Entertaining for the Holidays!

This is one of my favorite times of the year.....everything is geared around the holidays. It's now that folks start thinking about seeing family and friends they haven't seen much during the year. One way of getting everyone together is to host a Holiday Party at home.

Now you can just grab some appetizers from your local supermarket and have everyone bring a dish and gather around the TV.....or you can really jazz it up and show off your decorating and entertaining skills. What's that you say? You have no skills?  Nonsense! It's not as hard as you think. Here are some ideas I've found useful over the years. Real easy stuff that will have your guests thinking you've been working on this party for 6 months - ha!

Food
During these cold months, folks love hearty comfort food and most times they don't have the opportunity to make it themselves because their daily lives are so busy. So here's your chance to feed your guests well without spending 2 days in the kitchen. Figure out your menu: check out www.allrecipes.com for really easy recipes that are fun and tasty!

Decor
Think beautiful linens, i.e.napkins, napkin holders, tablecloths. This is the time to pull out your favorite stemware and flatware. Don't worry about not having enough pieces for all your guests if it's not a sit-down dinner. However, you can always rent these items from upscale places like www.classicpartyrental.com or partyrentalltd.com. Believe it or not, they're quite affordable.

Don't forget your centerpiece. Purchase one already put together at your craft store or even Target has great ones for the holidays. Or if you're feeling crafty, create your own. You can get a beautiful vase and fill it with beautiful ornaments in your color theme. Oh and as for colors, step outside of the red and green realm. Incorporate blues or purples with accents of silver...which are the hot colors of the season this year.

Happy Holidays!

Andrea

Great Article from Get Married: 2010 Wedding Trends!

Get Married Unveils 

The New Top 10 Bridal Trends For 2010

Every wedding element is an opportunity for brides to personalize and express their unique style

ATLANTA, December 7, 2009 –
The holiday season—between Thanksgiving and Valentine’s Day—is the most popular time of year for engagements with approximately 35-40 percent (550,000-650,000) couples getting engaged to be married over the next 12 to 18 months, according to The Wedding Report*.

With an estimated 2.2 million weddings projected in 2010*, more than 1.1 million brides will discover their unique bridal style as they plan every moment of their celebration. Get Married offers these brides a sneak peek of the top 10 bridal trends for 2010. From runway fashions and edible passions to techie automations and color saturations, the new bridal trends are all about personalization and expressing your unique bridal style.

“Bringing your unique wedding inspirations to life is as exciting as it is essential when creating the ‘wow’-factor,” said Stacie Francombe, founder and CEO of Get Married, a tri-media wedding  lifestyle platform for passionate brides. “We encourage brides to be bold and adventurous, infusing the elements and styles that excite them in life in this momentous lifecycle occasion.”

Following is a look at the top 10 bridal trends for 2010 as determined by Get Married’s editorial and production teams as well as leading industry experts:

1. 1. Non-linear aisle: Brides are personalizing the procession by altering the traditional aisle with a circle or a triangular double aisle, enabling the couple to enter from multiple spots with a central meeting point. Stephanie Davis, Get Married magazine editor-in-chief and new bride, wedded lake-side on a circular dock from which she and her groom entered. “Our family no longer has two sides, so everyone sat together and, as an added bonus, there wasn’t a bad seat in the house!”
2. 2. Comfort foods with a kick: Chef Wolfgang Puck believes that comfort foods have become more popular in the current economy. Think burgers, pizza, ribs, pot pie, and risotto—but comfort does not have to mean pedestrian. “Upgrade ingredients and prepare them with great expertise. Serve hors d’oeuvres like Kobe burgers, wild mushroom risotto, smoked salmon pizzas, slow-braised short ribs or a simple chicken pot pie with lobster,” advises Puck.
3. 3. Gifting techie gadgetry: Registries and wedding gifts  have increasingly become more high tech. Brides want electronic recipe finders, books and charging plates, and matching his-and-hers PDA cases—all examples of great gadgets for the couple as well as thank-you gifts for parents and the wedding party.
4. 4. Texture-inspired invitations: Top bridal designer Monique Lhuillier shares inspirations and details from her various collections: “A lot of fabric details from the dresses translate into the invitations. We use techniques of embossing to mimic textures and incorporate the same colors from the gowns into the invitations.” Look for details you would see on the runway on your wedding invitations. .
5. 5. Old, new, borrowed and cobalt blue: From hints of blue in bridal fashion  to saturated color throughout the wedding décor, “blues will be the most requested color in 2010,” according to Shane Murray of The Wedding Report. Bright cobalt blue is a hot hue for 2010, offering fresh, bold and atmospheric twist on the bluesy tradition.
6. 6. Wear-again bridesmaid dresses: The urban legend of wearing a bridesmaids dress  by choice after the wedding is a reality with the new silhouettes that mirror what is happening on the runway. Gorgeous and glamorous dresses with drop waists, bubble skirts and ruffles add an additional sense of style for bridesmaids to wear—and wear again.
7. 7. Three-dimensional save-the-dates: Inform your friends and family of your wedding day with a twist. Three-dimensional elements on the save-the-dates, like a paper umbrella (signifying a destination wedding), adds character, humor and relevance.
8. 8. Old Hollywood glam, for men!: A return to Cary Grant’s sense of style is making a comeback this year for grooms, looking charming and dapper in a white tuxedo with black-rimmed lapels. This cool old-school look brings back the sharp-looking vest and nostalgic pocket watch.
9. 9. Blogger brides abound: Now more than ever, Get Married is seeing brides enjoy sharing snippets of surprises, ideas and images throughout their wedding planning experience. Personal blogs offer a space for brides to share, gather inspirations and explore. Check out Get Married’s robust and newly-skinned wedding blog.
10. 10 Personalized plus: From the décor designs and inspirational invites to a great gifts and super-fab favors, Get Married is observing brides’ aspiration for distinctly personalized wedding details. Designing invitations, save-the-dates and thank-you cards and adding monograms to guest books, aisle runners and gifts (like cosmetic and travel bags) offers a hint of personal bridal style. An assortment of personalized décor, invitations, gifts and favors are available at www.shop.getmarried.com.

Stunning Bridesmaids Dresses!!!

Hi All!

Every now and then I stumble upon something that is just too wonderful to keep to myself for even a moment.

The other night I was watching "My Fair Wedding" and as usual, David Tutera was performing true miracles for yet another bride. One of the main reasons I watch this show, is to see which amazing vendors David pulls out of his bag of tricks each week. This time, it was Two Birds Bridesmaids Collection in NYC. I was blown away! This collection of dresses provides a perfect option for any bridesmaid, with any body frame, in any size. There's a wonderful selection of styles and colors. When you check the website you'll see that each girl from size 0 to size 24, looked fabulous, sexy, and elegant in these dresses.

How many times have you attended a wedding where the skinny girls in the bridal party looked FABULOUS and the plus-sized girls looked unflattering - or the plus-sized girls dresses fit well, but the same dress looked like an oversized sack on the slim girls. The reason being that one dress design was chosen to fit all body sizes - it NEVER works!

The designer at Two Birds have found the secret to having anyone in your bridal party look like a million dollars.

And, another plus... these dresses are pretty, yet practical enough to be worn again!  Oh yes - and guess what??? Totally affordable!  And if you're worried that you won't be able to match your groomsmens ties/pocket squares perfectly to your bridesmaids....well, they've got that covered too! You can't get much better than that.  Visit the website now! You'll be amazed!!http://www.twobirdsbridesmaid.com/main.html

Thank you David, for sharing another wonderful treasure!

Cheers,
Andrea

Are Fall Weddings Becoming More Popular?? Share your thoughts....

 

 

 

 

October Weddings Become More Popular- an article written by WedAlert

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Nov 16, 2009 – HACKENSACK, NJ-WedAlert.com, one of the most popular and fastest growing interactive online wedding planning directories on the Internet, today announced the results of two polls on the months WedAlert users were planning to get married. The choices and results were as follows*:

The first poll asked Which Month Are you Getting Married In? Results were as follows:

January - February - 5%
March - April - 12%
May - June - 19%
July - August - 20%
September - October - 32%
November - December - 12%

WedAlert then followed up with the following poll:

Based on our last poll these are the top six months to get married. If you are getting married in one of these months please let us know, in order to determine which is the most popular month to get married.

