Just Flat Out Cool!

You have spent (or will spend) countless hours making sure that you choose the perfect wedding stationary. You'll find the perfect Save The Dates, Invitations, and Thank You Cards. So much time and effort will be out into the color scheme, fonts, and calligraphy. Little to no time will be spent on the stamp. After all that work, do you really want to ruin the effect of the beautiful writing by putting an ugly orange quail stamp next to it? Nope!

Check out this website: http://www.pictureitpostage.com/. Click the "Get Inspired" tab and head to the Wedding Section. You can customize your stamp to match the theme of your wedding stationary! If you're doing a themed Save The Date, include a coordinating graphic. On your Thank You Notes, include a wedding photo! If nothing else, pick something plain that doesn't clash with that great first impression your invitation is making.

If custom stamps aren't in your budget, head over to http://www.usps.com/ and choose the Wedding Heart stamps...anything to avoid that quail!

Featured Vendor

A few weeks ago, I was contacted by a new company that just started in my hometown. I get contacted by literally hundreds of new vendors per week, but this one caught my eye. I met with them, heard their story, and LOVED their concept (and loved them, they are such fun ladies). AJ Amore does In-Home Demonstration parties. They are the new and useful alternative to the overdone engraved bracelet and flask. They offer a fresh and unique spin on the bachelorette party, shower, or attendants gift. You can show your appreciation for your bridal party by having them over for a party, or you can give them gift certificates to have parties of their own. Here's a little bit more about them:

Name: Allison Hill & Janet Lennon

Business: AJ Amore Website: http://www.ajamore.com/

Location: Midland Park, New Jersey, 07432

Type of Vendor: An In Home Food Demonstration and Dinner Party Planning Service

How Long In Business: 2 of the best months of our lives

Work Style: Casual with a dash of flare…

Training: Between the two of us we have 38 years of parenting, cooking and entertaining experience

Favorite Color: Allison: Purple Janet: Brown

Sports Team: Allison: Giants Janet: Yankees

Languages: English, Love, and children

Favorite Food: Pasta, Bread & Cheese. We wouldn’t survive without these in our diets

Hidden Talents or Favorite Hobbies: Allison: Singing Janet: Painting

Home Town: Allison: Ridgewood Janet: Bogota

Favorite Place: Allison: My Bed Janet: Her Beach Chair

Pets: Allison: Bella the cat Janet: Buster the cat & Buddy the crooked dog

Favorite Holidays: Christmas, Christmas and oh yeah….CHRISTMAS!

Favorite Quote: "One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well." -Virginia Woolf

Best Part Of The Job: Laughing like no one is looking. We spend an awful lot of time together not to be having fun. Hopefully our clients are having as much fun as we are. We try to insist upon it!

Check out their website, www.ajamore.com to see more of the great services that they offer. Email them to be added to their newsletter mailing list! It features some really awesome stuff!

UPDATE: AJ Amore selected As You Wish as their Featured Vendor! Check it out: http://www.ajamore.com/FEATUREDVENDOR.html. Thanks ladies!!

Reader Q & A

Q: Am I obligated to leave Welcome Baskets in all of my guests hotel rooms? Only a few guests are staying in a hotel and I don't want to give them something that the other guests aren't getting because we appreciate them coming an equal amount.

A: There are no rules about giving guests Welcome Baskets. Most guests won't enter their hotel rooms and immediately search for a gift from you, but it's certainly a nice surprise that will make them feel appreciated. The theory behind a Welcome Basket is to thank those guests who traveled and put in the extra effort and expense to get to your wedding. They generally spend and sacrifice more than your local guests. Some have to take extra days off of work, drive long distances, or pay for airfare.

Destination Weddings are a whole different ball game. All of your guests are making huge sacrifices to get to your wedding, so you should make them feel extra special and appreciated when they arrive. Some "must haves" for a destination welcome basket: itinerary of any activities that the hotel is offering and local attractions, itinerary of any activities that you have set up for your guests, a map of the area, important phone numbers, and some special local items. Getting married in Hawaii? Include some Kona Coffee or Macadamia Nuts. Getting Married in Ireland? Include miniature umbrellas. Getting married in the islands? Include sunscreen and flip flops. Getting married in Napa? Include wine from a local vineyard.

