Esther and I used to work together in the hotel industry….I left to do weddings, she stayed with Hilton but you will see in this blog that she has the talent and creativity to do events. For those that are not familiar with Korean “Dol” It’s the first birthday of the child and it’s a HUGE celebration, sometimes the cost of a small wedding.  Esther and Sam are golfers ( I tried to take lessons with her, I am horrible)  She took the baskets that hold golf balls and spray painted them pink or orange for centerpieces, so Martha!  Her brother created invitations for Chloe’s party, calling it an invitational like a golf tournament (Paul is also our talented web designer) of course matching party favor labels.  Prizers for the best putter received matching visors and the family all looked great in their golf outfits. Awesome job Esther…want to come over to the event planning world?  

Photos Courtesy of: Minmi Photography

I had the distinct pleasure of attending the Special Event 2009 Gala Awards competition at the San Diego Convention Center with Jeannie Savage and Christopher Aldama from Fiori Fresco Special Events. The Gala Awards ceremony is given by Special Events Magazine which is the premier industry publication for recognizing the finest work in special events worldwide. The year’s competition drew nearly 400 entries in 35 categories from Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, England, Germany, Spain, Thailand, United Arab Emirates and the United States.
Christopher and Jeannie partnered together for the “Rock-Mink Wedding” which was held at the Montage Resort and Spa in August 2008. Special Events Magazine recognized this wedding as one of the top three events honored under the category of “BEST WEDDING: BUDGET $1,000.00 AND ABOVE PER GUEST. “The wedding team melded the bride’s desire for a “clean and modern” wedding. The mother’s request for “Old World” flair, and the father’s call for “something no one has seen before” type of wedding. The outdoor space took on a formal French garden feel, punctuated with randomly places spheres of moss, roses and stone. The outdoor cocktail lounge area featured swaybacked tufted sofas in ice-blue with camel-colored throws draped over the arms.” To view details of their wedding, see our September 13, 2008 blog archive.

Congratulations to Christopher and Jeannie on a job well done!

Love the night shots and the red wall! Anthea and Simon will travel to OC to get married….long flight from Asia, but going to be worth it.  Stay tuned for wedding pictures

Photos Courtesy of: Duke Photography, www.dukeimages.com

Lindsay and Mark were married this past weekend at the Montage Resort and Spa. It was touch and go weather mid week, but when Saturday came, it was warm, beautiful and represented Spring as we know it on the west coast. Almost 100% of the guests lived out of state so this was a treat as guests arrived in CA, to avoid the snow.  Lindsay’s strawberry hair was so lovely with the gold applique lace dress from Claire Pettibone.  This wedding reception was fun, but relaxed and residential was the vibe that RJACK Balthazar created for the couple.  So in love with the ceramic pieces, especially the artichoke for some reason. Various shades of coral and teal with accents of silver, black, white and natural greens…usually I like to limit the number of colors but this worked so well together.  And my sweet tooth cried when the mini cakes were being prepped for plating…how adorable were those cakes..and yes, some asked for to go boxes. A female guest said she refuses to cut into this work of art.  Thanks Chenin for documenting this day for them! Another thanks to Joan, the amazing mother of the bride, who was a delight to work with and had a great sense of style.  She had to plan 2 weddings in the same year, her other daughter is getting married in August!  

Photos Courtesy of: Chenin, Boutwell Studio

Julie writes “I want to start with a gorgeous wedding that we filmed this past Friday at Pelican Hill. The resort just reopened and it is STUNNING!! Betty and Ivan’s wedding was beautiful. I loved all of the white orchids! Betty looked amazing in her gown and their dogs with their little tuxedos were TOO CUTE! Ok – Ivan was pretty handsome too Aaron Delesie and I decided that the ceremony site is the perfect size – the gazebo (if you want to call it that) is the perfect size and doesn’t overwhelm the space and is an amazing backdrop for a romantic wedding (and great photos/video). Anyway – enjoy their Same Day Edit!

Thanks Elysium for producing such a great surprise for the guests…most of them have not seen this before. Photos of wedding coming soon!

