RoofTop Wedding

Ice House Louisville Wedding Feature: The LaMasters

February 26, 2019 by icehouse Leave a Comment

Every so often, there comes along a couple who possesses such a charisma that you can’t help but admire them together. Kellie and Michael LaMaster are one of these couples. Their connection is undeniable and we were thrilled that they chose the Ice House in downtown Louisville, Kentucky to host their reception. Continue below to see details and photos from their day!

Kellie + Michael chose to be wed in St. Mary of the Annunciation Catholic Church

“Working within the wedding industry over the past seven years, I thought surely planning my own wedding would be a piece of cake, when in fact it made things a little harder. Everything seemed so over-done in my eyes—I’ve seen it all! That’s why I tried my best to create a very unique wedding.

Michael and I met on Match.com four years ago. We were each other’s first date for the rest of our lives! Eventually we moved to southern Indiana, so it made perfect sense to have our wedding in Louisville, KY where we were building a life together. And, why not enjoy both sides of the Ohio River! Ceremony took place at St. Mary of the Annunciation Catholic Church in New Albany, IN for its beauty and architecture—then we held our Reception at the Ice House in Louisville for its industrial, modern feel that fit us perfectly. We fell in love with the Ice House the moment we walked in!

Making our wedding the most unique was truly my inspiration, down to every detail. Dreaming of a late fall wedding, I chose jewel-toned colors for the dresses and my color palette. Each bridesmaid wore different color/style dress, while my sister (MOH) wore a sequin dress. The groomsmen had little hoop boutonnières to mimic the bridesmaids fun hoop bouquets—which was my absolute favorite detail!

Looking back on our magical windy day, I wouldn’t change a single moment. It turned out more perfect than we ever could’ve imagined, and we’re so grateful. The Ice House team of experts are incredible and made everything so simple. Their stress-free planning process all the way to perfecting our big day—they nailed it! Christina, Erica, Morgan, Spencer, of the Ice House and Crushed Ice Catering crew were absolutely amazing and I appreciate everything they did to make our big day perfect.

I had the best vendor team all around! That is my best piece of advice to brides—you have to find/hire the best team who will make it all possible.” – Kellie LaMaster

Kellie and Michael’s Vendor List:

Church: St. Mary of the Annunciation Catholic Church

Reception Venue: Ice House Louisville

Photographer: Stacy Able Photography

Florist: Amy Jo Goforth at Merci Bouquet (New Albany, IN)

Videographer: Alyssa & Ryan at Paper Crane Cinema Co.

DJ: Jason Shields at Music in Motion of Kentucky

Cake: Sweets by Morgan

Hair: Paige Brigman

Makeup: Ashley/Lola B Beauty

Dress: Modern Trousseau

Shoes: BHLDN

Bridesmaid Dresses: Bella Bridesmaid

Styled for Romance: An In Depth Look into our Winter Styled Shoot

November 29, 2018 by icehouse Leave a Comment

As winter seems to be making an early appearance in the Louisville area and given us proper dusting of snow, our sights are set on the upcoming winter bridal season. And even more so are we looking forward to the winter weddings celebrations taking place here at the Ice House. To stoke the fire of our team’s imagination, our Event Decor and Design Coordinator, Spencer Freeman, conjured up a dreamy matrimonial vision and brought it to life. Showcased in our winter wedding styled shoot are some of our favorite hues, textures, and local Louisville vendors for this coming season.

A list of our treasured vendors:

Venue: The Ice House

Calligraphy & Florals- Lauren Wilhite Art

Hair & Makeup- Siera Phillips

Furniture Rentals- Southern Classic Rentals

Catering & Cocktails- Crushed Ice Catering

Dress- Rebecca’s Wedding Boutique

Photography- Drake and Eliza Photography

Stylist- Spencer Freeman

Well wishes to you and your inspiration,

Morgan Blake

A Guide For the Benevolent Bride: 5 Steps to a More Socially Conscious Wedding

September 4, 2018 by icehouse Leave a Comment

It’s all too easy to become overwhelmed and blindsided by the constant focus surrounding you and your partner during your wedding season. Luckily, there are ways to consciously decide to focus on others to alleviate the load of being the center of attention. For the benevolent bride, it is imperative to make these decisions in ways that align with her socially conscious values. Our team, situated at the Ice House in downtown Louisville, has compiled a list of five ways you can walk down the aisle knowing your future, and the future of others, will be brighter.

