And the infamous TISSUE POM POMS that [if you follow me on twitter, you heard me moan about a couple of days last week] my team and I made in the wee hours of the morning!!

Visit Nicole’s post for more images and leave her pretty pretty comments about her pretty pretty pictures! I cannot wait for y’all to see the ridiculously perfect vintage furniture that Jeni from FOUND supplied. You will flip. Like for serious.

Until then, hang on and enjoy the ride!!

xoxo,

A.

With all the inspiration of rustic and western vibes, my mind went straight to wood backing. How more rustic could you get? With the perfect feminine color palate [all shades of purple, navy and mint green accented with cream and fruitwood tones], the wood backing ads just enough rustic to make it work! Believe it or not, the first one I whipped up is what we went with! We then used the same design ideas for the RSVP postcard and information card on a nice ivory base.

We used a heavy-weight, deliciously textured ivory stock for the paper goods and ivory vellum for the main invite. The shape was custom cut for us [a must with this design and really what sent us over the edge in love with it]. We then tied it all together with a lace ribbon inside of a precious box! The lace was the perfect pop against the wood and paper products- and we went with a modern, more “geometric” lace to compliment the feminine colors. I would LOVE to get one of these in the mail!

What I loved most about this project were the quirky colors paired with the rustic country chic look Lesa was looking for.  It just worked, and turned out so great, if I do say so myself!

Hope you all enjoyed hearing about it as much as I did making it! And just in case you weren’t excited enough after these for Lesa and Eric’s wedding photos… the super cute background fabric is actually what we’re custom making their napkins from for the event! Yippee!

love,

Shannon

The inspiration, you ask? Think classic greens with an upscale twist. I wanted the vibe to be traditional and elegant with a punch of modern [of course] and a taste of funk!

I used these killer ladderback chairs [my new favorite chiavari alternative] in gold to really give that “old world” vibe to the table! The hanging potato wreath was a labor of love, in all gold!

I know it sounds strange to say, but I absolutely adore how the mini taper candles exude the vibe of Roman Catholicism. It wasn’t the original plan for it to do so, but once the centerpiece was in place… it just felt so perfectly Irish Catholic! What a way to celebrate heritage and history!!

And so you can see the fun, from above:

Now, some of you who are newer to my blog may not know this as well, but let it be heard: I am ALL ABOUT centerpieces composed of a filler-flower-only! These centerpieces packed with different types of leafy greens really get my heart racing! We also created these darling boutonnieres for the “guests” to pin on- because as everyone knows, if you forget to wear green, you’re gonna get pinched!

This plating style may be my favorite composure in quite some time! I love that the two base plates [gold charger and green dinner] are larger and centered while the salad plate is small and set at the bottom, near the guest, with the boutonniere on it! It just screams LOVELY to me!

And what’s a St. Patrick’s Day feast without a large glass of beer?? NOTHING, I say! We loved using these [almost uncomfortably] tall beer glasses to set the tone for the glassware at the party!

And who could forget drink flags?? NOT me! The water just screamed for an extra pop! This ribbon was pretty wide, and looked quite adorable when knotted onto the top of our stick to create the flag.

Stellar calligraphy was provided by Victoria at Inkwell Calligraphy. I just knew when I was plotting this table that calligraphed items were a must! These name cards have been made into mini banners that sit behind each person’s plate!

And some gorgeous, hand-written menus [with classic Irish dishes, of course!]:

Our cuter-kins little pots of gold as favors:

I stuck a leaf in for good measure!

And lastly, a few shots of our darling boutonnieres that you didn’t yet see:

And of course, my favorite:

If you’re asking if they were just as cute in person… the answer is YES! And cuter!

The lineup includes:

Table Linens from BBJ and La Tavola
Ladderback Chairs from Party Rental King
Plateware + Basics from Signature Party Rentals
Photography by Two Auer Photo
Calligraphy by Victoria’s Inkwell
Event Styling + Floral work by In The Now!

It completely, 100% FIGURES that I’d plan yet another trip to my favorite area [the downtown LA garment and flower district] on a day when torrential downpour is very likely to ensue. Yet, my motivation is strong, and my excitement is rumbling inside my brain louder than the thunder could roll!! Here’s a little sneak of the colors I’m putting together for our lovely March tabletop. Of course it’s got an Irish feel to it- it’s March! I have a sneaking suspicion that it’s going to be outrageously, utterly, ridiculously fabulous. And that’s not just because it’s me putting it together. Okay maybe it is. Jury’s still out… I’ll let you all decide!

What do you think of when you see this? When you think of March?? When you dream of Ireland??? Curious to hear the answers that you come up with! It may or may not make it’s way onto the March table!

xoxo,

A.

Venue: Lake Oak Meadows

Photography: Teresa and Company @TeresaK Photography

Florist: Karen @ From The Garden

DJ: Aaron @ Authentic Sound

The thing I love about this venue: it’s just simply gorgeous. It doesn’t need much. With the rows of wine vines and the natural landscape… wow, it’s just perfect.

Some of Lacey’s fun details. These are over at the ceremony site!

The ceremony site is a peninsula area that backs [well, is surrounded by] the lake. It’s so serene and peaceful. As big as the property sounds, it’s actually the PERFECT size for an intimate wedding!

These fans worked PERFECTLY for the guests… though we had great weather. The day of the rehearsal there was actually a rain scare, but the cool breeze felt amazing with the 80-something-degree weather!

I died over this. Alicia, when we got there, walked up to snag a few shots of Lacey while she was getting portraits. This is Lacey’s little excited-that-we-were-there-half-wave. SO cute!

Oh P.S. forgot to mention she totally looks like Kelly Clarkson but cuter. Am I RIGHT?! Onto reception details!

Their courtyard/lawn area is just divine. Strung lights included over the area. A built in bar. Stones with the grass humbly growing between. SO charming.

THE CAKE. This cake is like none I’d ever seen. I remember Lacey was debating between two cakes. One was this one. We decided, if her baker could pull it off… go for it. And pull it off they did!!

Cute table details, and a HUGE toss bouquet, because that’s how Lacey rolls:

Candles as escort cards… yes please! And this picture below makes me giggle each time I see it! This is Lacey, being escorted via golf cart up to the top of the steps so that her walk will be an entrance to remember. I adore the “privacy parasols” to ensure her and Andrew don’t see one another!

A close up of it:

Onto the GOOD stuff:

I just feel like Lacey’s entire “look” wreaks of movie-star quality. Elegant hair. Elegant walk. The VEIL. Everything gorgeous!

Personal tidbits: Andrew DID get a bit excited half way through the ceremony [after his vows] and tried to lift Lacey’s veil and kiss her! She let out the cutest little “not yet!” and the whole crowd loved it. So perfect!

The theme for the day:

Good thing- it makes the cutest pictures!

Right after the ceremony they stopped to soak it all in… funny enough, RIGHT behind the chairs. It’s like they couldn’t wait just to be together and talk! I loved it. After a few seconds, we had to usher them around the corner so that the bridal party could join ‘em for pictures!

A shot that Teresa set up at the tail end of the cocktail hour, just before the Grand Entrance:

The new Mr. and Mrs!

I just love how happy they are. It warms my heart!

Straight into their loving first dance:

Cuteness overload.

Dancing with dad:

I LOVED these few pics of Lacey tossing her bouquet!

In mid-air, if you can spy it:

Finally cutting that delicious cake!

