Katie + Craig's Warm Springs Wedding

ST. JOHN CATHEDRAL | WARM SPRINGS | JUNE 25TH 2016

“To love is nothing. To be loved is something. But to love and be loved, that’s everything.”

— T. Tolis

“..they are so happy..and so of course we are so happy. What a wonderful wedding. You were incredible and you are so gifted at what you do. Have anyone call me anytime if they want to visit with a past, very particular “mother of the bride” …my reference will be shining and for very good reasons. Thank you for making the day go so smoothly and so beautifully. While we did this for Katie and Craig, I can’t help be pleased when the compliments keep rolling in..the food, the flowers, the décor, the venue, the staff, the music, the …….you should be very proud! Cheers to you Heidi…our love and admiration for a fantastic job so very well done.”

— Mother of The Bride, Patty

“I know Patty said thank you, but I wanted to echo that sentiment. Obviously, we are pretty fond of Katie and Craig. You really made their special day perfect. You, and your staff, were wonderful to work with and fun to be around. Taking all those organizational tasks off our hands allowed us to relish the occasion, what a blessing.”

— Father of the Bride, Derrick

“You are really amazing. You are passionate about what you do and you poor your whole self into it. My favorite comment was that people ‘could really feel the love’ during the whole event! Isn’t that the coolest?

Some other comments:
“They moved a LOT of people through the event and it never felt like it”
“ The decorations were incredible”…people were so impressed with every detail…
Loved the farm tables
Loved the bars
Loved the pics
Loved the table settings
LOVED the tent
Loved the DJ
“The food was remarkable” – everything here was perfect and people were wondering how you fed so many without any food being dry or cold. Wow. “The staff was really professional and worked so hard”. Everyone was jealous of the ear pieces. “There were a lot of photographers. Those pictures are going to be amazing” –”

— Mother of the Groom, Teresa

It's with bittersweet emotions that I share Katie and Craig's beautiful wedding day! It took almost a full year's work to plan, design and manage their wedding and I have come to care very much for Katie and Craig and their families. I consider myself extremely blessed by the clients and the friendships formed from the relationship we build and so sometimes when it's all over.... it can be a little sad. I know that the emails and texts and meetings will become memories, but they are cherished memories. Katie and Craig have thee biggest hearts and are two of the most kind individuals I have ever met. This was truly a labor of love! Thank you Katie and Craig, Patty and Derrick, Teresa and Jeff... thank you for sharing this intimate and cherished time in your family's lives with me and allowing me and my team the honor to create a remarkable and memorable wedding I know we will all cherish. Blessings! - H

VENDORS

Ira + Lucy Wedding Coordination and Design
Let It Shine Photography
Just So. Event Floral
Open Table Catering
Stevi Raff Cakes
VCI Audio, Sound and Lighting
Tates Tents + Events
La Tavola Fine Linen
Behrens Artistry
The Grove Hotel
St Johns Cathedral
Boise Shuttle Service
Boise Township Tours
2nd Shooter, Vlad, Radion Photography
 

Rocky Mountain Bride Magazine's Regional Debut

You know when something so meaningful happens to you that you actually don't want to share it with the world just yet, instead you want to hold onto it for a little while longer in your own quiet and safe space and take it all in? That's how I have been feeling about the debut of Rocky Mountain Bride Magazine's regional launch featuring the big editorial I designed for them back in October. It's been a journey getting to this place and I never want to lose site of my gratitude or faith in what my dream and goal of Ira and Lucy is. I've been experiencing a ton of emotions leading up to this week and finally holding the magazine in my hands and seeing my work on actual magazine pages, it's surreal! Thank you Rocky Mountain Magazine for this incredible opportunity. Every single page is beautiful and it's an honor being party of such a gorgeous collection!

Magazines will be hitting the shelves any day now! In the meantime, if you are anxious to see this gorgeous magazine and start getting some fabulous design and planning tips you can head to the virtual magazine, but for reals, you really do need a hard copy! It's stunning! 

