Friday, March 29, 2013

TGIF: Time For A Laugh

It's been a crazy week, and I'm glad it's over.. When I have days like this the only thing that really helps me relax is a good laugh. So as I was looking for events to complete my TGIF series for the week I came across some comedy events. Unfortunately, they are all UPCOMING events and nothing for this weekend.. Its ok people dry your eyes! It gives you some time to get your tickets!
    Before I give you the list of these amazing comedians that are visiting our home state, I would first like to share with you some events this weekend that did catch my eye...

   Macy's Flower Show Philadelphia PA. Now- Sunday April 7, 2013
  1300 Market Street @ Macy's Center City open during stores hours only. For more information on exhibits, tabletops, and sponsors visit This site
    Monterey Jazz Festival- 55th Anniversary @ Mayo Performing Arts Center Sat. 3/30/13 @ 8pm.
Joyful celebration of the longest running Jazz Festival features a who's who of jazz all-stars including: Dee Dee Bridgewater, Grammy Winning Christian McBride, Benny Green, Lewis Nash, Chris Potter and more.. Visit mayoarts.org for tickets.
    Legends In Concert- Bally's Atlantic City Sat.3/30- Sun. 3/31
Musical tribute spectacular that's taken Atlantic City's entertainment by storm. Legends In Concert brings your favorite superstars to life. $32.50 per ticket; call (609)340-2000 for show times.
     Aretha Franklin- NJ Performing Arts Center Sat. 3/30/13 @ 7pm
 Perhaps more then any other performer, Aretha Franklin epitomizes soul at its most gospel-charged. Franklin will bring many of her greatest hits as well as titles from her latest CD. For tickets go to NJ Performing Arts Center's website.
       Easter Bunny Strolling the Village at Historic Smithville Park. Enjoy many Easter related activities for info and times visit Smithvillenj.com
       Allaire Village Easter Egg Hunt- Sat. 3/30 10am-4pm $5 per person.
Enjoy wagon rides, Easter egg hunt, games, crafts, and more. Visitors are welcome to bring a handmade or purchased Easter bonnet to participate in an Easter bonnet contest and auction. Go to Allaire Village Website for a complete list of activities and times.

       After you've finished dying your Easter Eggs and making your holiday brunch or dinner plans take a look at the list of comedians and their show dates to get your tickets. If your holiday meals are anything like mine then you're going to need a night of good laughs after. (Haha.. JK)
     I've listed the shows by venue, then by date; for a complete list of all shows coming to New Jersey ::click here:: All prices listed are estimated, prices may vary depending on seats and what's available, check out ticketmaster.com, stubhub.com, or the venue website to purchase your tickets..


Bergen Performing Arts Center- Englewood, NJ
        Ralphie May- 4/18/2013 @ 8pm  tickets: $62 (plus)
        Lewis Black- 5/18/2013 @ 8pm tickets:$82 (plus)
Borgata Events Center- Atlantic City, NJ
        Kathy Griffin- 4/20/2013 @ 8pm tickets:$73 (plus)
        George Lopez- 5/18/2013 @ 8pm. Tickets:$78 (plus)
         Jeff Dunham-7/14/2013 @ 8pm. Tickets:$96 (plus)
Borgata Music Box- Atlantic City, NJ
         Sarah Silverman- 4/27/2013 @ 9pm. Tickets: $86(plus)
         Wanda Sykes-5/3/2013 @ 9pm & 5/4/2013 @ 9pm. Tickets:$50(plus)
          Joan Rivers-5/11/2013 @ 6pm & 9pm. Tickets:$72(plus)
         Bill Burr- 6/1/2013 @ 8pm & 11pm. Tickets: $85(plus)
State Theatre of New Jersey- New Brunswick, NJ
         Lewis Black- 4/25/2013 @ 8pm. Tickets: $100(plus)
New Jersey Performing Arts Center- Prudential Hall Newark, NJ
         Jerry Seinfeld-4/26/2013 @ 7pm. Tickets: $90(plus)
         Whoopie Goldberg- 6/6/2013 @ 8pm. Tickets: $93(plus)
Community Theatre @ Mayo Center for Performing Arts
        Joy Behar- 5/11/2013 @ 8pm. Tickets: $100(plus)
Count Basie Theatre- Red Bank, NJ
        Amy Schumer- 5/12/2013 @ 8pm. Tickets: $106(plus)
        Kevin James- 6/3/2013 @ 8pm. Tickets: $120(plus)
        Bill Cosby- 11/8/2013 @ 8pm. Tickets: $216(plus)
Trump Taj Mahal- Mark G. Etess Area Atlantic City, NJ
         Jeff Foxworthy- 8/19/2013 Tickets: $250(plus)

