perfectly

When it comes to wise words on weddings, I don't think there is much that can top this advice:

TRUTH!

Please keep this quote in your head & heart on your wedding day.  Because the details are really just details.  Brush off the little things like the peonies being the wrong shade of pink & the limo arriving late.  None of it matters.  

Marry the love of your life.  Celebrate with your new spouse, family & friends.  & that, my friends, is wedding perfection!  

Image via

Sparkle

Hello, sparkly pretties.  Valentino you say?  Oh, how I adore you!

As a Bride-to-be, I had the hardest time finding shoes for my wedding.  Shoes were too high, too boring or too expensive.  It was starting to look like I might go barefoot when I found the perfect pair (yes, one of these days I will share all my wedding details with you!).  These fantabulous Valentinos would have been too high AND too expensive for me but I believe I may have made an exception for them.  They are AMAZING!!!   

What route will/did you go for wedding shoes?  Pretty sparkle, fun color or classic ivory/white?

Photo by Justin & Mary via

Irish Wedding Bells

Maybe it's because I'm Irish.  Perhaps it's because I love green.  Or just because.  But I love Bells of Ireland!  Those perfect lime green bells have my heart.


I don't spot them much in the wedding world so I was absolutely delighted (I may have squealed!) when I stumbled upon not one but two, DIY bridal bouquets that included Bells of Ireland.  I did what any decent blogger would do & pinned my heart out so I could share them with you.  


This stunning beauty is a combination of orchids, beach grass & Bells of Ireland just perfect for a beach wedding in Maine:

Photo by One Love Photo 

via

& the sweetest part?  The Groom's Dad made the Bride's bouquet!


For a Fall wedding, this lovely is a combination of snapdragons & Bells of Ireland that is unexpected yet just right:

Photo by Cassandra Eldridge Photography

via

& that beauty?  The Groom's Dad was taking a snooze on his duties so the Bride & Bridesmaids made it!

The cherry on top of the stylish Bells of Ireland is that they are known as a symbol of good luck.  What Bride doesn't want to carry a little good luck down the aisle as she get married?!

Tell me, what are your favorite flowers?  Does their meaning play into your choices for your wedding? 

Koru Kate Finds: Words of Wisdom

Wedding Planning Wisdom

Image on Pinterest via HERE

Read the Wedding Words of Wisdom above.  

Repeat.  

Let the words soak in. 

Share with every almost-Engaged, Bride-to-be & Newlywed woman you know.

I plan to share the Wedding Words of Wisdom with every Bride that crosses my path, whether it's a beloved friend or dear client.  These words touch upon the things that may drive you crazy during the wedding planning process- the guest list, the menu & the music.  Then these words bring it back to what the wedding is all about- love.  Everyone needs this reminder at one point or another! 

"Spend the rest of your days with the person you love."  The exact reason for a wedding, the basis for a marriage.  Ah, & such a beautiful gift & tremendous privilege. 

Koru Kate Finds: 1st Edition

Happy Monday, Koru Family & Friends!

Welcome to our newest feature on Koru Wedding Style: Koru Kate Finds! Every Monday, I will feature wedding finds to inspire you. From jewelry to bouquets to invitations & more, you will enjoy the fun & creative here to brighten the start of each week. Every once in awhile, I may share a non-wedding find with you but I'll keep those few & far between. Let's get this wedding party started!


My first finds come from one of my absolute favorite collections, Kate Spade New York. I'm obsessed with the entire collection but I have two stars in my eyes at the moment. The "I Do" and "Mrs" necklaces are so simple & sweet they make my heart patter. I would have loved, LOVED to have gotten one of these adorable necklaces for my bridal shower. The "I Do" necklace could have graced my neck for my wedding festivities, then a switch to the "Mrs" necklace for my honeymoon.

"I Do" & "Mrs" Necklaces
Available at & Images from Kate Spade

Koru Loves, it's too late for me & these necklaces but you still have a chance!

Jersey Best

Quite a cool venue- looks like it deserves the buzz!

Image via One Atlantic

The Knot released its list of the "10 Most Talked About New Jersey Wedding Venues" & it's an interesting read. This humble Hoboken wedding planner has some opinions on said list!

The Pleasantdale Chateau deserves a "Longstanding Most Talked About Award!" When my sister got married 12 years ago, this historic mansion & its manicured grounds were the topic of many venue conversations. I delved into wedding planning two years later & throughout my career, the Pleasantdale has remained a popular venue. I adore working there because the Pleasantdale is top notch in every way. I believe it will continue to stand the test of time with its beautiful, unique rooms & gorgeous, picturesque grounds.

On the other end of the spectrum, the W Hoboken is new & hot. It's been a big topic in Hoboken long before it opened & it continues to garner much attention. The W Hoboken is hip & swanky, yet somehow still manages to impress everyone from your old-fashioned Grandma to your hipster cousin with its impeccable space, food & service. I may not have picked it for our wedding but I enjoyed working there & I want to work there again & again. With its waterfront location & its cool factor, I hope the W Hoboken keeps Brides & Grooms talking!

