Category Archives: Uncategorized

Happy Family was generous enough to send some of their new product to a few of our BFC mamas. Their kiddos ate it all up and here is what they have to say…

Avery and Sydney

I was so excited when I received the Happy Family products in the mail. We were just starting to introduce our 6 month old Sydney to solid foods (pureed), so the timing was perfect. She loved the Happy Baby Stage 1 food! What I loved about the Happy Baby products is I found them to be much thicker than the brands I had been using. Often times the Stage 1 food is so runny, but Happy Family was different. Also, the pouches made it much easier to feed her and WAY less messy! Sydney and I actually enjoyed the product so much I went out and bought the Stage 2 Happy Family pouches and Syd loves them! The simple combos they provide make it easy to ensure she is getting the fruits and veggies at the same time. When Avery was a toddler, I was always going back and forth between the veggie jar and fruit jar, but this is SO much simpler! And the organic fruits and veggies seem to be easier for her tummy to digest, which is a huge win! Although they cost slightly more than what I was using before, the advantages are well worth it. And for brands that offer similar products (organic solids in pouch packaging), the cost is the same. What busy working mom doesn’t want healthier, simpler, and cleaner options for their babies??

Sydney also tried out the happy baby teethers. While she enjoyed playing with them, she didn’t seem to enjoy eating them all that much. J I found that while she would attempt to eat them, the baby teethers would end up stuck to her clothes and face or on the floor, not dissolved in her mouth.

And finally, we tried out the Happy Tot Best Friends cookies. Avery loved them…both the taste and shape! And as a mom, how reassuring that they are made with organic whole grains.

Henry

My two year old sampled the Happy Family “Super Nutrition Shake” in vanilla and chocolate, the “Happy Creamies,” and “Fiber Protein” pouches. Overall he had a good response to the products. He absolutely loved the strawberry, raspberry, and carrot “creamies” and wanted to eat the entire packet at once! It made me feel good that they were healthy and that he was getting some veggies, which I struggle getting him to eat.

He doesn’t really like the pouches in general and won’t even try them. I put some in a bowl and left it there until he got interested enough to try it with a spoon. He really liked both flavors, but the pumpkin, peach, and cinnamon was his preferred choice and he was soon reaching for the pouch to finish it off!

The shakes were a tougher sell. First, anything that has a straw becomes a toy. Half the shake ended up on his tray. Also, he doesn’t really like sugary milk drinks. He’s always wanted plain, skim milk. I couldn’t even get him to drink whole milk as a baby. Overall, I like that product, but I don’t think Henry liked the flavors. I will definitely be purchasing the pouches and “creamies” again!

Lulu & Cole

We have been using – and loving – Happy Baby snacks since my son started eating solid foods 4 years ago. Puff and yogurt melts were staples in our house, and family favorites, so I was psyched to try out their new products. The samples we were sent were geared toward toddlers – perfect for my 5 year old and 3 year old, who have graduated from baby food! We were happy to taste test Best Friends Toddler Cookies in both Honey Buckwheat and Chocolate Pumpkin flavors, and both were very tasty, although my 2 year old preferred the chocolate ones. I was a bit wary because they are Gluten Free, and I have found, personally, that I don’t care for most Gluten Free snacks – but I will happily share these. I love the resealable bag, and – since they are peanut and tree nut free, they’d be a great snack for nursery school! We also received a bunch of different pouches to try.

I LOVE pouches with my kids because they make a GREAT quick and healthy breakfast as we inevitably sleep late and are trying to fly out the door – we are not morning people. I find the pouches to be a much better option than throwing a bagel at my kids, and appreciate that there are many options with fiber, protein, and/or vegetables mixed in. Neither of my kids loved the Pear, Kiwi, and Kale flavor, but Lulu scarfed down her Pumpkin, Apple, Peach, & Cinnamon and requested more!

