Posts Tagged ‘St. Louis wedding planning’

2012 Wedding Dress Trends

Thursday, March 8th, 2012

I am so excited for this years wedding fashion trends. It is always recommended to start shopping for that perfect dress 10-12 months in advance.  Be sure to ask the salons if they have any trunk shows you can attend and bring a friend, sister, and of course your mom :) When going to salons, know your budget and stick to it! And most importantly, be open minded, trust your sales associate and have fun!

With tons of summer weddings, many brides are choosing to do short T-Dresses. These dresses are perfect for a beach, backyard or barn wedding. Plus many of the short T-Dresses are bridesmaid dresses which makes them the perfect dress for a low budget wedding.

Who does not love Reese Witherspoon? And her pink dress for the March wedding made her look so fresh at the beginning of spring. Designers have seemed to take the hint that it is fun to mix colors up instead of the traditional white.

A great way to spice up your look for your wedding dress is to add a fun sash. Sashes are a great accessory to make colors with bridesmaids and color scheme. They give every wedding a unique twist!

With big ball gowns and long trains, sometimes a simple column style dress is perfect for a sleek, simple look. Though simple, this style of dress still makes a bride look beautiful! They are timeless dresses that everyone will remember.

For years we have seen the unforgettable sweetheart neckline.  It wasn’t until Kate Middleton’s timeless dress set the stage for a little something more than just a sweetheart. Though still cute, it is always fun to mix it up with different styles! Choosing different necklines can accentuate all kinds of figures. The neckline possibilities are endless and memorable.

Dress Inspirations: Amsale, Avant, Badgley Mischka, Ivy and Aster, JCrew, Jennifer Salzman, Kenneth Pool, Lea Ann Belter, Michelle Rahn, Monique Lhuilier, Oscar De LaRenta, Rivini, Vera Wang

HEART Deco- A Valentine’s Treat

Tuesday, February 14th, 2012

I have never been so IN LOVE with a photo shoot.  Honestly, one of the reasons I love this career path is because I get to collaborate with so many wonderful vendors in the wedding industry.  Most of you may know my background before weddings is visual merchandise.  So it’s no surprise that I love to use my creativity in a whole new light and not just weddings!

This blog was inspired by Heather’s parents who celebrate their 43rd wedding anniversary today! Everything in this blog is real…even the couple!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cheers to all you love birds out there- here is to many more years to come… and many more weddings to plan!

For more pictures please check out Heather Roth Photography or visit Landlocked Bride for our special Valentine’s Day feature!

Sharing the LOVE.

Wedding Planner: Kristin Ashley Events

Photographer: Heather Roth Photography

Florist: Becky Huffman 

Hair & Make up: ProColour, Holly Speakes

Rentals: Aries Company

Linen: Sitting Pretty 

Gown: Simply Elegant Bridal

Cake: Sarah’s Cake Shop

Stationery: Hello Tenfold

 

2012 The Knot Best of Weddings

Tuesday, November 29th, 2011

I am SO excited and happy to announce Kristin Ashley Events was awarded 2012 The Knot Best of Weddings!  I can’t thank my 2011 brides enough for being so amazing and writing such wonderful reviews.  I couldn’t ask for better brides and I am so lucky to be able to say that I honestly love what I do.  I have not only added a few notches under my wedding belt, but I have added a few more friends to my Christmas list ;)

I also wanted to say a little thank you to ALL the fabulous vendors that I’ve gotten the privilege to work with this year.  You are only as good as those you work with… and St. Louis has some great vendors in this industry!

I wish you all the best now…and always.  Thanks again and congrats to my 2011 clients!!!

Lauren and Ryan Hoefert

Friday, November 11th, 2011

I usually take the time to tell you about my couple and their Love Story…instead I thought you might want to see it for yourself. Check out this amazing Love Story done by Gebbs Films. (be sure to grab a tissue)

Lauren & Ryan- Love Story from GEBBS on Vimeo.

…and on their wedding day. Priceless.

Lauren & Ryan- Same Day Edit from GEBBS on Vimeo.

