AMR Events

2010-02-18T12:44:00.000-08:00

Party Designers

2009-02-24T18:31:00.001-08:00

So your're throwing a party and you sit down to figure out what to serve and your mind is blank. You could always go with your old stand bys, the ones that you serve every time you have guests.....or you could use Party Designers http://www.partydesigners.ca/index.html to help you create the perfect menu. I think this is such a neat idea. You fill out a questionare and Party Designers sends you a perfect menu based on your answers and they also include a shopping list and execution plan. Its such a great idea.

Check them out........
http://www.partydesigners.ca/index.html

The Wedding Tree by melangerienyc

2008-11-17T18:20:00.000-08:00

I LOVE THIS

The wedding tree available on the melangerienyc etsy.com site is a customized chart similar to a family tree that details the relationships of the bride and groom to all of their wedding guests. Great for cocktail hour and receptions, these charts fill guests in on who's a friend from childhood, a neighbor, a family member etc. They also serve as a lovely peices of wedding memorabilia. The colors are fully customizable and its available in a variety of formats including placemats!!

Check them out: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=vl_other_1&listing_id=17027912

Congrats Christina and Keith!!!

2008-10-27T19:09:00.000-07:00

Check out some footage from one of our recent weddings at Aldrich Mansion in Warwick,RI.
Videography is courtesy of Jason Harmon Weddings http://www.jasonharmonweddings.com/

Take a look........................
www.jasonharmonweddings.com/post/padien.htm

Connecticut Legalizes Same Sex Marriages

2008-10-15T18:40:00.001-07:00

Earlier this week, Connecticut followed in the path of Massachusetts and California by legalizing same sex marriages.
We're excited about this change and welcome the increase in business that it promises. I was recently quoted in Special Event Magazine's online newsletter "Eventline" regarding the topic. Check it out.......

http://specialevents.com/latest_stories/connecticut_same_sex_marriage_1014/

Connecticut OK's Same-sex Weddings
Oct 14, 2008 7:25 PM

Photo by iStockphoto.com/ © Sandra O'Claire
Following decisions earlier this year by California and Massachusetts, Connecticut's Supreme Court ruled Friday that gays and lesbians have the right to marry in the state. The ruling goes into effect Oct. 28.

On Monday, the team at catering company A Thyme to Cook, based in North Stonington, Conn., was discussing the business the decision might bring.
The company already serves about four to five receptions celebrating same-sex unions each year, president Linda Sample tells Special Events, and she "definitely" expects an increased demand for such events. "We already have two on the books for '09," she says. She adds, "We are in the midst of establishing our marketing plan to target this audience." The company recently joined the Rainbow Wedding Network, an online source for gay-friendly wedding vendors.

Although she isn't certain how much new business she will see, Elissa Fallo, head of Perfect Productions of Farmington, Conn., expects "many more" same-sex ceremonies to come. "I think that the benefits of using a planner at a same-sex service will be the same as using them at any other wedding," she says. "Once couples are aware of our services, I think that they will start to utilize them more." To help boost awareness of her company, Fallo is considering putting an ad in an alternative lifestyle magazine.

BIGGER BALLGAME
Fallo expects the scope of same-sex events to grow now that they are officially "weddings." "Even though civil unions were accepted here, I don’t think that people were making a big deal out of them," she says. "Once you call it a 'wedding,' it’s a whole other ballgame."
Based on the same-sex wedding market in neighboring Massachusetts, which opened the door to same-sex unions of residents in 2004 and to visitors in July, Andrea Robinson, head of Ledyard, Conn.-based AMR Event Planning, expects a "significant" increase in that segment of her business. "I typically plan about 20 weddings per year, and I’m hoping to have somewhere between five and seven same-sex weddings this coming year," she says.

PROS NEEDED
Robinson maintains that even more than traditional weddings, same-sex events require the services of an event professional. "First, same-sex weddings are nontraditional, and couples tend to apply that nontraditional thinking to all aspects of their celebration, which is an event planner’s dream," she says. "These out-of-the box ideas take a lot of planning and coordination to pull off, and that’s where the wedding planner comes in. Secondly, same-sex marriages take a degree of sensitivity that you wouldn’t necessarily need with a traditional wedding. There are usually a lot of different family issues to deal with, and couples don’t want to have to 'come out' to every single vendor they deal with."

