Great design and decor planning meeting at the Horticulture Center yesterday. Loving this protea centerpiece mock up by Sullivan Owen.
image via jaclyn’s iphone
let us eat cake
We had a great time at City of Hope’s Let Them Eat Cake event last week. It was so nice to catch up with friends, check out amazing cake designs, and have cake for dinner, all while supporting a great cause! The theme was “Under the Bigtop” and we loved seeing the beautiful and intricate designs inspired by the theme. Thanks to Todd Zimmerman of Pictures by Todd Photography for sending us these great photos from the event.
images via pictures by todd photography
let them eat cake
We’re so excited to be participating in Let Them Eat Cake on Monday! It’s such a fun event and the perfect place for brides to meet fabulous wedding pros and taste delicious cake, all while supporting a great cause.
Tickets are only $50 at the door and benefit City of Hope, “the leading research, treatment and education center for cancer, diabetes and other life-threatening diseases.”
Hope to see you there!
spring fashion 2012
The March 2012 issue of South Jersey Magazine is now on newsstands and I love how the spring fashion spread turned out! Dominic Episcopo found such cool backdrops at Citizens Bank Park. The retailers, Anthropologie, Nordstrom, Denim Habit, and Joey’s Boutique, were so helpful and lent us such beautiful pieces. And the models, the gorgeous Phillies Ballgirls, Gen, Samantha, Leigh Ann, and Rachael, were so much fun to work with.
xo,
j
images via south jersey magazine and dominic episcopo
nicole miller spring trunk show
We’ll be at Nicole Miller Philadelphia’s Spring Trunk Show at the Bellevue on Sunday, March 12th. Stop by to see us and enjoy 10% off bridal gowns and bridesmaids dresses.
image via nicole miller philadelphia
something blue
We are loving Olive & Cocoa for unique and stylish gifts, not to mention we love the company’s name. We found this petite bleu bracelet and think it is the perfect something blue. It’s simple and delicate with just the right amount of sparkle. And like all of Olive & Cocoa’s gifts, it comes packaged inside a handcrafted wood box, which is wrapped with a beautiful satin ribbon.
image via olive & cocoa
bellevue gets engaged
I had such a great time at the Bellevue Gets Engaged bridal show yesterday meeting new vendors, catching up with old friends, and helping with the amazing fashion show featuring looks from the 2012 Collections of Nicole Miller and Hugo Boss. Here are a few shots from the day (I especially loved the tangerine bridesmaids dresses and how much fun everyone had on the runway!).
xo,
j
pretty pastels & tangerine tango
I had so much fun styling South Jersey Magazine’s 2012 Spring Fashion shoot last week! With the beautiful Phillies Ballgirls as our models, Citizens Bank Park as our backdrop, and amazing looks from Anthropologie, Denim Habit, and Nordstrom, we got some really great shots.
Some of the spring trends that you’re going to see this year include pretty pastels and sorbet soaked hues, pops of color especially Pantone’s 2012 Color of the Year Tangerine Tango and colored demin, feminine touches like lace and floral prints, and color blocking.
I can’t wait for the March issue to come out next week! In the meantime, here are some behind the scenes pics!
xo,
j
Denim in so many fun colors!
Some pretty pastels and floral prints.
Nordstrom provided the most amazing shoes. We were all loving these sexy platforms by Alice and Olivia.
Everything set up in the locker room/dressing room.
After each shot, we loved seeing the images load onto the computer.
The beautiful Ballgirls: Rachael, Leigh Ann, Samantha and Gen.
images via jaclyn’s iphone
rigatoni alla romance
We are fortunate to have stayed in touch with many of our brides and grooms that we consider friends, including Mary and Jim. Mary is a chef (and Jim is not too bad himself, he’s made us dinner before and it was amazing!) and she is sharing her yummy Valentine’s Day recipe for a homecooked meal with your honey:
DINNER FOR TWO
Skip the hard-to-get restaurant reservations and treat your sweetheart to a romantic dinner at home. Nothing gets the heart racing like a warm bowl of pasta! I’m often inspired by dishes I’ve had in restaurants that I then try to recreate at home. Here, I’ve taken a saucy rigatoni dish and topped it with a dollop of creamy goat cheese that melts into the hot pasta creating a bowl of heaven. I like to serve this with a nice glass of red wine, sauteed kale and some crusty French bread (made by my husband). And for dessert, my favorite sugar cookies!
Rigatoni alla Romance
Serves 2
2 links Italian sausage, cut into 1/2-inch slices
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 bell pepper (preferable red, orange or yellow), thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon crushed dried red pepper flakes
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1/2 cup gigante beans in marinade (check the salad bar at your local grocery store or Trader Joe’s has them in a jar)
4 oz rigatoni
2 tablespoons grated Pecorino or Parmesan cheese
1 oz goat cheese at room temperature
Chopped basil for garnish
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, brown sausage on medium-high heat until caramelized and cooked through. Remove sausage to a paper towel-lined plate. In same pan over medium-high heat, add olive oil and then the onion and bell pepper. Cook until softened while scrapping up brown bits from bottom of the pan, about 3 minutes (add a splash a stock, white wine or water to aid this process, if necessary). Add garlic, oregano, and pepper flakes and cook more minute. Season with salt and pepper. Add tomato sauce and gigante beans. Lower heat to medium-low and bring to a simmer. Check seasoning and add more salt and pepper, if needed. If sauce tastes too acidic (slightly sour), add a teaspoon of sugar.
Cook rigatoni accordingly to package directions until al dente (about 9-10 minutes). In last minute of cooking, remove 1 cup of pasta water from pot (I do this by ladling it into a glass liquid measuring cup). Drain cooked pasta and add to skillet with sauce over medium-low heat. Toss to coat and add small amounts of reserved pasta water as necessary (2 tablespoons at a time) to create a nice coating of sauce on all the noodles (not all of the reserved cooking liquid will be used). Continue to toss or stir for one minute. Turn off heat and mix in Pecorino or Parmesan cheese.
Divide into two pasta bowls and top each with half of the goat cheese. Sprinkle with chopped basil. Enjoy!
– Chef Mary Nolan
Check out Mary’s blog for more recipes and tips!
Happy Valentine’s Day to all of you lovebirds!
best of weddings & bride’s choice award 2012
We are proud to announce that Two Little Birds Planning has been rated by local brides and voted The Knot Best of Weddings 2012 Pick! The Knot Best of Weddings provides a “by brides, for brides” guide to the top wedding professionals across the country.
We’re also excited to have been selected to receive WeddingWire’s Bride’s Choice Award 2012! The Bride’s Choice Awards recognize the top five percent of wedding professionals nationwide and are selected based on client reviews.
images via the knot and wedding wire
two little birds planning 