Dynamite Weddings Workshop!

Thanks to all the Dynamite Experts that participated in the Dynamite Weddings Workshop last Sunday! The brides have given the event great reviews so far, saying things like: "This workshop/class setup beats a regular bridal expo any day. The "hands-on" learning in the workshop, and learning from experts in-person provide a great head start for wedding planning. It was much better than reading advice from a magazine!"

The brides loved the themed tables:

Zen Garden
(flowers by Lilygrass Fresh Flower Design, storyboard by The Memory Journalists, table cards by Stephanie J Designs, dress from Bella Donna Bridal Salon, all tabletop items and chairs from Celebrations! Elegant Party Rentals)
Funky Chic
((flowers by Visual Impact Design, storyboard by Profinish Design, table cards by Stephanie J Designs, dress from Bella Donna Bridal Salon, all tabletop items and chairs from Celebrations! Elegant Party Rentals)
Current Trends
(flowers by Flourish Designs, storyboard by Dynamite Weddings, table cards by Stephanie J Designs, dress from Bella Donna Bridal Salon, all tabletop items and chairs from Celebrations! Elegant Party Rentals)
Outdoor Chic
(flowers by Visual Impact Design, storyboard by Allison Stahl Photography, table cards by Stephanie J Designs, dress from Bella Donna Bridal Salon, all tabletop items and chairs from Celebrations! Elegant Party Rentals)
Sparkling Glam

(flowers by Blooms by Martha Andrews, storyboard by Sharpe Photographers, table cards by Stephanie J Designs, dress from Bella Donna Bridal Salon, all tabletop items and chairs from Celebrations! Elegant Party Rentals)
Thanks to The Memory Journalists for capturing great photos throughout the event!

Save The Dates!

I picked up our save the dates last week! It's so exciting. Stephanie, of Stephanie J Designs had them in this cute bag. It was such a fun gift to get!! :)We sent them out late last week!! Now it's official...people know. We were having a hard time deciding on what we would include in the save the dates, since I hadn't decided on colors at that point, except knowing earth tones and possibly blue or green.

I did know that I wanted to include a sort of family crest that Mr. Detonator and his two brothers have tattooed on their arms. Mr. D has also created a few pieces out of steel for his dad and the bros of this. I sent a pic of one over to Stef, asking her how we could incorporate this into our paper goods somehow. This is what I sent her:And...this is what she came up with:How creative is she??!!! They looks great!

We also wanted to find a way to let the immediate family and wedding party know that when calling to book their reservations, they should book for 2 nights since they will be receiving an invite to the rehearsal dinner which is at the lodge. So Stephanie also made a lodging card insert with the necessary information and used the crest faded in the background of the second card.

Now that we've decided on our colors, the invites will have some blue incorporated. I can't wait to see them!! Thanks to Stef!

Don't be afraid to give your vendors creative control and see what they can come up with a basic idea of your vision. You could be pleasantly surprised at how they've really built on your concept to make it amazing!

To see more of Stephanie's work, check her out on the blog or visit her site.

Trend - Welcome Notes

While we've mentioned the kind gesture of gift baskets for guests as they arrive, sometimes this can be costly. A nice note welcoming Uncle Greg and thanking him for traveling all the way from Nebraska to share your special day can add a sweet personal touch that gets the message across. They will be honored that you took the time.Photo provided by Stephanie J Designs

Introducing The Detonator

I am SO excited to be contributing to Dynamite Weddings as a recently engaged bride!! Here we are just moments after, on the coast in Big Sur!!
Here I was fooling around with the camera, practicing ring shots :)!

Since our engagement in November we are planning diligently to get married this August. It's been fun, but trying at the same time, working to keep perspective on what's important to us and still plan a really fun event! To read more about our engagement story, check out my past blog post.Photo provided by The Memory Journalists

I am excited to share that we are planning a real Dynamite wedding, meaning all the professionals involved so far are Dynamite Experts. The purpose behind Dynamite Weddings was to share tips, trends, bridal advice and recommend professionals that we would be honored to work with on our own wedding. Well, our wedding will be an opportunity to showcase a real Dynamite wedding where couples can see that those we recommend are truly trusted professionals. While Mr. Detonator and I would be grateful to work with all the Dynamite Experts, we could only choose a few for our 100 guest wedding. The experts we are excited to be working with are:

Bella Donna Bridal Salon
Blooms by Martha Andrews
Celebrations! Elegant Party Rentals
Profinish Design
Sheffield Multimedia
Stephanie J Designs
The Memory Journalists

Check back next week for my dress trials that have proved to be the most difficult part of this wedding so far!!

Dream Wedding Show Winner!

Congratulations to Connie Higgins, our Dream Wedding Show winner, who will receive a 12-pack of personalized notecards by Stephanie J Designs (valued at $25)!If you would like to order your own 12 or 24 pack of personalized notecards, contact Stephanie today! Design choices are Rock Star, Glam Girl, Beach Babe, Earth Angel or Shoe Goddess (pictured above).

