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Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Introducing a new ClarksvilleBrides.com member

Finally, Clarksville has the perfect venue for a small wedding.

Magnolia House Bed & Breakfast is a lovely local landmark now offering wedding services hosted by its gracious owners. You have your choice among several ceremony spot options available either indoor or out. It is a peaceful and historic setting conveniently located on Madison Street and it gets even better!

They offer flowers, catering, cake ... you bring the Groom and the gown and Magnolia House Bed & Breakfast can provide just about everything else!

If your guest list is 40 or less, look no further than Magnolia House Bed & Breakfast.

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Final Contest Question!

Here is the final question in our contest for a set of Cake Charms courtesy of Debra Harris - Visions by Debra Event Planning. E-mail your answers to all six questions to Debra at visionsbydebra@newwavecomm.net beginning today through January 3rd, 2010. A winner will be selected from all of the correct entries at the ClarksvilleBrides Wedding & Event Showcase.

Cake Charms are a chic revival of a Victorian wedding custom. The charms, attached to ribbons that stick out, can be inserted in your wedding cake by your cake baker. Gather the female members of your wedding party and on the count of three each pulls out a charm. Each charm contains your wish for the recipient.

Here is question #6.
(Check back through this months posts for the first 5.)

6. Why do drivers honk their car horns after a wedding?

a. It's in the tradition of making loud noises to scare off evil spirits.
b. A lot of guests can't wait to get to the open bar at the reception.
c. Horns are meant to remind us of the Horn of Plenty.
d. It's the fastest way to clear the newlyweds' way to the honeymoon.

And don't forget to visit Debra at her booth at the ClarksvilleBrides Wedding & Event Showcase on January 10th!

Monday, December 14, 2009

Introducing a new ClarksvilleBrides.com member


We want to welcome our latest ClarksvilleBrides.com member - Circuit Athletics Fitness & Wellness Center. There is no better time to get in shape and begin a life of health and fitness than during the months (of stress!) before your wedding.

The professionals at Circuit Athletics Fitness & Wellness Center are interested in creating total body health through the adjustment of exercise, diet, and mind. They achieve this through monthly nutrition appointments, monthly health assessments, and three-four day a week total body workouts. The exercise routine is organized and designed by a personal trainer and is different every single day and from class to class and person to person. They take pride in being able to help people feel better and stronger and happier about their appearance.

But don't believe me - listen to a real local bride who experienced this for herself just this fall.

"I started at Circuit Athletics in August to prepare for my January 2010 wedding. Prior to joining, I had lost approximately 50 pounds from cutting out junk food and running. I had even run in three half marathons! Although I had lost weight, I did not do any toning or strengthening so I knew I needed to take it to the next level.

At Circuit, I have participated in exercises and routines I never could have created on my own. I have committed to a sports nutrition meal plan formulated by Reggie that has increased my protein intake and truly tightened up my muscles. It is very easy to stay motivated because I can sign up for sessions that fit my schedule and all the trainers really provide individual attention to help achieve each client’s goals.

At my last assessment I lost 2.5 inches off my abdomen [in one month] and I have lost a total of ten pounds since I joined. When I look in the mirror I see an all over slimmer, tighter figure. I go next week to have my wedding dress taken in!

I thought I would only work out at Circuit until my wedding, but I have definitely decided that it is a positive addition to my lifestyle and I will continue on after January. After all, Andreas "bikini body" workout will be great for this summer!"

- Lori L

Contact Circuit Athletics Fitness & Wellness today - 931-552-2804 or info@circuitathletics.com - to begin your wedding preparation health and exercise program. And stop by their booth at the January 10th ClarksvilleBrides Wedding & Event Showcase. For more info on the bridal event and to register for half-price admission click here.

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Cake Charm Contest Question #5

Question #5. Why was rice traditionally thrown at weddings?

a. It was inexpensive.
b. It symbolized fertility.
c. It wouldn't stain the bride's gown.
d. It symbolized future prosperity.

One more question will be posted next week and then it will be time to send your answers in to Debra Harris of Visions by Debra Event Planning. The winner will be selected at the ClarksvilleBrides Wedding & Event Showcase on January 10th and will receive a set of Cake Charms.

