**<3 Hope you all had a wonderful day <3 **

Please note that the bridal tasting at RSVP Catering has been moved from tonight to next Tuesday, February 9th at 6pm.

Please visit RSVP Catering to learn more and sign up. Hope to see you all next Tuesday!

Click here to register!

With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, I thought it would be neat to do some research on romantic honeymoon spots. After talking to many brides, some whose weddings I helped plan and others whose weddings I attended, I came up with a list of 3 destinations. World traveler and globetrotting expert, Elise Luthi weighed in on the 3 destinations. Luthi recently returned from pursuing a masters in Cultural Tourism at Leeds University in England. Read what she has to say about each destination!

Paris

When honeymooning in Paris, you get the best of both worlds! While there is a romantic atmosphere, Paris also provides a unique urban experience packed with old world history. The City of Light offers plenty to the honeymooner, including seeing priceless works of art in the Louvre, high fashion on the Champs Elysees, and not too far away from the city is the scenic Versailles. With charming cafes, 5-star restaurants, and romantic hotels Paris is surely a romantic place to spend your honeymoon all the while allowing you and your “mari” (or “femme”) to take in some of the most popular attractions in all of Europe. Take a look at http://en.parisinfo.com/ for more details on this exciting and historical city.

Bettmeralp, Switzerland

If what you are envisioning for your honeymoon is a city break of sorts, then skiing in the Alps of Switzerland may be the answer. After doing some research I stumbled across Bettmeralp, a village in the Alps that is car free and all in all a picturesque village nestled in the Alps. It is also part of the UNESCO World Heritage Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch Site. Please visit www.bettmeralp.ch for more information and to see pictures of this breathtaking and secluded ski village!

The Seychelles

The Republic of the Seychelles, which is located in the western part of the Indian Ocean, is a collection of beautiful islands that can provide a romantic getaway in a beautiful and sunny location. With resorts and other luxurious accommodations, this collection of islands not only provides visitors with a relaxing atmosphere but also offers plenty to do and see. Visit http://www.seychelles.travel/en/home/index.php for more information about this relaxing and romantic honeymoon spot.

Valentine’s Day is less than 1 month away and this year the special day falls on a weekend. In “wedding world”, this translates to many, many Valentine’s Day themed weddings! While scouring the internet for a fun V-Day dessert, I came across these adorable and delicious Chocolate Strawberry Heart-Shaped Ice-Cream Sandwiches. While many of you are probably questioning my choice in serving ice cream during winter just hear me out! By the time dessert is served at your wedding, your guests have most likely been dancing and mingling for the majority of the night. They’ll be in the mood for something sweet and refreshing. I can’t think of a more perfect dessert than a heart shaped ice-cream sandwich. After-all, who doesn’t love chocolate cookies with ice cream in the middle?

Click here for the recipe from Martha Stewart!

Personalized wedding postage from zazzle.com

Since my last posting on winter centerpieces, I heard about a great workshop that anyone can attend this upcoming Saturday. Behnke's Nursery is offering a candle centerpiece workshop for people to learn from the pros on how to create a holiday centerpiece that you can then bring home to share with your family. There is only a small charge to attend. Check out the website if you're interested: http://behnkes.com/website/

Creating festive table decorations for a wedding is something that can be great fun and imaginative. Gorgeous centerpieces don’t always have to break the bank, especially when you can incorporate a theme into your centerpiece. Let’s run the winter wonderland theme… think vases filled with berries, tree ornaments in glass jars, branches with hanging votives, and my favorite… lanterns! You can find most of these items at very affordable costs and create a wonderful winter table top yourself. I found some great pictures of winter themed centerpieces that are easy to make and very unique!

From top left to bottom right: a holiday wreath with a nautical theme (great if you plan a destination wedding somewhere warm during the winter months), 3 miniature gold candles dressed up with some green and red floral pieces; white and light green candles of different heights set on an antique plate filled with nuts and red mini ornament; a glass container filled with water, a floating candle, holly and red berries that is garnished with greenery around the base. Courtesy of DigsDigs.

An apothecary glass jar, filled with Christmas tree shaped meringues. Three colorful tree ornaments rest at the bottom of the jar to complete the pastel winter theme. Courtesy of Country Living.

A traditional table setting with red candles, votives and lanterns used as the décor. Greenery is placed around the candles to add additional color and the low lighting creates a warm and soothing atmosphere for guests. Courtesy of cooksquarters.

As a planner, my job the day of a wedding is to make sure that all the I’s are dotted and the T’s are crossed. From the time guests arrive for the ceremony to the time they leave the reception, it’s important to think of every little detail that will leave your friends and family WOWED at the end of your special day! Wedding favors are a great way to end a great event! There are some super cute wedding favors with a winter theme that will surely leave your guests celebrating at the end of the night. Some of my favorites include hot chocolate and marshmallows to go or miniature Christmas stockings filled with cookie mixture and other goodies. Check out some of the pictures below for ideas! Remember ~ the possibilities are endless!

Thanks to beau-coup.com and twigandthistle.com

In the culinary world, using food as décor is nothing new. One of the hottest trends as of late at wedding receptions is the dessert buffet. Not only do the desserts taste delicious, they also add an element of drama to the overall wedding theme making them take on a life of their own. I personally love the minimalist look of choosing one color in a palette and sticking to it. If I had my choice of a winter desert buffet I would have mini cupcakes with white frosting, sugar snowflakes & pearls on top, truffles that take the form of snowballs, white chocolate covered pretzels, marshmallows with a milk chocolate dipping sauce and white petit fours ~ combine all of that with some beautiful white flowers and candles, and voila… your dessert buffet will be the icing on the cake for all your guests!

Check out some of the ultra chic winter dessert buffets below that I came across…

The Inspired Bride & Bake it Pretty

Brown Turtleneck Sweater

The Party Dress

Martha Stewart Images