Tip - Thoughtful Thank Yous

When writing your thank you cards for the thoughtful guests that sent you their heartfelt gift, be sure to get a jump start. Write the thank yous as the gifts come in, so the task doesn't become tedious and your comments become repetitive and lack creativity.

If you are worried about getting thank you cards done and out in time, consider hiring a pro. You can call on Faith Poirier Loo to handwrite your thank yous! Check out: HandWrittenThankYouCards.com.

Photo provided by The Memory Journalists
Card designs by Stephanie J Designs

Trend - Birds Of A Feather

Feathers incorporated into your wedding design can add a simple and elegant touch to your decor. There are many different approaches for their use from one being worn in your hair to having them used in the centerpieces, on your invitation designs or as part of your place setting decor.Invitation by Stephanie J Designs
Photo provided by The Memory Journalists

Luxurious Stephanie J Designs

Way to go Stephanie J Designs, who was featured on Luxurious Wedding's Style Report. She's running a "motivated bride special" for those brides that can assemble invites themselves, saving you money. Check out more information and couture invite sample designs.

Luxury At A DIY Price By Stephanie J Designs

Stephanie J Designs is offering 25% off your custom stationary order, when paid in full by February 2nd. Check out all the details on Stephanie's blog. Don't miss this opportunity to save time and money!

Photo provided by The Memory Journalists

Thanks To You!

Thanks to you all who came out to see us at the Premier Wedding Show making it such a success! We truly appreciate the support and hope that we reached a few new brides that hadn't yet had a chance to check out Dynamite Weddings! Hopefully you got to see all the fantastic vendors that participated and possibly recognized a few of them from Dynamite Weddings.

We also want to send a special thanks to the Premier Wedding Show for inviting Dynamite Weddings to participate. Here are the other Dynamite Vendors that participated in the show:

Bella Donna Bridal Salon

Celebrations! Elegant Party Rentals

Luxury Limousines of Sacramento

Music on the Move

Sharpe Photographers

Sheffield Multimedia (hard at work)

Stephanie J Designs

The Memory Journalists

Visual Impact Design

Disclaimer: None of the Dynamite Weddings photogs took these pics. NJ did.
Note to self-Ask DW photogs to take pics next time and stay far away from camera. ;P

Don't Miss the Premier Wedding Show

Don't miss out on the first major bridal show of the new year in the Sacramento area. The Premier Wedding Show takes place on Sunday, January 4th, 2009 at Arden Hills Resort Club & Spa. This bridal show includes many premium vendors, a fashion show

You can't beat this event at a prestigious location with complimentary parking and $10 admission. Register in advance and receive a discount and avoid waiting in line to register at the show.

Show time is 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Come visit Dynamite Weddings in the Heritage Room and chat with other Dynamite professionals present throughout the event:

Bella Donna Bridal Salon
Luxury Limousines
Music on the Move
Sharpe Photographers
Sheffield Mutimedia
Stephanie J Designs
The Memory Journalists
Visual Impact Design

See you on Sunday!!

Photo provided by Premier Wedding Show

Trend - Rain Card

Couples are trying to be well prepared for any potential situation these days. If you're having a wedding reception during a potentially rainy season, think about including a rain card with an alternate location or directions in case it rains.

Photo courtesy of The Memory Journalists
Design by Stephanie J Designs

Ask Marvin - Mystified Mailer

Dear Marvin,
We sent our Save the Dates out almost one year ago and are getting ready to send out invitations. Some people that received save the dates have already told us that they won't be able to make it. Should we still send them invitations?

To Mail Or Not To Mail

Dear Mystified Mailer,
Yes, still send out an invitation to all those that received save the dates. Things change. Their plans could have been canceled or moved since they first received your save the date. It's courteous to send them the invitation regardless, since you already included them in the save the dates. Besides, now you should receive a formal "no" response card which will help keep track.

Marvin

Photo courtesy of The Memory Journalists
Invitation design by Stephanie J Designs

Trend - Box It Up

For elegant, grand, tasteful wow factor, box up your invites! Specially made invitation boxes can be covered with silk, linen specialty paper, etc. Your invite boxes can also adorn a previous broach, ribbon or seal. These boxes scream elegance and you can continue with the concept adding matching favor boxes.Photo courtesy of The Memory Journalists
Invitation by Stephanie J Designs

Trend - Tease Your Guests

Don't let the theme to your wedding go unannounced until the reception. Give guests a little teaser by incorporating your theme and colors in the save the dates, invitations and wedding website (if applicable). Some guests will try to guess how you will incorporate this theme into your wedding day.

Photo courtesy of The Memory Journalists
Invitation by Stephanie J Designs

Spotlight On Interview - Stephanie J Designs

We were able to steal a few minutes with Stephanie of Stephanie J Designs and ask her a few questions. Check out her answers and get to know more about her and her dynamite invitation company! If I had to choose another profession, I would be… I gravitate towards cake design & photography. I enjoy baking and experimenting with creative flavor combinations. I'm the go-to-girl for cakes when it comes to a family event or birthday bash. I'm self-learning photography as I capture images of my stationery work. I love how changing position or focus can capture a sparkle you could have missed. I have immense admiration and respect for the cake decorators and photographers I have the pleasure of working with.

