This past weekend, I had the privilege of meeting with A Spice of Life Catering just before at a wedding held in the Dove House at Lionsgate Event Center to explore some of their custom catering offerings.

The evening was lively with pre-ceremony excitement; bridesmaids bustled in and out of doorways, the staff was busy setting silverware, guests gathered around the bar, and the kitchen was alive with the tantalizing scent of appetizer preparation and entrees warming in the ovens.

I was fortunate enough to try all the following appetizers: Wild Mushroom Bread Pudding- a savory herbed focaccia bread pudding with wild mushrooms, topped with truffle oil infused pesto and melted brie cheese; Miniature Baked Potatoes with broccoli and cheese; Grilled flatbread with dill creme fraiche, smoked salmon, and tobiko (flying fish roe); and Petite Tenderloin sliders- a slow-roasted beef tenderloin served with roasted red pepper jelly and onion straws.

Each dish was full of richness in taste and texture, stimulating every taste bud in my mouth. It is evident that A Spice of Life has mastered the ability to draw upon classic dishes while adding a fusion twist that is sure to ‘wow’ your guests and leave them only wanting more.

The buffet offered to the guests at this wedding feast included fish, chicken, and beef options, completed with salad and pasta choices. There was also a wide variety of desserts to compliment the traditional wedding cake. The young and enthusiastic serving staff and bartenders from A Spice of Life exemplified my vision of what a catering staff should offer guests through their friendliness and professionalism which was afforded me during my visit.

A Spice of Life Catering is based in Boulder, CO and can be reached by phone at 303.443.4049, by email at info@aspiceoflife.com  or view their video on My Own Bridal Show.

The post Delectable Wedding Feast by A Spice of Life Catering appeared first on My Own Bridal Show.

Cherry Creek Wedding by Newberry Brothers

Ryan Lavarnway, a catcher for the Boston Red Sox, has had plenty of reasons to celebrate recently. After clinching the World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals in October, Lavarnway and his bride, Jamie Neistat, said their “I Do’s” at the J.W. Marriott in Cherry Creek this past weekend.

The bride’s impeccable style and taste radiated throughout the reception area with floral arrangements designed by Newberry Brothers. Neistat, a native to Colorado, approached the florist with the intent of creating a natural and organic, yet uniquely stunning reception area, which was beautifully executed.

The royal purple linens were softened with pale pink and quicksand roses and Aranda orchids, which were delicately arranged on branches in tall, clear vases. Several of the arrangements had silver tea lights dangling from the branches, giving the room an intimate, yet magical feel. Another group of the branch settings stemmed out of bountiful arrangements containing roses, orchids, kale, and artichokes; a beautiful way to add color to a fall wedding without having to rely solely on flowers. Shorter vases filled with dark river stones and floating candles sat on top of slices of birch trunks to complete the centerpieces.

The attention to detail exhibited by Newberry Brothers and their ability to create strikingly different centerpieces was absolutely remarkable. The elegant and intimate environment created by their floral centerpieces for the Lavarnway-Neistat wedding will undoubtedly leave a lasting impression on guests and anyone fortunate enough to view their work!

Want to learn how Newberry Brothers can create a lasting impression for your wedding? Watch their video on My Own Bridal Show or connect to Newberry Brothers website!

The post Cherry Creek Wedding by Newberry Brothers appeared first on My Own Bridal Show.

The post What to Tip The Bartenders at My Wedding appeared first on My Own Bridal Show.

How much to tip wedding vendors is a question that is often asked.  Here are a few guidelines to help you from start to finish as well as warnings and tipping best practices for weddings.

First of all, I would recommend being prepared well in advance by figuring the tips into your overall budget.  This way there are no suprises in the end.  Always remember, if your wedding is especially large, or your vendors have provided you with services that are exceptional, it is customary to give tips that are larger than what I’m suggesting below.

Please, please, always go over all of your contracts very carefully and don’t be afraid to ask questions if you are not sure if the gratuity is included.  It can be called other names, such as “service charges” or “staffing fees”.  Some companies don’t use this vernacular for in cognito tipping.  Be very clear in your line of questioning or you may be double tipping!  Here are some recommended tips:

Wedding Planner/ Coordinator: 15% of the total not to exceed $200 (Given at the end of the evening)

Photographer or videographer:  $50-$100 (Given at the end of the evening)

DJ: $50-200 (Given at the end of the evening)

Florist or Cake : $50-$75 ( Given when flowers or cake is delivered; ask someone else to give these)

Hairstylist or Makeup: 15-20% of the overall service (immediately after service is provided when paying)

Catering Staff:   Event Captain: $100-$200, Servers: $25-50 (Given at the end of the evening, with the total for all staff given to the event captain and distributed by them).  Bartenders are usually figured in with the servers but can be tricky.  I’m doing my next weekly blog on tipping at the bar as this is a topic that warrants attention on it’s own.

It is not  usually customary to tip the owners of a business if they are directly providing the service, but a lovely thank you note, or a raving review on line is always appreciated!

I recommend giving the tips in cash at the end of the evening.  Have your envelopes made out for each person you intend to give a tip with an amount you think you will give.  Have several denominations of bills available.  This way at the end of the evening if the service is not quite up to your expectations you can always reduce the amount of gratuity given or conversely give more for an exceptional job.

Tune in next week for my follow up blog to this when I discuss tipping at the bar.

The post How Much to Tip Wedding Vendors [video] appeared first on My Own Bridal Show.

