In The Press

Kim Forrest the editor at Brides Magazine contacted me about an opportunity to take part in an article she was writing about Welcome Bags for Out-of-Town Guests. She said she was contacting the most talented planners in the area to tell them their most favorite Boston-themed welcome bags, and basket components. I jumped at the chance to add my favorite things to a Boston Welcome Bag! Take a look at my favorites! First entry pg178

This was a great little piece on welcome bags- Boston is so full of rich tradition and history, that giving my contribution to this article was not only fun, but I hope very informative to couples hosting their wedding in Bean Town, or if your just a die hard Bostonian!!!

I had such a great time doing this- that I took it to the next level and wrote all about the different types of bags and baskets you can put together, and where to find all of the components. You can use this information to make your bags, or baskets whether you are doing a beach wedding, or a Boston Red Sox themed one- Everything you will need to know is right here for you.

Welcome Bags
Treating your traveling wedding guests to something special when they arrive in Boston and welcoming them to a town that is filled with history, great food, and the best shopping around can be a wonderful gesture. When compiling many different components to make the perfect welcome bags, I advise my brides that they should first think about a few factors: consider your budget, theme, personalized items, and the season you are getting married in? These factors may change with every couple and your choices for products may vary.
When I think about what to put in to a welcome bag, I consider the season of the wedding. Boston can be very cold in the winter months, so if the wedding is in January I would include but not limit to: Chap Stick, hand warmers, hot coco mix, and maybe even a soft pair of mittens. Most of these products are inexpensive and you can get at most supermarkets, and dollar stores. For the hot coco and coffee mix you can use these on-line sources like www.theknot.com, www.eleganceandgraceweddings.com, www.beaucoup.com if the couple was getting married in July, I would include products that would suit the guests for that time of year. Items like travel size sun screen, lip balm, flip flops, and visors. A great place to purchase inexpensive flip flops in most colors is at your local Old Navy or www.oldnavy.com
When making up your gift boxes or bag you should think about your theme, wedding colors, or a Boston team that is your favorite it might add a nice thematic element to your bag. For example you can add green monster bites, dipping pretzels and a must have for any visiting Bostonian gourmet popcorn. You can get most of these items at some of my favorite on-line stores www. bostonbasketcases.com and www.massbaytrading.com another fun thing I like to add is apparel such a baseball cap or a t-shirt. Now if budget is factor than adding these items could be costly. A team base ball cap can run you anywhere between $15.00 and $ 20.00 and most team t-shirts can cost $20.00 + dollars. I find these items at any local sports stores: Modells, Dicks Sporting Good, and on-line stores like Amazon.com which might be more cost effective.
I always like to include candy, candy and more candy. This is not only inexpensive, but it is a great way to fill up the bag and anyone with a sweet tooth will appreciate it. Coming to Boston you can give them the famous Gummy lobsters or the Lobster Lolli pop, chocolate covered Boston baked beans are some of my favorites to add. But the other great thing about candy is you can color coordinate to your heart’s content. Some great local, and on-line candy stores I shop at include, Phillips Candy House, www.phillipschocolate.com, Sugar Heaven located in Boston on Boylston Street, and Carnival Candy at www.carnivalcandy.com when considering using chocolate in your bags you must ship overnight and store them in a cool place during the hotter months.
Other items I would include are maps, wedding itineraries, attraction sites, restaurant recommendations and shopping areas. Many guests that have traveled far and wide to come to your wedding spend more than 1 day at your destination, so it’s always wise and helpful to them to be able to locate all the different attractions. When visiting Boston, I include some of special and well known attractions such as The Duck Tours, The Museum of Fine Arts, and The Boston Aquarium. And for those sports fans I include game schedules for our very own World Series champions The Boston Red Sox. For down time they can take a stroll through Boston Common, and shop till they drop on Newbury Street. I suggest utilizing your local Chamber of Commerce to gather all this information. Another great source I almost always use is the venue. If you are getting married at a hotel in Boston, asks your sales director or wedding planner for a promotional package for the hotel. If they are generous they may even include some extra maps of the area for your bags. The promotional packages could possibly include materials such as attraction sites, restaurants, other hotels and transportation.
Now that I explained what to include in your bags and where to find the items. Let’s explore what to put all these great components in. You can use almost anything you want bags, baskets, boxes and you can be fun and creative to match a color, or theme. I am going to give you examples of all of these, and then tell you what is most popular, and cost effective and why. Packaging this is the fun part, and picking what all your little gifts will go into is essential. The next step is to determine how many items will be in the bags, or whatever you have decided to use. I suggest to my brides making a list and checking it twice. If I am the one designing the welcome gifts I take in consideration how many things and their weights that are being included in the bag. For example: I always like to include bottled water with a custom label in my bags these can be heavy, so I only pack 2 20 oz bottles per bag. You can find these water bottles and the labels on www.the knot.com and www.eventbloosom.com. These are two great on-line sources, and they come in cases of 24 for about $30.00 with personalized labels.
I like to use something that is easy to transport and has a nice presentation. Canvas totes are great; the items fit in nicely and the presentation is perfect. Not only are they good for the guest bags, but when the wedding is over they can be used to carry back home all of their souvenirs. When deciding to go with the canvas bag I suggest looking around and comparing prices for different bags. Thinking about your style and color can determine what bag you choose. If you look around on the Internet you can find the same bags for different prices. Some of my favorite on-line wholesalers to use include: www.conventiontotes.com www.myweddingfavors.com, www.landsend.com Totes are great because they distribute the weight very well. They can take up to 50lbs, they come in all colors and you can get one and print something on the front or back. You have about 6x9 for print area. The best part about the totes is the handles are sturdy. Another bag that is great and cost effective is the non canvas bag in color, or plain. I like to include a monogram, or logo stitched on the front. This will add color and dimension to any plain bag. The cost of these will be around $1.00-$1.25 not including the stitching. Canvas non color bags are also inexpensive, but when picking a canvas or non canvas bag you want to go with heavy kind for both.
Baskets, are fine too if you are going to have something left in the room for your guests, but I don’t recommend baskets because they are not easily transported and your guest will have a hard time packing them. You also can not include has much in a basket as you can in a bag.
When I make the guest bags I use one of the most popular forms of packaging and that is the Gable boxes. They come in 3 sizes mini, small, and large. For a wedding favor you would want to go with the mini, but for a wedding out-of town gift your best choice would be the Large. These boxes are great for many reasons they have a sturdy handle and they are strong enough to carry a wide variety of products. You can buy them on most on-line packaging wholesale stores such as www.bayleysboxes.com, www.boxandwrap.com and locally you can find them at most craft stores for example: Michaels. They can come in patterns and many different colors. You can add your own personal embellishments by adorning the box with ribbon and flowers. You can include a nice custom label to the front or back of the box. I always love using monogrammed labels for the front. The Large box is 41/2 x3x3 they can run in price about 1-50 -$1.30 50-100 $1.17 100 or more $1.04 they will be shipped flat and will include assembly directions. Prices may vary depending on your patterns, personalization, and colors.
As you can read in this article there are many different ways to design a welcome gift for your guests. You can be creative and make something yourself, or if budget is no factor there are so many great already made welcome baskets to purchase. I enjoy making up these bags myself because you can include all your own personal touches with little messages or sentiments on the items. Shopping around is key for making up the bags using resources like the Internet will help you find the best items for the best price.


