Posts

How to choose your wedding menu (Part 2)

This article brought to you by Aleana’s Bridal.

Read Part 1 first

Selective Servings

In the most traditional version, a cocktail hour with hors d’oeuvres is preceded by a seated dinner of three courses: The first course is typically an artfully arranged plate of appetizer-friendly foods. The main entree usually includes a meat or fish, such as filet mignon or grilled salmon (include a separate dish for your vegetarian guests!) accompanied by a starch, such as rice or potatoes, and maybe even quinoa for your holistically fit guests, and a vegetable, like asparagus or broccoli.  Dessert may or may not be your wedding cake; some couples serve a separate dessert, something light and refreshing such as a sorbet, and save the wedding cake for later in the reception…during the “dance party.”

Forget the standard menu at weddings that you’re familiar with and go for more distinctive flavors to really give everybody something to remember from the most memorable dinner party of your life.  This can be more complicated and challenging, but also exciting.  Whether from around the world…Italian pastas & panini sandwiches, Spanish tapas, Japanese finger foods…to a particular part of your favorite country or island (Hawaiian, Southwestern, or Cajun cuisines), or from your own family’s kitchens….choose what you like & GET CREATIVE !

Dare to be Different

Varying your courses is actually a strategically smart thing to do.  If you are having seafood as a starter, (say, as a few appetizers in cocktail hour), then avoid it as a main course.  If you want a light afternoon tea followed by a formal dinner in the evening…or red wine and cheese during speeches and toasts, then go with it.  It’s YOUR day, so YOU choose…and feel free ENTIRELY to choose food that you love and want to eat…to a certain extent, of course.

 

Just remember that your guests’ culinary tastes might not be as adventurous as your own.  For the more conservative palates: limiting more exotic foods in appetizers is one way to do it.  And be sure to include kid-friendly foods if children will be at your wedding (chicken fingers, fries, individual pizzas so they can have their own little pizza party).

 

*SAFETY TIP! : Always arrange for food tastings at your venues of choice first so you are fully confident in the abilities of the chefs to pull off any designed dish that is adventurous as well as the more “safe” ones.

Read Part 3 and Part 4 next

 

 

How to choose your wedding menu (Part 1)

By Jaclyn Ianetti

How do you choose the right meal menu for your guests to enjoy at your wedding?  Some of your guests may not be picky at all, while others may be vegetarians; your cousin is a vegan, your friend a diabetic, and so on.  It would be completely overwhelming trying to please everybody 100%, but you can get creative and choose a sensible menu made for all to avoid any complaints amongst guests.

 

This table guide from HubPages can prove to be very helpful, as it’s an excellent starting point for brainstorming possible considerations:

 

“Considerations for Planning a Wedding Reception”

  1. Buffet or sit-down dinner
  2. Finger foods or hearty fare
  3. Catered or cooked by relatives or friends
  4. Indoors or outdoors
  5. Any appropriate themes for cuisine, i.e. Polynesian, Southern BBQ, Coastal seafood, etc.
  6. Dietary restrictions (OR ANY FOOD ALLERGIES OF GUESTS)
  7. Mobility of your guests (elderly people may have a harder time at a buffet)
  8. Cultural traditions
  9. Cost
  10. Number of guests
  11. Time of day
  12. Decor (flowers, candles, ice sculptures, or whatever you fancy)
  13. Logistics of serving and/or buffet lines
  14. Beverage options
  15. Wedding cake and/or other dessert

(Found on: http://hubpages.com/hub/Wedding-Food)

 

A Memorable Mix-up

Between you and your beloved groom, you’ll want to incorporate your favorite dishes that hold a special significance, yet ones that also cater to the diverse appetites of your treasured guests.

Select comfort foods from your own “streams of consciousness” that take you on a stroll down memory lane: tastes that remind you of your most cherished, past dining experiences together.  Think of your favorite vacation spot restaurant, your favorite all-time restaurant in general, or a home-cooked meal that you two make together or one that symbolizes your grandmother’s traditional touches, etc.  Use these as a sentimental nod to some of your top-of-the-list foods.

