Off The Beaten Path Weddings loves their Hospitality Ambassadors!

We take *so* much pride and joy in every Off The Beaten Path Wedding, and sharing photos with all of our readers is always such a pleasure. When the photographer sends those files after an event, it’s always fun to oooh and aaah over each image, and choose the best to share with everyone. BUT today, we are taking a minute to share some “behind the scenes” shots of our staff doing their thing. We’ve definitely learned that it takes a village to produce an Off The Beaten Path Wedding, but lucky for us – we have a wonderful group of hospitality ambassadors (also known as service staff) to make every event possible. Now that our season is over at Off The Beaten Path Weddings, it’s nice to look back on the fun moments with staff and appreciate the fact that they are both hard-working and chill… after all, it is the season to share what you are thankful for!

All of these photos are from Holly & Jim’s chill day, see a snapshot of the Bridechilla™ below!

Thanks again to our wonderful OTBPW staff for being such a chill group of people. And also, thank you to Melissa Phillips for providing these photos!

5 Ways to Get Your Groom to Help Out with Wedding Planning

Traditionally, a wedding day is all about the bride. All of that fanfare that surrounds the bride, however, can often leave the groom feeling left in the dust. After all, the bride isn’t the only person getting married;  the groom is a pretty integral part of the wedding.

Guest Article written by Amber Kingsley

If you are getting married, don’t let your groom feel like he is playing second fiddle. While he may not be able to help you pick out your gown, you can let him feel like he is part of all of the planning and excitement by giving him some special tasks to attend to. He will appreciate the attention, and you will appreciate the help.

via Shutterstock

Registry Duty: Registering for all of the things that you will need as you start your life together is a really fun process, and it is one that your groom should certainly be a part of. In fact, you can put him in charge of this important task. Of course, you want to be a part of the registration process (you don’t want to sleep on bedding that you think is completely dreadful), but you can let your groom handle setting up and updating the registry. He’ll get a kick out of having this duty and it is one less thing that you will have to worry about.

via Off The Beaten Path Weddings & Jessica Burke

Venue Shopping: Your wedding is a celebration that will honor both you and your groom, so it is only fair that he help pick out the place where this grand event will occur. Ask him to do some research with you on potential venues. Let him choose a few places to look at. Of course, have him go with you to check out the different venues and welcome his opinions and reviews. You can even take it one step further; once you have both decided on a venue for your affair, have you groom handle all further communications with the staff.

via Off The Beaten Path Weddings & 

Vendor Visiting: You will require the services of a bunch of people in order to successfully pull off your big event; a florist, a caterer, a photographer and videographer, limo drivers, music and whoever else you think you will require the services to make your big day your dream come true. Let your groom help out with choosing the vendors. Ask him if he wouldn’t mind helping you choose some vendors to consider and bring him along on your visits to each one. You can even ask him if he thinks that there are any other special vendors that will add an extra special something to your day; a cigar roller, perhaps.

via rockmywedding.co.uk

Tuxedos: You have your wedding dress and the bridesmaid’s dress to pick out. Why not let your groom pick out the attire that he and his guys will be wearing. Go along with him so that you can offer your opinion and see what choices he is considering (and so that you can nix anything that is an absolute no), but let him have his moment in the sun while picking out and trying on different tuxedos.

via Off The Beaten Path Weddings & Catherine Hall

If it weren’t for your groom, you wouldn’t be getting married. Make him feel like he is as big a part of the day as he truly is by involving him in the planning process.

Amber Kingsley is a freelance writer from Southern California. She has contributed to a number of blogs, covering travel and style. When she’s not writing she loves traveling and spending time with her dog. To view more of her writing, visit the Bellezza Spa blog.

 

Meet our favorite Petaluma Farm!

Question: What do roses, hydrangeas, large calla lilies, tulips, viburnum, lilac, stephanotis, ranunculus, green foliage, and beautiful seeded eucalyptus ALL have in common? They all can be found at the Neve Brothers Greenhouse in Petaluma, California. We wanted to give this beautiful farm some Bridechilla™ LOVE simply because all Off The Beaten Path Weddings depend on the Neve Brothers for event florals. At Off The Beaten Path Weddings, we adorn every table with centerpieces full of understated beauty and embellish the rest of each Off The Beaten Path property with fresh-off-the-farm florals from this Petaluma greenhouse. Take a look below at some of our picks for past events.

