WeddingWire Indianapolis Community

Having fun around Indy as we bring the community together - engaged and newlywed couples, friends and family- all are welcome!

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Fun times had by all

Our Pick-Me-Up event at Niche in Broad Ripple was such a fun girls’ night out! 

Time flies when you’re having fun and this event was no different. Attendees chatted, shopped and sipped their way through the evening while talking to Wedding Planner Beth from Plum & Poppy and looking through wedding albums from Kirsten Wray Photography.

Here’s some of what was shared at the event from Beth:

You can assume around 70% of invitations sent will accept and attend your wedding

DIY is great, but don’t plan on doing anything DIY if it involves work during the 48-hours leading up to the big day. That precious time prior to the wedding should be spent with family and friends who are in town, as well as all of the other little last-minute things you need to do for your wedding like picking up tuxes, getting nails done, confirming vendors/timelines, dropping items off at the reception venue, etc 

Getting real for a moment: as hard as you plan, things will go wrong. Hiccups happen but it doesn’t mean that your guests -or even you!- will notice. Have a couple go-to family or friends who will be tasked with talking to vendors during the wedding so you don’t have to. Having a planner also helps here as they not only will work with the entire vendor team throughout your event, but will also know hot o solve for problems and even foresee potential issues before they even happen! 

Also, some 2015 trend-spottings:

Mixed Metallics

Tone on Tone (gold on gold, neutrals on neutrals)

Wedding dresses with color or different shapes (plunging necklines, more dresses with sleeves - less strapless) 

Breaking with tradition (like cocktail hour before the ceremony and food trucks for reception food). There is more emphasis on guest experience and fun, less concern around structure. 

Aside from great advice, all attendees enjoyed the exclusive WeddingWire discount and left with some new found treasures from Niche (be it tops, dresses or jewelry). It was fun to shop and help give a yay or nay to one another as we each tried on different pieces. My fave purchase of the evening were these sparkly earrings that are super adorable while being wallet-friendly:

Thanks to everyone for such a fun night out with us! Our next event will be May17th at the Barn in Zionsville with Simply Divine Cupcakes. Get excited and save the date!

Don’t forget: as you’re out and about planning, load your pics to the WedSocial app, joining wedding: indianapoliscommunity

#howweplan

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Lookin’ good, Indy!

There are so many great shops and boutiques around Indy to help get you and yours look good for the Big Day, a day when cameras will be out and snapping pics from morning til evening, and pics will be shared on social networks over and over. Having just covered off on Bridal Gowns, here are some other top pics for where to get your gown altered, shop for jewelry and look good for events leading up to your wedding:  

Alterations - The Perfect Stitch -  Located on the SE side of Indy off Rt 74, many a bride has visited this shop to ensure their gown fits like a glove, and with just the right shape and accessories as they’ve always dreamed of. 

Jewelry - Shane & Co. -  Conveniently located in Fishers off 96th Street, they offer a wide variety of beautiful gems and jewels to match a wide variety of budgets. Plus, at with nearly a 5-star rating from just about 600 reviews, you can trust they stand behind their customers! 

Everyday gorgeousness - Adorable boutique located in Broad Ripple. Dresses, accessories and gifts for the everyday, the Big Day, and all the events in between. (you might even be able to grab some special dresses to be used as bridesmaid bridal party dresses!) Shop with WeddingWire and get an exclusive 20% Discount on purchases: 

Thursday, April 23rd

7-9pm (drop by any time in between, no set ‘event schedule’)

916 Broad Ripple Avenue

RSVP: wed.li/indypickmeup 

plus! bring in lightly used dresses to donate to area teens to use for prom! The first 10 to do so will receive $10 Niche gift card.

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When crying during wedding planning is actually a good thing, according to Krissy

Krissy K and her family all cried, too. ... because she found ‘the one’, THE dream wedding dress at Marie Gabriel Couture Bridal in Indy. 

Nykki was my bridal stylist, and wow, does she knows her stuff! ... We walked around the gallery, while she pulled dresses and asked for my feedback, with specific questions on why I liked or didn't like each dress. (The first dress she pulled was the one I bought)! Then it was time for a fashion show of sorts, modeling the various gowns/veils for my little posse. When I put on The Dress, I cried. My MOH cried. My sisters cried. It was that moment I had dreamed of as a little girl, even exceeding what I thought were lofty expectations. Believe me, many boutiques do not provide the inventory, ambiance, and/or service necessary to achieve that princess moment--MARIE GABRIEL DOES!!

We love that Krissy’s wedding dreams were coming true with the help of great vendors like Marie Gabriel Couture Bridal. There’s more to the review that explains the entire experience and what the store has to offer, so read it on WeddingWire and perhaps you’ll be crying tears of joy as well when you find THE ONE! 

