We were honored recently to be part of another bridal open house at the Delta King.
Unfortunately, I couldn't be there myself, so I asked Catering & Wedding Sales Manager Jenny Johnson to sum up the day, and here's what she had to say:
Delta King's next bridal open house won't be until June 2010 -- be sure to watch our Web sites (realweddingsmag.com and deltaking.com) for more details!
For guys with style, putting a wedding ensemble together doesn’t always start at the tux rental shop.
A trend we're seeing is that more and more grooms are stepping out of the traditional template and suiting up their own handsome tailored threads.
From made-to-measure suits to colorful pocket squares, dapper dudes are stepping it up and looking sharp (afterall, it’s their big day too).
So, where does the fashionable gent go for a winning look? Retailers like Julius in Sacramento (juliusclothing.net) and Patrick James in Sacramento (patrickjames.com), along with custom clothier like Navin's (navins.net), have excellent track records outfitting grooms in quality suits and ties.
Another shopping resource grooms are taking full advantage of is the wonderful Web.
Online stores like Fine and Dandy Shop (fineanddandyshop.com) carry a variety of slick accessories, like ties, bowties, ascots and handkerchiefs, at reasonable prices. Plus, they also blog, offering fantastic tips on dressing and current trends, recently posted a lookbook for visual reference.
Fine and dandy, indeed.
Blog post by Always a Bridesmaid Columnist, Darren Elms. Photos courtesy of Fine and Dandy Shop.
Ok, we're such suckers -- we LOVE being blogged!!!
My friends Brandon and Kami from Sound Image Entertainment just emailed me to let me know about a wedding that they just posed to their blog...and it mentions Real Weddings Magazine!! Love that!
So I ventured over to their blog and got to check out their clients Tyler and Alicia's wedding, shot by the talented Jodi Yorston (who just shot our cover model finalists shoot for our next issue of Real Weddings Magazine) at the Carvalho's Family Winery at Old Sugar Mill.
We love this location -- it was the locale for our cover model finalist photo shoot for the current issue. And, it's close to my heart because I did my "trash the dress" shoot with Sarah Maren Photography at this location too!
Brandon and Kami are wonderful people, amazing wedding professionals -- thanks for sharing Tyler and Alicia's wedding with us -- it looks like it was a lot of fun! I loved the songs that they chose for their wedding, particularly the theme from St. Elmo's Fire. Congrats to you Tyler and Alicia on your wedding!
To learn more about Brandon and Kami and Sound Image Entertainment, check out their Web site: http://www.soundimagedjs.com/.
If there’s one thing we hear over and over from our brides featured in our Real Weddings, it’s that they regret not having used a videographer. They love their still photos from their wedding photographers, but as they reflect back on their wedding day, they say that it went by so quickly and now is such a blur.
Finding a good (and reliable!) videographer can be tricky business -- and, you may be tempted into having a friend or family member act as your videographer. But in the end, will you be happy with the results?
We asked Eric Leas from Acti-Video what he's experienced over his nearly 20 years as a videographer in the Sacramento area. Here's what he had to say on the subject:
"A friend or relative might be able to videotape your wedding, but most likely, if they don't do it professionally, they won't have the same tools a professional possesses to do the job properly, and it will really show in the results.
I have had many, many couples call and show me footage from their wedding that a friend or a family member who claimed to be 'pretty good with a camera,' asking me for help to fix it or to help present it in a more professional manner. Unfortunately, the footage is just terrible and I cannot fix it for them.
The reality is that there is no replacement and no 'do overs' -- if only these couples had hired a professional in the first place, it would have saved them heartache, bad memories and in some instances cost!"
Of course, we recommend hiring a professional videographer to capture your big day (so that you can share it with your grandchildren 50 years from now!). To find the right one for you, Eric recommends checking out several videographers' Web sites, and then meeting with your chosen few. He equates finding the right videographer to matching the right director with the right movie…requires talent, vision and a good relationship between collaborators.
