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Category Archives: New Orleans Events Planning

Anthony Bourdain in NOLA!

Happy New Year! We can’t wait to see what 2010 has in store for us! So far we have kicked off the year on the right foot.  Anthony Bourdain asked us to cater his VIP after party this week.  Nothing is better than having a client tell you to do whatever you want.  We all know from the Travel channel that Anthony Bourdain will eat about anything so Rambla owner, Bob Iacovone, got right to work on a creative menu.   Chef Bob had passed hors d’ oeuvres to please the eyes and taste buds of all:

Passed Hors d’ oeuvres

warm foie gras and pecan pie

octopus & habanero ceviche; white gazpacho

serrano wrapped chevre stuffed peppadews

sea scallop boudin; chilled uni

Being the fan that I am I scored a copy of “Kitchen Confidential” and had a great night!

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-Bridgette

Holiday Brunch

Schedules change and so do social calendars.  This year one of our repeat clients needed to switch up their annual evening Christmas party to a Sunday afternoon brunch.  I can’t think of a better way to spend a Sunday afternoon in December than sipping mimosas with friends and indulging!

Our clients are huge foodies so of course they had to have a menu complete with everyone’s favorites. In the kitchen we had a chef on hand searing diver scallops and pairing them with a sweet-corn flan.  Incredible!

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Grazing tables were set up with assorted pates, cheeses, tenderloin wrapped asparagus and satays of rare tuna & piquillo peppers with romesco.

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We had to make sure no one left hungry so the dining room was filled with beef brisket-green chile-black bean tamales, spiced shrimp remoulade, roasted pork tenderloin with a winter berry compote & lollypop lamb chops.

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The event was a huge success and will be again next year regardless of the time of day!

-Bridgette

Taylor Energy 25th Anniversary

I have the pleasure of going into some of the most beautiful homes and venues on a very regular basis.  One place that never gets old is the Taylor Energy building in Lee Circle.  It is simply magnificent and shines during the Christmas season!

This year Patrick Taylor’s office had a great sushi selection that guests raved over.  The dining room showcased many of the Taylor’s beautiful silver pieces and had candles throughout.  The table was draped in rich gold and maroon fabrics to complement the holiday décor.  Guest helped themselves to a buffet of butternut squash bisque, duck confit cassoulet with smothered greens and 12- hour braised short ribs to name a few.

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The showstopper of the evening was the dessert selection.  With the company’s 25th anniversary on the horizon we did the entire room with a pearl theme to represent the milestone.   Riedel Champagne flutes were etched with the company logo as a party favor for the evening.  The guests had a toast before indulging in the sweets.

Can’t wait till next year!

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-Bridgette

A Holiday River Front Wedding!

It doesn’t ever snow in Louisiana, right? Well this is what most brides think as they plan an outdoor wedding in December down south! But… mother nature doesn’t always stick to her typical plans. So when snow falls and temperatures drop.. we rent heaters!

During the first week of December I had the pleasure of working with an amazing bride who selected a back drop of stunning cypress trees, the Tchefuncte River and a gorgeous plantation style home. Guests sipped on sparkling wines and nibbled on items such as pates, gnocchi and perfectly cooked beef tenderloin as a jazz trio played familiar tunes.

Colors and flowers held a classic holiday theme while having a touch of bridal bliss.  Many congrats to the new couple as they begin their lives together!

It was the perfect backyard reception!

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101_0220-Bridgette

OL4NO & Feed the Children

Great food, live music, our New Orleans Saints, flip flops AND  an amazing cause?!? There isn’t a better party to be invited to!

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This weekend the offensive line of the New Orleans Saints (OL4NO) teamed up with Feed the Children in an effort to raise awareness, funding and food drives for our area.

The theme of the party was fleur de lis & flip flops… a great blend of our great city and football!

All of the food items had a tailgating theme such as:

Cochon de Lait-Dirty Rice Hushpuppies; Spiced Steens Cane Syrup

Natchitoches Meat Pies; Tomato-Garlic Confit

Shrimp & Blackbean Quesadillas; Fresh Prico

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The amount of items that were auctioned off can’t be explained! Donated jerseys and helmets from professional teams around the country came together along with an endless supply of local vendors.

Working with Suzanne Werdanne, director of sports partnerships- Feed the Children, was excellent.  She brought everyone together to create a memorable event!

