April & Tim - June 27, 2009 at The Hermitage

I am so excited to finally share this wedding with all of you! April and Tim were some of my all-time favorite clients to work with, and despite the record-breaking heat that weekend, their event turned out beautifully, especially surrounded by their friends and family who so clearly adored them. A HUGE thank you to Mark & Noelle at McCoy Photo Duo (formerly McCoy Studio) for sharing these amazing pictures with us!

April was, of course, completely stunning! This first picture of her just floors me every time I see it - the parasols were a last minute find, and they added SO much.

April had strong ideas about colors and styles, and I really loved the bold choices she made, from the unique bridesmaids dresses to her handmade custom runners. She even chose to use material from the runners with the invitations, and they turned out amazing!

The ceremony was held in restored The Hermitage Church on the grounds at the home of President Andrew Jackson. The program fans - complete with April and Tim's monogram, also appearing on the invitations, napkins, and an embroidered altar piece - came in very handy.

The reception was held at Tulip Grove Mansion, also on the grounds.

One of my favorite groom's cakes of all time, easily. Great job by Amy at The Bake Shoppe! :)

Lighting: Nashville Event Lighting

Rentals: Southern Events

Florals: The Enchanted Florist

DJ: Notable Occasions
Ceremony Music: Silver Strings
Officiate: Ralph Griggs
Cakes: The Bake Shoppe

Photography: McCoy Photo Duo
Transportation: Matchless Limo and At Your Service

The CJ's Getaway Car!

I may not know too much about cars, but I do know a cool one when I see it. I love this car! Reggie and his 1939 Vintage Packard have been the go-to getaway car for CJ's clients for over a year now, and these new pictures taken by Angela Disrud will show you why!

Megan & Billy - Engagement shoot with The Photographix!

I just get SO excited when I'm able to see (and help!) the clients get the right photographers - it makes such a huge difference in the overall experience of your engagement and wedding.

When Megan and Billy first came to meet with me and we talked about photography, she already knew she was in love with The Photographix work and I knew they were going to love Jen and Ann as soon as they met! I emailed the girls to make sure they were free for the big day in October, and the rest is history!

It's such a treat to see Megan and Billy so excited about their photographers and Jen and Ann so excited about their clients - smiles all around!

Here's a sneak peek, but make sure you visit The Photographix's blog to see more!

Attention Brides: Great Workshop Coming Up Just For You

Take a quick moment to learn about the Unabridged Bride Workshop series, exclusively for Nashville brides. It is a great opportunity to get perspective about the process of getting married and also full of insight and advice on the foundational elements of planning a wedding.

I was honored to host and speak at the first workshop here at CJ's Off the Square last month and will be a guest speaker at the third installment coming up on September 17.

Registration is required and seats are limited. Learn more here: http://www.unabridgedbride.com/upcomingworkshops

--CJ

Looking forward to fall!

Don't these gorgeous photos make you want to pull out your sweaters and tights and get ready for crisp autumn air and falling leaves? We are updating some of the client galleries at www.cjsoffthesquare.com and are looking forward to adding the beautiful work of Dove Wedding Photography to our gallery page. Here is a sneak peak at what you will find in the new gallery for Jenn & Marcus:

Check Out Wedding 101 at the Factory

Amy and I were pleased to join the debut of Wedding 101 last Thursday at the Factory in Franklin. Wedding 101 is a super cool wedding resource library...full of displays from a wide variety of vendors to help inspire brides with ideas and also equip them with excellent vendors in almost every category you can imagine.

Of course Williamson County Weddings & Events is included in the mix. You can see some of our beautiful invitation creations on display to give you a taste of what we can create for you here in our boutique. You can also view our portfolio of design work for our planning clients or read up about CJ's Off the Square. So much to see and do...make sure to plan a visit and say hello to Amy and Ashley for us!

Here are some pics from the grand opening soiree:

The awesome library full of style ideas!

Gorgeous cake displays by Maples Wedding Cakes.

Invitations by Williamson County Weddings & Events

Jill Cole at Southern Events had my favorite display....LOVE the platinum and lavender!

Our sweet Amy P. with Carole Ann from Chef's Market.

All New Pocket Invitations In the Boutique

More Designs! More Colors! Mix and Match To Create A Custom Look

This year's biggest invitation trend! Keep all of your important wedding details tucked in place with our Pockets Collection of stylish invitations. Order online exactly as shown or come into the boutique and allow our expert staff to help you mix and match pocket and paper colors with countless design options to create a completely unique look just for you at no extra charge. There are literally hundreds of color combination ready to be customized with your unique style.

