We met Susie back in March of this year and she brought a sample of her vintage dishes she has available for rent. Susie has a love for thrift shopping and I guess you have to love it to open up a business around it! Dirty Dishes was launched late last year and I love that Susie has a philosophy that “children need to be allowed to use nice things in order to learn an appreciation for them”. We plan on using her for the right children’s party with our sister company Little Posh Parties one of these days.

On Monday, I wrote about the launch of Etsy Weddings. I’m also excited to share that Dirty Dishes has launched their Etsy Registry this week! Susie has created two collections in her Dirty Dishes Boutique.  The first collection is “Autumn Claret” and features amber glassware and ruby red plates combined with mismatched floral pieces.  The second is the “Sweetest” collection which is a softer, more feminine grouping of pretty florals. Both collections will have four place settings – listed separately as they are not all identical – with the opportunity to purchase more, if desired.  Susie will instruct buyers to contact her and she will collect and assemble more for them, with a reserved listing.

Also listed are serving bowls, glassware, linen, etc identified to coordinate with the place settings.  The idea is that a bride can register for all of the pieces that build a complete tablescape, with the freedom to be selective as well.   The great thing is that they can pull their registry from all of the shops on Etsy, so they might also find other coordinating items from another shop.

Autumn Claret Collection:

Sweetest Collection:

Anyway, I hope you also enjoy her vendor spotlight!

Name:  Alta Sue Radke (but everyone calls her “Susie”)
Location: Serving all of Las Vegas Valley
Company Name: Alta Sue’s Dirty Dishes (Vintage Dishes For Rent)
Number of Years in Business: Officially launched in November 2011
Website: www.dirtydishesonline.com
Blog: www.dirtydishesonline.com/dishin-dirt_(the-blog)/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Alta-Sues-Dirty-Dishes
Etsy: www.etsy.com/shop/altasuesdirtydishes
Twitter: @_DirtyDishes
Pinterest: pinterest.com/dirtydishes/

What did you do prior to opening up your vintage dishes business? I left my career as an interior designer, just over a year ago. I was lucky to have cut my teeth as a design assistant on the opening of the Bellagio. From there I continued in hospitality design for 15 years before deciding to pursue my love of dishes.

What are some of your hobbies?  I once listed thrift shopping as a hobby. But now I love realizing that I’m actually working when I’m out hunting.  I love to organize things- items, information, what ever I can get in my hands. So, scanning and archiving family photos is one of my favorite things to do. It also feeds my love for nostalgia.

Describe a typical business day? My mornings start with the business of taking care of my hubby, since he has to go out in the rat race every day.  After making coffee, breakfast, and packing his lunch, I make my tea and from that point, my days are nicely varied. I could be out gathering treasure, which combines nicely with my household errands. I could be at the computer blogging or book keeping with one or both of my cats near by.  I could be photographing and counting my inventory. I could be out at meetings with wedding professionals or clients. Or if inspiration hits, I could be playing with different ways to combine my dishes in a brand new tablescape. I’m a lucky girl.

What is the best piece of advice you can offer a couple on their wedding day?  Common advice is to “relax and don’t sweat the small stuff”. I cannot in good conscience offer this advice because this is in sharp contrast to how I operate! I am new to the wedding industry. But I read this in a book before my wedding day, and I have often passed it along to friends…

No matter how well you plan and how good your team of professionals are, something will fall short of your expectations. So before the day begins, accept that 3 or maybe 5 things will go wrong and resolve to count them off as they happen. This helps bring perspective to the day by prompting you to stop and consider if this less than perfect thing qualifies to make the list. You’ll likely find that most things are not important enough to even count. And if it is a big deal, you can easily move past it because you already accepted it at the beginning of your day.

Anything else interesting you’d like to share? I in no way claim to be an expert in dinnerware. I believe we should use pretty things and that only we ourselves assign value to any given piece. I pick up a piece because of its aesthetics or sense of history, not necessarily because it is a collectible.  I believe our homes and the way we entertain should reflect our own individual story.

