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April 14, 2010 •
Going to the (Pop-Up) Chapel
An Upper East Side fairy godmother of nuptials brings wedding magic to Brooklyn — but only for a moment
A modern fairy godmother — that’s how Claudia Hanlin, founding partner of The Wedding Library, likes to think of herself. Brides across Manhattan would emphatically agree. Inside the four-story, turn-of-the-century townhouse, located at 43 E. 78 St. in Manhattan, Hanlin and her partner, Jennifer Zabinski, have distilled the best wedding services and products a well-heeled Upper East Side bride-to-be could wish for.
But this summer, Hanlin and Zabinski had outer borough brides on the brain. Thanks to a chance encounter with a Daily Candy blurb about 303Grand, a revolving storefront (pop-up store) in Brooklyn, The Wedding Library had a unique opportunity to bring some matrimonial magic across the East River.
So, from June 4-28, in partnership with 303Grand, Brooklyn Bride and Martha Stewart Weddings, The Wedding Library produced The Brooklyn Pop-Up Wedding Series, a month-long experiential pop-up shop dedicated to bringing a mix of heretofore under represented wedding products and services to erudite, crafty, budget-conscious Brooklyn brides — no wings, wands or fairy dust necessary.
After all, when you’ve got the creme de la creme of stationers, caterers and florists at your disposal, not to mention nine years of exclusive service under your belt and a concierge office in Saks Fifth Avenue’s flagship store in your back pocket, magical accoutrements become passe.
Pop-in, Pop-up, Pop-out
Since January 2009, 303Grand has established itself as a space in which anything comes … and goes. With rental commitments from one day to three months, it has offered a motley crew of bands, artists, retailers and organizations a physical space on which to imprint — and explore — their message.
“The pop-up always captivated me and is pure genius,” Hanlin enthused. In addition to giving the Wedding Library the opportunity to reach a new market, the pop-up was a chance for Hanlin to explore some trends of interest. “I am excited about the trend to more personalized weddings. I love to make guests feel comfortable rather than to impress them,” she explained.
Collaboration at its Best
The partners shared the costs for the marketing, promotion, build-out and staffing, and divided additional responsibilities based on strengths. 303Grand (run by digital marketing agency Street Attack) maintained the blog, brought in branding company Ice Cream Social, sought local vendors and managed the solicitations for brides (more about that in a moment). However, the Wedding Library “produced” the event, formatting the four weeks, bringing in the majority of partners (including Martha Stewart Weddings) and staffing and styling the space.
In addition to detailed coverage on the event’s Web site, www.brooklynchapel.com, Brooklyn Bride blogger, Vane Broussard, guest blogged about the series on the Martha Stewart Weddings’ blog, The Bride’s Guide.
Marketing to a Different Drummer
She’s more likely to wear a “Pink-do” than an “Up-do,” More likely to walk down the aisle to Smashing Pumpkin’s “Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness,” than “Wedding March,” most likely to choose a Vespa as her “something blue.” Brides simply do it differently in Brooklyn.
“We typically throw high-end, exclusive and educational events for our existing clientele,” Hanlin explained. “Our audience in Williamsburg was creatives on a budget. We were interested in tapping into that creativity, sense of fun and DIY attitude,”
To maximize the sustained “wow” factor of their month-long series, The Wedding Library offered a new theme — and shop — each week: week one, stationery and gifts; week two, fashion and beauty; week three, the captured image; and week four, five real weddings in the Martha Stewart Weddings’ Pop-Up Chapel.
