minima

One of my very favorite wedding details are wedding invitations yet, for some strange reason, I haven't blogged about them in quite awhile.  Almost a year- the shame.  No time like the present to make a change!

What's not to love about this minimalist wedding invitation?  The modern, simple look.  The bold chevron liner.  Available in letterpress or flat & in a rainbow array of colors, the Minima wedding invitation is beautifully suited for a modern couple tying the knot in a loft or gallery.  

The best part in my humble opinion?  You can opt for the wedding invitation to have a coordinating chevron backer!   

Photography: Paper & Parcel via

{Mrs. Monday} Home

Today marks the debut of Mrs. Monday, a little series dedicated to my thoughts & observations on my marriage.  I plan to post Mrs. Monday about twice a month, bring back Koru Kate Finds (remember?) one Monday a month & take a break one Monday a month.  Sound like a good plan?  Good, I thought you might like it.  Let's get this Mrs. Monday party started!  

A few months ago, I stumbled upon a twist on "Home Is Where The Heart Is" that said instead "Home Is Where Your Husband Is."  You could replace husband with wife, partner, family or whatever pleases you.  I thought it was cute then I promptly forgot about it.  

Until my husband left on a business trip to India for three weeks.

I knew I would miss my husband greatly but I grossly underestimated how much I would miss him.  We're not an attached-at-the-hip couple.  We have our own interests & our own friends so we're often in two different directions.  Still, with very few exceptions, we eat dinner & walk our dog together every night.  It's our time to connect, to share the joys & frustrations of our days.  I didn't realize how much I looked forward to this every day.  Suddenly, life was not the same when he wasn't walking through the front door each night.

Trust me, I was grateful to be home with all its comforts & familiarity whereas he was navigating a foreign country alone.  I had Beagle Bailey to keep me company, I had all my belongings at my fingertips & I could sleep in my comfy bed each night.  Family & friends were just a phone call away.  Nothing was the same though.  An emptiness permeated every moment & every moment seemed to last forever.  

When my husband finally came back, it clicked.  Home is where my husband is right by my side! 

Photo by & Sign Available at YertleandMyrtle's shop on Etsy

            

Etsy Weddings Event

Saturday was a beautiful Spring day, just perfect for heading into NYC with Jen of Jen Kim Made & attending To Have & To Hold, the first-ever weddings event hosted by Etsy.

Just beyond the white & cream ribbon entrance, the event promised unique items & plentiful inspiration for Brides, Grooms, wedding parties & wedding guests.

 

& the event delivered!  I was instantly enamored with the sweet lace number accented with a blush pink flower belt:

Fresh flower bouquet alternatives like fabric, silk & wood were quite cool but a stunning ranunculus paper bouquet to last forever & ever stole my heart:

Oh, sweet little vignettes were tucked in every nook & cranny, chock full of vintage & handmade items for creating a stylish wedding:

Why hello, sparke & shine tassel garland:

Wow, wow.  To Have & To Hold vintage book cut-out!!!: look closely:

It wasn't all about the Bride & Grooms!  As a pet lover, I thought the ring pillows outfitted for a furry bridal party members were fabulous:

Bravo to Etsy & its artists for supporting same sex marriages:

Once.  You're only a Bride & Groom once jetting off on your honeymoon so why not travel Bride & Groom-style:

They had me at good-bye with the too-cool-for-school pink vintage typewriter:

  

Last but certainly not least is a great quote about marriage:

This post shows only a snippet of the items available at the event & the event only showcased a fraction of the items available on Etsy.  Please visit Etsy Weddings for handmade & vintage wedding inspiration & shopping!

Photos by Koru Kate

Happy Birthday, RZ!

Fiesta Papel Picado

Available at Etsy in aymujer's shop

To my best friend,

to my husband,

to my everything:

 

Happy Birthday!

Best "I Do" EVER

Brides-to-be know the Bridal Drill: Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue.

