To DIY, or Not to DIY - That is the Question!

There are many brides who like to get in the crafty mood and include DIY (do it yourself) projects for their wedding. April 1st is DIY day, and whether you're the type of bride who wants to craft everything, the type who won't craft anything or the bride who falls somewhere in the middle - we have some wedding DIY ideas for you. Here are some popular items you can make yourself for your wedding:

Invitations

Invitations can be a fun way to add a customized touch to your wedding style and can even be a fairly easy DIY. Whether you are into scrapbooking, digital art, or just want to do something no one else has done, Pinterest has TONS of ideas for the crafty bride. As with all DIY projects, they can be a bit time consuming, so you'll want to allow plenty of time to accomplish the task, especially when you're splattering paint on each of your 250 invitations ...

Wedding Favors

With Pinterest being the go-to planning guide for brides nowadays, the DIY movement has really hit the ground running, especially with wedding favors. From coasters made out of disks of wood with your initials burned into them, cute little jars of hot chocolate mix, seed packets with your wedding details printed on them or even packages of mints decorated with cute details and a tag that says "Mint to be." The ideas are endless when you want to create adorable wedding favors on your own.

Decorations

While many decorations are a DIY effort, you can create something as elaborate or as simple as you want. We've seen many brides come in and deck the house in beautiful flowers, fun props, sentimental photos and more. The decorations for your ceremony and reception are a great place to get your hands dirty in the DIY world.

Boutonnieres

Have you ever seen those cute boutonnieres that some grooms and groomsmen wear? The ones with flowers made from book pages, or cute lego men attached for the groom with a unique hobby. Especially if you only stick with doing the guys boutonnieres, you can get DIY crafty without committing to every single corsage for every important guest at your wedding.

Thank You Cards

After the wedding has been hosted, the guests leave, and you arrive home from your honeymoon - it will be time to send out the thank you cards. Now that all of the wedding planning has been completed, you may be feeling a little lost - invest your time in DIY thank you cards! Scrapbook pictures of your wedding to the front, learn to do calligraphy and pen a sweet sentiment on the front, and enjoy this last step of your wedding.

Your Colorado Springs Wedding!

Are you ready to dive into all of the fun wedding and details - but you still don't have a venue? Let the team at the Historic Pinecrest help you out. Our wedding venue in Colorado Springs is absolutely breathtaking - and ideal for all of your DIY projects. We are quietly nestled among the Colorado mountains, and our venue is a sweet combination of rustic, romantic, and incredible. Visit our website to learn more about our wedding chapel in Colorado Springs - and don't forget to schedule your venue 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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If You're Going To the Chapel ...

If you're planning on going to the chapel to get married - we know just the place! Our breathtaking wedding chapel in Colorado Springs is the best place to get married in Colorado Springs. From close intimate ceremonies to larger affairs our wedding venue is ideal for your wedding. It's nestled quietly against the foothills in a beautiful Colorado setting. Whether you're looking for a rustic venue or a nostalgic place - our chapel is perfect. Here are a few things you should know about our beautiful chapel:

The Pinecrest Wedding Chapel

Nestled against the foothills in a beautiful Colorado setting, the Chapel at Pinecrest is the quintessential location for a romantic, mountain wedding. Capture your most precious moments in the intimacy of our chapel. Bride’s and groom’s dressing rooms, foyer with guest book table, fabulous sound system and numerous décor choices are just part of what make Pinecrest’s Chapel so inviting. Take in the warm, rustic surroundings as you join your lives together in the company of those you cherish most.

Photo Credit: Alison

The Historic Pinecrest Wedding Packages

We can accommodate groups of 50 to a maximum of 225 guests with our diverse selection of packages. All of our packages include unlimited phone, email and texting support, access to communicating directly with the owners, and private tours of our facilities that can be scheduled throughout the week.

