Happy Memorial Day!

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We here at We've Got It! Chicago want to wish you all a very happy Memorial Day.  We hope your days is filled with pride and happiness and lots of loved ones as we remember those who have served our country to protect our freedoms!  Thank you to all of the men and women who have put their lives at risk for us.

And we'd like to wish a special thank you to our good friends who are serving in Afghanistan right now.  (You know who you are!)  We wish you a safe and speedy return home.  You're in our thoughts daily!

Green Giving!

I love giving gifts almost as much as I love receiving them. But you know what's even better? Giving TWO gifts in one!  Olive Designs has just made it even easier to just that. And the best part: it's eco-friendly.  You have to check out their amazing reusable tote bag line. Here's the specs, in their own words:

• reusable
• 100% recyclable polypropylene
• extremely durable
• cool wash / air dry instantly
• breathable
• naturally mildew resistant
• lightweight
• fair labor manufactured
• excellent quality

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And they're cute too!  Giving gifts never looked so good! They offer an everyday gift line, holiday bags and wedding bags, which are perfect for favors or bridal party gifts or welcome bags for out-of-town guests.  The bags are affordable and adorable, so head over to their website to check out all they have to offer! And while you're there, check out their eco-kits, which come with ribbon and tulle in addition to the bags for a perfectly cute and green way to spice up your gifting!

The Color Purple

I have to admit, I'm a little biased today because purple is my all-time favorite color.  I love the diversity of the color. It can be warm and romantic, cool and sophisticated, even playful and childlike.  Purple has always held a special place in my heart. So without further ado, here's some of our favorite purple inspiration for your big day.

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Need help coming up with the perfect color scheme for your wedding?  Email us at info@wevegotitchicago.com to see how we can help!

Make It Yours Monday: Favorable Favors

I recently saw this idea over on Offbeat Bride, and I immediately love love loved it!  We're always looking for great new favor ideas, especially those that are personal and green. Well, this one fits the bill on both accounts.  Why not give favors as favors?! That's exactly what one Offbeat Bride did.

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What's not to love about this idea?  Each favor is hand-selected from the heart. It's definitely eco-friendly.  There's no wasteful manufacturing of bubbles or boxes of goodies or other plastic "crap" that will surely get tossed in the trash at some point.  And it's customizable. The favors can be printed on beautiful recycled paper that matches your wedding decor, the favor you're offering or the recipient. 

But the most unique part is the favor you're offering. When coming up with a favor, be sure to consider:

• Will you be able to (and happy about) following through with the offer?
• Are you offering a favor that the recipient will enjoy or that you want to give?
• Will the favor sustain over time?
• How much time and money will be required to fill the offer?
• What special skills/talents/resources do you have that you can offer?

And of coure we wanted to help you out with a list of our favorite favors to offer to your friends. Here's a list that we brainstormed, but the possibilities are as endless as your imagination.

• pet-sitting
• a home-made dessert
• help with a DIY project
• designated driver for a night
• home cooked dinner
• shopping buddy
• one-on-one lesson on a skill you have
• moving help
• wrapping holiday presents
• washing/detailing the car

When getting creative with unique favors like this, the key is to really tap into your personal resources. So have fun, get creative and reap the benefits of giving your loved ones truly favorable favors!

Need help with favors or other areas of your big day? Email us at info@wevegotitchicago.com to see how we can help!

I Do! Chicago Ties the Knot!

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This weekend the Chicago History Museum celebrates wedding styles through the decades in the Windy City with I Do! Chicago Ties the Knot!  The event takes place on Saturday, May 22nd and opens to the public at noon. Here's a brief description of the event from the website:

The Museum's vast costume collection includes a stunning array of wedding attire—for brides, grooms, bridesmaids, and more—that reveals 150 years of fashion favored by Chicago couples. I Do presents forty-five dresses, plus accessories, corsets, men’s attire, and—after June 24—the winning dress of the FashioNext competition.

