Looking for the perfect hair style to suit your big day? No worries, this Central NJ Wedding venue has some tips on how to make your hair fabulous for your wedding.
One of the ways to choose a hairstyle is to determine the shape of your face. The Knot suggests that there are four main shapes to a face that people can work with. The easiest way to determine the shape of your face is to look in a mirror and trace your facial outline using a lip pencil from chin to forehead hairline.
The Heart Shape- The heart shape face should consider an up-do at the top of the head to balance the chin and to accent the eyes. (Ex: Resse Witherspoon)
The Oval Shape- An oval face should consider layering, waves or curls to bring out fullness. (Ex: Drew Barrymore)
The Square Shape- With a square shaped face, allow for it to all hang loose. Off-set parts usually complement this shape. (Ex: Jessica Biel)
The Round Shape- With a round face, elongation is key: a neat up-do at the top of the head, or long hair past the shoulders. (Ex: Selena Gomez)
Hey Central NJ wedding couples, when you are looking for your Jersey Shore wedding venue or picking your event theme this year, the editing staff at Hotels Unlimited needs to issue this 2012 wedding trend alert; Beware of the Proud Peacock. The peacock has a symbolic meaning for immortality which is only appropriate when getting married to the love of your life.
Many of our 2012 NJ brides have chosen this lovely animal for its blue, green, teal, aquamarine, and purple hues. This color combination looks great on many people and also looks fantastic with our matching ballroom Hollywood uplighting! The variety of exotic colors for bridesmaid’s dresses and peacock feathers make a great decorative enhancer. Particularly, we have seen peacock feathers everywhere from stationary, in bouquets, table centerpieces , and hair pieces.
Insider Tips & Staff Favorites: If any bride looking for a wedding venue in Central NJ would like to execute a peacock theme into their event, the Hotels Unlimited staff is here to help. Here are three quick tips on how to make the Proud Peacock pop at your event.
Tip #1: When booking your event at any Hotels Unlimited venue, guests can have their choice of napkin and chair bow colors. These small accents truly pop when setting the table and can pull the room together when taking photos.
Tip #2: Lighting. When taking photos, lighting is everything. It really accents the entire room and wedding venue. Lighting can change the ambiance and the mood of the event and leave lasting impressions in the photos. Although we have in house lighting, some of our brides also take advantage of lighting packages provided by our DJ partners at SCE event group.
Tip #3: The Cake: The cake can be decorated with fondant striping to match peacock feathers. The feathers are a unique, versatile bold statement that can go with many different facets of your day.
Anxiously awaiting your wedding day, the pieces are slowly coming together. You have set the date, chosen your wedding venue and selected your photographer. One hurdle that is making things difficult is the location of your wedding photos. Where can you go locally in the Jersey Shore that will have an air of dignified beauty and timeless perfection? As a native to the area you think there is not a single place you can go that will measure up to your ideal wedding photos. You are mistaken. There are a dozen of places you can go in Ocean County, New Jersey that will leave your friends and family admiring your wedding photos for years to come. Here are our top 5 wedding photo worthy places for you to consider near your wedding venue.
1. Georgian Court University’s Sister Mary Grace Burns Arboretum
Located in Lakewood NJ, only 10 minutes from the Versailles Ballroom at the Ramada of Toms River and 15 minutes from the Hilton Garden Inn, Georgian Court is a gorgeous campus. With five different gardens, you have your pick of which breathtaking setting you want featured in your photos. The Italian Garden features the Fountain of Apollo and floral urns that bloom with fiercely colored geraniums between mid-May and late September.
The Japanese Garden is home to a quaint teahouse surrounded by pink and white flowering trees in April-May and deep red flowering trees in October-November. The Sunken Gardens features a marble fountain and a great, double staircase in white marble that overlooks the pond. On the opposite side of this garden there is a brick and marble bridge overlooking Lake Carasaljo.
Photos taken at Georgian Court University with reception at the Versailles Ballroom
The Formal garden is at its peak in July with lush green hedges and bronze statues. The stable house is a picturesque location to pose for your photos. Founder’s Grove is full of “unusual trees” including the Weeping Norway Spruce, the Sourwood and many more. The gardens are only open to those who are connected to GCU by either being a student, alumni or family member of a student/alumni. There is a minimal fee of $350 for those who have family members who attended GCU, and $35-$50 for Alumni. Current students can use these spectacular hidden gardens free of charge.
2. The Lavallette Gazebo
Located in Lavallette on Camden Avenue, 15 minutes from the Atlantis Ballroom at the Holiday Inn of Toms River and 20 minutes away from the Versailles Ballroom at the Ramada Inn of Toms River, the Gazebo overlooks the Barnegat Bay. The gazebo is available year round and if your date is available you will receive a two hour time block to take your photos. To use this particular location there is a $200 fee and application process. You can check the availability of the flower surrounded gazebo and download the application.
