Soiree Philadelphia presents: Top Table – Sweetheart Table Design Competition at 2014’s “Let Them Eat Cake”

We are thrilled to announce that Soiree Philadelphia will be sponsoring our very first Top Table Design competition at this year’s “Let Them Eat Cake”

LIMITED SPACE – Just 10 spaces available!  First come, first served!

Wedding planners, designs, event stylist & florists are invited to participate in this Sweetheart Table design competion.  First, second and third prizes will be award, and the winners will be selected by Let Them Eat Cake attendees.

 

Design the top table & win a 1st prize worth over $3600! Other prizes provided by Uber, the Association of Bridal Consultants and more sponsors coming soon… Contest is open to wedding planners, event designers & florists. 1st, 2nd & 3rd prizes will be chosen by attendees of City of Hope’s 2014 “Let Them Eat Cake” event. Tickets & attendance to LTEC are required to vote.

Company name: ____________________________________

Contestant name: ___________________________________

Email: _______________________________________________

Telephone number: __________________________________

Entry fee is $175 & is tax deductable.

Please make checks payable to: “City of Hope” & send with this registration to:

City of Hope, Northeast Regional Office
1608 Walnut Street, Suite 1702
Philadelphia PA 19103

Or Credit Card: ______________________________Exp____

Visa ___ Mastercard ___ American Express ___ Discover ___

 

Signature: ___________________________________________

For questions about the table competition, please email Laura at: soireephiladelphia@gmail.com

For questions about “Let Them Eat Cake” & City of Hope, please email Amy at: afitzpatrick@coh.org

Prizes to include:
• 1 year membership to Soiree Philadelphia ($3600 value)
• Uber Gift Cards
• 1 year membership to the Greater Philadelphia Chapter of the Association of Bridal Consultants
and more prizes to be announced soon….

Rules:

  • Participants must provide their own table (not to exceed 36 inches) and two chairs.
  • Sharing a table with another company is not permitted (only one business per entry).
  • The entire table and display must not take up more than 5 foot by 5 foot space.
  • Electricity may be available based on the layout of the space, but cannot be guaranteed at this time.
  • Participants are allowed to display signage and distribute business cards and materials.
  • Judging will be by the attendees of the Let Them Eat Cake event – 1st, 2nd and 3rd prizes will be based on the highest number of votes.
  • A voter prize will be provided by Soiree Philadelphia to encourage voting (same format at LTEC “People’s Choice” award).
  • Prizes are furnished or arranged by Soiree Philadelphia, and prizes have no cash equivalent value.
  • Each registration allows for two individuals representing the company participating entry into the event (an $80 value).
  • All checks should be made payable to City of Hope and are tax deductible.

(*Current Soiree Philadelphia members are not eligible for 1st prize).

Part 2 of Gilt City “Wedding Week” – more great deals, featuring Pastore Events….

Check out the addition of Pastore Event’s incredible offer – up to 50% off Consultations, Wedding Day Coordination & Full Service Planning!  And there is still time to take advantage of offers from:

 Ashley Gerrity Photography – Boudoir, Couples or Wedding Photography Packages

 Aleksandra Ambrozy Hair & Makeup – Private Makeup Lessons

Scarlett Alley – Up to 50% off Custom Wedding Bowls, Apparel, Accessories & More

 

A few new things to love from Scarlett Alley for your Wedding Day – being prepared & getting personal…

Scarlett Alley and Scarlett Bride are just the greatest places to find new, elegant and fun items for the bride-to-be (and for her ‘maids).  If you live in the Philadelphia area, you must stop by Liz & Gary’s amazing boutique at 241 Race Street, but you can find all of these fabulous items online (links are listed and each image is clickable below)

Here are a few of our recent favorites:
MR. & MRS. Bridessentials Kit

Say “yes” to no stress with the Bridessentials Kit by Ms. & Mrs.

Tucked in a slim silver case, the Bridessentials Kit is compact enough to tote around for the entire wedding day. And with 25 essentials inside–including a “Something Blue” Heart-Shaped Crystal–this survival kit is comprehensive enough to conquer almost any wedding day calamity. The matching gift tag reads, “Wishing you a wedding that’s wonderful and worry-free.”
Contains 25 must-haves: Folding Hair Brush with Mirror, Hair Spray, Bobby Pins, Earring Backs, Facial Tissues, Blotting Tissues, Emery Board, Clear Nail Polish, Nail Polish Remover, Mending Kit, Scissors, Safety Pins, Double-Sided Tape, Stain Remover, Static Remover, Antacid, Pain Reliever, Breath Freshener, Dental Floss, Deodorant Towelette, Adhesive Bandages, Tampon, Super Glue, “Something Blue” Heart-Shaped Crystal, and Extra Wedding Bands

$24.95

CLASSY BRIDE Love Sequin Ribbed Tank
Such a fantastic tank from Classy Bride!
Silver & Aqua sequins on 100% cotton white or black ribbed tank top.

