Buttermilk Falls Inn and Spa

Buttermilk Falls Inn and Spa was the setting for a relaxing retreat for about two dozen wedding industry professionals hosted by Josh Friedman of Elan Artists and Dan Reyburn, General Manager of Buttermilk Falls Inn and Spa, located in Milton, NY. The retreat was not to network but enjoy the company of fellow colleagues in the industry, relax and partake in farm fresh local products. We felt as though we were transported to another world upon arrival at the peaceful confines of the Buttermilk Falls Inn and Spa! Close enough to NYC (less than two hours), but far enough to leave your BlackBerry behind. Not only is Buttermilk Falls a fantastic place for a getaway weekend, but a beautiful setting for those interested in a more rustic wedding. They have many spots on the property which can accommodate outdoor ceremonies and tented wedding receptions.

The day began with our friends from Go-Brilliant who provided luxurious, state of the art transportation.

A spa lunch was created by Oliver Kita Catering, who uses products grown on local Hudson Valley farms and greenhouses.

Matthew Robbins Design provided a beautiful tablescape for our five course supper.

Cobblestone Foods from Brooklyn cooked us up a five-course dinner which was amazing! They used Farm Fresh products purchased in the Union Square Farmers market, so we had a bit of NYC with us along the Hudson.

The talented musicians from Elan Artists entertained us throughout the evening.

La Femme Classique

Loukoum
La Vida Con Fuego (complete with Flamenco dancer)

What a fantastic way to showcase a beautiful property, delicious eats, appreciate the beauty of the Hudson River and enjoy the company of peers. Many thanks to everyone who made this trip happen and all who joined in excellent conversation and laughs!

Venue:

Buttermilk Falls Inn & Spa http://www.buttermilkfalls.com/

Lunch Catering:

Oliver Kita Catering http://www.oliverkita.com/

Supper Catering:

Cobblestone Catering http://www.cobblestonefoods.com/

Transportation:

Go-Brilliant http://www.go-brilliant.com/

Table décor:

Matthew Robbins Designs http://www.matthewrobbinsdesign.com/

Photographers:

Elan Documentary http://www.elandocumentary.com/
Carlos Varela Photography http://www.cavaweddings.com/
Mel Barlow Photography http://www.melbarlow.com/
Allan Zepeda Photography http://www.allanzepeda.com/

Musicians:

Elan Artists http://www.elanartists.com/

The Westin Stonebriar Resort

This week's first pick should not be too much of a surprise for those of you who know me, as the Westin Stonebriar Resort is where I held my wedding reception celebration over four years ago. I had an absolutely wonderful and beautiful celebration and much of that was due to the incredible job the Stonebriar did.

What I loved??? There were really five BIG reasons that I chose the Stonebriar and I believe Brides today are still choosing it based on these things. #1 I love the resort feel. Now, this is a personal preference of course, but I absolutely love environments where I can swim, golf, spa...aka: RELAX! I love to RELAX and I don't do it nearly enough. #2 It has the most elegant "Texas" flair. I was living in NY when I was planning my wedding and we had soooooooooo many people coming in from out of town so I was so happy to find a place that would give everyone a little taste of "The Texas" :) #3 Ann Evans! She was the catering sales manager at the time and I clicked with her right away. Although Ann has moved on and is now at the Westin Galleria, when I met the current Director of Catering, Jill Price, I felt the same way. They have a world class team and they are very, very serious about taking care of their clients. #4 The Pool...OK, I know it sounds silly, but did I mention I got married in August and it is hot as blazes in Texas in August??? The Westin Stonebriar has a FABULOUS pool with an awesome water slide!! The kids and my husbands friends can all attest to the waterslide being alot of fun! #5 F&B...now that is what we hotel people call food and beverage and the culinary experience at the Stonebriar was outstanding! I still serve the La Crema Pinot Noir we all had with dinner at my annual "Pie Night"...more on that later.

The Ballrooms...are perfect. Elegant, very nicely appointed and very neutral in color. You can do absolutely ANYTHING in them decor wise and it will be beautiful! If you are getting married in Dallas you must take some time...go North...and visit the Westin Stonebriar Resort. It is well worth the drive. A little piece of Heaven right here in Frisco!!! Visit http://www.westinsstonebriar.com/ or call 972.668.8000 and ask for Jill Price!
XOXO, Tamara

The Plaza

She is an Icon...no doubt about that and after a gazillion dollar renovation two years ago she looks awfully pretty too.

The Plaza is one of those places in New York everyone has heard of. It is one of the most beautiful buildings architecturally in the city and impossible to miss as it sits at one of the main entrances to Central Park. I have always loved the Plaza Hotel!!!!

The Oak Room and Oak Bar are the bomb. It is painfully pricey(isn't everything in NY??), but the food is impeccable and the service is second to none. It is such a warm and posh environment and they do allow private parties so make sure to look into these spaces for rehearsal dinners and more intimate receptions...or you can just splurge on a romantic dinner for two to celebrate your Engagement or Anniversary!!! They have added a Champagne Bar in the Lobby that is wonderful too. It is a perfect little spot to grab a drink before or after dinner.

The Ballroom...The Ballroom...The Ballroom...is beautiful. Is there really any other description of this gorgeous room. Now, on the sort of odd side last time I saw it it was missing a chandelier in the center of the room...heard a few different stories of its whereabouts...but still not sure it turned up. Regardless, the room is beautiful and I love the balconies, but just something I noticed...The catering operation is run by a company called Great Performances and the young ladies and gentlemen there call themselves CPS Events. It is a great crew of people at the Plaza...many who I had the opportunity to work with at the Waldorf=Astoria. If you are interested in planning a special celebration with them please contact Emily Riefel.

