Planning a Fall Wedding, Plus Planning Tips to Avoid Stress

I love parties and weddings during this time of the year.

I have found that there are more venues available and more room to negotiate with service providers, since it is not busy season which starts in April and goes through September.

When looking for a venue, look for a venue that has a contingency plan in case the weather is cold or rainy. There is nothing worse than finding out that it will rain on your wedding day with no back up plan.

The addition of heaters and a tent can add up to big bucks and tents don't hold up to bad weather.

GIANNA'S PICKS OF THE WEEK -

Romantic.

Elegant.

Pearl Design.

 Silver beaded chargers with a gardenia at each place setting and beautiful chandeliers above.

Hairstyle Ideas

Late night snacks for your guests - cookies and ice cold milk. XO

Margaret Rowe Couture Jewelry

GIANNA'S TIPS OF THE WEEK

If you want to have your wedding published in a magazine or web site, talk with your event planner and or designer first and see what they recommend before you select your design and/or attire. 

There is never any guarantee to get published, but there are a few tips that can help -

does your style fit their overall look?

do any of your service providers advertise in the magazine or are they are a preferred vendor?

Spending a lot of money will NOT guarantee you a spot in your favorite magazine or web site. A few years ago, we produced a wedding where our client spent over $300,000 and even though it was a lovely wedding, the attire (the bride's dress, bridesmaid and the flower girl dresses) were opposite of the editor's style. Needless to say, we did not get published.

You would like an adult only wedding with no children -

Think twice before you agree to go down this path.  This is a very sensitive subject and I have seen trouble brew when the bride and groom make this call. XO

Here is one suggestion, but remember, it is a touchy subject - please use caution:

Offer to arrange a nanny service and explain for budget reasons (could also be due to the venue space) that you can't have the children of family and friends at your wedding. Many times, we see the children have more fun this way - watching movies, playing games and having a more comfortable space to play and take naps, rather than having to sit at a table with adults. I find children napping at weddings as the night wears on in some really funny places. xo

Some clients have the babysitting service setup at their primary hotel. We recommend having the hotel close to the venue. If you have shuttles running through out the evening, the parents will be close enough to their children if they want to check in on them. Some parents like this option since it gives them a "date night".

Make sure you hire a VERY reputable service that is insured and trained to work with children. Our company uses services that are highly reputable and I appreciate the way the sitters child proof the room before the children arrive.

Have a great week!

Gianna

Trick or Treat- Give a Great Halloween Party

Happy Wednesday!

Thinking about throwing a Halloween party for a few of your friends?

This week's blog has some fun ideas. Whether you live in an apartment or a home, your next party can be a success.

Since Halloween is less than two weeks away, you may want to consider a fun Evite.

We recommend mixing up your guest list with an even amount of guests...there is nothing worse than having a party with uneven numbers. xo

If your home or apartment is small, you can move your furniture into your bedroom(s) to allow for space.  For additional seating, place big pillows on the floor to give your guests a place to sit.  I love to add nice serving trays, so guests can place their drinks down and don't forget the cocktail napkins.

For the bar, check with your favorite liquor store or caterer to make sure that you have enough ice, alcohol, mixers, sodas, beer, water, wine and bottle openers, glassware, shakers, stirrers, plus fruit garnishes.

Make sure you have a " good friend" that can help you while you are entertaining or you can call us at 818-246-2288 and we will connect the dots.  So many times we hear about the host or hostess working non-stop that he or she does not enjoy their own party.

Set the tone of the party and gather up your favorite music that can take the party from cocktails to dinner to high energy if you want dancing. If your place is small, please make sure that your guests are not blasted by the speakers.  Allowing your guests to have conversations is key to having a great party.

Items to have on hand - plenty of TP, scented candles and hand towels for the bathroom(s) and trash bags.

If you are not into cooking or don't have time, you can pickup food from your favorite fast food chains such as hamburgers or fried chicken and serve on cool serving platters.  We have had some great parties where we have had catering trucks on site such as In and Out.  If you love to cook, we recommend checking out the TV Food Network - their recipes range from easy to difficult and some dishes are inexpensive to make.  XO

No need to be too meticulous when wrapping these spooky versions of pigs in blankets; the raggedy look suits the mummy theme to a "tee."

