Food and wine: How to create a perfect marriage

Food and wine: How to create a perfect marriage

(ARA) – Weddings are one of life’s most celebrated occasions. For brides- and grooms-to-be and their families, an incredible amount of creativity and planning is poured into this all-important day: from the wedding gown to the ceremony, from the invitations and flowers to the wedding cake itself. One of the most-remembered details is what guests are served, so the wedding menu should reflect the couple-to-be’s unique style and personality.

Aida Mollenkamp, host of the popular Food Network show “Ask Aida” says, “The food you serve should be like your dress – reflect you and fit you like a glove – so, if you prefer a cupcake tower to a cake, go for it!”

Tips for a memorable wedding menu

* Find your inspiration. Couples should think back on their relationship, and choose a meaningful place or a time that will inspire their food and wine choices.

* Indulge. This is a celebration so forget about calories and choose the food and wine that truly reflects the couple.

* But don’t lose yourself. Remember, the wedding day is supposed to reflect who the bride and groom are. If they aren’t fans of foie gras and caviar, now is not the time to serve it.

* Personalize. Consider displaying menus at each place setting that describe the couple’s food and wine pairings – and include anecdotes for why they were chosen.

* Last all night. It’s a marathon to make it from the ceremony to the reception for the bride and groom and their guests. Make sure the food is substantial enough to keep everyone filled, yet light enough that they don’t slip into a groggy fog.

* Ah, dessert. It might be your guests’ favorite course, and for a wedding, it can truly be a showpiece. Let the dessert reflect the couple’s sweet tooth, and remember Riesling is a lovely accompaniment to most wedding desserts.

David Mirassou, sixth-generation of America’s oldest winemaking family agrees. “Riesling is a delicious wine pairing option for wedding desserts. It may also help a couple’s budget too, because it can be paired with both the first and main courses, as well as dessert.”

For more wedding inspiration, as well as video tips, Aida’s recipes and David’s food and wine pairings, visit Mirassou.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Food and wine: How to create a perfect marriage(ARA) – Weddings are one of life’s most celebrated occasions. For brides- and grooms-to-be and their families, an incredible amount of creativity and planning is poured into this all-important day: from the wedding gown to the ceremony, from the invitations and flowers to the wedding cake itself. One of the most-remembered details is what guests are served, so the wedding menu should reflect the couple-to-be’s unique style and personality.

Aida Mollenkamp, host of the popular Food Network show “Ask Aida” says, “The food you serve should be like your dress – reflect you and fit you like a glove – so, if you prefer a cupcake tower to a cake, go for it!”

Tips for a memorable wedding menu

* Find your inspiration. Couples should think back on their relationship, and choose a meaningful place or a time that will inspire their food and wine choices.

* Indulge. This is a celebration so forget about calories and choose the food and wine that truly reflects the couple.

* But don’t lose yourself. Remember, the wedding day is supposed to reflect who the bride and groom are. If they aren’t fans of foie gras and caviar, now is not the time to serve it.

* Personalize. Consider displaying menus at each place setting that describe the couple’s food and wine pairings – and include anecdotes for why they were chosen.

* Last all night. It’s a marathon to make it from the ceremony to the reception for the bride and groom and their guests. Make sure the food is substantial enough to keep everyone filled, yet light enough that they don’t slip into a groggy fog.

* Ah, dessert. It might be your guests’ favorite course, and for a wedding, it can truly be a showpiece. Let the dessert reflect the couple’s sweet tooth, and remember Riesling is a lovely accompaniment to most wedding desserts.

David Mirassou, sixth-generation of America’s oldest winemaking family agrees. “Riesling is a delicious wine pairing option for wedding desserts. It may also help a couple’s budget too, because it can be paired with both the first and main courses, as well as dessert.”

For more wedding inspiration, as well as video tips, Aida’s recipes and David’s food and wine pairings, visit Mirassou.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Three secrets to creating your dream wedding

Three secrets to creating your dream wedding

(ARA) – Wedding season is here and millions of couples are finalizing plans for their big day. But what many couples don’t know is that there easy ways are to avoid stress while planning a wedding.

By following these tips, you can focus on all that is special about your wedding and reception, and avoid the headaches that sometimes come along with them.