Uncategorized

BFF – For the Love of all Things Crafty

November 15, 2014 bellfamilycompany

“Are you a school teacher?” I get asked this a lot from store clerks lately as I pile their counters high with my carefully curated purchases. My husband should probably worry. My life long love of crafts and school supplies that has been squelched for years, has been UNLEASHED with the birth of our daughter!

Growing up, every September I got so excited because it meant shiny new pencil boxes and brightly colored notebooks and pens, pens and more pens!!! (I think I’ve only kept a paper calendar all these years as an excuse to use colored pens.) As an adult, my sisters would forbid my walking down the school supply aisle in stores for fear of losing me. And art supply/craft stores? Forget it, I love them! I think designing jewelry was my way of translating crafts into commerce. However, other than my own journal writing and an occasional need for holiday stickers on jewelry sale signs, there has been no reason to purchase any of these items…until now!

Now, I have the education of my daughter to think about and she MUST have the proper paper, crayons, google eye stickers, sparkly cut out letters, furry pipe cleaners, colored pom pons and don’t forget the colored pens to ensure her future status as genius!! And thank goodness a smart mom in our neighborhood organized a “mommy school” so that monthly I can create craft packets for other kids too! I now HAVE to spend hours on Pinterest. I mean, I can’t show up with a lame craft…my toddler would be so embarrassed!

Of course I’m kidding…kind of. I have always believed in the power of arts education and now I get to put it into practice with my own daughter. I see how she learns words through songs, how she understands concepts through art and learns essential movement through dance. Playing is learning for her and it’s pretty amazing!

We are lucky to live in a place where there are thousands of really cool activities every month for kids. I am working part time so I now have time to take Parker to toddler rock concerts, art class, story time with crafts, museums with hands on exhibits, or just hang out at home and have a dance party in the living room or sit at her table and stick “googles” on everything in sight! She shares my passion for creativity and I love it!!

So no store clerks, I’m not a school teacher…just a mom who loves the arts with a little girl who loves to make it!

Family, Uncategorized

10 Recipes that use leftover Halloween Candy

November 3, 2014 bellfamilycompany

From our friends over at Cool Mom Picks – check out their genius ways of using up leftover Halloween candy (until next year!) or donating to a worthy cause……..

If you’re like me, you’re going to wake up in the morning with a sugar hangover, wondering just what the heck to do with all those leftover Halloween candies.

Hit our archives and check out our post on 10 delicious recipes that use leftover Halloween candy on the outside chance you have actual Butterfingers or Snickers leftover. But hey, even Tootsie Rolls and Jolly Ranchers find a second use here.

If not for very long.

Events, Family, Uncategorized

WWW – Mommy Poppins, Wee Work & Broadway Babes

October 29, 2014 bellfamilycompany

From our fab Moms at fave blog Mommy Poppins, the yearly opp to take your kids to their first (of many?) Broadway shows is almost upon us. Check out the deets below on how to be one of the chosen few….

The next Kids’ Night on Broadway (which really needs to be renamed Kids’ Week on Broadway) will take place Friday, January 9 to Thursday, January 15, 2015. Children ages 6 to 18 can see a Broadway show for FREE when accompanied by an adult paying full price. Tickets go on sale Wednesday, November 5 at 11am and frankly, for popular shows like Aladdin, The Lion King, Matilda: The Musical and Wicked, you have to move fast. Find the complete list of participating shows on the website and set your alarm for next Wednesday at 10:59am!

While you are whittling away the minutes to purchase tix, check out Wee Work! A great go to source for rainy day crafts or just when the kids need some focus. Most crafts are created with household items, so no trips to Michael’s are necessary. Endless hours of entertainment here as well as seasonal and age skewed activities.

Bell Family Company, Events, Family, Uncategorized

Bell Family Loves – Spa Days!!! at The Red Door Union Square

October 20, 2014 bellfamilycompany

Recently, I had the great fortune of a spa day at (newish) The Red Door in Union Square. With 2 kids at home, working from home for 4 family friendly companies (including our own BFC), homework, dance, hockey, bdays and a hubby who I see occasionally, getting to any sort of female grooming establishment for 10 min is tricky, let alone a few hours for the works. But the stars aligned and hubby was not on the road so here goes my experience, by far one of the best i have had in years on so many levels….

