A party would not be a smashing hit without all the elements it needs. It is like eating a cake without the icing. The absolute party tables: perfect china, the sumptuous food served with it and carefully-chosen draperies and linens used to dress the set-ups. Never compromising even the smallest details.

That is why party perfection is exactly what Gables Linens offers its clients then and even today.

For more than 15 years, Puerto Rican Sarah Paz-Claro has been supplying just the right linens perfect to light up and doll up various parties and weddings all over South Florida.

A Match Made For Parties

Located at the heart of Coral Gables, Gables Linens started when Sarah and her sisters started working with the family business. At one point back, it occurred to Sarah that there were no good chair covers designs available for the industry.

“Back then, everyone just settled for a one size fits all,” explains Sarah.

Incidentally, it was also during those times that she met her husband, whose parents were professional upholsters.

Sarah explained that she and her husband started talking about developing a family business that custom-designs covers for different chairs in hotel ballrooms.

Business then boomed as Sarah gave a shot not just in providing linens to parties but in organizing events as well.

“From there, we expanded to tablecloths, overlays, napkins and with my background in cakes and now in linens I found myself being able to comfortably delve at different angles of the wedding for people,” relayed Sarah.

The Shot to Success

Sarah’s first try on events organizing was for the wedding of a friend’s daughter. She was tasked to orchestrate a certainly challenging 4-day wedding, which included a Biltmore Hotel rehearsal for 75 guests, Vizcaya Wedding with more than 300 guests, followed by Williams Island Ocean Club party with 400 guests and a farewell brunch at the client’s beach home with over 200 guests.

Surviving the wedding was a hard win but this definitely made Sarah a certified expert events organizing and opened the door to numerous opportunities.

“With that event, it felt like I had taken an intensive course [on events planning] and graduated. The event included planning not just for the wedding but also group transportation, itineraries and cultivating a good family relationship,” said Sarah.

Following that success, Sarah was able to do over 100 weddings including many Catholic, Episcopalian, Christian, Jewish, Muslim and countless interfaith weddings. “I have been there- done that, as they say,” she says.

Turning-point

But everything was not a bed of roses for this Miami-born lady. Last year, Sarah had a serious health problem which allowed her to give up one of her passions.

“Since my brain hemorrhage last year, however, I have given up wedding planning and dedicated myself to my linen and lighting business,” said Sarah.

With Sarah dedicated to her linen business, she is now more hands-on with the set-up of an event. This difficult point in her life may seem to have limited her, but not too long. For it was when focusing on a single venture that Sarah found her niche. She found where she and what she ought to be.

“I always use my clients for inspiration.  I am perceptive. When guests have a hard time expressing themselves, I try to find few key elements so that I am able to understand and assist them in developing their event.

Sarah further said that it gives her the greatest pleasure when she sees her clients’ personality, tastes and desires evolve and come to life on their special day with their assistance

“I always keep in mind that it is an assistance,” said Sarah “and never to impose or try to reenact a version of my own wedding.”

When asked if she always knew that this is what she wants to do, Sarah said that growing up with her mom made her realize what she was meant to do.

“We grew up helping our mom bake the cake. We used to make the flowers and the leaves on the cake and I always enjoy it since I would occasionally dip my fingers into the batter along the way. It was all very fun for me,” she shares.

Today, Gables Linens remains a flourishing family enterprise. Shared with her mom and husband, the shop evolved from a small cake shop to a one-stop event shop.

“It is very convenient for brides or quinceneras to come to our store because they can just order everything here without the hassle of going to different stores. It’s like a one-stop shop,” said Sarah.

Sarah also added that their family wanted to make sure that the people on the go, like brides or parents of quinceneras, would not go through the hardships of jumping from one store to another to look for their much desired items and end up wasting their time.

“With everyone busy right now, visiting a boutique like ours will be every girl’s haven,” said Sarah.

Gables Linens is located at 2714 Ponce de Leon Boulevard. For more information you may contact Sarah Paz through (305) 444 3202 or (305) 441 1156 and visit www.gableslinen.com