Murray Hill Wedding :: Wine Inspired

It has been a little while since blogging. Work has been CRAZY and so has every other aspect of my life. This past weekend, I got to work with My Simple Details, Tara Welch Photography and Holly Chapple Flowers. What an amazing wedding with a great, easy-going bride. The reception featured two food stations highlighting the bride and grooms past, Pittsburgh and Maryland, and beer and wine highlighting some of their favorite places now, the NY Finger Lakes and Virginia. The stations featured a mini Primanti Brothers sandwich and mini crab cake sandwich with mac n'cheese, YUM! With an array of sunflowers and beautiful view of the Potomac River there was nothing better on a Saturday after a week of flooding.

Some great details included an amazing wine inspired ceremony space, rustic wine tasting with cheese pairing and chocolate, great seating areas around the reception for some relaxing and cute wine ties as the guest name tags. Here are some personal photos of the event! Enjoy!

Summer Drinks

Now that the pools open this weekend and the sun is shining all I can think about are some of the great drinks I will have this summer. There are great ideas to make at home for a BBQ or have as a specialty cocktail at your event or wedding. Come up with some cute names and put it in a nice glass and you have some wonderful cocktails! Ask your caterer about serving these specialty drinks at your event and make sure they have the recipe you want to use!

{Wine Smoothies}

Wine smoothie consists of a fruity wine, like rose, blended with ice and fruits of your choice. Garnished with a couple of berries or fruit slices

{Mojito}

Mint leaves, crushed ice, Dark Rum, Sugar and Lime Juice, all muddled together and topped with some soda water. Top it off with a piece sugar cane! Add some muddled fruit and you can make many varieties of mojiots!

{Margarita}

Salt the rim of a glass, then mix tequila, orange-flavored liquor and lemon juice. Squeeze a fresh lime and you got yourself Summer in a Glass! You can also blend the mixture together and have a Frozen Margarita!

{Sangria}

You can make both Red and White Sangria using either a red or white wine. For both add in wine, some sugar, typically orange and lime juice and other fruit cut up/sliced and stuck in the mixture. Afterwards eat the fruit and delicious!

{Fruit + Gin}

Gin Bucket is a yummy summer tradition from my college years, but it makes for a refreshing and light summer drink, perfect for BBQ's and concerts since you make a ton at a time! 

Gin, Limeade concentrate and Orange Concentrate let thaw in the gin, Any lemon-Lime soda and lots of cut up fruit. Just like the Sangria, after the fruit has sat in the mixture for a while it is so good to eat! 

Pictures/Information From:

The Knot 

iFood 

mojito-recipes 

Seduction Meals 

Insiders Passport 

Lillyella 

Destination of the Week: Napa Valley

Although Napa Valley is not outside the continental United Sates, it is still a great getaway for your destination wedding or honeymoon. Since it is in wine country there are many inns and hotels scattered around the area. You can find a place that fits what you are looking for: small and intimate or grand and indulgent. You will also save money on travel since it is within the United States and if you live close enough to only have a few hours drive you can still have most people attend your wedding without the problem of a destination wedding. There are great wineries all around the area to have your ceremony or reception at, as well as hotels. I recommend going in the fall or summer when you can really enjoy the colors of Napa Valley! If you are looking to have an outdoor wedding with great views and great colors…Napa Valley might just be the place for you. If you love wine Napa Valley might also be the place for you.

If you are looking to go there on your honeymoon make sure to visit as many wineries as possible! Napa is also a great stop along the way if you wanted to tour all of California for your honeymoon. Sonoma Valley is also located around Napa Valley. Almost 300 wineries are located in the 2 places. So take the time to choose which wineries you would like to visit and also enjoy driving around and seeing the scenery! Also, the most exclusive resort, Auberge du Soleli offers wine based spa treatments. Who could ask for more!

