What a lovely memory it was to see this wedding featured in the  most recent issue of The Knot.

We erected a fabulous tent (by EventQuip) on the bank of the oh-so picturesque “Clenny Run” that winds through the amazing grounds at Winterthur.   The ceremony took place at the reflecting pool.   JUST BEAUTIFUL!!!  And, of course, the flowers by Beautiful Blooms were just stunning!

Thanks to Mike Kehr, we have incredible photos of this beautiful wedding!

While we love to create lavish, detailed and stunning affairs, there is another side to perfect hospitality.   Sometimes, creating something extraordinary can be really simple.

Case in point:  Last winter, Sara and I spent hours on fabric row playing with all sorts of beautiful material and notions as we were styling some of our upcoming celebrations.  After all the creating was complete, we had some fabric left over.  We decided to  very easy napkins out of our extra fabric to show you how simple it is to make a table extraordinary.  All the placesettings and accessories are pieces that came straight out of our kitchen cabinets.  The flowers came from my yard.   But the looks are truly special.

Geek Chic (As Maggie likes to call it!)

This napkin was super-simple to make. Just a simple swiss dot, cotton fabric, cut into squares and sewn back-to-back.

An easy summer picnic

We just tied together some flowers cut from my yard and threw them in a wood salad bowl. The effect was lovely!

Again, creating the napkin couldn't have been easier!

Breakfast at the Piazza

We thought it would be fun to just bring some things from the kitchen and set them up at the market tables under yellow umbrellas at the Piazza.   Nothing unusual going on here — except the homemade napkins.   But it really looks really special! What a lovely way to start a Sunday morning, eh?

Here, we simply used a contrasting fabric for the reverse side.

It’s hot.   Really really hot.  So hot that no one can speak an intelligible sentence about anything that doesn’t include the words “heat, oppressive, humidity or TURN UP THE DAMN A/C!!”

Aside from the beach (or the “shore,” depending on where you reside), there really are some wonderful things that only happen when the temperature rises above the tolerable. So, rather than dwell on the heat, let’s focus on the great things about summer and how to translate them into a wonderful summer party with friends. The key to a great summer fiesta:  SIMPLICITY.  I’m from the south (kinda), and there we learned at an early age that slow and easy is the path to great hospitality in the summer sun.

What to serve

WATERMELON!   I literally crave it — virtually without calories and certainly without fat, it is nature’s reward for not succumbing to road rage when you’re stuck in traffic on the way to the beach (a/k/a the “shore”).

There simply is no such thing as a great summer party without watermelon — in any form at all.   But here’s a great way to enjoy watermelon after hours (or, as my father used to say — “it’s noon somewhere!”)

Navan Watermelon Daquiri

Ingredients per serving

(make ahead of time in a pitcher and let it get really cold before serving)

• 1/2 oz  Navan (in case Navan is new to you, it’s a fabulous vanilla liqueur — better than any other — trust me on this)
• 1 oz 10Cane Rum
• 3 nice big chunks of fresh watermelon
• 1/2 oz Part simple syrup
• 1/4 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice

Muddle the watermelon.  Add Navan, 10Cane Rum, simple syrup and lemon juice.  Shake over ice and strain into a chilled martini glass (from pitcher).

What to place

Then, to continue to keep things as simple as possible, Mother Nature gives us the most charming flowers for the table that require no effort at all to be perfect!  When I see daisies in mason jars on a simply set table, it conjours up my favorite summer memories on picnic benches with the fam.   I have to admit, as simple as they are, there is just nothing as sweet and pretty as the white daisies that grow abundantly all summer long.   I just love them.

What to wear

And finally, while we’re spending a hot summer day, we must know that there’s just nothing more comfortable than a simple cotton sundress (this one is by Betsey Johnson) adorned with nothing but this wonderful straw hat we found at J.Crew.

Of course, I can’t help but add some flair to the ensemble by placing one of our great Emersonmade flowers (from the Eclatante Boutique) on the sun hat.   But that’s just me.

It’s no secret that we are seriously in love with Winterthur Estate. Between the never-ending lush and beautiful gardens, the picturesque reflecting pool, the drop-dead gorgeous conservatory, and all the private paths in between, the options for you and your guests are endless. Every event there is personal and different than the last.   So, when Nicole from Winterthur asked us to design some Eclatante-style tablescapes to showcase to Winterthur’s favorite clients, we were very honored and thrilled to get to work.

As a leading event planning and design firm in the region, we understand exactly what it takes to create an event that will be flawlessly in sync  – from each detail of the aesthetics to the meticulously planned logistics that make it all flow beautifully from one step to the next in a way that allows your guests to feel that everything about the event is effortless and natural.   It’s an art and a craft, believe me!   I think that’s why we and Winterthur love working together so much — we all have the same philosophy of creating incredible weddings — that is, the secret to a perfect wedding is perfect harmony.

