Archive for January, 2010

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Love it/Hate it: receptions

Thursday, January 14th, 2010

Since I was on the topic of love & hate yesterday I thought I’d keep it up!  There are so many ways to make your reception special and really do it right.  Here are a few ideas…

Love List

  • Wine, champagne or signature cocktails served on passed trays immediately following the ceremony to help avoid a long line at the bar.
  • Appetizer stations in addition to passed hors d’oeuvres.
  • Seated dinners for parties with more than 100 guests instead of a buffet.
  • Dessert buffets or personalized trays at each table in addition to (or instead of) cake.
  • Skipping the garter and bouquet-tosses.  At least skipping the garter toss, please!

Hate it

  • Bridesmaids and groomsmen seated at a head table without their dates.
  • Not enough cocktail tables to put your drink or your purse down for a minute!
  • Tables that seat more than 10 guests–you can’t even talk to the people across from you.
  • Cash bars.  To maximize your budget stick with beer & wine only or invite fewer guests.
  • Super late cake cuttings (like after 9:00 when you invited guests for a 4:00 ceremony)!

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Love it/Hate it: favors

Wednesday, January 13th, 2010

I know some people really object to the word hate and I suppose I could call this a “do” and “don’t” list, but sometimes there is no in-between and you have to just love or hate something.  We’ve seen a lot of favors in our wedding travels…from the mundane to the most heartfelt and I think it probably goes without saying that I prefer the latter.  Here are some of my faves and a few of my pet peeves!

Love List 

  • Seating cards that double as favors.
  • Personalized tags to match your invitations, menu or monogram–a must-have detail!
  • Altruistic or family-made favors like homemade cookies, family recipes & charitable donations.
  • Edible favors of locally made goodies you just know your guests will love (think maple syrup, honey, spicy mustard, apple butter or chocolates!).
  • Welcome baskets for out-of-town guests in addition to (or instead of) favors at the reception.    

Hate it (Sorry, No Love) 

  • Large-sized favors that take over the look of the centerpieces/tablescape and clutter it up.
  • Items that are childish or garbagey (like beer coozies, bubbles and tiny bells)!
  • Mints or chocolate-coated almonds in little tulle bags!
  • Using the term “in lieu of favors” on donation cards.  The donation IS the favor, it’s not in lieu of one.

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Flowers by color-whites

Monday, January 11th, 2010

Maybe I’m inspired by all the snow outside, but I think white weddings will always be classic!  Here are 10 of my favorite white wedding blooms:

Orchids, roses, callas, lisianthus, dahlias, lily-of-the-valley, peonies, lilacs, hydrangea & ranunculus.  Mix these blooms with each other, add green accents or select another color for a punch like yellow, burgundy or orange if you want to customize your palette. 

Inspiration board whites

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Andy & Laura part 2

Friday, January 8th, 2010

There were so many great details at this wedding that I just had to share a few more with you!  This first picture is a super cool branchy sculpture that greeted guests as they came up the driveway.  It must have been 10 or 12′ high.branchy sculpture

Inspiration for the decor was drawn from many different sources.  A picture in Vermont Vows magazine gave Andy the idea to hang a framed bouquet on the side of the lounge area.

framed bouquet

Here’s a closer look at a centerpiece including orange mokara orchids, pin-cushion protea, gerbera daisy, blue delphinium, raspberry pink roses and ‘fiesta’ spray roses.

centerpiece close-up

Two green cymbidium orchids with lily grass were the centerpiece for the sweetheart table.

sweetheart table centerpiece

I love their pagoda!

pagoda

This is the view of the pond and tent from the pagoda.  A perfect Vermont setting!

view from pagoda

And like any truly perfect Vermont wedding there was a bonfire by the pond and lanterns light the pathway at the end of the evening.  What a beautiful day!

lanterns at night

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Andy & Laura

Thursday, January 7th, 2010

Andy and Laura’s wedding in September of 2008 was filled with fabulous details.  The ceremony and reception took place at their home in Jericho (just a few miles away from my house) and the setting was absolutely amazing.  I love their style and they took great care to create an amazing day for their guests.  A newly renovated pond took center stage in the yard and all the days’ activities took place around it.  Dish was there to serve up a fabulous feast.  Doesn’t the menu sound tasty?!

