Meet the ladies behind Soirée: Camille

Camille Parker, Intern Assistant

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Signature Scent: “Can I say sauteed garlic & onions?  Or fresh basil?  I don’t really wear a scent.  How about lavender?  I love the smell of fresh lavender.  Every time I pass by a lavender plant I rub it on my skin like it’s perfume.”

Accessory/Accessories: “My husband has outfitted me pretty well.  He gave me this awesome gold Tiffany cocktail ring that I wear with everything.  My 2 staples that never come off, though, are my pearl earrings and my simple, gold cartier ‘love’ bracelet.”

Favorite Flower: “Garden rose. I think they’re beautiful and elegant but somehow also humble.  I love the ivory and peachy colors best.”

Polish: “OPI cajun shrimp.  Bright orange is perfect for summer (and I always wish it were summer!)

Describe a typical- and ideal- weekend when you are not striving to put on a fabulous wedding: “A typical weekend involves leisurely morning coffee, gym class, brunch at home or out with friends and a stroll or some shopping.  An ideal weekend looks quite similar but in perfect sunny weather!”

Sneakers: “I don’t really do sneakers unless I’m working out and then they’re Nike.”

Favorite Brands: “I love my Shun knives, copper core All-Clad pots and Vitamix blender (it can turn a brick into silk).  Clothes?  That’s much harder for me to answer.  Shoes and bags tend to be Gucci (and occasionally Ferragamo… but only their fun stuff, not the square, business-y stuff).”

Daily Reads: “Tasting Table, Eater and Cooking Light.”

Beauty trick your willing to share: “I use a blueish, gunmetal shadow in my eyebrows.  It’s not as harsh as black but more substantial than brown.”

Ideal Vacation: “My ideal vacation would be cruising through islands on a big catamaran for at least a week.  The only clothes necessary would be a bathing suit, a sarong and a pair of flops.  The water would be amazingly clear and we’d stop only to scuba or snorkel or explore a remote island.  I’d eat fresh fish and exotic fruit at every meal and the ocean would rock me to sleep at night under the stars.  Heaven.”

 

With love by Alyssa

 

Meet the ladies behind Soirée: Ally

Ally Manor, Intern Assistant

Signature Scent: “Chance by Chanel”

Accessory/Accessories: “Michael Kors watch, earrings”

Favorite Flower: “Lilys or Roses”

Polish: “OPI no chip, or Essie”

Describe a typical- and ideal- weekend when you are not striving to put on a fabulous wedding? “A perfect weekend would be one where I can relax with friends, enjoy some me time by running or getting outside, and go dancing!”

Sneakers: “Converse or Nikes”

Favorite Brands: “Michael Kors, Bare Minerals, Benefit”

Daily Reads: “Cosmopolitan, my daily horoscope 🙂 (GEMINI)”

Beauty trick your willing to share: “I recently bought a few new products I really love, I love experimenting with make up but also want to look as natural as possible. I love Tarte cheek stain and then Sun Beam by benefit which just highlights my cheek bones and leaves me glowy and it’s great for summer.”

Can’t live without: “Bad reality TV shows, or my phone GPS I would get very lost.”

With love by Alyssa

Meet the ladies behind Soirée: Alyssa

Alyssa Teuber, Executive Assistant 

Signature Scent: “Coco Mademoiselle by Chanel, Daisy by Marc Jacobs, Miss Dior. Next to add is Lancome La Vie Est Belle –I’m long overdue for a new scent.”

Accessory/Accessories: “I can’t live without my wristlet of candy. My mother’s diamond ring she gave to me –only if my nails are well manicured, earrings to finish it off. I also love layering my 4 gold necklaces when my earrings aren’t overpowering –a diamond from my dad for my 18th Birthday, a hammered heart I share with my mom and sister, a skull, and a karma for daily remembrance (something my cousin and I share together). I love that they all have sentimental value. And they look awesome layered together.”

Favorite Flower: “Is always changing (with the season or a new year). This summer I am lusting over peonies and succulents. I love mixing color and texture. I also love displaying an array of singles stems throughout my house.”

Polish: “Essie, OPI or London Butter. I have a huge crush on the fun names. It’s always about what name your wearing! Butler Please is a current favorite!”

