A More In-Depth View

We've been adding new content to our website ComingTogetherEvents.com with the goal of making the site the go-to place for information about your wedding, party, or life's milestone celebration.

We just added a detailed Wedding Checklist with more than 100 items you'll need to complete to make sure your Big Day goes off without a hitch (and, yes, hiring a wedding planner is one of the first things you ought to do!).

It's broken up into bite-size pieces based on when you should complete certain tasks. So you'll find "Choose desired location for reception" under things you should do a year or more in advance of the date (the more popular venues book quickly, so getting this done early is key to all your other plans) while you can wait 4 to 6 months before the wedding date to "Have groom and his ushers get measured for tuxedos."


If you're already well into your wedding planning schedule, just go to the section you need (but check the others to make sure you've got them done!), or you can download the whole checklist for a handy reference (it's a pdf file). The checklist can be used for many of the events you're considering.


Check out our website often to see what's new. You can also friend us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and FriendFeed.

Having Your Cake & Eating It Too

I got a chance to check out the creations of local bakery masters at Palermo's Bakery in Ridgefield Park. You don't need your own TV show to be able to create works of art, as the cakes on this page by Palermo's attest.

From the outside,  Palermo's looks like every other neighborhood bakeshop, and it is. It's been in business for over 20 years. But it's also the home to a level of artistry that rivals any TV celebrity baker.


These are the creations of the master bakers working behind the scenes in the kitchens. They just participated in the Martha Stewart Weddings and the Wedding Library's Wedding Party Bridal show at the New York Palace Hotel this past Saturday, and previously were able to present David Tutera of TV's My Fair Wedding with a special cake celebrating his many literary successes. Their cakes have also been featured on Platinum Weddings on WE.

If you want to check out some of their awesome cakes on your own, you're going to need an appointment. While some of their creations can be seen in the bake shop, the real show stoppers are located in the display room located just next door. And just like at a fine jeweler, you need to be buzzed in to gain entrance.

I recommend taking some time to stop in and see what these cake masters can do. And while you're there, try a cannoli. I did. Yum!

Best. Invite. Evah!

It's been circulating on the Internet for a couple of years now (it's a top-Dugg story on Digg), but this wedding invitation has got to be the all time best wedding announcement ever written:

Bridal Expo Update

If you were planning on attending the PlanIt Expo Bridal Show that was scheduled for next Wednesday, January 19, at the La Quinta-Hudson Manor in Secaucus, we've learned the show has been cancelled by its organizers. Apparently there were coordination issues that could not be resolved, and rather than go through with a half effort, PlanIt Expo decided to reschedule it to a future (as yet unknown) date.

If you're still looking for a show to attend, you're in luck because January is one of the busiest months for bridal shows. With all of the engagements that occur over the holidays, show organizers want couples to get as much information they need right away.

Here are a few links to lists of bridal shows in the area over the next few weeks, including those from WedAlert (check us out on WedAlert's site!), NJWedding.com, and American Bride.

I look forward to seeing you all at the next show!

Let Them Eat...Styrofoam?

One of the highlights of any wedding reception is the cutting of the wedding cake. It's always on your mind whether the bride or groom will mash the cake into each other's face. While that has sometimes led to one or the other grabbing handfuls of cake and starting a food fight, usually the ceremony is a tasteful affair.

What you may not have realized is that some of those gorgeously designed wedding cakes may not have been a real wedding cake at all. In fact, they may have been fake cake!

Fake cake? Yes! There's a growing trend in weddings now to substitute fake wedding cakes for the real thing. You might initially recoil at the idea of having a fake cake at your own wedding, but there is a certain sense -- and cents -- to it.

Many people at weddings don't actually eat the cake and often large amounts end up in the trash. That's hard-earned money for the bride and groom ending up in the garbage. A fake cake gives brides the opportunity to have a wedding cake that's every bit as beautiful as a real one, but at a reduced cost. Wedding guests are then served from a separate sheet cake that's kept "offstage" out of view, and no one is the wiser.

Equally important, fake cakes can save you hundreds of dollars.

Fake cakes typically have Styrofoam tiers as their support system. They're then covered in fondant and decorated just as any real cake would be. Ribbons, flowers, embellishments. It's all good on the outside, because the outside is just the same as a real cake. The only difference is what's underneath.

I can hear the howls already. What about the cake cutting ceremony?! There are a couple of ways that's handled: either a "slice" is cut out of the Styrofoam and a piece of real cake inserted (and marked on the outside so the bride and groom know where to cut) or one of the tiers of the cake is actually real and used for the cake cutting.

A few other advantages of going the fake cake route are that you don't have to worry about the temperature melting your icing and you don't have to fear the cake collapsing.

In fact, the photos on this page are actually all fake cakes and come from the portfolio of Ultimate Fake Cakes in Howell, MI. Liz Pietila does an amazing job creating these gorgeous masterpieces.

So the next time you're at a wedding and you're tempted to sneak a taste of the cake before it's served, don't be surprised if you end up with a mouthful of Styrofoam. Marie Antoinette has nothing on these fake cake beauties.

Under Construction

If you visit our ComingTogetherEvents.com website right now, you're likely to get that message: "Under Construction." There's apparently a server problem that we've been assured will be fixed within 24 hours. Unfortunately, it's also affected our email so if you need to get in touch with me, drop us a note at our alternative email, comingtogetherevents@gmail.com.

It's always good to have a backup plan in place and I'm glad we're still able to keep in contact with our clients. Of course, you can always call me at (551) 206-0198.

Thanks for your patience. We look forward to being up and running again very soon.

Calling All Brides!

On Wednesday, January 19, 2011, Coming Together Events will be a participating vendor at the PlanIt Expo Bridal Show at the La Quinta-Hudson Manor in Secaucus from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. While not required, you can register at the PlanIt Expo event website.

The bridal show is free, so be sure to stop by our booth for a chance to win some fun prizes!

La Quinta-Hudson Manor
350 Lighting Way
Secaucus, New Jersey 07094