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 - 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 - Make Your Wedding Super

Its Super Bowl Sunday!! Whether you’re rooting for the Indianapolis Colts or New Orleans Saints, the day is sure to have four main ingredients: great food, great company, great entertainment, and a great atmosphere. Why not draw some inspirations from the biggest football day of the year? Here are some subtle ways to incorporate a football-inspired wedding day.. and it just might make your fiancé more willing to help you plan! ;o)



Instead of the traditional rice throwing, have your guests blow whistles as you exit as the new Mr. and Mrs. It might not look like you’re at the Super Bowl, but it will sure sound like it!

If you and your fiancé have a team that is special to the both of you, show off your team pride! You could use the team colors as your wedding colors or put your team emblem on your wedding cake. For a more understated visual, some couples opt to get team garters, which are sold online.



If you have a cocktail hour, draw food ideas from your Super Bowl parties. Everybody loves wings, mini hot dogs, nachos, mozzarella sticks, etc. – these are perfect finger foods to enjoy before the main meal. If you want a more gourmet menu, there are ways to spruce these classics up. Perhaps substituting fried mozzarella balls or chicken kebobs would do the trick.



For a very subtle way to incorporate football (or any sport, for that matter) without compromising your elegant wedding, get rid of the table numbers and name the tables after your favorite teams. This is a fun way to show off your love of sports. Another great way to use football names is to name your drink specials accordingly. Everyone will be talking about the “Tonic Touchdown!”, “Blue Brees”, or “Malibu Manning”. Just use your imagination!

These are all fun ways to bring your wedding to a whole new level of fun. Whether you want to go all out or show off your spirit just a little bit, these ideas will make for an awesome event that will have guests talking long after the final quarter is over. =)


Have fun!

Kaitlyn

Don't feel guilty about eating anymore.. - NJ/NY Wedding Planner

Eat, drink and be merry — a phrase we all like to live by, no matter what time of year it is. Weddings are an ideal place to do this, and as the hosts, you want to make sure your guests are having as good of a time as you are. I’ve been a guest to many weddings and know first-hand that one of the things people look forward to is the delicious wedding food. Whether it’s the cocktail hour appetizers, buffet style meals, or sit-down dinner portions, there’s just something amazing about it. However, I also know that this area can break the bank for couples; it is one of the priciest aspects of a wedding. I’m going to give you the Top 7 tips I’ve come across of how you, as a wedding couple, can save big money on food without anyone knowing the difference.

1. If you decide on a having a cocktail hour with appetizers, don’t offer a cheese platter. Cheeses are costly and usually the least popular food item at weddings.

2. Try not to repeat items in the main dinner platter that you already served at the cocktail hour. For example, if you’re serving pasta as a dinner dish, don’t have a pasta station for guests beforehand. Not only is this saving you money, but it’s also saving your guests room for different food!

3. There’s always an excess of food at weddings—one reason is because hosts offer so much food before the actual meal and then serve a 5-course dinner. If you have a buffet beforehand, opt for a 2 or 3 course meal. Your budget will notice a difference; your guests won’t.

4. This one is so obvious and easy, but could save you hundreds: ask about pricing! Different meats and seafood are different prices during the year, based on what’s in season and what’s not. Simply ask the chef what the cheapest option will be at the time of your celebration.

5. If you have an open bar, don’t go for the top shelf liquors. Most people usually can’t tell the difference (especially if you’re having a signature drink or an array of mixed drinks), and it will save you big money.

6. Use bite-sized desserts to control portions AND your budget. Most people take a lot just so they can try everything, and end up leaving most of the plate behind. This will allow your guests to sample everything while wasting nothing!


7. My favorite tip for cake-savings, also given by the Cake Boss himself (for those of you who don’t watch TLC, Carlo’s Bake Shop is a family run bakery in Hoboken that has its own reality show). He says instead of going for a 5-tier cake, you can save big by choosing a 3-tier cake and simply having a sheet cake of the same flavor in the back for the chefs to cut up and serve. Your guests will have no clue, but you will when you see how much smaller the bill is.

Hopefully you can use these tips for some big time savings. Now you really CAN eat, drink and be merry.... knowing that you just saved a bundle! =)

-Kaitlyn


Photo sources:
www.stylemepretty.com
www.a-wedding-reception.com