Krissy, we hope the rest of your planning is just as stellar!

Indy Community - Let us know if you loved a wedding vendor and write a review - no tears necessary - and, just like Krissy, know that you don’t need to be married before you write one. Check back here on the blog- we just might feature your review, too!

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Crowned and Adored : WeddingWire Indy’s Fresh Florals 101 Event Recap

Beautiful. Hysterical. Delicious. Educational. Fun. Tuesday’s Fresh Florals 101 event at the Forum Conference and Events Center was all of this and more.

Courtney from Violets are Blue did a great job speaking to couples, family, friends and Bridal Party members about flowers. It’s hard to dwindle down to her top 5 tips of the evening but here’s a shot:

Add color to your bouquets. Even if light pinks or blush, the flowers will show better against your dress, and in pictures at the reception where linens are usually white.

Be budget conscious by re-purposing ceremony flowers at the reception, using the expensive flowers as highlights and by having 3-4 different centerpieces at the reception that vary in size, height and flower assortment.

Tell if flowers are fresh by looking and feeling the bud- if it’s tight and somewhat closed, it’s fresh. If it’s loose and more open,  the flower has passed its peak point.

Have someone bring aluminum foil to the wedding- at the end of the night, you can wrap up the arrangements with some water to take them home!

Working with a professional florist will save you time and money (& your manicure) by getting fresh flowers (that will last longer) and at a cheaper rate. A normal wedding takes 3 days to prep for all of the bouquets, centerpieces, boutonnieres, etc for even experienced florists to whiz through. Lastly, it’s a lot of work to transport flowers and keep them stored at the proper temperatures so let a professional florist worry about all that!

On to the main event: getting hands on making floral crowns. Before I got any further I want to give a shout out to the two grooms-to-be who not only attended this floral event but created their own floral crowns and totally rocked them :)

Courtney explained how to make a floral crown, step-by-step, and then attendees worked with the flowers, greenery and supplies to make their own beautiful creations. And seriously, what a talented group we have!

Oh, and if you’re wondering where the ‘delicious’ part came in, Food Guys Catering did an over-the-top amazing job providing some incredible food and drink for our event. Yes, please and thank you!

The last shout out of the event goes to Kirsten Wray Photography who captured this fun event for us. thanks!

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Your Wedding + Your Pics => #howweplan

We’re all about weddings. YOUR weddings, to be specific. We love to see Real Weddings come through, where the end result of all of the months of wedding planning have come to create a wonderful celebration. Blissful newlyweds, beautiful decor. We just can’t get enough.

Except... How did you get to that beautiful, wonderful wedding?! We’re so curious and we’d love to see! When you’re out visiting a vendor, doing your cake tasting, creating your registry or, perhaps creating your wedding website on WeddingWire, take a snap with your phone and share it with the Indy Community! 

We’ll pick some of our favorites to share on WeddingWire’s Instagram. Because that’s #howweplan

Here’s how to do it: 

Download WedSocial from the App Store or Google Play

Join wedding: indianapoliscommunity

Load up your pics!

We can’t wait to see what you’re up to! 

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You know you want to! RSVP here. Look forward to seeing you!

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Yyeah! It’s officially March Make Up Madness time!

Wait, what? That’s not right? 

So, yeah, if you’ve been living under a rock and haven’t heard, it’s NCAA March Madness time. For anyone who isn’t into basketball, I was trying to think of what was the exact opposite thing to basketball and it dawned on me: make up! No referees, tear-away pants, whistles or balls. We’re talking stylists, brushes, eye shadow and lashes. Yeah, we’d rather it March Make Up Madness any day. 

So let’s just say this became a thing. Home court advantage would go to No. 7 Salon and Spa downtown. Because while yes, they’ve got some good street cred beautifying brides with makeup, they offer complete wedding services like mani/pedis, hair styling and up-dos, applying lashes... For the bride who wants to get completely pampered, they offer massage and facial services, as well. 

And let’s not forget about the guys. They’re covered with hair cuts, grooming facials and waxing services. 

You’ll be extra-special gorgeous on your wedding day after visiting the crew at No. 7 Salon and Spa. Don’t believe us? Just ask Ashley L. who got married last October: 

“If I could give No. 7 a higher than 5 rating, I would. My hair was what I always envisioned. I never wear makeup, so I was concerned I would not look like myself. BUT, Alyssa is a pro and the makeup looked perfect.”

Read the full review and learn more about No. 7 Salon and Spa on Weddingwire. 

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Stripes and turquoise and peonies, oh my!

This Indianapolis wedding is everything: fresh yet classic, bold yet romantic. And. We. Love. It. Check it out for and take in all the gorgeousness for yourself!

