Teaser Tuesday

A perfect fall day for Colette and Angelo's wedding in Philadelphia this past Saturday. Colette and her maids started the day at her parents home with hair and makeup by Your Day Your Way before everyone slipped into their dresses. Colette and Angelo saw each other for the first time as Colette made her down the aisle of St. Monica Church. They took their family photos at the church after the ceremony before heading out to their family's first established South Philadelphia Primo's store and then to City Hall for more bridal party photos. They then headed to Tendenza and enjoyed a delicious menu for cocktail hour and their signature cocktail that they named "Sunset in Mexico" created by Cescaphe Event Group. Beautiful Blooms lit up the ballroom with lilac sachet lighting, projected a custom monogram on the dance floor, while also providing the beautiful ivory rose bouquets and white calla lily centerpieces. Gus from A&A Celebrations had the dance floor packed all night. Pete from First Floor Films and Jenn from Jennifer Childress Photography were on hand to capture all of the day's special moments. Thank you Jenn for sharing these teaser images with us! We can't wait to see the rest! Congratulations Colette and Angelo! -Amanda

Staying true to their Indian heritage, Samata and Roshin started Saturday with a traditional Indian wedding ceremony at the Hindu Temple of Delaware. After Roshin was paraded into the ceremony and Samata joined him in front of the beautiful mandap created by Nirali Decor, they had their ceremony on the stage in front of their family and friends. After the ceremony, guests enjoyed a luncheon at the temple before heading to Deerfield Country Club later that evening for the reception. After taking photos in their wedding attire, Samata and Roshin changed into their reception clothes, a suit for Roshin and another beautiful sari for Samata. The reception room at Deerfield was decorated in hues of pinks and gold and Nirali also provided tall branch and floral centerpieces for the guests' tables. Guests were treated to a traditional Indian buffet by Palace of Asia followed by cake from Desserts by Dana. DJ Jassi from Dhol Fusion Entertainment played Indian and American music all night and kept the dance floor packed. Josh from JHC Videography and Danny from Daniel Bostwick Photography captured all the fun on film and we can't wait to share more with you! Congrats to Samata and Roshin! -Caitlin

Teaser Tuesday

Katie and Bobby had gorgeous weather for their big day. The girls started their day at Salon by Dominic getting their hair and makeup done and then headed back to the bride's house to relax for a bit and finish getting ready. Katie and her family took some beautiful photos in her family's yard and then headed to St. Mary the Assumption Church where Father Dillingham performed a beautiful and entertaining ceremony. Barnyard Photography was there to capture the day along with TAG Visual Media- I can't wait to see what they got! Thanks to the incredible weather, guests were able to enjoy the outside patio area at Deerfield Country Club for cocktail hour while the newlyweds enjoyed the foliage as they took pictures together. The Corner Boys kept the party going all night and guests enjoyed an awesome Halloween themed candy buffet following dinner. Guests even enjoyed a traditional dance to Second Line, to honor the groom's family. We had such a wonderful time with Katie and Bobby, and are so glad we were able to be a part of their big day. We wish you guys all the best! -Becky

Sunday was another beautiful day for a wedding! Alisa started her day with her bridesmaids and the ladies from Gloss Salon doing hair and makeup. Once they were ready, they headed to Rockwood Park for the couple's first look and bridal party and family photos. When pictures were complete, everyone headed over to Adas Kodesch Shel Emeth for the ceremony and reception. Before the ceremony, Alisa, Jacob, and their families gathered for the Ketubah signing, and then the women went to one room for the Bedeken and the men went to another for the Tisch. Jacob was danced out to greet Alisa traditionally, and cover her face with a veil. There was much rejoicing and some special prayers, and then it was time for their traditional Jewish ceremony. Guests kicked off the party with an extended cocktail hour with food created by Boscov's Catering and then started the dancing portion of the night by watching the newlyweds first dance followed by a 20+ minute Hora! Matt and Laurie of Werth Photography and the guys from Merryweather Films were on hand to capture the day and DJ Steve of VIP DJ Entertainment kept the party going all night. It was a fun day we're so glad we were there to share it with Alisa and Jacob. Congratulations! -Becky 

