Howerton+Wooten Events Blog. The musings of a Maryland Wedding and Event Planner

An extremely cool wedding ceremony reading for dog owners/lovers

As beautiful as 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 is, you are not required to select this scripture as the reading for your wedding ceremony.

Consider selecting a ceremony reading that is a true reflection of the two of you -- Somethng the guests will say, "that reading had the bride and groom written all over it!"

One of my NYC brides selected the reading below because she and her groom were passionate about their dogs.  I am not a dog owner, but I fell in love with this reading and thought it was worth sharing.

 

Falling in love is like owning a dog
an epithalamion by Taylor Mali
www.taylormali.com

First of all, it’s a big responsibility,
especially in a city like New York.
So think long and hard before deciding on love.
On the other hand, love gives you a sense of security: 
when you’re walking down the street late at night
and you have a leash on love
ain’t no one going to mess with you.
Because crooks and muggers think love is unpredictable.
Who knows what love could do in its own defense?

On cold winter nights, love is warm.
It lies between you and lives and breathes
and makes funny noises.
Love wakes you up all hours of the night with its needs.
It needs to be fed so it will grow and stay healthy.

Love doesn’t like being left alone for long.
But come home and love is always happy to see you.
It may break a few things accidentally in its passion for life,
but you can never be mad at love for long.

Is love good all the time?  No!  No!
Love can be bad.  Bad, love, bad!  Very bad love.

Love makes messes.
Love leaves you little surprises here and there.
Love needs lots of cleaning up after.
Sometimes you just want to get love fixed.
Sometimes you want to roll up a piece of newspaper
and swat love on the nose,
not so much to cause pain,
just to let love know Don’t you ever do that again!

Sometimes love just wants to go for a nice long walk.
Because love loves exercise.
It runs you around the block and leaves you panting.
It pulls you in several different directions at once,
or winds around and around you
until you’re all wound up and can’t move.

But love makes you meet people wherever you go.
People who have nothing in common but love
stop and talk to each other on the street.

Throw things away and love will bring them back,
again, and again, and again.
But most of all, love needs love, lots of it.
And in return, love loves you and never stops.

Not a dog lover?  Not an issue.  There are numerous places to find unique wedding readings -- a love letter, poetry, literature (Shakespeare offers plenty options), songs, wedding web sites (such as the Knot), and of course the Bible.

Where did you find something unique for your wedding?

Love & Soul Always, Kay

(Photo: www.vivapet.com)

I Love This Dress: Punk Rock Bride

Last month, I had the pleasure of visiting the Punk Rock Bride design studio in Georgetown, Washington DC.  The founder and designer, Stephanie Ward and her business partner, Meredith Vey were such gracious hostesses.  I had a great time visiting with them, and checking out their 2008 and 2009 collections.

And I must say that their dresses were purely divine -- They were soft to the touch, very romantic and quite hip.  But there wasn't a hint of pouf in site.

 

This off-white wedding gown is one of my favorites.  Honestly, these photos don't give this gown justice.

This gown was so soft!  I couldn't help but touch it over and over.  It was made of silk charmeuse with a French chantilly lace overlay.

And the gown's A-line gown design would flatter just about any body type.

 And I really liked the back detail.

When you have a chance, check out their collections, and let me know what you think.

Love & Soul Always, Kay

(Photo: Punk Rock Bride)

Six Questions You Should Ask Your Wedding Caterer BEFORE You Hire Them

If you love good food as much as I do, hiring a caterer for your wedding reception can be a fun and exciting task.  If done well, your caterer can help relieve some of your reception planning angst AND they can set a good tone of the entire evening.  If you make a poor choice, it could disastrous.

So, here are six questions that I find key when hiring a caterer for your reception.

1.     Is the quoted “per person” price the final price?  Sometimes the quoted “per person” price is based on the number of wedding guests that you provide the caterer.  If the number of your wedding guests drops dramatically, the “per person” price may increase to accommodate for the loss of expected revenue.

Also, the “per person” price may not include the following –

·         Gratuity and/or service charge

·         Tax

·         The price for the staffing (especially supervisors, station attendants and/or bartenders)

·         The price for the table linens, napkins, china, stemware and/or glassware

 

Ask about the items above beforehand to ensure that you are aware of additional fees prior to the contract signature (or better yet, prior to your wedding day).

2.     Do you have all of the proper licenses and insurance?  Your caterer (actually all of your wedding vendors) should have the proper insurance coverage required by your wedding reception venue.  This insurance coverage should cover the service of their staff too.

Your caterer should also be licensed by the state.  Make sure that they are licensed to serve alcohol in the state of your reception venue.  If they aren’t, you may have to apply for a one-day banquet/event liquor license yourself. 