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Why a Professional? Invitations

There are so many options available on the internet for brides and often they appear to be a great bargain. But in fact, what looks like a budget saver can turn out to be a costly mistake. There are professionals trained in every aspect of wedding planning. Today let's talk about why a professional's expertise can help you with your invitations.

Remember that you get what you pay for. If the price of an invitation you see online is just too good to be true, well most likely it isn't of good quality. When you work with a professional stationer, she will guide you to the best quality product in your price range.

Additionally, you probably don't have much experience in the etiquette involved in addressing your invitations. Over the past couple of years I've learned many things from Jennifer Sanford of Invitation Creations by Jennifer. For example, did you know that when you are not using Mr. and Mrs. that the woman's name should always come first? Jane and John Doe - never John and Jane Doe. Plus the only words that should be abbreviated are Dr. and Jr. - everything else such as Road, Street, or State names should be fully spelled out out.

There are many, many tips like this that you will benefit from when working with a qualified professional.

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Contest Question #4

Here's the fourth in our series of six wedding questions for our Cake Charms contest sponsored by Visions by Debra.
The last 2 questions will be presented over the next 2 weeks. Then we'll have you e-mail your answers in. The winner will be awarded a set of Cake Charms at our January 10th ClarksvilleBrides Wedding & Event Showcase.

Question 4. How did the Roman phrase "tie the knot" originate?

a. The groom knotted a rope to represent the bonds of love.
b. The bride's girdle had many knots for the groom to untie.
c. The horses for the honeymoon were tied outside.
d. The groom and the bride were tied together as a prank.

And speaking of the January 10th ClarksvilleBrides Wedding & Event Showcase, pre-registration for brides is now open. Pre-register for half-price admission to the event and faster entry.

Friday, November 27, 2009

Clarksville-Hopkinsville Weddings Magazine


Attention Brides-to-be. The premiere issue of the Clarksille-Hopkinsville Weddings magazine is available around town. Pick up your copy today. This is the first bridal magazine written by local wedding pros for local brides.

Get your copy at The Brides Boutique, Something Blue Bridal Shoppe, McKenzie & Smiley Jewelers and many other locations. Read and enjoy the magazine and then register to win a $500 credit toward the wedding services of any of the advertisers in the magazine.

The magazine is also available online HERE.

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Contest for Cake Charms

I would like to extend my apologies to our Readers for "dropping the ball" on the contest for the Cake Dive Charms. But it's now time to pick back up with the contest. The winner will be announced and the prize awarded at the ClarksvilleBrides Wedding & Event Showcase on January 10th. Mark your calendar now to attend!

Let's re-cap the questions we've posed already.
Question #1

1. What's the average length of an engagement?

a. 6 months
b. 1 year
c. 1.5 years
d. 2.6 years

Question #2

2. If the bride has been married before, what is she not supposed to do?

a. Wear white
b. Wear a veil
c. Kiss the groom
d. Throw her garter

And now for Question #3

3. How many servings does the average three-tiered wedding cake provide?

a. 200
b. 153
c. 88
d. 99

Check back for Questions 4 - 6 between now and December 15th.




If you haven't picked up your copy yet, be sure to do so. They are available at The Brides Boutique, Something Blue Bridal Shoppe, McKenzie & Smiley Jewelers, and many more locations around town. You can also read it online HERE.

Monday, November 16, 2009

ON SALE at The Bride's Boutique


The Brides Boutique has just marked down about 50 gowns 30-70% off. They will also be featuring sales on many other gowns now through Thanksgiving weekend. Up to $150 off special orders and 25% off all In Stock Forever Yours Bridal Gowns.

They have also just received many shipments of women's size gowns for all of our stylish plus size brides. PLUS also just in many new samples from Maggie Sottero, Sottero Midgely as well as Allure Bridals and Venus Bridal.

We are also excited to announce that we have just picked up new bridal lines by Essence of Australia and Ella and can not wait to see them when they arrive.

We hope to see you soon!

Friday, November 13, 2009

Upcoming events

Special Occasions Plus located at 1203 South Liberty Street in Hopkinsville, Kentucky is hosting an open house on November 20 and 21.

Cheri Hyams, owner and operator of Special Occasions Plus, will be offering specials on wedding gowns, bridesmaid’s, flower girl dresses, jewelry and accessories.

In addition there will be cake tastings from a local cake baker and information on travel, limos and plenty of door prizes.

