SCENARIO NO. 1: DINNER AND DANCING IN THE PALMER HOUSE
“Nineteenth-century Orientalism was in style when the Brooklyn Botanic Garden was constructed. Drawing from that, we used ivories, lavenders, and acid-greens, which were characteristic of the period, and the crystal vase alludes to the era’s glass conservatories. We kept the cake flower-free and gave it a domed top, a reminder of nineteenth-century architecture.”
—Robert Bardin of Bardin Palomo and Margaret Braun
SCENARIO NO. 2: BLACK-TIE EXTRAVAGANZA IN THE HAMPTONS
“For an outdoor wedding you need centerpieces with impressive vertical scale because of all the open space, even if you’re in a tent. We used orchids, roses, and hydrangea because they don’t easily wilt in warm weather. And the cake? It was inspired by the classic picnic basket.”
—Preston Bailey and Sylvia Weinstock
SCENARIO NO. 3: SWANK HOTEL RECEPTION, DOWNTOWN
“The Gramercy Park Hotel was our inspiration. The red flowers echo its velvet drapes and carpets; the passionflower vine recalls its rooftop garden. Its chandeliers spoke to each of us differently. One of us saw a sawtooth shape, hence the use of aloe in the centerpiece; the other saw Venetian glass, which inspired the cake’s silver appliqué.”
—Dejuan Stroud and Ron Ben-Israel
SCENARIO NO. 4: INTIMATE RESTAURANT PARTY
“We were inspired by Public, the restaurant on Elizabeth Street in Nolita. It’s the perfect venue for an arty couple because it merges vintage with contemporary chic so successfully, with its stylistic references to public libraries. Oranges, russets, and golds have a retro vibe that is kept fresh with chocolate brown.”
—David Stark and Elisa Strauss of Confetti Cakes
SCENARIO NO. 5: OUTSIDE, ON THE NORTH FORK
“We kept the flowers as light as possible, contrasting soft textures with knotty woods. We embraced a rustic, organic theme, using wooden boxes as cake pedestal and centerpiece vessel, but stayed away from traditional harvest combinations. The grapes and grape ivy are literal references, and garden roses and sunflowers honor the surroundings of a vineyard.”
—Cheryl Kleinman and Raquel Corvino
