It's Our Anniversary!

It’s Our Anniversary

May 24, 1998

What a wonderful experience I had planning my own wedding, and I swear I’m not just saying that!!  There were a few bumps and turns during the planning process, but we got thru it with huge smiles on our faces. Every year I re-enact that weekend in my mind so I never forget.  We began planning in August of 1997.  Torrance, had lost his mom that May so the planning process was bittersweet for both of us, but we kept her in our hearts and mind during the planning.  

We chose our Wedding date for Sunday, May 24, 1998, which was Memorial Day weekend.  We thought it would be great for a holiday weekend since half of our guests were coming from out of town.  We chose Christian Tabernacle Baptist Church located in Hamden, CT, which was also my mother in-law’s Church, so we know she would be smiling down on us.  Our reception was to be held at Sante’s Manor located in Milford, CT.  To be sure that’s where we wanted it to be, we attended a Mother’s Day brunch with both sides of our family.  We all loved it and the food was great!!!  

Our color palette was matted gold/cream/champagne.  Our bridal party consisted of 22 people...did she just say 22...YES 22!!!!  Out of that 22 I had 8 Bridesmaids/3 Flower Girls/ 1 Ring Bearer/8 Groomsmen/2 ushers. I created a booklet of information for the bridal party, and sent them MONTHLY updates, rather they cared or not...lol!!  I had a friend make the bridesmaid gowns..........I highly advise against that!!!  I found my gown at David Bridal, paid under $450 for my gown.  I chose my gown by going ONLY with my mother and I tried 3 gowns on and whatever one made her cry...that was my gown of choice!!!  Torrance had his tuxedo hand made from a gent out of NYC and let’s just say it cost more than my gown!  My florals of choice were white Calla Lilies and white Anthuriums.  Our favors were gold wedding belles, miniature bottles of white wine and matte gold picture frames which also served as place cards!!

Things were moving along...or so I thought.  When we booked our Wedding with Sante’s Manor, they offered us a great package which included a cake, centerpieces and my white Rolls Royce, which was the ONLY thing I was really excited about!!  Well as I checked in with my bridal party, I did the same with Sante’s Manor and my “great” package started to get smaller with what they offered and then they decided that they were not using the white Rolls Royce anymore and I had to find my own transportation...oh really??!!  So with only 3 months left and a deposit of $1,500 that we could NOT get back, we went to Fantasia located in North Haven, CT which just opened the year before.  We explained to them our dilema and needless to say, they accommodated our every need and then some!!!  As for Sante’s Manor [which no longer exists] and the $1,500 we already paid to them?...we had our rehearsal dinner there AND also invited our out of town guests, total guests for rehearsal dinner...85!!

The weather on our Wedding Day was absolutely gorgeous!! To ensure the ladies including myself would not be late, I had 2 hair stylists, and 1 makeup artist come to my home to do the ladies hair and makeup, and of course I provided breakfast and all types of goodies! I was so calm and relaxed.  Soon as my Rolls Royce pulled up [that’s right I ended up with my Rolls Royce, I had to travel an hour to find one, but I found it!!] the butterflies began.  Me and my dad rode in total silence to the Church, just holding hands.  We arrived at the church at 2:30pm and by 2:55pm my dad escorted me down the aisle.  The church was full and the ceremony was beautiful!

Fantasia did such a beautiful job, the service was top notch, the food just kept coming, which made my guests very happy and of course an open bar who could ask for more!  Our bridal party was the first large party they had to handle, our bridal party table was two-tiers.  The toasts were great, we laughed and cried and of course there was that one family member that took the mic and toasted us for almost 10 minutes...LOL.  We had an awesome Master of Ceremonies that made our reception flow throughout the evening.  Of course  I had a day of coordinator that handled all the details!!  Our guest count was 240 and most of them stayed on the dance floor just having a great time!!  

Where did we go for our honeymoon...you ask?   We went to DISNEY WORLD!!!

Upscale Real Weddings

Joy & Leon Williams
May 15, 2010

Joy’s name fits her perfectly, she had such a great smile and was always, well....JOYFUL!!  Leon was supportive but insisted on NOT doing the garter toss and he was NOT going to cry..yeah OK!!!  He was so happy to have me takeover and be the “go to” person for all of Joy’s visions, questions and problems.

They contacted me in October, 2009 with nothing but a location for their Ceremony and Reception, which was located at the Holiday Inn, Bridgeport, CT.  They were an older couple, never married before....they were eager to listen to all my ideas and suggestions!!  [I love when that happens...lol].  

