Kylie + Punky's Countryside Wedding

STILL WATER HOLLOW | SEPTEMBER 19, 2014

Digging into the archives, it'd be a shame to not share some of our very first weddings and special couples that we had the joy of working with! These Brides were absolutely amazing and were so open to our design ideas and introducing the concept of "vintage rentals" to the Idaho wedding industry! Kylie was a dream to work with! One of our out-of-state brides, she and I emailed more times then I can count about design ideas, sharing concepts and bringing her dream wedding to life! Here's to Kylie and Punky who are now enjoying married life with a beautiful baby boy!

AMPERSAND STUDIOS PHOTOGRAPHY
STILL WATER HOLLOW
IRA + LUCY

Sneak Peek!

Fine Art Bridal Boudoir

"As if you were on fire from within.
The moon lives in the lining of your skin."

Pablo Neruda

Veronica Sheaffer Design Studio

Are you ready for some gorgeous sneak peeks from the fine art inspired‪ boudoir session we recently created with Jennifer Munoz? This is my personal favorite form of boudoir - enhancing the soft tones, romantic curves, textures and lighting. It's about evoking emotions and telling a story. I'm smitten over the gorgeous delicate lingerie line from Veronica Sheaffer, Chicago's premier design studio! How dreamy! The lingerie paired incredibly well with the handcrafted crown and hair adornments by Naturae Design.

Introducing Naturae Design

How in love are we with Naturae Design, specializing in hairpiece and design created with antique and precious materials. Each piece is handcrafted by maker and designer Daniella van den Huijssen. "Fascinated by the history of precious heirloom and her love for nature she came across an antique Myrtle crown and Naturae Design was born. Every piece is inspired by natural elements made by a combination of the best in antique and modern craftmanship. Gold and silver plated pieces and precious stones are wired and soldered by hand so that each piece holds its fairness through long periods of time. The designs are perfect for a bride to be as well as being able to wear in daily life." source

Fine Art Boudoir

So, how does a bride like yourself or newlywed experience a Fine Art Boudoir session? First, contact Jennifer Munoz to start the process! She has Boudoir packages available and will walk you through your personalized options. Jennifer and I can then work close together on creating the atmosphere you desire, utilizing the vast array of items in our carefully curated collection of furniture and accessories. This is a beautiful option as a private and personal gift for your groom.

Thank You Creative Team!

Jennifer Munoz Photography
Ira + Lucy, Creative Designer & Vintage Furniture + Accessories
Still Water Hollow
Naturae Design Crowns & Headpieces
Veronica Sheaffer Bridal, Lingerie
Blush by Jamie Rose, Makeup
Shawna Hines, Hair
Sugared Memories, Tarts
Sarah Pearl Studio, Calligraphy
Alex Foster, Model
Blooms Flower Studio, Florals
LaNeige Bridal, Veil
Molly Loughran, Assisting, Ira + Lucy
 

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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Elegant Fall Plum and Gold Wedding

I'm just days away now from Abby and Dylan's Fall Still Water Hollow Wedding and am getting so excited! No, I'm not going to be that wedding designer that is so excited because she thinks it's her own wedding...I'm excited because I really just absolutely adore my Bride Abby! She has the biggest heart and is so darn sweet! Months and months ago, prior to her booking our Event Design services, she shared with me her frustrations, her concerns...her disappointment and I found myself wanting to swoop in and play the Fairy Godmother. When Abby contacted me and said "I just want you to do it all!" I was beyond thrilled! She has been such an incredible bride to work with. I am so very blessed by her! Honestly, I'm so sad she'll be moving out of state post wedding. I'm trying to convince her otherwise ;) She'd be a fabulous assistant for Ira & Lucy!

I'm working on the finishing touches for her and Dylan's special design details and am so pumped to see it all come together! I can't wait to share photos form their very special day and hope to blog about the full experience afterward too! Abby I am so happy for you and Dylan! You are truly a beautiful person inside and out! Your kindness and joy shine so bright! No matter how much work I put into your wedding, you will surely outshine it all!

Love you!

Event Design...explaining the Idea Board

Event Design is all about creating an atmosphere, an environment that tells your unique love story. When you view swoon-worthy weddings on Pinterest or on your favorite blogs and magazines, often a designer was involved! It’s about pulling the entire look of your wedding or special event from the invites to your after party all together for a seamless and one-of-a-kind event.

You'll notice on our Services Page that we offer Event Design Packages! Part of the process includes a custom designed Idea/Concept Board created just for you by Heidi, Lead Designer and Owner of Ira & Lucy. A Concept Board includes color palette, hand selected typography styles, images of inspiration, select items from our inventory and a break down of the different styled stations for your wedding. Instead of being completely overwhelmed with all the eye candy from Pinterest, we narrow down your entire design, creating cohesion with a distinct and personal style of its own that perfectly represents your love story! After your initial consultation and booking our Event Design Services we then create this custom board for you! It becomes the blueprint for your event!

To give you a feel for what our Idea/Concept Boards are like, here is a custom board we designed for one of our October couple's, Abby and Dylan.

You can read more about our Event Design Services, along with information about rentals and styling on our services page! Please don't hesitate to contact us with any questions. We look forward to chatting with you and are excited to hear about your unique love story!

If you're confused and wondering what the difference is between an Event Designer and a Wedding Planner please read this fabulous article on the difference and the value in each role. We have some fabulous planners we would be more than happy to connect you with to help with that part of the puzzle! We really love working side by side with planners!

P.S. Abby and Dylan, we are so excited for your Fall Wedding! I have had so much joy getting to know you and being part of all the details! You are one of the sweetest, kindest bride's I have ever had the joy of meeting and working with! It's going to be beautiful and I'm honored to be a part! Hugs!