JP Event Design Inspiration

2011-02-03T10:56:00.001-08:00

Wedding at the Aquarium!

2010-05-10T11:27:00.001-07:00

It's always nice to receive compliments from our clients, especially when they tell us how the wedding could not have been the same without us! A couple of weeks ago, I had the pleasure of working an amazing wedding at the Camden Aquarium's Currents Ballroom. The staff was wonderful, the atmosphere was gorgeous, and the bride was stunning... can't ask for much more than that. Below is the thank you note that we received from the bride's mother and I will be posting some photos this week - be sure to check them out. Congratulations Manny and Zorina - thank you for allowing us to be part of your amazing wedding!

“Judy, I can't begin to tell you how pleased we were with your services. I know it's routine for you but I felt you went above and beyond what I expected. It was a beautiful wedding and I know it was in part to your efforts keeping everything running smoothly. Everyone did enjoy themselves and we received many compliments. I can't thank you and your assistant enough. I will definitely recommend your services to all our family and friends. It was a pleasure to work with you as well.”

Zoraida
Mother of the Bride 4-24-10

Tina&Steve's Modern Loft Wedding

2010-02-25T13:54:00.000-08:00

We're so excited to finally show you some photos from Tina&Steve's modern loft wedding at RAW in Reading, PA!

Photos by Dave Zerbe

Another insider tip from Judy Moore!

2010-02-19T05:24:00.000-08:00

Another great insider tip is to take photos before the ceremony. If you can get past the tradition of the groom not seeing the bride before the wedding, this is a great opportunity to free up some time to actually enjoy your reception. Taking couples photos before the ceremony allows the bride and groom to have some fun together before the wedding and to enjoy each other and loosen up before walking down the aisle. Choose a place or two that are unique or special to the two of you – somewhere you probably wouldn’t have a chance to take pictures on a regular day.

An amazing event at PAFA

2010-01-25T12:43:00.000-08:00

I just thought I would take a minute to write about the extraordinary bridal event at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts that we hosted on Saturday night. Everything was lovely, the ambiance, the lighting, the music, the models, the vendor displays... everything! We got so many compliments on our event and how classy and original it was - no tacky hotel bridal show with bad food and boring runway shows for us!! No way - this was definitely a sophisticated event with world class vendors in a one of a kind venue and we couldn't be happier with how it turned out. Special thanks to JP Event Design's Josie Molas for all of her hard work and dedication to make this event successful. She was the behind the scenes brilliance that made everything go off without a hitch and since us planners are rarely recognized for our efforts, I wanted to make sure she knows how much she is appreciated. Kudos to an event well done!
~Judy Moore
owner JP Event Design

June Wedding at Cairnwood

2010-01-14T06:30:00.001-08:00

We are so excited to finally be sharing with you the beautiful photos from Emily and Tevor's wedding at Cairnwood, Enjoy!

Photos by Michelle King

Bridal Open House

2010-01-07T10:15:00.001-08:00

Don't forget to Mark your calender for JP Event's Bridal Open House at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts!

Come and meet some of Philadelphia's top vendors, take a tour of breath-taking Landmark building and enjoy a cocktail and hors d'oeuvres complimentary from Jimmy Duffy Catering! Have the chance to hop into one of Go Festive's trendy photobooths, talk to the creative minds behind Two Paper Dolls, and see make up demonstrations by one of Philly's top salons!

Don't forget to stop by our table and say hi - we'd love to talk to you about how to make your day memorable and stress-free!

New Years Day Wedding at Melt

2010-01-04T06:49:00.000-08:00

We absoloutly adored being apart of Aaron and Natalie's new year's day wedding at the fabulous Melt Restaurant. We couln't think of of a better way to start out the new year!

Photos are by the fabulous Element Photography

Check out this "thank you note" we got from the brides sister/Maid of Honor...

"I had to send you an email and just let you know what an awesome affair you put together and pulled off. Natalie very much wanted a "party" and this was sooo untraditional for my mom that she had a tough time wrapping her head around everything and understanding what Natalie wanted. With your assistance, Natalie got exactly what she wanted and more. The venue was awesome, the photographers were great, the food was spectular. I've seen some pictures that friends have taken as well as a teaser forwarded by Adrienne and WOW is all I can say !!

I can only imagine the amount of pressure on you the day of these events but I gotta say - you are COOL as a cucumber working with some many different people and personalities !! You did an awesome job !!! Thanks for your attention to all of the details and thanks for making 1-1-10 an unforgettable night for Natalie and Aaron and our family !!"

Animoto.com

2009-12-30T09:53:00.001-08:00

Another Insider Tip!

2009-12-19T10:32:00.000-08:00

Time for another installment of "insider tips" from owner and operator of JP Event Design - Judy Moore!

• Have your reception at a RESTAURANT! Yes, I said a restaurant. As a former director of events for one of Philadelphia’s premier restaurants, I know firsthand how much money brides can save by having their reception at a restaurant. Restaurants are one stop shops – the venue, food, and beverage is all included in one price – no hidden rental fees, bartender fees, catering fees. Etc. Usually restaurant chef’s can accommodate any menu, not just the menu they serve on a regular basis. Also, there are SO many unique restaurants in Philadelphia – the list is almost endless, from tropical themed, upscale, modern, classic, urban, chic, you can find a Philadelphia restaurant that will totally reflect your style. Not to mention, how much you will save on décor! Restaurants spend tons of money on decor – you will barely have to do a thing – the ambiance, lighting, and style are already built in. My favorite new restaurant in Philly is Union Trust – a former US Mint building converted into a stunning restaurant complete with original century old architecture completely restored – its is gorgeous – a perfect choice for a reception or rehearsal dinner. Another favorite – MELT in Center Valley, PA.

