Spicing up your ceremony with distinctive food and drinks

Today I want to highlight some food and drink options that are unique and guaranteed to be a hit with your guests! A lot of brides and grooms come to me looking for ways to make their wedding day stand out. While this can be taken care of with decorations, invites, and lighting, those options can often be expensive. One alternative is going the “yum” route – add some cool food and drink choices that fit the vibe of your wedding, and your guests are sure to be talking about this day for a long time.

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Stick with your season! If you’re having a winter wedding, offer hot chocolate - maybe with whipped cream vodka ;) - or a coffee bar and display accordingly.

How could this not be a hit with guests?
[weddingfashionfiles.com]~~~

Having an outdoor wedding in the notorious Baltimore heat? A lemonade or iced tea setup will be a blessing for your guests – and look good at the same time.

Classic and chic.
[southernliving.com]~~~

If you’re trying to save on your catering bill, have one or two signature drinks that best represent you as a couple instead of having a full bar with various types of liquor. This keeps things more interesting than a simple beer and wine bar, without breaking the bank. Displays are a cinch – make a small, coordinating card explaining what’s in it and why it’s your signature drink, and place it on one end of the bar.

Brightly-colored drinks are a fun option for the summer.
[floridianweddings.com]~~~

For food, your options are endless. I love when my brides and grooms opt for a variety, as it’s something most of your guests aren’t expecting. It’s also a great way to carry on your wedding day theme if you have one.

Great rustic look.
[glitterweddings.com]
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Dessert bars are very popular now, and for good reason: they’re inexpensive, fun, and not that difficult to make on your own. You can use desserts that fit with your color palette or wedding theme, and they can even double as your favors with little takeout boxes. (So simple, but just be sure to have more than enough for everyone take some home!)

I LOVE this.
[theknot.com]

One of my November 2011 couples had a s’mores bar – it was an instant hit, and is something I’m recommending to my future brides.
[ethanyangphotography.com]

Milk and cookies, and other awesome sweets to dip in milk. One of my October '12 brides is doing this, and I’m so excited about it.
[alwaysablogsmaid.com]
I couldn’t resist…more milk and cookies, but in a different display.
[thefrenchbouquettulsa.com]

If you decide to go the DIY route with desserts, you can make a lot of them ahead of time. Some of my favorites are white or dark chocolate covered pretzels (you can add sprinkles for color), brownies and blondies, cookies, and cupcakes. They’re easy to make and either hold well for up to a week, or they freeze and thaw well. I always recommend testing this out several months in advance, just in case! I did this for my daughter’s birthday last month and froze 206 cupcakes several weeks in advance. It worked out perfectly, and now I’m a huge advocate of doing this to save money! Check them out here.

Have you seen any cool dessert bars lately? Send me your pictures!

A fairy tale wedding in Baltimore

The weather in Baltimore has been so dreary lately that I figured everyone could use a pick me up. And what could be better than pictures of a beautiful wedding, with a couple so obviously in love with each other?

Jarett and Monica tied the knot last September, on 9/10/11. I was referred to them by Regan’s mom, who Monica worked with. Monica’s maiden name is Peacock, and so we incorporated various peacock elements into the wedding – from the beautiful cerulean bridesmaid dresses, to the feathers in the bouquet, and even the styling of her makeup (and I wore peacock-inspired colors too!).

If you’ve ever been to Cloisters, you know that it has a romantic, whimsical charm. The colors and styling of Monica and Jarett’s wedding really brought out the fairy-tale feel of the venue, and it made the whole day come together and just feel right. It was so special that their wedding was featured on United With Love last week! Monica glowed throughout the entire day, and Jarett couldn’t take his eyes off of her. The candle centerpieces were all made by the bride, and they had a wishing tree for guests, something that adds a nice, personal touch. It allows guests to feel like a big part of your lives after the wedding day, when you read their notes and advice.

Enjoy!

This wedding felt like a modern day fairy tale, and I’m so glad I was a part of it. Congratulations again, Monica and Jared!

Thanks to the vendors who helped make this wedding so special!
Photography: Borrowed Blue Photography
Venue: Cloisters
Catering: Atlantic Caterers

Florist: Rutland Beard

Summer 2011 Wedding of Regan and Greg

The warm temps we’ve been having lately are making me so excited for my upcoming summer brides and causing me to reflect on past warm-weather weddings. This recap is of Regan and Greg, who were married last July at Swan Harbor – a beautiful venue for a beautiful couple. I worked with Regan and Greg for just under a year and along the way we found out that Greg and my husband went to high school together… what a small world!

Their colors were navy and ivory with green accents, which were perfect for an outdoor summer wedding. There was a mix of tall and short white centerpieces – so elegant. The napkin rings were all handmade by Regan’s mother and sister – navy ribbons that velcroed with green flowers attached. A perfect personal touch!

The lighting was hung in a whimsical pattern over the main dining area and dance floor, and as the sun went down, it really made the tent look romantic. And the weather! It was perfect for an outdoor wedding… not too hot, even though it was July. This wedding was so special and I’ll always remember it. Congrats again to Regan and Greg… you were so fun to work with. Wishing you many more years of happiness!

