The 4th of July is one of our favorite holidays to celebrate because it has a set color theme, no questions asked. From decor to fashion, there are endless amounts of ways to incorporate the colors of our flag into your Independence Day celebrations. However, our favorite way to get creative is through dessert! Put away the food coloring and take inspiration from this roundup of festive treats instead.
It’s officially summer, and we’re turning to healthy green smoothies to cool us down while the weather’s heating up. Fine, so we’re crazy about them year-round. But there’s something about the icy texture of a good (guilt-free!) smoothie that just screams “summer.” Here are some of our favorites recipes. Chop your ingredients at night and wake up a few minutes early in the morning to blend them—your taste buds will thank you. Bonus for the cube-dwellers: pour your smoothie into a mason jar, bring it to work and stow it in the office fridge; come 3 o’clock, you’ll have a vacation in a glass.
What do you put in your smoothie? Are they life-changing or overrated? Tell us @ASargentEvents!
Cheers to Dad! Raise a glass to the man who raised you with one of these cocktails from Fast Drink Recipes.
The Bourbon Daddy: bourbon, lemon juice and… an egg white? Trust us, it’s tasty. Plus, dad needs his protein! Recipe here.
The Happy Dad: vodka, Cointreau and Compari. Simply. Classy. Gentlemanly. Recipe here.
The Manhattan: whiskey, sweet vermouth and bitters. A true classic—make one for grandpa, too.
Recipe here.
Happy Father’s Day!
‘Tis the season for mortarboards, tassels and graduation gowns! Whether it’s kindergarten or eighth grade, high school or college, grad school or law school, commencement is an important milestone for the graduate and their family. Throw your scholar a bash he or she deserves. Skip the generic party store decor and take a look at these ideas instead.
Made to order—Etsy.
It’s almost summer! Show some color. Another idea: use school colors—Martha Stewart.
Nothing generic about this bar backdrop—Martha Stewart.
Nothing beats a clean house with simple party decorations—White Whimsy.
Make a timeline using your grad’s school portraits—Pear Tree Greetings.
Upgrade your card box. We just discovered this company and we’re obsessed. They’ll customize a card box any way you want! Would also work for weddings too—Lisa’s Gift Wrappers.
April showers bring May (and June, July and August) flowers! Here’s a selection of what’s currently in bloom for spring to simplify your flower arrangement planning. View the full list here.
Agapanthus
Amaryllis
Anemone
Apple blossom
Brodea
Calla lily
Cherry Blossom
Dahlia
Freesia
Gardenia
Lilac
Peach blossom
Peony
Last week’s tragedy at the Boston Marathon revealed a dark side of humanity, but also a bright one in the way Americans have come together to help Boston bounce back. Our thoughts are with all in Boston, and out hearts go out to the victims and their families affected by the bombings. Here are a few legitimate ways to help the victims’ families and survivors, according to the Huffington Post.
The Richard Family Fund, in honor of 8-year-old Martin Richard, who was killed during the bombings, his sister, whose leg was amputated, and their mother, Denise, who was also injured.
The LU Lingzi Memorial Scholarship Fund, in honor of 23-year-old Boston University grad student LU Lingzi.
The Jacqui, Paul and JP Recovery Fund, which is collecting donations to cover the medical bills of Jacqui Webb, whose legs were badly injured by shrapnel, her boyfriend, Paul Norden and his brother, JP Norden. The two brothers each lost their right legs from the attack.
The Krystle Campbell Memorial Fund, in honor of the 29-year-old who was killed during the bombings. More information can be found here.
Bucks for Bauman, a fund created to aid in the recovery of Jeff Bauman, a spectator who lost both of his legs during the bombings.
Help for Patrick and Jess, a fund set up for two newlyweds who each lost a leg from the blasts.
Virtual runs—races which individuals can take part in from anywhere—have also been taking place in the past week. This one posted on Active.com is open until Monday, May 27, with all donations going to Boston Marathon victims.
Let’s band together—as runners, maybe, and Americans, definitely.
The weather is finally starting to behave like spring here in north Jersey, so we’re celebrating by trading in our dark winter wardrobe for a brighter and bolder one. Introducing our go-to spot, C. Wonder. If you haven’t checked it out yet, do so. We discovered it one weekend in New York during a trip to Soho, where their flagship store is located. Our lives—and accessories—haven’t been the same since. We frequent their Garden State Plaza location often whenever we need a sartorial boost. Warning: the following images will make you want to shop immediately.
Crystal Bubble Flower Stud Earrings, $38
Square Stone Drama Necklace
Suede Tassel Hobo, $178
“In his blue gardens men and girls came and went like moths among the whisperings and the champagne and the stars.” —F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby
Things may have not worked out for poor Gatsby, but if there’s one thing we love from the classic novel, it’s the extravagant party scenes. History repeats itself, and the 1920s are the next big wedding trend. We consulted our library and—in true 20s style—read a few books to bring you everything you need to know when planning a themed wedding.
