Pinterest

Are you following us on Pinterest? It's a great way to keep up with the newest additions to our many galleries (cakes, bouquets, rings, etc), and you can also find all of our color palette inspiration boards on there. We also love to share DIY projects and unique ideas for your wedding day. Click here or go to pinterest.com/cvillewedding and follow us on Pinterest!

Welcome Brio!

Welcome to our newest ClarksvilleBrides.com member, Brio String Ensemble! Brio is a local string quintet, who provide music for wedding ceremonies, receptions, parties, festivals, etc. "The Brio ensemble is especially suited for weddings. A traditional package includes 20-30 minutes of prelude and postlude, processionals, recessionals and ceremony music if desired. Music selection is always in the hands of bride and groom though we are happy to make suggestions. Cocktail hour bookings are also available." -briostrings.com

The Brio ensemble was featured in June's Clarksville Family Magazine and recently played for a crowd of over 10,000 at Clarksville's Independence Day Celebration. They also perform at the Downtown Market one weekend each month (check the website for dates), so, Brides and Grooms, if would like to hear them play a sample of traditional wedding pieces, just stop by and ask.

Be sure to visit briostrings.com for more information about the Brio String Ensemble!

Brio String Ensemble
Website: briostrings.com
Phone: (931) 266-1540
Email: briostrings@yahoo.com
Facebook: facebook.com/BrioStrings

Updated Ring Gallery

We just updated our Ring Gallery with some new photos by Cavallini Photography and Katie Wright Photography! If you haven't visited our Ring Gallery yet, it's a great place for you single ladies to send your boyfriends for engagement ring inspiration. :) There are plenty of different cuts and styles of diamonds to browse through, and we even have a yellow diamond in there! Click here to check out the ring gallery, and if you are currently on the market for an engagement ring, wedding band, etc, be sure to stop by one of the two McKenzie & Smiley Jewelers locations here in Clarksville. They have a wide variety to choose from and can help you find the perfect ring for that perfect someone!

McKenzie and Smiley Jewelers

2794 Wilma Rudolph Blvd, Clarksville, TN

931-553-0555

2321 Madison Street, Clarksville, TN (Next to Sango Walmart)

931-553-8790

Website: mckenziesmiley.com

Facebook: facebook.com/McKenzieSmileyJewelers

Blog: mckenziesmiley.wordpress.com

20% Off Linen Rentals

Check out this month's special from Clarksville Linen Rental: "20% off ALL in stock linens. If we have it in stock, you get it for 20% off - this includes tablecloths, chair covers, overlays, sashes, runners, everything! This special is valid for any 2013 rental date - we just need your contract and deposit by the end of this month, June 30, 2013! Email info@clarksvillelinenrental.com or call 931-920-4220 to place your order TODAY!" -clarksvillelinenrental.blogspot.com

Clarksville Linen Rental

Phone: 931-920-4220

Website: clarksvillelinenrental.com

Facebook: facebook.com/clarksvillelinenrental

Email: info@clarksvillelinenrental.com

Blog: clarksvillelinenrental.blogspot.com

Julia & Chris: The Photographer

ClarksvilleBrides.com Featured Wedding: Julia & Chris

We have a new Featured Wedding up on ClarksvilleBrides.com!! Our newest feature highlights Julia and Chris' gorgeous summer wedding day, photographed by Cavallini Photography. “Julia and Chris were surrounded by their family and closes friends throughout the day, and the joy shared by both sides of the family throughout the day was so evident. It was truly a day of celebration, beginning with a morning brunch, all the way through the reception and the fun had by all on the dance floor through the evening. I am so blessed to have been a part of such a beautiful day.” -Melissa Cavallini, Cavallini Photography 

Julia was so open and honest with us in her wedding day Q&A. From things she wished she had planned differently, like having all of the bridesmaids' dresses custom made, to her favorite details and memories from the wedding day, Julia shares it all in this Featured Wedding! Click here to visit this feature on ClarksvilleBrides.com.