The Red Door offers all of the traditional spa services, salon services, hair and color & mani/pedi. They also have a wonderful menu of Speed Services to get you in and out in under 30 minutes

Before you get 5 ft in the door an instant calm comes over you. ethereal music is piping through the speakers, everyone on the floor has a genuine smile on their face, they really are happy to see you. I walk to reception, give them my name and i am promptly given the run down of my services and then escorted downstairs for my first experience – a massage with George.

Ok, the bathrobes in the locker rooms could rival any 4 star hotel in the Caribbean, I really wanted to stuff one in my bag, but I thought better of it. Once properly dressed, I went to the waiting room, it was pretty, dimly lit & soft cushy couches and cucumber and pomegranate infused waters and tea awaited me. George came out a few minutes later and we wound down what seemed like an endless hallway to his massage room. It was 50 minutes of bliss let me tell you, George was great, it was a basic Swedish full body massage, highly recommend him.

The Waiting Room Du Jour…

After my legs began working again, I detoured through the dressing room, lost my beloved robe and went out to reception, energized for the next phase – hair color – with Rachelle. She was super sweet and apparently loved doing the colors I was accustomed to – coppery red with hints of burnt orange and chestnut. Rachelle was swift and efficient, and I was left for the color to settle before being washed out.

Again in the calm of the mirrors and pictures of haircuts that I could only wish I could carry off. 30 min later, Mandy came over and washed and conditioned me up for my haircut.

Wade was the stylist of the day – an Arizona transplant to NY, he had quite the back story as we chatted. He made quick work of my simplistic style (as I can’t spend more than 10 min on my hair in the am) and gave me the choppy layers that I love along with a blowout that was perfect for my girls night out later that day.

A quick trip outside for some fresh air and a snack and back I was with Nancy – the makeup artiste extraordinaire – who really insisted she give me the benefit of her training. I must have been the most boring client she had all week as I tend to not wear makeup save for special occasions such as weddings. I asked for subtle and earth tones as girls night at the Billy Joel concert did not call for full eye makeup and a clubbing vibe. What she did was perfect, it moisturized, calmed, colored and highlighted my skin. I lost count of how many different products were used, but it didn’t feel heavy at all. And the client before me was going all out and Nancy did a wonderful job. Best of all, there is no obligation to purchase any of the Elizabeth Arden products with the mini makeover, but of course they will welcome your credit card.

All in all, it was a wonderfully spent 3.5 hours which I would do again when those stars align, say in a year or so.

Woo Hoo – everyone benefits – My Favorite manager Amanda has offered 20% off services Mon – Thurs, just mention Bell Family!

These services were provided free of charge in exchange for this review of Red Door, all opinions are the writer’s own.

– Kelly Miller is a work at home mom who consults for BFC, Baby Loves Disco, Miles of Marketing and more. She can be seen out and about with her 8 and 4 yrs olds in tow…

Uncategorized

WWW – Musical Melodies redux

October 9, 2014 bellfamilycompany

A fave Sitter2Mom of ours – Jen Bonura – also attended a Kindermusik class with her 20 month old son at the classes Upper West Side location.. Check out what she had to say about her experience…

My son and I recently ventured uptown to Kindermusik‘s new Upper West Side location. We were excited to try something new. Upon entering the room (which also serves as a pre-school classroom for the Redeemer Presbyterian Church), Julian was excited to see instruments out on the floor to play with. The Kindermusik program starts with some free time of exploring the instrument of the day which in our case were “rhythm sticks.” They look like textured drum sticks and of course Julian used them to drum on the floor like he was a member of the rock band Foo Fighters.

After the sticks were collected we moved on to the structured time. I hadn’t realized it at first, but there was a theme to class – this week was “Trains,” much to my son’s delight. This is a music and movement class so our chug-a-chuga-a dance moves were hilarious for the adults and a blast for the kids. The next few songs were all fun activities that I was amazed Julian picked up on so quickly — In and out and up and down with hand movements and music.

