{Guest Posting} 5 Quick Wedding Planning Tips

I have two exciting things to share with you!

Today, you can find me on the Amy Nichols Special Events blog as I share my 5 Quick Wedding Planning Tips & talk a bit about our wedding.  Let me tell you, as a wedding planner, it was hard to narrow my wedding planning advice down to five tidbits.  I did my best!  A big thank you to Amy for inviting me to share my wedding planning thoughts with her readers.  Check them out HERE!!!

And, truth be told, you can find me on the Amy Nichols Special Events blog three times a week as I am the new writer!  I've been working behind-the-scenes for about one month now & today's post is my official introduction :-)  I met Amy forever ago when we worked together as wedding planning assistants in Manhattan.  Since then, I have grown to admire Amy & her special events business more & more.  It's a huge honor to be working with her again!!  I love posting her latest events, features, finds & more on her fantastic blog.  Be sure to visit Amy's blog for inspiration & advice!  

Photography by Timothy Glenn Photographers

shiny & new

 
Welcome to the fresh face of Koru Wedding Style!

It's okay, I'll wait.  Take a moment to look around & admire the new look.  Isn't she pretty?!

Why the new look?  Well, here's a little background . . . 

Koru Wedding Style is a natural extension of my wedding planning business, Koru Wedding Shoppe.  Both share the tag line "inspiration & celebration of new beginnings."  At Koru Wedding Shoppe, I inspire Brides & Grooms to create the wedding of their dreams & I take care of the timing, details & work so they can celebrate & enjoy every moment of their wedding.  At Koru Wedding Style, I share wedding inspiration & I celebrate anything & everything weddings.  My dear Korus go hand-in-hand.    

As such, I have long wanted my blog & web site to complement one another.  Not matchy matchy but coordinating.  It's not as easy as it sounds.  I had a difficult time finding an affordable, clean & modern design to coexist with my web site.  I suppose good things do come to those who wait because I finally found what I was looking for all along.  Quite simply, it's what you see here before your very eyes.

I hope you enjoy the shiny & new look of Koru Wedding Style as much as I do.  This is yet another new beginning! 

Big thanks to Brooke of Bright Wishes Designs for making this redesign happen so quickly & so beautifully!

Photo by Timothy Glenn Photographers

Welcome, 2012!

Happy New Year!

 2011, I say good-bye with a grateful & sad heart.  I will forever remember you as the year we got married & started our positive new beginning.  What an amazing journey!  But rain is needed to make a rainbow & there's been plenty of sadness.  I lost a dear family friend while many around me said good-bye to loved ones.  What a year.  It's time to move on!     

2012, I am so happy to see your beautiful, promising face.  Another new beginning filled with opportunities & hopes!  My New Year's Resolution is to be the best version of me.  I'd like to be a better wife to my fabulous husband.  A better friend to my dear friends.  A better sister to my sister/best friend.  A better daughter to my sweet Mom.  A better wedding planner to my lovely Brides & Grooms.  A better blogger to my dear readers.  I hold these roles close to my heart & they deserve the best me.  I want to rise to the occasion each & every day to do my best.   

Cheers to being the best we can be in 2012!  I wish you Love & Joy in 2012! 

Photo via

{Guest Posting} why we wed: kate

On January 15, 2011, RZ & I stood in front of our family & friends & said "I Do!"

Why did we get married?

That is a seemingly simple questions posed in the "Why We Wed" series on Happy Sighs.  The easy question left me searching my heart & soul for the answer.  I was inspired to look beyond the standard "we're in love" justification.  Today, I'm very honored to be sharing my response on Happy Sighs- why we wed: kate.  

Please visit me at Happy Sighs & say hello!

Photo by Timothy Glenn Photographers

{Guest Posting} Blogger Holiday Traditions

I am honored to be included in the festive Blogger Holiday Tradition series on Lovely Little Details today!  I'm sharing a holiday tradition that is near & dear to my heart & includes the sweet Wishes ornament.  Please take a peek & leave some love!

Photo by Koru Kate

Fall Spice

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes {Made by Me!}

If there is one thing you haven't seen on Koru Wedding Style, it's cooking & baking.  Let's just say I do not have a natural talent in the kitchen.  Natural disasters in the kitchen, well, I have plenty of those.  However, when I ran across this yummy Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes recipe on Hey Gorg & none of the ingredients or instructions scared me, I decided to give it a whirl.  

Please indulge me as I recount one of my first positive baking experiences.  Ever.