Cavallini Photography
Website: cavalliniphotography.com
Phone: 931.627.2868
Blog: cavalliniphotography.blogspot.com
Facebook: facebook.com/CavalliniPhotography
Email: info@cavalliniphotography.com

Welcome We Bring the Party Events

Welcome to our newest ClarksvilleBrides.com member, We Bring the Party Events! We Bring the Party Events was founded by Michael and Ellen Emrick after going through the wedding process. "We were disappointed in a lack of service offerings in our area and the way people handled events with 'wedding' attached to them. The core of what we do is offer clients the best quality services at reasonable prices. We do not charge more for weddings or for events on Saturdays. We are 100% confident that we have the ability to offer our services better than anyone in the area, Nashville included, without a premium price tag. Currently we provide DJ Services, Photobooth, uplighting, and string lighting rental. With close to 100 weddings completed and countless more events under our belt we are ready to take on any event!" -Michael & Ellen Emrick, We Bring the Party Events

We Bring the Party Events is running a photobooth special in June and July: Rent our Photobooth for ANY event in 2013 and get 25% off in the months of June and July! That's a professional, state of the art booth for as little as $399. Our booth loves Weddings, Reunions, Birthday Parties, Formals, Banquets, Hail and Farewells, etc. Event must be booked and deposit received in June or July. Event must be held in Clarksville. If outside of Clarksville please ask about travel rate. Click here to visit webringthepartyevents.com to get the promo code!

We Bring the Party Events
Michael & Ellen Emrick
Phone: 931-220-3750
Website: webringthepartyevents.com
Facebook: facebook.com/webringthepartyevents
Email: webringthepartyevents@gmail.com

First Look vs No Look

Hey Brides! Are you planning on seeing your groom before the ceremony? This topic sparks many debates among brides & grooms, family & friends. The tradition of the bride and groom not seeing each other at all before the ceremony dates back to the time when arranged marriages were custom. Back then, marriage was a business deal between families. The bride's family didn't want the groom to see her before the wedding, possibly find her unattractive, and then cancel the wedding (aka business deal). *Side note: this is also the reason that brides originally wore a veil, to mask their appearance until after the "I Do's"

While arranged marriages are (for the most part) no longer custom, the tradition of the bride and groom not seeing each other has been passed down from generation to generation. A lot of couples still choose to wait and not see each other until the ceremony - this builds a lot of anticipation and excitement and can make the ceremony more memorable. BUT some couples have modernized this tradition by doing the "No Look" where the bride are groom are blindfolded or hiding around a corner, doorway, etc where they can then hold hands and say a few words, without ever seeing each other, before the ceremony. In Tristyn and Greg's ClarksvilleBrides.com Featured Wedding, Tristyn says "I was adamant that we would not see each other before the ceremony. Instead we had a 'No-look' planned that worked wonderfully. Greg was blindfolded...by his groomsmen and I was blindfolded by my bridesmaids. We were then led to a tree by them and stood back to back and touched hands around the tree prior to the ceremony. It made for some great pictures, and the touch was wonderful, but no peek!" -Tristyn & Greg Featured Wedding, ClarksvilleBrides.com

(No Look photo by Wallflower Wedding Photography)

One big wedding trend now is to drop the tradition all together and do a First Look. The bride and groom have a private meeting where they get to see each other before the ceremony. A lot of couples feel more relaxed after they've seen each other and are able to calm their nerves a little before the ceremony. In Leah and Will's ClarksvilleBrides.com Featured Wedding, Leah says "at first we didn't want to do that [a first look], but after talking with Shea [Leah & Will's photographer] we decided it was best to go on and do it; that way when our ceremony was over we could go straight to the party! However, looking back now, I tell future brides to do a first look regardless, because it's so magical and sweet, and 200+ people aren't staring at you during that moment." -Leah & Will Featured Wedding, ClarksvilleBrides.com 

(First Look Photo by Shea)

Whether or not you choose to see your groom before the ceremony, just make sure it's what you two want. Don't feel pressured either way, because at the end of the day, it's about you and your soon-to-be husband and what makes you two happy.

Want to see how Tristyn's wedding day and Leah's wedding day turned out? Click here to visit Tristyn and Greg's ClarksvilleBrides.com Featured Wedding and click here to visit Leah and Will's ClarksvilleBrides.com Featured Wedding