Mallard Island Yacht Club, One & Only Westmount Country Club, The Palace at Somerset Park, & Stone House at Stirling Ridge- check, check, check, check!! Each venue deserves its buzz for being a bit different, a bit more fun than a standard wedding facility. Definitely talked about, definitely popular. Some are more buzzworthy than others among my circle of Brides & wedding vendors.

The other venues I haven't heard much about period. Is it just me? Liberty Science Center is practically in my backyard & I haven't overheard so much as a whisper about weddings there. I know zilch about One Atlantic but I don't deal much with Atlantic City so that may be my shortcoming. After checking out the web site & falling in love with the photos, I'm praying to the Wedding Gods for a wedding there, STAT. That could be the same case with The Addison Park & Valenzano Winery, just a tad beyond my normal scope of Northern Jersey/Manhattan venues. Still, I love to know anything & everything Jersey Weddings so I'm making a mental note of these venues.

Are any of you getting married at these "hot" venues? Or do you have a less talked about venue you prefer?

Ready, Set, GO!

Our sweet boy Bailey before he was sent to doggie day care

Red roses from my fiance!

My wedding dress: I wish I could wear it again & again!

Me & My Gorgeous Bridesmaids

I'm going to the chapel & I'm going to get married!
(Above photos were taken by friends)

The night before our wedding, my cousin/bridesmaid & I stayed up until 4am packing up the wedding items, cleaning the condo, finishing DIY projects & gossiping. It was a little crazy & I wouldn't recommend it to everyone but it enabled me to wake up on our wedding day without a single care or worry. Everything was done! I noted the sunshine & blue skies & immediately text RZ to say, "It is our beautiful wedding day!" From that moment on, I was on Cloud Nine.

My getting ready crew consisted of my fabulous bridesmaids, my lovely Mom & RZ's great Mom, plus the make-up artist, the hair stylist, the wedding planner & the photographers. Our condo quickly transformed into a dressing room. I had an open house policy so my crew showed up throughout the morning in various stages of hair, make-up & dress. My heart warmed at the sight of each girl's bright, happy, shiny face.

I have to say, I did little more than relax in the hours before our ceremony. My biggest task was walking Bailey & taking him to his doggie daycare/hotel. Then I was able to chill & eat (seriously, Brides-to-be- eating is important!!) while everyone buzzed around me. The hair stylist & make-up artist worked their magic. The beautiful flowers were delivered. Red roses & a sweet note from my fiance arrived. Candid photos were snapped. Girls dashed here & there. It was shaping up to be a wonderful wedding day!

Of course, I was the last lady to get ready. The bridesmaids & Moms were dressed & they looked stunning!! I had my "Classic Bride" make-up done, then had my side chignon styled & my chiffon flower placed. At last, it was time to put on my wedding dress!!! I had waited for this moment for so long & I savored every second. The gorgeous dress. The simple veil. The sparkly shoes. The pearl earrings & the pearl/rhinestone bracelet. The calla lily bouquet. I had carefully chosen every last detail to transform me into my ideal version of a Bride. I've never felt more beautiful!!

Before we left for the church, we had an almond champagne toast & it was my very favorite part of getting ready. Here I was with my favorite women in the world. We looked beautiful & we were pumped: we were on the brink of my marriage ceremony! It doesn't get more special than this (a true understatement). We huddled in the living room & cheered the wedding day. Cheers!

Me, The Bride

Me, The Bride
(Friend's Photograph)

I'm the behind-the-scenes girl at weddings, coordinating this, fixing that & managing the event. I wear black to fade into the background & I avoid the camera like it's the plague. I like it that way. It's where I belong, where I find true happiness.

So how did it feel to step into the spotlight, wear a white dress & be the Bride? I won't lie, I stressed about being the center of attention & about letting go of the control in the days leading to our wedding. I shouldn't have worried. On our wedding day, I was the Bride. And it felt fabulous!

I was so honored to walk down the aisle & marry RZ surrounded by our beloved family & friends. Nothing else, not one little thing, mattered. I could feel the love & happiness pulsing through me & I could see it everywhere I looked. I floated through our wedding on the high of marrying the love of my life. This was our wedding day, our new beginning. I wasn't just a Bride. I was RZ's Bride & that was a very, very special. More than I could ever hope to describe.

P.S. Being his wife is even better!

Last Night as a Bride-to-be

Bride & Groom Thank You Speech
The windows behind us overlook downtown NYC & Statue of Liberty

Me & My Bridesmaids
These ladies rock!

Bride & Groom with my Uncles
They walked me down the aisle :-)

True story: we were one hour late to our rehearsal dinner. Only us! Minus that little detail, my last evening as a Bride-to-be was perfect.

RZ & I were greeted by the applause of our family & friends who had gathered to celebrate with us. Maybe they were simply glad we showed up but I prefer to think they were cheering for us, for our love, for our future. I could feel the love in the room & I will remember it forever.