TGIF! Happy Weekend, and Happy Easter!

What are your Easter plans or traditions? Are you planning on going to a local Easter Parade or Egg Hunt? Is there an Event going on in your hometown and you want to share with us? We love to hear your comments and plans for the weekend, let us know what they are in the section below!

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Equality for All

Yesterday we stated our views on the marriage equality issue. Usually, we would never take such a stand in the "political arena" so as not to alienate any one of our readers. We don't feel that our views, whether on this topic or others, should reflect our talents, skills, or craftsmanship in our industry. 

What we do think is this: 

Every living person has the right to be happy. 

We don't claim to identify with one political party over the other. We don't judge you by who or what you love. And we don't condemn those who do not agree with us. 

There are so many reasons to be for or against same-sex marriage. Just like any social issue, opinions are mostly based on your up-bringing, religion, geographic location, age, gender, and especially your education. If you have ever followed an issue's progress through the media, the ideas they feed to you also play a huge role in "choosing sides."

But we ask you this:

Take a step back. Forget all the arguments you hear on the TV that muddle the facts, and reflect for a moment. 

What would you want from your country if the shoe were on the other foot? 

What we want is this:

For people to admit who they love without the fear of losing their jobs. For those same people to be able to see their loved ones in the hospital when they are ill. For everyone to be able to live without discrimination or fear of judgement. And most importantly, for everyone to have those certain unalienable rights on which our fore fathers built this country. Life. Liberty. And the pursuit of happiness. 

If you are in New Jersey and are having a civil union ceremony, we are your ally. We would love to be a part of your special day and showcase your love to one another by taking care of all your floral needs. 

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Tuesday, March 26, 2013

My Current Project: Modified Vader

My insomnia has reached a new stage in its development. I'm not having any problems getting to sleep as of late, however once asleep, I have the strangest dreams. Because of this, I'm still not getting a restful slumber. So yesterday Chuck and I played hookie..hookey? er..blogger doesn't recognize this as a real word...

Anyway, I read a book from cover to cover yesterday and he played COD all day. It was a nice break from brainstorming, organizing posts, burning myself with my glue gun, and responding to the endless emails in my inbox. But I'm back at my desk today and even though I was able to clear my head and my calendar, I still feel really tired. So I'm going to put you in the driver's seat this week. Is there a topic you would like me to cover? Is there something wedding or flower related that you want more info or inspiration? Let me know either in the comment section, on facebook, or email.

This is totally off topic, but I want to share with you guys my most recent project...or at least what I have done thus far. It's no secret Chuck and I are Star Wars fans. Last year he bought us some helmets he found at the Columbus Flea Market and I've been dying to modify them. So when I recently bought my handy dremel, I jumped right in and hacked away at Vader's head. I didn't think about taking pictures at that stage, but I just finished putting on the first coat of bronze glaze. I'll keep posting my progress as I move along in this process, but here's what I've got so far...

This is before the glaze. I used a textured flat black spray paint.


I used a dry brush to apply the glaze and wiped off any excess.


I think I'm going to pick up some silver glaze to give it some highlights. The color of this glaze is "Renaissance Brown" but it's definitely bronze..the glaze maker just wants to be fancy. And if you haven't put it together yet, I'm aiming for a sort of "steampunk" flair. If anyone has any ideas for faux rivets, I'd love to hear them!

What topics would you like me to cover this week? Are there any elements in your wedding planning that you'd like some inspiration? Is there a theme you'd like me to cover? Let me know!