For more information on the exhibit, check out the website.

Get the Blues!

Here at We've Got It! Chicago, we have the blues big time. But don't worry, this feeling is far from depressing. We're loving all the beautiful blue inspiration we've found for your big day.  Again, blue is one of those colors that can work for so many types of occasions.  Icy tones can be used for a frosty, but warm winter affair or bright playful hues are perfect for mid-summer fetes.  Cool turqoise is great for a beachy party or an elegant Breakfast at Tiffany's inspired wedding.  Check out these idea boards . . . hopefully you'll get the blues too!

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So what about you? Have you considered one of the many hues of blue for your big event?  Need help settling on a color?  Email us at info@wevegotitchciago.com to see how we can help.

Is an Event Planner Worth the Money?

As a planner, that's something I hear a lot.  The answer is yes, but I bet you were expecting that.  But instead of just saying yes, I'd like to tell you a story from my wedding day. 

Being a planner myself, I scoffed at the idea of hiring one for my wedding. I planned everything, and everything was going smoothly until we arrived at the ceremony site and saw the flowers.  The florist I had been working with for months decided to quit on the morning of my wedding, so his associates scrambled to interpret his notes and do the best they could. The flowers, while not what I ordered, were lovely and usable. However, the ribbon binding them was not. It was gaudy and did not match the flowers or the motif of the wedding. A change had to be made quickly. 

Beautiful . . . but not what I ordered.

[photo by Amantez Photography]

By that time of the day, the florist's shop had already closed. I had ribbon at my house that would work, so I asked one of my bridesmaids to go and pick it up for me.  She agreed and we fixed the bouquets just in time.  Everything did work out for me, but not the way it should have. 

So how would it have been different if I'd hired an event planner?  Well, for one, the whole problem would have been avoided because a planner would have been at the ceremony site when the flowers arrived hours before I did. She would have seen the error and had it corrected before the florist closed shop for the day.  Or if ribbon needed to be fetched from my house last-minute, she could have sent an assistant or gone herself so my bridesmaid could have spent time relaxing with me.

The bottom line is, an event planner is like insurance. You may never get in a car accident, but it's worth it to know that you have protection if you do.  It's piece of mind.  Your day may be perfect (and not just in your eyes), but if something does go wrong, a planner is there to fix it so you can enjoy the event.

If you have a question about how an event planner can help make your event run smoothly, email us at info@wevegotitchicago.com. We're happy to help. 

Tulips on the Magnificent Mile!

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If you haven't made it down to the Magnificent Mile lately, you only have a couple weeks left to check out the beautiful Tulips in bloom.  This amazing annual event livens up Chicago just as spring is arriving. It's breath-taking to see all the beautiful blossoms in an array of colors. And there's several Tulip-themed events planned for the month. Check out the official website for more information.

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Through this weekend only, you can check out the floral carpet, a true site to see! Or visit the Floral market, open every Thursday-Sunday for the rest of the month.

Green with Envy!

Green is one of those colors that keeps coming back as a popular choice for events.  It's a versatile color that can invoke images of lively playfulness or calm serenity. It's sharp and fresh and perfect for your next party. Check out somo of the beautiful idea boards we've found below.  Thinking about going green for your next fete?  Try some of these ideas and make your friends green with envy!

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So there you have it: five amazing ways to make your guests green with envy!  If you're thinking about going green, but need some help, email us at info@wevegotitchicago.com to see how we can help make your next big event a success!

It Was All Yellow

The whole time I was searching for yellow inspiration boards, I had Yellow by Coldplay stuck in my head. It's such a pretty song, and yellow is such a pretty color for your next event. It can be grown up and sophisticated or it can be youthful and fun. Whatever incarnation of yellow you opt for, it's sure to be a bright and cheery success!

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Have you used yellow in your special events? Are you thinking about going with the color of sunshine?  Need help visualizing it? Email us at info@wevegotitchicago.com to see how we can help!