Beautiful Bridal Bouquets

As the year comes to a close, we chose just a few of the bridal bouquets we loved from our 2017 weddings. These brides trusted us to bring their creative and colorful visions to life and add the finishing flourish to their “I do’s.” One bride kept it sweet and simple with peach phalaenopsis orchids in a mono-botanic arrangement, while another picked calla lilies mixed with classic red roses to set the tone for elegant evening nuptials. Some of the newlyweds opted for unstructured shapes and lush greenery to accent their whimsical, romantic celebrations. Each bouquet was so special and personal, and it was truly a joy to see these lovely ladies carry our blooms down the aisle!

Photo: Roey Yohai Photography 

Photo: R Wagner Photography

Photo: Maya Myers Photography

Photo: Brian Dorsey Studios

Marry at The Mulia

Every once in a blue moon, I am honored with an epic "work perk." Not just your run-of-the-mill luncheon invite or branded tote bag, but a truly special experience.  Last month was one of those times, and let me tell you... it was the work perk to end all work perks. The Mulia Bali Resort, in conjunction with Destination EnSite, hosted me and some other esteemed event colleagues from around the world for a once-in-a-lifetime week experiencing the beauty, tranquility and opulence of this stunning resort and of magical Bali.  To say I'm a lucky lady barely scratches the surface. 

A glimpse at the sights of The Mulia from beautiful landscapes and views to spectacular flowers and decor.

We began the week with a few days to get settled and explore the resort... from the most intense station-style meals in The Cafe to workouts with in-house trainers in the Fitness Center and strolls along the soft-sand beach to cocktails on the SkyBar, getting settled was a joyous task to behold.

Once the rest of our group of planners and designers arrived at The Mulia, the true indulgence began. Multi-course breakfasts, lunches and dinners featuring unique and gracious service (you have never seen tea poured quite like this!) and cuisine from every part of the world, one dish more exceptional than the next.  Custom china, linens, napkins, serviceware and glassware like you have never seen... I was enchanted not just with every meal, but with the way in which each meal was presented to me as if I were the resort's most special guest.  There is no question in my mind that every guest at The Mulia gets this royal treatment, but I always felt like the chosen one.  Did I already mention that every staff member on the property addressed me by name at all times of the day, in every location, even after I had changed my outfit and hair? For real.  Every time.  

Gorgeous plates, chocolate and fruit artistry and clever and creative displays.

Bali is such a unique and special place and The Mulia did the most magnificent job of both bringing the culture of Bali to us as well as escorting us into the heart of Balinese culture.  Our first official program began with a traditional Kecak Fire Dance in which exquisitely costumed performers danced to music created by a chorus of men chanting. We were able to take an outing into the Sacred Monkey Forest and to see the breathtaking terraced rice paddies for which Bali is famous.  Prior to our final dinner, The Mulia created an authentic Balinese wedding ritual show with a bride and groom dressed to the nines and serenaded by two sets of stunning dancers, performing agin to the music of a chanting choir and child drummers.  The only female high priestess in Bali showered each of us with blessings and offered a powerful cleansing ritual.  

Check Fire Dance

Traveling to Ubud

The Wedding Show... and me learning a few moves!

This was more than a vacation and certainly more than a work trip.  More than a luxurious resort and more than a beautiful beach.  This was an experience that truly touched me and that will stay with me for all of my days.  I live in anticipation of my next opportunity to travel to Bali and to visit the Mulia... and I hope to have the chance to bring you with me!

Thank you to Brian Leahy Photography for these beautiful images and to event hosts The Mulia Bali, Destination EnSite, Jackson Durham Events and Inside Weddings for having me as your guest. 

:-) Lindsay

A Trip to the Berkshires

This November, I had the pleasure of being a part of the Berkshire Wedding Tour. Located just 2.5 hours outside of New York City, the Berkshires offers incredible opportunities for arts, vacationing and most importantly events!

Here are our top five reasons to consider the Berkshires for your destination wedding!

1.     Guest Rooms at The Kemble Inn

For our first evening in The Berkshires, we attended a welcome dinner at the super chic Kemble Inn in Lenox. Massachusetts. The in-house restaurant Table Six, prepared a delicious and decadent (6) course meal. While the food was unbelievable, my favorite part of the inn was the guest rooms. Each of the (12) rooms were uniquely decorated and designed in an unexpectedly modern way as compared to the more typical Berkshire vibe. It’s fun to surprise your guests with something unexpected, yet beautiful and luxurious!