THIS is what I’m talking about- spontaneously in love. They are so perfect together. Even in the way they hold one another, it’s so obvious. Smitten!!

And of course, my personal fave:

WOW WOW WOW, Lacey. You are a married woman. I’ll bet it’s been the best thing ever. The past few weeks have flown by at jet speeds, but your love story has stayed with me. During the ceremony, I cried. During the speeches, I cried. Witnessing your love has been nothing short of an honor for me. Truly! I’m so thrilled that I got to be there with you. Knowing that you two are out there, representing marriage so well, makes me proud to be even the slightest bit a part of your story. I know there are so so so many more years and stories, tears and laughs and MEMORIES in your future! Hopefully as the pictures from your friends, family, and disposable cameras roll in, these are a little more love comin’ your way. It’s all about the moments we capture in life! Love you two like it’s going out of style!

xoxo,

A.

Okay so everyone… I have been anxiously, ANXIOUSLY awaiting to share these pictures with you guys. Not only because Cyn and Ron are totally beyond words fabulous to the tenth power [math style, y'all!], but because I had the honor and privilege of being not only their coordinator, but acting as their florist. Yep. You heard it. I did it. All 6 bouquets. All 10 boutonnieres. All 27 centerpieces. That just happened.

When Cynthia approached me about having problems finding a florist who got her “vision”, she literally included this picture on her email:

Yep. You guessed it. It was one of mine. Something I whipped up after having a hair-brained idea that it would be “oh-so-cute” to create a hedge from leaves, and have flowers poking out of it. Cynthia loved this simple idea and from there, it stemmed on to become a vision that complimented her long banquet tables in such a way that neither of us could turn back. How was it, doing flowers AND running the show, you ask? Terrifying. Stressful. Exhilarating. Confidence Boosting- no doubt. I think I’m more comfortable now than ever in my own skin- and I cannot thank the Ronthia enough for that! To trust me the way they did… Cynthia’s kind and loving emails to me never got old, and I hope they never will [as I KNOW we'll be pen pals for yearsandyearsandyearsandyears]. But back to their day. Their day was beyond words. And to say that I’m personally counting down the MINUTES until I see everything that Sarah K. Chen has to offer.. uggh, understatement! Okay, I’ll shut up now! PICTURES!

A snap of their centerpieces, and here’s the sweetheart arrangements, below:

Cyn’s color scheme was classic and simple: black, white, and an emerald green SO detailed and perfect that the bridesmaid dresses were hand made [and inspired by the exact color seen on Kiera Knightly in Atonement]! Because of that, we kept nearly all of the decor black and white, and let this deep, warm red in for just a few pops of color and spice!

Their event took place at the gorgeously historical Craven’s Estate in Pasadena. Could it get ANY better?? Seriously? The ceremony was out front, with the elegant, stately front door setting the backdrop, white the reception was hosted on the back patio and backyard area. With the lower level hosting our cocktail hour and dance floor… this event was dripping with history and originality!

Props to me. I’m a perfectionist and I took about 5 solid minutes tying that bow and cutting the tails at the top of the aisle. I’m intense. And it’ SO worth it. Also, here you can see that we re-used 10 of her centerpieces down the side of the aisle. It was SO perf. We trickled petals in between and voila! Amazingness squared [math joke AGAIN- were you not prepared this time either??]!!

A preface: I get really into bouquet wraps. This one was my favorite so far. Heart shaped buttons are no laughing matter!!

OH how I love bridal bouquets. I made little minis for the moms! Here are their nosegays:

I told C&R that they just HAD to jump into their photobooth PRE vows. Such cute pictures and even better memories!!

Thanks to Cheesy Photobooths for being consistently fun! Now, some post-vow photos:

My favorite moment of nearly every wedding is right after the ceremony. When the bride and groom are delirious and in disbelief and have that split second to themselves to share in the enormity of the entire occasion. That is where the love happens, people. That is this moment. And C&R shared it beautifully. Perfectly!

“Did we just….?” “Yep. We did!”

Some reception shots, before the chairs were moved back around:

And some details by nightfall:

[These are the lanterns that inspired it all!!]

So, C&R are not the traditionalists. There was no cake. There was no bouquet toss, no garter. And they tried- OH how they tried- to get out of their first dance. But the crowds would not have it, and revolted. So, for the few moments that Cynthia and Ron agreed to step out onto the dance floor and share their moments with the world… I had the honor of snapping as best I could.

And of course, my favorite pictures of the whole event. The post-party:

Me and my girl!!

We SO get each other. Meant to be. :)

Newlyweds!!! Cannot cannot CANNOT believe it! To be quite frank: I’m thrilled. Honored. Sad. Changed.

Guys- I am CHANGED by your love. Your kindness. Your genuity. Your patience and humbleness. Words can’t describe how it was for me to be able to be a part of your lives. You are so apparently in love. So apparently going to be able to ‘go the distance’. It’s with marriages like yours that, one by one, the world is changed. Thanks for being you- and SO SO SO much for letting me be me. I love the way you love one another in a way that allows me to love my babe more. I hope that through your video and pictures, you remember and cherish each and every moment of this day for the rest of your lives. I know, beyond a doubt, that I will.

xoxo,

A.

If you can’t tell, Jenny went total Martha Stewart and made all of her ceremony decor out of tissue poms. I LOVED it. So cute!

They married at Almansor Court in Alhambra on a sunny Sundy [see what I did there? I took out the "a" in Sunday, to make it rhyme-y] morning. The weather was perfection!

Eddie @ Commerce Flowers rocked their personal flowers so hard. She loved them!!

They opted to do potted plant centerpieces to act as a take-home for their near and dear. Some details of the event:

Their cake. THEIR CAKE! It was my favorite thing EVER. It’s kinda old school/tradition in that the tiers are separated with poles and it’s intricate… but that little tulle skirt it’s wearing and the TOPPER alone make it amazing to a whole new level!!

The 80’s are back with a vengeance in ALL the best of ways!

Their good friend Matt Gainer came out to shoot candid photos while one of my faves, Wayne Toshikazu caught the formals and detail shots. I love the abundance of photographers. It’s my favorite. What can I say? I like pictures. Don’t blame me. No, don’t be mad. It’s cool. Get over it. :)

All that to say, knowing that their pictures will be FAB makes my job that much more fun!

They are so incredibly and undeniably best friends, and so apparently in LOVE. Weddings like this are a pleasure to work!!

It was a great GREAT day! It’s funny, when you get used to working late nights [until Midnight or so] to be off by 3pm and have the rest of the day to lounge and hang… but you’re exhausted ’cause you’ve been up since 6:00am!! It was a very nice break in the schedule. And really, who better to do it with?? The meetings that Jenny and I shared together were always so relaxed and fun. She didn’t ever overly-concern herself with things going wrong or “what if”s. She really could make a gal pass two hours chatting with ease! And that is why we at ITN TOTALLY HEART her. So big time. I’m so glad that you two are one big happy family now. To many more fun family events, to more paper cranes, to more wheat grass… to more memories!

We wish you nothing but the best and tons of little red-headed, freckle faced babies!!!

xoxo,

A.

This picture of the dress, below, UGH, makes me get butterflies about weddings!!!

Since I forgot to mention before, Cindy Babuscio did all of the incredible arrangements for Brook’s big day. The vision was garden-y, romantic, rustic, organic… man, did it all come straight across!! And at 3 arrangements per table, this was no small task! I lalalalaLOVED them! She’s got a little blog in the works, too, so keep an eye on her!

