Lucky Faye!   Her wedding gown will be custom-designed and created  by the famous couture dress designer and dressmaker,  Janice Martin. The gown is now down to two stunning designs.   And you get to choose which one Faye will wear on her wedding day!

When we last talked about the planning of Faye & Matt’s wedding, you were asked to vote on the invitation by Two Paper Dolls.   And the winner is:

Now, we’re on the wedding gown, and so far, the voting has been unbelievable.   The dam has opened and votes are pouring in.

At their first meeting, Faye and Janice got to know each other so that Janice could design the dress to not only to suit Faye’s beauty and style, but her personality as well.  Eclatante was there for the fittings of the muslin versions of each evolution of Janice’s designs. We were so impressed by Janice’s compassion and ability to figure out exactly where to begin and how to make Faye feel completely at ease with the process.  By the time Faye’s gown is complete, there is absolutely no doubt that it will be a one-of-kind couture wedding gown that was made to fit and suit Faye absolutely perfectly.

These two drawings depict the two designs by Janice that were created for Faye.

GOWN #1

This is a halter style fitted gown with a layered train. The fabric will be a cotton/silk blend and the gown will have a slight blue cast to it. The train starts higher in the front, lower in the back. The dress may have small covered buttons down back of gown. The train is of layers of chiffon or organza, so that each layer will “flow” or “float” evoking waves. The gown may also have a blue sash at waist to complement the bridesmaids dresses. Blue was chosen for two reasons:  First, Faye’s amazing eyes; and, second,  because the ceremony will take place at  the rotunda that juts out onto the water outside the Independent Seaport Museum.   The effect of this gown is “light and airy”. The halter style gives Faye’s figure support and her shoulders more definition.

Gown #2:

Same silhouette as Gown #1, but is a strapless fitted gown of shirred silk satin. This is a much more “formal” fabric. The train is layered with a “bubble” type effect, so that overall the gown would be more sculptural and elegant.  Both gowns are very “body conscious” so either will show off Faye’s lovely curves. Both gowns will feature blue in the construction to give depth and richness to the gown and flatter Faye’s skin tone and eyes!

So, just like you did with the invitations (thank you!), please log onto Philly.com/weddings to cast your vote for either Gown #1 or Gown #2.   Hurry, though.   Faye is very anxious to find out which gown is hers!!

Next time, you’ll be asked to choose between two amazing centerpieces from Beautiful Blooms.

Brierley & Andy will stay in our hearts forever. We so adored every minute of planning this wedding that sometimes I wish we could go back to when we were talking to this family and this incredible couple all the time. To say we miss them is really an understatement.

One of the most interesting facts about this gorgeous couple is what Andy does for a living — he’s a professional sailboat racer (as in, The America’s Cup and a gold medal in the Pan American Games).   I mean, really — how does that happen?   Well, he comes from a family who loves to sail and it just took hold. He started sailing when he was six and proposed to Brierley on his father’s sailboat, “the “Thistle” (which will re-emerge in Part 2).  And from there, we just had a great time incorporating little sailing elements throughout the wedding.

Brierley’s very cool profession finds it’s way into the reception.   Her life is all about incredible food.   More about that later.

The amazing photography was beautifully accomplished by Sarah DiCicco. I LOVE LOVE LOVE working with her.   Not only does she produce incredible photos, but she is a total dream to be around.

Here are some great shots of Brierley and Andy getting ready

We love the font of their invitations.

Brierley's yummy Monolo Blahniks

These cool wine bags that held the wine Andy gave to his groomsmen were were made from recycled sails.

While the girls were getting ready, Andy took the guys bowling at Lucky Strike.   It really is a completely different thing for guys that day!

Although she wasn’t bowling, Brierley was way cool in her hotel room as things were getting started.

Claudia Seyler’s incredible artistry with hair & makeup and her wonderful, calm persona was the perfect fit for this low-key, but fun-loving crowd. Brierley looked absolutely amazing.

Brierley steps into her stunning Romona Keveza gown, with a beautiful light blue, crystal encrusted sash around the waist.

