It's Wedding Season 2013!

Just shy of a week, The Blissful Bride Weddings and Events will kick off it's 2013 Wedding Season with Rowe and Chris' wedding at The Douglaston Manor and we couldn't be more excited to be working with our affiliated venue. 

This wedding season features what looks to be our largest weddings and most intricate weddings to date, one of which we are co-planning with Paisley Events and has a guest count of 500! Along with working on that, we've been helping Katherine and Tom plan their January 2014 wedding. This season will take us out of our comfort zone of weddings and into wedding related events, as we will be doing 2 Bridal Showers as well. 

We would like welcome to the BBW&E family, our new assistant, Szarina, who will be working with us throughout the season. Stay tuned to our website as we will be including her in our About Me section!!

In addition to our weddings, we will be taking part in Bride's 5K Run (www.bridesrun.com) which is taking place on Sunday, June 16th in Marine Park, Brooklyn. We will be on site to cheer Brides, Grooms and their wedding party's on along with featuring our packages and promotions for future couples. 

 

 

It is going to be an amazing wedding season for us and we look forward to sharing it with you throughout this year!! 

 

 

Stay Blissful!!

 

xo

The Blissful Bride

 

 

 

Why having a 2015 wedding date isn't crazy....

Once upon a time, there was a couple who had just changed their status to ENGAGED. This same couple then proceeded to choose a date, which just happened to be approximately a year from the date they first met. Calculations show this date being approximately a little over 9 months. They planned a 100 guest wedding without a hitch and lived happily ever after.

In the years, that I have been coordinating and planning weddings, I have seen both sides of the spectrum.

I have seen one couple plan their wedding in 4 months, between medical school and BOTH their residencies. Somehow they managed to fly down to Florida, graduate, fly back, get married, and move to Pennsylvania.

I have helped another couple plan their wedding in 6 months, finding a gorgeous venue in the city in September after looking for the right city feel at several locations, finding most of their vendors in October and November, commencing with Limos and Out of Town Guest Bags in January. They were married in February.

And I am currently working with another couple who were engaged in August 2012 and began planning their wedding immediately. The wedding date you ask? October 2014.

Yes, you heard it right. 2014. I said 2014.

Granted as always, changes have been made since the original October date was set. My bride's grandfather asked her, "Why wait so long? Move up the date."

She changed the date at the beginning of this year to January 2014. Although she had cut down her planning time, she had already booked a majority of her main vendors (including yours truly) and put down deposits.

She is not alone in this.

Many brides, many couples have gotten engaged and chosen a wedding date that is further away than anyone anticipates. It's not crazy to hear a date such as March 1, 2015. Here are some of the reasons why:

The economy seems to be back and its a wonderful thing. But we're still in recovery. So in essence, couples are  saving as they go through the planning process. They want the best of the best and who wouldn't?

A wedding is a one time thing (and sometimes it's not). But it's meant to be a one shot deal. You want the best.  You want something as close to what you vision for your wedding. When given a choice, you'd pick doing the wedding later, so you can try to get as close to your dream wedding as possible.

Another reason is what date you are thinking of. June is a wedding month and from my 2013 wedding schedule, October is probably going to bump up to the second best wedding month (which I wholeheartedly support, see our October Love blog) followed by September and May. These weekends are prime and couples want them. So if you wait to book your June or October 2015 wedding till next year..you may be out of luck. Especially if you are looking for a Saturday Evening.
This isn't just to say that it's only venues booking 18 months out. But the biggies, photographers, videography, music and entertainment, hair and makeup and heck, even day of coordination is booking earlier.

Which leads me to my final reason. Couples are booking earlier to lock in pricing. By locking in, they not only secure a price, BUT this allows them time to pay everything off as the time goes by. If there is one thing I have learned from my experience as a bride AND the planner, is that those last 6 months go by super fast. The last thing a couple wants to do is worry about how they will make their final payments.

This is not to say that a wedding can't be planned in 6 months. There are variables that need to be considered before doing so (date, time, guest amount and overall budget). While it is not for the faint at heart, I've seen it happen successfully and was proud to be apart of them.

Happy Planning!

xo

The Blissful Bride

From Engagement to Wedding Day-Katherine and Tom- Part One- Engaged!

