Outdoor Wedding Ceremony in Courtyard

Ellen & Steve's Reception

October 12 Wedding Ceremony and Reception @ Occasions

Hello Jack, just wanted to let you know that Paige and I absolutely loved our wedding at Occasions. Thank you for making it such a special event for us both. You guys did great and we will not forget how you took care of us on that day. All of our guests had a great time too. We feel that everything went perfect and if we had to do it all over again we wouldn't change a thing. Thanks again and take care.

Pete and Paige Slivinski

Ryan Goldman Photography

Unique Doylestown Wedding Reception - Marge & Homer Simpson Cake

Some nice images of the day:
Slide Show by Brokaw Photography

Dear Cathy, Jack, and everyone at Memorable Affairs,

We want to thank you all from the bottom of our hearts for a simply amazing reception on August 9, 2008. The staff was amazing, the food was to die for, and the design and planning was flawless.

You brought our vision to life, and the attention to detail was obvious as the night went seamlessly. We had family and friends from Oregon to Florida, from Chicago to Vermont - everyone said they had never been to a wedding like that in their lives.

Thank you for everything!

Katie and Jason Christiansen

Doylestown Wedding Reception

Cathy,

Now that Jason and I are back from our honeymoon and all settled in, I had to take some time and send you a letter to tell you just how thrilled we were with everything. First of all I owe a huge thank you to you, Fran, and all of the staff at Memorable Affairs! Everything turned out perfect thanks to all of you.

You have been wonderful to work with from day one. I was so impressed at how quickly you always responded and how flexible you were. Planning a wedding is always so stressful, but the one part of it all that I didn't have to worry about was the catering. You made the process so easy! I appreciate all the help you gave me coordinating my vendors, as well. As you know, many of them were working at the Fonthill for the first time and you were great about responding to all of their questions.

The wedding day went flawlessly. Fran was so helpful! Everything was set up perfectly and the day ran right on schedule. Fran was great at coordinating the wedding party before and during the ceremony. She was also so helpful with coordinating all of my vendors on the wedding day. She was so attentive to me and Jason the whole day. It almost seemed like she was in 10 places at once. All of the staff that was there that day were so nice! Oh my gosh and let's not forget the food! Although I didn't get to enjoy the actual meal, I heard from so many guests that the food was fantastic. I did make sure to grab as much as I could during the cocktail hour and the brie puffs were awesome! I'd consider a career as a wedding crasher just to get brie puffs every week! LOL!

You did a fantastic job setting up the candy buffet too. I am a control freak so I must admit I was a little anxious about handing off the responsibility of setting that up. You did everything exactly as I would have…and better. I had no idea the candy buffet would be such a hit, but the guests loved it. Actually the guests loved everything! In general, my mother is hard to impress, so congratulations because you impressed her. She hasn't stopped talking about how fantastic she thought the wedding turned out. Our friends and family have been sending us messages all week to let us know how much fun they had and how beautiful they thought the wedding was. From start to finish it was perfect!

If I ever have an excuse to host another event I will definitely be calling Memorable Affairs! I just can't thank you enough for everything!

Cheers!

Jessica and Jason

Philadelphia Inquirer Coverage of Wedding Reception

"When all of my siblings married, the receptions were at a Chinese restaurant," Nary said. "But we were not doing a Cambodian wedding; we were doing our dream wedding." They loved Fonthill from the moment they saw it, they picked food they loved, and they didn't let the cost - about twice as much as the Chinese-restaurant option - deter them.

Full Inquirer article

Melissa & Rick @ Fonthill

Melissa & Rick from Lucky Productions Video on Vimeo.

Occasions New Hope Wedding Reception

Hi Cathy,

We wanted to say thank you to all the Occasions staff, and Fran especially. Everything we asked for was done perfectly.

Please pass along our Thanks to Fran again, she was incredibly helpful and on top of everything throughout the night which definitely helped a lot.

PS - although we did not eat much last night we tried all the food today and it was all delicious! All of it and you did a great job with serving family-style.

Natasha and Matt

Allebach Photography LOVES Fonthill!

Here are the top 6 dream wedding locations in the Philadelphia area according to our very own polls:

Cairnwood Mansion in Bryn Athyn, Pa
Ballroom at the Ben in Center City, Philadelphia, Pa
Fonthill Castle in Doylestown, Pa
Drexelbrook in Drexel Hill, Pa
The Rittenhouse in Philadelphia, Pa
Moshulu, Philadelphia, Pa

Fonthill is an extreme value in this company!!!!

Budget Issues Resolved!

Jack,

I cannot thank you enough for your help. My Mom had a great time meeting with you and we are very excited to be working with you. We have had some bad experiences with caterers along the way so far, and we were a bit gun shy about meeting with another caterer, but you’ve put us at ease and we are thrilled. Thank you for the Sunday Wedding Date advice and for your help with our budgeting. I plan to come home within the coming weeks and hope to meet with you then.

