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Queen of Hearts Blog
Do you have a PLUS 2?
When couples are planning weddings we see them get so caught up in everyone’s needs.
We get it, you’re trying really hard to be a good host – we tell couple’s all the time that this is the first big time you are entertaining as a couple.
So, making sure there are rooms available in your room block, adding on more rooms if necessary, double checking seating at the reception, special food requests, guest counts and possibly food counts to the caterer…
You go out of your way to accommodate everyone’s needs, but don’t forget the two of you!
When you are giving your final count and menu selection don’t forget to count yourselves – seriously, we’ve seen couples who give us 157 guests as the final count only for us to realize they never included themselves in their RSVP spread sheet (… that would be lines One and Two!)
We’ve also had couples who made sure that all of their family and bridal party had accommodations; they knew they were staying in the Bridal Suite the night of the weddings… but NEVER gave any thought to where they’d stay the night before the wedding. Don’t forget to book a room for each of you if you are staying over and getting ready with everyone else!
We’re excited to see so many couples taking being a good host so seriously…
But don’t forget to take some time for yourself!
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Ashley + Billy- Union League of Philadelphia
By: Rebecca Richman
High School Sweethearts, Ashley and Billy, were married in November at Grace Presbyterian church and later celebrated with friends and family at the Union League of Philadelphia. Huge thanks to all of the wedding professionals who partnered with us to make this beautiful event happen!
Union League of Philadelphia
Cliff Mautner Photography
Eventricity Floral Design
Paper Rock Scissors
Branded Productions
Beke Beau Makeup
Amanda D'Andrea Hair
What you don’t know MIGHT hurt you.
by Mark Kingsdorf, MBC
As you know if you’ve read our blog with any regularity; our focus is on couples planning weddings and NOT on wedding professionals even though we know many professionals across the globe read our posts on social media.
Today’s RARE Saturday post crosses the line addressing both couples and wedding professionals.
There is a dirty little wedding secret, something that goes on behind the scenes that is RARELY addressed with couples or their families; most wedding professionals just smile and go on with your wedding day.
This issue has become the bane of their existence for many wedding professionals – the dreaded “Vendor Meal” {you know if HATE the term ‘vendor’ and generally use Wedding Professional}.
What we have in regard to this issue is a “failure to communicate” – so I’m going to break it down for everyone involved.
The old adage that ‘an Army travels on its stomach’ is VERY true – hungry wedding professionals are not happy wedding professionals.
To Couples and their families:
Many of the wedding professionals you may hire have included that a meal {some state a hot meal} is to be provided for them and their assistants. These are generally photographers, videographers and planners who have been with you all day, starting from the time you got ready and in a lot of cases might be working a 10, 12 or 14 hour day.
No one is asking for the same filet mignon entrée with salad and dessert your guests are getting – just a hot meal.
The issue is the communication breakdown between whoever signed the contract and the person attending the final detail meeting with the caterer when they ask {or don’t ask} about any meals needed and some just say we do a sandwich platter for all of your professionals at $x per at person.
That might NOT be what the contract said.
If this is what you envisioned you might be wrong –
Social media has shown us images of two day old tuna wraps being tossed into the trash, platters like this being completely demolished by the band who got their break first (becuse a not enough food was provided for everyone) or professionals told to there was nothing provided or there was nothing leftover.
When the bride and groom ask how dinner was {thinking they paid for a hot meal} most wedding professionals just smile, thank them and go on doing their job.
The second issue is that many times ‘vendor meals’ are in a room down a hallway and around a corner. Because of timing serving guest meals, many vendors are served just as you to get back up to dance and are down the hallway and around the corner. Shoveling in anything they can as to not miss a moment of the action.
Ask where the professionals will be fed; ask if it’s close enough to see what is going on in the room so they can be available if “Uncle John” decided he wants to do an impromptu speech – we don’t want to miss these moments.
To Planners and Wedding Professionals:
Be clear about your needs and what your contract might say. Educate your clients on the importance of being close by. TALK to the venue and /or caterer about what your contract says, be sure about what the client paid for BEFORE the wedding not as they are serving.
To Caterers and Venues:
Social media is a double edged sword – wedding professionals who try your food and are treated like partners in a client’s event will speak highly of you. They will recommend you because they feel like they have been treated fairly and they genuinely LIKE working with you. They will share photos and wedding film with you because they feel appreciated too.
Needless to say, if you toss them leftovers and make them feel like they need to beg or are an afterthought rather than part of the team – they might not speak so highly about you in their social media.
