Fete Events

If you have just started planning your wedding, you are surely feeling excited and exhilarated yet slightly anxious.  First, make sure you treasure this moment in your life.  When you are ready to start planning, don’t rush to find your venue just yet.   Large projects like a wedding require proper management.  That is why I insist you start with these three questions.

1) What kind of Wedding do you want?

Picture your ideal wedding—the one that would make you and your fiancé happiest. Think about where it is taking place, the atmosphere/vibe of the evening, what are people eating/drinking, is there dancing, who is there, etc…. In this exercise, forget any rules or assumptions you have in your head.

2) How many people will be invited and ultimately attend?

This usually requires list making but the goal is to create a realistic range.

3) Who will contribute to overall cost and how much can each contribute?

The goal is not to clearly answering these questions but rather to jumpstart the process. Planning a wonderful wedding is a process that takes time. This exercise will help you start developing answers the the key questions. Next steps will focus on how to properly bring the two together your fantasy and your reality.

During a food tasting for an event in St. Barths, I had one of the most innovative passed hors d’oeuvres that I have tried in a long time. It was a Frozen Bloody Mary. It’s not for everyone but I give it an A for creativity. It’s a great concept for outdoor weddings in warm weather.

Canapes for Events

The owners of Cafeteria and Delicatessen recently opened Mac Bar in Nolita.   In addition to the delicious mac and cheese,  the entire project was done well.  I appreciate how every element – the architecture, interior design,  graphics and even the packaging come together to make for a real experience.  It’s this same thinking applied to events that gives them much greater meaning and depth.

I can’t wait to do a fun mac and cheese based food station for one of my events.  Always look at your immediate environment for inspiration.

http://www.macbar.net/

One of my fantasies is to install a giant version of this over a dance floor in a room that is basically a black lacquered box.  I love the silver drippy nickel chain!  It is designed by Barlas Baylar for Hudson Furntiure.

http://www.hudsonfurnitureinc.com/2007/

At this fall event, we were left with no space for an escort card table.   Since our client was a banker and we were in a former bank, we posted the guest names in the form of the New York Stock Exchange pricing.  Hitting the names straight one with lighting made the names glow. The bar had a sheer red fabric lit from behind to make it feel dramatic.

Food service alone is one area that often feels so expected. A standard plated first course and entree can make your event feel like any other. At Fete, we use service to set a distinct tone. For the first course at this wedding (see menu listing below), waiters walked around with 3 different types of pasta. Referred to as “Russian” service, guests could try all three and have seconds if they wanted. Waiters passed the pasta until the course was ready to be cleared.

Remember that you have options for every element of your event!

Bamboo holds a warm place in my heart.  Without leaves, it has a clean, sophisticated look yet it takes on a entirely different feel with its branches and leaves on.   Most importantly, bamboo is environmentally-friendly.  A member of the grass family, it is the fastest growing plant in the world (betcha didn’t know that!).  Unlike a tree, it replenishes itself in 3-7 years.

A lot of people don’t know that we custom design invitations and paper products.  These rehearsal dinner and day-after brunch letterpress invites work as stand-alone pieces and more interestingly, together as a single unit.  To see more of our recent invitations, check our portfolio:

http://feteny.com/services/fete-paper/