After months of planning every aspect of your wedding, don't leave the execution of your final details to chance. 

After all, you are the bride & should be carrying a bouquet not a clipboard!

The Wedding Sitter has specialized in day-of-wedding coordination services in The Hamptons & Manhattan since 1999, & has the knowledge & experience to ensure a stress-free wedding day.

Kimberly Pilson, of The Wedding Sitter, says "We have wonderful working relationships with local vendors, many of whom we have worked with for ten years. We all work together as a team so that the bride & groom have the wedding of their dreams. We will create a wedding day timeline two weeks prior to the wedding, & will distribute it to all of the vendors when we contact them to confirm arrival times & set-up logistics."

The Wedding Sitter is on-site at the bride & groom's “getting dressed” location, the church or synagogue, as well as the reception location to manage the vendors & troubleshoot so that the bride & groom, their mothers & friends can relax & enjoy the day. The

Wedding Sitter's Service includes:

A Final Planning Session | Creation of a Wedding Time Line |  Follow Up Calls to Vendors | Pre-Ceremony/Ceremony Management | Reception Management

For more information contact Kimberly Pilson directly at 212.427.3616 or at kim@theweddingsitter.com

{or to visit the website click HERE}

 Photo: David Vaughan

Angela's Bridal is a proud sponsor of Visionary, A Wedding Planning Event.

The event will take place on Sunday November 15th from 11am - 4pm at 11 North Pearl Event Centre, in Albany, New York.

Visionary is not your traditional Bridal Event - in addition to showcasing the Capital District's most exclusive Wedding Professionals, there will be 2 Runway Fashion Shows & Wedding Planning Seminars featuring Author & Destination Wedding Planner Lisa Light.

This fabulous wedding planning event is a one stop wedding shop for the discerning bride & groom with everything needed for the big day!  {wedding gowns, wedding cars, venues, menus, flowers, etc...}

Visionary provides every couple the chance to experience everything through sight, touch & taste to give inspiration, tips & advice on how to make your dream day a reality! To purchase tickets, click HERE.

Today’s engagement sessions are modern, hip, fun & most of all, a reflection of you as a couple.

Here is one of our favorite engagement sessions of the season from Kristin Follette of Whiteface Club & Resort. {you may remember Kristin's surprise engagement photo from the F/W 09 issue of WellWed in New York}

We absolutely LOVE the photos from her engagement session with April Krueger - & are even more in awe over her creative spin on her Save The Date.

Congratulations again to Kristin & Adam! We can't wait to see the wedding photos!

For all of the recently engaged couples - remember these key points when planning your engagement photo sessions:

Pick the Spot: Amazing photographs can be taken just about anywhere. The spot you choose will help your photographer get to know you & your style.

Get Comfortable: Since this is more than likely the first time you’ve worked with a professional photographer, just know that it’s normal to be nervous. Engagement sessions are a fun, low-pressure opportunity for you & your photographer to get to know one another & become comfortable with each other before the big day.

The Photos: If you are planning on announcing your engagement in the newspaper, Ann Marie Somma says, "Make sure that you ask your photographer to get a traditional portrait. Use the more modern images for your wedding website, to decorate your home, to use as gifts or centerpieces, & for custom save the dates & guest books."

What to Wear: There are no rules! The most important thing is to be comfortable & express your own personal style. What you choose to wear should reflect the type of images you want.

Prepare for the holidays with festive decor by Sebastian Li.

Fresh flowers, fragrant greenery and spectacular Christmas trees are available for private homes, commercial settings and holiday events.

A selection of handmade wreaths will be available in November. Look for another announcement soon!

To view Sebastian Li's updated website click here.

Photo by Annie Schlechter for Veranda magazine

One of Long Island’s brightest shining stars is coming to the Finger Lakes. Heron Hill Winery is excited to announce the arrival of their new Winemaker, Bernard Cannac. Bernard is a renowned Winemaker, recently of Castello di Borghese.

Bernard began his wine making career at a family owned vineyard in France where he grew up. He worked at the family winery until he received his Enology degree from the University of Bordeaux, which allows him to carry the distinguished DNO designation, Diplôme National d'Oenologie and his MBA in International Commercialization of Wines and Spirits from the Ecole Superieure de Commerce de Dijon. While at Galluccio Family Winery, his Chardonnay scored 90 points from Wine Spectator and as winemaker for Comtesse Therese Winery he was awarded “Best Merlot in NY” at the NY Wine & Food Classic.