Brunch Wedding, Charitable Wedding, Crushed Ice Catering, cupcakes, DIY, Do it Yourself, Engagement Ring, Ethical Wedding, Event Planning, Exclusive Caterer, Louisville Catering, Louisville events, Louisville Wedding, Nonprofit Event, Philanthropic Wedding, RoofTop Wedding, Uncategorized, Wedding Ceremony, wedding dress, Wedding gift donation, Wedding Trends — **Featuring an ethically sourced engagement ring from Trumpet & Horn.**

1. Conflict Free Engagement Rings

A bride’s engagement ring tells the story of her and her partner’s love story. Choosing various combinations of stone settings, jewel stones, and band style can communicate a love that is one of a kind. For brides who are socially conscious, choosing an engagement ring is not only making a choice of a beautiful ring, but also a stand for fair wages and safe working environments. In the past, the selection of ethically sourced engagement rings was slim and did not appeal to the everyday bride. But thankfully, many jewelry companies have taken the challenge to create beautiful pieces that are made with care and compassion. The Good Trade has compiled a list of 12 jewelers that produce stunning engagement pieces that brides can feel confident investing in.

2. Ethically Sourced Wedding Dresses

It is no secret that the wedding dress industry is chalk full of stunning gowns that will please most any bride. The choices are endless. But at what expense, or whose? Thanks to fast fashion there are distributors and retailers with the resources to create bridal gowns that keep up with the trends of every season, but the manufacturing morals are an ugly sight to behold. To avoid sewing into a designer who relies on unsafe working environments and paying deplorable wages to their employees, make the choice to select your wedding dress from a mindful designer whose vision is to design gorgeous gowns while doing their part to positively impact the world. Visit The Good Trade to find an extensive list of reputable designers.

3. Donate Remaining Food

In the past few years, many catering companies have stepped up their game in regards to serving local and sustainable options for events. Doing this boosts local economy as well as cuts down on a company’s carbon footprint. Today, it is important to continue to take conscious steps in the direction of the well-being of others and our Earth. Brides, choose a caterer that will honor your decision to have leftover food donated to local halfway houses or homeless shelters. We are pleased to say that this is an active practice that our exclusive in-house caterer, Crushed Ice Catering, participates in. For Louisville locals looking to incorporate this into their own wedding, Wayside Christian Mission, The Healing Place, and many other non-profits will gratefully accept food donations from your events.

4. Donate Wedding Day Blooms

Much consideration goes into choosing bouquets and floral centerpieces to give a personal touch to a couple’s wedding day, but when the last guest leaves those botanic beauties most likely to be tossed to the trash with plenty of life in their petals. Instead of letting those blossoms go to waste, consider donating your florals to a local assisted living center or nursing home. Many of these centers are thrilled to accept your donations and share them with their residents to brighten their day. Arrangements to donate can be made personally by you and your future spouse, or you can coordinate with locally run The Flower Buds to bring joy to someone’s day.

5. Gifts that Give Back

Naturally you will want to give a token of thanks to your bridal party and wedding guests, and giving the gift that keeps on giving has never been easier. If you and your soon-to-be spouse would rather bypass the tradition of receiving gifts from your guest The Good Beginning is the wedding registry for you. Instead of making the difficult choice between gifting an elegant wine decanter or statement making vase, guest will make donations to charities selected by you and your partner. Likewise, the gesture can be reflected and guest can receive a certificate of a donation made in their name as a wedding favor. Lastly, if the idea of letting guest leave without a token to remember your day by is unbearable, purchase a favor that empowers. For those local to Louisville, purchasing take away treats for your guest from Scarlet’s Bakery not only satisfies a guest sweet tooth but supports a non-profit which pours 100% of their proceeds back into their community.

Making the most of your wedding day means more than choosing the perfect dress and most beautiful bouquet, it means making socially conscious planning decisions that will beautify both your wedding day and the world around you.

Happy planning!

Morgan Blake

Featured Wedding of the Week: Sara and Steve Stifano

August 7, 2018 by icehouse Leave a Comment

For most couples, when they start planning their wedding they don’t plan on making it “eh” or “just alright” they want to “knock it out of the park” and that is just what this week’s Featured Wedding did. Sara and Steve first met on a softball team so they made sure to add plenty of personal touches such as: a Louisville Slugger bat that everyone signed instead of a traditional guest book, and they even had a team huddle during the reception!

A common struggle when it comes to wedding planning is how to make your day as personal as possible. Sara and Steve had no problem with that. To get their family and friends involved, instead of having the DJ make all of the announcements, they had three friends introduce the wedding party, father-daughter dance, and cake cutting. This is just one example of how you can get your loved ones involved.

