Choosing Your Wedding Cake
Monday, January 23rd, 2012Your wedding cake is one of the most essential elements of your wedding day. It will appear in your wedding pictures, and will be a focal point for your guest as they arrive into the reception area. As you decide on your cake type remember that it is what will pull together the colors and theme of your wedding. Your wedding cake should be as individual as you. Take time to shop around and decide on a bakery, the cake, style, and decorations. Here are a few factors to keep in mind while you cake shop:
.Create a checklist:
.What is your cake budget
.How many guests
.How many tiers/designs
.What colors/decorations
.What is your cake top?
.When is Your Wedding?
.When is Your Wedding?
The date and location of your wedding will affect the type of cake you choose. If your wedding will be taking place in the summer, mousse or ice cream cake will not be a good choice. Discuss with your baker the types of cake that will be in season.
.Choose a Reliable Bakery
You can begin your research online. This will allow you to obtain customer feedback, and view images of the bakery’s work. Make sure to select a bakery that provides a wide range of cake styles. Once you have chosen a bakery, visit the location and meet with the staff. This is your opportunity to provide sketches, ideas, and samples of your colors to leave with the pastry chef. Make sure to get everything in writing.
.Give Yourself Time to Pick Your Wedding Cake
If you have already chosen a color scheme and the wedding venue, then it’s a good time to get the cake designed and ordered. Your cake should be ordered 6-8 weeks in advance.
.Go Cake Tasting
This is one of the most important steps before finalizing your cake. If the cake will consist of multiple flavors, taste all of them. Flavors like chocolate, strawberry and vanilla will vary depending on how the cake is made, its formulation, its frosting, and more.
.Cake Size, Icing, Decorations
Wedding cakes come in all shapes and sizes—the options are limitless. When deciding on the size of your cake, keep in mind the number of guests attending. The type of icing you choose can be a simple sugar and flour recipe, or even a rich cream cheese icing. Today, many couples are choosing to match their icing color with the overall theme of the wedding. You can decorate your cake based on the décor and theme of your wedding, go with crazy and outrageous decorations or decide on lace, embroidery appliqué or elegant drapes or swag. The decision is all up to you so have fun with it!
Lighting Basics for Your Reception
Monday, November 21st, 2011When planning your special day, lighting for your reception is just as important as the flowers and the cake. Making sure you have the right amount of light will turn your wedding site from simple to spectacular. Lighting creates the mood for the whole event, including making your wedding flowers, cake, and guests look better.
A Few Tips To Guide You In Your Lighting Selection Include:
Find a Pro
There are a couple of ways you can find your wedding lighting specialist. First, ask your event planner or wedding florist if they do their own lighting. If not, they may have a lighting pro they regularly work with. You can also ask the coordinator at your reception venue to recommend a lighting company that has worked with the site before. Also, ask to see pictures of the space having been changed by various lighting arrangements.
Assess Your Site
If you’re having an evening reception, make sure to visit your site at least once when it’s dark outside—this will allow you to look around the room and see where the lighting is being focused. Lights that illuminate the walls, windows, and ceiling draw attention away from the center of the room. You want to make sure the lighting keeps everyone’s eyes on the tables, dance floor, and each other. In addition, ask if the site has dimmers for their overhead lights, and if there’s any florescent lighting at all, keep it turned off!
If your wedding is taking place at home, discuss how much electricity your lighting designer is going to need. You may want to consider having your lighting expert bring a generator before blowing a fuse.
Learn About the Different Types of Lighting
Pin spot is a focused beam of light that shines directly onto an object, like a centerpiece or wedding cake, as a highlight effect.
Color wash is a blanket of colored light covering an entire area.
Gobos are circular stencils that are put over a light to project a design or pattern. Some popular gobo designs are monograms, dates, or any other wedding motifs. Keep in mind that the complexity of the design will affect the gobo’s cost. A simple stencil can be stamped out of steel, while a more intricate design must be laser etched out of stainless steel or a glass that can withstand high heat.
Led is short for light-emitting diodes. This type of lighting is currently popular for weddings because they use much less electricity and don’t get as hot as the regular, incandescent light bulbs. LEDs are great for color changes and vibrant colors.
Don’t be Afraid to Use Color
Think outside your wedding palette when you use colored lights. Stay away from colors that are part of your decor. Opt for colors that complement all skin tones, like magenta or a soft rose. Take advantage of the effect color can have on the atmosphere by changing the shades through the course of the night. For example, if your cocktail hour starts around sunset, you can splash your room with golden tones. During dinner, consider soft lighting that will mimic flickering candlelight. Remember you can change the mood of a room with the push of a button.
Lighting Set Up Outside
If your site has a path or steps that people will be using throughout the night, keep it lit with luminaries or paper lanterns so that no one trips. More dramatic lighting might include using dramatic, sculptural lights like large orbs, or rows of vertical poles of light that look like pieces of modern art. You can also fill your centerpieces with clear—glass marbles as well as small battery-powered lights to give an interesting glow to each arrangement.
Choose the Right Lights
The layout of your reception site can determine how you’re going to use lighting techniques. If dinner and dancing are happening in the same room, use a color wash to set the dance floor apart. Work closely with your lighting designer to figure out which type of lighting fits your budget. You can create a lasting impression with just the basic form of lighting and the right preparation.
The Knot Best of Weddings for Philadelphia
Monday, April 5th, 2010Catering by Mario’s has been keeping busy this winter with weddings, corporate events, & holiday parties. We have also launched a newly designed website which is a one-stop shop for all of our services: off-premise catering, event planning & management, as well as our wedding & banquet venue, Richmond Hall. Check us out at www.cateringbymarios.com.
As the weather gets warmer, you may be starting to plan celebrations such as graduation parties and summer picnics. Check out the menus below for some party ideas. Mention this email and receive a 10% discount if you book a buffet or picnic package before 4/15/2010.
We also have great news to annouce: Richmond Hall has been selected as a 2010 winner in The Knot Best of Weddings for Philadelphia reception sites. We wanted to take a moment to thank all of our wonderful brides who took the time to comment to The Knot on their experience at Richmond Hall. It’s great to know we have lived up to your expectations on one of the most important days of your life. Thanks again!!!
Sincerely,
Mario & John Incollingo
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Thank you and testimonial for our Wedding Catering in Philadelphia
Tuesday, March 23rd, 2010Hello Lauren,
I just wanted to say thank you so much for making Saturday’s wedding so amazing. I just received the email about your honors with the Knot and I have to say that I can’t imagine a venue where this is more deserved. Your staff was incredibly friendly and professional! You eased a very indecisive bride and made everything just gorgeous! We received rave reviews regarding the food and everyone had a blast which was the goal of the bride and groom so I again say thank you so much and I will be certain to keep Richmond Hall and Mario’s catering on the top of my list for any upcoming events.
My sincerest thanks,
Tania Kinniry
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Wedding Receptions Philadelphia – Catering Philadelphia – Banquet facilities Philadelphia
Monday, March 22nd, 2010Richmond Hall is pleased to announce it has been selected as a 2010 winner in The Knot Best of Weddings for Philadelphia reception sites.
We wanted to take a moment to thank all of our wonderful brides who took the time to comment to The Knot on their experience at Richmond Hall. It’s great to know we have lived up to your expectations on one of the most important days of your life. Thanks again!!!