Monthly Archives: April 2012

Tales From The Veil: When Wine Leads To A Wedding

Posted on April 11, 2012 by Alison in Tales from the Veil

Jodi is a medical student who’s been with Adam for three years. They even remained together during a long-distance portion of their relationship and knew the commitment was for, well, forever! However, she had no idea that a proposal would happen during her fourth year of school, so she wasn’t so much surprised by her engagement, but rather the timing of the engagement. No complaints here! Jodi is in full-fledged planning mode for her San Diego wedding that’s about 11 months away. Here’s her story!

As a fourth year medical student, I knew that Adam would follow me for residency because it had been discussed, so I knew a proposal was in the future.

On a Thursday in January, Adam asked me if I wanted to go wine tasting with our friend, Bobby, and his date. We are really the only couple in our group of friends who love wine tasting, so it made sense for Bobby to ask us to join him as we winery-hopped in a free limo that he’d won. I was really excited to go as I had been out of town on residency interviews on Thursday and Friday.

Saturday morning came, and Bobby called to tell us that he was running late — a regular thing for him. He said we should go and start wine tasting since he could not change the times of the limo. So Adam and I headed off to Temecula, an inland wine destination near San Diego, California. We started wine tasting, and then Adam disappeared to use the restroom. He was gone quite a while, but at the time I was enjoying my wine and wasn’t too concerned with where he was. When he returned to the tasting room, he suggested that we go outside to take pictures before continuing the tastes. This was nothing out of the ordinary as we often took pictures overlooking the vineyard when we had gone wine tasting in the past. As we approached the overlook, I saw our limo driver and asked him to take our picture.

As we start posing for pictures, Adam turned to me to tell me that he loves me very much and that he has known for the last three years (the length of time we have been dating), that I was the girl he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. At this point, I was a little stunned, and I watched him go to the camera bag and pull out a ring box. Almost in slow motion, I saw him go down on one knee, open the box, look up at me, and ask me to marry to him. I did not even look in the box. I just stared at his face. As most engaged girls would say, the next few moments got fuzzy, but I know that I said “yes” as he got up to give me a hug and kiss. After the shock slightly suppressed, I finally looked at the ring and then looked at him. I couldn’t stop looking at him, reliving the fact that he just proposed to me!

Meanwhile, during the proposal, the limo driver was snapping photos with the camera, so we have this amazing memory documented forever!

After the shock somewhat fizzled, Adam told me that our friend Bobby was never coming, and that it was all a rouse to get me to Temecula without suspecting that he was going to propose.

Our day continued with wonderful wine tasting at multiple wineries, where the wine continuously flowed once we told people we had literally just gotten engaged. When the limo dropped us back off at our car, Adam informed me that we were not leaving because he booked a villa overlooking the winery for the night! He even had my mom pack me a bag for me the day before, and left it in the car, so that I had clothes and toiletries. He really thought of everything.

Our evening continued with a romantic dinner at the restaurant at the resort, followed by many phone calls to friends and family to share in our joy.

It was the most amazing day and night, and I know I will never forget any part of it. I could not ask for a better proposal or a better guy to spend the rest of my life with.

As I write this, still with the same grin on my face, we are in the midst of planning our wedding and we couldn’t be more excited. We are getting married in San Diego at the hotel where Adam told me he had feelings for me at the start of our relationship, over three years ago. Our wedding will have a traditional foundation with a modern flair. We both want strong Jewish components and the ceremony will include the more religious aspects like the bedeken, ketubah signing, breaking the glass, and using rings that have no beginning or ending. The reception will be more relaxed and less traditional. We are hoping for a fun and formal evening that we will never forget.

Real Jewish Weddings | West Palm Beach, FL

Posted on April 10, 2012 by Alison in Real Jewish Weddings

Lauren and Levi met through mutual friends at the Chabad of FIU, where Lauren frequented while obtaining her Bachelor’s degree. A few years later on July 10th 2011, after a fairy tale wedding proposal in a hot-air balloon ride over South Florida, Lauren and Levi set the date for their wedding. Lauren was born and raised in a traditional Jewish home in Miami as the younger of two children. Levi grew up in Miami in an orthodox Jewish home with nine brothers and sisters!

