The perfect wedding dress should make the bride feel like a princess on her wedding day! That said,  Branches Catering found a great compilation of designers to keep in mind when searching for the dress of your dreams! We hope this helps you find “the dress” for your wonderful wedding day!

Source: eleGALA.com

We teamed up with Stylist Beth Chapman of The White Dress by the Shore to compile a list of eight wedding gown designers, both new and old, doing amazing things in the world of bridal fashion.

Marchesa

A household name in the world of fashion, designer Georgina Chapman just brought her beloved couture to bridal this past year. Known for her meticulously crafted gowns boasting intricate details, Chapman’s new line has all of that and more. She embraces floral appliqués, flirty ruffles, soft feathers, and long, flowing chiffon fit for a goddess. Every gown screams high fashion while remaining wearable.

Ivy & Aster

Ivy & Aster’s refreshing, quirky personality and soft, ethereal designs have landed them a spot among the elite in the world of couture bridal fashion. This designing duo has shared a lifelong friendship and brings a personal touch to the design and distribution of their gowns by cultivating strong connections with its brides, fans, and shops through social media, sharing with them a line that gives a down-to-earth personality to tiered tulle skirts, simple silk chiffon, and ruched sweetheart bodices.

Lilly Pulitzer

This iconic designer exemplifies the preppy lifestyle and has taken that landmark look to bridal. You’ll notice classic Lilly P prints in white on white or characteristic colors, like pink, hiding under an ivory lace overlay. The line offers a variety of styles that suit many types of weddings, from casual to elegant, while also offering options for showers, luncheons, and rehearsal dinners. You can expect to see short, lace dresses with capped sleeves, gowns sporting big satin bows, and a sheer boatneck or two.

Sarah Seven

Whimsical fairy princess fashion is one way to describe the designs of Portland, Oregon–based, Sarah Seven. Delicate fabrics like Swiss dot tulle, blossoming ruffles, and gently pleated waistlines characterize her 2011 spring collection. With a focus on the feminine, Sarah Seven finds inspiration in vintage designs but gives everything a modern look. She uses all-natural fabrics, like silk, wool, and cotton voile. To top off her seemingly flawless profile, five percent of all sales go to charity.

Claire Pettibone

Each season, Claire Pettibone delivers a collection comprised of couture gowns that push the bridal fashion boundaries. Her continuing collection features styles like Chantilly, Cherry Blossom, and Kristene, which can be seen on the pages – and often covers – of major wedding publications. The newest collection, Spirit of the Night, is wildly ethereal and opulent with sparkling, floral embellishments, illusion necklines, romantic sheaths, and blouson sleeves.

Monique Lhuillier

This red-carpet regular is known for much more than dressing the stars. Her bridal line is one of the most unique and exciting, yet it consistently provides very wearable designs, from short and playful dresses to full-skirted ball gowns and the sheaths in between. Her embellishments are often lavish, but many of her designs let the fabric speak for itself. This season, crystal-embellished keyhole necklines, tufted skirts, and elegant corsets grace the Lhuillier runway.

Modern Trousseau

Stylists say that almost every bride could find a gown to love in the Modern Trousseau collection. Manufactured in Connecticut, this line has made a name for itself all over the world. Each design, though remaining fresh, seems to invoke the inner-child who dreamed of looking like a princess on her wedding day. Classic silhouettes incorporate textured lace, full tulle skirts, and satin belts or bows. Don’t overlook Modern Trousseau accessories. Their belts, boleros, and veils make for stylish additions to almost any gown.

Anne Barge

Anne Barge has been designing wedding gowns for years, but her most recent collection is making a splash with sophisticated, vintage designs for the modern bride. The collection includes a 1950s-style ball gown inspired by the dress originally worn by Jacqueline Onassis on her wedding day. It features smooth silk taffeta, a natural waist accented by a ruched belt, and a ball gown skirt of light-catching pleats embellished with large taffeta flowers. The chapel train that follows this gown down the aisle is truly fit for royalty.

For more tips on planning your wedding, click here.

Planning a wedding is no easy task, so choosing credible, knowledgeable vendors can be extremely stressful. You want a picture-perfect wedding so you deserve the perfect pictures to remember it by. Branches Catering wants to help you select the best photographer for your wedding using these tips provided by eleGALA.com! Read carefully and choose wisely! And remember, memories are made in a moment, but photos last a lifetime!

