Happy Halloween!

Jennifer and I find inspiration everywhere. We brought our children to a school Halloween party and saw this brilliant giant diorama. How did they know we offer great bridal packages?

Have a ghoulish time today!

Jim Hjelm Trunk Show Success!

We were delighted to have a sold-out preview of Jim Hjelm's Spring Season Bridesmaids Collection last night. Dozens of brides and their bridesmaids got a sneak peek at the collection (it's gorgeous!), sipped champagne and checked out bouquets by Flowers of the World, Catherine Rapetti hand bags, Blue Tux shoes and Tejani jewels. Tomorrow is the last day so email or call Lindsay to check out the line and cross off some projects off your list. And if that isn't enough, Bride's Head Revisited is having a sample sale of their beautiful headpieces, combs, hairpins and flowers.

Lindsay@theweddinglibrary.com or 212.327.0100. See you there!

Samples of the large selection we have on display.

Our fearless intern Kristen, the designer Francesca Pitera, our Jim Hjelm representative Danielle and Wedding Library Bridesmaids Manager, Lindsay.

A sample of Indian-inspired Tejani bridesmaid earrings.

The Tejani display, a rainbow of available colors and combinations.

A model outfitted with dress, earrings, bouquet and hand bag from the show.

Orchid and berry bouquet -- all bouquets courtesy of Flowers of the World.

More gorgeous orchids and ranunculus.

Grape hyacinth -- gorgeous!

Calla lilies in a striking bouquet.

Hot pink set the tone.

The Parent Trap II

Gosh, I didn't realize that so many more questions regarding dealing with divorced parents would come in... so this might go on for a few more days. We've been flooded with questions, and we'd love to help, so keep them coming!



Today we'll talk about receiving lines.



Problem:: "Both of my fiance's parents and my parents have divorced and then have remarried - there are just so many people to keep track up it will make you dizzy! Help me with who stands in the receiving line to greet guests?"



Solution:: Well, first, you don't have to do a receiving line, it does take up a bit of time, and as long as you calculate that into your timeline, and know that this will take away from photography time with your new husband and families, then you'll be good to go. But if everyone wants to participate, here's a sample lineup:

• Bride's Mother


• Bride's Stepfather


• Groom's Stepfather


• Groom's Mother


• Bride


• Groom


• Bride's


• Bride's Stepmother


• Bride's Father


• Groom's Father


• Groom's Stepmother

Phew! Is that too long for you? It's okay to simply include your biological parents, or to forgot the tradition all together. Many couples perfer to visit each guest at their table and make some schedule mingle time after they are done eating to make the rounds and welcome their friends and families. Its' a much more intimate and informal way to thank all of your friends and family for attending.

The Parent Trap II

Gosh, I didn't realize that so many more questions regarding dealing with divorced parents would come in... so this might go on for a few more days. We've been flooded with questions, and we'd love to help, so keep them coming!



Today we'll talk about receiving lines.



Problem:: "Both of my fiance's parents and my parents have divorced and then have remarried - there are just so many people to keep track up it will make you dizzy! Help me with who stands in the receiving line to greet guests?"



Solution:: Well, first, you don't have to do a receiving line, it does take up a bit of time, and as long as you calculate that into your timeline, and know that this will take away from photography time with your new husband and families, then you'll be good to go. But if everyone wants to participate, here's a sample lineup:

• Bride's Mother


• Bride's Stepfather


• Groom's Stepfather


• Groom's Mother


• Bride


• Groom


• Bride's


• Bride's Stepmother


• Bride's Father


• Groom's Father


• Groom's Stepmother

Phew! Is that too long for you? It's okay to simply include your biological parents, or to forgot the tradition all together. Many couples perfer to visit each guest at their table and make some schedule mingle time after they are done eating to make the rounds and welcome their friends and families. Its' a much more intimate and informal way to thank all of your friends and family for attending.

The Parent Trap

Recently we've received many questions in regards to dealing with divorced parents, as if wedding planning and etiquette weren't tricky enough, right!

