NYC's most sought after professional wedding planners and consultants. Serving NYC, NJ, Philadelphia and Delaware

Tips and the EXPRESS Wedding + Events

5/22/2020

It was March 12th, 2020 when the CDC issued restrictions on all mass gatherings which meant no more weddings in the foreseeable future. A billion-dollar industry nearly wiped away in a matter of minutes; along with dreams, designs and plans that have been in the making for years. I don’t know about you, but I started planning my wedding when I was 12 years old – designing a wedding dress for my barbie doll and practicing my first dance with a pillowcase on my head. Weddings are _______ (you can fill in the blank!)

As we wait, our minds start to wonder, will weddings ever be the same? Will 150-300 people ever want to be in a room dancing closely again? We say YES! Yes, we will get back to weddings the way they have been for hundreds of years. You know why, because this is what we live for. We live to celebrate all the amazing accomplishments, relationships and milestones in each other’s lives, and we live to do so with the ones closest to us.

Kyle Michelle Weddings wants to help accomplish that. Some people have been planning their wedding for their whole life, that’s why we’ve been working day and night to communicate with venues, switch dates, check with vendors to make sure they can accommodate the changes and most of all, be there whenever our couple needs us. We are working endlessly to make sure that this transition is as smooth as possible.

5 Pro Tips from KMW:
1. Remember that it's not always about having the biggest guest count when it comes to having your dream wedding. A lot of your budget gets allocated towards the amount of guests. The fewer guests, the more you can explore your budget and make the express / micro wedding represent the two of you as a couple. Trust me, it will still be nothing less than perfection.
2. In regards to rescheduling your wedding in general, take a look at the most important parts of your wedding and go from there. Is the wedding venue the most important aspect to you? If so, find a date that they're available and then check with your vendors and vice versa. A lot of our couples are willing to change their venue date, but not willing to budge on their photographer, so that would be the person you check for availability first.
3. Digital invitations and a wedding website are a must! This way you can keep your guests updated with every change without breaking the bank. Our express package includes a custom website with RSVP capabilities to make life a bit easier.
4. Be decisive and go with your gut. Sign contracts and lockdown vendors quickly and schedule virtual meetings that work for both parties immediately as opposed to waiting on it (sometimes time isn't in your favor.)
5. Most importantly, hire appropriately. Find a wedding planner who gets you and understands your overall wedding vision. This is key as you will have little time to make decisions and you will need someone who can suggest one or two vendors who completely match your style, budget and personality. Furthermore, trust all your vendors! After months of no weddings, florists will be exploding with creativity, photographers will be shooting their best shots and wedding planners will take full control, let them!

Spring, Summer and even some Fall weddings are being postponed and changed due to uncertainty and risk. But what happens if things start to open up in the Summer or Fall and you can now have gatherings, you can be in hotels, venues and vendors / guests have the choice to wear a face mask or not This is where we come in! Say hello to EXPRESS Weddings. This package is for the bride who just can’t wait until 2021, the couples who want to have a unique backyard wedding with 50 people, the ones who want a really cool elopement with 10 friends and the couple who says, “Hey, let’s get married earlier since venues and vendors will be super cheap!” We will express the wedding planning process in weeks – months to get the couple the best deal, the best experience and ultimately, the best day of their lives. Some of the most wanted vendors will now be available and open for a discount, the venues will be begging for some business, and most importantly, guests will be excited to get out of the house and have a reason to celebrate love and happiness. (And yes, this is our livelihood so we are trying our best to stay positive and hopeful as it is all we can do right now.) We’re offering this opportunity, so people are no longer delaying their lives and celebrating it instead!

We absolutely love planning and designing weddings and events. Planning all the glorious details of your dream come true day is our dream come true profession and we take it extremely seriously, especially during this tough time. Our ability to operate as a seamless team is something we've had a lifetime to perfect and we’re ready to express it!

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COVID-19 and Weddings

5/11/2020

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It was March 7th, 2020 the last wedding weekend in the North East. We happened to have a wedding in Philadelphia, PA that day. There were 140 people, all slightly nervous about a virus we knew very little about. The day before the wedding ten guests traveling from NYC backed out from attending for fear of the unknown. It would be March 12th when the CDC would issue restrictions of mass gatherings. No more weddings for the foreseeable future. A billion dollar industry nearly wiped away in a matter of minutes.