I met Katherine almost 4 years ago through a phone call I placed to her while I was just starting out in the wonderful world of planning. That one phone call, was the start of a friendship that is still ongoing. We aren't just friends, we are also associates in event planning and each other's soundboards when it comes to the wonderful world that are weddings and events.  About 2 years ago, I knew, she and I would be the perfect planning team. But before I could snap her up for The Blissful Bride, she went off her own and has her own successful firm, Paisley Events.

Here is the fun part about our friendship though.

Despite all the calls, emails, and biz chats..we had never met face to face. Ever.


That changed though on the morning of September 8th, 2012, when I finally not only met Katherine, but her boyfriend, someone she had raved about for months after she met him, Tom.

I was honored to have finally not only met her, but the both of them together. And I will tell you this, these two are so disgustingly in love. There is a certain kind of look a man gives a woman. A look of adoration and love.  Tom was no exception to this rule, he was looking at her in that same way.

I knew then, that Katherine, whom I now dub, the biggest believer in love, found "the one".




Yes, this is what touched down in Brooklyn that morning I FINALLY met Katherine .
Go figure.

When I received the call this last Saturday morning (in the wee hours), from Kat, I automatically picked up, because she has never called me at that hour. But this phone call was definetly worth picking up.

HE PROPOSED!

 

 

The details of the proposal, however, will remain between them (for now).

 

 

You know how they say a little girl  usually has dreams of how she wants her wedding to be?

 

I know who that little girl is.

 

Katherine has had wedding on the brain forever. This is a girl who knows what she wants for her day. She's been dreaming about it her entire life.

But as any good planner knows, you don't really plan your own wedding.  So guess who's along for the wonderful wedding ride with her?

 

I can't wait!  And I'm taking you along for the ride!

 

 

To be continued....

 

 

 

*This is Part One in a new series of blogs I am doing about my newest brides to be, from engagement to the wedding day. *




xo
The Blissful Bride





Timing is Everything..

As The Blissful Bride's very own 5 year wedding anniversary comes to a close tonight, I found myself thinking back to my wedding day. Its amazing, I can tell you I don't remember much, only snipets of details. But its those details I want to share with you and encourage you not to do the same things I did. I guess that's why you can say I became The Blissful Bride and have made it my team's mission to ensure that those same few mistakes that were made, won't be made.

LATENESS:  I reiterate to all my couples, especially my brides, as do many other vendors, namely photographers, venues, etc. to be sure you are on time, and when I say on time, I mean at least an hour earlier (if you are doing first looks, even earlier than that). I have a confession to make, I was late to my own wedding. My wedding ceremony was supposed to start at 5:30pm. We weren't doing first looks, but I was supposed to do many before shots along the grounds during the daylight hours with my bridal party and my family. Maybe even sit down in my suite and enjoy a few moments and maybe a few drinks...what time did I arrive?  I arrived 5:45pm. Needless to say, we got some bridal picture shots (because we pushed my ceremony time back to 6pm), some family shots and some of my personal shots. My sister in law took a few pictures seperate of the photographer and caught a different version of the events as they were unfolding...in one picture, I'm posing (without my veil, because it would have gotten crumpled in the car) and to my left is my officiant, getting ready to ask me..."Where is the license?" and in another picture, you see me getting ready to sign off on the documents. Guests saw me taking pictures, so it kind of ruined the allure of mystery I wanted to bring. Why was I late? Traffic on a considerably warm, Saturday in October. I decided to get ready at my new apartment..in Brooklyn. I was married at Douglaston Manor...

Which leads me to this next tidbit...

IF YOU CAN GET READY AT THE VENUE WELL BEFORE HAND: You do it. Especially if there are no weddings before yours. I should have never stood in Brooklyn. I should have rode out to Queens, met up with my wedding party out there and with my MUA/Hair person. I may have been locked away, but I would've been there...ON TIME. Inquire with your venue or location to see if you can get ready there or atleast get dressed on location. Or you have to pick a hotel nearby and no more than a half hour away.

Go ahead, ask me in your head....ask me what time makeup and hair were started...it was started reasonably early enough..BUT it could have started about an hour earlier if...

ALL BRIDAL ITEMS (DRESS and ACCESORIES) SHOULD BE PICKED UP THE DAY BEFORE or: You have someone (a bridesmaid, and/or a coordinator) pick it up for you. And if you have to leave anything for the last minute, let it be a veil, let it be something that isn't your wedding gown or anything that is directly related to it (bra, petitcoat, etc). Without that, you can't even get the dress on. If you are waiting on a veil, you can still get shots in without it if necessary and make up for it later.

