HAPPY EASTER!  Many of us are anxiously awaiting the arrival of the Easter Bunny and the great celebration that accompanies it!  If you are planning your family dinner that day you may want to consider this beautiful addition…

Charger plates are becoming more and more common, but many of us still think of a charger as something we plug our phone into.  In terms of formal place settings, chargers are large, decorative plates to be placed under normal dinnerware. Originating in England, their purpose is truly decorative, as no food is to ever be placed on them. They can add a great elegance to a table setting, and are available in an endless amount of colors and styles

Chargers are always set on the table when guests arrive. After that, they can be taken away at almost any point the host/bride chooses, whether it be right after all guests are seated, or not until after the main course. However, it is tradition that they are not on a table for dessert.

Again, chargers are mostly decorative. They add to the feel of the room and the table. Below are some great examples of how a charger can spice up a table setting.

Fun for Easter… and the others for your day!

Spring 2017 wedding dress trends.  A huge trend this season is deep V necks. This blog is dedicated to showing a few of the different designers that are influencing this trend, as well as how they are incorporating the deep V into various styles of their wedding dresses.  ENJOY the show!

Vera Wang, Calla Blanche (2 dresses), BHLDN (2 dresses), Pronovias (2 dresses), Ines Di Santo (2 dresses), Liancarlo, and Monique Lhuillier.

Spring Break Season is upon us which means that many of us are turning our thoughts to warmer climates and vacation! We are thinking about places we’ve been, as well as places we still want to go! Or… in your case where you would like to go on your “Honeymoon!”

Cinque Terra, Italy

This charming string of five villages rests on a rugged coast line. Cars have been removed from the towns, and you can only get to them by train. There are also hiking trails connecting the individual villages, ranging from 20 minutes to 10 hours. There’s plenty to do in the Cinque Terra: from swimming, to shopping, to checking out the local farmer’s market… and not to just staring at the beautiful views!

Cuba

For a long time, Cuba was a large mystery to Americans. Today, you still can’t technically go to Cuba and call yourself a “tourist.” This is because the US government has approved thirteen reasons/categories that Americans are allowed to go to Cuba for, and “tourism” is not one of them. However, these categories are fairly broad, and tourism can fit into the “people-to-people exchanges” category (supposedly a more educational experience than strict tourism), as well as “support for the Cuban people.”

The only other thing you will need to know about going to Cuba is that you will need a $50 visa that you can purchase on the spot in the airport, or beforehand through your airline. Check out the two linked articles below for more details on visiting Cuba!

http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.com/2017/01/03/can-americans-legally-visit-cuba/

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/31/travel/how-to-go-to-cuba-now-jetblue.html?_r=0

As wedding season grows closer, couples may be beginning to consider wedding favors for their guests. To help you along, here are some great wedding favor ideas that are popular right now.

1)Coasters

Personalized Coasters (both cork and glass) are a very sensible gift that is both small and compact.

2)Personalized Sunglasses

Sunglasses are a big trend right now. It’s a fun and useful gift that can be enjoyed throughout the sunny season!

3) Luggage Tags

This is a super fun gift for destination weddings! You can get them in all different shapes, like vintage luggage, airplanes or the state of Wyoming.

4) Candy in Creative Favor Tins

How creative you want your tin to be is up to you. You can order them to look like tuxedos, suitcases, mountain themes, etc.  Don’t forget to include huckleberry candies – a staple in Jackson, WY!

5) Lastly, many couples are taking the money they’d normally spend on wedding favors and donating it instead. These couples will leave guests notes, letting them know that all favor funds have been donated to their favorite charity. This is a wonderful trend that focuses on giving back to a world in need.

As the sun starts to shine on Snow King Mountain in Jackson Hole we know the seasons are beginning to change.  As the snow continues to fly some of our thoughts turn to warmer days to come.  If you are a bride planning your 2017 summer wedding you may also be excited about planning your HONEYMOON!

I’d like to share a destination with you that my husband and I recently traveled to that had many honeymoon qualities.  THAILAND!

We flew to Singapore from San Francisco (the fifth longest flight in the world – 17 hours).  After arriving in Singapore we took a short hour flight into Krabi which we found was the best way to travel in Thailand if you’re short on time like we were. Traveling by train would take many hours, which could be a precious day or night of sleep! We found the best places for domestic flights to be Skyscanner, Kayak and Air Asia, but Mr and Mrs Smith’s concierge can also help you find the cheapest flights online. The luggage policy on both airlines we flew – Air Asia and Thai Air – are similar to the ones in the US in terms of carry on. Checked bags are charged a fee depending on the size, but you can get a discounted rate when you book with the flights.

Packing List:

1. A pair of light colored pants, for cooler days and flying.
2. Short shorts are a “no no” outside of a beach resort in Thailand, so pack longer length ones.
3. A maxi dress can also be worn for visiting temples instead of pants, just bring a scarf in your purse to cover your shoulders.
4. A flowy short dress for walking around town.
5. Comfy walking shoes and sandals/flip flops.
6. A hat to protect from the scorching sun.
7. A white shirt that goes with everything, including your maxi dress and 1-2 tops.
8. A bathing suit for the pool,  if you’re headed to the beaches or swimming with an elephant!

