You probably know that peak wedding season runs from about April until October. However, more couples are choosing off-peak weddings for a variety of reasons.  Here are the top 5 reasons we think it’s great to get married in the winter:
 
Availability
 
With fewer people getting married in a given season, it stands to reason that ceremony sites, reception venues, florists, DJs, bands, photographers, and any other vendors that service weddings will have more availability than during peak season. This means that you have a good chance of getting your first choice of date and time, as well as the reception room of your choice, if your venue offers multiple spaces. With fewer clients to juggle at once, you may also get a little more personal attention from your service providers and possibly faster turn-around on contracts, responses to questions, and even getting your completed wedding album back.

​What’s lovelier than a day trip to check out a popup market full of independent artists and makers in a quaint riverside village? Not much!
 
The Waddington Summer Market (one of our latest projects) featured home goods, fashion, art, and food from more than 30 Northern and Central New York small businesses. Most of these businesses don’t have brick-and-mortar stores, so participating in the market gave them a chance to connect with their community and it provided a chance for locals and visitors to check them out in person.

We're thrilled to share that the response has been so positive and the sales so successful that the market is now going to be open year-round permanent shop and artist studio. We're working on re-branding the market and consolidating the websites and social media (previously they were separated by their summer and winter seasonal names) to reflect this new change.  The new name will be Waddington Marketplace and Studios at Clark House. 

​Waddington, NY is about 2.5 hours north of Syracuse (where we are), situated on the St. Lawrence River. The Clark House, the market's location, is an historic building undergoing renovation and a preservation campaign. The Clark House was constructed in the 1800s when Waddington was the industrial hub of St. Lawrence County, boasting numerous mills, shops, restaurants, and taverns. The Clark House served as one of Waddington’s stagecoach stops and was a popular destination for residents, travelers, and businessmen. It was the structural and social anchor of Waddington’s downtown, a place where people stayed, ate, and met socially with their neighbors. In recent decades, a vacant Clark House fell into a state of serious disrepair. 

​We’ve been working closely with the participating business owners, the Clark House Preservation committee, ANCA (Adirondack North Country Association), and the St. Lawrence Chamber of Commerce to create this market, drawing people to Waddington to revitalize the economy there and give the Clark House new purpose. 

The Waddington Summer Market was an early step in the overall goal of making the Clark House and the village of Waddington into a hub for arts and events in the North Country. The St. Lawrence Arts Council's goal is to turn the building into an artist co-op with gallery and shop space on the first floor and studio space above and with the extension of the marketplace into a permanent shop, they are closer to achieving that goal. By keeping our marketplace there, it helps people visualize the space being used in that way so they can see the potential for both the building and the community.​

We took our team there on September 1 for a visit (and some delicious savory crepes at Artworks Creperie) and we met artist Cheryl Spadaccini who has been managing the store. We were excited to see all the products (we might have come home with a few goodies) and think about the potential for the permanent space. To learn more,  visit the market's website for hours and more details. ​

Music is a powerful tool for conveying thoughts and emotions. Weddings are undoubtedly emotional events and couples often spend a lot of time thinking about the type of music they want to play at their reception.
 
With the 2017 wedding season gearing up, we went right to the source and asked three local DJs we often work with what they’re seeing couples choose for their first dance and what their go-to songs are to pack the dance floor.
 
First Dances
 
The first dance song often holds special meaning for the couple or the lyrics give a little insight into the way the couple views their relationship. Cindy Ormond of Ormond Entertainment finds that even couples who don’t typically listen to a lot of country music select country songs for their first dance. “It’s likely because country song writers pen powerful love stories which perfectly express wedding day emotions,” she notes.
 
To find unique first dance songs that aren’t “overplayed,” many couples are searching YouTube and finding original songs or uploads by new professional or amateur artists who have covered a popular song in a very stripped-down manner (say with only an acoustic guitar).  However, Bill Milham of Black Tie Entertainment  warns that most of these YouTube videos are of very poor audio quality and the legality of ripping out the audio is questionable.  Listening through very small speakers on your phone or computer will not show the audio limitations that exist when these YouTube tracks are played through a large PA system.
 
Need some first dance song inspiration? Here’s what some Central New York couples will be dancing to this year:

Dance All Night
 
After the formalities are out of the way, high energy songs get people moving. “I stress to all of our clients that their goal should be to include music for everyone they invited.  Some of that may have to be during cocktail hour & dinner, but it can really make a person's night just to hear a few songs they absolutely love,” says Brian Simons of Visa Versa Entertainment.
 
