The Finishing Touch Wedding and Event Planning

Fall Into Fall Colors

 Don't know what colors to pick for your wedding?

Look for clues in your own backyard!

 

 

 

Nothing is more beautiful then the natural hues of the season. Oranges, browns, berries and beautiful greens. Check out this article in The Knot Magazine this month guiding you to the seasons most trendy floral arrangements.

 

 

Here is a helpful chart to help you coordinate Fall colors for your event! 

 

Click here to read about our couple Stacy and Jeff's Fall Wedding!

TFT at Fashion's Night Out NYC!

On Friday night, Nicole and I took part in Fashion's Night Out in New York City! FNO is a global celebration of fashion that was created last year to boost the industry's economy and to raise funds for charity. This year's slogan,"Shop. For Something Good.", hoped to promote sales and participating retailers donated 40% of the night's sales to the New York City AIDS Fund. FNO was also held in 14 other countries around the world, as well as retailers across the US. Fashion's Night Out also marks the start of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in NYC.

 Nicole and I stepped out on the red carpet that lined the Channel Gardens heading into Rockefeller Center. With live fashion presentations by models along the way, we got an exclusive look at some of the season's up and coming fashion trends. We then headed down into the Rink Bar to catch live performances by the Brooklyn-based bands Bear Hands, Brahms and Savoir Adore. After enjoying a few songs, we worked our way back onto 5th Avenue to hit up some of our favorite places.

We started off at Juicy Couture, where male models greeted us with champagne as we browsed some of their newest handbags and jewelry. All along 5th Avenue, the store windows were transformed into live scenes with real models! There were scenes featuring a Marie Antoinette, live body painting, and even models showering! Tiffany's & Co. had Audrey Hepburn look-a-likes greeting guests and taking photos as they entered. Many of the retailers were offering discounts and had great giveaways like runway survival kits, FNO tote bags, t-shirts and more. There were also DJ's spinning hits in almost every store we entered, making all of 5th Avenue have a 'fashion street party' atmosphere.

Nicole and I made a quick stop at Bergdorf Goodman where celebrities such as Sarah Jessica Parker, Victoria Beckham and Mary J. Blige made appearances. After doing a little shopping at Armani/5th,we learned of the Armani Ristorante, which overlooks 5th Avenue featuring modern Italian decor and offers cuisine from chef Lorenzo Viani. We then headed into Gucci, where we ran into Kim Kardashian who was shopping with her sister Kourtney and their mom Kris - along with five of their bodyguards! Next, we visited Prada, Louis Vuitton, Versace, Saks Fifth Avenue and Escada. We also made sure to stop at Salvatore Ferragamo - Candice's favorite!

 

All of that shopping made us hungry so it was off to Little Italy for dinner! We enjoyed authentic Italian cuisine at Paesano's of Little Italy, along with a nice glass of red wine. The streets of Little Italy were all decorated for the upcoming San Gennaro Festival-which we are certainly looking forward to!  After our delicious meal we headed back up to 230 Fifth, which features a rooftop lounge that offers unbelievable views of the city. (Stay tuned for a blog featuring this space!) It was then time to head home and kick off our heels after all of the night's events!

We had an amazing time and it was truly a unique and fun way to give back. Fashion's Night Out was a fabulous experience and we are already looking forward to attending next year!

Be sure to check out the CBS special on this year's Fashion's Night Out which will air on Tuesday, September 14th at 10:00 PM EST!

With Love and Style,

Nicole and Stephanie

Happy Labor Day!

The Finishing Touch featured in (201) Bride Web Exclusive!

 

Check out our web exclusive on (201) Bride Magazine's site! In this article, Candice offers some beauty tips on preparing for your big day. See what she has to say about exercise, skin care, hairstyles and more on getting ready for your special day.

Click here to read it!

Grab your girls for a photo shoot!

