Your Own Royal Wedding

The perfection of Kate and William's wedding will surely influence trends for years to come. But since most of us won't have thousands of guests and a national holiday declared for our wedding day, how do we interpret the perfect elegance of a royal wedding? Well first, get married at a castle. In Ireland. Last week I visited just such a magical place, fit for a princess.

Adare Manor, a 19th Century mansion, located just a half hour from Shannon Airport, is a quick 7 hours direct flight from NYC. And as you arrive, you're truly transported.

As you approach the manor, this is your view. The emerald green lawn is perfect for an outdoor wedding ceremony.

The three-hundred year old cedar tree marks a great photo spot.

The lawn, ceremony-ready. In the background is the famed Adare Manor Golf Club, voted the number one Golf Resort in Ireland and the UK by Conde Nast Traveller. Not bad.

The formal gardens at Easter, an ever-changing floral backdrop.
I was lucky enough to meet with all of Adare Manor's preferred vendors, from planners to floral designers -- and they are guaranteed to make your planning process easy and unique.

The Manor's walled gardens are a perfect setting for an outdoor wedding, ideal for a marquee.

Another view of the walled gardens, I picture a Sunday brunch with mimosas in hand, or a Friday barbecue complete with pig roast. There is so much to choose -- ranging from the Tavern for a late-night after-party to the Gallery fit for a king.

A weekend event has to include a little fly-fishing -- right outside the Manor the river is stocked with salmon and trout. A guide is on-hand with fishing poles and instructions.

The nearby Adare Village local church is lovingly restored, a mixture of vibrant painting and 700 year-old architecture. There are both Protestant and Catholic churches nearby, and the ruins of an abbey for a perfectly breathtaking backdrop a few hundred yards away off the property.
The nearby village of Adare boasts charming shops with thatch roofs, cozy pubs and additional accommodations for wedding guests at all price points. My favorite stops were at the local antique stores, packed with great finds.

All-in-all I had a fabulous experience at Adare, and have many great ideas and inspirations from the trip. Explore it yourself on their web site, or give me a call for additional first-hand tips on hosting your own royal wedding.

Buttermilk Falls Inn & Spa

I spent yesterday in the most wonderful way. 26 industry guests were hosted at Buttermilk Falls Inn & Spa for a day of conversation, food, drink, music and spa treatments. Our hosts were Dan Reyburn, the General Manager of the Inn and Josh Friedman, the creative respresentative of many of our favorite photographers, videographers and musicians in New York.

Buttermilk Falls is an extraordinary destination wedding venue less than two hours from the city in Milton, New York. There are 13 guest rooms and several unique spots for tents or outdoor ceremonies and cocktails. As a bonus, the owner is also an owner of Great Jones Spa in NYC, my favorite spa around!

In a later post I will show one of the most interesting features about this venue -- the farm with peacocks, llamas, chickens, goats, ducks and geese. Beautiful!

The dinner table set by Matthew Robbin's team, delish. The catering was provided by Cobblestone Foods with ingredients from the Union Square Farmer's Market. So our meal started in the Hudson Valley, came to Union Square, via Brooklyn, then back to the Hudson Valley. I love New York!

Pretty lanterns set the mood once the sun set. And perfect weather.

The main 18th century farmhouse. We were told that it was hit by British cannon launched from the Hudson during the Revolutionary War.

A view of the Hudson and the stone patio all ready for a tent.

From the river you can see some of the outbuildings. the Rooms are in eleven buildings all with different architectural styles.

One house with tremendous views.

There are several ponds on the property.This is the spa. The length of the building house a pool, steam room and sauna.As you stroll the property you come across perfect photo opportunities such as the barn.

And of course the Hudson River. Stay tuned for more on the music, luncheon and all the animals...

Aquamare: A Wedding Library Caribbean Destination

We were recently invited to partner with Aquamare, an amazing property for weddings in Virgin Gorda owned by our friend Guillermo Paz and his partners. I spent a week on property interviewing floral designers, photographers, local coordinators, hair stylists, massage therapists, bakers and coordinators. I was impressed by what a small island of only 3,500 inhabitants can offer. But I was most impressed by this incredibly luxurious and personal trio of villas and their amenities.

