Affinity Weddings Woodlands - The Ceremony and Reception Issue

Woodlands

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Sendo in Style

Farewells

You’re Sure to Love

3 Tips for Finding a Good Makeup Artist

BUZZ-WORTHY

TEXAS FOODS

FIND YOUR PERFECT WEDDING FASHION WITH SHOW HOST,

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CONTRIBUTOR PAGE

Christina Marden

Amanda Herrera

Ashley Peters

Madeleine Caldwell

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Table of Contents Meet the Team 6 Letter from the Editor 7 Buzz-worthy Texas Foods 8 Weddings and Wines 9 3 Tips for finding a good Make-up Artist 12 Choosing Your First Dance 13 8 Tips for the Best Frail Hair Trial 14 Once Upon a Hunter Green Dream 16 For the Groom: Bow-ties 25 How to Pick the Perfect Hair & Makeup Team 27 Must-Have Photos 28 Reception Getaways 30

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MEET THE TEAM Bailey Jordan

Jamilah Robinson

CEO

President

Editor

Miguel Clement

Canton Carr

Graphic Design

Ridhoh Sayfuddin

Lilis Rukmi

Production

Hannah Joseph-Alvarado

Keisha Ash

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A Letter from the Editor To our readers: This inspiring issue focuses on Ceremonies & Receptions with a spotlight on our most recent photo shoot at the Morgan Falls Event Center! With a hunter green fairytale wedding accenting a stunning venue that feels like fantasy, this shoot highlights that magical moment between love and jubilee that’s accentuated by gorgeous locales such as Morgan Falls! We know nding the perfect styling artists can be a challenge, so we’ve included some help on those, too.

We have quite a number of upcoming shows for Afnity TV, I hope you’ll nd one that speaks to you. Download our FireStick app to catch all the latest shows and those that are coming soon!

Sincerely,

Miguel Clement Afnity Weddings Magazine

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BUZZ-WORTHY

TEXAS FOODS

by Danielle Hathcoat

Everything is bigger and better in Texas, including the food! Everyone who lives in Texas knows the food is anything but boring, so why is our wedding food still boring?

These are ve foods Texas is known for that are denitely wedding worthy.

1.Chicken. Fried. Steak. Does more really need to be said? The numbers of people who don’t enjoy a good-sized piece of beef breaded and fried to golden perfection are few and far between. The only thing that makes a chicken fried steak better? Mashed potatoes and gravy. Now that is food.

2.Chips and Salsa…and queso, too.

Texans consume more chips with salsa and chips with queso than any other U.S. inhabitant. This food is a staple. There is not much more satisfying than liquid gold mixed with the crunch of a fresh tortilla chip. Are you craving it yet?

3.Barbecue. Any kind of meat that is barbecued Texas style is absolutely mouth watering. Whether it’s ribs falling off the bone, tender spice-rubbed brisket, or a satisfying piece of sausage, Texas does barbecue best. Don’t forget the sides! A plate of sweet Texas barbecued meat always comes with a side of ranch-style beans and potato salad.

4.Chili. A warm bowl of chili is done differently in Texas than in other states. While others add some sweeter spices to their chili, Texans add spices with a kick. Ground beef meets tomato sauce meets fragrant spices meets chili peppers? Oh yeah. Texas is so into chili, that many places around Texas hold chili cook offs. Add some friendly competition to your wedding by having guests enter in a chili cook off to be judged at your wedding reception!

5.Blue Bell Ice Cream. Is there any other brand? To Texans the answer is no. With 66 avors to choose from, this frozen delight pleases many. Don’t be afraid to host an ice cream social wedding reception!

Texas is known for many things, and at the top of that list is food. Texas food will rarely disappoint.

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WEDDINGS AND WINES 101

“What will we drink?”

These are four little words, and a million ways to impress or disappoint your guests on your wedding day. In my experience choosing what alcoholic beverages (if any) to serve at the reception scares many couples, and can lead to anxiety that does not need to exist. The flowers may clash with the place settings, your new mother in law may complain about every menu choice, and you may even regret the retro DJ, but you should never regret the wine or beer.

Here are a few simple questions I ask couples to remember when you sit down to choose service options. > Where are you serving?

While many event centers allow you to choose what to bring in, who the caterer is, and where to set up, there are some sites that have their own bar service. Be mindful that your options may be limited if the reception is somewhere like this, but also be aware if you may have to provide your own set up. > Who is serving?

Does the caterer provide TABC certified bar staff or do you have to contact another agency? Many event centers require you to have a certified bar staff if they do not provide their own, and different sites may even have limitations on who can be staff. For instance, many places may not allow you to pick friends or family to serve unless they are licensed or on the approved caterers list. >How are the drinks being served?

