Feeding the Masses - Food Service Options

When planning a wedding, you have A LOT of decisions to make! From color schemes to first dance songs, every wedding detail is carefully calculated by you (or the fabulous girls at NoLo)! One of the most talked about debates in the wedding industry is what style of dining you should treat your guests to. Up until a few years ago seated or buffet style used to be the traditional options to consider. However, all of the new trends and ideas in the world of weddings mean there are more food options available to couples than ever before! I’ll break down a few of NoLo’s favorites below, including the tried and true seated and buffet styles.

Original Wedding: Ashley and Joe at Belmont Manor

From the moment I met Ashley and Joe I knew that they were a special couple. Their infectious smiles, excited energy and loving gazes at each other are every wedding planners dream! Then, when they told me that they were planning a carnival themed wedding at the beautiful Belmont Manor, I was sold!

Original Wedding: Amanda and John at Swan Harbor Farm

What started as a random night out led to John missing, and having to re-do, his internship.. It was when he was asked to re-do that internship that he met Amanda at his new school. Both teachers, seemingly perfect for each other in more ways than one, Amanda and John were clearly meant to be. Her thoughtfulness mixed with his sense of humor, her perfect organization paired with his go-with-the-flow attitude, everyone can see it.

A perfect orange sunset set the tone for Amanda and John’s wedding this past July. The tent was decorated in beautiful neutrals and lilacs. The excitement in the room was loud and clear, and rightfully so, since “everyone {had} waited four year for this to happen,” as the maid of honor put it. She couldn’t hold back tears as she talked about her happiness for Amanda and John.

Cruise Annapolis

You guys! Nora and I had the opportunity a few weekends ago to hop aboard one of Cruise Annapolis' catamarans for a few hours and it was FANTASTIC. We sailed with some friends, including the lovely Hannah from HannahLane Photography, and just had the best time. Being out on the water is paradise enough, but discovering that we would be sailing on a three-bedroom catamaran was the icing on the cake.

Original Wedding: Jen and Kevin at Oregon Ridge

When I think back to Jen and Kevin’s wedding my first thought is about the heat on that scorching June day. But that is not my only thought, nor is it the most important. The important memories I have are how much fun the wedding was, how fabulous the venue and food was and most of all how in love and charming Jen and Kevin were.

Chelsey & Adam: Park Engagement Party

Nora and I met Chelsey in college. We walked into a S.O.A.P (Student Organization for Activity Planning) meeting at Salisbury University and never looked back. Clearly our love of planning and organization made us life-long friends. Or maybe it was the fact that we discovered we share the same birthday! Either way, we quickly become close friends and remained that way, even after graduating and moving to different states.

Chelsey and Adam have been together FOREVER. They started dating in high school and when their relationship lasted through college and Chelsey getting a job in Philly, everyone knew a proposal was coming. It finally happened one weekend while they were in New York and Nora and I were thrilled for them both. We were even more thrilled to throw them an engagement party! Let. Me. Tell. You. It is VERY difficult to plan an engagement party, in a different state, and collect the email addresses of family and friends, all while keeping the whole shebang a secret from the bride-to-be. But we did it! Chelsey was so surprised and spending the day with all of her and Adam's family and friends was SO worth it. 

We planned for the party to take place at a park in Chelsey's hometown. Since we had a 2.5 hour drive and an entire pavilion to decorate, we kept things simple. A homemade BBQ menu, lawn games and fun decorations set the tone for a fantastic afternoon!

Original Wedding: Joyce & Ray at The Liriodendron

Joyce and Ray met through an online dating site and had a quick connection. After a few dates they were inseparable and after traveling all over the world together their love blossomed. A few years later Ray set up the perfect proposal and it was official! It is extremely clear that this couple is perfect for one another! They have a magnetic energy between them and you can’t help but love their love!

Original Wedding: Jacqui and John at the Dulles Hilton

I could tell the very first time I met with Jacqui and John that what they had was special. The fact that Jacqui describes the way they met as her “mildly stalking” John, and the way John treats Jacqui with such tenderness, were dead giveaways.

Original Wedding: Amy & Buzz at the Baltimore Museum of Industry

At Amy and Buzz’s final appointment they were nothing but calm, cool and collected. All of their hard work and attention to detail had paid off and they were free to sit back relax and get married!

Fast forward to their wedding day. Despite the chill in the air and the heavy winds, that sense of calm remained. Buzz and Amy kept it simple with a smaller bridal party and a quick ceremony. They spoke vows from the heart and had gleaming smiles on their faces the entire time.

Saying YES to the dress!

The other day I was at a friends house and they had TLC’s “Say Yes to the Dress” on. Every once in a while you need to relax on the couch and veg out on reality TV. So, I was 3 episodes in and had a revelation-- Some women have no idea how to shop for the right wedding dress.

 

Here are my quick tips when you are going dress shopping: