Wedding Trends 2009

Wedding Style: 9 New Wedding Trends for 2009 courtesy of TheKnot

What's hot now? Are trumpet skirts in? Will candy and dessert bars still be as popular in 2009? Here's The Knot's forecast.

Trend 1: Rustic homespun details

Outdoor weddings -- on a farm, in a vineyard, or even in the backyard -- are huge right now, and we'll continue to see a lot of them in 2009. It's really no wonder: An outdoor setting makes for a fun, laid-back vibe and the decor options are limitless. So what kinds of details are in store? Vintage vases filled with fresh-from-the-garden flowers, mismatched china in bright colors, and homemade wooden signs to direct guests. Even catering is in on the action with in-season ingredients paired with local wine.

Trend 2: Jewel tones

Say good-bye to pale pastels and bright poppies. Rich gem colors like navy, plum, and amber are going to be hot. And instead of chocolate brown, look to a soft creme brulee hue, bronzes, coppers, and black. Yes, that's right -- black is back too.

Trend 3: Patterns that pop

Gingham, checkered, polka-dotted, paisley, toile, damask -- you name it, colorful patterns are in and in a big way. Add patterned overlays to your tables to instantly perk up the room, find an off-the-rack patterned dress for your bridesmaids, and have your invitations and envelopes lined with colorful designs. The best part about this trend is that it lets you throw around a lot of different hues and still keep a cohesive look and feel.

Trend 4: Ball gowns are back

From a full A-line gown to a very over-the-top design, this silhouette will make a huge resurgence down ceremony aisles this year. And you don't have to have a ballroom wedding to pull it off either -- the key is in the fabric. Find one with layers of airy tulle or even cotton for an outdoor spring or summer wedding; get a silk satin ball gown for a more formal wedding; or go for ultra-soft suede for a wintertime wedding.

Trend 5: Two-tiered wedding cakes

While cupcakes and dessert bars have been popular for the past few years, wedding cakes are making a comeback -- but not in tall towers anymore. Now it's all about having just two tiers. Order several small cakes and put them on each table as a centerpiece, or set up a table of tiny wedding cakes mixed with desserts, cookies, pies, and more. And vintage cake toppers are in too. Find one online at a site like Etsy.com, commission one from a local artist, or borrow your parents' or grandparents' to make your cake extra-memorable.

Trend 6: New centerpiece vessels

The classic floral vase has given way to mix-and-matched clusters of vintage pitchers, vases, jars, and galvanized buckets. Other ideas: apothecary jars with colorful rocks, sand, or even candy; uniquely shaped glass vases featuring fresh fruits like raspberries and blueberries; and mason jars loaded with fresh flowers like daisies and dahlias. To throw extra color or texture into the mix, line your flower-filled vases with patterned paper or even fabric. For a wintertime fete, get knit and sweater-like coverings to line your vases and complement a cozy decor.

Trend 7: Chandeliers and creative lighting

Lighting designers are turning out impressive designs, projecting chandeliers, large trees, flowers, and even city skylines right onto the walls. When it comes to your space, hang chandeliers in different sizes, add colorful lamps and shades to the tables, line the room with strands of twinkling lights, and don't skimp on the candles.

Trend 8: The updated photo booth

Renting a photo booth has been growing in popularity over the past few years. The updated version? Entire photo sets with fabric backdrops and props. Set up a photo area at the reception that's big enough for a group shot. Drape the background with fabric and add couches, chairs, and plenty of props (think easy-to-throw-on hats and scarves). You may be able to have your photographer or an assistant man the station, or ask a trusty friend to be on hand with a digital camera.

Trend 9: US honeymoons

This year, newlyweds will prove that you don't have to travel halfway around the world to find an amazing honeymoon spot. Many will be looking to book a honeymoon right here in the US. And there's no shortage of domestic honeymoon-worthy options -- from a romantic winery in Sonoma County, California, to a hot hotel in Miami, Florida, to a cozy lodge with a stunning view in Juneau, Alaska.

