NYC Knottie, gorjush gives us details on her "artsy deco" soiree with a "Floribbean" menu.

Posted Tuesday, February 24, 2009 2:25 PM

Knot Name: gorjush

Wedding Date: March 14, 2009

Knot Annie: What’s your board like and have you ever joined the Knotties for a GTG?

gorjush: Although I’m an NYC local, I primarily use the CFL board. However, I’m not in Orlando often enough to attend a GTG there, but I’d love to!

KA: Describe your wedding.

gorjush: To sum it up: personalized “artsy deco” soiree. Our reception site is a hotel in downtown Orlando (The Grand Bohemian) that’s known for its contemporary, artsy vibe. The hotel owner is an avid art collector and has paintings and sculptures from his private collection all throughout the hotel. Both of our fathers are artists, so we just felt at home there. The art deco/art nouveau feel will be interjected through some of the decor elements. I’ve been looking at a lot of Alfonse Mucha prints and took my color palette from one of them (gold, eggplant, and magenta with some chartreuse pops). Ironically, the color palette I chose matches perfectly with the reception’s interior!

The personalization is being conveyed through the food and entertainment. My ethnic background is Mexican, so we’ll have a mariachi band for a little live music during cocktail hour. My fiance Leo is part Malaysian. The cocktails and hors d’oeuvres will all be Malaysian- and Mexican-themed. For dinner, I developed a “Floribbean” menu that’s absolutely delectable!

KA: How have the Knotties on your board helped you plan?

gorjush: They’ve given me great vendor recommendations as well as detailed reviews after they get married. I’ve also been able to pick up some great items at reduced costs that the girls have listed for sale after their weddings.

KA: Favorite bio on The Knot and why?

gorjush: chad_n_jared: His bio gives great advice on etiquette and has a no-nonsense, tell-it-like-it-is approach. I kept it open as I was addressing my save-the-dates and invites. Jeffswife2B: She has such great art deco/art nouveau inspiration that was updated in a tasteful and elegant way without being ostentatious. And I love the Miami setting!

KA: Best vendor that you’ve worked with and why?

gorjush: My cake vendor, Heather Michaud from It’s Tasty Too. When we were looking for a cake vendor, I visited her in Orlando, but my fiance wasn’t traveling with me. So later on, she shipped actual cake samples to us here in NYC so that he could try them. She was also willing to do some of the more unique flavor combinations that I came up with. We’ll be having four different cake flavors: banana chocolate chip with cream cheese, Key lime cake with strawberries and pomegranate creme, black bottom cake (dark chocolate with chocolate chips and cream cheese), and Oreo cookie cake. Also, she has an artistic flair and was able to sketch some unique ideas for our cake that weren’t too outlandish. She knows how to take a theme and make it understandable for a wedding cake.

KA: What’s something that makes your wedding unique for your guests, and where did you find the inspiration?

gorjush: Definitely the menu -- the food was very important to both of us since we live in NYC and have access to such great cuisine. Since we’re having a lot of out-of-town guests from up north, I wanted them to experience Florida in a gourmet way. I researched all over the Internet for ideas for the “Floribbean” menu. I read chef blogs and scoured the web for Caribbean/Latin fusion restaurants as well as new restaurants that were offering classic Southern entrees with a twist (for the Florida portion). I also looked at nouveau vegetarian restaurants for some unique alternatives to the generic vegetable pasta dish served at weddings. Everything on the menu is custom -- nothing came from the hotel’s banquet menu.

KA: What are you looking forward to most on your wedding day?

gorjush: Walking down the aisle and seeing my groom’s face -- and knowing that I’ll very shortly be a wife to my wonderful husband. Also our first dance, which we’re taking lessons for right now!

Thank you for being our Spotlight Knottie. I love the visual images in your bio and your menu sounds amazing (especially the custom cocktails)!

Link to bio: http://rayavanessa.googlepages.com/