What will your Wedding Say about You?

So I got a package in the mail that totally caught my attention, it was a large brown package with "Mab Libs" style fill in the blank everything! And I loved it! I emailed the owner of the company immediately told him that I loved him, his product, and I wanted to marry him. And thus begins my love affair with Write on Riot. Their website is under construction... so be patient, but their product will have you laughing until you pee yourself.

Fair warning, I wrote the below card on a sample I was sent, this is my handwriting, my words, my reeeedikulousness... don't judge a company by my dorkyness.

Now I'll turn my blog over to Rob Dalton, the owner of Write on Riot.

Chances are, if you’re reading this you’re somewhere between dreaming about your future wedding and putting the finishing touches on the smallest details of your big day.


For most brides and couples, personalization is the most important aspect of the planning process. You want your wedding and reception to be creative, special and uniquely… well… you.

So, what if an element of your reception could truly be one-of-a-kind? What if your guests were part of the creativity and fun? And, what if a reception could be a lot more awesomtastic (word used with permission, 2011 Melissa DiStefano) for not a lot more money? That’s what we asked ourselves when we created our fill-in-the-blank Wedding Reception Wish Cards.

Write On Riot™ is a new company dedicated to celebration, belonging and fun. Our Wish Cards are a way for your guests to tell you how much they love you in their own personal (and often hilarious) way. The header of each card says, To the happy couple, on this special day I wish for you… (followed by) enough ___________ to last a lifetime, a love like the song __________, in-laws that never __________, excitement like the movie _______, good health so you can still _________ when you’re 100, and more.

Every completed card is a unique expression of belonging and love. Your college roommate will fill in the blanks in a completely different way than, say, your Aunt Helen will. The answers are sweet, funny, thoughtful and always personal.

How Wish Cards can start your reception on a fun note: Place one Wish Card at each reception table place setting. (It’s a good idea to buy fresh pens and leave one for every two guests at each table as well.) Most of your guests will fill out their Wish Cards right away because they’re fun and they’re great conversation starters.

Your wedding planner (ahem, hire MasterPiece Weddings) or attendant can collect the cards and pens before dinner is served, and store them for you in a safe place. Make it a keepsake. The cards can be inserted into a photo album made for 4" by 6" photos. Some couples place each Wish Card across from a photo of the guest who filled it out.

Skip the Guest Book and find out what your guests really want to tell you on your special day. Wish Cards cost just $7 for a pack of 25. There are four designs to choose from, and three colors of each design. You can buy Wish Cards at writeonriot.com/wedding as well as our fun, fill-in-the-blank shower invitations.

Congratulations on your upcoming wedding!

(PS - Be on the lookout for a giveway and a discount code exclusive to MasterPiece Weddings!!!)

MasterPiece Weddings was in no way compensated for this post, we just love this company and wanted to share the awesomeness with you. Because we like to share cool things with our readers not because we were compensated in anyway.

My Mojuba

I would love to say that I know everything about everything weddings. And I would love to say that I know everything and every vendor that pops up online, every minute of every day, but I would be exaggerating. Slightly.

But, I recently found out about this awesome fun new site called My Mojuba - its' super fun! They specialize in emergency kits for the bride and groom! That are super swank, totally useful!

Now, keep in mind, that on your wedding day, I'll have my Wedding Emergency Bag with everything you could possibly need... but what about your bridal shower, or bachelorette party, or just everyday in general... I mean geez you never know when you'll need tissues stain removal kit, nail files, polish, or shoe shine or a shave kit!

And for a limited time, use the code KISSME at checkout for $25 off your purchase at My Mojuba.

(MasterPiece Weddings was not in any way paid for this post, we wanted to mention this product to you because we think it's cool and it's something you can definitely use, not because we were compensated in anyway)

Real Simple Weddings - Spring 2011

I was sent a copy of Real Simple Weddings to review, in all honestly, they sent me this magazine for free, so that I could tell you my thoughts and opinions of it. Honest. Thoughts and opinions.

And I hope you know, by now, that you come to our blog for real, honest, and heart felt advice and opinions on all things weddings.

And frankly, I love Real Simple, I buy (like pay for, with real money) their cookbooks, magazines, love their website and tips, follow them on twitter...but I was left a little, well, underwhelmed with this issue.

The cover is gorgeous, and the shoes are frankly, amazing. I want a pair in all colors. But inside is a lot of the same as last year. In fact, a lot of the same images, and articles. I would think that a new season would bring, new ideas, new cakes, new bouquets and new gowns, but this was just a lot of the same as the issue before. I mean the exact same images. Strange, right.