Lauren and Levi chose to have an orthodox ceremony incorporating such traditions as the Chuppah, the breaking of the glass, and even observing the “Golden Week” in which they did not see each other for seven days prior to the wedding. Imagine the emotion you would have on your wedding day if you hadn’t seen your fiancé for an entire week. Imagine the look that the two of you would share when you saw each other for the first time. Imagine a wedding wrapped in traditions, family, love, and of course celebration. That’s how to best describe Lauren & Levi’s wedding. On Sunday February 26th 2012 at the beautiful Chateau Dubois, an incredible private estate looking out on Biscayne Bay, surrounded by palm trees, water and marshes.

The beautiful ceremony was held in the backyard under the clear sky as the sun set over the bay. Once the glass was broken, it was time to celebrate on the pool-side dance floor with the palm trees lining the Miami skyline. The dancing continued all night between dinner courses and heart melting speeches. An evening filled with food, drinks, music, dancing, hugs, laughter, family and friendship; it was the perfect start to the beginning of Lauren and Levi’s long and happy life together.

Mazel tov, Lauren and Levi!

real-jewish-weddings-|-west-palm-beach,-fl

Photographer: Stay Forever Photography
Cake: Ana Paz Cakes
Videographer: Adams Video Productions
Jeweler: Leonardo Jewelers
Entertainment: Music 84 West Studios
Caterer: Executive Caterers Miami
Makeup Artist & Hair Stylist: Priscilla Loochkartt

This wedding was a collaboration between Stay Forever Photography and The Wedding Yentas via Two Bright Lights!

From The Expert: Catering Manager vs. Wedding Planner

Posted on April 9, 2012 by Alison in Featured, From the Expert, Inside Scoop, Planning

Today, a real wedding expert is here to explain the difference between a Catering Manager at your venue and a Wedding Planner that you hire separately. So often, their jobs and duties get mixed up, but the owner of By Kerri Hatter has the scoop to make it easy to understand. Take it away, Kerri!

So often, we are told by brides that they don’t think they need our services because their
venue provides a coordinator. While that is true (the venue does provide a coordinator), the
responsibilities of a venue or catering manager are very different from a professional Wedding
Planner. Below are things you can expect from each one:

Catering Manager
The Catering Manager is your main contact, and usually your first through a tour, at the venue.
They are responsible for the sales of events. Once you have decided on their venue, they
produce your contract involving all the terms and financial commitments to the resort as well as
balancing out your final bill following your special day.

Your Catering Manager will host a menu tasting, assist you with food and beverage selections,
and educate you on how to reach the minimums required per your contract. They develop your
BEO (Banquet Event Order), which outlines your menu, rentals and anything else the venue
will be providing. They are also responsible for making sure that the Banquet Manager, who
manages all of the food & beverage and staff at the reception, is aware of all of your requests
regarding any venue service.

Catering Managers are responsible for the set up of all hotel related items on the day of the
event. Then they will oversee the ceremony and reception set ups to make sure all venue
contracted items are being delivered as promised.

At hotels, your Catering Manager introduces you to the reservations manager if you need
to book room blocks and oversees the details of the bride and grooms suite the night of the
wedding.

Finally, as the Catering Manager is in charge of the responsibilities solely related to the venue,
they can work closely with a professional Wedding Planner to ensure a successful event.

