A special day... for both of you!

It’s the day you've dreamed about since you were a little girl. You already knew what kind of cake you wanted to serve, the color of the bridesmaids’ dresses and the type of wedding dress you wanted to wear. And now you've found the perfect groom. But what does he want from what’s a pretty big day for him, too?

Sure, guys are rarely as invested in the tiny details of the wedding. The differences between aqua, teal and sea foam blue are lost on most of them. But that doesn't mean they don’t have input on what you’re planning. And while you may be focused on the details that are important to you, there’s a whole set of things that are important to him.

Music: Make sure you both sit with the band or DJ to pick out your favorite reception tunes. That song from 1998 that you love? May just have some not-so-favorable memories for him. And his favorite jam might just be that song you never want to hear again. Better to eliminate those songs before you hit the dance floor.

Food: Have him make sure he knows of any special allergy or food requests from his side of the family. You won’t know that his great-aunt Gertrude can’t eat salmon, but he might.

Wedding weekend events: A full-service resort like the Heritage can offer you and your bridesmaids the best in pampering in our day spa. But he deserves stress-relievers, too. Plan a whiskey tasting at our pub, Shadrach's, or let the guys go blow of some steam at our golf course. It’s a great chance for the men from both sides of the family to get to know each other better, and he won’t begrudge your mani-pedi time.

It’s an important day for both of you, so make sure he gets to feel special, too.

Engagement Season is Here!

Jenn

Director of Catering at the Heritage Hotel

January 24, 2013

Topic: Engagement Season!

Dear Brides-to-Be,

Welcome to the world of weddings! I would like to congratulate you on your recent engagement and help breakdown the most important steps to alleviate the overwhelming feeling you may currently have.  Planning a wedding is no simple task, but if you are organized and diligent you can avoid going into bridezilla mode(which your bridal party will appreciate.)  Here are a few steps to get you started and examples of 2013 trends.

These steps will lead you to Bridal Bliss:

1.)    Get yourself a wedding planning book that can hold all of your contracts/information from vendors.

2.)    Brainstorm with your groom and families on an estimated guest list attendance, this will help determine the size of the venue that is needed.  By doing this you will hopefully avoid any undesired surprises before the big day.

3.)    Start researching venues, depending on the length of your engagement you will want to book this first and set your wedding date.  Some of the most popular sites may require a specific time frame to book your wedding.

·         2013 Trends: Reception Lounges, Going “Green” weddings & extended receptions-“After-Parties”.  The Heritage Hotel is an eco-friendly property with a go-green committee to help incorporate any go-green initiatives you would like into your wedding.

4.)    The next step is definitely the one you dreamt about when you were a little girl…the search for the perfect wedding gown begins…with many options from lace to taffeta. 

·         Leave enough time to order your gown, and take into consideration the Chinese New year, when most people take weeks off from work starting February 10, 2013.  This can affect the shipment date of your gown.

·         2013 Trends: Wedding gowns with pockets & lace

Here is a list of online tools and sites that will help guide you through the planning process:

-The Knot- Provides free  planning tools, my wedding website, my budget, my seating, my guests, my inspiration board, my checklist/to-do list, my binder, my vendors, and More www.theknot.com

- Weddingwire.com- Provides online tools and showcases vendors and venues.  You will be able to research the places/people with the top reviews.

-Mywedding.com- Create a wedding website to share with your guests, research honeymoon destinations, create your registry, and shop for your bridal party.

TOP 2013 WEDDING TRENDS

Attire: Prints, and Patterns, DIY attire and lace. Visit our PINTEREST account for photos and inspiration!

Reception: Extended reception and reception lounges- The Heritage Hotel can coordinate a post-wedding brunch for your guests and private after party rooms.  We also have 5 suites available for the bride and groom or bridal party.

Wedding Style: Go Green Wedding, the Heritage Hotel uses the herbs from our garden on property when cooking.  Let us know what initiative you are looking for and we will do our best to incorporate it!

Vendors: Food Trucks, for themed weddings are always a fun upgrade.

Décor: Floral, bright colors and large bouquets.  Our catering team will provide you with the best local vendors to help get you started.  You can browse through our bridal books to help get inspiration for the theme of your wedding.

HAPPY PLANNING! Next month’s topic: New England Themed Weddings

Wedding Planning 101

Jen’s Blog

Wedding Planning 101

Want to plan the perfect wedding or special event? There are a few things you need to think of before you meet with me to discuss your special day. Here are a few of the basic questions you’ll need to be able to answer in order to begin planning your most important day.

1. Time and date- In order for me to get you specific information, you’ll have to have this question answered. Is it a specific date or are you flexible? Do you have a place for the ceremony yet, and if so, what time? Did you want an evening reception or an afternoon? With that much out of the way, we can check to see what we can offer you.
2. Size- How many people do you envision having (at least a ballpark will be helpful.) Reception rooms come in all sizes and you don’t want one that’s too big or too small! We want you to be in a room that would be ideal for your party.
3. Budget- Let’s face it. We all watched the Royal Wedding earlier this year and while some of us want an affair like that, very few of us can write that check. So unless there is a royal title in front of your name, cost will be a factor sooner or later. So while a wedding is about so much more than just the money, it is important for you to have a budget in mind.
4. Out of town guests- Don’t forget to give some thought to how much distance some of your guests will need to travel. Plus, it is a great time for relatives to catch up with each other and maybe even make a weekend out of it. Obviously, the further away your family lives, the more people will need to stay over. Luckily, I work at a hotel, so your family and friends can stay here!
5. Your vision- Tell me what is in your mind when you picture your wedding. How do you see the room decorated? What kind of entertainment did you have in mind? What will be the flow of events, also referred to as the “timeline?”

With this information, we can begin to sketch together how we can make your special day even more special!

Next month- How to choose the best outside vendors for your wedding