Chateaux Grand Ballroom

The Chateaux at Fox Meadows, an established wedding ceremony and reception venue, is undergoing a period of renewal and fresh changes. The elegant French-style mansion and expansive manicured lawn make the Chateaux an ideal wedding location, but it is the community of staff that makes this location truly remarkable. If I learned anything during my visit, it was that the staff draws heavily on their many years of experience to serve their clients’ needs and meet accommodations without missing a beat.

In this particular wedding, for example, the ceremony and reception were both held in the Grand Ballroom of The Chateaux. In order for the necessary changes to be made, a cocktail party was hosted downstairs for the guests’ convenience. This allowed for a seamless re-setting and transformation of the ballroom for the reception.

This family-run business knows the importance of staying one step ahead in the events industry, making alterations to stay ahead of trends and better serve their guests. They just received their liquor license in February and have added an extensive amount of cocktail options as well as opportunities for personal selections in beer, wine, and several premium distilled liquors.

Although the beauty of the Chateaux requires little adornment, the new silver Chiavari Chairs (cane chairs) and fresh new linens add to the already stunning interior, which was made apparent on my visit this Saturday. The wedding that took place this weekend took advantage of the beautiful fall foliage by accentuating the orange and vermillion leaves with a beautiful violet linen color. The table settings were clean and elegant with silver chasers, a single broad black ribbon down the center, and a lantern set in a tray of small stones. The floral hairbands accented by purple ribbons worn by the flower girls were so cute yet elegant! The menu the couple chose was a traditional Italian meal with several pasta options, salad, bread, and even an Italian soda bar for guests to enjoy.

The Chateaux specializes in only hosting one lovely event at a time. Appointments are available for your private tour and consultation by calling them at:  (303) 466-8078 or requests through their website.

The post The Chateaux at Fox Meadows appeared first on My Own Bridal Show.

The best part about a brooch bouquet is that it will not parish like fresh flowers, and you can even pass it down for future generations to use.  I love the idea of mixing both flowers and brooches so you can have the best of both worlds!  This will also make it easy for your guests as they will know just what to shop for and buy you for your bridal shower.  They may even contribute an heirloom brooch from some of your family members from long ago which would make your bouquet even more special!

Pinterest is such a great source of ideas for unique brooch bouquets.  You can even choose to have a particular color or style.  Many brooch bouquets are primarily either pearl or pearl and rhinestone.  Don’t be afraid to mix it up and make yours uniquely tailored to your tastes, color, etc.

Chastity Sampson is a wedding planner in northern Colorado who has many talents.  She also designs beautiful brooch and flower bouquets.  Her company, Classy Wedding Design can help with many aspects of your wedding day and she can also help with creating a beautiful brooch bouquet for you!  Check out the photos below to see her work.

Brooch bouquet by Chastity Sampson

Brooch bouquet by Chastity Sampson

The post Fun Bridal Shower Idea [video] appeared first on My Own Bridal Show.

I saw this great wedding card idea on Pinterest and thought it was so cute, unique and a great way to keep your wedding cards on display so you can enjoy them for years to come. Make an album of all of your wedding cards, held together by a simple metal ring and secure with a ribbon, and decorate the cover to match your style. I like the idea of using your wedding invitation as part of the cover design too!

What do you think…Is this a great wedding card idea, or what?

The post Great Wedding Card Idea [Video] appeared first on My Own Bridal Show.

Always have a backup plan when you are thinking you want an outdoor wedding.  It is nearly impossible to be certain as to what the weather will do! I strongly recommend choosing a venue that has an indoor option if the weather simply isn’t cooperating for your outdoor wedding plans.

Some other considerations:

• Have a tent on reserve if your venue is strictly outdoors.
• Don’t forget to rent a floor for the tent, as your guests don’t want to walk or dance on soggy muddy ground!
• Wind – Be sure to tell your hairstylist about your outdoor plans so they can suggest a more durable hairstyle and use heavy duty hairspray!
• Try to avoid very flowing fabrics such as chiffon or light silks or you’ll be fighting to keep your dress down in strong winds.

These photos were taken at the beautiful Chateaux at Fox Meadows where they have two lovely areas (both equally fabulous) for either an indoor or outdoor wedding.  There was some unexpected rain the evening of this event so they had to move the festivities inside at the last minute.  Watch their video to see this beautiful facility!

The post Always Have a Backup Plan for an Outdoor Wedding [video] appeared first on My Own Bridal Show.

Don’t be afraid to mix several colors and textures of types of flowers from roses, sunflowers, calla lilies and even mix in berries or various colors, wheat, leaves and pheasant feathers.  Pumpkins make festive fall containers for your centerpieces and they now come in not only orange, but white and natural blue!  Purple is a beautiful accent to the warm fall tones in your wedding.

For more fall flower ideas check out The Perfect Petal.  Watch their video, and click through to their website and let then help you with some great flower inspiration!

The post Beautiful Fall Wedding Flowers Inspiration [video] appeared first on My Own Bridal Show.

Here are some pro’s and con’s:

Pro’s:

1.  Because your “virtual” guests don’t have to spend any money on travel to get to your wedding, they may be a little more generous and buy you a great wedding gift!
2. Bonus for you, with “virtual” guests, your expenses and guest count can be reduced significantly, yet they will still get to see all of the festivities and have a front row seat.
3. The service is not expensive.  Most start at around $500 and go up from there.

Con’s:

1. If you are getting married at a more remote outdoor location, streaming video can be more difficult.  Electricity is definitely needed.

2. Internet connections for this technology are best when hard wired as opposed to being wireless which lends itself to an indoor or non-remote location.

All Digital Photo and Video is a fantastic video provider and can help you with a live streaming video for your event.  Watch All Digital’s video and contact them today for more information!

The post Latest Must Have Item For Your Wedding…[video] appeared first on My Own Bridal Show.