The evening was fun & casual, just as we'd hoped. Everything was simple with hotel-supplied cocktail tables, black linens, votive candles & house music. The buffet & open seating allowed our guests to eat, mix & mingle as they pleased. Conversations & laughter floated in the air. I ate my fair share of funnel cake, I chatted with our guests & I posed for plenty of photos. Looking back now, I'm very grateful for this extra time to spend with our guests because the wedding went so quickly!

This was our golden opportunity to thank our bridal party, families & friends for their presence, support & love during our engagement, at our wedding & always. I'm not a good public speaker & RZ doesn't love it either. We kept the speech short & sweet, then handed out our thank you gifts. I'm not sure we could ever thank everyone enough but we tried.

The next thing I knew, it was time to say good-night after a wonderful rehearsal diner. RZ would be spending the night in the cushy hotel suite while I would be returning to the comforts of our home. Lots of couples talk about sad tears & heartfelt talks as they separate for the night. Not us! RZ was excited to watch tv & relax in the suite & I had a few things on my to-do list to tackle. But there was no mistaking our happiness: the next time we saw each other, I would be walking down the aisle!

Girls' Night Out

Me, the Bachelorette

Exactly one week before our wedding day, I donned a white Bride tank top, a bright pink Bachelorette sash & a blinking blue "diamond" ring. I sipped drinks out of a pink glass decorated with a tulle veil. I played silly games one of which would make my Mom blush. I was surrounded by my favorite girls wearing hot pink beads & silly buttons. Why?! It was my Bachelorette Party!

& it was perfect! I had made some requests to my bridesmaids that were dutifully honored: massages at Bliss Spa, dinner at The Melting Pot, drinks in Hoboken & sleepover at W Hotel Hoboken. I had made some other requests that were respectfully denied: no games & no Bachelorette gear. & there were wonderful surprises to like yummy, yummy treats & a gorgeous flower arrangement. While my bridesmaids listened to me, they clearly knew the best ingredients for a great party & did they ever throw a fabulous one!

My Bachelorette Party played out like a girly dream- a fun, low-key night with good friends. Anything that starts with a relaxing massage at Bliss Spa is the BEST. We could've stopped there & I would've been happy yet I'm so glad we kept the party going. Then we gathered in the hotel room to prep for the big night with drinks, treats & games. Soon we were at The Melting Pot for cheese fondue, salad & chocolate fondue- YUM! Hoboken was packed that night & after finding line after line everywhere, we ended up at The Living Room at the hotel for nightcap cocktails. Sprinkled throughout everything was tons of cheer & laughter. It was fun, fun, FUN!!

When my head hit the pillow that night, all I could think was "I'm getting married in one week!" I felt like the luckiest girl in the world. I was on the brink of marrying RZ. I had wonderful friends who took time out of their busy schedules to celebrate with me. Let me count my lucky stars!!!!

Last Days as a Soon-to-Be Mrs.

My final photo in my Soon-to-Be hoodie
Soon after this photo, I changed into my "getting ready" outfit

In the final days leading to our wedding, I was an easy recipe- one half stress & one half excitement. The two emotions struggled for my attention like 2-year-old twins having a meltdown. The to-do list was a mile long & the hours in each day were too few. But I was a happy Bride-to-be! That trumped everything. Most of the time.

Oh, the never-ending to-do list! I almost break out in hives just thinking about it now. Apply for marriage license. Shop for & assemble hotel welcome bags. Complete DIY projects. Final meeting with venue contact & wedding planner to review timeline, menu & details which was done via phone conference when snow shut down our meeting. Pick-up out-of-town bridesmaid & husband from airport. Last dress fitting for out-of-town bridesmaid. Manicure & pedicure with my sister. Clean engagement ring. Finalize table assignments. Finish escort cards. Make alphabetical guest list with table assignments & table list with guests assigned to that table. Wrap bridal party gifts. Drop-off hotel welcome bags. Pick-up wedding dress. Church rehearsal & rehearsal dinner. Pack overnight bag, ceremony & reception items. Clean the condo. Make final payments & allot tips. Etc, etc, etc.

I couldn't have tackled most of these tasks beforehand & the majority of the tasks were fun. Naturally, picking up my out-of-town bridesmaid & getting a mani-pedi with my sister were more enjoyable than working on welcome letters, table assignments & escort cards with a super-slow printer. Still, as someone who lives & breathes weddings, I enjoy every aspect. The stress crept in because there didn't seem to be enough time! By the last two days before our wedding, I was eating little & sleeping even less.

& yet, I was a glowing Bride-to-be who relished my remaining time as an engaged woman. I didn't want to pass up any opportunity to spend time with my family & friends who came to celebrate with us. It was better to stay up until 4am to work on things than miss a good lunch with my Mom, sister & cousin. Nothing was more important than these special times: dinner with my family including my out-of-town Mom & Grandma, soup, salad & breadsticks lunch with my Mom & dinner at our favorite pizzeria with my cousin & her husband. I will forever remember the love & laughter that poured over my overwhelmed & grateful heart.