An End of Summer Tented Wedding

This wedding, on the grounds of a Princeton private school, was a dream! The lush grounds were the perfect setting for the two very special ceremonies - one Hindu and one Christian. While the B+G took photos and changed (as traditional Indian attire was worn during the first ceremony), guests enjoyed tea and cookies. Then, cocktail hour on the lawn of the manor house was followed by a seated dinner under the elegant tent. Our menu featured Local Greens and an Eggplant Napoleon, Pistachio Crusted Salmon, Filet Mignon, and House Made Ricotta Gnocchi with Roasted Squash and Sage Brown Butter sauce.

Guests danced the night away and enjoyed the delish lemon wedding cake and chocolate covered strawberries until the B+G were sent off in a Rolls Royce while guests waved sparklers in farewell.

A Garden Chic Sayen House Wedding

This Sunday wedding at Sayen House and Gardens was charming from start to finish! The blue skies and gorgeous landscape of Sayen Gardens were a perfect backdrop for our B+G's ceremony, and cocktail hour on the lawn was festive and quaint. Guests enjoyed Gazpacho and Crab Claw Shooters, Caramelized Onion and Goat Cheese Tartlets, Fig Marscapone with Candied Bacon atop Tuscan Toasts, and Skewered Blue Cheese Stuffed Mission Figs Wrapped in Prosciutto, while sipping on Belini, Freshly Brewed Iced Tea and Lemonade, Izzy Sodas, and full bar cocktails. Upon finding their escort cards clothes-pinned to an antique window strung with twine, guests took seats at their tables, which were overlayed with Jute fabric (which is a burlap like material that is soft and does not shed). They dined on a buffet including rack of lamb, a summer seafood grill (of scallops, shrimp and mahi mahi), cous cous, grilled vegetables drizzled with basil pesto, and panzanella salad. Dessert was a perfect pairing of wedding cupcakes and seasonal pies.

Our bride's choice of details for her wedding, including fresh seasonal ingredients and classic summer fare, along with perfectly adorable blue glass mason jar centerpieces, farm flowers (Dahlia Floral Concepts) and jam jar favors covered with brown butcher paper came together beautifully! The inherent charm of Sayen House, which has classic craftsman style woodworking and pretty rooms overlooking an exquisite garden, set the stage perfectly for her whimsical touches.

Family Style at a Barn Wedding

Here are some photos from a recent wedding that we catered in a restored Barn on a farm property in Bucks County.

Following a tented ceremony outside, guests enjoyed cocktails and hors d'oeuvre in the front section of the barn, which is divided into two, spacious sides.

Guests then found their "Escort Card" tied on a flower in mason jars, and made their way to tables marked by centerpieces of the coordinating flower (loved this touch by Dahlia's Floral Concepts!)

Dinner was served in one of my very favorite styles - a plated first course salad of Baby Greens with Sliced Jersey Peaches, Candied Pecans, Goat Cheese and a White Balsamic Vinaigrete - followed by family style main fare. The one long (90+ feet long) table lent itself perfectly to an easy passing around of yummy comfort food dishes including Lemon Chicken, Roasted Sausage with a Fennel Pepperonatta, Baked Ziti, and Panzanella.

I love that this couple chose to mirror the rustic barn setting with deliciously fitting comfort food. Both were jazzed up, the barn with unique square lantern lighting and burlap table runners...and the food with flavorful local ingredients and thoughtful presentation.

This wedding was a great example of a perfectly laid back ambiance pairing with just enough elegant touches to create a unique guest experience and super fun party!

A Picture Perfect Farm Wedding

At a fairy tale wedding this weekend on a Bucks County farm, our bride chose pretty strawberry accents as a way to complement her deep pink and lime green color palette.

Strawberry lemonade, adorable strawberry jelly jam jar favors, and a basket weave wedding cake decorated with fresh strawberries were a few of the sweet, fruity details. The jam jars were decorated with personalized labels that read "Spread the Love", with the B+G's name and wedding date on them, such a crafty touch!