Merry Christmas

REAL COUPLE WHITNEY + TIM
TAMARACK RESORT | ARLING CENTER

IRA + LUCY COORDINATION, DESIGN + RENTALS

Yesterday we needed to focus on some much needed family time, so I avoided the computer and instead baked up a storm, gained 15 pounds, played Star Wars video game with the hubs, played Transformers on the floor with Jagger and then had friends over for a fun evening. Like many of you I have a hard time resisting the urge to hop on Instagram and indulge in some visual eye candy and to my surprise saw Two Bird Studio announced the debut of one of our couples, Whitney and Tim's, Tamarack Mountain Wedding. Merry Christmas! I'm so excited to share with you! Stay tuned for the images coming soon! I can't wait for you to see more of the details.

Let's Talk Dapper Groom and Groomsmen

Let's talk "Dapper" groom and his groomsmen!SMART . SEXY . STYLISH

With so much focus on the girls, what about our handsome gents? All too often we hear it's "all about the bride", which I do just hate. It completely takes away from what a wedding is all about, the couple and their commitment to marriage. So, today we are focusing on men's attire and how you handsome guys can look your very best on your wedding day! We'll talk about grooming, hair, shaving tips and more later, but right now let's talk about some basic concepts!

1. Think about TEXTURE - layer your textures. This works particularly well for Fall Season Grooms and Groomsmen. Think wool blend blazers and vests, patterned shirts and accent bow ties. Keep the Groom's attire standing out enough from the groomsmen.
2. Don't overlook the shoes! This is often a last minute detail and not worth throwing on a pair of old dress shoes... Complete the look. Think tonal oxfords or monkstrap for the more adventurous fashion forward guys out there.
3. Tailor that suit! Spend a little time looking up men's fashion, and we're not talking the ridiculously "couture" fashion. Peruse Pinterest, browse through GQ, hit up JCrew or Banana Republic and you'll see something in common - NO BAGGY SUITS or tuxes. Please, take the time to have your suit properly tailored to your body. I know some of you bigger gents are thinking I'm suggesting a tiny "skinny" suit that is so not your style, and no - simply, that you need to have your suit tailored to your body. You will look like a million bucks!
4. Build your attire around the design of your wedding. You need to be cohesive with the rest of the decor elements. Don't think matchy-matchy, but do be sure you are dressed for the occasion. Below is a great example of a more elegant occasion with a more formal black jacket and crisp tux shirt, but the bow tie steps up the game! The adorable couple on the right is for you summer couples! The light blue shirt (again not baggy) with the coordinating suspenders and the gray slacks looks relaxed, gentlemanly and quite dashing!

Be sure to check out The Tie Bar and Collared Greens, which by the way is offering 25% discount right now! Both companies have some awesome options! In fact, I just had next weekend's bride order her guys some bow ties and a tie for her fiance from The Tie Bar! Hope this helps you guys out!

Yellow Wedding Ideas - Ira and Lucy

Here's a little sunshine for your Monday afternoon! If you follow us on Instagram, you'll see I have an obsession with these dusty, muted tones! The yellow and gray wedding palette has been done a million times, so I suggest opting for a more toned down hue and layering your palette to more than just yellow and gray. Hope you enjoy our yellow wedding ideas board! We adore this vintage chair featured at the Bliss and Bespoke Retreat! The added pop of pink/violet is beautiful!

You can see we incorporated vintage elements and popped in some mid-century modern vibes with  the vase selection. Texture is key! Chiffon, lace, velvet tufting, wood, greenery - layering is the key to quality design! For our groom, how about stepping away from a tux rental and go with a charcoal suit and a dapper bow tie! YES PLEASE! Love it! This look is really quite achievable and works great for the couple on a budget, but design in mind! We love us a vintage accent chair, perfect for those bridal portraits, special seating at dinner and then used again for the garter toss! When we chat with our clients we talk a lot about how to repurpose decor elements to save on the budget! Think about how that chair will make for way cooler pics for the garter toss then a regular folding chair? Just say'n ;)

As you know we are pretty smitten over Maggie Sottero Gowns and think the "Anna" gown in the champagne tone would be so gorgeous with this concept. It's "a stunning fit and flare wedding dress featuring pleated tulle and flaring into a voluminous skirt, is complete with romantic sweetheart neckline and finished with corset closure" You can find Maggie gowns at exclusive retailer, Heartfelt Bridal, just off Fairview Avenue.

