I cannot tell you how many people compare me to Carrie Bradshaw. And when they do, I always smile and thank God they did not say Stanford. I love fashion, I love to write, I have a column and I have always been looking for Mr. Big. It seems like the entire world is in love with 4 women named Carrie, Miranda, Samantha and Charlotte…4 friends who met in their 20’s, struggled with dating and relationships in their 30’s and found true love in their 40’s. So if I am Carrie, let me tell you about my Charlotte…

Jody and I have been friends for a long time and although life has thrown us both our share of drama, we have always been able to depend on each other. We watched as others fell in love and got married, spent New Year’s Eve together and shared the day to day adventures of life. However, we would never let each other feel bad about being single and both of us made the pact to wait for true love…not “make do” love…but heart pumping, tingle in the toes, “What color are we painting the nursery?” love. And this year Jody got to go first!

Normally, a wedding Saturday is all about me. However, this time it got to be all about her. We both love red, we hate plain cake, and neither of us likes to be jostled. This translated into pomegranate red flowers, a rich chocolate confection and the Horah without chairs. Despite the fact that red is my signature color, I graciously allowed her to use it knowing that it would be flattering for me as well. Roger and Susan Berent are like second parents to me and we had so much fun working together to create a most magical day. One of the things I love about Jody is that she knows exactly what she wants…she gets that from her father. Roger went “Wedding Planner” on me more than once and I just kept telling him that all would be perfect…love you Rog! It was probably 2 months out that I realized that as Honor Attendant (A Male Bridesmaid), I had to relinquish control and solely be the supportive friend for the day. I know you are not going to believe this…I can be a bit of a control freak. Suddenly the thought of not being able to leave her side and adjust the linens, peek at the ballroom, tell Chef that the guest count went up by 150 people…and then laugh hysterically…was frightening. Could I just be part of the wedding party?

Jody has always looked like an exotic Spanish beauty. She picked out a dress that was red carpet worthy which had no fussy goo. She wore no veil but had a custom designed hair accessory strategically place in her upsweep. Add a few diamonds the size of marbles and we had a look. I was honored to walk down the aisle and stand at the front of the room and I am sure that I captivated several people with my garnet red accessories and dashing good looks. From the custom created frozen raw bar to the towering chocolate cake drenched in black magic roses, the evening was a culinary masterpiece. We danced the night away with Galaxy Red and as I watched my dearest friend drive way and begin her life as a married woman, I shed a few tears.

Friends are the family that you get to pick yourself and I did a great job.

Rob Schaefer

Debbie Heutel has to be one of the nicest people in the world. She ranks high on my Mother of the Bride favorites! Jim and Debbie Heutel are hardworking, sincere people who built a local business based on integrity and customer service. So it was no wonder that they came to the Coronado for their daughter Jennifer’s wedding reception. The Heutel Family radiated a quality so lacking among today’s wedding set…GRATITUDE. And that made a difference throughout their entire experience.

When vendors are good to you, you need to recognize that. When people are good to you, you need to be grateful. Kindness bestows kindness and becomes a never ending circle. A grateful heart is a full heart as my Grandma always says. I have drawer full of notes and photos from Debbie Heutel thanking me for over a year. Unbelievable.

I cannot tell you how much a note or kind gesture means to all of us connected to this industry. Although I want eveyone to have a fairy-tale day, God’s gifts flow a lot easier when you are appreciated.
I have heard stories from other wedding professionals of how families spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on an event and have the perfect day with the best of eveything but still aren’t happy. They tell ridiculous stories of how they saw a valet attendant accept a dollar from a guest who was insistent and that “ruined our day”. The shade of red in the signature drink was too bright or the leaves in the centerpiece were not as large as they expected. Here is a thought, “LET IT GO”.

My name is Rob Schaefer. I have seen close to a thousand weddings over the past 23 years. People tell me that I have something called “Rob magic”. Let me tell you something about magic. Magic is something in your heart. If you feel loved, grateful, content and blessed on your wedding day, you will feel the magic. If you think you can be a monster to everyone and some magical transformation will take place and make you feel special, it won’t. Your just a monster in a veil.

Jennifer Heutel felt the magic. She looked like a princess, walked like a princess and danced like a princess. All the forces of the universe combined that night to make it a magical. The incredible floral creations from Randy Shamel, the organization of Sarah Grus, the talent of Robert George, the inspiration of Arvell, Chef Patrick, Banquet Manager Alan and maybe a little Rob magic thrown in for good measure.

