What a great New Jersey wedding Ceremony!

And I wish I’d thought this one up! One of my clients took her wedding party (including her trusty officiant!) to the Jersey Shore to take a barefoot group photo for her engagement announcement. It was very casual, very relaxed, and gave the wedding party a chance to meet, greet and plot!

This type of “before” photo could be a great wedding invite too! Including the “back story” of a wedding can make everyone feel like a part of the path to the marriage, and give everyone even more to talk about on the “day”!

hmmmmm…so much comedy, so little bandwidth…. because I care about you, the reader, I’ve distilled the valuable lessons so evident in the Tom and Katie celebration of the self absorbed. I’ve bulleted them for your convenience.

-Everyone looks good in Armani, in a castle in Rome, in candlelight.
-A 23,000.00 watch makes a great wedding present.
-A blender makes a great wedding present (Thank you, Brooke Shields….)
-Having various pilots point out your wedding site during approaching flights will impress your guests.
-Not inviting Oprah to your wedding after you trashed her couch is a bad idea.
-If you’re in Italy, serving “Italian Hors d’ oeuvres” will shave a bit off the 3 million dollar wedding tab.
-When your ex gets remarried, a delivery of 100 white roses is an appropriate way to say, “Good luck THIS time! (Thank you, Penelope Cruz.)
-hiring hair and makeup artists for your guests will vastly improve your wedding photos.

Ah….I could go on…and I probably will……

However, Ken and Julie might! Versatile guitar mavens, soulful singers, and just downright nice people, they can add the right notes (ACK….no pun intended….) to your ceremony or reception.

We met them in a basement in Rutherford, New Jersey. I know, I know, it sounds deceptively low key, but do not be misled. The venue is a beautiful, heartfelt project that showcases regional musicians in an intimate and relaxed setting that introduces the artists to caring audiences. (I’ll post their website here soon). We were stunned from the first note, and knew we wanted to hear these amazing musicians again, preferably at a wedding!

Ken and Julie’s soaring vocals fly over a backdrop of rich musical intricacies, and they are not only impressive, but accessible. Whether your wedding includes “Ava Maria” or “It’s a Gift to Be Simple”, they will be up to the task, and I’m sure they will have great suggestions as well.

Their website is in our links section, and I hope you’ll check them out!

One of my favorites, usually after the vows, but equally great as opening words!

From Captain Corelli’s Mandolin by Louis de Bernierers.

“Love is a temporary madness, it erupts like volcanoes and then subsides. And when it subsides you have to make a decision. You have to work out whether your roots have so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part. Because this is what love is.

Love is not breathless, it is not excitement, it is not the promises of eternal passion. . . . That is just ‘being in love’ which any fool can do. Love itself is what is left over when being in love has burned away, and this is both an art and a fortunate accident.

May your roots grow towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossoms fall from your branches, you find out that you are one tree, and not two. “

Tired of talking about who is going to sit where, what color the bridesmaids’ dresses are going to be so they match the entree, arguing about whether the dog is going to be in the bridal party? Get off the phone….QUICK……with this site that generates all sorts of noisy excuses like firetrucks, doorbells ringing, construction noises. It is a riot, and it might save you some precious time and patience! www.sorrygottago.com

Did you know that you can get personalized postage stamps, made with your engagement photo, your flower dog, your honeymoon destination or any other photo you love? You can order these babies online at www.usps.com, upload a photo and get them, of course, by mail!

Photos from your wedding ceremony or reception add a great touch to your thank you notes too!

One of my cool wedding couples had a creative and personal wedding reception at the end of October. Their favors were chocolate dipped apples on sticks (caramel apples would be neat too) , wrapped in harvesty colored celephane and trimmed with colored leaves at the end of the “handle”. They added a beautiful seasonal touch to the tables.

These could also double as placecards, with the name of each guest written on the leaf!

but I DID watch the “re wedding”of Luke and Laura on General Hospital today….sigh…now, I am NOT a soap opera watcher, but you all know I am the consummate wedding lunatic. I cried at that GE commercial where the older couple dances in the kitchen to the dulcet percussion of the dishwasher dryer cycle.

For those of you who are younger than my first cowboy boots, Luke and Laura were the ultimate couple 25 years ago. Of course, the story gets complicated; she murders someone, lapses into a coma, somehow wakes up a free woman and standing at the altar with her former husband, ready to take vows again….hmmmmmmmm

Inquiring minds want to know. Where was this wedding filmed? It was a beautiful garden with a mansion attached and the minister (who said about 14 words) said he was authorized by the state of New York. I’m thinking some mansion along the Hudson.

Who did the catering? I saw no food…..

Who picked the music? Their “song” was, “At Last”, done by Joanie Mitchell, a sure sign of what the producers think is their target demographic…

and, by the way, a replica of “the ring” is available at Sears, in all its CZ glory, for 59.98

Ain’t love grand?

If your wedding is next spring or summer, it’s just never too early to send out a ‘save the date’ card or email, which is sure to start a conversation between you and your invited friends and family. It will help your guests plan to join you, or let you know that they can’t. Having a grip on your estimated guestlist can help you with your budget and planning. Possibly you’ll have space for some of the friends you thought you couldn’t invite.

Guests who are coming to “destination” weddings (as in the Jersey shore in July), will also need to think about making reservations very early and maybe tacking on a couple of days to enjoy the setting.

And what a great day it was, with perfect weather and not a cloud in the sky. This couple had their intimate ceremony at Skylands Manor, in Ringwood NJ, against a glorious backdrop of the waterlily garden, autumn leaves, and pumpkins. The fountains and waterfalls added music to the day. The many interesting and individual touches they added to the ceremony made it unique and personal. The bride’s mother actually made all the bouquets and the bride’s wedding dress!

After the ceremony, the celebrated with a casual barbeque at a summer camp in western New Jersey. What a festive and relaxed way to kick off their new life as a family~!