Jean Marks Weddings

Vanessa and Matt-Villa Montalvo

2012-01-28T21:06:00.000-08:00

Villa Montalvo in Saratoga is very popular venue for weddings in the Bay Area; I am grateful to be one of the preferred wedding planners for the Villa, so I have become very familiar and at home at Villa Montalvo. I want to share a few images by John Kaemmerling from Vanessa and Matt's Spring wedding celebration at the Villa. John was successful in capturing the playful joy of Vanessa and Matt's wedding celebration, as well as the elegance of the Villa and the beauty of its extensive, well-kept grounds.

After the ceremony in the garden behind the Villa, Vanessa and Matt walk the inviting paths of Villa Montalvo to have some carefree romantic portraits with John.

I love the balcony on the second floor at the Villa where I can look down on the entire reception set up, and enjoy the beauty of what I was able to help Matt and Vanessa create for their guests.

Vanessa and Matt chose blues, cream and purples, with accents of silver, to make a bold statement against the cream columns and off-white stucco walls of the Villa.

In the ballroom of the Villa Vanessa and Matt used their first dance to set the tone for an evening of "foot loose and fancy free" dancing to be enjoyed by all!

A delicious stack of presents---the wedding cake designed by Butterfly Cakes was as yummy as it was beautiful! After a short break to enjoy the cake, Vanessa and Matt's guests continued to dance the night away!

Vanessa and Matt were fortunate to have a warm evening for their wedding; guests who weren't dancing could enjoy the candlelight and warm ambiance of the lighting outside at Villa Montalvo.

Villa Montalvo is lovely from every angle, but this long view from the end of the lawn is especially striking and one Vanessa and Matt will always remember with joy.

Boy meets Girl-Stanford University

2012-01-26T18:41:00.000-08:00

Jessica and Lin met at Stanford University, graduated two years apart, and both went on to Medical School in Boston; this Spring they will come back to Stanford to celebrate their marriage before continuing their training to become physicians. I have the privilege of being their West Coast Liaison in the wedding planning process; it is my joy to introduce you to Jessica and Lin!

During the Christmas break we were able to schedule an engagement photo session for with Ammie Wang, their wedding photographer. Of course the location chosen was Stanford; Ammie found some creative ways to weave in their love for their Alma Mater with the cozy shots of them enjoying each other.

Click here to see more photos of Stanford University and Jessica and Lin!

Wedding with a Military Salute

2012-01-20T11:04:00.000-08:00

Please enjoy the romantic story of how Nancy and Steve met, fell in love, and celebrated their marriage with formality and fun on Catherine Hall's blog; I was blessed to be the planner for Nancy and Steve's summer celebration in Palo Alto California. Catherine captured every element of the beautiful day in hour own creative, very personal way. Thank you Catherine for sharing your talent with us!

Cosmopolitan California Girl Marries Air Force Fighter Pilot

A Sweet Celebration, SF style!

2012-01-13T18:15:00.000-08:00

When Shasta and Anthony told me they were going to have a large candy buffet at their wedding, I did not think LARGE enough! Over 35 kinds of candy awaited the lucky guests as they entered the wedding reception; there were as many "oohs and ahhs" about the candy display as there were at the amazing views of San Francisco from the 32nd floor of the Westin St. Francis.

Attractively displayed in apothecary jars, the assortment of candies was as colorful as the Art Deco mural behind it at the entrance to Anthony's at the Westin St. Francis. The boxes and scoops for creating a "perfect personal candy mix" favor were put out after dinner, so the children, both grownups and not-yet grownups, would save the sweets for later.

After they passed the enticing candy buffet, the guests were welcomed in to dinner and dancing in Alexandra's, just as the sun was setting. The 180 degree view of San Francisco was breath taking.

Shasta chose the subtle tones of white, cream and taupe to enhance the elegant decor of the Imperial Floor at the Westin St. Francis. The warmth of the light at sunset pouring through the windows of Alexandra's was the perfect beginning for an evening of celebration and warmth with beloved friends and family.

Shasta and Anthony had the best seat in the house...with a close and personal view of each other, and behind them the beauty of San Francisco at night.
Whenever they weren't enjoying each other over dinner, Shasta and Anthony could be found on the dance floor, celebrating to the sounds of Pure Ecstasy--
It was indeed a Sweet Celebration!

It was my joy to be a part of Shasta and Anthony's wedding day. We had an excellent team of professionals who worked tirelessly to create sweet memories for Shasta, Anthony, their family and guests.

Thank you to:
Jesus Diaz, Westin St. Francis
Grant Rector, Grant and Company
Preston Turner, Pure Ecstasy
Barton Brown Photography

Beauty Now Unseen-My Garden

2012-01-03T18:00:00.000-08:00

Now in the middle of winter as my garden lies dormant, I am going through the images I have taken during the summer so I can make photo cards for friends, clients, and business associates; since it has been cold and grey out lately, at least in the mornings, I want to remind us of what is locked away in the seemingly dead branches of plants, and what lies under the ground within tiny seeds and ugly bulbs, just waiting for the warmth of Spring to bring out their beauty.

This Clematis grows up the side of my workshop; now if you looked for the plant, you would see only a greyish brown stick poking up about 6" tall, against the lattice; seeing this photo reminds me to fertilize and care for that stick because it is full of purple flowers and climbing tendrils, which I cannot
yet see.

On New Year's Day I pruned and tied back the gnarled and bare branches of the climbing rose bushes from which I cut the blooms for this bouquet in May of last year. The small flowers mixed in this arrangement were picked from below the roses, where I have planted the seeds of Forget-me-Nots and Feverfew, which are just beginning to push up from the soil to be ready for the warmth of Spring. For my gardener friends, the the roses in this bouquet are: Climbing Royal Sunset, Summer Wine, and Polka.

My Hydrangea plants now look bare and mostly dead, as if there could never be any life coming out of their branches; but with some good pruning, fertilizer and water, by June, I will have these lush blooms positioned on my front porch steps to welcome my guests and family members.

For both for its lush peony-like shape and the incredibly sweet aroma, this is one of my favorite roses, The Evelyn (a David Austin Rose). I have two of these healthy plants growing on my deck so that I can smell them whenever I walk in my back door. Crabtree and Evelyn requested that David Austin create a rose with the fragrance of their perfume, and he did! If you look in the Crabtree and Evelyn products list, you will find the story behind the Evelyn Rose.

I have been listening to "The Rose" a lot over the the Christmas break. The last verse always makes me think of my garden in the winter:

Just remember in the winter

Far beneath the bitter snow

Lies the seed

That with the sun's love, in the spring

Becomes the rose

If you have not heard "The Rose" sung by Bette Midler, or would like to hear it again, please join me in enjoying this song of hope and beauty.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQYT_5IRdSM&feature=related

Traditions and Surprises!

2011-12-09T14:15:00.000-08:00

East meets West, Tradition meets Surprises, US Air Force meets Chinese Culture...from beginning to end Nancy and Steve's wedding preparations and the celebration itself were a graceful mixture of diverse cultures, respectful formality, and plain old fun.

During a year of planning the Palo Alto destination wedding for Nancy, living in Nevada and Steve, based out of Virginia, I was always impressed with the priority they made to honor their respective cultures: as a Colonel in the US Air Force, Steve's love and enjoyment of military traditions went deep; and honoring the Chinese heritage passed on to Nancy through many generations was key to all of her wedding decisions. BUT, there was always a sense of humor and playfulness surrounding each idea and plan we considered. As you will see from the photos by Catherine Hall, the wedding celebration for Nancy and Steve was one of lovely contrasts, expressing eloquently the mixture of history-steeped formality and child-like joy, which exemplified Nancy and Steve's relationship.

The Ceremony:

Stanford Memorial Church is one of the most traditionally beautiful locations to be married in the Bay Area; with its cathedral-like arched ceilings, a museum worth of intricate mosaics and stained glass windows throughout, and the the sheer immensity of the proportions, the church is breathtaking.

Nancy and Steve's wedding ceremony reflected the beauty and elegance of the church by incorporating the traditional liturgy, music and of course the majestic sounds of Wagner's Wedding March (Here Comes the Bride) played triumphantly on the historic pipe organ built into the church over a hundred years ago.

When Nancy and Steve exit as man and wife, the formality of the traditions begins to change a bit....

At the door of the Chapel, with all the guests assembled outside, Steve introduces his new wife to his fellow Air Force officers, who are lined up for the formal Saber Ceremony.

Steve ushers his new bride through the swords which rise as the couple approach....

...except for the last 2 sabers, which remain down, successfully halting the exit of the bride and groom. It is formally understood by all the Air Force officers involved, that until there has been an "acceptable" kiss, the bride and groom will not be allowed to move on....it took a lot of tries,

..but finally Steve and Nancy won the approval of those last 2 officers, and the sabers were raised. I think Nancy was initiated into the Air Force family with the traditional swat on the rear as she passed the last sabers...but they were very subtle, so you will have to ask Nancy to know for sure!

For the first non-traditional event of the day, The (Infamous) Stanford Band surprised Steve, Nancy and their guests by running out onto the quad just as the couple passed through the last set of sabers....a definite switch of atmospheres...but all celebratory!

It seems that one member of Steve's Saber Ceremony team also plays trombone with the Stanford Band occasionally; he had the band cued for this seeming serendipitous arrival...the officer, seen in white above, put down his saber to pick up his trombone and join the Stanford band in celebrating Steve and Nancy!

The Reception:

After the excitement of the Stanford Band, it was time to move to the Sharon Heights Golf and Country Club in Menlo Park where Nancy and Steve would host their wedding guests for cocktails, dinner, dancing, cake and a dessert buffet.

The striking place setting for each guest honored the Chinese traditions of Nancy's family, and incorporated her colors of blue, lavender, red and white.

After cocktails and dinner, the dancing began with the traditional first dance for Nancy and Steve...under the "stars" as would befit an Air Force wedding.

...but Steve and one of his colleagues in the Air Force had been secretly practicing another dance to get the action started....

After the first dance no one expected the music to switch quite as drastically as it did for the surprise performance Steve had planned; here again, the element of fun and formality continues to permeate the day!

Needless to say, the dance floor was soon packed with family and guests who were requesting dance lessons from these agile Air Force officers...they rocked!

The cake cutting provided a break in the dancing; here again, there was a formal and fun element brought into the traditional bride/groom cake cutting; Steve and Nancy cut the cake with an Air Force saber.

As you can see, this technique is only possible if the bride and groom are quite a distance from the cake and have a good aim...in Nancy and Steve's case, Steve proved to be an expert in wielding a cake saber!