This is one truly happy bride!

Back from bowling, Andy was relaxed as could be while getting ready.

The gorgeous bouquets from Beautiful Blooms arrived at the hotel and Brierley was ready to see Andy for the first time.

Brierley & Andy wanted to take some photos in some very Philly places – so off they went to the 30th Street Station and of course, they had to stop for the famous Broad Street photo!   Sarah was very accommodating with a few game-day changes.

I love this picture of Brierley and her mom, Lindsay. It's not hard to see where Brierley got her looks, eh?

Stay tuned.   Next up will be the stunning ceremony and reception at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. You will love.

In Part 1, we talked about the tables where your guests are seated.   Now, it’s on to place settings.

Setting a table is a simple matter of logic and symmetry.   You’ll see.

Photo by Marie Labbancz

First, let’s do a rundown of the elements that make up a table setting

PLATES

Charger (or “lay plate” or “service place”)

A charger is optional, but it is usually a terrific addition to the décor and function of service of your dinner– the bottom edge is aligned with the edge of the table.  It allows you to remove and replace salad and entrée plates while leaving an attractive plate at your setting.

Photo by Maggie Wallace Cullen

Dinner plate or luncheon plate

The large entrée plate is placed in the center of the charger.  If there is no charger, then the bottom of this plate should be placed about an inch above the edge of the table.

Photo by Marie Labbancz

Photo by Marie Labbancz

Salad plate

This really all depends on whether you’re having a sit down dinner at home or a large reception. and whether you want salad served after guests sit down.  When you serve the salad you can remove the dinner plate and replace it with the salad plate with the salad already placed.

Dessert plate

I’m really not a huge fan of a lot of plates at the table when people sit down.   For dessert.  I think it’s better to remove all of the plates (except for the cup and saucer) and place the dessert plate (and spoon and/or fork) when it’s time for dessert.

Photo by Sarah DiCicco

Cups and saucers

Again, I think these should be left off the table until you’re ready to serve coffee and tea after the entrée (usually with dessert).   Cluttering up a table is never a good idea.

Bread and butter plates

I love these little plates.  I often like to do something unusual with them as an accent to the table.  Usually placed above the dinner fork (the top left of the charger), they are use to separate bread and butter from the other foods on the salad or dinner plate.   I really don’t like having the actual bread and butter sitting at each place setting when your guests arrive in the room.  Although purist North American formal at-home dining etiquette removes the bread completely (way to formalistic for me!), I believe the more lovely way to provide bread and butter to your guests is to have it served once your guests have taken their seats.  This is especially true at a large reception where you have worked so hard to plan a meticulous and beautiful look on your table – without bread and pats of butter (don’t get me started on those shaped patties of butter) impeding your beautiful tablescape.

Photo by Michael Branscom

Photo by Amanda Kraft

GLASSWARE

So, there are a myriad of types of glassware, but, for the sake of yourself and your guests (and to minimize clutter on the table), keep it to these simple three types of glassware:  water, wine and champagne (if serving champagne at the table). Drinking glasses of any kind are placed the top right of the charger or dinner plate, above the knives and spoons.

Photo by Amy Deputy

Photo by Marie Labbancz

Water goblets are the largest glasses (can also be used for ice tea, unless you want to use Tom Collins glasses).  Red wine glasses then white wine glasses follow, and finally, the champagne flutes.   The water goblet  is placed directly above the knives. Smaller glasses are placed in front.  See the diagram below.

Depending upon the kind of party you’re having, you can, of course, use whatever glassware suits your party best.  You can also include a dessert drink glass if you’re serving sherry after the meal, but again, I feel that it is better to place that glassware after the dinner service has been removed.

FLATWARE

Honestly, there’s nothing particularly interesting about flatware — it’s just about placement.

Forks go on the left, knives on the right (and, usually, spoons). After that, logic takes over.  what you use first goes on the outside  – so, the salad fork is to the outside of the dinner fork; the soup spoon goes outside of the dinner knife.   After that, it’s just a matter of symmetry,

I’ve always liked waiting until dessert is served for the dessert spoons to come out, but sometimes, it’s just not practical.   In that case, placing the dessert spoon above the plates is fine.

