Great Photo-opt for Bridesmaids

I wanted to share with you the cutest picture from a friend of mine mother's wedding! I am a sucker for half planned/half candid pictures and this picture makes me want to give spa wraps as a bridesmaids gift one day.
I'm a nerd, I know.

On the morning of the wedding, how wonderful is it to sit around with your friends as all the preparations begin. Spa wraps are great because they are comfortable and wont mess up hair and makeup when it comes time to put on the dress. Her mom had the monogram match the ice blue that shows up throughout the day, and the spa wraps were presented in cute blue canvas totes with monograms as well. You can kind of see the tote in the lower right of the photo. Is this something you would do for your bridesmaids?????

I'll be back on a regular schedule next week, so come back on Monday for more.

Happy Memorial Day!

I hope everyone is having a safe and happy Memorial Day! I will be back tomorrow with a new post. Enjoy the sunshine :)

Whitestone

Photo courtesy of Whitstone Inn

On Tuesday, I had the privilege of attending a wedding professionals meeting at Whitestone Inn, a 360 acre location in Kingston, TN. Vendors from Knoxville, Cleveland and Chattanooga all met at this fabulous venue for a scrumptious lunch for a chance to network and walk to grounds.

Because it is nestled in between the folds of mountains with views of Watts Barr Lake, Whitestone Inn is a charming backdrop for a perfect southern wedding. Whether you are interested in an outdoor garden feel or an elegant church service with a tented reception, Whitestone has the perfect setting for your big day. Southern Living Magazine has even said "The Whitestone Country Inn pampers guests with an idyllic rural setting done in high fashion." This venue has an excellent span of wedding services including both indoor and outdoor ceremony and reception locations, a minister on site, wedding coordinator on site (who I heard is great and also willing to work with outside planners -a plus!), florist, videographer and plenty more. You can even have a dove release if you want!

Not only is Whitestone a fantastic place for a wedding, but it is a Bed & Breakfast, a Conference Facility , as well as the site for 2 developments - The Point and The Sanctuary. Head to their website to find out everything you need to know about this outstanding location.

What you and Jenna Bush have in common

When you are first engaged and planning your wedding, people tend to immediately expect you to know:

• When is it
• Where is it going to be
• If they are invited

There is a lot of pressure to know all the answers. Not only do you feel that you need to know the answers, but that the answers are going to be "right" for the person who is asking. Grandmother expects you to have a large church wedding with a reception in the great hall, your college friends are expecting a huge blow out bash, or your parents think you should just elope and use the money on a home. While opinions are good to have, the only thing that matters is what you and your soon to be care about.

Take the newly wed Jenna Bush for example. If anyone knows about pressure, it's her. With her dad being the President of our country, everyone-the media especially-wanted a huge black tie event at the White House. Good for her for taking in the moment, evaluating the situation, and saying no. Jenna's wedding at her family's ranch in Texas was perfect.

Follow Jenna Bush's lead and find what you really want. You only do this once, right?

White House photos by Shealah Craighead

Welcome to Inviting!

My goal for this blog is to create an online resource for Chattanooga area brides (or any host/hostess) where everything event related can be found.

Too much time is wasted trying to find reviews and information regarding venues, caterers, florists, etc when trying to plan an event. Since these are all things I love and enjoy researching, I thought I would put it all together in one place! Additionally, I will be talking about etiquette, ideas on how to lower costs, trends, styles and so much more. Thanks for stopping by and I will be posting again soon!