The Statement Dress: Wearing A NonTraditional Wedding Dress

I spy a new wedding trend for 2014! The nontraditional wedding dress! Who says brides have to wear white anyway? The tradition of white dresses started in the early 1800's when Queen Victoria wore a white gown to her wedding. Since the Queen was the epitome of a trendsetter at that time white became the standard for weddings at that time and just well, stuck. Today the white dress means so much more. Some consider it a sign of purity while others see it as a presentation of the brides joy on her wedding day.

But why do you want to look like every other bride on your wedding day? Why not show more of your personality and wear a nontraditional dress? More and more we have began to see brides inserting more of their own personal style into not only their wedding but their dresses as well. So with that being said we have come up with a few tips on how you can integrate a nontraditional dress into your special day!

Finding the Right Photographer

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When we started our tips and tricks series last week we forgot one very important component to planning your wedding! The photos! Everyone knows that your wedding photos tell you and your grooms story. They represent the beginning of a new union and are a snapshot of the happiest day of your life. But how do you choose the right photographer?

Sound Off: Would You Propose to Your Man?

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Every once in a while I am prompted, well moved to write something that really lights a fire in me. Lucky for you all today is on of those days. I recently saw a post on Instagram posing the question "ladies would you propose to you man?" Likewise for men would you want your girlfriend to really get down on one knee and ask for your hand? I have seen if done many times of reality tv, take Chrissy from the Jim Jones Show or even Joseline from Love and Hip Hop. But maybe reality tv references are a little extreme right?  So I thought who better to ask then you!

Though I do believe in traditional gender roles, I do believe there is room for flexibility but is there really room in this area? This seems to be a really hot tot in the wedding industry and I would love to hear your opinions on this! Be sure to leave a comment below and share your thoughts!

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    804.464.7327

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We Been Featured: Rustic Wedding Inspiration

Here at Zahara Events and Design we love mixing modern details with rustic accents. Something special is created when you mix contemporary backdrops with wooden accents. When we planned this styled shoot we knew we had a gem on our hands and we are so glad Megan and her team at Glamour and Grace thought the same thing too!

In case your don't follow us on Facebook and missed Monday's feature make sure you head over to Glamor and Grace and get a little rustic romance inspiration! We are very excited about being featured for a second time on Glamour and Grace and hope all of the brides to be out there enjoy this!

 Also a special thanks to Candice from Candice Patrice Photography for capturing these amazing images for us!

Photography | Candice Patrice Photography | Design and Florals | Zahara’s Events & Design | Rentals | Paisley and Jade| Venue | New Kent Winery

            www.zaharasdesign.com

           804.464.7327

              info@zaharasdesign.com

Tips and Tricks for Choosing the Right Wedding Professional for You: Eight Very Important Questions

 Continuing with our mini series "Tips and Tricks for Choosing the Right Wedding Professional for You." We have come up with another great post about essential questions you should ask every wedding professional before you hire them.

In today's post we'll dig deep into why these questions are so important and how they will assist you in picking the right professional who will be both a joy to work with as well as create the wedding of your dreams! 

Tips and Tricks for Choosing the Right Wedding Professional for You!!

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Hiring the right team is critical to planning your dream wedding and it can also be quite stressful.

How do you find the right match for you?  How do you know who to trust?  Where do you go for advice? This is not an easy task and it’s totally normal for couples to feel overwhelmed, frustrated or confused. It’s not like you plan a wedding every day!  This is all probably brand new to you, so be patient with yourself. No worries we have come up with some tips to help you find the right  wedding professional for you!

A few tips to finding the right wedding professional for you

• Do Your Homework.  You’ll get much more out of a meeting or conversation with a wedding professional if you do a little background homework first. 

Spend some time on the internet or talking to friends who’ve recently been married.  Find out the average prices in your area and what services are available.  Get an idea of what you like and don’t like.  Wedding websites and chat rooms can be a great resource.  This way when you meet with a wedding professional you’ll be able to ask better questions and have an idea of what to look out for.

• Meet With Them.  An in person meeting is the best way to interview a potential wedding vendor. It lets you get the full experience of their personality, style and professionalism.  If that’s not possible, have a phone conversation.    

• Ask Questions.  There are no stupid questions!  Make sure you get clear, specific answers to your questions. If you aren't sure what something means, ask them to clarify. Keep asking questions until you completely understand.

If a wedding vendor has a problem with you asking questions, they probably aren’t the one for you. The best wedding professionals are patient, understanding and take the time to help you make the best choices for your wedding.

• Listen.  Don’t just hear the words they say, really listen.  Watch the vendor’s body language.  Are they confident and comfortable with their response?  Do they look and sound nervous?  Do you get a “funny feeling” about them?  Take all the sights, sounds and feelings into account along with their responses; if your gut tells you something isn’t right, it probably isn’t.
  
  
• Check References.  Portfolios are hand-picked to show off the best work, but they may not represent the “average” wedding performance.  Videos are edited for the optimum presentation.  But real referrals from satisfied clients are hard to fake.

Call up both client and professional references. Ask questions and use those listening skills.  Even if they give a rave review, you’ll often be able to “read between the lines” if there were any issues or problems.

Ask around and search the net for reviews.  Check the Better Business Bureau for any outstanding complaints against the business.  Weigh all of this information into your choices.