If you need a new car, see Jim Heutel at Sunset Ford. If you need an amazing event, see me. We both are built Ford tough.

Rob Schaefer

Marlene Dietrich was a Hollywood starlet that knew how to make an entrance.
When she walked into a room, men stopped in their tracks. Her press photos alone influenced women’s hair style, makeup and most importantly, demonstrated the quality of being alluring. I think that allure is such a rare thing today.
Allure is being sensual, provocative, unexpected yet understated. Frankly, I hope I still have a little. Which brings me to Elaine Tenzer…

I have always adored Elaine. She is a lovely person and has a classic and timeless style. When I thought about Meredith’s Wedding, I knew Elaine would wear something elegant but probably low-key…man was I off on that one. I was in the South Ballroom with the other vendors setting up the ceremony when Elaine walked into the doorway.

VA-VA-VOOM! Obviously Mama had a brand new bag.

Elaine was breathtaking in a fitted, strapless evening gown of crystal embellished silk. The color changed from silver to burnished bronze to a rosy peach. I swear that my jaw hit the floor and so did every other man in the half mile vicinity. Yow Za! I hope the band members recovered after falling all over each other. I still smile when I think about the way that Elaine looked that day…ala femme fatale!

Not to ignore Bride Meredith…she looked gorgeous. Meredith wore a fitted, all lace mermaid sheath dress with straps. Robert George and I both agreed she should be in a Bridal Magazine. Meredith kept it simple with her hair loose and just a touch of makeup…amazing. And then introduce GQ groom Joe and we had pretty much cornered the market on beauty that Saturday night!

I like to think I added that little something extra…

The ceremony was beautiful with an aisle drenched in all white and cream flowers and candles. And guests entered the Grand Lobby to find delectable passed hors d’oeuvres and a spectacular “Comfort Food” Station with beef tenderloin mini burgers, baked mac and cheese martinis and pomme frites. Yummy! Several people were shocked when we rang the dinner bell because the hors d’oeuvres were so extensive. The cupcake wedding cake was beyond belief, The Fabulous Motown Review rocked the house and later we opened a confection station with all sorts of rich, sinful chocolate desserts and caramel apples. As I always say, it has no calories if it looks beautiful.

Many families could take notes from Elaine and Meredith. The greatest lesson is to be yourself and be fabulous. Create areas of high impact, spoil and pamper your guests and work with the venue to extend your look and give it a richer feel. Take some chances with culinary and have items you love and that make you happy…like sliders, cupcakes and caramel apples!

Photos do not do this event justice although Robert George’s album is beyond belief. You set the bar Robert. I have thrown in a favorite photo of us striking a vogue pose.
Don, Elaine, Meredith and Joe, I will never forget you.
Elaine, let’s get together soon and talk about how much we hate buffets!
Elaine is all about allure. Glamour shots with me are always optional.
Rob Schaefer

This blog is dedicated to Tom Agnew…an amazing man, husband and father.

This has been the year of changes. I don’t think I can recall a time when my faith and hope have been quite so tested. Dear friends have moved on to the next step in God’s plan and others have become ill and struggle to retain both hope and dignity. It has not been easy…for any of us.

I think the amazing thing about hope and the sheer power of will is that it can sustain you when all else fails. Six years ago I had chicken pox as an adult and it left me paralized and disfigured on my left side. Despite a very negative prognosis, I was determined to walk without limping and NOT appear as if I had a stroke. Now granted, the left side of my face doesn’t quite move like the right and I have some hearing issues, but otherwise I have come a long way from that terrified, medicated, drooling man in the hospital. And it was faith that supported me.

Mary Agnew will remain the Golden Bride of 2007. I will never forget the way she looked at her photo shoot standing in the empty ballroom with the golden afternoon light falling on her. Her beautiful hair, eyes and smile spoke of another era and her silk dress sparkled with gold vermicelli beads. Her parents, Tom and Nancy, were so delightful to work with and I was thrilled that Tom was able to attend not only the culinary tasting, but the actual wedding reception. If I ever wanted to witness strength of will, it was watching Tom Agnew. Despite being very ill, he was determined to be at that wedding and dance with his daughter. And he did…

