the day's design

Summer’s Here!

0 · May 23, 2013 ·

Memorial Day weekend is quickly approaching, marking the unofficial start to summer. There’s something magical about summer… longer days, warmer weather and an overall feeling of happy, let’s go to the beach!

But with those longer days comes more to cram into your schedule. Graduation parties, weddings and backyard barbeques take up our free time. In the mist of all the hustle don’t forget to take just a couple moments for yourself. Head to the beach, watch a sunset and remember what summer felt like as a kid.

Isn’t this image super romantic? I borrowed it from Love and Lavender, go ahead and look at the rest of the post, it’ll make you fall in love all over again!

Have a great weekend, I’m headed to the lake!

Invitation Etiquette

0 · May 14, 2013 ·

I wrote a post a couple weeks ago about when to send your wedding invitations, but let’s talk today a little bit about what should go on your invites, and overall invitation etiquette.

So first off, just to recap, plan on sending your invites out about 6-8 weeks before your wedding and save-the-dates are optional. Click here to read a little more.

Wording on the invitation can vary greatly. Either set of parents may be mentioned, or possibly just the couple themselves. Consider who is actually “hosting” the party or who is footing the bill? Are they going to be insulted if they are not mentioned on the invite?

Some examples:

“Mr. and Mrs. John and Jane Smith invite you to share in celebration of the marriage of their daughter {bride} to {groom} the son of Mr. and Mrs. Jacob and Judy Jones.”

“Mr. and Mrs. John and Jane Smith with Mr. and Mrs. Jacob and Judy Jones invite you to share in the celebration of the marriage of {bride} to {groom}.”

“{Bride} and {Groom} together with their parents, invite you to share in the celebration of their marriage”

The latter is a great option if you come from families with multiple branches ensuring no one will feel left out or less significant.

Whichever wording you may choose, make sure to include the date and time along with the location of the ceremony and reception. Tradition dictates that all words be spelled in full on the invitation, including the time and street names.

Wedding registry information, however, should not be included on the invitation, as this implies that you are asking for gifts (which believe it or not, guests are not required to give you!) You may include this information on your wedding website. And yes, I understand that Grandma may not be very technology savvy (my grandpa doesn’t even know how to turn the computer on, much less what a website is!), but she might not look at a wedding registry though either!

Your wedding website is a great place to include any information that guests do not receive in the invitation itself. Usually the website address is included on the save-the-dates, but if you opted not to send them, simply including a small insert card with the invitation should do the trick.

The invitation itself should clue the guests in on the formality level of your wedding. A very elegant, gold rimmed invitation with letterpress and foil is going to lend to a more upscale or black-tie affair, whereas an invite tied with burlap or raffia will hint at a more casual occasion. Consider the message you are trying to send with your invites.

And on the envelope…

Regardless of the formality of your day, envelopes should be addressed without abbreviations
Address your guests with proper titles using their full names
Be specific as to who is invited, if children as also invited it is a much safer idea to include their exact names rather than “and family”
Envelopes should be handwritten, with the exception of the return address (which is typically located on the back flap). This doesn’t mean you’re required to hire a calligrapher, while this is a great touch, simply written names with a nice pen can be just as lovely
And to increase the likeliness of receiving a response, include a pre-addressed, pre-stamped envelope for the RSVP cards

And the big question that seems to be asked, do we send invitations out to our immediate family and bridal party? YES!!! They may know the date, and they’re definitely planning on being there, but beyond that, they really haven’t paid attention to all the “wedding talk” that has been floating around. This simply ensures that they receive the same information as everyone else, including the address to the venues, event times and any hotel or travel information you may have provided for other guests. Plus, it gives them a really nice keepsake.

So sorry if this information is a little late for you summer brides, but fall brides – you are now prepared!

The image above is courtesy of Hetler Photography, from a styled shoot with Something Borrowed Vintage Staging and Rentals. Invitation created by Emily Ross Creative {so excited to see what she creates for my project later this month!}. See the full shoot here!

Life’s Little Moments

0 · May 11, 2013 ·

Do the little things in life make you excited? I mean, there are these great moments in life that are huge, life changing make you want to scream from the rooftop and give you tingles all over… your first kiss, the day he proposed, walking down the aisle and saying “I do” and life after that, your first baby being born or even the moment that you find out your pregnant. But what about all those insignificant details in between?