Look at those lovey-dovey super googlie eyes! I adore those!

If you can’t tell, B&D opted for a “first look” and it totally provided that intimate moment and atmosphere for their pictures, it was the perfect choice for them!!

Oh Brook, you’re such a looker!!

This moment just as the doors opened, is magical. I love that it’s caught forever for their kids and their kids’ kids to see.

There is no- NO- substitution for professional pictures of your reception space prior to the guests arriving. I totally heart this picture!!

‘Member what I said about the florist, above?? Yeah, seriously!

And a couple of the reception:

SO sweet! I love. Do you?

Hope you’re having a fab week! I’m off to brainstorm some creative [on time constraints] DIY escort cards for this weekend!

xoxo,

A.

We all have been looking forward to this wedding for a LONG TIME, but I have been looking forward to it for several reasons. Here’s a few, in an appropriate list form [as is my style]:

1. Brooklin is drop dead gorgeous. I cannot WAIT for the photos because they’re gonna be killer. And I knew she’d make a gorgeous bride.

2. Dan and Brook have such a special relationship- so real and beautiful to watch. The ceremony was so touching and personal- it radiated everything that they are, as I knew it would.

3. This was my FIRST wedding of 2009 and I couldn’t think of a better way to spend my day then with this fantastic couple!

That being said- the wedding was exactly what Brook and I had envisioned: organic, inviting, stylish, and an all-around great time! Here’s some pictures to prove it!

We’ll start at the church. Their custom monogrammed black aisle runner was oh-so-chic!

A close up [and a bit over-exposed picture] of the small floral splash for the guest book- really giving you a feel for the style of florals at the reception…

In the bathroom [Brook and Dan got married at the church on the site of where Brook went to high school! A bit of nostalgia on her big day!!] here’s B’s mom attaching her gorgeous veil!

I love this picture because it feels SO real.

The ceremony!! He cried. Then she cried. Then I cried. :)

Married!!!

Over to the reception, which was held at the OC Sailing and Events Center in Dana Point- about 5 minutes from the church. The room is known for being a blank site- white ceiling, grey carpet and with the right “vision”, it can turn magically delicious. That’s what me and my team did last night. Can you believe it… there were 6 of us working this wedding [Me, Josh, Alicia, Brittany, Miriam, and Rebekah]!!!

The cake is always my favorite part the wedding decor it seems. This cake, however… was beyond words it was so stunning.

We used these great ivory and black damask runners from Dress My Chair to set the vibe for the evening along with the color theme of the avocado bridesmaid dresses. The florals were whimsical and garden-inspired and were the perfect compliment!

Long banquet tables filled the room with that family-style vibe that Brook had been hoping for!

Since the space is SO blank and white, we used pipe and drape to create a background on the stage area, where the sweetheart table was placed. Adding their ceremony decor, a few up-lights, and a hanging monogram and voila! You’ve got magic!

This picture below actually isn’t the BEST picture of how the room looked, but I love the centerpieces and tables all in a line like this, so here it is:

The team, halfsies style:

Britt, what’s with the peace signs, huh?? I’m beginning to think this may need to be your pose for the new site!!

Back to the cake. L.O.V.E. The florist SO outdid herself with this. When the cake arrived it was a simple cake- just plain black ribbon wrapping the round tiers. They did a floral cascading swirl down both sides of the cake that trailed all the way down to the table. It was a shame we couldn’t cuddle it and keep it forever. And yes I said I want to cuddle a cake. Deal with it!

First dance. B’s dress is soooo flamenco flowy pretty delicious!

“Bustles that kill me for 100, Alex”

Father/Daughter:

A little backdrop close-up:

Bouquet toss!!

Her gorgeous bridal bouquet:

And a quick final snap of the cake cutting:

All in all- the day was perfection! We had ZERO snags. My staff was pumped to work and we works our little tails off! The weather was gorgeous [after a year and a half of anxiety about the possibility of rain and what we'd do with the outdoor cocktail hour!], the site was transformed, and the party was so fun!

B&D: you two have a love that is infectious. If I didn’t know it before your wedding day, I am so 100% sure of it now. It’s not about the words you say- it’s about HOW you say them. About your eyes behind them. About your hearts showing through. Love like yours moves me. It’s why I’m in business. It’s why I work to ensure that your vodka tonics and vodka-and-diet-cokes get to you in a timely fashion. It’s why, when I hug you goodbye at the end of “the perfect day”, I hug you with my whole heart, and release you knowing that you’re the ones who’ll make it work.

You are the ones who will give what I do a good name.

xoxo,

A.

Basically, we knew a pocket fold was the direction we wanted to take since day one. Lisa [whose real full name is Elizabeth, yes, your eyes do NOT deceive] was sold on that. But coming up with the perfect color scheme took some time. Since we’re also trying to remain budget conscious and do this relatively cheap, we’re only printing in black ink! In fact, what you’re looking at is an ivory stock with a thick black [bleed-off-the-page] border to give it that extra POP. Lisa’s other request: postcard RSVPs. Not a problem for this gal! I do those all the time so plugging in that info to create a postcard was easy peasy!! I added in a handy directions card complete with a hand-Amanda-made map with directions from church to reception, and presto! We’re done-zo!

Another unique element… it’s all in Spanish!! Seeing as I seriously don’t speak a lick of Spanish, it’s been so fun to see the translation of what I know from the standard wedding invite! I had Lisa write up the text and send it over so that I could plug it in and style it to the best of my abilities. It truly came out great! I can’t wait for their big day next June. So far, it’s turning out smashingly!! Stay inspired, and happy Friday!! xoxo!

Now, I don’t play favorites with my couples, honestly I don’t. And I’m sooo excited for next year because I have some amazing weddings coming up. BUT, if I DID want to chose a fave couple award for 2007… well, K&B would be in the running. I looooove them. They’re like the kind of infectious you want to keep. :)

The wedding ceremony took place at St. Pius V Church, which was literally around the corner from Kris and Bry’s house! Their on-site coordinator, Kathy, was AWESOME! Since we had a huge wedding party, I was a bit worried [10 bridesmaids, 10 groomsmen, 5 flower girls, 3 ring bearers, and.... well, a TON of sponsors!] about getting everyone’s attention in regards to walking down the aisle. Kathy worked it, and helped me out so much!

Since Kristine and Bryan were expecting nearly 300 guests, Kristine was a trooper to go all out the way she did in the details. You’ll see more later, but I think she must have made at least 150 to 200 of these super cute programs alone!!

Presenting the bouquet to Mary…

Married! I LOVE this picture!

And equally, this one too!!

After the ceremony we did some quick re-enactments for Harvard Photography to get “the big stuff” at a better angle. A few snaps for you:

And, onto the reception I went!! The main festivities were held at the Sheraton Hotel Cerritos. I love, love, LOVE the on-site coordinator there, Amanda [how funny, right!!]. Since K&B booked me for month-of coordinating, I got to talk with her lots, which was so fun! This was my first time working there and I’m already dying to go back!! You’ll see her later. :)

We made this ballroom [already gorgeous and fairly newly renovated] SHINE with glamour!! Satin linens from Dress My Chair, chair covers and sashes by Chair Covers by Angie, Eddie at Commerce Flowers was incredible and their arrangements were huge and full and gorgeous!! To top it off we had Ryan of Fly By Night killing it with music, microphone, and much more [he even helped us figure out our little glitch in the slideshow, which took almost 20 minutes but was SOOOOOO worth it!!!]. The whole thing caught on film by 29 Frames [who also, might I add, were responsible for the amazingness of the slideshow, which they put together!]. We had a dream team.

