Plaid et Noir

A Year On

Plaid et Noir — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 22:09:47 +0000

Today is a good day, one year from the event of our wedding. As a very generous anniversary gift, even amidst all of her packing and moving and shuttling cats from here to there and then over to here, Cygnoir has seen to it that the cream of the wedding picture crop was finally added to Plaid et Noir. We present them now for your perusal as interest and curiosity strike you. To this moment, neither of us regret any aspect of the event, and we remain ever-grateful for the presence there of our loved ones.

The second year starts now, far away and in a different country, but our memories still flirt with these pictures as if it’s all still happening.

Afterglow

Plaid et Noir — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 07:13:40 +0000

Dear Friends;

The entirety of last weekend was an absolute delight, and surely the very best experience of our lives to date. Everyone involved was nothing but wonderful, and as the fervent planning-madness gave way to oh-my-goodness-it’s-really-here, we were buoyed and spoiled by your warmth, kindness, and love. Every day since the ceremony has been nothing short of head-shaking as we take stock of our wonderful friends and family and what you’ve offered to us on this occasion. We again thank you for everything you are and everything you’ve done.

We’re writing you now from our favorite café in Portland, the first leg of our honeymoon journey through the Pacific Northwest. So far, it’s been a mad rush of (over)sleeping and (over)eating in one of the most wonderful cities to which we’ve yet been. There was a reason we traded out our plans of a European honeymoon for some time in the nearer and more familiar Portland area, and we’re so comfortable and happy here that we feel like we could relocate tomorrow. But large plans await involving sheep and archives and surely a few hundred calorie-laden meals of fish and chips. Still, Portland is staying prominently on our map for whatever lies ahead.

Before we continue northward to the environs of Seattle, we wanted to remind folks that our photo page is live and awaiting your pictures of the wedding and surrounding events. We welcome you to post anything you like, either via our Flickr group or through our MobileMe gallery, so that everyone can view them in the coming days and weeks. To these, we’ll be adding other pictures, videos, and a slideshow featuring the amazing photography of Cate Corbitt.

If you need any assistance getting your shots uploaded or prefer us to do it for you, please don’t hesitate to contact us and we’ll be more than happy to oblige. See you on the picture page soon!

Welcome to PlaidEtNoir.com!

Plaid et Noir — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 05:53:04 +0000

Welcome to PlaidEtNoir.com, our website for all things related to the wedding of FunkyPlaid (Darren) and Cygnoir (Halsted). Now that the vows have been vowed and the nuptials nupped, we’ll be working to get memories and pictures posted for our friends and family to enjoy. While you’re here, feel free to explore and make sure to return regularly to see what gets added in!

Quoting Our Sources

Plaid et Noir — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 19:16:55 +0000

We would be remiss if we did not enumerate all of our spectacular resources. We earnestly believe in supporting and expounding upon local businesses, artistic friends, and fine products for the senses. Please patronize the following individuals and companies that have made this event a delight.

Hamlin Mansion — The Venue
Moira Gubbins (Parties, Parties, Parties) — Event Coordinator
Rebecca & Ryan Coseboom (Stripmall Architecture, Halou) — Live Music
Erica Mulkey (Unwoman) — Live Cello
Elaine Bell Catering — Edibles
Porthos — Wine Selections
Fantasy Florals — Flowers and Arrangements
Amity Press — Printing and Design
Cate Corbitt — Photography
Sleigh Custom Dresses — Bride’s Attire
Seymour’s Fashions — Groom’s Attire
Zoe & Doyle — Rings
Liberty Puzzles — Wooden Jigsaws
Kara’s Cupcakes — Cupcakes

Special thanks to Evan Sornstein for his graphic design of the printed materials, Courtney Patubo for her portrait photography, and Jeffrey Martz for his custom bookmaking.

Before-and-After Gatherings

Plaid et Noir — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 04:53:57 +0000

Dear Guests;

We are delighted to know that you’ll be joining us for the big wedding day, which is now just around the corner. Thank you for getting back to us and also for taking the time away from home, work, and – for some – even state and country to celebrate with us. We couldn’t be more excited to see you very soon for an outstanding party!

In addition to the wedding ceremony and reception on Saturday evening, October 16th, we’re planning a couple of other get-togethers that form a kind of bookend on each side of the event. Because sometimes friends and family on both sides of a marriage don’t yet know each other very well, this will give us an opportunity to meet up, have some laughs, and share with you some of our favorite things around the Bay Area. For those who would like to join in, the information is below. We only ask that you contact us as soon as you can with your intention to be a part of it, whatever part or parts that might be.

On Thursday, October 14th, we’ve arranged a short but beautiful hike in the Marin Headlands, along the Tennessee Valley Trail. It’s less than two miles from car parking to beach, and the hike itself is mostly level and shouldn’t be very strenuous for most. It will take about forty-five minutes to walk each way, and we’re planning on having a picnic at the beach once we arrive. We expect the weather to be clear and wonderful (as are many fall days around San Francisco), but you’ll want to bring layers of clothes in case it gets chilly. You can feel free to bring a packed or purchased lunch, or something pot-luck style to share. Blankets or things to sit on are also a good idea, and there will be space to run around and get some exercise, as well as some great photography opportunities all through the valley and at the ocean.

From there, it’s just a short drive to one of our favorite pubs in the Bay Area, the Pelican Inn. Nestled in the trees near Muir Beach, we’ve reserved the back patio for a casual evening of food and drink for anyone who would like to come. Built in the British Tudor style, the family-friendly Pelican has long been a comfy roadhouse to hikers and visitors from all over the world. Their pub grub is great, the beer and wine list is top-notch, and they even have a full dinner menu with fresh local ingredients. We have the patio for four hours, 6-10pm. People can trickle in when they like from the hike, or are welcome to meet us there if you find yourself traveling or busy on Thursday afternoon. This will be a dutch event.