Take a couple moments to appreciate the “little things” today. Stop and look at the pretty green leaves that have finally returned to us. Find pleasure in a stranger’s smile. Enjoy your late morning cup of coffee. Call your mom, it’s a day early, but I’ll be she’ll be surprised!

Remember to live a little between the “big moments”. Sometimes it is the journey that’s far more important than the destination. Some days I simple take a break from work and play with my baby girl, yes I could be doing the dishes that are piled in my sink or making my bed… but her smile is more important. Sometimes having a cup of coffee with my husband it more momentous that an elaborate date night. Find something beautiful in the everyday.

How do you feel when the sun comes out after a day of rain? It just brings a smile to my face. It’s a reminder of balance; we would not appreciate it so much without the gloomy times.

Image via Pinterest

I had a happy moment today… I hope you find one too!

The Day’s Business: Rest & Relaxation

0 · Apr 22, 2013 ·

A little rest and relaxation is good for the soul. This past weekend I did just that, I took a little step away from my Grand Rapids world and headed Up North.

I had planned on using this time to get some work done that I’ve been putting off. I thought I could spend some quiet time in front of my computer (yuck) but away from my phone/email (yay!), because phone service is lacking and my internet rarely loads. I aimed to slip away from social media and reconnect with my own ideas.

However, life keeps moving forward and in the name of progress, my internet actually worked on this visit! And it wasn’t even snail speed, loading times were actually semi decent. Bummer!

While this may benefit the residents of the area, it meant I had to be more disciplined about my relaxation methods. I actually like taking an old fashioned approach to getting things done. While technology has its place, I really prefer doing some things in a less technological way. I visited with family, had real live face-to-face conversations, channeling back on the texting. I read a home décor magazine, not a blog. Then I wrote some ideas down on paper, in my own handwriting on a notebook that I shared with my niece – complete with scribbles of red crayon.

I did not make anything pretty this weekend. I did not craft or create. I did not type anything, worrying about fancy fonts and lovely pictures. I did not even make sure that my hand writing looked nice… I just scrawled my ideas down in semi illegible penmanship!

Well this is all great… but what does it have to do with The Day’s Design, or wedding planning or love and why are you writing about this on your business blog??? (It’s okay, I know that’s what you’re thinking!) Here’s how it relates:

To Business:

I’m back to business. I was able to clear my head and stop thinking about what everyone else is doing via Facebook, Twitter and wedding blogs, and truly just focus on my own business model and what I want to achieve. I focused on what makes me special. Stop comparing yourself to others and do your own thing. Forget the “industry standards” and just go for it!

To Brides (and her hansom Groom):

Feeling a little overwhelmed in the planning process? We’ve all been there. I’ve said this before, but here it goes again – step back for a bit. Regroup. Remember why you’re planning a wedding day. Stop looking at the Pinterest boards and focusing on wedding trends and what your friends say and doing. Put the wedding day back into perspective and focus on your love for one another. Instead of looking for uber creative ideas on place card displays, focus on details that really make you happy. What truly represents you as a couple? Remember that your love is what make the wedding day unique. There will always be other brides using the same ideas as you, dreaming up the same details (you just were not aware of it before all of this technology and the lovely World Wide Web). Your bond as husband and wife is truly the most unique part of the wedding day.

To All Others:

Because not everyone reading this is getting married. Maybe you are already married. Reconnect with your husband. Have dinner together. Dedicate one night a week to be phone/internet free and just enjoy each other’s company. Spend some quiet time accessing your life goals and creating your own vision. It is amazing where your own imagination can take you. Read a good book. Listen to the birds chirp. Sit outside and close your eyes for a moment. Just. Pause.

I think there’s a reason we like incorporated vintage items into our décor so much. And it’s not just high style. But it reminds us of a much simpler time. I look at an old piece of furniture and think of the stories it could tell. When we share memories and look at sentimental photos of smiling faces, usually they’re full of simple pleasures. Simple moments when we stepped back and let go.

PS – I stumbled across this aqua typewriter at an estate sale and just had to have it! It’s it super cute?! The case is even printed with daisies on it… sigh…

Green Bloody Marys

0 · Mar 13, 2013 ·

Kegs and eggs, green eggs and ham… a good breakfast on St Patty’s Day seems to have become essential. But what if you’re not a fan of beer, much less, green beer???

