How ready are we to celebrate now that winter is officially over and event season ready for kick-off? The outdoors beckons us. It’s landscape shifts to renewed green footing, with branches overhead opening to buds and scented blossoms, bulbs pushing steadily through the soil and songbirds trumpeting joyfully, lifting us out of our slumber. The event season beckons too and with that our couples and clients are announcing their celebrations and inviting their most beloved ones to join them. So, what’s on my minds aside from a million details to get them to their day? I N V I T A T I O N S Although working alongside of our clients on the planning and management of their event is our primary objective, we pride ourselves in focusing on printed and often, handcrafted details, starting with an invitation suite that reflects their personal style, their event vision, and their budget. We believe that the first impression a guest receives in a beautifully crafted envelope with the perfectly appointed postage stamp (and hopefully their names elegantly handwritten in ink with a calligraphy quill), should be opened with delight and express all that is to come along on the celebration day with a heartfelt sense from the couple that says... “You are special to us, and we would be honored to share our day with you!” The conversation begins with Digital vs. Print Getting our clients focused on their guest outreach, starts with the pros and cons of digital verses mailed invitations. If our clients want to communicate digitally, they will most likely use their wedding website or software designed specifically to send and track. Great options for this DIY, eco and budget friendly invite process that also saves production and mailing time are Paperless Post, Evite and Punchbowl, to name a few. If clients cherish paper and tradition as much as we do, we talk about the variety of options available in creating a suite—a collection of cards that are mailed together to invite your guests to your celebration, be it a wedding, mitzvah or milestone. A suite typically contains all or a combination of these elements:
Defining the Direction As a designer over the course of my career, I am well versed in the many ways to work through a creative process be it wholistically or in combination with other resources. Understanding our clients personally and their end goals, allow me to guide this process seamlessly. We begin with identifying their...
Design Processes & Options 1 | Stationary Lines Not every client wants or needs to start from scratch in terms of design, even though we are ready and eager to work from a clean slate. They may find it easier and more convenient to focus on stationary lines that exist and ones in which they can add customization. We work with several lines to offer these options and also partner with local stationary shops that have more extensive collections with a broader range of styles. There are also online options that allow clients to build out their suites based on designer created stock art and who can also offer some customization with their lines. Minted, Zazzle, Shutterfly and The Knot, are among a few. If this is a path that our clients take, we support their process in an advisory and resourcing role to ensure that they land comfortably in budget and styling. 2 | Illustration Artists Researching a perfect fit can be time consuming. There are event-focused artists that can work directly with clients or planners to create custom watercolors, collages and line art. They have a process that guides from organizing the plan, through custom execution to printing and imprinting guest names. Each artists has a their own particular style and strength. We can work with clients in resourcing the perfect fit and once the process is underway, we are on the sidelines to assist with proofreading, scheduling, and making sure all the details have been addressed graphically. 3 | DIY For clients that have the ability, talent, time, desire or simply need to cut costs, we applaud their willingness to take on the challenge of creating their own suites. We are always happy to act in an advisory role, offering proof reading and making recommendations on stock and processes. 4 | Our In-house Design Studio @ Your Event | Paula Smith Designs Inc. Visit Paula Smith Designs Inc. Portfolio I have personally spent my career designing both graphics and packaging for retail and wholesale high end markets. I understand the level of details it takes to make an impression and to align with a client’s vision. With a range of illustrator resources, a keen understanding of typography, the ability to resource uniquely curated detailing, I am comfortable starting with a blank slate, and taking the process through to production processes that elevate, be it embossing, letterpress, die cutting and utilizing unique closure with materials such as ribbon, wax seals (or other less traditional methods) and of course, incorporating the art of writing, hand