A Frigid Addition To Your Wedding: Moonie Icy Tunes

Let’s go back in time. It’s summer and school is finally out. You get to play with your friends. The sun is out, the temperatures are high. Life is so good when you’re 10. In the distance you hear a familiar sound. It’s the sound of summer. IT’S THE ICE CREAM TRUCK! The season wouldn’t be complete without hanging with your friends eating frozen treats.

There are just some things we should continue to do at age 10 or 29. What would be the perfect option for you? The ice cream truck was great but it needs a bit more sophistication. Maybe limoncello? What about sorbet or custard or the to die for Magnum Bars?

Guess what, friends? This option exists and it’s called Moonie Icy Tunes. They can be a part of your wedding, rehearsal dinner, shower, party or any other celebration where you’re looking to add a little indulgence.

We did a short Q&A. Check ’em out! 

1. MOONIE Icy Tunes is a local Ice cream delivery but who is MOONIE? Melissa Crosetto was born July 20th 1989 on the anniversary of “Man Walking on the Moon”. The nickname “Moonie” was quickly adapted to her personality.  Melissa is an incredibly talented and creative young woman.  Melissa is an accomplished entrepreneur and is learning quickly how to soak in all the aspects of launching and growing a business in these economically challenging times.
2. Why do you like working with engaged couples? For the enthusiasm and excitement. Plus, we’ve been amazed by all of the creative ideas the couples have come up with on how to incorporate and use the ice cream Jeep.
3. What type of weddings/couples do you typically work with? We worked with your traditional wedding venues – locating the ice cream jeep outside the church or at a private lake where a helicopter drops off the bride  & groom to get a MAGNUM bar then join the reception! Yep, it’s happened.
4. What insider tip do you wish all engaged couples would know?  Get creative and think outside the box.
5. What is your favorite drink? I have a background in food & wine (worked at Chateau Ste. Michelle as a culinary supervisor) so I’ll go with New Zealand style Sauv Blancs.

Don’t know what a Magnum Bar is? Promise: Once you try, you’ll never forget. Check out the short video.

Ready to be a kid again?

-T

Related Posts:

Unofficial Tips From Kelly Ripa

Invitations: Where Do I Start?- Chic Ink

What the Frig is ‘Ombre’?- Duque Salon

About Your Wedding Budget (or lack thereof) – Shindig Events

Some of the Best Ink: Impress Ink

Impress Ink on Etsy

Oh, what? What’s that? Thanks for asking. It’s “Meet an Expert” day here at the WPE headquarters. We want you to know about amazingness. What do we have here? A bit of amazingness, that’s what we have. Chi-zeck out our friend Shannon, owner of Impress Ink.

1. Impress Ink is a special event stationery company which is independently owned and operated by Shannon Funkenbusch with the help of her husband Dax.
2. Why do you like working with engaged couples? or Where does your passion for weddings come from? I enjoy working with engaged couples because their enthusiasm is so contagious. Nothing makes me happier than hearing them rave about how my work has helped to make their special day extra special. I’ve always had a passion for creativity and design but my passion for weddings was a surprise to even me. I believe weddings let people bend the rules of style in ways that they wouldn’t do every day and really push their vision to the limits.
3. What type of weddings/couples do you typically work with? I work with clients nationwide for weddings, birthday parties, bridal showers, Bat and Bar Mitzvahs, you name it. I’ve fulfilled stationery orders for events as small as 25 and some as large as 350 or more. I’ve done invitations for weddings that range in formality from super casual, outdoor weddings to very formal, black tie events. I work mostly with brides but I love it when grooms get involved too. I’m noticing more and more guys are stepping up to be involved in the planning of their own weddings and they always have such refreshing ideas and really think outside of the box. With the steps Washington State is taking to legalize same-sex marriage, I expect to see an increase in same-sex couples looking for top-notch wedding stationery as well.
4. What insider tip do you wish all engaged couples would know? Other than the typical rant about choosing your stationery designer carefully because it’s your guest’s first impression of your wedding, and all that “you get what you pay for” stuff …here’s a really useful tip for avoiding the most dreadful part of sending out invitation: envelope sealing!  I’m reminded of that Seinfeld episode where George’s fiancé dies from having to lick all the glue on the envelopes. Do yourself and your tongue a favor and get a glue stick! It’s like a double-duty sealer…it moistens the adhesive already on the envelope and provides an extra bit of stickiness. Plus, it won’t saturate and wrinkle your paper like using a sponge dipped in water will.
5. Spill it. Give us more. What have we not asked that we should know about you? I have a background and education in design but not stictly stationery design. I went to college for Architecture but I’ve been designing buildings pretty much since I could draw a straight line. Impress Ink was born at the bottom of a recession, when the bottom fell out of the building industry and a degree in architecture no longer had any value to employers. It was then that I learned how versatile design skills are and that basic design principles can transcend all mediums, from buildings to paper, the essentials are the same. This is a business built on paper, ink, and a passion for good design.  Also, we’re adding a LETTERPRESS option later this year that will be done in-house on our very own letterpress!
6. What TV show do you NEVER miss an episode of? There are so many to choose from! Netflix has made keeping up with shows so much easier. At the top of my list you’ll find shows like Dexter, Bones, Community, Big Bang Theory, and Raising Hope.
7. What is your favorite drink? I’m constantly teased for having a gallon size jug of cranberry juice in my fridge. Don’t tease! I just think it tastes good.
8. What celebrity would you marry if you could? Denzel Washington. Can that man make a bad movie? I think not.