Here is a great list of locations for weddings in Napa Valley: http://napavalley.com/eventplanning/weddings/ceremonies_chapels.html

Photos From:

http://weddings.theknot.com/

http://napavalley.com/visitorsinfo/tour

fayeandgreer.blogspot.com/2007_06_01_archive.html

http://www.weddingshoneymoons.com/

http://www.romanticnapavalleybook.com/

http://static.weddingwire.com/

http://dorothyhatchel.com

Re-Use and Recycle: Bottlehood on Esty

I am IN LOVE with bottlehood's shop on Esty.com! The company recycles beer, wine and liquor bottles and makes them into cups, candles, cheese boards and vases! I am getting some of these for my bf {shhhh don't tell him} and I started thinking about the great way you could use these at your wedding or event. These may be kinda expensive if you are buying all your guests items, but how great to have a wine bottle vase or a liquor bottle as your vase centerpiece. I also saw that the company will make items requested for wedding registry's! These items are so unique you will never find them anywhere else! What a great gift as well for the lucky couple or even as a birthday present for your man! Also just great for use at your home bar or home... what a great conversation piece!
Check out their shop on Esty: http://www.etsy.com/shop/bottlehood

Here are a few pictures of items they sell! I love the variety and the locality of the items. Most items tell you where the bottle came from (all local from CA).

Gone Missing {Creative Table Numbers}

So even if people know what table they are supposed to be at, that does not mean they can find the table. Table numbers are a great way to add some individuality and creativity into your wedding in an inexpensive way. Sure you can go with the basic paper number and metal holder, which is not bad, but why not incorporate your theme or something you and your fiance love into the numbering. This goes for events as well, make the table numbers stand out and a conversation piece, not something bland and boring.
Choosing what you want to do for your table numbers can be a little daunting, but take it slowly and start thinking of any and every idea possible. Write them all down then go through your list and figure out what fits into your theme, what fits into your budget, if it can be made yourself or not. If you are between a few, try them out and see which on looks the best!
Here are some great ideas to start with:

1. For a rustic down-to-earth wedding/event: Use an old piece of wood, or a new piece you beat up, and paint the number on the wood. Easy and cheap, yet still fits into the theme.
2. A winery wedding: use wine bottles and stick the number where the label is
3. Don't number the tables at all, but call each table something different based on your theme. For example, a wedding based around music had the tables labeled by different artists names and used their album covers.
4. Use Mason Jars filled with sand, seashells, other items related to your wedding/event and either have the number on the jar or sticking out of the jar.
5. Use a nice designed paper for the numbers and have them framed on the table to add a little more glam and elegance on a budget.
6. Use old newspaper or photos and paint the number on. Either back it with cardboard or put it in a frame.
7. Use Pictures of you as a couple holding up the number of the table and put it in frames.
8. Use  book and have the number on the front of the book.
9. Get some large rocks and either use paint pen or hot glue on the table number
10. Use Letters instead of numbers or words and use either wood letters that you can find at a craft store or metal letters...may take a little digging around
11. Use a mirror or glass and paint the number onto it
12. Use a small cake with the number on it... this is great as well because every table as their own personal cake to eat!
13. Find cheap cute plates and put the number on them... then just stand them up using a plate holder
14. Put the number on the flower vase
15. Use a chalk board

This is just me rambling on with ideas! So do the same thing! Think about items in your home or in the world that you could use! Be creative and have fun doing it

Pictures from:
blog.indevents.com
http://www.oncewed.com/
gatorbride.com
TheKnot.com
http://inappropriatehappiness.blogspot.com/
http://www.jessicaclaire.net/
http://noteworthydesigns.blogspot.com/2009/03/unique-table-numbers.html http://www.katbramanphotography.com/
http://www.forgetmeknotweddingsblog.com/2010/04/rustic-diy-table-decor.html

Lets Take a Flight

You got to love Mondays... here in DC it is muggy and rainy and gross outside. Made me want to stay home in my PJ's, watch a movie and crack open a beer or bottle of wine. Unfortunately, I got up and made my way to the train and got into work. Thankfully though I get great newsletter emails from many different wedding sites and received one that just tickled me pink. TheKnot.com had a great story on new wedding food ideas and I could not resist but to read it. I love almost all of them and will share more and more of my thoughts and what I have seen in the coming days. I chose to pick one of the most interesting and best ideas I saw.