Turn your dream into reality

Your wedding day is one of the most important days of your life, and is most likely one you’ve spent hours, days or even years dreaming about. When the time finally comes to start planning the big day, you don’t want to cut corners or settle for a run-of-the-mill, impersonal event. With the help of the American Rental Association (ARA) and your local rental store, you can be sure your wedding day will be one that will be remembered by all.

Rental opens the doors to options you may have never even considered due to time or budget constraints. A romantic outdoor wedding is possible any time of the year with large  tents and elegant canopies, equipped with heating or cooling equipment. Make a statement by skipping the traditional tiered cake and going with something more unique, like an impressive chocolate fountain with brownie or cheesecake bites or an ice cream cart complete with all the fixings. You can even create dramatic scenery on the walls and ceiling of your venue with a variety of accent lighting options.

Don’t break the bank

While your wedding day may be the most important day of your life, there is no reason why it has to be the most expensive. You can save money on seating, centerpieces and more by renting. Why buy all your wedding supplies when you are only going to use them once? Why bother paying for their storage and upkeep after the big day is over? Simplify your wedding and your budget by letting the rental store take care of the cleanup, maintenance and storage of all your decorations and supplies.

And forget about running all over town, wasting time, energy and money – make one stop at your local rental store and get everything you need. ARA members, which include more than 7,000 rental businesses and 1,000 manufacturers and suppliers, are located in every state, so you can get all the supplies you need in one stop. To make finding the rental store nearest you even easier, ARA offers RentalHQ.com, the world’s largest and most comprehensive rental store locator. Here, people planning their wedding and reception can find the rental store nearest them, read how-to tips and get ideas and inspiration for their event.

Enlist the experts

To make planning your big day even easier, some ARA member rental businesses offer Certified Event Rental Professionals (CERPs). And most offer on-site support, relieving much of the stress associated with planning a wedding. These professionals are ready and willing to share their knowledge and experience with you, from pre-wedding set-up all the way through the day of the event.

Deadlines, budgets, decor – these are all aspects of a wedding that need to be managed and sometimes are better left to the professionals. CERPs know what needs to be organized right away, and what can wait until later. They will think of that one detail that never would have crossed your mind and keep your budget in check.

Enlisting the help of a CERP from your local rental store will not only ease the stress and tension of planning an entire wedding, but it will also ensure that the wedding you always envisioned is the one you will remember for years to come. From the latest trends and themes, to innovative budget saving strategies, CERPs know the ins and outs of planning a wedding.

Don’t let the burden of planning your wedding overwhelm you as you approach one of the most memorable days of your life. Make it an enjoyable experience with the help of ARA and your local rental store.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

In today’s economy, is there a need for a wedding planner?

Save Time With a Planner

In today’s economy, is there a need for a wedding planner?

(ARA) – Weddings can be one of life’s biggest expenses. In the current economic climate, it’s no surprise that couples are looking for ways to cut down the costs.

“Most people are so busy that they don’t have time to plan an event with everything else they have going on in their lives,” says Deborah Wallace, instructor with the Event Management Diploma Program at The Art Institute of Vancouver, who thinks it’s important to see time as a precious commodity, as opposed to just dollars.

Wallace reflects that it can be difficult to explain the time saving as a justification to couples; for example, it’s easier to explain to a company how much they would save in staff wages through hiring a professional to plan an event. “It’s hard to make this clear for a bride and groom,” she says. “A company knows what their employee’s time is worth, but what are your friends’ and family’s time worth?”

Wallace also questions the wisdom of asking loved ones to help out with those important wedding responsibilities, such as picking out linen or choosing the flowers. “It can turn a celebration into a stressful experience for the helpers, who feel like they’re working while everyone else is enjoying the festivities,” she says.

“People spend a huge amount on weddings, and often the Wedding Planner is actually a fraction of the overall costs,” says Amy Alto, whose company, Clear the Floor, organizes first dances for wedding parties. Wedding Planners can actually help couples save some much-needed dollars, through discounts with suppliers and services they use regularly. In Alto’s experience, the Wedding Planner will also tend to get the best service from vendors for their client. “The planners give them a lot of business, so you can feel confident that your cake will arrive on time and the flowers will be fresh,” she says.