What happens next is a whirlwind of re-planning multiple weddings. Working endlessly to make sure our couples could get a new wedding date for either later in the year or moving all the way to 2021. It was weeks of back and forth with wedding vendors all trying to do what was best for their couples. Doing all of this knowing their once secure livelihood was in jeopardy. You see, the wedding industry is made up of thousands of small businesses just like ours.

How do we survive a complete shut down of our industry? When will this ever end? It made me think of why we got into wedding planning in the first place. After planning our first wedding, we were hooked. We loved the feeling of helping people come together to celebrate a new beginning. Laughing, crying, dancing, eating and drinking all while being surrounded by the people they love most in this world. This is what made our jobs so rewarding.

Now we stand with millions of others, anxiously awaiting the re-opening of our states and ultimately the wedding industry as a whole. As we wait, we wonder, will weddings ever be the same? Will 300 people ever want to be in a room dancing closely on a dance floor again? I say yes, yes we will get back to weddings the way they have been for hundreds of years. You know why, because this is why we live. We live to celebrate all the amazing accomplishments, relationships and milestones in each others lives. This is what makes us who we are. We endlessly talk about the wedding where Grandpa danced with all the bridesmaids or when the Father of the Bride sang the first dance song. These are the moments we cherish. We can't see the laughter on the brides face as her maid of honor tells funny stories if she is wearing a mask. And we can't hug our loved ones if we are watching on a computer screen.

So, while we have no idea what the future holds. We can all agree that COVID-19 is scary, but what's scarier is that we can no longer live. No one knows what the future holds, will I die of COVID-19 or a car accident? Either way, I have to believe that I lived. Let's protect our loved ones who may be compromised in these times, but let's not compromise on living.

We need weddings. And when this is all over, we will again gather, not because we can, but because it's what we need. We will do it as it has always been done, surrounded by the ones we love.

~Kristin

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Elizabeth and David

4/29/2020

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This summer wedding took place at the New York Historical Society. It was one of the most beautiful days to say "I Do" and boy do the pictures show it... Elizabeth, David and their guests dined in front of the largest Picasso in North America - which was perfect as they were both lovers of history and art. The design was so simple, yet so unique at the same time - with greenery, white florals and cumquats stuck in each structure to give it a summery and bright flare - perfect color scheme for a summer wedding!

Just wait until you see this beautiful couple...

This wedding was a blast and we were so happy to have worked with such an amazing couple!

Venue: New York Historical Society
Wedding Coordinator / Planner: Kyle Michelle Weddings
Photographer: Brian Hatton
Design: Tyger Productions
Dress: Stephen Birn Baum Bridal
Band: Hank Lane - LUXE

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KMW Wedding Planner Bucket List

4/22/2020

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What Have We Done vs. What We Wish To Do...

Where do I even start? We have been so blessed to encounter some of the most amazing people and to help create some of the most amazing weddings. But, I think we'd all be lying if we said we didn't have a secret wish list stored in the back of our minds when it comes to the wedding industry. Let's take a look inside at our very own, Kyle Michelle Wedding Planners Bucket List (not in any particular order...)

#10. Plan / Execute an Elopement - No, I don't mean in a Vegas love shack or a municipal building nearby, but an awesome elopement that will make everyone wish they were there! A destination like, Hawaii, Arizonas iconic canyons, the woods, boats / yachts, a waterfall, is bound to leave everyone stunned.

#9. Plan a Bachelor Nation Wedding- I have watched Bachelor Nation since I can remember - I adore all of the couples that have come from it - Ben and Jessica, Colton and Cassie, Kaitlyn and Jason, JoJo and Jordan... Planning their wedding would be an absolute dream, so if you guys are reading this - feel free to email us and we will rock your world! We promise it will not be "the most dramatic wedding ever..."

#8. European Destination Wedding- Give me an Eiffel Tower, a Gondola entrance, an Italian Garden, a Castle - anything with the word destination in it, I'm booking my flight! This would give us a chance to bond with different vendors, check out the norm for weddings and learn about new cultures - which we love! This has always been a dream because it would be so different than any wedding we've ever done. I would make sure that my name was forever known in that country!