Resources
http://www.ourweddinginnewport.com/WelcomeBoxes.htm-contents

http://www.bayleysboxes.com/small%20gable%20box.html- great online source to find gable boxes

boxeshttp://www.mrtakeoutbags.com/store/gable-boxes.html
http://www.phillipschocolate.com/prodinfo.asp?number=NELT – creative gift bag lobster gift case


http://www.boxandwrap.com/collectiongableboxes.html- source for gable boxes

http://www.creativegiftpackaging.com/BOXCO_Gable_boxes_s/120.htm

http://www.conventiontotes.com/canvas-bags/Designer-Deck-Tote.asp- source for canvas bags

http://www.myweddingfavors.com/welcome-canvas-tote-bag.html-personalized tote

http://boston.citysearch.com/profile/4738267/boston_ma/old_town_trolley_tour_boston.html-
Source for everything in the city
www.beaucoup.com – labels
www.eleganceandgraceweddings.com –favors and small gifts
http://weddingshop.theknot.com-watter bottles, coffee and coco bags


Local Retailers
Boston Stone gift shop in Faneuil Hall
New England Country Store
Back Bay
Phillips Candy House
www.phillipschocolate.com

Belmont, MA– January 31, 2011 - WeddingWire, the nation’s leading wedding technology company, is thrilled to announce Elegance & Grace has been selected to receive the prestigious annual WeddingWire Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011 for Wedding and Special Event Planning!

Recognition for the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011 is determined by recent reviews and extensive surveys from over 750,000 WeddingWire newlyweds. Our past clients are among those that shared their experiences on WeddingWire, the largest wedding review site in the nation.

Elegance & Grace stands among the top five percent of wedding professionals in the WeddingWire community, representing quality and service excellence within the wedding industry. Awards were given to the top wedding professionals across 20 service categories, from wedding venues to wedding photographers, and were based on the overall professional achievements throughout the past year.

“WeddingWire is honored to celebrate the success of the top-rated wedding professionals within the WeddingWire community,” said Timothy Chi, WeddingWire’s Chief Executive Officer. “With the annual Bride’s Choice Awards™ program, WeddingWire has the unique opportunity to recognize the best wedding professionals across the US and Canada. We applaud Elegance & Grace for their professionalism and dedication to enhancing the wedding planning experience last year.”

We are happy to announce that Elegance & Grace is among the very best Wedding Planning and Design Service Category within the WeddingWire Network, which includes leading wedding planning sites WeddingWire, Martha Stewart Weddings, Project Wedding and Weddingbee. We would like to thank our past clients for nominating us to receive the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011.

Best Bags in Boston

Well anyone and everyone that knows me can't deny I love a good handbag. When I spot a rocking bag I get a flushed face and this uncontollable excitment runs through my whole body. In my opinion it brings any outfit alive, and says a lot about someones personality. I have found Boston's hidden treasure right here in my home town Belmont Ma. Jenny Boston. YES, she has got it all from handbags small and large to amazing accessories such as, scarf's, earrings, necklaces, and much much more! I am super excited to get Jenny Boston on board with Elegance & Grace to drape my brides and bridesmaids with luxurious jewelry with all glitz and don't forget the bling all these pieces looks like a million bucks but are not! the best part about Jenny is she looks far and wide to find hidden designers with unique style that she can bring into her store and sell for really inexpensive prices. Her selection of bags look like they just got off the run way and should be sold in your Macy's, Nordstrom, or bergdorfs. What can I say; what girl doesn't like a hot handbag! I found Jenny Boston to be extra special because the store helps out local charities and my very own daughters dance studio. 

Now Future brides pay attention, looking for that perfect gift to give to your bridal party is no easy task to take lightly, and not breaking the bank is equally important. The secret is out the place to go is Jenny Boston, you can get a small handbag to match their dresses or a sparkly piece of jewelery the brides maids will love and can wear again. The embroider duffel's are just adorable, and not to mention their monogrammed collection would make a great gift.

Please stop by Jenny Boston and check out Elegance & Grace on Face book for more details to come!

Brad & Christie's wedding 8/21/2010

Brad and Christie were married at the Samoset Resort, in Maine. The Samoset is a beautiful place for any couple to celebrate their destination wedding. The breathtaking backdrop of the ocean with sailboats passing by is so peaceful to look at. This wedding was in production for 9 months, and when the couple first came to me to plan their wedding they had very impressive dreams of what they envisioned for their special day, and it was up to me to make their wedding dreams a reality. After hours spent on floral sketches, linen choices, band songs and all those other elements that go into the planning, we set off in the making for a romantic, elegant and very sophasicated wedding!

Their guests were traveling far and wide to celebrate their nuptials, and they wanted everyone to relax and enjoy the weekend. The resort had all the amenities that any guest could ask for, indoor and outdoor splash pools, tennis and basketball courts, a spa, and golf. We decided on tented affair using Sperry Tents made out of Authentic sail cloth with mahogany center poles that are stunning standing alone.

The days leading up to the wedding was almost round the clock work to tie up loose ends and to get the best results. I set off in my Van early Friday morning with my assistant Lisa, to travel 4 hours to the resort. I had the tent set-up early on Friday, so myself and the vendors like Chad Michael Peters the floral and lighting designer, would have more than enough time to fill the tent with pretty floral and lighting decor.

