Thursday, September 1, 2011

The Perfect Storm

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It starts in the studio.
I hear Thursday that the 300 person wedding on Sunday upstate will probably have to be postponed. A fury of phone calls begins. It's off, then it's on, - Asheley and I hit the market Friday morning in limbo, camping out around the corner at the ace hotel like hipsters without jobs, waiting for the call from the mother of the bride.
She calls, and tells me they're going forward - that they'll try to get most of their guests up to the camp before the storm hits. And so it's on.
Which is good for us, since we've already bought days worth of flowers and grasses, and have a box full of california heirloom roses in transit. Although the idea of a weekend off is appealing (as is a house full of extra roses - IMAGINE!) we're in the business of getting people married. And to disrupt the momentum we'd been gathering for this particular wedding would be a shame...

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We had to rearrange all our plans for Irene, instead of making anything in the studio, we packed everything up and drove it all up to camp on Friday. Making all the arrangements on site is a real joy - since they don't have to withstand trucking it allows me to make pieces that are more fragile, more gestural and loose. I really wish every event could be like this. The flowers were so effing good...but the streamers! A 5000 square foot streamer canopy transformed the camp mess hall into a real party! But as I look back at our prep photos it wasn't necessarily a pleasure putting it up...Thank god for Eric's engineering degree.

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It was while standing amidst 50,000 feet of streamers that I get a text from my real estate agent that they were starting to show the farm to other clients. My agent, who deserves a whole chapter in my book titled Guts and Glory, says to me "Focus on what you do best, and I'll do what I do best" (heroic!) Half an hour later she has a verbal agreement from the sellers to give us until September 1st. Which is today, I realize..

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Then we camped out and weathered the storm like a bunch of 12 year olds. 12 year olds with wine that is!

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The next morning the mess hall had lost power. No power meant no coffee brewed. Someone in the kitchen mentions "boiling water on a fire" and "sanka"
This is probably the lowest moment of the weekend

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On a big wedding weekend, regardless of the circumstances, I always hit a point where I start losing focus...I tend to walk around in circles just watching what everyone else is doing. Does that happen to anyone else?

In the dark I make the bouquet and personal flowers...taking them outside once in a while to check the colors...

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Then suddenly the rain tapers and the light improves slightly, and a bus full of people pulls up, and there's a wedding. Our staff heads out. The Tisch's start, and I witness what is probably the most touching gesture of family and community support for a couple.
After this weekend I was in awe of Jewish wedding traditions...

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And then there was a party, complete with a Klezmer band.

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Eric and I lit the candles and then left to start fundraising...

Today, September 1st, we have come up with the 196,ooo we need to buy the farm. And I have things to say about that someday.

It's not quite over yet, we don't have a close date set - but I don't want to leave you hanging too much as you've been ridiculously supportive in the last few weeks. And years.

A few more photos on my flickr.

49 comments:

Michelle Stiles said...

amazing wedding. I will fully donate to your cause - just because I look forward to your photos of flowers and witty words.

nice work

Lisa said...

Wow, just wow. Those streamers! Your work never fails to impress.

liz said...

The wedding is awesomely beautiful but the FARM..

OH THE FARM!

I send thousands of little gnomes of good luck your way in that regard.

studio choo said...

i thought of you and wondered what kind of wedding madness you had going on during the hurricane. can't wait for telluride to hear all about this farm stuff. xoxo j.

Anonymous said...

how did you come up with 196 grand? through the business? thats amazing, so inspiring that flowers can give you those kind of profits. well done!

Karen @ BonjourBruxelles said...

thank you for this...thank you for your measured tenacity and creative spirit. and thank you for keeping us in the loop. Go Sarah + Eric!

Erin said...

Hell yeah!

So freaking happy for you!

Hope to follow in your footsteps soon ;)

Erin said...

Oh yeah and killer freaking wedding!

Jessica said...

This post was pretty much the pick me up I needed for today.

Irene got owned. If a tropical storm couldn't take you down than there's no stopping you in getting your farm (in my eyes you already own it).

Lotte and Bloom said...

i'm over the moon for you, and the farm of course. it sounds like you two belonged together.

also, this wedding is unbelievable, KILLING ME so so beautiful

Amy S. said...

The flowers and streamers for this wedding are amazing and so happy to hear about the farm! Good luck!!

Unknown said...

Been enjoying your adventures - sending you good thoughts about the farm (way to go for it!)- and the wedding looks gorgeous!!!

Kate Kelleher said...

flipping ridiculously gorgeous wedding....and then the farm....I bow in honour.

Ashley Fox said...

When I read you have the 196K to hopefully get the farm, I started to tear up in happiness and hope for you and Eric and Nea. Creatively, I have never wanted so much for someone else so badly, probably for selfish reasons too because I love seeing your work on the blog. You are an incredible person. And that wedding. wow. so many wows...

Anonymous said...

Man, it's nice to read good news. Thanks for sharing your good fortune with strangers.

Loretta Flower said...

amazing stuff, right here. i never fail to come to your blog and be inspired to work about a million time harder. these arrangements, the streamers, the garland. it's effing ethereal.

good luck on the farm.

Unknown said...

