Wedding Planning Blog, New Jersey

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Incorporating your Dog into your Wedding

5 days ago

Incorporating your Dog into your Wedding

Photo by Susan Elizabeth Photography Not only do we love dogs, but we love when couples incorporate their fur baby into their wedding! There are a lot of ways we’ve seen this done and it always puts a smile on our faces. Here are some of our favorite ways to incorporate your dog into your big day! Photo Table Take advantage of the space on your gift table, guestbook table or photo table by adding some pictures of you and your loved one with you pup! Who doesn’t love looking a

Wedding to do's during the homestretch

Apr 27

Wedding to do's during the homestretch

Recently it feels like May is the new September here at the Jersey Shore. May weddings have become very popular and with Governor Murphy's recent announcement about weddings in NJ we are so excited for everyone who is getting married over the next few months. [Above photo by Suess Moments Photography] Today we wanted to take you through some of the to do's that can easily be over looked as your wedding nears. At the end of the planning process, there are so many little things

Congratulations!

Aug 28, 2020

Congratulations!

When your wedding day is over and you can't stop smiling because not only was the day so amazing but now you are officially married to your best friend. It has been months or maybe years of planning your big day and now that giant weight on your shoulders is gone. So what happens next, besides living happily ever after of course ;-) [Photo by Susan Elizabeth Weddings] Picking up Your Stuff Most venues will allow you to pick up your items the next day rather than have to take

Your Wedding Day

Aug 26, 2020

Your Wedding Day

Hair and makeup, check! Food for everyone, check! Your day is coming together and the morning has already flown by. Now that hair and makeup is complete, it's onto the next portion of your day. [Photo by Havana Photography] Photos Once your hair and makeup is complete, your photographer will likely begin directing you through your first set of photos. These may be some casual shots with your friends as you finish getting ready or you might jump right into getting your dress

Your Wedding Morning

Aug 24, 2020

Your Wedding Morning

It’s 7AM on your wedding day and the hair and makeup team will be arriving shortly. Where do you begin!? There is a lot to accomplish on the morning of your wedding so today we are going over some key things to remember so that you can be organized and relaxed on your wedding day! [Photo by Idalia Photography] Start the day off on time Hair and makeup tends to start early. Make sure your ladies are aware of the start time and ready to roll. You don't want to get a late start.

General Wedding FAQ's

Aug 21, 2020

General Wedding FAQ's

There are always some questions that come up frequently with couples. While we have covered most of these topics in other articles, we will sum them up here with links to the appropriate articles! [Photo by Yan Schwartzman Photography] How much should I budget for my wedding? This is like asking how much you should spend on a dinner out- you could get a burger at a fast food restaurant for $4 or you could go to a steakhouse in NYC and spend over $100. Everyone is different! W

Your Seating Layout

Aug 19, 2020

Your Seating Layout

Would I put Megan and Aunt Becky together or would Megan go at Tim’s table? Will Erica feel uncomfortable being seated at the same table as Michael after that fight they had last year? The interworking’s of your own family and friends can be very difficult to navigate, now throw your partner's family and friends into the mix and you are faced with what feels like a giant undertaking: the seating chart. [Photo by Jackie Averill Photography] Head Table Or Sweetheart Table Let's

Applying for your Marriage License in NJ

Aug 17, 2020

Applying for your Marriage License in NJ

Since laws around marriage licenses are different in every state, we’ll review New Jersey’s. More information on NJ’s process can be found here. The biggest takeaway from this article should be to call the township well in advance to find out their procedure. Though there are rules for NJ, we have found that every township has their own unique twists. For this reason it is so important to call first to find out exactly what needs to be done. [Photo by Nicole DeTone Photograph

Vendor Details

Aug 17, 2020

Vendor Details

During the last month or two of wedding planning you will be working with your vendors to finalize a lot of important details. Often this means there are some forms that need to be filled out and conversations that need to happen. [Photo by Susan Elizabeth Photography] Your Wedding Planner If you hired a wedding planner for Day Of Coordination, it is likely that they will be starting one month out from your wedding day. With our couples, we have a kick off call followed by a

Often Overlooked Details

Aug 14, 2020

Often Overlooked Details

There are a lot of moving parts to a wedding, especially when you look at the day as a whole and the festivities that come before it and often the day after it. There are some details that we like to remind our couples about, as they are often left until last minute, so we want to make sure they aren't forgotten. [Photo by Jackie Averill Photography] What's for breakfast...and lunch Make sure you come up with a plan for meals in advance of the wedding. It's a very long day fo

