2010, A Space Odyssey

Unlike cooking or auto mechanics or painting by numbers, there are no templates for creating a party.

There are so many not-so-obvious elements that make an event either crackle with electricity or die a slow death. One of these is the usage of space. I take a perverse and rebellious pleasure in attempting to re-envision venues in new ways, particularly when the catering director patiently explains how “it’s always done” with the ceremony here and 8, 60-inch rounds there, blah, blah, blah….When we work at homes or spaces that have never been used before, it’s my equivalent of tight rope walking (and I am pretty afraid of heights) – a mixture of sheer delight and horrendous nausea.

It’s not about inventing something just for the thrill of it – like any cliche, there’s a reason that venues have been set up the way they have since Fred and Wilma Flintstone’s wedding – it works. But, does it work in the very best way possible for this event, this client?

The caveat is, if you want to try something new, you had better be very vigilant in using the tools available to make sure it’s gonna fly: CAD or SketchUp or any number of possible programs, and that’s just the first step. An anecdote to illustrate (you know I love these):

Recently, while designing a wedding ceremony on a rooftop, we were undecided as to what would work best. The bride wanted it facing one way, we had some other ideas and the hotel had always set the chairs in another. We had walked it through enough times to make me sick of the setting, and measured and CAD planned it down to the millismidgens. BUT it was only when I sat there two days before the wedding at the precise time the ceremony would be taking place, that I realized none of this mattered, because the angle of the sun at that hour with the placement we were considering would have crisply roasted the bride, groom and all the guests in the first ten rows – obviously, we reconfigured it.

Having done this as long as I have, I’ve gotten pretty good at imagining what could work and how many people might fit comfortably in a space, or if a ceremony in the round would be clever and simpatico or if we could get some good drama by hanging the bandstand off of a cliff with the ocean underneath. However, I don’t take anything for granted, even with very sophisticated computer layouts.

So – if you see me crawling along in a silk skirt on a grungy floor with a tape measure in one hand and duct tape and chalk in another, be nice – I’m just double checking.

I’d love to hear about any of your inventive uses of space, of course I WILL “borrow” them, but what are friends for?

A BIG tent, with tables of many different shapes and sizes

Lea and I attempting to figure out a ceremony lay out

Loooong tables were the only possibility in this space

Small space, too many people - we had to do an L shape

Bailey&Blum&blushing with pride

It’s always seemed to me that the absolute best scenario in this life is to actually make some money while doing something you enjoy that at the same time does good for others. Well, unless you are ten years old or under and reading this, you realize that this “perfect storm” type of work happens rather infrequently. Yes, yes, I know that wedding planning can fall into that category, but it’s a bit of a stretch to frame it that way.

Bailey&Blum, the weekend intensive on wedding and event design and planning that my friend Preston Bailey and I created this spring, was one of those rare experiences. Both Preston and I are at our best in this intimate format (under 30 attendees), and we were able to connect with our ’students’ in a very unusual way. So much so, that the letters and photographs we received afterwards just blew us away.

One in particular- a work of art with so much heart infused in it that it made my cynical self weep when it arrived- was a scrapbook of the weekend put together by one of the group, event planner Deborah Dixon, some pages are shown here.

So, we have decided to do it again- it’s August 6-8- and we have poured ourselves into planning an amazing weekend agenda. Take a look at www.baileyandblum.com and consider joining us. Yes, it’s really worth it…

It’s my party and I’ll…

It’s almost the halfway point to my next birthday (or my “midi” as I called it when I was young and stupid enough to celebrate such a thing). I don’t know if it’s just my own psychosis, but I feel as if my friends expect a better party from my because of my profession. Ironically, it’s this same profession that puts my own planning of the soirees on the back burner inevitably until the night or two before said occasion (come on, bingo and cupcakes with champagne was fun, right?).

Luckily, I am great at planning other people’s birthday parties in a nap. Recently, a GTB (groom-to-be) asked us to throw together his 30th birthday in about oh, two week. Yay, what fun, I thought. We didn’t have too much to go on but we knew he was a connoisseur of fine wine, and loved the Arizona Wildcats. So, we had pretty much free reign on this one. Which is quite a double-edged sword if you ask me.

Once we found the perfect venue (the penthouse at The Hotel on Rivington; hello outdoor hot tub) the rest of the party quickly took shape.

How could you not have a good time?

Trying to steer clear of the typical cocktail party (i.e. been there done that), we set up three different bars to enhance guests experience (and well, that’s just how we roll).

The first was a wine and cheese bar manned by the award-winning sommelier, Aldo Sohm, who picked out some of the finest reds and whites the world has to offer, brilliantly paired with our selection of cheeses from New York’s emporium of all things fromage, Artisanal. Guests were also able to fill out cute little wine tasting note cards while they sipped so they wouldn’t forget the memorable vintages when they got home. Crowds around this table were worse than SATC2 on opening night!

Super cute personalized tasting notes...

Next was the vodka tasting bar, paired with, you guessed it, caviar and blinis. Yum! Nothing like an ice-cold shot of Russian vodka on a hot summer night.

And of course, you can’t have a party without tequila! But not just any two-bit Jose; our friends at Tantao brought over tasty jalapeno, chocolate and tropical flavors for us to pair with some south-of-the-border treats.

One of our beautiful tasting bars...

The vodka tasting station.

Ah, and for my specialty…the cake! Only the picture below will do it justice.

Is this not the coolest cake you've ever seen?

Mix all of the above with a killer DJ and you’ve got the making of one kick-ass birthday party.

Right, now back to planning mine…

Special Thanks
Venue: Hotel On Rivington
Cake: Ron Ben Israel Cakes
Signs: BDUB

The Independence Party

Just in time for July Fourth, I offer you some visuals from a party we conceived and styled for Hamptons Magazine. I really am not enamored of the soooo boring, traditional and over done to the point of making one’s eyes hurt, red, white and blue mish-mosh decor for the Fourth. In addition, as patriotism itself has been appropriated by the right side of our fair nation, I wanted to make a point, that the real essence of what Independence Day is about lies within the Declaration of Independence, not at Tea Party rallies. I know, I know, no politics in a party blog- but really, if you can make a point you feel intensely about, and still have a fabulous event without it being nauseatingly didactic, isn’t that the best of both worlds?

Concept was cocktails before the fireworks, for a few reasons: not so much fuss for the host, people can bring their families, leave and go watch the fireworks and the host can then actually have a relaxing dinner out or in with just a few people. The design entailed three distinct table set-ups, each it’s own solid block of color, including the food as much as possible (quite a challenge I’m sure you can see) including things like endive with anchovies, fresh strawberries, blue potato chips, deviled eggs, and fondue served from a jolly blue pot.

Our clever designer BDUB designed the pennants as a back drop to the scene and teeny, weeny adorable flags for drinks and hors d’oeuvres, each printed with liberty, equality, freedom, etc (you get the idea).

Pretty, festive, fun and not an immigration argument in sight. Enjoy your celebrations my friends!