Wedding Wednesday Wisdom: Pretty Paper Talk with Jessica Paulen-Glick

It’s a family affair at Judy Paulen Designs, where Jessica, under the tutelage of her mother Judy, helms the firm’s first retail boutique.  Located inside of Bloomingdale’s in New York City, the shop offers custom invitations and a broad selection of stationery designs for discerning brides, engaged couples, and party hosts.  Jessica’s personable style and natural creative knack have helped propel the nearly 40-year-old business into the 21st century, as they continue to work with some of the most beautiful, prestigious venues for their distinctively elegant clientele.  Jessica spoke with us briefly about how the industry has evolved and what inspires her work.

What’s a “can’t miss” event in your industry?

The National Stationery Show… and it’s coming right up!  It is THE place to see what’s new and what the next trends will be.  I always leave there feeling so inspired, trying to figure out which idea to focus on and make happen.  It’s also so much fun to see all of our friends from around the country.  I am counting down the days!

How has the industry changed since you started?

I grew up in this industry (my mother used to have her office in our house). Eight years ago I officially joined the family business that my mother built.  Since then the stationery industry has become so much more exciting. [Back then] a bride had to dig pretty deep to find an invitation that was unlike any other she had seen before.  Today there are so many wonderful options and styles available to her and it’s a joy to be able to offer such a great selection to our customers.  I give so much credit to our designers for bringing high design and intricate printing and production processes to the retail environment where any bride can access it and afford it.

What’s the most rewarding part of your job?

I consider myself lucky to “make pretty” all day.  There is nothing like holding the final product in your hands after months of a virtual creative process.  It’s second only to seeing that product in a customer’s hand and seeing the smile grow across her face.  The creative process of growing and managing your own business isn’t too shabby either!

After the date is chosen, where’s your starting point on an event?

We come in very early.  Once the date is chosen, the Save the Date design process begins.  Most people don’t realize it, but the fact is, you will spend more time with your stationer than almost any of your other vendors.  If you are planning an event, choose your stationer wisely.

What’s your favorite wedding movie?

“The Wedding Date” hands down.  I can’t really explain this…it’s just a fact for me.

Your next birthday: blowout bash or meditative retreat?

Can I have both?  I think I’d need the meditative retreat first, followed by a blowout bash, and then back to the meditative retreat, so I could come home well enough to care for my 9-month-old and 3-year-old daughters.

Which reality television show best describes your experiences in the wedding game: “Bridezillas,” “My Fair Wedding with David Tutera,” or “Say Yes to the Dress?”

“Say Yes to the Dress” (Yes, I am a fan!).  Like the fabulous ladies of “Say Yes to the Dress,” we need to help our brides navigate a huge selection of wedding invitations considering their style, budget and of course, the many personalities that are making the decision. We play designer, psychologist and bride’s advocate, all towards the goal of creating her perfect wedding invitation.

Jessica Paulen-Glick, along with her family and their creative team, make up Judy Paulen Designs, a full service wedding consult and event planning company.  Since 1984, JPD has assisted clients in producing the events of their dreams, tailoring each experience to individual budgets and needs. In addition to event planning services, JPD now offers a stunning array — the largest in Manhattan —  of printed invitations, save-the-date notes, and more, from their retail boutique inside Bloomingdale’s, which opened in 2004.  Last year, JPD was the recipient of Brides Magazine’s New York Editor’s Choice Award.  Visit JPD on the web, or follow Jessica on Twitter @jessicalpaulen.

A “Do-Good” Friday Event Focus with Liz Glover Wilson

Non-profit organizations are always searching for help and support from their local communities. This week’s Event Focus Friday interview comes from Liz Glover Wilson, who founded Elizabeth Rose Consulting, LLC in 2003. The company’s mission is to support non-profits in achieving their goals to have a positive impact on our communities by managing special events, volunteer coordination and fundraising. They have successfully produced events for dozens of organizations who are truly making a difference in our society and for our environment.

Since I was a child, charity work was always a big part of my life. Over the course of my career, which was primarily as Corporate Events Planner, I found myself always drawn to fundraising events and the environment. After nearly 14 years, it felt natural to take the leap and bring all I learned along the way to the fundraising world. Now my boutique company brings a blend of event and fundraising services to support non-profit organizations. We support anywhere from 4 to eight clients annually.

