Unveiled - Behind the scenes with Tammy Baldwin-Basten
Unveiled {a wedding magician reveals her tricks}
BEHIND THE SCENES WITH TAMMY BALDWIN-BASTEN
Photography: Willi Wong
As a professional event planner, Tammy Baldwin-Basten, owner of Charmed Places in the Hudson Valley, has made a business of creating memorable weddings for others. But planning her own recent wedding gave her a whole new perspective on the big day.
It’s one thing to hire a planner to create your event, it’s quite another to be the planner and have to design the wedding yourself! Talk about pressure. This past August, that was the exact scenario Tammy Baldwin, now Tammy Baldwin-Basten, found herself in when her boyfriend, Ryan Basten, proposed.
“My fiancé became my client,” says Basten. And “The customer is always right” motto quickly took on a whole new meaning as Baldwin-Basten and her fiancé navigated the waves of planning a wedding together. Luckily,
with Tammy’s creativity and detailed knowledge of New York vendors, the couple had a leg up.
But even the most experienced planner is bound to face a few surprises—for Baldwin- Basten, seven months before the wedding date, it was the news that she was carrying a little bundle of joy. With a Claire Pettibone dress already purchased and the planning well underway, there was no time to reschedule. “I was a little embarrassed about the perception of a pregnant bride,” says Baldwin-Basten.
Her apprehension quickly dissipated when she met her wedding chef, David Robinson. “I asked him if he had ever worked with a pregnant bride before,” says Baldwin-Basten. Robinson assured her that he had—and added that they had all looked beautiful. “You are just going to have to own it, girl!” he said. And as she walked down the aisle, she did.
{Tammy’s Tips} For Planning Yourself
Make details count. Your wedding should represent who you are as a couple; you want guests to leave feeling
that they know you better. That said, don’t try too hard—a few well-chosen details can make a strong impression.
The food, your cake flavor, your colors, and your favors can all say something special about you.
Match personalities rather than colors. Baldwin-Basten allowed everyone in her wedding party to wear what they wished. “I wanted the essence of each one of them to shine,” she says.
Shine a light. Often overlooked, lighting is one of the most important design elements and is a key to creating
ambiance. Change the lighting throughout the evening to help create different moods for different parts of your
event.
Trust your helpers. “The couples that give me the most freedom to take the lead on fulfilling their wishes and
requirements have the best weddings,” says Baldwin- Basten. Presumably, you hired professionals because you like what they do, so allow them to express their creativity, whether it’s in flowers, food, or music.
Create timelines. Timing is extremely important. To avoid surprises, make sure to provide all your vendors with a specific schedule built around the requirements of your primary vendor, usually the caterer.
Enjoy it! After all the planning, it’s time to relax and let things flow. For both client and vendor, the event itself
should be a satisfying unfolding of well-laid plans.