We got started the minute they signed on the dotted line!  The theme was Turquoise & Calla Lilies, and Simplicity.   No problem!!!  The simplicity started with their bridal party, which consisted of Joy’s daughter as the Maid of Honor, Leon’s son as the Best Man, a Flower Girl [Grooms Granddaughter] and a Ring Bearer [Bride’s Grandson]. Since they did not have a big bridal party to carry the color throughout the Wedding we had to find other places to display the color, Turquoise.  

When Joy said she wanted simplicity, I instantly thought of Calla Lilies.  It’s such a beautiful flower that can stand by itself!!  I envisioned Calla Lily centerpieces, which Sunilda Lineberry of Sunilda All Occasion Flowers make come to life!!! The Center pieces consisted of 4 Calla Lilies hand tied with a turquoise ribbon in a fish bowl vase, leaf tee branches, bear grass and additional greens.  Joy’s bouquet consisted of Mini Calla Lilies, Orchid Cymbidiums and Spray Roses with a turquoise ribboned handle; Leon’s boutonniere was a simply mini-calla lily w/a white satin ribbon.  The entire bridal party also had mini-calla lily corsages and boutonniere’s with turquoise satin ribbons.  

The Harbor Ballroom was split in half so we had a ceremony room and a reception room.  The ceremony room was very simple with two ceremonial arrangements on white pedestals at the beginning of the aisle, and a beautiful decorated arch centered at the end of the aisle.  The ceremony was very beautiful with lots of tears flowing!!!  Once the ceremony was over we swept the bridal party around to the other side thru a secret door so that we could begin family and bridal pictures immediately in the ceremony room soon as the guests left and entered the Bronson room for cocktail hour. 

The Reception was full of laughs, tears and cheers!!!  We carried the turquoise and Calla Lily theme throughout, starting with a tent card table filled with Calla Lily picture frames which let each guest know where they were sitting; each table was decorated with Calla Lily centerpieces, beautiful personalized table cards done by Praez Occassions, turquoise linen fanned napkins and a bottle of Zifandel [brides favorite] and as a favor, each guest received a Champagne Flute monogramed with their names and wedding date in turquoise ink.  The toasts were all heartfelt and had me running back and forth to the sweetheart table with tissues!!  Joy’s nephew surprised her by singing with the band for their first dance. Entertainment for the evening was by the Special O Band, which had everyone on the dance floor!!!  They did an awesome tribute to Michael Jackson!!  Luigi’s provided the 3 tiered wedding cake which of course...had Calla Lilies and turquoise ribbon around each layer with buttercream frosting and real strawberries and cream filling, followed with a sugar-free grooms cake that was in the shape of the king of hearts and can I tell ya....you could not taste the difference!!!  It was a beautiful day, and YES Leon did the garter toss and YES Leon cried like a baby!!!

Thank You’s

Reception/Ceremony location: Holiday Inn, Bridgeport, CT

Wedding Gown :David’s Bridal

Bride’s Makeup: Faces by Chami

Bridal Party Attire: MensWearhouse

Flowers: Sunilda All Occasion Flowers

Linens:Upscale Events

Favors/Picture Frames: Upscale Events

Table Cards:Praez Occassions

Entertainment: Special O Band

Wedding & Groom Cake: Luigis Bakery

Photographer: John Ryan Photography

GREEN is the new BLACK

In the Wedding Industry it’s becoming the norm to have “Green Options” while planning your wedding.  Without going over board you can make a difference without sacrifice and still have a beautiful Green Wedding:

INVITATIONS

Print your invitations on recycled card stock and have the printer use environmentally friendly vegetable ink. By using recycled cards, you are making an impact to saving trees.Send out electronic invitations to those who have an email address and are Internet savvy. On-line services are available that can design creative and personal invitations to your specifications. The service will send your designated guest list via email the invitation and even keep track of who will be attending. Not only will this make your invites economical, efficient and stress free but Eco-friendly too.

CEREMONY/RECEPTION

Arrange to have the ceremony and reception at the same place to celebrate your special day. A second location means more autos on the road and will only add to CO2 emissions. Encourage your guests to carpool by requesting this on your invitations. If you do have your heart set on using two locations, organize a shuttle bus to and from the sites. Also, consider using the shuttle for your guests from reception to their hotel where they may be staying. This alleviates any worries about drinking and driving.

FLOWERS**

Buy locally:  Packaging and transportation can significantly increase the cost of goods.  Buying local, seasonal flowers can save you as much as 40%.

Repurposing: flowers are thrifty and sustainable.  Display your bridal bouquet in a thematic container to dress up your couple’s table.

