Newly engaged? Here are some tips to get your wedding planning started

Are you one of the lucky couples who got engaged over the holidays? Or, now that the holidays are over, you’re ready to attack wedding planning with no other distractions? I’ve got some tips for you to get your wedding prep started!

Did someone pop the question? 

Figure out your priorities. Sit down together and decide what parts of your wedding are the most important. Is it a religious ceremony? A great reception with an incredible band? Having all of your friends and family with you? Or a small, intimate event? You need to decide what the two of you want before you can start making decisions.

Know your budget. How much do you have to spend? Are the two of you paying for everything? Are either of your families helping? Don’t assume! As awkward as talking about money can be, you need to be clear on what your limits are.

Put together your guest list. This, along with your budget, will determine the types of venues you’re looking for.

Get organized. Whether it’s an app on your phone or a book-style organizer, pick what works for you. Even the smallest weddings need a little organization!

Take breaks. Of course your wedding is going to be at the top of your list, but it’s important to sit back and relax sometimes, too. Don’t let wedding planning get in the way of enjoying your time as an engaged couple. Go out to dinner, and talk about things other than the wedding. Spend time with your friends and family, too. Your wedding organizer will be there when dinner’s over!

What you can expect from the Southbury Bridal Show

Happy 2016, everyone, and congratulations to all the couples who got engaged over the holidays! To help you plan your wedding, the Heritage Hotel is hosting the annual Southbury Bridal Show from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, March 6.

What can you expect from our bridal show? A lot of information from area vendors, plenty of food, and lots of fun!

First things first: you should pre-register at www.thesouthburybridalshow.com if you’re planning on attending. The show is free to attend, but pre-registered brides and grooms are guaranteed a copy of "The Little Blue Book" to help plan their wedding!  

On the day of the show, you should bring a notepad and pen so you can jot notes about each vendor. If you’re planning on leaving your information with them, print some address labels with the information you want to give out – usually your wedding-planning email address, name and phone number. It will save you a ton of time writing it down, and you don’t have to worry about whether or not your handwriting is legible!

Feel free to bring anyone who’s helping you with decisions: your sweetheart, parents, siblings, wedding party, and more!

We can’t wait to see you there!

70 years of wedded bliss!

We love when couples renew their vows on special anniversaries. There’s just something very meaningful about returning to the beginning of your marriage on these special occasions. But this couple in China might just have everyone else beat!

70 years of marriage! (Thanks to CNN for the story)

Cao Yuehua, 97, and Wang Deyi, 98, were married in 1945, after Mr. Cao worked for the US Army during World War 2 as an interpreter. So, to mark their 70^th wedding anniversary, they recreated their wedding photos in the same park they were married in way back when.

Of course, these days it’s not as easy for them to get around, so their four children helped them get ready for their special anniversary, wedding dress, flowers and all.

So, tell us in the comments – have you attended a vow renewal or are you planning one? 

Have a wedding weekend like Sofia and Joe!

I don’t know about you, but my news feeds this weekend were filled with all the fun of Sofia Vergara and Joe Manganiello’s wedding weekend. From beachside welcome parties to the big event itself, the celebrity couple looked like they had a fabulous time in Florida.

But you don’t have to go to Florida to plan a wedding weekend like a celebrity! Here at the Heritage, we can help you plan a weekend getaway to remember with a rustic, elegant New England feel.

We can start your weekend with a welcome reception in any of our banquet rooms. For fall and winter weddings, you can choose a room with a fireplace or for warmer-weather occasions, enjoy the firepit on the patio near our Adirondack chairs!

If you’ve got the time, schedule tee times on our golf course; get pampered at our day spa; or spend the afternoon in one of our two salt-water swimming pools!

After your rehearsal, let us handle all the details of your rehearsal dinner. Then you and your guests can take the elevator to your newly-renovated guest rooms to rest and relax before your big day!

For your wedding day itself, your ceremony can take place in our stunning Stone Garden, followed by a reception to remember in our Timbers room, a spectacular space featuring cathedral ceilings, a massive stone fireplace, and wall-to-wall windows. Timbers, a warm and inviting room with our dark wood walls and beams overhead, is the perfect place to show your guests the best of what New England has to offer any time of year.

Plan an after-party in the Tavern, our comfortable pub and restaurant and let your guests enjoy our hospitality for one more night in their comfortable guest rooms!

The next morning, enjoy our post-wedding brunch. You and your guests can take one last dip in the pool or spin on the exercise bikes before they head home and you head off on that fabulous honeymoon! 

It’s wedding fashion week!

It’s that time of year again, when the models who come down the New York runways are all in wedding gowns! While we all may not be able to afford a couture gown, the trends that hit the runways this weekend will shape what brides will see as they shop for dresses.

Designers will show their visions in everything from gowns to jewelry to shoes and more! With Zac Posen for David’s Bridal and Dennis Basso for Kleinfeld presenting already, it’s been a great start to the show!

A gown from the Dennis Basso collection

  

Tell us: Do you pay attention to Bridal Fashion Week or do you follow your own style for your wedding dress?

We love fall weddings!

Fall in New England. Weddings in New England – what could we possibly love more than a fall wedding here in Connecticut? The leaves are turning, the days are (usually) bright and crisp and fall food themes are fun! If you’re planning a fall wedding, there are so many ways to incorporate the season into your big day!

You can make your whole theme of the wedding fall, using burnt oranges, bright reds and warm browns as your color scheme. Or, if you have different ideas, but still want to celebrate the season, you can choose just one fall-flavored focus!

You can use a cider- or pumpkin-based drink as your signature cocktail or choose hors d’oeuvres that include those flavors.

If your venue allows it, you can use potted mums as decorations throughout the ceremony and reception space.

If you want to celebrate a little bit of Halloween, you can always use carved pumpkins as decorations or have a Halloween candy buffet!

If there are outdoor elements to your ceremony or reception, just remember that fall weather can be fickle! You may want to be prepared with small blankets or shawls for your guests and wedding party if it’s chilly; and prepare for the opposite – an unusually warm day in late October.  

Do you have fall wedding favorites? Share them with us!

Celebrating 10 years

It’s amazing how time flies -- somehow, I turned around and it’s been 10 years I’ve been here at the Heritage Hotel and Conference Center! While it seems like just yesterday, a lot has changed in wedding planning in the last decade!

Pinterest: Almost every bride (and even some grooms!) uses Pinterest as a place to get ideas and put them in one place. Whether your wedding is formal or relaxed, quirky or traditional, you can find inspiration there.

Social media: Facebook existed in 2005, but was still just for students. Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat? Weren’t even on our radar! Hashtags with cute couple names like #ChrisAndPat2015? Nope! Now, you can see all your friends’ pictures of your wedding in real time! (Unless of course, you are having an unplugged wedding!)

Same-sex weddings: While Connecticut had a civil union law on the books in 2005, it wasn’t until 2008 that the state recognized same-sex marriage. Now, of course, it’s the law across the country!

Of course, for the Heritage, our biggest change has been a major renovation throughout the resort: with a new entrance, updated guest rooms, a brand-new hospitality room and more!

It’s been a fun ten years of celebrating weddings… here’s looking to ten more!