Jamie and Jason

October 25, 2008

I thought I would share some pictures from a wedding that I did this past weekend. I had such a great time putting this wedding together. They are an awesome couple and Jamie is an absolute sweetheart!

When I first met Jamie and Jason and they told me that they wanted to get married in their backyard, I was so excited because I love "at home" weddings. They are so personal and give couples an opportunity to really put their mark on the whole event. Well, this couple has a home that is perfect for entertaining - the gorgeous property features a pool and gazebo...now. Our first meeting included a trip to their house to scout the location. At the time, there was nothing more outside than a dirt lot with a big whole in the middle where the pool was going to be. So, the task of designing this wedding ended up to be a little bit more daunting than I had anticipated. Although my vision for the wedding was a little fuzzy at first, the big picture was very clear. That was in January.

As the months went by, the concrete for the pool was poured, pavers for the patio went down, landscaping was done and a gazebo was constructed. By May, when the pool was fully functional, I could see the true potential of this wedding.

Jamie envisioned a very nature-inspired, "green" look. Her color palette consisted of olive green and chocolate brown - but, she also liked the look of white on white. We used lots of curly willow, moss and river rocks. During our planning I developed a pretty good sense of what she wanted and with the help of the florist, was able to create a look that included everything that she asked for - with a few surprises, too. My favorite thing was the bark-covered votive candles!

More images will be available on http://www.kissthebrideweddings.com/ within the next month or so. A great big thanks goes out to Liquid Shutter Photography for getting these photos to me so quickly and to all of the other vendors who helped make Jamie and Jason's day a success!

Tri-Rentals: Tent and Rentals

Set The Mood Floral: Flowers

A Savory Affair: Catering

Liquid Shutter Photography: Photography

Ludwig Productions: Videography

In-Pockets: Cake

Joining Hearts: Minister

DJ One Productions: Disc Jockey

Mariachi Colonial: Cocktail Music

Very Inviting: Invitations

The Alternative Wedding Solutions: Hair

Corinna Cooke: Make-up

Pretty Potty's: Portable Restrooms

The Last Sip of Summer

Still looking for the perfect signature drink for your reception or just simply want to wow your guests with a great drink for that last cook out of the season? Why not use summer's most refreshing fruit for your inspiration- watermelon! Even if your not having a party, you can still have a blast trying these drinks at home just for the fun of it!

Watermelon Mojito

• 1 1/2 oz vodka
• 1/2 oz fresh lime juice
• 1/2 oz mint-infused simple syrup
• 1 cup fresh seedless watermelon, cubed and chilled
• 1 bunch fresh mint leaves
• Club soda
• Ice

To make mint syrup, bring 2 cups of sugar and 1 cup of water to a boil. Once the sugar has dissolved, remove from heat and add 8 to 10 mint leaves. Let cool for 30 minutes. Strain. Combine vodka, lime juice, simple syrup, 1/2 cup of watermelon and about 10 mint leaves in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake for 10 seconds. Strain into a glass with ice and remaining watermelon. Top with club soda. Ganish with additional mint leaf.

Watermelon Lemonade

• 1 1/2 lbs. sliced seedless watermelon
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup mild honey
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced for garnish

In the bowl of a food processor, place watermelon and puree until very smooth. Strain through a course sieve set over a bowl, stirring to push through any pulp. Pour juice into a large pitcher. Add lemon zest.

In a bowl, whisk lemon juice and honey until honey dissolves; stir into watermelon juice. Stir in 1 1/2 cups cold water; cover and refrigerate until very cold. Serve over ice and garnish with lemon slices. Hint: During cocktail hour, try adding vodka to the mix.

Grand Watermelon 'Tini

• 4 parts watermelon juice
• 1 part watermelon-flavored light rum (Bacardi Grandmelon)
• Ice

In cocktail shaker, combine all ingredients. Shake; pour into martini glasses. Garnish with watermelon wedges.

Try them and let me know what you think - the mojito is my favorite!

Tip of the Month

Check out some of the hottest wedding trends for summer 2008 according to mywedding.com and MSN.com Lifestyle.

Dynamic Colors
Bright hues are always popular for summer weddings but, don't try too many colors in one space. Think sophisticated brights. Sticking with just two hues (and maybe an accent color) will keep your space unified. Rather than splashing color all over your reception space, use one dynamic color to make a strong statement. This holds especially true for your centerpieces: Instead of multi-colored centerpieces, alternate single color floral arrangements for a pulled together look.

Upscale Picnic Food
Summer is the season for barbecuing, so consider incorporating grilled entrees, summertime favorites, and seasonal fruits into your menu.

Beyond Wedding Cake
Get inspired by the summer flavors you loved as a child. Think fresh strawberries and whipped cream filling for a strawberry shortcake-style wedding cake, or a citrus-infused filling like Key lime, lemon, or orange vanilla butter cream that honors a summertime fruit. Beyond the cake, consider serving other desserts. A big-hit: Hire an ice cream truck to arrive a the end of the night offering summertime favorites--the perfect nostalgic, late-night snack for your guests.

More Green Weddings
Environmentally sensitive weddings have proven to be more than a trend as they continue to be as popular as ever in 2008.

Natural Centerpieces
Cut citrus fruit is a tried-and-true favorite for summertime centerpieces, but other options can be just as visually appealing. If you love fruit but want something new, have your florist use a hollowed-out watermelon as the centerpiece container for a casual look that's fun and seasonal. Another option is to go natural and green with your containers. Incorporate wooden vases or pedestals with grass or moss to give centerpieces a textured, natural feel.

Unexpected Invitations
Letterpressed invites in traditional ivory and black are as popular as ever. But if you want to go for something a little more creative - use colors in an unexpected way. For example, rather than using fuchsia lettering on a cream-colored invite, opt for cream print on fuchsia paper. Or mix it up --do the cream-colored invite with fuchsia writing, and then a bright pink reply card with a cream-colored font. Consider the material of your invite as well. One hot-off-the-press idea: Get fabric-printed invites, programs, and escort cards for a laid back look that's perfect for summer.

Branded Weddings
To make planning easier and more cohesive, many couples are choosing to create a "wedding logo" to theme their wedding around. Not only does this help couples to narrow down choices for decor and food, it also gives couples a chance to infuse their personality into their wedding's design.

Local Destination Weddings
Couples are deciding to think like tourists in their own towns and opting out of the traditional church and reception hall wedding. Instead, many are choosing wedding venues that have vacation appeal, right in their own towns. This way couples get the best of both worlds - the feeling of a destination, without the long distance planning hassles.

888 Weddings
While 7/7/07 was the hot wedding date last year, this summer couples are making their lives easier by choosing a wedding date they'll never forget - 8/8/08. The date falls on a Friday, which often reduces the cost of a traditional Saturday afternoon wedding - making it an even more attractive choice for simplicity-seeking couples.

Favorable Favors
Couples are opting out of the traditional miniature monogrammed wedding bells and choosing to hand out favors their guests can really use. This summer's favorite favors include: potted plants that double as centerpieces, seed packets, miniature jars of honey or fruit preserves, personalized tea bags, and other perishable items dressed up with ribbon or paper in your wedding colors. Beyond that, you might consider donating to a local charity for a wedding favor idea that never goes out of season.

Vendor's Corner

Periodically, I will introduce you to vendors that I love. Recently, I came across a great find in Stephen and Anna Wing of Liquid Shutter Photography. They are a super-talented, super-cute husband and wife team that I’m so excited to be working with. Not only do they combine true artistry with a photojournalistic style - they know a thing or two about romance, too.

Their first date was actually a blind date. Most of us have been on a few of those and know they usually don’t go too well. Not Stephen and Anna’s - they really hit it off. After only 5 ½ weeks of dating, Stephen proposed! Total time between their first date and their wedding…3 ½ months!! They both say, in retrospect, it was a little crazy and don’t recommend it but, it’s worked. This month they celebrate 10 years of marriage! What’s your secret, guys? Match.com isn’t working for me…

Here is just a sampling of their amazing talent (the shot of the shoes is one of my favorites - I love shoes!).

Check out more of their work on their website at www.liquidshutter.com and on their blog at www.liquidshutter.blogspot.com

Tip of the Month

Have you ever been stumped by which fork to use? Take a look at this simple chart and solve the mysteries of the formal table setting.

A general rule with utensils is to start from the outside of your place setting, and work your way toward the service plate (the main meal plate).

If you are seated at a very crowed table and are uncertain whether you are using the correct drinking glass or bread plate, try this little trick...Place your hands in your lap. Take your left hand and touch your index finger to your thumb. You should notice that you have created a shape similiar to the letter "b". Take your right hand and touch your index finger to your thumb. You should have created a shape that looks similar to the letter "d". Now, look on the table; your bread plate should be on the left - "b"is for bread. Your drinking glasses will be on your right - "d" is for drink. I guarantee that you'll never be confused about this again!

