GetRelish.com Blog

It's Friday We're in Love with...being starstruck!

2011-05-27T10:00:00.003-05:00

Let me just begin by saying that I am from a very small mid-western town. The biggest star I ever saw was the Dukes of Hazzard CAR (oh, how I DO love the General Lee...)

But I had never seen a REAL star until I moved here. My first year here, I waited tables in Franklin and waited on Michael W Smith, Brooks & Dunn, Jodee Messina, just to name a few. So - I began to understand I was in a different place now! But none of them compares to what happened to us (Relish) last year...

Growing up in my small town, living with "older" parents - I grew up on country. I'm not talking Garth Brooks' modernized country - I'm talking CLASSIC country (although I sung "Friends in Low Places" at so many parties between age 17-23, I can sing every word to you right now. But that would be to the penalty of your ears!) Anyway... back to the story at hand. One of my favorite stars to listen to as a child, one of my mother's favorite stars to sing a long to... was Loretta Lynn. I mean - she is one of the biggest country stars of all time. And NO ONE has a voice like her's! I absolutely love her!

Last Summer, I was watching TV and her movie "Coal Miner's Daughter" (with Sissy Spaceck) came on. I of course had to watch it again for the 10th time. I love that movie and that night - it really meant a lot to me. I was daydreaming of my own "small beginnings" and where God was going to take me as well as our "baby" company Relish. Two days later, I came back to the office after lunch to hear a voicemail that said "This is Nita Baggott with Nashville Event Planning and I'd like to talk with you about doing invitations for Loretta Lynn..." I nearly fainted. Then I decided it was too crazy to be true! I called her back and so a dream began...

First of all, I must say that Nita is now one of my favorite wedding vendors to work with! She is so amazing, so professional but SO down to earth! She makes you feel so at ease! I love wedding planners who make you feel at ease. Actually, they amaze me how calm they are! I got to go to Loretta's studio downtown. I felt so important! :) Everyone was so nice and so pleased with what we created!

The stationery was for Loretta's 50th Years in Country Music celebration! How honored was I to be part of this amazing event?! Seriously?! I GET to do this?! AND I get PAID for it???!!! REALLY?! It was our biggest order to date, both monetary and emotionally! And all the OTHER cool celebrities (quite an amazing guest list) that RECEIVED our invites and saw our work at the event... wow...

MANY thanks to Nita and Nashville Event Planing for their amazing style, class and communication skills! Any bride OR special event would be SO lucky to have Nita and her amazing team (LOVE Miranda & Wendy too!!!) plan their event! Words cannot express my appreciation to them & Loretta & her team for working with us! It truly opened doors and took us to the next level! And at the same time, made this little smalltown girl's dreams come true! You could say... I "Relished" it! ;)

Thanks for joining us in our look back over the past 3 years! Can't wait to see what we have to share at our 5 year mark!

Tuesday's Tasty Treats: Unique Wedding Programs

2011-05-24T10:00:00.006-05:00

If you're looking for a unique wedding program, something that will "stand out in the crowd" of guests at your wedding, then try a Relish wedding program. From a simple half-fold program to the Summertime favorite Program Fan, we have something for every bride. Choose your patterns, your colors, fonts, etc and we will put it all together for you and send you a complimentary PDF proof for you to approve.

Wait a little late? That happens often with wedding programs, due to last minute changes in the wedding. Give Relish a call and one of our specialists can help you decide which programs can be delivered quickest and we can even put a rush on it for you.

Check out our full wedding program selection HERE.

It's Friday We're in Love with... Nashville!

2011-05-20T10:00:00.002-05:00

Last week, we began chronicling our "Top 3 Monumental Moments" over the past 3 years, as part of our celebration of Relish turning 3 this month! View our #3 Monumental Moment from last week HERE.

Our #2 Monumental Moment: Giving Back to Nashville (our home, sweet home) - May, 2010

Last May, the waters rose here in Nashville and many lives' were changed. As we watched our community reaching out to each other in the most amazing way, we searched our hearts to see what we could do to help.

We created an "I Love Nashville" stationery line as a tribute to our great city. We decided to donate 100% of the proceeds to the Nashville Red Cross Flood Relief efforts. We weren't sure how much we would sell and how much we'd be able to give back, but after a year, we are pleased to say we've given 100s of dollars to the community!!!

Thanks so much to the brides who ordered just to give back to their community!! They have so many choices in invitations, but they chose this and the conversations we had with them - about how they wanted to help! One bride even included cards that said "In exchange for wedding favors, we've made further donations to the Red Cross". They all had Nashville on their hearts, even on "THEIR" days! This is the community we live in, the community we are SO proud to call home!

We were also honored to be invited to our first TV interview on the mid-day NBC show, Better Nashville. Through this, we were able to let brides know what we were doing and that helped make this a success!

See the interview HERE.

We are proud to be an online company that serves brides across the world. But we do in deed LOVE Nashville! And this opportunity to give back to our community was a truly monumental moment for us!

"Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again." - Luke 6:38

Stay tuned! Relish's #1 Monumental Moment will be revealed NEXT WEEK! :)

Tuesday's Tips: Spring & Summer 2011 Color Palette

2011-05-17T10:00:00.002-05:00

At Relish, you can use our software to create your invitation in any color palette you desire. While the creativity is up to you, we are often asked what the color trends are for the Season. Here is the color palette our friends at Pantone (the geniuses behind the master color book used for the many areas of the design world) have come out with a list of the Top 10 hottest colors for Spring / Summer, 2011.

“The colors designers have chosen for the spring season present an interesting marriage of unexpected warm and cool tones,” said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute® By cleverly combining complementary colors, those that are opposites on the color wheel, they have created a striking intensity to the palette. These unique color combinations make it possible for consumers to pair existing pieces in colors traditionally associated with fall, with new favorites to punch up springtime wardrobes."

We personally love these colors! Our favorite combos?

Honeysuckle & Coral Rose: Honeysuckle was the Top color of 2011 chosen by Pantone. We love it combined with the Deep Orange (what we might call Tangerine)! It makes you think of a bright Summertime bouquet. Gorgeous for a bright wedding!
Russet & Beeswax: Try this for something more rustic. If you are getting married towards the end of Summer / early Fall - this might be the perfect embodiment of that time of year.
Silver Peony & Silver Cloud: For something more "cool", try this combo. It's perfect for a beach wedding or for a classic clean color scheme.

If you can't find the pattern you want in one of these colors, call us for FREE custom colorization to choose one of these 10!

So what are you waiting for? Start creating your perfect Relish wedding invitation HERE.

It's Friday We're in Love With... Top Relish Moments!

2011-05-13T16:20:00.000-05:00

So, as we mentioned in last Friday's blog, Relish celebrating our 3 year anniversary this month. So, three amazing years has come with many great, pivotal moments. When looking back, we thought of the "Top 3" monumental moments. It was hard, because there's been so many great ones, but these moments were ones that brought happy tears, excitement and our next level of growth!

Monumental Moment #3: The Weddings, The (BIG) Bridal Show, January 2009 (Nashville, TN)

We had launched Relish over half a year earlier and had spent those first months working out kinks in the software, improving our product quality, and refining our overall brand. This bridal show was like our real coming-out party to the bridal community.

Since we are an online company, this bridal show was our first opportunity to see brides react to our products and our "design your invitation" concept. The question we had was how to take our software capabilities and turn that into a tangible experience at a bridal show. The answer came in the form of a "mini-invitation bar". We had miniature samples printed of our papers and also had embellishments. They could go through the bar and put together their own mini-invites.

The brides loved it and our line stretched out past 2 other booths. It was the highest traffic booth at the show.

The best part was seeing the brides reactions as they had so much fun with the experience. THAT is what our whole mission as a company was from the start: to enjoy the experience. By the end of a non-stop 8 hour show, after seeing over 700 brides, we knew without a doubt we had accomplished our mission after a year and a half of building it up! This was the start of something big - for brides and for us Relish as a company!

Our #2 Monumental Moment coming up next week...

Happy Birthday Relish!

2011-05-05T17:52:00.004-05:00

It's hard to believe that a mere 3 years ago today Relish was officially launched!

And it was actually about 9 months before that when it was conceived...

Rebecca & I (Stephanie) were chatting over coffee about helping some of our friends with their wedding invitation designs. We discussed how many invitations we were currently helping friends with because they weren't satisfied with the options being given to them out of the standard "big invitation books". Gradually the chat turned into "Why isn't there something like... this?" We wanted to create a system where brides could A) have a ton of options and B) be able to mix them up easily themselves to design their own invitations. When we first started discussing it, we didn't even have online software in mind. That was where my fantastically smart husband (Dustin) stepped in and voila! Relish was conceived!!! We got to work on designs, software layout, etc and after many long nights (after our day jobs), 9 months later Relish was finally born in May, 2008!!!

We had already attended a bridal show that January and some networking events so we invited some of our favorite Nashville vendors to a small party to celebrate "the beginning" on May 4th, 2008. Below are some of the photos from that launch party! The next day (5th of May, 2008) we launched our iBuilder software online.

We didn't know it that first August afternoon, but we were about to embark on a huge journey! We've been blessed with so much growth since then! We have a board of directors, designers and production assistants to help churn out the gorgeous invitations AND to get us growing to the next level! We have been inspired by bride requests and suggestions and are currently in the process of our 3rd major software upgrade! (it's going to be fabulous... but wait until you see the one after that! teaser, haha) We have now sent out orders to every amazing US state and to several different countries! We are extremely blessed by this business and TRULY LOVE what we do! (more and more every day!)

We just want to say thanks to our customers all across the world for helping us grow! Thanks for your inspiring designs and feedback for ways we can take the "Design your own invitations" to the next level!

Thanks to our amazing Relish team!!! We are considerably blessed to be a company where talent, creativity and cutting-edge technology mesh into an amazing product!

(us with the always amazing Ashley's Bride Guide!)

And a special thanks to our local Nashville vendors that we met 3 years ago, many of whom have become our friends! We've enjoyed watching many of their businesses grow as well! Special hugs & love to Shara (Cakes by Shara), Zach & Jody Gray (Gray Photography), Sarah Willard (Music City Events) and especially Ashley (Ashley's Bride Guide) - you believed in us then and that helped inspire who we are now!

We are definitely enjoying the journey!!!

xoxo,

Stephanie & Rebecca
(and the getrelish team)

It's Friday We're in Love with... April Showers

2011-04-22T10:00:00.005-05:00

The saying goes "April showers bring May flowers". In the wedding world, April Showers bring Summer weddings! [Bridal Showers, that is.]

Being engaged was one of the most wonderful times of my life. There was so much wonderful stuff to plan and every day was a celebration of the life I was going to be spending with my future husband. Everyone is happy for you and there are the showers, the wonderful showers! Relish celebrates these showers with beautiful invitations! Check out some of our Shower Invitation options below.

Tips & Tricks: Wedding Stationery Timeline

2011-04-21T10:00:00.006-05:00

Just a quick blog about one of the issues that seems to come up the most with stationery:

When should I purchase?

Often times, you can put a rush on stationery if possible - but at Relish, we never recommend pushing it if you don't have time. This often leaves to overlooked typos, or upgraded express processing and /or shipping. Plan wisely and you won't have to pay those unnecessary fees or add extra worry to yourself!

Save the Dates:
You can purchase these as soon as you get engaged and use them as an engagement announcement. The only 2 items you need to know is the Date and the Location. It's great if you can set up a wedding website to direct them to as well, but not necessary. The only thing you don't want to do is wait too late to send these. Their primary purpose is to help people plan their trip to your wedding (for out-of-towners, this is very important) We recommend sending them out at least 4 months before the wedding.
TIMELINE: Immediately following "I Do" - 4 months prior to wedding
Shower / Party Invitations:These are usually left up to the hosts of the parties, but they should order them in time for people to RSVP. And these usually take 7-10 days to receive once you've ordered them.
TIMELINE: 4-5 Weeks prior to the Shower / Party
Invitations:
The main course of your stationery! Let's work our way backwards...RSVP: Depending on what type of reception you are having (full catering, buffet or finger foods), you will need the deadline for the RSVP to give enough time for these items to be prepared. Some catering companies / restaurants will require a longer amount of time. But the general rule is 2-4 weeks prior to the wedding for the RSVP date.
Time allowed for people to receive the invitations until the RSVP deadline: 2-3 weeks. If you allow too much time, people will often forget to reply (no sense of urgency). If you do not allow enough time, you risk a crisis with the RSVPs not getting back in time. The best average we have found is 2-3 weeks from the time you are mailing out the invites.
Addressing / Stamping: Allow yourself a week to get these in the mail from the time you receive them from the stationer.
Order Time: Once you've placed your order, it will take 2-3 weeks to receive your stationery.
Add it all up, and your safe bet for ordering invitations is:
TIMELINE: 8-12 weeks prior to the wedding.
Programs & Reception Essentials:
These will take 2-3 weeks to receive from the stationer as well.
TIMELINE: 2-3 Weeks prior to wedding
Thank You Notes:
We recommend ordering these prior to the wedding for a couple reasons. This way, you won't have to think of doing more wedding ordering AFTER the big day. Plus you will have these ready to go so you can send them out ASAP (good wedding etiquette!) Many brides order them early in their engagement, even before their invitations - to have them for all their showers.
TIMELINE: Before the big day!

Hope this timeline is helpful! Come on over to Relish for all these stationery must-haves!

It's Friday We're in Love with... FLIPBOOKs!!!

2011-04-15T10:00:00.004-05:00

As a wedding vendor, we get to partake in some awesome networking parties. We get to meet great people, see new inspiring trends and sometimes experience some of the coolest new "fun"! That was the case back in December when we came across the hottest new craze: Flipbooks!

Remember when you were young and experiencing the small cartoon books that when you flip the pages quickly - the cartoon moves? Someone was creative enough to invent this for a photo booth setting! Photo booths are amazing fun and have been the trend the past few years, but this one-ups the booths in that you leave with your own animated flip book!

First, you get to pick out your groovy costume...

Then, they record video of you and your friends for 6 seconds ("do large movements" they kept saying). Then they convert the video instantly into still frames which are printed on the spot by a specialty printer which cuts and binds the little book so that you can leave with your creation within minutes!

Check out the finished product featuring Stephanie & Rebecca of Relish! (Shaky video because I recorded it as I flipped it - not easy to do! But you will get the general idea)

If you live in the Nashville area (and surrounding regions), contact Main Event Productions at 615-321-2394 or visit the Fantastic Flipbooks website today!

Tuesday's Tasty Treats: Coral, Orange, Mustard... YUM!

2011-04-12T11:30:00.001-05:00

Ahhh.... it's that time of year when colors start springing out of trees, bushes and even under foot - everywhere around us. At Relish, we love color so this is of course our favorite time of year!

So what colors are trending this Spring in the fashion / wedding world? We found a great article at Refinery29 showing off some of the hottest colors for this year!

Coral seems to be the running theme. The smoky pink shade pairs well with mustard (we love the image above!), white and every color in between! You can even pair it with a hot pink as seen below.

