Essence of Events, LLC

Before the marriage, the honeymoon, the wedding, and the engagement, comes the proposal. That’s how it all gets started for us here at Essence of Events. We love a good proposal story, and so today on Snapshot Sunday we want to share a few of our favorites. Read on, and make sure to have a box of tissues handy if you tend to get a bit misty eyed.

Casey was going on a “girl’s trip” to NYC with Jason’s mom, cousin, sister, and grandma. Jason flew up to surprise her in Central Park. He had an idea of using the New York Times to hide the rest of Casey’s big surprise. Her parents, brother, future father-in-law and future Grandpa-in-law had also flown up to support Jason and help him pop the question!

The group then asked strangers if they would help Jason propose to Casey, and almost everyone was more than eager to be a part of such a special day. When the bride-to-be came around the corner of the park, his mom started clapping, which got Casey’s attention, and the group all moved to the right, slowly revealing the painted newspapers, and finally, her man, Jason, who was waiting at the end.

I love how blissfully in love this couple is. Having a photographer secretly capture a proposal is a great way to share the love and keep those memories for years to come. You can also use the shots for Save the Date cards.

This is by far one of the most creative proposals that I have seen. The groom made a comic for his bride that when spread out would look like a regular street scene (he could work on it from home without her realizing what he was doing) but when folded in a specific way, the words would come together to read “will you marry me?”

I love how perfectly these series of photos tell this proposal story. Cute and charming.

If you have a tradition (like Saturday Scrabble) try to incorporate that into the proposal somehow. Chances are she won’t see it coming and it will be a special and personal memory.

Will proposed to Mallary on stage at the Foster the People concert in Austin, Texas. In front of thousands of people.

For more proposal ideas, tips to plan your proposal, and photographer referrals to help you capture this special day, contact Essence of Events. To schedule your free, initial consultation call 253.292.1482 or email contact@essenceofevents.com

Written by Samantha Macrae

DIY is huge right now, whether in the home, in your clothing, design, or even weddings. While Essence of Events doesn’t recommend DIY-ing your entire wedding (it can be stressful, labor intensive, costly, and not so fun after a while) having homemade wedding favors is a great way to add your crafty touch to your big day.

Guests love seeing personal touches, and if you love crafting or being creative, then we’ve compiled some of the best and our favorite types of DIY homemade wedding favors for your wedding or any event.

Homemade jam is one of the most popular favors to give. Attach a tag that reads “spread the love” or “jam packed with love” for bonus points. Other homemade jarred items to consider are hot sauce, chili, and even ice cream.

Love this cake-in-a-jar concept. Basically just add the layers of a cake into a jar or container for your guests. They make great midnight snacks as well if you attach utensils.

Infused oils and vinaigrettes are easy to make and add a classy and personal touch to your wedding.

Homemade cookies, biscotti, and other goodies are delicious and the packaging can be part of the favor as well.

Soaps are beautiful and will add a great fragrance to your reception room if they have added essential oils.

If you make your own wine, consider gifting some to your guests. If not, customize bottles with your own labels to add a personal touch.

Add the dry ingredients of a recipe to a jar, and put instructions on a label. You can have cookies, brownies, cake, or a number of other yummy treats as options for this great favor.

These birdseed feeders are easy and inexpensive to make, but are cute and personal if you add a tag.

Put tea leaves in a vessel for your guests. You can buy the infusions online or at tea stores like Teavana.

For even more unique favor ideas, DIY or store brought, contact Essence of Events today. To get all your questions answered and to schedule your free, initial consultation call 253.292.1482 or email contact@essenceofevents.com

Written by Samantha Macrae

If you have a sweet tooth, love cake, or just generally enjoy eating, then I guarantee that choosing your wedding cake will be one of your favorite parts of wedding planning.

However, it can get tricky, from the design, to flavors, portion size, and budget there are a lot of factors to consider. Essence of Events has been through cake shops enough times though to be able to walk you through some guidelines of choosing your wedding cake and to share with you some of our tips and tricks.

Think about design. This is the fun part (beside the tasting) because it will allow you to continue your theme onto another platform. Search on Pinterest and Google for cake keywords to get some vision, and talk to your cake designer about mixing up past designs.

Be honest about your budget. There are lots of ways to translate designs (peonies and lace, anyone?) onto your cake in less expensive ways. You have to be upfront from the beginning though. However if you are on a tight budget, think about having an oversized statement sugar flower or blocks of color rather than piped lace or floral cascades.

If it's the presentation of a tiered cake but you want to cut your costs and feed the other 100+ guests, opt for a three tier with the design you want and purchase sheet cakes to be cut in the back and served to your guests. We guaranteed they will never notice the difference and will be impressed that your three tier cake was able to feed 250 guests!

Portions dictate size. It’s not the other way around, the number of people you need to serve is more important than the number of tiers you think your cake should have. If your number is on the low side you can make it up with dummy tiers, but bear in mind that they aren’t free, and a five tier cake at a wedding with 40 people will probably result in a few awkward stares.

Make sure you like their style. Cake designers have styles. If you’re looking for a modern cake, don’t go to the baker who still uses pillars and stairways. The same goes for buttercream and fondant. Some designers are happy to work with both, but you’re much better off finding someone who works with the medium you want for your cake. Most bakers are happy to work with or have experience with different frosting mediums. The best way to know is to ask.

You get what you pay for. If you want to save money, try to be flexible with your designs but as the saying goes, “cheap cake ain’t good, good cake ain’t cheap.”

For even more wedding tips for your big day, and for recommended bakers who can help create your dream cake, contact Essence of Events today. To schedule your free, initial consultation call 253.292.1482 or email contact@essenceofevents.com

Written by Samantha Macrae

For a fun wedding, happy guests, and a party that won’t quit until the fat lady man sings, head on down to Las Vegas for Christina and Rabbit’s (yes that is his name) happy-go-lady lucky nuptials!

The couple utilized a color scheme of neon yellow, electric blue, and hot pink to make their hot momma Elvis theme come to live. With lotsa love, and definitely some kitsch thrown into their big day, the couple were able to pull off one of the most fun weddings I have seen in a long time. Take a look at these great photos!

I think these invitations are hilarious! Look closely for quirky details, like the response card and the stamps for a good giggle.

The outfits for the bridal party. By the way, I am a little obsessed with customized hangers as favors to your bridesmaids.

A customized sign for the ceremony, which was performed by who else but an Elvis impersonator. When in Vegas, right?

Why walk when you can cruise down the aisle in style in a hot pink convertible Cadillac?

The guests all released hundreds of balloons with their happy wishes for the couple.

There wasn’t assigned seating, but the bride and groom didn’t let on. They let their guests pick up what they thought were escort cards, instead they each contained personal messages from the bride and groom; what a lovely keepsake!

When your groom’s name is Rabbit, you have to incorporate some bunnies into your wedding somehow!

It was a star-studded night at their wedding.

Even if I didn’t have an Elvis themed wedding, I would still want to give out these bags as favors!

For details on how Essence of Events can help you create your very own Elvis themed wedding, or more ideas to help you plan for your dream day, schedule your free, initial consultation today. Call 253.292.1482 or email contact@essenceofevents.com to learn more.

Written by Samantha Macrae