Shannon - Impress Ink

Kissing: Can It Make or Break A Relationship?

This is my day to just spill it. Warning, I’m a talker and I love to write. I just imagine that you and I are sitting here with our feet up talking about what we like, what we watched last night and what we’re excited about. This is how I decide what to write about. What would we talk about? Let’s chat. The Bachelor and kissing.

Before I even go into how watching The Bachelor makes me feel queasy, I should tell you this about me: I’m a hopeless romantic but I either giggle, get shy or become really nervous in romantic situations. I read chick-lit books where the plot follows a woman who is usually struggling to realize she loves someone and, in the end, they fall in love. There are some steamy scenes in the middle (a la romance novel) and when I read the last page, the whole story is all packaged up and totally unrealistic. I believe that stuff. I watch TV with ZERO educational value and I’m not ashamed of any of this.

I’m a Bachelor fan but I am not a fan of Ben (the current Bachelor -if you’re not a fan). As I start to write, I have to remember that all of the people involved are human beings and have feelings. This is going to be the HARDEST thing to do. I’m ready to unleash. To me, kissing is so hot. There are even health benefits to kissing. Yes, I’ve researched. However, watching Ben kiss the girls on The Bachelor, makes me literally gag. Seriously! Look at the image above. It is so absolutely disgusting watching his sticky frog tongue jut out toward his prey and bring them in like a fly. Almost ALL of them have kissed Ben. I’ve got to know what it’s like.

Do you think kissing can make or break a relationship?

I once (almost) kissed a guy who started the process as if it was a sword fight. I almost puked. For real. I told the poor soul that I was drunk and getting sick. It was a better option than telling him that his kisses made me wretch. Regardless of how he looked, how great of a personality he had, I just couldn’t do it. That relationship was over before it started. Bachelor Ben would be in that category for me. When I see him and Courtney kiss…it’s like a great diet. I lose my appetite completely.

So, now that I’ve taken up all your time talking about mindless (read: interesting to me) information, tell me:

Have you had a bad kissing experience?

Did it make or break the two of you?

Lots of love and unimportant topics,

Tawsha

What Does a Bridesmaid Do?

Bridesmaids t-shirts from TheFavored.net.

It’s Frideeee (as my father-in-law says it) and we’ve asked the expert. This week was one of those questions that I actually don’t think I’ve ever quite grasped. We got an email from “CallieMae” and ran right to one of our wedding planner experts, GuGuLy Extraordinaire!

Submit your question for next week. It can be anything…just ask. We hunt down one of our experts and they give you free advice. Not a bad trade, huh?

“I just got engaged and will hire a wedding planner (that’s a whole other question). My bridesmaids have been chosen since I was a kid but I actually don’t know what to tell them. What things do my bridesmaids plan and what do I leave to the wedding planner? I don’t want to step on any toes but I also want to let my girlfriends have a little planning fun, too.” -C

Hi C!

First of all, congratulations on your engagement!

I love the idea of having your gal pals help plan your wedding; however, have you checked whether they are up for it? If yes, how much of a role will they play and what are your expectations?

There is no right or wrong answer to your question. You can have your planner do as much as you like or as little as you want. Just ask and you shall receive (after all, that’s why you’re paying the planner). The same concept goes for your bridesmaids (sans payment). If there is something that means a lot to you then, make sure you convey that message to them.

