Wedding Stories

Weddings become one-of-a-kind when the couple infuses the ceremony and reception with personal flair. The details may be colorful and cultural, or original and organic. What matters most in wedding planning is that the celebration reflects the rituals, sounds, tastes and passions that have made the couple's life meaningful.

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September 2009
Our two favorite performing arts venues set the stage for memorable weddings. Read on as our events planners take us behind the scenes at BAM and Frederick P. Rose Hall, Home of Jazz at Lincoln Center.

BAMcafe
September 12, 2009

By Shaun Roberts, Venue Manager at BAMcafe
I have to admit, I might have been more excited about this wedding than the couple was. Last Saturday evening, one of the coolest weddings in my opinion, happened at BAM. In one night, the lobby was buzzing (roaring) with a trio of events: the wedding with the gregarious couple's devoted entourage, pre-production of Vh1 Divas and Paula Adbul, and a Robert Redford film restrospective featuring Robert Redford himself. The bridal couple was in great spirits, being able to share their night with such notable names and moments in BAM's history.

Once they arrived upstairs, however, all that was shut out and we began the wedding ceremony. As soon as the I do's were done, we began the evening of passed Hors d'Oeuvres, Southern cocktails of Bullit Bourbon and Blenheims and live music from one of their favorite bands, and mine too, Vampire Weekend. The band happens to be personal friends with the couple and offered up what would be a wedding gift hard to compare.

Having this group of friends and family that they collected, the band, even Robert Redford and Paula Abdul (had they shown up), is what is so great about this couple: people can't help but fall in love with them. Even one of their close mutual friends became an officiant just so that he could oversee the wedding. They became fast friends with all at BAM that worked with them towards creating this amazing event: the production crew, the general management team, and me, the caterer.

The key ingredient for this event, when it came to deciding a menu, was fun, sociable, and fresh. It was very easy with this couple: taking their input, we made selections of Roasted Asparagus Crepe with Herb Hollandaise, Katchkie Farm Tomatoes and Ricotta Cheese with Basil Oil, Wild Mushroom Risotto Cake with Truffle Honey Drizzle, and Red Wine Braised Beef Short Rib, among others. Have a standing ceremony, fun cocktails, and a light and breezy menu kept the people moving and socializing, from the tear-jerking ceremony all the way through the quite impromtu game of limbo with table linens (but no need to digress there).

The best part about the wedding though was that so many of their friends were surprised that we do weddings at BAM. I couldn't help but tell them that, yes, we do weddings at BAM, but most importantly, as anyone could see that night, we'll do your wedding at BAM, as you want it done, no matter how conventional or unconventional the plan.

MENU

Six Selections of Butlered Items

Tomatoes and ricotta cheese

Wild Mushroom Risotto Cake with Truffle Honey Drizzle

Roasted Asparagus Crepe with Herb Hollandaise

Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes with a Spicy Remoulade

Cumin Dusted Herb Grilled Shrimp Skewers Red Onion and Honey Relish

Red Wine Braised Beef Short Rib

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Frederick P. Rose Hall, Home of Jazz at Lincoln Center
September 15, 2009

By Jill Cole, Event Director at Jazz at Lincoln Center
Jazz at Lincoln Center is a transformative setting for any event with its brilliant city views and dramatic space. Corporate, Non-Profit, and Entertainment alike. But probably the most magical event is the Wedding. Not only because it signifies two lives coming together, but because weddings create lifelong memories.

The couple chose Jazz at Lincoln Center for their wedding reception on September 15th, and the venue created a gorgeous backdrop for an enchanted evening. The bride and groom were trained ballroom dancers who waltzed across the floor throughout the evening. Many of their guests were experienced dancers too, and the room came alive with their movement as though it were choreographed for a musical. It was evident that the couple loved the performing arts and delighted in having their reception at one of the most notable performing arts venues in NY.

One guest actually said she felt "as if we had been transported into a higher, more elegant and magical space than we had certainly been in while riding the taxi across town." Magical indeed!

Event Design and Planning: Leslie Price, In Any Event
Photo credit: Gustavo Campos

MENU

First Course Trio
Smoked Cod and Potato Cake
with Roasted Red Pepper Coulis, Truffled Mizuna and American Caviar

Roasted Beet Salad, Goat Cheese and Cauliflower Puree
served with Katchkie Farm Mezze Greens, and Apple Cider Vinaigrette

Duck Confit Roulade with Pickled Blackberries
served with Red Watercress, and Mustard Vinaigrette

Entree
Coffee Dusted Filet Mignon with Sour Cherry Quinoa,
Sauteed Katchkie Farm Greens, and Roasted Citrus Demi

Alternating Desserts:
Chocolate Mousse Inebriation
with Orange Curd, Candied Grapes, and Chocolate Sauce

Caramelized Apple Dome
with Vanilla Ice Cream, Apple Tuille, and Butterscotch Sauce

Signature Drink
Peach Bellini

Wave Hill is the setting for two unique weddings, planned and catered by the Great Performances' sales and culinary team. Photography by Radhika Chalasani.