Thursday, March 21, 2013

Greatest Bar of Greater Trenton

As I was researching for my TGIF series that I post on Fridays, I came across the annual 'The Greatest Bar of Greater Trenton' hosted by The Trentonian. Since this is my home town and they say its the 'restaurant capital' ( and I've been to probably every bar on the list) I wanted to share them with you.

   Today they released the 'Final Four ' which include:

 Trenton Social 449 South Broad St. Trenton, NJ.  609.989.7777   11:30am-2am
A Restaurant/Wine Bar with a simple mission, to provide their customers with excellent food, entertainment, and service. Trenton Social has many upcoming events such as;
    Brazilian Night with guest chef Irma Mello this Friday @ 5pm
    Chalk & The Beige Americans will be playing Sat. 3/23 @ 9pm
    The First Wednesday of every month enjoy Sushi Night with guest Chef Charlie Yeh from 5-10pm
    Cajun/Creole Jam 4/8 7:30-9:30pm- Musicians take turns choosing a tune
     Chef Joe Mooney will share his interpretation of the exciting cuisine of India ONE NIGHT ONLY           Sat. 4/27 6-9pm. Reservations are a must!

You will be able to meet the Mossy Couture team at Trenton Social May 26, 2013 from 10am-5pm at the Trenton Punk Rock Flea Market. For more information on this event visit Trentonpunkrockfleamarket.com


Rossi's Bar and Grill 501 Morris Ave. Trenton, NJ. 609.394.9089
A Chambersburg landmark Rossi's has the best burger around. It's should be a sin if you've never had a Rossi's Burger with a side of their homemade butterfly chips and your favorite spirit to wash it down. Next time you're in the burg make sure you visit Rossi's. For their full menu visit Rossiburger.com


Tir Na Nog  1324 Hamilton Ave. Trenton, NJ. 609.392.2554
  A true traditional Irish Pub with great music, great people, and great beer. Live music every Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday Nights. First Sunday of every month enjoy an Irish Session from 1pm-4pm. Tir Na Nog was voted one of the top 40 Irish establishments in the United States. If you're looking for a good pint to go with your fish & chips this is the place to go.

Bill's Olde Tavern 2694 Nottingham Way. Hamilton. NJ. 609.586.0192
 If you're looking for a neighborhood bar, where everyone knows your name, this is it. A menu full of pleasing comfort food for the whole family, and a bar stocked for every type of person. Bill's Olde Tavern is the perfect place for relaxing after work, Monday Night football, night out with friends, or dinner with kids.

Before I end this post, I would like to congratulate all of the bars in the final four and if you ask me its hard to choose just one. To follow the contest visit Scribblelive.com and don't forget to VOTE!!

Have you voted in "The Greatest Bar of Greater Trenton" contest? This there a bar you wish made it to the final four? We want to hear about it, leave a comment in the section below and tell us about your favorite bar!



     

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

The Spring Wedding Guest: Peaches and Pink and Bubbly Champagne

Spring is finally here, although it may not feel like it yet. But those warm weather fetes will be here before you know it! One of my favorite color combos for spring is peach and pink. Paired with gold accents, it's a show stopper. Here's a look for the champagne inspired wedding guest...



Pink Champagne Guest





What do you think about this color combo? What are your go-to spring colors? Leave us a comment and we might feature your color scheme on a future post!


Tuesday, March 19, 2013

The Neon Bridesmaid

I'm really loving all the neon I've been seeing. The best way to pull this off and incorporate it into your wedding is to pair it with black, white, and neutrals. Neons are such strong and vibrant colors, you'll want to tone them down a bit with simple solids. Here's a board I made on Polyvore to show you what I mean. 



What do you think? Do you like the neon craze? Would you incorporate these hues into your wedding? Do you have any ideas you'd like to share using neons? 
Tell us in the comment section!


Monday, March 18, 2013

Introducing Our Budget Friendly Wedding Package!

We are slowly but surely getting things situated over at the studio. This past week we have launched our Bloom Nation store, as well as designed a basic wedding package to suit the bride on a budget.

