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One-stop shopping is an idea whose time has come. It saves hours of runaround, not to mention gas. It offers you vendors who have been pre-shopped as the best. For the busy—and who isn’t?—New Jersey bride, it’s the smarter, more efficient way to pull off your big day.

The Wedding Store at Liz Clinton’s in Andover (973-786-5330; myweddingatlizclinton.com) fills eleven rooms with anything and everything a bride might wear. “We invite brides to come spend a few hours here, in our comfy living-room setting,” says owner Judy Fletcher, “and walk away with total outfits for themselves and their attendants: gowns, jewelry, purses, and shoes; veils and headpieces; makeup ideas. Even lingerie and shower gifts. It’s one-stop shopping with exceptional service—and that’s why bridesmaids come back to us when they become brides.”

At Calvary Bridal House in Millburn (973-376-7001; calvarybridalhouse.com), brides shop for gowns, headpieces, veils, and jewelry on the first floor, and then proceed downstairs to complete their look at Entiise Lingerie, My Glass Slipper for footwear, and Devenir Bridal for an up-do and photo-perfect makeup. Calvary also offers bridesmaid attire and eco-friendly gown preservation. “The one-stop shop idea came from our brides, who were running to six different shoe shops and still coming up empty,” says owner Elga Koehler. “We fulfill the fashion end of their day and save them the runaround—and the gas fumes.”

David’s Bridal, with seven New Jersey locations (800-399-2743; davidsbridal.com), takes head-to-toe dressing a step further. “What makes us different is our huge inventory, both in stores and online, plus our ability to totally color-coordinate your day,” says spokesperson Cindi Freeburn. “Start with your gown and a color—maybe canary yellow for a mid-summer wedding,” says Freeburn. “At David’s, you can run with it for bridesmaid dresses, bouquets, flower-girl sashes, your groom’s tie, invite borders, even ribbon to wrap favors. Because we manufacture every bit and piece brides need, we can color-match seamlessly.” Try their “Dress Your Wedding” feature online for yourself.

There’s more to a wedding than a pretty dress, and that’s where Party Divas, a new wedding center in Madison (973-377-1044; partydivasweddingandeventcenter.com), comes in. “I want to make planning easier for my clients, by keeping everything under one roof and coordinating all the details that make or break a wedding,” says owner Kathy Koscinski. Sweet Peas Flower Shoppe, Makes a Nice Wedding photographer, and deejay Chuck Russo are located inside her cozy storefront. Koscinski arranges back-to-back appointments with other seasoned pros there, too, making optimum use of a bride’s time. Meet with the florist at 9 a.m., photographer at 10 a.m., deejay at 11 a.m., tuxedo shop at noon, stationer at 1 p.m., caterer at 2 p.m., and soon you’ve pulled together the whole event.

For brides who are marrying later and working longer hours, one-stop shopping alleviates extra fuss and makes practical sense. All you miss is the dubious pleasure of racing around town with a dress swatch while previewing three photographers and four bands.

Gifts in a Lovely Shade of Green

“We’re just beginning to scratch the surface on earth-friendly favors,” says Winnie Ying of Beaucoup Wedding Favors (877-988-2328; beau-coup.com). “There are so many possibilities in natural and recyclable materials.” Shop these “green” gifts in their catalog:

Lucky bamboo stems in ceramic planters (above) make totally Zen table favors.
Plantable seed ribbon, boxed with silk flowers, for a gift that grows.
“Wedding Sprinkles” seeds, a flower garden in a silver tin.
Natural soy candles in five scents make perfect gifts.
“Love Grows” personalized daisy-shaped seed cards to plant.
—P.K.

By Sharon Naylor

Your grand exit after your ceremony is cause for great celebration, as you take your first steps forward as husband and wife. Your guests may expect to shower you with birdseed or blow bubbles in your direction, but now there are far more creative ways to decorate your departure. We’ve collected some of the hottest new trends—from traditional to extravagant to eco-friendly—to make your exit even more exciting, not to mention gorgeous.

Heather Baird Loya, owner of Le Papertique (201-232-4502; www.lepapertique.com) in Hoboken, Bernardsville, and Clinton suggests pretty paper cones filled with fresh rose petals. “Most of my brides choose bright, colorful rose petals to match their wedding color scheme,” says Loya, who offers the handcrafted paper cones on her site. “While most sites have rules about what can be tossed on their grounds, it’s rare that the petals pose a problem for cleanup because they’re biodegradable.” Your site might charge you a nominal fee for cleanup, but the effect is so pretty you won’t mind.

Loya also says that a butterfly release is still a very popular option for the grand exit, “as is candlelight for a nighttime wedding, with each guest being given a candle to hold.” At night, sparklers are another popular trend (provided you keep your veil far from them), and the ethereal effect in your photos is breathtaking. “One of my brides and grooms departed their ceremony by boat, sailing into the sunset, and they had candles floating in the water all around them. With the right setting, candles can decorate your exit in an unforgettable way.”

And of course there are fireworks, one of the grandest exit scenes possible, but also a source of much legwork. You’ll need to talk with the area fire marshal to get permits and permissions, have the site assessed (if it’s a dry season with nearby woods, you’ll be denied permission), and hire a reputable fireworks company. Even with the hassles, many brides and grooms want that fireworks display, and they may even time and locate their weddings to take advantage of nearby Fourth of July fireworks displays…all free for them.

