We ADORED everything about Katie and Brad’s rooftop wedding last August at the Renaissance Hotel.  What’s not to love?  We had perfect weather, a gorgeous (inside and out) couple, lots of fun details and an amazing vendor team!  We aren’t the only ones who loved it – hop on over to Style Me Pretty because they loved it too.

Seriously, how cute are they?  Make sure to visit the full gallery for TONS of fun pictures from Benjamin James Photography.

While many of our grooms are involved in the planning these days, it seems that the idea that, “It’s all about the bride!” still reins true for many.  We’re big believers that the wedding is actually about both members of the couple which might be why we LOVE to see groom’s cakes at our weddings!

If you don’t know what a groom’s cake it, it’s basically a second cake presented at the wedding or sometimes the rehearsal dinner.  It might be in the groom’s favorite flavor and is often designed to reflect something he loves.  It’s an added touch (quite often a surprise from the bride to the groom) that shows it isn’t ALL about the bride.  There is a long history behind the groom’s cake and local cake designer extraordinaire Jan Kish has a wonderful history of the groom’s cake on her website.  Here are some of our favorite groom’s cakes from some past weddings:

Leslie designed this cake with the help of Bella Luna for her groom, Daniel.  He used to skateboard and the two pups on top are their dogs, Gunnar and Lola.

Photo by Keels Photography

_________________

Gavin goes through a bottle of Tabasco a week so it was a no brainer that Rebecca would surprise him with a cake from Short North Piece of Cake in the shape of his favorite hot sauce!

Photo by Red Gallery Photography

_________________

Rachel and Travis love to play Scrabble so their favorite board game was an easy choice – especially since their names work so well together on the game board!  Anita Kline helped with this one!

Photo by Kelly Maughan Photography

So what would you choose as a groom’s cake?

Do you like us?  Do you find us pinteresting?  Do you follow us?

We LOVE social media – what can we say?  We love to chat!  Here are the places you can find Emilie Duncan Event Planning and/or Emilie:

EDEP’s Facebook – We share lots of pictures from our weddings that we don’t share on the blog or website along with tips and tidbits for our fans.  Come like us!

Emilie’s Pinterest - We pin lots of wedding pins but you’ll also find cooking, crafts, kidlet things, holidays, and more food as well!

Emilie’s Twitter – Follow for random thoughts and musings from Emilie.

EDEP’s Twitter – Watch this one for wedding day tidbits and pictures during wedding season! (kicking off March 23!)

Emilie’s Instagram – Weddings, kids, Truman the Dog, more kidlets, clients, even more really cute kids!

EDEP’s Instagram – Weddings, weddings and more weddings!  This is another place we’ll share pictures and sneak peeks from wedding day when wedding season hits!

Emilie’s Tumblr – Random thoughts and things that catch the eye or heart.

Emilie’s Linkedin – Truth be told, we’re not here that much but it is social media, so here you go!

Emilie is also on Vine with videos of kids and weddings.  Sensing a trend here?  No web side to that one (yet) but you can download the app and search for Emilie Duncan.

Wowza, can’t say we aren’t connected, right?!  Of course, we still answer the phone (614.678.6320) and respond to emails too!

Happy liking, friending, following, tweeting, pinning, instagramming, tumbling, and/or vining to you!  

It’s cold here.  Like don’t-want-to-get-out-of-bed cold.  Like-the-wind-goes-through-every-layer-straight-to-the-bone cold.  Like I-went-to-Hot-Yoga-this-morning-JUST-TO-WARM-UP cold!  It’s also gray and a bit gloomy – it is February in Ohio after all and we’re used to it but I think everyone could use a little pick me up.

Do yourself a favor and click here (if you are a crier and have time to watch all the videos, grab some tissues first):

The 50 Most Romantic Things That Ever Happened

I can’t even pick a picture or GIF or video to bring over because I loved them all so much but number 38 wrecked me – may we all find a love like that.

Happy Thursday and stay warm!

