Archive for the ‘General info.’ Category
Spank! Makes a Great Date Night
Monday, June 17th, 2013By Indra Hernandez
Sometimes it’s just not about the wedding planning. Sometimes, you just need to have an excuse to reconnect as a couple with your special someone and have a great date night. Well recently, a venue that we absolutely love, The Long Center, had a very funny and risqué show featured on their schedule. And what better way to keep it spicy with your fiancé and also have some great big laughs at the same time.
I was invited to not only come out and enjoy the beautiful Long Center, but also take in a show. So if you’ve never heard about the wildly popular series of “Fifty Shades of Grey” novels, well, you must have been living under a rock for the past couple of years. Lol.
The parody to this wildly popular novel absolutely provides the “laugh out loud” type of good time for the perfect date night. Whether or not the book has been read, “Spank!” delivers a great combination of a cheesy (but comical) soap opera-like performance and hilarious variations of several beloved theater melodies, it’s impossible to keep from laughing. People may have arrived to the event with a pre-conceived notion of what to expect, but after a couple of cocktails and witty performances by the three characters of the show, the crowd left feeling surprising “spanked.”
The show gets rolling with the introduction of the author, E.B. Janet, who decides she is going to write this book to release her sexual fantasies while her family is away for the weekend. Feeling inspired after polishing off a bottle of Chardonnay, her story-writing begins out loud. She begins with the creation of her two characters: Tasha Woode and Hugh Hanson (how appropriate!).
Tasha is a naïve, simple English Literature college student with her one significant flaw of clumsiness which turns out to work in her favor. Her love interest and other character, Hugh, is introduced as he catches Tasha before tripping and falling; thus, the lustrous romance story begins.
Hugh is an attractive and poised billionaire with a secretive past that becomes quite intrigued with Tasha as he learns she is still a virgin. Hugh wastes no time securing his love interest and has a drawn-out S-and-M contract ready for her approval and soon after the steamy relationship begins to unravel.
Sexual insinuations were prompted with commonly used items such as a toothbrush, a tie, and even mouthwash. Musical spoofs that came from such works as Willy Wonka’s “World of Imagination” and Enrique Iglesias’ “Hero” were implemented quite nicely into the scene sequences involving Hugh’s “red” room (where all the magic happens!). The show’s jokingly references to well-known characters like “Tim ‘The Toolman’ Tailor” and Batman still seemed to stimulate a playful arousal from the audience.
Some of the best moments from the show, in my opinion, were the moments when Tasha interacted with members in the audience of the first row. Tasha sets the scene to take place at the OBGYN’s office and proceeds to ask the doctor (random audience member), in his/her professional opinion, an acceptable item size to be used for sexual pleasures. Of course, with unscripted answers, the character has to improvise and keep the script going and she didn’t miss a beat as laughter filled the arena.
So if you’re interested in seeing a great show, or just trying to get away from all the stresses of wedding planning, make sure you take your sweetie out on the town and find this show in the next nearest city.
The Long Center has quite a great schedule of other upcoming shows and I highly encourage you to take in a show. Who knows, you might be able to kill two birds with one stone and possibly find your wedding venue as well. It truly is a gorgeous space.
Twilight time before the show begins at The Long Center.
The crowd is getting excited.
Yes, guys even came out to enjoy this scandalous show.
Don’t forget, this space is also a wedding venue.
Did someone say, “Cocktail hour?”
Sunset and a couple at The Long Center.
Tags: couple dates, The Long Center, Venues, wedding planningPosted in Event Ideas, General info., Reception, Venue | No Comments »
Hand & Stone Massage and Spa Wants Your Groom Happy Too This Month
Thursday, June 13th, 2013Today’s blog comes from our friends at Hand & Stone Massage and Spa.
Did you know June is Men’s Health Awareness Month? And yes, we know, today’s blog is not specifically for the bride, but rather her groom-to-be. We want to make sure all you brides have a healthy groom walking down that aisle with you. So in honor of that, here is some great information for that special fella in your life.
What if an hour of massage did more for you than just take the pressures of the day away? What if massage helped you combat cancer? What if it helped you recover from a strained hamstring in half the time? What if your sleep, digestion, and mood all improved with massage? Well there is definite evidence showing the more massages you allow yourself, the better you’ll feel. What a concept, right?!
