Sure, some of the details have been leaked.  We all know that it will take place at Astor Court, a Beaux-Arts mansion in Rhinebeck, New York, designed by legendary architect Stanford White, with stunning views of the Hudson River.  Some of us have read articles about Bryan Rafanelli, the Boston-based event planner who has worked with the Clintons on previous events.  How lucky for him that he is a trusted advisor and does not need to prove his loyalty on this important event.  How lucky for the Clintons, that they have found vendors that are honoring their privacy.

I’m guessing that she will wear a Vera Wang gown, since the news shows posted a Vera-looking woman opening the door to her salon as Chelsea was gracious to the camera.

I, for one, am excited to see if any of our friends are involved in the wedding. Is Sylvia is doing the cake?  (She has previously made one for Hillary.) Is it true that Jimmy Vale is providing the orchestra?  And which magazine will honor us with the pictures?  Will they sell the images for a charity? And most intriguing for me, who is the photographer???  Anyone have any guesses – besides Dennis Reggie?

My industry colleague, Maya Kalman of Swank Productions, has done some math on the purported three million dollar budget, and she believes it sounds fairly accurate and reasonable.  She says, “While it sounds ridiculously excessive to the everyday person, knowing real costs of what it takes to pull off an event like this….I think they’re actually doing a pretty good job with their budget!”

When you’re spending about $600,000 on tents with air conditioning and flooring, and about $200,000 on lights and generators, you can see how costs would add up quickly.  As Maya said, “This not just any American girl getting married, it’s one of the first daughters!  Security precautions as well as elegance and chic décor all cost money.”

I wish Chelsea and Marc a beautiful life together, and look forward to seeing Hillary and Bill as the proud mother and father of the bride. The Clintons have something they can truly be proud of: they certainly have done a great job as parents, raising a child in the public eye who’s grown to be a poised and self confident woman.  With her family’s support, Chelsea has managed to create her own fairy tale day.  Congratulations to all those involved! And if you need anyone to help you make your wedding albums…..

Because nothing is the same as it was ten years ago…

Ever since the internet came to be, information is on overload.  There is so much easy access to information from blogs, wedding websites and directories of vendors, most consumers find the choices overwhelming.

I started my career in the photography industry, where brides first started to purchase their wedding services online.  I saw photographers shoot one wedding with their inexpensive cameras, create quickie websites and – voila! – they suddenly became experienced wedding photographers.  Most people couldn’t detect these photographers’ lack of real experience or artistry from their websites.

As an entrepreneur, I noticed that these brides still wanted heirloom albums.  I created Album Boutique to fill that hole in the market and give all brides a chance get a high quality bound album for a reasonable price.

In the course of responding to the changes in the marketplace and creating Album Boutique, I saw a downside in online retail.  It’s that, online, you don’t get a chance to meet the person you’re dealing with face-to-face, or to discover what’s unique about the people you may choose to orchestrate your perfect wedding day.  Everyone’s personality and individual style is reflected in their work, but shopping online you usually miss that.

As the launch approached for Album Boutique, I began to search for a place where brides and grooms could touch the products and learn about the Album Boutique options.  I visited a number of bridal shows but quickly became disillusioned.  The shows I visited were more like cattle calls, and as I wandered around the vibe felt like something right out of reality TV.  I couldn’t find a venue or format that enabled me to present my brand in a warm and civilized manner.

One evening  last year, while I ventured into another so-called ”luxury” bridal event with Maya Kalman from Swank Productions in tow, we looked at each other and knew there had to be a better way.  We could see each other’s creative wheels in motion.

Maya is a wonderful producer of corporate events and beautiful high end weddings. She approached the concept from a producer’s point of view, so her insights were vital to determining its viability.  Over the next few weeks, we continued refining the idea until we recognized that we’d discovered a hole in the market we were uniquely qualified to fill. Together, we knew we had what it took to create something truly exciting.

Maya and I share the same ultimate objective as our many colleagues in the industry: to grow our respective businesses.  We knew if our event could meet this objective for us, it would also be successful for the other vendors involved.  With the support of many friends and colleagues we have worked with over our collective years in the industry, this event is sure to make an impact!

The Ultimate Engagement was created to be everything an upscale bride wants as she prepares for her wedding: a place for ideas, for fashion, for education, and for meeting with the Masters of the New York wedding industry.

This is an event where brides get to make pre-scheduled appointments with some of the masters in our industry.  In addition to showcasing our albums, 5^th Avenue Digital will be at the Ultimate Engagement event, representing the work of Robert Evans and Julie Skarratt.  If you have not met either one, I’d love to offer you the chance to come by.  Please contact me if you are interested.

I hope you’ll join us for the first bridal event to revolutionize the way brides talk to vendors face-to-face, on March 14th at Gotham Hall.