Adventures of a Wedding Decorator

A Different Kind of Double

2010-09-06T20:46:00.007-04:00

I was inspired back in April to add a chuppah, a Jewish wedding canopy, to my inventory. A delightful mother-of-the-bride insisted that I was the person to create it for her daughter's wedding. She literally chased me down. I even forwarded her links to other chuppah renters, with a high and low cost range. But she would have none of it. I was flattered. So, oozing with confidence, I built one and she loved it...she also loved the price, $300 full service.

Having then learned that the wedding was set to be outdoors at a Conservation Centre, I needed to scout the actual site. Preparing to meet the family at the location, I was waiting for more info from "one of the brides". So I asked, in my naivete, the mother of "one of the brides?", "Oh, is this a double wedding?" "Nope. It's a Lesbian Jewish interfaith marriage", was the email response. Look, I was raised in the Eighties, when double weddings were all the rage. In fact, I even considered having a double wedding with my best friend in 2000, but acquiesced once my wise sister-in-law said "that's very unselfish of you!" Geez, you're only Queen for a day and I certainly wasn't going to share it!

This certainly wasn't a double wedding in the traditional sense, but it did make me stop and think, do people still do double weddings? I have yet to provide decor for one, let alone hear of one since I attended my second cousins double wedding in Kalamazoo in 1984. She doubled with her first cousin and from what I recall, each couple seemed thrilled with sharing the day. I doubt that today's bride would be. Today's bride passes out if her colour scheme is being used by a stranger a year later. Or Lord help the event planner at the banquet hall if the bride in Salon A runs into the bride from Salon B.

I don't know. Even though I chose to be selfish on my wedding day, I still think that double weddings are romantic, sweet and a throw back to simpler times...very Jane Austin.

The Lesbian Jewish Interfaith Wedding was lovely. Yes, the double brides wore white dresses, well, one was more like wide flowing pants, and both sets of parents were proud to walk their daughter down the aisle. And the ceremony was well attended of about 100. My first modern double wedding.

Mazel Tov.

The Adventures Continue...

Atlantis Rediscovered

2010-07-28T21:06:00.013-04:00

An Indian Bride a Croatian Groom and a Greek decorator. Now there is a cultural mix if I've ever seen one. Sounds like the start of a really bad joke but this job was no joke.
I was hired to decorate this very large wedding reception at the Atlantis Pavilion. Tuxedo black with champagne gold organza. Very glam. Although, I'm not sure how the black chairs went over with the Croatians. I think that's why the head table was standard white.

Flash back May of 1988. I'm in a gorgeous black taffeta gown bought at Brettons (whatever happened to that department store?) with an orchid on my wrist walking along the catwalk at The Trillium (now the Atlantis) over Lake Ontario. Prom night and I was sans une bon homme. Sandra Giordano's father drove a bunch of us girls to the Prom in his Lincoln.

Flash forward May of 2010. I'm in army green gap cropped pants with my I Love NY T-shirt lying on top of my champagne organza sashes as I struggle to keep my trolley with 365 chair covers from blowing off and over the catwalk at the now Atlantis Pavilion over Lake Ontario. Decorating a wedding sans une bon homme. The hubby Richard Syrett drove me in our van/ saravalo.

It was the windiest day ever and I lay there wondering if I'll get crushed by the trolley. As I waited rather impatiently for help to arrive, I pictured all my inventory flying off the catwalk and landing in the lake and in the propellers of the windmill generators. The organza was getting caught in the wheels of the trolley and all I could do is hook my feet around the pole and start screaming for help. The wind was deafening and I doubted anyone heard my pathetic yelps for mercy. (You know, I have a Specialized Honours degree in Anthropology/Biology.)

Does anyone see me? I'm lying flat on my stomach and I feel this hand reach down and shake my feet loose from the death grip I had on the trolley. I felt like Sigorney Weaver in Aliens when she is on the windy deck with Bishop trying to board the aircraft. It wasn't an Alien, but he looked rather like an escapee from the Don. Who cares!! He had a golf cart and he starting moving all my stuff without a word. He took the trolley in and then came back for me and the organza. I climbed into the golf cart and sought refuge inside the banquet hall.

It took 4 hours to complete this job. My head was hurting, my hair was a mess and I just wanted to go home. Exactly like Prom Night. (NOT)

The Adventures Continue...

300 Spartans, err I mean Meters

2010-07-14T18:25:00.005-04:00

The Pantages Hotel in Toronto is very urban chic. Right in the core and surrounded by theatres; Massey Hall, Canon (nee Pantages), Winter Garden. I was hired by a young, successful Illusionist/Magician, to drape all the walls in one of the ballrooms at the Pantages for his wedding reception. He was quite incorrigible and insisted that I was the only one that he trusted to do it right. I resisted at first because the draping would require all of my fabric and thus wouldn't be able to dress any other weddings that weekend! And I don't use trade show cotton, I use a double panel of sheer off white fabric...very lux. Anyway, I agreed...it was in my 'horio' and in my beloved live theatre corridor! You would have said yes too.

