My apologies for not blogging in a while, I know I promised you I was going to be better at this! Things have just been so busy around here! No complaints though!
This week I am happy to share with you a wedding that I planned and designed at the Hotel Giraffe, a wonderful boutique hotel here in New York City.
When I met with the bride Melissa about how she wanted her wedding day to look, I wasn’t given much direction. I knew she was originally from Hawaii and wanted to feel a sense of home, but that’s about it! So, by using eucalyptus and splashed of tropical orange and yellow (something that is way out of her comfort zone), I transformed an empty room into an oasis that brought the bride to tears.
For the table arrangements, I used a variety of low and medium height square vases, which I filled with beautiful circus roses, yellow roses, green roses, calla lilies, green cymbidium orchids, and vibrant glorioso lilies. In the medium height vases, I submerged orange dendrobium orchids to add variety to the arrangements. Also, submerged below the candles I twisted a loop of bear grass for an extra something special. As for lighting, Bentley Meeker brought the outside to the inside by uplighting the room with colors of a Hawaiian sunset.
In the reception room, the focal point was a fireplace with a hideous picture of a giraffe! Now I don’t know about you, but I don’t think we could find many giraffes on the beaches of Hawaii, so I designed one of my signature flower arrangements, what I like to call, “a wall of flowers” to replace the giraffe photo. In the past I have done a leaning flower wall as a place for guests to find their place cards, but for this space in particular, it was perfect to use as a hanging piece over the mantle. Guests were amazed by this spectacular hanging arrangement of green, yellow, and circus roses, orange calla lilies, orange dendrobium orchids, green cymbidium orchids, yellow spider mums, bear grass, moss, and other tropical elements.
Outside on the patio where the ceremony was held, which we later transformed into a cocktail area, was a massive mirror, which we used as a focal point for the ceremony and dressed it with a garland of eucalyptus, spider mums, and roses. A mirror at the end of the aisle was something very unexpected, but was great for guests as they could see the expressions of the bride and groom from every direction.
Now onto personal flowers. The bride’s bouquet was carefully assembled with yellow and cream roses, cymbidium orchids, eucalyptus, and leather leaf. (On a personal note, we never use leather leaf but made an exception because the bride specifically requested it be used in her bouquet). For her twin sister the maid of honor, we created a smaller bouquet with all of the same elements and placed a cymbidium orchid in her hair behind her ear, something that she and her sister used to do back home in Hawaii. As for the groom’s boutonnière, I kept it simple but still reflective of the bride’s bouquet, so I used a cymbidium orchid, a small yellow rose, a loop of bear grass and some leather leaf.
One of my favorite moments at the wedding was when Melissa presented her father with his boutonnière. When she was a little girl, her father would place a gardenia on both her and her twin sisters’ pillow at bedtime. Now, to Melissa, gardenia’s have a special place in her heart, so I made sure that her father got the most gorgeous and beautifully fragrant gardenia we could find for his boutonnière.
Overall, I discovered that you can bring Hawaii to New York City by using subtle touches of tropical elements and had a blast designing it! Until next time, (which I promise won’t be long) cheers!
It has been a long but quick journey planning Bethenny's wedding in just four short weeks, but the big day is finally here! I hope you have all been watching and are just as excited as I am to watch to see if I can pull off the perfect wedding for Bethenny Frankel and Jason Hoppy! Tune in tonight on Bravo at 10pm EST to find out if your much anticipated questions will be answered....
Does the cake meet Bethenny's expectations?
Is Cookie really the devil in disguise?
Is the champagne bucket really a porta potty?
Does Bethenny really rip off Shawn's "produce section"?
Also, don't forget to follow me on Twitter @ShawnRabideau to get my take on the wedding as I tweet LIVE while watching the show! Also, for other helpful tips become a fan of Shawn Rabideau Events and Design on Facebook.
Click HERE to see a sneak peak of tonight's episode!
After watching last week's episode of “Bethenny Getting Married?” all I could think of was saving my family jewels. With one week into planning the stress was already beginning to take its toll on me. That coupled with the fact that Bethenny was beginning to turn into the ever feared Bridezilla!
I've said it before that I can do a lot of things, but I can't move mountains and I can't make things just magically happen. If I could do that I would be retired on an island and we would never be having this discussion. I think Bethenny thought that I should have the entire wedding planned after our first meeting. And you have no idea how hard I busted my butt after that first meeting to get vendors lined up. Most were either booked or not willing to work on a Sunday (being their only day off). I begged and called in every possible favor I could. But by the time I saw Bethenny at the hair salon for her trial I still didn't have confirmation on most of the vendors. Time was ticking and so was Bethenny's patience. And who can blame a bride to be with just three weeks until her wedding. She was getting nervous the wedding details wouldn’t get pulled together. I knew they would, but convincing her was another story. She wasn't willing to give up control and nothing I would say would change that.
When it came to her hair trial at the salon I sensed Bethenny wasn't having a good day and that she couldn't shake it. Boy was I right. She was very dismissive and quite frankly acted as if she didn't want me there. She lashed out at me and began to suck the life out of me just like a Dementor from Harry Potter! By the time I left that day I was drained both mentally and physically. The worst part was that the journey of planning a wedding (her wedding) in four short weeks had just begun! Honestly, I wasn't sure if I should continue…I am pretty nice person and getting beat up wasn't something I signed up for. After thinking about it, I was bound and determined not to give up. I was going to plan her wedding and plan it to the point where it would blow her socks off!
You have no idea how hard I worked to get the Four Seasons to say "yes"…how I made that happen will forever remain a secret (to both you and I). To be honest I don't know if they said yes because I called 20 times a day or if it was the fact that I was willing to do ANYTHING and made that perfectly clear! Even sleep with Julian…Every time I think of that I puke in my mouth a bit…
I knew Bethenny had to have her wedding there and if I didn't come through I would be finished. That was something I wasn't willing to risk. When I got the call from them that they would accommodate her wedding I was jumping out of my skin with delight and I just had to tell Bethenny in person! Getting the cotton candy was my little way of hopefully smoothing things over (let's be honest I wanted to kiss her ass and make her love me!) and breaking the news that she had her venue. Her dream was beginning to come true…
There was of course the run in with Cookie (aka Kujo). I am dog lover and in fact have two myself. I can usually tame the most fierce dogs, but not Cookie. I am sure she is a really nice dog, but seriously she has issues and not just with me. She has serious mental issues, I am not a puppy-cologist but if I had to guess in one word she is jealous! It used to just be Bethenny…then Julie came into the picture, and then Jason, and then Max. This all may be too much for that little dog to handle…all I have to say is she better get a grip because she is in for a serious wakeup call when the baby arrives.
After leaving Bethenny's that day I felt better about working with her. This was a challenge and one that I wasn't willing to fail. I knew in my heart of hearts that I was pulling out all the stops, that I was working my ass off and that regardless of the mountains I had to climb in the next few weeks I would succeed. The question was, did Bethenny feel the same?
Tune in on Thursday, July 1st at 10pm / 9c on Bravo TV to see more wedding drama unfold
When Bethenny’s assistant Julie called me it was about four weeks until the wedding day. I believe Julie found me on the Knot.com; she looked at my web site, interviewed me over the phone and said she would set up a meeting for Bethenny to come to my office. Before we hung up she said, “Oh there’s one more thing” this will all be filmed for Bethenny’s new reality show.
When she called I was shocked that I was even in the running to be Bethenny’s planner. In the back of my head I was doing cartwheels. I knew who Bethenny was from watching Martha Stewarts’ Apprentice and The Real Housewives of New York City. I knew this was a great opportunity and I knew I would have my hands full. However, when I found out it would all be filmed for her reality show it made me do a double take. After hanging up the phone and talking with my partner Michael, I told him I didn’t think I would do it. It was enough to plan a wedding in a short four weeks, but to be put under the microscope of TV was pushing my comfort limits. I wasn’t sure if I was ready for something like this.
Michael and I chatted for what seemed like hours, I “slept on it” and next thing I knew Bethenny was in my office for our first meeting. It was too good of an opportunity to pass up, it was a challenge and I knew if I could plan her wedding successfully in four weeks I could anything.
When Bethenny walked through my front door, it hit me and nerves took over. Normally I don’t get nervous when I meet celebrities; I have always told myself that they are people who just happen to be in the spot light. They put their pants on one leg at time, just like me. As my father says…”their poo stinks too”…This was different, it was Bethenny Frankel one of the most loved housewives in the franchise history! I knew she would say what was on her mind and not hold back; after all, that IS who Bethenny is. She tells it like it is, thus my nervousness. I don’t always say the right things when I get nervous. I become an idiot…not the most professional thing when planning a celeb wedding.
Julie had given me very little information about the wedding, so I had no idea what Bethenny wanted. Due to her tight schedule we only had about 45 minutes in our first meeting together to discuss what normally would take two hours. Further, she informed me that our time together in the coming weeks would be limited because she was trying to finish her book (amongst other projects she had on her plate). As a wedding planner I really take pride in getting to know my clients, this comes with spending time with them. It doesn’t come in 45 minutes, it takes weeks. On average my clients are with me ten to thirteen months from contract until the wedding day. I had four weeks. Already I was at a disadvantage in knowing who Bethenny really was, what her exact taste was, what she liked and what she didn’t like.
The meeting was off to a great start, I was being honest when I said I had never planned a wedding in four weeks, two months yes, four weeks NO. Several years prior I had been to The Four Seasons Restaurant to scout it out for another client, but I had never heard of the “famous” cotton candy. Then there was the question that brought everything to a screeching halt. Had I ever seen their cotton candy…, nope. One thing I admire about Bethenny is she knows when someone is BS’ing her. And she called me out without hesitation. I will admit this was not the best way to earn a clients trust.
I do indeed come from the school of “yes”; I do not come from the school of “no”. I rarely tell a client “no”, rather, I will tell them yes, then investigate and I work hard to make their request happen. After all it is their wedding day. I think the nerves of meeting Bethenny and only having so much limited time with her I mistakenly gave her the wrong answer. I quickly realized I screwed up and it would take a great deal of work to regain that trust.
When the meeting concluded I had mixed feelings on how it went, but I had little time to worry about the rights and wrongs that took place. I had to quickly find Bethenny and Jason a venue. After much searching there was slim pickings, most venues were booked or were outside of Bethenny and Jason’s budget. In my gut I knew the loft (white warehouse) was not what she wanted, but I couldn’t tell her there was nothing. The loft was available, we could make it work within her budget and we could create a very classy New York City wedding. The moment we walked through the door I knew this wasn’t for her. She didn’t “love it”, she wasn’t glowing and I knew showing her the loft was a big mistake. Again, my hands were tied…there were not a lot of options. When we sat down she made it perfectly clear that loft wasn’t for her. For a product launch maybe, for her wedding, no! Yet another strike! Although she didn’t say it, I could tell she was getting nervous that she hired me.
Prior to the site visit with Bethenny I had heard rumors she had limited family. However, I didn’t know to what extent. So often a client comes through my door and I have to ask are they a product of divorce, has a parent passed? As a planner this is never easy, you’re sitting there discussing what should be a very happy time and then I have to bring it all down by asking about something so difficult. Why do I have to ask these things? Because there are so many things that are related to family when it comes to weddings. Who will walk you down the aisle? Will you do the Father/Daughter Dance or the Mother / Son Dance? Will dad be giving the champagne toast? As your planner I also like to bring in personal tid-bits to make the occasion more special such as using heirlooms like a brooch in the bouquet, or a father’s handkerchief in a boutonniere or pocket square.
Yes, Bethenny did mention that she had “No Family”. Was it that she was orphaned and literally had no family or was it that she just didn’t talk to her family? Very often someone’s definition is different than yours. So when I asked if she had heirlooms, that was obviously another strike. In my mind, just because you have no family doesn’t mean you don’t have heirlooms. How was I to know she had no heirlooms? How was I to know she wanted to forget her past? Perhaps it was none of my business and I should have left sleeping dogs lie. However, my job as a planner is to make my clients wedding as personal as possible.
When we left the loft Bethenny wanted to take me to the Four Seasons because she felt I just wasn’t getting it. It’s not that I wasn’t getting it, it was that I had previously called the Four Seasons and was they only do one wedding a weekend and that Saturday was already booked, but they might be able to work something out for Sunday…the key word was “might”. Julian was clear he would make no promises.
When we walked into the Four Seasons it was obvious Bethenny had her mind made up, she wanted only one thing and that was to get married at The Four Seasons Restaurant. She was not taking no for an answer. That meeting was one of the most uncomfortable meetings I have had in my professional career. You clearly see the stress and the uncomfortable feeling all over my face. She was adamant she had to have the restaurant no matter what the cost, no matter what I had to do to get it. I think there was even chatter that I should sleep with Julian. For me, that was NOT an option!
With the time crunch of finding a venue and with all cards laid on the table I was no longer coming from the school of yes. I was being honest when I said I would see what I could do, but I made no promises. However, after our visit it was clear I had to make this happen and it was clear that if I didn’t “she would rip my balls off”.
When it came to the wedding dress, Bethenny wanted something classic that would show off the “bump” She wanted to embrace the bump and why not? She was pregnant after all, a product of the love she and Jason felt. When I met Carol, Jason’s mom, I immediately saw the joy she was feeling. She clearly embraced Bethenny and she clearly was a beaming mother in law to be and a grandmother to be. There was love and it showed. Bethenny was at ease in Carol’s presence and Carol was obviously the mother and family that Bethenny never had. It was at that moment that I was able to know Bethenny just a bit more. My nerves were settling.
And when Bethenny put on that dress, we all knew it was the right one, Bethenny, Carol, Amsale and I. It was perfect and I finally understood Bethenny’s style and taste. This was a clear moment for me and I had hoped the experience we shared would make the experience for both of us moving forward a bit easier.
What we covered in the first week we would normally cover in a month or two, and it was clear the wedding planning was taking its toll on Bethenny. It was also clear I had to step up more than I ever had before. For any critic out there, I challenge you to plan a wedding in four weeks, to get to know your client inside and out in 45 minutes and make absolutely no mistakes. I challenge you to put your name on the chopping block, not many would do it, and it was way too late for me to turn back.
I may have been off to a rocky start, but I knew in my heart I was ready for the task at hand, I knew I was going to do a fabulous job and in no way was I going to let the stress win.
Two strikes for sure was there a third on the way. Only time would tell if I could regain Bethenny’s trust...
With the first day of Summer almost here I thought it was time to share the recipe for one of my favorite signature cocktails. The blueberry tart is a light, fun drink that is perfect for those hot Summer afternoons, plus, it is really easy to make. The recipe is below, try it out and enjoy!
Blueberry Tart Recipe
- 2 Parts Stoli Blueberry Vodka
- 1 Part Sour Mix
- 1 Part Club Soda
Bamboo Cocktail Picks
Fresh Blueberries
Ice Tea Glass
Fill Ice Tea Glass with ice. Pour ingredients into glass and stir. Place blueberries on the cocktail pick and use to garnish the glass. ENJOY!
10 Important Tips to Remember When Choosing a Photographer for Your Special Event!
There are a few things to keep in mind when planning photography for your special day. You will only get to make this important decision once. When the wedding or other special event is over, the pictures are one of the few things that remain, apart from the dress and the rings. The photography is there to remind you of all the fond memories of the day, the intricate details you planned and of course all of the emotion.
Here are the top 10 things to consider when choosing your wedding photographer:
1. Every photographer has his or her own unique style. Look for a style of photography that "speaks" to you. A good wedding photographer should have the ability to really capture mood, emotion, and sentiment within his photographs. The shots shouldn't just sit there; they should move you in some way. They should provoke a reaction within you, whether you’re looking for romantic shots, a fashion-forward portrait session, outrageous candids or artistic photojournalism. You’ll probably find yourself drawn repeatedly to a certain style, which will help you define the style of photographer you want for your occasion.
2. Question the photographers about their styles. What sets them apart? How do they approach the wedding? Do they enjoy shooting weddings and events or are they really a fashion photographer or journalist making extra money for now? You want someone that loves everything about weddings: the romance, the fashion, the emotion and the traditions. Make sure you trust them enough to create something special for you.
3. If you are working with a studio or a company that has multiple shooters, ask to meet the photographer that you will be spending your important day with. Make sure this person is someone you would like at your wedding. You may spend more time with them than family and friends on your wedding day. Is the chemistry right? You want to be on the same page and click with them!
4. How much experience does the photographer have? This is probably the most important question. It’s very easy these days to find someone with a website and an inexpensive camera who will offer to shoot your event for a small fee. Experience matters! You have thought out every other detail about your occasion; don’t leave this one to chance.
5. Don’t judge photographers’ work by their website alone. If your interest in a particular photographer is serious, ask to see an entire job. It’s relatively easy to find a few outstanding shots in every job. Photographers today sometimes shoot over 2000 images at a single wedding. Make sure you see a large number of outstanding shots within one job, and consider how many images you need to go through to find those killer moments. You want the photographer’s images to reflect the caliber of work you expect, with each and every wedding they’ve already shot.
6. What kind of lighting do they use? When photographers say they shoot portraits using natural light, this is another way of saying, “I don’t own portrait lighting.” This works fine if you are planning an outdoor wedding or will be doing portraits near a window, but if you are having your portraits done mostly in a ballroom, or in any other indoor location, you need portrait lights! Even if your wedding is outdoors, it never hurts to be prepared.
7. Ask about backup equipment. Again, if you get a blank stare you know they are not prepared to shoot your wedding. They should have at least two cameras for each photographer and multiple lenses and flashes. This sounds trivial but digital cameras do fail. There are many photographers who do not have sufficient gear to shoot weddings, so make sure to ask what they use.
8. Ask your photographer if they have a backup program on their hard drives. Digital photographers rely on hard drives to archive your images. Anyone with a computer will know that computers frequently have problems. If they give you a blank stare or can’t explain how they store their images, then you know they are unprepared. Your photographer should have your images backed up in multiple places and perhaps a copy off site. These things cost money so be prepared that photographers with good back up plans will cost more.
9. If they get sick or another emergency arises, what happens? If they can’t talk about it then they haven’t thought about it. Granted, the chances of this are rare. In my 22 years of representing photographers, it’s happened only twice. One year, a photographer’s wife went into early labor. A few years later, the death of another photographer’s father occurred the morning of a wedding. In both situations, the bride and groom preferred a focused replacement, rather than a shooter who wasn’t really focused on their day. Both were thrilled at the way it was handled. Other acceptable answers to this question: the photographer belongs to a professional organization such as PPA or WPPI which can provide a replacement or he has emergency “on call” arrangements with other professional photographers. Make sure they will replace themselves with someone of a similar style and price point. At 5th Avenue Social, we have a team of shooters that are all artistically different, but have similar work styles. Happily, photographers who work for me perform even when under the weather. Only the most extreme emergency will keep them from a job.
10. When it comes to pricing, make sure you understand what you are getting up front and that you are comparing apples to apples when evaluating different photographers’ packages. Many photographers have introductory pricing that is tied to what you buy after you see their images. They know that they can up-sell you after the wedding. Find out what you receive with the basic package, how many hours the photographer is hired for, how much the extras cost, who owns the high resolution images, and how long it will take for you get them.
And finally, one more tip for good measure:
11. Do you know anyone who has used this photographer? Can they get you a reference? Have you looked online to see what other brides say about them in reviews? Were they recommended by your other trusted vendors? Ask for references from your photographer and speak to their past clients. These are all good ways to make sure your important day is artistically covered.
Elizabeth Beskin is President of 5th Avenue Social, a high-end photography company providing talented photographers for weddings, mitzvahs and other occasions, in various price levels and styles. She also has an online album company called albumboutique.com to help brides make an heirloom album with the images they own from their photographers
Last night was the premier of "Bethenny Getting Married?" on Bravo and I have to tell you watching it with Bethenny, Jason, Julie, Max and the entire production crew was like an out of body experience. Sure I've done TV before and watched myself, but never have I been on a major network like Bravo with a major celeb like Bethenny Frankel. It was surreal, rewarding, nerve racking and life changing all at the same time!
As we were watching the show I was observing Max (BF's Assistant), because like me he had not seen any of the footage from the show prior to last night. His reactions to what he said, how he looked all were pretty much what I was feeling inside. Embarrassed, scared and the feeling that you have no control of the content as it is shown. You don't have the power to hit the fast forward button so all the millions of viewers don’t see your un-finest moment. And I think he knew this would forever change the way he could order coffee at the deli.
The difference between Max and I is that I don't make my "grand entrance" onto the show until next week. And by the looks of the promos (I'm not going to lie here) I am having a bit of an "oh poop" moment as I write this. One, because looking at my facial expressions in the promo I look like I've got a nervous tick or I'm listening to strange voices in my head. AND two it looks like Bethenny's already having trust issues with my planning - that's never a good a thing after the first meeting. "OH POOP"
I guess what I am trying to say is that you never know how the reality of what happened is going to come off on air. I can't speak for Max, but I think he was feeling that last night - the uncertainty of his portrayal as well as the fact that this show could potentially change his life (my life) all our lives.
Today it hit me at how huge this could be for me and how this will change my life literally in front of millions of viewers. In case you didn't see my Facebook Fan Page or my Tweet - Bravo's "The Dish" put out a poll to see if I look like Arrested Developments star Tony Hale who portrays Byron "Buster" Bluth. http://www.bravotv.com/blogs/the-dish/buster-is-that-you
Personally, I think this is hysterical! There's actually a resemblance there - Mr. Hale I do apologize and wouldn't hate you if you disagree! My point however, never before would people (millions) write to the show and say that I look like another celebrity. It's bizarre to me…One thing I told Max and one thing I have to remind myself is that being in the spotlight like this you have to have a thick skin. If you don't, the viewers will eat you alive. In the past I would have freaked out at the fact that someone was taking a poll to see if I looked like some "nerd" on a TV show. Now, I think it's an honor and really funny!
Although uncertain of my portrayal on the show I can say for sure I am excited for what opportunities "Bethenny Getting Married?" will bring my way. I know in my heart of hearts that I am a good hard working planner, a good designer, a good person, a good friend, a good brother, a good son, a good uncle and a good husband. I know that I worked my butt off for Bethenny and Jason and I know that I can go to bed knowing all these things and wake up and be proud of who I am and what I've accomplished. Having worked on this was one of the best experiences of my life and I am so excited that all of you get to experience the craziness, the laughs, the frustrations and the rewards that went into planning Bethenny and Jason's wedding. I thank you all in advance for your love and support and I hope you enjoy the next four or five episodes as much as I enjoyed filming them.
In the reception room, the focal point was a fireplace with a hideous picture of a giraffe! Now I don’t know about you, but I don’t think we could find many giraffes on the beaches of Hawaii, so I designed one of my signature flower arrangements, what I like to call, “a wall of flowers” to replace the giraffe photo. In the past I have done a leaning flower wall as a place for guests to find their place cards, but for this space in particular, it was perfect to use as a hanging piece over the mantle. Guests were amazed by this spectacular hanging arrangement of green, yellow, and circus roses, orange calla lilies, orange dendrobium orchids, green cymbidium orchids, yellow spider mums, bear grass, moss, and other tropical elements. 
Outside on the patio where the ceremony was held, which we later transformed into a cocktail area, was a massive mirror, which we used as a focal point for the ceremony and dressed it with a garland of eucalyptus, spider mums, and roses. A mirror at the end of the aisle was something very unexpected, but was great for guests as they could see the expressions of the bride and groom from every direction.
