It was a beautiful spring afternoon when Jessica and Josh exchanged vows.

The venue was RT Lodge in Maryville Tn, sheer elegance in a natural setting.

I just have to tell you the story of Josh’s unique proposal and how Jessica’s dog Betty came to be the ring bearer. Jessica had been wanting a dog. So, as a surprise gift Josh presented her with a cute little pug puppy. When Jessica took a closer look at the puppy’s collar inscribed was ….

“WILL YOU MARRY ME?”

Blackberry pie for the groom.

Cake by Rosa

CONGRATULATIONS JESSICA AND JOSH!

Thank you for letting Soirée Events be a part of your special day!

Photographer: Drake Photography

Venue: RT Lodge

Floral Designer: Samuel Franklin

While thumbing through the May issue of Coastal Living I ran across an article about a quaint little B&B in Key West, The Mermaid and The Alligator.

Hubby and I just happened to have had a lovely little stay there over the Christmas holidays.

The inn is a beautiful old victorian home, circa 1904, in the heart of the Historical District.

photo via The Mermaid and The Alligator

Upon arrival we were greeted by the official welcoming party Havana and Caya, two beautiful and very friendly flat-coated retrievers.

Innkeepers Dean and Paul had the house decorated in it’s holiday finery!

Our room, the Sunroom, bright and cheery with a balcony overlooking a tropical garden.

photo via The Mermaid and The Alligator

We enjoyed a yummy breakfast each morning on the patio.

After a fun filled day of biking, boating, beaching, shopping or whatever else strikes your fancy unwind with a relaxing massage under the garden canopy.

And when evening rolls around enjoy a glass of wine on the patio before heading out to dinner or night life on the famous Duval Street.

photo via The Mermaid and The Alligator

So whether you’re planning an intimate destination wedding or just a little getaway The Mermaid and The Alligator is definitely the place to “chill” while in Key West!

HAPPY TRAVELING!

Dolores

October is a great month for weddings, especially out of doors. It’s much cooler and around here we really don’t have a lot of rainfall in October. Crystal and Shawn tied the knot last October at Agota Springs Spa in Kingsport Tennessee. The ceremony was held on the lawn of the guest house with beautiful Bays Mountain as a backdrop. It was a perfect fall day! I loved all the seasonal details Crystal and Shawn included. Many were DIY projects which they did themselves. Thanks to Eric McCarty of Johnson City Tennessee for sharing pictures.

The huge outdoor fireplace was a popular spot after the sun went down.

Loved the carved pumpkins!

It was an absolutely beautiful fall wedding! Congratulations to Crystal and Shawn on your upcoming first anniversary!

If you are planning a fall wedding I hope this gave you some great ideas!

I’ve been attending these workshops and they’re just GREAT! They’re sponsored by Random Acts of Flowers and are held at Samuel Franklin Floral and Home, the beautifully restored old post office building in Clinton Tennessee. The evening begins with wine and cheese and a chance to browse through Sam’s fabulous shop. You’ll get plenty of decorating ideas here! Then down to the workroom for a demonstration by Sam and the chance to create our own arrangement to take home. There are two remaining workshops in the series. On Sept.8 we will be making fall centerpieces and on Nov.3 Sam will demonstrate decorating a holiday mantle. Space is limited and reservations are required. For more information and to make a reservation call Sage at Random Acts of Flowers 865-633-9082. Here are some pictures from the spring and summer workshops. Enjoy!

And my own creation which I took home and enjoyed!

Come join the fun!!!

Christen’s very first question for me was, “Have you ever coordinated a wedding at the Greek church?” The answer was no.  She then asked, “Well, did you see the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding? My wedding will be just like that.” Instant connection! I loved that movie and have seen it at least four or five times! I replied, “Should I pack Windex in the bridal emergency kit?”. We all had a big laugh! As it turned out, Christen had so much better taste than Nikki, the overbearing cousin in the movie who stepped in and took over. Thank goodness! Every detail was just beautiful! The ceremony was lovely with all the traditional Greek customs and the reception was big, loud and soooooo fun! The crowd danced the night away to the sounds of Nashvegas with Greek dancing between sets. Congratulations Christen and Colby! Thank you for sharing your special day with us and thanks to Ashley Hoskins for sharing photos. Oh, by the way, can you tell what big UT fans Christen and Colby are?

