Franklin Hotel's 2nd Annual Bridal Boutique

I went to the Franklin Hotel's 2nd Annual Bridal Boutique in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, yesterday. This was the first time I'd ever been inside the Franklin Hotel. The hotel itself is beautiful! The lobby is inviting

The expo featured some of the area's best vendors. I sampled foods from Saffron of Chapel Hill, an Indian restaurant in Chapel Hill. It was AMAZING! The flavors were astounding and really popped. I was shocked at variety flavors, spices, and just plain deliciousness of their dishes. I didn't expect so much flavor to be packed into such a small bite. Saffron offers catering for weddings and is willing to travel. If you don't use them for an event, definitely try out their restaurant. I'm sure you'll like it!

For desert I sampled cupcakes from The Chocolate Door on Franklin Street. I tried the Mayan truffle cupcake. SO delicious! The Chocolate Door can take any of their chocolate truffle flavors and turn them into cupcakes. They can also do truffles in a variety of colors to create favors for events.

The best thing about Saffron and The Chocolate Door, as well as almost all the other vendors at the Franklin Hotel Bridal Boutique? They're all local. What better way to add a personal touch to your wedding than by buying local and supporting your town?

Our First Event!

This was our first event as Natasha F. Wayne Events! It was a dance marathon fundraiser for UNC and Duke Children's Hospitals. We were hired by the Wake Forest-Rolesville Middle School SOS Club to assist with publicity, contracting, and logistics. The dance marathon took place on Friday, June 4, 2010 at The Factory in Wake Forest, North Carolina.

This was the line to get into the dance. People were waiting outside the building! Everyone was so excited!

The evening featured a laser light show during dancing.

Check out that crowd! The event drew over 500 students from the Wake County School District.

Here all the students are waiting to hear the grand total raised in 2010 ... $18,033!

To see more event pictures, visit our Facebook album.

Awesome Raleigh Venues: North Carolina Museum of History

We're still exploring Raleigh's coolest and most unique venues. This time, it's the North Carolina Museum of History.

The building itself is amazing. Built out of marble and glass, the museum looks sleek, clean, and elegant. Even the steps entering the building are impressive. Imagine yourself walking down these all decked out in a wedding gown, or your guests milling on the landing while they sip cocktails. Pretty great image, isn't it?

The museum allows the use of the lower level of the building for large seated receptions. Your guests walk up marble stairs and through giant glass doors to enter the lobby. This venue is the ultimate is elegance, making your guests feel like stars before they even get inside. The lobby opens up to reveal the staircase and seating area.

While the museum exhibits are usually closed after hours, you can arrange for your guests to have special access during your event. Right now the museum is featuring an exhibit of a 1920s Drugstore. The picture to the right is of an old fashioned drugstore counter. The photo opportunities are endless!

The North Carolina Museum of History is an awesome Raleigh venue, and a great place to spend an afternoon. The staff are very helpful and willing to share information and photos of past events. During my visit, they allowed me to view pictures of previous events as well as watch the set up for a wedding taking place that evening. The building is exquisite, modern and can accommodate large parties. The lobby can hold up to 200 people at a seated dinner or 500 at a standing reception.

Keep this venue in mind the next time you're in the market for an event space, or drop by when you're looking for something interesting to do on a Saturday afternoon.

For more information on renting the North Carolina Museum of History, visit their website.

Irish Vow of Unity

I'm researching traditional cultural vows for one of my clients, and came across this one:

We swear by peace and love to stand,
Heart to heart and hand to hand.
Hark, O Spirit, and hear us now,
Confirming this our Sacred Vow.

This is the Irish Vow of Unity (found at Irish Celtic Jewels).

I like this vow because it's beautiful but simple, saying everything that needs to be said without going overboard or being too gushy.

I wanted to share this with you all in case you're looking for something to add to your ceremony.