Source: eleGALA.com

Consider this advice on hiring the right wedding photographer before signing on the dotted line.

Many brides are comfortable with such priorities as reception site or catering selection, but may not be as familiar with the process of hiring the right wedding photographer. Wedding photography is one of the most important aspects of your day; consider these important tips before making your choice.

Find the Right Wedding Photography Pro

The Selection Process

Start by compiling a list of potential photographers and commence the meet and greet. Browsing through our list of Preferred Local Wedding Photographers is a great way to start. When meeting with potential photographers, you’ll need to consider the following.

Chemistry

Brides often underestimate the importance of the photographer’s personality, yet this person will end up being a very personal guest at your most important event. Evaluate carefully whether you feel comfortable with this person. Some of the most beautiful moments happen behind the scenes – while the bride is dressing, while the couple steals a kiss – and you should feel comfortable inviting the photographer to capture these moments. First find a wedding photographer you like as a person, then evaluate the artistic criteria.

Review the Portfolio

Seasoned wedding photographers have what is called a “book,” which is a portfolio of their best work. Evaluating a photographer’s portfolio depends on your own stylistic and artistic preferences. His or her work should match your tastes and style. Make sure the images speak to you and reflect your personal visions for your wedding day. Look for crisp images, thoughtful composition, and good lighting. Also ask to see the shots from a complete wedding, that way you can see it all – not just the highlights – and you will have a better feel for his or her ability to capture your day.

Questions to Ask

Before hiring your wedding photographer, make sure you have answered these important questions.

Who will be taking the pictures?

Make sure that the photographer whose portfolio you review will be the actual person who takes the pictures at your wedding. The person whose name is on the contract should be the same person you met with. Some contracts claim the studio’s right to send any staff photographer to your wedding. Do not sign if you do not agree with this policy.

What is the photographer’s primary style?

Make sure your photographer knows exactly what you want. Do you want mostly journalistic style or formal poses? Many photographers claim to do both, but in reality, most are better at one or the other, so make sure you know his or her strengths and background to ensure you get the wedding photos you want.

Do you shoot mostly in color, black and white, or both?

While some images call for color, other moments are best captured in black and white. Your photographer should have experience with both and be able to customize to meet your needs.

What’s included?

Photographers often offer package prices or hourly options. If you choose a package, make sure you know what is included. Will you get a disc of the images or will you have to purchase them from a site where the photographer hosts them? Is an album included? If you go with someone hourly, ask the same questions so you know how much it will cost to actually obtain your images.

Are you familiar with the location?

Your photographer should be familiar with the ceremony and reception site so that he or she can quickly and efficiently capture the best shots.

Who are your references?

Call each reference and ask whether or not the person was satisfied with the overall experience and received the desired photos.

Working Together

Once you have found the wedding photographer with the skill set, style, vision, and personality to suit your needs, you must schedule follow-up meetings to discuss specifics and plan your wedding photography. Together you will decide how many hours your photographer will spend at your wedding, your overall vision, and specific photo suggestions.

Plan Your Album

Define and articulate your expectations and desires. You should discuss everything with your photographer prior to the wedding to ensure you get the wedding album you envision. Visualize in advance what your wedding photos will look like. Consider whether you foresee black and white or color. Do you prefer a soft touch or crisp sharp images? Do you like matte or glossy finish? With or without borders? You get the picture. Our list of creative wedding pictures is a good starting point in determining the photos you want in your album.

Plan the wedding day photography from beginning to end. Try to visit the location with your photographer to preview the site. This will help determine lighting conditions, photo locations, and alternatives in case of inclement weather.

Let the photographer know the sequence of activities and who, what, when, and where you want to photograph. Your photographer is not a mind reader and will not inherently know who your Aunt Tilly is and the importance of capturing a photo of the two of you.

Get Everything in Writing

To avoid any confusion, all of the details that you have painstakingly discussed should be in writing. Read the contract carefully, especially the fine print.

For the full article, click here.

Balancing a career, family and your social life can be difficult enough, so throwing a wedding into the mix can be quite overwhelming. Branches Catering found some great tips on eleGALA.com to help you stay sane while managing wedding-planning, your career and your personal life.

