Choosing Your Hues

Taken from Bridal Guide Sept/Oct 2010


     Ever since you announced your engagement, you've probably been repeatedly asked this question: "What is your color scheme?" It is important, and it's also one of the first questions I ask when I meet a bride. Color is actually an extension of you, as a bride, and the hues you choose will affect everything - from the ink and paper choices of your invitations to your bridesmaids' dresses to your bouquets and floral centerpieces to your tablecloths, your specialty cocktails and even your favors. and oh, yes, the cake!
     OMG! This is a huge decision. So let's step back a minute and think about color in everyday life. Color can create a mood and affect the energy of a space. When you paint a room in your home the choice of color will evoke a feeling. Yellow is happy and exciting, and it makes me think of the morning sun, so I love it for a kitchen. Red is associated with passion and adventure, while blue is calming and peaceful. In my home everything is splashed with color - from a red kitchen to a purple bedroom, and everything in between. for some people that may be too much, but for me different colors create different experiences - and isn't that what life is all about?
     So color is a very personal choice, but when I ask brides about their color schemes, most tell me that they want all white or shades of pink. Now these are safe, but less daring than I'd like. My advice is, add personality - your personality - by choosing a splash of color. Together, consider your favorite colors as well as your season and style. What do certain colors mean to each of you? (The pink of the peonies in your mom's spring garden? The blue of the summer sky at the beach?) Now purchase inexpensive paints, brushes and paper and start splattering, Be a little crazy, a little Jackson Pollack! Or pick up paint chips at your local home improvement store, and play with different combinations. You might be surprised by what you both like.

Shades of the Seasons
     I try to avoid color schemes that are too predictable. For example, a fall wedding that's orange and brown makes me think of Halloween and pumpkins. "Harvest" colors are too cliched; you don't want your wedding to be too "themey." Instead, consider taupe or burgundy with cooper and a hint of lavender. Fall is perfect for being fashion forward with unique colors.
     Spring: Spring colors are usually all about pastels, but change it up a bit by adding deep splashes of plum or coral.
     Summer: Go for bold yellows, purples, reds and blues. Or select different shades of a color: Coral, salmon and a deep burnt orange would be stunning.
     Winter: All-white is gorgeous, but add a splash of lavender for warmth. Or go for a metallic, like pewter, silver, copper, bronze or gold, for depth and richness.

     Your wedding is a blank canvas just waiting for you to paint it in your special colors. Have fun creating a masterpiece!

     David Tutera's Rule of Thumb: Color is fabulous, but don't overdo it. For an elegant, stylish look, choose no more than three or four hues. After all, it's your wedding - not a circus!

Spring Fling

Taken from Bridal Guide March/April 2011


     We all get so overwhelmed with our frantic lives: rushing to school, to work, to meetings and trying to see family and friends. There's never enough time for everything. And now that you're engaged (congratulations), you somehow have to find time to plan a wedding! Yes, it's a lot - how will you do it? First, try something that I have learned to do: Stop and breathe. And when you do that, smell the roses!
     And speaking of roses, all you brides planning a springtime wedding are so lucky, because it truly is the season when you can stop and breathe and smell the flowers all day long. Spring reminds me of everything coming to life, the arrival of Easter (not to mention my own April birthday). Flowers are where it all began for me. As a child, I worked in my grandfather's flower shop, and from the very beginning I was mesmerized. My Pop-Pop taught me the names of the flowers, how to prep them, how to purchase and design them and later how to do weddings. So flowers remind me of my grandfather, which always brings me joy, and I love to see how flowers bring so much joy to brides.

Your Paper Trail. For your invitations and other printed materials, choose springtime hues. Whether you're planning a garden fete or an indoor loft reception, consider using ribbons and floral design accents in your invites.

Your Fashion Look. If you love drama, you can choose a ballgown accented with a floral motif; if understated is more your style. consider a gown with a floral design woven into the bodice trim and hem, or perhaps one with florets that start at the sweetheart neckline and are then scattered all the way down to the hem. For spring I love to see bridesmaids in long, flowering chiffon gowns in wonderful colors, like deep orange embellished with coral; golden yellow accented in buttercup; and vibrant raspberry tinted with blush pink. The trend now is bold floral hues instead of the predictable pastel tones, allowing your attendants to pop with color!

Your Menu. Start with a garden salad that looks and tastes like a burst of springtime, and garnish with colorful pansies. Choose a light entree, like halibut encrusted with Parmesan cheese served with spring vegetables, or a poultry dish served with a bundle of greens and drizzled with a raspberry vinaigrette.

Your Design. The first explosions of flowering branches - yellow forsythia and cherry blossom - always make me smile. Flowering dogwood, quince, apple and pear branches all create drama or a romantic garden feeling. Hyacinths, daffodils, tulips, irises, peonies, ranunculus and sweetpeas are wonderful choices too. Have each bridesmaid carry a single flower - an orange tulip, a coral ranunculus, a yellow daffodil - to create a living painting of an array of garden blooms. And the bride's bouquet? A collection of every flower from her garden of bridesmaids - but all in white.