Wedding Planner
The Wedding Planner is responsible for coordinating and executing all of the wedding elements
not involving the venue and serves as an advisor/educator and mediator throughout the
planning. As an expert in the wedding industry, the Planner helps with etiquette specifically
related to weddings. He or she handles all of the time-consuming details and communication
involved with planning the wedding. The Wedding Planner is also the biggest resource because
they have many contacts in the industry and will be able to match each client with the right
professionals. Some services provided by Wedding Planners are:

Acts as a liaison between family, bridal party, the vendors, and the venue staff leading up
to and on the day of the wedding
Attends the final meeting with the Catering Manager at the venue
Coordinates with the Catering Manager on the BEOs
Develops a timeline for the entire wedding day
Confirms all vendors and coordinates timelines and details with them to ensure all
parties know what to expect on the wedding day
Conducts the rehearsal and reviews the itinerary with all family and bridal party
Sets up all wedding elements – guest books, place cards, favors, programs, table
numbers, and any other items the bride and groom want displayed
Double checks all venue set ups to make sure they coordinate with the BEOs (seating
charts, napkin folds, ceremony set up, linen colors, etc.)
Coordinates timing of ceremony and reception including grand entrances, first dances,
speeches, and cake cutting
Collects all gifts and décor, and delivers to the appropriate location at the end of the
night

Kerri advises a bride and groom about the cake cutting.

Kerri gives a push down the aisle to a young member of the wedding party.

Here is a great real situation from a recent wedding differentiating the two roles:
About 2 hours before the ceremony, I received a frantic call that the groom’s dad did not have
his tie for the wedding. He thought the hotel maids might have cleaned up the room and
thrown it away by accident! The Catering Manager has to stay on property at all times, so I sent
one of my assistants to the closest tie shop to buy a tie as close to the color of the rest of the
groomsmen. Crisis averted!

**************

Kerri started her career in event planning over 20 years ago, but found her true passion for planning when she got married in 2004. Having been a bride herself, she understands everything the bride and groom are feeling and knows how difficult it can be to handle all the details and keep everyone happy at the same time! Kerri’s easy going personality immediately puts her clients at east and her almost obsession with organization keeps them on track. Her innovative thinking and passion to help everyone she meets prompted Kerri to create The Wedding Workshop.

Must Have Wedding Photos

Posted on April 5, 2012 by Alison in From The Yentas, Planning

No doubt, you’re so excited for your wedding day and since you’re obviously reading wedding blogs like this one, you’re also organized and prepared for the big day.

Here’s another list to add to your collection: the must-have wedding photos list. The day rushes by so fast, it’s easy to forget about key images that you’ve likely dreamt up in your head during your planning process. Trust yourself that you’ve hired a fabulous photographer, but also know that your photographer has a routine set of images that he or she usually captures and it’s possible that the ones you’re thinking aren’t in his or her usual repertoire, especially if they’re uniquely specific.

Just be proactive and confirm with your photographer that you’d like to make sure you must-have photo list is in line with theirs.

Here are some snapshots you will enjoy:

Pre Ceremony

A shot of the rings! Get that bling on camera before they lose their shine!
Pour that champagne! Getting ready with the bridesmaids.
The groom getting ready with his guys. Here’s our chance to be jealous that it takes 32 seconds for men to get fancy.
A still of the wedding dress and shoes — together and separately! Because they’re both fabulous!
The groom waiting… and waiting… and waiting… to see his bride! If you’re doing a first look, photos of the groom waiting are so cute.
Girl time with the bridesmaids for formal shots.
Bride with all the guys for some groomsmen bonding.
The ceremony scene like the chuppah, guestbooks, seating arrangements, and other details.

During The Ceremony

Both the bride’s and groom’s entrances as they walk down the aisle
The guests’ reaction to seeing the beautiful bride appearing.
The rings being placed on the fingers.
Jewish traditions like the presentation of the ketubah, drinking wine from the kiddush cup, the rabbi wrapping the bride and groom a tallit, and of course, the groom stepping on the glass.
The bride and groom leaving the chuppah — such a joyous moment!

At The Reception

The whole room with set tables and different angles of centerpieces. These types of photos will help future planning brides.
The grand entrance! It’s fun to see the newlyweds enter their party!
The horah! You can almost HEAR the joy in the photos when a photographer captures a group spiraling around the bride and groom.
What’s a horah photo without the chair lifts? From all angles, you should be able to see the bride and groom up in chairs. Photographers might stand on a chair to get directly in line with their faces.
Cake cutting and any shenanigans that happen there! To smash or not to smash?