lettered calligraphy throughout the suite. We pride ourselves with knowledge, resources, and the ability to create bespoke suites. Extending a customized design that originates with a suite and carries the theme through to other elements is a luxury and an artist-planner’s dream project. The Line Extension Once invitations are on their way to guests, we expand the conversation to the line extension. How do we carry the aesthetic from the invitation suite regardless of how we arrived at the design (stationary line, illustration artist, DIY or in-house creative) and extend graphics and production methods to other components that will be used for guest welcomes through restroom hospitality baskets? With care, consideration, intention, strategy and technical wizardry. Some of these are optional, some are required, and it has much to do with each couple’s vision and how their unique day is being presented. Whichever path they chose to arrive at their invitation suite, we are well versed in leveraging design and extending through the components so that the collection is unified and cohesive throughout all visual art components.
Have a peek at some of the creative fun we've had mirroring our client's celebration with ink & paper... We’d love to start a conversation even if you are not one of our event clients. • Partnering directly with couples who have DIY events in the works or are working with a planner are just as welcomed. If you feel we can support this creative aspect of your event, we'd be delighted for you to be "our" studio guest. | Contact Us | • Wishing you all the best as your celebrations unfold! May they be filled with all the details that make each guest truly feel like your guest of honor. Warmly—Paula Video: Courtesy of Marjorie's Letters A true talent with a huge heart, a creative colleague and exceptional artist, who is cut from the same cloth as I am-- loving and committed to the art of hand lettering and personal correspondence with paper, pen and a good old fashioned stamp. I adore her!
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Honoring our newlyweds and families who celebrated L O V E in many wondrous ways in 2022! Photo Credit: Anne Day Photography Many sentiments will be shared this month between the endless loves and lovers in the world. Who doesn’t love to be uplifted by LOVE? We feel blessed to be able to celebrate and experience many moments of love throughout the year, thanks to the work we do as event planners. LOVE is truly at the core of our efforts! We literally LOVE all that it takes to guide a client through the planning process to arrive on their celebratory day focused on each other, their families, their guests and not all the logistical to-dos swirling in their orbits. We also LOVE our couples and their families. When we meet, we literally know nothing about them until “their” love story starts to unfold in our conversations and as we begin to understand their vision in creating their perfect day. In this getting-to-know warmup and the adventure that we are now contracted in together, we soon have a snapshot of their bigger story…their families who have supported them to this day, their best friends who will toast (and perhaps roast) them and often that special person in their lives that will be honored to marry them. All the loves in their lives come to the surface to complete their story. It’s “their” circle of love that truly becomes our focus as it not only defines who they are as individuals and as a family but also so much of their decision making as they create a day with their loved ones in mind. It’s not always about them (although it is) but more often than not, their concerns lie in making it feel special for each and every one of their guests. This extension and expressions of love are yet another testament to how incredible it is to work when LOVE is at the core of it all. Photo Credit: Luke Wayne Photography Love notes reveal themselves throughout our process and in our role as planners, creators, problem solvers, cheerleaders, coaches, and fairy godmothers (as I have been coined, on occasion). We are so proud to have these roles in support of love. We are also so proud of our most recent love stories and the couples whose stories became our stories and love notes in 2022. Photo Credit: L.C. Allison Photography Our extraordinary 2022 couples took time to return love notes to us after their celebrations. We received many personal thank you notes that we cherish and keep in a special place in a studio bin. Lovely emails also popped up in our inbox with heart emojis the week after. Our couples also took time to share their experience with Your Event and to write a multitude of reviews that earned us both The Knot "The Best of Wedding 2023 Award" and Wedding Wire "Couples’ Choice 2023 Award" last month. We are forever grateful to them for completing our love stories with 5 stars reviews and so many personal notations describing their happiness and