Sample says her work with same-sex ceremonies is "such fun." "The couples, as well as their guests, have been so enjoyable, innovative, open to creative ideas, and great to work with," she notes. "We have done several wedding cakes with two brides or grooms on top and have also had some receptions that maintain all the traditions of toasts, first dance, cake-cutting, etc., but make little, if any, reference to it being a same-sex union. We tend to do more women couples than men--not sure why that is!"

Party Idea

2008-08-08T19:32:00.000-07:00

I was recently invited to a Wine Judging Party. I think this is such a great idea.

Invite everyone over for Wine and Appetizers. Everyone is instructed to bring two bottles of their favorite wines. You can give everyone a price range so that people don't go overboard. Once everyone arrives one bottle goes away and the other is set out to be served.

The hostess hands out preprinted cards with numbers for each bottle of wine and a place to add in a comment and a grade. Bottles are graded from 1 to 5. 1 being a bottom shelf bottle that should be stored next to your reserve Popov Vodka and 5 being a special occasion bottle. The hostess pours each bottle at random without letting the guests know the name of the wine or who brought it. At the end the scores are tallied and the person who brought the wine with the highest score gets to take home their own private collection of all the wines (the second bottle that everyone brought)

For all my friends who read this blog be prepared for an invitation to my own personal Wine Judging Party soon!!!

I Love This Wedding

2008-07-23T14:38:00.001-07:00

I love this weeding. I think the XOXO theme is simply adorable. If I had the chance to do my wedding over again ( I wish I could get married again each and every year....always to the same guy though!!) I would love to steal these ideas... take a look...............

Congrats Juliet and Ben!!

2008-06-25T05:12:00.001-07:00

Our wedding last weekend was at The Hotel Viking in Newport, RI.

It was a beautiful day with a beautiful couple and a gorgeous location, who could ask for anything more!!! I have to say that Juliet and Ben are one of my favorite couples. They were so easy to work with, and so down to earth. It was truly a pleasure. I wish them all the best!!!

Check out some of the photos from JLM Studio. http://www.jlm-studio.com/blog/

Who wants a baby shower?

2008-06-12T19:38:00.001-07:00

I don't remember quite how I stumbled across this website but its adorable. http://www.pinkcakebox.com/

The cakes are adorable. Very fun! Being a new mom, this one really struck a cord with me.....I want to throw a baby shower just so that I can showcase this cake!!! Alright girls, who's it gonna be??? Check out the cookie at the bottom of the picture too, its a little onesie!!! I love it!

Brides against Breast Cancer - Gown Sale Fundraiser

2008-06-04T06:36:00.000-07:00

http://bridesagainstbreastcancer.org/
"Brides Against Breast CancerTM" gown sales continue to be important fund-raising events for Making Memories. Our more than 32 yearly shows provide brides-to-be with an opportunity to find their dream gown (at an incredible savings) while making wishes and dreams come true for women and men who are losing their fight against breast cancer.

The worldwide support of designers, manufacturers, bridal shops and individuals (who donate a most treasured possession) make possible our Nationwide Tour of Gowns sales. The proceeds from these events help bring a moment of joy into world of someone for whom a cure is too late.

How to Donate Your Gown
How can you help make dreams come true? At this time, we are in need of contemporary gown styles, slips and veils dating from 2000 until the present day. Each gown that arrives at our organization is carefully prepared for our upcoming "Brides Against Breast CancerTM, Nationwide Tour of Gowns" sales. The thousands of generous donations we receive from designers, manufactures, bridal shops, and individuals worldwide, enables Making Memories to grant final wishes to women and men suffering from terminal breast cancer

Until recently, we have been able to accept gowns from all eras and in any condition, which we sell nationally and worldwide or produce into quilted artworks. However, due to our extensive inventory of vintage, antique and retro gowns, we recommend all generous potential classic era donors withhold their contributions until we have room to accommodate these prized garments. We anticipate posting an announcement on this website when we once again have the ability to manage these treasured gifts with the respect they deserve. Additional wedding related items are always welcome, we accept bridesmaid, mother of the bride and flower girl dresses, along with other wedding specific items such as veils, shoes, purses, slips, bras, etc....