After a full day of still tying bows on the programs and getting everything ready for another spectacular wedding, the couple and their families anticipation grew stronger as they stared in awe of the tents billowing flags . We kicked off the wedding weekend at Almalfi on the water, where they guests joined for their rehearsal dinner. It was an extra special night because it was our very own brides birthday! Brad and Christie made some heartfelt speeches to their bridal party that set the mood. Everyone had such a great time eating, loving and celebrating in honor of the happy couple.

Wedding day approached fast, and I found myself waking up in the middle of the night to horrific nightmares that the brides Vera Wang gown had been stolen and I was running from room to room to find it. I finally gave up on sleep, and I was overwhelmed with excitment, and we were only hour away from show time. I ran down to to see the tent to make sure it was still standing, and I found the staff hustling around to get all the last minute details done. Then Chad arrived with his team, and started assembling the floral centerpieces. Everything was moving along smoothly. After the linens were dropped I tied up the cocktail tables and then left Chad to finish making the tables amazing.

I stepped away for awhile to gather my thoughts and tend to my brides dress, and getting her bridal suite prepared for her arrival. It almost felt like time was just going by so fast. As I hung the Vera Wang beauty from a nail in the middle of the room it hit 9 months in the making coming down to this very special moment .

I am proud to say the wedding was wonderful. Christie, looked beyond words in her dress and the pictures up above by my favorite Boston photographer Kate will tell the rest of the story...

MATT & LIZ'S LOVE STORY

Matt and Liz were married on July 17th 2010 in Newport RI at the Ocean Cliff

The happy couple dated for 3 1/2 years, and with a Christmas proposal, the couple decided on a Summer wedding. There ceremony was held at St. Augustin's Church in RI followed by a breathtaking ocean view Reception at the Ocean Cliff in New Port RI.

They spent their honeymoon in beautiful St. Lucia

My Story

I always knew I had a creative drive. It started in high school, when a counselor asked me the magic question, what do you want to be when you grow up? In some ways, I found that question offending because I already felt like a grown- up. By the time I was a senior in high school I had lived in many different towns, and had attended at least 10 different schools. I lived in my own apartment, and even worked nights. I helped raise two younger brothers and took on a houseful of chores, you could say I could definitely multi task. While working one night a woman came in and complimented on how well my makeup looked, and all of a sudden it hit me, I'm really good at this! Choosing the right colors, and accurate application just became so easy to me. I knew it right then and there, I was going to be a makeup artist! After seeking training, and making the decision that I would attend one of Boston's most sought after makeup training schools, DNI, I immediately signed up. After many months in training, I thought it was time to take what I learned, and start making dreams become reality.

I made a personal decision that I would not work in just any store, behind the counter. I really wanted to be in front of my clients, making a difference in how they viewed makeup, and wore it, my real passion was people. While attending college, and getting my degree in communications, I started freelancing for Bobbi Brown Cosmetics. A makeup executive for Tarte cosmetics, saw what I could do. What do you know, they really thought I had raw talent! And, hired me to become their Boston freelancer. This experience meant so much to me, I was given a chance to visit many sights in Boston, and got to do fashion shows, perform 15 minute makeovers, and teach makeup and skincare. Fast forward. I found the man of my dreams, and was pregnant with my first child. I loved makeup so much, and during all of my freelance moments, I found myself getting a lot of requests to make a bride beautiful for her special day. The dream was born, right then and there. I knew I had to be apart of weddings somehow.

With always wanting to run my own business I started a makeup company, Art of Illusion. After four and a half years of doing this, I found myself wanting more. Every wedding I went to, I found myself day dreaming about centerpieces, decor, linens, chivary chairs, etc. After getting up close and personal with brides, watching them slip into their beautiful wedding gowns, feeling the excitement in the room, I knew I wanted to be apart of the whole process, and more. I put my makeup brushes away, and Elegance and Grace was born, along with two other daughters! I poured my heart and soul into wedding and event planning. I started off doing Bar Mitzvahas, birthday parties, corporate events, and the consensus was all the same, I had a real talent and gift. Here I am today, three years later, planning the most beautiful wedding and events, in the most amazing places.

An active member of ISES, a graduate of IWPP, and preferred advertiser on the knot and wedding wire. Every day my dreams grow bigger for what I can contribute to the wedding industry. My ambition and determination is endless, and now that I know how to blog, I can share it all with you!