Thanksgiving Cocktails!

Whether you are planning your wedding or simply having a gathering of friends, we love signature drinks and Thanksgiving is no exception!

WHY WE LOVE THEM

• It sends a message to your guests that they are special.
• It shows you put thought and time into hosting family and friends.
• It’s fun and festive and can enhance the vibe, theme and even food at your holiday celebration.

BE A CONSIDERATE HOST

• A non-alcoholic version of your signature cocktail is a must for Considerate Entertaining. There are a myriad of reasons that your friends and family may choose not to “drink“, ranging from being the designated driver to pregnancy.  Don’t relegate these guests to the soda bar, offer them a mocktail version of your signature cocktail.
• Also be sure to remember the children  – they are your most impressionable guests.  When you host them for the holiday you have the unique opportunity to create memories for them that will last a lifetime.  A signature drink is a great way to make them feel special too! Link

Here are a couple of Signature Cocktails & a Mocktail we love for Thanksgiving and Holiday entertaining.

Crown Royal and Ginger Recipe

 

Ingredients

1.5 oz Crown Royal Deluxe® Whisky
4 oz ginger ale
1 lime wedge

How to Mix

Glass: Collins Glass

1. Add Crown Royal Deluxe and ginger ale in an ice-filled collins glass
2. Garnish with lime wedge

 

 

 

 

White Russian Recipe

 

 

 

 

2 parts Absolut Vodka

1 part Kahlua

 Part Heavy Cream

 

How to Mix

 

Glass: Rocks

1. Add ice cubes, Kahlúa and Absolut Vodka, finish up with a cream layer.

Tip: To manage the layering just pour the cream of the back of a spoon. 

Another tip: Serve with a straw and stir it up

Want a less calorific version? Try it out with milk, skim milk or soymilk! 

 

Pomegranate Fizzes Recipe

 

1/4 cup fresh mint leaves

4 cups pomegranate juice or cranberry juice

1/4 cup sugar

1 liters bottle carbonated water or ginger ale

Ice Cubes

Fresh Mint (garnish)

Pomegranate seeds (garnish)

 

Glass: Stemmed Wine or Champagne

 

 

For Syrup:

 

1. Place mint leaves in a pitcher. Using a wooden spoon, gently bruise leaves. Add pomegranate juice and sugar, stirring until sugar dissolves. Cover and chill syrup for 2 to 4 hours. If desired, remove mint leaves with a slotted spoon; discard leaves.

 

For each serving:

 

2. For each serving, in a glass pour 1/4 cup of the syrup and 1/2 cup of the carbonated water or ginger ale over ice cubes; stir to combine. If desired, garnish with mint sprigs and pomegranate seeds. Serve immediately.

Prepare syrup, chill, and remove mint as directed. Syrup may be stored for up to 48 hours after mint has been removed.

We would love to hear what holiday cocktails you're serving this year!

 

 

Happy Thanksgiving & CHEERS!

Creating a Realistic Wedding Budget

You're engaged and cant wait to start planning! Before you start signing vendor contracts, we suggest setting a realistic budget! Regardless of who's paying for the wedding it is helpful to have a clear idea of how much you have to spend so you know where money can be allocated. Here are some key components to keep in mind when building your budget:

Decide who is paying for specific items. Traditionally, the bride's side pays for: church costs, flowers, invitations, reception/venue, transportation, wedding dress; while the groom's side pays for: honeymoon, liquor, marriage license, officiant fee/gratuity, rehearsal dinner
Reception Costs will probably be somewhere between 40-45% of your overall budget

The Splurge Cushion: Inevitably planning your dream wedding means that costs will be more than you anticipated. Make sure to put a little bit extra into things you think you'll want to splurge on, like extra hours for the band, a specific type of flower, printed menus, etc. Link

Here is a basic breakdown of what you can expect to pay:

Reception	48% - 50%
Ceremony	2% - 3%
Attire	8% - 10%
Flowers	8% - 10%
Entertainment/Music	8% - 10%
Photography/Videography	10% - 12%
Stationery	2% - 3%
Wedding rings	2% - 3%
Parking/Transportation	2% - 3%
Gifts	2% - 3%
Miscellaneous	8%

We suggest starting a spreadsheet to keep track of your budget. It should include your beginning budget, estimated and actual cost for each vendor and payments made to each.  Once you have decided on a budget, take a deep breath and have fun planning!

