Paris Style in Albany New York

It's been nine months since I was contacted by a sweet woman by the name of Lynn with the most charming of southern accents. Turns out she was the mother of a groom getting married in September in Albany, but she and her son were actually from Tennessee. Her story was quite special so I was instantly intrigued about working on this project. Her son Adam was in Iraq serving our Country in his second tour there. His time there had been way too eventful and there were moments when she and her husband didn't know if their son was alive. They were counting down the days that his tour would end and he would return home to marry his beautiful young bride Leah. Wanting to honor her son and celebrate his safe return and their new beginning, she had a vision to create an extraordinary rehearsal dinner to kick off their wedding weekend.

Since the couple would be headed to Paris for their honeymoon, we decided to create a Paris inspired event. Everything from the food to the decor would emulate this beautiful city. There was no better location than the 42nd floor Observation Deck of the Corning Tower in downtown Albany.

70 guests enjoyed a five course french menu complete with pre-dessert cheese course. The design details of the room were chic in a simple palette of black and white with pops of royal purple. Centerpieces featured glowing cylinders of purple delphinium topped off with damask lampshades for a sophisticated and somewhat masculine look. The room also featured a lounge area with custom slip covered benches with coordinating damask pillows.

Lynn spared no expense in creating personalized details. Signs displaying the names of cities significant to the couple were displayed in the windows and pointed guests in their direction with mileage to each one from Albany. Custom stationery was created for everything from menu cards to the signature cocktail signage. In lieu of traditional escort cards, a special french style bulletin board was created, on which hung small velvet pouches with custom escort tags displaying their table number. Each pouch contained quarters for the observation deck view finders and displayed the message "Enjoy the View".

This event was a so fun to plan and coordinate. Guests had an amazing time celebrating in this unique location. The bride and groom left elated and ready to walk down the aisle. By all reports, the wedding day of Adam and Leah went perfectly and the two are enjoying the "real" Paris! We wish them both a long happy life together and thank Adam for his service to our country. Another thanks to Lynn for trusting us with this special event. It was a pleasure.

Kudos to my team: Katelyn and Julie, to the chef and staff at Sudhexo for putting together a fabulous meal and to Ambiance Floral & Events for the beautiful centerpieces.

Event images provided by Lilly Zach Photography

They learned "how to tie the knot"

It was a fabulous day to talk weddings! On a sunny Sunday in August, Inspired Occasions hosted our first education seminar at the gorgeous Pat's Barn at Rensselaer Technology Park. I am proud to say that "How-to Tie the Knot: Planning Strategies for Today's D.I.Y. Bride" was a big hit.

So what did we do all day? The morning was alll about planning basics. We talked about setting priorities, creating timelines and tackling the dreaded BUDGET. Registrants were also treated to expert information from a few talented guest speakers. Michele Peters of Ambiance Florals & Events was on hand to take the intimidation out of floral decisions. A talk on photography options and trends was given by Yvette Wilson from Photography In Design. And because planning a wedding can at times be a stressful process, Certified Life Coach Diane Albano was on hand to teach some techniques for taking it down a notch.

The highlight of the day for me and for the seminar participants was our afternoon design workshop when we transformed a reception table from "Tired to Inspired" using some easy to follow design principles and incorporating a few creative do it yourself projects.

Feedback from everyone who attended was overwhelmingly positive. I know that I had an absolute blast talking about my favorite topic all day. Thanks to all those brides and their guests who participated. You guys were such a fun group!

I had a vision of a relaxed and informative day all about supporting brides on their planning journey. I am so grateful to my Inspired Occasions team for helping me bring that vision to life. Couldn't have done it without you guys!

With a successful debut behind us, we are looking forward to planning a winter session for all those brides newly engaged during the holiday and valentines seasons. Keep your eyes and ears open for new session information coming soon.

Inspired Occasions Launches TV Commercial

I am thrilled to announce the launch of Inspired Occasions' first television commercial! When I started this business two years ago, my plan was to let it grow organically and slowly over time. Well, it turns out I'm not nearly that patient and my dream to make event planning services the norm in the Capital District area was far more pressing than I had originally admitted. So, the next natural step to take was to start getting the word out through radio, print and television advertising. Hopefully this 30 second spot will give area residents a glimpse into the Company's values of excellent service and impecable style. Check it out! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3xhZHQdBwk