We left the trip with a plan to offer turnkey wedding planning coordination for the property, with all the leg-work complete. Stay tuned for our recommended local vendor information, special excursions, customized services and products designed especially for Aquamare.

Aquamare is nestled on the beach, secluded, and private. Each of the 3 villas is 8,000 square-feet, with 5 bedrooms each. 36 guests can be accommodated on property, with up to 50 more in nearby walking distance in adjacent villas.

Each villa has breathtaking views, and large open living room plans, great for group cocktails or dinners.

From this bedroom terrace you can see the totally private and groomed Beach Park. Ceremonies, dinners,cocktails, barbecues and after-parties for up to 100+ fit perfectly. Aquamare has thought of everything -- the beach is equipped with electricity, water, easy service access and is ready for a tent if the weather requires one. Here's a long shot of the beach park.
A view to Villa I from Villa III.

Here's an overview of the villas' layout.
Town & Country got a sneak peek at the property -- you can read about their thoughts on Aquamare as a destination venue in the current Town & Country Weddings: Fall/Winter 2009.

Dauphine Press Maps

Linda (Wedding Library Stationery Director) and I are currently a little obsessed with maps. How to customize them, incorporate them, make them easy. We use Trish from Dauphine Press quite a bit in this category for their creative and original use of motifs and design. We are able to customize and incorporate our clients' ideas into their pieces, making an original and fun piece (or suite) every time. I noticed that even on their web site Dauphine shows many ways of adapting the same type of map. It's useful to see how a piece from a standard stationery book can be adapted to your personal taste and needs.

From the Voyage suite. The compass tells you you'll be traveling, but the "passport" information booklet lets you know it's going to be a fun trip.

An elegant and more formal way a map is incorporated. Shades of brown for the stock, ink and map make it classic.

The turquoise map hints at a fun and tropical party.

The nautical motif on the reply card reads very New England. Note how the blue ink looks different with the map background in a contrasting color versus the RSVP card where motif and text are the same color.

When your wedding is abroad, it sometimes helps to see the big picture, like this map of Spain.

Love acid greens and a mixture of fonts.

Cornflower and kona, Wedding Library colors, I will always gravitate towards it!

As a save-the-date information set a tri-fold provides lots of surface area for text.

The simple way the map cross over the "pages" creates interest.

This invitation looks very St. Barts to me. Color and text helps to define an event.

Remember, if you are having a destination wedding, simply compiling the information needed for your stationery will take a while. Start planning early so you have time to incorporate beautiful (and event-appropriate) design into your suite. Call Linda if you have questions or for an appointment. 212.327.0100 or email linda@theweddinglibrary.com. Happy mapping...

Hotel Healdsburg

Perfect area for an outdoor wedding, don't you think?

Courtyard of the hotel, it evokes a modern piazza.

Delicate flowers in the gardens.

I love the juxtaposition of the natural, raw and luxurious.

A little installation I observed at the front desk.

Beautiful arrangements fit the color scheme perfectly.

The hotel lobby and great room where we had breakfast every day.

Jennifer and I whisked off with our husbands to San Francisco and Sonoma last week to taste local wines, brush up on some west coast wedding resources and enjoy California cuisine, landscape, sun and big skies. We find inspiration to bring to the weddings we plan wherever we go, and our stop in Healdsburg is no exception. A slip of a village with a positively European town square, we stayed at the Hotel Healdsburg -- a brilliant California creation. Tranquil, modern, earthy and luxurious, it's also co-owned by one of our favorite chefs, Charlie Palmer. An idyllic headquarters for a full weekend wedding, it's a destination locale without the Euro. If that's not in your future, the earthy palette, shades of olive and green, and oversize furniture is easily re-interpreted in NYC. Stay tuned to future blogs with our wine reviews, San Francisco Buzz and dinner at the famous MacMurray Ranch. (Buzz Bonus: Coincidentally, Palmer owns one of our favorite small wedding/rehearsal dinner spots in New York, Astra.)