Weather Back Up Plan

Aug 12, 2020

Weather Back Up Plan

While we hope this isn't a plan that has to get put into place, it is always important to think about a back up plan in case of weather. Here are a few areas of your day that you will want to have a plan in place for prior to your wedding day. [Photo by Endless Wave Studios] Ceremony If your ceremony is in an outdoor space, you will definitely want to have an alternative option. If it is at a venue, your venue can take you through the backup options and help you decide which

Signature Drinks & Specialty Cocktails

Aug 10, 2020

Signature Drinks & Specialty Cocktails

Most venues offer couples the option to selection one or two specialty cocktails for the wedding. Sometimes these are passed around as guests entered or they are displayed on their own for people to grab near the bar. Other times, they are offered at the bar and usually detailed in a sign for guests. [Above photo by Jessa Schifilliti Associates] When you are able to choose two cocktail, people often select a bride's cocktail and a groom's cocktail. There are so many fun thin

Extra Special Wedding Touches

Aug 5, 2020

Extra Special Wedding Touches

There is a lot going on during a wedding reception, but there is always room for some extra special touches. We're talking about some little details that couples have added to provide their guests with some extra entertainment and fun for the evening. [Photo by Susan Elizabeth Photography] Live Painting You can hire an artist who will work on a painting during your wedding. They will capture the atmosphere of the wedding and add to the painting as the evening goes on. A doubl

Wedding Reception Details

Aug 3, 2020

Wedding Reception Details

There are a lot of details that go into your reception, but we are going to focus this article on the formalities that occur throughout your evening. In a way, these shape the flow of your reception so it is important to figure out which you plan to do as well as the order in which you will do them. [Photo by Suess Moments] The Introduction The introduction is the first thing that happens at your reception. You and your partner are introduced into the ballroom or main space a

Planning Your Wedding Day Timeline

Jul 31, 2020

Planning Your Wedding Day Timeline

As your wedding day quickly approaches, you will need to start thinking about the logistics of your day, as they are very important to ensure everything runs smoothly. With each wedding we are a part of, we put together a timeline for the wedding day with every little detail. If you aren’t working with a planner, this is something we’d recommend doing on your own, with the help of your photographer and hair & makeup team. Here are a few tips and things to think about when sch

Wedding Ceremony Details

Jul 29, 2020

Wedding Ceremony Details

At this point in your planning process you've already decided if you are going to have a church ceremony or have your ceremony at your venue. You will work with your officiant to develop the details of your actual ceremony, but we wanted to address some of the topics that we get the most questions about in terms of the ceremony. [Photo by Suess Moments Photography] Arrivals If you are having a church ceremony, make sure you figure out your arrival plan with the church coordin

Is a First Look for You?

Jul 27, 2020

Is a First Look for You?

We often get asked what a first look is and if it makes sense to do one. A first look is where the couple chooses to see each other prior to the ceremony. While this breaks tradition, we typically see if done more often than not now. Today we dive into the details of a first look to help you decide if it is something you should consider or not. Every couple is different, so it is a very personal decision that you should make with your partner. [Photo by Idalia Photography] Ar

Examining Wedding Traditions

Jul 24, 2020

Examining Wedding Traditions

Outside pressure from friends, family and wedding traditions in general tend to cause some stress for couples leading up to their wedding days. Overall, we try to tell all of our couples that there is no right or wrong way to do things. It is all about how you and your partner want to make your day come to life. It is ok to break traditions and do what makes the most sense for you on your day. Here are some traditions that are definitely ok to break! [Photo by Susan Elizabeth

Bachelorette Party Plans & Locations

Jul 22, 2020

Bachelorette Party Plans & Locations

What used to be a small, intimate gathering with the brides closes friends has recently turned into a larger, weekend long event. This isn't for everyone, so now is a good time to think about what YOU want for your bachelorette party. [Photo by Yan Schwartzman Photography] You'll want to decide if you want to limit it to just your wedding party or if you want to extend the invite to additional friends and family. You can also consider if you'd like to keep it local to where y

Do I need...

Jul 20, 2020

Do I need...

As we go through our checklist with couples, there are often details that we mention and the couple asks "well, do I need that?". Your wedding should be unique to you and your partner, so the answer is, it's up to you! There are a lot of things that you may see included in others weddings that don't feel right for you or that you may just want to skip. In this article we talk about some of the most common items that couples debate. We will address some more of these decisions