By Emily Reifel
What A Year We Had At The Plaza! Our Team At CPS Events Had The Best Year We Have Had Since We Reopened The Doors To The Grand Ballroom Back In 2018. When You Work That Hard In “The Season” Here In New York Sometimes You Feel As If You Will Never Make It To The Finish Line, Especially When That Line Is On December 29th! However, Because We Were Working With An Amazing Family And Bride And Groom The Excitement Just Kept Building!
Jessica and Greg’s wedding planning process started last year, and she knew from the moment that she walked in the door that she had dreamed of a Winter Wonderland wedding here at The Plaza. The couple came in to meet with me and right away we hit it off. Jessica is a gorgeous petite blonde and her prince charming just happens to be 6’ 7” of Panamanian decent. They looked like a fabulous couple straight of out Hollywood and the NBA, but I came to find out that they were both teachers and student coaches.
Their love story began where they worked… at school! As someone who has a family who all works in Education I appreciate the good teachers in this world and who doesn’t enjoy a work romance story! Jessica and Greg introduced me to both their lovely sets of parents and we were finalized on the December 29th date. Jessica’s parents were thrilled to be hosting this affair as she is their only daughter and only child. They wanted to make it extraordinary and were very vocal in trusting me to tell them how to do it all. The first order of business was convincing the Bride and Groom that they should definitely have a band. They were thinking a DJ from the get go and I told them to go meet with Erik over at Hank Lane and he will change your mind. They booked Brooklyn Sound on the spot and a DJ for their after party which worked out perfectly. I immediately told them to head straight to Ed Libby & Co for décor because there is absolutely no one better for a winter wonderland look than Ed.
Somehow we made it to the end of 2018 and the details were buttoned up. Christmas came and went and everyone had a little time to relax before the wedding weekend! Jessica and Greg came to check in and get ready for their rehearsal dinner at Avra, they even invited me and a colleague to join! We snuck out a little early to get to bed because we had an early day coming.
Trace Henningson of Henningson and Co. arrived super early and was in charge of the getting ready process for Jessica, the moms and the bridesmaids. Jessica’s makeup artists Alicia and Valerie couldn’t have been more talented and these women screamed Hollywood glamour! Jessica’s mother Karen happens to be close friends with a fabulous dress designer, Janine Dray and she designed and made Jessica’s custom wedding gown and Karen’s gown as well. The bridesmaids sparkled in their gold Portia and Scarlett gowns that were more reminiscent of Oscar worthy gowns than bridesmaids dresses. Soon we found the statuesque groom and his equally tall brothers and groomsmen for a fabulous photo shoot in The Oak Room with Shawn Connell, formerly of Christian Oth Studios and AJ Igoglia Films. Then we were off to the spectacular ceremony at St. Ignatius with the organ music playing Wagner’s Bridal Chorus. As Jessica and Greg walked down the aisle as husband and wife, they were cheered on by all of their guests but also by some of their students attended the ceremony. They were all so excited to be a part of their special day!
We all made it back to The Plaza in time for cocktail hour to begin in the Terrace Room, where guests dined on a raw bar and a carving station complete with traditional Panamanian food in honor of Greg’s roots! As guests made their way to the Grand Ballroom they stopped in the Grand Ballroom Foyer to enjoy of holiday photo opportunity that Ed Libby’s team designed with snow flocked Christmas trees, and then into the jaw dropping Grand Ballroom. Ed Libby’s team turned it into a sparkly winter wonderland complete with a fabulous floral and crystal chandelier complete with white feathers that matched Jessica’s custom dress. The tables were dressed with sequin linens that matched the bridesmaids dresses along with floating candles, white roses, orchids and tall white branches. The dusty lavender color that filled the room was a perfect ambience designed by James from Bentley Meeker Lighting and Staging. The ceiling and the stage looked as if there was snow falling around the room! Jessica and Greg were announced into the room and Brooklyn Sound got the dance floor rocking immediately! And they didn’t stop! Toasts were given and their Ron Ben Israel cake was cut as we passed Godiva White Chocolate Martini’s around the room to keep the guests energized and in the holiday spirit.
Eventually we moved the guests to The Rose Club for the official after party. We created a special corner for Jessica’s mom, Karen, who even had an outfit change! The guests loved their sliders, pizza and mini hot dogs, and I loved that we were almost done with such a perfect night! I boarded a plane to start my holiday the next morning and when I landed I had a text saying it was the most perfect night of Jessica and Greg’s life. Their fairytale came to life, what a way to end 2018!