{Hope you had a wonderful Valentine’s Day celebrating with someone or something (fur babies count too) you love!  If you are a newly engaged bride or groom, welcome and congratulations!  And feel free to drop us a line to get started planning!}

I stopped into World Market today to pick up some mints that I’ve only been able to find locally there – Wilhelmina Peppermints if you are curious – they’re Dutch and I did grow up in Holland, MI.  They sold them in the gift shop at my first job – Windmill Island.  I gave tours of a windmill.  Wearing wooden shoes and a Dutch costume.  And I danced in said wooden shoes and Dutch costume. There are pictures.

But I digress, while wandering around, I noticed a few pieces that would be pretty fantastic for a wedding and wanted to share!  I saw these at the World Market in Dublin, Ohio so check your own store or online to see if they’re available in your local store.

I get a lot of requests for lanterns so when I saw these, I was really excited!

These would be lovely as aisle decor, to mark a path to a tent, or hang from a tree.  They’d even be pretty incorporated into centerpieces.  They had 3 sizes and at my store were $9.99 for the largest, $7.99 for the middle size, and just $2.99 for the smallest lantern.  They already have the black hanger on them so they’d be easy to hang on shepherd’s hooks and they had clear, red, orange, green, aqua/blue, and purple at my store!  Fun, right?

 These made my eyes light up – they are candle holders but the larger one would be a great base for a floral arrangement too!  They are recycled glass so they have a green hue to them.  From largest to smallest, they run $24.99, $19.99, $14.99, and $6.99.  I don’t have sizes on the smallest or the largest but the middle two were 16″ and 12″ – I would guess the tallest was around 24″ tall.

If you are at a venue that doesn’t allow real flame – Columbus Museum of Art and the Ohio Statehouse come to mind – but still want candlelight, LED flameless candles are a great option!  I didn’t know World Market carried them but they actually have lots of sizes!

They had 4 sizes in store and a quick peek online shows they carry 5 in all – I didn’t see the votives (4 for $7.99) but in store there were a set of 4 tealights for $4.99, 3″x3″ pillar for $7.99, 3″x6″ pillar for $9.99, 3″x”9 pillar for $14.99.  Pricey but if you have your heart set on candles in a candle-free venue, they’re an option!

Anyone else been to World Market lately and spotted something fun?  Happy shopping!

I was thrilled to be part of the team of vendors from the Worthington area that came together to create a sweet, preppy late summer shoot this past August.  Pink, navy blue and white with THE cutest puppy ever!

The shoot was featured on the darling Mid-Western wedding blog A Northwoods Wedding and they have even more fun pictures featured – these are just a few of favorites from the shoot.  Click on each one to see it in more detail!

Little Tree Studios also captured this lovely video (music warning for those of you watching at work) which gives you a better peak at more of the fun details of this sweet styled shoot – and more of Indie, that adorable puppy!

Huge thanks to the awesome team of vendors who helped to put this together:
Little Tree Studios (photography and cinematography)
Emilie Duncan Event Planning (event styling and planning)
La Jeune Mariee (bride and bridesmaid’s wardrobe)
Men’s Wearhouse of Polaris (men’s wardrobe)
Igloo Letterpress (stationary printing)
Genre Creative (stationary design)
Flowers on High (floral arrangements)
Jan Kish of La Petite Fleur (cake)
Worthington Jewelers (jewelry)
Event Source (linens, china, and chairs)
Cut Color Style (hair and makeup)
The Candle Lab (favors)
House Wine (drinks)

I saw this online the other day and I just about fell out of my chair laughing – this picture seriously makes me happy!

The story goes that a couple crossed the finish line of a 5K at Disneyland and he got down on one knee and popped the question and then this happened:

You can read the full background story over on Yahoo.

Come on!  How can you not smile when you see that picture?  Happy Friday!

I am often asked by couples about what wines they should serve at their wedding.  Instead of leading them down the very wrong path, I send them over to Donnie at House Wine in Worthington.  He’s super knowledgeable and friendly and has helped some of my couples come up with some lovely pairings in the past including one awesome champagne tasting for Nancy and Doug’s wedding.

