On a rainy day back in October I took a trip out to South Orange, NJ (adorable town btw) to do a site visit at the Orange Lawn Tennis Club. Of course I had heard of the club, but this was my first opportunity to see the grounds first hand. To sum it up, this venue is uber pretty, romantic, cozy and a pleasure to customize.

The new grand ballroom seen below features gorgeous 22 ft. vaulted ceilings. While the space can hold upwards of 200 people and a nice sized dance floor, you will never feel lost in this space. Plus, it is incredibly simple to incorporate pretty much any theme and decor you’d like. The clean simplicity of the space allows you to really have fun and be creative.

Not only do you have use of the main event space, but as there is only one event at a time you have the opportunity to enjoy cocktails in several other areas throughout the house, many with fireplaces. I love a nice mantle! If your style is simple, casual, beachy, black tie or eclectic, you can do it here and it will look like the room was made for you and you alone. But of course, it is a tennis club so why not bring your event outside? It would be a shame not to take advantage of the absolutely beautiful grounds at Orange Lawn. Don’t get me wrong I love NYC, but there’s something about acres of green that make me go gaga.

As if all that wasn’t enough…the Orange Lawn in-house caterer is none other than Ariane Duarte, culinary artiste featured on the hit show Top Chef! 

Every so often I say pictures do not do a property justice, and this is one of them.

Fun fact: they have a GORG ladies room! ;-)

xx,

Salome

While in downtown Jersey City for an appointment to tour the new Westin Hotel, I fell in love. I knew the Newport area had undergone a bit of a renewal lately but I did not expect it to be sooo pretty! There is great shopping in the area and everything is so clean and fresh and new, and you know I love anything waterside – the Hudson it so close and the view of NYC across the river is amazing.

The Westin hotel opened earlier this year and has been quietly making waves ever since. The moment I walked in I knew I would love it. The decor was modern, clean and swathed in warm and rich earth tones. The lobby -  expansive and gorgeous. This is such a hidden treasure and the proximity to Manhattan is a huge plus. (oh, and so is the 1.2 million square foot Newport Centre Mall next door)

The Half Moon Lobby Lounge & Restaurant features floor to ceiling light shafts that can be programmed to emit different colors and can even be timed to change colors in a sequence. Just another cool way to brand your event, this could look so chic in your wedding colors… And what a great spot for cocktails or a hospitality area for your guests to hang and socialize between ceremony and reception!

The main ballroom is big and beautiful. I love that it is so simple and tastefully decorated, and the Westin is incredibly flexible. You can leave the room as is and bring in flowers and other personal touches to adopt the space, or you can go all out with rentals – pipe and drape, uplighting…the sky is the limit.

A preview of some of the Westin’s tastefully decorated suites and traditional rooms.  There are configurations with adjoining rooms and suites that make it super easy for big bridal parties to spread out for their pre-wedding pampering and prep… Moms and maids hair and make-up sessions? Lovely ladies playing dress up? After party?

Check, check and triple check!

These beds are so incredibly comfy and cozy, they almost had to pry me off of them! And that was just the walk through, imagine if I was able to squeeze in a nap on this bad boy!

And of course – the after, after party…

xx,

Salome

In the last two weeks, I have had five different people mention The Madison Hotel in Morristown, New Jersey. Considering how many fabulous venues there are in New Jersey, it’s always nice to come across a location that garners this type of consistent and positive feedback! Thus, I felt it my duty to share this well kept secret.

The Madison Hotel’s Conservatory is a breathtaking space that evokes the feeling of a spectacular greenhouse. This is a florists dream as there are so many beautiful things that can be done to compliment this space while infusing the personality and tastes of the bride and groom. While I personally have yet to sample the menu, I hear the food is just as amazing as the setting. Situated upon an 8 acre expanse, the Hotel boasts a classic Georgian architecture that cannot help but exude elegance. In addition to the Conservatory, The Madison Hotel also offers their Grand Ballroom event space, which features antique Baccarat chandeliers and 14 foot high ceilings. Of course let us not forget just how convenient it would be for you are your guests to be able take a quick trip up to your lush accommodations at the close of the evening.

