C&G New York

How You Can Benefit From Hiring A Wedding Planner

2011-12-16T12:37:00.001-05:00

‘Tis the season to get engaged and for our last broadcast in 2011, Jeannie Uyanik will dish on if and why you should hire a wedding planner. What to ask, how to interview a wedding planner or a wedding planning firm and how to arrive at a decision of hiring one. If you think you need one but are not sure what they do, then listen in live at noon for our special show on Wedding Planners, a topic we claim to know a lot about! You decide! Send in your questions in advance as we will be answering them live on air.

Visit us at C&G Weddings!

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Destination Weddings: Live From Winthrop Estate

2011-12-12T07:17:00.003-05:00

Join us live on Wednesday as we go back to Lenox one more time to focus on a property that we fell in love with and think that everyone needs to hear about! Jamie Berg, proprietor of Winthrop Estate in Lenox, MA will be on with us to tell us about her exquisite renovations of the gilded age mansion where we stayed a few days in November, weddings and events at the property and how you too can plan a retreat to one of the most peaceful and yet vibrant locations in the north east. We already know that Lenox is a mecca for art, culture, theatre and old world charm and now we will hear about how you can surround yourself in history while making your own.

Visit us at C&G Weddings!

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Bridal Trousseau Series Wrap Up

2011-12-01T08:22:00.003-05:00

Join us at noon on Wednesday as we wrap up our Bridal Trousseau series the same way in which we started, with special guest Julie Sabatino who will opine on all the wonderful guests we heard from and summarize everything that you need to know before you go on your bridal shopping spree.

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Bridal Trousseau Series With Special Guest Mark Ingram Atelier

2011-11-25T10:08:00.001-05:00

Join us live on Wednesday at noon as we feature special guest Mark Ingram owner of Mark Ingram Bridal Atelier. An ingrained trendsetter on the bridal fashion scene and a seasoned professional in the luxury wholesale market, Mark’s preeminence in this industry was solidified even before he opened his own company doors in 2002. A real New Yorker through and through, Mark’s eye for fashion, charming personality and ability to not only predict the trends before they happen but to also direct them makes him the perfect person for us to hear from during our Bridal Trousseau Series. This is not one to miss if you are about to embark on creating your own wedding style.

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Bridal Trousseau Series With 57 Grand

2011-11-17T08:59:00.003-05:00

Join us live at noon on Wednesday for our continuing Bridal Trousseau Series, as finance meets fashion in the form of 57 Grand. Originating with bridesmaids dresses under $200 and now designing bridal gowns and accessories, 57 Grand has always made itself the destination for smart, sharp and sexy women, at a price that was equally impressive. Now they tell us their secrets, their trends and their predictions for 2012 and beyond. We’ll be live with co-founder and owner Saukok Chu Tiampo to learn what happens when a number cruncher and a great designer set up shop.

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C&G Weddings Live From Lenox, Massachusetts

2011-11-10T08:12:00.002-05:00

Join us at noon on Wednesday as we broadcast live from Lenox Massachusetts! One of the premiere destinations in the US for everything from intimate family vacations and couples' get aways to blow out weddings and corporate retreats, Lenox has something for everyone and we are doing a whirlwind tour starting Monday, November 7th and taking notes to share with you on the 9th. Don't miss this show if you need a place to get away for a weekend with the girls, or if you are looking for an expansive venue to hold 200 of your nearest and dearest.

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Bridal Trousseau Series With Special Guest Cristina DeMarco

2011-11-03T09:28:00.003-04:00

Join us at noon as we continue with our Bridal Trousseau series with special guest Cristina DeMarco, Vice President of the esteemed bridal salon, Bridal Reflections. Catering to both a suburban (its first store was in Long Island 38 years ago) and urban (they now have a large boutique on 5^th avenue in Manhattan) market, Cristina will walk us through trends in the industry, who is buying what and what she sees as the next big thing. We’ll talk gowns, dresses, shoes and accessories so don’t miss this one if you just got engaged!

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The Wedding Jeannie by C&G

2011-10-24T20:14:00.001-04:00

Insights into how to plan each segment of your wedding; what works, what does not, ranging from picking a venue to day of gratuities. Be efficient have fun!

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The Fall Videography Series Review Show

2011-10-24T20:13:00.001-04:00

Join us as we wrap our Fall Videography Series with a summary of each interview over the past 5 weeks, Jeannie Uyanik’s impassioned plea on the new way in which to approach considering video and a few do’s and must’s to get you through the process.

