Barbara @ Barbara's Brides

Dinner Place Settings

Barbara — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 22:47:24 GMT

I attended a wedding recently at the Driskill and my table guests (all in the mid to late
20's) were not eating their salads. We had started a casual conversation earlier while
being served and they knew that I was a wedding planner. One of ladies nearest to
me said "You should know, so can we ask you which water is ours and which bread
plate?" I gladly helped them out and soon had the attention of more than half the
table. It surprised me that such a large number of adults wouldn't know which bread
or what was theirs.

My twelve year old is currently in Junior Cotillion to learn how to handle this exact
situation along with proper greetings, dance steps, manners, etc. Of course, we
work with both our boys, but this gives him an opportunity to learn with his peers.
I think that perhaps in our fast paced lives, eating take out or not eating together at
the dinner table has a lot to do with learning where to put the silverware and napkin
even at home. We try to eat at the table together at least 5 times per week and now
I believe it has even more benefit than only family time.

I always envisioned a box in front of me with my drinking glasses on my right and on
the opposite side was my bread plate. This technique seemed to help my peers the
other night, but I thought I would post this as a reminder or refresher course.

Hope this helps,
Barbara
www.barbarasbrides.com

Nature's Point Wedding

Barbara — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 12:09:23 GMT

Hong and Manuel hired me just a few months before their wedding date. We found
great vendors who pulled together a beautiful, memorable event on the lake. I loved
her color choices and the natural decor was a perfect fit for the bride's style. The
dance floor was packed and the high energy groomsmen were very entertaining.















We had such fantastic vendors for their weddings:

www.smsphotography.com
www.lastpetal.com
www.sterlingaffairs.com
www.austinweddingpros.com
www.simonleebakery.com

Thank you for letting me a part of your fabulous day,
Barbara

Driskill Love

Barbara — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 21:51:34 GMT

I met Katherine and her mom at a bridal show and was so thrilled when they hired me
to help them coordinate Katherine's wedding at the Driskill. I love working at the oldest
hotel in Texas. It's a fabulous location for large and small weddings. Katherine's evening
reception was held on the Mezzanine level. They had already hired several vendors and
we pulled it together to create what Katherine had dreamed of.

Tip: When carrying something old, for instance your great, great grandmother's 150 year
old pin, be 100% to secure it twice, if not three times. The pin was missing from the
dress at one point during the evening, but fortunately was found outside by the antique
car. Too scary to have something so precious lost.



                                       I love stained glass, especially in churches









          The fantastic Nash Hernandez Orchestra was hit with all ages





                       This is one of my favorite photos. Great job, Stella.



                   Classic Austin shot

Thanks to the wonderful vendors:
www.driskillhotel.com ask for Emily Taylor
www.stellaalesi.com Fantastic Photos
www.stdavids.org Ceremony
www.nashhernandezorchestra.com Reception music
www.shopnorthhills.com Flowers

Best wishes to you both,
Barbara
www.barbarasbrides.com

Happy Halloween Weekend

Barbara — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 18:06:37 GMT

I hope you are enjoying the kid inside by celebrating Halloween. We had a great
middle school party last night and my 12 year old said "It Rocked". I will post photos
soon. It was our first year going scary. My sons wanted scary costumes, skeleton
themed everything for the party and nothing cute. My husband even dressed up for
the first time in 17 years. We had a fantastic face painter, so stay tuned for photos.

Be safe and have a great time.
Barbara
www.barbarasbrides.com

Mansion on Judge's Hill, Pure Style

Barbara — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 11:06:53 GMT

Wow, what a wedding this was. The bride and her sister, Brett had such a fantastic
color scheme in mind and once they added all the amazing details, it was nothing short
of fabulous. The sister's graphic design talent was evident in so many ways. I enjoyed
every minute of the wedding and all the unique elements.

Thank you Brett for recommending me to your sister, Tracy and Ted. It was amazing!

Thank you to the great vendors who had a hand in the day.

www.marcusrevilla.com
www.lastpetal.com
www.michellespatisserie.com
www.crescentvideo.com
www.sterlingaffairs.com
www.marqueeevents.com

Barbara
www.barbarasbrides.com

Pretty & Pink at Vintage Villas

Barbara — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 09:08:19 GMT

Another beautiful wedding at Vintage Villas. I have to admit it's one of my very
favorite locations for an outside water view. The sunsets are always beautiful
and the guests are always awed by the view.

I had a great time working with Lorin and Jeremy for their big day. Lorin knew
the overall look she wanted. I know a lot of grooms aren't always thrilled with
pink as a color, but Jeremy was a trooper. Everyone had a great time starting
with Poker in the groom's room before photos.



          Such a precious flower girl, not wanting to let go of her petals













                    Just a bit more interesting than a standard candy table



                       Now that polaroid has stopped making their film we
                       have enjoyed the extra fun the photo booths can
                       provide your guests including the guest book.