Some details:

Favors were carmel apples, CDs, and mini wine bottles. It was a busy table, full of love! I adore the way it all turned out!!

Let me just say that I LOVE these place cards and with 30 tables of guests Kristine is a freaking miracle worker for these. Even the vendors had them!!!

Some shots of the cocktail hour.

See that puffy hydrangea arrangement [hydrangement??] in the background? Yep, I threw that together. :) I did the flower girl baskets too [as the church was a "no toss" church], but I didn’t get any pictures. Lame.

Since K&B wanted to do something fun with their bar budget, we decided to host a “signature drink” only for them. We chose apple martinis to go with their color scheme, green and brown. The hotel [Amanda the amazing I should say] went full force and rimmed the glasses with brown sugar. So. cute. And this display?? To die for! The guests loved it!

Back into the room for a minute…

Rossmoor Pastries is responsible for this. I am thankful!

A little bling hasn’t killed anyone, right??

I loooooove candles and how they transform a room!

The room:

These are Kristine’s “reception shoes”. I am in love with them.

This one is “for the blog”, just before the grand entrance:

The group walked in to the Rocky theme!!

And straight into their first dance [which, the bridal party crouches around the dance floor and blew bubbles during]:

Sooooo in love! [Even if Bryan didn't cry during the ceremony, I know he really wanted to, and that's how I know they're really in love...]. Haha!!

A quick hello and thank you from our groom before dinner!

The groom’s cake was a tuxedo. So cute!! We dressed up the table a bit with an engagement picture, candles and petals.

Our cake, all lit up from the back!!

And more on why THIS is on the cake table later:

Sigh, perfection!!

The slideshow I mentioned before. Well, it was actually more like a video/picture montage. It was SO candid, SO personal, SO cute. They told their love story… and I was hooked!!

Their speeches were warm and heartfelt!

I grabbed a quick shot of Kris’s bouquet. It was incredible! I’ve come to find out that I don’t LOVE single-flower bouquets right now in life. But, this was serious perfection!!!

And the bridesmaid bouquets weren’t so bad either. I looooove the deep green hydrangea that Eddie used. Swoon!!

After the toasts, Bryan had a special surprise for the group: he sang to Kristine in front of everyone! The song was Adam Sandler’s “Grow Old With You” and he did SO well! I was blown away! It was too, too cute!!

So in love!!

Oh yah, THIS is Amanda @ The Sheraton. Who rocks my face off. Amanda, now that you’ve seen my blog I expect weekly comments!! :)

A close up of their low centerpieces:

And into the Father/Daughter dance!

Of course, Bryan and his mom weren’t forgotten either!

And NOW, it’s cake time!! Thanks to my amazing and tall cousin Miriam for most of these shots! She held my camera over the crowd and over her head and just snapped away!!

It got a LITTLE crazy, but thankfully the dress had napkin-protection.

Awe, love IS sweet!

Let’s ask Kristine how she REALLY feels about the taste of champagne… this one killed me!!

Time for the toss.

And the garter. I love that Bryan threw Kris’ shoes like halfway across the dance floor!!

Got it!!

And now, for the football. Bryan HIKED the garter to one of the single guys!!

A little money dance that the guests got sooo into!!

Though I will say this- Bryan took a pin to the head and there WAS some blood loss. All well worth it!

Since this was a big guest count, I brought along the hubs for extra hands. This is me struggling to get a cute background pic for MiPhone.

Back out to the cocktail hour. Their guest book had this sweet little poem sign in front:

And as we packed up items into Kris and Bry’s room, we stumbled upon these:

Since K kicked those shoes OFF for dancing, I snagged a pic of ‘em:

Cuteness central. I am LOVING this colorful, funky shoe trend!! These are classy!

And of course, my absolute favorite image of the night because it’s the one that I carry with me in my heart long after the party ends…

K&B: you know it! I am SO excited that you’re married! You will love it. Marriage is the ultimate joy-bringer. You two are built for it! I see it in the way you touch, in the way you laugh, in how your hearts are so connected. Truly, you two are BEST friends, and have grown up together. If you can make it through that, you can make it through anything!! Have SO much fun this week but come back well-rested and refreshingly in love!!

The end!

The Very-Pregnant-and-Talented Sarah K. Chen was with us
Always-a-Fave for attitude and images, Jonilyn Photography, accompanied by husband Alex!
Spontaneous-and-Spunky Jacob Atmodjojo was on board as well
And last but CERTAINLY not least in my eyes
I-Hope-We-Work-Together-Oodles-Next-Year and voted Best Newcomer just now from ME: Jordana Hazel!!

Phew, right?? Images for DAYS! WEEKS! YEARS! Needless to say, staying out of their way was challenging and more than that, I did a lot of “leaving it up to them”. So, hopefully these pictures are pleasing enough to give you a real feel for Chris and Rob’s day. It truly was a great thing to be a part of!!

The pictures start at the church, St. Vincent de Paul in Huntington Beach. Just before the ceremony!

There’s a push and pull, love/hate relationship with church ceremonies when you’re a coordinator. I LOVE them. The tradition of it, the gorgeous churches around here, the fact that I am freed up to take photos. But the hate of it… most of the time the church coordinator gives us “indie” coordinators very little jurisdiction at their site. I never have a problem with that- I don’t want to step on people’s toes or anything and as I said… I love the extra picture freedom. I just always want to be the one taking care of my clients! Fluffing the dress, straightening the veil, giving that last minute pep-talk… it’s my heart!!

That’s Christine, being gorgeous.

Just a few of the “entourage” doing their thing. :)

MARRIED!

I love the fake re-do of the candle lighting [for photo's sake]. More than that, I LOVE Robby’s face. What a character!!

Some post ceremony portraits…. boys+parasols=ridiculous!

And the girls, apparently they’re GREAT at the fake laugh!!

Until it turned into real laughs!

THIS is my favorite! When your colors are green and orange, and your wedding is ’round the corner from Halloween, the socks are just ONE of the perks!!

A few last quick snaps before heading off to the reception!

Off to the reception! The details were outrageous! I loved them!! Linens and rentals all provided by Baker Party Rentals!! Our venue was the clubhouse at Park Newport and was perfect for our intimate, laid-back party setting!! It also gave Chris’ family the access that they needed to create all of the floral details- YES, ALL OF THEM- themselves, the day prior!

These cute orange favor boxes held “a few of their favorite things”. Almond Roca, Reese’s, Candy Corn…

CUTE printed materials and signs!!

Their candy buffet was a hit, provided graciously by one of Christine’s aunts!!

A sweet memorial to Robby’s grandmother.

LOVED the bouts! The dahlias… or, zenias, or whatever they were…. LOVE them!

Straight from the Grand Entrance into their First Dance!!

Christine didn’t want a cake. Like, really, didn’t care for a cake. But, in the end, tradition reared it’s head and she compromised with a small cutting cake and some sheet cakes for the guests. These unique, funky cake topper froggies are really salt and pepper shakers!

I wish I’d gotten MORE pictures of the centerpieces. This is just one of the many arrangements! The clusters of vases on each of the tables were gorgeous!

