Yolanda & 'Arel's Big Day

I’m so excited to share the professional photos from Yolanda & 'Arel’s fabulous winter wedding!  Thank you Mabyn Ludke, photographer extraordinaire, for the use of your lovely shots.

Yolanda was big on DIY as much as possible…. and I filled in the blanks with my favorite CNY wedding vendors.  The combination of her creativity and my local wedding connections helped put together the vision she had been dreaming of.

Yolanda wanted something unique for the bouquets.  And, in keeping with her healthy lifestyle, she decided that vegetable bouquets were in order.  Heather (formerly of Floral Tributes, now operating independently) my tried and true go-to in the CNY area, hit it out the park.  I had never heard of veggie bouquets before (and neither had Heather) but just LOOK at the masterpiece she created.

Roses, broccoli, kale, artichokes, rosemary, and wheat. Heather is a true artist with flowers!

The creative and personal touches were everywhere you looked.  Check out this gorgeous shot below right before Yolanda walked down the aisle.  The rose petals! The floor vases filled with candles and sand!  The up lighting behind the Chuppah! The pure white spandex chair covers!  All the tiny details were big decisions we made before the event and contributed to creating a picture that looked like this:

Gorgeous details...groom included!

Pure. Joy.

Notice the "LOVE" pin on the Yarmulka? Each guest received one for the ceremony.

Cozy winter decor: mason jars, moss, and candle light on every surface area.

DIY Reception Centerpieces: Burlap & plum table runners, mason jars, birch bark vases, & real cotton!

Thumbprint Tree Guest Book

Ceremony Programs

The delicious dessert bar ( decorated with even more mason jars and candles! ) featured a cupcake tier centerpiece, topped by a Jamaican black cake as a nod to 'Arel's heritage

You really didn't expect a traditional first dance from these two did you? Their romantic slow dance erupted into a choreographed ( complete with costume change ) Mario vs. Wario showdown.

Mario wins!


I had such a fun time working with Yolanda and 'Arel and couldn't be happier with how everything turned out.  If you have any questions on what vendors they used or any of the details please don't hesitate to get in touch with us via email by clicking here or check out our website here.

It's always such an honor when a couple selects me to work on their wedding.  Thank you, Yolanda & 'Arel, for choosing us to help you on the most important day of your life!  I loved every minute of it.

Cheers! 

Yolanda & 'Arel: A Sneak Peak

It doesn’t even feel right to try and put Yolanda Febles and ‘Arel Moodie’s wedding into words.  It was just that indescribable.

There are hundreds of beautiful shots on their way ( shout-out to Mabyn Ludke Photography ) but in the meantime I wanted to share a few highlights…. and one "sneak peak" photo that says it all.

If you asked me to pick a favorite part of the wedding it would be too hard to choose.  Do I go with the emotional ceremony in which Yolanda and ‘Arel  wrote their own vows?  The beautiful candlelit reception?  The out-of-this-world first dance that you’re going to have to see photos of to believe?  The smiles on Yolanda & ‘Arel’s faces that were there the entire day? 

I just can’t pick, but I’ll be sure to share pictures of all this and more.  In addition check back for photos of: their romantic winter décor, the scrumptious dessert bar, vegetable ( Yes! Vegetable! ) bridal bouquets, and every little detail that went off without a hitch.

I feel honored to have been chosen to work with Yolanda and ‘Arel on this journey. I absolutely loved helping them plan their wedding!  Stay tuned for the full wrap-up with dozens of photos and a list of all the vendors they used.  And check for updates on our website here.

Cheers!

Perfection. *


* Photo Credit: Mabyn Ludke Photography

Meet Yolanda & Arel

The first time I met Yolanda & Arel I quickly realized why these two are so great together.  They both exude such a positive, warm energy that's immediately contagious to everyone around them.



How cute are they?



After our initial consultation they selected me to help with their wedding planning needs, and I couldn't be happier.