See photos and get inspiration from Lisa & Rob's wedding that took place at Marsha Brown's Restaurant in New Hope, PA!

Chase's Bar Mitzvah

2009-12-11T11:58:00.000-08:00

We were so excited to be apart of such a special day for Chase and his family.
In keeping with the sports theme of the party, we custom designed posters, which were signed by all of the guests. The centerpieces consisted of jerseys, miniature hockey sticks and baseball bats as well as pennants from some of Chase's favorite teams. We also custom designed the place cards with photos of Chase to give them an "official ticket" feel!

We were so happy to be part of the day - Mozel Tov Chase!

All photos were by the amazing Adrienne from Element Photography.

BEST OF PA 2009!

2009-12-11T11:45:00.001-08:00

We are so proud to announce that we have won a spot as on the of The Knot's Best of PA 2009 Wedding Planners!

Pick up your copy today and look for us in the spring/summer 2010 in the best of section as well as insider tips from Judy Moore!

You're Invited!

2009-11-27T08:34:00.000-08:00

RSVP and recieve a free gift and be entered to win door prizes! send RSVP to Josie@JPEventDesign.com with your name and the number in your party.

Insider Tips

2009-11-03T11:14:00.000-08:00

We'd like to introduce our new weekly series of "Insider Tips"!

The most important insider tip I can give to brides is to hire a wedding planner, no matter what your budget! First and foremost a wedding planner will alleviate your wedding day stresses – brides should not have to worry about the insane amount of details that need tending to on the wedding day. A good wedding planner will take care of all of the details, ensuring that your event is perfect and if there are any unexpected issues that arise, the planner will take care of it – the bride should never even know if anything was less than perfect! Secondly, a wedding planner can save you thousands – we know the value of goods and services for weddings – we will find and get the best rates in the industry and pass along the savings to you – these savings will far surpass your investment in a planner. A planner may cost a few thousand dollars, but a stress free wedding is PRICELESS!!!

Stay tuned for more tips!

Lisa & Rob's October Wedding

2009-10-27T08:41:00.000-07:00

Lisa & Rob are an amazing couple. They both have such fun and lovely spirits and can light up any room! We are so glad we were able to be apart of their day and help some of their wedding-dreams come true!

Photography: Element Photography
Venue: Marsha Brown's Restaurant

Sneak Peak: Lisa and Rob

2009-10-26T18:44:00.000-07:00

Photo by Element Photography

October Inspiration

2009-10-20T16:46:00.000-07:00

We are so excited to show you our October Inspiration that took place at the beautiful Valenzano Winery.

Take a cue from the fall season by pairing dark, rich colors with bright golds.

Hanging flowers with candle votives can provide a unique atmosphere for outdoor weddings.

You want to look beautiful on your wedding day. Keep your make up simple and natural, you don't want to look back on photos and see a different person in your wedding dress! Our lovely model's make-up was done by the talented Wendy Kaplowitz-Gutkin.

Adding unique but natural elements like cranberries can take your bouquet from typical to something that's uniquely your own. The gorgeous bouquet and floral arrangement were done by Mark and Darlene at Hairy Mary's.

Show off your fun personalities for opting over a unique classic car over the typical limo ride.

All these beautiful photos were done by the talented Adirenne from Element Photography

Pink and Chocolate

2009-10-13T09:07:00.001-07:00

I love that pink is one of those colors you can find a way to use almost year-round. For the fall and winter a champagne pink paired with a nice chocolate brown is so lovely. I couldn't help but fall in love with this gorgeous Vera Wang dress and take some inspiration from it - enjoy!

Top Row : My Ugly Kitty, MaryWibis, StyleMePretty
Center Row: Baked in the City, Flickr, lilfishstudios
Bottom Row: CoutureShocked, BeSomethingNew, Martha Stewart Weddings

Harvest Inspiration Board

2009-10-09T13:56:00.000-07:00

Isn't the bright orange that you find everywhere during fall just so inspiring? I love it!

from top left: 1. Orange Christian Louboutin Heels, Photo by Charlotte Geary Photography, Dress by Vera Wang, Cookie Favors found via Beautiful Bride, Harvest Spread from Brides, Pumpkin table cards - photography by Laura Novak, Pumpkin pie by Goodhousekeeping, Cake from RealSimple, monogramed pumpkin found via WeddingBee

Yellow Bridal Shower

2009-10-02T07:30:00.000-07:00

Yellow can be such a versatile color. Put it with pink and you've got a great spring party, put it with green and it's fit for a summer bash. When it comes to fall there's so many great things you can do with yellow. It looks great as a compliment to orange, but my favorite recent trend is to let it pop as the main color with black, grey and white as back ups to it.

Bridal showers are can be so much fun to plan and equally as fun to attend. Heres some of my favorite inspirations for a fall yellow bridal shower...

[clockwise from top left]

-Love these homemade jam ideas as favors - so cute! [found via rockandrollbride]
-With the cold weather upon us in north it's a great excuse to make it a tea party and have bowls of lemon both for tea and for decoration! [ben blood photography]
-Yum! scones are a great sweet treat to serve with that tea [Martha Stewart]
-LOVE these invites be Mermag!
-How adorable is this headband from HouseofTelsa? oh how I love etsy!
-How about setting up a little buffet of sweets to munch on during the party? [found via liveyourstyle]
-How much do you love this vintage inspired dress by modcloth? so chic!
-Don't forget to stand back and enjoy the party! [photo by Katherine Elizabeth]

Sneak Peak: Tina&Steve's Modern Loft Wedding

2009-09-26T06:06:00.000-07:00

Here's a quick sneak peak of Tina&Steve's fabulous wedding in Reading, PA this past weekend...