Teaser Tuesday

The rain cleared just in time for Laura and Emil to tie the knot Saturday in a rustic chic wedding. The day started with a ceremony at Saints Agatha and James Church in West Philly and ended at the Horticulture Center in Philadelphia's Fairmount Park. Their wedding was a blend of Laura's Panamanian heritage and Emil's Italian heritage and hosted guests from both countries and over 16 different states. Theresa Floral Design decorated the spaces with lots of vintage bud vases and antique lanterns and the tables had beautiful wood table numbers that the couple rented from us. Starr Events created a lavish spread of meats and cheeses, short ribs, salmon, and several mini desserts to choose from. The ombre cake was created by Bredenbeck's Bakery. Eventions Productions lit up the dance floor with market lights and guests danced all night to the music from Elan Artists- Rhythm Collective. At the end of the night, everyone headed back to the hotel for an afterparty! Jen Woodruff from JW Studio captured great shots throughout the day and we can't wait to see them, but for now, here are a few of our snapshots. -Caitlin

The rain faded away and the sun came out for Tara and Sean's special day. The girls started the day at Novello Salon for hair and makeup- everyone looked beautiful! They then headed back to Tara's parents home to eat and relax a bit before getting into their dresses. Once everyone was dressed, they headed over to Winterthur Museum for Tara and Sean to share their first look. The day was captured beautifully by Joel Plotkin Photography- there are so many beautiful places to take photos on the grounds at Winterthur. EBE's Imagine provided the music for the ceremony and cocktail hour and they kept everyone on the dance floor for the reception. They kept the party going and even extended the party by a half hour! Everyone enjoyed their wonderful meal prepared by Restaurant Associates and topped off with a delicious 5 tier cake by The Master's Baker. Guests were treated to a midnight snack of cider donuts and pretzels and were able to grab some candy from the candy buffet. It was a fantastic day for an extremely sweet couple and their wonderful families. Congratulations Tara and Sean- we wish you all the best! -Becky

Ashley and Benjamin's Wedding

In January, Ashley and Ben were married in front of their closest friends and family in a traditional Jehovah's Witness wedding ceremony. Before they were married they prepped for the day at the hotel with their bridal party. The bridesmaids wore red dresses in their choice of style to match the wedding's red, black, white, and gold color scheme. The maid of honor wore a rhinestone brooch that added a little detail to her dress to make her stand out! Ashley's gorgeous wedding gown featured a beaded bodice and full tulle skirt. She finished her look with a chic bun and crystal headband. Everything was sparkling on Ashley down to her rhinestone eyelashes- she looked amazing and Ben was speechless when he saw her make her way down the aisle! After they recessed down the aisle, they headed out for some photos before joining their guests for cocktail hour. The tables in the ballroom were topped with submerged roses with a floating candle and placed on a gold charger. Once inside of the ballroom, guests enjoyed a delicious dinner before heading out to the dance floor for a night of dancing! Guests were raving about the music and kept the dance floor packed all night long. When they weren't dancing, they were enjoying a fun chocolate fountain that was a hit with guests. It was a great day followed by an even better party!

Congratulations Ashley and Ben!

Ceremony and Reception: Hilton Wilmington/Christiana

Photography: Blueprint Photography

Entertainment: DJ Caliente 

Florist: Belak Flowers

Cake: Sweets to You by Ginger

Coordinators: Caitlin, Christie, and Sharron

Teaser Tuesday

The weather for Ashley and Pat's Knowlton Mansion wedding was pure perfection. It was a beautiful day that began with the girls getting their hair and makeup done at Salon Esperanza. They then headed over to the Mansion, where they were joined by the guys, to finish getting ready. The couple shared their first look on the staircase in the Mansion and walked the beautiful grounds with their bridal party for photos. Michael Chadwick Photography was there to capture the day and guests enjoyed a photo booth by Best Booths NJ. Ashley and Pat's ceremony was beautifully officiated by one of their friends and another one of their friends provided the music and vocals. After the ceremony, guests enjoyed a delicious cocktail hour and meal from Conroy Catering and the dance floor kept busy thanks to Dave from Schaffer Sounds. The bride did a lot of DIY projects that gave the Mansion a personal touch. Ashley and Pat, thanks so much for allowing us to be a part of your special day- we wish you all the best! -Becky

