5th Annual VIP Contest Winners Put LBI In Center Of Wedding Plans

NJWedding.com and the Southern Ocean County Chamber of Commerce announce winner of Wedding Road Show on Long Beach Island 2013 VIP Contest!

NJWedding.com’s Wedding Road Show VIP Contest Winners, Ashley Taluba and Pete Gallagher

Long Beach Island, NJ – After receiving almost 1,000 entries since November 1, 2012 for the VIP Contest, a winning couple was chosen on Friday, April 12th, announced Erik Kent, Co-Publisher of NJWedding.com . Ashley Taluba of Roselle Park, NJ and Pete Gallagher of Millville, NJ were chosen randomly out of the entries of engaged couples and awarded with the “VIP Experience” during the upcoming Wedding Road Show on Long Beach Island 2013 event.

Ashley and Pete will receive an overnight stay in the “Honeymoon Suite” at The Gables Historic Inn & Restaurant in Beach Haven, NJ on Saturday, April 20th, including breakfast on Sunday morning. Then they will go to the Southern Ocean County Chamber of Commerce office in Ship Bottom to register for the Wedding Road Show, where they will receive a custom welcome gift basket by Camille’s Floral Design and an LBI-themed cookie bucket from A Sweet Memory. They will then enter their white stretch limousine, courtesy of A Shining Star Limousine Service, where they will tour the LBI region’s venues and view exhibits by wedding professionals featuring a variety of services and products.

When asked why Long Beach Island was a consideration for her wedding plans, Ashley replied that she’s an “LBI beach girl” and has spent time on the island, taking day trips to Loveladies and Beach Haven over the years. Also, with her being from Northern NJ and Pete being from Southern NJ, Long Beach Island provides a centralized location for them, their friends and family. She considers LBI to have a different feel than other New Jersey beaches, and enjoys taking relaxing drives throughout the island. Her ideal wedding would be on the beach, where she and Pete could take memorable pictures. She and Pete met and began dating while attending Stockton College and were engaged in June 2012. They have a tentative wedding date of Spring 2015.

After attending several bridal shows around New Jersey to get ideas and costs for various wedding services, Ashley and Pete are looking forward to attending the Wedding Road Show to further explore the Long Beach Island region!

The Wedding Road Show on LBI is taking place Sunday, April 21st from 10am – 4pm. For more information go to
http://www.visitLBIregion.com
or call the Southern Ocean County Chamber of Commerce at (609) 494-7211. The event is sponsored by the Southern Ocean County Chamber of Commerce and the New Jersey Division of Travel and Tourism.

10 Reasons To Get Married In New Jersey

What’s NOT to love about the idea of having your wedding in the Garden State? With a variety of locations for the event and some of the most creative and talented wedding professionals in the world, NJ has everything on a bride and groom’s must-have list. Here’s just a sampling of great reasons to get married in New Jersey:

1. Being located in a geographic region with four unique seasons, New Jersey offers couples the opportunity for winter weddings (sometimes even at a discount), wedding celebrations during the spring renewal, beach or garden weddings in the summertime and colorful fall foliage for memorable photos at one of the many golf resorts, wineries or country clubs.

2. Having your wedding closer to home is more green and eco-friendly than planning a destination wedding: you can reduce your carbon footprint by using less gas and tolls, using locally sourced foods, flowers and wedding service providers.

3. With 127 miles of shoreline, New Jersey offers some of the most beautiful beaches and shore towns around, so couples can have their wedding ceremony on the sand with a reception following on or near the beach.

4. Cape May, New Jersey (“Exit 0″ on the Garden State Parkway) is known as the third most popular destination in the United States to get married, and you can have your wedding on the beach or in one of many Victorian locations from a bygone era.

5. The Long Beach Island region is one of the fastest growing wedding destinations in New Jersey, with over 40 venues and wedding services to serve couples that want to have their wedding weekend in this resort area.

6. You can have a New York style wedding at New Jersey prices (and without the traffic!) since sales tax in New York City is 8.375 percent compared with 7 percent in New Jersey. Still want that backdrop of New York City? Have your wedding at one of the many venues along the Hudson River or charter a boat and cruise past the Statue of Liberty and other landmarks.

Buddy Valastro and his team at Carlo’s Bakery in Hoboken have put NJ on the map, showcasing various styles of wedding and specialty cakes on TLC’s “Cake Boss.” Photo provided by Carlo’s Bakery

7. Wedding TV reality shows love New Jersey, too! Some of the NJ’s top wedding locations and experts have been featured on the Style Network’s Whose Wedding Is It Anyway? and Jerseylicious, Bravo’s Real Housewives of New Jersey, TLC’s Masters of Reception, Say Yes To The Dress, Four Weddings and of course … we have the Cake Boss (and the Next Great Baker)! New York wedding planner David Tutera often showcases his New Jersey brides on WEtv’s My Fair Wedding.