One of the two frames showcasing their fab engagement pictures:

This drink is the green machine. Seriously!

These simple cocktail arrangements were perfect!

And we had 7 of these little cuties!

C&R love cocktail snacks! So, they provided dishes for the lounge area and cocktail hour! It was totally “them”!

Father/Daughter and Mother/Son dances…

We had a Starbucks Coffee station set up for the guests!

And around that time, Jonilyn set up a killer photo
booth, too!!

More detail.

One of our cute hanging vases out on the patio, at sunset!

The “entourage” snuck the couple out during sunset for a prime photo op!

A cookie bar accompanied the cake cutting and the cookies were delicious! All 8 kinds, a mix of home-made and store-bought!

The uplights were amazing! Provided by Lifetime Weddings!

After the speeches, a few words from our groom:

And Christine had a little surprise planned of her own. All for the joke, Alicia [the 'sistant] and I brought out these HUGE champagne glasses for C&R!!

A few VERY blurry shots of bouquet and garter and things and things!

And I love this!

The photo booth was a huge hit!!!

You know, with the vendors, too! Jonilyn, you know I’m on my tippy tippy toes waiting to see your images!!!

And, to end off the blog, a few of my schmappy images, edited up all pretty like [as pretty as they'll get for me]:

And my fave, just after the cake cutting, cute little crinkle-nose faces!!

C&R: I loooove you two! Your friendship, love, and laughter is so apparent. At your wedding, it was obvious that you had already been a family for so long now. It wasn’t a beginning, it was a continuing, and a deepening of your love! To be a part of that day, was an honor for all of the In The Now family! Have SO much fun on your vacay. Come back rested, and ready to party some more! xoxo!!

This classic color scheme seemed to pop out in my mind as one that could be developed dynamically through textures and continue the richness throughout the table. I adore the way it turned out!

The idea with this tabletop was to be detail heavy but keep layering on pinks into the table and accenting with gold [like the funky vase, chairs, and smaller details]. I found vintage-inspired glasses in a blush color at Anthropologie and set them in place of the traditional water goblet, adding a special touch to each setting. A pink capiz shell frame held our vibrant table number. Favors were mini pink-on-pink tonal journals with a cute fuchsia pen attached and ribbon with a gold ribbon. For this setting, I actually mocked up some escort cards, which were simple assorted pink cards hung with ribbons and attached to a fabric/paper covered foam board [with pink headed pins of couse!]. Simple and gorgeous! The bottles of Francis Coppola’s Pinot Noir Sophia blush wine one either side of our centerpiece was a great way to tie in color and style! Additional chocolate truffle favors [white chocolate, brushed with raspberry to be exact, to bring in that rich warm pink tone again] were packaged two by two in gold truffle boxes wrapped with a velvet baby pink bow. These boxes were placed on top of our oh so cute salad plates from Z Gallerie, with a wide hot pink rim and gold trim! Kristin at The Treasured Petal [whose blog is equally if not MORE stalk-worthy than most] killed it with the florals- whispy and flowingly pink!! Time to indulge in some close ups…

As always, you can browse through the eye candy on my Tabletop Gallery on my site!! Plenty of detail pictures to quench that undying thirst! More to come once a month, every month!! xoxo!

Ann and Chris tied the knot at the beautiful Lakeside Chapel at Kindred Community Church in Anaheim Hills! The ladies there were awesomely efficient and the site was a gorgeously simple outdoor site. These parasols were complimentary for our guests:

And Ann provided water on a warm day:

The simple set up was truly beautiful:

Sooo artsy. :)

I loved the simple bouquets of roses with the cuff of lemon leaves that the girls carried, compliments of David Brian Designs!

Talk about curb-side service!!!

A quick snap of Ann’s gorgeous detailing:

The famed Kim Le and co. in action!!

Ann and Chris are soo full of love! At this point I had to jet off to their reception site, Ports O Call Restaurant in San Pedro! The view of the Port was gorgeous and we had one of the best ballrooms there!! Some details…

Ann’s candy buffets was one of my faves! Plus, I haven’t had one of these in a few months… they’re still SO fun!!

These “risers” that we put the jars on are ours! It truly adds a unique touch!

The whole shebang:

You know my thing for cakes? Well now it’s caught on to my assistant, Miriam. She’s obsessed too! Which is great… because that means even though I’m too busy to snap, she finds the time and snaps away for me!!!

Sigh… love this!

The coral color of those roses is drool-worthy!

I snapped a quick shot of Ann’s TOO CUTE to-go containers:

LOVE the sign-in picture that Kim Le brought with her. Their engagement pics are classically beautiful!

And now… for the evening’s events! Straight after their grand entrance, the romantic first dance!!

Ann was smiling and laughing in Chris’ arms the whole night!!

Loved this:

After dinner and a KILLER slideshow put together by the best man, we had our father/daughter and mother/son dances:

She was beaming the whole night, regardless of the little hiccups that seemed to keep me busy!!

Their daughter, Kiana, grabbed one of the other flower girls and joined in… melt!!!

Onto the cutting, which was a family affair!!

A dark one…

And into the toss. See that beautiful girl in the black dress?? Yep, that’s Amber of Amber and Trevor!! Thanks for the referral guys! I loved seeing you two again!!

I looove it when groom’s have a long dance/walk to their bride for the garter removal. Chris was no exception! He took a nose dive and slid on his belly to her!!! Exceptional!

And the last image of the night are a close-up of our extra ceremony fans, which we left out for the guests at the end of the evening to take home with them… they were a huge hit!!

All in all, the night was a busy one! I got to enjoy some great time with the other vendors [nothing like clicking as if you're part of a team]! I got to see team-work in action from the bridal party and the others, behind the scenes. I got to see love take shape and form! I am so blessed by it!

A&C: you know the best thing about you two? You’re in love! You two get one another. You’re comfortable. You can be half way across the room [and I'm sure, across the world] and with one glance someone can see that you two are connected by something so special. I loved witnessing that. I loved being the one who got to take care of you on your big day! Allow the memories that you made to soak in and anxiously await the pro pictures as I am!! Let them carry you back to this big moment in your life, all the enormity, joy, and simplicity that was a part of it!! xoxo!!

Let’s get to the goodies!!! Ceremony…

The florals were provided by M’s Flowers in Whittier. Incredible!!

During the wedding A&J presented a bouquet to each of their mothers, and pulled a single rose from each for their fathers!

The couple got married at Anita’s family’s church, Concordia Lutheran. I loved the history there, and the church was PACKED!

Before the actual ceremony, after all the guests were seated, A&J played a 15 minute slideshow cataloging their relationship and then setting the stage for their nuptials!

The fabulous Crissy Farah not only worked it out at their engagement session [clearly shown here by their killer enlargement] but accompanied me on the Day-Of [and BONUS! Jonilyn was there backing her up, too!!].

At work!

They had soo many great, funny, quirky ceremony moments! The crowd was laughing, the party was laughing, Anita and Jay were laughing… it was such a fun personal time!

Married!!!

Over to the Renaissance Long Beach Hotel for the reception. I LOVE that Anita let the hotel dictate her color scheme. She took the bright colors and RAN with it!

Aren’t these to die for??

And inside the room for a few more details…

Ugh, these centerpieces are amazing!! If flowers didn’t die, I would be a happier lady!

Outside of the room, displayed on an easel, was the whiteboard that Jason wrote Anita the night he proposed. This is, essentially, their proposal story!!

