Brilliant Blog

A Brilliant Wedding: Georgia & Chris

October 17, 2012

Georgia and Chris said their “I do’s” on a lovely Saturday last September. Following a touching ceremony at a local church, their gorgeous reception took place at the Tribeca 360, aptly named for the stunning panoramic views of Manhattan that wedding guests were able to enjoy! In addition to the incredible view, my favorite part of their wedding was the bridesmaids’ bouquets from Blossom & Branch. To celebrate their individuality, Georgia had each bridesmaid carry a bouquet whose floral design was personalized to their taste. I love this idea as  - stay tuned over the next few weeks for a post on this new trend! Later, guests danced to oldies music that was played on records, a retro detail which perfectly suited this fun-loving couple. Congratulations Georgia and Chris!

Photos by Joshua Brown.

A Brilliant Wedding: Laura & Bryan

April 11, 2012

There are so many things that I loved about Laura & Bryan’s wedding day.  From the contemporary reception setting of The Glasshouses, to the juxtaposition of the romantic florals by Blossom & Branch, their choice of chameleon chairs, the tiny but meaningful details that appeared at every turn throughout the day – everything came together to be perfectly ‘them.’

My favorite part was their choice of cocktail hour music.  Laura & Bryan decided on an acoustic set by their band, The Benjamins.  Tunes from the early 90s were the musical backdrop – music that the bride and groom actually listened to when they met in college and still have on their iPods to this day.  It created an environment that was relaxed but elegant, approachable yet refined – just like the lovely bride and groom.

I’m also proud to share that their wedding was recently a feature on Style Me Pretty! Thank you to this wonderful couple for letting me be part of their day, it was truly an honor.

Photos by Four Eyes Photography.

A Brilliant Wedding: Annie & Dan

March 7, 2012

It’s not every day that you get an email from a prospective client asking for help planning their entire wedding in six weeks. But, Annie did just that and through lots of decisiveness and hard work, we pulled it off!  The challenges for their wedding didn’t end with the short planning timeline. Annie is a Texas sweetheart based out of London and her husband, Dan is a Jersey boy turned military commander and professional triathlete who was stationed in Afghanistan. Despite all this, they were married on a perfect summer day on one of NYC’s best rooftops.

Annie allowed me to take some chances with design (most brides immediately shy away when the words “turquoise table linens” come out of my mouth) and I have to admit, their wedding design turned out to be a personal favorite of mine. Thank you to Mariann from Blue Daisy for these drop-dead gorgeous photos and for capturing Annie & Dan’s vivacious and fun approach to life, love and their wedding.

A Brilliant Wedding: Ashley & Lee

January 26, 2012

It’s not every day that you move halfway across the country, only to meet and fall in love with someone who went to the same college!  Ashley & Lee did just that. These two wanted to combine their southern hospitality with their cosmopolitan life here in NYC so I designed their wedding in hues of purple with magenta and gold accents.  The ballroom at the brand new Eventi Hotel proved to be the ideal space with its expansive floor-to-ceiling windows and chic lounge furniture.

Their centerpieces from Starbright Floral reflected the young, fresh vibe of their wedding – three distinct arrangements, each with a different flower choice created a pop against the plum textured tablecloth.  A black lacquer dance floor and white calligraphy on their escort cards rounded out this beautiful May wedding.  Congratulations to this happy couple – I was so honored to be part of your big day!

Lovely photos courtesy of Moss Creation.

A Brilliant Wedding: Jacob & Dina

December 7, 2011

Jacob hails from Canada and his California bride, Dina, were brave souls selecting their wedding date in February! As luck would have it, the weather held out and it was a snowy, yet clear day.  Their beautiful wedding was held in the library at the New York Academy of Medicine and was the perfect mix of their shared intellectual flair, Jewish Orthodox faith, and their genuine warmth and love for each other, their families and friends.  It was a true pleasure to kick off our 2011 season with these two and an absolute honor to be a part of their big day!

Flowers by Blossom and Branch, Hair by Stacy Pitt, Makeup by Sally Duvall, Venue NYAM, Kosher Catering Esprit Events, Band Simcha All-Stars, Non-Kosher Catering Sterling Affair, Photos by Karin VonVoigtlander.

A Brilliant Wedding: Julie & Gary, The Reception

April 5, 2011

This autumn wedding needed a little twist of the theater for our Broadway-loving bride & groom. With stationery designed by Kayleigh Jankowski and the help of the DJ, we slipped it into the table names and to the dinner music without going overboard. The perfect combination for this perfect couple! To honor Gary’s mother who passed away from Lupus, the couple selected wristbands with specially-designed tags as a symbol of their donation to the Lupus Foundation.

At the end of the evening, after all of the groom’s Johnnie Walker had been consumed, the cake was cut and the candles blown out, we felt so privileged to have been a part of such an important day in their lives. Congratulations!

Thank you to Jenny Boyle of Jennifer Davis Photography for the amazing photos!

A Brilliant Wedding: Denise & Adam, the Reception

January 21, 2011

A gorgeous winery just outside of Manhattan was the idyllic setting for Denise & Adam’s reception. Laurita Winery was the perfect combination of rustic and elegant, built of reclaimed pieces from all over the Northeast. This lucky couple had their logo designed by a close friend of the groom’s – a play on their initials and the double helix of DNA, and Kayleigh Jankowski helped to incorporate it into their wedding day stationery.

The head table was a farm table with legs made from reclaimed church pews.

Using the logo as inspiration, and with florals from Rountree Flowers, we designed a tablescape featuring shades of purple with green accents.

An intimate moment in the vineyards.

Thank you, Denise & Adam, for letting us be part of your spectacular day. It was truly an honor!

All photos courtesy of the fantastic Jeff Tisman.

Chair Ties Done Right

December 28, 2010

I’ll admit it: I’m not a huge fan of chair ties. They seem to lend a scary 1980s look to event the most posh events (sort of like these napkin folds).  They also create a lot of visual noise without adding much interest. But, here are chair ties done right – vertically! Get creative and use pashminas that double as a guest favor, fabric swatches to pop against your table linens, or long silk scarves.

Left photo courtesy of The Knot, Right photo courtesy of Frost Me.

Printed to Perfection

December 7, 2010

Specialty table linens are a sure-fire way to create a truly unique look for an event, it’s the best and easiest way to remove the word “generic” from your guests’ vocabulary completely.  We’re big believers in table linens in general, and having a printed linen makes the visual impact even more of a statement.

Photo courtesy of Cloth Connection.

A National Brilliant Feature!

October 24, 2010

Our work from Lorraine & Dave’s spring soiree is featured alongside wedding industry great, David Tutera, on Cloth Connection‘s new website!  For the past 25 years, Cloth Connection has been providing gorgeous linens to the event industry from coast to coast. We’re honored to have our work recognized on a national level as the “best of the best.”

Photo courtesy of Jenny Boyle for Jennifer Davis Photography. Stationery by Kayleigh Jankowski. Florals by Rountree Flowers.