What does it mean to you?

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ok, how gorgeous is this table from mindy+mark’s wedding? photo by swoon over it.

If you brides are anything like me then in the days leading up to your big day you’re investing much of your energy thinking about all the special little details.  And, like me, I’m sure you feel like you’ve thought of everything from your somethings old, new, borrowed and blue down to your day-by-day honeymoon itinerary.  So when I was perusing the blogosphere and stumbled upon some adorable seating chart options and then I saw these really cute themed escort cards, I suddenly realized I had yet to hammer out one very important detail.

Deciding who sits where and with whom at your reception may not matter much to you, but trust me, this is one part of your wedding you should put some serious thought into it.  If the wrong people sit together you could have one big reception fiasco that would totally distract from you and your groom. I suggest you take care of this potential problem before it occurs and give your guests some structure as to where they belong.  And if you can’t decide between seating charts and escort cards, here are a few thoughts that may sway you in the right direction.

I love the idea of seating charts because I tend to be a little obsessive about having things simple and organized.  Seating charts can be done up however you want and you can even connect it with your theme. Some photographers even offer the option of having your favorite engagement shot as the focal point of your seating chart.   If you’re one for order, alphabetizing, and minimal expected chaos, then this is the way for you.

PROS: Organized, simple, themed, easy for guests to find seat

CONS: Less fun/interactive for guests, guests don’t get to take your chart home as a keepsake

Escort Cards

Escort cards are great because they give couples the chance to show their style and incorporate the wedding theme.  If you’re having a winter wedding (like me!) then here’s one cute option that allows you to spread some of your holiday cheer. Guests can really enjoy escort cards (and you can have fun making them!) but keep in mind the potential headache for guests as the awkwardly stand by the entrance searching through 100+ little cards desperately trying to find where they should sit.

PROS: Really show off your personality/creativity, easy to tie into your theme, guests can enjoy their place cards even after the reception is over

CONS: Guests may have a hard time finding their cards

Now that you’ve seen what some of your options are, how do you plan on directing your guests to their appropriate tables?

{first two photos by swoon over it, last photo from pinterest/green wedding shoes}

Below is a stunning combination from Etsy seller singleBbeautiful with the following details: 14kt palladium white gold, .30ct HVS1 diamond, ideal cut. Really anything that involves conflict-free stones is pretty awesome in my book.

Enjoy your weekend everyone. xo.

How could I not share all of her awesome-ness with you all? Enjoy.

love session photo of jessica and her hubby, jason – by dolci momenti photography.

1. Hello! Who are you?

My name is Jessica Siegfried… Born and raised in Dunmore, and based out of Northeast PA, I specialize in affordable custom wedding stationary. Each one of my designs are made to order. Everything is personalized to you… paper, inks, envelopes, embellishments. If you envision it, I’ll make it happen!

2. Who or what got you started in the industry? 

My entire life I have been smitten with weddings. When I was little, I spent my afternoons in my father’s tuxedo shop. My mother would sew beautiful bridal purses and wedding bags, and I’d stand in awe as she’d hem the gowns of my older cousins in our kitchen. I fed my wedding obsession working my way through college as an assistant wedding photographer, designing invites for family and friends, and even did a few stints as a bridal model along the way.

Years later, in 2006, I got engaged and my inner Bride-zilla broke loose! I was determined to do it my way all while sticking to our budget. Everything was to be a reflection of us, so I did it all myself. I realized that I was lucky to be able to do that… and decided to offer my services others via Etsy. Every bride is unique, so their stationary should be also! Plus, My husband said I was suffering from “wedding withdrawl” and needed an outlet for all the extra time I had after our wedding! lol

3. What is your favorite part about being in the wedding world?

There’s soo much!! The beauty, the excitement, the glamour, the love… the hope of a new bride to be.

4. Besides weddings, are there any other special events that you service?

I do! (No pun intended!) I actually have extended my services to include all special events, along with a commercial division. So now I accommodate anything from a billboard to a birth announcement, business to holiday cards and everything in between.

5. Where do you go to be inspired? 

I’m a huge fan of Green Wedding Shoes, and I love DIY sites and Etsy…Real Simple Weddings is a favorite of mine, and Martha Stewart (of course!).

6. What sets you apart from other fellow professionals? 

Even though my designs are made custom for you, they come with an affordable price tag. I understand that in order to have your dream wedding/dress/band/etc. you might not be ready to drop beaucoup bucks on stationary. There’s no reason why a bride on a budget shouldn’t have their visions brought to life by an award-winning designer.

7. Whether you’re single, married, divorced, widowed… we all have words of advice when it comes to relationships. What is your advice to couples tying the knot?

Remember to stop and BREATHE. Some people get so caught up in the planning that they forget to enjoy this monumental moment. Don’t think of it as a to-do list, rushing through to what’s next. You have your whole life ahead of you, together… Don’t forget to stop and enjoy THIS time.

