Bridal Bouquets That Sparkle

Adding a little extra something to the bride’s bouquet is a trend that may never go out of style. That extra sparkle brings a little luxury in a big way. You can mix in with your flowers or place it on the stems. You can personalize it with your initials or a favorite broach. Here's some bling inspiration!

(betterhomesandgardens.com)

(Kevin Lee Design courtesy of BloggerBrides.com)

(projectwedding.com)

(projectwedding.com)

(theknot.com)

Happy Planning,

Deniesha Joseph
Couture Events by D
Designed by me, Just for you
http://www.coutureventsbyd.com/
718.938.4713

Update On Sarah & Stephen

A month ago I met with the winners of the Holiday Proposal Contest, Sarah & Stephen and they were sooo much fun!! I was laughing the entire time during our consultation. I almost forgot I was working. They are a great couple and it's so obvious why they are together.

Sarah has been planning her wedding all on her own and she's done a great job with everything. She has infused their love of traveling with simple elegance. Now we are working on putting the final touches all together. Stay tuned for more details!

Recently Sarah and Stephen had their engagement session with their photographer Vanessa Joy and it came out just perfect. They took shots all over NYC and Brooklyn. Most importantly, Sarah said they had a great time. Sarah also said, she was happy they decided to have an engagement session because it gave them the opportunity to get comfortable in front of the camera and with their photographer. So for all you brides out there that are considering an engagement sessions, from one bride to another it was worth it.

For the complete slide show of their fabulous engagement session go to:

http://vanessajoyphotography.blogspot.com/2009/05/sarah-and-stephens-engagement-session.html

Happy Planning,

Deniesha Joseph
Couture Events by D
Designed by me, Just for you
http://www.coutureventsbyd.com/
718.938.4713

Inspiration Brought To Life!!

Taking a bride’s vision and bringing it to life is my job as a wedding planner and designer. Currently I’m working with a bride and mother of the bride with two different visions for the wedding décor. The bride loves color with a contemporary style and her mother has a more traditional and classic style. To accommodate both bride and MOH we came up with a compromise. I combined the bride’s love of peonies and color and the MOH classic style and love of roses and created this beautiful and colorful centerpiece all while keeping with the bride’s color scheme of green and shades of pink. Tell me what you think!!

This center piece has green hydrangeas, pink peonies and pink roses. The final version will be sitting on a 20" high clear stand that will be filled with pink colored water to add more color for the bride. Each table will have pink and green votive candles with rose petals. I'm so excited and I can't wait for the wedding day to see it all come together. Stay tuned for the wedding day pictures of all the floral designs.

Happy Planning,

Deniesha Joseph
Couture Events by D
Designed by me, Just for you
http://www.coutureventsbyd.com/
718.938.4713

Is This Thing On?

For every couple I work with, about one month before their wedding we have a meeting to discuss all the wedding day details. This meeting is to ensure all t’s are crossed and all i’s are dotted. We go over every single detail with ease but the one subject that always causes a bump in the road are the speeches. I always add it to the to do list but when it comes time to make the final decision, I get dead air. What I’ve come to learn is the couple is usually nervous about this portion of their wedding. They don’t want embarrassing stories told about them. They don’t want the speeches to go on for too long. Or they don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings by not giving someone the opportunity to share some kind words. The speeches can be a tricky thing to figure out but don’t worry I have some solutions.

One way to decipher how to handle the speeches is to simple think about the kind of couple you are. Are you party people, are social people, are sentimental or do you shy away from the spot light. Also think about the people in your family and their personalities. You may have some family members that are shy or some who are waiting for the mic to come their way. These questions will guide your choice on how to handle the speeches. If you want to party as much as you can, then you will keep the speeches to the minimum. The bestman, maid of honor and the parents will do just fine. This will only take about 20 minutes. If you are on the sentimental side, you can have an open mic format but with a time limit. Let your DJ or MC know how long you want the speeches to go on (it shouldn’t be long then 30 minutes, you don’t want your other guest to get bored) and once the time is up the DJ can gracefully wrap it up and move on to the next portion of the wedding day festivities.

If you want a select few to give a speech, let the chosen ones know this before the wedding. This will give them time to prepare something. You don’t want anyone winging it at your wedding. This will be uncomfortable for you them and you.

If you want to avoid embarrassing stories coming out, have the speeches before the party gets started. Liquid courage may encourage some family members to say something they wouldn’t have said with a sober mind. You can’t avoid them all but this is sure to help.

Whether you decide to have assigned speeches or an open mic, one key piece of advice I always give to my clients is to have the speeches during dinner. All of your guest will be seated and you have their attention. Also you will get the most of your time so you can party the night away.

