The Big Wedding Blog

How Many Bridesmaids Are Too Many?

Rachel Reeves - BrideAndGroomPlanner.com — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:50:48 +0000

Selecting your wedding party may be a difficult decision for many brides to be. There may be many candidates to choose from for this honor. High school friends, college sorority sisters, sisters and sister-in-laws to be may be on the list of potential bridesmaids. Many times, this results in a bridal party that can top the scales at 15 - 20 (and that’s just bridesmaids).

There is no limit as to how many bridesmaids you must have at your wedding. It is important to select the people that are closest to you now. You may still cherish the friendship of your high school best friend, but if you aren’t in touch on a regular basis, it isn’t necessary to include them in your wedding party.

Some brides only include family to keep friends from fighting over the positions. Don’t be surprised however, if everyone isn’t lined up to be a bridesmaid. Let’s face it, you have to buy and expensive dress that you will NEVER wear again (I don’t care what anyone tries to tell you ). There are time commitments and travel expenses that go along with the ‘honor’. So, before you feel the need to ask everyone you ever knew to be your bridesmaid, try thinking about who would WANT to be your bridesmaid.

Halloween and Fall Theme Weddings

Rachel Reeves - BrideAndGroomPlanner.com — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 16:47:28 +0000

With Halloween falling on a Saturday this year, it is prompting a variety of themed weddings. Don’t worry, you don’t have to dress up as a vampire (unless that is your thing, of course). There are many ways to bring the feeling of the holiday into your wedding without making your guests come in costume. Pumpkins are a great way to add decorations throughout your wedding. Find pumpkins large and small and put them everywhere. It will create a fantastic fall ambiance that your guests will be sure to enjoy.

Apples are also sign of fall. Local apple orchards can be a unique and beautiful venue for your wedding or reception. The decoration ideas are endless when it comes to designing a fall wedding. From pumpkins, to leaves, to apples, you will have a variety of natural elements to use to create a fall fantasy wedding.

Carl House Weddings: Melanie McCorkle and Jamie Ellwanger

carlhouse — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 22:05:48 +0000

Hello! My name is Denise Meyers and I am the Wedding Coordinator here at Carl House. I have worked with Carl House brides since it’s opening in 2002, and I genuinely love my career.

When I first met with Melanie McCorkle and Jamie Ellwanger at Carl House, they were so excited to start the wedding planning process. Melanie knew exactly what she envisioned for her day, so I was eager to take her vague visions into exact plans for their June 5th, 2009 wedding. She explained to me that she wanted a truly classic and romantic evening with small accents to create this feel. My goal working with brides is to make sure that their dream for their wedding is carried out from start to finish without any worry or unease on their part. I love when brides have a vision and I can use some of my experience to help them bring these to reality. We worked closely together for months to make sure each detail was planned perfectly. After all of our meetings and planning, the big day finally came! With bridesmaids dressed in black cocktail dresses at her side, and a unique cascading bouquet in hand, Melanie walked down the aisle through the magnificent Carl House gardens to meet Jamie at the altar.

Photo by: Eric Delaforce

I made sure that the Carl House team executed their wishes for the ceremony and reception. We carefully assembled their choice of centerpieces in the Grand Ballroom that were composed of pink and ivory peonies and roses placed in garden urns, candles, and tiny paper boxes, all connected by a trail of fresh moss winding down the estate table. The antique-styled reception was truly one of the most beautiful I have seen in my fifteen years experience!

Photo by: Eric Delaforce

I really enjoyed helping with the wedding and groom’s cakes too. They nearly stole the show with their beauty and humor together! The wedding cake, compliments of EB Cakes, was a flawless three-tier creation complete with fine decoration that mimicked the design on the bride’s wedding gown. The groom’s cake combined three aspects of Jamie’s life into one edible creation: his beloved pet dogs, UGA Football, and candy. To satisfy the ultra-sweet tooth’s of guests, the cake’s bottom layer was starburst and gummy lifesavers, and the top layer was made of yellow sour candy, topped off with a figurine of Jamie sitting with his dogs, donning a UGA t-shirt. His cake was totally creative and fun!

On the actual wedding days, it’s easy for me to get flustered with the weight of the responsibility I have for making sure that all runs smoothly for the couple. When I saw the beaming smiles of Melanie and Jamie sitting at their table during the reception all of my anxieties were calmed. It’s always such a wonderful feeling too when the parents of the bride and groom express their pleasure and gratitude for Carl House’s hard work, as the Ellwangers did. At Carl House, we care foremost about creating extraordinary and memorable occasions, like the wedding on June 5^th, 2009.