Oh, and the knife blade faces the plate.

Here’s a diagram for you:

A:  Salad fork

B: Dinner fork

C:  Charger

D:  Napkin (which can go onto the center of the plate or, if you have a salad plate or soup bowl, to the left of the plates

E:  Dinner Plate

F:  Dinner knife (blade facing the plate)

G:  Soup Spoon or teaspoon (If you aren’t serving soup, then for the sake of symmetry, you could place a teaspoon in its place, which could, if you choose, be used for the dessert spoon later.

H:  Butter knife

I:   Bread & butter plate

J:  Dessert spoon (if necessary)

K:  Water Goblet

L:  Red Wine glass

M:  White wine glass

N:  Champagne flute

Trust me when I tell you that none of the rules are unbreakable.   They are much more like guildelines than rules.   Sometimes the reality of what’s happening on the table makes it less attractive or functional to change things around a little.

But always remember the Golden Rule we started out with in Part I –

It’s always about the hospitality.

So whatever you do, don’t confuse your guests with unnecessary pieces.   Keep it simple and lovely and your guests will be thrilled!

There are lots and lots of other things that happen depending upon the types of food you’re serving or the type of food service.   This is just the basics of a formal dinner table.

Now relax and have an amazing time!

There really is an art to throwing a great party — whether it’s a small intimate dinner-thing at your dining room table or a reception for 300 of your closest friends.   So, here’s the next golden rule:

It’s always about hospitality

I do acknowledge that there are far more important things going on in the world than worrying about how to set a table.   I also freely admit that knowing the in’s and out’s of how to throw a great party does not make me a candidate for the next Nobel Peace Prize.

But, honestly, if you’re going to go to all the trouble of getting things together for a dinner party or a reception, don’t you think you should go to the trouble of doing it right?  I’m a huge fan of getting the details right.  It truly is what sets a great party apart from a mediocre one!

photo by Marie Labbancz

Part 1:  The Size of the Dinner Table

One of the biggest (and most annoying) mistakes people make is to place too many people at their tables.  I can’t measure your dining room table, but I can step right up on my soapbox about how many people should be seated at the standard size dinner tables used at receptions.

No matter who tells you otherwise, it is not a good idea to seat 10 people at a 60” table or 12 people at a 72” table.  Why?  Because it’s really uncomfortable and has the personal touch of an annual meeting of an insurance company.  When you’re serving your friends and family, here is your rule of thumb:  about 2’ per person (a little less is okay, but don’t fudge too much).  Most of the time, for receptions, you will be dealing with square or round tables with the following dimensions:

So, for the comfort of your guests, 60” tables should seat only 8 people and 72” tables should seat only 10 guests.  (Don’t worry about the fractions, it’s not an exact science).

Rectangular tables come in lengths from 6′ to 10′ or 12′.   The same 2′ per guest applies.   But the widths of all rectangular tables are not equal — make sure the width of your table is at least 36″ if  you plan to have anything placed down the middle of the table.

Photo by Cliff Mautner

If you need some backup on this, here’s why it works best this way:

Photo by Michael Branscom

Photo by Marie Labbancz

This is how your table should look if your guests are having a great time and they have enough room to move around:

Photo by Sarah DiCicco

photo by Maggie Wallace Cullen

There’s no way this could happen at a cramped dinner table

Photo by Maggie Wallace Cullen

If you’re having a dinner party, be realistic about the number of people who can fit comfortably sit at your table – whether your having food placed on your table or not. It’s easier to bring in tables than it is to serve between crowded guests.

Part 2 will make it easy to set a great table.

Eclatante was honored to be asked by the amazing Sarah Lockard of AroundMainLine.com to design and help plan AML’s annual sensational and sophisticated Valentine’s-themed party.  AroundMainline.com is the SUPER successful and culturally rich online magazine that addresses all things hip around the Philadelphia area, so we were thrilled Sarah thought of us to help her put this great party together!

