Milestones: 500 Posts! A Look Back

We can hardly believe this marks our 500th post on this little blog. Thanks to our wonderful clients and friends who have been faithfully reading us the past five years! We hope you have enjoyed many beautiful things and found lots of inspiration along the way. We look so forward to continue bringing you the latest and greatest in everything wedding-related! We're a little verklempt over this milestone and hope you will enjoy this little look back with us at some of our past posts!

Our wedding planners have planned so many truly fabulous events with wonderful clients. We haven't come close to posting all of them but we try to give as many of them some blog love when we can. Here are just a handful of some of our gorgeous weddings we've shared (just click on the captions to jump to the original post):

Tracie and Chance's beautiful wedding took place at St. Andrew's UMC, with the reception at the Four Seasons.

Ransley and Jamin joined their lives and celebrated at the Texas Discovery Gardens.

Laura and Jonathan partied at the gorgeous Ritz after a Perkins ceremony.

Sawyer and Drew's Fort Worth red and bling celebration included a nod to their beloved TCU.

Sheila and Allen's fabulous Four Seasons wedding was rich with fall colors.



Jennifer and Ben enjoyed an incredible destination wedding at the lovely Horseshoe Bay Resort.

We've also shared lots of tips and advice from all aspects of StarDust, from dressing your entire wedding party

Dressing pregnant bridesmaids can be a cinch with this advice.

and creating your wedding budget

Learn the best way to make the most of your wedding budget.

to planning an unforgettable wedding


Your five senses can be the perfect guide to designing a wedding your guests won't soon forget!

and avoiding stress during wedding planning.

Making sure to take care of yourself during your wedding planning is a great way to head off stress.

And we love keeping you apprised of trends and inspiring you with lots of beautiful wedding goodness. Our Color Splash inspiration boards are some of our favorites!

Coral is a stunning color that is extremely versatile!

Yellow and grey make a sophisticated and modern color palette.

And what about the all-important Trend Alerts?!

We adore biscuit bars - and so do guests!

Who knew there were so many scrumptious ways to execute a naked wedding cake?!

And we love to inspire you with fun and different things we come across as we live and breathe weddings!

A Kentucky Derby-themed wedding? And why not?!

If golf is your - or his - game, find fab ways to work it into your wedding design!

We hope you've enjoyed our little jog down memory lane! We look forward to our next 500 posts! Please let us know what you'd like to see here on Fly Me to the Moon!

image credits/sources can be found at each original post; just click on the caption to check out the full post.

Trend Alert: Family Style Reception Dining

Large, banquet tables have been a thing at wedding receptions for a while now, but a new trend is emerging that piggybacks on the concept of the communal table: family style dining. A break from more formal, plated dinners or the informal station or buffet reception, family style dining is like a comfortable hybrid. And while this is not a new idea internationally, as many cultures have done it for centuries, it's relatively fresh here in America.

Perfect for a more casual, laid back reception, family style dining is just what it sounds like: platter and bowls of food are brought to the table for guests to pass around and serve themselves. The serving dishes are left on the table and replenished (or switched out) as needed by the wait staff. Not only is this a more personal feeling dinner experience, it can also be less expensive. But there are some pitfalls to watch out for. You'll want to make sure that your venue or catering team can handle this type of service. You will want to be confident that platters won't sit empty or that some guests at the table have to wait to get food while others' plates are filled. A conversation with your wedding planner and catering manager should help you discern if they can pull this off with excellence and whether or not this is a path you should take for your wedding dinner.

Here are some fabulous photos to inspire you to consider a family style reception dinner!

Cold food can actually be preset family style and waiting for guests.

Family style makes for a more relaxed reception dining experience.

Family style dining encourages more guest interaction.

Family style receptions are festive. Note the need for minimal décor on the banquet tables.

 

Banquet reception tables waiting for guests and family style food; there is not a need for extravagant centerpieces as the food will be the focal point (not to mention you will need more room on the table for platters). 

Comfortable, causal family style reception dinner.

Menus on the table can give guests an idea of the deliciousness that is to come.

Family style receptions are beautiful, simple and feel like home!

Family style wedding receptions can showcase farm-to-table goodness, important to the foodie bride and groom.

Family style dining at wedding receptions is like a slightly fancy picnic when held in the great outdoors!

Family style reception dining at it's finest - communal tables are warm, comfortable and fun!

image sources: 100 Layer Cake, Green Wedding Shoes, The Knot, Nook and Sea, Ruffled and  Style Me Pretty

Trend Alert: Whimsical Cocktail Clouds

With warmer weather finally heading our way and spring knocking on our door, we could not be more excited about the carefree feeling that this season can bring! Springtime heralds in all things new, fresh and fun! Spring weddings often lend themselves to more whimsical elements, and we adore this particular touch of whimsy suggested by Martha Stewart Weddings: "cloud" garnished cocktails!

Seriously, how precious are these beautiful cocktails adorned with fluffy goodness of sweet cotton candy?! These feature differently flavored varieties by Spin-Spun out of Chicago. The all-natural (as in fat-, gluten-, nut-free and no preservatives and artificial colors or flavors, etc.) confection is offered in luscious flavors such as coconut, peppermint, strawberry and cinnamon, to name a few.

