August 2013 Bridal Newsletter

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Photo credit: Principle in Action Blog

To subscribe to our monthly bridal newsletter, please contact our Wedding Director, Elizabeth.

The Power of Scents & Your Memories

Weddings usually evoke thoughts of frocks, flowers, and food but one often neglected detail is fragrance. Our senses trigger memories and one of the most memorable events in a person's life is the wedding day. Making a special scent a part of your planning will provide you with a unique way to tap back into a beautiful remembrance of a day filled with singular significance. Choosing a fragrance that is reserved for such a reminiscence can make subsequent anniversaries and birthdays, weekend getaways, or even making-up after a tiff connected to a time of happiness and hope. Make your special day a wonderland of sensual delights, from the music to the decorations, but don't forget about capturing the moment with a specific perfume, which will be a symbol of the essence of the love that you pledge on your wedding day.

The Wedding Channel has a list of popular fragrances that best fits your personality and reception. Click here to see the full list.

Photo Credit: Katelyn James Photography

Life Happens, For Better or Worse

Life happens, for better or worse, whether we are richer or poorer, in sickness or health, life promises to present us all with an assortment of challenges. Unfortunately, there is not a cosmic 'pause button' on a universal remote that can protect a wedding from some of the more difficult parts of life. When a couple gets hitched, of course they dream that it will go off without a hitch, and the notion of wedding insurance is something that may be viewed as a lack of faith, but it is far from that. A wedding day is a special celebration, one which takes long hours of planning and a significant investment. When life throws a curve ball, wedding insurance provides you with the bat or glove you need to handle it. Protecting this investment is an essential part of the preparation for the beginning of a life together that is certain to encounter the unexpected. Securing insurance for such a major event will simply give peace of mind that should an unexpected turn of events occur, there is one less very big thing to worry about. 

Elite Group Insurance Services has teamed up with other professionals (a financial planner, an attorney, a loan officer, and an interior decorator) to offer Merging Lives. This evening informational session will include a meal and will provide valuable information on topics we believe are important for all couples to discuss (merging finances and assets, saving money, merging households, ect). It will be held on Tuesday, September 10, 2013 from 6-8:30 pm at the Inn at the Olde Silk Mill. 

There is limited space for this event. Couples can register at MergingLives.eventbrite.com. If you are interested in finding the right wedding insurance please contract Marshelle Davis at Elite Group Insurance Services.

Photo by: Carley Rehberg Photography

High Heel Protectors

For many brides, the grass is always greener at an outdoor ceremony. For those brides and their bridal party, who hope to effortlessly glide across the rolling knolls at Stevenson Ridge, we have discovered a handy little gadget that can ensure you are more able to do just that! Stevenson Ridge offers two beautiful waterside locations for the perfect outdoor ceremony, but as everyone knows, Mother Nature often presents challenges along with her pristine beauty. With heel protectors, one small annoyance for brides can be simply remedied. If the ground is soft because of a recent rainstorm, heel protectors can help stop that embarrassing moment when a shoe gets planted but the foot within wants to keep walking, especially in the presence of a hundred witnesses! At Stevenson Ridge, we do our very best to think of everything, even the smallest details, to make weddings and other special events as perfect as can be.

http://www.shoebuy.com/high-heel-protectors.htm

Rt. 208 Sale Trail

Sometimes, the trail may be long and of much toil, but this journey will prove to be worth the hike!  The Rt. 208 Sale Trail on September 13-14th will take you on a 24- mile excursion filled with the wonder of discovery and the thrill of finding a great bargain. Treasures abound, not only in the glory of the historical realm of Spotsylvania, but also along this unique Sale-Trail, which promises to be an adventure like no other! On this expedition, the industrious yard-sale champion and novice alike will delight in the distinctive experience of reveling in the beauty of a scenic route while encountering the delightful community of Spotsylvania, seeking to sell their stuff.  Caravan with the gang for this first ever, one of a kind, without fail, 208 Sale Trail!

An Extraordinarily Extravagant Engagement

One very romantic groom-to-be designed and orchestrated, with the help of some fabulous vendors, an engagement to remember! Because Spotsylvania holds a special charm, namely Stevenson Ridge, along with a rich, historical heritage, it caught Jeff's eye as an amazing backdrop for his dream engagement. Booking the humblest cottage on the property, Jeff flew his sweetheart Cristina across the United States to share a special get-away. His ruse was a birthday celebration, but little did Cristina know, he'd also flown both families in from California, who waited anxiously for the big moment. While the couple toured Fredericksburg, a whirl of activity was spinning out the plans that Jeff so carefully made to make this proposal unique and unforgettable. The caterer, A Taste of Elegance, set out a scrumptious brunch, the photography dynamo, Kitt Creative plotted out the best place to hide in the garden. Musician Mike O'Connell warmed up on the gleaming grand piano as the family arrived via a Limo Shuttle from the Limo Co. The excited family members each performed a special role in the proposal. Three young children were positioned with signs reading, "Will You," "Marry," "Me," with an extra special guest wearing the "?" around her neck: Stevenson Ridge's own sweet puppy, Maggie. As Jeff was lured back to the property for a "forgotten" shirt, Cristina first got an inkling when she noticed the large banner bearing her name stretched across the pillars of the stately Riddick House. As she approached with her hands upon her chin, her family brought forth the signs and Jeff dropped to one knee beside the fountain, asking her to spend the rest of her life with him! She accepted through tears and was quickly surrounded by her family to celebrate the joyful occasion with an afternoon spent celebrating at the Riddick House. We can safely wager Jeff had the best birthday ever as he received the gift of a promising future with his lovely bride-to-be, Cristina.  We can't wait to hear what Jeff plans for the wedding!!

Photo Credit: Kitt Creative

Written by: Amy Whittaker