how they were able to enjoy their day to the fullest because of our caring efforts, attention, and hard work. In this month of love, I’d like to share some of my personal love notes about each of our couples and event families and the mark that they each left on my heart. Photo Credit: Joshua Brown Photography and Videography Nicole + Kwame | 5.21.22 At our first meeting, our walk through the property at Gather Greene focused keenly on deciding where you would say your vows. That was more important to you than floor plans and a million other details. And so I understood you both from that moment forward. Watching you as you imagined that moment...priceless! “Will it be the woods or will it be on the ridge?” We walked back and forth. You took your time on this decision (your answer came weeks/months later). Yet it did not truly seem to matter where you stood and pondered this moment to be, you never stopped beaming at each other as if you were already there, saying “I do!” Photo Credit: Elaina Mortali Photography Brittany + Kyle | 7.17.22 We were all together for the first time for your rehearsal ceremony. It was immediate when I witnessed your connection that you balanced each other perfectly. 24 hours later, it was even clearer. Your energy, Brittany, whirled you throughout the rooms with your guests, dancing and celebrating, with such spontaneity and in each joy-filled moment. Kyle, your calm and easy breezy energy, stood steady but a smile never left your face, even when you stood alone for that moment that Brittany was footloose and fancy free. At one point you said to me, “Where is my wife, I can’t find her, AGAIN?” And you smiled even wider. Then in a flash, off you both went to jump into the pool for your personal big splash, full dressed. Your fun and folly were contagious…what a life ahead you will have! Credit: Anne Day Photography Mackenzie + Will | 8.20.22 Being at Fairfield Farm was truly where you shined so brightly. I could see that this special place was an extension of your lives and homes, representing not only natural beauty and but sheer comfort. You fit like a puzzle piece on that land, and it was very apparent that your loving and supportive family, and community completed your landscape puzzle in the most perfect way as they surrounded and celebrated you in a place that held such special meaning to all. Beautiful day, beautiful couple, beautiful love story of two families meant to be one! Photo Credit: Hudson River Photographer Noa + Noah | 9.9.22 Standing in the wild field imaging your day was literally like starting a landscape painting on a canvas that had a light wash of sage green laid in waiting for the next strokes to be added. There was a creative energy from the first uttering of “What do you think about this…., Paula?” You felt it long before we could see it and then you blossomed there. Dancing in celebration, and as comfortable throughout your day as if you were on an afternoon hike in the wilderness. It was so evident how deeply in love you were with the company that shared this day of creation with you. Photo Credit: Christopher Duggan Photography Ran + Jon | 9.10.22 Your quiet nature and fierce determination to make decisions was delightful to work alongside. But you sparkled and lightened the minute you walked onto the property at Hancock Shaker Village (and when you talked about hiking!). We entered the Round Barn on that very frigid winter day greeted by two braying mini donkeys, a small calf and several sheep, all looking up at us to say “Party, what party?”. And you said, “I hope they will be at the wedding!” We were equally charmed by their antics and not bothered at all by their smell. I knew from that moment that you both would make the most of your wedding day embracing all the wonders that this treasured place held and that we were meant to make it happen together. Credits: Eichar Photography Kate + Chris | 10.14.22 The “always-beginning” and never-ending love story...ours! From the first call with you Kate, I got your heart. We talked for a very long time but most of the conversation was about how excited you both were to be bringing your families together for this union and celebration. Every decision from that point on was about them, not you. When I met you Chris, I could see that you too were all heart, all giving. You waited for what felt like forever for this cherished day and as in most cases, you now know so well, the best things are worth waiting for. Our time together had a few replay buttons, but it was a great song indeed, and one that I will always reflect on with gratitude and joy. You, my dears, will always be so dear to me. Credit: L.C. Allison Photography Tanya + Arin | 10.15.22 When you joined me in the studio for our first meeting, and we talked about the many ways that you would personalize your day, I knew you were about creating an environment that reflected not only your style but your heart. You curated each moment of the weekend with such