About Liz Glover Wilson and ERC…

Elizabeth Rose Consulting has worked with celebrities such as Goldie Hawn, Tyra Banks, Joe Torre, Allan Houston, and Mikhail Gorbachev to produce and fundraise for their charity galas. As an industry leader, Liz Glover Wilson’s work has been featured on NBC, FOX, The New York Post, Hamptons Magazine, Special Events Magazine, BizBash, Agenda and more.  Liz is a past president of an international non-profit organization, and has been a featured speaker at a variety of conferences on non-profits and special events. Follow her on Twitter @charitybabe and @ERCcares.

Wedding Wednesday Wisdom with Bernadette Coveney Smith

Although it’s still a hot-button topic in many debates, same sex marriage is currently legal in six U.S. states, and also Washington, DC. LGBT weddings and commitment ceremonies  are on the rise and have created a boon in the event planning industry.  Our Wedding Wednesday Wisdom today comes from a pioneer in the field: Bernadette Coveney Smith founded 14 Stories, a wedding planning agency whose mission is to ensure that all LGBT couples have the most positive, supportive experience while planning their wedding. Her firm is committed to producing gorgeous, meaningful and fabulous legal weddings with a holistic approach which guarantees that couples also receive resources to build and protect their family. Bernadette shares some of her industry insights with us.

Where did the idea for your business come from? 

I am in the business of planning weddings for same-sex couples and started my company eight years ago, when the law changed in Massachusetts to allow same-sex marriage.  I was living in Boston and saw an opportunity to run a business and be an advocate for LGBT couples planning weddings in a very traditional, bride-focused industry.

In your experience, what’s often the most forgotten element of wedding planning?

Hands down, the guest experience.  It’s not just about decorating a room, but it’s tightly controlling the experience that happens there.  If guests are waiting too long for a cocktail, they remember that much more than what the centerpieces looked like.

Biz Tools: Mac or PC?

I’m not sure why but I’m a stubborn PC and Android person.  That sounds so uncool.  I do have an iPad and an iPod.

If you weren’t doing this, what would you be doing?

Probably something else that combines entrepreneurship with being a do-gooder.  I will always be an entrepreneur.  It’s in my blood.  My late parents grew up in Ireland, emigrated here and owned Irish pubs in NY, so I like to think that I got the entrepreneurship thing from them.  Of course, my Irish Catholic parents would probably not be thrilled that I’m a gay wedding planner!

What advice would you give your 25-year-old self, based on where you are now?

That HBO show “Girls” makes me cringe because it’s so familiar.  Twenty-five is such an awkward age.  I’d tell my 25-year-old self, “you don’t know it all” – because I’m sure I thought I did.

Sports Fan: Yankees or Mets?

Um, Red Sox…and Mets.  I grew up a Mets fan so there will always be a place in my heart for the Mets.  And I lived in Boston for 15 years, where you just HAVE to be a Sox fan.  But I swear I will never cheer for the Yankees.

What’s your “dream job?”

I am living it.  I have an astounding amount of job satisfaction! I am so inspired on a daily basis, and wow, what a blessing to wake up and be inspired.  I get to not only plan amazing weddings but am invited into the lives of incredible couples who are choosing to legally marry.  I get to be a marriage and wedding equality advocate, not “merely” a wedding planner, and I love that I can have a major voice in changing the way the wedding industry sees LGBT weddings.

14 Stories was the country’s first firm to specialize in planning legal LGBT weddings and has planned more of them than anyone else in the country.  Bernadette Coveney Smith founded this innovative and distinctive business that has opened their doors to same-sex marriage since it became legal in Massachusetts in 2004. They now plan weddings for LGBT and other progressive-minded couples everywhere legally, with offices in Boston and New York. Coveney Smith is the author of “Gay Wedding Confidential” and is an expert blogger on TheKnot site Gay.Weddings.com, and also the Huffington Post.  She’s been featured on the Today Show, CNN, in The New York Times, Travel and Leisure and Brides magazines and regularly speaks about gay weddings around the country.

Event Business Bible Founder David Adler Shares Secrets of Success for Event Focus Friday

Anyone worth their salt in the event industry will confirm that if you’ve never consulted BizBash in your research while budgeting, planning or reviewing an event, you are not really in this industry. BizBash Magazine is literally the trade “bible” used by event gurus internationally, with regionally-specific versions now available in nine markets, including Los Angeles, Toronto, Chicago and Las Vegas. In addition, BizBash Media encompasses a wealth of information sources easily accessed through websites, publications, newsletters, tradeshows and other events. And the man at the helm of this inspirational empire, CEO and founder David Adler took a few moments to share with us musings about his journey, in this edition of Event Focus Friday.

Where did the idea for your business come from?