Less is More: Choose large, full flower heads, like the hydrangea, for centerpieces.  Fewer large-headed flowers will produce the same wow effect of a dozen or more smaller blooms.

DRESS**

Recycled: Buying a pre-owned dress is a great way to think sustainably and save money.

Eco-Friendly: Eco-conscious designers are on the rise, sustainable materials are getting more attention.  Dresses are available in everything from hemp blends to recycled plastics!

Post-Wedding: Let’s face it, the styles your mother wore aren’t popular now, and yours won’t be when your daughter is ready to get married either.  So why not give your dress new life with a new bride?  Selling your dress is a great way to recoup some of your money, or by donating you can bless another bride-to-be with a beautiful gown.

FAVORS***

Things that grow: Tuck bulbs in an attractively textured bag [try unbleached muslin, hand-dyed jute or burlap, and stencil a monogram or picture of the flower in front].

Potted Flowers: Find clay pots or small containers. Cultivate easy-to-grow flowers for your wedding [poppies, morning glories, shasta daisies, marigolds].  These gorgeous blooms will beautify your reception and make for irresistible favors!

Suited to a tea: A small bag of organic tea in a cute paper tea-cover makes a fragrant and picturesque gift.

Whatever you do to Green your Wedding, make sure you tell people about it.  If you can create a wonderful, magical celebration that treads a little lighter on the planet, then people will remember it!!

** Idofoundation.org

***favorideas.com

From one blogger to another.

I love my Blogger Buddy, Lisa Barr of the examiner.com!!  Her posts always keep me up to date on the NYC happenings and beyond.  We’ve met on a few occasions and she has def kept me updated on the happenings during Bridal Market in NYC!  

While I’m still a novice in the “Blogger World”, she is definitely a Pro....In honor of “Cinco de Mayo”, Enjoy her latest blog entitled: 

“Cinco de Mayo rehearsal dinner celebration with Cabo Wabo Tequila”   

Cabo Wabo Tequila Founder Sammy Hagar is one man who knows how to throw a Cinco party that’s truly worthy of a Rock and Roll Hall of Famer. It has been 20 years since Sammy first opened the Cabo Wabo Cantina doors in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. His goal? To create a kick ass tequila bar where he and the likes of Van Halen and the Red Hot Chili Peppers could jam and enjoy only the best of Mexico’s native spirit. This year, celebrate not only Cinco, but your engagement like a true rock star with a shot of Cabo Wabo attitude, along with some modern twists on the tequila classics and party tips from the Red Rocker himself.

Did you know that you can crack open a bottle of Cabo Wabo as early as the night before to give your chicken, beef or shrimp marinades an extra kick. For entertainment, Sammy’s classic song, “Mas Tequila,” will liven up any party, as will a round of Michelada Beer Pong (beer with lime juice). The décor should be authentically Mexican, with a red, white and green theme. Once the celebration is in full swing, you may even want to surprise your guests with a classic piñata filled with candied lime and peppers that will have everyone reaching for an ice cold margarita. Like rock and roll, there should be no rules when developing your cocktails for the night. Classic margaritas are great, but try some spicy peppers, hot sauce or prickly pear juice to create something really memorable.

When the time comes to plan a raging Cinco bash, use Sammy’s suggestions above and the recipes below for a party to remember.

Feliz Cinco de Cabo!

The Rockin Paloma

2 oz Cabo Wabo Reposado
3 medium Cucumber slices
1/2 oz Lime Juice (fresh)
6 oz Grapefruit Soda
1/4 oz Grenadine
Salt for rimming
1 Cucumber Slice (garnish)

Add Cabo, lime juice, and cucumber to pint glass, muddle, add ice and shake vigorously. Add soda to shaker and stir. Strain over fresh ice into a Collins glass with a salted rim. Drop the grenadine on top and allow it to mix in. Garnish with cucumber slice, serve and enjoy!

The Prickly Margarita

2 oz Cabo Wabo Anejo
1/2 oz Agave Nectar
1 oz Fresh Lime Juice 
1/2 oz Prickly Pear Puree
1 medium Jalapeño Slice
1/4 oz Amaretto
1 Lime Wheel (garnish)

Place all ingredients, except Amaretto in a shaker, muddle Jalapeño, add ice, and shake vigorously. Strain over fresh ice into a rocks glass, float Amaretto on top, garnish with a lime wheel, and serve!

The Firecracker

2 oz Cabo Wabo Blanco
3 dashes of Hot Sauce 
2 small slices of Serrano Pepper
1 oz Fresh Orange Juice
1/2 oz Agave Nectar
3/4 oz Fresh Lime Juice
1/4 oz Orange Curacao
1 Orange Twist

Place all ingredients in a shaker with ice, shake vigorously, and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with an orange twist.

