Sur la table ~ the art and soul of cooking

While making my rounds the other day,
I ventured into Sur la table, a great little kitchen
focused specialty retailer in Marlton, NJ.
Since it is February and that seems to be a
perfect month to celebrate lovers,
I wanted to share what I thought would make
a great couples night together.
Sur la table offers culinary classes and more
specifically a "Date Night".
Now even though the class offerings for
Valentine's Day are sold out:-(
they offer them throughout the year.
If you are a Bride or Groom-to-be
and are looking for a fun and unique experience
check out their culinary schedule.
Also, if you are newly engaged or married
and looking to host your first dinner party,
Dinner Party 101 may be just what you are looking for.
Sur la table has all the kitchen essentials you need
to fill your basic, well-stocked or gourmet kitchen.
They also have a Bridal gift registry.

Additionally, many of my customers are searching
for a change of venue for their Bridal Shower.

If the Bride loves to cook and her Bridesmaids
have created a kitchen based theme why
not think about hosting the party in the
professional kitchen of Sur la table?
It is a very unique, interactive and fun idea!!!
I liked this idea:-)

Just a note...Sur la table offers a 15% discount
to event sponsors if you are interested
in purchasing gift items.

For more information call: 856-797-6572 (Marlton, NJ)
or toll free: 1-800-243-0852

How to choose a Wedding gown

So you're engaged. Congratulations! Once you have set the date and decided exactly what type of Wedding you want, you can now begin the process of finding the "perfect" gown. As you look through the latest Bridal magazines at all the beautiful gowns, you may find yourself wondering, where do I start? Of all the videos I viewed, I found this one to be the best. It packs a lot of useful information in this five minute narrative. Remember...keep an open mind when shopping. Sometimes, the gown you never dreamed you would choose will wind up being the perfect one for you and your body type!

View this video a few times and take some notes! (Gown by Maggie Sottero)

http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-choose-a-wedding-gown

Addressing Do's and Don'ts

If you are planning a traditional wedding, much of the same formality that appears in the invitation is also used on the envelopes. The outer envelope will include the guests FULL formal name including any title, whether it is professional, social, religious, etc. On the inner envelope you would list their names with no address and list their children (if invited) by their first names only. I think it is nice to address intimate relatives by their title - grandma, aunt, uncle.

Here are some etiquette guidelines that will help you when addressing your envelopes...

DO address all wedding invitation envelopes by hand or have them done by a calligrapher or calligraphy machine. NEVER PRINT ON LABELS!!!

DO spell out all street names and states.

DO address the invitation to both members of a married couple such as Mr. and Mrs. Anthony DiSalvio.

DO send ONE invitation to couples living together, and address it to BOTH of them with each name appearing on a SEPARATE line.
Mr. William McCarthy
Ms. Sarah Wellington

DO list a ranking title FIRST, regardless of gender. DO list a woman with a professional or military title on a separate line, ABOVE her husband's name on the outer envelope. On the inner envelope you would still use her title, but she and her husband would be listed on the same line, her name first.
Outer: Doctor Margaret Shepherd
Mr. John Shepherd

Inner: Doctor Shepherd and Mr. Shepherd
(Next blog will discuss common titles and how they should be addressed).

DO send a separate invitation to children over sixteen years of age. If there is more that one sibling over the age of sixteen, one invitation may be sent to the two of them, listing their names ALPHABETICALLY.

DO list the names of children who are invited to the wedding under their parents names on the INNER envelope.

DON'T write "and family"

DON'T write "and guest". Take the time to find the name of the guest's significant other. This could be a tough one for some people:-)

DON'T abbreviate.

I hope you found these guidelines to be helpful. You may still encounter some "creative" situations or living arrangements that are confusing and need to be properly addressed. Please call me so that I may try to help you at 856-858-3777.

Green ideas from Mr. and Mrs. "Greene"

Jimmy and Elizabeth Greene were married July 17, 2009 at The Woodland Inn and Resort in Wilkes Barre Pennsylvania (http://www.thewoodlandsresort.com/). This venue has breathtaking views and natural beauty. Elizabeth had told me about a few of the "Greene" and homemade ideas that she had incorporated into her Wedding and I thought they would be inspirational to other future Brides. Here is a little description of some of Elizabeth's ideas in her own words. We are waiting for her professional album...

