You are currently browsing the monthly archive for March 2009.
It is always a treat to work with a couple that enjoy having a little bit of fun with each other! Case in point… Josh and Carrie Cox. We had the privilege of working with this couple as they planned their wedding but it appears some of the fun happened afterwards! Sara France of Sara France Photography did a “trash the dress shoot” with this rock star couple in a very unorthodox setting.
These are the images that last a lifetime!
So what is a “trash the dress shoot”? It is the photo session that takes place AFTER the wedding when dirtying up your dress does not have quite the same effect as before the wedding. It is truly just a great opportunity to get fantastic images without the stress.
Go On… Jump in the Ocean, Climb the Tree, Drive with the Top Down or even… Smash the Cake! Just make sure your dress gets to the cleaners the next day!
Love this. Think of any special occasion. Now picture soft, light, airy flower petals thrown into the mix. An option for the petals you might be envisioning are Flyboy Naturals petals. They are freeze dried, which means that the moisture from the petals has been removed. I think it’s fascinating. Flyboy Naturals are pros at this.
They have grown their own products in the Pacific Northwest for freeze drying since 1997. Their process is wind powered through Pacific Power’s Blue Sky Wind Program, so it’s GREEN… and legit.
Their array of products and colors is worth checking out. Roses in large and petite, whites, pinks, yellows, and purples. Petal blends. Hydrangeas and peonies. They are non-staining and long lasting.
Flyboy Naturals has a variety of ideas for how you can use their petals for any special occasion. They will help you calculate exactly how much you would need for your event. My experience working with them for the Wedding Party Bridal Show was wonderful. They are kind and passionate about their product — for good reason.
Let’s face it, wedding fashion is all about the ladies. The gown first, then the bridesmaids, then the moms, THEN… the groom and his men. Now, I am not suggesting that your wedding style should be based on your man’s attire but they deserve a little more TLC on the fashion front.
I was parusing the internet to try and find some alternatives to the standard neck tie and came across some great custom sites. Etsy is always a viable resourse for creativity and offered a few options (2 of which I listed below).
Me and Matilda offers classic neck ties with a twist. They not only offer neck ties and bow ties, but also create ring bearer pillows and othere accessories to coordinate. Each is handmade and charming.
Cyberoptix Tie Lab is an edgy alternative to a standard tie. Their custom patterns all have a name and story behind them and they are all about working with your color scheme.
Each necktie is hand made and may have its own variation in color, density, and texture. In addition, some limited edition and custom made ties are made with deconstructed vintage, recycled or other sustainable materials.
Design Your Tie specializes in custom ties, custom bow ties, bowtie / cummerbund / handkerchief sets & custom cufflinks for your guy. 
They have a large corporate client base but they offer numerous dress options. Their product gallery definitely sways towards a traditional style but everything is truly customizable from colors to motifs and monograms.
Our grooms have provided us with some great feedback on some of the companies listed above. We will report back as the ties are recieved.
Liz and I were trolling Kobey’s Swap Meet (our first time) for eco-friendly and vintage decor items for the Wedding Party Bridal Show and stumbled across a copy of Phyllis Diller’s Marriage Manual. We both screeched to halt when we saw the words “marriage manual” on a dusty quilt on the asphalt and had to take a closer look. The woman who sold it to us was quick to mention that the book was signed by Phyllis herself! The cover has been torn off so we got a deal: $8.
That’s just $8 to peek into what a comedienne was thinking about marriage 42 years ago. Her view is amusingly cynical. In the foreword she asks “Do you have a marriage that is constantly in the repair shop? Was the last time you smiled for your wedding photograph?” Okay, so this book doesn’t convey the ultimate vision of wedded bliss. She jokes about her husband Fang’s laziness: “Everybody knows how lazy he his. One day the neighbors saw Fang mowing the lawn and I got three Get Well cards.”
The book is for comic relief, or better yet, comic therapy for some married women. However, the dusty book smell goes well with some of the older references. The idea that men do most of the driving, that we call a couch a davenport, and that women are the only ones who cook and clean are just some examples. I wonder what Phyllis Diller thinks about marriage in 2009. Maybe I should try to find out.