After riding in on a horse drawn carriage in view of guests who were seated facing a picturesque meadow, the ceremony took place on the back lawn of the stone farm house. Then guests walked down to the pool side cocktail hour, while we butlered Summer Breeze Cocktails (a Malibu Bay Breeze, light pink in color) and white wine. Facilitating guests getting their first cocktail was the goal, and butlered cocktails are a great way to diffuse the initial bar rush. Cocktail fare featured passed hors d'eouvre, a summer salsa bar, and an artisan cheese table. And in a full, well planned use of her parents' property, our bride then invited guests to the 60x90 reception tent which was set on another grassy area near the rustic red and stone barn and guest house. A stations style dinner of Rosemary Encrusted Beef Tenderloin, Grilled Salmon with Tropical Salsa and Ricotta and Basil Ravioli was framed by a plated first course salad of Baby Greens with Sliced Peaches, Toasted Hazelnuts and Shaved Aged Gouda.

Hosting your wedding an a friend or family member's well suited property is an extra special way of personalizing the day, and a great avenue to creating special memories in a venue that you will likely enjoy for many years.

Salsa Bar + Sangria

Cocktail hour is the perfect time to feature fun, crowd pleasing favorites, especially on the cusp of the summer season! At a wedding this weekend we offerred a "Summer Salsa Bar" presentation station. The spread includes lime scented house made tortilla chips for dipping in: mango black bean salsa, strawberry balsamic, salsa verde, fire roasted tomato salsa and, of course...guacamole. Presented in the company of white and red sangria, the salsa bar is festive, and SO yummy!

Another favorite Emily's feature, the Prosecco Bar, was also a highlight at this wedding. Guests enjoyed choosing from seasonal prosecco drinks including Lemon Pop, Mango Mimosas, Strawberry Smash, and Lavendar mimosas. Chef made fresh mixers such as lavendar simple syrup, mango puree, and lemon syrup set the refreshing cocktails apart as elegant and exceptionally flavorful!

And the perfectly simply decorated, elegant cake at this wedding offerred guests three flavors to choose from: carrot, wedding white with sliced strawberries, and chocolate espresso!

Happy Summer!

Farm Wedding

Here are some images from a wedding last weekend at a local private farm.

Guests found their escort cards creatively tied to an apple tree near the ceremony, and they were greeted with Freshly Brewed Iced Tea and Lavendar Lemonade set in front of a quaint red farm shed.

After a cocktail hour on the front lawn guests were ushered into a fully floored 40x100 pole tent set inside of a horse ring. The lush surroundings of the wooded property were drawn inside the tent by the use of small trees adorning the centerpoles. This touch, along with umbrella bee lighting, brought the high ceiling of the tent to a comfortable, intimate level.

Another creative touch under this beautiful tent was the hanging chalk boards detailing the plated dinner options. This rustic chic touch was pretty, functional, and will be a really fun keepsake for the B+G.

Four Weddings Win

Emily's recently catered a wedding for a lovely couple, Marisol and John, which was filmed for TLC's reality show Four Weddings. Marisol,who competed amongst four brides for the "best wedding" tied to win an exotic honeymoon!

We are so happy that our food, one of the very important criteria for the bride judges, received rave reviews. When the show aired on May 6th we watched on the edge of our seats, cheering when John stepped out of the secret winners limo with a rose for his bride.

Marisol and John's wedding was on February 12th 2011, Valentine's Day weekend. Their reception was held at Crossroads Theater in New Brunswick, NJ. As guests arrived, they found their "theater ticket" escort cards, and then moved along to cocktail hour on the theater's stage. The lighting specialist at Crossroads cast an image of the bride and groom's names and wedding date on the theater curtain, and the candlelight, music, festive bars, and of course delicious butlered hors d'oeuvre created an ultra chic lounge-like ambiance.