Junebug's Wedding Blog - Celebrating the Best in Wedding Style, Fashion, Photography and Decor : wedding pros

Vintage Style Furniture and Decor Rental from rEvolve

admin — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 04:00:00 GMT

I love all of the new options for stylish wedding furniture and decor rental that exist in the event space these days - inspired by the best in interior design, these relaxed and welcoming looks lend an aire of home to any celebration. A unique rental company I recently learned about that serves both the East and West Coasts is rEvolve Furniture Co. Recommended to us by the fabulous wedding planner and Junebug member Lyndsey Hamilton of Lyndsey Hamilton Events, rEvolve offers beautiful designs that she says her clients love! One look at these images from their recent look book, and I can see why. Check them out and get inspired!

Looking for more wedding furniture rental and decor design resources? Check out our Rental and Decor recommendation lists in Los Angeles and Seattle!

Modern Wedding Cakes by MRobin Cake Design

admin — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 04:00:00 GMT

I've seen (and tasted!) a lot of amazing wedding cakes in my years in the wedding industry, but I must say that I have never seen any quite like these! Portland, Oregon wedding cake designer Marcella Robin of MRobin Cake Design draws on her background as a sculptor and visual artist to bake "entremet" style wedding cakes that are absolute works of art! According to Marcella, entremet cakes are made with an outer layer of decorative sponge cake which allows for her creative, modern designs, and inside layers of mousse, bavaroise, dacquoise, sponge cake, caramels, fruit and other fillings. They sound like they taste just as incredible as they look! Watch this mini-documentary video below from talented Portland fim-makers Cineastas to learn more and see Marcella in action...

Distinctive Wedding Tenting - Expert Advice from Dominic Mitchell of Raj Tents

christy — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 13:00:00 GMT

Tenting at a wedding can be an absolutely life saver when it comes to shelter from the weather and creating the perfect celebratory environment, but when most people hear the words "wedding tents" I'll bet they're not thinking of anything as spectacularly gorgeous as the one-of-a-kind creations from Raj Tents! Having experienced these works of art first hand at numerous events over the past few years, I can tell you from the heart that these tents are magical! Handmade in opulent styles that range from Indian and Moroccan to French provincial, Raj also offers chandeliers, lighting, lounge furniture and other decor accessories to create your entire event look.

To help us all understand event tenting options a bit more, I recently chatted with Raj Tents' Co-Founder and CEO, Dominic Mitchell, and asked him about all the ways tenting can be used at weddings, and what makes Raj's approach to tents so distinctive in particular...

Where did the idea for Raj Tents come from, and what makes your tents unique? The inspiration behind Raj Tents came from Maurice Walsh and I seeing that there was a huge potential in California for distinctive luxury tenting. I had already been working with tent rentals in London for some years and Maurice had his own successful business in San Francisco. We pooled our expertise and started Raj Tents so we could offer something that was definitely missing in the Special Events industry – beautiful thematic luxury tenting that adds tremendous value to weddings and special events.

Raj Tents has unique inventory that has been carefully planned to take best advantage of traditional artisan hand craftsmanship and highest quality materials. That, combined with innovative design and constant R + D has allowed us to create several exclusive ranges of luxury tenting and décor to cover several themes and types of tent. What we do is highly detail-oriented and we pay a lot of attention to the entire design and manufacture process starting from having fabrics milled and dyed especially for us. On the delivery end, we take great pride in our service, professional crew and accommodating our clients needs – which in the end is what it is all about. After all, no two events are the same and every client deserves an individual solution that is tailored for them.

Let's talk tenting basics - What are some reasons a couple should consider using tents on their special day, both practical and creative? Tents obviously have a practical function – to provide cover from inclement weather or scorching sun. One of the things I enjoy most is seeing how happy a couple is to have a well thought out and beautiful tented installation for their celebrations. The right tents can bring an outdoor space to life, framing views, providing color and décor and – more subtly, containing a gathering of people emotionally. When friends and family come together to celebrate a couple's union we aim to create the right conditions for them to open up, connect and have a memorable day by providing the right tenting. This applies to indoor spaces as well as outdoor tenting. Ballrooms can be transformed and personalized by using smaller tents, wall treatments and décor to make the couple’s special day truly theirs.

How does one know what size and shape of tent to choose and how much space will it require? Raj Tents has complex and flexible inventory and in most cases clients need guidance as to how to use it to the most benefit. We consult with the wedding planner and/or bride and groom to firstly understand what they want to achieve. Of course much depends on the venue, number of guests, style and flow of the wedding. Once we understand the big picture, we are in a position to make recommendations as to size, shape and colors of tents along with options for lighting and accessories. We also offer a custom design and manufacture service, allowing clients to order items in a custom color or print.

