TOP TEN REASONS Why You Should Hire Dreamy Affairs…….

#10……To Help You Stay Within Your Budget.

You have said “Yes” and now you are excited to start planning your wedding.  But, the excitement soon wears off when you start to realize that you have more people on your guest list than you have money in your budget.  What is a couple to do? You and your parents don’t want to cut people off the list (that would be “rude”…..and in the south, rudeness is unforgivable), but you can’t come up with any more money.  DON’T WORRY!   You DON’T have to sacrifice everything on your list.

Hire Dreamy Affairs Signature Events and let us be the OBJECTIVE third party that can help you.  We can negotiate discounts with other vendors, find vendors that will help you stay within your budget, offer wholesale prices on lots of items (such as invitations & favors, just to name a few), as well as negotiate room blocks, offer in-house design work, custom-design Save-The-Date cards, and so much more.

So many of our couples can tell you that we were able to save them as much, if not more, than they paid us to be their planner.   Here is a RAVE from a previous bride and groom:

“Dreamy Affairs, really Leslie (of course Doug too), made our wedding day wonderful. We had a beautiful destination wedding(in Puerto Rico) that ended up costing LESS than if we stayed local, thanks to Leslie’s wheeling and dealing. We gave her a budget and she stayed as close to it as she possibly could to provide us everything we wanted and more. She became a friend and not just someone we were doing business with and that made the experience even better.  I would suggest to all future brides and grooms to obtain Leslie’s services if they want an affordable and spectacular wedding.  Thank you for everything Leslie, we love you!  Sabrina & Travis Wood

Stay tuned tomorrow for Reason #9………

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Congratulations Chloe!

Chloe da Silva & Joey Alsberry

Chloe da Silva was the winner of our drawing for the cake knife and server from our booth at the WNOK Bridal Show.  We called to let her know she had won and she was so excited.  She said she had never won anything in her life until the WNOK Bridal Show and she won the bouquet toss with WNOK Radio station (2 tickets to Nickelback) directly across from our booth, and now the cake knife and server.  She and her fiance, Joey Alsberry, came by the Dreamy Affairs office to pick up her prize.  They are planning a wedding in the fall of 2013.  Congratulations Chloe and Joey! Here’s to another Dreamy Affair!

AND THE WINNER IS………

We had a great day at the WNOK Bridal Show yesterday (July 22).  It was at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center from 1pm to 5pm and there were thousands of people that turned out.  We spoke to hundreds of brides who stopped by and complimented us on our booth.  We had our spectactular team working the show (Rachel, Grace, Christina, Cristen, Kelly and Brittany) talking to brides, handing out gift boxes, and passing out a private invitation to the Gala we are having on Sunday, August 5th from 1pm to 4pm at our office.  If you would like to attend, send your RSVP to info@dreamyaffairs.com.  The first 100 people to RSVP will be entered into a drawing for the Waterford Grand Prize.  You must be present to win, so be sure to RSVP and attend the Gala.  We would love to have you!

Finally, we had a drawing at our booth for a cake knife and server.  We received hundred of entries and finally drew the name out of our birdcage.  AND THE WINNER IS………………Chloe da Silva.  CONGRATS Chloe!!  IF you read the post, give us a call.  We will try to reach you shortly with the great news!

To See the Bride, Or Not to See the Bride

Ever wonder where those traditions as old as time come from?  One popular wedding tradition where the bride and groom are not allowed to see each other beginning the night before the wedding to right before ceremony, all began in a time when it was customary for the bride and groom to not see one another period, before the wedding day.

These days, couples, though still sticking to this tradition for the most part, will give in a little. The “First Look”, which allows the couple a private reveal before the ceremony, has become very popular recently.  Since the majority of the pictures are taken before the ceremony, it decreases the time spent after the ceremony and allows everyone to reach the reception 30-60 minutes faster.   Not to mention it can help to calm nerves!  Some couples still keep to the strict tradition as they feel it gives more excitement and anticipation to when the bride finally walks down the isle towards her beloved!

