Congratulations Liz & Edwin!

We have been planning this wedding celebration since December 2011! Today the happy couple exchanged their vows in front of 400+ family and friends! Let the party now begin.....

In Time for the Holidays - Panache Interiors & Events Design Giveaway!

Can you believe that the Holidays are right around the corner?  It seems like only yesterday that we were ringing in 2011 and now 2012 is just around the corner.  I have already started gathering and planning my home holiday decor to be hung the day after Thanksgiving.  And as I shop in all of my favorite places, I'm already seeing the Holiday decorations out on the shelves.  So in honor of the upcoming Holiday season - and in celebration and thanks for the Panache Interiors & Events Facebook Fan Page reaching its first milestone of 1200 fans - one lucky winner will receive a $50 VISA Gift Card.  Please see the two steps for contest entry below.

How to enter: 

1.  "Like" the Panache Interiors & Events Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/panacheinteriorsandeventsllc and then post a comment to let me know that you are a new fan.  If you are already a fan of Panache Interiors & Events, then post a comment to let me know that you are already a fan.  Each entry must have a comment and you may enter once per day.

2.   Submit your email address to ljackson597@yahoo.com.  I will confirm receipt of your email and respond back to you with a number.

That's it!  Both steps must be followed to qualify.  Giveaway starts November 15, 2011 and ends November 29, 2011 at 11pm EST - to allow for the Thanksgiving holiday.  The winner will be selected via Random.org and will be announced on November 30, 2011 via Facebook, Twitter, and via my blog.  Once the winners number is posted, I will contact them via email.  They will have 72 hours to respond.  If they fail to respond within the allotted timeframe, a new winner will be selected.  Once the winner contacts me, I will request their mailing address and forward their prize to them.

Please note:

You must be 18 years of age to be eligible for the giveaway prize.  This contest is only open to residents of the United States.

Again, thank you so much for all of your support - I have something even more FAB planned for my next milestone of 1500 fans, so please tell your friends about Panache and encourage them to like my page and enter the giveaway.   Good luck!!

La Toya Michelle
~You are only limited by your own imagination!

      

Happy November

Happy November! Most people think of November as the symbol of the arrival of winter.  And with winter comes - the Holiday Season. If you are planning to host a family or social event for Holidays, start preparing early!  Start hunting for the perfect linens and centerpiece selections now.  The Holiday season is all about plush designs that sparkle.  So don't forget to stock up on candles and table jewelry such as charger plates, napkin holders, and the other bling for the tablescape.  Take a look at these inspiration photos and start dreaming up your perfect Thanksgiving Tablescape early. 

Reds, oranges, rusts, browns, and golds are plentiful this time of year and can be found for inexpensive prices at local homeware shops.  Simple white plates ensure that these Autumn colors are the star of the event.  Go ahead - bring the outside in with this beautiful mix of colors! 



A simple pine cone gives a rustic feel to an otherwise very formal place setting.  I really like the contrast!  A trick that I always use in event planning - the use of white plates for my base.  I have a lot of plates, but I always opt for white plates when entertaining because they allow me the ability to change up table jewelry (plate chargers, linens, silverware, etc.) without having to worry about competing colors.  In addition, white plates allow the food to also be the star of the event!  What's the point in creating great dishes (or having great dishes catered) if your guests can't see them?! 




Sans the pine cones in this view, the mulitiple gold, bronze, and silver toned centerpiece display is busy - yet it still doesn't seem to detract from the entire display.  Candle light brings the table to life - you can add height to your table display inexpensively by varying the height of your candles.




Don't just stop at your table!  Extend your decor to other areas of the room as well.  The buffet continues the holiday theme by featuring a coordinating - yet unique - display all its own!



You really don't have to have a glass or crystal centerpiece to wow your guests at your Holiday event.  Simple candles, again in varying heights and also varying styles, can create a gorgeous yet inexpensive table centerpiece that you can use even after the formal party is over and you want something a little more casual. 

La Toya Michelle
~You are only limited by your own imagination 

Invitations with Panache!

When planning your wedding or next event, don't forget that your invitation is the first impression that your guests will have of what's to come. Your invitation sets the tone for your entire event! Panache now offers custom invitations and invitation suites - let's create an invitation suite that will build anticipation for your event and reflect your personality, too!  Check out my Facebook page for more photos!

