Hanging Out With Chandelier: Creative Edge Parties' 20th Anniversary

                                                                                                                                    Photos: Christian Grattan Photography

Friday night's fete celebrating the 20th anniversary of Creative Edge Parties -- a creme-of-the-crop caterers and party planning company--was by far one of the highlights of our year at Chandelier.


Wedding industry legends including Sylvia Weinstock, David Beahm, Ron Ben Israel, Ed Libby, Bentley Meeker and Mark Ingram gathered with about 300 more! (including yours truly, and planners extraordinaire Xochitl Gonzales, Maya Kalman, Annie Lee, and Barb Salzman of Hatch) were invited to the IAC Building on Manhattan's West Side to toast the success of co-owners and creative geniuses Carla Ruben and Bob Spiegel (pictured above). 


The food, well, was delicious, stylish, and well, creative (of course!)--for instance, I was totally shocked that what I thought was tuna tartare was actually made of tomato. And leave it to Creative Edge to take table presentation to a whole new level printing the menu right onto the linen napkin and dreaming up double-sided placecards at each seat (brilliant!!!) so that I knew where I was sitting, and the name of the people sitting across from me. 


And the entertainment was mindblowing: Eclectic Method, a dynamic DJ collective that spun amazing tunes paired with crazy audio-visual mash-ups while "scratching" videos and visuals on the IAC's wall-sized monitors. Even the servers were rocking the dance-floor (who knew?). 


My three favorite parts of the evening? Witnessing my dear friends Sylvia and David swap signature glasses for a classic photo (above), ditching the LBD for a FAB turquoise dress, and getting to take my husband out on the town for a change!


Congratulations Carla, Bob and the whole Creative Edge Parties team (shout out to Brooke Whiteside!) for a wonderful evening--and a wonderful 20 years.

Love Knots: Why We Have Nautical Fever

Everywhere we turn, we see stripes. Navy. Red. White...Stripes. And gosh, do we love them!

Everything's coming up nautical in fashion, home decor, jewelry, paper. Whether it's on display at Nordstrom or in the pages of the hottest magazines, it's all about Yacht Club Chic for Summer 2010.

So, we dreamed up this inspiration board to share with a client who's looking to infuse "nautical, not beach"into her affair. We particularly love these navy & tulle pocket invites by Vera Wang Stationary, the sailor knot boutonnière from the real weddings gallery on The Knot,  and this precious gold love knot ring!

Bon Voyage.

Chandelier Introduces: Rogue Confections

It's official: it's "Death-by-Chocolate Monday" at Chandelier. Drum roll, please! We are so excited to introduce Rogue Confections, a drop-dead gorgeous (and delicious!) collection of customizable chocolates. We think these are going to be the biggest rage, and we're lucky enough to have been chosen to share them with the wedding world. 


Founder Sherri Adler has always had a passion for color and pattern – and chocolate. As a set designer for television, theatre and film as well as an interior designer for private clients, Adler has amassed a vast collection of vintage ephemera she draws on for the extraordinary look of Rogue Confections. She calls Rogue a labor of love that started in her New York City kitchen in the summer of 2009.


Now, her collection of too-beautiful-to-eat handmade, pure Belgian chocolates are available for your wedding, bridal, baby shower favors and gifts. They are adorned with colorful vintage patterns or customized with your own logo, photo or image, and are available in 56% Semisweet, 31% Milk & 25% White. (They're kosher, too!)


And, we're so excited to announce that they'll be our favor at this week's New York Magazine Wedding Event at the Metropolitan Pavilion! Make sure you stop by to see us and pick up your sample!!!

In Love With Wedding Parasols by I Do Originals

                                                                                                                    Photo by Elizabeth Messina, Courtesy of I Do Originals

This weekend they're forecasting sunny skies and balmy days. At Chandelier, we're overjoyed that Spring is on the way. And when we think April, we think showers, when we think showers, we think umbrellas and when we think umbrellas, we think PARASOLS!

Our weekend spotlight is on these beauties by I Do Originals. We particularly love the look of elegant black on white, but they come in a variety of colors, fonts, and styles (phrases like "Thank you!" as well as single and triple initial monograms).       

As with any new wedding innovation, it all started as what she calls "a happy accident". Shortly after she posted  her wedding photos online, she started receiving replies, emails and phone calls asking her to create her one-of-a-kind personal pieces like these wedding parasols. She created a website to manage the response and offer up FAQs, opened a workspace, and started a business. 

Today, I Do Originals sells beautiful personalized monograms and wedding logos and wedding accessories from parasols to aisle runners, monogrammed banners, unity candles. 

Have a wedding innovation inspired by your own nuptials? Share them with us so we can post on Chandelier!

Party We Love: Fairy Garden Party by TomKat Studio

So, Chandelier recently entered the Twitterverse--and thank goodness we did! The inspiration from our fellow planners, designers, and party pros is overwhelmingly AWESOME! So glad to have met @ilovelollipops, @paperolive, @prettypenstudio, @weddingchicks and @ruffledblog this week.


We're thrilled to share our most recent style find from our new friend Kim Stoegbauer, the super-talented blogger/party-paper-designer/work-at-home mom of two of The TomKatStudio--what she describes as her "creative outlet to share new party designs, decorating projects and fabulous finds." 


Kim threw this precious Fairy Garden Party for her beautiful daughter Kate. We absolutely adore the "rainbow sherbet" color palette of pink, orange and lime--especially the paisley fabric backdrop!  And, the adorable fairy silhouette motif designed by Pen 'n Paper Flowers, the tissue paper fairy wands, tutus, fairy wings, and sweet candy treats! We've compiled a gorgeous photo recap for you--so beautifully captured by Vicki Lynn Photography.


Want to steal this look for your next little girl soiree? The TomKat Studio Fairy Garden Collection is now available at Kim's Etsy shop where she sells printable party designs and DIY projects. By the way, Kim also contributes to Project Nursery, and contributes to the Homegoods style blog. (Does this girl ever sleep?!) 

Destination: Wedding! "Boarding Pass" Save-the-Dates

                                                                                                                                                                           Photos Courtesy of Beyond Design on Etsy

With so many couples choosing far-flung destinations for their big day, a frequent style request we get at Chandelier involves boarding pass, passport, and ticket save-the-dates! So, we were so excited to find these chic collections by Beyond Design on Etsy this week!


Starting at $1.90 per set (plus $1 each for additional pages), these super cute international invites can be customized by your location, color palette and feel (vintage Pan Am? chic Jet Blue?). No need to order site unseen. For small deposit ($30 that's deducted from the final balance), you get a design consultation either by email, phone, or in person (if you live in the St. Louis area), up to 3 digital samples of your design in a JPG proof sent via email, up to 1 printed sample of your design sent via USPS mail.


A few more favorites from this creative collection!

Obsessed! Ippolita Rose Quartz Bangles

Recently, while shopping at Neiman Marcus, I came upon a trunk show for Ippolita and fell head over heels for their rose gold line (though their entire collection is breathtaking). Though already discovered by celebrities including Jennifer Garner, Kate Winslet, Carrie Underwood and Fergie, I still feel like I've discovered something completely new. So, let me bring these beautiful baubles to your attention, brides!

As Ippolita herself proclaims, these special pieces are "wearable art". Every piece is made by hand--and comes in a wide array of metals (gold, silver and rose gold), stones (diamond, quartz, topaz, opal, turquoise), and styles (rings, bracelets, necklaces and earrings). Take a look at some of my favorites including this stunning "Lollipop London Blue Topaz & Diamond" pendant set in gold for $995.

I think your wedding is worth the splurge, don't you? Wink, wink.