The Finishing Touch — Weddings, Events, Design, Paperie

One of the trends becoming more and more prevalent in bridal fashion is the bridal sash. Many gowns are being designed with beautiful embellished sashes or belts at the waist. Also, many brides are adding on sashes or belts to add a touch of glamour to their gowns. (Like the ones seen here from our good friends at Exquisite Bride!)

If you prefer a more traditional look for your ceremony, you might want to add a bit of glitz to your dress just for the reception with a beautiful beaded belt. If you choose to have a more formal ceremony and reception, you might want to sport a sparkly sash for both events.

Most recently, Princess Catherine wore an elegant, classic dress for her ceremony and then changed for her reception leaving Clarence House in a stunning Sarah Burton gown, with a heavily beaded sash at the waist.

Chelsea Clinton looked radiant last summer as she graced the aisle in a gorgeous Vera Wang gown with a beautifully embellished belt.

Here are some other styles that might strike your fancy…

The Alex Crystal Sash made of Swarovski® crystals & glass beading by KirstenKuehnDesigns…

This crisp satin ribbon sash is adorned in dazzling Austrian crystals by Ti Adoro…

This Sara Gabriel Jaclyn Sash is made of horsehair ribbon tied into a voluptuous bow and accented with Swarovski® rhinestone…

That’s right, this year WeddingWire has teamed up with Filene’s Basement to participate in their annual, world famous  Running of the Brides®. The event will take place at the Filene’s Basement Union Square location on Friday, June 3^rd.

Hundreds of brides from the tri-state area and their teams of bridesmaids will start camping out in the wee hours of the morning to be the first to rush the doors when they open at 8:00AM. Three lucky brides will get the chance to win a wedding gown of their choice, while everyone else will have the opportunity to peruse more than 1700 designer and brand name wedding dresses at very discounted prices.

Filene’s will be open until 10pm and will be accepting checks, cash and credit cards.

So start stretching ladies, and get your running kicks ready, because a bride on a mission is hard to beat!

Looking for locations for a bridesmaids’ luncheon or bachelorette weekend brunch? Well look no further. Alice’s Tea Cup, the trendy little tea room in NYC is the perfect spot!

Alice’s caters to customers of all ages, and as soon as you enter the door, you feel as if you have stepped back into your childhood. Fairy wings (that you are welcome to wear or purchase) along with other whimsical décor, adorn the various rooms inside. The chic fairy-tale atmosphere is perfect for the bride-to-be to share time with her bridesmaids or closest friends and family before her big day.

At Alice’s you will find a wide assortment of tea types from all around the world from traditional Black Teas to exotic Tisane Teas. If you would like to try something truly unique, the menu even offers a list of beverages called “Mar-tea-nis and such” that includes specialty teas combined with alcohol and other specialty ingredients. In addition to the wonderful teas you will find in this culinary wonderland, you will also find another tasty delight loved by all- the scones!

Anyone who has tried Alice’s Tea Cup knows that the scones are truly out of this world. These delectable treats are made fresh daily, and come with a sweet, creamy fruit butter to spread on top. Not to mention, they are a lovely compliment to the wonderful tea you will be sipping.

Alice’s Tea Cup has 3 different locations in NYC and offers breakfast, brunch and lunch. Reservations can be made for bridal showers and luncheons, and they even offer “Alice’s After Hours” if you are interested in having a private party in the evening.

Just recently, our beautiful bride-to-be Kisha had a bridal shower at Alice’s on Saturday, May 14th.

If you are interested in hosting your next event with stylish fairy-tale flair Alice’s Tea Cup is the place to go!

This viral YouTube video might just make your future hubby jealous! A Georgia man, Matt Still, decided to get creative when proposing to his true love, Ginny Joiner. Matt hired a professional videographer to make his cinematic proposal come to life. He also enlisted the help of the local movie theater which allowed him to play the first part of the proposal on the big screen.

Matt tricked Ginny into going to the movies with her brother while he was “at work”. First, two actual movie trailers come on the screen. Then- the proposal begins!