Owner and grape grower, John Ingle, welcomes another great addition to the winery team. “I’m very enthusiastic about Bernard’s arrival. The staff as well as the Ingle family is ecstatic about the expertise and world-class experience he’s bringing to Heron Hill Winery.”

Bernard will also be a regular contributor to the winery’s already active blog. He’ll take the lead with keeping the readers up-to-date with cellar news, new releases and special events he’ll be participating in. For more information about Heron Hill Winery, one of Travel & Leisure’s ten most spectacular tasting rooms, visit www.heronhill.com.

Destination Affairs is now offering complimentary honeymoon registries. This is a great way to score that over-the-top honeymoon, complete with the bells and whistles.

In planning your honeymoon, those tempting extras such as beachfront as opposed to “ocean view”, private couples massage, private beach dinner, or adventurous excursions can add significantly to your honeymoon budget. They are options that can enhance your overall honeymoon experience and create the most romantic travel experience ever!

First and foremost, book early. The advantages include early booking discounts, payment plans, locked in rates (and if rates go down, you are subject to those dip in prices!), and of course, more time for your friends and family to purchase gifts off the registry for engagement parties, holidays, etc. In planning a honeymoon, we often use suppliers and “bulk air” to build airfare and hotel into “packages” in order to bring your costs down. Our honeymoon suppliers are now also offering a wide variety of tours, excursions, private dinners, spa treatments, and much more that can be added to your packages, pre-booked and pre-paid. The advantages of pre-booking and pre-paying into one are endless, starting with no surprise fees, confirmed availability, and pre-planning. Once you arrive at your honeymoon destination, you can relax and let the fun begin!

“We have found that more and more couples seem to be interested in mixing up their bridal registries, or offering guests different options for gift purchases for engagement gifts, bridal showers, and wedding gifts.” Owner Kristin O’Reilly has been recognizing more and more clients asking about travel registries. Recognizing this trend, Kristin has been offering clients a complimentary, personally designed honeymoon/travel website registry with a customized domain name for clients. From there, guests can purchase general travel gift certificates, or specific excursions, spa treatments, etc. that they are looking to “amp” up their honeymoon experience. “We work with clients and post specific extras, or offer general gift certificates directly on your complimentary registry site.” Says O’Reilly. Wedding guests can purchase general gift certificates in any amount that can be applied to the overall honeymoon expense.”

Check out the below link for an example of honeymoon registry.

audreyandsteve.com

destinationaffairs.com

Experts in the art of the party, Hamptons premier catering & event planning team - Art of Eating Catering & Hampton Event Management International {HEMI} - have unique insight into the glittering benefits, intimate dinner parties & extravagant weddings that make up the backbone of the Hamptons social scene.

The husband & wife team of John Kowalenko & Cheryl Stair, who own & operate Art of Eating and HEMI, finely tuned their partnership to rise to any challenge. Since they started catering & event planning in 1986, Kowalenko & Stair have handled parties for the likes of Billy Joel, Aretha Franklin, Katie Couric, Steven Spielberg, Tommy Hilfiger & Martha Stewart who raved, “The food was great & everything looked beautiful. You could not have done a better job!”

They have also managed corporate events for Manhattan Mortgage, Polo Ralph Lauren, Hamptons International Film Festival & Stony Brook University. Art of Eating & HEMI actively give back to the community by supporting & donating services to many benefits throughout the year. From fashion shows & the Concourse D'Elegance, to breakfasts at the Hampton Classic Horse Show to the US Open & countless galas honoring CEOs, they are experts at developing the most impactful & memorable events.

Kowalenko and Stair are staunch advocates of local & organic produce & organize many eco-friendly weddings in the famed Hamptons. They offer the following tips for green brides & grooms:

DÉCOR & NATURAL SURROUNDINGS

{1} Any way that bamboo can be brought into the theme, e.g., furniture & decorators, is a plus. Bamboo is a great renewable resource & if you've ever had any bamboo, you know just how quickly it can grow. Make tiki huts, bars & other summer theme items out of it.