First things first, I lined up my ingredients & supplies.  The less surprises & fruitless searches, the better:

I know lots of great bakers who add just a little bit of this & a little bit of that but I followed the recipe to the letter.  Soon, I had a concoction that looked & smelled like pumpkin spice:

Here is my sous chef Beagle Bailey.  He's pouting at my feet because I had not dropped anything delicious his way:

Soon, my pumpkin spice cupcakes-to-be were ready for the oven:

20 minutes later, these perfect cupcakes emerged from the oven.  I couldn't believe it!

Naked pumpkin spice cupcakes in pink foil for Breast Cancer Awareness Month:

Now the recipe calls for homemade Chocolate Ganache frosting.  I knew I had already pushed my limited baking skills with the cupcakes.  Store bought cream cheese frosting?  Yes, please.

The Pumpkin Spice cupcakes are surprisingly easy & sooooo delicious- I definitely recommend them!  They draw rave reviews that swell this non-baker's heart.  So far, I have brought them to a new Mom & Dad while visiting their newborn & to a hungry crew at a Jets tailgate.  They're just perfect for Halloween parties, Thanksgiving & Fall weddings too!

It's A Wrap! 25th Edition

This photo has nothing to do with this post.

It makes me smile though & isn't that enough?

Image by Our Labor of Love

via 100 Layer Cake

Hi.  Please raise your hand if you're happy it's Friday.  Yes, me too.  This week has been a bit, well, trying.  I am beyond lucky & blessed in life & I never lose sight of that.  Still.  Sometimes things are not so smooth or happy.  The grey, rainy weather hasn't helped any, although it has perfectly matched my mood.

& my mood has affected the weekly Koru List.  I like to bring you plentiful wedding eye candy from the likes of Style Me Pretty, while sprinkling in musings on weddings & marriage from the likes of A Practical Wedding.  They are my top favorite wedding blogs as different as they may be.  While the eye candy this week was as gorgeous as always, my stormy, brooding mood was drawn to two posts this week that made me think.  A lot.  About what wedding blogs I like & support, about the value in my sweet wedding planning business.

So I present you those links:  

Dear Wedding Bloggers, You Suck     

Price Is Not The Same As Value  

Well worth the read, ladies.   

Facelift Blog-Style

My Winter Wedding

Image by Timothy Glenn Photographers

Welcome to the updated, beautiful space of Koru Wedding Style!

After 340 posts in the span of almost two years, it was time to make changes.  Mostly minor tweaks here & there.  I chose a pretty script font for the blog & post titles to add a softer touch.  I switched up the font color scheme to gray & shades of purple for more contrast.  I added a sweet, sparkly background to the sidebar as a fun touch.  And the biggest (& my favorite!) change . . .

A new photo for the header!  I chose one of my favorite wedding photos to represent Koru Wedding Style.  This blog is a lot weddings, a little me.  This photo represents both nicely.  It's just perfect.

In this photo, it's dusk on our winter wedding day.  RZ & I are fresh newlyweds, officially married for about one hour.  The vintage taxi whisks us away from our church ceremony & parks on a charming cobblestone street outside the Hoboken Terminal for our photo session.  RZ & I spill out of the taxi to wait for the rest of our bridal party to catch up with us.  Tim starts snapping photos.  & this is one of them showing me & my husband in our beloved hometown on our beautiful wedding day.

& I love every last detail- the dusky sky, the city lights, the cobblestone street, the pile of snow, the vintage taxi & the happy couple.  Just as everything in this photo means something to me, everything I post here is meaningful to me.  Everything.

I hope you enjoy the facelift of this sweet space.  Let's continue have lots of wedding fun & inspire each other :-)

Koru Family & Friends, What do you think of the new design?  Like?  Love?

It's A Wrap! 16th Edition

Oh how this Jersey girl adores this boardwalk photo!
Image by Kay English Photography via Style Me Pretty

Happy Friday, Koru Family & Friends! Summer is in full swing & I'm taking full advantage. Today, my hubs & I are attending a Summer wedding & tomorrow, we jet off for a little Summer vacation. I'll be back to bring you wedding goodness in August (wow, August already!). Of course, I leave you with gathered prettiness & loveliness to tide you over until my return . . .

Boardwalk + Peonies = AWESOME Wedding!

Love, love me a vintage taxi

A little slice of rainbow heaven

Oh, be still my ribbon loving heart

My goal is to send more "Just Because" & "I Love You" notes

Happy Weekend! Make it bright & beautiful~

It's A Wrap! 15th Edition

Hydrangeas in FULL Glory
via Erin Ever After

Stop it! No really, stop it.
This centerpiece is beyond!