More to come!

Fall Inspiration Board

2009-09-22T19:30:00.000-07:00

While some, like me, mourn the quick retreat of the summer, others look forward to months of building snow men and drinking hot chocolate. No matter who you are, if you live in the north you can't help but noticing the vibrant colors gracing the trees and scattering itself all over roads and farmers fields.

(clockwise from top left)

-These pumpkin candle votives are a great and easy DIY idea for unique centerpieces
-Maie and Jim's wedding has so many inspiring ideas for a harvest wedding. I adore these little table cards!
-Lanterns are always fun and definitely bring in a little halloween spirit without being cheesey!
-flowers
-Orange calla lilies are so classic and fun, don't you think?
-Nothing like creating a fall inspired "starry night" of your own
-I love the bridesmaids dresses at this wedding, so fun!
-Looking for another color to add in to the obvious mix of oranges, browns and greens? tiel can is a fun contrast that adds a pop of unexpected color - these shoes are too cute!
-Theres that tiel again, this time topping this fantastic cake all covered in fall leaves
-Brides are begining to break the boundries of white and add a little color to the traditional wedding dress. Why not try a something like this gorgeous dress by Teri Jon, everyone will be talking about how fabulous it was for months!

September Inspiration at the Aquarium!

2009-09-14T19:04:00.000-07:00

Hey Brides-To-Be! Danielle here again and with some awesome new pictures from my Inspiration photo shoot. So instead of a typical wedding photo shoot, I decided to base mine on a Sweet Sixteen/Bat Mitzvah, but I think that the décor could go for just about any fun event. I also wanted to feature only vendors from South Jersey, because that was where I am from and I wanted to show that there are great vendors outside of Philadelphia too.

Now for my theme. I wanted to do something totally out of the ordinary and find a venue that offers something a little different than the huge ballrooms or garden weddings. I had heard that there was a space at the Adventure Aquarium in Camden, New Jersey that looked right into a shark tank. As soon as I found out about the venue, my mind was made up and I couldn’t imagine of a more fun place to design an event for. My theme was Under the Sea, which could have turned out pretty kitschy/tacky if taken to the extreme, but I chose coral as my main styling element and I tried to stay away from the ‘fish’ aspect that would have been easy to fall into.

Currents Ballroom offers a great space and offers all kinds of amenities to its Brides, including an in-house caterer and amazing service! Stacy is the facility coordinator there and she was awesome and so helpful! She even hooked me up with an amazing lighting tech from DynamiteFX, named Doug. I have officially decided that the right lighting can make or break the perfect event. Doug was beyond helpful with everything the day of shoot, he set-up a bunch of pin-spots on the floral arrangement and cake, a gobo (a lit-up monogram), a lighting water effect, and a lighted curtain! The lighted curtain really made the room, which is for the most part gray. The curtain allowed us to bring in a lot of light AND virtually change the color of the room! They even up-lit the place card table and ended up helping out the photographer, Gary from AC Photo, for some of the shots.

There are many things that go into producing a successful event, as I learned through this photo shoot, but I cannot tell you how important it is to have great vendors; and I really did have some of the absolute best!
Jill and Stephen from the Sweet Life Bakery are probably the greatest cake designers ever! Josie had used them for her inspiration and they were gracious enough to help me out with mine too! They created a cake that was covered with coral and Jill handmade the cake-topper!

Another great vendor was my florist, David, from The Flower Shoppe Ltd. He designed the florals and the base that was beyond cool. Judy, Laura, and I were all blown away by the way he put star fish and coral garland in the base of the vase!

However, you can’t have a great table without great linens. Howard and Chuck at Event Rentals Ltd. were great with helping me pick out linens. Now I think that chair covers are pretty, but I think they are pretty dated too, so offered the suggestion to just use sashes – it adds the color with a modern flair. I used plain polyester linens with a sheer overlay to add some shimmer.

Now it all comes down to dress, as always. Like I said my photo shoot did have a more Sweet Sixteen vibe to it, but we went to a great dress shop called Rissy Roo, the owner Marissa helped me pick out a dress for my model Gia. Rissy Roo was a HUGE selection of dresses ranging from bridesmaid dresses to casual sundresses, but the one that we picked out for the photo shoot was absolutely perfect. The bright coral color really popped against all the blue in the room and even more important Gia felt like a movie star.

For this photo shoot I did end up creating and making a lot of things. I made the place cards/party favors and the table number myself with some cardstock and red rock candy that looked like coral. With the economy the way it is, the DYI projects are becoming more popular and I think that they end up looking even better than anything you can purchase pre-made.

Overall I think that the photo shoot turned out as a great success and I think that I was able to offer a view to an Under the Sea theme that hasn’t been done already and staying about from the totally typical ‘beachy’ themes. Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed some of these great pictures and can get some inspiration of your own from here for your future event!

2009-08-18T09:32:00.000-07:00

If you're just beginning to plan your wedding I'm sure your full of excitement, looking for inspiration everywhere and trying to decide on what your wedding will be like. Everything thats with a theme, but more importantly, colors. The colors will set the tone of your wedding and help you decide on everything invitations to decorations, to bridesmaids dresses and flowers.

