KC You There

Our 2023 Friendsgiving Tablescape

Friendsgiving tablescape with mixed prints, fall flowers, and placemats.

The fall tablescape of my dreams

I absolutely loved how our Friendsgiving table turned out to host ten of our closest friends. I leaned into print, with this Julia Berolzheimer x Pottery Barn dinnerware collaboration and florals by local Buffalo floral designer The Plot, to match. With my brushed gold chandelier hanging overhead, it made sense to accent with gold flatware and candlesticks. See more timeless and cozy Friendsgiving ideas below along with similar items to shop!

KC You There friendsgiving ideas with fall table decor

Julia Berolzheimer Goldie Napkins - Set of 4

Fall Floral Napkins

The floral spirit of a harvest garden party comes to life in this paisley-meets-batik printed napkin. Chrysanthemum colors (think butterscotch and berry) transition well, taking your table from season to season.

Rattan Placemats

I truly love these meticulously handcrafted and woven placemats. They add the perfect amount of texture while providing protection to your table with heat resistance and non-slip.

Classic Cocktail Coupes

This is some of my favorite classic glassware, perfect for anything from espresso martinis to signature cocktails. I especially love that it comes beautifully packaged for easy gifting.

kc you there matching set friendsgiving outfit idea

A velvet pant and blazer set was the perfect amount of dressed-up for a small gathering at home.

fall foliage indoor arrangement for friendsgiving

Friendsgiving ideas for the perfect dinner party

Don’t shy away from print, texture, and layering. Fall is all about abundance, so lean into it by pairing beautiful fall florals with your favorite prints and patterns.
Include a couple of statement pieces, like these incredible vintage parrot candlesticks (you can find them here or search for similar designs on Etsy).
Bring the outdoors in with foliage-forward floral designs. You can incorporate dried stems too for added texture and interest.
Dine by candlelight! It sets the tone for a cozy evening inside and the soft lighting illuminates your table design.

With timeless details, this Thanksgiving-inspired fall tablescape can easily be recreated in honor of autumn gatherings for years to come. Find more entertaining ideas here.

Shop all Friendsgiving Ideas

gold flatware for thanksgiving entertaining

Our Primary Bathroom Renovation, Before + After

Below, I am sharing our primary bathroom remodel before and after photos along with sources for the shower tiles, gold hardware, vanity, and everything else you would need to pull off this white marble and gold accent bathroom renovation in your own home. You would never know this is the same space!

BATHROOM REMODEL: BEFORE

modern bathroom transformation with before and after

BATHROOM REMODEL: BEFORE

SHOWER

All shower hardware courtesy of: MOEN

ExactTemp Valve

Drain: WEDI via Designer Drains

Shower tiles: via Madison Tile Carpet One

Shower Glass: Aberdeen Glass Co.

Stone (bench, shower ledge, niche shelves): Calacatta Valentin via Custom Stone of WNY

marble counters with gold mirrors in bathroom renovation

marble counters with gold hardware in bathroom renovation

VANITY

Faucets courtesy of: MOEN

Vanity: Bertch (Door style: Alden, Wood: Birch, Finish: Matte, Color: Eggshell)

Stone countertop: Calacatta Valentin via Custom Stone of WNY

Drawer pulls, medicine cabinets, sconces: Restoration Hardware (all in burnished brass)

Sinks: Kohler via Build with Ferguson

WATER CLOSET

Tissue holder: Restoration Hardware (burnished brass)

Toilet: Toto via Build with Ferguson

Boll & Branch bath towels + hand towels

WALLS

Wall hooks (double hook + single hook): Restoration Hardware (burnished brass)

Moulding: Metrie

Dimmers + wall plates: Lutron

Paint: Simply White by Benjamin Moore

FLOORS

Tile: Happy Floors Cypress Natural Porcelain Tile via Madison Tile Carpet One

We’re so excited to finally share our first major home renovation, our primary bathroom! Since we spend so much time in our bedroom, we felt it was necessary to start there – I’ll be sharing that renovation soon. We started the project in January which was fully completed in May. In the midst of Covid delays for the bathroom, we decided to add on additional projects like painting throughout, new moulding, new doors and a coffered ceiling in the living room. It’s safe to say, we kept our contractor and his team busy! Our goal with this bathroom was crisp, clean lines to ultimately feel like our favorite hotel bathroom. Next on the horizon, the kitchen! I’ll share future updates in my home section so stay tuned.

