Archive for the ‘Simply & Forever News’ Category

• Weekend Wrap-Up

  Date: 2012.02.08 | Category: Simply & Forever News | Response: 1

  A part of me will always love Austin.  ALWAYS.  It is a city like none other, full of amazing food, great music, and creative people who love to live, and live to the fullest they do. (and a little bit of queso sure doesn’t hurt things!)  I miss living there sometimes, but I also wouldn’t trade my meeting my husband here in St. Louis or being close to our families.

  We spent the weekend in Austin visiting old friends, and once again I left the city INSPIRED.  It was definitely what we needed to start February off with a bang, and I am back in the office this week with a very productive to-do list in hand and lots of goals for the month.

  Wanted to share some of my iPhone photos from the weekend with you, a little weekend wrap-up if you will!

  

  I had some amazing fabric just waiting for a project so I wanted to come up with some handmade gifts for two of my good friends who are currently expecting in AUstin!  These burp clothes are super functional and I hope both moms-to-be will get a lot of use out of them!  May be adding these to my etsy site soon!
  

  Lots of great lighting finds while we were in Texas!  Found this one in a cute store in Fredricksburg, Texas (one of my favorite places outside of Austin).  Such a great way to re-use wire buckets and a reclaimed piece of wood to create something fun!  Wouldn’t this make an awesome craft room or mud room lighting fixture?
  

  Our FIRST trip to Ikea, and certainly not our last.  I made a mental list of everything we wanted, and the trailer (yes, my list may be a little long!) we would need to carry it all back to St. Louis!  Loved this bold purple flower pot with the striking green fern type flowers in it.  Would be a great centerpiece on a rectangle tablescape and also very simple to pull together but giving you a great impact on the table.
  

  I visited the Kendra Scott store in Austin about three times over the weekend.  I always seemed to miss her trunk shows when I actually lived in Austin, and it was so great to see her new retail store in Austin!  I built my own Sari earrings with some beautiful coral, yellow jade and raspberry stones (sorry the iPhone pic really does not do these justice!).  The earrings and necklaces from her Color Bar are amazing, and perfect for bridesmaid gifts.  I encourage you to check out her site and visit a store if you are close to Austin, Dallas, or LA!

  A trip full of shopping, jewels, GREAT food, AMAZING friends, and so much more was definitely what I needed!  What did you all do this past weekend?  Any great finds to share with us?

• A Huge Thank You!

  Date: 2012.01.25 | Category: Simply & Forever News | Response: 0

  This post would NOT be possible without the absolutely AMAZING couples that I had the honor of working with in 2011.  Because of them, Simply & Forever was chosen as a The Knot Best of Weddings 2012 Pick!!  We’ve been so excited to share this with everyone, mostly since it was made possible because of our couples!

  What I love best about this business is that every single wedding is unique to the bride and groom.  Every member of this team LOVES the details, and we always love when the bride loves them just as much as we do.  There are so many ways to find inspiration these days when you are planning your wedding, and we love being there to help you with your vision and to make sure everything ties together.

  The best part of the wedding day is opening those ceremony doors and sending a bride and her father down the aisle to meet her groom.  I am grateful for all of my clients that allow us to be a part of their wedding day, and to be a witness to the ceremony that will bind the couple together.  The ceremony is by far the most important part of the day, as that is what binds you two together for many days after your wedding day celebration.

  My second favorite part of the wedding day is when my clients see the reveal of the reception site.  I wish I could catch all of their reactions on camera when they first enter that room!  Each memory of the couple’s walking into the room is etched in my mind because it is the culmination of months and months of work between us and the clients, and there is always HUGE excitement brewing in the air when they see the room, because they know a great celebration with their friends and family is just beginning!

  To celebrate this amazing award, I wanted to pull a few photos of my 2011 couples until I have some time to share all of our 2011 recaps!
  

  Row 1 and 2:  Joanna Kleine  Photography             Row 3 Left: Megan Thiele Photography         Row 3 Right: Todd Studios Photography

  Thank you again to all of our AMAZING clients!  Because of you, not only do we have The Knot news to share with you, but we have also received word from the St. Louis Wedding Awards as well!  We have been nominated for the 2011 St. Louis Wedding Awards, along with many other talented vendors in the St. Louis area!!   2012 is off to a rocking start and we can’t wait to see what this year brings for our team!!

