Hi again!
It's been a long time since I've shared any new wedding tips, I apologize. This week I've decided to share tips that are not my own...As you know, despite the fact that I am not yet engaged I am completely head over heels obsessed with weddings. So much so, that a couple weeks ago I woke up early to drive to the Natick Collection Mall to sit amidst dozens of couples to listen to celebrity wedding planner David Tutera, host of WE's My Fair Wedding, talk about ways to make your wedding different.
Once again acknowledging my relationship status (Prince Charming, you best be out there!), I have decided to share his tips with you!
First, he talked about keeping your guests on their toes. Guests expect that your wedding is going to be like every other wedding that they've been to. David Tutera suggests doing something different every half hour to keep your guests on their toes. For instance, he mentioned disposable cameras. If you're already planning on putting cameras out at each table, why not see if your reception site will have the staff bring them around on trays or in decorated baskets and hand place them at each table between courses. You were already going to pay for it, but now, your guests are paying more attention to the event rather than just going through the motions of being a guest.
Want another cost free idea? You're going to throw the bouquet anyway, why not toss the bouquet as you're being introduced the same way a rock star would throw his jacket into a crowd? No one would be expecting that, it didn't cost you a penny, and it was different!
Okay, now here was my favorite tip, it was so simple...If you're looking for a way to connect your thank you notes back to the wedding and you're not in love with the idea of having them match your invites, you might like this instead. Have the pastry shop that's doing your wedding cake write "Thank You" on the back of your cake, no one ever looks at the back, but this way, you can have your photographer take a picture of you and your new groom on the other side of the cake and have this image turned into your thank you notes. So easy! I love it!
I hope that you enjoyed these suggestions as much as I did. In case you were wondering, My Fair Wedding airs on Sunday Nights at 10pm est, on WE.
Happy Planning!
-Lucy
Lucy Miller
Assistant Event Coordinator
Brookstone Event Center
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Thursday, August 27, 2009
The Little Things
Hi again!
I know I promised to write once a week, but things here have gotten a little crazy and I'm sorry to admit that posting somehow fell through the cracks. I apologize.
Okay, so, back to the good stuff! As per usual I've been reading all things bridal: blogs, magazines, books, websites. All of the material combined with my interactions with people during tours have got me thinking about all of the little details that factor into your day.
I met with a family not too long ago and the mother of the bride had her daughter and her fiance stand by the arbor under our tent. She had them note the time of day and the position of the sun because she didn't want the bride or the groom to be worried about squinting during the exchange of vows because, ultimately, they wouldn't want squinty photos. What a revelation! That's probably the last thing that I would have ever thought if I were to wake up on my wedding day with beautiful sunny skies, "oh no! now I'll be squinting in my photos!" In all reality that truly IS something to consider. I wouldn't want to look at pictures with my eyes half closed because of the sun....who knew? Kudos to mom!
The other photo factor that I just stumbled upon was the hanger that the wedding dress hangs on. A bride who was blogging on weddingbee. com mentioned that the photos of her dress looked less than ideal because her dress was hanging on a simple, clear, plasitic hanger and it took away from the photos of her dress. Now, she intends to go out and purchase nice satin hangers for her two soon-to-be-married friends.
I don't know about the rest of you, but, I fully intend on sticking both of these little nuggets of information under my cap for later use!
Hope these tips help!
Happy Planning!
-Lucy
Lucy Miller
Assistant Event Coordinator
Brookstone Event Center
I know I promised to write once a week, but things here have gotten a little crazy and I'm sorry to admit that posting somehow fell through the cracks. I apologize.
Okay, so, back to the good stuff! As per usual I've been reading all things bridal: blogs, magazines, books, websites. All of the material combined with my interactions with people during tours have got me thinking about all of the little details that factor into your day.
I met with a family not too long ago and the mother of the bride had her daughter and her fiance stand by the arbor under our tent. She had them note the time of day and the position of the sun because she didn't want the bride or the groom to be worried about squinting during the exchange of vows because, ultimately, they wouldn't want squinty photos. What a revelation! That's probably the last thing that I would have ever thought if I were to wake up on my wedding day with beautiful sunny skies, "oh no! now I'll be squinting in my photos!" In all reality that truly IS something to consider. I wouldn't want to look at pictures with my eyes half closed because of the sun....who knew? Kudos to mom!
The other photo factor that I just stumbled upon was the hanger that the wedding dress hangs on. A bride who was blogging on weddingbee. com mentioned that the photos of her dress looked less than ideal because her dress was hanging on a simple, clear, plasitic hanger and it took away from the photos of her dress. Now, she intends to go out and purchase nice satin hangers for her two soon-to-be-married friends.
I don't know about the rest of you, but, I fully intend on sticking both of these little nuggets of information under my cap for later use!
