cowgirls

I'm so jazzed about tomorrow's country-western wedding that Koru Wedding Style is going country this week!  To put it mildly, I'm a city girl who loves a good, sparkly skyline.  I can't sleep at my aunt's "country" (aka middle of nowhere!) house because the silence is deafening.  Nonetheless, I truly appreciate the casual, laid-back, country-western theme.  Now cowboy boots & country-western go together like bread & butter:  

The pretty Bride wanted a classic country theme for her dairy farm wedding &, if her bridal party is any indication, she nailed her theme.  These cowgirl bridesmaids are rocking their cowboy boots.  The neutral, short bridesmaid dresses paired with the dark brown cowboy boots are a winning country combination!!   
    
Come back tomorrow for plenty of good ol' country-western wedding inspiration!

Photo Alively Photography via

touch o' green

In case you're not aware of the program, Koru Wedding Style has gone green in honor of St. Patrick's Day!  I kicked things off with luscious green bouquets fit for green-loving Brides yesterday.  Where is my green celebration taking us today?

Green bridesmaid dresses, my dears.  & the pretty bridesmaid bouquets to match!  Green may not top the list of most popular bridal party colors but green maids are fresh & pretty.

A good-looking bridal party in cheery kelly green dresses:

A darling white bouquet with yellow/green berries completes the look:

The happy bridesmaids are rocking their dark green frocks:

(does anyone else spot the slight wardrobe malfunction?) 

Such a heavenly delight of pale oranges mixed with light greens in this bouquet:

I don't see green bridesmaid dresses in many weddings but I must say after seeing these photos, I'm a fan.  A little touch of green makes for a beautiful wedding!

What color are your bridesmaids wearing?  How did you decide on a color(s)?

Photos 1 & 2 Laurie Leslie Photography via ; Photos 3 & 4 Raya Carlisle Photography via

Over & Out, Winter

The official celebration of winter weddings has come to an end.  I couldn't think of a more fitting farewell than to share my favorite bridal party photo from my winter wedding.  

Due to frigid temperatures & possibility of snow, winter Brides have to select a warm, indoor location for bridal party photos.  You can hope for outdoor photos but there must be a heated, comfortable spot chosen as well.  It's only fair to your bridesmaids & groomsmen.  RZ & I chose the gorgeous Hoboken Train Station for that exact reason.  As we arrived in downtown Hoboken & tumbled out of our cars onto the cobblestone street, Tim suggested a few outdoor photos before we headed inside.  Awesome idea!  Our good-natured bridal party huddled around us, smiling & laughing despite the chilly temperatures.  Absolute troopers, I tell you.

The photo is a total winner in my eyes.  It encompasses so many things I treasure: my husband, our wonderful friends, our hometown Hoboken, our fun vintage taxi &, of course, our winter wedding.  You can bet this baby is displayed in our hallway & will be included in our wedding album.  LOVE!!!!!! 

**Please click on the photo to see it in its full-size glory!  If anyone has tips on how to post larger photos, feel free to share with me via email or comment :-)  UPDATE: Problem solved, thanks to the fabulous Lena of A Crimson Kiss!

I hope you enjoyed this little winter wedding celebration.  Next year, I plan to kick up the celebration a notch to include more & more lovely winter wedding details.  Till we meet again, Winter Weddings!

Happy Weekend!!!!
 
Photo by Timothy Glenn Photographers

Good Tired

Too Tired To Yawn
Print available on Etsy in ElleJW's shop

How does a wedding planner feel after a wedding? One word: tired!

But it's a special tired.

True, I feel tired to the bone, to my very core. After 12+ hours of quick thinking on my feet, it's a wonder I can function. Sometimes I can barely remember which end is up because I've spent so much time & energy keep every last wedding detail straight.

Yet it's a triumphant tired. I may not have finished a marathon but I've coordinated another successful wedding. I've had a hand in making a special day even more special & wonderful for a beautiful Bride & Groom. There is true beauty & joy in that for me. I've accomplished my goal & exhausted myself in the process.

& this is exactly how I'm feeling right now after Sunday's beach wedding. I'm good tired, a feeling I wouldn't change for anything in the world.