When we set out to design the tablescapes for Winterthur’s very special event, we knew each table should celebrate the beginning of summer in the context of Winterthur’s perfect setting. Not surprisingly, we chose to stray from the more typical concepts of reception table decor and instead, create three different looks, each one demonstrating Eclatante’s unique ability to capture their client’s personal style.  Using uplifting and vibrant colors, and with the incredibly talented Beautiful Blooms’ amazing florals,  we designed three completely different looks: Classic, Modern and Rustic.

Here are the photos taken by the amazing Jim Graham.   We hope you enjoy them!

Classic

Modern:

Rustic:

We just love it when are couples are featured in The Knot.   It lets them know that their vision was truly wonderful!

I’ve made you all wait FAR too long (sorry about that — it’s been a truly hectic couple of weeks!!) to enjoy Part 2 of the fabulous Red Dress Fashion Show that the American Heart Association put on on Eclatante’s and Beautiful Blooms’ our little piece of the planet as part of AHA’s 2010 Go Red for Women Campaign.

In Part 1, we introduced you to the event and the cast of amazing characters we had milling around here that day. Along with the gorgeous weather, more than 200 people were treated to a fantastic array of absolutely beautiful dresses designed and created by the extraordinarily talented women of the Philadelphia University’s fashion design program.   We were really blown away by their designs and their stories.

Thanks again to Heather Fowler for taking these great photos!

When we left off in Part 1, you saw the beautiful models lining up for the Fashion Show.   Bill Henley (of NBC10’s “the 10! Show”) was a great Master of Ceremonies.

From the very first dress, we were in love!

After the final walk, the judges deliberated on their choice for the runner up and the winner.

Heather took a great photo of all the models and the designers in the green room (a/k/a Heather's Studio) waiting for the judges' decisions

It was great anticipation, that the winners were announced

Third place went to this gorgeous dress:

Second place was awarded to this incredibly fun dress that I fell totally in love with:

And the winner is (drumroll, please)….

We had an absolutely wonderful time that night.   From the looks of it, so did everyone else.   I hope you enjoyed our first fashion show on our Walk (the first of many, I hope).

The Ladies of Eclatante and the Beautiful Blooms’ girls had WAY too much fun on this one.   I’m not sure we could really call it work!!!

L to R: Jeannie, Maggie, Sara, Kendall, Claire and Chrissy

L to R: Donna, Alicia, Lisa and Maggie

And be sure to check out The American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women Campaign.  NOTHING is more important than a woman’s heart.

Eclatante and Beautiful Blooms were honored and excited to be asked by the American Heart Association to host their annual Go Red for Women Preview Party.

Heather Fowler agreed, not only to let her studio be turned into a dressing room, but to shoot this wonderful event.

The event showcased some of the most talented young women I have ever met.   Young fashion designers from Philadelphia University’s fashion design program competing at a drop-dead amazing fashion show on our Walk.   All the dresses were, of course, red.   But even more incredible, each designer was inspired by the story of a person close to them who had experienced heart disease in a very real way.   The stories were beautiful — just like the dresses that were exhibited that evening.

In attendance were about 200 women (well, mostly women) who have a heart for this incredible campaign.    As they arrived, they were treated to delicious treats from Max & Me Catering and served wonderful beverages.  And All Around Entertainment created the perfect musical atmosphere for the evening.

Of course, we added our own special touches everywhere!

Donna and I were thriled to introduce the participants

The emcees were Biil Henley and Lori Wilson, hosts of the daily NBC10 10! show.  The judges were Jenice Armstrong of the Philadelphia Daily News, Kristin Munro of Philadelphia Style Magazine and Tiffany Hill, B101 Radio.

While all that was going on, the models were getting ready on the next block in Heather Fowler’s studio.  Their hair and makeup was expertly accomplished by Phoenix Salon & Spa and Salon 201.

until it was time to line up for the fashion show

In Part 2, you’ll see the parade of these beautiful dresses and the winners of the 2010 Go Red For Women Red Dress Fashion Show.

In late April, we introduced you all to the upcoming charity event known as Date with A Plate.  The event took place on the 4th & 5th of May and was just incredible. All of the designers and collectors who provided an insight into their interpretation of a fabulous table or entertainment scenario absolutely brought their A-game.  I do hope that a lot of you were able to make it out to see the amazing work that thrilled all of the guests. It was truly a feast for the eyes!!!

This year, the charity, known as the IMAJNZ Foundation –  which is the very innovative charity created by Judi Goodman and Sharyn Berman to support selected area charities – supported The Noreen O’Neill Foundation for Melanoma Research. It was an honor to step up for this particular charity as there is a history there for us.