Special thanks to Gebbs Films for sharing!

Kristin Ashley Events featured on KMOV Great Day St. Louis!

Tuesday, July 12th, 2011

Trying to stay cool this summer at events?! Special thanks to KMOV for having me on air this morning to talk about all the fun ways to stay cool at summer outdoor events! Check out our next blog for recipes and more ideas!

http://www.kmov.com/great-day-st-louis/Cool-Party–Summer-Glow-125238809.html

Anne and Ryan’s Engagement Pictures

Friday, July 8th, 2011

I am fortunate enough to know this bride and groom for years now.  Anne is a sorority sister of mine from Purdue University.  She is one of the most fun loving, humble girls I know.  Everyone that cross paths with this kindergarden teacher has nothing but nice things to say.  So it wasn’t much of a surprise when Ryan felt the same way about her.  We all loved and adored Ryan from day one but we all like to think that he was one lucky guy to snag such a wonderful girl…

Ryan and Anne have known each other for a long time. Their relationship started off just being family friends but they both went off to college didn’t really cross paths again until her senior year of college (Ryan was living/working in Muncie which is not far from Purdue.) Anne laughs and says she wishes she had a great romantic story about how they reunited but it is as simple as it sounds, they ran into each other after many years…at a bar…and have been together ever since.

 




All photos by Gail Werner

Date: October 8, 2011
Ceremony and Reception: River Glen Country Club in FIshers 
Cake: Jenn Weixler for JW Sweets
DJ: Tim Burbich; Indianapolis, IN
Photography: Gail Werner 
Flowers: Tiffany Mullen at City City Planners 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Will We Be Seeing These Royal Wedding Trends in US?

Tuesday, May 3rd, 2011

My last blog I got to talk about all the things I loved from the Royal Wedding…well I want to share all the European trends I hope to see here in the US.  I don’t foresee all of them staying, but maybe we can get some brides to jump out of the box and try something new!

Not all men will be able to pull this one off ladies.  There is not one human being in the world that doesn’t know William is a taken man, therefore, WHY WEAR A RING?! Some say they won’t let their man walk about the door without that ring on, while some could care less.  Will we be seeing more men opting not to wear a ring and just the dashing bride?

If you look at this photo, you might think oh, this is just their family portrait.  It also serves as their wedding party photo as well.  Now days I get clients that have anywhere from 7-12 bridesmaids/groomsmen! I will let you know how it goes when a bride tells me they want six children in the wedding…I might be eating my words.  If only all children could act as well as these little ones did.  Anyways, I hope to see smaller wedding parties in the future to make it more intimate and personal.

Hats, hats, hats!  We love them- what a great fashion accessory.  So which one of my future clients will allow their guests to get creative and open the doors for guests to wear hats to their wedding?

Tired of seeing the same black heavy suits that thousands of grooms have already worn and don’t even fit correctly on your guy?  How about morning coats?! I loved how Elton threw in a little color!

The getaway car.  How sweet is this?! Don’t have someone take you away- get yourself a nice classic car and take off together. So cute!

Happy Anniversary Sarah and Dave!

Monday, March 14th, 2011

A year ago this weekend this adorable couple tied the knot at St. Francis Xavier church.  Here’s  to many many more years!

Ceremony: Francis Xavier Church

Reception: Science Center Planetarium

Florist: Tina Barrera

Photos: Alecia Hoyt Photography

Stationary: Mother of Bride

Music: Complete Music for DJ

Ceremony: The Rosewood Ensemble String Quartet

Cake: The Cakery

Dress: La Sposa

 

 

Photos by: Alecia Hoyt Photography

Four Seasons Spa

Tuesday, June 15th, 2010

Relax is a word that we all use as wedding planners to help our brides prepare for their big day.  You wouldn’t think this simple 5-letter word would be so difficult to acquire, but relaxing is a true luxury in the midst of our stressful everyday lives.  Back in April, I was given a very generous gift card by one of Ali’s past brides for assisting throughout the wedding.  It was the perfect gratuity gift given at the perfect time for I was attempting to plan an anniversary weekend.  As you all know Ryan and I celebrated our anniversary last weekend, and using the gift card, we celebrated it at the luxurious Four Seasons.  If you want to truly relax, this is a wonderful place to be.

