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‘Famous’ Category

  1. Leap Day Wedding Folklore

    February 29, 2012 by jcoppock

    Since leap year only comes around once every four years, there has to be some sort of special rule for that day, right? Well there is… for women. February 29 is said to be the only day that it is appropriate for a woman to propose to a man.

    According to an article on mentalfloss.com, this legend dates back to 5th century Ireland. It is said that St. Bridget of Ireland was frustrated that she had to wait around for a proposal, which may never even come at all. So she complained to St. Patrick who ultimately decided that women could be allowed to propose to a man only once every four years on leap day. This became known as “The Ladies’ Privilege.”

    So would you propose to your man, whether on leap day or any other day? If so, how would you stage your perfect NJ engagement? You’d be surprised by some of the women who have proposed to their man.

    Some famous women in the past and present are known to have been the person who proposed. In 1839 Queen Victoria proposed to Albert by summoning him to her room and asking him to if he would consent to what she wished for (marriage). Recently, celebrities such as Halle Berry, Pink, and Jennifer Hudson are known to have proposed to their husbands.

    So do men want to be proposed to? According to the article, only 56% of men in a relationship would say yes to a proposal if asked today. Make sure if you are proposing that your man is in that 56%. Good luck ladies! If he says yes check out our Central NJ wedding venues.

    Category 2012, Advice, alternative wedding ideas, anniversary, banquet facility, banquet hall, brides, celebration, Central NJ, culture, DIY, events, Facts and Figures, Famous, fashion, holidays, New Jersey Weddings, NJ, promotion, Strange & Unusual, venue, wedding accessories, Wedding Advice, Wedding Channel, wedding fashion, wedding help, wedding history, wedding venue, weddings | Tags: ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, | No Comments

  2. Wedding trends for 2012: A new year of DIY brides

    January 5, 2012 by jcoppock

    Happy New Year everyone! There are some great opportunities and great deals to be had when planning your NJ wedding for 2012, and here at Hotels Unlimited we have some exciting news to tell you about. Looking forward to the new year, we are excited to see what the latest trends for 2012 will be for weddings. Here are some popular trends for the upcoming year.

     

    The Dress

    According to Brides.com, some really popular dress trends for 2012 include the invisible neckline that would allow for additional support for any bride. This also includes lace sleeves.

    Although some consider it taboo to not have a white dress, the wedding industry is slowly starting to break from the 200+ year Victorian tradition and is starting into blush, lavender and green accents into the dress.

    Finally the other significant change is the double skirt look. Rather than bunching and gathering, a double layered skirt can accent a bride’s curves.

     

    Flowers… or perhaps not?



    With the high cost of flowers, many brides are getting craftier and going the DIY route on their bouquets. This can mean using non-traditional accents such as small berries, fruit, buttons, fabric, broaches, gems, wire and more. This is also a more eco-friendly option as flowers wilt and die within hours of the wedding. However, brides that opt for an all floral bouquet can choose locally grown options for the season as it is a more cost-effective option than ordering flowers and paying for shipping.

     

     

    Vintage Themes

    Looking to save some money on the big day? Many brides are looking towards the vintage route to include being crafty and incorporating the family theme. Some brides have done this by including old marriage photos from the family, incorporating older elements into their wedding.

     

     

     

     

     

    Category 2012, alternative wedding ideas, anniversary, banquet facility, banquet hall, bridal shower, brides, celebration, Central NJ, culture, events, Facts and Figures, Famous, famous wedding planner, fashion, gay weddings, holidays, Jersey Shore Wedding, Mercer County, Monmouth County, New Year's, New Year's Eve, NJ, Ocean County, Seasonal Trends, Strange & Unusual, travel, Uncategorized, venue, wedding accessories, wedding fashion, wedding history, wedding venue, weddings | Tags: ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, | No Comments

  3. Fruitcake: a Wedding Cake option?

    December 23, 2011 by jcoppock

    Yes folks, it is two days away from Christmas Day which is why today our topic of inspiration here is Fruitcake: the good, the bad, and the misunderstood.

    please don't judge.