8. New Jersey’s history is rich with numerous historic locations and landmarks, places where George Washington has lived or slept. More recent history is also represented in the many locations that have served as a backdrop for movies and television, like The Sopranos. One of the most popular places in the state to pose for an engagement or wedding picture is Woodrow Wilson Hall at Monmouth University, better known as Daddy Warbuck’s mansion in the movie Annie.

9. New Jersey is one of the most culturally diverse states in the nation, with large populations of Italians, Pan-Asians, Asian Indians and much more. You can have ANY type of catering you wish at your reception … just name it and you can find it in New Jersey … and it’s delicious!

10. Looking to attend a bridal show or expo? In New Jersey, you’ll be able to find a bridal show almost every day of the week. You will meet local wedding professionals who will give you advice and direction on your wedding plans, see the latest bridal fashions, and even maybe take home some fabulous door prizes or a free honeymoon.

BONUS REASON -> New Jersey was hit with Superstorm Sandy in 2012, which impacted several regions of the Garden State, especially the Jersey Shore. Many beachfront wedding facilities and businesses were affected, and and several are currently in the process of rebuilding. View our blog post entitled “Hurricane Sandy and the aftermath on the New Jersey weddings community,” with details on how NJ couples went ahead with their wedding plans, how wedding professionals teamed up to offer relief for NJ residents, and additional resources for helping those in need. New Jerseyans are “JERSEY STRONG” and we want you to know that the JERSEY SHORE IS OPEN and remains a popular destination for weddings, events and very special memories…

One of the top spots for wedding and engagement photos in New Jersey is Woodrow Wilson Hall at Monmouth University. Photo: Photography by Mike D.

Erik Kent is the Co-Publisher of NJWedding.com. This article was previously featured on AOL’s Aisledash in August 2010.

Jersey Shore Wedding Association holds contest to assist engaged couples affected by Superstorm Sandy

Were your wedding plans affected by SuperStorm Sandy? Enter the Jersey Strong Wedding Contest by 12/24, hosted by the JSWA

If you are a bride or groom-to-be from New Jersey, NY or PA, and your plans for your Jersey shore wedding were impacted by Sandy, then the JSWA is here to help you!

Members of the Jersey Shore Wedding Association (JSWA.org) were right in the path of SuperStorm Sandy, and have experienced the impact first hand. “Despite the destruction and devastation of SS Sandy, there has been much reconstruction and renewal – and an overwhelming sense of gratitude, kindness, cooperation and strength.” says Arlene Schmid, a Jersey Shore Wedding Planner and Director of JSWA. It is in this spirit that JSWA organized the Jersey Shore Strong Wedding Contest to help couples whose wedding plans were directly affected by Hurricane Sandy.

Some couples have lost their homes or possessions; some lost their venue or vendors; while some first responders were busy helping others their own belongings were damaged; many couples had to reschedule or relocate due to time or financial burdens caused by Sandy. However couples were affected, the Jersey Shore Wedding Association wants to help. Couples can go to the association’s website – JSWA.org – and submit their stories in 500 words or less to JSWAWeddingContest@gmail.com by Christmas Eve (Dec. 24, 2012). From Jan. 1st thru the 10th, the public will vote on the most compelling story on Facebook and by E-mail survey. The winning couple will be announced at the Jersey Shore Wedding Association’s Winter Bridal Show on January 13th at the Captain’s Inn, Forked River.

Weddings along the New Jersey shoreline are memorable and unique. Tell the JSWA your story to enter to win a dream wedding at the shore!

New Jersey wedding businesses have reached out to other businesses and to couples to help however and wherever they can. “It is overwhelming how the wedding community has rallied to offer their help and services, we currently have over $11,000 donated to the contest in products and services and it is growing daily,” says Tracy D’Amico Co-Director of JSWA and owner of Rose Garden Florist. We have had donations from both members and non-members such as: Captain’s Inn, Golden Wedding Planners, James Photography, Over the Top DJ, Rose Garden Florist, Always in Motion Videography, Surf City Hotel, Busy Bride Helpers, Paper Pastiche, Bridal Music by Flora Duo, Celebration Creations, A Sweet Memory and In His Hands Ministries, and donations are still being accepted. If a wedding vendor would like to contribute to the contest they can contact JSWA at Info@JSWA.org.

All are welcome to join the Jersey Shore Wedding Association when the contest winner is announced at the Captain’s Inn, 304 East Lacey Road, Forked River, NJ on Sunday, January 13, 2013 from 2:00-6:00pm. For more information about the Jersey Shore Wedding Association, the Jersey Shore Strong Wedding Contest or the JSWA Winter Bridal Show please email Info@JSWA.org

About the Jersey Shore Wedding Association (JSWA)

The Jersey Shore Wedding Association is an organization of wedding professionals servicing the Jersey Shore from Sandy Hook to Cape May. Their website JSWA.org offers helpful tips, suggestions and a wealth of resources of Jersey Shore wedding vendors.