ROMANTIC AND ELEGANT HALLOWEEN IN NEW ORLEANS

New Orleans is one of the most romantic and haunted places to be married.  This is a city I would do weddings in all the time, there are so many amazing venues.  The history, the ghost stories, the voodoo.  So, in honor of Halloween tomorrow, I created a Halloween wedding at Race and Religious- my personal favorite and the most romantic venue in the city.

Steeped in history and original artifacts, this is a huge venue, made up of three buildings.  Its charming enough for an elegant wedding and just spooky enough to make it perfect for this day.  And, it is equipped with every modern amenity, while keeping with the original history, painstakingly renovated by its owner.  If you are planning a spectacular destination wedding, want to marry in a place that congers the spirits or just want your guests to have something to talk about for years to come, lets plan your Race and Religious wedding now!!   I would be so excited to help you plan your wedding here!  And, planners are a MUST here.   

DESTINATION NEW ORLEANS

Feeling a little French today?  I hope so, because we are off to New Orleans.  And, I can't wait to show you all the wonderful places for a wedding you will find here.  This whole thing has become really hard.  There is so much out there in every city and its hard to just choose a few.  Every day is an adventure.  Every venue is a treasure.  Get ready, we are off to the south and our first pick of the day.  Ready?

Race and Religious is THE COOLEST venue!!  I should have saved this for last, but wait until you see it!  Dating back to the 1830's, this riverfront Garden District beauty has a vibe you won't be able to resist.  A Creole cottage, a 3 story row house and a "slave quarter" have been restored for spectacular events.  There are balconies, working fireplaces and gas lamps to add to the ambiance.  I must tell you, this restoration is raw and loaded with original components of the property.  It has been lovingly restored.  Oh, and the name- its on the corner of Race St and Religious St.  with the most luxurious amenities and a rich history, Race and Religious has to be on your short list!


Right in the heart of the French Quarter is the Pharmacy Museum.   The 1st licensed apothecary in the USA, this 1816 building holds the secret to a magical and romantic wedding.  This is an intimate space, with capacity for 70 guests for a seated dinner or 150 for a cocktail reception. And, your guests can enjoy some of the exhibits during your event.  Step back in time and enjoy this little piece of heaven at the Pharmacy Museum.

Marigny Opera House, an 1847 church, is another historic and interesting venue.  This impressive building was destroyed by fire, resurrected, plagued with Yellow Fever- until it was magically "cured" by prayers to St Roch.  After, it was the home of the Benedictine nuns and turned into a parochial school.  Closed and de-consecrated in 1999, it was turned into the opera house in 2011.  Now, you can hold your ceremony on the altar and then dance the night away.

Step out of the box and into the House of Blues.  Located in the French Quarter and totally unexpected as a wedding venue, House of Blues could be the event of the season for you and your guests.  With its funky, music hall interior and the surrounding local color of the French Quarter, who would even imagine that your wedding could be so awesome.  

Latrobe's on Royal, is an 1822 bank, built by the architect who also designed the Porticos or the White House, the US Capital and the waterworks system that helped to rid the south of Yellow Fever.  Much of the original structure and interior adds to the charm and ambiance of this iconic venue.  Some elements, such as the bank vault, the Whisper Dome and the original stone work will make your guests feel like they have stepped back into another time.  You can choose a southern cocktail party, a trendy soiree' or an elegant dinner here.  The attention to detail and the expert service will make it easy to to plan your wedding and enjoy the day.

Coffee lovers- there's a venue for you here too.  Chicory is an 1852 coffee warehouse that has become one of the premier venues in New Orleans.  With its old world charm and its modern amenities, you can have a memorable wedding in this charming location.  Coffee was a staple of life at the time this building was erected and chicory was added to stretch the supply.  The building still has the original beams, as well as gas lanterns, tin ceilings and exposed brick.  With several event spaces available, including a rooftop deck, the venue can accommodate up to 400 guests.  It's charming, it's quaint and it's all New Orleans.  

Today was fun.  So much history.  And, tomorrow on to Atlanta for more historic venues and maybe a plantation.  

ENOUGH SAID?

