Glitter NYE Hats

Grand Rapids Wedding Planner

Planning a New Years Eve party, literally back to back with Christmas, seems like a daunting task. Cleaning the house, buying the food, prepping the food, and styling the whole event is enough to make even the most organized person weary. However, before you write off the whole idea of hosting a NYE party, remember, it only needs to be as complicated as you make it. Of course, for me, it is extremely complicated. But, this December I found myself with a few extra minutes to plan a small NYE party, complete with gold glittered hats.

Yes, I know you can buy party hats, but, I had some multicolored ones lying around. Being the queen of DIY (that’s a lie; it’s more about repurposing old things instead of buying new things), I decided to spray paint them gold and cover them in gold glitter. My only advice when spray painting cheap party hats? Let them dry completely in-between coats, otherwise you will have drip marks, which will show under the glitter. When it comes to putting glitter on the hats, after you let the glitter and glue dry, paint over the glitter with one more coat of glue. This helps with the trail of glitter that you are bound to create whenever the hats get touched, placed or even breathed upon.

Grand Rapids Wedding Planner

Steps:
1. Gather up some party hats (try the dollar store or your local craft store) and spray paint (an array of colors are available at your local hardware store or craft store).
2. Cover the ground with lots of newspaper. If you are able to, always spray paint outside on in an extremely well ventilated area. Spray paint the hats in thin coats, letting them fully dry in-between coats.
3. Paint clear craft glue (ie: Elmer’s) on the area of the hat you want covered in glitter. I covered about 3/4 of the hat in glue, with a more glue at the bottom and getting progressively less towards the top.
4. Sprinkle glitter on the hat (over a paper plate). Once you get all the glitter you want on the hat, let the hat dry.
5. Once the hat is dry, cover the glittered areas in one more coat of glue and let it fully dry. Voila. Glittered hats.

Now, you are all thinking that this was more of a pain than what it was worth. And, I’ll be honest with you, you may be right. Would plain gold hats, or even the multicolored hats have been sufficient? Probably… But not for me. So, if you find yourself with extra time and want to spray paint paper and get covered in glitter, this is a project for you. Cheers!

Happy Thanksgiving

Every year it seems that more and more of my family doesn’t make it home for the holidays. Having siblings that live out of state and country has been the story of my life though, so by now I should be used to it. Each year it seems to be just my parents and I, settling into quiet evenings around the house during the hustle and bustle of November and December. It’s easy for me to be envious of all those other families that live so close to each other or who all get together on Christmas, no matter the distance or miles. However, I have learned to appreciate and truly cherish the times that all six of us (my parents and siblings) are together under one roof (it’s been 6 years) and for the time I spend with my Canadian family. Now, with Thanksgiving almost done and with Christmas on its way, I am looking forward to December where the Swagman house will be a little louder, a little more full, and just a little more festive. With a brother coming home to visit from Southeast Asia and a sister and her family coming home from the West coast, I couldn’t be happier. Now, if only we could get the one other brother and his family home too. Happy Thanksgiving and I hope you enjoy your time with your families.

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For more pictures of the tablescape, click here.

Michael and Jenna

June 28, 2013

Yes, it is over a year later that I am finally blogging about this wedding. There are no excuses, other than it took me a while to get ahold of the pictures. Leave it to my family.

Yes, this was a big wedding for me because it was my brother getting married. In Canada. I spent the week leading up to the wedding hanging out with Jenna (the bride to be), gallivanting around Edmonton and having way to much fun. She’s truly a gem.

In western Canada, weddings are a little different from your average US wedding. Weddings have “programs,” you can return any unopened alcohol, and a guest list of 300 is normal. Ok, that last one maybe not so much. But, Mike and Jenna come from two huge families, so the guest list was long.

I also noticed that in Alberta (within my large network of family and friends), weddings are more about the commitment and less about the stuff. I think, working in the industry I am in, I get so caught up in making sure everything looks picture perfect and swoon-worthy. I will spend hours working with my brides to make sure that their wedding is breathtakingly beautiful, sometimes with no dollar spared. While I absolutely love doing this, since designing a wedding is part of my job, sometimes it’s nice to take a step back and think about what we are celebrating.

Yes, these lovely people in Alberta still want their wedding to be beautiful. Yes, they still want everything to go smoothly. But, it’s less about “how much money are we spending on flowers” and more about “how can we make sure our guests truly enjoy their time.” It’s refreshing. So, while Jenna and Mike’s wedding was truly beautiful, it was also beautiful in another way: it was about their commitment for each other and to God, and celebrating their love with family and friends.

Now, over a year later, Mike and Jenna welcome into the world Ashton John, who was born October 28. Congratulations on all accounts to my amazing brother and sister-in-law. Love you both so much. Can’t wait to meet Ashton.

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And, because I just can’t help myself, here is a picture of their new baby.

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Wajde and Kristi

August 31, 2014

It’s always exciting when I meet a Bride for the first time. Especially since she is friends with a past bride of mine (Katherine) and was a guest at her wedding. Kristi and I had been emailing and talking on the phone for months before we actually met when she drove up from Chicago. Working with her and her fiancé throughout the whole process was such a dream. Kristi is the buyer and visual merchandiser for Crate & Barrel and let me tell you, she has impeccable taste. With her Grandparents wedding photos as inspiration for her entire wedding and her love of all things vintage, especially mercury glass, we were able to create a gorgeous wedding. With Wajde and Kristi’s different cultural backgrounds, we wanted to properly represent their traditions in the wedding, starting with a killer introduction of epic proportions. See those pictures of Kristi and Wajde entering the Ballroom and then being lifted onto chairs? It was even cooler in person. Being a part of this gorgeous wedding and sharing in this day with these two amazing people was such an honor. All my love to them as they begin this new journey together.

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Rehearsal | The Presidential Ballroom at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel
Rehearsal Dinner | Private home
Hair and Makeup | Pomp and Artistry
Photographer | Pritchard Photography
Videographer | JA Videography
Florist | JS Weddings & Events
Ceremony | The Presidential Ballroom at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel
Officiant | Gust Bassianotis
Reception Venue | The Ballroom at McKay Tower
Catering | Martha’s Catering
Cake | Martha’s Catering
Decor Rentals | JS Weddings & Events
Chargers | West Mi Rental Co
Linens | The Ballroom at McKay Tower
Music Entertainment | DJ Refugee

Tom and Rachael

July 12, 2014

Simply put, I adore Tom and Rachael. These two compliment one another so well and are constantly working together as a team. Throughout the entire process of planning and designing their wedding, they were always so considerate of one anthers thoughts, opinions, and wants. Their vision for their wedding was absolutely gorgeous, a wedding designers dream. We were able to perfectly blend Rachael’s love of vintage romance with Tom’s cool modern taste. Add a killer rocking 80’s cover band and a surprise guest appearance, and you have a fabulous wedding for an amazing couple, even with the rain.

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Rehearsal | St Mark’s Episcopal Church
Rehearsal Dinner | The Pinnacle Room at the  Amway Grand Plaza Hotel
Bridal Makeup | Allison Bower
Bridesmaids Makeup | Salon Re
Bridesmaids Hair | Salon Re
Florist | JS Weddings & Events
Ceremony | St Mark’s Episcopal Church
Photographer | Dionel Photography
Cocktail Hour | Louis Benton
Reception | The Ballroom at City Flats
Music Entertainment | Triple Lindy
Reception Entertainment | Sparty, MSU Mascot
Cake | Desserts by Lori
Decor Rentals | JS Weddings & Events
Linens | Cascade Rental Center
Transportation | The Grand Rapids Trolley Company