It was also filled with a ton of new information and new ideas, which I love. But I was left a little sad that they couldn't feature a new cake, or a new table number idea. If you are going to roll an idea over from another season, my feeling is to wait at least a few seasons.

I know there are new brides everyday, people get engaged by the dozens hourly... so this magazine may not look like a re-run to a lot of brides, but some may feel the same way I do.

What do you think?

Ashley and Jordan - Again

Jordan and Ashley Wedding from Parallel Media on Vimeo.

There were so many amazing details from this wedding, and Drew from Parallel Media did such a great a job capturing the emotion of the day.

So many brides these days are opting out of video because they feel the photographs can capture the emotions, and frankly they can capture some of it. But that hug your Grandfather gives you and whispers in your ear how much he loves you and how proud he is of you... isn't caught in still images the same way.

Take a peek and let me know what you think.

Pink and Brown Wedding

Ashley and Jordan were just one of those couples that I knew instantly I would love. And I had the honor and privledge of writing a ceremony for them, and officiating their beautiful Gainesville Wedding.

Caroline Johnson photographed this beautiful wedding, that would make any gal swoon! Ashley tied in modern elegance with a classic twist. And it turned out beautiful!

And a huge Thank You to Every Last Detail for featuring our wedding!!!!

What do you think?

Wedding Planner: MasterPiece Weddings
Florals and Linens: The Unforgettable Event
Ceremony Venue: The Baughman Center
Reception Venue:Plantation Hall at Haile
Photography: Caroline Johnson
Video: Parallel Media, CO
Catering: Dragonfly
Cake: KB Kakes

Love Wedd Party!

Are you going to be there? The Love Wedd:: A Love Affair party is Thursday!

I can't wait, it's going to be so much fun, come, drink,eat, and dance with us!

Run out of Food

Worst case scenario, you run out of food at your reception. Whether you are serving cake and champagne, small plates, stations, full sit down dinner, or a buffet, the last thing you want is for your guests to leave hungry.

One way to avoid this is to be clear with your caterer as to your expectations, "Hey, Mr. or Mrs. Caterer, our guests are expecting a full meal, and they eat, so make sure we don't run out of food!"

Sometimes you look a quote for a caterer and notice the prices are pretty low, sometimes too good to be true. And that's because you are expecting a full dinner and they are pricing the meal out as light hors devours.

This would not a good scenario for anyone. So remember to be clear. 50% of your budget will be spent on food, you should get what you are paying for.

Get-a-Way Wedding!

Um,mmmmmm! Helllllooooo, I wanna go! What a deal!

Or if you want to get married, an all inclusive deal:

MasterPiece Weddings was not paid or endorsed in anyway for this promotion - but for the record, I'd love to go on a trip to Bimini Bay.

Valentines Sweets!

The perfect sweets for your sweetie! KB's now famous Kake Truffles are being offered when you order flowers from Prange's Florist and The Plant Shoppe!

And as always you can order these amazing confections from Dorn's Wine Warehouse. Or KB can ship them anywhere in the United States!

So, now there are no excuses as to why you can't have these yummylicious treats for your yummylicious valentine!

Love Affair

Are you ready to party? After all this planning, details, and vendor selection, and planning (did I mention planning?) You deserve a party!

Love Wedd is hosting a party, a super fun night, filled with food, dancing, entertainment, and THOUSANDS of dollars worth of prizes!!

And it's free! You just need to contact Love Wedd for tickets. For more events hosted by Love Wedd check out our FaceBook Page.

Wedding First Look

One of the biggest debates for today's bride is to see her groom before the wedding or not to see him. For some it's an unequivocal no. And for others, it's a wellllllllllll, maybe, I'm not sure, what difference will it make, no, yes, wait I'm not sure.

I am not here to tell you to do it, or not to do it, but to tell you the pro's to having a "first look". And of course show you some pretty images from a first look.

My personal feelings on a first look is DO IT! Don't even think about it, do it. (Unless you feel like a bazillion years of bad luck will fall on you like a brick wall, and you will never see straight again if you see your groom before you walk down the aisle)

There is alot of emotion on your wedding day, and alot of that emotion and stress comes from not seeing your groom, your best friend, the man you've relied on your whole relationship. So the opportunity to spend 15 minutes before your wedding with him, holding him, in private, being able to look him in the eyes and see the man you love, kiss him, and tell him how handsome he looks, is a special moment. One you will never forget.

And make your day, so much more fun! And you'll get some great picture time!

Images by Jimmy Ho

Tassimo Winner!!!

Okay, so after a busy week, I wanted to announce the winner of the Tassimo T20! I figured since I announced the drawing on video, I should announce the winner on video!

