Long Distance Wedding Planning

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When my now husband proposed I was living in Western Massachusetts finishing school and he was living in New Jersey working seven days a week. We managed to see each other once a month or so, but it was hard. Thank goodness for cell phones and free long distance!! I graduated six months later and moved down to New Jersey to be with him.

We decided to get married in Eastern Massachusetts where I'm from. My husband is from Central Pennsylvania and we were living in South Jersey- with no ties to where we lived, we wanted to get married somewhere that mattered to us, and it was important to me to get married back home. So we did a lot of the planning from afar. I did a lot of research and contacted prospective professionals via the internet. I checked websites, read reviews, looked at pictures and started to put together a list of what was important to us and what we wanted.

We both made the trip to Massachusetts to pick a venue. Since we did our homework, we had pamphlets, brochures, and pricelists from a number of places we were interested in. We made some appointments and started with the one place we were most interested in. We ended up liking that place, so we stopped there, but if we hadn't, we would have continued on and picked one of the places we saw that weekend. We also met with a photographer and I started the dress hunt.

When it comes to choosing the main professionals for your event, the ones that it is important to meet with, it's smart to plan multiple meetings for the same trip in a couple of categories so you can get them done at once, and then handle the big things you don't need to do in person, from home. Make a list with what's important to you at the top (food, photographs, entertainment, decor, etc.) and start there. That way you can maximize your time, your trips, and your budget.

Even if you're planning your wedding from out of town, there are some things you can do where you live. Invitations can be purchased from anywhere- either in a local store or online. You can purchase paper and color samples from a lot of online places, many will also print an invitation sample for a small fee. You can also shop for a dress, shoes, and other accessories anywhere.

Planning a wedding from out of town isn't much different than planning a wedding where you live, it just takes some organization, forethought, and patience. In this case, a wedding planner would be a big help as they can recommend professionals and guide you, especially if where you're getting married is an area you're not overly familiar with.

-Becky

Kate and Anthony's Wedding

Brace yourself for this stunner of a wedding! Kate hired Erin to plan her and Anthony's August wedding and wanted it to be glamorous and full of bling, since Kate loves sparkles! Lucky for her, Erin does too :) We started the glam theme with their Save the Dates and followed it through with all of their stationery and even their welcome bags. On the day of, Kate and her maids got ready in a suite at the Omni Hotel in Philadelphia and started their day with hair and makeup. The girls looked beautiful in their floor length, pale pink gowns and complemented the stunning bride in her traditional ball gown that was adorned with lots of sparkles and bead work. The couple was married in a traditional Greek Orthodox ceremony. The church was decorated with amazing trees that Brittany from Petals Lane created and she to bring the glam theme around, she decorated the trees with orchids and crystals- it looked so pretty and was the perfect touch! While the couple and their bridal party were taking their photos around the city, we were busy at work at the reception. The centerpieces were a mix of three different designs that all featured the pink color scheme with touches of green. The space was up lit in amber and Kate and Anthony decided to use the amazing chandeliers that are hung in the space to add more bling to their reception! Kate had one of the BEST reactions when she saw the space all decorated on wedding day. She actually squealed with joy when she saw everything and was so happy with how it all came together! The couple and their guests had an incredible night, enjoying the music from the band and the food from Cescaphe. You can see all of the fun they had by watching the highlight video at the end of this post from our good friends at Tweed Weddings!

Congratulations Kate and Anthony!

Ceremony: Annunciation/Evangelismos Greek Orthodox Church

Reception: Atrium at the Curtis Center

Photography: John Shetron Photography

Videography: Tweed Weddings

Florist: Petals Lane

Stationery: Paper by Proud

Entertainment: East Side Mix

Makeup: Nina and Mandy from Cheekadee

Groom's Cake: Truly Custom Cakery

Lighting: Beautiful Blooms

Coordinators: Erin, Caitlin, and Laura

Featured Bride Friday

Names of Bride & Groom: Kate and Anthony

Wedding Date: August 25th, 2012

Ceremony Location: Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, Elkins Park, PA

Reception Location: The Atrium at the Curtis Center, Philadelphia, PA

How did you and your fiance meet?: One day in May of 2008 we met at Rittenhouse Square Park while hanging out with friends. We kept glancing over at each other but didn't say a word. A few nights later Anthony had a party at this house and made sure I was there. We didn't leave each others side for the entire night- three days later we had our first date and the rest is history!

