Laurel Wedding Co.

Stratford Hall Styled Shoot

June 21, 2018 By Erin Bacon

Hi Friends!
With Wedding Season in full swing, I am so excited to catch back up to all that has been happening for Laurel Wedding Co over the last two months! The FIRST thing we have to share is this beautiful styled shoot at Stratford Hall!
This shoot was rescheduled not one, not two, but THREE times due to that crazy, snowy winter we had! The timing was definitely on our side as Spring was just starting to bloom as you’ll see in the beautiful trees & grounds at Stratford. Read on & enjoy this beautiful, neutral palette!

Shout out to the BEST & most loyal vendors:
Venue: Stratford Hall
Photography: Abby Hudson Photography
Florist: Jane Guerin Flowers
Cake: Sorby Sweets
Dress: Ava Laurenne Bride
Hair & Make-Up: Bobby Pins & Blush
Models: the adorable Katie & Chris Myers!

Vendor Spotlight: Pretty Ink Press!

March 8, 2018 By Erin Bacon

Hey y’all! I hope you are enjoying this sunshine and watching the snow MELT as much as I am! To give you a taste of Spring, I’m so excited to share about a sweet friend, an exciting business venture, and one of our favorite parts of your wedding: wedding invitations & stationary!

small business marketing

When I was working with Cynthia Oswald Design & Creative Services to bring our logo & website to life, I couldn’t wait to get the beautiful designs we were creating on paper! I don’t know about you, but I have an old school desire to still use a planner, get lost writing in my journal, or send hand-written notes in the mail.
Before you call me a grandma, don’t get me wrong! I LOVE and live by notifications, reminders, and the calendar on my phone or computer. However, there is something about “checking” off a task or color coding meetings in my beautiful Erin Condren Planner (if you don’t know who she is, you’re welcome!) that bring me a little spark of joy! That being said, when Heather from Pretty Ink Press called to tell me the following designs were in, I couldn’t WAIT to see them in person, and share them with you!
Introducing the Laurel Wedding Co. Small Business Branding Package from Pretty Ink Press!

Working with Heather is a dream! She took my ideas and brought all of them to life. I am excited to show we have TWO, beautiful, different business cards that perfectly display how to get in touch with us!

small business branding

I love how Heather created this rack card to tell a story. As your Wedding Planner, we are involved in so many little details to make your day special. From the rings, to the flowers, to your hair, to the veil, to the cake, to the decor – we love all of the elements this card shows that help us bring your wedding vision to life!

rack card

I am MOST excited for this thank-you note. As you know, I am big on hand-written letters, and Heather knew how to celebrate this from the beginning! Her simple, clean, and perfect design captured exactly what I was hoping to send my Bride’s after all is said and done.
thank you card

Maybe one of the most fun parts of working with Heather, and writing this blog, is getting to brag on her business! Pretty Ink Press does beautiful small business branding packages as you can see, but that is only the beginning…
Wedding Stationary

Based out of Perkasie, PA Pretty Ink Press, LLC is a small home-based design studio that also offers custom wedding stationery throughout the greater Philadelphia area! Heather has been designing wedding invitations since 2012 and branding + web design since early 2010. Wedding invitations are such a fun, important part of your wedding! After all, they are the first glimpse that your guests will see into your wedding day! Designing wedding invitations should not be stressful, and Pretty Ink Press is sure to make it one of your favorite parts of wedding planning!

Pretty Ink Press makes designing your invitations simple by offering both Custom and Semi-Custom invitation sets.
Semi-Custom collections are pre-designed invitation sets that can be personalized with your names, details and colors. Semi-Custom sets are a great option for couples who need to get their invitations quickly. They are a bit more budget friendly since they’ve been pre-created. Plus, they don’t lack in any design or quality!
Custom Sets start with an inquiry where you can tell Pretty Ink Press what you’re looking for. After chatting a little, you can enjoy a cup of coffee while looking through samples with Heather. This is where she works her magic to “build” your invitation set!