There are different options for bar service, such as open bar and cash bar. An open bar is where you provide all of the drinks served. A cash bar is where you estimate the number of people and a third party or caterer provides the alcohol on a per guest basis. There are many ways to combine the two, and knowing which you are doing and what is allowed at your reception venue will help you decide.

>What to serve?

Beer or wine, cocktails or shots, water or tea? Deciding how many options are available to your guests is important for guaranteeing a smooth reception. Typically, the smaller the guest list, the fewer options you need to provide. For instance, for one to twenty five guests, you could choose one alcoholic option and two non-alcoholic options, but for seventy-five to one hundred guests, you may want to provide three non-alcoholic and three alcoholic options.

Choose quantity of one or two types instead of giving your guests a buffet of choices. I always recommend couples pick three wines - a red, a white, and a sweet or blush - and two types of beer. The smaller the wedding, the less choices you can offer. >How much to serve?

Decide on the length of the reception to calculate how much you need. For the first hour, you should estimate two servings per guest and one serving for every hour after. For example, a three-hour reception would estimate four servings per guest. Use the guest list to guess how much to bring. If you are serving one hundred guests, usually half will drink beer and half will drink wine. A typical case of canned beer has twenty four to thirty servings, whereas a typical case of wine has sixty servings. So fifty wine drinkers need two and a half cases, and fifty beer drinkers need about six cases of beer. >Whose wedding day is it?

This is one of the most important days of your life. Do not spend time worrying over if there is one bottle of Chardonnay for Aunt Laura because she refuses to drink anything else, or if Uncle Cody has whiskey for his mixed drink. Order what you like and save the extras for after the honeymoon.

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9630 N Sam Houston Parkway E, Suite C. Humble, Texas 77396 (281) 617-7029 events.bienvenue@gmail.com www.bienvenuehouston.com Facebook: @bienvenuehouston Instagram: @bienvenue_events 10

“We believe the most cherished moments happen when friends and family gather together!”

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3 Tips for Finding a Good Makeup Artist

by Christina Marden from brushes lashes.

You can find me online at www.brusheslinksys.com or on Facebook at precious lashes.

Tip number one, a license you want to ensure that they have their cosmetologists or esthetician license. A lot of States out there require us to carry one of those license in order to practice makeup artistry. You also want to show the ticket that one step further and they obtain a certificate from a qualified makeup school.

Ttip number three is to look for a website.

All makeup artist should have a website.

Qualified makeup artists will have an attractive website for their clients to view this way. You can go online and you can check out all their work and see if it's something that you want for your day. If you don't view a makeup artists work, you may not be getting what you expect and if you're going to invest in yourself, why not? Look at all the facts! That's all I have for this afternoon, hank you and have a great day!

Tip number two is cost, never choose the cheapest makeup artist, a good makeup artist. Someone that's devoted to will invest in you. They will invest in the products.

Cheaper makeup products means cheaper quality work, as well as it could leave your skin with a lot more breakouts. You want to ensure that you have some good quality products going into a day where you're going to be in front of a camera all day it's short day. Why not invest in yourself?

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The Beat of Your Heart on the

First Dance

by Nicole Molter

Music is one of the many memorable qualities of a wedding. The song for the first dance will be remembered for years to come. The right music not only makes you want to sing or dance along; it can evoke the best memories you have shared as a couple.

Several factors can be taken into the options when choosing the song that is just right for the new Mr. and Mrs. You may have a song that is sentimental to your relationship, like a song you heard the first night you met or that your groom sang to cheer you up one day.

A favorite song is also great for a couple’s first dance. It could be one the two of you heard at a concert together or a song the groom knew was his bride’s favorite. Using that song would make it even more of a favorite with the wedding memories.

The first dance could be slow or fast. A waltz or two-step is just as good as a swing dance or salsa. Some couples even choreograph their own dance for an unexpected surprise at the reception! This dance is meant to introduce you as a couple and will definitely show the beat of your heart for one another.

Remember to keep all the music classy, and pay attention to the lyrics. There will most likely be children present at the wedding, so leave the curse words or dirty dancing for another time. Also, some songs have a great beat, but might be talking about breakups or heartache. Include line dances, couples’ dances, and different genres to the playlist, so everyone wants to get out on the dance floor!

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8 Quick Tips for the Best Frail Hair Trial

by Ashley Peters from www.thestylistabroad.com instagram: @thestylistabroad

First bring inspiration photos. I recommend one to five. So that way we get a good idea of what you want, but it's not like the entire Pinterest board to get lost in.