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Fall Videography Series With Special Guest Adam Forgione

2011-10-12T17:48:00.001-04:00

Join us as we continue our fall video series with world renowned filmmaker and educator Adam Forgione of Pennylane Productions. Adam is the recipient of numerous awards in filmmaking and has traveled the world educating other filmmakers and speaking about his craft. Adam has made it his goal to raise the industry standard on what wedding films should be. We look forward to hearing more about his perspective on the wedding industry and where he sees things going.

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Fall Videography Series With Special Guest James Blankenfeld

2011-10-10T09:09:00.001-04:00

The Fall Videography Series continues as C&G's Jeannie Uyanik interviews James Blankenfeld, who before starting his own wedding videography business shot familiar series such as the Apprentice, Project Runway, HGTV's Design Star and My Fair Wedding. A newcomer on the scene whose industry experience and transition to wedding video will be an interesting perspective yet to have been covered in our continuing Fall Videography Series.

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Fall Videography Series With Stillmotion Pictures

2011-09-29T09:44:00.001-04:00

Please join us as we continue our discussion on videography in this weeks radio show. We are joined by Raymond Tsang and Justin DeMers from Stillmotion Pictures, one of the true innovators in cinematic wedding video. We will discuss how they got started, how their style developed and what really goes into putting together a wedding video that is truly cutting edge.

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Fall Video Series With Special Guest Zev Greenfield

2011-09-21T21:24:00.000-04:00

Join us for our latest show featuring Zev Greenfield, Milk & Honey Productions, co-founder and president. One of the leaders in event coverage on the East Coast, and a native New Yorker, who has been in the industry for a lifetime. We will ask him how, as one of the leading video companies in the United States, he views the industry and its future and what and what he thinks is most important for all you to know when picking a videographer.

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Fall Video Series With Special Guest Spencer Lum

2011-09-15T21:43:00.001-04:00

Join us in the first interview of our Fall Video Series with special guest Spencer Lum, founder of 5 West Studios who graced us with his ideas on photography during the Summer Photography Series and who actually started his company with video and transitioned to photo. We will talk about how the industry seems to be moving in the reverse direction and what that means. We will also discuss what he thinks the most important elements of video for an event are and how he offers that to clients.

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The Fall Video Series Begins!

2011-09-15T21:41:00.001-04:00

We started our Fall Video Series; a six week exploration of what having a video at an event means, who you hire, how you choose a videographer and why you should have one no matter what you thought before.

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Summer Photography Series Wrap Up

2011-08-27T09:13:00.001-04:00

Join us for the wrap up of our Summer Photography Series. In this episode, we summarize the salient points of each show and focus on the most important things to remember and take with you as you consider photography for your own event.

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Wedding Photography With Special Guest Ashley Poisella

2011-08-17T20:05:00.001-04:00

Listen to the first female photography interview of our summer series! Ashley Poisella, of Ashley Therese Photography, represents multiple unique perspectives that we have yet to cover on the show including the perspective of a woman in the industry. And though she might be less "seasoned" than some of our other guests, she is still so talented even at this early point in her flourishing career. And of course, we talk about her boudoir sessions.... you don't want to miss this one!

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Wedding Photography With Special Guest Todd France

2011-08-12T17:42:00.000-04:00

We continue our summer photography series with guest host C&G Director of Events Krista Njapa and special guest photographer Todd France. Todd started his career as a photojournalist, photographing celebrities such as Jay-Z, Britney Spears, Diane Von Furstenberg, Kirsten Dunst, Wyclef Jean and Beyonce. His passion for strong narratives coupled with his experience made the transition into event photography a natural one. Todd will talk with us about his varied experience and how it has shaped him as a wedding photographer.

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Wedding Photographer Barnaby Draper

2011-08-04T09:11:00.000-04:00

Join us as guest host, C&G Director of Events Krista Njapa, talks with bicostal photographer Barnaby Draper. Barnaby has shot weddings, events, and celebrities all over the world. From his west coast office Barnaby will share his insights on the major differences between east and west coast weddings and what being a bicoastal has been like for him and his studio.

Click below to listen to our show with Barnaby Draper!