One of the hardest and most fun courses I've taken in college has been Color Theory and Design. I spent countless amounts of hours mixing colors and sifting through color-aid paper to find the right hues, tints and shades for each project. My professor always said that either your a natural "colorist" (one who is blessed with the ability to put colors together and differentiate between similar colors) or you're not. Maybe your not. Maybe you're feeling lost trying to decide what colors would work best with all of your other wedding ideas. Well heres a few tips!

- Have no idea at all what colors you like? Head down to your local paint store and go straight to the paint swatches. What colors do you instantly go to and love? Grab a handful of swatches of colors that you like, even if they don't match or go together or you grabbed a whole bunch of different shades of blue, they're free so help yourself! Take them home and look at all of them and try to eliminate the colors that won't go well with your style (thinking classic wedding? maybe neon pink should go in the "no" pile"). Then look at them together and try to see which go together best. Pull friends and family aside too and get opinions if you're not sure!

- Know you you have to have your absoloute favorite color in the wedding but are unsure what to put with it? or maybe you know what feeling you want but not sure what colors will create it? The ColourLovers Palettes are great. Search by colors, themes, styles and see hundreds of different ideas.

- Maybe you already have inspiration for your wedding colors, you want to do something tropical or you found a photo of exactly what you want but don't know how to disect the colors from it. Mosey on over to the Palette Generator where you can upload your inspiration and they'll tell you exactly what colors are in it!

In the end you should choose colors that both you and your fiance love and reflect your style, as the entire wedding should reflect the both of you!

-Josie-

August Ocean Inspiration

2009-08-14T18:41:00.000-07:00

Planning a sea inspired affair? Feel free to take some of our ideas from Trish's Wedding Insiration

No matter if your wedding guests spend the whole night at their table or just a few minutes there, you want to make sure the tables look amazing! The hot pink and orange tablecloths will draw anyone’s eye, and the simple white plates look great against the linens. The linens, plates and glasses are complements of Newtown Party Rental in Newtown, PA.

Picking out the perfect wedding dress for your special day might be the hardest decision you will have to make. You want a dress that will fit with your body and make you look beautiful, as well as a dress that goes with your whole theme. This dress is a “destination wedding” gown that works perfect with most settings. Sadie Bridal in Bensalem, PA provided us with this simple, yet elegant dress!

Keeping with the seashell theme, these place settings are a perfect name card and souvenir for the guests.

The absolutely stunning and exotic flowers are complements of Yardley Flower Company in Yardley, PA. The hot pink and orange are perfect colors for an outdoor or summer wedding!

This unique and one of a kind story board next to our bride displays the love story of this lucky couple. Drew Silverman is the creator of Drew Writes for You – a company that creates these precious and creative memory boards to be displayed at weddings, parties, social events or just to have in your home forever!

Guests love to see what kind of cake is chosen for a wedding reception. Piazza’s Bakery in Levittown, PA provided us with this beautiful cake, complete with real seashells. The cake goes perfect with the theme, yet is it not too over the top. The beautiful detailing almost makes it look too good to eat!

And of course we have to thank Adrienne Ingram for photographing the inspiration!

Candy Bar

2009-08-12T12:16:00.000-07:00

Weddings have certainly come a long way from tradition, and are great way to show off your creativity and imagination, while still keeping in budget. A fantastic new trend coming up is that of the candy buffet, or candy bar. One of our brides brought this idea to the table and I'm completely in love with it. Candy is fun, nostalgic and can be very budget friendly.

By choosing candies that follow your theme, or colors, it can easily be cohesive with the rest of your wedding and be a fun focal point at the reception. Apothecary jars of varying size can be a great way to showcase the candy, and can often be found at discount stores for great prices. The candy bar can serve as a choose-your-favor station by providing guests with small take-out containers or maybe colorful paper bags allows your guests to pick what candies to take home as their favor. By having a variety of candies you are sure to please both children and adults and have memorable wedding favors.
-Josie-

Using Fresh Fruits in Floral Arrangements

2009-08-07T08:35:00.000-07:00

Fresh fruit is becoming more and more popular in floral centerpieces. It is a cheap and easy way to add originality and color to any type of floral arrangement. All you need to know is a few simple and easy tricks to wow your guests with your centerpieces.

1.Decide what fruits will go best with the colors scheme you will be using for the flowers.

2.Select a container that will allow the fruits to be showcased. A clear vase will allow the fruits to show through the glass where as a decorative bowl will only allow the fruits to show where there is breaks in the decoration. Obviously it’s up to you to decide what will be best for your setting and arrangement.

3.Know the exact dimensions and volume of your vases and containers so you will have an idea of how much fruit to buy so it will fill the vase according to your liking. You will want extra fruit incase anything happens.

4.Stick to fruits that are cheap or can be bought in bulk – like grapes, oranges, apples, etc. Certain fruits like mangos or kiwi might catch your eye but they are usually more expensive. If that’s the case and there is something interesting that you think will enhance your color scheme, buy just one or two to use as accents with the other fruits.

5.Leaves and greenery from the fruits or outside your home are great ways to fill the space and gaps in between the fruits. Make sure the leaves are clean, dry and not dead and somewhat go with your arrangement.

6.Place a small pad or small folded towel in the bottom of your container to protect delicate fruit. If the container is clear, be sure to camouflage the pad with leaves. The pad would also be a good way to keep the fruit from moving around in the vase if there is extra room at the bottom. (This is not always necessary).

7.Carefully arrange the fruits in the container. Save the best looking pieces for the top where they'll show the most. If your flowers are going to have long stems make sure you arrange the fruit in a way that the stems will slide in. Short stems will obviously work better in a vase filled with fruits.