love and intention. Details abounded, spreadsheets filled, boxes stacked, pumpkins rolled and yet on your day, it all fell into exact order…your order. I could see throughout the process of collecting treasures from your finds here in the Hudson Valley and in the city, that you had started building your life just as you would continue to as husband and wife—a beautiful life, a treasured life, a life that brought so much joy because you were sharing it with the people in your life that you treasured above all else. Your sentimental ways won my heart from the first hello and your first happy tear when we hugged. Amy Julia Becker Book Signing Cocktail | 4.24.22 A book brought us together and when I read it, I knew it was intended, “To Be Made Well”. Your husband reached out to talk to me about making a special moment for your book release and reading, one that was beautiful, one that would delight you and require you to do nothing at all but appear and share your story with the community. Talk about love! We met that afternoon for the first time, moments before your fan club appeared. I listened, I paused, and I reflected. Forever grateful for your wisdom, spiritual reminders and for personally being present with you and your blessed family. Credits: YM Visuals Mika's Bat Mitzvah Into the Wilderness Meeting you and your family to discuss what “your” vision and theme would be for your Bat Mitzvah was beyond refreshing. We had three things in common from the get-go…our love for the wilderness, flowers and graphic design. Our adventure was inspiring and wonderful from Day 1. I loved that you conceptualized your logo, we had joined as creative minds and provided a final drawing that I could produce for “your” branded day. I loved that you understood color. I loved that you got what a tablescape could be with imagination and wanted yours to be magical and incorporate details that mattered to you. When Mother Nature delivered the perfect weather day to shine light on all that we created on your land, and all that your land had to offer, it was truly a gift to watch and be grateful for. You are quite the remarkable and talented person, Mika! I can only imagine the adventures you will create in your life. Photo Credit: K. Edlund Photography Natalie’s 1st Birthday | 8.27.22 Even beyond the Mai Tais, our love of bright color, family-focused, being moms and creating togetherness, we had a lot in common—we worked efficiently, effectively and with intention. The focus on creating fun for little ones was as important for the big ones. Making sure that in our exuberance of party planning, decisions were kept in check for a day that felt real and not excessive or pretentious. Seeing Natalie in her little white grass skirt dancing in the kitchen as she grasped the cabinet handles to stand upright was “the best” last look at the close of day before I headed home. Karianna + Reuben Engagement Party | 9.24.22 I loved our time together creating a clear-as-crystal vision of your engagement. You knew “exactly” how you wanted this kick-off to your life together to feel and you picked the perfect setting for “you”. It was so easy for me to step in, guide and manage this intimate night of celebration with those closest to you. Knowing you already from our professional work together made this a special honor for me. It was so wonderful to be with you both at the very beginning of your love story. I can only imagine the how the rest of it will unfold. Max’s Bar Mitzvah Supporting you through Max’s special day was an honor. Your vision of a more casual, intimate yet gorgeously well-appointed afternoon on your property was heavenly. I could see on that perfect sunny afternoon that welcoming guests to your home to enjoy all its wonders gave you as much joy as it did the kids running and playing freely, without any orchestration, just being. Washington Montessori Graduation Celebration Joining in this communal collaboration was so heartwarming. As a parent and former PA President and volunteer mom, I can truly appreciate the saying that “it takes a village” and your village was a delight to be a part of. You at the helm with the other parents onboard, set the stage as if laying out all the ingredients of a recipe on the counter, measured and ready for me. I simply had to step in, combine, stir, bake and plate. Such fun and so heartwarming to see the graduates and families under one tent, no masks and celebrating a proud and well-earned milestone together. 