Be Still My Heart: Silas W. Robbins House Bed & Breakfast

I'm a girl with a mission . .When I was planning my own wedding it was for the perfect earrings and hair feather. When we moved into our first home it was for the perfect coffee table (found!) and antique bombe chest (still looking). Most recently, I've been on a quest to find a client the perfect venue for her small winter wedding. Like most of my missions, the hidden treasure at the end of the rainbow almost always shows its pretty face when I am least looking, or just happen to stumble upon it in such an unpredictable manner I might have missed it altogether had I just gone about my regular day.

Take this weekend, for instance. While on mile 8 of a 10 mile run through Old Wethersfield with fellow Sixpence assistant Alicia early Sunday morning, we were discussing potential venues in the area for this client and on a whim she suggested a recently restored bed and breakfast, which happened to be up the street from where we were. Quick as a flash, we ran up the street and lo and behold this is what we saw (note, I came back later to take the photos):

Be still my heart is right.

The venue is none other than the Silas W. Robbins House Bed and Breakfast, which has an amazing sense of history and an even more amazing restoration story. Innkeepers John and Shireen Aforismo and and their adorable grandaughter Hannah, for whom the third floor ballroom is named after, were kind enough to give me a tour and provide me with all the information I needed.

Walking inside, you are immediately welcomed into a stunning foyer with fabulous antiques and period details. Shireen did a magnificent job decorating every inch of this property.

On the first floor there is a lovely sitting parlor, breakfast room and dining room.

On the third floor of the house is a cream-puff of a ballroom, so sweet I could eat it up! It's just perfect for a small wedding of 40 people or so, a bridal shower or any other ladies luncheon.

Need something a little bigger for your event? Check out this lawn, so fabulous (and flat!) for a tented wedding of 120 or so.

They have also held ceremonies on the front stairs of the property.

Rental fees begin at $525 for 3 hours and include basic tables and chairs. If you rent the facility,you are required to book the five guest rooms; prices range from $195-$325 (excluding 12% tax and gratuity). This price includes breakfast the following morning as well.

Even if you are getting married at a different location, the Silas W. Robbins House is a spectacular place in which to get ready and/or spending your wedding night. Check out the bridal suite!

and . . the penny tiled bathroom with multiple shower heads!

Finally, this stunning suite I am personally over the moon for. Can I move in please??

I am so in love with this place I can't stand it. I hope my client adores it as much as I do!

Cheers,

Lindsay

Samira and Patrick

Not the July heat or a scattered rain shower could dampen the joy and celebration shared by all on Samira and Patrick's wedding day. When Lindsay and I say that we plan weddings with no detail overlooked and no planning stone unturned, this is the type of wedding we are referring to! Samira and Patrick are both the youngest siblings in their families, the last to be married, and have a relationship built on a middle-school friendship going back to their childhood. How could you not love their story.

When Samira and Patrick were first engaged, Samira and her lovely mother Mary came to me with a strong sense of vision, a young, crisp, and fresh wedding needed to be planned. I could not have been more excited to jump on board; off and running we went!

The vision sharpened, colors materialized, a theme of polka dots and stripes, bold blue and bright green, came to life over our planning sessions.

All of the photographs in this point are courtesy of Carla Ten Eyck who truly captured every detail incredibly, videography was provided by Chris Pro Videography who not only produced their wedding day video but also an extremely touching photo tribute at the rehearsal dinner the evening before.

The floral arrangements, from the bouquets to the ceremony arrangements, to the reception centerpieces and everything flowers inbetween were exactly what we all envisioned. Danielle of Flowers by Danielle couldn't have gotten it any more "right".

We worked closely with Samira to design and produce all of her wedding day stationary items. The cohesiveness was clear and guests loved the detail.

Samira was a stunning beauty in Camille, by Modern Trousseau originally purchased at The White Dress by the Shore and created exclusively for Samira with Callie, the fabulous owner and designer of Modern Trousseau. It couldn't have been a more perfect dress to highlight Samira's fantastic figure. Her hair was done by her long time hairstylist and her make-up, as well as all of the ladies of the wedding party was by Janice of Naomi Martinez Salon

Samira's girls all looked so polished in bright blue with ivory sashes from Coren Moore purchased at The Plumed Serpent The bridal party rocked their photo session, how fun is this picture?

The ceremony was held at Samira and Patrick's childhood Church, Our Lady of the Assumption in Woodbridge, Connecticut.

