I have been a blogging delinquent. I promise that I am back. Generally speaking, I like to think I do a good job of balancing work and writing and life, but the truth is we’ve been running on a 10+ here at the AaB offices since September in our busiest, most fabulous, grandest winter wedding season EVER culminating in the rather amazing wedding of Emily and Jason held over President’s Day weekend (more about that later). I lost myself in the details of their awesome loft wedding – can’t wait to show you photos- AND then I had to get out of dodge for a little while to recharge my batteries. I headed out west for a girls weekend in Palm Springs to catch our breath before our two big SPRING celebrations- our very own lovely Mayra’s wedding next month and something rather fun at Skylight One Hanson.
My first day out of the office I will, admit, dragging my feet around feeling a bit burnt out when I got the most exciting gift a planner/ designer can get after a wedding- FABULOUS PHOTOS of Carolyn and Scott’s New Year’s Eve wedding. I promise, seeing the wedding in person is awesome, but having great images is almost as good! It reminds you of how all the collective hard work of the event payed off AND, in the case of Carolyn and Scott, it quite literally made me tear up seeing how HAPPY AND THRILLED they were with their ceremony, being married, joining their lives and throwing a pretty rockin’ New Year’s Eve party.
When Carolyn and Scott first called it was September and they said that they really, really wanted to have a wedding on New Year’s Eve. THIS coming New Year’s Eve. We said, No Problem. Then Carolyn told us that their dream was to have the reception at The Grand Arcade in Asbury Park- an area of real significance for her and Scott as they have watched the rejuvenation of Asbury, live in the area and felt like it was their back yard. They hadn’t really had many weddings in that space, but we said “No Problem”. Then we found out that the area- which is generally open to the public- was going to have a 30′ Christmas Tree in the middle of the room and could we “make that work” and we said “No Problem.”
The Grand Arcade at Asbury on a "Regular Day"
The Grand Arcade right before Carolyn and Scott's Reception
And so, the train to Carolyn and Scott’s New Year’s Eve wedding took off, we had an amazing ride along the way and an an even more amazing time at the party itself. Carolyn and her mother were awesome to work with, and Mayra, who has probably never had quite the logistical challenge that this presented, pulled off an absolutely seamless event. The team at Madison Marquette (who manages the property and does the sound and lighting) were amazing and Great Performances created a menu that was unforgettable and personal. As the “Director of Pretty”, I think I did a decent job of working with a 30′ Christmas Tree and creating an intimate feeling for their friends and family in a rather large space. A giant thanks to the lighting team, 29th Street Marketplace, Classic Party Rentals and Fernanda, our florist for making it all come to life. AND a HUGE thanks to Inku for these amazing shots! More images are available on his blog.
Cocktails and family photos were held in the adjacent, landmark theater.
The ceremony was held in a beautiful, nearby church. Before guests boarded shuttles to the reception, they saluted the newlyweds with giant Sparklers- a MAGIC MOMENT that set the tone for the night. The bride's AMAZING Lazaro dress was from Kleinfeld- they made miracles happen turning it around in no time!
The bride wanted PURPLE, but to tie it in with the already existing holiday decor, we used RED as a contrast color and worked with the team in Asbury to decorate with more reds and silvers. To make the space feel more intimate, we angled the tables INTO each other and used candelabras for a glamorous look that added height. We also used assigned seating and had guests break British crackers to break the ice and as an homage to Carolyn's years growing up in the UK. For escort cards each guest had their own glass of bubbly waiting for them to sip while they found their seat.
It was REALLY a magical and fun night! At midnight the bride changed and they toasted in 2012! Our team passed out noisemakers and more fun and dancing ensued. It was a blast! (and we were working)
THANK YOU again to Carolyn and Scott! And a HUGE thank you to Inku for these photos!
Such an awesome wedding. You ladies did a fantastic job!
Looks absolutely fantastic and gorgeous!!! LOVE the emotion on the bride’s face! Simply beautiful x