Describe a typical –and ideal- weekend when you aren’t planning a wedding: “I am an early person (extreme). Mornings are my favorite part of the day! I usually wake up hours before him so I make myself a cup of coffee (soy please) and then head for a workout class. I’m always choosing between a hot vinyasa flow, cardio spin class, weights or outside run (minus the humidity). After workout I love to walk around town or go to the farmers market to see what I can find for new veggies and fruits. I always seem to find a new veggie that I have never heard of before. Simply amazing! Being new to the city leaves me with lots of Saturday activities to choose from. I’m still in tourist mod.”

Sneakers: “Asics when I’m in training. Nikes, Converse or I’ll throw some height into them and go with a wedge sneak!”

Favorite Brands: “Mac, lulu lemon, marc by marc, Joe, Cut25, Alexander Wang, Rag & Bone, Joie, Nike, Chloe, Brian Atwood, Charlotte Olympia.”

Daily Reads: “WWD, every fashion magazine you can possibly think of, my bookmarked blogs and always a few educational books I’m currently reading Lean In, Spirit Junkie & How to Win Friends & Influence People. I’m always adding to my list of books I want to read.”

Beauty Trick your willing to share: “Coconut oil! It has so many wonderful benefits for health and beauty!”

Can’t live without: “Coconut oil, aquaphor, my family and friends, lulu crops, a good read, yoga, spin–any workout in fact, jewels and floss.”

With love by Alyssa

Meet the ladies behind Soirée: Melissa

Melissa Mitchell, Associate Coordinator 

What is your signature scent?  “Amber Romance by Victoria’s Secret”

Accessory/Accessories?  “Earring, Necklaces, Bracelets and Shoes.  I can’t pick just one – they’re all a go to every day.”

Favorite flower?  “Lilacs”

Your go to polish?  “Grey in the winter and bright yellow in the summer.  Usually Essie, sometimes OPI.”

Describe a typical- and ideal- weekend when you are not striving to put on a fabulous wedding:  “Get up early(ish) after sleeping at least 8 hours, enjoy a cup of English Breakfast tea in the sun on my balcony while reading a book, followed by a run/bike ride/yoga class.  Make a quick lunch, then stroll around the city.  Have a yummy dinner with my husband and friends at a non-assuming restaurant, after which we’d get a couple drinks or see a movie.  Wash, rinse, and repeat.”

Sneakers?  “Only when working out.”

Favorite Brands?  “J Crew, Anthropologie, Ann Taylor, West Elm, Target, Kate Spade”

Daily Reads?  “Style Me Pretty, Young House Love, What I Wore, Women’s Health, Purl Bee, and Darling Dexter”

Beauty trick your willing to share?  “Make putting lotion on your chest and your neck a necessary part of your beauty routine.  They have thin skin like your face, but rarely get love, so they’ll give away your age long before your face does!”

Ideal Vacation?  “My ideal vacation is a getaway that can teach me something and involves a city or landscape that I can explore.  I want to see new things, experience different culture, witness the beauty of nature and leave technology and my every day life behind. I want to go somewhere I’ve never been and marvel at God’s beauty, creativity, and people.”

 

With love by Alyssa.

Meet the ladies behind Soirée: Molly

Molly Blonn, Event Planner, Coordinator 

What is your signature scent? “I like Marc Jacobs Lola, but have been wearing a lot of Jimmy Choo — it was the scent of a good friend of mine that died Jan. 2012.”

Accessory/Accessories?  “I definitely like statement jewelry — necklaces. I also adore my Michael Kors watch.”

Favorite flower?  “Tulips, peonies and ranunculus.”

Your go to polish?  “ha, I don’t think I have ever gotten the same polish twice. I always just pick something based on my mood when I get into the salon.”

Sneakers of choice?  “I run in aasics, but love walking around in Toms or Converse.”

Favorite Brands?  “Gosh this is hard. I like Michael Kors and Kate Spade accessories. Love Madewell, Kay Unger and Kate spade dresses. I shop a lot at Ann Taylor Loft for work clothes. But really, I don’t shop a lot…”

Daily Reads?  “Style Me Pretty, Brit & Co, beUWeddings, and various workout/running blogs.”

