Next in today’s feature is Kelly & Horacio’s big day. Pistachio green is the main color theme which the couple chose and I love how it creates such a summery vibe to the whole entourage. Everyone simply looked polished & stunning!
The whole day was just so perfect. I would do it over again and again with my husband of course, said Kelly.
What is your story as a couple, how did you meet & fall in love?
We met on May 10, 2011 from a mutual friend at Boston’s Bar and Grill, a local place in Toms River, NJ. Our friend put each other’s cell phones numbers in both of our phones before we left that night. We began talking the next day and officially became a couple in September 2011. It was love at first sight for me. I knew he was the one. We dated until he popped the question May 10, 2013. One of my happiest days ever. We set a wedding date for June, 14, 2014.
What was the best advice you received when you were planning your wedding?
The best advice was to enjoy every minute of the planning and not to fight over the small things.
What makes the two of you a perfect match?
We are a perfect match because we are sole mates.
What inspired your wedding decor? Why did you choose the things that you did?
Since we picked June to get married I was torn about bridesmaid dress colors. Horacio suggested green since I don’t really have a favorite color and our living room is painted a shade of green so I began looking at green dresses. My bridesmaid dresses are Alfred Angelo, I fell in love with their color pistachio, it was bright and so summery. With picking pistachio as the girls color we decided to go with gray tuxedos for the guys. They had gray vests and pistachio ties and handkerchiefs and for fun we got all the groomsmen pistachio socks. The combination was stunning. We also got the bridesmaid gray flowers for there hair to tie in the gray tuxedos. The flowers we choose were all white and green.
Do you have advice for couples still in the planning process?
- Delegate the day of the wedding – you have so much in your head you will not remember everything.
- Make a list of special pictures you want the day of your wedding and discuss it with your photographer.
- Entertainment is a big part of the day, you need an amazing DJ/band – shop around, don’t just pick one and you have to click with them. If you click with them you will have an amazing time.
- Videographer – its expensive but now after the wedding, I’m so glad I got one because I don’t remember half of the reception.
- Give yourself enough time to get ready so your pictures are not rushed make a timeline if pictures are important to you. Nothing worse than running out of time or being rushed.
- If money is an issue cut back on little things like ice sculptures, signature cocktails, even find less expensive types of flowers. Or if the venue offers you theirs – take them. Spend the money on your photographer, videographers those you will have forever.
- If you can get all your hellos done in the cocktail hour, do so!!!! We had to say hello during the reception and I felt like I missed half of the reception.
- Grab your husband for a few minutes and stand in the back of the reception and watch everyone let it all soak in. It’s a moment you will remember forever!!
- Enjoy every single minute because it’ll be over in a flash.
- Always be happy! And Tell your fiancé – a happy wife makes a happy life 🙂
What were some challenges you faced planning your wedding & what would you have done differently to avoid them?
A big challenge was that I didn’t want children at the wedding besides the ones that were in the bridal party. My husband is Portuguese and they take their children everywhere. I wanted to enjoy myself on my day and not worry about little kids on the dance floor. A lot of his family declined to come. My thoughts are weddings are for adults not children.
What was the wedding budget?
Our budget – we just tried to keep it reasonable.
Where did you save the most money?
Etsy was a big help. I cut out cocktail music venue had a playing piano so we used that. Didn’t get an ice sculpture which I’m glad now because I was hardly in the cocktail hour.
Can you share some tips or tricks that you learned along the way leading up to the wedding or after?
Make lists so you remember everything. Delegate things for your bridal party to do so you don’t have to remember everything.
Where did you go on your honeymoon?
Sandals in Antigua.
What are you most excited about for the future?
Starting a family.
How many guests were invited in your wedding and what was the final guest count?
We invited 260 final; count was 190.
Was it difficult to narrow down your guest list?
It was when it came to friends.
What songs did you use during the ceremony?
- Our first dance – All of Me by John Legend
- Introductions -Marry You by Bruno Mars
- Father/daughter dance – I Loved Her First by Heartland
What would you say, the overall story for this album?
Kelly & Horacio; we met on May 10, 2011 from a mutual friend at Boston’s Bar and Grill, a local place in Toms River, NJ. We officially became a couple in September 2011. It was love at first sight for me. I knew he was the one. We dated until he popped the question May 10, 2013. One of my happiest days ever. We set a wedding date for June, 14, 2014. With only a year to plan I got right to work. Horacio was pretty easy, he let me do all the hard work, once I narrowed it down we chose together. Our bridal party was large with 8 bridesmaids, 2 junior bridesmaid, 1 flower girl, 9 groomsmen and 1 ring bearer. We had our reception at the Reception Hall on the Grounds of PNC Art Center in Holmdel, NJ. After picking venue , we booked it right away. We had to pick colors. Since we picked June to get married, I was torn about bridesmaid dress colors. Horacio suggested green since I don’t really have a favorite color I began looking at green dresses. My bridesmaid dresses are Alfred Angelo, I fell in love with their color pistachio it was bright and so summery. With picking pistachio as the girls color we decided to go with gray tuxedos for the guys. They had gray vests and pistachio ties and handkerchiefs and for fun we got all the groomsmen pistachio socks. The combination was stunning. We also got the bridesmaid gray flowers for their hair to tie in the gray tuxedos. The flowers we choose were all white and green. We had 2 different centerpieces at the reception – half of the tables had beautiful white hydrangeas, green carnations, baby’s breath and assorted ferns on top of a 24-inch pilsner vase, the other half were 3 different size cylinder vase with a single green rose, bell of Ireland and a green dendrobium orchid one of each submerged in water with rocks and a floating candle. My dress was a Maggie Sottero, fell in love with it when I tried it on. My shoes were white with a bow in the front that I had dyed pistachio to match the girls dresses. The whole day was just so perfect. I would do it over again and again with my husband of course.
What inspired the wedding day outfits?
Once I found my colors, everything else fell into place.
Was there any Do it Yourself (DIY) projects? If so, can you describe them in detail?
I had a few of them. I had a huge wine glass filled with Hersey kisses with all different labels on the bottom with a little note that says : “kisses from the newlyweds”. I also made little candy wrappers for miniature chocolate bars with our names and date on them and placed two of them on everyone’s plate. Along with clear sleeve so the guest could put their photo booth pictures in and use it as a book mark. I tied a pistachio ribbon on each. I had an Instagram sign made with our hash tag #. I made goodie bags for our overnight guests for the hotel room filled with water with personalized labels and many treats.
What were the highlights from the ceremony & reception?
We had a full church mass, the church was filled with all our friends and family. Since my fiancé is Portuguese, his parents had a restaurant bring in four suckling’s (pigs) for cocktail hour. We had a green up lighting throughout the reception. Our monogram light up the dance floor all night. Our first dance – we danced as snow fell on us. It was so romantic and lovely. I also got my groom a grooms cake which was a golf course with a big golf ball. He loves golf and loved his cake. We also had a photo booth which was so much fun.
Vendors
Photographer: Something Blue Wedding Photography
Beauty :A New York Touch
Cake Designer: Bella Palermo
Tuxedo and Mens Attire: ChazMaTazz
Dress Store: One Special Evening
Dress Designer: Sales Unlimited
Transportation: Santos Limousine
DJ: SCE
Makeup Artist: So Make-Up
Photo Booth Equipment: Something Blue Wedding Photography
Floral Designer: Something Nice Floral Designs
Cinema and Video: Videos by Trish
Reception Venue: Merri-Makers PNC Arts Center
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