Personal touches such as keeping these things in mind may go unnoticed by your guests, but at least you two will know where the inspiration came from…and their taste buds alone will celebrate along with you, since this is an opportunity to share something intimate with all of your guests.  Combine your culinary heritage, such as having an Indian-Irish buffet, or a full blown Italian wedding.

Read Part 2,  Part 3, and Part 4

 

Spring/Summer 2014 Bridal Fashion Trend (Part 1)

This article brought to you by Aleana’s Bridal store, Bergen County, NJ

What’s new for the upcoming season?

Silhouettes:

Regarding the Silhouettes, trends in the bridal industry have taken a more elegant and minimalistic turn. On the runway, minimal wedding gowns with elegant lines that accentuate the figure are becoming quite popular in the Spring 2014 season. These dresses are made of white silk satin and have no embellishments. The cut of the garment is the focus of the dress.

Another trend regarding silhouettes is the column shape. Many designer gowns on the runway for the spring/ summer 2014 season can be seen with this type of silhouette that emphasizes an hourglass figure. With long, form-fitting dresses, there is usually an emphasis on the waist. Lines bellow the knee have been seen to be tapered or have a gentle flare. A-line trains add drama to this sleek silhouette.

 

Vintage inspired gowns continue to gain popularity. Many dresses on the runway for this upcoming season were designed with lace and vintage inspired feel. Regarding the silhouette of this gown, the vintage trend favors a ladylike silhouette that has found to reference the silhouettes popular in the 1950s. Many of these gowns designed with illusion necklines and deep-v necklines.

 

The last major silhouette trending in spring/summer 2014 is an ultra-feminine hourglass silhouette. The key to this look is structured bodices, an emphasis on cinched waists, and full bell-shaped skirts. Some of these gowns can be found with skirt overlays or asymmetrical peplums. This look mimics Christian Dior’s 1947 “New Look”.

Length:

For spring/ summer 2014, lengths of the gown seem to be getting increasingly shorter. One popular look seen on the runway is the cocktail length wedding gown. This type of dress is a more casual alternative to the long, elegant wedding gown. Hemlines of this type of gown can range from above the knee to just below the knee. The styles for this cocktail length gown vary from a-line, fit-and-flare, and straight.

High-low hemlines are becoming increasingly popular in the ready-to-wear gown industry. For spring/summer 214, the high-low hemline was seen trending on the runway in Milan.

The mermaid tail has also been trending on the runway. The mermaid tails are flare out at the knee. These type of style balances out the tight body-con silhouette to create a voluminous bottom.

 Trains:

In the spring season, we can see variations of the elegant and long train. This variation is called a cascading train. Popular are the waterfall cascades and classical Grecian draping. This kind of train creates a “pooling” effect rather than a sweeping train.

Continue to read Part 2

 

How to maintain your manners: Proper wedding etiquette (Part 2)

This article brought to you by Aleana’s Bridal Shop, Bergen County NJ

Read Part 1 first

* If you choose to bring a guest along, make sure it is an appropriate choice.  Leave the wallflower and sulky date at home who will hinder your spirit as you shine on the dance floor…or the guy with an unpredictable behavioral pattern who tends to have a flared temper after too many shots of whiskey.  Leave him at home.  Better yet, what are you doing even being involved with these types of people to begin with?!?  Go alone and be free of the burden of entertaining a date all night.  You will have a much better time and be able to engage the people you truly care about as well as having a better opportunity for catching up with the ones you have been looking forward to seeing.

And if you weren’t invited with a guest, do NOT show up with one nor ask the bride or groom to make an exception just for you to bring somebody along. This puts them in an awkward position.  Once again, their day, not yours!

No bringing uninvited guests” rule can imply children.  Respect an adult-only wedding if that’s what the married couple wishes.  And if children are invited, please take responsibility that they remain on their best behavior.  Example: crying during vows.  Solution: Remove yourself and bring them away from the scene…FAR AWAY…!!!