And while I've heard bridezilla's (on television) say, the wedding is about me and can't start without me, I must say, yes it can't start without you, but show some courtesy to those vendors on a schedule who may have another wedding later on. And marraige is between two people, so its not just about you, its about you and your fiance. If he's there, you should be too...ON TIME.

THE EFFECTS OF LATENESS AT YOUR WEDDING:

YOUR MONEY:  You are now a half hour late to your ceremony. This means your ceremony time will trickle into your cocktail hour/ reception. So you are losing time, because there may be another wedding after yours they have to set up for. And even if your wedding is the last of the night, some venues may not give you the extra half hour you lost at the beginning. Check with your venue about overtime charges (same thing applies with DJ's, bands, videography, photo).  Not only are you eating up the clock on your party, but your eating up possibly travel time for the officiant to get to their next ceremony. In short, time is money. And there will be a late charge.

FOOD QUALITY:  The venue's chef and staff were there early enough, or the caterers are there well before and have had this ready for awhile. Things sometimes tend to dry up if its on the heat too long and its not their fault because they have a specific timing to do things...

PHOTOGRAPHS:  Expect to lose out on certain pictures because of this lateness. Sure you can ask to have these photos taken later...but nix the outside idea if its dark and more importantly, do you want to be pulled away for long periods of time so you can miss that one song you wanted the DJ to play for you?


As my anniversary comes to a close tonight and I look back, I find myself saying, I wish could have done many things differently. The first thing has to be my lateness and switching my locations. There are so many pictures that are normally done with other brides, that I missed out on.
I was incredibly stressed because my veil was picked up the minute the store openeed the same day and I think at a certain point I became numb, in the "oh my, I'm getting married...did I do everything I needed to?"

 Which is why I encourage..



And no it doesn't have to be me...but a coordinator or planner can work wonders. Trust me.

Stay Blissful!

xo

The Blissful Bride

 

 

PS: We will be back at Douglaston Manor on October 17th! Come and See us and our fellow vendors!  

October, How do I love thee?

If there is one thing you need to know about The Blissful Bride is that not only is Fall my favorite season, but it also has my favorite month of the year, October. So this is my ode to the fabulous month and why I am determined to make this month even more popular than August for weddings.

For one,  October has some of the best weather. Its not too hot, it's not too cold (although we still have a few weeks in which Mother Nature could put this to the test). So you can still have an outdoor ceremony and/or cocktail hour.

You have a three day weekend in this month. Columbus Day weekend falls usually on the first Monday of the month, so the weekend is ideal for a wedding weekend, you can have a brunch the following day OR you can have your wedding on Sunday (which can cut costs) and your guests have time to travel home. You and your spouse can take that Monday to relax, refresh, before you head on your honeymoon.

The leaves are changing colors and falling, put this together with a beautiful sunset, the ambiance can be fantastic. Or you can utilize this fact and incorporate this into your decor, along with either apples, pumpkins, pinecones, candles. Included are two ideas from the web (one courtesy of planning elegance) as well as from our own fall themed wedding last year for Amnel and Perez.

In addition to the wonderful colors, you can also incorporate the great scents of the fall as well. Because its Halloween, you can include pumpkin spice candles or apple spice scented candles to make it aromatic. Just make sure it doesn't overwhelm! As always, vanilla scented are light and can be used.

If you are determined to have a Princess wedding, what better month to have it than in October? Cinderella had her coach made from a pumpkin, why not utilize pumpkin season as well? Want to have a masquerade themed wedding? Halloween is at the end of the month, what better month to incorporate those fabulous masks?


Courtesy of Masquerade Weddings


And last but not least, there are two reasons why I truly love and adore October...

The Blissful Bride was married on Saturday, October 6th, 2007 (yes, this weekend marks 5 years  to the actual day I got married). The weather was a balmy and unusual 86 degrees, a cloud or two, but overall a stunning, stunning day. And the sunset..



Douglaston Manor Golf Course

And the very final reason why I love October..... it's my birthday at the end of the month!



If you are on the fence with a wedding date and absolutely stuck.  Call me bias, but I believe that you should seriously consider October (especially before it grows into a bigger wedding month, perhaps superceding August). The colors, weather, and ambiance are more vast than another month.

We will be back at The Douglaston Manor on Wednesday, October 17th from 7:00-9:30pm.
Come visit us, along with our fellow vendors and see how fabulous this venue is!
We will be featuring some October Specials (including ONE couple receiving a 25% off planning package) and a fabulous fall theme!

