Every little girl dreams of her fairy tale wedding, whether it is an event flowing with orchids and pure white organza, or a dramatic backdrop, dressed up with mirrors and red roses by the thousands. She pictures her ball gown and veil, in lace or in satin, and envisions her groom beside her, love permeating it all. In order to achieve such memorable glamour, many turn to the professionals, and Norma Cohen Productions is the best of the best. Recently recognized in Brides Magazine’s Top 100 Wedding Planners in America, Norma has spent most of her life as an event planner, and like the finest of wines, she only gets better with age. She explains,
“There is nothing that gives me greater joy than seeing the look on the couple’s faces when they walk into the room for the first time. If I did my job correctly, the decor tells their story. It looks and feels like them, it’s a place where they can feel good taking their first steps as man and wife. It’s not a home, exactly, but it’s the place where their story as Mr. & Mrs. begins. It’s important to get it right.”
These spectacular evenings do not happen by accident. Meeting after meeting produce design inspiration and allow for a true relationship to grow between Norma and her clients. “I listen, and learn, and get to know the couple. This is crucial to the planning process.”
This is an intimate time in a person’s life and Norma is there for all of it, not only as a planner, but emotionally, as a confidante, adviser, and friend. There were more hugs than handshakes.
Norma began planning parties at just 16 years old. She was mentored by the best, volunteering in the Sephardic Community Center, planning teen events, fashion shows, concerts and more. A prodigy, she was the first female teenager to join the board of directors, helping giants like Morris Bailey, Bunny Escava, Eddie Catton A”H, and Gita Sultan keep their fingers on the pulse of the young generation. This is where Norma got her education, not only in organization and planning, but in being a community leader. From there she began to plan business events and gatherings, bar mitzvah’s, sweet sixteen’s, 40th birthday parties, and finally weddings.
Today, Norma’s events know no bounds, spanning the world itself—from every premier venue in NYC to London, Paris, Puglia, Sardinia, and beyond. And still, interwoven in every moment of work is the knowledge that community comes first. The volunteer work she has done over the past forty years is indescribable. The same effort that is given to a wedding in the Pierre is lavished on a SAFE breakfast in Deal, or a Special Children’s Center dinner in Cipriani. There is no charitable organization that she refuses.
Norma’s years of experience, as well as her on-the-job-training have led to the most beautiful and elegant weddings in the world. After agreeing upon a budget, a venue is chosen, a caterer, florist, musician and lighting crew. Invitations, valet, and thousands more details must be arranged as well. The design of the party is the most fun and memorable, and no one does it like Norma Cohen. She explains, “For so many years I would be planning events for the same people in the same venues, week after week, year after year. The need for originality was fundamental. I wanted the guests to walk into a venue like Shaare Zion and feel like they were in Central Park, and it worked. Sometimes the Pierre looked like a winter wonderland, and others it looked like the Garden of Eden. For a bar mitzvah, maybe I’d bring the Polo Bar to Brooklyn. It’s all in the details. We always look for new ideas, new centerpieces, new twists on tradition and new ways to turn things around. Today, social media has changed the way we entertain. With Instagram and Snapchat, every event is on display for the whole world to see, captured in a photo and sent around the world in seconds. I have to keep reinventing the wheel. It’s challenging, but it’s also fun when it all comes to life.”
Dressed in six-inch heels at all times, Norma is upbeat and positive—a force of nature, setting the mood for the once-in-a-lifetime events she is famous for. She is ready for anything, because in her experience, anything can happen. Not to worry, though. Norma is a fast thinker, always on her toes and always prepared with a back-up plan. This has come in handy over the past year, as 2020 has kept us all on the edge of our seats.
“During Covid, we have all had to learn how to pivot. Weddings have gone from 600 people extravaganzas to 20 people gatherings. Engagements have transformed into wedding days and zoom has become a household word. Laws change on a dime, and from one moment to the next, we never know what to expect. We still don’t. My advice to the brides of 2020, from day one was the same. Marry now—party later. Some days we were able to party harder, others, not so much, but what is most important, as I’ve always said, is the bride and the groom. When they wake up the next morning as husband and wife, all is right in the world. Throughout this pandemic I have done my best to give the brides confidence, to respect the times and ensure that every couple had the most beautiful wedding—a fairy tale wedding—even if it was just a family event, because as we have all learned, especially this year, family is most important.”
A role model for women, Norma works hard, but puts family first. Her office staff acts as her right hand, helping with computer work, ordering and logistics. She has go-to vendors whose performance and reliability she depends on to assure she delivers a high-quality, one-of-a-kind wedding to her clients. Her proudest moment? Her son’s wedding! Both professionally, and personally. She explains, “I’m busy, I won’t lie. More days than not, my calendar is jammed with back to back meetings. I don’t have time for book clubs or tennis leagues, but I make time for the people I love—my children, my parents, my close friends. And very often my clients become those friends I’m making time for. I love what I do. I love having a hand in creating an event that people will remember for years. I love being an instrumental part of the most important day of a couple’s life. I love seeing my brides years later, toddlers in hand, reminiscing on that magical evening. Most of all I love how my experience guides me in everything I do.”
SOPHIA FRANCO