Tequila Sunset

1 1/2 oz Cabo Wabo Blanco
1 oz Pomegranate Juice
1/2 oz Framboise Liqueur
3/4 oz fresh Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Agave Nectar
3 oz Soda Water
Lemon Twist (garnish)

Place Cabo Wabo, Lemon Juice, and Agave Nectar in a shaker with ice, shake vigorously and strain over fresh ice into a Collins glass. Stir in Soda Water, and top with Framboise and Pomegranate. Mix into drink and serve with a lemon twist.

From tacos to tamales, margaritas to micheladas, my friends at the the Food Network have all you need for a fun Cinco de Mayo celebration or if you're thinking of bringing a taste of Mexico to your engagement party or reception. These recipes are quick and very easy. So enjoy this time with your family and friends, from my friends at Cabo Wabo and the Food Network.

Be Our Guest... or not!

This subject that never gets old for me when talking to my clients. Of course you cannot have an event or a Wedding without guests, right? Right. But there should be a limit of just HOW MANY guests you should have. Their are many circumstances why couples feel the need to invite everyone to share in their special day. They can be an only child,

the only girl, the only boy, or maybe your parents are relieved to get rid of you so they want EVERYONE to know..LOL Just kidding!! But seriously whatever your reason for inviting guests is something that you need to take your time with. Especially if you have a tight budget, these are some things you may need to ask yourself or speak with your

fianceʼ about when deciding who to invite.

REASON[s] TO NOT INVITE A GUEST[S]

1. Just because you may share the same last name BUT they have not seen you since

you were five! NO

2. Aunt Margie who cannot remember who your parents are, let alone who you are! NO

3. The Exes-a BIG No No!!!

4. Single friends who MAY want to bring someoone-I always say unless their engaged

or living with each other, but if none of those donʼt apply....NO

5. A friend that you have not seen since you were exchanging pacifiers in pre-school

and you happen to see him/her on the street...NO

6. You share a cubicle with your co-worker but only say “good morning” and “bye” to

them during your work hours...NO

7. But theyʼre my Facebook Friends?...NO

8. But they follow me on Twitter..NO

9. If you are having an Adult Only Reception and your guests say “ I canʼt find a

babysitter”...NO if they really want to come they will find a babysitter!!

10. This is the one I hear from most couples....let invite the “wealthy” relatives and

friends because we can get most of our money back that we spend! That could no

further from the truth and THE WORST reason to invite someone to your wedding!!

WHO SHOULD I INVITE?

Invite the people who are most important to you and who are generally happy for the

two of you!! Itʼs that simple.

Let there be cake...

I would like to introduce to you our first featured vendor interview. Her name is Hope Looney and she is the Owner of a gourmet bakery located in North Branford, Connecticut called JCakes.   JCakes began as a one-woman operation within her home 16 Years ago. Since then, JCakes has grown to a full scale bakery through its reputation of delivering delicious, unforgettable cakes for weddings, birthdays and all special occasions.

It was always a lifelong dream of owner, Hope Looney, to create gorgeous, gourmet wedding cakes. After attending countless weddings in the U.S. and abroad, she was always disappointed with the stunning cakes that tasted mediocre. Her goal was to make cakes that taste as good as they look. A few career paths later, Hope's international travel, business background and passion for the pastry arts lead her to JCakes. Her favorite thing about JCakes is contributing to the celebration by collaborating with people to personalize each cake .

1. Have you always dreamed of having a bakery?

Yes.  Running a cake shop became a dream when I was in college, pursuing a degree in International Business.  My roommate and I contemplated what types of jobs would fit our personalities and would make us happy and not be boring.  We always also discussed how there were no quality, high end cake shops where she grew up in Hermosa Beach, California.  So we bridged those two ideas into the dream for a cake shop on the beach where we could work together and fill a need for a gourmet cake shop in an affluent community where lots of demand existed.  Charlie, my roommate, bought a kitchen aid mixer and we started baking in our college apartment.  We tried tons of recipes and tried to perfect our buttercream.  We had lots of failed attempts but lots of laughs and fun.  Now I realize North Branford, CT is not on the Pacific Ocean, but there is still hope of one day expanding to the beach and working with my best friend.  

2. What has been the most Wedding Cakes you've done in one weekend?

Ten Wedding Cakes in one weekend

3. Do couples still request Groom cakes?

Yes, i've made a few Groom's cakes.  Its starting to become popular again.  