Tip two: carefully select your entourage. You want to bring somebody who is honest but supportive. They want to make sure that you are happy and they're not going to try to steal the spotlight or just be negative for no reason.

Tip three: Think of your wardrobe. Try to wear something on top that is similar or the same color as what you're wearing on your wedding day, help you envision the entire look together.

Tip four: Think about your makeup. If you can have your makeup trial done before your hair trialnication. We are not psychic. So it's super important for you to be very descriptive in what it is that y, but if that's not possible, at least have your makeup done in a similar fashion.

So it's not a naked face with a fully done hair.

Tip five: Think about your hair. You don't want it greasy, but you also don't want it wet.

If it's wet, the stylists can't do anything with it. So Dale dirty hair is great, but if your hair gets greasy, just make sure that it's dry. When you show up, we can always dirty it out for you.

Tip six: Think about the extras. If you have a hair assessory or avail, bring it with you. If you're not sure, ask your stylist. If they have some on location for you to be able to try.

Tip seven is communication.

We are not psychic. So it's super important for you to be very descriptive in what it is that you want and need.

We c a n a l w a y s m a k e modifications after the initial styling during the trial, but it all comes down to communication. So make sure to be open about what you want and like, and dislike.

The final tip is for you to do what makes you happy!

This is your wedding day. So you need to make sure that you're happy and you love your luck.

Don't worry about the trends or anything else at the end of the day, your joy is our biggest concern!

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presents

Hosted by Portia Merritt.

Coming soon, only on Affinity Weddings TV!

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Onc upo Hunter Gree Drea .

Featuring : Grand Events Party Planners, All The Pretty Things, Fauxtastic Floral, Sam's Sweet Treats, Morgan Falls Event Center, & BienVenue Events.

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Photographer: @madeekiinzz Dresses Provided by @impressionbridalstores

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There's a Celebration in your future, Morgan Falls!

Morgan Falls Event Center 2300 Koster Rd, Alvin, Texas 77511, United States (832) 643-4048 Web: themorganfalls.com Email: info@morganfallsevents.com Facebook: @themorganfalls Twitter: @TheMorganFalls Instagram: @themorganfalls Pinterest: @morganfallsevents Youtube: The Morgan Falls

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GRAND EVENTS PARTY PLANNERS www.grandeventspartyplanners.com

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ALL THE PRETTY THINGS IG @all.the.pretty.things.htx

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Hair: @mercyshairdesigns Makeup: @theglamouregeek

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Tiffany Sylvester

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Sofia Martinez

Prajwal Ramamurthy

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Wedding Favor:

The Bow Tie Bar Combining Class + Cool

While grooms may not get nearly as much attention as the bride, don’t forget about the guys and their style on their special day. There is a big trend in wedding dresses right now: having not one, but two dresses. In recent years many brides have decided to swap out the formal ball gown for a fun and more comfortable dress as she gets down on the dance floor.

A similar trend is emerging for the groom and his men. Instead of swapping the formal tux for a

completely new suit, a simple tie change will do the trick. Changing from a formal black bow tie or necktie to a colorful polka dot piece will instantly transform any tux from oldfashioned elegance to modern-day fun.

Instead of just giving the groom and his groomsmen the option to swap out their formal neckwear give your guests the option as well by setting up a fun bow tie bar.

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Some tips for building the perfect

“Bow Tie Bar”

While the bow tie aficionado will insist that a self-tie bow tie is the only sartorically acceptable choice, the casual tie wearer will appreciate the convenience of the pre-tied clip on. That being said, make sure that the majority of the bow ties you buy are pre-tied.

Collect a nice assortment of fun patterns and colors.

Polka dots, bold paisleys, as well as wild madras plaids are always a great choice. Not only will these pieces infuse a little fun into your wedding photos, your guests will likely enjoy wearing them for years to come.

For those ambitious guys that want to master their bow tie tying skills, below are some handy step-bystep instructions the folks over at BowsN-Ties created for us.

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How to

Pick the Perfect Hair and Makeup Team

By Amanda Herrera from Ever After Glam.

As a member of a traveling team of professional hair and makeup artists, I just wanted to give you some tips and recommendations on how to pick the perfect hair and makeup team for your big day.

booking, just so you can see how the hair makeup is done to hold up. And you can also schedule your bridal photos or engagement photos the same day, just so you can see how the hair makeup is going to photograph.

First, you're going to want to check your vendor's website portfolio, social media accounts, photos, and reviews, just to make sure they're going to be a good fit for you.

Of course, you want to go over pricing with your artists, just to make sure it's going to be within that bridal budget. Do ask about group rates and travel fees as that may vary.

