City Lovin'

"I am about to make a brand new start of it, right here in old New York"

You can't argue with Frank Sinatra: New York is a great place for new beginnings, like weddings.  For lucky couples tying the knot in the Big Apple, consider letting the magnificent city influence your wedding invitation suite.  

I'm ready to bust out my party dress & attend this fabulous city affair!  The Empire State Building featuring a sweet pink heart?  Oh yes, I consider that NYC save-the-date perfection.  The wedding invitation doesn't bother with the traditional NYC skyline design.  Instead, the modern, calligraphy invitation & its coordinating pieces are a perfect compliment to the city lovin' save-the-date.  The oh so popular gray color maintains a sense of cohesion throughout the invitation suite.  LOVE!!  

Are you getting married in a town or city that is important to you?  Will you let the city influence your design decisions?


Photo via

Let Me Play Among The Stars

"Fly Me to the Moon

Let Me Play Among the Stars . . .

In Other Words, Please Be True

In Other Words, I Love You"

(All Photos by Friends)

Cocktail Hour is over . . . now our Wedding Reception!

The Love Jones Band launched into "Beautiful Day" by U2 (RZ's favorite band). Pair by pair, our Bridal Party made their Grand Entrance into the magnificent Manhattan Ballroom & formed a semi-circle around the dance floor. Soon, we were the only ones left outside the ballroom. I squeezed RZ's hand & took a deep breath.

Upon the announcement of Mr. & Mrs., RZ & I burst onto the scene as our guests cheered & clapped. What a triumphant moment!

The band began to play "Fly Me to the Moon" by Frank Sinatra as we transitioned smoothly into our First Dance. We chose this classic song for its sweet lyrics, Sinatra's tie to our beloved hometown of Hoboken & its blissfully short running time (you may remember this song was my first choice!). For this shy Bride who doesn't appreciate attention, especially when I'm dancing, a short song was key. I did my best to enjoy twirling in the arms of my new husband. I really tried. But mostly I was thinking that the band may have added an extra chorus because the song seemed awfully long. Almost endless.

I couldn't have been happier when I heard my favorite song "What A Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong start. Our Bridal Party & their partners joined us on the dance floor. Instantly, I felt at ease among the crowd of our dear friends & family. It got better & better as more & more couples took to the dance floor for this lovely song.

& it truly was a wonderful world as I danced in my new husband's arms on our wedding night with our family & friends dancing beside us.

First Dance

RZ & I don't have a song. I have no idea what songs were playing when we first met, we shared our first kiss, we took our first road trip, etc. I remember the ocean crashing in the background as RZ proposed. None of this helps as we try to pick the best song for our First Dance.

A few weeks ago, we spent the evening in our guest bedroom/office & ran through the possibilities. We threw out suggestions, we listened to them on You Tube & we rated the song a winner or a loser. It was such a fun night in our wedding planning process; I want to keep it in my heart forever.

One top contender:

Available at Amazon

"How Sweet It Is," by James Taylor. The lyrics are sweet & fitting for us. My mantra for our wedding is "Sweet & Simple" so this song fills the requirements. We like this one a lot, although it's not a favorite for either of us.

Another top contender:

Available at Amazon

"Fly Me To The Moon," by Frank Sinatra. RZ thought it would be fun to choose a Frank Sinatra song because we live in his hometown of Hoboken & this is my favorite Sinatra song (yes, I realize he covered it). It's an upbeat, unexpected choice. If I was forced to pick my top choice for our First Dance, this is it.

The last top contender:

Available at Amazon

"At Last," by Etta James. This is a perfect song with fitting lyrics. Had I gotten married ten years ago, this would have been my First Dance. The problem is, I work weddings & I've heard this song countless times; it's lost its charm. RZ really likes this song (I believe it's his top choice) so it remains a contender.

Choices, choices! All good choices. I have no idea how we're going to choose. The one thing we know is that The Love Jones Band will rock it!!