"I was taught by my parents that if you fall in love, if you want to have a love affair, you get married. I guess I'm very old-fashioned." - Elizabeth Taylor Planning an event as big as a wedding allows for the opportunity to really show your guests a special kind of expression that is on a more intimate level. It makes you wonder, "what kind of bride am I?" because as soon as you have that figured out, it makes it easier to plan accordingly and have your wedding properly represent your vision. See below for the latest in bridal trends.
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 This blog post goes out to all of the single ladies in the bridal party who truly help make the wedding experience divine for their bride! At Divine Diva Events, we have years of experience in coordinating flawless events. One of the hints that we have gleaned over the years is that when there is a happy, supportive bridal party, then no matter what crisis occurs on the day of, everyone will come out smiling. (Happy Bridesmaids=Happy Bride!) Yes, we know—it is all about the bride on her special day—but that doesn't mean that the single ladies in the bridal party can’t enjoy themselves along the way! The best way to make the experience enjoyable for both the bride and her ‘maids is to set the stage with a fabulous Bachelorette Party. While the spectrum can run the gamut—from a relaxing brunch at the maid of honor’s home, all the way to a wild night in Vegas which would make Beyoncé blush—it is important to somehow pay homage to the sisterhood with a Bachelorette Party. This right of passage doesn't have to include male strippers or a night of debauchery, but it is a way to celebrate the path that you have been on together--which is about to end for the bride. Below are a few fun ideas for how to celebrate, from decor to planning. If you would like assitance planning yoru soiree, just let The Diva know! A Ladies Tea For the ladies who want to keep it classy, but add a little something out of the ordinary, a formal English Tea is always an exceptional option. The ladies are encouraged to wear glamorous hats, prim gowns, and of course fabulous shoes. This Bachelorette party screams elegance and something out of the norm. (See below for romantic Tea Party ideas by Inspired by This.)  Mimosa Bar & Brunch A Mimosa Bar and Brunch is fabulous option for an intimate gathering where you also want to have a little fun! Want to make it special? Hire a small Jazz band to create a stylish ambiance. You can also invite a designer or boutique owner to bring clothing/jewelry to the brunch for a private shopping event. Check out our blog on creating the perfect Mimosa Bar. Wine Tasting For the champagne and wine lovers, this is the ultimate reprieve from the norm. Rent a limo to take the entourage of ladies to wineries. If you aren't near any wineries, you could also host a wine and cheese tasting party at your home or local wine bar. Spa Day Who are we kidding? Every lady loves a day of pampering! One can either select a spa to host the Bachelorette Party at, or have a relaxing Spa Day at someone’s home. This party gets bonus points for how fabulous everyone looks after the party! (Need inspiration? Just let us know and we can assist with the planning and pampering!)  Viva la Diva in Las Vegas!
If the pack of Divas is more interested in having a wild night and creating memories instead of reminiscing about them, then we of course recommend a quick trip to Sin City. We have plenty of ways to create a classy night for you all though with our concierge service, just contact us today! There is something so special about receiving a letter in the mail. When it happens to be a beautiful invitation to a wedding, it is even more exciting! The invitation is the very first glimpse that guests will have of the splendor that is to be your wedding day. It is likely the first decision that couples make together about their wedding. Selecting the invitation encourages couples to decide on their color palette, theme, and style for the wedding. The invitation should be a reflection of the decor and overall feeling that they hope to evoke on the big day. One way to do this is through color. A bold color choice will be sure to set the tone for the entire wedding. Some couples may opt to go the DIY route. This works well if the you are artistic and crafty. It also helps if it goes well with the theme of the wedding. For example, a rustic wedding is complemented by crafted cards wrapped in twine, similar to the image below. Letterpress or unique printing always add a luxe touch with a sense of formality. We adore these invites. While more inexpensive, guests will not be disappointed with letterpress and other uniquely printed invites. Push the envelope! Gone are the days when you needed to keep invitations traditional. Now you can think outside the box and do something to WOW guests. We hope that these invites give you plenty of good ideas for your wedding!
