Pictures taken from Low Country Quisine

We absolutely adore Low Country Quisine! LCQ is a new, fun and innovative idea with a unique twist on your traditional catering service, because they are so much more than just a catering service. LCQ offers guest favors, personal chef services, cakes, and other catering needs! LCQ has a storefront in Addison, TX that offers an assortment of sweet treats as well as gourmet takeout. I think that our absolute favorite part about LCQ is the private setting that they offer;  1) A cocktail party with hors d’oeuvres that can host up to 25-30 guests, and 2) A seated 4 or 5 course elegant dinner. These private affairs are PERFECT for proposals (hint, hint Planning For Dudes), rehearsal dinners, bridal showers, etc. And the best part about all of this is they customize the menu for each specific event! We love Low Country Quisine and encourage you to go check this amazing business out!

Father’s Day is quickly approaching and you’re still scrambling to figure out the perfect gift for your own father, or your hubby/new father. You don’t want to do the same old same old, but can’t quite come up with something new and fun. Well, let us help you! We’ve got some great ideas that will leave an impression on whoever the special man is!

For the most part guys love cigars, beer, and grilling so you could never go wrong following those leads. But instead of just wrapping up an average gift, try to give it a little bit of a twist!

{Source: Cloak and Dapper}

This ultimate Fathers Day gift from Cloak and Dapper is a perfect gift for any guy! They have an array of gifts for dads, but this one is the ultimate package!

 {Source: afire}

Another great idea for any guy would be some specialty and gourmet rubs for grilling like the ones at afire! You could even get really creative and put together a grilling gift basket with different rubs, utensils, and anything else your guy would need!

For your own father try some of these unique gifts.

 {Source: Oh Happy Day}

This super cute “hero box” from Oh Happy Day is absolutely adorable! It’s a DIY project so you can pick out all of his favorites and order the cute labels the way you want them. Every dad needs a good reminder that he’s still his little girl’s hero!

 {Source: Beer of the Month Club}

Another great idea for your own father would be a membership to the Beer of the Month Club! What dad wouldn’t appreciate this gift?!

If you’re a new family and you want to do something special for your hubby from the kiddos, try some of these adorable gifts!

{Source: Indulgy}

A fill-in-the-blank sheet for your child’s dad is a special way to capture your kids’ love of their dad. Try framing it too so that your hubby will always have it either on his desk, or hanging somewhere!

 {Source: [en]frame photography}

This is a great DIY for your hubby that he will really cherish! Ask your child what they love about their dad and either use a whiteboard or chalkboard to photograph them with their answers. Frame it so that their father can always have it, it’ll be great to look back on when they’re older!

I hope these ideas inspire you to show the most important guy in your life a great Father’s Day!

Posted by:

We are beyond excited to announce our new summer intern in our Dallas office…everyone, please welcome Natalie Chapman! She has been working with us for over a year, assisting us with weddings on the weekends and now we’re thrilled to have her on board for the summer! Natalie attends Texas Tech University where she plans on getting her Bachelors of Science in Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Management. Through this internship she hopes to further her knowledge in self marketing and get a chance to learn a little bit more about all the planning that goes on behind the scenes.

A little about Natalie –

• She is an absolute doll and we can’t get enough of her.
• She loves non-fat lattes (she will fit in perfectly here), reading, candles, church and her family!
• She loves all the planning that goes into one special night! “Weddings are always so beautiful and reflect the couple’s personality perfectly.” ~ says Natalie.
• Her favorite part of the entire wedding is seeing the groom’s face when his bride walks down the aisle!

Please join us in officially welcoming Natalie to our Sweet Pea team!

Photo taken by Catie Ronquillo Photography

Kara and Brian tied the knot in Mckinney, TX this past spring. It was a beautiful ceremony at Bella Donna Chapel with an awesome reception at TPC Craig Ranch. They were able to celebrate, dance and party along with their guests all night long!

Kara + Brian’s Wedding Team:

• Photographer: Kelly Rucker Photography
• Ceremony: Bella Donna Chapel
• Florist: We + You 
• Reception: TPC Craig Ranch
• Cake: Tart Bakery
• DJ: DFW Parties
• Hair & Makeup: AW Weddings
• Transportation: Choice Luxury Limo
• Wedding Planners: Sweet Pea Events

We are so excited to share this awesome wedding that was featured on Style Me Pretty Texas earlier this week! We were so in love with everything about this wedding, and hope you are as well!

Meagan and Garrett tied the knot in Dallas in September and it was the perfect Fall day. Meagan is a nurse and was working a night-shift at the time so needing a bit of help pulling some of the details together, especially the design. She knew what she wanted, but was looking for a planner to help create her vision. We were thrilled to be able to create this romantic, sweet, and intimate ceremony and reception for her. From the burlap program holders her mom handmade with love for the ceremony, to the wiener dog table numbers she made (they LOVE their wiener dogs), their wedding was all about personal details. Perhaps our most favorite moment of the evening was when Meagan’s Dad surprised her by serenading her singing, “You Are My Sunshine.” Not a dry eye in the room, and a moment never to be forgotten.

