The expert event planning team at 583 Park Avenue has over 40 years of event planning experience. There is almost nothing about planning an event that surprises us. That said, we receive new and interesting questions from clients on a nearly daily basis. Through this new blog series “Ask 583,” we will be sharing our expert’s answers to many of our favorite event planning questions.

Do you have a question for the event planning experts at 583 Park Avenue? CONTACT US today.

My fiancé had a falling out with his best friend and decided that he doesn’t want anyone in his wedding party at all. I already asked my sister and two best friends to be bridesmaids. What do I do? 

We hear dozens of questions every year about unbalanced wedding parties. Our honest answer every time is that unbalanced wedding parties are not a big deal at all.

However, in this case, having no one stand by your soon-to-be husband may seem a little strange. Has he invited anyone to the wedding at all? A brother? A Cousin? One of your friends that he seems to get along with? In the best-case scenario, I would suggest that he invite a friend or family member to stand with him. They don’t have to be his first choice, or even the second, but it makes sense to have someone handle the typical best man duties during the ceremony. If that is impossible, pick one of your bridesmaids to stand by him during the ceremony, so at least he’s not alone.

Under no circumstances would we recommend uninviting your bridesmaids in order to cater to his request. You obviously want them there, and they’ve already been invited.

My mother passed away a few years ago and I would like to honor her at my wedding this fall (I’m the groom). We aren’t very religious and for the most part will be keeping religion out of our ceremony. How can I do this without “killing the mood”?

Honoring recently passed relatives is a fairly common practice, whether you’re religious or not. You shouldn’t be worried about “killing the mood”.  A few tribute ideas that we’ve seen in the past:

·      Leaving an open seat in the front row at the ceremony

·      Asking the groom’s father give a short speech to honor her relationship with the couple

·      Displaying a photo in the area where guests sign the guest book

Note: Anything more than a quick speech or understated tribute will, in fact, “kill the mood”. Remember, the wedding day is about celebrating your union, not honoring the dead. While it’s important to make your mother a part of your big day, don’t take the focus off of you and your bride.

We’re hosting a fundraiser in August. Our guest of honor has one special request: no air conditioning. I can’t even totally explain why. We’ve been able to sell a lot of tickets using this celebrity as a hook, but I’m worried our guests will be miserable in the middle of a humid New York summer day. Help!

This sounds like a nightmare. Proper temperature management is one of the most important parts of any event. In fact, many event venues might flat out reject this request, as they are the ones with their reputation on the line. According to our Director Emeritus Herbert Rose:

“The things that can really impair an event are: temperature, temperature, temperature. Nothing will ruin a party more effectively than a venue that is too hot or too cold.”

So what’s the solution? Unfortunately, you may be stuck. You’ve already sold the tickets advertising the guest of honor. Your guests have paid to see them, no matter how uncomfortable it may be. While a sweltering venue may leave a bad taste in your guests’ mouths, false advertising will be even more detrimental. If possible, add a line to the program alerting guests that “Air conditioning has been turned off by request of (guest of honor)”. It may not be the best solution, but it will at least offer your guests an explanation as to why they are melting in their seats.

Do you have a question for the event planning experts at 583 Park Avenue? CONTACT US today to ask your question and find out what makes 583 Park Avenue the best event space on the upper east side. One of our event coordinators will be in touch with you shortly.