If you want to learn more about wine – whether for dinner pairings or just for general knowledge – you can join Donnie for Wine 101 Class!  Here’s some details:

So you’re a casual wine drinker and want to learn more about wine? This class is perfect for you. Join House Wine owner and Certified Sommelier Donnie Austin for a small, intimate gathering of tasting wines and learning what’s behind the juice. You’ll walk away from the class armed with the basics to enjoy and explore wine even more. 

The class will consist of tasting and learning about sparkling, white, rose, red, and fortified wines. You’ll be armed with what you need to know about how these wines are made, the main varietals, terminology, tasting and more so you can enjoy wine even more. You can walk away from the class actually knowing more than the person at the party who seems to know everything about wine. The class will include open discussion and questions that make the class even more worthwhile. The feel of the class is very casual and interactive, keeping with the tradition of House Wine. 

The cost of the class is $39 per person. Only 12 people will be allowed in the class, and cheese and crackers will be served to enjoy with the wines. You’ll be given a handout with the information covered in the class and for you to take notes. The class will last approximately two hours.

The class is perfect for wine novices, whether it’s you or as a gift to the someone in your life interested in wine.

Class is February 5th from 6:30 to 8:30 pm at House Wine in Worthington.  Guys, if you want to REALLY wow your fiancé, take this class, cook her dinner on Valentine’s Day and surprise her with the perfect wine pairings.  I promise, she’ll love it!

As we look forward to 2013, I wanted to take a minute to reflect on 2012. It was a wonderful year with great weddings and projects – here are some of our favorite highlights:

*Our season kicked off with Andrea and TJ’s wedding at Franklin Park Conservatory on February 18 – would you believe it was warm enough for them to do their first look and take pictures OUTSIDE? In February? In Ohio? Believe it! I also just found out that Andrea and TJ are expecting a little addition to their family this summer – so excited for them!

{Photo: Chelsie Burkhart}

*On February 24, we helped with a fun party for a local company’s 13th anniversary – they are healthcare related so we did a Haunted Hospital theme complete with a talent show and the senior management surprising everyone with a flash mob to Thriller! First time I have ever worn scrubs to an event – we had to be in theme after all!

*The 3rd Annual Cakes for a Cause took place on April 5 and we raised enough to feed 24 people every meal for a year! It was an amazing night with tons of food and sweets plus lots of great auction items! The 4th Annual Cakes for a Cause is scheduled for March 28 – make sure you mark your calendar now!

{Photo: Karen Evans Pictures}

*We continued our wedding season with Lauren and Geoff’s gorgeous wedding out at Darby House on May 12. We had beautiful weather for the outdoor ceremony and pictures and then headed in for a great night of dinner and dancing to dueling pianos from the Big Bang Piano Bar!

{Photo: Simon Yao}

*We were under a huge white tent in Dublin on May 19 with Jean and Chris. They’re a really private couple so they asked I not share pictures of their faces but rest assured they were a gorgeous couple! Here’s a shot from their lovely head table:

{Photo: Brandy J Photography}

*June 2 found us moving Elisabeth and Chris’ entire reception from an impossibly windy Pool Deck at the Renaissance Hotel inside to the ballroom. Elisabeth works in a really big House that happens to be White planning travel and events so she rolled with the changes beautifully! This wedding also proved once again that Columbus is a very small place – it turns out the Bride’s sister (her Maid of Honor) and I had both been bridesmaids in another friend’s wedding way back in 2006!

{Photo: Keels Photography}

*June 16 was the epic wedding of Katlin and Parker at The Athletic Club of Columbus. Not only gorgeous but hilarious with truly great friends and family, this couple was a blast to work with! When the bride and groom wind up dancing on the tables, you know it was a heck of a night! This picture pretty much sums up this couple perfectly!

{Photo: Kitty Maer Photography}

*Leslie and Daniel’s July 7th wedding outside under a big white tent at the Columbus Country Club goes down in the books as the hottest wedding we have ever done – it went all the way to 107 degrees! Luckily, the couple, their bridal party and guests were all troopers – several big fans and GREAT attitudes kept everyone dancing late into the night. This is also the wedding that the emergency kit was put to full use with a split, very broken bridesmaid gown zipper! Thank goodness for veterinarian surgeon bridesmaids who know how to sew things up!

