Marit Hanson Wedding Invitations

Marit Hanson Wedding Invitations is a San Francisco based paper designer who creates some wonderful invitation and Save The Date pieces. She works with custom designs or has a selection of created designs to choose from. My favorite is the Save The Date collection that she has put together. Most designs have a colorful envelope to fit perfectly with the designs. It is pretty amazing to send out invites or save the dates with interesting envelopes as the recipients get excited before they even know what to expect.

Check her out on The Inspired List and make sure you check out her website as well. She posts monthly downloadable calendar creations which is so great of her!

If you would like to take advantage of the December Deal and sign up for a premium account with The Inspired List, find out all the details here!

Arizona Desert Wedding by Jason + Anna Photography

First things first about this wedding, this venue is amazing. I really haven't seen a venue this unique in a long long time! Second thing about this wedding, the amazing Jason + Anna Photography did such a great job. This couple seems like a lot of fun and I am just loving the creative group shots these BMs and GMs were willing to do!

Photographer: Jason + Anna Photography Venue: Sassi Restaurant Florist: Zuz’s Petals Cake: Let Them Eat Cake Photo Booth Rental: Fun In A Flash DJ: Desert House Productions Paper Goods: Paper Mango Designs Bridal Gown: Suzanne’s Bridal Bridal Make-Up: Anton Khachaturian – antonk@artistic-chaos.com Bridesmaid Make-Up: Michael Harrington – 323.900.1695 Hair: Wish Salon Owner – Taryn Hitchings – 480-430-8558

Videography Giveaway!

I have recently begun yet another endeavor to keep my plate nice and full (and almost tipping over!). This time I get to do the fun part and talk to brides about wedding videography all day long. (That statement makes my life sound like a walk in the park! I'll take it.) Since I have the hook ups to videography now, of course I HAVE to pass it onto you guys.

Source

So here is the deal. It's a pretty big one too. Silber Studios started (and still remains) a photography show where they have the chance to interview some of the top photographers in the industry. They began opening up their brand to include services such as  wedding videography. That is where I came in. Apparently people think I know a thing or two about weddings :)

We are looking for brides who so deserve these services, but we are going to go even further by offering $500-$1000 off! Can you believe it? (where do I sign up?? Oh and depending on the package, that is roughly, 30% off!)

Here is how to enter:

Create an inspiration board of your wedding. Include some of the details you are adding and some of the ideas you are incorporating. If I were you I would also write a little blurb about the wedding to get me really interested! Send your submission to allison@engagedandinspired.com.

Oh and guess what. There is no limit to the number of people that win. For the next month we are going to pick out the winners and we are going to keep going until we are satisfied!

So go ahead and get that board done and sent! It could save you a ridiculous amount on your wedding!

{The Inspired List Vendor Giveaway} Apple Ipad!

IT"S OFFICIALLY UP FOR GRABS!

I have been telling you vendors out there that I have something for you too! Well, here it is, an Apple iPad. This is a great tool for any wedding vendor, especially with the occasional traveling. The Inspired List launch week wouldn't be the same if there wasn't something for vendors!

TO ENTER:

I like to keep this extra-easy, so all you have to do to enter is sign up for a Premium account on The Inspired List. At only $20 per month, this is the best advertising deal you will find all over the internet. The site is being built up more and more each and every day and pretty soon will become the ultimate wedding vendor directory.

Once we hit the first target of 200 accounts, we will announce the winner of the Apple iPad.

GOOD LUCK!

For the Love of Twine

Baker's Twine has been a lovely addition to the wedding world (and just about everywhere else!) for some time. I am totally in love with the way it looks and all the different uses for it! Really, they seem to be endless. I am planning on using these for my invitations, place cards as well as for the wedding favors. But I may sneak it in a few more places here and there too.

Source: White box, Kraft Box, Tags, White Box, Tags

So many great ideas huh?? In my search for twine, I realized how expensive everyone was selling it for. So, I ended buying a huge bulk of it with all the different colors (cause I didn't know which color I wanted) and ended up with SO much twine. I decided to start up a little Etsy shop and sell it for SUPER cheap. I want other brides to be able to get the quantity they want without spending $8 or $10 on it. So, I have started to list a few ( but I have a long way to go with my photography and creating the store front) for anyone that is in need of some super cheap twine. $1.5 for every 25 yards and $4 for 100 yards. Oh and I also have about 200 of those white boxes above in case your wedding favors are along the lines of something wrapped in a cute box!

Source: Invite, Tags, Place Cards, Invites

Love all of these ideas so much! I'm excited to wrap up tons of stuff in cute twine! Below are the four colors I have available. You can buy it on Etsy (though not all the listings are up yet) or jut e-mail me allison@engagedandinspired.com with what color and how much!

Clockwise: Green/White, Navy blue/white, Baby blue/white, red/white.

Shipping is $2.00 anywhere in the US!

Happy Twining!

Day Trip to Carmel

Well, our trip to Carmel was successful! I didn't get a chance to meet the caterers, but that will be for another day. I did get a chance to see Holman Ranch in person for the first time. Ian took tons of pics which I will post on Monday along with more details about the place. But, in the meantime, enjoy my iPhone shots of the ranch.Take note that NO pictures have yet to do this place justice, and these are definitely not top contenders, but check back Monday for some good shots.

Venue Update and Some Random Inspiration

I am going to sprinkle this post with random photos that I love for those who aren't too interested in hearing my sob story. And I personally don't blame you, it's no fun. So enjoy some random loves of mine and a story about my life....well a very small part of my life. After a *tiny* breakdown yesterday, I realized I just can't take this anymore. I even atea croissant this morning to bask in my troubles, of course now I am just basking in my troubles with a croissant in my tummy, but it didn't help as much I thought it would!

