GETTING MARRIED?
WE WANT TO HELP!
Manhattan Bride’s coverage and photography by Rick Bard showcases some of our new designs for the bride this year. This necklace is fabulous! Layers and layers of Swarovski crystals artistically overlapping with sterling silver. We are very excited about this new look, considering the edginess and non-symmetrical look of the bib part of it. : ) Link to http://www.karencurtis.com/bridal-jewelry/ to see more!
So I guess we feel at this point in our career, and life for that matter, we have seen a lot of what the wedding industry has to offer, especially in the New York area. That being said my husband and I have come to agreement on what wedding professionals we feel deserve recognition for being cool, innovative, high quality, and really just provide outstanding service and products. By no means have we scouted out everyone in the industry, but over the course of a few years we have gone to lots of weddings big and small, attended so many bridal expos, and on a personal note planned our own wedding which I feel we did a lot of research for.
HERE WE GO
Lets start by giving you some great resources for planning:
– Great writing, excellent selection in the advertisements and a very cool section that highlights individual weddings. We like this because you can see everything someone else choose, and view some photographs from their wedding that can give you an idea of what these vendors bring to the table. Read each couples story and some of them you can associate with and maybe even get some ideas if you are looking to create a theme of some sort. This is a link to our wedding featured in the magazine! http://www.karencurtis.com/manhattan-bride-our-wedding/
http://www.manhattanbride.com/
– This is a pretty big publication, that highlights lots of different vendors in the industry. They have a more national scope to them so if it is a destination wedding this could be a good starting point for the bride and groom to look through. Cool DIY areas and tips on how to make the most of what you are going for. Even good tips for the guys… ( seriously if any grooms are reading this blog, surprise your girl with a spa/message session a couple of days before your wedding! Big Points, Just Saying) http://www.theknot.com/
– Also a great way to get ideas on how to make the day even more smashing. You can read though a lot of reviews on people and venues on wedding wire… It’s a wonderful source for wedding planning! They have an incredible listing of vendors where you can view by your location and category, e.i. Jewelry, NY. http://www.weddingwire.com/
THE DRESS
– The one and only! It’s kinda dreamy for a bride to walk in there with her girls to try on some gowns. They have a huge selection and all of the staff is super friendly and eager to find the perfect dress for each bride. “IS THIS THE ONE” is their trademark question every time you look at yourself in a mirror with a new dress. Have fun with it and we have no doubt that you will be able to find something special for your big day. Important to note that you need to call ahead for an appointment they get a lot of traffic. http://www.kleinfeldbridal.com/
– This place is A+. They have a great selection of dresses that are top-notch quality. Lesser known then the big names but that is why we find them so appealing. It’s that couture, edgy, no one else has it feeling you get after buying your gown from these guys. The owners/designers are Steven and Robert and we have to say that they are awesome, you couldn’t find a more helpful, friendly and stylish group to work with and lets face it, working directly with the owners of a particular company makes a girl feel special. Don’t pass up the opportunity to try out their designs this could definitely be the place you find the perfect gown! http://www.birnbaumandbullock.com/
Quick note: This is me in my dress by pnina tornai. http://www.pninatornai.com/default.aspx
Other designers that I personally loved were
Ree Macra http://www.reemacra.com/Collections/Bridal/1a525329-1da4-4094-a86e-cb86a9c72550
Monique Lhuillier http://moniquelhuillier.com/
FLOWERS
Just simply beautiful, both the floral designs and Maria’s personality! She creates the most stunning arrangements and brings her A game to every events she is a part of. It is rare to find someone who is so enthusiastic about their work and Maria is the epitome of that individual. Great pricing for any budget as well. She engages the bride and groom to become part of her design process, using images of her prior events as well as imaginative ways that she can create unique features for your particular wedding. She recently launched her new company and she is well worth inquiring about! http://mcninodesigns.com/ or mcninoevents@gmail.com or 1-718-383-2424
PHOTOGRAPHY/VIDEOGRAPHY
– Special! This is a really talented group of photographers headed by owners Lina and O.B. and they are great professional people to work with. The style is photo journalism and it is everything you could imagine, creative, artsy, but at the same time they find a way to make it a bit traditional also. Lets be honest, you are never going to see everything that happens at your wedding fortunately you can have this amazing team of photo “ninjas” documenting the entire event. Before you pull the trigger on hiring your photographer make sure you look at what this company has to offer, we think they are legen…. “wait for it”… dary! http://www.linajang.com/
Note: Above photos are by Jang Photography
MUSIC
We recently attended a wedding that used this company for the night and we gotta say it was Fantastic! The dance floor was packed, the music was a good mix of modern dance and classics, we would’ve stayed till 5 a.m. dancing. The catch is that you have to trust them when they tell you they will have the perfect band for your night. I don’t believe you get to see them perform live and essentially they combine talented musicians catered to the type of event you want to throw. Needless to say we witnessed this come off very well so we give a stamp of approval! http://www.hanklane.com/
HONEYMOON
You can get lost on websites and if you don’t have a good recommendation from a friend or family member then you should consider using their resources. Located all over and every time we have visited them we have enjoyed the information. Give them a budget and the type of vacation you want and they will steer you in the right direction. There is also a good price insurance with the company and they will most likely match a deal if you think you can find something better. Walk right into one of their locations and you might find the perfect spot that you didn’t know existed! http://www.libertytravel.com/
Alright that is pretty much it. Hopefully this helps someone out as they plan their wedding. My husband and I are young and like to think of ourselves as trendy, sophisticated, and quality orientated people. A lot of the time when we read reviews it is hard to get a reading on what the person writing the review is like so if we share some of the same tastes in life this could be helpful to you. OH I ALMOST FORGOT DON’T FORGET ABOUT THE JEWELRY AT KARENCURTIS.COM TO COMPLETE YOUR LOOK, YOUR BRIDESMAIDS AND THE MOMS OF THE NEWLY WEDS!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks for reading and we wish you all the best with planning your wedding!
Karen & Aaron
karencurtis.com 