Wedding Day is Here Again

Oh So Pretty: Rose & Baby Breath Garland

Image by Leo Patrone Photography

via Style Me Pretty

Brides estimates that 46, 200 happy couples will say "I Do" tomorrow, on the lovely 11.11.11.


Check- this wedding planner has a wedding tomorrow at the grand The Ashford Estate.  I'm particularly excited because I will be working with my former co-worker & my own wedding planner, Eileen of An Affair to Remember.  She needs an extra hand & I'm always happy to help her.  I love weddings (have you noticed?!) & I love working with Eileen so this is a real treat for me.


Although I'd hoped to keep up with my blogging this week, I'm a tad crazed & something's got to give.  A Wedding Day is here again & I must give that top priority!


May the rest of your week be bright & beautiful!  We'll meet again next week~


  

The End {For Now}

Farewell Brunch: Oh yeah, I'm a Mrs. now!
est. 1-15-11

My Koru dears, we have reached the end of my wedding story. For now. You may notice I used TGP's gorgeous, professional photos sparingly & I have my reasons. When I'm ready to share TGP's photos with you, I'll delve into the wedding details like my wedding dress, bridesmaid dress, something blue, bouquets, invitations, etc. Until then, feast your eyes on our wedding photos on TGP's blog HERE & Koru's Facebook album HERE.

I would like to leave you with wisdom & advice gained through my experience as a Bride:

1. This was an absolute shock to me: Some family & friends will not be happy for you, will not support you & will not celebrate with you. They hurt you but I promise, it is okay. In their place, other family & friends (often those you least expect) fiercely love you & stand by you. You quickly learn who your TRUE family & friends are & this is a gift. Accept it humbly & gratefully.

2. Please, please splurge on a good photographer if your budget allows. The TGP team was a gem to work with & their photos of our wedding leave me speechless. Amazing wedding photos are priceless! I look at the fabulous photo of RZ & I during the recessional, freshly married, & it instantly transports me to the exuberant joy & overflowing love of that moment. We will cherish our wedding photos & the accompanying memories forever.

3. Be present at your wedding! Your wedding goes quickly & the best you can do is hang tight & enjoy the incredible ride. Focus on the moment, not the moment that just passed or the moment coming up. Try not to stress about the time, vendors, details, etc. Leave the work, because a wedding is work!!!!, to a fabulous wedding coordinator or a trusted friend. Thanks to Eileen & her crew of An Affair to Remember, RZ & I were able to eat, drink & be merry!

4. Walk down the aisle & marry the love of your life = SUCCESS. Seriously, everything else about your wedding is icing on the cake. If your bridesmaid is sick or your flowers are wrong or the band forgets your First Dance song (I admit, none of these things happened to me but things did go wrong at our wedding), don't sweat it. Your guests will never notice & they will have the time of their life as long as you keep smiling!

5. Record your thoughts & feelings about your wedding. Hey, you have plenty of time on your honeymoon flight, right? Whether you fill a journal or one notebook page, just do it. Your memory will fade & your notes will be precious reminders of that lovely day as your words fill a gap that photos & video can't fill. I happened to share my thoughts & feelings with all of you (read the start HERE) &, luckily, I won't forget one, single thing ever. Share them with your husband on a special anniversary & your future kids someday!

That's all, folks! {For now}

The Missing Dance

Me (in pink) with my Dad, Sister & Crazy Dog (no, really she was) KoKo

Mother/Son Dance

You may have noticed that RZ & I included most traditions at our Reception & did them immediately to get the formalities out of the way of the party. Grand Entrance, First Dance, Toasts.

Did you wonder about the Father/Daughter & Mother/Son Dances?

I had a tough time planning the Parent Dances because my Dad died when I was younger. My feelings about these dances grew more & more complicated as our Wedding drew near, making a final decision that much harder. RZ knew I was struggling & offered to skip the Mother/Son Dance but that wasn't an option. RZ, his Mom & their relationship deserved that moment &, later, that memory.

One option was a Bride/Someone Dance. My sister danced with my Grandpa at her wedding but he is no longer with us either. Still, I could be hip & dance with my Mom. Or dance with my Uncles who walked me down the aisle. Sweet, definitely. My fear was I would get sad & emotional wishing my Dad was there to dance with me. I had no desire to be a crying, slobbering Bride at our Wedding.

The other option was a Mother/Son Dance only. Now this had to be handled delicately as well. The dance had to be perfectly placed so it garnered attention but not so much fanfare that I got sad about my Dad & our missing dance. Was this mission impossible?

Just in case you're worried that I'm a crazy mess, I'm truly not. One thing I've learned is that you learn to live with the death of a parent but you never get over it. On an emotional day like my Wedding, I expected it might be a day when my heart sobbed at the knowledge of my Dad being gone.

