A lot of money and hard work goes into the preparations of planning a wedding. From booking the florist, photographer, DJ or band to finding the perfect ceremony and reception hall, and getting the invitations even the smallest of weddings can become a large ordeal. NJ Consumer Affairs has offered up some tips on how to avoid walking into a wedding day scam.

Source: newjerseynewsroom.com

How to prevent a dream wedding from becoming a nightmare

Planning a wedding can be fun and exciting, but it can also be a monumental task. Hiring a photographer, booking a reception hall, arranging for entertainment, making hotel arrangements for overnight guests – these may all be elements in making the day a success.

With wedding season approaching, the state Division of Consumer Affairs is offering a two-page brochure, “Planning Your Wedding: Tips to Avoid Scams”.

“At the Division of Consumer Affairs, our top priority is to empower New Jersey consumers,” state Acting Consumer Affairs Director Thomas R. Calcagni said. “Couples put enormous amounts of time and effort into planning the perfect wedding. Consumer Affairs is reminding them to take precautions to help ensure they create a day they’ll remember as one of the best in their lives – a memory that will not be marred by shoddy services or outright fraud.”

Calcagni said these tips are included in the brochure:

Contact the Division of Consumer Affairs to find out whether any potential vendor – such as a photographer, videographer, DH, band or caterer – has a history of consumer complaints, or has been cited for violating any consumer protection laws.

Take the time to carefully review every contract before signing. Note the terms of cancellation.

Remember that paying by credit card, as opposed to cash or other means, can generally help you resolve any future disputes.

Beware of wedding scams, such as phony exhibitions. Before paying to attend a bridal show, try to verify that the event is real by checking the organizer’s credentials or checking with the owners of the venue.

Before buying engagement or wedding rings, conduct your own research to learn about precious gem quality and ring settings. This will help you find the best deal to match your budget and your style.

Before buying a wedding gown, learn whether the seller is following Federal Trade Commission requirements on providing information about the garment’s fiber content and country of origin.

For more information, view the full Consumer Brief.

More information designed to help consumers protect themselves is offered free of charge at the State Division of Consumer Affairs NCPW website at www.njconsumeraffairs.gov.

Consumers who believe they have been cheated or scammed by a business, or suspect any other form of consumer abuse, can file a complaint with the State Division of Consumer Affairs by visiting its website, www.NJConsumerAffairs.gov, or by calling 1-800-242-5846 (toll free within New Jersey) or 973-504-6200.

Source: newjerseynewsroom.com

We’ve got a slew of new events going on in the next couple of months at Branches! If you’re planning your wedding or just looking for something fun to do make sure to check out all of our upcoming events.

Upcoming Events:

Tuesday, March 22, 2011 7:00pm: Summers Winery Wine & Food Sampler

One of California’s most highly-rated wineries is coming to Branches Catering!
We’ll be hosting a walk-around tasting with substantial appetizers and short plates led by Barbara Longué.
$42 per person plus 18% service and tax.
You can also purchase your favorite wines by the bottle after dinner and take them home with you at special savings!
To RSVP call 732.542.7790
To view full menu click here.

Wednesday, April 6, 2011: Branches Spring Bridal Showcase

Join us at Branches for our Spring Bridal Show! There will be lots of activities including:

• Runway Fashion Show
• Live Entertainment
• Prizes
• Sample Signature Dishes
• Receive Excellent Coupons
• Discounts and more!

Click to view the flyer.
Free Admission just register here!

Holiday Brunches at Branches!

Saturday, April 16th, 2011: Breakfast with the Easter BunnySunday, April 24th, 2011: Easter Brunch

Sunday, May 8th, 2011: Mother’s Day Brunch

For more information an all of these events and more view our upcoming events.

At Branches we love this timeless classic color palette of Wine, Mauve and Blush! The colors look great outdoors, like out in our waterfall garden, and also indoors, say… in our beautiful ballroom! Either way the colors are no comparison to the beauty of the bride at her wedding ceremony and reception.

Source: The Knot

Check out the hottest vintage wedding color combos that we’re obsessed with right now.

Perfect match for Branches Catering

Good for: Vintage garden weddings

Tips for pulling it off: Dress up this feminine color palette with crystal or pearl details, or dress it down with rustic fabrics like burlap and faded handkerchiefs.

Clockwise from top left: Marie Labbancz Photography, Antonis Achilleos, Jen Kroll Photography, Leigh Miller Photography, Justin and Mary Marantz, Dan & Anne Almasy, Simon Yao Studio

For the full article click here.

Whether it be a jersey shore ceremony or another off site catering location this couple definitely went one step further with their post-wedding  travels. They have been traveling around the world with the bride’s wedding dress in hand. Taking photographs in each new place, the dress has traveled more than 100,000 miles! They’ve just published a book of all the photos they have taken so far, but a second edition is planned for the future.

Source: nj.com

Jennifer Salvage’s wedding dress has traveled more than 100,000 miles and been worn 183 times — so far.