For Sara and Steve their wedding planning process was slightly different from most. While they both live in Rhode Island, Sara is from Kentucky and that’s why they decided to get married here in Louisville. They only had an opportunity to see the venue twice in person before their wedding. Thanks to plenty of emails, Facetime sessions, and phone calls, when it came down to it “the entire day was practically perfect, our guests were raving about everything, especially the food!” – Sara Stifano

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, it takes a village to pull off the perfect day and we could never do it alone. This wedding was no different. Here is a list of all the vendors that help make Sara and Steve’s day so special!

Photographer: BG Photography

Florist: Nanz & Kraft

Planner: Ice House and Crushed Ice Catering

Dress: My dress was from Lara’s Bridals & Formals

Shoes: Kelly & Katie (from DSW)

Hair and Makeup: The Blushing Belle

Bridesmaids dresses: Morilee

Venue: Wedding and Reception were at the Ice House

Music: Family friend

Officiant: Family friend

Cake: Gigi’s Cupcakes

Wedding Backup Plans: What To Do and Why They’re Important

July 30, 2018 by icehouse Leave a Comment

Anyone that dreams of the perfect outdoor wedding with the perfect flowers, the perfect pictures, and a perfect first dance under lights strung from trees, also has nightmares of rain and storms. What can you do to insure that your day goes off without a hitch? Aside from a traditional rain dance, or saying a prayer to the Big Man upstairs, there is not much you can do to stop mother nature. This is why it is CRUCIAL to have a back-up plan! Just ask J-Lo she would know all about this…

No matter what venue you choose, make sure you discuss weather back-up plans. These can be anything from rain delays where you wait it out, tents, or moving the entire ceremony/reception inside. At the Ice House we have multiple back up plans. If you are planning on having your ceremony or reception on our roof-top garden or outdoor terrace, we can always move it inside to our mezzanine or to the main hall. Most venues will have an indoor back-up plan as well, just be sure to ask them about it.

Tents are always a good back-up plan, just know that with most companies they usually have a 24 hour notice policy to guarantee they have time to set the tent up properly. This is not always the case, of course it varies from vendor to vendor, but if the chances of rain on your wedding day are high it’s usually better to play it safe rather than sorry. However make sure to plan for the tent in your budget. It will be much easier on your stress level to have money left over instead of not enough money to pay for the tent.

Rain is not the only weather issue, cold fronts and heat waves can play a major role in outdoor weddings as well. If that is the case there are always heaters, blankets, fans, misters, etc… Not only will the guest appreciate your efforts to keep them comfortable but there are plenty of ways you can work these items into your décor or theme. Pinterest will be your best friend for cases like this!

If it’s going to be a hot outdoor wedding these are just a few options to keep your guests comfortable and cool! Fans make great programs/wedding favors, refreshment stands are a perfect option to keep your guests hydrated, and make for a great photo-op!

If you’re afraid it might get a little chilly depending on the time of year, there are plenty of options when it comes to keeping your guests warm. Such as: using blankets as your wedding favors, setting up a hot chocolate stand, or having a s’mores station set up around a fire pit!

So no matter the weather just remember, it’s your special day and nothing can rain on your parade! Not even the rain…

(Photo Credits: Pinterest)

Wedding Spotlight: Allison & Matt’s Ice House Reception

December 8, 2016 by icehouse Leave a Comment

Ice House Louisville Featured Wedding: Allison and Matt

We host A LOT of wedding receptions here at the Ice House. We get the extreme pleasure of working with some of the best Clients in the wedding planning world! Allison was no exception to this. To say that this Bride-to-be was a joy to work with is an understatement. From the first meeting with Allison and her Mom, we knew that the Ice House and Crushed Ice Catering were the perfect fit for her. We instantly fell in love with this family – and secretly wanted to grab drinks, chat and become forever BFFs with them.

When choosing a wedding to highlight, we did not have to look far. We are so happy that Allison took the time to provide us with feedback and (AMAZING) photos from her special day.

Everyone in the event planning world knows that it takes a village to pull off a successful party. Allison’s Dream Team consisted of the most talented vendors in the city, and beyond!

Photographer: Bella Grace Studios

Caterer: Crushed Ice Catering

Planners: The Ice House and Crushed Ice Catering

Linens: La Tavola Fine Linens

Entertainment: The Respectables

Florist: David Williams at Magnolias

Cake: Nord’s Bakery

Transportation: Xtreme Transportation

Makeup: Jessica Hill

Hair: Belles & Co.

