I had the pleasure of meeting Simone at a bridal show earlier this year and to say we instantly clicked is an understatement. I knew when I agreed to take on this couple that it was going to be one of the fun-nest weddings I have ever done.

During Simone’s first meeting she was a little apprehensive to hire a planner they were on a srtrict budget being that she was a student full time and Chris would be paying for their entire wedding. After our meeting she said exactly what I thought she would say, “As much as I would LOVE to have you as my planner I just don’t think it will be in our budget, but I will talk it over with chris and get back to you”  So when I got the phone call that they wanted to hire me I was excited, excited to show them what I could do for them and to show future couples that having a planner on a budget can be a fantastic opportunity…as long as you keep it real about the things you can have and can’t have on a budget…..and well after lot’s of starbuck’s and meetings that turned into outings. This awesome couple is finally married! We used wonderful details that spoke to the couple, Simone’s favorite color being Turquoise we used that as our main color and enhanced it with a green and teal. We decided on a desert table full of goodies, like Cup cakes and cake pops from this awesome Gal Rosie from Cake-a-Mania and lots of other candy goodies displayed and gifted to her from a close friend. My husband @ IncolorMedia handled the printing on the tables, We decided that with the vibrant display of colors throughout the wedding we would keep the flowers chic and classic using all white blooms, orchids, Hydreanga, and Roses, big shout out to  Marci @ Entwined Design florals for creating those awesome pieces  . . Desiree @GBS Linens for being able to make the colored aisle runner, Mikasa Linens for the beautiful table linens. Central Parkfor hosting their wedding day, Affordable elegance catering for creating the wonderful entree’s and Matthew & Amber @ Still Life Cinemafor taking these amazing photos…YOU all ROCK!!! Simone & Chris I wish you lots of Love, wealth and Happiness, I couldn’t think of a more deserving couple

XOXO,

Courtney!

His reaction to seeing her for the first time...Priceless!

The awesome desert table!!

The cutest cake toppers I have ever found...so glad she bought them!!

Having fun picking out some candies before the guests get their paws on it!

Mr and Mrs. sharing a private moment......

 I had, had the pleasure of meeting a fabulous artist not to long before the shoot and I really wanted to incorporate something we haven’t really seen, I had been racking my brain and one night it came to me, I called up Bethany with Commemory fine art and asked her to do what she does best, paint for me and what she did was amazing!

A big shout out to all that helped in making this shoot fantastic I had a wonderful day!

Check out the photos here: http://www.californiaweddingwave.com/2011/06/02/tabletop-inspiration-purple-passion-2/

We love when our brides want to take a more nontraditional approach to their wedding, be it a cocktail reception, an all outdoor black tie affair or even a simple backyard BBQ. Well my latest bride Ali wanted a sexy, sultry and just out right glam wedding! Well, we gave it to her!  From gorgeous eye-popping red and white florals to a not-so-common aisle runner, and let’s not forget to talk about the bling! If it wasn’t on the bride you could find it adorned around the room and even on the cake. A special thanks Sea Cliffs’s Country club for hosting the affair, Marci @ Entwined Designs for the gorgeous florals, James @ All The Above Events for rockin` the dance floor and providing the room with sexy uplighting, Rossmore for the yummy cake, and last but certainly not least Karin @ On-location Photography for all the great photos.

I just celebrated my third year anniversary with the most amazing man in the world. I have two beautiful, amazing, smart children. We live a modest life and I am truly happy! I am grateful for all the things in my life that make me the woman I am. I want to tell my hubby how much I love him and thank him for the most amazing 7 years together, I am who I am today because you have been by my side, you are my best friend.

To all my couples, thank you for entrusting  me with the most important day of your life, I hope to be doing this for many more years to come!

xoxoxo,
Courtney

Are you having a hard time finding a great bakery that can do what you want and still make it taste great?  Have you heard the horror stories from others that the tasting went so well that they booked but when they got their cake on their wedding day it looked nothing like it was suppose too or it tasted horrible?

