Ending the week of Valentine's Day Wedding Vendor Challenges is a spectacular shoot from Aleah and Nick of Valley & Co. Their inspiration for this Valentine's Day challenge was to create a non-traditional feeling for a sweetheart dining table. In true Valley & Co. fashion, Aleah and Nick staged their teak table and chairs on Mission Beach. It was a beautiful, cloudless day and the sunshine was shining - don't you just wish you could leave everything behind and jump right into these photos? With all the snow we still have to melt up here in upstate NY, this shoot makes me long for summer. Since Aleah and Nick enjoy spending their Valentine's Day relaxing on the beach or riding their beach cruisers, they thought "what better place to shoot our inspiration than on our beach?" I couldn't agree more :)

Joining Aleah and Nick with Team Five {and the last of the Valentine's Day Wedding Vendor Challenge photo shoots} was Elle G. Photography, Ariela of RBK Creations for the stunning fabric button floral bouquet, Samantha of Papermints for the beautiful paper goods, and Lydia of Sweet Lydia's for the yummy mini smores.

For Aleah and Nick, Valentine's Day is subtle and comfortable. And, in their own words I will let them explain their table design . . . "We dressed our teak table wtih a crisp white linen and lined it with a simple satin runner to give it a pop of color. Vintage French plates from Nick's parents and antique spoons from Aleah's grandmother flanked our place settings. Old candlesticks added a touch of glamour to this otherwise coastal table. Our fabric flowers were carefully placed in a simple white vase."

And, just like the other shoots this week, I have another downloadable goodie for your from Samantha of Papermints. She has made her recipe cards available to you. Simply print out the recipes cards from Scribd, trim and you're good to go. {the download link is directly underneath the item title in the right column}

And, as I wrap up this week's AMAZING Valentine Inspired Photo Shoots, I will leave you with Aleah and Nick's advice . . . "When creating your Valentine's Day table, get creative and step away from decor purchased down the Valentine's Day aisle! Look to your own stock of heirloom pieces and create a look that's comfortable and timeless."

Wedding Vendors:
Wedding Planners: Valley & Co.
Photographer: Elle G. Photography
Fabric Button Bouquet: RBK Creations
Paper Goods: Papermints
Mini Smores: Sweet Lydia's

Words can't express how thankful and appreciative I am of all the vendors that helped make my first Wedding Vendor Challenge such a success. I've had so much fun working with you all on this week's feature and I look forward to working with you all again on future challenges. For all vendors - the March vendor challenge is underway and filling up - so if you'd like to be placed on the list as teams are formed, please complete this form so I can collect your information.

For those that may not have heard or seen already - today is a special day in the twitter wedding world. Many bloggers {25 to be exact} have joined together to present a scavenger hunt where each blogger is presenting a piece from an amazing photo shoot created by the amazingly talented husband and wife wedding planning team, Aleah and Nick of Valley & Co. This shoot has been dubbed Elegant Decay as it was loosely inspired by Dutch Impressionism. LOVE THIS!!!!!

It's being called "Blogging Around the Wedding World" and it literally is around the world - with bloggers from the US and even as far away as London and New Zealand. It amazes me how the internet can bring together people from other countries and we all work together. I LOVE IT!!! And, before I say anymore, here's the words from Aleah and Nick:

We're  Aleah + Nick Valley of Valley & Co. and we're so excited to partner with some of our most favorite blogosphere friends for this Blog Around the World: Elegant Decay post. Today you're invited to a worldwide scavenger hunt on these awesome blogs where you'll find snippets of our Elegant Decay photo shoot, designed to show off the after effects of a celebration: fun! We all spend so long putting together amazing designs and table scapes for our couples, and this shows off the end result {and the most important element}: enjoyment. We hope you enjoy this - thank you to all of our friends for participating and be sure to visit these other fabulous blogs for more photos, ideas, tips, and fun.

And, now for photo #12 of the Elegant Decay scavenger hunt . . .

