FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Kate Hughes/Lauren Lazzara
ALICE FAY, WEDDING SPECIALIST AT
FAIRMONT CHICAGO, MILLENNIUM PARK,
CELEBRATES HER 500TH EVENT ON SATURDAY, MAY 16
Fay Highlights the Top Summer Wedding Trends for 2015
CHICAGO – One of the nation’s foremost event and wedding planners, Alice Fay, Wedding Specialist atFairmont Chicago, Millennium Park, 200 North Columbus Drive, will celebrate her 500th event on Saturday, May 16, 2015. Fay has over 15 years of event planning experience including at The Fairmont Copley Plaza, where she served as the Catering Manager, and The Fairmont Washington, D.C. Throughout her career, Fay has conceived events ranging from intimate social gatherings to large-scale gala weddings.
A nationally recognized lifestyle expert and a DIY design guru, Fay provides planning advice onHow2Heroes.com and recently served as a judge on the Throwdown with Bobby Flay series on The Food Network. According to Fay, here are the top 10 hottest trends for summer weddings in 2015:
- Craft cocktails:Brides and grooms are interested in featuring creative, custom cocktails. Fay notes that bitters are a must, and old school drinks with a modern twist are also popular. Giant ice cubes are a big hit, especially with bourbon drinkers.
- Beer pairings:Microbrews are very popular in the Chicagoland area as well as different locales around the country, so brides and grooms are displaying their favorite labels and pairing them with casual items such as mini pretzel bites, a custom bar mix or passed hors d’oeuvre paired with a mini sampling of the appropriate brew.
- Pre-Ceremony libations:A trend that is becoming more common is greeting guests of an on-location ceremony with a mini glass of bubbly or a non-alcoholic festively garnished flavored sparkling water.
- Notable quotables:Thoughtful quotations pertaining to the specific couple about their love story, relationship, favorite movie or song quotes can be printed or written and placed in a frame, on a napkin or on a chalkboard and displayed for all to see and chat about during the reception.
- Finger foods for cocktail hour:Buffet lines and carrying around plates during cocktail hour are becoming outdated. Instead, Fay suggests that in keeping with the description of cocktail hour, brides and grooms serve smaller passed bites on fun, printed cocktail napkins (maybe with a notable quotable on it!) and why not pair a tiny version of a signature cocktail or favorite microbrew.
- Coursed dinners: It’s on-trend right now to serve a coursed dinner that allows guests to sit, relax, enjoy the beautiful centerpieces and table decor and eat. To make the most of the evening, brides and grooms can plan speeches and dances in between courses.
- Coursed wines:As a complement to the coursed dinner, brides and grooms are more frequently choosing a special wine to pair with each food offering instead of a house red or white. The couple might choose a wine with a significant meaning, and the extra glasses on the table can add a tasteful décor element.
- Custom menu planning:Another popular trend is to serve food that is meaningful to the couple. If the bride and groom were engaged in Italy, Fay suggests serving a regional Italian course, or if the family is from the South it could be fun to serve biscuits as part of the bread selection. Or, the couple who loves gourmet doughnuts might serve these pastries in place of a cake, and each guest may take a couple home for a late night snack.
- Unusual tables:Fay notes that it’s on-trend to move away from cookie-cutter tables and opt instead for a mix of round, square and rectangle options. The centerpieces may vary as well, with candles and floral arrangements placed on alternating tables.
- Candlelight and natural ambient lighting:The popularity of shows like Downton Abbey has made intimate and romantic lighting very fashionable.
To learn more information or to book an event, call 312-565-7400 or visit www.fairmont.com/chicago/meetings-weddings.
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Fairmont Chicago, Millennium Park is a AAA Four Diamond luxury hotel located in downtown Chicago. With 687 guestrooms and 62,000 square feet of meeting space, the hotel provides contemporary elegance and gracious hospitality. Fairmont Chicago, Millennium Park is also home to aria restaurant and bar, taking guests on an “east meets west” culinary experience. In addition to uniquely inspired dining and stylish accommodations, the hotel features an exclusive lifestyle spa. mySpa affords eight treatment rooms and provides the perfect urban sanctuary from the busy and bustling Chicago streets. For more information on Fairmont Chicago, Millennium Park, call 312-565-8000 or visit fairmont.com/chicago.
Fairmont Hotels & Resorts connects guests to the very best of its destinations worldwide, reflecting each locale’s energy, culture and history. Passionate travelers choose the luxury hotel brand for its ability to deliver memorable travel experiences, personalized and thoughtful service, and hotels that are one-of-a-kind. Serving as genuine gateways to their destinations, Fairmont hotels offer locally-inspired cuisine and spirited bars and lounges, distinctive design and décor, and a steadfast responsibility to environmental and social priorities. With more than 65 hotels globally, and many more in development, landmark hotels in the Fairmont collection include The Plaza in New York, London’s The Savoy, Fairmont Peace Hotel in Shanghai and Quebec City’s Fairmont Le Château Frontenac. Fairmont is owned by FRHI Hotels & Resorts, a leading global hotel company with over 110 hotels under the Fairmont, Raffles, and Swissôtel brands. The company also manages Fairmont, Raffles and Swissôtel branded luxury private residence clubs, whole-ownership residences and serviced residences properties. For more information or reservations, please visit fairmont.com. Become a fan of Fairmont. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, andEveryonesAnOriginal. For career information and opportunities, please visit fairmontcareers.com.
Katharine Hughes
1528 W. Fullerton Avenue
Chicago, IL 60614
773.969.5202 (P)
773.477.7388 (F)
2014 PR News Agency Elite Award Winner
xxx
Maralyn D. Hill, M.Ed., The Epicurean Explorer
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