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The Wedding Jeannie by C&G

2011-07-31T15:38:00.000-04:00

Insights into how to plan each segment of your wedding; what works, what does not, ranging from picking a venue to day of gratuities. Be efficient and have fun.

Listen to internet radio with WeddingPlanning on Blog Talk Radio

Wedding Photography With Special Guest Spencer Lum

2011-07-27T19:59:00.000-04:00

As our Summer Photography Series continues, the gracious and extra ordinarily talented Spencer Lum joins us to talk about what he thinks is "Wedding Photography", but little does he know that we want to know his secret.

The C&G Wedding Planners have noticed his work keeps getting better and we want to know what's going on. Tune in as we understand his method and lack of madness and also decipher what this gentle artist thinks makes a supreme wedding photographer.

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Wedding Photography With Special Guest Olivier Lalin

2011-07-24T16:20:00.000-04:00

Listen to our latest episode with special guest Olivier Lalin. The famed French photographer who lived in New York City for years and continues to shoot in the United States will impart to us the differences between photography stateside and in Europe for weddings!

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Wedding Photography With Special Guest Brian Dorsey

2011-07-13T21:06:00.000-04:00

Tune in to our latest show to hear C&G's Jeannie Uyanik dish photography with one of NYC's most celebrated photographers, Brian Dorsey of Brian Dorsey Studios-www.briandorseystudios.com Listen in as they discuss the magnificence of his work, what he does differently and what he thinks is important for a wedding photographer to do in order to be the best.

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Wedding Photography Guest Chuck Fishman

2011-07-07T07:48:00.000-04:00

The summer photography series with a live interview of the award winning photographer Chuck Fishman – www.chuckfishmanweddings.com We will explore the evolution of wedding photography over the past the 3 decades and ask him to explain how he approaches them now. His pictures have been published worldwide, and have earned him the prestigious World Press Photo Foundation Medal four times. Chuck's work is included in the collections of the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, the United Nations, leading museums and universities, as well as held in private and corporate collections.

Listen to our June 30th episode!

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2009-05-15T17:03:00.001-04:00

Destination Weddings Part II

2009-05-15T14:14:00.000-04:00

Do you have a specific location in mind, or are you willing to get married anywhere? Many couples will simply pick a destination randomly. This is tough because it’s hard to fall in love with a place on demand and through intensive research on-line. We always recommend that if a destination wedding is a must, choose a location that is genuinely meaningful to you and your fiance. This will have a great impact on how guests feel about traveling there, about how you feel going there to prepare in advance of the wedding and of course, how the entire event takes shape. It’s important to pick a destination wisely though especially since many couples assume that island weddings or international weddings will definitely be cheaper. That is certainly not the case. With a currently weak dollar, the hope to stretch the budget is often just that. Often, even when services and goods are cheaper, so many things are more nebulous than when dealing in your own home town; in turn you have to take more expensive routes to ensure that details are being executed flawlessly. For instance, while you might not get married at the Four Seasons in New York City, given that it’s cheaper on a small island, you would and should consider a 5-star resort facility in order to guarantee quality. What that translates to is that you will not necessarily have paid 5-star prices in the destination location, but it does not mean that you have saved money relative to doing it at home. Often couples will pick a destination because of a specific resort or hotel (i.e. the Four Seasons in Costa Rica or the Ritz Carlton in Cancun). Having your wedding or event at a hotel when doing destination planning is useful for everyone. It removes the need and cost for transportation and eliminates an extra layer of complications.

Destination Weddings: Part I

2009-04-28T11:33:00.001-04:00

With summer right around the corner, we thought we'd weigh in on the ever popular Destination Wedding. Clearly, there are a few good reasons to do destination weddings, and as couples embark on a discussion of if they should or should not, consider the following:

1. Is your aim to limit the budget or the guest list?
We find that most couples who begin to plan destination weddings do so because they are either trying to save money and figure that a far away wedding, will not only limit the budget, but also inevitably the guest list. Neither is necessarily true. Many of our clients are shocked when they
realize how much more a destination wedding can cost. And since most would have in theory preferred a big city locale, they are often pleasantly surprised to find that their dollars will go a lot farther at home. Why? Simply because there are so many additional costs that you have to
cover when getting married farther away.

i) You will usually have to foot the bill for at LEAST one trip to the destination of choice before the wedding. Our experience shows that it will probably be two or three to make sure that everything is in place and in order. This will require hotels, flights, transportation and food. This
adds up pretty quickly, particularly if you have chosen a destination that is also popular for the rest of the world.