What are some tips to keep in mind when choosing a tent that will be installed on grass, the beach or on another uneven surface? Nice flat lawns are the easiest for a tented installation. However, it is often a more challenging site that gives rise to the most creative tenting solution. For beaches, we sometimes sink concrete blocks into the sand as anchors for a low profile installation where a sandy floor is wanted. Often a subfloor is the best option, especially where the tent is in a more exposed location. Uneven ground can be covered with a floor, or we can work the tenting around the terrain, or cut the tent legs to fit an uneven space, so all tents are level on an undulating site.

What are some of the most creative tent installations you've done for weddings at Raj Tents? Lots of favorites to choose from there. A recent custom floating 40’ canopy in a ballroom suspended from the ceiling was gorgeous and really dominated the room. Roof-top installations can be very striking and rather surreal. I probably like beach installations the best. A tropical beach turned into a sophisticated wedding site is amazing, especially when the tenting is made of natural materials and blends into the scenery. When it comes to strong themes like Indian and Moroccan, we can go pretty wild with color, which is always exciting.

Is there anything you'd love to see more of with tenting at weddings? Well, big, involved wedding tent installations allow more scope for us to be creative and deliver more value so we are always happy to work on a larger scale. I think there have been significant changes in tenting expectations over the last years, which is excellent. It is no longer the case that a tent is just a vinyl covered structure. With so many images of fantastic tented installations easy to find on the web, couples are far better able to come across a concept that fits the style of their wedding. After all, we are all driven by what our clients want and the more alternatives and resources they have, the easier it is for them to communicate with us and for us to come up with the right solution. So, the short answer is – clients continuing to push boundaries by asking for what they really want rather than compromising keeps us all at our best.

Thank you so much for sharing your expertise with us Dominic! We love Raj Tents and are honored to have you as Junebug members!

Want to see more? Check out the Raj Tents website and blog - they're available for weddings throughout the West Coast, Hawaii and beyond!

Wedding Planning Tips from Seattle Wedding Planner Jacky Grotle of Event Success

christy — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 19:30:00 GMT

Expert wedding planner Jacky Grotle of Event Success has created weddings and events of all kinds throughout the Pacific Northwest, and she's especially experienced in working with venues that aren't traditionally use to host events and required off-site catering, rentals and decor. In other words, she knows the ins and outs of building a wedding day from the ground up, when everything needs to be brought in from the outside! To get a little bit of her event planning insight, I recently chatted with Jacky and asked her all about her life as a wedding planner...

Christy: Jacky, tell us a little bit about your background and how you came to be a wedding planner.

Jacky: I graduated from Washington State University with a BA in Business/Hospitality. I also completed a Hotel Management School Certification in Switzerland. After many years of working within hotels, resorts, off-site catering and private clubs (always involved in weddings), establishing Event Success was a natural transition.

Christy: What are the things you love most about your job?

Jacky: I love how no two days are ever the same. Sometimes I meet with clients, other days I am researching new products. I am always scoping out new venues and meeting with vendors that can provide my clients with beautiful spaces, unique products and superior services. Another great aspect about my job is that I'm given the wonderful opportunity to get to know some amazing people, both vendors and clients. But, what I love most about my job is how truly passionate I am about my craft. To me, the planning process is like breathing - it's something that I can't imagine living without. Despite having planned hundreds of events, I still find immense joy in watching each individual event develop.

(Images above by April Greer Photography)

Christy: Your company tends to do a lot of events that require off-site catering, rentals and decor. Could you tell us about what that means and what some of the pros and cons are of these different types of venues?

Jacky: Our degree of expertise is definitely most utilized with outdoor weddings. Hosting a garden wedding with tenting may not be more cost effective than a ballroom reception, but a special, natural setting makes for a more unique, personalized and memorable event for the couple and their guests. Tenting, power, lighting, tables, chairs.....yes, even the kitchen sink, is sometimes needed. We have designed custom spaces within backyards, vacation properties and even on remote islands. Challenges are plentiful and there are A LOT of variables, but a well executed outdoor wedding is MAGICAL.

(Images above by Joann Arruda Photography)

Christy: Tell us about a wedding or two of yours, that required everything be brought in from outside the venue, that really had spectacular results.