Attire
Brides: Think straight cuts of crepe and chiffon covered in heavy beading. Veils cover more of the hair and head than modern styles. Scour vintage shops, or even upscale costume shops. If you have a specific, unique design in mind, hire a skilled dressmaker.
Bridal Party: Instead of matching dresses, encourages your bridal party to choose a vintage dress of their choice. Just keep it in the same color family. Groomsmen should wear the same color suits, but could personalize their style with accessories like hats or bow-ties.
Cocktails
We’ll take an elegant champagne tower any day. Other ideas: place jugs labeled “moonshine” near the bar for a speakeasy feel. Planning a non-alcoholic wedding? One word: Prohibition. Talk about sticking to a theme!
1.
Venue & Details
Old hotel ballrooms are especially fitting for this type of wedding theme. Other unique venues: museums and galleries. If you’re planning an outdoor wedding, choose a waterfront location. Serve dinner and cocktails under a candlelit tent. The most impressive detail: renting a 1920s style car. Arrive in style!
For more 1920s wedding tips, check out the book Everything Creative Wedding Ideas, or contact Allison to help bring your vision to life. What other themes are your favorites? Tell us on twitter @asargentevents.
It’s our 100th blog post! To celebrate, we’ve compiled a list of the top 20 most overlooked details of the wedding planning process, straight from bridal expert Allison herself.
1. Bridal Party 411. Make a list of everyone in the bridal party with their cell phone numbers and email addresses to distribute to each member of the bridal party. This helps out your bridal parties when they’re planning secret operations like a bridal shower or bachelor/bachelorette party.
2. Dress up your entrance. Remember that the entrance is the first thing your guests will see, so show it some love!
3. When planning your décor and floral, remember the restrooms. Amenities baskets are a must, and even a small floral arrangement with some votive candles can really personalize this space.
4. Another décor spot you don’t want to neglect is the cake table. This table will be the focal point of many photographs throughout your special day.
5. When choosing your centerpieces, don’t choose centerpieces that are too large in height or width. Your guests won’t be able to see or hear one another.
6. Think about the kids! Make sure you have a game plan for the children at your wedding. Consider hiring a wedding nanny.
7. To avoid a post-photo album or wedding video disaster after the big day, make sure to view portfolio samples and ask for client references before hiring the photographer and/or videographer.
8. Throughout your entire engagement and wedding process you will receive many beautiful gifts! Be sure to dedicate a notebook or document on your computer to keep track of gifts received and thank you notes that need to be sent. And remember, handwritten cards are still king.
9. Don’t forget your marriage license. Make sure to pick it up from your town hall, and compile all documents to give to your officiant on the day of the wedding.
10. Get creative with your guestbook. Create an enticing guestbook that ensures your guests will want to sign it and makes a great keepsake for you after the wedding.
11. Start packing for your honeymoon a week before your wedding. That way, you’ll give yourself enough time to remember anything you may have overlooked if rushing.
12. Assign someone beforehand to take care of paying the vendors on the day of so you don’t have to worry about it.
13. Create a wedding timeline. Outline a comprehensive schedule that includes precise details of your wedding day, timing and locations. Make copies for everyone in the bridal party!
14. When creating your schedule, make sure you schedule enough time into your day to take wedding photos with the bridal parties and families. You will want these photographs after the wedding is over to remember all of the special memories from that day.
15. If you have any specific instructions for leftover décor, food items, favors or family heirlooms after the wedding, make sure to give your instructions to your event planner before the big day.
16. Don’t forget your dancing shoes. You’re going to be on your feet all day and night so remember to pack a change of comfortable shoes for the reception.
17. Make sure your photographer captures photos of the empty ceremony and reception sites. These make for beautiful photos of how the day looked when you first arrived.
18. Keep cash handy for any last minute drug store runs or for gratuities for the vendors at the end of the night.
19. Prep for your thank you notes. For your first task as a couple, have your new husband keep a list of all the gifts you received and who they were from while you open them.
20. Bring a wedding day emergency kit equipped with all the essentials. Here’s what we keep in ours: makeup, hair products, tide-to-go pen, headache medicine, travel toothbrush, Band-Aids, granola bars, mini sewing kit, travel deodorant, lint roller, lip balm, hair accessories, makeup remover, eye drops, Krazy glue, safety pins, tampons, tissues, disposable razors, static guard, a notepad and, most importantly, chocolate.
Let the bridal specialists at Allison Sargent Events take care of these details. We’ll handle them with organization, professionalism and keep you informed every step of the way. We believe there’s only one thing every bride should do on her wedding day—enjoy it!
Allison Sargent Events 