Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow!

I hope everyone is stuffed from all the great food the holiday season has brought us! All this snowy December weather has created that magical winter wedding feel …as well as the perfect ballroom backdrop. As another year comes to a close, let’s not forget about all the perfect moments with your family and friends! Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Lobbatto & Mr. and Mrs. Weckesser! These two weddings were a fabulous close to the month of December. Warm wishes for all!

Have a happy and safe New Year from everyone here at The English Manor! See you in 2010!

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas …

This past Saturday was the start of our Winter Wonderland weddings here at The English Manor. Our wedding estate has been transformed into holiday bliss. Wreaths, trees, bells and garland are everywhere! All the festive decor just makes me want to sit by the fire with a mug of hot chocolate! There is so much happiness and joy surrounding the holiday season that you can’t help but always be in a good mood. But enough with how much I LOVE the holidays, let’s talk about this past weekend’s weddings…

Our first Winter Wonderland wedding this season was Jenny and Jason’s … they even had Santa come to their wedding! What an awesome surprise for their guests! (I was even able to sneak in my own picture with Santa!) The wedding was truly a magical holiday party complete with ornament place card holders. The holiday cheer was spread right down to their toes … Jenny had on red heels and Jason had black and white tux shoes … perfectly planned!

Here's a picture of Santa with Jenny and Jason's wedding party!

Here's a picture of Santa and me!

That Saturday evening, the holiday cheer continued on with Ryan and Drew’s wedding. Their use of cranberries and burgundy candles made their centerpieces shine … I absolutely loved how they used wreaths around the vases to add that extra element of holiday splendor.

These two weddings were the perfect December kick-off! I can’t wait to see what else is in store for this month!

This past Saturday, Christen and Anthony were lucky enough to be married outside in this beautiful November weather. With a crisp breeze and the rustling of the leaves, they had a perfect night for their autumn ceremony. They continued their autumn theme indoors with their use of warming colors and leafy décor. It was an amazing celebration!

This fabulous wedding, as well as all the weddings here at The English Manor couldn’t have been done without Debbie, our wonderful Maitre’ d, who makes sure all the details and planning come together perfectly. She personally sits down with the brides and grooms-to-be and makes sure their wedding day is everything they dreamed it would be! On the day of the wedding, she is there to manage and make sure that your ceremony and reception run smoothly.

Here’s a picture of Debbie and Chris Garrow (we love them both)! Chris is the fabulous owner of Unforgettable DJ’s. He is one of our favorite DJ’s and is like a member of The English Manor family.
P.S. Nancy, Vince and Cathy have been hard at work getting The English Manor ready for the holiday season! So get excited, because I will be posting pictures of all the great décor! Happy Holidays!

It's officially holiday season!

I am so excited to be a part of all the holiday bliss that is starting to erupt here at The English Manor! I particularly love this time of year because as busy as our lives are, we can take a moment and give thanks for everything we are grateful for – especially our family and friends! I hope everyone had a very Happy Thanksgiving and you are enjoying the last days of November!

Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Tim Bruey! We hope your having a wonderful time in Mexico!

It’s all in the details – Part II

DETAILS, DETAILS, DETAILS! If you haven’t noticed, I’m a fan of small elements that really make a wedding shine. We have a saying here at The English Manor to “keep it simple”. All you need is one detail that leaves your guests amazed!

This past weekend, we had 3 wonderful weddings. Friday started the weekend off with Heather and Anthony’s reception. During cocktail hour, Heather surprised Anthony with a Frank Sinatra singer. This was just absolutely adorable and what a great surprise!

On Saturday, Sandy and Bill celebrated their wedding and I loved how they incorporated their love of skiing into their day! Here’s a picture of their cake … I just adored how their wedding cake showcased their interest and love of the outdoors!


On Sunday, Loretta and Tomás were married in Brooklyn and then came to The English Manor for an amazing celebration! In the words of Deb (their maitre’d), “what a spectacular day they had after all the days of rain!” They even had so much fun they extended the reception an extra half hour!

Congrats to all our brides and grooms!

It’s all in the details – Part I

These past few weeks I have seen some little details that provided the right amount of flair to some very chic weddings! With so many incredible moments caught in photos it was hard for me to choose just one, so here are a few snippets and photographs that reflect the character of each day as well as the couples’ personalities!