I really enjoy a good Bloody Mary. And I thought, why not begin your St. Patrick’s Day with a green one, it’s the perfect breakfast companion… or since St. Patty’s Day is on a Sunday this year, many festivities are taking place on Saturday, so you might just need this recipe on Sunday morning. Either way, enjoy!

You’ll need:

5 Tomatillos
1/5 Jalapeno Pepper
2 Limes
1 Clove of Garlic
1 1/2 Cups Water*
1/4 Cup Sugar
1/8 teaspoon Cumin
1/4 teaspoon Vegetable Oil
Salt & Pepper to taste
Vodka

First remove the husks from your tomatillos. Coarsely chop the tomatillos and place them in the blender.

Next cut off about 1/5 of the jalapeno. Remove the seeds and ribs, discard. Place the remaining portion in the blender. (You can use more of the jalapeno, depending upon how spicy you like your Bloody Mary. Be careful as you cut your pepper and remember not to touch your eyes!)

Next cut one of your limes in half. Squeeze the juice from each half into the blender with the other ingredients. Slice your garlic clove and place it in the blender. Add the sugar, water and cumin into the blender as well. Blend all ingredients until as smooth as possible. Including the oil into the mixture may improve the texture of the juice, giving it some extra richness. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Once blended, strain the mix to eliminate excess pulp and seeds. (Hint: Use the backside of a ladle to help press the liquid through the strainer, making the process a little quicker.) Using a fine mesh strainer (like mine) will leave you with a thinner juice, for a thicker consistency; leave a little pulp in the mix.

Add a shot of vodka, garnish with your remaining lime and drink up!

My husband is one of the banquet chefs at Grand Rapids Community College, so he’s pretty handy in the kitchen. He does much of the cooking at our house without recipes, or uses them merely as guidelines, a habit that I have started to pick up on as well. So please feel free to customize this recipe to your taste.

Some variations I might suggest:

*Adding less water will make a thicker Bloody Mary mix.
Garnish your drink with pickles, celery or other green goodies.
Worcestershire sauce and/or horseradish would add a little extra flavor (but some of the lovely green hues might be lost).
Using tequila instead of vodka to make a Bloody Maria.

The recipe as is makes enough for 5 short Bloody Marys.

Have a safe and happy St. Patty’s Day!

Welcome

0 · Feb 27, 2013 ·

Why hello there, thanks for stopping by! Let me take a moment to introduce myself… I am Shelby, I married my best friend, we have a beautiful baby girl {Gretta} and an adorable cocker spaniel {Polly}. My family keeps me pretty busy, but they’re the most important things in my life.

Photo by Renault Productions

When I’m not spending time with my family (or sometimes even when I am), I’m designing, decorating and surrounding myself with all things pretty. I love any reason to celebrate, but as a hopeless romantic I have a major soft spot for weddings. You know the way you felt after he proposed, the way you wanted to jump up and down and tell everyone you know that you’re going to marry the man of your dreams?! I feel that way every time I speak to a new bride, I actually tingle with excitement with the thought of planning your wedding! I get to do my dream job, and help you plan the day you have fantasized about your whole life.

I have been designing pretty things and putting parties together for as long as I can remember. Since I was young, I was always dreaming up different wedding scenarios for myself, and came to the conclusion that I was going to have to get married about six or seven times (or at least have several vow renewals!) so that I could see all my visions come to life. However, there’s no need to be so selfish, so now I’d like to create your vision.

The last 10 years have been filled with endless parties and wedding celebrations in which I have both served and coordinated, at both private clubs and fine dining establishments. In addition, I have styled countless bridal party’s hair {in my other life I’m a licensed cosmetologist}, and spent champagne filled mornings with families and brides. I also had the amazing opportunity to intern with RSVP Events, and fell in love with the industry even more. Between it all, I have become everyone’s “go-to” girl for all things wedding. So in 2011, I gave my hobby a name and The Day’s Design was born.

And there you have it, knowledge of my history, my life and where The Day’s Design came from. You know all there is to know about me… or maybe you’re we’re just getting started! Thanks for peeking into my world, and stay tuned for many more heart to heart chats, as I’d love to meet you too.

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