The one downfall of attending a university five hours from home is having your friends live in the south. Upon graduation, I headed back to the Tri-State Area (a place I realized would always be 'home') while my friends moved to Washington DC, Virginia and the furthest, Florida. Our lives took different directions with new relationships, jobs and homes, as we adjusted to not coming back from class to three girlfriends making dinner and having dance parties anymore.

This summer was the kick-off to our First Annual (hopefully) Girls Weekend Getaway!

Date: August 6-10, 2010

Location: The Ritz-Carlton in West Palm Beach, FL

Miles Traveled: 2,599 combined

Significant Others left behind: 2

As a special treat for my friends, I hired a professional photographer for two hours to capture some memories of the four of us. Ryan of Ryan Merrill Photography, and his assistant where so flexible and fun to work with as they followed us around.

We tried to use our creativity for some fun and 'spontaneous' shots.

 

Along with a shot that I think should be submitted to the JCPenny catalog..

It wouldn't be 'us' if we weren't cracking up over something random.

 

And lastly, to show our JMU pride (Go Dukes!)

A great little 'gift' to my girls and something that will last a lifetime. Our photo shoot provided many laughs, memories and pictures to last a lifetime. For a bachelorette or shower idea...treat a friend to an 'impromptu' photo session with as many locations/wardrobe changes/props you can think of!

All the best,

Nicole

(and Casey, Whitney & Tiffanie)

Sound Byte: Candice featured on the Wedding Podcast Network!

 

Recently, members of the New Jersey Association of Bridal Consultants joined forces to put together a dream wedding for a bride who is battling breast cancer. As the NJ State Coordinator, our very own Candice, helped to coordinate the wedding day for this deserving couple. Robert Allen of the Wedding Podcast Network, invited Candice to talk about this special wedding on a "Meet the Masters" recording. NJ-ABC Media Chair Rhonda Bassat-Rivera, celebrant Julie Laudicina, and photographers Tim Camuso and Glenn Maida also took part in the recording. During the recording, they each discuss their reasons for participating and how being a part of it affected their lives. Great job Candice! To hear the recording, click here!

To read more on Tina and Paul's Wedding, click here!!

Say 'I DO' to a Gluten Free Wedding!

So you have chosen the gluten free lifestyle because of a health condition or because it truly makes you feel better and you believe in it.  These days, most supermarkets, restaurants and caterers are beginning to fully understand the importance of a gluten free diet. When it comes to putting a menu together for the big wedding day, alternative banquet menus  are becoming much more acceptable and even trendy. 

Chelsea Clinton's wedding last month was reported to have a gluten free and vegan menu.  She has been a vegan since she was a teenager and has a gluten allergy. Her wedding was rumored to be catered by Chef Laura Pensiero of Gigi Hudson Valley Caterers and the the gluten free cake was created by La Tulipe Desserts of Mount Kisco, New York.

 

  

 

 If you are thinking about having a wedding such as this, be sure you choose your caterer carefully.  Set time aside and make appointments with several caterers who claim to be gluten free.  Remember, this is your day - what a great moment to share something you are so passionate about.

Share and Enjoy:

The Perfect Gift to 'Bag' Your Bridesmaids!!!

 
 

We are always on the lookout for some fab gift ideas for our Brides to give to their Bridesmaids. Brides usually want to give a gift that's personal and fits the personality of their Bridesmaid, but will also remind them of the Bride. We came across this great collection from Rebecca Minkoff called "I Do" Bridal Bags. These made-to-order bags come in four different styles - you can choose your own material for the bags - and can even use left over material from your wedding gown trim (which is what inspired the idea originally!) This is surely a special gift that any Bridesmaid would appreciate! 

To read more on Rebecca Minkoff and the "I Do" Bridal Bags, click here!

Claudia and Andy ~ "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now"

On May 16, 2010, The Finishing Touch’s third 5/16 wedding in a row, Claudia Kim wed her long-term boyfriend, Andrew Wu. The gorgeous (and tall!) couple settled on an outdoor ceremony in the newly-renovated gardens of Crystal Plaza in Livingston, New Jersey with a reception held in their grand ballroom. Claudia and Andy had decided to see each other for the first time prior to the ceremony, which allows the bride and groom to thoroughly enjoy their cocktail hour in its entirety as all formal photos were taken prior.

