I often get asked why I love doing smaller events in the Westport and Fairfield, CT areas and well beyond! Small events, to us, are events under about 60 people give or take. Wedding proposals ( Hi Taylor we are here in Westport, CT if you need us!...) rehearsal dinners, small weddings, baby showers, bridal showers, sprinkles, anniversary dinners, birthday bashes and smaller mitzvah celebrations- sign Blossom + Stem up ( pending budget and timing of course..). I love these events and have gotten if I dare say really really good at maximizing decor budget for them.
As floral designers, we get the best of both worlds when designing for smaller events. People in our industry often think that doing the larger events is the only way to go as they can be from a financial standpoint but smaller events open a world where we get to be creative, get to know the client and also get to set up alongside the venue teams. As a bride you may be planning the wedding of your dreams with your family and fiancee but is your fiancee's family hosting the rehearsal dinner..in a town they are not familiar with? Is your wedding small? We talk to alot of fiancee moms and small wedding couples! The brides best friend may be planning a shower in the brides hometown and not sure who to talk to for florals. She has no idea who your wedding florist is because its not in Westport or Fairfield County. We talk to alot of best friends and we love it! And believe me, not everyone is throwing a 300 person Mitzvah or wedding either. Pinterest can be misleading! The intimate Mitzvah luncheons, brunches or dinners are just as fun and beautiful! Covid showed us that intimate events are so beyond fun and exciting. This is when I completely fell in love with the smaller scale events. A proposal under a flower arch, a few hundred white hydrangea and candlelight running down a wedding table for 25, bright poppies adorning a baby shower- you name it its so fun for me to design. I never take the size for granted. For us, planning smaller events is like a mini view into someone else's reality, dreams, goals and celebrations. As a host of a small event, you get to interact with your guests on such a personal level. Your guests often get to walk out with a centerpiece or bestow some of the pieces as a gift to families or guests. Here are our favorite examples of small events within the general Westport, CT area.
We do alot of showers, rehearsals and smaller celebrations at the Boathouse at Saugatuck in Westport, CT! Eric is truly a top notch event manager and has a wonderful team behind him. We love working in the Regatta room downstairs where guests can have access to water views, inside and outside set ups. Both the upstairs and downstairs are amongst our favorites. Setting the tables up long rectangle upstairs is my favorite and downstairs I love a round table look. Its a clean palette and that gorgeous white bar is always a dream to slash some color against. Eric sends clients our way because we know the space and he can focus on his menu and task in executing the event. We typically know the needs and objectives of the client and often these clients are not planning an event in their own hometown. They are often from out of town so we can help them select the best florals for their occasion and room set up.
Longshore is gorgeous for many of the same reasons and I absolutely love a small event at La Plage! Again, gorgeous view and a neutral slate. We are so used to working in this space and can help the client maximize their dear set up by integrating with the gorgeous setting. Their team is also top notch like all of the Delamar properties so the client can relax and totally enjoy their event.
Private homes! Since my event planning days 20 years ago, I have planned and/or flowered hundreds of smaller events held in private homes. This is my absolute favorite. We love working with a client in complimenting their interior space with flowers or even transform the space entirely. Wine pairing foodie dinner parties for 15 with one big statement centerpiece or a mitzvah for 50 outdoors in bright neons. Tent companies can basically do any configuration and some clients even remove furnishings from a room to completely transform a space. Imagine showing bright pinks and greens in a totally muted space. A few flowers and a bright linen will do the trick. Let alone your choice in food caterers.. We have so many amazing caterers in our locale.
And honestly, if your "just" having a small event at home and want to run beautiful bud vases down a table or create a statement piece for your foyer we love getting intimate and granular. We've gone into alot of homes big & small and can transform any space.
For small event planning or florals, give us a shout- we still book out well in advance for smaller events but you can check the dates and needs with our team anytime to see if we are a fit for you!
Flower on!
Michele Sinacore
