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Drybar Overview from drybar on Vimeo.


Drybar: Photoshoot from drybar on Vimeo.


Drybar Sizzle Video from drybar on Vimeo.


Drybar: The Search for Stylists from drybar on Vimeo.

On-Site Coordination with LaFete Events: A Must

"Guidance during the last critical month and on the wedding day."- LaFete Events

On-Site Coordination.  The finishing touches, wrap-up details, and confirmations can overwhelm anyone as the days approach to your walk down the aisle.  This is where Katie and the LaFete team come through.  LaFete Events begins this process 2 months prior to your wedding day and coordinates all of the "game day logistics".  Once everything has been organized and put into place, it's just a matter of showing up and enjoying oneself. 

LaFete offers the following for their On-Site Coordination services starting with your planning meeting:

• Rehearsal, ceremony, and reception management
• Timeline creation for rehearsal and wedding day
• Vendor and venue liaison and contact
• Management of personal belongings and gifts of the bride and bridal party

These are all of the little odds n' ends that you and your bridal party won't want to deal with the day of your wedding... there are WAY too many other things going on.  Katie and LaFete will take care of all of this, and then some, for you.  They literally take all of the worry out of your head and hands. 

I have to give Katie a shout out for being completely in-tune with the needs of her clients.  She's not afraid to be honest when telling her clients that planning a wedding takes time, energy and a certain level of commitment to ensure that their vision becomes a reality... She always delivers!  Great job LaFete, we'll see you next Thursday!

Photo Source: Walters & Walters Photography

General Knot & Co. Weddings

Last week I introduced you to my Tuesday obsession, General Knot & Co.  Before posting last weeks blog I reached out to General Knot & Co. to alert them of my interest in writing about their shoppe.  I was hopeful for a good response since weddings are probably not the first target of any entrepreneur specializing in men's accessories.  I was happy to receive the following answer from Andrew, Creative Director and Lead Designer...

"A very happy surprise, though!  I've had such a great time collaborating with the grooms and brides to make their special designs.  They really seem to enjoy not only having a true part in the creative process, but also being able to create unique designs that only they and they alone will ever have."- Andrew


PERSONAL FAVORITE:  Black Chambray & Navy Deadstock Floral Two Tone Neck Tie 

This is what I love. Not only are the ties unique in their own right, but you can actually work with General Knot & Co. to create a custom tie just for your groom or all of the groomsmen. If you don't want a completely random assortment consider choosing the same main fabric for the face of the tie and selecting a different accent piece.  For example...

Like the evolution of bridesmaids gowns, members of the grooms party are also considering their options for what makes them look good.  Fashion has sneaked its way into the fox den and so far I don't hear any complaints.

Photo Source:  All General Knot & Co. Neck Ties.  Black Chambray & Mountain Green Check Two Tone Neck Tie, Black Chambray & Navy Deadstock Floral Two Tone Neck Tie, Black Chambray & Jacquard Pickstitch Stripe Two Tone Neck Tie, Black Chambray & 1970s Check Flannel Two Tone Neck Tie

Happy Halloween!

Halloween has a special place in our family- my little sister Tina was born on Halloween.  Because Tina was deemed the "pumpkin baby" any Halloween related book, movie, or song was always readily available in our house. 

Our family has taken a strong liking to Tim Burton and his creations. His characters, although ghoulish and ghastly, are always romantic and sweet.  There is something very special about a skeleton serenading his love under a harvest moon (sigh). It only seemed appropriate to post this 13 days leading up to All-Hallows-Eve.  


Sweeping black chiffon, candelabras with glowing ivory wax, and creepy crawlers who appear before you on your plate make interesting guests...

Photo Sources: Pottery Barn Mini Skull Vase Filler, Amsale Blue Label “Dahlia” gown, Pottery Barn Curiosity Appetizer Plates, BHLDN Moon's Realm Booties, Ghost Photo by Ashley Garmon, Jill Johnson Halloween Photography, Bella Figura Natalia, Vera Wang #61, Pottery Barn Happy Halloween Wall Decal, Halloween Reception

Tuesday's Obsession: General Knot & Co.

Two guys walk into a bar... but that's not how the story goes.  Actually, two guys rode the same train one day in New York City and discovered a shared admiration for what would turn out to be an extremely successful and unique shoppe and CharlotteLucey's new Tuesday feature.

PERSONAL FAVORITE:  General Knot & Co.

Andrew Payne is the Creative Director and lead designer for these pieces of American art.  How so?  The fabrics collected that create every necktie, bow tie, and pocket square range from 40-90 years old and are masterfully wait for it...wait for it.... mixed n' matched!  Every tie has an accent and a hidden surprise. So how does General Knot & Co find their fabrics?  I'll let them explain...

"We curate our tie fabrics through a countrywide network of collectors, dealers, estate sales and auctions.  We especially love this part of our work. There's nothing quite like the thrill of finding an amazing vintage fabric and giving it another lease on life." - General Knot & Co.

The inventory General Knot & Co. possesses is impressive, and one that I intend to begin collecting for myself.  The ties are beautifully crafted and the story General Knot & Co. narrates amplifies the amount of care, attention to detail and love that goes into the product and craft.

If you see a tie you like, need or love, don't wait too long.  Supply is limited because of the nature of the fabrics... they are 100% authentic, vintage fabrics that can't be duplicated.   As General Knot & Co. says, "History has woven a story into every design".

Photo Sources:  General Knot & Co. 

