English_manor

Slightly Obsessed…
08/31/2010
This past weekend was beyond incredible! Yes, I know I say this every week, but I am extremely excited to share the photographic work of A Beautiful Day Photography and Contemporary Image with everyone. Lately, I’ve been obsessed with wedding images and for that reason I’m not even going to say anything about this past weekend except that all the weddings were fabulous. I think the pictures speak for themselves!

On Friday, August 20th Nicole and Lorenzo’s wedding was beautifully captured by Contemporary Image … here’s a few of my favorite shots.

Photos Courtesy of Contemporary Image.

On Saturday, Nancy was able to snap some pictures of Lauren and Bob as they were taking photos outside. Take a look!

A Beautiful Day Photography did not disappoint on Sunday. Rebecca and Yury’s photos were picture perfect!

Photos Courtesy of A Beautiful Day Photography.

Incredible Ideas…
08/23/2010
Every week I look forward to the weekend for one reason … wedding inspiration! Even though I am nowhere near walking down the aisle myself, I absolutely love how each event has it’s own personality (and steal-worthy ideas). Each week, my list of stolen details from EM brides just keeps growing and growing! If you adore weddings as much as I do, then you will surely enjoy the exquisite details of this past weekend’s lovely soirees.

We started the weekend off with Cindy and TJ’s wedding this Friday the 13th, but forget everything you’ve heard about this superstitious date… this wedding was filled with fun individuality! Cindy and TJ are an awesome couple and it showed throughout their wedding reception. I especially loved their black and white wedding cake with red gerber daisies. The daisies really did add just the right touch of color.

Sunday followed with Vanessa and Scott’s wedding. I usually don’t talk that much about a bride’s wedding dress, or for that matter, the bridesmaids’ dresses. This past Sunday though, I fell in love … head over heels in love. Vanessa’s wedding dress was stunning and I was truly jealous of her bridesmaids. Their dresses were to die for! (I especially loved how the maid of honor’s dress stood out). Not only was I super excited to snap some shots of Vanessa and Scott, but I also took some photos of the bridal party and their gorgeous gowns. Take a look below!

Guess who we met!
08/19/2010
On Tuesday, August 10th the ladies of The English Manor had the pleasure of meeting the one and only David Tutera from WEtv’s “My Fair Wedding”. We were invited as VIP guests and treated to a wonderful cocktail reception hosted by New Jersey Bride Magazine. Here’s a photo of Nancy and Lisa with David Tutera as well as Aurelia from New Jersey Bride.

A Summer Dream …
08/05/2010
This past weekend I was lucky enough to score photos from each of our three weddings. Imagine my delight! I’ve become obsessed with wedding photography and was so happy that A Beautiful Day Photography and Josh Lynn Photography were nice enough to share their AMAZING artwork with me!

Adrienne and Ron were our first wedding of the weekend and while every aspect of their wedding was too cute for words, I went bananas over their thumbprint board. So now I’ve probably got you all wondering what a thumbprint board is, right? Adrienne and Ron asked their guests to please “leaf” their thumbprint as a way for them to remember their special day and who they spent it with. I’ve provided a picture below … this is definitely a steal-worthy idea!

Photos Courtesy of A Beautiful Day Photography

Saturday evening, Bevin and Michael surprised all their guests with none other than the king himself … ELVIS! This bride and groom had so much style and personality and it showed! Bevin even changed her dress as they danced to “Blah Blah” Here’s a picture of Bevin and Michael with their special guest!

Photos Courtesy of Josh Lynn Photography

We concluded the weekend with Loida and Gary’s wedding. To be honest, Mother Nature was not on our side that morning, but about 10 minutes before their ceremony the weather cleared and we were so excited to bring them the good news that their ceremony would be outside! The day was flawless and here’s a picture I snapped of Loida preparing to walk down the aisle.

It’s all in the set-up …
07/28/2010
Lately, I’ve been in love with the escort card holders our fabulous brides and grooms have been using for their weddings. They have ideas that are absolutely genius! You can really celebrate a theme by using unique place cards or holders (such as the lillies Stephanie and Thomas used for their place cards).

Here are just a few more escort card ideas that I’m loving ….

The Perfect Date ...
08/14/2010
10/10/10 ... the most trendy wedding date since 7/7/07. Some couples consider this a lucky wedding date, but the best part about October 10th is that it happens to fall on the weekend! We have recently had this date become available, so stop into The English Manor today and speak with one of our Wedding Event Specialists about this red-hot wedding date!