The last tradition to be honored during the wedding day was a formal Chinese Tea Ceremony, managed by one of Nancy's aunts, who brought in a family tea set so Nancy and Steve could honor the elders in their families.

In Chinese culture, the bride and groom traditionally honor their parents and elder relatives by serving them tea the day of the wedding. In turn, the family members bless the marriage with words of encouragement and quite often, generous gifts of jewelry or cash, to help establish the couple in their new life together. The bride wears a traditional dress, or jacket, such as the elaborate one Nancy put on for the ceremony.

Nancy serving tea to her new relatives from Steve's side of the family.

Immediately after the formal tea ceremony, it was time for the exit of the bride and groom; by including everyone in a sparkler send off, Steve and Nancy kept their guests smiling with surprise all the way to the end of the evening!

Thank you to all of my wonderful colleagues who worked alongside me in the months of planning and throughout the wedding day itself, to pull together all of the details and transitions in the background, so Nancy and Steve's Traditional/non Traditional wedding celebration came off flawlessly.

Stanford Memorial Church
Sharon Heights Golf and Country Club
Atelier Joya
Weddings on Film
Catherine Hall Studios
Sound in Motion DJ's
Lone Star Transportation
Clifford Style

DIY ideas from a Cozy Fall wedding

2011-12-06T16:40:00.000-08:00

Michelle Walker's beautiful images from a recent Fall wedding I coordinated at Nestldown have been featured this week on DIY Bride.

Please enjoy all of the great ideas Emily and Michal brought into their wedding celebration...smores; "make your own hot chocolate" cones; 4 flavors of pie instead of cake; handmade solid wood pie stands; handmade escort "flowers" in a alflafa grass "garden"; candies representing each of their family backgrounds...the creativity was evident everywhere; along with my staff I was able to support Emily and Michal not only in assuring the smooth running of the entire wedding day, but also in the setting up of their many ideas, so they could relax and enjoy their wedding day with family and friends.

Wedding Gown Detail...a second look!

2011-11-28T22:00:00.001-08:00

When you are in love with the details on your wedding dress, why not allow those details to be enjoyed at other times during your wedding day? Grace, one of my Fall brides, chose to copy the amazing flower design from her gown into the decorations for her wedding cake...

and in her hair, for a touch of interest when her veil came off after the ceremony.

Photographer: Lisa Lefkowitz
Cake Designer: Rachael Myers, Sweet Tooth Confections
Venue: Menlo Circus Club
Florist: Hunt Littlefield.

In the upcoming blog posts, I will be sharing creative ideas from several of my 2011 weddings...I have learned so much as I worked alongside my wonderful brides and grooms this year, that I can't wait to share them with my readers!

2011-11-11T09:38:00.001-08:00

Nancy and Steve's Summer 2011 wedding celebration!

Please enjoy with me the wonderful images by Catherine Hall from Nancy and Steve's wedding day at the Stanford Chapel and
Sharon Heights Golf and Country Club by clicking the link below:
Nancy & Steven

Candy and cocktails, 32nd floor!

2011-11-06T13:13:00.000-08:00

I have seen many types of candy buffets in the last few years since the fun favor display became popular; but Shasta and Anthony broke all records for the number of candies provided to their guests at their Westin St. Francis wedding reception last month.

Thirty six jars of different candies were displayed on the Imperial Floor of the Westin St. Francis as guests entered Alexandra's for dinner. The candy was provided by Shasta's father who is in the food industry, and the display was created by Grant Rector, who was our florist/designer for the wedding. This was one of the sweetest parts of his set up, according to Grant! The guests had a hard time waiting until after dinner to begin filling their "take home" containers with the bounty.

View from Alexander's on the 32nd floor (Imperial Floor) at the Westin St. Francis in San Francisco where Shasta and Anthony's guests enjoyed cocktails, before they saw the candy buffet, with background music by Anthony's grandfather at the grand piano.

Anthony's grandfather, relaxed and confident, provided beautiful background cocktail music for Anthony and Shasta's wedding guests in Victor's on the 32nd Imperial Floor at the Westin St. Francis.

A MOUNTAIN TOP WEDDING VENUE

2011-10-25T22:01:00.000-07:00

A rainbow greeted us as we reached the Ritz-Carlton Lake Tahoe; the ski lift between the hotel and North Star Ski Resort is seen in the foreground.

Recently I was welcomed into the beauty and luxury of the brand new Ritz-Carlton Lake Tahoe for two incredible days and nights. Several Bay Area wedding planners were invited to experience first-hand this "Mountain Top" wedding venue so we can confidently recommend it to couples who are looking for a truly unique wedding venue. The Ritz-Carlton Lake Tahoe has been open for little over a year, and is as yet undiscovered by many people. First time visitors arriving to attend a wedding here are immediately in awe of the massive wood and rock structure, and surprised by the personal and cozy atmosphere permeating entire Lodge like interior.

As a part of helping us understand what a wedding ceremony and reception would be like at the Ritz-Carlton Lake Tahoe, the event staff created a wedding rehearsal dinner, as well as an entire wedding reception for us to experience, with cocktails, 5 course dinner and a dessert bar, just as it could be for one of our clients.

First was the Fall themed Cocktail Reception, with design and decor by Sara Spurlock of Bellissima Floral Creations in the Tahoe area

Enjoying a glass of wine in the ballroom pre-function space with from left, Kelly Dolata, her assistant Tracey, Jubilee Lau, me, Michelle Barrionueva-Mazzini, Andrea Daly, Director of Catering Sales for the Ritz-Carlton Lake Tahoe, and Janece Shellooe.

Dinner was presented in the Ballroom amidst a Winter Wonderland theme with sparkling crystal table runners, hundreds of candles, linens and florals in shades silver, light blue and ivory.

The food was all as elegantly presented and incredibly flavorful as this second course Seared Sea Scallops with fresh corn and micro greens.

The last treat of the evening was to have been presented outside, but due to the chance of rain for that evening, the dessert buffet was moved inside. We were all happy to enjoy this delicious display wherever it was; many of us took our coffee and treats out to the fire pit to relax and enjoy the full moon over the mountains...happily the rain did not materialize.

The chef created a wedding cake for the evening so we could see the intircacies of his cake design including the hand made candy flowers.

One especially welcome treat for tired wedding planners was an afternoon in the Ritz-Carlton Spa Lake Tahoe; before our treatments, the Spa Director gave us a tour of the entire facility which is one of the most extensive spa facilities in any of the Ritz-Carlton properties. This couple's massage/hot tub area was particularly inviting, reminding me of the couples I work with in planning their weddings whom I would love to have enjoy relaxing in this ideal location.

On the last day of our visit, the Ritz-Carlton Catering team provided shuttles to drive us down to Lake Tahoe to tour a very exclusive venue, Thunderbird Lodge, where many couples choose to have their wedding ceremony and cocktails, followed by their dinner/dancing reception at the Ritz-Carlton.

Thunderbird Lodge was built by George Whittell and named after his famous yacht, The Thunderbird.

Kelly, Jubilee, Andrea, myself and Elisheva Basseri enjoying the beauty of Lake Tahoe from the lawn at Thunderbird Lodge just before we left to return to our work in the Bay Area.

I hope that each of you are able to enjoy the newest treasure to be discovered in the Lake Tahoe area; for snow boarding and skiing, hiking, mountain biking and summer sports of all kinds, the location is perfect; but as far as as a wedding planner is concerned, the Ritz-Carlton Lake Tahoe is the perfect spot for an elegant mountain wedding celebration! I hope to introduce some engaged couples to the possibility of a Mountain Top wedding in 2012 and beyond!

Why to Consider Wedding Videography

2011-10-05T17:56:00.000-07:00

I often encourage couples to hire a wedding videographer because the images that are captured during the wedding day on film, when combined with the work of an excellent photographer, can tell a complete story of your day.

I recently met with Grace and Henry, who were married early this Fall, to review their wedding day, ask for evaluation of my service, and find out if they have advice for couples planning their wedding...without hesitation, the lesson they wanted to share is: Don't rule out having a wedding videogapher!

Henry and Grace were not enthusiastic about hiring a videographer during the wedding planning process, but because many relatives in Taiwan would not be able to come to the wedding, the family wanted a video to share with them. Henry and Grace chose to work with Weddings on Film, and their sister company, Basico.

Now after seeing this short video, Menlo Circus Club, Grace and Henry-the video , Grace and Henry are incredibly grateful to have hired Weddings on Film to capture their memories in video format.

As Grace said, "I could not believe how quickly the day goes by; watching this short video is like reliving the day, but seeing what was happening from all different angles; the video is a treasure we would not want to have missed."

2011-09-14T16:16:00.000-07:00

I am excited to share James Burkart's creative film teaser of Tom and Angie's wedding day....enjoy the loving and unique phenomenon of "Tomgie"!

Tom and Angie, by James Burkart

Grace, Henry, and their Great Team!

2011-09-08T11:02:00.000-07:00

Grace and Henry's wedding this weekend at Menlo Circus Club demonstrated the beauty of teamwork; Grace and her family spent many weeks and months creating and gathering elements which would intimately personalize the wedding celebration for them.

The vendors Grace and Henry selected became a dynamically supportive team to carry out professionally and passionately the plans and details Grace, Henry and their families had lovingly put together. The wedding celebration day was full of warmth, laughter, beauty, and flawless execution, which would only be possible with a well-organized and enthusiastic team.

From the customized cake topper designed ordered by Grace from an Etsy artist to include details such as Grace's wedding hair style, Henry's distinctive glasses and their new, puppy...

...to the escort cards (hand written and stamped by Grace's mother) presented on a display board customized in Grace's colors by Hunt Littlefield,

...to Grace's mother's hand-written labels for wedding cake/dessert buffet...

...to the one-of-a-kind "memory tree" drawn and produced by Grace's mother,

Guests loved the opportunity to leave their fingerprints as leaves on the tree to create a fun reminder for Grace and Henry of everyone who was a part of their wedding day.

...the details in Grace and Henry's wedding represented many levels of family love and creativity, especially that of her mother Nancy.

The team of vendors and venue staff who worked together to prepare for the wedding day, as well as to be available from beginning to end of the day itself was one of the best I have had the pleasure of working with during my wedding planning career.

The pre ceremony photo team included Lisa, her assistant fluffing the train, and my valuable assistant for the day, Tony White.

Pre ceremony photos were taken at Gamble Garden in Palo Alto by our wonderful photographer Lisa Lefkowitz. Hair/Makeup Artist Maria Chang went from the Four Seasons Silicon Valley where she started the day with Grace, to Gamble Garden for these photos and then on to the Circus Club where she remained until Grace and Henry were introduced into dinner; Maria made herself available to keep Grace looking lovely and feeling truly pampered. It was fantastic!