Amanda

Mike and Sherry's Wedding

Dear Jack -

I know I am a bit late in writing this, but it still needs to be done. I wanted to thank you for the amazing job Memorable Affairs did for our wedding at the Mercer Museum on May 24, 2008. My husband and parents and I were simply delighted with how wonderfully everything turned out. Your staff was fantastic to work with, and made the entire experience from start to finish very easy and enjoyable. The location was stunning, and we received many compliments on finding such a unique and beautiful venue. But most of all, the food was amazing. Just about every guest commented on how delicious they found the meal, especially the appetizers. I know many of them went through the buffet line two and three times.

Overall, I could not have asked for a better wedding experience, and Memorable Affairs was an enormous part of that. I will absolutely be recommending you to every engaged couple I know. Thank you again for truly fantastic day!

Karen Doberstein

Meghan and Alan's wedding reception at Occasions

July 12 Wedding Reception at Fonthill Estate

Cathy,

I wanted to touch base quickly to tell you how perfect everything was Saturday. Everyone had a great time and Adrienne was so happy. I can't thank you and Jack, and all of your staff did for us.

I'm out of the office for the next few days but will touch base later in the week.

Thanks again.

Elizabeth (Mother of Bride)

Murphy& Klein Centerpiece & Fonthill

Summer Wedding @ Fonthill - flowers by Murphy & Klein

Beth descending the Fonthill stairs for her ceremony

Juqua & Beth's Table Tops by Murphy & Klein

Centerpiece by Murphy & Klein @ Fonthill

Irishmen Training the Bartender @ Mary & Stephen's Party

A FUN reception - the Irish Contingent

Mary & Stephen on a snowboarding trip

Cocktails in the Gallery of Orphan Children Art

Suitcase placecards assign guests a "destination" table - interesting guests headed for Washington DC! (click on image to enlarge)

The New York table

Christina's Wedding reception at Occasions in New Hope

Mini Macs - The Bite Sized Cheeseburger

Christina & Bill's Wedding at Occasions - The "Flirtini"

Music Vendors - DJ's

In 18 years of wedding catering, we have found relatively few DJ's whom we can recommend without reservation - here they are:

John Grossman
John Grossman Entertainment
www.johngrossman.com
215.646.4499
(John held his wedding at Mercer Museum and has also been a sales person for Memorable Affairs at the Museums. He knows how things work!!!)

Tim Lieb
Ambience DJ's
www.ambiancedjs.com
215.741.2783

Frenchtowner.com chooses Fonthill as top wedding venue in Bucks County!

From: The Frenchtowner

Top ten places in Bucks County for weddings:

#1 Fonthill Museum, Doylestown

Fonthill was chosen for the number one spot in our survey because it is unique. There is no other place that matches its grandeur, beauty and romance. It is unlike any other place anywhere in the world. It is one of the American Castles that PBS featured in its series. This exotic house and the gorgeous expansive grounds that surround it are simply incredible. Fonthill rents out the Terrace Pavilion and tents on the grounds for fabulous weddings and memorable celebrations.

#3 The Mercer Museum, Doylestown

The Mercer was chosen for the number three spot in our survey because it is one of the most impressive buildings in Bucks County. This historic six story structure, which houses an important collection of Americana, makes for a fantastic backdrop for a wedding and the Elkins Gallery that is used for weddings and elaborate celebrations is a marvelous ballroom

#8 Pearl S. Buck Estate, Perkasie

The Pearl S. Buck House was chosen for the number eight spot in our survey because of the beauty of the historic 1834 farmhouse, the gardens, the grounds and the beautiful flagstone terrace. The estate located in the Northern Bucks County community of Perkasie was the home of the famous writer and humanitarian, Pearl S. Buck. This impressive 68 acre facility can accommodate weddings and large celebrations of up to 250 guests in a variety of settings and locations on the property.

http://www.frenchtowner.com/Top-Ten-Places-in-Bucks-County-for-Weddings.html

Kat and Tom's Fonthill Wedding was featured in Brides magazine!

Hi jack-- we can't come to the picnic... but how are you? how's business?? Have you guys gotten any inquiries as a result of the Brides Magazine spread? I know the band booked a few gigs because of their picture in there, which was great. Hope you are well. And i wanted you to know that people are STILL talking about our wedding... thanks again for helping to make it a huge success. :) Kat

Flank Steak on bed of sauteed garlicky spinach

Jenna's Wedding May 17, Occasions in New Hope

Jack,

I just wanted to thank you and your staff for a wonderful, most memorable time my wife and I had at Occasions on Saturday night. The food, service, and atmosphere you created was second to none. We had a fabulous time!

Two staff members in particular, Susan and Dean were sensational!

