Our favorite trendspotter of the year (and last): Ring in the New Year with these amazing libations

The topic today is cocktails, cocktails, cocktails!   Prepare for your New Year's Eve festivities with a fun, festive signature drink.  Here are a few of our favorites.  What's yours??

Peppermint Mojito

1 oz 10 Cane Rum

1/2 oz Simple Syrup (to taste, really)

Squeeze fresh lime juice

Club Soda

Mint

Crushed Peppermint for garnish

The Merry Berry Cosmo

2 oz Lotus Vodka

1 oz Berry Liqueur (like Chambord)

1 oz Cranberry Juice

½ oz Grenadine

½ oz Simple Syrup

Pomegrante Champagne

4 oz champagne

1 oz pomegranate juice

1 teaspoon of cassis

Southern Belle

1 oz. PAMA Pomegranate Liqueur

1 oz. Super Premium Gin

1 oz. Grapefruit Juice

Splash of Club Soda

Tropical Storm

1 3/4 ounces cranberry juice

1 3/4 ounces feshly squeezed orange juice

1 3/4 ounces pineapple juice

1 ounce sour mix

1 oange slice, for garnish

1 maraschino cherry, for garnish

Enjoy!

From all of us at SD Events have a fabulous 2011:
celebrate new beginnings. cherish fond memories. embrace the challenges ahead.

Check Out Our Weddings in Southern New England Weddings 2011!

We love the 2011 Southern New England Weddings Magazine!  SD Events was showcased in  the publication not only once, but twice!!  A profile of Tasha and the company on page 126 and the gorgeous Kraus/Tudryn Cape Cod wedding at the Wequassett Resort and Golf Club on page 240. 


The articles highlights our key philosophy: each event we work on reflects our clients' individual style.  Design concepts are created specific to each client which translates into each and every one of our events being completely personal. While both of these weddings were planned and created in the same wedding season, they are completely different and reflective of each of the different couples.
 

ICA Wedding!

We've been busy with the holidays and the opening of the Boston Bridal Lounge...more to come on that!  But we had to share some amazing photos from a wedding we had the pleasure of coordinating and designing at the Contemporary Art in Boston.  The wedding was a mixture of Asian and English cultures with guests traveling from all over the world.

A huge thanks goes out to Allegro photography for capturing the photos - Jo and Dave are mega talented - we love you guys!

It was a pleasure collaborating with such a fantastic team - Music Mangement and the high-energy sounds of Hip Pocket Orchestra, ICA Wolf Gang Puck Catering, and Honey at Lotus Designs. 

For lack of a beter cliche - you rock, until next time!

Top 10 Reasons Why You Need A Wedding Planner!

With engagement season upon we thought it was time to think about why hiring a wedding planner might be the right decision for you and how it can help you through one of the most exciting and stressful times.





10. Minimizes Fighting
A planner they can be the third party involved in the event to help resolve any family issues or those tricky situations with the bridal party. They can take all of the differences and help create one cohesive design for the wedding. This can take a lot of stress and fighting away from the couple and their families, which always make everything run smoother!

9. Saves Time
Having a wedding planner saves you time! We know the professionals in the industry and have done the homework to help determine who is the right fit for you. The added benefit vs. using recommendations from friends and families is a good planner has an extensive database of professionals.

8. Matchmakers
There are many different people you need to think of when planning a wedding. Bands, DJ’s, florists, photographers, make-up artists, hair stylist, videographers, caterers, rental companies, officiants/rabbis and bakers are just a few of the people you will need to work with for your one special day. Your planner should be your guardian angel matchmaker and conduct extensive research, ask the right questions to ensure they are right for your event.


7. Save Money
Yes, we may obtain discounts for vendors or get them to throw in “extras” but where a planner really saves money is filtering through all the “stuff” to direct you to those elements that are going to have the biggest impact for the cost. There are some things that just aren’t necessary.


6. Creative Designs
One of the biggest assets a planner can offer is design assistance. Use our knowledge of colors, décor to create the exact look you want.


