Wednesday, December 31, 2008

A New Year's snow storm shelters great joy and oppertunity


When I moved to NYC in The late 70"s, their was a snow storm when I moved to my first place on the upper east side.

It so fitting that we have a storm here in Newport.

So much to be thankful for.
Great health, good friends and to live in our land of opportunity.

On Feburary 14th, 2009 I will be opening The first Wedding Gallery in Newport Rhode Island. The Newport Wedding Gallery.
It will be a retail store on Thames Street to showcase the great bridal talent here in the North East. Im so looking forward to this next venture.
Have a joyfull New Year!
Nancy Swiezy
www.thenewportweddinggallery.com

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

New Years in Newport

Here are a few things one must do in Newport on New Years!

First Night
Ring in the New Year at this family-oriented celebration of arts and culture in Newport
http://www.firstnightnewport.org

New Years at Belcourt Castle
9am-1pm. Dance to the Sounds of Larry Brown’s Swing Lane Orchestra in the French Gothic Ballroom. Beverages all included Champagne. Magnificent Midnight Chocolate Buffet 657 Bellevue Avenue, Newport, RI 02840
Phone: 401-846-0669

New Year's Day Polar Bear Plunge
12-Noon. Every New Year's Day for charity the Newport Polar Bears invite anyone crazy enough to join them for a swim in the Frosty North Atlantic Ocean. The charity this year is as last year, A Wish Come True. All proceeds from the swim and at the after swim party at the Atlantic Beach Club at the east end of Easton's Beach. Come join us at noon and help us raise money for a great charity.

Easton's Beach
Address: Memorial Boulevard, Newport, RI 02840
Phone: 401-846-0028

Recession? Time to Slash the Flower Budget





A Reprint from www.nytimes.com
Article Tools Sponsored By
By NINA REYES
Published: December 20, 2008

PITY Lauren Huber, 27, a Baltimore bride-to-be who began planning her wedding 12 months ahead only to see the economic downturn force her to forgo not just the icing on the cake, but the cake itself.

Tom Bloom Her fiancé, Ryan Priem, who is 28 and a salesman, saw his income drop, and the couple found themselves spending the $35,000 set aside for their March 2009 wedding on everyday living expenses. They began trimming costs from every aspect of their event.

The big hotel to which they had committed early in the process suddenly seemed unaffordable. So Ms. Huber sold her $3,400 Amsale dress on Craigslist and plans to wear a less costly one. She canceled the morning-after brunch, cut a half-hour off the photographer’s services and halved the size of the bouquets. Finally, she canceled the cake, as dessert is already included in the dinner she ordered.

“We can do without,” she said. “Dessert is tiramisù, so we’ll get pictures of us slicing that instead.”

She’s hardly alone. As the financial condition of the country worsens, the wedding industry, so long considered recession-proof, is seeing fairy-tale weddings stripped of their sprites, their sparkle and everything else that suggests splurge.

Some couples are slashing guest lists to include just immediate family and very dear friends, leaving aunts, cousins and the friends of friends out entirely, and bridal consultants say that they are seeing more couples postponing their events until they can be more certain they will have the money to pay for the wedding they want. Others are ratcheting up plans for quick, simple weddings that allow them to more readily take advantage of a safety net woven from the government and corporate benefits available to married couples.

Still other couples, armed with the skills they learned in a go-go economy, are trying to forcefully renegotiate with vendors to keep some semblance of their ideal wedding.

One bride had put down a deposit and locked into a contract with a site in a town south of Philadelphia, where she and her fiancé live. Given the amount of debt piling up from their graduate school studies, she suddenly thought that the $30,000 to $40,000 she had planned to spend on her wedding seemed ridiculous.

Furthermore, the downturn in the economy left the bridegroom’s parents unable to provide as much financial support as the couple had hoped for. And although the wedding venue has been accommodating, it is not willing to make a refund. The bride is now aiming for something in the under-$20,000 range. To get there she has cut the number of people she has invited from 200 to 115, and made her wedding dinner a less costly luncheon, hoping to save another $30 to $40 a person.

“You can negotiate prices with any wedding vendor,” said Kristal Joiner, the wedding coordinator at Event Source Northwest in Kirkland, Wash., a company that has seen plenty of clients seek to do just that recently. But businesses like Ms. Joiner’s, which specialize in supplying disc jockeys and masters of ceremonies, are also caught in an economic squeeze.