Selecting music that appeals across generations often means choosing a middle ground of current hits and classics. “A trend that's been going for the past few years, and I expect to continue, is the popularity of 90s - 2000s pop/hip-hop for dancing,” says Brian. “It's old enough and well-known enough that the people in their 40s-60s know and dance to it, and recent enough that couples and their friends can agree on it as well.” That means songs from The Spice Girls, N’Sync, and the Backstreet Boys are coming back, as well as other favorites.
 
Bruno Mars continues to have lots of appeal at wedding receptions. Bill Milham says, “Although released late last year, “24K” by Bruno Mars is still THE go to song that has the most multi-generational appeal and is a slam dunk for getting people dancing. It’s the kind of song you want to be careful to play at the absolute apex of the evening!”  
 
Keep your guests on their feet with:

​Are you a sports nut? Cindy Ormond often sees couples select their team’s favorite anthem to get the crowd amped up. “’Shout’ for the Bills, “Sweet Caroline” for Red Sox fans, and of course, “New York, New York” for those who cheer the Yankees – these are dance floor winners every time when played for the right audience,” she says.”
 
Don’t think you have to save all these songs for after dinner, either. Bill Milham recommends sprinkling these songs into your cocktail hour music in addition to other upbeat tunes:  “Cocktail hour is much more energetic, boisterous, and loud than many realize and the music should match this energy coming from your guests,” he says.  
 
What song always gets you moving? Let us know!

​At a time when there are 9.4 million women-owned businesses in the US, supporting women entrepreneurs is not just a good cause but also a necessity for economic growth.
 
The LBD (Little Black Dress) is a fun and fashionable fundraiser created by SKY Armory that benefits the WISE Women's Business Center (WBC). This celebratory night will take place on Friday, October 14th, from 7-11 pm at SKY Armory.

Our president and creative director, Nicole Samolis, herself a woman business owner, has been heavily and passionately involved in working with the WISE WBC for a decade. Having started her company before the emergence of WISE, she knows firsthand the value of the business development resources and networking provided by the WISE Women's Business Center. The center offers mentoring and consulting services to women entrepreneurs, as well as networking opportunities.

The festive evening, celebrating the 10th anniversary of WISE WBC, will include a runway-style fashion show, emceed by Jackie Terribile,  highlighting local designers, retailers and models.

The event features funky cocktails, wines by female winemakers, made-from-scratch hors d’oeuvres, small plates and desserts prepared by the talented SKY Armory culinary team. 

​In case you need more reasons to attend this beautiful evening, a stunning gold Little Black Dress necklace (a $225 value) will be raffled at the end of the night.  Live entertainment will be playing throughout the evening, so you can dance the night away.
 
Click here for more information and to book your ticket for this amazing fundraiser that supports local women entrepreneurs in your community. 

Pre-order your Little Black Dress Necklace Today!

This $75 silver pendant on a Tiffany's style chain with black
cubic zirconium stones has been designed by Cazenovia Jewelery exclusively for the Little Black Dress Fundraiser. Proceeds benefit the ​WISE Women's Business Center.

Click here to purchase your necklace, once on the page, click on 'Get Tickets' on the top right-hand side, then scroll down the page to where it says LBD Necklace.

A huge thank you goes out to the 90+ golfers who came out for a great day on the course at Beaver Meadows. Together, these 23 teams raised $5,200 for the Syracuse Silverbacks Youth Rugby Team which was played in memory of Sean M. Samolis, a founding member and captain of the rugby team. The money raised funds team scholarships and defrays the costs of equipment, registration fees, and other costs. 

The game was played as a captain & crew and many teams also competed in the skins and putting contests. 

We are also very grateful to our sponsors who supported the annual tournament with raffle prize donations, tee and green signs,  and Pro Shop gift cards for course contests.

