A blog about all things Nigerian wedding/event decor related with relevant tips, ideas and advice. It is a spinoff of our main website www.christinescreatives.com
Thursday, 11 July 2013
Add a little oomph to your wedding flowers and accessories
There's always the
vanilla/traditional way of doing things, but sometimes you feel like you
want to add an extra oomph to your wedding flowers and accessories. Taking a fresh and out-of-the-box approach while planning your wedding, allows you to infuse some uniqueness into your wedding. It could be anything from infusing traditions from other cultures, to recreating the hottest designs on the runway.
Over the past year or so, we have noticed an upward trend in the use of brooches to create unique and glamorous bouquets. 'Bling' is definitely in!
Accessorising your bouquet with brooches, pearls or diamante will definitely make your bouquet stand out, and will make a fabulous gift for whoever catches is (that is if you have the will power to throw such a gorgeous bouquet :) ) and if your florist is creative enough or your imagination is wild enough, you can have a movie themed bouquet... think 'Great Gatsby'
Honoring and appreciating your parents on your wedding day
Honoring and appreciating your parents on your wedding day is one of the most heartfelt gestures that you can do, to show you your parents how much you truly love and appreciate all they have done to bring you to this point. Below are a few tips that your can incorporate into your wedding. Enjoy!
Image by The Sugared Plums on Etsy
1. During the ceremony,
have the officiant mention the names of any deceased parent or
grandparent, and how much they influenced and molded you to the
individuals you are today.
Had to share this wedding music video by Flavour ... Ada Ada.
Love, love this video! The bride and her ladies looked gorgeous, plus the traditional dancers, the decor, the traditional attires were all on point. As the song says "Better soup na money kill am!...". We love Nigerian weddings :)
Oh my gosh! we loooove this wedding proposal :) You should watch it... You know how we always go on and on about weddings, brides, and decor right? Well, wedding proposals are also high up there on our list, and we are so loving this one! I won't say very much about it so i don't spoil it for you, but its oh sooo romantic...
If you have any funny or romantic
wedding proposal videos or pictures that you would love to share with us, please email us
at blog@christinescreatives.com and we'll post it. Bless xoxoxo!!
Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge (Kate Middleton) inspired wedding bouquet
When Will and Kate got married in 2011, we were all awed at how simply and elegantly put-together Kate was. Her wedding dress, flowers and bridal party were not over the top. Apparently, Kate had requested that her bouquet be "unpretentious, simple and natural" which seems to be a true reflection of her personality. Kate looked graceful and poised, a testament to how secure she felt transitioning into her new role as William's wife, future mother to their kid(s) and Britain's future queen.
Two years later, we find that brides are still inspired by her simple and elegant style. Over the weekend, we created a Kate inspired bouquet for one of our brides, and she loved it! Among the sea of colors at her wedding, her white airy bouquet created out of 'Baby's breath' stood out as simple, elegant and unique. 'Baby's breath' is used as a symbol of purity and being pure of heart, and was definitely a great choice for our bride.
While Kate's bouquet was created with more expensive flowers, it wouldn't break the bank to create a similar bouquet for the regular bride. We love this style, and agree that there is definitely something about understated wedding bouquets that exude an airy sense of simplicity and self-security. Cheers!!!
So yesterday evening I attended a Google+ hangout hosted by a couple of big names in the wedding industry, including +HauteLook and +Nordstrom and it was such a blast! They addressed a lot of very interesting questions that brides have about planning their weddings including: pre-wedding diet routines, trending colors for 2014, and wedding cake alternatives (which i'll be discussing in this post). One of the things I've learnt over the years being in the wedding planning/event decor business is that typically the components of every wedding are generally similar - you just need to tailor the wedding to the environment, culture, religion and demographics of the wedding attendees and host(s).
With regards to wedding cake alternatives, one of the more common alternatives is cupcakes. Most people love the idea of individualised cakes for their guests, and the different look and feel of their cake table. In addition with cupcakes you don't have to worry about cutting a huge cake on site. Read more »
Based on our readership yesterday, I think it is fair to say that the issue of how to pick your bridesmaids/maid of honor is a hot button topic for a lot of brides - and rightfully so. Funny thing is I had the same discussion with a friend yesterday at lunch time. She is also a wedding planner (amongst all the other maaaaaany things she does) and is going to be the maid of honor at a wedding in 2 weeks.