“We understand that people don’t have as much money these days,” Ms. Joiner said. “We can cut back on hours, or we can do a couple less speakers, or we’ll throw in an extra hour.” However, she added, “We have to charge what we’re worth and make money, so it’s a little difficult.”

The same economic forces that are encouraging couples to trim their expectations may actually be encouraging more of them to marry sooner, if less expensively. Some who earn their livelihoods in the wedding business report that they are seeing more couples opt for hurry-up weddings that will allow them to claim married-filing-jointly status on their income taxes for 2008.

“Whereas last year I did 197 weddings, this year I’m up to 299 weddings,” said the Rev. Marie April Gismondi, a nondenominational minister with the Church of Ancient Ways in Babylon, N.Y. “I’d say a lot more of them are those quick-I-want-to-get-married-this-week weddings."

Newport Wedding

Come on baby light my fire...with style!


These candles from Image glow are beatiful... add some ever greens and you are on your way. www.imageglowcandles.com

Saturday, December 13, 2008

You can never be too Toile


My home is covered in it.
So is this cake!
From www.tiersofjoycakes.net

Monday, December 8, 2008

White Christmas!


I love this bouquet by Michelle Rago...So much texture!
Michelle.. see you next week at Nicks!
www.MichelleRago.com
Newport Wedding

Friday, December 5, 2008

Bayside


I don’t usually write about my personal life at the bog but today I was inspired to do so. It is about a family member of very dear friends of mine. Bay Philips passed away this week. We just spent Thanksgiving weekend together. Bay was a resident of N.Y.C., Milord CT. and Jamestown R.I. As a child he swam in the Long Island Sound and Narragansett Bay with glee (thus his given name). We would have to spell out the word BEACH in order to not disappoint this charming soul. He had wonderful human parents,grandparents,canine and human friends,who will miss him at the Stoop,Poop,Scoop Cocktail Parties he and his family hosted on West 10th street in N.Y.C. And yes… Bay liked Jennifer better that me, but he had a way to nug at your heart, with his snout, just to get a little bit more T.L.C.
Bay you will be dearly missed,

Your friend from R.I. and N.Y.C.

Mari and Tim
Thank you for sharing your life and family and Bay with me.

Happy Anniversary to Me!


The Newport Wedding blog is one year old!
I would like to give thanks to those who have coached and have helped me with this project this passed year.

Ms Kim the Queen Bee of Wedding Bee
Thanks so much for inspiring me to start the blog .
www.weddingbee.com

Adrienne Meredith of Luxurious wedding
www.luxuriouswedding.com
http://luxuriousweddingstylereport.blogspot.com
For her kindness, support and generosity is unsurpassed.
I would not be here if it wasn't for you.

Anne Chertoff of Brides.com and from-i-will-to-i-do
http://from-i-will-to-i-do.blogspot.com
www.Brides.com
For all her support and knowledge of the industry .

These are three remarkable gals in the wedding publishing industry.
Thank you all for helping me find my voice "on line".

Best,
Nancy Swiezy

Christmas in Newport

http://www.christmasinnewport.org
Every thing you will need to know!

Thursday, December 4, 2008

Press from 2008 Spring NYSJA Newsletter


(BNN) Without a doubt, Newport, Rhode Island is one of
the most magnificent places in America. The very mention of
Newport conjures up images of the of the late nineteenth century
Gilded Age – a time of unparalleled wealth, luxury and privilege
set in a world of ultra-gentility and manners
This rarefied world was perfectly depicted
by Edith Wharton in her novel The Age of
Innocence; a mesmerizing portrayal of the
nineteenth-century East Coast upper class.
In more recent times, movie director Martin
Scorsese brought the story to life giving
viewers a stunning glimpse of New York and
Newport society.

Indeed, from the 1880s to the early 20th
century, Newport was the playground of the
newly rich Vanderbilts, Astors, Belmonts
and other industrial barons.. Their incredibly
elaborate marble houses or “cottages” with
names like The Breakers, The Elms, Marble
House and Rosecliff, were the sites of large
and lavish parties.

Today, the extravagant mansions and miles of breathtaking
Atlantic coastline make it a glorious backdrop for celebrations
of any kind – especially weddings. One of the most celebrated
Newport nuptials was that of Jacqueline Bouvier to John F.
Kennedy at her family’s summer home, Hammersmith Farm – an
event meticulously documented in many glamorous photographs.
Wedding planner extraordinaire, Nancy Swiezy, owner of A
Newport Affaire (anewportaffaire.com) explains the lure of
Newport. “A Newport wedding is a remarkable experience. It’s
the original Hamptons, after all, and attracts many stylish couples
wishing to marry in extraordinary surroundings.” Swiezy, an expert
on Newport celebrations, recently planned and orchestrated a
wedding for New York’s famous family at
Marble House.

