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

FABULOUS & FORTY!

We had the pleasure of working with Renae on the planning and design of her 40th birthday party in downtown Long Beach. She wanted a fun and flirty celebration with lots of sparkly pink details.

With the help from some of our very favorite event industry pros - we gave her the celebration she had always dreamed of! All photos by the talented Kristina Lee Photography.

Sparkly blush sequin linen from Luxe Linens and stunning floral by Pixies Petals.

The talented people at Ice Craving made this custom martini luge for us!

The one specific request that Renae made was that she HAD to have Sweet & Saucy Shop mini desserts! With some major styling by Two's A Party - Renae's dessert bar was a huge hit!

For us the perfect ending to any celebration is a happy client! 

Check out this super sweet and thoughtful YELP review of our services.

Here is the 411:

• Venue/ Catering: Sky Room/ Up Lounge http://www.theskyroom.com/up_lounge.html

• Photographer: Kristina Lee Photography http://kristinaleephotography.com

• Florist: Pixies Petals http://www.pixiespetals.com

• Desserts: Sweet & Saucy Shop http://www.sweetandsaucyshop.com

• Linen Rentals: Luxe Linen http://luxelinen.org

• DJ & Lighting: Extreme DJ Service http://www.extremedjservice.com

• Dessert Table Styling: Two's a Party http://twosaparty.com

• Ice Sculptured Single Luge: Carving Ice http://www.carvingice.com

• Event Planning & Design: At Your Door Events http://atyourdoorevents.com

Our Two Cents on Wedding Party

The people that will stand next to you on your wedding day are a pretty big deal! Besides literally standing next to you at the alter, they represent the people that have your back! Your wedding party are the people that will support you not only through the wedding planning process but throughout your marriage.  As a wedding planner, I can appreciate a wedding planner that has their act together!  The wedding party helps set the tone for the day; If the wedding party is on time, celebrating, being helpful, making sure the couple is having fun, then it makes my job so much easier.

Here's my two cents on wedding party advice:

• Choose wisely- Just because you've been a bridesmaid at 300 weddings does not mean you are obligated to ask all those friends to be in your bridal party. Choose extra close friends/family members that have patience, the finances to spend a few hundreds, won't ruin your festivities by getting too tipsy, are drama free, and will put your happiness first.
• As soon as you decide who the dream team will be- let them know right away. Find a creative and sweet way to ask. You want to make sure that you give them plenty of time to prepare. 
•  Be cautious on the size of your wedding party-the bigger the crew, the more potential for disagreements and the more costly it can become (transportation, bridal party gifts, rehearsal dinner, etc).
• I strongly suggest that you consider the shapes and comfort level of each bride when selecting the style of dresses. Bridal party clothes are expensive! You want to make sure that they love what they're wearing. Opt for non traditional brides maid-dresses. Consider, choosing a color palette and let them choose the design.
• Remind the guys to wear black socks.
• Give them a heads up- they're going to be on their feet for most of the day. Bridesmaid should bring extra comfortable shoes (for down-time). Also let them know that taking pictures takes "for-ever" so patience and cooperation is required. 
• Make sure that you have enough food/water and snacks available during the wedding day (while getting ready, taking pictures, etc.)
• Acknowledging your appreciation for their participation on your ceremony program is a nice touch!
• Make the Grand Entrance Fun- Give your DJ a brief description of how each attendant should be announced during the grand entrance (e.g. "Welcome Mary Smith, the bride's best friend since 2nd grade etc.). Choose a fun song for the grand entrance. Have a game plan of what you're going to want your bridal party to do when they enter the room (go straight to their seats, create a Soul Train Line on dance floor, etc.)
• I' think it's more thoughtful when the bridal party sits with the guest they have brought to the wedding.
• Make sure to pour tons and tons of LOVE on your bridal party! They've accepted your invitation to participate and spend money on your wedding, you should reciprocate with a thoughtful gift and lots of consideration to what makes them comfortable. 
• Remember that this is the team you selected to have extra fun with on your wedding day! Make memories with them! Enjoy!

Just sayin',
Jenny Goodman

(Special thanks to the awesome bridal party at Natalie and Eddie's wedding for being everything a bridal party should be. Also Thanks to Pamela Marches Photography for the great pics. www.pamelamarches.com

Home Sweet Home- Weddings!

This summer I've had the pleasure of planning a few weddings in my clients home. Although, a lot more work and logistical planning  for me, I've had a great time doing so! My clients chose to have their wedding at their home, not to save money, but for the opportunity to celebrate this momentous occasion in a place that already holds special memories! While ideal for some brides, there are a few things to consider. For example:

• Let your neighbors know that you're hosting a party. Not only is it polite, but you will avoid grumpy neighbors complaining (to police, association, etc.)
• Consider noise restrictions (most neighborhoods require for the noise to be turned down by 10 pm)
• Will your caterers have access to your kitchen? If not, they will need to build a portable kitchen. They're going to need access to water and electricity.
• Speaking of electricity, make sure to know ho many amps of electricity each outlet can handle. The last thing you want during your reception is for the lights or music to go off.
• Consider the weather. Provide parasols if it's too sunny. Provide shawls and heaters for the chilly evenings. Also, have a plan B, in case Mother Nature turns on you.
• What's the parking situation? Ideally, it's best to offer valet. 
• Are there enough restroom available for guest? Normally you need 1 bathroom stall for every 40-50 guest.
• Ask all your vendors to visit the site. Minimize any surprises.
• Hire a cleaning crew for the aftermath! The last thing you want to do after your wedding is spend hours scrubbing! 
• Obviously, hire a wedding planner that will handle the enormous amount of logistical planning on that day! 