As for adding in those modern elements - think color blocking or geometric shapes and lines. Hook up with local invitation and specialty paper designers Paperie + Pen just down the road from Heartfelt Bridal at The Village at Meridian! They have a dreamy paper shop that you will die for! This is a great place to also get thank you cards for your bridesmaids, gifts for your friends and family and a whole lot more!

The Westchester Wedding Planner Features Ira and Lucy

The Westchester Wedding PlannerFeatures Ira + Lucy

I am so excited to start my week with Ira and Lucy featured on The Westchester Wedding Planner! A "transplant" to Idaho from the bigger city life has been an adjustment these past few years and quite the adventure! Boise has been so welcoming and embraced our family with a lot of love and support! It's been incredible building our vintage rental and wedding design and planning business from the ground up here, so much so that we are now expanding our design and coordination services into Seattle and Portland! It is awesome to be featured by New York's Westchester Wedding Planner this morning! I adore when Idaho Creatives are recognized and put on the "wedding designer map"! We have some incredibly awesome talent here! I'm so grateful for the awesome team of creatives that helped me pull this dream shoot together! xx

[pullquote width="600" float="left"]Happy Monday! This is a fantastic way to begin our week! Heidi of Ira & Lucy Event Design envisioned a dream photo shoot with the most delicate color palette, stunning tablescape with the accents of watercolor, and wedding attire producing one of the prettiest shoots we’ve had the pleasure of featuring here at TWWP. There are so many sweet details that brides can use as inspiration for their own lovely weddings. I hope you love this photo shoot as much as I do. [/pullquote]

Photography: Ellie Asher Photo | Creative Directing: Ira & Lucy Vintage Rentals & Styling | Videography: TK Production Films | Catering: Open Table Catering | Cakes: Stevi Raff Cake Design | Gowns: Wedding Gowns by Daci at LaNeige Bridal and Maggie Sotter’s “Esme” and “Sawyer” Heartfelt Bridal | Hair and Make Up: Behrens Artistry | Invitations: Paperie + Pen | Venue: Blackhawk On The River | Vintage Rentals: Ira and Lucy | Floral Design: Flora | Sponsor: mcWED / McCall Wedding + Event Directory | Models: Kelsie Fields , Conner Skeen , Jayde Jones, Devyn LaRee’ Lish and Rachel Culver (TMTV Talent & Modeling, LLC.)

TIPS for DIY Brides working with Wedding Coordinators

We recently wrote an article for Sound Wave Music and Lighting about the DIY bride with some tips! Head on over for the full article. Since writing that guest blog post I have continued thinking about the DIY couples and how as designers and coordinators we can help our Do It Yourself Couples with some helpful tips! So, get your notepad out and start taking notes! Here are some tips for DIY Brides working with wedding coordinators and designers!

Some Background

SAVING MONEY! From experience talking with DIY couples, many assume they can't afford a professional Coordinator or Designer. DIY, usually lends to a couple being serious about having their wedding on a strict budget , so they are opting to tackle the details as much on their own as possible to save money. They immediately write off any option of having a Coordinator OR they hope to use a family friend or relative to help with coordination. Sometimes this works great and other times not so much... In our own wedding, many years ago and pre-wedding industry professional, I was in the same boat. I felt that $10k was a lot of money and had no clue what weddings cost and thought it would stretch far. I made the mistake of blowing through a decent amount of that buying decor, as there weren't vintage rental businesses back then. I certainly thought hiring a coordinator was out of the question!