Fabulous Find

2008-06-03T18:00:00.000-07:00

Check out these great favors and party decorations from Cox & Cox. Really great unique stuff. I really LOVE the Marriage matchstick boxes. I'm going to suggest that as a favor to all my brides. I think its so cute.

http://www.coxandcox.co.uk/

Inspiration Courtesy of Ms Martha Stewart........

2008-06-03T14:31:00.000-07:00

Inspiration..............

2008-06-02T16:56:00.000-07:00

Wedding Vows

2008-05-30T08:54:00.000-07:00

Wedding Ceremony: Creative Vows

Looking for some inspiration for your wedding? Take Real Simple's quiz and try to match the vows from movies and TV shows with the characters who spoke them
-Debra McClinton Real Simple.com

1. "When was it that we fell in love? When we were 18 or 16, maybe 10? I don't know, 'cause the truth is, I can't picture a time when I wasn't in love with you. I always knew you were the one that could look into my eyes and see my soul. I don't question your commitment to us, and I know that there's nothing that we can't work through. And I accept you as my partner and as my best friend, above all others. It's a miracle to find the kind of peace and happiness that you've given me. And in honor of that miracle, I pledge before our family and friends to love and to cherish you forever."

2. "I, Craig, take you, Christina, to be my wife, my best friend, and my first mate. Through sickness and health, clear skies and squalls." "I, Christina, take you, Craig, to be my best friend and my captain, to be your anchor and your sail, your starboard and your port."

3. "Past my mind, beyond my heart, I love you from my soul. And that's the space where only you and God dwell."

4. "For so long, I wondered if I would ever find my prince, my soul mate. Then three years ago, at another wedding, I turned to a friend for comfort. Instead I found everything I'd ever been looking for my whole life. And now here we are with our future before us. And I only want to spend it with you — my prince, my soul mate, my friend."

5. "I was thinking of a poem before" when I was getting ready, and I think it starts, 'I carry your heart in my heart. I am never without it. Anywhere I go, you go.' I'm probably messing the whole thing up, but I think the end goes, 'And this is the wonder that keeps the stars apart. I carry your heart. I carry it in my heart.' So I guess what I'm saying is, let's just try to love each other and persevere."

Answers

1. David Silver to Donna Martin on the TV series Beverly Hills, 90210

2. Christina and Craig in the movie Wedding Crashers

3. Frankie to Vanessa in the movie Madea's Family Reunion

4. Monica Gellar to Chandler Bing on the TV series Friends

5. Luka Kovac to Abby Lockhart on the TV series ER

Sex and The City

2008-05-29T20:15:00.000-07:00

This is way off the wedding topic but is anyone else as excited for the new Sex and the City movie to come out tomorrow as I am??? I don't remember ever being as excited for any movie as I am for this one. My girlfriends and I are planning to do it up right by viewing the movie together followed by some long overdue girltalk and cosmos at a local hot spot!!! Can't Wait!!

Emergency Fixes for your Wedding Day Attire

2008-05-26T19:24:00.000-07:00

Check out these "must have" items to make sure that your day goes off without a hitch. Keep these few things handy and you just might save the day for you or one of bridal party.
-Hollywood Tape ( www.hollywoodfashiontape.com ) to secure strapless dresses
-White chalk for disguising dress stains
-Stain remover wipes
-A lint brush
-A compact steamer ( http://www.jiffysteamer.com/)
-White gaffers tape ( at hardware stores) to patch tears in your dress
-White ballet slippers
-Small sewing kit
-Extra buttons

courtesy of Real Simple Weddings

Wedding Flowers

2008-05-16T05:58:00.000-07:00

Below are some of the ascribed meanings to some common wedding flowers. Use these to add a special significance to your wedding boquets or table arrangments.

Amaranthus: Constancy and fidelity
Amaryllis: Pride, pastoral beauty
Anemone: Abandonment, forsakenness, sincerity, fragility
Chrysanthemum: Happiness and long life
Chrysanthemum (White): Truth
Chrysanthemum (Yellow): Secret admirer
Chrysanthemum (Red): Love
Daffodil (a.k.a. Narcissus): Respect and good fortune, chivalry, unrequited love
Daisy: Innocence, loyal love, purity
Forget-Me-Not: Faithful love and memory, true love
Iris: Faith and wisdom, inspiration
Ivy: Fidelity, wedded love, affection
Lilac: First love
Lily: Purity and sweetness
Lily of the Valley: Renewed happiness and humility
Orchid: Love and beauty
Peony: Happiness and prosperity
Rose (Red): Love and desire
Rose (White): Purity and innocence
Sweet Pea: Departure
Tulip: True love
Violet: Modesty
Zinnia: Thoughts of friends, thoughts of absent friends

Written by the Editors of Real Simple
Real Simple Weddings

Something Old, Something New Something Borrowed, Something Blue

2008-05-11T17:10:00.000-07:00

The often unquoted last line of the traditional bridal saying gives a hint at its origin. The complete phrase is: "Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, and a silver sixpence in her shoe."

A sixpence is a coin made of silver and worth six pennies that was minted in Britain from 1551 to 1967, indicating that the wedding tradition of the bride wearing something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue is English. Many sources say that it began in the Victorian era.

Each item in this poem represents a good-luck token for the bride. If she carries all of them on her wedding day, her marriage will be happy. "Something old" symbolizes continuity with the bride's family and the past. "Something new" means optimism and hope for the bride's new life ahead. "Something borrowed" is usually an item from a happily married friend or family member, whose good fortune in marriage is supposed to carry over to the new bride. The borrowed item also reminds the bride that she can depend on her friends and family. Blue has been connected to weddings for centuries. In ancient Rome, brides wore blue to symbolize love, modesty, and fidelity. Christianity has long dressed the Virgin Mary in blue, so purity was associated with the color. Before the late 19th century, blue was a popular color for wedding gowns, as evidenced in proverbs like, "Marry in blue, lover be true."

And finally, a silver sixpence in the bride's shoe represents wealth and financial security. It may date back to a Scottish custom of a groom putting a silver coin under his foot for good luck. For optimum fortune, the sixpence should be in the left shoe. These days, a dime or a copper penny is sometimes substituted, and many companies sell keepsake sixpences for weddings.

Something Old, New, Borrowed, and Blue
-Wrap an old handkerchief that belonged to someone close to you, like a grandparent, around your bouquet as you walk down the aisle.
-Print an old family recipe on lovely note cards as a simple party favor for guests.
-Wear a locket containing old family photos around your neck on the big day.
-Borrow a charm from a close friend or family member, and hook it onto your bouquet as you walk down the aisle.
-Place party favors for your guests in a delicate blue thank-you bag.
-Select a blue guest book or place cards for your guests.

Courtesy of Martha Stewart Weddings

Favors/Escort Card Ideas

2008-05-09T17:56:00.001-07:00

Here's a couple for you....

I do alot of my work in the Newport, RI area which is one of the sailing hubs of east coast. I thought that these sailboats would be perfect for any of my weddings! How cute. They can double as favors and escort cards!!!

http://www.beau-coup.com/mini-wooden-sailboats.htm

For the young at heart bride....I think this gumball machine is so perfect. I can just picture them sitting on all of the tables. Another really cute favor. Pretty unique too. I don't think I've ever seen anyone use this as a favor before.

http://www.beau-coup.com/mini-gumball-machines.htm

This one is good for a baby shower as well as a wedding. Just adorable and functional.

http://www.beau-coup.com/baby-piggy-bank-favors.htm

Escort Cards

2008-05-09T17:47:00.000-07:00

What a cool way to display your escort cards!!! I may just have to invest in one for my brides!!