Since the beginning Relish has been a huge fan of bright orange AND combining it with pink! Looks like we are finally trendy. :)

It seems that every type of blue is trendy this year. From Sapphire (see our salute to the royal wedding) to Aquas and now the popular sky blues, as seen here.

For more information on the hottest trends, view the whole article from Refinery29 here. And stay tuned to Relish as we develop new stationery to suit these trends!

Enjoy the colors around you this Spring and get inspired!

Salute to the Royal Couple: Relish the "Sapphire Collection"

2011-04-06T16:24:00.000-05:00

With glistening metallic Sapphire paper that is more beautiful in real-life than photos can replicate, embellishments that demand attention and textured thermography ink, Relish is proud to salute the royal couple with this new Sapphire Collection.

As everyone knows, there will be a new Princess on April 29th and as we watched Prince William & Kate Middleton announce their news back in November with awe and fond recollections of Princess Diana, we knew we had to create something to honor this moment in time. We instantly drew inspiration from the beautiful ring and loved how Kate displayed it beautifully, wearing that gorgeous sapphire dress to complement it perfectly.

Hope you enjoy our salute to the new royal couple. And as a special celebration, all of Relish's Exclusive invitations are 15% OFF! It's our way of helping everyone attain a little royalty for a little less.

Stay tuned as we cover the royal wedding on April 29th!

Want to be inspired? Remminder for Nashville brides!

2010-11-08T10:00:00.001-06:00

This is a reminder for our local brides (and their grooms) to come out and visit Relish and other great Nashville vendors at The Little Black Dress Revue TOMORROW NIGHT! There will be the best of the best vendors, cocktails, live music, free gifts and best of all - a $5000 grand prize drawing! So don't be lame and miss out! Be fabulous and dress up and come on out! We can't wait to see you!

Tuesday, November 9th

6:30 - 9:30pm

Noah Liff Center

3622 Redmon Drive, Nashville TN

Click HERE to register for the event!

It's Friday We're in Love With... Laidlaw Photography

2010-11-05T10:00:00.008-05:00

At Relish, we TRY to keep things professional, but we cannot help but gush over the following vendor! Laidlaw Photography is located in our hometown of Nashville, TN (but will travel wherever!). The owner (Miriam-Danielle Laidlaw / "MD" for short) is a long time friend of ours and we have seen her start this business and excel at it quicker than we've seen any other creative professional do! She has that unique formidable combination of passion, talent, professionalism and personality that has quickly made her a highly sought-after commodity! She specializes in wedding & artist photography. We have had the privilege of not only being her friend but working with her on several shoots and can tell you both as a person and as a business - she has what it takes to make you a happy client! Without further ado, here our is our interview / business summary with the lovely MD.

BUSINESS NAME:
Laidlaw Photography

FOUNDED IN:
2009 (She was a novice for many years before that, but only a pro for a little over a year. But we swear you will think she has been doing this for at least 10 years!)

WHERE ARE YOU LOCATED? ARE YOU WILLING TO TRAVEL?

I mostly center around the greater Nashville area as well as surrounding areas: Franklin, Brentwood, Clarksville, Smyrna, etc…I also travel for weddings and love it. I’ve photographed weddings this past year as far away as Texas, South Carolina, Louisiana and Michigan.

WHY DID YOU GO INTO THIS BUSINESS?

I’ve always had a love for photography. The more I dabbled in it as a hobby, the more I learned. After a friend asked me to photograph her wedding (p.s. those pictures are honestly never allowed to make it into the light of day…in the beginning, a true wedding photographer I was NOT), I was bitten by the bug. There was just something about being a part of such a special day in a couple’s life.

WHAT TYPE OF PACKAGES DO YOU OFFER?

Laidlaw Photography offers several packages based on your wedding day needs and budget. We also offer a la carte options, which is a great option for small weddings or when you want to add special shoots, such as bridal sessions, "Trash the Dress" sessions, etc (FYI: "Post Wedding Day" shoot is something we at Relish find so beautiful and sweet! It's the morning / day after the big day and you are man and wife. So sweet!). For package details and pricing, contact MD.

WHAT IS YOUR UNIQUE STYLE / SERVICE THAT SETS YOU APART FROM OTHER VENDORS IN YOUR INDUSTRY?

I like to offer original and creative photography at reasonable prices (She does offer some of THE BEST prices for what you get with her level of photography!).

So what are you waiting for? Go check out Laidlaw Photography now! Already married?! The great news is this vendor does more than weddings, so book her for your next special memory! Tell MD (beautiful lady in the photo below) that we sent you! :)

What's Happenin' Wednesday: Variety - the Spice of Life!

2010-11-03T13:46:00.000-05:00

The past few months, Relish has had a few very exquisite orders come in. The papers are rich in color and design, but still very flavorful and unique (which is the trademark of Relish invitations!). What amazes our team the most is how truly creative our clients are. We love that each bride and groom can create their own unique, custom wedding invitations that reflect their individual personality and we LOVE what they come up with!

To the right is an invitation for a wedding celebration (they eloped). The background is Red "Geisha", with a "Cherry" top layer. I would have never thought to put red on red, but look how delectably beautiful it turned out! I also love the custom wedding verbiage they created - such personality! They told us how happy they were to find Relish, because they wanted wedding stationery that reflected their lives, their personality, and I think they did a great job in their invitation design! This invitation is so chic!

Another lush wedding invitation design that came in uses one of my personal favorite Relish patterns: "Kona" (found under the Browns). It is named off my favorite coffee and you can probably see why. :) I love the font choices and the beautiful pearl embellishment. This invitation says classy and luxurious!

Want to do something more fun?! That's why Relish was created! You can be chic, elegant or bold & fun with your custom wedding invitation designs! Look at these sample orders we sent out in the mail just this week. The bride chose 3 different options, all keeping with her color theme. She used "Iron" as the top layer on two of them, which is a rarely requested top layer. I love the way she designed them using it! To make the verses stand out better, Relish is offering Thermography for no additional cost (beautiful raised printing) on darker top layers. Just call us for a special request!

Speaking of Thermography... stay tuned. If you think you get a lot of options now, in the next few months, Relish is going to open the door to new printing options, new designs and a plethora more opportunities for you get exactly what you are looking for in your own custom colorful invitations! In the meantime, we still have a ton of options (over 1 billion!) so check out our iBuilder software to design your custom invites!

Monday Morning Matrimony: The Honey-Do List

2010-11-01T11:48:00.001-05:00

Okay, so you're married. The honeymoon is over. And now you have LIFE. And life is full of everyday mundane tasks. As a newlywed, I quickly learned the importance of "Honey-Do" lists. My husband is not always self-motivated to do chores & errands, and even more importantly - he's not a great mind-reader! After several bouts of disappointment because I felt like I was doing more than him in those departments, followed by his confusion at my disappointment - I figured out a few tips to make LIFE easier...

The LIST. It needs to be a written list (or typed) I have mentioned before that for scheduling we are now using a Google Calendar. There are ways you could share a to-do list digitally if that fits your lifestyle. But for me, it's quicker to jot a note on the fridge than to try to get to my computer to right it down. The point is: just making a mental list or mentioning things you'd like him to do while he playing the XBox... neither of those tactics work well. I find that women usually have an ongoing list in their brain - lists of different things all lined up and filed away, which we are able to access by just thinking about them. Men are more black and white in this area. If you write it down and give it to them - there is no confusion (or at least much less!)
Divide & Conquer by Strengths. At first, I just tried to divide what I thought he should do versus what I should do, etc. It turns out that we actually *enjoy (as much as you can enjoy chores) doing different things and it's important to find out who not only enjoys those chores more but who is better at them! This may sound strange, but my husband is really great at cleaning out the bathroom tub and tile. I mean - it's amazing! However, I am better at countertops and mirrors. At one point, I tried dividing the lists by rooms - that ultimately didn't make sense though. After years of marriage, here is how our list breaks down:
Stephanie = Countertops, Dusting (with a mask for allergies), Mirrors, Toilets, Laundry, Collecting Trashbags from different areas and bundling, Pay Bills
Dustin = Bathtubs, Vacuuming, Sweeping, Mopping, Taking out trash, Cats room (I have only cleaned the litter box like 3 times in about 6 years! He doesn't mind it!), Pet Shopping
Both = Errands (as needed), Grocery Shopping (we love going together) & Dishes. We both hate doing dishes so the kitchen often gets neglected. It helps that we have decided whoever cooks - the other one cleans. Often that means just loading and starting the dishwasher. Then the other puts them away and vice-versa.
THE POINT IS: Find what works for you. Don't just make sure the list is evenly divided. That's not the point. The point is to assign stuff that you both will be able to do on a regular basis and can keep up with.
Emphasis on the HONEY in the Honey-Do. It's gotten to the point now where we know our chores and do them. But for the times when there is extra going on and a list is needed, I like to add things in so it looks like
"Give me kisses", "Pick up the dry cleaning", "Remember how much I love you", "Take the dog to the vet", "See me for our special handshake"...
THE POINT IS: Mix in fun things so that it doesn't seem like you are 'telling him what to do'. It will not only come across better to him, it will help keep your attitude in check when making the list! If you make a point to add these fun things to the list, you will remember how much you love him! Don't be upset that you are having to make a list! We all have strengths and weaknesses. Just do it all out of love and I promise it will be reciprocated!!!

Looking for a great Honey-Do notepad?! We happen to have some great ones you can personalize! Come on over to Relish to create your own and remember to enjoy the journey!

It's Friday We're in Love with... Baughman Media Works - VIDEO & DJ!

2010-10-29T10:00:00.000-05:00

If you live in Nashville, and are in need of great videography or a super fun DJ - then you need to check out Baughman Media Works!

First of all, this is a family business and you will love this family! They are sweet to work with and they are very passionate about what they do! I recently got a chance to work with them on a wedding (as an assistant - for fun!) and they are such pros! Their two teenage daughters assist with videography and they are REALLY good and SO professional! From top to bottom, they have it going on! They have fantastic HIGH-DEF video cameras and the end result is simply fabulous! Check out this video teaser from the wedding I attended. Look at the quality! SO beautiful!

And the DJ... Let's not forget the DJ! I remember at my wedding I skimped on the DJ and just spend a ton of time putting together my own mixed selection to be played at the reception. Umm... I don't know why! No one cared, no one danced (except us!). I wish so much I would have had someone fun like DJ Rob there to get things going! He is SO much fun AND he knows music - lots of different types of music!

With this family business, you will be getting the family love and attention you deserve on your special day! So, what are you waiting for?! Go check them out HERE!

Paula & Dean's wedding: A recap has been LONG overdue!

2010-10-27T12:32:00.001-05:00

Hey everyone! So I've been married for 24 days now, and back from my Honeymoon for 16 days. I figured since you've followed me through the planning process, I would share with you how everything went!

The wedding was everything I could have possible imagined. We did have a small mishap with Centennial Park the day of, where we were supposed to do our group shots. It was the Celebrations of Culture festival there and it was so packed that we couldn't even find a place to park or take pictures! Needless to say I was disappointed, but we got a group shot in the church beforehand. Gina Bilyeu was also VERY generous to do a day after shoot the day after we got back from our Honeymoon. The funny thing is that I cut about 7 inches or so off of my hair while on the Honeymoon, so my hair looks completely different! I don't have any of my pictures from Gina yet, but here are some that were sent to me.

Words cannot explain how amazing the honeymoon was! St. Lucia was absolutely magical! I would recommend Sandals to anyone wanting a stress-free honeymoon or vacation! We did so many once in a lifetime things, such as horseback riding in the ocean, having a mud mask and swimming in a natural hot tub streaming from the world only drive-thru volcano, zip lining through the rainforest, and lots others. We also saw Mick Jagger's place in Marigot Bay in St. Lucia, where they filmed the Bachelor with Jake, and a spot where they filmed Pirates of the Carribbean. We had a butler, Donovan, who waited on us whenever we wanted...it was hard to come back to the "real world." Here are some pictures.

Although it was a blast to be on vacation, it's always nice to come home! We Relish it!

It's Friday We're in Love with... MINIs!

2010-10-22T10:00:00.006-05:00

At Relish, we have such a large selection of invitations due to all the options available in our ground-breaking (patent-pending) iBuilder software that it would be impossible for us to have samples of all the invitations available. But, what we do offer are mini-invitations!

You can put together your bottom layer, top layer and unique embellishments and we will assemble mini-samples to send to you! You will get to see the colors, patterns and embellishment in person. And the best part? They are all 100% FREE! So what are you waiting for? Join the hundreds of people across the country (and even across the pond) who have already ordered their unique creations. Get to playing on Relish's iBuilder today and order your custom-made mini-invitations!!

What's Happenin' Wednesday: The Little Black Dress Revue

2010-10-20T10:00:00.013-05:00

If you are engaged and live in the Nashville area, you have the opportunity to be part of a very classy (and fun) event on Tuesday, November 9th! Welcome to the Little Black Dress Revue!

When I was engaged, I only got to go to the big wedding shows, but now there are new opportunities for brides to attend small events that are catered to them for a night of fun and enjoyment. Events where they can meet just a few of the best wedding vendors in a more relaxed atmosphere. Relish has been a part of some of these events, but this new event is like nothing I've seen before.

Hosted by Sarah Willard of Music City Events, it's guaranteed to be fabulous (because she is as is all of the events we've seen her do). Also sponsored by our favorite Ashley's Bride Guide, lending additional credibility that it's going to be a truly fabulous bride-centered event! Not only that, but you get to bring your groom!!! It's a true date night at the Noah Liff Opera Center (can you say elegant?!) with cocktails, live music and mingling with some of the best wedding professionals in the Nashville area. Not only is it going to be fabulous, but all guests will be entered for a chance to win a $5,000 wedding package!!! Now, THAT is fabulous!

So come on out on November 9th. Relish will be there and we would love to meet you in person! So get out your little black dress and join this one-of-kind party! See all the exciting details HERE!

Monday Morning Inspiration: Fall Weddings

2010-10-18T11:40:00.001-05:00

What a beautiful time of year to get married! The colors turning, the crisp air, the crunchy leaves underfoot. Here are some beautiful ideas we at Relish found for Fall brides.

Of course, the color palette consists of brown, burgundy, rustic orange, basically any color you can find on the leaves.

I've seen sunflowers for floral arrangements, but a more delicate look would be one of the following...

I love this idea for centerpieces, using wheat stems. Besides being beautiful and very Autumn, it could also be very easy and budget-friendly. Add accents like a ribbon to add just a bit of color.

Another centerpiece idea are cranberry votives. You could have a few of these on each table.

Another thing you think of when you think of Fall are apples, specifically caramel apples. If you give some as favors, you will have a season-specific treat, as well as a beautiful table display. Add an Autumn colored tablecloth to really get a great effect.

Another idea for apples is to coat them with dark chocolate and white chocolate. I'm not sure how they would taste, but they look beautiful! Plus, can you go wrong with chocolate? :)

Speaking of tasty treats? Let's not forget the cake! Not only can you make the outside reflect the Fall theme, but consider making the layer flavors cinnamon apple, pumpkin, brown sugar, etc. Now looking at the outside, there are so many ways to make a beautiful Fall cake that we couldn't show them all. The most common way is to add the Fall flowers and leaves to the cake.