menu by dish catering

clear top tent

I love the fun and festive look of the tent!  I made three different centerpiece designs for the tables to create an eclectic, funky feeling.  A few of the tables had large stems of cymbidium orchids in tall clear glass vases and the rest featured beautiful glass bowls that Andy found which were filled with either arrangements of orchids, protea, roses & delphinium or floating orchids & candles.  The colors really worked with the late September foliage.  The linens and rentals are from Vermont Tent Co.Orchids, protea, roses & delphinium centerpiece cymbidium orchid centerpiece

centerpiece-floating orchids and candles

Guests entered through a lovely cocktail lounge (in the garage which looked nothing like a garage when they got done with it!) and walked past a pagoda on their way to the ceremony.  The couple had a path cleared through their woods and created a space for the ceremony.  Guests walked through an old doorway along the way that Laura found at some sort of architectural salvage (which is SO fabulous!) and colored banners were strung up in the trees (a good 15-20′ high, too!) to billow in the breeze.doorway in woods

ceremony in the woods

happy ceremony moment

ceremony arrangement rings

Even though there are a few feet of snow outside my window right now the bright colors from the foliage at this wedding are making me feel all warm and fuzzy.

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Planning Do’s

Tuesday, January 5th, 2010

You can find a lot of do’s and don’ts when it comes to wedding planning.  Naturally, you want to avoid the don’ts as much as possible (for example don’t include registry info with your invitations, don’t invite friends to your bridal shower who aren’t invited to the wedding, and don’t invite guests for a 5 o’clock ceremony and plan only a cocktail reception.)  I am sure that at my own wedding I did a few don’ts and for some couples breaking the rules is what will make your day memorable, but here are a few DO’s for 2010!

Please Do:

  • Make sure your Plan B (aka your rain plan) is as good as Plan A.  If you are having an outdoor ceremony you cannot be disappointed if it rains.  It might rain.  It probably won’t, but it might!  You are not allowed to worry about the weather.  I repeat, you are not allowed to worry about the weather!
  • Create a signature cocktail and a non-alcoholic “mocktail,” too.  Tie your color palette or a seasonal fruit into the drink to make it even more special!
  • Get creative with the guest book.  Give people a topic to write about or ask for words of wisdom, get a photo booth or provide a digital camera for people to take photos before signing the book, compile a list of good wishes from your friends & family or design a photo album of the two of you for guests to look through and write in (like a yearbook!).
  • Select a colored linen or napkin to emphasize the palette you’ve selected.
  • Give a donation as your wedding favor.
  • Prioritize wedding day decor in your budget.  It creates the atmosphere!
  • Save some money for your honeymoon!  You will have a life after the wedding, too.

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Destination Brides

Monday, January 4th, 2010

Destination Brides who are planning their Vermont wedding from afar need not worry.  There are a lot of couples in the same shoes and as a wedding professional it is my goal to work to understand your vision and allow you to trust that the look and feeling you imagine can be accomplished.  Whether you are as close as Boston or New York or as far away as California it is possible to plan the wedding of your dreams and rest easy knowing that everything will come together. 

Here are 10 tips for destination couples:

  1. Make a list of the best and worst aspects of each location as you pick your ideal venue taking into consideration how the flow will work for your guests.  Note:  If you find a venue you like, but it won’t work for your wedding day it may be a good choice for your rehearsal dinner. 
  2. What is your rain plan?  You must have a Plan B that is just as good as Plan A (or at least close to it!) if you are planning an outdoor ceremony.  
  3. Scope out hotel accommodations in the vicinity of the sites you are looking at just in case you won’t be in the area again until closer to the wedding date.
  4. Collect photos from magazines, blogs or websites of styles you’d like to share with your florist or wedding planner.
  5. Ask for referrals for photographers, caterers, florists & entertainment from other vendors you’ve hired.
  6. Select only vendors you have confidence in!  Trust your instincts.  You will probably feel more comfortable with vendors who are easy to contact by e-mail, too. 
  7. Plan to visit Vermont about 1 year before your wedding to see how the area will be likely to look at the time of your wedding next year or visit at least 2 months prior to your date to handle any in-person planning that may need to be done.
  8. Consider a slightly smaller guest list so you can treat them to more special details like welcome baskets in their rooms, a welcome reception or an upgrade at the bar.
  9. Arrange to have a nice space for you and your attendants to get ready the day of the wedding.
  10. Plan to relax upon your arrival in Vermont and trust that your day will come together flawlessly!  

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