Happy Planning,

Deniesha Joseph
Couture Events by D
Designed by me, Just for you
http://www.coutureventsbyd.com/
718.938.4713

Island Restaurant and Lounge - Venue Profile

I was invited to visit Island Restaurant & Lounge and it was an amazing night. The space is an oasis in the city. The white walls and natural wood décor sets the scene for an island paradise in the middle of NYC. The laid back lounge furniture makes you feel like you are on a beautiful island. There are two levels, perfect for cocktails, dinner and dancing. And the food, oh the food was delicious!! Their seafood is so fresh. This maybe the freshest calamari you can find in a NYC restaurant. Every dish that was served was just superb. The lollipop lamb chops served on a salad with vinaigrette dressing was mouth watering. I also sampled the pan seared scallops and the roasted chicken, both were delish!!

This venue is the perfect setting for a wedding of 125-175 guest with a casual elegance. You can have cocktails on the first floor then move your guest upstairs for dinner. If you are seeking a unique venue to host your wedding, engagement party or rehearsal dinner, I highly recommend Island Restaurant and Lounge!!

For more information visit: or contact

Stylish Boutonniers

A small yet important part of your floral selection is the boutonnieres. Your choice of boutonnieres should complement your floral selection. The colors should be cohesive and your flower of choice should be the same as your bouquets. This small detail shouldn’t be over looked because like all the other details, they will be a part of your pictures. The groom's boutonniers should be different and special from the rest of the bridal party. Your bestman and your groomsmen's boutonnniers should complement your bridemaid's boutquets. Also if you are having boutonniers for the special family members and they should complement but not match the bridal party. You want them to be different from your bridal party to so they can stand out. Consider stepping it up by choosing a unique design for your boutonnieres. Here are some chic and modern choices to consider before you choose the usual boutonnieres.


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Happy Planning,

Deniesha Joseph
Couture Events by D
Designed by me, Just for you
http://www.coutureventsbyd.com/
718.938.4713

Gifts for the Groomsmen

I came across this great and affordable gift idea for the men of your wedding party. This monogrammed steak brand from Williams and Sonoma is such a unique groomsmen gift. The father of the bride and groom would definitely love this gift as well. If your groomsmen consider themselves grill masters than having their stamp on each perfectly grilled burger at their next bbq will be a big hit.






Happy Planning,

Deniesha Joseph
Couture Events by D
Designed by me, Just for you
http://www.coutureventsbyd.com/
718.938.4713

The Groom's Cake

We all remember the famous groom’s cake from Steel Magnolias, the armadillo red velvet cake, the best groom’s cake ever!! Most brides wouldn’t choose the armadillo but if that’s what your groom is into why not?!

(photo credit: www.ew.com)

Do you know why there is a groom’s cake? Well after some research, I now know why so I thought I’d share it with you. The groom's cake is a smaller cake that is served at the wedding reception. Young unmarried women are supposed to take a piece of the groom's cake home to place under their pillows and the old wives tale says they will marry whomever they dream of that night. It’s like believing in Santa Clause but it is cute story to tell. I think it would be a unique idea to give all your single friends a piece of the cake with a note attached about the groom's cake tradtion. On the other hand, I wouldn't want to insult anyone so before you go with that idea, think about what it may come across to your friends. The groom’s cake is a southern tradition but it’s rather popular amongst us all. It’s also making a big come back. The groom’s cake should reflect the groom’s personality. Here are some groom’s cakes that clearly had the groom in mind.

The Tech Savvy Groom

The Mr. Fix it Groom

The Foodie Groom

The College Pride Groom

(photos 1,2 &3 courtesy of brides.com, phote 4 thebridescafe.com)

Happy Planning,

Deniesha Joseph
Couture Events by D
Designed by me, Just for you
http://www.coutureventsbyd.com/
718.938.4713

Let's Hear It For The Boys!

Photo Credits: TheBridesCafe

Since I've been neglected the men so much, I've decided to dedicate this who week to the fellas. I hope you enjoy it and share it with the man in your life. I also wanted to share one of my favorite blogs from a groom's prospective. Eric Saiet is a guest blogger on beau-coup.com. It's so funny and it gives you a pretty good idea of what's going on in your groom's head.

Happy Planning,

Deniesha Joseph
Couture Events by D
Designed by me, Just for you
http://www.coutureventsbyd.com/
718.938.4713

Fashion for the Mothers

When it comes to choosing the mother of the bride's and groom's attire for the wedding, this can be a touchy subject. You want them to wear one thing and they may want to wear something completely different. The best way to handle this is compromise. Let the mothers be themselves but guide their choice with a color palette or choice of style. It’s your day but they have to be comfortable with their attire as well. The best way to find the right dress is communication. If you have a certain color in mind, let them know upfront. Don’t wait until they go shopping to hit them with this news. Also ask the mothers what they had in mind and share your ideas as well. You are bound to come up with something you both like. Dress shopping can be a fun day of mother and daughter time or a good time to get to know your future mother in law a little better. Go shopping, have a nice lunch and most importantly, have fun with it. Here are some mother of the bride and groom dresses I love and I hope you love them to!