A big thanks to The Madison Hotel for these great images!

xx

Salome

Yesterday I had the pleasure of touring the event space at the new W Hotel in Hoboken. This sleek, sexy and ultra-modern property just opened in March of this year and not a moment too soon! Situated right off the banks of the Hudson river, the hotel features breathtaking, unobstructed views of the Manhattan skyline. The beauty of this space is that there are actually several smaller event spaces, in addition to a substantial main ballroom. Across from the ballroom there are chic, adjacent “studio” spaces that can be utilized individually as cozy vignettes or opened up to form one larger contiguous space. The entire second floor of the hotel houses the private event space, and with no more than one wedding at a time, you have total exclusivity. Plus there is a gorgeous restaurant within the hotel which could easily and stylishly host your rehearsal dinner or post-wedding brunch, and an outdoor patio for a breath of fresh air. Not to be forgotten, the exclusive W Hotel Whatever/Whenever concierge service is there to go that extra mile with tons of extras to help make your nuptials and celebrations that much more memorable and stress free! OMG did I forget to mention the huge and luxurious Bliss Spa on-site, and the 220 immaculately designed accommodations for you and your guests? Um, yeah…

Take a look at these great pics courtesy of the W…

If you are not familiar with Hoboken, it is a great little town right across the Hudson and literally 10 minutes from NYC. Tons of great restaurants, bars, boutique shops, waterfront parks – I can’t say enough about this place! If you are looking for sophisticated city style without the hustle, bustle and headaches that are sometimes synonymous with city life, the W Hotel Hoboken is a must see!

xx

Sal

Hi all! I have to tell you about Le Club -  a gorgeous venue in Long Branch, New Jersey which could definitely make for a memorable wedding event. This private beach club could actually be a sweet spot to host a bachelor/bachelorette party or even an intimate rehearsal dinner. Le Club has a stunning rooftop pool, fireplace and several options for private party space. Luxury beach club by day, sophisticated hot spot by night. Le Club can accommodate smaller, intimate gatherings or groups of 300+ and everywhere in-between. While you do have to be a member to experience all that Le Club has to offer (and membership DEFINITELY has it’s privileges), you do not have a membership to book your event there.

Of course these gorg pics do not do the property justice, but here’s a little  something just to get you started…

xx
Salome

We are thrilled to announce our newest addition to The Blogsmaid team, Alegre, who’ll be our LA correspondent for ALL THINGS Wedding.  For her first assignment,  she attended the L.A. spring wedding showcase with Your Wedding Day Magazine and The Ebell of Los Angeles and here is her wrap up!

Greetings from the West Coast! My fellow L.A. cohort, Marisa, and I had the pleasure of attending a spring showcase with Your Wedding Day Magazine at The Ebell of Los Angeles last evening. The Ebell, a wonderful historical property in the center Hancock Park, boasts a multi-room indoor event space along with a stunning garden. I had been to the Wilshire-Ebell Theater in the past, but I had no idea that they had such a large, adaptable space for private events.

Upon arrival, we were greeted with drinks in the garden, always a good start! The garden itself is perfect for ceremonies or receptions, boasting a waterfall statue and beautiful rolling landscaping.
Fete Accompli Decor filled the space with great lounge seating for mingling and socializing. The theme carried on inside with a Marie Antoinette inspired, end of the French renaissance feel. Tic-Tock did some inspired styling work complete with candelabras, fresh floral arrangements and innovative design.

We felt a bit like the proletariat navigating the revolution in the maze that was the buffet line, but it proved to be worth it when we tasted the venue’s delish food.  Bottlenotes was also there to share a great new service they have for wine registry and tasting notes. Great for those couples who fancy themselves enology specialists.

After dinner wrapped, Marisa and I were on our way out the door when we were drawn to the smell of smoke machines. Wha!? Could it be? The party isn’t over? Mesmerized by strobe lights and pounding base, we wandered into a second huge ballroom with a dance floor. Had it not been a Wednesday, I think we would have kept the party going. Whoo whoo! Raj Tents transformed the connecting lounge into a Bollywood inspired dream.

Shirvan Design topped it all with some of the most amazing flower work I’ve seen in a long time. The theme carried out onto the patio where guests mingled and tried out the outdoor hooka lounge.

In a city like L.A., where everyone is looking for the unexpected for their big day, YWD and The Ebell showed us where to find it. Pick up a copy of YWD’s spring Magazine as there are some great tips in there for planning the rest of your big day after you’ve picked the dress.