Here are some examples of things that your bridesmaids could help and make a fun day out of it: arrange appointments to try out bridesmaids and wedding dresses, plan for your bridal shower and that unforgettable crazy bachelorette party.

Is there something that your other half is not as interested in helping to plan? Perhaps your girls could help with deciding on a cake and/or your wedding colors.  This could be a good opportunity to have your bridesmaids come along and share their opinion. Doesn’t this sound like a lot of fun-girl-only time? 

All that said above; please remember that the wedding is all about you and your significant other! You want the wedding to reflect the two of you as a couple.

Planning for the wedding and the actual wedding day can be a very stressful event.  Make sure to have FUN during the adventure – it only happens once.

Happy Planning!

~ GuGuLy Extraordinaire Event Planning

 

Hi, it’s Tawsha again. I also found this cost breakdown on Mint.com which is how much it costs, on average, to be a bridesmaid. Pretty interesting. Click HERE (or on the image above) to read.

Your turn…ask away. What do you want to know about your wedding, a friends wedding or what happens after “I Do”. Just ask by emailing us at: events@weddingpreviewevent.com or comment below.

Peace out, friends! -T

Bad Ass KitchenAid Mixers

What is this wonderment filling my sight and making me a happy person? Oh emmmm geeee! These are theeee coolest mixers I’ve ever seen. Katy Perry and Britney Spears have beat me to the “custom mixer” train but I don’t care how late I am, I’m soooo gifting this to someone…anyone.

Let’s back it up a bit. I’m not doing the ol’ woman in the kitchen bit, this goes far beyond “roles,” it’s art and it’s sassy art! If you don’t already know about Un Amore Custom Designs, well, you can thank me now. Nicole Dinardo is the artist behind ALL of the above designs. They are custom and whatever you can dream up, she’ll bring to life. Fun, right?

I read a cool article about her HERE. Where’s this cool art studio? Snohomish, Washington. Can we get a woot-woot?!?

Today is like show and tell. I developed a quick Un Amore obsession over the weekend and couldn’t wait to blog about it.

Would you spice up your mixer?

What the Frig is Ombre?

Jessica Biel - Ombre Style

Each Friday, we post a question from a blog reader and hunt down one of our favorite experts to answer it for you. First of all, the fact that you are reading is blowing our mind. We spew random information that we find interesting and do it with very little class and you take the time to read. Pinch us. This is too great! We’re enormously grateful for you. Sorry, emotional moment… we move forward.

Emma wrote:

Recently I’ve seen this two-toned hair trend happening. Actually, it’s recent to me but not to people like Jessica Biel, Rachel Bilson and even Khloe Kardashian. What is it called?

I love it and I want to get it done. Am I going to look like “that girl” who tried to be in style but came to late to the party?

I’m even seeing it in wedding décor, flowers, nails. It’s awesome!

I know this isn’t all wedding related but I’m really curious.

Thanks so much!

This week’s expert: Introducing Duque Salon + Spa + Boutique. We’re new friends of theirs and they are all sass. We love them and they love you. How does that work? Giovanna is the appointed pro and she answered:

The trend you are noticing Emma is called Ombre.  It is a French-termed hair trend featuring darker, more natural hues at the roots with gradual lightening at the ends.

Although this trend has been around since 2010 with regard to hair, it has long before then been seen in fashion and in decorating, (Think Ombre painted  wall,  with darkest at the bottom while gradually getting lighter, ending  with the lightest  at the top).

Some would say that the trend has come and gone, that certainly being true for the starlets that walk the red carpet.  However, for us real life girls the trend is still very much on point.

I have even seen Ombre lips—-gorgeous I might add too.

I would consider a few things before jumping right in though.

First, one might take into count one’s profession. Before rocking this rock-star look make sure it does not take away from whatever professional look you need to climb the ladder to one’s success.

Secondly, look to one’s skin tone, as always, when choosing the tone and color. This is best left to a professional in my opinion.

And finally, make sure to take extra care with your newly treated tresses…as no matter what color one’s hair is…it must be healthy and shiny or what’s the point?

After reading Giovanna’s answer, we had to look up an “ombre lip”. It wasn’t enough. We just went ahead and made an entire Ombre Pin Board on Pinterest. Find it HERE.

What part of you would you add a little ombre to?

