Fireworks, Confetti & Streamer: Launch New Website & Blog

The team at SB! Events are celebrating!!!! We have been working very hard over the past 6 months to create a fresh new look.  We feel our new brand represents the chic sophistication of our design style that embodies a timeless qualities.  We are so thrilled to finally share with you our new website (www.soireebliss.com).  We hope you'll take a few minutes to browse and enjoy the site as much as we do.  

Along with a new website, we have a new blog.  To keep up with the latest news in wedding trends, Houston vendors and real weddings, please visit (http://www.soireebliss.com/blog/)

Many thanks to all of our wonderful clients who have allowed us to be a part of one of their most special days.  We are thankful to work with such talented event professionals in Houston and throughout Texas.  Without either, SB! Events would not be where we are today.  We look forward to celebrating another 5 years. 

Warmest Wedding Wishes,

It's all about the stars...

I am loving stars!  This celestial style is popping up everywhere on Pinterest from accessories to fashion to wallpaper, and I am dying for stars to star in more weddings (forgive me, I could not help the play on words).  

Nothing epitomizes this look more than the stunning star hair accessories seen on the runways at Rodarte.  It is the perfect combination of vintage, glam, and whimsy.  The beauty of this star style is it's ease of integration into a wedding theme.  In this New Orleans wedding, the couple captured a stellar look by hanging star shaped lanterns over the dance floor creating a magical and romantic feel.  

The ways to incorporate this style into a party or wedding are endless: invitations, cake toppers, accessories, and tablescapes.  Stars are a sweet magical style fitting for most venues, whether an outdoor barn or a ballroom, it's hard to deny the beauty of stars.

Love & Stars,

Natalie Shaw

If you want to see more of this wedding inspiration, follow my star-inspired Pinterest board.

Photo Credits:

Header - Giant Dwarf Etsy Shop / 1 - Being Alison / 2 - This is Glamorous Blog / 3 - FalconWing image / 4 - 100 Layer Cake / 5 - More the Merrier Etsy Shop / 6 - BHLDN stratosphere shoes / 7 - Osborne & Little Wallpaper / 8 - Safron & Saege Etsy Shop / 9 - Pshiiit Nail Polish Blog / 10 - Style Me Pretty

Houston Wedding Venue: Hotel Sorella

Upon walking into the lobby of Hotel Sorella, it is already obvious you will be having an extraordinary visit.  Situated in the thriving City Centre in west Houston, Hotel Sorella serves as a fabulous location outside of the bustle of downtown Houston, while still offering all the amazing amenities of a metropolitan center.  Delicious restaurants, fabulous stores, green space, and the modern Hotel Sorella, all connected by tree lined sidewalks.  It's hard to beat that anywhere in Houston!  

Whenever there is chance for Hotel Sorella to show off it's style, it does so with great flair and a fabulous sense of taste and moderation.  Bold patterns and creative layouts are just a couple of ways Hotel Sorella keeps its space fresh and modern.  One obvious theme of Hotel Sorella is its unique chandeliers sprinkled throughout the entire hotel.

I had the pleasure of taking a tour of Hotel Sorella's new event space.  Connected with the hotel through a sky walk, this new space is separate from the hotel while still being within easy access.  This makes events more personal without the possibility of other hotel guests accidentally wandering past.  Upon walking into the building, the lightness of the building is the first impression.  The grande airy foyer is filled with elegant angles and modern furniture making it perfect for a relaxed cocktail hour.  

The La Scala ballroom itself is quite unique.  Twelve black chandeliers span the length of the ballroom at interesting angles.  Tall skinny mirrors are set around the room to create extra depth and interest to the space.  One of my favorite things about the La Scala ballroom is that it did not follow the typical hotel formula of a boxy ballroom, but instead created subtle angular lines to expand the space.  For a bride looking for a unique and elegant wedding reception, Hotel Sorella is the perfect fit!

Love & Glitter,

Natalie Shaw

If you want to find out more about Hotel Sorella, or want to hear more about my tour, please contact us at Soireebliss! Events.

