4 Ways to Bring Fall Into Your Wedding Flowers

Fall is finally in the air, and it's filled with the most romantic aromas! From spicy cinnamon and nutmeg to savory pumpkins and fresh falling leaves. You may also be smelling beautiful bouquets if you are planning your breathtaking fall wedding! At the Historic Pinecrest, we take every detail of your wedding seriously, from the beautiful Colorado Springs venue you've chosen, to the flowers you'll be carrying on your wedding day - that's why we have some fun ideas to make your bouquet unique and still perfect for the season.

Photo Credit www.LifeAtCloverHill.com

Fall Colors

Photo Credit: Brittany Dow

From beautiful, rich hues of dark purples and browns to the regal reds and fun oranges, you just can't go wrong with incorporating the beautiful fall colors in your bouquet and other floral arrangements. Here are a few flowers that are considered "in-season" for the Fall:

• anthurium
• bouvardia
• liatris
• Wheat
• goldenrod
• marigold
• chrysanthemums
• daisies
• roses
• carnations
• alstroemeria
• lilies

Fall Scents

Bouquet were originally carried for many of the reasons we wear perfume. They had a beautiful frangrance, and that's still true of them today. When thinking about a fall bouqet, you can incorporate details that really increase the scent of fall. Cinnamon sticks would be a lovely way to bring in the smell of fall, plus they would have a unique look and appeal in your floral arrangements. You can aslo include them in your table arrangements, and boutenieres.

Fall Shapes

Aside from adding cinnamon sticks to your bouquets and floral arrangements, you can also add wheat, acorns, and fall leaves. All of the details can be unique to bouquets and table arrangements, but that doesn't change the fact that they are absolutely beautiful and rustic when you see them. You can incorporate these into more than just your bouquet though - try adding them as decor around your Colorado Springs Wedding venue, from the guest book table, to the centerpiece in yoru head table!

Photo Credit: Wildberry Studio & Design

Fall Food

Have you ever heard of adding edible items to your bouquet? Well now you have! Take a few fall foods that you love and incorporate them into your bouquet. Apples and pumpkins are the items we specifically have in mind, though you could probably use small squash as well. You don't have to use them just in your bouquet either. You can hollow out pumpkins and use them as a vase for a bouquet, and place these around as centerpieces or decorations. You als can incorporate apples, by hollowing them out and placing tea candles in them, and then floating them in a bowl of water on your table. This can be a truly uniqe way to bring in aspects of fall into your floral arrangements, and when you're trying to acheive a rustic, romantic wedding, it could be just the touch you're looking for!

Best Wedding Venue in Colorado Springs

Fall is such a romantic and rich time to celebrate your big day, and we can't wait to see what beautiful ideas you create to celebrate your love. From the flowers to the food and everything in between, we are honored that you've chosen the Historic Pinecrest as your wedding venue. If you haven't found the venue of your dreams yet, we would love to invite you out to come tour our property. Visit our website to learn more about scheduling your tour!

A Beautiful Wedding Awaits...

106 Pinecrest Way

Palmer Lake, CO 80133

www.PinecrestEventCenter.com

Call or text for a private tour!

719-357-8613

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How to Include Your Mother-In-Law in the Wedding Planning

There are many things that will change after your wedding day, from a new name, new home, new roommate - and new family. This can be a wonderful addition, and sometimes it can be a challenging one, but sometimes your new in-laws just want to feel involved. One of your new family members has the worst reputation of all, and that's your soon to be mother in law. The woman who raised your dream guy or girl is now giving them away, and for many mother's, especially of the groom, this can be a hard transition, and even harder if your daughter in law doesn't like you.

As you're planning your wedding, don't forget that this is a day she's been dreaming of as well, and would probably love to be involved in. Here are a few ways to really incorporate your mother in law in the planning of your Colorado Springs wedding.

