SWANK Wedding in Israel

One of the things I really LOVE about my job is that I get to travel to beautiful places to see people celebrate love "their way". Especially when it's somewhere completely different, like the Middle East! Different types of venues, different locals, different styles of dresses, different food...everything different! I LOVE IT!
I was recently lucky enough to be back in Israel (where I was born) for both business and pleasure and wanted to share these photos of our lovely couple and the beautiful wedding we created for them.


*Some Cool Facts about This Wedding:

The venue, STOA, is outside of Tel Aviv, and was actually an old indoor basketball court. Keeping the "bleacher" "levels" was a really cool element to play with.


The brides dress (as well as the dresses of all the women in the wedding party) was custom made and had a full skirt to cover her legs for the religious ceremony but then it was removable as she went into "party" mode!

(more photos to come on our site!)

Mazel Tov to all of you planning your wedding where ever it's going to be!

xoxo ~Maya

You Just Got Engaged! Now What?

I know its such an exciting time and you want to get started planning NOW.
BUT hold on! One thing I'm sure you haven't thought of is what if I loose my bling?!!?

I know....what do you mean? But yes things do happen. Diamonds do fall out of their settings and rings do slip off of fingers. What would you do if that happened? (other than sob)

So first things first! Call your insurance agent and get that bling insured! Doesn't cost much at all to add it your renter or homeowners insurance. But if the unthinkable happens knowing you were smart is priceless!

Cheers to your engagement!
~Maya

Non Floral Wedding Centerpiece

Don't get me wrong I have nothing against flowers! LOL

- some of my best friends are florists!

BUT I DO LOVE non floral wedding centerpieces

because it shows a real desire to be different (and sometimes quite budget friendly)

(and I say 'sometimes' because not always will flowers be less than some of the non floral centerpiece ideas we've come up with!)

One of my favorite non floral wedding centerpiece ideas is the Candelabra.

They can be purchased or rented. You can find them is all different shapes, sizes, materials and finishes. And like the ones we used for this wedding at The Edison Ballroom they can be painted any color that goes with your decor vision!

(these were a strange chipped antique gold so we sprayed them high gloss black)

This one is a particularly fun DIY centerpiece because the bride is a jewelry buyer for a popular chain store and so we used the necklaces she sells as embellishments on all the centerpieces! (which some of the guests that worked with her realized as they were complimenting us on the decor -too funny!)

While this particular wedding was very much a black & white theme

(as well as feathers - which will be another non floral centerpiece blog) :)

We used white taper candles (make sure to ask your venue about flame rules) BUT in the past to really jazz things up you can buy (or even spay paint!) taper candles any color you want! (with non flammable paint)

Picture sunshine yellow, a soft violet....any color or combo of colors that you may find hard to buy. OR if you wanted to get really crafty and ombre would be outrageous!

Whatever you decide, just know that centerpieces do not have to include any flowers and can still be magical and elegant.

And as always, your wedding decor should be an expression of YOU!.... so be chic, be sassy, be be bold...be YOU.

Cheers to getting married in NY!

~Maya

Photos & Video by the awesome and talented Jorg Windau

Planning, Design & Production by Swank Productions

Congratulations on your Engagement!

CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR ENGAGEMENT!

CHEERS TO GETTING MARRIED IN NYC

~MAYA

Snowballs INSIDE your Winter Wedding?

Carnations get a bad wrap!

Whenever I ask a bride "what flowers do you LOVE & what flowers do you HATE"

....most are eager to say "NO CARNATIONS"!

So I'm here to say that carnations are actually

a wonderfully, beautiful and very cost effective flower!

Especially when you use them by themselves and in abundance!

For winter parties I love to use them to make "flower snowballs".

Sprinkle some fake snow - or fill containers

and then make the carnation snowballs in all different sizes

and pile them all over the place

just like you would real snowballs!

Very cute and very unexpected.

Your guests will ooh and ahhh at your unbelievable creativity!

*Projecting a fireplace video is also a great way to create a cozy atmosphere

no matter what kind of party you're throwing!

Cheers to getting married in NYC!

~Maya

Vera Wang SAMPLE SALE!

BRIDAL & BRIDESMAID SAMPLE SALE!

SAT DEC 12TH

9AM -5PM

THE NEW YORKER HOTEL

481 8TH AVE

NYC

WHO doesn't love a sample sale!

One of a kind samples and 25-75% off!

I know this is exciting but Brides...

PLEASE be kind to each other! LOL

You only need one gown (OK maybe two!) So be nice and share

Cheers to getting married in NYC!

~Maya

Winter Wedding Wonderland in NYC

Winter Weddings have always had a magical mystic to me.

I'll admit that I'm always slightly impressed when I sit down with a bride and she tells me she wants to have a Winter Wedding. It's living life a little on the edge...knowing somewhere inside that the weather 'could' literally make the event not happen. BUT I completely understand why they take the risk! Because when you step back and look at it, Winter is a truly beautiful, magical and romantic season. From the white piles of snow, to the ever changing snowflakes, to ice, furry things and fire...you get the picture. Design inspirations are abound!

All of these elements were inspirations we used in this

Winter Weddingat one of my favorite venues Angel Orensanz.

(and all things that you can adapt into your own wedding)

We brought in iron gates which created a dramatic entryway for

the Brides arrival into the ceremony.

Hundred of hanging votive candles & icy blue lighting created the ambiance and feel of being outdoors

looking up at the twinkling nighttime stars.

*And if you look closely towards the chuppah

you'll see that its snowing inside!

(we had snow machines on the balcony creating a light dusting of snow over the entire ceremony

- a little splurge well worth the wow factor!)

Breathtaking dress with platinum detailing (that looked like delicate snowflakes) by Reem Acra

The couples elegant silhouette was incorporated into a cameo that we used on the ketubah and the cake (cake by the very talented Cheryl Kleinman)

We incorporated ice into the bars, buffet areas and vases to create unexpected surfaces and containers, while chairs and seating area had fur pillows and throws to balance the ambiance.

Lambs ears are a fun (and fuzzy) element to add to all white flowers in frosted ice vases.

While the couple had a beautiful cake to cut, they also loved cotton candy

which they shared with (themselves) and all the guests

*a note from me to you!*- Remember do whatever is YOU!

There are no rules to wedding decor...

just what is beautiful, chic and makes you happy!

Cheers to getting married in NYC!
~Maya

Photos by the lovely and talented Sharon Schuster
Planning & Design by Swank Productions