#7. Have a Famous Singer- Who wants a DJ / Band when you can have a famous singer on your wedding day!!! This idea is super cool and unique - it could be a surprise for your guests, it could be a gift to the bride from the groom, it could be planned, either way it is bound to blow your guests socks off. Image walking into the ceremony and you see Rascal Flatts as the band or John Legend singing your first dance song... Alright - where do I sign up for this?

#6. Do a Celebrity's Wedding- We have done this and boy is it so much fun! We did NBA player, Gerald Henderson Jr. who had a jam-packed basketball celebrity wedding party including; Wayne Ellington, Kemba Walker, Jon Scheyer and Nolan Smith. As Gerald said, "You ladies do great work. Our day surpassed any and every expectation that I could of had!" So celebs, we are available and ready for more!

#5. A Cool Exit - We love all of the vintage cars with the cans tied to the back of them, but how cool would it be to have your exit in a Porsche, a helicopter, jet ski / boat, a hot air ballon? Whatever cool exit you want - we will make it happen for you!

#4. A Double Wedding - We're thinking this could be cool for siblings or best friends to do... We've never done one and have never worked with anyone who has done one - so being the first would be awesome for us (we'd only brag a little...) Double the photos, double the love and double the fun!

#3. A NO Budget Wedding- This was one of the most amazing weddings we've ever done and was so much, SO MUCH fun! This private estate in Newtown Square, PA got completely transformed into a Firefly themed fairytale. This wedding had 10 canvas tipi tents. Each tent had different cultured foods inside - American, Italian, Japanese, Mexican, German... There were 2 photo booths, a dance floor in the middle of the lawn, a light-up pool, 4 different lounge areas, 10 luxurious tents for overnight guests, a food truck that came in the middle of the night, and a huge brunch the next morning.

#2. Themed Wedding - We have done a hint of themed here and there, but we have never done a legit hardcore themed wedding and we'd love to! Halloween themed, Great Gatsby, Renaissance, Sports teams (Eagles), Disney etc. would be super cool to plan. We would have a ball with a wedding like this and the photos would be a dream!

#1. A Custom Design Wedding - To create a custom wedding with our own design, our own personal favorite vendors and everything is decided by us! The thought of this makes a wedding planners brain go in so many beautiful directions. We would ask some personal questions, design questions, likes and dislikes and then boom - create the most beautiful day and night of your life. Okay this may be my favorite bucket list item of all...

AH, this was so much fun to put together! Now we have to start crossing these off of our list - who wants to help us cross a few things off our list?

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Jessica and AJ

4/15/2020

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This wedding was such a breathe of fresh (sea) air. Jessica and AJ were so adorable and giddy throughout their day - no one had to force them to smile for a picture - as you can see from the below photos... They exchanged their "I Do's" at Saint Marys Church and continued their celebration at Bonnet Island Estate. The sophisticated color scheme, acrylic details, and florals put a classy feel on this black-tie, LBI Wedding.

This day was so perfect and we wish we could see their smiling faces all over again!

This exit was everything and made for the perfect photo-op! Everyone sees rice, flower petals and even sparklers - but who has ever done bubblers before? Love this!

This green wall was the perfect statement piece for this wedding. This is a great way to do your escort board as well as add a funky neon sign for flare! A little tip for all you engaged couples - when looking for a LED sign for your wedding day, buy something that you can re-use (in a man cave or a bar)!!

And to end... This photo-op was amazing! We love you Jessica & Andrew!

Venue: Bonnet Island Estate
Wedding Planner / Coordinator: Kyle Michelle Weddings
Photographer: M2 Photography
Videography: Stagger
Florist: Nancy Florals
Escort Green Wall: Kyle Michelle Weddings

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Lauren and Stuart

4/13/2020

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Lauren and Stuart live in the busy streets of New York City, but wanted the comfort and LOVE of Philadelphia so they went with The Crystal Tea Room for their special day. This wedding was classy and sophisticated in every way - from the champagne stationery to the ceremony and reception design. Not only was there love in the air between Lauren and Stuart, but the theme LOVE carried throughout their day - with an ice sculpture and LED sign.

Check out this wedding party too - they sure knew how to work it!

