Today the world watched Royalty as Prince William exchanged vows to Kate Middleton, being in the wedding industry you can't help but get caught up in the moment and the adrenaline built up as we watched history. In honor of the newlyweds, today's inspiration board is the tradition of hats. Again, congratulations to the happy couple!
Inspiration Board - Let Them Eat Cake!
If its one thing we love about weddings, its the cake! A good wedding cake plays an imporant part in a wedding, our clients are always ensure they have good cake.
Elizabeth Ryan Photography - Consider A First Look
There's often a debate over whether or not a couple should see each other before their wedding, so we reached out to one of our wedding photographers, Liz from Elizabeth Ryan Photography. We wanted to get the opinion of a wedding photographer to find out what they experience with couples on the matter and this is what she had to say...
"Seeing your husband or your wife for the first time on the day of your wedding is something you dream of. You play the situation over and over in your head and most of the time, the scene is set in front of a room full of your guests. Until recently. A new trend has provided an alternative to the long lasting tradition of not seeing each other until the bride walks down the aisle. The First Look."
"The First Look usually takes place in a seculded setting with only your photographers present. The scene is set for this special moment. The bride usually sneaks up on the groom and the photographers are there to capture the moment. That look, the reaction you have dreamed of."
"As a traditional person, I was a little nervous the first time we photographed a first look. However, it has quickly become one of my favorite parts of a wedding day."
"Every couple that has done a first look with us has told us it was the best decision they have made about their wedding day. It provides an incredibly intimate moment to take in the real reason of your day. To be together as a couple, and take it all in."
"Many couples choose to do a first look because it allows more time for pictures and creates the opportunity to attend the cocktail hour with their guests. The stress relief of not feeling like you are supposed to be somewhere else when taking pictures on your day always makes for a more relaxed couple and oftem makes for better photos."
"The first look is definitely something to consider for your day! "
Childhood Treats at Your Wedding
Bring something a little different to your upcoming wedding menu with some gourmet treats that will have your guests reminence back to their childhood. Remember mom used to say "don't play with your food", we've all heard it growing up as a child. Several American chefs have decided to ignore the age-old adage, re-creating childhood favorites with playful yet adult angle. Brides will love to take a page from their book of borrowing a soul-warming classic and reinventing it to add a bit of nostalgia and creativity to your wedding cuisine.
Adult Style
“Our entire food philosophy is ‘playful American,’” offers chef Jeremy Barlow. At his Nashville restaurant Tayst (taystrestaurant.com), Barlow whips up an array of familiar childhood favorites with an adult sense of flavor. One winner that would work well at a wedding is his Duck Confit Sloppy Joes.
“We serve them on mini brioche buns with tomato sauce and a side of tater tots made from risotto,” he says. “But for a wedding you could use all sorts of fillings and fun twists on fries or tater tots. I think weddings are so built on memories—whether you are recalling them or creating them—and having small bite-sized portions of things that help you recall childhood, well, kicks your event up a notch.”
Simple Goodness
Celebrity chef Rick Moonen also sees this trend in comfort foods we loved as children being brought back coast-to-coast. “I’ve worked in fine dining my whole career, but I’ve never grown up,” Moonen laughs. “I think my advice is, ‘don’t.’ Weddings can be elegant, sure. But if it were my own, I’d fire up the grill outside and offer delicious, inventive yet simple food.”
Moonen competed on the TV show Top Chef Masters and owns the infamous Las Vegas restaurant rm Seafood (rmseafood.com), where guests can try his Shrimp Moon Doggies. They’re made with sustainable shrimp and fish, and standard ketchup and mustard are substituted for Asian slaw, mint pesto and toga chips with dressings made from chipotle, ginger or horseradish.
“Wedding food can be really stuffy, and I think brides should work with their culinary team to bring lightheartedness and inspiration, not staid, typical things no one will recall years later,” he continues.
Playful Twists
When Mercury Amodio got married, she had a chicken liver station for guests. But she loves the idea of a dessert station with peanut butter and jelly mini sandwiches. This past August she opened the popular Wayne, PA, spot PBandU (pbandu.com). “It’s easy to make the most iconic childhood sandwich playful yet mature,” she says. “I would definitely say it only fits with the more casual affair, though. It’s going to be a bit messy, and you have to just let go of that.” She adds toppings like apple slices, bacon, pickles and sharp cheddar to a home-processed gourmet peanut butter base.
For a dessert bar, try mini marshmallows roasted over a tableside flame, topped with chocolate morsels or coconut shavings. If colder desserts fit your craving, ask if your chef can get them super-chilled. The chefs at FLIP Burger Boutique in Atlanta, GA, and Birmingham, AL, (flipburgerboutique.com) offer liquid nitrogen milkshakes in flavors like burnt marshmallow nutella and orange creamsicle, alongside the very-adult “Offaltine,” which calls for fois gras and chocolate.
Cocktail Treats
When thinking whimsically, don’t forget your bar—it’s a great place to poke a bit of fun at childhood treats. We love the idea of tequila snow cones. Your bar chef or caterer might have to do a few trial runs, but try mixing a silver tequila with a flavorful syrup and lightly layering over packed ice. La Biblioteca deserves the credit for these in New York City (richardsandoval.com/labiblioteca). And there’s nothing like a thick, rich, frozen milkshake. Try making them a little more adult by adding a bit of premium bourbon to your vanilla version or peaty scotch to your chocolate variety, and serving in a silver julep cup with a beautiful sprig of mint.
Its Time For Prom 2011
I wanted to focus on a different topic today....prom. Its that time of year when parents go nuts trying to get their kids all dolled up for prom, but you have to admit its exciting. Its kinda like your very own celebrity getting ready to walk the red carpet for their big night. We gather at our loved ones homes, the parents bring out the finger foods and then as they come down the stairs its lights, camera, action! Everyone is outside with their cameras, neighbors come outside for the big reveal as the limo or car pulls up to take the kids to the prom. I found some gorgeous gowns that made ME reflect back to my high school days and reminisce to prom. All these gowns are designs by Tony Bowls.
Kids Parties - Rice Krispies Dipping Station
Oh this is just tooooo cute. Perfect for a kid’s birthday party. We already know they love sweets so the adding toppings is a perfect way to add to the fun. Check out With Style and Grace for more info and other fabulous party tips.
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