Wedding Wednesday: Save-the-Dates

Hello Socialite Brides,

You've finally gotten through the headache of the guest list and now its time for the fun task of giving your guest the heads up about the Big Day! Save-the-Dates can be as formal or informal as you like and do not have to match the style of your invitations.

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Its best to send out Save-the-Dates about six to seven months before the wedding and the earlier you send out the Save-the-Dates the less information you need to include. Generally, you include the name of the couple, the date of the wedding, time of day, and the general location- leave a little mystery for the actual invitation.

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Any guest who receives a save-the-date card must be invited to the wedding so hold off on sending these out until you've finalized the guest list.

Last but not least - before printing make sure you figure out the number of HOUSEHOLDS you are sending save-the-dates to and NOT the number of guests. This can be a very costly mistake.

Happy Planning!


Blissfully,


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Wedding Wednesdays: Make Room For The Bride and Groom

Hi Socialite Brides,

We hope your wedding planning is going smoothly and you still have all your hair and all your bridesmaids. This little idea should help those of you with huge guest counts...

We know it is terribly hard to have a moment to speak to each guest at your wedding but here's an sweet little idea. When setting up your table chart try to leave space for the bride and groom at each table. Instead of doing a receiving line you'll have the chance to sit at each table and talk to your guest in groups of 8 or smaller depending on your table size.

Trust me, your parents will be very thankful that you took the time out of YOUR great day to speak to everyone!


Blissfully,

www.ProfessionalSocialites.com

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PS|PR: Making The Most Out of Your Publicity

Welcome back for this week's edition of PS|PR. This feels a little like story time with Mister Rogers in my mind. Is that weird? Probably, but just go with it and imagine a trolley with puppet people behind you as you read this.

This guy is still getting free publicity decades after he went off the air. You can't buy that kind of PR!

After last week's post...you figured out you needed PR. You got yourself a publicist. What do you do now? The answer is definitely NOT to sit back and wait for results. Professional Socialites suggests that you:

• Communicate with your PR pro! Let them know what you need from them, and always try to return their calls and e-mails in a timely manner as some things they need from you may be time sensitive and could help (or hurt!) your company. 
• Know what to expect, and be realistic! The manner in which Return-on-Investment (ROI) in PR is measured varies, and is mostly based on placement and exposure. It doesn't exactly equal dollar amounts in sales, as with marketing and advertising. Do your research and know what you should expect before you begin.
• Be visible! Your publicist should be working diligently to get you and your brand noticed, but nothing can sell your brand better than you. This is especially important for small businesses and brands like those that Professional Socialites represents. The theme song to Cheers should play when you walk into a room "Where everybody knows your naaaame..."
• Enjoy the experience! Publicists are often de facto confidants, friends and psychologists to clients due to the sheer fact that they entrust us with helping them build their brand, and the amount of time spent working closely with them. Nurture the relationship with your PR pro with mutual respect and kindness. This may sound a little "after-school special-ish," but it is definitely an important factor in your working relationship. Mister Rogers would expect nothing less. 

PR pros and clients, feel free to comment and let us know what are some important things you think are important in a publicist-client relationship!

PS Sighting: CoupleCake Wars

Hey Socialite Couples,

Does this picture look familiar to you?

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This would be Cupcake Wars, a delicious little show on comes on Food Network and has me wanting to run to Sprinkles Cupcakes every time I see it!

NEWSFLASH!

Cnadace Nelson of Sprinkles Cupcakes is bringing the first annual CoupleCake Wars to Houston this Valentine's weekend to benefit the Houston Food Bank! How can you get involved?

Couples of any kind can enter by submitting a short essay, photo and potential cupcake theme by Feb. 4. On February 12, those selected will complete several love- and cupcake-themed contests in hopes of winning a weekend stay at the Four Seasons Houston, a couples massage at the Four Seasons Spa, dinner for two at Gigi's Asian Bistro and a "day of beauty" at Salon Cerón. Each selected couple will decorate their own CoupleCake as part of the competition. -CultureMap

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 If you're celebrating Singles Awareness Day this year, don't worry, check out the schedule of events, join the audience, and win some special prizes.

Check out all the information on CultureMap and learn more about how Sprinkles is supporting the Houston Food Bank.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 4TH IS THE LAST DAY TO ENTER THE CONTEST!

Blissfully,

www.ProfessionalSocialites.com

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Wedding Wednesdays: Dress for the Venue

Hey Socialite Brides,

Are you feeling overwhelmed yet? Did you read our post about the 30 day rule? If you didn’t listen to us here’s a little tip to smooth your frizzled nerves and hopefully you’ll take a moment to read the 30 day rule and save this tip for later.

 Don’t take that trip to the dress shop until you have decided and booked your wedding venue. Why you ask… your gown should feel appropriate for the space. A Cinderella ball gown would not look as appropriate in a garden wedding as it would in a grand old hall like The Corinthian in Houston, TX.

Wedding Gown / The Corinthian / Garden

 Take a moment and really soak in this tip...you'll thank us later and you'll look like the savvy bride when you go gown shopping! Consider it a gift from your Fairy God-planners at Professional Socialites!

Blissfully,

www.ProfessionalSocialites.com

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Zenovea & Harvey's Vow Renewal

We had the pleasure of working with Zenovea and Harvey as they celebrated 46 years of marriage. What a wonderful love story! They have known each other since they were 10 and 14 years old...can you imagine?

Event Luxe & Co. served as the back drop for this momentous occasion.

A special thank you goes out to Erika at Event Luxe & Co. for allowing Zenovea & Harvey to be the FIRST couple to hold a ceremony at this wonderful new venue!