Massage: Get In Touch With Its Benefits
Touching is a natural human reaction to pain and stress, and for conveying compassion and support. When you bump your head or have a sore calf, the natural response is to rub it to feel better. We now have scientific proof of the benefits of massage — benefits ranging from treating chronic diseases and injuries to alleviating the growing tensions of our modern lifestyles.
And massage does more than just relax your body and mind — there are specific physiological and psychological changes that occur, and even more so when massage is utilized as a preventative, frequent therapy and not simply mere luxury. Massage not only feels good, but it can cure what ails you.
Experts estimate that 80% – 90% of disease is stress-related. Massage is there to combat that frightening number by helping us remember what it means to relax. The physical changes massage brings to your body can have a positive effect in many areas of your life.
Besides increasing relaxation and decreasing anxiety, massage lowers blood pressure, increases circulation, improves injury recovery, encourages deep sleep, and increases concentration. It reduces fatigue and gives you more energy to handle stressful situations.
And for all your other bridal pre-wedding beauty needs, make sure to check out our list of great beauty professionals.
Tags: groom's health, grooms, massage, Men's Health Month, wellness
Posted in Beauty, Fitness, General info., Groom | No Comments »
Premiere’s Hottest Item
Tuesday, May 28th, 2013Today’s blog is from our friends at Premiere Party Central.
If you’re wondering what the latest trends in cakes are, it goes way beyond flavors and decorations. One of the hottest must haves in recent weddings and events are the new lucite cake stands. These stands create the illusions of a floating confection and can also create a “safe” place to add flowers and decor.
And, we have new pictures of our new lucite cake stand. It is available for rent at a very reasonable rate and is a steal if you want to have your very own FLOATING wedding cake display.
Make sure to contact the fine professioanls at Contact Premiere Party Central for rental details at our North location (512-870-8552) or our South location (512-292-3900) or visit them online at www.PremierePartyCentral.com.
Cool use of lucite stand without a cake. Can definitely be event decor too.
A more traditional way to use this stand. Adds height and a cool new way to add additional decor.
Tags: Decor, Premiere Party Central, Rentals, wedding trendsPosted in Decor, General info., Rentals | No Comments »
Summer Boots? Yes, Summer Boots!
Thursday, May 16th, 2013
In all of your wedding planning, we’re sure you’ve thought about two things very early on…your engagement photos and maybe your wedding shoes. Well because we live in Texas, we have plenty of cowgirls out there getting married and wanting to retain that certain part of herself, even during the entirety of the wedding planning process. A definite way to do that is by representing the cowgirl in you by incorporating your boots in all the important photos during this time, engagement photos, invitations, bridal photos and yes, even your wedding photos.
We found a good example of this recently from one of our client’s blog. So today, our blog comes from our friends at Gypsy Luxe. Not only are their boots amazing, but the gals there really understand that you can wear them every season and you don’t have to change who you are in order to get some of that special glamour you want on your special day.
Summer is here! Are your boots ready?
I have to say, I love love LOVE summer! I love the pool time, the outside concerts, and all the fun summer dresses. Right now lace dresses are all the rage…and I am stocking up. There is nothing better than a really cute dress to go with my super cute boots.
Gypsy Luxe boots take any girl and make her stand out from the rest…and its so much fun too! The best part is that you can wear them from something fancy like a wedding to something simple like dinner. No more worrying about someone having the better dress or even worse, your dress, because our superfabulous boots are one of a kind!
Love, Peace, and Boogee Bling!
Jewels and Jemz
Tags: boots, Gypsy Luxe, wedding boots, wedding personalizationPosted in Accessories, Details, General info., Photography | No Comments »
Communicating 101 The Basics: Active Listening
Friday, May 10th, 2013
Today’s blog comes from Luis Moreno, The Relationship Coach at Optimal Relationship Coaching.
As we discussed last time, good communication is a very important part of your married relationship. And now that you have those important first tips, next in the process is learning how to be an active listener.
A second part of communicating is YOUR ABILITY TO BE AN ACTIVE LISTENER. It is the ability to let your partner know you have understood what they have said by restating what you have heard.
- How well do you listen?
- How do you know if your spouse, boyfriend, girlfriend has really listened to what you have said?
- What skills does a good listener have?
HERE ARE SOME SKILLS THAT A GOOD LISTENER HAS:
- Gives the person speaking their full attention
- Has good eye contact with the person speaking
- Doesn’t interrupt
- Listens to understand while not judging nor criticizing.
