| In our last article, we discussed how to turn | | | | Cosmopolitan, and the Manhattan. In the San |
| your wedding into an event and an | | | | Francisco area we treated guests to an |
| unforgettable experience by creating a | | | | Espresso Bar. In the Las Vegas pod, we served |
| personalized theme, element, or style. This | | | | Amaretto and Whiskey Sours along with other |
| week, I will describe the specific elements | | | | mixed drinks commonly given out at the |
| we used to create "A City Theme". | | | | casinos. Finally, in Pittsburgh we offered a |
| | | | variety of Beers including the famous I C |
| In August of 2007 our company had the | | | | Light. |
| pleasure of working with a delightful couple | | | | |
| who decided upon a "City" Theme. They wanted | | | | The entire length and height of the back wall |
| to feature their favorite cities. These | | | | was accented by a prop master who built a |
| consisted of New York, Las Vegas, San | | | | "Pittsburgh Skyline" that was lit with |
| Francisco, Key West, and Pittsburgh. They | | | | b-lites from the back. He also created |
| held their reception at the Sheraton Station | | | | special street signs that were embellished by |
| Square Train Station hotel. The reception | | | | an artistic photograph of the skyline of each |
| site itself set the tone as "the train takes | | | | city. These were placed by each city's bar. |
| you from one city to the next". | | | | Custom Skylines of each city were turned into |
| | | | gobos (a lighting term) and shone on the |
| The guest accommodations and room block was | | | | walls surrounding the dining tables. The |
| also reserved at this "Train Station" Hotel. | | | | lighting technician also created a gobo out |
| Welcome bags placed in the guests' hotel | | | | of the couple's custom logo and |
| rooms were filled with items relating to | | | | monogram-their names in front of the |
| Pittsburgh, one of the featured cities, and | | | | Pittsburgh skyline. This was cast onto the |
| the couple's home town. | | | | dance floor. |
| | | | |
| We carried the city theme into the food by | | | | Chocolate coins engraved with the logo of |
| placing little table tents (cards) on the | | | | each section's designated city were placed |
| butler trays as hors d'oeuvres were passed. | | | | upon each plate. Cocktail napkins, cake and |
| For example, we had "mini egg rolls from New | | | | cookie boxes, invitation seals, program |
| York's Chinatown", "Crabmeat Mushroom Caps | | | | covers, and water bottles were embellished by |
| from San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf", and | | | | the custom Ann & Sean Pittsburgh skyline |
| "Papaya Mango Phyllo Cups from Key West". | | | | logo. |
| | | | |
| The DJ played "Viva Las Vegas" by Elvis to | | | | Guests sat down for interviews with an |
| represent the famous Las Vegas "midnight | | | | outgoing "VJ" and were asked questions |
| buffet" as the couple's own late night buffet | | | | pertaining to Ann and Sean's Trips to the |
| came out to replenish the guests. He also | | | | various cities. This was a volunteer activity |
| played various selections of tropical music | | | | and everyone who participated had a blast |
| to highlight Key West, a few polkas to | | | | giving additional roasts and good wishes to |
| represent the Pittsburgh traditions, and | | | | the couple. To further represent San |
| other music relating to the various cities. A | | | | Francisco, the guests were shuttled in a San |
| live duo performed during the cocktail hour | | | | Francisco style Trolley. To further represent |
| singing tunes such as "New York New York", "I | | | | New York, York Peppermint Patties were |
| left my Heart in San Francisco", "Viva Las | | | | wrapped in pink organza bags and placed on |
| Vegas", etc. etc. A caricaturist was | | | | each seat. |
| stationed in the "San Francisco area" (as San | | | | |
| Francisco is famous for their artists). He | | | | An ice sculpture was carved into an intricate |
| drew the guests in "their own favorite city". | | | | Pittsburgh skyline. We placed the sculpture |
| This was a huge crowd pleaser and a great | | | | directly in front of a window and the real |
| conversation piece. | | | | Pittsburgh skyline was present in the |
| | | | background. A sculpture of blown sugar was |
| We designed the floor plan so that every 5-6 | | | | featured as the centerpiece of an awe |
| groupings of tables were featured as a | | | | inspiring candy table. The artist created an |
| different city. Tables were named after their | | | | abstract design of their Pittsburgh skyline |
| favorite places in each city and escort cards | | | | logo from this blown sugar. The candy table |
| were made into pretty luggage tags. A | | | | itself consisted of candies inspired by the |
| cardboard box was turned into a beautiful | | | | city theme. Each was labeled with a tiny |
| antiquey suitcase to match the theme of | | | | table tent. There were Jelly Belly's |
| traveling from city to city and to complement | | | | (discovered in San Francisco), Ghirardelli |
| the escort cards/"luggage tags". The servers | | | | Chocolates (also from San Francisco), Clark |
| in the different city areas wore black caps | | | | Bars (Pittsburgh), Baby Ruth's and York |
| that were hot stamped with the logo of that | | | | Peppermint Patties (New York), 5th Avenue |
| city. | | | | bars (to represent large cities in general, |
| | | | Saltwater Taffy (Key West), and many others. |
| Each city was represented by a different bar | | | | The cookie table also offered cookies |
| serving different drinks unique to that area. | | | | reflecting the various cities. A few of these |
| In the Key West corner, we served frozen | | | | included Pizzelles (Pittsburgh), New York |
| strawberry and lime margaritas. In the New | | | | mini cheesecakes, and Fortune Cookies (San |
| York City corner we set up a Martini Bar | | | | Francisco's Chinatown). |
| featuring the Big Appletini, the | | | | |