To learn more about Feed the Children visit: www.feedthechildren.org

-Bridgette

Everything that sparkles is CARTIER!

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to work with Sak’s 5th Avenue New Orleans in a fabulous collection expo celebrating 100 years of Cartier.

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The event emphasized the glamour of Cartier men and women through the precious jewels, customized champagne, models and of course my favorite: food.  The event’s theme was ‘games’ and was topped off with Cartier pages greeting guests, beautiful low profile flower arrangements by Perfect Presentations of New Orleans and an overall elegant ambiance.

ml_image.1245461Get your mouth water by taking a look at a few of the items guests snacked on:

Lobster Rillete… Lobster, Cauliflower Puree, Caviar; Potato Gaufrette

Fromage Grill… Fontina, Brie, Bleu, Pepperjelly; Brioche

Beef Tenderloin Frico… Beef Tenderloin, Lemon-Aioli, Arugula Pesto; Parmesan Frico

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A big thanks to my new friends at Sak’s for asking me to be apart of this great affair!

-Bridgette

It’s that time of year!

As the fall weather tells us to all pull out our chilly weather clothes it’s also a reminder that holiday season will be here before we know it!  Whether you are looking for a small gathering in your office or an over the top to-do at a local venue let me assist!

Our three restaurants allow us to have flexibility in cuisine selection, budget and style.  We truly can work with anyone.

This year I want you to enjoy your company or personal party… Let me do the work!

-Bridgette

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8/29… Welcomed this year!

I can’t think of another way to honor the Katrina anniversary than by busting with business! August 29th couldn’t have felt better!
On the north-shore Christ Episcopal had their 25th anniversary and the grand opening of their high school in Covington! Dakota had amazing food for the 400+ guests to enjoy! From cochon de lait to scallop ceviche they had it all! Fat Tuesday’s had hurricanes to get everyone dancing to Four Unplugged. It was a wonderful affair!

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Thank you Christ Episcopal for including us in such a milestone! Cheers to another 25 years!

On the south-shore we had our hands filled as well. Rambla and International House had the opportunity to host the Stewart & Ayobamidele wedding. What a unique event!
The ballroom was set with rich eggplant linens and candles throughout.
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The guests had the opportunity to enjoy a VERY original menu! The couple embraced their Nigerian heritage and decided to incorporate it into many aspects of their wedding, especially the menu. Our chef, Scott Maki, prepared a menu boasting with flavors such as stewed goat, jollof rice, dodos and curried shrimp. We always enjoy the chance to do a little something out of the norm!
Thank you Bello and Rosalind for allowing me to be apart of one of the most memorable days in your life! Best wishes to you both!

Cuvee meanwhile was singing happy birthday to a great client. The Hall family rented out the entire restaurant to wish Janice a happy 60th! Guests were greeted with stuffed peppadews, crab cakes and many other miniature bites to get their palate watering for the meal that awaited them. The menu included some of our signature items such as the spiced shrimp napoleon and the chopped salad along with some seasonal specialties.

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Janice had cake that displayed her love of music as it had piano keys covering the rich chocolate goodness.

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We hope everyone enjoyed the evening as much as we did!

-Bridgette

Weddings In Style Bridal Show Success!

Got the ring and you have picked out a date! You are almost there! Next step is a bridal show to meet your local vendors. This is what hundreds of women did yesterday at the Weddings In Style bridal show. It was a wonderful affair!
A jazz trio welcomed the brides to the beautiful ballroom in the Roosevelt hotel. Everyone snacked on cake samples and delicious foods (including our signature Crab and Brie Soup and Tuna, Watermelon & Basil Skewers) while checking out the latest dress trends, photography packages and sipping on champagne.
Ladies it was wonderful meeting all of you yesterday! I look forward to working with each and everyone of you individually as we create your dream wedding.
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-Bridgette

St. Charles Avenue… Thibaut & Laborde Wedding

In the next couple days the July issue of St. Charles Avenue magazine will hit news stands.  I got a sneak preview a few moments ago as we have the featured wedding in this months issue. We had the pleasure of coordinating the entire event and working with Dunn & Sonnier, one of our favorite florists! Two Sweet Sisters made an amazing cake and photography was done by Louis’ and Alicia Hartfield.  The entire event was a centered around thoughts of a “French Provincial Picnic” with a color scheme of greens and lavenders.  Truly a wedding to remember!  From the specially purchased confit pots to hold flower arrangements to the dragonfly inspired truffles everything was well thought out and original.  Our bride, Betsy Thibaut-Laborde, was involved from the first step of planning and worked with us as we brought her dreams to reality.  