A more unique idea that I fell in love with was the Dark Chocolate cake below. How beautiful!!!

Another great treat would be pumpkin cookies for favors! What an easy way to bring in the Fall love!

Speaking of pumpkins, using mini-pumpkins to hold your place cards is a fantastic idea! Choose between white & orange pumpkins, depending on your color theme.

Don't forget to show guests your theme by first sending them beautiful invitations, like these from Relish's Fall Exclusive Line:

It's Friday We're in Love With... FRIENDS! (Special Gifts for your Bridal Party)

2010-10-15T10:00:00.002-05:00

We at Relish know how special our friends are in our normal everyday lives. I have personally been blessed with amazing friends that I consider an extension of my family. Friends end up playing a special role in your wedding day. I think it's such a beautiful moment to see these special people standing beside you during this monumental moment in your life. And even more special is the blending of friends - the bride's and the groom's.

For the wedding, they also usually throw you a shower...

Help you plan the details and help you get ready (and stay calm) the day of ...

And then at the wedding, they provide comic relief and support during this long, emotional day.

So what do you get these special people to show them how much you love them and to say Thank You? Remember - you're not just thanking them for being in the wedding. You are thanking them for being your support group until your husband came along - that's a pretty big deal. So a special gift to them on your special day is very significant. So, what are some ideas? Relish has created the Top 10 Bridal Party Gift List! (just our own personal faves)

For the girls...
I found several great ideas at Beau-Coup.

Relish loves anything that can make stationery unique. That's why we adore these custom stamps! They come in many varieties and are very budget-friendly. What a great way to create something personal for each bridesmaid that they can use in everyday life!

Another great gift idea is something that they can all wear AT the wedding! I made each of my bridesmaid charm bracelets. They had their monogram on them, their birthstone and unique charm I hand-picked for each different bridesmaid. You may not have time to do that (I don't know how I did!) But here is a beautiful monogrammed heart charm bracelet.

These monogrammed travel cosmetic bags are super cute and very useful! The girls can use them the wedding day and for many future adventures. A very sweet AND practical gift!

If you have a little larger budget, these personalized, engraved jewelry boxes are beautiful and elegant. Bonus touch would be if you could put jewelry for the wedding day inside them. I love that they are well-constructed but small enough for traveling. They will hold your best jewelry safe.

And lastly - NOTES! Design them some custom stationery from Relish! Choose from notepads, note cards or our new, super-cute MINI-note cards! These are gifts you can be creative in designing personally for each girl. OR if you get your wedding stationery through Relish, get matching stationery as gifts. These are gifts they will USE!

Now, for the boys...

I gotta say it's a little frustrating that the main gifts for groomsmen are drinking related items. I think that is a negative perception of men. Drinking is not the only thing men do, nor is it the only thing male friends have as a bond. It's like either a drinking item or a nice ink pen. Really? I mean - REALLY?? But, I digress... :) Because of this, we had to dig a little deeper to find some great, unique ideas! [If you want a personalized flask, feel free - you can find them everywhere online!]

I did find a couple things from Beau-Coup, like this Grill & Golf BBQ Tool Set. BBQ tools are always great ideas for guys. Just make sure they don't already have like 20 sets of them. Remember - you want this to be something they will use!

A monogrammed toiletry bag is actually a really good gift idea. My husband has a cheap bag that he throws everything into and everything is pushed in together and stuff spills, etc. This bag from Beau-Coup is really nicely made and this is something they can use for years to come. Now, if your guys never leave their little spot on the map, maybe you should consider something else. :)

If you have businessmen in your group, these monogrammed cuff links are gorgeous.

And now, my personal favorite, a leather personalized organizer from mygroomsmengifts.com. The reason I love this gift is that I have seen my father, brother and husband all come in and just lay the stuff from their pockets in a pile... somewhere in the house. I have a jewelry box and a purse so I don't have an issue, but my husband lacks a really good "his area". This gift is something all men could use daily!

I also love these personalized duffel bags! They are very manly and rugged, with LOTS of room! Also, they are very inexpensive for such quality bags - just $29.95!

As you can see, the running theme was PERSONALIZED gifts! You know how Relish LOVES customized stuff because every person is unique! Your friends are precious gifts to you. Show them you care by getting them something special. It doesn't have to be expensive - just something you know they will love, because it shows you know and care about them!

What's Happenin' Wednesday: My Better Half exclusive line of invitations

2010-10-13T13:30:00.000-05:00

Last week, we revealed our new luxury line of invitations - the Relish Exclusive Line. Our Exclusive Line is for those brides (and grooms) with a more discerning taste. Unlike our breakthrough software iBuilder which allows you to build your own invitations - the invitations in this line are pre-designed, so there are no customization options. However, these invitations are still groundbreaking and unique is because they offer incredibly creative designs, papers and embellishments, which Relish is famous for. The Collections in this Exclusive line have price points starting a little higher than our original iBuilder Invitation line. The money is well spent though, because these invitations will get a reaction and be a treasured souvenir of your special day.

Last week we showed you our Falling For You Collection. Today, we'd like to introduce My Better Half Collection. The reason for the name is that the invitations are layered with two beautiful papers. Both halves have beautiful qualities. The bottom half is a beautiful, shimmering metallic card stock. The top half is a beautiful specialty paper that either has foil or is textured to be pleasing to the touch. All invitations are then topped off by a foil monogram.

This invitation (Velvet) features flocked white dots. Flocking is the little patches of material that feels like soft fur / velvet.

These invitations (Sunshine-top & Romance-bottom) feature glitter embossing (raised areas of texture with glitter accents)

This invitation (Prestige) features a simple Black & White foil paper.

All invitations are packaged with coordinating RSVP cards, beautiful envelopes and seals. You may also purchase direction card inserts (as seen below).

We also offer other coordinating items upon request, when purchasing the invitation suites.

Stay tuned for upcoming Collections to Relish's Exclusive Line.

What's Happenin' Wednesday: Fall Exclusive Invitations

2010-10-06T10:00:00.015-05:00

Welcome to our first edition of "What's Happenin' Wednesday". We want to thank our sweet Paula Kennedy who did such a great job on her Wednesday blog ("BeCome A Long With Me") for the past few months. She finally became a Long this past Saturday afternoon, when she married her longtime love, Dean. It was a beautiful wedding and Paula was an absolutely stunning bride. We will do one more blog with Paula in a few weeks to give the final details of her wedding. Congrats, Paula - everyone at Relish is so very happy for you!

So - what else is happening this Wednesday? In case you hadn't noticed, Fall has finally arrived! As the weather cools and the leaves begin to turn here, we wanted to take this turn of seasons to reveal Relish's new Exclusive Line of invitations! Relish's Exclusive Invitation Line consists of made-to-order invitations that have a very special flair to them. All the collections inside the Exclusive line feature specialty papers, and unique touches that will wow anyone who receives one. And the first collection we'd like to feature is our Falling For You collection, which is just perfect for this time of year!

This one (above) is called "Sweet November" and is based out of our iBuilder line.
It features the leaf-patterned "November" paper and has a vellum top layer.
Extra touch is Orange Rhinestone in the middle of the names.

Above is the "Leaf Pochette": a self-folding Antique Gold envelope that opens up to reveal 3 layers inside: Shimmering Metallic Copper, layered with a 4-leaf specialty paper with gold foil accents, layered with clear vellum.

And last, but not least - my personal favorite: "Falling Leaves".

The bottom layer is the Shimmering Copper Metallic cardstock. It has the verse printed on it in Dark Brown Thermography (raised ink - so beautiful!) The top layer is a specialty Fall paper that features gold foil accents. The real key is that the top layer has a maple leaf die-cut out of it to reveal the bottom layer.
And one last touch is the Gold Rhinestone in the center.
This invitation is simply stunning to see, to hold!

It's not too late to order these invitations for your Fall wedding! Just give us 3 weeks to get them to you and you will have the hottest, most unique invitations!

Stay tuned as we feature more collections in this line of invitations and stay with us each Wednesday to see what's new and happenin' with Relish!

Relish A Celebrity Invitation

2010-10-04T10:00:00.001-05:00

First of all, all of us at Relish want to apologize for being gone so long. Thanks to those of you who have asked about us - we are glad to be back to blogging! So - where have we been? Well, it was a very busy (& fun) Summer. We had orders come in for brides from all across the country - some of which we will feature in future blogs. We also had one very cool order for a local client - an event invitation for a very special lady. While we know we live in Nashville, we sometimes forget that means that special people, people we grew up adoring actually live within miles of us. We were reminded of this when we got a call to do invitations for an event honoring the one and only Loretta Lynn.

I grew up listening to Loretta, as my mom and dad loved country music and loved her. I adored her voice, it was so original, so comforting. I remember watching Coal Miner's Daughter (with Sissy Spacek) when it first came out in the 80s. To this day, when I hear her, I think of my childhood and of my mom and I think of all things country music. She truly is an icon! This year, Loretta Lynn celebrated 50 years in country music. 50 years ago, she released her first hit record, I'm a Honky Tonk Girl. Many festivities have taken place this year to celebrate and honor her and her remarkable career. The last big invitation-only event took place at her ranch in Hurricane Mills, TN last weekend (Friday, September 24th) and Relish was very honored to be a part of this special occasion.

Nita Baggott, of the fabulous Nashville Event Planning worked with Relish to create the event invitations, which were sent out to 300 guests, which included Loretta's family (such as Crystal Gayle - whom I also adored growing up), the Nashville elite (such as Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Marty Stuart and my fave Sheryl Crow), some famous friends (such as President George & Laura Bush) and many media outlets, which covered the event. The invitation was from Relish's Origami line (you can build your own in our iBuilder software) and featured an Antique Gold pochette (self-closing envelope), with Metallic Red paper, layered with white Vellum, all enclosed in a black envelope.

Custom additions were the blind embossed logo on the outside of the invite and the record guest pass inside. Loretta's team wanted to incorporate her first record into the design if possible. They also needed some sort of insert for guests to bring with them to the event as their guest pass. So, we combined these 2 into one very neat insert. We recreated her record art and had the cards die-cut into a record shape. On the other side was a photo of Loretta and the information about the guest pass.

We also worked with our sister company, Kismet Creative Group to create drink coasters (seen below on table) for the event, using the record as well as black gift bags with the logo embossed in gold foil.

We cannot express how honored we were to be a part of this event. It's always a pleasure to get to develop new relationships with great event planners such as Nita (LOVE her and NEP!) and it's great to get good business. But what an exceptional treat when the client is someone you used to sing along to when you were 5 years old! The pleasure was all ours!

If you're not sure who Loretta Lynn is (how can this be?!) or if you love her like we do - visit her website to see just how much she helped shape country music and the impact she had! Also, be watching for a very cool tribute album coming out this Fall! And read about the big celebratory event her e at CMT! To see more about the other vendors involved, visit NEP's blog.

So, that's a little bit of what's been going on at Relish. More exciting news coming soon! We will be back to blogging a few times a week. Glad to be back - we missed you guys! :)

BeCome a Long with Me-programming it

2010-08-25T10:11:00.000-05:00

With 38 days to go, I decided to get to work on the wedding programs. I figured if I could get the design and them printed out, I can assemble them little by little as the BIG day get closer! Here's a picture of the program.

This week, I have been making sure the R.S.V.P's come in on time (so I don't have to hunt anyone down) and that the groomsmen get fitted for their tuxes on time! I have a dress fitting on Monday (yay!) and will probably full-on start assembling programs then, with the help of a local friend!

BeCome a Long with Me-getting back on track

2010-08-18T16:05:00.000-05:00

This past weekend, I had the BEST time celebrating my upcoming wedding, which is 45 days away, with great family and friends. My bridal shower and bachelorette party were held in Nashville, Tennessee. I had a blast and received really nice gifts!

I took a week off from wedding planning to have a good time, but I'm back on track. Upcoming events include wedding dress fitting and making sure all of the groomsman and fathers get fitted for their tuxes...out of 11 fittings, 4 have been fitted.

I thought I'd share a picture from the hair trial for the wedding. My bridesmaid Brandie is fortunately a hair stylist, and she managed to create something that was EXACTLY what I was looking for! It is loose in the front and this is the back:

I am back on the wedding craft train, after getting off track...so I will have some things to show you next week!

BeCome a Long with Me-finishing what I've started

2010-08-11T10:00:00.001-05:00

I am overfilled with excitement for the upcoming events I have in store this weekend! Not only do I have my first (and only) bridal shower, but I also have my bachelorette party! All of my bridesmaids live all over, so I don't get to see them very often.

I've been trying to finish up projects that I have been started, but not completed...so that has taken up the majority of my time. Here is the start to the kids' table centerpiece.

The holder is a candle holder for $1 at the Dollar Tree, filled with Hershey Kisses (also used to fill the favor boxes.) The lollipops at Sweet Services; they were $39.90 for 36. These lollipops are HUGE and each will have sticker with individual kids' names on them.

I've been trying to figure out a one-of-a-kind ring bearer gift for my Godson, Nathan. He is 5 and the most imaginative child ever. I decided get him a superhero cape with his initial on it. I found a lot of them, but not the "right" one...until I found an Etsy seller, La Beba Designs. Here it is:

As the wedding nears and the R.S.V.P.'s come back...I pray that I receive them all in a timely manner! 52 days to go! I'm Relishing them! :)

Become a Long with me- Engagement length:short or long?

2010-08-04T10:00:00.000-05:00

I was so beyond swamped last week that sweet Stephanie had to do the Relish blog for me (thank you!!!) My goal for last week was to finalize the rehearsal dinner menu, finalize music and readings for the ceremony, pick out the cake flavors, AND get the invitations in the mail. I can happily say all of those things are COMPLETED! It is a huge weight lifted off of my shoulders, and now I can finish all of the DIY projects that I've started, but not finished.

As I was updating my to-do list yesterday (which was the 2 month mark until the BIG day,) I began to realize how soon this wedding is approaching! My to-do list has gone from 3 pages, to less than 1. Dean and I spend our free time doing wedding errands, and those are lessening by the week. It's hard to believe that we've been engaged for 1 year and 10 months. All of my friends thought I was CRAZY for setting a 2 year engagement.

According to The National Association of Wedding Ministers, the average length of engagement is 16 months. It seems that more and more people are waiting to get married, once they get engaged. The reason that we decided to wait so long was 2 reasons.

A. We wanted to get married on the date he proposed.

B. I wanted a sufficient amount of time to plan (since I'm doing it without a wedding planner,) to where I

am not stressed out all of the time and rushing to do things.

Some people rather not wait and love working with a short deadline and under pressure...I am not one of those people!

Now onto some fun stuff! I have a DIY project that I am thrilled about! I don't know if it's really classified as DIY, but we'll just call it that! I have been looking for the perfect wedding shoes, but couldn't find them. I wanted BLUE...I wanted ballerina slippers...but DIDN'T want a closed toe shoe. I had never seen peep toe ballerina slippers...until NOW!