We teamed up Beautiful Blooms to design and create our own interpretation of what would be a great night out with close friends. The inspiration began with a simple photo out of the January issue of InStyle Magazine.

And then the vision grew. We LOVED this beautiful combination of Sangria and White and decided that what we really needed to do was create wine and cheese party under the stars using this incredible contrast of colors. When we finally concluded what we were out to accomplish, we found the perfect name for our dining adventure:  ”Private Escape.”

Next came the ruffles –  which, until this year, I’ve never really found a place for in my heart. Now, suddenly, I LOVE THEM!  But not your grandmother’s ruffles, as you will soon see.

Beautiful Blooms has these awesome arbors created from beautiful wood beams.  We just had to use them!  Then we went in search of sangria colored ruffles, and WHITE ruffled plates.   No easy task, but a fun one nontheless!  And of course, being the detail crazies are, we lined everything out from drawings and measurements to make sure that our little plan would work.

Then, on the day of installation, the Beautiful Blooms and Eclatante teams carefully taped out the dimesions of our space, laid the the carpet, built the arbor, and carefully placed the linens and all of the other beautiful elements.

And here are the results!  These stunning photos were taken by David Mielcarek of CinematicbyDavidM.   He graciously agreed to shoot our display and we couldn’t have been more pleased.  His photos are wonderful!!!

People ADORED the ruffled chair backs and ruffled placemats. And so did we!

The chandelier is a phenomenal custom piece created out of square wine glasses.  Beautiful Blooms laced flowers all through the glassware.  The result was STUNNING!!!

Two Paper Dolls created the carefully designed Wine Tasting piece that explained the specific wine and cheese pairings to each guest.   Of course, choosing just the perfect wines was definitely one of the fun parts.

At the corners of the arbor, there were lovely large teardrop glass vases hung containing Japanese sweet peas, Japanese white long stem gloriosa lilies and white peonies.  It was a perfect softening touch.

We were so pleased to have Starr Events work with us. They created a gorgeous cheese and fruit platter and Frank’s Union Wine Mart helped us choose the perfect wine!  The wine and cheese pairings were absolutely amazing.

Thanks also go to Moore Events for lighting our display with uplights and pinspots. It truly made the difference by having this lighting installed.

The guests were thrilled to discover that this incredible “Private Escape” could be their reality — if they bid high enough!  Apparently, there was quite a little bidding war over our Private Escape.  We don’t know who won, but we can’t wait  recreate this look on Liberties Walk for one lucky winner and their friends.  Starr Events will create a lovely wine tasting menu for 8 and Frank’s Union Wine Mart will provide the wine for the event. What could be more wonderful than dining under the stars with great friends in their own “Pefect Escape.”

Our parting shots are the team photo!

From left to right: Maya (BB), Donna (BB), Kendall (EED) and Sara (EED)

People often ask us, “Where do you come up with these things??”    And the answer is that we don’t have a single source for ideas or details — we run all over sometimes, from flea markets to fine retailers and fabulous manufacturers to find just the right thing for each of our amazing events.

Today, Sara and I spent some time shopping on Fabric Row in Philly.    We have so many unusual events and photoshoots coming up and each of them has a completely different feel.   We had a very successful trip!

Among the zillions of fabric shops, you can find just about anything!

These wonderful folks at La' Grants were so helpful!

Sara falls in love with almost every bolt she sees!

Stay tuned for the results.   We bought some amazing fabrics for napkins, upholstering, incredible trim for lamp shades — you’ll see these things intermixed in several of our upcoming events!

There are some things that we are really proud of — our involvement with this event is absolutely among them!   This is going to be an incredible event full of the most amazing eye-candy you can imagine presented our area’s most talented and creative designers and collectors.   On top of which you will be treated to the delights of Steven Starr.   All to benefit one my most cherished charities — the Noreen Foundation for Melanoma Research.  Their work is very near and dear to my heart.

This is a two-day event, you can participate in one or both — take a look at the invitations below.   You really should go.  I promise you’ll be glad you did!

One of our favorite things is to discover and work at new venues. We’ve known about the Skybox at the 24/24 Studios for a while, but this is our first opportunity to work there.

As you can see from these great photos by Kevin York, the place is amazing!   It’s 6,200 square feet of open space with 30′ ceilings, skylights and gorgeous hardwood floors.  It sits within an incredible community of artists’ lofts and has an ambience of pure creativity.

Photo from the Skybox website

When Culinary Concepts asked us to design a photoshoot at the new Skybox, we jumped at the chance.  Together with Beautiful Blooms (whose stunning florals were perfect), we were able to create an amazing soiree that was perfectly suited for this amazing, cool loft-space very conveniently located in the City.

We chose beautiful aqua shimmer linens that inspired Beautiful Blooms to create coordinated florals of bamboo, dendrobium orchids and mokara orchids.  Other tables had three vibrant vases with tight bundles of roses, hydrangea and  spider mums. LOVE.