Saturday, of course, is the ceremony and reception. Directions and detailed venue information can be found elsewhere on our website. The ceremony will start at 5pm sharp, so please plan on arriving a little earlier, if possible. Free valet parking is at your disposal, but you are more than welcome to take public transportation if you’re already within the city limits, and we encourage it! The reception will continue until 11pm, and we will be supplying two shuttle buses at the end of the evening that will take guests to Hotel del Sol and the Powell Street BART station in Union Square.

If you’re still able to eat and drink (and walk) the morning after the party, we’ve arranged for a scrumptious Sunday brunch buffet at the Presidio Golf Club, and every guest is more than welcome to join us. We’re providing a complimentary spread of wonderful breakfast and lunch foods, mimosas, coffee and tea, and some other surprises. We have the Palmer Room and the lovely front patio for four hours, 11am-3pm, and you can roll in whenever you like and spend part of your day lounging in the sun, noshing up a storm, and chatting with old and new friends.

Please examine the links above for thorough directions and maps, and don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions whatsoever about any part of the weekend. We’re more than happy to help arrange transportation, carpools, Zipcars, or any other type of travel within the area. And please do let us know if you think you’ll be coming along.

To recap:

Thursday, October 14th 11am-5pm
Tennessee Valley Hike

Thursday, October 14th 6-10pm
Pelican Inn Gathering

Saturday, October 16th 5-11pm
Wedding & Reception @ Hamlin Mansion

Sunday, October 17th 11am-3pm
Brunch Buffet @ Presidio Golf Club

We greatly look forward to seeing you!

-D&H

RSVPs Needed Soon!

Plaid et Noir — Sat, 18 Sep 2010 04:47:26 +0000

As the big date draws closer, we find ourselves still needing a good number of RSVPs returned. We take full responsibility for the fact that the invitations went out a bit later than was desirable, but we hope that they were worth the wait! Since Hamlin needs a final guest count well before the end of the month, we’re asking for as many RSVPs as possible before the final date of September 26th. If you haven’t yet gotten around to putting the return cards in the mail, you’re more than welcome to e-mail us, give us a call, or send a complex series of smoke signals to let us know if you’ll be joining us for the party.

Thank you in advance for your prompt attention!

More Hotel Options

Plaid et Noir — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 23:01:01 +0000

Dear guests! It has come to our attention that the Hotel del Sol has completely sold out, so we want to let you know about a couple of other fine options for your accommodation. Both the Chelsea and Coventry Motor Inns are also right down the road from the venue, and should suit the needs of our out-of-town friends and family quite well. Rates are listed on the linked websites, as well as detailed arrival directions from any cardinal point. One month to go!

Local Accommodations

Plaid et Noir — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 20:45:02 +0000

We have acquired a special discounted rate for our guests at Hotel del Sol, which is a scant five-block walk from the venue. Reservations must be made and confirmed by 15 September 2010.

Please call the hotel at +1 (415) 921-5520 for more information. Don’t forget to mention that you are with the Bernard-Layne wedding group!

View Larger Map

If you are interested in a rental property instead of a hotel, some of our guests suggest HomeAway.com.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions about accommodations. We will do our best to help you.

The Engagement

Plaid et Noir — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 23:10:14 +0000

We were engaged on October 26th, 2008 during our vacation in Scotland. The location was magical: within the grounds of Saddell Castle on the Kintyre Peninsula. The edifice was itself celebrating its 500th anniversary during the fall that we stayed there, and we shared a fabulous weekend with twelve wonderful native friends. During the days, we hiked around and explored the grounds of the castle and the nearby Abbey, and at night, we occupied our time playing games, cooking gigantic feasts in the great hall, or quietly splayed in overstuffed chairs taking on various hobbies and crafts. Lara brought her harp, and the winding stairwell often carried haunting, lilting tunes through the entire castle. Marianne painstakingly hand-painted botanical studies in the style of Besler and Redouté. Darren, of course, was fervently flipping through local histories to envision the legacy of the place in which we slept. And we all playtested Sandy’s brilliant, unreleased game of abstract strategy. It was a wonderfully grand time.

After supper one night, Darren placed a bottle of wine down on the table in front of Halsted, which had attached to it a piece of burnt parchment with writing on it. This was the start of a wild treasure hunt throughout the castle, with cleverly-worded verse that led her and many of the other guests on a fervent search to find the next clue. There were six in succession, each piecing together part of a story – the recounting of a tale of love for this building, this country, and this woman – until the last clue was found to much excitement and celebration. This last puzzle piece pointed to the final goal of the hunt: a couplet on folded paper requesting Halsted’s hand in marriage (safely tucked away in the master bedroom’s ancient commode). Darren was there behind her with the ring to formally ask, just after their wide-eyed seekers-in-arms had slipped out the door without a trace to leave them alone with the moment. All of the secrets had been kept secret until this moment, and Darren couldn’t believe that it went off without a hitch. But in this place, how else could it have gone?

It’s not every day that Americans get a chance to experience a place with such deep and resonant history, especially on an anniversary of this magnitude. We really owe a debt of thanks to The Landmark Trust for preserving and caring for these gorgeous buildings and making them fit for the public to enjoy. We also would have never been exposed to this wonderful holiday without the love and friendship of our esteemed friends in the U.K., who will always have our genuine thanks for making this event possible and so absolutely memorable. They were in on the surprise the whole time.