I happened to Google "blue peep-toe slippers" and came across these at Express online on sale from $39.90 to $27.93. They were perfect, except for the hideous blue flower (see right shoe.) I thought to myself, these shoes are too perfect to let a blue flower get in my way. I hopped over to Etsy (which I live off of) to a shop called Florachel, and asked her to make me 2 hair flower clips to put on my shoes (see left shoe.) Both flower clips cost me $8. I believe that I now have the PERFECT WEDDING SHOES (for me anyway.)

More and more DIY projects are going to be making their appearance, so check in to see what I'm up to next!!

It's Friday we're in Love with... Enchanted Atelier (couture accessories)

2010-07-30T10:00:00.006-05:00

Ahhh... the power of social networking. Since my Facebook 1-month hiatus, I am being careful at how often I let myself get "lost" on there. You know how it is... You see a comment someone left after yours on a friend's page and you recognize that person's name. Then you see they are married to so and so, then you look at their page and it goes on and on... Well, usually the most profound discoveries on Facebook are things like "Awww.. they got married!!" or "wow... THEY got married?!" or "what adorable kids" - nothing too out of the ordinary. So when my rabbit trail the other day led me to a girl from my hometown who owns an amazing wedding biz - I was so excited I couldn't wait to blog about it! And oh... what a find I have stumbled upon! To all my wedding friends, you HAVE to look at this company. It is elegance and beauty and all things wedding wonderful - Enchanted Atelier.

Liv Hart is the woman behind Enchanted Atelier - the woman that I only knew as a high school girl way back when. She was always very artistic and has found a beautiful way to turn art into something you can touch and wear on your most beautiful day. Since entering the wedding industry with Relish, I have had the pleasure to discover many beautiful jewelry stores, bridal shops and accessory lines. But this line of products are special - the pure details to these elegant pieces - they all seem to tell a story. They all feel so original that I would love to have one to pass down to my daughter one day. They look like family heirlooms. They are sincerely moving pieces. And, for couture - they are "price-friendly". I bought couture accessories when I got married and to think I could have had these pieces for what I spent... these pieces have more personality than any I've seen. So, enough about what I think of them. Photos speak louder than words. Below are some of my personal favorites. But please look at the website to see many more. Just look at all the details...

Enchanted Atelier's beautiful products are found in some of the most exclusive couture stores around the country. There are also some products you can purchase directly online. To my Tennessee friends, sadly there are no stores currently carrying these in the Vol State. But, if you or someone you know would like to be the first one - you should contact Liv.

Don't you love a great find?! I'm not the first one to discover this wonderful company. The Knot has featured them as well as many of our "go-to" wedding companies. Remember to check out their full selection online. Have a great weekend everyone!

Become a Long with Me... just 9 weeks left!

2010-07-28T10:00:00.001-05:00

With just over 9 weeks left until the big day, Paula has found it a little tough to blog this week!

She is preparing for a trip to Nashville this weekend (remember, she is from here but now living in Ohio, so this is essentially a destination wedding for her).

She is currently sending out invitations, finishing up premarital counseling and preparing for the weekend. Once she gets to Nashville, it will not be a relaxing time to catch up with family and friends. Instead, she has a full agenda which includes the cake tasting, rehearsal dinner menu tasting, meeting with the Cathedral's coordinator, planning music and readings.

She is working hard now so that she can get to September with little to nothing left to do, except enjoy being engaged and the beautiful days leading up to her BIG day! Paula, we enjoy your blogs and look forward to hearing back from you next week. In the meantime, know that we are all rooting for you in your quest to be the ultimate organized bride! :) Enjoy this journey!

Monday Morning Matrimony...Let's get Physical!

2010-07-26T11:40:00.002-05:00

Many of you brides out there are probably working out and doing whatever you can to make sure you look great in your wedding dress. I was already in good shape when I got engaged, but I turned it up an extra notch for the big day. The only thing I wasn't prepared for was the "Married 15". I (rather quickly) gained 15 lbs after our "I Dos". Then, I started my own business and working 18 hour days only added the pounds.

I don't think it's all about the weight, but i do think it's all about how you FEEL! AND I personally would like to be around for a long time so I know I need to take care of myself.

There is one more big reason to be active... your love life! It's fun to chase each other, wrestle, tickle, piggy back rides, etc.But extra pounds can put a damper on play time. Spill that over to your intimate life and... well, it can have negative effects.

Here are some tips to fight the "Married 15":

1) Get cookin'! Cook some new healthy dishes! One of our favorite wedding gifts was Better Homes & Garden's Best Recipes Ever. We had so much fun that first year experiencing with new meals and finding our own family faves. There are healthy recipes in there - we just skimmed them. :) Look, don't try to make ALL 100% healthy meals. Cook lasagna one night, cook truck-stop potatoes one night. but spend the other 4-5 nights cooking something fun and HEALTHY! Mix it up, make it fun! Have red wine with the fish, make it romantic. If you are cooking it together, it will be fun! :)

2) Plan your meals! This is a big tip. When both of you work full-time - heck, even if you don't... Suddenly 5 o'clock sneaks up on you and you realize you don't know what you're making for dinner. The outcome can be either something quick and somewhat unhealthy OR even more likely for us - Fast food!! McDonald's is just around the corner from our house and I cringe to think of how much money we've given them over the past 5+ years. Plan your meals!! We plan a big meal on Sundays that can have leftovers for Dustin to take to work through the week so lunches don't come as a surprise.

3) You are what you drink! Drinks have been more of a weakness to me than food. I like Coke... no, I pretty much lust after it. Oh, and have you had the Cherry Dr. Pepper?! Okay... stay focused... these are NOT good for you! The funny thing is that they actually make me also want junk food to accompany them. I have done trials where the only thing I changed in my diet was cutting out the cokes and nothing else. No increase in exercise. And I lost weight! But don't just "cut out" - "add in"! Drink water! It's your friend! Dustin had problems getting used to drinking water so we started with a goal of just 1 bottle of water a day. Just try it - take the challenge! I promise you'll feel better!

4) Exercise... Again, start in small doses if it's not part of your regular life. It doesn't have to mean joining a gym. Take walks together - how sweet that can be! OR... a favorite new way of exercise - the Wii!!! Play a few Wii tennis matches a day! ***Disclaimer: If you are competitive, play on a team together! That's what we have to do! ;)

5) Sleep!!! Get on a good sleep regimen. Sleep helps your body recover, it helps you process food and it gives you energy so you don't have those sugar cravings!!

6) Don't make excuses! I have made excuses for years! While you should NOT feel condemned or ashamed of your current fitness level - don't accept the excuses for being unhealthy! Today is a new day! Start NOW! Just a little at a time!

7) Be accountable! Hold each other accountable to your goals! Do NOT be negative, but be each other's cheer leaders!! Encouragement for even the small steps is so important!!! Don't forget to encourage each other - you are both going to benefit in the end.

I am so determined to get healthy and make our marriage / love life great! We are going to go on a cruise in October! So, today I am setting a goal to lose 25 pounds in the next 12 weeks. I will post updates each Monday to keep me accountable! I'm going to use Calorie Count to help me track my progress. (I love this FREE online tool!) Okay girls (and boys) - what do you say?! Let's relish getting physical!

BeCome a Long with Me- 73 days and counting!

2010-07-21T08:56:00.000-05:00

The BIG day is getting closer and closer, and my stress level is going higher and higher. I feel like I have so much to do and so little time. One thing that actually de-stresses me is our premarital classes with Deacon Dennis Kall at St. Brigid's Catholic Church.

Dean and I have been going to premarital classes with the Deacon at our local church. This is a requirement of the Catholic Church, and since we are getting married in Nashville, but live in Ohio, they are allowing us to do the sessions with a officiant up here, and they will transfer the information to my priest performing the ceremony. Whew!

We had to take a relationship test (separately) and our answers were tallied and given to the Deacon, who then discusses the problem areas with us. It was one of those tests were one question is asked 3 different ways to trick you. We have about 1 or 2 sessions left and are really enjoying it!

We also had to go to an engaged couples retreat, which we attended this past Saturday in Cincinnati. It entailed several different workshops and gave us a lot to think about and discuss. At the end of the 6 hour day, we received a completion certificate, which is what we take to get our marriage license (which knocks off $60!)

I've been trying to figure out what to get our flower girl and ring bearer for their gift. Girls are easier to shop for than boys, which leads me to my DIY project. I got my flower girl a pearl jewelry set:necklace, earrings and bracelet. I bought a wood jewelry box at Michaels for $2.49 and go the butterfly stickers in a pack for $1.00. I had the paint and brushes already. I wanted something for her to be able to keep and put her present in. Here is the final product.

top

front

inside

I've been extremely busy trying to get everything purchased and taken care of. If I could have it my way, September would be plan-free (but who am I kidding. ha!) Maybe my wish will come true!

BeCome a Long with Me-Flower Power!

2010-07-14T10:00:00.004-05:00

Floral decisions are a major part of the wedding planning process. Some of your decisions may be what floral designer to hire, what flowers to use, or what color flowers to choose. One of the things that I absolutely knew was that is did not want a all white bridal bouquet. I wanted my bouquet to have a pop of color, and my bridesmaid's to have the white bouquets. I decided for the main wedding flower to be a hydrangea.

For my bouquet, I decided to go with a combination of the 3 bouquets (pictures courtesy of Etsy and The Knot.)

I plan to use the blue hydrangeas in place of the green with anemones and hand tie the bouquets with the damask ribbon. My bridesmaids and I are hand tying our bouquets the night before.

I have no DIY project this week but I do have a great deal. I have been really picky about cake server sets, but at the same time, don't feel like it's a detail of the wedding that I need to spend too much time and energy on. As I was doing my weekly grocery shopping at Walmart, I had to buy some craft items, when I ended up in the wedding aisle. There I found my cake server set...for only $10! See them below; I'm thinking about switching the white ribbon for a damask one. I love the swirly handle!

80 days to go until the BIG day! I wish I could freeze time to do all the things that need to be done, but where there's a will, there's a way! I will get everything done!

Monday Morning Matrimony: Put the iPhone down and step slowly away from the Facebook...

2010-07-12T12:49:00.002-05:00

... or video game / Twitter / work, etc...

The truth is we are living in the Communication Age. Everyone is so easily connected, maybe TOO connected... (pardon me as I sound like an old man in a rocking chair for a minute) When I was little, cell phones only came as bricks and only rich people had them. Video games were Atari and then finally Nintendo Mario Brothers was groundbreaking! And most importantly, NO INTERNET.

I recently watched the movie GrownUps and a big point of the movie were how the kids didn't even know how to skip rocks, because they were so tuned in to the digital age. Look, I LOVE technology. If it weren't for technology, I wouldn't have a job! However, technology in itself has really become the 12th man on the field of our lives! Sadly, we rely so much on that fan appeal in our lives now - what everyone else is saying and doing. It pushes us in different directions, sometimes good, often times bad.

Reports are now coming out about how many marriages Facebook has helped break up. Look, I am not one to blame video games, TV & music for everything that goes wrong with kids. So, I'm not going to blame Facebook in itself for ruining marriages. I believe we all have a personal responsibility in life and we are the ones that allow those things into our world. However, in today's world, with everything (and everyone) so easily accessible, it's easier than ever to stray ever so slowly down the wrong course. And it's not just marriage at stake, it's all our relationships, including those with our children. Have you seen this scenario? Kids in front of TV / video games, teenagers on Facebook, parents in other room on laptop working? It's a scenario in thousands of people's lives daily. Again, I LOVE technology! But, I also know where my priorities must lie if I want to have a successful marriage!

So, what's the answer? That's not easy... I think for everyone, it is going to be different depending on what your real issue is. Personally, I had a Facebook addiction. I didn't feel addicted, yet I checked my home page and tracked people's statuses every few hours. I got entangled in many controversial talks (which you then obsess over - to see what people have said about what you said..). It was just a real distraction to me for work. I also found I was relying on Facebook to communicate with friends. This is good what it has allowed us to do, to reconnect with old friends! BUT, for friends that live here in the same city... Facebook does not equal a real relationship. It shouldn't substitute for real dinners and game nights, etc. Anyway, I took a 1-month leave from Facebook last month. It was challenging, but after the first week - the tremors started to go away. :) haha In all honesty, it was a GREAT month! I felt more energized and got so much more done! It was honestly very surprising to me. So now, I use Facebook sparingly and only for fun random comments. I delete friends if they are too annoying and not really my friends in real life. I am OWNING my online life again! :)

However, I still have another issue... It's called WORK. I own 2 businesses and because of that, I work all hours of the day. I can't tell you how many times I've told my husband "I'll be done in just a few minutes..." Three hours later, he's asleep in bed and I'm still working away. We are working on addressing this problem right now. I can make excuses for it all day long, about how I HAVE to do this because I am building my businesses. Or that it will only be for a short time that I have to work like this. Etc, etc. The truth is - that's not a good excuse. There is NO good excuse. If we give excuses now, there is no reason for us to ever stop. There HAS to be boundaries in our life. It's not easy when nearly everyone you know is living the same way as you are - it seems like you are normal. But, you need to get control of your priorities and you need to do it NOW. In the end, work will get done. Maybe we just need to make better use of our days! So, Dustin & I are working on my "bedtime" now - yes, like a child. ;)

Now, to be fair.. on the other end - his issue is Video Games!! Not XBox so much, but World of Warcraft (an online computer gaming craze) I used to be referred to as a WOW Widow. (there is an actual support group online for spouses who have real issues with their spouse playing the game non-stop) Dustin & I came up with a solution for this years ago. I think it's important that we both have our own time, so he has "Gaming nights" set aside. Right now, it's Sunday, Monday & Tuesdays 7:00 - 10:00. See, I know how to plan! And, I know I can work late those nights! (yes, sad that work is my hobby! ;))

Anyway, the point I am making is that in my marriage - we are actually working hard on taking the right steps now to insure that we have a great marriage of communication, instead of over-communicating with the rest of the world. Because the one thing you MUST know is that once you are married...

Your spouse is and will always be the #1 most important relationship in your life

If you can understand that and hold on to that, prioritize that, you will be able to work it out - as long as you are both willing. Setup boundaries / goals for yourselves. Use the schedule calendar we talked about a few weeks ago!

And I will leave you with my one suggestion: Take one day a week and turn it all off! Unless it is something you are doing together (a movie, video game, etc) - shut it down! Every Saturday, we are turning it off to have quality time with each other. Even when the phone rings... that is what voicemail is for! It's just one day a week! You can do it. You will be surprised on how much time you have to do other things. Go outside! Play board games together! Have dinner with friends!

Take one day every week to unplug and recharge!

It will make your marriage more fun. Trust me! :) Relish your time together - those are the real moments that will build your relationship and give you a foundation for the rest of your lives!

It's Friday I'm in Love with YOU!