We all want to believe that we will experience the milestones in life such as dancing with our daughter. We hope that we will live a rich and full life and see our children happily married. As I walked through Tom Agnew’s visitation service and gazed at the many photos of his youth, countless friends and family, I witnessed a rich life. I can only hope for the same.
To Mary (Agnew) Moore and husband Jason, I thank you for being such unbelievable clients. I had a blast at your reception! And Mary, I will never forget how stunning you looked for your send off. That little geometric dress was kicking…and Jason looked pretty dashing in his khaki suit. To Nancy Agnew, I simply want to say how how much I admire your strength and compassion.
To my friends who are now struggling with illness, I want you to know that you are in my heart and I am a phone call away. And to those of you that have moved on, I hope you peek in from time to time and witness the incredible celebrations going on at the Coronado.

We are all about milestones.

Rob Schaefer

I must be one of the most fortunate individuals in our industry to have clients like Hanh and Aaron. Almost two years went by from the time they booked with us until their wedding date and they made every moment a delight.

Hanh and Aaron live in New York City and we planned everything via e-mail and phone. Aaron is a Vice President with his firm and makes everyone feel calm, cool and collected. He is one of the finest men I have ever met. Hanh is an Asian beauty with a dazzling smile and New York style. I think they make an incredible couple. Little do they know that I plan on visiting them and crashing at their New York pad! I deserve some quality shopping and theatre time after such a busy bridal season. And I love good pastrami…
Aaron created quite a web page to tell the incredible story of how they met. I encourage all the readers to take a look at it and use it as an example when creating your own.

www.geocities.com/hanh aaron
I think Hanh and Aaron represent the urban couple of today. I see more and more clients who are young professionals, established in their respective careers and planning the nuptials on their own. Long distance events can pose challenges for anyone. Hanh and Aaron listened to my advice, maintained contact with their vendors and allowed the professionals to do their job. Gee – what a novel approach.

Hanh’s family is Vietnamese and we encountered language barriers, communication issues and cultural differences, but by having a central “go-to-guy”, helped eliminate confusion. My best advice to any couple who is merging cultures is to have a clear, concise itinerary that explains what is happening and why. Make sure everyone involved receives a copy when they arrive.

From the expresso colored linen to the high-style tropical flowers, it was a beautiful night. Hanh and Aaron, I miss you… but a nice trip to Bergdorf Goodman will help me get over the pain. I’ll be M.I.A. in N.Y.C.!

Rob Schaefer

Most of the time the groom is a fairly quiet party in the planning process. He shows up, nods and agrees with everthing the bride likes. Well…not our Andy.

Jenny and Andy work together because he is Yin and she is Yang. And and I knew that we would reach a state of harmony.

“Patience Grasshopper…Patience.”

Vicki and Steven Deutsch will probably remain one of my favorite parent’s of the bride of all time. When I think of Vicki Deutsch, I am always reminded of the phrase, “grace under pressure”. Over the engagement process, Vicki attended many of my design seminars and I can truly say that I always looked forward to her call. Vicki Deutsch is a lady in every sense of the word.
With the help of Randy Felkey, Jenny and Vicki created a vision in tones of orange, peach, salmon and purple. Huge orbs of flowers brimming over with peach lilies, salmon gerber daisys, purple iris and orange orchids towered above the guests heads and the the tables were drenched in the most beautiful shade of peach damask. The huppa was swagged in sheer white organza panels with tiebacks of orange roses and the ladies just glowed against it in their soft tangerine tone gowns. It was bold and beautiful.
Andy…Andy…Andy…it is always interesting to have a chef for a client. You made Chef and I giggle more than once. I appreciate your input with the fabulous culinary experience Steven and Vicki provided for you. You are a very lucky young man. I think the chilled watermelon soup was superb and the peaches and cream wedding cake brought down the house…guests asked us for 2 and 3 pieces!

To Vicki Deutsch I can only say “thank you”. Despite the flood in your home (caused by the city), loss of family members and dealing with strong personalities, you were always kind, lovely and stylish. And every mother-of-the bride should look as good as you did. Diamonds and a ballgown are never a bad combination!

Neither were you and me.

Rob Schaefer

Picture it. A gorgeous Persian beauty walks into my office. With dark raven hair and smoldering brown eyes, she could easily conjure images of marble palaces, brilliant silk cushions and a desert oasis.

Picture it. She lives in Cape Girardeau.