Their table numbers were too cute!

Cute little ribbon wrap and menu at each place setting!

I have a gagillion pictures of this cake. When it’s accompanied by the up-lighting, it gets stupid-beautiful!

During cocktail hour, some portraits took place with the amazing hotel lighting…

I cannot WAIT to see what Crissy is going to deliver!!

And now, onto the reception! Straight after the grand entrance, we danced! Their first dance was magically beautiful with the ambient lighting [2 follow-spots for the room... 2!!! I was in love!]:

Oh, some more cake pics. Half with blue up-lighting, half with amber [that is how the room was split- every other light! Soo neat!]

An impromptu kiss from the couple [apparently they took that glass clinking pretty seriously!]:

And onto speeches:

Okay, okay, so he’s making fun of Jason for balding… [this is Anita's dad, by the way, speaking]

Onto the cutting!!

I loooove Anita’s attitude here:

The shadow that the spotlight created on the wall behind them was unreal! Sooo gorgeous!!

And now, after a few words from our bride and groom, a presentation to one of the groom’s best friends, Mark. It was after all, his birthday!

So they gave him a surfboard shaped brownie cake, made by Jason’s sister. Too much!!!

And of course he had to cut it [and I'll admit, after this he tried to feed Jason as well...]

After the cake was cut, we proceeded into the father-daughter and mother-son dance…

Anita provided baskets of sandals for her guests to dance with! These puppies were snatched up before the baskets were even down! See that hand??

And, my FAVORITE part of the evening… at 11pm, the hotel brought out little mini slider burgers for all the guests to enjoy as a late-night dancing snack! The slider station was a hit and soo delicious! :)

And, as we packed up, another close up shot of their menus…

As the sliders went out, A&J requested all the guests left to get onto the dance floor for a group picture. I snagged a shot, as the dancing lights went on all around them!

Of course, the photobooth pictures HAD to appear on the blog [that's me and my assistant, Miriam]!

Thanks to Cheesy Photobooths for being awesome as always!! And to wrap up, a few moody broody shots of Anita’s personal details for the day:

I hope you all enjoyed the pictures! Honestly, I’m not sure my images captured the love, beauty, and joy surrounding this day! Anita put together this entire event and truly, it was a pleasure to work and be a part of! When all of the vendors feel like a team, there is NOTHING better! We all pulled together a truly gorgeous event for A&J, and they were nothing but gracious about it. To be honest, they were soo into one another that I’m not positive they noticed any of the details! So, guys, these pics are for you to remember by!! :)

A&J: you two are the best! I love how naturally comfortable you are in your love. It’s apparent. Being best friends is the best part of marriage, and seeing you together, I know you have that down! Keep on soaking in the love you two share- it’ll keep rubbing off on the people you meet! I know it did on me!! xoxo!

The entire event took place at the super cool boutique Shade Hotel in Manhattan Beach [seriously... 33 rooms to the entire place!]. The ambiance of the courtyard was PERECT. The day was gorgeous. All in all, amazing. And Nicola hand made SO many delectable details for all of her guests. I couldn’t get enough!!

Their guest book was Manhattan Beach postcards:

My assistant Miriam and I set up the place card tray prior to the ceremony, but kept it hidden until cocktail time:

On each chair, a program and a little bag of lavender to toss as the couple came back up the aisle!

Loooooved it:

The colors of the wedding were green and brown, but the theme was beach-y for sure. This worked GREAT at the Shade, because that was the ENTIRE hotel. Wood, green, and sea life. Their decor was insane!

Some simple decor for the stage and stairs, where the ceremony took place [which later turned into our dinner focal point]:

[and YES, keeping these candles lit was a losing battle!!]

Ceremony!

Miriam caught this shot JUST IN TIME:

Oh and yes, her dress is blush pink. I’m SO lucky. TWO brides with pink dresses in August. I love it!

This is meant to be vibe-y and nothing else [the couple, waiting for their bridal party to trek to the beach after the ceremony]:

And now, the ceremony area turned reception style [totally forgot to take a picture of the super cool lounge/lobby area where the cocktail hour was held... VERY modern, funky, sleek, love-able!]:

A close up of the centerpieces, conceptualized by Nicola [put together through inspirational pictures]:

I loved that they were lush but didn’t need to be totally floral! And from the 2nd story:

Okay, so I couldn’t get enough…

THIS picture was smashingly captured by Miriam, can’t you see that the top of my head is my “good side”? This is what happens when you say “Hey Amanda!!” while I’m working. :)

More table decor:

For the kids:

Another vibe shot pre-dinner: [Nicole changed out her veil for a gardenia for her hair... I loved it!]

Oh, and she also changed her shoes so that she could rock THESE puppies:

The losing battle:

After dinner we headed up to the roof top for dancing and cake. I LOVED this about the Shade. Seriously pictures don’t do the space justice. It was SUCH a fun venue!!

Nicola thought of everything, and beyond that, she vibed it OUT!

As night fell and the guests headed upstairs, they were graced by a gorgeous modern cake from the likes of Vanilla Bake Shop, a husband and wife that I’d been dying to meet. Amy and Jeremy are just as infectious as their confections. And the cake was fabulous to boot!!

N & N had their “official” grand entrance upstairs after dinner, going straight into a personal, intimate first dance which I loved but got super sucky pictures of:

Though the above is a GEM to my heart!

I think they like each other!!

And lastly, a pictures of Nicola’s cool green kicks:

All in all, the night was SO fun and SO personal. Nicola was such a beautiful, beaming, and gracious host to her wedding. I loved watching her laugh and be sincere with her guests. I loved watching her schmooz up her husband and fall hopelessly for him. They’d been together 10 years I think word on the street was. So, it was ABOUT TIME! :) Either way, they are full of love and life, and were SUCH a pleasure to be with!

My favorite memory from the night: just before the cake cutting I got distracted for a moment and when I came back, they were standing at the cake, holding the knife upside down [meaning sharp side up, away from the cake] aiming for the top tier. After correcting them and giving them the rundown at the last moment, we had a good laugh about it! I truly love my couples!!

N & N- fabulousness oozes from you! I LOVED being a part of your day. I’m so glad you finally got to see your vision come to life. It was everything you could have asked for and more [well, from my eyes it was]. I loved that you two remained relaxed, in love, and focused on what weddings are supposed to be- a celebration of you two!!! xoxo!

The ceremony:

And only the ceremony [notice Cynthia's father gave his nod to their home state of Montana by dawning his cowboy hat!]

I love that she was walked in by both of her parents!

For their sand ceremony, they had a unique twist! As the guests came in, they scooped sand from a bowl into a vase and then the vase was brought up for the ceremony. The sand of their friends and family represented the foundation of their love and lives!

Altadena Town & Country Club provided the GORGEOUS backdrop for our day! Too bad they don’t have cell service there!! :)

C & D’s guest book was epic!! Since Cynthia’s maid of honor was none other than the fantabulous Susan Yee [En Pointe Photography], and her photographer was the lovely and super talented Stephanie Williams, she had a plethora of photos to choose from for her photo guest book! The images were stunning… I cannot WAIT to see the moments Stephanie and her husband Isaac captured from the wedding!

Onto the reception details! Holy cow, all of these escort cards were hand-crafted by Cynth and I love her for it!!

Cynthia had a bit of a stressful morning that ALMOST turned into a stressful afternoon- but we stopped that. Here we are, laughing at cheese. Isn’t cheese SO funny?