Photo credits: Natalie Shaw

Trending: Bouffants & Beehives

I cannot get enough of the bouffants and beehives popping up on Pinterest!  I have even attempted my own modern version of the 50's bouffant look and am obsessed.  

While the 50's Mad Men style has already been the inspiration of many fun vintage parties and weddings, we are now seeing a trend in modernizing this big hair look into an everyday style.  

The beauty of this look is its ability to create the illusion of a longer thinner face by creating so much height.  Similar to how pointed pumps visually elongate the body, as do beehives visually elongate the face.  Even besides the aesthetic benefits, they are a fun new hair trend for all hair lengths!  

Below is cute YouTube tutorial by Cherry Dollface on how to make your own modern bouffant!

Here are some other great tutorials for the fabulous 50's bouffant!

The Beauty Dept - 50's Vintage Ponytail

ModCloth Blog - The Grand Bouffant

Love & Vintage,

Natalie Shaw

Credits:

Photo 1 - Pop! Spring Collection via Review-Australia

Photo 2 - Bridal Musings

Photo 3 - Dustjacket Blog via Elle photo shoot

Photo 4 - Beehive Hair Blog 

Houston Wedding Venue: Chateau Cocomar

From the grand exteriors and high elegant ceilings to the sweet details and thoughtful architecture, Chateau Cocomar is stunning to behold.  

Set at the end of a quiet street, Chateau Cocomar seems far less like a typical venue and more like secluded palace tucked away in a hidden garden outside Houston, Texas.  The gorgeous circle driveway accented by a regal fountain serves as a beautiful focal point upon arrival.  My first impression upon walking through the front doors was how grande the entire space was.  With so many large spaces and elegant rooms to work with, Chateau Cocomar is a venue filled with endless possibilities.
  

Grande monastery door imported from France lead you into the gorgeous vaulted hallway made famous by Archetype's award winning photo.  It is just one of the numerous antiques imported from around the world sprinkled throughout the rooms and halls of the chateau.  

My favorite space was the Chantilly Chambers.  The main focus of this room is an incredible marble fireplace stretching the entire height of the room. The beauty of this room, along with all the other ballrooms, is it's love for color, bright or soft.  Bright and rich colors easily pop off the clean architecture and are enhanced by the amazing amounts of natural light let in by the elongated windows.  Soft colors simply embrace the natural colors already in the marble and rooms enhancing the look of the venue itself.  Honestly it is hard to go wrong with any look in Chateau Cocomar!

Love & Elegance,
Natalie Shaw

Credit: Photographs by the amazing Koby & Terilyn Brown, Archetype Photography

Real Wedding - Part I: Samantha & Todd's Classic Evening Affair

As an event planner, I have a very special career.  I have the opportunity to create for couples magical, memorable moments (days really) which they will cherish for a lifetime. Planning a couple's wedding day for me is one of the most cherished parts of my career as it's an honor to be entrusted with something so special. 

So, just imagine how incredibly special it was for me to have the opportunity to plan my own wedding.  It's time to reverse the role and for me to be the "Bride"!  After having planned over 150 weddings, I had an endless list of ideas, themes and locations.  The possibilities were endless and my creative juices were running 1000 miles and hour with exhilarated excitement. How was I to choose just one location or theme; Garden of the Gods in Colorado, Caramel by the Sea in California, Acapulco Meixco, San Juan Puerto Rico, a good down home Texas wedding in Austin, or keep it local in Houston.  The options were endless for me and my imagination was unleashed. WHEEE!!! 

After several months of exploring flight and hotel costs, venue options, budget decisions, my fiancée (now husband) and I narrowed our choice down to one location.  While destination weddings are incredibly fun and unique, it's not always possible for all your guests to travel. We decided it was most important to share the day with those nearest and dearest to us and selected the Omni Woodway Hotel in Houston.  The Omni's luscious indoor garden area (Palm Court) allowed us to have a garden feel without being outside. Which was very nice as most Houstonians know that outside weddings in Houston is just so hard to come by due to weather. The reception itself would be held in the Noé Restaurant at the Omni.  A chic, schwanky space that isn't commonly used for events. Perfect!