Source: eleGALA.com

Ensure your professional life doesn’t suffer while you’re in wedding-planning mode…

Planning a wedding is essentially a full-time job, and if you’re already a busy professional, guess what? Your workweek doubled the moment you said “yes,” and the delicate balance between your professional and personal lives is in danger of collapsing. So how can you juggle your career and your wedding without losing your sanity?

Your Daily Planner is Your Best Friend

Getting organized is the best way to avoid missteps and their accompanying headaches. Appointment books or electronic planners are literally the bottom line when it comes to organizing your work and personal life. There it is, right in front of you, a complete visualization of your day, week, or month. Use iCloud or your Google account to sync all your calendars so when you enter an appointment in your phone, it automatically shows up on your computer and tablet. You can also color code all of your entries so you can easily differentiate between work and wedding.

Stay Organized

If you have a method of organization that works at work, use it for your wedding. Take control of your all checklists with an organizational system you can stick to. Google Docs is great because you can access it from any computer, Smart Phone, of tablet, but if you aren’t a tablet toting, spreadsheet-loving bride then an old-fashioned three-ring binder will definitely work.

Divide and Conquer

Surfing the ’net for bouquet ideas while on the phone with an important client is generally a bad idea. Instead, segment your day into times when you are solely focused on work and solely focused on the wedding; letting one intrude on the other can slow you down. Designate your lunch hour for calling vendors or 30 minutes in the afternoon to look for dress ideas. If you’re taking time out of your workday, plan ahead to arrive early or stay late to make up for any lost time.

Maximize Free Time

You’ve got a lot on your plate, so what was once “free time” may now have to be used more productively. Try to swipe some items from your to-do list after hours. Instead of vegging on the couch during Grey’s Anatomy, use this time to multitask. An easy chore like addressing save-the-dates or organizing your Pinterest boards can be done in your pjs without missing any of the action on TV.

Don’t Be Afraid to Delegate

Your fiancé is your greatest untapped resource; divide wedding-planning tasks evenly between the two of you. (It’s his wedding, too, you know.) Then delegate even further. Accept help from anyone who offers, especially bridesmaids. Give small tasks to immediate family members or bridal attendants (key word is small – don’t turn former friends into resentful full-time wedding planners).

Hire a Wedding Planner

Sure, we know you can do it all on your own, but do you really want to? Lower your stress level by hiring a professional wedding planner. If you don’t want to give it all up, consider talking to a professional about how they can help with the parts that feel overwhelming. Most wedding planners offer a whole slue of services from décor design to simple day-of coordination, so you can pick and choose what services suit your needs.

Take a Break

Kicking up your heels as your task list exponentially expands may sound a tad indulgent, but allowing yourself some time to rejuvenate is essential to avoid burnout. Some downtime will even make you more efficient. Have you ever tried going for a morning run without a good night’s sleep the night before? The same applies here. What activities comprised your freetime before the career versus wedding juggling act seized your soul? Reading? Hiking? Painting? Don’t let those activities slip; take that time to yourself and enjoy the relaxation that comes with doing something that you enjoy.

Don’t Be Afraid To Ask

So you’ve organized, compartmentalized, multitasked, delegated, and rejuvenated, but you still find that there just aren’t enough hours in the day, and your work is suffering. Don’t ignore the problem and hope it goes unnoticed. Schedule a meeting with your boss to discuss your situation. Avoid blanket complaints about being too busy and unfounded requests for time off. Instead, present the problem and possible solutions. Explain the job duties that are suffering, and share with your boss ideas for how you can accomplish them more efficiently.

For the full article, click here.

Branches Catering offers a list of wedding professionals that we have worked with before and are the best in the business. For your wedding day we know you want it to be special. That’s why we offer a wedding specialist to help book your wedding with this Jersey Shore catering and reception hall. We have also found that these apps can help you in your planning process.

Source: Huffington Post Weddings

Planning the wedding of your dreams can be stressful… and overwhelming! From the food to the finishing touches (and yes, a pushy family member or two) many gals need a way to keep it all in check!

Now, a growing number of brides are ditching the chunky wedding planning binder and saying ‘I do’ to their smartphones!

Today, a range of wedding planning applications are available for mobile devices. They “vow” to help with everything from picking out wedding rings to decorating the venue.  Anja Winikka with TheKnot.com says they put the power of a planner at your fingertips.