Meagan + Garrett’s Wedding Team:

• Photographer: Lindsey Shea Photography
• Ceremony:  Royal Lane Baptist Church
• Florist: Branching Out Events
• Reception: The Room on Main
• Cake: Fancy Cakes by Lauren
• Band: Downtown Fever
• Cinematography: Chris Watson Films
• Caterer: CN Catering
• Invitations: Southern Fried Paper
• China: The Vintage Dish
• Wedding Planners: Sweet Pea Events

Ashley and Thomas tied the knot last June in the heart of Fort Worth, Texas! Their ceremony took place at St. Philip Presbyterian with their reception to follow at the Omni Hotel in downtown Fort Worth. There they had a sushi bar, a live band, and glow sticks for some dance floor fun! Everyone had a blast and we were so lucky to be a part of their special day!

Ashley + Thomas’ Wedding Team:

• Photographer: Melissa Zihlman Photography
• Ceremony: St. Philip Presbyterian
• Florist: April May June Designs
• Reception: Omni Fort Worth
• Cake: Delicious Cakes
• Band: Time Machine Band
• Photobooth and Lighting: Randal Stout Entertainment
• Wedding Planners: Sweet Pea Events

Whether you and your fiance are the type of people to go out or stay in on Valentine’s Day, it’s always a great way to remind each other of the love that has brought you together, especially if you are planning a wedding!  There are some great ways to remind your groom-to-be that in the midst of the planning, you haven’t forgotten about him.  Some of these might even be great for your wedding day gift, if you choose! Check out some ideas below:

I’m not sure if you follow Emily of Jones Design Company, but it’s probably one of my favorite blogs to follow.  She posted a great Valentine’s Month DIY “love banner” that I actually am doing myself this month (mine doesn’t look as great as hers, but has been a fun project!) You can download the templates here and do a “Valentine’s Week” if you are feeling crafty! It’s a great way to remind the man in your life what exactly you love about him!

Jones Design Company “Love Banner”

What about cuff links that he can wear to the wedding? Etsy has an overwhelming amount of cuff links for basically any interest for any type of man.

Etsy Cuff Links with initials and wedding date

Write a Love Letter or have an old one re-written in beautiful hand writing

Custom Love Letter

Are you ready for your First Dance? If not you might consider finding a dance lesson to take together! Check out your local listings for places that might offer special lessons for brides and grooms.

Another idea would be to take a cooking class together – I know The Institute of Culinary Education in NYC has some great “Couples Cooking Classes” but you could check out Sur La Table in your city as well!

I hope some of these might be helpful as you plan a great Valentine’s Day with your fiance!

xoxo
Happy Valentine’s Week
from your Sweet Pea Events Team

ephemera 

Like I said in my last blog post – I. love. Paper. I DO! I love everything about it. The texture. The weight. The color. The words you find on paper. And the way those words are artfully displayed on said paper is just the icing on the cake in my book.

ephemera

One of my goals in 2013 is to learn the craft of calligraphy. From the time I was little, I just loved trying out “new handwriting” styles. I always felt a small sense of pride when friends would ask me to write their name in one of my cool “fonts”. (Dork, I know…) Fast forward to my grown-up days and I still feel giddy when I come across a new style of lettering.

ephemera

So, in honor of my calligraphy obsession, I just HAD to share this amazing special offer from Seattle-calligrapher-letterpress-extraordinaire, Tara Bliven at Ephemera. Order (or pre-order) your letterpress wedding stationary with Ephemera by Valentine’s Day and you’ll get 35 hand-addressed envelopes for FREE! More details can be found on Ephemera’s web site, but if that’s not enough to get you giddy, check out some of her show-stopping work below.

ephemera

ephemera

Amazing, right? And why stop there! Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and Tara has a handful of fun letterpress goodies in her online shop  (hint, hint, sweet husband of mine!), so stop by and check it out.

There are two things I love most about planning and styling weddings. One: the oodles and oodles of fun paper you get to play with – from the soft linen textures on the programs, to the artfully crafted calligraphy that adorns the invitation. For a paper junkie like myself, I tend to think that your paper selections provide your guests a small glimpse as to the style of your big day.

And my other favorite aspect has got to be the stylized use of flowers. When it comes to flowers, I don’t discriminate. Give me the subtle less-is-more look, paired with unique and distinctive vessels, or wow me with some over-the-top floral canopy. I love it all.

{source}

Given my floral obsession, I was absolutely giddy to be able to get together with the super-talented Stacy Anderson of Stacy Anderson Design in Seattle. Within the first five seconds of meeting her, you’ll see how she simply exudes creativity, passion and style. She has a love for flowers – and a love for her clients – and it shows.

{source}

Her style can be summed up, quite simply, as romantic and timeless. She goes beyond details of the petals and draws you into a story that can only be told through her use of one-of-a-kind props and meticulously placed vessels. In other words, this girl does it all!

{source}

Is she making you feel as inspired as I am?! Keep tabs on all of Stacy’s latest and greatest endeavors by checking out her facebook page and Stacy Anderson Design’s blog.

Posted by:  

Come join us as we celebrate the launch of, Planning For Dudes. We offer proposal planning services for dudes – We Plan. She Brags. You Win. Join us for a fun night of xBox, Beer and Bacon!

www.planningfordudes.eventbrite.com