Something 2 Dance 2 enjoys Wedding tasting at Hotel Baker
Posted by Tamara Sims | Filed under Wedding Reception Ideas, Wedding Resources, Wedding Venues
Photographer Alex Claney captured this beautiful shot from Hotel Baker’s balcony
It was a gloomy day on Sunday, but inside the Rainbow Room at Hotel Baker was brightly filled with brides and grooms planning their 2013 weddings.
The beautifully lit dance floor was filled with gorgeous displays by Town & Country Gardens and Park Place Interiors.
Lovely floral display from Jamie and her team at Town & Country Gardens
The Waterfront room was filled with the smells of delicious sweets from Oak Mill Bakery and Kernel’s Gourmet Popcorn of Geneva. Hotel Baker also provided a gelato bar with yummy toppings and Lou Malnati’s provided late night pizza snacks for our brides & grooms. Alex Claney Photography took amazing photos throughout the day to capture the event and kept our team at Something 2 Dance 2 DJ Entertainment company for the day!
Gorgeous Wedding Cake from Oak Mill Bakery
Tags: Alex Claney Photography, Hotel Baker, Kernels, Lou Malnati's, Oak Mill Bakery, Park Place Interiors., Something 2 Dance 2 Chicago Wedding DJ, Town & Country Gardens
2013 Wedding Trends
Posted by Tamara Sims | Filed under News and Updates, Wedding Reception Ideas, Wedding Resources
Dancing the night away! A fun 2012, wedding captured by Colin Lyons Photography
Hello 2013! For those of you planning a wedding I always think it is so important to put your own personal stamp on the day. Be creative, have fun and be yourself. With that being said, I hope you will enjoy taking inspiration from a few of my favorite wedding ideas.
Spotlight your Heritage: Cocktail Hour is a great time to celebrate family traditions with music, food and cocktails. An Italian wedding may include Sinatra and Tony Bennett music while guests enjoy mini bruschetta, toasted ravioli, risotto balls and good Italian wine.
Glam is here to stay! Wedding decor has become more sophisticated by incorporating crystals, luxurious fabric textures and sparkling chandeliers. Our Elegant Event Lighting team has been seeing this trend more and more frequently. One of my favorite designs from 2012, include our bride and groom Samone & James getting married under one of our custom canopy drapes complete with our crystal chandelier.
James & Samone’s beautiful Ceremony at Hotel Baker captured by Just Love Me Photography
Small Dessert Bites: Many of our brides are opting for a smaller traditional wedding cake surrounded by mini desserts. How fun for your guests to taste your favorite treats from childhood! Chocolate Chip Cookies, Banana Pudding and Chocolate Eclair Cake are some of my favorites; I would have loved to have shared these treats with my guests at our wedding 15 years ago.
Lots of yummy mini desserts!
Stay tuned for more ideas next week….
Tags: Elegant Event Lighting, Hotel Baker, Just Love Me Photography
Hotel Baker Pretty in Pink!
Posted by Tamara Sims | Filed under Wedding Reception Ideas, Wedding Resources, Wedding Venues
Pretty in Pink at Hotel Baker's Rainbow Room
Our team at Something 2 Dance 2 & Elegant Event Lighting were “tickled pink” to be a part of Samone & James July 14, wedding at the beautiful Hotel Baker in St. Charles. When I first met Samone & James and their family I knew this wedding was going to be special and unforgettable. There was so much love between them. Samone & James had a clear vision of their wedding day adding many personal touches, including being married by her Uncle Clinton under a beautiful canopy complete with a crystal chandelier designed by Elegant Event Lighting and adorned with gorgeous pink flowers from Anton and his team at Town & Country Gardens.
James & Samone's beautiful Ceremony at Hotel Baker
Samone continued her pink theme throughout the wedding with the most amazing pink chair covers, light pink uplighting, gorgeous pink bridesmaid dresses, and an all pink candy buffet!
Samone & James’ magical evening was captured by Just Love Me Photography who also created the most amazing table photos of Samone & James at beautiful locations throughout the city. My favorite is their engagement photo in front of the Arcada Theatre in St. Charles where owner Ron Onesti posted on the marquee “Save The Date” 7-14-2012, in honor of their special day!