    Like any other type of food or delicacy, Fruitcake has its good and bad varieties. Although sources indicate that Fruitcake has historical dates as far back as Ancient Egypt & Rome, it wasn’t until Victorian England in the 1800s that would dictate the Fruitcake that we have come to know it by today. The English had created fruitcake as early as the 1600s using dried fruit when they discovered that fruit could be preserved using sugar. Instantaneously becoming a hit in England, fruitcake began to emerge as a contender for any major celebration and holidays. So popular in fact that the Church had deemed it “sinfully rich” and made Fruitcake illegal. (literally).

     

     

    Despite its reputation, fruitcake still represents an iconic food of the holiday season and still maintains its popularity in England to this day. -Proof you ask? Well, talk to Fiona Cairns, wedding cake designer for the English Royal Wedding. Kate Middleton and Prince William had enjoyed an eight tier wedding fruitcake during their celebration in April 2011. That’s right folks. According to the Los Angeles Times,  the Royal Wedding Cake was made with 17 individual fruitcakes with 12 of those cakes serving at just the base alone.

    Kate Middleton & Prince William's wedding fruitcake

     

    So next time some one offers a fruitcake, at least attempt to try a piece as it could easily be the most misunderstood confection of the baking world.

     

     

     

    Category 2012, alternative wedding ideas, brides, Catering, celebration, Central NJ, Christening, Christmas, culture, events, Facts and Figures, Famous, famous wedding planner, holidays, NJ, Strange & Unusual, travel, Uncategorized, wedding accessories, wedding history, weddings, winter | Tags: ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, | No Comments

  4. My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding

    August 3, 2011 by jcoppock

    The giant dresses, the extravagant weddings, the mysterious customs, and the tv show have sparked a world-wide phenomenon that is encapsulated in TLC’s My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding. It is quite intriguing to see the diverse culture that has survived centuries of persecution and discrimination be brought to life through wedding customs.

    Flower girl = Mini Brides

    It was quite interesting that in some cultures it is considered taboo to wear white at a wedding, let alone wear the same dress as the bride. In this gypsy wedding, the bride does not have any flower girls but actually mini brides that have miniature replicas of the bride’s dress.

    The Dress

    The dresses are larger than life. Featured in this photo this gypsy inspired wedding dress weighs 280 pounds. What a workout just to dress yourself and move around.


    The Cake

    At a gyspy wedding there are no formal RSVPs. Which means with a larger than life dress also comes with a humongous cake. Although eaten, parts of the cake are thrown around and food fights are also common at gypsy weddings.

    Category bridal shower, brides, culture, events, Famous, fashion, travel, Uncategorized, wedding history, weddings | Tags: ,,,,,,,,, | No Comments

  5. In response to TLC ‘s top 10

    July 21, 2011 by jcoppock

    Recently TLC network had created an article listing the top ten most expensive facets when it comes to a wedding. It should come as no surprise between the cake, the dress, the catering, the rings, the DJ, the venue and the honeymoon that the average wedding costs about $30,000.. YIKES. (Somewhere inside, you know somebody’s bank account is crying.)

     

    Meanwhile, this TLC article explained that the venue was the #1 most expensive item that couples spend the most money on while planning their wedding. Catering followed in at #2. Fortunately, Hotels Unlimited understands and is here to help. Our New Jersey banquet facilities with our inclusive value packages can save the average NJ wedding couple more than $7,200.

     

    Our packages include the following items:

    • Bridal Suite & breakfast for two the following morning
    • Private Bridal Party Room for Cocktail Hour
    • Five Hour Premium Open Bar
    • Customized Wedding Cake
    • Choice of Napkin Color
    • Dramatic Centerpieces
    • Place Cards & Direction Cards
    • Personal Wedding Coordinators
    • Professional Maitre d’ Service
    • Attended Coat Room (Seasonal)

     

     

    Our NJ banquet facilities have won recent awards from Wedding Wire and The Knot, and we can assure anyone who books with us that they will receive the highest quality event for the money. We also offer discounted rooms for out-of-town guests and on site catering all neatly wrapped within one venue.

