Take a look at my new post for Inside Milwaukee talking about Villa Terrace as a potential ceremony site location. http://www.insidemilwaukee.com/blog/BrewCityBridal

As rustic wedding themes continue to evolve for 2012 (think farmhouse setttings and family-style service) Crista Guarino and her online store Dazzling Expressions is creating some fantastic pieces to compliment weddings striving for a modern country feel. From the chalkboard table numbers to the personalized burlap favor bags, couples are likely to find a variety of items to suit their natural style. One of my favorite items are the wooden place card holders. The featured picture shows one being used for a name card but they can be used as table numbers as well. The distressed pine can be painted in 30 different colors with the possibility to mix and match colors to compliment your decor. You can also customize the holders with ribbon and twine to add an additional element of design. Take a look at the entire Dazzling Expressions store at http://www.etsy.com/shop/dazzlingexpressions.

Go to my photos page to see some amazing pictures taken by Stephanie Nienhaus Photography.  I created a few table designs and we set up in Pere Marquette Park to take the pictures. In the weeks to come I will be highlighting some of the items used in the photos on my blog. You can see more of Stephanie's work on her Facebook page.

Check out these amazing photos I recently took on a visit to the Villa Terrace Arts Museum.  While I don't claim to be the best photographer, the photos still show the unique beauty of the venue.  Located on Terrace Avenue on Milwaukee's East Side, it is an ideal wedding ceremony location.

If you enjoy reading this blog, check out my new blog "Brew City Bridal" being published online by Milwaukee Magazine. Brew City Bridal will explore different wedding reception halls, florists, bakeries and other wedding vendors around the Milwaukee area. Check out my first blog highlighting local Etsy Vendor Creative Crabb. http://www.insidemilwaukee.com/Article/10102011-CreativeCrabbe

Photo taken by local photographer Stephanie Nienhaus Photography. Great picture Stephanie!

While I was in Madison over the past weekend, I happened across guests exiting what I'm sure was a very beautiful wedding taking place on the University of Madison Campus. I was in town for a Badger game, but there was another event that was taking place right outside this ceremony.  As the guests exited the wedding site they were greeted by the sounds and smells of the 41st Annual Great Midwest Marijuana Harvest Festival. While it's possible the bride and groom knew that this was taking place, you could tell by the look on grandma's face that she did not.     

A very simple but sometimes forgotten tip: do a bit of research to see what other events may be going on the same weekend of your wedding. If you have a lot of out of town guests this can be especially important in regards to availability of hotel rooms. Keep in mind that sporting events, festivals, concerts and even holiday parade routes should be considered before finalizing your date. For the happy couple it's easy to forget that anything else could possibly be happening on their big day and sometimes your date is not flexible.  However, by doing a bit of research you can at least be prepared for the higher priced hotel rooms and the extra traffic won't come as a shock. Of course, It's always polite to warn your guests of the added festivities as well.  

Did you know that in France, it's tradition for the bride and groom to drink a toast at the reception out of an engraved two-handled cup called a "coup de mariage"?  The cup represents the couples unity and is passed on to future generations. 

Weddings are the perfect time to ask questions about your families heritage and incorporate cultural traditions into the celebration. Whether you are including traditions that have been passed down for many years or starting a new tradition based on the blending of two families, incorporating your roots into the ceremony and reception brings a sense of warmth and family while also adds a unique aspect to your day that many of your guests may not have experienced before. 

When thinking food, many caterers welcome the opportunity to show their creativity and will work with you in creating a personalized menu specific to a certain country.  It can be especially exciting if two cultures are being celebrated and blended.  Food stations are a great way to showcase a wide variety of food but can sometimes be costly if chefs are needed to prepare the food to order.  As an alternative, try to think outside the box by creating menu items that combine two cultures into a single dish.  There may be a small fee for the customized menu, but by offering a limited amount of offerings it may turn out to be budget friendly. Think Tandoori Chicken Tacos. Yum!