From The Knot…..

So you’ve just said “yes” — and now the calendar is wide open! Kind of. Here are some dates that you might consider wedding “blackout” dates. Think twice before scheduling your wedding at these times.

Holiday Weekends
Holiday weekend weddings have pros and cons. You’ve got an extra day for the festivities (and recovery!); plus, it’s easier to host the affair on Sunday, which is often less expensive than a Saturday event would be. However, costs of travel and hotels may be higher. Also, having your wedding on a holiday weekend might adversely affect your guest list. Some families have standing holiday weekend plans or traditions that they’d prefer not to have disrupted.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day (always a Monday)
January 19, 2009
January 18, 2010

President’s Day (always a Monday)
February 16, 2009
February 15, 2010

Memorial Day (always a Monday)
May 25, 2009
May 31, 2010

Independence Day
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Sunday, July 4, 2010

Labor Day (always a Monday)
September 7, 2009
September 6, 2010

Columbus Day (always a Monday)
October 12, 2009
October 11, 2010

Thanksgiving (always a Thursday)
November 26, 2009
November 25, 2010

New Year’s Eve
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Friday, December 31, 2010

Religious and Cultural Holidays
Be mindful of religious and cultural holidays (your own and those of your guests) when planning your wedding. There may even be restrictions at your house of worship as to whether you’re allowed to marry at these times.

Palm Sunday
April 5, 2009
March 28, 2010

Easter Sunday
April 12, 2009
April 4, 2010

Passover (begins at sunset the night before)
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Tisha B’Av (begins at sunset the night before)
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Rosh Hashanah
In 2009: begins at sunset on Friday, September 18, and lasts until nightfall on Sunday, September 20
In 2010: begins at sunset on Wednesday, September 8, and last until nightfall on Friday, September 10

Yom Kippur (begins at sunset the night before)
Monday, September 28, 2009
Saturday, September 18, 2010

Hanukkah (begins at sunset the night before)
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Thursday, December 2, 2010

Christmas
Friday, December 25, 2009
Saturday, December 25, 2010

Kwanzaa
Begins Saturday, December 26, 2009 through Friday, January 1, 2010
Begins Sunday, December 26, 2009 through Saturday, January 1, 2011

Costly Holidays
If you’re looking to marry around Valentine’s Day, be wary of your floral bill, especially if you’ve got your heart set on red roses — they’re likely to be more costly than at any other time of the year. Likewise, reception sites often charge a higher fee for a New Year’s Eve wedding.

Notable Holidays
April Fool’s Day
If you and your fiance are jokesters at heart, this could be the perfect wedding day for you. If not, choose another day.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Thursday, April 1, 2010

Mother’s Day (always a Sunday)
Make sure your mom is okay with sharing this weekend with your wedding — but it could be the perfect opportunity to honor her. If you do choose it, make a toast to all the mothers in the room at your postwedding brunch.
May 10, 2009
May 9, 2010

Father’s Day (always a Sunday)
Ditto for Dad.
June 21, 2009
June 20, 2010

Halloween
Avoid it if you’re terrified that someone might actually show up in costume.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Sunday, October 31, 2010

Days of Remembrance
Historically significant days may cause a conflict of interest for some guests.
September 11: It falls on a Friday in 2009 and a Saturday in 2010.
December 7, Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day: In 2009, it’s on a Monday, and falls on a Tuesday in 2010.

Super Bowl
If you don’t live in Florida and are marrying on the Saturday rather than the Sunday of Super Bowl weekend, then the big game shouldn’t affect your wedding too much — unless you and your husband are diehard pigskin fans and can’t bear to miss the big game instead of leaving on your honeymoon. If in doubt, steer clear of these dates:
Sunday, February 1, 2009, Tampa, FL
Sunday, February 7, 2010, Miami, FL

Final Four/March Madness
Everyone loves the excitement of college b-ball (and betting on it!). Keep your sports fans at bay by avoiding these dates:
Saturday, April 4, 2009, and Monday, April 6, 2009, Detroit, MI
Saturday, April 3, 2010, and Monday, April 5, 2010, Indianapolis, IN

Quirky Dates
03/06/09 falls on a Friday
09/09/09 falls on a Wednesday
10/10/10 falls on a Sunday

Other Dates to Avoid
College reunions and/or homecoming, big conventions in your city (call your local chamber of commerce), and any annual charity events that involve your family or close friends.

– Kathleen Murray

Posted under planning, preparation

Some of us love to cook for our friends and family, we enjoy showing our love for them through what we prepare.  But when the guest list can be 100 or more, then maybe its time to call for some professions.