Tell us about the proposal: A few weeks after we graduated from college we went to the Dominican Republic with Anthony's family to celebrate. Two days before we were set to leave, Anthony told me that we had a dinner set up for us and to be ready at 6pm. Anthony and I then walked down the beach to find a gorgeous table set up for two. The table and surrounding beach were covered in rose petals. After a dinner with all my favorite foods Anthony proposed to me on bended knee as the sun set in the background with the most gorgeous ring. It was the best night of our lives.

What is the overall theme of the wedding?: We are going for a classic and glamorous feel. Blush pinks and apple green will be our colors.

What has been your favorite part of planning?: Can I say everything? From the venue searching to the dress hunting, the flower design meetings, it's all be incredible. It's been such an incredible joy to be able to plan so closely with my Mom and sister. Every major planning meeting they were there for, despite the long travel and it's been nothing short of wonderful.

What has been your fiance's favorite part of the planning?: Planning the food of course!

What are you looking forward to most on the wedding day?: Where to begin! I can't wait to see Anthony for the first time. We decided to not only see each other before the ceremony but also drive to the church together with all our friends and family. I know that will be an incredible time! Once we get to the church I can't wait to walk down the aisle with my father. We have always been so close so I know that will be a special time for us.

What is your fiance most looking forward to on the wedding day?: Seeing me for the first time in my dress and spending time with family and friends.

Which vendor has been your favorite to work with?: Erin has been incredible throughout the entire planning process! It was great to work with her to find the perfect venue and plan a vision. Seeing the flowers Brittany at Petals Lane put together brought tears to my eyes. My mom and I were shocked at what she came up with. I know Erin and Brittany are working hard to come up with a gorgeous day and we can't wait to see it! Another one of our favorite vendors has been John Shetron. He has been a joy to work with thus far. He has such an incredible eye and is a true artist. We loved every second of our engagement shoot and can't wait for him to document our special day as well as many other special life events!

What is your biggest worry about the wedding day?: That it will be hot. We know there is nothing we can do about that so believe us we aren't that worried!

What makes your wedding unique from all the others?: Anthony and I aren't trying to do anything crazy or different. We are having a day that is all about us, our love and family!

Give three words to describe what you imagine you'll feel like the day AFTER the wedding: Best day ever.

Where will you be spending your honeymoon?: Anthony planned an incredible honeymoon for the both of us. We will be spending two weeks traveling throughout Athens and the Islands. We are beyond excited for it!

Anything else you'd like to share?: Let's party!!!

Lindsay and Kevin's Wedding

Lindsay and Kevin's were married this September at Immaculate Heart of Mary in Delaware. This was a really special wedding to us because Kevin was the best man in Erin and TJ's wedding and Lindsay is one of our paper production assistants! Their wedding was full service and we did all of their paper; save the dates, invitations, ceremony programs, table numbers, menus and all reception signage. The color scheme for their wedding was navy and fuchsia. The flowers, done by Petals Lane, matched perfectly to all of the paper. All of the girls started the wedding day by getting their hair done by Natalie Pagano. The girls chose beautiful hair styles that looked great throughout the night. Their reception was held at The Old Mill and Conner Catering had a wonderful spread of food. Lindsay and Kevin had a monogram gobo on their dancefloor provided by Synergetic Sounds. Matt from Synergetic, was their DJ and had everyone out of their seats and dancing the night away! Their cake was made by Doughmain Bakery and was adorned with dots and swirls, it was also really delicious! A big thank you to Jennifer Childress Photography who sent us these amazing pictures! Jenn also set up a photo booth in the courtyard of The Old Mill. It was a huge hit!

Congratulations Lindsay and Kevin!