Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Wedding Wednesday: Ceremony Music


Ceremony music selections are a very personal choice and we see everything!  Which we love!  We also see all different types of mediums from single guitarists to full brass bands to ipod music selections and any can work beautifully.  

The choice is yours, but here are a few of our TRADITIONAL favorite ceremony songs (we would have to blog for days about our non-traditional favorites!) and the instruments we love them best on. 

We know that we blog often about infusing new and interesting elements into your special day and doing this with music is certainly another place you can do this.  However, this does happen to be on area where we can hear the same beautiful traditional songs OVER AND OVER again and still get the goose bumps every time.   This music is classic because it deserves to be.  Like Chanel suits or chocolate chip cookes!   But whatever you go with, make sure it gives YOU the goose bumps!  :)

Processional Music.  Your processional music is the music to which your bridal party will walk down the aisle (and can also include seating of grandparents and parents). 

Our favorites are:

Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring by J.S. Bach
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-S8miiNWfsI
We love this on strings and wind instruments.   Sounds fantastic with as little as 2 strings or a full string & wind ensemble. 

Edelweiss by Roger's and Hammerstein
http://www.paragon-mail.com/silverandstringstriocom/?p=161
Great on solo guitar (like Sound of Music!) or with a string quartet. 

For the Bridal entrance, we love a bit of fanfare to signify that it is your moment and to allow your guests to stand before your special song begins.  Two of our favorite bridal entry songs are:

Canon in D by Pachelbel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0pwZ4zUiyk&feature=related
You can use ANY musical medium you wish for this.  Anything from guitars to strings to a brass band.  It's just so beautiful! 

Trumpet Voluntary (also known as Bridal March)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxZMqTC4NcY
We LOVE this with a brass band or at the very least a trumpet.  Allows for such a great opening moment for the bride  (see clip)

Recessional songs are what you will leave the ceremony site to WITH YOUR NEW SPOUSE!  Yay!  This should be something upbeat and joyful.  Two we love are:

Hornpipe from "Water Music" by Handel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EpcpNRVqXA
We love how upbeat and joyful this selection is!  You can practically skip out of the church to this one!  Maybe you will!! We do love this best when it includes at least one horn instrument. 

Wedding March (not to be confused with Bridal March) by Mendelssohn
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tDYMayp6Dk
Beautiful with strings, horns, not so great with just a single instrument.

There are MANY different arrangements of all of these selections.  Talk to your musicians about their preferred arrangement and most importantly which songs they feel they do best.  If you decide to use a selection that they don't normally do, ask if you can hear a sample of how they will arrange it.  You may be surprised when you hear what their interpretations of your song choice is.  Best not to be surprised on your wedding day! 

Note: we do not own rights to any of these samples, we have provided them to give you an example of what these selections can sound like. 

Friday, July 22, 2011

Happy Hour with AE: COOL cocktails to beat the heat!

Baby it's HOT outside.   Try staying cool and refreshed with these fun (and relatively EASY) cocktails!

TIP!  Start the cocktail prep by putting your liquor in the freezer.   Your drink will stay cool a lot longer if your vodka/gin/etc. is already the coldest it can be.  It will keep your ice working better and will be that much more refreshing!



WATERMELON MARGARITA
  • 1 1/2 ounce Don Julio Blanco Tequila
  • 1/2 ounce lime juice
  • 1/4 ounce agave syrup
  • slices watermelon

Directions
  1. Muddle watermelon and agave syrup, add rest of ingredients, and shake well.
  2. Double strain into a frozen martini glass.
  3. Garnish with a watermelon slice.

CIROC CHIC


  • 1 1/2 ounce Cîroc Vodka
  • 1 1/2 ounce pomegranate juice
  • 1 ounce pineapple juice
  • 1 slice pineapple, or edible flowers

Directions
  1. Add Cîroc Vodka, pomegranate juice, and pineapple juice.
  2. Shake with ice and strain into a prechilled glass (champagne flute, martini glass, rock glass, any will work)
  3. Garnish with a pineapple slice or edible flowers.