{Photo: Keels Photography}

*We helped Laura and Mark celebrate their wedding at The Westin on July 28. We also found out that you can see fireworks they put on at Columbus Commons from the windows of the Westin Ballroom – it was like a personal fireworks show just for their guests!

{Photo: Red Gallery Photography}

*A number of Worthington based wedding vendors came together to create an adorable, preppy photo shoot on August 13. Katlin and Parker served as our bride and groom and they brought along their DARLING puppy Indie as well! Watch for a fun event coming up in April from the Worthington Wedding District!

{Photo: Little Tree Studios}

*Mother Nature made up for the last time we were at the Renaissance with Katie and Brad’s August 18 wedding – perfect weather and zero wind! Katie and Brad were married on the roof top, went downstairs for cocktail hour with their guests and then came right back up for an amazing evening of dinner and dancing with a phenomenal band!

{Photo: Benjamin James Photography}

*Christina and Marc traveled all the way from sunny San Diego to celebrate their wedding at Creekside Events Center! Marc is in the Navy and we had lots of nautical touches including hand carved naval boats as table numbers. Doesn’t Christina have the best smile? Seriously, she can light up a room!

{Photo: Caroline Hilty Photography}

*Heather and Chris’s Ohio Statehouse wedding on September 15 was a reunion of sorts for me – not 1, not 2, but 3 former couples and their parents were in attendance! It was wonderful to catch up with them all! I love that this couple scheduled time to go back to their house to take pictures after the ceremony to have a private toast with their bridal party (and make sure the Duchess, their beloved cat, was in the pictures as well!)

{Photo: Jacquelyn Poussot Photography}

*Lesley and Jason were married on a gorgeous fall day at Camp Mary Orton. It was truly one of the most unique and extraordinarily personalized weddings I have done to date – we had zip lining before the wedding, the bride and groom getting dressed together, the bride’s super colorful dress, a gorgeous ceremony in a meadow with guests on blankets, Mikey’s Late Night Slice serving up a snack during dancing and everyone heading to the after party at Ace of Cups for karaoke. It was an absolute ball and absolutely perfect for them!

{Photo: Paper Photographs}

*We helped create another photo shoot on October 18 at The Athletic Club of Columbus. The photographer described her vision as moody and mature – I’d say we hit it on the head! We also just found out that the shoot will be featured on a major wedding blog early next year – I’ll share more pictures after that!

{Photos: E.M. Anderson Photography}

*We closed out 2012 with Meredith and Dave’s wedding at The Athletic Club of Columbus. They wanted their December 22nd wedding to be a Christmas wedding without the commercialization. Lots of Christmas bulbs, lots of silver and red, and lots of good cheer all around – we achieved just that! Thanks to the super speedy editing of Kimberly Potterf, I already have a picture to share!

{Photo: Kimberly Potterf Photography}

*On a personal note, my family had 2 big milestones this year – my husband and I celebrated 10 years of marriage and our oldest daughter Ellie started kindergarten! We celebrated it all with a surprise trip to Disney World in December.

2012 was a fantastic year and my team and I were honored to have been a part of each wedding and event! So far 2013 is shaping up to be wonderful as well – we’ll back at Creekside, Columbus Museum of Art, The Athletic Club of Columbus, The Renaissance and Franklin Park Conservatory to name a few. We have a few more open spots for the year (we only take a limited number of couples every year) – send us an email or give us a call {614.678.6320} to set up a meeting to talk about how we can help you have an incredible wedding!

Happy New Year to you and yours from Emilie Duncan Event Planning!

I will do my traditional recap of our year next week (We still have one wedding to go tomorrow!) but I saw this video and I wanted to share it.  On this 1 week anniversary of the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary, this video reminded me of the touching, special, silly, mindless and yes, sad things that bought us together in 2012. There are some scenes of disasters and the suggestion of violence but for the most part, it’s safe for work and home.

If you don’t know some of the videos or pictures or are just a curious nerd like me, here is a link to a Google Doc with notes and the original videos.