Um yes please... I'll take two! Question - can we have this in our house?? This champagne vending machine was so fun for the guests and a great photo opportunity!

The design was mainly white florals and greenery, with tons of draping and lots of champagne and gold accents - the hanging lights gave more of a fairytale look to the room. This ballroom was so simple, but everywhere you looked, it was absolutely radiant.

Venue: Crystal Tea Room
Wedding Coordinator: Kyle Michelle Weddings
Photographer: Pat Furey
Videographer: Square-ware
Photo Booth: Stagger
Stationery: Chick Invitations
Bridal Party Hair and Makeup: ONLO
Bridal Hair: Lauren Baxter Beauty
Bridal Makeup: ONLO
Band: Park Central
Florist: Papertini

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Arielle and John

4/10/2020

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Arielle and John were a vision! John is the founder and CEO of Sticky Fingers Joint and was on the Top 40 Business Men under 40 in New York City - so it was super cool to work with him. As for Arielle, she was not only drop-dead gorgeous, but she is a Juilliard trained musician who is super talented. Having her expertise when choosing a band was awesome!

Meghan and she were absolute besties, as you can see from her review - "I would basically carry Meghans baby. To even begin to write a "review" about Meghan, Kristin, and Kyle Michelle Weddings is pretty pointless because they are too incredible for words. They are the best in New York City- and I have seen A LOT of planners in my job."

As for the design, Arielle wanted a beach wedding without all of the beach themed flowers / decor - which is where the purple florals, gold accents and silk champagne dresses came into play. Wait until you see the breathe taking flowers hanging from the Chuppah.

Check out this Chuppah - hanging flowers galore!!! One of my favorite floral Chuppahs of all time!

These centerpieces were to die for... They were the perfect amount of beach themed while being classy and unique. Honestly - when do you see centerpieces like this at a wedding?

Venue: Mallard Island
Wedding Coordinator: Kyle Michelle Weddings
Bridal Makeup: Painted by Spencer
Makeup: Taffetta Hair and Makeup
Hair: Eric J Rosado
Photography: Anthony Vasquez
Videographer: Anthony Vasquez
Ceremony / After Party: The Britt Pack
Band: Soul Cirque
Florist: Konstentenos Floral Design
Cake: Cake That

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Yes to the Dress

3/30/2020

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I wanted to show off these amazing, trendy and unique dresses that some of our 2019 - 2020 brides have completely rocked! What we love about making this blog is that societal norm with wedding dresses, no longer exists- different is key! There are now dress changes in the middle of the celebration for a new, sleek and fun look, brides are no longer restricted to simply wearing white, and some are even spicing it up with cool colored heels, different hairstyles or even topping it off with spicy red lips. AHH, I just live for this content...

Feast your eyes!

Emily looked stunning in this pure white wedding gown, but not only did the kill the game in this classic gown, but in the middle of the reception she changed into a shorter and comfier couture dress paired with flats for a more fun and party look!

"I knew I loved the designer and knew that I wanted an embellished type dress, and honestly, the stylist I worked with really nailed it. I only tried on about six dresses total because when I tried this one on, literally nothing else compared!"

Hudson Nichols

Emilys custom designed wedding dress was created by Sweet Caroline Styles. She knew she wanted a statement piece so they made a detachable skirt that she wore during the ceremony and then slipped it off for the reception. It is so cool and unique to see the sketches and then see the final project.

"I loved my dress for so many reasons!
1. The design! I loved that it was whimsical, with botanical looking lace. It was sexy with the low back but still sweet with the light pink in the skirt.
2. It was convertible! The skirt came off and it became the perfect simple, dancing dress"

AGP Collective

Oh Kelly, where do I begin with this amazing dress? It was the prettiest shade of nude with breathtaking details in the wrap - but even when that wrap came off in the middle of the night, she looked sleek, sexy and stunning!

"One of our first stops was to Bridal Reflections on 5th Avenue. I tried on the Magnolia almost immediately and loved it so much! I told myself to keep looking only because it was day 1 and dress shopping couldn’t be that easy, could it? The following weekend we cancelled our appointments and only made one with Bridal Reflections and once I put the Magnolia back on was an easy, “say yes to the dress” moment."