'Everything But Water' Corporate Retreat Working with you to welcome your colleagues to the Hudson Valley was hospitality-focused at it’s best. What’s not to love about where we live, right? Sharing it, all the better! Yet your vision of packaging experiences, really made for the warmest of welcomes. It was an honor to manage the itinerary and make sure it all went according to plan so you too could enjoy the fruits of your labor and being with your team. Megan + Jesse What a lovely surprise and honor it was to step in to support a fellow planner and colleague (and now friend) in running your wedding day. Unlike most couples, we had far less time together, but it was immediate to me when we sat and shared coffee and bagels on our first meeting, that you complemented each other perfectly. Your day was a magical one created in a setting that capturing all the warmth of home and all the beauty that your life would be from Day 1. Cheers to making LOVE a continued focus throughout the year and for having so many wonderful clients (past, present & future) to celebrate it with! • TAKE NOTE OF THE LOVE IN 2023 + SPEND TIME DOING WHAT YOU LOVE WITH THOSE YOU LOVE! Photo Credits (top) Adam Okimatsu Photography • Luke Wayne Photography • Tara Nugent Photography + (bottom) Luke Wayne Photography
"I’ve been so remiss! OK, I said it." This year, priorities shifted and there simply was not enough time to hold that diligent edge of keeping up to date on brand promotion. I started to feel the internal pressure as week after week and month after month passed and I did not return to writing my blog. The anxiety spiked further when Instagram posts and social screen time halted. Somewhere during all of this, I allowed myself the space to just let go of the expectations and rules I had set for myself. I decided instead to abandon the cause and focus on clients and events at hand, new business inquiries, our family, my father’s failing health, my rest and taking time to enjoy our property and furry friends. I realized that, float time at the pool (which occasionally presented itself on a sunny weekend when I was not working an event) was far more gratifying then focusing on any blog or post or letting followers know what I was up to. The ones in my inner circles, knew exactly what I was up to and were a source of constant support through another very challenging personal year. It took a lot of willpower to say “no” to getting up even earlier than I already was to see to these social and digital duties. But it became very apparent to me that it was time to reset priorities for my peace of mind. This mindful shift allowed me to relax and be present in each moment when the people in my orbit needed me most (be it at work or at home) and to create enough stillness to reset myself and get back to the work at hand each morning with all of our clients (both event and graphic) and many of you. So, with all of this, comes an apology to all the wonderful vendors that I love to follow and comment on. I know you were out there doing it all and so very well, but I simply could not cradle that phone to send you a heart emoji. Another confession...email fatigue in the red zone, so overdone. You? If you got mine and it lead you to this blog, well, I am beyond impressed and grateful that you clicked through. As we approached each event day and the emails finally settle and ceased, and we began interacting directly for set up... THE BEST had arrived. I was at my happiest. I LOVE walking onto a property and just working it to a finish "together" be it talking, laughing, working silently or even cursing at times. It’s what I love most about this work, "the unity" of energy and talents and personalities. It’s the face-to-face time and I don’t mean Zoom. It’s often the first time we’ve met in person or it’s a joyful reunion since our last event together. For me, it always involves a good hug and the comfort of being together to do what we love to do. So, thank you for this repeated gift! It's the icing on my cupcake. It's "so" what I need when we get to the finish line. Cheers to more togetherness in 2023 (that is, once we rest up and get our share of peaceful morning rises!). Now that that’s behind me, it’s time for sharing my personal gratitude to those that worked alongside us this year. Our year was truly successful and empowering, and it was so wonderful to feel like we were on a path to returning to the good ole days in the event world. But it did feel intense and highly driven and very demanding. You all stepped up as you always do with vigor, professionalism, positivity, and focus to make it the best if could be for our clients. I know it was not easy for you either, I felt your intensity on emails and calls and sometimes in person. Please grab hold of my truly heartfelt thanks for all you did to make our events tremendous success stories. I hold our relationships in the highest regard. I could not do what I do without you, nor would I want to even if I could. My team is equally grateful for the opportunities that we made together and look forward to many more. I’m so proud to share "our" 2022 galleries! Please take a peek at what “WE” did with our TOGETHERNESS”! Do share with your teams along with my personal gratitude for their efforts and hard work. KATE + CHRIS | THE SABLEWOOD TANYA + ARIN | RED + GREEN AT TACONIC RIDGE FARM RAN + JON | HANCOCK SHAKER VILLAGE NOA + NOAH | FIELD OF DREAMS BRITTANY + KYLE | BY THE LAKESIDE