Jacky: A couple living in New York wanted to host guests at a family property on Lopez Island - a remote island between Seattle and Canada. The groom had grown up visiting the island each summer, so the setting held particularly special sentiment. Planning was done through phone, e-mail and video chat, with only two in-person meetings. The gorgeous event spanned four days with multiple celebrations, including a barn dance, ceremony, cocktail reception, sit down dinner for 200, after hours party and next day brunch and Chinese tea ceremony to celebrate the bride's Chinese heritage. One of the largest challenges was finding lodging for the guests and vendors. In the Northwest, weather is always a foremost consideration, so we had a plan B and even a plan C on standby. Though a couple of years have since passed, I still get rave reviews for that amazing wedding.

Another example: A couple took me to a 15+ acre property for a site inspection. To take advantage of the landscape's many features while not overwhelming guests with its expansiveness, we created spaces and zones so we could choreograph the event's flow while still showcasing the beautiful setting. Finding flat areas for tenting, mowing and even filling in rabbit holes were just a few of the many measures taken to assure the space was wedding-ready. Our preparation and planning resulted in a wonderful full day and night experience with the celebration lasting from 12pm to10pm. This simply would have not been possible at a traditional venue. Being an Indian/American fusion wedding, we created some fantastic attractions that just are not possible at an indoor venue - for example, we featured outdoor grilling stations, the groom rode in on a horse for the Baratt, the groom's traditional Indian entrance, and they even had a sparkler departure.

(Images above by Joe and Jill Photography)

Christy: What are some tips that couples should keep in mind when choosing a wedding venue?

Jacky: We love working with Seattle's top venues, but the number one thing to always consider is whether they have enough space for your group. We have been hired a few times where the guest count could fit in the space - but only without dancing, the band, lounge or anything other than the tables. Give yourself space to move with your guests.

For outdoor weddings, weather is the most significant element that you have no control over. Be sure to have a plan B should the weather not be in your favor. Other things that often slip clients' minds are: flooring, power, lighting, parking and transportation.

(Images above by Joe and Jill Photography)

Christy: Is there any other wedding planning advice that you always find yourself telling the couples you work with?

Jacky: I cannot stress enough the value added of a professional wedding consultant. Hiring a consultant is worthwhile insurance for your investment. If your budget is a foremost consideration, then you should hire a planner to implement your vision on the week or day of your wedding. For brides who opt to DIY, write out a detailed schedule with all tasks, noting the responsible party for each. Make sure that everyone involved in your day is clear on what is expected of them. Pick a point person (a trusted friend or family member) who can handle the vendors, the schedule, the flow of the event and any issues that may arise. Be sure to let go and enjoy your day!

Thank you so much Jacky! We wholeheartedly agree, and love hearing your expert knowledge on all things wedding!

Readers, you can learn more about Jacky and her Event Success team on her website, and if you're planning a Seattle area wedding, don't forget to check out our Hotlist of all the most talented and passionate wedding professionals in the Pacific Northwest!!

Wedding Planner Spotlight - Mark Niemierko, and a New Hotlist from Junebug!

christy — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 18:00:00 GMT

I'm thrilled about sharing today's post for a couple of reasons - 1. I absolutely adore the stylish gentleman and wedding planner I was lucky enough to interview, Mark Niemierko, and 2. I get to tell you that he is one of the first new members of our World’s Best Wedding Planners and Designers Hotlist that’s launching next month!

After the success of our World's Best Wedding Photographers Hotlist this past year, we're excited to respond to countless inquiries from wedding planners around the world asking us to launch a similar Hotlist for them, and to bring you a trusted recommendation list of the most talented, passionate, and experienced wedding professionals available to make your wedding vision come to life!

If you are a bride or groom, and you would like to recommend professionals for our new Hotlist we welcome your suggestions. Please visit our recommendation page to share your advice. If you're an outstanding wedding planner or designer and you would like to join our network, please visit our application page to learn more. We look forward to meeting you and learning about what makes your business one of the best!

Now, without further ado I am thrilled to introduce one of the first new members of the Junebug Weddings World's Best Wedding Planners Hotlist, the one and only, Mr. Mark Niemierko. Based in London, Mark and his team are well known and well respected as planners who set trends by creating spectacular weddings filled with personal style, and the utmost in thoughtful service. No detail is left undone, and every guest, family member, bride and groom is left feeling cared for and at ease. At Niemierko, they truly think of everything so you don’t have to. I sat down with Mark recently to learn from his experience and to hear about how he approaches wedding planning. Take a look!

Christy: Mark, please tell us a little bit about your background and how you came to be a wedding planner.

Mark: I started my wedding planning company 7 years ago. Prior to that I worked in Film and TV production – with various roles from Production Runner to Head of Operations at a Production Company. As well as Film PR which also involved organising the odd event or two.

Christy: What are the things you love most about your job?

