2012 June | parisian party

Last night was the official celebration of the 5th Anniversary of the parisian party blog! I honestly can’t believe that I’ve been blogging this long. A few years after creating my wedding planning agency, I decided to start parisian party as a creative way to share my know-how about getting married in France, my insider details on Destination Weddings in Paris and France and pretty much all things French & Parisian Weddings. Since then, my business has grown quite a bit, and although I would LOVE nothing more than to be a full-time bloggeuse, my family and parisian events comes first, meaning sometimes blogging has had to take a back seat. Even still, I’ve tried to bring relevant and fresh content about “all things French weddings” to parisian party, and I’m just so flattered that readers and supporters have stayed faithful and still find what I have to say worth clicking into.

I owe a HUMONGOUS shout-out to Kent’s Party Solutions for the awesome catering last night. I wanted a menu that was fun, summery, sophisticated, but kind of girly, too. Kent totally delivered with yummies like savory chicken “pops”, mini take-out boxes with Sesame, Parmesan and Rosemary Bites, a wedding cake-shaped cheese platter with edible flowers and a spicy signature cocktail created just for me- the Petyt-tini!! Also, the fabulous Cat Beurnier (who’s new boutique, Sugar Daze Cupcakes, is opening in Paris on the 23rd of June) created the “White Wedding” cupcake in parisian events colors for guests to have as a little parting gift. Thank you both SO much!

For me, last night’s party wasn’t just to celebrate parisian party, it was also to celebrate those of you who have encouraged me over the years. Thank you all so much. Here’s to the next 5 years of Paris inspired wedding loveliness!

Posted in Uncategorized | 6 Comments |

Le Style is a gorgeous digital magazine out of Melbourne, Australia that showcases French style and news from around the world. Launched earlier this year, each quarterly issue features stunning photos and insightful content on French lifestyle, culture, travel and fashion trends. The latest issue is also an interactive version- smartphone and tablet friendly, accompanied by instant click-on videos and useful links.

I spoke with Sha Anderson, Director and Editor-in-Chief of Le Style Digital Magazine, about planning weddings in Paris, as well as my thoughts on what it is exactly that seems to attract brides from around the globe to the French wedding style. Here’s an excerpt:

sha anderson, le style: Our readers love French style and many would love to have a French-inspired wedding. What do you think makes French weddings so special?

kim petyt, parisian events: I think the thing that sets French weddings apart is their inherently refined elegance. I’m American, and we Americans tend to like our weddings BIG: tall centerpieces strung with Swarovsky crystals, layered table linens, gobos splashing our monogram around the room, etc. etc. Elegant, yes- but BIG. French weddings are a lot more subtle, with the emphasis more on the guests around the table, rather than the drama on the table. Keep in mind that a French wedding dinner can last upwards of 5 hours long. So rather than draw the attention away from the guests with an over-the-top, elaborate table center, a French bride will typically choose centerpieces that can be talked over, made of tasteful, carefully selected floral compositions in a classic vase, for example. As expected, more importance will be put on the meal itself – with attention to paring not just the wines, but also the cheese and even the bread with the meal.

In France, personalization isn’t just about custom name-tags on water bottles, it’s about choosing a venue that has a history with the couple or their families. Many wedding vendors in France are also often chosen this way. For years, a family will have used the same stationer for all of their formal stationery needs- from birth announcements to calling cards. So when it’s time for her wedding, a bride will turn to a stationer that knows her family on a personal level, and maybe even choose an invitation design that was used for her parents or grandparents wedding. I think this attention to the finer details is what makes French weddings so special. Fortunately, it’s something that can be brought to French-inspired celebrations anywhere, and for any budget.

For the rest of our interview, be sure to check out the current issue of Le Style Digital Magazine, released earlier this week and available for viewing at lestyle.org. And a big “MERCI” to Sha and the Le Style team for letting me share my love of Paris weddings with their readers.