My beautiful bride!!!

I’m so blessed by my business!

I wish I could have gotten more shots of the assorted fans that Cynth bought, like above. We placed one on each chair for every guest and they were SNAPPED up after the ceremony! Apparently they were a hit- and all unique. I loved the eclectic feel, but still keeping it cultural!

Another snap of the fab guest book:

My super simple programs:

[Thanks to husband Josh for the pictures- lately I'd be lost without him at my events!!]

Looooved the cake!

This draping comes with the room:

Swoooon! Onto the nightly activities!

I know that some of my pictures are blurry, but I cannot HELP but love them. They express raw emotion that is captured at the click of a button. Sometimes I WISH I had the initiative to really learn photography… but it’s not for me. I’m doing just what I’m supposed to be- being touched by the moments!

Loved the way she was holding his arm, holding her…

And a few words from our wedding party:

Note Cynthia is dawning dress #2!!

Pre-cutting of the gorgeous cake:

And a quick shot of their favors, which were mini candles with “double happiness” on them:

Cake time!

Yes, it was hard for them to get a piece of cake out. The slice they DID manage to haul out was MONDO!!!

[And so this face was appropriate!]

A few words from the couple:

Father Daughter and Mother Son:

Cynthia got emotional during this dance, which was so sweet!

I LOVED this moment, below. During the money dance, all of table 16 circled Derek, pining money to him everywhere and dancing:

Missed the bouquet. :( Garter time!

And of course my FAVORITE shot of the night:

xoxo! I’m so biased. All in all, the day was truly surrounded with love and support from friends and family. I felt such a connection with this couple and this wedding, it was an honor to be there on this important day!

C & D: you know you rule. You know I know you rule. You know I know you know…. you get it. I told you both on the day of but I’ll state it here again: you are the perfect example of savoring the meaning and the moment. When things were beyond stressful and personal, you took deep breaths and remembered why you were there to begin with! I loved that about you, Cyn! I’ll never forget the smile that came on your face when you rounded that corner to head down the aisle to your husband. It was the stuff of movies!! Thanks for inspiring me to love recklessly and with intent!

Maddy and Steve are a funky, unique, stylish couple from LA who wanted a wedding that reflected their taste and attitudes. The event that came about was an absolutely gorgeous affair!!

We’ll start at Our Lady Queen of Angels in Newport Beach:

Maddy and Steve’s color scheme [kelly green and eggplant purple] was set in stone with their paper products- all letterpressed and hand calligraphed- and this custom crest that appeared everywhere!!

If only pictures could be heard!!

The music at the ceremony was insane. A harp, piano, flute… opera singers. It was seriously THE most amazing thing I’ve heard!!

Here’s a little pre-ceremony Maddy action:

And our gorgeous vintage-style church:

Our florals were amazingly designed by Floral Creations by Enzo. Enzo is TOP notch! He and his team not only made gorgeous floral centerpieces that everyone was talking about, but they took care of almost all of the design elements for our modern-style reception!!

Our little flower girls and ring bearers:

And our bridesmaids, wearing the gorgeous deep eggplant:

Our bride, getting anxious to see Steve for the first time. Yes, she’s wearing pink. Yes, she’s amazing. Marie Antoinette’s got nothing on her!!

This is Miriam, my assistant, taking a picture of all 3 of us in the bridal suite moments before the big WALK!

Mad’s luscious PINK bouquet:

Maddy couldn’t wait any longer, so down the side aisle doors, she took a sneak peek at her groom!!

Having an emotional moment just before the ceremony:

I love the old-time feel of this photo. Even though it’s totally a “new school” photo, it has a classic presence in this large church!

The glamazon that is Amy Squires was there with Lane. I love this team. I cannot WAIT to see her take on the day!!

Onto the reception!!! Some quick portraits, set up by Amy, just outside of Segerstrom Hall at Orange County Performing Arts Center. This ultra-modern, clean venue was the perfect back drop for our evening!!!

At work:

A great shot of Mad’s KILLER dress as they walk back to the reception area:

In doors for some details:

I just LOVED how the cake was dripping with flowers and then they were cascading down. There were SO many flowers on top of this cake!!

I know. More cake… but this cake was SO funky and unique and detailed, I just had to capture it for all of you!!

More details:

M & S chose a simple, classic favor: jordan almonds wrapped in tulle in ribbon. Really, they gave a substantial donation in their guests’ honor to a local charity for blind children.

A great additive to the table was these vintage pictures of their family. I absolutely love them all!

As Maddy mingled with the guests, I caught a quick shot of her gorgeousness again…

And onto the first dance:

This may look like she’s yawning or talking, but Maddy is singing the lyrics to their first dance into Steve’s ear. Who says that marriage isn’t sexy?? Marriage = super sexy!!

I loved the kids watching on as they danced:

Father/Daughter dance:

Another shot of Maddy’s insane boquet:

Unfortunately, I missed all of the cocktail hour gorgeousness. BUT, I did catch this picture of one of her escort cards [calligraphy already smudged- sad face] hanging out on the bar:

Mini crest plus letterpress plus calligraphy all in kelly green: this was my dream. You should have FELT them with your hands. Oh my goodness.

I loved this cute detail. These napkins were EVERYWHERE that night. Upstairs during the cocktail hour [did I mention that this venue has an amazing spiraled staircase? That's where all of my over-head dancing shots came from], the bar, and the cookie table and cake. Over 600 napkins used. I love it!

The huge floral splashes were brought over from the church and flanked the cake table!

Cake cutting!!

This look makes me melt. I seriously LOVE love!!!

A dark [but not to be discounted] picture of Madeleine’s ruffles!!

And some of Enzo’s decor:

A few words from our couple, again Maddy giving those loving looks to Steve… the ones that make me realize why I have the job I do:

And onto the staircase to toss the bouquet:

The catch!!

The cookie display that Patina provided had to, of course, include Madeleine cookies!! Yum!

One of Maddy’s cousin’s, Gina, offered to sing a song along with their awesome 12-piece live band [the name is escaping me at the moment, but they seriously ROCKED it!!]. In their honor, half way through the reception, they shared another private dance moment:

The lighting was seriously sooo yummy during this, that I snapped away! I love the way Steve is holding Maddy’s head here. It’s so intimate. It’s those little, private touches that make all couples unique and special!!

Some of the boys took it upon themselves to hoist our bride above their heads for a few:

Don’t worry, Steve got a chance, too. I just missed the chance to snap!!

Just a quick snap of there INSANELY gorgeous up-lights. They chose a light blush pink gel and it came across perfectly. it was soo pretty. It closed off the large space to provide an intimate feeling and the ambiance was perfectly set!

And to finish it off, a shot of our bride’s gorgeous shoes:

Not even a shot that does them justice!!

All in all, the night was amazing! The venue just kept looking more and more gorgeous later into the night. The dance floor was packed, Maddy was stunning and Steve was dashing. The whole Galardo family were the perfect hosts for the evening! My team and I loved being a part of this event! M & S: you two are the real deal. I know it. You know it. Everyone that was there [and is looking at these pictures, regardless of their attendance] knows it. May your love continue to grow and give to one another throughout the rest of your days!!! Hearts and hugs!!

The best thing about Fifi is that I think we share the same brain! :) Her details were insane! Hand crafted down to the embossing on many of her paper goods, the ribbon wraps on the napkins and the color scheme flowing throughout the ceremony and into the room! Martha Stewart would be SO proud!!