La Toya Michelle

~You are only limited by your own imagination!

Invitations with Panache!

When planning your wedding or next event, don't forget that your invitation is the first impression that your guests will have of what's to come. Your invitation sets the tone for your entire event! Panache now offers custom invitations and invitation suites - let's create an invitation suite that will build anticipation for your event and reflect your personality, too! More photos coming to my website soon :o)

La Toya Michelle
~You are only limited by your own imagination!

The Journey to Finding the Perfect Wedding Gown

After taking off some time with my husband to celebrate our first wedding anniversary yesterday, I started to reflect back on all of the wedding related errands and shopping that we did leading up to our big day. It is still amazing to me that even though I am a wedding planner, am in total control of my clients projects, and try to remind them to stay calm before the wedding that I still found myself having those same butterflies as every bride-to-be as I waited to walk down the aisle.

For a lot of brides, a big source of stress is selecting their wedding gown. I would say that was different for me. I knew in three tries that the high collared trumpet beauty pictured above was MY gown as soon as I put it on. Oh sure, I tried on lots and lots and lots of gowns after that, because just about every gal likes to try on different wedding gowns just to be sure. But I didn't agonize over my choice and I just instantly knew that Number 3 was MY dress.

If you are currently searching for your wedding gown, try not to stress out about it! Instead, try to remember these five signs to let you know when you've found THE DRESS.

1) Once you put it on, you don't want to take it off! - if you find yourself standing on the platform staring in the mirror longer than you did with any other dress you tried on because you absolutely love this dress and, most importantly, how you look in it, then THAT is YOUR dress.

2) Tears start to fall - whether it be yours or someone who may be with you helping you in your selection, if the sight of you in that dress brings happy tears - THAT is YOUR dress.

3) Budget? What budget? - if all of a sudden the price of the dress doesn't seem to matter and you find yourself thinking of reasonable ways to make the price tag fit your wallet, THAT is YOUR dress.

4) It totally flatters your figure while you party - this is your dress if you know that you can truly enjoy your wedding reception in the dress, meaning you have no restriction of movement allowing you to sit, walk, and dance; and you can go ahead and enjoy that extra glass of champagne since your tummy will, magically, never look puffy. If the gown allows you to be you and flatters your figure all at the same time, THAT is YOUR dress.

5) You can't stop thinking about it - if you experienced any of the above signs and still didn't place your order that day but you still find yourself thinking about the dress and a huge smile comes to your face as the thought crosses your mind - run back to that salon, because THAT is YOUR dress.

Finding the perfect wedding gown can sometimes be a long process, and it should be! This is the dress that you will wear on one of the most important days of your life. But selecting a gown doesn't have to cause frustration and/or anxiety. Try to remember the five signs from above and listen to your heart the next time you visit the salon. Remember, YOU will always guide yourself to YOUR dress.

La Toya Michelle
~You are only limited by your own imagination!

Outdoor Decorating for Autumn

Autumn is upon us and nothing makes me happier when it comes to decorating than preparing for the changing of the seasons.  I mean, it's seriously the best and cheapest way to make sure your interior design gets a slight boost every three months.  I will have more on seasonal interior decoration to come in a future post.  But today I'm focusing on outdoor decoration.  Today as I was driving around running errands, I got stopped a the traffic light right across from one of my favorite houses for outside decor when it comes to seasonal displays.  The home owners's seasonal displays always draw a slight crowd and always bring a smile to my face especially during the Autumn and Winter months.  We sometimes tend to focus on our inside decor so much that we forget to think about sprucing up the outside of our homes.  Check out how these home owners have decorated to welcome the new season:

traditional entry design

Striking in its simplicity....

traditional entry design by other metros media and blogs Centsational Girl

Using all of the colors of the season.....

eclectic patio design by toronto interior designer Somers & Company Interiors, Gillian Somers

Don't forget about your outside tables...

traditional entry design by dc metro kitchen and bath Case Design/Remodeling, Inc.

Another simple design but striking at the same time....

Go all out!  The lights on these homeowner's Autumn decorations ensure that they can be enjoyed by night as well!

So go ahead, hang that simple wreath or go all out and hang up some decorative lighting to welcome Autumn.  Not only will it bring instant "curb appeal" to your home, but it will also bring a smile to your face and lift your mood, too. 

La Toya Michelle
~You are only limited by your own imagination!