Claire & Pete - Brooklyn, NY

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

CYA (Cover Your Ass): Ask the Right Questions of Your Venue

featured on www.mrswhyknot.com July 23, 2014

When planning your wedding at a Catering Hall, their list of inclusions often seems all-inclusive, but you’ll want to be sure that what they’re providing is in line with what you need for your specific event.

As wedding and event planners, we visit new venues all the time, and ask dozens of questions about their capabilities, requirements, guidelines, offerings, and general approach toward events.

If you’re planning your event on your own, you probably already have an idea of the questions you will be asking (how much everything costs, whether you can have your ceremony onsite, how many guests can fit) but here is a quick list of top questions to ask, that you may not have thought of, to make sure you have all the information you need to plan your event:

-       Maximum Seated Capacity – It’s important to ask this question, but you’ll also need to ask “what is the maximum seated capacity, when a dance floor is set up?” Sometimes, caterers give you a number, but because you didn’t know to ask about the dance floor, your expectations of capacity might be different from theirs. Make sure you ask both questions.

-       Size of dance floor – It’s also important to know how much space the dance floor will have - we’ve all been to the wedding where the dance floor was too small to accommodate all who wanted to give their twinkle-toes a little spin on the dance floor, and similarly, you don’t want the dance floor to be too big either. You want a nice balance of enough room for everyone, while not making the dance floor look empty by having it be too large for your party. The general rule of thumb when it comes to sizing your dance floor is to ensure that you have 3 square feet per dancing guest. This allows enough breathing room for all who like to boogie down, and won’t eat up too much of your reception space.

-       Are Linens included? – Ask this question, and don’t forget to also ask their colors and whether there are any upcharges for certain colors. Sometimes, catering halls keep certain colors stocked (standards like black, white and ivory), but need to rent out any other colors that you’d like. Make sure you know what colors you want to use, and whether or not they will charge you more if you ask for a color that they don’t have in storage.

-       What do the chairs look like? – It’s important to see, and sit in the chairs as well. Find out how comfortable they are, and how they look (will they need chair cushions or covers?) to make sure they’re perfect for your guests. And if you determine that you’d like chair covers, find out if chair covers can be provided by the venue, and whether they come at an extra cost (ask about colors on these too!)

-       Is Up-Lighting included? – A big trend in weddings lately has been to utilize lighting instead of additional decor to brighten up the room and give it a color that would look great for your event. Some venues offer this for free; others can rent lighting equipment for you (or you can rent it on your own). Find out if there is a charge associated with them providing this for you, as it can really save you a lot of money with decor.

-       Pin Spots – You’re already going to be spending time and money on obtaining beautiful centerpieces for your guests’ tables - make sure that your venue can help to highlight those with pin-spots. These are tiny spotlights that can be adjusted to point directly at your centerpieces, to give them a nice glow. It also produces great ambiance within the room.

-       Audio / Visual Equipment – Many couples choose to display a photomontage or short video at their weddings. Make sure your venue has the equipment to support this for you, and find out if you need to hire an A/V professional to handle this for you. Your wedding coordinator may be able to manage it, or someone at the venue may be willing to do it for you!

-       Tip Jars at the Bars – This is a matter of preference. Some venues allow tip jars to be on the bars at your event. Others ask for you to provide gratuities to your bar servers. Either way, it’s important to know which approach your venue takes, and whether you’ll need to budget a little extra for bar service gratuities.

-       Valet Parking – Does your venue provide it? Does it cost the guest anything? Or is it an extra charge for you?

-       Preferred or Required Vendors – Some venues have strict rules about the florists, lighting vendors, and other wedding professionals that they’ll allow into their venue. Find this out upfront, to determine if your preferred vendors are on the list, or if there is flexibility in who they’ll allow to work with them.

-       Vendor Meals – Don’t forget about your other wedding professionals - your DJ, Photographer, Videographer, Coordinator etc., all need to be fed at your wedding. Find out what your venue charges you for vendor meal pricing. They will often offer a price break on these meals for you!

-       Location of restrooms and whether they are shared with other events onsite –  It’s important to know whether you’ll have to share restrooms with other events. The venue may provide small baskets of toiletries and amenities to guests, or they may ask if you’d like to do it yourself. Find out if you’re sharing the restroom with another event that evening – perhaps the other couple would like to split the cost of these items for you, if you’re sharing the space!

-       Can they accommodate pre-cocktail hour arrivals – If you’re planning on taking photos between the ceremony and the reception, you’ve probably allocated a bit of a time gap in between those two events. Your guests may use this time to check into their hotels, explore the local area… or even just show up early to the cocktail hour! Find out if your venue can accommodate early arrivals by offering them champagne, bottled water, soft drinks, or anything like that. For some venues, they will of course accommodate. Others may not be able to. It’s important to know what to expect here!

-       Deliveries / storage before event – Find out if your venue can take and store any décor items for you, before the event.

-       Overtime charges – At the end of the party, you may possibly find that some of your guests are having too good of a time to end the night! Find out if your venue is flexible with the end-time of the event, and if so, what those overtime charges might be. Better to be prepared and offer your guests a little extra time, if they want it!

To make it easy to remember, here’s a short recap list of the items that you can print and bring along with you to the venue:

-       Maximum Seated Capacity

-       Size of dance floor

-       Are Linens included?

-       What do the chairs look like?

-       Is Up-Lighting included?

-       Pin Spots

-       Audio / Visual Equipment

-       Tip Jars at the Bars

-       Valet Parking

-       Preferred or Required Vendors

-       Vendor Meals

-       Location of restrooms and whether they are shared with other events onsite

-       Can they accommodate pre-cocktail hour arrivals

-       Deliveries / storage before event

-       Overtime charges

Happy Planning!

SNEAK PEEK! Private Tour of Westchester County's Newest Coastal Wedding Mansion!

featured on www.mrswhyknot.com April 7, 2014

Something Blue was recently given a private tour and exclusive planning rights to a brand-new wedding venue in Westchester – which we are excited to begin planning events in! This venue is so brand-new, the name and location have both yet to be announced – but Something Blue has the exclusive inside scoop on all it has to offer, including the very first photos and details of the venue, the grounds and the breathtaking views!

Located on the water, this stunning vintage mansion is sure to be the newest and most sought-after wedding destination for those who would like an intimate, private event with a rustic and hidden-away feel, yet prefer the convenience and accessibility that venues in lower Westchester offer.

Just steps away from the water and tucked away in a private wooded area, the house is not only full of its original charm, but the owners have done an amazing job reviving the entire space, both inside and out, for the most discerning of guests. Not a detail has been missed, including restoring the original woodwork and light fixtures throughout the house, which gives this classic yet updated venue its own unique identity.

There is truly nothing else like it in Westchester.

The abundance of windows bathe the rooms in light, and the wrap-around porch allows for guests to not only enjoy the beauty and comfort of the inside of the house, but also the beauty and splendor of the surrounding area outside.

Not only is it a perfect venue for a wedding, rehearsal dinner or private event, it also has 8 bedrooms which are available for overnight accommodations for hosts and guests.