More importantly, this party will be nothing short of fabulous!   And, although it may very well be be the greatest thing this winter for mingling and having a great time, the best part is that it benefits Philadoptables (philadoptables.org) a wonderful, hardworking charity that addresses the overwhelming needs of Philadelphia Animal Control.  Philadoptables’ goal is to bring awareness and funding for the 34,000 animals a year who are brought to Philadelphia Animal Control.

This is going to be a great party — We really hope to see you!

Here are the specifics:

Place

Spamps Restaurant, Conshohocken, 16 East First Avenue (spampsrestaurant.com)

Date and Time

Thursday, February 4, 2010 from 6 p.m. – 10 p.m.

Yummies

Weyerbacher Brewery is the official craft beer sponsor of Be Mine. Spamps will be offering specials on bottles of Merry Monks’ and Hops Infusion, two of Weyerbacher’s most popular ales. In addition, fun and delicious champagne cocktails will be served with Verdi Spumante sparkling champagne, a major event sponsor

Spamps will be offering a special discounted menu for all guests. A complimentary gourmet cupcake table will be there for you to enjoy courtesy of Cakes & Candies by MaryEllen.

At the Door

RSVP

While not required, your RSVP is certainly encourage.   We’d so love to see you there – shoot a quick email to rsvp@aroundmainline.com.

If you’d like even more information about this great party, please read Sarah’s article.

Oh, by the way — I just ADORE the logo Two Paper Dolls created for this party, don’t you?   Absolutely perfect — as usual!!!

The Golden Rule of Timing a Great Party

Part 2)   An amazing party.

If you read Part 1 of this little series, which included Rules #1 – #3, you know it’s all about the critical, albeit invisible, element of timing.

Rule #4:  Let the opening of the doors to the reception signal the beginning of your great celebration.

After an hour and a half of  mingling with old friends, drinking wonderful beverages and eating scrumptious and creative hors d’oeuvres and short plates, your guests should be feeling the anticipation of the great party in store for them. When you open the doors, they should be stepping into something new —   the music goes up several notches, the lighting moves to a whole different level and the decor gives them all that they’ve been waiting for.   What your guests see and hear should reflect your unique style and vision. Creating this new enthusiasm will inspire your guests to have a great time.

Photo by Mike Kehr

Photo by Sarah DiCicco

Photo by Cliff Mautner

Photo by Marie Labbancz

Rule #5)  Once your guests enter the reception, standing around is not an option.

Recently, we did something very fun.  Instead of introducing the bride and groom in the typical way, the bride and groom were dancing (perfectly lit, of course) when the doors were opened.  All the guests surrounded the dance floor. After a short time, the guests were invited to join the bride and groom at which point, they instantly became part of the party. That’s the goal.  You want to engage your guests into your party as soon as they walk in the door.

To accomplish that, remember this:  If nothing is happening, then your guests will do nothing.  But if there’s something to be paid attention to, they will. Nothing will deflate the enthusiasm for your party like downtime.  If that means you need to line up your wedding party for introductions right away, then make sure your wedding party isn’t hanging out in the bathroom.

Photo by Marie Labbancz

Rule #6)  Do not front load your party with a succession of  toasts and speeches.

Honestly, just don’t do it.   Almost no one is entertaining enough to keep your guests interested for more than three minutes.  ”Leave them wanting more” will never be more true than it is here.  If you must have several toasts, then space them out throughout your party.

Rule #7) Do something fun and different at some point in your party.

This can take on several forms, and should take not up a lot of time (do you see a theme here?).    Here are just a few suggestions.

Photo by Amy Deputy

Photo by Mike Kehr

Photo by Amy Deputy

Rule #8) The bandleader or DJ is not the final word on how your party should flow.

Don’t get me wrong, a good bandleader or DJ will know how to keep your party moving and energized. And will do everything possible to make sure it all happens right.  We know and work with some of the best musicians and DJ’s around, and they will take the flow of your party very seriously.  But there are some things they just don’t know because they’re not you and they’re not your planner (don’t get me started on band agencies that claim to be planners).   Furthermore, it’s perfectly okay to want a different kind of party than what that particular band is used to playing. For instance, most bandleaders don’t know when the photographer has left the room and wouldn’t think to delay the cake cutting until the photographer returns. (And yes, this is an extremely good reason to have a good, experienced planner on board).