A Welcome Basket doesn't need to be something that breaks your budget. It can be as simple or elaborate as you'd like. It's important to theme the basket in some way. It doesn't need to be an exact replica of your reception, but it should tie into your big day or you as a couple in some way. Remember to include a personal note from you and your fiance thanking your guests once again.

A new twist on this idea? Have some comfort food delivered to guest rooms during your wedding, so it's waiting for them when they come back. Some ideas we're loving? Milk and cookies. Hot cider and donuts. Warm robes and bubble bath.

Get creative! Your guests will absolutely appreciate the extra effort you put forth to thank them.

Just Flat Out Cool!

Picture This: Your boyfriend invites you over for dinner at his place. He cooks you his specialty: hamburgers and hot dogs hot off the grill. (What did you expect?) But when he puts his Oscar Mayer specialty down in front of you, you notice that this dog is wearing something other than mustard. Something big and shiny. It's a diamond ring, right around the hot dog. Your mind blanks out, and when you come to, he's down on one knee saying, "I want to be your weiner for the rest of our lives." Although cheesily poetic, it wasn't quite what you had imagined.

Now, Picture this: You and your boyfriend are on your annual apple and pumpkin picking fall excursion. After a long day of hauling pumpkins that you'll never carve and apples that you'll never eat, you decide to take the hay-ride back and enjoy some apple cider and donuts. When you get there, one of the picnic tables is beautifully decorated. Upon further examination, you realize that not only are there cider and donuts, but your favorite wine is on the table. There is a place card with your name on it. The table is dressed in all of your favorite colors and favorite things about fall: your favorite season. Your boyfriend sits down at the table, and invites you to join him. A crowd starts to gather around you, as your boyfriend slowly moves from his seat and gets down on one knee. He professes his love for you, places a gigantic rock on your finger, and everyone around you starts clapping and cheering. Suddenly, you realize that there are paparazzi like flashes all around you. He has even arranged for a photographer to secretly follow you all day, so that every moment would be captured. Much better.

The day a girl gets proposed to is one of the best, if not the best, day of her life. Although guys are fantastic, sometimes they need a little help with romance and details. We just launched a "Proposal Planning" package. You may be thinking of the TLC show of the same name from a few years ago. And I'll be honest, I loved that show and that's exactly what inspired me to create this package. Proposal #2 was our first creation. All he did was come up with the idea, buy the ring, and show up. We especially loved how he had a photographer capture the day. We'll help you do all of the secret dirty work for your proposal. You come up with the idea (we can even help with that) and we'll make it happen. Brides: Don't you want your single friends to have an amazing proposal just like you did? Tell their boyfriends! Have them contact us today.

We want to hear all about how your fiance's proposed to you. Please leave us comments with your proposal stories, or email us at stacey@asyouwishwed.biz. Keep checking back as more people leave their stories!

Reader Q & A

Q: I heard about a couple who registered for upgrades on their Honeymoon. My mom says this is tacky. Are many people doing this?

A: I get asked this question all the time. Honeymoon registries are becoming extremely popular, and it's definitely NOT tacky. It's a really unique and different take on the traditional wedding registry. Honeymoon Registries are just like a registry at BB&B, Williams-Sonoma, or Pottery Barn. Rather than registering for a blender, you register for things like massages, room upgrades, water sports, and excursions. It gives the couple a chance to think through their honeymoon and pre-plan their activities. This is an especially great idea for couples having their second marriages or couples who have been living together for a period of time and already have the typical household items usually found on registries. It's also a great way for guests to give gifts that you'll really remember and get to enjoy. Keep in mind, it shouldn't be the only registry that you have. Register for some more traditional items for the guests that may not be comfortable giving such a cutting-edge gift.

Google "Honeymoon Registry" and some really great sites will come up. Our pick? www.thehoneymoon.com.


Need our advice? Send us your question at: stacey@asyouwishwed.biz!

Featured Vendor!

