Friday, June 5, 2015

Wedding: Terranea Resort

When Gabriela came to see me - I felt like we instantly connected! She has such a lovely spirit and wonderful energy it's almost impossible not to love her. 

With a soft and romantic color palette of coral and mint mixed in with warm wooden tones and lace — she got exactly what she was looking for in her wedding style. 

The night was unforgettable with the Palos Verdes Peninsula as our backdrop. The talented Brett Hickman was behind the lens to make sure not one romantic detail was missed. 






Stunning Berta Bridal gown!
The groom's nephew was the most charming guy at the wedding!








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  • Makeup: Nicole Fierro 
  • Hair: Kim Bilodeau 

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Wedding: Wayfarers Chapel

When Dennis and Marissa came to me they had a very specific idea of what they were trying to accomplish with their wedding style. They had booked their venue and several vendors and pulled together some inspiration for their design. It was so much fun to make their dream wedding a reality. They selected rich crimson, ivory and rustic touches. And the overall look was so beautiful! It was a joy to be able to pull it all together for them. The talented Courtney McManaway was there to photograph their day and make sure their memories live on.
Stunning Letterpress invitations by Paper Crew
Beautiful bouquets by Romance Etc with delicate rustic touches.


Specialty Linen by Glow Concepts & Fine Linen




Beautifully styled and delicious candy and dessert table by Twos A Party.

Heartfelt and thoughtful yelp review from the groom. I love my job!


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Thursday, May 14, 2015

WEDDING: Woodland Hills Country Club

Erin and Ranil's wedding was literally the FUNNEST (yes, I realized that is not a real word) wedding EVER! 

I worked with Erin and Ranil for several months to find the perfect location, find all their vendors and with their overall design. Over the course of those months, I really got to know and love them both individually and as a couple. I feel so fortunate to have had them as clients. It was an absolute pleasure to be with them on their wedding day and make sure that all the months of planning went smoothly! So happy that we had the lovely Courtney McManaway there to capture the day.

Overall their design style was a fun preppy chic sort of look. We incorporated a royal blue with a playful green and white stripe to add some fun. We opted for lots of lush white floral and eco-friendly succulents to get that pop of green. 

Erin and Ranil's number one concern was to make sure that their guests had a blast! The bar selection definitely helped get the crowd going, but - it was the talented guys at Special Occasions that truly set the party off! Guests were dying to get on the dance floor before dinner even ended. Special Occasions kept the dance floor packed all night and made me wish I was a guest. 

And the cherry on top for this one - it was featured by The Knot! woo hoo!







Click Here to check out the feature!

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Monday, May 11, 2015

Grooming and the Groomsmen Gift

You want to show the people in your wedding party that you appreciate them in a thoughtful way. 

Groomsmen gifts can be especially tough. Many times, your groomsmen consist of a group of guys that are all totally different. You've got your soon to be brother in law that you are just sort of getting to know, your old college roommate that knows WAY too much, your brother who you can't image life without…. etc. They are all different ages, different stages of life, and all have different tastes and styles. It can be hard to purchase gifts that all fit a theme that everyone will enjoy.

One theme that works well for any dude is the gift of —grooming. 

Here are our top 3 gift ideas:


#1 Barber Shop: give your dudes the experience of a relaxing and manly trip to the barber for a good ol' shave, fresh cut or maybe just a beard trim. 

Cool spots like Razorbacks Barber Shop in Long Beach offer a variety of services. For $80 you can give your groomsmen the gift of a good haircut, shave and product. My recommendation - schedule appointments for all of you the morning of your wedding day, invite your photographer to come along and snap some shots while you all hang out. It's a great way to show your guys you appreciate them and also make sure they look extra sharp on the wedding day! (*don't forget to tip your barber*)



#2 Personalized Leather Travel Kit: time to throw out the zip-lock bag full of toiletries and grow up! This rugged and manly canvas travel bag has really nice leather trim and a stainless-steel medallion for monogram personalization. 
This is the gift that keeps on giving. Your groomsmen will never need to purchase another travel kit as long as they live. And - anytime they go on a trip they will think of you and your wedding. The monogram detail is a really nice touch and will be sure to make them feel special. Plus - this gift has the two things that men always love - practicality and convenience. For only $49 - you can fill it with soaps and lotions and look like you spent a million!

