Vow Renewals: once is not enough for many

As Summer approaches barbeques, pool parties are on our mind.  Summer is not only filled with fun in the sun activities, it is also heavily filled with weddings that have been planned for many months. While many will walk down the aisle together for the first time, there is also the growing trend of vow renewals. 

Why is this trend growing?  In our fast pace world, we get comfortable and take for granted those we love.  Many want to slow down and take time to remind their spouse why they are together.  A vow renewal allows you to say, we've endured and I am still committed to you.  What a better way reaffirm your committment with a ceremony; reciting the same vows you did the first time.

Many celebrity couples, even if they have been married for just a year, have started following this trend. April was a popular month for such celebrations. Artists Nick Cannon and Mariah Carey who married in 2008 in the Bahamas, renewed their vows at the Eiffel Tower in Paris in April 2012. Both wore white for the occasion and finished the ceremony with a romantic dinner. Singer LeAnn Rimes and husband Eddie Cibrian celebrated their first anniversary by renewing their vows in Cabo San Lucas in April as well, which gave a similar atmosphere to their nuptials in Malibu. Power couple Jay Z and Beyonce celebrated their fourth wedding anniversary by doing a whole new wedding at midnight on April 4. The couple even got new rings for the occasion, Jay Z got a new gold band and Beyonce is sporting a similar yellow gold band.

Here are a few quick tips before you start planning your vow renewal:

Intimate or blowout party; determine the type of renewal you want so you can set expectations with family and friends.

Make it significant - while many are opting to renew their vows after a year, a significant date or milesetone makes more sense.  Maybe it's your 25th anniversary?

Add some nostaglia - a vow renewal is the perfect time to pull out that old wedding video or photo album and share with guests.

Memorial Day 2012

Memorial Day is the unofficial start to summer which of course is a great time to celebrate and have a party.  Here are some of our favorites ideas for fabulous Memorial Day 2012!  Enjoy the weekend and remember to give thanks to the soldiers who have protected our country.



Use festive paper cones to serve potato chips or popcorn, or keep it healthy and serve a veggie medley.



Create a festive strawberry lime margarita topped with blueberries - it's the drink of the summer.

Here's are favorite skinny strawberry lime margarita recipe:

• 3 cups of fresh strawberries
• 2 oz of Clear Premium Tequila
• .5 oz Orange Liquor
• Juice of 1 Fresh Lime
• Ice

Love this simple, healthy idea for dessert - cool and refreshing.



It's the season for spring flowers, so be sure to incorporate them into your tablescape. We like the light look of this with color in the linens and decor and simple white flowers.

Add some dimension and fan your napkin


PHOTO CREDITS
Paper Cones- Sheek Shindigs 
Fruit parfait - Delightful nd Delovely
Tablescape/fan napkin - Martha Stewart

Featured Events

So excited to see Wesley and Nicole's beautiful winter wedding at the Stateroom Boston!  It was a gorgeous day with amazing images captured by Dan Doke, florals by Dana Markos and music through Murray Hill Talent.

http://beantownbride.com/content/nicole-and-wes-stateroom-boston

Top 5 2012 Bridal Trends

1. Sleeves
Historically speaking sleeves on wedding dresses were huge and puffy and altogether horrendous, but they were "In" in those days. As time went by the wedding gown went the way of halters and strapless. And then there was Kate Middleton, stunningly beautiful in this Sarah Burton gown, uniquely traditional with a modern grace.

And a whole generation was born...

                               

2. Slits - Sexy trend to show some skin, for a fun bride.

Ladies 'Dare to Bare'

3. Unusual headpieces - makes a lasting dent in the bridal industry



4. Pants! Pant Suites

5. Color! Expect more solid colors in pinks, blues, red or even black wedding gowns for the non traditional bride confident, less traditional, extreme looks



Jack & Jill Wedding Showers

We know that most wedding showers are typically thrown for the bride and to be exclusively attended by the bride's closest female friends and family, but we also realize it is 2012.  Jack & Jill wedding showers are becoming a popular trend for the modern day couple.  Here are some of our ideas for hosting a Jack & Jill showers and how to make it a little less girly and a lot more fun!