Are you a busy bride? Ask about our concierge assembly services as well as digital calligraphy options so all you have to do it place your order and we will take care of the rest!

(615) 465-8099

Bridesmaids Luncheons and Bridal Showers!

For you gals getting married this Fall, now is the time to arrange your Bridesmaids Luncheons! We are offering an all inclusive package for a limited time just for you. Learn more below!

PACKAGE DETAILS
$50pp plus tax

This all inclusive package includes your choice of our “High Tea” or “Traditional Luncheon” menu. Your group will have exclusive use of CJ’s Off the Square for your event in our lovely historic home and garden. Choose from an 11:00 AM-1:00PM or 3:00PM-5:00 PM event time.

A full china place setting, tables, chairs and your choice of linen color as well as all food and beverages detailed in your menu are included in the per person price! Chargers and monogrammed napkins and other decorative table accents are available at an additional charge.

You are welcome to provide your own champagne or cocktails for your event. However, all alcohol must be served by our licensed bar staff and our standard bar set up fees apply.
Pricing is based on a minimum of 20 guests and a maximum of 50 guests. Custom pricing is available for smaller or larger groups. Please contact us for more details.

High Tea at CJ’s
Assorted Tea Sandwiches
Cucumber, Cheddar Pecan, Chicken Salad, Shrimp Salad, Egg Salad
Cream Cheese Truffles
Bite-sized Cream Cheese Based Appetizer Rolled in Toasted P ecans
Fresh Fruit Skewers
Fresh Scones with Clotted Cream, Butter & Assorted Jams
Assorted Sweet Rolls & Dessert Bars
Luscious Lemon Squares, Double Fudge Bars, Chocolate Cream Cheese, C hess Squares,
Cream Cheese Rolls, Plum Muffins, Carrot Pecan Muffins
Iced Fantasia Fruit Tea, Sweet or Unsweet Iced Tea, Assorted Twinings Hot Teas

OR

A Traditional Luncheon Menu
Assorted Tartlets
Chicken Artichoke, Ham & Asparagus, Tomato & Cheese
Assorted Croissant Sandwiches
Turkey & Cheese, Chicken Salad, Ham & Cheese, Shrimp Salad
Fresh Fruit Skewers
Pasta Salad
Assorted Sweet Rolls & Dessert Bars
Luscious Lemon Squares, Double Fudge Bars, Chocolate Cream Cheese, C hess Squares,
Cream Cheese Rolls, Plum Muffins, Carrot Pecan Muffins
Iced Fantasia Fruit Tea, Sweet or Unsweet Iced Tea, Coffee & Water

Twitter Mania!

For those of you in the Twitter world, make sure you're following us!

www.twitter.com/wilcowed

www.twitter.com/cjsoffthesquare

There are lots of other fantastic wedding vendors to follow too - Gray Photography, Belle Meade Plantation, even superstars like Preston Bailey! It's fun, come on. :)

When in Fiji...

...well, I say go big or go home! I am an avid reader of Travel & Leisure magazine, and recently came across an amazing article in a back issue about one of the many private islands, Wakaya, in the Fiji group. Fiji has always been on my top 10 list of places to visit in my lifetime, so it immediately caught my attention, and WOW, what a discovery!

If you are looking for an extravagant, once in a lifetime spot for your honeymoon this is IT. The Wakaya Club & Spa is an all-inclusive resort on a private 2,200 acre island owned by David & Jill Gilmour (they also developed the FIJI bottled water brand). To give you an idea of just how luxe this place is, let me share a few of my favorite details. First, a Wakaya resort representative will meet you at the main airport and personally fly you in their private Grand Cessna airplane to your destination. Since most flights land in this area of the world in the sunrise hours, check in is guaranteed as you step off the Cessna starting at 7am, and checkout is not until 4pm, so that you don't lose any valuable time on your last day. With a staff to guest ratio of 12 to 1, there isn't much you'll have to ask for!

Once on the island, you can just lounge around in your private 0ceanfront bure, or take advantage of the local culture and scenery. The island is completely surrounded by a coral reef, and being in one of the least pollutated geographical areas on the planet, the sites are spectacular.

Now, with my ridiculous taste, I would of course want to spring for the best of the best, which is a 12,000 square foot private villa called Vale O with panoramic ocean views from its hilltop setting. At $7,600 a night (before tax!), I could stay for about...an hour? :)

Also noteworthy is the Gilmours' philanthropy to the Fiji people and culture. They've been recognized by the government for their committment to the preservation of the Fijian culture as well as their personal donations and investments in the educations system on the island as well as their scholarships for Fijian youth to continue in secondary education.

Hope you have as much fun dreaming about this magical place as I do!