5. Advice
While you may have been dreaming of your wedding day since you were a little girl, you may not have dreamt of everything! Today’s weddings are so much more than just tossing the bouquet and cutting the cake. Couples have thought of so many exciting forms of entertainment to have at a wedding. Wedding planners will give advice on what to do and what not to do. They have most likely seen it all and if what you want to do hasn’t gone over all that well at a wedding in the past they will be sure to let you know! They also might offer advice on how to make your wedding different in ways you never thought of!


4. Timing
The timeline is the most important tool for the day. This will keep you on track and one time. A planner knows what flows well and what works to give guests the best experience.


3. Budgeting
As we all know planning a wedding is very expensive and we understand everyone has a budget. It’s important to know what are the important items are to you – flowers, food, entertainment? This is where you may want to spend a little more.


2. No Stress!
A critical component of a planners services is taking a way the stress that comes with planning such an important event. It’s not just about the day, but the entire planning process. It should be fun and enjoyable.


1. Enjoy your day!
You don’t spend thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours of planning a wedding for no reason. You want it to be a fun and memorable experience that you will never forget. While a wedding may take an average of 200 hours to plan, the actual day only lasts between 10 and 12 hours. From the second you wake up and start getting your hair and make-up done until you are waving goodbye to all of your guest at your reception you should be having fun! It is a day filled with laughter, tears, and full of emotion and you should experience it all with no worries!

Sneak Peak! Heather & Adrian's Wedding Trailer by GENERATIONS Cinemastories

Check out the amazing film from Heather and Adrian's fall wedding by  GENERATIONS Cinemastories.  Creative, fun and sophisticated as always!

Stay tuned for more to come.

TRENDSPOTTER: Extra Extra, its at Weddings!

Everyone wants to set the bar high and add a WOW factor at their wedding!  We've seen many extras that put a twist on the traditional wedding.  Popular extras you've probably seen are candy bars, desert and ice cream bars, to-go boxes filled with late night snacks.

Why not add a clown or magician for the kids (okay or adults).  A belly dancer can liven up a cocktail hour, caricature artists adds humour or dance lessons are a great way to get everyone out of their seats.

Your guests will definitely leave your wedding saying what a memorable affair!

Traditional Romantic Affair at the Four Seasons!

We are finally getting around to posting some fabulous photos from our Four Seasons wedding this past May - how time flies!

As always, Sara Kovel was such a pleasure to work with and the Four Seasons Boston far exceeded expectations.  What an amazing venue.

One of the main focal points is the gorgeous wall of white roses designed by Marc Hall of Winston Flowers - total WOW factor.

We're excited to see the amazing video captured by Jay Kenney of Seaside Video and the time lapse of the room set-up. It was an amazing transformation with ceremony and reception in the same room.

The other highlight was the amazing band - Right On - that kept everyone dancing all night to the fabulous 70s music.

Thank you to everyone involved for making this such a fabulous event - Gigi DeManio, DJ Raffi, Be Our Guest, Party By Design, Winston Flowers, Suzanne B Lowell Lighting, Cakes to Remember, Allure Invites - we could not have done it without you!!

TRENDSPOTTER: Purple & Silver

As event planners, we are often asked what the hot colors are for the season.  Much of this comes from what you see in home and clothing stores.   So all of you starting to plan those 2011 events, you are poised to see a lot of purple and silver in all different shades.
The color purple  has soothing qualities and is said to balance the mind and bring out compassion, beauty, luxury and spirituality.  The sensitivity of purples is balanced by the cool irodescence of silver.  Silver represents prestige and adds a sharp edge.

Whether purple and silver make you feel good or not, we know it is going to make a huge presence in the 2011 Wedding Season!  Stay tuned for all sorts of seasonal shades of our new hott combo, silver and purple!

A Wequasset Wedding!