Contractor: DRJS Construction – while they do not have a website (or social media, for that matter) you can reach Dave at 716.907.4316. Dave and his team really understood the quality of work and design we were looking for. Naturally, we wanted things we saw in photos or just assumed would work and though they were sometimes details that they either hadn’t done before or knew would be a challenge, they made it happen. I could not recommend them enough!

Wedding First look or No First Look? Pros & Cons

(Photos by Abby Jiu | Planning + design by KC You There | Florals: Bows & Arrows)

Should you or should you not do a wedding first look?

Not sure what I’m referring to? Well here’s a breakdown – a “first look” on a wedding day is when the bride and groom see each other prior to her walking down the aisle at their ceremony. While it’s the norm to do this in some religions, it’s become even more favored by most couples. As a planner, I wanted to share the top pros and cons of this newer tradition…

Pros of a First Look:

>Getting to see each other sooner

>Ease nerves & get your tears out before the ceremony (it’s ok if you still shed some at the altar)

>Taking just about all of the portrait and “must have” shots prior to the ceremony (aka getting them out of the way and leaving more time for connecting with loved ones later)

>Being able to enjoy your cocktail hour!

Cons of a First Look:

>You won’t be sticking to a ‘traditional’ way (that may be important for some)

>Seeing each other for the first time at the altar

>Having to refresh hair & makeup (which could be costly as you’ll likely need to keep your hair & makeup artists on for longer)

>Potential issues with lighting – your photographer will really need to be the one who suggests the best location, as couples portraits will be taken earlier in the day if you choose a first look

>You may have to start to getting ready a bit earlier in the day since your timeline will shift for pictures

couple seeing each other for first time at wedding

Whatever you choose, there’s no right or wrong way – you’ll know exactly what works best for you and your partner. I always said I wanted to see Curt for the first time by walking down the aisle and meeting him at the altar, but the wedding planner in me thought for practicality reasons, we should do a first look. We want to enjoy the day as much as possible with each other and our guests – which means getting to cocktail hour and our reception sooner rather than later. Above all, I know we’ll just want to see each other as soon as possible.

BRIDES Real Wedding Feature: A Gorgeous Backyard Wedding

We’re so excited to finally have the opportunity to share Lauren & Joey’s gorgeous backyard wedding in Buffalo, as seen on Brides.com. It’s been a challenge to have to keep these beautiful images to ourselves for so long, but well worth this amazing feature. See below for the rest! Thank you to Lauren, Joey and their families for giving us the opportunity to execute and design the wedding of their dreams!

Read about the entire Brides magazine real wedding online HERE.

Planning + Design: KC You There || Bride’s Dress: Inbal Dror || Bride’s Shoes: Dolce & Gabbana || Bride’s Jewelry: Roberto Coin || Hair & Makeup: Groom Service Beauty Bar || Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Joanna August || Groom’s Attire: Harris & Howard, Christian Louboutin || Engagement Ring: Aura Diamonds || Floral Design: Bows & Arrows Flowers || Paper Products: Rust Belt Love, GM Calligraphy || Dessert Bar: B Sweet Designs || Ceremony Music: Sean Heidinger || Reception Music: No Limits Band || Rentals: McCarthy Tents & Events, Petunia Rose, La Tavola Fine Linens, Hostess Haven, BLVD Weddings, Revival Rentals || Transportation: Advantage Limo || Accommodations: Hotel Henry || Photo Booth: Ayres Photography || Videography: Jacquelyn Daley || Photography: Bridget Rochelle Photography

Martha Stewart Weddings Real Wedding Feature: Refined, Rustic Lake Placid Wedding

Tory & Sean’s Lake Placid Wedding

We’re so excited to finally have the opportunity to share Tory & Sean’s Lake Placid wedding, as seen in Martha Stewart Weddings magazine. It’s been a challenge to have to keep these beautiful images to ourselves for so long, but well worth the eight page spread. See below for the rest of the feature, and for more of my favorite shots by Apryl Ann Photography. Thank you to Tory & Sean for giving us the opportunity to execute and design the wedding of their dreams!

martha stewart lake placid wedding feature

Tory and Sean are a modern, stylish NYC couple originally from Buffalo, but like many New Yorkers they wanted to escape the city for the big day. Having spent time together in the Adirondacks, they knew it would be the perfect destination—most guests could enjoy a weekend getaway without having to jump on a plane. They enlisted KC You There to help them bring their vision of a rustic Lake Placid wedding full of glamorous details to life.