Presenting Sponsors:
Ale N Angus
SKY Armory

Longest Drive Sponsor - Merrill Lynch
Closest to the Pin Sponsor - Ale N Angus
Hole in One Sponsor - SKY Armory
Birdie Sponsor - Barclay Damon, LLP

Dinner Sponsors:
Black Tie Entertainment
Nu-Crete
Senior Home Care Solutions

Gift Sponsor - Just the Right Stuff

Signage Sponsor - Plus Sign Graphics

Tee/Green Signs:
The Ambrose Group
Barclay Damon, LLP
Bill's Carpet Services 
Carbonaro Law Office
Champions for Life
Classic Gunstocks, LLC
Coca-Cola
Empire Merchants North
GreatBrewers.com
Harrison Family
Hultzman Family
Le Moyne College
Menzel Family
Onondaga Beverage
Opici Family Distributing
Peter A. Guinta & Son Produce, Inc.
Powers Accounting & Business Services
Renzi Food Service
911 Restoration

A few more outtakes from the day, which included a sandwich lunch, steak dinner, and a lot of fun:

Last fall, a couple came in to talk about an engagement party they wanted to throw. But when we met with Sean and Danielle, they filled us in on their secret--they were planning to host a surprise wedding by getting married at the 'engagement' party! They were able to pull it off and we had a lot of fun being in on the surprise. 

For Sean and Danielle, who wed in September, the romance was a whirlwind. In late March 2014, they met through a mutual friend who was sure Sean was Danielle's future husband. A week after they met, they went on their first date; a month later, she moved in with him, and a month after that they began talking marriage. 

We asked Danielle (and Sean) to talk a little about their surprise wedding:

"We never actually made a conscious decision to have a very short engagement. We both just wanted to be together. I know it seems fast in reality, but we knew we wanted to spend our lives together.  We were driving one day talking about wedding ideas, what he would want, what I would want, just a casual conversation. We were not even engaged at the time. We start talking about how big or little our wedding would be, and Sean said, 'You know what would be great? If we just had a party and surprised everyone and got married!' And I agreed.  It took off from there." 

"We were very secretive at the start. We hired The Events Company to plan the wedding in early June. We hadn't told anyone yet, which was really hard because my family is super close. Mom knew first, mom always knows everything first. Very slowly we each spoke to individuals that we knew we wanted to be part of the wedding. And they were sworn to secrecy.  It turns out we have pretty good secret keepers in our circle.
I would say that 70% of the guests were completely surprised. We had to try and throw people off, so there were some lies and storytelling, but it was completely worth it. If we had it to do over again, we would." 

Even though the wedding was a surprise, the couple managed to celebrate the day with the most important people to them in attendance. About six out-of-town guests were clued in ahead of time so they could attend, but for everyone else not in the wedding party, the wedding remained a secret. By way of the surprise, Sean and Danielle's guest list managed itself in terms of keeping it intimate.  

"We agreed many times that if our engagement party isn't important enough to go to, we don't want you at the wedding.  I know that's harsh. But how many distant relatives do you have, or coworkers, or long lost friends, whom you invite to weddings and birthday parties out of obligation? We figured that by inviting roughly everyone we knew, we covered ourselves fulfilling the obligation part, knowing that people would make the choice of "waiting for the wedding." I was hurt by a couple people who didn't make it, and have had some disgruntled people who have said 'had I known...' But that's the point. No one knew. And they all were there anyways." 

When Sean and Danielle started to reveal their plans at the initial meeting, they didn't have a venue in mind. Nicole listed to their ideas and suggested the Palace Theatre. 

"We wanted to have an "engagement party" and then mid-way through, play a video the guests would focus on, and we could potentially be standing behind the screen where the video was, the screen would lift and we would be standing behind it. We pitched that idea to Nicole and she suggested the Palace Theatre. We knew when we saw it that it was going to be the place to pull it off. " 

Once all the guests had arrived and everyone was enjoying the engagement party, Sean and Danielle asked their guests to enter the theater for a video. As the video played, they changed into their formal dress. As the slideshow of photos of the couple ended, the last slide was a Save the Date--with that night's date. The bridal party procession followed and their ceremony was short and sweet, performed by Danielle's brother who was ordained online. They exchanged brief, funny vows and then got right down to the party. 

"We wanted everyone to have a good time. Good food and lots of fun. That's why we decided to nix a lot of the usual wedding formalities: No dollar dance, no garter toss or bouquet toss (though they kept a few of the traditional elements, such as the first, father-daughter, and mother-son dances, and the cake cutting).
We really just wanted to have a huge party where we could all just have a great time." 

Danielle had her heart set on a black and white color scheme with pops of red. The surprise was the most important detail to Sean, so as that was under control, Danielle worked with us to select decor and set the stage, so to speak. Throughout the lobby were enlarged photos of Danielle and Sean, in place of posters for shows. The ceremony was held on the theater stage (which also served as the dance floor later) and Sean and Danielle said their vows between two tall loose arrangements. The reception tables looked sophisticated in black linens tied with red and were topped by simple low flower arrangements. 