Patricia and Dan's wedding started bright and early on Saturday morning, with Patricia and her bridesmaids getting their hair and makeup done by Jazmin Rhee in their suite at Hotel duPont. Cory from Dorothy Cinema arrived in the early afternoon to begin the videography and shortly after Amanda from Love Me Do Photography arrived to capture the finishing touches of makeup. We then got Patricia in her Monique Lhuillier gown and sent her off for her first look with Dan. After, they headed over to Winterthur Museum for photos with their bridal party. The ceremony was held at the Reflecting Pool at Winterthur and was officiated by the bride's cousin and guests enjoyed cocktail hour at the pool before heading down to the Visitor's Center for the reception. The crew from Synergetic Sound and Lighting draped the space then uplit it in warm amber and projected a wash on the dance floor. They also added string lights to the patio outside which guests were able to enjoy all night when they headed out to the bar and to the photobooth provided by Majestic Photobooth Company! Mike and Pat from Synergetic spun tunes and got guests out on the dance floor- it was packed!! It was a gorgeous and flawless day and we are so happy for Patty and Dan! Enjoy this teaser from Love Me Do Photography- we can't wait to see the rest! -Lisa

Truc and Tuan's wedding day started with a Vietnamese Tea Ceremony held at the bride's parents' house. The wedding party were dressed in their Ao dai and, following the ceremony, guests enjoyed a delicious luncheon of traditional foods. Once the tea ceremony was complete, the wedding party changed into gowns and tuxedos and headed to St. Helena's Church for a Catholic wedding ceremony. All eyes were on the stunning bride as she processed to her groom and there were even a few tears shed during their sweet vows. Afterwards, we took some fun photos in the city with our amazing photographers Sam Hassas and Tony Hoffer, and awesome film crew from Tweed Weddings. Then, the gang arrived at Vie and were spoiled rotten by the Cescaphe Event Group- so much yummy food and cocktails to choose from! The room looked incredible thanks to the floral designs of Petals Lane, and the guests had a blast dancing to tunes spun by Binh of Silver Sound Entertainment and posing in the photo booth by Chariot. It was a long, great day full of love, laughter and fun and we were thrilled to help Truc and Tuan's wedding dreams come true! Congrats to a wonderful couple! -Erin

How We Can Save the Day with Our Emergency Kit

Besides helping our clients plan their weddings and coordinate everything the day of, we like to think of ourselves as our clients' own personal superman. We often find ourselves "saving the day" by reaching for our wedding day emergency kit (or our E-Kit, as we commonly refer to it), a large toolkit complete with a never-ending list of wedding day essentials. From stain remover to safety pins, we come fully prepared to tackle any issue that may arise on your wedding day. Below are just a few scenarios we find ourselves in on wedding days and what we grab for in our emergency kit to help save the day!

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Medicine and First Aid

Scenario: The groom had a little too much to drink the night before and is having a good old fashioned hangover headache. 

What's in Our E-Kit: We are stocked with all sorts of pain medication including Aspirin, Advil, Tylenol, and other medicines including nasal decongestants, if his hangover happens to really be a bad cold coming on, though it's probably doubtful. 

Scenario: The father of the groom is having some stomach issues from the coffee he drank this morning.

What's in Our E-Kit: From Tums to Pepcid, to Rolaids and Pepto, we have them all on hand so the father of the groom can take his pick of which works best for him. 

Scenario: The bride's gorgeous new shoes haven't been broken in and she's getting blisters on her feet. 

