New Jersey Wedding Planner - Twilight Saga Wedding Planned!

I share a few things in common with Nadya, one of them being that I love, love, love the Twilight books (and movies!). I know that she’s blogged about what Bella’s wedding dress will look like, according to experts, but the other day I found what the whole wedding day will be like! According to InStyle experts, we have what Edward and Bella’s big day will look like. I am so excited to see this come to life on the big screen, because those of you who read the books as well know it’s going to be elegant, extravagant, and amazing!! Here are some pictures of what the experts came up with. Enjoy, everyone!! And, is anyone else as bummed as I am that we have to wait until NEXT November to see this?? At least they’re making it into 2 movies. ;o)


The Ring
“Nestled into the black satin, Elizabeth Masen’s ring sparkled in the dim light. The face was a long oval, set with slanting rows of glittering round stones. The band was gold—delicate and narrow. The gold made a fragile web around the diamonds.”



The Reception
“I was distracted by the profusion of white blossoms that hung in garlands from everything in the room...dripping with long lines of white gossamer ribbons. But I tore my eyes from the bowery canopy and searched across the rows of satin-draped chairs...until I found him at last, standing before an arch overflowing with more flowers.”



Alice’s bridesmaid gown
“Alice was back before I had taken two hundred breaths, in a dress that flowed down her slender body like a silvery waterfall.”



Rosalie’s bridesmaid gown
“Rosalie glided past the bathroom door in a shimmery silver gown with her golden hair piled up in a soft crown on top of her head.”



The Cake
“I was blinded by flashbulbs as we held the knife over a spectacular cake—too grand, I thought, for our relatively intimate group of friends and family.”



Aro’s Gift
“The necklace was simple—gold woven into a thick rope of a chain, almost scaled, like a smooth snake that would curl close around the throat. One jewel hung suspended from the rope: a white diamond the size of a golf ball.”



The Honeymoon
“We headed due east into the open ocean... As far as I could remember there wasn’t much east of Brazil… ’This is Isle Esme. A gift from Carlisle—Esme offered to let us borrow it.’… The moon was bright on white sand and, just a few yards away from the house, glistening waves... I was more focused on the absolutely huge white bed in the center of the room, hung with billowy clouds of mosquito netting.”


Amazing! Can't wait to see it.


Kaitlyn


All photos and references from InStyle.com

New Jersey Wedding Planner - Looking Cool, Feeling Cool

Ah, the summer months are upon us. This calls for celebrations – beach trips, pool parties, BBQ weekends.. and weddings!! As we all know, summer is one of the most popular seasons for weddings. And for good reason: the weather is warm, the sun is shining, flowers have bloomed.. everything is just brighter, you might even say happier. But what happens when the lovely summer atmosphere turns into that gross, humid, sweat-rolling-down-the-back-of-your-neck air? Some people don’t like sitting for 4 hours in the sweltering sun, it can be draining and uncomfortable. However, you don’t want to compromise that perfect spot outside by the lake that you and your partner are destined to be married at. Guess what? You don’t need to. You just need to figure out the best way for you and your guests to stay cool. Here are some ideas:


1. Provide hand fans (or parasols) for everyone. This not only serves as instant air conditioning (or shade), but also as a favor for your guests. You can really get creative with this idea.


2. Set up a cool down area. If a significant amount of your wedding is outside, make sure you provide guests with a shady area to escape the sun and cold beverages to cool off with. You can even consider offering an ice cream station or adding a misting area.


3. Buy or rent fans for indoor areas. Some churches and venues don’t have AC, so you’ll have to make your own. Get a few big (but silent!) fans and spread them around your ceremony to make sure no one suffers from heat exhaustion (this idea could work for outdoor areas as well).


4. Think about the time of day. Obviously, a summer afternoon will be much hotter than a summer night. Maybe you can change your ceremony time from high noon to summer sunset at 8.


These easy, thoughtful ways to keep your guests cool will make the two of you even more of a reason to celebrate. Consideration for other people goes a LONG way, and trust me, your guests will be extremely grateful!