Ingredients

• One 16-ounce package bun-size hot dogs (8 hot dogs), each halved crosswise
• 2 ounces Cheddar, cut into 16 thin slices
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 8 sheets phyllo dough
• 4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• Ketchup, yellow mustard, barbecue sauce or your favorite dipping sauce, for serving and decorating

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut a slit in each hot dog piece and stuff with a slice of cheese. Set aside. Combine the salt, garlic powder and pepper in a small bowl.

Working with one sheet of phyllo at a time and keeping the rest covered under a damp towel or paper towels, lay a phyllo sheet on a large cutting board or counter and lightly brush with melted butter. Lightly sprinkle with some of the spice mix and fold in half lengthwise. Brush the top with more melted butter and cut into 1/2-inch-thick strips. Using 2 pieces of stuffed hot dogs per phyllo sheet, wrap half of the strips around each piece of hot dog to create a mummy look. Leave a small section of hot dog exposed towards the top so it looks like the top part of the face peeking out from the phyllo wrappings. Don't worry about frayed edges or tears-- it will add to the mummy look.

Place on the prepared baking sheet and repeat with the remaining phyllo, melted butter, spice mix and hot dogs. Remelt the butter if it cools down too much while forming the mummies.

Bake until the phyllo is crisp and golden brown, about 25 minutes. If desired, dot ketchup or mustard eyes on each mummy using a toothpick and serve with extra sauces for dipping

Pretty and Simple Decor Ideas

Colored ribbons.

Gianna's Picks of the Week -

Shopping is a sport - I learned that from my Aunt Jean.

I spend time on the internet seeing what is in style and then, make time to visit Nordstrom Rack  and TJ Maxx to see if I can recreate the look for less.

The savings can add up - sometimes up to 60% off, but it is important to allow enough time to go through the racks when you shop at these stores...

Fendi

Cool lighting and white balloons. Who knew? xo

Gianna's Wedding Picks of the Week -

Love the detail on the back of the gown.

Have a great week!

Gianna

Navigating the Rules of the Road and Avoiding the Pot Holes

Hello, everyone!

Every wedding and event is unique, because every client is different and this makes my job fun and challenging at the same time.

This week's blog is a compilation of tips plus, new and old favorite things.

I hope you enjoy!

Thank you.

-Gianna

GIANNA'S TIPS OF THE WEEK - 

If you are renting an estate - please hire an experienced event planner who has done several estate events.  This person can help you to establish a realistic budget, help you find the right venue, connect you to the right service providers that will help you connect to your style.

Flip flops - provide a cute basket by the dance floor with flip flops in your wedding color or colors. At every wedding, we see the female guests take off their shoes, so they can dance and I am always concerned that someone will step on broken glass and get hurt.

DJ vs. Band - both can be great.   A DJ will cost less than a band to perform which includes saving costs on their dinners.  If your venue has sound restrictions, it may hinder the band. The DJ will be able to play music the way it was recorded.  If you are set on having a band, most will negotiate their price.

Late Night Appetizers -

Ask your hotel or caterer to serve fries or baked mac and cheese or your favorite comfort food. Late night snacks help keep the party going.

Booking your florist - check out his or her work and see if you like it. Be frank about your budget and allow your florist to give you options.  Many of our clients use Pinterest to show their florist their style.  I love this web site for inspiration meetings.

Bridesmaid Dresses -

Select your color for their dresses and let the bridesmaids choose their own style to fit the shape of their body. We love to see the dress have options, so it can transform from the ceremony to the reception.

Flower Girl Dresses -

I find it hard to find dresses for little flower girls that I love or even like.  You won't see many photos of flower girl dresses on my site since this is the one thing that I struggle with on a regular basis. I think too many dress designers try to put little girls in dresses that are made for older girls or the designs are way over the top.  :(

Guest Accommodations -

Have three choices for your out of town guests -  low, medium and high end room rates that are close to your venue.  This will help when setting up transportation for the event day.

Hair and Makeup - During your make up and hair trial session, take photos of your favorite look, so you have a record just in case. xo

GIANNA'S PICKS OF THE WEEK -

ABS Boatneck Dress

Bag It Up Boutique

Or...

Profile-JAton

I am in love with these shoes - they keep making appearances on this blog:) Go figure. xo

Bridesmaid bouquets - white hydrangea

Sugar cookies stacked to look like miniature wedding cakes.  xo