Real Wedding - Michigan
ABC Member: Kathleen Reid, Senior Social Catering Manager, Royal Park Hotel, kreid@royalparkhotel.net, www.royalparkhotel.net.Photographer: Rachel Shomskey Photography.Non-member businesses involved: Emerald City Designs (planning and décor) and Urban Kris Entertainment.
The Couple: Jeff and Gabe are an amazing couple and were so easygoing. They had a great vision for keeping their union small and intimate, while maintaining a bold and fun atmosphere for their close circle of family and friends.Wedding date: Saturday, July 20, 2013.Wedding planning/style inspiration: The couple wanted a modern, chic look. Glossy black chairs, mirror-top dining tables, and hanging crystals showed off the couple’s impeccably sophisticated style. Small details tied the look together, both sported black studded cufflinks and Jeff and Gabe’s dress shoes were decked out with patent leather and black studded detailing. Gabe also wore shiny black studs on his boutonnière and a black-and-white feather detailed bowtie.
Color palette: Black, silver, and sparkle.Budget: $18,000, with $7,000 for catering.
Guest count: 67.Most unique design element: We used two long, mirror-top dining tables to “reflect” Jeff and Gabe’s union, which also highlighted the beautiful glass Conservatory where the reception occurred. The tables also reflected the contemporary, chic centerpieces—glossy, black, painted Manzanita branches joined at the ends and wrapped with crystal pendant drops. Although not a design element, there was another unique aspect of the day. Jeff wanted to honor Gabe’s Lebanese heritage, so we created a custom Lebanese entrée—a chickpea and herb-stuffed chicken breast with garlic-lemon-parsley butter and a pureed artichoke sauce and lentil-couscous cake with roasted summer vegetables on the side. The custom dish overwhelmed the guests with delight.Biggest challenge: Typically, the Conservatory is reserved for both daytime and evening events within the same day, so we always need a contingency plan for setup. Luckily, Jeff and Gabe’s union was the only event we had there that day. Our 10-person crew got there at dawn and worked diligently all day. We would’ve had to increase to a 40-person crew had there been an earlier event.Hindsight: We could have used a bit more lighting in the outdoor Italian fountain garden to take full advantage of the beautiful evening. While everyone was happy in the Conservatory, it would’ve been a nice opportunity for guests to mingle in the enchanting outdoor space.Learnings: Presentation is everything. We planned for Jeff to enter the Conservatory from the outdoor garden gate, with white-gloved staff members opening the glass doors on cue as he approached. He met Gabe in the center of the aisle, and they walked to the altar together.
