Wedding Thoughts from Katherine

"My daughter Amaron happened to be a bridesmaid
in the sweetest wedding I’ve attended lately.
The merging cultures brought a new light to sometimes ho hum wedding traditions. Her friend Katy, who is Colombian, married an American.

Her vows were said in Spanish, his in English.

Magical sounds, as each language co-mingled in the church.

 

The reception was brimming with the joy expressed by her family-
the love of music, family, hospitality and energy were very strong,
and despite the language barrier, I don’t believe I’ve ever been thanked so profusely and opening for attending a wedding- and not really by words,

but with hugs, smiles, and honest to goodness heartfelt hospitality.

 

We were encouraged to drink, dance and enjoy our event to the fullest. We even ended the night with a little treat, a bag of Colombian Coffee labeled "Katy and Eric... The Perfect Blend.

 

Too sweet!"

Sara and Alex

This wedding was a fountain of romance. Glamorous touches everywhere with fun food stations set up to encourage mingling. Sara and Alex were one of those couples you look at and instantly think, "Wow, they were made for each other!". Truly wonderful family and it showed- happiness abounded at this big day!

Photos are courtesy of the incredible Abby Rose. She has such a gift for telling the love story...

  

  

  

 

Ah, the food! We served stations- Mini Gourmet Burgers, Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup Shooters, Shrimp wrapped in Bacon, and lots of cocktails and hors d'oeuvre!

    

 This kid is just too cute!

  

 

 

 Don't you want to be at this party??

    

 

 Such a beautiful couple...

  

A Barefoot, Backyard Favorite

"The food was amazing and we received so many compliments!"
- Sarah Foster, Bride
When Sarah and Adam tied the knot, the wedding was a casual, homegrown dream. A backyard affair with Sarah in a brilliant, flowy gown and Adam in khakis. We fell in love with this couple- and their dream wedding!

 

Part of the buffet setup... out of the way and delicious!

  

 

I do!!!

Cozy seating around the yard made for a nice, intimate atmosphere

Chef Todd, doing his thing!         

Guests mingling

       

Rockin Band! 

And they made their getaway in a little rowboat off onto the lake...

Intern Bobby's Tips for the Groom

"When I was in the wedding planning process for my own wedding I could never find any resources that gave me ideas or help. As the groom you are rarely given advice on your wedding because this is the “big” day for the bride.
Here is a list of different ideas that I felt would help lost grooms in their wedding planning process. The tips listed below are ones that I tried and they worked for wedding.

 
1. Be Helpful
As your soon-to-be bride becomes more and more stressed you will need to be more assisting than you ever have been before. When I say that you need to be helpful I mean that you need to actually ask your fiancé if she needs help. Also you can be helpful by doing tasks that are not asked of you by your fiancé, like cleaning and preparing a surprise dinner after she gets home from work. Wedding planners are also a great help!

 
2. Be Involved
By being involved with the process you will be able to make the day more feel like it is your “big” day as well. You need to have an opinion. If you do not like something you need to mention it so you feel more are part of the wedding.  If you attend something as simple as the food tasting you can show your fiancé that you are being more helpful.


3. Be Sentimental
There is one thing that is true of most women if not all women, they love when you are sentimental.  On the day of the wedding you could give your soon-to-be wife a small gift with a hand written note. Also writing your own vows is very impressive and shows you actually care. My wife and I did our own vows, which you do not have to do, but the moment made us feel more connected because we were looking into each other’s eyes as we said our vows.
 

4. Enjoy the Time
When you enjoy the process you will get more out of the actual wedding when the day arrives. Being helpful and involved will make you appreciate the food or cake because you made it a point to show your involvement in the wedding day process.  What I felt was that when the day arrived I wanted to let loose and enjoy the wedding and enjoy being with my new bride!"

Alyssa + Howard, A Vintage Affair

Alyssa and Howard's wedding was the kind you dream about. A small affair, 24 guests, but the celebration of a lifetime.

Everything vintage- 1930's inspiration in the dress, the decor, the guests' attire, even the food! Lobster Bisque, Filet Mignon, a gourmet cheese course,... A small, candlelit tent on a cool September evening was the perfect setting for this mysteriously romantic night.



Barbara Schuster, the dynamic mother of the bride even commented, "It really was an amazing night. Everything just meshed together to bring about a truly beautiful wedding for them. I really believe a HUGE part of that success was the catering. From the very first phone call until 4:30am the next morning of the wedding (as the party was finally winding down!) Katherine's Catering was so professional, helpful, courteous, amazing staff, I could go on and on."

Photos are courtesy of Jessica Johnston, absolutely incredible. Her work is just beyond words.

Picnics, Carnivals and Fairs

The ever popular "Picnic-Style" Wedding has been growing over the past few years and we've certainly seen our fair share. But lately they've taken somewhat of a fun twist...

Picnic weddings have always been a reliable way to have a frugal and fun reception, but by getting a little creative and letting their hair down a bit, many brides are now turning the BIG DAY into a carnival like celebration! It's a chance to enjoy classic favorites like hamburgers and hot dogs with cotton candy, pretzels, cheesesteak sandwiches and more- without looking cheap or tacky.
But like any good wedding, it has to be done right.

A themed wedding, any theme, needs to be carried out entirely or the whole thing falls apart and looks mismatched. Like an elegant, black tie wedding with a partial baseball theme, it just doesn't work if the elements don't match up.

But take heart!
Being "themed" doesn't cost an extraordinary amount of money-
nor does it mean that your wedding has become a three ring circus. Rent a local park or use a family member's backyard. Recruit friends to help make fun games like ring tosses and photo boards. Hire a local art student to draw caricatures. Ditch the flowers and decorate with candy- rock candy bouquets, cotton candy centerpieces, gumball favors, etc.



It's a chance to celebrate this incredible day, your way. Show off who you and your groom are, your interests, your whimsical side. After all, once the vows are said and rings are exchanged, isn't it just one big celebration??
Loosen up and have fun!
It's your day.