Downtown Grand Rapids Wedding Venues

Brides Michigan asked me to share three Grand Rapids wedding venues that were a Best Buy because of their valuable extras which were included in the rental fees. Each venue I highlighted host both wedding ceremonies and receptions, plus other celebrations. Here are the three I shared in the 2010 Fall/Winter edition of Brides Michigan...

The Goei Center

The Goei family has transformed the former Kindel furniture factory into the city’s newest urban venue. The contemporary, loft like space features original wood floors, brick walls, and exposed wooden beams. The best part: Use of the center’s sleek, black Chiavari chairs are included with every event, which saves you from having to rent your own.

The Grand Rapids Art Museum

With its modern, sleek architecture and convenient downtown location, the Grand Rapids Art Museum is the ideal backdrop for couples looking for a contemporary wedding venue. And because the setting is so gorgeous, you won’t have to spend as much on specialty linens, flowers, or additional décor because the venue is a work of art in itself. Your guests will marvel at the sweeping views of downtown through the enormous floor-to-ceiling windows, and can dance beneath the stars in the skylight-filled auditorium. Plus, they can also admire the pieces on view in the first floor gallery, which will be open to guests throughout the evening.

St. Cecilia's Music Center

Built in 1894, just east of the center of downtown, the Music Center is one of the most beautiful and historic venues in West Michigan. A grand staircase leads guests to a ballroom overlooking the city. The chandeliers, beautiful wood floors, and damask wall coverings lend a traditional feel to any celebration. And there are various catering options available, which means you have more flexibility to tailor the dinner menu to your taste and price point.

[photo credits: Goei Center - their website; GRAM - their website; St. Cecilia's - Jen Kroll Photography]

Pearls Events Press | Best Buys in Grand Rapids

The editor at Brides Michigan asked me to share three Grand Rapids wedding venues that were affordable because of their valuable "extras" which were included in their rental fees.

Because Grand Rapids is home to so many wonderful locations, it was hard to name just three! I ultimately picked my favorites because of their downtown location, fun "extras" or ambiance the site lends to an event, and of course, their price. Stay tuned later today to read more about the three locations I chose to highlight in the newest edition of Brides Michigan.

Michigan Wedding Welcome Bags

With Michigan being a destination for many of our couples, we seem to put together Michigan Wedding Welcome Bags often. I recently was asked by Brides Michigan to share my favorite treats to include in their Fall 2010 edition, and I wanted to share them with you too! I chose all Michigan vendors and love this little bag of goodies - as any guest would!

1. Koeze's Gourmet Nuts - Grand Rapids, Michigan
2. The Taffy Barrel's Saltwater Taffy - Charlevoix, Michigan
3. Ryba's Fudge - Mackinac Island, Michigan
4. I Love Michigan Tote - Detroit, Michigan

Pearls Events Press | Warm Welcome

Pearls Events, along with five other Michigan wedding planners, were recently asked to share our favorite salty, sweet, state pride and a container to stash it all in for an article in Brides Michigan.

I just got my hands on the newest edition and love the handy chart the editors created sharing the 24 items we all love. Stay tuned later today for a breakdown of the four Michigan items I'm wild about.

Inspired By | Fabric

If you caught my earlier post, you may still be wondering how fabric can inspire an entire wedding. Shown above is my favorite stylized shoot inspired by fabric, created by April of April Foster Events for the Inspired Creations Contest earlier this year.

The fabric pattern was transferred onto everything from the invitations and lamps, to the cake design and photo frames hanging above the sweet table. This tablescape and dessert buffet was completely inspired by this hip and fun pattern in muted colors, and I love how April pulled everything together for a seamless look.

If I were getting married in 2011, this is the look I'd be going for!

[all images copyright Megan W Photography]

Inspired By | Linens

A couple of weeks ago, I shared a color palette with you that I was inspired by for my upcoming home makeover. After further investigation, I've realized our living room furniture will not flow with the whole look. And since the sofa & chair were an investment (read: not cheap), they are not on our list to replace anytime soon.

Last night I was looking at linens on CB2 when I found the perfect color combination in the Doodle Bed Linens, above. Our sofa is a muted yellow color, our media center is dark cherry wood, and now I'm thinking of painting the walls a warm gray and bringing in the blue as accents, grounded with the white trim and a few white accents; I think I'm in love.

What does this have to do with your wedding, you may be asking? Well, if you're looking for inspiration for your event design, look towards fabric. With various designs, patterns and color combinations available, a great place to be inspired is with fabrics that incorporate all those elements.

Stay tuned later today for one of my favorite wedding stylized shoots that was completely inspired by fabric!

Get Married in Michigan | Castle Farms

I have not had the pleasure of working at every venue in Michigan - there are SO many great ones! One place that tops of my list of "I'd LOVE to work there!" is Castle Farms in Charlevoix, Michigan. The area is a fabulous place to vacation during Michigan summers, and the castle is an amazing place for any celebration, especially a wedding. They book up quickly, so if Castle Farms is on your list, call as soon as you can to reserve your date.

Special thanks to Dan of Dan Stewart Photography for sending this gorgeous wedding over at Castle Farms. I love all of Nikki & Paul's details in purple, greens and whites. And her gown is just stunning! To see more of their photos from their day, check out Dan's post here.