Then on Saturday November 21st a floral designer will be on hand to show you the latest in wedding bouquets and don’t miss the afternoon fashion show featuring wedding gowns and military ball gowns.

For additional information or directions contact Cheri at 270.885.1730.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Something Social

Coming up tomorrow night - Wednesday, November 11th - is the 3rd Something Social night at Something Blue Bridal Shoppe.

There will be lots of wedding ideas including make up tips, hair styling, catering, invitations, limo services and more. There will also be prize drawings! So, bring a friend and stop by after work!

Something Blue is located off exit 11, in the Shoppes at Willowchase, by Pancho Villa.

Something Social is held from 5 - 7 pm the second Wednesday of each month featuring ideas for your wedding and a relaxing evening with wonderful people in a fun and lovely setting.

Friday, October 30, 2009

C & K Catering at Dillard's


Drop by Dillard's Housewares department on Sunday, November 1st from 1 to 5 to see Corey Sibley of C & K Soul Food and Catering showcasing his talents and catering options for you.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Vendor Website Updates

Two of our ClarksvilleBrides.com wedding pros have made some recent improvements to their websites.

Danielle Lear of TurningPoint Productions launched a new site recently with new sample wedding films and other new info.




Rockelle Coffey of I Do Bridal Makeup has added photos to her galleries.

Check them both out!

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Something Social - TOMORROW NIGHT

Coming up Wednesday, October 14th is Something Social at Something Blue.
Grab a friend after work and head over to their shop - 894 Hwy 76 near Pancho Villa - for the monthly Something Social event.

Featuring: 2 minute chair massages to relieve the stress of your day!, makeovers by Mary Kay, Letters of Love engraved jewelry (terrific for bridesmaids gifts!) and Jubilee Plantation Catering.

Something Social is held from 5 - 7 pm the second Wednesday of each month featuring ideas for your wedding and a relaxing evening with wonderful people in a fun and lovely setting.

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

The Cake Artist - Verna Chlupsa


If you attended our January 2009 Bridal Show you should remember this cake. It was certainly a show stopper as brides lined up to take a closer look! Verna Chlupsa - quite aptly named The Cake Artist - created this beauty for the show and she can create the cake of your dreams.

Debra Harris of Visions Event Planning spoke with Verna recently and she tells us, "Verna began her business due to her fascination with sugar flowers. She began making cakes for friends and family and over the years her baking evolved to wedding cakes. Verna offers both butter cream and fondant icings. Verna, an artist at heart, designs breathtaking wedding cakes. She is limited only by your imagination. To sample Verna’s mouthwatering offerings schedule a cake tasting and review samples of her work by calling Verna at 270.552.8901."

Here are a couple more of Verna's cakes.

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Diane Nolan - "I DO" Weddings

"I DO" Weddings was started to help brides and grooms make the best of their special day without all the hassle and drama surrounding them. We can begin with them when they first become engaged or even help at the last minute; of course, that depends if we have their date open.

My husband and I pastor the Clarksville Church of God. We have been in Clarksville for 3 years as of October 16. We have pastored from Hawaii to Alaska and points in between. As a team, we have done over 176 weddings. We were very honored to have both our sons ask us to perform their weddings.

The Hansen-Hardin wedding was done for under $6,000. It was very elegant yet inexpensive; everything the bride and groom wanted. We were able to decorate the reception with beautiful silk flowers, linens, etc. and it was a wonderful setting. We had live flowers in the Sanctuary and thanks to Four Seasons Florist for a great job on the bouquets, altar flowers...everything. Carols Cakes and Moore did a tremendous job on the wedding cake especially the flowers that decorated the cake on each layer. I have a wonderful team that I work with and everything was done to perfection.

At "I DO" Weddings, we can offer any service that a bride is looking for or we can help plan just a party event. Packages can be customized to fit the budget of any size.

Photo courtesy of Digital Diamonds Photography.

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Thank You from The Brides Boutique

Thank you to all of you who came out and helped us celebrate. We really enjoyed seeing all of you and catching up on what's new with all of you. To all of the new bride's that attended, congratulations and we hope you received helpful information on making plans for your big day. We would like to also congratulate all of the door prize winners. We hope your gift can be put to great use. Thank you for giving us a great 10 years and we look forward to all of the fun we will have over the next 10.