Thank you Samone & James for sharing your special day with us! And a huge thank you to Hotel Baker, Town & Country Gardens, Elegant Event Lighting, and Just Love Me Photography who were the absolute dream team!
- My favorite photos of Samone & James at the Arcada Theatre captured by the amazing Jessi Cabanin of Just Love Me Photography!
Tags: Arcada Theatre, Elegant Event Lighting, Hotel Baker, Jessi Cabanin, Just Love Me Photography, Something 2 Dance 2 Chicago Wedding DJ, Town & Country Gardens
Think Pink for Summer Weddings!
Posted by Tamara Sims | Filed under News and Updates, Wedding Reception Ideas, Wedding Resources, Wedding Venues
Beautiful Raspberry, Rose and Pewter tablescape from The Elegant Petal
It’s summer wedding season and I cannot think of a better color to celebrate the season than pink. So many of our brides have adorned there bridesmaids, flowers and tables in these beautiful hues…from watermelon and raspberry to fuschia and rose, Pink is one HOT wedding color!
I thought it would be fun to share some beautiful pink floral designs from a recent event we did at the historic Hotel Baker in St. Charles. Floral Designer Casey Murdough owner of The Elegant Petal enhanced her table with vibrant purple roses, baby pink hydrangeas and a luxurious raspberry table runner with matching chair covers to complete the look. Jennie Polloway with Elizabeth Wray Design also took inspiration from a bright pink color palette in her tall centerpieces featuring gorgeous fuschia peonies & garden roses, berry orchids and lime green hydrangeas.
And for all of my brides who are still looking for the perfect scent for their wedding day…my favorite this summer is Pink Chiffon from Bath & Body Works…I was told by Casey & Jennie that I smelled like cotton candy, which in my mind is never a bad thing! I think I will make it our Something 2 Dance 2 signature scent!
Elizabeth Wray Design takes the color pink to a new level!
Tags: Bath & Body Works, Elegant Petal, Elizabeth Wray Design, Hotel Baker, Something 2 Dance 2
Hotel Baker Wedding Showcase
Posted by Tamara Sims | Filed under Wedding Reception Ideas, Wedding Resources, Wedding Venues
Beautiful vintage design and custom chair covers by The Elegant Petal
If you are looking for a unique venue to hold your wedding reception the historic Hotel Baker in St. Charles will exceed all of your expectations.
We had the pleasure on Sunday to showcase Something 2 Dance 2 and Elegant Event Lighting at Hotel Baker‘s Wedding Tasting & Showcase. Over 40 brides attended along with amazing vendors from the Fox Valley including The Elegant Petal, Elizabeth Wray Design, Town & Country Gardens, Wallflower Designs, Alex Claney Photography, Oak Mill Bakery, Cold Stone Creamery, Lou Malnati’s Pizza, and many more
Hotel Baker is definitely a hidden gem in the Fox Valley!
2012's hot color Tangerine Tango! Design by The Elegant Petal.
Elizabeth Wray Design Inspiration Table
Tags: Alex Claney Photography, Elegant Event Lighting, Elizabeth Wray Design, Hotel Baker, Something 2 Dance 2, The Elegant Petal, Town & Country Flowers
Hotel Baker hosts St. Charles Chamber Event
Posted by Tamara Sims | Filed under News and Updates, Wedding Venues
Hotel Baker & Rox City Grill Executive Chef David Hassan creating made to order Crabcakes
Another beautiful evening of networking for the St. Charles Chamber Women’s Business Council took place on Thursday July 28, in the lovely Waterfront Room overlooking the Fox River at Historic Hotel Baker. Over 50 guests were treated to a delicious menu prepared by Hotel Baker & Rox City Grill Executive Chef David Hassan which included made to order crab cakes, avocado spring rolls, beef tenderloin sliders, and homemade hummus and pita. And we cannot forget about the hundreds of decadent miniature desserts that were definitely enjoyed by all!
The friendly staff at Hotel Baker always makes their guests feel welcome from the moment you walk in the door. The food, ambience, and gorgeous views are perfect for weddings, showers, rehearsal dinners, and corporate events. For the bride who is looking for the perfect venue in the Fox Valley, take the time to visit this historic landmark. The wedding venue of your dreams is right here at Hotel Baker!
Delicious treats at Hotel Baker!
