Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Happy Spring!

Happy spring everyone!

We here at MLH Events are so looking forward to our 2016 wedding season! From soft and romantic, to whimsical and woodland to hypercolor, harvest, turn-of-the-century inspired and everything in between, this is shaping up to be our best year yet.

Please note - if you're getting married in 2016 and in need of a day-of/month-of coordinator, almost all of our weekends during prime "season" are booked. Just confirmed two more wonderful couples today! Please contact us asap to check your date and begin chatting about your big day plans.
Cheers!

Tuesday, March 22, 2016

We're Award Winning...For the Third Time!

We are so proud to announce that for the third year in a row, MLH Events has been awarded a Couples' Choice Award from WeddingWire.com The award is based on client feedback and recognizes us as one of the top 5% of wedding professionals nationwide! We are so grateful to have worked with so many amazing couples in 2015 and extremely excited about what's on the horizon in 2016!
 
For more information and award details, check out the official award website.

Time Flies...

...when you're planning weddings!

Over the past few years I've had the incredible opportunity to work with so many amazing couples in so many amazing settings. My goal for this year is to begin actually showcasing some of that work - the beautiful stories of my clients who really help me to love what I do!

Stay tuned for updates from MLH Events headquarters including insider planning tips, introductions to some of our dream team members and images from some of our favorite weddings. Cheers!



Thursday, February 28, 2013

Green with Envy - Our Newest Color Obsession

Whether you've been influenced by Pantone or the view of foliage out your window, the latest color obsession of designers and wedding pros alike is green! Here at MLH Events, we're no exception:


Here is our latest showroom display table. Combining a smoke grey and white floral overlay, apple green chevron napkins and green stemware, we pay homage to the color of the moment.


Green candles atop silver pillars, ribbon wrapped cube vases and granny smith apples serve as easy ways to pull the color across the table's different decor levels.

 

A menu card combining coordinating prints and textures helps to provide some visual interest and simple, low arrangements of soft white roses and alstromeria serve as an elegant and clean floral element.

 
To make the table look even richer, deepen the color of the green to emerald. For a preppy twist, add some navy. Or, use mint for a softer and more romantic vibe. I love it paired with peach or tangerine!
 
Green can be rustic. Green can be regal. It can be classic or modern, bold or understated. Really, your green wedding can be whatever you dream it to be. And, with the color green evoking nature, peace and hope, who couldn't use a little more of it on their wedding day?
 
Cheers!
Megan

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

MLH Events on CNY Central

On Monday, February, 18th, I was fortunate enough to appear live on "Today in Central New York - the 6am morning program of CNY Central, channel 863 locally. I chatted with host Lisa Spitz about creating a unique and budget friendly wedding:

 
 
A big thanks to Lisa and the rest of the team at CNY Central! Be sure to tune in to "Today in Central New York" at 6am for the rest of the week to hear more great tips from local wedding professionals!
 
Cheers!
Megan

Monday, February 18, 2013

2012 - Year in Review: A Family Affair in Aurora, New York

As we start to gear up for another busy and beautiful season of weddings, I wanted to take some time to highlight some of my favorite events from 2012. Whether through personal touches at the reception, heart-warming tales about the couple's journey together or downright beautiful brides, each of these weddings holds a special place in my heart.

 
Today, I'd like to show you the lovely, family-focused wedding of Sarah and Will.
 
As you wind your way up the driveway of Sarah's family home in Aurora, New York, it's easy to see why they selected it as the backdrop to their wedding. Sweeping lawns, colorful landscaping and the feeling that you've been transported to a private estate, all helped to create the romantic atmosphere of the day.


The couple held their ceremony under a towering tree on the front lawn and then guests were invited to the upper lawn to enjoy champagne, Pimms and a variety of butlered delights. A string quartet and a gentle spring breeze provided the afternoon's soundtrack.

 
Guests were then escorted to the reception tent on the property's side lawn. Complete with elegant tent liner and crystal chandeliers, the simple peonies centerpieces popped with pinks and fuchsias against the crisp white linens and rich green of the grass.

 
The bride's mother, an antiques dealer, utilized stunning pieces from her own silver collection and the head table featured silver candelabras, serving platters and footed bowls that overflowed with more fresh peonies. Each guest was provided with a vintage monogrammed napkin the Mother of the Bride had collected and painstakingly ironed into a terry cloth to raise the monograms.

 
A lovely spring afternoon, delicious cuisine provided by Aurora's own Pumpkin Hill Bistro and the fun and festive sounds of Black Tie Entertainment all made for a warm and welcoming event. By the end of the night, even my staff and I felt like part of the family!
 
