If you are trying to plan the ultimate southern wedding then you have to check out Cedarwood, a beautiful antebellum farm located only eight miles north of downtown Nashville in the Whites Creek Historic District! There are so many gorgeous locations on this property and the staff is passionate about helping brides plan beautiful and romantic countryside weddings.

Ceremony Options

• Natural Meadow: Have your wedding ceremony in the beautiful and spacious meadow at Cedarwood. You can even create an “outdoor cathedral” with antique church pews that seat up to 175 guests.

• Garden Terrace: This 5,400 square foot open air lawn is surrounded by a white fence and has beautiful views of the Nashville countryside.

• Wedding Barn: For smaller weddings there is a rustic and romantic barn available.

• Double Parlor: If you are looking for an intimate setting for your wedding the Double Parlor, inside the home, may be just what you are looking for. The parlor boasts two masonry fireplaces, a coffered ceiling, and warm and inviting space for up to 75 guests.

• Antebellum Front Lawn: The front lawn facing the historic home is another popular location wedding picturesque weddings.

Wedding Planning

“Our complete event packages include wedding and reception details like invitations, ceremony, catering, cake and music. Exquisite designer floral, linen and décor from Cedarwood’s on-site design studio create sensational settings for any style or season. Our award-winning florists and event specialists customize and flawlessly execute every element of your celebration to express your personal style. And because almost everything is included, our packages provide budget control and designer quality at an extraordinary value.”

All wedding packages include the following:

• Custom Created Floral and Décor
• Dedicated Designers
• On Site Design Studio
• Professional Styling
• Complimentary use of vintage props and antique collections
• Complete Site Set-up and Clean-up
• Event Management
• Day of Wedding Director
• Essential amenities and services outlined in our brochure

For more information and photos check out the Cedarwood website: http://www.cedarwoodweddings.com/

So your big day was a success. The guests all agree you were the most gorgeous bride ever.
The wedding tugged at the heart-strings and would have melted even the hardest of hearts. Not
to mention the reception that was oh-so-breath-taking. Remember to have something for your
guests so that they can fondly remember the grand occasion.

Take a look at some of these great gift ideas:

Food

• Gourmet candy bars or individual candies.

Candy from classywed.com

• Personalized wine bottles.

Wine Bottle from marrymonograms.com

• Tins filled with tea leaves, candies or mints.

Traditional Gifts

• Personalized picture frames.

Picture Frame from beau-coup.com

• Candles and/or candle holders.

• Come into Olia Zavozina’s boutique for some of her custom designed candles! Or you can find others like these:

Candle from charmingchick.com

• Miniature floral arrangements.

Mini Floral Arrangement from stylemepretty.com

Unique Gifts

• Mason jars filled with favorite recipes of the happy couple.

Mason Jar from bystephanielynn.com

• Photo-booth pictures.

Photo Booth from eatdrinkbemarried.tumblr.com

• Miniature booklets filled with quotes about love, life, and happiness.

Booklet from rebeccathuss.com

Keep in mind…

If you are wanting crafty ideas, do not hesitate to ask family and friends for their input. You never know what nifty ideas they may have. Of course, www.pinterest.com is chock-full of gift options for you as well.

Photo credit: Rebecca Jones.

Rebecca Jones is a student at the Art Institute who has studied the art of baking pastries for the past two years gave us the inside scoop on desserts! She has taken courses such as “European cakes and tortes,” and “Chocolates, confections, and center pieces.” Rebecca also designed and created the wedding cake pictured above.

- A new trend in wedding desserts is serving cupcakes instead of a traditional wedding cake, or, just having a small cake for the bride and groom to cut and giving the guests cupcakes. Not only are cupcakes a cute alternative, but also they’re a much less expensive option!

- Many brides choose to coordinate their wedding cake with the theme of their wedding or even the theme of the bride’s gown. “A lot of times I see wedding cakes that are made to look similar to the wedding dress, either replicating the lace or ruffles or something distinctive about the dress.”