Ask Her About Wedding Traditions

Wedding traditions can be a great way to connect with your mother in law. Every family has different things they may do at a wedding, from wearing an heirloom ring for your something old, to perfomorming a fun old camp chant before partaking of a meal. You never know what they are until you ask, and we're pretty sure if you ask her, she'll be glad to tell you all about them. While you don't have to use the traditions she shares with you, it could be a greatw way to bond with your new family, and if it's a tradition there will probably be other members of the family that appreciate it as well.

Bring Her Along

If you'll be going to a cake tasting or gown fitting, bring your soon to be mother in law along! It can be a great bonding experience for the two of you. While you don't want to take away from memories being made with your own mother, you're now making memories with two mothers, so it can be fun to have her along. You could also go shopping with her for her dress for the wedding. If you have specific colors in mind, you can tell her, but it could be fun to let her pick out her own style so she shows up feeling beautiful and comfortable.

Set Aside Some Girl Time

Aside from making sure to include your mother in law in your wedding planning, one of the most important things you can do is invest in quality time with her. Your mother in law is probably going through just as many emotions as you are, and some could even be related to insecurity in her relationship with you. Give her some reassurance and include her, but also nurture that relationship!

Celebrate Mother-In-Law Day

At the Historic Pinecrest, we love to help you celebrate your wedding, but even more so, your family! Our wedding venue is a beautiful place to say your "I Do's" and also start a new relationship with new family that will be apart of your new life together. Do your family members need a place to stay during the wedding? We provide the Pinecrest Lodge which can hold up to twenty guests for your wedding in Colorado Springs. Let us help you host a dream wedding in our Colorado Springs wedding venue, visit our website to learn more about how you can secure your date.

A Beautiful Wedding Awaits...

106 Pinecrest Way

Palmer Lake, CO 80133

www.PinecrestEventCenter.com

Call or text for a private tour!

719-357-8613

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How to Plan a Family Reunion!

Are you wanting to find a way to catch up with the members of your family, while also combining a great family vacation? At Historic Pinecrest, we aren't just about weddings and receptions, we also help host many other events, and family reunions are just one of them! Our Lodge is a perfect spot to host your next reunion because it not only has rooms to sleep in, but access to the kitchen, cozy living spaces, and even the event center if you're planning on hosting a big shindig.

A family reunion can take a lot of planning, sometimes even a year in advance, so here are a few tips to make the planning process easier and get the most for your efforts!

Start Planning Early

You can never start planning too early. Because many families consist of so many members, it can be challenging to get everyone together and find a date that works for the majority. If you start planning at least a year in advance, it can help ease that difficulty. When you've narrowed down a time of year that works better for people, like spring, summer, winter, or fall, then you can start picking a date.

While you can't please everyone, and there will most likely be some family members who have plans two years in advance that you can't work around, or even something sudden come up, by giving plenty of advance notice.

Delegate Planning Duties

Family reunions can be a LARGE endeavor to plan. From finding the best venue in Colorado Springs, to narrowing down who's helping with food, games, custom t-shirts, gifts, budgeting and taking money, there are so many details to be aware of. Don't try to handle it all on your own, and let your family feel like they're apart of the planning by including them. That's part of what makes your family so great anyway! They all have different skills and abilities, so you can use those to your benefit. Put the accountant in charge of the budget, if your nephew is a budding artist, let him help come up with invitations and t-shirt designs, if your aunt owns a restaurant, she could be a great resource to helping with the menu. Working together will make this event even more memorable.

Spend Time on the Guest List

Finally, pay close attention to the guest list. In fact, it would probably help if you had input from many members of the family. Like any event, there can be some difficult narrowing down who you're inviting and who you aren't - family reunions are no different. Are you wanting to limited extended family to just aunts and uncles? Or will this be a huge affair with second, third, and fourth cousins removed? It's important to decide what you'll do now, so it's easier to stick to it later.

Also keep in mind that as the family grows, you will have to decide which significant others you'll be including. Do you want to keep it limited to spouses and fiances while eliminating boyfriends/girlfriends? Or maybe only have it open to couples who have been dating for more than three years? It will be important to set the boundaries ahead of time, and make it very clear who is invited to keep as few feelings from being hurt as possible.