Ceremony & Reception & Day-of-Coordinator| Castle Farms, Kings Great Hall
Caterer | Grey Gables
Photographer | Dan Stewart Photography
Florist | BLOOM
Cake | Aunt B's Cakes & Desserts
Linens | Wedding Linens Direct
Disc Jockey | A Plus Digital DJ

Pink, Peach, Yellow & Ivory Sweet Table

One of my cousins had an all-white sweet table when she was married in 2004. At the time, I had never seen one and was in awe of all the candy that actually came in white! Over the years, it seemed as though the candy buffets trend had faded, however over the last couple of years, Ms. Amy Atlas has spread the love for sweet tables once again.

If you caught the Pearls Events Loves post from earlier today, this is just another stellar example of the work from Ali at Iced Events. I love the soft colors of this particular sweet table, and think it'd be perfect for a bridal shower or baby shower as well!

[photos copyright Chris McGuire Photography]

Pearls Events Loves | Iced Events

I have had the pleasure of getting to know Ali Swaim of Iced Events over the past few months via Twitter. Then, out of the blue, a current wedding client emailed me a letter of recommendation for Ali's sweet buffet work with Iced Events. I was thrilled to hear how amazing Ali's work was from our client, and when the occasion arose to partner with Ali on a project, she was the only woman I called for the job.

At the end of June, the Pearls Events team produced a photo shoot for InFrame Bride, which will hit local Michigan newsstands September 1st. Ali worked alongside our team to create the perfect, petite sweet table for the shoot, and at the end of the day, all the vendors had amazing photos from K. Holly Studios for our own portfolios, plus a bag of delicious pink & gold candy to take home. It was a win-win for everyone if you ask me!

If you are thinking of adding a sweet buffet to your special occasion, contact Ali - she does an amazing job and will help you create something wonderful your guests will soon not forget.

[photos of Iced Events's recent work, copyright Spark Creative Photography]

Pampering Yourself on Your Wedding Day

I'm an advocate of enjoying the morning of your wedding instead of running around like a madwoman worrying about all the details. Naturally, I would prefer you hire an amazing coordination team to worry about the day-of-details, while you enjoy the morning being pampered and getting ready to walk down the aisle!

I get many requests from my clients as to what my favorite salons in the Grand Rapids area are, and last year I was introduced to Splurge Salon & Spa by Liz, an October bride. Let me tell you - this ain't your mom's salon! Splurge Salon & Spa is drenched in cool greens and sky blues, grounded by pure white. They are conveniently located just north of downtown with easy, free parking on-site.

I dropped breakfast off to Liz & her bridesmaids in the morning and the ladies were enjoying their morning far more than I did the day of my wedding. The ladies were relaxed, mimosas in hand, and anxiously awaiting their turn for hair & makeup.

If you're considering spending time with your bridal party the morning-of your wedding, consider calling area salons to see if they can accommodate your party. It's a great time to relax and start the wedding day off right! And if you're in West Michigan, consider calling Splurge Salon & Spa to see if they are available on your big day - you will not be disappointed with the entire experience!

Pearls Events Favorite | Guest Books

I blogged about Becky & Matt's awesome typewriter guest book in August 2008, and I loved the original list I put together about various guest book types. The post also got a lot of feedback from brides, sharing their ideas, so check it out and if you have anything new to add, feel free to comment here!

Above is my actual personal "guest book" from our wedding. I found the frame at Pottery Barn - on clearance and is no longer available, unfortunately. It holds an 8x10 engagement photo, which after the wedding, I swapped out for a wedding photo.

The frame still hangs in our living room, although I know as soon as I fall in love with something to replace it, it will most likely hang in my office or our guest room. Our friends always look for their signature when they come over - it's kind of like Where's Waldo.

[photos copyright Jen Kroll Photography]

Getting Inspired with Color

Lately, I've been on a Let's Repaint Our Entire House kick. My husband isn't too thrilled with the idea, but after five years of living here, I'm ready for a change, and paint is one of the cheapest ways to make a big impact. Above is my favorite palette - all paint swatches from Martha Stewart at The Home Depot. I love the cool, breezy feeling it will give our home, and paired with our white trim, all I will need to do is update a few accessories to give the entire house the look I want for the next five years.

Just like paint, linens can play a huge roll in your overall wedding design. No, this is not the first time I've talked about linens and if you've been a reader for a while, you may remember my Event Design Process series from earlier this year. Now that I've been meeting with 2011 clients, it's started to come up again - how do we get started designing our wedding day?

The answer, to me, is find a color palette. As I dream about our home transformation over the next few months, I will start searching for home ideas an accessories in the above color palette. Nothing needs to be too matchy-matchy, however, now that I have a palette, I won't be buying random things. I want everything to seamlessly flow together, just like your event design should.

Great Find | Voluspa Candle

Are you looking for a tiny piece of heaven to share with friends & family either on your big day or perhaps at a bridal shower? I had the wonderful opportunity to work on a lovely bridal shower this season with a July wedding client. The bride's mom sent each guest home with a goody bag, which included one of these dainty little Voluspa Candle in a ceramic pot - perfect for any desk top!

I happened to get a little blue one myself, and have been enjoying it ever since. Upon further investigation, I found that Cambria Cove currently has these on sale for $4.99 each! With a normal price tag of $15, this is quite a steal. Check them out today; I wish I could insert a scratch 'n' sniff button here...