Best Bridesmaids Dresses!

This past year has been the first year of my friends getting married in full force. I have personally come into contact with many bridesmaids dresses - the good, the bad, and the ugly. I won't get into which is which, but I have to gush about the dress I wore last week. It was comfortable, beautiful, and we got SO many compliments on it. Two Birds Bridesmaids dresses are a bridesmaid's dream. It's one dress, but convertible. You can tie it ten different ways (although we came across way more than ten if you get a little creative!) and it's one size fits all. I had a tough time believing that one size fits all, but it really is true.

I love this dress so that much that I already have my eye on this gorgeous champagne color!

There are so many colors available. They also offer two lengths: long and short. A pregnancy size is now available as well as a bandeau top to make bigger busted girls more comfortable.

This is the "Caroline" style - the way I chose to wear my dress for the wedding.

I love the bow tied around the neck in this photo. Next time I wear the dress, I am going to tie it that way!

We purchased our dresses from Bella Bridesmaid in Madison NJ. They were great to work with and we got the dresses earlier than expected.

If you like that idea but not this specific dress or price tag, you can find similar alternatives at Butter by Nadia and Victoria's Secret!

CNN.com Article!

CNN.com just posted an article about marriage and one of my June couples, Alana & Brian, are mentioned! Check it out!

Summer Book Recco's

The summer is the perfect time to pick up a good book to lose yourself in. Here are a few books I have read recently and recommend!

Become Your Own Matchmaker: 8 Easy Steps For Attracting Your Perfect Mate by Patti Stanger- All of you brides may be past the point of using this book, but if you're a fan of Millionaire Matchmaker, you'll love it! Patti Stanger narrates and personality just shines through. Take her advice with a grain of salt if you aren't focused on snagging a millionaire, but overall a very easy and fun read.

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski - I am not usually the type to run out and buy whatever book Oprah recommends, but this was a fantastic book. It's a little heavier, but a great read if you're looking to really get involved and attached to the characters. It's a very long book but worth reading every page.

My Horizontal Life by Chelsea Handler - Chelsea Handler is a comedic goddess. I saw her live earlier in the year and she blew me away. Her two books are super easy reads - I read them each in a day. My Horizontal Life was my favorite - I laughed outloud the whole time.

Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea by Chelsea Handler - Another great comedy by Chelsea Handler. I have to admit that I got this on audiotape and would listen to it as I ran. I eventually had to stop because I would get in a zone and just laugh out loud. Downright embarassing. Listen at your own risk in the comfort of your own home.
The Beach House by Jane Green - I just finished this one today and it's incredible. The story takes place in Nantucket. Jane Green's descriptions of Nantucket make you want to pack up immediately and move there. I absolutely loved this book and have already ordered a few of Jane's other books to read over the rest of the summer!

And now...drumroll please...my favorite book of all time...

Straight Up And Dirty by Stephanie Klein - Hands down the best book I have ever read. So good that my copy has circulated through every one of my friends and colleagues and they all have the exact same reaction. The book is so honest and so real - you can really feel and relate to everything that Stephanie has gone through. Her writing is incredible. And the best part is that Stephanie is an incredible blogger so the story doesn't end when the book does. You can continue to read her story and read about her life every day. She is the first post I'll read through on my Google Reader and everyday I look forward to her tweets! If you are a woman in your 20's or 30's and you are going to read one book, it MUST be this one.

My Best Friends Wedding

Congratulations to Jannet & Rob!


This weekend, my best friend got married. It is such a different experience to be personally involved in a wedding rather than be coordinating it. It's a very emotional experience when your best friend gets married. This was especially evident in the amount of tears I shed throughout the day! As the Maid of Honor, it was a relatively stress free day for me, as Jannet used many of the wedding professionals that I use on a weekly basis. She used the best of the best and it was a flawless, well-executed day.

Cast of Characters:

Rehearsal Dinner: McLoone's Pier House
Ceremony & Reception: Ocean Place Resort & Spa
Flowers: A New Leaf Florist
Photography: Tania Lezak Photography
Hair & Makeup: Michelle Lo Conte
DJ: Infinity Entertainment


We just narrowly missed a storm but it wound up being a gorgeous afternoon! If you look closely there are starfish all along the aisle and awesome nautical rope ties with starfish on the aisle seats.

Jannet wore a Paloma Blanca Dress, style 3854 from Bijou Bridal.

She had these adorable fan programs that were a big hit in the July sun.


This photo brings tears to my eyes every time I see it! Her parents are some of the loveliest people I have ever met in my life.

First time as Mr. & Mrs.!

A few nautical details. The life preserver from Pottery Barn Kids was used as the guest book. Each guest signed with a silver paint pen.

I love the starfish in the sandbox!



The cake was red velvet (the bride's absolute favorite) and cannoli.

The bridesmaids all wore Two Birds Bridesmaids Dresses. I can't even begin to tell you how comfortable they were. We didn't want to take them off. We got so many compliments and I can legitimately say that I can (and can't wait to) wear it again!



Congratulations to Jannet & Rob! I can't thank you enough for allowing me to be a part of your special day. I love you both an insane amount and cannot wait for you to get home from your honeymoon! xoxo

Lower Your Wedding Costs

When you begin to plan your wedding, there are a few things to consider when choosing your wedding date if you want to save money. If you have the ability to be flexible, take a look at the month and day of the week that you can have your event. The biggest way to save is to have your wedding in the off-season. Try to avoid high season months like May, June, September, and October. This is prime-time for weddings and most professionals know they will book up so may be less likely to negotiate. You can save not only on your banquet hall, but most vendors will be much more flexible in their negotiating during those off months. Once you choose your month, consider a time other than Saturday night. Most people want that prime time slot. But, if you choose a Friday night, Saturday morning, or Sunday wedding, you will be looking at another large savings.

