Wedding Week

It's wedding week in Wisconsin! I had hopes to live blog through the festivities leading up to my brother's wedding on Friday, but plan to focus on having fun with my family and friends, so twitter updates are seeming more realistic.

I arrived in Milwaukee last night and spent the evening with my parents. What did we do? We caught up, there was show and tell. I had a photo book from a wedding I planned in August to show them and I gave them a quick tutorial of the iPhone.

Today, I helped my mom and dad pack for the wedding, I ran errands and then rode to Madison with my brother. He and I enjoyed delicious and interesting Nepali cuisine for dinner on State Street, while the bride-to-be had girl time with her college friend in town from Boston. Temperatures are great, my future sister in-law is ready and excited. Her parents will be here at 10:30am tomorrow. We are meeting with the officiant and having lunch. In the evening, I have plans to see a college friend for an early dinner. It's an exciting week for me personally, I hope you will follow my tweets and enjoy what I share.

Happy Anniversary

Today is my parents' 40th wedding anniversary! I think it's so befitting and beautiful that my brother is getting married the same week my parents did just 40 years later. Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad. Thank you for staying at it, sticking it out and being there for each other. I love you both dearly and am so excited to see you on Monday. It's going to be a great week! xo






(Editor's note: I've been looking through my parents wedding album as long as I have been able to reach it on the front closet shelf. I'll scan in my favorite photos of their wedding when I am visiting next week and share them on the blog.)

Wedding at Blue Hill at Stone Barnes

This farm in Tarrytown, New York has been very high on my list of venues. Why?

Because:

"Blue Hill at Stone Barnes is a working four-season farm and educational center just 30 miles north of New York City. The owners continue to help guide it in its mission to create a consciousness about the effect of everyday food choices.

Sourcing from the surrounding fields and pasture, as well as other local farms, Blue Hill at Stone Barns highlights the abundant resources of the Hudson Valley. There are no menus at Blue Hill at Stone Barns. Instead, guests are presented with a list of over a hundred ingredients, updated daily, which contains the best offerings from the field and market."

(from their website)


1. I love the idea and concept behind this.

2. Two of my favorite foodies mark this restaurant (the Manhattan location) as the best meal they have ever eaten together.

3. New York City wedding photographers Erik Ekroth and Christopher Duggan shot weddings at Blue Hill with amazing results. Erik actually chose Blue Hill for his own wedding.

I look forward to planning a wedding at Blue Hill at Stone Barnes next year. I encourage you to check out their photographs from weddings at Blue Hill.

Erik's Blue Hill at Stone Barnes wedding photography

Christopher's Blue Hill at Stone Barnes wedding photography

Photo credit: Erik Ekroth

Fall in love

The fresh flowers on every street corner is my mom's favorite thing about New York City. As I start to fall in love with my future sister in-law ten days before she marries my brother, I can't help but be inspired for their fall wedding.

My brother has asked me to take a sister of the groom and witness to their nuptials role vs. wedding planner on the day-of their wedding. I have though had a hand in the design. His fiancé's current SIL (married to her brother), used to work for a florist, so while the table design is mine, the flowers are her area of expertise. Walking around the upper east side today, the flowers were so pretty. I could not help but photograph the fall colors that were catching my eye.











More inspiration on Sunday, as there are fun fall festivities planned. Apple picking is one of my favorite fall rituals, I am so looking forward to this!

What is your favorite fall tradition?

Czech Wedding Traditions

Breaking the Plate

At the beginning of the Czech wedding reception, a plate is broken at the feet of the bride and groom and they must sweep the chips together. This tradition has its roots in two superstitions; that chips bring happiness and the newlyweds show a will to cooperate by jointly sweeping the chips away and their marriage will therefore be harmonious.

I love learning new traditions! This couple broke their plate on the sidewalk outside the The Council of Foreign Relations as this lovely venue has recently refinished their hardwood floors.

What is your favorite wedding tradition?

(This was another fabulous wedding I worked with In Any Event)

Bridal Magazines

There was much sadness surrounding the announcement of the closing of Modern Bride, Elegant Bride, Cookie and Gourmet magazines this week.

Coincidentally, this is the week I got the premiere issue of a new bridal magazine, Get Married. Would you like one? I have extra copies. Send me your address and I'll gladly put one in the mail for you, until I run out.



Have a great weekend!

xo

Unforgettable Desserts with The Party Goddess

Last week was a book party celebrating Dede Wilson's "Unforgettable Desserts"! How sweet it was! It was hosted at a precious room in Magnolia Bakery's new Upper West Side location.


Such a classic New York City storefront.




The Nutella sandwich cookies were a huge hit!


Thanks for Laura Baddish (r) of The Baddish Group for inviting me to this delightful party. She introduced me to Marley Majcher (l), THE Party Goddess who was in town planning a celebrity event. She was so lovely and gracious!

Photo Credit: Peter Doyle

American Heart Association Fundraiser

Congratulations to my friends for their fundraising efforts this weekend. Saturday Jennifer Senenko and Jessica Lupi hosted an event in their hometown of Nanuet, NY. They raised money for the American Heart Association in honor of their friend Allison Dunne who passed away unexpectedly last year from a heart related condition that was not detected.

Thanks to the technology of evite and facebook they had 110 people attend and raised nearly $8,000 through ticket sales, a silent auction, raffle prizes and a 50/50 cash raffle. The event was very well organized and I was amazed by people's generosity! Great job, ladies!

Cheers to City Harvest

Sunday, my dear friend Heidi Weaver brought Uncorked to New York! Uncorked is a charitable wine dinner that was founded three years ago in Washington DC by wine enthusiasts Kris and Tracey Schroeder.

Brasserie Julien was an excellent partner in this effort. The upper east side restaurant was a lovely backdrop to a beautiful evening of delicious food, fine wine and great friends. Each course was excellent and the wines paired perfectly. Anu Karwa, the founder and CEO of Swirl Events was the knowledgeable master of ceremonies walking us through the wines from Austria, Italy, Argentina, California and France.

We enjoyed a Caramelized Pear Salad and Vache de Challais Feuilletage placed over baby arugula salad, candied nuts and balsamic reduction followed by Salmon Medallion With Seafood Crust Pan-seared medallion topped with baby shrimp, manila clams, sundry tomato crust served over warm haricot vert, leeks and citrus sauce. The sweet finale was Chocolate Marquise. The signature dessert, somewhere between a fudge and a mousse was served with vanilla bean sauce and sprinkled with crushed pistachio nuts.

Money raised will be donated to City Harvest, a local charity dedicated to feeding hungry New Yorkers.

Proud parents came from York, PA to support Heidi's charitable effort

The DC contingents

The Beach Point Yacht Club crew

The New York Times friends and roommates

University of Wisconsin-Stout alumni

Tracey and Kris, the co-founders of Uncorked

Thanks to everyone who joined us!

Personalized Cakes

The situation: A woman wanted to throw a very special spa themed birthday party for her mom who was turning fifty. She wanted a personalized, creative and of course delicious cake to mark this milestone.

The solution: I introduced her to Amy from Sugar Flower Shop. Amy specializes in flowers, but her character figures rock and her work has been featured in the pages of Martha Stewart Weddings.

The result: "Tammy, thank you so much for putting me in touch with Amy... the cake was FANTASTIC, delicious, and she was great in pulling all the elements I had wanted, adding her twist and making it truly a highlight of the entire evening... Please take a look at my pictures to see it... So cute! xoxo"

I love pairing people! Introducing amazing clients to the best vendors is a big part of my business. Need a brilliant photographer, creative graphic designer, talented florists or professional caterer? Let me know. I look forward to hearing about your next event.