New Jersey Bride Blog

The Bloomingdale’s (Very) Social Registry at the Shops at Riverside invites brides-to-be to the “Pre-Wedding” Wedding Party at 7 p.m. on October 16. Celebrity event planner, Samantha Goldberg from “Whose Wedding Is It Anyway?”—and a frequent contributor to New Jersey Bride—will be available to answer your planning questions. The event will feature a food tasting from the Rockleigh, cake tasting from Carlo’s Bakery, and live music from Bud Maltin Music & Entertainment. The following local vendors will also participate in the event: Flower Elegance, Mario Michele Photography, Biltmore Tuxedo, Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, MultiVision Video Production, Nancy Redisch Designs, Bijou Bridal and Special Occasions, and David Michaels Studio.

To say, “I do,” brides should reply to 201-457-2242 by October 15.

Looking for a one-of-a-kind location in New Jersey? The Open House at Adventure Aquarium in Camden is your chance to see the aquarium’s new Currents Ballroom, along with their preferred service providers.  The event will be held on Wednesday, October 1 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. All brides and one additional guest are invited free of charge—which is a great deal—and even parking is free. If you want to bring your entire bridal party, additional guests are just $10 each.

At the open house, you’ll be able to sample hors d’oeuvres and cocktails, and meet vendors for everything from entertainment, floral and stationery to photography/videography, fashion, transportation and more.  Currents event specialists will also be available to answer questions and discuss the details of your wedding. Special contract incentives will even be offered to those who book that evening.

The Currents Ballroom offers panoramic views of the Philadelphia skyline across the river, as well as three movie-screen-sized windows into the 550,000-gallon Shark Realm exhibit—home to nearly 30 sharks. The ballroom can hold sit-down dinners for up to 400 guests and cocktail receptions for up to 1,250. You can even incorporate the aquarium’s exhibits and adventures into your event.

RSVP by calling 856-365-3300, ext. 7375, or by logging on to currentsballroom.com.

If you live in South Jersey and are close to Philadelphia, here’s a bridal show that’s not to be missed. On September 14, you’ll have the opportunity to meet with the most prestigious names in the wedding industry at Philadelphia Wedding Style, hosted by the Ritz-Carlton at Ten Avenue of the Arts in Philadelphia.

The cocktail reception begins at 11 a.m. in the Petite Ballroom, where coordinators, florists, photographers, stationers, videographers, and more will be on hand to consult with you and help you plan your dream day. Go to philadelphiaweddingstyle.com for a list of vendors. The fashion show and brunch will begin at 1 p.m. in the Ballroom with fashion expert Cliff Martell presenting the latest wedding-day looks and the Ritz serving from their legendary catering menu. The after-party begins at 2 p.m. in the Exchange, where you can mingle with the wedding experts and learn more about the Ritz-Carlton’s newest concept, the Interactive Kitchen.

Admission is $35 per person, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the Foundation for Breast and Prostate Health.  For more information and tickets, go to philadelphiaweddingstyle.com.

Photo by Phil Kramer.

I just got back from the Wedding Salon at the Palace in Somerset, where hundreds of New Jersey brides were scouting out new gowns from Vera Wang and Kleinfeld, tabletop décor from Fortunoff, Williams-Sonoma, and Bloomingdale’s, and great ideas such as cappuccino bars, fondue stations, and fun cocktail recipes from HPNOTIQ.

There were some really beautiful tables set up. I met Cathy Conroy-Dormer of Conroy’s Florist (conroysfloristnj.com), who runs quite an impressive operation up in Morris Plains. She directly ships in all her own flowers from around the world, creating these fantastic floral arrangements. I’m hoping to work with her on our upcoming issue. See the photo album below for one of the looks she created for last night. Hers is the large topiary…

I also loved the simple, natural-themed table with bamboo accents created by Bloomingdale’s.

The highlight of the evening, however, was the Vera Wang fashion show introducing her Fall 2008 collection. Large cabbage roses in various colors were the design accessory of the evening. Here’s one in forest green. The gowns are definitely on the minimalist, mod end of the spectrum, but fun to see. And at the end of the show, of course, were the traditional gowns you’ve come to expect from Vera—white, lacy flowing gowns with the Vera touch. I tend to prefer these more conservative versions—I like a bride to look like a bride—but there was definitely a gown for every personality.

To see these pictures in higher resolution go directly to flickr