Photo taken by Christopher Duggan | christopherduggan.com

2.     Ceremony Location at Jacob’s Pillow

Jacob’s Pillow is a very well known dance school and performance center located in Becket, Massachusetts. The grounds are truly lovely, but the real stand out was the outdoor performance space with the most incredible views. Just image a wedding ceremony taking place on this stage- breathtaking!

Photo taken by Parris Whittingham | fromparriswithlove.com

3.     Blooming Gardens at The Mount

The Mount, also located in Lenox, Massachusetts, was the home of author Edith Wharton. This venue is a very popular location for weddings and there is a reason why- the gardens are spectacular! The best part about these gardens is there is essentially built in décor when the flowers are in bloom. Not only are they beautiful, but they require little additional décor- allowing a designer to allot more of the budget to other aspects of the wedding!

Photo from The Mount website

4.     Historical Element at Chesterwood

Chesterwood was the home and studio belonging to Daniel Chester French, who most notably sculpted the Lincoln Memorial. The huge lawns allow for a tent of up to 500 guests. Chesterwood is unique in The Berkshires in its ability to accommodate such large parties. And the most special part of it all is that there is real history in this place- very cool.

Photo taken by Parris Whittingham | fromparriswithlove.com 

5.     Ice Cream at SoCo Creamery

I really love ice cream and have tried a whole lot of it. I have to say that SoCo Creamery may be the best I have ever had! For local events, SoCo can cater in their ice cream to make your event that much sweeter. While their shop is located in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, I was so excited to find out that many of New York City’s grocery stores carry their products! Taste it for yourselves- you will not be sorry.

Photo from SoCo Creamery website

There are many other amazing venues and caterers located in The Berkshires and I highly recommend checking them out! Thank you to The Berkshire Wedding Collective for having me and to all of the incredible sponsors of the 2015 Berkshire Wedding Tour. It was an amazing experience! 

~Spenser~

Trish and Rick: Destination Wedding TDF, Part 2

So, this windy, rainy gal named Sandy is hearkening memories of another nasty vistor not so long ago - dear, old Irene.  This time, I am lucky to be tucked in safe at home with my family and plenty of junk food, but when Irene came to town, it was a different story...

I started Part 1 of this wedding tale months ago before the mania of wedding season struck, but what a better day to finish it than when I am hiding out in my apartment with eleven different media sources comparing this hurricane du jour to the last one that pummeled the Northeast in late August of 2011.

In Part 1 of Trish and Rick's wedding at the beautiful Sagamore Resort on Lake George, you were witness to the glory of their Friday night welcome dinner.  Well, while the rest of the Northeast, and particularly all of our family, friends and colleagues in NYC were bracing for the worst storm in recent memory and canceling weddings by the dozen, we were bracing for.... the most fabulous, pristine, gorgeous Saturday of all time. Perfection. We watched the rest of the Lake George resorts clear out as hotel guests raced back to their hometowns to prepare their houses for the worst, but our team and the wedding guests settled in for a glorious day of outdoor events - ceremony, cocktails, tented dinner... and a late evening surprise. Lucky really wasn't even the word that day. Blessed was a bit more like it.

Trish's bouquet was composed of white dahlias and garden roses.

The ceremony overlooked breathtaking Lake George. The weather was so calm that the ribbon streamers we created didn't even blow in the wind as planned!

Ceremony program incorporated fonts and design elements from other printed pieces. 

Drink signage is so fun - coasters and bar signs provided info on the signature cocktail and drink flags used the monogram and anchor insignia.

Escort cards were embedded in a tabletop covered end-to-end with flowers... what you can't see here is that the flowers were arranged in thick pink and white stripes to continue the nautical/preppy vibe. 

The tent before dark... custom white dancefloor with huge monogram was the focal point and the ceiling was enhanced with 85 clear globes to create an ethereal sparkle.

And the tent after dark.  You can't really get a sense of how magical the globes really were, but I can't help but smile when I remember the bride's nephew entering the tent and saying "Wow! Look at all of those floating bubbles!"

We detailed the bride and groom's chairs with striped ribbon - the same ribbon used to create napkin rings at each place setting. The polka dot china from Party Rental Ltd created the perfect foil to the stripes. 

Custom upholstered lamps adorned half the tables and lush round centerpieces were on the others. 

The pastry chef at the Sagamore was remarkably ready and willing to mimic the design we painstakingly created with the bride and groom for their perfect nautical cake.

THIS was the late nigh surprise!  The best fireworks I have ever seen for a private event! Rick surprised Trish with a post cake cutting fireworks display over the lake and it was truly magical.