Hope to see  you there!

Until Then,
Stay Blissful!
xo

The Blissful Bride  



Madelyn and Mark's Wedding- Saturday 9/2/2012 @ The Montauk Club Brooklyn

I first met Madelyn and her mom Holly in late June of last year to discuss how I could possibly become the Month of Coordinator for her September 2012 wedding. At the time of our meeting, she had booked The Montauk Club in Park Slope, as her venue. She picked this venue for many reasons, but the one that truly stood out was that she was born and raised in Park Slope and it meant so much for her to be married there.

Back then, September seemed really far away.

When I woke up on Saturday morning, I was greeted by the sun peering through my windows and the I felt the opposite way...I met Madelyn and her mom over a year ago!

The weather, although a little warmer than it had been (we had gotten away with a relatively cool August) in a while, was perfect for a wedding. Guests arrived from points along the country and the globe to watch Madelyn and Mark say I do!

The intimate ceremony and reception, had its personal touches, none being more evident than having their friend, Olga, officiate the wedding for them.

On behalf of Sue and myself, thank you for allowing us to be apart of it! We wish you a lifetime full of happiness!

The fabulous vendors of the day were:

Photography: Federov Foto
Cake: Stephanie Grajales
Flowers: Langdon Florist
DJ: A Starry Night Music (Carol)
Venue: The Montauk Club of Brooklyn
Stationery (Invitations, Table Numbers, Programs, Escort Cards): Two Create
Favors: M&M
Coordination: The Blissful Bride Weddings and Events

Here are some of our pictures from the day!



Katisha and Chris's Wedding- Friday, February 3, 2012 @ Manhattan Penthouse

When I met Katisha and Chris way back in August to discuss their wedding, the first thing I thought was they had to be crazy to plan a wedding in a little under 6 months.

That time seemed to fly by and once it got down to the final month, time flew even quicker and before you could even blink, it was Friday, February 3rd. We met up with Katisha and Chris at their respective suites at Hotel Indigo. Although their suites were adjoining..they made sure neither of them could see each other before the "first look". We did get to know the wedding party a little better and from that hour or so before we headed down to Manhattan Penthouse, you knew it was going to be a great night!

Here are some before and after shots:

Empire State Building BEFORE

Gotta Love the Empire State Building at night..

Ceremony Set up BEFORE

Down the Aisle- AFTER

Up The Aisle- BEFORE

Up the Aisle- AFTER

Cake Created by Stephanie Grajales

Another Shot of the Cake- Yes those flowers are REAL orchids!

Head Table

 To see more pictures, check us out on Facebook, www.facebook.com/blissfulbridenyc . We look forward to sharing more pics from Katisha and Chris's wedding soon!

A special thanks to the vendors that day:
Cake: Stephanie Grajales
Officiant: Rev. C. Will Mercer
DJ: The Pros  (DJ Latif)
Florist: Superior Florist
Photography: Perfect Photo and Video
Venue: Manhattan Penthouse/ Green Mansions Catering

And a huge shout out to my assistant Sue, who stepped into the fold about a month and a half before the big day.

We still have so much to look forward to for 2012, our next showcase, our next wedding and so much more!

Blissfully Yours,
xo
The Blissful Bride

Happy 2012!!! Happy 2nd Anniversary The Blissful Bride!!

Its hard to believe that two years have come and gone for The Blissful Bride Weddings and Events. We've met some wonderful people and couples along the way.

We are off and running this year as we do our final countdown to Katisha and Chris's February nuptials. While that final month leading into the big day can be incredibly stressful, it is important to realize that its fun doing a countdown till you become one with your significant other. My best advice is that you get a massage the day before the wedding (if time allows, early the day of) and if you can, the day after because then you can truly relax because you are MARRIED!

Remember the most important part of the big day is not just that the food is great or the DJ is doing a great job, but that you are declaring your love for one another in front of all the people you love. Without that declaration of love, its just a party. Do not lose sight in all those pesky details. Just take a deep breath. Everything will go according to plan.

We look forward to sharing our February wedding with you and we look forward to sharing all our wedding stories, tips and changes happening here at BBW&E. Its going to be an exciting year!