ii) Hotel accommodations for guests when you are planning a destination wedding become a lot more important for the bride and groom to arrange for obvious reasons. Many couples will choose to subsidize the room rate for the hotels, or they will feel obligated to if they have chosen a destination and time of year that is particularly costly. This is something that many couples
struggle with, but we find that since the hotel rates are usually the biggest reason that guests are not able to come, the majority of couples tend to subsidize rates.

iii) Events as a whole for the time that guests are with you for your wedding become more important. If you are doing a wedding in a city with which everyone is fairly familiar or lives, its less important to ensure that a) all guests are invited to the rehearsal dinner, or that there is
a farewell brunch b) all guests feel that they are able to see the location, or be given a tour of some sort to get to know it and c) feel that they are participating in more of a “wedding weekend” rather than a 1 day event – especially if costly or lengthy travel is involved.

iv) Welcome baskets are a must. When you invite every single guest to travel for your wedding, the least that you can do is give them a small token of your appreciation upon arrival – clearly, this is a lovely gesture for any wedding, but it’s an absolute necessity for a destination wedding. Not doing so would be an egregious breach of etiquette and not spending the time or even money to make it something special or meaningful would be even worse!

v) Don’t ever expect that your guest attendance list will be lighter just because the wedding is farther. The attrition rates for destination weddings tends to be in line with those close to home mainly because travel for weddings is so common place now a days and also because people use destination weddings as an excuse to get away or go see a location to which they have not been
before. The higher than expected rate of return always shocks destination wedding couples; both emotion and purse alike. Many expect that the decrease in guest count will reduce the costs, but when the guests send the excited responses, the dollars go up!

image by King Street Studios

Our Final Green Thought.....for now: Offsetting your footprint

2009-04-21T13:15:00.000-04:00

Another unique thing couples are doing is discovering what their carbon footprint is in terms of their wedding. Once they know what that value is, they can then reduce those emissions (via ideas mentioned below) or offset it by contributing to organizations such as www.carbonfund.org.
The website has a great calculator that brides and grooms can use to calculate their exact footprint. http://www.carbonfund.org/site/pages/individuals/category/Weddings/
This is a great source for serious “green” couples even beyond the wedding! Once you’ve calculated your “footprint” and made your damage control donation, consider using that donation as your wedding favor. In general, cheesy favors are out. People either don’t remember to take them or simply throw them away. So if you’re donating to an earth friendly fund anyway- optimize your investment and skip out on the wasteful favor. Often, we recommend that couples print a line on the bottom of their menu cards mentioning the donation. This way no extra paper is used and people can celebrate your future and the future of the earth!

Going green often just makes good economical sense. Cutting back on “stuff” often translates into cutting back on cost. And although it’s super tempting to go overboard with all the bells and whistles, try to consider what will be thrown away verses what can be reused. Leave your mark by making great memories not by leaving behind a bunch of trash!

A thoughtful menu...more Going Green ideas

2009-04-13T11:15:00.000-04:00

Menu is always important at a wedding. Many couples have chosen to go vegetarian or organic for their catering to help ease the huge carbon footprint of an event. It turns out that non-local, non-organic food is one of the three largest consumer related causes of environmental damage. The easiest way to combat this is to eat less meat, choose organic foods, and promote sustainable fishing. Research organic caterers, and keep in mind, even caterers who don't advertise their businesses as "organic" can agree to purchase organic ingredients for your wedding now that organic food is available all over the country. One of our favorite organic caterers in NYC is Cleaver Company. Their cuisine is healthy yet delicious (which at the end of the day is super important!) and they were doing this before it became the "it" thing to do- so they are real pioneers. www.cleaverco.com

Going Green Part III- Our Favorite NYC transportation!