I'd be lying if I said the story ended with these spectacular fireworks.... there was, indeed, an awesome afterparty inside the Sagamore until about 1 AM.  At that is when Irene made her way to lovely Lake George. 

The rain continued through the night and into the Sunday morning brunch.  At 11 AM sharp (seriously - no exaggeration), the moment the brunch was scheduled to end, there was a "pop" and then the power was out throughout the whole hotel. It was strange and eerie - and kinda cool. Like there was some force that knew that 11 AM marked the end of this perfect wedding weekend. 

The story of how it took me and my team two days to drive home is for another post another time... we made it eventually - and if I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times... all's well that ends well. 

Special thanks to the amazing Sofia Negron for all of these photos and to David at Renaissance Floral Design in Albany, NY who was my production partner for this event.

Stay safe in the storm!

Ali and Gene's Vermont Wedding

Happy new year! Though fall seems like a distant memory amidst the ice and snow, it was just a few months ago that we had the honor of planning and designing a beautiful country wedding for Ali and Gene in Southern Vermont. They wanted to maintain an atmosphere that was true to the rustic landscape of the Inn at Weathersfield, but elevate the ambiance to add a refinement that was a reflection of their cosmopolitan tastes. After months of working long distance (bride and groom in Boston and me in NYC), I think we achieved a perfect balance that made for an outstanding wedding weekend. Thank you to Elizabeth Antunes for all of the photographs below.

The quaint Inn at Weathersfield

Guest found their table assignments on chalkboard markers arranged in moss

2009 was the year of the rain... but the couple was undeterred!

The Inn at Weathersfield has one of the most well recognized chefs in New England, so the family-style menu was a highlight of the event.

Before the sun set and the candles were lit...

The table landscape was comprised of birch wrapped pillar candles and vases with a mix of white, green and eggplant purple blooms.

Zinc tags sprayed with chalkboard paint and handwritten with chalk pens directed guests to their seats.

Bangalore Wedding Adventure: Part 4 (The Wedding!)

Well.... we did it! The wedding is over and despite some of the worst rain in the history of Decembers in Bangalore, the bride and groom and their friends and family had an amazing evening. I only wish I had time to take photos of the finished site before the rain began, but as is the problem with being both the planner and a designer on the job, there was no time to step away and indulge. So.... here's what I have... I hope to get photos from the professional photographer very soon and will then, of course, post a full recap.

This is the petal pattern for the aisle being created. If you look just beyond where the women are working, you can see the wooden bridge that we built for a little extra drama and to get everyone over the firepit that was built into the ground on this spot.

This is the view of the center of the property from the lower entrance gates. These tables in front of the gazebo are the ones that couldn't be used due to the rain. Such a shame... but when the candles were lit and the sun went down, they twinkled beautifully.

In this shot, you can see a little bit of the structures on either side. To the left was an open-sided pavilion where we had 6 long tables beautifully set in the same style as those on the lawn, but with full place settings. Thank goodness for these because that was the area where most guests ate their dinner in a slow rotation as the staff set and re-set each seat. On the right was the structure that housed the dinner stations (or food counters as they are called in India). That building had a long porch with a bar and became an impromptu dining area. Can you see the amazing flower curtains that framed each "doorway" - in person they were stunning!

Here you have a glimpse of the covered dining area while it was being set up. Guest walked through this dining pavilion to reach the ceremony. When the sun went down, the orange, red and gold lighting cast an amazing glow in and around the pavilion.

One of my favorite elements of the design were the beautiful 6 foot elephants made of flowers. This is one of two which flanked the entryway into the main part of the property.

I didn't have a chance to photograph any of the entrance gate or pond area which was where cocktails and dancing took place, but I am going to try to scrounge some up from the other vendors and then I can post them because that area was spectacular - even in the rain!

What I find the most amazing about this wedding is that while I was having an internal panic attack about the rain and the wet chair covers and snuffed out candles (100s of them!), the family and guests were relaxed and lauding mother nature on her timing as rain at a wedding is considered to be the most auspicious blessing on a wedding day. Most guests continued to sit, stand and walk through the property in the rain and no one complained about there being fewer seats available because of it (I lost 72 seats on the outdoor tables!).

So, after years and years of telling my brides not to stress about rain because there is nothing they can do to change it, I, too, was reminded that a perfect wedding comes in many forms. This day was not how I imagined it, but it was what was intended - a memorable, beautiful, poignant and emotional day for a couple and their families that will be forever remembered.

I can only hope to have many more opportunities like this that challenge me in every way - as a designer, planner and person. It is an experience I will keep with me for my whole life and will always be amazed at how my perspective on the world was forever altered by one wedding.