3.The beach, boardwalk or Island Heights
The beach is a classic setting for wedding photos. No matter what your color scheme or kind of wedding dress, the beach is a setting that fits any bride’s unique theme. Both the groom and bride, and bridesmaids and groomsmen, will look spectacular with the ocean and horizon as your backdrop. If you’re looking for NJ wedding reception facilities near picturesque shore points, our Ocean County wedding ballroomsare 5 to 20 minutes from the Jersey Shore.
Photos taken at the beach with reception held at the Versailles Ballroom
The boardwalks of NJ are also a wonderful place to take photos on your special day. Worried about sand or the water conditions? Then why not take your photos on the boardwalk with the beauty of the ocean still behind you. With golden sands and surf in the background a boardwalk pavilion is a great site for memories to be captured on film.
Photo taken at the Boardwalk near the Merry-Go-Round. Reception held at the Atlantis Ballroom.
For those who do not care too much for bridges but still want to take photos with the surf in the background, Island Heights is for you. With a grand pavilion, open skies, and stunning scenery this is a good option. These locations are all great for any bride who wants photos she and her groom can admire for years to come.
4. Lake Horicon in Lakehurst
Getting married in the fall and worried about a lovely outdoor location to take your wedding photos? Have no fear. Lake Horicon is a gorgeous spot during the fall. Located just 20 minutes from the Versailles Ballroom and the Atlantis Ballroom, the reddish water makes the colors of the trees pop during this time of year and the little strip of beach is a great place for photos as well as the secluded benches dotted around the edges of the lake. A pavilion with a fireplace is also located on the banks of Lake Horicon and would make a great local stop to capture your wedding memories.
5. Huddy Park Gazebo in Downtown Toms River
With a three part gazebo and bridge, Huddy Park Gazebo is a convenient, wonderful spot for photos. The gazebo has one large centered area with two smaller adjoining gazebos on each side. The bridge, surrounded by lush green trees and plants is a romantic spot to share a memorable moment with your partner. This lovely area is only 12 minutes away from both of our Toms River hotel locations. These five locations are wonderful for brides that have booked at local, NJ wedding venues and banquet halls in Ocean County. These wedding photo ideas are great for brides who want outdoor photos that compliment the beauty of the bride and attractive outdoor locations in New Jersey.
A wedding is a once in a lifetime event, and with it comes a MOTHER IN LAW monster lurking in the shadows…. Ok, although the reality is not all mothers- in- law and mothers- of brides are terrors. Some moms are quite nothing short of angelic guardians who guide us all through the process of life through their infinite wisdom and unrequited love. (I love you mom!)
As we all know in New Jersey weddings, family is family and no one should be disrespectin’ nobody’s mom and brides are no exception. (So put down the claws Bridezilla). After all, part of the whole marriage process is a joining of two families and our central New Jersey wedding venues celebrate this unity of family by treating our brides as family of our own.
After seeing an article posted by OneWed featuring the What Not to Wear for MOBs and MOGs, Hotels Unlimited decided to take a crack at this (with of course a bit of sensible tongue in cheek and a drawing ability of a fifth grader, since that is how we roll here in Mercer, Monmouth, and Ocean County, NJ)
How does the bride then ask the mother in law about her attire for the big day?
After deciding on a color palette and a theme, it is time to do some dress shopping. Why not make a day of it and enjoy it? Take the mom(s) out to lunch, order a few drinks, and have a fun day of shopping together. Get to know the woman you are intending to dress and imagine what her wedding dress was once like, because she too was once in your shoes.
Some tactful ways to approach this can be covered in conversation and in the right questions:what style of dress mom wore to her wedding?, what were her wedding colors?, who was her favorite fashionista-type celebrities? Somewhere behind that mother -in-law -death- glare- of- love is a woman.
WHAT IF MY MOM…. Says she likes 80s grunge and would like to be dressed out of a combination of a dumpster and Lady Gaga? (and please, no meat dress at my wedding!!)
Although that is a tough combo to salvage, even Lady Gaga has had her classy moments that could make any woman beautiful. Show mom the Lady Gaga-esque styles that you would like and see what she thinks. Fortunately, there are enough styles and variety that it can loosely tie into the bridal theme without making the mother-monster miserable. (yes, pun was intended.)
When all else fails, at least the bride can say she tried. Although a NJ wedding is one of the biggest milestones, one has to ask the important questions of what truly matters: family. After all, remember that the family will still exist long after the wedding is over so it is best not to burn any bridges since you will be with them until death do you part.
