It seems the holidays start earlier and earlier every year, doesn’t it? Why not join in the excitement by throwing an extravagant holiday event of your own? Give friends and family a reason to celebrate in the winter wonderland of Lake Tahoe next year by announcing a holiday-season wedding for 2012. The months of November and December are considered low season at most locations around the Lake as venues gear down from summer before getting ready to gear up for winter… Which means great rates, several lodging options and a quieter resort town setting often reserved just for the locals.

Fall Colors

There’s nothing more romantic than the golden glow offered by aspen trees during the fall season in the High Sierra. Gather with the ones you love in a sweet grove near Fallen Leaf Lake at a rustic chapel or in Hope Valley for an even more romantic and private setting near the Carson River. Be careful though – fall colors disappear just as quickly as they arrive… Typically just a two week window during the month of October.

Winter Wonderland

Imagine walking down the aisle through a snow covered meadow… Or peeking through the windows on a crisp alpine evening as the sun sets over Lake Tahoe. Don a furry shawl to keep your shoulders warm for photos – this sassy new trend is taking the fashion industry by storm, with many department stores offering faux versions for under $100. If you’re lucky enough to have a few inches of snow for your big day, reach out to local sleigh ride companies for a fun twist to the reception by offering guests a chance to go dashing through the snow between dances.

Go Play Outside

While you’re thinking the off season may mean less activity options… Think again! South Lake Tahoe is a local’s dream during the off season and can be yours, too. (Don’t tell anyone I told you!) Many of our regional golf courses offer great rates during the fall and early winter months, mountain biking trails are at some of their best conditions of the entire year with sporadic rain showers and cold nights and then there’s the paddlewheelers… There’s nothing more fantastic than a sunset from the decks of the Tahoe Queen or MS Dixie II during the early winter months.

Add Some Sparkle

Remiss for ideas on decor that reach beyond the typical red and green holiday colors? Add some sparkle. Try a winter white and platinum palate decorated with accents of sparkle… Toss a little bling out onto tables with rhinestones or crystals, hang twinkling accent chandeliers and play up your centerpieces with decorative branches adorned with ribbons or bows. If color is your thing, consider tossing a few hints of deep navy or an electric blue for a fun twist… And if your soon-to-be Mr or Mrs has a fun spirit, try magenta or fuschia on for size. They’re spectacular holiday accents!

Holiday Elopements

There’s still time. Yes, you CAN get married in 2011 at South Lake Tahoe. Your best bet? Contact a local wedding planner who can help you get everything dialed in on short notice, then get ready to say “I Do” with those closest to you.

Get the Drift?

Snow drift, that is? Come on up to South Shore this holiday season to see things for yourself. Check out a few venues, reach out to a few planners and find out why so many locals live for this time of year at Lake Tahoe. We’re sure you’ll be thrilled you did!

There’s no rule that says you have to register for expensive china, pots and pans or housewares. In fact, with so many couples living together before marriage these days, it seems to make sense that registries wouldn’t include these old standards. If you and your soon-to-be-husband or wife find yourself in this same predicament, don’t fret! There are many options out there for registries to suit your life and lifestyle together.

The Honeymoon Registry

Scraping together the pennies to pay for your big day is hard enough. Try financing a honeymoon! Instead of shelling out big bucks of your own, register for your special trip instead. Sites like HoneyFund.com offer couples the perfect venue to select elements of the honeymoon as items for their registry from paddle wheel tours to dinners at four star restaurants, massages to lift tickets and everything in between… Even your hotel and flight!

Take it one step further, and while planning your destination wedding at Lake Tahoe, make a nice long honeymoon out of the event too. Plan to spend a few extra days post-nuptials exploring the lake on a paddle wheeler, take a few runs on the slopes at one of our world famous mountain resorts or explore the high country along the Tahoe Rim Trail… Include these items in your registry and have your friends and family help contribute to the adventures and your first memories as a married couple.