A fall wedding at Whiteface Lodge Resort

Whiteface Lodge Resort was chosen as the ultimate Adirondack wedding venue, with its rustic, log cabin aesthetic blended with modern amenities and truly endless views. This lent itself well to our idea of mixing rustic and glam, earthy and luxury. You cannot beat this location for an outdoor ceremony in the fall!

Floral design by Bows & Arrows added another layer of sophistication, with organic yet refined arrangements in white and green.

formal grooms portraits at lake placid gay wedding

white bridesmaids at lake placid wedding

white and green ceremony arch with organic flowers

ceremony aisle at lake placid wedding venue

organic wild white and green ceremony flowers

Other details that made this Lake Placid wedding special for the grooms included a custom wedding logo (and details such as gold chargers that mimicked the look), graphic elements designed by Sean himself, and a decadent dessert table.

Thank you to all of the vendors involved and most importantly, our outstanding team:

Photography: Apryl Ann Photography // Planning & design: KC You There // Venue & catering: Whiteface Lodge Resort // Florals: Bows & Arrows // Cinematography: Love & You Studios // Band: Ohlala of Onyx Artists // Stationery: Sean Dimmer (one of the grooms) // Seating chart, table numbers & dessert table backdrop: Rustbelt Love // Calligraphy: A fabulous Fete // Dessert table: B-Sweet Designs // DJ: Sean Heidinger // Photo booth: MirMir // Linens: BBJ Linen // Rentals: Vermont Tent // Wooden signs: Sweet Carolina Collective // Cocktail napkins & matchboxes: For Your Party // Faux Flower Crown: Christy’s Garden // Welcome bag items: Macarons – Laduree / Candles – Paddy Wax / Skincare cream – Susan Ciminelli / Emergency kit – Etsy & Amazon / Popcorn – Pipsnacks

A Tour of Coco Chanel’s Parisian Apartment

Photos of Coco Chanel apartment tour in Paris

Touring Coco Chanel’s Parisian apartment at 31 Rue Cambon was quite possibly the best part of my trip to Paris. Attending the show was up there, but this was surreal. My friend Helene received an invitation and thankfully took me along and for that, I’m forever grateful. Read on to see images from her space and learn some incredibly fun facts about her apartment and Mademoiselle Chanel herself.

elegant mirror in Coco Chanel apartment tour in Paris

Karina at Coco Chanel apartment tour in Paris

{And then there was the chair}

Coco Chanel’s Apartment in Paris

We learned so much from this Coco Chanel apartment tour. Here are a few of the facts that truly stood out to me:

Mademoiselle Chanel did not sleep at this apartment, in fact there are no beds! She used this space for hosting and entertaining only and actually slept at the Ritz Carlton across the street
She was a Leo (like me!) and had lions all around her apartment from frames to small statues
Wheat was a recurrent theme in her apartment as she thought it brought her luck. You can actually see wheat spread across some of the accessories at Chanel
She loved Camellia’s as they represented purity, which you can see through out the gorgeous chandeliers in her apartment. She also loved them because when wearing the flower, the lack of scent would not disrupt the scent of her most famous perfume, NO. 5. Camellia’s pop-up in every Chanel collection
Lastly and my most favorite fact, when entertaining in her dining space she would block the doors with her stunning, hand carved panels as she did not like to see the door – it would remind her of guests having to eventually leave

It was unbelievable to learn about the history of the apartment while literally standing in the space and seeing the decor she received as gifts from the likes of Dali first-hand is something I’ll never forget. Most importantly, learning about the small details truly helped to make the connection between Chanel’s collections and Mademoiselle Chanel herself.