On Friday, Oct. 30th 2009, Laura and Brian upgraded their cocktail hour with a fresh raw seafood bar. With shrimp cocktail, Jonah crab claws, and clams and oysters their guests did not leave hungry! This was a truly delicious element that made Laura and Brian’s wedding distinctive.

On Saturday, October 31st I was passing by the bridal suite when I noticed a pop of color … I looked down and noticed the bridesmaids had the most adorable shoes - I fell in love! Then while Elizabeth (the bride) and her bridal party were taking pictures outside, Nancy came running into the office and told me that if I loved the bridesmaid’s shoes, I would LOVE Elizabeth’s shoes. While all the bridesmaids were wearing heels, Elizabeth had on blue converse sneakers! I loved her touch of “something blue”! Here’s a picture of their super cute apparel …

That Sunday, Jennifer and Chris had the most charming favors. While all the favors our couples pick are unique and fabulous, I loved Jennifer and Chris’ because they were perfect for the month of November! They gave each of their guests a leaf cookie cutter that stated they were “cut out for each other” – this was an ideal gift for the autumn weather!

This past Saturday, November 7, 2009 had two gorgeous weddings. In the afternoon, I was amazed by Shelly and Chris’ favors! They had a unique booklet that opens up and tells a few facts about themselves and inside was a shot glass and mini liqiour shot! I just have to say as a guest I would love this favor! Later on, for Connie and Francis’ evening wedding I was just amazed by their cake … you could probably say I fell in love it was so beautiful. Here are a few pictures from each of the weddings to see all their one of a kind details…

A look back at Adam and Sidra’s September wedding…

Here are a few pictures from Adam & Sidra’s wedding on September 12, 2009.

I especially loved when Adam surprised Sidra during cocktail hour by serenading her on his guitar. When I become engaged I sure hope my fiancé can sing! (If not he’s taking voice lessons … from Adam.)

The second picture is of their gorgeous centerpieces … they really made the ballroom pop with color! I think they added just the right touch of personality and elegance.

Last and probably my favorite picture is a picture of the best man toast. Adam’s best man was his son – he gave the most awesome toast!

The English Manor Octoberfest…

I am completely in awe how each couple that comes to The English Manor creates unique and creative ways to add their own personalities to their wedding. It’s their own distinctive details that let the guests know the wedding they are attending is something special. While all the weddings I have personally witnessed at The English Manor are marvelous, this past weekend I had the pleasure of being able to observe four weddings that were absolutely gorgeous … each in their own way.

This past weekend started off with Lisa and Jay’s wedding. Their wedding couldn’t have been more flawless! Stepping into fall, everyone has felt the chill in the air … but last Friday the weather cooperated for Lisa and Jay and they were married outside in the gazebo. They even got to go to the beach for pictures! Everyone here at The English Manor absolutely adored Lisa and Jay’s chocolate dipped apple favors, which couldn’t be more perfect for the month of October!

Saturday began with Lacey and John’s wedding. They really got into the spirit of Octoberfest here at The English Manor with all their Halloween details. From their favors to décor … everyone was able to figure out the theme for this wedding. I particularly loved the skulls placed throughout the foyer, but my favorite detail was the carved white pumpkins they used for their centerpieces - complete with horror film table names. This wedding was terrifyingly great!

Courtney and Ted were Saturday evening’s bride and groom. We loved their use of colors… pinks and oranges! Especially fabulous was how the flowers matched the colors of the ribbons on cake perfectly. A total surprise to the guests was when Ted made his entrance into the ballroom complete with his top hat! This wedding was as sweet as the couple!

Marina and Oleg created a warming palette of colors encompassing October’s changing of the leaves for their evening wedding on Sunday. The lighting and colors were truly breathtaking. I also loved how they incorporated their heritage and traditions into their ceremony and reception. It was a great way to conclude our weekend here at The English Manor!


Congrats to all our October brides and grooms! Thank you for choosing The English Manor to celebrate your special day!