Congratulations to all couples who were engaged over the holidays!!

xo <3
The Blissful Bride

Fall In Love-Amnel and Perez's Wedding 11.12.11

It was an early Saturday afternoon in November, when my mom called me to tell me about one of her Facebook friends who had a wedding day dilemma. Her event decorator had backed out on her with a week to go before her wedding day nuptials. I thought it was for Friday 11-11 (after all, there were many brides getting married that day). I told my mom to give her my number, give her my website and have her call me. No less than 10 minutes later, I was on the phone with Amnel. She explained everything to me and we discussed what had happened and what her vision was for her wedding day. Knowing there were time constraints, we scheduled a meeting for Monday to go over everything and source out what materials we were going to need for the centerpieces and overall look.

What can I say? We clicked on the spot. And that day along with the help of my mom and Amnel's friend Geri we came up with a "Rustic Fall Motif". I used that term in describing the wedding, but the day of, I realized the term I should have used was "Fall in Love". Both Amnel and Perez are the very definition of "love at first sight" and are so meant for each other. We wish them nothing but all the happiness in the world.

Ceremony/Reception Location: Hudson River Cafe

Photographer: Foto Filip
Dry Materials, Vases: Jamali Gardens  
Kudos: A special thanks to my Mom who finally got to see me in my consultant glory, Geri for her input and help as well as my assistant Sue who did such a great job with the draping for the ceremony (that pic is to follow). Thank you to Angela and her team at Hudson River Cafe for their assistance in everything and making our job of set up a pleasant one!

Cyber Monday Madness and our Day of Package Preview!!!

If you missed our Small Business Saturday promotion, we now have a Cyber Monday promotion going on thru Saturday 12/3 ends at 12midnight EST.

Receive 15% off any of our planning packages and 5% off any of our A La Carte Packages. 

With engagement season upon us, we will be doing an introduction this week of our "Day of" package, which is very similar to our "Month of" package, but with reduced services at a lower rate. Nevertheless, we provide you with exceptional services everytime.

The Day of Coordination includes: 

-Initial Consultation
-Confirmation of Wedding Day Vendors (2-3 weeks out)
-Assist bride,groom and Wedding Party
-Organize and Oversee Set up
-Distribute Payment to Vendors
-5 hours of coverage Day of Event  (1 planner and 1 assistant)

Package Price:     $500.00

This newest package will make its official debut on our website just in time for our 3 year Anniversary!

If you are interested in this package and would like to schedule a consultation, please email us at info@blissfulbridenyc.com.

Stay Tuned...tonight we debut our latest design shots and pics from our most recent wedding!

XO
The Blissful Bride

Our Fall Contest- "Fall in Love"

Autumn officially began at around 5am Friday morning, 9/23. And although it may not seem like it outside right now...(its about 80 degrees in NYC), Fall is here and its almost October. For many who know The Blissful Bride, October is her favorite month for two reasons..her wedding anniversary is coming up on October 6th, and her birthday is at the end of the month on October 25th. October is a month of change for BBW&E as well. After mulling over and debating changes, we are going to be updating our site very soon to reflect those changes and by October 31st, the packages will change slightly as well as our A La Carte options (which we believe our future couples will enjoy as well).

But before the changes occur, The Blissful Bride is having a "Fall in Love" Contest which ends October 22nd.

What was the exact moment that you fell in love with your significant other and knew he was the one you were gonna marry?

Share your love story and you may win:

First Prize: Our "Wedded Bliss" Month of Coordination package (value at $700) which will include one A La Carte Option Package (Value $225),
Budget Maintenance
Invitation Stuffing/RSVP maintenance
or
Honeymoon Suite Set Up.

Runner Up: Will receive our Small or Medium Size Premium Sweets Bar (Value $350)

Please send all submissions to: ypl@blissfulbridenyc.com and put Fall In Love Contest- in the subject line.
Rules:
Contest Ends at 12 Midnight EST on 10/22/11. Open to NYC,LI,NJ and CT residents 18 years and older. Couples must have a wedding date prior to 2/14/12. All submissions must include full names of couple and include email address and phone numbers. Winner will be notified by email and must claim prize within 48 hours of notice otherwise the Runner Up will become the winner and a new runner up will be selected. Winners to be selected at random and the love stories of those winners will be posted on our blog during the month of November.  

