There’s nothing quite like Christmas in New York, or for that matter, the holiday season at The Plaza. The foyer is decorated in all its glory, the Oak Room warms with its seasonal glow, and the ballroom remains buzzing, not only with parties and weddings, but with a wave of holiday fetes that merrily celebrate the year that was.
As The Plaza plays host to this very festive season, it seems only fitting that we reflect as well. 2010 was a fabulous year for spectacular weddings, and one-of-a-kind social events, all graced with a Plaza touch as magical as the season.
Here’s just a taste of how The Plaza celebrated in 2010:
A Romantic Celebrity Wedding
Joining a long list of celebrity weddings at the Plaza, Numb3rs star David Krumholtz and actress Vanessa Britting were married on Saturday, May 24, 2010.
After a year and a half of detailed planning, David and Vanessa ventured back to their native New York for a classic Plaza celebration filled with magical touches and details. Their untraditional ceremony began in the Terrace Room, where the bride walked down the aisle to an acoustic version of “Kiss the Girl” from Disney’s The Little Mermaid, and continued as David and Vanessa were greeted into the Grand Ballroom and met with a wonderland of bright pink and blue spring flowers, lush greens, branches and butterflies. The décor was befitting of their “Midsummer Night’s Dream” theme, brought to life by event planner Michelle Rago and her imaginative team.
While the couple’s vision for romance, whimsy, and celebration came to life, their 175 guests (among them actors Joseph Gordon Levitt, James Franco, and groomsman Seth Rogen) danced the night away to the music of the Jimmie Vallie Band. It was a magical evening, pairing the energy of Young Hollywood with the elegance and beauty of a classic Plaza celebration.
Wedding Blogger Luncheon
The Plaza shares chic table decor and innovative tasting plates with savvy online media.
On June 3, The Plaza invited a group of innovative wedding bloggers to a unique luncheon in the Grand Ballroom. Chef de Cuisine Marc Spooner shared the latest trends in wedding menus and treated guests to decadent, eco-conscious cuisine courtesy of Great Performances and the sustainable bounty at Katchkie Farm.
Flowers of the World and David Beahm Design were also on hand to dream up two diverse tablescapes indicative of all that’s hot in wedding day décor. These stunning creations gave the bloggers a glimpse of a Plaza wedding in full swing, with breathtaking flowers, soft candlelight and tactile linens that heightened the senses.
Needless to say, the event incited quite the buzz in the blogosphere.
Learn more about the Wedding Blogger Luncheon.
Brunch Wedding at The Plaza
The Plaza welcomes tradition, with a twist.
On September 19th, 2010, Christine Paul Condello and Kunal Dashrath Mehta married with a modern take on tradition: a beautiful Plaza wedding at brunch.
The Plaza worked with Christine and Kunal to custom-tailor a brunch buffet that was elegant, modern and opulent. The presentation began with organic Greek yogurt in a Cosmo glass, with shot glasses of raspberries, blueberries and granola, and continued with a trio of smoked salmon as well as Indian-inspired lamb carvings.
The main buffet served a delicious assortment of decadent brunch favorites, including Mascarpone French toast with blueberry sauce, an all-organic vegetable frittata, turkey sausage and pancetta, freshly scrambled eggs and an à la minute Belgian waffle station. Needless to say, dessert was equally indulgent; complete with a gorgeous Ron Ben-Israel designed wedding cake and expansive dessert station.
The esteemed New York event designer David Beahm created décor as original as The Plaza’s cuisine. A life-sized peacock composed of late summer blooms married back to the array of dinner plate dahlias, hydrangea and orchids that decorated the Grand Ballroom.
Learn more about Christine and Kunal’s Brunch wedding.
Dancing the Night Away
The Plaza kicks up its heels…
The Plaza played host to some very special dance-centric weddings this year. On September 3rd, a couple played homage to their Puerto Rican roots by flying in their favorite band straight from PR – and also treating their guests to an energetic mariachi band!
Close to two months later, on November 5th, the dance floor of the Grand Ballroom hosted its most graceful event of the season. The bride and groom opened the evening with a traditional waltz to the music of Massanet. Raised in a family of ballroom dancers, the bride’s relatives soon took to the dance floor, creating an evening that was as elegant as it was celebratory.
A Bat Mizvah with Taio Cruz and Iyaz
Talk about a bat mitzvah that rocks…
On October 17, 2010, the Grand Ballroom literally buzzed with the energy and excitement that only 13th year olds and pop stars could create. Parties By Pat James produced a bat mitzvah blowout for Gabrielle, complete with decadent cuisine and all-star entertainment from British rock star Taio Cruz and R&B singer, Iyaz.
As Gabrielle and friends squealed on stage with Taio Cruz and Ayaz, adults and kids alike were treated to an expansive menu, compliments of Chef Kiggins.
The meal began with an appetizer of Togarashi Cured Salmon Tartare and Butter Poached Lobster, and continued with an entre of either Roasted Atlantic Cod, Anise Roasted Breast of Chicken, or Fenugreek Crusted Lamb Rack with Braised Lamb Makloubeh, baby carrots and rosemary lamb jus.
The all-star entertainment and wonderful meal, coupled with the contagious excitement of the evening, made for one very special Plaza celebration.
“Being In Love Never Goes Out of Style”
The Palm Court never looked so sexy as at the Grace Ormonde Book Launch
On October 15th, the lovely Grace Ormonde celebrated the culmination of an 18 city tour with the grandest event of them all – a book launch party at The Plaza. I had the pleasure of meeting Grace at the event, and as we posed for a photo overlooking The Palm Court, she confided, “The Palm Court has never looked so sexy”.
“I was 15 or 16 years old when I first visited The Plaza,” she told me. “Imagine the feeling a 15 year old girl has when walking into The Palm Court for the first time…The glamorous people, the history. Just being in that room helped me acquire a great taste level.”
With that memory floating in the back of her mind, it seemed almost magical that Grace now found herself full-circle at the Palm Court, with a sea of industry luminaries celebrating her success.
Grace repeated the same sentiment in her speech. And as the applause echoed off the walls, the wedding-media maven glowed. It was a beautiful moment in Plaza parties.
Learn more about the Grace Ormonde Book Launch.
Wishing you all the magic of the holiday season. We look forward to celebrating with you in 2011!