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

Amy Kostman-Wayne is what I call a modern woman. This Legal Eagle wowed me from the first moment we met and I knew I better be on top of my game. Now let me be blunt…

Amy is gorgeous. The peaches and cream complexion, the willowy figure and the dazzling smile makes a person take a second glance. But behind that midwestern-belle exterior is a formidable business woman who frankly, can be ruthless…something right out of “Boston Legal”. Let’s just say I am glad that I was on her team.

Amy knew EXACTLY what she wanted her wedding ceremony and reception to be like. Black linens with sheer gold stripe overlays for drama. Gleaming gold chivari chairs with black cushions and antique gold damask napkins completed her look. Mary Tuttle, a wee, timid lass, was chosen as florist and in true Mary Tuttle style, delivered the wow factor.
I have seen many a wedding dress in my day, but Miss Amy decided to rock my world and showed up in a silk number that left you speechless. The simple, stunning cut of that gown with the plunging decollete made her the center of attention all night. I only had to use the smelling salts on Craig maybe once…twice at the most.

She stole all the glamour that night…it was like I had orange warning cones around me.

Amy and Craig had a long distance relationship and flew into St. Louis to meet. They always met each other at Gate 16 at Lambert and I was so touched that their signature cocktail was “The Gate 16″ Martini. The wedding cake with fondant falling leaves wasn’t bad either.
The jury has reached a verdict. This wedding is found guilty of being fabulous.

Rob Schaefer

When I think of Erin Menley Bentley I think of beautiful auburn hair and the green hills of Ireland…
I have always had this facination with auburn hair. In fact, I had my hair colored auburn in high school…let’s just say it wasn’t one of my best decisions but I thought I was quite fetching with my big brown eyes. Call it my “Molly Ringwald Moment”. In the late eighties I had so many different hair colors that Alex Haley could not have found my Roots.
Erin and Ryan were such a fantastic couple to work with and I always looked forward to Erin’s call. She is charming, gifted and quite the catch, I must say. Erin told me from the beginning of our planning process that she wanted tones of ivory, cream and sage green. Understated elegance. Her choice in floral was incredible. Giant clear trumpet vases filled with green and white gourds with green and white high-style flowers shooting out the top. WOW!
Erin and Ryan chose to invest their money in the culinary portion of the evening and not focus on the bar. Their fall menu selection impressed guests and featured a cranberry sorbet intermezzo that was dreamy…guests asked for seconds!
The big suprise of the evening was the Groom’s Cake which Erin and I worked on in secret. She wanted something ultra special for Ryan that incorporated his love of hunting. The first thing I did was go to the hunting department of Bass Pro and buy camouflage burlap. I covered the table with this and used leaves, branches and cattails to enhance the look. And then Patrick brought out the cake! Speechless was the initial reaction when people first saw the Groom’s Cake. The beautiful round cake was iced by hand in camouflage-tone icing. It literally looked like a hunting jacket resting on a huge slab of Missouri granite. From the cake, spun sugar antlers rose into the air and supported a rifle carved out of a giant block of chocolate. The antlers were so realistic, guests thought they were made from real horn. I have never had an entire ballroom full of people get up and march into the Bradshaw Room. The explosion of photos reminded me of the days when I was chased by Paparazzi.
Ryan was overwhelmed and I even got weepy over such an amazing expression of love and thoughtfulness. Erin, you did good and you looked beautiful! And all your bridesmaids looked amazing in that lucious shade of sage green. I will look forward to seeing your wedding photos and hopefully my photo won’t be in anymore tabloids.

Brides and the Paparazzi know where I am.

Rob Schaefer

Fall is here. And no, it is not the cooler weather, the leaves changing or the multiple yellow school buses crowding my drive to work that tells me…it’s the phone. The Fall brides are calling.

Every year I am astounded by the level of beautiful fall weddings that are about to unfold at the Coronado. Gone are the soft sherbert tones of Spring and Summer and enter the deeper, richer shades of Fall and Winter. Chef Patrick and the Coronado Culinary Team have been cooking up some major goodies in the old kitchen the past month. Everyday I can smell the rich herbs, spices and fall vegetables simmering, the fall wedding cake samples baking and I can watch my dream of a 29 inch waist get crushed like wine grapes.

I need 2 weeks at Club Slenderella and never enter the Coronado kitchen again.

Fall brides have many options to make their event stand out in the crowd. The best advise I can give you is to not “fight” the season. You do not neccessarily have to use harvest tones in your color scheme, but realize that flowers in those tones are what is in profusion, lovely and available. A warm first course is a unexpected treat for guests and very appropriate to the season…think about a soup, a pasta or a risotto for a first course alternative. And what is with St. Louis brides and the white wedding cake. Yeek! I am glad that my Coronado brides want something heavenly and dessert-like and are not afraid to try new flavors. Remember, you cannot please everyone. You can only please yourself!
I will tell you that from a design stand point, colors this year are gorgeous. From pumpkin orange to cognac, coffee, brick, rust, mustard, eggplant, moss, turqouise and cobalt, Coronado brides are turning on the glamour. For all you 2007 brides, take note of how this is done and why.

We simply want you to have an experience of a lifetime…fabulous catering and event specialist included.
Rob