Friday Favorites

Happy Friday, lovelies!

I've been on a quest for more "me" in my life...and all of these things just spoke to me this week. Here are five of my favorites...what new finds or loves do you have this week? Happy weekend!

Xo,

Brandi

1. Julep Wedding Nails. Loving these shades for a big day | 2. Just feeling a little smitten with this gold pattern by Saffron Avenue | 3. These monogram cups are perfect for the cup of joe in the morning...Soirette Stephanie actually bought me one last year for my baby shower and it has become my favorite cup since | 4. Loving the newest patterns and palettes from Plum Pretty Sugar for BHLDN | These candles from Anthropologie are equal parts cheery and chic.

An August Soiree

{Sometimes, in the midst of planning weddings and parties, we find a spare moment to dream up our own perfect iconic wedding. Here is a look for an August bride I'd love to see....}

The August Soirette.....

• Is elegant and cool in a form-fitting back-see gown perfect for the garden
• Loves a succulent over a peony any day
• Sips on a Watermelon Sangria
• Isn't afraid to show her soft and daring side with a mix of gold and diamonds....and a little blue for hue
• Knows that gold heels can be worn after the wedding, too

What are your current favorites for August? 

Succulent Bouquet | Iris Gown by Claire Pettibone | Crystal Venus Flytrap Necklace | Olive Leaf Bracelet | Pave Link Bracelet | Gold Nudist Heel

Reflections | Engage!13 Part 2

I'm back with more reflections from last week's whirlwind trip to Engage!13 Montelucia Resort and Spa, and the video from days 2 & 3....the best of the two videos if you ask me. Day 2 was jam packed with breakfast, speakers, a break with bacon (not kidding), and then a dine-around evening followed by a dessert after-party. One of the most exciting parts? Every single time we left the room we came back to another surprise or gift...the swag alone at this summit was unreal. The dine-around dinner events were held at three different locations- a picturesque soon-to-be venue in Scottsdale, Restoration Hardware (so jealous of the sweet little plants that group received) in honor of Eddie Zaratsian's living lifestyle brand in conjunction with RH, and finally another group of Engagees stayed at the resort for their dinner. Each table featured one of the speakers, so it was nice to be up close and personal with some of the best of the best.

Day 3 started with a mega inspirational breakfast outside on the lawn (surrounded by and underneath breathtaking canopies by Raj Tents) and Simon T Bailey. From there we entered into a half-day of breakout sessions for the most amazing Q&A periods...can you imagine being able to ask anyone anything about their businesses? Finally, lunch in the courtyard followed by the gifting lounge (more presents!) before heading out to get ready for the grand Gala that evening. And the Gala? Amazing. Designed by Todd Fiscus and executed by some very talented individuals. I'll let the video do the talking about this event, because whatever I say here will not do it justice.

Without further adieu, my reflections on the last two days of Engage!13:

1. My favorite quote from Day 2 was from Matthew Robbins: "...Be your very best at the place you're at right now." So true, isn't it? Really had to let that one sink in.

2. Sylvia Weinstock is such an interesting and worldly woman. Hope our paths cross again someday.

3. The bands at Engage! are simply amazing. Never underestimate the power of a really talented live band.

4. On that note, the mixologists from The Grand Bevy were amazing to watch. Just goes to show how food and drink can really contribute to a grand experience!

Xo,

engage!13 | Montelucia - Days 2 & 3 from I Do Films on Vimeo.

Inspiration | Love The Season!

Aaahhh, December! Cold weather, cozy blankets, warm drinks, crackling fires and L.O.V.E! What more could you ask for!? Check out this gold inspired winter theme. Its sparkle and elegance all in one with a little holiday flair!

Love the Lights! | Place Setting | Gold Dipped Feathers | Cake | Shoes

Follow us on Pinterest, Facebook and Instagram (#soireeweddingsboise) to check out what is keeping us busy this holiday season!   

Happy Holidays!