The Caterers.

Depending on the theme and your taste buds, you can find a local caterer who will create a wonderful meal for your and your guests.

But not all caterers are alike.

The following ins a list of questions that you should ask when interviewing (yes interviewing the caterer that your interested in and check their references) a potential caterer as take from TheKnot.com

Does the caterer specialize in certain types of food or service? (They should provide you with sample menus to review.)

Can the caterer arrange for a tasting of the specific foods you’re interested in prior to hiring? (They should.) Schedule a tasting if you get a good vibe.

What is the caterer’s average price range? Are costs itemized depending on the foods you choose, or is there an all-inclusive flat rate? What would that include (linens, tax, and gratuity)? Does the caterer have printed price sheets for food selections?

How involved is the caterer in a typical reception — does she work like a wedding coordinator or banquet manager, cueing the band, telling the couple when to cut the cake, adjusting the schedule if guests don’t seem ready to sit down to dinner? (You will need to find someone to fill this role — if your site manager or caterer isn’t going to do this, think about hiring a wedding coordinator.)

Will the caterer provide tables, chairs, plates, table linens, silverware, salt-and-pepper shakers, and more? Ask to see these items to make sure they’re acceptable. Do you have to rent tables, place settings, or other equipment? Or will they arrange for the rentals?

Who is the main contact? Will the same person you work with when planning also oversee meal service on the day of the wedding? (You want this to be the case.)

Will the caterer work any other weddings on the same weekend, the same day, or at the same time as yours? (You want to be sure they will devote sufficient attention to you.) You may want to pass on a smaller outfit who indicates they have another job or two scheduled for that day.

Does the caterer handle all table settings? Will they put out place cards and favors?

Will the caterer provide wait staff? How many would they recommend for the size of your wedding? What will the waitstaff wear? (Top caterers say they always use their own serving personnel, even if the site’s staff is available, because they understand the caterer’s way of doing business.)

Will the caterer be willing to include a recipe you provide, like a special family dish, or an appetizer with some sort of sentimental significance? Can they prepare vegetarian, kosher, kids, or halal meals for just a few of your guests?

Where will the food be prepared? Are there on-site facilities, or do you, the caterer, and the site manager need to make additional arrangements? If the caterer must bring in his own equipment, is there an additional fee?

Does the caterer work with fresh (not frozen) food?

Does the caterer have a license? (This means her business has met health department standards and has liability insurance — make sure this includes a liquor license if you’re having a bar.)

Can the caterer provide alcohol? Or can you handle the bar separately? If you can provide it, is there a corkage fee? How and when will you get the alcohol to the caterer? If the caterer will provide it, do they have an flexible wine list, and can you make special requests? How is this list priced?

How will the caterer arrange the food on the buffet table or on plates? Can you see photos of previous work displays?

Can you speak to previous clients? (Get at least two references that had a similar number of guests and a similar menu style.)

Does the caterer also do wedding cakes? Can you use an outside baker if you desire? Is there a cake-cutting fee?

Once you have found the one that fits your needs, be prepared to put down a non refundable depoist to hold your date.  Many caters only work one major event per day depending on the size of the business.

Hope that you have a wonderful event and the food is divine.

Cheers!

Posted under appetizer, appetizers, preparation, receipe

Originally posted at
The Marriage Academy of NY
http://marriageacademy.blogspot.com/

More and more engaged couples are participating in marriage preparation. Whether it’s with a religious leader or a secular counselor, it’s important to plan for the most important relationship of your life. So much time and energy is spent on planning weddings. I do believe that a wedding marks an important rite of passage and should be recognized and celebrated. However, the time spent planning the marriage should be considered more important.

With a divorce rate of almost 50% it is important, now more than ever, to take a proactive approach to marriage. Here are just a few of the benefits of marriage preparation.

1. You can take the time to focus on you, your partner & your relationship.

2. Highlight your strengths as a couple and plan for any potential areas of conflict.

3. There’s someone to guide the conversations who is a relationship expert and serves as an objective 3rd party.

4. Address common fears associated with giving up the independence and autonomy of single life.

5. Marriage Preparation is especially helpful for adult children of single or divorced parents.

6. Avoid repeating mistakes of previous marriage attempts (if this is your 2nd, 3rd, or 4th marriage).

7. Learn communication and conflict resolution skills that will be useful in times of stress.
Remember, NO couple gets married with the intention of ending in divorce. Participating in marriage preparation can reduce your odds of divorce by 30%. Marriage preparation is not a sign that your relationship is in trouble, but that you value it (and your partner) enough to invest in your shared future.

Posted under counseling, marriage, preparation