Very Special Wedding in Central Park

Given all of the groundbreaking developments yesterday surrounding gay marriage I wanted to share a wedding I recently designed and produced for 2 very dear friends at the Boathouse in Central Park.  This wedding was unique for me first, because it was for friends who have been together for 18 years and second, because I was also a guest which is very different for me.

When we started planning Alan and John's wedding I was honored in that they selected the Schylar invitation from my stationery line for their invitations.  We decided early on that we would use this design to bridge the entire look and feel incorporating it into the table numbers, escort cards, menus, welcome notes, gift tags and even the thank you notes.

I must say planning a wedding for friends does add a level of stress I hadn't expected.  I wanted this wedding to be spot on perfect and while I do everything in my power to create the perfect event for every client, the personal nature of this party really kept me on my toes.  With the ceremony and after party were being held outdoors, I had more than a little concern when the weather forecast was calling for rain...all day long.  You can imagine my relief when the rain took place while guests were indoors dancing and everything else stayed dry!

Alan and John wanted to keep the ceremony intimate, not filled with formalities and they wanted their family and friends surrounding them while they said their vows. This is something of a growing trend for same sex couples and one I am growing quite fond of!  Before the exchanging of the vows the couple was serenaded by the amazing Wanda Houston, a long time friend.  To say the ceremony was emotional and touching is an understatement.

For the look of the wedding I wanted to keep it simple and masculine to match their taste and I was honored that John took the lead in directing me with decor because it really fit their style and taste.  We used succulents throughout the wedding and added accents of yellow floral.  As guests entered for dinner they were greeted by an escort card table featuring a wall of succulents and accents of yellow roses, calla lilies and orchids.  I actually designed the wall for reuse so Alan and John now have the wall as an accent piece hanging on their patio.

Each of the centerpieces were designed in a firwood bowl that was filled with succulents and yellow floral.

While the decor was great, the food was wonderful and the weather held out, the key to this event was the entertainment.  On the Move Entertainment did a great job with the MC, DJ and live musicians.  It was the special touches Alan and John added that made this event unique. First, the amazing Wanda Houston was incredible as she sang for the ceremony and performed a flawless rendition of "Isn't She Lovely" for the Mother/Son dance.

The really nerve racking part of this wedding for me was what came next.  Alan and John challenged each other to come up with a special surprise for the wedding.  Of course I had to coordinate the execution of each of their surprises without letting the other know what was going to happen.  It was a challenge that worked!  We started with Alan who brought in 2 amazingly talented Broadway entertainers, Michael Marcotte and Josh Prince.  They opened with Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream" which which turned into a flash mob surrounding John. You can even catch a glimpse of yours truly in the flash mob.

After a bit more food and dancing it was John's turn to spring his surprise on Alan.  Alan's jaws literally dropped when John introduced the New York City Gay Men's Chorus as they entered the room to sing a special selection of songs.  

The surprises were a huge success and the guests were thrilled. I breathed a huge sigh of relief!

If you want a special treat we have these performances on video.  Just click on the link below to see:

Performance video

This wedding was such fun and so special.  What I also really enjoyed is that the fun did not stop at the Boathouse.  Since this was an afternoon wedding we had an entire night left to celebrate.  All of the guests were then treated to a wonderful outdoor party, again, thankfully the weather cooperated, which lasted well into the night and was the perfect finish to a wonderful day.

I would like to thank Natsumi Restaurant who did a great job with the welcome dinner and with catering for the after party.  We were also fortunate to have great photography and video compliments of 5th Avenue Digital, 

And I would like to thank Alan and John our dear friends for trusting us to make their special day come to life!

Until next time...

Cheers!

Wonderful Westchester Wedding

This past Summer I had the privilege to plan and design some amazing weddings for great couples.  Each one of them was wonderful in their own unique way.  I want to share some photos of the weddings with you starting with the wedding of Jess and Rob at Lyndhurst Castle in Tarrytown, New York.

Located along the Hudson River, Lyndhurst was the perfect setting for Jess and Rob's outdoor ceremony.  Jess looked stunning as we strolled up the path from the Castle in preparation for the ceremony.

The Bride carried a beautiful white bouquet while the bridesmaids had beautiful bouquets with soft pink and coral flowers.

We were fortunate to have perfect weather so we were able to use the Gazebo in the Rose Garden which I think you will agree was stunning.

Guests were able to enjoy the entire estate as they proceeded from the ceremony to the outdoor terrace of the Castle for cocktails and hors d'oeuvres.  Sterling Affair Catering did an amazing job in creating a wonderful feast for all of the guests.