  

We are thrilled to have so many fabulous weddings to share with you!  Steve and Sarah celebrated their wedding at the lovely Wequasset Inn (As many know this is where I married my amazing husband Bill about 10 years ago).  The weekend kicked off with a clambake at their private home in Chatham and then a fabulous dinner for 100 at Chatham Bars Inn for the rehearsal dinner.  The centerpieces for the rehearsal dinner were gorgeous hyedrangea blooms from their own yard in stunning colors of blues and purples.

This couple was so fun and high energy which we love.  The celebration kicked off with Nightshift belting out the Black Eyed Peas "Tonight is Going to be a Good Night" which got the crowd moving even before the first course!

Thank you to Corinne Schippert Photography for sharing these great pictures with us.  Also check out the sneakpeak video by Jason Falchuk from Boston Wedding Films!  Jason really captured the bride and groom's fun personalities in this video.  This is one that will make you think twice about whether you want video coverage on your day for sure.

http://vimeo.com/14225593

Thank you to Karen of Lilacs Floral Design who always does an amazing job - we love working with her!  The rest of the team brought it all together and couldn't have happened without such a talented group including Be Our Guest, Ormonde Productions Lighting Design, Coastal Audio Visuals!  Thank you so much - you always make us look good.

TRENDSPOTTER: Brand Your Wedding Early

There are a lot of ways to "brand" your big day and we think it's a must to put that unique, personal stamp on your day.

One idea we love is creating a logo or motif that symbolizes the festivities. It could be your initials or a cool, funky design. This can then be weaved throughout the wedding - save-the-dates, invitations, programs, menu cards, welcome booklets, to-go boxes - the options are limitless.  It's key to incorporate the design early in the planning process to give guests a glimpse into the vibe and vision of the wedding and put all the elements in a nice "package".

We've also had many clients carry this motif into their marriage, using it for thank you or holiday cards and other types of stationary!

Here are some recent fun and unique creations we've used.

Sneak Peak: Beach Side September Wedding!

Happy Friday and welcome to fall!  We're catching up on our busy and amazing season.  What a whirlwind of creativity and amazing designs this year and this one is no exception.

Check out a sneak peak at a special wedding on Monomoscoy Island located on Cape Cod. The amazing photos were captured by the talented ladies at click imagery.

The "signature" of this was the amazing lighting created by DJ Raffi.  It created the vibe Jimmy and Erin envisioned from the beginning.  Of course the ultra talented John  LaRoche and his team from Blue Guava did an amazing job on the florals.  Just breathtaking!!

Thanks to the amazing staff at Chase Canopy and Eat Your Heart Out Catering who helped bring it all together!  The amazing dessert bar was created by the talented Lisa Raffael of Delicious Desserts.

More to come!!

Elm Bank Summer Wedding!

The Elm Bank in Wellesley was the perfect location for our late August Wedding!  The cocktail hour was held in the Italiante Garden and the dinner reception followed in the Hunnewell building and outdoor tent.  The room was tastefully decorated in silver and all different shades of purple.  Guests especially enjoyed the full candy bar and the professional cigar roller!  Thanks to DJ Raffi for providing us with these pictures!

TRENDSPOTTER: Video Invites are the hot trend

We've had a busy summer and gearing up for the fall, but it's been too long since we've posted our Trendspotter...so here it is!

Video invites you say?  Is this proper etiquette?  Yes, though we strongly suggest doing it as a mailing vs. an evite type of format.  Though, the eco-friendly paperless is gaining acceptance, it's still nice to provide guests with hard copies of the information and details.

Many are opting for a coordinated package of a custom labeled DVD with matching paper invitations and RSVP cards while others are going "green" and sending out their videos via email or social media devices.  Whichever you choose, work with a great cinematagrapher to add that "wow" factor that will set the tone for your event.  Don't be afraid to get creative and truly show your personality and style!  The video invite enables a new level of creativity not captured with the paper invite.  It's a fun, fresh twist that will be sure to make your event that much more unique and special.  Have fun.

Let us know your thoughts on the growing trend.

Fabulous 21st Birthday Celebration!