Lisa Lefkowitz capturing the golden moments at sunset time...with results below!

The Menlo Circus Club is a gorgeous venue for any celebration, but it is particularly perfect for weddings with its cozy ceremony site nestled under a sheltering oak tree and surrounded by well manicured polo fields,

...and the Polo Patio beside the polo field for post-ceremony cocktails and after-dinner relaxation.

Working with Barbara Brooks and her top-notch catering staff at Menlo Circus Club made each step of the wedding planning and wedding day itself truly a pleasure.

I want to thank the team of wedding professionals who were alongside me during Grace's wedding day and in all the months leading up to that day, for their commitment to impeccable service and attention to details, including each lovingly crafted family creation.

VENUE/CATERER: Menlo Circus Club
FLORIST: Hunt Littlefield
PHOTOGRAPHER: Lisa Lefkowitz
VIDEOGRAPHER: Weddings on Film, BASICO
DJ/LIGHTING/PHOTOBOOTH: Denon and Doyle, Solomon Dauber
HAIR/MAKEUP: Maria Chang
TRANSPORTATION: Lone Star Limo
HOTEL: Four Seasons, Silicon Valley
CAKE/DESSERT DISPLAY: Sweet Tooth Confections
MOTHER/ARTIST: Nancy Law
JMW TEAM MEMBERS: Tony White, Yvonne Fox

Tory and Zander, the Celebration!

2011-08-26T13:58:00.000-07:00

What a joy to have been a part of Tory and Zander's wedding celebration on July 30th; it was a celebration of their love for each other as well as their love for their children. Kathryn Roethel wrote a wonderful article for the SF Chronicle which you can read by clicking the link below.

Tory and Zander
July 2011
Featured in the San Francisco Chronicle's Union Squared Series
"Carnival-theme wedding celebrates love of family"

For more information about this child-centered wedding, please read my previous blog post.

Another Huge Thank You to:

Nicole Sillapere, Sillapere Eco Events
Anne Millet, Mira Aster Stationers
Jon and Natalia, Got-Light
Natasha Miller, Entire Productions
Neil Adams, Blueprint Studios
Mike Whittle, Corporate Kids
Ethan Mantle, Componere Fine Catering
Alex Subrizi Photography
BethAnn Goldberg, Studio Cake
Paul Scheffert, SF Event Music
Kendall Peterson, Pure Luxury Transportation
George Rose, Elegant Journey Limousines
Eileen, Ritual Coffee Roasters
Armando Sarabia, Get Your Do Up
Miss Ember, Happily Ever Laughter
Daniel Swan, The Cheeseballs Band
Todd Outhouse, Rosewood Sand Hill
Terri and Dianne, Kohl Mansion

A Child-Centered Wedding Weekend

2011-08-18T15:03:00.000-07:00

What could be better than having your face painted, then joining your friends/cousins for a buffet dinner of chicken tenders, mac and cheese, and strawberries?

Planning a summer wedding with the guest list made up of 70 children and 150 adults was a wonderful challenge for me this year! At the beginning of our brainstorming, the bride and groom let me know that each part of the wedding weekend was to be as Kid-Focused as possible, tailoring activities, foods, and decor to welcome and incorporate the children on every level. They wanted to do so in a way that allowed the adults to fully enjoy their time together celebrating with the bride and groom, knowing that not only were their children well taken care of, but they were having the time of their lives! I think we succeeded!

The weekend began with a Friday Welcome Barbecue, with entertainment, decor and food selected with kids in mind.

The welcome dinner on the lawn at Rosewood Sand Hill featured a Margarita bar for the adults, and a Mocktail bar for the kids. Featuring a menu of 8 hand-mixed specialty drinks using Monin syrups, sparkling water and fruit juices, each drink was named after the bride, groom, or one of their 3 children, who were of course in the wedding party! I must say, the candy display which was a part of the mocktail bar was frequented by many adults as well as children!

Soon after the guests arrived, our juggler/magician Thomas John, began moving among the children providing entertainment and humor to groups of 2 or 3 at a time. Just before dinner, we invited the children (and adults) to gather on the lawn for a juggling show, with group participation and lots of giggles to work up a healthy appetite!

The cozy day bed/couch served as a group seating area for the kids as they enjoyed their mocktails, candy, sliders, and barbecued ribs...

The same day bed/couch provided a cozy nap location after dinner when the parents were still enjoying their conversations, but the kids were ready to snooze after a long day.

After such a great welcome dinner, all the kids and parents were even more excited to see what was in store the next day at the wedding reception; we know they were not disappointed, because the fun never stopped!

When the children arrived after the wedding ceremony, and signed into their activities, they were greeted with a special kids-only buffet set up on the veranda at Kohl Mansion...

...as well as relay races, face painting, caricature drawing, parachute games, and even stilt walkers on the lawn to help get the wiggles out; after riding the shuttle from Rosewood Sand Hill to the wedding ceremony at Stanford, and then up to the reception at Kohl Mansion, it was time to MOVE!

After dinner, when the adults went into their elegant tent for dinner, the kids were invited into a Kids-Only Carnival area which included tossing rings on coke bottles for points and beating the Strong Man challenge by hitting the hammer on the base and ringing the bell at the top, eating unlimited popcorn, and claiming prizes when the right number of tickets were accumulated at the game booths.

The prize booth being stocked before the carnival games began!

As the afternoon/evening progressed, the action moved inside to another Kid-Only area for dessert (a cupcake display that highlighted flavors exactly the same as those in the huge wedding cake), story telling and and a magic show by costumed fairies, craft activities, quiet board games, and mats to relax and talk to friends about the excitement of the day.

When the band started in the Great Hall adjoining the kid's room, and the dancing began for the adults, many of the kids jumped into the action with their parents and danced the night away. However, several of the younger children were happy to curl up with a blanket in the lap of one of the child care workers, to just read stories and recoup after a very busy weekend!

There is much more to tell about this amazing wedding; I will be doing other blog posts, and the wedding will be written up in the San Francisco Chronicle soon; but one of the most unique aspects of the wedding planning and execution was providing responsible care and truly unique activities for the large number of children involved. I learned a huge amount in the year long planning process and feel privileged to have been trusted with this project.

It was the vision of my wonderful bride and groom, who desired to make this wedding weekend as much of a treasured a memory for their 3 children as it was for them; their vision gave me and my team the energy and creativity to think like children again! It was magical!

Thank you to:
Nicole Sillapere, Sillapere Eco Events
Anne Millet, Mira Aster Stationers
Jon and Natalia, Got-Light
Natasha Miller, Entire Productions
Neil Adams, Blueprint Studios
Mike Whittle, Corporate Kids
Ethan Mantle, Componere Fine Catering
Alex Subrizi Photography
BethAnn Goldberg, Studio Cake
Paul Scheffert, SF Event Music
Kendall Peterson, Pure Luxury Transportation
George Rose, Elegant Journey Limousines
Eileen, Ritual Coffee Roasters
Armando Sarabia, Get Your Do Up
Miss Ember, Happily Ever Laughter
Daniel Swan, The Cheeseballs Band
Todd Outhouse, Rosewood Sand Hill
Terri and Dianne, Kohl Mansion

Also, many many thanks to my invaluable Day-Of Wedding Team,
Tony White, Christine Brady, and Anjali Nagib

Stanford Band Surprises Nancy and Steve!

2011-08-03T12:28:00.000-07:00

As Nancy and Steve left Stanford Memorial Church Saturday after their wedding ceremony, since Steve is a Colonel in the Air Force, they were expecting the formal Saber Ceremony provided by 8 of Steve's fellow officers.

Steve and Nancy even knew to expect to be stopped as the passed under the last pair of sabers, where they had to provide a kiss to satisfy all of the Saber Bearers...Steve was happy to acquiesce to that demand, as was Nancy! :)

But when they heard a whistle blow from behind the solemn arches of the Stanford Campus,

I am not sure they were prepared to see the Stanford Band come rushing out to surround them, lead by the drum major in a wedding dress.

You will notice that the gentleman in the white uniform, with the trombone, was also the first officer in the line up for the Saber Ceremony; he had plotted this surprise with the Stanford Band, since he is one of their regular trombone players, and has been since his University days!

The band entertained all of us on the quad with 5-6 songs; Nancy and Steve were out dancing with them and all of us were enjoying the "organized chaos" to the max!

Finally the Bride/Drum Major blew his whistle one last time, and the band rushed off into the distance, shouting Congratulations! and scattering into the hallowed arches of Stanford University!

This was one of those special moments in my work as a wedding planner that make me smile with pleasure; I love to see my couples surprised and overjoyed by a loving tribute from a friend...in this case the surprise was a rather raucous group of college students drumming, screaming, jumping, and surrounding them with enthusiastic celebration. Thank you to the Stanford Band, and to the "undercover" band member who was also in the Saber Ceremony!

The Jin Wang Experience

2011-07-09T12:30:00.000-07:00

Jin Wang's Bridal Salon is in a bright upstairs studio on the quaint Maiden Lane, near Union Square, in the heart of San Francisco.

When I entered the wedding gown salon of designer Jin Wang on Maiden Lane in San Francisco, I was immediately drawn into the warmth, comfort and elegance of a space created just for brides and those close to them. Open by appointment only, Jin Wang Salon insists on the one on one personal care I desire for each of my brides to experience. I was pleased that I had recommended Jin Wang to Nancy over a year ago when she first hired me to plan her wedding, and that now I could be here for the final fitting, just weeks before Nancy's wedding day.

Nancy, her maid of honor/daughter, Maya (in her bridesmaid dress), and Jin Wang, at the beginning of the "dress rehearsal".

It was a privilege to observe Jin lead Nancy through the 2 hour "dress rehearsal" which Jin and her staff provide for each bride who purchase their gown in her shop. In addition to helping Nancy learn how to feel comfortable standing, moving and sitting in her gown, Jin provided tips on how to greet guests warmly with outstretched hands, avoiding the bear hugs that can quickly pull out her veil, and how to have her father walk just a step ahead of her down the aisle to avoid stepping on her train.

Maya has changed into her normal clothes to have her lesson in "fluffing" the train.

What I enjoyed most was seeing Jin personally demonstrate to Maya, Nancy's maid of honor and daughter, how to fluff her mom's train when needed. I know Maya will never forget that moment, nor will Nancy as she watched in the mirror.

After the fluffing demonstration my assistant Katie and I had a personal lesson from Jin about how to bustle Nancy's train after the wedding; most wedding gowns have trains which are beautiful for the wedding ceremony and photos; however moving with that extra material throughout the evening, can make it difficult for the bride to move around and dance. I am often the one who learns how to bustle the bride's gown, so I can help her on the wedding day; I think Nancy's will take a bit more concentration than some!

