Ring in the New Year with bubbles

Here are a few of my favorite bubblies to help you toast your New Year (or engagement):

Non Vintage Barefoot Bubbly California Premium Extra Dry (Approx. $9)
It goes to your head super-quickly, so you’ll certainly get your party started early.

Nicholas Feuillatte (Approx. $25)
Cheap enough to make you feel rich enough to drink real Champagne regularly.

Mumm Napa Brut Cordon Rouge (Approx. $43.)
I can’t say enough wonderful things about this Champagne, but I can sum up my love for it in one phrase: No hangover headache the next day!

Happy New Year!

Hot in 2009?

Recently, every conversation I have with a vendor starts and ends with the economy and it's effect on our not-so-recession-proof-afterall-wedding industry. Today, however, I had a conversation that was reminiscent of our pre-housing-market-collapse-Wall Street-bailout days. I was talking to a local caterer about wedding reception trends. We were trying to predict what will be hot, in food, in 2009 and beyond (because wedding trends stick around for years). Here's what we came up with:

“Green” will still be red hot. Local, sustainable, vegan and zero waste menus.

Smaller food portions. Lunch portions will be served for dinner functions. A part of the “green” initiative, although it’s popularity in 2009 may be due to the smaller budget initiative.

Stations, stations, stations!
Dessert stations will add to or replace the traditional wedding cake
Cocktail stations will replace the expensive open bar
Soda fountain, candy and popcorn buffets will continue to add levity to the wedding reception, and
cheese & fruit displays paired with a variety of wines, will replace expensive hor d’oeuvres and the open bar during the cocktail hour.

Offal – Chitterlings, liver, kidney, tongue, brains and other animal innards have moved from the reality game show arena to the wedding reception dinner menu. Experimentation, we’ve been told, will be big in 2009 as foodie couples demand more originality and bold flavors, and chefs, happy to oblige, will be all over this European trend.

Did I miss any? if you've seen or heard of an emerging food trend, drop me a line. It's a heck of a lot more fun to talk about than...I don't know...non-existant 401k accounts.

The photo above is the Soda fountain break at the Hyatt Regency Boston.

Budget weddings

The phrase "budget wedding" has a negative connotation. Immediately, the images that pop into one's head are that of warm Martinelli's cider being poured for the "champagne" toast, a wedding cake toppling to the ground revealing it was constructed mostly of styrofoam, family members of the bride rushing into the reception hall two hours late with silver pans of home-cooked food for the buffet (and then forgetting the serving utensils). The groom's uncle in charge of bar, showing up with two large bottles of Hennessy and a bottle of ginger ale, which he promptly rests on his friends' table and then directs everyone else to the vending machine down the hall. Yes, I have been in attendance, and it is the number one reason why I am a wedding planner today.

Having a wedding on a budget (I interrupt this post for a brief clarification. There is a school of thought that says there is a difference between planning a wedding on a budget and planning a wedding with a budget. I disagree. Every wedding has a budget, whether it's limited or limitless, every couple has a threshold when it comes to how much money they have or are willing to spend on their nuptials). Having a wedding on a budget (or rather, with a limited budget) does not have to be a negative experience.

To borrow from Colin Cowie, when the budget is limited, it is better to pick five things and do them well than to do ten things on the skinny. What is important to you? is it the food? favors? flowers? dress? music? then spend your money on those things that are important to you and let everything else go. When I started planning events almost ten years ago, a seasoned event planner gave me some sage advice, he said: "People rarely notice what you haven't done, but they do notice when you cut corners on what you have done."

Happy Holidays! is it 2009 yet?

Bah humbug

Okay, how did you spend your Christmas? I spent mine listening to my Rent and Evita CDs cranked up to "you'll ruin your hearing" and singing along just as loudly.

I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas, and I wish you all a Happy and Prosperous New Year!

RERUN

I was housecleaning yesterday and realized that there are some old posts that are just as relevant today as they were two years and 289 posts ago, so I will re-run some of them over the course of the next few months. However, if you're a regular reader of this blog, I will forewarn you by posting "RERUN" in the subject line.

Happy Holidays!

The end of a season

With Saturday's party all wrapped up, with beautiful photos to share courtesy of my photographer friend Stirling Elmendorf, we at Leslie-Manning Events have closed our holiday season and are getting ready to enjoy the holiday season with some much needed time off. I can now say it like I mean it: Happy Holidays y'all!

Priceless beauty

The cost of my trip to Borders Books & Music: $1.35

The number of hours I had to kill: 3

The number of minutes it took for me to find the New Beauty Magazine and beauty box: 10

The number of minutes for me to Google the products on my phone to see if they were worth the $19.99 price tag: 5

Over $100 worth of beauty products (and a $20 gift certificate) to try before you buy to get that picture perfect look on your wedding day: PRICELESS!

Party!: Ooh la la...it's marvelous!

Yesterday, I walked until my feet were sore. I was searching for the perfect handmade paper to make French candy containers for guest favors. And then, as though the craft gods were looking out for me, because they know that I am not the least bit crafty, I found this website. It was a real hallelujah moment. I've had quite a few of those this week. Keep 'em coming.

Happy Holidays!

(Okay, I plan to tear off the "marry me" sign, and I hope none of my guests are expecting a diamond solitaire).