Mike Granek (CSEP), academic director for the Event Management Diploma Program at The Art Institute of Vancouver, suggests that training as an event planner can provide the skills needed to plan weddings and leave career options wider. Transferable skills, such as project management, financial management, customer service and risk management, are all used in planning a wedding. For example, managing a stressed or sensitive bride takes customer service skills, and financial planning helps to keep all the wedding costs within budget.

Richard Markel, director of the Association for Wedding Professionals International, doesn’t predict a slowdown in the increasing numbers of wedding planners anytime soon. He estimates that there are currently 60,000 professionally registered wedding planners in the US.

So is there a need for wedding planners? “Absolutely,” says Granek. “There are always people wanting to get married. As long as there are people getting married, there will be a need for wedding planners.”

To learn more The Art Institutes schools, visit www.artinstitutes.edu/nz.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

How to add classic traditions to a modern wedding

How to add classic traditions to a modern wedding

(ARA) – Every bride remembers the age-old saying, “Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue,” and considers how to incorporate these elements into her wedding.

This English poem – believed to be from the Victorian era – was created to provide the bride with several good-luck tokens for her new life with her husband. Here are a few ideas to help the modern bride incorporate some classic traditions into her wedding:

Something old: No, you don’t have to attempt to fit into or resurrect from the back of the closet your mother’s, or even your grandmother’s gown. You might discover one of them wore a unique headpiece that you can incorporate into your veil. Or your husband-to-be’s aunt has a ring you could wear, or an embroidered satin handkerchief you can blend into your bouquet. Vintage purses, antique lace threaded into your veil or wound around your bouquet, or even a squirt from a bottle of your grandmother’s perfume also work well to classically merge the “something old” tradition into your ceremony.

Something new: The pearl necklace is a classic look that complements a wedding dress perfectly. Since ancient times, pearls – with their unblemished perfection – have been tied to weddings as a symbol of innocence.

“Because they are considered a symbol of purity, pearls work perfectly to complete a bride’s wedding-day look,” says Jeremy Shepherd of PearlParadise.com, the world’s largest online pearl company. “Akoya pearls have the perfect round shape with soft, neutral colors, while freshwater pearls shine with more of an intense, natural metallic luster, perfect to complement an embroidered gown.”

Visit www.PearlParadise.com to see the differences between Akoya and freshwater pearls and to find the perfect pearl necklace for your wedding day.

Something borrowed: This is an excellent way to get your best friend or a close relative more involved in your special day. But don’t think that something borrowed must be clothing or jewelry. You could borrow a back yard for the wedding reception, or a purse your sister used when she got married. Another potential item is to borrow the family Bible for readings during the ceremony. Other ideas include borrowing candles for the ceremony or reception, a cake knife set, music from your friends to play at the reception or even the toasting glasses you and your new husband will click together to celebrate your marriage.

Something blue: One popular idea is for brides to incorporate blue into their garter belts, but the idea can stretch much further. Nail polish, makeup, shoes, embroidered flowers on the gown, small pieces of jewelry, a wrap or even blue flowers woven into the bouquets offer plenty of alternatives. If you want to create something a little more surprising, consider wearing blue lingerie. And if you really are planning a modern wedding, you could always wear a blue dress, since blue is a symbol of love, purity and fidelity.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Beyond the basics: How to create a one-of-a-kind wedding

Beyond the basics: How to create a one-of-a-kind wedding

(ARA) – Summer is right around the corner, and that means one thing – wedding season. Spring is crunch time for millions of couples planning their summer wedding, but what many couples don’t know is that there are easy ways to avoid stress while planning their big day.  

Turn your dream into reality

Your wedding day is one of the most important days of your life, and is most likely a day you’ve spent hours, days or even years dreaming about. When the time finally comes to start planning the big day, you don’t want to cut corners or settle for a run-of-the-mill, impersonal event. With the help of the American Rental Association (ARA) and your local rental store, you can be sure your wedding day will be one that will be remembered by all.

Rental opens the doors to options you may have never even considered due to time or budget constraints. A romantic outdoor wedding is possible any time of the year with huge tents and elegant canopies, equipped with heating or cooling options. Make a statement by skipping the traditional tiered cake and going with something more unique, like an impressive chocolate fountain with brownie or cheesecake bites or an ice cream cart complete with all the fixings. You can even create dramatic scenery on the walls and ceiling of your venue with a variety of accent lighting options.