I know that you have some dilemmas, and I want to help you with your questions. Over the next few days I'll take your heated problems that seem to be causing you quite the drama, and give you some clever solutions to the sticky issues that you are facing.

Let's figure out how to handle things before the wedding, and discuss your decisions with your parents. We know every family's dynamics are different, so feel free to improvise and let us be your sounding board, comment away with suggestions as well!

Dancing Do's and Don'ts

Problem:: "My fiance wants to have a mother/son dance. Am I expected to have a father/daughter dance? Can I dance with my mom instead, since I am not on the best terms with my father since his divorce?"



Solution:: You're under no obligation to do a traditional father/daughter dance. Instead, you may want to consider including both your parents, or having a dance with all of the members of both families to take the edge off. You could have separate dances and songs for each of them in you wanted. Or (my favorite option) choose one tune for a "parent(s) dance" and start out with Dear Ole' Dad, and then half way through switch to your mom, or step dad... mix it up a bit.



Image: K-Gallery

The Parent Trap

Recently we've received many questions in regards to dealing with divorced parents, as if wedding planning and etiquette weren't tricky enough, right!

I know that you have some dilemmas, and I want to help you with your questions. Over the next few days I'll take your heated problems that seem to be causing you quite the drama, and give you some clever solutions to the sticky issues that you are facing.

Let's figure out how to handle things before the wedding, and discuss your decisions with your parents. We know every family's dynamics are different, so feel free to improvise and let us be your sounding board, comment away with suggestions as well!

Dancing Do's and Don'ts

Problem:: "My fiance wants to have a mother/son dance. Am I expected to have a father/daughter dance? Can I dance with my mom instead, since I am not on the best terms with my father since his divorce?"



Solution:: You're under no obligation to do a traditional father/daughter dance. Instead, you may want to consider including both your parents, or having a dance with all of the members of both families to take the edge off. You could have separate dances and songs for each of them in you wanted. Or (my favorite option) choose one tune for a "parent(s) dance" and start out with Dear Ole' Dad, and then half way through switch to your mom, or step dad... mix it up a bit.



Image: K-Gallery

Style Network Films Amy Atlas

The wonderful Amy Atlas, sweets stylist, spent yesterday afternoon with us creating the most extraordinary display you can imagine. She and I were being filmed for a Martha Stewart show called The Art of Cakes, 2, that will debut on the Style Network on December 16. Inspired by our lovely hand-screened Alan Campbell wallpaper, Amy and floral stylist Livia Cetti created the ultimate Wedding Library confection display.

Some of the "raw" materials being assembled for the filming and photo shoot. The little boxes slide open and are all handmade. The patterns and colors mimic our own.

When I saw this tray of supplies I knew I would love the end result.

A close up of the table where you can see the wallpaper inspiration. The display will be up for a month, come by the Library to see all the details for yourself.

Voila! Here's the full display with Livia's feathers and paper flowers in full view. Love the colors.

Here's Amy Atlas (left) with the Martha Stewart Producer, right before she goes "on camera".

The Italian wrapped candies coordinate beautifully with the macaroons, sugared almonds and chocolate truffles coated in almonds.

Here's a close up of the paper leaf accessory. Je t'aime.

The fleur de lis and feather mimic the pattern on the wallpaper. The tiny dots refer to the strings of "pearls" in the paper pattern. And something old, something new...so sweet.

Look at how beautifully the colors of these chocolates go with the ensemble. I hope they last the month!

Raising The Bar

So often, as we get closer to the wedding the client starts to wonder just how much people will drink at their wedding. For a few reasons, either they are buying the Adult Libations and need to figure out how much, or their venue charges per drink, and they aren't sure how much it'll cost and how to budget.... or, or, or.



There are several books that explain this, and lots of Booze Calculators online, but here's a nice breakdown for 100 guests at a reception. Just a generalization to get you where you need to go, and the cost should be roughly, including soda's and mixer's about $800 - and remember you can return unopened bottles after the wedding!