Although wedding showers and playing gimmicky games such as the notorious 'Toilet Paper Wedding Dress' often go hand in hand, we recommend saving these for another time.  Most of the men at the party will not be amused and let's face it, we don't think a lot of the ladies will miss them either.  If you simply cannot bear to host a shower without having some games we suggest creating a variation of "The Newlywed Game" filled with funny and embarrassing questions for the bride and groom to be and some of their already married or engaged friends.

As for the registry, think outside of the box for the Jack & Jill shower.  You have plenty opportunity to get classic wedding gifts at both the wedding and engagement parties, so try and have a little fun when it comes to the shower.  You could host a "Stock the Bar" themed shower where all the guests must bring a bottle of something you love or something to be used at the future couples bar, such as a martini shaker, decanter, etc.  Just imagine all the fun you will have opening the uncommon shower gifts and the fun you will have enjoying them as well.  Also, if the couple is into technology you can have a separate registry of just electronics that you may need.  While receiving any gift is enjoyable, we think a shower of all digital presents would be so amazing!

The menu and bar are often the most important components to pulling off a successful event.  We love the idea of opting for hearty appetizer choices such as sliders, truffle fries and pizzettes as opposed to tea sandwiches or dainty hors d'oeuvres.  You may also want to consider a martini tasting for your guests.  This could be a really fun way to try a multitude of cocktails you have never even heard of before.  Everything from a classic dirty martini, to one of our favorites, the Saketini, or even opt for naming one after you and your fiance!

Please comment if you have any great ideas for a Jack & Jill shower or if you have attended any that really stood out to you!

Helpful Hints

Because Pinterest has become a popular tool for brides in planning their wedding we wanted to share some other helpful websites and apps that can aid anyone in planning a big event.

WeddingWire.com is simply a MUST for all brides and grooms to be.  Not only do they offer ideas and reviews of vendors in your area but they have so many helpful gadgets that will make the planning process a lot more simple and result in a gorgeous ending.  If you are planning a wedding and do not have a WeddingWire account you definitely have to get one as soon as possible.  They have a budget calculator to help you stay on track, a seating chart app and checklist reminders, among so many other options. Also, if you are addicted to your iPhone, most of their helpful apps you are able to access from your phone; SO amazing!

If you are having trouble picking colors for your wedding look no further than The Perfect Palette.  It offers all the different possible color combinations you could want to test out and gorgeous photo examples of each.  This is such a great website because color choices is the starting point for any decor elements of a wedding and everyone wants to have the best and freshest colors as possible.

 For the bride that likes to have everything in one organized and concise place we found such a great site!  My Wedding Workbook works with you and your computer to make the wedding of your dreams become a reality.  It has countless apps that will help you stay organized and even features a wedding website section that helps keep your site looking amazing but also aid you in an online RSVP system.  Lastly, there are style board options to help you with your vision and overall design of the event!

If you want to do some exploration of the crazy world of planning a wedding more on your own then we found a site that is perfect!  Top Wedding Sites divides all the best wedding related websites into several different categories, so anything you might need can be accessed from this one site.  They have everything you could possibly want from the best bridal shows, to how to plan an amazing bachelorette party and even advice on wedding gown preservation.  This is definitely a site that should be checked out because every simple detail and question will be answered in a matter of moments!

Be sure to check out your smart phone's app store for tools you can use on the go.  We loved the "To Do Before I Do" which is a personalized wedding countdown with all the tasks that need to be done on the days leading up to your wedding.  Not only is counting down a fun activity to do beforehand, but the customized "to do" lists on each day will help so much to keep you organized!

Hope these help!  Comment below if you have already been through the planning process and know of websites that saved the day!

January Wedding

Check out Ashley O'Dell Photography's blog post on a wedding we did a few weekends ago.  Ashley does AMAZING work and captures some truly gorgeous moments.  The wedding was stunning and the bride and groom were such a perfect couple.

Thanks so much to Boutique Designs who provided stunning details and decor, 9 at Home for delicious food and impeccable service and Frost Productions for lighting that truly transformed the space and took everyone's breath away.  Waves Media was there to capture all the incredible moments on film and Night Shift was keeping the whole room dancing with their amazing tunes and of course no wedding reception is complete without Boston Photobooth! Thanks also to Butlers and Bars, Party By Design, Nuage Designs, Rentals Unlimited and Ryan Designs for making the space look perfect!

Last but not least a huge thank you to all from The Artists for Humanity: Epicenter who helped make this day go off without a hitch!  We hope to work with you all soon!

Congrats to the new couple!