Your Cake. Consider a fondant-covered confection with blooms to match the flowering branches on your tables. Or how about tiny fondant baskets filled with sugar flowers that are served to guests just as you and your husband cut the wedding cake? Then everyone shares that moment - and feels as if they, too, can stop and smell the flowers.

     For all my girls planning their wedding day, or just dreaming of their special day, remember that life is a gift, and that taking a few moments every day to stop, sniff and breathe can make you appreciate how very sweet it is!

Say No To Photo Mistakes

Taken from Brides September 2010


Brides were recently polled to find out what photo pitfalls plagued them the most. Here are some tips to help you prevent the same problems.

Problem: Even with a shot list, the photographer didn't take a single photo of the bride's beloved Nana.
Prevention: Assign a good pal or bridesmaid who knows your family members to work with the photographer on the wedding day, shot list in hand, pointing out the key people and rounding them up for photos.

Problem: The "getting ready" Photos in the bride's bedroom appeared on the shooter's blog.
Prevention: Read the contract's fine print before signing. While the photographer most likely owns the copyright to your photos, make sure he doesn't have the right to publish, post, or share them without your okay.

Problem: The photo session went on so long, the bride and groom ended up missing half the reception.
Prevention: Work out a schedule for posed shots, the bulk of which should be taken before the ceremony. Bonus: Your hair and makeup will look extra-fresh!

Problem: The photographer missed some major moments, like the best man's toast and the first dance.
Prevention: Before you book anyone, ask to see examples of entire weddings he's shot, from arrival at the bride's house to reception's end. Just seeing selected pix from many events - similar to a highlight reel - won't give you a sense of how thorough he is.

Problem: The photographer's "creative" poses - the groom giving a piggyback ride to the bride or pretending to throw her into the pool - made the couple feel silly and look ridiculous.
Prevention: Hire a pro whose personality, artistic style and sample books you like. Also, before signing a contract, ask for referrals (couples whose wedding he recently photographed), and specifically ask them what he's like to work with. Go over a shot list (whom and what you want captured) with the photographer a few weeks before the wedding.

Problem: The photographer had another guy sub for him - and the album looked as if the ring bearer shot it.
Prevention: When you book through a studio that has multiple photographers, make sure your contract stipulates that the lensman you're hiring is the same one whose portfolio you loved, not the less-experienced apprentice you've never met.

5 Must-Shoot Moments:

• When dad sees you in your dress for the first time.
• The groom's reaction as he watches you walking down the aisle toward him.
• Kids being kids: dancing freestyle, sleeping on chairs, hiding under tables. 
• The two of you moments after the ceremony, exuding pure happiness.
• The little details - flowers, place cards, programs, favors, table settings - that define the wedding and make it all yours.

Additional link to help you find the perfect photographer.

http://www.pictage.com/planning-guides/one-of-the-most-important-factors-in-choosing-your-wedding-photographer/

What's Hot in 2011...Fabulous Food

Taken from Bridal Guide January/February 2011


     It's all about going local. According to Elizabeth Claire of WhoaNelly! Catering, "More people are getting excited and educated about food, and they're proud to say to guests that the food the serve is fresh from local markets." The right food at the right season is a must. In winter, Elizabeth loves braised short ribs and braised leeks. In spring, she'll pair a vegetable ragu with asparagus, and English peas with gorgeous spring lamb. Summer is the time to embrace grilling, or to select fish to pair with the fabulous veggies available. and fall is harvest time: perfect for roast pork with apple compote.
     Try a twist on a market menu. "I do a farmer's market-style cocktail party," says Sasha, "where guests can graze on the local, seasonal and fresh ingredients of the area."
     2011 will get whimsical with hors d'oeuvres. WhoaNelly! likes to offer shot glasses of Bloody Marys, with a grilled shrimp and cucumber wedge balanced on the side. "You can dip the shrimp into the Bloody Mary." Another adorable idea is mini bagel chips stacked with house-smoked salmon and mascarpone.
     Go retro with your late-night treats. "We're doing mojito push-up pops," says Olivier Cheng of Olivier Cheng Catering and Events. "When it comes to dessert you can have a little more fun with your choices."
     Sweets get sophisticated. While Mason jars of skittles and M&Ms are over, Elizabeth loves the idea of tray-passing handmade chocolates, such as caramels dipped in chocolate and sea salt, chocolate berry truffles, fudge dusted with sugar crystals or even mini chocolate bars from local candy companies. "It's a nice surprise, and such a sweet way to finish the night."

So What's Out This Year? "I'm over the whole cooking station thing," Elizabeth says. "You have people wandering around and balancing dishes, and there's no time spent at the table together to get acquainted or to catch up." Guests can't pay attention to the food, either, when they aren't seated. "And that defeats the whole purpose of a fabulous menu!" she notes. Olivier's pick for the trend that's had it's day is the over-the-top caviar bar. "People want luxury, but nothing so showy," he explains.