WellWed in the Hamptons

The team here at Vermont Vows and WellWed Magazines couldn't be happier with the success of last Saturday's Vermont Wedding Affair! Record-setting numbers of eager attendees had a chance to mingle and meet with some of the state's finest wedding professionals, getting a great head-start on planning while having some carnival-themed fun along the way!

For Karen Lenahan, of Karen Lenahan Designs, the key to making sure a wedding comes together exactly the way the bride and groom want it to is by having plenty of one-on-one time with each couple.

Her expert advice:

*Be realistic about your budget. If you already know that you're going to splurge on a photographer, be up-front about how much money you have to spend with other vendors.

Jennifer Zabinski of the Wedding Library created a picture-perfect beach wedding in a tropical storm by having a fabulous contingency plan already in place.

No bride wants to deal with a tropical storm on her wedding weekend, especially when her wedding is scheduled to take place on the beach. But that's just what happened to Jodi Sandler when her August wedding to Jake Dell'Aquila ended up sharing its date with a tropical storm warning.

With a strong family history of creativity, Sebastian of Sebastian Li Events believes that sometimes the most original and inspiring events must contain that special element of the unexpected.

You might say creativity is coded in Sebastian Li's genetic profile.

Li comes from a long line of creative types-his extended family and ancestors include celebrated painters, modern dancers, avant-garde filmmakers, and gardeners. Li himself attended art school in Boston before moving back home to Sea Cliff, on the north shore of Long Island.

A wedding is a day to remember-not just for the bride and groom but for the guests as well. Hamptons' wedding planner Jill Gordon always keeps this in mind when planning an event. Her goal is to create a wedding that guests will talk about for years to come.

Jill's tips on how to cater to your guests:

*Keep them moving. What guests remember about a wedding is the fun they had-and that means dancing! So get them up and moving early in the evening and in between courses, too. The more courses they sit for, the less time there is on the dance floor.

Claire Bean, one of the foremost floral and event designers in the unique and exclusive Hamptons, began her career in the early nineties as a floral designer.

Jill Gordon, a Manhattan native, began her career planning corporate and personal events in New York. Jill's unflappable skill with event management can be attributed to her years in the trenches catering events for such high-profile clients as Ralph Lauren, Gianni Versace, Jerry Della Femina, Vogue and others.

Jill launched Jill Gordon Celebrate, her Hamptons-based wedding planning and consultation firm, in 1995. Gordon has been helping couples get married - on time, on budget, and in spectacular style - for fifteen years.

A self-taught chef, Miche Bacher has always been attracted to the culinary arts. Her love of food grew into Sacred Sweets, and for this self-proclaimed "nurturer" it was a natural transition.

For eight years, Sacred Sweets has carried on that tradition through its commitment to producing the highest quality baked goods, "using the best ingredients, especially local and organic ones." The results are positively scrumptious.

On February 21st the hottest thing to hit The Hamptons bridal scene will be WellWed Magazine's The Hamptons Wedding Affair. This must see event promises to include the very best florists, photographers, caterers and more! Now tickets to this fantastic event can be yours for FREE!

Follow The Wedding Library to the New York Palace for A Wedding Party this Saturday, February 20th, 2010 from 10 am - 4pm.

The event will feature guest speakers Jennifer Zabinski & Claudia Hanlin of The Wedding Library, Darcy Miller - Editorial Director of Martha Stewart Weddings & Celebrity Event Designer, Colin Cowie.