Chapel Inclusions:

• One hour rehearsal, usually scheduled from 12:30 - 1:30 pm, the day prior to your wedding
• All standing décor, floral arrangements, and candelabras
• Bridal dressing room at Chapel with three (3) makeup stations
• Groomsmen dressing room at Chapel with mirror, table, chairs and couches
• Elegant entrance table for guest sign-in book or picture matting
• Digital sound system with mixing board - along with wireless microphones and instrumental inputs

Photo Credit: Alison

Chapel Testimonials

Thank you for having us at your beautiful venue. It was the perfect place to have our wedding and our guests were very pleased. We appreciate your accommodating approach and wish you success. Everything was beautiful and stress-free; All we could have hoped.
~ Salma and Max


"Pinecrest was more than we could have ever hoped for and the Pinecrest family went above and beyond to make us feel like family too and to make our day perfect! I'm so glad we started a new chapter in our lives at an amazing venue surrounded by wonderful people like the two of you. May many blessings come your way as you continue to touch the lives of others."
~Carly Hennegan, Bride


"Thank you, both so much for being such a light in this process. You and your staff really dedicate your time and energy to creating a magical experience. Our day was incredible and we are incredibly grateful! What a fantastic way to start this new journey!"
~Kelly Hennegan, Groom


Thank you all for a wonderful and memorable weekend! Everything on the agenda was executed superbly. A beautiful service Maria! The photos were world class Jess and reception food and service five star Nikki! Carole and I and most importantly Christina and Paul were pleased beyond measure. Many thanks for making it all so enjoyable. Please pass along to your staff our grateful thanks and sincere appreciation. All the best,
~Ken, Father of the Groom

Photo Credit: Alison

The Best Wedding Venue in Colorado Springs

From your rehearsal dinner to your wedding reception - we've got you covered! At the Historic Pinecrest, we know how important your big day is, and we make it our goal to assist you in creating your dream wedding. Visit our website today to learn more about our wedding chapel, or give us a call today at 719-357-8613 to request a private 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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Make Your Wedding Day Lucky!

You don't have to be Irish to look for luck - especially on your wedding day! There are so many fun and/or crazy traditions couples have incorporated into their wedding day to help bring them luck. They aren't all Irish traditions, but the Historic Pinecrest thinks that it's a pretty fun way to enjoy this "lucky" week!

Cambodia

Before the ceremony, the wedding party walks in a circle around the couple and the groom brandishes a sword as a symbol of his protection of his bride. During the ceremony, the couple kneels down while holding the sword in between their clasped hands (it's sheathed), and guests tie red strings around each of their wrists.

Bulgaria

In Bulgaria, tradition says that it's lucky for the bride and groom to cross the threshold of the church with their right foot first. It's a sign that the marriage will be blessed!

China

In China, it's lucky to light firecrackers after the ceremony. It supposedly chases away evil spirits.

Egypt

In Egyptian tradition, it's very good luck to let the women at the wedding pinch the bride. Maybe it started because she wasn't wearing green? *wink*

England

In English weddings of the past, they believed in carrying a horseshoe with ribbons tied on it during your ceremony. Then you would hang it above your doorway afterward - but make sure the ends are pointing up, otherwise the luck could fall out! How very fitting this tradition is for St. Patricks Day!

Germany

In Germany they celebrate Polerabend, or, the "eve of making racket" by breaking porcelain dishes the night before the wedding. This is thought to bring good luck. Afterward, they bride and groom generally work together to clean everything up to symbolize how they'll work together from here on out.

Greece

In Greece, brides can tuck a wrapped lump of sugar inside their glove or into their gown to help ensure a sweet life. A bride can also walk down the aisle with a gold coin in her shoe to bring prosperity, and the groom can put a piece of iron in his pocket to ward off evil spirits.

Holland

Newlyweds may plant lilies of the valley around their new home to symbolize "the return of happiness." Then the couple can celebrate and renew their love with each blooming season *romantic sigh*.

India

Brides have an artist paint henna on their hand and feet in very intricate designs. This is thought to bring joy, beauty, and spiritual awakening. Also, the darker the color of the ink, the stronger the marriage is thought to be.