"Our theme originated from the last name of my husband [to be], Greene. I chose a shade of green for my bridesmaids to wear and planned to be married outside in the woods at our venue. The idea for the centerpieces was to bring the outdoors inside to the reception and "Go Green[e]". I was inspired by a photograph from Martha Stewart's wedding magazine and my idea evolved creatively from there. After completing the craft I realized how special the personal touch would effect me and my guests. Special because it was impressive to be a homemade project done with my dad, mom, sister and husband. We gifted this unique centerpiece to one lucky guest at each table. The centerpieces made with wooden flowers will last a lifetime."


"My dad had cut and stained the bases. My mom, sister and I had put them together. Each had two candles (ikea) one in a glass hurricane (the dollar store) and one on a glass base (online purchase) a wooden watering can (Michael's) and two sticks (ikea) to hold our homemade table signs. Each centerpiece was decorated differently from the next with ribbon, hemp, rope (Michael's) and wooden roses (http://www.petalbypetal.com/). Instead of table numbers, we titled our tables on one side and on the other side had a fun fact about the title. For example, one table was titled 9th and Federal. The opposite side said "Jimmy and Elizabeth shared their first apartment together at these cross streets in the Italian Market." This was a fun way to get guests to mingle. Guests also enjoyed the centerpiece give-a-way. The DJ had a "hot potato" game where each table passed a set of keys, a champagne glass, and a napkin. When the music stopped, if you were left with the keys you were the designated driver. The glass meant you were in charge of getting drinks from the bar for your table and the napkin meant you won the center piece."

http://www.nurserymen.com/ is the website where we purchased our tree favors. This idea fit our theme perfectly. The favors read "As our love grows and prospers over the years, so too will this tree."


"Instead of a unity candle, Jimmy and I watered a tree. Our pastor made many scripture references to nurturing a tree. Our favors were tree seedlings with messages that said, "As our love grows and prospers over the years, so too will this tree."

Thank you Elizabeth for sharing some of your "Greene" ideas":-) We are looking forward to seeing your professional album.

Bridesmaids' Ball - Help fight Cancer

OK girls, here is that chance to break out
those old Bridesmaids' gowns that have been
stashed in your closet for years!
The Bridesmaids' Ball is a great way to show
your support for those with blood cancers.

Here are the event details...

When: Saturday, November 14, 2009 9 PM – 1 AM

Where: The Grand Hall at the Independence Visitor's Center

Why:Every five minutes, someone is diagnosed with a blood cancer, and every ten minutes someone dies from a blood cancer.

How: Through generous corporate sponsorships, the Bridesmaids’ Ball brings together a variety of industries to help raise critical funds and to show support for those living with blood cancers. The Bridesmaids’ Ball is put together by a wonderful group of volunteers and the generosity of our vendors.

Who:Young professionals in Philadelphia and the surrounding area. Live music by Split Decision.

For pictures of last year's Bridesmaids' Ball, click here.


http://epa.bridesmaid.llsevent.org/pages/index.cfm?PageID=51975

Therese Zulli and Ryan Allison Wedding

Therese and Ryan were married on November 15, 2008.
There was so much planning that went into creating their
beautiful day which is very evident in the details you are about
to see. From the amazing details with all her Wedding accessories
to the vintage photo booth from Classic Photo Booths
to the show-stopping and unforgettable surprise performance
by the Avalon String Band (Therese's brother is a Mummer)!
I would like to give special thanks to Ryan Estes
for providing the amazing photographs!

I love Therese's style and selection of jewelry.

This uniquely embroidered and customized "tag" is
a sentimental keepsake that is stitched into
Therese's Bridal gown. The blue thread is a perfect
color choice to serve as the "blue" item to the traditional poem
"something old, something new..."

The brooch in Therese's hair is a beautiful way
to add a little sparkle.
Hair jewelry courtesy of A Beautiful Touch

I love the mood that the votives create
on the placecard table.

Therese was a very crafty little Bride:-)
She painstakingly hot glued a few little crystals to each one
of these beautiful placecards.
I love the "lacey" and delicate look of them as
I was very impressed with all of her DIY ideas.
The calligraphy was provided by A Beautiful Touch.

Love is sweet.
The candy buffet is very artfully designed.
The difference in the style, size and shape of all the
glass vessels makes this creation not only
decadently delicious but aesthetically appealing to view.
A chocolate lover's dream.




How much fun is this! A vintage style photo booth
that allows Therese and Ryan's guests to strike a pose
...they can keep a set of pictures but must give the
Bride and Groom a set for their guest book.
Photo booth provided by Classic Photo Booths.