Favorite Things

So, Oprah has her list...She does it at Christmas time and now she does for the summer, too. Women work themselves into a frenzy about what will be on this ever popular list (and what she will be giving away if you're lucky enough to make it into the studio audience)! I thought it was high time for me to start a list of my own - I'm going to start small, though. Who knows? Maybe at the end of the year I'll have a little surprise of my own :)


I recently came across something that I think is so cute! Donna Wilson of Butterflies Kiss has some of the most fabulous wedding cards and stationary. She custom designs these creations in the likeness of the bride and her bridal party. You can incorporate your colors, flowers, and attire into your cards. My favorite thing about these cards is that they are ethnically correct. She also has a lines for the indie bride, the expectant bride, the bride who will be wearing tradtional ethnic attire, as well as the untradtional couple. Keep in mind that everything is custom - she can make anything you want! These cards make great bridal shower invitations, thank cards, and gifts for your bridesmaids!





Take a minute to check out her website at http://www.butterflieskiss.com

Client Update

Congratulations to Ian and Ivonne! One of my favorite couples have had two very big things happen to them this month.

They celebrated their 1-year anniversary and welcomed their beautiful baby boy, Max into the world.

He's soo cute! I can't wait to meet the little guy. As soon as I have more pictures, I'll share them with you...

You can view more pictures of Ian and Ivonne on their wedding day on the gallery page of my website at http://www.kissthebrideweddings.com/gallery.htm

Tip of the Month

Happy May Everyone!



As a wedding planner, part of my job is to educate clients about how to plan "smart". One of the most common mistakes that I see brides make is to begin their planning without a firm grasp on the guest list. I know that it is not one of the more exciting tasks involved in planning your wedding, but it is one of the most important and trust me, the guest list is an issue that will lead to at least one disagreement (if not more)- so have these conversations early.

Once you have determined your budget, think about what type of atmosphere you want. Would you prefer an intimate event with just family and close friends? Will you invite co-workers? Will you have a lavish event with 300 people or more? Will there be children at the reception?


When considering your guest list, don't simply pick a number out of thin air. You will only be shocked later when the numbers are tallied and your actual guest count is out of control. The bride and groom and their families should each make a list and sit down and compare the results. Talk about what is important to you and then set guidelines. Each party will no doubt have solid arguments about who should be invited. Be honest about what compromises you are willing to make. The guest list issues will probably not be resolved in one sitting, so arrange another time when the discussion can be revisited.

For those couples that are on a tighter budget, the single best way to keep your costs down is to keep your guest list small. Your guest list should be relatively proportionate to your budget. I'll never forget a phone call that I received from one bride-to-be who had a budget of $6,000 and wanted to plan a reception for 300 people! Just in case you were wondering, that won't work!

Almost every single vendor you meet with will ask you about the number of guests, so it is important to have solid information sooner rather than later. As obvious as this may seem, I'm actually surprised by the number of times that I have encountered this issue. But with all of the excitement and eagerness to get started, some of the most obvious details get overlooked.

So if you have started planning and putting down deposits and you don't have your guest list in order, you better get started.

New Things for Spring

Welcome to my brand new blog page!

I must confess – I’m a blogging virgin. The whole idea is a little bit daunting to me because I’m wondering what the heck I’m going to be talking about on a regular basis. My plan is to keep you updated about wedding related tidbits, talk about things I love, share my latest hot finds, introduce you to my favorite vendors , and let you in on what’s going on in my life. From what I’m hearing, I’ll be addicted to it before long.

Kiss The Bride has got something new going on, too. I’m so excited about launching my new and improved website. I absolutely love it! Check it out at www.kissthebrideweddings.com and let me know what you think.

A great big “thanks” goes out to my friend Lauryn Van Rooy of Very Inviting for not only doing an excellent job designing it - but more importantly, for putting up with me during the whole process! You will be hearing a lot more about her in upcoming blogs. She’s a gem!

Missing in Action

A lot of you haven’t seen me around for a while because I had been very busy taking care of my father for the past six months. He had been in and out of hospitals and nursing facilities after he broke his hip in September and just never quite recovered. I lost my dad on February 27th. He was 81 years old.

I want to thank everyone who sent me a card, an e-mail, flowers, a gift, a warm thought, or said a prayer for me. Words cannot adequately express the ways in which I’ve been touched over the past few weeks. I am blessed and I truly appreciate it.

Until next time…Melanie