* Send a gift when you are unable to attend the wedding, (and be sure to RSVP by the correct date so the bride and groom are aware!).  Proper etiquette dictates that if you were invited, you owe the couple a gift, despite your actual presence at the wedding or not.

Let the registry be your first shopping source to purchase a gift from.  If not, make sure your gift is thoughtful and personable specifically for the couple.

* Don’t just show up for the reception and skip out on the ceremony.  The ceremony is the most significant part of all.   It’s in poor taste to be seen downing drinks at the open bar without first making all efforts to attend the main event.

 

* Don’t be late!  Allow yourself plenty of time to arrive at the ceremony on time.

 

Traffic jam…when you’re already late?  Then watch from afar.  Stand in the back or slip quietly in a back row if the ceremony has already begun by the time you arrive.

Continue with Part 3

 

How to plan your wedding day hair (Part 2)

This Article brought to you by Aleana’s Bridal store Bergen County NJ.

Read Part 1 first

Just like at your bridal gown appointments, you don’t want to bring a large group with you. Although opinions are great and rules at the hair salon are less strict, space is usually limited and you don’t need anyone’s negative opinions killing your mood. You can easily send pictures of yourself to all of your friends for their feedback. Your Maids Of Honor is enough, but if you need another opinion, bring your mama along. The most important, bring a picture of you in your wedding dress. Believe it or not, the style of your bridal gown plays a vital role in the way your hair should look the wedding day. Is your bridal dress backless or strapless, how high is the neckline, is it a ballgown or trumpet? All of those details will dictate your hair style.  Also, if you plan to put anything into your hair (veil, comb, tiara, headband, etc.) bring that along as well. This is very important as it has the potential to change the style completely.

Lastly, don’t forget to bring your voice and speak up! Some hair stylists get a little carried away and may go off in their own direction and change your style completely. If you don’t like it, don’t be afraid to say so. The last thing you want is to be miserable during your wedding day because your hair didn’t come out the way you wanted it to. You will have to look at these photos for the rest of your life. Don’t let your timid attitude be the reason you cringe every time you pass your wedding photo. Never forget that this is all about you and what you want. If you are not happy just book another appointment or change a stylist.

How to plan your wedding day hair (Part 1)

This article brought to you by Aleana’s Bridal store in Paramus, Northern New Jersey.

You’ve finally found your bridal gown. What a relief! Now it is time to complete a few more steps so that you can have an idea of what you will look like on your special day. A hair and makeup trial is strongly recommended. The last thing you want is to end up with a super hard, messy 90’s prom looking hair-do the day of your wedding. Unless you have a hair dresser you usually go to, scope out the salons in your area. Ask to see a portfolio of makeup and hair they’ve done in the past. This will help you decide where to have your trial.

Once you select a salon, schedule your trial. This should not be any longer than three months before the wedding. Too much time between your trial and your wedding might result in your changing your mind which would defeat the purpose of the trial. After your trial, you want to leave with the style you love to have for the big day. This is your day. By now you’ve probably browsed hundreds of magazines, websites, blogs and pictures for wedding inspiration. Hopefully you’ve been able to figure out what type of hair style you plan to go for. If you have an image, or even if it isn’t exactly what you want, bring the picture along so that your stylist can get the idea.

On the day of your trial, make sure that you have enough time to enjoy the experience; your actual hairdo could take hours. Some salons also offer make up trials at the same time. If you choose a salon that offers this, and you will be getting your make up done, perfect! If not, be sure to put on makeup and look your best. It is strongly recommended to plan a night out after your trial. Your wedding is going to be full of dancing, running around and will be quite long. The last thing you want is to end up with a hair style that taps out after the ceremony. Plan a night out with the girls and let loose. See if your hair can keep up.

 

Read Part 2 next

 

10 Iconic Brides and Bridal Gowns (Part 1)

This article brought to you by Aleana’s Bridal shop in Paramus NJ.