With no surprise, we’re not the only ones showing some love for this incredible greenhouse. For more information on the Neve Brothers Farm, you can also check out this post on flirtyfleurs.com.

Want to get in touch with this chill farm? Here is how you find them!
Neve Brothers
2645 Bodega Avenue
Petaluma, CA 94952-1602
(707) 778-2326

Space at San Francisco Flower Market
674 Brannon Street
San Francisco, CA 94107
(415) 495-6195

And last but not least, here are some of the beauties from our last (man, that went fast!) Off The Beaten Path Wedding of the 2013 season.

Aren’t Katie and Ilan’s flowers gorgeous? We shared this on our Instagram (@otbpw), but thought it deserved an appearance here too. HUGE thank you to the Neve Brothers for being a great floral resource for us here at Off The Beaten Path Weddings. See you next year!

Bridechilla™ Tip #32

Tip #32 – How to be a BRIDECHILLA™ – Never lose the memories of your wedding day, get a chill photographer to capture it, AND a chill cinematographer to FILM it!

Off The Beaten Path Weddings couple Alana & Peter

by rose street studio

Vows are so precious and probably one of our favorite parts of the ceremony. These vows are a glimpse in to the love and connection that Alana & Peter have for each other – and we can’t imagine them being captured better in any other way other than in this film by rose street studio. So, press play and see why we just can’t get over this wedding film.

Off The Beaten Path Weddings couple Mark & Tracy

By David Waldorf

When we asked wedding videographer, David Waldorf, why he thinks having a wedding film is such a valuable keepsake, his response was something we can’t help but agree with; “film/video makes you relive the moment unlike any other visual medium. Maybe it is the combination of image and sound that stimulates one’s memory.”

Mondavi Wedding by Off The Beaten Path Weddings – Megan & Carlo

By David Waldorf

Many people (including us) wonder if there would ever be a chance that wedding films would be more chosen over photography in the future. “I feel wedding photography will always be more popular than a wedding video. Analogously the main course is the photography and the video is the dessert”, says Waldorf on the subject.

Off The Beaten Path Couple Anna & Darren

By Weddings on Film

We couldn’t help but ask Waldorf one more important question, especially for our chill brides that are interested in hiring a wedding cinematographer or videographer. So, what is the most important thing to remember when hiring a cinematographer to film your wedding? “One of the most important things in choosing a cinematographer is picking a professional who’s work you can relate to and that you feel confident can tell your story visually.” says Waldorf.

Nick & Laura’s romantic elopement in the mountains

 By Janssen Powers Media

We also  l o v e  our chill photographers and how they have the talent to capture and deliver amazing photos to our Off The Beaten Path couples, so that they can keep their wedding day portraits near and dear to them for all the chill years to come. With the rise of mobile applications such as Instagram Video and Vine, we can’t help but point out some great wedding films that definitely make us want to advise our future Bridechilla’s to consider thinking about hiring a cinematographer along with a photographer.

Heartfelt vows by Travis & Mari

By Bridges Cinema

This video alone can be enough reason to hire a cinematographer. You never know when  your groom is about to bust out in song during the reading of his vows! But in all seriousness, this video is proof that you cannot capture such moments in photos. Have someone film your vows so that you always remember the promises you made (or sang) to each other.

Destination wedding with Nick & Maria

By Paperback Weddings

Promise this is the last one!  This small English wedding is full of pretty,  we just had to include it on this Bridechilla™ Tip. Although the bride’s mother could not make it to the wedding, this video is something we can bet that she loves to watch over and over so that she doesn’t feel like she missed the day completely. Which is another great reason to consider hiring a wedding cinematographer – imagine how happy guests who couldn’t make it will be when they find they can watch a short film of what they missed.

Be more on top of the Bridechilla Blog by being on our e-mail list! Send your e-mail to gloria@offthebeatenpathweddings.com to be added!

