Thursday, December 19, 2013

MEET KATHY GLASS OF SASSAFRAS VINTAGE RENTALS

 

I am extra super excited today because this marks the beginning of our monthly vendor interview series, where I hand-pick wedding vendors who I either have worked with and love, or who I would love to work with, and I ask them questions about their companies and their lives, in order to give all of you a glimpse into their worlds. And more importantly, to give you a bit more information than you can find online, so that your wedding vendor search is just a little bit easier, and a little bit more personal.

I am so overjoyed to announce that our very first interview is with the sweet and sassy gal behind the coolest vintage rental company out there. I could have snuggled up on one of her plush pin tucked couches and chatted with her all day. 

Meet Kathy Glass of Sassafras Vintage Rentals...

Q. How did you get started in the vintage rental business?
A. Collecting vintage and antiques has been a passion of mine for years and I've always had a love and appreciation of the eras of my grandparents, their parents and so on. After my husband and I incorporated vintage and family heirloom pieces into our own wedding, we decided to start a business doing just that, in the hopes that Sassafras would be an opportunity to fuel my passion and a means to offer the same services to brides throughout Connecticut and New England. I just love that vintage and antiques offer an alternative to one-time-only wedding decor purchases; they are timeless, meaningful and reusable.

Q. Where do you find your pieces?
A. We find our pieces all over and from many different sources; variety is the key to finding unique treasures! We frequent tag and estate sales, flea markets, antique shops, consignment shops, and believe it or not, Craigslist, which has proven to be an absolute goldmine at times. Many of our pieces have come from our own unique collection too, which really helps to add a personal touch to everything we do.

Q. What is your favorite piece at the moment? 
A. My favorite piece from our collection is our evergreen velvet settee. She came from a Victorian mansion in Holyoke, Massachusetts and is our most luxurious piece. Something about the rich green of the velvet and the intricate wood carving beckons to a bygone era. There is something truly magical about this piece.
Q. Which pieces are the most popular with renters? 
A. Our settees and chairs are our most popular pieces. They are able to mix-and-match with each other and additional pieces from our collection to create lounge area seating. We have found that the lounge area really completes the look and feel of a cocktail hour or reception by giving guests a comfortable and stylish place to sit and relax, and enjoy each others company. 

Images by Maggie Conley Photography and Michelle Gardella Photography






Q. Where do you find your inspiration?
A. Each piece carries with it its own bit of inspiration, which I try to honor and work to enhance. I find tons of inspiration from wedding style shoots on various wedding industry blogs, and I love to get inspiration from interior designer blogs too! Emily Henderson is a personal favorite. She's always incorporating vintage into her designs and making the old look new again. 

Q. I know that you also offer styling services - tell me a little bit about that and how it works.
A. Our styling services include everything from helping brides choose the perfect rental pieces from our collection, to styling and decorating on the day-of. We work with brides (and planners) to identify the theme or look of the wedding and then work from there to choose the perfect pieces and decor.

Q. What is your favorite part of the job?
A. My favorite part of this job is choosing the right pieces for the couple and really adding a unique value to their wedding. Doing what we can to help enhance the overall ambiance of a couple's special day is meaningful beyond words.
   

Q. Looking into 2014 and 2015, what do you think will be the big wedding trends?
A. I think the vintage wedding trend is here to stay. Vintage items tend to be timeless, versatile touches that can be styled to work with really any theme. As individual pieces are considered, I think custom outdoor bars are going to be a big trend for upcoming wedding seasons. Whether made of rustic wooden planks and barrels, or a chippy dresser, or a tap from the early 1900's, custom bars are a great way to show a couple's personality in a piece of furniture, and offer a great way to show off specialized drink menus.

Q. Anything else you would like to add?
A. I feel truly lucky to be following a passion of mine, and am super thankful that I get to share it with people on one of the most important days of their lives. My words of advice to couples out there planning their big day, is to be true to yourselves, your personalities, your likes and dislikes, and your ideals. Your wedding should be a celebration of your love for each other and a reflection of you. Bring in those personal touches that mean so much to you and enjoy the best party of your life.   
Image by Michelle Gardella Photography

Great advice, Kathy, and such great finds! Thank you for spending time with us and letting us into your world. We can't wait to see all of the gorgeous new pieces that will be added to your collection next year. 

To start reserving these one-of-a-kind pieces for your wedding or event, you can email Kathy directly at kathy@sassafrasvintage.com. And to keep up with her ever-growing collection, check out her site and follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

TUESDAY SHOESDAY

On this pretty snowy day in New York, all I want to do is curl up on the couch with my favorite little munchkin, a mug of hot cocoa, a cashmere throw, and these fuzzy slippers by Lilka for Anthropologie. And maybe a Christmas movie or two.

 Image found via Anthropologie

Easy to slip on and off, sturdy enough to protect you from slipping on hardwood floors, soft enough to make you feel so incredibly cozy, and beautiful enough to not be embarrassed if you answer the door wearing them. I'm in love.

