We've Moved!

Thanks so much for stopping by Bliss & That!   We've moved our blog over to a new platform with a whole new look at lots of new features.

Pleases click here to be redirected to our new blog located at blisseventco.com/blog! 

xo
Kasey & The Bliss Girls

400 Posts!... A New Bliss & That Blog!

We're so excited to announce that a new Bliss & That blog is coming your way!  It's been a while since we last did a major update to the blog, so it's time for a new look and some fun new features!  We're so excited we can hardly stand the wait.

It's under construction now on our new platform and we're hoping to launch in late February.  Stay tuned for a sneak peek!  In the mean time, feel free to peruse the archives, we've got lots of fun content and inspiration to share.

We'll be posting images and stories on our Bliss Wedding & Event Design Facebook page.  If you're not following us on there, head on over and click that "LIKE" button!

xo
Kasey & the Bliss Girls

Time to Shop!

The Zoe Report: The Great Gatsby Bride

So, I get an email earlier this week from none other than the Zoe Report office....for those of you who watch the Rachel Zoe Project are probably familiar.  I really heart Rachel and the amazing empire she has built, so to say I was excited to see the email in my inbox from one of her editors would be an understatement (I may or may not have squealed upon opening it).

We are beyond excited to be included in the latest Zoe Report that came out yesterday.  It's a special Great Gatsby Wedding edition!  Our cake from the My Modern Clementine shoot was selected to be included!  Thank you very much Pinterest for being invented and being our connecting force!

I. Die.




O.M.G.  It's so maj.  :)

Oh and by the way - if you aren't signed up for the Zoe Report you should go do it now.  Not kidding.  Go...like right now!  Click here!


Happy Weekend!

xo
Kasey & The Bliss Girls

Happy Easter!

Image by Novia Distinctive Photography


Wishing you a Happy Easter from the Bliss Girls!


P.S. Stay tuned for more images from our appearance at the Central Ohio Home & Garden Show!

Premier Film: Danielle & James - November 2012

We're so excited to share this great little film by Agape Wedding Films!  They did a really great job capturing the day and all of the fun details!  Take a peek:


James + Danielle || Wedding Highlight Film from Agape` Wedding Films on Vimeo.


Coming Soon:  We can't wait to share more of Danielle and James' big day with photos from Nicole Dixon! 

xo
Tracie & the Bliss girls

Cakes For A Cause 2013 - Coming Soon!

Cakes For A Cause is one of my favorite events of the year!   This year's event will be held Thursday, March 28th at the Mid-Ohio Food Bank from 6pm - 9pm.  We've got some really great bakers lined up and a lot of new faces joining us this year!  All of the event proceeds go directly back to the foodbank's Operation Feed Campaign. 

We've got five fantastic bakers competing in the Sweet Taste of Victory Competition vying for the Golden Spatula award.  Diva Desserts will be back trying to regain her 2011 title and Kitties Cakes will be back defending their 2012 title!  New to the competition this year is Sue Larson owner of LeGateau, Debby from Home Run Cakes and Cosette the Cake Chick!  I can't wait to see goodies they bring for everyone to sample!

Cameron Mitchell Catering, Made From Scratch and Two Caterers will be back serving their creative delicious hors d'oeurves.  The Sweet Carrot will also be back to greet guests as they arrive for the event!  Remember those amazing BBQ Sundaes from last year?  OH. MY. GOODNESS.

If you haven't attended a Cakes For A Cause event, you've got to join us this year!  It's shaping up to be our best event yet!    Get your tickets here via eventbrite. 

See you there!
Kasey













































Images by Karen Evans Pictures

A Little Fun for Saturday

Happy Saturday!

Our friends over at the Knot sent this over to us and we thought we'd share this fun little video clip with you.  All of you Randy Fenoli fans should really enjoy this!

















xo
Kasey & The Bliss Girls!

Destination Ohio!

We have been dreaming of summer and warmer weather here at the studio and we have destination weddings on the mind! A lot of brides want a destination feel, but would like to get married in Ohio, so we have dreamed up some cute ways to give your wedding that destination feel right here in the heart of it all!

This week we were dreaming of Napa, California and some yummy wine. When it comes to finding the right winery Ohio has a wide selection all over the state. If you want a database of Ohio Winery's go to the Ohio Wine Association. But having looked around there is one that stands out. Fox Hill Vineyard it is a small winery located in the Alexander Valley owned by a lovely looking older couple who truly loves what they are doing, we love that! When people truly care about their product they are going to give you a great experience. This photo from their website is so pretty, it seems like just the perfect place for an Ohio destination wedding!                                                          photo courtesy of Fox Hill Vineyard


xoxo, Kasey&the Bliss Girls

New Rules of Weddings.

 
                                              Image by Michelle Waters


 This week's rule is a favorite of ours!

Rule #4: Tipping

The old rule about only tipping service staff and those that work for "companies" is antiquated and should be tossed out into the recycling bin!  Our advice to clients is simple. You can tip any member of your vendor team (whether they own the business or not is irrelevant) as long as they are providing a level of service that has gone far above your expectations.  Many of your wedding vendors are small business owners and strive to do the very best job possible for you.  Showing your appreciation for a job well done means so much to them, not because it's about a little extra cash, but that you took a few seconds to recognize them for a job that was above your expectations.  Small business owners tend to take their jobs and the service they're providing for you to heart and a little tiny thank you means more than you'll ever know. 

Next month, we'll dive deeper into calculating tips for vendors, but for now, we thought we share this "new rule".

xoxo
Kasey & the Bliss Girls

The New Rules of Weddings.

photo courtesy of Red Gallery Photo


This post comes to you late on a Sunday night, not because of forgetfulness. No! But because it relates to this weeks new rule. The when. Say this was Labor day weekend I might just be getting back from a wedding.

Rule #3: The When For many years weddings have taken place on Saturday night, but it has always made the most sense out of town guests can come in on Friday and attend the wedding Saturday, then go home Sunday. Very logical and still is the most likely date for most. But now as previously stated time are changing. Friday night, Sunday brunch and Sunday are now fair game as wedding dates! There is also a logic behind them most times and it is this...

For Friday night that big ticket venue would be a little less expensive. If most of your guest are within a reasonable driving distance. Then this might be a good choice for you! It is all the Oo La La of the Saturday night wedding and it gives your guests their weekend still. Or if you do have out of town guests that stay, they get a few extra days to enjoy your fair city.

For the Sunday morning brunch. This is an awesome option for a budget first off , but also it is different and unconventional. It also lends itself to a more informal setting if that is something that you are looking for. It's just a causal affair with some nice food and good company. In my opinion it is also better for smaller guest counts.

For the Sunday night. This is a rare thing indeed, but I do believe it can be done! There is that random Monday once in a blue moon that everyone has off. Labor day being my example. This night will also most likely be very budget friendly!

 So there you have rule three. Don't be tied to what is considered "normal". Do what works for you and your guests!

Happy Planning!

 xoxo, Kasey & The Bliss Girls

Pintrest: Marquee Letter

Today marks a month adventure though the world of Pinterest Crafts!

I'm Maggie, one of the interns (I like to think of myself as the crafty one. Paige is the brains!) here at Bliss Wedding & Event Design.  I have been given this month to show you how doable some of these crafts we see on Pinterest are.  Lucky me because I'mm ambitious and would like to think that I can do everything I see! But as a recreational crafter, I have limits and some of those crafts we see are done by people who do nothing other than that!

But when it comes to weddings in particular I would have to say that most times, I can only do the same thing about 5 to 9 times before I want to hurt everything mostly because I find the work to become too tedious. At a wedding you have at least 10 tables and well I am reaching my upper limit at that point, BUT that should not scare you away from doing maybe one DIY project! So I am going to show you the good the bad and the ugly from my month of DI[wh]Y projects. Some will look awesome others may not. Keep your eyes peeled for the photo lantern. I am already having nightmares about that one! But today's craft was pretty simple and lost cost. It would be a cute decoration for your wedding.