Carly & Edith

Sunday, September 27, 2009

The Bride's Boutique Event

Apologies readers, I took a little sabbatical to work on another project and let the Blog get a bit behind. I did make time however to stop in at The Bride's Boutique's 10th Anniversary event. Lots of brides came through and chatted not only with Carly and Edith of The Bride's Boutique, but also with a few select other wedding professionals. All photos are courtesy of Joan of Art Photography.

Jennifer Shafer of You're Invited Invitations by Design had a lovely display of some of her most recent invitations.

Brenda Barker of Cherry Lane Home & Gifts displayed some of their items and was on hand to discuss their wedding registry program.

Joan Evans of Joan of Art Photography sharing some of the stunning wedding books she has created for her clients.

Carrie Rains of Cakes by Carrie - and one of our newest ClarksvilleBrides.com website members! - shared tastings of her chocolate and raspberry flavors.

And this proves it - it's never too early to start shopping for your wedding gown!

And last but not least, Danielle Lear of TurningPoint Productions Videography gave out demos of her work and showed off her darling new baby, Devin.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

10th Anniversary Celebration


The Brides Boutique is celebrating their 10 year anniversary this month and they are hosting a huge celebration at their store located at 329-M Warfield Blvd. on Tuesday, September 22 from 4-7 pm.

They are celebrating their ten years in our community and celebrating their relationship with some of the best wedding services providers in the area.

This will be an open house where brides can shop not only for their wedding gown but also meet with some of the wedding vendors that the owners of the Brides Boutiuqe have worked very closely with over their ten years of business.

Brides - stop in, have a piece of cake and mingle with some of the best local wedding pros. Also be eligible for door prizes from all of the wedding vendors attending, including but not limited to: Sango Village Florist, Joan of Art Photography, Turning Point Productions, You're Invited Invitations, One Source Bookkeeping and Carly Rager Event Design and Coordinating.

Sunday, September 13, 2009

Spotlight on The Cumberland Room


The Cumberland Room is located at 2525 Highway 48, Clarksville, TN. The reception hall is 3,500 square feet and accommodates up to 320 people. They provide seating for up to 250 people. It is a well-appointed and informal space and they allow outside catering, decor, etc.

Rental fees include most of the basic equipment you would need (tables, chairs, dance floor, etc.).

The Cumberland Room is an all-day rental, meaning you can come in and decorate the morning of your event. To reserve the day prior to the event for decorating requires an additional fee.

We suggest booking the space no less than 10 months prior to the desired date, especially if your reception date of choice is a Saturday night.

A security deposit is required at the time of booking. The rental fee is due 30 days prior to the event.

Parties must end and The Cumberland Room must be cleaned by 1 a.m. (Extended hours can be arranged for an additional charge.) Beer, wine, and champagne can be served to guests as long as it is NOT sold. Cash bars CANNOT be operated in this facility. No glass bottles.

There is a kitchen for food service that includes ovens, ice maker and refrigeration, and is included in your rental fee.

The facilities are shown by appointment only but you can enjoy a video tour anytime at TheCumberlandRoom.com. Please call 931-647-3942 or 931-206-5921 to schedule a convenient time to visit The Cumberland Room. Evening and weekend appointments are available.

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Wedding Wednesday!


Don't forget that in the month of September The Brides Boutique will be celebrating their 10th anniversary with a Wedding Wednesday special every Wednesday! Call 552-4866 today to find out about this week's deal!


PLUS tonight is the first Something Social at Something Blue in their new location in Sango. Bring a friend, experience their new store, meet some great vendors and see a fashion show.

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Something New at Something Blue

Something Social at Something Blue!

Join the staff at Something Blue once a month for a fun social event and fashion show!
They will have various vendors that will help you with your wedding needs, gift ideas, or just something fun for you!

Bring a friend after work tomorrow - Wednesday, September 9th from 5:00pm-8:00pm.
894 Hwy 76, off Exit 11 by Pancho Villa in the Shoppes at Willow Chase

Saturday, September 5, 2009

Contest Question #2

Below is the second in our series of 6 questions in our Cake Charms contest. Answer all 6 questions correctly (by e-mail to visionsbydebra@newwavecomm.net) at the end of the contest and you may be chosen to win a set of cake charms.

Cake charms are a revival of a Victorian tradition and a hot new wedding trend. The charms, attached to ribbons that stick out, can be inserted in your wedding cake by your cake baker. Gather the female members of your wedding party and on the count of three each pulls out a charm. Each charm contains your wish for the recipient.