Then we moved on to parachute time – what class is complete without the ever-anticipated parachute? I’m always amazed to see that every kid responds differently to it – some want to jump on top, some want to run underneath, either way they all have fun as the adults got an arm workout shaking away. We continued shaking with colorful pieces of fabric that were handed out to the kids.

Class ended with a book about a New York City subway car. We’ve been to a lot of music classes and none of them had a story-time which I thought was a nice twist, especially since it went with the theme.

I thought this class had a lot of similar activities to other music classes we’ve been to, but I would say that this class has a bit more structure and in my opinion is geared more towards toddlers. My son is 20 months and he was excited about the different transitions, but was more interested in climbing the pre-school chairs other non-music class paraphernalia than really partaking in the activity for the entire time. In contrast, there was a 3 year old girl in the class who was just beside herself with excitement the entire time and anticipated the next activity. The teacher was lovely – she was engaging and knew how to balance the class with the older and younger kids. Also, I’m not sure if this is a new class, but there were only 5 kids in class which might be ideal for parents who aren’t a fan of the very loud and aggressive music class. In my case, my son is much more in the explore phase and another music class type of set up works better for him. This is why trial classes are so key – your child’s interests can change drastically from age to age and every child gravitates towards something different. We were appreciative to have had the opportunity to check out Kindermusik.

A few logistical notes to parents and caregivers – your stroller needs to be collapsed and stored in at the lower level before heading up to class. This important to know in advance, if like me your child’s entire life is in your stroller basket. Also, all shoes (adults and kids) must come off upon entering class so remember to wear socks.

– Jen is an Event Planner and stay at home mom (aka educator, security guard, cook and master negotiator) living on the UWS and enjoying all the city has to offer with her son.

Family, Uncategorized

26 Percent

October 6, 2014 bellfamilycompany

Many years ago, I remember hearing a story about a little boy walking up to his mom, pointing to her chest and saying, “boob mama” and the mom immediately offering her breast for nursing. At the time I said to my friends, “No way! If I ever have a kid there’s no way he’s gonna be nursing long enough to ask for it….that’s just weird.” Well, I’m sure a lot of things about motherhood seemed weird to that college kid, but now they’re just my normal. Now I would congratulate that little boy for correctly identifying a body part and accurately asking for what he wanted. I would also applaud that mom for sticking with it! I just read a statistic that although most pediatricians recommend breastfeeding for a year if possible, something like only 26% of women actually make it that far. So unless this kid was an early talker, he was probably more than a year old….kudos mama!!

Our little girl isn’t an early talker, but she’s a big talker! We are currently celebrating the discovery of new words every day. Wait, no, it’s more like every minute. Once they start to talk, the words just flow like water. It’s pretty spectacular! We taught Parker basic baby sign language so she’s been able to communicate with us on some level her whole life, but now that she can “use her words” it’s a whole new world. It’s thrilling to watch her realization as she learns to form a word on her lips. She just gets so pleased with herself and then uses whatever she’s just learned as much as possible! Of course the down side to all of this discovery is that EVERYTHING you say will be repeated.

Parker and I are also part of that small percentage that still breastfeed. It’s now just around sleep times and she uses the sign for milk furiously as she says “milk”. If you’ve ever seen a child opening and closing their hand like they’re milking a cow, that’s the sign. (Parker once used it in church when we were in front of the entire congregation for my parents’ Anniversary blessing…her request went unanswered.) So, during one of our nap sessions, my husband asked Parker a question from the other room. I carelessly replied, “She can’t talk right now, she’s got a mouth full of boob.” Parker immediately pulled away and said, “boob”. Guess I’m the mom in the story now.

