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Leap Year Weddings

2012 is a leap year and today, February 29 is leap year day. It’s surprising how many people get married on this day, even though there is some superstition about it being bad luck.

A quick history lesson for ye’ Old Farmer’s Almanac – “Why Do We Need Leap Years? The actual length of a year (the rotation of Earth around the Sun) is 365.2422 days. If we didn’t have leap years, the seasons would shift about a quarter of a day every year, and after 100 years the seasons would be off by 25 days. The extra leap day adjusts this drift.”

And how did Leap Year become the only year that women could ask the man to marry (okay, so it was a different era than what we’ve grown up in!)

The belief is that the tradition began long ago in the 5th century in Ireland. It is told that St. Bridget began complaining to St. Patrick about men waiting so long to ask for a woman’s hand in marriage. St. Patrick granted women the 29th day of February, which only comes around once every four years, to propose to their men.

Scotland went as far as to make it a law. Back in 1288, a Scotland law was created that stated that women could propose on leap year. Any man who declined the proposal by a woman on February 29th would be fined a fee owed to the lady. The fine may be a kiss, a dress, or other garment. I suppose the lady had the choice of what the man owed her.

You may have also heard of February 29th as being called Sadie Hawkins Day. Sadie Hawkins was a lady in the Al Capp cartoon strip. On this day women chase around unmarried men and propose. (We just remember it as a chance to invite a boy to a dance.)

Source: Wikipedia and The Farmer’s Almanac

10 Tips When Planning Your Outdoor Wedding

Any of our amazing StrictlyWeddings.com wedding planners can be a wealth of guidance and insight if you’re planning a Garden Wedding, not to mention our other partners under Floral and Event Design. Yet, here are a few simple ideas to get you thinking. Our thanks to our friend and Dallas Photographer Scott Hagar for the use of his gorgeous photos. Also, Dallas photographer and partner, Thisbe Grace.

Above and Below Photos by Scott Hagar

Budget – Just because it’s outdoors or you’ve selected a public venue does not mean that you’ve saved a lot of your budget. Building an outdoor experience can be a costly endeavor.

Weather – Always, always have a contigency plan in case of bad weather. (Think about last summer’s Texas heat wave that lasted for 3 months…do you want to have a wedding in 115 degrees? Contingency plan.)

Comfort of Guests – You want your friends and family to have a great time. As you plan your outdoor wedding, think about the comfort of your guests – heat, cold, wind, bugs, etc.

Plan for Wind – If it’s on the beach, then wind is definitely a big possibility. Make sure decorations and other items are secure. You’ll also want to think about your hairstyle and veil, too.

Above photo from Chicago Botanic Garden

Plan for pictures – You might consider talking with your photographer to the outdoor location before you finalize the time of day for your wedding. Sunlight and shadows can make a huge difference in your photographs.

Time of Year - Think about where you want to be married and then, think about the different seasons of that area – what are the pros/cons for each of the season. Some winter wedding locations can make stunning backdrops. Fall color is vibrant and spring blooms can create a romantic setting.

Above outdoor wedding held at Dallas’ Nasher Sculpture Center. Photos by Thisbe Grace.

Permits and Regulations – A good wedding planner can make this easy or contact the city/town hall as a reference.

Sound System – How do you mike the officiant? Hearing you and the groom take your vows. All is very important. Your guests are there to experience your joining, make sure they can hear it.

Noise & Uninvited Spectators – This is a consideration if you are having your wedding at a public venue or if you are in a flight path. This might not be critical, but something to keep in mind.

Tents, Chairs & Tables – Whether you’re just having the ceremony outdoors or both the ceremony & reception your options are varied. Are you wanting tables and chairs or some of the lovely outdoor chairs and sofas that can be rented.

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The Wedding Cake Creations of Maggie Austin Cake

Our fans are going to be AMAZED at the exquisite wedding cake creations from Maggie Austin Cake. We are thrilled to share so many of her wonderful cake designs in today’s post.

Maggie Austin Cake is a high-end cake designer located in Old Town Alexandria, minutes from Washington D.C. In August of 2010, retired ballet dancer Maggie Austin LaBaugh designed and photographed cakes, then launched her website. The buzz began. Within weeks, Gail Simmons, of Top Chef fame, was introducing millions of viewers to Maggie Austin Cake on “The Today Show Throws a Modern Wedding,” calling Ms. LaBaugh “the darling of the wedding blogosphere.”

Due to the intense time-commitment of each design, Maggie Austin Cake defines itself as “couture.” (Perfect for our StrictlyWeddings.com luxury wedding clientele!). The centerpiece of the company’s elegant Italianate Victorian tasting room is the self-published portfolio. As clients sample Maggie’s sophisticated flavor pairings (she trained at the French Pastry School and worked at Charlie Trotter’s), they peruse the photos she took of her own trend-setting designs. Whether it’s an Alexander McQueen-inspired four tier cake covered entirely in paper-thin layers of fondant or a sleek cube hand-painted with Frank Lloyd Wright’s stained glass window, the company represents the singular vision of a true solo artist. Unfortunately, the cakes are far too fragile to ship.

Chicago’s Event Creative – Staying Ahead of the Wedding Trends

Always on the cutting edge, Event Creative stays ahead of the trends – continually leading the event design community with fresh, innovative ideas.  Whether creating the luxury wedding of your dreams, transforming your product launch into an experiential marketing event that will keep people talking, or ensuring your charity gala is one they’ll never forget, Event Creative always brings a quality and service that is unmatched.