$31.95

 

 

 

 

 

 

SA SIGNATURE Personalized Slate Cheese Tray 24″ x 12″

 J. K. Adams
Full felt backing, natural flaked edge.
Natural Slate
24″ x 12″
Engraving included
J.K. Adams Company has created American made cutting boards since 1944. J.K. Adams continues their New England craftsmanship with wooden cheese trays and personalized slate serving trays.

 

Guest blog: Rebecca Richman on Flowers & Floral Decor….

Rebecca Richman (one of Soiree Philadelphia founding members and a recent bride herself) has been a planner for the last four years with Queen of Hearts Wedding Consultants and has been quoted & her work has been featured in numerous publications, including The Knot magazine, Philadelphia Weddings magazine, Nouveau Magazine, Baltimore Sun, Huffington Post, MunaLuchi Bridal, and on WHYY.  Rebecca is also the co-director of the Philadelphia Chapter of the Association of Bridal Consultants and a founding Marketing Board Member of Wish Upon A Wedding Philadelphia.

Floral meetings can be both exciting and daunting for brides. It’s fun to sit down with someone creative to discuss all of the pretty things that you want at your wedding but it can also be daunting as you don’t quite know what to expect or to bring with you and you’re nervous about what that proposal (filled with all of your dream ideas and flowers) is going to cost you. Here are some tips on what to do to prepare before your first trip to the florist.

  1. As always, research: Make sure you check sites like weddingwire.com and get referrals from friends or your uber fabulous wedding planner. You never want to meet with someone that you know nothing about so make sure you do your research. Feel free to meet with more than one florist too. It’s good to get a variety of ideas and perspectives.
  2. Bring pictures! Whether you tear them from a magazine, print them from your computer or show a florist your Pinterest board, make sure you show them pictures of the things you like and don’t like. It will help them to understand your style and the look you are going for and make it easier then for the florist to make suggestions and generate ideas.
  3. Provide the basic info they need: It’s always good to come to the meeting with a document of the basics, ceremony location and time, reception location and time, number of members of the bridal party, # of mother, fathers and grandparents and guest count. They will need this information at some point in the meeting so if you come prepared with it they can get through the logistical stuff and then on to the fun things!
  4. Know your budget: I know, the not so fun part. Figure out where you want to be budget wise and also think about what that budget includes. Does it include linen? Lighting? Chair upgrades? These are all questions your florist will ask you at your meeting so think about these things in advance.
  5. Dream big but please be realistic. We have all seen those jaw dropping photos of suspended beds of flowers over long tables dripping with roses and orchids and accented with the most intricately detailed linen and chivari chairs and so many candles on every inch of the table that we could roast smores…yea it’s stunning but understand that those things cost money, lots of money. Some of those tables you see on the covers of Grace Ormonde cost upwards of $600, $700, $800… a piece. They contain hundreds of flowers that are flown from all over the world and need to be kept in the most pristine conditions, cared for by talented professionals so that they are fresh and beautiful on your wedding day. All of this takes money, time, labor AND your florist does still need to make a profit so they can live to. It’s important to dream big but also have realistic expectations. Any good florist will be able to look at your dream photos and either provide it for you if it fits in your budget or will be able to find beautiful alternatives if it isn’t.
  6. Don’t worry if you find something that you like better, later…I try not to schedule my bride’s floral meetings too far in advance. I was a bride recently so I know that we read magazines and blogs and pretty soon my vintage, DIYish, mixed china, old suitcase inspired vision I had for my wedding has completely morphed and I need clean lines, glass tabletops and metallic floral vessels for my now modern wedding. That’s okay, most florists need your final counts and decisions about 2 weeks-1 month out from the wedding date so they can order your flowers and purchase any vessels they need. You will have plenty of time to change your mind along the way.

Hope these bits of advice help you plan for your floral meeting!

Soiree Philadelphia Professional’s Get-Together!

Soiree Philadelphia hosted our first members-only gathering last night – what a blast! So much talent in one room! Members got a chance to really connect, which is what this is all about!

Pictured (left to right): Alicia Herrenkohl Nathanson, Amy R Reese, Danielle Rogal Redenbaugh, Thérèse Farrow, Aleksandra Ambrozy, David Zaveloff, April Cohen, Mark Kingsdorf, Francesca Staffieri, Colette Pastore, Michael Magro, Laura Eaton & Phil Mantas – photo courtesy of Paul Eaton.

We are already planning the next gathering! We are hoping we can every one of our member’s attend the next event.

More about us: Soiree Philadelphia is the city’s only wedding concierge service – and its complimentary to brides & grooms! Couples can set an appointment and browse through the books & portfolios of all of our talented professionals. This well edited selection of professionals helps you narrow down the field of choice so you can focus on their talent and finding the right connection. You can do all this while enjoying a complimentary glass of wine (think about it – planning your wedding can actually be n ENJOYABLE experience!)

Call us at 609.954.0488 or email: soireephiladelphia@gmail.com to schedule your appointment today!