Alcohol Breakdown:



100 Guests:



167 bottles of beer

24 bottles of wine

9 bottles of liquor



Margarita/Sour Mix

1 cases of White Wine

1 case of Red Wine

Beer: (Amstel Light like) 6 {24 cases}

Jack Daniels: 1.75 liters

Tanguaray: 1 liters

Dewer's: 1.75 liters

Light Bacardi: 1.75 liters

Schmirnoff: 5 Liters

Jose: 1 Liter

Dry Vermouth: 1 bottles {if at all, in my Extra Dry Martini, I don't}

Sweet Vermouth {only if you want to do Manhattan's}

Brut Rose/Champagne – 15 bottles



Plus Soda and Additional Mixers

Raising The Bar

So often, as we get closer to the wedding the client starts to wonder just how much people will drink at their wedding. For a few reasons, either they are buying the Adult Libations and need to figure out how much, or their venue charges per drink, and they aren't sure how much it'll cost and how to budget.... or, or, or.



There are several books that explain this, and lots of Booze Calculators online, but here's a nice breakdown for 100 guests at a reception. Just a generalization to get you where you need to go, and the cost should be roughly, including soda's and mixer's about $800 - and remember you can return unopened bottles after the wedding!



Alcohol Breakdown:



100 Guests:



167 bottles of beer

24 bottles of wine

9 bottles of liquor



Margarita/Sour Mix

1 cases of White Wine

1 case of Red Wine

Beer: (Amstel Light like) 6 {24 cases}

Jack Daniels: 1.75 liters

Tanguaray: 1 liters

Dewer's: 1.75 liters

Light Bacardi: 1.75 liters

Schmirnoff: 5 Liters

Jose: 1 Liter

Dry Vermouth: 1 bottles {if at all, in my Extra Dry Martini, I don't}

Sweet Vermouth {only if you want to do Manhattan's}

Brut Rose/Champagne – 15 bottles



Plus Soda and Additional Mixers

Glimpses of the Moon

My friend Taijlei Levis, writer/lyricist of this sparkling romantic musical has a great idea. Dinner theater as bridal shower. And it even has a wedding theme. The story follows the whirl of 1922 Manhattan society. With plenty of friends but little money, Suzy Branch and her friend Nick Lansing devise a clever scheme to live beyond their means. They'll marry and live off the wedding gifts while they help one another trade up to suitable millionaires. The show is at the Oak Room in the Algonquin Hotel and includes dinner. Sounds like the perfect girly party to me! Buzz Bonus: Mention FFMOON for a special discount for Buzz readers, for group discounts email info@glimpsesofthemoon.com.

Blogging Brides!

More on Amy L.!

I am a pretty easy-going bride-to-be. I don't get stressed out too easily. I love every part of planning a wedding. I didn't think one second of the year engagement would be stressful for me.

But...a few weeks into my engagement, I discovered that I had no clue what to do as far as bridesmaids! As long as I've been planning my wedding in my head (since I was about 9), I imagined I would have somewhere between 4 and 6 bridesmaids. Isn't that perfect? Isn't that how many everyone has? Isn't that how it is in the movies?

Well, when I got engaged, and started realistically thinking about it, there was no way I could have between 4 and 6 bridesmaids. My fiancé was very comfortable with 6 groomsmen without leaving anyone out, so it was perfect if we could both have 6. However, I had 9 girls and I needed them ALL in my wedding. I lost sleep over it, and waited a few months before asking, thinking, "maybe I can just have 1 maid of honor and find other roles for the rest of them!" I couldn't imagine having 9 girls standing next to me. Isn't that crazy and overwhelming? My fiancé had 6. I hated to think that our sides would be uneven.



But when I realized what a big role all of these girls had played in my life, how sad I would feel to leave any of them out, and how important it was to me to have them in my wedding, I had no choice but to ask all of them! And I'm just so happy that I did. I'm the luckiest girl to have such close friends!



It makes the planning process all the more exciting. And guess what? It's the new trend to not have the numbers match between bridesmaids and groomsmen. So although the bridesmaid decision was definitely the most stressful, I am so thankful with the outcome!



If you'd like to join our Blogging Bride's Series, please email me at melissa {at} masterpieceweddings {dot} net

Blogging Brides!

More on Amy L.!