Susan was so attentive and accommodating, she really made sure we didn't have to ask for anything. Her anticipation was great!

Dean was so personable, and his Mojitos were delicious! If we ever decide to have a summer party at our home.....he's our man!

Thank you so much, we had a great time!

We will tell all our friends and family about Memorable Affairs.

Mr & Mrs Robert Lucini

Jenna & Dennis - It appears the couple has broken some hearts in the past........including Kim Kardashian???

Jenna's placecards were celebrity magazines the couple created as favors

Cupcake Tower - YUMMY! From Velvet Sky - flowers by rhodesflowers.net

Dennis & Jenna's Occasions Wedding

Jenna and Dennis produced a slide show chronicling the great memories accumulated over 11 years of being together that ran on the screen to the side of the dance floor. All the guests in attendance at the reception are honored in the slide show.

Organic Baby Arugula with pear, almonds, bleu, dried cranberries & blueberries

Dry-aged Rib Eye with Grilled Asparagus with Balsamic Reduction

Grilled Swordfish with Cilantro & Lime

Stuffed Mushrooms

Spanikopita with Roasted Pepper Aioli

Brie in Filo with Raspberry Coulis

Goat Cheese Crostini

Square Cake

New Tent this Year - much improved!

We have entered into an agreement with Bucks Mont Party Rentals to maintain the tent at Fonthill this year - and added several new amenities; more French doors, sconces, new chandeliers, numerous fans, new cathedral "skylights" and more!

Fonthill Wedding of Tanya and John April 26, 2008

The season is off and running!

Thanks to Vantage Pictures, photographers Jonathan McBride, and his wife Sarah.

http://vantagepictures.typepad.com

Check out their blog!

A Very Gatsby Wedding

There wasn’t a more fabulous time than the roaring twenties. And there wasn’t a better book to capture what it would be like to be a 20’s socialite than The Great Gatsby. Take away the homicide, tragedy, prohibition, and you get a series of evenings filled with grandeur, lavishness, culinary splendor, lively guests, dancing, music, and libations in abundance. Hmm, doesn’t that sound a lot like a wedding reception? The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, is a favorite among us Y-Gens, and many are choosing to use the style of the 20's for their weddings. You could really get into it and do a theme wedding (complete with flapper dresses, character roles, and the works), but if not, just keep things light, fresh, fun, and fabulous and you're well on your way to a 20's event. Here are some ways to have a Gatsby inspired wedding reception:

• Keep your overall style light, avoiding formality and stuffiness.
  


• Use flowers popular in the 20’s: Gladiolus, mums, lilies, and gardenias







Keep things colorful and fresh: Use fruit such as oranges and limes as decorations and centerpieces at buffet tables.

Adopt the style of the 20’s with a modern twist: Bride, wear something sleek, like a slipdress, to accentuate a simple silhouette characteristic of the 20’s, but embrace details such as lace, embroidery, anything to add a bit of flare. Wear period jewelry, as well. Groom: Wear an ivory suit, with a colored tie (peach was a trendy color in the twenties).



Have jazz music playing, and swing for dancing (You can also buy the soundtrack to The Great Gatsby and listen to it for inspiration)



Use a black and white checkered dance floor

• Rent these movies for inspiration:
  Oscar (with sly stallone)
  Bullets over Broadway
  The Great Gatsby (Obviously)
  
  

I love the idea of a Gatsby inspired wedding. There are scads of resources on the internet, too. I think the romance of the 20’s comes from the knowledge that, even though things appeared to be fabulous, fun and fancy free, it was about to take a turn for the worst (think October 1929). At first thought, the roaring twenties doesn’t seem like a good metaphor for a wedding. But life having its ups and downs, its triumphs and trenches, is inevitable, and when you are at a party, in the company of family, good friend, and marvelous people, well that, like love, is timeless.

Most resources found from:

http://www.minnesotamonthly.com/media/Minnesota-Monthly/Guides-Resources/The-Wedding-Planner-Spring-2007/Creating-a-Great-Gatsby-Wedding/

Fairy Tale Fabulous

We may have been small children (or prenatal) during princess Di’s wedding to prince charles, but as children of the 80’s, we grew up with, not Pixar, but the fairy tale. And what other wedding was more of a fairy tale than hers? A kindergarten teacher finding her prince charming (at least, it seemed that way at the time) couldn’t get any more like a bedtime stoy, and her wedding dress was the perfect princess dress:

”Diana's wedding dress was a puff ball meringue wedding dress, with huge puffed sleeves and a frilly neckline. The dress was made of silk taffeta, decorated with lace, hand embroidery, sequins, and 10,000 pearls. It was designed by Elizabeth and David Emanuel, and had a 25-foot train.” ( http://womenshistory.about.com/od/diana/a/diana_wedding.htm )