Maggie & Dan 10/17/2009

Maggie and Dan chose to do what we here at The English Manor like to call a “meet and greet”. A meet and greet is when the bride and groom are able to see each other before their ceremony. We love when brides and grooms opt to do this because it makes “the big moment” at the alter a lot less nerve-racking. Everyone was so happy that the rain stopped long enough for Maggie and Dan to capture their meet and greet outdoors! Courtesy of Lisa Truesdale, I have some pictures capturing the anticipation and bliss of the moment. Take a look at the photos and if you have any questions about arranging a meet and greet before your ceremony at The English Manor – you know where you can contact me!

Check out Maggie's review of The English Manor at weddingwire.com!

Here are some pictures from Barbara & Jerome's wedding on October 11th - Enjoy!

Real Wedding, Real Talk ...

“Really get to know your dress.” – Mrs. Barbara Perlongo

I’ve been told the old adage “beauty is pain” and I have even said it one too many times myself, but let’s face it on your wedding day please pick a dress that is comfortable! Your wedding dress is going to look stunning, so take Barbara’s advice and really get to know the dress you pick. (This is why the best bridal advice is from brides themselves!) Barbara and Jerome, one of the charming couples that had both their ceremony and reception at The English Manor stopped by to chat with the owner and general manager, Lisa Truesdale this past Monday. Barbara said the day couldn’t have been more wonderful, but she wished she remembered a few key things about her dress. For instance, Barbara wished she knew that her dress had a little wristlet loop to slide onto her wrist. This would have made walking around with her dress a lot easier. It’s something planners and guests don’t really think about, but take Barbara’s advice and make sure you get to know your dress so you can move easily and freely throughout your reception!

On another note, everyone here at The English Manor has officially coined Barbara’s phrase “Lady of Honor” in substitution of the old phrase “Maid of Honor”. It’s about time for a change, so kudos to Barbara for the great idea!

Stay posted because I will be putting up some pictures (taken by Lisa Truesdale) from Barbara and Jerome’s wedding ceremony on October 11, 2009. Until then, remember Barbara’s words of wisdom!

Stepping into Fall in Style…

See all the beautiful fall colors from Christine and Tom’s Wedding on October 3, 2009. The mums are beginning to burst with color!

I can officially say that autumn has approached The English Manor. In the past week, I have seen many subtle changes that have left me smitten. From the use of papaya, burgundy and chocolate colors to the new fall flowers being planted on the grounds – everything has left me with that feeling that it is time to break out the apple cider and pumpkin pie.

While all the weddings of this past weekend were extraordinarily gorgeous, I just want to mention some unique details. I fell in LOVE with the latte color bridesmaid dresses from Kim and Karl’s wedding on Sunday. Not only did I adore the color, but I also loved the idea that each bridesmaid was able to pick out her own dress design. The use of orange and red with subtle touches of white in their bouquets complimented the dresses impeccably well.

Another detail that melts my heart is when couples decide to make a charitable contribution in memory of a loved one instead of the traditional wedding favor. A beautiful touch to add to your October wedding (and being that it is National Breast Cancer Awareness month) is Kim and Karl’s idea of pink chocolate lollypops in the shape of a ribbon.

These are just some of the great ideas from this past weekend and I’m sure there will be more to come!

All Because Two People Fell In Love...

Hello and welcome to The English Manor’s new bridal blog! My name is Kelly and I just joined The English Manor team as a Wedding Event Specialist. I am so excited about my new position here at EM because I get to experience one of the most important and joyous experiences of people’s lives EVERY WEEK … their wedding day!

This past weekend, three couples had their fabulous wedding receptions at The English Manor. Thankfully, Mother Nature was on our side and two of our couples that were having their ceremony here were able to wed outside in the beautiful weather with our gazebo and gardens as their backdrop (because as all Jersey Shore residents know, this past summer season has been a washout … literally).

I would like to pass on many wishes of future happiness to Mr. and Mrs. Tim Hepworth, Mr. and Mrs. Gene Roberts, and Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Pforr. The English Manor would also like to say Happy 5th Anniversary to Joe and Crystal – we love you both!

Within the next few weeks, I will be adding EM true stories and pictures from our weddings every Wednesday, so please stay tuned! If you have anything you would like anyone to know – you know where you can find me!