HARPER’S BAZAAR ICONS PARTY AT THE PLAZA HOTEL
By Ali Papalia
What Better Way To Open New York Fashion Week Than An Extravaganza At The Plaza?
On Friday, September 7, Harper’s Bazaar threw the party of the year in honor of Carine Roitfeld’s icons – a stunning portfolio of “The First Families of Music”, worthy of picking up the issue at the checkout counter. This event was a who’s who of the fashion world — models, designers and the like pulled out all the stops when it came to picking their outfit of choice for the evening. Not only were all of the guests dressed to impress, but the most chic of them all was the Grand Ballroom. The inspiration of the evening was “families that rock” – with dark red, giant gold lipsticks, the signature black carpet and a Moet Champagne tower took the party to another level.
Dressed to the nines, guests entered through Fifth Avenue crossing through the Palm Court to get the chance to view the black carpet in action! The carpet was completely abuzz with celebrities including Christina Aguilera, Adriana Lima, Gigi Hadid, Cardi B, Nicki Minaj, Christie Brinkley, Heidi Klum and many many more – click here for Harper’s Bazaar official gallery. Top show stopper Bella Hadid, in a nude cat suit, got the cameras flashing non- stop. The drinks were flowing and guests indulged in specialty cocktails by Belvedere Vodka and Stella Artois, and splits of Moet Champagne – so incredibly chic.
Christina Aguilera, the featured musical icon this year, paid tribute to the first families of music including Bruce Springsteen, Kanye West, Erykah Badu, and many more. As soon as she was ready to perform, drinks and iPhones were in hand ready to snap photos and videos of the concert. This was my first time seeing her perform and she was amazing! She has so much energy when she gets on stage and it definitely radiates throughout the crowd. She was singing for just about 50 minutes and the crowd could not stop dancing!
This event was truly memorable, it was a triple threat blending fashion, music, and The Plaza.
BEAUTY, BOMBSHELLS AND BRAZILIANS
By Jennifer Machen
BRAZIL, THE LARGEST COUNTRY IN BOTH SOUTH AMERICA AND LATIN AMERICA, CHOSE THE PLAZA TO HOLD THEIR 2018 GALA.
The Plaza is notorious for lavish affairs, and these Brazilian Bombshells seriously raised the bar. One by one, the glamorous guests dressed in brilliantly colored gowns adorned with feathers, beads, and extravagant accessories, immediately became the focal point of the event. They entered the Grand Ballroom Foyer through a rainbow of umbrellas, unveiling a festive flow of celebratory cocktails, delicious Hors d’oeuvres, including the famous Brazilian Cheese Bread, Pão de Queijo. Guests bid on rainforest and Amazonian pieces as well as inspirational art to raise money for the fearless Brazil Foundation.
The room was filled with beautiful woman and yet three very special and very tall ladies stood out especially. Gracing the guests (as well as the ceiling), these stunning “tall women” (on stilts) perfectly captured the fun essence of the evening. Dressed as flowers, they danced and breezed through cocktail hour and made Instagram moments for all, including the many Victoria’s Secret Models that were in attendance. Pictures were captured, glasses were passed, and the sociable crowd at the cocktail hour began to trickle into the Grand Ballroom.
A Brigadero Sweets table, 18 feet long and dressed to the nines, graced the Grand Ballroom upon entrance, as it does in Brazilian homes when they have guests over. Bentley Meeker designed a lighting scheme that filled the room with ambiance, inhabited the feel of the event, and enhanced the beauty of the guests. The green floral arrangements were fitting and transported the space to the rainforest. The incomparable Chef Geoff Rudaw specially designed classic upscale Brazilian fair and served a decadent Cashew Crusted Branzino with Coconut Rice, Mango Salsa, and Sweet Plantains. Devoured by the 450 guests, the plates were cleared and everyone danced the night away.
Would be remiss to not mention the beyond handsome, very famous Actor Cauã Reymond (the Brad Pitt of Brazil, if you will) who caused a photo frenzy on the red carpet and stole the hearts of every woman in the room…as well as some men (AKA our very own Mr. Manners).
What a Plaza Party.
PINK, PURPLE & RED: A SUMMER OF SOUTH ASIAN COLOR
By Kelsey Butler
THE PLAZA HOTEL IS FAMOUS FOR ITS CREAM AND GOLD EMBELLISHED GRAND BALLROOM, LUXURIOUS TERRACE ROOM, AND OLD WORLD CHARM.