10/21/2013 1 Comment The Ultimate Swag Bag Nothing says “Thank You” to a guest like an amazing Swag Bag! Whether you are hosting an event, a wedding, or a networking social, having guests take away a swag bag is the icing on top of the proverbial cake. We often design and create swag bags for our DDE clients. We have come up with a few hints in how to create the perfect gift bag. These tips will help both the DIY bride and the seasoned event coordinator alike. Have fun with the theme! The gifts in a bachelorette swag bag will clearly differ from those in a wedding swag bag…that said you should have fun with linking the event to the swag bag. For example, if you are planning an elegant beach wedding, include monogrammed towels with the couple’s name, seashells, and saltwater taffy. If you are planning a risqué bachelorette party, put in garter belts, edible chocolate, mini bottles of champagne. Whatever the theme of your event, carry it through to the swag bag.  Integrate the actual container into the theme. The bag does not need to be an actual bag! We recently attended a garden tea party bridal shower where each guest left with a beautiful flowerpot filled with tea, flower seeds, macaroons, and other delights. If you aren’t feeling as crafty, then purchase plain paper or cotton bags in the color scheme of your event. You can then use décor elements from the event to literally tie in the theme. For example, if you are planning a country chic wedding, use colored twine and wheat stalks to tie and adorn the tops of the bags. Select the contents with care. This is especially important when you are doing a networking event or bridal show. When you have other businesses that are adding gifts to the bag, limit the paper ads/business cards/postcards to a minimum. No one wants a beautiful bag filled with 50 pieces of paper! If you offer your collaborators the opportunity to add something to the bag, ensure that if they add marketing material that it adds something of value to the bag. For example, instead of just a business card, the business could include a specialty item specific to that area (a bag of coffee if in Seattle, a Ghirardelli chocolate bar if in San Francisco, etc.) then tie the business card onto the gift. This will not only make the bag sought after, but will also improve the chances that the attendee will take a second look at the business card. See below for more inspiration!  Sara and Vito are every bit a couple with a rock & roll edge, and a whole lot of sweetness thrown in! Which is why Divine Diva Events chose a dramatic location, Paradise Point Resort & Spa, with the California sunset in the background, mimicking the bold beauty of Sara’s tattoos, and ensured that there would be an elegant dessert bar for guests to add that touch of sweetness. Tattoos and tennis shoes, Swarovski crystals in the sunset as they said their vows, a menu with candy inspired flavors throughout, and a whole lot of dancing to their favorite music was the spirit of the evening. Images are by the talented team at Melissa McClure Photography, (All Rights Reserved). (Makeup by Beauty Ever After.) The gorgeous cake was by Edelweiss Bakery. Florals by Embellishmint Floral brought together the toughness and sweetness that the couple embrace. The favors were of course candy inspired, as was the dessert bar, with an emphasis on their favorite sweets: cookies. The couple’s love for all things sweet is a mutual passion that initially sparked their interest in one another, as was their love of music. The Diva herself wishes them many sweet years together as they dance off into the sunset.   6/21/2013 1 Comment Glitz, Glam, and The Great GatsbyIf you are like us, then you donned a flapper gown and saw The Great Gatsby movie premier this spring. Baz Luhrman’s rendition of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic tale did not disappoint. Viewers shared in all that Fitzgerald’s roaring 1920’s novel celebrated: love, fast cars, parties, booze, and the glamorous life. This inspired us to dream up some of the art deco glam and passion of that age into an elegant wedding. The couple-to-be could have an entire themed wedding, including encouraging guests to wear Gatsby inspired garb, or there could just be simple art deco touches throughout. Either way—there are endless possibilities when tying in the unique design and fashion of the age. Think feathers, black and white bold lines, pearls, champagne, and diamonds! Decadent Decor
Photo Credit: Martha Stewart Weddings Guys and Dolls: Glamorous Fashion Photo Credit: Broke Ass Bride.  Photo Credit: Martha Stewart Weddings
Photo Credits: Parekh Cards
5/10/2013 1 Comment Gorgeous Gowns for the Divine Diva“They will stop calling brides beautiful after today—you have simply set the standard too high,' he said.” ― Anna Godbersen, Rumors The Divine Diva Bride has been all ages, all colors and all sizes. The classic gown may be cookie cutter, yet our brides are anything but! Today's bride is unique and fearless. She comes in all shapes, ethnicities, ages and styles. Such a beautiful, distinct lady deserves an unparalleled gown. We scoured our style files to find THE DRESS for each and every one of you. Mature DivaMaybe it is your second time down the aisle. Perhaps you found your love later in life. Either way, there are many dresses that will work for your age--no need to wear virginal white, (although you certainly can if you want to!) or a princess-y gown--there are many options for you! We also love the "alternative veil"; wear a retro birdcage veil or fascinator instead of a traditional veil.
