It's A Wrap! 26th Edition

Spooktacular Wedding Invitations

Image via You Stir Me

Hi there!  Is that a smile on your face?  Yes, me too- it's Friday!!!  I've been in my true element this week as I worked on a wedding planning job & took a wedding invitation order.  Loving it but still loving my peaceful, no-work-allowed weekend :-)  Before I go, here is the Koru List of wedding loveliness just for you:

A spooky, chic collection of Halloween wedding & party decor

What will you be saying about your wedding & marriage two years later?

A bright & cheerful wedding to put a smile on your pretty face

Hey Mister DJ!  How about some of these indie songs for your wedding?

Oh happy, cheerful wedding day!

Three cheers for a colorful Brooklyn fete!!!

Did I miss something good?  Do tell!  & have a wonderful weekend~

Cocktail Hour

Our cutie Flower Girl enjoys a treat during CH

The Bride chats with friends at CH

The Bride & Her Bestie/Bridesmaid at CH

Our family's table full of food & drinks at CH!
(All Photos by Friends)

Thrilled! RZ & I walked into our Cocktail Hour in the Manhattan Ballroom & we were thrilled. Candles flickered in the floor-to-ceiling windows with views of downtown Manhattan & the Statue of Liberty. Small arrangements of tightly clustered white carnations & bear grass-wrapped bases decorated the cocktail tables covered in striped ivory linens. Jazz standards wafted through the air courtesy of The Love Jones Band piano player on the grand piano.

Oh, there's more! Our beloved raw bar (done by special request as it's our favorite), our pasta station & our cheese & fruit station. Our colorful martini bar. Waiters & waitresses offering trays of cleverly-displayed hors d'oeuvres.

&, best of all, our family & friends. Eating. Drinking. Talking. Laughing. It was a dream come true.

I knew instantly that RZ's idea to enjoy a mini, private Cocktail Hour was beyond brilliant. We were happy, relaxed & full. We mixed & mingled as we pleased without a care. We didn't have to worry about getting food, balancing a plate & drink or being caught with food in our mouths which was quite priceless. We worked the room, giving hugs & accepting congratulations. It was our version of an informal, fun Receiving Line as we got the chance to chat with almost every guest. Such a fun time!

I could hardly believe the evening was young & it was just going to get better & better!

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!!

Book Band: check!

How much fun are we having here? LOTS!
We had to have this band for our wedding!!
Photo by Timothy Glenn Photography

My fiance & I decided our top three priorities for our wedding were the location, the photography & the music. It's pretty straight-forward. We want a beautiful location with fabulous views, great service & delicious food for our wedding guests- thank you Hyatt Regency Jersey City! Gorgeous photographs to forever remind us of our special day are an absolute must- details coming soon (hint here)! A rocking band is in order to make our wedding the fun party we envision- here's our story of securing the perfect band.

We never had a doubt in our mind who we wanted for our wedding band: The Love Jones Band. To understand this, let's go back to my fiance's brother & sister-in-law's wedding about a year and a half ago in Avalon, New Jersey. The wedding was a beautiful affair for a beautiful couple. Everyone had an amazing time at the reception because their band, The Love Jones Band, was talented. They knew how to engage the large, age-diverse crowd & keep them on the dance floor all night. The funny photo above shows my fiance (then boyfriend) & I partying to the music & having an awesome time (photo courtesy of Timothy Glenn Photography). To me, this photo alone says it all.

We hope we have that much fun at our wedding & we're confident that The Love Jones Band can make that happen. As soon as we had our date & location set, we reached out to Gary of Love Jones to see if the band was available, if they fit in our budget & if they'd travel to Jersey City for us. Quite a tall order! Thankfully, things worked out on all counts. It was meant to be. We can't wait for our wedding guests to enjoy The Love Jones Band at our wedding reception!!