Photos by Marie Labbancz

Rule #9) Be flexible.

Sometimes things just happen that are completely unexpected, which may require that things get moved around a little.  Do not let this upset you; some of the best experiences are borne from game day decisions made in the face of some unforeseeable happenstance.

Rule #10)  Leave them wanting more (the Golden Rule).

No more than four hours after the cocktail hour (or so) began, you should be saying your goodbyes.

Okay, that’s it.  Have an EXTRAORDINARY party!!!

The Golden Rule of Timing a Great Party

Part 1)   The Cocktail Hour (or so).

Most large events that include a dinner and/or entertainment start with a cocktail hour (or so) prior to the festivities really getting started.   The purpose of this is several-fold.  First, it’s a time for the guests to mingle amongst themselves, get a bit to eat and start getting the sense of your celebration.   Plus (if your celebration is a wedding), it gives you time to get through photos, then do some mingling of your own.   Because I HATE receiving lines (and I really really do) and I’m not a big fan of contrived table visits, either, I think a great cocktail hour (or so) is the key to a very successful celebration.

A truly great cocktail hour depends on some key ingredients:  1)  food & drink, 2) music and 3) lighting

Photo by Sarah DiCicco

Photo by Matthew Hollerbush

Rule #1:  Have enough food and drink and make sure it’s accessible.

There is really nothing less enjoyable than standing in line for food or at the bar (unless it’s standing in a receiving line — just sayin’).  It’s great to have food stations, but make sure there are passed yummies as well.

Photo by Barnaby Draper

The same goes for the bar.   To avoid a line forming at the bar, have wine, champagne and maybe a signature drink passed.   The number of bars, bartenders and food stations is dependent on the number of guests.

Photo by Michael Branscom

Rule #2:  Your music should not be loud or too hi-energy during the cocktail hour. Remember, the primary purpose of your cocktail hour is for mingling.  I’m all in favor of really interesting, fun music that steps a bit out-of-the-box, but make sure that it doesn’t overwhelm your guests’ conversation with each other and with you!

from lapisluna.com

Photo by Marie Labbancz

Rule #3:   Great lighting creates great atmosphere.

Enough said.

Photo by Cliff Mautner

Photo by Marie Labbancz

If you’re hosting a great cocktail party, then you can stop here (obviously).   Plan to start kissing your guests goodbye after about three hours.  Otherwise, if you’re moving on to the dinner/dance portion, my favorite length of a cocktail hour (or so) is about 1 1/2 hours.   But make sure you don’t run out of anything!

See you for Part 2 soon!

Come visit us at the open house for Max & Me Catering held at the Please Touch Museum on Wednesday, January 20th from 6-8 pm.   The Please Touch Museum is so amazing and unusual, I just don’t know where to start – but let’s got with this:

It has A REAL CAROUSEL you can ride!!!

We’ve been fortunate enough to have planned and designed a few weddings at the Please Touch Museum.  It’s an amazing place to have a wedding!   Check out some photos of some of the other fun things we’ve done there.

If you’re looking for the perfect venue and an amazing caterer for your wedding, you should plan to stop by this Open House next Wednesday.

Please RSVP to Kimberly at 215.578.5188 or kim@MaxandMeCatering.com.

One of our favorite parts of designing events is when we get to scout out great musicians and talented entertainers for our clients’ extraordinary celebrations.   That part of our jobs isn’t anything like work.  We get to sit down and listen to some incredible music.   How hard is that?

You’re welcome to come along on our next venture out to hear some amazing musicians perform.  We’re going to Beat Street in Manyunk  on Sunday (January 10th)  where Elan Artists will be showcasing some of their best musicians.   If you’re looking for some truly sophisticated, fun, great music for your affair (with absolutely no “LET’S PARTAAAYYY” cheese goin’ on),  you’ll find it there.   Trust me on this. Each band performs a cross section of music from classics to contemporary.  Hip, sophisticated, cool – just great, great music that you might just fall in love with.

