Congratulations Kim + Aden

Some couples stress throughout the planning of their wedding and worry on their big day- well, not this one! Kim and Aden were so relaxed on their special day and it was such a pleasant experience working with them. They had such a unique wedding held at a fantastic location right in the heart of Winter Park off of Park Avenue.

This could not have been pulled off without the superb vendors for the day:

Ceremony/Reception Venue: Park Plaza Gardens
Photographer: Brian Adams
Officiant:  A Beautiful Ceremony, Rev. Kevin Knox
Florist: Lee Forrest
Cake: Zoet
DJ: White Rose Entertainment
Hair & Makeup: About Face
Linen: BBJ
Transportation: TWR Private Limousines

Fantastic photo of this gorgeous bride!

Congratulations Kim + Aden!

Vendors Unveiled: White Rose Entertainment

This guy is sure to get your guests up and dancing! Jeff VerShage is the owner of a fabulous company called White Rose Entertainment and has led a dynamic and talented group of DJ’s to serve every style that a bride and groom may desire. And no, he doesn’t just play music through an ipod hooked up to a speaker… he truly entertains the guests! With packages that not only include playing music, he also emcees the night. This wonderful company is sure to get every attendee, even Grandma, dancing the night away! Let’s take a closer look into Jeff and his company–

Tell me about your company. We are a family of DJs that have performed over 4,000 events since 1993. We have the ability to customize to meet every Bride’s need.

How did you get started in the wedding industry? I started in Radio, did NY Night Clubs and eventually started in Corporate events.  Year after year of having the same clients, they started asking me to DJ their weddings. I then found my passion.

What sets you apart from your competition? We care more! We believe that no one DJ can be best for every wedding. By asking the right questions and being detail oriented, we extract a Bride’s expectations. Then we match them up with one of our many DJs based upon their background and personality.

What is your favorite part of the wedding day? I love doing introductions because I believe they set the tone for the whole event. But of course, the best part about being a DJ is showing my beat-mixing skills and keeping the dance floor going.

What is the one question brides don’t ask their DJ that they should when hiring? The first question should be “Why are you the best DJ for my event?” Then follow up with, “How do you know?”

Other than a DJ, what is the one service or product brides should not get married without? Definitely a Wedding Coordinator. They take the stress away from the Brides as well as the Vendors.

What is the best service or product that your company offers? The Double Rose Package. Includes a MC to mic the event and a DJ to stay behind the music and make sure everything runs smoothly.

What is the craziest request you have received from a bride? Christmas Themed event in April, including all the music. Also, the Hanson Christmas CD to be played all night.

In your opinion, what is the most fabulous trend with weddings right now? From our perspective, Up-Lighting seems to be the hottest thing at this time.

Any special advice to brides when hiring a DJ? Realize that the MC/DJ is the single thing that can make or break your event. Guests will remember if they had fun or not. You only have one chance to get it right. You get what you pay for.

Contact information: Jeff VerSchage (407) 601-3765 Jeff@OrlandoDJ.com www. OrlandoDJ.com

Vendors Unveiled: Harpist, Christine MacPhail

Looking for a unique and elegant way to spruce up your wedding day? Consider having a harpist to provide your ceremony or reception entertainment needs. Christine MacPhail has been playing at weddings for many years and is an absolute pleasure to work with. Want to know more? Of course you do! Christine answered a few of my favorite questions and I would like to share them with all of you. Enjoy!

What service do you provide? Harp music for wedding ceremonies or receptions.

How did you get started in the wedding industry? When I was in college I performed for a friend’s ceremony, and another bride-to-be asked me to perform for her upcoming wedding.  I decided it could be a wonderful career for me.

What sets you apart from your competition: I play a variety of music including contemporary, classical, and Celtic.  I always keep up with new love songs, for example you can hear my version of Taylor Swift’s “You Belong with Me” on my website.

What is your favorite part of the wedding day? When the bride walks up the aisle!

What is the craziest request you have received from a bride? One bride asked me to play the theme from Rocky as her groom entered.  That was a fun wedding!

In your opinion what is the most fabulous trend with weddings right now? Brides are choosing favorite love songs for processional music instead of the traditional “Here Comes the Bride”

Any special advice to brides when hiring ceremony entertainment? The same advice I would give for hiring any wedding vendor:  Choose someone that you feel comfortable with; there’s enough stress involved with planning a wedding, so it’s important to feel confident with your vendors.

Contact information: Harpist Christine MacPhail, 407-239-1330, www.orlandoharpist.com, Christine@orlandoharpist.com

Registry Shopping- How Fun!