{Excuse the exhausted look, I have been up and working since 5AM, and it's now 7PM...and I don't have on any makeup, and look re-donky-donnk,.... plus I didn't think you'd all care, since you all just want to see who won, right...}

So watch the video and see already!

Bridal Nesting Labs: Tassimo T20 Review

turn the volume up...

Check out the video review of  the Tassimo T20! We had such a fun time reviewing this awesome machine! We made Tea, Latte's, Coffee, and Hot Chocolate! Each drink takes less than 3 minutes.

If you are making coffee Christmas Morning for 20 people this is not the machine for you. But if you want a quick cup of Joe, or you want to make a Latte for yourself, a decaf for your husband, and a regular cup for your brother... this is perfect!

Our biggest flaw was that I couldn't find the pods to make the drinks locally, we had to buy them on Amazon, but they were cheaper than if we could... so that's a plus!

And if you want your own Tassimo T20, along with Coffee Pods and Cappicuno Pods... all you have to do is comment on this post!

Contest Rules:

1. Comment on this post with your favorite coffee.

2. Winners must live within the US (sorry International friends)

3. Contest Deadline is January 14th at midnight

4. Winner (one winner) will be drawn randomly

In the interest of full discretion, the Tassimo machine was sent to me for free to review on my blog. However, the reviews and opinions of MasterPiece Weddings are completely our own, and do not reflect the views of any other.

Introducing Nest Labs!

MasterPiece Weddings is thrilled to announce that we are opening our a lab! We will be testing some of the best gadgets in the entire world! (slight exaggeration)

So, if you have a product you want our experts to test, and review right here on Adventures in Wedding Planning... let me know! I'd love the opportunity to take a peek at your product, gadget, or future wedding registry item!

Tomorrow one of our favorite reviews yet... on video!

Gainesville Wedding Expo!

It's that time of year, when all the brides who are planning their weddings come to The Performing Arts Center to find the most incredible wedding vendors! I know you are dying to know when, and how you can win door prizes from over 40 vendors... plus... win a $2500 planning package from MasterPiece Weddings!

So here are the deets:
Sunday, January 9, 2011 12:00 – 5:00 PM

Curtis M. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts

Tickets are: $10.00 Advance; $12.00 At Door

You have a Once in a Lifetime Chance to Plan Your Dream Wedding in One Day, under one roof, at the beautiful Curtis M. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. Experience a Gainesville Tradition at an Extraordinary Venue!

Consult with Over Forty of Our Area’s Finest Wedding Professionals, Enjoy Delicious Samples, Register for Prizes and experience a fun-filled Runway Fashion Show presented exclusively by Jay’s Bridal. Relax and Be Entertained in the comfort of an 1,800 seat Theater.

This is The Bridal Event that’s as Exciting as the Venue.

Save $2.00. Pre-Register And Purchase Tickets and for more information, please visit Gainesville Wedding Expo.

Merry Christmas Eve!!!

I hope you have something spectacular planned for Christmas! I think Christmas Eve has become by favorite holiday. I know it sounds silly, because really it should be Christmas, and it used to be. I mean the hub-bub, and waking up early cuz Santa came!Santa came! And the jumping on the bed to wake everyone in the house up at 6AM and my parent stumbling to make coffee just to stick toothpicks in their eyes while my sister and I hustle and bustled to tear everything open faster than my parents could stir cream into their coffee.... that part will always hold a special place in my heart.

Me and my sister dancing circa 1983ish

BUT....

Christmas Eve.

Now that is holiday that I am loving.

And here is why.

Bad Picture we took while everyone was eating and mid conversation

Friends and family gather at our house for the Feast of the Seven Fishes. This is my 17th year enjoying this tradition. We've added some new recipes and made it our own, but the Itailian Feast of the Seven Fishes is so much fun to prepare. We always set the menu earlier in the month, and John and I prep and cook and plan this amazing meal to share with our friends and family.

There's no stress, no hustle and bustle. Just a meal, some prayer, some wine (there's always wine), fun conversations over new recipes and old.

And then at midnight we go to church, sing, and then at the end, wish each other a Merry Christmas. And go to bed remembering what The Holidays are all about.

I think it's the tradition of it all, something I can pass down to Gabriel, and something he can carry on to his family.

And I love it!

If you are curious as to what the Seven Fishes is all about here goes:

The long tradition of eating seafood on Christmas Eve dates from the medieval Roman Catholic tradition of abstinence—in this case, refraining from the consumption of meat or milk products—on Fridays and specific holy days. As no meat or butter could be used, observant Catholics would instead eat fish, typically fried in oil.