That the wedding photos stand testament to your brilliance and teamwork and energy is one thing, that you could do that with such perfection and focus with your heart churning over your future home is, frankly, beyond belief... i think you maybe a little superhuman. I so hope everything works out for your farm. Best wishes from Blighty.

Liane said...

YIPPEE SARAH!! WOOT WOOT. Seriously, girl. Way happy for you. PS- Invite me to the farm you you get all settled, k?

LPC said...

What Ashley Fox said. Lump in throat.

Christina said...

The wedding looks absolutely amazing, but I cannot tell you how happy I am that your wish is coming true and that you'll have your farm. That is the BEST!
Btw, I still have your bucket from the mountains of little roses, and I shall return it this weekend (assuming your doors are open).

count buckula said...

+1 for willpower

fleur_delicious said...

total lump in the throat, heart pumping "yes yes yes" hope for the farm...

and oh my god, some of that heart-pumping throat lump might be from this incredible wedding. What, may I ask, are the streamers made of? Paper? cloth? Hard to tell - they drape so beautifully.

and right there with you on jewish weddings. The last one I was at didn't just pull the heartstrings, it positively thrummed them.

Foundation Design said...

wow, those streamers are divine.

i got goosebumps reading that last bit. i'm so excited for you! we hope to get our own farm paradise in the next couple of years and this is true inspiration.

Tina Riddell said...

Stunning wedding and quiet the adventure to pull it off. A thousand congrats on the farm! A dream come true I'm sure.

Question, where did you get those steamers??

McKenzie Powell said...

oh. my. dream team! that wedding is awesome. and hooray for the farm!!!

Anonymous said...

boo-yah!
that's incredible news.

maybe someday, i can come visit your farm and shoot some pics. i'll bring the sanka (kidding!)

Sarahbeth said...

Hell Yes! So so happy for you - your wedding success, your farm hope - your creative spirit and riotous sense of humor. You're one of my inspiration + tenacity heros. Go you. I'll still be thinking about you & wishing you luck and blessings in all your endeavors!

side note: I had a photo-shoot full of craziness this past weekend - broken wrists - etc. there was something about the world this past go - glad we're all round the bend!

flwrjane said...

Your news about the farm has brought tears to my eyes.

Congratulations on such wonderful news and on the amazing ability to design such beautiful flowers in the dark.

xo Jane

Shelley said...

Hot damn Sarah! How the HE'LL did you get those streamers to look so amazing. An engineering feat indeed.

The farm? I can't imagine what you've gone through to make it happen, but I knew you'd have it.

The flowers? Jesus. Those arrangements don't at all look like someone bored with flowers created them. Yum!

Unknown said...

Yahoooo! Congratulations!

And holy gorgeous wedding. In a hurricane, no less.

Jo said...

Holy shit! at those streamers!!!! That is insane. And I love love love the grasses in the arrangements. Beautiful. Girl, I am totally jumping up and down for you and Eric. So glad everything came together to get you your farm. Love.

Unknown said...

Fabulous news on the farm! Keeping my fingers crossed that everything proceeds smoothly for you.

My niece was married this weekend, and all I can say is: how I wish your business was in South Carolina. What a dream you created for that lucky couple!

Anonymous said...

What a whirlwind with such a beautiful outcome! Those streamers are tight!!! You're going to get that farm, I just know it:)

Amelia said...

Yay! You got the farm..a port in the storm...Mael Tov indeed. Lovely streamers!

Amelia said...

God my typing sucks...Mazel Tov indeed! There.

Tebailey said...

So pleased for you Sarah! Hope everything goes to plan with the farm as I'm sure it will because you and Eric deserve it!

Laura and Tom (Soho house wedding)

P.s. The wedding before the storm looks absolutely amazing. Some of your guys best arrangements to date! Love them.

Unknown said...

Unbelievably beautiful wedding. So looking forward to welcoming you to upstate New York, we're a fun bunch up here. Good luck with farm!

blue roses said...

CONGRATULATIONS!

i cannot wait for more pictures of the farm; i am in love with it.

klezmer rock!

http://dallianceswithsuitsandskirts.blogspot.com/

Various Projects said...

absolutely gorgeous. love the flowers, love the streamers, love the rainy/campy backdrop, and the chalkboard! xx

Anne said...

I can't get over the streamers...that's patience and dedication. I've come back to look at it a few times now. Your work is always beautiful and inspiring...
Would love to link to this as a favorite ceiling decor.

An said...

fingers crossed for the farm!

Anonymous said...

Stunning wedding - I love seeing your work! And good luck with the farm!!!

Janie said...

Sarah, as always, the wedding is STUNNING and good luck with the farm...I have no doubt that everything will work out..so excited for you guys!!

Joanne said...

Beautiful beautiful wedding - room, ribbons, flowers...simply stunning. Good things happen to good people. Best of luck with the farm.

Alix said...

Absolutely, unspeakably GORGEOUS wedding. And congratulations on the farm!

Djamila Moore said...

thank you for your words and your glorious photos. i look at your blog every few days from here in Vancouver and am always radically inspired.
congrats on the farm! that gives me hope for a pipe dream of my own...

-djamila

engagement rings said...

Love your Flicker images, so amazing. Wedding looks fab

Nik said...

Beautiful mix of colors, very artistic arrangements!

pearl necklace said...

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