Tale of Two Sisters - Tiffany Cook Events

“Tale of Two Sisters”
2 sisters, 2 weddings, 2 months apart
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A
story straight off the pages of any
modern day fairy tale; two sisters
Melissa & Vanessa Salum planning
elaborate weddings two months apart.
The main challenge for these girls was
to ensure that both weddings would be
completely different from each other yet
remain on the grand scale that they had
envisioned as many of the same guests
would be attending. To achieve this they
enlisted the help of local wedding planner
and designer Tiffany Nieves of Dream
Design Weddings.
Melissa & Peter chose the Mandarin
Oriental, a venue that showed off
their preference for clean lines and
contemporary style. Melissa knew from
the start that she loved earth tones
deep copper, rich reds, with touches of
gold and wanted to design her wedding
around these warm tones. To create this
look Melissa chose lighting in burnt
amber tones to give both the cocktail
terrace and ballroom a warm candle
light glow. Comfy oversized chocolate
lounge sections welcomed guests into
the cocktail hour with touches of Asian
inspired Bamboo towers adorned with
colorful paper lanterns. Centerpieces for
the cocktail hour were custom created
by the bride on bamboo trays with river
rocks Zen candles and orchid blooms to
compliment the Asian inspired cocktail
hour.
Warm amber lighting color washed the
walls complimented by amazing 6 foot
trees made of red Phalaenopsis orchids
and hanging candles strategically placed
around the ballroom set the stage for
Melissa and Peter’s reception. We used
a mix of square and round tables in the
ballroom along with a variety of different
centerpieces to ensure that all of the tables
were a little different from each other.
Custom linens were designed in burgundy
crush satin with hand beaded gold overlays
for the tables. We kept Melissa’s tablescape
different by using varied centerpieces at
each table of green Cymbidium Orchids,
Curly Willow, Leonida Roses, and Mango
Cala Lilies. As a twist, to sign in, photos
from the couples engagement shoot in
Vermont were matted in coordinating
colors and placed on an easel at each table
for guests to sign their sentiments for
the couple. Monogrammed menu cards
were placed in burgundy crush napkin
fold and tucked neatly inside sleek menu
pouches placed at each place setting atop
gold chargers. For favors silver chop sticks
and Chinese take out boxes served as
wonderful favors placed at each setting.
Finally for a clean look for the sweetheart
table we borrowed a great table from the
hotel lobby and paired it with Mahogany
Chiavari Chairs.
Vanessa Salum & Jose Ceide
February 25, 2006
Since Vanessa was a little girl she dreamed
of getting married at the historic Biltmore
Hotel in Miami. The spacious Country
Club Ballroom & Courtyard was the
perfect setting to show off this couples
love for old world romance. Vanessa
fancied the color pink and wanted pink
romance to set the stage for her wedding.
During the early concept stages Vanessa
knew she wanted the design for her
cocktail reception to be completely
different in appearance from her wedding
reception so we used sage and chocolate
as a color palette; this was carried through
with linens, lounge furniture, seating,
Guests danced the night away to the
sounds of Latin recording artist Hansel
& Raul, it was the perfect evening for a
wonderful couple.
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couple; this was done in a series of matted
photos of the couples engagement session
that was shot on location in New York.
The amber glow of the specialty lighting
coupled with the hundreds of candles
that are used for the giant fountain in this
area only enhanced the already romantic
setting for her cocktail reception.
For dinner the guests were escorted up the
candlelit stone staircases to the ballroom
where Vanessa and Jose’s vision of utter
romance was brought to life. High impact
color washing of the ballroom walls and
columns with lighting in hues of deep pink
really enhanced the “WOW” factor for this
wedding. The round tables were dressed
in custom made moss green and pink
and the gallery wall. Vanessa chose to
have a dramatic entrance for her outdoor
cocktail reception to add a bit of mystery
and conceal the elaborate event the guests
would soon partake in. We designed an
illuminated chiffon tunnel that would
serve just this purpose and transport the
guests from the valet area into the romantic
setting for cocktails. Guests were greeted
as they exited the tunnel with a butler
passed specialty cocktail rightfully called
the “Ceiditini” (ceiditini) after the couples
name sake and love for Martinis. These
were enjoyed in one several oversized sage
lounge areas arranged in living room type
fashion to be inviting and encourage the
guests to sit and chat.
by world renowned Zambelli Brothers
that rivaled any fourth of July celebration
following the bride and grooms
introduction and champagne toast, a gift
from the brides parents.
After dancing the night away, guests
were sent home with “breakfast in bed”
courtesy of the bride and groom. Pink
boxed pastries and Krispy Kreme donuts
(a favorite of the bride and groom), along
with the Sunday paper (delivered on
Saturday night) and coffee to go were sent
home with each guest to enjoy.
A most appropriate end to a more than
spectacular wedding, I guess fairytales
can come true…
This wedding can be seen on WE
television networks new show “Platinum
Weddings” EB
Written by: Tiffany Nieves
A special thanks to mother of the brides
Alina Salum (AKA Mama Salum)
Additionally, we wanted to design a
focal point that was both functional
and interesting to look at, something
that would make use of this very large
space. We created the “Circle Bar”, a bar
that would be able to serve more guests
than regular size bars and fill this large
courtyard area. This element was both
a conversation piece and a functional
option for the standard bar. For an exciting
change to the traditional sign in book our
design team built two gallery walls for the
guests to sign their well wishes for the
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pintuck linens with silver Tiffany chairs.
Vanessa’s tablescape glowed with masses
of candles on the tables to illuminate
the towering centerpieces of hydrangea,
roses, orchids, and hanging crystals set
upon 4 foot glass trumpet vases that
created this opulent romantic look. Silver
chargers were toped with moss green and
pink napkin fans with delicate handmade
crystal cuffs for the perfect sparkle factor.
To continue the romantic appeal a one
of a kind sweetheart and cake table were
custom designed and manufactured for
the couple out of mahogany and a mass
of pink roses encased by two layers of
glass to allow the couple to dine on a bed
roses.
Guests were delighted at the surprise of
an 8 minute fireworks display provided
Photos courtesy of UDS Photo
Wedding vendors:
Wedding planning & Design –Tiffany
Nieves Dream Design
Weddings by Tiffany
Photography – Martha Ramirez
UDS Photo
Video – Utopia Video Productions
Lounge Furniture – Event Furnishings
and Décor
Linens – AB Cover Designers
Specialty Lighting – All Access
AV & Lighting
Flowers – George Nevot