November 13, 2009 at 3:30 PM
A quick quiz for brides creating welcome baskets. What do your out-of-town guests want to see when they enter their hotel rooms?: a) A locked mini-bar B) Granola bars and raisins C) Gourmet fresh-baked cookies.
The answer’s obvious. Distribute gift boxes of Heidi’s Heavenly Cookies (heidisheavenlycookies.com) amongst hotel rooms and you’ll have happy, well-fed wedding guests. These decorative boxes are filled with decadent cookies in flavors like “raspberry eclipse” and “coconut macaroon.” “Rocky road,” is sure to delight a true chocolate lover. Creating the perfect welcome basket is a task best left the professionals; let Heidi’s Heavenly Cookies do the work for you.
—Randy Miller, Editorial Assistant
October 23, 2009 at 2:30 PM
The bride on the go needs a multi-tasking snack—it has to be mess-free, healthy and, of course, delicious! We love the KIND Plus Cranberry and Almond bars (kindsnacks.com), which fulfill all of these requirements for a mere 190 calories.
Each organic and gluten-free bar is loaded with vitamins, fiber and protein, and will keep you full and fabulous while you tackle your to-do list. Plus, if you’re looking for a quick snack before your trip down the aisle, these tasty bars are thin enough to fit in even the sleekest wedding day clutch. Happy snacking!
—Darcy Newell
August 17, 2009 at 4:00 PM
Robert and Jerry Frungillo aren’t just wedding caterers—they're magic-makers for many (sometimes up to 20 a weekend) New Jersey couples. After 35 years in the business, the brothers have served everyone from Frank Sinatra to Sting. Beginning tomorrow night, the dynamic duo will share their love of catering, family and food on their new show, Masters of Reception. In anticipation of their debut, we asked the Frungillos to share some of their top wedding catering tips.
One word: research! Before your first meeting with a potential caterer, do some legwork. Have an idea of how much you want to spend, what you'd like on the menu and the overall ambience you want to achieve at your wedding. A little Internet research could keep you from wasting time meeting with a caterer who charges $300 a person, when you can only afford $100. Also, it is crucial know the what type of reception venue you want before your first meeting with a caterer.
Accounting 101 Don’t even think about hopping in the car without a spreadsheet of what you can afford, what you can’t afford and where all that money is coming from. “You really want to stay on budget because a month before when all your money is due, if you went 5% over, where’s that money coming from?” says Robert.
Ask questions! Some salespeople choose to be less detailed than others, so steer clear of any surprises by asking a lot of questions upfront. Some catering companies have perks like valet parking, but others could charge you an extra $1,000 for the service without you knowing. Bringing your own cake? Many places have a cake-cutting fee that could cost anywhere from $5 to $10 a slice. If your state allows you to bring wine to your banquet hall, be prepared to possibly pay a $10 to $20 corkage fee per bottle. But the real hidden cost? The service fee, which could run anywhere from 6-30%. Some caterers include it in the quoted price, but be forewarned, it’s almost never optional.
Who says you have to book caterers at least a year in advance? “Everything’s changed now,” says Robert. “We’ve catered weddings on two months notice and a two and a half year notice, so I don’t think there’s a set amount of time.” With more couples getting married in their late 20s, couples are tying the knot within 6 to 8 months of their engagement. There may be fewer dates available at your favorite banquet hall or less bands to choose from closer to the big day, but when you plan a wedding on short notice you could save money and spend less time being stressed.
Be sure to check out the Frungillo brothers tomorrow night at 10 p.m. EST on TLC's Masters of Reception!
Click here for more expert advice from the Frungillo brothers!
—Chrissy Mahlmeister
July 31, 2009 at 2:30 PM
The only thing better than wedding cake is leftover wedding cake! And since you can’t send every guest home with an extra slice of cake, satisfy them with petits fours from Valerie Confections’ (valerieconfections.com). These refined bites are delicious, compact servings of cake that make ideal wedding takeaways!
For a fabulous favor, we love the colorful yellow and purple pansy four-pack ($16). Decadent flavor combos include ginger cake layered with white chocolate ganache and topped with bittersweet chocolate glaze or vanilla bean and candied rose petal petits fours.
Be sure to set aside a pack for yourself, as well. These treats keep well so you can save a square to enjoy on your one-year anniversary. It will take up less room in your freezer than the top tier of a cake, but taste just as delicious.
—Randy Miller, Editorial Assistant
July 3, 2009 at 4:00 PM
You can’t bake cookies without sugar and flour, but don't forget the rolling pin. Rolling Pin Productions (rollingpinproductions.com) is our favorite new find for artful and delicious wedding cookies. Whether you serve them at your bash or send guests home with a few, these sugary, sweet confections will ensure guests are glad they came.