Anna & David’s Off The Beaten Path Wedding

This past weekend we celebrated the union of Off The Beaten Path couple, Anna & David. This chill couple kicked off the OTBPW 2013 season last Saturday at a private estate in Napa Valley. This was the first wedding of the season, so we thought it would be chill to have LIVE updates for our readers on Facebook and Instagram, as well as Twitter. We suggest you follow along with us as this is the first of MANY Bridechilla’s you will be able to gain live inspiration from as it is happening.

An Off The Beaten Path Wedding is known to be a celebration in nature full of creative touches and gracious hospitality. Anna & David’s wedding exemplified a true celebration in nature; full of organic infused design that only meant seasonal flowers, colors, olive branches folded in to the napkins, and much more. As much as this day was beautifully designed, it was just as much fun for the guests; as Mary Ellen Murphy would call it, “a party with a wedding thrown in”.

A wedding without walls is all about using natural surroundings for decor and making the most of the setting you’re in. The OTBPW team used the shade outside the Napa Valley private venue to serve spiked and unspiked lemonade to arriving guests, which were embellished with vibrant florals. Every table was adorned with pink hydrangeas and yellow blooms, creating a irresistible color palette and a pop of summer hues. The escort cards all hung on 3 plum trees, where they could be easily found during cocktail hour.

One of the most memorable aspects of the wedding was this chill dessert idea. Anna & David were so chill and so Off The Beaten Path by choosing to go above and beyond when it came to the standard wedding cake. Instead of just a cake, Anna & David let the Off The Beaten Path Wedding team run with a NEW idea – a dessert bar. This was hands-down one of the most favorite details to the wedding, which included everything from root beer floats and cheesecake to cookies and milkshake donuts. (Oh yes we did) Tons of guests captured images of this new Off The Beaten Path signature detail, but we made sure to gather some images of our own to show our Bridechilla™ readers.

Anna & David’s chill dessert bar, featuring OTBPW invention, “Milkshake Donuts”

Guests were greeted with the choice of spiked or unspiked lemonade, a trademark by Off The Beaten Path Weddings (and a must-have drink for
a summer wedding in our opinion…)

hmm… SPIKED OR UNSPIKED?

a big chill thank you to the Off The Beaten Path Weddings Team for all your
hard work last Saturday!

We look forward to sharing more inspiring details from this Summer’s weddings, but nothing compares to getting the inspiration as it is happening. To follow us and catch more of the OTBPW Team in action find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Bridechilla™ Tip #31

Tip #31 – How to be a BRIDECHILLA™ – Throw an awesomely chill 4th of July party in your backyard!

 

Summer has definitely arrived here in the golden state, and if you aren’t feeling the heat yet, you will be very soon. Since there’s not much we can do about the hot weather, we might as well do our best to enjoy it then, right? And we can’t think of a better time than the Fourth of July to throw a backyard party with good friends, good food, and maybe a little fireworks…

Here are our some of our favorite ways to keep a 4th of July party chill:

Keep it simple with serving fresh berries (totally in season & delicious right now) and soda pop in those classic Coca Cola bottles. This is a great way to give your backyard party a vintage American feel, and these details will not be very hard to find at your local grocery stores.

Refreshments please!  For the non-soda lovers, you must include this signature Off The Beaten Path Wedding detail at all your parties this summer. Everyone will love it! Serve your guests lemonade, with spiked & not spiked options to keep everyone hydrated and chill.

Nothing screams “All-American” like the classic mason jar. Use these for cups at your party and even make them more festive by embellishing them with a red, white, & blue striped straw.

Side note: check out that nail art!

Don’t stress over decor. A simple backyard party is easier to throw than ever. Other than hanging American flags everywhere, you can try this: make flag banners by cutting paint-chip cards from your local hardware store into triangles. Using a hole punch, cut two holes at the top edges of each triangle. String together using white ribbon, separating triangles about 1 inch apart. (Thank you walgreens.com for this helpful & affordable tip!)

Blair’s festive chic.

Stay cool, chill, and cute in a summer dress! Our Bridechilla Julia has picked out a few patriotic looks on her blog, Tartan & Sequins. Can’t go wrong with any of these 4th of July Styles.