Pretty Ink Press also loves to discuss details about your day of stationery. These are things like your seating charts, menus, programs, signage, and more!

When it comes to wedding invitations, Pretty Ink Press treats them like cherished heirlooms. Each couple who works with Pretty Ink Press knows they’re not just receiving a piece of paper but rather, a beautiful piece of art for one of life’s very special moments. It’s your own little piece of art that you can cherish for years and share with all of your loved ones!

Laurel Wedding Co. is excited to have Pretty Ink Press as a Preferred Vendor for Wedding Invitations & Stationary! When you see our small business materials, you’ll get a glimpse of the amazing quality and design PIP provides! Ask us about samples or connecting and setting up a meeting to start working on your wedding stationary with Pretty Ink Press, today!

Rainy Day Weddings!

March 1, 2018 By Erin Bacon

Happy March, everyone!
Can you believe today is March 1? I know February is a short month, but for me it FLEW by! That little taste of Spring was SO wonderful, wasn’t it?! Right before those warm, beautiful days, enduring that gross rain for a week and staring at some beautiful Valentine’s Day flowers got me thinking – this is a perfect blog post! As we prepare for an amazing wedding season in 2018, I thought what better vendor spotlight than to feature a favorite photographer & preferred vendor of Laurel Wedding Co. by chatting about some rainy day tips!

Meet my sweet friend, Renée! She is a photographer, wife, sister, old soul, coffee drinking Christ follower who lives in Bucks County, PA. And trust me, her laugh and smile is just as contagious as it looks in that photo! Meeting Renée has been so fun for me – we love going to Broad Street Grind and chatting about life, love, food, and of course some weddings and our businesses sprinkled in!

You are going to love her words of wisdom about some rainy day weddings – make sure you check out her website and of course, enjoy these pictures she captured on this sweet couple’s rainy wedding day!

When Erin shared with me that she’d like me to write a guest post on her blog, I couldn’t have been more ecstatic! Today, I’ll be sharing my 3 best tips for brides to approach rainy wedding days.
This isn’t a topic that’s talked about often because who really wants it to rain on their wedding day? Yes, it might have some good luck associated with it, but rain is usually not on a bride’s wish list! BUT if it does rain on your wedding day, remember that you’ve hired the best creative team who will work together to ensure your day continues on rain or shine! Be confident in that!

I’ve seen the tips below, remain as a consistent relief for brides when preparing for rain on their wedding day!

Ask your venue what their Plan B is in case it rains!

If you’re getting married at a venue, most likely they’ve had experience with rain arriving on a wedding day! They know the ins and outs of their venue, and what works best as a Plan B if the weather is looking unpredictable! I’ve seen this be such a comfort for brides to know – right from the start – how their venue will transition into Plan B! Asking about Plan B doesn’t mean that you’ll have rain on your wedding day either! 🙂 You should know these details ahead of time, and the best part would be never having to use Plan B at all! Make sure to share Plan B with your vendor, too!

Ask your photographer how they approach rainy weddings days!

Obviously, no one wants it to rain on wedding days, but that’s just not realistic! In a photographer’s career, rain will make an appearance at some point! If it does rain that doesn’t mean you won’t have beautiful photos! Your photographer should be prepared and know how to handle rain on a wedding day!

For myself, if I know that rain might be on its way, I’ll make sure that I arrive an hour earlier to scope out alternative portrait locations! That way, when it’s time for portraits, I can use every moment with my couples to capture the photos they love without having to try and find the best locations at the same time!

You have hired your photographer to capture your wedding day, and that might mean getting a little wet! I most definitely won’t ask my couples to go out in thunder, lightning or a downpour, BUT if it’s spritzing I will most likely ask my couples – if they’re comfortable, of course – to take some portraits outside under an umbrella! I bring 8 of the clear bubble umbrellas with me, as well, for the couples and their bridal party to use! These umbrellas are always in my trunk and look so good in portraits!

