Brilliant Blog

Trend Alert: Food Trucks

December 13, 2012

Step aside food stations, there’s a new catering trend in town! Food trucks! This food trend has quickly become a staple of the after party and more recently, of the reception itself. The food truck ups the fun factor and allows guests to put their own spin on dinner. Now, if only every wedding venue had a place to park a truck or two!

Photos courtesy of Figlewicz Photography and MadeULook Photography

Boutonniere Alternatives

October 3, 2012

We’ve been noticing a trend in wedding flowers, or a lack thereof. Brides are choosing unique bouquets made of unlikely items, such as trinkets and brooches. This trend has finally reached our grooms! Signature boutonnieres are becoming a must-have wedding item. Whether he doesn’t like flowers or just wants to express himself, there are plenty of new boutonniere options for grooms. The below photos are some of our favorites for the groom who wants to be a little different.

Photos courtesy of Fritts Rosenow.

A Brilliant Wedding: Gemma & Scott

September 5, 2012

Gemma and Scott originally hail from England and Australia, but wanted a New York wedding to show their out-of-town family and friends what the Big Apple is all about. They exchanged their vows at Calvary-St. George’s Church before hopping into a vintage taxi that took them to meet their closest friends and family at the Gramercy Park Hotel. Upon entering the terrace, guests stepped into an enchanted garden. Beneath the romantic lights and greenery, pastel blooms were dispersed along the tables. But, even in this dream-like setting, the city was ever present. Traditional table numbers were replaced by pictures of places in NYC that were special to Gemma and Scott and guests soon danced to classic NY songs, as boas and beads were brought to the dance floor. Even the top tier of their cake was elegantly decorated with the city skyline!

Despite all the big city details, Gemma and Scott did not forget where they came from. Their wedding color, violet, was chosen to honor a grandmother who couldn’t make the journey to New York, while the roses in Gemma’s bouquet honored another grandparent. The British and Australian flags on the front of their taxi were yet another cute way to remember their roots.

At the end of the night, guests took home violet boxes of chocolate from Vosges, the couples’ favorite SoHo chocolate shop. Gemma and Scott’s wedding so perfectly used cute details to blend past and present, that we can’t help but love it. Congratulations Gemma and Scott!

Beautiful photos courtesy of Maggie Harkov.

Alternative Centerpieces: Vegetables

August 29, 2012

Does your vision for your wedding include non-floral centerpieces? Vegetables have been receiving a lot of attention lately as a unique alternative to floral centerpieces.

Stumped about where to start? Artichokes are the most versatile. They work well as candleholders, but when ripe, their deep purple color compliments floral centerpieces beautifully. Longer stemmed vegetables can be used to create unique vases for a fresh spin on bouquets. Even simple baskets of ripe vegetables make eye-catching centerpieces. Check out the photos below for inspiration!

Photo credit: 1. Better Homes and Gardens, 2. Better Homes and Gardens, 3. Weddings by Lilly and 1. Jonathan Kantor via Martha Stewart, 2. Better Homes and Gardens, 3. Martha Stewart.

Featured Expert in Metro New York

August 23, 2012

I was delighted to be quoted in the Metro New York newspaper on August 20th regarding the new trend of dinner party apps.  Read the full article here!

The Proposal Planner: Emad & Bita

August 16, 2012

I was thrilled to design an incredible proposal for this lovely couple, and especially excited to have it featured on The Huffington Post!  Emad wanted to give Bita a dream marriage proposal, without her guessing the plan. So, I devised a decoy using a fake groupon so as not to arise suspicion.

Emad and Bita arrived to a secluded tasting room decorated with hundreds of candles and spring flowers.  Thanks to our cover story, Bita thought their groupon included a blindfolded tasting menu of several dishes. They took turns being blindfolded with Hermes scarves, and had fun guessing which dish they were eating. During dinner the musicians played some of Bita’s favorite songs, while the couple enjoyed dishes inspired by their 3-year relationship.   But, none of this was revealed to Bita until after the meal.

When dessert came, Bita ogled over the crystal serving tray, which was filled with pictures of her closet family and friends. She was so touched that she nearly missed the surprise in her melted chocolate dome – a ring! She realized what was happening as Emad got down on one knee.

