Disposable Wedding Cameras

I have been doing a little research lately, on...you guessed it, disposable wedding cameras.  I had always questioned the decision of my brides about having them.  I know the idea and concept of guests taking candid photos to capture those "missed moments", but it always has seemed that the little kid at the wedding gets a hold of it, and the end result is 27 photos of the floor.  And, you did just spend money on a quality, professional photographer, right?

SUPER CUTE STYLE, 27 exp.

http://www.mywedcams.com/ starting at 2.99.  The black and white above retails for $4.99

So, I am admitting, as a planner, I never really new what to do with them.  I mean, I knew what to do with them, but was so reluctant!!!  Do I put them on the fabulously dressed guest table that we spent months picking out the linen, flowers, and all of the fine details, only to cheapen the look by YIKES!!! a disposable camera?  Do I a decorate a special box or basket and print a cute note and stuff them in there, hoping someone notices them or knows what to do with them? 

None of the above!  I have finally figured it out. 

SIMPLE, CLASSY STYLE, 27 exp.

http://www.myweddingfavors.com/ $6.99 more colors available



The only way that I see these being "a cool" thing to do at your wedding, is to include them in your GUEST WELCOME BAGS as your guests arrive for your wedding weekend .  You  know, the ones that go to the hotel or resort where your guests are staying  to warmly welcome them???  or, the following fun ways to incoporate them into your reception......
Here are a few cute ways to make it happen:

1.  Instruct your guests that you want pictures of them enjoying their vacation and wedding related activities.  Encourage them to take photos along the way, and bring it to the wedding to finish off the roll and leave it in a special basket on the gift table.  You can always post the photos on a site like flickr or facebook and direct them to the site after the wedding is over.

2.  Make a wedding scavenger hunt for your guests.  Type up a cute and fun list of things they must see while they are on vacation.  Such as: take a picture with the dinosaur at the Museum of the Rockies, or show off your vacation wear...or take a picture from the zip line at Big Sky Resort, then finish with a photo of you and your new husband kissing.  Tell them the guests who get the most creative will get a fun surprise after the wedding!  Be sure to take a photo of yourselves, indicating who the photographers were of that particular camera!!!

3.  Personalize it even further by instructing your bridal party and family to get photos of people that are really special to you.  My brother took photos of all the couples at my wedding kissing.  Now, that was a surprise when we developed the photos later, and memories I will always cherish!!!

4.  If you are NOT going to do welcome bags for your guests, use the concepts above at your wedding reception to make it more interactive for your guests and to get the results that you are looking for. This would be a great way to have a photo booth at your wedding, too. 

I hope these ideas get you started on a new way of thinking and bring new life to those disposable cameras!  Now I LOVE them!!!

Custom Camera, $5.99

http://www.wedcams.com/

Leslie Lukas, regular contributor of BRIDES magazine

http://www.leslielukas.com/

copyright 2011



Montana Flowers--Inspriation for today!

Spring has officially sprung, and I have had the best time creating some fantastic gift bouquets for friends the past couple days!  Here are some of my favorites!  Enjoy!

Best trip ever!

So, if you are a client or friend of mine....you know that I recently went on a trip with my family to Maui. and..... it was everything we hoped it would be! Lots of sun, sand, and sandcastles....and of course fresh food, family time and relaxation!

The following photos just can't say enough to the amazing time we all had, and how refreshed I feel to move forward into wedding season!  We stayed in a modest condo unit that we found on http://www.vrbo.com/ for $120 a night, cooked for ourselves, enjoyed the sea turtles, whales, and all the other abundant flora that comes with going to a Hawaiian island.  We bought banana bread and the best coconut candy I have ever had on a trip around the island on one of the craziest stretches of road I have ever been....we laughed the entire time it was so fun to drive on!  Joe went fishing, I went snorkleing....our days went kind of like this:  wake up, breakfast, beach, pool, nap, pool, beach, pineapple break, more beach....and tons of fun with the kiddos! 

DIY FLORAL CLASS OFFERED

Are you ready to learn from an expert on how to create your own flowers for your wedding?  Join us for this fun filled Do-It-Yourself Bridal Event at the Woodlands at Cottonwood Canyon!  Be ready to be inspired as Montana wedding planner Leslie Lukas walks you through a bridal bouquet, boutonnier and cost effective centerpieces!

Keys to this successful DIY Bridal (floral design) show:

• Tool kit with everything you need to create your own flowers
• Hands on Experience
• Refreshments
• Other Vendors on-hand to answer your DIY questions
• A teacher with over 15 years of experience!!!
• REGISTER at http://www.montanaweddingflorist.com/ by May 14th

BRIDES April 2011-- Party in the USA, mountain west

Hi all!  I am thrilled to announce that the latest issue of BRIDES Magazine has hit the shelves, full of great information and fabulous ideas. It represents several regions in the article "Party in the USA"!!!  I am featured as an expert on page 296 bringing good ideas to life for the mountain west!  

While I have been in lots and lots of publications, it starts to feel a bit like bragging after a while, which is not what I am about at all!  I love sharing information on how to make weddings more beautiful, and things that are approachable that anyone can do!  I am so thankful that a publication such as BRIDES, allows local experts to have a voice to its readership.  I love it when someone I know sees it and gets excited that they know someone who is in print! 

So, RUN, don't walk...and get your copy today! 