The results of that poll were as follows:

May - 18%
Jun - 19%
July - 12%
August - 10%
September - 15%
October - 27%

"The results of these polls show that October has become a very popular month for weddings" said Kristin Ciccolella, a wedding expert and co- founder of WedAlert.com. "These results also show that the new trend is for planning fall weddings. That  32% of our users are planning a wedding in either September or October, reveals that the trends are changing from Spring/Summer weddings towards Autumn weddings."

*Poll Disclaimer: WedAlert.com polls reflect the views of those who choose to respond and are not scientifically valid surveys. The results cannot be assumed to represent the opinions of Internet users in general, nor the public as a whole. WedAlert.com is not responsible for the content or opinions expressed in the polls.

About WedAlert.com
Established in 1995, with headquarters in Hackensack, NJ, WedAlert.com is one of the most popular and fastest growing interactive online wedding planning directories on the Internet whose mission is to match the local bride and groom with wedding professionals in their geographic area, taking them from the engagement all the way through to the “I do” straight through to the honeymoon. By offering free access to the largest wedding song library on the Internet and other multimedia tools, such as virtual tours and streaming video, WedAlert.com saves couples both valuable time and money involved in planning their wedding. For more information, please visit www.WedAlert.com.

# # #

WedAlert.com’s mission is to match the local bride and groom with wedding professionals in their area. By using WedAlert.com, brides and grooms will save both valuable time and money involved in planning their wedding.

posted by WedAlert at 12:42 AM

News from David Tutera!

Brides - please take a look at this great offer from David Tutera and the WE cable network. It's your chance to win a free wedding gown!

Starting today, Nov. 18, WE TV will be giving away one wedding dress from the David Tutera for Faviana collection to a lucky fan on Twitter.

David Tutera showcased his 20-piece collection of luxury gowns for Faviana at the My Fair Wedding launch party this fall. Here's a great clip from the show, with backstage footage and an interview with David - http://www.wetv.com/video/42468923001/davids-fashion-show.

Fans can follow WE tv's Twitter feed (@WEtv) for instructions on how to enter. Here are the official rules for the contest in case you can share the info: http://bit.ly/QmEAq, no purchase necessary.

Cheers!

Andrea

Our Newest Ad!

Here at ACL we are kicking it up in high gear with marketing initiatives for 2010 and beyond....what does this mean? Well, for starters, we have placed a brand new ad (please see below)!

And, I'm really excited about my photo shoot tomorrow. Since we are being approached for magazine article content and other exciting things....it's time to get some really great professional shots done. I'd like to thank Tanaisha @ TBE Artistry for coming in to get me camera-ready - her work is phenomenal! and of course, I'd like to also thank Michael @ Michael Derek Photography for coming in to do the shoot. Michael is a great photographer whose work is incredible. I feel fortunate to have him on my side:)


I'll share the photos with you upon completion.

Until then....

Cheers!

Andrea

Fundraiser at The Palace at Somerset Park

Hi Gang!

Well we just finished up our fundraising gala at The Palace at Somerset Park. The proceeds from this fundraiser went to the new treatment room in the Princeton ER.

180 well-to-do guests, including Princeton's finest gathered at The Palace for cocktails, dinner, and dancing to the FuzzPops Band. The theme for the night was "A November Night in the French Quarter". Fueling this theme was a full casino in the green room, roaming can-can girls, as well as a live and silent auction, complete with raffle prizes.

The decor included lots of masks, feathers, and beads. Centerpieces and decor were provided by Rose Petals and Lace of East Brunswick, NJ. I've attached some pics here for you to see. Everyone had a grand time bidding on auction items and gambling the night away.

A big thank you to all The Palace staff and all the vendors that helped make this night a huge success!

Cheers,

Andrea

The Wedding Salon NYC - 2009

So, I was sitting around Monday all day thinking....eh....I don't feel like hauling it into NYC to attend the show. But, at about 6:00 pm, I decided to get myself together and make the trip. Boy am I glad I did!

As usual, The Wedding Salon never disappoints. Long touted as THE luxury bridal show, this year's show was filled with glitter and glam - just they way I like it. The one thing I look forward to when attending this show, is all the inspiration I get from the tablescapes, the gowns, the lighting and draping, and on and on....

