Wednesday, January 11, 2017

Partner Vendor Spotlight: Soigne Productions and My Wedding Day!

Wonder how essential it is to have a wedding planner there, at least day-of, to execute your wedding plans? Even wedding planners need them.

The first vendor I hired after getting engaged was my old friend Tonya with Soigne Productions. I did my first eleven weddings back in 2012 while interning for her in Santa Barbara and never turned back. Her killer work ethic, calm demeanor, eye for style, and excellent reputation convinced me from the start that I would need her on my wedding day to see through all the planning I had spent months on!

As expected, my wedding went off without a hitch. I'll forever be grateful to Tonya for a memorable day and all the mentoring she has provided to me.

She recently featured my July 2016 wedding on her blog, so check it out!

Bright Pink Wedding at the Fess Parker Doubletree


We absolutely loved working on Alex and Carson's wedding at the beachside Fess Parker Doubletree. Alex actually interned for me a while back and I was so honored when she chose me to plan her wedding day. First up was choosing the location, and the dramatic rotunda was chosen to host both the ceremony and reception. Alex loved color, and chose to carry a bright pink bouquet while her bridesmaids carried petite white bouquets. Color was also key at ceremony, with a hot pink bougainvillea arbor marking the ceremony spot. 

After the kiss, the couple went and took portraits on the beach, which is right across the street from the venue. Guests were treated to a whimsical seating card display with fun earrings acting as clips to hold escort cards. Long tables were setup for dinner and featured tall gold candelabras mixed with low and lush floral centerpieces. At each setting, mini baguettes served as an edible place card. And finally, Bella Vista Designs setup colorful and dramatic lighting in shades of pink and purple which created the perfect atmosphere for the a wicked dance party.

Wedding Photographer: Michael & Anna Costa | Wedding Location: Fess Parker Doubletree Resort






























Wedding Photographer: Michael & Anna Costa | Wedding Location: Fess Parker Doubletree Resort | Wedding Planner: Soigne Productions | Florals: NLC Productions | Hair and Makeup: TEAM | Lighting: Bella Vista Designs | Rentals: Classic Party Rentals | Ceremony Music: Organic Strings Quartet | DJ: Patrick Butler Entertainment | Videography: Like a Letter | Childcare: Mummy's Day Off | Cake: Anna's Bakery | Linens: La Tavola
 

Thursday, October 6, 2016

FALL-ing in Love

Fall is such a special and nostalgic time for people. The leaves change (well, not here in California...), the air get's a little more crisp, and people get a little more in the mood to cozy up! I was chatting with a friend the other day about how good it feels to come into a warm house or building after being outside in the chilly fall weather. Something about that feeling brings back comfy nemories of autumns-past.

This is why fall is such an AMAZING time for weddings! Temperatures aren't nearly as scorching, while natural ambiances become warm and welcoming. Most peoples' schedules have calmed down by this time of year, so a lot of couple's are drawn to the fact that more of their loved ones will be able to be present to witness their marriage. I won't even get started on the beautiful fall color wedding trends that accompany this season...yet!

As my calendar is starting to fill for the 2017 wedding season, I am so excited to have an October wedding to look forward to! I've been inspired to start collecting some fall wedding inspiration (check out my Pinterest board here for some images) to get my feet wet and my heart-a-flutter.

Image from Engaging Papers

I am obsessed with anything that can tie in the season, the theme, and the vibe of a wedding. An apple cider station is a charming way to do just that! Apples are in season in the fall and are the perfect display fruit for a cozy autumn wedding. Having your party outdoors? Go for hot apple cider instead. Your guests will love this toasty treat on a not-so-toasty day, and it will totally get them in the mindset for your fall soiree.

Image from Pinterest


Another amazing thing about a fall wedding is that your décor does not have to rely on florals. This season brings about plenty of pumpkins, gourds, corn, and wheat that can add beauty and tenderness to any event space. Instead of a chalice of flowers on your guest book table, adorn it with something that is more seasonal (like above!), and that also happens to be more budget friendly! Again, the colors? So vibrant! Also- need something cute for each guest's place setting? Look no further!


One of this year's biggest trends has been COPPER! What's not to love? It's shiny, it's beautiful, and it houses Moscow Mules! Copper is a phenomenal color for fall because it matches the whole brown-neutral-warm vibe. If you're the kind of person who prefers more of a blank-slate color scheme, copper is your best friend. Pair it with some neutral florals, like above, and a minimalist place setting and you've got yourself the prettiest fall tablescape I ever did see.

For more fall-inspired ideas, shoot me a message!

Thursday, August 18, 2016

Confessions of a Planner-Bride

After a brief hiatus, I am back a married woman! Planning my own wedding was extremely all-consuming for 9 months, so I decided to put my business on the back-burner for the time being. To be honest, this made me feel super guilty! I love having my business, planning weddings, writing posts about my very favorite topic, and working to expand my knowledge and client base. But, I knew this was the best choice, both for myself and for my clients. I had a feeling I would not be able to give the focus needed to plan others' weddings, while constantly thinking about and planning my own. I have come out on the other side a better, and more compassionate, planner!