Stay cool. =)

Kaitlyn


Photo Sources:
www.amarieweddings.com
www.serendipstjohn.com
www.culinarycrafts.com
www.herecomestheguide.com

New Jersey Wedding Planner - Sarah's Stands, a Cake Stand Company

Hey everyone! I want to share with you a great company that the PA team thinks you will all LOVE. It’s Sarah’s Stands, a cake stand company. At Sarah’s Stands, they specialize in “custom made pedestal cake stands for cakes that want to stand out”. They offer a variety of sizes and colors – from 12 inch to 22 inch stands, square to round stands, and 70+ colors to choose from. You are sure to find exactly what you’re looking for on your special day.

How perfect is that? Dessert stands are a great way to spruce up your cake and it’s often hard finding just the right one suitable for your wedding. I know you’ll be able to find exactly what you’re looking for because of the endless options they offer. And, bonus, Sarah’s Stands makes all of their cake stands in their own workshop.

Look at the array of great colors they offer:



And here are some photos:
















Be sure to check out the website or visit their Facebook page !!



Kaitlyn



Photo Sources:
www.sarahsstands.etsy.com
www.facebook.com/pages/Sarahs-Stands-a-cake-stand-company/218614538779?v=wall

New Jersey Wedding Planner - Man’s Best Friend

No, I’m not talking about the best man or any of the groomsmen. I’m talking about your pet! Pets are like humans to some people (including myself, who loves my dog, Duke, to pieces!!!) and it only seems natural to some people to include them. Couples have been incorporating their furry friends into weddings for a while now, and I want to show you creative ways to get your little (or if you’re like me, big!) munchkin involved. The good news is that it doesn’t matter if you have a dog, cat, rabbit, horse.. there is a place for every animal at your wedding!!

There are several ways you can use your pet(s) during the planning of your big day. If you don’t want to physically use them in the actual ceremony or reception, consider some of the following:





1. Involve your pet in your engagement photos. You can use any type of aniaml here: dog, cat, horse, snake, rabbit, ferret, cow.. you name it! It’s a subtler way of keeping your precious pet involved, and you’ll have the pictures of him/her forever.

2. If you don’t want to have animals in your engagement photos, consider using a picture of you, your partner, and your pet in the Save the Dates.

3. Model your wedding cake, or grooms cake (see last week’s post), after your pet. This is another way of not involving the pet directly, but still paying tribute to how much a part of your life your pet is.

4. If you don’t want to compromise the elegance of your cake, you could add animal cake toppers to the top!

5. You could also name your signature drinks after them and add a photo or two! They're guaranteed to get a lot of attention!






If you do want to use your pet directly in the wedding, here are some suggestions:




1. Ride to your wedding in style on your horse! This is a beautiful, regal way to show up to the reception and a surprise to your guests, as well.

2. Use your pet to be your ring bearer, flower girl, or part of your wedding party (see: Adam Sandler, who named Meatball as his best man in his 2003 wedding). This is great for dogs, cats, or any other animal that is well trained.

3. If you have a pet bird, you can buy an elegant bird cage and utilize it as part of your wedding décor.

4. If you have pet fish, you can use them as part of your sweetheart table display, perhaps as the centerpiece!

5. Use pictures of you and your pet as table names/numbers.




These are just a few suggestions. There are many other ways that you can be creative and get your animals involved on your big day. It’s just another special “person” to be sharing your wedding day with.


Have fun!!


Kaitlyn


Photo Sources:
www.elizabethannedesigns.com
www.adamsandler.com
www.geoffwhite.com
www.ablwedding.com
www.baliwww.com

New Jersey Wedding Planner - A great gift for your Husband-to-Be

Are you thinking about doing something extra special for your hubby-to-be for your upcoming wedding, but aren’t sure what to get for him? Maybe you want to stay away from a traditional gift or want to add some spunk to something you’ve already gotten him. A great way to surprise him is to have a custom groom’s cake made especially for him. It doesn’t matter when you give it to him, that’s completely up to you! That’s right, you can stray from waiting until the wedding day to give it to him if that’s what you desire – you could give him the cake before his bachelor party (if he has one), at the bridal shower (if he’s going to be there), or catch him off guard on a random day (no audience needed!); the possibilities are endless. Whichever way you choose to surprise him, he’s sure to be in for a delicious treat.