I have a lot of people to thank for their patience & understanding over this issue. RZ who would have done anything I wished to keep me smiling. My bridesmaids for listening to my worries & reassuring me it would work out. Gary of The Love Jones Band for not pushing me to decide whether "What A Wonderful World" would be a Bride/Someone Dance or a Bridal Party Dance. Eileen of An Affair to Remember for taking my feelings into consideration, offering suggestions &, ultimately, scheduling the Mother/Son Dance to best fit my needs.

In the end, RZ & his Mom danced to "In My Life" by The Beatles as the Second Course was served. Our guests were seated & able to focus on them while I could drown my sorrows in my Caprese Salad. My cousin/bridesmaid joined me at the sweetheart table to keep me company throughout the dance. I wasn't alone with my thoughts which was a good thing. With the proper placement of the dance & my bridesmaid by my side, I didn't feel much sadness. I felt mostly joy in my heart & I knew the angels were near. All's well that ends well.

Cocktails for Two

I don't have any photos of our private Cocktail Hour
Instead, here's a blurry favorite of us with the taxi
(Photo by friend)

RZ & I didn't want to miss our Cocktail Hour & we designed our wedding day carefully to make sure not one lobster bisque, lamb chop or mac & cheese was served without us. We had fallen behind when our ceremony started late but we caught up during our photo session. Sure enough, our vintage taxi delivered us to the Hyatt on the Hudson minutes before the start of our Cocktail Hour.

Then the plan went haywire!

"Let's go to the Bridal Suite & relax," RZ suggested. I panicked. This wasn't part of the plan, the minute-by-minute schedule that Eileen was managing for us. Then I realized we hadn't spent one second alone since getting married a few hours ago. Screw the schedule. I agreed.

Best. Decision. EVER.

We were greeted at the Bridal Suite by our butler, Daniel, who had wisely set up a private Cocktail Hour for us. Yes, our butler! Let me just say the Hyatt rocks! The delish spread included two or more of each of the passed & station hors d'oeuvres. Daniel confirmed that we had the drinks & food we wanted before leaving us in peace.

I look back at that quiet half hour we stole as pure perfection. I hugged my Groom, telling him how handsome he was & how happy I was to be his wife. He said similar things to melt my heart. Then we sat down & relaxed. We toasted our wonderful wedding & enjoyed the delicious food. We reflected on the wedding thus far, talking about this & that. We felt so blessed that everything had been so wonderful &, quite honestly, we were amazed that we had so much more to look forward to at the Reception.

Sufficiently refueled & rejuvenated, we clasped hands as husband & wife & left the Bridal Suite to join our fabulous guests at our Cocktail Hour in the Manhattan Ballroom Foyer. Cheers!

Photo Session, Parts Two & Three

The action at the Bridal Party Photo Session

And then there were two . . .

After the fun & games of family photos at the church, we headed to the Hoboken Train Station Waiting Room for photos with the bridal party. We chose the Waiting Room for its beauty, convenience & comfort. The Waiting Room is an architectural wonder listed with the New Jersey & United States Register of Historical Places. Do remember the scene in the movie Julia & Julia when Julia Child's sister arrives at that gorgeous Paris train station? Well, that is actually the Hoboken Train Station Waiting Room. Now the fact that this beautiful place is a short, five minute drive from our church made it feasible to transport our bridal party there without too much hassle. Last but not least, the Waiting Room is a warm, indoor spot, perfect for a Winter wedding photo session.

As expected, the bridal party photo session went quickly & smoothly. RZ & I arrived at the train station first so we took photos on the Hoboken street with our vintage taxi. The bridal party came shortly thereafter &, being such troopers, joined us for a few, cold outdoor shots before we moved inside to the Waiting Room. Tim, the TGP crew & Eileen made the experience short & painless by directing us & assisting us. With a small bridal party of nine, it was quite easy to keep everyone's attention & keep the session flowing. Before we knew it, the bridal party was headed back to the hotel in their limo.

Then it was just us: the Bride & Groom. Snap, snap- a few more photos in the Waiting Room. Then we went to Hyatt on the Hudson where we planned on taking photos on the pier overlooking the New York City skyline that we adore. While we admire sunny, airy wedding photos, we were hoping for something more dramatic with the night sky & city lights. The next part of our photo session contains an important lesson. No matter how carefully you plan your wedding day, be open to changes!

As we pulled up to the hotel entrance, RZ, Tim & I were reluctant to release the vintage taxi without taking more photos because we loved it so much. I remembered that two blocks away from the hotel is a dead-end street that overlooks downtown Manhattan. We drove there & the location was beyond perfect. The vintage taxi parked on the cobblestone street piled high with dirty, city snow & NYC lights shining in the background. It was such a cool sight. I didn't care that it was freezing cold or that the wind was biting; we happily posed for photos. Just look at that original photo on the header of this blog: it was worth it!

Photos- done! Now it's time to party!!