-Stay true to what you love. If you aren’t a big fan of cake then opt for another dessert such as gourmet cookies or gelato. Rebecca has seen people that don’t like cake serve wedding pies instead!

Provence Breads & Cafe in Nashville has a great selection of desserts other than cake. Their pastel colored macaroons make a great addition to any dessert table. Their assorted truffles and cookies are also a great choice!

Provence Breads & Cafe's pastel macaroons.

Provence Bread & Cafe's assorted cookies.

Provence Bread & Cafe's assorted truffles.

- “Whatever your taste, there is something to make your special day fitting to your personality.” A wedding dessert should compliment the personalities of couple getting married. There are so many great dessert options out there so don’t be afraid to try something new or nontraditional.

Wedding Cake Ideas

- Butter-cream frosting: Many brides choose to go for a simple cake with chocolate or vanilla butter-cream frosting. It may not look like a work of art but you can’t beat the taste!

- Fondant: Many wedding cakes are covered with fondant in order to create a perfectly smooth and crisp appearance.  Fondant makes it easy to incorporate and match the colors of your wedding into the cake.

-Shapes: Try an interesting shapes cake with tiered squares or octagons instead of the traditional circle. You could even try pairing different shaped cakes together, such as round tiers mixed with squares.

- Designs: Many cakes feature elegant designs or patterns, as well as decorative accessories such as flowers or jewels.

Dress Style

Figure out what the key focal point of your dress is, whether it is ruching in the front or a bow in the back.  Make sure that the veil does not hide that key focal point.  Simple dresses can be accented by dramatic veils, whereas dramatic dresses should be accented by simple veils.

Hair Style

When it comes to hairstyle, keep in mind that heavier headpieces will need a supportive up-do to stay in place.  Some pieces are better placed near the nape of the neck; others are better placed at the crown of the head.

Face Shape

If you have a round face shape, choose a style that will slim and elongate your face.  Square face structures often look best with veils that cascade to soften sharp angular jaw lines.

Body Shape

As for the various different body shapes, be sure to keep proportions in check.  If you are full-figured, opt for a narrow veil.  If you are smaller in stature, opting for shorter veil lengths will prevent your frame from being overwhelmed.

Different Styles

*The cathedral veil is usually the longest type of veil available.  This style is the most formal and traditional.

~~include picture here~~~

*The chapel veil usually skims the floor and is a step down from cathedral veil in length.

*Knee-length, waist-length, and shoulder-length veils are quite self-explanatory and must be customized to the bride’s height.

*The visor veil is cropped and kept close to the head.

*Mantilla veils are usually embellished with heavy embroidery of lace, pearls, or another type of decoration around the edges.  They can be a part of either cathedral or chapel veils.

Additional Information

Some brides desire to go without a veil.  In cases such as these, they have various hair accessories they can experiment with, like hair pins, hair broaches, hair combs, headbands, and tiaras.  Options like these can add pizazz to your tresses.  Check out Olia’s Diamond Queen Belt that can be worn as a head piece.

Olia NY Bridal Week

For the girly bridesmaid:

$- A homemade goody bag with various nail polishes, lip glosses, bath salts and hand lotion. Monogrammed bath towels or a tote bag are also good options!

$$- A cute pair of pajamas with a few nice cosmetics, like an eye shadow kit or blush palette, or, a bottle of her favorite perfume.

$$$- A spa gift certificate for a facial or massage with her name on it!

For the entertainment loving bridesmaid:

$- A few hand selected books that you think she would like or a subscription to a cool magazine.

$$- A gift basket with a set of themed movies chosen specifically around her interests (her favorite actor, director, time period etc).

$$$- Tickets to see a musical, play, or sports team.

