Tips on Tuesday: Thanksgiving Tablescapes

Happy Tuesday. It's only a few days till Thanksgiving and we are prepping our tables so we are dedicating this blog on ideas and tips on how to decorate your table!

Who doesn't love the fall colors of reds, oranges and golds? A beautiful color combination. And when you add candles, pumpkins and gourds in the center, you have a wonderful traditional table setting. Take it one step further and add names to leaves and use them for place cards.

Want to go the non traditional route? White's and ivory's will do the trick. Using white pumpkins and linens will provide a classic sophisticated look.

Adding a colored placement and napkin to your white table setting adds a divine elegance.

Looking for that elegant setting without the pumpkins? Create the dramatic look with an all flower centerpiece, break out the china and the silk linens. It's all about thinking outside of the box!

Thanksgiving is about family and everything we are grateful for. Why not display that love in your centerpiece? We adore this centerpiece comprised of pictures of the family young and old.

It is a great tribute to your loved ones and a wonderful conversation piece during dinner.

And let's not forget those precious children! If you are setting up a children's table, make it fun for them. Give them a placement with crayons that they can color. Create an activity for them to keep them entertained that can be used as their centerpiece like painting pumpkins or cutting feathers to make a turkey.

We wish you and your families a wonderful Thanksgiving and we would love to see what you did for your table settings!

XOXO,

Aelicia & Rachael

Open House Launch Party

It's been months in the making but it's finally here...our Open House Launch Party!!! Stop by to celebrate with Soundbar Entertainment, Sonia G Makeup and us for the opening of our new office location in Saddle Brook, New Jersey!

You will see amazing tablescapes that we designed for every season, have fun in Soundbar's photo booth and watch Sonia G work her makeup magic. We'll have great discounts, a special gift bag to take home with you and and one lucky winner will receive an amazing door prize! And let's not forget some light food and refreshments while we all mingle amongst each other.

This is an RSVP only event so act fast.

http://openhouselaunchparty.eventbrite.com/

We look forward to seeing you all there!

XOXO,

Aelicia & Rachael

Tips on Tuesday: Choosing Your Vendors

What a beautiful Tuesday it is....70 degrees in November...after a snow storm two weeks ago! Weather can be so unpredictable and we can't control it. What we do have control over is picking the perfect vendor for your occasion!

You have to do your research! Yes your friend may have told you about this amazing band she saw and you trust her so you booked them right away thinking it'll be fine right? Wrong!! Not everyone has the same taste in music and that is ok. If you want a band, check out their showcase to see them perform. If you are looking into a DJ, have them show you a video of one of their events so you can see how crowded the dance floor was. Ask them about their playlists. You want to make sure that you get someone that can offer a variety of music you are interested in.

When meeting your vendors, come with a list of questions. For instance, when meeting a photographer, ask them about places they have taken their bride and groom for outside pictures. Have a place in mind already, ask them about it. Having this dialogue will allow you to easily figure out if you and the photographer will have the same vision for your day. And don't forget to look at their albums. This is something you are going to look back on year after year.

Read their reviews. If you do not know anyone who has used them before or you do not have a wedding planner that recommended some great vendors, read what others said about them. This will give you a great feel for them too.

Don't get caught up in the price. Yes it is very important to look at a vendor within your budget if you have allotted one. But sometimes the expensive choice isn't always the smartest choice. You can get an excellent vendor without breaking the bank.

Trust your instincts. Many couples that we speak to all say the same thing: "I knew I wanted them within the first 5 minutes....". You know who you are comfortable with. If you are second guessing a lot of things, then clearly they may not be the right vendor for you.

Remember, you have been preparing for your event for a long time and you want only the best to make it everything you had dreamed of. When you follow your instincts, you can never go wrong! And if you need some reassurance or recommendations, we are always glad to help!

XOXO,

Aelicia & Rachael

The Wedding Coordinator vs The Venue Coordinator

We have been seeing a lot of blog posts lately on this subject and we wanted to share our insights on the subject. We have heard it before: "Why do I need a wedding coordinator when my venue already has a coordinator". As great as they are and very helpful to the bride and us wedding planners, the conception of how much they help the bride is a little misleading. Here is a breakdown:

Don't get me wrong, venue coordinators can be very informative to the bride and we love working with them. Like we said they are extremely helpful to us. But we have to remind a bride that the venue coordinator works for the venue not you. They deal with things like making sure there is appropriate staff, the food, setup, etc. Also what a bride needs to keep in mind is that even though they have talked with the venue coordinator when they booked the venue, it doesn't mean that they will be there on your wedding day. Many times the venue coordinator will staff the maitre de that will be working with you on that day and you may not even meet them until you walk in as husband and wife.

A wedding coordinator is there for YOU throughout the whole day. Yes we will oversee the setup at the venue and making sure it meets your vision but we will also be in constant communication throughout the night. We will make sure your photographer took the pictures you requested, that the cake cutting and bouquet toss happen in a timely manner, that your entertainment played your favorite song. Our work isn't done until all your guests leave!

A wedding coordinator will contact all your vendors prior to the event to make sure they have everything they need, confirm arrival times and create a timeline that will be distributed to them that night.

Planning a wedding is a lot of work and can be very stressful. The help of both the venue and wedding coordinators is a nice reliever of that stress. We are not downplaying the venue coordinator at all. We are simply just stating the differences between the two so that you know the importance and benefit of possibly having both.

XOXO,

Aelicia & Rachael