Pete works in publishing and is a member of the band #LostGloves. Claire works for a tech start-up and is an actress. Busy Brooklynites with very little time in a day to plan a wedding, they quickly sought us out to make their wedding day a success. See the rather adorable way Pete asked Claire to marry him (http://bit.ly/11yScIy)! Well done, right?

As many brides can attest, finding your wedding dress can be the most daunting part of the whole process. Events by SB’s Creative Director has a proven track record of matching Bride to Dress very quickly (but that may have to do with the light #MimosaBrunch we treat you to the day of shopping!)

Hunting for Claire’s dress, we came across a stunning 1950’s lace and tulle circle skirt dress with a pleated satin waist hanging in the window of Rosebud Vintage in Crown Heights, BK!

This was her dress! It was everything Claire was hoping to find. As told by the shop owner, the dress was a custom-made design in the early part of the decade. This dress should not have fit Claire because of its measurements, but we were undeterred “Put it on, lets just see…” When Claire came out of the dressing room “OMG it’s a TARDIS dress.” That is when Claire knew. This was all meant to be!

On a gloriously warm mid-October Saturday, the guests entered the mansion to a Merchant’s Table covered in sheepskin, bricks, wheat, ore, and wood. In place of table assignments, each guest received a glass mug for their beer and whiskey!

Tables were set with pumpkins and gourds that were scattered around vintage books found at thrift stores throughout Brooklyn (some dating back as far as 1904!).

The bar was set in the Conservatory, with its big glass panes and colorful Tiffany Glass transom windows. Just beyond the Conservatory was a tented patio where the tables were set up family style. Decorated with more of the warty gourds and vintage novels. We added tall trumpet vases filled with beet-powder dyed water and in each vase a single “blade” of 6’ tall decorative grass was placed. It was simple yet dramatic.

Out in the yard, we set up a table for the couple’s friends to serve the beer they brewed for the occasion. In keeping with the bride’s choice of Beet Red for inspiration, a homebrew of Beet Beer was served!

The ceremony took place after an hour of cocktails and mingling with their guests, as the couple had decided instead of “a wedding that had a party” they wanted to have a “party that happened to have a wedding.” For bouquets and boutonnieres, we stormed the Whole Foods organic produce department for Kale, Beets, Swiss Chard, Asparagus and Red Endive. This was such a great challenge! Claire loved her edible bouquet!

In lieu of a sit-down meal, their guests noshed on delicious light appetizers with a few beet-centric choices provided by #BassetCatering until the groom’s favorite taco truck arrived, #Calexico! They were phenomenal! Instead of the traditional cake-cutting, there was a “doughnut-splitting” of fresh made apple cider doughnuts!

Everyone danced until the very last minute they could! Friend of the Couple DJ was on fire, and ended the night with party favorite and strangely heart warming Frank Sinatra’s “New York, New York”!

Sheep for Wheat!?

Planning & Decor: www.eventsbysb.com

Claire’s Dress: Vintage find from www.rosebudvintage.com

Pete’s Suit: Custom by www.altonlane.com

Catering: www.bassettcaterers.com & www.calexico.net

Photography: www.bigcakephotography.com

Venue: The Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture www.bsec.org

Tent Rental: www.westsidepartyrental.com

Claire’s Hair & Make-up: Norah Salazar http://norahlovesmakeup.viewbook.com/

Beet Juice Saison by #GlassbootBrewers

featured on www.mrswhyknot.com December 22, 2014

The 2014 Wedding Season was an exciting time for us! We worked with a wonderful contrast of people, ideas and concepts that provided us with unique opportunities as well as challenges to navigate. We want to highlight some of those challenges to help spark a thought about your wedding. Part of planning and designing a wedding includes identifying and overcoming challenges, working with what you have (or don’t have), and accommodating a wide range of people and their needs, which can be interesting and tricky at times.

Here are just a few of our 2014 events which had unique and interesting challenges, which we overcame to create beautiful, fun experiences for our clients.

Valerie and James – A sunset wedding on the NYC Harbor

Louis Valentino Park is hidden behind old abandoned warehouses on the NYC Harbor with stunning views of the Statue of Liberty and the setting summer sun! This fabulous site presented two challenges to planning a perfect ceremony.