With picture-perfect weather, the outdoor ceremony was adorned with 250 white folding chairs, white flowers atop white columns which lined the aisle and white cones full of pink petals for guests to take and throw at the commencement of the ceremony. Their ceremony consisted of heartfelt self-written vows, as well as a 15-person choir, keyboard, guitar & sax. Having a love of 80’s music and adding a touch of their personality, the couple chose to recess to ‘Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now’ by Starship!

 

Guests then proceeded onto the cocktail hour which Crystal Plaza really knows how to do right! Passed Hors D’Ouevres, and multiple buffet stations such as a slider bar, Asian station and quesadilla station are just a sample of what the Plaza had to offer. A full open bar was complete with their signature drink signs, compliments of The Finishing Touch, labeled as a ‘Kim Royale’ and ‘Wu-Tini’ was a big hit. Rather than having a typical guest book, Claudia & Andy chose a Manzanita Wishing Well Tree in which guests were able to write their congratulations on pink tags which then hung from the branches with black velvet ribbon. Guests were treated to a photo station in which they were able to play dress-up with feather boas, top hats & pearls in front of a black backdrop. 

 

As cocktail hour was underway, the Finishing Touch team was putting the ‘finishing touches’ on the ballroom. Table centerpieces alternated from tall silver candlebras topped with white Dendrobium Orchid blooms and dangling pink crystals to short clusters of pink and white flower bunches in black vases tied with pink ribbon. The room was softly lit with amber tones and a foliage pattern projected onto the dance floor. Keeping with their pink, black and white theme, the Crystal Plaza created a white tiered cake with black fondant trim and polka dots with pink bows; not only was it eye-appealing but the red velvet & vanilla filling was delicious!

 

Guests enjoyed a four-course meal and were out of their seats dancing to Escapade, an 8-piece band from Craig Scott Entertainment, before their entrees were served. In place of the traditional bouquet toss, all the single ladies participated in a Taiwanese tradition of grabbing one ribbon from the bride’s bouquet and pulling. The one whose ribbon was actually tied the brides bouquet was considered the winner, in which case ending up being Claudia’s mother! After an evening full of dancing, photo-taking and dining, guests said their goodbyes to the couple, collected their authentic chopsticks favors and made their way home. 

The bride & groom were able to leave with a same-day edited DVD showcasing all special moments leading up to, and including, their first dance to be able to take with them to Taiwan the next day to show their family and friends.(Click here to check it out!) Claudia & Andy will also be enjoying a second reception in Taiwan before jet-setting to the Maldives for their honeymoon!

All the best, Nicole, Candice & Stephanie

Thank you to all our wonderful vendors involved:

Venue: Crystal Plaza
Flowers: A Touch of Elegance
Music: Craig Scott Entertainment
Stationery: The Finishing Touch
Lighting: Dynamite FX
Ceremony: Michael Stuempfle, Creative Wedding Ceremonies
Photography: Heather Waraksa
Videography: Abella Studios

Fab Find: Customize Your Own Cupcakes!

With shows like TLC's Cake Boss and the Food Network's Cupcake Wars, it's hard to go anywhere these days without seeing some delicious custom made bakery treats. However, with custom comes cost and it's not always feasible to have a custom cake for a smaller event you may have..so why not do it yourself?

Roundabouts features some great cupcake sleeves that you can use to make your very own custom cupcakes! They have a wide variety of sleeves to choose from -you can create 'Popcorn' cupcakes for movie night or 'hamburger' cupcakes for a barbecue. From baby showers to football parties they have cupcake sleeves for all occasions!

Click here to check out more on Roundabouts and to see some of their yummy recipes!