Denise

Groomzilla–a new phenomenon?

info@fontainebleaustrings.com — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 22:05:12 +0000

So, it seems that someone has identified this new phenomenon of the over-involved groom? Wow, what a great problem to have! Personally, I like working with the groom. Let the bride and mom match colors of dresses & flowers & invitations. Put the groom in charge of the musicians! He won’t pick something that clashes, and it’s a great division of labor.

Real Estate for the Bride and Groom

gjcarroll — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 22:04:22 +0000

As an engaged couple and soon to be married, you are planning a wedding, and at the same time looking for that perfect first place you can both call home. Some of you may already live together, some of you each have a place of your own and need to decide who’s to give up, will you move into your place or your fiancés? Once you say I do, it’s going to be ‘the married couple’s place’.

It would be nice if you could find a new place for both of you. That way you are starting on equal grounds. However, this isn’t always a practical solution. Moving in together should be an exciting time for engaged couples, whether you’ve already made the move or you’re planning to wait until after the wedding, it’s all exciting. The rest of your lives are ahead of you, make the choice of where you live count.

I sell and rent real estate in a very special area of New Jersey. We are located on the Morris/Essex NJ Transit line, our towns are charming and boast wonderful shops and restaurants and our schools are among the best in NJ.

Millburn/short hills

Summit

Chatham

Madison

Florham Park

Please call Giovana “Joann” Carroll for great service and expertise, 201-988-9070 giovana.carroll@cbmoves.com. Coldwell Banker, 180 Main Street, Madison, NJ 07940.

Carl House Weddings: Lauren Poole and Joshua Golden

carlhouse — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 22:04:05 +0000

Sweet Summer Greetings! My name is Mona Slovensky; I’m the Event Manager at Carl House. I love my job and I find my position fulfilling and rewarding. Each wedding is a whirlwind of excitement and adventure that keeps me and the Carl House event staff on our toes for several hours. The thrill of transforming each wedding and reception into the perfect experience for the bride and groom, their families and friends, and all who are present, gives all of the Carl House event team the adrenaline we need to deal with every challenge that arises.

I begin by greeting and helping our event partners feel welcomed and get organized. There are florists, linen suppliers, cake providers, the photographer, and the DJ to get oriented. These suppliers DO HAVE NEEDS! I hear questions like, “How do I get the electricity on in the gazebo?” ”Has the bride arrived?” What are we going to do if it starts raining?”

Emergencies can erupt at any moment. Recently, I found myself diving across the ballroom just in time to catch the top layer of a wedding cake in both hands!

While our wedding director monitors the wedding ceremony, I am preparing to welcome our guests into our beautiful ballroom. Once guests have found their tables and are seated, I try to visit each table and welcome them personally to Carl House. I love people and I love hearing what they have to say. Recently, while visiting one table, a guest commented on Carl House’s delicious signature peach tea and how they wished they had it in their home state of Missouri. Welcoming, connecting, building rapport, and taking care of needs–that is what I am all about. Carl House….a gathering place, provides me the setting to do what I do best.

Throughout the event, I work to balance the physical and emotional needs and desires of the clients, the guests, the photographer, and the staff to ensure that everyone has the most wonderful and memorable experience Carl House can provide.

The fabulous wedding of Lauren Poole and Joshua Golden this past weekend was typical of the delightful weddings for which Carl House has become famous. The sunflower theme was splendidly appropriate for a summer wedding. Laura was gorgeous in her traditional bridal gown and unique veil edged with delicate pearls. Bridesmaids in chocolate brown satin dresses surrounded Laura for the garden ceremony.

The bridal party’s table was decorated with sunflowers in tall cylinder vases with flowing brown ribbons and votive candles that flickered and played peek-a-boo between the vases. The three-tiered cake was adorned with more bright sunflowers, and the Carl House glowed with the promise of a blessed event.

The DJ, who also happened to be the groom’s father, kept things lively for this bride and groom. We understand Laura and Joshua attended UGA and met at the Ballroom Dance Club, which explains their electrifying and entertaining first dance as Mr. & Mrs Golden.

It makes my night when a guest or member of the bridal party approaches me or one of the staff to say something like “This was the most fun I’ve every had at a wedding!” or “Everything was simply perfect!” Being able to please Carl House clients this way is what keeps me coming back to manage events until midnight or later every weekend!