Overheated in Hoboken

(Above photos by Timothy Glenn Photographers
To see more from this wedding, visit HERE)

My Koru loves, it has been one of those weeks! After a long day meeting with a bride & a long night celebrating Mom-in-law's birthday, RZ & I returned home late Monday night to our front entry smelling faintly like something was burning. We tracked down the awful smell to our heating/AC unit. We've been advised to keep it off until the heating/ac peeps can visit us tomorrow morning. Perfect, just as the weather is getting hot!

And there's more. I haven't been feeling well. I can barely stand the heat when the afternoon sun beats relentlessly through our large windows. I don't last more than a few minutes in my home office, the one room without a fan. Last but not least, I didn't prepare my blog posts in advance. This is the long way of telling you that I'm taking a break from blogging. I will be back next Tuesday to wrap up our honeymoon posts!

But I had to leave you with a little something. Last Saturday, I had the honor of attending our friends' Catherine & Chris' spring wedding. My hubs RZ was a groomsmen & my brother-in-law Tim of Timothy Glenn Photographers was the photographer. The Bride, Groom & their bridal party went to picturesque Liberty State Park for the photo session. The stormy day took pause for their photos, raining before & after- how lucky! Tim posted selected photos on TGP's blog &, well, they blew me away as always. I'm such a sucker for NYC views!! I picked a few of my favorites for you to enjoy.

To view the rest of Catherine & Chris' wedding photos, please visit HERE.

Have a wonderful week & a fun Memorial Day weekend!!!!!

Toasts of the Town

Sister of Honor Toast

Best Man Toast
(All Photos by Friends
Ugh, not loving these two photos but they'll have to do for now!)

"What A Wonderful World" ended & the band invited our guests to take their seats for toasts. RZ & I settled at our sweetheart table, ready for the games to begin.

First, my Sister of Honor. My only sibling, my older sister & my best friend. She took the mic with her toast handwritten on her monogrammed stationery (bonus: she gave it to me as a keepsake) & she nailed it. My SoH had made it quite clear in advance that she wanted to give us a toast, not a speech. Then she proceeded to prove just a few, thoughtful words about our close sisterhood & my new marriage can pack a powerful punch.

Second, RZ's Best Man. RZ's only sibling, his younger brother & his best friend. The Best Man approached the mic with his typed speech in hand &, like my SoH, he nailed it. Unlike my SoH, the Best Man had a few, fun stories to tell to illustrate their strong brotherhood & to toast our new marriage. I don't think there was a dry eye in the house when the Best Man explained he chose the same nickname as his older brother because he wanted to be like him (long story but yes, these two brothers have the same name). There were tears, there was laughter.

Our Sister of Honor & Best Man approached things differently yet produced the same result: loving words to toast our marriage & carry in our hearts always.

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!!

Photo Session: The Lowdown

Tim, of TGP, works his magic at our wedding
(Photo by Friend)

The mere mention of a photo session can send me into a tailspin. I've been around the photo session block a time or twenty as a wedding planner. "Grandma is missing!" someone shouts. I run off in search of sly Grandma, who I've laid eyes on exactly once. She could be anywhere in the packed crowd of 250 guests. You don't realize how many nooks & crannies a venue has until you're looking for Grandma. When I finally, triumphantly!, return with Grandma, it's only to learn a Groomsmen has gone MIA. Do you get my point?

Alas, the photo session was a necessary evil for us. How often are our family & friends dressed beautifully to celebrate a happy occasion with us? Not often enough. We were determined to capture them on this once-in-a-lifetime day.

I set out to plan a photo session that was easy, contained & stress-free as possible. We had the typical two hour gap between our church ceremony & ballroom reception & we dedicated this time to our photos. We broke up our session into three, main parts with different locations: family, bridal party & bride/groom.

The photo session started with family photos at the stunning church altar immediately following our ceremony. This session involved the most amount of people & had the highest potential stress factor. Family took the wedding shuttle back to the hotel while the limo took the bridal party to the historical Hoboken Train Station for bridal party photos. I hoped this would be easy enough with our small bridal party of nine. As soon as their photos were complete, they headed back to the hotel to relax before Cocktail Hour. We stayed behind for more photos at the train station. Then we went outdoors for photos with our vintage taxi & the NYC skyline on the cold, winter night.