This woman is a pro. I manage events and live theater for a living. I found Wendy from a website that promised me an hour long free phone conversation with a wedding planner if I filled out a form online. I filled out the questionnaire and then Wendy called me. She was great. She gave me ideas and listened to me for the hour. I thought that was all I would get, but Wendy decided that she was going to continue to help me. So she offered her help for me for the actual day of my wedding . We agreed on a price, and this amazing woman DROVE to Chicago. Who does that? She wanted to make sure she had a car with her, since I didn't have a car. Smart lady. Rental cars are stupidly expensive in Chicago - and I couldn't afford that.
This amazing woman came to my rescue in CHICAGO. She lives in PA. We made arrangements for her to come all the way here the day 2 days before my wedding. She sat in my living room fighting with my venue for my right to have time to decorate the venue prior to the wedding. (They scheduled an event prior to my ceremony because they didn't have the right schedule on their books). My husband-to-be lost his parents, and my mom is gone as well. Wendy stepped in as my mom. And she made sure that I didn't get stressed when things weren't happening as I had planned. She couldn't stop these problems, she was trying to help and fix them. I couldn't have gotten through this wedding without her. Since she was in PA, I set up all the vendors on my own. But this woman....she took all of this with stride. She managed my day - practically blind - since she didnt set it all up. She was my day of coordinator, my best friend, my mom and my "You [vendor] will do this because I said so" go to person. My wedding was way better because I found her from a random Google search. Thank goodness.
Wendy is a pro. Wedding planning isn't easy. It is about personalities. She does her best to fight for the bride! She is a winner to me. Period.

Wendy was truly my wedding angel!  At first I was hesitant to get a wedding planner, I thought “ that’s for those crazy rich people. I can’t afford one”. Well, I have to say, "you can’t afford NOT to hire one!" Having Wendy actually saved me money, not to mention time, and honestly, my sanity!  
We started working with her about a year before our wedding when my fiancé and I just couldn’t find a venue that fit our budget or was available when we wanted to get married.  We had some rather difficult criteria as well.  I being a chef, wanted amazing, local, seasonal food, and my fiancé, an architect, wanted “ a nice approach and great ambiance”.  I was ready to give up and resign myself to the fact that we just couldn't have the wedding we wanted.
Enter Wendy-she showed us several amazing places and when she took us to Barley Sheaf in New Hope, well, we just fell in love! 
All the vendors she recommended were fantastic as well. The florist made the most exquisite centerpieces using fresh vegetables as well as beautiful flowers. Guest couldn’t stop complementing me on them for being so gorgeous, unique, and so fitting for my personality. I also couldn’t find a wedding dress under $1000 anywhere in NYC. She recommended a few places and I found the most stunning dress in my budget. She came with me to fittings and picked up my dress on wedding day after it was pressed. 
I have been working with Wendy, since October 2013 and my wedding was  August  23rd 2014 and she has never been anything but professional, honest, punctual, and efficient. She was intuitive, took care of everything I asked her. I loved that I could ask her to handle things and know they were handled!  My friend also hired Wendy after I recommend her, and she too was extremely pleased with her work!
Where she really saved my life was the day before and day of the wedding. My fiancé and I got lost on the way to our venue picking up some last minute things, my aunt was having issues with her hotel room, catering for rehearsal dinner needed to be picked up, someone needed to meet with the alcohol vendor, place cards needed to be finished  and a bunch of other little things that my fiancé and bridal party were going to do. The our phone died while we were literally in the middle of nowhere and Wendy took care of it all. She picked up the catering, solved the hotel issue for my aunt, met the alcohol courier, and helped in greeting the guests while we were finally on our way. 
When I arrived the venue she said “ give me all that you need to do, go relax, settle in and I will take care of it all!”  And miraculously she really did!  I was able to relax and actually enjoy the rehearsal dinner instead of having to worry about all the last minute things that I had planned on finishing that day.  It’s unforeseen situations like this that  make you realize a wedding planner is invaluable.  I was able to enjoy my wedding day more than I think any of my friends were able to.  Even my mother and aunt commented on how they had never seen a bride as calm and relaxed as me  during a wedding, my reply “ It’s all thanks to Wendy!”
Having worked with her for almost a year, I really got to know Wendy. I can’t even call her my “planner”, she is now a cherished friend and I recommend her to everyone without any hesitations or reservations.  

"I'm convinced that Wendy is living proof that there are ANGELS living among us; the determination, stress, and work that Wendy will take on to ensure her brides have peace of mind & enjoy their evening free of worry.... well, let's just say that I truly feel that the value of Wendy's service is absolutely priceless, she resolved some errors with our caterer's quotes that saved us almost $2,000! Wendy is a NINJA... A friend mentioned my bustle had come undone & as soon as I looked behind me, Wendy was already there! She made it look easy, snapped it into place & disappeared again!