Beauty trick your willing to share?  “When in a bind, aquaphor as eye cream. And always always always wear sunscreen.”

What is your ideal vacation?  “Traveling with my husband somewhere brand new where we can see equal parts of touring the historical or tourist sites and hanging around the local bar getting to know the locals.”

 

With love by Alyssa.

Meet the ladies behind Soirée: Tiffany

Ever wonder about the glamorous life of a wedding planner? Today’s and this week’s blog features are all about “Inside The Life” of the Soirée Weddings & Events team. I’m here to share with you their daily loves and activities when they aren’t busy planning a one of a kind wedding. Each day I will introduce a new lady of the team and share with you her secrets to life, style and beauty.

Tiffany Munster, Owner, Sr. Event Planner 

What is your signature scent? “Narcisso Rodriguez for perfume, but favorite lotion, candle and flower scent is lavender.”

Accessory/Accessories?  “I feel naked without my wedding rings.  I need to wear all 6 of them! Engagement ring, and stackable diamond bands.”

Favorite flower?  “Peony”

Your go to polish?  “I love essie polish…my colors are seasonal…reds, corals and pinks in the summer.  Taupe, wine and dark blue in the winter.”

Describe a typical- and ideal- weekend when you are not striving to put on a fabulous wedding:  “Drinks with my fabulous team at a fabulous restaurant on Friday night.  Early morning jog or yoga class, then hit the farmer’s market with Bowie and my hubs.  Then we stop for brunch at a dog friendly restaurant patio.  I go to the beach or a friend’s roof pool.  Then come home to get dressed up for a date night or night out with friends.  Sunday starts with breakfast on the balcony, park with the doggie, then ending the day vegging out on the couch with some bad reality tv, online shopping and some wine!”

Sneakers of choice? “I wear Saucony running shoes”

Favorite Brands?  “Louis Vuitton, rayban, BCBGMax Azria”

Daily Reads?  “Wedding blogs”

Beauty trick your willing to share?  “I wear tinted moisturizer (SPF 30) instead of make up and wash my face with Aveeno…Vitamin C serum for fine lines and dark circles! WEAR SUNSCREEN!”

Can’t live without?  “Chanel lip gloss, my blackberry, my Macbook, and my lululemon groove pants.”

With love by Alyssa.

Register locally with with Poladora.com

Soirée would like to introduce Stephanie Pirishis and her wedding gift registry site, Poladora.com. We love the local items and retailers on her site and wanted to give you guys the inside scoop on Stephanie’s online store!

In 2009 Stephanie founded Poladora, and like most business owners in the industry, Stephanie came up with her plan to start an online gift registry after being a bride herself. According to Stephanie she and her husband had a difficult time finding the perfect options for their own gift registry. She tells us,

“One of the issues I had when registering was I felt I ended up getting the same plates and glasses as all my friends. I found it very complicated to get access to stores I liked and get the unique and fun items that are more representative of our style without needing to create 10 different registries and then worry where people would end up buying all the exchanges I would have to do.”

Stephanie Pirishis

Poladora.com connects couples to 20 fabulous local Chicago stores and boutiques with over 8,000 products and services all in one convenient online store. “Couples love being able to register and shop local and they also love discovering some retailers they might not have been familiar with [prior to Poladora].” Items on the site range from traditional registry items like home ware and furniture by local artisans to more out-of-the-box options like spa treatments and yoga classes to get relaxed and pampered before the big day.

So how does it work? The entire process of shopping with Poladora is another reason why it is such a convenient and fun option for Chicago couples and their guests. Because all too often friends and family don’t always give a couple what they truly want or need, gifts purchased by guests on Poladora are held as ‘credit.’ This means that instead of being stuck with a certain gift, couples can simply use the credit of the gift instead; and purchase any of the other items in the online store that is of higher priority to them. This unique process avoids the hassles of having to run around the city returning gifts to several different retailers.

Poladora’s plethora of non-traditional gift options is another reason why it is quickly becoming a popular choice for Chicago land couples. “Certain couples love being able to include experiences and non-traditional items along with their dinnerware,” says Stephanie. Wine lovers will love to see the wine cellar starter kit and those constantly on the lookout for new activities to try can find dance classes and cooking classes.

