Between December & February a countless amount of newly engaged girls will be floating on cloud nine.
After getting engaged you’ll pour over every detail of every page of every wedding magazine that you can find.
You’ll spend never-ending hours looking at pretty pictures & reading an endless array of DIY ideas on the internet.
And you’ll bless the names of the men who invented Pinterest as it becomes your most addictive wedding tool.
Take some time to simply enjoy the excitement & dream about your wedding while sharing the news with family & friends.
Give yourself a few days to stare at your ring & bask in the glory of all things wedding then do what you know you must…HIRE A PLANNER!!!
One of the biggest regrets that a bride has is that she didn’t hire a planner or the very least a coordinator for her wedding.
So there’s no reason on earth that you can’t keep that euphoric feeling throughout your engagement – a good planner will make sure of it.
Soon the best of intentions from family & friends will come pouring in. You may be inclined to except that offer from your cousin
to help with the flowers & from your uncle to take pictures with the new camera he got for Christmas.
Or, heaven forbid, your aunts might even volunteer to cater the reception.
Don’t be tempted! Stop. Take a breath. And say thanks but no thanks!
And what about you? Maybe you love those pictures of those DIY weddings & your imagination is going wild.
But sometimes even the most creative bride finds she’s taken on homemade projects too big to handle.
Just be cautious & don’t use your wedding day as a DIY experiment.
As wedding pros, we’ve seen it all, thought it all & lived it all. We’re here to help.
So set a date. Set a budget. And book that planner.
And oh yeah…CONGRATULATIONS!
Need a little help with your holiday list?
You’re covered with these last minute gift ideas.
Happy shopping!
1~ A Sarah S. Smith original.
A custom sketch by my daughter.
We think she’s pretty darn talented!
Check out her website if you don’t believe me.
2~ Moonbird Art
Lots & lots of marvelous art by a very select group.
Beautiful jewelry, glass, watercolors, acrylic on glass, custom sketches.
The owner’s focus is on Southern artists and their talent at prices that are a steal.
3~ Erin Lane Bags
This Mother/Daughter super duo can whip up some sewing machine magic.
Their designs are carefully thought out & their work is top notch.
Erin Lane Bags are perfect for any knitter or crafter.
4~ A Bottle Tree from the Mississippi Delta.
I’ve wanted a bottle tree for my garden for years.
It’s a Southern tradition & it’s about time I had one.
So Merry Christmas to me!
5~ Snooky Doodles Kids Couture
I have this sweet flapper hat for little Eden wrapped up & under the Christmas tree.
Can’t wait to see it on her.
Take a look at this gal’s website. She also has sweet scarves & mittens in delicious colors.
Perfect little things for little girls.
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Once again this Thanksgiving holiday, along with everyone, I pause to give thanks for my many blessings.
This year has been a busy one. I’m so thankful to have spent more time with my husband as we traveled parts unknown & hiked yet another trail in this beautiful state.
And as always, spending time with my daughters is a blessing indescribable.
I’m thankful for one more year that I can annoy my annoying-son-in-law & proud doesn’t begin to describe how I felt when he became a doctor this year. And in 2012 we’ll add another son-in-law to the family. Two annoying sons. How fortunate I am!
But the brightest light in my world this year has been my first grandchild. Missing little Eden has kept me on the road South to see her more times than I can count. Watching her grow & being an important part of her life has been a privilege. She is a blessing beyond measure.
This year Bella Weddings was involved in weddings of some beautiful brides in both planning & coordinating. And spending time with wedding vendors that have become friends is just one more blessing in my life.
Good health, family, friends, a warm place in the cold months & a cool one in the summer, a business I love in a country that’s the best on the planet.
For all of this I give thanks.
Hope you have a wonderful & delicious Thanksgiving.
~Vickie
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The Bride…
It is my great pleasure to announce that
my beautiful daughter Rosemary is engaged!
She & fiancé Chris will tie the knot in July of next year.
So Rosemary, her sister & I have been planning & plotting like crazy.
We’ve googled & pinterest everything from dresses to tablescapes.
But only after we started with the most important stuff
like booking these gals…
The Wedding Coordinator…
As a wedding planner/coordinator I know that booking a coordinator should be the 1st vendor to check
off the Bride’s list. And that’s the 1st thing we did. I have the very good fortune to have friend &
planner/coordinator Emily Humphries of Simply Yours Weddings booked to coordinate the day.
When my daughter Sarah was married 3 years ago, Emily was her wedding coordinator.
Having Emily take care of the day was one of the smartest decisions we made for the wedding – if not the smartest. And I know Emily’s work first hand as we’ve worked together since then on weddings more times than I can count so I rest easy knowing she’ll be in charge. Not one worry. Not one single one.