Two-Way Television?

Imagine watching two TV shows at the very same time on the very same TV without having a picture in picture. Seems like it's on the way by just adjusting the position in which you watch the TV and you can watch a completely different channel! Check out this video I just saw.

Blue Tulip Stores Closing!

Blue Tulip Stores Are Closing! Cash in your gift cards ASAP!

"This Blue Tulip bankruptcy is about to wilt hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of gift cards and consumer deposits," Blumenthal said. "Nearly $400,000 worth of gift cards will soon be worthless plastic, and deposits are in danger of vanishing if consumers fail to act now.

"This bankruptcy -- and countless others -- is a sobering reminder to all gift card holders: Use it or lose it. In the state of our economy, time is money. No matter how sound the retailer, consumers must use gift cards promptly. Don't delay on outstanding deposits and cash in your credit."

The Tulip Corporation, a retailer of gifts and entertainment products, including personalized items, filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy will close all of its stores by Jan. 31. The bankrupt Blue Tulip has only agreed to honor gift cards, deposits and promotional gift cards through close of business on Jan. 31. Merchandise credits will be honored through Jan. 15.

Blue Tulip's merchandise credits, unredeemed gift cards, deposits and promotional gift cards, estimated at $388,000, may soon be worthless. The company also holds approximately $4,000 in deposits for customized goods. Consumers have only until the end of the month to pay the outstanding balance and claim their items.

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Michelle and I thought this was important to send to our clients and future clients. We used Blue Tulip to help design our invitations when we realized that we can do it on our own for half the cost. However, we felt Blue Tulip was a phenomenal store to spark our wedding ideas and are sad to see it close.

If you are in need of inspiration for your wedding invitations, menus, programs, etc. Try Blue Tulip before it's too late!

Promotional Videos For Wedding Vendors

Creative Video Editing films prides itself on high quality wedding and event films but most people don't know that we also create short films and promotional videos too! Vanessa from Vanessa Joy Photography recently hired us to create her web and bridal show promos and here they are!
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Vanessa Joy Promotional Video (Long Version)



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Vanessa Joy Web Promo



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Vanessa Joy Behind The Scenes Bloopers



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From Vanessa's Website: http://www.vanessajoy.com/

"Sometimes we're given gifts from God the second we're born, but it takes years to discover them.....After being homeschooled for nine years, I finally went to high school and for an elective I was persuaded into taking a photography course by my mother, who was a photographer and gave me my first camera at the age of 4......I love photography, everything from the smell of a fixer on my hands to the mathematics involved with cutting a perfect mat board......So sometimes it takes us a while to grasp the things that God gives us, but lucky for us He loves us and even though we don't realize His gifts right away, He's busy cultivating them regardless. I am eternally grateful for the gift to capture priceless moments for others to treasure and I take great joy in using it everyday!"

Michelle and I can say after working with Vanessa on numerous weddings and this project that she is a fabulous photographer and an extremely nice person. Her work is absolutely beautiful too!

New Toys

I am a really big fan of electronics, like most guys are.  I love the newest technology, the newest gadgets, etc.  I have always wanted a nice camera that I can learn to shoot high quality photos with.  So for Christmas, Michelle bought me one!!  I was so excited!  Photography is an art, like Videography, and it is pretty complicated to learn too!  

Just pointing and shooting pictures with any old camera is easy and generally you can get some very nice pictures.  However, learning the camera well will get you amazing pictures!  I have had some time to play with it and thought I should post a couple of the photos that I have taken and I really liked.  I have a few more that I have not downloaded yet to show you too.  I'm still learning so be easy on me!   

I plan to take a couple of photography courses soon so that I can learn to take beautiful pictures of my family.  I have a new found respect for wedding photographers seeing how hard it is to get those perfect and beautiful pictures myself!!