As you can see, the lighting was key to producing the dramatic effect we were looking to achieve.  Using LEDs projected across the room (rather than uplighting from the floor) we were able to achieve a stunning color the color saturation on the walls.

The cocktail area was created to reflect the ambiance of the whole room — the divine furniture from Busy Bee was perfect — I totally love their extraordinary furniture!

The bride’s room upstairs is a wonderful sanctuary for someone to collect themslves as their guests begin to arrive.  I <heart> this room. It’s so peaceful.

(See the gorgeous gown hanging on the wardrobe at the far end of the room.)

A ceremony in the round invokes a wonderful intimacy that works beautifully in this space.   We designed the ceremony area around a great wrought iron structure that Beautiful Blooms brought and adorned with lots and lots of ribbons and candles.

We’re very happy to introduce you to this fabulous new venue in Philadelphia.  I can’t wait to show you some of our events there!

It doesn’t have to be complicated, or expensive, to insert some pretty, unique details into your spring parties.  Here are some wonderful ideas that will absolutely delight your guests.

Once again, Heather Fowler shot the wonderful photos of the items in our Boutique. See for yourself what a great job she does with details.

A set of six placecards is only $9.

We love these adorable hand-crafted paper placecards that flutter right onto your stemware at each placesetting. They make for great conversation-starters. Handwrite your guests’ names (or have them calligraphed) and slip the notch over rim of water goblets or wine glasses for a lovely dinner party accessory.

Four years ago, today, was my wedding day.   That whole day, I was happy, calm, drinking mimosas, getting my hair done, hanging out with my girls, running around Rittenhouse Square with Marie Labbancz getting photos with Phil and climbing into a limo to the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts to marry the love of my life. It was a very, very good day.

Claudia Seyler did our hair and makeup.  Like I’ve always said, having Claudia there on the day of your wedding is like having a great bottle of wine — perfect for the occasion, relaxing and not the least bit overbearing.  She did a great job on everyone’s hair and make up — my mom, my daughters (this is Meaghan), my sisters and me.     Three generations of beautiful hair and makeup.

Phil and I saw each other for the first time that day on the steps in the Rittenhouse Hotel.   He had tears in his eyes.  YAY!

Two Paper Dolls created our invitations. We reproduced Phil’s favorite painting at PAFA.

I absolutely ADORE this photo of my youngest daughter, Katie, lovin’ on my mom, who was 85 at the time.   We’re throwing Mom’s 90th birthday party this summer.

A Broadway choir sang “Seasons of Love” from Rent right before I walked down the steps.  It could not have been more perfect.

That’s it.   We’re married.

Here are the famous shoe and hat box tablescapes by my buddy, Donna O’Brien of Beautiful Blooms. And the “table paintings” instead of table numbers (by Two Paper Dolls, of course).

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Here are my girls (from left to right):  Meaghan, Kendall, me and Katie.

Our first dance.

This is one of my favorite photos of Phil — ever!  He really was having the time of his life.

Everyone had a blast, which, of course, made Phil and me even happier!

One of our favorite parts was the desserts of chocolate stiletto shells filled with scrumptious mousse by the pastry chef at Jimmy Duffy’s.  Four years later, people are still talking about them.   My shoe fetish was very well represented!

I don’t want to overdo the photos of my own wedding, so I’ll stop here.   Hope you enjoyed them!  Happy Anniversary, Phil.  ¡Te amo!

When we last talked about the planning of Faye & Matt’s wedding, you were asked to chime in on the difficult choice between two wedding gowns that were beautifully designed and custom created for Faye by Janice Martin Couture. Here is the stunning winner:

Now is your chance to decide between two really beautiful  floral centerpieces created by the incredible team at Beautiful Blooms.   You can vote on Philly.com for either of the two beautiful pieces below.  Faye and Matt love both, so it really is up to you.

By the way, these photos were taken by Kevin York.  Faye and Matt are extremely lucky to have Kevin as their wedding photographer – it’s a certainty that their photos will be AMAZING!

Design#1  (“Organic Chic”) is created from an organic mix of hydrangea, protea, frog’s eye euphorbia, stock, hypericum berries and curly willow.  I just love how the colors compliment each other in the shades of apple green, purply blue and yellow. It will look stunning on the square tables dressed in a great purple pintuck linen with accents of yellow.

Design #2 (“Fishbowl Fashion”) has a more modern feel and was created in a large fishbowl. This arrangement is a combination of plum calla, yellow protea placed on a base of green split peas.   This centerpiece will look equally beautiful on the purple linens.

Hurry.  You only have until Tuesday night to vote for either of these gorgeous pieces.

After the centerpieces are decided, you’ll get to vote for the beautiful wedding rings from Safian & Rudolph.