Obviously, you may have additional photos in mind that you must include, so be your own advocate and make sure you write them down. Again, most likely, your photographer already knows and has this list on the agenda as well, but it can’t hurt to check.

Don’t forget: Smile! And enjoy!! Photos of a happy couple should be your number one priority and that, my friends, is totally in your control!

Getting Through the Post Wedding Blues

Posted on April 4, 2012 by Alison in From The Yentas, Planning, Tales from the Veil

After I got married, I got sad.

The wedding was over and while I was glowing from becoming a wife to someone who I thought — and still think! — is pretty wonderful, the let down of the end to a great adventure was hovering over me. My wedding planning experience was pretty easy and really fun. All the events, the shopping, the pampering — what girly girl could complain? And the wedding itself was the best day of my life — from start to finish, it went off without a hitch (well, WE got hitched) and it remains the topic of nostalgic conversation among family and friends today.

Eight hours after our wedding, we left for Kauai and Maui for our honeymoon. You know what? Hawaii doesn’t suck. We had an amazing ten days in paradise and came home to a pile of presents to open. That wasn’t too shabby either.

But then, that last present was unwrapped. We noted the gift and the gift giver, threw away the paper, and then… well, then what? Our wedding was really, seriously, totally, officially over. No more fiance. No more bride and groom. Our vendors had already forgotten about us and had worked other weddings and were onto planning the next ones. We were history. Friedmans, who?

Some of you may suffer from the Post Wedding Blues, but I’m living proof today that you get over it. Here are some ideas for helping you reenter society as a married woman and recover from your amazing day and subsequent blues:

Do something drastic to your hair. No really, it sounds so rebellious and living-on-the-edge (HARDCORE, MAN!), but most likely, you’ve been growing out your hair or maintaining its color specifically for the wedding. Here’s your chance to redefine yourself, physically speaking. Go a darker shade or cut it short. Get bangs. Treat yourself to weekly blowouts. Whatever you decide, know that it’s okay to start over with your best hair forward.
Join a temple. Not only will it make your bubbie plotz, but you’ll likely meet other young married or almost-married couples who are looking to continue their journey that started under the chuppah together. Most congregations have havurah matchmaking where you can link up with others with similar ages and interests. It could also be a way to shop for married friends. Don’t lie. You know you’ve “joked” about that before.
Date night, date night, date night. Can’t express how important this is! Okay, so remember how much you planned and looked forward to your wedding? You should enjoy the same anticipation with your new [girl squeal!] husband for a date night! It doesn’t always have to be elaborate. You can have pizza-and-PJs date night, but as long as it’s special time together that’s all about you, that’s all that matters. No distractions. Just you two.
Enjoy girl time! Go out with your girlfriends and this time, it won’t be about you. Or your bridal shower. Or your cranky Aunt Roz who insists on bringing her new date du jour from Boca to your wedding. The conversation is not wedding-related, but devoted to you and your girlfriends. Newsflash: it’s more than likely that the past year of your wedding planning was also the topic of conversation with your girlfriends. Not that it’s a bad thing, but now it’s time to give up the throne and not make it all about you and regroup your friendship to its core.
Be a cheerleader! It’s an easy bet that you probably have other friends who are also planning their weddings. Offer advice. Be an open ear. Help them out. Here’s your chance to share your expertise and pass the torch to the next bride in line.
Travel and make new memories. Plan trips with your loved ones and experience all new adventures that aren’t about weddings! You can plan to climb Machu Picchu or enjoy a day up in wine country. There’s no amount of travel that validates the trip. But a day or two or more away will give you something new and exciting to plan.
Blog it. It’s free. It’s easy. It’s therapeutic. Start a blog about your wedding planning adventure and discuss your new life as a wife. Not only will it help you find an outlet for your blues, but blogging will also help keep your family and friends in touch with your household. Blog about vacations, new restaurants, home improvements, and, ya know, when the time comes, that double line on your pregnancy test.