Hope these tips help!
Happy Planning!
-Lucy
Lucy Miller
Assistant Event Coordinator
Brookstone Event Center
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Making it worth your while
Hi again!
So, I've been thinking. It's wonderful that weddings today have become much more personal affairs and that people are trying to find ways to have their own personal touches throughout the day. Maybe these touches are subtle and tucked into the menu and the Italian influence is a nod to the groom's heritage, or, the linens and centerpieces are organic to emphasize the couple's "green initiative." such elements are excellent, they are both personal and serve a purpose.
My question is, can it go too far? If every single element of your day relates back to the couple that's simply wonderful as long as it all comes together. However, if your favors or your centerpieces seem like a far reach to make it connect than maybe take a step back. I was reading some other blog posts on a wedding site this morning and the feed happened to be about the worst favors the other bloggers had received at the weddings they'd attended. The feed qucikly became about what not to do. One bride mentioned that she's been given a subscription to the couple's college newspaper as a favor because that's where the couple had met. It's a nice idea, but I'm guessing most of the guests did not share their alma matter. The couple could have achieved the same sentiment by making their ceremony programs look like the college paper with the headlines relating back to their early days as a couple or even their vows.
So here's my tip: while your wedding is absolutely all about you, take a step back and think about whether or not, if you were a guest, would this be something you would want? If you think you'd hate it decide whether or not it's a crucial element. Maybe there's something else that makes even more sense or you can find another way to work in the same details. This way, every penny spent has a purpose and doesn't go wasted.
Happy Planning!
-Lucy
Lucy Miller
Assistant Event Coordinator
Brookstone Event Center
So, I've been thinking. It's wonderful that weddings today have become much more personal affairs and that people are trying to find ways to have their own personal touches throughout the day. Maybe these touches are subtle and tucked into the menu and the Italian influence is a nod to the groom's heritage, or, the linens and centerpieces are organic to emphasize the couple's "green initiative." such elements are excellent, they are both personal and serve a purpose.
My question is, can it go too far? If every single element of your day relates back to the couple that's simply wonderful as long as it all comes together. However, if your favors or your centerpieces seem like a far reach to make it connect than maybe take a step back. I was reading some other blog posts on a wedding site this morning and the feed happened to be about the worst favors the other bloggers had received at the weddings they'd attended. The feed qucikly became about what not to do. One bride mentioned that she's been given a subscription to the couple's college newspaper as a favor because that's where the couple had met. It's a nice idea, but I'm guessing most of the guests did not share their alma matter. The couple could have achieved the same sentiment by making their ceremony programs look like the college paper with the headlines relating back to their early days as a couple or even their vows.
So here's my tip: while your wedding is absolutely all about you, take a step back and think about whether or not, if you were a guest, would this be something you would want? If you think you'd hate it decide whether or not it's a crucial element. Maybe there's something else that makes even more sense or you can find another way to work in the same details. This way, every penny spent has a purpose and doesn't go wasted.
Happy Planning!
-Lucy
Lucy Miller
Assistant Event Coordinator
Brookstone Event Center
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
The Budget Conscious Bride
Hello All,
It's no surprise that in this economy people are looking for ways to cut corners and limit spending. That all sounds well and good until you stop and consider the fact that weddings are anything but cheap. Flowers, alone, are typically over $1500 when you factor in corsages, boquets, centerpieces, petals, and any other floral decorations you may want to enhance your day. You can ask your venue about vendor packages or other types of discounts that may be offered. Brookstone does, in fact, have a vendor package that allows couples to get their cake, DJ, limo and centerpieces at a discount. However, when all is said and done it's still very easy to go over the budget you initially set for yourself.
Therefore, my tip of the week is this: open a separate bank account with your fiance to be used solely for wedding spending. That way you both know where things stand. You can also make an agreement to put a certain amount of money in that account each week to make sure that the wedding budget doesn't run dry. There is an additional benefit to having this account, after your wedding there's no need to close this account out. This can very easily transition to the joint account that you two share after your special day has come and gone.
I hope that this helps.
Happy Planning!
-Lucy
Lucy Miller
Assistant Event Coordinator
Brookstone Event Center
It's no surprise that in this economy people are looking for ways to cut corners and limit spending. That all sounds well and good until you stop and consider the fact that weddings are anything but cheap. Flowers, alone, are typically over $1500 when you factor in corsages, boquets, centerpieces, petals, and any other floral decorations you may want to enhance your day. You can ask your venue about vendor packages or other types of discounts that may be offered. Brookstone does, in fact, have a vendor package that allows couples to get their cake, DJ, limo and centerpieces at a discount. However, when all is said and done it's still very easy to go over the budget you initially set for yourself.