Supplies:
Large Cardboard letter ( I got mine at Joann's)
White paint Globe Christmas tree lights ( LED or Normal, but I saw use LED they get less hot)
X acto knife

1. You will need to paint the letter white and let dry fully.



2. Next you take the X-acto knife and cut out the back, but not to close to the edges. I would say the cut needs to be about two inches wide.

3. This is the tricky step. You will need to space the light blubs and then cutting an X pattern on the painted side of the letter you will mark where all the letters go.



4. after cutting all the X's you will need to push the end of the light bulb thought he middle of the X. Do this for all of them.

5. Then if you have a letter like mine you need to remove the zig zaggy cardboard, so that you can do the next step.



 6. Time to reach the light blubs with the cord. This takes some patience and a willingness to fiddle with it. But once you get the first few the rest are as easy as pie!

7. PLUG IT IN!

 

 Very cute and inexpensive was to put your initials up somewhere at the wedding.

Happy Crafting!

 xoxo, Maggie

The New Rules of Weddings.

photo by Annie Sturgis

This week is going to have a bit of a history lesson attached! Woo hoo! ( I really liked history in school) Today for the second new rule of weddings we are going to be talking about who pays?

Traditionally the brides parents pay for the wedding. Most likely this tradtion came from waayy back in the day when girl's fathers would pay a dowry. Now you may also think that those days are long gone. But in reality it is still common practice in the South East Asian part of our world.

Now you may ask why would anyone pay the grooms family for their daughter to get married and well it was to prove that she was not just after his land and sheep! Although that may sound odd, these were also times when livestock was valuable and if your boyfriend had a lot of sheep well... your motives could be called into question. So now today, as you can see it is a practice that is still going on, although not with the same elements.  Traditionally the girl's parents have paid for most things at the wedding.

Which brings us to... Rule #2: Who pays?

In the eternal words of Bob Dylan " these times they are a changin" and as people are getting married at an average age of 26 (for women), you are in a totally different stage of life,  compared to years ago when girls were getting married at 16, 17, 19, 20.  People are waiting longer to get married, and with that age going up you, well, are growing up! At 18 years old you don't have a real job or anyway to support yourselves after you get married so of course someone else needs to help you pay.

The answer to the question of who pays is no longer such an easy black and white answer. For most brides, at an average age of 26ish, they more than likely have a real job and probably even a place of their own. So, you don't really need your parents to support you financially in your endeavors, although it can be nice. Yes, some parents will want to pay for it all and that's okay.  Others can't always help out all that much and that's okay. You just need to sit down with your fiance and talk about what you can and cannot afford on your own and decide if you want to ask for help or just plan the wedding you can afford on your own. 

Happy Planning!

xoxo, Kasey& The Bliss Girls

The New Rules of Weddings.

photo by Lang Thomas

So with 2013 already what feels like in full swing. We the Bliss girls wanted to spend the month of January talking about what we believe are the new rules of weddings. A lot has changed in the last 50 years as general note, but also in wedding world. Nothing is set in stone and your wedding day can truly be just as you imangined it to be.

New Rule #1: The sides of the bridal party do NOT have to be even!

Who is in the bridal party?  Long gone are the days of five and five where your sister ALWAYS is your maid of honor.  Now that is not to say that she can't or shouldn't be, but everyone is different. There are also no laws anywhere that say you need to have the exact same number of groomsmen as bridesmaids. Because it's the worst when you have to add your fiance's 2nd cousin because you need another girl standing up there to keep things looking even.

You don't.

Don't feel like you have to have all of these people standing up there, the two simple questions you will need to ask yourself is:

"Who do I want to stand up for me?"
"Who are the people that know me as an individual and us as a couple?"

When you answer those questions you see that the answer is right in front of you!  Those are people that you can't imagine your day without. Those are the people who should be in the bridal party and if that means you have four and he has three then it's ok. Because numbers aren't everything.

xoxo,
Kasey & The Bliss Girls

A Look Back at 2012: The Bliss Wedding & Event Design Year in Review

This is always one of my favorite posts to write of the year.  It's so much fun to look back at all the wonderful people we met, clients we worked with and beautiful events we produced. 