I am a pretty easy-going bride-to-be. I don't get stressed out too easily. I love every part of planning a wedding. I didn't think one second of the year engagement would be stressful for me.

But...a few weeks into my engagement, I discovered that I had no clue what to do as far as bridesmaids! As long as I've been planning my wedding in my head (since I was about 9), I imagined I would have somewhere between 4 and 6 bridesmaids. Isn't that perfect? Isn't that how many everyone has? Isn't that how it is in the movies?

Well, when I got engaged, and started realistically thinking about it, there was no way I could have between 4 and 6 bridesmaids. My fiancé was very comfortable with 6 groomsmen without leaving anyone out, so it was perfect if we could both have 6. However, I had 9 girls and I needed them ALL in my wedding. I lost sleep over it, and waited a few months before asking, thinking, "maybe I can just have 1 maid of honor and find other roles for the rest of them!" I couldn't imagine having 9 girls standing next to me. Isn't that crazy and overwhelming? My fiancé had 6. I hated to think that our sides would be uneven.



But when I realized what a big role all of these girls had played in my life, how sad I would feel to leave any of them out, and how important it was to me to have them in my wedding, I had no choice but to ask all of them! And I'm just so happy that I did. I'm the luckiest girl to have such close friends!



It makes the planning process all the more exciting. And guess what? It's the new trend to not have the numbers match between bridesmaids and groomsmen. So although the bridesmaid decision was definitely the most stressful, I am so thankful with the outcome!



If you'd like to join our Blogging Bride's Series, please email me at melissa {at} masterpieceweddings {dot} net

Tejani at the Wedding Library

It's great to have a lot of choices when selecting the perfect jewelry for your wedding gown. And up until now, we've found that brides don't have many choices from their bridal salons or department stores. Our friends at Tejani have solved this problem with their genius jewelry fitting service. Choose the costume jewelry that you would like to try on from their website, and a Tejani stylist will come to your dress fitting with an array of jewels to choose from. The application for the service is on-line, and the service is complimentary. To see the whole collection of bridal and bridesmaid jewelry in person, join us at our Jim Hjelm trunk show on Thursday from 5-8pm. The designers will be there, new styles will be on view, and cocktails will be served! RSVPs are necessary to lindsay@theweddinglibrary.com or by calling us at 212.327.0100. Buzz Bonus: Enjoy discounts on bridesmaid dresses, purses, shoes and jewelry during the show.

Cake + Truffles = Heaven in my Mouth!!!

Okay, so most of you know that I love to cook and bake, and I love to cook and bake gourmet style, right?





Well, I do! And most of the things that I eat, I always think, aw shucks, I can do that! Or this would be so much better with a touch of this. Or why should I buy that when I can just make that...Basically, I am a food snob... I fully admit it.



But this time... I tried... and I tried, but I couldn't do it.



I've made delicious chocolate truffles, melt-in-your-mouth-amazing-truffles, and I've made some incredibly-moist-delicious-cakes, and I've even made Cake Truffles... and those were pretty darned good!



But when Kathy called me and told me she had a little something she wanted me to try and give her some feedback, of course I had to take her up on it... nothing she has ever made has been anything less than amazing.

I took a small golf ball sized piece of the most moist decadent cake enveloped in imported chocolates, and quite honestly didn’t know what to say. The bit of the first one I tried was chocolate cake with imported chocolate blanketing it. And I thought I had died and gone to heaven.



So then, the following week, she called and said she had made a coconut truffle and I had to try it. I waited this time until I got home. I sat down, very scientifically to try this creation (and then to look in the box and see 3 additional flavors… I thought that’s it… I am a in HEAVEN!)

I can’t even explain the deliciousness that hit my tongue – my tastebuds didn’t know what do to… there is no way to reinvent this, or remake this.



I called Kathy immediately and told her it was truly “Orgasmic” there was no other words, it was perfection.



Then, the Pumpkin Pie Kake Truffle… forget it, it was Pumpkin Pie Heaven in my mouth!