Yolanda & Arel are getting married on January 15, 2012 at the Mohegan Manor.  It's very exciting for me as it will be my first Jewish ceremony! I'm learning a lot from them and enjoy watching their InterfaithFamily video blog ( stay tuned for a link. ). 

Yolanda and I communicate via email almost daily and we're currently in the process of narrowing down what kind of chair/chair covers we'll be using for the big day.  I have an appointment to look at some for her this Thursday.  There are so many cool things going on with the decor and theme of this wedding, so be sure to check back as I update the blog with the decisions we make.  And of course, I'll do a big post wedding wrap-up with photos and a list of all the vendors they go with.

In the meantime check out Yolanda and Arel here: http://www.interfaithfamily.com/smf/index.php?article=4386 ( and thanks for the amazing shout-out guys! )

Cheers!

Kaitlyn & Mike: September 24, 2011

You know the feeling that two people are just meant to be together?  Well, that's Kaitlyn and Mike.  You can feel how much they care about each other and how truly happy they are. And if they stopped smiling once their entire wedding day, I didn't see it.



See what I mean?



Mike & Kaitlyn are both friends are mine so I was doubly honored when Kaitlyn asked me to help her with some day-of coordination.  We met the week of her wedding, did a synopsis of how she wanted everything to look, and away I went with her floor plan, centerpiece instructions, and lots of adorable details to oversee.

Kaitlyn's main concern was that a reception was being held in the same room as hers, ending at 5pm.  Their reception was slated to begin at 7pm, so with a quick turnaround time she wanted to ensure everything was in place when guests began to arrive.  Kaitlyn also wanted a "Hospitality Suite" set up at the hotel where guests were staying.  This suite would serve as a place for guests to hang out in between the ceremony and reception.  I brought in the food and drinks for this suite and set it all up so when the ceremony was over, it would be ready to go.  This was a great thing for Kaitlyn and Mike to provide for their out-of-town guests and it was well-received by everyone.

After I set up the Hospitality Suite I worked with the staff at Justin's Tuscan Grill to turn the room over.  I partnered with Heather ( formerly of Floral Tributes, now operating independently ) and pitched in with the beautiful centerpieces.  Heather also did Kaitlyn's ceremony flowers and I highly recommend her work. 



Perfect fall bouquets *



Lanterns surrounded by a wreath of fall flowers

Straight shot of the beautiful centerpieces



Elizabeth, of Elizabeth's Chair Covers, worked quickly to cover the 200+ guest chairs. Her chair-covers were the perfect touch and added a classical ambiance to an already gorgeous venue.

Ivory Satin Bow on White Covering

The attention to detail and personal touches were everywhere you looked.

Place card table: Caramel Apples!

Close-up



 

A "Memory Table" with photos of grandparents, parents, and siblings on their wedding days.



So, so cute.

Customized napkins and matchbooks

A "fall themed" guest book---write your message on a leaf



In lieu of a traditional wedding cake, Kaitlyn opted to have a cupcake tier, topped with a smaller cake, for her and Mike to cut.  And to top it all off ( pardon the pun)---check out the beyond adorable, true-to-life cake toppers she created on Etsy.com.





Cupcake tier *

Honestly, have you ever seen cuter cake toppers?

The whole day from beginning to end, was filled with love, happiness, and pure joy.

And just when you felt it couldn't get any better, Atlas started their amazing set! 

I don't think one person sat down once the band began, and they seemed to echo the joyful mood of everyone in the room. There was no extra space on the dance floor! If there ever was a quintessential wedding band, Atlas is it.

The night ended with a dessert table, including baklava baked by one of Kaitlyn's long-time family friends.  It was a great way to end a great day.

Congratulations and lots of love to Mike & Kaitlyn. Thank you for letting me part of your special day!!!!  And if you're interested working with us as your wedding coordinator, check out our website: www.betsyguilfoilweddings.com

*Photo Credit: Tina Carkey.