A Renewal of Vows in Central New Jersey

This past Saturday we had the pleasure working on a vow renewal for a beautiful couple that were celebrating 32 years together. It was a very intimate affair where they were surrounded by their closest family and friends, including their four children and four grandchildren. The color scheme was Lime Green and Black with our favorite accent: Damask! It was beautiful and elegant and we were honored to be apart of it.

Thank you to all of the vendors that helped make this event even more special!

Ceremony: St Andrews Church in Avenel, NJ

Reception: Family Residence

Stationery: AART Designs

Caterer: Mario's Tutto Bene in Union, NJ

Linens: Hallak Cleaners in Hackensack, NJ

Florals: Floral Expressions in Hasbrouck Heights, NJ

XOXO,

Aelicia & Rachael

AART Event Planning: New Year New Packages!!

We are very excited to share with all of you our newest package....Futurism!! It is our Proposal Package that we have been working hard on creating and we are so happy to be offering our clients a package that starts from the very beginning!

Stay tuned for additional packages and even more exciting features!

XOXO,

Aelicia & Rachael

Yay!! You're Engaged...What's Next???

If you are one of the lucky couples that just got engaged this holiday weekend, Congratulations!! This is such an exciting time for you, your fiance, family and friends. Now that you have made all your phone calls and have stopped staring at your ring (for now!!) your mind goes to Now What??!!

We thought we would help you with that. Here are a few tips that we have given to past couples:

1) Head over to your salon and get that manicure! You will be showing off that ring to the stranger walking down the street so it only makes sense to make sure your nails look great!

2) Make it official. After you have left that salon, break out the camera and take a beautiful picture with you and your new fiance and send it to the paper. Then make sure you grab a copy when the announcement comes out!

3) Create your budget. This is one of the most important, and all be it scary, first wedding decision you will make. You want to agree on a number that you are both comfortable with and then.....

4) Prioritize what is most important to you! Do you absolutely need a band over a DJ or is there a venue that you have dreamt about since you were little? This information becomes very helpful when you start to distribute your funds to each category.

5) Contact us! You finally have calmed down, a little, from the excitement of when you said yes, you've set your budget and now you have no idea where to start. Hiring an experienced Wedding Planner will keep you on your budget as well as referring vendors that fit your style and budget. We can help you come up with a design concept and our design team at AART Designs can create invitations and other wedding day stationery that will reflect you and your wedding's style (and not to mention saving you some money by going with our design team!). We are here to make your visions become a reality. Contact us at 201-873-4921, 201-315-8747 or email us at info@aarteventplanning.com to set up your complimentary consultation and let us show you how we can help make your event a work of AART!

Congratulations again and we look forward to hearing from you!!

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

"Work of AART" Real Wedding: Marisa & Rob

Last week one of my dearest friends married the love of her life and I had the privilage of being apart of the wedding as well as helping design her menu cards and candy buffet. So since I was in the wedding, I actually took off from my normal wedding working duties and enjoyed myself. And that means I don't have all the best pictures to show off. But I hope you enjoy what I do have and look out for professional pictures soon!

Marisa had a very beautiful wedding and gorgeous weather to match! How adorable are the two pumpkins painted with the words "I DO" on them! A great fall touch to this fall themed wedding. And how can anyone forget about the family pet. The family dog in her little white dress was just too cute for words!

Look at that dress! So beautiful and amazing beading and crystals on the bodice, bottom of the skirt and train. And that cathedral length veil....simply stunning!

Here is a look of Marisa's bridal party, one picture with her "sisters" and the other with her newly extended family (doesn't the first girl on the left in the first picture look familiar? LOL). She chose Bill Levkoff dresses in a cranberry color with an ivory sash. Perfect for her fall color scheme.

Marisa's sister in law served as one of her Matron's of Honors. She wore a different dress in a slightly darker hue to accommodate that beautiful baby bump.

Following the ceremony which was held at Our Lady of the Assumption in Wood-Ridge, New Jersey, guests went to enjoy cocktail hour at The Valley Regency in Clifton, New Jersey. The exquisite ballroom was set up for her 180 guests and the lighting throughout the room set the romantic room. Following the couple's first dance as husband and wife to the Bon Jovi song "All About Loving You", came the parent dances. The most heart warming dance was the groom's dance with his sister to Celine Dion's "Because You Loved Me". I can say there was not a dry eye in the house and I was no exception!