{there was also White Cake with Strawberry Filling, and Orange Dreamscile – all were amazing!!!}



Okay so now you are mad at me, because most of you aren't local and can't as easily get your hands on these... but the good news is that I am sure Kathy can ship them to you (right Kathy?) - and if you are local and you are dying to try them, get yourself to Dorn's Wine and Spirits next to my office.... and you can try them right then and there!

Gosh, I could go for a Coconut Kake Truffle right now.... Yummmmmmmmmmm!

Cake + Truffles = Heaven in my Mouth!!!

Okay, so most of you know that I love to cook and bake, and I love to cook and bake gourmet style, right?





Well, I do! And most of the things that I eat, I always think, aw shucks, I can do that! Or this would be so much better with a touch of this. Or why should I buy that when I can just make that...Basically, I am a food snob... I fully admit it.



But this time... I tried... and I tried, but I couldn't do it.



I've made delicious chocolate truffles, melt-in-your-mouth-amazing-truffles, and I've made some incredibly-moist-delicious-cakes, and I've even made Cake Truffles... and those were pretty darned good!



But when Kathy called me and told me she had a little something she wanted me to try and give her some feedback, of course I had to take her up on it... nothing she has ever made has been anything less than amazing.

I took a small golf ball sized piece of the most moist decadent cake enveloped in imported chocolates, and quite honestly didn’t know what to say. The bit of the first one I tried was chocolate cake with imported chocolate blanketing it. And I thought I had died and gone to heaven.



So then, the following week, she called and said she had made a coconut truffle and I had to try it. I waited this time until I got home. I sat down, very scientifically to try this creation (and then to look in the box and see 3 additional flavors… I thought that’s it… I am a in HEAVEN!)

I can’t even explain the deliciousness that hit my tongue – my tastebuds didn’t know what do to… there is no way to reinvent this, or remake this.



I called Kathy immediately and told her it was truly “Orgasmic” there was no other words, it was perfection.



Then, the Pumpkin Pie Kake Truffle… forget it, it was Pumpkin Pie Heaven in my mouth!



{there was also White Cake with Strawberry Filling, and Orange Dreamscile – all were amazing!!!}



Okay so now you are mad at me, because most of you aren't local and can't as easily get your hands on these... but the good news is that I am sure Kathy can ship them to you (right Kathy?) - and if you are local and you are dying to try them, get yourself to Dorn's Wine and Spirits next to my office.... and you can try them right then and there!

Gosh, I could go for a Coconut Kake Truffle right now.... Yummmmmmmmmmm!

Rainbow Room Wedding

One of my favorite venues in the city is Cipriani's Rainbow Room. Its breathtaking views, rich history, great food and service make it a wedding venue jewel. Last Friday I planned a wedding there that epitomizes the essence of the glamor that embodies the room. A fashionista and mathematician merged their two loves in the black tie event, with a team that made it all come to life.

The bride loves color and wanted the room to glow with warm, flattering amber and rose tones.

Centerpieces in tones of red were magnificent, created by Matthew Robbins of Artfool. We added gold chargers and eliminated fussy bread plates to enhance the richness of the tables.

The bride's tables were named after designers and the groom's after mathematicians/philosophers. Hand calligraphy on burnt sugar stock was provided by the Wedding Library.

The cake incorporated the kona, gold and dark reds of the wedding palette.

The groom loves tetrahedrons because "they have four sides, and yet are so strong". We had these custom die cut, letterpressed, hand lettered and tied with wax string to perform as escort cards. The results delighted the groom and the guests who know him.

A rich and varied bridesmaid bouquet by Artfool.

The menu card shows off the wedding colors, design and the great Rainbow Room menu. Card by Dauphine Press, by the Wedding Library.

The couple's dog Annie, reproduced in cake. It was so realistic that everyone declined to cut into him and the cake went home with the family. (Note the math equation written in gold around the dog's dish.)

Another math touch -- the groom's favorite place is Chichen Itza, Mexico. This ice sculpture by Okamoto incorporates many of the mathematical wonders represented by this 1500 year-old pyramid.

The view from the 65th floor of Thirty Rockefeller Plaza takes your breath away. A math/fashion wedding? Works for me!