The Colors of Summer …
07/13/2010
Turquoise … Watermelon … Guava … oh my! These are just some of the bright and bold colors that look stunning in the summer sun. Take a look at some of our latest wedding photos and see which colors you like best!

Sunny Days ...
07/01/2010
We are in full swing for the summer and here are the latest EM happenings …

Alison & Craig’s ceremony and reception last Friday had a fun and playful touch … a photo booth. If you’re looking to add some classic style to your reception, consider bringing in vintage signs (such as the photo booth sign Alison and Craig supplied). We also have some handcrafted signs we supply at the EM … such as our “wedding this way” plaque, which I provided a photo of below.

Photo Courtesy of A Beautiful Day Photography.

Another playful twist I saw this weekend was at Shirley and Mauricio’s wedding. They brought numbered signs to their engagement photo shoot and used them in different poses and locations. These were used as their table numbers during their reception! Here’s an example …

To finish off the weekend, Suzanne and Brian’s playful use of purple complimented their outdoor cocktail hour perfectly. As the sun went down, their guests had a great time in the warm weather... and luckily for everyone there was a cool breeze that night! The next day, Jessica and Robert were married in the summer sun. Oranges and pinks were used throughout their festive event to add to the summer heat. Their vibrant colors that were HOT HOT HOT (just like the weather)!

Manhattan Models…
06/19/2010
This week at The English Manor, we had the pleasure of the magazine, Manhattan Bride, use our venue (both inside and out) for a photo shoot. Our facility is going to be featured throughout the upcoming issue of Manhattan Bride wherever the models appear. So make sure you pick up the newest issue of Manhattan Bride and when flipping through the latest bridal fashions … don’t forget to check out the beautiful backdrop!

Everyone involved with the photo shoot was so nice to let me tag along (i was like the paparazzi) and snap some photos of the photo shoot. Here are a few pictures of Rick Bard and the GORGEOUS Manhattan Bride models …

We were so excited to be chosen and cannot wait for the magazine to hit newsstands everywhere! Thank you to Rick Bard and everyone at Manhattan Bride for this wonderful opportunity.

An Engaging Afternoon…
06/12/2010
This past week Shirley and Mauricio came to The English Manor to take some pre-wedding photos. They were kind enough to let me share some of the shots. It was a cute and fun-filled afternoon for everyone here at The EM. So remember when you are thinking of places for your engagement session that The English Manor could be the perfect place!

Stay tuned for the latest and greatest … and don’t forget to keep an eye out for more photos from Shirley and Mauricio’s wedding reception, which is only a few short weeks away! I can’t wait to see how all their preparation and planning finally comes together.

Inspired By This …
06/03/2010
This weekend was the ideal ending to the month of May (and unofficial start of summer :)). It was just a completely delightful weekend, which can be attributed in part to the warm weather … perfect for an outdoor cocktail hour or ceremony.

To end the month on an “inspirational” note, I’ve decided to name one detail from each of the three weddings from this past weekend that I thought was full of personality and inspiring for all couples planning their upcoming wedding reception.

On Friday, Denise and Dan had a “guest board” for all their friends and family to sign with their well wishes in lieu of a guest book. I thought this was an amazing idea because Denise and Dan were actually married in Las Vegas and the “guest board” was a life size picture of their Vegas nuptials… I loved it!

On Saturday, I was obsessed with Diane and Bernie’s idea to have the local fire department bring their big yellow engine for pictures (we do things a little differently at the Jersey Shore … instead of red trucks, we have yellow). Bernie was a Jersey City fireman, so Diane not only arranged to have pictures with the local fire engine, but she also surprised Bernie with a customized ice sculpture of a fireman. I’ve provided some pictures for you all to see of their outdoor photo session!

On Sunday, Chrissy and Dominick blended both the beach and gardens together for their wedding reception. The result was summery and light! The oranges and pinks in the beautiful centerpieces brightened the Ballroom, but my favorite detail was the incorporation of starfish. For example, their place cards were starfish with their guests’ names attached … it all just made me want to grab a refreshing glass of lemonade!

Real Wedding Wednesday...
05/27/2010
It’s wedding season here at The English Manor and because of this, I have tons to share! We’ve had an assortment of weddings here in the last 2 weeks and as always each wedding was filled with charm and stylish details.

On May 14th, Bethany and Andrew had their reception here at The English Manor and it was amazing. The food, the florals … everything was perfect!

That Sunday, Shira and Craig were married outside in front of our garden gazebo. It was a perfect day for cocktail hour to follow on our lower deck. Their reception proceeded in our ballroom. It was absolutely romantic and filled with bursts of purple. Shira even surprised Craig with a bagpiper … what a wonderful idea!

The following week had fantastic and fabulous DIY touches incorporated into each wedding. Danielle and Keith had their ceremony and reception here on May 21st and Keith designed the programs, the menus … even their cake! I loved Keith’s design so much that I provided a picture of their customized (and attractive) programs for everyone to see. The next day, Melissa and Michael’s ceremony and reception included a unique and original touch. The bouquets and their centerpieces were all made of origami…even their cake was decorated with origami flowers!

On Sunday, Stephanie and Carl were married here and I am so proud that their maitre’d, Deb went with her gut instinct to have the ceremony outside … the rain held off and Mr. and Mrs. Von Stetten were able to have a beautiful outdoor ceremony. Then literally 5 minutes later, the rain came down!

Thank you to all our brides and grooms for sharing your very special day with us!

Danielle and Keith's ceremony programs.

Jennifer & Jarret 5/7/10…
05/17/2010
The first week I started working at The English Manor, was when I first met Jennifer & Jarret. From the moment I met them, it was obvious how in love they were (and still are :) ). This is why I am so happy to show you a few photos from their wedding day. They even let me watch their rehearsal and of coarse I just had to take some photos to share. Because I am not the greatest photographer in the world, I only have one photo from the rehearsal ... but luckily Lisa snapped some wedding day photos that came out amazing!

Jennifer & Jarret with their family and friend the night of their rehearsal.

Jennifer and her bridesmaids.

Where their beautiful ceremony took place.

Garden Wedding ...
05/10/2010
If you weren’t already insanely jealous of the gorgeous garden pictures I’ve been posting over the past few weeks … you will be after you see these photos. They will leave you green with envy. While each couple brings their own flair and design, our gardens have a classic beauty that compliments any wedding style.

Amy and Anthony's ceremony on 4/24/10

Amy and her father preparing to walk down the aisle

The beautiful landscaping

Aren’t these pictures as sweet as can be? Speaking of sweet … Congrats to all our recent newlyweds!

Leave it to Lisa ....
04/23/2010
Lisa Truesdale, owner of our elegant wedding estate, is always surprising us with something new and you never quite know what she is up to. This past week she was hard at work on our gardens and I was finally able to see the end result today ... absolutely beautiful! I was so excited to see all the new blossoms of flowers that I just had to post some pictures for everyone to see! Lisa really has brought the season of spring to life!

The English Manor's New Centerpieces!
04/14/2010
Finally, I have a picture of our new centerpieces ... I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

Photo courtesy of Carrie Kozak Photography.

If you happen to be having a fall wedding at The English Manor, check out Marina & Oleg's Real Wedding Story at Brides.com for some inspiration! Here's the link: http://www.brides.com/realweddings/weddings/228321

I would also like to say congratulations to Nancy & Spencer Maran and Ashley & Brendon Gildea!

Spring has Sprung ...
03/31/2010
We had three fabulous spring weddings here at The EM and I would like to say congratulations to all three couples! Mr. and Mrs. Yegelwel, Mr. and Mrs. Gatnarek and Mr. and Mrs. Wickersty - We wish you all the best of luck in the future!

Not only did we have a blast with all three couples, but with the warm weather, we were actually able to have an outdoor ceremony on March 20th … can you believe it? Thank you Mother Nature! I’ve provided some of the beautiful pictures below…

Angela and her bridal party.

Pictures with her photographer!

I loved this picture of Angela and Charles.

I just have to mention some of the weekend highlights I was so impressed by.

On Friday, along with her drop-off, Ariel had an extra special delicacy to finish decorating in our kitchen … her wedding cake! Ariel is a pastry chef and made it herself. The cake looked absolutely gorgeous and I loved the use of green and orange fondant.

Obviously, my favorite part of Saturday would have to be that Angela and Charles let me snap some outdoor photos (provided above) of them and their wedding party.

On Sunday, Tarah and Robert added just the littlest touches of Disney into their reception and it was such a fun idea … I especially loved when the DJ played “Be Our Guest” as dinner was served!