With 4 layers of chiffon and silk, there are 4 rows of 4-6 tiny loops and buttons, one row on each layer, which have to be connected in a certain order for final look of the bustled gown to meet Jin Wang's criteria for "perfect".

I was very grateful to have the designer herself there to coach us on which layer to begin with, how to hold the material as we work, and since the rows of buttons and loops are not symmetrical, how to be sure we have the correct button matched with the correct loop.

I took notes, and made drawings as did Katie...but occasionally as I look towards the wedding day, I wonder if I can call Jin after the wedding ceremony, when Katie and I are working together on Nancy's train...just for a quick review! :)

One other special part of the Jin Wang experience is being greeted by Bruno, the elegantly quiet and accommodating mascot for the salon; he was happy to be in the dressing room with his owner, Jin and enjoy Maya's special attention whenever she was not involved in the dress rehearsal!

Maya and Bruno, the shop mascot and dedicated bridal associate, always ready to calm nerves and accept attention!

It is a joy to work alongside such dedicated and creative wedding professional here in the San Francisco Bay Area. I have known Jin Wang as an extremely successful wedding gown designer here in SF, and have admired her work for years, but I had not had this opportunity to see her doing what she seems to love best....helping brides.

I can see that the passion she has for enabling her clients to feel totally beautiful and comfortable on their wedding day only begins when they select the gown. Before they leave her salon with that perfect wedding gown, Jin wants to know for sure that they will feel confident and lovely on their wedding day-- stepping into the limo, walking down the aisle, entering the wedding reception, stepping onto the dance floor, and making the grand exit with their new husband..
When Nancy, Maya and I left Jin Wang's studio, we could sense that Jin had accomplished her goal; Nancy was ready to move on from the dress rehearsal to the reality of wearing her wedding gown to walk down the aisle and marry Steve.

Under the chuppah in the Redwoods

2011-06-28T21:28:00.000-07:00

On a recent warm June afternoon, the Ketubah beautifully displayed beside the Chuppah in the sheltering shade of century-old Redwood trees, Amanda and Brenden became man and wife, incorporating many of the Hebrew customs passed down through generations of their family members.

It is the tradition in Jewish weddings for the Ketubah, their official marriage contract, to be signed by the parents, officiant, bride and groom before the ceremony, and then displayed near the chuppah when the wedding ceremony is taking place. The Ketubah is a work of art, with Hebrew text describing the joys and responsibilities of marriage; it becomes a focal point in the home, proudly displayed by the newly married couple as a beautiful and joyful reminder of their wedding day.

The framed Ketubah was transported by hand from the barn where it was signed, to the Redwood Chapel, where an easel was placed for the display of the Ketubah during the ceremony.

When the ceremony began, after the officiants and the wedding party had taken their places in front of the arbor, the four chuppah bearers, each a family member of either Brenden or Amanda, entered and stood holding poles supporting the same square cloth used by both of Brenden's brothers in their wedding, to create a symbolic shelter for the bride and groom to stand.

Brenden entered the ceremony with his parents and took his place under the Chuppah, to await his bride, Amanda who entered next, escorted by her parents. Once the two were together they moved to stand under the chuppah, which as the officiant explained represents both the new home being established and the spiritual covering provided by the Jewish faith.

Amanda and Brenden under the chuppah as the officiant explains the origins and meanings of the Hebrew customs being honored in their wedding ceremony.

After the ceremony, Brenden and Amanda had a few moments alone to savor the beauty and excitement of what had just happened; their guests were lead up to the cocktail reception by Brenden's Uncle Jerry, playing his accordion. When the ceremony site had cleared of guests, Amanda and Brenden joined their family members for photos, and then entered the cocktail reception via the Nestldown train.

Amanda and Brenden joining their family for photos after their alone time following the ceremony.

As soon as Brenden and Amanda stepped off the train into the cocktail area behind the Fantasy Garden, they lead their guests in a joyous parade to dinner on the lawn near the barn; as everyone enjoyed a sumptuous family- style dinner, humorous, creative and touching toasts were made by both sets of parents, and the three brothers in the families. The celebration had officially begun-- the sound of laughter and chatter filled the sun-drenched lawn.

Amanda, Brenden, their flower girl, Brenden's niece, and the bridal party led the wedding guests to dinner from the cocktail hour on the Bocce Ball field.

After dinner, everyone was invited into the barn for the First Dance (which Brenden began with a back flip, walking on his hands, and some quick break dancing moves..he surprised everyone with his gymmastics!), followed by the Parent Dances, and of course the Hora!
The foot- stomping music of the dynamic Blue Grass band, Hot Buttered Rum had the bride, groom, family and guests dancing without a break for 2 solid hours! As the guests waved goodby to Amanda and Brenden, as they made their exit in Nestldown's signature English taxi, sounds of Mazel Tov! filled the air!

The band played acoustic instruments of all types, from guitar, to mandolin, fiddle, flute, upright bass and slide guitar...the only musician who played the same instrument all night was the drummer! What a versatile and energetic group of musicians!

Brenden and Amanda's fantastic vendor team included:
Thomas John Events, Caterer
Tim Sohn, Photographer
In Full Bloom, Florist
Hot Buttered Rum, Band
Lone Star Transportation
Nestldown, Venue

SF Street Wedding, Part Two

2011-06-08T10:45:00.001-07:00

Jenna and Justin say their vows to each other in the same location where Justin proposed to Jenna, the crosswalk of 19th Street and Texas. The ceremony was the first incredible part of the day, but this was just the beginning of an afternoon and evening of celebration!

What could be more appropriate after a wedding on a Potrero Hill Crosswalk, with a magnificent view of San Francisco, than to continue the celebration in the heart of San Francisco at the Julia Morgan Ballroom in the Historic Merchants Exchange Building. The guests were transported from their view of the SF skyline to the magnificence of the Julia Morgan Ballroom set elegantly to welcome Jenna and Justin's 175 guests.

The Julia Morgan Ballroom set and ready for the Jenna and Justin's guests when they arrived from the ceremony in the Crosswalk of 19th Street and Texas. The umbrellas are checked at the coat room, and now it is time to celebrate!

A warm welcome has been prepared at the Head Table for Jenna and Justin, their family and wedding party members after the adventure of participating in the first Crosswalk Wedding ever done in the streets of San Francisco!

Each guest table was washed with light so that the wine glasses sparkled, and the centerpiece "popped" with color and texture. I can never over state the importance of lighting in the overall ambiance and feel of an event.

Another aspect of what makes Jenna and Justin's wedding so unique is that they have known each other since birth; Jenna's parents and Justin's parents were good friends in the same small neighborhood in Philadelphia, so the two children played together during family celebrations, summer gatherings, vacations, and often attended each others birthday parties.

A matted photo of toddler-aged Jenna and Justin was used by guests to leave messages for the newly married couple, now celebrating together again, but this time as Mr. and Mrs!

Jenna and Justin's families have been close friends for decades; even after Justin's family moved to San Francisco, there were frequent visits and shared vacations planned so the families could stay in touch.

Now, because of Jenna and Justin's marriage, the two families have officially become one family. It was appropriate that treasured wedding photos from several generations be lovingly displayed on the mantle at Julia Morgan Ballroom during the reception.

And as a reminder of the long-distance connection between Jenna and Justin, which was often maintained by mail, the guests were invited to write a note on one of the vintage post cards, and place it in a mailbox for Jenna and Justin.

A gourmet 3 course meal prepared and served by Joshua Charles Catering, each course paired with fine wines carefully selected by Jenna's father, began with the Roasted Asparagus and Morel Mushrooms. Yummmm!

After the dinner, Jenna, Justin, their family and guests almost never left the dance floor..... there was so much to celebrate, and so many wonderful friends to celebrate with!

The stage was set for action as guests arrived, and when Pop Fiction Live started playing, the action never stopped!

Congratulations, Jenna and Justin! We know your hearts will always be in San Francisco, as will these amazing memories from your wedding day! It was my privilege to help you during the last 8 months to plan and carry out your romantic wedding vision in a street in San Francisco!

To read more about Jenna and Justin's wedding ceremony, and to see information on each member of my team, please take a look at Part One of this blog post.

SF Crosswalk Wedding, Part One

2011-06-06T23:00:00.000-07:00

Planning a wedding ceremony on a crosswalk in San Francisco was probably the biggest challenge I have had during my 8 years as a wedding planner; and it has become one of the most rewarding and enjoyable weddings I have ever coordinated! The challenge was so worth it in so many ways...just take a look at a few of Rhee Bevere's images!

When Jenna and Justin hired me in early Fall of 2010, they told me right away that their goal was to be married in the crosswalk of Texas and 19th Streets on Potrero Hill, in the exact spot where Justin had proposed. I of course had my logistical questions about how we would pull this off, but I quickly realized that I wanted to support their vision to the best of my ability, and would shift into a new gear of research and planning tactics!

Eight months later, despite the dire weather forecast for their wedding day, Jenna and Justin moved forward with their vision, and were blessed for their romantic perseverance by a break in the rain which created incredibly clear visibility for the SF city scape they adore.

The shout of Mazel Tov from all of the guests may have been heard in the streets of San Francisco!

Rhee Bevere captured this photo from Jenna's suite in the Hotel Vitale; a cousin had sent Jenna the white rain boots as an encouragement to move forward with the outdoor wedding no matter what the weather would be. Fortunately, Jenna was able to wear her Ferragamo pumps instead of the rain boots, and the wedding party was all smiles during pre ceremony photos!

Below are a few photos I took during the time just leading up to the ceremony; from the sky, you can see that the weather was changing moment by moment.

Just 3 days before the wedding, I been able to locate a large quantity of white umbrellas so the 175 guests would have protection if needed. They came in very handy for the time just before the ceremony began....

...but by the time the family members were walking down the white carpet, between the benches, the rain had stopped and umbrellas were put aside to welcome the wedding party, and Jenna accompanied by her proud parents.

The sky was beginning to lighten up as Jenna and Justin expressed their love, commitment, and pure enjoyment of each other in their wedding vows...

..and by the time they headed back down the aisle, the sun was shining on their day and on their marriage. As a wedding planner, it does not get any better than this!

Planning and executing this wedding allowed me to rely on a team of professionals who are also my dear friends in the wedding industry; I also made some new friends in the offices of the City of San Francisco! It took over 7 months to attend public hearings and obtain all the permits needed to officially block off Texas between 19th and 20th. Residents were asked to move their cars for the day and traffic was halted for the 8 hours we had to set up, have the ceremony and remove all traces that we were there....it was quite a tight timeline!

