Wedding at The Pierre

I was looking back at the archives of my favorite weddings and realized that I have never blogged about one of my very favorites, Helena and Svet's fabulous nuptuals at The Pierre, an iconic New York hotel.  I had a great time planning the wedding with Helena, and we added so many special touches that created a beautiful and meaningful celebration.

I have mentioned before that I love planning and designing weddings where I have the opportunity to blend cultures.  In this case, Svet is Serbian and Helena is Cuban.  It is certainly a mix of two very different cultures that really made me put my thinking cap on when planning this wedding.

The day began with a ceremony at The Serbian Orthodox Cathedral of St. Sava in New York City.  This is a beautiful old church and set the stage for many traditional Serbian customs to be carried through the wedding.  Following the traditional ceremony the Bride and Groom were greated with a hail of Flutter Fetti as they exited the church.

The Bride wanted an elegant wedding yet wanted to have fun and add some non traditional elements.  One of these was the New York Checker Cab that they chose to get them from the Ceremony to the Reception.  Rather than using a standard limousine, we contacted Silver Star Limousine to use an original Checker Cab instead.

The elegance of The Pierre created the perfect backdrop for Helena as she entered in the first of her gowns for the evening..

As guests entered the spectacular ballroom they were wowed by the stunning floral display consisting primarily of blown open casablanca lilies, calla lilies, orchids and roses in the colors of white and pink. The arrangements were accented with crystals and the tables had alternating high and low arrangements to create a flow in the room.  Additionally, I used a combination of long and round tables as part of the overall design.  To give the room and the arrangements the perfect glow, Frost Productions was brought in to handle the lighting and Fred Marcus Photography was hired to capture all of the special moments.

While guests dined on an incredible meal they were entertained by Synergy, a combination of a DJ and live entertainers, provided by On the Move Entertainment.  In addition to Synergy, guests were treated to a traditional Serbian band which really motivated the guests.

To top off the evening was the perfect wedding cake designed by the amazing Sylvia Weinstock.  I worked with Sylvia to incorporate my inspiration for the event design into the cake and the result was nothing short of amazing.  See for yourself.

It was so exciting to see how beautiful the end result was and to see how happy Helena and Svet were with everything about the wedding.  It was a perfect day and an amazing couple.

Until next time...

Cheers

The Knot Real Weddings

I am so excited to be featured in Spring / Summer 2012 issue of the Knot Magazine. 

If you have a chance to pick-up the magazine just turn to page 110 to see the photos by Lindsay Flanagan of this beautiful Winter wedding that took place in the ballroom of the W Union Square Hotel.  Elizabeth and Benny were a pleasure to work with and we are excited that the Knot chose their wedding to feature in the magazine.

Until our next featured wedding...

Cheers!http://www.theknot.com/

40 and Fabulous

Your birthday only comes once a year - a great excuse to celebrate with family and friends over bottles of wine, tasty hors d'oeuvres and, of course, decadent decor!  For Andrew's 40th birthday, we headed to Aretsky's Patroon, a classic restaurant on the East side of Manhattan with event space that was perfect for this party.  I also must say that their staff and food were exceptional.

Guests started with a lively cocktail hour with great wine, cocktails and passed hors d'oeuvres before moving into the spacious dining room that was decorated with beautiful yet masculine arrangements. 

Since the birthday boy is a wine afficianado, and loves the Sonoma California wine region, we added a special twist to the decor by nestling a wine bottle on top of each arrangement that also had the table number.

The wine/champagne theme was not missing a beat that night!  At the center of attention was the 3D champagne bucket cake designed by the creative Pink Cake Box.  It was complete with black and white fondant streamers and labels of only the very best bubbly brands and featuring vintages from the year of the birthday boy's birth.  The silver and black color palate complimented the theme for the evening that went back all the way to the Save the Date and Invitations, all of which were designed by Alpine Creative Group.

The ice cubes and bottle were solely made of poured sugar - who knew!  These days, with cake design, the sky's the limit.

A party isn't complete without great entertainment - something that captivates the crowd.  Laughing, singing, dancing...whatever works!  For this celebration it was a trio of amazing Broadway performers who we brought in to entertain the crowd.  The beautiful Bianca Marroquin, Chicago's "Roxie" on Broadway, lit up the room with her song/dance combination.

Michael Marcotte, a tenor with the New York City Opera, serenaded the guests and, accompanying both performers was the talented Broadway performer, Dan Miccichi.  All of their performances were captured on camera by Jen at Fifth Avenue Digital who always does such a great job.