8.If possible store the arrangements in a fridge or cool area where they will be kept fresh. If they are going to be stored for more than a day or two make sure you are checking the fruits for any that may be rotting. Replace the rotting fruit as necessary.

9.Enjoy your arrangement!!

Mix and Match Place Settings

2009-08-05T08:47:00.000-07:00

Everyone wants a wedding that's completely unique and their own. At the same time, most of us are watching our wallets and also trying to be eco-friendly too. Most people don't think you can have all of these things at one wedding, but even just simple things can make all of those things come together.
The china your reception dinner is served on is a major factor in the look of the tables and ultimately the entire reception. It can be expensive to rent everything and no doubt, someone else has used the same settings at their wedding as you. I can't count how many times I've gone into a salvation army or thrift store and found the cutest china for dirt cheap! Of course, you'll give up every place setting matching perfectly with each other, but think of the creative possibilities of everyone has a place setting that is different.
Since you want to keep the setting in with the rest of your theme, take swatches of your colors with you when you scour the stores for antique china. Look for the same or similar colors and designs to yours. It will certainly be something to set your wedding apart from all others, and because they're from thrift stores, you're also recycling!
- Josie -

Introducing Danielle....Are Your Really Prepared for Your Wedding Day?

2009-08-04T10:32:00.000-07:00

Now that you've made all the plans, tasted all the food, and found the perfect dress, have you considered some personal things that you may need on the day of your wedding? I've made a checklist of all the items that you'll want to include in your own Wedding Day Survival Kit.
- Band-aids
- Asprin or any headache reliever
- Clear nail polish (to fix runs on your panty hose)
- Extra panty hose
- Shout wipes (to get out any smudges or stains)
- Deodordant (try the aerosal spray cans so everyone can share)
- Mini Sewing Kit
- Hair Spray (works great for getting rid of static cling too)
- Crosage pins
- Extra Earring Backs
- Extra bobby pins/hair pins/pony tail holders
- Safety pins
- Eye Drops
- Dental floss/tooth picks
- Hand Towelettes
- Extra lipstick/lip gloss
- Small scissors
- Smelling salts (even though we hope you never have to use them, you never know)
- Sctoch Tape
- Matches
- Tissues
- Straws (so you don't mess up your lipstick but can stay hydrated)
- Tweezers
- Cell Phone (with your coordinator's cell # stored)
- Breath mints
- Hair brush/comb
- Compact mirror
- Breath mints
- Tampons/Pads
- Perfume
- Nail File
- Sunblock (if you'll be outdoors)
- Krazy Glue (it's amazing how many things this stuff can fix)
- Lint Roller
- Granola Bars (or any small snack of choice, but think high protien)

Now I know that this list seems a little long, but you never know what might go wrong. I bet you have most of these items laying around your house or in your first aid kit, so no need to go out and buy all of this things. Another option is to add a Wedding Survival Kit to your registry. Places like Bed, Bath, and Beyond carry these kits which are already put together and in a case already. We all want your day to be perfect so just in case something unexpected should pop up, wouldn't you like to be prepared for it, rather than let it put a damper on your day?

July Inspiration at The Rittenhouse!

2009-07-20T09:05:00.000-07:00

To inspire you this month it was my turn (Josie!) to pull together the JP Event Inspiration for you this July. I wanted to bring new ideas to a more traditional look to try to bring some of the elegance back to weddings that have more and more become very modernized (not that there's anything wrong with modern either!).
The beautiful Rittenhouse Hotel in Philadelphia served as a perfect and elegant backdrop to the inspiration. They were so helpful and we are grateful to them to showing such hospitality and letting us take over the magnificent Grand Ballroom for the inspiration.
Tina of Tina Jay Photography did all of these fabulous photos. She is one of the sweetest people you will ever meet and has such great talent to pair with her great personality! It's a great reminder to how important it is to get a wedding photographer that you like just as much as you like their photos.

The Rittenhouse Hotel has a classic and unique feel to it. The Ballroom is truely grand and has floor to ceiling windows ,which cast the beautiful natural daylight onto our table.

For elegant favors, Chocolates from a classic chocolatier, such as Miel Patisserie, are exquisite and unique.
Drinks are another great way to make your wedding completely your own. A signature drink, such as Blueberry champagne, will leave an impression on each of your guests.
The linens, silverware, champagne flutes and base-plates all came from the wonderful people at Select Event Rentals with a lot of help from Jessica from the company!
Invitations serve as a "sneak-peak" of your wedding to your guest. They should reflect what they will see when they arrive at your wedding.
These beautiful invitations came from the talented Rachael at Pistachio Press.
Centerpieces are a great way to catch your guests eyes as soon as they enter the reception. A tall glass centerpiece paired with a string of pearls can serve as an elegant way to showcase table numbers.
The Centerpiece and all the bouquet came from the wonderful girls at A Garden Party Florist in Southern New Jersey. Mary, the florist, was another great vendor to work with, not only did she create fanctastic arrangements, but she did all of this only a few weeks away from giving birth to a new baby!The bouquet was gorgeous! Mary pulled in the beautiful blues, pinks and peach used in the rest of the design and accented them with lovely little pearls strung over.
Cakes often become a focal point for guests. Everyone is always interested to see the cake, so its important to have it reflect your personality as well as be cohesive with the rest of your wedding.
The great people at A Sweet Life Bakery, in Southern New Jersey, created a beautiful cake design that incorporated the champagne pink color with the gorgeous design that was on the invitations. Jill, from the bakery, even invited me in to do a cake tasting like she does with all her wedding couples. Their cakes are amazingly delicious, moist and far beyond any cake I have had anywhere!
The gorgeous gown came from a great little shop right on state road in Bensalem, PA called Sadies Bridal. Danielle knew exactly what dress would be perfect without even seeing the rest of the inspiration design, and she was right! this gorgeous gown featured intricate beading all o ver that was breath-taking and would certainly catch anyone's eye.

