The Finishing Touch — Weddings, Events, Design, Paperie

Recently we shared some tips with (201) Bride on how to select a venue for your wedding day! Check out some of the ways you can narrow down your options to find the perfect location to say ‘I Do’.

Create Your Budget. You certainly need to have an idea of the overall budget for your wedding before securing your venue. A good way of generating an estimate of the amount you will spend on the venue is by splitting your budget in half. Having this number will help eliminate the venues that may be out of your price range and will allow you to focus on those that fit your budget accordingly. Working with your planner to find the location of your dreams and stay within budget is always key!

Ask Yourself, Where and When? Have you always dreamed of a wedding on the beach? Exchanging your vows atop of a mountain? Whether inside, outside or somewhere in between, the date and time of your wedding definitely plays a factor. When booking a venue, know that prime wedding season is April through June and September through November. Pricing is generally higher during peak season and these dates tend to book quicker. If you are working with a tighter budget and are flexible with your date, consider asking the venue if they offer any value dates. These may be limited dates they have not booked in the coming months and may be able to offer a discount.

The Travel Factor. If you are planning to have your ceremony other than at your reception venue, be sure to keep in mind that travel will be involved. This may help eliminate venues on your list that are a bit too far for traveling in a large group. If you have a lot of out of town guests, be sure to allow enough time for travel before and after the ceremony.

Do Your Research! Once you finalize your budget and have a general idea of location and time frame, take some time to do your research. Visiting every venue in the state of New Jersey would be overwhelming – and time consuming! Narrow down your options by discussing how you both envision your day and collaborate. Share your vision with your planner and allow them to offer you some recommendations. Working with your planner to find the best location is a plus as they have experience working with many venues and can recommend locations based upon what you want.

Check out more on (201) Bride’s ‘Getting Hitched’ blog on Bergen.com!

And they’re off…

Time to break out the derby hats and seersucker suits!

Anonymous Hope will be holding its 2nd annual Kentucky Derby fundraising event on May 5th, 2012 at the Woman’s Club of Ridgewood. We are so excited to share that this year we will be working along with the board at Anonymous Hope in bringing this fabulous event together. Each year, the event is held to raise awareness and funds towards increasing empowerment and continuing education with the goal of reducing poverty in Appalachia, Kentucky.

Founded in January 2011, Anonymous Hope is a new, innovative tax-exempt non-profit organization that provides opportunity to the people of Eastern Kentucky. One of the accomplishments the organization is most proud of is their Scholarship program. This program awards a high school student, wishing to further their education, up to a $15,000 scholarship over a four-year period based on their GPA.

2011 Scholarship Winner Brittany Farmer

For a small suggested donation of $50.00 to support AH, you can indulge yourself in all you can eat dining, enjoy as many mint juleps you can handle and a night full of dancing! There will also be a silent auction, prizes for the person who “bets” on the winning horse, 50/50 and much, much more.  This is an event that shouldn’t be missed!

We are currently accepting Silent Auction items and donations – if you are looking to donate to this event or learn more about how to get involved, please contact us at info@thefinishingtouchevents.com.

Follow Anonymous Hope on Facebook!

Anonymous Hope’s 2nd Annual Kentucky Derby Party

Where: Women’s Club of Ridgewood, 215 Ridgewood Ave. Ridgewood, NJ 07450

When: Saturday, May 5th, 2012    4:00 PM -10:00 PM

Suggested Donation: $50.00 pp

Attire: Dress to Impress!

Ladies ~ Dresses and large Derby hats

Gents ~ Suits

The Finishing Touch is proud to announce its inclusion on New Jersey Bride’s “Love It” awards, a list of the companies in the bridal industry the magazine loves. The Finishing Touch was selected in the category of Best Wedding Planners. Editor Molly Tully says, “Our ‘Love It’ list is indispensable for any bride planning a wedding in New Jersey, making it the premier go-to bridal resource. These are all the professionals—grouped together all in one list—who we truly love and trust to create the wedding you’ve always dreamed of. We want New Jersey brides to love every detail of their weddings, and these are the people who will help make that possible.” With more than 250 companies on the “Love It” list in more than 40 categories, the list is a great resource for New Jersey brides.

Click here to check out the full list!

