Catering can make or break a wedding. We have been to weddings were the food was terrible and ones where the food was fantastic. When the food is bad, that is all the guests can seem to remember. They don't remember the small details on the tables, the colors, or even the set-up. They just remember that they wished they had stopped at a McDonald's before going to the wedding.
Caterers are also responsible for setting the feel of the wedding. Think about it, you go to a real nice wedding and dinner is served in aluminum chaffing dishes. Not so nice. We have had our fair share of caterers that we have been disappointed in, and we have had our fair share that have just been awesome. One such caterer is Mitchell's Catering. They are so professional and honest. They really get that everyone has a budget and is trying to make it work. Their presentation is amazing! Everything looks gourmet. Even the french fries they serve look like they came from a high class restaurant. On top of that...their food is to die for. It is seriously the best food I have ever tasted. They have a monthly tasting, and it is so worth going! From the moment you walk in, you know that this company is the one for you. They are so great to work with and have been in business for a very long time. If you are looking for a caterer - check out Mitchell's, you won't regret it!
C and D Events
Wedding Planners Serving the Raleigh Area!
63 Harker's Island
Garner, NC 27529
ph: 919-621-1478
alt: 919-656-0627
CandDeve
Blog
January Bridal Show
We survived the two day bridal show this past weekend. Whew! It was tiring! We spent a lot of time and energy in setting up for this show. Our wonderful husbands built us a beautiful Pergola to help our vision come to reality. We met some really great brides and are hoping we will get the opportunity to work with them! Here are some pictures of or booth and our table top design.
C and E Rentals
This month we would like to showcase C&E rentals. We can not say enough about this company! They are extremely professional, easy to work with, and can work with any budget. They have some of the best linens in the area. When you go in, you are immediately greeted with a warm smile. They sit you down and have a short conference on what you are looking for, then they take into the back. Holy Moly! There are linens of every color. They every shade of green, brown, blue, purple, yellow, red, white, etc. If you have a look, you will find it here. The best part?!?! They have the CHEAPEST linen rental than any other company in this area. They are so accommodating and get just as invested into the wedding as any other vendor. We LOVE LOVE LOVE working with them. They are fantastic! I even use them for personal parties (showers, dinner parties, etc). I would trust them with any of our weddings. They do more than linens. They have tables, chairs, and dishes as well. If you are looking for rentals for your wedding, check out C&E, you will not be sorry!
The big craze these days is going green. Not literally going "Green," but being more environmentally friendly. We love the natural look here at C&D. In the right setting, it looks absolutely beautiful. Grass and wooden vases look great under a tent or inside. Potted plants go such a long way. When you use simple centerpieces or little accents, it really can look amazing!
But even more fun is fruit! Fruit is something that is cost effective and can really add a pop of color to your decor.
So, if you are stuck and need some inspiration, take a look outside, you can always find some great ideas!
But even more fun is fruit! Fruit is something that is cost effective and can really add a pop of color to your decor.
So, if you are stuck and need some inspiration, take a look outside, you can always find some great ideas!
The Groom
Here at C & D we have seen our fair share of grooms. They always surprise you. You can meet a couple and think, he is going to be so involved and want to be at everything. The Bride winks at him and says, "Honey, this is going to be so much fun!" He nods in response. Come to find out he would rather crawl in a hole and die then go and pick out table linens. We can categorize them into these 3 categories:
1. The nodding Groom- He nods at everything. Do you like this? *nod*How about this color instead? *more vigorous nod* Eventually after the 100th swatch he just says, "whatever you want baby." Most brides squeal in delight with the free pass to do whatever they want. Some brides look hurt and ask how they can care so little about the most important day of their life. Some brides roll their eyes and know their guy is just in a wedding coma from all the stuff he has been staring at. Regardless, this Groom does want to appear to be involved, but really has no major opinion on olive green versus Montpelier olive green. He is a sweet man for trying, and that he will always want to please his bride.
2. The Food groom - This groom only comes out when we are deciding on the the food and alcohol. All of the sudden, the non-existent groom that we have heard so much about is at every meeting asking a million questions and grilling the caterer on his bartending abilities. Typically the bride is relieved to have help on this part since it is the probably the hardest and most memorable part of the reception (people always remember the food!)The bride looks at her groom and gives him a big hug and kiss knowing that he can handle the tough decisions!