Ireland

There are many fun Irish wedding traditions, but a sweet one is handfasting. This Celtic tradition says that the bride and groom's hands are tied together to symbolize the joining of a husband and wife. This is also where the phrase "tying the knot" came from!

Korea

Traditional Korean ceremonies incorporated wooden ducks as a symbol of peace, fidelity, and the future blessing of having many "ducklings". The designs are typically based off of the Mandarin Duck, which commonly found a mate for life.

Poland

It's considered good luck for a Polish bride to cry at her wedding, if she does, it can symbolize that she won't cry throughout her married life.

Romania

When the groom comes to get his bride and bring her to the church, he comes with several friends. When the young men arrive at the bride's house, they bring pine trees that are left at the gates for luck. Then the guests make a round dance with the groom and bride and after that, they would sit the bride in a chair and break a loaf of sweet bread above her head.

Getting Married in Colorado Springs

Whether you choose to incorporate these fun wedding traditions to make your day "lucky" or you have some of your own - we hope your day is everything you have ever hoped. If you're getting married in Colorado Springs, we would love to help you host your big day! Our beautiful wedding chapel in Colorado is a breathtaking venue, and perfect for your wedding style. Visit our website to learn more, and have a very lucky St. Patricks Day!

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 Choosing Your Wedding Cake

Choosing your wedding cake can be a fun - and tasty process! From the type of cake you want to the style, colors, and textures of the decorating, there are many aspects to choose. While modern weddings can incorporate different desserts instead of cake, a wedding cake is still a very popular way to approach the dessert at your wedding. Here at the Historic Pinecrest, we have seen many different flavors and styles being served up in our Colorado Springs event center, so we wanted to give you a few ideas to help make the choosing process easier.

Finalize Your Guest List

This may not seem like the first step in getting your wedding cake, but the bakery will want to know exactly how many guests they will need to serve when they create your masterpiece. Once you've narrowed down your guest list, you can get prices from local bakeries and see how much they charge for a cake.

Taste Away!

After you've chosen your baker, you'll want to start thinking about flavors that you like. Talk to your bakery and see if they have recommendations based on your location or the season of your wedding. If you are having a summer wedding, you may want to choose fruity and fresh flavors, versus a fall wedding where you may want rich and spicy indulgences. After you've narrowed down a few flavors, as your bakery if you can taste them, and don't forget to bring a friend! Whether you're bringing your groom, mother, or maid of honor, let someone else's tastebuds help you make the final decision.

Think About Colors and Styles

Your bakery may have a book of cakes that they can make, or they may be willing to take photos from your Pinterest account to guide them in your style. Think about the colors that you'll be using in your wedding, as well as flowers, decor, and style. All of these can be incorporated into the design of your wedding cake to make it look fabulous.

Remember Your Location

While it may not seem important, where you have your wedding can also impact the type of cake you choose. If you'll be getting married outside on a warm day, certain frostings are prone to melting. Your bakery can suggest and let you try frostings that can handle a warm day and hot sun without turning into a disaster. You can also use your location as inspiration. Whether you want to decorate with wildflowers from the area or use a flavor that is common to the area, you can use this for inspiration.

Don't Forget Alternatives

If you aren't the type of bride who goes with the same old, same old, there are some fun options for you as well! From using homemade pies to having an ice cream buffet, or even a s'mores bar - many couples are opting for desserts that match their personality and tastes. You can still do a cake cutting ceremony, too! Just ask your bakery for a small "topper" sized cake to be decorated and you can cut that at your reception.

Your Colorado Springs Wedding

This tasty aspect of your wedding can be fun to plan, and especially delicious! As you're making plans for your wedding in Colorado Springs, we would love to assist you in the planning process. Our breathtaking wedding chapel in Colorado would be a beautiful place for you to celebrate your day. Visit our website to learn more about our wedding packages or give us a call at 719-357-8613 to schedule your private 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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