Sunday January 10^th 2010
Beat Street Station

Prompt Start 5pm

Email info@elanartists.com to RSVP.

Beat Street Station
4401 Cresson Street
Manayunk, PA 19127

888.800.3526 or info@elanartists.com
Admission Free – RSVP Requested

www.dancebandshowcase.com

Preview groups at www.elanartists.com

A while back, The Knot (national) asked Eclatante to design a southern, Gatsby-style table scape using deep blues and greens.   Beautiful Blooms did their usual amazing job with the flowers! After a really great photoshoot in the studio of Antonis Achilleos, a great NYC photographer, The Knot published the fabulous results in their national magazine.

Here’s the article:

We just loved creating this amazing tablescape.   It all came together beautifully!

Look for some of Eclatante weddings in upcoming issues of The Knot.

We love it when Style Me Pretty comes calling.   We’ve really had a great time over the past many months sharing our goings-on with them.   They’re always up for sharing new and fun things with their readers, who, apparently, just drink every drop of Style Me Pretty.  And who can blame them.  They don’t call it the Ultimate Wedding Blog for nothing!

It truly is an honor to be counted among the chosen few of Style Me Pretty!

What better way to kiss 2009 goodbye than by throwing this month’s fantasy New Years Eve Wedding party at the gorgeous Conservatory of Winterthur Museum and Country Estate in Winterthur, Delaware!  Through these gates a magical fantasy celebration awaits featuring the colors of onyx, gold and emerald.

These magnificent photos are compliments of our good friend and photographer Marie Labbancz who beautifully captures our step-back-in-time to the days of glamour and lavishness!

As you can see, our unique table design flows seamlessly in conjunction with this venue and the outdoor scenery. We absolutely love this striking centerpiece cone Beautiful Blooms created out of gardenia leaves with a burst of extraordinarily lush, black feathers.  Who doesn’t love feathers in winter?

Our table was decorated with cut crystal candleholders and gold pillar candles. We’re crazy about how the linens coordinate beautifully with the rims of each plate and cup, then brought together with perfect napkin rings!  Then, of course, the ultimate last touch with the feather placed inside each napkin.

Beautiful Blooms really outdid themselves with this unique bridal bouquet made out of green cymbidium orchids, green prada carnations and black feathers.

This absolutely stunning boutonniere was made of orchids and black feathers.

The fabulous bridal gown designed by Matthew Christopher and provided to us by Gabriella New York Bridal Salon (we love them!) is reminiscent of the glamorous and lavish styles of the 1920s and 30s – the era of gorgeous Hollywood starlets and incredibly extravagant parties.    Your eyes immediately follow the feather details along the back and length of the gown unveiling its sensational drama, softness and femininity.   Our model wears pearls to accentuate the vintage qualities and period style of this gown.

Claudia Seyler did the hairstyling and makeup for our bride capturing the essence of this time period by using pearl accents and bright red lipstick.

We hope you enjoyed our 2009 color stories as much as we enjoyed creating them and sharing them with you  Stay tuned for our January color story when we bring you our first beautiful surprise for 2010!

…is easily accomplished if you have the right things at your fingertips.

It doesn’t have to be an expensive and drawn out ordeal to create a great holiday table when you’ve got friends and family coming over for dinner.   Just a few interesting elements on your table will give you all the charm you need.    Marie Labbancz brought a camera to our little Boutique on her last visit.  She loved the table we set up for the holidays, which we’d created from some of our favorite little items we have in our Boutique, so we thought we’d share the photos with you.

First, we love these very cool red lace cutout placemats!   They’re actually made out of thick felt and they look amazing on a simple white tablecloth.  And they’re only $9 each (or four for $30).    We also have fun white lace beverage coasters — four for $6.00.

I think placing monogrammed candles at each placesetting, then giving them as gifts to your guests is a really thoughtful and memorable thing to do.  Plus, they smell wonderful!   They’re $12.00 each and people just love them!