Event Creative is a new StrictlyWeddings.com partner under Chicago’s Floral and Event Design category. As you can see from a sampling of their work shown in this post, they definitely understand the luxury wedding niche. To see more of their work, visit our Floral and Event Design page.

A full service event design and production agency, Event Creative has built a solid and enviable reputation as a company that excels in the creation of custom-designed events.  Our 30,000 square foot creative facility houses the latest in lighting sound and video equipment along with full scale floral, art and scenic design departments. Whatever the event – social or corporate, intimate or grand – with our diverse capabilities we’ll help you with all of your event needs.

Photos courtesy of: Pen/Carlson, Bob & Dawn Davis, Olivia Leigh Photographie, Studio This Is, Fandl Photography

Chicago’s Elizabeth Grace Luxurious Wedding Invitations

StrictlyWeddings.com is thrilled to add a new partner to its Chicago wedding invitations category – the fabulous Elizabeth Grace. Coming from a theatrical design background and a successful career in New York, Laura Manteuffel decided to indulge in her love for all things paper and her obsession for beautiful typography and become a graphic designer.

It all started when she accompanied a friend to select her wedding invitations. Laura was amazed to find how difficult it was to find exactly what the bride wanted. There were too many compromises. It didn’t take long before they decided to design them. After helping with all the details of the wedding, she was hooked.

“I found the wedding invitations to be a wonderful contrast to the corporate graphic design and branding that comprised most of my business. I loved finding luxurious papers and using different printing techniques to make every invitation truly special. It was wonderful to be part of the process and to work with people on such a special event in their lives. Many of the brides and grooms we have worked with have become treasured friends.”

The Peninsula Creates Intimacy & Elegance at this Chicago Wedding

Our StrictlyWeddings.com Chicago partner, Carasco Photography, submitted this lovely new featured wedding that was held at (SW.com partner) The Peninsula  -  a cozy, romantic and scenic location for any wedding reception. Ana & Abe met in sunny Miami through her roommate. Another one of those, almost didn’t go on dates that turn in to a “historic” event!

View more photos from this Chicago Featured Wedding.

Featured Wedding: Ana & Abe

Couple: Ana Cristina Aguirre & Abraham Joseph

Wedding Date: September 17, 2011
Submitted by StrictlyWeddings.com Chicago Partner: Carasco Photography

Bride Ana Cristina and groom Abraham Joseph met in Miami. “He was friends with my roommate’s boyfriend at the time. My roommate had called me to go out with the three of them on a Wednesday night in February and she had to convince me because it was too cold outside. It was 60F outside! That was cold for me back then! I ended up going out, we had a great time and the rest is history,” noted Ana Cristina. “Abraham proposed over dinner in a very simple but beautiful way. He told me we were meeting a friend when in reality it was just the two of us. I was totally surprised.”

It was easy for Ana Cristina to choose vendors and logistics for her wedding since she is a Chicago event planner and owner of Deseo Events. “I think I went through the same nervousness that any other bride goes through on her wedding day. Kelly Cavanaugh from Clementine Events was my day of coordinator and she helped me so much in dealing with last minute stress!” said Ana Cristina. “I cannot imagine how brides do it without a wedding planner. I know I couldn’t have done it without my experience and confidence in the industry.”

“I didn’t want a ballroom, I wanted something different, but it was important the place was cozy because we wanted our families to get to know each other better. We looked at the available venues and when we went to The Peninsula we thought it was perfect. It is a ballroom, but it is cozy, elegant, it has beautiful windows over-looking Michigan Ave., the size, location and everything was perfect. The terrace for cocktails is to die for. There was a hold on the date and it was the only date available for the year! We had to wait for the hold to be released,” noted Ana Cristina.

“My favorite memory from my wedding day… You’ve heard this before but it is truly to have everyone you love with you. LOVE the DJ and the food. The service at The Peninsula was immaculate too, left a great flavor in my mouth. I stayed the night before the wedding day and the staff would call me Miss. Aguirre the day before the wedding and Mrs. Joseph the day after. Cute, right?” said Ana Cristina.

Gown: Vera Wang
Shoes/purse/veil: The Left Bank
Tux/Suit: Hugo Boss (Bloomingdales)
Bridesmaid Dresses: BCBG
Hair: Beauty on Call
Floral & Décor: KEHOE DESIGNS
Venue: The Peninsula
Caterer: The Peninsula
Day of event Planner: Clementine Events
Planning prior to wedding day: Deseo Events Design and Planning
Photographer: CARASCO Photography
Band/DJ: Quartet at cocktail: Artstrings. Rolando Calip with Deftmix
Honeymoon location: The Peninsula at Hong Kong and Bangkok, Thailand, Marriot JW at Phuket, Thailand
Dance Classes: Arthur Murray Studio
Transportation: VIP Valet Services

StrictlyWeddings.com LA On Our Mind

Stop. Start. Stop. Start…don’t we all find that in our initiatives? Well we’re finally back in start mode with our move into Los Angeles. Looking for the top three wedding vendors in our various categories. As we uncover the many talented wedding professionals, we’ll take the opportunity to showcase them in our blog as well.

Below is photography from Karen Tran Florals out of San Diego. We are so excited to have both the gorgeous scenery and natural elements of our West and East coasts represented at StrictlyWeddings.com. Karen’s work incorporates the colors of the beach, the exotic orchids and floral found on the West Coast and, as a natural backdrop, the beauty of the Coastal terrain.

Valentine Red – Gorgeous!

Happy Valentine’s Day to all of our wonderful fans! We could not resist sharing this Valentine treat … two stunning gowns from Monique Lhuillier Ready to wear.