When searching for the perfect Central NJ wedding venue, look no further than the Sterling Ballroom in the DoubleTree of Tinton Falls to suit your wedding catering needs. The Sterling Ballroom can be used for many events such as weddings, bar & bat mitzvahs, and Sweet 16 birthday parties. As one can see in our latest YouTube video below, the Sterling Ballroom can be used for both the wedding ceremony and the reception. The difference between the two set-ups is so drastic that you forget you were in the same room only moments earlier. After the ceremony, a cocktail hour takes place in the Sapphire Room while the Sterling Ballroom is transformed into a beautiful reception space. To view more wedding pictures of the Sterling Ballroom visit our website.
Tour the Sterling Ballroom by watching the Youtube video above featuring a typical wedding ceremony, and cocktail hour setup in the Sapphire Ballroom. There are many options of food displayed served by our enthusiastic workers. Hotels Unlimited invites you to take a look for yourself.
Non traditional wedding veils and headpieces seem to be one of the hottest trends to hit the wedding market in years. Hotels Unlimited would like to share with you some ideas for a non traditional wedding veil. You will be beautiful walking down the aisle in the newest stylish, trendy fashion.
Instead of the traditional veil brides have been wearing since the beginning of time, brides now seem to want a change. Although nontraditional veils and headpieces have been around for years, it seems that now is the time more brides are wearing them. According to ehow.com and wedding-veil.com, there are a few types of nontraditional veils and headpieces a bride can choose from.
Birdcage Veil
It is a delicate veil that covers the face to right below the chin. It is usually attached to a headband, hat or a gathering of flowers.
Blusher Veil
A veil that covers the bride’s face but it is not as long as the birdcage veil.
Flyaway Veil
A veil that touches or just covers the shoulders.
Flowers
Brides are putting a flower or a group of flowers, matching their wedding flowers or not, in their hair. They can be attached to a headband, veil, or pinned right into their hair.
Fascinator
A fascinator is a small hat that sits on top of the head or worn on an angle covering one eye. A veil can be attached to this, usually the birdcage veil.
Combs and Pins
If a bride chooses not to have a veil at all, she can decorate her hair by tucking in a comb or a pin. A comb is larger than a pin and is used to hold the hair back. They can be decorated with rhinestones and other jewels. A pin can be used for both up-do’s and loose hairstyles.
So, choose one of the ideas above, or even combine some of them to make the perfect headpiece for you on your wedding day! There are so many possibilities to pick from, what will you be walking down the aisle in?
After corresponding with our friends at Eastern European Photography, we at Hotels Unlimited had to share some of these wonderful pictures of this couple who was married at the Atlantis Ballroom located inside of the Holiday Inn of Toms River. This Central NJ wedding banquet hall had a taste of an edgier style bride that chose a black, white, and red color palette. Featuring the beautiful courtyards at Monmouth University, and the reception at the Atlantis Ballroom this NJ wedding couple dares to push the envelope that much further with these fun and bold wedding photos.
Whenever anyone is holding any significant Central NJ events one needs to consider the food that they will be serving to their guests. Today, we will be taking an inside look of a typical cocktail hour inside of the Crystal Ballroom inside of the Radisson of Freehold, NJ as a continuation of our Behind the Scenes of a NJ Wedding YouTube series. All of our properties have a similar menu and are committed to a standard of excellence. This cocktail reception is very versatile and can be applied to any of our wedding, bar/ bat mitzvah, sweet 16, and corporate meetings packages.
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.
Champagne, the perfect accessory to any party celebration: holidays, birthdays, New Year’s, and of course any Central NJ wedding. After all, what is a New Year’s resolution without making a wish at the bottom of a toasting glass at midnight? Today Hotels Unlimited asks our audience: is Champagne really limited to only black tie affairs? This particular blogger (and aficionado of Champagne) thinks not. A good Champagne, ( like any other type of fine wine) is not just limited to one kind of occasion, but rather a key ingredient in some delicious recipes to be shared with good friends and family at any time.
The Mimosa
A classic drink of Champagne and orange juice, the mimosa serves great versatility and is also a classy twist for any Sunday brunch. For a more flavorful twist, try adding some lychee for a sweet delight.
Champagne Sangria
What girl doesn’t love a good chat with friends while enjoying a pitcher of Sangria? Although Sangria is traditionally made with a wine base, Champagne can add a light bubbly flair for your cocktail by simply adding your favorite fruit to your champagne. For a refreshing holiday twist, try using orange slices and some sprigs of fresh mint.
What are some of your favorite Champagne recipes? Comment and share!