It's a sophisticated, glamour-filled 21st birthday party celebration and SD Events was invited.  It's great to see a spike in the small, fun party with fabulous decor and atmosphere.  To keep a casual, fun pool vibe, we used jewels, stones and crystal accents which chic and hip can be used in SO many different ways.  So, we said "hey, let's make it our Trendspotter Tuesday piece" - done!

Using jewel tones, Moraccan flare, we created a gorgeous backdrop for Marissa's party.  Bold colors of orange, aqua, and green were at the forefront accented with satin fuschia linen with modern, trendy clear acrylic mirage chairs. We hung pink and green orchids from the ceiling for extra drama. We topped it off with an abundance of votives and candles across the table at various heights to add sparkle and create the perfect mood lighting for a fabulous, festive night!

Thanks to Hotel Indigo for their amazing staff and Honey at Lotus Designs along with Rentals Unlimited for making it happen.   You all are amazing to work with!!

 

  

TRENDSPOTTER: Photo Booths

     It's Tuesday and who doesn't need a little papa razzi action!  Silly face, kissing face, happy face, and sad face are  just a few of the many different poses inside of a photo booth.  The concept of photo booths brings back memories of childhood, movie theaters, and malls.  Everyone has at least one memory of when they were younger going into a photo booth with either a best friend or a boyfriend/girlfriend.  Within minutes a strip of pictures prints out and you have successfully captured all of your different emotions in one photo!  They are great keepsakes that form memories of certain events, people and places.
    
 While the photo booth has been done and by itself not unique, we are taking it a step further to add some twists to this old standard.  Project some of the images onto a wall in a lounge or cocktail area for guests to enjoy.  Complemented with  backdrop of soft lighting or patterns, you are also adding an element of decor that will creat the perfect atmosphere for your guests to celebrate.  Making something old and borrowed, new and fresh.

   

Double Happiness Invite for a lifetime of happiness

Here is a sneak peak to one of our fabulous September weddings!  The unique Double Happiness symbol is the center of this design and an important element to the bride. The symbol represents the male as the dragon and the female as the phoenix.  The combination of the dragon and phoenix together symbolizes that the soon-to-be husband and wife are a perfect pair!

We merged classic sophistication with modern elegance and the result is stunning.  The color is a nod to the Harvard crimson and presents a touch of personality. 

Thank you to the fabulous Wendy and Mara at Allure invitations for making our vision become a reality!!

Sneak Peak: Riedel Tabletop Contest for Brides Magazine!

We started our week off with an exciting poolside photoshoot for the the Riedel Glassware competition for Brides magazine!! We were challenged with the task to create a dramatic and exciting tablescape using Riedel's new line of high quality glassware. The Riedel products used were the water glasses, red and white wine glasses, large glass chargers, and glass votives. We aimed for a poolside cabana feel with lime and aqua dupioni silk linens, white accents and pink orchids to add a pop of color.

Thanks to Person and Killian for taking the fabulous photos and to Be Our Guest for the decor.

TRENDSPOTTER: Bridal Shower

The bridal shower should celebrate and accentuate the bride's personality. It doesn't have to be boring or unimaginative.  We know every bride is different, so let their individuality be your inspiration! Here are some ideas that will help get you thinking out-of-the-box.

A Naughty or Nice Shower

The bride is really into fun and games. Every guest must bring one naughty gift (for the bride's honeymoon)and one nice (normal) bridal shower gift. As party favors, you may get some naughty and nice small gifts and have each guest pick one.

A Stock the Bar Shower
Ask guests to bring their favorite alcoholic beverages and/or mixers to help the bride stock her bar. For a stress-free, mess-free time, consider holding this shower at the bride’s favorite bar or restaurant. For party favors, guests might receive cocktail shakers, monogrammed cocktail glasses or wine glasses.
Our advice - bring a home-made vodka infusion!

A Room to Room Shower
The newlyweds are gonna need help with every room in their home or apartment, so why limit the gift list to the bedroom or kitchen? Assign guests a specific room of the house. Each guest should bring a gift for their specific room.

Whatever your theme or ideas have fun with it and enjoy your time with the gals (and guys)!