Mona

Carl House Weddings: Laura Schwarb and Ed Phillips

carlhouse — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 22:03:25 +0000

Photo Courtesy of Candid Expressions

On May 1st, Carl House was transformed into Laura Schwarb and Ed Phillip’s own private oasis. Standing in front of a dimly lit exotic garden complete with an atrium draped in delicate peonies, orchids and freesias, the couple stood hand-in-hand as they recited their vows and professed their love for one another. As man and wife took their first kiss as a married couple, guests watched in anticipation as Ed gently slipped Laura’s arm into his own and lead his wife down an aisle scattered with white and pink petals; everything about this night was truly special.

Although intended as an indoor ceremony due to the uncertainty of the weather, the bride was so inspired by the garden and beautiful spring weather, with only minutes to spare, the wedding ceremony was brought outside, the Carl House team showing that no detail was too small to create a bride’s perfect evening. From the unique shade of the floor-length bridesmaid dresses to the raspberry and pink floral arrangements, Laura made this wedding her own. The beauty of the wedding’s decor made it even more apparent that Laura approaches all projects with dedication and compassion, a sure sign of a successful marriage.

Tables garnished with three-feet tall centerpieces made up of hydrangeas, orchids, roses and hanging candles courtesy of TruSo Weddings allowed the mood from the outdoor ceremony to continue into the ballroom with elegance and grace. Dozens of small dimly-lit candles placed carefully around the reception created an intimate feel to celebrate the new bride and groom. The beaming couple and guests dined on herb grilled chicken and honey glazed ham, danced to the tunes of DJ Louie, sipped on peach martinis and finished with a three-tier white cake created by Bill Rhodes bakery.

Overall, Laura and Ed made their celebration at Carl House unique and personal as demonstrated by the poem that accompanied a small silver bell for each guest:

“Let wedding bells sound a chorus, They ask the bride and groom before us, To share a kiss of harmony, And bring true joy to all we see.”

Photo Courtesy of Candid Expressions

Carl House Weddings: Laura Schwarb and Ed Phillips

carlhouse — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 22:03:05 +0000

Photo Courtesy of Candid Expressions

Tables garnished with three-feet tall centerpieces made up of hydrangeas, orchids, roses and hanging candles courtesy of TruSo Weddings allowed the mood from the outdoor ceremony to continue into the ballroom with elegance and grace. Dozens of small dimly-lit candles placed carefully around the reception created an intimate feel to celebrate the new bride and groom. The beaming couple and guests dined on herb grilled chicken and honey glazed ham, danced to the tunes of A Sound Occasion DJ, sipped on peach martinis and finished with a three-tier white cake created by Bill Rhodes bakery.

Overall, Laura and Ed made their celebration at Carl House unique and personal as demonstrated by the poem that accompanied a small silver bell for each guest:

“Let wedding bells sound a chorus, They ask the bride and groom before us, To share a kiss of harmony, And bring true joy to all we see.”

Photo Courtesy of Candid Expressions

Benefits of a Small Wedding

Rachel Reeves - BrideAndGroomPlanner.com — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 17:50:18 +0000

A wedding guest list can quickly spiral out of control. Before you know it, your intimate wedding of 25 close friends and family can turn into a large party of your closest 300 friends. I don’t know about you, but I do not have 300 people that I would consider ‘close’. I probably don’t even have 50. Having a small wedding can not only keep costs down, but it also creates a more intimate memory for you and your new spouse. If you are having trouble scaling down that list, consider a destination wedding. By having your wedding out of town, you are automatically excluding a large group of people. No need to invite Joan from accounting if you are flying to the islands. If you have trouble making cuts, use this rule…if you haven’t seen or spoken regularly to the person within the last year, you can safely leave them off the list.

Canceling Your Wedding

Rachel Reeves - BrideAndGroomPlanner.com — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 17:41:13 +0000

Unfortunately, not every engagement ends in a marriage. Calling of a wedding is never an easy decision. If you have decided to cancel or postpone your wedding, here are a few tips for making it a smooth transition.

First, ask for help. Trying to cancel everything will be very time consuming and probably emotionally exhausting. Ask family and friends to help cancel registries, vendors, contracts, etc. There is a good chance you will need to give the final say, but they can at least get the ball rolling.

Start returning gifts. You will need to return the items given to you as part of your engagement. This includes shower, engagement party and wedding gifts. If you have already used some of the items, you will need to send a check for the amount of the item purchased.

Work on getting back deposits or see if you can use toward another event. If you can’t get back your catering deposit, consider using it towards another event in the near future (birthday’s, holiday, etc.)

Most importantly take some time for yourself. This can be a difficult time and you may just need to give yourself a little space to adjust to your new situation.