Sean and Danielle added some other special touches to their menu, as well: 
"Mashed potato bar! Best idea ever! It was a favorite of the guests also. I'm sure the open bar was also a highlight, haha, but mashed potato bar. It. Was. Awesome." 

The white and sweet mashed potatoes were served with toppings in martini glasses. 

Their graphic cake was modeled after a sample cake their bakery, Sweet Indulgence, had in their shop.
 
"We actually had chosen a square cake. A few days before the wedding we were told that square Styrofoam, which one of the layers was to be, was on back order. So our cake was round. It wasn't quite what I wanted, but in the end, we put a wedding together in 10 weeks from beginning to end. There were other battles to worry about." 

In addition to pulling off the surprise, Sean and Danielle created a wedding that was very 'them.'

"I don't know if I could pinpoint the best part of that day.  One of my favorite things about the whole thing is the after. And yes, I mean being married to the love of my life, but also the reaction of all the guests. That we did something so different and unique. Sean told me that when he visited another branch of his company weeks after our wedding, people were still raving about it.  We could have gone the traditional route, but it's just not us. And since this has been mostly my point of view I can also say, my husband is a larger-than-life kind of guy. A traditional sit-down formal dinner just didn't fit. Doing something outside the norm just felt more us. And that's a pretty amazing feeling too."

Event planning and design: The Events Company
Venue: Palace Theatre
Bouquets: Backyard Garden Florist
Cake and desserts: Sweet Indulgence
Photography: Photoessence Photography
Music: Marty the One Man Party

How do you honor the important people in your life who aren't physically present to share in the joy of your wedding day? It's a common issue for couples who may want to remember a deceased parent, grandparent, sibling, or other close individual. 

Certainly a moment of silence or a candle lit in their honor, a table featuring old photos, or the powerful visual of saving an empty seat at the ceremony are beautiful gestures and keep those loved ones present in people's minds. You could include a tribute, anecdote, or anything about your loved one in your ceremony program, if you have programs printed. If you choose to do favors, you could consider a specific cause or favorite treat of the person you're missing. If they had a favorite drink, you could use it as a beverage greet or for toasting instead of champagne. Did your loved one wore a certain kind of cologne or perfume? You could consider wearing it, too, as scents are often powerfully connected to memories. 

At this wedding featured on Style Me Pretty, the couple served cigars in honor of the bride's late father.

The 13th annual WISE Symposium went off with great success last week. For the first time it was held at the Carrier Dome on the Syracuse University campus. This was by design so that students, particularly those at Whitman School of Management and the Falcone Center for Entrepreneurship could attend. Sharing knowledge, experiences, and insight is one of biggest benefits of a symposium like WISE. Entrepreneurs from a variety of industries came from around Syracuse and around the country to ignite the passion of local women who own their own businesses or dream of doing so one day.

There were so many wonderful speakers, we couldn't hit everything, but here are some valuable takeaways that might help push you in the right direction for your business or endeavor. You can still see some of the tweets with hashtag #WISE2015.

• The federal government has a 5% goal of contracting with women and hasn't reached that goal yet. Maria Contreras-Sweet, administrator of the Small Business Administration encouraged attendees to get certified for government contracting.
  @MCS4Biz  @SBAgov
  
• A vision board can become something you walk by and don't interact enough with - Jamila Payne suggests you try a vision journal that you carry with you. Tape in pictures that speak to the areas of life you want to address.
  @jamilapayne
• Think about what you can or should do yourself (where the most value comes from you being personally involved), what you can delegate (what is taking you away from the things that will most help you achieve your goals), and what you can delete (things that no longer help you reach the specific goal you are trying to achieve). 
  @jamilapayne

Coincidentally, on the same day as WISE, Entrepreneur posted this article about key areas to delegate.