Take a look:

http://www.umbra.com/ustore/product/306990/c410/fotofalls.html

Wedding Inspirations

2008-05-06T14:45:00.000-07:00

Courtesy of my Southern Wedding Planner friends Bliss Event Group

Making it easy on your bridesmaids

2008-04-23T19:09:00.000-07:00

How not to be a bridezilla? Pick something your bridesmaids really can wear again, then list the details on a handy card. Download our template (www.marthastewart.com/maid-service) type in contact info, and print onto card stock. Write in other details, and add fabric swatches and images. Use a rotary cutter with a perforating blade to create a tear-off card that can be tucked into a wallet for easy reference

Courtesy of Martha Stewart Weddings

Unique Accesories & Favors

2008-04-21T17:37:00.000-07:00

http://www.weddingstar.com/

Some really unique favors and accessories. I love their customizable label designs. Take a look:

Your Wedding Dress

2008-04-17T05:52:00.001-07:00

Wedding Dress Hint: Use a digital camera to snap photos of yourself in serious contender dresses, then review them again later. And don't hyperventilate: There's a perfectly good reason why you aren't fitting into your usual size at the bridal salon. In a cruel twist of fate, wedding gowns tend to run one or two sizes smaller than regular clothing lines. So if you're an 8, gear up to try on 10s and 12s - not to go on a crazy crash diet.

Courtesy of Real Simple Weddings

C is for Cookie

2008-04-14T19:31:00.001-07:00

You've got to check out these cookies.....................

http://www.elenis.com/ I found them on the Martha Stewart Wedding Blog. Seems they are a favorite of the Martha clan. I can certainly see why.
So adorable. They come in all shapes and sizes and they ship all over the country! I can think of a million ways to use these cookies. Look how cute. I love the Happy Birthday cookies

Here's to making the most of it

2008-03-31T20:02:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter!!!!

2008-03-20T14:12:00.000-07:00

RealSimple.com has a great article/slideshow up right now featuring new and fun ways to get creative with Easter's favorite sugar-coated marshmallow friends! The feature also includes some "Fun Facts" - including this one which seriously shocks me: "PEEPS were made by hand using a pastry tube until 1954, when a machine was invented to create multiple marshmallow chicks at a time. Prior to this time it took 27 hours to make one PEEP." 27 hours?! Who knew! Check out the full article below.......

http://www.realsimple.com/realsimple/gallery/0,21863,1723851,00.html

Info from http://www.hostessblog.com/

Unique Save The Dates

2008-03-20T13:57:00.000-07:00

I'm always looking for unique and different ideas for all the different wedding elements. I stumbled across this Save the Date and couldn't resist posting it. Its adorable. Obviously not for everyone but what a great idea?!?!?! Its a lego magnet. Check out the link to the blog below. It talks about how they went about creating this cool and different Save the Date.

http://lindaandroland.blogspot.com/2007/08/lego-save-date.html

Beautiful Wedding Photos

2008-02-18T17:49:00.001-08:00

Just a little inspiration as you plan your weddings......

I found these Photos on the Style Me Pretty Blog.

Photos were taken by Yvette Roman http://yrphoto.com/

Unique Ideas for Boutonnieres

2008-02-01T12:14:00.000-08:00

Are you looking for something unique that you can add to your ceremony? Take a look at the Boutonnieres below. My favorite....The White Staghorn Coral, what a cool idea for a beach themed wedding. Also try incorporating some of the unique elements of these boutonnieres into your bouquets.

Photos courtesy of Instyle Weddings Magazine

AMR Events

2008-01-16T12:18:00.000-08:00

Bridesmaid Jewlery

2008-01-15T14:24:00.000-08:00

Here's a great site for all of your bridal party jewelry. They offer styles in every color to match every color scheme. You can also try out the jewelry on a virtual neckline that matches what your girls will be wearing. Check it out..................

http://www.chemistrybridal.com/

Unique Photo Cards

2008-01-08T12:18:00.000-08:00

I've been taking a little time off lately due to the newest addition to our family, Sean Mark Robinson!!! Born Dec. 21st 8 pounds, 7 ounces and all around perfect!