8. Aside from weddings, what are some other little known things about you?

I’m an award-winning Art Director at a full-service advertising agency in Scranton and am in my second term as the President of the American Advertising Federation, NEPA. Oh, and I’m obsessed with Pit Bulls. In June of 2009, a fat little pit pup named Lola entered our lives and stole our hearts. As an effort to help promote and support the breed I do pro-bono design work with some of the local Pit Bull Rescues throughout NEPA. This summer I plan to launch an apparel shop on etsy named “Pittie Chicks” featuring feminine apparel and donate a portion of each sale.

photo by the fabulous alison conklin.

Get in touch with Jessica:

email: Simplyou.design@yahoo.com
web: simplyoudesign.com
shop: simplyoudesign.etsy.com
facebook: facebook.com/SimplYou.Design

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SimplYouDesigns, Dolci Momenti Photography and Alison Conklin are all highly recommended creative professionals of Danielle Pasternak Events.

photo by swoon over it

Wishing you all a very lovely day filled with goodness, love and laughter.

Possibly even some chocolates and flowers – if you’re into that sort of thing.

xo,

danielle “d.pnak” pasternak

First of all, I have to say that this photo was taken by the amazing Daniel Moyer at Amanda and Mark’s wedding last August. It’s one of those photos that I love looking back on because so many things go through my head.

Amanda was the type of bride that I BEYOND loved working with. She was uber-organized, incredibly focused, and grew to become a great friend to me. She was also very worried that it was going to rain on her wedding day. Her mom and I advised her to focus on her Plan A (a lovely outdoor ceremony) and be prepared for Plan B (a just-as-lovely indoor ceremony) just in case of inclement weather. Well, Amanda’s wedding day was the day Hurricane Irene decided to blow through the Lehigh Valley. With Plan B in place, she remained cool, calm and collected and I was so proud of her. But at this moment in the picture, the sun in shining in and just filling up this room with love. It was somewhat the calm before the storm outside, but a foreshadow of how lovely the day was going to be.

There are also some clients that involve a close friend or family member (or sometimes even the fiancé if he’s lucky) in their wedding planning process. In this case, I had the opportunity to get to know Amanda’s mom through those meetings and conversations. If you look in the upper-right-hand side of this photo, you see the biggest smile on her face. I’m pretty sure she was laughing (as we all were) as we were trying to get Amanda into her dress. The buttons on the back made it a true team effort.

As far as Daniel (the photographer) goes, I can say so many good things here. He was the type of person that anyone could enjoy working with. He was energetic the entire day and maintained a super-positive attitude – definitely the type of person I like to surround myself with. It’s no surprise to me that his business is growing and becoming more successful each year. We wish him nothing but the best and you can find him on our list of recommended vendors.

Finally, I really like my hair in this picture! Ok, not so insightful, but it’s true.

How about you? Did you ever have a picture that just made you smile for so many reasons? I think that’s the true art behind a simple photo: the memories it holds.

Ladies and gents, I give you Julia Truax.

engagement photo of Julia and her man by Fusion Studios.

As the newest member of the DPNAK team, tell us about yourself.

My name is Julia Truax and I’m from Millville, PA (you’ve never heard of it).  I’m the middle of three kids and my mother is the most hardworking woman I know.  I have an older sister Kate and a younger brother Nick and they’re two of the best friends I could ever ask for.  On May 19, 2012, I will graduate from Misericordia University (go Cougars!) with a Bachelor of Art degree in Communications (specialization in Public Relations and Advertising) and a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology (with a minor in Marketing) – and I did it all in the typical four years!  I absolutely love working in higher education and can see myself doing that, but the ultimate goal is to be a wedding planner/coordinator – whether it’s in my own company or as a partner with someone else.  I can’t believe this dream is beginning to happen already!  On December 1, 2012, I will marry my Snookums (DON’T TELL HIM I CALLED HIM THAT ON HERE!). Most people call him Matt.  We went to the same school, had the same friends, played the same sports, etc. since we were little but only started dating his senior year of high school.  Five years later and we’re finally going to be Mr. and Mrs.! I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with my hubby.  We love to travel and hope to go to Europe in October and Hawaii in December for our honeymoon, so 2012 is a big year for me.  I love movies and sitcoms (probably have the biggest collection of anyone you’ve ever met – biggest Friends fan ever, just saying).  I also love to cook and am quite the thrifty shopper (yes my entire wedding ensemble cost around $200: dress, shoes, jewelry, veil, wrap, etc.) and it’s all fabulous, I promise.  One of my favorite things to do is get in the kitchen with hubby and cook.  We have a few recipes we stick to but I’m a little more adventurous and try to throw some new things in every once in a while too.  I played sports all throughout high school and did intramurals in college (organized sports kind of lost their flair for me when I got to MU – I tried them but it wasn’t worth it).  I am ridiculously organized and have some mad crazy time-management skills – which is how I got to participate in everything MU had to offer (there’s too much to list here so if you’re really interested just ask, I’m totally an open book).  One thing I didn’t know about myself before but do know now is that I can be rather wordy and apparently can talk quite a bit so I’m going to stop now – sorry guys!

What’s your style?

