extraordinary weddings
Fifty is the new 40—or even the new 30, depending on who you to talk to! So when a good friend of mine wanted to have a lavish 50th birthday celebration for 300 of his nearest and dearest, I went to work on a very glamorous and elegant party in New York City. Since I personally know the guest of honor, I wanted to center the party’s motif around one of his passions, and since this man happens to love Japanese food, I knew the venue had to be Nobu 57. World-acclaimed Japanese fusion chef Nobu Matsuhisa is the man behind this gastronomical Mecca, and his unique background has transformed his restaurants into dining destinations the world over. After leaving Japan, Nobu went to live in Peru, and the ingredients he found there led to the invention of this new fusion cuisine that’s a favorite among foodies, gourmets, celebrities, and basically anyone with impeccable taste! And since famed architect David Rockwell designed the interior of Nobu 57, it’s a great space to work in.
Upon entering, guests decended the restaurant’s long staircase, which we lined with candles from top to bottom for a warm welcome. Since the restaurant’s seating plan only accommodates 200 and our guest list far surpassed that number, I thought it would be fun to turn the space into more of a club feel. I covered all of the existing tables with gold mirror for instant glamour and worked with orange flowers and gold votive candles that added a punch of color and a sleek, sexy glow. I also took away all of the usual chairs that took up a lot of room—and reminded us of sit-down dining—and replaced them with pods covered in orange Dupioni silk to create a much more “loungey” environment. The pods allow more guests to sit at each table and are easy to move around to accommodate groups of any size.
For the décor I created a beautiful candle sculpture along one wall that bathed the room in a soft golden glow. Since our guest of honor is a big player in the music industry, the room was packed with countless names you know. And since entertainment was a big part of the agenda for the evening, we constructed a stage where the phenomenal DJ Cassidy could spin up a storm. The backdrop was made of mirrored Plexi cut into circle and squares shapes attached with hinges - very Paco Roban - so the light danced around the room as the individual pieces of Plexi moved. Once the party reached a fevered pitch, Lionel Richie hopped on stage for an impromptu performance, much to the delight of the birthday boy—and all the other guests as well!
The party began on Thursday night. I invited 150 friends, clients, and close business associates to our annual Holiday Cocktail Soiree at my home. Thanks to a lot of hard work, my home sparkled with gorgeous decorations. The food was incredible and I served some of our favorites: twice baked potatoes with beluga caviar, jumbo poached shrimp with cocktail sauce, samosas with chili sauce, truffle risotto, steak with mashed potatoes on small plates, and a decadent chocolate pot au crème topped with vanilla ice cream for the finale. It was all tray-passed on stunning platters, many of which came from my Wal-Mart holiday collection.
Every detail was carefully orchestrated for the lavish and sentimental ceremony. To begin, Sharon and El cleansed their hands with orchid water as a symbol of purification. Each of them then rang a bell and shared memories of those close to them who passed, before kneeling in front o each other’s mothers and making emotional vows to them. After traditional vows and the exchange of exquisite diamond wedding bands, the touching ceremony came to a close with the traditional “jumping of the broom” to represent the beginning of making a home together, and the start of Sharon and El’s life as husband and wife.
The menu was as elaborate as the affair itself, with 15 chefs spending one full week to prepare. The Perrier-Jouet champagne was flowing freely, and the four-course banquet began with tasty tuna tartar, sumptuous smoked salmon with potato pancakes and lobster pumpkin bisque appetizers presented on unique bronze rabbit serving dishes. For the main course, guests took delight in the perfectly prepared beef accompanied by haricot verts and fingerling potatoes—as well as a surprise serenade from jazz master Chris Botti. Another one of the evening’s high notes was the five-tier chocolate and caramel wedding cake that took 100 hours to create.
For the traditional first dance, Sharon selected Shania Twain’s “You’re Still the One,” but Oprah had another surprise in store. Sharon couldn’t believe her eyes when she saw that Shania Twain herself was on hand to sing the touching tune.
But the night wasn’t even close to over… With the party in full swing, guests made their way to one of the hotel’s banquet rooms, which was transformed into a sleek private nightclub, complete with a Pucci-patterned proscenium and shiny black dance floor. Guests grooved the night away to the sounds of Soulville, who kept the dance floor packed until it was time to call it a night. When it came time to bid adieu to their friends and family, Sharon and El retired to the hotel’s luxurious honeymoon suite. After El carried Sharon over the threshold, they found themselves surrounded by one last surprise: The room was illuminated with twinkling votive candles and strewn with rose petals. What a fitting end to a perfect evening, and the start of their life together.