Don’t break the bank

While your wedding day may be the most important day of your life, there is no reason why it has to be the most expensive. You can save money on seating, centerpieces and more by renting. Why buy all your wedding supplies when you are only going to use them once? Why bother paying for their storage and upkeep after the big day is over? Simplify your wedding and your budget by letting the rental store take care of the cleanup, maintenance and storage of all your decorations and supplies.

And forget about running all over town, wasting time, energy and money – make one stop at your local rental store and get everything you need. ARA members, which include more than 7,500 rental businesses and 1,100 manufacturers and suppliers, are located in every state, so you can get all the supplies you need in one stop. To make finding the rental store nearest you even easier, ARA offers RentalHQ.com, the world’s largest and most comprehensive rental store locator. Here, people planning their wedding and reception can find the rental store nearest them, read how-to tips and get ideas and inspiration for their event.

Enlist the experts

To make planning your big day even easier, some ARA member rental businesses offer Certified Event Rental Professionals (CERPs). And most offer on-site support, relieving much of the stress associated with planning a wedding. These professionals are ready and willing to share their knowledge and experience with you, from pre-wedding set-up all the way through the day of the event.

Deadlines, budgets, guest lists – these are all aspects of a wedding that need to be managed and sometimes are better left to the professionals. CERPs know what needs to be organized right away, and what can wait until later. They will think of that one detail that never would have crossed your mind and keep your budget in check.

Enlisting the help of a CERP will not only ease the stress and tension of planning an entire wedding, but it will also ensure that the wedding you always envisioned is the one you will remember for years to come. From the latest trends and themes, to innovative budget saving strategies, CERPs know the ins and outs of planning a wedding.

Don’t let planning your wedding cast a cloud over the springtime sunshine. Make it an enjoyable experience with the help of ARA and your local rental store.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Help your flower girl be her best on your big day

Help your flower girl be her best on your big day

(ARA) – Children can add so much to a wedding day – from the ring bearer toddling down the aisle carrying a pillow with precious cargo, to the flower girl who sweetly perfumes your path to the altar by dropping tender petals in her wake. As special as you feel on your wedding day, you’ll want even your littlest helpers to share in the feeling and know that you appreciate them.

To ensure that your young attendants are happy campers on the big day, you’ll want to help them look their best and make them feel that they have an important role. Here are some helpful hints that you can put in practice, whether the child is your own or the child of a loved one. Follow these tips, and you’ll help ensure the youngest members of your wedding party have a positive experience that they – and you – will remember for a lifetime.

Make her feel special

Chances are you’re not the only female in your wedding party who’s doing something special, exciting – and intimidating – for the first time. Your flower girl or young bridesmaid is also experiencing a once-in-a-lifetime, princess-like moment, and may feel understandably nervous at the prospect of having all eyes on her as she precedes you down the aisle. Making her feel special, as if she is a little princess, will help boost her self-confidence.

Brides spend lots of time and energy picking out dresses for their flower girls and junior bridesmaids, taking into account not only how the dress will fit in with the look of the wedding, but how it will complement the wearer. Accessories are just as important, and the youngest members of the wedding party should have some small items to highlight their attire, just as every bride should.

Not only will jewelry enhance the look, it will be a keepsake of the day – look for pieces that are high quality (so that they will last a lifetime), but reflective of the wearer’s age. Disney Precious Collections offers fine children’s jewelry for girls that will be perfect for any wedding. The pieces are understated and elegant, but also feature the youthful spirit of beloved Disney characters – they make ideal flower girl gifts.

Keep her involved

Children love being involved in life’s big moments and decisions as much as possible. Keep your flower girl or young bridesmaid part of the decision-making process as much as possible leading up to your wedding day.

In addition to involving them in fun things like wedding showers, putting stamps on invitations and hair and make-up trials, give your young attendants some options that they can choose from. Will she wear her hair up or down? With flowers, ribbons or feathers?