The coolest part of the night was when their nieces and nephews presented them with a trip to the Bahamas for a second honeymoon!

It was truly a magical night!

To see more pictures visit our gallery!

Blissfully,

www.ProfessionalSocialites.com
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PS|PR: What is Public Relations?!

Hi Socialites,

Welcome to PS|PR, our new blog section brought to you by the Public Relations department of Professional Socialites. Yes, I am aware that I am the Public Relations department, but I digress. With PS|PR I will give tips for hiring/working with a PR pro, handling some of your own PR, advice for students and aspiring publicists (which I believe in this ever-changing industry, we all shall always be) and good ideas to pass along.

Samantha Jones made PR look glamorous on Sex & the City. I suppose showing her tirelessly editing press releases, planning product launches and staying glued to her BlackBerry for client's Google updates would take away from the plot line!  

To begin, "What the *!^# is Public Relations?" When brands and small businesses contact us about Professional Socialites' PR services, it is not unusual to find that most don't understand exactly what public relations is, or how exactly it works. Many people assume that PR is interchangeable with marketing or advertising. But they do start out with one right idea - recognizing that PR is a vital part of their company's success!

Here's the breakdown for those who are still a little fuzzy on the difference between advertising and PR: Advertising is paid means of communicating about your brand, and it's usually one-way communication (talking AT your audience). PR lets you communicate with people (investors, customers, community leaders, your great-grandma Geraldine who loves to hear good buzz about your company) through earned placement, and can (and should!) be two-way communication - your company talking TO these people. I love diagrams, and this handy-dandy one breaks it down nicely:

Once you've determined which you actually need, it is time to get to work! You can, and many people do, handle PR within your company. But seeking out the services of a professional is a way to ensure that you get a skilled communicator with a great contact list and fresh, objective ideas (that aren't already doing the other 10,000+ tasks you already have under your belt).

Professional Socialites provides public relations consulting for luxury lifestyle, entertainment and fashion brands and businesses, but please feel free to contact us with your needs.

Now... go forth, and get your PR on!

Festive Friday: Singles Awareness Day

NOTE: We post this entry because we have been there before and mean no harm…just wanting to bring you all an….alternative to Valentine’s Day! Enjoy!

As you all know Valentine’s Day is right around the corner but for some of us it’s a day without a date. A couple of years ago Megan and I found ourselves both without someone special to spend Valentine’s with so we joined a group of friends for drinks and karaoke as we toasted “Singles Awareness Day!” Let us explain…

Instead of seating at home alone watching Love Stories and wishing you had a Valentine why not celebrate being SINGLE AND FABULOUS? Get a group of single friends together for food, drinks, and laughs. 

Actually one of my FAV movies!

Go to Karaoke. 

Let Go. We won't tell anyone you can't sing...

Sex and the City Karaoke: Everyone dress in their MOST fashionable attire

Grease Sing-a-long: Pink Ladies VS. T Birds

Have a House Party. 

Need I say more??

Have a Game Night. 

It was the Butler...in the Library...with the Axe!

Set a theme, dress up, and ENJOY! Happy Singles Awareness Day!

Blissfully,

www.ProfessionalSocialites.com

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PS Sighting: Ivory Bridal Atelier

Last night I had the pleasure of attending the Ivory Bridal Atelier Grand Opening. This lovely bridal salon is located in the newly open West Ave Shopping Centre in Upper Kirby and the hottest new location to find to perfectly fab dress for your special day.

Sisters Ronit and Sharon Levy are the brainchildren behind this escape from the normal bridal shopping experience.

“We want this whole experience to be magical and for the brides to feel special,” Ronit Levy says. “I went shopping in New York for my wedding dress and I felt like one of a million brides.”
While she bought her dress from a Houston shop, she ran into a friend when they both came out of the dressing room at the same time. After that, the sisters decided they wanted a more intimate bridal boutique and built two very spacious rooms for a bride and her entourage.
- Culturemap

The bridal suite

The Grand Opening was perfection! Music, cupcakes, lite bites, champagne, and the IVORYtini...what more could a girl ask for.

Danny (The Perfect Wedding Guide), Me (Crystal), Lewis (LG Entertainment)

Cupcakes by Coco Cupcakes

The Ivorytini and the most amazing Cake Pops by Smitten Sugar

A Girl Can Dream, Right?

Make sure you take a moment to stop by and check out IVORY... you won't forget it!


Blissfully Yours,

www.ProfessionalSocialites.com
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Wedding Wednesdays: The 30 Day Rule

This little tip comes courtesy of our mentor, the fabulous WeddingDiva, Linnyette Richardson-Hall of Premier Event Management in Baltimore, Maryland.

For those of you who just became engaged or you know it's in the near future please take this advice. We know that you've gotten your ring, you're ready to hit every bridal show there is and the FIRST thing your girlfriends did was give you a lovely arrangement of bridal magazines to help start the wedding planning mania.

My Sorority Sister's first engagement gifts from her girlfriends

STOP! Just stop right there. You want to remember this moment for the rest of you life, right? Well take a step away from all things bridal and wedding for 30 Days! Yep I said it.

Take 30 days to enjoy just being with the one you plan to spend the rest of your life with. You have just taken your relationship to new level and it does not involve Save-the-date cards or the perfect wedding dress. Remember, the wedding is ONE day and after that comes the real fun. Marriage is for the rest of your life and it shouldn't have to wait for a grand party to come and go before you start working at it.

You have plenty of time to plan your day and with the help of someone like Professional Socialites as your wedding planner you can enjoy your engagement all the way through the planning process.


Be sure to check out Confessions Of The WeddingDIVA for Linnyette's post!

Blissfully Yours,

www.ProfessionalSocialites.com
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