Meet Wedology 101: Petites Bouchees*

There's no other way to put it- very simply, I'm obsessed with Petites Bouchees. More specifically, Veronica Perez and the way she is blazing a trail for good taste and wedding style here in Richmond.

Veronica first came on my radar at food festival Broad Appetite last year. Through some tweeting, social media-ing and good old fashioned networking, I had the pleasure of meeting Veronica. And know what? She's straight delightful.

If her macarons weren't heaven enough, she's now introduced her fabulous Dessert Displays. I still remember the moment I walked in on her recent photo shoot- because it took me five minutes to pick my jaw up off the floor. So when Veronica approached us about partnering with Wedology 101 and and featuring her amazing Dessert Display, I couldn't say yes fast enough.

So without further ado, here's Veronica-

Why does Petites Bouchees stand out from the rest?

Flavor. When you bite into our baked treats you taste the distinct flavor of our premium ingredients that only high-end pastry shops in bigger cities use. I grew up in a restaurant and bakeshop that never used mixes or preservatives so I apply that philosophy in everything I make and bake.

What is one of your favorite “bridal moments” over the years?

Iʼve had a couple of brides or their moms tell me that my macarons were the best thing theyʼve ever put in their mouth. Also when they taste my chocolate cupcake, they would say “Now hereʼs a chocolate cupcake that actually tastes like chocolate.” Again this goes back to flavor.

What is your biggest Wedding Day “Don’t”?

When it comes to my macarons and cupcakes, please donʼt display them under the sun.

What are some of the biggest challenges facing brides today with their wedding plans?

Budget. Thereʼs also too much information on the web and on print so brides get confused with all the choices and options.

What should a bride always have handy when planning her wedding?

All the important numbers: event planner, florist, venue, caterer etc. The inspiration items for her wedding like a swatch or some photographs from magazines that may be the basis for her theme.

If you had one piece of advice to share with our brides, what would it be?

Donʼt strive for perfection or you will never be happy and would end up a nervous wreck. So what if it rains during your outdoor wedding, just make sure you have a backup plan. Instead, think of details which would make your event memorable for you and your guests. It is your day, but remember the comfort of your guests is also important, after all you invited them to celebrate this special day with you.

To learn more about Petites Bouchees, please visit their web site as well as her fabulous and highly addictive Blog, Kitchen Musings. You can also find her tweeting away- quite often, with me!

You can also meet Veronica and see check out her dessert display first hand this week (!!!!) at Wedology 101 on Sunday.

Cheers,
Meghan


Meghan Ely is one part of the Wedology 101 team, and owner of OFD Consulting, a niche Marketing/PR firm servicing the wedding industry and the Managing Director of the Richmond Bridal Association. She is a contributing writer with Virginia Bride magazine, and has been published in Premier Bride Richmond. She and Jennifer write a Wedology 101 column for the Richmond Times Dispatch's Celebration section. She loves late harvest sauvignon blancs, letterpress anything and cakes shaped like Death Stars.

Meet Wedology 101: James Limousine*

Wedding transportation is such an interesting category because to me, it’s one of the most important yet it tends to be booked near the end of the wedding planning process. I can’t tell you how many brides have looked at me with a blank stare when I ask them how they plan on getting from the ceremony to the reception.

The good news? When you’re ready to book, look no further then Wedology 101 gurus Randy Allen and Kate Kirby of James Limousine. We were just thrilled when they decided to join our team of wedding professionals.

As you’ll see, what’s wonderful about James Limousine is that it’s so much more than the drive. Emergency Bridal Kit? Yes please!

Take it away Randy and Kate-

Why does James Limousine stand out from the rest?

James Limousine stands out because for over 18 years we have provided an impeccable service with amazing attention to detail. We go the extra several miles for our clients. Our chauffeurs are like family to some of our clients and we treat all of our clients with professionalism and respect.

What is one of your favorite “bridal moments” over the years?

Favorite Bridal moment: Steve, one of our chauffeurs was doing a wedding point to point service for a lovely and slightly klutzy bride. She was one of our brides that prefers to "stage" in the car waiting for the right moment to pop out and walk into the church. As she pops out of the car she promptly steps on the inside hem of her gorgeous gown tearing the hem and creating a hole. Steve not only caught her from falling forward to certain disaster he also broke open our Emergency Bridal Box and whipped the hole closed with needle and thread. Talk about going the extra mile!

What is your biggest Wedding Day “Don’t”?

Brides should never just assume the transportation will happen. It does take planning and payment and lots of brides make the mistake of not planning. They wait until a few weeks or a month before and they have to scramble and use the vehicles that are "leftover" from the brides that did plan.

What are some of the biggest challenges facing brides today with their wedding plans?

One of the biggest challenges facing brides is cash flow for the transportation. It seems to something that is overlooked until the last minute and so they usually don't allow enough in the budget to cover their vision for their wedding day transportation. Never fear, Kate is here and with quite a bit of creativity on my part and flexibility on the bride's part, the chariot will arrive!

What should a bride always have handy when planning her wedding?

