You have the date, you have the venue.  Now get a room. 

For your wedding, I encourage you to stay in the best hotel you can afford.  Yes, you will likely be exhausted at the end of the evening, but you will also enjoy coming back to a clean and fresh room at the end of the night.  With a hotel, you may also use the room to primp with your bridesmaids and/or family members before the ceremony. 

Today I am profiling the fabulous Hotel Monaco in Downtown Portland. This is where I stayed when I got married, so it was a natural first choice for me to blog about.  Never fear, I will be blogging about other wonderful Portland and Los Angeles establishments. Stay tuned.

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Hoops with Freshwater Pearls.  Bridal by Alyson. $30.

From understated to dramatic, most brides wear to wear some type of jewelry on their big day.  Today I have rounded up some of my favorite necklaces, earrings, and bracelets which will complement any bride. 

Things to Consider Before Buying

• Try It On. If you can, try on any piece before you make your purchase.  You want to make sure each is comfortable and does not scratch or irritate your skin.  Think about weight and overall comfort--you will likely be wearing the piece or pieces for several hours.  How will it feel at the end of the night? 
• Makeup and Hair. If you are wearing your hair down, will your locks get tangled in chandelier earrings?  If going for a dramatic makeup, perhaps select a more understated necklace or earrings.
• Consider the Gown.  Steer clear of jewelry which will could easily snag on the fabric, lace, or beading of your gown.  While you cannot control everything on the big day, you can control self-inflicted tears due to sharp jewelry. 
• Color Correct.  Most brides wear white or ivory, hence the most complimentary colors for jewelry are going to be in those color tones.  A perfect example are pearls, which never go out of style, and come in a variety of shades.  Look for jewelry made of materials such as glass, crystal, gold, silver, and ribbons.  

Okay, enough tips, onto the pictures!  As you can see, no need to break the bank to look fabulous.

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...and I just can't hide it!

Start flexing your fingers to start typing, because today we are kicking off the very first contest on the Elizabeth Ann Events Blog.

Kim + Phil Photography have graciously donated a Complimentary Engagement Session to one lucky Portland area couple.  I recently blogged about Kim + Phil here--they are super nice and will make you feel comfortable and fabulous.

Engagement photos are wonderful to display at your wedding reception, bound in a guest book, used for engagement announcements, and are a perfect gift for parents.

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Can you think of any other time in your life when you will have the complete attention of a small to large crowd during which you can display the love you and your fiancé have for each other?  I bet not.  This is one of the primary reasons weddings are wonderful--you can personalize so much.  In making your wedding personal, you make it interesting, unique, and heartfelt.

One way to distinguish your nuptials is to personalize the decor of your wedding.  Meet Kristin Shortt, owner of I Do Orginials, who has made it her business to help you represent your special wedding style.  From candles to parasols, Kristin and her team have a wonderful selection of items.  Her work has been featured in several top wedding magazines, including The Knot, Weddings Unveiled, Atlanta Occasions, and Belle Magazine.  I Do Originals also created an aisle runner for Miss America 2007, Lauren Nelson.

For this post, I decided to focus exclusively on aisle runners, which make for wonderful photos; from formal church weddings to outdoor gatherings, aisle runners are a perfect place for personalization.  Kristin has mastered the technique, inviting clients to choose from a variety of colors and styles.

Read on to learn more about what is popular with aisle runners and see more fantastic photographs.

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Happy New Year!

This week I had the luxury of having lunch with Françoise Weeks.  You may have read my previous blog post about Françoise and her work as an incredibly-talented wedding florist.  She is loved by many in the wedding industry here in Portland.  Lauren Brooks, who captured the photo above, also adores her and recently blogged about her Christmastime Wreath-Making Class.  Too cool!

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Ask and you shall receive.  Kim and Phil contacted me for a meeting; they are new to the area (transplants from LA, no less!) and have opened their own wedding and portrait photography company, appropriately named Kim + Phil Photography.  Their website inspired confidence, and I was looking to profile a photographer in a new price range, so I decided to blog about the couple.  Kim and Phil are super friendly and their ultimate goal is to make their clients happy.  From the minute I met them, I could tell they loved what they do.

Kim and Phil have an incredible wedding photography deal: seven hours of coverage with the two of them on your wedding day for $1500 (details here).  I encourage those couples on tight budgets to check these two out--you will not be disappointed.

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