- Reframes what they have heard, It might sound something like this: “what I hear you saying is….”
- A good listener is aware of the emotion the other person is feeling and expressing, then expresses the feeling back to them in a loving way with words. That might sound like this: I can see you are…, I can hear that you are…., angry, frustrated, etc.
WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE A GOOD COMMUNICATOR AND AN ACTIVE LISTENER?
You can become a better communicator and listener because these are learned skills.
It begins with an awareness of how you are communicating and listening. If you determine that you want to improve those areas it requires action, persistence and practice on your part. IF YOU CAN’T COMMUNICATE IT GREATLY DIMINISHES THE POSSIBILITY OF HAVING A FULFILLING, LOVING AND SUSTAINABLE RELATIONSHIP.
The result of you having become a better communicator and listener is that your relationship becomes more open, trust will increase, each of you will feels more valued and your sharing becomes more intimate. You have paved the way for your marriage to endure the stresses and difficulties that will come.
Tags: active listening, communication, marriage education, relationship coaching, relationships
Posted in Advice, General info., Marriage Education | No Comments »
Extroverts and Introverts: Using Your Wedding Photographer in an Unlikely Way
Tuesday, May 7th, 2013
Today’s blog is from Beth Bishop of Beth Bishop Photography.
Most people recharge their energy in one of two ways. Extroverts get their energy from being with people. Introverts recharge from time alone. Your wedding day will be an extraordinary one in your life. You can maximize its excellence by remembering to recharge your energy. Did you know your wedding photographer can help you do this? We are here to help and can be utilized in a very strategic way.
If you are an introvert, someone who dreams of a solitary walk through the woods, you may want to create a moment of quiet in your big day. One way to do this is to ask your wedding coordinator or venue liaison to find a place for you to get away from the crowd and to focus on your new spouse for your meal or even for a drink. Another way that you can “catch your breath” is to shoot your couple portraits immediately following the service. This helps capture the wonder of the moment and allows the bride and groom to focus on each other. Your family and wedding party can begin the reception celebration and cheer you as you come from your shoot. As you enter the reception that is already “in play” you can walk around and set the pace for how much you interact with your guests.
If you are an extrovert and shoot your couple portraits following the service, you will want several members of your wedding party or family to stay nearby to share the fun of the shoot and bring the energy that you love. Your photographer will get to capture not only the images of you and your spouse enjoying the limelight but will get the interactions with people who bring you energy. Extroverts enjoy interaction with as many people as possible during the reception. They may even leave with a carriage full of celebrators when they exit for the evening.
What if you and your fiancé get your energy in opposite ways? Be understanding as your extrovert continues to talk to all the guests throughout the reception, be aware that your introvert may need to slip away for a moment alone. Your wedding photographer will provide a ready made excuse for you to ditch the crowd when you need to catch your breath.
Think about big occasions in your history and how you weathered the day. Talk with your photographer and your wedding coordinator about your needs for maintaining your energy through your wedding celebration. We all want your wedding day to be both beautiful and enjoyable with memories to last a lifetime.
Tags: Beth Bishop Photography, extroverts, helping couples, introverts, wedding photography
Posted in Advice, General info., Photography | No Comments »
Vintage15: A Band for All Ages
Monday, April 29th, 2013by Alannah Tiller
In the quest of every brides wedding planning, there will come a point when you and your groom will have to discuss music. Through the course of that conversation, if you start to consider hiring a live band, you might want to go take a listen to Vintage 15, an amazing band that we had the opportunity to hear this past weekend.
This past Saturday Central Market was the site of the Texas Community Music Festival: Celebrating the Community of Texas Musicians. This was the 7th year this free event has taken place here in Austin. TCMF is organized, managed, and promoted by the Austin Civic Wind Ensemble, Austin’s oldest community band. On the outside pavilion at Central Market north, several guests came out to enjoy their food and beverage. With several bands performing over a period of two weekends, the audience was treated to the sounds of Vintage15’s set.