Photo Session, Part One

RZ's family, now Our Family ♥

My family, now Our Family ♥

Our Siblings ♡

Outtake of our Flower Girls ☺

New Mr. and Mrs. ★
(All Photos by Friends)

Our photo session kicked off with family photos at the altar of the church immediately following our ceremony (tip: always check that the church is available afterwards). We chose this time & place because we knew the major players would be at our ceremony & we could capture them quickly & easily before they wandered off in different directions. We decided to include the flower girls in the first session too because we hoped to catch them before they got tired. Sounds easy, right?

Boy, did this require some logistics. RZ & I paraded up the aisle, bright, happy, shiny & freshly married with our bridal party on our heels. Planner extraordinaire Eileen directed us to the small bridal room at the back of the church where we could relax & wait until the rest of our guests boarded the wedding shuttle. We simply couldn't chance getting caught in a long conversation with Aunt Missy & throwing off our timing. It turned out to be a sweet few moments sharing our joy with our bridal party. When the coast was clear of guests, Eileen ushered us to the front of the church where Photographer extraordinaire Tim & the TGP team were set up &, thankfully, our families were waiting.

We'd told our families well in advance to stick around after our ceremony for family photos. We'd repeated this information time & time again as our wedding approached. We included this information on our wedding web site & our wedding day itinerary. Still, you never know who might miss the memo. I breathed a sigh of relief that everyone was present.

Now comes the fun part. RZ & I are positioned at the altar. Tim & his team call out family names from the portrait list we gave them (tip: keep this list as simple & short as possible). Said family members come up as called & pose for photos with us. Well, well. Be prepared for people not listening & coming up as they please &/or not coming up at all. Our families include about 50 people but it seemed like a zoo. One sweet flower girl just wasn't having it. Things get a bit chaotic. I wondered if this was the best idea for the first minutes of our new marriage. Just keep smiling, it will be over soon.

& the treasured family photos will be worth it!

I was a very happy Bride when the family photos were over & we could move on to bridal party photos!!

My Wedding March

Eileen & I walking to my marriage ceremony
(Friend's photo)

I walked the three blocks from our condo to our church. Yup, despite the chill of January & the protests of many.

This was my plan from the moment we booked our church for our ceremony. Walking was the natural choice. We live in a pedestrian-friendly (read: parking is a nightmare!) town & we walk to church. Always. My wedding day would be no different.

Still, I booked a limo. I didn't expect my bridesmaids & our Moms to walk, especially on a cold, winter day. Also, I needed a back-up plan in case of rain or snow. When word spread that I booked the limo, people assumed I'd changed my mind about walking. They were so very wrong.

Despite valid protests about slipping on ice or getting my dress dirty & among whispers of being crazy, I stuck with my plan & walked to church. The bridesmaids & Moms stayed behind to primp a bit more before the arrival of the limo while I grabbed my borrowed fur capelet & set off for our church. I'm glad I did because it was a peaceful, reflective walk. Eileen, my personal guard against ice, snow & dirt, & I chatted while Tim snapped photos but I barely noticed. The blue sky was beautiful, the crisp air was refreshing & the world was mine. I could see our stately church ahead & I could envision RZ waiting for me inside. Oh happy day!

It was definitely a walk to remember!!

The moral of my humble story? Brides-to-be, stick to your guns!!! Listen to other people & consider their advice but, ultimately, follow your heart. I would have regretted it so much if I didn't take my sweet wedding march!

My Wedding Planner

Wedding Gown Print
Available on Etsy in trulyvera's shop

Way back when, I worked in Manhattan as a wedding planner. I worked with wonderful Brides & learned much about weddings. I had the pleasure of working with fabulous co-workers, most of whom taught me a lot. Eventually, all of us moved on to bigger & better things. I spent the next ten years moving to California & working with a special event company, then moving back to Hoboken & starting my own company, Koru Wedding Shoppe. Through it all, I kept in touch with one former co-worker, Eileen Kaden Dean.

I thank my lucky stars we stayed in contact because as a wedding planner, I can only trust our wedding day to the very best wedding planner. And the very best is Eileen of An Affair to Remember Wedding & Event Planning. Eileen is low-key & calm, yet she knows how to get things done- just the kind of girl you need on your side for your wedding! And she is talented!! I have witnessed her do anything & everything necessary for a smooth, stress-free wedding from making last-minute, emergency alterations on a wedding dress to clearing up confusion with another vendor.

After knowing & admiring Eileen for so long, you may think I'm a bit biased but I'm not the only one who sings her praises. Her company was voted "Best of" Wedding Planners in The Knot 2010 & was selected as 2010 Bride's Choice for Wedding Planning by Wedding Wire & Martha Stewart Weddings. Impressive!

RZ & I hired Eileen as our day-of wedding coordinator, a service that I think is absolutely essential for every wedding. It is worth every penny! Eileen & her staff will facilitate the wedding day schedule, coordinate the Bridal Party, cue events, set-up & breakdown ceremony & reception items, solve unexpected surprises, calm nerves, relieve stress, etc, etc. All while RZ & I eat, drink & be married without a worry or care!