I am so grateful to each person who worked alongside me to see Jenna and Justin's dream come true!

My Planning/Execution Team:

Michael Daigian Design
Rhee Bevere Photography
Everything Audio Visual
Mori Achen
Judge David Cena
C and M Limousines
Joshua Charles Catering
Get Your Do Up
Studio Cake
Julia Morgan Ballroom
www.popfictionlive.com
NorCal Portables

MY DAY OF TEAM!! BRAVO!!
Alice Grisez
Julie Briggs Dunn
Tony White
Adrienne Lee
Jayne Marason

MY CITY PLANNING TEAM
Cindy Shambam, Dept. of Parking and Traffic
Officer Tim Dalton, Permit Officer
Crystal Stewart, Entertainment Commission
Simon Chang, Street Usage Supervisor

There is no Rainbow without Rain!

2011-05-29T16:22:00.001-07:00

Wedding wisdom, learned from experience....

You can't have a rainbow without.....

..the rain!

This saying became quite real to me at my most recent wedding; as I began the wedding processional from the patio at Rosewood Sand Hill to the Vista Lawn for the ceremony, what had been gathering clouds in the distance suddenly became a cloud burst...and I had 140 guests already seated on the lawn, with the ceremony music playing....yikes!

This is the exact situation wedding planners work very hard to avoid, but ultimately it is the experience gained over the years which allows us not to panic when change is needed, but to move quickly and confidently into Plan B...I have learned that a wedding planner must have a Plan A, Plan B and even a Plan C!

Early in the day, when there were only a few scattered clouds in the sky, the Banquet Manger and I came up with a Plan B; her staff gathered the entire stock of Hotel umbrellas to have near the Vista Lawn, "just in case". I breathed a huge sigh of relief when the Rosewood staff rushed out with umbrellas for the guests and the wedding party; as soon as the processional was finished, and the bride was walking down the aisle with her father, I joined in to help distribute umbrellas as needed.

As you can see by the photo above, the rain clouds passed over quickly, the umbrellas were folded and put aside, and the ceremony went on with smiles and a good sense of humor displayed by everyone, including Alice and Mike. The bonus of the cloud burst, and momentary discomfort, came as everyone stood up to transition to cocktails...they were stopped in their tracks by an amazing rainbow...a beautiful gift that was only possible because of the unexpected rain.

The flower girls and their father enjoyed the gift of a rainbow after a rather damp wedding ceremony. I know neither these young girls, or any of us, will ever forget this wedding day!

My wedding team for Alice and Mike's wedding day are as unforgettable as the weather at the wedding! I am so thankful for the cohesiveness of our vendors; as we changed plans several times between 1pm and 5pm, there was no evidence of stress or even surprise...this is just life as we wedding professionals know it, and we were a team of professionals!

Priska Jayme and Lisa Boone gluing orchid blossoms onto branches at the ceremony site.

This was my first opportunity to work with Lisa and Priska, the talented design/floral team making up Atelier Joya. Through increasing wind and changing plans, they were never daunted as they creatively set up for the ceremony, cocktail reception, ballroom dinner, and after-dinner lounge.

The lighting in the ballroom, cocktail area and after dinner lounge was all done by reFRACTion, a wonderful company I was introduced to by Lisa and Priska. I as well as Alice, Mike and all of their guests, was delighted with the warm ambiance created by Ben Davis and his team from reFRACTion.

Alternating low lush arrangements of peonies, with tall displays of the "hand-made" flowering branches created lovely textures and variety in the Rosewood Sand Hill ballroom, and served as an elegant backdrop for the decadent dessert bar set up in the lounge area after dinner.

Included in the dessert buffet were gourmet cupcakes, mini panna-cottas, carmel popcorn, and hand made chocolates, all created in-house by Rosewood Sand Hill's amazing pastry chefs.

Another wonderful team member for Alice and Mike's wedding was the photographer, Vero Suh. This was the first time I have worked alongside Vero, and it was a joy! Coming from a fashion back ground, Veronica has a studied eye for composition and style which leads her to see backgrounds and photo opportunities which might be missed by others. She is a warm and technically precise photographer, who supports her clients' vision and goals, as well as respecting the overall priorities for the flow of the wedding day. Vero, I look forward to working with you again and again!

Vero (short for Veronica) Suh in action taking family photos before the ceremony, on the stairs at Rosewood Sand Hill.

The results of Vero's family group shot; her personal touch with the wedding party during the day helped everyone to develop a a relaxed naturalness in front of the camera.

Vero's groomsmen and bridesmaid shots have a flair reminiscent of her background in the world of fashion.

After dinner, Alice changed into her stunning traditional Chinese dress to toast the guests at each table.

As Vero was taking a photo of Alice and Mike before they went back into the Ballroom, she snapped an image with my camera of Alice, Mike and me. Somehow I know the one taken on her camera will be of higher quality, but this one is a good reminder of how a day full of changes, from rain to rainbows, can end with smiles, warmth, and gratitude.

Thank you to the amazing members of Alice and Mike's wedding team:
Rosewood Sand Hill
Atelier Joya Boutique Designs
Vero Suh Photographer
Rich Amooi, Hey Mr. DJ
Mori Achen, Ceremony/Cocktail Musicians
Wow Pretty, Hair and Make up
ReFRACTion

Sharing my garden in May

2011-05-14T09:50:00.000-07:00

I am always thankful for the beauty in my garden in May; after pruning, tying back and fertilizing my roses each winter, I am blessed by the abundance of blooms unfolding in May.
December and January are the quiet months for weddings, so that is when I have time to care for the 30+ roses in my small Palo Alto garden; by early Spring, when the buds are opening into a glorious display of color covering my workshop, picket fence and arbor, I am so busy with wedding planning I could never do all the work I was able to do in the winter. But this is when I most need the refreshment provided through the scents, colors and complexity found in my well nurtured, established rose plants.

This week I had some time to make bouquets for friends, neighbors, and clients, and to take a few photos to share with those of you who can't enjoy my garden bounty in person.

A close up of the Westerland Rose as it is opening; below is a bouquet made up of the same rose, when the bud has fully opened. This the rose I have incorporated into my logo and business card, as a reminder of the beauty and complexity of God's creation, and the joy of the work He has given me.

The Climbing Eden rose makes up the majority of the bouquet below; I love this rose because it is as full as a peony when it opens completely, yet is much easier to grow here in California than peonies, which seem to do best with extremely cold winters. I prefer California with mild winters, and peony-like roses!

The Pilgrim rose (below) is another English rose; each bloom is filled with hundreds of layers of petals similar to the way a peony unfolds in layer after layer of softness. The Pilgrim was the first rose I planted in my garden, and it has faithfully graced my workshop roof with creamy yellow beauty for over 18 years.

Reminiscent of wild roses, the delicate rose bush below provides small bouquets on each stem; it blooms prolifically all summer on the deck behind our small home. I often sit at the table there to work on client files, and/or to enjoy a cup of tea and gaze at the diverse beauty of my beloved garden.

The variegated red and white rose below is called Korikole; it occupies a prominent spot at the back of my garden, just under the Climbing Eden rose pictured above in a small bouquet.

As Spring moves quickly in to Summer, and my wedding season becomes even more busy, I have less time to work in my garden, but the roses and other perennial plants continue to provide the beauty I am thankful for whenever I have a chance to stop and smell my roses!

Pebble Beach Welcome!

2011-05-05T11:39:00.000-07:00

The rugged beauty of the Lone Cypress seen along Seventeen Mile Drive in Pebble beach has long been the logo for Pebble Beach Resorts.

Let it be known to all that Pebble Beach Resorts are one of the most beautiful, elegant, and welcoming resort/wedding venues I have ever experienced! Thanks to the generosity of the leadership team at Pebble Beach, I was fortunate to be one of the event planners invited recently to discover personally the luxury and fun of their multiple resort/event locations.

From fire pit cocktails at the Spanish Bay Inn before dinner at Peppoli, to...

.....the beach-like feel of lunch at the Beach Club near our villa rooms at Casa Palermo, to...

....an elegant, over the top dinner at the Pebble Beach Lodge, our 2 night stay at Pebble Beach was nothing short of mind blowing!

The first course of our welcome dinner was served atop the personalized charger/menu awarding Jean Marks the 3 course meal engraved on the charger; what a great reminder I have now of the extravagant welcome provided by our new Pebble Beach friends!

My great friends Morgan Doan, and Neil Adams were seated at another table for the welcome dinner; flowers and decor by Shannon Gurley were different at each table, and all were keyed into some unique feature of the Pebble Beach area.

Here we are beginning the awesome meal served on the first night;
Duncan Reyes, Kathy Goodman and I were part of the table set as a reminder of the many trophies awarded at Pebble Beach over the years.

Daryl Griffith, the Catering Director for Weddings, seen at the head of the table, was a part of each event of our visit. I was amazed that the executives of Pebble Beach made time in their busy schedules to welcome us personally by participating so fully during the 2 days we were there.

Our welcome into the dining room for our first dinner....the ambiance of warmth was almost palpable!

It was a special treat to spend time with friends from Blueprint Studios, Mircea Manea and Neil Adams, who as you can see, are very good friends with one of our hostesses, Shannon Gurley. Shannon is the Floral Event and Design Manager for all social and corporate events at Pebble Beach...she really pulled out all of the stops for our visit!

The Spa at Pebble Beach, which is one of the most extensive and relaxing spas I have ever visited, generously provided each of us with an 80 minute massage on the last afternoon of our Pebble Beach sojourn. To say I felt pampered is an understatement.
I couldn't help but imagine my wedding clients enjoying this same relaxation and special care should they be having their wedding at Pebble Beach Resorts. I will now confidently be recommending Pebble Beach as a perfect venue for a luxurious and relaxed destination wedding.

We were fortunate to have Scott Campbell, a photographer who often shoots events at Pebble Beach, accompany us on all of our adventures. Please take a look at his slideshow to get a full overview of the beauty and elegance of Pebble Beach Resorts and the amazing events they created for us.

I encourage each of you to make a trip to the Pebble Beach Resorts...if you have not visited, you will soon be finding reasons to travel there at any opportunity. Believe me, there is much more than golf at Pebble Beach, but for those who love that sport, the golf at Pebble Beach happens to be some of the best in the world!

Each evening at sunset, a bagpiper comes across the fairway at Pebble Beach Golf Links to serenade the guests of The Inn at Spanish Bay. This is truly a magical way to watch the sunset and enjoy the beauty of Pebble Beach.

Lion Dancers, Table Tennis, and a Sari

2011-04-30T10:53:00.000-07:00

I loved working with Simon and Shamim during the brief 8 weeks we had to plan their lovely wedding celebration at Allied Arts Guild in Menlo Park. Both Simon and Shamim are from England, though Simon is of Chinese descent, and Shamim of Indian.