Best wishes to Betsy and her husband, Eric Laborde, as they begin their life together in Chicago.  

Stay warm yall! 

Take a look at the write up shown below! 

-Bridgette     

Cover

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Betsy & Eric “I’m just looking for a happy ending. All I’m looking for is you.” Those Pat Green lyrics from his hit song “Wave on Wave” ring true for Elizabeth Reynaud Thibaut and Eric Lanning Laborde M.D., who met on a blind date at none other than a Pat Green concert at the House of Blues in New Orleans. Eric’s cousin, Scott Condon, who’s also a close friend of Betsy’s, set the two up. That night they instantly hit it off and have been together every day since. Almost two years later, Eric knew he had found “the one” and decided to create their happy ending. On the last day of a vacation to St. Martin, Eric asked Betsy to marry him. On the way back from dinner, Eric had their driver stop. When Betsy got out of the car, in front of her stood a walkway, lit with votives, leading to a veranda that overlooked the ocean. The veranda was covered with a rose petal walkway and in the middle of it sat a bucket of champagne with two glasses. Enraptured, Betsy turned back to find Eric on his knee. But oops, when he opened the ring box, he opened it upside down so that the ring fell out and Betsy’s instantly thought he was playing a joke on her as she stared down at an empty ring box. He shouted, “No, no, I have a ring!” Realizing he was serious, she instantly said, “Yes!” As soon as they returned from their vacation, Betsy’s mother began planning the elegant wedding. The ceremony was held at St. Peter Catholic Church in Covington on May 9, 2009. The bride walked down the aisle in a strapless, custom-made Priscilla of Boston gown of antique lace with appliqué flowers, intricate beading and satin ribbon wrapped around the gown’s tiers. She carried a bouquet created by Stephen Sonnier of Dunn & Sonnier made of acid green orchids, cream and fuchsia peonies and lavender roses. Her bridesmaids carried bouquets of blue and purple hydrangea and wore Vera Wang lavender floor-length gowns from Town and Country with tulle trimmed bodices and a satin ribbon at each waist.  Following the ceremony, the bridal party and guests gathered at Betsy’s parents’ home in Covington for the reception. Kenny LaCour, along with Dunn & Sonnier, decorated the backyard in a French Provincial theme. A giant oak tree in the backyard was decorated with enormous antique chandeliers and floral arrangements of hydrangea, roses, delphiniums, peonies, orchids and tulips. “The ambiance of reception created by the lighting was absolutely amazing,” the bride says.  The couple danced their first dance atop a bridge, over the pool lit with votives to James Brown’s “I’ve Got You.” The Drywater Band from Houston, Texas got guests dancing with a variety of songs. Guests also enjoyed a large buffet by Kenny LaCour, owner of Dakota, Rambla and Cuvée,. Guests were treated to grilled flatbreads, fabulous cheeses, a crêpe station with various fillings, as well as freshly made sushi by three on-site sushi chefs and a station that included brisket, crawfish cheese grit tamales and mini fried oyster poor boys.  The wedding cake, created by Two Sweet Sisters, was a six-tier creation covered with hundreds of individual fondant leaves, topped with sugar replications of lavender peonies. The groom’s cake was a replica of Betsy’s wedding gift to Eric, a Browning Belgian-made over-under shotgun. Two Sweet Sisters duplicated the gun, made out of chocolate covered Rice Krispie Treats, and placed it on top of a gun case made of cake. A “sitting duck” sat on the side of the gun, also made of cake. The bride and groom had a photo booth set up for guests with crazy hats and props so everyone could take photos to remember the night. But one of the best features of the reception was the unbelievable fireworks display that lit up the sky signaling the end of the evening. The newlyweds left their reception down a walkway, lined with guests holding sparklers, and sped off to Hawaii for two weeks.  The couple resides in Covington temporarily, where Betsy is Vice President of Sales for Factory Sales and Engineering and Eric is a Urologist, having completed his residency with the Ochsner/LSU program in June. The couple will be moving to Chicago this summer for Eric to do a one-year fellowship with Northwestern, but upon their return Eric will be working for Ochsner.

BY: NICOLE WROTEN Bridal PartyFamily