Mark: The couples. Seriously working in London I’m so spoilt. I hardly ever marry just an English couple, London is such an international city that my couples come from all over the world and I tend to marry couples with totally different cultures. Russian and India, Burmese and Irish, American and Swedish. You name it. Working with such interesting, fun and cultured couples means my job could never get boring.

(Images above and video below by Allora Visuals of an art deco chic wedding at Claridge's Hotel, London)

Christy: When working with a soon-to-be-married couple, where do you like to begin the wedding planning process? How do you guide your clients toward the right wedding decisions for them?

Mark: First off we need a venue, location. So I need what I call the Four Fundamentals from them. Date. Number of guests. Location. Budget. I also need an overall guide on what style of wedding they want (evening, day, summer, spring, winter etc). And what type of ceremony – religious or non-religious. I really find planning weddings should be a naturally progression – sure I need certain points answered from my couples, but I don’t like to pressure them. I like it to feel like a natural and effortless planning process to them, whilst I am actually ticking things off my list!

Christy: Is there a piece of advice that you always find yourself telling your clients? What's the best advice you've received as a wedding professional?

Mark: Firstly Brides and Grooms need to remember the wedding day isn’t about them. There’s already enough focus spoilt on them and it is fundamentally their big day. A lot of couples forget that to create a good, memorable wedding, the key is atmosphere. The key ingredient to good atmosphere is guests. Keep your guests happy with good service, food and wine and the wedding will go down as the best in history.

I think the best advice I was ever given was never to assume. Don’t assume every couple wants to tick every traditional wedding planning box. There are no rules anymore – weddings are more personal than ever, and a couple should be allowed to personalise their wedding whatever way they want, even if it’s not to your taste.

Christy: What are some of your favorite wedding venues in the London area?

Mark: So many. Claridge’s is a firm Niemierko favourite. Aside from the welcome the staff give the decor and understated Art Deco elegance of the hotel’s ballroom is a huge appeal to couples.

One Mayfair and One Marylebone are also great grand but also fun venues. Converted churches – so if you really wanted to you could have your dance floor on the alter!

The Dorchester for its all out wow glamour and splendour. They’ve just reopened their ballroom after a large refurbishment. It’s also the home of my Academy!

Number Sixteen. The chicest boutique hotel in South Kensington with a private (almost secret) garden. Just perfect for an intimate wedding.

(Images above of a modern English Niemierko wedding, photos by Keith Appleby)

Christy: Any hidden gems or fabulous wedding finds in your area that more people ought to know about? Locations, planning ideas, fantastic businesses or otherwise?

Mark: Cat Hammond of Paper Cloud Creative. She designs and oversees the printing of all Niemierko couples invitations. She’s not that well known yet – but having worked at some of the biggest names in print in London she’s highly experienced and creative. I adore her, she’s an essential member of Niemierko’s key suppliers.

Allora Visuals. A great Videography duo who I discovered a year ago. They make all Niemierko’s behind the scenes wedding videos you see here. They also do wedding videos for couples. Certainly worth having on a wedding day to capture the day.

Wellington Arch at Hyde Park Corner actually can hold a private event space at the top – only for 20 people. But it’s a wonderful location... and of course you can get a sneaky peek over the Queen’s back garden wall!

The Apartment at The Connaught Hotel is the ideal and dream Bridal Suite in my opinion. The hotel is just wonderfully furnished after a refurbishment a few years ago. It also has the best bar in London! The Connaught Hotel Bar, the martini trolley comes to your table to allow you to oversee the mixing of your drink!

The Rockabellas are a female trio act based on the 20s and 40s yet also sing modern day songs such as Beyonce’s Crazy in Love. Seriously great fun and whenever we have used them they’ve been the highlight of the wedding!

Christy: You're not only a wedding planner but an educator as well. Tell us about your Niemierko Academy and why you decided to begin offering this learning opportunity?

Mark: Wedding planning is still very new to the United Kingdom. It’s also an industry some aren’t treating as a business. New York, and America overall, is very lucky to have experts and pioneers such as Marcy Blum, Preston Bailey and Colin Cowie who have so much experience and knowledge... yet have no issues with sharing that and being ambassadors for their industry.

Some planners in London and the UK really aren’t being honest with themselves in that they aren’t running a business. More a hobby. I’m not overly popular for stating these thoughts previously. But I think, get real. How are you going to pay your rent when you are planning a wedding for £2,000!

Plus I want to ensure quality throughout the industry... and ensure I have quality competition. Currently when I quote a couple they could go off and meet another planner who is a fourth of the price. There’s just no guide on how to run your business and from experience I really can give that advice having made mistakes over the last seven years!