But, its time to get back into the swing of things, sleep deprived or not.
I've been searching around trying to figure out what type of birth announcements I wanted to send out. I found a great site http://www.tinyprints.com/ that has some really unique photo cards for parties/Christmas/birth announcements etc.
Mostly geared toward showing off your children but you could use them however you'd like.

Happy Holidays

2007-12-12T10:09:00.000-08:00

I had the pleasure recently of planning the PCU New Hampshire Children's Holiday Party.

It was such a treat. The kids all seemed to have a wonderful time. The kids spent alot of their time decorating foam reindeer antlers. It as adorable to see all of them running around after they had finished with their newly decorated antlers on. We had plenty of sweets and even had

a surprise visit from Santa to make the day complete.

Check out some of the photos....Happy Holidays!!!!

2007-11-29T09:48:00.000-08:00

I just found this photo on another Wedding Blog..........

The photo was taken by a Louisiana wedding photographer, Kevin Beasely. The father of the bride was so nervous walking his little girl down the aisle that he had to write his one line on his hand to remember!!! What a great sentiment to be able to capture!!!

Beautiful Wedding Video...........

2007-10-14T17:33:00.000-07:00

Check out this clip from Jamie & Matt's wedding video.
Don't they make a beautiful couple?!?!

http://vs.moorecast.com/service/videoshow.asp?id=ZGukZwy1gQV8qz8yoD==%20

What a great way to be able to look back on your special day years down the road.

Congratulations!!!!

2007-09-27T09:54:00.000-07:00

Congratulations Kim & Tony

Married Saturday September 22nd

Ceremony and reception at Lake Pearl Lucianos, Wrentham,MA

Let them eat cake!

2007-08-29T13:26:00.000-07:00

I was at a birthday party recently where they had cake from my favorite Boston Wedding Cake maker, Konditer Miester. http://www.konditormeister.com/

Their cakes are so good....melt in your mouth good. Not overwhelmingly sweet and just plain delicious.

Here's a couple of my favorite cake designs from there website to give you some inspiration.

What if it rains?!?!?

2007-08-23T11:03:00.000-07:00

Outdoor weddings can be some of the most beautiful around, especially here in New England. We have beautiful venues to choose from the beach, the woods, a beautiful meadow or garden. The options are endless........ My #1 advice to any bride getting married outside is to make sure that she has a backup plan. New England is beautiful but it also comes with some very unpredictable weather. Make sure that you secure an indoor location as an alternative.

Take it from one of my bride's last July. Her wedding was scheduled to be held at a beautiful outdoor site. It was a hot July day, bright sunshine. As the day progressed the clouds started to roll in but we still thought we'd be ok and then fifteen minutes before the ceremony the skies opened up. We quickly regrouped and redirected all the guests to a small chapel down the street. The ceremony was late getting started but only by half an hour!!! The chapel looked as though it had been planned all along.

Speaking Your Photographer's Language

2007-08-02T08:35:00.000-07:00

When it comes to booking your photographer its easier to feel confident and know what to expect when you know what the Photographer is saying. Below are some key words to help you navigate through your contract and find the best Photographer for your style

