 PHOTO CREDIT: SUSAN STRIPLING PHOTOGRAPHY We had quite the road rally this year, and it feels so rewarding to look in the rear-view mirror to see the tremendous amount of positivity and merry making that we created for our clients in 2021. It’s also so good to feel the rumble of my engine start to slow. We kept an intense pace. I am so eager to share the moments and the reviews with our followers and future prospects as this year comes to an end and a new year awaits. As with any race, we were not the only ones in high gear at the starting line. But unique in this race of getting back on track and making up for 2020, we were amongst MANY other winners. I dedicate this month’s blog issue of “A Planner’s View” to the vendors we raced with and alongside, through what I felt was the most challenging, intense and rewarding career stretch I have ever experienced. My hope is that this post will reach those I most want to thank for this gallant year as well as those that we did not have the honor of working with but hope to in the future. My deepest appreciation and gratitude goes out to... the venue owners and managers, vendors, artisans and laborers that supported the vision that my clients and I held for their day, showed up wholeheartedly to get to the finish line united and with a smile.  Where do I begin? How loud can I roar my gratitude to all of you? In order to truly appreciate what it took this year to succeed and shine, I’d like to touch on the many extras that each of you stepped up to face that went above and beyond the norm of getting the job done: 1. The demands of Covid protocols...vaccinations, tracing, testing, vac cards, waivers, documentation submissions, and simply taking responsibility to do the right thing. 2. The many last minute adjustment of guest counts that impacted catering, rentals, floor plans, signage, personalized guest cards, gifts and so much more. 3. Adjusting and modifying to endless supply shortages and delivery delays. 4. Labor shortages that impacted every owner and became not only a scheduling nightmare but impacted the already very long workdays to even longer ones. 5. The ongoing uncertainty of Covid variants added so much more to the communication focus, client management and your own health risks. 6. The #*! weather!!! Sideways rain, mud, inside out umbrellas, need I say more? 7. etc….I could go on and on, but you lived it and know it as well as I. All of this took so much grit, blood, sweat and tears (maybe you didn’t cry, but I did once!) and it took so much more. Beyond looking back, when I “feel” back to each event, my heart swells again and again because of the compassion, the patience, the generosity, the extra effort that was in each conversation and interaction with all of you. Even though you were exhausted, stretched to your limits and working so very hard to juggle the immense and complex schedules and demands, I always felt that each of you put your struggles aside to be there for me, my team and our clients . In many moments it felt like survival, but in reflection, it is truly a most heartening way to look back to the challenge and see the greatest parts of humanity show up with sincerity and grace. I do believe that when life feels most challenging, the gifts are the greatest. You have been that for me. I will always cherish these memories, the highs and lows, the “oh-my-God’s”, the “holy sh_ts”, the “really’s?” and many other expressive and spontaneous utterings that erupted in my moments of stretching to new limits. Despite it all, look what we did! 21 in 21  Mostly, I will cherish you, the many friendships that blossomed, the trust that was built and the endless proud moments we created by taking the time to work together and be together with heart and soul. A heartfelt thanks to my pros! I hope for many more opportunities with you and with far fewer obstacles on our racetrack. Bless you and wishing you and your loved ones a truly warm and wonderful holiday season! XOXO Paula For blog followers and onlookers seeking talented party makers… SO VERY HONORED TO HIGHLIGHT OUR 2021 PROS ...listed below categorically and alphabetically [ WEBSITE LINKS + INSTAGRAM HANDLES ] Please take a moment to explore the offerings and talents of these incredible venues, vendors and artisans. If I had the time, I would write a sidebar shouting kudos to each and every one of them. Trust me, support them, spread the word! BABYSITTING Hudson Valley Ceremonies @hvceremonies BARAAT HORSE Loon Meadow Farms BARTENDING | LIQUOR Domaney's Liquor @domaneysliquors CAKES Nine Cakes @ninecakes CALLIGRAPHY Marjorie’s Letters @marjoriesletters CATERING Farmer’s Wife @farmerswifeancramdale Foremost Caterers @foremostcaterers Harvest Real Food @harvestrealfoodcatering Mazzone Hospitality @mazzonehospitality Simply Divine @simplydivinenyc Suburban Kitchen @suburbankitchenny The Breakroom @thebreakroomgw The Kitchen Sink @kitchensinkny Wood Fire Food @wood_fire_food DRAPING Bearfly Designs @bearfly_designs Drape Kings @drapekings Stortz Lighting @stortzlighting FLORALS Arbor & Flora @arbor.and.flora Athabold @athabold Boston & Burke @bostonandburke Country Gardeners @countrygardenersflorist Croaked Oak Farms @crookedoakct Flower Blossom Design @flowerblossomdesign_ Flowers by Felicity @flowersbyfelicity Fleurtacious Designs @fleurtaciousdesigns Hedge Floral @hedge_floral Kamilla’s Floral Design @kamillas Putnam Valley Florist Sprig & Social @sprigandsocial FOOD TRUCKS It’s a Pizza Truck @itsapizzatruck GAMES Upstate Jamboree @upstatejamboree GLAMPING Glamp Star @glampstars GOLF CARTS W&B Golf Carts @wbgolfcarts HAIR Allure Traveling Beauty @alluretravelingbeauty Artisan Beauty Bar @artisan_beautybar Artist House Salon @theartisthouseny Hello Lovely @hellolovelykc.com Kanwal Batool @iamkanwalbatool Kindred Beauty Co. @kindredbeautyco Lauren Germain Pratt @laurenb0105 Le Shag @leshagbeauty Renee Russo @reneemrusso SB Beauty @sbbeautynyc Willow House Beauty @willowhouse.beauty ICE CREAM CARTS + TRUCKS Bona Bona Ice Cream @bonabonaicecream Fortunes @fortunesicecream New York Food Truck Association @nyfta LANDSCAPING AB Landscaping @ablandscaping Gillooly & Co Design @gillooly.design Old Farm Nursery @judymurphy5452 Salisbury Garden Center @salisbury_garden_center LIFEGUARDS Hudson Valley Ceremonies @hvceremonies LIGHTING Bearfly Designs @bearfly_designs Gillooly & Co Design @gillooly.design Handy Boys Event Services @handyboysllc Sprig & Social @sprigandsocial Stortz Lighting @stortzlighting MAKEUP Alexandra Angelone Bridal @alexandraangelonebridal Allure Traveling Beauty @alluretravelingbeauty Artisan Beauty Bar @artisan_beautybar Hello Lovely @hellolovelykc.com Kanwal Batool @iamkanwalbatool Kindred Beauty Co. @kindredbeautyco Lauren Germain Pratt @laurenb0105 MBD Beauty, LLC @mbdbeauty SB Beauty @sbbeautynyc Willow House Beauty @willowhouse.beauty MUSIC Bill's Toupee Band @billstoupee Continuo Music LLC @continuomusic David Ross Guitarist @davidrossguitarist DJ Dina Regine @dinaregine DJ Lauren Murada @laurenmurado Elan Artists @elanartists Kaos Production @kaosproduction Lucy Music @lucymusicny Matthew Friedman & Stiletto @mattybfree M4U Events @m4uevents Silver Arrow Band @silverarrowband Steve Gravino Guitarist Wendy Kerner Harpist OFFICIANTS Rabbi Steven Kane Rev. Al Zadig Rev. Jude Smith Rev. Sarah Henderson OUTDOOR EXPEDITIONS + WATER SPORTS Hudson Valley Expeditions @hudsonvalleyexpeditions PARKING Classic Valet Parking, Inc. @classicvaletparking PHOTO BOOTHS Bluebird Hill Events @bluebirdhillevents Kaos Production @kaosproduction PHOTOGRAPHY Adam Okimatsu Photography @adamokimatsuphotography A.H Pham @hieuterus Danila Mednikov Photography @danilasphotography Didier Gault @didiergault1 Elena Wolf Photography @elenawolfe Golden Hour Studios @jessepafundi Susan Stripling Photography @susanstriplingphotography Undressed Moments @undressed_moments Wildly Beloved Photography @wildlybelovedphotography YM Visuals @yannismalevitisweddings RENTALS Columbia Tent Rentals @columbiatentrentals Events Unlimited Tent & Party Rentals @events_unlimited_party_rentals Mahaiwe Tent Inc. @mahaiwetent NorthEast Tent Rentals @northeast_tent_productions North Country Vintage Rentals @northcountryvintage Total Events @totalevents RESTROOMS Premier Executive Trailers @premier_executive_trailers SOUND | AUDIO + VIDEO TECH Bearfly Designs @bearfly_designs Handy Boys Event Services @handyboysllc BRIDAL STYLIST Lizzy Polden @lizzypolden TRANSPORTATION Casanova Carriage @cassanovacarriage Coxsackie Transport Inc. @coxsackietransport JTR Transport @jtr_transportation Premiere Transportation @premiere_transportation VENUE Ellsworth Manor @ellsworthmanor Glynwood @glynwoodevents Oak Hill @oakhill_on_hudson Old Drovers Inn @olddroversinn Southwood Estate @southwoodproperty Taconic Ridge Farm @taconicridgefarm The Pines Troutbeck @troutbeck.ny VIDEOGRAPHY Danila Mednikov Photography @danilasphotography Kieran Mangels Photography @kieranmangels Margo Sees Stars @margo.sees.stars The Candi Project @thecandiproject Valerie Barnes Photography @valeriebarnesfilm YOGA Ascend Center @ascendcenter  Take the time to celebrate who you love and what you love in 2022!
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