Well, wouldn't you know that the "Just for Laughs" Comedy production offices was set up on the same floor as the ballroom that I was draping. It was like my two worlds collided. My head was spinning. With a bolt of fabric over my shoulder, I stood there stunned. Should I turn left and enter the production offices and get producing the show or should I turn right and enter the ballroom and get decorating? Hey, I went were the money is honey, so I turned right.

You wouldn't think that draping walls would be so difficult. First you have to erect the pipes just so (try not to loose any fingers or fingerprints in the process), and then you drape the fabric over the pipes and then you adjust and fuss over how the fabric is draping and puddling and then you extend the pipes to 14 feet and then you're done. What? Try lifting 20 steel bases that are a least 15lbs each. I couldn't have done it without Eric, the 'boy decorator'...married with kids, so take it easy. And just when you think you've done your math on how many meters of fabric you need to drape a room that is 37x37x32x32 with 14ft ceilings, you RUN OUT OF FABRIC. Lord have mercy. Eric brought a back up bolt...just in case.

We needed an army to do this job, 300 Spartans would be just right because in the end we used 300 meters of fabric! Ultimately, it looked fab. It was late in the evening and we went to Frans for a couple of very dirty martini's, where I sat and nursed my fingerprint-less fingers, and contemplated on whether I should have turned left.

The Adventures continue...

Repeat after me...SA-RA-VA-LO

2010-07-08T09:34:00.003-04:00

My dad's voice rings in my ears from time to time. He has been gone now for a year and three months. Despite our rather tumultuous relationship, I do miss him...he always made me feel safe. He always knew I was an entrepreneur and that I was like him, a risk taker.

For the business, http://www.fantasyweddingrentalsyorkregion.com/, I needed a van. Richard and I searched the listings and debated on new or used and we got our good friend John, a mechanic, to help us make out selection. The entire time my dad's voice, in my head, "SA-RA-VA-LO". It's Greek for , "lemon", or "rusty, tin can". John convinced us to by used and we did. Ford Freestar 2004, sport edition. Got a good price and John was happy because he says the transmission on these vans are good. Richard and John purchased the van. I was with a client that day.

Five days later the tire had a slow leak and it went flat. Twelve days later the tail light went out. Heavy rain 14 days later revealed to us that all the wipers needed changing. 15 days later the engine decided that it would skip out of third gear! What the heck. John feels so very horrible! Repeat after me...SA-RA-VA-LO. 21 days later it stalled. 30 days later it had developed a nasty chirping, squeaky sound when to you start it up. And now in the dead heat of July, the AC makes this horrible grinding noise when you first turn it on.

We don't call it "the van". I say to the family, "come on lets go, every one get in the SARAVALO".

Oh Papa...Wish you were here.
The Adventures continue...

Exotic Meat

2010-07-07T15:21:00.000-04:00

As a television producer I've encountered some very unique and outrageous people. And in radio news you're constantly reporting on local happenings and updates on bylaws...sometimes quite boring. And I swear I heard that this particular "exotic meat" was outlawed, in fact I'm quite certain. Just this past May, I was delivering chair covers to an All Vegetarian Indian Caterer in Brampton. Uncharted territory for me, being from Toronto, so I left a little early to find his office. I located the building and was cruising the parking lot for the unit number. I found it and parked the car just to the left of the main door. As I looked up from the dashboard, there etched on the door next to the All Vegetarian Indian Caterer was "Human Grade Canine Cuisine". Huh? What the?! I got out of the car and just stared at it. And kept repeating it to myself and then out loud. What was it trying to tell me? Processing...well, it became clear. Perpared dog meat. That's it, that's all. Prepared dog meat. Not a butcher. Farmed for human consumption and prepared here. The door was locked. It was early. I took a picture on my blackberry. I took a step back and looked at both store fronts and the irony that this dog meat shop was next door to an all vegertarian caterer. I meant to ask the very jovial and charming caterer that I was delivering to, about the shop next door, but I was nervous about it. Like I'd be accusing him of something. I stayed silent.

Enjoy the picture.

The Adventures continue...

Here I am

2010-07-07T08:35:00.000-04:00

So, this is what I've been doing. A departure for sure. Being home with the twins for two years and Richard losing his job, has left me rethinking my life. It has been an intense 1 1/2 years but I've managed to create a business, without too much debt; enough however to make me nervous nonetheless.

This is my personal adventure and I hope it takes me for a great ride.