So, because I am addicted to weddings, I am live-blogging from The Ultimate Engagement this morning!  We’ve posted about it before, and now the event is actually here- with brides coming in from around the city and the Tri State Area to meet with vendors at NY’s Gotham Hall.

The space looks great and the roster of vendors meant that while I started the day with a frown (I don’t do Sunday mornings very well.. especially after Day Light Savings time), it was immediately turned upside down when I saw cutie petootie DJ Jason Fioto of Generation Events and one of my favoritest gals in the city Stella from Create Edge Parties, who will be catering my next wedding.

We’d just had the tasting of a lifetime on Thursday together, where we are eating not one, not two, not three, but FIVE COURSES (including wedding cake) PLUS an amazing round of passed desserts and a coffee and chocolate station… um, yum. Especially when the menu is slightly Asian infused to reflect the bride’s culture.  Think a salmon sashimi starter followed by a duck carpaccio, followed by ginger glazed Cod followed by (yes, followed by) an amazing array of beefs paired with an ever so slight soy glazed asparagus.

Speaking of fusion, that is what I will be speaking about today at The Ultimate Engagement.  2PM, upper balcony. How to fuse culture, religion and style when you and your fiance are coming from two totally different places.

If you want to keep up with the event, I’ll be in my Golden Blogger Chair (I’m totally not kidding- see the pic) and live blogging throughout the day at The Ultimate Engagement.

I am a HORRIBLE friend…. (that’s not really true) but I am really crappy at remembering birthdays, anniversaries, etc, etc, etc and I never remember to pick up a card and I always show up scribbling a message on something I picked up at the drug store five minutes before I arrived at the event.  I don’t know why that is, but it just is.  So much so that a few years ago I just implemented a no card policy, because I was so hap hazard some people would get cards and most people wouldn’t.

Anyway, when I first heard about the Forgetful Gentleman I thought, probably for the first time, “Wow, I wish I were a boy!” This unique company produces amazingly lovely note cards called “Elephant Cards” for men in sets- 3 Birthday, 3Congratulations, 2 Thinking of you, 2 Congratulations and 1 I Love You…. which of course made me think they should make a player edition with 6 I Love You, 4 Thinking of You, so on and so forth. Back to the cards… They have letterpress cards in an lovely wooden cardholder box for $75 as well as a more reasonable edition of linen cards for only $30.

So great, you now HAVE THE CARDS (as I do… I now buy cards) but they take it one step further!  You create an account with important dates you want to remember and THEY SEND YOU REMINDERS!  Making it possible for everyone… or man.. to be a more lovely gentleman. Voila! The PERFECT Groomsmen gift at ANY price point.

If only they would come up with Forgetful Lady cards…. but I guess a lady never forgets

People feel one of two ways about tents: Love or Loath.  To some they are big, complicated things that need to be gussied up a ton, and are a necessary obstruction from the open air that would otherwise be avoided.  To other people, they are exciting, blank canvases.

I probably would put myself in the latter category, a tent lover.  To me tents evoke a sense of fantasy, especially in the right setting and well… with the right tent.  Let’s face facts, not all tents are created equal. Some have horrible ugly poles, most need a tent liner, but then not everyone likes that draping, romantic look.  So I was just blown away when we discovered Sperry Tents (actually, big shout out to Traci Romano who put us on to them).

Sperry Tents were the accidental discovery of a sailmaker who was preparing for a large gathering and used what he had on hand- light, gorgeous fabric for sails- to create these gorgeous canopies. They are light and airy and, well, if a tent can be beautiful, that’s what these are.  Who wouldn’t want to have their first dance under one of these gorgeous structures?  Sperry tents are available nationwide.  If you are thinking of tenting, how can you pass up one of  these stunning canopies?

Originally used as light fixtures, today’s chandelier has become so much more. In the days of old, the elite used astounding designs to demonstrate wealth and class – a concept that has not altogether diminished. Even today, chandeliers have retained a opulent and elegant connotation. Chandeliers of all shapes, sizes and colors have the unique ability to transform any room into a glamorous, modern, vintage or even shabby chic setting.

Chandeliers can be a magnificent addition to your wedding decor, be it hanging from the ceiling or even more chic, adorning your table tops as the ultimate rebirth of the centerpiece. More than likely, your venue will breathe a sigh of relief if you choose the latter.

Below is an array of some fun and spectacular chandeliers that could quite possibly change the way you and your guests look at your reception. Wow factor is an understatement.

images courtesy of glamourthis:photobucket, allegrophotography, weddingdesignstudio, whitedressblacktux.blogspot.com, vintageglamwedding.blogspot.com, lanternlights.com & gspncrystals.com

xx

Sal

I’m so excited to share what I think is a SUPER COOL tool that a friend of ours has designed called The Bridal Board. Back in the day, when Mayra and I first started this biz, we’d ask brides to bring in clips of things that they loved from magazines so that we’d get a sense of their style. Brides would keep big binders filled with clippings from helpful articles that they found and fantastic bouquets, etc that they had.