With a date and location, the plan was in motion.  Time to create the theme and letting the planning begin! OHHH, my most favorite part. For me, I'm a huge fan of the classic Hollywood Regency designs, but have a flair for a stylish vintage. My color choice would be black and white complimented by neutral whites.  

Our focus for the wedding was to create an event that was truly about our guests' experience and not necessarily about an over the top decor design. With guests travelling from around Texas and Indiana to join us, we planned from the moment they arrived that they would know they were here for a different kind of wedding.  Once they checked into their room, they were delivered a welcome bag with a bottle of champagne and a personal welcome note from us.  When they arrived in Palm Court for the ceremony, they were greeted by a butler to hand them a glass of champagne embellished with a luscious strawberry accent.  What better way to enjoy a wedding ceremony than with champagne?!

My fiancée and I kept our wedding party very small to keep it simple.  We wrote our own ceremony as this was truly the most important part of the entire day. One that would be the most memorable for the two of us.  As we recessed down the aisle, guests showered us with petals. A fun alternative to a grand exit!

We designed the rest of the evening quite simply; cocktail hour to mingle and greet guests, a 3 course meal, toasts and dancing.  No complications, no unnecessary traditions, just an evening spent celebrating and dancing with family and friends. It was truly an evening that we will cherish for years to come.  

As an Event Planner based in Houston, it was truly hard to select my those who would help bring my ideas to reality. I know so many talented professionals and how to chose just a few?! We are so thankful for the wonderfully talented professionals who helped make it possible for us.

Venue: Omni Woodway - Teresa Westbury was amazing and has become such a dear friend
Florist: Sheli with P and P Events - I love how she took my ideas/designs and made it possible
Photography: Steve Lee Photography - his talent surpassed our expectations
Ceremony Music: Divisi Strings - their talent surpasses all expectations
Reception Entertainment: Space City Entertainment - Jason is always such a joy to work with 
Cake: Plated desert by Omni Woodway
Favor: Mini desert bar by Petite Sweets - everyone knows how much I love sweets
Invitations: Invitation Solutions 
Hair/Make-up: Pink Palette - they do such wonderful work. I felt utterly beautiful
Dress: Priscilla of Boston - its the icon of all wedding dress. 


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Check back on Saturday for "Real Wedding Part II: Handmade Items and Tips I Used" as I share some of my designs that I created to customize our wedding along with tips to make your wedding day memorable.

Hanging Floral Decor

I am falling in love with the creative ways flowers are being suspended.  Playful, elegant, and interesting, this simple trick has the ability to elevate any wedding design.  I'm excited to see it becoming even more prevalent in events during the upcoming year!  Below are some favorite inspirations and ideas on how you can incorporate them into your soirée!

1. Dramatic - This "On Cloud Nine" wedding inspiration featured on Ruffled shows how dramatic and creative flowers can be.  Arranging the white hydrangeas into a giant cloud formation and suspending them over the table is a unique way to follow the theme and let the flowers shine.  This floral arrangement would be fabulous to display over a signature table, favors, cake, candy bar, etc. Don't ever be afraid to take a chance and challenge flowers to show their creative side, the results can be breath-taking.

2. Whimsical - Arranging flowers into a large hanging wreath suspended sideways can be the perfect way to create a focal point at a reception or even the ceremony.  The greenery brings a natural aspect white the pops of pink from the lilies and peonies add the sweet playfulness.  Bohemian and romantic, this floral arrangement is sure to capture guests eyes whether hanging over the dance floor or the alter.

3. Naturally Chic - Hanging a long boxed floral arrangement can be the perfect way to have the benefits of a centerpiece without taking up any valuable table real estate.  It allows guests to see each other across the table without vases blocking their view, while also allowing you the space and freedom to go big with your flowers.  This is the perfect solution to keeping the long elegant tables clean and chic, and still bringing color and beauty into the room.