Also, be flexible! If there is a break in the weather later in the day or during your reception, your photographer will most likely ask you to take more portraits outside! This allows more opportunities for your photographer to serve you well and provide you with more images that you LOVE!

Lastly, take a deep breath.

This might not be the tip that immediately comes to mind when you see rain on the forecast, and is probably the hardest out of all three tips! If it does rain, you will still receive beautiful photos and create memories that you’ll cherish for a lifetime! You have family, friends and a creative team ready to step in to ensure your day is perfect and beautiful in every way! Above all, you’re marrying your best friend and the love of your life!! Rain most definitely won’t stop that from happening! 🙂

Renée – you are a joy and I am so thankful for you; I can’t wait to continue collaborating and working together!
You’d never know it was a rainy wedding day for the couple featured in this post! Click here to see the full blog on Amanda & Ben’s Wedding.
For more information about Renee Nicolo Photography, click here!

Choosing the Perfect Veil

January 31, 2018 By Erin Bacon

Which veil will you choose?
I am so excited to share this post with you today!
One of my favorite moments with a Bride right before she heads down the aisle is when she puts on the final touches to her ensemble, chief among them her veil!
A bride becomes bridal when that veil graces her beautiful hair and it gives us chills every time.
bride, veil

With so many options, how do you choose a veil?
During your fittings and dress appointments, try all the options you can!
Walk around in different kinds. Try to get a feel for the most comfortable, and the most bridal, that fits YOU! Think of it as your final touch to becoming a bride and the veil takes on a whole new special meaning.

How do you know what length to chose?
Besides feeling comfortable, know that you can make a statement with your veil!
A bandeau, birdcage, and blushers as shorter veils tend to offer a fun personality spin to your ensemble. Not to mention, short veils can bring in a little informal and retro style!
Longer veils, like a ballet, chapel, and cathedral style offer more of a traditional, formal touch to your dress. Longer veils are my personal favorite for the ultimate romantic element to your ensemble – not to mention, are universally flattering!

What about fabric?
You can add an element of flair with your veil by choosing a special fabric to complement your dress. Tulle is always a classic choice! Choose tulle a light, airy, cost-effective choice and you can never go wrong. For a different, straighter draped veil, there is always silk or satin. But, don’t forget to consider a lace veil or even lace touches to add a little romance or drama!
lace veil, rustic wedding

With so many options, don’t worry if you can’t find the perfect veil!
Custom veils are always an option and even recommended so you have the perfect length to complement your amazing dress.
If all else fails, think about all of the amazing women in your life who have gone before you in their own marriage journey! Consider “something borrowed” when choosing your veil – you can always give your Mom’s veil a little updating taking it to a trusted tailor and adding a touch of lace or color.

Tag us on Instagram with #laurelveil and tell us how you choose your perfect veil!

Vendor Spotlight: Basic Invite

January 16, 2018 By Erin Bacon

Vendor Spotlight: I am so excited to introduce you to Basic Invite! When looking for truly customizable invitations, this is your one stop shop for everything you need when putting you and your fiancé on paper.

With Basic Invite, we can help you design specific layouts, colors, fonts and more to make sure everything looks JUST right for you. Check out some of the exciting features of Basic Invite below!

COLORS, COLORS, AND MORE COLORS!

ANY color you are looking for is most likely an option on Basic Invite! You can choose your custom color from over 160 options in the online design tool. Click around and you how much fun it is to see all the different options when you are planning and choosing your wedding colors!
From a planner side, I can’t even begin to express how GREAT it is for me designing options for my brides! I am able to give you different brands and looks to show you the possibilities and the power of color. Being able to choose your specific color is finally possible thanks to their program!

CUSTOM SAMPLES

Rest assured in the quality of your wedding invitations by ordering samples before you place your big order! See different colors, paper types, and products to build the wedding suite of your dreams. For all of you brides and planners like me, the relief in knowing your order will come looking how you want it too is priceless!

