Another Happy Client
1963: We had survived the Cuban missile crisis, JFK declared himself a Berliner and Toni and I got married in the Founders Room in Anabel Taylor Hall on the Cornell University campus in Ithaca, NY. It was a small, simple ceremony followed by a quick lunch. Now, some 50 years later, children and grandchildren, triumphs and tragedies, both personal and public, we decided that the time had come to commemorate that event and to use it as an opportunity to bind up, to reconnect the various branches of both families.
However, once we had decided and the time had been agreed to be the weekend of the 2013 Summer Solstice, the event appeared daunting in scope and detail. Through a recommendation we met Barbara and Jennifer and became aware of their full service approach to event planning. It was as if the cavalry had ridden out of the woods at a critical point in combat!
Their attention to detail, their obvious delight in planning, thinking about and anticipating our needs was impressive. Interviews, questionnaires, a budget, detail, detail, detail, but always the calm assurance that all would be well and that if things went even a little bit wrong, it would be alright.
Then the weekend came: family gathered from far and wide, a hospitality room Friday night, a moving rededication ceremony, led by Barb, at Anabel Taylor on Saturday, at which our twin 6 year old grand daughters were moved, spontaneously, to speak, a wonderful reception and meal at the Statler, served to us on the dinnerware from our first meal together, then on to a picnic at the Foundation of Light: sumptuous food (from GreenStar), music, storytelling, juggling, magic, kites, games on the grass, just hanging out – all left tired but happy. Finally, a Sunday at home brunch at our Ithaca residence, people coming and going all morning and everybody smiling, due in large part to the tireless work and good nature of both Barb and Jennifer.
At our “after action” review the next week, I awarded the C&E team an overall mark of 97 – very high recognition from a stern grader! Thus, I recommend Ceremonies and Events warmly without reservation whatever your plans and dreams are.