2010-07-09T10:00:00.017-05:00

The title of Relish's Friday blog is a little different this week, as today is my 5-Year Wedding Anniversary and I want to take this opportunity to tell my husband how much I am in love with HIM! I don't use this blog to write about personal stuff, but since it is in deed wedding related, I am making an exception! :) Welcome to the "Story of us: The Reschs"

How we Met:

8 1/2 Years ago I thought I was destined to be single forever and after the guys I had dated, I had become okay with that! Then, I met a guy at work (props to Dell, though I only worked there a few months). To be honest about our meet and greet... While I first saw Dustin there, I actually met him for the first time at a bar in downtown Nashville. I was there trying to get over the last jerk. Dustin came across the room to me and introduced himself and kissed my hand. It was so sweet - I melted a bit (since I'd been checking him out at work). Then I lost him in the crowd. But, alas - he came back an hour later and... introduced himself and kissed my hand. Hmm... was he joking? Again, got lost in the crowd. But - 3rd times a charm, right? He did it once again. If you haven't figured it out - he had a few too many drinks. :) haha Charming became disappointing. But then... I saw him at work the next week and made my way over to his aisle. He struck up a conversation. We made plans to go out with a group of people from work. He picked me up that following Friday night for dinner before meeting our group. We sat at Applebees for hours (during NFL playoffs - the Patriots "tuck rule" game - in which Dustin barely looked at the TV!) and we never called the rest of the friends... We stood them up and just hung out for hours talking until the morning came. And we have been together ever since!

How we became Mr. & Mrs:

Dustin proposed... twice! :) (this time, the repeat wasn't his fault!) We had been dating almost 3 years. Dustin had lost his job at Dell and times were "challenging". That is why we were waiting on a wedding. Then, one night we were watching TV and I was laying with my feet on the back of the couch, upside down - being goofy. He started laughing at me and said "Will you marry me?" Well, Dustin & I had taken a "purity vow" and he would often joke that we should just get married. It would go something like this: (sexy look) "Wanna get married?" :) So, we are on the couch... He says "I love you. Will you marry me?" I wasn't looking at him and thought he was joking, so I said "I'll have to think about it". I then look over and see he has tears in his eyes, because it was a serious moment - not a joke. I tried to take it back, but the moment was gone (although I've still not lived it down!) So... 2 months later (12-7-04), I went to see him for lunch. I opened the door to his apt - there were rose petals on the floor, music playing. He was in the living room on one knee. I knew it was real then! It was so sweet!! He thought he had to get me an expensive ring, but he ended up giving me his grandmother's ring - which means more to me than any store ring ever could! (although I will rock a Vanna K diamond next to it one day!)

Our big day

We got married on July 9, 2005. It was hot outside. Apparently. I really don't remember the heat. I remember feeling like I was floating all day long. :) I had worked so hard up until that day. I had my freak out / bridezilla moment the night before and was completely at peace. I was surrounded by my best friends, my amazing family and the love of my life. Looking back, I understand why the big day is SO big... You have your past, your present and your future all before you. It's an amazing moment in time and one that can't be explained until you are in it. And for me, it came right as my life was transitioning in many ways, so it truly was a pivotal moment in my life.

As for the event itself, I had a small budget so did most everything myself. The 3 highlight vendors to mention: Location: Traveller's Rest Plantation / Photographer: Laurie Carpenter Photography / Catering: Famous Dave's. I would HIGHLY recommend these vendors still today! And of course, the first ever Relish invitations! ;)

My favorite things from that day were... my bridesmaid lunch beforehand; the guys walking into the Star Wars Theme; walking with my dad down the aisle; our first kiss; how he picked me up and twirled me as we entered the reception!

OH! And I LOVED our honeymoon in Hawaii! (we asked for money for the honeymoon and we got it paid for!) We will go back to the Big Island someday!

Our Life:

That pivotal moment in time was when we were learning how to truly have a relationship that centered around God. Since then, we have continued to grow in leaps and bounds. The first five years have been very challenging when it comes to careers and finances. However, it has only made us closer and stronger. We know the excitement in doing the small things, including going to CiCi's for lunch during a weekday. Our favorite thing in life is free anyway - snuggling. :) We love our dog (and the cats usually); we love our church; we love our family and friends. But most of all, we really do love each other. While the day was special and I see how beautiful it was - LIFE has been full of special! So don't forget to build a foundation that will get you past the wedding and into the good times! :)

Dustin, thank you for being my partner in this life, for being my balance in many situations. Thank you for kissing my hand 3 times, for proposing twice and for committing to me once and for always. I love you! (pajwii)

BeCome a Long With Me: To Favor or Not to Favor?

2010-07-07T10:00:00.002-05:00

One of the decisions you have to make is whether or not you want to give wedding favors to your guests. Many choose to do so, while others choose to opt out. I chose to have wedding favors...but what kind do I give? There are so many different options nowadays, so choosing can be difficult. This is what I went with.

I love the bride and groom favor boxes, but they can be expensive. Luckily, the Dollar Tree sells them and they are only $1 for 10!! This is one of my proudest buys. I will fill them with some sort of candy (I'm undecided yet,) along with these handmade Korean wedding doll clay magnets, to incorporate my mother's heritage. Each box will get one magnet, and the great thing is that no 2 magnets are the same!

I thought I'd share how giving favors originated, since the giving of these hasn't changed much. According to Suite 101, the earliest records of such gifts date to various European countries in the 16th to 18th centuries – the late Medieval to Early Modern period. During this time, it became traditional for the nobility to give gifts of sugar and sugared confections not only at weddings, but at any parties and receptions.

Sugar was very expensive at this time, so the gifts were a mark of the wealth and prestige of the giver. Sugar cubes and candy were usually presented in a "bonbonniere," a small box made of precious crystal, gemstones, or porcelain.

As the price of sugar became more affordable, the tradition spread to other social classes and it began to include other gifts: small boxes of almonds and other nuts, biscuits, and fruit. In the lower classes, these gifts may have been presented at the start of the wedding ceremony so the guests could enjoy them during the celebration.

You don't have to give candy and treats. Many people are now doing donations on behalf of the guests as favors. See this donation card that I designed for one of my bridesmaid's friends. Deana and her fiance Ryan both love animals, and decided to give donations to the Humane Society of America on their guests' behalf. This will be made into a book mark for the guests to take home.

Now let's talk about my DIY project of the week. I wanted the head table centerpiece to be different from the other centerpieces, when I came across this picture on Wedding Bee's DIY section (which I LOVE!)

I decided to try to copycat the centerpiece, and this is the start of it:

And this is the end result! Not too shabby, huh?

I got the vases at the Dollar Tree for $1 each,

Damark ribbon at Michaels for $9.99 (I'm using it to hand-tie the bouquets too,)

Black bead string at Michaels for $3.99 and 50% off, so $1.98,

Foam ball at Walmart for $2.49

Faux white carnations at Walmart for $1 for a bundle with 8 flower buds on it (used 5 total, so $5.)

I hope everyone had a great holiday weekend! Check out what I'm up to next week!

Happy Independence Day! God bless the USA!

2010-07-05T10:00:00.003-05:00

Today, we just want to take a moment to say THANK YOU!

Thank you... to our fabulous men & women who serve our country.
Thank you for making it where I can lay my head down and sleep in peace each night! Thank you for doing what you do even when it isn't easy OR popular. Thank you for sacrificing your home, your comfortable bed, your beautiful family and the cozy life for our country! I come from a family of air force vets (specifically my dad Gene T Peek & my awesome brother Stan Peek!) and I am so proud of them! I am proud of my friend Tim who had to leave his new bride after only a few months of marriage. I am proud of all of you and pray for you regularly!!

Thank you... to all those who lead our country.
I know we are often divided on politics. And while I like to think that might change one day - you can simply look back in history at what we know now as the greatest leaders ever - and even then they were opposed. No matter what, I respect our leaders, because I know their job is not an easy one. And I pray for them regularly as I think we all should, no matter our differences. So thank you... from our current Commander in Chief, President Obama and to all those who led before him. Thank you to the those in the "small offices". You are more important than most people realize or give you credit for!

Last, but not least...

Thank you to... God for making this my home. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else. I am blessed to be in the USA! Thank you God for protecting this land and for blessing it and doing a good work of revival in it!

God bless the USA & everyone in it! Now, let's enjoy the fireworks! :)

It's Friday We're in Love with... New Bridal Shower Designs!!!

2010-07-02T10:00:00.013-05:00

Okay, so occasionally we're in love with our own stuff. That's okay, right? Especially when it's just so darn cute! Last week, Relish finally added Bachelorette Party invitations & Engagement Party invitations to our catalog. This week, we added to our Bridal Shower invitation line by adding new Co-Ed Shower invitations & Lingerie Shower Invitations. And, they are oh, so fresh & fun!!!

Co-Ed Showers are becoming much more popular lately. And why shouldn't guys join in on the fun?! :) In fact, some of our friends recently had a co-ed shower and the guys had just as much fun as the girls! With the invitations, you can make them cute, but want to be sure they aren't too frilly, because they will be going out to guys too. And since many guys will be grumbling about having to go to a "bridal shower" - sending them a frilly invite will not help the situation! So, without further ado, check out these designs!

As you know. all Relish's invitations come in different color combos. So, it's best to just check them out yourself and find out what your favorite option is. I love this His N' Hers so much - here are a few of the other options.

Here is a FAVE from awesome designer Paula Kennedy!

And one from designer Lindsay Brazier Speck...

And one from yours truly (Stephanie Peek Resch)

I just love how simply switching color schemes gives a whole new look and feel to a design!

And now that the guys are taken care of, here's a line that's 100% all woman! ;) Cute, colorful Lingerie Shower Invitations!!!

Want something more simple without lingerie?

And my FAVE, from designer Lindsay... How cute is this?!

Thanks to our fabulous Relish designers! Check out these and all our products at http://www.getrelish.com/! And enjoy this wonderful, long holiday weekend! Happy 4th of July everyone!

Is your Color one of the Hottest Colors of 2010?

2010-06-30T10:00:00.019-05:00

So you're engaged (congrats!) What is the first things that you do? First, you tell everyone!!!! Then, it's setting a date, and then maybe you pick your bridal party or book the venue. For me, it was picking my wedding colors! I decided to go with black, white and tiffany blue. I know some say you're supposed to pick colors that go with the season that you choose to get married in, but I wanted to go with the colors that I love! It's my day, right? With it being wedding season and everyone getting married or engaged left and right, I thought I'd blog about an interesting article I stumbled across that discusses the top 5 wedding colors for 2010.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Top-5-Hottest-Wedding-Colors-For-2010&id=3653431

Top 5 Hottest Wedding Colors for 2010

1. Blue or any hues of it - This is actually the year's lucky color also according to the Chinese predictions.

2. Off white - It's not just brides who have access to the pure color these days. Dress your entourage into something close by giving them off white as a background with some colorful highlights.

3. Orange - Bright and colorful, the color orange is a fun experimental way to highlight your wedding this year.

4. Purple - Purple may not be the year's color but it sure is going to be a hit this year for your wedding day.

5. Green - Use mint greens or yellow green as your hue should you try this one as your wedding color.

Now on for my DIY project for the week. I've always seen those card boxes that look just like wedding cakes but did NOT like the price tag attached to them! EEEEKKK! I decided to take matters into my own hands and create one myself. I was very nervous at first...and here is the final product!

I spent $10 for the set of paper mache boxes at Amazon.com (with free shipping,) $5 for the damask wrapping paper at Michael's, satin flower for $2.46 at Walmart (on clearance) and used leftover ribbon to decorate the box. For me, I'd rather make something and know it's my own creation, then to buy it from someone else! And it was so much fun to make!

At Relish, we love COLOR and advise you use as much color possible! :) Although we love to follow trends, it's YOUR day and make it your own!

Monday Morning Matrimony: Communication & Calendars

2010-06-28T12:15:00.001-05:00

After years of dating and marriage, one issue my hubby & I are still overcoming is miscommunication, especially when it comes to our schedule. Here's how the conversation goes... ME: "We need to leave here by 5:45" HIM: "Why?!" ME: "To get to Mindy's house by 6" HIM: "WHAT?!" or.... ME: "So what movie are we seeing tomorrow night?" HIM: "I think Mark wants to see Transformers" ME: "Mark??? Mark's going with us?" HIM: "Yes, that is who we have plans with" ME: "No...we have plans with Keith & Kelly for dinner and then a movie. Remember?" Now... to be fair, both of us make mistakes in the communication. It's just that from my point of view, it's usually him. :) haha

So... what can we do? There are a few great suggestions when it comes to our schedules.

1) Do not commit to any plans without checking with your spouse. This is good practice for many reasons. The first one is that it establishes verbal communication that you are planning something. Secondly, while Dustin & I usually are okay with the plans each other makes, it's not good to get in a habit with not checking with what your spouse wants to do. What if they have a surprise night planned for you? What if they just need a day off? What if they are sick of seeing the person? :) Whatever the reason may be, it's only fair to consult with them before planning their days. This will help you remain respectful of each other in many areas of your relationship - if you just start here. Just say this sentence... "That sounds great! Just let me check with ______"

2) Keep a joint calendar. I have a calendar for all my Relish work meetings, appointments, etc. But Dustin and I have realized we need a joint calendar. The solution for us is a Google calendar. You can share them between as many people as you want and each person can add to the calendar. This way, we have one place to look to see what's going.

3) Schedule dates! Now that you are keeping a joint calendar, why not put on the schedule "cuddle night - just us" or something sweet. That way, when they check the calendar, they will see that and it will be like a little love note. It's also so important to remember to schedule dates for just the two of you to do something special. Schedule it though, otherwise you may end up spacing out to the TV while he plays video games. That's fine sometimes, but it's not nurturing your relationship. Think of it this way - when you go out with friends, you are investing in your frienships. Shouldn't you do the same for the most important relationship you have?

4) Lastly - Learn to say NO. It's great to be social, but we all need down time and time for ourselves. Don't be afraid to say NO. People will understand. Well, not everyone will understand, but you can serve as an example for them. My dear friend Leeann started say no awhile ago. I admit that I didn't always understand, but it served as an example to me. She's a great person with a great heart. I knew she loved me and loves to spend time with us, so her ability to say no wasn't personal - just a confident woman knowing her priorities - knowing not to overbook. People will get used to it and may follow your lead (like I have finally)

I hope these tips help! Enjoy each other, enjoy your friends and enjoy your schedules!!!

It's Friday We're in Love with... Wedding Websites!

2010-06-25T10:00:00.009-05:00

When I got married just a short 5 years ago, creating a wedding website was a rarely heard of concept. There were definitely no "easy" solutions to create your wedding website. Today, there are companies specifically built to provide you with easy, build-your-own-custom website solutions!

The great thing about wedding websites is that in today's world, everyone is online. Even Granny Smith is online now and can navigate well enough to find your website. Because of the accessibility, a wedding website can now give your guests valuable information and keep them up-to-date on wedding details, including lodging, things to do when they are in town, etc. A couple can even use it to post a blog of their planning / engagement journey.

So, you want a wedding website. Where do you go to get one? Well, you have a few great options out there!

First up, the Wedding Channel. I chose them first because this is where I went to use all their planning tools. I used them to manage my budget, my guest list and my gift registry. Now, you can use them for all of this and a wedding website.