MACKENZIE + WILL | FAIRFIELD FARM NICOLE + KWAME | GATHER GREEN IN SPRING ENGAGEMENT PARTY | Watergrasshill B+B BAT MITZVAH INTO THE WILDERNESS LUAU 1ST BIRTHDAY PARTY BOOK SIGNING COCKTAIL | Washington, CT Please see vendor credits at the end of each gallery! Happy 2023…make it a year that makes you feel good! PHOTOS TAKEN FROM HOME + HILLTOPS WHEN I AM STILL. As we leap into this fast approaching event season, we want to look over our shoulder one last time to give thanks to our stoic 2021 couples & families. It was quite a year to say the least! Despite the ups and downs of planning amidst the instability of last year, our clients marched on and trusted us to lead them to their special day, be it weddings, vow renewals, or their child's bat mitzvah or graduation. With each successful ceremony, came celebrations like never before. There was an extra bit of sweetness in each moment that unfolded. Every couple, participant and guest were not only fully engaged but fully present. With so much uncertainty in the lead up, when the moment finally arrived to say (without a question mark but instead an exclamation point), “This REALLY IS happening!”, the energy was justifiably filled with disbelief and exponentially that much more charged with glee and appreciation. A blanket of gratitude fell over all of us as we heard these words echo again and again, event after event, until we reached December 31st with our last wedding celebration. The feelings associated with these emotional roller coasters tied to so much uncertainty will always be my point of reference for the rewards of leaning in and having our prayers answered. We are equally grateful for our couples and our families! Beyond trusting us, they worked so hard alongside us to hold onto their dreams while at times, needing to bend and flex to meet safety requirements as well as to process additional level of stressors in their planning. In the end, each wedding and celebration was a gift to all! And speaking of gifts, when 2022 awards came our way in the 1st quarter for both The Knot “Best of Weddings” & Wedding Wire “Couples’ Choice Awards” it had everything to do with our couples and families who took time to share their experience with 5-star reviews and endless accolades. We are so honored to have earned their praise and we cannot be more grateful to have this recognition! In this epic year of intense work and grit, these awards mean so much more. Thank you all with all my heart! After we caught our breath and rested after the marathon, we got busy tidying up files, folders, and photo galleries from last year. Not until this past week, did we have time to reflect on all we were able to create. It has been incredibly rejuvenating and energizing. As we now work with our 2022 and 2023 event clients, we are reminded of why we love what we do and how meaningful it is to bring this joy to others. I have endless memories of time spent with our 2021 clients. I miss them! For postponement couples, many of us spent close to three years planning together so we got “really” comfortable. For all of our clients, there came a closeness in just being there to support each other in the challenges on any given day between isolation, illnesses, losses and the daily challenges and impatience of continued limitations of life in the midst of the pandemic. Despite it all, my moments with clients be it virtual or masked, were such bright spots in my year. I’d love to highlight some of the happy heart moments of our time together! To each of you, you and your day will always hold a special place in my heart given how very much we all gave to get to the finish line together. Sarah + Matthew | 6.12.21 Braving that frigidly cold site visit day when we stepped into your ceremony circle in the pine grove. Was it the chattering of your teeth or the whisper of I do's that I heard? Regardless is felt sacred and yours and THE most perfect spot for the two of you, who love to forge your own path and are always up for an adventure. Elizabeth + Andy | 9.18.21 You at your sacred ceremony adorned with endless jeweled blossoms. Flower discussions permeated most every meeting and phone call. I loved that our mutual passion for gorgeous gardens and florals always took priority. When you walked down your blossomed aisle and stood at the alter surrounded by dahlias and September blooms, the vision was complete. I could see how you settled instantly in the setting and the knowing that it was perfect and perfectly you. Kiersten + Andrew | 7.23.21 Remembering our first walk to the upper field to contemplate a sail cloth tent surrounded by corn stalks. Your wheels were turning as your smiles grew. Through the months and years that followed, I loved witnessing your partnership in creating this day in your own way with your own hands-on approach. From raking out a level area for the dance floor, to making gifts for your wedding party to stringing lights along the endless fence rails. Nothing ever got in