I give great kudos to Courtney from Craig Paulson Photography who took advantage of the setting to capture tremendous shots of the happy couple, the wedding party and their families.

Following the cocktail hour guests were guided down to the reception tent where they were greeted not by a traditional escort card table but by a large chalkboard I created listing all of the  guests names and table assignment.

For the table decor I used floral in white, soft green and coral to create a more natural garden feel and accented the arrangements with silver mercury glass pillars and silver julep cup votives.  As a final touch asian lanterns were hung from the ceiling to add festive feel to the tent.

Of course, no wedding is complete without great entertainment.  For their wedding Jess and Rob selected Hank Lane Orchestras who did an amazing job keeping the guests on the dance floor and putting the final touch on an amazing wedding.

It was truly an amazing wedding for a wonderful couple.  I certainly wish them the best for a long and happy future!

Until the next great event.....

Cheers!

Wedding Trends for 2012

At the beginning of every year all of the wedding magazines, blogs, and websites come out with their take on wedding trends for the upcoming year.  While many are spot on with their predictions for the coming year, there are also many that I read and just think to myself, "They have got to be kidding!"

Being in the thick of it, I think I have a pretty good perspective on what you can expect to see in the 2012 wedding season.  I thought now is a good time to give you my take on 2012 wedding trends and to give you links to other resources that I think offer a good perspective as well.  Here are my predictions for the top trends of 2012.

1. Vintage is in.  Brides see this look as simple, but romantic.  With decor, I like to convey the vintage look with apothecary jars and floral that gives you the feel it has just been picked from the garden.  Simple, beautiful and definitely romantic.

2. Tied to the vintage feel is the extensive use of lace.  This clearly started with Kate Middleton's dress at the royal wedding, and is continuing into 2012.  Bridal gowns are using more lace and the look is even carrying into wedding cakes and decor.  Perfect examples can be found at TheKnot.com.

3. Bouquets will also feature a more natural, textured look, a belief that is echoed by the Washington Post.  Classic orange, coral and purple are being combined with natural elements to give bouquets a garden feel.

4. Add a pop of color.  Brides are moving toward adding color to the decor as opposed to all white or ivory.  Peach, tangerine, and raspberry are very popular as colors that are added to wedding centerpieces and bouquets.

5. With all of the options for invitations there has been a shift toward more personalized invitations that offer more character than the traditional invitation.  There is also more use of texture that helps give an invitation that unique look and feel.

6. Smaller is better.  There is definitely a trend toward smaller weddings and, with the continued uncertainty in the economy, it makes sense.  Couples I speak with want to have a beautiful wedding but need to find a way to cut cost.  The easiest way to cut costs is to cut the guest list.  You can still have the wedding of your dreams without the big price tag.

7. Another change in the reception is the move away from a formal, seated dinner to a cocktail style reception.  Of course, couples still want to make sure their guests are fed so they are combining substantial passed hors d'oeuvres with food stations.  The result is a more casual wedding that invites guest to mingle with each other.

In the end, remember it is not about any trend, but rather a special day for the Bride and Groom that reflects their personality and love for each other.

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/

Destination Weddings - Charleston, South Carolina

While there are many great, exotic destinations for weddings, one of my personal favorites, and one of the most popular, is right around the corner in Charleston, South Carolina.  I had the pleasure of planning and designing a wedding in Charleston and want to share the history and beauty of this charming Southern city.

Given that the Bride was living in London, the Groom in New York and most guests were from either North Carolina or New Jersey, this was truly a destination event.  Travel logistics aside, we also had the challenge of bringing the Groom's Greek Orthodox heritage into the Wedding.  While it was a lot of work, the result was a beautiful, fun weekend in the perfect setting.

Guests arriving to Charleston were greeted at the gracious Mills House Hotel in Charleston's Historic district. 

The Mills House was perfect not only due to the fact that it is so close to the many wonderful sites in Downtown Charleston including exceptional restaurants such as Magnolias and SNOB.  I must say these are my favorites in Charleston and I definitely had to add a couple of notches to my belt after this visit!  The other great feature of the Mills House is that it was directly adjacent to the Reception venue, Historic Hibernian Hall.

After guests arrived they were transported to the rehearsal dinner at Middleton Place Plantation along the Ashley River.  If you ever get to Charleston a visit to the old plantations along Ashley River Road is a must.  You really do get a feel for the grandeur of the old south.  Guests for this dinner were treated to traditional southern cuisine courtesy of Duvall Catering and able to stroll through the magnificent grounds of the Plantation.

