Four Seasons Giveaway Winner

Thanks to Moya and Tana for giving us some ideas of other books we need to read! According to Random.org, the winner of Four Seasons: A Business Philosophy by Isadore Sharpe is:


 

Tana! Thanks again for participating- we'll be sending your copy of the book right along!

xx,


Brandi

Inspiring Photo No. 23

Just love everything about this...



From a recent BHLDN campaign. So cheery!

Don't forget to tune in today for our Four Seasons giveaway happening at 12p MST. You still have a little time to leave a comment telling us about your favorite business book to enter!

~Happy Monday!

Wedding Wednesday | Wedding Tree Guest Books

Our brides are always asking us for new ideas to the guest book; so many are wanting to stay away from the traditional sign-in version that tends to sit on a shelf for years just collecting dust. The signing picture matte is always nice, as is the wishing tree, but when this popped into my email box I was ecstatic.

These wedding tree guest books, hand-drawn by Boise artist Katie Cepek are a modern alternative to the usual guest book ideas. The drawings are beautiful and stylish enough for a frame and a spot on a wall in your house after the wedding, too. Another idea: imagine years after the wedding, when baby comes along- wouldn't it be sweet to include this in the nursery as a loving statement to the beginning of your lives together?





PaperTwig is Katie's Etsy shop and it features pre-made and custom designs for you choose from. Take a peek!

Four Seasons

How appropriate is this post? Not only is it officially our 400th post (!) but we're talking about a book by Isadore Sharp called Four Seasons: The Story of a Business Philosophy. This business read has been one of the most influential I've come across so far; a different view on business, sheer belief in oneself, and the courage to just be different are just some of the reasons to pick up the book.



The book is part biography of a builder-turned-hotelier, and part education in positioning yourself in the market, setting yourself apart, and branding. The Four Seasons brand has become one of the most recognized in the world, synonymous with luxury and high end service, and through recessions, doubt, and smart business decisions, Isadore and the Four Seasons company pushed forward with their pricing and mission. The part that I love the most about this book is that whether you want to position yourself as a high end wedding vendor, or if you speak more to the lesser budgets, this book will teach you how to do it. Find your mission, what you stand for, and go for it- don't pay any attention to the naysayers and just follow your gut. Then, put customer service first and foremost and you're sure to succeed.

Because this book has helped me so much (I've already read it twice since January), and in honor of our 400th post we'd like to gift someone with this book. All you have to do is comment about your favorite business book and the winner will be chosen randomly on Monday June 20th, at Noon MST. Good luck!

Portfolio: Meet Mie And Keith

For today's wedding Wednesday, I thought I'd feature one of our favorites from last season, Mie and Keith's mod vintage backyard wedding. This wedding was also one of our most challenging- imagine a three-tier hill as the backdrop? We used the top level for appetizers and music, middle level for the ceremony, bar, and dancing, and on the bottom level was a long, winding table fashioned for 80 guests.

This party was one of my favorites for many reasons; Mie and Keith knew they wanted a relaxed, American BBQ style meal still fit for a wedding reception, the couple wanted to show off their baby in progress (their remodeled home and gorgeous backyard), and with family and friends coming from near and far (Mie's family is Danish), we had so much fun showing them a good time Mie and Keith style. All photos by Anna Weaver and Josh Hayes.



Mie and Keith right after their pool-side ceremony. The view of neighbor's houses was blocked by white fabric, lanterns, and eclectic butterflies in the wedding colors.





Our long, winding table for 80 stretched along the bottom tier of the backyard, and featured a family-style meal that included BBQ ribs from Table Rock Catering. To facilitate this, we actually had to build a catering prep area, and the catering staff had to precariously balance hot boxes of food all the way down the steep hill. What can we say, wedding planning is adventurous!

An aerial view of the table, before and after the food and guests:

 

 



All of the flowers at the wedding consisted of wildflowers and vintage vases in blues, white, and clear- it took over 100 vases to run the course of the dining table!



The bride and groom after they were serenaded by all of their guests, a Danish tradition.



In addition to the American reception dinner and wedding cake, we also included the Kransekage, a Danish wedding dessert.

All in all, the wedding was exactly what Mie and Keith wanted it to be: a homestyle, classy wedding that was just a lot of fun, which represents the couple to a T. Danish guests enjoyed a taste of America, while American guests got to peek into another culture- it was perfect!

With their first anniversary coming up in just about a month, we all agree this will always be one of our favorite weddings we've ever planned! Congrats again, Mie and Keith!

~Brandi

What I Can't Live Without: Freshbooks

I was turned on to Freshbooks by my amazing mentors, Heather and Jennifer of Outstanding Occasions, and I haven't looked back. What was once spreadsheet hell, sticky notes, and blah templates sans any branding has now turned into the polished, organized outfit we're all striving to be.




Freshbooks is essentially an invoicing system; An easy-to-use program that allows you to create clients, estimates, and invoices in minutes. Depending on the level you choose, you can add staff to make their own invoices, create reports and time sheets (hello, instant sales tax report), and manage multiple clients at a time. While we don't use it this way yet, but you can actually use the program as your time tracking device if you're a service (time) based business too.

Since we can instantly email out our invoices, print pdf copies for our files, and give our clients the choice to pay by Paypal or via check, we have already received rave responses from our brides that have used it. And, bonus: if you have an iPhone you can also download the Minibooks app (use the Lite version if you want it free) to invoice and see your invoices on the go too.

What invoicing systems do you use? Do you have any tips to share with us? Do tell!

Friday Fancy

Loved this post from Mrs. Lilien on the ins-and-outs of ballroom dancing:





And the fact that you can learn the Cha Cha in the privacy of your own home, complete with DIY feet cutouts? 

Basically it means you can have a choreographed first dance, or just a dance party over the weekend.

~Happy Friday, have a fabulous weekend!

{Photos courtesy of Mrs. Lilien Blog}

Tidbits | Runway To Table

I love Erin's creation of this light, gold and ivory tablescape inspired by Dolce and Gabanna on the Elements of Style blog today:





Textures, pattern, and minimal color variations are always a favorite of mine; you can make such an impact with less sometimes!

Be sure to take a peek at Erin's blog and at Kelley Moore's blog for more inspiration!

In other news, if you were around on Facebook yesterday, we mentioned the Ask A Pro segment I participated in on Boise's 104.3. If you missed it, the podcast will be up later today on their site, around 11a MST. Hope you tune in- listeners had some great questions, as did Randy and Alana. I had a blast- they are an incredibly fun group to be around! Thanks again for thinking of me and letting me be a part of your morning show!

~Brandi

Wedding Wednesday | Bare Tables

I have a new found love in life: Bare Tables. While I have a penchant for luxurious linens (preferably pooling on the ground just a touch), I can't help but be a little smitten over less-is-more:


{Jose Villa via Style Me Pretty}


{Via Elizabeth Anne Designs}


{Via Something Old, Something New}

A simple table runner or a "runner" comprised of clusters of flowers can make such an impact, especially in the right setting. What are you currently obsessing over?

~Happy Wednesday!