Steady breeze off the harbor
Bright glare from the sun

To take advantage of this natural breeze, we created a flowing shabby-chic backdrop by sourcing vintage-feel fabrics in champagne, ivory, coral, and glittery gold to tie the bridesmaids’ dresses to the shimmering harbor during sunset. We turned the fabric into strips, which danced in the harbor breeze during the ceremony, creating a sense of romance and calm. To work WITH the sunlight, we decided to rotate the orientation of the entire site so the sun was behind the guests. Doing this we eliminated the glare from the guests view, and bathed the entire ceremony in the best light for outdoor photos.

photography by Beulah of www.wilhelminaweddings.com

Annie and Chris - An evening Gala for a very fun couple in a Pre-War building just beyond the bustling and boisterous Times Square!

The loft boasts original wide-plank floors, built-in book shelves, enormous skylights, grand windows, and private access to the roof which sits just below the Empire State Building. Everything in the loft is painted white, which creates a blank space to do anything you want! The couple wanted to have a big dance-all-night party that was not the typical seated formal affair. Wanting to include everyone they loved, the layout of the loft and the couple’s wishes required some creative thinking!

Wide age-range of the guests
One big room to meet many needs

The bride and groom were caught between what they wanted and what the realities of combining family and friends into one party means. The couple’s wish to have a cocktails and dance party meant they did not want a sit-down assigned seating event. They wanted everyone dancing all night!

We created four areas within the one space that would cater to all needs.

For the traditional wedding experience, we set dining tables near the buffet for the “VIP” guests. The bar and dance floor were assembled at the opposite end of the space to keep the party going all night. The space between the tables and dance floor was set with cocktail tables for those who wanted to dance the night away, and preferred to eat dinner at a cocktail table between their favorite songs!

Courtney and Tim – An autumn wedding on the family farm
The bride decided from the very beginning she did not want the traditional flower centerpieces, and did not want to assign seating. The couple wanted to create a relaxing fun family time on the groom’s family farm.

No flowers
No assigned seating
Last minute surprise for the bride from her sister

Since this wedding was to take place on a farm in the fall, we decided to go with wheat and organic English and French lavender (technically an herb!) for the rustic hand-tied bouquets, boutonnieres, and centerpieces. Working in some farm-grown gourds and pumpkins with burlap accents and pops of orange and yellow against a base of blues, a truly romantic scene was set.

Allowing your guests to choose their own seats can be a thoughtful gesture, but once the first few groups sit with their “besties”, you’ll inevitably have one or two empty seats between those groups and the last few people to walk in (who will also want to sit together) wont have any seats to do so. To solve this problem, we suggest setting extra tables with at least 15% more seats than rsvp’d guests (ie: you expect 100 guests, provide seating for at least 115).

lavender and wheat bouquets and boutonnieres by eventsbysb

Lastly, two days before the wedding, the bride’s sister asked us to work an 11 minute photo montage into the reception. After dozens of phone calls and emails, we secured a projector and screen rental, reworked the layout of the reception, and updated the timeline for the DJ and the caterer. Timing is everything!

We believe your wedding day should be one of the happiest, most perfect days of your lives together. At SB Events, that belief is at the core of what we do, and we work tirelessly to overcome every challenge, clear every roadblock, free up every snag, and smooth every potential crease that may arise leading up to or during your big day, to keep it as perfect as possible. Even when your event is expertly planned and designed, someone must be assigned the job of “coordinator” to handle the inevitable issues that will arise on the day of your wedding. This includes handling any seating issues, vendor management questions, timing implementation, and of course, those last minute surprises that your bridal party may want to provide for you.

We’re here to handle it all, and love every minute of our jobs! As you’re planning your event, don’t forget the crucial step of selecting a coordinator who you can trust to handle any challenge that’s thrown their way. At SB Events, it’s what we do, and we love doing it!

XO & Happy Planning!

Claire & Pete - Brooklyn, NY

Looking Back on a Great 2014 Wedding Season: Selected Wedding Highlights