The Wishing Well

Perhaps you have a mixed bag of things you’d love to have to start your new life together – cameras, furniture, appliances… These are all things that can be tossed into your wishing well. Sites like OurWishingWell.com provide registry venues that allow couples to assign dollar values to specific wish list items without necessarily registering for that specific product (i.e. Digital Camera for $400 instead of a brand name, specific camera or Refrigerator for $1000 instead of the actual appliance brand).

Give Back

Create a charitable fund for your wedding registry instead of the traditional laundry list of gifts and goodies. Organizations such as the I Do Foundation (IDoFoundation.com) offer couples the chance to give back to their community through charitable registries. When you register for gifts, you also select a charitable organization to give back to… And the foundation donates a percentage of your total registry value to the organization of your choice.

Other charitable registries are exactly that… Instead of registering for gifts, you ask guests to make a donation to your most cherished organization or cause.

The Bottom Line

Whether you’ve been living together for years or are going the old fashioned route and waiting until marriage, there are several options out there for your wedding registry. If you’ll be moving in together after the wedding, the traditional registry set up might work best for you. But, if you already live together and don’t need much, take our advice and check out some of these creative registry ideas… You’ll be glad you did!

Quality entertainment is key to ensuring a great party and whether you choose a DJ, band or fire dancers, there are several key questions you need to ask before booking. Asking these few, simple, straight-forward questions will give you the details necessary to make the right decision for your big day – and your budget.

Fit and Flair

First and foremost, make sure the person or group you choose suits your personality and the event theme. The music and any performers should tell a story, capture the essence of YOU as a couple and be right for the timing of the evening. If you’ll work with a DJ, plan to go with a format that includes subdued music during the cocktail hour and dinner party and top 100 hits to get the crowd moving during the dance party. If a band is more your style, look for those who offer original music – or a very eclectic spin on covers.

Get What You Want

From flea markets to wedding planning, negotiating is the same across the board. It’s all in how you approach the business or service provider. Work closely with whomever you choose to design play lists, discuss your budget in detail and make clear your stance on requests.

Got Talent?

When it comes down to choosing your performers, verify their talent by asking for a resume and references. Videos are great, so be sure to ask if they have anything on YouTube that you can check out or perhaps they have a DVD they can provide.

Dress the Part

When it comes down the details for the big day, confirm proper attire with your entertainers. If you’re going for a formal theme, make sure the band has access to suits or tuxedos. Ask about any equipment needs – staging, lighting, etc – these are things that most entertainers have in their collection… But if not, you’ll want to be sure to have the appropriate tools available.

The Bottom Line

There’s nothing wrong with being direct with your entertainers. At the end of the day, a DJ or band can truly make or break your event. Be sure to hire someone that will work with you, offers a dose of creativity and fits your budget. Follow these simple steps and you’re sure to be dancing the night away!

Goblins and ghosts and… Weddings? Oh my! Adventurous couples unafraid of the spooky connotations of this holiday celebrated nuptials over the weekend. Considering a festive wedding for 2012? We’ve got a few treats to pack your special day with all the right tricks.

Haunted Mansion

Finding the right venue can make or break this theme. When searching for the perfect Haunted Mansion for your Lake Tahoe wedding, turn to the experts. Lake-front private estates work beautifully for smaller events while larger venues such as golf courses or mountain resorts can accommodate guest lists in the triple digits. Local real estate aficionados can help with the estate side of things while your planner can assist with finding larger venues.

‘Till Death Do Us Part

Those five simple words might be part of your vows… Why not make them part of the over all theme? Invite guests to dress the part by making it a costume affair. Incorporate a bit of the “ball and chain” humor with decor selections that echo the holiday traditions. Black chandeliers, plenty of candles and autumn branches make perfect accents. Find inspiration in the mountain meadows surrounding Tahoe and in the Sierra Foothills – Halloween is almost perfect timing for fall colors with aspens and other deciduous trees changing for the season typically in mid to late October.

