On the surface, a wedding planner may not seem like an essential expense, especially when pitted against the more obvious needs of food, your dream venue, and a good DJ. But what most newly-weds-to-be don’t know is that hiring a wedding planner can actually save you money.
And that’s not all. Great Performances Wedding Specialist Amanda DiUglio spoke on the ways in which hiring a wedding planner might just save your big day.
Save Time
“Let the planner do the hard work. Let them research and find out information about all the places you’re looking [and] at the vendors so you don’t have to do any of the stressful things. They can come in [and] they can say here are my top five recommendations and take you through it without you having to do the hours and hours of work it really takes to plan the perfect wedding.”
Save Money
“They can help negotiate. They can help recommend different vendors that might have different price points. They can get you exactly what you’re looking for and help you really craft your budget to make sure it works all within what you’re looking to spend.”
Save Energy
“Your planners have worked in weddings for normally a very long time and have a good list of vendors who they love partnering with. They’re suggesting them because they do a great job and they want your wedding to come out perfect. So trust their recommendations and really look into the vendors that they recommend.”
Each season has its perks and pitfalls when it comes to planning a wedding, but oftentimes the positives can outweigh the more unfavorable aspects.
Great Performances Wedding Specialist Amanda DiUglio highlighted for us the top 3 reasons why you should consider getting married in the spring.
#1 All is in bloom
Flourishing in the influx of sunny days, gardens and greenery are bound to be blooming in abundance. Whether you decide to host your ceremony outside or indoors, pulling from the lush natural elements is sure to give your special day an extra dose of serenity. From bountiful bouquets to stunning organic backdrops, you can’t go wrong with incorporating the fruits of the season in your wedding design.
#2 Post-winter and ready to party
Shedding the dreary days of constant gray, woodland creatures aren’t the only ones emerging from hibernation. Though more of the metaphorical variety, it’s undeniable that the first signs of sunlight draw out even the most introverted individual’s desire to socialize. A spring wedding is an enticing break from the monotony of the colder months, sure to increase that RSVP rate and bring together all those you haven’t seen since before the first snowfall.
#3 Temperate temperatures
With warm afternoons and cool evenings, the moderate embrace of spring is sure to create a comfortable atmosphere for your many celebrations. The perfect porridge for a wide array of guests, you’re certain to settle somewhere “just right” when it comes to desired degrees. No sweating through suits or shivering in sleeveless dresses, there will be smiles all around, allowing for an enjoyable exchange of vows.
Main photo credit Gulnara Samoilova
You’ve dodged enough red flags to make it to the altar, but unfortunately there’s still a few you’ll have to look out for when searching for a vow-worthy venue.
Though the historical mansion is beautiful on the outside, perhaps the interior doesn’t match the exterior? Or the incredibly popular modern museum that’s miraculously available on the exact day you need happens to also be hosting a splatter painting workshop in the same room?
There can be causes for concern no matter the space, but that doesn’t mean some can’t be worked around. We asked Great Performances Wedding Specialist Amanda DiUglio what she considers to be major red and green flags to watch out for when figuring out where to have your wedding.
The venue refuses to let you see the space before the event.
“Big red flag. Absolutely not. You should always walk through and see exactly what you’re getting before your wedding so you know what the layout’s going to be, how the day’s going to flow, and all of those important details.
The venue has bad reviews online.
“A big red flag. I think you should listen to all these other couples. I think take everything with a grain of salt, and I also recommend maybe reaching out to them if you see them on Instagram and asking them why they had a bad experience.”
They do have a backup plan in case of bad weather.
“Green…yes, absolutely! We love that. Especially if you’re outdoors! It does rain and we want to make sure that we are prepared for it. And if you plan for it, it normally doesn’t happen. So take the backup plan!”
They provide you limited time to set up.
“Is there a middle ground? I think that could be a beige flag. Having vendors that know the space and know how to work within the space is very important and what they can do is they’re going to showcase to you the things that you can do within that amount of time and…make sure that you’re guided the best way possible.”
You’re the only event at the venue that day.
“Green. I think that’s a must…it’s your special day. You’re paying a lot of money for this and we want to make sure that you are the shining star that day and all attention is on you. So definitely make sure that you are the only event happening that day.”
The venue is available for your desired date but has repairs scheduled for months prior.
“I think that’s ok…I’d get some more information on exactly what that is and what their schedule is…is it the end of their scheduled maintenance or is it the beginning of it?”
The venue has limited parking.
“Green. That’s okay! You run into that in a lot of venues, specifically more historical venues. There’s ways that you’ll work with valet companies to make it work for your event.”
They work with Great Performances.
“Biggest green flag out there. We’re so excited to partner with our exclusive venues and with our preferred venues. We’re honored to be part of your wedding!”
Main photo by Joseph Lin
This is a childhood dish I remember as one on regular rotation at home. It always signified changing seasons.
Ingredients
- 1.5 oz onion
- 3 Tbsp Paprika
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 1 pt chicken broth
- 3 lbs Large Diced chicken breast
- 1 c sour cream
- 2 Tbsp Flour
- 1.5 lbs Egg Noodles
Procedure
- Marinate chicken with diced onion, paprika, salt overnight.