Beauty Post | Holiday Party

Here at Soiree, we are getting super antsy for our upcoming Holiday Open House Event this Friday. Check it out, we will be pulling out all the glitz and glam (and a little champagne), and we can't wait to unveil our new beauty concierge service. We hope you will join us!

invitation design by Paperie + Pen

As we prepare, I've been honing in on all my favorite beauty tricks to go with my dress and heels. What am I loving this season? Lipstick! Here's one of the many "how to's" I stumbled upon. 

 source

How does that saying go? "Life's short, buy the lipstick." I'll definitely be taking this advice and trying out some different colors just in time for our little party!

Enjoy!

Table Faves | Thanksgiving

It's about time to get planning that Thanksgiving dinner, however you choose to celebrate, I'd have to say decorating is one of the best parts! Here are a few of my favorite items for the table this year.

 

1. Rosemary Wreath Place Cards | I love this take on a simple place card by "spicing" it up a bit.

2. Golden Harvest Candle | Because everyone needs a little gold fruit on their table. Festive huh?

3. Wheat Stalks | I'm loving the look of natural wheat as a centerpiece this season.

4. Table Runner | Subtle, great color choices, and I love all the flatware silhouettes. How fun is this? 

5. Candle Holders | Simple yet bold, and I'm loving the wood and glass combination.

What will your table look like on this fine holiday? 

Cheers!

Inspiration | Winter

With winter nipping at our heels, I can't help but imagine myself sitting in front of a warm fire with a delicious hot drink and the snow falling softly outside. Who wouldn't be inspired by this!? See below for some winter wedding ideas that I hope will inspire you!

Winter Scene | Yummy Drink | Invites | Tablescape | Cake Table | Groom and Bride

See you soon!

Wildcard | Dinner Party

My latest post was for the perfect fall themed tablescape. Of course, the fall inspired design is great, but what about the menu!? Yum! I came across some scrumptious, gorgeous (yes, food can add to the prettiness!) looking recipes, perfect for those rustic tabletops filled with painted gold leaves and pumpkins, making any fall time festivity ten times better!

 Pear and Sausage Pie Recipe

Apple Cinnamon Cocktail Recipe

Looks good huh? Enjoy!

Lifestyle | Halloween Hostess

With this ghoulish holiday fast approaching there has been much planning involved with the Halloween festivities. My family's annual pumpkin carving contest is being hosted at my house this year. I find myself looking for easy ideas that I can fit into my busy schedule that will make this fun tradition memorable. In my search, I came across some crafty ideas for you that may help in planning your Halloween Holiday Party!

1. These cookies are super cute and, not to mention, a super easy treat for your guests! Witch Hat Cookies
2. My sister's favorite Halloween candies are witch's teeth, aka candy corn. What a cool trick for an old treat!:) Candy Corn Drink
3. Along with your lit Jack-O-Lanterns, you can stick this fun idea out on your stoop to add to the glowing ambiance! Glitter Glow Lights
4. Every year we struggle with what to give the lucky winner of the carving contest. This cute idea is quick, easy, and could be for the boys or the girls! Halloween Gift Mug

Happy Party Planning!

July In Photos

After being on baby break, July was my true "wedding month" of 2013, and what a month it was! July was all about Idaho wineries and our second home when it comes to weddings, McCall and the Payette. Here are some photos from our whirlwind month as we head into August. We also got a chance to work with some friends that we haven't seen in a while- vendor lovelies, we'd love to know, what were some of your favorite moments of July?

Here's to a great week!

Xo,

Succulents and moss with vintage travel mixed in at a winery? Yes please!

The true meaning of multitasking!

Be Still our beating hearts with the view on the lake..

And my newfound love of the cornflower (how perfectly matched is its rustic with upscale?)

And the Fourth of July isn't the only occasion for fireworks. We loved shooting them off over Payette Lake!

Remember our Lucky In Love contest winners from last year? We finally celebrated their day at Woodriver Cellars Winery this month. 

What the Soirettes do when we have some downtime with good friends...

And baby H isn't the only true love in my life.. How about this firecracker? 

* Photos from Instagram, follow us!: 1-3 @brandi_reiland, 4-6 & 8, @kimmyann1, and 7 from @tanaphotography. 

Inspiration | Signature Cocktails

Personalizing your event is a fabulous thing to do, and it can be fun! Signature drinks are a fun way to create something yummy that everyone will love. You can even mix it up and create "his" and "her" drinks, with personalized favorites of the bride and groom. The possibilities are endless, a signature cocktail is one more way to incorporate your fun designs and colors of your event, into something refreshing and delicious for your guests.