My favorite style of invitation is… Anything that is outside the old standard of a 5x5 white square panel, a pearlized border and black thermography ... BORING! (Note: 13 years ago that boring 5x5 white panel was my wedding invitation!) To get my attention It's got to be unique and captivating. An invitation that sets the tone, defines a glimpse of the event & reflective of the couple themselves.

I got started in this business… Five years ago I left my big corporate job as a project/design/web manager to start planning a family and to launch a business. The single driving force behind leaving my job was when it came time to plan for the birth of my son, I knew there was no way I was working 70 hours a week for someone else. Although, the transition to custom stationery wasn't a smooth one - I went back and forth for months deciding on a single direction - custom stationery or painting murals - both of which I did on the side while working my full-time job. Once I was off doing both for a couple months (sort of testing the waters), I decided my natural ability is clearly design. I did one bridal show and was hooked! I love what I do and am inspired everyday by the creative ideas of my clients - couldn't imagine doing anything else.

Regarding lettering on invitations, I prefer… I am a font fanatic! I love to mix up scripts and serif/sans serif fonts. I'm stretching myself out of my design comfort zone and trying to work with three font combinations - it can be tricky but if done right you end up with a look that is smart & sophisticated! I try to stay away from all script invitations (normally I only recommend it for hand calligraphy invitations) - for the most part because I think they are extremely difficult to read. What's the point of having a fabulous invitation if your guests have to work at figuring out what the heck says?

The most invitations I’ve ever created for one event… 500. Oh, that was a crazy few weeks. They were a pretty complicated design too. Pocket fold, multiple layers, ribbon, and crystals (totaling 3000 overall!). Yikes.

The biggest trend in wedding invitations right now… Big, Bold, and the more Bling ... the better.

The event type that I get the most requests for invitations… Without a doubt, weddings. Weddings account for more than 90% of my business. The other 10% is comprised of social events, milestones (birthdays, etc.) and corporate business (logos, collateral, etc.).

The top accessory to use with invitations… Your voice, your personality. Not your moms or your in-laws. Yours - as a couple. It doesn't matter what color it is, or what embellishments you put on it - if it doesn't reflect you and your special day it's not yours.

My biggest piece of advice to couples choosing invites… You're only limited by your imagination. Be creative and adventurous with your stationery - go beyond what is expected. Give your guests a wow factor and set them up for an event they can't wait to be a part of. Use design elements that you've already selected to guide the design of your stationery - so that when you're left with a scrapbook or memory box of your big day all together it's one cohesive look.

Today I bought… Black, magenta & cyan toner, black & magenta image drums for the printer, paper order for August deliveries, Luzianne tea for making iced tea when I work today, beach towels for Friday swim days at my Mom's house, tents & goodies for our family backyard camp out on Saturday, a Dalmatian PEZ dispenser for my son (Wyatt) and a movie (The Other Boleyn Girl) to watch while working on artwork today.

Photo courtesy of The Memory Journalists

Tip - Know What You're Getting

If available, even for a small fee, ask for a sample invitation to be mailed to you if ordering from a custom invitation or online. Sometimes print type, color and texture can look much different online than in hand. You want to make sure you're getting what you pay for before placing a large order.

Photo courtesy of The Memory Journalists

Tip - Don't Forget Paper Products

Many people make the mistake of thinking that the invites are the only order they need to place with the stationer. Oh contraire, what about the programs? Perhaps you are having a weekend dedicated to your wedding; in that case you may conceder a weekend itinerary. How about menus? You put a lot of time picking the food, so how about letting your guests know what to expect. A nice touch for rehearsal is sending out some rehearsal dinner invites to keep your guests informed. Whatever paper products you do decide to use, be sure that they are all consistent with your invitations. Be sure to order more than you think you need. Ordering small paper quantities always costs more than large orders. Photo courtesy of The Memory Journalists

Spotlight On - Stephanie J Designs

Stephanie J Designs

Stephanie J Designs is an invitationerie that handles custom invitations, stationary & graphic design. Stephanie's creativity is off the charts fantastic and has lent itself to help create some amazing custom work, including invitations for Dynamite Weddings!

Stephanie's playful attitude and contagious laugh will keep you motivated as you work together to create the design and look you want for your day. Her background in graphic design gives her the innovative edge to stand apart and starting Stephanie J Designs in 2003 was a great outlet for such talent.

Check out her new website and blog that launched this month. She offers trends in stationary and invitations as well as real wedding examples of how her custom designs fit or set the theme.

site: www.stephaniejdesigns.com
blog: www.stephaniejdesigns.blogspot.com
address: Lincoln, CA
email: stephanie@stephaniejdesigns.com
phone: 916.257.1641

*Photo courtesy of The Memory Journalists

Trend - Seating Pattern

Think of your seating cards as another way to bring your color or theme out. Make them to match a pattern you are using or tie them in with your theme. Adding a splash of your day's elements to your seating cards will be a nice touch.Trend provided by Dynamite Weddings
Photo courtesy of The Memory Journalists