And let me tell you, that feeling is priceless.
The Photographer…
Middle Tennessee has such an amazing group of photographers. I’ve worked with so many great ones but we made the decision early on to hire Wendy Cunningham of Wendy Cunningham Photography.
Her work is extraordinary. She has enough quirkiness to make her art interesting,
she pays special attention to the smallest details & her work has that perfect amount of class so we know Rosemary’s wedding photos will be timeless.
And as a photographer herself, Rosemary felt Wendy’s work reflected her own style.
I’ve worked with Wendy before & was very impressed with the way she connected with the bride & groom. Her photos from that day were stunning but on a personal level I really fell in love with her work when she took pictures of my 1st grandbaby at just 1 week old. Although Wendy concentrates on weddings,
she was willing to take pictures of a wee baby, which is not easy for anyone. But she did it with ease & gave us our first real beautiful baby pictures. We have no doubt that Wendy will cover the wedding day
as a professional with that important personal touch. And we can’t wait to see the results.
The Calligrapher…
Was there ever any question who we would choose? Rosemary will trust absolutely no one but her sister
Sarah Stanton Smith of Sarah S. Smith Art. We’re always amazed at her talent & know that the invitations will be beautiful & exactly what Rosemary wants. And Sarah is also in charge of all other art & calligraphy – table numbers, menus, ceremony programs, etc.
Did you know that Sarah? Sorry, we should have already told you!
So excited to see what you come up with!
{If you go to her website, you’ll only find her art. Calligraphy pictures should be posted soon but email her
if you have any questions}
Now on to the other vendors…
I’ll keep you updated as we check off our list!
~Vickie
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At some point during every Autumn season I start frantically hoarding the Basil I have growing in my garden & keep a careful eye on the temperature to make sure that I get every last little leaf before the 1rst frost. And curse the fact that I didn’t grown more of it the past summer.
The smell of Basil is as delicious to me as Chanel N º5 . It’s the 1rst plant I see as I get out of my car & pass under the arbor & I think just as
beautiful as anything blooming. When several plants are close together as I have planted, it makes one huge glossy green bush.
Especially if the top leaves are harvested throughout the summer which makes it thicker & mounds the top.
Mine is planted along the path to the back door so it beckons me to brush a hand across the top as I pass by.
I simply can’t get enough of the smell & taste. So it’s with a heavy heart when the day comes that I have to toss the plants after the 1rst frost.
Although not quite the same, I do have a way to enjoy Basil throughout the Winter & early Spring. Homemade Pesto!
So if you didn’t grow Basil this past summer get to the nearest farmer’s market & buy up all you can find.
So have I enticed you to grow your own organic Basil?
Great! Just a few tips…
~ Plan now where you’ll be planting your Basil next year. Make sure it’s in a sunny spot & clear any dead plants before cold weather.
Weed it well & give the ground a good tossing & turning to break up the clots & have it ready for Spring.
~Start a place in the corner of the yard for organic mulch. Over the winter add great things like tea bags, coffee grounds,
fruit & vegetable peelings & leaf & grass clippings – turning once or twice during the Winter. I keep a small covered stainless steel container
next to the sink & collect this organic stuff & add it to the compost every few days.
Use this organic brew to add to your tilled garden in early Spring before planting the Basil.
~Start seeds inside before the temps warm or if you’re as impatient as I am just buy small Basil plants & plant once the risk of frost has passed.
Ok. So now you’ve grown your own Basil & you’re understandably very pleased with yourself.
What next? With all of this abundance it’s the perfect time to make your own homemade Pesto.
My tried & true recipe…
3 – 4 cups of fresh clean Basil leaves
{Try & use only small new leaves. I think the taste is fresher & ‘greener’}
1/3 cup pine nuts
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
sea salt & pepper, to taste
~Pulse the Basil & pine nuts in a food processor
Add garlic, salt & pepper – pulse again.
Slowly add the olive oil while the food processor is on.
Add the cheese until just blended.
{Using a food processor is fast but if I’m making a small batch I prefer a sharp knife & a great chopping board - after all, not all great Italian cooks have food processors! And some purists would never freeze their Pesto arguing that the freezer combined with the olive oil would
damage the Basil taste. Whatever. Frezzing the Pesto reminds me of my summer garden & it’s still better than store bought!}
Now it’s time to show everyone how brilliant you are. Make the Pesto & fill tiny jars (that you’ve been collecting)
& freeze for giving away as favors at your outdoor country wedding.
Or freeze the Pesto in ice cube trays then thaw for dipping with warm crusty bread at your wedding reception.
Just add a little more olive oil & maybe some red pepper flakes before serving.
Delizioso!
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