A few more of my favorite images, courtesy of the amazing team at Unusually Fine Photography:
 




 




 
 
Thanks to the wonderful vendors who helped to make the day a success and a special thanks to Sarah, Will and their families for allowing MLH Events to be a part of it.

Cheers!
Megan

Saturday, April 14, 2012

An Occasion Unique as You: Highlighting the "We" in Your Wedding

Looking back on my wedding, I think the most flattering compliment my husband and I received that day was courtesy of an excited and wide-eyed cousin. “This wedding is so… you guys!”

Success. We had effectively infused one of the most revered of time-honored traditions with our character as couple. A pinch of personality here and there made our big day unique –  both in the minds of our guests, eager to be entertained, and to us as a couple, wanting to set ourselves apart from the typical nuptial crowd.  

Whenever my brides ask me where we start the planning process, I tell them to think of the different aspects that make them a couple. Common interests, favorite things and relationship milestones are the dots we can connect to create an event that celebrates both the couple’s character and commitment. But, with the Bridal Association of America reporting that more than 2.2 million weddings occur annually in the U.S., it may seem like a daunting task to plan an event that tastefully combines tradition and the desire to make your big day different than the rest.

Here are a few tips to help any newly engaged couple get started:   

  • Think Personality
Are you deep and dramatic? Light and bubbly? All natural and organic? Fast-paced and metropolitan? If your friends could describe your mood as a couple, what would they say? Think about ways to create that mood in your ceremony and reception space. Your guests will be greeted with an ambiance that reminds them of you. Plus, an atmosphere that feels comfortable to the bride and groom will help to ease any last minute jitters.

If you’re not a couple who prefers formal shindigs, don’t plan an over-the-top formal wedding. There are ways an event can be formal and fun without entering into “stuffy” territory. On the flipside, if you’re a duo that enjoys the finer things and feels as comfortable in black tie as in jeans, why not create the ultimate fancy party? The point is, the couple should feel at ease in the wedding environment they create to fully enjoy their celebration and the company of family and friends.  

  • Think Color
Much like mood, color saturates all aspects of a wedding. From bridesmaids dresses to bouquets, cake to cocktails to chair covers, color should be prominent throughout your big day. Think about the types of hues you are naturally drawn to. Are they vibrant or muted? Warm or cool?  Lighter, softer colors often seem more appropriate for daytime events while dark or jewel tone shades are reserved for the evening. Select colors you feel will work harmoniously with your environment. Lots of black will seem too “heavy” for a spring daytime wedding where as a pastel yellow won’t feel “rich” enough for an autumn evening event.  

Be bold with unexpected color combinations and don’t limit yourself to just two shades. For a modern monochromatic look, select several different shades in the same color family like eggplant, lavender and violet. For a classic combination with a funky twist, think black and white with a pop of canary yellow or lime green. Be sure to pick colors you both love! They will help define your event’s mood and give you creative inspiration in the planning process.

  • Think as a Couple
Where did you meet? What’s your favorite junk food? Do you have a common love for rockabilly music? Take the traits that make you as a couple work and incorporate them into your day. If you met at college, consider a groom’s cake in the shape of the school’s mascot, or use a book of campus photos as your guestbook.

If you both love the gelato from a shop around the corner, consider having a gelato bar in addition to your cake. You can even match gelato colors to your wedding colors or use funky patterned bowls for more personality.

Take your love of music and name each guest table after your favorite albums or songs. Write a short description of why each is so special. As a unique guest favor create your own mix “tape.” Pick tracks for the CD that tell your story.

If you often vacation in Florida together, use sliced oranges in your centerpiece vases or even create a “Sunshine State” signature cocktail. Take your favorite things and use them to create unique experiences for you and your wedding guests. 

  • Think Professional
For guidance through the planning process, consider hiring a professional wedding planner. She will work with you to include all of these pieces in your big day while helping to minimize the stress that often comes with planning a wedding. They say the devil is in the details, but I’ve always found it’s the details that make a wedding spectacular!

A planner will help you to select your unique wedding theme and color palate and design a day that incorporates them seamlessly throughout.  Working with the couple, she will help them choose the ceremony and reception locations and vendors like the photographer, florist and entertainment and review all contracts to make sure you’re getting the best deal possible. Planners also help in managing a bridal budget – something that can easily grow if left unchecked!

When your big day finally arrives, why bear the responsibility of setting up your own event? Possibly the most calming effect of hiring a wedding planner is the ability to sit back, relax and know that everything for your wedding, -- all of the different moving parts, vendors and details – are being taken care of.

These are just a few of the things to consider when planning the wedding of a lifetime. Highlighting your story as a couple and your distinctive personality as a pair will help to ensure that your day is unique as you!

This article originally appeared in the Sunday, January 15, 2012 issue of the Syracuse Post-Standard:  http://bit.ly/HJtx7B