Events Blog

The lights are low, the guests are all gone and for the first time since you said I do you have your new husband or wife all to yourself. Passions rise, you kiss and CLICK...SNAP....CLICK! The photographer taking your morning after wedding photos places the camera in between the two of you!

I am all for new traditions and making as many memories as possible. However I am not sure how I feel about the latest trend spreading through the wedding industry; morning after wedding photography. Photographers are adding this short session into your wedding package or even selling it as an add on for brides that previously booked packages and decided afterwards that they want to jump on board with the trend. I love wedding photos. I especially love wedding photos that you can look at and see the emotion pouring out between the couple. However the jury is still out for me on the morning after photos. My personal opinions aside, I have had a few brides ask me about them. I have even had a bride choose to do the morning after photo session in lieu of her personal boudoir photo shoot. I can't deny the fact that, as several articles suggest, brides are usually in the best shape of their lives when they get married, so why not show it off with photos as much as possible. Visit us on Facebook, where you can weigh in on the subject!

Unless you have specifically noted, either verbally or on your invitations, "no children" under a certain age; it's probable that you will have at least a few young guests at your wedding reception.  Unfortunately having young guests sometimes means having the issues associated with them (outbursts, taking over the dance floor, etc.) To prevent the possibility of problems plaguing your peaceful event, we suggest a few simple ideas to help make the event enjoyable for both you and the youngest guests on your list!

 * Special Seating - we like to call this the VILP section; very important little people.  If possible, keep child seating away from the main dinning room, but don't make them feel like outcasts or they won't want to sit there!  Decorating with special table linens, centerpieces and even giving them special seating cards will entice them to stay at their own VIP tables.  Special non-alcoholic drinks in fun, bright colors and cool party favors can't hurt either!

* Menu - for most young children, eating something new is not an easy task.  Therefore, why force strange food on them at your event?  Asking your caterer for a kids menu will save you from having hungry, cranky kids and will save you money.  Most caterers will gladly offer you a kids menu selection, which is much cheaper than your general guest selections.  Entrees range from hamburgers, chicken fingers, grilled cheese to hot dogs & fries.  These selections keep kids happy and satisfied.

* Games & Activities - idle hands and minds can cause nothing but trouble, so keep them occupied!  Why not include games and activities on the table for kids to use.  Covering the table in white paper and giving them crayons is always a fun idea, but doodle books, mazes & word finds are also fun. Make sure your games don't have too many small parts; that's just asking for a mess! It's also great to have the games go with the event theme if you can.  For example; if you theme is a beach wedding, why not give each young guest a beach pail with their name on it, filled with activities!

* Supervision - while it's great to give the kids enough activities to keep them busy, it's not a great idea to leave them on their own too long at your event.  To ensure that everyone enjoys the reception to the fullest, hire an "non-guest" to supervise the children during the reception.

With their very own seating area, special menu, activities to keep them occupied and adult supervision, your young guests will be happy and your event trouble free! Knowing that the kids are enjoying themselves is going to allow your guests to have a lot of fun themselves - giving you an awesome reception!

Another ball has dropped and 2012 is upon us; Happy New Year!  However the ball in Times Square wasn't the only bling to be seen this past week.  With the holidays comes a whirlwind of wedding proposals. Research indicates that over 1/3 of all engagements in the U.S. happen between Thanksgiving & New Year's Eve. All of those engagements bring new trends and ideas for 2012 weddings.  This wedding season it's all about natural decor, illusion necklines and having fun.

   Tree bark, natural colors and leaves.  It might seem like we are talking about a nature painting but in fact, wedding centerpieces are the topic here.  Many brides are using potted plants (which can double as take home favors) as centerpiece mainstays.  Greens and leaves are also very popular, especially given their very reasonable price and durability. Finally don't forget to mismatch.  Centerpieces that don't all look the same are hot, hot, hot. So, don't forget to use different flower types, colors or even elevation levels to make your centerpieces stand out.

   It may have started with the royal wedding but the illusion neckline has now made it's way to the trend meter.  2012 wedding dresses are all about personal style and wearing what you, as a bride, look good in and are comfortable with.  The illusion neckline can make what was a strapless dress or open back, a bit easier to wear for the common bride. After all, confidence is the most important accessory for any woman.  When you feel good in what you are wearing, it shines through.

   The proof is on YouTube and it can be seen on invitations and in reception themes;  brides and grooms want to have fun at their wedding!  Forget the stuffy events of the past; brides want to dance down the aisle to R&B favorites, grooms want to dawn sneakers and bust a move into their reception, forget the formal menu and bring in food trucks with burgers and fries.  It's all about being fun, unforgettable and fancy free. After all this is your big day and it should be your style.  Make it fun, make it creative and most important make it your own!

I’m sure by now that many of you are inundated in the wedding process that takes place in today’s market.  It’s hard enough to find well educated and talented vendors, let alone trying to find them reasonably priced.  That is where your wedding planner should come in! A good planner can help you shave about 10% from your wedding expenses.  One of my favorite suggestions, and often the most under-utilized, is the use of a signature drink.  Signature drinks can add style and sophistication to your event and save you money on the bar tab!

When I say “signature drink”, I’m not talking about just serving a rum drinks all night.  I’m talking about reaching out to a good mixologist or drink website and creating a beverage that goes with the theme, style and colors of your event.  Bright vibrant colors are very popular and add a element of shock and surprise to the bar area.  Blue drinks go well with tropical weddings and winter themes while reds are a good compliment to an Asian inspired affair or chic evening theme.  I like to use oranges in the Fall or for sunset or picnic styles and of course yellows can easily be paired with brunches, lunches or even country styled events. I like to keep the alcohol to a common type like vodka or rum.  Those seem to appeal to the largest variety of crowds.

Finally, don’t forget to draw attention to your drink.  A great name, incorporating the couples names or even the married name is always fun.  If that doesn’t work, try utilizing your theme as a naming device. Whatever the case, classy signs and markers around the bar areas with the drink ingredients are always a crowd pleaser.