I’m sorry that this rant needed to come to light – but couples are paying for food thinking their wedding professionals are being fed, wedding professionals are smiling and putting on a happy face for the client and ranting behind the scenes to each other and on social media and NO ONE is looking at the big picture and communicating.
Bottom line is we are all in the wedding industry because we love it, we are all on the same team working hard to make a couple’s wedding magical; regardless of what we do. Not talking about this in advance of the event is not helping anyone have a great experience.
Thanks and goodnight!
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BEST.Crab Cake. EVER!
We thought that might get your attention!
More on the crab cakes to follow but that’s NOT where this all begins.
A little over a month ago we were invited to attend a FAM Trip for wedding professionals, mostly from Baltimore and Washing ton DC, at the STUNNINGLY beautiful Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay Golf Resort, Spa and Marina
As the resort is just over two and a half hours from Philadelphia it is an ideal location for a close by, boutique destination wedding, a great couple’s get away or a fun location for bachelor/ bachelorette parties.
Everything from our arrival to departure was first rate – located on the Choptank River the property is beautiful with great views of the water and rustic marshlands.
Our water view room gave us a sneak peek at our tour’s starting point on the Great Lawn – but before we met for our tour we were treated to spa treatments at the Sago Spa and Salon
Facials, manicure and pedicures were the options for the day – the Eastern Shore is the inspiration for this newly renovated 18,000 square foot spa and salon offering 13 treatments rooms, relaxation rooms as well as nail, hair and makeup stations.
After our spa treatments and relaxing in our room we all met on the Great Lawn four our tour – each ceremony and reception area was set to give us a feel of the property as guests at a wedding would experience it. Complete décor and entertainment by local wedding professionals, AMAZING food stations and cocktails.
They covered EVERYTHING, showcasing several outdoor spaces for ceremony, cocktails and dining, indoor spaces for off season events or in case of inclement weather; even showcasing a tented space on the lawn for dancing, dessert and after dinner drinks.
SO, about those Crab Cakes! The specialty of the house at this magnificent Chesapeake Bay resort – we were treated to a crab cake station, not just ANY crab cakes but fresh picked on the spot by one of their culinary team {she was AMAZINGLY fast}. The fresh picked lump crab was then tossed in a light seasoning mixture and formed into cakes, cooked on a griddle and presented to guests. AH-MAZING!
All of the stations were well fresh, well presented and interesting. Fresh made falafel, fried on the spot with condiments, by a Moroccan chef were another HUGE hit.
If you are looking for a great escape, a destination wedding or a bachelorette/ bachelor party – this is the place. Beautifully appointed guest rooms, great restaurants, INSANE spa treatments, pools, fishing, gold, marina, local antiquing – this place has it ALL.
Thanks so much to the catering and events team at the Hyatt for the invitation and for allowing us to share this beautiful hotel with our couples.
Thanks to Sam Hurd Photography for sharing their images of the event
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Big Girls DO Cry!
by Mark Kingsdorf, MBC
Let’s face it; the wedding industry hasn’t been very friendly to Plus Sized women!
Gowns are cut much smaller than ready to wear, so an average sized woman who wears a 12 in ready to wear might now be a 14 or 16…
Fuller figured women trying on a sample in a salon might be forced to try on the sample size 10, where it might not come within 6-8 inches of closing
Finding gowns off the rack or samples in Plus Sizes can be far and few between
Not to mention that many of our colleagues in film and photography often only showcase stereotypical‘perfect’, ‘pretty’ brides.
In steps Shafonne Meyers, owner and Editor of The Perfect Pear Bride! The first blog and magazine dedicated to the Plus Size Bride! I had the pleasure of hanging out with Shafonne in Atlanta at and association of Bridal Consultants Regional Conference to learn how this wedding planner turned blogger came up with this amazing idea.
‘My wedding was great but being a plus size bride was extremely hard, there were absolutely NO, plus size brides portrayed on any of the wedding sites, blogs or magazines. And from the family side I was constantly told to lose weight or I wasn’t going to be able to fit in my gown, so that just added to the fuel. For me, I had to just deal with it because I had no outlet but the longer I spent in the wedding industry; blogging and being a wedding planner the more I thought “This is not right, something needs to be done”.’
This AMAZING site showcases beautiful brides who are plus sized, full figured, curvy and ‘fluffy’ (I love that term as I have a friend who calls herself ‘fluffy’ and I’m a bit fluffy myself), products you’ll never find anywhere else, Real Wedding and great design inspiration.
Be sure to check them out at: www.prettypearbride.com
And follow them on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/prettypearbride
GREAT job Shafonne! BRAVA!
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Who Are You?
We want to hear from you!
Recently we were having a conversation with a bride-to-be about her wedding invitations…specifically the monogram on her invitation.