Picture of a Continental 737 ready for takeoff - Sunrise Over Newark

Picture of my wife (Michelle) looking out our window

Pictures of our Dog (Brando) playing with us!  I love the second one, he looks like super dog!!  I was playing with the fast shutter to capture the action.  I loved that one!

Picture of my Wife (Michelle) all ready for New Years Eve in NYC

I'll have some more soon.  I recently went to Cancun and got a beautiful picture out of my hotel room of the grounds at night.  Can't wait to post that one.  Michelle and I are looking forward to the 2009 wedding season and are currently booking weddings for 2009-2011.  Have a great week!
   

A Family Run Business

As many of you know, Michelle and I run Creative Video Editing films and we are a family business.  We take extreme pride in producing the highest quality wedding films on the market and in providing the personal service you should expect for your wedding day.  Now with High Definition Wedding Films on Blu-ray, we have continued to stay ahead of our competition.  

Creative Video Editing films serves all of New Jersey, New York City including the Lower Hudson Valley and Eastern PA including Philadelphia for no extra charges.  Our wedding films in High Definition set the standard for the very best wedding videos in New Jersey!  

We capture, enhance and preserve memories for many years to come.  We have seen it so many times in the past 10 years.  The moment when your child realizes it's mommy and daddy on the TV and they are getting married, is one of the most precious moments to witness. 

Our clients have even gone so far as to send us pictures and keep in touch with us over the years.  We love all the mail and pictures we get, keep them coming!!  Michelle and I hope everyone has a wonderful year.  We are looking forward to the 2009 wedding season, right around the corner!!  

Brides Guide: Wedding Book

When we got married in October 2007, we put together a big binder of everything wedding. It helped us stay very organized. We purchased folder dividers for our binder and labeled each one the following:

Brides Needs (ie hair and makeup)
Photo/Video
Music
Florist
Caterer/Venue
Transportation
Ceremony
Reception
Rehearsal Dinner
Honeymoon
Ideas (for dress ideas, any other ideas we saw in magazines)
Other

Then every time we had correspondence or signed a contract or saw something we liked in a magazine, we put it in our binder. It actually helped us at the reception too. We had copies of everything, including our music CD's since we had a small problem arise at the reception. We asked the band to play music from a CD for our entrances and they misplaced the one we gave them a week before! No problem, we just had them use ours.

We brought the binder with us for all wedding related activities. From food tastings to picking our floral designs, etc. It was very helpful to have all the information in one place so that we can show our vendors what we were looking for.

If you decide to make up a binder, don't forget to name your wedding or have a theme. Ours was "The Castle Wedding" since we were married at Lyndhurst Castle in Tarrytown, NY. :) We designed out invitations, programs and menus around our themed name too. Have fun with it and really enjoy the planning time. It can be very stressful but it's very rewarding when it's over. We just wish it didn't go by so quickly on the day of the wedding!

Wedding Movies

It seems Hollywood loves to make movies about weddings. From Father of The Bride to Wedding Crashers, each year they have a new and funny movie out! This year it's Bride Wars. Both my wife and I really enjoy silly humor like this so I'm sure we're going to love this movie. Being a part of the wedding industry is always a lot of fun! We get to see so much, but we never saw this before! It comes out on January 9th (tomorrow).

Synopsis:

Anne Hathaway and Kate Hudson go head-to-head in Bride Wars, a romantic comedy that follows two best-friend brides who find they've scheduled their wedding dates on the same day. 13 Going on 30's Gary Winick directs the 20th Century Fox production.

Official Movie Site

Movie Trailer

Cheapest Blu-Ray yet!

Well we took off for the holiday season and we are back. We're working on lots of projects and finishing up our fall wedding edits too.

Just got this in an email today! We actually own this player too and it has been wonderful. It plays all of our wedding films as well. This is the cheapest price player I have seen yet for $169.99. Here is the link:

Click Here for the Link