Here's the nitty-gritty for our package deal:

These prices are based on a traditional design with hydrangea, roses, one filler, and greens. All you have to do is customize your colors!

Bridal Bouquet and Bout
Maid of Honor Bouquet and Best Man Bout
2 Brides Maids and 2 Groomsmen
Toss Bouquet
Petals
$450




10 Cube Vase Arrangements with hydrangea, roses, one filler, and greens
$500



Of course, We always offer upgrades (bling, incorporating dress fabric, family heirlooms like lockets/brooches, floral choices, cake toppers, flower girl/ring bear, etc.) or a fully customized package!

These prices do not reflect sales tax, delivery/set-up, or upgrades. For a detailed price list, schedule a free consultation. $100 non-refundable deposit is required to save the date after initial consultation.

For more information about scheduling a consultation, email us!



Friday, March 15, 2013

TGIF

I'm back again to start a TGIF series. I've been in a relationship for over a year and a half and my boyfriend, Haris, works the grave yard shift at a hospital.. (Wait! That sounded really morbid) lets just say he works the 7pm to 7am shift. So the weekends are really the only time we have to spend together.  Every Friday the same question comes along "what do you want to do this weekend?" And my repeat response is always "I don't know, what do you want to do?"  Well, Dear Readers, there are only so many restaurants you can eat at, and not many bars that won't burn a hole in your pocket, and lets just face it if you have kids, you will have to take out a line of credit to go see a movie.

Since I live in New Jersey, I am going to post about things going on in the next week around NJ. If you are reading from another state please leave a comment at the bottom, and next week I will include your home state. 

Expos:
                NJ Springfest and Garden Show @ Sussex County State Fair Grounds 
Started yesterday and ends Sunday March 17, 2013 from 10am-5pm. A show for garden-lovers produced by garden-lovers. Visitors will find great shopping and horticultural. A notable panel of speakers will present lectures on a wide variety of topics. The 'Kids plant your own zone' and a treasure hunt make it a kid friendly place. The Garden Cafe encourages visitors to linger while enjoying lunch, fine pastries, gourmet coffee, tea, and a wine bar. Have the winter blues? Springfest will help you get through these last cold gray days. For more info go to www.njstatefair.org/springfest

               Mind Body & Spirit Expo @ NJ Convention & Exposition Center
Run dates: March 15- March 17, 2013  This is the largest Natural Health and Human Expo in the Eastern U.S.  For more info please go to www.mindbodyspiritexpo.com

History:
            Macculloch Hall Historical Museum presents more than 20 examples of Presidential campaign images from the late nineteenth century with the exit Thomas Nast: President Maker & Campaign Breaker. Run dates: now till June 30, 2013.  www. Maccullochhall.org

Shows:
     Nuclear Cowboyz will be at the IZOD Center Sat. 3/16 & Sun. 3/17 
Nuclear Cowboyz are the only high octane-fueled freestyle motocross touring production in North America. Watch fearless genial feats, gravity- defying stunts, and electrifying pyrotechnic and laser displays. For tickets go to www.nuclearcowboyz.com

Good Eats:
      Murder Mystery Dinner @ Four Sisters Winery Sat. 3/16/13 5-8pm $53.50per person
Enjoy an evening of mystery, buffet-style meal and award winning wine. More info @ 

South Jersey Restaurant Week Sun. 3/17-Fri. 3/22 
Indulge in the taste of South Jerseys top independent restaurants. Enjoy full dining experience with four-course meals at more then 40 restaurants for only $35! ($25 at select restaurants) please visit 
www.sjhotchefs.com

Happy Weekend!!

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Do you have plans this weekend? Are you planning on going to any events? Do you live in another state and want it to be part on our TGIF series next week? We want to hear about it leave a comment in the section below!


Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Water, Water Everywhere, But Not a Drop to Drink

I want to start by saying that I have a history of insomnia. I've been pretty good with it the past couple years, but recently those sleepless nights have reared their ugly head again. But last night I had one of the best and restful slumbers in a long while. Because of these sleepless nights, I can't even remember the last time I had a dream. But last night was so strange. It wasn't a nightmare, or even one of those stressful dreams where you feel unsettled. I was completely content, but soooo thirsty. I couldn't quench my thirst. I kept drinking bottles of water and it was never enough. It was probably caused by the Cherry Coke I had last night, but it got me thinking...

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Everyday people are thirsty and don't have access to clean water. If you go more than 3 days without water, you will die. (I remember that from my trip to Stoke's in the 6th grade.."the rule of 3")

So how does this pertain to your wedding, you ask?

Charitable donations in lieu of favors or a gift registry. Modern couples have usually lived together for a good amount of time. The days when brides and their grooms rely on their registry to stock their homes with appliances and linens are long past. So a lot of today's couples are opting to give back. 

There are tons of resources online to make it easier on the couple to set up registries for making charitable donations. There are even sites that allow you to still register for that crystal gravy boat and when your Aunt Thelma purchases it, a donation is made to the charity of your choice or hers. 

Here are a few sites that will help navigate the process:
(The little blurbs are quoted directly from the sites.)

I Do Foundation - "Just like a gift registry, a Charity Registry informs your guests about your charitable preferences and guides their giving. When you create a Charity Registry, you may suggest a specific number of donation gifts, or you may allow any or all of your guests to make donations freely. You can specify a certain dollar amount for each donation, or allow your guests to choose the amount of their gifts."

Wedding Channel - "You can choose from over 100 charities including: American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, American Red Cross, Big Brothers/Big Sisters of America, Boys and Girls Club of America, Habitat For Humanity International, Humane Society of the United States, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society,National Center for Victims of Crime, National Wildlife Federation, The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation...and many more."

Charity Choice - "Our CharityChoice Gift Cards indeed provide a way for all of us to elevate how we do our gift-giving. We hope that we will now make it possible for everyone to add a charitable dimension to their special occasion; by giving a charity gift, whenever ...meaningful matters."



These are just a few of the organizations that offer registry and favor services, but there are a TON more out there. Find the one that speaks to you and your fiancee and GIVE!

Your wedding is a time for your friends and family to celebrate what's important to you. And an added bonus? Not only are you giving to an important cause of your choice, these gifts and favors are eco-friendly, if you go the "e-certificate" route, no paper, no gift wrap, no garbage!


There's water falling from the sky today. Bring your umbrella. 

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Would you use a charity registry or favors for your wedding? Do you know someone who has? What is your favorite cause to donate to? We want to hear about it!


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Monday, March 11, 2013

5 Manicure Ideas You're Going to Love

Hey guys! It's Monday again so take it easy and enjoy these 5 manicure inspiration shots. 

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Do you have any mani inspiration you'd like to share with us? Tell us in the comment section!



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Friday, March 8, 2013

Lovely Layers: Cakes in the Buff

I hate fondant. It's gross. Period.

I don't bake much. I cook. But once in a while I'll get the urge to bake a cake. Usually chocolate. I'm not a fan of baking, thus why I rarely have fresh-baked cake just laying around. All the waiting involved with the bake time and cooling and then icing. Most of the time I just slap some icing on the middle and top and spread it around a bit, not worrying about aesthetic. But! Apparently, my minimalist approach has become chic in the wedding world.

Have you heard about naked cakes? They've been gaining popularity over the past couple years and they are so unique! They lend a bit of rustic charm and are more cost effective. Fondant is expensive, people!

Did I mention it's also gross?

These cakes are beautiful. Lightly filled and frosted and NAKED! The sides aren't frosted. Sometimes they're powdered a bit. But, I like the way it looks without the powdery sugar. I would skip the cheeky cake topper and opt for a more sophisticated floral and fruit combo to adorn these luscious layers.


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I want to mention that if you decide to go this route for your cake, get creative with the cake flavor and filling options. Without all the fondant and butter cream, the cake is front and center so it better taste good!


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If this is your work, please notify me so I may give proper credit. 


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What do you think about going naked? Would you have a naked cake at your wedding? We want to hear your thoughts! Tell us in the comment section!
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