I know planning a wedding can seem stressful and overwhelming, but thankfully with affinity weddings, you have so many vendors just like myself to help you along the way. So good luck and happy planning.

Goodbye.

I would get with your artists and see what products and services they do offer as well as what makeup they will be using during the application as different artists use different foundations.

I would definitely suggest booking a hair and makeup trial with your artists prior to

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Must-have Photos One of the most important aspects of a wedding is recording the day and preserving memories. Time for the bride and groom is incredibly occupied during this day making sure all the details are taken care of and the guests get welcoming attention. They might miss some really special moments, so photography is a great way to make sure they don’t miss a thing.

Giving the photographer a list of must-have wedding photos is a helpful guideline for the photographer’s creativity and ensures the couple has a record of the most special and personal moments.

Accessories may not be the focus of the wedding party, but they sure make simple and pretty photos.

Taking a few snaps focusing on wedding rings, other bridal jewelry, shoes, groom accessories, and accessories of the wedding party can make a really sweet collection of photos.

If you’re going to have beautiful flowers and decorations, why not dedicate some pictures to these details? Decorations are part of what make a wedding unique and special. The decorations only go up for a little while, and the flowers fade, so photographs are a perfect way to preserve them.

Getting ready is especially fun for the bride and bridesmaids and are another opportunity for really cute pictures. Hair styles, putting jewelry and shoes on, and of course the moment when the bride’s girls

first see her in her dress are a few ideas of moments to capture. Photos of the groom and groomsmen getting ready can be done as well. A classy close-up of the groom tying a tie or having a drink with his guys are a few examples.

Be sure to get group photos of the wedding party.

These are an opportunity for the couple, bridesmaids and groomsmen to have some fun. The bridesmaids giggling with the bride or the groomsmen pretending to be girly like the bridesmaids are goofy ideas for these group photos. After all the serious planning, acting goofy is great!

Kids are incredibly photogenic without even knowing it. Getting photos of kids at just the right moment or taking pictures of all the kids in a group make precious pictures – the flower girl and ring bearer walking down the aisle, a five-year-old sticking his finger in the cake, little girls dancing in a group together.

Reception photos can always be a lot of fun.

Recording the guests, food, dancing, table settings, and any other unique parts of the day may not seem important, but the groom and bride will be thankful being able to remember everything later.

The “firsts” are some really great photos to contribute to a wedding photo album. There’s the first time the groom sees his bride, the first kiss as Mr. and Mrs., and the first dance.

Photographers can add their own unique spin to these classic photos, and they’re bound to be favorites of the newlywed couple.

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Sendo in Style

6 Farewells You’re Sure to Love

Sendoffs are often overlooked, but they shouldn’t be! A bride and groom’s farewell is the nal touch, the last opportunity to wow your friends and family. Why wait to nd one? While we are all for exciting getaways, there is one to steer clear of—throwing rice! While seemingly harmless, rice can cause some serious problems for birds. If tossing something is your idea of a grand farewell, stick with something eco-friendly like birdseed or lavender. Whatever your preference, we have a sendoff that will suit your style.

Let Love Sparkle (Renee Clancy Photography) Sparklers are such a hit at weddings! They are a blast for both young and young at heart—and are super easy to use. The bright twinkling creates an amazing effect once the sun goes down, and the contrast between the dark sky and golden red sparks gives you a beautiful photo opportunity.

Shine On (JD3 Photography) Bubbles are a favorite choice among brides and grooms.

Everything about them is fun and festive! Bubbles are also an easy way to get children participating in your getaway without any worries.

Up, Up, and Away (LMAC Photography) Releasing balloons after your ceremony is such a cute and clever idea! This is denitely one to do during the daytime so that nobody misses out on watching the balloons y up together. Using balloons is a great way to stay under budget while still providing a uniquely fabulous sendoff.

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Brighter Than the Stars (Amenson Studio) Candle lit paper lanterns are denitely the most romantic farewell we have ever seen!

Seeing a dark sky illuminated by candles oating away creates an enchanting ambience that is not soon forgotten. It is so neat nding the lanterns in the sky and spotting how far they have traveled!

Crafty is Cute (Dan and Melissa Photography) If you’re a DIY bride, then this is the perfect wedding project to use for your getaway. These wind ribbons are so adorable, your guests will rave over them! It is the perfect opportunity to show off your beautiful wedding colors.

Add something cheerful like a bell to add to the festivities!

Cheers! (Gideon Photography) There is nothing more satisfying than seeing a crowd of people applauding and rooting for you and your beloved! Your wedding day is the perfect place for friends and family to show their support, so what could be better than a roomful of cheers and claps? Your excitement will be their excitement!

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