Contest question:

2. If the bride has been married before, what is she not supposed to do?

a. Wear white
b. Wear a veil
c. Kiss the groom
d. Throw her garter

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Spotlight on The Bride's Boutique


by Carly Rager

The Bride's Boutique is celebrating our 10 year anniversary as Clarksville's premier bridal boutique. We offer everything from exquisite bridal gowns to tuxedo rentals. The Bride's Boutique is also Clarksville's prom headquarters. Our store is locally owned by Edith Cox and Carly Rager. Edith has been a seamstress is the bridal industry for 30 years and has been at The Bride's Boutique since day one. She started as the seamstress under the previous owner. Carly has been in the bridal industry since 2000 and found herself at The Bride's Boutique in late 2003 while on the search for her perfect dress. While shopping one day the previous owner approached Carly about possibly having an interest in working there. Carly accepted the position and was managing the store early in 2005. This is how Edith and Carly came to have a great working relationship. When the opportunity arose for the two to become business owners in 2006 and take over ownership of the boutique, they decided that was an opportunity that they just couldn't pass up. They love their job. You can find one of them there if not the two of them everyday.

The Bride's Boutique prides itself in providing unique, elegant, designer lines at an affordable price. Many of our gowns have the ability for you to make custom changes unique to you and your style. We understand every bride is on a budget and can help assist you in finding the perfect dress for you that will not break the bank. We carry about 250 different styles of wedding gowns in stock. Our selection is the largest in town, from ballgowns to cocktail length destination gowns, and we are sure you will find the right silhouette for you. There are 10 different bridal gown designers represented in our store. If we do not have the exact gown here that you are in love with there is a great chance we can get it for you. We are here is assist you in whatever your need may be. Not only do we offer bridal gowns, but we also carry bridesmaid gowns, flower girls dresses, prom and military ball gowns, shoes, jewelry, veils, headpieces, tuxedo rentals, as well as wedding sets with unity candles, guest books, etc. We also have great affordable options for mothers.

We do offer payment options such as layaway as well as military discounts with a military ID. You never need an appointment to come in and shop. We do allow you to bring a camera and take pictures of the gowns you like so you can think about your decision. Every Wednesday during the month of September we will be offering a Wedding Wednesday special. Give us a call @ 931-552-4866 for more information. We promise it is worth checking in to. We are located at 329-M Warfield Boulevard in Warfield Towers Shopping Center. (Right next to Memories in Bloom Scrapbook Store and The Looking Glass Restaurant). Our store hours are Monday- Friday 10-6 and Saturday 10-5.

Congratulations on your engagement, we look forward to seeing you soon!
~The Ladies @ The Bride's Boutique

Monday, August 31, 2009

Spotlight on Sugar Grove Carriage House

Every couple and every wedding professional that I know who has visited this lovely new venue this year has come away amazed with its beauty and peacefulness. We featured it in one of our recent gown photo shoots. What we haven't mentioned, until now, is it's amazing versatility.

The Carriage house is intentionally kept undecorated by the owners so you can add your own personal touches for the look you desire for your event. Recently, Betsy Fentress Interiors decorated the Carriage House for a dinner function she held. Betsy, and brother Rick, made the Carriage House look like an Oriental Palace for their very formal evening catered dinner, hosted for their very special friends and clients. As you can see from the photos below, with this simple country setting any decorators theme is made possible with a little imagination. The sky is the limit.







The Sugar Grove Carriage House, located conveniently off I-24 in Oak Grove, KY, is available for viewing by appointment only. Please call 270-886-2871 to schedule your visit.

Friday, August 28, 2009

Spotlight on Something Blue Bridal Shoppe


by Abbey Fender

Something Blue bridal shoppe is a local retailer that specializes in bridal and formalwear, as well as pageant, prom, tuxedos and accessories. We have recently relocated our business from the downtown square of Springfield to Sango in Clarksville. The reason for our move was that the majority of our business was already coming from Clarksville, so we made the obvious choice of relocating to where our main business was coming from.
Establishing and maintaining any small business is a challenge, but when doing it with family members it can be especially difficult! It is also a very rewarding and creative process that has made me realize my own strengths and weaknesses in business as well as in many other aspects of my life. I manage the store and my mom and one of my little sisters work here part time and we love the time that the store allows us to spend together (at least most of the time)!