Check out this recent wedding video clip that Eric and his team at Acti-Video produced:
About Acti-Video Productions:
Acti-Video Productions has been serving our area for nearly 15 years, covering not only Sacramento proper, but wedding destinations as far as San Francisco, Napa and Tahoe. These guys know their stuff, getting all your most precious moments on high-definition cameras with authenticity and care, forever captured on DVD or Blu-ray. They offer a variety of packages and plenty of extras, including the “First Dance Romance” Video Edit, “Original Love Story” Video Edit, and "Wedding Day Replay," to name a few.
Visit their Web site at acti-video.com, or call them at 916-788-1690.
Blog post by Always a Bridesmaid columnist Darren Elms.
One of the best-kept secrets in French Polynesia is a small island just a couple hours by plane from the main hub of Tahiti. Taha’a, known as the Vanilla Island, truly captures the essence of the South Pacific experience – beauty, romance, tranquility and an exploration of all five senses.
After arriving in Tahiti, you’ll take a short plane ride to the island of Raiatea and a boat cruiser to the Relais & Chateaux Le Taha’a Island Resort and Spa, a private oasis just off the main island of Taha’a. Everything you’ve heard about French Polynesia comes vividly to life at this tropical paradise – warm waters in every shade of blue, white sand beaches, delicious cuisine full of local flavors, and finest the hospitality and service you can imagine. The resort offers day trips to the main island, where you can explore wild botanical gardens, fragrant vanilla plantations and black pearl farms. But, nothing beats the seductive starry walks back to your over water bungalow with the moon shimmering on the Pacific. Needless to say, I was totally bewitched by the charms of Taha’a. Book this amazing getaway for your honeymoon and prepare to fall under its spell.
Today's bride takes much of the responsibility on herself when planning her dream day; choosing a groom, a ring, a dress, a photographer, attendants...and the list goes on. And although traditionally the groom's responsibility, choosing a venue for the rehearsal dinner may require the bride's planning and input as well.
Endless Web searches and flipping through thumbnail-sized photos in directories may not do rehearsal dinner locales justice, and an in-person evaluation is usually in order. A great way to visit a ton of possible venues and contribute to a good cause is to participate in the latest craze social dining, a local "Grub Crawl," which is a walking tour of participating restaurants where you receive small plates, or tastes of specialty menu items, desserts, and wine or spirits. I recently attended "The Big Nosh" in Sacramento's midtown, benefiting Jewish Family Services and several community partners. My husband and I visited 25 different Sacramento area eateries and munched on tasty fare for an entire afternoon. Crawls take you on a culinary tour of some of the best eateries in town, and normally last 3-5 hours.
For brides and grooms, the variation of casual to fine dining accommodates any rehearsal dinner budget, and you're able to try a variety of different foods. The best thing about joining one of these tours is, of course, the food, but also being able to see numerous venues in one day. And brides, don't fret about eating at every stop and still fitting into your wedding gown, all of the walking between locations balances out the calories...I hope! It's also a great activity to do as a couple. So much of planning falls on the bride's already-burdened shoulders, these Grub Crawls gives you as a couple the opportunity to spend a day together and share some wedding planning responsibilities. So, spend an afternoon with your love, eating and drinking, contribute to a worthy cause and mark some items off of your wedding planning checklist!
Welcome to the Real Weddings Magazine blog!
Real Weddings Magazine started in June of 2007, originally as Sierrastyle Weddings Magazine. We recently "refined" our name to be more reflective of what our magazine is about...real weddings. But, not just real weddings. Our goal is to give our readers, you gorgeous brides, inspirational ideas, stories, tips and trends, information and vendor lists to help you plan your special day, no matter the budget. We feature wedding vendors from Sacramento to the Sierra: phenomenal wedding photographers, picturesque wedding venues, gorgeous gowns, sumptuous flowers, delectable cakes, and more!
We invite you to share your ideas with us!
For more, be sure to visit www.realweddingsmag.com.
And, as always, we love your feedback. Feel free to email us at wendy@stylemg.com.
We were honored recently to be part of another bridal open house at the Delta King.
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