Shoes: Badgley Mischka

We asked Allison to share her experience working with the Ice House and Crushed Ice Catering – her testimonial speaks to what our mission is here at the Ice House:

“Erica and her team at the Ice House were a joy to work with. They were always responsive, providing helpful insights and advice and truly helped to plan the big evening. I never felt alone or lost in the process which was such a blessing. Everything turned out beautifully!”

And finally, Allison’s parting words for future Brides-to-be… “Write your Thank You notes as you receive gifts” – a Bride with not only style and grace, but good etiquette too. Now, you can see why we loved her as much as we did!

Congratulations to Allison and Matt, we were honored that you chose the Ice House for your special day.

Brunch Weddings

August 15, 2016 by icehouse Leave a Comment

Are you a brunch lover? That’s a silly thing to ask because everybody loves brunch. Now here’s a real question: Do you think you’d have a brunch wedding? You may be thinking “no” right away, but I bet by the end of this week’s post you’ll be considering it for your Louisville Wedding!

Before I go into specifics, let me give you a general run-down about why brunch weddings are the best.

First off, hosting in the early hours of the day means that the heat hasn’t hit just yet. This gives you a few extra hours not having to worry about sweating off your fresh makeup and being able to enjoy being outside a bit longer.
You can also host on a Saturday or Sunday and many venues, like The Ice House, offer discounts for booking on a Sunday since it’s less popular. That means less money spent on your part. Plus, we have an awesome rooftop garden that would be perfect for a brunch reception!
Speaking of saving money, brunch events also tend to lean more on the casual side. This means the decor can be playful and even your dress, groomsmen suits, and bridesmaids dresses can match the event and keep it a little less formal. Your menu can also be on the lighter side, and there’s no need to pay for an expensive lighting package or a full bar!

Let’s break it down a little more:

DRINKS

Like I said, we don’t need a full bar at 10AM, but it’s nice to have a little somethin’ for your guests to sip on. I’m sure you already know what I’m talking about too- Mimosas. Ahhhhh yes, everyone loves a little bubbly in their OJ! But have you thought about a mimosa bar? Grab your favorite varieties of juice, put out some bowls of fresh fruit and let the guests be their own bartender. The combinations are endless and make for a fun and refreshing morning drink.

If mimosas aren’t your thing (Gasp!) then maybe you’d like to try a Bloody Mary bar. Have your bartender serve up spicy or sweet Bloody Marys and have your guests load up a skewer of their favorites! Pickles, bacon, celery, peppers, spices and more, are sure to add a fun twist to a morning cocktail.

Get creative with your drinks! — Bloody Mary and Mimosa Bars are Perfect for Brunch

As a former Barista, there’s one beverage that a brunch wedding would not be complete without: Coffee. Not only is it a “thank you” for those guests who struggled to put themselves together this early for you, but it’s an excuse to create the most adorable coffee bar or cart. Serve a cup to your friends and family as they walk in to the ceremony and keep it going throughout the reception. Personalize cardboard cup and/or sleeves to add a fun touch, and a fancy mocha will keep those under-agers happy even though they can’t have a mimosa.

Coffee bars are a MUST for brunch. — Keep those early risers happy with a special coffee bar.

FOOD

Your Food choices also offer you a chance for you to stray from the ordinary. Find a caterer like Crushed Ice Catering that has an awesome breakfast menu and go to town. Omelets, frittata, muffins, quiche, waffles (yes please!), fresh fruit. I could go on forever with all of the awesome options.

Even though “brunch” and “cake” aren’t usually two words we put together, having a small cake for your dessert can still be a great idea. Ditch the heavy icing and 5-tiers and try something simple and sweet like a naked cake. Many bakers are trying these lately and they are really a beautiful and delicious way to keep with tradition. You can even pair your small cake with donuts or pastries to stick with the morning theme.

Try a waffle cake for something unexpected and delicious! — Feeling like you want to try something new? How about a waffle cake!

RECEPTION

Receptions during the day may not require the same “entertainment” as an evening affair. A band or a DJ could be a great idea as far as music goes, but chances are, grandma isn’t going to want to cut a rug on the dance floor at 11am. This is a great time to socialize and have some yard games out for guests to just enjoy their time with their family and friends. Cornhole, ladder golf, giant Jenga, and even board games will be sure to make everyone feel like a kid again and have fun celebrating with you.

Personalize your Corn Hole Boards! — Add a personal touch to your reception activities.