Sounds pretty 80’s, right? Puff sleeves were my favorite style of dress as a kid (yeah, that with a side ponytail and some jellies – very regal indeed). I do like the element of tradition that comes with sleeves on a wedding dress, but I’m pretty sure I could only get away with puffy ones if I were actually marrying royalty (who wants to put a bet on whether Harry will accept my offer?). Puffy sleeves aside, Diana’s dress has every classic wedding gown attribute that embodies a gown fit for a royal fairy tale wedding (sleeves, a veil, a –very – long train, the puffy skirt, a frilly neckline). Let's be honest. No normal person could pull off that dress. But you don't have to embrace all of these things to achieve the look. If you’re a romantic and want a bit of bravura in your gown, I found some Carolina Hereira dresses that exude a more modern fairy tale appeal. This dress in particular:

Carries the allure of the veil, the femininity of some ruffle on the neckline - without making the bride look like she belongs in a Shakespearean play – and the grandeur and enchantment of a full skirt. The overall look? Fabulous.

I like the lace sleeves on this dress, as well. It keeps the look subtle, yet still traditional. If you don't like sleeves and want some grandeur, a dress with some volume to the skirt and a small train might suit you:

Dresses property of Eden Bridals: http://www.edenbridals.com

"To fake or not to fake" or "Because Pam Anderson Did It"

No, I’m not talking about fake, well, you know. It turns out Pam Anderson is famous for faking something else: her wedding cake. Wedding cakes are a time honored tradition, but even a small one can cost a pretty penny. With that said, depending on how important this tradition is to you, should you save money by using a fake wedding cake accompanied with a sheet cake for the guests? Most bakeries offer rental wedding cakes, with an opening to insert a piece of real cake for the cake cutting.

Although fake cakes have been around for awhile, renting them is fairly novel. Brides to be have said they will pay half as much to rent a fake cake than to buy a real one. Three tiered wedding cakes cost about $100 to rent, plus up to $100 more for a custom design.

For DIY brides, you can make a fake cake out of Styrofoam from the craft store (Wilton makes Styrofoam cakes of different shapes and sizes, and the green Styrofoam is easily shapeable) and PermaIce (artificial icing). It’s pretty easy and can be fun to do. Best of all, if you make a mistake, just throw it out and start again.

But is it worth it? I guess that’s just a judgment call. I personally like the idea of having a real wedding cake, especially because I like the idea of pearls and flowers being edible (the ones made out of sugar, I mean). And is it really cost efficient? Maureen Rogers, at http://pinkslipblog.blogspot.com/2007/07/this-takes-wedding-cake.html did the math, and for one company, renting a fake cake with a 100 slice sheet to accompany it only saves about $45 dollars. So should you fake it? I would opt for the real thing, especially because I’m only getting married (hopefully) one time, and a couple hundred dollars is not so bad for such an important occasion, considering what I’ve splurged on in the past: 120 dollars when I was 14 on ‘N Sync concert tickets, 200 dollars a couple months ago on a pair of jeans that ripped already, and like 70 dollars at CVS last week when I only went in for toothpaste (why does that always happen?). And if the tradition is not important to you, then don’t get a cake at all. Do not conform to the matrimonial peer pressures! But for me, this looks too good to fake:


Don't you think this would taste better than styrofoam or cardboard?
(wedding cake property of Annie B's confections, find more cakes like this at http://www.anniebs.com/ )

Fit 2008 Trends to Your Style

Let’s face it. If you’re female, you probably have some sort of interest in fashion. Do you follow trends religiously? Yeah, me neither. But to be truly in touch with your own inner fashionsta, you can find a balance between style and trend. Style is about personal expression and being creative, rather than trying to fit a mold. Trends, while they can make you feel like part of a school of fish, following the same path as everyone else, can be viewed as inspiration, rather than instructions, on style. Here are some ways to adapt some of the 2008 wedding trends to your own style and wedding vision.

Yellow was all over the Spring 2008 runways. If you’re feeling bold, go for bridesmaid dresses in bright yellow. If you’re looking for subtlety, go for yellow trim such as yellow ribbons around the waist, or yellow daisies in the hair. Pairing yellow and chocolate brown is great for a romantic evening wedding.



Silver and jewel tones for a wedding are trendy, as well as romantic. Jewel tones are in style, such as royal purple, green, and shocking pink, for sashes, ribbons, flowers, and even makeup. Use large rhinestone accents on tables, or small jewels in hair to give a royal energy to the reception.




If you like the idea of jewels, but want more of an authentic, “green” feel to your wedding, or if you’re unique or into new age, go for natural stones or crystals on tables, such as rose quartz, amethyst and amazonite, which you can find at new age stores.

http://weddings.about.com/od/bridesandgrooms/tp/2008-Wedding-Trends.htm
http://www.brides.com/