Personalization Pinspiration

Jones Soda Co and Bottle Your Brand - Seattle, WA

I believe it’s safe to say that I’m addicted to Pinterest. It’s something I look at every day. Okay, full disclosure, I have the tab open as much as I do my email, the app is on my phone on the front page and I feel as if not pinning is equal to neglecting another human being. It’s that serious. What’s more? I don’t apologize for my behavior. I like it and I don’t want to change. Nothing fills my brain with more ideas than Pinterest.

If you don’t have a Pinterest account, we can solve that problem right here and now. Contact us to let us know you want an invite and we’ll send one your way. What is Pinterest? It’s a virtual pin board. Instead of cutting out pages from a magazine or printing out papers of ideas you’ve found or even bookmarking pages to go back to later (let’s be honest, who really visits all their bookmarks?), you can put them in one account on different boards. You install the “Pin it” button on your toolbar and wait until you find an image online that you’d like to keep. Click the “pin it” button and your image choices will pop up. Choose the image you want to keep and add it to one of your boards (which you get to name on your own). Keep wedding ideas in one place, gifts, decor ideas and even the cool idea I’m ready to share with you.

Let’s customize your wedding, shall we? No, seriously! You’ve worked so hard to get everything to match your style from the invitations all the way to your send -off. Why not drink your brand. Yeah baby! Jones Soda Co has some crazy/cool flavors and you can put your picture smack dab in the middle of a bottle of your favorite flavor. The best part, it’s not super-expensive. Cool, no? Also, there’s a company called Bottle Your Brand and they will put a label on pretty much anything with a surface. From water bottles to wine bottles, beer to food, they either have a pre-made design or you can make your own. Can you imagine walking in to your reception and people have drinks with their name already on it? Even more, with YOU on it? Too cool!

How Pinspiring!

What would you have customized?

photo credits:

Line of Jones Soda bottles: McClanahan Studio

Collection of wedding Jones Soda Bottles: Love & Lemonade

Beer Bottles w/custom Label: Bottle Your Brand

“Funny You Should Ask…” About Your Wedding Budget (or lack thereof)

It’s Friday…and another edition of “Funny You Should Ask”. You submit your questions HERE and we find a wedding professional who can give you an answer. We love the honest questions because, turns out, there are many more people wanting to know the same thing.

Question:

I’m engaged and the first step is budget, right? I have NO idea what my budget should be. Once that is figured out, where does the money come from? Me? Him? The family?

I am  completely lost when it comes to financing this wedding and feel like I’m the first to ask this question. Seriously, am I that clueless?  – Miranda

We enlisted the help of Shindig Events, an event company who comes up with some of the most amazing ideas, takes events to a new level yet always remains grounded for the benefit of their clients…whom they love. This is us speaking, by the way, not them. You’re welcome. Kelli, Shindig Events Principal, answers:

Oh, Miranda. You are not clueless. In fact, you are very sensible for considering budget. It really should be one of the first questions you ask after you answer THE BIG QUESTION! This stuff costs money, no doubt, and there are some people out there who want your hard-earned cabbage in the guise of fairy dust and sparkly kitten whiskers. So, as icky as it may be, you first and foremost need to discuss with your fiance and your families.  Your parental units may say “um, we don’t have any money for this” or they might go halfsies or perhaps they may surprise you & offer to foot the bill.  And when you tell them that a typical wedding for 150 people in the US is around 20K, they may cry, or they may help… Or both. Or neither. The truth is, your wedding can be ANYTHING you want it to be for as much or as little as you want to spend.  You may find that you would be better suited to use money from your families for a down payment on a home, or finally settling those student loans.  

When it comes down to how much the total bill is going to be, first take a look at what you really want out of your wedding day. Do you want amazing photography? Are you a foodie who wants a sit-down dinner with passed appetizers?  So, let’s say you want to spend more on photos and less on food. Perhaps consider a Sunday afternoon ceremony with a cake & ice cream reception. Or, if you have always dreamed of day of gorging on delicious catered treats, you may want to keep your attendance list low in order to accommodate this special occasion & your foodie fanatacism.  I know when my big day comes, I require a photo booth and karaoke. If this means hiring a taco truck & getting a keg of beer and only inviting 50 people, then by golly, that is what has to give!

So, how much for each item? A lot of variables including city, state, climate and time of year are going to impact your spend.  Research wedding budget templates online. You’ll see line items for those things you will need to consider, like attire, and things that you may have no interest in whatsoever (such as a garter belt).  Look at those things. Those that appeal to you, keep in your budget. Those that don’t, delete that cell! There’s no rule that says you need to have a unity candle at your ceremony.