As part of his proposal, Emad presented Bita with a keepsake menu and explained that each dish they had sampled was reflective of a special moment in their love story.  The first course was Jamaican because they met while working on the island and the main dish was Persian, a nod to Bita’s grandmother who played a major role in the couple getting together.  And, the lovely Hermes scarves they were using as blindfolds were a special engagement gift to Bita.  Needless to say, she said yes!

Photos courtesy of Sofia Negron

Cylinder Vase Veto for Aisle Decor

July 11, 2012

Broken shards of glass, pools of water and a fire hazard are not exactly the hallmarks of a dream wedding day.  Experience has taught us that cylinder vases filled with water and a floating candle lining your ceremony aisle are a disaster waiting to happen.  Chances are that one of your excited wedding guests will knock over one of these vases while finding their seat, fidgeting during the ceremony or while applauding during your recessional.  The mess created is not only hazardous, but could interrupt your ceremony in a very bad way. Just one easy, pretty and safer candlelit alternative? Try lanterns hanging from wrought-iron shepherds hooks!

Image sources one and two.

Mismatched Bridesmaids Dresses

June 27, 2012

One of the hottest trends in bridal fashion is mismatched-but-coordinated bridesmaids.  Many brides are foregoing the tradition of having all of their bridesmaids dress exactly alike.  There are many ways to embrace this trend.

Same Dress, Mixed Accessories:  The easiest is to have all of your bridesmaids dress in matching dresses, but to create interested with coordinating accessories or with different bouquets:

Different Dresses, Same Hue. For those that want to dive a little deeper in the mismatching trend, allowing your girls to choose there own dress and just picking a color that you like.  The key is to give some guidance to your bridesmaids.   For example, long or short?  Do you care if the fabrics are different?  The more flexible you are, the greater variety you will have in the dresses your girls choose.

Different Color Dresses. This final option is not for the faint of heart!  Each bridesmaid has a completely different color dress.  The best way to keep the look cohesive is to make one thing consistent, whether it is matching bouquets or accessories.

Image sources in order: Arrow and Apple, Jolynne Photography, Carl Zoch Photography, Kerry Morgan, Ruth Anne Photography, Ben Blood, HPM Photo, Bayly Moore, Jill Thomas Photography, Stephanie Williams Photography, Art by DNA, Stephanie Williams Photography, Caroline Tran, Dixie Pixel Photo, Emily Photo, Kellie Kano Photography, SohoMode Etsy Shop.

A Brilliant Wedding: Bill & Christine

June 13, 2012

Christine and Bill got married on a warm, sunny day in September. Their fun and lighthearted nature was present in nearly every aspect of their wedding. They exchanged vows in a Catholic ceremony and Christine stole the show in her intricately designed Monique Lhuillier gown and a lace bolero handmade by her mother.

Upon exiting the church, Christine and Bill were greeted by a sea of bubbles and headed to capture some carefree photos on the beach, while guests headed to Giorgio’s to start the festivities.  They kicked off the party with their first dance “Can’t Help Falling in Love” by Elvis and continued the party late into the evening. It was an absolute joy to be a part of their big day! Special thanks to the super-talented Roberto Falck for perfectly capturing the spirit of these two lovebirds.

A Brilliant Wedding: John & Lauren

April 25, 2012

John and Lauren were married on a very hot July day at the incredible Brooklyn Botanic Gardens and were one of the most fun, laid-back and in-love couples I’ve ever worked with.  Not to be thrown off by the warm weather, Lauren was absolutely stunning in her Vera Wang gown and throughout the day, I could see they were so in tune with each other, just genuinely happy to be together. Their outdoor ceremony was simple and refreshingly sweet, with the bride walking down the aisle to Tango from Scent of a Woman.

When it came to the reception, their fun-loving personalities came out – a bourbon bar with spiced nuts showcased John’s love for a great bottle of whiskey and their introduction song of Big Pimpin by Jay-Z showcased their lighter side.  A great dance party followed as the new Mr. and Mrs. partied the night away under the glasshouse atrium.  Congratulations to John & Lauren, it was such an honor to be part of your day!

Photos courtesy of Daniel Krieger.