3. The clueless Groom - This groom is just funny. He has no clue what is going on. At the rehearsal he sheepishly come up to us and asks us what he needs to be wearing at what time and in what place. We give him a list and detailed itinerary and he immediately looks panicked. We assure him that all the groomsmen have the same list, so they can keep each other on task. A sigh of relief from the groom. Most brides don't mind the clueless groom. They are happy to plan away and surprise the groom on how well everything turned out. Typically half way through reception you will hear him compliment the bride on how she did such a great job putting it all together. We all know that she had some help, but he sees her as the amazing women she is, and we agree profusely.
Moral of the story - your groom loves you! No matter how involved he is, he is doing what he thinks you want. Love him for it, and thank him for all the support during the planning process. They really deserve it for keeping you calm and happy!
1. The nodding Groom- He nods at everything. Do you like this? *nod*How about this color instead? *more vigorous nod* Eventually after the 100th swatch he just says, "whatever you want baby." Most brides squeal in delight with the free pass to do whatever they want. Some brides look hurt and ask how they can care so little about the most important day of their life. Some brides roll their eyes and know their guy is just in a wedding coma from all the stuff he has been staring at. Regardless, this Groom does want to appear to be involved, but really has no major opinion on olive green versus Montpelier olive green. He is a sweet man for trying, and that he will always want to please his bride.
2. The Food groom - This groom only comes out when we are deciding on the the food and alcohol. All of the sudden, the non-existent groom that we have heard so much about is at every meeting asking a million questions and grilling the caterer on his bartending abilities. Typically the bride is relieved to have help on this part since it is the probably the hardest and most memorable part of the reception (people always remember the food!)The bride looks at her groom and gives him a big hug and kiss knowing that he can handle the tough decisions!
3. The clueless Groom - This groom is just funny. He has no clue what is going on. At the rehearsal he sheepishly come up to us and asks us what he needs to be wearing at what time and in what place. We give him a list and detailed itinerary and he immediately looks panicked. We assure him that all the groomsmen have the same list, so they can keep each other on task. A sigh of relief from the groom. Most brides don't mind the clueless groom. They are happy to plan away and surprise the groom on how well everything turned out. Typically half way through reception you will hear him compliment the bride on how she did such a great job putting it all together. We all know that she had some help, but he sees her as the amazing women she is, and we agree profusely.
Moral of the story - your groom loves you! No matter how involved he is, he is doing what he thinks you want. Love him for it, and thank him for all the support during the planning process. They really deserve it for keeping you calm and happy!
Things here at C & D have been super busy, but we love it! We are almost completely booked for August and have a bridal show as well!
A few years ago wedding season was considered from May - July. As the years have gone by, the "season" has expanded from April to September. More and more we are seeing winter weddings and early spring weddings. To us, wedding season is year long. As a planner, there is never a time when you are not thinking or planning for a wedding. When one wedding goes off with out a hitch, all the gifts have been packed in the car, and we have waved goodbye to the newlyweds, another wedding is right on the horizon! Most brides know the month or season they want to get married in. When they pick that month or season, they usually have a fond memory, a cool story, or just want to go somewhere specific for their honeymoon. It is a true reflection on the couple. "We want to get married in June, it was our first date!" "We want to get married in July on the beach, it is where we spend our summers." When you work closely with a bride you really get to know her. By the end of the planning process, the wedding has transformed into their wedding, and if anyone else tried to have that same wedding, it wouldn't be right. It is so cool so see a wedding take shape and see the little touches that make it personal. All brides have something specific in the ceremony or reception that when guests look at it, they say, "That is so the bride and groom!" That is the best part about planning, the small details. Most brides think about the small details and automatically start breaking out in hives and see a To Do list a mile long. This is the part that we love! It gives us a chance to be really creative and we have a great time doing it! Enjoy this wonderful wedding season - yours is going to be here before you know it!
A few years ago wedding season was considered from May - July. As the years have gone by, the "season" has expanded from April to September. More and more we are seeing winter weddings and early spring weddings. To us, wedding season is year long. As a planner, there is never a time when you are not thinking or planning for a wedding. When one wedding goes off with out a hitch, all the gifts have been packed in the car, and we have waved goodbye to the newlyweds, another wedding is right on the horizon! Most brides know the month or season they want to get married in. When they pick that month or season, they usually have a fond memory, a cool story, or just want to go somewhere specific for their honeymoon. It is a true reflection on the couple. "We want to get married in June, it was our first date!" "We want to get married in July on the beach, it is where we spend our summers." When you work closely with a bride you really get to know her. By the end of the planning process, the wedding has transformed into their wedding, and if anyone else tried to have that same wedding, it wouldn't be right. It is so cool so see a wedding take shape and see the little touches that make it personal. All brides have something specific in the ceremony or reception that when guests look at it, they say, "That is so the bride and groom!" That is the best part about planning, the small details. Most brides think about the small details and automatically start breaking out in hives and see a To Do list a mile long. This is the part that we love! It gives us a chance to be really creative and we have a great time doing it! Enjoy this wonderful wedding season - yours is going to be here before you know it!