You can also give her options about what kind of flower girl jewelry she might wear. For a special surprise, you could show her examples of earrings, necklaces and bracelets from Disney Precious Collections well ahead of time, and then surprise her on the day of the wedding with the one she liked best. To look through the jewelry options that can become treasured wedding memories for your junior bridesmaids and flower girls, visit www.PreciousJewelryCollections.com.

Make your day child-friendly

Though you’ll feel like your wedding day is flying by, it can be a long day for the littlest members of your wedding party. Even the best-mannered kids get tired and out of sorts after hours of activity, so it’s good to take that into consideration. You’ll be in a whirlwind of excitement, so make sure that you have a trusted attendant who can help accommodate children’s needs.

Think about scheduling your photos so that pictures with children will be taken first and quickly. They’ll be energetic and happy, and if you can have the photos taken soon after hair and make-up are done, everyone will look picture-perfect.

Plan to have something special for youngsters – both wedding party members and young guests – at the reception. Consider offering kid-friendly menu items, or have separate entertainment like balloon animals, a toy box or a coloring station with crayons and a paper easel to keep kids happy and occupied while adults enjoy the grown-up activities at the reception.

Keeping the youngest members of your wedding party happy on your wedding day will help ensure the day is special, memorable and enjoyable for everyone.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Have your Mother and the Groom’s Mother Coordinate Their Dresses

In a perfect world, your mother and mother in law to be pick out dresses that are perfect for their respective roles and coordinate perfectly. However the reality of the situation is that one or both may need help in the coordination aspect. If you are lucky enough to get along well with your mother in law to be, then you may get to have a say in the dress that she wears on your special day. If you want to present this in a gentle way, then perhaps offer to go shopping with both of these lovely ladies and see if you can steer them in the direction that you so desire.

Traditionally the groom’s mother wears a more muted dress color, but in this day and age all bets are off. You certainly don’t want them to upstage your bridesmaids or of course you as the bride, so if a little direction is needed them perhaps steer them towards a complementary color to that of your selected scheme. As tradition goes, the mother of the bride often wears either a softer shade of white or a hue similar to that which your bridesmaids wear. However your mother may very well have her own opinions and it’s your job to simply offer constructive suggestions.

The best way to get the two women to coordinate is to be honest in your expectations and feedback if given the chance. Make it a girl’s day out and offer to go shopping with the two ladies so that you can offer recommendations and steer them in the right direction. Perhaps offer suggestions for each so that they can see where you’re headed with your thought process. Don’t be offended if they have ideas of their own, all you can do at this point is to offer ideas. If something really seems outlandish or you fear may clash with your color scheme, then be gentle in your approach to what could be a sensitive subject. People get a little funny when it comes to their choice in attire, so remember that in the end it’s only a dress and it’s clearly not worth an argument. You’ve clearly got bigger things on your plate and in times like this you must pick your battles! If it will help, take along a trusted friend or family member on your shopping trip that can echo your sentiment. Remember that above all, every pair of eyes at that wedding will be on you—the rest are just accessories!

Determine Local Marriage License Requirements

5 Months Before the Wedding

To make it official, you need to find out the rules for having a legal marriage in your state. This is most certainly a formality, but a rather important one at that. You will be glad later when you take the time to find out what the marriage license requirements are well in advance at this stage of the wedding planning process. Some states have more stringent requirements than others, and some require more time that you might think. So being the organized bride that you are, this is a great time to look into what requirements you have to fulfill.

Some states require that you go as a couple to the city in which you are getting married to apply for it. This will require signatures from both of you and can usually only happen within a week of the wedding itself. As most city offices are only open during regular business hours, this may require both of you to take a bit of time off of work so be sure that you know this and plan accordingly. It’s also important to understand the time constraints which you are working under, because if you need to apply for the license within a month or week of the wedding, this can be a detail that gets lost in the shuffle. Be sure to mark the date on your calendar as to when you will go take care of any necessary paperwork so that it gets incorporated into your busy schedule.

Some states require that you take a HIV test, and this new requirement can require some timing built in. It’s especially important to understand what timing you are dealing with so that you can work within the parameters and ensure that nothing gets delayed. You can visit the city offices in which you are getting married to talk to a clerk first hand, place a call, or visit their website if they have one to be sure you understand each and every requirement. Your marriage license will then need to be picked up and delivered to the Church or synagogue the day of. Be sure not only to build time in to go pick up the marriage license, but also to assign somebody to bring this with them on the big day. You surely won’t want to concern yourself with this detail the day of, so entrust somebody that you can rely on such as the best man.