Wedding coordinator Samantha Goldberg, owner of Gold Events in Chester (908-450-9766; www.goldeventsplanning.com) has arranged for some of the most extravagant exits in the world. “At a wedding held in an open field with a horse barn nearby, my bride and groom rode off on a pair of white horses,” says Goldberg. “I’ve had couples make their exits by golf cart at a country club, by skis at a mountain resort, and even by helicopter to take them to their wedding night suite in New York City. This is a new program at Newark Airport’s helioport. Continental Airlines offers a car service to bring the bride and groom to the helicopter, where they board and have those precious moments alone for a champagne toast during the eight-minute, scenic tour and ride into the city.” Going ‘onward and upward’ also presents the opportunity of a hot air balloon ride, which is always popular in New Jersey’s wine and farm regions.

While today’s weddings offer everything but the space shuttle to take you off into your future, at all range of budgets, there will always be a fondness for the sweet and traditional exit from your ceremony. In addition to throwing rose petals, Goldberg says to think about bright and beautiful daisy heads or fall leaves.

Fun Bridal-Party Gifts

By Alexis Crisman Kelly

They’ve thrown you an amazing shower, accompanied you to bridal salons in search of the perfect dress, and listened to hours upon hours of wedding details. Now it’s time for you to properly thank your closest friends, the ones in your bridal party. But what should you give them? Wedding consultant Catherine J. Walton of Weddings by the Sea in Cape May says that the new trend is gift cards to each person’s favorite store or pastime. “The list of options is endless,” she says, “And this way, everyone gets what they really want.” Another idea is to give them something inspired by the wedding’s location. Mandy Christman Moore married her longtime love, Wesley, in a seaside wedding at the Sea Bright Beach Club. She gave her bridal party matching starfish necklaces from Shutters in Fair Haven because she wanted everything about her wedding to have a beachy feel. Even the ties her husband gave his groomsman had starfish on them.

And with so many New Jersey weddings happening by the Shore and couples opting for a more casual blazers and khaki look, fun ties are a good idea. Vineyard Vines (www.vineyardvines.com) has numerous beach-themed ties. And if you’re looking for something on the fancier side, they also offer bow ties, cummerbunds, and pocket squares.

Edible gifts are always a hit. If you’re looking for bridal-party gifts, as well as favors, that are sumptuous and fleeting – like the day itself – look no farther than Enjou Chocolate in Morristown (973-993-9090, 800-305-2853; www.enjouchocolat.com). Owner Wendy Taffet recommends chocolate-dipped strawberries decorated with tuxedo bowties and buttons, lovely white chocolate swans filled with truffles, or chocolate caramel apples dressed like brides and grooms.

Maybe you like the idea of jewelry, but want the pieces to be completely original. For more than five years, Pennington jewelry artist Elizabeth Haines of Elizabeth B. Design (609-647-0829; www.elizabethbdesign.com) has been helping brides choose individual pieces that bridesmaids can take home and wear again. She’s even created completely different designs based on the bridesmaid’s coloring and style. “I do quite a bit of work for bridal parties,” says Haines. “I work with the brides on colors, styles, necklines…almost exclusively one-of-a-kind designs. It’s my favorite design work to do.”

Amy Tierney of Berkeley Heights gave the eight women in her bridal party pearl necklaces that matched the color of their dresses, which she ordered from turqbridal.com. “I wanted to give them something special from me to have for the wedding, specifically as a huge thank you,” she says.

Hillsdale newlywed Jacqueline Moran Fiore looked to her wedding’s winter theme for the inspiration behind her bridesmaid’s gifts. “Since my wedding had colors of ice blue, silver, and winter white, I chose to give my bridesmaids sparkly crystal jewelry set in silver that matched their ice-blue dresses.”

Men deserve some bling, too—and cufflinks are always a great option. Tiffany & Co. (www.tiffany.com) offers many styles including the Elsa Peretti Bean, which comes five different ways, the Elsa Peretti starfish, or Paloma’s Groove, which comes in three styles. There’s also www.exclusivelyweddings.com, an online gift site that offers many ideas including sterling-silver cufflinks in oval, round, or square shapes that can be monogrammed.

South Jersey resident Jennifer Titton’s Smarty Pants Shop (617-319-5931; www.smartypantsshop.com) gives brides yet another unique gift-giving option—sweatsuits. Each suit is custom designed with the colors of your wedding and is stitched with a saying like “bridesmaid” or a monogram. Plus, the jacket zips up, so hair and makeup won’t get messed up on the big day. There are even suits for flower girls. “These are a favorite,” says Titton, “because every little girl wants to emulate the bride.” Smarty Pants also monograms golf shirts for the guys.

Fun, trendy sunglasses are another huge hit for the bridesmaids. Carolina Herrera’s new line of Jackie O sunglasses are a perfect choice (Linwood Opticians, 201-461-0010). They can wear them the day of the wedding, and will get much use after. And pick yourself up a pair—they’ll come in handy on the honeymoon.

While everyone may already own at least one iPod, they may be excited about two new accessories. The iH19 Portable Sport Case, in either pink or black, is water-resistant and fits onto bikes, exercise equipment, and strollers. There’s also the iH26 Travel Alarm Clock, available in black, silver, or white, with a remote and travel case, that recharges your iPod while you listen. It’s the perfect gift for anyone who travels a lot and needs tunes to wake up to.

And don’t forget about the littlest ones in your party. Books about flower girls and ring bearers get them excited about their role in your wedding. Babar: Isabelle the Flower Girl (Harry N. Abrams, 2004) and 10 Cool Things About Being a Ring Bearer (Paper Posie, 2002) are just two of the many titles out there.