Best Wedding Planners

Join us at the W Hoboken on April 22 for ‘The Perfect Day’!

Come out for drinks and bites while previewing the location for your big day! With it’s stunning NYC Skyline views, this is one event you won’t want to miss. Get exclusive access to function spaces, guest rooms, as well as enjoy special offers from suppliers.You will have the chance to meet with the fabulous W Hoboken team and have a chance at some great prizes!

We’ll be there along with some of our friends such as Carlo’s Bakery, Jersey Street Furniture, The Knot, ESP Studios, Marie Papp, Videoccasions, Hank Lane Music, Elegant Ensembles and many, many more!

To register, tickets can be purchased here! Hope to see you there!

We are so excited to be a part of this great event once again!

 Spend the day on a self guided tour designed to showcase the distinctive wedding experience available within the Long Beach Island Region of the Jersey Shore. Take this opportunity to explore several of our area’s popular wedding venues filled with sights, sounds and tastes of local wedding professionals as you earn prizes along the way. Stop at fabulous locations such as The Stateroom, The Boat House, Daddy O, Bonnet Island Estate, Mallard Island, Surf City Yacht Club, Brant Beach Yacht Club and more.

Brides and their guests receive complimentary registration as well as a chance to win dozens of fabulous prizes.

TFT will be at The Stateroom so be sure to stop by and say hello!

Don’t miss this fun event -click here to register today!

DATE: Wednesday March 7, 2012
TIME: 6:00pm-9:00pm
LOCATION: Cedar Hill Golf & Country Club
100 Walnut Street
Livingston, NJ 07039

Calling all Brides and Grooms to Be!

The New Jersey chapter of the Association of Bridal Consultants (ABC) and the New Jersey North chapter of the International Special Events Society (ISES) are proud to present the third annual “Say Yes to the Best” Bridal Showcase on Wednesday March 7, 2012 from 6:00pm-9:00pm. This exclusive event will be held at the Cedar Hill Golf & Country Club in Livingston, NJ.

Enjoy the elegant venue and the magnificent views of the golf course and surrounding hillsides. Have a sip of champagne or your favorite cocktail while meeting some of the most prestigious vendors in the area. All participants in this event are hand selected by an appointed committee within the ISES and ABC organizations, making it truly the best of the best.

Gain some inspiration from our vendors during our designer showcase contest.  We will be presenting a variety of floral and event design showcasing tables, where you, our valued guest, will vote for your favorite designs!  The winning designer will be presented with a prize.

Our guests will have the ability to explore many different resources for their special day. Some of the many different types of exhibitors we will be featuring include: Hair/Makeup, Entertainment, Bridal Gowns, Tuxedos, Car Services, Florals, Style Services, & Event Planning.

Tickets are $10 in advance, $15 at the door.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER TODAY !!

All ticket proceeds will benefit Wish Upon A Wedding, a non-profit organization providing weddings and vow renewals to couples facing terminal illness and serious life-altering circumstances, regardless of sexual orientation.

Click here for more information on Wish Upon a Wedding.

We had the amazing opportunity to plan and design the annual New Jersey ‘Cocktails and Connections’ event for The Knot last October! Click here to check out The Knot’s feature on this fun vintage circus theme event held at Stone House at Stirling Ridge!

For more photos and details of the event, check out our post-event break down blog!

Special thanks again to all of the fabulous vendors involved!

Venue & Catering: Stone House at Stirling Ridge

Floral: The Little Flower Shoppe

Entertainment: In the Mix Entertainment

Photo Booth: Vanessa Joy Photography

Videographer: Rob Adams Productions

Stationery: Graphic Grace Designs

Cake: Confectionary Designs

Dessert: Dimestore Candy Buffets

Favors: Gourmet Popcorn Creations

Raffle Items: Yefsi Desserts

Pantone, the global authority on color and provider of professional color standards for the design industries, today announced PANTONE® 17-1463 Tangerine Tango, a vivacious, enticing hue, as the color of the year for 2012!

The 2011 color of the year, Honeysuckle, had been selected as it encouraged us to face everyday troubles with verve and vigor. Tangerine Tango, a spirited reddish orange, continues to provide the energy boost we need to recharge and move forward.

We LOVE this color and can’t wait to incorporate it throughout 2012 into many tablescapes, designs and decor!