Attempting to find the right palate without going overboard on the fall colors? Make it a black tie affair. Capitalize on the essential colors of Halloween – black and orange – but add your own twist like accents of lavender or fuchsia to liven things up a bit.

Trick or Treat!

Offer your guests the opportunity to relive childhood memories with a trick or treat session during cocktail hour. Start things off right with signature cocktails echoing the festive theme such as Witches Brew (red wine-based sangria) before turning your ghoulish guests loose on the candy bar. Work with your coordinator or a rental company to select decorative glassware, then choose candy like that which you might find in cauldrons on the doorsteps of your neighborhood on Fright Night… Lemon Heads, Jawbreakers and gummy worms (among many other favorites) can be found through online suppliers or at bulk bin shops.

Looking for the perfect theme-specific cake topper? Try this Jack Skellington version – available on Etsy.com – to bring your dessert table into the spooktacular realm.

Do the Monster Mash!

While many brides are often fearful of themed events or holiday parties, don’t be. The photos will be fabulous and stories will live on for years to come.

Choosing the right invitation for your special day ranks right up there with centerpieces and color schemes. The perfect event stationery should be a reflection not just of you and your soon-to-be-hubby’s personalities, but should also be a “sneak peek” into the big day. From invitation colors to verbiage and even the feel of the paper, the devil is definitely in the details. In this week’s post, we’ll offer a few quick suggestions that should help you deliver the right message about what to expect on this tremendous occasion.

Style, Texture and Color

The first impression delivered when guests receive your invites in the mail will be the overall look and feel of the invitation. The weight of the paper in hand, the texture of the invite, and the colors involved in any graphics or art on the card. If you’re planning a formal affair, simple is always best. Choose an invite that has a heavy paper weight, smooth card stock and classic colors such as black and white or ivory. Looking forward to a garden party or casual event? Aim for color. Choose invites with colors that echo your overall scheme and fonts that let your personality shine through.

Verbiage

Whether you choose to go traditional or contemporary, there are a dozen ways to deliver the “please join us” message. To make sure you choose the right wording, we highly recommend consulting your wedding planner or stationery provider for the best advice. Before you pick up the phone, consider what you might like to see on the invite in terms of who’s hosting the event, time, date and the location.

Say Cheese!

A photo card can be a fun way to send a holiday greeting but is best avoided when it comes to wedding invitations. Your formal invitation should be just that – a formal invitation. That’s not to say, however, that you should avoid photos in the stationery process all together… Save the Dates are perfectly suitable for a photo card and can be quite fun when designed with one of your engagement pictures.

Matchy-Matchy

While many invitation companies out there offer full suites of invitations with everything from Save the Dates to Thank You Notes (and even place cards), it’s not set in stone that everything surrounding your wedding has to match. If you just can’t decide between the top two or three suites, choose an element from each one. Perhaps your Save the Date is a photo invite… Your rehearsal dinner invitation is fun and colorful… And your formal invitation is just that – a formal invitation. Mix it up! Have fun with your invites and don’t worry about getting too matchy-matchy. Our only word of caution: make sure that your selections at least complement each other whether it’s in color, font or overall theme… This will ensure guests can see a connection from one event to the next and won’t be confused by a hodge podge of stationery.

So, when it comes to your invitations make sure to have some fun. Choose something that reflects your personality and style, the event theme and communicates the message in the appropriate language. Good luck and have fun!

It’s not merely about the dress you’ve chosen, the style of your hair, or the makeup artist’s reflection of your inner beauty… It’s about elegance from the time of your arrival at the ceremony through your final goodbyes at the end of the evening. Follow a few simple guidelines including those outlined below and you’ll leave guests talking about the timeless elegance of your day for years to come.

Timing is Everything

Remember that your day is as much about those you’ve chosen to share it with as it is about you and your beau. Adhere to the established timeline – don’t keep guests waiting more than 15 minutes after the printed ceremony time on your invitations.

