. Thank you to all of the wonderful vendors who made this night special: Branch Design Studio, inventivEnvironments, Scott Henderson Photography, Wingman Media Group, Cru Catering, 17 South Band, and Event Works Rentals.

Amazing Summer and Fall in Charleston

Wow! It has been an amazing summer in Charleston, and boy were we busy with some FANTASTIC couples, BEAUTIFUL venues, and AMAZING vendors! We even coordinated the College of Charleston School of the Arts fundraising gala, and it was an amazing October evening! Photos taken by King Street Studios will be posted soon!

Fall is here, and we Charlestonians are glad to see the cooler temperatures. No wonder October is the most popular wedding month in the Holy City! We are looking forward to events at Middleton Place, Magnolia Plantation, and Boone Hall this month--gorgeous plantation weddings in our queue! As always, let us show you how we can help make your wedding the Celebration of your dreams and take the STRESS off of both brides and loved ones!

Happy Planning,

Melissa

Charleston Red Carpet's First Premiere Benefit Party!

Buy Your Tickets NOW for the Sex and the City 2 Premiere at Cinebarre on Thursday, May 27th!! This event is benefiting the Lowcountry Komen affiliate! Remember, the preparty starts at Bambu at 7pm, and the fun continues at Cinebarre before the 10:55pm show! Check out out CharlestonRedCarpet.com for more details and to purchase tickets for the show! NO COVER FOR THE PARTIES!