Be sure to click on the links within the post they're linked to fun images from our events and travels!  Here we go!

January 2012
I was fortunate to attend the Alt Summit in Salt Lake City, Utah.  I attended alongside a few planner friends - Ali, Candice and Stephanie from various cities around the country.  Candice from Jubilee Events and I took a quick trip up to Park City for Sundance Film Festival.  It was amazing!  You can see a few of our snowy pics on my Instagram feed here.   If you ever have the chance to attend this film festival go! It was such a wonderful experience and I can't wait to get back one of these days.

February 2012
We were asked to style two booths at the Central Ohio Home & Garden Show. I love the designs we came up with.  The first booth was a Sweet 16 party theme and the second booth was a 1st Birthday circus theme.  The milestone birthday themed and tied to areas and different history items in Columbus and tie into the Bicentennial of Columbus.  You can see the booths here and here! 

March 2012
It's Cakes For A Cause was right around the corner so we were busy working on the sweetness of our 3rd year hosting this event.  We were also busy planning the beautiful details of our summer and fall weddings!

April 2012
Cakes For A Cause was April 5th at the Mid Ohio Foodbank again!  We were back and sweeter than ever!  We had a fantastic turnout and with the support of our family, friends and neighbors, we raised enough to feed 24 people for an entire year!  24 PEOPLE!   ps - mark you calendars for 2013 - Thursday, March 28 from 6-9pm!

Also this month I was featured in Special Event Magazine talking about our newest company - Oh So Lovely Events.  The girls of Oh So Lovely specialize in wedding day coordination. 

May 2012
This was different this year to be off for the month of May but we stayed busy planning our fall weddings and meeting with some wonderful new brides that we welcomed into the Bliss and Oh So Lovely Events family!

June 2012
On June 9th, Dick and Elise said "I do" at the Topiary Garden and celebrated with their guests at the Blue Stone.  

I also became an official member of the Ohio State University Hospitality Management Board!  As an Alum I'm so excited to be a part of this great group of professionals!

July 2012
This was a pretty busy month in the Bliss and Oh So Lovely Studio!  On July 28th we had 3 couples walk down the ailse!

Samantha and Teddy walked down the aisle at St Andrews in Upper Arlington and celebrated with their guests at Scioto Country Club.

Ania and Bill walked down the aisle at St Joseph Cathedral and celebrated with their guests at the Columbus Museum of Art.

Haley and Oliver walk down the aisle in a hay field in Northwest Columbus complete with english morning suits, top hats and tulips.  The moved to a neighboring field to celebrate with their guests under a beautiful high peak tent!

August 2012
We only had one wedding this month and oh my goodness was is a pretty one!  Lindsay and Kurt walk down the aisle at St Francis Assisi in Victorian Village and then celebrated with their guests at the Ohio Statehouse.   Ellysium Productions was on hand to film the same day edit film.  It's one of our favorites!  

September 2012
Our fall was moving full steam ahead! 

We started the month with Sean & Stephanie's wedding at Sean's parent's house in Delaware Ohio.  This was a gorgeous tented wedding that was so unique and true to Sean and Steph's playful personalities!  
 
Every year we volunteer our services to the Short North Civic Association's Home and Garden Tour.  This was my 11th year helping plan the preview event.  Seventh Son's Brewing Company was our host for the night and it was so exciting to get a sneak peak of the great new location here in the Short North.  

Sarah & Dan walked down the aisle at St Brigid of Kildare and then celebrated with friends and family at Muirfiled Village Golf Club.  It was a great day, but mother nature was not very cooperative.  Cold temps, strong winds and a power outage made for an interesting evening....but we were so prepared and the party went on and was just perfect!

October 2012
We were off for the month of October so I took advantage of a few days to run away to Walt Disney World with my little guys.  It was such a fun trip to see the magic of Disney and what magical moments we created and will keep with us always.  This is one of the boys favorite photos from our trip.  That's my dad and I diving the Living Seas in EPCOT.  They boys were beyond excited and I could actually hear the through the thick glass wall.  One of my favorite moments EVER.    