For the food loving bridesmaid:

$- Make her a fresh, homemade treat (baked with love of course!)

$$- A gourmet gift basket full of assorted jams, chesses, oils, or desserts or, a gift certificate to her favorite restaurant.

$$$- Make her a specialized gift basket with a set of nice dishes, cooking utensils, ingredients, and a cute apron.

For the sentimental bridesmaid:

$- Make her a photo album and include photos of your favorite memories together.

$$- Make something unique and useable just for her. Try painting a ceramic bowl or making her an interesting piece of jewelry.

$$$- Give her a homemade coupon for a future dinner and excursion of her choice. Let her choose something that she loves to do and treat her to a fun day out, whether it’s shopping, a movie, or even ice-skating!

Booth from NY Bridal Market 2011

Here is our ad for this year’s International NY Bridal Week. One of  Olia’s latest designs, the Britt looks beautiful!

Have a case of om nom noms? Try these healthy snacks.

*Throw together ¼ cup parsley with 1 tbsp. lemon juice and ½ a sliced cucumber. This can help decrease water retention.

Photo credit:www.kalynskitchen.com

*Take 1 small, whole-wheat tortilla and spread 1 tbsp. reduced-fat cream cheese on it. Then roll it up with ¼ cup cubed avocado and 2 slices of tomato. The best part? It’s only 200 calories.

Growling tummy? Try some of these healthy AND yummy dinner ideas.

Chili Potato Bake

*Top 1 large baked potato with 1 cup canned turkey and bean chili and ¼ cup shredded, reduced-fat Mexican-blend cheese. Place under a broiler until the cheese is melted. Top it with ¼ cup shredded lettuce, ¼ cup diced tomato, and 2 tbsp. plain, non-fat Greek yogurt. Only 500 calories!

Scallion-Beef Skewers with Barley

*Toss 4 oz. cubed sirloin in 1 tsp. sesame oil, 1 tbsp. rice wine vinegar, 1 tbsp. chopped scallion, and 1 tsp. light soy sauce. Refrigerate it for 20 minutes. Place the beef on a skewer. Grill it on medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes. Serve over 1 cup cooked barley tossed with 2 tbsp. chopped scallions and 1 ½ cups bok choy sautéed in 1 tsp. olive oil and 1 tsp. chopped garlic. Calorie count is right under 500.

Photo credit: www.shape.com

Also…

I talked with a dietician from Lipscomb University. She gave me a list of foods to eat and a list of foods to avoid on your big day.

EAT

• oatmeal – gives you energy

• tropical fruit – keeps you hydrated

• chia seeds – gives your skin a healthy glow

AVOID

• sodas/caffiene – can cause bloating

• cheese – can cause nausea

• broccoli – can cause gas

• artificial sweeteners – can cause upset stomach

Try these recipes out and let us know what you think!

Also check out websites like http://www.choosemyplate.gov/ and http://www.fitday.com/. “Choose My Plate” is a gold mine of information for all things nutrition-related. “FitDay” is an online diet and weight loss journal.

]]> http://www.oliazavozina.com/Blog/2012/04/eating-right-for-the-wedding/feed/ 0 http://www.oliazavozina.com/Blog/2012/03/venue-tybee-island-wedding-chapel/ http://www.oliazavozina.com/Blog/2012/03/venue-tybee-island-wedding-chapel/#comments Fri, 23 Mar 2012 18:53:04 +0000 Britt http://www.oliazavozina.com/Blog/?p=1441 The Tybee Island Wedding Chapel is a charming and unique venue located about twenty minutes south of Savannah Georgia.  In 2009 the chapel was built as part of a set for the movie, “The Last Song,” which starred Miley Cyrus and was based off of a popular Nicolas Sparks novel. Speaking of Miley Cyrus, Olia Zavozina designed a top for the music and movie star for the 2008 CMT Awards in Nashville.

But back to Tybee…After filming came to an end the people of Tybee decided that they just couldn’t part with the quaint little chapel, so, they decided to move its location, renovate it, and turn it into the gorgeous venue it is today. A great amount of work has been put into refurbishing the chapel and the outcome has had people all over the South talking about it.