If done correctly,  you won't regret saying your "I Do's" in a place that is unique and the most special to you, your home!

Toodles,
Jenny Goodman

Gem Finds-Wedding Venues in So. California- Cal Aero

Cal Aero Aviation Country Club

I recently had a wedding at this venue and I can't wait to have another one! This airplane hangar is fantastic for couples looking to party without many restrictions. One of the nice things is that you can bring in your own caterer (we highly recommend a professional caterer that provides full service), you can also bring in your own bar service (which is a huge savings), and you can party till the wee hours of the night (you have to buy the additional hours). The hangar doors dramatically open up, revealing polished floors, sky high ceilings, and the infinite possibilities of your decor! The venue really lends itself to a travel theme or a 1930's era soiree! 

Here is the 411:

• Capacity: 180 (sit down dinner)
• Catering: Not provided. You can provide caterer and alcohol
• Average Cost: Just for venue- average is $3K
• Tables, Chairs & Basic Linen: Not provided. You have to bring in.
• Silverware, Plates, etc: You have to bring in.
• Enough Restrooms: Provided but we recommend you rent two extra portable restrooms
• Wheelchair Accessible: yes
• Brides Dressing Room: yes
• Accommodations: No
• Clean Up: Provided- You have to hire a staff to set up and clean up.
• Note: You have to provide insurance

For more information, please contact:

Susan Whittlesey

Cal Aero Events Manager

949-533-9013

http://calaeroevents.com

We highly, highly, highly recommend a wedding planner for this venue! There is so much logistics to this venue that you need the guidance of someone who is experienced and knows how this venue works! 

Give us call for more information! (888) 489-9671.

Cheers,

Jenny and Sara

Gem Finds-Wedding Venues in So. California

Finding a venue for my clients is one of my favorite tasks in wedding planning! Without the help of a professional, this task could seem daunting and intimidating. I really enjoy the adventure of finding the perfect place, with the right ambiance, at the right budget. We are so lucky to live in Southern California where the potential for amazing venues are everywhere!  For the next few days I'm going to share with you my favorite spots!

Tibbies Center Stage Fontana

I'm so lucky to have found this gem and I'm even luckier to be representing the venue as their Special Events Manager.  I would have never taken on this responsibility if I didn't truly love how this venue looks and what they have to offer! Tibbies Center Stage is a historical theater that underwent a 6.5 million dollar renovation. The theater now has art-deco trimmings, amazing velvet curtains, a good size stage, a fabulous red carpet, a marquee to display the names of the bride and groom, a grand black piano, and a state of the art lighting and audio system! In addition to how much character this venue has, the food is delish and the prizes are super reasonable! I can't stop gushing about how much I love this place!

Thank you http://www.christina-sanchez.com/ for the awesome pictures! Love her!

Here is the 411:

• Capacity: 185 (max for sit down dinner)
• Catering Provided (no outside food or alcohol)
• Average Cost per person: $39.95 
• Food/Beverage Minimum is 5K on a Saturday 
• Tables, Chairs & Basic Linen: Provided
• Silverware, Plates, etc: Provided
• Enough Restrooms: Provided
• Wheelchair Accessible: yes
• Brides Dressing Room: yes
• Accommodations: No, but close enough
• Clean Up: Provided (Thank God)

This is a great place to check out!

If you're interested in getting more information, check out their website at www.centerstagefontana.com or call (949) 836-6360 to make an appointment to come see the space.

Cheers!

Jenny & Sara

The Great Wedding Planner vs. The Average Wedding Planner

There is a big difference between a great wedding planner and an average wedding planner. The great wedding planner will do the things the average wedding planner just wont!

I don't like to toot my own horn but here goes, TOOT-TOOT!

By this definition, Sara and I are Great Wedding Planners. We have done things for our clients and for their families to save the wedding day that the average wedding planner just wouldn't do! 

Sara and I feel the tremendous responsibility to make the day as wonderful as possible for our couples regardless of what it takes.

Here is a list of just SOME of the things we have done that perhaps the average wedding planner wouldn't have:

• Climbed a tree to bring a scared ring bearer down
• Took a maid of honor to purchase a breast pump
• Put plenty of tipsy guests in taxis
• Hemmed countless dresses and sewn plenty of buttons
• Driven a mother of the groom around in a parking lot because she forgot where she parked
• We are the first to arrive and the last ones to leave on the wedding day
• Helped bridesmaids clean up baby diaper explosion
• Fired and escorted a drunk bartender (double my size too!) off the premises
• Taken a sick guest to the emergency room
• Tamed hords of ADHD and tipsy groomsmen
• Escorted wedding crashers off the dancefloor

Most of the time - our client's don't even know about all the craziness that goes on behind the scenes. For them, the day just seems to magically go perfectly smooth and we wouldn't have it any other way!

As much logistical planning as we do, some things happen that are just beyond our control! But, we are always there to jump in and fix it, without hesitation.

So the question is, do you want an average wedding planner OR do you want a great wedding planner?

Cheers!
Jenny & Sara