Questions to ask yourself:

• Budget - have you actually figured out an itemized budget? Not just an overall budget, but how it is broken down? Usually DIY brides are reaching into the unknown trying to estimate price range for services: venue rentals, catering, DJ, flowers, attire etc. Often the answer is... "I had no idea how much that costs!" A professional coordinator can help you navigate the budget with a clear idea of what the different services cost and how to best guide you to reputable vendors that fit your budget.
• How much of your budget went out the window on those spontaneous shopping sprees at Hobby Lobby? You know exactly what I'm talking about. I know how tempting it is! That $75 here and $50 there and another $130 last month... Those add up! Instead, that money could have been saved up to go toward catering vs your family having to prep all the food. Or that dream floral arch for your ceremony! Those details will last in photos and give you the real bang for your buck vs. all those cute chalkboard signs. Really go through and ask yourself what you definitely need. Return the extras before you get any further into planning.

• Prioritize needs: (some of the main things to consider)
  • Venue
  • Officiant/Ceremony
  • Catering
  • Photography
  • Rentals (chairs, linen, tables etc)
  • DJ
  • Attire
  • Floral + Decor
  • Lodging
  • Travel
  • Hair + Makeup
• Coordinator fees. We highly encourage you reach out to local coordinators and ask lots of questions! Each of us offers different packages and services and all share the belief that each couple will find the coordinator that fits their personality and needs. It's okay if you meet and find that it isn't a good fit. It's all part of the process. Ask about coordination and design services - YES, there is a difference. Let the coordinator know your budget up front. Talk about it. See if you can figure something out that works for both of you. Maybe you need to pick between having a designer/decorator or a coordinator - what do you need most? ASK why they are beneficial to your particular needs. *side note! As with all industries there are always businesses that want to get into the industry and therefore do research on the market and then underprice the competition in hopes of getting experience and business starting out. Beware. As a couple with budget on the mind, that doesn't mean the cheapest coordinator is quality.
• Utilize PINTEREST. Pinterest can be a bride's AND coordinator's best friend or worst enemy! Autumn is a perfect example of how awesome Pinterest can be utilized for DIY couples!
  • Set your Pinterest Wedding Board to SECRET! You don't need the opinions and input of everyone AND you want to keep some elements a surprise right?
  • Start pinning things that catch your and your fiance's eye.
  • EDIT and DELETE pins that no longer fit the vision (or move them to a different board if you are attached to them)
  • Once you have narrowed down your board make sure to put in the comments the specific description:

With Autumn giving us all the details we knew EXACTLY what she wanted! This is perfect for the DIY bride who really wants to make sure her hard work comes together at the end; how SHE envisioned it. Autumn functioned as the designer until the last three months and then handed the reins off to our incredible team.

My husband and I both so grateful for Heidi's and her team's part in making our wedding day truly memorable and amazing. It was more than we dreamed about, and it was surreal to walk into the space with all the little details I'd been planning and working so hard on fully executed beyond my wildest dreams. It was beautiful, and I wouldn't change a single thing about any of it. The Ira & Lucy team was truly incredible - so kind, thoughtful, and hard working, and their dedication means the world to us. Because of all their hard work, we were able to relax and enjoy ourselves from the first second to the last, and focus on our vows, our guests, and most importantly, each other. My husband even made a point of telling me the next day how happy he was that we found Ira & Lucy - we couldn't have pulled it all off if we hadn't! Special thanks to Arielle for her attention to detail - she had lots of questions in the days and weeks leading up to our big day, and it really showed that she was thinking through everything to make sure it was just how we pictured. You know you've had a successful event when there isn't a single thing you'd change when you look back! - Autumn

We work with DIY couples often and don't want you to shy away from contacting us to inquire about our services. Hopefully these tips will help you in your planning! Certainly, we could give many more tips, but this post is already long enough! After you take a look at your budget with realistic expectations and think you may benefit from hiring a coordinator or designer/day of decorating team - shoot us an email and let's chat! You can see our packages here. Now put the car in reverse and pull out of that Hobby Lobby parking lot!!!

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