  Katie

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

• 2012 – A year to remember!

  Date: 2012.01.12 | Category: Simply & Forever News | Response: 1

  

  2012 is going to be a year to remember!  We still have some quick recaps to share with you all on the blog and our website to finish out 2011, but we are truly marching forward into 2012!  Before we dive too much into the inspiration and photos coming your way, I wanted to stop and share my 2012 resolutions with you!

  I will blog twice a week (at least!)  

  We will share DIY posts every other month to start with – including projects for the home, your wedding, and more! 

  We will have a spanking new blog to show you in 2012!  (working with the sweet Cathy to make the blog more user-friendly and gorg!)

  We will have lots of pretty photos, new press, and of course some new branding elements to share with you soon on the website! 

  Sharing our journey with our readers, both personally and with  Simply & Forever

  Taking Behind the Scenes photos to share with you!  We love our team and want you to meet them as well! 

  Inspiration!  We love to share color inspiration boards, great projects we’ve come across, and vendors with great products for your home and wedding day!
  

  Finalizing my blog editorial calendar for 2012!  - hold me to that!  

  I am so excited for each and every client that we have on the books this year!  It is a true blessing to be going into the year as we are, and it is a testament to the hard work that we have put into the business this past year.  Each and every wedding is so unique, and the designs have been so much fun to draw up for everyone!  If you are still looking for a Wedding Planner or Coordinator for your wedding, we would love to hear from you!

  ~Katie

• Saying Goodbye to 2011

  Date: 2011.12.31 | Category: Simply & Forever News | Response: 0

  On the eve of another year approaching, I wanted to pause to reflect on what 2011 has meant to me.  It is very hard to sum up a year into a blog post, and I just wanted to highlight some of the things that made 2011 a year to remember.

  It was the year that I decided to put everything I had into this business, to go full-time, and since doing so, I have never looked back on that decision.  This job fills my soul every single day, and I am so lucky to have a husband, family and a team who support me on this journey as the business grows.

  It was the year for my husband and I to build more memories together as we entered our second year of marriage in November.

  It was the year for me to focus on planning and designing some great weddings and events for my clients, and growing Simply & Forever way beyond my original 2011 goals.

  It was a year of excitement – ESPECIALLY seeing our work in print and online!

  It was a year of collaboration and education, two things that are very dear to my heart.

  We had such an amazing group of brides and grooms this year, and I truly feel like each of them has such an amazing spot in my heart because of the friendships we have formed throughout their planning.   I love staying in touch with my brides after the weddings because to me, the wedding isn’t just about their wedding day and making sure it goes smoothly, it’s about the couple spending the rest of their life together.  That day is just the beginning of their journey together, and it warms my heart to still be a part of their lives.

  I hope you all have a very safe and joyous New Year’s Eve!  Check back early next week for our 2012 resolutions!

  xoxo,

  Katie

   

• {real rehearsal} Erin + Chris

  Date: 2011.09.23 | Category: Inspiration, Simply & Forever News | Response: 12

  I absolutely loved working with my September 3rd couple Erin & Chris who got married at Graham Chapel and the St. Louis Club.  I was honored to help them plan a fabulous rehearsal dinner at Via Vino in Frontenac for their families and friends.  We created a wine pairing menu with Michael Del Pietro and Gus leading up to the event, and Michael and his staff definitely did not disappoint!
  

  The menus and escort cards were created by M.Haley Design and the escort cards were backed in red and the menus in silver to continue their color palette for their wedding weekend.  Simply & Forever created three all rose centerpieces in low black rectangle vases, with glass candlesticks adorning the length of the table.  The long rectangle table was perfect for their family and friends and just watching the table, you just felt happy, because everyone was laughing, smiling, and enjoying the company around them.

  

  Thank you so much Erin & Chris for having me be a part of this special weekend for you both!  Your love for each other is so apparent to everyone around you, and your love for your family and friends is truly amazing.  I know they all enjoyed spending the weekend with you two and you made every single event important for each of the guests as well as yourselves!