I was the VP of Corporate Communications at PRIMEDIA which owned New York, Soap Opera Digest and 300 other magazines. We were spending millions on events.  At one party, the 50th anniversary of Seventeen Magazine, I was planning the event with famed event designer Robert Isabel.  I was trying to cut the budget by cutting out $25K in palm trees and decided that there had to be a better way.  That was why I started BizBash.

How has the economy affected your industry?

[It's] made us more innovative.

All other conditions equal, do you prefer outdoor or indoor events? Why?

Outdoor.  [I] love things like [I experience with a favorite organization] Outward Bound: hiking and water [activities].

What’s your “secret sauce” for success as an entrepreneur?

Manage serendipity.  Rub elbows with people you like and who you want to be around and the best things will happen.  [Also], trusting in the powers of “let’s.” Let’s do this; let’s try that, let’s experiment.

What advice would you give your 25-year-old self, based on where you are now?

Learn programming.

Name three inspirations: 1 person, 1 place, 1 thing.

Hillary Clinton. Maine. iPad.

If you weren’t doing this, what would you be doing?

Using my creative skills to help in public service.

When you aren’t doing this, what are you doing?

Helping at the State Department, using the platform to make fundamental change.

Biz Tools: Mac or PC?

Mac, all the way.

When it comes to themes, what’s your favorite decade and why?

Now; I feel that I can be myself totally.

Vacation Destination:  city, country or beach?

All of the above.

Share a secret.

I love trash TV!

Founded in 2000, BizBash is the leading trade media for the event industry.  The company exists to inspire effective special events and meetings by offering insightful editorial, sharing the latest ideas and strategies, providing essential tools and resources, and fostering community via their various communications platforms of websites, publications, newsletters, trade shows and more. CEO and founder, David Adler has received numerous accolades in his storied career, including recognition as Industry Professional of the Year (2006) by the FBAA, and as one of the 25 Most Influential Leaders, named by Meeting News Magazine, in 2004. Learn more about the BizBash Media empire at: www.bizbash.com

Wedding Wednesday with one of our new photographers Kari Otero

A memorable photo should make you feel something.

I would describe my style as: Fun, Thoughtful, Emotive, Colorful, Romantic.

I love how mobile photography has become.  I define that in two ways: first, instantly sharing photos worldwide, communication is more visual than ever and the ability to tell stories with your still images is priceless.  Secondly, people seem to be moving more in front of the lens, taking chances and letting photographers be their guide.

When the stress levels rise, the Californian in me kicks in. I breath, diffuse and smile.

I have to credit NY event planner Debra Morris of Eventsful, Inc. for opening many doors for me when I was first starting out…one of my first event jobs was at La Grenouille.  I learned two things that night: having a person that believes in your talent and is willing to give you a chance in the beginning is priceless and knowing how to adjust to a room lit entirely in red is monumental.

I love both black and white and color photography, but I was told early on in my career that I “have an eye for color.” I’m drawn towards color and love when I find colors that pop or add to the overall image.  Some images demand to live in black and white; I usually have little to say about it.

One bit of advice I would give is to be the best communicator possible. Both the photographer and client can reach new heights if the lines of communication are open. I love when a client trusts me enough to be in a slightly uncomfortable place, new sides of themselves are often revealed.

The 3 things I enjoy photographing most are: People, people, and people…the possibilities are endless!

I love to travel and explore new people and places with my camera so my idea of a dream assignment is being flown anywhere on the planet to do what I love.

People really inspire me, I love building a portrait concept around what a person does for a living, where they feel most relaxed or a favorite article of clothing. The result is a collaboration that is creative, connected and satisfying.

My next birthday is a big one so I’m headed out West to celebrate with lots of champagne, my dream menu, and all people I love.

More about Kari:

“My father taught me to always reach for the stars, my mom was rarely without her camera.”  Kari finds joy in documenting people’s lives and loves moving through a crowded room of strangers stealing priceless moments. A hopeless romantic, she takes pride in seeing the little things from an angle you might not have considered. Kari specializes in portrait, wedding and event photography.  A native of California, she is a graduate of Hunter College in New York and currently works as a freelance photographer, based in Brooklyn. Her narrative style photography is greatly influenced by her experience working in dance, theatre and events. Her artistic vision focuses on her desire to continue to develop her unique style, creating one-of-a-kind portraits.  To view her web gallery, click here

Lessons Learned at the Annual Women Presidents Conference in Atlanta

Last week I had the pleasure of attending the annual conference for the Women Presidents’ Organization (WPO), held in Atlanta. Every year I learn valuable lessons and gain tremendous insight from this dynamic group of successful women. Here are the take-away lessons from this year.