CUCUMBER-BASIL COLLINS
  • 5 basil leaves

  • 1/2 ounce simple syrup

  • juice of 1 fresh lime

  • 2 oz. cucumber infused gin (directions below)

  • Club soda


  • Directions
    1. Muddle the basil leaves and simple syrup in bottom of glass (mason jars make an adorable presentation)!
    2. Pour in lime juice and gin
    3. Add crushed ice and top with club soda
    Making infused liquors is easier than is sounds.  Simply add the cucumbers and gin (or vodka or liquor of choice) to an glass container with air tight lid - shake well.  Let the flavors merry for several days (shaking the mixture daily) and VOILA!  Strain the cucumber (or fruit of choice) from the liquor and store as you would any other spirit.  Delish! 

    ENJOY!!!! 

    Wednesday, July 20, 2011

    Wedding Wednesday! Watson/Gable in Florida

    This was such a special wedding and we were SOOO honored to plan it!  Andrea, our bride, was so sweet and laid-back and had the best attitude about her wedding!  She just wanted her guests to have fun and feel special.   She succeeded!   This wedding was May 28, 2011 at Carlouel Yacht and Country Club in Clearwater, FL.   Such an incredible venue situated right in between the beach and the bay!  For Ohioans, two bodies of water was a treat!  The breeze was fabulous!

    Photographer, Scott from Life's Hightlights was soooo amazing to work with.  Thanks for sharing these pics with us!  xo

    DETAILS

    Dramatic dress hanging from a 1930's chandelier from when the Yacht Club was founded. 

    Original sign.   SUCH a great venue!  The staff was incredible. 

    Pretty table setting. 

    AHH!  It's a good thing they snuck the dress out without our knowledge.  Would have had a heart attack the entire time the dress was on the boat!  It hadn't walked down the aisle yet!  Stay tuned for bridal pics on the boat.  So cute and the bridal party had the BEST time!

    Hydrangeas were one of the 5 different types of white flowers we used.  Each bridesmaid carried a different flower type to signify her individuality.   We sourced our own vases for the centerpieces and the florist did a fab job with the flowers.  We wanted a vintage, organic yet elegant beach-y feel and loved the result!! 

    Bride's bouquet wrapped with lace from her grandma's wedding dress.  BEAUTIFUL peonies!  (love peonies!)



    CEREMONY 
    Our musicians were sooo talented!

    Here she comes escorted by mom and dad

    What a beautiful happy moment!

    The groom's face as his bride walks down the aisle is one of our very favorite moments of the entire wedding!  This face is priceless!

    Giving her away.  Sister Nikki was Matron of Honor. 
    She had just had a baby 1 month prior - can you believe it??

    Ceremony

    Vows!  (And how adorable is that hairpiece??)

    Look at those happy faces.  This picture captures such a sweet moment!

    RINGS!  BLING!

    Awww, and of course, THE KISS! 

    Mr. and Mrs. Jason Gable!  How cute are those bridesmaids??!

    RECEPTION

    Steel drums during cocktail hour.  Perfect for a FL wedding!

    Bustling and AMR keeping everyone on schedule!  We love our timelines!

    The grand entrance!

    First dance!  Happy face.  Cute dimple!

    Happy beautiful bride.  Her something old was grandma's ring - isn't it stunning??!

    One of the BEST best man speeches ever!  He says "If I'm the best man, shouldn't I be marrying Andrea??"  Loved it!

    He rocked it!


    Father/Daughter dance.  Such a sweet moment.

    Cake cutting!

    She got him!!

    And he loved it!

    He got her too!!!

    And, the clean-up!!!

    Bouquet tossing!  One of our favorite moments!

    We may have to wait a few years to begin planning her wedding!

    And the fun continues...




    The apple doesn't fall far from the tree!!  This was the cutest dance!



    THE HAPPY COUPLE
    Love this shot!

    How gorgeous??!  Sunset.



    The beautiful bride!   Love her!

    This picture is so special! 


    BOAT RIDE


    How fun is this?!  Just a little cruise around Tampa Bay!


    The guys!

    The gals!


    View of Carlouel from the boat







    This was such a fun wedding to plan.  I got to work closely with not only my bride, Andrea, but her adorable (and might I add very on top of it - want to come work for AE??!!) mom, Linda.  Had the best time planning with both!  Thank you so much for having us!  Also, thanks to my dear mama for helping me with the day-of execution - couldn't have done it without ya!  love, AE


    Linda and Andrea.  Two pretties!