That was the plan. We prayed to the photo session gods that everything would go smoothly. Stay tuned for the full story!!

Our Ceremony, Part One

Ready to get married!

The Kiss

Just Married!!
(All Photos by Timothy Glenn Photographers
For more of our wedding, click HERE)

If you have met me or read my web site, you know I view marriage as a positive new beginning. This thought was never far from my mind during our marriage ceremony.

"Con Te Partiro" was chosen as the final Prelude song as a fond farewell to our past. As my godmother's angelic voice sang the last notes, I took a deep breath. I looked at our grandparents, our parents, my flower girls & my bridesmaids ahead of me. I felt my Uncle Denny & Uncle Frank beside me. I was ready. The time had come!

I walked down the aisle towards our positive new beginning with love & happiness in my heart. I truly believed that every little thing in my life, think "God Bless The Broken Road", had brought me to this moment. My Uncles, who have known & loved me always, were the best escorts from my old life to my new life & I wouldn't have made it down the aisle without them. Our friends & family who lined the aisle made the journey that much sweeter.

Then I saw RZ. He was the perfect combination of handsome, happy & nervous. My heart exploded in fireworks.

We joined hands, as we would soon join our hearts & lives forever. The traditional ceremony progressed, laced with readings, songs & traditions we had carefully chosen. The readings & traditions were done by family & friends- I was so honored that they supported us in this wonderful way. I was present & alert for every word, letting them sink in & taking them to heart.

Then came the best part: exchanging vows! We stood up in front of our family & friends, looking at each other & holding hands. RZ recited the traditional vows first, strong & confident as I knew he would be. I followed, a bit surprised by my matching strength & confidence as I tend to be quiet & soft-spoken. Our vows had been promised & followed by many before us, now it was our turn to honor them. This was our positive new beginning, the official start of our family!!!

Naturally, we sealed those vows with a kiss. Our priest joyfully announced as husband & wife for the first time & we floated back up the aisle. We were the happiest husband & wife!!

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!

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.

O Christmas Tree

Our Christmas Tree decorated

with the sentimental bridal shower ornaments

Bailey takes a holiday nap by our Christmas tree

Our condo is decorated for the holidays & transformed into our personal winter wonderland. We hauled out the decorations, played Christmas tunes & made holiday memories. This year, we had the most fun decorating our Christmas tree with the new Christmas ornaments handpicked by our beloved family & friends. I don't think our tree has ever looked more beautiful or meant so much to us.

Happy Holidays!

We Are Family

Festive & Fun Foyer Decor

Our Family!

What is family? They are the crazy, lovable bunch I call my Mom, sister, Grandma, Aunts, Uncles, cousins, etc. Now my family is extended to include RZ's fun, sweet bunch of relatives. And, of course & perhaps most importantly, RZ is my family.

RZ & I started our family unofficially years ago. It was us, plus our sweet Gucci & spunky Kaydee. Now it's us, plus our goofy Bailey. Who knows what the future may bring our family. No matter what, our family is always & forever us. We're thrilled to make our family official on our wedding day!

Because our family is my number one priority, I was absolutely over the moon to receive our "Corpuz Family" holiday wreath hanger as a bridal shower gift from my bridesmaids. They included a cheerful, red berry wreath. The festive wreath & personalized hanger were amoung one of the first bridal shower gifts to be placed in our home. I look forward to hanging it year after year during the holidays as our family grows & changes.

Shower of Love & Best Wishes

On my bridal party invitation (photo coming soon!), guests were invited to shower me with love & best wishes in honor of my upcoming marriage to RZ. And what a fabulous job they did!

I was touched by our nearest & dearest family & friends throughout my bridal shower. They traveled from near & far to celebrate with me. They put their hearts into participating during the shower from bringing me beautiful Christmas ornaments to sharing a delicious meal with me to playing fun games with me. They were far too generous in giving me gifts to make our home comfy & cozy. They make our lives special on a regular basis but on the day of my bridal shower, they trumped themselves.