Sormeh Shafaie will hands down be one of the most beautiful brides I have in 2007. Sormeh is a talented Interior Designer and wanted a wedding with spectacular designer touches! And man did she have them…

The gentlemen of the wedding party all wore black Armani suits with silver and black silk pinstriped ties. Although the ties were custom made by Charvet in France, the couple selected the fabric at Mr. Ooley’s in Oklahoma City. I just adore Mr. Ooley’s and have several nice things from there. Mr. Ooley’s continues to be one of the reasons why I plan on marrying well.

The bridesmaids of the party wore 1950’s inspired cocktail dresses in chocolate brown silk and Sormeh stole the show in an ivory silk mercado gown with hand-beaded design work. She was beautiful!

Not missing a beat, Sormeh brought her boss Terry and co-worker Evelyn to St. Louis to custom create all the wedding flowers. After 20 years in the industry, I thought I had seen some talent but Terry rocked my world with his couture look. They did an amazing job and it was such a gift to see people who love the bride, help the bride. The all ivory flowers with the chocolate and black accents gave a designer feel to everything.

I connect with Sormeh because she and I have a creative soul. We encountered what many families encounter when you merge heritage, tradition, style and vision…it isn’t easy. Families and vendors often see only one aspect of a wedding and that becomes their focus. When Sormeh and I have a project, we have to look at the entire vision! I often hear, as I heard that night, “It is more than I ever imagined”. Good. I did my job.

Sormeh and Ryan start a new life together in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Friends and family went back to Oklahoma City, Cape Girardeau and Iran. To grandma, thank you for making such a beautiful piece of art for me and then carrying it in your luggage from Iran to St. Louis. I cherish it and it is proudly displayed on my office wall.

And to Sormeh…I’m grateful to be one of your designer touches.

Rob Schaefer

Kelly Quinn and I have known each other for years. Kelly is a Pharmaceutical Rep and we have done many events together. I have listened to her event speakers discuss a variety of health issues. I know more about fungal issues, gastrointestinal pain and tropical diseases than I probably want to! I was delighted when she told me that she wanted to have her ceremony and reception with me at the Coronado Ballroom. And that she was marrying a remarkable man, Dr. Scott Engel.
Kelly and I also connect as friends because we both grew up on a ranch with horses. Roy and Ruth Quinn have a beautiful ranch and stables south of St. Louis. In fact, Ruth is also an amazing floral designer and transformed their huge barn into a rehearsal dinner site. They had a down home BBQ that put the “Ewing” Family BBQ at Southfork to shame. I have watched every episode of “Dallas” and I know…
Scott’s family is from New York and it was such a treat for them to see true southern hospitality and the outpouring of kindness from the Quinn family. I also know that being from New York, they see alot of beautiful receptions and I wanted them to know that we can do it as well, if not better, in the midwest. Scott’s parents Sy and Sharon really helped make this event special. Thank you both for your lovely compliments.
Kelly and I love the color red. She chose the richest, deepest shade of red possible…pomegranate. Pomegranate red crushed satin bichon linens with an iridescent black cast glowed in the light of hundreds of candles. Mirrored finish candlesticks with massive deep red candles adorned every other table and tall centerpieces of red orchids, roses and lilies with beaded wire completed the the look. Kelly chose gold leafed chargers, black napkins and gold ballroom chairs with black cushions. Elegant menu cards were at each placesetting and the entire look was sumptuous and rich! I also loved the huge wreaths of red roses that graced the Mezzanine railings.

The wedding cake was beyond belief! The flavor was Pumpkin Spice and it had a warm, rich pumpkin taste with hints of cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger…mmmmmmm. The rich cream cheese icing and cinnamon creme anglaise just about sent the guests over the edge. One guest told me, “This tastes like fall and sin”. I took that as a compliment …a creepy one… but a compliment none the less.

The multi-tiered Cinderella creation was iced in a deep champagne Italian Buttercream. Edible gold leafed bands wrapped around each tier and was detailed with dark chocolate piping that looked almost black. A huge medallion of dark chocolate rested on the center tier and resembled a cameo. It featured their mongram in gold lettering. Many guests told me it was the most beautiful wedding cake they had ever seen.

Kelly and Scott, you did a great job. From the bridesmaids gowns in the deepest iridescent red, stunning bouquets of black magic and champagne roses and the huge screens of sparkling votives, it could not have been more beautiful.

Jock, Miss Ellie, J.R., Sue Ellen, Bobby and Pam would agree.

Rob Schaefer