The Maverick Wedding

In consultation with Marcy Blum.

• By Stacia Thiel
• Published Summer 2006

BLOWOUT BUDGET

THE KNITTING FACTORY
74 Leonard St., nr. Broadway; 212-219-3132

Location

For this couple, going all out doesn't mean showing off, but rather sharing of themselves. That's why Blum suggests giving this wedding the theme "Our Favorite Things." The Knitting Factory, with three floors and four unique spaces, is perfect for hosting multiple mini-parties designed to represent different times and places significant to the couple. For example, Christmas (their favorite holiday), Carnivale in Rio (where they got engaged), and a sleek lounge (their hangout of choice) can all come to life in this transformable space. The entire factory costs $15,000, including bartenders and end-of-the-evening cleanup crew.

Catering

Turn to a well-known chef for impeccable results when orchestrating a themed party. Karen DePerry (212-400-4999) specializes in producing events with famous chefs. To capture the Christmas spirit, serve dishes like pudding and cranberry chutney; and evoke Carnivale in all its vibrant glory with Brazilian feijoadas and refreshingly zesty caipirinhas. Hire an esteemed mixologist to help transform the Knitting Factory's Tap Room into a sexy nocturnal lounge. Replace cake with Jacques Torres truffles, coffee, and chocolate liqueurs, passed by gorgeous wait staff hired from a casting agency.

Music

Set the tone when guests arrive with The Hungry March Band (hungrymarchband.com), a roaring brass band that plays everything from Latin to hip-hop. As guests continue to the front bar, greet them with traditional holiday songs compliments of Dickens Victorian Carollers (718-392-0327). The Carnivale-themed main space wouldn't be complete without samba dancers (contact Dance Chelsea for references; 917-606-0289). End the evening on a high note with a celebrity D.J. like Samantha Ronson and a midnight performance by the electro-rock group Heloise and The Savoir Faire Dancers (heloisewilliams@mac.com).

Flowers & Décor

Decorate the Christmas room with mistletoe and red poinsettias, and, for the truly outlandish, a Christmas tree and a cast of waiters dressed in reindeer costumes. In the main space, revisit Carnivale by filling the room with enormous multicolored paper flowers, green palm trees, and lush potted plants. In the Tap Room-turned- lounge, forgo all things floral. Instead, scatter numerous metallic bronze, silver, and gold candles, placed in a variety of metallic holders. Cluster ottomans of every hue around a sleek white bar rented from Props for Today (212-244-9600) or Lounge 22 (818-502-0351).