We were fortunate enough to partner with ECOBAGS.com to promote bustle and Liz Beck Events in conjunction with the Wedding Party Bridal Show. I have one of their large totes I bought at Whole Foods about 6 months ago that still feels new even after numerous grocery, library, and other shopping runs so I can vouch for the durability.
I chatted with ECOBAGS.com VP of Strategic Marketing & Fun (great title) and learned a bit more about what makes the recycled canvas reusable tote bags as wonderful as they are. She informed me that they will last for years rather than months and are made of natural material rather than from petroleum.
ECOBAGS.com offers reusable bags in all shapes, sizes, and materials that make great gifts. Consider giving your out-of-town guests a canvas tote stuffed with local maps and goodies. They will think of you every time they use it! Have them custom printed with your event logo or a witty saying for an even more personal feel.
Either way, consider getting yourself a reusable bag. I have a feeling that this the kind of lifestyle-changing trend that will last!
Couples who sign up for bustle classes get a free ECOBAGS.com tote (as shown above). Contact us at bustle@lizbeckevents.com for more information.
[Photos courtesy of Sara France Photography]
Concepts Event Design not only constructed our ivory tent structures at the Wedding Party Bridal Show but they also provided the lounge furniture and my favorite: the eco-friendly benches. The benches are made of locally sourced reclaimed wood. Each bench is handcrafted and stained (pretty sure the stain was low VOC). They are sturdy and comfortable and all around perfect for any outdoor ceremony, especially since each bench seats 4 to 5 people. They are so adaptable, working well in the sand, the grass, or even on hardscape to provide a unique feel. You can dress them up or play off of their rustic modern quality. Ah, but the ceremony is not their only use — they can be used as reception seating cozied up to a natural table linen as Liz and I showed at the Wedding Party Bridal Show.
The Green Room images are in from the Wedding Party Bridal Show thanks to Sara France Photography! To recap: the organizer of the show, Pamela Noxon, entrusted us with the task of pulling together the 1200+ square foot Green Room, an education pavilion intended to teach couples how to have a green event.
We set up elements of a green wedding tented under ivory fabric including a ceremony setup with reclaimed wood benches and a vintage table, 2 different reception table ideas, a lounge area, nearly 150 eco-facts and ideas for a fabulously green event, 13 tall palms in rustic planters, 100 glass bubbles hanging from above, and plenty of soft grays and purples to tie in the bustle brand.
Over the next few days we will be featuring vendors from the show including Concepts Event Design, Embellishmint, TK&A, ECOBAGS, Simply Wood Rings, Flyboy Naturals, Greenfield Paper, bloomingdales, Margaret’s Cleaners, Brides Against Breast Cancer, and more.
Liz and I survived the Green Wedding Party Bridal Show this past Sunday! It was a great event, showcasing some of San Diego’s top notch wedding vendors’ green side of business. More on that later. Today is all about the WINNERS of our bustle raffle! We had 2 giveaways at the event:
1. A basket of natural amazing-smelling handmade soaps, candles, and bath tea bags from Clarity Recycled Interiors valued at $75. Congratulations Heather Kermath!
2. A free bustle class of your choice valued at $100. Congratulations Bethany Potter!
bustle was asked to promote the first GREEN Wedding Party Bridal Show on NBC. Natalie and I are working to put together an education pavilion called “The Green Room” within the Bridal Show to educate brides about ways they can have a green wedding. NBC was excited about the concept and voila~ bustle had its first interview this morning.
We were down at NBC with coffee in hand for 5:30am (yes- AM!). Sara France of Sara France Photography came with us to take some photos of the adventure.
It was pretty exciting to get behind the scenes at the NBC studio with some local celebrities that we see every morning on the news. After freshening up in the green room, we were ready to go live!
Marianne Kushi interviewed us asking about ways to make your wedding green and about the March 8th bridal show. It may have been a mere 3 minutes, but it certainly felt longer.
A great day so far! To view the interview on NBC San Diego’s website click here.
bustle
Liz
Amy
