Antoinette Alexander
Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, Antoinette Alexander has traded in the Space Needle for the Statue of Liberty and today is a writer in Manhattan. Despite being thousands of miles away, the Pacific Northwest remains near to her heart. Eager to share with 425 readers what’s hot, hip and cool on the bustling streets of New York City, Alexander is keeping her “eye on style” as a contributing writer for 425.
|
Colette’s Cakes
Looking for the ultimate wedding cake all of your guests will be buzzing about? Look no further than Colette’s Cakes. Colette Peters is the owner of Colette’s Cakes, a specialty cake company in New York City. Peters previously spent eight years as a designer for Tiffany & Co. While at Tiffany & Co. she made cakes for her co-workers, and was then asked to design cakes for the books “Tiffany Taste” and “The Tiffany Wedding.” This exposure led to a contract to write a book of her own and she has since written several books. Over the years, Peters has delivered cakes throughout America, Europe, and the Caribbean and has created cakes for many celebrities, including Sting, Natasha Richardson, Bette Midler and Whoopi Goldberg. Her achievements also include the creation of a 5-foot replica of the White House for one of the Inaugural parties for President Bush in 2005. Details: colettescakes.com
425 Twist: Mike’s Amazing Cakes in Redmond features completely custom creations made specifically for your big event. A cake will be created just for you based on the event theme and reference materials so no two cakes are ever the same. Choices for flavors and fillings are endless and the final creation can be picked up, delivered or shipped anywhere in the country. Details: mikesamazingcakes.com
Sweet Talk Boutique
Invite your wedding guests in style — sweet, edible style — with edible invitations by Sweet Talk Boutique. Aptly named “Invitastions,” the yummy invites are the offspring of stationery designer Erin Nowak of Bride Design and cake artist Jen Comfort of She Takes the Cake. Comfort’s tasty sugar cookies are embellished with Nowak’s custom illustrations, making them a perfect and unique way to invite guests to share your special day. The 4-by-6-inch cookies are thick and iced with Comfort’s special icing that complements the cookie flavor and an icing sheet formulated to accept food-grade color ink. The Invitastions are packaged in a black or white box with ribbon color of your choice. A printed card stock version of the invite or greeting is included with each Invitastion so guests can eat the cookie without worrying about forgetting the date and location. Sweet Talk Boutique, of South Otselic, N.Y., ships orders via UPS. Details: sweettalkboutique.com.
425 Twist: Cookies in Bloom in Bellevue on 11 103rd Ave. N.E., also bakes up frosting-covered wedding invites, favors, centerpieces and more. The cookies are available in all shapes and sizes – everything from silver-frosted diamond rings to monogrammed wedding boxes and cakes. You can even custom order your cookies to match your wedding theme. Details: cookiesinbloomweddings.com
Gotham Hall
Getting married in Manhattan may not only be a magical experience but also a bit overwhelming. After all, with such breathtaking and renowned ceremony sites as Central Park and Rockefeller Center’s The Rainbow Room, to mention just a couple, how do you choose? One ceremony site that is certain to offer an unforgettable experience is Gotham Hall. Inscriptions adorn the granite walls and the words of success through wisdom and commerce echo through the halls of this former Greenwich Savings Bank headquarters. After a brief hiatus for cosmetic renovations, this jewel reopened in early 2003 and has emerged as one of New York City’s most prominent and prestigious event venues. It has been featured in such print and online publications as The New York Times’ Sunday Style Section, BizBash, and NewYorkSocialDiary.com for hosting notable social events. There’s no denying that the striking architecture makes Gotham Hall the perfect backdrop for an elegant wedding. Gotham Hall is located at 1356 Broadway at 36th Street. Details: gothamhallevents.com
425 Twist: The Monte Cristo Hotel Ballroom in Everett offers a historic landmark location unlike any other in the 425 area. With Corinthian capitals, stained
glass skylights and a dramatic fireplace, the architecture alone will leave guests in awe. The mezzanine overlooking the ballroom wraps around and ends on either side of the large entryway, calling to mind the structure’s intended purpose — to serve as a luxury hotel. Details: colbyhospitality.com
Lips
So the invites have been mailed, an elegant ceremony site has been decided, a day of pampering is booked and the bakery is adorning a glamorous cake and the other one million details are hopefully buttoned down. Now for the fun part: The bachelorette party! Forget the stereotypical club, bar or spa party. For an unforgettable night out with the girls, consider the not-so-typical Lips, the “ultimate in drag dining.” Be forewarned that the waitresses, bartenders and staff are drag queens, and the innuendos fly around with colorful language, so those looking for a more subdued night out with the girls may want to think twice. Lips is located at 2 Bank Street in the heart of New York City’s Greenwich Village. Details: lipsnyc.com
425 Twist: Want the closest experience to this? Head to Portland! Where else but Stumptown will you find similarly glamorous, world-famous, female impersonators? Check out Darcelle XV & Company during one of their nightly Las Vegas-style cabaret revues filled with comedy and entertainment. Details: darcellexv.com
Stephen Knoll Salon
Feel like a celebrity for the day with the help of the Stephen Knoll Salon, a luxurious Madison Avenue salon. In fact, celebs including Debra Messing and Cindy Crawford have turned to Stephen Knoll for their wedding day look.
“Nothing has been left to chance when we want to accomplish the most beautiful look for a wedding — hair, makeup, nails all need to be planned so the bride look good, and more importantly, feel good,” Knoll is quoted as saying on the salon’s Web site. Designed as a home away from home for Knoll’s celebrity and model clientele, the 3,000-square-foot salon employs 50 professionals who are specialists in their fields. The salon is located at 625 Madison Ave.. Details: stephenknoll.com
425 Twist: Be treated like a pampered princess by the staff of Sorella Salon and Spa, where the main focus is to bring physical, emotional and spiritual wellness to their clients. This family owned and operated full-service salon and day spa can not only create the perfect hairstyle for the big day, but also features special occasion make-up application and massages to help you look your best and feel relaxed. Details: sorellasalon.com
For the full story pick up the latest copy of 425 magazine. Subscriptions are available by phone at 425.646.1380 or you may order your subscription online.