A great big thanks to the following vendors!

Ceremony Location: St. George’s Greek Orthodox Church

Reception Venue: Hunter Valley Farm

Photographer: Ashley Hoskins

Floral Design: Always In Bloom

Ceremony Music: Dogwood Trio

Band: Nashvegas

Caterer: All Occasions

Transportation: Knoxville Trolley and

Coordination: Soirée Events

It was a city wedding for Megan and Lee in downtown Knoxville. The ceremony was held at the beautiful Graystone Presbyterian Church and the reception was just a short trolley ride away at the Knoxville Museum of Art. Thank you Megan and Lee for sharing this very special day with us! Thanks to Bill Waldorf for sharing photos!

Congratulations Megan and Lee!

A great big THANKS to the following vendors!

Venue: Graystone Presbyterian Church

Knoxville Museum of Art

Photographer: Waldorf Photographic Arts

Floral Design: Always In Bloom

Caterer: Abner’s Attic

Ceremony Music: Celebration Strings

DJ: Special Notes

Lighting: Ogle Entertainment

Coordinator: Soiree Events

Elizabeth Messina is an incredibly talented and nationally recognized photographer. I ran across one of her photoshoots, Tru Luv (the full story), on her blog Kiss The Groom. (kissthegroom.com/2011/03/tru-luv-the-full-story) It is without a doubt one of the most stunning shoots I have ever seen! I just had to share! Elizabeth describes herself as an artist and a true romantic and she definitely is both! I hope you enjoy Tru Luv as much as I did!

To view the rest of the images go to http://www.kissthegroom.com.

Picture via www.faqs.org

Wedding season is upon us and I’m busy getting ready for Soiree Events’ first wedding of the season! It’s all so very exciting! One of the things I need to do is to provide a wedding day emergency kit. If you have a coordinator you probably don’t have to worry about the emergency kit because they usually provide you with one. But if not, I wanted to give you a list of things you need to have on hand “just in case.” And oh, grooms have emergencies too. So make sure there is an emergency kit for the guys too! Here Comes the Blob (herecomestheblog.com) had a great article, What To Pack In Your Wedding Day Emergency Kit, that includes a list of everything you guys and gals might need when those little unexpected things happen.

HAPPY PLANNING!

Marenah’s and Jesse’s wedding day was very special. Not only were they celebrating their marriage but also Jesse’s homecoming, just having returned from being deployed in Iraq. It couldn’t have been a more perfect fall day and the gardens never looked lovelier! Thank you Marenah and Jesse for sharing your very special day with us. And thanks to Kat Fanari for sharing photos.

Congratulations Marenah and Jesse!

Knoxville Botanical Gardens

All Occasions Party Rental

Abner’s Attic Catering

Bar Bop

Kat Furnari Photographer

Echelon Floral

Soirée Events

Here is a great article on WHY it is so important to hire a wedding planner. Reasons include that a planner can help you stick to your budget, negotiate better prices for you, and let you focus on the important tasks on your wedding day…not who is letting the caterer in at your facility. It really is a must-read for any bride prior to her wedding.

But before you look at that article, take a look behind the scenes at Marenah’s and Jesse’s wedding at Knoxville Botanical Gardens. The coordinator and vendors get ready for the main event. These pictures include many of the logistics the bride doesn’t have to worry about on her wedding day.

Stay tuned! The next blog post will feature Marenah + Jesse, The Main Event!

Knoxville Botanical Gardens

All Occasions Party Rental

Abner’s Attic

Kat Furnari Photographer

Bar Bop

Soirée Events