– Jolynn

Uncategorized

Working Women Wednesdays – Top 10 Lunchbox Tips

October 1, 2014 bellfamilycompany

Our good friends and super mammas – Cara and Monica at Freshmade NYC – have graciously given us some great tips on making school lunches that much less stressful. Check out the tips below to ensure your kid isn’t trading his carrots for a twinkie in the lunchroom……

The school year has begun, pumpkin spice lattes have returned, apple picking season is in full effect. But amongst all these wonderful Autumn traditions looms the topic that can cause daily stress: packing our kid’s lunch.

It’s 7 AM, you haven’t had coffee yet and you’re standing in front of the refrigerator, desperately trying to wipe the sleep from your eyes, wondering where summer has gone, and you’re panicking about what to pack in your child’s lunchbox.

Our parents had it easy – they would shove a sandwich in one of those super fancy brown paper lunch bags and send you on your way. Maybe a juice box, maybe a cookie. There you go kid, piece of cake, out the door. You just prayed it wasn’t bologna again…

No…these days it’s all pressure. Can your child’s school have nuts or seeds? Will they get made fun of for bringing a quinoa salad to school? How do I pack a healthy, delicious meal that will keep until my kid has lunch? Are they going to eat what I packed? If they throw it out, will I even know? Will they have enough energy to last the whole school day?

Turkey rollups speared by little heart shaped toothpicks with cheese cut into little flowers, cherry tomatoes on a skewer shaped like a sword with dip, watermelon cut into heart shapes, a rainbow of options that fill their 9000 compartment lunch boxes. Are we overachieving because of Pinterest? Damn those bento box mamas. Ain’t nobody got time for that! How DO you do it?

Well, we are here to inspire some lunchbox creativity that will make your lunch packing job easier. Take a look at Freshmade NYC’s Top 10 Lunchbox Tips and let’s celebrate healthy, energized kids who look forward to their lunchbox meal (and to Moms who have one less thing to worry about).

1. Get your children involved: Whether it be shopping for the food, meal planning or actual cooking, getting your children involved in the process will make them more likely to eat the foods you pack for them. Talk to your kids, find out what they enjoy eating. Use our meal planner to help plan the week’s meals together. Try to do this weekly throughout the school year and keep communication open to what your child is trading or throwing away!

2. Stock a healthy fridge, freezer and pantry: This is key to pulling together a quick, easy, healthy, stress-free meal. Here are a few healthy fridge, freezer and pantry staples we recommend:

Canned Tuna: Tuna is a great lunch option, you can serve it in a wrap, with crackers, or even veggies. You can toss it with pasta, make it into burgers, or stuff in in a tomato or avocado. Tuna is high in minerals and omega 3‘s. Buy tuna that is stored in water rather than oil, look for wild caught tuna that is hook & line trolled, this means that it is caught and immediately brought on the boat and fresh frozen. Try: spend the extra $ and go for quality when buying canned tuna, we like the Wild Planet brand, they have a no salt added option.
Dried Fruits: Kids like dried fruits because they are sweet. Some dried fruits have sugar added to them in the process, fruit is naturally sweet and therefore don’t need added sugar. Look for no sugar added, organic & sulfite-free options. Sulphur is used in many dried fruits as a preservative however according to the FDA 1 in 100 are sensitive to sulfites. Reactions such as headaches, rashes and breathing problems are often triggered by this preservative. Add them to oatmeal, breakfast quinoa, make your own trail mix, add them to baked goods, etc. Try: dried cranberries, goji berries, apricots, raisins, blueberries, strawberries, mangoes, etc.
Pasta: We know, what child can live without pasta? Pastas are a great source of carbs that kids love and provide them energy they need to make it through a busy school day. Pasta is great because it is versatile and can be eaten hot or cold. Luckily, these days there are so many options besides “white” pasta – pastas are now made with rice, corn, quinoa, spelt, buckwheat, etc. Pasta comes in lots of fun shapes like farfalle (bow ties), roetelle (wheels), gemelli (twists), and more. Choose whole grain pastas. Try: Soba noodles tossed with veggies and tamari, “caprese” pasta tossed with mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, fresh basil and olive oil, pasta tossed with white beans, chicken and spinach, or whole grain spaghetti and mini turkey meatballs.