Vintage15 brought entertainment and dance to the outside pavilion at Central Market. Adults as well as children couldn’t help themselves. A mom waited patiently as her four year old daughter found herself on the dance floor instead of the playground. The mother explained, “My daughter loves to dance,” heard the music, and now she couldn’t get her off the floor. With the ability to entertain any age, this big band is perfect for any special event you or a loved one may have coming up. Traveling all across Texas, Vintage15 plays a variety of music in their own jazzy renditions. This particular afternoon, the crowds heard everything from Frank Sinatra to Nirvana. It was a concert for all ages.
With any great band comes great vocals, and Rachael and Hans Stockenberger are a fabulous duo. This married couple takes the stage for several duets but can also take a strong lead on their own. Rachel’s voice is sultry; Hans classic, and together the combination is alluringly smooth. The band is made up of young musicians from major cities all around the country, many of them local Austinites. All band memebers are very well trained and dedicated musicians who take their craft seriously. This youthful Texas big jazz band and swing ensemble can bring a touch of vintage and contemporary culture to any event.
Make sure to check our events page or their calendar for the next opportunity to hear this great band.
Tags: big band, live entertainment, swing band, Vintage 15, wedding music
Posted in General info., Music | No Comments »
Communicating 101: The Basics, Tips on Good Communication
Thursday, April 25th, 2013
Today’s blog is form Luis Moreno, The Relationship Coach at Optimal Relationship Coaching.
Is your wedding planning stressing you out? Is your partner making it worse? Is he/she not understanding how important it is to have everything perfect on your special day? It happens, however, both of you could be to blame. Do you think you are an effective communicator with your future spouse? If it’s challenging at times, here are some great tips you will find very useful during this nerve-racking time.
What is communication? According to Kay Arthur, the founder of Precept Ministries International, “Communication is the free exchange of thoughts, ideas and opinions shared between two or more people who are willing to be open, honest and vulnerable.”
- How well are you communicating with your fiancé?
- Has your communication suffered during your wedding planning?
WHAT MAKES UP YOUR COMMUNICATION?
The following are generally accepted facts from communication experts.
- We communicate verbally and nonverbally.
- Our words only account for 8% of our communication
- Our body language accounts for 55% of our communication
- The emotions we express account for 36% of our communication.
What does this mean? This means that about 92% of our message is conveyed by physical means, what we say with our eyes, our facial expressions, our body and the tone of our voice. Think about this, our words only account for 8% of our communication, but that 8% is very powerful. If that message is negative the words can cut like a knife and tear down a person’s spirit. On the other hand if the message is positive it can build up a person’s self-esteem, gives hope and softens resistance. Your message in words is very powerful.
CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD COMMUNICATOR:
- Be slow to speak; think about your words.
- You don’t need to say everything you are thinking.
- Let your message be clear and concise.
- Let you words be truthful, respectful, loving and encouraging.
- Don’t let the tone of your voice be an issue.
Also be flexible, choose a good time and place for those difficult conversations, and practice Active Listening.
Stay tuned for Part 2 of Communication which is Active Listening in the coming weeks.
Tags: communication, relationship coaching, relationship counseling
Posted in Advice, Articles, General info. | No Comments »
Reception Music: The Slow Jamz
Thursday, April 18th, 2013
Have you come to the point of your wedding planning process where you are trying to decide on music? No, we’re not talking about whether or not to hire a DJ or a band, but more what songs are you going to select for your playlist to give to the DJ or band? Well, according to wikihow.com, there are definite steps to take when considering that special playlist.
Today, we will focus on the slow songs that will puncuate various reception key points, or just be put in place to give the crowd a break from all the line dancing and booty shaking. Lol. Then, take a look at the Spotify playlist we put together for your consideration.
* In order to play music from this playlist, you will need to log in to you Spotify account or create a free one. Make sure to scroll down to see the entire playlist. Also, let us know what songs you would add to the list.
From wikihow.com
Think about the tempo. Consider a range of slow dance songs and pick the ones that you think will work with the mood of the event.
- Keep in mind that many want songs that are slow, but not too slow. You don’t want some dirge-type track dragging down the vibe at some inopportune time, so it might make sense to get some slower songs that are still a bit on the peppy side.
Know your audience. When selecting those dance tunes that will be a hit at your wedding, understand the people who will be listening to these songs and choose a playlist accordingly.
- Weed out raunchy, inappropriate or downright disturbing songs. One of the things that not all wedding planning couples think about is that there are many pop songs with strange and unsettling subtexts. Look at the lyrics of songs, and not just the music, for your wedding list.
