Real Wedding: New York City

ABC Member Planner: Tammy Cunningham, PBC™, Founder/CEO, Sincerely Yours Events, Inc., Sayville, N.Y. ABC Preferred Bridal Consultant, ISES member, 631.567.7970, info@syeventsinc.com, www.syeventsinc.com.Businesses: Walter Van Dusen Photography, Hank Lane Orchestras, Ron Ben-Israel, and Frank Alexander NYC.The couple: Every so often, a couple will come along and leave an indelible mark on my heartstrings. The depth of love that Jean and Chris share is astounding to even the most die-hard sentimental types. Their wedding day left me wishing it would never end. It was a magical event, surrounded by the most breathtaking backdrop in the world, and I was fortunate enough to have a front seat.Inspiration: Jean and Chris envisioned a very romantic wedding set against the most spectacular backdrop—New York City.Color Palette: Soft white, amber, bronze.Budget: Around $60,000-$70,000.Most unique design element: The guests were drawn to the custom-made crystal Manzanita Wish Tree that was present during both the ceremony and reception. It was a centerpiece for the escort table during the ceremony and, later, for the gift table during the reception. Handmade wish tags were designed and guests wrote a special “wish” to the bride and groom before hanging them from the tree. The crystal strands hanging from the tree reflected off the 12-foot, floor-to-ceiling windows surrounding the room. The ambiance was breathtaking.Biggest challenge: The biggest challenge was the construction and subsequent completion of the venue space. At the time of the first venue visit with my clients, Trump Soho was under construction, and work was slated to be finished two weeks before the wedding. To view Trump Soho’s space, the 46th floor ballroom, hard hats were required, and site visits were limited. All décor elements were contained within blueprints and through artist renderings. As the date approached, everything fell into place perfectly and on-schedule; and an amazing space was born.On teamwork: Although an event may seem “perfect” to your guests, as a wedding professional, you know that there is usually a fabulous planner behind the scenes making it appear flawless. However, in this case, it truly was “flawless.” Not only were the vendors top notch, but the caliber of staff at Trump Soho rivaled any I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with.Hindsight: Although there was a touch of anxiety not knowing if they would stay on schedule, there is nothing I would change. Regardless of the things outside of my control, this was still their “dream site,” and I did everything in my power to ensure it was all they envisioned and more.[nggallery id=1]