Therefore, my tip of the week is this: open a separate bank account with your fiance to be used solely for wedding spending. That way you both know where things stand. You can also make an agreement to put a certain amount of money in that account each week to make sure that the wedding budget doesn't run dry. There is an additional benefit to having this account, after your wedding there's no need to close this account out. This can very easily transition to the joint account that you two share after your special day has come and gone.
I hope that this helps.
Happy Planning!
-Lucy
Lucy Miller
Assistant Event Coordinator
Brookstone Event Center
Friday, July 17, 2009
Weddings on the brain
Everyone always thinks of weddings in June and September, but at the Brookstone Event center we think about them all year long. Here we are, in July, neatly sandwiched between the two pinacles of wedding season. It's hard not to get caught up in it all, all the happy moments and cake-cuttings we've seen so far this season, meanwhile we continue to prepare for all the kisses and toasts to come.
Jen and I got to talking today about weddings in general, as I am a complete addict, I love it all. The aesthetics, the romance, the bliss that is completely culminated in a day you've all been preparing for, for what i can only imagine must seem like an eternity, especially for the weddings that we're booking for 2011! It's so exciting to think about, all the options you have, the colors, the menus, the themes. It just goes on forever. But I digress, given that we see just about everything, Jen and I thought it might be fun to offer a wedding tip of the week. To give you somthing to think about as you plan your big day.
We certainly hope that as we do this, the rest of you will offer input and guidance to the other brides. We can make this an online Brookstone wedding community, offering each other guidance and ideas.
That being said, here's the first tip: It's never too early to look for a reception site. This is for a couple of reasons, first being that many places book early. We are already booking weddings for June 2011. Also, it makes sense to look at the site during the season you plan on having your wedding, that way, you can see what the grounds look like during that particular time of year. Looking and booking early also allows you to have an idea of your budget and to plan accordingly.
If you'd like to look at our facility, please give us a call at 603.328.9255, Jen and I would love to show you around and answer any of your questions whether it's for a wedding or any other event.
Happy Planning!
-Lucy
Lucy Miller
Assistant Event Coordinator
Jen and I got to talking today about weddings in general, as I am a complete addict, I love it all. The aesthetics, the romance, the bliss that is completely culminated in a day you've all been preparing for, for what i can only imagine must seem like an eternity, especially for the weddings that we're booking for 2011! It's so exciting to think about, all the options you have, the colors, the menus, the themes. It just goes on forever. But I digress, given that we see just about everything, Jen and I thought it might be fun to offer a wedding tip of the week. To give you somthing to think about as you plan your big day.
We certainly hope that as we do this, the rest of you will offer input and guidance to the other brides. We can make this an online Brookstone wedding community, offering each other guidance and ideas.
That being said, here's the first tip: It's never too early to look for a reception site. This is for a couple of reasons, first being that many places book early. We are already booking weddings for June 2011. Also, it makes sense to look at the site during the season you plan on having your wedding, that way, you can see what the grounds look like during that particular time of year. Looking and booking early also allows you to have an idea of your budget and to plan accordingly.
If you'd like to look at our facility, please give us a call at 603.328.9255, Jen and I would love to show you around and answer any of your questions whether it's for a wedding or any other event.
Happy Planning!
-Lucy
Lucy Miller
Assistant Event Coordinator
Saturday, February 7, 2009
2009 Wedding Dates Available
With everything going on in the country today many people are postponing there weddings until 2010 or beyond. This has created a unique opportunity for people that want to get married this year and think that maybe there is no availability anywhere.
We actually have a number of very good wedding dates still available for 2009.
Give Jen Sprizza a call at 328-9255 to get a list of those dates then stop by the Brookstone Event Center to see the room and pick up a brochure. You can also visit www.brookstone-park.com for more information.
We actually have a number of very good wedding dates still available for 2009.
Give Jen Sprizza a call at 328-9255 to get a list of those dates then stop by the Brookstone Event Center to see the room and pick up a brochure. You can also visit www.brookstone-park.com for more information.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Welcome
Welcome to the Blog of Brookstone Event Center in Derry NH. We are a full service event, meeting and conference center located in Southern New Hampshire. Located within beautiful Brookstone Park we host weddings, corporate events and meetings, social events and any number of other events that we will discuss in this blog.
For more information about Brookstone Event Center, Brookstone Grille or Brookstone Golf Course please visit www.brookstone-park.com
Sincerely
David Smith
Executive Chef/General Manager
Watch for Jen Sprizza's Blogs here on planning the perfect wedding or social event. Prime dates are still available for 2009 & 2010.
For more information about Brookstone Event Center, Brookstone Grille or Brookstone Golf Course please visit www.brookstone-park.com
Sincerely
David Smith
Executive Chef/General Manager
Watch for Jen Sprizza's Blogs here on planning the perfect wedding or social event. Prime dates are still available for 2009 & 2010.
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