Thank you to our great vendors:
www.bouquetsofaustin.com
www.fpphoto.com
www.simonleebakery.com
www.marqueeevents.com
www.austin.cmusic.com
www.saycheeseforfun.com
www.raecosmetics.com
www.vintagevillas.com

Enjoy!
Barbara
www.barbarasbrides.com

Colo Vista Wedding

Barbara — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 20:33:32 GMT

I have been really looking forward to seeing Hillary and Justin's wedding photos. We
had such a great time planning their big day and creating the fun party atmosphere
that they wanted. Hillary knew she wanted pink and orange for the colors and a mad
hatter cake, the rest is what we worked on with some of the areas best vendors to
bring it to life. All you need is an idea to start with and look at what can happen.















Wasn't this a beautiful wedding? So many great details and thanks to Stacy
with SMS Photography for capturing it all so perfectly.

Many thanks to our fantastic vendors:
www.lastpetal.com
www.simonleebakery.com
www.smsphotography.com
www.atowndj.com
www.primizieaustin.com
www.colovista.com
www.transportationconsultants.com
www.raecosmetics.com
www.marqueeevents.com

Blessings to you both,
Barbara
www.barbarasbrides.com

To Trash or Not To Trash the Dress

Barbara — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 08:57:34 GMT

I received these fun photos from Jessica Monnich photography. She had a session
with Ashley in order for her to "trash the dress". Looks like they had a cool and
refreshing time at Barton Springs Pool.

I don't want to give the wrong idea about whether or not I support this since I
have been asked by many different brides what my thoughts are about this new
concept. Like weddings, it's not my opinion that matters, it's about what you like
and want...it's just my job to help you fulfill your wedding vision. If you want other
ideas on what you can do with your wedding dress afterwards, just let me know.













Enjoy!
Barbara
www.barbarasbrides.com

This made my day!

Barbara — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 12:12:23 GMT

One of the very best parts of my job is knowing that after all the excitement is over
my couples are happy and that I had a hand in making their dream day wonderful. I
love it when I receive a note like the one below. Thank you Hillary.

Dear Barbara,

Thank you so very, very much for all of your help in planning my wedding. You
helped make my dream orange and fuschia reception into a beautiful reality!!
Thank you for all of your advice and guidance during my engagement-your
knowledge about the wedding industry in Austin is unmatched. All of your vendor
recommendations were perfect. I loved everything about my wedding day & it would
not have been as perfect without you and your team! Thank you!!

Hillary Jenson

P.S. You REALLY saved the day when you helped fix Julie's broken zipper.

I hope to post Hillary's wedding photos soon. She had a beautiful wedding day.

More to follow,
Barbara
www.barbarasbrides.com

The Wedding Diva

Barbara — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 13:35:42 GMT

We had such a great time when Linnyette Richardson-Hall came to Austin. This
was an incredible opportunity for local wedding planners to learn from one the
better known wedding designers in the wedding industry.

Such a treat to meet Linnyette!

More from Linyette's site: http://confessionsoftheweddingdiva.blogspot.com/

Many thanks to Linnyette for her time,
Barbara
www.barbarasbrides.com

Austin Club wedding

Barbara — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 19:02:21 GMT

This was such a fantastic wedding and we planned it in 7 weeks. Not that it's a record
for us, but the bride's dad was very involved and a bit concerned we couldn't pull it
together. His family teases him about lists and other organization habits but he did
a wonderful job, including a teary song after his toasts. What a special night.
















Don't get your hopes up about renting this...it was a family friend's Ferrari.
Plus, can you see how squished my poor bride was? But, her groom was beaming.


Many thanks to the awesome vendors who helped make this event so special:
www.theaustinclub.com
www.michellespatisserie.com
www.bouquetsofaustin.com
www.doberenzphotography.com
www.austin.cmusic.com

Best wishes and happy planning everyone,
Barbara
www.barbarasbrides.com

Amazing bridal portraits

Barbara — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 19:45:00 GMT

I know everyone has their own opinions and when it comes to photography. we
all like different styles, approaches, content, etc. I do not always have the
opportunity to see my bride's portrait sessions and I have to say Hillary's are
one my very favorites ever. She is a girl after my own heart and apparently the
photographer, Stacy Sodolak of SMS Photography really enjoyed Hillary's ideas
and enthusiasm too. You can see more than the my favorites if you visit
Stacy's blog www.smsphotography.com


             I am sure her mom appreciates the more classic shot



    Hillary suggested using a laundromat for her bridals and the idea made for some very cool shots

                                                   A girl has the right to be comfortable




                                                This is my favorite and pure glamour girl

Great job ladies, you did a fantastic job of capturing Hillary's personality.
Barbara
www.barbarasbrides.com

9/11 Rememberance

Barbara — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 12:45:30 GMT

Take a moment...never forget the loss!

