Chandelier Event: Sally & Andy's North Fork Nuptials

All Images Reserved: Max Flatow Photography

Summer love has officially set in here at Chandelier Events. That's why we're totally swooning over Max Flatow's images of a recent North Fork wedding we planned this Spring. The Hamptons gorgeous sister, Long Island's North Fork proved a perfect backdrop for our couple Sally & Andy's April wedding. Not only was the evening a total culinary experience, with a five course meal prepared by Keith Luce and his team at Luce + Hawkins at Jamesport's Jedediah Hawkins Inn, but it was an elegant nod to the upscale, yet low-key atmosphere of Long Island's wine country that Sally and Andy (and we!) love so much.

Sally and Andy came to me about six months prior to the wedding date with a special wedding weekend in mind. They wanted an intimate ceremony and feast out East on Friday night, followed by a raucous cocktail reception in Manhattan (which we hosted at Hudson Terrace--we'll post those photos in Part II next week!) They had specific criteria for Friday evening's wedding: they wanted it to be special, delicious, picturesque, but in no way stuffy, formal or stodgy. Finding just the right venue became our biggest challenge and when we found Jedediah Hawkins Inn--an Inn that combined the best of old world Victorian Charm with the most modern luxuries and sensibilities (can you say woven leather ceilings!) -- we knew we had our venue.

The rest fell into place: ceremony in the gazebo out near the Inn's historic barn, cocktails in the original Speakeasy where they have Long Island Reisling on TAP!, and a five-course sit-down feast in the dining room complete withgorgeous mantel prepared just to their liking by Keith and his team. The florals were provided by Landscape Adventure in Riverhead (a family friend of the bride) and incorporated colors inspired by the Inn, the season (daffodils!), and lots of interesting containers indigineous to the environment from mason jars to milk jugs.

Guests dined on individual plates of duck wing confit ragu with cucumber raita, artisinal cheese and charcuterie and crudite served family style, fish, steak and smouldering pots of macked out mac 'n cheese--with wines handpicked by the couple. After dessert which included chocolate pudding with Peconic sea salt, homemade donuts, and a special strawberry shortcake, the entire family of 25 descended back downstairs to party the night away at the Speakeasy.

Next week, we'll post Part II of this special wedding weekend -- when our North Fork event moved into NYC Nightclub!

Spotlight on "Vintage Confections"

Stuffing an Easter basket or satisfying a sweet-tooth? We can hardly resist these gorgeous gems from Chicago-based Vintage Confections. 


From their mint-chocolate-chip lollipops to their whimsical candied moustaches to their series of candied birth gems, we're going crazy-for-Cocoa-Puffs over their inventive selection. They even serve up corn-syrup-free lollipops in fun flavors like citrus blossom, pomengranate, almond, clove and peppermint. I am hoping to find their rose-water marshmallows in my mother's day package (hint, hint)...We're also a big fan of their caramel collection (can you say, Lavendar Caramel!) and their monogram line which features 3" candied letters and numbers. What a great caketopper!


Right now, they're running a sweet promotion: get a free 1/4 lb. of ANY caramel of your choosing with ANY $10 order. Just put FREECARAMELS in 'notes to seller' on their Etsy shop checkout along with the caramel of your choosing. They'll include it free with your order!

Dinner Mints, Pistachio & Pink Champagne

We've just about wrapped up prep for this weekend's country-meets-city weekend wedding--and all the tiny details of planning two-weddings-in-one have come together. Friday night, our couple will share an intimate ceremony at an inn overlooking the vineyards of the North Fork of Long Island. Saturday, we'll make a mad dash back to the City that Never Sleeps for a raucous celebration! You bet, we'll be posting pictures of our ying-and-yang receptions. Think buttery yellows and sage green for the ceremony and farm-to-fork dinner reception, followed by luscious lipstick shades of red and shimmery gold and crystal for our night out on the town!


Needless to say, we're *busy* at Chandelier, rolling out Spring events and deep into our blockbuster Fall. But, as the calm sets in for the night, we can't help but indulge ourselves. Hey, what can I say--we can't get enough! It's like planning our own weddings, over and over again.


So, here is the first of our inspiration spotlights--brought to you, fresh-cut, in spring shades that invoke sweet auras of dinner mint pastels, pistachio greens, and delicate pink champagne. From a pink tulle Vera Wang wedding gown to long flowing blush chiffon bridesmaids (in a wedding styled by our friend Annie Lee and photographed by Caroline Tran) to this gorgeous bouquet featuring frayed-edge tulips! Just dreaming about the wedding we could create in these hues ....