What's in Our E-Kit: We will help clean them off, put some Neosporin on them and cover them up with band-aids to get her back to enjoying her day. 

Scenario: The Maid of Honor's contacts are acting up and she doesn't have any solution.

What's in Our E-Kit: We have Visine, contact solution, and a case if she needs to take her contacts out. 

Scenario: It's that time of the month for one of the bridesmaids and they weren't expecting it. 

What's in Our E-Kit: We've got tampons, panty liners, and Midol so it doesn't stop her from enjoying the day. 

Scenario: One of the guests pops an appetizer in their mouth and only after the fact, realizes that it included something they were allergic to. 

What's in Our E-Kit: If it's a mild allergy, we have Benadryl on hand for a quick fix, but if things get serious, we also carry an Epi-Pen. 

While Getting Ready

Scenario: The bride has buttons going up the back of her dress and no one has fingers tiny enough to latch them all. 

What's in Our E-Kit: We have a latch hook to help get each of the tiny latches in a breeze. 

Scenario: Before the bridesmaids walk out of the hotel room and head downstairs for photos, their black dresses have collected lint and the silk fabric is causing a static party under the dress. Not to mention their strapless dress wont' stay up. 

What's in Our E-Kit: Don't worry, we have lint rollers and static guard ready to go and have a full stash of safety pins and fashion tape to hold their dresses up. 

Scenario: The bride jumps in the limo on the way to the church and while getting out, black grease smudged on the bottom of her dress. 

What's in Our E-Kit: We reach for our Tide To Go Pen, Shout Wipes, and other stain removers to take care of that stain fast. If the stain doesn't come out, we rub white chalk on her dress to help blend in and cover up the stain. 

Scenario: One of the groomsmen goes to put his jacket on and the button pops off. 

What's in Our E-Kit: We have a sewing on hand and have been known to replace a few buttons or sew ripped dresses before. 

Scenario: The groom's boutonniere keeps falling apart and the florist didn't provide a backup. 

What's in Our E-Kit: We carry floral tape, floral wire, and corsage pins, so we can make a new boutonniere for the groom in no time. 

Scenario: The bride is admittedly a crier and so is her mother. 

What's in Our E-Kit: We are stocked with tissues and will always have them on hand throughout the day for the first look, the ceremony, and at the reception during all the great toasts and speeches where there won't be a dry eye in the house. 

Scenario: The bride's nerves have been on high all day and she realizes she hasn't even eaten yet. 

What's in Our E-Kit: The ultimate life saver, granola bars, are stocked in our E-Kit. 

Scenario: It's a windy day and the girls' hair just isn't holding up while taking photos outside. 

What's in Our E-Kit: Our hair products include all the basics like bobby pins, hairspray, a brush, comb, and mirror so we can freshen up their hair before they walk down the aisle. 

Scenario: It turned out to be a 90 degree day in May, but you were forecasted to be in the 70s. 

What's in Our E-Kit: Our brides may need a little suncreen, a fresh coat of deodorant, and even some oil absorbing sheets to blot their face. 

Scenario: The mother of the groom's false eyelashes are starting to fall off!

What's in Our E-Kit: Don't worry, we have eyelash glue on hand. 

At the Ceremony

Scenario: As we start getting the outdoor ceremony space set-up, the wind starts picking up and the aisle runner, aisle markers, and other decor just aren't staying put. 

What's in Our E-Kit: We have a full stock of every kind of tape, adhesive putty, ribbon, glue dots, and more. 

Scenario: The best man was given the task of taking care of the rings. But, when moving from the hotel to the church, the best man forgot to bring them!

What's in Our E-Kit: We always keep two fake rings on hand just in case! No one will be able to see the rings during the ceremony, and they will never know! These also come in handy for the ring bearer's pillow instead of leaving a 3 year old ring bearer in charge of the real rings!

At the Reception

Scenario: The mother of the bride ate too many appetizers packed full of garlic during the cocktail hour and wants to go around to greet guests. 

