Meet Maryann...

The first time I met Maryann Dawson from Flowers on the Porch, I rubbed my eyes in disbelief.  Here was this tiny, adorable little woman hauling flower arrangements that were bigger than she is!

Petite Maryann is like a flower sprite, with an intimate knowledge of all things floral and a magical touch.  She offers some of the most personalized floral services in the Hudson Valley.  

I’m pretty clueless when it comes to flowers myself, so it wasn’t a stretch for me to call Maryann up and pretend that I’m planning a wedding and I have no idea what I want. I start asking her some questions…

I’ve never done this before.  How can you help me pick out my wedding flowers?

  “I’m a very good listener,” Maryann says.  “So I’ll ask you some questions so that I can get a good vision of what you like, even when you don’t know what it is.”

Questions like...

What colors do you like?  

“I’ll show you contrasting colors or textures to figure out what feel you like for your wedding.”

Do you want a wedding that’s glamorous with lots of ‘bling’ or garden-like, rustic or seasonal?

Do you want something trendy or different?  

“I’ll tell you what’s in and what’s not,” Maryann explains.  “One of my brides asked about using wheat grass for the place card setting and that’s been done a lot.  So I suggested some alternatives.  I don’t try to push the trends, but I’ll let you know and then it’s up to you.”

What questions should I ask when I’m hiring a florist for my wedding?

Will my flowers and colors be available?  

 
If you have an idea about the flowers or colors you want, ask the florist if they will be available.  “Specific flowers are usually available all the time in most colors,” Maryann says.  “But prices vary a lot with supply and demand.  If the flower you want isn't available or if it is too hot or expensive, I’ll tell you.”
 
A good florist will discuss your floral options and the availability of what you have in mind.  She may also ask for a second flower choice in case to make sure pricing and availability fits your specifications.  This way there are NO SURPRISES at the wedding!  Maryann insists that you get exactly what you expected, no substitute flowers or “green filler.”

Do you have help?

The florist should definitely have help available, especially if you have a large wedding.     “But I always do the personal flowers and bouquets myself.”  Maryann’s voice is firm.  “No one touches them but me because I am very particular.  And whatever I get help with has to meet my approval first.”

Do you charge extra for anything?

Maryann actually absorbs many of the extra costs for travel and equipment rental.  However, it is reasonable for florists to add on extra charges for additional travel at a far distance or to rent a delivery truck if that is necessary.  These charges are determined according to their florist business training and should be clearly explained up front.

What time will you set up and break down?

The florist should deliver your bridal party flowers at the same time your photographer arrives.  “Many brides don’t realize that they will want to have their bouquets there for the photos,” Maryann explains.  “Sometimes it makes sense for someone in the bridal party to pick up the flowers, so I’m flexible.  But make sure you have them there for the photographer.”

Can I rent my vases from you?

This will really depend on the size of your arrangements and your specific needs.  If the vase is a common size, the answer is usually yes.  All of this should be clearly stipulated in your contract.
 
“You should also ask if you need to return the rentals yourself or if the florist will pick them up for you,” Maryann advises.  “I take the time to explain what happens if something breaks.  Make sure you understand how it works.”

What does your finished work look like?  Will you cover all the green foam in the centerpieces or will I see it?

“Some florists use a lot of green as filler in the arrangements,” Maryann sighs, as if shaking her head.  “I would want to see their work as much as you can for proof.  When you bring them a photo and say, ‘I want it to look like this,’ that’s exactly how it should come out.”  

How much should it cost to get my wedding flowers?

“It really depends on a lot of factors.  That’s why I really need to meet with you!”  Maryann smiles.  “Have the answers to these questions if you can before meeting your florist: How many bridesmaids, groomsmen, parents?  Do you need flowers for the ceremony and location?  How many guests?  What color or flower ideas do you have?  This gives me the specifics to provide an accurate quote.”

When should I plan my wedding flowers?

“The sooner, the better!”  Maryann laughs.  “Deciding on your flowers 6 months before the date is fine, but 9 months before is ideal.  This way I have time to shop for you, talk to the wholesalers and get you the best deal.  If you’re planning a fall wedding that is the busiest time of year for florists, so pick your flowers 1 year in advance.”

The service you’re describing makes it pretty clear that you’re a real flower specialist, not just the “1-800-FLOWERS” cookie cutter florist.  Can you share some creative ideas you’ve come up with for your brides?

Maryann laughs.  “I don’t even know how to do those methodical arrangements where you count each flower so that anyone can copy it!  Of course, I can copy an arrangement, but I do it with my own flare.”

“I love flowers with unusual texture or mixing feathers with flowers, fruit with flowers, dried flowers with fresh flowers, or adding butterflies to arrangements.  It’s got to have that WOW factor!”