Since Simon and Shamim both grew up in England (met at Oxford University as freshmen), the perfect vehicle to deliver Simon and Shamim to their wedding venue was a British 1927 Stutz.

When they began planning their intimate, culturally blended wedding celebration in early February, Simon and Shamim quickly realized they were not familiar with the American ways of planning and carrying out weddings, so they began to look for a wedding planner. I am so grateful that they chose me to be their guide and friend for the next 8 busy weeks!

One of Simon's passions is table tennis, so we brought in 2 ping pong tables for guests to enjoy throughout the afternoon and evening.

Grant Rector wrapping a bridesmaid bouquet on site at Allied Arts.

One of the first vendors I suggested to Simon and Shamim was Grant Rector as the florist/designer; he was a very good choice! Grant was on site all day on the wedding day, creating wedding bouquets, hanging lanterns, setting up a lounge for after dinner, guiding the lighting team, and generally supporting every aspect of the wedding day. Even on the day before the wedding, when we needed to bring in a tent for dinner, Grant was with me to determine the best placement and layout for the tent and the dining tables.

The ceremony was set up in the Blue Garden, one of many stunning garden areas at Allied Arts Guild.

Simon and Shamim began their wedding ceremony by serving tea to the parents; this Chinese custom is a way of showing honor to the generation who raised the bride or groom. Here Shamim and Simon are kneeling before Simon's parents, while one of Shamim's friends holds the tea set and tray for them.

During the ceremony, the dinner area was being set up in the clear tent on the other side of the gardens; we needed to revise our reception layout several times during the weeks of unstable weather preceding the wedding, but in the end, having the tent for dinner was a perfect solution to the occasional showers and gusts of wind, between patches of sunshine and pleasant skies.

Simon and Shamim named their tables for stops on the London subway line; after spending so many hours on the "tube", these names became very familiar to them!

When I first met with Simon and Shamim, they had an idea to combine the two S's of their first names to make a monogram suggesting two swans. We were able to not only create an image they liked,

but also made it into a wax stamp to seal their invitations, programs, and as decor on their menus. Thank you to Rachel Hanson for working closely with us to create just what Simon and Shamim were envisioning.

As a surprise to the guests, we brought in the West Coast Lion Troupe to perform at the end of cocktails, to salute the bride and groom with drums, dancing and streamers, and then lead the guests into dinner!

A side view of our colorful lions as they move closer to the Bride and Groom to congratulate them on their marriage!

The last surprise for guests would be the beautiful dance and lounge area set up just beyond the tent where dinner was enjoyed. Grant Rector had covered the glass doors from the inside to keep this area a secret. When dinner was over the guests would be invited into this final location for the last part of the celebration. Within an hour of this photo, Bhangra music was pounding, and Shamim's culture was being expressed on a very full and active dance floor. It was fun to see Simon dancing the Bhangra with his new wife, British relatives, and multi cultural friends.

I am so grateful to have the richness of multi cultural clients, and to enjoy the uniqueness each one brings to both the relationship they forge, and the celebration of that relationship.

Thank you to my wonderful vendors!
Tiana Wong, www.alliedartsguild.org, venue manager
Hartmann Studios, www.hartmannstudios.com, tent, linens, table top decor
Grant Rector, www.grantandco.com, florist/designer
Ava Tran, www.leskitchen.com, caterer of 8 course chinese meal!
BethAnn Goldberg, www.studiocake.com, wedding cake and petite desserts
Lisa Lefkowitz, www.lisalefkowitz.com, photography
Ron Grandia, www.rongrandia.com, DJ and Bhangra tune master
Terry Adams, www.nobhillensembles.com, ceremony/cocktail music
George Rose, www.elegantjourney.com, owner and driver of the Stutz
Armando Sarabia, www.getyourdoup.com, hair and makeup
Amanda Chan, www.westcoastlions.net, Lead lion dancer
Eddie, www.eventmagic.com, ping pong tables
Natalia, www.got-light.com, warm ambiance throughout
Rachel Hanson, www.rachelhansondesigns.com
Denis Kilen, www.elithomasformen.com , tuxedos for groom and groomsmen
Jesse Bresnahan, www.gardencourt.com, hotel for guests

Walk through for a street wedding...

2011-04-10T19:47:00.000-07:00

When planning a wedding it is always important to have a "walk through" at the ceremony site to be sure that the engaged couple have conveyed their desires for the set up, decor and flow of their wedding ceremony. Equally important is that each member of the team executing their wedding know what is expected of them on the wedding day.

Pictured here are: Jenna, the bride; Christine one of my assistants; Jenna's mother; Julie Briggs Dunn and Alice Grisez, my two other assistants for the wedding day; and Justin's mother.

When a wedding ceremony will be in a crosswalk on a San Francisco street, it is even more important to be sure that each detail of the ceremony has been discussed thoroughly!

This week I met with my clients, Jenna and Justin, who will be married this summer in the crosswalk where Justin proposed to Jenna, at the very spot where he proposed. My team of assistants (each a professional wedding planner herself) the sound technician for the wedding, and both Jenna and Justin's mothers joined us for the walk through.

During this meeting we discussed where to place the barricades to block off traffic, how to disguise the generator for sound, location of the AV speakers, and of course, when the police would post the No Parking Signs!

This is the location for the wedding...there will be a platform just to the right of center (we have to leave an opening for emergency vehicles); the entire block will be closed off to parking and traffic for 7 hours while we set up for the wedding, bring all 200 guests up on shuttles, have the wedding, and then transport the guests to the reception at Julia Morgan Ballroom, while the wedding party and parents have a photo session at another SF location.

Jenna and her mother, with Justin and his mother, at the very spot where the their "children" will be married in just a few weeks!

Oh, and another important question, where do you have the rehearsal for a wedding in the middle of an intersection, the day before, when the block will not yet be closed off?

How about the terrace of the hotel where the bride and family members will be staying on the night before the wedding?

The groom and his mother, at the spot where we will have the wedding rehearsal.

My idea for the rehearsal location was embraced by Jenna, Justin and the family members, as well as the staff at the hotel, so the second part of our walk through was at the Hotel Vitale, where we viewed the rehearsal site, the terrace near Jenna's wedding suite.

We needed to be sure the 20+ members of the wedding party would fit, as well as having space to create an aisle with chairs for the family members to sit. We drew out where everyone would stand or sit on the terrace for the rehearsal, hoping that the pattern would transfer the next day to the Crosswalk at an intersection atop Potrero Hill.

Here I am with the groom, the mothers, and my team, discussing how best to use this lovely terrace for the wedding rehearsal the afternoon before the wedding.

We concluded that the Terrace at Hotel Vitale will work perfectly for the rehearsal, and that every detail we can think of so far about the street intersection wedding has been addressed.

Now, it is just a matter of determining how to duplicate on the wedding day the amazing weather we had for the walk through!

Stay tuned for more behind the scenes stories about my most unique professional challenge to date; to plan the first Mid-Street Wedding Ceremony ever issued a permit by the City of San Francisco!

An Evening of Inspiration

2011-04-02T16:23:00.000-07:00

Thank you so much to the creative team at Hartmann Studios for creating such an inspirational and elegant party for all of us who enjoy partnering with you in events and weddings here in the SF Bay Area!

Fort Mason was the location for an extravagant evening where Hartmann Studios partnered with many of the premier caterers and floral designers in the Bay Area to completely fill the expanse with vignettes, and full party set ups, which inspired and delighted all who attended.

Spiral Hand Floral Design Studio created a vignette in purples, blacks and reds that evoked mystery and romance.

Colorful Events used bright colors and abundance of textures in shades of apricot, peach, orange, and pinks to evoke a bright Tuscan wedding celebration.

The lively party lounge included a DJ on a raised platform with sparkling beads masking him from view, numerous bars offering a myriad of exotic cocktails, and food stations with every delicacy from Duck Confit to pot de creme.

The more subdued and sultry red lounge area showed off Hartmann's custom lanterns and rich table settings.

The leadership and staff of Hartmann Studio put their creative design energy and multi-faceted event experience to work on this Showcase, and their efforts were appreciated and enjoyed by over 1500 guests. I am so grateful to have been one of them!

However, the most amazing display presented that evening had to be the sunset which I enjoyed at the very end of the Fort Mason dock. For this gift, I am thankful to God for displaying the wonder of His design in all its beauty!

A PIANO AS A GUEST BOOK...?

2011-03-02T21:30:00.000-08:00

When Christine and Steve told me they planned to use a piano as a guest book, I was not too surprised. Christine is a concert pianist, who also teaches piano from her home, and she and Steve are known among their friends for throwing the best musical evenings in the area. But I must say, my logistical wedding planner side was wondering how this idea could be carried out! I am happy to report that not only was it possible to use a piano as a guest book, but having such an interactive focus for the evening was one of the best parts of the wedding celebration!

Steve and Christine found an "almost free" piano on Craig's List, had it tuned, and then delivered it themselves to Allied Arts Guild on the day before their wedding; we covered it securely with waterproof tarps, because it needed to be outside overnight. The next morning we carefully uncovered it and rolled it out to take a prominent position on the patio where cocktails would be hosted later in the afternoon.

Here Steve is making a bold move and writing his guest book entry on the key board: "I love my wife", signed by the groom, is a fitting reminder of their wedding day!

Christine and Steve searched for the perfect markers, designed to become permanent on wood, and bought every color available so their guests would feel free to be wildly creative; once the first brave soul wrote on the piano, it was a constant focus throughout the afternoon and evening.

One of the real treasures for me was watching two of Christine's piano students, who had been the ring bearer and flower girl in her wedding, sit and proudly play the "guest book" with their adoring teacher.

I was on the sidelines here, capturing the moments between teacher and student both in photos and in my memory.

The flower girl is having her turn to play for the guests, as the ring bearer tries to wait patiently for his chance!

I love this photo of small fingers moving quickly to keep up with the masterful experienced hand of his teacher; a strong visual message of what patience and teaching by example can accomplish.

Following in the teacher's footsteps is what these fortunate young musicians will hopefully want to do; being in Christine's wedding was big step towards making musictheir passion. And who knows, maybe these two young pianists will have their own wedding one day. I wonder what THEY will use as a guest book...... :)

Thank you Steve and Christine for including me in the fun of helping plan and carry out your musical and intensely personal wedding celebration!

2011 Resolutions

2011-02-23T16:29:00.001-08:00

I always make New Year's Resolutions early in January, and by this time in February I have almost forgotten what they were! This year I am going on the record, with photos to prove it, that I have already made some decisions that support my Promises to Jean, for 2011.

