....what do wedding planners DO when they aren't at a wedding???
The three appointments I had this week with my current clients show the variety of activities and meetings I arrange and attend...this must be one of the most interesting jobs in the world! First I was at a tasting with a gourmet catering company, for a November wedding; then I found myself selecting elegant dinnerware for a French-inspired wedding dinner coming up in September; and finally, meeting with family and vendors for a "walk through" at
Nestldown, for a large and exciting August wedding.
First, the food!
Ethan Mantle, owner and chef, of
Componere Fine Catering, creates a tasting not to be missed! He provided my clients, Tiffany and Darren, with the exact meal, including appetizers and wine, which their guests will be served at
Kohl Mansion in November! Yum! Naturally, I had to come along to help with the "work" of testing the menu....as they say, hard work, but someone has to do it!
I am going to look up the names of these appetizers to add to my post, as Ethan also gave us a formal menu, but for now the pictures are worth a lot of words!
Every prawn should have its own customized dipping bowl for fancy sauces, don't you think? Tiffany was pleased to show it off for me!A creative and personal time I enjoy with my clients, is meeting at rental companies to "play" with options for their table decor. We get to try different combinations of linens, china, glassware, and napkin treatments, to see exactly how the bride and groom want their guest's tables to look for the celebration dinner.
Kimberly and Steven are planning a Parisian themed wedding dinner for their September celebration at
Ralston Hall, in Belmont; last week, Kim and I met with Bernadette, at
Classic Party Rental, where we selected a table setting worthy of Louis the 14
th! I can't wait to see all the gold rimmed crystal, gold edged chargers, and brocade linens decorating the tables in the already ornate Ballroom at
Ralston Hall!
I took this photo of Kim, toasting her fiance Steven, since he couldn't join us to choose the table setting elements...he will see it all for himself, sitting beside his new bride, in just six weeks!Finally, at the end of my week, I had a "walk through" at
Nestldown, with the parents of the bride for an August wedding. Courtney lives in Southern California, so her parents, Suzanne and Gregg, have worked closely with me in firming up all the details for the wedding.
Suzanne, Gregg and I going down the trail to the chapel where Peter and Courtney will have their August wedding ceremony.As the wedding day approaches, visiting the wedding location with the clients, to finalize where everything will be placed, and to discuss the flow of the event, is a very important part of what a wedding planner offers. We call this the
"walk through", because we literally walk through and discuss each aspect of the wedding day, fine tuning the floor plans, the timeline, and taking down each and every detail from the client; now they can relax, knowing they have passed on to someone they trust, ALL the details which have swirled in their head for months!
Here the proud parents stop to pose in the very place Gregg will be walking his daughter down the aisle to marry Peter...there were a few tears from dad, quickly disappearing into a proud smile!
I am explaining how the wedding party and family members will enter, where the grandparents will sit, and how guests will be welcomed and seated, before the ceremony begins...the chapel was set up for a wedding that day, so we were able to visualize exactly how eveything will look for Peter and Courtney's wedding.
We then headed up the to Koi Pond area to discuss the details of the cocktail hour, which eill immediately follow the ceremony; we determined where the guest book, stringed quartet, cocktail seating, and escort card table will be positioned to make the best use of the space, and to provide optimal comfort for the guests.
Finally, we met in the barn to discuss with Frank Goldstein, whose band Manhattan Towers will provide dinner and dance music, where to place the band, the speakers, and the lighting, to provide adequate dancing space, as well as seating areas, for those who prefer to "watch the action"!Each of my clients was encouraged by the meetings I was able to set up and attend with them; this is one of my favorite parts of my job...creating the assurance for the couples I work with that what they see, taste and experience on their wedding day is exactly what they have been planning for and dreaming about. All in a day's work!
Jubilee and I spoke to a "full house" last February, at the Four Seasons, Silicon Valley, for The Inaugural Wedding University; my topics were "Creating a Timeline that Works", and " It's All about the Experience". I will be enlarging on these topics, providing more details and handouts this year.
After the day was over, I enjoyed chatting with couples who attended The Wedding University. 
Please visit our new website:
