Brilliant Blog

Bothersome Bouquets

December 21, 2011

Notice a difference between the two brides in the first row and the brides in the second? The top two brides have perfectly placed bouquets as they walk down the aisle: at or below their waist. The ladies in the bottom row are holding their bouquets so high that it obstructs their face as they walk down the aisle. Don’t let this happen to you!

Photos credit to one, two, three and four.

A Brilliant Destination Wedding: Round Hill Resort

December 15, 2011

There’s really nothing like a little bit of paradise during the holiday season!  I was lucky enough to visit Round Hill Resort in Montego Bay, Jamaica earlier this month for a press trip. Nestled on a quiet cove, this tropical destination wedding venue is a great escape to the days of Fred Astaire, Oscar Hammerstein and John & Jackie Kennedy.

For couples searching for a private villa to host their wedding but don’t want to sacrifice platinum service and amenities, Round Hill is the perfect hybrid. They have 27 unique villas (ranging from 2-bedrooms to 6-bedrooms) with dedicated staff plus the pristine oceanfront hotel rooms of the Ralph Lauren-designed Pineapple House.

As the staff will tell you, “everything is possible” when it comes to your wedding. Whether it’s a barefoot beach ceremony, welcome drinks at the infinity pool or an open-air dinner on the oceanfront lawn – the only difficult part of your wedding planning will be choosing just one location for each event.

Dreaming of a wedding like this? Contact us today at 917.974.4729 or sarah@brillianteventplanning.com

Photos courtesy of Round Hill.

A Brilliant Wedding: Jacob & Dina

December 7, 2011

Jacob hails from Canada and his California bride, Dina, were brave souls selecting their wedding date in February! As luck would have it, the weather held out and it was a snowy, yet clear day.  Their beautiful wedding was held in the library at the New York Academy of Medicine and was the perfect mix of their shared intellectual flair, Jewish Orthodox faith, and their genuine warmth and love for each other, their families and friends.  It was a true pleasure to kick off our 2011 season with these two and an absolute honor to be a part of their big day!

Flowers by Blossom and Branch, Hair by Stacy Pitt, Makeup by Sally Duvall, Venue NYAM, Kosher Catering Esprit Events, Band Simcha All-Stars, Non-Kosher Catering Sterling Affair, Photos by Karin VonVoigtlander.

Hydrangea Table Runner

November 2, 2011

Take a table runner, mix it with a hydrangea centerpiece and you get this spectacular idea.  Clean and simple but has a huge visual impact without obstructing the view across the table.  Genius!

Photo by Brian Fitzsimmons via Simple Song and Caplan Miller.

A Brilliant Proposal: Rodrigo & Gabriela

August 17, 2011

When Rodrigo contacted me from Brazil, he wanted a simple, rooftop marriage proposal with a view of the most iconic building in NYC: the Empire State Building. Not an easy task to find on short notice! His romantic and elegant proposal to Gabriela was a huge hit and she said YES (make that “Sim!” in Portuguese).  Thanks to Chef Ashton Keefe for their delectable dinner, Juan Villanueva for flowers and Sofia Negron for the fantastic photos!

Tune in to ABC Tonight & Tomorrow!

June 13, 2011

I’ll be featured on ABC Nightline tonight at 11:30pm EST and again tomorrow morning on Good Morning America for a segment all about proposal planning. The best part? You’ll get to see the proposal of one of our clients from start-to-finish, including the YES!

Not sure which channel is ABC?  Click here.

Not sure when Nightline airs in  your area?  Click here.

Missed the show? Check back tomorrow and we’ll post the video!

Corsage Alternatives

April 26, 2011

If your VIP ladies aren’t wild about a traditional corsage, check out this great alternative from Untamed Petals.  It’s just as elegant and won’t leave your bridal party having flashbacks of their high school prom. Or use it to during a bridal shower, baby shower or bachelorette party to denote the guest of honor.

A Brilliant Wedding: Julie & Gary, The Reception

April 5, 2011

This autumn wedding needed a little twist of the theater for our Broadway-loving bride & groom. With stationery designed by Kayleigh Jankowski and the help of the DJ, we slipped it into the table names and to the dinner music without going overboard. The perfect combination for this perfect couple! To honor Gary’s mother who passed away from Lupus, the couple selected wristbands with specially-designed tags as a symbol of their donation to the Lupus Foundation.

At the end of the evening, after all of the groom’s Johnnie Walker had been consumed, the cake was cut and the candles blown out, we felt so privileged to have been a part of such an important day in their lives. Congratulations!

Thank you to Jenny Boyle of Jennifer Davis Photography for the amazing photos!

A Brilliant Wedding: Julie & Gary, The Ceremony

April 5, 2011

Julie & Gary got married on a chilly day in early November at the chapel at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. Their dream wedding had an autumnal feel with a flair for the colors of cranberry and burnt orange. With that in mind, we designed an elegant yet approachable day for them to share with their loved ones. They both got ready at the Wall Street Inn in downtown Manhattan and I have to say that Julie was one of the most beautiful brides I’ve ever seen! She rocked her Louboutins all evening and together they made a perfect Mr. and Mrs. Stay tuned for more photos from their spectacular day!

Amazing photos thanks to Jenny Boyle for Jennifer Davis Photography.

A Brilliant Wedding: Jennifer & Rob

February 22, 2011

Jennifer & Rob were married on the perfect fall day in Prospect Park, Brooklyn. These two came to us wanting nothing but the chance to enjoy their friends and family while basking in the glow of their wedding day. The Picnic House created a simply elegant backdrop, with florals from Blossom & Branch and photos from Jenny Kim, their nuptials were nothing less than picture perfect!

I love this sweet moment between the adorable bride & groom, so carefree and happy as they enjoy their wedding day! We were so honored to be part of such an amazing occasion, thank you!