Wow, what an unbelievable surprise to have the
Avalon String Band show up and play a few numbers
(Therese's brother is in the band)!!

A spectacular ending to a picture perfect day.
Congratulations, Therese and Ryan!

"This isn't Tuesday night" - NYC Curve Show

White Chantilly Lace camisole and boyshorts
by Claire Pettibone.

"This isn't Tuesday night!" I couldn't resist using this
rather comical statement as the title of this post.
A sales rep said this to me today in jest, to communicate
the way he felt about the products he was selling.
I definitely understood him.
He was talking about being "special".
And that, is what our lingerie department is all about.

So, with that being said, we just got back from a
very busy and productive day at the Curve Show in NYC
and have some gorgeous new pieces of lingerie for
Winter '09 and Spring '10. We carefully selected a
beautiful repertoire of Bridal and honeymoon lingerie
for our customers that will start shipping in
September up until May of next year.

Lace camisole and thong with silk insets and
ribbon embellishments by Claire Pettibone.

Today's selections include, an amazing collection of elegant
Bridal peignoir sets (which draws customers from the tri-state area),
camisoles and boyshorts/thongs, chemises, bustiers and pajamas.
Our favorite designers include Claire Pettibone, Jonquil, NK,
Flora Nikrooz, Betsey Johnson and Arianne.

Long and short Bridal peignoir sets by Jonquil.
Think elegant and glamorous..."old" style Hollywood!

Short Bridal sets that are very frou frou
for the girly girls:-)
Many Mother's of the Bride insist on a white set
which is very traditional. We have a nice selection
to choose from.

The pictures for these long peignoir sets do not do them
justice. Once you put a body in them they are stunning!

Lace and chiffon chemise and robe by Jonquil.


White stretch lace chemise with crisscross back
by Arianne.


We are incorporating new styles into
our Bridal line and emphasizing different materials,
fabrics and colors for the Honeymoon and
the happily there after:-)

Exclusive printed stretch lace and mesh
by Claire Pettibone.

Ivory stretch lace and silk camisole and
boyshorts by NK.

Ivory stretch lace and light pink silk camisole
and boyshorts by NK.

Ivory stretch lace and baby blue silk
chemise by NK.

Silk chiffon and ivory lace chemises in
various colorways.
Love these chemises!! They are feminine, beautiful
and comfortable. They are also available in an ivory silk
with ivory lace. All four of these pieces will be in our
window display coming up in the next few months.

Sugar and SPICE!!! And everything nice:-)
I saved these ones for last...

Actually, now that I am thinking about it,
I am going to make a phone call tomorrow telling
my sales rep that, "Tuesday nights can be special too"!!!!
Life and "special" moments are what you make of them.

On the way to Cape May - Congress Hall

Cape May Beach
Classic beach cabanas near Congress Hall

While vacationing in Ocean City, NJ this summer, I planned a nice day trip with my son to Cape May. Since I am always looking for ways to combine business with pleasure, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to take an unguided tour of this charming Jersey shore Victorian town and then pay a visit to the historical and much talked about Congress Hall. With my three year old tot-in-tow, we headed off for a great day of adventure (photo above is courtesy of beachyinthecity.blogspot.com).

Although I have a GPS in my van, I opted not to use it. Instead I decided to enjoy a slow joyride through Cape May and soak up the sights and sounds of this visually stimulating town. Being a resident of New Jersey for nearly all my life and having an architectural background, I am not sure how I managed to NEVER visit Cape May! I have always admired the appeal and charm of Victorian period architecture with all the lacy gingerbread details, steeply pitched roofs, bay windows, wrap around porches, balconies and rainbow colored exteriors. When I decided to pull over and figure out where I was, I just happened to stop right in front of Congress Hall! Perfect!

The "pleasure" part of my trip consisted of my son and I leisurely strolling around and shopping on Washington Street and Beach Avenue. There were plenty of clothing, lingerie and gift boutiques, jewelry and toy shops, ice cream parlors, restaurants, etc. I even took a few moments to go into the Church of Our Lady Star of the Sea to light a couple candles, and to admire the beauty within. The next few photographs are buildings that I saw in the surrounding area of Congress Hall. I think they capture the true feeling of Cape May quite beautifully. If you want to see more great photos, log onto this website, skyscrapercity.com and take a look. It gives an excellent representation of the eclectic architectural styles of the Victorian period in Cape May and and overall feeling of the romantic charm of this elegant little seashore resort.