For the past few days I’ve been getting into the ‘registry’ feel as I, myself will be heading to stores with my fiance to set up our very own! It truly is an exciting time and setting up a wedding registry is a simple project!  The basic steps are to decide on the stores, create the actual registry online or in person, select the items, and get your choices out to all of your guests.  With that being said, here are 6 fantastic tips to setting up a successful registry and getting the word out with the proper etiquette.

Tip #1: Places to Register

It is highly suggested to pick from stores that widely known and accessible for all of your guests. That way, the out-of-towners AND the locals can easily go through the process. Some of these stores may include Target, Macy’s and Bed Bath & Beyond.

Something to also consider are store policies. Before choosing, stop by a wedding forum and get feedback from brides who have been there, done that. Check into who will give you cash back for returns off the registry, who will only let you exchange for another item (in the department), and who requires a receipt, will be helpful.  Knowing these policies of the stores will relieve some of the stress, especially for after the wedding.

Tip #2: Number of Stores

Even with a wide range of interests, try to keep it down to two or three stores. They don’t have to be too typical, if you like. If you’re into wine and live in a state where it is legal to shop, set up a registry at an online wine merchant!

Tip #3: It’s Time to Register!

Try to refrain from registering until three to six months before the big day. Many stores turn over their merchandise so rapidly that any gifts you select earlier may be discounted. Plus, the vast majority of gifts are purchased the week of the wedding.

Tip #4: What to Get

Fully stocked with kitchen pans, throw pillows, and bath towels? Consider putting together a honeymoon reigstry! Doing this allows guests to contribute toward your vacation– an intimate dinner, snorkeling trip, or even a night’s lodging!

Tip #5: When to Mention The Registry

While this raises some of the most questions, the verdict is not to mention the registry or gifts in your invitations.  However, I would suggest to display it in your shower invitations. One of the best ways to let your guests know of the registry is to include “Feel free to visit our wedding website at www.xyz.com” and just place your registry info on the site.

Tip #6: Number of Gifts

This can sometimes get addicting, but try to stick with two or three items per guest. This will give the guests room to pick and choose something perfect that they would like to give you. At the same time, if you have many guests, you can avoid the 20 pages for them to print by splitting this over several stores.

In the end, it is almost better to do more as many of the retailers offer discounts on the items that you did not receive but were on your registry!

I hope these 6 tips help you create a successful wedding registry!

Happy shopping!!!

Vendors Unveiled: Scoobie’s Photographic Images

On behalf of the An Affair to Remember team, I would like to wish everyone a splendid New Year and hope that your holidays were absolutely marvelous! Now, on to business

To kick off the new year vendor spotlight, I give you…. Scoobie’s Photographic Images! Not only is Scoobie so fun to work with but he is truly an out of this world fantastic photographer. He and his wife Lisa are a dominating force when it comes to weddings. Here is a bit more information so you can get to know Scoobie better (along with some photos of course… he IS a photographer!).

Company Name: Scoobie’s Photographic Images

Your Name: Henry “Scoobie” Schneider

Tell us about your company. We are a husband and wife photography team that specializes in Weddings and Engagements.

How did you get started? In the past when I would attend weddings, I would always have the urge to get involved. I would ask a lot of questions from any photographer willing to talk with me. While I was the best man at my brother’s wedding I was able to talk a little bit with their wedding photographer, Jeff Hawkins. Who else but one of the best to learn from. I asked as many questions as I could without interfering with his work. He had some great advice for me. About a month later I let the photography bug consume me. All of my time and energy was devoted to learning the camera, taking classes, signing up for any and all seminars from the nations leading photographers.  I was hooked!

Is there a story behind the photo above that you would like to share? Scar Face- I wanted to create an image that men in general would be “jiggy” with. Most men do not like to be in tux until the last possible moment. I want them to be relaxed and know that these pictures will be cool! When they are huddled together with lit candles this GQ element oozes out of them. They turn on the bravado immediately. This is by far one of the best images men have no qualms with doing. They even remember this as part of the pre-ceremony photo-op and bring cigars or have some form of drink in hand, ready for the shot.

What is the best question for a bride to ask her photographer? Who is shooting my wedding? There are numerous amounts of photography groups out there that shoot well, but the day of the wedding is not the best time to introduce yourself to the person capturing one of the most monumental days of your life. Your photographer will be with you through most of your day, getting some of those intimate and emotional images. Whomever you chose, should be someone who makes you feel good, comfortable and at ease.

What is the one question brides don’t ask a photographer that they should? Surprisingly, Do you have back up equipment?  Camera, lenses, flashes, batteries, etc. and are they just as good quality as the primary equipment. And…Do I receive the images straight from the camera or do I receive images that are finished/detailed and hi resolution?