We hear of more and more couples using their new ‘married’ monogram on save the date’s or invitations…
Technically and according to traditional etiquette, a new couple’s ‘married’ monogram is not to be used until after they are married – at the wedding reception… as a gobo projected on a wall, on your menu cards or on cocktail napkins.
It is appropriate to use each of your first names at any time…
However a traditional ‘married’ monogram for a couple…
{Bride’s first initial in a slightly smaller font, Groom’s last name initial in the center in a slightly larger font followed by the grooms first initial in a slightly smaller font}
…doesn't exist until after you are married!
So, did you use your ‘married’ monogram before your wedding?
Is it an etiquette issue your worried about?
Is it bad luck?
Discuss.
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Our 1st List of Philly’s TOP Wedding Pros!
by Mark L. Kingsdorf, MBC
REALLY?
I wish it were truly THAT easy –
Couples come to The Queen of Hearts Wedding Consultants for more than a list of a couple wedding professionals we might have worked with, did an OK job, stayed out of the way and didn't complain too much…
They come to us because we have the pulse on the Philadelphia wedding market, we meet with everyone before we refer them, check them out on line, see what the buzz is in the area about what kind of job they do.
We’re out at networking events, association meetings and meeting people with new products and services; we know whose service may have slipped and who’s a rising star.
Most importantly, our job is to make you your own personalized list of the TOP wedding professionals and venues FOR YOU!
People ask me all the time what our favorite place is for weddings! What kind of wedding? Center City? , Jersey shore? Rustic / Outdoor? 150 people or 350 people? We have LOTS of favorites… question is which one is available for you, in your budget and the best fit for your needs…
We prescreen each professional you need for Price, Product, Personality and Availability – the best wedding professional in the region is no good for you if they are too expensive or not available.
When you are looking for a customized planning experience; call our office at 267-251-7786 and lets us talk to you about a customized planning calendar, a customized budget and customized referrals of the best wedding professionals in the region for your needs, taste and budget.
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Put A Ring On It – #2
by Mark Kingsdorf, MBC
Several years ago we reached out to local photographers and asked them to share some of their favorite wedding ring images with us…we got them to share lots of interesting images from their clients weddings {not necessarily our weddings}…check out our original blog post – "Put A Ring On It"
We decided it was time to ask again and we LOVED what we got a s a response.
Andrew Graham Todes Photography
{our Bride, Lauren!}
Julia + Tom, A Summertime Rittenhouse Hotel Wedding
By Rebecca Richman
Julia and Tom were married at the Rittenhouse Hotel last year on a beautiful summer day. Julia and her mom planned with me long distance and we were so happy to be part of Julia's special day. Huge thanks to all of the wedding professionals who partnered with us on this beautiful event:
Rittenhouse Hotel
Nicole Polk Photography
Eventricity Event Design
EBE Paris
Paper, Rock, Scissors
Bella Angel
Apollo Productions
Let Them Eat Cake 2013
by Mark L. Kingsdorf, MBC
I have been truly blessed to be part of Let Them Eat Cake, benefiting City of Hope for the last 8 years.
This year’s event will help everyone make April 15th just a little sweeter.
Let Them Eat Cake was co-founded by City of Hope’s Senior Director of Development, and my dear friend, Harry Giordano and I. I had participated in an event City of Hope sponsored and wanted to host a fundraiser and to find a way to incorporate my two loves – Weddings and Food. This event has been dedicated to the memory of my mother, Lois who loved a good piece of wedding cake. We lost my mother to breast cancer in the mid 1980’s.
Let Them Eat Cake is Philadelphia’s premier wedding cake competition – local pastry professionals and students are judged on their design, how well it fits into that year’s theme, their technique and decorating skills as well as on the taste of the product they produce. And attendees get to sample all of the cakes presented
This year’s celebrity judge is pastry chef, Ron Ben-Israel of Food Networks Sweet Genius. Ron will head a team of local chefs, food critics, bloggers and celebrities.
This year’s event will be a little bittersweet for me. As many of you know I’ll be relocating to Orlando in the near future and while I’ll be working behind the scenes at Queen of Hearts; this may be my last year with Let Them Eat Cake {however Harry promises to fly me back on his air miles!}
I’m urging all of our pastry chef friends in the region to participate to make this year’s event bigger and better.
To all of our couples, couples we have worked with in the past 13 year at Queen of Hearts, colleagues , friends in the industry, family and friends – I’d LOVE to see all of you before heading off to Florida and this may be the last big industry event before the move…
Please come out and support this AMAZING event – we’d LOVE to see you!
{P.S.. – there are still spaces available for competitors!}
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