- Sear the Chicken until golden brown on the outside.
- Add chicken broth, heat to simmer, cover and let cook 30 min.
- Remove chicken from broth and set aside.
- In a Separate Bowl, take sour cream, flour , and mix in mixing bowl adding water until you reach a pancake batter like consistency.
- Add sour cream mixture to the broth and simmer until it reaches a gravy like consistency.
- Add Chicken Back in to broth.
- Serve over Egg noodles. Garnish with parsley.
This recipe is passed down from my mother. Of course, we measure with the heart, but everything you need to know to make the best Arroz con Pollo is below!
Ingredients
- Chicken: Use bone-in chicken breast for this recipe.
- Seasoning: Cumin, sazón with azafran, bay leaf, salt & pepper.
- Vegetables: Carrots, peas, green beans, onions, scallions, garlic, red and green bell peppers.
- Flavor: Tomato paste, chicken broth, and chicken bouillon.
- Oil: Olive oil, canola, or vegetable oil will work.
- Rice: Use long-grain white rice.
- Herbs: Cilantro
Procedure
- Put the chicken breast, 5 cups of water, and the remaining ingredients for the stock in a medium pot. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the chicken rest in the pot covered for about 15 minutes. Let it cool, shred, and set aside. Strain the stock and measure 2 ½ cups, then set aside.
- In a medium pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, green peppers, garlic, and red bell pepper. Cook until the onions are translucent, about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Add the rice, tomato paste, chicken bouillon, and sazon goya. Stir until the rice is well coated, about 3 minutes. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes. Add the peas, carrots, and green beans and cook for an additional 7 minutes. Add the shredded chicken and cilantro, mix well with a fork, cover, and cook for 5 more minutes.
At Great Performances, we believe that Life Happens Around Food®. We make that happen with delicious food, warm hospitality, and culinary creativity. At the heart of our creativity are our chefs. In this series, our chefs raise their voices in our Chefs’ Choir ™, sharing their delicious recipes, helpful tips, and inspiration for creating memorable events. We tap into their culinary genius as we plan your special events for business purposes and collaborate on your special event planning for social and entertainment purposes. Whether you need a corporate lunch, a wedding reception, a milestone celebration, or a nonprofit gala, our chefs bring their inspiration and creativity to ensure you have an exceptionally delicious event.
Our chefs come from myriad backgrounds and experiences, but they all share a passion for food and hospitality. We’ve asked them to lend their voices to share their Mother’s Day memories, stories, and recipes.
Chef Solanki Roy
Venue Chef, 550 Madison
My mother is a powerful Bengali woman, with modernistic views of the world, liberal at heart, intellectual, artistic and the most beautiful woman I have ever seen in my life. On Mother’s Day, I fondly remember her and reflect on everything she has done for the family and wish to reunite with her soon for my holidays. The biggest lesson she taught me was, no matter what happens in life always remain humble.
A sampling of Chef Solanki’s menu at 550 Madison.
The best culinary tip passed onto me is, cook from your heart and positive emotions, anything cooked with love compassion and good thoughts tastes good.
Anything cooked with anger, aggression or toxic work environment translates to food. So keep kitchen culture healthy, no yelling, no throwing pots and pans or glorifying abuses in kitchen. It’s not good for anyone, the cooks, the customers or the food.
My mom is a strong and beautiful woman, very talented in the kitchen, and shows us love through her cooking.
The best culinary tip I got from her was to cook with heart and make others happy.
My mom’s best dish is arroz con pollo.
Chicken Paprikash was one of the 15 or so rotating meals that we would eat growing up. I am particularly fond of this dish in the colder months as it always signified a changing in the seasons.
I am from Argentina and moved here a little over 9 years ago, my sister moved here back in 2012.
When we travel back, we always ask our Mom to make us her French Fries. There is “nothing special” about them in terms of technique, cutting, kind of potato used, etc. but at the same time, everything is special about them. It brings both my sister and myself together and brings us back beautiful memories. The fries may not be peeled perfectly, may be soggy and crispy at the same time, may have absorbed more oil than they should but all of that makes us come together.
My sister is 33, I’m 31 but when we ask Mom to make those fries, look at her cooking them and finally share those uneven spuds, we both go back to being kids again.
That is what Mom is all about to me.
The perfect food for me to celebrate Mothers / Fathers Day is Dal.
Ingredients
- Split red lentils (Masoor dal): 250 grams
- Water: 1 liter
- Onion, finely chopped: 150 grams
- Tomato, chopped: 150 grams
- Garlic cloves, minced: 15 grams
- Ginger, grated: 15 grams
- Turmeric powder: 5 grams
- Cumin seeds: 10 grams
- Coriander powder: 10 grams
- Garam masala: 5 grams
- Salt: 10 grams
- Vegetable oil or ghee: 50 grams
- Fresh cilantro (coriander) leaves, chopped: 20 grams
Instructions
- Rinse the split red lentils under running water until the water runs clear. Drain and set aside.
- In a large pot, bring the water to a boil. Add the lentils, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for about 20-25 minutes or until the lentils are tender.