Now that you’ve decided on the specialty cake, it’s time to decide what you want the cake to be. This is where you can be creative if you want. If you’re looking to go non-traditional, think of his favorite sports team, a pastime he loves, his hobbies, an inside joke between the two of you.. and then have that cake created for him. They can be funny, sentimental, manly, silly.. anything! Then take the idea to a local bakery and see if they can make it for you or use the internet to find bakeries near you that specialize in these types of cakes. If you’re REALLY good, you can make the cake yourself!

I Googled some pictures of groom’s cakes and here are a few for inspiration:


















Have fun with this and he will love it!! =)

Kaitlyn


Photo Sources:
themecakesbytraci.com
sweetideasbywendy.com
hotbreadsmddc.com
blog.makezine.com
sweetelement.com

New Jersey Wedding Planner - Cocktail-style Wedding

We had a fabulous wedding on Friday, May 7th!! It was the wedding of Yvette and Steve, who were the winners of our "Dream No More Wedding Giveaway" sweepstakes from Entourage Effortless Events this past November. Everything was so magical; from the wonderful couple to the stylish lounge, to the gorgeous lighting; everything was amazing!! We had such a great time.

One thing that Yvette and Steve decided to do for their wedding is have a cocktail-style wedding reception. This is a more informal way of hosting -- where there are more guests than there are seats. The tables used were a mix of high boys and regular sized reception tables. There were no assigned seats, so guests were free to roam around wherever and whenever. That is usually the point of a cocktail style, to make sure guests are up and dancing. It's just another style to consider when you are planning your wedding ;o)

We know Yvette and Steve had as much fun as we did and we look forward to keeping in touch with this fantastic couple!


Kaitlyn

New Jersey Wedding Planner - Be a Great Wedding Guest

I've been blogging a lot about what brides and couples should do to prepare for their wedding day, but what about the guests? If you're a guest to a wedding, you're going to need a few guidelines, even if you have attended weddings before. Here are some tips on what you absolutely should not do as a guest at a wedding (no one wants ANY type of “zilla” at a wedding!). Some of these may seem obvious, but trust us.. they need to be said and more importantly followed!!



1. Don’t ask to be part of the wedding party if the bride or groom doesn’t ask you. There’s a reason

2. Unless it’s absolutely unavoidable and excusable, don’t skip the ceremony and go straight to the reception. It’s not only rude but disrespectful to the wedding couple.



3. Don’t bring your children or other family members whose names are not explicitly included on the invitation.

4. Don’t wear white, unless it clearly says that’s what the couple wants (ie, some couples ask all guests to wear white, but that only happens occasionally).


5. Don’t, under any circumstances, arrive late to the ceremony. It’s extremely inconsiderate to interrupt the ceremony, so give yourself ample time to get to the venue. Allot time for traffic, lights, stops; anything that might set you back.

6. Don’t cause a scene anywhere. This includes fighting and drinking too much liquor.

7. Don't assume you can invite a date (unless it says +1). Nowadays especially, people are trying to cut their budget costs, and adding an uninvited guest is impolite and more costly for the wedding couple. There’s a reason only your name is on the list.


It's very important to follow these rules, because in doing so you are showing the newlyweds your gratitude, appreciation, and respect for them. No matter how close you may be to the wedding couple, there are no excuses to breaking these rules. Don’t assume you’ll be able to get away with it, because chances are, you won’t. A bride, especially, will remember who let her down on her wedding day.

They aren't too tough to follow, so I know you guys will have no problem being great guests! Remember to have as much fun as possible!! =)


Kaitlyn


Photo Sources:
patrickcox.wordpress.com
swsmag.net
www.faqs.org
canongateoccasions.com