PS...I did notice that in the article, they promoted acorns instead of pinecones...oh, well! It would all be darling, you just don't find many acorns around here!  I was explaining to them that one of my destination brides that came to Montana to be married, brought acorns to use on her tables for a little flavor from back home.  We don't have a ton of acorn producing trees, here, that is why it is so funny:)

The country-hick-montana-elegant wedding

So, when I first met Heather, she was with her mom, dad, and cousin, and had traveled all the way from Seattle to make her wedding wishes come true.  She needed full wedding management on a tight budget, and I knew that I wanted to work with her....immediately!  She grew up in Billings, and there were so many wonderful details that she was creating on her own, that I knew I could help her pull her vision together, and use the materials available to make for her country hick, meets sophisticated elegance wedding a reality! 

When she told me she wanted a country-hickish, Montana elegant wedding with super great tasting food--at Springhill Pavilion, my wheels started spinning...and ultimately knew that she wanted a FUN yet elegant wedding!  So, if we were going to call it that, we would need to live up to it!  The hick parts really didn't evolve much, but did come out in the music (Costas Lazardious & Band--a family friend and recording artist living in Belgrade) and the rustic elements like the burlap table cloths and mason jar florals took center stage. 

The color pallet ended up being red and lavender, a first for me, but I knew that the combination would be striking if used in the right way....

My beautiful friend Morgan Lamare took the photos you are about to see, and captured some really enchanting moments.  Heather was laughing and smiling the entire day....and the warmest thing for me was when Heather and Bill thanked me personally for making everything just perfect for them!

I think we achieved something pretty special--

 Loving, Laughing, having fun....

 more laughing and loving!!!!

 Her dress was just beautiful on her and really matched her personality! 

 The decadent dessert bar was by Elles Belles

 The lilacs in the centerpieces were from my neighbors yard....in late June if you can believe it!

 The Orchids were grown by Bill's Aunt who has an orchid farm in California....GORGEOUS, and we used them in everything! 

 Elles Belles baby bell cookies were part of the dessert bar....

The birds were a theme throughout, and little wooden birds served as take home trinkets for the guests beyond the edible treats....

 I love this combination of flowers against the red dresses.  Simply fabulous!

The bridal bouquet was a collection of blooms from Heather's grandmother's garden and came from Billings in a white little garbage pail full of water....they were lovingly cut knowing that Heather would be carrying them down the isle....

The bride and groom stood under a rustic archway covered with Orchids from his aunts farm....it was a pleasure helping them with their wedding, and enjoyed hours of planning with them! 
Ingredients for the perfect day
Morgan Lamare Photography, photographer
Springhill Pavilion, venue
Steve Kuntz, Chef
Callisto Studios, Video
Leslie Lukas Weddings & Events, full wedding management and floral
Costas Lazardious, band and music
Connie Duglin, Linens

Fourth of July Springhill Pavilion Wedding, Bozeman, MT

So, as I write this post, I am so grateful to be surrounded by such lovely photographers in our great state.  One of my favorites, Melanie Nashan, was hired to shoot Toby and Kim's Fourth of July wedding that took place at the historical Springhill Pavilion just outside of Bozeman, MT.  This is a magical wedding venue, and many of my couples choose it for its charming outbuildings, beautiful fruit trees twinkling with light in the evening hours, and the stunning views of the areas gorgeous mountains.   The couple had so much fun with multiple days of activities, from a ranch style reheasal dinner, the wedding at Springhill, then a fun day after brunch complete with floating on intertubes down the Madison River.  Here are some of my favorite details from their day!

 Fruit Pies were tucked away in these hand caligraphered, stamped muslin bags that lead the guests to their seat!  What a fun and creative parting favor that has dual purpose!  The guests LOVED them!  Thanks to Elles Belles tasty confections....

 We knew paper straws were trendy before anyone else!  These were a fun way to sip spiked lemonade and a fresh lavender spring decorated each jar!~  super cute and a cost effective detail

 Paper parasols are a wonderful way to create shade for your guests while sitting in the sun during the ceremony...our guests used them all evening and thought they were great! 

 We created a wonderful atmosphere in the Pavilion by using banquet style seating for a rustic feel.  We also hung metal chandeliers from the ceiling that looked so wonderful as the evening light streamed through the windows.  This is seating for 120 guests, with plenty of room for dancing. 

 Elles Belles mini pies and environmentally friendly bambu plates and forks...to keep with a natural, rustic feel. 

 The candy bar, which had lots of old fashioned favorites! 

Melanie had this to say about me: 

“Last year I had the pleasure of working with Leslie on Kim and Toby’s wedding at the Springhill Pavillion, one of my favorite wedding spots.  While working with Leslie is always fun, things happen on schedule and as planned.  Not only does Leslie do wedding planning but she creates lovely ‘Montana Style’ flower arrangements that bring a bit of nature into the photos.  Leslie and I have worked together forever and I think you will love working with her just as much as I have.”

Ingredients for the perfect day
Leslie Lukas Weddings & Events--full service flowers and planning
Melanie Nashan--photography http://www.nashan.com/
Zac Kellerman--catering http://www.cookingontherange.com/
Elle Fine--mini pies, fruit pies for escort cards, cupcakes, tarts and yummy desserts  http://www.ellesbelles.com/
Springhill Pavilion--venue http://www.springhillpavilion.com/
Blue Jack--Band  http://www.bluejackband.com/

Etsy--signs and table numbers