Finally, I must thank our beautiful mode, Laura Elwell, who gave birth to a precious baby boy, only weeks before!

More from June at Appleford!

2009-07-08T13:26:00.001-07:00

These photo shoots are so much fun to design and shoot. Our staff at JP Event Design comes up with original wedding and event designs to inspire you and then we bring them to life with the help of amazing vendors. Take a look at Sara's June Inspiration and GET INSPIRED!

Calligraphy adds elegance to any event. An outdoor wedding can be elegant by adding special touches like the butterfly place cards. Sara designed the cards and Amy Wilson from Amy Wilson Calligraphy did the amazing writing ad the place cards and table numbers.

Kate Miller looked stunning in the dress from Priscilla of Boston. This shot is a must at Apppleford - it looks like it belongs in a Bridal magazine! Her makeup was designed by the very talented makeup artist, Gena Forsyth - Gena did absolutely beautiful work.

Hanging table numbers are a trend we are going to start - I love the look! In this case we tied a lantern to the tree branch and suspended the table number from the lantern (insider tip - weight the table number - we actually used pennies inside the card to keep it from blowing in the wind :)

Flower pompoms add a 'wow' element to any event. Ilonka made gorgeous little green flower pompoms and we hung them with ivory ribbon from the branches.

Rachel (Rachel McGinn Photography) really took some great shots of Kate and this is one of my favorites.

June at Appleford

2009-07-08T12:52:00.000-07:00

The flowers were stunning - they had a vintage feel with pale greens and pinks that complimented the rustic feel of the mansion. Ilonka at Ilonka Floral Decorator in Malvern did an amazing job with the centerpiece and the bride's bouquet.

Appleford Mansion on the Main Line is the perfect setting for a June wedding. Sara designed this look and it definitely had a light summer feel... don't you think? Our photographer for the day was the amazing and talented Rachel McGinn of Rachel McGinn Photography. All of the photos from our June Inspiration are curtesy of Rachel.

FAVORS FAVORS FAVORS

2009-06-30T10:04:00.000-07:00

Trying to decide just what to give your family and friends once the party is over. What can you give that will be practical but cheap? Here are a few DIY ideas to help brides everywhere give the perfect favor and save a few bucks too.

One Cup of Love

Who doesn’t love home baked cookies? The wedding favor is perfect for a bride that wants to send home the warmth and love she felt the entire day! To make this favor all you need is jars (Amount depends on how many guests and who you will be giving them to). In each jar add…. 2 ¼ Cups All Purpose Flour

1 Teaspoon of Baking Soda

1 Teaspoon Salt

¾ Granulated Sugar

¾ Packed Brown Sugar

2 Cups of Chocolate Chips

Once all of these ingredients are placed into the jar, strategically of course, use a small piece of paper to type up the ingredients. On one side you can write the ingredients of your marriage; for example, 2 ¼ cups of love, 1 teaspoon of trust, 1 teaspoon of compassion and so on. On the other side type up the ingredients and add in 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, 2 large eggs, and one cup of butter (2 sticks) softened. Preheat oven to 375˚ degrees. Combine all ingredients into one large bowl and scoop small balls out and place onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 9 to 12 minutes (until golden) then remove and let cool for 5 minutes.

Add a piece of fabric to the top of the lid and a sticker with each of your initials. TA DAA! You have yourself a warm and heart felt favor that everyone can enjoy!

-Recipe from http://www.verybestbaking.com/recipes/detail.aspx?ID=18476.

Boxed Candle Poems

Candles will never get old. Whether you are using one to make the room smell great or trying to create the perfect mood candles are always great! Purchase your candles in bulk this way it will be cheaper and you’ll be sure to have enough. Once the candles have arrived print out different love poems and sonnets onto adequate sized paper. Some various poems you can print are Corinthians 13, Shakespeare’s sonnet 116, and many many more. Once each of the boxes is wrapped in these beautiful words, add a special touch by tying string to the box that has the beaded message of love. In the end you have a great and easy favor that looks fantastic!

Find this and many more great DIY wedding ideas at MarthaStewartWeddings.com

Renew, Redesign, and Reuse!

2009-06-19T09:24:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone, I wanted to talk today about something that can both be money-smart but is also a “green” idea. It’s probably not what your thinking (okay, you might be due to the photo that’s with this post) bridesmaids dresses! Lets face it, almost no one re-uses bridesmaids dresses (maybe you remember Katherine Heigl’s movie last year where her closet was packed with bridesmaids dresses that never saw the light of day more than once?) and that’s because you picked it for them, plain and simple. If you’re going to have more than one bridesmaid then the chances are pretty high that you’ll also have more than one body shape, skin tone, eye color, hair color and everything else to consider besides the actual color of the dresses. So you’re bound to select a dress that doesn’t quite flatter at least one, if not a few, or all of them and they will be most likely be expensive, since they are specifically made for bridesmaids, and will never be used again.
A great new trend I’m seeing a lot of recently is that of these mix-and-match bridesmaids dresses. Setting the ground rules on the lenth and style and maybe even specific color (maybe giving each girl paint swatches of the color you can get from the hardware store to take with them shopping) and letting each girl choose their own dress. Or maybe not even one specific color, maybe each girl gets their own color that goes with the theme (maybe everyone wearing pastels or different shades of red-it’s up to you!). It might be fun to even make a day out of it – all go dress shopping together so you can okay it before it’s even purchased. In the end you can save the girls from being uncomfortable all day and then having the dress collect dust in their basement for the rest of their lives, just because the dress didn’t suit them to begin with.