However this summer, The Plaza was transformed over and over again into a South Asian wonderland of over the top flowers, color, and lavish décor. It is true that the Grand Ballroom needs little to enhance its stunning beauty, but one of the things I love the most of South Asian weddings are their ability to work off of the existing trimmings and really light up the room with a burst of color.
We started out the summer celebrating a wonderful couple, Neil & Saritha, with a day full of traditional Indian ceremonies starting out with the “Swing Ceremony”, where the couple was showered with flowers while they swung together on a beautifully decorated swing. Later in the day as a welcome for their main ceremony, the couple offered guests personalized coconuts to drink out of! They were a delicious refreshment for a warm May afternoon and a huge hit with their friends and family.
Moving through the summer we saw an array of colors and décor with red being a statement color of 2018; red indicating both sensuality and purity and very commonly used in marriage. Tiya Nandi wore a stunning red sari to complement her red and gold mandap in the Terrace Room, and Nikita Kohli chose all red accents in her Ballroom décor complete with a red floral centerpiece hanging between the chandeliers!
The Grand Ballroom was yet again transformed for Priyanka & Vikram’s celebration and this time everything was purple! From purple lemonade that was butler passed as guests entered the ceremony, to the flowers on their cake, and finally the Ballroom was a purple wonderland with sweeping purple flowers that cascaded off of their elegant dinner tables.
Our final South Asian Wedding of the summer was Divya Mandava & Jon Garrett’s “American day” ceremony and final reception of a weekend of ceremonies and celebration. This décor mixed traditional over the top Indian colors and flowers with a more traditional and classic Plaza look. Their guests entered the Terrace Room for a traditional American ceremony, and then moved into the Ballroom to be surprised by yet another floral centerpiece capturing their attention from the ceiling and a beautiful pink wash of color!
We look forward to many more South Asian weddings and to see how time transforms tradition and the class of The Plaza even further.
PLAZA ARCHIVE - THE EDWARDIAN ROOM
By Rob Arango
Welcome to my new column introducing historical tidbits of the legendary Plaza. My first stop is the most pristine real estate spot in New York City—the famed Edwardian Room with enormous windows facing Central Park South and Fifth Avenue and 59th Street.
There is no other address like this turn of the century Victorian room. In 1980 I dined in the Edwardian Room with my parents and it was one of the first times I had worn my customary blue blazer and grey flannel slacks. We sat near the window overlooking Central Park. I remember having veal Oscar for the main course. After dinner, my mother asked me to dance with her. She told me how to do the simple box step. I was only 14 but for one brief moment I felt like Gene Kelly on the tiny dance floor.
In 1920 the doors opened to men only and it became the hotel’s premiere dining room. When making reservations men would ask for The Men’s Café. At the time it quickly became the first of its kind “Power Breakfast” in Midtown. Major political, business tycoons and movie stars would dine for breakfast to be seen among New York’s elite. The dining experience was true to its time in culinary history – starters included Hearts of Artichokes, Pate Maison and Cape Cod Oysters. Popular fish courses were Filet of English Sole Mervina and Olivette Potatoes Persillees. The star of beef courses was the famed Roast Prime Ribs of Beef au Cresson with Baked Potato (a SPLURGE at 75 cents EXTRA). Dessert specials were various fruit pies, Lemon Meringue, custard rice pudding and assorted sherbets. All ending with Demi-Tasse, of course.
It was called the “Plaza Restaurant” until 1955. Then it was named as the “Edwardian Room” after the time period of when the hotel was built – 1900’s aka Edwardian era.
In December 2018 I will be hosting a dinner for 175 guests. The menu will be a bit healthier in choices, all nut-free, and of course a silent vegan and gluten-free option. Times have changed but the room still holds over 100 years of dining stories all waiting to be told.
For a limited time, you can have the unique opportunity to host an event in the Edwardian Room. Please call 212-549-0550 to inquire.
THE PLAZA’S ROYAL WEDDING WEEKEND
By Emily Reifel
The Royal Wedding Of Ms. Meghan Markle And Prince Harry Was Worldwide News That Really Was So Exciting To Watch, Especially Being In The Wedding Industry Myself!
When the news first broke of the engagement I started thinking about how we at The Plaza Hotel were going to celebrate! What unfolded was pretty incredible. Rachel Jo Silver first contacted me in December of last year with an idea to host a Royal Wedding viewing party! We then looped in the talented Ariana Swerdlin and Maureen Farley from The Plaza’s PR and Hospitality events team! After months of planning and brainstorming, the Royal Wedding Weekend arrived!