2009-04-06T14:00:00.000-04:00

Transportation is a necessary evil if you are getting married in one location and having your reception in another. If at all possible, have both parts in one venue or at least in two venues that are walking distance from one another. With this format, your guests are getting a nice walking tour of the area and you’re saving the earth and money! Another great idea of eco-wedding day travel is using Pedi-cabs. If you’ve ever been to NYC, you’ve probably seen them on every corner. It makes for a great wedding photo and it’s tons of fun! For a small wedding in 2006, we arranged for all of the guests to be driven via Pedi-cab from ceremony location to the reception. It was a huge hit and a lot more creative than having 75 guests trying to find cabs all at once! (picture by Raquel Reis)

Going Green Part II- Living Arrangements

2009-03-31T15:50:00.000-04:00

Fresh flowers, nine times out of ten, are found in the arrangements during the reception. But one thing to consider is that these flowers are indeed going to die and be thrown away. I predict in the next several years we will see a lot of the following: Living Arrangements. Living arrangements use plants that have not been cut down or pulled from their life source. Couples can choose their favorite flowering tree (depending on season) or use potted plants/orchids that guests can take home with them at the end of the night. Another great idea is to donate the trees after the wedding to your local park conservancy. This way your wedding décor becomes a permanent fixture in your community. What a great way to honor your vows and to continue the circle of life!

Going Green- Part One

2009-03-24T13:03:00.000-04:00

Over the next few posts, we're going to share some easy ways to go green. We're fans of the earth- but also of being realistic when it comes to greening up your wedding day! (we won't be suggesting you send e-vites)

Let’s start with your stationery. Let’s face it, many people take one look at your invitation and then throw it in the trash. And while I previously suggested that I’m not a fan of the e-vite, I do think there are ways to cut down on excessive paper use. One of the easiest things you can do is
double sided printing. If you plan on including hotel information on your save the date, print it on the back side. This gives your guest one less piece of paper to keep up with and one less thing to trash. Another thing you can do is use a printer that uses recycled card stock. Many printers have a multitude of recycled stocks and usually don’t charge a premium for using them. Our couples are often on the fence about doing a program. Although the ceremony is the most important part of the day, it’s not a terrible idea to forgo the program and just have your guests pay their full attention to the ceremony without trying to read ahead! Little things like these can add up quickly. And not only will they make you look eco-savvy, you’ll be saving some money!

A Few FAQ's

2009-03-11T17:17:00.000-04:00

Do we have to have a bridal party? Can we really have an uneven number of bridesmaids and
groomsmen? Would it be possible for my best friend Joanne to officiate the wedding? Should the ceremony start on time? Does my father have to walk me down the aisle alone? Is a receiving line mandatory? These are just a handful of commonly asked questions that we often get relating to the ceremony and the do’s and don’ts that often accompany its planning. All are very straight forward and none of the answers rocket science, but sometimes it’s nice to have concrete responses from a professional. The most important part of the entire day relates to the exchange of vows and the ceremony itself. So as you plan your nuptials, make sure that the set-up that you have for the ceremony, religious or not, is one with which you feel comfortable. The questions that are most often addressed immediately about a ceremony relate not at all to the questions of marriage and how to ensure that you really are man and wife at the end of your ceremony. The first questions surround the tricky business of anointing those closest to you part of the bridal party. Depending on the ages of the couple (for those under 27) this is the most intense and exciting part of planning the wedding. Who gets to be my maid of honor; who will be
upset if they are not labeled a bridesmaid; how do I tell Marsha she is not in my wedding? All valid questions; here is how to break it down. Especially for women in their 30’s, bridal parties have gone the way of poofy sleeves; out the window. Your wedding party should be those nearest and dearest to you. If the bride only has three friends that she adores and the groom 10, while it might look slightly askew to have 10 groomsmen and 3 bridesmaids, that’s certainly not a reason to add to or cut from either side. The bridal party is not a fashion statement and it’s
not a décor piece (although once in place, they certainly can be used as such). It’s a way to surround yourself with those whom you trust and love the most and make them part of the inner circle on your wedding day. It’s not a time to repay friends for letting you be in their wedding party. Just because someone asked you to be her Maid of Honor does not mean that you have to reciprocate. If the feeling is not genuine behind the action, don’t take it. If you have two future sister in laws, but you only want one in the bridal party (and there is no good excuse – i.e. the second is 40 years older) as to why one would be excluded, for the sake of family harmony, consider giving each other roles to avoid hurt feelings. It’s all common sense, but we will often have clients look at us with genuine confusion and ask “what do the books say”. The bottom line of creating your bridal party and your recessional/processional (respectively who goes down the aisle when and how they all leave the ceremony area) is that you feel good about the outcome. If you have a situation where you want to bend tradition (i.e. who gives the bride
away) just be careful as to how you approach the situation, but make a decision that best suits you. These are decisions that you are going to have as memories for the rest of your life and at the end of the day, the people who make up your bridal party (anyone who is part of the
processional is how this is categorically described) should be those you love the most. Usually once the question of who gets to wear the dress and the rented tuxes are answered, everything else is a bit more straightforward. Generally, for religious ceremonies, couples often choose an Officiant that represents their faith and often, whom is already known to the family. If you want a religious ceremony, but no such person is known to you, or if you are getting married far from home, finding a religious Officiant is very easy; there is someone for every faith that can be
brought in for the ceremony. After Joey on NBC’s hit show “Friends” officiated Monica and Chandler’s wedding, we saw a huge up-tick in couples wanting friends to marry them. While this is a lovely sentiment and the internet has provided quick ways for regular people to be ordained, you must make sure that the chosen friend can eloquently administer your vows. And, if you
choose a friend, make sure that he or sure can project well and speaks easily in front of crowds. This like marriage is not something to be entered into lightly. Determining if you are having an on-site or off site ceremony is one of the first questions that should be answered as this will automatically set the stage for the rest of the day. Timing for a ceremony depends greatly
on the venue; many catering location and churches will not allow a“fake” invitation time, whereas all Jewish weddings mandate a ½ an hour earlier invitation to allow for the Ketubah signing. Make sure that your venue or house of worship is aware of the invitation timing; don’t
just assume that they will be ok with whatever time you choose. Receiving lines are not common anymore, but still done occasionally. Please allow at least 10 minutes for every 100 guests when calculating the timeline; not everyone just walks by with a kiss. We often advise that greeting guests during the cocktail hour or the reception is more enjoyable for the couple and attendees. But for more traditional ceremonies, a receiving line can be a gracious way to welcome and
thank everyone more formally.

