Featured Invitation - Ruth

A lot has been written recently about a return to formal elegance being a trend in the Wedding industry.  I have to agree that many of my Brides want a wedding that has a classic, elegant feel.  When I think of this look it reminds me of one of my favorite shows, Downton Abbey. The look  that is portrayed by all of the characters captures the style and grace of a bygone era.  I do find many of my clients want that feel and look for their own celebrations.

In going through my stationery designs there is one I feel perfectly captures this classic, elegant look.  The design is named Ruth, after my Grandmother, as it reminds me of the lace that was always around her home.

As with all of my designs, the back of the invitation carries through the design from the front.

Additionally, I offer coordinating pieces for every design so your table numbers, escort cards, menus and even your thank you cards can all be matched to ensure a consistent theme throughout your event.

The Ruth invitation is really perfect for anyone trying to capture a classic, vintage look.  I encourage you to go to www.shawnrabideaustationery.com to check out my collection that can be purchased on-line at www.finestationery.com and that is coming soon to a stationery store near you.

Until next time...

Cheers.

Sending invitations - plan ahead!

I have to share a recent experience I have had in sending out wedding invitations to help others avoid a lot of anxiety and frustration when sending out their own invitations.

It used to be the case that when invitations were properly mailed using first class postage they would start to appear in guests mail boxes within 2 to 3 days.  Please know, that is no longer true!

A couple of weeks ago I mailed the invitations for a client's wedding and the result was frustrating to say the least.  Everything was done properly from having the envelopes checked and weighed 3 times to make sure we had the correct postage to delivering them directly to the post office and having them hand cancelled to avoid any possible problem.

It wound up taking 12 days for the invitations to begin arriving in guests' mailboxes. I have to tell you this created a lot of anxiety not knowing why the invitations were delayed. 

I felt the need to share this story in order to give you a heads up when sending invitations.  I recommend that you add an extra 2 weeks to the process to ensure that your guests receive them in time and to help avoid the anxiety that we experienced.

It was definitely a lesson learned, thank you USPS!

Until next time...

Cheers

A Grand wedding at the Station

Recently I was presented with a wedding challenge that was most unexpected but that I also saw as an opportunity to do something that had not been done before.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy there were numerous challenges as many event venues were damaged or not able to open as a result of the Hurricane.  I was fortunate in that most of my clients handled the challenge gracefully and went on to have tremendous events, despite any adversity.

My most recent Hurricane Sandy challenge was to turn Michael Jordan's Steakhouse inside Grand Central Station into a venue for a wonderful client's wedding ceremony and reception.  If you have been to Grand Central you know what a stunning setting it is with many Brides and Grooms using it as a backdrop for photos.  However, to hold the actual wedding inside of an active train hub is very different from just using the Station for photos.   I mean, imagine saying your vows as the overhead speaker is calling the 5:15 train to New Haven.

The other challenge was how to turn this vast space into an intimate setting for not only the reception but also for the ceremony.  We accomplished this by sectioning off one area of the restaurant for the ceremony and used large urns on pedestals to frame the ceremony area.  When set against the backdrop of the Station, it was pretty spectacular.

Following the ceremony guests were escorted into the bar area of the restaurant for cocktails while we transformed the main room for the seated reception.  The client wanted a clean, sleek look so I used simple glass containers and floral in her colors of blue and white.  As guests came back into the main room they first saw a long, sleek escort card table with square glass containers in varying heights, each holding a different bouquet of a single flower type and color. A nice touch was that each escort card was actually a frame that the guests could keep as a favor.

For the tables we continued the sleek look with a runner of glass containers in the same color scheme. It was a perfect compliment to the grand space without trying to overpower it.

The clean sleek look was carried through all elements, even the cake which was simply adorned with the same flowers that I used throughout the wedding.

While a wedding in Grand Central Station was not part of the couple's original vision, the end result was a beautiful wedding shared by family and friends.  Everyone had a great time and the couple was very happy which is the most important part.

Here's hoping we do not have a repeat of Sandy and the challenges it created.

Cheers!

8 Keys to the perfect Cocktail Party!

Recently I did an interview with the website Mom.me regarding my top tips for the perfect cocktail party.  Today I happened to be scrawling through AOL News and low and behold there was my article.  I think these are all useful tips for anyone hosting a cocktail party.  Cheers!

Shawn's tips for the perfect cocktail party