What makes Poladora really stand out from other retailers is the fact that it can be used to plan and fund your wedding as well! With packages from photographers and florists, stationary—and even wedding gowns available, couples can use their credits towards the actual big day.

Poladora is Chicago’s one-stop online store for marvelous and unique wedding gifts and experiences. Simply register on the website and experience what a wedding gift registry should really be—hassle-free, convenient and fun!

Post by: Melanie Enright, Soirée Intern

Lunch with Wolfgang Puck at the Museum of Contemporary Art

This past Thursday was the perfect day for an alfresco lunch date with Wolfgang Puck Catering’s Dustin Hamilton and Pamela Swisher at the Museum of Contemporary Art. Because Soirée is always looking to partner up with fabulous vendors in Chicago we could not be more excited to work with Wolfgang Puck in the future. Sitting outside on the elegant patio of the museum we couldn’t help imagining how great it would be to have a wedding at this space. With the view of the lake to the east and the majestic Hancock Building hovering overhead to the west it would be the perfect venue for the modern Chicago couple. Check out some of the pics we took below!

Post by: Melanie Enright, Soirée Intern Assistant

Guest Feature: Jersey Bean Design

Today I have a special treat!  I am passing the pen….(err…keyboard) over to my friend and talented colleague, Casie Stoltz of Jersey Bean Design.

I met Casie when visiting my friend in Austin, Texas.  She recommended that Casie make my rehearsal and wedding day hair accessories!  What I loved about her was that I was able to blend some of my ideas with some of her ideas.  The design process was a true collaboration.  And I love how the final product turned out.

My clients are inquiring more and more about all things “custom” –from logos to favors and, of course…. accessories!  What bride wouldn’t love a custom and personalized veil, hair accessory or garter?!  Well, Casie is your gal to create it for you!

So now I will turn it over to Casie… 🙂

Feathers, sparkles, flowers, silk….these are some of my favorite things.

My obsession for making things for people began when I was eight years old. I specifically remember in the 6th grade I would take too many orders for friendship bracelets from friends at school that would force my mom into staying up way past MY bedtime to help me complete them. I recently found my business “ledger” from when I was in elementary school to realize I still do business the same way…and yes, I still enlist my mother’s help for big projects…some things will never change!

Jersey Bean Design is named after my adored bunny rabbit Jersey Bean, who was a large source of my inspiration for ten years. I was in the UK for a friends wedding in Fall 2007 and noticed that there was a huge gap in chic, custom and well made hair pieces for weddings in the US….this is where the story begins. I returned home and immediately turned my dining room into a work space. People love having to move hot glue guns and glitter to eat! I started making headbands and custom gifts for friends and that quickly grew into garters, sashes, and veils. My favorite projects are repurposing previous generations garments and fabrics. I love taking something with so much history, love and memories and creating something that will have its own set of memories and be passed down to future generations.

One of the most meaningful projects I’ve had the honor of working on was taking a great grandmothers wedding dress and creating modern items for the bride to use on her big day. Covered buttons and lace became the centers of flowers used in the bridal bouquet, lace and ribbon from the dress was used for the garter, appliqués and flowers made into a hair piece and veil.

A new tradition that my friends from college have started is when one of us gets married I make a special garter for the bride to keep and the toss garter is one that is handed down from a previous wedding, so it always stays in the family. I love my friends and I am thankful that I can contribute to their magical day.

All of my creations are hand-made with rare materials such as vintage Chanel chain, one of a kind vintage earrings and feathers from all around the world. The look of Jersey Bean Design is multi-faceted and exciting, incorporating fun styles and inventive techniques, with an attention to detail and a desire for creative, rare, and inspired pieces. I draw my inspiration for JBD from my travels, love of high fashion, vintage, sustainable materials and my friends and family.

….I must be off, I have glittery birds and feathers calling my name for my next project! (Carrie Stoltz, thank you for always believing in me and my crazy ideas)

Casie Stoltz | w: www.jerseybeandesign.com

c: 281-732-8656 | e: withlovejerseybean@gmail.com

photos by Cristina G Photography, T. Wolf Photography and Cesar Rodriguez

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Thanks to Casie Stoltz for sharing today!  Please leave any comments or questions for Casie below or email her directly! xo-tm

😀