3.     Are you a full service caterer or a limited service caterer?  The price for limited service caterers may be substantially less than cost of a full service caterer, but there are various services that may not be included (and you WILL need 99% of those services for your wedding).  Services such as staffing, tear down, and/or the rental of dining equipment.

4.     What is your ratio of wait staff to our wedding guests?  Again, this is another question that could affect your budget and/or your overall wedding experience.  To maintain a suitable level of customer service, the common rule of thumb is below:

·         Plated Dinners: One server for every twelve (12) wedding guests

·         Buffets: One server for every twenty-five (25) wedding guests

5.     Do you use fresh ingredients?  Everything tastes better if it is made from scratch, so this is a question worth asking.  A friend of mine told me a story about the hors d’oeuvres coming from one of the “big box” stores.  She recognized them because we eat them all of the time at my house!

6.     Will I be able to taste the menu beforehand?  I would venture to guess that 99% of professional caterers provide their clients with a menu tasting prior to their special day – but there is a 1% that does not.  Here is my take – If you are shelling out a major chunk of your wedding budget for your wedding food, you should feel comfortable with your menu choices, the amount of sauce used on your entrée, and the amount of salt used on a side dish.

Bonus Questions –

1.     When is the final guarantee (or final head count) due?  You want to schedule your invitation RSVPs at least ten days prior to this due date to ensure that your actual guest count is as close to your final guarantee as possible.

2.     What is the attire for your wait staff?  Most wait staff wear will be dressed in the white shirt/black pants attire, but it doesn’t hurt to ask.  You never know!

3.     May I contact your past clients?  If you are unfamiliar with your caterer's work, ask for a couple of references.  Or better yet, check some of the reviews on-line too.  The comments in the reviews are not “gospel” but you will get a sense of the caterer’s style and work ethic if you read enough of them.

4.     What is going to happen with the leftover food?  Most caterers are more than happy to provide you with the leftovers from a buffet or food station.  Just give them the heads up so that they can have the “to go” containers available.  If you are headed out to your honeymoon immediately after your wedding, consider asking the caterer to donate the leftovers to the local homeless shelter.

 

Am I missing anything?  Let me know.

 

Love & Soul Always, Kay

Place Cards that I Love for Weddings or Dinner with Your Friends

I love butterflies.  So this place card (found on Etsy) really makes me happy.  It is so feminine, so I think it would be a perfect touch to a dinner with your girlfriends.

Godiva’s “Couture” wedding chocolates are an elegant wedding favor.  These little candies come in the shape of miniature three-tiered wedding cakes. According to the Bride's Guide, you can attach a nametag and put one at each seat for a favor that doubles as a place card.

 

I love it when escort cards multi-task!  These champagne flutes hold the wedding escort cards and they will hold the champagne at "toast time!"

Enjoy!

Love & Soul Always, Kay

Father/Daughter Wedding Songs in honor of "Fat Daddy"

When it comes to dads, I have always felt as if I hit the lottery.

My dad, affectionately known as "Fat Daddy," is one of the most wise, sweetest, funniest, and most patient men I have ever known (hands down).

Fat Daddy is not much of a dancer, so we didn't have a father/daughter dance at my wedding.  But, if we did, I would have picked one of the songs below.  <Please forgive me.  This gets a little mushy>

This Michael Jackson hit would be my first choice because no one "has my back" more than my dad.  Wait!  Allow me to clarify -- No one had my back more BEFORE I met my husband (sorry baby!)

  

When I was a kid, my mother was my biggest (and loudest) cheerleader, but Fat Daddy was the quite force that fueled my self esteem.  So, I have always found this song to be appropriate  for a Father/Daughter dance.

Just The Way You Are.  Because he always makes me feel as if his love is 100% unconditional.

 

 

Honor your dad and remember to tell him that you love him today and every day.  Happy Fathers Day to all of the cool dads out there!  Your impact reaches much further than you will ever know.

  

Love & Soul Always, Kay

 

 

Remember Dad This Weekend!

 

At the end of my junior year of college, I gave my dad (affectionately known as Fat Daddy) a father's day card that read,

"Give me a D"

"Give me an A"

"Give me a D"

"What does that spell?"

"Give me, give me, give me!"

Sound familiar?

If your dad is bankrolling your wedding day, remember to take a moment this weekend to show him how much you appreciate his love and generosity!

Have a great weekend!

Love & Soul Always, Kay

Friday Happy Hour: Dirty Martini for the Father of the Bride

After spending a year listening to stories about wedding gowns, guest lists and the cost of a wedding cake, your dad probably deserves a cocktail.  Here is one that I am sure he will enjoy.

Ingredients:

Two (2) ounces of gin
A dash of dry vermouth
One-half (½) ounce of olive juice
Olives

Preparation Steps:

 

Fill a shaker half full of ice.

Pour in gin and olive juice.

Stir for 20 seconds and strain into a cocktail glass coated with a few dashes of dry vermouth.