Shower Favors!

I am out of the office today because my best friend in the world is GETTING MARRIED! In her honor, I want to show you a few fun items that I used to throw her shower.

For the favors, we put together a candy buffet. I ordered the chinese food take out containers from Nashville Wraps. Then, I got these cute custom labels from Beau-Coup Party favors - which I love! They have a ton of different shapes, sizes, and designs.




One of my biggest concerns was having a great table scape. In order to make it not only look great, but also be personal, I chose these votive wraps from Wedding Things. From the moment I saw them, I knew I had to have them. They were a simple DIY project that made a huge impact. At the end of the event, everyone got to take a candle as well.



I lined up the candles along the floral centerpiece - which blew my mind when I saw it. Laurie from Laurelwood Designs designed it and it left me speechless! It was the perfect simple, clean, but stunning look I was going for.




This is just the tip of the iceberg. I can't wait to share more details from the shower and now, Jannet & Rob's wedding!

Vodka Cream Pasta

Happy Wellness Wednesday!

One of my favorite things to do when I'm not working is to cook. I'm not a huge meat eater, so most of the recipes I will share with you will be meat-free. One of my favorite comfort foods is Vodka Cream Pasta! I love that this recipe makes a ton of sauce, which is perfect to dip a flaky piece of bread in.

Vodka Cream Pasta

Cook Time: 30 minutes
Yields: 4 Servings

Ingredients:

-2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
-1 tablespoon of butter
-3 cloves of garlic, minced
-3 shallots, minced
-1 cup of vodka
-1 cup of chicken stock
-1 can of crushed tomatoes (28 ounces)
-1 small can of tomato paste
-16 ounces of penne rigate
-1/2 cup of heavy cream
-15 leaves of basil
-Course salt and pepper
-grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
-One baguette (optional)

Directions:

Heat a large skillet over moderate heat. Add oil, butter, garlic, and shallots. Gently saute shallots for 5 minutes. Add vodka to the pan. Reduce vodka by half, for about 3 minutes. Add 3/4 of a cup of chicken stock, tomatoes, and tomato paste. Bring sauce to a light boil and reduce heat to simmer. Season with salt and pepper.If you like a thinner sauce, add the remaining 1/4 cup of chicken stock. If you like a thicker sauce, discard the remaining chicken stock.

While sauce simmers, cook pasta in salted boiling water until cooked to al dente.

Stir cream and basil into sauce. When sauce returns to a bubble, remove it from heat. Drain pasta. Place a serving of pasta and a serving of sauce into a frying pan over medium-low heat. Toss the pasta and sauce together and continuously mix until the sauce gets thick, about 3 minutes. This will cause the sauce to stick to the pasta. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese and crusty bread.

Enjoy!

Very Truly Yours,

Welcome Back!

Welcome back to the new and improved As You Wish WEDding blog! I have made some changes to the look of the blog as well as the content. I thought long and hard, talked to many people, and I think you'll really enjoy what I have to deliver.

One of the traits of being a successful wedding planner is the ability to plan out every last detail but also to be incredibly spontaneous and flexible. This new blog will be a physical representation of that. There will be some structure and things you can count on, but there will also be a ton of spontaneous items thrown in. Here is what you can count on:

Money Saving Mondays - Especially in these economic times, funds are tight. I am going to share with you some tips and tricks to save you money throughout your planning process. There are ways you can - and SHOULD - save money with budgets big and small.

Wellness Wednesdays - Whether you are a wedding pro, a busy bride, or anything in between, we all need to take a step back from the planning and just relax. As a business owner this is something I have struggled with. There is always another contract to review or an email to answer. As a bride, there is always another invitation to send or favor to assemble. Each Wednesday I will share a non-wedding related item that helps me relax. From great wines, to the newest handbags, to travel recommendations, I'll provide a ton of excuses to break away from the stress and indulge in something incredible.

Fun Find Fridays - I am exposed to fantastic new ideas and items in the wedding industry every day. Some don't fit into the themes of anything I am working on, but it may fit into what you are planning and they are just TOO GOOD to keep to myself.

In between all of this, I will answer reader questions and always keep you up to date on everything that is going on at As You Wish!

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading. Please subscribe to my blog so that you can be notified when exciting, new things are posted. As always, any feedback you have is always welcome!

Follow my daily travels on Twitter!


Very Truly Yours,

See you in July!

My workshop on Wednesday was absolutely incredible. I cannot even put into words how many valuable tid-bits of information I picked up on. And the information came not only from our expert, Liene Stevens, but also from a room chock full of some incredible wedding vendors from all over the northeast! I am so excited to intergrate this new information and make this blog bigger and better than ever before. To do that, I need to get a whole new plan together. I will launch a brand new blog on July 1st. Stay tuned!

For now, look at the photo above. This is the backdrop for my vow renewal this weekend. Working is not too shabby when that slice of heaven is your backdrop!

See you in July! Keep up with our travels on Twitter!

Exciting Day Tomorrow!

I will be away from the office tomorrow all day attending a really awesome workshop given by The Smart Planner! It's a workshop for wedding professionals that teaches how to use these new technologies to our benefit! I am really excited to learn some new tricks and trends to make this blog even better!



I'll report back tomorrow with what I learned!



In the meantime, check out the bootcamp as well as where the magic began! And let's get this social media show on the road and follow me on Twitter!