But did you know Dallas has its very own gourmet cotton candy company too? Fluffpop offers organic and exotic flavors including cherry, guava, lychee and caramel in a few options, such as tiny pops to accent drinks, a live spin action station for your special event and mini-mason jars perfect for wedding favors! Check them out to see the full line of flavors and ordering options. Such fun treats will make your guests so happy, they'll feel like they're walking on clouds!

Flavors of Fall and Winter

Happy fall, y'all! We may have mentioned a time or two that we cherish this time of the year! The saturated colors, the wonderful scents and the luscious, rich flavors of the amazing assortment of fall and winter foods! By the way, if you didn't notice the slight change in weather today, winter is right around the corner!

 

Bringing in the flavors of fall and winter is a great way to incorporate a seasonal theme into your wedding. Plus, with the chillier weather, your guests will appreciate warm, filling food. Here are some suggestions that are sure to satisfy your guests.

 

Hors d’oeuvres

Small bites are still big! Warm your guests’ hearts and bellies with shooters of thick, creamy soups such as butternut squash or potato leek.

Or incorporate the fabulous flavor of everyone’s favorite round orange squash in a pumpkin goat cheese tartlet or pumpkin mousse in puff pastry. Or what about sweet potato rounds replacing the expect crostini topped with herbs, cheese and olives?

Is your mouth watering yet?!

 Salads and sides
Salads are wonderful first courses year-round, but in the fall and winter, they are even better served with a warm vinaigrette!

And you might want to consider comfort food for your sides such as whipped sweet potatoes or roasted root vegetables.

Fennel is a slightly sweet seasonal flavor that partners wonderfully with all manner of foods, from fruits and root vegetables to garnish and being cooked into a demi-glace to go over meat. Scrumptious!

Desserts
Apples, pears and citrus are at their peak right now and are incredibly delicious! Incorporate these seasonal fruits into pies, tarts and cakes to take advantage of their luscious flavors.

If you’re an adventurous bride, be bold with your wedding and groom’s cakes flavors. Think gingerbread, carrot or spice cake; a vanilla or chocolate cake with peppermint buttercream; or red velvet.

 

While red velvet is ubiquitous in the south year-round, it feels especially seasonal around the holidays.

Cocktails
Lest you think we’ve forgotten, seasonal flavors make for fun and creative cocktails! You might want to check out our post on seasonal cocktails last fall, but we’ll give you a bit of inspiration here as well.

Anything cranberry would be a delightfully tart and tasty beverage. Warm drinks such as hot toddies or any spiked versions of coffee, cider and hot chocolate would thrill your guests as they head into your cocktail hour from the cold outside – guaranteed to warm them from their toes up!

Work with your caterer to find ways to include the season's best in your wedding reception menu. More and more caterers are planning their offerings around local and seasonal foods (thank goodness!), so this should be a fun and easy way to give your big day a little holiday flair.


image credits: Epicurious, Just a Taste, Martha Stewart, NY Times,  Pinterest,  One Stylish Bride, Sil Azevedo, Sweet Little Peanut

Fall Trend Alert: The Warm Beverage Bar

It is finally feeling like Fall is here to stay, and we are in love with this chillier weather! With the cooler temps comes oodles of wonderfully fun ideas for Fall weddings! We are fortunate here in the North Texas area because even when it’s “cold,” it’s still mild enough to have a Dallas wedding with outdoor elements. One of our faves right now is the coffee bar, hot cocoa bar, hot apple cider bar – or a warm beverage bar offering all three! Having one of these fabulous hot beverage stations outside on a patio at your wedding reception is a great opportunity for your guests to get some fresh air while enjoying more delightful wedding details!

Coffee bars at wedding receptions have been around for a while, but fabulous coffee never goes out of style, especially when you need a warm, caffeine-infused pick-me-up during a great party! Offer embellishments such as flavored syrups, chocolate shavings, sweet liquors (think amaretto, Frangelico and butterscotch schnapps, to name a few), chocolate spoons and cinnamon.

Hot chocolate bars are divine and will be adored by kids and adults alike! Include delectable garnishes like peppermint sticks, luscious libations – such as Kalua, Irish Cream and Peppermint Schnapps – whipped cream, chocolate chips, cinnamon sticks, mini marshmallows, crumbled toffee bar (such as Heath), and espresso shots (yes, please!). Hmmm, seems like we could go on and on here. Seriously, what doesn’t go with hot cocoa?!

Hot apple cider is the perfect fall beverage! No doubt it’s sweet, homey goodness will reward your guests with a bit of nostalgia. Offer scrumptious stir-ins such orange slices or wedges, caramel squares or sauce, cinnamon sticks, red hot candies, sprigs of rosemary, whipped cream and ice cream!!! Yes – we said ice cream! You simply cannot imagine the heavenly marriage of hot apple cider and a scoop of vanilla, dulce de leche or butter pecan ice cream! You. Must. Try. This!

p.s. We think a donut tower lends itself perfectly as a partner to your warm beverage bar! Don’t you?!

 

We wish you much fun and enjoyment as you plan the special details of your wedding day! Be inspired and happy planning!

image sources: Style Me Pretty, Pinterest, Colin Cowie and Wedding Chicks