Dressing the aisle pews were bright and fun galvanized puckets brimming with green hyndrangea as guests entered the church. The alter arrangements were stunning, large statement pieces in blue, green and white. It was hard not to notice their beauty.
Following the ceremony, Samira, Patrick made their way to the reception in style. This vintage Buick, from Carriage Limo was a big hit.
When guests arrived at the Race Brook Country Club they were greeted to "detail heaven" every direction they turned was something else to peak their interest, something else which screamed, "Young" "Fresh" "Hip" and "Fun". On the piano in the foyer, were family photos all with tags of polka dots and stripes.

As guests made their way outside, handed a glass of wine or drink and picked up a raffia fan accented with green and blue ribbons and found their escort card amongst the wheat grass flats and flitting butterflies.

Each escort card envelope contained a personalized message to guests, a memory, a funny story, a note of gratitude for their attendance to share in the joy of their wedding. This was quite a feat for Samira and Patrick, with a guest list over 200, but the personalized touch was so cherished by their family and friends.

Cocktail hour overlooking the golf course was a big hit, from the strawberry milkshake sliders, to the on-site sushi chef and station, the pasta station and the delightful passed hors d'oeuvres, guests couldn't wait to see what the reception would hold.

And, of course it didn't disappoint. A mix of round and rectangular tables carried the polka dot and stripe theme along, each place setting marked with indivudual guest names on fold over menus and wine lists.
Complimenting the electric blue linens, a mix of green arrangements with hyndrangea, spider mums and hypericum berries and white arrangements of similar flowers all exploding from vases of cut limes were the perfect decor.

Cards were placed in this fun hat box creation, Samira and I put our DIY talents to work! We ordered the boxes, shopped for the fabric and ribbons, and one fun night with a glue gun and tape, voila, it was complete!

The fireplace mantles on either end of the ballroom flanked the grand space. Candles of varied heights and the bridesmaid's bouquests provided just the needed floral touch, of course in vases wrapped with polka dots and strips of blue and green.
Mary and Muhammed, Samira's proud parents, were beaming all day and so they should. They choose to announce the new Mr. and Mrs. into the ballroom themselves and thanked all of the guests for coming.

Samira and Patrick were all smiles during their first dance as husband and wife to "All you need is love" by the Beatles.

All of their guests were on their feet, the emotion in the room was so incredible.

Following dinner, the cake by Diane's Sweet Treats was cut. The cake was Patick's biggest request. His love of not only Samira, but also "Funfetti Cake" was the reason we choose Diane and made these cute little flags.
The cake was scrumptious, and oh-so-cute as well.
And not to end the sweet treats there, Moonlight Connfections made these adorable cookie favors in Samira and Patrick's new married initials for guests to take home as favors. We placed them again on fun wheat grass to really carry the theme from the beginning to the end of the reception.

The reception didn't end without some incredible dancing, as the floor was packed all evening. Samira and Patrick's love of music carried right into their guests as well. Guests of all ages kicked their party shoes off to groove to the beat of the Syngergy Band, a fabulous 10 piece ensemble with a horns section who added just that extra umph to the beat!

Carla provided the oh so fun "photo booth" at the reception. Guests loved it, and so did Samira and Patrick!

It was a perfect late night party addition. Fun by all!

Samira and Patrick, I just want to say how incredibly thankful I am, that you choose me and Sixpence to share in your incredible wedding. We had an unforgettable year of planning together, you had a fabulous wedding, and an event in which your guests will talk about for years to come. I hope it was everything you dreamed it would be and then some. Wishing you years of love and happiness!. Talia

Fun in the photobooth

So I must hurry back soon to post a full recap of the fabulous wedding of Samira and Patrick from July, but for now, I had to laugh over a few fun pictures from the photobooth set up by the ever so funny and talented Carla Ten Eyck

Rachel and Talia from Sixpence - tearing up the photobooth :)

The girls from Sixpence know how to have some fun!

Sweet Unique - Sarah Porter Memorial

A while back I posted about our love affair with unique venues. Staging/decorating . . . working . . . planning . . . . oh they are oodles of fun! Unfortunately, however, in the state of Connecticut there seems to be somewhat of a limited supply as even some of the once most discreet and unheard of places have gained so much popularity that they seem less and less unique. As such, I was delighted to be introduced to the Sarah Porter Memorial at First Church today (truly a hidden gem) by Tara Coakley of Emily's Catering, who has just signed an agreement to be their exclusive caterer. We've worked with Emily's many times and they always do a bang up job in terms of food, presentation, staff and service.

The Sarah Porter Memorial is the quintessential New England venue located across the street from the picturesque Miss Porter's School in Farmington. Honestly, what could be better than having one's reception across the street from Jackie O's alma mater??? The venue is indeed in an ideal location as it is near great restuarants such as Piccolo Arancio and The Grist Mill Restaurant as well as the Farmington Inn for out of town guests.