Share with us your tips in finding the right planner! Be sure to leave a comment below!

Still need more help? Want more ideas? We've got em! Contact us and we'll be happy to sit down and talk about some ideas with you! Have some ideas of your own? We'd LOVE to hear them! Share some of your inspiration with us.

 www.zaharasdesign.com

804.464.7327

info@zaharasdesign.com

       

5 Common Mistakes Brides Make When Starting to Plan Their Wedding

Full disclosure, this post was and is inspired by real events and people but of course the names will be changed to protect the innocent!  Just kidding ! But seriously I have a very good friend who is in the process of planning a very quick wedding. When I say quick I mean two weeks quick so you can understand all of her and my frustrations. Me being the good friend that I am assisting her every step of the way but with my background and new found knowledge on planning and wedding design I can't help but to nit-pick a bit in helping her.  There are so many things that go into planning a quick wedding, which is a whole other blog post in itself (which I will made into a series in the next coming weeks) but got me to thinking. There are a lot of mistakes that occur at the beginning of your planning that affect your whole wedding! These critical decisions can make or break your wedding so it's imperative that you take some time after you get that ring and really ....  Wait for it .... Think!

But don't worry we did the hard work for you and came up with five common mistakes brides encounter when in the initial planning stages.


1.Not considering a professional wedding planner - Even if you hire an experienced pro for a few hours, it will always pay off. Whether you need help finding the perfect venue or need realistic estimates to create an accurate budget, a seasoned pro can share their expertise.

2. Meeting with vendors before you have a wedding date and venue booked – Your vendors already have weddings on the books for at least the next year. While you may be super excited to book your favorite florist, wait until you have a confirmed date and venue so they can actually book your date and know they are available.

3. Not having a rough budget estimate from the start - If your overall wedding budget is $30k but you want the venue that is $20k, you are really going to skimp on every other vendor category to stay close to your budget.

4. Randomly finding vendors – Ask your venue for a preferred vendor list, hire an experienced planner or use a resource such as Richmond Weddings to find reputable professional vendors who have a great reputation and at least two years of experience. Also, read reviews for potential vendors on websites such as the Knot.com, MyWedding and Wedding Wire.

5. Not having a general style before you look at venues - Rustic mountain cabin, historic mansion, grand hotel ballroom, private home, country club, organic farm…all of these offer a very different types of atmosphere for a wedding. What is the feeling and type of atmosphere you want to create? Romantic, elegant, luxury, casual, chic, modern, artsy, vintage, simple and eclectic are just a few common adjectives to help you get started.

We hopes this helps for all the new brides out there! But as always if you need more help don't hesitate to contact us! We're here for you.

 www.zaharasdesign.com

804.464.7327

info@zaharasdesign.com

Explaining the Difference Between Planners & Designers

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I empathize with most clients who aren’t sure about the difference between what wedding planners do and what wedding designers do.
These two services have become so interchangeable that most of the time, it’s difficult to tell them apart.

Not to mention the local banquet managers from hotels and venues who do not hesitate to tell clients they don’t need a planner. It’s no wonder clients are confused about who does what.

Creating an Amazingly Styled Wedding

Styling is something Zahara's Events & Design is known for and sometimes I have brides ask me what styling is. Yes, we can do styling for our brides and bridal party, which means we are there for them every step of the way from picking the perfect dress and shoes, up to the right hair clip.

But that’s not what our styling services typically entail.
Most of our couples want help pulling together the look of their day.  We assist with all of the details that will impact the feel and look of the space.  This includes everything from programs to lighting, linens, and centerpieces.

The process is different for each bride, sometimes they need help finding their theme and picking colors. Other times they have a very clear idea or vision but want our help adding personal touches and making sure they have a cohesive look.

Since styling is such a huge passion of ours and a major part of what we do, it will now become a featured section of the blog.  So check back for styling tips, trends, and ideas.

 www.zaharasdesign.com

804.464.7327

info@zaharasdesign.com

Wedding Details: Squares

There's  nothing we adore more than seeing how creative folks get by taking seemingly ordinary objects and turning them into something spectacular! Today we wanted to help get your creative juices flowing and share with you a very typical wedding detail that people often overlook. Squares! Be forewarned although squares are common we found some pretty exciting was to incorporate this shape into you event! We know, thank us later!

Images| Cakepops | Cage |Game| Stationary|

 www.zaharasdesign.com

804.464.7327

info@zaharasdesign.com

Wedding Wednesday

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On our Facebook page we what's called Wedding Wednesday's, where we give our followers time to ask us any burning wedding questions. Well today we thought it would be a good time to flip the script a little and ask you all some questions!

Earlier this week I saw the gorgeous photo of R&B songstress Ciara on the  August/September issue of Brides magazine. On the cover Ciara glows in a long-sleeve lace Reem Acra gown accessorized with her own bracelet and other blinded out jewels. In the article Ciara talks about her engagement to rapper Future, new baby and her personal style. She describes her everyday style as "tomboy chic," but also says on her wedding she is "going to do elegance with a little edge." This last comment got me thinking, what kind of brides are our readers? Are you rustic elegance, modern, eccentric, tomboy chic, or something else completely? We want to know!


Leave a comment below and tell us what kind of Bride you are!

 www.zaharasdesign.com

804.464.7327

info@zaharasdesign.com