- Women are fearless and powerful in numbers!  This is something I notice every time I’m at this conference and this event was no disappointment.  The ladies who work at the WPO, including Dr. Marsha Firestone, work tirelessly to make each year special. And they did so again this year.

- Laurel Richie, President of WNBA: Transcend your product features. Focus on the hopes and dreams of your customers and you can’t go wrong. The work she’s done on the Girl Scouts rebranding has been fascinating. Studies have shown that many successful women entrepreneurs started out selling Girl Scout cookies.

- Geena Davis is much more than a pretty face. Her work on the Geena Davis Institute helps brings awareness to the inequality of the way women and girls are portrayed in the media — still! Only 17% of all roles go to woman and there is still work to be done to make the roles more realistic and inspiring.

“The U.S. ranks 90th for female representation in government globally. Try NAMING 89 countries!” – Geena Davis

- Jim Collins, whose book Great by Choice, has identified a commonality that makes great leaders truly great: fanatic discipline, empirical creativity and productive paranoia.

- Big idea: what would be missed if we weren’t here? That should be the golden rule of your business.

- Also: Great companies need to be great without you!

- When filling key positions in your company, make sure the candidates fit with your values when they walk in the door, that they have a passion for what you do and don’t need to be tightly managed, and that they don’t feel they have a job, but that they have responsibilities.

- Jim Horan talked about the one page business plan: what behavior needs to change in order to achieve your 3 to 5 year vision?

- Marylin Molbley of Edelman Public Relations: when crafting your story, think coverage and conversation. Reverberation often trumps circulation. Think about how to make your story reverberate.

- If you’re not on LinkedIn, you don’t exist!

- Only been 20 Beluga whales have given birth in captivity. We watched one about ready to give birth at the American Express Fastest Growing Women-owned Companies event at the Atlanta Aquarium. They gestate between 14 and 16 months, and divers need to take turns getting into the water to help because the baby whale has only two minutes to get to the surface or it will die.  The staff at the Aquarium has been on 24 hour around-the-clock watch for a month. I hope we hear about it in NYC!

The WPO conference never fails to inspire greatness!

Event Focus Friday with Jeff Guberman

Ever dream of traveling the world, going from wild beach parties to lavish far-flung resort celebrations to glittery awards dinners to glamorous VIP cocktail receptions? Well, short of being a world-famous actor or celebrity (or a paparazzo that follows them), you could be Jeff Guberman, owner of award-winning event production agency, Fourth Wall Events! Jeff and his staff have staged events literally all around the world and he has a robust roster of ecstatically satisfied clients and guests.  Let’s check in with Jeff on the “secret sauce” behind his success.

Describe your job in five words.

I work with amazing people.

What job or person gave you your first “big break?”

Too many to name them all, but Dennis Nothaft (of The Theme Team), Jim McNabb (McNabb Roick Events), Paul Gregory,  Patrick Sullivan, Ginny Joy Landi (ICANN), and on and on.

What is your company’s signature style or claim to fame?

[We] take pride in not having a signature style.  That is our client’s job.

Describe your ultimate dream client.

Rich, doesn’t know the value of money, and thinks that every word I say is like candy.

What takes an event from “good” to “great?”

Forgetting what has been done before, putting the needs of the event before the ego of the designer, lots of big moments surrounded by tiny little surprises.

What requests do you hear most from your corporate clients?

“Creative,” “out of the box,” “never before seen,” and “less money than last year.”

 How has the industry changed since you started?

The role of the middle man has become less defensible. [The] client has demanded that we all add value in many more tangible ways than ever before.

What’s been the best innovation in the event industry in the past 5 years?

LED lighting

If you had to change careers, what would you choose?

Mad scientist or inventor.

What event that you either planned or attended has had the greatest influence on your career?

Cirque du Soleil

Who or what inspires you?

People [who] love what they do.

Your next birthday: blowout bash or meditative retreat?

Coma.  Was that an option?

  About Jeff Guberman

In addition to serving as president of Dynamic Drape and Decor, Jeff is owner and president of NYC-based Fourth Wall Events, an event design and production company that specializes in creating extraordinary experiences based on a series of high-impact moments. Whether the event is domestic or international, they work in partnership with clients to create events that forge unforgettable connections between guests and their host.