“Once example is a centerpiece arrangement for the opening of the Grandview.  I sprayed the stems of the roses turquoise to match their heads and used matching turquoise vases on either side.  It was colorful, coordinated and really different.  Everyone who passed that table photographed it!”  (See photo - right.)   

Maryann’s Advice

• Be aware of the season.  Prices go up and down a lot depending on the season and the color.  Ask your florist to help you choose flowers and colors to fit your budget.

 

• Choose more neutral colors for your parents’ flowers; don’t make them the same as your bridal party unless their garments are coordinated.  You want your bridal party to really stand out. (See photo - right.)

 

• If you’re on a tight budget, avoid a wedding around Mother’s Day or Easter.  Prices will be significantly higher.

 

• Don’t choose orange or brownish hues in your flowers for your fall wedding if you want to keep prices down.

 

• “Most brides don’t know this, but fall is the busiest for florists in the Hudson Valley—not May and June,” Maryann explains.  “In October, mini orange calla lilies are 2x the price!  If you use them, I suggest using them only in your bridal bouquet or scattering them in to keep your costs down.  You can also consider using yellow, which isn’t quite as pricey.” (See photo - below.)

 

• Avoid red or pink wedding flowers around Valentine’s Day if you can. “Red roses are especially expensive around this time, so use them sparingly,” Maryann suggests.  “Anything red or pink will cost more.  Go with white flowers or another color off the beaten track, or mix blue and red with white.  See if you can find something you like in purple or lavender.”

 

Tell me something no one knows about you, Maryann?

“I still stress over every wedding.”  She laughs.  “I was up at 4am one night with halogen lights over the peonies to get them to open for the wedding the next day.  Another time I was in the shower with white lilies using steam on them.  I’m that concerned about it!” 

 

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Mary Ann is a fresh and silk wedding floral design specialist whose passion for flowers started when she did the bridal flowers for her own wedding in 1995!  Now she runs her own business in the Hudson Valley and can be contacted at Flowers On the Porch.

Photo credit: Watermarked photos courtesy of Ulysses Photography, EID Photography (bouquet with shoes photo), Rendezvous Photography (photo in banner above) and 5 West Studios. All others are courtesy of Maryann of Flowers on the Porch.

 

 

The first time I met Andrew Nikola of Enriquez Entertainment at a bridal show, I had no idea how talented he was. He was young and friendly (even though we were technically "competitors") with a quick smile and a quicker wit. But he was so young that I had no idea of his history and experience.

When he was only 14 years old, Andrew was chosen to be a part of a Southern Dutchess Chamber of Commerce community program that allowed him to be an intern at the radio station on the weekends. He learned tricks of the trade from Terry Donovan, like how to articulate his words by reading the paper out loud with a pen in his mouth. By the time he was 16, Andrew was getting up at the crack of dawn for a 6am radio show on K104 where he was known as the DJ Andrew Enriquez.

As if that doesn't make him qualified enough to dish out advice on DJ'ing, Andrew and his lovely wife just planned their own Hudson Valley wedding at the Grandview in Poughkeepsie on June 26th, 2010!

Jeff and I invited him out for a celebratory lunch to find out a wedding insider's experience planning a wedding in the Hudson Valley...

"What was it like planning your own Hudson Valley wedding?" I ask Andrew.

"Picking our introduction song was HARD!" Andrew laughs. "I was a really difficult client. We didn't want any of the 'same old' cliché songs; I gave our DJ a list of 15 songs for dinner that he never played.  Songs with lyrics and meaning like 'Make You Feel My Love' by Adele and 'First Time' by Lifehouse."

"So what was your introduction song? 'God Is a DJ?'" I smile and nudge Jeff.

Andrew grins. "LMFAO, 'Shots.' It's my jam. I do the Shots dance."

 

"What advice would you give to someone trying to find a DJ for their wedding?" Jeff asks.

"Make sure you find a DJ who reflects your style as a couple," Andrew says. "Heather and I were more NY style fist-pumping, partiers...not Snookie Jersey Shore style." He grins, cutting off the verbal jab Jeff was about to deliver.

"We really geared our wedding towards the music...After the toasts it was mostly current songs. I told our DJ that I'd slit my wrists if he played 'Dancing Queen.'"

Andrew says it is important to build a rapport with your DJ on a very close personal level. "When I meet with my clients they are my friend first and a client second. We text or email all the time. I even play kickball with some of them."

"Make sure you feel comfortable with your DJ," Andrew recommends. "You don't want to worry on your wedding day. Meet them."

Somehow we end up chatting about Chelsea Clinton's recent wedding in the Hudson Valley.  Jeff and Andrew start trading jibes and engaging in the "cool dude talk" that was responsible for their instant connection years ago.