November 2012
Shannon and Benji were married on November 10th at St Joseph Cathedral and then celebrated with their guests at the Ohio Statehouse.  Their wedding had a little bit of Panamanian flair to it and was such a unqiue experience for everyone in attendance.   
  
November 17th was wedding day for Elizabeth and Johnny!  They said I do and celebrated with their families at Darby House in a heartfelt and intimate wedding.   

December 2012
We started the month with Emily and James' wedding at the Athletic Club of Columbus.  It was a beautiful Christmas inspired affair with fun touches like real live mistletoe.  This was their 2nd wedding in one week.  Their 1st wedding was earlier in the week in London England!

The day after Emily and James' wedding I jetted off to engage!12 at the Breakers in Palm Beach, Florida.  This is one of my favorite events to attend and this was my fifth engage! event.  I love visitng and engaging with my event friends for a few days.  I'm always amazed and the ideas I come home with!  You can see my recap posts here and here!  

Tonight, Suzanne and Mike are tying the knot and celebrating their marriage and ringing in the new year all at once!  If you follow the Oh So Lovely instagram and twitter @ohsolovelyinc you can see a few images from their big day!

Whew!  What a year it was!  I'm so grateful for our amazing clients, vendor partners, friends and family.   I can't wait to see what 2013 has in store for us and our clients.  

Have a Happy New Year!  I hope it's a year filled with love, joy and peace!

xo
Kasey  
    

A Look Back at 2012: Interns Reflections

Well the end of the year has come and it is time for us the interns to tell you our favorite moments and decor items of the year the year were! We are not seasoned professionals, but we know what we like so we are taking a shot at predicting what the upcoming trends for the new year will be. So I will step up to the plate first. My name is Maggie Apel and I have been working with Kasey since June and had the chance to see many bea-u-tiful weddings! There are two things that stick out in my mind as things that I loved. This moment.



The light was just right the wind was bowling her veil without someone holding it up out of the shot. Second I am a bit of a flower freak and there have been two Oh So Lovely weddings that have had just wonderful flowers (not that the other were not)! Flowers on Orchard Lane really knows what they are doing!

                                                        Photo curtosey of Lang Thomas

As for trends. Well I think that the same day edit will become more popular. Because it is all the best parts of the day for you to see and the bride and groom get to see each other getting ready for the big day and there is just something downright fun about getting to watch your whole wedding day over again in under ten minutes! Also when it comes to colors say hello to naturals with pops of jewel tones! Much like the trends in the fashion world of a neon paired with a neutral. The wedding world is ready to accept this trend with open arms. Sans neon part because that's just crazy.

Paige Endicott has been working with Kasey just about as long as I have (she started in April)! But have no worries we each found different things to love about the weddings we have seen. Her favorite thing from this year was the BEAUTIFUL Sperry Tent from Sean and Stephanie's wedding, need I say more??



As far as trends for next year she thinks that Luxe Vintage will be a big decor theme for 2013. For example, as a table setting there would be an assortment of antique sterling silver candelabras and candle holders, and antique jars along with linens that contains a lot of texture such as lace. "I love when centerpieces are not all identical! There is something about an eclectic mix of decor that I find to be very beautiful and charming!" She exclaimed to me as she was excitedly talking about this trend making its way onto the scene.

Ann Ankenbauer has been work for Kasey for a year in January (woo)!  Her favorite thing that she saw this year was at one of our Oh So Lovely weddings. Haley and Ollie. There story is one for the storybooks! They met in South Sudan while working to empower girls there. The live in England now, but having just seen them at the wedding of her best friend I am excited to say that they get to go back to the place they fell in love to help those same girls! So this precious moment on the hay bale a beautiful picture of a beautiful couple! Any bride who is willing to climb up on a hay bale with her groom is awesome in my book!

                                                        Photo courtesy of Jessica Love

A trend that I see coming up in the new year is that brides are going to be taking some bold risks with their neckwear! Statement necklace have just been for the bold of heart, most girls don't think that they can pull them off. But have no fear...you can! It is your day and you most can definitely pull them off!


Wishing you the happiest of New Years!

xoxo, The Interns (Maggie, Paige and Anna)