Price $49.99

Personalization with a 3 initial monogram (first name initial, last name initial, middle name initial)

Available on-line at The Groovy Groomsmen Gifts! Click here to purchase on-line. 
Also - be sure to search through their site for more great groomsmen gift ideas. They have tons of items and most can be personalized directly through them with the convince of on-line purchasing. They have great customer service and will make it super easy for you!


#3 Bath and hygiene products: This can be your most cost effective way to go if you shop wisely. 

Every time I go to check in on the groomsmen before the ceremony starts - it literally smells like an Axe  Body Spray fumigation experiment. YIKES! Companies like Bath and Body Works has some great spa quality options by C.O. Bigelow in-store and on-line. The packaging looks super fancy and nice, but the price tag is very reasonable.  You can get each guy an assortment of products and spend less than $50 each. 


Our Favorites are the Elixir Black line. The bottles look cool and they smell great!

(Left)
Elixir Black
Men's Deodorizing Body Spray
$12.00

(Middle)
Elixir Black
Men's Hair & Body Wash
$10.00

(Right)
Elixir Black
Men's Cologne
$19.50


Presentation is EVERYTHING!
Once you've selected your gift items - be sure to go the extra mile and put some thought into the presentation. You can pick up 6 of these really manly and rugged burlap bags on-line for only $19! 6 bags for $19! And the bag is reusable! Add tissue paper and you're done son! 


http://www.save-on-crafts.com/burlapbags12.html

Tuesday, May 5, 2015

WEDDING: Millennium Biltmore Hotel - Downtown Los Angeles


Is there anything more romantic than a grand and historic landmark? Allison and Matt got married at the iconic Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles. So many favorite moments from this wedding. By far - my personal favorite was Matt's reaction when he saw Allison for the first time. She literally took his breath away. He turned around, jaw dropped and had to step back just a bit to get it all in. She truly looked timeless. Very grateful that the talented Mark Martinez Photography was there to capture all the special moments and details!
Something Blue? Why not a classic and timeless pair of Badgley Mischka peep toe pumps?












I love when couples pay homage to their family. Allison and Matt chose to use an heirloom cake topper for this lovely wedding cake by Fantasy Frosting.
Here is a little behind the scenes footage that I took on my iPhone of their first look. Such a sweet moment.




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  • Officiant/ Cantor: Lisa Klein


Tuesday, April 28, 2015

WEDDING: Queen Mary

Jenna and Chris got married aboard the iconic Queen Mary in Long Beach. Surrounded by 200 of their closest family and friend - this stunning wedding was one we'll never forget. Their design was inspired by their nautical venue and they incorporated a beautiful navy and coral color scheme.
Here are some of my favorite photos from the day by Andy Rodriguez Photography.
















 Here is the 411:


  • Event Planning & Coordination: At Your Door Events http://atyourdoorevents.com
  • Venue/Catering: Queen Mary http://www.queenmary.com
  • Florist: Elementals http://elementalsfinefloral.com
  • Photographer: Andy Rodriguez Photography http://www.andyrodriguezphoto.com
  • Make Up & Hair : Flawless Faces, Inc. http://www.flawlessfacesinc.com/home
  • Linen Rentals: Glow Concepts Fine Linens http://glowconcepts.com/about/
  • DJ & Lighting: Extreme DJ http://www.extremedjservice.com
  • Photo Booth: I Heart Mo Mo http://www.iheartmomo.com
  • Cake: Rossmoor Pastries http://www.rossmoorpastries.com/#about
  • Rentals: Bella Events Services http://www.chargerplatesrental.com
  • Linens: Ramon's Linen https://www.facebook.com/RamonsLinen