Newport is filled with breathtaking locations. One
of the most idyllic sites is Cliff Walk – a historic
path that combines the natural beauty of the shore-
line with the architectural history of the oceanfront
estates. Amid these romantic surrounding sits The
Chanler at Cliff Walk (thechanler.com), a boutique
hotel whose grace and grandeur is perfect for an
intimate wedding.

Newport is truly an American phenomenon, a
monument to a unique time in the country’s history.
It is a magical place whose mystique inspires and
compels those wanting to enjoy a special celebra-
tion – one that will be shared and treasured by dear
friends and family and provide lasting memories.
Create Wedding Magic in Legendary Newport

"A Newport wedding is
a remarkable experience.
It’s the original Hamptons,
after all, and attracts many
stylish couples wishing to
marry in extraordinary
surroundings."

From the 2008 Spring NYSJA Newsletter
http://www.newyorkjewelers.org

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

A close encounter with Tiffany blue.


Dear Nancy,

Im looking for a color match from a bag or box from Tiffany & Co.?

Dear Blogger,
The Tiffany Blue color is trademarked by Tiffany & Co. and it is " top secret " says Vicky Herbert. She's a good friend who was a part of the marketing team at Panton. Duplicating it would be an infringement of this trademark.

So what color could be a close match ?

A good “match” for Tiffany blue is found on the Panatone color chart and it’s number is 1837. Coincidentally the same year Tiffany & Company was established.

Or try Sherwin Williams paint called Mariner SW6766 or Benjamin Moore's Tropicana Cabana 2048-50.
Happy painting!

Nancy Swiezy
A Newport Affaire



Monday, December 1, 2008

Its all about the details...


There is a wonderful story over at the brides cafe today.
Real Wedding: Casey & Louis
www.thebridescafe.typepad.com
Shot by www.kateheadleyphotography.com

This is a great lesson for a bride looking to have a personal experience with out the super sized budget.
Roses and Carnations that could have come from a supermarket never looked so good!

Poppers for New Years or for your Wedding!


These would make the perfect accompanent for a Save the Date, a Wedding Invitation or for a Engamnet Party.
Poppers are not just for christmas any more!
http://www.spitfiregirl.com

A Baked Idea


I have ordered custom cookies from Patty Paige many times over the years. She makes the best custom cake topers, like no other!

Picture a bakery where imagination is the main ingredient--where the bakers are artists who custom-design and hand-decorate any shaped cookies their customers can dream up, in a kitchen they call Baked Ideas. At Baked Ideas we mix our own colorful icings and form our own cutters to create cookies made of the finest freshest natural ingredients.
Our special creations have been featured in dozens of magazines and on TV and have earned us a national reputation. At holiday time or for other special occasions, please check us out for the most unique and deliciously edible works of art around.

http://www.bakedideas.com
NYC,NY

Rock Scissors Quahog

Since 1936 Flo's Clam Shack has served such traditional shore favorites as chowda (white, red, and clear), clam cakes, and spicy stuffed quahogs. Fresh fish arrives daily. Since 1994, Flo's has regularly garnered awards in Rhode Island Monthly's Best of Rhode Island polls for Best Clam Cakes, Best Clam Shack, and Best Fried Clams. Some of you with more cash than smarts might even opt for the fifty-dollar special—a bottle of Moet and two hot dogs.
When on line at Flo's you will be given a rock with a number on it. When your number is called out you will have one of the best meals in Newport/Middletown.
So take a idea from Flo's and use a rock as a place card holder!

Flo's Middletown
4 Wave Avenue, Middletown
(401) 847-8141
www.flosclamshack.net

P.S.
Ask for Lisa up stairs, she one of the best bartenders in town and a fantastic cook as well!

HoopSkirt101 Gives Thanks!



Thanks to all who posted HoopSkirt 101 at their Blogs and web sites.

www.luxuriousweddingstylereport.blogspot.com
www.from-i-will-to-i-do.blogspot.com
www.wedding.blogdig.net
www.weddingplannervideo.com
www.bestweddingsites.blogspot.com
www.bollywoodsargam.com
www.blogged.com
www.theperfectwedding.nl
www.gethitched.com
www.topblogarea.com
www.prettyclip.com