3. Recreate leftovers for lunch: It’s nothing new, it’s not rocket science – we all know an economical (and super time saver) way to pack lunch is to use what you have had for dinner the night before. This can be boring for kids so jazz up your leftovers and use them in a new way. Last nights roasted chicken can be tossed with pasta, veggies and dressing for a jazzed up pasta salad. Shred the same chicken and toss it with rice and cheese and top with avocado and tomatoes. Roll out some pizza dough, spread some hummus and add last nights roasted veggies and wrap up like a calzone and bake! Leftover rice? Add some veggies, egg, and tamari and make your own fried rice.

4. Reusable containers. We’ve come a long way since smushed lunches in brown paper bags, who wants to eat smushed berries and a wet sandwich? Today there are so many great options for reusable containers in all price points. You can even save plastic containers that have a lids like sour cream, butter, or yogurt containers – they are perfect to send dips or tender fruits in. We love this simple bento from Laptop Lunches, (it has only 4 compartments, not 9000). These types of containers keeps food separate from each other, keeping it more edible looking.

5. The surprise factor. Try and include one new thing each week, a new seasonal fruit or vegetable, a new cracker, a new cheese, or a new dip. Over the course of a school year your child can learn to love so many new foods. Build their curiosity and they will build their palate.

6. Pack reusable utensils. No need to add more plastic utensils to our landfills. There is a wide array of cute reusable utensils for your kiddo to have fun with at lunch. We just love Love LOVE the ECOspork by ECO Lunchbox! Perfect for little hands and made with bamboo.

7. Funnies a day. Add a note with a kid friendly joke on it. Your kiddo can share with the lunch table and add some laughter to their day. Not clever enough to come up with one on your own? Search google for a vast array of food funnies or check out Lunch Box Notes.

8. The BFL (Breakfast for Lunch). Breakfast for dinner is so much fun, why NOT try breakfast for lunch? There are tons of fun ways to incorporate breakfast favorites into nourishing lunches. Try a protein-packed oatmeal bowl, fruit and yogurt parfait, a toasted whole grain waffle sandwich with almond butter and jam or sliced bananas, a biscuit and egg sandwich and more! Go for it…breakfast for breakfast, breakfast for lunch, breakfast for dinner – go crazy!

9. Bread Variety. Does your child love sandwiches? Change up the bread. Have you had almond butter and jelly on toasted challah? A little pita stuffed with hummus and cucumbers? A pretzel bun? Need we really say more? Kids love bread, the carbs fuel their little bodies, let them eat the bread. No we aren’t talking about mass produced bread with HFCS and loads of other sugars, source out some good local bread from bakeries that pride themselves on using good quality, natural ingredients. Think outside the box on this one. Kids aren’t used to eating sandwiches the way we were growing up. Try these kid-approved fillings like bananas and almond butter with honey, sliced cucumber and grassfed butter, organic sliced turkey with cream cheese and raspberry jam, hummus with baby spinach and shredded carrots, sliced avocado and egg and more. Don’t forget to get rid of the crust! Man, kids really hate that crust!

10. Don’t overpack. Kids don’t have much time to eat. Limited options means they are more likely to eat the “healthier” options. These kids spend so much time chatting in the lunchroom they scramble to eat what they have. Pack three good options in small portions.

We hope this gets you through the 2nd month of school and so on!!!

We’d love to hear what you think – chime in on social media:

facebook | twitter | instagram or send us an email to info(at)freshmadenyc(dot)com

Events, Family, Uncategorized

Keep em entertained !

September 19, 2014 bellfamilycompany

Living in the city with kids has a slew of considerations all their own (what other city do you have to register for preschool while the kid is still utero ??). Kids need freedom, they need space and most of all in a city like NYC they need an outlet for their energy that could power a freight train.

