Fete Events

Once in a blue moon, I’ll stumble upon an environment that provides a wellspring of inspiration. This happened most recently during a trip to Paris (France, not Texas), which, itself, is one of the most exquisite destinations on earth. Hidden in an alleyway, with no discernible signage, sat the concept store L’Eclaireur —one of its five outposts, that is—and as soon as I stepped inside I fell in love.

From the hypnotic video art installations to the well-edited and eclectic mix of merchandise—clothing, accessories, jewelry, artwork—the entire store felt fresh, unique, and untouched by commercialization. They even had a black Christmas tree made out of driftwood, which totally spoke to my dark side. (Yes, I have a dark side.) All of the elements worked together, undeniably filtered through one point of view, and my visit like a vacation within a vacation.

L’eclaireur

www.leclaireur.com

What is the concept of a concept?

The term “concept store” gets muddled here in America. Think: music, clothing, candles, books, home, furniture, food, perhaps a florist element, a museum-like quality to the artwork that’s for sale… A sophisticated destination with its own lifestyle point-of-view, where all five senses are stimulated. Paris has a handful of great ones. Colette was/is Paris’ first great concept store, which later was joined by Merci and L’Eclaireur. (It’s always been a dream of mine to open such a place… Only time will tell!) All I say is L’Eclaireur (leclaireur.com) achieved this beautifully, and I’ll certainly be back again.

MERCI

http://www.merci-merci.com/

BEFORE
AFTER

There are startlingly few Catholic churches in Manhattan that don’t have a 4:30 or 5PM mass on Saturday… meaning that, if you want to go directly from the church to your reception, you’d have to get married at 3:30 and either start the festivities soon after or have your guest sit around until early evening. If you’re in the market for a seamless evening celebration, the pickings are slim. One thing we pride ourselves on here at Fete is creative problem solving. I adore this beautiful, little-known church, though it’s in relative disrepair. If you saw it in the harsh light of day, you’d be none-too-impressed. However, I love a challenge.

After an impeccable clean-up job, we took the house lights down to hide the blemishes, and used dramatic up-lighting to accentuate the church’s fantastic architecture. The two large altar arrangements really caught the light dramatically, and the candles on the ground cast an otherworldly glow.

After many years in the event business, I still try to use every event as an opportunity to discover new ideas and improve at my craft. Recently, Fete orchestrated a wedding at the beautiful Banyan Tree Mayakoba in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico (check back soon for a detailed recap.) One of the evening’s most dramatic elements came during the reception, after guests had danced under the clear night sky and the couple had cut the cake. The groom invited guests onto the beach for a bonfire, s’mores, and a Mexican wedding tradition—the latter of which I learned about three weeks prior. As guests meandered to the shore, our team began lighting Globos de Cantoya—paper lanterns that act like a hot air balloons and ascend to the stars like angels.

It was a team effort, which the guests loved participating in. Here’s how it works: You write down a wish, tie it to the globe, then two people hold it up while a third lights a fire at the base. At the fire burns, the Globo fills with hot air (carbon dioxide) until you can simply let go and watch your wish float to the sky. (we used 100% biodegradable versions, so we felt very globally responsible about your globos.) We were blessed with perfect weather, and the effect was one that all present will remember forever.

Just goes to show: When you think you know it all, you don’t allow yourself to be open to new ideas.

I love it when party guests say, “You had me at, ‘Hello.’” To set the scene for a holiday bash in Chicago this year—Fete’s seventh annual event for the same wonderful client—we had a trio of flirty cigarette girls greet revelers upon entry. Decked out in (very) affordable costumes, the ladies called everyone “Dollface” and distributed their alphabetized escort cards—which were printed onto packages of candy cigarettes that bore the company’s logo. It was very “Pall Mall chic.”

Our “Roaring ’20s” theme was set to whisk people away in a crescendo of style, forbidden cocktails, heavenly food, and lively dancing, and it was a big hit to start their nights off strong with these classy dames. Once inside, guests were transported back in time to a ritzy supper club, as mirror-top tables, towering palm trees, and even an oversized prize wheel set the stage for serious cheer. To play up the Prohibition theme, we had “moonshine” cocktails aplenty, and everyone had an absolute blast. Needless to say, the client was pleased.

A note on hiring cigarette girls, particularly in Chicago: If you contact just any “burlesque” company, you may wind up with something else. That’s probably not the effect you’re going for. We found our elegant triumvirate through a modeling agency, and they were well schooled in the art of keeping their clothes on.