The Four Seasons Spa is located on the seventh floor of the hotel- yup, a little closer to heaven.  Even the view of the city through the giant floor to ceiling windows triggered my excitement of our stay.  When we arrived to the spa area, the front desk offered us warm towelettes and a sincere happy anniversary while the neutral color scheme and inviting furniture immediately offered a soothing environment.  Next, a personal staff member showed us around the facility: the locker rooms, steam room, whirlpool, and lounges where we were relaxed in comfortable chairs while awaiting our next few hours of pampering.  Soon the time for the massage arrived: my daily stresses began to melt away by the minute as the aromatherapy oils and soothing music finally allowed me to simply enjoy my little paradise.  The staff exceeded expectations when it came to customer service; they always made sure the pressure and temperature perfectly suited our needs.  Thank God- giving Ryan a massage is no easy task; I’ve tried.  This staff showed me there is truly an art to helping people relax, and escaping the stresses of daily life.  We left feeling rejuvenated, rested, and ready to take on reality the next day.

I highly recommend booking a spa day the day before the wedding.  It doesn’t matter if you book an appointment for your mom and grandma, sister, or best girl friends, just make time for yourself.  You deserve it!  After all, you did just help plan one of the biggest days of your life!  When it comes to making appointments, be sure to check out the facility amenities first; bridal packages or wedding party packages, reviews online and blogs.  If you ask me, I would even ask to see if you can bring in some bubbly to celebrate while you relax, but not too much- remember big day tomorrow.

First things first…

Wednesday, June 2nd, 2010

Welcome to my blog! I am very excited to create Kristin Ashley Events in St. Louis.  The thought of creating my own business started as a little idea, but watching it come alive is a dream come true.  Although you know a little personal information after reading my “about me,” some additional details might peak your interest and give you a further insight as to how Kristin Ashley Events came about.  I met my husband a month into college, and shortly after I just knew he was “the one”.   After a few months of dating, I inevitably joined “theknot.com”.  Shortly after this discovery, I found myself much more interested in the wedding industry than in statistics or finance.

Kristin and Ryan having dinner with Ali and Jon

After obtaining my college degree in consumer relations, working in retail management, and doing a lot of self-reflection, I decided to give the wedding industry a shot.  Privileged enough to work for Ali Phillips with the very well-respected and prestigious, Engaging Events by Ali, I acquired enough courage and confidence in myself to one day open my own business.  Two years later, my husband and I moved back to his native city, St. Louis.  (For you St. Louisans: Yes, I like Anheuser Busch products.  Sorry, I still remain a Cubs fan.  Last, I went to high school in Indiana in case you were wondering).

The following people have assisted me along this journey, and I would like to personally extend my gratitude for all their hard work and encouragement to make Kristin Ashley Events happen.  My brother Ryan, my father Ed, and my mother Madonna- you have always told me to take risks in life, never give up, and to be the best I can be.  My husband, Ryan, who gives me unconditional love and support- thank you for being my backbone.  My in-laws: Mark, Lauri, Tara, and Andy- you helped create a place for me here in St. Louis in which I have grown to love.   Ali Phillips, you are the reason I started Kristin Ashley Events, and without you I couldn’t have done it; you are the best friend anyone could ask for.  I would like to also thank those who have helped Kristin Ashley Events come alive: Sarah Alair Photography, Jamie Sanger Photography; Switzerfilm and Nick Gerber with Gerber and Scarpelli for my amazing headshots;  Justen Hong with Visual Lure for creating the most unbelievable website; and Jenna Plonka with Clementine Ink for your brilliant designs.  A special recognition and gratefulness must also extend to all my vendor support back in Chicago.  Finally to all my past brides- you all truly inspire me to do each and every wedding better than the one before.