Dress resources you may not be considering!

2009-03-06T13:00:00.000-05:00

With the economy in the gutter, brides are often fighting an emotional battle with their wedding planning. Even if you can afford certain things- it's now seen as bad taste to go overboard in any one area. So with this in mind, we wanted to share some dresses that will have you looking like a million bucks but will keep you from serving only cheese and crackers at the reception.

Check out www.nordstrom.com. Their Wedding Shop has a slew of cute dresses that are a fraction of what the boutiques charge. And you can easily order and return them if the dress doesn't fit. I thought these two were lots of fun and at under $500- you can get a pair of fantastic shoes that you can wear forever.

Hold that thought........on the dress that is....

2009-03-02T12:50:00.000-05:00

The most popular thing for brides to do before guest list, budget or venue search – is hunt for a dress. And while we don’t mean to minimize the importance of this – it can wait. In a perfect world, it’s always best to give a store or dress maker 8 months advance notice in ordering or
purchasing a wedding gown. But, if you do that at the expense of weighing all the other details, it can decrease the joy of finding the perfect dress (especially if you can’t afford it OR if it does not end up fitting the venue/time of year that you select during the location process). Hold off on buying the dress until you are sure of the larger pictures – specifically the financials of the entire event, how many people are coming and where it will be happening. We often see couples that are thinking of holding an event in a ballroom and then fall in love with a vineyard instead. The dresses for these two occasions might be the same, but wouldn’t it be great to make that decision knowing all the details?

Photo by King Street Studios

How Many Guests?

2009-02-25T11:45:00.000-05:00

How many guests? That’s the second question you have to answer in planning anything. And of course there is a differential between how many are invited and how many will actually come. We generally assume that there will be a 20-25% attrition rate from the guest list as a whole. For holiday weekends, that number will run between 30-35%. If you have a number of out of town guests and you are planning for a Sunday wedding on a non-holiday weekend, we expect attrition around the same as that for holiday weekends. Determining your actual attendance number is key for two reasons; budget and minimum guarantees. Imagine that you have an initial guest list of 200 people. We assume that roughly 160 will actually attend. From a budgeting perspective, there is large gap between costs for 200 versus for 160. Many couples
find that they cannot afford a particular wedding or venue for 200 guests, but that they can afford it for 160. It’s important that this be determined early on. There are of course certain fixed costs that wont change, regardless of the guest list (music, hair/makeup, dress, and videography) but all others from invitations to favors, will be recalculated down if the
guest list is lower.