Bottom line, this whole venue thing is horrible. Everything about it is just plain horrible. I didn't think my style wedding venue didn't exist anywhere! And that is what I have finally come to decide, it literally doesn't exist! Sure, there are tons of amazing and pretty venues, but they are just not what I am looking for.

{One of the favorite photo montages. SO fun. Source: 100 Layer Cake}'

The "good" news is that I totally don't feel like the only one having troubles. Reading your responses to the survey I am noticing that many are having troubles hearing back from vendors, have family issues, money issues, organization issues etc. Let's face it, planning a wedding in this day and age isn't a simple task. One top of having to take the time to call or e-mail and wait for responses from every vendor, you still have to create a vision with the endless amount of inspiration out there. Oh and there is this thing called a J-O-B that you also have to focus on. Oh and then you get the family members who want things their way, and you would just swear that you were planning their wedding! It's a balancing act for sure.

{Too many things to love about this shot! Source: Kiss the Groom}

So where do I stand? I have some AMAZING ideas for my wedding. Things that I can't even show off because I have never seen pictures of these things. Things I am dying to tell you about. But until I find this damn venue, nothing is finalized and nothing is set.

{My fave colors! Source: Wedding Chicks}

Another contender for the location is Holman Ranch which has been a major obsession of mine for SO long. This is the point where I wish I had money coming out of my ears, or that it grew on trees, or that I had three wishes or something, because the site fee is an un-gawwwdly amount! But in this world you get what you pay for, and at least I won't be treated like I was at Radonich. After talking to the girl, I found OPTIONS (something I am not used to getting) and I can definitely cut the price by a bit to make it a little easier on the clutch. Off season....possibly a Friday?? I just love that I have options! Oh and she is SO nice. I also talked to a few caterers who are SO nice! This is how you should be treated people. I'm still trying to work it all out to see where I can cut some other things, discount a few things, etc. but we will see overall what happens in the end.

{Holman Ranch}

There are two other contenders as well. One is Healdsburg County Weddings and the other is called Barbara's Barn (thanks to the recommendation of Trisha Dean. Someone who has helped me an unimaginable amount so far during this process.) I am still going to look at Taber Ranch, but firepits are a no go there.

{Barbara's Barn}

{Healdsburg CountryWeddings}

Oh, and I am taking the leap and making a trip to check out Taber Ranch! So, I'll keep you updated the moment this thing is booked and a date is picked!

Is anyone having trouble with venues or vendors?? Just not being able to find the right ones, getting calls or e-mails back, etc. etc.?? Do tell.

Taber Ranch – The New Venue???

I have been a self-proclaimed basket-case for the last few days. But holy moly, I am so done with that. I have decided to just give it up and start looking for a new venue, one that was better. I know many of you are probably curious about what happened with the perfect and dreamy venue. Turns out that the perfect and dreamy venue comes with a not-so-perfect and not-so-amazing coordinator. Ya....In due time I will explain all the things that happened on that Sunday afternoon which left me in tears and thoroughly depressed and apathetic about this whole venue search. But that will be for another time once I can cool my jets a bit and not turn the whole story into a big fat he-said/she-said gossipfest. But rest-assured, the story will be told. OK, now onto bigger and better things! People kept telling me that it was a sign, it wasn't the right now, and all that. Well, as much as I beyond greatly appreciate all the encouragement and happy thoughts, I thought you all were crazy! Now I think you are right though. I found a ranch-style space that goes until 11. (Let's just say that though I actually PREFER the 9:30pm ending time, that early time was the reason and start of the whole downfall at the other venue.) The space is amazing and everything really seems to jive so far. It is a few hundred dollars more expensive and I still have to check on the firepits, but it's bigger, it's better, and we get to have a little bit more than just wine and beer.

It's called Taber Ranch and is about 2 hours north of where I live. That's the only blah-zeh point, the long drive. But they have an adorable Inn there, and it seems to be exactly what I want minus one crazy lady and a bunch of dumb rules that I didn't care to have restricting me.

Ready to see this beauty??? I think you all will love it. And though it is not Radonich, I think it'll do.

Source: Andrea's Images.

Dresses and Sparkles

I check Jason and Anna's blog on a daily/twice daily/hundred times daily basis because I am anxiously awaiting the very first pictures from Lizzie's wedding. I have had a chance to poke around a little bit and have found SOOO many amazing shots I wanted to share, but this one is my favorite. While we wait (well you may not be, but if you were there, you would be anxiously awaiting!) for the first amazing shots of Lizzie's wedding to surface, here is a little something to hold all of us over for right now! Jason and Anna were pretty incredible. I can't wait to share more about this whole event!

Source: Jason and Anna Photography

Hannah Suh

Today I come to you with some exiting news of a new vendor find of mine! Hannah Suh Photography has become a featured vendor for Engaged and Inspired. I just fell in love with her work. The colors and the composition of the photos were just great. I am constantly on the look out for vendors who can really display their talents, and sometimes you come across great ones! So excited to see what she has in store this upcoming wedding season-and I am even more excited to be able to display all the prettiness on the blog!

Check out her website: hannahsuh.com and her blog.

So that we are clear, a featured vendor is someone I research for myself with the idea of booking them for my wedding. I look at all the work, the pricing and the composition of the photos. I also ensure that the vendor is a person that can really think with style and can give the bride what it is that she is looking for.