Whether it is art, music, gymnastics, bowling, checkers, DJ academy or gardening to name a few, the apple has a ridiculous amount of offerings for the wee ones up to high school. And it can make your head spin when trying to navigate the options, it’s plain overwhelming. Our friends at Kidz Central Station are trying their hardest (and succeeding) in helping make this process painless. Their one stop shop gives you 3 click access from looking to booking and then moving on to more pressing issues, like a glass of wine 😉

Kidz Central Station: Your Go-To Resource for Kids’ Fall Classes

If you’re looking for ways to keep your kids active and learning this fall, check out Kidz Central Station a one-stop-shop for parents to find, compare, and enroll their children in classes and activities in and around NYC! With over 3,000 classes to choose from (in music, art, soccer, ballet, mommy and me, and so much more!), Kidz Central Station makes it easy for busy parents to find and manage their kids’ activities all in once place. Use the site to:

Narrow a class search by age, location, class type, date, and price.
Enroll in hundreds of NYC’s top class providers, such as 92Y, Gymboree, Little Maestros, and Super Soccer Stars.
Sign up for trial classes.
Earn reward points! With the Kidz Rewards program, the more classes you book, the more discounts you earn toward future purchases!

Visit Kidz Central Station to check out all of the great activities for your child this fall!

Events, Family, Uncategorized

Mother Nature Weather Woes

September 10, 2014 bellfamilycompany

Any outdoor event has its challenges certainly, but the biggest fear for all event planners, moms, dads and guests alike is the unpredictability of the weather. Having a gorgeous 75 degree sunny day right before your event, only to have torrential rainstorms the day of your event that have you shooting dagger eyes to the weatherman for being wrong is so not our idea of fun.

Contingency plans are always good to have, but at the end of the day it is still a force of nature (literally) that you have no control over. Our friends at Precision Event Planning NY have come up with a great handy checklist that every bride to be and family/ event/ coordinator/planner should take a gander at to help alleviate some common issues that can be controlled…

Although the sun may have been shining bright the day you signed your contract for your wedding venue, that doesn’t mean unexpected weather will not make an appearance on your big day. When living in the North Eastern part of the US, each season offers a delightful variety of wonderful ways to celebrate your wedding, but it can also cause much commotion if not prepared for it to take an unexpected turn. Here are some tips to avoid disaster on your wedding day and shine bright like the sun even if the sun is hiding in the clouds.

Summer:

Heat: Summer, although considered a popular time to have events especially weddings, is not necessarily the most comfortable. Unless the entire wedding is indoors with central air, chances are those guest are going to be reaching for a fan!

Solution:Hand held battery operated fans as wedding favors. You can personalize them four your wedding and this way the guest can actually read the program instead of using them to cool off.

Bugs: Summer time is breeding ground for bugs and at an outdoor wedding this can become a problem.

Solution: When choosing an outside venue, make sure to think about the surroundings and choose a venue that has maintained greenery.

Fall:

Wind: In the Fall, the leaves are changing colors and the air is crisp, but the air can also be a little too powerful. A windy fall day can end up blowing decorations around and messing up your hair.

Solution: Make sure all decorations are secured to something stable or heavy enough to not blow away.

Also, try a classic updo for your hair to eliminate the risk of your hair getting tangled or getting in the way from an unexpected gust of wind.

Winter:

Snow: Winter usually means snow and this past winter was especially cold and snowy. If you have always dreamed of having a winter wonderland but don’t want the cold temperature or snow to interfere then here are some solutions.

Solution: Some ways that you can make sure guests and your wedding party stay warm and happy at your winter wedding is to offer warm beverages like hot cocoa. When it comes to picking a venue make sure that the venue is strict with driveways remaining salted and shoveled. The wedding party can wear gloves to add a classic element and help them to stay warm in those beautiful outdoor snow photos.

Spring:

Rain: Spring flowers are one of the top reasons to get married during this time of year but flowers grow because of rain. If an outdoor ceremony was planned this can become quite an obstacle.

Solution: Arrange for an outdoor ceremony under a tent so that even if it rains the wedding can proceed. A fun option is to have umbrellas in the colors of your wedding theme to distribute to guests who may have forgotten their own. These umbrellas will also make for great props in wedding photos.