Something Blue can be tricky, although there are tons of cute, creative things on the market these days. My all-time favorite Something Blue are the rhinestone "I Do" shoe decals. Allow me to demonstrate their awesomeness from a real wedding . . .

Step One: Buy these cuties

Image via Shop Mindy Weiss

Step Two: Get Awesome Something Blue Photo!

Image via Photography by Martha

Love, love, LOVE! I adore this photo so much that it used to be the header on this blog & it influenced me to use "I Do" shoe decals as my Something Blue. Can you say obsessed?!

To score your own rhinestone "I Do" shoe decals, shop here or here. Enjoy!

Do you have a cool idea for Something Blue to share with us?

Koru Kate Finds: 2nd Edition

Gorgeous Fleur de Lis Wedding Invitation
Available at Etsy in LetterpressLight's shop

Welcome to Koru Kate Finds: Second Edition!

Today's invitation find is inspired by our recent, amazing trip to the one & only New Orleans. It was my first time back to Nola since Hurricane Katrina. I found much sadness & strength in Nola as it carries a heartache for what was lost, a resilience for what survived & a hope for what lies ahead. All this & more is symbolized by the beautiful Fleur de Lis. While the Fleur de Lis was popular before the storm, it's now the unofficial emblem of New Orleans. The Fleur de Lis is displayed in every nook & cranny with pride.

This Fleur de Lis wedding invitation is pure, letterpress perfection. I adore the beauty & spirit of the design. Have you admired the back of the invitation? I love, LOVE it as much as the front. The Fleur de Lis & purple & gold color scheme are a great match for a New Orleans wedding or a New Orleans-theme wedding. Not having a New Orleans wedding? Just switch things up a bit, like an elegant black & white presentation, & make this pretty invitation your own!

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.

Love for All

Love is Colorful because it is :-)
Available at Etsy in JillianAudreyDesigns' shop

It amazes me that my Mom remembers a time when African-Americans didn't have the same rights she did. They had to use separate entrances to the movie theaters & drink from different water fountains. It saddens me that such a prejudiced time was not so long ago.

Likewise, I hope my children look at me in wonderment that I can remember a time when not everyone was allowed to get married. I want marriage equality to seem as natural to my children as civil rights are to me.

As such, I cheered when I heard the happy news that New York is a state of marriage equality. It is less than 30 days away when anyone can get married in New York. Awesome! It is one small step towards not only my little dream but the big dreams of many. Go New York!

Love is for everyone, as marriage should be!

Melancholy Rose

Melancholy Rose
Available at Etsy in elr104's shop

I can hardly believe it's been two weeks since I was writing a post about my Mom & Grandma's upcoming arrival from California. The time went quickly, too quickly, as it always does when they are visiting. The days were laced with big celebrations like birthdays & graduations & little celebrations like family dinners & shopping trips. Every moment was precious. Now they've headed home & our home seems a bit quieter, a bit emptier. We miss them already.

Today, I'm a melancholy rose.

On A Jet Plane

Leaving on a Jet Plane Print
Available on Etsy at markrouttphotography's shop

It's that time of year again: my Mom & Grandma are leaving sunny California to visit us in summertime Jersey! They're leaving on a jet plane tomorrow to arrive in the evening. I'm the lucky duck on airport duty, then we'll head to California Pizza Kitchen to meet my sister & aunt for dinner. It's become our little tradition.

We've got fun times ahead in the next two weeks: my cousin's graduation, my goddaughter's birthday, my birthday celebration, etc, etc. I expect to keep up with my limited blogging schedule. Just in case I'm missing, please understand I'm enjoying my family & friends!

Planning Nightmare

My exact sentiment about planning our rehearsal dinner
Print available on Etsy in breedingfancy's shop

Okay, I wanted to share the story of our rehearsal dinner with you today but I can hardly talk about the dinner without mentioning the planning of the dinner . . .

The planning of our rehearsal dinner was one of our biggest challenges. It took us five months, not to mention plenty of blood, sweat & tears. The premise seemed so simple: a casual dinner to celebrate with our bridal party, families & out-of-town guests. Sounds easy, right? Nope, not in Hoboken. I started out focusing on our favorite restaurants, then tried anything & everything. Most restaurants are too small for private parties & the few that can accommodate large parties charge a fortune. Frustrating.