UNIQUE FONTS

Just like your color options, Basic Invite has over 100 different wedding fonts you can mix, match, and combine to make your invites look as unique as you are! Get the look you’re envisioning with this custom feature every time. You might even surprise yourself and fall in love with a new font combo like I did the first time I designed invites!

WEDDING INVITE SETS

What better experience than a one-stop-shop feel when it comes to wedding tasks? Basic Invite offers complete wedding invitation sets to include everything from your save the dates, to your invitations, to place cards, even shower invites! (How great for your Mom, Aunts, and Bridesmaids?!) As a lover of branding, I think this feature is particularly special to give your wedding a uniquely uniform look!

So now you have it. As you can probably tell, I am so excited to work with my Brides and their families with more Basic Invite orders! I’m currently playing around with these real wood gorgeous invites for one of my 2018 couples – contact LWC today to start designing yours!

Why a planner?

January 4, 2018 By Erin Bacon

In the midst of engagement season, I am receiving many exciting questions about all things weddings! Chief among them I want to share with you today is, why should i have a wedding planner? If you’re wrestling with deciding whether or not to invest in a planner too, read on as we share a little more about what we do with you!

Why do you need a planner? You have a friend who has offered to step in, your aunts and your mom’s friends plan to set-up for you, you even have a friend who is recently married and can’t wait to assist you. Those are all wonderful things and each one will add to your special day!
Investing in a planner, specifically LWC, we will make sure everyone who has offered to help and assist you does-so to the extent they are comfortable, all while making sure they are breaking it down with you on the dance floor, right next to you!

As your planner, we will be behind the scenes connecting all the dots no matter what package you decide to invest in!

During the planning process leading up to your wedding, will connect you with our preferred vendors chosen carefully and specifically to ensure you have the best experience and pricing for your special event.

On your big day, we’ll coordinate your vendors’ arrival and set-up all while you enjoy a little champagne while getting your hair done.

In getting you to the dance floor, we will line up your bridesmaids, groomsmen, cue your DJ, photographer, videographer, and any other vendors to make sure your entrance is everything you expect it to be, and more!

While you and your guests are partying the night away, we will make sure your getaway car includes everything you need it to – phones, wallets, bags, and more!

Before we coordinate your grand exit, you can be sure your decorations and any personal touches will be packed so your parents and guests will not be breaking any decor down at the end of the night.

These are just a few of the behind the scenes touches you can expect when you invest in a planner! Many people think what was just listed will cost anywhere from $10-15,000 dollars – rest assured, investing in Laurel Wedding Co. starts at $1400, and will always be cost effective for you and your family!
We are excited to help you be a true guest at your own wedding, present for every moment!

Logo Spotlight

December 21, 2017 By Erin Bacon

logo, branding
I knew exactly what look I was going for when I started drawing out my logo. What I didn’t expect, was a logo that not only looks great, but has some special meaning behind it!

I knew the look of the fonts I was going for right from the get-go that Cynthia was able to create seamlessly! In my first draft of proofs, she added a beautiful flower image to the top of some of them I immediately fell in love with. I am so excited to share the idea she sparked with those proofs in this post!

The Laurel Wreath around the logo gives a beautiful, meaningful nod to the “Laurel” in my company name. This company is named for my Grandmother Laurel, who I was given my middle name for!

The unique flower shown is a Dogwood. This flower gives me so much meaning as it is not only a nod to my VA roots as the state tree, but the Dogwood was my Grandmother Laurel’s favorite flower! I am so excited to celebrate my sweet Grandmother by not only a name, but sharing her flower as our image.

When I looked up the meaning of the Dogwood flower, what it stands for is even more powerful:

durability & reliability
strength & resilience
white petals symbolize purity
pink petals symbolize love!

A special thanks to Cynthia Oswald Design & Creative Services for not only making my vision come to life, but making it more meaningful and significant than I could have asked for!
logo

The Perfect Backyard Wedding

December 19, 2017 By Erin Bacon

wedding portrait

Hi all!
I am so excited to share this blog post with you! With my website finally live and a little time on my hands, I can finally share this amazing Wedding from the Fall!
Cynthia was one of my first friends in this area – we immediately clicked in an Abundant Life Bible Church Small Group study on the amazing book of Ruth (if you haven’t read it I strongly recommend it!) Going through seasons of life together for the last two years has been such a gift, it was just icing on the cake that as I made a career transition to Wedding Coordinator, Cynthia and Steven were in the process of putting together an amazing backyard wedding!

