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!

October Wedding

In late October at the fabulous Four Seasons Ballroom in Boston we were part of a gorgeous wedding.  Although it was a gray New England afternoon the ceremony and following reception were anything but dreary.  The bride sparkled in a gorgeous ivory beaded Monique Lhullier gown while her bridesmaids looked classic in draping black dresses accented with pashmina scarves in vibrant autumnal tones.  The guests arrived to the ballroom and were ushered into a crisp white enclave complete with white draping orchids over the chuppa and beautiful harp music played by Felice Pomerance from Gilded Harps of Boston.  The first to walk down the aisle were the couple's three nieces who were by far the best dressed of the night in adorable white and black polka dot dresses.   After the beautiful ceremony the guests moved to Au Jour'Dui for a cocktail hour with a full sushi bar, gourmet sliders and delectable shrimp cocktail to nibble on.

A mere hour following the ceremony the guests returned to the ballroom but were astonished at the transformation of the space.  Everything from the color scheme to the lighting were changed.  The centerpieces designed by Winston Flowers were in deep purple hues that mimicked the bridesmaids bouquets and was a wonderful contrast to the classic white of the ceremony.  The cake by I Dream of Jeanne Cakes looked delicious and combined the two color schemes of the day.  It was perfectly frosted in white with silver accents that looked marvelous in the setting.  SOHO band of Boston kept the crowd dancing with classic hits as well as recent top 40 songs so that all who attended enjoyed themselves, we love weddings where everyone dances!  And in case the incredible band was not enough, Boston Photobooth provided guests with a nostalgic and fun photo session in the foyer.  The party continued into the wee hours of the night thanks to Kyle of Northern Lights who spun all the best songs in the Governors room.

As always the Four Seasons staff was unbelievable and Naomi Raiselle of GENERATIONS Cinema Stories  as well as Heather Waraska Photography were there to capture stunning video and images of the event.  Of course the decor, design and location were phenomenal, but what made this wedding so special was the love between the bride and groom and the two families that officially become one that night!

Mazel Tov to the bride and groom!

Wedding Dilemma: Super Bowl

We all know it can take several months, or even years to plan your perfect dream wedding.  Just imagine you spend all this time to make your day incredible only to find out it conflicts with the antithesis of all things chic and elegant: The Super Bowl.  Even worse, your team is playing.  This is the dilemma facing many couples in New England.

Do you embrace it or try to ignore it all together? 
Many brides would say no to the flat screen being brought into the reception and we agree.  It's your night to shine.  However, the truth is the Super Bowl is one of the biggest sports events of the year and people will want to keep up on scores and plays.  Not to mention the commercials and half time show. 

Even if you're not a football fan, we say go with it.  Why not hand out small football radios for guests to keep up on the score.  Have the band announce the score and highlights periodically - trust us guests are going to be asking anyway. 

As an ultimate take away, work with someone to tape the entire game and download to a USB with your logo for guests to take home.  Not only will they be able to watch the game, but they'll remember the amazing wedding.

Is the thought of sharing your wedding day with the super bowl your worst nightmare?  The simple
solution is to not book any Sunday in February.  Problem solved.

Super Bowl XLVI Party Ideas

Now that our favorite team, the New England Patriots, will be playing in this year's Super Bowl we could not be more excited to plan a party for it.  Here are some ideas that we think will make your event as amazing as possible, even if your team doesn't take home the top prize.

Don't go crazy with beverage options.  As we all know drinking beer while watching football is one of the oldest traditions and oftentimes it is best not to change an old tradition.  We do have a few suggestions on how to elaborate on this.  Having a wide selection of different brews is definitely a good idea, people love to have many options and try all different kinda throughout the game.  Also, Tarritos are a fun and innovative way for you to enjoy your favorite game day beverage.  A Tarrito is a beer lollipop, not only a delicious alternative to drinking beer out of a bottle or stein, it is also a fabulous novelty that all your guests are sure to enjoy.  Lastly, do not forget football shaped ice cubes for all your guests who prefer a different drink besides beer.

Food is another Super Bowl Party aspect that can be kept at the basic expectations.  Wings, pizza and burgers are football game staples that we suggest you serve at your party.  We personally LOVE the idea of a Brady Burger.  Serve sliders with pepper jack cheese, chipotle mayo and garnished with Tom Brady's favorite food, onion rings.  For other food choices line trays and plates with astroturf to resemble a stadium field.  As for dessert, you can make delicious beer inspired cupcakes that will be sure to please.  We love the Blue Moon cupcake recipe found here or the Beer Run cupcake recipe found here.

Decor for your Super Bowl Party is a facet that you can have some major fun with.  Of course there is the color scheme which is very important as it shows which team you are rooting for.  In this case the decision is easy, as both the Giants and the Patriots don red, white and blue uniforms.  Consider making VIP All Access lanyards that resemble that given at an actual game, this is such a  fun idea and a great party favor!  You can also try to create a a fabulous entrance for all your guests that looks and feels just like a field tunnel that all the players go through.  Finally you could create a Wii Super Bowl Arena with Madden Football playing during the game breaks.

We hope you all have a fabulous, fun and safe Super Bowl.  GO PATS!

Golden Globe Trends

Last night's Golden Globes was a fabulous event and we LOVED watching the live red carpet show to see all the amazing new trends!  Here are some of the trends we noticed the celebrities are doing that we find stunning.

Blush Town Gowns:
We have been loving the trend of blush tones from everything to linens and decor to wedding gowns, so we were elated to see some beautiful ladies strutting in nude and blush tones.  Jessica Biel shined in an antique inspired long sleeve gown that would be perfection on any winter bride, while Charlize Theron looked gorgeous in a plunging peek-a-boo frock.

Two Tone Dresses:
With all the color options people have in choosing a dress it is no wonder that two tone gowns are becoming more present on the red carpet.  We love this idea and it could be a great way to work in your color pallette on your brides maids dresses or to have different tones for each dress.  Angelina Jolie opted for a pale pink gown with a pop of crimson that looked great next to her long time husband Brad Pitt and Natalie Portman wore a pink Lanvin gown with a similar crimson trim.

Yellow, Yellow, Yellow:
Every shade of yellow from canary to gold was represented on the red carpet last evening, which we love!  We are hoping that yellow becomes a signature color in many weddings in the coming spring.  Maria Menounos and Paula Patton looked smart in bright tones of yellow while Missi Pyle and Diana Lane looked radiant in gold.

Scruff:
The men, who are often forgotten next to their beautiful dates, were rocking the scruffy look.  Leonardo Dicaprio, Brad Pitt and Rob Lowe all looked dapper with their unconventional scruff. We could be seeing this trend on more and more grooms at their weddings... if their brides will allow it.