Big thanks to the vendors who helped make this day so special:

▪ Photographer: Elizabeth Ryan Photography

▪ Venue: Swan Harbor

▪ Lighting: Event Dynamics

▪ Catering: Dean and Brown Catering

▪ Flowers: Amanda’s Florist

▪ DJ: Friendly Entertainment

▪ Cake: SugarBakers Cakes

▪ Hair and Makeup: Up Do’s for I Do’s

Wedding recap of Maria and Arnie - 11.12.11

I’m so excited to share this 2011 wedding I coordinated…it was definitely one of my favorites of the year! (Do I say this every time?!)

As I’ve mentioned before, there’s nothing better than becoming friends with my brides and grooms. Not only does it reduce the stress of all involved, it also helps me execute their vision for the big day.

I began working with Maria last May, so with a November wedding, that meant we only had six months to get things wrapped up! The planning process went smoothly, thanks in part to Maria’s knack for color coordination and decorating. Their colors were gray and black, with touches of aloe green – a gorgeous combo (see pictures below!), especially with the Baltimore Museum of Industry as their setting. Black napkins, chairs, and candles perfectly complemented the pewter pin tuck linens, all of which created a dramatic backdrop for the white hydrangea and succulent centerpieces.

Maria made all of the paper products herself (gotta love DIY brides), and their favors were Berger cookies packaged beautifully. They had a s’mores bar – HUGE hit – which was followed up with a late night snack of White Castles. Perfection!

I could go on and on, but I'll stop there. The pictures speak for themselves and show what a fantastic couple Arnie and Maria are. Big thank you to Ethan Yang Photography for capturing such great shots.

Preparing for their first look...

Too cool. The groomsmen came to BMI on a boat!

Officially Mr. and Mrs. Vale!

Elegant table display and signage

S'mores bar

Cake from Yia Yia's Bakery - beautiful

Maria and Arnie, I am so happy I was a part of your special day. Wish you two the very best!

Food as Wedding Decorations

More tips for my beautiful budget-savvy brides!

Today I’ll focus on using food as part of your wedding day décor. Sounds crazy, right? It’s really not!

When done correctly, food can be presented in such a way to appear classy, chic, rustic, elegant…basically whatever you need it to be. Add that to the fact it’s a heck of a lot cheaper than most floral wedding arrangements, and you’ve got my attention! ;)

Here are some of my faves:

This wedding at Cedarwood, located in beautiful Nashville, really utilized the natural colors of fruits and veggies in their farmer’s market-inspired wedding.

The bright colors of the carrots and apples go perfectly with these wildflowers (also a less expensive flower option!).
[cedarwoodweddings.com]
Pepper nestled in some grass. Bright and pretty, and so unique.
[cedarwoodweddings.com]

I’ve never seen something like this before, and I love it. Definitely going to recommend it to my next “rustic” bride who’s looking for something different!

Now the pictures above obviously work for a country-themed wedding. But what if you want something a little less bright, and a little more simple?

[marthastewartweddings.com]

I think the above display creates a casual, relaxed vibe without breaking the bank. One box of these tomatoes costs around $4 or $5. Just search through your local farmer’s market and place an order for however many you need. Simple and chic, with a rustic flair – not to mention supporting the locals! Added bonus? A few days after the wedding, grab your hubby, the overripe tomatoes, and get down and dirty making home-made marinara sauce.

To go out on a limb, what about herbs as centerpieces? These could double as favors, and they smell great (at least I think so; I’m married to an Italian, so hand me some basil and I’m all set!).

[marthastewartweddings.com]

And finally, my favorite. Be honest with yourselves people. Who wouldn’t want to sit down at a party and have cupcakes as their centerpiece??!

[google.com]

Have you seen any cool food centerpieces lately? Was it beautiful and unique or was it just plain tacky? Email me and let me know!

Recap of Nina and Ryan's Fall Wedding

This past week I was finally able to breathe again…planning and executing my daughter’s first birthday party is behind me now, leaving me with a little bit of breathing room for the next few days.

Today’s blog is a recap of a wedding I coordinated last fall. Nina and Ryan’s wedding was truly special for me because of Nina’s Persian background that she wanted to incorporate. This, along with some budget and etiquette help, is what spurred her to work with me. We spent 14 months planning the big day…14 months that I won’t forget! Nina was such a warm and funny person to work with. It really helps when I get to know my brides and grooms and we become friends throughout the planning process, and this is what happened with Nina. It really allowed me to integrate her and Ryan’s personalities into all aspects of their wedding day.

Nina chose a subtle peacock theme for the day, because she loved the bright colors and it tied in quite well with the feathers on her gown.

Note the feathers in the bouquets – they just give it something extra!

What an awesome belly dancer! This was definitely a first for me but it has become more and more common.

LOVE this candy bar – dried fruit, nuts, and Wockenfuss chocolates. Probably shouldn’t admit it…but I was definitely sneaking a few tastes!

Sweetheart table…notice the peacock feather peeking out from under the menu!

Nina and Ryan had a jazz band that played during the cocktail hour. They were fantastic and I would totally recommend them to future brides.

Nina, you and Ryan are a great couple, and I wish you many more years of happiness. Congratulations again to the both of you!

Thanks to the vendors who helped make this day special:
Stationary and Invitations – MLC Designs
Florist – The Floral Studio
DJ – Beat 2 Beat DJ’s
Engagement Photos – Marcellaneous Photography
Wedding Photography – JS Productions Photography

Photo Contest Giveaway

Robert Holley, a photographer that I really enjoy working with, is giving away 4 engagement sessions!

Enter the contest here: http://unbouncepages.com/engagement-promotion/

Good luck!