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

TUESDAY SHOESDAY

Add a little spunk to your step with these gorgeous glitter booties by Markus Lupfer. What a perfect way to dress up a boring black boot, and still be versatile enough to go with any Fall outfit in your closet - we're in love.
 Image found via Net-a-Porter

Monday, October 28, 2013

EMILY + JULIAN'S CLASSIC HIP WEDDING FEATURED ON STYLE ME PRETTY

Yippee! It's always a happy day when you get to see a wedding you planned/designed up on Style Me Pretty, in the company of so much other beauty and inspiration.

 Screenshot taken from Style Me Pretty, image by Jason Walz

Emily and Julian got married at Island Farm on Elihu Island in Stonington, CT this past June. And it was nothing less than extraordinary. 

Below is the inspiration board that I designed for them during the planning process...



...and here are some photos of the real wedding, captured by the extremely talented Jason Walz


Images by Jason Walz

Check out Style Me Pretty, where I tell the full story of what it was like to plan Emily and Julian's wedding, and where you can see all of the pretty pictures, as well as a fabulous film by Valerie Barnes

Thank you to all of the amazing vendors that helped bring this sensation to life:

Venue: Island Farm on Elihu Island 
Photography: Jason Walz 
Cinematography: Valerie Barnes Film 
Catering: Gourmet Galley 
Floral Design: Stoneblossom 
Makeup: Jennie Fresa Makeup and Skincare Boutiquerie
Hair: Posh Bridal
Tent/Lighting: Sperry Tents
Rentals: Rentals Unlimited and AFR
Ceremony Musicians: Mystic Harpist
Cocktail Hour Musicians: New York Jazz Events
DJ: DJ Gatsby
Paper Design: Lion in the Sun
Officiant: Rabbi Theodore Tsuruo
Transportation: DAATCO
Generator/Sound: Power Posse 
Toilet Trailer: Country Portables 

Event Planning & Design: Adrienne O'Connor - Ruffles & Tweed + Assistant: Kate Troxell

Friday, October 18, 2013

PHOTOBOOTH PLANET'S NEW VW PHOTOBUS

Love, love, love Photobooth Planet's newest addition: Chloe, The PhotoBUS! It's a photobooth, but better. Imagine having your wedding guests pile into a 1967 VW bus for their 30 second close-up rather than a traditional photobooth - how cool is that? 





And the color...we're dying over here - what a perfect addition to an outdoor vintage wedding.

All you Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Hamptons brides are lucky ducks. Check out Photobooth Planet's blog for more information and to book your PhotoBUS now.



Images found via Photobooth Planet Blog

Thursday, September 26, 2013

RUFFLES & TWEED ON VEILTV

So, I'm embarrassed to say that this post has taken me a year to write - isn't that insane?! Yep, I filmed this spot in September TWO THOUSAND AND TWELVE!! Only a few short months (errr, ok, 6) after giving birth and when I saw myself on camera (you know that cameras add 10...or 40...pounds, right?), I was kicking myself for not getting my butt into gear much, much sooner, and in turn didn't want the world to see what I saw. So I never shared the video. I never took advantage of this wonderful marketing tool for my business. All because I hated how I looked. Silly, right? 

Now it's a year later and the wise words of Kathy from VeilTV are finally clicking with me - brides are interested in what you have to say, not what you look like. And she is so incredibly right. So here goes nothing.

But first, a little background...the reason I did this in the first place is because I'm completely and utterly in love with the idea of VeilTV - it started in Vancouver, has made its way into New York, and will continue to expand and grow. It is an amazing resource for couples planning their wedding - rather than just researching websites and reviews online in order to find their vendors, couples get the chance to meet and chat with vendors virtually. I love that. I especially love that for couples planning weddings from afar - what better way to find your vendors if you can't meet with them in person? 

Just watch - you'll understand. And check out www.veiltv.com for more information and to start meeting your future vendors today.

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

TUESDAY SHOESDAY

Ok, so these are pretty much the equivalent of a Tiffany's box, but in shoe form - check these babies out! Thank you, Kate Spade, for designing such a perfect bridal shoe, and thank you, Amanda, for bringing them into my world.

 Image found via Kate Spade

These are perfect for the bride who wants to add a pop of color (or something blue - turquoise counts!) to her ensemble, but doesn't want a full colored shoe. AND, the bow is detachable, which is almost as good as those wedding gowns that have a detachable skirt. Love.

Monday, September 16, 2013

NEW WEDDINGWIRE BADGE

The reviews just keep coming in and we couldn't be more thrilled! We've graduated to WeddingWire's bronze badge thanks to the 15 reviews we've received so far.

Thank you so much to all of our amazing clients and vendors who've contributed to this achievement - it really makes us very happy.

Please check out our current reviews and help us reach the next milestone of 25 reviews!

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

TUESDAY SHOESDAY

Love, love, LOVING these platinum and peach peep-toe pumps by Aperlai. Pretty and elegant enough for your wedding day, but cool and retro enough to wear again afterwards. And, they're currently on sale at thecorner.com for $388, marked down from $775!
 Image found via thecorner.com

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

WE ARE WEDDINGWIRE RATED!

We are thrilled to announce that we have received a blue review badge on WeddingWire and are so thankful for the 9 reviews that we received so far. And we're only 1 review away from receiving our next badge - bronze! 


If you've worked with us, either as a client or vendor, we'd love for you to be our 10th review - just go on to WeddingWire and leave your thoughts. We really enjoy reading about your experience with us and can't wait to see what you have to say.

And for anyone looking for a planner/designer, check out what our beloved couples and vendors are saying about us on WeddingWire, and then contact us for a complimentary consultation. We'll chat about your love story and your hopes and dreams before jumping into the planning process. Call us at 877-630-4062 or send an email to adrienne@rufflesandtweed.com.

Happy planning!

Thursday, May 16, 2013

THE NOTWEDDING COMING TO NYC - 5/22

I am so incredibly excited to announce that the next NotWedding will be taking place in NYC next week! And we are a featured vendor - yippee!

For those of you who don't know, "The NotWedding is a bridal show alternative in the form of a big, fake wedding." I mean, how could you not LOVE that concept? You get to witness a ceremony, eat some amazing food, and dance your tush off, all in the name of wedding planning research!

I've been following The NotWedding since it's 2008 inception in Atlanta, so when they contacted me to participate in the first NYC show, I was beyond thrilled. It's such a great resource for engaged couples - because you are the "wedding guests", you get to actually experience the services provided by the vendors and witness how it all comes together at a wedding, rather than just look at pictures and take our word for it. Plus, you get face time with all of the vendors after the party is over.

Check out all the loveliness below from Atlanta's 6th NotWedding that just happened this past February:


So come out and see what all the hype is about - I assure you that you will not be disappointed. And we're designing 6 of the tables you'll be eating at, so come back here and let us know what you thought:

When: Wednesday May 22, 2013 | ceremony at 7pm
Where: Bathhouse Studios | 540 E 11th St NY, NY 10009
Why: Because it's awesome, you need to continue your wedding research anyway, and you don't have any other plans for Wednesday night
How: Purchase your ticket online for $40 and show up: http://www.thenotwedding.com/events/new-york-city/

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

TODAY IS THE DAY

Today is the day.

Today is the day that I put all fears aside. The day that I forge ahead in the direction of my dreams. The day that I become the person I was always meant to be. The day that marks the beginning of the rest of my life.

I struggled with whether or not to write this post because in a sense, I've been living somewhat of a lie up until today and I wasn't sure if people would feel duped or not. I never meant to deceive anyone. I just did what I had to do, for as long as I had to do it, in order to do what I'm doing now. Let me back up. 

Today, I am a full time Wedding Planner.

Yesterday, I was a full time Advertising Executive (and full time Wedding Planner "on the side"). And not everyone in my life knew this. I tried to keep them separate. Tried to live 2 different lives, not wanting my couples to think that I didn't have time for them, or that I wasn't serious about my business and their weddings. Not wanting my boss to think that I didn't have time for work, or that I wasn't serious about my job. Which led to much exhaustion, stress, and helplessness.

You see, I've been working I worked in an Advertising Agency for the past 12 years. Ever since I graduated from college. Ever since I entered the workforce as a young, eager professional. It was fine for a while. I enjoyed working hard and learning new things.
I enjoyed what I did.

And then one day I didn't. I tried different agencies, different clients, different projects. Nothing felt right anymore and I knew I needed a change. I gained incredible knowledge and made lifelong friendships, but I had lost the passion for the work, which I so desperately craved. And then I entered the wedding and event industry and everything seemed good again. That was 5 years ago and I've been working my butt off ever since trying to juggle the full time job and the start of a wedding industry career, which led to Ruffles & Tweed. 

Deep down I knew I couldn't juggle forever, but there's something very scary about walking away from a life, and a career, and a paycheck you've known for a third of your life. So I stayed. And I struggled. And I pretended that it was normal. Normal to work 8, 9, 10, 12, 14, 16 hours a day in an office doing something that paid the bills but didn't feed my soul. Normal to then go home only to work another 4, 5, 6 hours on a business and work that I loved, but that wasn't getting the time and attention it deserved. Normal to sleep 3-4 hours a night. Normal to not ever go on vacation because all of my vacation days were used for weddings and meetings. I literally took off work to work. It sounds crazy now, but it was my normal for a long time.
 
Until now. Until today. The stars finally aligned. The hard work finally paid off. And I finally feel that I can start enjoying life again. Enjoy my husband, my baby, my family and friends. Enjoy the gym - oh the gym, how I've missed you. Enjoy the business that I started and enjoy working hard to push it further than I ever could've dreamed. Enjoy my couples who make it possible for me to live my dream. Enjoy the freedom of having 1 job and living 1 life.

No more fear. 

My new normal starts now. Today is the day. I am a full time Wedding Planner.