    Photo Courtesy of Sarah Schutle
    taken at Windsor Ballroom.

     

     

     

     

    Category banquet facility, banquet hall, bridal shower, brides, Catering, Central NJ, Famous, gay weddings, Holiday Inn, holidays, hotels, Jersey Shore Wedding, Mercer County, Monmouth County, NJ, Ocean County, Ramada, Tinton Falls, Toms River, Uncategorized, venue, wedding venue, weddings, WeddingWire | Tags: ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, | No Comments

  6. Meet the Staff V– Valerie Lobato

    July 13, 2011 by jcoppock

    Introduction:

    Here at Hotels Unlimited we have a committed staff at each of our locations that is here to cater to our clients’ needs. Today, we continue with our ”Meet the Staff” series in which we will inform you of our resources that are available for your opportune moment.


    Hotels Unlimited interviewed Valerie Lobato, the Catering Sales Director of the Crystal Ballroom located inside the Radisson Hotel of Freehold, NJ.  For the latest updates, be sure to check out the Crystal Ballroom Twitter and Facebook pages and the Radisson of Freehold Twitter and Facebook.

     

    Photo taken courtesy of David Todd.

     


    HU: How long have you worked at Hotels Unlimited?

    VL: I have worked with Hotels Unlimited a little over three years now, and have been at the Radisson for all three years.

     

    HU: What is the most common type of event that your banquet facility holds?

    VL: We do tons of Weddings, Bat Mitzvahs and Bar Mitzvahs. We do everything from corporate events to social including anniversaries, bridal showers, breakfast the next day after the event, and baby showers.

     

    HU: What is your most memorable event that you have done?

    VL: The most memorable event we had done was a wedding that was planned through David Tutera, the famous celebrity planner who is on “My Fair Wedding.” David and his whole crew had chosen one of our brides and had selected our venue for the show. It was very exciting.

     

    HU: What do your clients like most about the facility?

    VL: Our clients like the beautiful chandeliers which you will have to see for yourself when you come visit. We have outdoor wedding ceremonies, and just the convenience of the hotel as well.

     

    HU: What enhancers do your clients use the most?

    VL: Our clients like to use our chair covers as well as our Hollywood lighting packages for the night because it definitely changes the mood of the evening and they can make it their own, and I am a big fan of the Sweet Memories package in which we serve sweet treats butler style.

     

    HU: What is your favorite part of the event planning process?

    VL: My favorite part is the initial working with the clients and watching them see the Crystal Ballroom for the first time and see the “wow” look on their faces. I also really enjoy walking with them through the whole booking process and it’s so wonderful to feel that they chose me for their special day.

     

    HU: Any advice you would recommend to any couples getting married that are looking around?

    VL: Don’t listen to too many opinions of family and friends. Obviously they should work with the parents and such, but brides seem to have too many people put in their opinion and it can get overwhelming. When something is right, they will feel it. Although everyone has a budget to work with, all of our properties will work with them and in the end it is their decision.

     

    HU: What is your most unusual event request?

    VL: We had many unusual event requests, but there are two that really stick out to me. Once while planning a Bar Mitzvah, we had a client who wanted to ride in on a dirt bike since the party theme was extreme sports.

    The other event was during a gay wedding where the couple had requested a drag show during the reception and “Beyoncè” was part of the act.

     

    Category anniversary, baby shower, banquet facility, banquet hall, bar mitzvah, bridal shower, brides, Catering, Central NJ, David Tutera, Famous, famous wedding planner, gay weddings, hotels, Jersey Shore Wedding, Meet the Staff, Monmouth County, My Fair Wedding, NJ, Radisson, Uncategorized, wedding venue, weddings | Tags: ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, | No Comments