4. Sweet - If long tables are not an option or round tables are preferred, suspended floral arrangements are still a great option.  Spheres of flowers hanging above a round table can give all the height desired from normally using tall vases.  This option also does not compromise any table real estate or guests views.  It even allows extra room to place a simple low arrangement.  Whether you choice baby's breath, roses, or peonies, the result will still be beautiful and memorable for everyone.   

Love & Flowers,
Natalie Shaw

Photo Credits:

Heading: 100LayerCake - Garden Style Shoot  

1: Ruffled - Cloud Nine Wedding Inspiration

2: 100LayerCake - Garden Style Shoot

3: Ruffled - New South Wales Wedding

4: Martha Stewart - Modern Wedding Centerpieces

Soiréebliss! Events is Flourishing!!

Over the past few weeks, you've heard the buzz and felt the excitement of something exciting going on at the Soiréebliss! Studio. We've expanded our space and have designed a well appointed Client Consultation space. Along with this, we are working to implement some innovative technology to increase productivity,  and am revamping our logo, website and blog.  If you can imagine the Soiréebliss! Team, me included, are bursting with excitement for the launch date of when everything will be ready to be revealed. 

Unfortunately, I'm the type of person that gets so excited by surprises, I have such a hard time keeping them to myself.  Seriously, it kills me to not tell my husband what I get him for his birthday and Christmas.  So, because of this, I wanted to share a sneak peak of what the future look of Soiréebliss! Events will be......

New Logo

New Blog

Inspiration for it all!

Welcome Our Associate Planner: Lindie Jones Sadykhov

This week, I am excited to introduce you to our Associate Planner; Lindie Jones Sadykhov.  Lindie joined our team shortly after Soiréebliss! Events coordinated her wedding a year ago.  She brings to the team a long history of corporate and social event management.  Lindie's true strengths lie within her care for each one of her clients.  She continuously looks for ways to go above and beyond to ensure her client's event is absolutely perfect and their needs are met in every way.
Please feel free to say hello to Lindie at lindie@soireebliss.com

My name is Lindie Sadykhov, and I am an Associate Planner for Soiréebliss! Events.  I could not be more blessed to be working for this wonderful company, and absolutely love what I am doing!  It came as no surprise to my friends and family when I started working for Soiréebliss! Events after Samantha Darr planned my wedding, as i was apparently a "natural" at planning my own wedding, and have always loved throwing parties for friends and family.

I graduated from the University of Texas at Dallas with a degree in Business Administration. During college I had the amazing opportunity to work for a corporate marketing team. I have been organizing events for every company I have worked for since college, and instantly knew this was truly my passion and what I wanted to do.

After college, I pursued my marketing/business career with an oil and gas company in Houston. While it’s been a fulfilling career, I found that it was still lacking. I have been looking for a career opportunity that would utilize my creativity and event planning skills. When Samantha Darr offered me a job with the Soiréebliss! Events I immediately knew it was the perfect opportunity I had been so patiently waiting for, and now couldn't be happier, as my passion truly turned in to a reality.

I have enjoyed every moment of working with the Soiréebliss! Events team. I love hearing everyone's individual stories, and how they envision their special day, then making it a reality. Seeing their vision and everything we have worked on, all come together in the end is the best part, along with making everyone happy and watching their big smiles at the end of the day.  It makes my job incredibly rewarding knowing that the Soiréebliss! Events team has made their event memorable, and in turn I could not ask for a better career! 

 

Friday Splendor: Gifts for Bridesmaids

Looking for something absolutely fabulous to give the special friends? Nothing beats a little sparkle, bling and items that would "WOW" any girl!

1. Kate Spade Wedding Line: www.katespade.com

2. Personalised pink damask drink flasks with diamante initial on them

3. Etsy Designer: Sweet Caroline

Which photo booth theme best fits your wedding?