- In a separate pan, heat the vegetable oil or ghee over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and let them splutter. Then add the chopped onion and sauté until translucent.
- Add the minced garlic, grated ginger, turmeric powder, coriander powder, and garam masala to the pan. Stir well and sauté for another 2-3 minutes.
- Add the chopped tomatoes to the pan and cook until they soften.
- Once the lentils are cooked, add the prepared tadka (tempering) to the lentils and mix well. Add salt to taste.
- Allow the dal to simmer for another 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, to let the flavors meld together.
- Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro (coriander) leaves before serving.
It is ironic that Open House New York, whose mission it is to uncover and share the best of New York City’s built environment, systems, and institutions, is one of the city’s best kept secrets. Do you know about OHNY?
Founded post-9/11, when access to much of the city was closed off due to increased security, OHNY was conceived to advocate for openness as a defining principle of civic life; to open the doors to the people, places, projects, systems and ideas that make our city unique. I joined the Board of Directors in 2020 just as the city, once again, was shutting it doors to the vibrant institutions and civic engagement that characterizes New York.
But both NYC and OHNY have come roaring back!
The OHNY Spring Gala was held last month to honor the design-build team behind the Rooftop Pavilion and Farm at North Javits with the Open City Award. Javits’ CEO, Alan Steel, accepted the award on behalf of the impressive team.
I had multiple privileges this evening: support the event, host a table, and help plan the menu. Our culinary team and GP event planner Morgan Golumbuk took inspiration from OHNY’s directive to create an outdoor picnic feeling at an indoor evening gala! We did just that. As the sun set to the west, and the Rooftop Farm gleamed to the east, guests sat down to a family style meal.
An OHNY event is always unusual. Supporters are NY’ers of all ages and walks of life, though it draws deeply from the professions that contribute to the ‘built environment’ – the architects, designers, builders, engineers, and experts in urban and civic affairs. It is a love fest of city life and feeds our hunger to know more about how the city functions, whom it serves and how it evolves.
April 18th was a celebration on a rooftop farm, in midtown Manhattan, overlooking the Hudson River, on top of a convention center. Par for the course for an organization that continues to connect all of us to the beauty and wonder of our home. Learn more: New York is Open!
We invited our colleague, Bella Camara, a garde manger cook, to share her experience of working in food service during Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, a holy month that is observed as a time of fasting, prayer, reflection, and community.
Ramdan is the ninth month in the Islamic calendar. During the month of Ramadan Muslims around the globe fast from sunrise to sunset. Meaning that we can eat or drink anything while the sun is out. Ramadan is the month that the holy Quran began to be revealed to Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him). It is an obligation upon all Muslims to fast during the month of Ramadan except children who have not reach puberty, the elderly, women who are menstruating, women breastfeeding a newborn, and people who are physically or mentally sick. Ramadan is not only the month of fasting but the month of giving charity and feeding the less fortunate.
It takes a lot of discipline and self-control to work in the kitchen while fasting during the month of Ramadan. Many people who are not Muslims always ask, how do we (as Muslims) do it. The reason we can fast while working with food is because many of us have been fasting since we were 14 or 15 years. Even though we have been fasting since we were teenagers, being around food while fasting is very tempting because your sense of smell is heightened, and your body is craving food. But you must focus on the rewards you will get if you do not break your fast before sunset and the sins if you break (without any valid reason) your fast before sunset. We also try to keep our minds off the food as much as possible when we are fasting. It is not that difficult to fast during Ramadan while working with food.
This month we’re celebrating beans, a pantry staple that’s been growing in popularity. Typically found in the canned or dry goods section of a store, a tin of beans can turn into anything from a delicious dip, a savory casserole, or even a dessert. Dry beans are great to keep on hand but do require a bit more planning.
Embrace Wellness Tip: Pair beans with sources of vitamin C such as leafy greens, peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, or lemon for increased iron absorption.
Quinoa and beans are sources of iron, an essential mineral whose main function is to make hemoglobin, a protein found in red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout the body. Quinoa can taste soapy due to the saponins that coat each grain. To improve the flavor, soak the quinoa for a few minutes in cold water, swishing until you see soapy suds appear. Drain and rinse then continue with your recipe.
Herbed Quinoa and Beans
by Great Performances & GP Embrace: Wellness
INGREDIENTS
- 3/4 cup quinoa
- 2 cans white beans
- 1 yellow bell pepper
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 cup pepitas
- salt and pepper
PROCEDURE
Rinse ¾ cup uncooked quinoa under water in a fine mesh sieve. Combine quinoa and 1-½ cups water (or low-sodium vegetable stock) in a pot over high heat. Bring to a boil and then reduce to medium-low heat. Simmer about 20 minutes until water is absorbed. Drain and rinse 2 cans white beans. In a large bowl, add beans, 1 thinly sliced yellow bell pepper and ½ cup chopped fresh herbs (parsley, basil, dill, cilantro, etc.). Fluff warm quinoa with a fork and add it to the bowl. Dress with the juice of 1 lemon and 2 Tb olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Top with ¼ cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds).