If the Shoe Fits

Designer Stuart Weitzman gave this Birmingham bride a one-of-a-kind gift.

BY SARAH BRUEGGEMANN | PHOTOGRAPHY BY CAROLINE ELLER

     When Katie Kraselsky Held dressed for her wedding day, she gently slid on shoes more stylish and elegant than even Cinderella’s glass slippers. Fit for a princess, the present from family friend and famed designer Stuart Weitzman completed the look of Katie’s fairytale celebration.
     The Kraselskys, who operate the Gus Mayer Shoe Salon, have enjoyed an extensive relationship with the Weitzmans. Katie says, “My grandfather, Nathan, bought shoes from Stuart Weitzman’s father, Seymour Weitzman. The original line was called Mr. Seymour. Then Stuart took over the company and began pro-
ducing shoes under his own name. My dad and Stuart have known each other and done business together for a very long time.”
     Katie has fond childhood memories of meeting the heralded designer. “When I was younger, my dad would take me to the New York showroom,” she says. “Stuart always took time and was playful, kind and caring. He really likes Southern women—his wife, Jane, is from Atlanta.”
     Women around the globe appreciate Stuart’s carefully crafted footwear. Often fea- tured on runways and red carpets, his shoes are known for their sophisticated lines and fine quality. “Stuart is probably the brightest and most talented person in the industry,” says Katie. “His shoes are feminine but with a real fashion edge.”
     Katie worked closely with Stuart to create a personalized pattern for her wedding shoes. “He sent me about 10 original sketches, as well as many examples of pavé [covering the shoe with jewels] options,” she says. “I already had a favorite evening shoe, so we ended up using the front design from that shoe, the heel from another and the pavé selection from another.” The finished design is in champagne with a silver-and-rhinestone ring at the toe and a burst of Swarovski crystals on the back of the shoe.
     On the bottom of one shoe in blue crystals is the date of the wedding, 05-09-09, and on the bottom of the other are Katie and husband Brian’s initials enclosed in a heart. Katie says, “One of the most amazing touches that Stuart added as a surprise for me was inside the left shoe: He wrote ‘made expressly for Katie Held.’ ”
     A happy accident occurred while the shoes were being prepared. The manufacturers first made a pair that was one shade off of Katie’s dress color, so they allowed her to keep those shoes plus a second pair in the correct color. Katie dyed the extra pair a bold hot pink and wore them during the reception. “A waiter brought the pink pair of shoes out during the dinner on a silver tray,” she says. “That was really a fun moment!”
     Stuart’s gift was ideal for Katie, a third-generation shoe merchant. “They are truly one-of-a-kind and made me feel very special on my wedding day,” she says. “They also reminded me of my family’s shoe tradition. We love helping our customers achieve their dreams for their own wardrobe—you know shoes make the outfit!”

Unexpected Island Honeymoons

Skip the traditional wedding destinations and start your life together at one of these lovely offshore retreats.

BY LARRY BLEIBERG

There’s something undeniably romantic about an island. Cut off from the rest of the world, it promises seclusion
and privacy. What better place to start a marriage? These five islands offer a perfect honeymoon escape with plenty to do—but not too much. You’ll want to reserve most of your time for each other.

ISLAMORADA, FLORIDA
     Mention the Florida Keys, and everyone thinks of Key West. You don’t want to go there. We love margaritas and crazy crowds as much as anyone. But your honeymoon should be about the two of you—not dozens of new drinking buddies.
     Here’s the solution: Head south, but stop before the end of the Overseas Highway. The islands of Islamorada feel like the Caribbean, and the most comfortable time to visit is November through April. The Moorings (themooringsvillage.com), a former coconut plantation, offers a collection of 18 cottages and homes carefully positioned for privacy. For extra solitude, book the Treehouse, a spacious cottage at the back of the property. During the day, you can kayak, windsurf or watch dolphins at play. But you’ll probably end up on the beach, sipping a drink and lounging in a palm-shaded hammock.