So, to see the bride, or not to see the bride … it really comes down to your personal preferences and planning.

Here’s to Happy Planning and Dream Weddings

Leigh & Chuck – March 31, 2012

It is so great, as a planner, when you meet a bride and instantly feel so “in-tune” with each other. At our very first meeting, Leigh hired me, hugged me and then said, “You are my new best friend!”  We became inseparable from that point on.  We both loved so many of the same things:  Starbucks, dogs, weddings, and new ideas.  Leigh’s fiancé, Chuck, was in DC and was then transferred to NYC, and Leigh traveled a lot.  She had great ideas and vision, but needed someone to help her get things done.   We are so thrilled she chose us to help her make her dream wedding a reality.

Leigh’s dream started with wanting a romantic, intimate ceremony in her quaint family church, Providence Lutheran Church with Reverend Patty Sue Burton-Pye presiding over the service.

Leigh introduced us to a new ceremony idea:  The Rock Ceremony instead of the unity candle.  Leigh wanted each guest to be given a river rock upon arrival, along with the sweet-grass fans and programs that had special little touches added to them.  Later in the ceremony, Reverend Patty Sue would ask the guests to pray a blessing for the couple over the rock before they placed the rocks in a special basket that Leigh & Chuck would then place in their new home.  The guests were so moved by the special service and loved that they were giving something to the couple that would be in their new home in NYC.

Although the church wouldn’t allow “4-legged family members” inside, the couple’s three dogs, were patiently waiting outside of the church, also dressed for the occasion.  Instead of traditional collars, Ginger was donned with a pearl necklace (collar) and the two males proudly wore a bow tie.  It was such a joy to work with two dog-lovers like Leigh and Chuck.  Instead of traditional favors for their guests, they had Pupcakes (a super boutique dog barkery shop in Five-Points) special-baked and frosted dog treats for all their guests to take home to their 4-legged family members.  You can see by their smiles as to how much they love their 4-legged family!

Because Chuck was so busy protecting our country in his job (FBI, CIA, Homeland Security……..we can’t say, or we might get hurt), he never got to sit in on our meetings.  So, when he only asked for one thing, we were happy to be sure we could make it happen.  The only thing he really wanted on his special day was to drive the classic Corvette he and his dad had restored together. They had a “Just married” banner made for the back of the car and he drove his newly wedded wife to their reception.

The night was a big success thanks to our dream team at Dreamy Affairs. I cannot say thank you enough to Grace Wilson, Christina West, Laura Bathelmay, Megan Carnovale, Kelly Craig, and Doug Ellison!!! And another big thank you to Carolina Event Services, Hudson’s Catering, Pampered Plants, and Vintage Bakery. It took all of us to make this event a truly wonderful day!

Check out more of Leigh & Chuck’s big day in the wedding gallery!

Photographer: Jeff Blake
Band: Soulutions
Florist: Pampered Plants
Caterer: Hudson’s Catering
Cake: Vintage Cakes
Bartending: Ed’s Bartending
Rentals: Carolina Event Services
Valet: Southern Valet
Décor: Carolina Event Services

2012 St. Andrews Womens Club Bridal Show

We had a booth at The SAWC Bridal Show at The SC State Fairgrounds on Sunday, February 26, 2012 from 12pm to 5pm.  We had a great time, not only seeing a lot of our wedding friends, but we got to meet a lot of new brides.Our booth was completed with Carolina Event Services and Cappuccino Man.  Ann Marie, Craig & Andrew with CES worked hard to set up the booth with a rod iron arbor with gates, and fencing. Ann Marie worked the booth with us as well as  Brian & Jennifer with CM, who gave out free samples of cappuccinos, lattes, & fruit smoothies.