8/8/08 Star Hill Ranch

Barbara — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 22:21:01 GMT

I was very excited to have a couple getting married on 8/8/08 which is just too cool.
Star Hill Ranch is such an amazing location and with green weddings being so
popular now, it's great to see an entire little town growing out there under the
watchful eye of it's owner, Adam. He moves old buildings that are set to be torn down
to his property and the end result is really uplifting. He started with just a few
buildings and it has grown to small town setting now.

Enjoy the photos capturing some of the fun.







                                          Such a sweet ring bearer!







                          Oh my gosh, what a cake. Any Nintendo fans?




                       Thanks, Jessica this is one of my favorite photos!

I was so blessed to have really great vendors working with me on this wedding.
It makes such a difference when working with real team players.

www.starhillranch.com
www.wildparrot.com
www.pokejos.com
www.michellespatisserie.com
www.jessicamonnichphotography.com
www.lastpetal.com
www.cmusic.com

Thank you so much,
Barbara
www.barbarasbrides.com

A love story at Austin Country Club

Barbara — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 23:24:20 GMT

I was so happy when Darien called me regarding her upcoming wedding and questions
she had about which vendors to hire. This is one of my key roles as a wedding planner.
I want each bride's wedding day to be as perfect as she has pictured it and having the
right vendors is a key part of making that happen.

As you can see, Darien's day was far beyond beautiful and she was beaming!











We had such fantastic vendors working on this wedding.
www.austincountryclub.com
www.bouquetsofaustin.com
www.austin.cmusic.com Stafford, DJ and Andrew, Video
www.simonleebakery.com
www.ilioslighting.com
www.austinpartycentral.com
www.transportationconsultants.com
www.amazingicedesigns.com

It was definitely a night to remember,
Barbara
www.barbarasbrides.com

Amazing Speaker

Barbara — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 21:33:10 GMT

           I am beyond thrilled that the association I belong to AWEC, Austin Wedding and
           Event Coordinators is hosting the fabulous Linnyette Richardson-Hall from
           "Whose Wedding is it Anyway?" for an afternoon September 7th.  It's going to
           be amazing.

Summer at Austin Country Club

Barbara — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 20:22:31 GMT

What a beautiful bride Allison was for her summer wedding. I love the photos that
Shannon Cunningham captured for them. We hired many of our preferred vendors that
truly delivered great results.

What a fun group of girls. Love the color.

Thanks to the following vendors:
Austin Country Club
www.lastpetal.com
www.michellespatisserie.com
www.shannoncunninghamphoto.com
www.wildparrot.com
www.arundelensemble.com
www.janamorris.com
www.marqueeeventgroup.com
www.premierepartyrental.com

Kristi and Rachel did a great job as "day of" planners.
Barbara
www.barbarasbrides.com

Go Team AWEC

Barbara — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 21:48:40 GMT

In the spirit of the Olympic games our Austin branch of ISES had a great pool and game party
tonight. Several members of www.awec.org (Austin Wedding & Event Coordinators) thought
it would be fun to get matching shirts and go as a team to compete in the games. I normally
do not make it to evening events, but I am glad I was able to participate tonight.

My team mates consisted of Amy Mader, Denise Silverman, Gina Whittington, Tammy Goral,
Rachel Garrett and me. We definitely pulled together for some excellent team effort. You
ladies are a hoot and can be my team mates any day.

Now for the end results, we didn't do too bad and certainly represented AWEC well in the
competitions.

We took home the following awards:
3rd place for the Dress Switch
3rd place for the best "Get Flipped" photo www.getflippedaustin.com
2nd place for the buffet table race

And yours truly won 2nd place for the waiter tray race and 1st place for the Egg Toss!
Now I have a cute set of lucite book ends.

It's good for the soul to laugh and play silly games again like we did as kids.

Hope you are enjoying the summer,
Barbara
www.barbarasbrides.com

New York Brides

Barbara — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 23:38:23 GMT

I HEART New York brides.

Austin is definitely a destination location for weddings. I am currently working with 3
brides from New York. It's been great helping them long distance and alleviating the
extra stress from planning long distance. If you really want an Austin wedding and
need help pulling it together, we'd love to help.

Happy planning,
Barbara
www.barbarasbrides.com

Bridal Spa

Barbara — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 12:34:36 GMT

Planning a wedding can cause stress, even when everything is completed. If you find
you need to de-compress and have a fantastic massage, visit www.salon505.com

I received a gift certificate from one of my wonderful couples and finally indulged
last Friday. Virginia Pratt did my massage and it was fantastic.

I am a big spa fan and try to go at least quarterly. I normally visit Lake Austin Spa,
but if you need a convenient location and way to rid your neck or shoulders of the
building tension, call and book an appointment with Virginia.

Happy planning,
Barbara
www.barbarasbrides.com