SALT SPRING ISLAND, BRITISH COLUMBIA
     Canada’s Gulf Islands, located north of Victoria, British Columbia, offer the perfect mix of comfort and adventure. On Salt Spring Island, you can picnic on freshly baked bread and organic cheese, search for orcas on a whale-watching trip
or kayak the serpentine shore. Base your honeymoon at the 18-room Hastings House (hastingshouse.com). Open April through early November, it offers stunning harbor views, romantic cottages and a breakfast hamper delivered to your doorstep every morning.
     Salt Spring is also an ideal place to shop for memorable décor for your new home. The island is known throughout Canada as an artist colony, and whether you prefer blown glass, ceramics or Native American carvings, you'll find it here.
Pick up a studio tour map from the information center in the village of Ganges, and browse to your heart’s content.

CATALINA ISLAND, CALIFORNIA
     A Southern California honeymoon doesn’t have to mean glitz, glamour and endless traffic jams. Just 22 miles from Los Angeles, the wild (and wildly beautiful) Catalina Island entices daytrippers for snorkeling, hiking and sightseeing. You’ll do that, of course, but when the last ferry leaves, you get to stay on this storied piece of real estate.
     Year-round, snuggle down at The Inn on Mt. Ada (innonmtada.com), high above Avalon harbor. Nearly the entire island once belonged to William Wrigley Jr., and this was his home. For a splurge, book the Grand Suite, once the Wrigleys’ bedroom. During the day, there’s the beach and hiking on the new cross-island trail. At night, visit the Art Deco theater and a handful of nightclubs. They’re fun, but we bet you’ll want to spend most of your time at the inn on the hill.

NANTUCKET, MASSACHUSETTS
     There’s a reason New Englanders flock to this tiny island near Cape Cod. It offers high-end style and modern comfort in a charming 19th- century package. You’ll marvel at the too-perfect vistas: lighthouses, church steeples and yachts nodding in the harbor breeze. Twenty-six miles of bike paths make it easy to pedal your way around the scenery.
      From spring through late fall, book a room at the White Elephant (whiteelephanthotel.com), an eclectic collection of guest rooms, suites and cottages, many with fireplaces and water views. Take a walking tour over the cobblestone streets, and, of course, leave time to shop for local art, maritime books and the preppiest of clothes at Murray's Toggery Shop.

CUMBERLAND ISLAND, GEORGIA
      You don’t have to go far away to get away from it all. Cumberland Island may be Georgia’s largest barrier island, but it’s one of the least vis- ited. Why else would Carolyn Bessette and John F. Kennedy Jr. have chosen this spot to get mar- ried in 1996? Their secret, paparazzi-free nup- tials were held at the island’s historic First African Baptist Church.
      Stay where the wedding party did: the gra- cious Greyfield Inn (greyfieldinn.com), a former Carnegie family mansion open year-round. You’ll find rockers, antiques and a library, but no telephones or TVs in the rooms. When you’re not relaxing, take a guided nature hike and explore the Cumberland Island National Seashore, with its stands of palmettos and live oaks draped in Spanish moss. Then stroll 16 miles of white-sand beaches, where you’ll find wild horses—and little else. Ah, paradise ...

 

Not Your Mother's Wedding Cake

Showcase your personal taste with these unique reception treats.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY COREY NOLEN | STYLING BY LANE GREGORY

 

 

Build a tower of individual-size baby bites by Pastry Art. These tiny tastes of heaven also fit into tidy little to-go boxes for a delicious post-wedding snack.

Treat guests to a gourmet candy buffet with all your favorites—truffles, chocolate-covered malted milkballs, jellybeans, white chocolate pretzels andmore.
SOHO SWEETS
1830 29TH AVE. S.
HOMEWOOD,AL 35209
205.871.4420 • SOHOSWEETS.COM

 

 

Craving something savory and sweet? Design your own dessert by stacking brie and cheesecake. Decorate with pecans and dried cranberries, and crown with satsumas or other seasonal fruit.
SAM’SCLUB
201 LAKESHORE DR.
HOMEWOOD, AL 35209
205.941.3326 • SAMSCLUB.COM


Surprise guests with a three-tier sushi“cake.” Tuna, California (crab, cucumber and avocado) and summer (salmon, goatcheese, arugula and green apple) rolls are layered between fresh tuna and yellowtail. The artful creation is sure to make your event memorable.
MAKI FRESH
2800 CAHABA VILLAGE PLZ.,STE.145
BIRMINGHAM, AL 35243
205.970.3242 • MAKIFRESH.COM