When Ann Marie and I talked about the booth, we went with the motto…. “Go Bold or Go Home” and decided orange and fuschia was the perfect combination to bring our motto to life.  Our booth not only looked great, but brought so many brides to our booth.  We were able to spend quality time with the brides, grooms & moms and now we look forward to a busy week with new bride consultations.Before I end this blog, I must give huge props to the most awesome team ever!  The “Dream Team” (as they are called by our couples) arrived at an early 8am to the fairgrounds, ready to set up the booth and then stayed to 5pm, talking to the couples about our services.  They did all that after working a great wedding the previous night.  THANK YOU to Mellisa Ayer, Kelly Craig, Christina West, Grace Wilson and Doug Ellison for truly being my dream team!! You are BEST!!

If you are interested in setting up a FREE one-hour consultation to talk to us about your wedding, please give us a call at (803) 727-6357 or email Leslie at leslie@dreamyaffairs.com.

Happy Planning,
Leslie

Original post dated: Tuesday, February 28, 2012

WOW, What a day!

We were at The WNOK Bridal Show yesterday and Wow, what a day!  We started out at 9am with Doug, Craig, Ann Marie, Grace and Liz working hard to put our booth together.  The show was open to the public (excited brides, groom, moms and bridesmaids) at 1pm and we didn’t stop until 5pm.  We talked to 475+ brides (not to mention all those who came along)  and we were excited to see so many grooms in attendance today.  We wanted to thank the following people for such a great day:

First, we couldn’t have done our booth without our friends at Carolina Event Services.  Thank you Ann Marie and Craig for your vision and execution of our booth design!!! Our booth showcased a ceremony arbor that was draped in crystals and hanging wisteria flowers and fairy-lights swirling around the grapevine legs of the arbor. We had a grapevine chandelier hanging inside the center of the abor with crystals draped over the top of the arbor.  We used a variation of reds (the “in-color” of 2012) to highlight our booth (linens, uplighting and flowers).  The guest table was draped in an embroidered burgundy linen with a tall centerpiece and candlesticks. The cocktail table had a burgundy pintuck linen that was swagged on four side with crystal broaches.  We had so many comments on how beautiful the booth looked.  We even had 2 grooms who suggested to their brides that they go ahead and get married in our booth, “right here, right now”…….Needless to say, the brides didn’t go for it. 🙂

Also, a very special thank you to Adam Ruffin, Emma, Kim and Katherine at Palmetto Party Rental, for graciously allowing us to use their tables for our booth.  They have always been there for us at each and every wedding & bridal show.  They are THE BEST rental company in town by far!!!  Can’t beat their quality or their prices!!
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We wanted to thank Angela & Michael Koska (with Michael Koska Photography)  for their hard work in putting together a great bridal show.  They did an awesome job in having a classy and very organized show that ran smoothly.  They promoted the show on radio and television medias, thus the huge turnout of 475+ brides in attendance.  We are looking forward to the next one!

Last, but definitely not least, a HUGE thank you to Grace, Liz and Brittany for always being there, no matter how sick or how tired, for me and for our brides with the best customer service possible!!  Thank you for standing on your feet for hours and promoting our services. Of course, we couldn’t do without the “muscle men” in our company…Doug and Trey.  Thank you all for your love and support and hard work.  You all are the best team in the entire world!!!!!

We appreciate all the brides who stopped by to talk to us about our planning services and we look forward to meeting with the brides who made appointments to come in and talk to us this week!!

What a great way to start off 2012…..WOW, WHAT A DAY!!

Original post dated: Monday, January 9, 2012

WNOK BRIDAL SHOW TODAY

If you, or someone you know, was recently engaged, please come out to the 2012 WNOK Bridal Show today from 1pm to 5pm, at The Convention Center in downtown Columbia, SC.  I will be there, along with over 100 other wedding vendors, for you to talk to about your upcoming wedding.   Tell me you saw our blog and you will receive a special gift!  Hope to see you soon.

Leslie

Original post dated: Sunday, January 8, 2012

COMING SOON! Stay tuned….