Sources | 1. | 2. | 3. | 4. | 5. | 6.

Do you have a signature drink? Do share!

On My Nightstand

They say time flies when you're having fun, or in this case, snuggling baby toes every day! It's already been a month since Baby H arrived, and he's changing more and more each day. Along with his month birthday, Spring seems to be trying to make an appearance ( even with Boise's chilly wind) so I've been really drawn to cleaning up my diet and getting healthy again. While catching up on my blog reading (such a nice-and usually a rare- treat I get to indulge in every morning lately), one of my favorite blogger gals Camille Styles posted about Gwyneth Paltrow's newest cookbook, It's All Good. I was interested immediately and went to buy it last weekend. The food faire in the book is chock full of healthy greens, must-have fats, and even fun items for the kiddos (and adults) that I think I can sneak into K's diet easily. While I'm not entirely into all of the plan options in the book such as the Vegan way of life (just not my thing- I need cheese and wine!), the recipes are a great starting point to making sure all the right vitamins and good things are making it into your diet. And with all of the summer weddings coming right around the corner, this could be just the thing to kick start a honeymoon-ready body too (without a lot of sacrifice- I feel you girls).

I'd love to hear what you're doing to get ready for swim weather & wedding season- any other books or links you can recommend? 

Xo,

Inspiring Photo No. 66

Click here for some more inspirational quotes!

Isn't it so true! I think Monday is the perfect cheat day! So go out there and beat those Monday blues by satisfying that sweet tooth. Happy Monday!

Sunday Soiree | Blood Orange

Not only are these images from White on Rice Couple vibrant and lovely but these blood orange bars with a brown butter crust look delicious! What better way to celebrate the end of cold winter months and the start of sunny spring days than with these fresh, sweet, festive treats. I see them pairing nicely with a cup of coffee, good book, and a leisurely Sunday.

Cheers!

Sunday Soiree | Spring Rolls

Spring is in the air and I couldn't be more welcoming of it! I'm ready for sunshine, fresh food and less bundling up. I've always loved fresh spring rolls and lately I've started whipping them up at home. They make a delicious light dinner or an easy lunch. The tutorial for these pretty little rolls can be found here.

Happy Spring!!

Sunday Soiree | Garlic

                                                             Broccoli, Hearty Greens, Garlic Clove, Green Beans

The star of today's Sunday Soiree, as you may have guessed, is garlic! It's long been a kitchen staple for it's flavor packing punch but what you may not know is that it's also chock full of health benefits.

There are numerous articles written about the benefits of eating garlic, especially in it's raw state. Most of the research agrees on a few main garlic promoting points: it aides in cancer prevention, lowers risk of heart disease, aides in detoxification, has cholesterol-lowering effects, and some even say aides in weight loss.
(Here's a few articles to check out if you want to read more: HuffPost Healthy Living and Livestrong)

Some articles suggested boiling garlic and drinking the water...or eating a raw clove of garlic a day...I decided to do a little recipe research and came up with some tasty alternatives! All three of these revolve around healthful greens cooked in garlic, so you'll be getting double the benefits. This Sunday, treat your body to some delicious, healthy cooking and enjoy some of those garlic benefits!

Weekend Notes

Happy first day of the month! It seems it's the norm lately for each month to be whizzing by, but maybe it's the time of year- first you get the holidays and then engagement season coupled with lots of year end and year ahead planning! I've spent a good part of this week submersed in photos from last season as we make necessary tweaks to our website (and blog- watch for that update), consultations with new clients, and lots and lots of numbers as the end of January always seems to claim. So today on this Friday I'm having one of my favorite breakfasts (see my little recipe below the photo) with a big cup of coffee before I head into the office. What are your plans for the weekend? Any Super Bowl parties or get togethers? We'll be taking it easy at home after a few weeks of absolute madness as we prepare the house-and ourselves- for a new little one debuting sooner rather than later! And with that, I leave you to your weekend and links that caught my eye from around the web this week. Happy Super Bowl Weekend (and Go Niners)!