What is so unique about our store is that we are a family owned bridal store that was started by my mom, dad and myself; though we had a lot of help from my sisters and friends. I grew up in a close family of all girls (accept dad) who has been through proms, homecomings and weddings. I feel that we are very hands on with our business and making sure that all of our customers love the dress they are buying is our absolutely our number one priority. We just understand our customers because we ARE our customers! This creates an atmosphere in our store that I feel makes everyone feel welcome and we have fun!!


What I love most about the store is that I am able to help people at a very important time in their life and have so much fun with it! Finding a wedding dress or a prom gown is such an important thing for most girls and they are so excited about it. Being a part of that process is truly a fun thing and does not feel like work.
Keeping up with the latest trends is always one of our number one priorities and modern brides are changing the rules regarding the traditional wedding dress. Right now, I find that so many brides are looking for that "unique" look rather than "traditional." Don't get me wrong, lots of gals want the A-line ball gowns, but many girls are looking for something new.


We are finding brides-to-be are looking for more informal gowns. Informals are usually classified by a less "poofy" look and usually have a more flowing feel to them. Many of them have little or no accent bead work and do not have much if any petticoat to speak of. Smaller mermaids and A-lines make up most of these, and they are generally made of chiffon or taffeta. We carry a few different informal lines including Eden Bridal's Informals and Tango by Moonlight. These dresses offer the bride a less traditional look but adds such elegance to the wedding. Informals have a more sleek, vintage design, which is becoming a desired look.

Something Blue is not just another formal wear retail store, we are a family that loves what we do....who care about each other and our clients. To those who have not yet met us, these may just be words attempting to "lure in clientele," but that is far from who we are. Come in, relax on our cozy couch and visit with us...see for yourself that we are different and proud of it!

Something Blue is located in the Shoppes at Willow Chase at 894 Hwy 76 in Sango just off Exit 11. 931-358-9002

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Spotlight on Yvonne Chamberlain Photography

Wondering what to get your fiance for his birthday? or a gift for no reason at all? Consider the newest line of studio photography at Yvonne Chamberlain Photography. It's called Bare Simplicity. Tasteful, boudoir photography designed to enhance your beauty and sexuality. The Bare Simplicity package fee includes private studio time with up to 3 outfits. The key word is tasteful and everything is done at your comfort level. It also includes a credit toward prints or novelty items such as a calendar or playing cards. The proof box novelty item contains 20 5x7 images from your session with one of your selection on the outside.
What a unique, personal and romantic gift for your husband-to-be!
Contact Yvonne Chamberlain Photography today at 931-553-8010 to learn more about Bare Simplicity or to inquire about their couples boudoir sessions.
Samples of Bare Simplicity sessions can be found on Yvonne's Blog and you can learn about her Wedding Photography at her Website.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Spotlight on You're Invited - Invitations by Design

The wedding industry is driven by customer referrals. There is no better advertisement for a wedding vendor than a satisfied bride telling her story. Along those lines, we're turning over our Spotlight on You're Invited - Invitations by Design to a satisfied bride.

Blaire Hodge is one of the brides blogging about her wedding planning experience on our ClarksvilleBrides Blog. In her own words, here is her happy experience with You're Invited - Invitations by Design.

Blaire tells us. "I believe one of the biggest elements of a wedding are the invitations. I think they really set the tone for your guests. I really didn't know where to begin when it came to ours. I knew that I wanted it to be formal and I knew that I wanted it to be black and white because those are the primary colors of our wedding. But for the rest, I was completely clueless.

I began searching online for places in town that had wedding invitations. I ordered samples from a well known invitation company online and was not impressed by what I saw - especially for the price. I stumbled across The Brides Boutique in my random google search for invitations - and was surprised! After all, I thought that they only had dresses! When I clicked on their website, I also noticed that Carly was a wedding coordinator. I was very excited. I had such a pleasant experience with her during my wedding dress bliss and was really excited to talk with her more about her coordinating.

When I inquired about the invitations, Carly pointed me to You're Invited by Jenifer Shaffer. She was local, which was awesome, and Carly said she was the BEST. She wasn't kidding! Jenifer and I met one Saturday and it was like meeting an old friend. She was so welcoming and funny - I felt totally at ease. I looked at what felt like hundreds of invitations but didn't find "the one". I really wanted to work with Jenifer so I decided to book another appointment and asked Chris and my mom to come with me.