The dress goes with the former bride and her husband, Jeff Salvage, wherever their love of adventure is headed. The gown already has been worn hiking in the Swiss Alps, visiting the Great Wall of China, riding a camel in the Egyptian desert, bungee-jumping in New Zealand, and making a snow angel in Medford.

Not surprisingly, Jennifer Salvage was married in the gown.

She and her husband exchanged their vows in 2008 on remote Easter Island off the coast of South America.

Despite their heavily stamped passports, the couple’s latest adventure has been a foray into the publishing world.

They recently released “One Dress, One Woman, One World,” a book featuring a collection of photographs that shows the “bride” in various locations, both exotic and familiar. A written travel log accompanies the images taken by Jeff Salvage, a computer science professor at Drexel University and part-time photographer.

Their inspiration for the book derived from their own wedding, and the idea kept evolving.

“My husband asked me to get in the dress multiple times while we were on Easter Island,” Jennifer Salvage said.

A shared love of travel, nature and hiking subsequently led the township residents to other corners of the world. Each time, they took the dress.

“We realized we were on to something,” Jennifer Salvage said.

The “unofficial” photographer for the national race walking team and author of several books about the sport, Jeff Salvage directed a model for the first time with this project. A guidance counselor at Strath Haven High School in Wallingford, Pa., Jennifer Salvage also was taken out of her comfort zone by posing for the images.

“I’m not a model, and it’s not something that comes naturally to me,” she said. “Although the shots are glamorous, the photo shoots are not.”

At the Adventure Aquarium in Camden, one of several local shoots, the couple stepped into a stingray tank. In New Zealand, they hiked for four days in the pouring rain and were rewarded with a rainbow.

In Luxor, Egypt, camera lights were prohibited and the Salvages were allowed to take just one photograph before being told to leave. A fellow traveler on a cruise offered to lend Jennifer Salvage jewelry after the couple realized they didn’t have a necklace for their shoot.

“Usually we’re greeted with kindness and help,” Jeff Salvage said. “I’ve been traveling to Third World countries for 10 years. We always ask. We don’t want to offend anybody.”

Jennifer Salvage said many people stop to watch the sessions, believing she’s getting married.

“A lot of people wanted a photo with the bride, which was flattering and sweet,” she said.

Wear and tear has taken its toll on the wedding dress, for which Jennifer Salvage paid less than $400 plus the cost of alterations. But the gown appears pure white and unblemished in the photographs.

For the full article click here.

We can’t all be princesses but at least we can feel like one on our wedding day! Here are some helpful tips from Allure!

Looks like my childhood fantasy of becoming a princess was crushed yesterday with the official announcement of Prince William’s engagement to long-time girlfriend Kate (now to be known as Catherine) Middleton…tear. While I will be spending the next couple of months coming to terms with the reality of the situation, I’m sure Middleton will be busy planning her royal nuptials–and while things like the location and a majority of the guests will be chosen for her, she’ll get to make the decisions on her hair, makeup, and nails. She has great taste, and she’ll be getting the best of the best to help beautify her for the special day—but for us commoners, the process isn’t always easy. Here are a few expert tips on how to prep for your wedding day, that even a prospective princess should follow:

Hair

Book a consultation and a trial beforehand so you know exactly what to expect. After the initial appointment you should feel confident and beautiful, not uncertain. Then, take your style for a spin. If it collapses or begins to fall out, tell your stylist—it could be a sign your vision needs a revision.

Makeup

If you’re going to book a pro, it’s no different than getting your hair done—go for a test-run a week or two before the wedding (the same goes for if you’re doing it yourself). Make sure to give the makeup artist as much detail about the event as possible (the location, how formal it is), as well as your everyday makeup preferences. If they suggest something you’re not feeling, speak up. “Ultimately, it’s your big day. You want to look back at the photographs fondly, not full of rage,” says makeup artist Chrisanne Davis.

Nails

Ji Baek, founder of Rescue Beauty Lounge in New York City, suggests getting your manicure the day before your wedding, and our editors agree: “You are going to have a million things to do on the actual day, and you don’t want to be dealing with wet nails,” contributing editor Allure Alyssa Kolsky Hertzig says. “Just be extra careful that you don’t chip, so bring along a bottle of nail polish on the actual day for emergency touch-ups.” Choosing a pale pink or beige will also help since it will be much less noticeable if you do nick your nails—and you won’t regret it later, as you might if you went for a more trendy color.

Self-tanning

Wearing white can make pale skin look even more washed-out, but an orange faux tan can leave you Snookified. So if you’re going to use a self-tanner or get a spray tan, try it out several weeks before the big day. It takes time to figure out which faux tanning option works best for you.

For the bridesmaids

Word of advice, Kate: you may be in line to be Queen of England one day, but that doesn’t mean it’s okay to dictate what your bridesmaids should look like at your wedding. “All of your bridesmaids looking the exact same is too much too ask, and not everyone is flattered by the same hairstyle or makeup shades,” Allure beauty director Amy Keller Laird says. “Plus you don’t want them to look like robotrons either.”

Source: Allure