Next it was on to dinner, drinks and dancing and boy did everyone have a great time....especially with a special guest, well actually 2, for the night (their band consisted of the Queen of Freestyle Judy Torres and the brides uncle is famous for his Elvis impersonation!). Topped off with the wedding cake and our candy buffet display and it was the perfect end to a great wedding.

The best part of our jobs is seeing the love and happiness between two people and being allowed to be apart of it. It's even more special when you ahve seen that love grow and grow throughout the years. We are so happy for you Marisa and Rob and we wish you a lifetime of happiness!

XOXO,

Aelicia & Rachael

Tips on Tuesday: Making Your Event Memorable

After a great response from last week's Tips on Tuesday's blog, I'm feeling the pressure this week lol. I hope I've made you proud!

Let's face it, everyone wants their event to be memorable and unique, especially a wedding, but not everyone knows how to do it without it still feeling like it's "been there done that". To pull this off is really easy, and stems back to last weeks Tips on Tuesday's blog Figuring your Wedding Style.

Last week when I wrote about having your wedding style be representative of you and your fiance, the same would apply here to making your event memorable. Sure having a great band play at your wedding or having a little late night snack handed out to your guests as they leave is a great idea. But when you add those unique touches that are personal and mean something to you and your fiance, that's what get your guests talking about your event for years to come!

Our very own Rachael had kept the petals her husband had given her through the years & bottled & handed them out as favors for their wedding with an adorable saying: "We give to you a part of our past, to thank you for celebrating the beginning of our future"

Photo courtesy of AART Designs

Are you and your fiance a movie buff? A cute idea would be to use a DVD case of your favorite movies as your table number display.

Maybe you are a wine lover, like so many of us are. Making your own wine and handing them out as your favors is a great personal touch to say Thank You!

And what if you are a couple that loves to travel. Design each table of the different places you have been together and add luminaries with pictures of you at these places.

Photo courtesy of AART Designs

Anything can make your event wonderful but the personal touches are what makes your even memorable! Plus, it's touches like this that Wedding magazines love to see and gives you a chance at being published!

Did you do something unique that is still making your event the talk of the town? We'd love to hear about it as well as seeing those pictures!

In the middle of planning your event and have come to a roadblock? Contact us and we'd love to help!

XOXO,

Aelicia & Rachael

Tips on Tuesday: Figuring Your Wedding Style

As wedding planners, it is very important for us to know what our couple's style is. This helps immensely when coming up with a design concept for the big day as well as allowing us to know what our couple's likes and dislikes are. And if you have an idea of what your wedding style is, that will help you tackle the big decisions from deciding on a venue to flowers to your wedding dress and more.

Not exactly sure how to figure out your wedding style? Just look at yourselves and your lifestyle.

Do you love old romantic movies and let's face it, all things romance? Than maybe Vintage is your style.

Photo courtesy of MPW Media Group Photo courtesy of Bubbly Bride

Are you and your fiance a lover of the outdoors? Are you always going on hikes, camping or perhaps picnicking in the park? It's probably safe to say that a Rustic style outdoor wedding (maybe by a barn) would be a dream wedding for you.

Inspiration board via Inside Weddings

Were you one of the millions that tuned in to Kim Kardashian's wedding and kept finding yourself saying, "I love that"! Well then it's not hard to see that Glamorous is your style.

(Of course since we mentioned her wedding we had to add a picture of the details!!)

But maybe you are completely opposite and like simplicity? Then I would suggest a Modern look would be perfect for you.

The list could go on and on but the best way to figure out your wedding style is, like we mentioned before, look at your own lifestyle. What do you wear? What are your hobbies? Do you have a favorite season or holiday? Try not to get caught up with what everyone else feels the wedding should be like. Your favorite celebrity couple may have had a beautiful wedding on the beach but if you are not a fan of the ocean, then I would say this is not a wedding for you! Your wedding should reflect you and your fiance. If you remember that, than you can't go wrong. And your wedding will be absolutely fabulous!! Still feel like you need help deciding on exactly what your wedding style is? Then hire us! We'll help you figure it and create a beautiful wedding that reflects you throughout the whole planning process!!

XOXO,

Aelicia & Rachael