your way! Simone + Gabe | 7.10.21 Walking your new property while thinking about the millions of things we needed to get done (in less than 5 months!) before we even got to wedding planning. You were fearlessly decisive in each moment and never lost sight of the deadlines and what it would take to get 200 guests on the hilltop, on time. Work and focus got us up that steep driveway. I loved that your land was blessed with your union and that your family and friends were there to witness the start of your lives as husband and wife. I am so glad I have you in my sights from my kitchen window and can now call you a neighbor. Lindsey + Jake | 7.31.21 From our very first conversation to the many that followed through one postponement and to your wedding day, it was always about the details, details, details. I cherished your perfectly crafted response emails with correct punctuation, no typos, paragraph breaks, tabs, bullets and always sprinkled with politeness and courtesies. Your timeline document was timed to the second with nothing left to the slightest bit of chance. On day-of, I witnessed you let go and let be. Seeing you both so relaxed and going with the flow was validation to me that you not only trusted us and your team, but truly that nothing else was as important as your joy together in this day. Sarah + Benjamin | 7.10.21 Your spectacular wedding day sunset and smiles…both so warm and wonderful. You took time in every moment of the day to enjoy each other and those that surrounded you. Time seemed to stand still. As the night unfolded, and surprise guests appeared (in costume) to charge and ignite the dance floor, you rolled with it all with such grace and joyfulness. Rachel + Mitch | 8.22.21 Your ability to let go of the sunny dream day wedding but not let go of the most important aspect of your day — your love, each other and being surrounded by those people who adore you so much that they braved a hurricane, tent mud slides and continual torrents of rain and wind to celebrate "you". The Carvel ice cream truck headlights beaming through the storm, the roar of the crowd AND your ear to ear smiles when you held that soft serve cone with rainbow sprinkles and took a lick...was my icing-on-your-cake moment. Niketa + Arib | 8.28.21 From your adornment, Baraat horse and procession, to ice cream cups to all the wonderful warm tones of your wardrobes, florals and table setting AND the choreographed dance party, your wedding was the best birthday gift I could have imagined. Your ceremony and vows, so very heartfelt and genuine. Throughout the wedding day, the warmth continued to present itself not only in the wood fires but in the hearts and eyes of everyone present. The day truly glowed and was only outshined by your love light. Kayleigh + Julian | 9.9.21 From our first call, the only thing that was not negotiable was the garden ceremony. You flexed and compromised in so many ways while maintaining your good spirits and optimism. That day brought rain. When we had the dreaded conversation of shifting to Plan B, I love that you chose umbrellas and staying the course to see your dream come true. You smiled away the clouds and focused on each other. Seeing you in the garden together, rain and all, was the sunshine of the day! Jamie + Ethan | 9.25.21 Dreaming about your fairytale wedding on our site visits was like stepping into a storybook. It was THE best to be on property together to begin to visualize all of the moving parts on this vast and ever so special property. On your day, seeing your fav "RED" hues (Estee Lauder lipstick and Ferrari) inspire a color palette that burst from the lush greens and stone silvers of the landscape, was truly this artist's delight. Katie + Nikos | 12.31.21 Quite a sparkling end of year! Working together to tie in a wedding and new year celebration was such fun. I loved how focused you were on "wishes" for your guests and the personal touches you added to honor your cultures and your loved ones. The confetti blast off was incredible and it ignited the party all over again. So thrilled to have had our last 2021 hoorah with you both! Robin’s Bar Mitzvah | 5.31.21 I love the day you proudly modeled your Bat Mitzvah outfit for me. You were excited to share your flower patterned cotton shirt (which of course I loved), asked me about buttoning the vest or not AND flashed your new orange Vans (which of course, matched your color story). You looked so fabulous and beyond cool! Never phased by the rain and going with the flow on this important day, made you that much cooler! Olivia’s Graduation | 6.6.21 I adore setting a table for guests as much as I adore puppies. Setting your pretty-in-pink tablescape and having my toes liked by your little puppy bull dog, Moe, well, hardly felt like work. I was tickled by it all, in fact! Indeed a very happy and never-to-be-forgotten event year ! 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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