Creative Consultation with LaFete Events

The other week I introduced you to Katie Dunn and LaFete Events, a full-service event coordination team based in North Carolina.  Katie and LaFete offer a tiered system of services that cater your your needs whether you need a part-time consultant or full-time coordinator.

PERSONAL FAVORITE:  CREATIVE CONSULTATION 

With the amount of resources available at your fingertips, it's completely understandable why you may not need a full-time coordinator.  If this is the route you choose, a Creative Consultation is the way to go.  Katie and her team work with you on an hourly basis to help you with (but not limited to) the following:

• Venue search
• Budget development and cost-savings solutions
• Vendor selection and referral
• Personalized decor and design 
• Rental item selection and coordination
• Timeline development and action lists
• General wedding planning tips and advice
• Pre/post wedding events

One of the things I really enjoyed learning about Katie when I met her was the amount of time she takes to get to know her clients and what they need from her.  This helps communicate the process of setting expectations between you (the planner) and your coordinator.  A Creative Consultation also allows for greater flexibility in the planning process:

• Budget.  You only pay for the services that you need. 
• Time Management.  You take care of the items on your punch list and your coordinator picks up the rest. 
• Resources.  A Creative Consultation gives you access to an abundant amount of resources that Katie and LaFete are happy to share with you. Through them you are able to research and manage the process for obtaining your vendors through trusted referrals and advice from the experts!

Until next Thursday!

Photo Source:  Walters & Walters Photography 

Life is Sweet- Super8

Last night I toasted to my (and CharlotteLucey's) one month anniversary in Atlanta!  I'm so excited to be down here and have met some great people to work with.

The video below comes from Birdhouse Productions in Pennsylvania.  The couple are filmmakers and the guy couldn't help it, but to use his talents to propose to his girlfriend.  Wishing everyone a sweet and happy weekend.  Life is sweet.


Life Is Sweet. from birdhouse productions. on Vimeo.

The Paper Nickel Stamp Company

Have you ever noticed the perfectly fixed stamp on a wedding invitation?  Do you notice how the stamp matches the invitation inside or event theme?  This is no coincidence.  Yes, a careful eye spent time perusing through a selection of stamps in order to play matchmaker between the stamp and it's soul mate, the envelope.

PERSONAL FAVORITE:  The Paper Nickel Stamp Company 

Wouldn't it be fun to have authentic, vintage stamps as part of your weddings identity?  May be from the 70's or late 80's?  What about the early 1900s?  If you purchase stamps from The Paper Nickel Stamp Company that's exactly what you'll receive.  A colorful mix of authentic and handcrafted stamps from a multitude of decades.

"Holly (owner and founder) handpicks a cache of colorful and charming collections for each and every order, pulling from her enormous inventory which spans a variety of decades from the early 1900s through the late 1980s"- www.thepapernickel.com

Piggy-backing from the post yesterday, you can select to order a completely random assortment sent to you or you can specialize your order.  A great example is the photo below. We can assume the theme of the invitation or event is navy and red.  The stamps don't match, but remain within that color family.

A pack of stamps equals $.44 cents- the amount required to send a one standard piece of mail.  Sometimes a pack will contain 3 stamps, sometimes it will contain 5.  It all depends on the value of the stamps inside. If you are placing a large order that requires multiple packs, please allow several days for your order to be complete.

Tips & Tricks:  When you order your invitations ask the company or your event planner to send you a sample of the completed package that will be sent to your guests (inserts and all).  You can take your invitation to be weighed at your post office which will determine how many stamps you need for each one.  For safety, I always tack an extra $.02-$.03.  It's always better to round up by a little and know your invitations will be delivered safely than have them be returned back to you.

Have a great time with these- it's artistic, unique and classic!

PhotoSources:  The Paper Nickel Stamp Company 

Mix N' Match

I went through my usual resources and, as always, found what I wasn't looking for.  A stacked set of topsy-turvey, non-matching teacups.  Too often we worry too much about how things should fit together. How they should match to the perfectionists eye.  With all due respect,  screw the eye. It's the imperfections that give a setting, a person, a moment, and an environment their uniqueness and memorable qualities.

Anthropologie hosts the most perfect atmosphere for mixing n' matching.  The home nooks are stacked and cradled with things that have no business being in the same corner, but make perfect sense together.  Plan carefully and be modest with your choices.  The result will be extravagant.

Photo Sources:  Kate Spade The Year of Color, MadHatter Tea Party, Gildo Paris Roses, Amsale G659C, Amsale G660C, Amsale G657C, GreenWeddingShoes Bohemian Rainbow Wedding, English Rose Table, Mixed Glass Table

It's Here

It's official- Fall has arrived.  60 degree temperatures, clear skies, light winds, and flannel. Yesterday was a typical lazy Sunday, but I spent the majority of it outside.  I found (and purchased) some things along the way that reinforced the change in season. Click to view full post and photos.

This is a house I pass regularly in one of my favorite "pockets".  I'm a dork and utter fan of craftsman style homes.  They're cozy, have tons of character, and my favorite.... are larger than they appear. Like me :)

I will own a Wagoneer one day.  This is my sports car, my toy, my weekend joy ride. Oh yes, it will be mine. 

Wood chips.  I've taken a loan from Urban Cottage in the Highlands.  If you like shabby, vintage, beach meets log cabin-like homes- this place is for you.  A fun and affordable small treasure... I'm choosing a wash for my miniature bench!

Sorel half boots.  Half Moon Outfitters. Enough said.