Until next time,
xo <3
The Blissful Bride

Sachiko and Ryan-Tarrytown House Estate 6.25.11

Its been crazy busy here at The Blissful Bride as we are going to be making some changes to our site in the coming weeks and have been working with several brides. Here are some pictures that will be featured on our site. xo <3 The Blissful Bride


I checked the weather daily the week of (alright, I admit it, I checked it every 3 hours the day before) and when I woke up the day of Sachiko and Ryan's wedding, I was pleased that the sun was out. When I walked out the door though it had grown cloudy and I grew a little worried because here was this beautiful couple that wanted to get married in this beautiful estate (a

destination away from crazy NYC) and they didn't need it to rain. There was a rain contingency plan in case for both the ceremony and cocktails, but we were all hoping for bright sunshine.
By the time I arrived with my assistant for the day, Olga (MUA/Hair extrordinaire of Colors of Fashions), the sun finally broke through. There was barely any humidity. But overall the day was set for sun and it stood that way all day, till the sun finally set around 8:30pm.
The bride, Sachiko, was stunning in her Vera Wang gown,  makeup done by Renee Lee and Sue from Metamorphosis and Ryan looked very sharp in his tuxedo, from the Men's Warehouse. The colors of the wedding were soft pink and white, with plenty of bling. When they shared their first look prior to the ceremony, Sachiko shed tears of joy and needed a touch up stat! They are truly meant for one another and it was evident in what they selected to be said during the ceremony and throughout the entire event.

We were so happy to be apart of their special day and wish them nothing but all the happiness in the world!

xo
The Blissful Bride

What does a Wedding Planner do?

Spring is almost at our door and it seems that the hibernation from an awful winter is coming to an end. So now many brides are springing forward with their wedding plans, choosing a date, looking at venues, looking up vendors, for wedding gowns etc. Depending on what your vision is, your budget, how many guests you'd like to attend,  planning a wedding can take a year or more. For some who opt for planning a smaller affair with a limited amount of guests, it can take a little less. If you are working full time, going to school full time, planning can be very overwhelming and it can sometimes become confusing and stressful. Looking for help from an outside source is not unheard of. So if your thinking that hiring a wedding planner wouldn't make sense because your wedding is only this big or that you can do it all yourself...just sit back and think of the perks of having one, even if its just for that final month and day of your wedding. After all, shouldn't you be basking in a blissful glow of matrimony and not worrying if a vendor will show up or not?
Here is what planners do:

1.Wedding planners are the first and foremost consultants on weddings. We will work with you to fufill your vision for the day and they'll come up with creative solutions to make it happen.
2.We act as your representative in the world of vendors. We know vendors in a way you can't, not only their reputations for quality and timeliness, but if there is any bad blood between vendors you're interested in. We will negotiate with vendors on your behalf in order to get the best possible value, which may not necessarily be the lowest price.
3.We are supreme organizers. A wedding planner prepares an itinerary for you and keep you on track. Planners know when things need to be done so we'll never let you fall behind. We're kind of like that angel on your shoulder.
4.There are planners that specialize in destination weddings or cultural weddings, so we are able to help you with whatever wedding you envisioned.
5.Wedding planners have financial skills to keep you on budget. So when we call that meeting about how you're about to go drastically over budget, listen.
6. When the pressure of competing interests or difficult decisions build up, we can be a shoulder to cry on.
7.Sometimes we're marraige counselors too. We help you to put things back in perspective and set the real focus of the wedding: each other.
8.The day of the wedding, we ensure that everything runs smoothly and if it doesn't, you don't have to deal with it.

So as you spring into your wedding plans, just keep in mind that while a planner may add to the budget, we may actually keep you in budget for your special day. And it always helps to have someone on the outside looking in. Happy Planning!

XO
The Blissful Bride

The Blissful Bride Presents-How Did He Propose?

The Blissful Bride Weddings & Events is planning a contest to determine the best proposal story. So all those who are in the midst of planning, got engaged over the holidays or Valentine's Day....think back to the wonderful way your fiance proposed and share it with us!
Contest ends: 3/31/2011 Midnight EST. Please send your proposal story to: admin@blissfulbridenyc.com
(Please see Rules listed below)
Prizes:
(1) Grand Prize- "Everlasting Bliss" Full Service Package (normally $1500.00) for $850.00 This package includes all of our a la carte options with the exception of our Sweets Bar.
(1) Second Prize- "Blissfully Yours" Partial Package for $650.00 and a choice of A La Carte Option (except Sweets Bar and Pre Wedding Event)

For a description on what each package includes, please go to our website: http://www.blissfulbridenyc.com/

Rules:
1.Only one entry per couple. Please be sure to include both your name and your fiance's names as well as where you are located. Your story may featured on our blog as a future proposal Story.
2.If you are one of our winners, you must utilize our services by 12/31/2012.
3.Prize winners will be announced 4/7/2011 via email. You will have 48 hours to claim the prizes. Winners will be officially announced on BBWE's Facebook Fan Page, Twitter and the winning story will be posted on our blog.
4.All weddings must take place by 12/31/2012.
5.Must be 18 years or older to enter.

Good luck!!
Blissfully Yours
The Blissful Bride

The Revamp of The Blissful Bride and The Great Bridal Expo 10.19.10

The Blissful Bride has updated her website to be well..more blissful and we reworked our current packages as well to include a partial package (which is now called "Blissfully Yours"), seemingly super sized our Full Service (now called "Everlasting Bliss") and added an interesting twist called "Be Our Guest" which is a package in itself catered to the out of town guests who come to visit. It is included in our larger package and can be requested if you have our Wedded Bliss or Blissfully Yours packages. It can also be as its own separate option and would go great with our Invitation Stuffing and RSVP maintenance option.



A Mini Version of Our "Sweets Bar" Premium Candy



The newest thing we did include was adding a candy buffet, called a Sweets Bar. It doesn't have to be included in any of the wedding packages and can be requested for a party or for a special event. Pics from the weddings we've done will be up on the site as of next week.

There was no better time for the website update as yesterday was our debut as a full service wedding planning company at the Great Bridal Expo in Times Square at the Marriott Marquis. Despite the fact we were provided with a table cover and skirt, we used a brown satin stripe sheet for the skirt and overlayed a pink voile fabric on top. Although it seemed as if we were off to a slow start, it gradually picked up and the brides did arrive, bags in tow filled with information, goodies, and more. Some held sample yogurts, some held cups of water, but most held cupcakes, cakes and other sweet treats. By the time they reached our sample "Sweet Bar Display", they were very full, but never the less helped themselves. It was a great night for us networking with brides-to-be and vendors who came around to introduce themselves.  All in all, it was a successful night. A special thanks to Olga from Colors of Fashion (www.colorsoffashion.com) and Kaci from Brian Cesario Photography (www.briancesariophotography.com)  for all their help last night.

Its almost Showtime! Our Chocolate and Pink Table Look.



Our Brochure and pics from our last wedding. Pic of Samantha and Barry on the left courtesy of William Eng Photography.



The Great Bridal Expo-Tuesday, October 19th @ 5:30pm Mariott Marquis Times Square

The Blissful Bride Weddings & Events will be making its debut to many brides at the Great Bridal Expo on Tuesday, October 19th, 2010 from 5:30pm-10:00pm. We are very excited in making one of the largest bridal shows our debut event. If you already have tickets, stop by and say hello. If you are pondering about attending, and still need tickets, please contact us @ ypl@blissfulbridenyc.com

Stay Blissful!

xo The Blissful Bride

Samantha and Barry's Wedding-10.3.10

It was a brisk October day. The sun was out and the wind kicked up a little bit from time to time. But no rain was falling. I first met my bride Samantha back in August after she had contacted me regarding Day of Services. We spoke on the phone first and then had our consultation in which she shared what she wanted for one of the most important days of her life. I was presented with pictures of the venue, the centerpiece idea, the wish tree, and ceremony set up. Samantha knew what she wanted. We just had to bring it to life and share it with her friends and family. I asked her where she would be going on a honeymoon and she told me Tahiti and the one thing I said to her was don't stress think about your honeymoon and where you will be. I met her husband Barry when we went to the venue in Staten Island, NY and we finalized exactly what was to be done ceremony wise and reception wise.
The wedding day finally arrived and both Samantha and Barry along with their immediate family looked stunning in shades of purple for the ladies and suits for the men. She was walked down the aisle by her mother and after signing the certificate, the recessional started and everyone was ready to party and have a great time and that they did.
I was emcee for the night and a special thanks goes out to DJ Echo for helping me do my best. A special thanks to the duo John Lo and William Eng (http://www.wengphotography.com/ ; http://www.john-lo.com/) for sending me an awesome pic of the centerpiece I was working on. Also a big warm THANK YOU to Olga for helping me set up and taking set up shots of my work!!  (http://www.coloroffashions.com/).

Much love and happiness to Samantha and Barry!!

The Wish Tree before the Wish Tags were added