Last year, I got to see Colin Cowie which was pretty cool...this year, I got up close to David Tutera. Never actually met him, but seems like a pretty cool dude. He was really sweet to all his fans, patiently signing autographs, taking pictures, and having real conversations with them. And as an event designer, he's pretty diverse and creative...you're just never quite sure what he's going to come up with, but it's always FABULOUS!

My big thing when planning weddings is the tablescape....gone are the days of ivory and champagne colors. Now the hot trend is rich color and texture! And flowers are not the only option anymore!

David hosted a fashion show, featuring his gowns by Faviana. They were lovely and not your run-of-the-mill wedding gowns. Very refreshing.

Congratulations to the producers of The Wedding Salon....once again, job well done!

Best,

Andrea

How to Personalize Your Wedding - Tips from GetMarried.com!

Enjoy these tips from GetMarried.com!!


Personalize your Programs
Use this opportunity to have some fun and introduce your guests to the people in your life. Write a brief story about each member of your bridal party. Tell guests how much you appreciate their attendance. Share some fun photos from your engagement session and perhaps tell the story of your engagement. The possibilities are endless. Fill your pages with personal stories and messages to keep your guests entertained while they wait for the magic moment.

Favors that you favor
Select a favor that is meaningful to you as a couple. Ensure your guests enjoy and remember your event by selecting something that speaks to you. This doesn’t have to be an object if nothing comes to mind. A donation to a charity close to your heart, or an element of the décor guests can take with them will remind them of the thought you put into your event.

Play Lists
Whether you’ve got a big band, a club dj, or an ipod playing your tunes, it’s important to consider the audience at the event, but more so what you and your new husband like. Personalities shine on a dance floor, and when you are comfortable, having fun, and enjoying your genre of music, the party’s energy level will heighten.

Dessert
If you opt for a traditional wedding cake, order a groom’s cake for your fiancé to enjoy. A southern tradition becoming more popular in other parts of the country, it’s a great way to include the groom. Design something that is perfectly representative of him and he’ll not only appreciate the gesture, but your guests won’t forget it either. If you host a dessert bar, select items from your childhood, the region you wed in, or sweets that are special to you, and involve your guests in every experience and selection you make.

Centerpiece and Tabletop Décor
Consider sourcing your tabletop décor in your own home. Incorporate family napkins, vessels for your flowers from containers in your home, or table runners that belong to your grandparents. Mix in that hint of something personal to an otherwise rented table and your guests will enjoy the connection (and conversation piece.)

Place cards and Table Numbers
An obvious choice to adapt your reception to fit your style. Name your table numbers after locations of dates you went on together, of photos of the two of you, or some of your favorite things in life, just about anything that gets people talking and thinking about you. For place cards, decorate with a theme that fits your event, whether it be a sunset-colored palette that corresponds with your beach photos as table numbers, or mini envelopes designed to match your menus perfectly.

Custom Lighting or Lettering
Companies such as Wonderful Wedding Graffiti can provide you with a custom monogram for your dance floor or love poem to temporarily place over the fireplace mantle in your ballroom. Gobos can also provide custom floral motifs on the walls of your reception venue or your initials on the dance floor. The options are endless and enhance the environment of your event with that extra personal touch.

Include your Pet
If you have a favorite four-legged friend or beautiful bird, consider incorporating them into your ceremony for that extra special meaning for the two of you (don’t forget to check with your venue’s restrictions and possible limitations before asking man’s best friend to be the best man.)

Invite Right
When designing your wedding invitations, it’s important to keep in mind the formality of your event. If you’re hosting a black tie affair, getting too creative might not be right, so spice it up with a custom wedding map to guide guests to the ceremony site. Use icons to represent places of importance to you and invite them to share in your experiences. If your event allows for a more playful invitation, design accordingly! Be colorful, be creative, and be unique. If scuba diving is your favorite past time and your event is a destination one, box up two scuba toys and place send away with your wedding details. Guests will not soon forget such a treat!