A bride should always have a camera or picture phone handy. Best way to remember the tiny details that will have a big impact.

If you had one piece of advice to share with our brides, what would it be?

Brides should always have an open mind. Yes, you have always dreamed of a fleet of stretch limousines whisking yourself and your entire guest list to and from the events of the day but realistically, an elegant town car sedan is picture perfect (and budget friendly).

To learn more about James Limousine, please visit their web site as well as their Facebook page.
You can also meet Randy and Kate at Wedology 101 coming up in less than two weeks on August 15 at Wyndham Virginia Crossings.

Cheers,
Meghan


Meghan Ely is one part of the Wedology 101 team, and owner of OFD Consulting, a niche Marketing/PR firm servicing the wedding industry and the Managing Director of the Richmond Bridal Association. She is a contributing writer with Virginia Bride magazine, and has been published in Premier Bride Richmond. She and Jennifer write a Wedology 101 column for the Richmond Times Dispatch's Celebration section. She loves late harvest sauvignon blancs, letterpress anything and cakes shaped like Death Stars.

Meet Wedology 101: Classic Party Rentals of Virginia*

When I got engaged early last year, I was giddily making phone calls to parents, immediate family and friends. But guess who was next on my list? That’s right- Classic Party Rentals of Virginia.

I love a good linen and how it can transform a room, even with a minimal investment. I didn’t know much about what I wanted for my own wedding but I did know I wanted those chocolate brown pintuck linens *sigh*.

Nina and Angela with Classic Party Rentals of Virginia was one of our first calls when putting together Wedology 101. After all, these ladies are the party rental experts, and I couldn’t have imagined doing the event without them.

Take it away Classic Party-

Why does Classic Party Rentals stand out from the rest?

Our name stands out due to our impeccable service and simply put, the caring for our brides. Ask any of our brides and they will tell you that we genuinely care about them and their weddings, which sets us apart from the rest. Our Director of Bridal Services will schedule a "play-date" with the brides to go over everything for their wedding - linens, china, glassware, tents - and she will spend as much time as it takes until the bride is comfortable with her decision and loves her choices. She will also assist you with referrals of other wedding professionals that you are in need of. We want the brides to know that we care about them and their guests, all the more making their wedding day just as important to us as it is to them.

What is one of your favorite “bridal moments” over the years?

It is very difficult to nail down only one favorite bridal moment when you have worked with so many wonderful brides. We love when a bride brings her mother to our showroom and they get to make the choices together and once they come across the perfect tablescape, you see the two of them looking at each other with tears in their eyes because they have just had the vision of their reception come true.

We also really appreciate and enjoy immensely when a bride comes by or calls us after the return of her honeymoon to personally thank us for making their day so special. I recently had a bride stop in to give me a beautiful thank you note, a bottle of wine with fresh rosemary and a couple of photos from her wedding showing how happy they both were and even showing off some of our rentals. She is a bride I will now forever call my friend, as well as a return customer for any future events she may have.

What is your biggest Wedding Day “Don’t”?

Our biggest wedding day "don't" is PLEASE DO NOT COORDINATE YOUR LINENS WITH YOUR WEDDING DRESS OR YOUR BRIDESMAID'S DRESSES.....you do not want to become "one" with your tables!!! Also, no cans or kegs at your reception.....bottles or glasses please.

What are some of the biggest challenges facing brides today with their wedding plans?

Spending too much of their budget in the beginning stages without thinking of reception decor. Guests are more interested in where the reception is, how the room will look, what food they will be eating, what they will drink and how much fun they will have! Guests do not care how much money you spent on your dress! Brides tend to skimp in these areas because their budget is shot. You would be surprised at what we can do for you on a small budget.

What should a bride always have handy when planning her wedding?

A bride should always have a book of ideas with pictures. Even if you only use a notebook, cut out your fave flowers, cakes, dresses, tablecloths, etc and glue them on your pages. We also HIGHLY recommend a wedding planner.....they are worth every penny!!!

If you had one piece of advice to share with our brides, what would it be?

Our advice to the brides is to consider your guests at your reception BEFORE you buy the $10,000 dress......brides can wear a $500 dress and still look just as beautiful. Focus on the reception decor, catering and entertainment and of course, the photographer/videographer to capture all of it!

To learn more about Classic Party Rentals, please visit their web site as well as their Facebook Fan Page. You can also find Nina and Angela tweeting away at @cprofva

You can also meet Nina and Angela at Wedology 101 coming up in two short weeks on August 15 at Wyndham Virginia Crossings.

Cheers,
Meghan

Photo credit: Meghan McSweeney Photography

Meghan Ely is one part of the Wedology 101 team, and owner of OFD Consulting, a niche Marketing/PR firm servicing the wedding industry and the Managing Director of the Richmond Bridal Association. She is a contributing writer with Virginia Bride magazine, and has been published in Premier Bride Richmond. She and Jennifer write a Wedology 101 column for the Richmond Times Dispatch's Celebration section. She loves late harvest sauvignon blancs, letterpress anything and cakes shaped like Death Stars.