Diva with a TwistYou like your cocktail like you like you man--strong! You are bored with the traditional gown and want to put your own twist on it. Luckily for you, there are so many ways to either spice up a traditional gown, or forgo the hype entirely. Whether you opt for a fuchsia wedding dress, a short gown, or add a flower crown--you will certainly rock that aisle like no other! Photo Credit: Romona Keveza Curvy DivaYou are glamorous, gorgeous and love all that glitters. Your silhouette is reminisece of a 1940's film starlet, and your curves stopped your future husband dead in his tracks when he first laid eyes on you. Such a stylish woman needs a show stopping dress! Photo Credit: David's Bridal
4/26/2013 2 Comments Backyard Bliss Image: colincalvert via Flickr. There is nothing that exudes spring more than a backyard wedding! With the smell of fresh lilacs, mowed lawns, and BBQ, come the hope of spring and the promise of summer. For those of you who are event and wedding coordinators, we know that half of the hassle is selecting a location for your clients. It can be a struggle to find the perfect location with an open date and ability to meet all of your client’s requirements. For those of you who are brides-to-be or someone planning to host an event or wedding, we know that you also feel this pain! Which is why we decided to highlight the oft forgotten space that most have readily available to them, (minus the cost and contracts, no less!): Your very own backyard. The humble backyard may seem boring to some, yet they can be transformed into a beautiful oasis for an event or wedding. Whether you are planning an elegant affair, modern wedding, or intimate floral inspired baby shower, you can utilize your yard to create the perfect setting. A few hints:
Hire a professional landscaper and handyman. In a matter of days you can overhaul your yard by trimming trees, adding plants, building a gorgeous fire pit area, creating a pond or waterfall, or adding a deck, to name a few things. But if you are not a DIY’er or professional landscaper, we urge you to hire professionals! There is nothing worse than spending hours and money on a yard to have all of the foliage wilt away because it was planted wrong! Spending a little extra on a professional not only makes your yard beautiful for the event, but also is an investment in you or your client’s home’s future. Think outside the box. You don’t need to focus on rustic flowers and foliage just because you are outside and in a familiar space. You can bring in candelabras, hanging chandeliers, modern furniture. Pretend it is a rented location! Treat the space as if it were rented for the day; hire cleaners the day before and after, especially if you are a bride-to-be. There is nothing worse than having to clean up after your own wedding! So as the old adage goes, once you are married, things get steamy in the boudoir (if they haven’t yet already!) As a planner you obviously focus on the wedding, however, so much can go into the romance around the actual wedding night. There are boudoir photo shoots, decorating the honeymoon suite, and even honeymoon photo shoots of the blissed out couple! Basically, it is your job to ensure not only that their big day is seamless, but also that they enjoy their wedding night even more! For example, many brides-to-be feel the best that they have ever felt in their life prior to the big day; they’ve been working out, are in love with their future partner, and feel sexy! Which is why many brides are choosing to get their boudoir pictures done in a classy boudoir photo shoot. This can be a fun activity for their bridal party to do, together, or it can be something that the bride can do alone. Either way, the images from a gorgeous boudoir shoot is the perfect gift a bride can give her groom on the big day. See below for a few of our favorite boudoir shoots. (Images by Laquel Wright Photography.) At DDE, we also have many special packages for decorating the bridal suite for the wedding night. Something as simple as outfitting the honeymoon suite with the couple's favorite bottle of champagne, late night treats, plush robes, candles and roses, adds that special touch to an already perfect day. The main things to think about are: the couples favorite beverages (alcoholic and non), simple food (many times they have forgotten to eat all day), something elegant that the bride can slip into, candles and flowers for ambience, and an overall color theme to bring it all together. And yet another fabulous idea is to plan for “The Morning After” photo shoot, i.e. a shoot of the happy couple on their honeymoon. This is a great way for the couple to capture their beauty after all of the formal pictures and excitement of their actual wedding day. Some of our couples have enjoyed these images even more than their wedding pictures. Partly because they are natural, relaxed, and blissed out from their first night together as a married couple! This takes a bit of coordinating, especially if the couple is going out of the country on their honeymoon. However, it is worth it, and is a way to create lifelong memories of their first night together.
This was a gorgeous wedding that DDE coordinated for Mika and Wes. The bride loved all things purple, so we stayed true to her desire of having a Purple and Lavender color palette. These bold colors never go out of style, they represent royalty, love and power; a great start to a marriage, don't you agree? I've selected some of the best images (Photography by Ryan Bethke) to inspire you in design, decor and beyond! Below is a color palette we created in our COLOURLovers account to stay true to the bride's wishes. It is always helpful for coordinators and designers to create a few different palettes for your clients to chose from to ensure that you are on point. 
We incorporated flowers throughout the decor, fashion, and cake in order to get natural pops of purple in different elements of the wedding. Adding a metallic like silver to the the tablescape glams up the feel, and gives this classic color an edge. Using color palettes to gauge your client's exact color desires, incorporating natural elements of the color into the decor, and utilizing complimentary metallics, all are great ways to enhance your use of color as an event designer or coordinator. 
After an eventful day, The Diva wraps up another successful wedding with the happy couple.
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LaShawn Denise Witt, Founder of DDELa Shawn is Founder, Head Diva and Coordinator Extraordinaire of events and weddings at DDE. Stay linked to all that fresh and luxe in the bridal industry by following DDE's blog. Archives
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