35 mm: A type of film used in most cameras. 35 mm describes the size of the negative. Also refers to cameras that use 35 mm film.
4 x 5: A large-size film often used by professional photographers for portraits and landscapes. The negative measures four inches by five inches. Also refers to cameras that use 4 x 5 film.
Candid: A photograph that is not posed. Generally taken without the subject's awareness.
Documentary Style: A style of shooting videotape or film that includes interviews, and candid or unstaged scenes.
Fisheye: An extremely wide-angle lens used to create photographs with a distorted 'rounded' effect.
Infrared: A special film that reacts to the infrared light spectrum. Results in dramatic color shifts in color film and ethereal glows in black-and-white film. This film requires special handling and processing.
Internegative: A negative created from an existing photograph. Allows new prints to be made from a photograph if the original negative has been lost. Often results in higher quality images than direct scans of the photograph.
Medium Format: A film type with a negative that is larger than 35 mm film. The resulting pictures can be used to create quality prints that are much larger than can be done with 35 mm film. Also refers to a camera that uses medium format film.
Multiple Exposure: A process during which a picture is exposed to light several times, either at the time the picture is taken or later, during printing. Multiple exposures can create many different effects.
Negative: Film that has been exposed and developed. Light is projected through the negative to create the finished print.
Online Photo Showcasing: Displaying proofs of an event online, which enables you and your guests to easily view, share, and purchase professionally captured images - anytime, anywhere.
Panorama: A special camera that allows the photographer to take a picture with a much wider view than normal -- up to 360 degrees, depending on the camera. These cameras require special film.
Portrait: A formal, posed photograph.
Prints: The final, retouched photographs purchased by the newlyweds and their loved ones.
Proofs: Normal-sized pictures used by the couple to select prints. Proofs have not been retouched and must often be returned to the photographer.
Retouch: The process by which the photographer removes tiny imperfections caused by dust or other debris from the photograph. Can also be used to remove skin blemishes from photographs.
Selective Focus: A technique in which one portion of a photograph is in focus while other elements are blurred. The viewer's eye is naturally drawn toward the part of the photo that is in sharp focus.
Sepia: A golden brown tint sometimes applied to black-and-white pictures. Can give the finished print an antique appearance.
Shot List: A list of required photographs provided to the photographer prior to the wedding. Includes the subjects of each photograph and any additional pertinent information.
Soft Focus: A technique using a special lens or attachment, which softens all of the edges in a photograph. The resulting picture appears as though the subject was photographed behind a light layer of gauze.
Telephoto: A special type of lens used to photograph subjects that are far away. Essentially functions like binoculars for the camera.

(Definitions courtesy of Weddingchannel.com)

The Wedding Toast !!!

2007-08-01T10:31:00.000-07:00

Making the most of the wedding toast; raising some do’s and don’ts

01:00 AM EDT on Sunday, July 15, 2007
BY JULIA FELDMEIERThe Washington Post

My sister’s wedding is just 41 days away, and as her maid of honor, I have a few concerns. Will I trip walking down the aisle? Will I remember the names of my parents’ friends? Most important, will the toast I’m expected to give at the reception be appropriately funny, touching, tear-jerking — and, above all, better than the best man’s?

Being asked to deliver a few words on behalf of the bride and groom is flattering, exciting — and utterly unnerving. For one, it’s public speaking. Add to that the pressure of executing a poignant and witty speech about people I love — without bawling, shaking or, ahem, slurring.
SO, WHAT’S the trick to making a toast? Here’s what experts have to say about the do’s and don’ts of the deed:

Stay sober. It’s obvious but true. “I had one wedding where the bridesmaids, after quite a few drinks, got up and started telling stories about the bride that were really inappropriate,” says Laura Weatherly, owner of Engaging Affairs, an Alexandria, Va.-based wedding planning service. “It pretty much ruined the wedding.”

Drunkenness isn’t always quite so dramatic, but if you think there’s a chance that imbibing will prompt you to slur your words or say something even marginally offensive, why risk it? Ask the bride and groom when you’ll be expected to speak. Many wedding planners say they like the toasts to take place during the last hour of the reception, after the cake is cut, which means you’ll want to pace yourself.

Gauge your audience. Since wedding receptions are usually less intimate than bachelor parties, showers and rehearsal dinners, you should tailor your toast so that it appeals to a broader audience.
“If there are a lot of children or great-grandmothers or people of another culture, that can give you a guide to what you would want to talk about,” says Sarah McElwain, author of To the Happy Couple: Creating a Great Wedding Toast With Style. “Nobody’s going to get the funny insider story that you and the bride and your friends might think is hilarious.”
Also, even if you think you know everyone in the room, don’t forget to introduce yourself, McElwain says.