Again, we love to show off our napkin rings.   We have a large variety to choose from. For this particular table, we’re using the Bay Leaf Napkin Rings because they’re perfect for the holidays.   $44 for a set of four.

We have a really fun, beautiful and inexpensive way of displaying votives on your table or all over your home.   Our gold lace votive holders are just perfect.   They also come in silver, if that suits your decor better.   They’re only $7.50 each and will stay in shape year after year.

One of my very favorite things in the Boutique right now is this set of Dove salt and pepper shakers.  They are absolutely beautiful!   And extremely well priced at $30 for the pair.    They would also make a fantastic hostess gift or holiday present or housewarming gift.

Another absolutely beautiful way to display a simple tealight candle is within one of our rose tealight holders.   We’re displaying the creme colored one on our holiday table now, but we’re also in love with the copper rose tealight holder, which we used for Thanksgiving.

If you’d like a different way of identifying seats for your guests, we suggest these adorable paper snowflakes that slip right onto your glassware. A set of six is only $9! (We have butterflies, too, for an adorable springtime table.)

Personally, I really like almost any alternative to the traditional large centerpiece. For our display holiday table we chose these mini-handblown vases and placed little cuttings from a berry bush inside each one. I think it’s lovely, personal and takes up very little room.  A set of five mini-handblown vases is only $25.00.

Isn’t it nice when your guests bring wine?   And it’s even nicer when it arrives in a Gold Hatch Wine bag that you can use over and over when you go out to your favorite BYOB.   Include a lovely resin orchid bottle stopper and you have a really perfect hostess gift. The wine bag is $10 and the winestopper is only $13.50 and come in an array of different colors and flowers. There’s not a hostess in the world who wouldn’t love it.

And, as always, we LOVE our Ana candles.  A pair of red striped tapers is only $20. We placed them inside two of our colored glass bud vases —  a set of five is only $25.00.

So, there you have it.  An unusual, tasteful and fun holiday table that everyone will rave about and won’t dip into your holiday present budget!

We have lots of other things for decorating or gifts of course.   if you see something here you want us to send to you, just call 215.925.9911 or email celebrate@eclatantedesign.com, and we’ll get it right out to you.   Or feel free to come down to the Boutique.   We’re located at the amazing Liberties Walk at 1031 North 3rd Street – parking is a breeze.  We’ve been having such a great time finding things you might just love to give as gifts or take home for yourself.

Have a great time everyone!

Everyone here at Eclatante has a thing for entertaining.  That passion is what brought each and every one of us here!

And Thanksgiving is the mother of all entertaining days. Those of you who are fortunate enough to be hosting friends and family in your home for this great American feast, allow us to to provide you with just a few lovely ideas to add some unexpected charm to your table (without eating up to much room (or money))!

First up, our beautiful Eclatante table runners.   These are new additions to our shop and we just love them.   They come in a multitude of colors and patterns, but we thought these worked well for this particular Thanksgiving Day table. They’re $35 each.

I’m in love with these bronze rose tea light holders. We have them in white, too, but the bronze candle holders worked perfectly here.  And they’re only $16.00 — they are really beautiful!!

These oak leaf napkin rings created by Michael Michaud are absolutely perfect. We also have other gorgeous napkins rings that would work beautifully.   These napkin rings are $50 for a set of four.  Our other napkin rings are at different prices.

Salt cellars are making a comeback.  Our glass salt cellar with a  seashell spoon (they’re prettier than the silver plated spoons pictured below) are among my favorite things in the Eclatante Boutique.  I just LOVE them.   They are so easy, inexpensive and people just love them – a great conversation starter at your dinner table.    It’s a great little gift to give your guests — if you’re so inclined.  The price for both the salt cellar and the seashell spoon is only $6.50.

The  dripless single pique candles are so beautiful and unusual — they are flying out the door at  $11.50 each (or a pair for $20.00).   Again, they make your table really unique and are extremely well-priced.