The Inn at Cape May
The surrounding businesses on Perry Street
Love the pink paint and the lacy gingerbread trim!
Businesses on Washington Street
Plenty of shopping!

Hotels on Perry Street
I think that little piece of blue awning is Uncle Bill's Pancake House?!!!

Congress Hall

Ok, on to the "business" part of the trip:-)! When all the shopping and ice cream eating was complete, we took a tour of Congress Hall. I have only read about this exclusive seaside resort in elegant Wedding publications and have seen many gorgeous photographs. It has a relaxed but luxurious feel. It occupies an entire beachfront block that overlooks the Atlantic Ocean. It is a perfect choice for couples looking for an elegant and romantic beach location to tie the knot.

Upon entry, what I found to be the most striking, and aesthetically appealing, was the mix of colors chosen for the interior walls. It changed from room to room from canary yellow to Tiffany blue to varying shades of brown, etc. The painted black and white checker board floor in the Grand Ballroom was another amazing decor standout. Just speaking from a color palette perspective, this historical building has PERSONALITY!


The next few pictures depict the color palette of the interior.
(photos courtesy of expedia.com)

The Brown Room
The "Gatsbyesque" cocktail lounge

The Grand Ballroom
Love the black and white checkerboard floor and Tiffany blue walls!
(The next two photographs of the Grand Ballroom
are courtesy of Faith West Photography).

The linens selected for this Wedding are fabulous!!!!!

Other standout features include the classic grand lawn in which many couples are married. The sweeping veranda, with wooden rocking chairs, is another location where Weddings and cocktail hour celebrations are held. Couples can also wed on Congress Beach if they so desire. The eclectic feel of Congress Hall is further exemplified by the nightclub in the basement. When I entered The Boiler Room, I got the feeling I was back in Manhattan in a trendy club in Soho. It definitely has a cool NYC vibe going on; original exposed brick walls, a stainless steel bar and adjoining tables, dark red lamps, cozy couches and low tables. I can only imagine the atmosphere when the lights are dimmed, and the music is jamming. Certainly a great place to continue the party and gather for after Wedding cocktails. The Boiler Room takes a very unexpected departure from the elegant surroundings on the upper floors but is really quite intriguing!

Congress Hall
Picture of the grand lawn, pool and veranda
(photo courtesy of www.fhlbny.com)

The Boiler Room
Manhattan style nightclub located in the basement
(photo courtesy of www.congresshall.com)

If you are newly engaged and considering a Wedding at Congress Hall, packages start at $126. per person. If you would like more information you can log onto their website at http://www.congresshall.com/. Or you may call them at 609-884-6553. It's a "shore" thing in Cape May!

For the Babes!

A gorgeous new collection of Christening gowns
has arrived at A Beautiful Touch! Handmade of
ivory and champagne silk, white satin and
beautiful lace they can be customized to
fit your specifications.

Bridal Gown Cleaning and Preservation

You found the perfect Bridal gown and you had a dream come true Wedding. Now, you are wondering where to take your beloved dress to clean the DIRTY hemline and to remove that lipstick, food or wine stain.

You can treasure your special moment in time with our HAND cleaning and preservation service. A Beautiful Touch deals with a local business (female owned) that has 30 years in the Bridal business. Experience is very important when deciding where to take your priceless gown. Fabrics are delicate and must be handled properly. Also, if you have elaborate and extensive beading or crystals on your gown, the high heat of the machines (at the dry cleaners) can severely damage, melt or destroy that beautifully detailed work.

Your gown will be hand-cleaned to it's original brightness with a special hypo-allergenic solvent. It will then be treated for preservation. The gown and veil will be placed in a window box for you to view. The box will be incased in an outer box for safe storage. This process will take about one to two months. You may take the gown out of the window box if you wish to observe the brightness, then carefully repack for storage.

Please store your gown in room temperature ONLY. Excessive heat will cause a breakdown of the fibers, causing the gown to yellow. DO NOT STORE IN AN ATTIC! Basement storage, due to moisture, may cause mildew.

We do not recommend storing your shoes or slip within the box. Shoes could soil the gown and the slip takes up too much space. There is however, a larger box available if you must include the slip. You may store the garter or pillow.

A HALF deposit is required at the initial drop off and the balance is due upon completion. If you wish to have your gown hand-cleaned and preserved please call me at the Boutique to make an appointment for drop off time and inquire about prices (856-858-3777). We kindly ask that you make an appointment so there is no waiting time.

We can also clean Christening, Communion and formal gowns.