Poke fun, carefully. Though many experts say it’s helpful to open with something lighthearted and funny, humor is tricky. “Until you’ve really practiced speaking, it can fall flat,” says Steve McCardell, owner of Yourspeechwriter.com. “Try it out on people first. . . . What sounds good in your head may not sound good when you’re actually saying it.”
Tom Haibeck, author of Wedding Toasts Made Easy, says it helps to start by making fun of yourself. Self-deprecation and teasing one-liners are much easier to deliver than, say, an elaborately constructed joke, he says. Ditto for amusing anecdotes, which are easier to remember because, presumably, you lived through it.

WHATEVER YOU DO, make sure the humor isn’t insulting. Sure, it’s entertaining to poke fun, but make sure it’s material your friends would want publicized. For instance, if Jim is perpetually late, teasing him for his tardiness (and marveling at the bride’s ability to get him to the altar on time) might be funny and cute. Rehashing his frat boy antics is crass and awkward.
Short is sweet. It’s great if you have a lot to say about the bride and groom, but save it for another day. A reception is a party, and people want to eat, drink and dance — which they can’t do when you’re hogging the mike.

McElwain says most toasts should be no more than three minutes. That’s roughly 500 words, though it’s best to practice and time yourself. Ideally, the toast is short enough for the speaker to remember it cold or with the help of bullet points on index cards. Pages of prepared text will elicit groans from the audience, especially from wedding planners, who say long toasts are their nightmare.
“They’re the bane of my existence,” says Bonnie Schwartz, a Bethesda, Md.-based planner who recently had a situation in which the maid of honor and the best man gave toasts that, combined, lasted 45 minutes. “That was an entire dance set,” Schwartz says. “And the toast was awful, too.”

Keep it personal. Schwartz says that during her recent wedding toast disaster, she caught the photographer laughing to himself: He’d heard the exact same toast at a wedding he’d worked the previous week.

The best toasts are those that help the audience understand your relationship with the newlyweds — as well as their relationship with each other.
Carol Marino, owner of A Perfect Wedding in Fairfax, Va., says her favorite toast was one in which the best man spoke of a trip he and the groom had taken to Australia. The two had lain out under the stars and talked about the kind of women they’d like to marry. Years later, when the best man met the then-new girlfriend, he knew instantly that she was the one with all the qualities his friend had described in Australia.

The best man “had just enough humor and just enough relationship stuff,” Marino says. “You really felt like you were getting to know the groom through his eyes.”
Experts say it’s personal details that make or break a toast, not whether your delivery is the most brilliant. Be sure to nod to both the bride and the groom — it’s a toast to their marriage, after all. And, of course, “remember to actually do the toast part,” Marino says. “People get so into their little speech, they forget to raise a glass or sip the champagne.”

So, raise that glass! To the happy couple! And to a toast well done! (Now, Mom, will you please hand me back my vodka tonic?)

Congratulations

2007-07-23T12:31:00.001-07:00

Congratulations Jamie & Matt

Married July 20th 2007

First Congregational Church

New Milford, CT

Signature Cocktails

2007-07-18T11:45:00.001-07:00

Need some fabulous ideas for your own signature cocktails? Just leave it to Martha Stewart. She's got some great suggestions in her Weddings Magazine.

Check this one out:

Show us a magazine without a signature drink, and we'll show you an uptight staff without priorities. (Hiccup!) The Blueprint martini takes the crystal-clear, life-affirming qualities of vodka and adds what we choose to view as the antioxidant properties of the blueberry.

The result: a late-night nectar that tastes good and at least sounds good for you -- whether it is or not.

1/4 cup vodka

1 tablespoon cointreau

1/2 teaspoon blue curacao

3 to 6 fresh blueberries

To Mix Combine: vodka, Cointreau, and Curacao over ice in a shaker, and shake to combine. Strain into a martini glass. Drop in blueberries, and serve. Makes one.

Recipe by Sandra Gluck

We've Moved!!!

2007-07-12T08:25:00.000-07:00

AMR Events has moved....don't worry not far.

We're now just down the road in Ledyard, CT.

We'll still be servicing the New England area but now have a bigger and better office space!!

73 Iron St.

Ledyard, CT 06339

P: 443-534-4276

arobinson@amreventplanning.com

http://www.amreventplanning.com/