You can call the Eclatante Boutique any time to find out how you can order over the phone. Our phone number is 215.925.9911.  Or, of course, we’d love it if you came by our shop and took a look at all the really amazing entertaining items we have.   We’re at 1031 North 3rd Street in Northern Liberties.  We’re open from 11:00 until 6:00 from Sunday – Thursday and on Saturday; on Fridays we’re open until 8:00 pm.

With the expert and indispensible help of the Beautiful Blooms team, Eclatante worked with the Dolls at Two Paper Dolls to create our very first Celebrating in Style™ event at the Dolls’ studio in Wayne.   We transformed the Dolls’ office into a great event space, the goal of which was to demonstrate to the great hosts of the Philadelphia area how we can help them throw an amazing party anytime, anywhere – not just weddings and other large scale social events. We actually planned five parties in one for our guests — each of which could be a great home party — and each one with its own interactive element!

Take a look at some of the fabulous photos taken by Mike Kehr and Jana Bannan at Mike Kehr Photography!  Thank you so much Mike and Jana!!

First up:  our wine and cheese pairing and tasting!   The expertly chosen wine was provided Frank’s Wine Mart.   Carl (from Frank’s) gave our willing guests advice on how to choose wine and cheese for their next home party.   Beautiful Blooms created gorgeous florals in rustic wood boxes.  The wine was divine and the cheese, provided by Provence Catering was to die for.   I could have hung out there all night, but there was much more to come!

Then we designed a simply gorgeous holiday dinner party with more scrumptious delights provided by Provence Catering.  Eclatante sought out and provided the perfect table settings in compliment to the painted table at Two Paper Dolls Studio.   Beautiful Blooms created the long table arrangement —  perfectly suited for a dinner table where you want to talk easily across the table to your guests.

Outside of the holiday dinner party room, Beautiful Blooms demonstrated the art of creating beautiful arrangements for your home.   People just loved it!

Moving along, we created a warm and wonderful yellow and grey baby shower that featured a stunning baby photo printed on large piece of fabric and hung over the gift table.   Laura Novak is an extraordinarily gifted photographer of beautiful babies and has created magic with her innovative ways of giving new parents the gift of a lifetime.  Beautiful Blooms filled vintage milk glass containers from Donna’s personal stash with a variety of carefully chosen flowers.  Look at how pretty the presents look in coordinating colored paper from Two Paper Dolls.

Next door to the Baby Shower was a very interesting birthday party designed by Maya of Beautiful Blooms and Leila of Eclatante.  With all of the buzz around the Twilight and True Blood series, these two good friends created a very special party based on an “ageless creatures” theme. What a perfect way to celebrate a birthday!

Beautiful Blooms created arrangements in sleek black glass vases from red, burgundy and deep eggplant colored flowers.   Along the perimeter of the room, we placed black wrought iron candle stands with deep eggplant pillar candles.   We also chose perfectly coordinated linens and drapery.   And look at that cake — Provence Catering caught the vision perfectly when they came up with this rich red cake with black lace sugar icing.   Gorgeous!

Craig Neier Associates provided a mind reader that people are still talking about!   How the heck did he know that stuff?!?!?!

Craig Neier also provided a duo of musicians that were just wonderful,   We loved how they fit right in and helped create the perfect atmosphere for our very eclectic party!

Moving downstairs, we were able to give our guests quite a treat!   We created a fabulous 80’s-themed party as a great inspiration for a mitzvah or other fun celebrations of just about anything!

Craig Neier provided a super-fun 80’s trivia game that thrilled everyone for hours!

And there’s nothing quite like an 80’s theme photo shoot (by Mike Kehr Photography) to make a party a little on the crazy side.   Love that backdrop Taylor (of Eclatante) created for the occasion!

Finally, we come to the “Man Cave” where Scott from Two Paper Dolls showed our guests how the huge letterpress printer works.   Very very cool.

Then we had the greatest thing of all — Craig Neier Associates installed a real Craps table with real Craps dealers who taught everyone how the game is played and how to really have fun with it. That table was crowded all night long with people playing craps and having a fantastic time.

A truly GREAT time was had by all.   We just love love love a successful party!