Here is the incredible team that planned my bridal shower:

Sister of Honor Mary, Bride-to-be, Mom, Cousin Gabi & Aunt Tami

Here are the lovely ladies of my bridal party (minus one):

Sister of Honor Mary, Bridesmaid Erin & Bridesmaid Andrea
Flower Girl CJ, Bride-to-be, Flower Girl Charlotte

I wish I had a photo of all the bridal shower guests but I don't. I'll have to remember them in my heart!

Bridal Shower Christmas Tree

RZ & I love decorating our home for Christmas & this year, it's extra-special because we have the bridal shower ornaments. Each guest brought a Christmas ornament to hang on our tree. I came home with two, large baskets of beautiful ornaments. We had the most fun sorting through the ornaments to see who brought us what ornament. We couldn't have picked better ornaments ourselves!

We won't decorate our Christmas tree until Sunday so, in the meantime, I placed our modern Christmas "tree" in its usual spot on the dining room table. I picked the first eleven ornaments from one basket & decorated our modern "tree." Not only does it look beautiful, we look at the ornaments & think of our family & friends. Love, love.

From left to right . . . First is the snowflake ornament from my sister Mary who knows how much I love decorating with snowflakes. Second is the angel ornament from dear family friends Laurie & Julie who know a thing or two about angels in our lives. Third is the Starbucks ornament from my Mom who drinks Starbucks lattes like water. Fourth is a classic Christmas tree ornament from my fun friends Teresa & Marisa. Fifth is the snowman & penguin ornament from our darling flower girl CJ. Sixth is the checker cab ornament- just like our wedding day transportation!- from our beagle Bailey. Seventh is a beagle ornament in honor of Bailey from three sweet kids in our family. Then we have another beagle ornament in Bailey's honor from my Aunt Tami's wild menagerie of cats & dogs. Ninth is a bling engagement ring ornament from my cousin Chloe to commemorate our engagement. Tenth is a framed engagement photo from my Aunt Tami. Last but not least is a cupcake ornament from my Aunt Dee who knows I love a good cupcake.

The rest of the ornaments from the bridal shower are saved for our Christmas tree. We are lucky & blessed to have Christmas decorations hand-picked by our family & friends to treasure forever!

Every Last Detail

When I arrived at my bridal shower at Trinity in Hoboken, the very first thing that struck me was how perfect & beautiful everything looked. Then I realized not only was every last detail fabulous, it was so personal.

The favors were handmade, crystal snowflake ornaments gorgeously presented in a purple organza bags with matching tags:

(I adore purple. I decorate our condo with snowflakes for Christmas.)

The tables were decorated with pretty, white poinsettias, felt snowflakes, Crumbs Bake Shop cupcakes & ornament place card holders displaying photos of me & RZ:

(Winter Wedding = Winter Bridal Shower)

The delicious vanilla or chocolate Crumbs cupcake favors were nested in a white basket with a delicate "Thank You" charm & every photo was from a special day or event like this St. Patrick's Day party photo:

(I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm addicted to Crumbs Bake Shop cupcakes!
And I enjoyed reliving our memories through our photos!!)

Each bridal shower guest was asked to bring us a Christmas ornament for our Christmas tree:

(I love, LOVE decorating our Christmas tree, always have.)

Each guest tagged their ornament & hung it on the Christmas tree as they arrived:

(Guests put thought into the ornaments, like the framed engagement photo above, two beagle ornaments for Bailey,
a NY taxi cab similar to our wedding day transportation, etc, etc)

The bridal shower looked like a photo shoot for Martha Stewart Weddings, yet it was clearly designed with love for me. I'm one blessed Bride-to-be!

Transportation: Bridal Party

Wedding Limo
Decal available on Etsy at snadyinfl's shop

After we secured transportation for our wedding guests, RZ & I turned our attention to our lovely ladies & handsome men, aka our Bridal Party. We have to get our Bridal Party to the church on time, transport them to our photo session & return them to the Hyatt for our reception. With a group of 10, the obvious answer is a limousine. No stretch Hummers or Escalades! We found & booked a 10-passenger limo to be at our Bridal Party's beck & call before the ceremony through the start of the reception.

Our wedding guests are covered. Our Bridal Party is set.

What about the Bride & Groom? Details coming on Friday!