Have a BEAUTIFUL HONEYMOON!

Helpful Links:  http://ruffledblog.com/thailand-honeymoon-chiang-mai/

Check out Destination Jackson Hole’s exciting new app by visiting

http://h.theapp.mobi/destinationjacksonhole

or by scanning the qr code below!

It may be cold outside, but with Valentine’s Day quickly approaching, many of us are finding our hearts filled with extra warmth.  A gift may also come to mind for your significant other.  Here are some creative gift ideas for both him and her.

This GPS coordinates gift is perfect for any couple about to say “I Do.”  Choose the
coordinates of where you first met, where you got engaged, or where you’re about to get hitched!  You can get even more personalized and choose your own caption.  P.S.  Jackson Hole’s coordinates are 43.4799° N, 110.7624° W!

https://www.etsy.com/listing/266560354/gps-coordinates-gift-18-x-85-rustic?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=valentines%20gifts%20for%20him&ref=sr_gallery_21

Next, we have his/her mugs. There are all sorts of options when it comes to these. Choose
something cute that represents your relationship, or choose something for your new home that will be a wedding keepsake for life!

https://www.etsy.com/listing/486147733/his-and-hers-mugs-boyfriend-gifthusband?
ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_quer
y=valentines%20gifts%20for%20him&ref=sr_gallery_40

https://www.etsy.com/listing/268154807/future-mrs-ring-coffee-mug-fornewly?
ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query
=gifts%

Use your romantic engagement photos to make even more personalized gifts on sites like
Walgreens or Snapfish. Both sites have unique gift ideas like puzzles, aprons, and playing cards.  Check out their websites for even more fun inspiration!

http://photo.walgreens.com/walgreens/pdpgifts/type=wall_clock?tab=photo_Home_WallClock
Center

http://photo.walgreens.com/walgreens/pdpgifts/type=cutting_board?tab=photo_Home_CuttingBoard

https://www.snapfish.com/photo-gift/custom-trivetdetails#!/pdpview

Last but not least, there are options for those that are A) running out of time to go shopping or B) might have a tighter budget.  Tell your future spouse how you feel with some handwritten love letters!  This could be as simple as writing a small letter on some nice stationary to as imaginative as writing out a couple of words on scraps of paper and putting them in a mason jar labeled “Love Notes to My Fiancé.”
https://www.etsy.com/listing/505441619/love-notes-to-my-fiance-do-ityourself?
ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query
=gifts%20for%20your%20fiancé%20him&ref=sc_gallery_4&plkey=da23e594fb323cb38ffeec7
0da337d84ef3ffeb8:505441619

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/498984833692027997/

Have a Beautiful Valentine’s Day!

– ♥ Destination Jackson Hole

Although it’s cold and snowy outside, you can feel the warmth from Winter Weddings!  The temperature was -5 degrees but the guests were toasty warm.  They snuggled under sheepskin blankets, sipped hot cocoa and felt the tenderness in the vows that were spoken.  A Winter Wedding had always been the bride’s dream and her dream became reality in the snow that began to fall.  Congratulations Brittany and Dominic!

On this day of love I wish all of my 2016 brides a beautiful night and all of my future brides that may be starting their journey tonight a heartfelt “Congratulations!”  All of you are going to experience a day you will never forget – Your Wedding Day!  I am honored to be apart of your special day and I look forward to helping meet your expectations!

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!

The world is a very large place, with many beautiful locations. I have had the fortune of traveling to a few of them throughout my life and know first hand how brilliant our world can be. The Knot recently ranked Jackson Hole as one of the 50 best locations in the world to get hitched, which is wonderful to hear, but I want to talk about some of the other locations they talked about that I have visited. First… Hawaii.

I mean, this place is at first site just absolutely wonderful. Coming from the mountains I often wondered if I could enjoy another place as much as Jackson, and Hawaii may be it. Like the Tetons, Kauai (which i visited) has wonderful mountains, only these mountains bash right into the ocean – exacerbated at the Nepali coast. If I could choose one other location for a wedding, this would be it (Although my experience with islands is limited). Waterfalls everywhere, small town vibe, wonderful food, great hiking and of course some of the most beautiful beaches in the world seamlessly blend together in a one of a kind island adventure.

Next, San Francisco…

The first time I visited San Francisco, i never wanted to leave. Now, I thought at first that this could have been due to the amazing kids i first visited with, but then the next three visits continued to instill the cities wonderful bewilderment in my soul. My third time visiting, I arrived driving over the bay bridge just before sunset – the haze covering the first ten stories of the city with the rest poking through in fantastic reflective majesty. Its a moment I’ve wanted to relive a thousand times but its just never the same. Although San Francisco is now one of the most expensive locations in the world to live, and for good reason. With a passionate forward thinking populace, blossoming tech industry, beautiful location and seriously killer restaurant scene who in there left mind would ever no want to live here? And as for weddings – call it cliche, but I think it would be just about perfect to have a wedding only minutes from a vibrant downtown, golden gate bridge in the background and the collective beauty of the north California coast and redwood forest a stones throw away.

Good tidings  till next time, and may every day be as wonderful as the day you said yes!

-Destination Jackson Hole