We are always excited to be able to showcase the diversity of a venue so when we were contacted by a local group of 8 Wedding and Portrait photographers we thought what a great way to show off The Chestnut club!  The Philly Wedding Photographers Group wanted to do a photoshoot and utilize the beautiful ambient light within the venue as well as highlight new techniques and demonstrate that you can create beautiful images on the go, using just the elements of what already exists in a room.  We are so excited to see the versatility that we have here at The Chestnut club and hey, rain, snow, sleet or shine you can rest assured that if your event is held here there are plenty of great textures and details that you can incorporate in your images.  Here is just a sampling of the hundreds of images made!

  Philadelphia, PA September 29, 2009—More than 300 people danced the night away during ‘A Night of 40’s Glamour’ in honor of the grand opening of the Chestnut Club.  The former Arcadia Theatre, located at 1529 Chestnut Street in Philadelphia, was revealed in all its former opulent glory.  The facility boasts vaulted ceilings, exposed brick, a glass blown chandelier and a really cool atmosphere.

City Rhythm by Brandywine Valley Talent, a 16 piece swing band complete with a sizzling singer, set the tone and professional dancer displayed how to step and jive with the best of them.  Check them out at: www.brandywinevalleytalent.com

Frank’s Union Wine Mart provided the libations to compliment the nine food stations as each displayed a dazzling array of mouth watering delicacies.  Frank’s has an amazing array of wines and specialty beers coupled with the ingredients of any specialty drink.  We do not provide alcohol for our clients – we suggest they give Frank a a call.  www.frankswine.com

Saks Fifth Avenue’s models strutted their stuff in the latest retro fashions, now prominent on designer’s runways.   You could barely tell who was a model from Saks and who was with the staff of Mid Atlantic Magazine.  The ladies who are interning with the mag all dressed the part and had hair and make up done to the theme – they looked AWESOME!  www.eventsmagazine.com

The Arcadia Theatre was once the site of movie premiers such as Rear Window, Psycho, Breakfast at Tiffany’s and Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner.  Movie clips were played on the wall behind the band, a hip nod to the facilities glittering past.  Fittingly this event benefited the Philadelphia Film Society.  More than $3000 was raised for the cause with the raffle of trips to an exclusive resort in Costa Rico. 

 Pictures are coming SOON!!!!!!!!!!!  We will dedicate a separate blog to the caterers who served up the most amazing foods and a third blog all about the décor….  They are coming soon – keep checking back!!

The Chestnut Club is thrilled to have been invited to participate in the Philadelphia Wedding Project!

Six of our photographer friends, Jennifer Childress, Joy Moody, Pete Malone, Ryan Estes, Sofia Negron and Geoff Horowitz (Leapfrog Photo) have gotten together to provide one couple an amazing photography package for their wedding day. The Philadelphia Wedding Project will provide one couple, who is getting married in 2010 or early 2011, with a package including an Engagement Session, Boudoir Session (if desired), All Day Wedding Day Coverage, A Custom Designed Album, Two Parent Albums and an Online Proofing Gallery. The photographers are looking for a deserving couple who makes a difference in people’s lives, has perhaps overcome great odds, gives selflessly to their community or has a unique love story that should be shared.

For more information on the Philadelphia Wedding Project and the photographers, check out their website. To submit your story email them at stories@philadelphiaweddingproject.com

The Greater Philadelphia Chapter of the (NACE) National Association of Catering Executives held its July monthly meeting at The Chestnut Club – we were chosen because we are quickly becoming one of the hottest & unique venues in the city!  The Chestnut Club pairs classic city architecture with cutting-edge industrial style, and hosts some of the most trendsetting social and corporate events in Philadelphia.  

Meryl Snow, Vice-President of the nationally recognized and award winning catering & special event company Feastivities Events:  www.feastivitiesevents.com was the featured speaker.  A member of Catersource Magazine’s Senior Consulting Unit, Snow ’s session was well received.  This was the first presentation style event that was hosted at The Chestnut Club and it worked out perfectly.  Guests gathered the old auditorium and were able to enjoy the presentation.  The “who’s who” of industry pros include:  Nick Waller and Domenick Savino – both are past presidents of NACE.

Feastivities’ staff, costumed in spandex unitards, passed Arepas with Cilantro Chimmichurri Shrimp and Watermelon Champagne Gazpacho shooters, as well as short plates of Stilton Fritters with Plum Caviar and Micro cress & Lemon Verbena Flan with Lobster.  Guests sipped on ”Sizzle Twizzles” & ”Orange You Glad To See Me?” signature cocktails and fulfilled their sweet tooth with Feastivities’ modified and torched before-your-eyes version of the classic Baked Alaska. 

