I met Molly's mom, Sandy, by coincidence. Her grandkids (Molly's nephew's) are friends with my boys. One day in July, I took my boys over to play and Sandy happened to be baby-sitting. We got to talking and she asked what I did for a living, since I was home during the summer. I told her about my business and how I had just opened up a new office in town. She had commented about seeing it as she drove down Route 10, and proceeded to tell me about her daughter who had just gotten married in a private ceremony at the beginning of the month. Sandy had wanted to plan a reception for her daughter, but wasn't sure where to start. I gave her my info and she said she would be calling me!
A day or 2 later, she did. She wanted to come by my office and talk about planning the reception. When she came in the first time, she wasn't 100% sure that she wanted to have the wedding at her home. She asked if I could try to find a venue to host it. Seeing as it was July, and she wanted the second most popular date of the year, I had my work cut out for me. My assistant and I immediately got to work researching and calling and emailing, but to no avail. Being such short notice, we couldn't find a venue on that date that fit their requirements. Venues tend to book up for October a year or more in advance. So Sandy decided to host the post-wedding reception in her home. This meant we needed a caterer! And a tent, and tables and chairs and...so much to do in such a short time.
It wasn't until AFTER Sandy had hired me that she told me who her daughter and son-in-law were. Their last name is "Rose", which didn't ring any bells to me because I'm not big into sports, but apparently, her son-in-law Jalen is a former NBA star who was a part of the FAB 5! And Molly is a host on "First Take" on ESPN. How cool! This is what had inspired our "Rose" theme for the wedding.
The first phone call I made to begin the planning was to my friend Dan at Spice Catering Group. Not only because he is a big basketball fan, but because I knew he was perfect for the job. He would handle all of the rental needs, create a delicious menu, and his staff would take care of everyone professionally and courteously. They did not disappoint.
Next, we needed a photographer. Lucky for me, I know TONS of talented ones. Since this was not a traditional wedding (no ceremony and not too many formalities), Sandy wanted a photographer with a laid-back feel who would capture lots of candids of family and friends having a good time. I gave her a handful to choose from and she decided on Marissa from Wonderland Photography. I'd say an excellent choice!
Entertainment was next. Since there were so many kids that would be at the event, Sandy wanted a kid-friendly DJ and also a bounce house. I knew that DJ Butters Entertainment could provide both, so he was our choice. He even included some fun lighting for when the party really got going!
Sandy's husband, Dave, had a florist in mind for the centerpieces. Plumb Farmsis a client of his, so he chose to hire them to create the centerpieces that we had envisioned. The floral wreaths they designed for the lanterns that we purchased were amazing! The colors were vibrant and the flowers were as fresh as can be! The pop of red roses were the perfect accent for our "Rose" theme, with a hint of autumn.
What wedding is complete without cake? Sandy chose to go with cupcakes and a small cake for Molly & Jalen to cut at the reception. Kristin at Cheshire Baking Company was amazing to work with. She was so thorough and wanted to make sure she had all the details correct, from the flavors to the display and the cute little rose buds on top of the cupcakes. I'd say she nailed it all!
The last little detail we wanted to incorporate was an ice sculpture with a frozen rose inside. Dan at Spice Catering Group has been working with Ice Matters for quite sometime, so they discussed this piece as the center of the Mediterranean station at cocktail hour. It really stood out and looked gorgeous!
Hats off to all of the wedding professionals who made this day magical (and in a very short period of time)! I couldn't have done it without all of you! And thank you to Sandy, Molly & Jalen for entrusting us with such a beautiful day for your family! Congratulations to all!
Photography: Wonderland Photography
Florals: Plumb Farms
Catering: Spice Catering Group
Cake & Cupcakes: Cheshire Baking Company
DJ & Uplighting: DJ Butters Entertainment
Rose Ice Sculpture: Ice Matters
Full Wedding Planning: Pink Olive Events