• Email is everyone else's to-do list for you. Take the first hour of every day, don't look at email, and work on your business, not in it. 
  @jamilapayne
• Reflective time management, a concept from Joanne DelBalso: Knowing exactly what you spend your time on can help you manage your day. For a few few weeks, track your time spent on the various activities you do and categorize them into six life centers: body (physical goals - health, wellness), brain (intellectual goals, things that stimulate your brain), being (spiritual goals, "me time"), time (organizational goals), people (nurturing those people most important to you, friends and family), and money (financial goals). When you see where your time goes, you are able to take actions to correct where time isn't being spent on the right things to reach your goals. @nofussacctng
• Joanne recommends a 'brain dump' at night: write down everything that's on your mind before bed; in the morning organize into action items or schedule appropriate meetings into your calendar.
  @nofusscctng

• An excuse is a declaration to yourself that the fulfillment of your desires isn't enough of a priority for you to do what is required.
  Tough love from Kelly Covert and Maggie Quinn.  @SBWHeart
• Shift your perception: are you looking at what is right or what is wrong? Most people are trained to look at the negative, and that allows you to leave options out.
  @SBWHeart
• Three  reasons it's hard to make a decision: you're not equipped, you're not empowered, or you're not connected.
  Productivity expert Nikita Devereaux @nikitadevereaux
• You're a leader by providing opportunities for others to do good, and achieve what they never thought they could.
  From the acceptance speech of Carmen Gendebien owner of Glow Spa and winner of the Key4Women Achievement award winner
  

• "We overestimate what we can do in short amount of time, but underestimate what we can do over long period of time." Words by Gretchen Rubin, shared by afternoon keynote speaker Tory Johnson. @toryjohnson

• "Even if the best thing that happened today was that an email to a potential contact didn't come back undelivered, celebrate that. Focus on what you can be grateful for." @toryjohnson

You've heard us talking about the WISE 2015 Symposium and maybe you saw the billboard looming large over 481 S, but do you know what WISE is really all about? 

If you own your own small or mid-size business, or dream of one day being your own boss, the WISE Symposium will fuel your fire and help you make that dream a reality. 

In 2003, the Falcone Center for Entrepreneurship, under the umbrella of Syracuse University's Whitman School of Management, developed WISE: Women Igniting the Spirit of Entrepreneurship. WISE is an initiative to train and inspire women interested in launching or growing a business venture. The goals of WISE's programs are to provide information, resources, and support for women entrepreneurs, enabling each to successfully advance their businesses to the next stage of profitability and success. Their mission is to create a thriving community of women entrepreneurs through two initiatives: the one-day WISE Symposium and the year-round WISE Women’s Business Center.

This year will be the symposium's 13th; we've helped plan and produce the annual event for 9 years. The day-long conference brings together local business owners for a full agenda of speakers, interaction and networking, and an expo where local services and business owners can learn more about each other, find needed services, build relationships, get health & wellness screenings, get a one-on-one digital media consultations, and buy retail goods from local vendors. WISE encourages participants to not only focus on their business, but their life outside of work and their health, too. 

Speakers, breakout sessions, and expo-floor workshops will touch on marketing and branding, skills needed to be successful (personal branding, time management, dealing with challenges), making the sale, and the importance of social media in both marketing your business and customer service. Speaking of social media, using the hashtag #WISE2015 during the event will allow you to participate in the Twitter party on-site, as well as follow along with the tips, tricks, and sage advice if you can't attend.

In the afternoon, after much inspiration and education, awards will be given out to recognize the achievements of local business owners.

Some additional highlights: 

• WISE Women's Business Center Connections Cafe: An opportunity to speak one-on-one with various counselors about services available to local women in business
• SU Bookstore, which will also be selling WISE Women Wear Orange t-shirts!

You will be inspired by the stories of the women and men who have forged their own paths in business, you will learn something new, and you will come away with actionable items you can put into place to move yourself and your business forward.

This year WISE Symposium will be at the Carrier Dome on Tuesday, April 21, from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm, with a networking tailgate party to follow on the expo floor.  Click here to buy your ticket.

Wedding season is about to be upon us, but typically before the wedding comes the bridal shower.

The theme and colors of a shower can coordinate with the wedding's or be inspired by something totally different. Above is the design board Alyssa created for a recent French-themed bridal shower thrown by one of the bride's high school best friends; the groom is French-Moroccan and the bride had studied abroad in France and loved her experience. 

Held at the Lincklaen House, a feminine palette and delicious French-inspired menu featuring Coquilles St. Jacques scallops and Steak Frites, set the tone while a painted streetscape Fun Photo backdrop (rented from Backdrops Beautiful) provided additional flair. 

Some other fun ideas for bridal shower themes (Click on the images for more details and photos):

If you're not really into the formality of a shower, or you wish your guy and/or guy friends could be there, The Knot suggests some casual, low-key co-ed ideas (in addition to a few fancy options).