The Day's Journal

Finding beauty in the everyday pieces of life

weddings in Holland Michigan

Featured :: Wedding in the Woods on Style Me Pretty

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I have goals, both in business and in life.  I’m not very vocal about these goals even though I’ve heard from numerous sources that voicing them will help you to achieve them.  I’m the exception to this rule.  I’m the girl who just feels even more miserable about herself when I fail and feels like a fool for having to publically broadcast my failure, which makes me never want to set another goal again.  Period.

But one of the silent goals that I have for my little business is being achieved today.  It has been a long time coming with lots of hard work and tears and a constant strife to be better and challenge myself more, which I feel is helpful not only to oneself but also to my clients.  So here I am – The Day’s Design – published on the front page of Style Me Pretty.

Style Me Pretty Feature - Wedding in the Woods

Someone pinch me please!!

Florals + Event Design: The Day’s Design |  Photography: Kelly Sweet Photography

I cannot wait to share the inspiration and design in its entirety on my blog in the near future but for now, head on over to SMP to see this gorgeous Alice in Wonderland inspired wedding in the woods.

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Styled Shoot Party :: Just a Glimpse

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There’s been an idea brewing inside of me for awhile now and it’s all based on this notion that styled shoots, while absolutely gorgeous, are also a bit of a waste.  I enjoy working without limitations and being able to create whatever I envision. Plus the collaboration between vendors can be a really beautiful form of creative expression.  But at the end of each day I can’t help but feel that I just set up an amazing tablescape, pieced together what was sure to be an over-the-top amazing soiree and now I have to tear it down, without anyone really appreciating it for months to come.

So last month I took a new approach to the “styled shoot”.  Rather than wasting the beauty and hospitality, I invited guests to be a part.  They were guests that I didn’t know, people nominated by others who needed a little love and something extra pretty in their lives.  The results were more than I could have ever imagined.

Southern Hospitality Styled Shoot Party | The Day's Design | Ashley Slater Photography

I’ve yet to sit down with Ashely Slater to browse through all of what are sure to be incredible memories from the night but I can’t wait.  I want to remember the evening that I took a risk and invited complete strangers to a dinner party.  In time, I will also share with you the inspiration, the execution, as well as the hiccups that happened along the way as this was not an easy party to pull off.  But I can promise you, it was worth it!

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Full vendor credits will be shared when I post the results in their entirety but for now I’d like to thank Ashley Slater Photography, The Rental Company, Chef Josh Ferguson, Wondrous Whimsy, Kirribilla and Ed Dunnebeck & Girls Farm Market for being a part.

Wet Weather Weddings

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If you’re planning an outdoor affair it’s likely that the thought of rain has crept into your mind.  Or at least it probably should have.  This summer seems to be extra wet, and while I love not having to water my garden and how my lawn is remaining green, it does stress me when it comes to wedding planning.

I’m guilty of saying “the show must go on” and just going for it – I can talk a big game.  So we get a little wet, we’re not going to melt.  Brides with umbrellas are cute.  There are some fabulous opportunities for unique photos.  I can look at the glass as half full, for sure.

And I simply adore outdoor parties.

The start of wedding season for The Day’s Design was a drizzly one despite the weatherman’s positive outlook on the day.  In fact, we later found out that just a few miles away, they didn’t even receive a drop of rain. That’s crazy Michigan weather for you.

We stayed optimistic throughout the setting up process.  We kept moving and utilized our tarps and other coverings.  And we pulled though.  But it wasn’t as easy as glamorous pictures are sure to show.  The heat and humidity cause your clothing to simply stick to you.  Papers were soggy and limp.  My rain boots rubbed on my toes.  There were bugs.  And every time we thought the skies were clearing, fresh droplets were released from the clouds.  How the bride remained staying so fresh and beautiful is beyond me.

I don’t share this to complain about the wedding day. I simply would like to point out the comfort or perhaps discomfort you and your guests might endure should you decide to move forward with an outdoor ceremony on a rainy day.  I wish to express the importance of having a backup plan – although I do understand how hard it can be to utilize that, unless the day is calling for monsoon conditions.   But grounds become muddy and even after the showers have stopped, the canopy of trees above us still produced sprinkles every time there was even the slightest breeze.

You should also consider the policies other vendors have regarding rain.  Some equipment cannot get wet – cameras, sound systems, etc.  And how will the rental company feel if their upholstered lounge seating is returned saturated?   Are you risking damage deposits and extra fees?  Are there wedding details you’re going to have to give up if the rain doesn’t let up?

Wedding in the Woods | The Day's Design | Kelly Sweet Photography

Even with the weather, it was beautiful start to the summer 2014 wedding season– the way the light shown through mist in the woods that day was breathtaking. I can’t wait to share more  peaks from Kelly Sweet Photography.  And after seeing this picture, I’m not sure I would change a thing – including the weather forecast.

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