Some photographer for instance will shoot 150 guests alone and feel comfortable that they will be able to cover the whole event. Others will have a second shooter present if there are 200 guests and or if you want photographs of each table. And of course, the per-person costs vary
widely with or without 40 extra people. Remember that in addition to the dollar amount for each guest at a venue, you also have to calculate almost 30% extra to incorporate the costs of tax (depending where you are about 8%) and service (usually anywhere from 18% to 22%). Even
your flowers will be slightly lower if you have 40 less guests – assume that you are seating 10 guests at a table and all of a sudden you need 4 less tables. Calculations per table can add up quickly if each arrangement is going to be around $200 (this is a VERY rough figure)
then you can save almost $1000 if 40 less guests are coming. In terms of your minimum numbers when you lock in a venue, pricing is often set based on how many people you expect to attend. If you lock in at 200 and sign a contract before you make your guest list and then
realize that the list is lower – I guarantee that no venue is going to be sympathetic. And as suggested above, the costs for that are pretty high. Do you really want 40 people there that you had not planned on inviting just because you locked in at that rate? The answer across the
board is always no.

Once you have your guest list set you can begin looking for the perfect location. And please note that by “set” we mean lists that are in WRITING and that include all guests from both families as well as the couples’ own list. We could write a lengthy chapter on how guest list calculation without family lists and not in writing have been as bad as not doing a list at all. Finding the venue before any other vendor is important for the process for a host of reasons. The venue sets the tone of the wedding – whether you choose it because of outdoor space, high ceilings, capacity or food. Additionally, venues do tend to get booked farther in advance than all other event related services, so checking that off the to do list is huge. Finally, the reception or party portion of your budget is always the largest and once that is confirmed, you can go start backing out all the other pieces of your wedding or event more easily from a financial prospective.

Love was in the air.....let the planning season begin!

2009-02-19T13:25:00.000-05:00

After the holidays and Valentine's Day, our phones always start to ring with brides calling to say they are engaged and don't know where to start! So for the next few posts we're going to share some tips on how to start the planning process including answers to many of those questions brides initially have. But before you do dive into planning- take some time to enjoy being a bride! Being engaged is a great part of the journey; soak it up before you take those first steps down the aisle!

How much do you have to spend? Simple enough in theory, but there are many issues at play in setting a budget. The first is usually what the disposable cash is for an event. We often see the primary constraint is simply what people have in the bank. If that’s the issue, then make sure you speak with all related parties BEFORE setting a final budget – that includes parents and anyone else who might be contributing. It’s very common to not want to have such a candid conversation early in any planning process, but since it can materially affect the entire event, it’s an important one to have upfront. More than likely, the people you're going to speak to have already put some thought into it as well, so relax knowing that you aren't going to appear like you're coming from left field!

Valentine's Day Means Chocolate

2009-02-10T14:54:00.000-05:00

Love is in the air- so we thought we'd pay homage to our favorite three chocolate boutiques here in Manhattan!

1. Chocolate Bar: www.chocolatebarnyc.com
Check out their spicy hot chocolate for an awesome twist on a usually normal chocolate experience.

2. Jaques Torres: www.mrchocolate.com
Their chocolate covered Cheerios are a great nostalgic gift. Or try their Champagne Kisses for your next romantic gift purchase.

3. Pure Dark: www.puredark.com
If you're into DARK and I mean dark chocolate, this is the place for you. They don't sell milk chocolate- so don't even think about it.

The Busy Bride Postcard

2009-02-02T09:47:00.000-05:00

One of the most fun things about getting married is getting to register! Picking out coffee pots, China, measuring cups and cutting boards can be so much fun....UNTIL you're surrounded in boxes and it's time to write 200 thank you notes. This became a real issue with many of our brides- so we put our heads together and came up with a fun solution- The Busy Bride Postcard. These postcards will A) save you time (postcards are small...so letters have to be short) B) save you money (postcard postage is only $0.27) and C) save Mother Earth (no envelope!). So don't get overwhelmed at the task at hand- grab a BBPC and get to work! www.candgny.com

Still Live™’ by Brian Dorsey

2009-01-25T11:54:00.000-05:00

One of the most fantastic NY photographers, Brian Dorsey introduced us to one of our favorite new ideas in interactive photography. At a July 3^rd wedding at Pier Sixty in NYC, the photographer set up a live digital gallery of the photos for guests to see practically as they were taken. It started with the moments before the ceremony that every guest doesn’t get to see and as the night progressed, the digital library got updated to include the ceremony and reception. Guests could literally cut a rug on the dance floor and then moments later see themselves on screen as a part of this amazing rotating digital gallery on a large flat screen monitor. Talk about instant gratification! Check out Brian’s work at www.briandorseystudios.com

Splash of Color!