After getting nowhere fast, we decided to host our rehearsal dinner at the Hyatt on the Hudson to keep things easy for ourselves & our guests. The Hyatt offered us the Harborside Room, a good-sized room with pretty views of the Statue of Liberty. We were on the right track! But it wasn't as easy as we hoped. We didn't like any of the plated or buffet dinner options because they were too formal, very similar to our wedding menu. We wanted the rehearsal dinner & wedding to be vastly different especially now that the venue was essentially the same. I began to wonder if McDonald's would mind a party of 50.

The Hyatt sent me their complete corporate & private catering menu in what I can only guess was sheer desperation. I stumbled upon a "themed snack break" of soft pretzels, french fries & funnel cake. My stomach growled at the mere thought of my favorite foods. We were on to something! With the easy additions of salads, 3 choices of pizza & 3 choices of sliders, we were set. We sent out easy, cute invitations from Pingg & called it a day. At last, we had managed to create the fun, casual rehearsal dinner of our dreams!

Check in tomorrow for the scoop on my last dinner as a Soon-to-Be Mrs.!

DIY Project: The Recap

A little DIY wisdom from little old me!
Print available on Etsy at NayArt's shop

All in all, I picked three DIY projects for our wedding: the hotel welcome bags, the ceremony poms & the K & R decorations. I've stressed the importance of choosing your DIY projects carefully. Looking back on mine now, I want to share some advice & wisdom on my projects.
Do I have regrets? Do I wish I had done things differently? Do I have any advice? Read on!!!

1. Hotel Welcome Bags: I'm glad we did the hotel welcome bags ourselves & I'd make the same decision again in a heartbeat. Because we only had to make 30 bags & deliver to one hotel, it was manageable. Even fun.

But I do have tons of advice. Due to our limited storage space & curious beagle, we didn't have the option to shop for our treats & supplies in advance. However, I could have written & printed our welcome letter & wedding itinerary long before I did. Start any & all tasks early!

We were fortunate to have 30 bags, one delivery & a Jeep. If you have 30+ bags, multiple hotel deliveries &/or a small car, I would seriously consider hiring a professional or delegating this task to willing friends.

2. Ceremony Poms: I loved the poms so much & I adored having my personal touch on our wedding ceremony. I noticed them as I walked down the aisle, I spot them in our wedding guests' photos & I'm proud of them.

There are no regrets here, not even that I didn't finish eight poms. Remember it's okay to let go if a project doesn't go as planned. Well, one regret: the ceremony poms are the only things that did not get collected & returned to us at the end of our wedding. I wanted to keep one as a memento in our home. Luckily, I do have the extra pom that never made it to our ceremony. Make sure you take the time to check & account for everything at the end of your wedding!

3. K & R Decor: This project was quick, easy, inexpensive & personal. Plus we can enjoy the painted initials in our home for years to come. Love, love this project!

However, the K & R didn't look quite right at our reception because I didn't double-check the placement of the guest book table. I did my due diligence by taking a site tour & noting the set-up for our wedding. I wish I had asked again, then I would've bought freestanding letters. But the real lesson? Things may not go or look as planned & just go with it. As long as you keep smiling, nobody will notice anything is amiss!

Are you tackling DIY projects for your wedding? Happy crafting!!

It's A Wrap! 2nd Edition

Unexpected Something Blue!
Image from Style Me Pretty via Sparkle & Hay

The week is winding down (TGIF!) & here is the second installment of some goodies:

A Perfect Something Blue or any color of your choice!

OMG, I would have loved to receive this adorable print as a wedding gift!

We're not the only ones who think TGP is awesome!
Three cheers for our talented wedding photographers!

When do you say enough is enough of wedding eye candy?
(Seriously, are you reading this blog? I highly recommend it!)