Culture-Infused Wedding Reception at DeCordova Museum

We're finishing Monday off with a timeless wedding that we had the pleasure of designing and coordinating for Jennifer and Robert.  They were a fun couple who blended their Asian and British cultures with love, the arts and of course a signature Pimms Cocktail.  So many cultural influences to this affair!

The wedding ceremony was held at the Codman Estate Gardens and Carriage House and the reception was hosted at the DeCordova museum.

Thank you to Connie Miller of Studio Atticus who photographed the amazing event (congrats on your recent Best of Boston from Improper Bostonian).  Tables of Content Catering did an amazing job on the food (as always) and we couldn't have completed our vision without the help of Bella Floral Design.

Classic Seaside Affair at the Gorgeous Chatham Bars Inn

Another hot day and sun, sand and sips are on our mind and making us long for Cape Cod and one of our favorite venues, the fabulous Chatham Bars Inn.  Rolling out this spectacular event from the past makes us smile and forget we're stuck inside!

We loved working with with Pam and Ed for their beautiful, intimate seaside wedding.  Thanks to Patrice Milley for the florals, Wayne Chinnook for the amazing photography and Rentals Unlimited for the lounge furniture that topped off the contemporary beach vibe.

If you are also in the office, enjoy and think of being on the beach enjoying a good book and cool cocktail...

TRENDSPOTTER: The Latest in Bridal Bouquets

Bouquets are a big part of any wedding and the perfect way to bring out your personal style. The latest trend is to adorn the Bride's bouquet with something personal – an heirloom handkerchief, a family brooch or monogrammed ribbon - to dress up the stems and blooms. If your looking to add natural or beach elements, starfish, feathers, or small pieces of curly willow can make a dramatic impact.


Lilies, Dahlias, peonies, ranunculus, hydrangeas, tulips and orchids represent some of the most elegant and popular flowers for bouquets. Many are opting for a tight bouquet vs. the cascade, though a modern version of the traditional cascade is emerging as a sophisticated alternative.

 

Of course you also want to consider the environment when thinking about your flowers. If this is at the top of your list, be sure to work with a floral designer that works with environmentally friendly products and has connections with local growers. You'll be surprised what's available!
Whatever your style or favorite flower, work with your floral designer to create with significance. Think beyond just a bouquet of mere flowers - it can be so much more!

Highlights from Wedding Brunch at the Hyannis Yacht Club

A few snapshots from a fabulous brunch we had the pleasure of coordinating after the wedding for MaryHelen and Kurt.  Wonderful food, perfect weather and a fun Steel Drum Band put everyone in the mood to continue the celebration!  Thanks to Shama Klee Flowers for the amazing arrangements.

TRENDSPOTTER: Unusual Centerpieces

We have compiled a short list of amazing centerpiece ideas just for you! Glance through and see for yourself! (What we love is how versatile these are - you can use at your wedding, at an event, or at a dinner party!!)

The latest rage for centerpieces is submerging flowers in clear, cylindrical vases. Coiling decorative silver wire around a white orchid amd sliding it into a vase will help anchor the flower and keep it from floating to the top. Simplified elegance!

A gorgeous ring of roses, woven with lemon grasses and trailing hypericum berries makes a striking presentation for a bridal table.  This option can be used to cater to any color palette, which is why we love it so much! Make it bright or make it mellow.

We definitely love the idea of upside-down glasses - great for an outdoor garden party! Put a flower at the bottom and place a pretty candle on top. Whether you are a wine expert or a martini fanatic, this is a wonderful , bright idea for settings at every table. The best part is that you can choose any color palette you dream up.

Get Inspired today with centerpieces!!

Spring Fling: Lucious garden rehearsal dinner

Summer has arrived and with the beautiful weather, we wanted to share a little snippet of a fabulous rehearsal dinner we recently had the pleasure of coordinating!  The pastel pinks, yellows, purples, oranges, and greens make this reception pop! Enjoy this bit of spring as we move into the steamy, sultry summer.