On Friday, May 17th, The Plaza hosted over 90 bloggers, influencers and press to come to The Royal Wedding Rehearsal Dinner. Guests started the evening in of course The Royal Suite in the hotel and were treated to Krug champagne and afternoon tea inspired canapés alongside some really cute activities! Kleinfeld’s had setup a Tiara Bar so guests could really get into their inner Duchess spirt! There were even Corgies to play with that are the same dogs that the Queen calls her own! Andre Maier who is a photographer set up a royal portrait station and took photos of all the guests in the same style of Cecil Beaton who shot many of the English Royal portraits! The guests loved every minute of it!
Soon the guests made their way down to The Terrace Room where the super chic and talented Jung Lee of Fete had designed a gorgeous dinner perfectly fit for royalty! Large candelabras were overflowing with stunning roses and peonies! It’s was dreamy and romantic! Alpine Creative who designed the invitations for the whole event has also printed the menu cards with these same beautiful flowers incorporated into the design. Our own Chef Geoff Rudaw has created a perfectly British menu that included Dover Sole as the entree!
As Guests sat down for dinner they were in awe of the Room and the beautiful classical music prepared by Michael Hart of Hank Lane! Soon Rachel Jo Silver of Love Stories TV introduced herself as the Toast Master of the evening. We had invited 10 “celebrities” in the wedding industry to give toasts on their thoughts about different aspects of The Royal Wedding. There were lots of laughs as Marcy Blum wedding planner extraordinaire, Ron Ben Israel wedding cake designer to the starts, The Plaza’s own etiquette expert Myka Meier, and of course the creative Jung Lee wedding and event designer! Each one spoke on what to expect and Meghan and Harry’s royal nuptials the next morning! After each toast we all raised a glass in the royal couples honor and sipped our delicious Krug champagne.
As the last and final toast of the evening by our very own Director of Catering, Mike Warren was wrapping up, Mike introduced a super star performance! Lights dimmed and Sir Elton John (or so we thought) started singing from a Grand Piano! As he belted “Tiny Dancer” the guests started to realize that Sir Elton wasn’t really here but his impersonator couldn’t have been better!
As the night came to a close guests picked up their Royal Portraits and headed to bed because we all had a very very early morning the next day.
The next day the alarm went off at 5 AM! I arrived to the Palm Court at 6 AM for The Royal Wedding Viewing party! There were dozen’s of mainly women and lots of little girls who were all dressed up with fascinators in tow! Our Plaza Team was lucky enough to be wearing couture fascinators by Monvieve in an assortment of colors! Good Morning America covered the party and Brides Magazine gave an honor to the best dressed at the event. The crowd went wild went the first vision of Meghan in her Givenchy gown emerging from her car appeared on the extra large screen that had been installed in The Palm Court for the special occasion. The crowd loved it and we were so pleased to have The Plaza feel like the best place in New York City for everyone to feel like Royalty even if just for a day!
This month I am so excited to invite our Director of Catering, Mike Warren, to interview the incredibly talented and fabulous Baz Luhrmann, who directed this season’s blockbuster hit The Great Gatsby. Mike worked tirelessly for weeks to create the speakeasy after-party with Warner Brothers and Samantha Sackler Productions, which took place in the gilded, turn of the century, Grand Ballroom. Read further to find out about Baz’s socks.
1) Where were you born?
Sydney, Australia
2) Where do you get your inspiration from?
I get it from the desire to live an adventurous life.
3) What made you want to direct The Great Gatsby?
I heard it on the train going through Siberia as an audiobook ten years ago and realized there was a different film version to be made.
4) Was Leonardo DiCaprio always your number one choice for Jay Gatsby?
Always. There was no list.
5) Why do you think F. Scott and Zelda loved the Plaza?
What’s not to love?
6) Why do you love the Plaza?
Because of its history. It is glamorous, yes, but just a bit of outrage as well.
7) Tell us what you loved about the post-party bash in the Ballroom?
Those things nearly never work. And people hardly ever have a good time. But when Florence and Jay-Z are dancing together you know something is right.
8) What do you do for fun when you are not working?
I am never not working so I try and find fun when I am working.
9) Why don’t you wear socks?
Because I’ve got the ankles for it.
10) If you could have dinner with three people tonight, who would they be?
Catherine Martin, Lillian Luhrmann, William Luhrmann
11) What is your favorite place to travel to?
Asia. With Russia a close second.
12) If you come back in another life, who do you want to be?
Myself, with hindsight and wisdom.
–Rob Arango