All of the special touches, and warm wishes of family and friends who traveled from around the country for Andrew's birthday, created so many lasting memories.  As guests left, we offered them a thank you gift with the strawberry / champagne flavored birthday cake and classic New York black & white cookies.  Who doesn't love a little treat on the way home.

A happy birthday to Andrew - thanks for letting us celebrate your 40th!

Cheers!

Are Facebook and Twitter the best ways to announce your Engagement?

Social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter are fabulous for getting your message across en masse.  So when you're newly engaged should you use these online tools to announce it to the world?  I think not....and here's why:

1. - Think about who follows you on Facebook or Twitter.
Will they be invited to the wedding?  If not, then you could potentially hurt feelings.  Also, do you really know who your Twitter followers are?  Chances are your don't.  So, just like you wouldn't invite every Tom, Dick or Harry you meet on the street, you shouldn't send out an announcement about your engagement to people you don't know.  Besides, something this precious is meant to be shared with only those you intend to invite to the wedding.

2. - Both Facebook and Twitter were developed to create quick, informative messages to those that follow you.  Although quick, it's also very impersonal.  For example, a friend of mine recently made the mistake of telling a friend she was pregnant before she was able to connect with her parents.  The friend she told then posted on Facebook that she was so excited for her.... Can you guess how her parents found out the special news?  Although she took precautions, her loud mouthed friend didn't, and thus ruined the special moment between her and her parents that she can never get back.

3. - Should you mail an announcement or send one via email?
I tend do be an old fashioned guy and, if you ask most seasoned planners, we will all say the same thing...Mail it!  Plain and simple, it's proper etiquette.  I don't know about you, but personally I enjoy getting something other than a bill or solicitations in the mail.  It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy...And if you are worried about the expense of creating and mailing a wedding announcement, don't!  There are plenty of fabulous on line sites that have amazing finds such as FineStationery.com.  They have pages and pages of beautifully designed wedding announcements, wedding invitations, save the dates and much more.  They even have a fabulous team of people you can call and speak to if you get stumped.  So, before you say no to mailing an announcement, check them out.

4. - Should I blog about my wedding planning experience?
If you have the time to write, and you feel you are going to help others who are going through the same experience as you are, then I say yes.  If you are going to use that "forum" to complain, be a Bridezilla, or trash the wedding professionals, then I say no, you shouldn't.  There are plenty of amazing wedding blogs out there that were started by brides such as yourself and they have evolved into extremely informative tools.  But, there are also plenty of blogs out there that , honestly, I can't respect due to the lack of information, tone and content.  I say only write the blog if you can update it at least once a week.  You need to offer a take away; whether it be advice, great resources, or even mistakes you have made.  Also, you should write it only if you plan on phasing your newlywed experience into the blog after the wedding by posting your honeymoon experience, blogging about your first home together and even transitioning it when you're expecting your first child.

While the internet is quick and at our finger tips, you really need to stop and think before using it to announce those important moments in your life.

Until next time...

Cheers

Top mistakes newly engaged couples make.

Mazel Tov if you're one of the lucky couples who just got engaged! And, if you are like most newly engaged couples, you are overwhelmed with where to start when it comes to planning your wedding. The feeling of being overwhelmed is normal, but there a few things you can do to ease any stress you or others might put upon yourself in the beginning stages of planning your nuptials.


I know you want to scream your engagement from the rooftops and rightly so; it's an exciting time in your life and you want share it with friends and family. But I caution this because you should take the time to embrace this moment with your fiancé, close family and friends. The next 9 to 12 months are going to go by so fast, and will be filled with so many decisions, that you can get caught up in unnecessary drama and not enjoy what should be a special time in your life. Take a week or two and ease into letting those around you know your engaged. Hold off on announcing it on facebook, twitter or email blasts. By taking the time to enjoy the engagement glow, it will allow you to keep a level head when moving forward with the planning.


One of the biggest mistakes I see couples make is that they rush to try to plan everything at once. They want to book the venue, shop for the dress, pick the attendants, book the flowers, and all in the first month of their engagement. They become so overwhelmed with all the choices they actually have a meltdown. They run away, sometimes crying, fighting with their parents or future in-laws that the process is no longer fun. Rather than rush into the process, take your time…and most of all communicate with whoever is helping to pay for the wedding. Sit down and actually write out what is important and what isn't important. Brides, although this is your wedding it's also his wedding too. So be sure to include him in some of the choices even if he seems completely disinterested. Chances are the music, the food and the drink are important to him so let him have a say too.


If the parents are helping to pay for the wedding they do have a say in some of the choices. So be prepared to compromise. That is what any relationship is about; especially marriage. Don't put your blinders on and insist something go your way. So often brides come into my studio insisting they must get their way. They actually revert back to being little girls rather than grown women. Listen to everything people have to say and take everything into consideration. Don't get me wrong…this is your wedding and you are entitled to get what you want, but also be reasonable. If you don't like something, that's okay, but remember there is always a solution whereby everyone can be happy.