Are you a Twinkie fan? Yes?
Then this fun creation is for YOU!

You know how I love me an all-white or mostly white wedding. Feast your eyes on this white beauty!

Sorbet as wedding inspiration? Yes indeed!

Happy Summer Weekend!

Oops

OOPS!
Available at Etsy in BremeloPress' shop

Oops. I messed up.

That says it all! I've been largely missing in the blogging world lately; I haven't had the time to read others' blogs or write Koru's posts. Sigh. I'm sorry. I've been loving the long, lazy days of Summer a bit too much. Also, I've been prepping & working a few wedding planning jobs. While my days have been filled with plenty of things I love & adore, I haven't had the time to share them with you. I promise to make more of an effort!

Thanks, Koru friends & family, for hanging in there with me. Mwuah!

Tomorrow, there is a great It's A Wrap! coming your way :-)

Shiny & New

I am excited & proud to announce the unveiling of lovely, updated pages on the web site of Koru Wedding Shoppe! New copy & fresh photographs were added to better showcase Koru & everything Koru offers for Brides.

First, let me introduce the new Invitations page:

The Invitations page replaces the former Boutique page & describes how we can help Brides design the perfect wedding invitation. Here is where we detail anything & everything wedding stationery related, such as the invitation companies we carry, the wedding stationery we provide & the additional services we offer like assembly. Last but not least, there is a direct email link for Brides to make their invitation consultation.

The Ring/Invitation photo was formerly on the Shop Koru page & I loved it too much to lose it. Of course, this beauty was taken by the talented Timothy Glenn Photographers.

Next, here is the updated Planning page:

The Planning page now proudly lists our planning packages to give Brides a better idea of exactly how we can assist them with their wedding. I made a point to include "Custom" on the list so Brides realize we can do anything wedding-related that their little heart desires! The other copy remains the same but the subtle change is an important one.

The Bride & Groom Kiss photo is brand new to Koru's site. & guess what?! It's from my wedding!! I couldn't help but infuse a little bit of my wedding on Koru's site. We have Timothy Glenn Photographers to thank for this one!

&, finally, let me show you the revamped Contact Us page:


The Contact Us page gives Brides the numerous ways they can easily contact & find Koru Wedding Shoppe. Koru is here, there, everywhere! Koru's phone number is listed, as well as links to our email, blog, Facebook & Twitter. There is no way you can miss us with the new Contact Us page!

The Bride & Groom Just Married photo is my absolute favorite photo from my wedding. Again, I couldn't resist adding more of my wedding to Koru's site. Another beautiful photo by Timothy Glenn Photographers.

I'm beyond happy with the updated site for Koru Wedding Shoppe. Much has changed in the six years since I started the business (hello, Twitter!) & I'm pleased the site represents the Koru of today. Many thanks to my wonderful web designer Kate of Bella Mi Design Boutique for designing the new pages & my amazing photographer Tim of Timothy Glenn Photographers for providing the new photos. Take a look & let me know what you think!

It's A Wrap! 11th Edition

Beautiful Styled Shoot
Styled by & Photo from Hey Gorgeous

Welcome June! Wow, how time flies. In two weeks, RZ & I will be celebrating our six-month wedding anniversary!! First things first. Let's tackle the sweet goodies I gathered for you this week:

Styled Shoots: Love 'em or Hate 'em?
Join the lively (be nice!) debate here

Shiny, lovely & new!
(Plus a sneak peek at our wedding photos ♥)

I can't wait to see more! Can you?!

Sunny, golden, pure summer perfection

One of my favorite wedding photo spots in Hoboken-
it works just as beautifully for engagement sessions!

Make it fun & happy this weekend!!!!

It's A Wrap! 10th Edition

Photography by The Wedding Central Image via The Knotty Bride

Here's It's A Wrap!, the weekly Koru List of noteworthy inspiration & advice:

I am head-over-heels in love with this wedding cake.
Why? A wedding cake in pearls & ruffles is BEYOND.

Brides-to-be, follow your heart & read this post. Seriously.

Is it true? I could make my own letterpress machine?!
Surely I'm not this talented . . . or am I?

How many do you have in your closet? C'mon, it's okay to admit you'll never wear them again. It's time to trade them in & trade them up!

Happy Weekend!