2009-01-21T16:52:00.000-05:00

Over the last several years, we've seen a fantastic trend popping up on the feet of many of our brides. The days of the boring white satin pump is long gone as brides are starting to use their feet as another vehicle to reinforce their wedding colors. Champagne, ivory and eggshell are being replaced with beautiful shades of pink, purple and blue. We're huge fans of how subtlety this pop of color makes it's entrance into the room as it peeks out from under the wedding gown. Here are three of our favorites! The purple pair belongs to Melissa. (photo by Todd France). She used deep purple calla lilies in her arrangements and on her stationery. The pink pair belongs to Dani, a bride that filled Pier Sixty in Manhattan with bright pink and orange. (photo by Brian Dorsey) And the navy pair belongs to Agnes, a bride that hosted a sophisticated event at NYC's Harmonie Club. (Photo by LCD photography) So while many brides are still sticking to the traditional white and ivory gowns, don't be afraid to show some color in the form of a fabulous shoe! Need to justify the cost? Remember that you'll more than likely wear a colorful shoe after the wedding than just a basic white one. I would pair any of these with a pair of blue jeans for a night on the town!

Bridal Gowns through the Generations

2009-01-16T16:19:00.000-05:00

A fantastic and extremely creative Floridian bride dreamed of wearing her grandmother’s dress as she walked down the aisle in her May 2008 wedding. But when grandma told her she could not make any changes to the dress (and wearing it “as is” was not an option), she immediately had to come up with plan B. And in this case, Plan B turned out to be even more incredible as Plan A! She had a rare and unique situation where both her and her fiancé’s mother and grandmothers still had their wedding gowns. So as a tribute to them and their beautiful dresses, she displayed them on manikins at the reception venue. Not only did it give a peek into the family’s heritage, it offered a beautiful addition to the room’s décor. (And grandma didn't have to watch her gown get cut into a million pieces)

Southern Gospel

2009-01-15T09:58:00.000-05:00

Last fall, we had a bride that wanted something unique and upbeat for her ceremony music. When trying to come up with a fun way to start her ceremony, we used a childhood story about the Pied Piper as inspiration for how to get her guests from the pre-ceremony cocktails out to the beach for the ceremony. But instead of a flute playing peasant, we hired an amazing gospel choir to arrive at the venue on foot. They approached the house in full song and led guests out onto the beach in a parade of clapping and excitement. When it was time for the bride to process, they started singing one of her favorite childhood songs, “This Little Light of Mine.” The bride wanted to avoid weepy classical music and to keep the ceremony as celebratory as possible. Mission accomplished!

Melangerie Inc.

2009-01-14T13:26:00.000-05:00

This past summer we worked with an amazing....and dare I say best welcome bag company in NYC. Our bride was a medical resident in psychiatry with a super creative side that enjoyed everything in wedding design. When we first started conversations about welcome bags, Tara didn’t get excited about traditional paper totes or boxes filled with the obvious things like water and NYC maps at all. So I went on a crusade to track down NYC’s most creative duo and found Julie Tinker and Elana Dweck- the owners of Melangerie. They specialize in custom gifting and the creation of what they call, “mélanges.” For Tara and Greg, they created a custom NYC guide outlining the couple’s favorite spots, what they normally order, where their first date was, site of the proposal, etc and used the artwork from their Save the Date to reinforce their art deco feel and enhance consistency. Check out their site for more creative ideas: http://www.melangerienyc.com

Favorite Things: Nettleton Hollow

2009-01-12T14:38:00.000-05:00

We all know being good to the environment while still planning amazing events is a constant struggle in the industry and especially for our “green” clients. For their outdoor engagement party, our couple Liza and Rob wanted to create a natural and elegant feel without using a ton of fresh flowers that would die soon after being cut. After doing some research, I came across the site www.nettletonhollow.com. Nettleton Hollow has a beautiful array of lasting botanicals, grasses, foliage, and branches. And considering you can reuse all of their materials, their price points are extremely fair. The couple ended up using clusters of the coral bush branches which created a beach-like feel without it looking kitschy and overdone.