Bridal Shower Etiquette
Many people do not know proper wedding etiquette. With unique and non-traditional weddings, etiquette is becoming a thing of the past. However, there are a few pieces of etiquette that should not be forgotten. One of those is Bridal Showers. You are probably thinking how can you screw up a bridal shower? It is so easy my friends!
Do not invite people to your shower who are not invited to the wedding. Why is this so important? Take a second to put yourself in their shoes. You are invited to a shower, you attend, bring a nice gift, and mingle with the guests. 3-4 weeks before the wedding no invitation comes. You immediately feel like the only reason you were invited to the shower was for the gift, not because they wanted you there. If they wanted you there then they would have definitely invited you to the wedding. Let's take a step back and look at the bride's perspective. You have limited space. You love the venue you picked out, but it can only hold 100 guests. You want your co-workers, long lost friends, and the baker down the street to share in your special day, but there is no room! So, you come to a compromise, they can celebrate with you at a shower!
As you can see, the bride's intent was not to be mean or sneaky. But, to the guests, it can come across that way. Are there exceptions to the rules? Yes, there always are. It is okay to have a shower with someone you know is not going to make it, but you still invite them. You still will want to extend an invitation. Showers are very personal and shared with people that are closest to you, these guests expect (as they should) to be invited.
Duke Blue Devils
Courtney and I booked K and J awhile back. They were looking for someone to help plan their reception! They had already booked the ceremony venue, Duke Chapel:
If you know anything about Duke Chapel, you know that they are SUPER strict about who you have and what you do. They both graduated from Duke and it has special place in their heart. They moved up north after they graduated and are successful lawyers. So, we have been talking on the phone, via e-mail, and they have come down for a few visits to meet vendors and find the venue! They are sooo nice and we love working with them. They are laid back, and are on the ball with all the planning! Their big day is approaching and we are so stoked!
Their Reception is at a Country Club in Durham:
Their centerpieces are handmade frames with scenic pictures in them – very cool!
Their colors are Duke colors (of course!). We are thinking blue tea light holders to surround the frames just to give it a little bit of a pop.
The room is so gorgeous that you really don't need to do too much to the tables.
Michael's Memories is shooting their big day. We have not personally worked with him before, but his references sounded really great. It is always fun to meet new photographers and vendors! They are using Ross with Just Music - WE LOVE HIM!! He is so amazing. He is not obnoxious (everyone has experienced that type of DJ before!), he is very professional, and just does an amazing job! I would highly recommend him! Their cake is being made by Sorte Desserts. They were super excited about the cake. We didn't get to go on the tasting trip, but they assured us that is was amazing!
We can't wait for their big day! It is going to be such a great time. I will definitely post after the wedding with pictures!
Courtney and I have survived our first show! We had such a great time and met so many wonderful brides! It is so great to see all the excitement just exuded from them about their big day. Courtney and I really debated about the lay out of the booth. When you think about a 10x10 space, it doesn't seem that small. However when you get all the stuff you want in it, it starts to feel like my grandmother's house that has 1 too many things in it. So we decided that less is more and to focus on the centerpiece, which is what every one will see. We loved how it turned out! Courtney is such a visionary sometimes. She truly has an eye for things. She is great at color scheming and seeing the entire picture. I feel like I focus on the little details more. Guests notice when you do the small things like a ribbon here or a bow there. Courtney and I make such a great team! It really works out great! Here are some pictures of the show!
We got really great feedback on it. Everyone seemed to love it! The only critique we got was to make our sign bigger and more noticeable so that people knew what we did. That was very exciting to hear! We learned a lot and are super excited about the August Show! Next post we are going to talk about one of our weddings this August, it is going to be gorgeous!
We got really great feedback on it. Everyone seemed to love it! The only critique we got was to make our sign bigger and more noticeable so that people knew what we did. That was very exciting to hear! We learned a lot and are super excited about the August Show! Next post we are going to talk about one of our weddings this August, it is going to be gorgeous!
63 Harker's Island
Garner, NC 27529
ph: 919-621-1478
alt: 919-656-0627
CandDeve