I have been crushing hard on this green tote bag

When can I move in?

Happy Weekend!

Hopeless Romantic

Oh so adorable pillow cover
Available on Esty at JoshuabyOak's shop

How cute is this pillow cover?! I'm loving it! It's just perfect for today as we head into Valentine's Day weekend. I wish you a fun, romantic weekend!

Love, Me

Available on Etsy in ThePaperMason's shop

Inspired by a Glen Ivy Spa blog post, I took the challenge of writing a love letter to myself. Let's face it, like so many of you, I'm my own worst critic. Ask me to make a list of things I don't like about myself & I can easily tick off one hundred things. The list starts with my procrastination skills and ends with my odd blue spot on my temple. Ask me to list things I love about myself . . . that takes some deep thought & much time.

I can't share my love letter because it's private but I can show you my short love list. I sat down & wrote this list which inspired my love letter. Believe me, my love list & love letter took much reflection. Here goes my love for myself:

1. My creativity.
2. My good heart.
3. My blue eyes.
4. My compassion.
5. My quiet, shy nature.

#5 was the most surprising thing I love about myself. When I was younger, I constantly heard adults explaining that I was quiet & shy. They were right. But they said it like it was a bad thing, like something was wrong with me because I wasn't loud & outgoing. So I believed that I was defective. Over the years, I've embraced the fact that I'm a quiet, shy person. It gives me the chance to observe, to reflect & to form opinions. I don't feel the need to be friends with anyone & everyone- I pick my close friends carefully & this serves me well. & quite honestly, I enjoy the quiet!


Have you written a love letter to yourself? Was it difficult? Did any of your loves surprise you? Go ahead- it's a fun, worthwhile exercise!

XOXO

Love Sweet Love

Love Sweet Love Papel Picado
Available on Etsy in aymujer's shop

Next week is the week leading to Valentine's Day! I have to say, while I value showing love each & every day, Valentine's Day has become a favorite in our love story. The day before Valentine's Day, we celebrate the anniversary of our engagement. Valentine's Day is self-explanatory. The day after Valentine's Day is our fourth anniversary. A pretty special time for me & my hubbie!

In celebration of this lovely time, I'm dedicating every post next week to LOVE in some way, shape or form. There is no better way to kick off this Love Celebration than the
"Love Sweet Love" papel picado shown above. I had my eye on this baby for months, just convinced I needed it to decorate our sweetheart table. In the end, I decided it didn't fit with our look & I didn't order one. However, this sweet papel picado is never far from my mind & I keep hoping I will find an excuse to get it. Until then, I will have to settle for it gracing this post.

Happy Weekend! Cheers to Love~

Happy 2011!

My personal motto
Available at Etsy in KeepCalmShop's


Happy New Year!
Best wishes for a wonderful, blessed 2011 for you & yours!

ONE Month and Counting

Beautiful Table Number Luminaries
Available on Etsy at MasonRabbitsPaperie's shop

One month from today, RZ & I will become husband & wife!

Everything, just everything, has been leading us to this upcoming, major moment in our lives when we celebrate our love & form our family. Every heartbreak. Every leap of faith. Every wrong turn. Every choice. We knew everything happened for a reason & someday that reason would become clear. We are the reason.

One month, one month, one month!

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!

Hoboken Hospitality Nights

Fun & Festive Hoboken Hospitality Week!
Fine Art Winter Print available at Etsy in ara133photography's shop

Here at Koru Wedding Shoppe, we're decorating the shoppe & tagging the inventory for two nights of specials & savings for Hoboken Hospitality Week! On Tuesday, November 30 & Wednesday, December 1 from 6-10pm, shoppers can walk the charming streets of Hoboken & take advantage of special holiday offers & promotions at 40+ boutiques. It's two nights of festive cheer & great deals- not to be missed!

What are Koru's special deals? 50% off in-stock items, 20% off custom items, $5 Sale Bin & $1 Sale Bin! Have a Bride-to-be on your shopping list? Join us & enjoy the spectacular savings!

Cheers~