Oh, Sugar! Wedding Wednesday Wisdom from Amy DeGiulio

What’s better than fresh, local, seasonal ingredients when it comes to wedding and event cakes?  Nothing! And cake maven Amy DeGiulio certainly knows this.  Her NYC-based Sugar Flower Cake Shop not only specializes in gorgeous custom creations specifically made for her clients, but her delectable designs are mostly sourced from her farmer and chef friends up in the green Hudson Valley.  Amy herself once cultivated a lush garden there, so when she got the idea to expand her penchant for making the most precious sugar flowers into cake design, she founded her business on the principle of only using the freshest, best tasting goods available. Amy recently took some time to share a bit of Wedding Wednesday Wisdom with us!

What’s the most rewarding part of your job?

I love the opportunity to be doing something creative. My former careers as an actuary and a high school math teacher were rewarding for their own reasons, but in cake design and running a business, I get to use both sides of my brain. One minute, I’m using my Excel spreadsheets to calculate the exact amount of batter I need for each size cake we bake, and the next, I’m working with a client to replicate the fabric flower on her dress in sugar.

What are your “must-haves” when working an event?

None of the designers at Sugar Flower Cake Shop like creating the same cake twice.  We must have creative control over the final product, with lots of influence from the couple and tons of inspiration from the other event elements.  Please don’t come to us expecting a replica of someone else’s cake.

Is there a tool you wish you had, but don’t?  What would you invent to make your job easier?

When we are faced with needing a mold or feel limited by the cake decorating tools available, we look outside the industry, or simply create our own.  Our shop is made up of tools from sculptors, fashion designers, and even plumbers. Last year, a cutter that I really loved “died.” It was made of super cheap plastic that was literally taped together for far longer than it should have been.  The thing I loved about it is that it cut three petal shapes at once, saving us a ton of time! With its days numbered, I commissioned a metal worker to create a custom petal cutter for us [using the plastic one as a model].  This metal piece is incredibly resilient and definitely makes our jobs easier.

Cake or cupcakes?

My preference is definitely for cake.  There is a time and place for cupcakes, but I’m not a fan of them for weddings. One of the reasons I create cakes is to have a canvas on which to display my work (mind you, it’s a pretty tasty canvas!!).  This sometimes gets lost when a client chooses cupcakes, since many go down that route looking for a way to have something tasty while on a tighter budget.  However, to have something truly artistic, an intricate display for the cupcakes needs to be created, which can sometimes end up costing more than a cake.

Any “magic words” to help you manage when the stress is on?

Yes — it’s called “Step away from the cake!” There is nothing worse than approaching a creative process under stress. In my shop, when it’s time to finish a cake, I need to adopt an almost zen-like calm.  If I’m stressed, I put the spatula down, walk away, and pour myself a cup of tea.  In those few minutes, the head is cleared and I can go to work.

Amy DeGiulio is the owner of Sugar Flower Cake Shop, a successful cake design business in New York. DeGiulio’s wedding and other special design cakes have appeared in the pages of many bridal publications including Martha Stewart Weddings and Brides.  Sugar Flower Cake Shop has also been featured on the STYLE  and TVLand networks. The shop offers monthly cake tastings, as well as decorating techniques classes for instruction in confectionary flower making, piping and painting. Visit them on the web at www.sugarflowercakeshop.com or follow on Twitter @SugarFlowerShop.

5th Avenue Digital’s YouBooth Continues to Snap, Crackle and Pop!

Our YouBooth photo booth keeps growing in popularity and it’s a huge hit for Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, birthday parties and corporate events.  This week, the YouBooth was in play at all three types of events!   The YouBooth was featured at an Event Planners Association event, a 30^th birthday party, a kids’ birthday party and a Bar Mitzvah.  Whew!  That’s a whole lotta snappin’ going on.

Check out the fun photos below!

[Show as slideshow]

[View with PicLens]

Event Focus Friday and BJ Enright

A new addition to 5th Avenue Digital’s team, BJ has been shooting professionally since 2007, gaining a wealth of experience in weddings, engagements, portraits, events, concerts and commercial work.  Born and raised in the Detroit area, he started out second-shooting weddings in Chicago, then moved to Portland (for a girl…) where he spent two years growing his portfolio.  He married that girl last summer, and they moved to NYC in January, when he joined the 5^thAvenue Digital team.

What was the first event you photographed when you knew for sure: ‘This is what I want to do’?

My very first wedding, in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.  It was a perfect late-summer day, with a backyard ceremony and a beautiful sunset reception at a venue right on the lakeshore.  I was a little nervous about it being my first wedding, but I was the third photographer and operator of the photo booth for the reception — so I was there mostly to learn.  But it was such a rush!  Being there to document such a special day and being witness to really intimate moments that most wedding guests never get to experience was electrifying.  It was both a thrill and an honor to take my skills and apply it to something truly beautiful. Read the rest of this entry »