PRO: It is FREE for members (it's free to join) and fairly easy to use!
CON: You are limited on your customization

Next up, the Knot. The Knot & the Wedding Channel are actually sister companies but they definitely have different feels to how they work. The Knot was the first company touting the wedding websites as a marketable product.

PRO: Again, its FREE for members!! You can't beat free!
CON: Again, you are limited on customization. However, they seem to offer cooler design options!
The Knot also refers you to another company called "Wedding Tracker". They offer you a free trial with them. These websites are really in-depth and customizable but we haven't found out how much it costs after your free trial... Hmmm...

Up next - Wedding Window! I LOVE this company! Their main business IS wedding websites so they focus on bringing you the best options. They are very Relishy! :)

PRO: They have TONS of customization options and they are VERY easy to use!! Plus they offer great tutorial and tips!
CON: They are not free. They cost between $11 - $79. Still - not a lot considering what you get!!!

So with all that being said, what would I do if I were getting married today? Well, I'd probably design my own site but that's because I know how. ;) But if not, I would go with Wedding Window. I LOVE their step by step, ease of use and customization. Reminds me of another company I know...

Lastly, I needed to include Wedding Wire. They offer lots of design templates, mainly by stationery companies. Some of the designs are very cute. However, the customization is very limited.

Now, wouldn't it be fantastic if you could get your awesome customized invitations / wedding stationery through Relish and then flow that same customization into your wedding website? Hmm.... something to think about... ;) In the meantime, due to the popularity of wedding website, Relish is adding "Wedding website card enclosures" to our stationery sets in our next version of software (coming soon). Here's a sneak peek at the card. If you want yours added to your package before the new software, just give us a call!

Have a good weekend everyone!!

2010-06-23T10:00:00.009-05:00

We all know the phrase "It's the calm before the storm." That's how I've felt this whole wedding process has been so far. It's all been the gentle calm and then my storm hit. The storm was, out of all things, the rehearsal dinner venue. I didn't think it would give me such a headache, but it did! There are 2 factors that contributed to the storm: trying to feed 80 people on $30 a head. Below is a mock-up of the rehearsal dinner invitation.

Considering that a rehearsal dinner for 80 people might as well be a small reception, it was difficult for me to find a place that would hold that many people with the budget that I have for it. The places that I found were either too small, booked, or cost too much. There were 2 places that fit the criteria: Sunset Grill on Belcourt Avenue and Nero's Grill on Hillsboro Drive, both with 2 different ambiances. I decided to go with Nero's Grill. They allow us to get more bang for my buck...and that's the goal for this wedding!

My next dilemna is my wedding hair. I am very fortunate to have a hair stylist as a bridesmaid and is willing to do my hair for that day. Considering I have the thickest hair on the planet, I have started looking at styles that might suit me.

My dress is all lace in the back, so I've decided that an updo is the way to go. You would think that finding an updo would be simple...NOT! Below are some ideas that I found while perusing Google.

Due to my rehearsal dinner headache, it left me no time for any DIY projects, but I do have a great deal! It is from mbaengraving on Ebay. They are personalized toasting flutes. They are sandblasted and absolutely adorable. They were $29.95 with $10.00 shipping.

Considering the wedding is in 101 days...I need to seriously get to work on all of my DIY projects. Looks like some late nights, equipped with painted arms, glued fingers and wedding movies :)

It's a Party!!!

2010-06-21T10:00:00.017-05:00

One of the best things about being engaged are all the celebratory parties friends and family want to bestow upon you. From engagement parties to the bachelor / bachelorette parties and all the showers in between... it's a time to be the guest of honor and to have FUN!

First stop on the party circuit: The Engagement party! Usually family members or close friends choose to get some of the couple's closest friends & family together for a casual dinner (either out or at someone's home) to simply love on the newly engaged couple. It usually happens shortly after the engagement and it us usually an intimate party, small in size. Relish is proud to reveal some of our new engagement party invitations!

And my personal fave... By talented designer Paula Kennedy (check our her blog on Wednesdays)

All these invitations have a few different color schemes, so head on over to Relish's Engagement Party invitations to find the one that's right for you.

After the party comes the months of engagement and planning. Be sure to enjoy EVERY step of the way as this is truly one of the best times of your life. There will be showers along the way and at the end another set of parties - the Bachelor / Bachelorette parties!!!

The theme of these parties depend heavily on who is getting married. Whether you are more conservative or a party girl / boy - I think it's important to have a great "last night" (it doesn't have to be the last or at night!) with the girls/ boys. The reason I think it's important is because there is a LOT involved in planning a wedding and many times we are drained / stressed by the time the big day comes around. Having a night of fun is a great stress reducer and it can help you take time to appreciate this moment in your life. My ONLY regret from my engagement is that I didn't take time to have a night (or day) out with my girls.

Some ideas for bachelorette parties are...

The traditional night out (the details are up to you)
Game night: Go bowling, putt-putt, etc. Go to Dave & Buster's to make it easy. The key is to keep score all night to see who scores the most.
Spa Day / Night: I've done this - so wonderful!
Get schooled: Take a group class together. Try a pottery class, a dance class, cooking class, etc.
Hollywood: Everyone gets dressed up. Hire a photographer / videographer and star in your own music video, mini-movie, etc.

Whatever you do, make the bride feel very special and very loved! Here are some of Relish's fun and flirty bachelorette party invitations:

And our very popular, best seller: The Future Mrs. (which comes in several color schemes) and features the bride's name on the shirt.

Whether you are planning a party or you are the guest of honor, come over to Relish to check out our full line of wedding celebration invitations! And brides, soak up this time in your life and remember to take time out with your wonderful fiance and enjoy these times with your family and friends. In other words, RELISH these moments and enjoy the journey!

It's Friday We're in Love with... Father-Daughter Dances

2010-06-18T10:00:00.039-05:00

In honor of the upcoming weekend, we thought we'd take a peek at the special place dads have in weddings, specifically the beautiful father-daughter dance.

This past weekend I was honored to attend the wedding of some of our dearest friends, Keith & Kelly. They are blending their beautiful families together and during the reception they had a daughter dance that was between both of them and their 3 princesses. I do not normally cry at weddings but watching them dance with their beautiful little girls set off a tear storm. The song was "I danced with Cinderella" by Steven Curtis Chapman (listen here)

Not every little girl is blessed with a wonderful father. I was personally blessed that mine chose to love me (I was adopted by my maternal grandparents early in life) My "daddy" and I are very close and some of my best moments in my entire life are him walking me down the aisle (he made jokes during our long walk) and dancing with him at the reception. We danced to "Because You Loved Me" by Celine Dion.

For your special day, think of songs that may have been special between you growing up. Or choose from some of these popular and very touching Father / Daughter dance songs. These are the Top 10 as of last year (as listed here)

Butterfly Kisses by Bob Carlisle
Because you Loved Me by Celine Dion
You Raise Me Up by Josh Groban
There You'll Be by Faith Hill
The Way You Look Tonight by Frank Sinatra
Hero by Mariah Carey
Dance with My Father by Luther Vandross
What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong
Wind Beneath My Wings by Bette Midler
I Will Always Love You by Whitney Houston

Thanks to all wonderful fathers out there. And to my special dad, thank you so very much for your years of love and support that mean more to me than I can put into words. I love you very much and appreciate you this Father's Day and every day. I truly AM who I am today because you (and mom) loved me.

Have a great weekend everyone and Happy Father's Day to all you dads out there!

BeCome a Long With Me: Wedding Ring Wednesday

2010-06-16T10:00:00.005-05:00

Since it's Wednesday, so I thought I'd go with a W topic-wedding rings. Everyone has their own style and taste, whether is be diamond band or a classic band, white gold or yellow gold, one band or 2. Dean and I went ring shopping this past Sunday and I never thought it would be so hard to pick "the" one. Honestly, I thought that I would be the one with making the decision, but it was actually Dean who had the toughest time!

We went to the outlet mall, which has a Zales Outlet and a Ultra Diamond outlet. I pictured him in a titanium ring; fairly plain with few details, like the one shown below. Low and behold was I wrong! He picked out a diamond ring, similar to the one below from Elegant Diamonds.

So what kinda of ring did I decide on? I will tell you this: I didn't think I would have a tough time, considering a soliatire goes with anything, but turns out I needed a curved band for the 2 to match up, due to my specific solitaire setting. One interesting ring I was introduced to was the solitaire enhancer rings, like shown below.

This ring allows you to have 2 bands with your engagement ring in the middle and since the 2 bands are connected in the back, they act as one ring. This means no sliding on all 3 rings. I think this is a fabulous idea. Did I choose this or a single band? I still haven't decided whether or not to reveal it to the public just yet! I won't disclose prices, but I will say that we save money by going to an outlet store!

Now on with my DIY project of the week. Do to budgetary reasons, I'm trying to keep fresh flowers to a minimum. The church that I'm getting married at doesn't permit throwing flowers down the aisle...so what option did I choose?

A FLOWER POMANDER! I think they are adorable, and they are super easy to make. I chose to do a hydrangea one, since that's the flower I'm using for the wedding. I got my supplies at Michael and Wal-mart. It took 2 bunches of fake hydrangeas from Michael (they are 6.99 each, but they were running a 50% off sale,) one pack of pearl pins from Wal-mart for $2.43, a styrofoam ball from Walmart for $2.49, and some leftover ribbon for the handle.

How to make it is pretty simple: I picked each hydrangea flower off the stem and pinned it to the ball with a pearl pin. This takes some time, since you don't want any of the ball showing. For the handle, I took a pen and used it to shove the ribbon in the top of the ball and used 2 hydrangeas plus pins to secure it in place. And here is the final product:

It's a pretty simple project if you have the patience, and I think it turns out great! Check back in next week to see what I've done as the wedding countdown is on...t-minus 111 days!

Monday Morning Matrimony: Money Talks

2010-06-14T17:18:00.001-05:00

Two weeks ago on Monday Morning Matrimony, we discussed the importance of premarital counseling. One of the most important things I got from our counseling sessions was the importance of talking about money. I only wish we would have applied all that advice back then, but alas sometimes you must "learn things the hard way".

Dustin & I were taught different things about money, but in truth I don't believe either of us were taught near enough. That's not a bash to our families but to society as a whole. It is commonplace to be living a life you truly can't afford - to be swimming in debt, holding your breath, waiting for the big life saver to come around. There are so many great things I would like to use this blog to tell you, so many things I myself have yet to truly learn. But out of all these things the most important thing is this: COMMUNICATION! You & your spouse need to talk openly about money because money will be talking to you!

I am about to share something very personal with you in hopes it helps you avoid a similar mistake. In our family, I am the one that handles the books, primarily because I am the business owner and already handle the business books, so it all runs together. During the past few years, we have had our financial "ups and downs" and a few years ago, there were times when I would just not share with Dustin how bad the "down" was. He was trying to find a job and I didn't want him to feel worse, so I kept it to myself. In the end, it caused me to resent him and caused me to feel all alone with my burden. Dustin knows about this and how it effected us and we have long moved on. But it was a very difficult challenge that newlyweds shouldn't have to go through. I made a mistake because I was ill-equipped with how finances work and how to handle them. I thought "it will be so much better next month that he doesn't need to know about this month". But the next month was worse. (bills have a tendency to snowball - it's up to you how that snowball goes) Now, I know that sharing the "downs" means I have someone else to bounce ideas off of. The other important part of that is that Dustin needs to be interested in it. Finances on a regular basis don't seem exciting. A Budget is anything but fun. But the end result of financial freedom will be enjoyed by both, so it's only fair that you share the whole journey together. So no matter how difficult it is... no matter if you went out and overspent the credit card... TALK. We all make mistakes, especially with money. Don't let those mistakes put up a wall between you and your spouse. The top 2 reasons for divorce are Financial Problems and Communication issues - tie these 2 together and you're just setting yourself up for trouble. I want our financial future to be amazing, so we need to set up a great foundation.

So now that you know my personal story of what I've learned, here are some tips for newlyweds (and engaged couples) to pave the way for their financial future.

1) Check your credit report. This can be a scary thing and again - not fun. But you'll be surprised at what you might find and you can use this to clean it up and prepare for a house. Get a credit report that shows you the reports for all 3 credit reporting agencies. Our personal preference is www.equifax.com

2) Set aside an emergency fund. We all have surprises in life. Why let a surprise change your course? The recommended minimum for an emergency fund is $1000. But every little bit helps!

3) Pay down debt. I wanted to pay off the highest interest debt first, but I now realize the importance in starting with the smaller debts - it really does work like a snowball. Also - if you are having a hard time paying credit cards, call the card companies. They will often settle for 50% or LESS of what you owe. Many credit companies are in major trouble these days and are more than happy to work out a settlement with you. I suggested this to a friend and she now has all her cards paid off! DO NOT BE AFRAID TO ASK! Don't let pride get in the way either. Start over, learn from your mistakes and move on. Also, it shows as a paid debt on your credit report so you come out looking much better than someone who pays late or is holding large debts.

4) BUDGET. Make a list of what all is coming in and what all is going out. You may be surprised to see what your fiance really makes / spends. And vice-versa. We tend to live with our heads in the sand, but learning where you are helps you get to where you need to be. Make a budget and learn to live like a king! Wisdom is power!

5) Wait before you buy. Oh, how I can attest to this. Sometimes it seems like we just HAVE to have something now. And it's not always as silly as a new dress. Sometimes we think we must get a newer car because our mechanic says we need $2500 repair on our current car. Well, first of all - get a second opinion. Secondly, think it over long and hard. If it really is going to be $2500, how much is your car worth? Also, how much do you owe? How much would you have to spend on a replacement car. Take ALL of these things into consideration. Do your research and sleep on it. Recently, my printer died and I thought I had to buy an exact replacement immediately. I looked up a comparable replacement and it was going to cost $500 (the original printer was $550) I decided to sleep on it and save my money. After taking emotion out of it, I ended up finding what I needed for $150. But then I did more research and found it on sale online (for new) with a warranty for $103 (after shipping). Trust me. AT LEAST give yourself the 48 hour rule. You will survive without a printer (it's not easy, but possible). You will survive carpooling to work. You will survive. I'm not saying there aren't emergencies, but if they are no life-threatening... be creative and don't let your situation dictate your bank account.

6) Daydream about retirement NOW. I know it may seem crazy and so far away, but if you can think of that as the ultimate goal now, it will change how you make your decisions. For instance, I want to retire by 50, so that would set me on a course for the next 17 years instead of 33. It also gets you thinking about IRAs and smart investing. It is not too early to think about those things.

7) DAVE RAMSEY. I could have simply said "Seek financial counseling" but this simple name seemed appropriate. You may not agree with everything he says, but he knows what he is talking about. He has changed so many peoples' lives. I encourage you to at least read his book "Financial Peace University". Read it together (or at the same time). Get on the "same page" with the idea of financial freedom!

Check out more great tips at www.daveramsey.com

8) And don't forget my tip: COMMUNICATE!!! It's never as bad as you think it is. There is always a new day tomorrow and you can help dictate what that day looks like... together.

It's Friday We're in Love with... Cake!