The day before our second meeting, Jen called me to tell me that she had received a new invitation book. I was so excited! I just knew that I would find our perfect invitations in that book - and I was right! We found the perfect invitations for our special day. They are on white shimmer paper and are enclosed in a black envelope. The black envelope folds out and down to accommodate the information card and response cards with envelopes. I love that it keeps everything in the same place - not to mention the incredibly beautiful design.

My favorite feature is the decorative H in the middle. Both my last name and Chris' last name begin with the letter H. We really wanted to incorporate our monogram in several elements of our wedding. We think it's an elegant way to show the blending of our two families. I would recommend You're Invited to anyone planning a wedding. Our invitations are gorgeous and Jen is so fun to work with!"

So take Blaire's advice and call Jenifer Shafer of You're Invited - Invitations by Design at 931-216-7368. She will be delighted to work with you to find the absolute best invitation for your wedding.

Monday, August 24, 2009

Spotlight on Visions Event Planning

by Debra Harris
Visions has been operational for almost five years now. The company was born out of a dream. My Mother died and my last child left home within months of each other. I was lost not knowing what I was to be doing with my time. Talent, wasn’t even certain what that was! The turning point in my life came while I was attending a Women’s Leadership Conference sponsored by Bishop T. D. Jakes, in Dallas Texas. The Lord put this dream in my heart, thus the name visions. He even provided the money necessary for training. I begin this business with a yard sale computer, homemade business cards and determination. I truly believe that every job I have ever held has taught me something in which to make this business a success.

I love weddings and I make it a point to pray continuously for the couples that I serve. I am always honored that someone would allow me to be a part of their special day. My staff are even chosen based on their ability to communicate and their grace under pressure.

In addition to planning a wedding we offer site design, stationery, kits to enhance a wedding ceremony( Jumping the Broom Ceremony, Blended Family Ceremonies, Sand Ceremonies, Rose ceremonies, etc), Block hotel rooms and deliver welcome bags, registry assistance package, name change packages, media packages, return packages and rental items. (The brooms for the Jumping the Broom are custom made by Visions.) All services offered to our clients are designed to assist in every way possible to make a couple’s transition a smooth one.

This is the first year that we have been full time and our weddings have doubled. I have had to establish a second team to meet the demand. We have already began working on six weddings for 2010. We are constantly accessing our services, and exploring new ways of doing things. In the next few months I will be establishing and implementing a training program for my staff. It is very important to me that our weddings never become common place and each wedding is handled with the client’s needs in mind. My goal is to be the standard that others emulate (glorify my Father).

At Visions we are committed to making your wedding day as special as possible and help you realize your dream. Over the next six weeks questions submitted by Visions will appear in the ClarksvilleWeddings Blog. The first bride to correctly answer all six questions will win a set of charms [editors note: see prior blog entry for description] to use as gifts for her wedding party, throw away bouquets or her wedding cake.

Contest Question #1.

What's the average length of an engagement?

a. 6 months
b. 1 year
c. 1.5 years
d. 2.6 years

Your answers must be submitted by e-mail to visionsbydebra@newwavecomm.net at the conclusion of the contest. In the event of a tie each bride will receive a tiebreaker question. The first to answer wins. Good Luck!!

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Welcome to our newest Blog!


Beginning Monday, August 24th we will be launching our newest Blog - ClarksvilleWeddings!

We will feature the best of our Clarksville-Hopkinsville area's Wedding Professionals as well as tips and trends in local Featured Weddings.

To kick off our new blog, Visions by Debra Event Planning will be running a six question contest to win a set of bridal charms.

Bridal charms are a revival of a Victorian tradition and a hot new wedding trend. The charms, attached to ribbons that stick out, can be inserted in your wedding cake by your cake baker. Gather the female members of your wedding party and on the count of three each pulls out a charm. Each charm contains your wish for the recipient.

Or you can use the charms to enhance your break away bouquet. Make several mini bundles of flowers, hand tie the stems and attach a charm to each bundle. Each bouquet will contain a charm and each charm contains a wish for the recipient.

We look forward to sharing our latest blog with you. We welcome your suggestions.
Contact us via beth@clarksvillebrides.com.