Keep them Comfortable

If weather forecasts are calling for a warm afternoon with plenty of sunshine, rejoice! And then contact your venue to request umbrellas or another shade cover for the ceremony site and any other outdoor venues. If forecasts are trending the other way and are calling for a bit of a Fall chill in the air, make the request for heat lamps or fire bowls.

Something for Everyone

Be mindful of the variety of special diets your guests might be following from vegan to gluten free. While you and your beau may be strictly vegan – or perhaps you love a petit filet – your guests might not be on the same page. Offer something for everyone on the menu: red meat, poultry and seafood are common selections. Most venues and caterers will also offer vegetarian options upon request.

Indulge

You’ve worked hard to prepare for the big day, so it’s perfectly fine if you want to relax and celebrate with your friends and family. But be wary of anything in excess… Too much of a good thing can often lead to regret in the morning whether it’s food, drink or even dancing. Be sure to drink plenty of water, enjoy small bites from the various options (including the dessert bar, of course) and bring along a pair of back up shoes to ensure you can dance the night away without fear of blisters.

Stay true to yourself and enjoy this tremendous occasion. With the perfect balance of elegance and reverie, it will most certainly be a day you (and your guests) won’t soon forget.

A wedding allows you to tell your story…through your colors, choice of venue, the people who stand beside you as you exchange vows. The first dance, another time-honored tradition, gives family and friends another glimpse into who you are as a couple, whether traditionalists, moved by sentiment, or perhaps a couple who share an unshakable sense of humor.

My favorite “first dance” was not my own. It belongs to my friends Ben and Kelly, affectionately known as “Belly.”  They choreographed a hilarious dance, full of dips and lifts, to Loveryboy’s “Everybody’s Working for the Weekend.” We spoke with South Lake Tahoe choreographer, Marcia Sarosik of Marcia Sarosik Dancers, about her 30 years of experience teaching dance to newlyweds.

Marcia, are choreographed first wedding dances something new or have couples been seeking “professional help” for years?

I’ve been teaching wedding dances for at least 15 years…. Got a call out of the blue many years ago asking if I could teach a couple how to dance for their wedding. I’ve since taught their kids in our children’s dance classes.

Seems like compatibility is key for any “first dance.” Chemistry between the couple is there. How important is chemistry with you?

I tell couples “if you want Dancing with the Stars” go to a ballroom studio for a lot of lessons. If you want to look comfortable and have a dance that fits the two of you, I may be what you’re looking for.

Do most couples have a “song”?

About 60% to 70% have a song. I ask couples how they met, who they listen to; perhaps there’s a song that may be special to their parents. By the time I meet with couples, they usually have a song and often bring a few ideas with them. I work with couples to determine which song is better to dance to.

For couples without a specific song, how do you guide them on the type of mood they want to evoke with their dance – romantic, traditional, hysterical?

It’s all about fitting the steps and style to the couple and the song. While dance styles vary, most fall into the modified fox trot, modified tango genre, modified waltz. I’ve even taught swing and country western.

How many times do you meet with the couple before the “big day”?

Most couples come twice, some only have time for one session. Others come as many as four to six times. Couples often think they will come more often but they get so busy that I really try to get a lot done in the first session.

Is stage fright ever an issue?

Those who have that fear have already overcome part of it by coming in to learn. I work really hard to put couples at ease so they aren’t more nervous on a day that already has so much going on.

I usually edit the song down. If you watch professional dancers, their dances are typically not long. So when a couple brings me a five minute song, I talk them through the importance of making it a comfortable length for them and the crowd. All of my couples appreciate this.

For me, a couple has to be able to look into each others eyes with that special look. The steps are secondary.

Are there any first dances that have stood out over the years?

Many stand out. One couple did the tango from “Scent of a Woman.” I had a couple who danced to “Can I Have This Dance” from Urban Cowboy. Had a wonderful couple who danced the cha-cha at their wedding in San Francisco.

To speak with Marcia about dance lessons, email marciasarosikdance@sbcglobal.net or call 530-541-7211.