Isn't this photo amazing? The candles have been left burning, the wine has been sipped throughout the party and napkins used. Yet the centerpiece is still the perfectly intact focal point. I love creating one main focus point on the table to draw the eye in and then it can wander around to see everything else. In this case, it WAS a great party as this photo shows the tablescape AFTER an event. When I've put together small get-togethers or my daughter's birthday parties I love to create a nice centerpiece. My favorite part is the day after the party when everything has been picked up and the centerpiece remains on the table. It makes me smile because it reminds of the fun that was had the day or night before. Which I'm sure happens to the lucky guests that are able to bring home the centerpieces from either a bridal shower or wedding. It's a fun little way of remembering the festivities.

And, you can now follow the scavenger hunt here for the earlier posts and posts yet to come today . . .
Steph Durant of Bubble Rock,  Magnolia Rouge, Cap Classique, Brancoprata, The Demoiselle, Engaged + Inspired, Postcards and Pretties, Paper Garland, Sparkle and Hay, Superburbs, Every Last Detail, Brenda's Wedding Blog, Niche White, Simply and Forever, Bride Goggles, Landlocked Bride, Forget Me Knot Weddings, Fabulously Wed, The Bride Suite, Enchanted Dreams Wedding & Affairs, Marry You Me, Luna and Chloe Weddings, La Petite Coquin, Glamour and Grace Weddings

And, be sure to follow along on twitter as all the bloggers will be tweeting all day long about this amazing day in the wedding world.

Vendors that helped pull this amazing photo shoot together include:
Design + styling and JOY cards: Aleah + Nick Valley of Valley & Co. www.valleyandco.com
Photography: Jeremy Leffel: www.jeremyleffel.com
Floral design: Anne Bradfield of Floressence: www.floressencedesign.com
Crystal and marble decorative candle accents: vintage pieces from Nick's mom
Venue, dessert, and drinks: Palace Ballroom by Tom Douglas: www.tomdouglas.com
Linens: Choice Linens: www.choicelinens.com
Chairs, silverware, and china: AA Party Rentals: www.aapartyrents.com

guest blogging with Valley & Co.

So happy to welcome Aleah and Nick of Valley & Co. back to the wedding blog today - it's been a little while since they were here last to share their terrific wedding tips with my readers. And, today they have great tips for making guests feel special and welcome at your wedding.

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At most every wedding and event we plan there are a number of guests traveling from out of town. It's so important to make them feel special and appreciated from when they arrive at their hotel to when they leave your bash.

above photos courtesy of BHG and Kirei Nest {featuring a Wedding Chicks tote}

Welcome bags placed in each hotel room needn't be over-the-top {though we've created some really incredible goodies!}; stock baskets or bags with travel sized lotions, bottled water, a map of your city, an itinerary for the wedding or event, and some snacks. You can theme your welcome bags around the city you are in or the theme of your wedding: think Washington apples, Tim's Cascade chips, and Fran's chocolates in Seattle. Stock bags with gourmet cheeses and crackers and a small bottle of wine and opener for a winery celebration. Your guests will surely enjoy this treat.

above photo courtesy of Brandon Kidd Photography

Whether you have guests traveling from out of city, state, country, or continent, don't forget about them at your wedding! We know this can be easier said than done but visiting with each guest, even if it's brief, speak volumes.  Yes, this is your wedding day, but your guests care about you enough to make it to your wedding and they're here to see you. Consider giving a welcome toast that thanks each group who came. Talk with your photographer ahead of time to schedule group photos with each family, group of college friends, or work colleagues so that no one is left behind.

Send guests off with a thoughtful and usable take-home gift or late-night snack post-bash. We've coordinated everything from Philly cheese steaks and French fries to an espresso stand, milk and cookies, and a gourmet hot dog stand upon exit! Guests young and old will enjoy a little refueling after a day of celebration.

above photo courtesy of The Sweetest Occasion, photo by Jennifer Williams

The day flies by in a flash of fun, emotions, and celebration, and planning ahead makes all of the difference! We're sure you'll look back fondly on the memories and photos as well.

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Thank you Aleah and Nick of Valley & Co. for joining me today on my blog to share your valuable advice and tips with my readers.