"Yeah, I want to do the Clinton wedding." Jeff puts on his best President Clinton voice, "Sure, Bill, you can use my microphone. But I'm cleaning it afterwards."

"Settle down, boys," I say. "I'm trying to do an interview here!"

"Ask the DJ, 'Why are you doing this? Why are you doing weddings?'" Andrew says.

The response a DJ gives to this question tells you a lot. You want someone at your wedding who loves what they do. "I'm not just going to hit play on an iPod. I've really got to be into it."

"How many DJs do you have working with you now?" Jeff asks.

Andrew answers that he has four teams of DJs. "I don't want to lose personal touch with my clients," he says. "I really have fun doing it."

"I know." I smile and shake my head. "I saw that photo of you dancing on top of the sub-woofer."

Andrew laughs.

"Andrew, what's something people don't know about you?" I ask.

Andrew thinks for a moment. "One time when I was ten years old I got suspended from riding the school bus for shooting rubber bands at girls' butts," he says. "My parents made me pay a taxi cab driver to drop me off at school, with my own money. One day the taxi forgot to pick me up at 3 o'clock and I had to stay there until 5pm."

"Did you tip the cab driver, Andrew?" Jeff asks.

"I don't remember." Andrew grins. "But I learned my lesson: stay out of trouble and keep your nose clean."

I think about 16 year old Andrew getting up before the sun on a Saturday morning when the other kids were just heading for bed. "Sounds like your parents taught you a lot. You've got a serious side I never realized before."

Andrew smiles comfortably. "I like to goof around a lot and make fun of myself. My brother-in-law and I built a marshmallow launcher out of PVC piping and a gas grill button igniter and used Aquanet as the launching agent ."

"Ah, a fellow pyromaniac."  Jeff practically high-fives Andrew across the restaurant table.

"I'm a big kid at heart," Andrew admits. "But I know when I have to be grounded, especially in business."

Andrew's Wedding Planning Advice

"What advice would you give to someone planning a wedding?" I ask.

"Pull out the Bride and Groom card and USE IT," he says firmly. "It's your day. Do what you want! If someone tries to sell you something you don't want, they aren't right for you."

If you're getting overwhelmed by guests trying to talk to you on your wedding day, come over to the DJ and take a break.

"I see so many of my couples standing at their sweetheart table and they're bombarded," Andrew says. "I tell them to come over and hang out with us. Your guests will think you're doing some business stuff and they'll leave you alone."

Take a step back and savor it.

Andrew smiles and looks up, remembering his own wedding day. "See all the people there that day just for you. There's so much adrenaline, you don't even need booze! They are there for YOU. It's powerful and it takes your breath away."

 

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Andrew Nikola is the owner of Enriquez Entertainment, the Hudson Valley's most dynamic DJs. He is a proud member of the Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce and one of the Greater Southern Dutchess Chamber of Commerce's "Forty Under 40" rising stars in the community.

Some brides and grooms view children as an essential part of a wedding ceremony. From the adorable flower girl and ring bearer, to the little child fussing in the back of the hall, many people feel that celebrating a wedding is akin to a celebration of family. Therefore having children participate is a no-brainer. 

But that is not always the case for all couples in the midst of wedding planning. Etiquette states that if you invite one child, you have to invite everyone's children. Depending on the demographic of your guest list, that can mean 20, 30, or 50+ extra people (kids) attending the wedding. With the escalating cost of weddings, those extra little ones can add up to big expenses.

Choosing Adults Only

Whether it is a cost-issue, the worry of someone's darling little angel having a difficult time sitting through the ceremony, or lots of lovely breakables at the reception site, couples should feel the right to ask for an Adult Only celebration. For some truly cringe-worthy stories of childish antics at weddings, check out Etiquette Hell's stories involving children!

Preparing Your Guests

Be prepared however! No matter how good your intentions may be, if you politely ask your wedding guests to respect an Adults-Only request, you may find that you could potentially offend guests.

The best way to prepare your guests is to let them know as early as possible that you intend to have an Adults-Only ceremony and/or reception. If you feel comfortable putting it on your Save-the-Date cards, at least your invitees will know at the earliest possible moment what your plans are for your wedding.

 

Make sure to place a reminder on your invitations when they finally go out. Feel free to include a polite explanation if you feel that it will help soothe ruffled feathers. If it's a cost issue and you are comfortable sharing that, then go ahead. Same thing if you are planning a reception at a site that is not kid-friendly.

Be prepared: You will inevitably get a phone call or two asking you to make an exception. It could prove handy to have a list of your reasons for Adults Only on hand so that you can refer to it in case a belligerent (or particularly insistent) potential guest flusters you.

Also keep in mind that if you make one exception, you will be expected to make many more. Parents who made other arrangements for their children may resent seeing the children you have made an exception for in attendance.

