A look at the past

‎2012 is almost over! It has been an amazing year. We made new friends, created some great weddings, referred out to amazing vendors and upped our game. But.... we also learned a lot along the way; we failed where we should have excelled, forgot where we should have doubled up our efforts and disppointed ourselves when we should have been surprised at our creativity. In short, we are human and while we love our successes [they are more than our failures'] we have learned volumes from our mistakes.   Isn't that what life is all about - learning and growing and then relearning again and again?

 It is always an honor to be chosen to help hundreds of brides and grooms with their wedding celebrations. No matter what the outcome, we have always felt that our hard work and dedication to this industry rises above an average event as we strive to help Iowa become a "Wedding Experience" instead of the ordinary "it-doesn't-matter" day.

Thank you to all of you who have believed in us and helped us grow our business and outreach in the Midwest. With wonderful couples to work with and professonal vendors to partner with, we are truly humbled and blessed.

From all of us at ~
Special Events, LLC | www.specialelegantevents.com
UBetts Rental & Design | www.ubettsrentaldesign.com
Vintage Love, Rentals and annessi | www.vintageloverentals.com
cynwhd b. designs | http://www.specialelegantevents.com/SpecialEventsFlorals.html
Preferred Bridal Show | www.preferredbridalshow.com
and WeddingsinIowa.com | www.weddingsiniowa.com

Here's to a wonderful 2013!  

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New Year's Eve Wedding Inspiration

Need a little eye candy for a New Year's Eve event?

 

 

This candy buffet for a New Year's Eve Wedding is a

fabulous way to treat "Sweet Guests!

 

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Wedding Inspirations | Picture Taking

Most every couple knows that picture taking with Family and Bridal Party is a must for memories of the day, but they don't always have to be in the original stand-and-get-your-picture-taken poses.  The pictures below are some fun ways to take posed pictures, but inject some personal style and whimsy as well.  And you know us - we always love a good photo!

 

 

 

 

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Wedding Inspirations | Emerald

Pantone has announced that Emerald is the 2013 Pantone Color of the Year, and we're in love!  This color is absolutely gorgeous, and can be used during any season.

Are you thinking of using emerald for your wedding??

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Christmas Inspirations

Happy Holidays from all of us at WeddingsinIowa.com!

 

We are excited around the office, since this is a holiday that we absolutely love to decorate!  The festive decor, flowers, and fashions have us all a flutter when we look through inspiration boards.  Absolutely love the red dress with fur accents!  Santa pulling the Christmas cake will delight your guests old and young!  Enjoy....

 

 

 

 

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Wedding Inspirations | Clouds of Love

Dining under clouds of flowers would be a beautiful experience for your guests not to menton giving any Reception space a gorgeous boost of design.  These "clouds" are made from Gypsophila.  They could be created on any color of candlestands, vases, or vintage artifacts.

 

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Wedding Inspirations | It is in the details

Most event designers know that it is the details that make a difference when showing off your style at your wedding.  Whether it is a chandelier hanging over the head table, trading standard banquet chairs for vintage upholstered seating or lush flowers on mismatched candlestands, never be afraid to think outside the box when styling your event.  Not every table has to match, not every element needs to be the same - just keep to a central color theme, common glass and style elements and then have fun.

Need some inspiring help?  Special Events, LLC event designers have over 30+ years of experience and would love to help you create a one of a kind experience to share with your guests and family.

 

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Preferred Vendor | Howard Johnson, Burlington

Happy holidays from the Howard Johnson in Burlington!  They are offering amazing deals on booking this gorgeous venue - Scroll down for coupons!  For more information about the Howard Johnson and their venue, visit their website.  The Preferred Bridal Show will also be hosting a bridal show there on April 7, 2013!  More information on the show here - with more updates to come!

Wedding Inspirations | Winter Wedding

It's a snow day in Iowa today, with 10-13 inches in the Des Moines area!  Bundle up, grab some hot chocolate, and enjoy this beautiful winter wedding photo shoot!

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Bridal Show Happenings | Jasper Winery Bridal Show

We had such a great time at our fall bridal show, "Love is Always in Season," at Jasper Winery.  Premier vendors, a gourmet s'mores bar, delicious drinks from Jaspery Winery, and of course, amazing brides.  Here's a few photos snapped by Sam Taylor of Impact Imagery Photography & Design, one of our fabulous photographers in attendance!

For a list of all our upcoming shows and events, head to the Preferred Bridal Show's website.
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Vintage Love, Rentals & annessi display

cynwhd b. designs floral display

UBetts Rental & Design display

We love our vendors!

Des Moines Musicians' Association display

Grace Adele's display

All the brides getting ready for the scavenger hunt!

Vendor Spotlight | Classic Events & Parties

This year we did several large, outdoor events.  And, with any big outdoor event, you need a big tent.  Classic Events & Parties is always the first place we go.  They have a huge inventory of everything from tents to chairs to food service items and more.  Find more information and contact information at Classic Events & Parties' website and Facebook page!

These photos are from Robin & Kirk's wedding:

The tent at Joanne and Blake's Salisbury House wedding looked amazing:

Click here for more photos of other events Classic Events & Parties has been apart of!

Escort Card Displays | 2012 Wrap-Up

After your ceremony, the escort card display is one of the first things your guests see of your reception. Escort cards help your guests know which table to sit at, which helps with the flow of your reception.  There are so many ways you can showcase your escort card display - whether it's actual cards, a chalkboard, windows, or fruit, it should be fun and unique to you and your new spouse!  For more information about these designs, check out Special Events, LLC's website.

Congratulations to all our brides and grooms this year!

For more inspiration, check out Weddings in Iowa's Pinterest Page!

Photo by Jill Brown Photography

Photo by Caleb Jamin Studios

Photo by Drescher Photo & Design