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Spelt Toast with Banana, Peanut Butter, Raw Almonds & Flax 

- 1 piece of spelt bread (I like Dave's Killer Bread or Ezekiel), toasted

- 1 TB all natural peanut butter (I prefer Adam's brand)

- 1/2 TB flax seed sprinkled over the peanut butter

- 1 small banana, sliced

- Small handful of raw almonds (I keep mine in the freezer to keep them for longer, and I personally love the fresh, cold taste of them this way)

- Sprinkling of cinnamon on top

Some must-reads for the weekend

In Life:

- Are you (or your honey) gearing up for Valentine's day? Love this online magazine, To and From, with all sorts of ideas for the holiday. 

- Another update in the world of e-glossies, Rue Magazine launched their Rue Daily, a lifestyle blog that I'm already following regularly! 

In Weddings: 

- Huffington Post shined light on some lesser-known but awesome wedding websites that you should be following now. 

- Loved this post by our friend Sara Byrne on popular venues in Boise, McCall and Sun Valley. 

- Lover.ly (have you discovered this yet? You need to!), an online Pinterest-like platform for brides to collect and see ideas for their weddings, has partnered up with Real Simple. 

And some links you might have missed over the week:

- We posted another round of our 2012 Weddings Roundup, one of our most popular to date- all about the dresses! . Take a peek at the whole mini-series here. 

- Still smitten with the whole idea of these wedding magazines....such a personalized and unique idea for events, especially destination weddings. 

Xo,

2012 Wedding Round Up | Takes The Cake

This is one of our favorite parts of a wedding- I try to only eat cake if it's really worth it, and nine times out of ten a piece of wedding cake is really worth it. Here are some of the more unique cakes we saw last year, from white and textural to whimsy and colorful:

 Via

This textural white wedding cake was a compliment to the linens, also monochromatic and textured.

 Via

Our play on a whimisical garden theme, this poppy colored wedding cake was adorned with anenomes (bestow my heart how I love these flowers and they're only available in spring) and sat in its own garden.

Via

We're all about making sure the cake is a statement piece- that means the placement and how it's displayed. For this shabby chic wedding we used a stone-looking table with a glass top rather than a traditional linen.

Via

Cupcakes and a wedding cake on one table is always beautiful, especially when you glam up a rustic look. The cake had faux bark fondant that mimicked the invitations, and the wood box stands were a lovely addition if we do say so ourselves. And don't get me started on cake linens- if you're going to splurge on at least one specialty linen, do it for the cake. One of the top spots for photo opps, and there's your wedding tip for the day.

Via

Faux bois is a modern trend that I don't mind one bit, especially in monochromatic tones.

*All cakes by Greg Marsh Designer Cakes

What styles or trends are you loving for cakes? 

Xo,

Sunday Soiree | Peas, Pasta and Kale, Oh My!

Images: Fresh Mint and Pea Pasta, Meyer Lemony Pasta, Spaghetti with Kale

Hello and Happy New Year!

While home visiting family for the holidays, I tried to fit in as much lounging, champagne sipping, and treat eating as possible. Because, as everyone knows, come January 1st, the resolutions begin! I seem to always make a few too many than I could ever possibly keep up. As I write this blog post, glass of bubbly in hand, I figured this year I should make a few reasonable resolutions. Eating more healthy and nutritious is always on the list but this year to make it a bit more manageable, why not enjoy a colorful pasta dish as opposed to a salad sans dressing. While searching around the blog world for recipes I came up with a few great ones. All three of these pasta options are fresh and simple. You can follow a recipe or easily come up with your own version using what you have on hand. This is a resolution I think I can follow!

Sunday Soiree | The Crostini

With the holiday season upon us it's easy to keep the festivities rolling. Between ugly sweater parties, cookie swaps and after work cocktails it can feel like everyday is an indulgence. I find myself leaning towards lighter cooking at home in an attempt to keep a little balance. I am especially loving all these crostini recipes, they are the perfect mix of healthy and light without sacrificing taste and flavor.

Recipe Links: Parmesan Brussels Sprouts, Sweet Potato and Feta, Kale and White Bean

Perfect as appetizers at your next holiday gathering or just a light Sunday dinner. So please, pour yourself a glass of wine and savor some of these crunchy bites....'tis the season after all!