4. Do you have a signature Wedding cake style?

Our signature Wedding Cake style is a round cake, iced smooth with vanilla buttercream, embellished with satin ribbons and fresh flowers with beargrass-  I feel like our fresh floral designs set us apart-  Most brides lately tend to gravitate to a clean, fresh look-- not an overly decorated cake-  

5. How far in advance should a couple make an appointment with Jcakes?

I recommend making their appointment once they've selected a venue, caterer, bridesmaid dresses, centerpieces and linens.  It makes the cake design much easier to plan once those details are in place.  Usually this is 6 months before the wedding but some popular dates do book earlier than that.  

6. What do suggest that a couple bring with them so that you can create their dream cake?

Photos of cakes that catch their eye, dress color swatches, names of all of their flowers in the centerpieces and linen colors-  Also photographer and florist contact information-

7. What does a couple have to look forward to when they come for a cake tasting? 

We provide a slice of vanilla and a slice of chocolate cake frosted with our vanilla french buttercream.  Then we supply little cups of all of our fillings to the couple can try each one without being too full from a full slice of each combination. Also, the couple can have fun making their own cake and filling combinations.  

8. What are some of the most requested flavor combinations?

Our most popular combinations for weddings are golden layer cake with white chocolate mousse and mixed berries and our chocolate devil's food cake with chocolate mousse.  

9. What have been the most requested cake toppers? 

Swarovski Crystal Monogram Cake toppers have been the most popular cake toppers besides fresh flowers. The traditional bride and groom is not as popular as before.  Humorous cake toppers are also popular such as the bride dragging the groom the alter, etc. 

10. What other specialties can Jcakes offer in addition to Wedding cakes?

We offer cupcake towers and chocolate truffle towers for those who want something a bit untraditional.  

11. Do you deliver outside of Connecticut?  If so how far?

We can deliver a wedding cake within a two hours driving distance from our shop.  

12. What would be your Dream Wedding Cake?

My dream wedding cake....that is the hardest question of this interview.  If cost was not an option, it would probably be some type of individual, plated ice cream/cake combination dessert-  Coconut with passionfruit mousse-- lots of exotic flavors--Maybe individual ice cream wedding cakes with a plated individual cake or mousse-- with lots of decorative sauces on the plate-- and edible glitter-- ha ha!!

To contact Jcakes please go to her website: www.j-cakes.com!

Planners Day Out for Inspiration.

Oh yes I do get to go out to Events instead of planning events. When I get the chance, I love to go to other events, it always sparks inspiration. I never leave the office without a notepad and a pencil!!

I love NYC and whenever I get a chance to attend an event in the city...Iʼm there!! I recently attended a Bridal Event called “URBAN WED”, which was hosted by Brooklyn Bride. The event was held at the Nest Event Loft space, in true NYC charm on the 17th Floor!!! [sidebar... did not enjoy the elevator ride!!] Anywho, once you entered you heard an awesome band by the name of Elan Artists. The space was very cozy, which instantly had me think of a great location for a Bridal Shower, Rehearsal Dinner and even an intimate wedding.

Then I saw one of the most creative table runners for a table setting, which was created by Hatch Creative Studio. It was a collection of black & white family photos. Talk about family memories. It was just beautiful, see for yourself!

I needed a a glass of wine, so how convenient as the next vendor was set up for wine tasting by Swirl Events. Swirl Events offer wine tastings at a location of your choice, which is a great alternative for bridal showers and bachelorette parties. One of the wines that I tasted was by Seven Sisters Wine and then of course I had POP Champagne! Half glass of each...I swear!!!

Cobblestone Catering offered mouth watering finger foods, followed by the cutest lilʼ cupcakes by Nine Cakes. Of course there were gowns, did I say gowns? I meant to say masterpieces by Samuel Couture. The designer was there and she was very pleasant to speak with!! She also had hand drawn sketches of her work which was just breathtaking.

A colorful collection of Bridesmaid gowns by 57 Grand were displayed and very moderately priced.

My favorite part of the evening was the photo booth corner. Studio Booth, provided a great space to get silly and be creative by using Whisker Works and Paperfinger props. I think all of your Wedding Guest would enjoy a moment to be silly. You simply chose the prop of your choice, say “cheese” and within 5 minutes we had the photo in hand. What a great favor and so not a “dust collector” but a great memory!!! Other great vendors that were there were: Jenny Ebert Photography which had an awesome bridal books for all to see, Face Time Beauty Concierge which were doing fab before & after makeovers, Paper +Cup had great table filled with paper ideas!!!....It was great eve out in city, canʼt wait for the next event!!!