Get Inspired!

When you are a wedding planner, you spend an unbelievable amount of time looking through wedding pictures, fabric swatches, wedding idea blogs, etc. From time to time we find a really great wedding that inspires us to continue to be creative and reminds us that it is the personal touches that make a wedding special.

Check out Sam and Ian's wedding from June 2009 on a rainy summer day in Shelter Island, New York and get inspired!

Engagement Photos - Mad Men Style

You are going to spend plenty of time on your wedding day smiling for portrait pictures so why not do something a little more fun for your engagement photos? One of our favorite brides-to-be modeled her recent engagement photo session at the Mandarin Oriental after Mad Men, a TV show favorite. So what's the lesson here? Be creative, show your personality, and most of all - have FUN!

Photos courtsey of Astami Tjokronolo.

Bromance – Butch Bakery

Just 24 hours after Valentine’s Day, romance is still in the air… actually it is more of a bromance.

When David Arrick, formerly an asset backed securities attorney for a major Wall Street law, read a magazine article that mentioned that cupcakes were a combination of everything "pink, sweet, cute, and magical", he felt it was time to take matters into his own hands and butch it up. He opened Butch Bakery, a company where "Butch meets Buttercream". These XY delights are made to order and shipped directly to your door (if your door is located in NYC!)

The chocolate disks that come on top of these man-cakes are available in 6 patterns: Woodland Camo, Wood Grain, Houndstooth, Plaid, Checkerboard or Marble. Check out their website for more info on available flavors but we are head over heels for the B-52, a Kahlua-soaked Madagascar vanilla cake with Baileys Bavarian filing.

Brides: if you are considering the gift of a groom’s cake, rather than add a sports logo or golf club to a girly cake, get your guy a cake fit for a true man’s man! Nothing says “I love you” like baked goods soaked in liquor!

Winter Weddings Wednesday! (Snowed In!)

What are the two words a planner does not want to hear on the morning of their event? “Weather conditions!” (Gasp!) There are so many wonderful reasons to have a winter wedding, but snow certainly isn’t one of them.

The dress, the shoes – how will they make it through the day unscathed? Luckily for our brides, we’re always thinking about plan B (and sometimes even C, D and E!) If there’s a strong probability of snow on the wedding day, you might have to box up those beautiful Louboutins and go for something more practical. We recommend UGGs. I know what you’re thinking “I’m not wearing Uggs on my wedding day!” Well, I can assure you, white gowns and dirty snow do not mix well. Plus, they come “blinged” out now!

Check it out - you'll thank us later!

Valentine's Day Cupcakes

For those of you that have been paying attention, you know that we, like most of NYC, are slightly obsessed with anything made by Baked By Melissa! Well check out their adorable Valentines Day cupcakes! These delicious delights are available at both the Union Square and SoHo pick up windows, can be pre-ordered for quantities as small as 25, or can be delivered for orderes over 100.

What are you waiting for? Order now :)

Dotting Your i's

Calligraphy seems to be a lost art these days, replaced by computer printed envelopes and labels. But a few people, still know the joy of hand calligraphy... we are part of that few!

We were recently introduced to the amazing work of Brooklyn-based Paperfinger which offers custom alternatives to traditional calligraphy, handwriting and illustration. Their work is beautiful and ranges from wedding stationary to monograms to transcription of love letters. They also make return address stamps which make a great wedding gift! We are particularly taken by their adorable, custom wedding maps!

Curious about the company name? The word paperfinger refers to the small lever found in antique typewriters that holds the paper in place on the platen (roller). Who knew!

Winter Wedding Wednesday - Sundance

This Winter Wedding Wednesday we were inspired by the snow that was literally falling outside our studio winter this morning!

As we brace ourselves for 6 more weeks of winter (thanks a lot Groundhogs!), we are looking back on some of our favorite winter wedding galleries, check it out!

Silhouettes Meet 2010

The classic look of silhouettes dates back the the 18th century... but we assure you that having Karl Johnson fly in to create customs silhouettes of you and your guests is very 21st century! (Not to mention a unique way to entertain your guests!)

As we always say, it is great to work subtle details into your overall theme - try adding silhouettes to coasters, matchbooks, or even invitations, like these, designed by Posh Paperie

And if you want to really wow your guests, why not serve silhouette cookies! The cookies pictured above were created from a custom cookie cutter made by The Victor Trading Co. from a hand drawn silhouette of the bride and groom. For best results, use a firm dough that holds shape, such as orange molasses.