Autumn and All of It's Inspirations

I have to say that Autumn, or Fall is my 2nd favorite season. #1 will always be Winter. The cool breeze that starts to whip at your hair in the afternoons, the brilliant multitude of colors dancing around in the tree branches, going apple and pumpkin picking with the kids; then coming home and making caramel apples and fresh pumpkin pie with the day's bounty. I think it's all so beautiful! And there is something about the harvest time of year that just brings me a sense of peace. I've been looking through a lot of magazines and website for fall-themed wedding inspiration and I found a few pictures that really made me smile.

The cake pictured was decorated with ornamental gourds and seasonal fruit. (Sweet Traditions of Princeton, NJ)

Miniature pumpkins as place card holders are a sweet accessory to any Fall or Halloween themed wedding! Here, the place cards are trimmed in a black "scalloped" pattern.

As a centerpiece, a beautiful white pumpkin is hollowed out and filled with gorgeous yellow, orange, and champagne roses, and orange calla lilies. It's surrounded by smaller pumpkins, gourds, and votive candles in orange holders. A very classic and earthy design.

Later on this week, I will showcase bridal fashions, foods, and table scapes inspired by the wonderful colors of the harvest. But for now I have to run; I have a fresh apple pie coming out of the oven right now!

If you have any ideas that you would like for me to touch on, please feel free to leave them in our comments. We always look forward to hearing from everyone.

Have a great night everyone.

Evie Johnson

Owner

Exquisite Weddings & Affairs

P.S. Photos courtesy of The Knot and Martha Stewart

New for 2010!

I'm not sure about everyone else but I have a feeling that 2010 will be a BUSY year for us. As of right now we have 10 weddings on the books and 2 more consultations next week! We've been going to a lot of networking events, seminars, and really doing everything we can to better our understanding of the industry and expand our business.

Here's a brief description of what's New for 2010 at Exquisite Weddings & Affairs:

• We have 1 new assistant coming is as of January 2010. Please feel free to welcome Lucy!
• Brand new Logo! As you can see it's is already up and running. Big thanks to Lindsay of Sweet Pea Design by Lindsay for a great new logo and all of your branding work.
• We will be open later. Instead of 9:00am to 6:00pm, we will be be opening at 10:00am to 8:00pm Monday through Friday and Saturdays by appointment only.
• We will be carrying a full line of wedding favors, ceremony items, and invitations.
• We will be offering a 15% discount for all events (non weddings) that are booked in 2009 for 2010.

There will be a lot more going on with us and we will keep everyone posted as things come up. On October 19th and 20th, we will be attending the Maximize Your Brand Symposium in NYC and we are really looking forward to hearing some great tips and meeting some awesome new people! Check back for that as well.

Have a Great day and Keep on Planning!

Evie Johnson

A Word About Themes

Theme weddings can be a lot of fun but you want to be careful not to turn it into a recollection of your junior prom. Here's a great scenario:

You plan a beach themed wedding! Sounds fun and relaxing right? You have fish bowl center pieces with fake "sea grass" in them, instead of real chairs for your ceremony, you decide to use to use folding beach chairs, and instead of shoes, your entire bridal party wears flip flops. Sounds cute right? Until you take a good look around and flashbacks from the 11th grade start to creep into your head and you think to yourself, "What was I thinking?"

Here are a few ideas to keep your beach theme classy, elegant, but still youthful and fun.

If your ceremony will be taking place on the beach, PLEASE use real chairs! I cannot stress this enough. You can decorate them with white tassels, delicate ribbons, or sophisticated Shepard's hooks with tealights at the beginning of each row. Use light colored flowers in your ceremony or create a "chuppa" using white fabric and wooden posts. If your wedding will be taking place in the middle of the very hot summer months, consider placing a basket with paper parasols at the beginning of your aisle. This is a very pretty way of creating a romantic ambiance during the day and giving your guests an option for shade. You can also define where your aisle will be by lining the sides with a mixture of flower petals and a few scattered sand dollars and star fish. For the reception, think about using tall, floating candle centerpieces. Submerge a few florals in the water and add a water-proof light at the bottom. For some "WOW" factor, maybe add a couple of small goldfish or Japanese fighting fish to the water. Now that's a classy beach themed wedding!

No matter what theme you choose, take the time to research the right flowers, linens, and accessories. You would be surprised how quickly you can turn an elegant event into something tacky by using the wrong materials.

If you are low on ideas on how to incorporate certain elements into your theme-scape, talk to your planner; they will have great ideas and most likely, the right connections to pull off your vision. And remember, if you don't have a planner yet, call us! We are always ready to design your dream event!

Happy Planning!
Evie Johnson
Bridal Consultant and Event Planner
Exquisite Weddings & Affairs, LLC.

Engagement Party or Engagement Announcements? Which is Best?

You have just called your parents to notify them that you have just gotten engaged and your mother says: "We have to have an engagement party!"

At 1st, you're very excited about being able to tell all of your friends and family that you will be getting married but then it dawns on you, this is a BIG DEAL and requires almost as much planning as the actual wedding. So now you are left wondering; "Do I really want and/or need an Engagement Party?"

An Engagement Party is a wonderful way for your families to honor you and and your fiance. It is an event that may be used to connect with old friends and family that you haven't seen in a long time. Everyone that shows up will be there to show that they love you and support your upcoming marriage. Engagement parties can be as memorable as the actual wedding. And as beautiful as well!

