PLANNERS WE LOVE

ON HOLIDAY

Thinking about nuptials on Memorial Day weekend, Valentine’s or New Year’s? Here’s what celebrations expert David Tutera has to say.

There are many pros and cons to having your wedding on notable holidays: Valentine’s Day, the Fourth of July, Christmas Eve, and New Year’s Eve are all memorable days that can make your celebration even more special (and ensure you never, ever forget your anniversary!). I personally believe your wedding should be a special day of celebration on its own and set apart from anything else. But if you have your heart set on a holiday wedding, here are a few tips to keep in mind.

Your goal should be to own the holiday-inspired theme without going overboard and focusing on just the holiday. Instead, make subtle nods to the special day that you are sharing your wedding with. It’s very important to let your wedding be about style, color and you as a couple… not the holiday itself.

To keep a personal feel, decor and embellishments should drive the concept and not the holiday. For example, utilize elements available in the season: Winter spices, spring fl owers, summer beaches or the fall harvest are all great ways to incorporate the time of year without being too literal.

If you feel strongly about incorporating holiday colors into your decor, don’t go overboard. For instance, for a July 4th wedding, try to choose just blues and whites—if you prefer red, choose a deep burgundy and use it sparingly, just as an accent. Red, garnet and blush are all Valentine-perfect shades.

Weekends like Memorial Day, which for most people is considered the fi rst offi cial weekend of the summer, can be challenging due to the popularity of family travel—accommodations can be

Go with nuanced shades of blush, garnet and red.

Glam it up with black, white and gold. diffi cult to nail down, too. That said, one advantage is that some guests will see this as perfect timing since they won’t have to take off personal days from work if they need to travel to your nuptials. Others, however, may be put off because they cannot attend due to a yearly family vacation or reunion (as these are popular weekends for family travel). Your RSVPs will refl ect both results.

JULY FOURTH Keep it summer-perfect in clean shades of white with minimal color accents. VALENTINE'S DAY NEW YEAR'S EVE

I Do’s for a Gala New Year’s Eve Wedding

• Always check with the venue you are interested in to make sure it’s available—many often open their doors to the public to host their own event on New Year’s Eve. • If you’re planning a New Year’s Eve wedding, keep in mind that your reception time should start later than normal, as you want to make sure you are also celebrating the turn of the New Year with your guests when the clock strikes twelve. • Black-tie will make this night extra special. Or be extra fabulous and throw a glamorous masquerade wedding! • To tie in the theme of this night, decor ideas could include crystals, color, sparkle, props and even bubbles to celebrate the two special occasions.

HOLIDAY WEDDING DO’S & DON’TS

• DO give as much notice as possible to your guests through save-the-date cards. People often plan vacations around the holidays so you may have more guest declines than expected. • DO make sure printed matter from save-the-dates to escort and thank-you cards visually connect to the holiday and season. • DON’T play holiday music at your reception. You want your guests to feel they are at a wedding, not a big holiday party. • DON’T forget that costs of vendors and travel may be higher. Flowers always cost more in winter months and during holidays such as Mother’s Day or Valentine’s Day. Hotels and airfare are more costly during peak vacation times, too—which can be fi nancially inconvenient for out-of-town guests. 

Planners We L ve

Wedding logistics have never been more challenging, yet event pros have prevailed and triumphed. Take inspiration from these two creative forces, debuting in a new series by Carol Straleyspotlighting the best in the business.

JOVE MEYER, owner + creative director, Jove Meyer Events

Clients have learned to expect the unexpected from Jove Meyer Events, based in Brooklyn, NY. “My weddings stand out because they are the opposite of ‘traditional’ and or ‘classic’ weddings,” says Jove. “They break the mold of what a wedding ‘should’ look like and dare couples to showcase their love authentically.”

“I am also known as an activist for inclusivity and equality in our industry,” says Jove, “and proud to be powered by partnerships with fellow small businesses owned and operated by women, people of color, and queer people.”

Why I love weddings

“I love love! I am a hopeless romantic, and feel so lucky to be working with couples to share in the celebration of their love story. There are 7.6 billion people in this world, and the fact that two people found one another and have decided to build and share a life together is so magical. I could not think of anything more amazing to do!”

Favorite moments from pre-pandemic weddings

• “There are so many favorite moments I miss, from packed, late-night sweaty dance-floor moments to hugging my couples and their families. You do not realize how close you get to your couples until you are not allowed to touch them, and have to be 6 feet away from them!”

“Time is precious and love matters most,” says Jove. A private wedding made special with a stunning floral arch.

A striking fabric installation by Josana Blue.

“Details matter no matter the size of the guest count,” Jove says.

The backdrop that never gets old, New York, New York.

A super-chic invitation suite.

The bouquet echoes the ceremony arch.

Strolling the boardwalk as newlyweds.

A masterful mix of color enlivens an all-white space. Jove’s newest project, Norsdale, in New York’s Catskills. • “I miss watching the wedding come to life, the transformation of a blank space into the wedding of my couples’ dreams. I miss seeing my creative partners, and watching them make their magic in person. I miss the people-to-people relationships with everyone!”

Favorite “new normal” moments

• “For our Zoom weddings we made sure to send all our guests custom invitations, and gift boxes filled with items for them to enjoy along with the couple, from cake and champs to sweet and savory snacks!” • “It was easy to keep it simple when it came to intimate ceremonies with no in-person guests, but we wanted to make sure the couple felt they were being celebrated. So we created some amazing ceremony backdrops to honor the special moment, such as a beautiful circle arch from Mimosa Floral Design for a memorable private lakefront wedding.”

Silver linings

•“I learned that time is precious and love matters the most. While weddings were canceled and/or postponed, love was not canceled and never will be!” • “2020 gave me time I did not have before, and in that time I got creative in designing Norsdale, a colorful Catskills escape that can accommodate groups of up to 18 guests. Created by myself and two friends in creative fields, Nick Harris and Tim Harrison, our goal was to create a new experience in hospitality that was not only bold in design but thoughtful in the details.” • Planning in 2020 was for the most part the same as in other years, but double or triple the work, given the uncertainty of the pandemic. Our partners have been amazing in their flexibility and generosity in these unprecedented times.”

Looking Ahead

“I am looking forward to the return of in-person celebrations. A year of no in-person weddings was not easy. You do not know what you miss until it is gone and I miss weddings and events terribly, and am so looking forward to being back at it with my creative partners and couples! I am looking forward to hearing vows, watching couples dance, families dance, hearing toasts—both the good and bad ones—and getting back to what I love!” ➺