What Ginny doesn’t know is that the movie theater is actually filled with her family and friends, and a videographer is shooting her during the whole proposal.

We give this proposal a thumbs up, but you might need to grab some tissues before watching!

Many brides today are opting for unique brooch bouquets instead of the traditional floral bouquet. Often bridesmaids and attendants carry real flowers, while the bride will carry a brooch bouquet to stand out from the rest of the party! The brooches in the bouquet can be modern, traditional or have a sentimental value.

Many florists or jewelers can create brooch bouquets, and you can also ask your wedding consultant for assistance. Various locations such as vintage shops or online stores can be searched to find truly unique pieces. Often times friends or relatives may give the bride-to-be a unique piece that has special meaning to add to her bouquet. This is also a creative way for the bride to add a little extra sparkle and the “something old” to her wedding day ensemble!

The Finishing Touch would like to wish Claudia and Andy a very Happy Anniversary! This week marks their first year as a married couple! Take a look back at their beautiful spring wedding..

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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.

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!

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

We have all seen the film 27 Dresses, and we know how it can be to have a closet full of bridesmaid dresses and nowhere to wear them all.

No need to worry!

Dessy Group has launched a new website called NewlyMaid.com where you can send in your old bridesmaid gowns and receive credit toward new ones. You simply request a prepaid envelope from NewlyMaid.com, package it according to the directions given and send over your old dress inside of it. Your dress can designed by almost any brand, and as long as it is not damaged you will receive anywhere from 30-50% off towards one of their six black dress styles. After the discount, the six black dress styles cost around $100 each. Your old bridesmaid dress will either be broken down and recycled or donated to Clothes4Souls.

This is a great chance to do some shopping, and help others and the environment all at once!

We love a good laugh here at TFT so we can’t wait to catch the latest wedding comedy, ‘Bridesmaids‘! Producer Judd Apatow, (40 Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up) director Peter Feig (Freaks and Geeks, The Office) team up with funny girls/co-writers Kristen Wiig (Saturday Night Live) and Annie Mumolo for this comedy about a devoted maid of honor whose life falls into ruin as she plans her best friend’s dream wedding.  Upon hearing the news that Lillian (Maya Rudolph) has gotten engaged, ecstatic Annie (Wiig) leaps at the chance to plan the perfect wedding. With the big day rapidly approaching, Annie struggles to put her romantic and financial woes aside in order to give her dearest friend a day of memories that will last a lifetime.

Be sure to check it out this Friday, May 13th!!

The Finishing Touch would like to wish our couple Jennifer and Eliu a very happy anniversary! It seems like just yesterday that we helped them plan their dream wedding in the Dominican Republic. Read all about their beautiful wedding below, as we take a look back to their special day!

As we have told you all so many times, we love working with all of our clients and have been so blessed in our 7+ years to have never had a true “Bridezilla.”  And although we love all of our Brides and Grooms, every once and a while a couple comes along that we can’t let go of even after the wedding and continue to call our friends.  We are proud to say our recent couple Jennifer and Eliu are just that!
From the first moment I met Jenn at a Starbucks in Montclair NJ, I knew we would have a great relationship.  She was crazy busy  ~ working, planning a wedding and finishing a degree….ahhh a multitasker, I can truly relate! But what I noticed about Jenn that day that made me know she was an extra special person was the way she spoke about her spirituality, her friends, her family and especially the true love of her life and soul mate Eliu. We clicked right away and thus began the year+ journey to plan Jenn and Eliu’s fabulous Destination Wedding in the beautiful Dominican Republic.

The wedding was announced by gorgeous invitations designed by The Finishing Touch Event Design, which incorporated Jenn’s love of peacocks and indigenous culture.  The invitation was printed with peacock feather accents and a design of two peacocks kissing, which resembled the shape of a heart.  Marigold and Allspice papers were layered with Bamboo Woven paper to give the invitation depth and texture.  The invitation was wrapped up in a Bronze pocket jacket and sealed with a layered tag featured a blind embossed heart design that featured their initials.