We took a brief hiatus from being Dreamy Affairs
but we are coming back, bigger and better than
ever before!

More details to come…… so stay tuned!

Thanks for all your continued support!!

Leslie

Original post dated: Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Dana and Lee

 

When Dana’s mom, Linda, hired us last year, Dana’s vision for her dream wedding revolved around The Lace House.  She and her fiance, Lee, loved everything about the house and grounds so much, that they planned to have their ceremony and reception there.  We were thrilled because we love The Lace House as much as they do!

Although we relied on The Farmer’s Almanac to guide us on weather issues, the local weather forecast caused us a few frantic moments throughout the past week.  But yesterday was a beautiful summer day with blue skies and a HOT day and a warm night.  The perfect recipe for a dream wedding day!! (Another one for TFA)

Dana’s dream wedding became a reality yesterday, May 15th at 6pm at The Lace House.  Dana and Lee were married on the mall in front of #210 of their closest friends and family.  Dana knew she had a long aisle to walk down and wanted to see Lee’s face as she walked down the aisle, but was afraid she wouldn’t see it from the back of the long aisle, so the groom agreed to not turn around until he received the okay from Father Chiles.  The look on Lee’s face as he saw his stunningly beautiful bride was priceless!! The crowd ooh’d + ahh’d when the fountain came to life behind the newly-wedded couple as they kissed.

       

As a special surprise for his new bride, Lee had a horse-drawn carriage waiting at the iron gates to wisk his princess away, while their guests enjoyed great food and drinks.

 

 

 Dana and Lee’s guests dined on a menu of award-winning shrimp & grits, beef brisket, spinach tarts and an awesome fruit tree, plus Dana’s favorite (chocolate covered strawberries) plus much more, all catered by Capital City Catering.  Jonathan and Joanne and staff were as great as their food!

  

 

 The dance floor was adorned with hanging chinese lanterns that lit up the area for the guests as they danced and dined outside.  Dana chose hot-pink satin linens for her cocktail tables and lime green crushed linen for her guests tables, which were so stunning against the rod-iron and grounds of the house.

  

Scott with American Floral provided the beautiful (as always) hot pink, green and orange flowers. The two ceremony arrangements that were in front of the fountain where so beautiful and large, I had to show you a picture (Caroline, my intern from France is standing between the two arrangements just to show you the actual size and she is 5’5″)

 

We love brides and MOB like Dana and Linda……….it was the little details that they loved.  Dana and Lee’s favors were monogrammed chocolates in pink and green that had a hidden message in the mirror under the glass plates; the cake had a green monogram with matching pearl dots throughout with mini hot pink and orange spray roses; framed pictures of Dana and Lee throughout the house; personalized tissue boxes in the bathrooms (with their names and picture on the box); rod-iron shepherd’s hooks with hanging lanterns that outlines the sidewalk; luminaries that had Dana + Lee on the bag and glass cylinder vases with their names on the inside of the glass (just to name a few).

Dana and Lee had an awesome “Dream Team” that worked tirelessly to make their wedding day a “Dreamy Affair” and to them I owe so much!!!!   Doug, Brittany, Trey, Shelly, Jamie, Liz, Jordan and Caroline. YOU ARE THE BEST TEAM EVER!!! Thank you so much for working through the heat and the bugs, and for never failing to give excellent service to the couple, family and guests!  You started early that morning and worked non-stop until midnight.  I am truly blessed to have you on my team!!  Thank you for all you did to make Dana and Lee’s wedding a real “dreamy affair”!!!!  YOU ARE THE BEST!!!!

 

Leslie

 

The Lace House: Chamberlain & Trish

Photographer:  Patty Hallman (and Corey)

String Trio:  JHaning Music

Florist: American Floral

Carriage:  Carolina Carriages

Caterer:  Capital City Catering

Bartenders:  Ed’s Bartending

Cake: Connie White

Rentals:  Palmetto Party and Celebrations

Original post dated: Sunday, May 16, 2010