It's our first Featured Vendor post! Before highlighting anyone else's work, I figured it'd be best to feature myself. Not only as a shameless plug, but so that you get to know the person writing this blog! All of the Featured Vendor posts will be in the same format. Some questions are serious, some questions are fun. Send us suggestions on questions you'd like to see vendors asked in the future! So, here it goes:

Name: Stacey Kallenberg

Business: As You Wish Wedding & Event Design

Website: www.asyouwishwed.biz

Location: Northern, NJ and serving New York City, the Hudson Valley, Connecticut, and all destination locations

Type of Vendor: Wedding and Event Coordinator

How Long In Business: We just passed our one year anniversary

Work Style: Your wedding day is one of the most personal days of your life, so I like to make sure that all of my clients include as many personal touches to their big day as possible. I help them to look past the wedding magazines and trends and help them discover and incorporate details important to them as a couple

Training: I got my Business Degree from Sacred Heart University and a Certification from the Association of Certified Professional Wedding Consultants. From there I worked for the amazingly brilliant and talented Andrea D’Angelo over at New York Event Planning & Design. I learned almost everything I know in the short time I worked with her. My success and any future success I may have is because of her. I tried out the corporate event planning thing afterwards and realized it wasn’t for me, so I started up As You Wish! Nothing better than doing what you love while being your own boss!

Favorite Color: Pink, Green, and Brown

Sports Team: the Giants! Blue blood runs through my veins!

Languages: I spoke French fluently in high school and missed it so much recently that I bought a ton of French Language CD's and practice in the car (Yep, I'm that girl you drive by who is literally having a conversation with herself!)

Favorite Food: Bruschetta and Eggplant Parm – anything with garlic!

Hidden Talents or Favorite Hobbies: I love cake decorating in my spare time and I'm starting to take up photography -- I aspire to be all of the other professionals in my field!

Home Town: Third generation of family from Midland Park, NJ – and third generation of family still living in my house!

Favorite Place: my bed, my hot tub, Paris, and St. Maarten

Pets: A Soft Coated Wheaton Terrier named Abby, but dreaming about a new Yorkie or Dachshund soon

Favorite Holidays: I love all holidays – but I am a Christmas fanatic! Halloween is a close second

Favorite Quote: “Only she who attempts the absurd can achieve the impossible…”

Best Part Of The Job: Leaving a wedding that went completely flawlessly, with a happy bride and groom who got the wedding of their dreams! Oh, and going to parties for a living isn't so bad either ;)

What's To Come

There are so many new and exciting things happening over here at As You Wish! I'd love to share some of what's happening in our world, and let in you on ways we're going to help you over in yours!

Here are a few regular pieces that we are going to feature here on the As You Wish WEDding Blog:

1. FEATURED VENDORS: I work with so many fantastic vendors on a daily basis. Without them, my weddings wouldn't be nearly as successful. As a planner, there's no better feeling than having vendors that you know will not only show up, but do a fabulous job. I can't wait to share them and their work with you.

2. CURRENT WEDDINGS: Usually, my brides become close friends. My brides have such fantastic taste and are so creative, that I want to share their big days with you. I can't wait for you to see some of the amazing days that we have put together!

3. FUN, NEW PRODUCTS & IDEAS: Through all of my research and work in the field, I come across so many cool products and ideas on a daily basis. From hair clips, to photography styles, to reception decor, I'm going to keep you "in the know" on all of the newest items and trends.

4. IF I COULD DO IT AGAIN: The best person to get advice from is someone who has been through that situation before. So who better to get wedding advice from than a newlywed who has just gotten married? My brides will weigh in on what they would do over if they could. Have a great "If I Could Do It Again" story? Email us!

5. YOU TELL ME: I want to know what YOU want to know. Have a question? Need Advice? Have something to share? Email us any time and let us know what you want to see on here.

I promise to post at least once a week, if not more! I have so many great ideas to share to make your big day the best it can possibly be. Please send this to any other bride-to-be that you know. If you'd like to be included in our email notification list, shoot us an email with your address.

Have a great weekend!

As You Wish WEDding Blog

Welcome to the all new As You Wish WEDding Blog! Thanks for checking us out!

We are working on getting our first post up very soon! Please check back frequently!

In the meantime, check out our website at www.asyouwishwed.biz! Have a great day!