2010-06-11T10:00:00.001-05:00

If invitations are the first thing that kicks off a wedding's theme, then cake is the last (yummy) piece! At Relish, we have been blessed to get to meet so many wonderful local bakers! And with shows like Cake Boss, it seems the whole world is getting to know what all is possible in the world of wedding cakes!

While we would love to blog about cakes from across the world. We only know how excellent the cakes in our own backyard look (in person) and taste. So for now, take a look at our three Nashville faves who, in our opinion are as good as you'll find anywhere. In fact, two of them have been featured on Martha Stewart!

Let's start with our long-time friend, Cakes by Shara. If Relish made wedding cakes, they would most likely look like Shara's. Her cake designs are fresh, bright and beautiful! And the taste? Yeah... we didn't know fondant could taste so GOOD!!!

Aren't these so "Relishy"? But, the REAL reason we adore Shara? She has THE BEST cupcakes ever! (one of which was a winner on Martha Stewart's national cupcake contest!)

Bring cupcakes into your wedding by having a wedding CUPcake!

Want something more elegant, more classic / traditional? Maples Wedding Cakes has the most spectacular designs! Some of their cakes are so beautiful, I would never have the heart to cut into them! The artist in me is envious of their A-MA-ZING attention to detail! Seriously, they are so beautiful that you need to see them in person. Just look at these...

Want something customized to match your linen pattern (or perhaps your Relish invitation)? Look at this...

One thing I love the most about Maples is their presentation. Just look at how this cake stand really makes the cake go from beautiful to amazing.

Want something that combines the two styles above? Something fun and yet very detailed? Check out the cakes at The Bake Shoppe! They are some of the most creative ladies! I love the bright cakes (including the blue & brown cakes we opened with above).

Also, you HAVE to try their champagne wedding cake truffles. I had no idea that you could fit that kind of flavor into a bite-size, hard-shelled, piece of Heaven! I'm serious. If I could, I would order some every day!!!

Also, all 3 companies make great groom's cakes. Check out their sites for their amazing designs. I could have included a ton of them here (great ideas), but I wanted to leave you with just this one I found from The Bake Shoppe. St. Louis Cardinals fans represent! ;)

Getting great cake combined with the best team in baseball - now, that's what I call having your cake and eating it too! ;) Have a great weekend everyone!

Become a Long With Me - Champagne Taste on a Beer Budget!

2010-06-09T10:00:00.004-05:00

You plan your perfect wedding day and you anxiously await for it to get here. Some have a short engagement, and others, like myself, have a long engagement (2 years.) After you wait all this time, you go to your dream vacation spot to start your new life as husband and wife. So how do you pick that "perfect" spot?

My solution was to leave it up to Dean. HA! I Since I am planning the wedding and he has taken a typical male approach of "it's your day...do whatever you want," I figured I could give him one wedding task. The only thing that I told him was that I wanted to get a couple's massage.

So what did he come up with? The winner is...

The Sandals Regency St. Lucia! I never really thought to pick the Caribbean, but St. Lucia is absolutely beautiful! It is an all inclusive resort and the room we're staying in comes with 24/7 butler service (which was the selling point for Dean.) We can even do a honeymoon registry and guests can contribute to additional activities at Sandals Honeymoon Registry

I was amazed at the price of the all-inclusive resorts at Sandals...definitely the most cost-friendly for our budget!

In planning the wedding myself, I've come to realize that you don't have to cut corners when you're on a budget.If you have the patience, diy projects can save you a ton on money, while giving your wedding a personal touch. With less than 4 months until the wedding, I figured my diy projects need to start NOW! Every week, I'll show you how I've managed to get exactly what I want, while being budget-friendly.

My diy project for this week is the wedding bubbles. I needed about 175 bubbles, and my best price option was at Walmart. For a 100 pack of bubbles, it cost me $15, so $30 for 2 packs. This is the before:

I simply took a piece of black ribbon and a piece of Tiffany blue ribbon together and made a bow. 8 packs of each color ribbon @ $.99 each at Michael's (on sale,) we have this:

Lastly, my deal of the day. I've been ordering a lot of things off of eBay, and this is my latest purchase...the flower girl's dress. I was a little apprehensive because the price was so cheap and it was shipping from China, but once I received it (in a very tiny bag,) all of my worries were at ease! Here is where it looks like on:

I am in love with this dress! I haven't seen anything like it and I LOVE the ruffled neckline. I plan on replacing the white applique flower in the middle with a black flower (since the bridesmaids are wearing black.) The cost of the dress is as follows: $5.99 for the dress and $15.99 for shipping, totaling $21.98.

Just remember, you can find great deals without your purchases looking cheap. It's like they say, "Champagne Taste on a Beer Budget." Speaking of great deals, check in with me next week to see if I found a great deal on the next thing on my agenda...the rehearsal dinner venue!

Black & White Served up Right!

2010-06-07T10:00:00.006-05:00

One thing you will know about Relish is that we LOVE color! In fact, the idea of fresh beautiful colors being used throughout weddings is one of the main reasons we started this business. We talk about the color wheel, the appropriate use of accent colors, the different color hues - we even dream in color! However, there are times when we see the "traditional" color themes done in such beautiful ways that we have to come off our color horse to appreciate the beauty. Today, we give honor to beautiful ways that we've seen Black & White done right.

One of the main reasons women everywhere are falling in love with this tradition again is because of the new twists added to it. Now there are whispers of color added (like the yellow in the cake flowers above) and there are bold patterns mixed with classic looks (try stripes against a pattern). Add in the use of textures and you get endless beautiful ideas for your own unique take on the classic. [See our Relish inspiration board below for great ideas.]

Start with a beautiful invitation at Relish! You can make it as fancy or as fun as you like. And you can bring in touches of your accent color!

Then bring in your personality to everything. Whether you are going for something funky or classic, your bridesmaid dress designs will be endless! Check out these gorgeous Summer options from Anthropologie.

Keep bringing in your personality, whether it's through new and trendy styles like this floral arrangement below from Rikka Floral...

or something funky like this amazing custom designed wedding cake from Nashville's own Cakes by Shara.

Or go classic and "tasteful" with this cake from Maples Wedding Cakes.

Dress up your table with your accent color as the linen with everything else done in trendy black and white patterns. BONUS: Choose a fantastic fabric for your linens and get that extra texture layering we were talking about!

And last, but not least - don't forget wedding favors like these from favorideas.com

In the end, we have found that today you can customize black and white to fit your individual personality. And that is the #1 most important thing to us at Relish. Happy planning!!!

It's Friday We're in Love with... Flowers!

2010-06-04T10:00:00.011-05:00

Flowers more than anything seem to dictate the change of seasons. It can also dictate the tone of your special wedding day.

So what are the 2010 wedding flower trends? Well, most wedding bouquets will continue to be hand-tied, where the flowers are gathered together and the stems are wrapped in wide ribbon. Brides wanting more glamorous bouquets choose beads, jewels, pins, etc to dress up plain ribbon-wrapped stems and blooms. But the main trend of 2010 seems to be SIMPLY COLOR. By that we mean two things. First, many brides are opting for more simple arrangements that have some splash of their theme inside the bouquet (ex: branch twine below) Second, in those simple arrangements, they are choosing bold colors (which we at Relish LOVE) - colors like bright Orange with Fuchsia. We've even seen Blue bouquets (done well)! Even in the more elegant traditional arrangements of roses, we are pleased to see the colors have blossomed into more bold pinks, purples and greens!

Check out The Knot for lots of great 2010 wedding flower ideas!

If you are getting married in Nashville, we recommend these great floral designers (our personal faves): Fresh by Carryann & Brocade Designs

If you're looking to save some money and do some (or all - if you are brave) flowers yourself, we highly recommend http://www.fiftyflowers.com/. I actually used them for my own wedding!

How else can you incorporate flowers into your big day?

Hair Accessories! The idea of a flower in my hair seemed strange on my wedding day just 5 short years ago. Now it is a beautiful trend!

You may choose to go with real flowers or silk or even something made of fabric to simply resemble flowers, like below.

If you are interested in the fabric florals and are in the Nashville area, check out this company Stellar Made on Facebook to see some of their wonderfully beautiful fabric flower creations. You may even talk to them about doing something custom for your day!

While traditional flowers are still in, we are liking these new floral trends! In fact, this Friday you might say we are in love with them! Have a great weekend everyone! And remember to stop and smell the roses... unless they are satin. ;)

Become a Long With Me - Welcome to one Relish Bride's journey!

2010-06-02T10:00:00.005-05:00

Every little girl dreams of her big day...the white dress, friends and family surrounding her, and PRINCE CHARMING! I am very fortunate to have all those things, and you get to come along on my journey on becoming a Long! I am so honored that I was asked to be a guest blogger. I am in the crucial part of the planning process-and since we've moved to Ohio, I'm having to plan it out of town. It is still very fun, but it creates a new stress level. I've been very lucky to not have any breakdowns yet...but I'm sure they're coming!

Since this is the first blog, it will be the INTRO blog. Dean Long and I had been dating for almost 4 years when he proposed. He popped the question in Seoul, South Korea, when him, my mother, and I were on vacation visiting her side of the family. He proposed on October 2, 2009 on the top floor of the Seoul Tower North. We are getting married on October 2, 2010 in Nashville, TN...exactly 2 years from the proposal.

I have chosen black and white with Tiffany blue accents as the wedding colors. I wanted classic and elegant, with a pop of color! Damask is making a debut at the wedding too...I love this print, but didn't want it everywhere. I've included an idea palette below.

Here is where I'm at in the wedding planning agenda.
Guest list: 175
Ceremony venue: Cathedral of the Incarnation- my DREAM venue...always wanted to get married there!
Reception venue, Catering, Hotel Accommodations: Marriott at Vanderbilt
Photographer: Gina Bilyeu Photography-love her!
Dress: Second Time Around by Peggy
Cake: Dulce Desserts
Bridesmaid dresses: Alfred Angelo
Tuxes: Men's Wearhouse
Save the dates & invites: Relish
Registry: Target & Bed Bath and Beyond
DJ: DigiRob Productions

I still have plenty to do, and since I plan on doing a lot of it myself (bridesmaids' and my bouquets, favors, etc.) I will definitely stay busy, but am looking forward to sharing all of my ups (and downs) during my last few months of planning!

Tune in next Wednesday to see where we decided to go on our Honeymoon!

CONTEST QUESTION!!! First to respond correctly WINS!!!

2010-06-01T16:00:00.003-05:00

If you tuned in to Relish's segment on Better Nashville today, you have the opportunity to win FREE I Love Nashville stationery!! Just post the correct answer ON THE BLOG (If you are on Facebook, please click on the link to take you directly to the blog to leave a comment). We'll contact the winner directly and post the winner later on.

THE QUESTION IS: What color of dress was host Kacy Haggerty (the blonde hostess) wearing on today's show?

CONTEST - TODAY!!! Win FREE I Love Nashville stationery!

2010-06-01T10:00:00.003-05:00

Relish was honored to be featured on Better Nashville a couple weeks ago. The feature is all about our I Love Nashville line of stationery, whose proceeds are being donated to the Nashville Red Cross to help in the flood relief efforts.

They are replaying the segment today on the show. Please tune in from 1:00 - 2:00 pm to WSMV Channel 4. We will be posting a question today at 4:00pm. The first person to reply correctly will win a set of our most popular I Love Nashville stationery! So tell your friends - everyone is qualified to win!

*HINT: Pay attention to the host, Kacy Haggerty. ;)

Monday Morning Matrimony: Premarital Counseling - Is it for you?

2010-05-31T10:00:00.007-05:00

Welcome to our first edition of our bi-weekly blog - Monday Morning Matrimony! This is a time to focus less on the planning for the big day and more on the planning for the big LIFE! Let's get started with our first topic which still falls into the "planning" stage: Premarital Counseling... is it for you?

Before you say "I do", should you and your fiance get premarital counseling? There are a lot of people who misunderstand the purpose of premarital counseling. It's not to 'make sure you want to do this', it's not to tell you "life is going to be a lot different", and in most cases it's not even about religion. The point of premarital counseling is to help you both TOGETHER set a couple extra blocks to the foundation of your marriage. Studies have shown that premarital counseling can decrease your chance of divorce by up to 30%! And, I have to be honest - for us, it was also FUN!

During these economic times, many people are opting for small weddings, quickie weddings or even eloping. If you don't have a "traditional marriage", you may not have a pastor who requires you to go through these sessions. However, in my opinion, it's something EVERYONE should do!

Dustin & I had been dating for just about 3 years before he proposed and we had a 7 month engagement so I felt very confident at that point, that we knew all there was to know about each other. The funny thing is - I was way wrong! Our counselor asked us questions on specific life situations we hadn't even thought of. Every couple daydreams about how many kids they want, names of those kids, etc. But few couples talk about how they would respond to specific child discipline situations. Now, I know what you're thinking... who cares? We can think about that stuff later. But it is not just about the kids, it's about your unique differences in perspective. These things are important to talk about NOW so that you can LAUGH about them with a counselor instead of arguing about them post-honeymoon.

The biggest help for us personally was the in-depth discussion on finances. Since our sweet wedding day, we have had financial ups and downs in life that have come with both the times of the economy and with job losses, etc. I truly believe that those significant conversations we had in those sessions helped us set a tone and understand each other on such a deeper level that when those challenges have come, we have been able to approach them as a team instead of two individuals who do not understand each other.

Counseling sessions usually focus on 7 areas: compatibility, expectations, personalities as well as families of origin, communication, conflict resolution, intimacy and sexuality and lastly, long-term goals.

The BEST part of premarital counseling? With the right person, it really is FUN! We were fortunate to have our sessions with our Associate Pastor and he made it so much fun. In wedding planning, let's be honest and say that MOST brides do the majority of the planning for the big day. So it was a way that we took time to be together and focus on what the big day really was about - the rest of our lives together. We got to do this wonderful thing together and it was an amazing part of our engagement experience!

So WHO should YOU get premarital counseling from? The first place most readily available to couples is the pastor or associate pastor in your church. However, if you don't have a minister or do not have a church affiliation, no worries. It is still something you should look into! There are lots of great marriage counselors out there with lots of great premarital counseling techniques. Do your research (get referrals) and find the one that is right for YOU! In fact, in some cases, you may be required to take your church's premarital counseling sessions, but maybe you don't feel close to your counselor or you didn't get much out of it. I encourage you to find someone else out there to get additional counseling from!

IF YOU HAVE ELOPED... or have had a quickie wedding and did not get the counseling, it's not too late! Again, the point of counseling is not to talk you out of marriage or to see if you really should get married. It is simply to help prepare you for the wonderful journey ahead. It would be a great way to start your marriage!!! I recommend finding someone to take you through the sessions! Studies have shown that these sessions are the most beneficial either before the wedding or within the first 6 months of marriage so don't delay!

In the end, the sad truth is 50% of marriage end in divorce these days. And I'd say in most of those marriages (minus the arranged / green card / forced situations) - I guarantee people didn't think they would be one of the statistics on the wrong side of that 50%. And like I said in the first paragraph, studies have shown that premarital counseling helps decrease your chance of divorce by up to 30%!!!! How awesome is that!! So what are you waiting for? It should be an educational FUN part of your wedding journey! RELISH it! ;)

See you in a couple weeks for our next topic "Money Matters".