Interestingly, as we continued to chat we both agreed on the same thing - managing a bridal party with individuals who have very different temperaments is not easy - and this is not just bridesmaids specific, it also relates to groomsmen. She's had to deal with members of the bridal party coming to her to complain about each other, instead of resolving issues amongst themselves, and has also had to deal with groomsmen being too laid back and not wanting to participate in any of the planning activities. To provide some context, my friend is not Nigerian (or even African) so these issues definitely cut across cultures. Read more »
Seriously...How would you pick your Bridesmaids/Maid of Honor without causing drama? For a lot of brides, picking the ladies on their bridal train isn't quite so easy. There's family politics to consider, and there are friends who just assume they'll be on your train because you've know them since forever, or because they invited you to be on their train... yep! Here are a few tips that may (and i stress 'may') make selecting your bridesmaids a little easier: 1. Bachelorette party - Pick bridesmaids who will make it their mission to throw you the funnest bachelorette party ever! After all, it's the last time you get to celebrate as a single woman. Do not complain that 'no one has your time or cares' if you decide to pick ladies who are too busy or just don't have a clue - that's all on you dear! Read more »
In our line of work we meet a lot of vendors - cake decorators, musicians, photographers, caterers, makeup artists etc. Some of these vendors have been in the industry for years and are professionals at their trade, while some are still honing their skills. Obviously, we always hope we meet other vendors on site whose work compliments our event decor so that the event looks beautiful, very well put-together and is an overall success!
On this post we will be featuring one of our favorite vendors - Syndy's Cakes, located in Abuja, Nigeria. Syndy's cakes is a high-end cake boutique that caters to brides who are looking Read more »
There are so many moving parts when you start planning your wedding, and you really do not want to forget your wedding vehicle decor. Decorating the bride, groom, and bridal party vehicles is just as important as the boutonnieres and flowers for the bridal party. Besides the beauty and sense of festivity the wedding vehicle decor provides, it also helps to single out the most important vehicles of the event. Simply put, decorations on the wedding party vehicles should be just as beautiful as they are functional.
Think about it.... decorating your wedding vehicles is just as good as a VIP pass. Have you seen how politicians and government officials clear traffic with their sirens and lights? Well, your wedding day is your day to be THE VIP. Your decorated vehicles will open up parking spots and clear the way for you if there is traffic on your way to your wedding/reception venue.
Wedding day accessories - Epaulettes, Hairpins, handbracelets...
Jewelry worn by a bride on her wedding day is just as reflective of her personality as the dress she wears. In as much as brides would like to wear dresses and accessories in trend, it is more important to be true to yourself and what kind of style you are comfortable with.
Typically, the most expensive piece of jewelry a bride will be wearing on her wedding day is her wedding ring. This is a piece of jewelry that will be worn for a lifetime, as such the price tag attached to it is understandable. With the cost of weddings being so high, it is a breath of fresh air to know that brides have the option of wearing fashion jewelry on their wedding day. Fashion jewelry, if selected properly gives you the look you desire, but for a fraction of the price you would have paid for the real thing.
A bride's wedding accessories should typically complement the dress she is wearing. A more romantic bride can match rhinestone and pearl set jewelry accessories to a Victorian or vintage style wedding dress.
The more elaborate your dress, the simpler your wedding accessories should be. Vintage inspired shoulder epaulettes, hairpins and/or necklaces are great accessories to include as part of the bridal outfit.
For the whimsical bride with an eclectic taste, wearing a mother of pearls hand bracelet, bohemian style headpiece or foot jewelery may be more suited to your bridal style. Whatever your personal style is, make sure it shines through on your wedding day. Trends are fine, but being comfortable in what you are wearing is more important.
The smile on Ifeoma's face as she walked down the aisle with her dad to meet her love - Uyi was... priceless!!!
Ifeoma and Uyi tied the
knot in Lagos on June 1st, 2013. We are so happy and congratulate the both of them. Ifeoma
wore a beautiful form fitting lace wedding dress that flattered her
figure and flowed gracefully as she walked down the aisle. She carried a beautiful hand-tied bouquet
with multi-colored roses, and was accompanied by her bridemaids dressed in elegant orange dresses.
In this age of advanced photography and videography, there's no reason why you cannot create a story out of your wedding pictures. In addition to the regular pictures you take with friends and family after the wedding ceremony, you should also consider taking pictures that tell a funny/interesting story. Sometimes, you may be lucky to get funny wedding pictures taken without planning ahead, but a lot of times you have to take deliberate action to make it happen. The video below is a pretty cool example of how to deliberately plan with your photographer to take cool wedding pictures.
Finding a very creative and imaginative photographer may cost a little more in terms of time and money, but it is usually very well worth it - especially when (in the future) you have excellent quality pictures and videos that allow you to reminisce with joy on the days and events that led up to you wedding day.
As with any other aspect of wedding planning, ensure you do your due diligence and get referals before hiring a vendor. Sometimes you may not be able to get personal referrals, but the vendor's social media presence may help you decide whether or not you would like to hire them.