The Finishing Touch Gives Back ~ Tina and Paul's Wedding

We first learned about Tina through Erik Kent of NJ Wedding.com who had read about Tina on her sister's blog, 'Tina's Elevator: Chronicle of a Strong Woman's Up and Downs." Tina was first diagnosed with breast cancer in May 2006. Just two years after she beat it, she was re-diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer in September 2008. In late January 2010, a PET Scan showed that the cancer in Tina's organs (liver, lungs, chest nodules) had shrunk. Unfortunately, the cancer in her bones has spread. Through all of the ups and downs, Tina knew one thing for certain...that she wanted to marry Paul,the man who had been with her through it all.  When we learned about Tina's wish to have a wedding, we knew right away that we wanted to help make her dream come true ~ but we would of course need a little help from some of our friends! As State Coordinator of the New Jersey branch of the Association of Bridal Consultants, Candice teamed up with some fellow ABC members to create an amazing wedding day for Tina and Paul.

 

One of Tina and Paul's wishes was that they be able to be married outside in nature.  On June 26th, Tina and Paul got their wish as family and friends gathered at Monmouth Battlefield State Park in Manalapan to witness their marriage. Tina looked beautiful as she was carried down the aisle by the groomsmen on a magnificent doli. With the ceremony led by Officiant Julie Laudicina, Tina and Paul exchanged their memorable vows. 

   

 

After the ceremony, guests headed to The Excelsior in Manalapan for the reception. Cocktail hour music was provided by Elegant Ensembles, and set the tone for the evening of celebration. Everyone was then brought into the ballroom, where they experienced the beautiful decor that was created for Tina and Paul by the many generous ABC NJ members. All of the amazing floral arrangements were done by Robin Rohsler of Rohsler's Allendale Nursery and Florist. Lighting design was provided by Dynamite FX- and they chose the perfect lighting to really bring out all of the decor. The linens were provided by Select Event Rentals, which also helped to accentuate the color scheme of the wedding. Along with planning services, the Finishing Touch also provided day of stationery for Tina and Paul including escort cards, table numbers, and signature drink signs. 

 
 

Tina, Paul and their nearly 160 guests danced until the very end to music provided by Craig Scott Entertainment.  Timothy Glenn Photographers and Multi-Vision, were there from start to finish to capture all of the beautiful and emotional moments throughout the day. 

 

We were touched to see how happy Tina and Paul were - with many photos showing their glowing smiles. It was an amazing, emotional, and powerful day for everyone in attendance- but for Tina and Paul it was a dream come true. We were so happy to have been able to be a part of their special day. 

Special Thanks Again to ALL of the very generous vendors who contributed to their day:

-Paper Works & Events of Englewood, paperworksandevents.com – invitations

-Officiant Julie Laudicina of Staten Island, New York, julielaudicina.com – ceremony.

-Elegant Ensembles of Closter, elegantensembles.com – ceremony and cocktail hour music.

-Magda's Designs, Inc. of Bloomfield, magdadesignsbeauty.net – hair and make-up.

-Craig Scott Entertainment of Rochelle Park, craigscott.com – reception music.

-Dynamite FX of West Berlin, dynamitefx.com – lighting.

-Ocean Tents & Party Rentals of Manahawkin, oceantents.com – chair covers

-Confectionary Designs of Bogota, confectionarydesigns.com – groom's cake.

-Select Event Rentals of Pennsauken, weparty.com – linens.

-Timothy Glenn Photographers of Ridgewood, timothyglennphoto.com – photography.

-Multi-Vision of Paramus, gomultivision.com – videography.

-Rohsler's Allendale Nursery & Florist in Allendale, rohslers.com – flowers.

-Mariya Molduvanova - wedding day coordination.

-Dawn Carter -Taylor Nicole Events -taylornicoleevents.com- wedding day coordination.

-Christine Hyder- Christine Hyder Events-  christinehyderevents.com - wedding day coordination.

-Kathi Evans- All the Best Celebrations - atbcelebrations.com - wedding planning

-Bride Ideas of West Orange, RhondaWeddings.com – public relations.