Except, it was more than just loose ends. Lean worked long hours, and Chad worked plus was finishing up his MBA. They are such a lovely couple, and I wanted them to spend more time together before their wedding, rather than worrying about the details. Their wedding took place in North Jersey, in the Mountain Creek Ski Resort area. This was a bit of challenge since I had not worked with any of their vendors there, so we relied heavily on Crystals Springs' preferred vendors.
Because Lean and Chad also lived in the city, it was important for them to have a planner in Philadelphia, and this worked out perfectly for us. We had many last minute meetings at coffee shops to discuss colors, music, and other details, and it was easy and convenient. We even made a stop at Party Rental in the center city showroom one afternoon.
My most prominent memory of Lean and Chad is their dedication to each other and for the success of their wedding. We made a trip out together to NJ to meet with all the vendors one Saturday morning. Our first appointment was at 9 am, so we had to leave Philadephia at 5:30 am! Chad was battling the flu, and Lean medicated him throughout the drive, and we returned home after a long day of meetings 12 hours later.
Although I only worked with Lean and Chad for a few months, they were such pleasure and it was a great honor to be a part of their wedding day.
Without further ado, here are some spectacular photos courtesy of D. Becker Photography:
The beautiful couple Lean and Chad
My wedding day itinerary
Ceremony: took place in light drizzle just before the storm! Behind the arbor is a little stream, a beautiful backdrop for a ceremony.
Lovely pomanders created by Cindy, with my shepherd hooks. We have 10 hooks that are available to all clients. It is a beautiful way to line your aisle for your ceremony.
Their invitations were especially designed for them, in addition to their menu cards and programs. Invitations and menus were printed in English and in Portuguese (in the back). The designer also created a simple monogram which played out in the seating chart as well. Although not pictured, I designed customized cocktail napkins which were used throughout cocktail hour and at the bar.
One of the first questions they asked me was what to do for their guest book. They wanted something different. So, I asked them what they loved together, and it was wine. So they purchased 6 bottles of quality wine from Moore Brothers. Each bottle had a tag indicating a special occasion, such as "First Anniversary," "First Fight/First Make Up," and my favorite, "When the Eagles Win the Superbowl." In front of each wine bottle, I created a simple label for people to sign their names. At the end of the night, the labels were affixed to the wine bottles. So every time they open a new bottle for their special occasion, they will be reminded of their wedding and those who attended.
Ah, the place cards! Chad's mother, Denise, did a wonderful job hand writing each and every place card. They were then delivered to me to add the crystals. Lean and Chad decided to go with the Swarovski crystals in eggplant, blue, and green to indicate dinner entrees. We had some last minute cancellations and additions, and Denise was able to create new place cards up until the night before!
Also, note the beautiful votives! Crystal Springs did not have any votives, and the florist did not provide any votives either, but Lean was expecting votives with the centerpieces. So my wonderful intern Lisa ran out to 3 different stores to pick up 80+ votives. I think Shoprite finally came to the rescue.
The reception room was absolutely gorgeous. Lean chose eggplant pin tuck linens, with a turquoisey blue bengaline chair cushions with matching color napkins. The chivari chairs were the brand new amber translucent chairs that actually picked up the lighting in the room. The room was lit with uplighting, provided by Bill of Global Productions. Bill also provided sound for the ceremony and DJ services for the reception.
We did hit a small snafu the day before the wedding. Lean is Portuguese and it was very important to her to have some Portuguese music played at some point in the evening. Bill was not able to find the songs she requested and could not download "free" music. By this time, Lean and Chad were already in NJ, and I was heading out to NJ, so neither of us had access to the internet to find the songs! Lisa wasn't due to arrive until Saturday, so I dropped her a quick line to see if she could use her college skills to download the Portuguese songs. After hours of playing around with the file, Lisa could not burn the music to a CD, so she brought her laptop instead, and the DJ played the music right off her laptop!
The wedding party was introduced to the sounds of Thriller, by Michael Jackson, and Chad and Lean were introduced for the first time to the Rocky Theme. Their first dance was to Jack Johnson's Better Together, and it was choreographed by their friend. I loved this photo because it really showcased her beautiful wedding gown.
Here is a photo of myself and Lisa with the happy couple towards the end of the night. Boy, were we exhausted! Unfortunately, I was feeling a bit sick that day, but Lisa really came through and helped me out.
So that wraps up Lean and Chad's wedding day story! We were able to stay clear of the rain storm and have an outdoor ceremony. We still had our Portuguese music, and plenty of candles for the reception. Lean's dress was perfect, and everyone had a great time!
Special thank yous to Rob and Callie from D. Becker Photography for letting me us their photos. They were fantastic to work with, and very down to earth. It is always a pleasure to work with wonderful people in the wedding business, and even more so when you meet someone new!
For more information on Rob and D. Becker Photography:
http://www.888wedphoto.com/
D. Becker Photography
973-579-5515
Toll Free 888-WED-PHOTO
Fax 973-579-3747
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