Anne and Andy’s wedding was held at D’Amore right in downtown Indy, overlooking Monument Circle. This 48th-story event space is at the top of Chase Tower and provides for some amazing views! 

Kudos to Eventfull Planning who did a fantastic job pulling together this look.

Turquoise pops with the Bridesmaid dresses (by Alfred Sung)

Bold stripes on the invitations (by Pink Poppy Ink)  

Perfectly poised peonies and florals (by JP Parker)

To see more pics and the full vendor team, you can view the complete Real Wedding on WeddingWire. Meg Miller, thanks for capturing this beautiful wedding!

What look are you going for at your wedding? What color(s)? Comment below - I want to know!

...and if these florals are totally taking your breath away, we invite you to attend our next event: 

101 Workshop: Fresh Florals

Tuesday, March 31st, 7-9pm

Learn more and RSVP now!

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I didn't believe this before but every bride needs a planner. Tara helped us for the last few months before the wedding and was invaluable. She organized weekly to do's that we both had to accomplish, and she truly made the decision making process very simple for us. She was always willing to meet or talk on the phone or communicate via email and was very quick to respond (despite having a newborn!). She served as a friend we could vent to and as a professional who handled all communication with our vendors. We received so many compliments from our guests about how smooth the wedding day was and how organized everything was for them. She is patient, professional, and a natural at her job. I would definitely recommend Tara and her team to any bride!

- Anisha K., married 11/29/14, about Tara Nicole Weddings & Events

Anisha, we're so happy that you're happy with how your wedding turned out, thanks to the help of Tara Nicole Weddings and Events. Today marks Day #99 that you've been married: congrats! What a fun milestone! We hope you've blissfully enjoyed them, and hope the next 9,999 (and more) days) turn out to be just the same! 

PS: props, to you, Anisha, for writing 5 reviews!  If you didn't already know, we love ourselves a good review, so everyone, keep 'em coming! (and one of yours could be featured here on our blog, as well!) 

PPS: Congrats, as well to Tara Nicole and Events for being a 2015 Couples' Choice Award winner! 

You both are very deserving of this applause and standing ovation from none only than Hollywood's A-listers!

Read Anisha's full review of Tara Nicole Weddings and Events on WeddingWire.

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Warm and Cozy Engagement Party

We didn't let a little snow stop us from having a fun time at Thursday's Engagement Party downtown at the Conrad Indianapolis! 

In a gorgeous space at the Conrad, attendees got the chance to imagine what their own weddings would be like, with beautiful flowers from Violets are Blue, a lively playlist hosted by Jim Cerrone and photo booth fun provided by Dappy Hays. Aisle Ready event planner and photographer Jennifer Driscoll rounded out the group to make for a lovely, informative and helpful evening.  The chocolate covered strawberries were also a hit! 

In case you missed it, here are a couple tips to help as you plan your weddings: 

From Jodie, Aisle Ready Events: 

Do not let a vendor’s pricing scare you away. Be honest with a vendor on your budget. Many vendors are able to negotiate and may be able to create a package or price that better fits your budget.

When trying to select vendors, the best way to approach this is to do research of several and save those who interest you. Then, narrow down your list to around 5 to get pricing and information and then narrow them down to around 3 to do consultations and negotiate with. When you look at too many vendors it will get confusing and overwhelming and can easily cloud your judgment.

Courtney, from Violets are Blue, reports on some of the latest floral trends: 

Adding some glitz to bouquets is really in right now. Be it gold glitter or sequins, black and white stripes or mercury glass vases, it all adds some extra flair to the florals!

Having 2, 3 or even 4 different types of centerpieces really keeps things interesting at a reception. What's better is that not all of them have to be big or intricate which also helps keep costs down. (big bonus!)

Thanks again to everyone who helped us with the event and came out to celebrate!

We'll be back at the end of March - literally the very last day in March, the 31st - for a fun floral workshop in Fishers to welcome Spring. Save the date and see you there! 

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We're celebrating you, Indy!

WeddingWire is officially coming to Indianapolis! 

We love the land of the Indy 500 and die-hard Colts fans and want to officially toast to all of the weddings in and around the 465 loop. 

To do so, we're throwing an Engagement Party and cordially invite engaged couples and some of your friends to join us:

Thursday, February 26th from 6 - 8PM

Conrad Hotel, downtown Indy

Join us for drinks, photobooth pics, floral inspiration... and just some fun!

To learn more or RSVP visit WeddingWire

A huge shout out to the following vendors who are helping us make this fun night possible: 

Conrad Hotel

Aisle Ready Events

Jim Cerrone

Dappy Hays

Violets are Blue

Jennifer Driscoll Photography

We hope to see you there!