There are many hypotheses for what the number "7" relates to, one being the number of Sacraments in the Roman Catholic Church. Another theory is that seven is a number representing perfection: the traditional Biblical number for divinity is three, and for Earth is four, and the combination of these numbers, seven, represents God on Earth, or Jesus Christ.

Or the Seven Deadly Sins, the seven days of the week... or just cuz someone long ago thought 7 was a good round number.

Either way-

Merry Christmas!

 We had such a great time planning and working with Joanne on her beautfully romantical and personal wedding!!

Her and her hubby are both doctors and are so busy, so in-between patients and taking care of them, we planned this perfectly personal story on the beach with her family flown in from The Phillipines and Jay's super Southern buy yet New York Style, was a perfect blend to bring everyone to Florida, and hang out on the beach for the weekend.

Thank you to:

Venue and Catering - Ponte Vedra Inn and Club
Photography - Jimmy Ho
Officiant: Chad Reed
Florals Decor and Rentals: The Unforgettable Event
Band: Last to Leave
Wedding Planner: MasterPiece Weddings

Top 50!!!

I was so thrilled to recieve an email from Andrea Contreras at Project Management Training letting me know that our blog, our super fun, widdle blog was named one of the Top 50 Wedding Planning Blogs! Of all of the blogs in all of the world, we were named #2!!! How cool beans is that!

Here is what PMT had to say:

2. Masterpiece Weddings This ace wedding blog is the cream of the crop and the perfect starting place for those who aren’t sure what their wedding style should be.


What makes it the coolest of the cool beans is that we were named with some fab company, the likes of the Awesomely Awesome Susan of The Premier Wedding Guide and Lisa of E-Events and In My Shoes!

Thank you so much to PMT for recongizing us, and listing us amongst such incredible company!

Perfect Gift

Are you looking for the perfect gift? The gift for the person that has everything?

Well, have I got the perfect idea for you! What about the gift of the yummiest kind?

The gift of Kake Truffles is not only delicious, but now you can buy a gift certificate and your gift can be picked up or shipped at anytime!

Your gift receiver can not only choose the flavors but when they want or need them! It's perfect!

Perfectly Delicious!

Perfectly Timed!

Perfectly Perfect!

To order your Truffles or Gift Certificate, email Erika at erika@kbkakes.com, or check them out at http://www.kbkakes.com/

Gift Certificates can be emailed, so for you last minute shoppers (you know who you are) can still order them, you still have time! Go... email Erika now!

(MasterPiece Weddings was not compensated in anyway for this post - however would like to add that compensation by Truffles would be greatly appreciated)

You never know....

You'll never know who you'll meet. Or when.

You see, I was invited to a birthday party for a dear friend, and I sat down next to a guy that I thought looked as if I could make good conversation with.

Super nice guy, he and his family and friends immediately had me laughing, and the conversation was easy.

I asked him what he did. He said that he was an Event Planner.

I thought, pstcha... whatever. Sure you are. Everyone is an event planner. Whatever.

So then I asked him what type of events he planned, he mentioned some large corporate events, for fashion clients, and large marketing firms.

Okay, sure you do... maybe... maybe you plan something sort of cool like that.

Then he sees me tweeting... he asks me about Twitter... and my blog. And I ask him more about what he does.

Then he casually, and I mean oh so casually, mentioned he'll be on Martha Stewart Radio on Wednesday.

Casually.

No Biggie.

So, I introduce him to my friend Jen, and now Mark Addison and I are BFF's. And I think he's super cool, and I'll cling glasses with him anytime of day.

Have you met, my friend, the Event Planner in New York, Mark Addison? Mark, meet my blog friends, friends, meet Mark.

Cookie Time! Raspberry Ribbons

Ingredients


1 cup butter (no substitutes), softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup raspberry jam

Glaze:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons evaporated milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1.In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well.

2.Divide dough into four portions; shape each into a 10-in. x 2-1/2-in. log. Place 4 in. apart on greased or foil-lined baking sheets. Make a 1/2-in. depression down the center of each log. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes.

3.Fill depressions with jam. Bake 10-15 minutes longer or until lightly browned. Cool for 2 minutes. Remove to a cutting board; cut into 3/4-in. slices. Place on wire racks.

4.In a small bowl, combine glaze ingredients until smooth. Drizzle over warm cookies. cool completely.

Cookie Time! Chocolate Espresso Snowcap

Ingredients

Makes 18

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
4 teaspoons instant espresso
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2/3 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 large egg
4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled
1 tablespoon milk
Confectioners' sugar, for coating

Directions

1.In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, espresso, baking powder, and salt. With an electric mixer, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg until well combined; mix in cooled chocolate. With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture; beat in milk until just combined. Flatten dough into a disk; wrap in plastic. Freeze until firm, about 45 minutes.