The Terrace Room...The Terrace Room...The Terrace Room...is perfect for ceremonies and a beautiful room indeed. I do believe it requires a fairly large room rental, but it sems worth it and fair for such a gorgeous place to host your wedding ceremony.

The Hotel is run by Fairmont and you can visit them at www.fairmont.com/theplaza for a quick look at the legendary Plaza Hotel. Eloise loved it as I would imagine all of you would as well. Enjoy!!!

XOXO, Tamara

The Pierre

We were fortunate enough to do a beautiful wedding at the Pierre a few weeks ago and it was nothing short of an absolute pleasure.

The Ballrooms are absolutely beautiful!!! The hotel seems like it was perfectly built for a wedding ceremony, cocktails and dinner reception for 300 guests. I am not sure I can think of a better scenario for a wedding of this size in the city.

The guest rooms at The Pierre are stunning! Debs and I stayed in a beautiful one bedroom suite when we were there and we had every amenity at our fingertips. The rooms were gorgeous and I felt right at home...did you know they velcro the curtains to the wall so they always look perfect...just a little tidbit. I also really, really love the elevator operators!!!! There is just something about stepping into the elevator, seeing that little red velvet seat in the corner and being greeted by someone that pushes the button for me (my two year old does it too, but it just seems different :)). It is just one of those luxuries in life that I LOVE! The guest rooms and some of the public spaces have undergone a renovation recently and the style is really perfect in my humble opinion. The Lobby Bar is wonderful. The food is wonderful and service is great. I had a wonderful experience there!!!

Lastly, I must mention the group of gentlemen that work at The Pierre. These guys are AMAZING and they don't miss a beat. Bill Spinner and Chris Edmunds were impeccable. We appreciated them so much and cannot wait to work with them again. When you have a chance visit http://www.tajhotels.com/ and check out the Pierre! If you are interested in hosting your wedding celebration or any other special event at The Pierre contact Bill Spinner...he is the King of Catering over there...I'm not sure of his official title so that's what I call him.
XOXO, Tamara

The St. Regis Hotel in New York

Honestly folks, this blog is going to be short and sweet.

Bottom Line...If you can afford to stay at the St. Regis or host your wedding celebration here...you should do it. There are absolutely zero reasons why you shouldn't. It is a world class hotel in a the greatest city on earth.

Visit www.stregis.com/newyork to get a little look at this beautiful paradise in the middle of the concrete jungle.
XOXO, Tamara

New York Palace Hotel

When you land on this beautiful hotel's page you will see the following flash across the screen alongside stunning photographs of a legendary place.

"Iconic Address, Inherent Charm, Exceptional Service, Luxury at Every Turn, Truly NY"

Well, I could go on and on, but that just about sums it up! This hotel is my second favorite behind the Waldorf...maybe because of it's unique Ballroom space with a beautiful domed ceiling, the hip bar in the middle of a completely traditional environment or pehaps it is the beautiful view of St. Patrick's Cathedral from the courtyard. I imagine it could be all the amazing history that you feel the minute you enter.

Now, of utmost importance and absolutely no relevance, I had my first celebrity sighting at the Palace when I moved to NY. My older brother, Mark, told me I had to call him immediately (no matter the time of day) when I saw my first official celebrity. Well, there I was on a Sunny Sunday afternoon after being in NY for a week, when I was passing by The Palace and nearly ran right into...MR. T. Yep, as a child of the 80's and a girl with two brothers who were totally addicted to "The A-Team"...this was a HUGE sighting. Of course the call was immediate to Mark who whole heartedly approved of this initial experience!!!

Now, the only challenge with the Palace is that it is a smaller ballroom. They can hold 150-200 (if everyone's skinny), but it is a beautiful place and the people I have come to know in our industry that find themselves working there are always warm and kind. The guest rooms are touted as the Biggest and Best in NY and although I have not had the privilege of staying there I believe it and I always recommend this hotel for friends visiting the city!!!

Take some time and visit http://www.newyorkpalace.com/ I am sure you will be impressed.

XOXO, Tamara

Waldorf=Astoria Hotel

I would normally end my week of blogging with my favorite, but this week I will begin with my #1 pick for NY Hotels. Debs and I do indeed have a certain loyalty to the Waldorf=Astoria after working there for over 11 years combined, but we do honestly believe that the Waldorf is the most incredible hotel we have ever had the privilege of working in.

They have the most beautiful facilities, an unparalleled culinary team and a great staff. The spaces are beautifully appointed, very elegant...although from the picture to the right you can see you can certainly achieve "over the top" if that is what you are going for. From grand events to intimate settings the Waldorf has it all. The spaces are seperated brilliantly, so even though you are in a large facility with potentially several events taking place, you will feel a real privacy alongside very personalized attention.

The photo to the right is of one of my favorite weddings!! I had the pleasure of working on this wedding at the Waldorf=Astoria in 2005 with an incredible team of people. This photo can be found in Preston Bailey's book "Inspirations" in Chapter Four where this entire wedding is highlighted. It was an incredibly detailed event with on of the most gracious families I have had an opportunity to work with! We were all proud to be such a big part of this special celebration.

You can find more photos of weddings at the Waldorf on their website http://www.waldorfweddings.com/ and also on http://www.insideweddings.com/ Weddings were featured in Inside Weddings Magazine in the Fall 2007 Issue "A Secret Garden" and also in the Winter 2006 Issue "Made in Manahattan". Enjoy!!!

If you are planning a wedding in NY you should definitely spend some time with the wonderful wedding crew at the Waldorf=Astoria hotel. Contact Alan Shukovsky, Director of Social Catering with any inquiries at 212.872.4766.

The Waldorf=Astoria has truly created a Legacy built on Romance, Precision and Glamour!

XOXO, Tamara