Photo booths are absolutely fantastic, and if you have ever used one at a wedding or event, you already know how much fun they can be.  They are a great way to get guests interacting early on in an event, and they only get more entertaining as the night progresses.  Add a few props (such as moustaches, hats, signs, or bunny ears), and you will soon see the silly side your friends and family.  A photo booth captures all those funny and spontaneous moments your guests will have and creates even more!  The photos people get back from photo booths can sometimes be the most memorable.

From a design perspective, a secret benefit to the photo booth is that is creates another canvas to further display your design scheme into a wedding or event.  It can begin as a backdrop for a wedding ceremony, and then be transformed during the reception into the backdrop for your photo booth.  Either way it is a piece that will forever be associated with that event.  Whether modern, vintage, creative, or glamorous, photo booths can be a fabulous way to entertain your guests, create some amazing photo opportunities, and further showcase the personality of your event.

Love & Fun,
Natalie Shaw

Photo Credits

Modern:

http://www.100layercake.com/blog/2012/05/22/palm-springs-30th-birthday-party

http://www.cart-dropitmodern.com/greydientlightweightline-1.aspx

http://ruffledblog.com/scandinavian-wedding-ideas

http://www.marthastewartweddings.com/230662/50-tips-perfect-wedding-reception/@center/272419/youre-engaged#/111863

Vintage:

http://www.brides.com/wedding-ideas/real-weddings/slideshows/2009/10/kristen-and-todd-in-los-gatos-ca#slide=11
http://www.bhldn.com/the-shop-decor-decorating-backdrops/bewreathed-pendant-backdrop
http://blog.fossil.com/2011/01/paper-moon-love
http://www.danatanamachi.com/chalk

Creative:

http://thethingswewouldblog.blogspot.com/2012/03/wedding-photo-booth-fun.html

http://www.greylikesweddings.com/1-real-weddings/color-real-weddings/grey/jehoaddan-and-marks-indie-wedding

http://www.smilebooth.com

Glamorous:

http://greenweddingshoes.com/real-wedding-melissa-ajs-rustic-elegant-vineyard-wedding
http://www.100layercake.com/market/view/2653/25/fringe-fabric-photobooth-backdrop http://ohhappyday.com/2011/12/sequin-photobooth-diy

Welcome Our Newest Team Member: Natalie Shaw

In 2007, I took the leap of faith in myself and my dream to launch Soiréebliss! Events. Initially, it was just myself and two Event Day Assistants.  I set-up shop in the spare bedroom at my house and started plugging away.

Since then my vision for Soiréebliss! Events has grown even more successful than I could have initially hoped.  We beat the statistics for success/failure all small businesses face in their 1st and 2nd years or business.  We overcame the economic down-turn and evolved with the financial challenges.  Instead of working out of a 8x10 room in my house, we now have a large well appointed studio in the historic Heights. My team has grown to include one Associate Planner and five Event Day Assistants. 

The newest addition to the SB! team is Natalie Shaw; our Event Production Manager.  Her role is to facilitate planning and design of each event.  She plays a vital role in managing each client's event needs.  She brings to the team a fresh, vibrant personality and "mad" design skills.  

To welcome Natalie, please say hello at natalie@soireebliss.com

My name is Natalie Shaw, and I am the Event Production Manager at Soiréebliss! Events. I absolutely love my job.  It is the place where my passion and skills come together.  Every event is so different, and making them as amazing and stress-free as possible is my constant aspiration.

I graduated from Furman University, Greenville, South Carolina in 2007 with a degree in Business Administration.  For the first four years after graduating, I worked with a small oil & gas investment company in Houston as office manager and investment analyst.   I love the organization necessary to run an office smoothly, and continue to perfect those skills in the Soiréebliss! Events office.

My track record of event planning goes back to my childhood, helping my mother plan unforgettable showers for all our family and friends.  I honed my skills on the Student Activities Board in college, and cemented my passion while throwing over the top parties at my own home as often as I could find a reason.

