A weekend off during high season is a most treasured gift in a wedding designer’s life. So, when Christen of Wed Altered called me last October on the Monday before my only weekend off through December, I was a bit frazzled. But, then things got very exciting, very quickly.

A live shoot during Bridal Fashion Week in New York City? What does that even mean? Well, just that. A collaboration in a beautiful space to showcase some of the best talent in and around NYC all while fashion week happens around us, run way shows and all. We were a bonus to fashion week, so to speak. I never heard of anything like it. Obviously, I was in 110%.

This phone call happened at Monday at 3:00 PM. I had about an hour drive home. I didn’t start making phone calls to my vendor friends and partners until 5:00 PM. Some didn’t get phone calls until Tuesday! But, by Wednesday morning we had 12 vendors that were behind us and were ready to go! The incredible rush of putting together such a event in such a short amount of time, all while being in between two events myself, was complete exhilaration. A complete joy to be reminded of the wonderful people I am surrounded by and the incredible Dee Kay Events team that came together for such a great event.

Wed Altered hosts a buyers salon during NY Bridal Fashion Week that gathers designers who believe that design should not suffer at the face of sustainability, ethical values and social consciousness. Some of these designers were inspiration enough for us to create the live shoot. But, we were given a specific color palette of plum, blush, light orange and green. Everything else? We had free reign. A designer’s dream!

We pulled in lots of different textures to offset the random color choices, focused on pops of color for the floral and muted tones of gray and plum for background. Louis Roros of Sayrewoods Florals did a fantastic job of creating centerpieces that reflected the modern vintage feel that we love so much. Although we never discussed a bouquet design, on the day of the shoot, I made an impromptu one from the centerpieces. It turned out beautifully!

Liz from Octavia & Brown must have brought her entire studio vintage rentals studio to use. It was incredible. We were like kids in a candy shop amongst the beautiful vintage floral dishes, gold flatware and amazing stand out pieces. It really made for a unique table scape, transformed the space and added warmth and vitality to the blank canvas we had in front of us.

Brandi of Alexis June buy klonopin from india Weddings has an impeccable eye and talent for both digital and film. She captured the day perfectly, along with Shawn and Alessandra of Sweet Start Weddings. The cinema feature captures the excitement and beauty of the entire day.

The best part? I was able to keep to my own business philanthropy to inspire or lift up at least one person during a styled shoot (read: Styled Inspiration). I was able to have my cousins, who are sisters, be our models for the day. This was their first time trying on wedding dresses! It was a complete honor to be there with them for this. The first dress I put Joan in is the one she said she would pick for her wedding dress. What a compliment!

By the way, these girls are Iron Man competitors – Iron Women, I should say. They run, swim and bicycle for miles on end…on purpose! Thousand of miles between the two, these two sisters inspire woman and men every day to get up, get out of bed and just go. They coach and train others to keep on going on to reach their marathon goals. I am thrilled I was able to have a day to give back to them for all that they give to the world.

After a 19 hour work day, when you look back at the incredible team behind you that is there to help you succeed, you can’t help but think you’re going to wake up and it will all be gone. I still have to pinch myself! These photos not only capture beauty, but they capture the labor of love of every vendor and model who dropped everything that week to make this happen. These photos are my heart. These photos are my gratefulness. These photos are the future. Success is not measured in dollar signs, or the parties you’re invited to, or who knows your name. Success is in the relationships you build. The friendships. The love.

I hope these photo inspire couples about to wed to concentrate on the love around them. That’s what matters most in this world.

As for my weekend off? That’s what all of January was for, wasn’t? 🙂

For more photos, see our feature in the Black Sheep Bride.

Diane Kolanović-Šolaja Creative Director & Owner

Diane Kolanović-Šolaja, Creative Director and Owner of Dee Kay Events, is an award-winning wedding planner, author, and speaker. Equipped with a dynamic blend of experience in corporate law and technology, a gut feeling with a 90-day plan, and an undying passion for uniting people in celebration, she transformed her vision to help people into a leading tri-state wedding planning service. Diane's approach is deeply personal, blending meticulous planning with a flair for design and a commitment to cherished memories, creating over a decade-long legacy of crafting luxurious, unforgettable weddings. Diane's journey demonstrates her unwavering dedication to celebrating love across the Jersey Shore and beyond, making every marrier's dream day a splendid reality.

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