What's Your Wedding Style?

When planning your wedding, you don't necessarily need to have a theme but one-common thread for all the details is helpful in planning and will make everything flow together beautifully!

There are so many ideas to choose from and with Pinterest, Instagram and all the other wedding websites how do you decide what you want your wedding day to look like? To narrow down the ideas, try to figure out what's your style? Look around your space how do you like to decorate? What does your fashion say about you...are you a jeans kinda girl or high heels and a pencil skirt?

Still not sure, take this fun quiz we found on Magnet Street and http://www.magnetstreet.com/wedding-style-quiz and discover your wedding style now!

We'd love to hear will your wedding be classic, modern, vintage, rustic or something totally unique?

 

 



Check out our Pinterest boards for more inspiration! 

Make Your Cocktail Hour "ROCK"!

Most wedding ceremonies are followed by a cocktail hour. The time between the "I Do's" and "Let's Party" sets the tone for the reception! It also gives guests something to occupy their time while they are waiting for the Bride & Groom to finish pictures and enter the reception. With this in mind make it fun and memorable! Here are a few ideas we love to help your Cocktail Hour "ROCK"! 

Drink and be Married! 

Beer and wine are always a good choice and very budget friendly, but why not step it up a notch and serve two Signature drinks one reflecting him and one reflecting you! Work with your caterer or bartender to find a cocktail which represents each of you and maybe one which reflects you as a couple!

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Don't forget the Food!

Drinks are important but don't forget the food! What will your guests nibble is just as important as what you are offering to drink! An  idea we love, are to do an interactive pairing with the cocktail and the food being served. For instance, have a cheese & meat pairing with each type of drink.

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Help Your Guests Work the Room!

We all are guilty of sticking with who we know! Help guests get to know each other by providing a game of "Who Knows the Bride or Groom" or some other fun game like Corn Hole to break the ice!

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Create an Amazing Space!

Look around your venue for an awesome space to have your cocktail hour! Separating the cocktail hour from the ceremony and reception spaces lets setup happen without interference and gives guests a chance to visit with those they won’t be seated with at dinner. 

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A Dash of Personalization!

The two of you just said "I Do"! Keep the romantic vibe going with fun  personal labels on your wine and beer bottles!

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 Don't Forget the Music!

A change in soundtrack will kick-start the evening, but you don’t need to hire a separate musical act. “If you’re having a full band for the reception, use an instrumental duo or trio from the band for your cocktail hour,” says Gretchen Clements, senior production coordinator for Élan Artists. If your vows and cocktail hour are at the same venue, she recommends keeping the same musicians for both. Ask them to play more contemporary songs after the ceremony. 

Dozens of Well-Wishes!

Include your guest book on a memory table clustered with snapshots from your relationship, and don’t be afraid to get creative with how partygoers express themselves. “Have guests sign postcards from places you’ve traveled together, or ask for marriage advice on note cards that can be put away until your first anniversary,” suggests Julie Savage-Parekh of Strawberry Milk Events & Styling. Another idea: Ask guests to sign a framed picture or object for display in your home.

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We'd love to hear what fun things you are planning for your cocktail hour to keep guests talking for years to come!

Bridal Hairstyles

As women, the last thing any of us want is a bad hair day, especially on the biggest day of our lives...Our Wedding Day! Deciding on a hair style can be quiet the challenge. All eyes are on you so you want to be sure you hair and make-up look amazing!  You want something that stands out, matches your theme, and is going to stand the test of time, or at least the ceremony and reception! Making the decision to have an up-do, flowing locks, or somewhere in-between  is a personal choice.

Here are a few things to consider which might help in your decision.

1. Which style do you usually prefer and will make you feel the most comfortable on the day?
2. Are you wearing a veil or other hair accessory?
3. Which style will look best with your dress?
4. If you are going with a theme, is there a hair style that will best fit this theme?

We suggest that you do a “trial” run with your stylist to ensure that you like the “do” on you, and that it will stand the long day. This “trial” run will also help to determine the time you will need before the day begins which will help your planner when building your "Day Of" itinerary.

Here are a few of our favorite Wedding Day styles. Browse our "Bridal Beauty" gallery on Pinterest for some more ideas and inspiration!

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