Blessings

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, there is much to be grateful for.  Every day I am grateful to have such an AMAZING business partner and team of OUTSTANDING event assistants.  I can’t believe how lucky I am!  The team around me supports me, motivates me and helps make Borrowed & Blue better each day! 

Planning a wedding is hard work.  Nothing about this business is as easy or glamorous as one may think.  But, the days without having time to eat or sleep leading up to a wedding, the stress you take on so the bride and groom don't have to, the worry and the butterflies of nervousness all go away when you are able to make a couples dreams come true.  The hard work is definitely worth it in the end.  

In this industry, you can’t please everyone.  When it comes to weddings, there are a lot of emotions and opinions involved.  The risks are high but the reward is higher.  So today I am thankful for my happy brides, grooms and their families.  I am thankful that they all have kept us in their life and that they continue to praise Borrowed & Blue at every turn.  Without their smiling faces and words of encouragement, BB would not be as successful as it is today.  SO THANK YOU for letting us share in your special day.  We will be forever grateful to each and every one of you.  <3

Mashtini?

Last week I had the pleasure of attending my cousin’s wedding in the BEAUTIFUL city of Destin, Florida. If I wasn’t already ecstatic about being in the sunshine state for a beach wedding, my excitement sky-rocketed when I saw martini glasses! Open bar with beer, wine AND martinis? Count me in! I received an even greater shock when my sister sat down for dinner with her martini glass filled with … mashed potatoes? 

Come to find out there was a mashed potato bar, mashtinis anybody? Guests had their choice of buttermilk mashed, roasted garlic, or sweet potatoes with a variety of delicious toppings to add on. I thought it was definitely a great idea that guests could get creative with and enjoy. And let’s be honest, mashed potatoes are the only acceptable substitute for an Appletini.

Photo Booth? YES PLEASE!

This past weekend we worked with the fantastic folks from Southern Exposure Photo Booth!  Not only did we think the ladies were the sweetest things ever, their photo booth made my day!  It wasn’t gaudy, it didn’t take away from the glam décor, and like expected – it was a BIG HIT with the wedding party!  They even handed over the scrap book for the bride and groom that night without me having to chase them down!  I highly recommend them and know I will be using them again ASAP!  Check out our lovely wedding assistants looking fancy in the booth ;)  

Love these silly assistants of ours more and more each event!  I REALLY DON’T KNOW what we would do without them!! Glad to know they enjoyed the photo booth, too! =)

Jessica & Patrick Preview

IN LOVE with our glam weekend wedding and EVEN MORE IN LOVE with Stephanie Pulliam from Indigo Photography!  Check out this photo and get excited for more great pics from this fantastic wedding!

It's all about the money, HONEY!

Is it possible to get high from saving money?!

I grew up poor and started learning about saving money at a very young age.  I started working when I was 14 and now have the ability to make a buck stretch a mile!  I never thought I’d appreciate being broke as much as I do now that I own a business that specializes in saving money!

One thing that erks my nerves is the misconception that wedding planners are an added expense.  If you find a GOOD wedding planner (cough, cough – a BBE wedding planner) they should SAVE you money!  A lot of brides, in an attempt to save, will skip the wedding planner but end up spending double what they could have paid if they had only hired someone who knows all the shortcuts and all the savings in town. 

Here’s a perfect example.  We have a bride who LOVES the look of pipe & drape and the dramatic effect it creates.  To rent pipe & drape for her wedding, it would have cost her $3,000.  Um, no thank you.  But Jenny and I couldn’t rest until we figured out a way to give her exactly what she wanted.  We don’t like the idea of brides sacrificing their vision over money.  Therefore, we’ve spent our week hauling cement, figuring measurements and playing engineer.  Our bride is getting exactly what she wants for about $300.  Yep – that’s a $2,700 savings! 

Ahh – what a good feeling! And that’s only PART of the savings!  That doesn’t count all the other secret ways we've helped her save ;)

My back is achy, my knees are sore, but the pipe & drape is GORGEOUS!  We’ll be sharing final product photos soon!  In the meantime, check out our hard work!   

Our little helper, Minnie!

Those crazy drawings make sense to us - that's all that matters =)

Sierra looking at us like we're nuts.  Well... maybe a little ;)

Vintage Dreams.

I have a reputation around here. One that I don’t mind --- I am a vintage junkie. I have a little thing for anything made before 1985. I thrift and vintage shop at least once a week. I rarely buy new furniture, and relish painting, sanding, and re-purposing one of a kind pieces to scatter throughout my house.   I love digging through the junk bins and pulling out a fabulous clutch that I know no one else will have. Even my engagement ring is vintage, straight from the 1920's, discovered at a fabulous estate sale. What can I say? I love old things and I love being completely unique. 

The vintage trend isn’t a new concept in the wedding world, the whole “something borrowed” thing kinda set that notion in stone. However, there is something I am absolutely loving right now.

The brooch bouquet..........

I just think they are gorgeous, unique, and a perfect way to showcase your heritage, your style, and bring something borrowed onto the main stage.

Here are a few examples of brooch bouquets that make me want to march down the aisle again!



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Meet KIRBY!

Last but not least meet another girl likely found crackin' jokes while getting busy on event day!  Shes beautiful, fantastic and even though she's a Duke fan, someone we absolutely love!  Hope you like her bio!

Kirby...

ADORES life! Duke Men's Basketball.  Family. Margaritas :) Britney ... (Spears that is) & Wayne (lil) Carter.

DESPISES Debby Downers! UNC Chapel Hill! Humidity. Messy rooms.  Chaotic situations. Ignorance.

DREAMS to grow up and be Cinderella :)

ASPIRES to pick something new every day to improve on to reach the goal of being the best person I am capable of being.