The day of the wedding was the type of warm, sunny day that you expect in the South.  The wedding began with a traditional Greek Orthodox ceremony at the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church.

The Bride was stunning in her Oscar De La Renta gown and the happy couple and their bridal party were able to take advantage of the beautiful weather and all of the gorgeous parks and spectacular settings for photos that can be found throughout Charleston.  From the waterfront to all of the historic buildings, Charleston provides ample photo opportunities that are perfect for a wedding.  For Cate and Mike, Shannon Michelle was the perfect photographer to capture all of their wedding images.

Following the ceremony guests were escorted to their white trolleys, provided by the terrific staff at Absolutely Charleston.  They were then taken back to Hibernian Hall for a grand Southern reception.  The Bride wanted to keep the floral and decor simple and traditional.  With a beautiful historic space we did not want the decor to be overpowering and kept the colors light, and the atmosphere garden like.  Light pinks and green were the dominant colors and the room looked beautiful yet simple, just what the bride wanted.  

East Coast Entertainment provided the band and the 200 guests kept the party going well into the night. 

Overall it was a beautiful destination wedding in a truly charming city.  Thank you Charleston for being so accommodating!

Until the next great destination..........

Cheers!

Wedding of Meredith & Jason

I have another beautiful wedding to share with you today! This is the wedding of an incredible couple, Meredith & Jason, who got married at The W Union Square, one of my favorite venues! Meredith & Jason are such a sweet couple and I am so happy that I was able to design their decor for their special day.

The bride carried a stunning bouquet that was designed with all white anemones, roses, calla lilies, and orchids.

The couple was married underneath a sleek chuppa that was designed to have a strong presence, yet with a romantic feel. Accenting the chuppa was a beautiful layer of flowers that consisted of roses, white and ivory stock, and hydrangea. Robert Stark Lighting did a fabulous job highlighting the entire chuppa to make it appear as if it were glowing.

For the table arrangements, half were high and half were low, but designed in the same manner. The tall arrangements were designed in a large glass cylinder with white hydrangea, roses, white and ivory stock, as well as curly willow bursting from the top.

Ron Ben Israel created this stunning cake that mimicked the lace on the brides dress.

Big thanks to Cody Raisig Photography who did a wonderful job on the photography for Meredith & Jason's wedding. For more amazing photos of this wedding, be sure to check out his website here! We look forward to working with him again in September!

Cheers!

Shawn 

Wedding of Leah & Thomas

Spring is finally here! Well....almost if you are in NYC! In honor of Spring, I wanted to share with you this beautiful wedding I planned and designed in my hometown of Rochester, NY! Leah and Thomas are such a lovely couple and I had such an amazing time working on this wedding for them!

  The ceremony took place in downtown Rochester at Chapel Hill, an old Catholic school that was recently converted into apartments and a spectacular wedding venue space. Read all about Chapel Hill's history here.

Inside the chapel, we adorned the pews with clean and classic hanging bouquets of floral that included white birch branches, evergreens, acorns, moss, and accents of green, purple, yellow, and terra cotta flowers. The aisle runner coordinated with the overall look and feel of the wedding, designed beautifully and hand painted with the bride and groom's logo by The Original Runner Company. After the wedding, the bride and groom planned to transform the runner into a Christmas Tree Skirt, a pillow, or another heirloom that could be used throughout the years.

The bride Leah owns her own photography company called Red Stone Studios up in Rochester. They did an absolutely amazing job shooting this wedding! How could they not?! A special thanks for these fabulous photos!

To this day, this is one of my favorite photos of a bridal party! They were such a fun group I just could not get enough! I love how beautifully their bouquets photographed, which were designed with green, eggplant, yellow, orange and terra cotta flowers and then tied with a green ribbon. Those flowers included roses, calla lilies, orchids, dahlias, and sunflowers, with accents of scabiosa pods, berries, acorns and fern. The groomsmen received boutonnieres of a single mini purple calla lily, green Kermit mums, and yellow spray roses.

The bride carried an all whtis, roses, calla lilies, and orchids. ite round European style bouquet of stephanoEach stephanotis flower was accented with real crystals that coordinated with the brides dress, and further accents of ferns were added. The handle was then tied with an all white satin ribbon and accented with birch bark that received a crystal broach that matched the brides dress. This bouquet was simple, clean, and a perfect accent to the beautiful bride and her stunning dress.

The reception took place at Bristol Harbour on Canandaigua Lake in the Finger Lakes Region. 

 I hope you enjoy these photos! Thanks so much for reading!

Cheers!

Shawn