Other than photography, what service or product should brides not get married without? A day of coordinator if not a coordinator from the get go. They are very well organized and extremely helpful. To be a coordinator you have to have a serving heart. Each one we have worked with has just that. They live to serve their brides, the groom and the family and friends that are important enough to be there.  We can not say enough how much more relaxing a bride and her mother are when they know that they have someone else in charge taking care of all the little details that make the day smooth and more enjoyable!

What is the best service or product that our company offers? We have a 5 to 7 day turn around time for all finished images. We like to go into the next wedding weekend with nothing pending!

What are the top three things a photographer should have in his/her contract to protect brides?

1.  Written package and pricing information.

2.  Who is going to be shooting the wedding.

3.  What guarantees you offer.

What has been the best moment for your company? Getting peer recognition and GROWTH! We are growing to service more than Central Florida. We have gone to Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and soon Mexico. We even shot for a bride that found us from Sweden. We love our job and can not wait to continue it for the next 20 years and on!

Congratulations Brittany + Steve

This couple was an absolute pleasure to work with! The wedding party was outrageous fun and the whole day turned out beautifully. They are both so full of love for each other and the wedding was truly the perfect celebration for their friends and family. Oh, and Brittany’s dad gave one of the best Father of the Bride speeches I have heard– yes, I had a tear! Here are a few photos of Brittany and Steve’s magical wedding day.

The day was filled with some of the best vendors a coordinator could ask for:

Ceremony/Reception Venue: Heathrow Country Club
Photographer: Cory Callahan
Officiant: Pastor Will Furlong
Florist: Country Club Flower Shop
Cake: Belladonna
DJ: White Rose Entertainment
Videographer: Shipsides Productions
Hair & Makeup: LeJeune

The day (and weather!) turned out perfectly

Kristen and I working very hard of course– time for a break in the crazy booth!

Congratulations Brittany + Steve

Creating The Perfect Candy Buffet

Before designing your candy buffet, an important aspect to remember is that candy all alone is inexpensive; however, creating the buffet can add up to a significant expense that you may not have included in the planning of your wedding budget.

First and foremost, buy enough candy! Some articles say to buy a certain number of ounces per guest but some of the most successful displays are planned by the size of the table and containers that will be on the table. A suggestion would be to buy 5 to 10 types of candy that you want to display and purchase 15-20 pounds of each of these candies. This may seem like an over abundance of candy, but a large table overflowing with candy has a presence at your wedding and does not look like something you threw together at the last minute. As well, make sure you have enough candy for the buffet to be refilled. This will guarantee that all of your guests have the same opportunity to enjoy your special treats.

Now, what kind of candy should you buy for your delectable buffet? It really depends on the theme that you are going for. Do you want a buffet that matches your color scheme or the specific theme of your big day? For example, if you are having a beach wedding, you can select a candy such as saltwater taffy.

Now, decide how you would like to display the candy. Fun and interesting containers in different shapes and heights is the most popular way to go. Make sure to use containers that are wide enough for a candy scoop to fit inside and that are clear so it is easy to see the candy. A suggestion to make the whole look pop is to raise some of the containers, giving your buffet height. You will also need to ensure that the containers are easily accessible even when raised up. As a finishing touch, make it personal! Think about adding some flowers, pictures, the logo of your wedding, or candles to match your theme with your candy.

One last item to consider is how your guests will take the candy away from the buffet. Whether it is a cellophane bag or a take out box, make sure it matches the theme you are going for. Good luck!

Congratulations Tara + Kevin

Tara and Kevin’s wedding took place in late September; however, after receiving these fantastic pictures from photographer Jennifer Werneth I still felt the need to post them! This wonderfully laid back couple was a pleasure for me and Kristen to work with. The big day was held at the Grand Bohemian and was officiated by none other than Rev. Kevin Knox himself. The Buzzcatz got everyone on their feet throughout the night and the room was beautifully decorated by Vintage Vines along with a yummy cake by Julie with Cut the Cake. Congratulations to the new Mr. and Mrs. Hindson!

Featured Vendor: Lee Forest

Let me introduce to you… Lee Forest Design. Starting out our Vendor-Spotlight series with a bang is a talented florist with fall inspiration. If you’re in the Central Florida area, please do not miss opportunity to visit his cute downtown office.

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Let’s throw in some winter white inspiration too…

Success!

The PWG Bridal Show was very successful, lots of fun brides, grooms and vendors. Glad everyone came out! We had PLINKO at our booth for everyone to win some super discounts! Good times…

And I’d like to send a huge CONGRATULATIONS to AATR’s co-owner Lisa who just had her first baby, Mr. Jackson Charles.