Beer and/or Wine Flights!! Oh my I am in love with this idea. Weather you have an open bar or not this is still a great way to incorporate your love of beer and/or wine into the meal and have your guests experience great food and wine/beer pairings. You can do either beer and wine or chose one for all your guests or have everyone get to do both! If you do both but are having your guests choose one, have your guests choose which flight they want when sending in their food choices so that you know how much you need to buy alcohol wise. I think doing both but having your guests choose one is the most money efficient and fun, since your guests are not stuck to one thing if they do not like it. I also love that if you are having some kids or underage people at your wedding to get some great flavored sodas and juices to have them experience it as well. They won't really understand the food pairing part, but what a great way to keep kids involved and interested during the meal and not felt left out. You could also have this choice for people who maybe are not drinkers so that they as well do not felt left out.

The wine/beer is served in smaller tastings, not a whole glass but enough for a couple sips, allowing guests to get the tasting experience. You can work with your planner/caterer or by yourself to pair different wines and beers (and soda/juice) with different foods. This is easiest if you have maybe 3, 4 or 5 courses...anything more than that and it may be overwhelming. You can do a soup or appetizer courses, regardless of if you already served apps, salad course, main meal course (or 2 if you want), and a dessert course. I think chocolate and beer/wine pair great together, so the chocolate course can be something small or even just a small bark of chocolate you buy from the store for the guests. With each course pair what you like and what is said to fit with the food selection. With beers, go with some great micro brews or local beers, and with wines as well choose wines you like and try and get some local wines into the mix.

If you and your fiance are like me and my boyfriend we love trying new beers and wines and pairing foods with them. We also have friends who love it as well, or at least the beer and wine drinking part. This is great for guests to be involved in the meal and you can print out cards that say what beer and wine go with what dish. With local wines and brewery's, call them and tell them what you are doing, they may be able to get you a discount or something special since you are featuring them at your wedding. It never hurts to call and ask and most places are super nice! This is also a great thing for both you and your fiance to do together during the planning process and should be relaxing and fun... go to wine festivals or beer festivals or look into visiting winery's/brewery's to find some great drinks and see how they recommend pairing.

I hope someone puts this into their wedding... I already know I will when it happens!

(if you are subscribed to TheKnot.com the story is called "15 Creative Menu Ideas").

Wine-Zilla

This weekend I worked a wine festival near where I live and it is amazing to see how many people LOVE LOVE LOVE wine. It got me to thinking about how beautiful winery's are, and how great they would be for a wedding. I am not a huge fan of the hotel weddings, but this is a great alternative to a traditional wedding venue. You can easily have both the ceremony and reception at the location, especially an outdoor ceremony! Most winery's even ones closer to a city still have a countryside backdrop. Here where I live in Northern VA, there are a ton of winery's all within an hour of the district. a Winery may not be as readily available in all areas of the country, but do some research you never know when you may find one.

The great part about having your wedding at a winery is then drinking their wine! I love white wine and could drink it for days so any place where wine is that abundant would send me to heaven. Most places have a reception area already (if they are a bigger winery) and have wedding day plans already set. Smaller winery's may have not done as many events, but still worth a shot. Like any other venue, make sure you ask all the appropriate questions and see if you can bring in outside vendors such as catering and wedding coordination. Some winery's have great restaurants there, and may be able to provide great food and drinks. Most places have great bed and breakfast's around, while some still have a larger hotel. Look for the area and type that is best for you. If you are looking for that countryside feel with a little more to it, a winery may be the best fit.

Winerys are great from spring all the way until the fall, and maybe even in the winter depending on the location. Any colors will go with a winery backdrop, since wines themselves are multi-toned in many ways. Find a wine you love drinking and check out their winery... try and find a local winery to make it easier. Go to local wine festivals and get brochurs about the different winerys. This way you can taste their wine and get information about them without visiting the winery.

Even if you are not the wine fanatic, a winery wedding may be perfect still. There are many pros and cons to any venue, and again like I say every time do what you want to do and love your choice. A winery allows for an amazing backdrop and fun activities if you go a day early/day later such as wine tasting and grape stomping (again, depending on winery). Most winery's have skilled event/wedding planners and know how to work with a wedding party. Just don't become a WINE-ZILLA and drink too much wine before, during or after the wedding... OK after is perfectly fine!

Check out these sites for more information:

http://wineryweddingguide.com/

Thanks to: My Simple Details, Boston Avenue Photo Co. and Chateau Morrisette for pictures