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~

Livin' on a Prayer

Eat, Drink & Be Married. Check, check, check. What is missing? DANCE!!!!

Thanks to the talents of The Love Jones Band, there was a good old dance party during our wedding! While I tell my planning clients to provide their band or DJ with a Must Play/Don't Play list, RZ & I trusted The Love Jones Band & let them work their magic to fill the dance floor. Boy, did they deliver!

Here are some guests' snapshots of the fun:

Dancing Queens & Kings!

Party, party!

RZ's (well, our) relatives know how to have fun!

The happy crowd surges the stage!

The Groom & the Best Man in the party spirit!

The Love Jones Band saved the best for last: "Livin' on a Prayer" by Bon Jovi, aka the Jersey Anthem. They handed the mic to RZ (as seen in the last photo) & he took it away. Our guests went wild! They cheered. They sang. They danced. It was awesome!! The energy & love in the room was more than I could ever hope to describe. We were on top of the world!

It was the perfect ending to our perfect wedding!

. . . and Eat It Too!

Look, we can cut cake!

And feed each other nicely!
(Photos by Friends)

As beautiful as our wedding cake was, the time came to cut, serve & eat this beauty.

RZ & I cut the cake to the tune of "How Sweet It Is" by James Taylor (First Dance song runner-up). It's kind of an odd feeling to be cutting cake with a million eyeballs on you. Thankfully, we managed this simple task together without ruining the cake or cutting any fingers. I can't remember who feed who first but both bites were given nicely. We hadn't discussed cake smashing being off-limits but it was an unspoken, understood rule. Then came the obligatory, post-cake kiss. It was all fun & good but this Bride wanted to sit down & enjoy her yummy cake!!!

Because it was delicious!!!!! Our wedding cake was a black & white cake with chocolate fudge filling, a dirty layer of buttercream & an outer layer of white fondant. We'd had a hard time choosing between the black & white cake or a red velvet cake but I can safely say we made the right choice. OMG, it was finger-licking good! I enjoyed my first bite, then my slice at our sweetheart table & finally, my last slice as a late night snack in our hotel room.

I'd enjoyed cakes from Carlo's Bakery before & they never, ever disappoint on looks or taste. I may be a tad biased but I'm positive our cake was the best ever!

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.

Our Ceremony, Part Two

Take a formal ceremony in a beautiful church . . .

Add family & friends,
like our Sister of Honor, Best Man & Reader shown here

Add a dash of decoration,
like our flowers in memory of lost loved ones . . .

Stick with tradition, yet add a few personal touches . . .

And you will be happily married, like us!
(All Photos by Friends)

Read Our Ceremony, Part One HERE

Our church ceremony was the most beautiful, moving experience I've ever had. I didn't always have confidence I would feel this way. I was at odds with our church ceremony throughout much of the planning process.

I'm a casual, relaxed girl at heart. I'm most comfortable in a t-shirt, jeans & flip flops. Sunshine is my goddess. Think San Diego. Think beach.

I didn't mesh well with the grand church & its traditional ways. RZ's top priority was a ceremony held in the Catholic church so I tried my best to embrace our reality. But I worried. Would our church ceremony be too formal, too stuffy & too much for me? For us?

Thankfully, as we infused more & more of ourselves into the ceremony, it became more & more ours. Perfectly us.

A few tips/perks to a church ceremony that I wish I had known in advance:

1. Our gorgeous church is breathtaking. It required little or no decoration which equals savings on the floral budget. We ordered one altar arrangement in memory of our departed loved ones. Otherwise, we let the beautiful venue shine.

2. Our soloist, my godmother, helped me choose meaningful songs. No, I couldn't walk down the aisle to a Beatles song but I was pleasantly surprised by the options like Con Te Partiro, Ave Maria, etc. & she sang them like an angel!

3. We chose traditional vows & I took much comfort & hope from starting our marriage just as others have before us.

4. RZ is Filipino & we incorporated these three Filipino customs: veil, cord & coins. It was a respectful nod to his heritage & it personalized our ceremony.

5. I can't stress enough how honored we were by our family & friends who participated in our ceremony. Our parents, grandparents & bridal party who supported us & stood by our side at the altar. Our friends & family who recited readings & assisted with the Filipino customs. My godmother who sang. Our guests who witnessed our positive new beginning. Everyone warmed our hearts with their very presence & made the ceremony ours.

In the end, our church ceremony was perfect for us. I learned that if something doesn't feel right, there's hope. With a little thought & a lot of heart, you can make anything yours!

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!!