It's Friday We're In Love with... Sex & The City / Girl's Night Out!

2010-05-28T10:00:00.002-05:00

Unless you are hiding under a rock, you have probably heard the buzz that the new Sex & the City movie came out yesterday. It has been labeled the "Women's Superbowl" and has been celebrated with several parties and events all over the country! Nashville had it's own fabulous party sponsored by Ashley's Bride Guide last night. Relish was excited to be part of the fabulous night of fun & fashion! (photos coming soon!)

But what is it that makes this group of women and films (/TV series) so celebrated by women everywhere? Even if you don't agree with their morals (Check the title), there is something that seems to unify all women, something that makes us relate to this group of women. I think the #1 reason is the BOND between these ladies. They represent friendships that have been through it all and stand the test of time! I know I LOVE the wonderful women in my life (just a few of my faves pictured here)

Reason #2? Well, let's just admit it - we all drool over the fashion!! I admit (as I have said many times before) that I am NO fashionista. However, when I watch this franchise, I too am swept away in the clothes, the hair, the bags, the... SHOES! :)

I didn't get to watch the movie last night because we were at the party, but I will be grabbing me some of my best girls and watching the "superbowl" this weekend! To ladies everywhere (whether you like the franchise or not) - be sure to always take time to celebrate being a woman with some great girl time! (my friends try to do at least one girls night a month!) It's important to keep those great relationships going no matter what stage you are in life!

Starting in June... "Become A Long With Me"

2010-05-26T10:00:00.001-05:00

Starting in June (which is just next week!), Wednesdays we will be turning over the keyboard to a very special guest blogger, Paula Kennedy. Paula is one of Relish's very talented designers and she is getting married this Fall. She is going to take you along on her journey during the final months before her big day, when she marries her fiance Dean!

Paula & Dean recently moved to Ohio, but they are getting married here in Nashville, so she has the task of preparing things from afar. She is a very creative AND organized gal. She always likes to have her "duckies in a row", so we look forward to following her on this beautiful adventure! We also look forward to featuring the awesome Nashville vendors she's selected for her big day. While we are a national company, we love our hometown Nashville. Paula does too - check out the recent design she created for our "I Love Nashville" flood relief line.

So "save-the-date" and follow Paula on a bride's adventure every Wednesday starting next week!

Spring Brings Pastel Things

2010-05-24T09:16:00.020-05:00

I must admit that I love bright, bold colors. It's evident in most of the designs I create. In fact, I tend to shudder at the idea of pastels. I think it's because growing up, I was enveloped in pastels. My bedroom went from shades of light blue and pale yellow to peach and white. I considered lavender my very favorite color. However, I think that after I reached a certain age and independence I wanted to break out and start living more boldly (like a woman instead of a girl) and that helped shape my grown-up color preferences (FYI: Fuchsia is now my fave).

However, lately I am beginning to warm back up to the "cools". A big reason for that is the wedding industry has introduced beautiful new ways to express yourself in pastels that while they are still feminine, they are somehow becoming more bold as well. [Check out the Christian Louboutin shoes!] So, whether you are a Pastel Princess or part of the pastel resistance like me - you won't be able to deny these beautiful new trends. And you may even find yourself loving the softer side for your own beautiful wedding day.

I love these After 6 dresses from Dessy.com in the Inspiration Board. Here's a larger version of one:

What better way to bring pastels in than by mother nature herself who loves pastels in beautiful floral arrangements! Check out this beautiful arrangement from Nashville's own Fresh by CarryAnn:

And what's a wedding without CAKE? Here is a beautiful cake idea we found from a New York inspiration board which has a bolder approach to pastel. This cake is from Savages Bakery in Birmingham, AL.

Here is a beautiful cake from Nashville's fave The Bake Shoppe:

Prefer cupcakes? Try this beautiful assortment from our favorite Cakes By Shara (they taste even better than they look!)

We also love these favors from Wedding Favors Unlimited (although, we suggest ditching the matching candy and add yellow or something to mix it up!):

And last, but not least, you have to have the perfect invitation! As seen in the inspiration board above, check out Relish to go as bold or as Pastel Pretty as you want!

So while I still prefer bold, I might add Lavender back into my life, especially if it comes in those shoes! ;)

As Featured on...Better Nashville!

2010-05-19T15:42:00.008-05:00

I Love Nashville! Don't you? And now is the time to support Nashville in it's flood relief efforts however you can. Being a team of stationery designers, we found the niche that worked for us: "I Love Nashville" line of stationery! We are donating 100% of the proceeds to the Red Cross' Nashville flood relief efforts!!! So you can get cute stuff and donate to the cause at the same time!

You can now get stationery with a Nashville theme! Get it Thank You notes; "Give" notes; Blank (scenery) notecards; and if you're a bride - yes, you can even get your entire invitation package!

There are four Nashville inspired designs (and counting)! There is a little something for everyone! The Skyline & Boots come in 7 different color options for a better variety!

And as the title of this blog suggests, we are going to be featured on WSMV Channel 4's "Better Nashville" program this Thursday (May 20th) when it airs between 1:00 - 2:00pm. Be sure to check it out "live" or you can catch the interview starting tomorrow afternoon at www.betternashville.com

Help us spread the word!!! Please tell your friends to check out the new Nashville stationery and support a good cause! Mention Coupon Code "Nashville5" and save $5 on your order! We can't do much more than that because we want to GIVE it to the Red Cross!!! One idea some people are doing is ordering a larger quantity to share with friends to make it more affordable (it's cheaper per piece the higher quantity you go AND we get to donate more!)

Thanks for your support!!!

The Diamond Date... A Red Carpet Affair

2010-01-18T12:46:00.006-06:00

Are you a newly engaged couple? Are you DREAMING about that day coming soon? You do NOT want to miss this event Valentine's weekend! It's going to be FABulous!

Saturday, February 13th
"Drop By" between 5:00pm - 8:30pm
www.thediamonddate.net

Relish is proud to be a participating sponsor of this fantastic, luxurious date night! Elegant Diamonds in Providence (the hidden gem of jewelers - they have the most fantastic pieces!) will be hosting this wonderful event at their store in Providence. Couples will be asked to park by the movie theatre and will be shuttled (Class Act Limos will be providing their service) down to the event at the store. You will arrive to a real red carpet roll out!

Then you'll go inside where you can put on some bling and get your professional photos taken (which will be printed and given to you at the end of the night)! Take a look around at 2010 wedding trends in a no-pressure atmosphere. You get to look around at fabulous jewelry, products and get some great ideas for your special day. When you RSVP, you will be registered to win one of the awesome door prizes from one of the many fabulous sponsors! Also, there will be swag bags with awesome free goodies inside!!!

You may also order movie tickets to finish out your date night when you register at a discounted rate. Whether you finish with the movies or not - either way, you will have a luxurious ride back down to the theatre.

Swag bags are limited so hurry and RSVP! You may get all the fabulous details, list of sponsors, and register online here:
www.thediamonddate.net

Get Married FREE!

2010-01-08T10:40:00.003-06:00

Happy New Year guys and gals! And a many congrats to all of you who got engaged over the holidays! :)

If you are engaged and would love a FREE wedding, check out this awesome contest! www.getmarriedfree.com
Relish is a proud sponsor of this awesome Mt. Juliet giveaway! We're talking FREE photography, FREE location, FREE food, FREE videography, FREE coordinating, FREE, FREE, FREE!!! Oh and of course.. FREE INVITATIONS! :)

If you are into FREE and engaged, be sure to enter the contest BY Sunday, Jan 17th!!

Christmas SPECIAL!

2009-12-22T13:40:00.003-06:00

Get 20% OFF everything at Relish! Just place your order by 11:59pm December 31st! Just use Coupon Code: Christmas2009

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

Relish Giving Thanks!

2009-11-25T13:08:00.006-06:00

Thanksgiving... what a great time of year! I really believe this is my favorite holiday of them all - as far as the overall feeling it invokes in me. Christmas has more meaning than them all, but Thanksgiving is something special.

Maybe it's the wonderful meals my mother made (still best Thanksgiving meals I've ever had). Maybe it's the long weekend you're guaranteed every year. Maybe it's Fall with the colors in the trees and the air cooling off just enough to make you cozy up in sweaters, but still warm enough to go outside. I'm not sure what it is exactly but every memory of Thanksgiving makes me smile like a child.

This Thanksgiving, I'd like to give some special thanks to my Relish family. We have such a hardworking team that goes above and beyond what I would have ever expected to find. I am so blessed for the talents God has given me, but way beyond that - I am blessed by the people He has surrounded me with. Relish is still a baby company with a big future (lots of plans!) and we have such great minds & creative talents working towards the ultimate vision of the company.

I'd like to give special thanks to my designers.

Lindsay (Speck) Brazier. It was a big year for Lindsay - she got married and got a house. She has a full-time job (as does most of the Relish team at this point) but still cranks out beautiful work. She is a very sweet person and very dear to me as a friend and as an employee.

Paula Kennedy. Another girl with a big year. She got engaged (congrats!) and is moving this week to Ohio. While we will miss seeing her here in Tennessee, she will still continue as a vital part of the team. I consider Paula THE Relish Design NINJA! She whips out awesome designs and they are all so unique and so super cute! I love her stuff! I can't wait to get our 2010 line out so you can see her beautiful work!

Rebecca (Vine) Vajdos. Rebecca is my sweet friend who helped me found Relish. In the beginning, it was just the two of us. Since then, she has moved on to concentrate on her music but is still working on designs for Relish. Thanks for all you've done to help form the vision for Relish!

A SUPER FANTASTIC thanks to our Software Developer - Weston Goodwin.
He's had a big year personally - got married and started his own business. (If you want to get married, join the Relish team!) He has been with us almost since the beginning and he has been a huge part of our vision! He is integral in our long-term success. We have grown together and will continue to grow. Just wait until you see our new software coming out Spring, 2010. It will blow your mind! He is amazing, talented and most importantly to me - an absolute JOY to work with (hard to find in software developers - we know, we tried a couple before him!). Weston, thanks so much for believing in our company and in our vision. Thanks so much for taking us to the next level and for the many, many, many, MANY hours you've spent on our dream. You are the best!!!

The Relish Board! The reason we have a board is because we are a corporation and it's a necessity and also Relish has so many aspects to it as a company that it needs more insight for different areas to make it grow into a great company.

Dustin Resch. Okay, so I'm thanking my husband first. Mostly because he has also been with Relish since the beginning - all the long nights, all the work, all the hair pulling - he has seen it and been a part of it all (even when he'd rather not!) :) His position in the company is our CIO - our IT guy. He handles on the computer technology in our office and IS our IT department for now. He's awesome at what he does and it frees me up to do what I do best - which is work AT the computer, not ON it! Thanks baby for all your technical support and your emotional support in the startup of my dream!

Leeann Cooper. Leeann is one of the many very smart people I am blessed to have in my life. She works full-time in an executive position at Marriott. She knows lots about Marketing and numbers and all that jazz. She is also very organized and can think about the "big picture" which is why she is the chair of our board. She has worked very hard with us almost since day 1 and we appreciate her contributions tremendously. She and her beautiful family also got a new house this year and are expecting their second baby girl in just a few weeks!

Jenn York. Our accountant. Where would we be without Jenn? We would probably not be here - I'll tell you that. There is so much that goes into running a corporation / retail / online store - sigh. Jenn has made it so much easier though and LEGAL! :) She has a Master's degree and is wicked smart. We thank Jenn so much for her MANY hours of work and contributions!

Nickalaus Longo. Our Operations Manager. Nick is also wicked smart. He knows the big picture when it comes to operating a company. He can see logistically things that are often hard for me to understand. He is honest but kind. He has also had a big year, with him & his beautiful wife Mindy having their first baby girl. Nick, thank you so much for your many contributions and for always thinking about the big picture. You are amazing and we couldn't be doing this without you!

David Garcia. David joined our board this year and is an awesome consultant to have on your team. David is a software developer and consultant. He also has great creative / artistic vision (amazing to find both those worlds exisiting in one brain). With his talent, he has brought great ideas for the future of Relish and opened doors on where we can take our company next. Thanks David for an awesome year of inputs!

OUR CLIENTS!
Thanks to all of our clients that have blessed us with the honor of doing business with you this past 18 months. We appreciate you and hope to serve our future clients with even a better experience and better products in the year to come!

Writing all of this out made me have the warm fuzzies I think of when I think of this wonderful holiday. I personally am also very thankful for... my family (back in Illinois);my in-laws in Kentucky (who we will be seeing tomorrow);my awesome furry family - starting with our dog Summer; all of wonderful friends; my awesome church family (Joy Church) and last but not least - my Heavenly Father. I am such a blessed individual and I know it and am very, very thankful for it all.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! See you after the holiday! Relish the after Thanksgiving sales, but remember to be safe doing your bargain hunting this weekend! :)

Don't forget to say Thank You!

2009-11-19T12:09:00.003-06:00

Time is running out to SAVE 30% OFF all of our thank you cards! Offer expires Wednesday, the 25th at 11:59pm.

So don't forget your manners - say Thanks in style!

COLOR me happy!

2009-11-16T14:00:00.004-06:00

Often times we like to talk about colors, because let's face it - Relish is all about color! That's why we started our company, because we had a passion for color and using it to personalize your wedding day.

We recently stumbled across a great blog that talks non-stop about color and about how to use it for your special day. They actually featured one of our invitations for their yellow & lime wedding theme.

Check out this awesome blog, called The Perfect Pallete (perfect name!) and get inspired for all the details for your special day. Here is an example of their Thanksgiving palette inspiration.

It's easy to learn how to use colors correctly to build your perfect palette. Check it out and then come back to Relish to build your custom, colorful wedding stationery package!

Vanna K Jewelry - RELISH IT! :)

2009-11-09T12:57:00.005-06:00

Okay, so let me be the first to admit that I am was not raised the typical girl. I loved fishing, climbing trees, working with my hands, baseball caps (still a fave). I did eventually become a little more girly (thankfully for Relish!) but jewelry was not a favorite for me until recent. When I thought of "nice" jewelry, I thought of jewelry designs that I would never wear, because I am either not that old or that elegant. I never saw anything that felt like something I would wear... until now.

As with many vendors Relish has had the awesome opportunity to network with, one of them has yet again expanded our minds of what is possible. Elegant Diamonds (whom we recently blogged on HERE) offers a jewelry line exclusive to them in this area: Vanna K. Vanna is a young woman who came from a family of jewelers. She has an eye for color and design that just makes me stop and go "Really?! Okay - I have to have THAT!" She combines modern and classic in ways I've never seen.

The REALLY great news?! She is doing a trunk show here in Nashville at - none other than - Elegant Diamonds. It's happening December 4th and 5th. If you are a stylish girl, check it out in person! Whether you are looking for that perfect engagement ring or wedding band OR if you are like me and already hitched, but would love a Christmas wish list - come on out! It's going to be FABULOUS! In the meantime, check out her website! Fall in love and then come check out all her stuff in person on the 4th & 5th!