Video Courtesy of: Elysium Productions (Elysiumblog.com)

Elysium Productions: Contemporary & Stylish Wedding Video in Orange County & Beyond!

I had the best Oreo Cookie shake at Ruby’s Auto Diner in Laguna beach the other night while servicing Lindsay and Mark’s Rehearsal dinner.  That was the hook for Mark when choosing the right dining spot for the night before the wedding.  Since all the guests were from out of town, Marcia, Mark’s mom hosted a fun, thematic, casual comfort food welcome party. Guest had appetizers on the roof top while watching the sun set in the Pacific (I take sunsets for granted and forget that so many people do not get to see this very often when living in the Midwest)  We played 50′s 60′s music all night, while guests went in and out of the photo booth.  We replaced Ruby’s menus with large custom menu cards by Details a la carte….displayed at every booth.  Nostalgic candy such as dots, slap sticks, cigarette gum, were sprinkled at every table.  Wedding photos coming soon!

Photos courtesy of : Chenin, Boutwell Studio

What NOT to eat…during your Wedding Week
 
HIGH SODIUM FOODS  — Want to look bloated on your BIG day? I didn’t think so. Sodium, found in many foods, can cause fluid retention. So, take canned foods, processed meats, restaurant meals, V8 juice, dressings and sauces out of your diet for this week.

CRUCIFEROUS VEGETABLES — Steer clear of broccoli, cauliflower, and brussel sprouts as these are major gas-forming foods.
 
BEANS — If beans give you gas, either avoid them or take Bean-O® with any bean products to ease their digestion and prevent any undo embarrassment.
 
BUFFET FOODS — Soup Plantation may be calling your name, but keep in mind that food-borne pathogens love a good buffet. The potential for temperature fluctuations, environmental pathogens, and cross-contamination make eating at a buffet seem like risky business, especially during your wedding week.
 
ALFALFA SPROUTS — These tasty sandwich toppings have a high risk of harboring Salmonella if they aren’t extremely fresh. So, instead, opt for avocado, sliced tomato, and lettuce on your deli favorite.
 
For more nutrition tips and help with your diet or eating habits, contact:
Janice Holm, MPH, RD, CHES
Registered Dietitian & Certified Health Education Specialist
Owner/Founder of SoCal Nutrition & Wellness
310.270.8985
janice@socalnw.com

They are having a designer sample sale till April 24th. There are a lot of gowns on sale from $995 to $2495 for the most part.  They were originally $3000-$8000.  They are in great condition, however the bride can’t be larger than a size 8.  Call to make an appointment…IMPORTANT (I took 2 snapshots of dresses from M Bride Salon site, but does not represent the sample on sale)

www.mbridesalon.com 

702 Pearl Street, Suite H

La Jolla, CA 92037

Phone: 858-551-1718

So, I wasn’t actually one of the lucky ones to be at Ryan and Brita’s wedding in Mexico, but I did get to be a part of their amazing “resort chic” wedding as Details a la carte created the paper goods.  Many people have asked what was meant by the term “resort chic,” which was used on the invitation for attire. Truly it was a casual, yet fashionably elegant beach feel.  It was light weight clothes and suits were linen, dress pants, stylish open toed shoes and cute spring dresses.  We carried the theme of the location and vibe throughout the save the dates, invitations, escort cards, table numbers, welcome cards and programs.  The pieces were created using linen fabric and white cotton paper. The colors of orange, pink and brown could be seen through graphics of bougainvillea, which were flowers around the location and birds of paradise, which were the brides favorite flower and used for her bouquet.  

Photos Courtesy of: Victor Sizemore Photography

A few detail shots of the Punta Mita Mexico wedding….would you like to take a shot of tequila at the end of the aisle?  The caterer Bernhard (Chef) was so excited when he found this heart shaped tequila bottle to surprise the couple with!  Fun Fact:  Did you know that they do not serve Patron in Mexico, they think it’s horrible and refuse to carry it!

Photos Courtesy of : Victor Sizemore Photography