It's A Wrap! 8th Edition

Prince William & Kate Middleton Pizza by Papa John's
via The Knotty Bride

Hello! Are you awake? Are you blurry-eyed from waking up at the crack of dawn for the Royal Wedding? Or are you a smarty-pants who DVRed the entire affair to watch at your leisure?

Whatever the case may be, I'm dedicating this It's A Wrap! edition to the Royal Wedding. As such, I have only one link for you today. It's a must-read, I'm not joking. Prepare to laugh, smile & shake your head in wonder as the hilarious Alison, The Knotty Bride, brings you the wackiest & zaniest Royal Wedding souvenirs HERE.

Enjoy! & please get some rest!!

Easter Cards: From Inspiration to Reality

When it comes to crafting, I find inspiration in many places: my imagination, favorite blogs, magazine covers, window displays, etc. I always keep my eyes wide open because I never know when inspiration will strike. The inspiration for my Easter cards came when I spotted this darling Easter egg garland on the fun blog, The Sweetest Occasion:

Image via The Sweetest Occasion
via Modern Parents Messy Kids

I was smitten with these Easter eggs made from paint chips. How cute, right? However, I don't often find myself near a Home Depot so the idea slipped away. Then our sink broke last weekend & fate had spoken. As RZ cruised the plumbing aisle, I scooped up these colorful paint chips:


The best part of crafting is when inspiration meets imagination. I didn't want to simply copy the idea of Easter egg garland made from paint chips. So I put my own spin on things. I cut out tons of bright, cheerful Easter eggs. Then I cut green grass from the leftover green paper from St. Patrick's Day. I nestled the Easter eggs among sparkly green grass for a little something like this:


And this:


I hope our family & friends enjoy our Easter Wishes from us to them! May your holiday weekend be blessed & beautiful!!

It's A Wrap! 7th Edition

Love, love, LOVE
Image by Fresh In Love Photography
Via Postcards and Pretties

I spend a good portion of each day reading my favorite blogs & it's a pleasure to share a few of my finds with you each week. It boggles my mind how much information & inspiration is simply a click away! Without further ado, here are my picks for the week:

The heart balloons kill me!

Practical tips on substituting your iPod for a DJ

What is red, black, white & perfectly adorable?!
Did I mention the cow? I mean, it's almost too much!!

What's on your to-do list?

Smiles guaranteed!

Did I miss anything good?! I hope not. Have a glorious weekend!

It's A Wrap! 5th Edition

Fun idea for Something Blue! Or Rainbow ☺
Image via Say Yes! To Hoboken

April! Can you believe it? Where oh where is time going?! I'm welcoming April with open arms & hoping it brings spring weather to us. Here is my weekly round-up of inspiration:

Colored tights- BRILLIANT!

A must read for perspective. Warning: you will cry.

I love me some Jersey pride!

A little green moss + a little crafting = fun wedding decor!

I promise no more winter weddings after this one
(disclaimer: unless another stunner comes along).

Have a lovely weekend!

It's A Wrap! 4th Edition

Just a Pretty Picture of Cheery Clementines

I skipped It's A Wrap! last week due to the good cause of For Japan With Love but I'm back this week with some fresh pretties for your enjoyment.

While none are as cute as my Gucci & Bailey, these furry friends are pretty adorable!

I need this, I want this! Please, please let it be MINE.

Flowers with serious spunk!

I admit it, I adore winter weddings- especially this stunner!

I welcome the opportunity to learn more about marriages that are different from mine.
And pleasantly surprised to learn we share some common threads!

Happy Weekend!

For Japan With Love: Thank You!

A SUCCESS!!!!!

Last Friday, 1200+ bloggers, including yours truly, participated in a Bloggers Day of Silence to raise awareness & donations for ShelterBox via For Japan With Love. The results? $53,000 raised for ShelterBox which provides 530 people with shelter, supplies & perhaps a dash of hope!! I'm simply amazed at your generosity & kindness towards the people of Japan who need it so much. Thank you, thank to everyone who donated, participated &/or said a prayer!!!

A BIG thank you to Lydia of Ever Ours & Henny & Lucia of Utterly Engaged for organizing & rallying For Japan With Love!

On Friday, I was completely silent on this blog, Facebook & Twitter. It was quite refreshing! I took the extra time in my day Friday to take Bailey for a long walk along the Hoboken waterfront while counting my blessings & saying a prayer for Japan. I need to make time to do this everyday.

The road to recovery will be long & hard for Japan. Keep the Japanese in your heart, thoughts & prayers!

Would you like to donate? Visit For Japan With Love!