Monday, October 24, 2011

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!

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

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.