Monday, March 30, 2015

Megan and Cliff's Wonderful Wedding at The Garden on Millbrook!

The old saying is that "March goes out like a lion" and that truly fit for Megan and Cliff's wedding on March 28, 2014! It was in the mid to high 40s with a good breeze making it seem colder than it really was. Nevertheless, we decided at the rehearsal the day before to go ahead and have the ceremony outside anyway and we did! It was a beautiful bright sunny day and looking at the photos, you might think it was a warm day in May.

Megan and Cliff's wedding was held at The Garden on Millbrook, a lovely venue with an outdoor garden space and an elegant ballroom with nice facilities for the bridal party to hang out before the ceremony.

Their DJ was Jesse Noa @ DJ Supreme.

The beautiful floral arrangements were provided by Embellished Blooms.

When we all assembled to get ready for the wedding, half the seating was in the sunshine and it felt pretty good. However, as we got closer to the 4:30 start time, both sides of the seating were in shadow. The plan was to put down a runner but it was impossible to make it lay flat with the wind blowing. So we had to scrap the idea.

Back inside this is the elegant foyer area with the grand piano.

The pretty wedding cake was baked by Jessica Alexander of Pretty in the Details. Three different delicious flavors.

Monica Noa with Nouveau Events was our wedding director. She had just returned from fetching the bride and parents from the hotel.

Behind the bride is Monica's assistant, Callie.

Patti, Mother of the Bride is so happy! She couldn't stop smiling!

Marc Dabagian is with The Garden on Millbrook and has been at this venue for many years including the years it was owned and operated by Sisters' Catering. Marc and I have done a lot of weddings together! Kelly Martin was their photographer and she and I have done many weddings together too!

After the grandparents were escorted in, Troy, father of the groom, escorts Teresa, mother of the groom, down the aisle.

Mother of the Bride, Patti, was escorted in by her brother, Bob, uncle of the bride.

Cliff, his guys and I entered from the side door and took our places. (Right before we entered, I decided I had to wear my wrap for warmth and was so glad I brought it with me!)

After the pretty bridesmaids processed in, it was time for Tim, Father of the Bride, to escort our beautiful bride, Megan, down the aisle.

You can see how the wind was blowing Megan's veil and hair toward Cliff!

The pretty bridesmaids got to enjoy standing in the sun!

A warm welcome to everyone then a prayer......

Honoring of their parents....

Telling their love story!

Cliff reading his vows from book to Megan. He wrote them himself and they were so sweet.

Megan read her vows (equally sweet) to Cliff then they exchanged rings.

Time to make this official with the pronouncement of marriage!

Sweet kiss after Cliff broke the glass and we applauded and shouted Mazel Tov!

Such a happy couple to be stepping into their new lives as husband and wife!

Megan and Cliff, great wedding! Your careful planning made it a very special day. Congratulations and best wishes for a wonderful marriage and satisfying life together!

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Friday, March 27, 2015

Good Article on Lover.ly on the Perks of Hiring a Wedding Planner.

7 Perks of Hiring a Wedding Planner That You Never Even Considered

by Kristin Doherty on Wed Feb 25 2015

Hiring a wedding planner might just be the best decision you'll make during the wedding planning process. We all know that they help manage timelines, budgets, and relationships with vendors, but they do a LOT more than that. They literally do everything you never even thought you'd need, from running wedding-related errands to making sure you're well nourished on the big day. If you're on the fence about whether you really need a wedding planner, here are 7 pretty awesome perks that will convince you to say "yes."

They'll run your rehearsal. Your whole family and wedding party just showed up for your rehearsal. You're hugging, chatting, saying hello...but then what? Your wedding planner will deal with all the business while you just enjoy yourself. He or she will help get the show on the road, so you can get focus on how the ceremony will work (Where will you stand? Who will hold the rings? Where will the speakers need to go?) without worrying about what the ushers need to do. Most likely, your planner has done this before, so the who process will go much more smoothly than if you were left to your own devices. He or she will also make sure everyone gets to the dinner portion of the evening on time.

They'll bring you food and booze. While your besties will probably want to bring you adult beverages throughout the reception, a wedding planner will make sure you have EVERYTHING you could possibly need. A good one will anticipate that you're looking for some water, food or even a bit of floss to get that parsley out of your teeth. Sure, you could ask a bridesmaid or relative to help you with this, but a planner doesn't need to be asked...and will allow your loved ones to just enjoy the night!

They'll run emergency errands for you. Did you leave your "something old" (aka your grandmother's pearl necklace) at the hotel? Never placed that lunch order for the groom and his guys? Don’t stress — that's what your wedding planner is for! He or she can run across town while you pose for pictures with your bridal party, can track down your missing florist, and make game-time decisions about moving everything inside if it suddenly starts to rain. They'll deal with the troubleshooting so you can be all like, "Problem? What problem?"

They'll pack up your gifts and personal items at the end of the night. While you're planning your wedding, there are a few little details you might overlook. Namely, what happens at the end of the night. You may think you can just run off into the night after your sparkler send-off, but the reality is that there’s a lot to take with you after the wedding is over — gifts and cards from your guests, your bouquet, the guestbook, and your cake topper, just to name a few. Don't forget about any decor items you brought with you, from the centerpieces to the table numbers to the DIY photobooth. Let your planner take the lead on making sure everything makes it back at the hotel or in a family member’s car while you wrap up the night at your after party.

They'll track down the right people. By the time the big day rolls around, you'll just want to relax and soak in every moment. So while you're focused on getting your hair and makeup just right or chatting with all your guests at the reception, your planner can figure out where your maid of honor is when it’s time for her toast or grab your dad when it’s time for the father-daughter dance. It's your party, after all, and you should just be able to enjoy it!

They'll make sure everyone gets to where they need to be (including your chronically late friend). If you're having your wedding at a unique or complex venue, guests might get a little lost between the parking lot, the ceremony, the reception, and the bathroom. Your wedding planner will make sure someone is standing ready at the door to direct people to the cocktail hour or card box. Your guests won't be left to wander around aimlessly and you won't have to play tour guide all night.

They'll keep you calm so you can carry on. If something goes wrong (which hopefully it won't), nobody will come running to you for a solution — they’ll go straight to your planner or coordinator. And he or she will hopefully figure out how to fix the mess before you ever find out. You don't need to know if your bouquet went missing or if something happened to the cake before it was time to cut it. A good planner will make sure you walk away from your wedding day thinking it was a flawless, perfect day from start to finish!

Browse some big day inspiraton on Lover.ly!