Fourteenth: The Sweetest Wedding
Creating the sweetest wedding doesn't revolve solely around the dessert table. It is the added touches that make the wedding guests feel a part of something really special.
Jeff and I returned to Richmond the third weekend of April. This would be our second visit to Mankin Mansion and our first planning session with Brielle, Alex, and the mansion's wedding planner, Katie.
Our planning session would take an hour and a half. Brielle was fully prepared with all of the necessary paperwork and contracts. As a matter of fact...she was "best prepared" as Katie remarked. Brielle not only brought along the required contracts and paperwork, but she made copies for Katie and had everything in the proper order for our meeting. I think that may be the attorney in her :)
It was hot...88 degrees hot...for our first planning session in Richmond. Brielle and I always love a little Proseco to cool us down. We decided to go to Lunch or Supper for a little lunch and cool down.
In addition to wedding planning, prop design and production are in full swing for the wedding. I am not a huge Pinterest person. Honestly, I would love to be a huge Pinterest person but that requires time. In my designer world, I really have no extra time. All of my time is spent conceptualizing and creating original ideas. What I love about planning a wedding with Brielle is, when we come up with a unique idea we execute its concept and construction as a team.
Display can add so much to a design concept when it comes to food, wedding apparel, or guest reception. Brielle's bridesmaid, Irina, was right on top of things when we told her we were looking for a display for a certain idea. She nailed it! I found one more at our Home Goods in Pompton Plains.
I love letters!!!
These display boxes got me. They can be used for food, bouquets, cutlery, wedding shoes and accessories...the list is endless.
You can use letters to express anything!
I think we should buy these for the wedding and then hang them in every room of the house and from every tree on the patio!
Do you have a color preference for your wedding?
When the Hunts come up with an idea that is not available anywhere, we do what a Hunt does---we make it ourselves!
Can't really tell you all what this is yet, but trust me we are making them.
So happy they had woodshop at Lakeside Middle School in Pompton Lakes. We will get this right!
Thanks to my sister, Kathy, this prop will be like no other! Thanks sis <3
Can anyone guess what we will use these for? They are so pretty simply spaced out like this.
Of course we had to talk about something real sweet for this blog. Let's talk about the wedding cake.
Brielle and Irina went for a cake tasting at the Mixing Bowl Bakery. Jeff and I actually had a taste of one of their carrot cakes when we visited Brielle's law office for the first time. I am not a big dessert person. My first job in high school was at the Pompton Lakes Bakery. When you come home smelling like buttercream everyday I think you lose your love of eating baked goods. One bite of that carrot cake in her office took that all away. This bakery knows how to cure any teenage stress from working long (early) hours in a small town bakery.
We called ahead and asked if it would be alright for us to stop by for a visit during our Richmond weekend. The owner, Tracy Stevens, was welcoming and gave us access to take any pics we wanted to take. The pics were zero calories...the box of delectable baked goods we walked out with were not.
I asked what they were known for. Tracy told us they were known for their eclairs and upside down cupcakes. She didn't mention the carrot cake, but in our book they are known for their carrot cake!
Loved this view of the master work station. The aprons reminded me of my beloved Grandma's collection.
Tracy showed us a few upside down cupcakes. I don't think we have these in NJ. We made sure to bring a few home for Brielle and Alex to try.
This unicorn cake was a masterpiece! Once the sculpture was iced it would be carefully transported two hours to a special event in VA.
Tracy and her staff have catered to many brides in the Richmond area and beyond who are looking for a wedding cake that not only looks beautiful but tastes incredible! "Lucky us" on October 14th!
One of the things I love most about my profession is the opportunity to meet other creatives in the bridal industry. So many are masters in their fields. Recently I connected with Bombshell Graphics. Their specialty craft blew me away.
Last month, Kryssy came to Headpiece.com with a specific vision for her wedding veil. She looked everywhere, including the big name bridal salons, and wasn't able to find what she was looking for. We were able to customize her vision and give her exactly what she wanted. We instantly bonded and I asked her what her profession was. It was so interesting it prompted me to visit her at Bombshell Graphics in Fairfield, NJ.
Frasier playfully greeted me in the lobby of Bombshell Graphics. There is nothing sweeter than bringing your dog to work with you everyday! Kryssy's fiancé and owner of Bombshell Graphics, Ken Hines, originally began printing out of his garage with his first piece of equipment. Three years later his print shop is massive and has top of the line equipment to conquer any dream for any event!
Bombshell Graphics specializes in wide format printing services and design.
I arrived in time to see a project being prepped for delivery for a special event this weekend.
There is definitely something hot about this pic! Love the orange racks of different color vinyls;) I wish I had racks like these for my many silk fabrics at Headpiece.com, but our facility is not the size of Bombshell Graphics. I was amazed at the size of their space. My dad, who was a printer, would have loved a tour of their shop and to see how much technology has progressed since the days of adding ink to the printing press rollers.
I attended bridal market in March hosted by The Knot. Photo by Bojan Hohnjec
Entrance to the market was striking! It was not just the usual gowns in the lobby by the top designers. The wedding dresses almost seemed secondary. I found many buyers at the front door taking pics of the opening scene. Photo by Bojan Hohnjec
I was unaware that Bombshell Graphics was responsible for the breathtaking entrance to market. I tend to think maybe we are just "six degrees of separation".
Have you ever been to a wedding with a bar that looked like this? You can credit Bombshell Graphics. Event planning by Birch Events
Every time I look at at this pic my heart stops! This incredible "gold mirror and white" dance floor was created by Bombshell Graphics. Event planning by Konstantinos Floral
Take away Bombshell's backdrop and you have a beautiful, but average buffet.
Of course Kryssy and Ken's engagement party had a Bombshell presence! Sandy Hines (Ken's mom) and Steve Novich from Jersey Street Productions planned their amazing engagement event. Photo by Kirchhof Photography
Signage by Bombshell, dance floor by Bombshell, love by Bombshell! Photo by Kirchhof Photography
So this month's blog ends knowing that Headpiece.com will have a presence at Kryssy and Ken's wedding in June...and Bombshell Graphics will have a presence at Brielle and Alex's wedding in October. Could it be "six degrees of separation"?
Next month on the Fourteenth:
Meet The Maffs