By Jaclyn Ianetti

The times may have changed, but classic dress trends do remain to exist.  The fashion world has seen some

incredible gowns on the runway in the past few decades and think they are as timeless as they get.

Lets take a look at some of the most iconic and memorable wedding dresses ever worn by shining the spotlight on some stars in their break-through bridal roles who are oh-so deserving of their classic, timeless, gush-worthy dresses.

 

Audrey Hepburn

 

She played a water sprite in a 1954 Broadway production of Ondine, then chose a decidedly elfin tea-length, chiffon-sleeved Balmain for her wedding to co-star Mel Ferrer later that year.  A wreath of fresh flowers is what really gave her wedding look an ethereal and magical effect.

Jackie O

(Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis )

 

The fashion icon and future first lady wore a voluminous ivory silk taffeta gown by the designer Ann Lowe when she married John F. Kennedy in 1953.  A portrait neckline and a wide, embellished skirt emphasized Jackie’s small waist…and an heirloom lace veil, which originally belonged to her grandmother, completed the super-romantic ensemble.

Caroline Kennedy 

It should come as no surprise that Caroline Kennedy’s 1986 wedding to Edwin Schlossberg was a stylish affair…her planner was none other than her mother, Jackie Kennedy Onassis.  In a white silk organza gown with a 25-foot train, the daughter of former President John F. Kennedy tied the knot near Hyannis Port, Massachusetts.

 

Elizabeth Taylor

In 1950, Liz Taylor took her first trip (of seven! …Lucky number seven?) down the aisle, marrying hotel heir Conrad “Nicky” Hilton in Hollywood (Paris and Nicky‘s great uncle).  Her 1950’s silk silhouette, basque-waisted gown cost a then-staggering $1,500 (almost $14,000 in today’s dollars) to make and was a gift from her studio, MGM.

Continue with Part 2

 

Your Bridal Fitting Room Experience

This article brought to you by Aleana’s Bridal shop.

 

The fitting room can be a scary place for a lot of people. In stores, we go in with items we like and we are usually alone. Here we can pass judgment on whether if not we like something. Sometimes we will get the opinion of a friend, but for the most part, we let our own expertise on our bodies decide if we like something or not.

In the bridal industry, you are never alone in a fitting room. You will always be assisted by your bridal consultant. This can be uncomfortable for some people which is why it is always recommended to go to the appointment in undergarments you feel comfortable being seen in. Just remember, this is a judge free environment. Your consultant is there to help you look your best, not judge the way you look. Bridal dresses are made for all shapes and sizes and your consultant will help you to find the best dress for your body.

Have faith! Keep an open mind and most importantly, never verbally abuse yourself. There is nothing more frustrating to your consultant or the people you brought along than hearing you talk bad about yourself. They are all on your side and want to help you look perfect. If you don’t like something about your body and wish to hide it, let your consultant know. This can easily be accommodated. Stay positive; your dress is out there and you are going to look fabulous. Also, give feedback. There is no shame in letting the consultant know you don’t like something or the style isn’t for you, but remember to keep an open mind. What you might think would look awful on you could potentially end up being the dress.

Please visit Aleana’s Bridal Shop in Paramus NJ to make your bridal shopping experience pleasant!

Bridal Gown Spotlight (Part 3)

This article brought to you by Aleana’s Bridal Shop, Bergen County NJ.

Read first Part 1 and Part 2

 

Gypsy Princess

To stand out as a bride, wear a tiara…or an exclusive, hand-made flower hippie headband to be placed upon your crown…bohemian beautiful.

  REVIEW

It’s all about adding & accessorizing withoutbeing tacky.

 Adding some color :  A wedding dress does not have to be one plain color.  Sometimes adding a splash of color can make your dress stand out of the crowd.  By adding color to your wedding dress, you are making your dress unique and giving it your own style.

Adding a ribbon on the waist can show off your curves and your individuality.  Use the colors of your bridesmaid’s dresses as a clue to the right color, and you will look wonderful together.  Your train could also include a little bit of this color.  Adding a color can be done anywhere including in your hair, with the bouquet, or many other options.  This option is a very modern idea and can translate into some very beautiful pictures. 