I couldn't resist posting this picture. I thought this would be the perfect dress for that sassy, fashionista mother!! I know some are totally against black for weddings but this dress is so beautiful! (photos 1-7 are courtesy of Nordstrom, photo 8 courtesy of Real Talk of NY)

Happy Planning & Happy Mother's Day!!

Deniesha Joseph
Couture Events by D
Designed by me, Just for you
http://www.coutureventsbyd.com/
718.938.4713

This Isn’t Your Mother’s Bridal Shower!!

(photo courtesy of betterhomesandgardens)

For today’s chic and fabulous bride, the traditional bridal shower just won’t cut it. In 2009, we are Prada purse carrying, blackberry having, internet savvy, super stylish women. Break free from the tradition and throw your friend an updated bridal shower she will never forget. When planning the bridetobe’s bridal shower, you should base the theme on her personality. Think of her favorite things from her past and present. Keep her personality in mind at all times and makes sure it shows throughout the shower. Is she a martini drinker? Doe she love shoes? What her favorite food? What’s her favorite movie? What does she love to do on a Saturday? These simple questions can help you with the direction of the shower theme. As the legendary Colin Cowie once said, “Love is in the details darlin”. Of course the traditional aspects of a shower can still be incorporated. The shower games and opening of the gifts are still the crowd’s favorite. Even if she's a traditional gal that wears pearls, you can still add a modern spin to it. By adding her personality, this gives the shower a more personal feeling and makes it unique from the traditional shower. Whatever you do just make sure it’s a shower the bride will always remember.

Most Popular Shower Themes

The Spa Theme - Host the shower at a spa or have the spa come to you for mani, pedi and back rubs.

The Sunday Brunch Theme - Have a Sunday Brunch at her favorite restaurant and have the guest wear hats.

The Martini Theme - Host a martini party with speciality cocktails with oversized martini glasses for the decor.

Unisex Bridal Shower - Invite the guys and make it a great party for the couple.

Happy Planning,

Deniesha Joseph
Couture Events by D
Designed by me, Just for you
http://www.coutureventsbyd.com/
718.938.4713

Ask The Planner - Cocktails or Mocktails?

Q: My fiancé and I are Christians and we do not drink alcohol at all. Most of our guests are Christians as well but some of our guests do drink socially. We do not wish to serve alcohol for our reception. All of our friends and family know we don’t drink so I think they will be fine with a non alcoholic reception. I want to serve non alcholic versions of popular drinks like daquiries and pina colodas but a couple of my friends are telling me to serve some alcohol. Also I don’t want my guest drinking and driving. Is this a good idea or will my guest be disappointed?

Thanks,

Soon to be Mrs. Browne

A: Well first congratulations on your engagement and I hope the planning process is going well. Your friends and family do respect your beliefs but you have to respect their choice as well. I’m sure when they visit your home; they do not expect to have a glass of wine. However this is not a small gathering of family and friends, this is the biggest party you will ever have. People do enjoy having cocktails at a wedding and they look forward to it. I think it’s best to serve wine and beer at the least. This will accommodate your guests that do drink. Your idea of coming up with non alcoholic cocktails is a great idea. Many frozen drinks can be done in a non alcoholic version, like pina colodas and daiquiris. Also, consider the time of day your wedding is taking place. If you’re having an evening wedding, there is an anticipation of alcoholic beverages. You may want to consider an early afternoon wedding. I think this will best suite the type of wedding you are having and people usually drink less early in the day. If you are still not convinced, think of it like this; if you were attending a wedding and the bride was a vegetarian, would you expect a vegetarian meal? Probably not right? It’s the same situation just a different element. I hope I was able to help you solve your planning dilemma.

Happy Planning,

Deniesha Joseph
Couture Events by D
Designed by me, Just for you
http://www.coutureventsbyd.com/
718.938.4713

White Wedding Inspiration Board

White wedding are a classic choice for your wedding décor. White can transformed into any mood you are want your wedding to be. If you want modern, classic or whimsical, you can achieve your look of choice with white. White is perfect for winter, spring or summer weddings. You go with all white or a white with a splash of color. Whatever you choose, a white wedding is always beautiful. I hope you enjoy my white wedding inspiration board.

(all photos are courtesy of the theknot.com)

Happy Planning,

Deniesha Joseph
Couture Events by D
Designed by me, Just for you
http://www.coutureventsbyd.com/
718.938.4713