Ooooh I am a business girl.  I L-O-V-E pearls and pencil skirts and would wear sassy outfits every day if I could.  Sadly, everyday life wasn’t made for pearls and pencil skirts so I don’t get to rock my faves as often as I’d like.  Another unfortunate thing is that I sometimes have temporary and sudden style A.D.D. so one day I may obsess over my favorite Steve Madden boots and leggings and the next day I want nothing more than to rock yoga pants and my Nikes.

What’s your favorite trend in the wedding industry right now?

I adore when couples personalize their day.  I’m all for pulling in traditional aspects, but let’s say your first date was tennis and taco bell (hey, don’t judge me and my man – we were in high school) and you want to get married outside on a tennis court and have a big fiesta as your reception – go for it.  With the resources online and everywhere else it’s so much more doable to dress up an unusual venue and make it breathtaking.  Now I am NOT doing this for my wedding because I have always dreamed of the perfect (kind of traditional) day and I wanted to get married in December because 1) it gives me something to look forward to when the weather can be gross and no one wants to sit outside on park benches while the man and I exchange I dos and 2) wedding in December = honeymoon vacation in December so I have an excuse to escape said yucky weather, but this was totally an option for us.  Anyway, where was I <quickly scans to beginning of paragraph> AH yes… wedding trends.  Right, PERSONALIZE your wedding.  You’ll enjoy the day, your new mate (does that word make anyone else think of monkeys and Brendan Fraser in George of the Jungle?) will actually enjoy the day (and let’s face it ladies, the men normally don’t give two hoots, there I go all animalistic again…) and your guests will definitely remember it for the unique and personal ties that you worked so hard to incorporate.  And the big day is supposed to be fun (and stress-free if you hire us!) so do your best to bring in something that screams YOU+YOUR LOVE.

Do you have any secret superpowers?

New super power is rambling apparently, but no seriously, shopping.  I am WONDERWOMAN when it comes to shopping, and I mean shopping (ON A MINISCULE BUDGET) of any kind.  Online, in stores, auctions, thrift shops, this lady is good.  I got a Prada bag (mint condition) for $10 (no it’s not a knockoff), I already told you about my awesome wedding attire,  and my friends always come to me when they need something new.

What are you most excited about?

Someone just says the word ‘wedding’ and I squeal and get all giggly school girl, but I am most excited to see the personality of each couple (must be the psych major in me).  I love love.  I love the history of each couple and I love to think about the future of each couple.  I also am uber passionate about family.  These two things are kind of what weddings are all about – the meshing of families all because two people fell in love.

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Make sure to keep an eye out for Julia at a few our 2012 weddings. She will also be contributing monthly to the blog with great tips, advice, and ideas from a bride’s point-of-view.

I’d also like to wish a VERY happy birthday to our other assistant, Audra!

I’m so proud of both of these girls and feel so lucky to have them as part of the DPNAK team. Enjoy your weekend, everyone!

Love you all.

xo,

dpnak

As you may have heard, I’m in the process of a rebrand. If you clicked on that, you will see my post from SEPTEMBER of 2011 talking about my “coming soon” brand and new website. As you can see it’s now February of 2012 and we are still not done. It certainly hasn’t been a smooth process but I’m happy to say that we are FINALLY heading in the right direction and making some serious progress. But because I get to look at all the future prettiness that will be the website and blog, I haven’t been too happy with the current one. Boo.

In the meantime, while we all patiently (ok, attempt at patiently) wait, here’s a peek at the new logo:

We’ve also been super busy getting ready and preparing for the upcoming Borrowed Event. And did you hear? Tickets are now on sale! First 100 to purchase tickets get a free borrowed bow which is basically the cutest thing ever.

I decided to break down some traditional elements and look for ways to put a fresh spin on it, without losing the point of the tradition.

the cake. History tells us that the cake cutting and serving ceremony started as a gift. It was the first gift the bride and groom gave to each other, and they then shared that gift with the community (a.k.a. their guests). Ok, that’s a nice tradition. But do you need a 5-layer cake if you’re not a cake person? Nope. Try using desserts like cupcakes, pies, cake pops, doughnuts – anything that suits your style and taste (pun intended). You can still feed it to each other (I greatly despise the cake-smashing tradition) in front of your guests and share it with them via a beautiful dessert display or delivered on a plate to their seat.

favors and centerpieces. I’m excited to see the era of giving meaningless favors quietly leaving. When thinking about your favors (a.k.a. your “thank you for witnessing the coolest day of our lives so far”) make sure to take the guests into account. Will they really use a picture frame with YOUR names and wedding date carved into them? Likely not. Could that money be better spent on something else? You bet. What if you gave each of your guests something that you and your spouse made/did together? Or even make a donation in the guests’ name to charity that means something to you and/or your families? How about a CD of your all-time favorite songs?As for the centerpieces, donate them to hospitals and senior citizen homes. They will brighten their day more than you could possibly imagine.

So, how are you incorporating traditions into your day? And how are you putting your own spin on it?

Photo credit: Pinterest and the ever-amazing Douglas Benedict Photography