OffShoots!, Feastivities floral & decor division, transformed the trendy venue into a swank setting of scarlet & orange hues, showcasing their signature fruit tables while debuting new concepts that illustrated minimalist being the new chic, which is an awesome look at our venue!

A few special décor touches that night… Check out the gallery of NEW rotating pictures on our EVENTS page of this website to see these touches…

Be sure to notice how they embellished the floor to ceiling window overlooking Chestnut Street with bundles of grass and gerbera daisy’s. 

The room was lined with hundreds of glass votive candles which added a interesting glow to the room.

The addition of paper flowers to the center lighting and showcased throughout the venue created an interesting eye appeal.

Uplighting the brick walls, adding a custom gobo and a few trendy cocktail tables makes a big statement during cocktail hour.

Other industry players were paramount in making this event sensational. 

Eventions Productions:  www.Eventionsproductions.com

Select Party Rentals, our in house rental company:  www.weparty.com

The Hub:  www.thehub.com

Phil Kramer Photography:  www.pkphoto.com

Caffe Craze: www.caffecraze.com

August is a great time to have your engagement pictures done if you are having a wedding this fall.  One of the hardest issues with August is of course this crazy heat wave we are having.  It is so important that for your engagement pictures you have your hair and make up professionally done.  Once you look like “the best” you – you will want to stay looking fresh through your photography session.  Your photographer will have ideas on all of the great scenic places in the city to take your couples pictures.  We at The Chestnut Club want you to have some really awesome, trendy and cool (literally cool) indoor shots and are willing to allow you to schedule a photo shoot at our event venue. 

Here are a few tips to help you succeed in looking your best from Eli Allen from Majestic Images:

“In general the clothes you wear should be simple and enhance, not detract, from your portrait. I always like solid tops in medium to dark tones.  A good idea is to have your clothes a little darker or lighter then your skin tone. I advise people with lighter eyes to bring in clothes that will accentuate their coloring, such as blues, greys or burgundy’s for people with blue eyes and earth tones for those with green eyes.”  To see Eli’s work – check out his website at www.MajesticImages.net

 

The Chestnut Club is a new place and we love how Phil Kramer from Phil Kramer Photographers (www.pkphoto.com) did a modeling photo shoot for us before we actually had event pictures.  These pictures showcase only a few of the interesting backdrops that we have to offer for a hot or rainy day.  I personally LOVE the pictures up against the exposed brick walls (that you see through out this site) – the track lighting can be adjusted to enhance the pictures.  I see a couple sitting on our slate floor, hanging out, laughing and snuggling in the corner. 

 

We have the most amazing high back red chairs – you and your soon to be will just melt together in our red velvet chairs made for happy couples!!

 

If you would like to schedule your engagement session with us all you have to do is tell your photographer to call me and I will make it happen for you – 610-962-0111.

 

Happy picture taking!

Karen

 

 

 

 

 

The Chestnut Club is excited to host the knottie party on Thursday night.  We have opened our venue at the last minute because The Knot has invited Philly brides to get together for a cocktail party and they had such a GREAT response they outgrew the original venue.  We are expecting 300 brides to come together at The Chestnut Club to enjoy drinks and light fare as they share wedding tips and fun stories with each other.

Since I posted this entry our office phone has been ringing off the hook with industry professionals wanting to attend.  I have contacted The Knot to pose this question and have been told that this an event for bride’s and not the “market party” for industry professionals that they have put together in the past.  We are very excited that everyone wants to come and we will post some pictures to share later this week.

Jeff Miller called me recently and we decided that The Chestnut Club and Jeffrey Miller Catering would team up and have an open house so that couples can come see the site and enjoy some AWESOME food.  As a wedding and event planner for over 15 years I have worked with Jeffrey Miller Catering for years and they always have impressed me with great food and sensational service.  We have worked on some really cool events together that have included weddings at unique venues in Philadelphia, a wedding on a beach in New Jersey and a really fun corporate gala.  Jeffrey Miller Catering was one of the caterers who participated in our first event:  “Image Is Everything” that was a monthly meeting for the Society of Wedding Planners.  We are excited to have him co host this open house with us!  The Open House will take place on July 9th from 5:30 to 8:30 at The Chestnut Club, which is located at 1529 Chestnut Street.   Please call us and let us know that you are coming.  We look forward to meeting you.  Karen and Healy