She's so wonderful there just aren't enough words! Her profile says: "You will NOT find a better value or a more experienced or dedicated planner!" and I can verify both of those statements are absolutely true!

OH!!!!!! AND even if you think you don't need her, here's something you may not have thought of... Wendy not only set everything up, but also made sure everything was packed up and got it to wherever it needed to be at the end of the night. Even if you think you can plan the whole event yourself... just hire Wendy for the rehearsal & day of.. it's completely worth it & you will thank me!!!!!!!

My mother and I insisted on hiring her for my little brother's wedding (BEFORE HE GOT ENGAGED!!!!!!)"

Fiji
Planning your honeymoon can be as confusing and complicated as planning your wedding. Where to go? What is the weather like? Do I need a passport? These and many other questions can be answered by OneWed's new resource guide to honeymoons. You can plan your honeymoon, your destination wedding, book a cruise or your airline tickets or find a Sandals Resort. It's a good place to start
when you are looking for honeymoon answers.





Maldives







Jamaica







Italy

A HONEYMOON ADVENTURE

There's a new trend in wedding registries- well, maybe not so new, that seems to me a great idea for many couples. Many of you are already established with a home and don't want to go to your favorite department store and walk through trying to figure out what to put on a registry. So, start a honeymoon registry. This gives your guests the oppportunity to give you a gift that will will be more beneficial and make your honeymoon exciting- maybe with a few surprises.

This honeymoon adventure is one that is sure to please all of you who enjoy the water and the beach. Pura Vida Adventures has a honeymoon package that is the perfect blend of excitement, adventure and relaxation. Spend the day learning to ride the waves, taking yoga class and enjoying the beautiful beach. Then relax in your luxurious accommodations and enjoy exotic cuisine in the evening, topped off with a moonlight stroll on the beach. This resort is in Malpais, Costa Rico at the Hotel Tropico Latino. Here's what you get with the honeymoon package:

The revitalizing seven-day, six-night adventure combines surfing, yoga andrich cultural experiences, along with the expansive rainforest and stunningbeachfront locale, for a rich and fulfilling retreat.- Daily Surf Instruction (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced)- Daily Relaxing Yoga Classes- Private Beachfront Villa and Bungalows at the Deluxe Hotel Tropico Latino
- One-Hour Beachfront Massage (with a full menu of spa amenities available)- All Meals (delectably fresh and inventive cuisine served at both the hotel's open air "Playa Boa" and the select local restaurants)- And more...

You can also plan your entire wedding with Pura Vida Adventures. If you are looking for the perfect Destination Wedding- here is one that will be sure to please everyone on your guest list. This honeymoon adventure is worth looking into!

MARRIED AWAY... ANOTHER DESTINATION

Yet another beautiful spot- a little closer to home! Long Beach Island, New Jersey and the Stateroom can make a fairytale wedding in the sand for you! Or, Sea Bright, New Jersey and the Windows on the Water... a place worthy of the most elegant of beach-going brides!! With summer almost here and the beach on everyone's mind, this idea makes my top list of wedding sites!! Yours? The gown is a Claire Pettibone- can't you just see it blowing in the sea breeze? And, the flowers and the cake, none other than Martha Stewart!

A GRECIAN FANTASY

How romantic a place is Greece for this wedding? Poros Beach at sunset and this Grecian inspired gown make for the beginnings of a fabulous destination wedding! Thanks Martha Stewart Weddings for to the cake and the flowers!

UP, UP AND AWAY TO THE "ALTAR"

Destination Weddings! Fun, romantic and usually less expensive than traditional weddings. If you are thinking about a destination wedding, try researching the ups and downs of having a getaway wedding. www.destinationweddings.com is a good place to start. And, don't do it without help! Lou Marrocco at www.brandywineevents.com will be glad to see to every detail. He can be reached at lmarrocco@brandywineevents.com. He has many years of event planning and he is a gem in the industry!! Bon Voyage and congratulations!

CELTIC WEDDINGS

What could be more romantic than a Celtic wedding! In this, the month of St Patrick, here are some ideas for a unique wedding theme. First, if a destination wedding is in your plans, how about an Irish castle. There are many resources for traditional Celtic gowns, just do a search for Irish wedding traditions. Use wildflowers native to Ireland instead of traditional wedding flowers. And, if you want the most beautiful vows you ever heard, search for ancient Celtic wedding vows! There is nothing more romantic, loving or personal than some of what I have found!! Handfasting and the cirle of love are two other ancient traditions that you can incorporate into your wedding. No one does love like the Celts!