Garnish with olives.

Happy Father's Day Weekend!

Love & Soul Always, Kay

(Photo and Recipe: Fine Living Network )

Four Ways to Stretch Your Wedding Music Budget

Julie at Ensemble Elan shared several tips to stretch your wedding music dollars.  I thought they were pretty helpful, so I listed them below.

1. Book an hour of music for the ceremony rather than 1 and 1/2 hours.  This only shortens your prelude music by 15 minutes.

2. Stretch the one hour even more!  Start the prelude music 20 minutes prior to the ceremony and have 10 minutes at the end for guest exit, rather than 15 minutes prior and 15 minutes afterwards.

3. Scale back from a Quartet to a Trio.  Or scale back from a Trio to a Duo.  No matter what the size of the ensemble, the visual impact to your guests will be the same.

4. Still can't fit live music into the budget?  Tell your preferred musician what you have in mind.  Most of them are very creative and they can think of many ways to accomplish your goal of live music on your wedding day.

Thanks for the tips Julie.  They are great!

Love & Soul Always, Kay

Five Easy Recipes for a Decadent Post-Wedding Sunday Brunch

Thinking of hosting a Sunday Farewell Brunch for your wedding party and out of town wedding guests?

Here are the recipes of five decadent menu items that are sure to complete a perfect wedding weekend!

Eggs Hussarde or Eggs Sardou.  As a corporate planner, I planned more than my share of evening events in New Orleans.  And every morning after one of my events, I always found myself at Brennan's Restaurant for breakfast.  Brennan's is known for their Eggs Hussarde, but my heart belongs to Eggs Sardou. I could eat that dish every day if my heart and arteries would allow me.

Crème Brûlée Oatmeal.  Everyone knows that oatmeal is one of the best meals (health wise) that you can have for breakfast.  Since it is a “special” Sunday, you can make it a good breakfast item and a decadent dessert at the same time.

Belazu Lamb Meatballs.  This is a nice alternative; well actually it’s an incredible alternative to your typical bacon or ham.

Buttermilk Fantails.  These buttery rolls resemble a blooming flower, with each petal forming a perfect pull-apart bite.

Peach Bellini.  Living in this hot weather requires a refreshing drink.  You will definitely get that with this peach Bellini.  I tried this last summer and I am here to tell you that this is so good going down (almost too good if you know what I mean!).

 

Bonus Recipe!

 

Smoked Salmon.  I have a thing for smoked salmon.  Actually, I have it really bad for smoked salmon.  So it wouldn't be me if I didn't include a quick and easy recipe in this post.  Enjoy!

Okay, that’s it for today.  If you have a really easy but decadent recipe.  Please share it!  I am always on the hunt for good food -- especially brunch!

Love & Soul Always, Kay

 

 

 

(Photo: Eating Out Loud)

Howerton Handbook: Receiving Line Etiquette for a Wedding

A friend of mine showed me a video of a wedding she attended a few years ago.  The wedding was absolutely gorgeous -- the bride was stunning, the ceremony was romantic (I cried, of course), and my friend says that the food was right up there with perfection.

You would have thought that those details would be what my friend described to me the most, but they weren't.  She was most affected by the handshake she received from the bride in the receiving line.  You see, the bride barely acknowledged my friend and her handshake was very limp.  I explained to her that the bride was probably exhausted and she probably wanted nothing more than a moment alone with her groom.

But this made me wonder for a minute.  What if she wasn't tired.  What if she didn't know the receiving line etiquette.

Here are some tips --

1. Have a receiving line only if you can handle greeting ALL of your wedding guests.  Greeting approximately 150 wedding guests is not an easy task.  If you are unsure about your ability to greet the last guest with the same enthusiasm as the first guest, skip it.  Greet your guests throughout the reception.

2. Get rid of the bouquet. Give your bouquet to your wedding planner (or a trusted friend) for placement in a safe place.  Bouquets get heavy after a while and it is a little awkward to hug or shake hands if you are holding it.

3. Schedule enough time for each guest.  Your timeline should allow approximately 15-30 seconds for each wedding guest.  Hopefully, everyone will not take that long, but it's a lot less stressful than worrying about the time that you are losing because of a chatterbox.

4. End each handshake with eye contact and a smile.

5. Make sure that everyone in the receiving line knows to keep it moving.  Parents are typically the most guilty.  The receiving line is an opportunity to greet each guest.  Long conversations should be held during the actual reception.

6. If your ceremony and reception are in the same venue, consider skipping the receiving line altogether.  Most cocktail receptions typically lasts 60 minutes.  If this is the case, your wedding guests at the end of the line may miss the entire cocktail reception.

7. Be aware of the little rules involving a good handshake.  This blog post is already quite long, so I thought I would share a video to discuss the rules connected to a good handshake.

Take care!  Love & Soul Always, Kay