Sparkle, sparkle. It might be in the 90’s or higher where you celebrate the holiday, so try to take your mind off of the heat with some fireworks. Everyone enjoys the hand held sparklers, and they are even suitable for children.

Happy Independence Day from Off The Beaten Path Weddings & Bridechilla.
Celebrate responsibly!

Be more on top of the Bridechilla Blog by being on our e-mail list! Send your e-mail to gloria@offthebeatenpathweddings.com to be added!

Bridechilla™ Tip #30

Tip #30 – How to be a BRIDECHILLA™ – Remember the 5 most common things Summer brides forget! See our list below.

Photo by Michele M. Waite

Tomorrow is the first day of SUMMER (what’s your favorite summer activity?!), so if wedding season isn’t in full swing yet – it’s about to be. While we’re preparing ourselves we also want to make sure our Bridechilla’s are too. This week’s Bridechilla™ Tip is made for the brides planning to say ‘I do’ in the next few months. These tips will have you on top of the things most Summer Bridechillas will forget.

PHOTO BY Summer Street Photography

☼ the  B O U T O N N I E R E  –  Order a back-up boutonniere (or two!) for your groom. Since he will be wearing this all day, the florals are apt to wilt a lot quicker. Having a spare will keep his look fresh and chill through a sunny and warm wedding day.

PHOTO BY onelove photography

☼ the  G U E S T S  –  Keep your guests in mind when planning a summer wedding. The day is likely to be hot and sunny, so have something out for them to stay cool with. Either fans, umbrellas, or even pairs of shades for every one!

TOP PHOTO by Catherine Hall Studios, Bottom photo by Jessica Burke Photography

☼ the  D R I N K S  –  Make sure there are plenty of non-alcoholic refreshments! Guests will be trying to stay hydrated, so you don’t want them grabbing cocktails every time they get a little thirsty. A signature of an Off The Beaten Path Wedding, the “Spiked” and “Not Spiked” punch is always the way to go. Also… make sure you and the groom have water bottles handy – you will be talking, dancing, and moving a lot so you will be very thirsty!

photos by Jessica Burke Photography

☼ the  P O R T R A I T S  –  Your photographer may have warned you of this one, but we’re going to tell you anyway. Do NOT schedule your portraits for noon. And if you don’t know what the “magic light” or “magic hour” is, be sure to ask your photographer! At noon, the sun will be at it’s peak and you will definitely be having some harsh shadows ruining your images. So remember to wait later on in the day, around pre-sunset for the most chill photo experience.

PHOTO via the habit of being

☼ the  F A V O R S  –  Don’t forget to use the summer season to your advantage! Our favorite way of sending a chill thank you to your guests is by sending home summer treats as thank you favors. Theses seasonal fruit favors will keep your guests refreshed, and can even be a snack for the ride home. We even have a list of summer fruits for you right here.

Happy planning, Bridechillas!

Be more on top of the Bridechilla Blog by being on our e-mail list! Send your e-mail to gloria@offthebeatenpathweddings.com to be added!

Bridechilla™ Tip #29

Tip #29 – How to be a BRIDECHILLA™ – Keep your wedding party CHILL by taking them on a group bike ride with Napa Valley Bike Tours.

IMAGINE. It’s finally here, the week of your wedding. After all the venue hunting, planning, finding that perfect chalkboard touch you were looking for, deciding on the ultimate floral crown, & even purchasing some very chill bridesmaid gifts, what else is there to do? If you ask us, we’re thinking it’s time to C H I L L. If you’re a California Bridechilla, we suggest a heavy dose of chill  by getting outside, unplugging from our cellphones, and truly enjoying all that wine country has to offer. To make this outdoor experience even more perfect, why not try it on bike? There’s no reason not to take this chance to see Napa Valley from a whole new perspective, especially when our friends at Napa Valley Bike Tours make it so easy.

Napa Valley Bike Tours has hosted numerous wedding groups on private and bespoke guided bike tours; in fact, they’ve even hosted a few of our Bridechillas who have had their Off The Beaten Path Wedding in Napa. Napa Valley Bike Tours hosts bike rides for bachelorette and groomsmen trips, as well as private bike tours for bridal parties and select family members the day before (or even after) the nuptials. Taking one of these tours is the ultimate chill activity that engages everyone in the beautiful destination you’ve chosen for your wedding, while making for a great pre-wedding memory. Let go of that smart phone and try this on for size!