From the all-natural touches of decoration to the hand-crafted elements of their wedding, Cynthia and Steven threw the most amazing celebration at their new home! They went for a simple and romantic feel, which they definitely achieved. Not to mention, the warm sun and perfect September weather made every moment of the week before and day-of special. From saying “I do” under their beautiful willow tree, followed by a backyard reception, both of their amazing families came together from set-up to breakdown to turn their backyard wedding into a fantastic celebration I’m sure no one will forget!

Cynthia and Steven, it was a true honor to coordinate your special day – it seems like time only went by faster and faster as your day become closer!
Cynthia, I loved meeting and talking wedding planning with you getting to know you even more in a new way! I look forward to enjoying coffee or a future bike ride together soon. Steven, it was so fun to get to know you during the wedding planning process after hearing so much about you! (all good things ☺)
While I thought I might use the ‘Ceremony’ sign for future weddings, it truly has much more meaning and I can’t wait to hang it up in my office! Thank you for giving me such a special gift from my first solo wedding!

Venue: Cynthia & Steven’s Backyard – Phoenixville, PA
Planner: Laurel Wedding Co.
Photography: Becky Albright Photography
Dress: BHLDN
Hair: Fashionista’s

wedding ceremony signs
bridal hair bride getting ready

wedding rings

cutting the wedding cake

November 20, 2017 By Erin Bacon

Hello! Thank you for visiting my site, and clicking my first blog post to learn more about me and what’s going on here! Originally from Williamsburg, VA, I would describe myself as a Jesus-loving, beach-going, always smiling individual! I left Virginia to go to Centre College in Danville, KY, to be followed by what I thought would be a brief time in Pennsylvania, the state I now call home.

I began my professional career coaching and getting my Master’s at Misericordia University as the Graduate Assistant Field Hockey Coach (a great way to enter the “real world” after college if you’re not sure what to do!). After two more years working in field hockey on the business side, I made the full-time career transition into my unrealized dream of becoming an event coordinator/wedding planner! Coaching has taught me to manage many moving parts, from personalities to planning; all while keeping a positive attitude thriving together as a team. While you can still find me knocking the cobwebs off my field hockey sticks from time to time at Gwynedd Mercy University, more often than not you will find me in a dress and great shoes bringing organization and joy to other people on the most important day of their lives!

I am the third of four kids in a crazy family that is only growing in number! From an amazing sister-in-law, spunky (almost) two-year old niece, and new brother-in-law this year, holidays are blessed with numerous personalities creating more and more dishes.

If I can share one thing I’ve learned in my 25 years with you, as tacky as it is to coin Justin Bieber’s phrase, I believe you should “never say never!” And here’s why:

I never wanted to go to a small school—Centre College has about 1300 kids, just bigger than my high school.
I never wanted to go to school far away from home—Danville, KY was a 10-hour drive through the mountains of West Virginia, and I loved it.
I never wanted to move up North—now I live above the Mason Dixon in the sweet town of Collegeville, PA. (and I can drive in the snow!)

As much as I would credit this to “the Biebs,” the bigger picture I see as I look-back to move forward is that God’s plan will always come through despite what we think or when we say we will never do anything. I look forward to sharing more lessons like this with you as I learn them on the blog!

In between weddings for Laurel Wedding Co., you can find me coordinating events in the Northern Neck of VA at Stratford Hall. As I journey to starting my business full-time, thank you for supporting me with a visit to my website, social media, and even dropping me a note on the contact page if you so wish! In the mean time, any topics you’d like to see on the blog feel free to comment below — stay tuned for tips, trends, insights, and Laurel Weddings in the future!