Ceremony Service
Writing your own vows will no doubt involve your guests in your experience. But if you’re not comfortable with this, that’s okay too. Bring in a creative element that causes you to interact in other ways. A song sung by your best friend, washing of each other’s feet on the beach, painting two sides of a heart to connect one another, having each of your bridesmaids and groomsmen light a candle or add to a floral arrangement. Anything that breaks up the formality of a ceremony can bring guests back into the moment and make for an unforgettable experience for the two of you.

Accessorize
A little fashion flare can make a bold statement at your event. Whether you opt for a pair of powder blue shoes under that beautiful ballgown or a purple sash on your dress. Perhaps a monogrammed umbrella, a splash of color somewhere, a hint of personality, or an added unexpected accessory for you or your bridal party. Any of these elements can spice up your event and stand out in the crowd.

Entertain while you dine
Photo montages are a popular way to entertain your guests during dinner. Project photos of your courtship, your entire lives, or even a video montage of your travels together. Consider having some fun with it and involve your bridal parties in the taping of such footage, and share the planning process with your loved ones. No matter what you screen, your guests will appreciate that extra something during a sometimes otherwise dull dinner hour.

Cheers,
Andrea

Unique Aisle Runners

One of my favorite wedding things:

Check out the Original Aisle Runner Company located in my favorite city (and where I grew up) NYC. Make your wedding unique by creating a custom aisle runner. You can use it at the ceremony, reception, and in your home after the wedding. And....they can create matching pillows for use in the after-party lounge. Gorgeous!!!

Photo courtesy of: http://www.originalrunners.com/blog/







Best Regards,

Andrea

Pictures from our event, Premier Bridal Showcase

All photos courtesy of the amazing Michael Derek Photography


Best Always,

Andrea

Where on earth have I BEEN?????

Hi folks!


I've been gone for months and that is just FAR too long to go without blogging. Well, now that I'm back I have some great news to share.


Most recently, I just finished up co-producing a fabulous, luxurious, one-of-a-kind, bridal showcase. It took place in Somerset, NJ at the Crowne Plaza. We had multiple rooms which we filled with sexy lighting and elegant, flowing drapery. We wish to thank Jim Bonkosky of JB Lighting Productions for all his hard work and generosity and for giving us a lush environment to feast our eyes upon.


Our yummy wedding cake was sponsored by Palermo's Bakery: http://www.palmerosbakery.com/. It looked just as good as it tasted - thank you Palermo's!!!


We were blessed to have one of the best bridal retailers in the tri-state sponsor our bridal fashion show: All Inclusive Bridal Salon and Day Spa - the dresses were exquisite, as were the models. Thank you Collin!!!


We couldn't have asked for better press at our event, thanks to Erik Kent of NJWeddings.com. He arrived early and captured all our vendors and guests while our event was in full swing and he was kind enough to post those wonderful pictures on FaceBook. Thank you Erik!


My co-producer, Barry Ward of WISE DJ Entertainment was providing the entertainment on the one's and two's, which kept the crowd entertained all afternoon. Barry - thank you for all your hard work on this event - before, during, and after! Just one question: are you ready for the next one???? We can't stop now!


Overall, the event was a WONDERFUL success and we were happy to see so many brides join us for a bridal afternoon with cocktails, fine food, and entertainment.


We wish to thank all our vendors who participated in this event. Stay tuned....there's more to come!


Best,
Andrea

An Unexpected Skill

Hey everyone!

Well who knew that I would end up writing articles for trade magazines? Certainly not moi! But here I am, thinking up a topic for my next article. Mind you: the deadline is TOMORROW! Oh well - I've always written well under pressure...even when I think back to my days of writing college term papers - I'd waited til the last minute and it turned out well. I wouldn't recommend that for other things though, like say....event planning! Too many details.

So far, I've contributed to BizBash and Event Solutions Magazine to name a few....and now Las Vegas Meetings and Events has asked me to be a contributer after reading my latest article. So, I guess this is something that happened just by chance -- I didn't seek it out --- writing just kinda found me. And now that I've been found, I think I'll stick around and see where this takes me.

With all this writing, you'd think I would be more timely with my own blog pieces, but I'm working on it. Okay....gotta go write that article...I'll share it with you once it's published.

Happy Planning!
Andrea