1. MORE TIME TO ENJOY FRIENDS

Baby Shower for Gloria Wong Tritasavit! Friends Nancy Liu Chin, Jubilee Lau, Gloria and Baby Taylor Tritasavit, soon to arrive, Bev Yip, and Lisa Lefkowitz

Bridgette, Jubilee's daughter, John Woods and Jubilee at Gloria's shower.

Janece Shelloe, myself and Ellie Platis...a reunion at the Claremont Resort and Spa!

A toast to the year ahead followed by a beautiful sunset overlooking the SF Bay.

2. MORE TIME DOING SPECIAL THINGS WITH MY UNCLE JIMMY!

Uncle Jimmy with his friend the neighborhood milkman, Michal, at Jimmy's 92nd birthday party at my house. Michal sees Jimmy every day walking to get his coffee at the local coffee shop and they have struck up a strong friendship, through sign language and jokes, since Jimmy is totally deaf.

Taking Jimmy to the Italian Zuppe Family Circus was a special treat; the son and grandson of the owners of the Zuppe family connected with Jimmy in the audience because Jimmy was so enthusiastic about the slapstick humor and amazing acrobatics of Arnoldi Zuppe and his 1 year old son.

3. MORE TIME TO ENJOY MY HUSBAND JEFF AND STRENGTHEN OUR MARRIAGE.

We took a 3 day trip to Capitola recently to hike, relax, and reconnect with each other; it was great to slow down and enjoy the simple things we don't always make time for in our busy lives. I am so thankful for our 30 years of marriage; our solid faith in God and wacky sense of humor have sustained and encouraged all along the way!

The rainbow was a bonus...how could we complain about a rainy weekend when you can only see rainbows at those times?!

Sunset time at Capitola Harbor

1. MORE TIME FOR MY GARDEN!

I found my photo of a Spring arrangement I made completely from flowers in my garden; seeing this bouquet encouraged me to get out and rediscover my garden and care for the 35 Roses, mounds of Feverfew, Forget me Nots and other perennials which are all still in my garden, just waiting for attention!

A few weeks ago Jeff and I weeded, pruned, and put wonderful smelly mulch all around my flower beds, just before the big rains hit--perfect timing! Last year I was too busy to do any of this! The floral results of my gardening care and the abundance of rain should be spectacular! Stay tuned for 2011 bouquets on my blog!

So I have set a precedent, and now I must keep up with my resolutions. Along with caring for my beloved wedding clients, I will also spend time with friends, family and in my garden!

Wedding 360 Update

2011-02-05T20:10:00.000-08:00

It is with some sadness, yet with clear assurance that we are making the right choice, that Jubilee and I recently sent out the letter copied below. The photo was taken a year ago when Wedding 360 was producing both Wedding University at the Four Seasons, Silicon Valley, and the Academy for Planners + Designers, at the St. Regis in San Francisco. Both events were amazingly successful, and Jubilee and I are proud to have provided rich educational opportunities for both engaged couples and wedding professionals. The letter below explains our plans for 2011 and beyond.

January 2010, TV Interview about Wedding 360 with Julie (Four Seasons Silicon Valley), Jubilee and
Jean

A Personal Letter from Jean and Jubilee

January 27th, 2011

Dear Friends of Wedding 360,

A little over 2 years ago we started out to raise the bar for wedding planning and design; we wanted to help engaged couples learn from experts as they planned their own weddings, and we as Wedding Professionals wanted to learn from the best in the field so we could become better Planners and Designers ourselves.

In the process of creating the Wedding University, Wedding 360, and the Academy for Planners + Designers, we have learned that our passion is still in helping couples plan and design their own weddings.

We see that it is impossible for us to provide top level service for our wedding clients and at the same time, lead and manage a second business.
Therefore, as of February 28th, 2011, we will discontinue our partnership as the leaders of Wedding 360 LLC; we are open to passing on the vision and brand we have established should the right successor emerge. However, at this time, we are choosing to focus our energy and professionalism on our individual wedding planning businesses, Jean Marks Weddings and Jubilee Lau Events, which we have spent the last 8 years establishing here in the SF Bay Area.

We are both incredibly grateful to each of you who have encouraged us, and been a part of the planning and execution of two Wedding Universities and the Academy for Planners + Designers. What we treasure most about Wedding 360 are the friendships we have made with so many of you, and we know those friendships will be ongoing. We may now have more time to actually stop and enjoy getting to know you, instead of always scheduling meetings or conference calls!

Our online educational videos will be up until the end of February, and we highly encourage you to view them while they are still available. The third and final teaching by Todd Fiscus, recently filmed at Todd Event Studios, is now available, along with the 2 prior segments. Please do not miss the opportunity to watch all three of these incredibly helpful and inspirational videos, while they are still available. We are sure that watching and learning directly from Todd Fiscus will provide a new burst of enthusiasm and creative energy for your 2011 Wedding Season!

Please feel free to email us; we would love to hear from you!

Warmly,

Jean and Jubilee, Founders of Wedding 360 LLC
jean@jeanmarksweddings.com
jubilee@jubileelauevents.com

Why I love my career!

2011-01-30T11:23:00.000-08:00

The tagline of Jean Marks Weddings is "...beside the bride to help as needed." I am encouraged to know that my being alongside the brides (and grooms!) who hire me is of great value to them. Their trust and appreciation, as exemplified in this blog post, are why I love my career!

For me, the most valuable part of helping couples plan their weddings is the warmth and friendship that develops between us as we work together to bring their wedding dreams into reality.

Recently I was encouraged, coincidentally all in the same week, by three of my wonderful Fall 2010 couples; each one reached out in different ways to say Thank You! I had fun taking photos of the gifts and cards sent to me, so I can always have the memories nearby!

First I received this lovely card from Christine and Steve, who were married in October at Allied Arts in Menlo Park; because Steve is from England and Christine has spent years living in the New York area, they are planning celebrations this winter/spring in both Cambridge and Upper New York State...I wish I could help plan those two, but the distance is a bit daunting!

Christine and Steve had a very personal wedding with elements of Christine's passion for music (she is a concert pianist), Steve's love of all things British (he graduated from Cambridge University), and their mutual enjoyment of fine California wine, "English" garden settings, and vintage cars. I will have photos from their wedding soon, and will create a blog to share their many wonderful details.

That same day I had breakfast in Palo Alto with Stacie, who was also married this Fall. She had mentioned that she had something for me, and when I saw her come in with a rose bush, ready to be planted, I was ecstatic! Stacie knows I love to grow roses, and that peach tones are my favorites (my logo has at its center a photo I took of a peach/yellow rose growing in my garden). It is especially endearing that Stacie chose this rose for me because Tropicana was her late grandmother's favorite rose. As Stacie gave the plant to me she said, "Now you can have something in your garden to remind you of Ronnie and me, and of my grandmother whom you never met." Wow, what could I say, except Thank You with a big hug, and a few tears of gratitude. The rose is already planted in it's own pot on my deck, so I can see it every day!

Please take a look at my blog post for a reminder of Stacie and Ron's Fogarty Winery wedding.

And at end of the same day there was one more amazing surprise from another Fall 2010 client: Felecia, who married Jim in October, asked Nancy Liu Chin, who designed the flowers for her wedding day, to create and deliver to me the arrangement and note pictured above; what a delightful and totally enjoyable surprise! Thank you Nancy and Felecia!
I placed the bouquet out on my deck, overlooking my recently pruned roses, to enjoy as I savored a cup of tea and thanked God for the opportunity I have each year to get to know such wonderful couples.
If you have time, check out my blog post about Felecia and Jim's incredible Treasure Island wedding celebration.

Now I am seriously involved in planning weddings for my 2011 clients; we are well on our way to creating life-long friendships as we partner to plan one of the most important events of their life together! I am sure it is evident why I love my career!

Hollywood Romance in SF Set!

2011-01-22T01:45:00.000-08:00

"I recently coordinated an incredibly unique wedding in San Francisco, on Treasure Island, which had such a wonderful story behind it that every detail of the design incorporated part of the story. Gloria Wong, the designer, Nancy Liu Chin, the florist, and Peculiar Pair Press, the stationer, were the design team who took the couple's vision and made their dream come true in the details....." This is a quote from my October blog post about Felecia and Jim's October wedding in San Francisco.

I have just received Catherine Hall's SLIDE SHOW of Felecia and Jim's wedding; I invite you to enjoy the images of a Hollywood-themed wedding with a San Francisco "set".

I also have some new images from Catherine which capture the joy between the bride and groom, as well as the dramatic surroundings and decor which served as a backdrop for each part of the wedding day.

Felecia and Jim at their wedding reception

Perfect Endings Wedding Cake with edible feathers!

Felecia and Jim's guest book was a tribute to Classic Hollywood.

Above and below, Paparazzi from A Cast of Thousands, greeted Felecia and Jim as they arrived at Casa de la Vista, and just before they were introduced into dinner; what could be more "Hollywood" than paparazzi, clamoring for a shot of the arriving "stars!"

Drama was included in the decor...black, white, silver, feathers and bling, as well as the view of the Bay Bridge and San Francisco Bay!

The menu and table settings dripped "over the top Hollywood glamor"!

Every escort card was hand addressed and embellished with a bling encrusted feather!

Felecia and Jim considered the guests comfort on a cool San Francisco evening.

A Sunset Shot to remember, thanks to Nature's dramatic wind and clouds

Felecia and Jim's Wedding Programs; another tribute to the world of theatre.

The next four images show the pre-ceremony shots of Jim and Felecia with the old world beauty and drama of Grace Cathedral, the Historic Intercontinental Mark Hopkins.

Jim, sporting his beloved Texas Cowboy boots, waits for the first look at his bride, in the most famous corner of the Top of the Mark, at the Mark Hopkins hotel on Nob Hill.

A perfect day and a perfect moment for the first meeting of Jim and Felecia; as you can imagine arranging the private use of this space with the hotel management and restaurant guests was nothing short of miraculous. (This is a story for another day, with the title: What Wedding Coordinators Coordinate "Behind the Scenes"!)

Felecia and Jim ready to leave for Treasure Island, and their official wedding celebration!

Thanks for the Memories, Jim and Felecia! You both win an Academy Award in my book for starring roles in your real life love story!

Thank you Catherine Hall!

2011-01-14T10:14:00.000-08:00

Stacie and her father as they were entering the ceremony; so much warmth and connection captured by Catherine Hall!

I am so grateful for the relationships that form within the wedding community! As a planner, I enjoy becoming close to the brides and grooms whom I serve each year; at the same time, I develop strong ties of respect and love for the colleagues who work alongside me during the months of planning as well as the day of the wedding.