Family Reunion Venue in Colorado Springs

With nine bedrooms, six bathrooms, a full-service kitchen and high-speed Wi-Fi access, you can comfortably fit 20 guests in our lodge in Colorado Springs. Our beautiful venue is ideal for many different events, and your family reunion is one of them! If you haven't seen our lodge, you should visit our website and take a look! You can also give us a call and schedule a tour.

A Beautiful Wedding Awaits...

106 Pinecrest Way

Palmer Lake, CO 80133

www.PinecrestEventCenter.com

Call or text for a private tour!

719-357-8613

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5 Tips for Planning a Delicious Wedding Menu

You've spent months planning and arranging all of the small details of your ceremony, the types of colors you'll use, and the smallest flowers that go in your bouquet. You've probably arranged and re-arranged the centerpieces to find just the right height, color, and feel - but you're not done yet. While you've been planning all of the visual details, there's still one of the five sense that needs to be addressed and that's the sense of taste! When you ask any guest what the best part of a wedding was, you will generally either hear that they loved the food and if they didn't love it, you'll hear that too! Here are a few things to keep in mind as you're planning a fantastic wedding menu for your guests.

Guess High, Not Low

You'll want to get your guest list lined out before talking with your caterer, and then as the date gets closer you'll give him the head count based on RSVP numbers. If you feel like the total number of guests is still a little shaky, though, you will always do well to guess higher rather than lower. Running out of food is not only a little embarrassing, but it can be a lot of added stress on you as you try to scramble and figure something out.

Think About Allergies

One of the kindest things a host can do is learn about the allergies of their guests. Many people have some form of allergy, whether it's gluten, shellfish, or peanuts. Sometimes it's odd things, like not being able to eat pork, or being allergic to mustard. While you don't have to plan your entire meal around allergies, you can talk to your caterer and see if they have alternatives for people with allergies. They will certainly feel special when there's a meal just for them. If you can't swing special food, just be sure to have the names listed on the food items to help warn people.

Choose Something That Everyone Loves

While you can have a meal full of rare delicacies at your wedding (and we certainly recommend doing whatever is special for you and your soon-to-be-spouse) sometimes it's also thoughtful to think of the majority of people who will be eating your wedding dishes. That's not to say you have to opt for burgers and mac & cheese, but you can always have some options in your menu that are familiar. If you're featuring a special Chinese dish that was passed down from your great-great-grandmother, you can also follow up with something familiar like cashew chicken!

Think About the Timeline

Happy guests are no hungry guests. Will you be taking photos of your wedding party and family after the ceremony and before the reception? Think about planning a small cocktail hour! Feature a fun beverage that is especially mixed for your wedding, and then include delicious appetizers. You don't have to provide so many that they get filled up before dinner, but enough that they'll be able to wait until it's time. You can also plan fun games, scavenger hunts, or bring out the DJ to keep them entertained.

Don't Be Afraid to Splurge

When you plan out your budget, don't be afraid to leave plenty of room for amazing food. While people will appreciate your decorations, it won't be a priority in their memories - and you can make a little go a long way! If your guests got to choose between beautiful hand drawn invitations and envelopes, or an amazing spread of food, we're pretty sure they would choose the food! This is your special day, and you should be able to make it everything you've ever wanted, but also remember that it's a party, and every good party needs a good spread.

Weddings in Colorado Springs

If you've just gotten engaged and you haven't chosen your wedding venue, consider scheduling your date with us! If you're looking for a wedding venue in Colorado Springs with charm, sophistication, and a really great team to work with, you've found it. We would be honored to help you plan your big day, and make it everything you've ever dreamt of. Let us help you plan your beautiful Colorado Springs wedding!

A Beautiful Wedding Awaits...

106 Pinecrest Way

Palmer Lake, CO 80133

www.PinecrestEventCenter.com

Call or text for a private tour!

719-357-8613

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