Parker Young

Leah was simplistic and insanely classy with this unique off-the-shoulder wedding gown. I wish I had a picture of what she changed too after this gown - it was a tight and sexy, white, lace jumpsuit so that she could continue to dance the night away!

Asya Photography

This dress was amazing in every way possible and no only fit Linley like a glove, but fit her personality as well.

"I always wanted to do feathers, because I fell in love with a dress that had feathers on it while I was dress shopping, but Priscilla Costa made me one I liked even more! I also loved how comfortable it was, this was important to me because I knew that I wanted to be able to dance and have fun. I think it was the perfect winter wonderland dress and I couldn’t have loved it more."

Pat Furey

Marty's dress was pure elegance, but what we loved about even more was her strive to make a bang with her pop of red lipstick.

"When I started trying on wedding gowns, I gravitated towards gowns with a lot of details, but when I looked in the mirror, I only saw the dress — not me IN the dress. So after two unsuccessful appointments, I did a 180 and asked to see some clean and simple gowns. That did it! When I put on my Vera Wang gown for the first time, I saw myself as a bride marrying my husband. It was timeless, elegant, and sexy, and I felt beautiful. The gown allowed me to shine!"

M2 Photography

Melissa was a vision in this strapless dress with blush undertone - she was a real live princess against the NYC sunset.

"I did not have a clear vision of my wedding dress before I started looking and was surprised that I found my dress so quickly. When I tried this Monique dress on during my first day looking, I knew it was the one. I loved the soft, romantic vibe that this dress gives off with the lace and blush undertone. I never envisioned myself wearing a big ballgown, but when else besides your wedding day do you get to wear a dress like this?!"

Joshua Zuckerman

This gown was absolute perfection for a classy and elegant wedding. The front of this dress looks simple but the back of it was so unique with a huge bow that literally made the dress.

"I knew I wanted a dress that felt classic with a Southern feel to compliment my tented venue and magnolia leaf greenery. When I saw this bow, I fell in love!"

Abby Jiu

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Annie and Nick - Epic Wedding

3/16/2020

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As we're waiting for the amazing shots from the ceremony and reception - we wanted to give you guys a tour of the tents and the transformation of the property. This firefly themed wedding was full of tipi tents, colorful florals, textured rugs and a variety of vintage furniture. Each tent was unique with its own food station, aesthetic and purpose - there was so much to do and so much to see! One tent had bohemian wicker basket light features while the other had classy chandeliers, all 3 set-ups had different cultured foods including; Japanese, Mexican, American, Italian etc. The tents also had photo booth opportunities, bars, fireplaces, there was a huge dance floor in the middle of the property and various lounge areas around the lawn. This wedding was the most spectacular, EPIC and unique wedding we have ever done... We wish we could experience it all over again - maybe as guests this time???

And not to mention, we fell in love with this couple and their amazing families!

Okay let me shut up now and leave the pictures to do all of the talking...

Venue: Newtown Square, PA - Private Residence
Wedding Planners/Designrs: Kyle Michelle Weddings
Photographers: David Campli
Afrik Photography
Tipi Tents: UnderCanvas
Videographer: Tweed
Hair and Makeup: Amanda D'andrea
Beke Beau
Florist: Faye and Renee
Furniture Rentals: Maggpie Rentals
Bars: 13th Street Cocktails
Lighting: Fabrico
Stationery: Chick Invitations
Party Rentals: Ocean Tents
Flooring / Platforms: Sperry Tents
Dance / Ceremony Platforms: Stage Dimensions
Heaters: Sunbelt Rentals
Restroom Trailer: United Site Services
Band: The Fraction
Ceremony Musicians: Street Beat Brass
Audio: Light Action Productions

Thank you to all of these amazing vendors for helping to create the most amazing and epic wedding!

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Cecile & Nash

3/13/2020

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College sweethearts, Cecile & Nash were such a charming couple and we were so happy to be their Day of Coordinator. The theme of the day was class and simplicity; we filled the mansion with lit candles, green and white, sophisticated florals and gold accents. The Stotesbury Mansion was such a cool venue, with 3 unique floors - they decided to have a cocktail style reception with different food selections on each floor. They had Oysters XO shucking oysters at cocktail hour, macaroon favors, a cigar bar with a pool table, and a sparkler exit to an awesome after party at The Logan!