This is a sneak peak photo taken by Narendra Vekaria @nindyve... on Twitpic

This is a sneak peak photo taken by Narendra Vekaria @nindyve... on Twitpic

Sneak peak of the amazing photography of Narendra Vekaria (Nindy Vek). Based out of London, UK, Narendra is an Internationally renowned photographer who has shot weddings, events, concerts all over the World from Dubai to India to Paris, France where he shot the Wedding of the daughter of Lakshmi Mittal one of the richest men in the UK. 

Hispanic Weddings, Destination Weddings in Colorado

Brenda and Leo had approached me to plan their wedding last January. They had no venue and no vendors in place and were looking for  Full Coordination. Both were very busy and lived in Wyoming. Planning their wedding was exciting. They wanted a traditional Hispanic Catholic Wedding and a Spanish speaking priest. We found one and had him flown in for their special day.
We planned each and every detail of their wedding, from the flowers, cake, bridal dress, photographer and videographer.
Thanks goes out to Kevin Stalls for sharing this wonderful Video of their special day. He is our favorite videographer! Thanks Kevin

http://vimeo.com/15859413

Destination Wedding in Colorado at The Stanley Hotel Wedding in Estes Park, CO

It was a beautiful day and spring was in the air. The sun came out and the scene was set for a perfect wedding.

Jennifer and Ryan were the sweetest couple and it was such a delight planning their wedding.
They were a very busy couple with demanding jobs and were looking for a planner to take care of all the details, introduce them to great vendors. Both were from Chicago and were planning a destination wedding with guests flying in. They wanted to showcase Colorado and what better venue than the historic Stanley Hotel.

The ceremony took place in the Music Room and the reception in the Concert Hall. 

The backdrop of the wedding was the historic @Stanleyhotel the photographers were @picturethedayllc the floral designers were A Brighter Day Floral and the cake was made by the fabulous @teeandcakes.

Once again it was a pleasure working with Teddi of Pciture the Day. Her photo's are always amazing. Thanks for sharing these wonderful photo's with us Teddi. The team at The Stanley headed by Candace Carnahan were great.

Honey Ahijevych
Seize The Day Event Planners

Colorful Hues for Your Wedding shoes- A Trend of 2010

Ah, the shoe. Whoever said diamonds were a girl’s best friend clearly never had a great pair of heels. So, what to do with this necessary accessory on your wedding day?  Here are a few tips and trends to keep your feet pretty and comfortable from walking down the aisle to dancing the night away.

                       

Colored wedding shoes are the new trend for 2010 and can add an extra touch of color and style to your wedding dress. Consider wearing a jewel toned shoe in a ravishing red to match your wedding day colors, or pick an emerald green simply because you’ve always like the color. 

Better yet have your wedding shoes be your “something blue” where you can range anywhere from the deepest sapphire blue to the classic and elegant Tiffany’s blue.

Are your bridesmaids glamorous in purple? Try and choose a similar hue for your own shoes to tie the look in.

The best part of choosing a colored heel over a plain white heel is that you can add an extra kiss of color and a touch of personality to your wedding day. Plus, some of these vibrant colors can be worn after your wedding day with a great cocktail dress or even a stylish blouse and a great pair of jeans.

If you are not quite comfortable flaunting the jewel tones why not try jewels? While dramatic, having a beautiful pair of heels in a neutral color accented with jewels around the ankle or top of the shoe can easily make any bride feel like a princess.

So how do you manage to have beautiful shoes without wanting to take them off five minutes into your reception? Here are a few tips to make sure that your feet aren’t begging for mercy before night is over.

1)      First of all, if you are not someone who wears heels often, consider the height of your heel. You may find a killer pair of heels that are over three inches, but it is best to stick with heels no higher than two inches. The higher the heel the more pressure is placed on the ball of your foot- leading to painful first dances. Kitten heels are also a great option for you as they add a hint of height but still allow you to have the style of stilettos.

2)      Pedicures are a must for most brides to be. If you receive frequent pedicures before your big day, make sure they do not excessively remove the calluses on the ball of your feet. Your foot tends to build calluses in this area to protect your foot-especially if you are a frequent heel wearer.  The more they remove those layers the more painful it will be when you apply pressure on it while wearing heels. Inform your pedicurist that you will be wearing heels so they can ensure that your heel-wearing experience is as pleasant as possible.

3)      Speaking of pedicures, if you don’t already have a pre-wedding appointment booked you may want to consider having one. If you are investing in a great pair of shoes you want your feet to be as perfectly polished as possible. Also, a great pedicure is always a fall back if you end up wanting to take your shoes off to dance.

4)      Even if you are a seasoned heel veteran or if special occasions are the only time you bring out your heels, consider getting heel pads. Doctor Scholl’s has a variety of products formulated especially for high heels, which can protect your feet from unwanted blisters and pain. These products offer extra support and padding and are available in most drug stores or even your local Target.

5)      While you are looking at extra padding for your heels, consider investing in a set of no-slip shoe pads for the bottom of your shoes. These additions are inexpensive and allow extra grip for the soles of your heels to ensure you don’t go sliding off the dance floor. They even come in cute shapes such as hearts or flowers.

6)      Finally, always try on your wedding shoes…and not just once! Wear them for a few hours at a time around the house so you can address any possible sore spots (and then arm yourself with the proper padding) and get your feet used walking in the heels as well as the feel of the shoe. Think of it as training for your tootsies before your big day.

 The most important thing is that you feel confident and comfortable for your wedding, and truly feel beautiful from head to toe. Most importantly, you want your shoes to be an accessory-not a nightmare-on your wedding day.

     

    Alexandria Bath  

Associate Consultant

Special Offer For Seize The Day Event Planners Clients from Dana Romanoff Photography

Dana Romanoff is offering a special deal for the clients of Seize The Day Event Planners. She is  giving away a free engagement session and $500 in wedding credit to any couple getting married in 2010 in Colorado that books with me by May 15th.  That's a $1000 value!  So why is she doing this? Because this year she is photographing weddings in New York, Aspen, Telluride, Ohio, Connecticut and even Bogotá, Columbia and she would love some more local weddings.She is waiting to hear from you.

Dana Romanoff Photography

Had a wonderful meeting with Dana Romanoff of Dana Romanoff Photography. Dana is a true wedding photojournalist. Her background is doing photography journalism for entities such as the New York Times, National Geographic and the Charlotte Observer. She brings an ability to truly capture the day through photographs that tell a story. Check out her website. http://www.danaromanoffphotography.com/

Indian Wedding Rituals and Customs

India is a vast country with people from different religions, many regions and many different rituals & customs. Hindu weddings are very different from other weddings. Celebrations begin and rituals begin many months ahead of the actual wedding day and which transpire over the months leading to the wedding day. 

From the Ladies Sangeet, where traditionally just women get together to sing & dance, to the Haldi ceremony where the bride & groom each are covered with a turmeric and oil mixture (said to be good for the complexion), to the Mehndi (Henna) to the wedding day & beyond.

According to Hindu Sastra there are four stages of life, of which Grahastha Ashram or married life signifies the second stage. It begins, when a man and a woman come together and marry. In India, marriage is treated as an institution, which teaches the actual values of life. Every stage in life has its own charm and a married life is no exception. In India, a marriage is usually arranged by the respective parents of the bride and the groom and follows various steps. Marriage among Hindus is not only considered a union of two souls, but of two families.

Hindu Marriage Rituals & Customs

A Hindu wedding not only involves the bride and groom but the entire community, friends, family and relatives as everybody participates in their coming together of the to-be couple. The first and the foremost step is the selection of the bride and the bridegroom. While in love marriages, a boy and a girl themselves select their life partner, it is crucial when it comes to arranged marriages. Talking about arranged marriages in the Hindu custom, the parents select the prospective bride/groom for their son/daughter.

After the selection procedure is over, the family members of both the girl and boy ask the priest to suggest an auspicious date for the engagement of the two also known as misri or ring ceremony. Since India boasts of diverse cultures and traditions, the engagement ceremony rituals differ from region to region and community to community. However, the basic of all the rituals, mentioned here, form an indispensable part of Hindu wedding. In the betrothal ceremony, the to-be bride and the groom exchange wedding rings among each other. Sweets and garlands are also exchanged among the couple.

After the festive spirit of engagement, the next important ritual is the mehndi party. It is believed that the color of mehndi signifies the essence of love in a marriage, so it is put on bride's hand to strengthen that bond of love. The bride's family and friends mainly celebrate this ceremony. The female friends and family members of the bride rejoice and celebrate this occasion, as henna gets painted on her handwww.seizethedayeventplanners.coms and feet. Apart from the bride, the family members also get their hands painted with henna. Singing traditional songs and dancing to the beat of music forms a major part of this ritual.

Among the other important rituals is the Sangeet party, wherein all the family members and friends of the bride and groom celebrate, by singing and dancing the night away. Along with song and dance there are arrangements for food and drink. A large affair, Sangeet party is most popular among Punjabis, Marwaris and Gujaratis, although most of the regions today also practice this ritual. Ghari puja is also another important religious ceremony, which is performed on the eve of the wedding day at the groom and bride's place separately.

On the morning of the wedding day, Pithi or Haldi, the cleansing ceremony is practiced during which the bride and bridegroom are pasted with turmeric powder in their respective homes, as a part of their beautification process. Talking about the actual marriage ceremonies, the Hindu wedding mostly takes place in a mandap or a tent, which is beautifully decorated with flowers. The main Hindu wedding ceremony is a long and elaborate affair, which lasts for several hours and is attended by a large number of relatives, friends, acquaintances and so on.

One of the most significant rituals the bride and the groom perform is the Saptapadi or saat phere around a scared fire and light, which is symbolic to God. While the bride and the groom take the seven circles, the priest or purohit recites the mantras and speak of the real essence and significance of marriage. It is also during this time that the groom fills vermillion or sindoor in the center parting of the bride and puts mangalsutra around her neck. Both sindoor and mangalsutra have strong religious implications and are sacred symbols of a married woman. These were some of the rituals and customs, which were generally followed in all the Hindu marriages.