“They’re there for brides on-the-go, so that they can plan their wedding wherever they want and however they want!”

It all starts with a picture perfect dress. Both the Brides Magazine Wedding Genius and the Wedding Dress Look Book showcase thousands of different styles. You can browse by categories like price, designer and silhouette.

Bookmark your favorites, then click a button to find out which local stores stock them.

If finding a ring is your thing, Sally Kilbridge with Brides Magazine recommends the Tiffany Ring Finder. (Because what girl doesn’t love a little blue box?) Search by metal, style and even diamond shape. It comes packed with a slew of sparkling ideas, and is also great for guys!

“What’s really cool about it is that if you’ve got a boyfriend who is thinking of proposing to you, all he has to do is get a hold of one of your current rings, put it right down on the iPhone, and he can actually get your wedding ring size,” says Kilbridge.

To keep your to-do’s in order, download My Mobile Checklist.

Use it to view reminders and stay on top of wedding day tasks, whether you’re at home or out-and-about. (Or, ahem, at work.)

Have a burning wedding question? Wedding 911 has the answer! Think of it as a virtual message board and support system. Not only can you ask for advice from other brides-to-be, you can scroll through over 150 top Q and A’s from TheKnot.com editors.

“The community of brides on 911 are talking about a huge range of topics, everything from the hottest color combos to where should mom and dad stand in the receiving line to a little bit of wedding day drama,” says Winikka.

When it comes to decorations, Color Toy can help you develop a pretty palette. Simply choose your color of choice and this app will serve up all the complementary combos.

“You can use them for your flowers. You can use them for your bridesmaid dresses. You can use them for your tablecloths. You can actually create a very sophisticated looking day just based on your favorite color,” says Kilbridge.

And for all the extras, download Etsy Addict. It puts the largest online marketplace of handcrafted goodies right in your pocket. You can find everything from a ring pillow made out of moss to a Lego constructed cake topper to a peacock feather boutonniere.

While wedding applications like these are convenient and fun, remember: You’ll never find one that will adjust your veil on the big day! Still, Kilbridge and Winikka say they do a great job of helping brides stay sane.

These applications range in price from free to $2.99.

For the full article click here.

Your wedding is bound to be one of the most memorable days of your life as well as your significant other’s.  When planning a wedding, hiring a quality photographer is necessarily to make sure those memories don’t fade away over the years. Quinns Wedding Cars out of the UK has compiled a list of fantastic tips to help you get the most out of your wedding photographer which we’ve posted below. Make sure to keep these tips in mind and let  Branches Catering handle all of your wedding needs to help make your day one to remember forever.

Source: Quinns Wedding Cars

A photographer is an absolute must at any wedding, as you’ll hopefully want to savor the memories for years to come. Photographs are arguably the best medium for saving memories.

But how do you get the best work out of your photographer? Well its mainly down to preparation, and choosing the right photographer based on his experience and skill level.

The following tips will also help to get better results on the day:

Arrange an Interview with Your Photographer

Make sure that you get an interview with your photographer before the wedding to ensure he will be able to complete the job to your specifications and taste.

You may want to ask him to bring along examples of photographs that he has taken in the past so you can check if his style is what you want your wedding photographs to look like.

Help your Photographer out!

At the interview you will also need help the photographer by revealing as much detail about your day as possible. Let him to understand how events will roll out and where you would expect him to be at specific times.

You may also want to give him any tips on locations that would be good for photographs. Is there a picturesque garden near the church that you would like some photos in…? All these tip-offs will help you to get the best possible photos out of your photographer.

Let Your Photographer be Creative

Remember that a photographer will probably have many years experience in his field, so you need to trust his skill and allow him to complete his work without restraining his creativity too much.

Understand the photographers background and look at any examples that he may have. Look at his style carefully and see if that’s what you want your photos to be like.

Very often photographers will inadvertently create a style, and this will be hard to change just for your day, so choose carefully.

Choose a Photographer That Communicates

You’ll want to make sure you hire a photographer that communicates well. If a certain location isn’t working well, you need a photographer that will have the confidence to tell you. You’ll also need to regularly communicate with him on the day to make sure he’s getting on ok.

Be polite and instructive and allow his creativity to shine. This, as well as the tips above, will help to improve the quality of your wedding photographs and get the results that you want!

For the original article: click here