Featured (clockwise from top left): J.Crew, Aaron Delesie, the image is found, and Sugar Love Weddings via Green Wedding Shoes)

Our Latest Inspriation - JUNE!

2009-06-11T10:50:00.000-07:00

Hello! We just got fantastic photos of our latest inspiration shoot! Our designers have created this June design to totally inspire you - the photos were taken by the amazingly talented Rachel McGinn of Rachel McGinn Photography. We will have the complete shoot up in the next few days... we are SO busy preparing for Emily and Trevor's wedding weekend that we don't have time to put them all up today... but here's a taste of what's to come. Stay tuned!

Myth Buster

2009-06-04T13:51:00.000-07:00

Hey guys! It’s me, Josie, again and I think I’m going to switch my focus just a little this week to talk about a myth I seem to hear a lot of. Many people think that the best way to save money while planning a wedding is to ditch the wedding planner. This is a complete myth that couldn’t be further from the truth! I know, I’m kind of partial on the subject but a few years ago I probably would have agreed with you, but oh how I see the light now!
Wedding planners (especially JP Event design, heh!) know the ins and outs of wedding planning. While this may be your first wedding, wedding planners may be doing one every other week, so they have a little more experience with things you may be unfamiliar with. Planning events is also all they do. While you may only have your lunch break to call and set up appointments with venues and caterers, they not only have the time to do this, but they have already worked with different vendors and know who would work best for your wedding and also your budget. A good planner knows where to get the best prices for the best services. You may not have the time to hunt down the absolute lowest prices on tissue paper and candy, but that’s what we’re here for (and yes! From working here I do know the cheapest place to get tissue paper!).
Wedding planners know the field, and know who you’ll get the best value from. They can steer you away from vendors they know are cutting costs by cutting services and show you ones that you’ll get above and beyond the money with. They can also suggest new money-saving ideas that can get your wedding looking like a million-bucks on a small budget. Me and the other interns here at JP Event Design do a lot of brainstorming for weddings. We spend a lot of our time looking at the latest ideas in wedding designs and are always trying to come up with ways to re-create them cheaper, but with the same visual impact. We’re also always looking for the best deals for each particular wedding. We get excited about being able to help bring a bride’s dreams to life without breaking her bank. It’s what we do- and we love it!
Your wedding is such a special day and it should be just as memorable as a high-budget wedding. Don’t let yourself think that you’ll save money just by cutting out someone who has the expertise in making beautiful events – talk to us and see how you really can afford a wedding planner and how we might actually save you money! And besides, whats more green then saving money?

**Also a special thanks to Allison for doing such a wonderful job on the blog!! You're the best!

Keeping it Classy While Keeping it Cheap

2009-06-03T11:42:00.000-07:00

Hi! My name is Laura and I will be interning here at JP Event Design for the summer.Over the next few months I am going to help plan the wedding of your dreams while helping you not go bankrupt. If you haven’t noticed the overall consensus of this blog is to save money. At least once a week I am going to give brides creative ideas to make their weddings a dream come true! I will be sure to add the websites and books I found these great ideas from so you can look too!

Since we all have beach fever let’s look at a few fun ideas we can use from our friend the beach!

Seashells are everywhere. I’m sure we can all remember waking up early as a kid and walking down the pick out our favorite shells. Why not put these childhood treasurers to good use?

One fun idea for seashells is featured on the Better Homes and Gardens website. For this fun center piece all you need is sand, a few large bowls, plenty of seashells, and some candles. Most of these products can be found at the dollar story for low prices and can still have an expensive look! For more on this craft and other seashell crafts check out http://www.bhg.com/crafts/home/accessories/seashell-crafts/.

Another fun favor idea is to make your own sand candle holder. For this project all you need is some jars, sand, candles, food coloring, glue, and ribbon. (Base the colors on your weddings theme!) Take your jar and fill it with sand, use the food coloring to color the sand to fit your wedding. Place the candle in the middle of the sand and tie the ribbon around the jar. TA DA! You have yourself a cheap but beautiful wedding favor. To add more, feel free to add some sea shells in the jar or attach a fun poem to the ribbon

Well that’s all for this week! Be sure to find fun and inexpensive ideas every Tuesday here on www.JPEventdesign.bolgspot.com .

LOVE fresh summer foods... especially at weddings!

2009-05-29T12:16:00.000-07:00

If you've been in or around Pennsylvania, New Jersey or almost any part the northeast, you might have noticed a smell recently...or rather...an aroma. Thats right, it's strawberry season, one of my favorite times of the year. A recent visit to a local farm market had me drooling over some of these red beauties and gave me an idea about what to write about this week.