Throwing my own wedding was SO different from planning someone else's. The planner has the easy job of finding fantastic ideas and vendors! The bride really does the dirty work of sticking to budget (no matter how AMAZING overhead chandeliers would be!), making tough decisions, keeping track of all the little things that need to get done, and keeping the family happy. It was the most fun and beautiful learning experience of my life and I am so much better for it.

I CAN'T WAIT to post photos from my wedding once I get them (damn beautiful film and it's long wait time!), but until then I'll have to patiently wait.

For now, here are some lessons learned from one planner-bride to the next.

1. Spread out your day as long as you can

You'll hear it time and time again, but it's because it's so true! This day flies by, and it was hard to pinpoint why. Once my girls zipped me into my dress, life moved in fast forward! We took photos here, we took photos there. Next thing I know I am walking down the aisle on my dad's arm breathing heavy and looking at my fiancé at the altar! The ceremony was about 5 seconds long (in my mind), millions of family photos were over in a snap, and before I knew it I was (a bit drunkenly) climbing into bed with my new husband! I am glad we took one point, while taking photos on the beach, to stop and tell each other to soak it all in- this is our wedding day- we just did this! Because that was, literally, the only time in the night that we were able to do so.

2. Put in the time to make it truly the most special day

As I have mentioned (and is somewhat obvious in itself), planning a wedding is HARD work! All of the decisions, phones calls, emails, payments, creativity-- it's draining. There were times when I wanted to say "F*ck it!" because I just had so much on my plate. I was tired and busy and had no free time! For example: taking dance lessons with my dad for 6 months was difficult on my schedule and honestly was super stressful! If we were taking the time to learn this Waltz, we wanted it to be good! Nonetheless, we put in the time and practice and we pulled it off without a hitch! My guests told me they loved the dance and that we did it so well, which made it all worth it in the end. Plus, it was a great bonding experience for my dad and I. Is there anything cuter than a Waltz with your tuxedo-adorned father? Mush.
 
"Extra" aspects of a wedding, like this, can be easy to pass on when feeling overwhelmed, but it's these extra amounts of effort that really show through to your wedding guests and make for an even more memorable day.

3. Make an extra effort to keep a balance between budget and vision
 
When I started my wedding planning, I had a basic vision but the smaller details came together as I got a feel for what I wanted our wedding to be like- the vibe I wanted to give off- the theme I wanted to develop. I started to delve into years of my Pinterest boards to find what I needed to have to make our day phenomenal.

However, as the planning got underway, there were certain things I was a little heartbroken to let go of to make room in the budget for other items. I had to reconcile the fact that sticking to my budget meant hard decisions, but that, ultimately, it would make for an event that I could live with once it was all over. Indeed, I opted for a custom made, humongous 'W' marquee light in lieu of hanging elegant chandeliers over the reception space. While both were my (expensive) "must haves," I could not incorporate both and am glad to say I am happy with my choice!

Things to think about when making a tough budgetary decision: What will your guests notice? What will they love? What will make the biggest statement? In 20 years when you look back at your wedding photos, which one will stand out more to you?
 
Our wedding was perfect, this process was FUN, and I could not be more grateful to have found an industry and job that truly speaks to me! Plus, my new hubby is pretty darn cute too!

Thursday, February 25, 2016

Irish Catholic San Francisco Wedding

I got my hands on the photos from a wedding we did last summer and BOY do I love them! This couple was the cutest combination of two people that you can imagine and it totally shows in their wedding day pictures. Shauna and Matt are two fun-loving, goofy (like, super goofy), kind-hearted kids in love with amazing families and hilarious friends. Their wedding was nothing short of exciting with three separate surprises in store... it was definitely a bit hard to keep track of! Photographer Kelly Maughan captured their day perfectly and beautifully!


I've actually known the bride's family since about ten years ago, so it was really cool experiencing such a special time in their lives!



Shauna and Matt got married at the same church as Shauna's parents!




This cake was both HUGE and GORGEOUS! Note the intricate detail, and the fact that this picture only shows about half of this massive cake!


The bride, her sister, her mom, and her aunt performed an amazing surprise Irish dance for the groom who had never seen her perform before!



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Ceremony Venue: St. Gabriel's Church
Reception Venue: Kohl Mansion
Hair and Makeup: Simply Samantha



Saturday, January 30, 2016

Knapp's Castle Engagement Session with Anna Costa

I am so excited to share our engagement photos and highlight an amazing husband-wife photography team, based out of Santa Barbara, CA. I was blown away by our wonderful e-sesh photos from Michael and Anna Costa Photography! Seriously, check them out. All of their couples look like models, their shoot locations look like sets, and every day they shoot on had the most perfect weather! We've hired Anna as our photographer for both our e-sesh, as well as our wedding day.

I chose to have our shoot at Knapp's Castle because it's just such a iconic setting. The views can't be beat! It's such a diverse place too, with innumerable nooks to pose in and oozes history.











We used one of our fabulous engagement photos for our Save the Date cards. I love that Minted sources their designs from independent designers. While browsing through different vendors for our wedding stationery items, I found that Minted had more variety than the other websites because they utilize a variety of designers. I highly recommend them and you can check them out here for all your wedding, birthday, holiday, and other special occasion stationery needs! They also make beautiful canvas prints of photos, which make great gifts!


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Venue: Knapp's Castle
Photographer: Anna Costa
Coordinator: One & Only Productions