Figure out what songs you have access to. It’s no good to put together the perfect playlist just to figure out that many of these songs will not be available at your event.
- Talk to the DJ or band first. The best wedding planning involves picking out the song list way ahead of time and getting on the phone with the music providers to double-check that they have the songs for which you are looking. Some wedding parties need to bring particular slow dance songs on CD in order to accommodate more esoteric requests for a first dance or other reception dance.
Consider the time on tracks. Some slower songs can be really drawn out, and many wedding planners want to keep the pace going.
- Choose first dance tracks with confidence. If you’re already having trouble imagining yourself cutting a rug with a parent or in-law, think about keeping that slow dance track short and sweet. Don’t select a tune that will leave you spinning around the dance floor for more minutes than you need to be. For some who are not accustomed to dancing in general, every minute can seem like an hour.
- Intersperse slow songs through your play list. Try to get a feel for how many of these lower tempo tracks you’ll need, and plan accordingly.
Pick popular songs. The goal of most wedding reception playlists is to get people dancing, so instead of choosing a range of lesser-known titles, add some crowd-pleasing hits for a better chance at populating the dance floor.
Tags: Reception Music, slow songs, wedding music, wedding playlists
Posted in General info., Music | No Comments »
Briannon & Sage: It Took a Village
Tuesday, April 16th, 2013
If you attended the last Bridal Extravaganza in January, you might have attended the special presentation and dinner by David Tutera. During that presentation David was expounding on his many expereinces as a wedding and event planner. Little did David, or the rest of the people in the room realize that they were soon to be introduced to Briannon O’Neil and Sage Allen.
Photo by Jami Nicole Photography
When we last left this couple that fateful day, they were trying to make the most of their visit with David Tutera and all of the lovely guests at their table. Throughout the course of the dinner, conversations were had, and it finally came up at their table that this couple had just lost their wedding venue and they didn’t know what they were going to do.
As David Tutera started taking questions from the floor looking for the next person to address, a shout came from a bride in the audience saying, “We lost our venue!” After the initial shock and disbelief by David, he further investigates the issue with the couple. As he listened to the story of how they lost their venue to unforseen structural damage to this historic site, they we forced to abandon the place where they thought they would soon be saying their “I do’s.”
As the audible gasps filled the room, everyone in the room felt their pain of the horrible challenge this couple was now facing so late in the planning process of their wedding. Then, no more than a few minutes later after David had gracefully moved on to the next questions from the crowd, a new frenzy started buzzing around that same table.
Redirected by the noise and excitement, David once again addressed the table with Briannon and Sage. And this is what unfolded:
We, here at the Wedding Guide, have being keeping tabs on this very blessed couple and wanted to see how their wedding was unfolding. We checked in with them and all of their contributing “fairy godmothers/fathers” who were so moved by this couples story that they wanted to help this couple in whatever way they could. One by one, the wedding professionals at their table said things like, “We’ll donate our venue, we can give you your rentals, we can give you tuxedos, we’ll donate the cake,” and so on. The couple was overwhelmed.
Sadly, the couple was unable to use the donated venue due to geographical constraints, but that vendor, Tricia Pool with Twisted Ranch, still wanted to help this couple and helped them locate a new venue. And that she did, along with getting them a limo and helping coordinate all the other vendors involved.
Fast forward three months and their wedding date is upon us. This Saturday, Briannon O’Neil and Sage Allen will be wed, and we couldn’t be happier for them and the way so many wonderful wedding professionals came to their rescue. This just goes to show you, not only are there great people out there with big hearts, but also…you can usually find those quality people associated with the Wedding Guide. Lol.
And the wonderful wedding professionals who are helping to make their day very memorable are:
Twisted Ranch (Tricia Pool)
Illusions Rentals & Designs (Michelle Allen)
Fairy Tale Wedding Films-Videographer (Lupe Valdez)
Brides Table (Kasey Rogers)
Men’s Warehouse (Tommy Pond)
S&S Photobooth (Sharon Hamilton & Shauna Luckie)
Jami Nicole Photography (Jami Sall)
Please stay tuned to our blog in the next couple of weeks and we will have a final wrap up and photos from the happy couple’s wedding and see the final chapter of this fairy tale story.
Tags: Briannon & Sage wedding, Bridal Extravaganza, David Tutera
Posted in Bride of the Week, General info. | 1 Comment »