Tags: Chef David Hassan, Hotel Baker, Rox City Grill, St. Charles Chamber of Commerce
Beautiful Hotel Baker
Posted by Tamara Sims | Filed under Wedding Reception Ideas, Wedding Venues
Angie & Jason under the gorgeous Chuppah at Hotel Baker
On June 18, we had the pleasure of providing both Ceremony & Reception Services for Angie & Jason’s wedding celebration at the beautiful historic Hotel Baker in St. Charles.
Photographer Alex Claney took some amazing shots of the Chuppah provided by our sister company Elegant Event Lighting along with the gorgeous flowers designed by Casey Murdough of The Elegant Petal.
It was a pleasure working with such professionals to create an unforgettable wedding for Angie & Jason’s family and friends. They will definitely have amazing memories to last a lifetime!
The Perfect Kiss!
Hotel Baker's Waterfront Room with Leaf Pattern Projection design by Elegant Event Lighting
Tags: Alex Claney Photography, Elegant Event Lighting, Hotel Baker, The Elegant Petal
Chicago Wedding Photography: Spotlight with Alex Claney Photography
Posted by Tamara Sims | Filed under Wedding Resources
The beautiful Hotel Baker photographed by Alex Claney Photography
Wedding season and warm weather are just around the corner, so for all of you brides and grooms who are still in need of photography for your big day, please enjoy this vendor spotlight with Alex Claney Photography. Something 2 Dance 2 has worked with Alex and his team for over 5 years and he has captured thousands of memorable moments for our brides and grooms.
Tell me about your business: We have been in business for over 20 years. Even in these tough economic times, Alex Claney Photography has continued to maintain the quality wedding photography standards we believe in.
The discount photographers have a place in this industry. However, our main focus is the bride and groom who want a complete photography package that includes personal service, a personable full-time professional photographer and an album that they will be excited about for many years to come.
Where is your business located? We are located in downtown St. Charles. The studio is conveniently situated three blocks south of North Ave on Route 31. We have been in the Fox Valley area for 18 years.
What type of event makes up most of your business? The main focus of our studio’s business is weddings. As wedding and event photography primarily happens on the weekends, another large part of our business comes from the commercial photography market. Our studio is large enough to photograph everything from a car to small table top items for catalogs. We spend a large amount of time traveling and photographing sales meeting for a couple of clients but it’s always great to get to the weekend and photograph a fun wedding party!
What other services can you offer? The digital revolution has allowed us to offer several interesting products to our clients. We have an event imaging system—essentially a photo booth with a photographer. Another option is to create a green screen background that matches the theme of your event. Some of the themes we have done include a tropical beach, Tuscan wine vineyard and the deck of a pirate ship.
What sets your company apart from other Photographers? What sets Alex Claney Photography apart from other photographers is the size of our business. We are large enough to have a physical studio and work full-time doing photography. Yet, we are small enough to provide the personal customer care that our clients are looking for and deserve. We want to get to know our clients so that they get the type of photographs that they want. In addition, we also have a full-time graphic designer on staff. That allows us to create custom, one-of-a-kind wedding albums for our brides and grooms. We don’t send out the design work. Our clients talk directly to the designer, are kept in the loop and get to approve every step of the project. That way, there are no miscommunications and the client always gets the wedding album of their dreams.
Do you have a favorite location where you like to shoot? We love photographing at the charming Hotel Baker here in St. Charles. There are many beautiful locations both inside and out of the hotel that make a perfect backdrop for photos. Also, having been in business in St. Charles for so long, we know many unique picturesque places for shooting photos that photographers from outside the area are not aware of.
What are some 2011 Photography Trends? In 2011, I expect to see the “photojournalistic” trend to be not quite so prevalent. I have found that clients like the casual fun photos that you get but they are finding that the smiling looking at the camera photographs have been missing from the mix. Mom still wants to see the Bride and Groom smiling and posing. The photojournalistic photos are definitely necessary, but the posed images are making a return with an updated contemporary feel.
If you only had 1 song on your I-Pod what would it be? I guess it would be Israel Kamakawiwo’ole, IZ, Somewhere Over The Rainbow, I’m a sap – I love his version.