We’ve only had two academies so far – so 20 students in all. And I’m so pleased with how they are all doing. I love seeing their websites take shape and their careers evolve. I really want the Academy to build a fab network of likeminded individuals who can call on me or each other for questions, advice or reassurance throughout their wedding planning careers.

(Images above and video below by Allora Visuals of an elegant autumnal wedding at The Grove Hotel, Hertfordshire)

Christy: What is the best thank you you've ever received from a client?

Mark: I’ve been very lucky and received some of the most wonderful and lavish gifts from Brides and Grooms. Including some wonderful hand written notes. But I think the most rewarding thank you, is keeping in touch with couples years after their wedding, and being invited into their homes and meeting their children. It’s great to keep in touch with some of my clients, and in some cases for them to become good friends.

Christy: What can't you live without?

Mark: Ruby Grace, Annie Mae and Edward. My two nieces and nephew.

Thank you Mark! We're so honored to get to work with you, and we love hearing your perspective on wedding planning (not to mention your dapper look and fabulous accent, of course).

You can learn more about Mark Niemierko on his website and blog, and about how to become a member of our World's Best Wedding Planners and Designers Hotlist, on our application page!

Light X Design by Expert Wedding Lighting Designer Bentley Meeker

christy — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 13:00:00 GMT

Bentley Meeker is a world renowned lighting designer who has worked with the top wedding planners and designers in the world, creating magical environments for weddings and events like no one else. In his new book Light X Design: 20 Years of Lighting by Bentley Meeker, Bentley shares photo after photo of his unbelievable creations. The scenes are utterly impressive as they make the grand New York City locations they exist in even more spectacular, and they illustrate Bentley's great love and passion for his artistic medium. I was lucky enough to get to ask Bentley a few questions recently about wedding lighting design, so that we could all learn a bit from his vast body of knowledge. Here's what he had to say...

Junebug: When planning the lighting design for a wedding, is there a place you like to begin the creative process with the wedding planner, the designer or the couple? Or is this jumping off point different for every event?

Bentley: It begins with the sensibility of the couple themselves. We often work with decorators and event planners in NYC that have particularly elevated aesthetics and are tastemakers in the industry so the translation from the couple's sensibility into information we can use is a smooth one. However, in other markets, where the planner is often one's aunt who has little experience in translating information as such, it's great for the lighting designer to directly get a sense of what the couple's vibe is.

(Above images of various wedding and fashion show lighting designs at New York City's Gotham Hall, beginning with no decor or creative lighting at all in the top photo.)

Junebug: What are some aspects about great lighting that people often overlook? What can it bring to an event that nothing else can? To a wedding specifically?

Bentley: Lighting is the single most transformative element in an event and especially in a wedding. Design and decor are hugely important and lighting works closely with that, but true transformation of a space begins and ends with the lighting.

Junebug: Are there any lighting basics that every couple should consider when planning their weddings, regardless of their event size or budget?

Bentley: Yes. Have EVERYTHING on dimmers. Also, be very wary of LED's which, while creating bold and often vibrant colors, can detract from the quality of light in an event and especially in weddings. We use them as infrequently as possible in weddings.

Junebug: If a couple is planning a wedding in an indoor location with existing decor colors, textures and furnishings, what is a good way to approach their creative lighting choices?

Bentley: I think that they should first look at what they like architecturally about the space and possibly light those things, whether it be a ceiling wash, the uplighting of columns or even the highlighting of decor they bring in. It's important to highlight what we want the eye drawn to most, because our eyes are indeed drawn to - and adjust to - what's brightest in our field of vision.

Junebug: In the warmer seasons, so many people love to hold weddings outdoors where bringing in additional lighting can feel tricky. What are some of your favorite ways to add beautiful lighting to what mother nature already supplies?

Bentley: I'm partial to using foliage breakups for outdoor events, especially in tents, creating a sense of the outside being brought in. I also like to stay with warm, natural colors, as I do in most places.

For foliage, I like to light it in white, showcasing the natural colors of the trees, flora and even fauna. I always thought that lighting a green tree with green light made it a little too strong... (Especially when that green squirrel goes running up it...)

Junebug: Do you have any great tips for everyday lighting that couples can use to make their homes look and feel more beautiful and welcoming?

Bentley: Yes. Use incandescent light and put it all on dimmers. Everything. And then use them. When you're not needing bright functional light (cooking, reading, etc.) lower your lights. It's infinitely more beautiful and saves electricity to boot.

Thank you Bentley! Your new book is absolutely beautiful, and we appreciate you sharing your expertise with us!

Readers, for even more spectacular lighting design inspiration, check out Bentley's book Light X Design: 20 Years of Lighting by Bentley Meeker!