The 1st thing that needs to be discussed with everyone involved is BUDGET. Will another party fit into your budget? Engagement parties can sometimes be as expensive and detailed as your actual wedding because everyone that comes to your engagement party will most likely be waiting for your wedding invitation. Granted, you won't be spending as much money on your party attire as you will on your wedding attire but you will still need to feed a large group of people, supply entertainment, and send out invitations. These things do add up very quickly. If budget is not an issue, then comes question #2...

Do you even want a party at this point? If you are on a short time frame from your engagement date to your actual wedding date, an engagement party may just not be convenient. Or maybe you just don't want to deal with the extra work it will be to plan it.

This is where the trusty Engagement Announcement comes in!

An engagement announcement can be as formal as a printed announcement in the newspaper and a mailed out announcement or as informal as an email stating that you are engaged with a link to your wedding website. In this case, the cost of an Engagement Announcement is much lower than a party.

But here is the BIG question: If your parents' are footing the bill, will it hurt their feelings if you turn down the party?

This is a hard one. This is where you may have to compromise. If it is your family's dream to formally announce your engagement and you know that it may create a sore spot if you turn it down, you may just have to give in and let them run with it. This is supposed to be one of the happiest times in your lives but it can very quickly become sour due to hurt feelings.

What you can also do if you're just really not into the idea of another party is sit down with them and tell them that you are very thankful for all of their help, love and support but you would rather concentrate on the wedding itself and having to plan another party just feels like it may your attention away from all of the other planning that needs to be done. This way, they know how you feel and you won't be hurting any one's feelings.

Which ever way your choose to let everyone know about your engagement, make sure it's something that everyone is comfortable with, especially you and your spouse-to-be!

Happy Planning!
Evie Johnson
Bridal Consultant and Event Planner
Exquisite Weddings & Affairs, LLC.

Why DO I Need A Planner?

Why should you work with a Wedding Planner Professional?

First of all so you can enjoy your day.... and enjoy each other and not be worried about the details! While planning your wedding, it is good to have a second opinion, a second eye to accompany you to your dress fittings, help you plan your flowers, your menu, listen to the entertainers and help you make the right decision. A professional who is:

Like your mom…. but without criticism.
Like your best friend but without competition.
Like your sister, but without jealousy.
Like your Fiancée…. But without rushing you.
Like other wedding planners, but since there is no commission, no pressure to pick something you do not like.

What is a REAL Wedding Planner?

A REAL wedding coordinator is a professional who has been trained to see to the every need of the bride from the planning process to the last dance.
A REAL wedding coordinator interviews the bride and groom thoroughly to acquire a personal connection to their vision and personal taste for their wedding.
A REAL wedding coordinator will offer vendor choices to the bride based on that information and will set up and attend interviews along with the bride.
A REAL wedding coordinator will scrutinize contract offers and advise the bride so that she is able to make an informed decision.
A REAL wedding coordinator will be in touch with the bride and the vendors throughout the planning process and then will be there to oversee the delivery of the contracted services.
A REAL wedding coordinator will do whatever it takes to make sure the event runs smoothly, whether that means mopping a floor to keep the musicians from being electrocuted in a downpour or climbing under and over a deck to provide additional electrical service to a band whose equipment is blowing fuses during the reception.
A REAL wedding coordinator knows that it is not all flowers and romance and will not be unable to deal with details that are necessary to create the bride’s vision.
A REAL wedding coordinator becomes the right hand of the bride throughout the entire engagement period. Today’s bride is busier with continuing education, highly demanding professions and more often than not, a remote family.

So, do you want to schedule an appointment with us? Just email us at evie@exquisitewed.net or call our office at (908) 497-7985.

Happy Planning!
Evie Johnson
Bridal Consultant and Event Planner
Exquisite Weddings & Affairs, LLC.

The Beginning of Something Great!

Hi!

I know it's a very generic greeting but it seems to always work for me. Let me tell you a little bit about the person on the other side of this blog.

My name is Evie Johnson and I am the owner and only bridal consultant/event planner at Exquisite Weddings & Affairs, LLC. I am 24 years old and I am happily married to the love of my life, Ken. We have 2 perfectly beautiful little girls named Suzie (age 4) and Hailey (age 5 months).

Now I know what you're probably thinking: "Oh jeez, another wedding planner." Well I hate to burst your bubble but I am not just "another wedding planner"! Think of me as your best friend, your confidant, and your advocate all rolled into one. MY goal is to show you that everything you have ever dreamed of having in you wedding is possible and guess what? You won't go broke or crazy achieving that.

We work with the HIGHEST quality vendors and we will always make time to listen to any little detail or issue you have to throw at us. If you just got engaged and have NO IDEA what to do or where to start, call us. We have exactly what you need. If you have done most of the work yourself but have lost momentum, give us a buzz. We will pick up right where you left off. And even of you have planned everything yourself with he help of you mom, or your best friend but are starting to feel overwhelmed about the big day that is rapidly approaching, let us take the reins. We will handle every last minute detail so all you have to do it sit back, sip champagne and look BEAUTIFUL as you walk down the aisle.

We work with brides, grooms, and families of every walk of life and every budget. Don't think you can afford a wedding planner? You're seriously mistaken! We GUARANTEE that out prices are the best you will find in the entire state of New Jersey. And if you find a better price, we will MATCH it and take off another 10%. How great does that sound?

So go ahead, check out our website at http://exquisitewed.net/ and give a call. You won't regret a minute of it!

Best wishes to all of brides and grooms out there.

Happy Planning!
Evie Johnson
Bridal Consultant and Event Planner
Exquisite Weddings & Affairs, LLC.