When we first saw these confections, we knew they were no ordinary cookies, and once we tasted them we knew we were right. Why? These cookies are on the short list of desserts that actually taste as good as they look. We love the custom monogrammed wedding handkerchiefs ($7.50 each), the mini rose wedding hearts ($4.50 each), but the wedding couple wedding cakes ($8.50 each) were the real hit in our office.
The one catch? These hand painted treats are stamped-out by custom cookie cutters, so you'll have to handle with care. After all, they're so delicious you want them to crumble in your mouth, not your hands.
—Randy Miller, Editorial Assistant
June 17, 2009 at 3:10 PM
Mother-daughter team Margie and Abbey Greenberg founded Flour Pot Cookie
Company in 2003 and we are in love with this baking duo's sweet treats. Unlike other iced sugar cookies
out there, these actually taste just as good as they look. Really!
Even better news for brides: there’s an entire
bridal section on their website, flourpotcookies.com, which features
innovative ways to use the treats, like these munchable save-the-dates.
The Greenburg girls are also about to launch a “Will You Be My...” collection as a delectable way
to offer bridesmaids and flower girl spots out. As a bonus, they offer
customized packaging, so you don’t need to scour the Internet for perfectly matched boxes.
They released their first cookbook, The Flour Pot Cookie Book, in 2006 but keep your eyes peeled as their second title is due out sometime in the autumn.
Bottom Line: They are awesome. Call 800-281-6068 to get started on your own
custom creations.
—Rachel Jacoby, Assistant Editor
June 5, 2009 at 1:30 PM
What’s better than a delicious cookie? Anyone who’s had anything from Deluscious Cookies & Milk (delusciouscookies.com) knows the answer to that. The L.A. bakery, known for its decadent and inventive flavor combos, offers up indulgences like chocolate candied pecan cookies, a truffle-like creation called a divine and a mean chocolate chip cookie. Don’t even get us started on the couture cookie line, which features a red velvet cookie that could rival any southern grandma’s recipe.
In these economic times, food favors are the way to go. These eye-catching confections are easy to package and send home with your guests. Another idea? Reserve these goodies for the MVPs—your bridesmaids. Nothing says “Thank you” quite like chocolate. Your girls paid their dues, so return the favor with a tasty dozen of deluscious-ness.
—Randy Miller, Editorial Assistant
June 3, 2009 at 5:00 PM
Selecting the perfect wine is a complicated task, which is why we think it’s a job best left to the experts. Fortunately, for those of us who don't have a sommelier on speed dial, there’s an expert just one click away at The California Wine Club (cawineclub.com).
Imagine how excited your wedding party would be to receive a membership. Subscriptions start at one month and go up to an entire year, and the surprises will keep coming to your friends' doorstep long after their wedding party duties expire. This completely customizable program can be tailored to each recipient’s taste. Send red, white or a combo of both, and they’ll arrive each month, every other, or even quarterly. And the bottles are always accompanied by the club’s educational and comprehensive monthly magazine. Best of all, a starter membership will only set you back $35.
If you're lucky, your friend will become experts themselves in no time, and then treat you to a glass of the finest California has to offer.
—Randy Miller, Editorial Assistant
April 15, 2009 at 5:15 PM
If the craziness of work and wedding planning are interfering with your white dress diet, consider Nu-Kitchen, a delicious (really!) at home meal delivery company. Its basically like having your own personal chef prepare perfectly portioned and nutritionally balanced daily meals and snacks for you. All you have to do is arrange for your fresh, individually packaged meals to be delivered to your home or office. Healthy eating has never been easier (or more satisfying!).
A traditional day of Nu-Kitchen meals adds up to about $40/day, but with amazing options like a spinach egg frittata and Mahi-mahi with pineapple salsa, it's totally worth it. You’ll completely forget about your weekly fast food fix.
Currently the service is a New York-based, but good news: the service is going national later this year!
For more information or to start your own food program, log on to nu-kitchen.com.
—Rachel Jacoby, Assistant Editor
March 6, 2009 at 2:00 PM
Some couples are like peas and carrots, a traditional combo that’s safe, though dull. Others are like chocolate, cherries and chile peppers, a sweet pairing with an unexpected burst of heat. If you and your fiancé are the latter, Chocolove (chocolove.com) has your perfect bite in one of their 20 decadent offerings.
While the 1.3 ounce mini bars make a flavorful and colorful favor, they’re also great to tote around when running between appointments in the days leading up to your wedding. Believe us, nothing else will pick you up quite like a 77% cocoa content extra dark chocolate bar. Likewise, just imagine how much excitement you’ll bring your wedding guests when they realize they’re leaving your reception with a boldly wrapped, cherries and almond favor. It’s truly the gift that keeps on giving when you dive in the next morning— that is, if it lasts until then.
—Randy Miller, Editorial Assistant