DECOR

This may be my favorite point of all. Your decor can be simple yet make an impact at the same time. Focus on plants and pops of color instead of lighting and candles. Paper garland or bunting banners look so cute and bring more color and height. Your buffets or stations are bound to be delicious so play up how good they look set up! Chalk signs, menu tags and greenery will make them stand out and look as beautiful as they are yummy.

Love you a Brunch! — Chalk walls and menu tags look awesome on your buffet set up.

Liking the idea but still feeling that a brunch wedding isn’t for you? Take these ideas and pass them along to your family or bridal party and turn them into a shower or day-after party for a smaller crowd. You can’t go wrong with brunch!

Cheers,

Madeleine

Summer Weddings: Why We Love Them!

July 6, 2016 by icehouse Leave a Comment

Picking a date for your wedding is a big decision. You may be trying to land a specific day, one with special significance to you and your partner, but often times it comes down to what the venue has available. Many couples shy away from summer dates thinking either spring or fall has better Louisville weather, availability, etc. However, there are so many upsides to choosing summer for your big day and here’s why we at the Ice House and Crushed Ice Catering love summer weddings!

WEATHER: Yes, you take the risk of it being a bit hot, but chances are that the day will be warm and beautifully sunny. By choosing summer, you’ve just opened the door to a whole other group of venues that offer outdoor spaces. The options to do an outdoor cocktail hour, rooftop ceremony, or even a garden-party type reception are available. Not to mention the photos ops that are presented for an outdoor space. Which brings us to our next point…

bar, Brunch Wedding, cocktails, Crushed Ice Catering, Event Planning, Event Spaces, Exclusive Caterer, Louisville Catering, Louisville events, Louisville wedding, Rehearsal Dinner, Rooftop Event, Rooftop Wedding, Uncategorized, Wedding Ceremony, Wedding Planning, Wedding Reception, Wedding Trendsbar, cocktail hour, Crushed Ice Catering, Crushed Ice Events, Curshed Ice Events, East Terrace, event planning, Honeymoon, Louisville catering, Louisville events, Louisville wedding, Main Hall Package, mezzanine, Photography, Rooftop Garden, rooftop wedding, stations and bars, Summer Wedding, The Ice House, The Ice House Lounge, up lighting, Weather, wedding catering, wedding ceremony, wedding checklist, wedding planning, wedding reception, wedding show — Guests enjoy cocktail hour on a beautiful July evening at the rooftop garden.

PHOTOGRAPHY: Just think about the fun that your photographer could have being outside! Not only is the natural lighting a huge benefit, but day-of photo op locations are now endless. You don’t need to worry about taking off and putting on jackets, rosy cheeks, or goosebumps, but you can take advantage of the natural greenery, flowers and sunshine through the clouds. You’ll really appreciate the photos after it’s all said and done.

COLOR/DRESS: Fall and winter weddings limit themselves to a darker color palette. Although this could lead to a more “romantic” or upscale wedding, your options for bridesmaid dresses are limited. The decision of long versus short dresses may be made for you. Summer offers a huge selection of color options from linens, dresses, suits & ties, and flowers. Plus, flowers are in abundance and your florist will be excited to put together bouquets or centerpieces full of color to stand out and make an impact.

GUESTS: Most people usually save their vacation days for summer and have an easier time traveling during this time. If you’re expecting more guests to be available, generally summer is a better option.

COCKTAILS & FOOD: When it comes to picking out your food and bar menu, you really can’t go wrong in the summer. Foods and ingredients are their freshest and generally make everything tastier. Caterers like Crushed Ice Catering and our Chef Lawrence Agnew take advantage of the freshest locally grown foods for a top notch meal. To top it all off, pick a signature cocktail that reflects the personality of you and your significant other. Your guests will surely appreciate a refreshing beverage unique to you!

HONEYMOON: Now lets not forget about the honeymoon! Having a summer wedding gives you a good chance to schedule your honeymoon directly after the event. More destinations are available during the summer months and traveling back and forth is easier. However, since the weather is good locally, you don’t have to travel to a tropical location. You can have your honeymoon is a big city or out in the country based on your preference.

The Ice House could be the perfect summer wedding venue. From the rooftop garden to the terrace directly off of the main hall, we aren’t short on beautiful outdoor spaces. Our exclusive caterer, Crushed Ice Catering, provides the highest quality fresh food, and summer guarantees the best ingredients for you and your guests. On top of the awesome space and food available, during the month of July we offer a 20% discount for the venue pricing which means more flowers and fun for you! See, summer isn’t so bad after all!

Cheers!

Madeleine

Ice House Louisville Wedding Feature: The LaMasters

Styled for Romance: An In Depth Look into our Winter Styled Shoot