 Accessories: A bride’s wedding look is not just about the dress.  The dress is not complete without some accessories.  These can include your hairpiece, bouquet and shoes.  For your hair, you can choose to go with a simple veil, or try something like a crown.  Your shoes complete your look.  If your wedding is on the beach, do not be afraid to go barefoot or in sandals.  The best way to keep your look unique is to have fun and remember that this is your day and you make the rules.  If you want to add accessories to the dress itself, you can add bows, buttons, or other embellishments to the dress.

Unique add-ons to your dress will make the dress seem more like your own. Every bride should have a wedding dress that makes her feel beautiful, but also reflects her own style.  Add or subtract sleeves, add color, and do not forget some accessories and you will have a wedding day look that everyone will remember.

(Refer to article “Love your Body Brides by body-type : what’s your aisle style? For a detailed dress guide & more gown inspiration). 

 

Bridal Gown Spotlight (Part 2)

This article brought to you by Aleana’s Bridal Shop, Bergen County NJ.

Read firstBest Bridal Store New Jersey

WHITE GOWNS

If you like the idea of the traditional, plain white dress, you can always add in some color to the details.  There is nothing wrong with replacing some of your dress’ accents with color.

* If your dress has large white flowers, get them replaced with colorful posies.

 * Add a colorful sash.  You could coordinate this with the colors of your bridesmaid dresses.

 

* Get the bottom of your dress dyed: If your dress is not too ornate, it might really spice things up if the bottom of it is a light blue or pale pink.  Hire a professional to do this for you, as attempts of doing it yourself can lead to a dress disaster.

 FUN DETAILS

If you like the idea of a plain wedding dress but would like to add a little more detail, then consider covered buttons or ribbon lacing to the back. Many dress designers offer a choice of closure to their dresses so you can change a plain zipper to pretty covered buttons or sexy corset style lacing. Adding covered buttons is also something you can do yourself very easily and they can turn a plain dress into something unique and very classic looking.

 

*Shorten your dress. Everyone will expect you to wear a long dress, so there is no harm in turning heads in a short little number!

*Beading is always an easy way to make a plain dress look fabulous. Coordinate the beads on your dress with those in your other wedding accessories, so if your hair accessories include pearls and crystals then use those on your dress.  A simple option is to slip stitch beads around the neckline of your dress, but if you want to do something more fancy, then plan your design on a piece of graph paper first and place the beads on your dress without sewing them so you can see how they will look.  Once you are happy you can proceed to attach them yourself or have a professional do it for you.  
*Lace : Adding a touch of lace goes a long way to creating that bridal look. A nice touch is to add a band of lace to the hem of your skirt which will just peep out on the tops of your toes.  Another idea is to wear a lace edged petticoat underneath, which is slightly longer.  This works nicely for full skirted dresses and when you sit down, it will peep out from under your skirt for a very pretty bridal look.

Tip: If your dress has ribbon lacing ask for different colored ribbons or change them yourself.  Or use colored versions of the ideas listed above such as colored beads or appliqués.  A colored lace petticoat is a great way of adding interest to your dress without it being too obvious.
*Dainty Detailing: These can be beaded, sequined, lace or combination and are very easy to sew onto your dress.  You can find them in various sizes and matching colors, including full bodice pieces, sleeve appliqués and larger versions to apply to trains.

Look around sewing shops and online for bridal boutiques where you can make a special request to place your unique order. 

– – Hire a costume designer to “build on” your dress.  A professional can look at a piece and know exactly what to do to make it unique.  Adding an accented line down your dress, or delicately placing jewels in designated places can all add a unique feel to your dress.

 SHOES

* Instead of plain white pumps, wear colorful & funky shoes.  OR have a little sparkle or color sticking out the bottom of your dress.

*Customize simple satin pumps with shoe jewelry such as rhinestone ribbons. 

Continue with Part 3