Rachel Brantley

April 20, 2016 by Rachel Brantley

5 Fun Party Games!

Hosting parties can be so much fun but it is always a struggle trying to find the right activities to entertain your guests. Here are five fun party games that will definitely keep your guests laughing!

1. The Shaving Game
For this game guests divide into teams or couples. One partner holds a blown up balloon in their mouth while the other partner covers it with shaving cream. The object of the game is for the player not holding the balloon to shave off all of the shaving cream without popping the balloon. The first clean balloon wins and if the balloon gets popped the couple is out. Be careful because this game is messy but it’s definitely a crowd pleaser!

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April 13, 2016 by Rachel Brantley

3 Ways to Attract More Brides to Your Venue

Do you want to book more brides this year but you don’t know where to start? Starting to market your wedding venue can seem like a daunting and overwhelming task. We found that there are three ways to attract more brides to your venue without breaking the bank or taking up loads of your time. See how referrals and relationships are the best marketing tools to grow your business!

1. Create a referral method
You work hard to create memorable and beautiful weddings for your brides. After the wedding is over brides love to rant and rave about their experience. Use this as an opportunity! Let brides know that they can receive a small cash prize or gift basket for referring family and friends to your venue. Brides will already be talking about their wedding and including a small incentive will give them the motivation to emphasize your specific information. After friends of the bride come to tour your venue the bride can claim the incentive prize. Implementing a referral method is important because word of mouth is such a powerful advertisement.

2. Be Social
Taking time out of your day to post on social media sites is how you are going to form strong relationships with potential brides. We suggest scheduling fifteen minutes each day to take a break from your normal routine to be social.

When posting on social media remember that pictures are very powerful. Feature real weddings that take place at your venue so other brides can envision their own wedding. Also ask your fans and past brides about their experience. You can ask brides what they liked the most about their wedding or what their favorite part was. Asking open-ended questions is going to increase your engagement on your social media sites. When potential brides look at your social sites and see positive interactions it will build their trust in your venue.

3. Show Vendor Love
Helping out fellow industry vendors is another great way to build relationships and referrals. Consider partnering with other local vendors that you trust. Promote the vendors you partner with to your brides and they will promote you as well. These strategic relationships will help attract more brides to your venue.

Before you start working on these tips, you first need to be online!
If you don’t have a website yet we can help you out. Click here to see how we can make your website vision come to life.

April 6, 2016 by Rachel Brantley

Our Story – Rebecca & Jack

The Beginning
Jack and I met at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, AR. He was dateless for his Sigma Chi formal sophomore year. I was a freshmen looking for a date and I was in the right place at the right time.

One night when we were sitting in my friend Ashley’s room and there was a knock on her door. I answered it and one of Jack’s friends was standing in the hallway with a card that read, “Come to the hallway.” I walked down the hallway to see Jack standing with a large bouquet of flowers and a sign with the question, “Will you go to formal with me?” Of course I said YES!

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April 4, 2016 by Rachel Brantley

3 Popular Spring Parties

This season celebrate spring in a fun, new way! Take a break from your normal routine and plan a party where you can spend quality time with close friends. Here are three popular spring parties that are trending this season.

Garden Party
As the landscape awakens and the splendor of new blooms emerge, it is the perfect time to host a beautiful garden party. First find the ideal outdoor location. This could be at a local park, field, or even your own backyard. Next you’ll want to pick out beautiful floral arrangements at your local florist. Choose bright flowers that bloom in the spring and use them to decorate your tables and chairs. Then plan a playlist that will set the mood for your party, or encourage your guests to play songs that they enjoy. If you want to have food at your party, plan a menu based on food that comes from the earth like fresh salads and grilled vegetables. This party theme is a great opportunity to appreciate nature and relax with some of your friends.

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March 28, 2016 by Rachel Brantley

Find Your Corsage and Boutonniere Style

Prom is quickly approaching and couples are starting to plan for the perfect night of pictures, dining and dancing. After finding the perfect dress, it’s time to pick out your corsage and boutonniere. Choosing the perfect corsage and boutonniere style is the best way to complete your look! Here are three styles to consider when you go to your local florist.

Traditional
If your dress is more of a traditional style then consider choosing a corsage and boutonniere that is classically elegant. Some beautiful white roses paired with white ribbon is a beautiful look that will match any color dress.

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March 23, 2016 by Rachel Brantley

Vintage-Chic Theme

The spring brides are combining vintage elements with classic modern touches to create the perfect Vintage-Chic Wedding. Brides are looking for new ways to make their wedding unique. This theme gives brides the opportunity to customize every detail.

Distressed Wood and Delicate Lace
These two decorations may seem like opposites but when paired together they form a beautiful antique look. Take a piece of old furniture, like an end table or a dresser, and sand the wood to give it a distressed look. Then drape a lace fabric overlay on the top and down the sides. Then use some of your smaller vintage pieces, like books or picture frames, to decorate the top of the furniture. Now you have a simple, yet elegant decorative piece to use for your wedding! This piece would work well as a guest book table or a table for pictures.

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March 16, 2016 by Rachel Brantley

Easter Party Tips

It’s that time of year again! Every store is full of traditional Easter candy and plastic eggs. If you are considering hosting an Easter party this spring consider a unique twist on the familiar egg hunt. Try some of these ideas to keep your guests hopping!

Food
Before determining what food you will serve at your Easter party, consider how many guests, their ages, and the time of the event. A candy bar would be a simple yet stunning centerpiece, using clear jars or vases filled with Easter candy. Use Easter shaped cookie cutters to create mini sandwiches. A tray with carrots as the prominent vegetable is certainly appropriate. Make or order a cake or cupcakes created to look like a rabbits or chicks. Readily available Easter candy items, such as Marshmallow Peeps, lend themselves to a variety of edible dessert creations.

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March 9, 2016 by Rachel Brantley

8 Common Wedding Planning Mistakes

All brides want to look back at their wedding and have no regrets. We want you to have this experience so we have highlighted eight common wedding planning mistakes you need to avoid. Learn from these mistakes so your walk down the aisle will be perfect!

1. Not making the budget a priority
Most brides make the mistake of getting swept away in the fun of planning a wedding that they forget about their budget or they compromise in too many areas. Setting a budget before any planning begins and using a budget checklist will help you stay on track during the planning process.

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March 4, 2016 by Rachel Brantley

What Your Wedding Dress Says About You

One of the most important parts of a wedding to the bride is of course, the dress! Picking out a wedding dress takes days of shopping, contemplating, and trying on hundreds of options. Your final wedding dress choice speaks volumes about your personality and your wedding!

Ball Gown
Your personality – You’re definitely a princess and have dreamed of your wedding day for a long time. You can’t wait to be seen as royalty on your big day.

Your wedding – You will have a large wedding held in a grand space with elaborate decorations. All eyes will be on you and you’ll love the attention. Your color scheme will be gold and hot pink. Your wedding flowers will be gorgeous pink peonies.

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March 2, 2016 by Rachel Brantley

Our Story – Seth and Megan Alkire

Seth and I actually grew up together at First Southern Baptist Church but never really knew each other! He was the drummer for the youth band and I knew I loved him when I saw that shaggy hair. We started dating in 2011 and got engaged September 3, 2015!

Our proposal is one of my favorites… We had been talking about getting married soon so I knew it was coming up. He wanted to throw me a birthday dinner but I hated having attention only on me so I thought it would be perfect to invite my best friend Kelsey to be a part of it too since her birthday was only a few days away! I was excited because now it would be a birthday dinner party for both of us.

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