Help and Advice

Sometimes Love is In The Stars. Or The Star Wars. Same diff, right?

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Having met my husband at a Halloween party, dressed as Star Wars heroine Princess Leia, this cake photo struck near and dear to my heart. As I knew well at the time, Princess Leia revvs up the hearts of many men of a certain age, and my costume interpretation of “Leia goes to the disco on Hoth” was killer. I had him at cinnamon buns. Almost exactly two years later, we threw a party (aka destination wedding) in Palm Springs, (I had another killer up-do) and became husband and wife.

The night we met: Princess Leia goes to the disco on the Ice Planet, and Harry Potter

Just about everybody knows someone who is really into Star Wars.  And when it comes to weddings, many a shout out has been made to the citizens of the galaxy. Some are musical (a recessional from the movie’s score is a good one), pastry, like these folks did, or fashion (Leia did wear a lot of white..).  So don’t fear throwing a little George Lucas inspiration in the mix.  We do advise however, that a soup-to-nuts all out costumed, Star Wars themed wedding would make people uncomfortable, as does any 100% re-enactment wedding.   And in the end, we’re celebrating our friends and family as much as ourselves.  If they are all miserable in their storm trooper armor and ewok hats, they may as well have stayed far, far away.

On wedding day. Different outfits (but still a killer up-do)
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When A Wedding Vendor’s Reputation Precedes Them

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Our fearless leaders Greg and Alan were in LA recently, and stayed at the Biltmore, a legendary and elegant hotel in the heart of downtown.  The Biltmore is a popular wedding venue, and has beautiful ballrooms that, should you visit them, would probably look familiar due to the number of films and television shows that have been shot there.

The service Greg and Al received was, to say the least, sub-par.  Thankfully, they’d gotten an internet deal and weren’t paying the normal rate of between $300-600 a night.  But, it proves a point.  You can check in to a world famous hotel, and get well below world-class service.

The wide aisles at the LA Flower Mart

Don’t hire vendors, or choose a venue because of their “legendary” reputation, or because they did a certain celebrity’s wedding.  In fact, if someone is billing themselves with a list of celebrity clients, you should ask for three non-celebrity references to make sure they received the same level of service.  Appearances (and sales people) can be deceiving, so make sure you’re getting service that lives up to your expectations.

Did I mention why the boys were at the Biltmore? So they could be close to the LA Flower Mart when they woke up at 1:00am to source peonies (out of season) for a bride who loved them.  They need to watch it with the super-attentive, every-bride-is-special thing.  They’re going to develop a reputation.

Flowers - beautiful even just arranged by accident in buckets at the Flower Mart!
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Big Fat Greek Wedding Traditions. Opaaaaa! Ouzo for Everyone!

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Greece is suffering some economically terrible times.  However, people are always getting married, and so there are parties going on in the midst of the austerity.  They may not be quite as big and fat as in years past, but a Greek wedding is never anything but a joyous celebration.

Most Greek weddings take place under the aegis of the Greek Orthodox Church, which has some lovely wedding rituals, including the bride and groom wearing ceremonial crowns that are tied together with ribbon to signify the bond between them.  The bride and groom hold lighted candles, and make three circles around the altar to represent their journey through life.

Chris & Alethia's Wedding: Courtesy of TheBrideAndGroom.com

At the reception, the party gets underway.  Live music is de rigeur, Plates are broken for good luck, and money is traditionally thrown at the musicians.  Traditional foods such as spanakopita and baklava are served, and are easy ways to bring a little bit of Athens to any wedding.  Toasts are raised with ouzo, a strong licorice flavored spirit.

One last tradition to be very careful with, should you choose to adopt it, is that of breaking open a pomegranate on the ground representing fertility, and good luck.  As an event planner, this makes me apoplectic.  My bride is wearing white, and you’re stomping on pomegranates?  Where’s the ouzo? Opaaaa!

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