Showing posts with label wedding. Show all posts
Showing posts with label wedding. Show all posts

Friday, August 12, 2016

Favor Yourself Some Ideas?

One of the essential components of a wedding reception, is the favor.

Throughout the years, I've seen various things: ranging from extravagant, to simple. There's no right or wrong favor, there's just the right one for you (and your budget!). But I sometimes get asked, "what is the best favor for my money?"

..and the answer is..

Anything edible! If people can eat it, or drink it, you can almost always count on not having a lot of leftovers come the end of the evening. This can leave a truly large bevy of options - you can go big, or small.. the options are endless.

Want to do something fun and utilitarian/multi-useful for place cards? How about a candy apple, with the guest's name tied with ribbon around it?! This would be such a cute idea for a fall wedding, and it not only instructs guests where to sit, but it also satiates their favor, too.

How cute is this? You can really personalize this with your choice of ribbon & cardstock!

What a romantic & inviting way to greet and seat guests! 
How could this get better, you ask? Add some white pumpkin arrangements with sparkle accents!


However, if something a bit bigger (with a little bit of this, and a little bit of that) is more up your alley, then I highly recommend the ever popular Candy Buffet! Also called a Candy Bar, Willy Wonka Bar, etc., it is always an incredibly popular favor choice among guests. Not only does it allow for guests to pick and choose which sweets speak to them most, but it also makes for a really lovely tablescape. Here at the Whistlestop, we've done more Candy Buffets than we can count, and have all sorts of glass pieces, fabrics and other textures, bells and whistles, to make these really pop!

This is such a feminine, soft display that evokes tidings of spring! So pretty!

This particular Candy Buffet is very Parisian, and says "simple elegance," don't you think?
It isn't unusual whatsoever for these tables to include a mixture of candies & cookies!

As you can see, flowers only add to the dimension of these impressive favor displays!

Another fun component of these, is that you can pick and choose what you would like and have it coordinate with your colors, too! Don't let the pictures above make you feel that soft pinks and whites are the only choices; we've done these in every color of the rainbow! You can also have fun choosing containers for guests to take home their treats, which is another way to make this aspect of your day more you.







If you have your heart set on something that isn't edible, that's okay, too; whatever you choose will be perfect and beautiful for your day! Always remember that this is your wedding day, and it should be a reflection of you and your soon-to-be spouse. You know your guests best, and therefore, can make the judgement calls as to what would be the best favor to await them!

What do you think? What was your most memorable wedding favor?

Wednesday, July 27, 2016

#WhistleWhileYouWed Series: Leigh Ann & Ryan

I would like to introduce you to this edition's dapper couple, Leigh Ann and Ryan! This couple were naturals in front of the camera, and the bouquets that Leigh Ann chose were absolutely perfect for the aesthetic that she was going for. Remember the last blog post, where I discussed a little bit about keeping your venue in mind, in correlation to the aesthete that you're going for? Well, just like all of our other brides, Leigh Ann was right on the money!

This bride and groom chose a fun, non-traditional venue for their reception: the historical, the beautiful.. Landmark Theater! If you haven't ever considered this landmark (no pun intended) for a potential reception location, it would be worth checking out - it has a feel and look like none other in the 315.


Can we just talk about the absolutely glam bridesmaid's dresses?! Wow! What I really love about their dresses and bouquets, is that the simple, yet elegant, bouquet doesn't get lost whatsoever with such a sparkly, jazzy dress; if anything, it ties the look together perfectly.

What a fun, happy bridal party!


The centerpieces for this wedding fit perfectly with the napkins and chiavari chairs, don't you think? This wedding made me think of all things Gatsby; the glamour, the elegance.. the touches of gold, the mood of the venue. It was a really fun event to be apart of! 

I love the drama of this picture; it really shows the romance that this wedding exuded!




Sunday, June 5, 2016

#WhistleWhileYouWedSeries: Sarah & Josh

On this edition of the #WhistleWhileYouWed series, we're featuring another wedding from last summer, that of Mr. & Mrs. Stoetzel!

Sarah and Josh are such a cute couple: you can tell that they're so in love with one another, and I think you'll all agree when you see some of their photos! The bride and groom chose to have both their ceremony, and their reception, at the absolutely gorgeous Genesee Grande Hotel in downtown Syracuse. For anyone that is considering this venue for their ceremony, reception, or both, it is definitely an excellent option - and with plenty of rooms for guests to stay in, too!

Sarah chose to utilize her bridemaids' bouquets as a centerpiece for some of her tables, and this is always such a great way to keep your beautiful bouquets on display! It also helps keep them in better condition throughout the night, too, by placing them in julep cups; this way, they don't have one "flat" or "smashed" side by the night's end!

Making the choice to do your ceremony and reception, all at the same venue, can be really beneficial if you have a significant amount of out-of-town guests - especially if they're not from the area that you're getting married in. This way, they don't have the stress of having to navigate not only to one venue, but two! Though not all venues offer this option (especially with larger-scale weddings), it is definitely becoming more and more popular amongst brides today.

The bride's beautiful bouquet; can you see her special charm in it?!

As you can see, an aisle runner & treatment were still possible for Sarah!

What a great looking couple!

Such a sweet shot, the bride's hair is sleek and sophisticated, isn't it?!

The dapper wedding party, with lovely blue bouquets that "pop"!


Congratulations again, Sarah & Josh!

Wednesday, May 25, 2016

#WhistleWhileYouWed Series: Sharlie & Jo

We're starting a new hashtag here at the Whistlestop, and it's called #whistlewhileyouwed - pretty punchy, right?!

Anyway, here on the blog, I'm going to focus on doing a series where one particular post is focused on a particular wedding, and without further adieu.. I would like to introduce to you the fabulous wedding of Sharlie & Jo!

The stunning bride & groom

Sharlie was such a fun, sweet bride; I really loved working with her! Her wedding was very elegant and classic: gold candelabras, with centerpieces that were dripping in green amaranths. Sharlie and Jo chose to host their guests at Justin's Grill, which, for those who aren't aware, have really delicious fare! Purple uplighting, along with the floral decor, really helped to set the mood for not only a beautiful event, but a fun one, too! I'm sure that each and every guest enjoyed themselves, and most importantly, that the bride and groom will always look back fondly upon their wedding day.

How elegant and chic is this?! #obsessed

The table numbers worked so well with Sharlie's centerpieces!


Sharlie chose to go with a mixture of high and low centerpieces, which is a very popular choice among brides. Why, you may ask? It helps tease the eye; and add depth and dimension to a room. This is a great way to also have two different styles of centerpieces, too: perfect for a bride that may be torn between two ideas!

Photography by Sarah Heppell Photography


Wednesday, May 11, 2016

Rehearsal Dinner

Wedding season is here, everyone! Well, it's been here for a few weeks now, but with the blooming of trees, flowers, and shrubs, it just feels more like spring! I'm sure many of you can agree, that with the earth coming alive, you come alive along with it.. :)

Now that it's officially spring, with summer just around the corner, many brides are getting ready to walk down the aisle. All of the preparation is coming together, each detail is stacked on top of the other, all to form the magical day that you say "I do." So much thought and emphasis is placed on the dress you wear for your wedding day, but what about rehearsal dinner?! It's surely an excellent opportunity to wear a lovely white dress, romper, or otherwise, and I've found some options that would be not only tasteful and sophisticated, but comfortable, too! These pieces are also great for your honeymoon, or even just a nice dinner date with your new husband during the warmer months.

Click on the image below to view the widget of different looks that would be great options for a rehearsal dinner! There's even quite a few of these that are on sale!