The one thing that has been pervasive throughout all my life is the desire to bring people together for those extraordinary moments.  I love the planning of every detail, starting with the initial brainstorm, to designing the invitations and decor, to orchestrating the event production.  This is my passion, and I am so thankful to be a part of the amazing Soiréebliss! Events team that shares my passion.

Real Wedding Video: Xochy & Todd's Houstonian Wedding

After a very busy Spring wedding season, we are happy to have a small break to catch up on our blog. We know you love seeing real wedding and were were perusing some of the amazing weddings we have had over the years.  One of our favorite weddings was in 2010, originally published on Style Me Pretty.

Xochy and Todd was a very spirited couple who had wanted to host an amazing wedding for their family and friends.  The evening started with a cocktail hour hosting a sushi bar, casino tables and live music. When the ballroom doors opened, guests were greeted with a ballroom designed to "WOW".  Guests spent the evening dancing and celebrating to the sounds of a band and DJ. Not a detail was missed! Check out this amazing video recap from 31 Films.

Wedding Inspiration: Turquoise Plum & Gold

After a recent trip to Taos, New Mexico, I came back to Texas with a love of all things turquoise.  It probably didn’t help that my fiancé bought me the turquoise necklace that inspired this embrace.  But nevertheless, I often am finding myself turning to turquoise while planning my own wedding.  While turquoise is normally always seen with silver, gold brings out an extra richness in the turquoise taking it from an everyday stone to something much more unique and glamorous.  Gold and turquoise are fabulous compliments both enhancing the each other without either stealing the spotlight.  Also as a side note, a wonderful accent color to this dynamic duo is the unassuming plum.  While rich in its own right, plum also serves to soften the boldness of turquoise and gold.

This wedding color palette would be beautiful for a late summer wedding.  Rich with a touch of bohemian, it would be sure to leave everyone stunned.

Love & Color,
Natalie Shaw

Product Credit:
Love Letter Balloons: Balloon Maniacs
Gold Dahlia Charger: Chilewich
Monogram Napkin: be.Designs
Wedding Gown Designer: Sarah Seven
Bride's Necklace: Doolittle Jewelry
Bridesmaid's Necklace: Kate Spade - Carried at Nordstrom
Bridesmaid Dress: J.Crew
Cake Topper: Better Off Wed
Shoes: Bhldn
Wedding Invitation: Bowarrow Paper Co

Real Wedding: Kelly & Ron's Vintage Chic Glam Wedding

Kelly and Ron is one of the most fun couples.  Their wedding was designed with a vintage glam influence. The design theme is carried through the invitations, bridal attire, cake display and wonderful get-away vehicle.

One of the most heart-warming traditions I am beginning to see more and more is for brides to wear their Mother's veil in place of wearing their dress.  In Kelly's case she had it restyled to fit her dress and theme.  Her vintage fur wrap was then her "something borrowed" from her Grandmother.  For a November wedding, it was just enough!

Kelly and Ron chose to have their wedding Thanksgiving weekend as they love the holidays so much. It's the perfect opportunity for all your family to be together, says Kelly.  In honor of their love for the holidays, they had traditional Christmas songs play throughout dinner mixed with Frank Sinatra jazz.  For their grand exit, Kelly had a vision of falling snow flakes and the sound of jingle bells.  The Phoenix Group had exactly that!  They created fake snow as guests were gathered outside with their very own jingle bells.  What a spectacular site......in Houston!

It was truly a pleasure for the Soiréebliss! Events team to be a part of their very memorable wedding day. Many thanks to our talented team of event professionals who helped make the day amazing.

Vendor List:
Church: Holy Rosary
Reception: The Bell Tower on 34th Street
Photographer: Joseph West Photography
Bride's Cake: Who Made the Cake
Groom's Cake: The Chocolate Bar
Cookie Bar: Michael's Cookie Jar
Florist: Wedding Flowers by Lisa/The Blooming Gallery
Videography: A&A/Nico
Grand Exit (Fake Snow): Phoenix Design Group
Transportation: Monarch Vintage Cars
Reception Entertainment: DJ's Unlimited