Contact and Interview Floral Designers

7 Months Before the Wedding

There is so much beauty that will go into your special day, and a big part of that has to do with the flowers. Even if you’ve never been big into flowers, you will quickly get educated on all the different types and colors available. It can be overwhelming so you want to be sure to enlist the help of somebody you can trust and work well with. This is a great time in your planning process to locate a few floral designers that you can interview, hopefully you’ll be able to narrow this down and hire the one that is right for you. If you’ve used a local florist in the past and been happy with the results, include them in the interviewing process. If you don’t have a starting point, then you can visit a floral designer directory such as AllWedding.com to locate professionals in your area.

As you meet with each floral designer, you want to take any ideas that you might have with you. If you know that you want a particular type of flower included in your centerpieces for example, then be sure to bring that idea with you. If you know that you want an all white bridal bouquet, then discuss your options. If you know that you want bright and vibrant colors in your bridesmaid bouquets, then you’ll want t make them aware of that and see what ideas they can come up with. Discussing all of your ideas and getting answers to all of your questions should be part of your first meeting. You want to go with the designer who can not only answer all of your questions, but who can also insert some of their own ideas so that you have confidence they can create the most beautiful floral masterpieces that you deserve for your special day.

As you are sticking to a budget, cost for flowers is certainly a consideration. This should also be discussed so that you know what some of your ideas will end up costing you, the designer should be able to provide a ballpark figure after you talk through each element. It’s important for you to go in prepared to discuss all of the places that you will want flowers such as centerpieces, bouquets, and boutonnières. These are the obvious places but you also want to consider where you’ll want flowers at the ceremony, if you want them in any other locations at the reception venue besides the table centerpieces, if you want a throw bouquet, and are there any special needs for specific flowers. You want to be sure to consider the season as well, not only for availability but also for cost. These are things that a good floral designer should be considering and discussing with you. Once you hire your floral designer, it’s always a nice touch if they can show you an example of what your flowers will look like. Take the time to hire the designer that will make sure all of your flowers are gorgeous adding to the ambiance of your wedding day!

Start Shopping for Wedding Rings

7 Months Before the Wedding

By now you may be getting used to wearing that gorgeous engagement ring! At first all you could do was stare at this shiny ring that adorned your finger, and now it’s become like an extension of your finger. You won’t however ever pass up an opportunity to show it off to anyone who might be interested. Now is the time for even more fun—time to start shopping for wedding rings. It’s highly likely that your beloved shopped and learned quite a bit about the “four C’s” and other important facts about diamonds, and now it’s time to find the perfect wedding band to go with your engagement ring. Oh yes and of course you need to find one for your groom as well!

As you will be wearing this ring forever you want to take your time and consider all of your options. A good starting point is a site such as Ice.com so that you can look at the various cuts and styles, determining what will go well with your engagement ring as well as what your husband-to-be would like to wear. Often times the woman’s ring is far more ornate, but there can certainly be exceptions! This is one piece of jewelry that you don’t necessarily want to take the cheap route to, and one in which you want to be educated.

Shop around and take your time, you’ll be glad that you did! As you are staying organized and on task, you have some time since you’re starting this so early. So do your research and see what’s out there. Perhaps you want something truly unique that you want a jeweler to create—it’s worth it to get some ideas to take in so that you can fully explain your taste and likes. Maybe you want something more traditional but which will make a nice set with your engagement ring. Whatever the case, you want to do your part to be educated on the “four C’s”—cut, carat, clarity, and color and what they mean to you and your bottom line. Certainly consider price but as you will wear this significant piece of jewelry for the rest of your life you want to get something of a good quality.

This is equally important for the men, even if there are no diamonds. Even if they choose to wear a simple gold or silver wedding band, be sure that it’s made out of a durable material that can stand the test of time. This is where it’s worth it to spend a little extra on quality so that it looks good, even after all the years of wedded bliss. If your man does have interest in a more ornate ring, then take the time to shop around and educate yourself on the gem that he’ll have put in there. This is a fun task and means that you get another beautiful piece of jewelry at the end!

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