Oh well, back to reality! Signing off for another whirlwind weekend... see you on the other side of the altar.

{Found} Vintage Rentals. . .What a Find!

Lounge: Katie Neal Photo, http://www.katienealphoto.com/

Chippy Shelf: Amelia Lyon, http://www.amelialyon.net/

Tablescape: Jessica Claire: http://www.jessicaclaire.net/

Favor Cubbies: Will Keeler, http://www.willkeeler.com/

Spanish Table: Becky Hill Photography, http://www.beckyhillphotography.com/

Pancake Bar: Sarah Yates Photography, http://www.sarahyatesphotography.com/

{Found} Vintage Rentals is an event planner's eureka. a "why didn't i think of that?" innovation. a style-me-pretty bride's dream come true. I found this place myself through Twitter--and loved the whole concept that Jeni's passion for all-things vintage turned into a full-fledged service geared towards helping the style-savvy add a boost of hipster to their what-could-have-been cookie cutter event. 

Here's a little bit about their process:

Found clients arrive at the beginning of their search for rad vintage rentals for the weddings and events. They are looking for one-of-a-kind pieces and find them in our curated collection. Found provides statement pieces for ceremonies, dessert displays, lounge furniture and everything in between handpicked by Found's owner, Jeni Maus, who searches the world over for killer furniture and accessories.

In addition to their rentable collection, Found also offers delivery services (in California) as well as styling. While they don't work with flowers or frost cakes, they lend an artistic eye to any display.  Clients hire them to place their furniture, execute a vision for their off-the-wall escort card display, or bring along a million fabric flower accents to make their day special. They also find and create custom pieces; whether that's a fabulously reupholstered vintage couch or a freestanding wall made from reclaimed wood.

No where near Fullerton, California? Neither are we. But we can't help but melt with delight at this company's design inspiration. We'll keep you posted as they expand!

Chandelier Event: Everything Roses 1st Birthday Party

 Planner: Chandelier Events; Florals: Anne Miller for Little Flower Shoppe; Photo: Stacey Ilyse Photography

Planner: Chandelier Events; Florals: Anne Miller for Little Flower Shoppe; Photo: Stacey Ilyse Photography

 Planner: Chandelier Events; Florals: Anne Miller for Little Flower Shoppe; Photo: Stacey Ilyse Photography

 Planner: Chandelier Events; Florals: Anne Miller for Little Flower Shoppe; Photo: Stacey Ilyse Photography

 Planner: Chandelier Events; Candy: Sweet City Candy; Photo: Stacey Ilyse Photography

 Planner: Chandelier Events; Cake: Cheryl Kleinman; Photo: Stacey Ilyse Photography

Planner: Chandelier Events; Venue: HoHoKus Inn & Tavern, NJ; Florals: Anne Miller for Little Flower Shoppe; Photo: Stacey Ilyse Photography

This little Chandelier shindig was an especially sweet one for me to plan because it was for my own little girl--and I got my favorite local gals on board to bring it to life. 


We whipped up a chic event for a very small group of friends to celebrate this special moment. We went with a "Pinkalicious" palette--well, because it's not only her favorite book, but I have to say she is definitely pinkalicious herself. 


Inspired by pink mercury glass vases that I fell in love with at first site, I consulted my friend, the amazingly-talented Anne Miller of Ridgewood, NJ's Little Flower Shoppe (my neighborhood gem) to pull together lush centerpieces of ranunculus, David Austen roses, red and blackberries, grey dusty miller, carnations (yes! carnations).  She brought my dream of a giant pink floral "M" for Meri to life on the mantel and embellished it with carnation fairy balls on crystal pedestals.


For dessert, we filled containers with all hues of blush, from strawberry m&m's to bubblegum rock candy from Sweet City Candy (which happens to be owned by my friend Lauren, who I've known since I was ONE myself)...and of course, popped a butterfly or two wherever the space needed a little extra fairy dust. 


HoHoKus Inn & Tavern did not disappoint with their lunch menu that featured a fresh strawberry and goat cheese salad, butternut squash ravioli served in mini cast iron skillets, and the most delicious death-by-chocolate mudslide cookies I've ever had. Meri got to feast on her very own cake created by our Brooklyn-based friend Cheryl Kleinman--the outside featuring pleated pink fondant, and inside, a Neopolitan-ice-cream-inspired confection with chocolate devil's food cake with vanilla bean and raspberry mousse filling. 


And all of this was preserved in beautiful photos of the very wonderful Stacey Ilyse!


Looking back on this one just reminds me of how sweet she makes my every single day.