View from Main Street

View from the side

What I love most about this venue is that the ballroom is graceful and a sweet blank slate in which to make it your own for a guest list of 100 or so. The windows have gorgeous arches and shed off fabulous light.

As you can see, there is a stage for a band.

The room boasts a fireplace nook that would make a nice lounge area or even an alternative indoor ceremony site.


There is also veranda at the side of ballroom perfect for cocktail hour, but as I was checking the venue out for a winter client I did not take a photo, shame on me!

The rental fee begins at $1650 for 6 hours and includes tables and chairs, which certainly makes it more affordable than some of the other spaces nearby.

As you can see, I am totally smitten. I hope to have the opportunity to work there soon!

Cheers,

Lindsay

L.O.V.E.

What's better than a purse for a centerpiece??? Courtesy of House Beautiful.

Not necessarily the look for a wedding, but every last detail of this table is purr-fect.

Swoon.

Lindsey and Doug

When Rachel and I first met with Lindsey and Doug last January, it was very easy to see how much they adored one another. Doug, in particular, had a very clear vision of what he wanted for his wedding: good food, a great party for family and college friends, and unique personal touches to make the day memorable. As you will see, the results were magnificant from start to finish. All photos courtesy of the highly talented and adorable duo none other than Shari and Jason Weaver of Dreamscape Studio.

We began our day checking in with Lindsay and her gals at Peter Coppola Salon in Westport. What a posh and fun salon that place is! Following hair and make-up, we followed the bridal party to the Inn at Longshore in Westport, where the ceremony and reception were held.

Lindsey wore the absolutely stunning Melissa Sweet Mila gown, purchased at Saks in Short Hills, NJ. She had a total of 6 fittings and it showed, my gawd she took our breath away. With her hair in a simple yet elegant pony tail, she looked trendy yet timeless, literally like she walked off the pages of Vogue in any given year. Once she was dressed, her mother said (and I'll never forget this statement), "Lindsay, my darling, you are exquisite." She was.

The bridal party and family members participated in photos before the ceremony, something we are seeing more and more of these days. Doug and Lindsey really pulled the bridal party look together seamlessly with the J. Crew Sophia dresses for the girl and khakis, blazers and vineyard vines ties for the guys. The girls carried bouquets of roses, peonies and stock and the guy's berry bouts were the perfect off-set for the seaside soiree.



The couple was married at 7:00 pm on the lawn overlooking the sound under a breathtaking arch, lush with peonies. The entrance of the ceremony site was also flanked by topiaries, a look of which I am particularly fond. Elegant Effects, a Longshore favorite, lived up to their superb reputation as all the flowers were fabulous and they were so nice to work with. A classic trio via Faze 4 Orchestras accompanied the ceremony and played beautifully.



With the breaking of the glass, followed by kiss, the ceremony ended and cocktail hour was in full swing with a blender bar, sushi station and . . . a serious Corona table. Now that's a party!




Following cocktail hour, guests were invited into the ballroom for dinner and dancing and were greeted by this amazing branchy/peony/orchid entrance arrangement with hanging votive candles.



The tables were turned smartly, with custom chartreuse table linens (a brillilant contrast against the pink and green florals and porcelain blue ballroom), raffia chargers, linen napkins and tall place card holders from Party Rental. Lindsey and Doug made the wedding menus and they complimented the folded napkins just so.


The centerpieces were filled with peonies, roses and alchemilla and were oh so pretty!


Cake Suite Specialty Cakes in Stamford provided the cake, and it was divine inside and out. The banquet manager proclaimed it to be the best he had ever tasted of all of his weddings. WOW!!!

Sound Image of Faze 4 Orhestras provided the music for both cocktail hour and reception. They were a huge hit with the crowd and even assisted one of Doug's college friends in belting out a few tunes. If you like a little Timberlake now and then as well as the good old rock and roll, this is the band for you.



Lindsey and Doug, thanks so much for choosing us to help you plan and execute this amazing day. We loved working with you and wish you all the best.


xoxo,
Lindsay and Rachel

Exciting News!

Lindsay and I were invited to participate in a photo shoot for the fabulous La Bella Bride Magazine which took place just this week at the gorgeous The Winvian Resort. If anyone is interested in a truly posh little get-away, check this incredible place out!

While you are going to have to wait to see the details of our shoot in the next issue, which comes out around New Years, I will say that we had an absolute blast pulling ideas together and working with the uber-talented Tony at Datura, A Modern Garden. If you are the creative type, and looking for an out-of-the-box florist, he is definitely your guy!

So stayed tuned, we will be back to share pics in December!