I flew into Punta Cana, DR on Thursday April 30th ~ I love my job! When I arrived at the beautiful Paradisus Palma Real resort I myself became excited for the guests to start arriving.  I checked into my beautiful room at the Reserve section of the resort and got to work meeting with the onsite Wedding staff and other vendors in the area.  One job that we did not have to take care of this time was delivery of gift bags to the guests’ rooms.  Instead we had sent all the guests a wonderful basket prior to their leaving the US with all the exciting news of the upcoming weekend and of course a few needed supplies; hangover kit, towel, water bottle, etc.  The baskets and weekend wedding guides were the creation of the Finishing Touch Event Design ((http://www.thefinishingtouchevents.com/) team and were a huge hit!

Jenn and Eliu along with most of their guests arrived on Friday and the fun began.  We kicked off the weekend with a “Bienvenidos Gathering” (Welcome Drinks) at the lobby bar and it was clear right away that the weekend was going to be a blast for all involved.  The group stayed at the bar long after I excused myself but were up on the beach bright and early the next day.
Saturday was filled with an amazing excursion for many guests to swim with the Dolphins and Sting Rays.  Although I hear the water was pretty chilly, all had a wonderful time and got some amazing pictures.

The group then came racing back for the rehearsal on the beach ~ um and yea they were racing! Saturday night, the group gathered for the Rehearsal Dinner at one of the resort’s many wonderful restaurants, Bana Bistro, where guests dined on Asian Fusion fare served family style around the table.  It was during this dinner that Jenn and Eliu shared a very special favor with all of their guests.  Our design team had created a photo book which featured all of the guests who were in attendance at the wedding along with a write up by the Bride and Groom on why each guest was so important to them and what it meant for them to be sharing in their wedding celebration.  It was just another one of those special personal touches that truly exemplified them.

And finally after all the planning and preparation, it was the wedding day!  In my time as a Wedding Consultant, I have seen and been touched by many wedding ceremonies but none more than the one I witnessed on Naos Beach at dusk.  Performed by one of Jenn’s closest friends, the ceremony was a mix of spirituality and culture that brought tears to not only the eyes of those in the wedding party but all in attendance including myself and the crowd that had gathered around to watch the entire 45 minutes.   Jenn’s brother also added a special touch by providing all the music, played on his saxophone.  We often tell Brides and Grooms to remember that although they are throwing a great party the importance of the day is found at that moment when they become man and wife, and this was certainly not lost on Jenn and Eliu.

But party they did once the ceremony concluded.  Guests started the festivities with drinks at the Ciel Sky Bar before being ushered back to Naos beach where they were welcomed by the designs Jenn and our team had worked on for so long.  Brilliant Fire Orange linens were atop tables covered with white orchids and peacock feathers ~ Jenn’s favorite!   The tented structures we had designed were up lit with a warm orange glow.  We also incorporated many special touches such as customized table numbers and seating cards, all matching the brilliant design of the Stationary created by our design team.

Guests danced the night away to a live Salsa band and lively music spun by local DJ, Sueno Caribe.  There was also a special surprise photomontage created showing Jenn and Eliu’s lives, which was shared on a large movie screen set up just off of the dance floor on the beach.  After the Wedding, the party continued in the resort’s nightclub until the wee hours!

Leaving the Dominican, I was truly sad to say goodbye to Jenn and Eliu’s friends and family who I have grown so close to over the planning process and especially during the weekend festivities.  A special thank you again to Jim and Maria Mullan and Obed and Linda Gonzalez for allowing us to be involved in such a special day for their children.  I will never forget the experience of working with all of them to bring together such an amazing day!

Thank you again to the wonderful vendor team, both here and in the DR, that helped make the day perfect.
Photos by Photo Souvenir
Happy Planning,
Candice

Spring is in the air – and we love finding inspirations for our beautiful Spring weddings!

Check out this quick video for some Spring Inspiration from TFT -