First thing, always bring pictures of the stlye cakes you like. This gives the baker an idea of what you want and make sure the cake matches the theme of the entire wedding as well. For instance, if you are having a shabby chic wedding I don’t suggest ordering a sqaure tiered cake as this is a very modern. Check out their work ahead of time on their website, etc. When you call to set up an appt for a tasting be specific as to what flavors you are interested in and if you have any food allergies so the baker can avoid even bringing out a sample that could put you in the hospital! :0 Or if they can even accomodate your specific needs. And last, if you want fondant make sure your baker even uses it, fondant is not very friendly to our taste buds so some bakers might avoid it all together.

So here is a shout out to some of my top bakeries:  Some Crust in Downtown Claremont, Hansen’s in LA, Bakers Oven in Riverside, and Rossmore Pastries in Signal Hill. These bakeries not only have some of the most amazing looking cakes but they also taste so yummy you can’t have just one piece.

Some random pics of different style cakes, for your enjoyment!

Happy Tasting!!!

So being that this venue is so close to the beach it was definitely what inspired me to for my next design. I decided to create a table that reflected a chic elegance and a color scape that resembled the ocean, my amazing Florist Marci with www.entwineddesignflorals.com, took my vision and as always she ran away with it making a spectacular piece, again! Take a look!

Also as Wedding Planners we have created vendor loyalty. Loyal vendors make a great team and a great team makes a fabulous event. We often times can use these loyalties to get you the best deal from those vendors, keeping you on track. Often clients will revisit the budget. They begin planning with a specific budget in mind, and by the end of the process they are looking for ways to cut the budget leaving little room for other things or important vendors, As a wedding planner I can protect you from this. I am on constant budget patrol and will give you a little nudge, when you are pondering the orchids that cost more for one table then you have in your entire budget.

A wedding planner can help come between you and the challenging people in attendance at your wedding, with a firm yet gentle hand. Difficult mother in law?  We will think of something that will keep her occupied and out of your face. Crazy, drunken uncle nobody wants around? Let the planner find a quiet spot for him to sober up. Would you want to deal with that?

When your friends and family get tired of you constantly discussing your upcoming special day, (don’t take it personally, it will happen) As your wedding planner, we will be attentive and engaged, never trying to change the subject. Your wedding planner actually serves a very important purpose – To be you, an extension of you, anyway. We channel your tastes, consider your personality and make every effort to match you up with the most suitable vendors. So choosing a planner is something you need to really consider. Do they relate to you on a personal level? Do they see your vision?

We bring the best ideas to suit your style. You will eat, breath and live in the Wedding Zone for a year or so, we never leave it. We are honing our craft keeping our eyes on the best of the best. Finding ways to simulate the feel of a costly concept, fitting your budget.

There many more things a planner brings to the table like helping you to avoid the anxiety, stress, and tiredness you will most definitely feel during your planning process, but we have been through many different situations and can usually feel a melt down even before if occurs!

Everyone loves a party, but no one loves to clean up after one. We take care of several boring follow up details, which is the last thing you want to be doing the day after your wedding. We make sure load out is smooth, nothing has been damaged, all vendors have been paid, etc… While you are enjoying the company of your new husband, on your way to the Islands where you can show off the new bikini you bought.

Your planning process may seem exhilarating at first, but keep in mind all the fine details that are commonly missed, you may be the most organized person anyone knows, but you likely haven’t put on an affair quite this extreme. As a planner, we have done this more times then we can count and that is why our clients count on us to make sure things are handled, so they can be guests on their special day…..Priceless!

So in this first of many blogs to come, here are a few pics from my first bridal show of the year. Once again my wonderful florist Marci @ entwineddesignflorals.com came through with a stunning piece showcasing her awesome talents! It is rare to find raw talent, humor, and beauty all wrapped up in one person, but Marci is all that and more and we love her! So, I hope you keep coming back for more eye candy and I will do my best to find things that will keep you wanting more!

xoxoxo,
Courtney