How will you relax on your wedding week? By having a bicycle ride date with your groom-to-be, or by taking the whole party?

So IMAGINE a long adventure through Napa Valley concluding in an outdoor picnic under the shade.. can you say C H I L L? We can’t think of a more relaxing adventure than one that lets us nature, food, and the California sunshine all in one day.

To find out more information about Napa Valley Bike Tours for private bike tours, click here.

All photos provided by Napa Valley Bike Tours

A big THANK YOU to all of our new readers & followers, we are so grateful for each of you! Please don’t forget to stop by our shop sometime and see some other ways  you can wear the chill.

Bridechilla™ Tip #28

Tip #28 – How to be a BRIDECHILLA™ – Stay chill (and we mean literally!) while out there in the Summer sun with our Bridechilla™ cap, “The Emily”.

The sun is shining bright, you’re hydrated, ready to take your cruiser around some gorgeous Napa Valley trails, and the only thing you’re missing is some shade to cover your head and eyes. We suggest you spare yourself that awful scalp sunburn and a hairzilla episode, and put on our Bridechilla™ cap, The Emily. It’s perfectly chill with a vintage touch, what better way to gear up for your adventure than try this hat?

A little about this piece of un-zilla wear: The Emily was named after one of our Bridechillas, Emily who had her Off The Beaten Path Wedding with now husband Matt in Napa in July 2011. The Emily is gently frayed and faded, and manufactured by Alternative Apparel. This perfectly distressed HAT has a been-to-the-front-lines-and-back look with a signature vintage-inspired style and distressed accents. Features pre-curved bill, velcro closure and a contrasting stitched box on the side.

DETAILS: THE EMILY

• Color – Khaki with Tangerine text
• 100% cotton chino twill
• Enzyme washed
• Destroyed accents
• Unisex regular fit
  

Purchase The Emily here. Happy riding!

A big THANK YOU to all of our new readers & followers, we are so grateful for each of you! Please don’t forget to stop by our shop sometime and see some other ways  you can wear the chill.

Bridechilla™ Tip #27

Tip #27 – How to be a BRIDECHILLA™ – Keep calm and hire a planner.

Here are  f i v e  solid reasons to hire a wedding planner and minimize your stress and maximize your chill on your big day.

Reason #1 – You’re newly engaged! At this point of your life you could be finishing up grad school, juggling two jobs, just starting a new one, or you might just have way too much on your plate to even think about taking on planning a wedding. Becoming engaged can come when you least expect it, so it might be hard to prepare for the wedding down the road while trying to maintain your current day-to-day life. But don’t let that be a detriment to your big day! Hire a planner and leave the vendor meetings, invitations, florals, and all that jazz up to them.

Reason #2 – Wedding planners more than likely have great connections with wedding vendors. This can benefit your budget tremendously. Instead of searching through hundreds of centerpieces and wasting hours of your own time, hire a planner to work around your budget and you’ll get the biggest bang for your buck.

Reason #3 – Planning a wedding comes with a lot of decision making. From colors to food, to the order of events to what kind of cake to have. Say you and your groom are butting heads trying to make a decision; having a third opinion (and a knowledgeable one) can save you and your future husband a quarrel and a big conversation. Hire a planner you can trust to help you with these decisions, so that you can both enjoy each other on your chill day.

Reason #4 – Of course wedding planners have TONS of experience with wedding etiquette and how to go about who to invite, who to leave off the guest list, where to seat that crazy uncle, and how to ensure every detail about your chill day goes smoothly and everyone has a great time. Hire a planner to ensure that every thing is done with careful consideration and thoughtfulness.

Reason #5 – Less stress, more fun. Wouldn’t you want some peace of mind on your chill day knowing that everything is being taken care of? Planning an entire wedding on your own might just be the perfect trick to becoming a “bridezilla”. And believe us, no one wants that. Hire a planner to be sure you can focus on being happy and being married.

A big THANK YOU to all of our new readers & followers, we are so grateful for each of you! Please don’t forget to stop by our shop sometime and see how you can wear the chill.