A Green Wedding: Jacquie Berger and Michael Warner

THE VISION:

Jacquie and Michael are passionate about environmental conservation. They dedicate their day-to-day eating and living habits to it, and, more so, their professions. Michael is working on a green renovation of a 100+ year-old brownstone, and Jacquie is the Executive Director of Just Food, a New York City-based nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting both urban and rural sustainable food producers.

Planning a wedding that supports sustainable agriculture was essential for the bride and groom. Their top priority was the food, and Great Performances proved to be an ideal match, creating a 100-Mile Menu with ingredients sourced from local farms.

For floral design, the couple selected Mischief Bouquets, a local flower farmer & florist that produces beautiful flowers without the use of herbicides and artificial fertilizers.

Equally dedicated to social responsibility as they are to conservation, Jacquie and Michael sought wedding bands that were produced without exploitive labor, and the bride chose a wedding dress from The Bridal Garden - a nonprofit boutique that donates proceeds of their sales to educational initiatives for NYC children.

The couple's wedding day was elegant and romantic, proving that style and core values can beautifully coexist.

Radhika Chalasani/Radhika Photography
http://www.radhikaphotography.com

THE MENU:
Specialty Beverage
Passion Fruit Lemonade
Hors d'Oeuvres
Chicken Sesame with Spicy Peanut Sauce
Single Wonton Stacks with Tuna and Ginger
Red Tomato Gazpacho Sips
Seared Hudson Valley Apple Tart Tatin with Aged Goat Cheese
Station
Artisanal Cheeses from Local Cheese Makers
Assorted Seasonal Vegetables
Whipped Artichoke and Parmesan Dip
First Course
Katchkie Farms Organic Greens Salad with New York State Goat Cheese
Citrus Vinaigrette, New York State Goat Cheese and Roasted Baby Beets
Edible Flowers

Entree
Wild Striped Bass
Hudson Valley Sweet Corn Brulee, Sauteed Spinach,
and Katchkie Farm Tomato Beurre Blanc
Dessert
Assorted Cupcakes
Cookies, Petit Fours, and Truffles
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A Hindu Wedding: Poonam Khanna and Paul Bastin 
THE VISION:

For Poonam and Paul, a vedic marriage ceremony (Vivaha Karma) was essential for their Hindu wedding. Clothed in vibrant fabrics reflecting the rich colors of India, the couple stood barefoot with painted hands and feet under an illuminated outdoor wedding canopy for their traditional ceremony.

A Hindu wedding is filled with prayers and invocations of godly spirits that ask for protection and peace. Alongside these prayers are rituals between the bride and groom, such as Mangalashtaka, an exchange of garlands communicating mutual respect, and Kanyadanam, which includes the tying of the couple's garments together to symbolize an indestructible union.

The most important aspect of the ceremony is the Saptapadi wherein the bride and groom take 7 steps together around a fire to represent their 7 vows. Each ritual is as colorfully beautiful as it is culturally significant. For the reception, the party moved inside, and Poonam changed into a contemporary dress to ready herself for a night of feasting and dancing.

Radhika Chalasani/Radhika Photography
http://www.radhikaphotography.com



THE MENU: 
Beverages
Kashimiry Kawa Chai
Green Tea with Crushed Almonds
Mango and Ginger Iced Tea
Hors d'Oeuvres
Grilled Black Mission Figs wrapped in Duck Prosciutto
Cardamom-Pistachio Sauce
Rare-Seared Tuna on a lotus root crisp
Mango and Pickled Red Onion Salsa
First Course
Warm Goat Cheese and Potato Terrine
Microgreens Bouquet Drizzled with White Truffle Oil
Entree
Oven Poached Halibut with Madras Curry Fumet
Fresh Tomato Marmalade, Coriander Oil, and Basmati Rice 
With Cashews and Scallions
Three Pepper-Crusted Filet of Beef
Gruyere Mashed Potatoes
Sautee of Winter Squash Cognac Sauce

Dessert
Petit Fours and Chocolate Truffles
Wedding Cake