Photos from a recent wedding by Deacon Tyler of D.Tyler Photography:

All photos courtesy: Deacon Tyler of D.Tyler Photography

Blog: www.dtyler-photography.com/blog
Facebook: www.facebook.com/DTylerPhoto

Bridal bouquet by Tiger Lily Flower Shop

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For a complimentary consultation for wedding planning services, please email us: juliet@greenorchidevents.com

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A few weeks ago, my team and I sat down with Kevin from LED Unplugged to discuss his lights and rentals. LED Unplugged offers the most technologically advanced wireless LED lighting on the market today. Kevin donated some lighting to one of our Thursday Therapy events and it was amazing how quickly he was able to set everything up. Because these lights are wireless, it probably took about 30 minutes for Kevin to set everything up! If you’re getting married soon or will be hosting a special event, I think a consultation with Kevin to see how these lights work in person is a must!

In additional to the lights, LED Unplugged also offers white leather furniture for rent, custom gobos, lighted high top tables and cake tables. Kevin is constantly adding to his inventory.

Above Photos by Ron Miller Photography

Above photos by Artistic Imaging

702-675-6100
info@ledunplugged.com
ledunplugged.com

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For a complimentary consultation for wedding planning services, please email us: juliet@greenorchidevents.com

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Some of their available linens:

Sparkly and rosette linens caught my eye:

Cupcakes and cake pops from The Cupcakery:

The 2012 linens including the sparkly chevron prints:

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For a complimentary consultation for wedding planning services, please email us: juliet@greenorchidevents.com

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Photo credit: People.com

I’ve been in love with ombre since I first laid eyes on Gwen Stefani’s pink silk faille John Galliano wedding dress almost 10 years ago. Back then, I had no clue this had a name!  The word ombre comes from fashion and means a graduated variation in color. Basically, a color fades from a light shade to a darker shade gradually or from a dark shade to a light shade of the same color family.

Within the last year or so, we’re seeing this more and more in weddings and events. I love some of the cool ways ombre is being incorporated from wedding cakes to nails to wedding invitations and of course to floral!

Here are some beautiful examples of ombre in weddings.

From pale pink to fuchsia: sweet peas, hyacinths, and nerines culminates in a deluge of fuchsia peonies, ruby fringe tulips, and raspberry cyclamens.

Photo credit: MarthaStewart.com

An elegant yet simple ivory to mocha 5 tier wedding cake.

Photo Credit: The Schultzes; Cake: Ballantyne Hotel from Elizabeth Anne Designs

Dress from Atelier Versace Collection Spring/Summer 2011; Wedding cake by Maggie Austin. From Bella Magazine.

Ombre seating chart via Wedding Chicks; Photo credit: Rebecca Hansen

Stunning purple ombre wedding cake from inspiration shoot by Kate Miller Events. Cake: Sweet Cakes by Rebecca. Photo credit: Sarah Maren Photographers

Ombre flower petal wedding aisle via Luxe Finds. Photo courtesy: Martha Stewart

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Photos Courtesy of: Sofiewawa Blog

Wildflower Linen has launched a new line of linens and decor that is inspired by the famous Breaking Dawn wedding. The natural colors and lush fabrics are amazing! This line can accommodate your wedding decor and even your home decor.

Photos Courtesy of: Wild Flower Linen

Wild Flower Linen has also opened a home store in Costa Mesa, California so you can go in person and see the new line for yourself! I feel a road trip coming on.

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website * Email: angelica@greenorchidevents.com

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Photo: Design Within Reach

Photo: Taylor Creative

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Chargers are also called underplates, chop plate, service plate, show plate (the name I was first taught years ago in banquets) or base plate.

Photo credit: J & J Photography

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Silver Fanfare Chameleon Chair with Ivory Cushions and Curly Willow Blush Chair Sleeve (from Wildflower Linens)
Photo Credit: J & J Photography; Venue: DragonRidge Country Club

Brown Fanfare Chairs with Red Chloe Toppers and Jeweled Belt with Red Cushions
Photo credit: John Morris Photo; Venue: Red Rock Casino

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Photo credit: studio 563 (Texas); Venue: Loews Lake Las Vegas

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website * Email: juliet@greenorchidevents.com