There are lot of options are out there in the great big wedding industry world that are going to tempt you.  Many of them will make you think you need them in order for your day to be perfect. And while I don’t ever want to see my couples go into any sort of debt for their weddings, you do have to ask yourself how often are you going to have an opportunity to get your loved ones into one room for such a soiree?  Think, most of all, what is key to your happiness that day? That decision will guide you to all of the others. 

With those words of advice, we went searching for some spreadsheets:

Wedding Budget: Spreadsheet123

Wedding Budget: Microsoft Office

-T

P.S. Be sure to check out Cinefresco (by Shindig Events) coming soon!

 

Thoughts Into Things: PINspiration Boards

Do you have an idea in mind of how you want your wedding to look? Right there, while you’re reading, explain it in a way that I can see the colors, smell the food, feel the atmosphere. Tough, right? I KNOW! Pinterest to the rescue!

It’s fun looking through  magazines and websites for inspiration but we promise that NOBODY will have your exact style…especially if you’re doing something outside of what seems to be trendy.

I’m not the type of person who wants to completely stand out. At the same time, if I were planning a wedding in this year’s color of Tangerine Tango, I’d look like death warmed over. I love the color but my skin doesn’t agree. On top of that, I want my wedding to be a reflection of me. Of us. What makes us happy? Where is our favorite place? What kind of food do we like? What kind of dress do I want to wear? All of those factor into what kind of day you’d like for your wedding.

If I were to describe my wedding vision, I’d tell you that I want to bring my friends and family into an atmosphere that was an extension of home. I’d want a party on the beach…but tasteful. I want a mix of Cape Cod and a summer night in the Hamptons (I’ve never been, but the show Revenge makes me feel like I know all about the Hamptons). I want to wear a simple white dress and roast marshmallows over a campfire which isn’t far from an outdoor bar. I want comfortable seating and for the night to feel like vacation for everyone. I can tell you my vision OR I could have just showed you my PINspiration board above.

Are you on Pinterest? If not, we’ll send you an invitation, just ask. If so, comment below where it says “Let’s Hear from YOU” with your Pinterest page url and we’ll follow you. For example, we’re www.pinterest.com/wpeseattle.

Your turn. Show us YOUR wedding vision!

-Tawsha

http://www.weddingpreviewevent.com

Funny You Should Ask: Picking Your Wedding Date

This is your free advice column. Each Friday, we’ll feature one of you lovely engaged people who have a question. It doesn’t have to be a big deal…or it can be a big deal. Either way, we can guarantee that someone else has a similar question. Consider this a public service. You’re doing it for your people; Your fellow engaged couples. Submit your question HERE or comment at the end of the blog.

This week’s question could only be answered by a planner. A person who not only helps couples plan their wedding but who is also a counselor, magician, a stand-in best friend and anything else amazing we could say. It’s a HARD job. In fact, Forbes even says so. At that point, it became gospel.

Everyone, meet Sheena…she’s the owner and brains behind The Invisible Hostess. Ask her, “Can ____ be done?” We’re putting our money on the fact that she’ll make it happen.

Now meet Michele the bride. She got engaged at the beginning of this month and wants to get married this summer. She asks:

My biggest challenge right now is finding a place for this August or even September. Saturdays work the best but I’ve heard Fridays are great too. We have family in California so picking a good time for them and their kids (who are in school) can be a problem. Suggestions?

Sheena responds:

If you have a lot of out of town guests you want to accommodate, the first weekend you should be looking at is Labor Day weekend.  To have a three day weekend for your guests to work around is the best.  Remember, though, that you won’t be able to please everyone’s schedule, even if you have the luxury of having your pick of venues for this very popular weekend, so you need to make your choice on the following: List the 5 out of town guests you would move mountains for to have them come to your wedding, then select your date around them. 

No matter if you pick a Saturday or a Friday, people will miss work and kids will miss school, so don’t over think it.  If you’re willing to move mountains for them, I’d like to think they’d be willing to do the same for you.

On the topic of Friday vs. Saturday, at this point in the year, you’ll have more Fridays to choose from which is a plus, and if many of your guests are from out of town, they’re not juggling Friday work or traffic, so that’s a bonus!

Tune in next week for another edition of: “Funny You Should Ask…”

We’ll find the expert if you ask the question.

I do believe I should have been born in the 50’s. You could actually say that kind of thing and not worry about how big of a dork you are…like I’m doing right now.

-Tawsha

P.S. The image of The Giving Tree is a free Save the Date Template that can be found HERE.