I’m a native New Yorker, so when people say Atlantic City to me, I immediately think of my Aunt Lulu on a bus and some Salt Water Taffey.  That said, when we got invited to the Water Club for an evening to check out their ballroom space, I was intrigued.  So Mayra and I spent some time with my adorable Grandparents down in Brick (in a place I like to call Del Boca Vista, and my grandmother calls “Wrinkle City”) before we headed down south to Atlantic City.

The Q: I just came across your site and am so thrilled to finally get a chance to ask a professional advice on weddings in NY.  My boyfriend and are heading in the direction of getting engaged in the next couple of months and have so many questions and decisions to figure out.

I’ve been reading up on as many blogs as possible and just recently started buying bridal magazines for the first time, but am still in the dark about where we should even start looking if we want to keep within our budget.  I don’t have an exact figure yet but our wedding budget will most likely be around 40K and we would LOVE to get married in Manhattan and have around 120 guests.  I think I may be delusional and this may be TOTALLY unrealistic but I must ask you anyway if we really can have our cake and eat it too?  Do you have any recommendations or guidance for us?

The A:  Hmm… It’s possible.  It will be a challenge to make choices that won’t blow the budget, but it’s possible.  (To readers who are in other cities, please don’t think I’m obnoxious, since I realize 40K is a lot of money, but sadly in NY, it just doesn’t go that far…)

First things first, people often talk about budget, but they don’t always know what it means or how to get started spending it and making it work.  I know a lot of websites give you templates, but that doesn’t always translate regionally and it doesn’t always give you a guideline. 

Basically, if you want to spend 40K on 120 guests, your most important decision is your reception location.  It will set everything else in your budget in place. You should assume that location, furniture, food and beverage for the reception (the most expensive part) will cost you about 50% of that.  When shopping for venues that translates to between $120-126 per guest.  IF there is a location fee, then think no more than 120, b/c with tax and tip, you’ll have spent 20K of your money.  Where does the rest of the 40K go?  Well, Photography in NY is a big ticket item, as are flowers and decor (probably, easily another 8-10K for floral and decor), Music, ceremony site fees if you have another location, transportation, cake, etc, etc etc .

So, where can you go to make such a wedding happen?  Luckily, there are a few options, but I would NOT advise you to have a loft be one of these options.  It’s a common assumption that loft spaces are about the same as a location with catering or a restaurant, but they simply aren’t.  What you may save on alcohol, you spend on rentals!    If you want something traditional and a bit "Old New York"  consider the Manhattan Penthouse off of Union Square.  They have flexible and reasonable per person packages and I’ve found the food to be really consistent.
 

For something more modern and maybe a bit less formal, the private room at Thalassa is a great find. The food is amazing, Taso takes great care of everyone there and they have a wine cellar that I think is great for a ceremony (but might be a little bit tight). For something more rustic, the New Leaf Cafe is a well known "secret" location.

Finally, I would also consider off times- either season or times of day and see what rates you might be able to get in the winter at Battery Gardens and in the summer at 24 Fifth ballroom. 

Hope that helps and congratulations! This part is so exciting. Other bride’s out there, if you feel comfortable letting me know, what is your target budget and what part of the country (or world) do you live in?

Mayra, Tiffany and I had the BEST time last night at a party for event planners at Gotham Hall!  It was just amazing. I know that this is a real New York location, but they had some great ideas that I thought could be theoretically replicated easily elsewhere…..

If you aren’t familiar, it’s an old bank that is now a gorgeous and glamorous event space.  Last night they worked with Art Lumiere, who essentially projects scenary to create new environments in spaces/ projectable backdrops.  It was stunning. Here are some horrible camera phone photos.  The theme was the 4 seasons, and I loved Spring and Winter (they actually had snow falling during winter) but wasn’t so into Summer (looked like a Corona ad) or fall (somehow fall translated into Venice) but the effect was awesome.

I was thinking there was no reason why a bride on ANY budget couldn’t get a projector (so Low tech, I know) and transform a blank wall with a slide of her favorite painting, motif, family photo or pattern… Less costly than a fancy gobo, but still cool….. (just be sure that you mount the projector up high (otherwise people will block the light all day like in my art history class in HS)

Anyway, more about the Event. It was also a showcase for the recommended caterers there. Tom Preti stole the show with an amazing display of comfort foods- tasting plates of Meatloaf and mashed potatoes and "toaster" tarts (like a pop tart) with short rib filling.  Foremost did an awesome sushi display and Great Performances out did themselves by setting up a chartucerie (they did the autumn/ venice) theme.