2.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Pour confectioners' sugar (about 1/2 cup) into a medium bowl; working in batches, roll balls in sugar two times, letting them sit in sugar between coatings.

3.Place on prepared baking sheets, 2 inches apart. Bake until cookies have spread and coating is cracked, 12 to 14 minutes; cookies will still be soft to the touch. Cool cookies on a wire rack.

(We can thank Martha Stewart for adding to this to our annual Christmas Cookie baking)

.



Read more at Marthastewart.com: Chocolate-Espresso Snowcaps - Martha Stewart Recipes

2011 Trends Workshop

There is a great workshop coming up for brides at Love Wedd, it's totally free and will feature some up and coming trends in floral designs, linens, food, photography, stationary and much more!

So if you are a bride in Gainesville, and crave more and more wedding, go, have fun, learn,and sample some great food while your at it!

So RSVP by calling Love Wedd!

What an Intern learned

Every semester MasterPiece Weddings accepts two interns from The University of Florida to work with our company.

It's fun for us to see the excitment and enthusiasm that each intern has when they come into our office and see all of the wedding wonderment. And then at the end of the day to see the exhaustion in their faces. But the energy and excitment to come back tomorrow to do it all over again.

This semester I asked our interns Lizzie and Heather to write about their experiences at MasterPiece Weddings.

Lizzie is up first! Here is her summary of her time with us.

My wedding day with Melissa happened to fall on 10.10.10. We had two weddings in one day! It was a busy first wedding day for me, but I worked hard and learned a lot. I felt that these first weddings gave me a solid foundation for the beginning of my 100 hours with Melissa. Through the next couple weddings, I grew more confident in my abilities to handle certain situations. In addition, the certification class gave me extra knowledge which I used in my hours with Melissa.



The first lesson I took away from my experience is a wedding planner’s relationships with vendors is key. Melissa showed me ways to develop friendly relationships with vendors while still remaining professional. I learned how to deal with vendors on the phone and in person as well as the knowledge of how to keep vendor information organized.


The second lesson I learned is to always stay calm no matter what the situation is. If a planner is wigging out, the bride will start to panic, and the last thing a planner wants is for a bride to be unhappy on the best day of her life! Melissa deals with issues that arise swiftly, discretely, and gracefully. I only hope to keep as calm as she does. Many people think that a Wedding Coordinator is unnecessary; however, I saw firsthand that a planner can save the day and just make the life of the couple so much easier.


Through this experience, I discovered that Wedding Planning is my passion. To me, it is not a job. I love just being in the moment helping two people celebrate their love. I want to thank Melissa so much for mentoring me and giving me invaluable experience. There is no way that I would be starting out my career so confidently if it was not for her.

If you are interested in applying for the Intern Program at MasterPiece Weddings, please email us at interns {at} masterpieceweddings {dot} net

Cookie Time! Pumpkin Cookie/Scone

We are bringing back Cookie TimeFriday for the month of December, every Friday during this month, I'll share with you some of my favorite recipes and favorite cookies!

First up, Pumpkin Cookies (these are seriously just like the Pumpkin Scones from a popular coffee shop)

Ingredients


2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin puree or 1 3/4 cup of fresh pumpkin puree
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Glaze:
2 cups confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, and salt; set aside.

2.In a medium bowl, cream together the 1/2 cup of butter and white sugar. Add pumpkin, egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla to butter mixture, and beat until creamy. Mix in dry ingredients. Drop on cookie sheet by tablespoonfuls; flatten slightly.

3.Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven. Cool cookies, then drizzle glaze with fork.

4.To Make Glaze: Combine confectioners' sugar, milk, 1 tablespoon melted butter, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add milk as needed, to achieve a thick dipping or drizzling consistency.
 
{Photo: Allrecipes.com)

Summer and Scott 10/10/10

Summer and Scott chose 10/10/10 for their wedding day because they are nerds (self professed) and their images are dorky and sweet and absolutely romantically spectacular!!!

Thank you Lindsey from Pure by Lindsey for really capturing these moments so spectacularly!!!

Oh and PS - I had the honor of marrying Summer and Scott! It was so much fun!

Love Wedd

Have you been to the funnest Bridal Boutique in Gainesville? If not, you must make a trip to Love Wedd!

If you aren't in Gainesville, head over to the Love Wedd Blog for fun giveaways, and FREE workshops that we'll be hosting there!