Rosie Posie - Part II
03/21/2010
I’m going to keep with the floral theme of last week’s blog just because I fell in LOVE with Kerry and Brian’s centerpieces from this past weekend. The colors were vivacious and vibrant. I just couldn’t take my eyes off them!

Here’s a picture of Kerry and Brian’s centerpieces … BEAUTIFUL!

Rosie Posie...
03/11/2010
The weather this week has just been amazing … I even put away my winter jacket! The warmer weather has really brought all of us into spring mode here and I believe it’s safe to say that The English Manor is in full bloom! We have just updated The Grand Ballroom silk centerpieces and they look amazing! If you have previously visited The English Manor and seen our wonderful centerpieces … we now have new ones! We not only have new flowers inside, but outside as well. Everyone is busy planting pansies in this lovely weather (which we hope stays for awhile – fingers crossed!). So come in for a visit and see for yourself all the new flowers springing up all over The English Manor!

Not to change the subject, but I would also like to say congratulations to Kelly & Curry and Grace & Dan … both of these couples used our new silk centerpieces at their wedding receptions, which complimented the décor of both weddings fabulously! Not only did they use our floral décor, but each couple also added their own floral touches as well. Kelly and Curry brought in two beautiful arrangements for their wedding ceremony that branched out in elegance and Grace and Dan added their own beautiful touch by bringing in a stunning centerpiece for their place card table which filled our foyer with beauty. I really believe flowers add that extra touch of love that really brings warmth and charm to a wedding. Remember this when planning the details of your wedding!

Keep watching ... I will be posting some pictures of all our new flowers!

Enjoy this video of Jazmin and Chris cutting their cake!
03/03/2010

Video Courtesy of Christine Duggan Videography.

Jazmin & Chris 2/20/10
03/03/2010
I am constantly falling head over heels for brides and grooms that are sooo in love that you can’t stop smiling and this wedding was no exception! I couldn’t be happier to share a few images of their stylish décor with everyone.

I loved how their centerpieces glowed!

Catreena and James - Part II
02/18/2010

I'm so excited to share this video excerpt from Catreena and James' winter wonderland on February 6th! Please check it out!

Video Courtesy of Christine Duggan Videography.

Catreena & James 2/6/10
02/13/2010

We all heard the weather reports and everyone knew the east coast was going to experience a large amount of snowfall this past weekend but even a blizzard couldn’t stop Catreena and Jimmy’s wedding! It was a fabulous wedding and they got some amazing photos! When you plan your winter wedding and start to wonder if snow will have a big impact on your wedding day just refer to these beautiful pictures from Catreena and Jimmy’s wedding. The snow did have a big impact … it just made their photos look that much more stunning!

Check out these photos and keep tuned because we will be posting a video from Catreena and James’ wedding reception!

Taking it on the road ...
02/07/2010
This past Sunday Lisa, Kristi and myself represented The English Manor at Wedding-Set-Go’s bridal show at Brookdale Community College. It was a blast! We met a lot of new faces but also ran into a few familiar ones. Bridal shows are a great place to talk to other wedding professionals in the industry and I just love having the chance to speak with our future brides and grooms and see how their wedding plans are progressing.

Kristin and her family visited our table to say hello and try some of the delicious cake we served and I also saw Denise and Nick who dropped by the show to see the work of a local photographer they hired for their wedding. Another English Manor couple, Jessica and Tom had a few questions for me and I’m so happy they will be having their wedding here in September!

Here’s a picture of our beautiful table set up. Here at The English Manor, we aren’t just Wedding Event Specialists, but we make a killer display table as well! (Thanks to Nancy and Patty for their help with the decorating!)

Skiing into January …
02/01/2010
Beth Ann and Barrett’s wedding reception on January 16th was themed to perfection! I just adored the winter ski theme all throughout the reception. If you’re looking to achieve a crisp, wintry feel throughout your wedding reception use lots of snowy whites and powder blues … this gives your reception an artic touch!

On Friday, Jan. 22nd Kaitlyn and Ian had their beautiful winter reception here. The intimate warmth created by the fireplace along with the seasonal snowflake décor really created a glamorous and magical winter celebration. I just loved their cake topper that was a crystal snowflake! It was absolutely stunning!

Nicole and Ed’s ceremony and reception on Jan. 23rd was gorgeous! It touched my heart how they made a charitable donation in lieu of flowers. Keep this idea in mind as an alternative to favors!