Another unfortunate mistake newly engaged couples make is that they don't do their research. They rush to sign contracts for fear they might lose the venue, the photographer or the band. This is a huge no, no! Do your research before signing. See what things are going to cost. There's good information out there on the web, but truth be told, some of it is completely misguided. It's like getting a second opinion from another doctor…it's best to not jump at the first opinion and to get several quotes from vendors in the same category. Try to get apple to apple comparisons when shopping for your wedding vendors.


When shopping for vendors, be honest with them. Vendors want to help you and they know you're shopping around, so the more information you provide the better they can meet your expectations. For example don't call or email a floral designer or flower shop and say I need 20 table arrangements, 4 bouquets and a chuppa, what will it cost? There are many different factors when it comes to flowers such as what look are you going for? Do you want sleek or do you want huge and full? Do you want gardenias and stephanotis in your bouquet or do you want tulips? And there's always budget…There is such a variety when it comes to cost that you need to help them manage your expectations by providing as much information as possible.


Another mistake couples make is they try to do everything themselves. DIY (Do It Yourself) has become so huge in recent years, due in large part to the state of the economy. But couples often take too much on and that's where the stress starts and mistakes happen. Wedding planners are there for a reason. This is what they do day in and day out. You wouldn't try to perform surgery on yourself or cut your own hair, why plan your own wedding. Hire the experts. And if you are afraid wedding planners are too expensive you have to ask yourself; “Is the money spent worth the peace of mind?” Knowing you have a professional that can help you organize, navigate and manage your needs along with the vendor's needs can be worth its weight in gold. SO when you go shopping for a planner understand that the cost is most certainly worth it.


And finally, I think the number one mistake couples make is that they forget to have fun. They get so wrapped up in the planning they forget what the wedding is really about. It's about joining their lives with the person they love. It's not about the future mother in law or sister in law they don't get along with. It's not about the fact they can't get the 2,000 white doves to fly overhead…it's about your marriage, your love and your commitment to your fiancé. Couples often lose sight of that and as a result they don't have fun and they don't enjoy the process. 

So take your time, have fun and...

Courtesy of Craig Paulson Studios

 Cheers,

Destination Weddings - The Finger Lakes Region of New York

Having grown up in Rochester, New York, the Finger Lakes area never really seemed like a big destination for me.  It was not until I moved to New York City that I grew to find what a popular destination area the Finger Lakes have become for weddings, vacationers and wine lovers!  With so many beautiful settings at the wineries or on the lakefronts, the Finger Lakes really have become a prime location for destination weddings.

Throughout the region there are some amazing lakefront venues for weddings.  You may recall a previous blog about the wedding of Leah and Tommy at Briston Harbour on Canandaigua Lake.  With the beautiful views of the lake, Bristol Harbour was the perfect setting for a fall wedding.  Red Stone Studios was able to capture all of the rich fall colors that the Bride wanted for her wedding.   

The Finger Lakes do offer some other beautiful venues for weddings.  Geneva on the Lake located on Seneca Lake is one of my favorites.  It offers a European feel for a more elegant affair. 



Other venues to consider for a wedding ceremony and reception include Sonnenberg Gardens and Belhurst Castle in Geneva

When planning a wedding in the Finger Lakes don't forget about all of the amazing wineries.  I enjoy going on wine tastings with my family when in the area and in our travels we have had not only tremendous wines, but also have found some beautiful locations for weddings and events.  For example, if you are holding a larger wedding you may want to look at Wagner Vineyards which is in the town of Lodi on Seneca Lake.  If you are planning a smaller wedding I would consider Glenora Winery in Dundee, NY or Chateau Lafeyette Reneau in Hector, NY.  There are so many options in the region you are sure to find the perfect venue and have some great wine while looking.

Cheers!

Tired of the same old birthday cake - try something new!

Last night the amazing staff at Ardesia Wine Bar surprised me with this great treat for my Birthday.  I thought it was so amazing that I had to share it with you.

Since they know I absolutely love Chef Casaus' deviled eggs, it was a real treat for them to bring out a plate of them instead of a cake.  While I am a huge lover of sweets and desserts, I know others who are not.

So, the next time you are out with your friends and you want to add a twist to the birthday celebration, take a cue from the fabulous folks at Ardesia and put a candle in an appetizer and sing Happy Birthday!

And thank you again to the wonderful, warm staff at Ardesia for making my birthday celebration so special.

Until next time - Cheers!