The importance of buying food local. Yeah, yeah, yeah, you've seen the commercials recently and you buy your vegetables from farm markets during the summer, but what the heck does it have to do with weddings. Simple, have the food served at your wedding be local too! Not only does it support local businesses, but your food will taste that much better. Go ahead, get a tomato from a local farmer and then take it to your supermarket who shipped theirs from states (if not countries) away and just look at the difference, and then cut one open and taste the difference! Wouldn't you love to go to a wedding and notice how fresh and delicious the food was? and then realize it was your own wedding?
One of my favorite websites for find everything local in the Philadelphia area is LocalFoodPhilly. They even provide a list of caterers that use local food. BuyLocalPA features a map to help you find restaurants, caterers, bakeries, wineries and all things local. And for those of you that are outside of the PA/NJ area, you can always head over to Local Harvest which helps to find these things all around the country, or you can always just try a search engine to search for locally grown services in your area.

One last thing about using locally grown foods at your wedding - You have to use what's in season. Sorry! I know you might dream of having a december wedding with beautiful chocolate-dipped strawberries with the cake, but you know in the back of your mind that strawberries don't grow in December (at least not around here they don't). So before you get your heart set on having asparagus served at your august wedding, check with your local farm market first. Go ahead and ask them when they get what foods and such, most of them are more than happy to help. Another great resource is epicurious, who feature the coolest Peak-Season Map I've found online yet. Just click on the month you're having your wedding, and the state you're having it in and voila! you know what's in season!

Hope this has been a help and that you're enjoying the start of the summer-food season as much as I am!

Introducing Josie...

2009-05-22T10:43:00.000-07:00

Hey there! I am one of the new interns, here at JP Event Design for the summer. As it is summer we are keeping busy! A large part of what I'm doing right now is working on my "Inspiration by JP Event Design" which I'm very excited about. To tell you a little about me, I consider myself to be an artist who just happens to love organizing and planning too, and I'm really hoping to use my art background to bring new and different ideas to all of the events I help with, as well as my "inspiration." It's great to be learning how to pull everything together, from getting a venue, to flowers, to designing a table and everything in between.

I'll be blogging weekly and would really like to concentrate my posts on the subject of buying local. With how America's economy is, it's becoming more and more important to support businesses that are based right here in the U.S. and keep the money right in our own "back-yard." One of my favorite tools is a site called Etsy. This is a fantastic site to find things for your event that are handmade, local, professional, and incredibly unique! One of my favorite tools on the website is their Shop Local tool which helps to find people who may be right in your own town that you didn't even know existed. I've found etsy to be particularly good with finding stationary for events such as invitations, place cards, thank you notes and everything else. If you can't find exactly what you're looking for (which is hard to imagine with the expanse of things on etsy!) there is another great tool that allows you to request custom items. I've also found that if you find a seller who makes things similar to what you're looking for, you can send them a message and they are almost always willing to custom make things for you.

Well thats it for me today! hope you have a great Memorial Day weekend!

Why hire a wedding planner?

2009-05-15T12:23:00.000-07:00

Interesting question - I should be a pro at it since I get that question all the time. Recently, however, it has been altered somewhat to include, "Why spend the money to hire a wedding planner?" and while the answer to the initial question is endless (relieve stress, save time, get the best vendors, manage budget, the list goes on and on...), having a friend and confidant that knows absolutely everything about weddings should be considered priceless. Then, of course, there is this nasty economy and services that should be considered worth every penny get tossed like the garter. In an economy like this - is it even feasible to hire a planner? Feasible... yes. Affordable... yes. Worth it... YES! In fact, the economy is one of my top reasons to hire a planner (well, if you hire a good one, anyway). A wedding planner will not only help you manage your budget when times are tight, but a good planner will get you the best prices for the quality services you need at your wedding. We know the right florists, the best caterers, the hottest DJ's, and tons of different venues - so a good planner will not only match you with vendors that compliment your style, but also negotiate to get you the absolute best prices these vendors can offer. As a wedding planner in the industry for over 10 years, I know what these services are worth. If you come to me with a request and it not feasible for your budget, I will tell you - you won't have to go through endless web searches, six consultations, and 3 bridal shows to find out. Without a planner, you will probably spend thousands of unnecessary dollars because you didn't know what the best prices were for the services you sought. The investment in a wedding planner will go further than almost any other investment you make in your wedding day. The real question should be: Can you afford NOT to hire a wedding planner?

Lemon & Lime

2009-04-29T11:03:00.001-07:00

Details, details, details. The team at JP Event Design will get them right every time. Slicing fruits for a centerpiece display can add simple, elegant detail to an ordinary vase. In this design, the pinwheel lemons and limes really made the centerpieces pop.

Katie from The Bouquet Shop was amazing! She incorporated lemons right into the centerpiece and used a colorful palate of greens and bright yellows to play up the lemon lime theme.

The invites were the perfect combination of modern and elegant and Vince from LL Design did a great job with his original design.

Adrienne from Element Photography captured every aspect of the look we wanted to create. The apple lemon chair accents added the perfect touch.

The exquisite dress from Priscilla of Boston on the Main Line was the perfect fit. Samantha and Lindsay were extremely helpful at the fitting and ensured that our bride found the dress of her dreams! And the bouquet... stunning... need we say more?

It's all in the accents! The gorgeous plates and chargers complimented each other magnificently in two different shades of green. Marissa at Party Rental Ltd. was awesome as usual and had everything that we needed to make the look come to life.

Speaking of stunning, Katie makes beautiful look easy in these perfect photos by Adrienne at Element Photography. We couldn't have asked for a better team.

For more information on all of our vendors, click the Vendor's link on our blog!

Happy Spring!!!

2009-04-29T10:42:00.000-07:00

Happy Spring!!!

Spring is in the air at JP Event Design.

Our first official "Inspiration by JP Event Design" is complete! Our lemon and lime theme came to life after all of the hard work and creative ideas of our brilliant staff (in this case, mostly Sara :)