They Grow Up So Fast.......

Happy Monday! This past weekend kept me pretty busy.  My parents and I moved my lil sis into her college dorm! I wish I had a dorm room that nice when I was in college! lol

She decorated it herself with a zebra print theme with lime green (her fav color) accents.  Its so exciting to see her embark on that chapter of life! I wouldn't trade my college years in for the world!

Here's wishing my lil sis, Ayanna, four of the best, most productive, fun, and positive life changing years of her life! Love you Yanna!

Fabulous Wedding!

The wonderful Lucia Paul Design who did the bridal shower I just featured also did the couple's fabulous wedding! They even had Kenny Latimore serenade them at the reception! Check out some of the great pictures of Karen & DeJuan's wedding! I love the colors and decor! Simply beautiful! :)

 

Photography by Uptown Photography

Bridal Shower: Coco Chanel Inspired

Check out this awesome Chanel inspired bridal shower done by Lucia Paul Design.  It is absolutely fabulous! Get in and get inspired!

DIY Centerpieces

One of the biggest things to figure out when planning a wedding or event is what type of centerpiece to do.   The first thing is to really determine your budget per table and then see what you can get that falls in that budget.  There are tons of different things you can really do yourself which saves alot of money.  Check out some of the DIY centerpieces I found online.

Candles on a cupcake stand....Isn't this pretty cute? I've never seen this before but its a creative
way to do a centerpiece!

You can never go wrong with a few nice vases grouped together with flowers in them for a centerpiece.  These vases are from Pottery Barn but of course you can find nice, inexpensive vases anywhere these days!

I've always liked the look of stacked roses! And its soo easy to do.  All you have to do is cut your stems down to about 3 inches and then neatly layer them as pictured.

This is another easy centerpiece arrangement I found. All you need for this one is a pretty vase & pillar candle for center, rose petals, and the smaller vases and candles to go around it.  Personally, I'm not a huge fan of the mirrors alot of people like to use for centerpieces but that's just me :)  They do add a nice reflection though when candles are sitting on them.

Lastly, check out this cute yellow and blue centerpiece designed by Object Splendor.  This can totally be recreated.  All you need are the vases,  flowers, pebbles, and ribbon.  If you notice, they even have a votive candle sitting in the middle of the pebbles.  That's pretty cute!

Shopping for Princess & the Frog Party

So I've been doing a little shopping lately for my clients' Princess & the Frog themed birthday party coming up next month.  My method is usually to pick up whatever I see that may work for an event, keep my receipts, then if I decide not to use something I just return it later.  Its always better to have too much than not have enough.  And I think everyone knows how awful it feels to see something you think you like, pass on it, then later decide you want it only to return to the store and its no longer there! The worst feeling ever, right?

Here are a few items I got so far:

And check out the beautiful sequined fabric I found that I will use as an overlay on tablecloth (fabric is sheer).  I love it! It's so girly!

 
The key is to look everywhere for little odds and ends to go with a theme. Some of the spots you never think would have something may just be where you find that one thing that puts your party decor over the top!  I have an inspiration board too but its way too big so I won't be sharing that.  I have so many ideas..but there is no way I'm going to be able to do them all.  But I'm really excited to see how everything comes together and I hope the little birthday girl loves it all too.... stay tuned! ;)

Awesome Sweetheart Table

This table is sooo hot, it gets it's own post! lol  Check out this awesome sweetheart table! This over the top table made by Rrivre Works is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G !!!! And the dramatic draped backdrop and floral arrangement set it off completely.  Imagine walking into a wedding reception seeing the bride and groom seated here!! I LOVE it! :)

My name is Nneka & Im Addicted to Home Goods

I envision that would be my opening line if there were an HGAA(Home Goods Addicts Anonymous group) somewhere! lol  Okay but seriously, you all know how much I love the store, Home Goods!  Sometimes I see things I have absolutely no need for and something in me still wants to buy it!  But my husband would have a royal fit if I brought home half the stuff I even think about buying! lol 

I made a trip yesterday to my home decor heaven and here are a few items I saw that caught my eye!

Love this chair... such a funky print :)  $129.99

This silver table is too cute!  $129.99

Lately wire forms are poppin up everywhere and I love them!

Cupcake holders

These beaded cupcake holders are very popular and have become a staple lately at Home Goods. They definitely add a touch of elegance to an event. I love them. I keep saying Im going to get one but haven't gotten around to it yet. They run anywhere from $29.99 to $69.99 generally.

Another popular item you see everywhere now are cake stands.  They are great to use for decorating and they come in different styles and sizes.  Here are a few I spotted yesterday.  These run from $12.99 to $16.99 each.

How cute is this one for a little girl party!

These are only $12.99 each!

Have a great weekend everyone! :)

Girl Photography

Photography has always been one of my secret loves.  Its amazing to me how the purest moment can be captured in a photograph.  I used to always think photography was easy.  I figured all people had to do was aim the camera and click.  Now I definitely recognize that having a great eye is truly a gift and not everyone has it.

Today, I'm featuring a very talented photographer, Nicole Peterson from Girl Photography (pictured to the left with her hubby).  I've had the pleasure of working with her on several occasions (and her wedding has also been featured here on my blog).  We have a mutual friend, Courtney, who connected us and we have stayed in contact ever since.  She has a great eye and is very passionate about her art.

Nicole got into photography right after her wedding when her husband announced that he wanted to start a photography business and she thought why not take it up as a hobby.  Well her hobby blossomed into a passion and pretty soon all she wanted to do was take pictures.  Originally, she wanted to go into pet photography but found that shooting people is so much more rewarding and interesting. What has amazed her the most through her business is how she has been able to touch people's lives by documenting moments that mean so much to them. It has also served as constant renewal to her faith in man because she gets to witness humanity at its best : love, happiness, joy, and kindness.  She is so excited about what lies ahead for her and feels so blessed to be able to pursue something that gives her so much joy and fulfillment.

It's a beautiful thing to be able to do something you love.  I applaud Nicole for pursuing her passion and I am excited as well to see what lies ahead for her!  Check out a few of her favorite shots!

Nicole is based out of the Philadelphia area (but will travel for events as well.)  Check out her website http://www.girl-photography.com/ for more info!

Quick Decorating Tip

I heard David Tutera say this and I couldn't agree more.  If you want to make an impact when decorating a room for a party or event, choose one color and do a lot of it!

Fantasy Celebrations for Girls

I absolutely love all things girly and frilly! Needless to say, I cant wait to have daughters of my own! So when I came across these fabulously decorated parties for little girls, I was blown away!  A company based in Houston called Fantasy Celebrations plans these awesome events for children.  Check out a few of the pics I got from their site that took my breath away! :)

Colored Shoes on Your Wedding Day!

So one big trend right now for brides is wearing colored shoes with your wedding gown! Personally, I LOVE this look (and I did it for my own wedding)! To me, it shows a little of a bride's personality!  But I know there are brides out there who wouldn't dare even think to slip on a shoe any other color than white or ivory and that's perfectly fine.  It isn't for everyone. 

I had a HARD time finding the perfect pink shoes.  I originally wanted a pair of Stuart Weitzman shoes but they were from a past collection and were no longer available anywhere.  I ended up just getting some shoes (pictured to the left) dyed pink twice actually. The first pair wasn't the right shade of pink so I bought another pair and had them dyed the pink I was going for.  But there are tons of options out now! Why is it when you are looking for something you can never find it...and as soon as you aren't looking, you see things everywhere!

I digress.... lol.  Here are a few pics of brides rocking colored shoes with their wedding gowns! Check them out and get inspired! :)

Meg  from www.thesavvysoiree.com