I recently had a consultation with my wedding florist, the amazing Carolyn of Lavender Hill Florals.  We discussed many different aspects of my wedding that are important for the florist to know- number of bridesmaids/groomsmen, number of parents/grandparents, wedding colors, how many tables there will be at the reception, etc.

With only having a few vague ideas of how I’d like my wedding flowers to look, I was excited to discuss all of the different options with Carolyn!  While I want my flowers to be beautiful and tie in nicely with the decor, my main focus was sticking to a budget and saving money where we can.  Carolyn & I discussed some great ideas so I wanted to share them with you!

1. Try to use flowers that are in-season.
2. Save the more expensive flowers for your bouquet since it will be photographed a lot…and because you’re the bride!
3. Use fewer flowers in your bridesmaids’ bouquets but include a nice, (and affordable), filler so they don’t look too bare OR have your bridesmaids carry one single flower, (just make sure that it’s a flower that can stand on it’s own like a calla lily or a hydrangea bloom.)
4. Pick ceremony decorations that can also be used at your reception.  If you’re lining your aisle with assorted vases & flowers, have your wedding coordinator move them to designated tables at your reception once the ceremony ends.  Talk about “two birds, one stone!”
5. Alternate your centerpieces between floral arrangements and non-floral centerpieces a like candles.
6. Use your bouquet as the centerpiece on the bride & groom table.  Make sure you have a lovely vase of water waiting for you to put it in.  And use your bridesmaids bouquets to decorate the cake table!

Use these tricks and the many more you can find online to save money!  The bottom line is that you don’t have to blow your budget in order to have beautiful flowers at your wedding.

Have a great weekend and don’t forget to stop & smell the roses! 

~Rachel

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We are SOO excited to announce that The Ashley Inn is now a member of Simply Love Studio! The Ashley Inn is an absolutely GORGEOUS property and offers some really amazing amenities for your wedding including multiple ceremony and reception sites, 5 guest rooms, breakfast provided for overnight guests, and gorgeous scenery. Please feel free to check out their website: www.ashleyinnbandb.com . The Ashley Inn will also be featured on our Venue Hop tour this weekend. If you are interested in viewing the property, contact Laurie at laurie@ashleyinnbandb.com OR register for our super fun venue hop!! Check out some pictures below of the property.

As I was browsing some wedding websites I came across some fun and unique boutonniere’s for your groom and his groomsmen. Flowers are an essential part of your wedding and different designs such as these will definitely get your guests talking! And if you haven’t already realized that i’m a sucker for vintage inspired things, I especially love the key idea. You can find a lot of interesting boutonniere’s on www.etsy.com or contact A Perfect Posy for some inspiration!

Our Lexington Extreme Venue Hop is right around the corner! We are so excited about this years event. We have some amazing vendors participating. It is sure to be a good time.  Register today and come spend the day with us checking out Lexington’s top wedding venues while sampling fine foods and wines and mingling with wonderful wedding professionals.  Register at: venuehop.eventbrite.com and enter discount code: slsbride for 50%off savings.  We look forward to seeing you there!!

We are SO excited about our spring venue hop coming up on March 20th. Whether or not you already have a venue for your wedding, we have something for everyone. Come join us as we tour Lexington in style with transportation provided by Gold Shield.  There will be food, signature drinks, ceremony setups, hair trials, makeup trials and much more at each location!  Early registration fees is 15.o0. Get 50% OFF with coupon code: slsbride REGISTER at: simplylovestudio.com OR venuehop.eventbrite.com

When planning your reception, instead of using regular table numbers, try something different and unique by using names that relate to a common passion you and your fiancée share together. Some ideas include:

• Wonders of the World
• Colors
• Greek Islands
• Iconic celebrities
• Different countries or cities (possibly places you two have traveled to together)
• Seashells
• Classic novels
• Favorite bands you two share
• Types of flowers
• Still use numbers, but use numbers that are special to you two. Such as dates, times, etc. Add a special story under each number!
• Different ways to say “I love you”. (Je T’aime, Me Amo)

The possibilities can be endless! This is a great opportunity to  be creative and allows your guests to see a connection between you and your fiancée. Here are some examples of wedding receptions that used different table names:

Names of different countries (especially great to use places you two have traveled to together. You can also use a map to place your escort cards)

Famous Author with quote

Types of Wine

Happy Friday, everyone!  This is Simply Love Studio’s guest blogger & bride-to-be, Rachel!  Today I wanted to write about bridesmaid dresses.  This topic is especially relevant since SLS’s last Bride’s Night Out Series included guest speaker, Ty Slone McBrayer, owner of the fabulous Twirl Boutique in Lexington!

The days of hideous & stereotypical bridesmaids dresses are behind us.  All hail the fabulous bridesmaid dress that you WANT to wear again!  I had researched dresses beforehand and discussed different options with my girls.  I wanted everyone to have a style that they were comfortable in and that reflected their personality.  We decided that everyone should pick a different style from the same designer and we would order the dresses in the same color to add a level of cohesiveness. 

Last weekend I drove to Lexington to go to Twirl with my amazing bridesmaids, (except for one that lives in Vermont).  Ty had told me ahead of time that she carried the designer we were interested in and that she had all of the styles we liked her store to try on.  Perfect!  I had a wonderful time seeing my girls try on dresses and deciding what they liked best.  I even got in on the action and tried a dress on just for fun!  Who says the bride can’t!?    Ty was an amazing hostess.  She had treats & mimosas ready for us upon our arrival and answered any questions we had.  I would highly recommend going to Twirl Boutique!

So whether you want your bridesmaids to wear the same dress or different dresses, one color or multiple colors, just remember to ask for their opinion before making any decisions.  After all, they will be the ones wearing the dress, (hopefully more than just once!), and standing next to you on your big day!

xoxo,

Rachel

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This past weekend, Simply Love Studio’s amazing preferred vendors were in action at the Bridal Affair in Lexington.  The vendors featured included:

• Always Planned
• DaRae and Friends Catering
• Twirl Boutique
• The Headley-Whitney Museun
• Dupree Catering
• Tiger’s DJ Services

Check out pictures of the event below.

Be sure to check out all of our fabulous vendors on our website or call the studio at 859-317-9023 or email leann@simplylovestudio.com to set up your complimentary planning session

Our newest window display went up today at Simply Love Studio featuring Seasons Salon and Spa! The display looks amazing.  Be sure to stop by and check out the display and head on out Season’s Salon and Spa and see for yourself why they are  so amazing!! Not only do they do hair, makeup, and nails but they also have a full service spa.  They have some super great Valentine’s Day specials that I am definitely going to be sure to take advantage of (as in, I have already put a bug in my husbands ear. ha!) Listed below are there amazing specials along with a picture of the window display.

Seasons Valentine’s Day Packages

Lovers Entwined $220.00

One Hour Couples Massage

Couples Chocolate/Strawberry Pedicures

Be Mine  $115.00

One Hour Massage

Chocolate/Strawberry Pedicure

Sweetheart  $110.00

One Hour Facial

Shampoo/Style

Makeup Application

My Valentine  $75.00

Chocolate/Strawberry Pedicure

Chocolate/Strawberry Manicure

My Pampered Valentine  $180.00

One Hour Chocolate Massage

30 Minute Facial

Chocolate/Strawberry Pedicure

Spa Hair Therapy Treatment

Lunch Included