The inside of the church is breathtaking with its high wooden ceilings, interesting architecture, and baby grand piano. Also, the pews pictured in this photo are original to the film.

The venue is very flexible in allowing you to create your dream event. The inside of the chapel can be transformed into the reception area with the available chairs and tables for 150 guests.

The chapel looks stunning lit up with festive white lights.

Tybee Island is a small island, only 3.5 miles long, which makes it the perfect location for an intimate and special wedding. The venue is situated on the marsh and is a short walk from the beach!

By Laura Crafton

Before I talk about the different fitness clubs I checked into, let me first begin with a word of caution.  While weddings are a great motivator to get in shape and lose weight, make your expectations reasonable.  While it is important to feel confident on your special day, don’t hurt yourself trying to loose weight.

Check out some of these gyms around Nashville:

Life Fitness Academy

1200 Villa Place

Suite 406

Nashville, TN 37212

The training crew at Life Fitness Academy

At Life Fitness Academy, a Christian-operated business, they believe that body, mind, and spirit are all connected to one’s well-being.  The personal trainers are also nutrition specialists and fitness coaches, so you don’t have to question their expertise; they know what they are talking about.  It is their goal to set a foundation of wellness for you that will last a lifetime.

One of their special offers is Fitness Fun Days.  These are specific days selected once a month by trainers at Life Fitness Academy.  You pay only $15 for a 60-minute session with a trainer of your choosing.  You can either get started with a personal trainer or enhance your current work-out regimen.

Take a look at this special promotion geared towards brides!

“Brides Of Steal–Are you stuck between work and wedding planning?  With no time to work out, you find yourself stressed and maybe even gaining weight!  Well, Life Fitness Academy can help you!  All you have to do is get some of your bridesmaids or four of your closest friends together for a six, eight, twelve, or even sixteen-week transformation.  It could mean free training for the bride.  What’s your motivation?  We can help with it all, even teaching you how to cook before the big day!”

Fitness and training classes offered are usually small (two to four people) and include “Beyond Boot Camp” and “Boxing Fusion,” along with several others.  Open gym hours are available to clients, as well as childcare.  Additionally, acquiring help with fitness or nutrition consults, supplement specialists, or family health coaches is no problem at Life Fitness Academy.

For pricing, testimonials, and more, check out the site at http://www.lifefitness-academy.com/.  They might be just what you are looking for to get you whipped into shape for your big day!

Fitness Together

• 4926 Thoroughbred Lane

Brentwood, TN 37027

• 103 International Drive

Franklin, TN 37067

To get started, the first step is to call and schedule a free consultation.  Once you complete the consult, the trainer will write up a personal plan specifically for you.  You will follow the plan with the guidance of your trainer.  No need to worry; your trainer will be with you every step of the way to coach you.

The plan is really that simple and your satisfaction is guaranteed.   If you do not get results, Holly Drayton, a certified personal trainer and sports nutrition specialist at Fitness Together, guarantees your money back.

However, she leaves no room for doubts.  Holly swears by her 3-in-1 Fat Loss Method.  She says, “At Fitness Together, we combine high-intensity cardio and strength training with a nutrition plan that’s guaranteed to get results.”

I talked with Chris Upton who shared one deal that might be of particular interest to brides.  It is called the “Great Jeans Challenge.”  This is an eight week fitness program that begins this spring.  Its main focus is on helping you lose two jean sizes.  If you accept the challenge and succeed, not only will you feel the satisfaction of a job well done, you will also receive a one hundred dollar gift card to purchase new jeans.  Additionally, your old jeans can be donated.  Find out more by going to http://fitnesstogether.com/nashville-personal-trainers/jeans.

Fitness Together has two convenient locations in Nashville: one in Brentwood and one in Cool Springs.

To find out more information for yourself, check out the website at http://ftnashville.com/.