 

While asking for an Adults-Only wedding may deter some out-of-town guests with children from making the trip, disseminating (polite) information well in advance can ensure that the majority of your guests are un-offended and will enjoy participating in your big day!

 

 

 

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Jen Kiaba is a freelance photographer and designer who specializes in Portraits - with a Hint of Vintage Romance. She lives in Rhinebeck, NY with her superhero boyfriend, two crazy cats and an adorable (albeit very lazy) basset hound! She can also frequently be found on Facebook and Twitter!

 

 

Planning the Perfect Honeymoon...

Cruise lines originally offered an incredible value in an all-inclusive vacation. Over the years, in an attempt to increase on board spending, they are presenting upgraded and additional items to entice you.

Remember, once on board a cruise ship, you exist in a cashless society. When you purchase an item not included in your fare, your key card is swiped and your signature taken as proof of purchase. These purchases can include a baseball cap or shawl in the boutique, a massage in the spa, or a bottle of Dos Equis in a lounge.

Spending money is very easy when you are not using cash. Of course, you can dispute any charge you really haven't made, but the object here is to refrain from purchasing these items in the first place.

First, avoid drinking alcoholic beverages all day long.

Cocktails, wine and beer on board cruise ships are very easy to consume plus there is a 15% service charge added to those bills. From 10 am on the Lido deck by the pool, the waiters are offering you the Drink of the Day.

What most people don't know is that those specialty drinks in special glasses cost more but are also refillable at a reduced cost. So although you might spend more, the next time you order, it costs less. Most passengers just leave them on a table--therefore not taking advantage of the available savings.

The bucket of beer offers are interesting but they don't have to be consumed all in one sitting. The bucket can be taken back to your stateroom and enjoyed over the week at your convenience. Your cabin steward will even keep them on ice for you. Or if you would like to have a bottle of wine with dinner, you don't have to finish the bottle before you exit the dining room. This gives you a drink at dinner and one later in the evening. If you do drink, please do so responsibly.

Second, you may be seriously addicted to sodas; consider changing to fruit juices while on your honeymoon.

Sodas can cost up to $2 each. On board cruise ships, juices are free. (I've noticed some ships don't keep the juices available all day in the buffet.) But juice is always available from the room service menu. And on most cruise lines, room service is free all day and all night.

If you really need soda pops on a daily basis, review the cost of a "soda card." On some cruise lines, a card for 7 days of unlimited sodas will run you only about $25. But if the card is going to cost you over $40, it may not be very cost effective. The only way to know is by doing the math.

Third, do not use your cell phone on board.

Roaming charges from the middle of the Caribbean or Mediterranean Seas are exorbitant—these are some of the highest telecom fees in the world. Since you are on your honeymoon, are there really people you need to be in touch with while you're away? Certainly, you can leave your respective families with the ship's phone number in case of emergencies, but don't call anyone just to say how sweet your cabin is.

Fourth, you should pack enough clothes for your entire honeymoon and be prepared to take dirty ones home with you.

Your cabin steward may suggest you to fill a bag with your laundry. He or she can have it cleaned and back to you in less than 48 hours. And everything in the bag will be cleaned for one flat rate.

You have two choices here. Either find the self-service laundry (if there is one available) or take your dirty laundry home with you where it will cost you much less to clean. If you opt for the former, you may have to ask more than one person--your steward, someone at the front desk, and possibly other cruisers—for the location of self-service laundry. But this will allow you to avoid the overpriced bag of laundry your steward is pushing.

Fifth, take a camera with you onboard to capture your holiday.

The cruise lines have several photographers on board per sailing. These photographers start snapping photos of you before you actually board the ship, while you are on the gangplank boarding. Every time you stop, in the pool, during dinner, in the lounges and on shore excursions, cruise line photographers are taking your picture. On average these photos run about $10 each. That can certainly add up over 7 nights.

One of the best things you can do is to have your travel agent or cruise specialist look for a ship board credit. This is money that either the cruise line or your travel company gives you as an incentive to book. It appears as funds in your account upon boarding.

These credits are usually dependent upon the length of your cruise as well as the category of cabin you purchase. A ten-night suite usually gives a larger shipboard credit than a 3-night interior cabin. These credits can help defray the cost of your wine with dinner.

Also, most passengers don't realize that they can go to the front desk anytime and ask for an up-to-date accounting of their bill—this can be done as often as you want to check. On some cruise lines, you even can review your account on the in-room television. This way, there are no surprises. You can control the amount of on board expenses you amass during your honeymoon and come out painless while enjoying your "almost" all-inclusive.

Emma McKnight is travel agent specializing in cruise vacations. View her website at: Cruise With Emma or contact her.