What's in Our E-Kit: One of our mints, breath spray, or a piece of gum should do the trick, but we've got Wisps and a full toothbrush and toothpaste on hand to make sure her breath smells minty fresh. 

Scenario: While setting up the reception room, we need a little something on the cake table and along the bars, and your bar signage just won't stand up straight. 

What's in Our E-Kit: Well it's not technically in our E-Kit, but we always have them with us: clear vases for the bride and bridesmaids bouquets so we can use them to decorate the reception room along with easels when a sign needs a little more support. 

Scenario: With over 200 votive candles and another 50 large candles throughout the room, it may take a full half hour to light all of the candles. 

What's in Our E-Kit: We always have a full stock of long lighters to make lighting candles a quick and easy. And if one of the votive candle holders is missing the candle, we have some backups. 

Scenario: They got to cut the cake, and the groom decides to smash a piece right in the bride's face. 

What's in Our E-Kit: Don't worry, we're behind you ready with a pack of wet wipes, so we can get you cleaned up and back on the dance floor. We also carry an extra cake knife set, if the couple hasn't brought their own or the venue isn't providing one. 

Scenario: This emergency kit staple can be used in almost any scenario.

What's in Our E-Kit: All throughout the day we seem to always grab our emergency kit staple: SCISSORS! Not a wedding goes by where we don't use them. 

-Caitlin

Teaser Tuesday

What an incredible wedding day Liz and Michael had! The girls met in the morning at Bellmoor Inn in Rehoboth Beach, DE for hair by Bella Mia Hair Boutique and makeup by Make-Up and Love and then headed off to the ceremony. Though Mother Nature was being a bit indecisive, the wedding took place outside along the bay at Rehoboth Beach Country Club under just a little mist. Tracy from Bethesda Florist pulled out all the stops while decorating the ceremony and reception space. Then while guests were enjoying cocktail hour on the balcony, the father of the groom, Tony, scheduled a plane to fly by carrying a banner wishing Liz and Michael congratulations. It was a complete surprise to the newlyweds and all of their guests! After enjoying dinner the Doug Segree Band invited guests onto the dance floor for the rest of the night, only to take a short break to enjoy the cake made by family friend Dru Tevis. At the end of the night, guests jumped on the shuttles by Jolly Trolley and headed to the after party at the Greene Turtle on the boardwalk. We can't wait to see the photos from the couple's photographer, Michael Bonfigli, but until then, here are a few we got on our phones! Congratulations Liz and Michael! -Caitlin

Cake and Dessert Table Decor

Besides the sweetness of the occasion (your marriage!) the actual sweetness is the dessert! Your wedding cake and dessert table decor is a great way to continue your wedding theme and add a unique touch to your special day. 

The cake can be showcased individually on its own table for a more traditional feel. Votive candles are a great way to highlight this and add romance to this simple and elegant cake table. 

Shay and Aramis' Wedding
Photo courtesy of M2 Photography

A cake stand is also a beautiful feature to add dimension to the table. Especially if you have a classic three tiered cake, the stand offers additional height. 

Anna and Josh's Wedding
Photo courtesy of Clair Pruett Photography

Another great addition to a single display cake table is the bridesmaids' bouquets like our bride and groom, Kate and Bryan did!

Kate and Bryan's Wedding
Photo courtesy of Jenn Woodruff Photography

To combine your cake table and dessert table also offers additional decor. Offering an array of sweets on one table creates a plethora of options for your guests. 

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Adding family mementos to your cake or dessert table is a great way to be unique and personal as a couple. You can use images from your parents' and grandparents' weddings, baby pictures of you and your spouse, or pictures of your pet!

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Utilizing a different style table also adds an especially unique feel. Consider a vintage dresser or a tea cart. 

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Your new monogram or your last initial are also a simple and great touch to a dessert table!

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Dessert and cake tables are a great place to be as simple or elaborate as you wish to be. The smallest details can make all the difference, and a decorated dessert display will make your special day even sweeter.

-Gina