As we like to say, your event/wedding is your own production - make sure its a true reflection of you! Have fun & Cheers!! ;)
So you were selected as the
honorary event planner/host at your workplace; you planned the perfect
event - food, drinks, decor, music, theme - the whole shebang. Everything on
point! You are super proud of yourself and pat yourself on the back!
You can see everyone's enjoying the live band while chowing down on the 3
course meal, all of a sudden you hear one of the guests shriek "Ewww.... there's a fly in my drink!" What do you do? (a) size her up and down, then
decide whether or not she's V.I.P enough to deserve your attention (b) pretend
you didn't hear a thing - after all you are only the event planner/host and not the 'help'? (3) be the perfect host and get one of the servers to
replace the drink... for real, how would you deal with the situation?
There are a few things to consider when it comes to event hosting etiquette. Regardless of the type of event - cocktail,
gala, workshop, barbeque, luncheon - it is your responsibility as the host to ensure that
every guest (regardless of VIP status) is adequately taken care of.
Obviously, it is fine to assign specific servers to VIP guests, however, you need to
ensure that your other guests are not neglected.
If you are planning/hosting an event soon, below are some hosting etiquette you could consider for your next event:
Ensure all your guests have food and drinks within a reasonable period of time. The last thing you
want is people complaining about not having enough food and drinks at the
event
Ensure alcoholic beverages are put away at least 1 – 2 hours
before the event ends (this reduces the risk of people driving home intoxicated. It’s
your party – you set the rules!)
Mingle – make sure you are available to your guests, and that you
are moving around and making small talk. Do not hangout with only one group of
guests, that could make other guests feel less important
Make sure everyone is having a great time! Introduce guests who
may have come alone to other guests. This will ensure no one feels left out
One last thing, make sure the music volume is at a comfortable
level so people can hear themselves when they chat at the tables, and those who
feel like dancing can also dance.
Now that you have these 'perfect-host' tips, how would you respond to the guest who found a fly in her drink? :) . Have a great time
planning/hosting your next event and enjoy the video below! Cheers!!!
Live abroad but planning to get married at home (Nigeria)?
Do you live abroad but want to get married at home? Congratulations!!! You've just decided to plan a destination wedding!
Destination weddings are fun - especially if you are going back home to get married. You get to leave your home-away-from-home to get married in an environment that is exciting, different and culturally rich. Planning a wedding from a distance may seem a little challenging, but if well planned is usually well worth it. You get to re-immerse yourself in the local culture; the people, the language, the food, the clothing, the music... ohhh the music - the Nigerian music industry is growing by leaps and bounds! Absolutely love the video below - "Obi Mu O by Obiora Obiwon"
Since you are so far away, you'll probably have very little control over most parts of the wedding planning process - and may have to rely on friends and family to help you with a lot of the running around.
However, you can still be involved by clearly communicating your vision for your Read more »
Centerpieces: Your event is your own production... make it a true reflection of you
As we wait patiently for the Great Gatsby to be released in movies tonight, we figured we would write a Gatsby themed blog today about centerpieces.
As we all know (hopefully), it
is important that your guests feel welcome when they attend an event
that you are hosting. Food is a universal way of making guests feel
welcome at your home or event, and so is the ambiance you create. You
want guests to leave with pleasant experiences that they'll talk about
with nostalgia for years to come. Think about the Oscars or the MET gala - its the creativity in the fashion, the music, the decor, the venue - pretty much the whole production that keeps people talking and keeps these events newsworthy. Your event is your own production. It leaves an impression in people's minds of the kind of individual you may be.
Using centerpieces on guest tables is
one of the ways to create a comfortable welcoming atmosphere for your
guests. Items that can be used for centerpieces are only limited by your
imagination. Flowers, decorative birdcages, lanterns, fruit bowls,
framed pictures, crystals, candles, gold fishes, feathers .... Anything really. Ok well, maybe not everything. There a few things you may want to consider before selecting your centerpieces: Read more »
Most brides around the world choose to carry a bouquet on their wedding day. Brides typically select the style and size of their bouquet based on how elaborate or simple the wedding dress is going to be. For example, cascade styled bouquets are typically paired with wedding gowns that have a long train, while nosegay bouquets are typically matched with simple styled wedding dresses. The fan bouquet has also made a comeback and has been spotted at quite a few weddings this year. An excellent
Essential tools for event planning... Whether you are a seasoned event planner or a bride planning her wedding, it is essential to know what tools you have available to you. There are tons of tools available to make the event planning process easier, and we will be featuring one of our favorites today - the 3D Event and Space Design Application by EVENTS clique.
3D Event designer allows you to design an event space in 2D or 3D by dragging and Read more »