We’ll start out with the front of the building. Falkner Winery provided the gorgeous backdrop to our day. These faux windows worked perfectly for Fifi’s hand crafted oversized initials!!

Here’s a peek from the balcony of our long aisle down to the ceremony lawn:

Fio’s color scheme, a limey green and popping orange, worked great to make her decor stand out! Sorry in advance for how washed out these pictures look… my camera settings were a bit off!

Dawn at Lavender Hill seriously outdid herself with the florals. They were immaculate! I wish I had better pictures of the arch, but the dripping orchids and curly willow that covered the metal structure created such an amazing sanctuary for the couple!

On the front two rows were “reserved” signs for the immediate family [with the names on the front of each chair]. On every seat, Fiona made these great multi-page program tags that hung from the chairs, along with a paper cone of petals to toss at the couple as they recessed as Mr. and Mrs. She did a TON of work- and it paid off!!

A terrible shot of the cones. They were lime green with an ivory tag and their monogram in orange. Filled with the orange petals, they were to die for!!

Into the room for some details…

The seating cards were corks- from the winery, [which I loved!] laid in trays of white rice…

Loved the backs, where she used animal stamps to indicate meal choice!

Fifi put this glass of “conversation cards” on the bar. The questions ranged from personal to political to romantical and all over the place!

Each napkin was adorned with menu, ribbon, and orchid bud!

The cake was INSANE!!

Not sure what you call the detailing on the middle tier, besides “stitching” but I ADORE it!!

The kids table, in the back corner, was so perfect! Fifi made personalized bags for each of them chocked full of goodies!

Their engagement pics, blown up:

Onto the nuptials!!

And some post-ceremony portaits [I know, I know.. I hate it when I can't stick around for the kiss, too, but lately I've just had to miss it! ]

Luna Photography ROCKED and I’m seriously holding my breath until they blog some teasers!!

I loved this shot! As they were in the vineyard wrapping up, I realized that they were underneath the wrap-around balcony. I popped out there for a shot, and they noticed me and waved. Loved it!!

Just before the grand entrance, they practiced their first dance, downstairs in the wine cellar, alone. Swoon…

Into the reception we go!!

And their fab first dance!!

Josh caught this gem:

On their head table, we re-used the ceremony decor, covering it with orchids and pomanders hanging from these manzanita trees!

Speeches [I know, these are dark!]

Onto Father/Daughter [by the way, the maid of honor gave a toast that made me cry just prior to this. Because of the crying, I forgot to snap a picture... whoops, but seriously!!!]

Luna at work:

Cutting!!

Fifi’s hand-made pockets for her favors [which were photobooth pictures, with the booth provided by Party Booths!

A few shots of Fio’s gorgeous dress details:

Some tossing:

I LOVED this shot, below:

Here’s one I took to get a good detail shot of her programs. I wish I’d done this of an extra petal cone, too, but I didn’t! My main reasoning was to show off their “while you’re here” page, which was the last one. I’m a HUGE fan of these, when weddings have multiple things going on [did I mention that they rented a Dippin’ Dots machine and 4 flavors for their guests?? Yes. It was amazing and delicious and incredible and Josh got seconds!!

Some yummy decor shots from later in the evening:

A heritage table, which included a few more engagement shots and pictures from both of their parents’ weddings, was along the back wall in the room. They also included a digital frame that played a slideshow of pics throughout the evening!

But my favorite image of the night, by far….

<3!!!

And, of course, a close 2nd:

Great, now he’s one of those weirdos that goes into a photo booth alone… just great! :)

F & V: Seriously… it was SO fun to be a part of the planning process with you! Your love for each other is evident and just watching you interact, anyone can tell you fit like a glove! Promise me that you’ll take that honeymoon once October hits!!

Frances and Michael are the real deal. A breath of fresh air. Love oozes from them, and I couldn’t be more in love with my job and my clients than I am at this exact moments. Pictures are just the tip of the ice berg on this one, but… a tip none the less!!

A great shot of Franny’s detailing on her dress and her GORGEOUS bouquet!! Personal flowers were provided by Christina Perez, and I was blown away!

It’s GO time!

The incredible Louis Palos and his wife, Erin, were on board today for making memories. You’ll see more of them in action later. :)

Yep. I missed the kiss. Sad day- I would have cried, I know it!! But, duty called…

F & M had their reception at The Grand events center in Long Beach. It was fantastic in terms of service, food, and staff! Couldn’t be happier!

Their cake was deliciously detailed!

A close up of their seating chart:

And our lovely framed portrait, compliments of Louis of course [as well as was the guest book, which you'll see in a bit]

I LOVED this detail, below! Franners and Mike chose to make their table numbers represent each year of their lives. On each side of the number was a picture of Michael and Frances at the age of the number, 1 through 16. I must admit- I’m not sure I’d be brave enough to reveal some of those years [particularly, 11 to 14... awkward Amanda!!!]!

They really kept the flowers to a minimum [two splashes at the church, bouquets and bouts for all, and then this centerpiece for the sweetheart table], but the quality of them was impeccable!

Oh yeah, I haven’t mentioned Jason yet. Besides being probably my new BFF… Jason was F & M’s Best Man of Honor. Yes. That’s right. They basically shared a Best Man and Maid of Honor. Being both of their best friends, he stood next to Mike for the wedding, but was SERIOUSLY Frances’ right hand throughout the day and night. He made this for them himself [a rotating, 4 picture sided card box]:

Cheesy Photobooths ROCKED the reception, for sure. The crowd ate it up, and there was never an empty moment at this puppy. They actually said we almost broke the record for the most photos in 6 hours [but were still beaten by a Bat Mitzvah, which had 500 guests. Not bad considering we had 160!!]!

The grand entrance:

Followed by a very special dance :)

That’s Jason, cracking up his best friends with his toast…

A few words from our groom to his lovely wife:

And onto a touching father/daughter dance [with a simultaneous slideshow featuring pictures of Franny and Daddy!]

Onto the mother/son [with the same type of slideshow featuring their photos...]

This was the goal/idea/theme for the evening:

Yummm… it came across perfectly!!

A picture of their centerpieces:

Onto cake time!

LOVE IT!

I think this expression is meant to state EXACTLY “just because he didn’t smash it in MY face doesn’t guarantee I won’t smash it in his!!”

But, she didn’t! :)

Bouquet toss, already! This is two friends giving her advice on how to toss:

Well, it basically landed EXACTLY into the lap of our DJ, John from After Dark, who kindly gave it back to Fran for a re-throw!

Garter time!

Yep, they WENT for it!

The winners!
And, this would be my husband [who, you may have noticed, is assisting quite a bit for me these days- we're two halves of a well-oiled machine!!], having fun with the scrapbook station that Cheesy provides…

The originals:

Frances’ GORGEOUS bouquet for you, just once more:

A moment with my faves:

And, of course, the ever-popular [well, in my heart at least] coordintor-and-client shot:

You two… you two are the BEST. Your oozie love is totally all over me right now. I’m inspired by you. It’s seamless. I wish there were more words to describe how natural and comfortable it is for you two to love each other, and for others to love you. You’re the kind of infection that people want to get!! Have a GREAT vacation- Franny you know I put these up just for you to have some eye candy BEFORE floating on a boat for a week!!

Come back home safe and sound to all of those who hold you dearly!