{2} If spraying for bugs, get a company that uses organics. There are a number of non-toxic bug sprays, including 'skin so soft.' The old citronella candles are always helpful.

{3} Lawn, shrub & tree treatment before & after the wedding to keep the stress level low on the green property are key. We use Roger Feit at Treewise in Montauk, NY - he has organic treatments for the property.

TIMING

{4} Having a wedding or party during the late afternoon will help cut down on electric use, also a fall wedding vs. summer will help with air conditioning needs.

INVITATIONS

{5} Invitations on recyclable paper, napkins, cups {if using paper}.

FOOD

{6} Using local, fresh organic produce is one of the most respectable environmentally sound ways to go. Local fish, cheeses, wines, flowers, chickens, turkeys, herbs & produce are abundant in the Hamptons when in season.

{7} Don’t order endangered species of fish to be served at the wedding. The Audubon Society & The Nature Conservancy will know what current bans exist on LOCAL & imported fish.

Photos: David Seaver

Tracey, of Tracey J. M. Buyce Photography, is pleased to announce that her rescue corgi, Cassidy Ann, will be featured in Dogs USA magazine! It will hit newsstands nationwide late November, early December. This is her first national publication and she could not be more thrilled that it's a photo of one of her girls! To see her blog click here.

Meet the area's most talented wedding professionals at this year's most lavish event!

Century House presents the Engagement Gala, Friday, October 23rd 2009.

{Arrival time is between 6:30 & 7p.m.}

This exciting event will include seminars & planning advice, a fashion show, tabletop & floral designs, gift bags, ancient & modern spa services, dance lessons, hair & makeup demos, cake designs & hors d'oeuvres.

One lucky couple will win our grand prize giveaway - a 3 night all-inclusive tropical honeymoon!

There is a $10 cover charge per couple that will benefit the Regional Food Bank.

Semi-formal dress attire is required for this elegant event - reservations are required so RSVP today to david@thecenturyhouse.com

{21 & older | Limited Availability | Cash Bar}

Century House is proud to feature the following professionals:

Amy Elizabeth | Complexions Day Spa | DJ Playground | Dolce & Biscotti Italian Bakery | Galleria Designs | Genn Shaughnessy | Lisa Light | Make Me Fabulous | Marshall's Ice Sculptures | Rain Or Shine Tent Company | Renaissance Floral Design | Something Bleu Bridal | Travel Central | Tuxego | Upstate Photographers | WellWed in New York Magazine | Zaida The Enchantress & Kike Lopez.

Photo: Andrea Casey

Jacob Albee Goldsmith is having their grand opening in their new studio on Fri. December 4th from 5 - 9PM. The new studio is at 41 Maple St., right next to the intersection of Battery and Maple St. It's already open by appointment, but this will be Jacob Albee's first open-to-the public opening. {Jacob Albee, Goldsmith}

Coren Moore was featured on the season premiere of David Tutera's show on We Network, My Fair Wedding. He chose the "Sophie" dress for the bridesmaids.

Also, we have just launched our newest bridesmaid styles for the season, as well as a few new bridal styles (we have also added a new colors to our shantung options). All of our most recent additions can be seen here: {Coren Moore Blog}

Pamela and Renata of Ananas Spa are offering clients exclusive and innovative ideas for fighting the recession.

With an investment of $500 in an Ananas Spa Owners Certificate, you will receive $600 worth of spending power on luxurious services. {That's $100 free!}

Advantages include any luxurious spa service of your choice, all those points in your loyalty rewards account, monthly special services, and all boutique purchases. This offer is available as many times as you wish to participate.

If you don't want to spoil yourself, this is also a great idea for Christmas gifts!

Ananas Spa is offering the following luxurious treatments and services: Beautifying Skincare, Therapeutic Massage, Endermologie, Yonka and Sothy's Facials, Micro-Dermabrasion, Waxing, Airbrush Tanning, Temporary Body Art, Manicures, Pedicures, Make-Up, and Hair Styling

To reach Ananas Spa's front desk call 631.287.9099

Located at 71 Hill Street, Southampton, New York

Hours: 9am to 6pm Monday through Wednesday, 9am to 7pm Thursday through Saturday and 10am to 5pm on Sundays.