To learn more about Alex Claney Photography please visit their website: www.alexclaneyphoto.com
Tags: Alex Claney Photography, Hotel Baker, Something 2 Dance 2
2011 Floral Trends with The Elegant Petal
Posted by Tamara Sims | Filed under Wedding Resources
A beautiful Floral Centerpiece and Table created by The Elegant Petal
Our team at Something 2 Dance 2 has had the pleasure of working with Casey Murdough of The Elegant Petal numerous times over the years and we recently attended Hotel Baker’s Wedding Showcase together where Casey provided gorgeous floral arrangements and table decor. We sat down with Casey to learn more about her flowering business and the hottest 2011 floral trends.
Tell me about you and your business: Casey Murdough, owner and Lead Designer of The Elegant Petal in St. Charles, IL. We are an event florist, dedicated to Weddings!
What services does your company offer? As wedding specialists, we provide to our brides a wide range of design services, including decor rentals, like linens and chairs, as well as other elements such as unique containers, printed materials and favors. Eco-friendly operation is another important aspect to my business, and very near to my heart, so we strive towards green practices wherever possible. Not only do we provide “Green Weddings” options, we look to be a environmentally-friendly vendor across the board, always with an eye toward energy-efficiency, local and sustainable product and recycling/composting procedures wherever practical.
Tell me about any additional services you can offer our Brides: Our signature Concierge wedding service includes hand-delivery of bouquets and professional placement of personal flowers, onsite design service and custom event coordination, individualized per each client’s requirements. We also provide clients with visual previews of their flowers in advance of the event, as they are created – a favorite feature among our brides!
What flowers do you Love? Romantic, old-fashioned blooms, especially ones with fragrance: garden roses, peonies, hydrangeas, sweet peas and violets. One of my recent favorites is a gorgeous, spiral-opening rose in a blush-sandy shade called Quicksand.
Tell us about some 2011 Floral Trends: This year, I think we’re going to see a continuation of the rich, saturated tones that started to come into popularity toward the end of last year, but with a feminine, romantic feel. Deep amythysts and plums, paired with raspberries, aquamarines or even indigo is trending as the hot color palette. Fitting beautifully into this mix is the “IT” color of 2011, honeysuckle pink, a rich, deep rosy shade. Some popular blooms in these hues? Malay orchids, anemones, hydrangeas, dahlias, peonies and new varieties of clematis, anthurium and even hybrid carnations are making a comeback!
What is your favorite color? The softest blush champagne.
What song do you live by? Hmm, a toughy, but probably the Mozart Requiem, ok, that’s technically a few songs, but still, one of the most glorious compositions ever.
To learn more 2011 Floral Trends with Casey and The Elegant Petal, please visit her amazing website: www.elegantpetal.com
Tags: 2011 Floral Trends, Hotel Baker, Something 2 Dance 2, The Elegant Petal
Chicago Wedding Florist: Elizabeth Wray Design
Posted by Tamara Sims | Filed under Wedding Resources
A beautiful table created by Elizabeth Wray Design
We have had the pleasure of working with Elizabeth Wray Design over the years and were excited to be side by side with her beautiful floral creations and table designs at The Hotel Baker Wedding Showcase. We sat down with Elizabeth Wray and Jennie Polloway to learn more about their business.
Tell me about your business Elizabeth Wray Design-Wedding and Event Florist and Wedding Planner located in the beautiful town of Geneva, IL.
What services does your company offer? Our creative design team will collaborate with you and help pull together all of your wedding flower ideas. We also provide full delivery and set up service for all of our weddings. This is our way of taking care of you, by taking care of the details…all of your wedding flowers and decor elements.
What additional services do you offer? We also offer décor rental, full event planning or week of planning services, printed materials including menus, invitations, place cards, etc.
What type of event makes up most of your business? Weddings have been our passion since 1992!
What are some of your favorite flowers? Parrot Tulips, Ranunculus, and Hyacinth.
How about your favorite color? Honeysuckle
What are some 2011 Floral Trends? Even though there is still snow on the ground…we at Elizabeth Wray Design are thinking Spring! Pantone has announced their 2011 color pick…honeysuckle! We love this bright red/pink shade for spring, and best of all…there are many spring flowers that come in a honeysuckle hue.
You can visit Elizabeth Wray Design’s lovely showroom at 15 West State Street, Suite B in Geneva, IL. For even more floral inspiration check out their website: www.elizabethwraydesign.com
A creative table setting by Elizabeth Wray Design
Tags: Elizabeth Wray Design, Hotel Baker