Please enjoy the blog post by Catherine Hall, describing our beloved Stacie and Ron, whose Fall Thomas Fogarty Winery wedding I featured in my previous blog.

A huge thank you to Catherine, who has given Stacie and Ron incredible memories of the wedding of their dreams. It was my privilege to grow closer to Stacie, Ron, their family members, Catherine and all of my fantastic team as we shared the joy of serving well a couple we treasured. Enjoy the reminders of family connections, enduring love, and a beautiful wedding celebration!

The "first look", arranged before the ceremony by Catherine and me so the special moment could be savored with a moment alone.

Stacie and Ron at Fogarty...Sigh!

2011-01-10T21:54:00.000-08:00

I had the privilege of helping Stacie and Ron plan their elegant Fall wedding at Fogarty Winery, as well as the joy of getting to know them in the process. What an exquisitely beautiful bride is Stacie, and so in love with her handsome groom. Usually I would take time to describe the amazing decor, elegant dinner, and the details of the day; for this wedding, I will allow Catherine Hall's pictures to tell the story. Please enjoy the "eye candy" and know that the inside of this wonderful couple is as beautiful as the outside.

Thank you to my wonderful team who worked so hard to plan and carry out the wedding Stacie and Ron had been dreaming of; and thank you Catherine for capturing the beauty so lovingly!

Location: Thomas Fogarty Winery

Caterer: Componere Fine Catering

Florist: Precious and Blooming

Stationery: Rachel Hanson Design

Ceremony Music: Mori Achen Trio

DJ: Big Fun DJ's

Officiant: John Sullivan

Cake: Elegant Cheesecake

Hair: Alli Dunnam

Makeup: Jenna Perry

Transportation: Lone Star Limousine

Rentals: Hartmann Studios

Wedding Day: Janece Shellooe

My family experiences Peppoli

2010-12-27T21:02:00.000-08:00

When Shannon Gurley, the Floral and Event Design Manager for Pebble Beach Resorts invited my family to join her for dinner at Peppoli I had no idea the kind of extravagant and totally delicious meal we were about to experience!

Shannon in the middle and our family in front of the gorgeous Christmas tree in the lobby at Inn at Spanish Bay; this is just one of 17 Christmas trees Shannon and her team were responsible for decorating on the Pebble Beach Property!

Shannon and her team at Pebble Beach want to let SF Bay area wedding planners know what a wonderful experience their resort can offer a couple hosting their wedding celebration at any of the Pebble Beach properties. I for one was not aware of all the beautiful and luxurious options available to my clients...but now I am eager to recommend the properties!

Since my family was already planning to be in Pacific Grove, which borders Pebble Beach, for the Christmas week, Shannon graciously invited all 4 of us to join her for a personalized, chef's choice multi course dinner at Peppoli.

Asilomar Beach on sunset when we arrived; we could have walked to the Inn at Spanish Bay from our B and B across from Asilomar, but that would have been a bit difficult after dark!

I can truly say that the fresh taste of each dish, the authentic Italian presentation, and impeccable 5 Star service would win my recommendation to any bride and groom considering hosting their wedding reception with Peppoli!

Me with Justin, Kim and Jeff at the entrance to Peppoli, in front of the oil painting of the villa in Italy owned by the family who provides wine for Peppoli...a family of wine makers that goes back over 15 generations!

For my friends who are foodies, and often post photos of the incredible foods they have enjoyed, I have a few to share! This 4+ hour meal was a gastronomical tour through Italy, served in 5 delicious courses, and my photos only present a few of the multiple plates served to our table for each course!

House-made Sausage, polenta, and braised chard

Tuna sashimi with a delicate sprout/white bean garnish

Antipasti plate including house made salamis, imported olives and cheeses from Italy, and fresh artichokes, marinated by Peppoli for 72 hours.

Wild mushroom risotto with grilled scallops

Pasta with fresh bacon, Parmesan, and Alfredo sauce; note there were 2 other dishes in the background!

Beet salad with Arugula, Carmel Valley greens, and battered goat cheese on top; butternut soup in the background...it was amazing too!

Caesar Salad, the REAL thing!

Breaded local pork chop soaked in wine and spices, garnish of fresh greens with lemon juice.

Also in this course were Beef Tenderloin with port reduction sauce and Sea Bass with a garlic butter glaze...we are now heading into a food coma, but here comes DESSERT!!

Flourless warm chocolate lava cake with espresso gelato

Italian cookie selection...all great, but we liked the macaroon best!

Fresh fruit with mint gelato and a house almond biscotti

The Finale...three flavors of Sorbet, lemon, strawberry and blackberry...plus the empty bottle of estate wine from Italy we consumed during the meal...WOW!!!

Our family has never had this kind of dining adventure before, so we have been reminiscing about the amazing flavors, beautiful presentation, and welcoming atmosphere ever since! Thank you Shannon, and all of the staff at Pebble Beach Resorts, for treating us so royally!

I would love the opportunity to work with Shannon and her colleague Julie Bullas, the Catering Manager at Pebble Beach, to serve brides and grooms with the same personal care and flawless service I experienced at Peppoli and throughout the Pebble Beach Resorts.

An Evening in the Sky!

2010-12-18T22:05:00.000-08:00

An evening in the sky, (the 32 floor feels like you are in the sky!) overlooking Union Square, in a sparkling San Francisco at Christmas time..what could be better!?

Victor's Palace, as it might be set up for a wedding ceremony

It was a delightful gift to be one of the wedding planners attending the Unveiling of the Imperial Floor at the Westin St. Francis this week! A special bonus for me, was having time with my good friend David Beahm, who flew out from New York to be a part of the celebration.

I met David for the first time last March, when he taught at Wedding 360; we forged a strong friendship at that time which has lasted across the miles and months.

David spoke briefly at the beginning of the evening activities directly to planners and designers like himself. He wanted to remind us that our most important gift to our clients is good service and sincere caring. He emphasized that what we give always comes back to us a hundred fold. The Golden Rule is his basis for life and creative work: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you, and Life is Golden! This is loving advice we can put into practice every moment of every day...Thank you, David!

For a visual feast of photos and a superbly written description of this Night in the Sky, please click on Stacie Tamaki's blog entry from the Flirty Guide

Ellie Platis, Bill Hedgepeth, Director of Catering at the Westin St. Francis, who planned this event, David Beahm, and me during the reception in Alexandra's, the other part of the Imperial Suite.

December in San Francisco

2010-12-12T21:30:00.000-08:00

December in California, and particularly in San Francisco is not to be confused with December in any other part of the country, or the world for that matter! The combination of occasionally balmy weather, incredible world renowned views, and an outrageous display of Christmas lights makes even 24 hours in the City an experience, not just a visit!

Jeff and I were recently able to enjoy one night at the beautiful Four Seasons in San Francisco, thanks to the generosity of Stacie Hallinan and David Robinson, Catering Directors at the Four Seasons. Thank you so much for the gift of rest and re-energizing after a very busy wedding season; Jeff and I had not seen much of each other since May when my wedding began, so we made the most of our time together in SF.

After experiencing the quality of warm, personal attention we received at every point in our stay at the Four Seasons, I can unequivocally recommend the Four Seasons to my wedding clients who are looking for a welcoming and professional location for their family and guests. I also really appreciate the modern and understated elegance of the Four Seasons decor, which is exemplified by this stunning arrangement in the lobby.

Jeff and I love walking, and enjoying the beauty of a city as you can only see it on foot. Even though it had been raining in the morning, we took our raincoats and umbrellas and set out immediately to explore as much of SF as we possibly could. Using The Four Seasons on Market St as our home base, we walked to the Ferry Building, then all along the Embarcadero to Fisherman's Wharf, taking sunset photos along the way.

View of Coit Tower and the Transamerica Building from the dock just east of Pier 39.

The beautiful Golden Gate Bridge as the sun is setting behind the Marin hills.

The SF landmark Ghiradelli Square, where so many tourists come to enjoy the famous Hot Fudge Sundaes...and speaking from experience, some non tourists love them as well!

We met a Belgian couple who took this photo of us as we were enjoying the sunset...so nice to have a reminder of the beauty we enjoyed on our "staycation" as some people call a mini vacation within your own locale.

Once the sun had officially set, we headed for North Beach, about 8 blocks away for some wine and delicious pasta at Sport, our favorite Italian restaurant in this ethnic epicenter for Italian food!

I ordered the Pesto Pasta, which as the sign says, is a wonderful dish, and I would have to agree, I have never had better, even in Italy!

We had saved the lights at Union Square for the last part of our walk, because those can only be completely enjoyed after dark. We were not disappointed by the action, color, and life of December in Union Square. We were there for the annual lighting of the 4 story high Menorah on the first night of Hanukkah, as well as for the Cable Car Christmas Caroling by local high school students.

No matter what brings you to San Francisco in December, given the right weather and time to explore, you will find something to delight and inspire you.

We are so thankful that we were able to savor the magic of our beloved city as it was splashed with sunset colors and dressed up for the holidays!

Fun with Wedding Colleagues

2010-12-01T12:38:00.001-08:00

Recently I re-connected with wedding colleagues whom I have not seen for months! We have all been intensely focused on our wedding clients, seeking to serve them well during the busy months between March and November; but as our wedding season ends, we find ways to get together again, and networking events like BAWN create opportunities for those of us who work together on weddings during the year, to play together!

This was the amazing sunset greeting Kathleen Kirkpatrick, Elisheva Basseri, Elisheva's intern, Amanda and me as we arrived at the Craneway Pavilion for the BAWN event. We were a bit early for the party, but right on time for this gift of glorious sunset color. It was equally a treat to just stand and enjoy the beauty, instead of glancing at such grandeur, and pushing on with my agenda, as I have been doing most of this Summer and Fall during my wedding season.

Amanda, Elisheva's new intern, Elisheva Basseri, Kathleen Kirkpatrick

Kathleen Kirkpatrick I have known since I began my business in 2005; I worked with her on a wedding when she was venue manager at the San Jose Museum of Art, and we have continued to work together on weddings now that she is the site manager at beautiful Villa Montalvo in Saratoga. My friendship with Kathleen has grown as we tgether attend networking events where we can get to know each other away from the busy pace of wedding days. Thank you so much for driving all the way from San Jose to Craneway for BAWN, Kathleen!

Elisheva and I have been friends since we first met at a networking event over 6 years ago. We have kept in touch and worked alongside each other when she was catering manager at 2 Bay Area wedding venues, and now, as she has launched her own wedding planning business. As is the case for so many of my friends in the industry, we respect each others work, and enjoy each others company, so it is a win win for our clients and for us when we can work together!

Catherine Hall is someone Elisheva introduced me to at a networking event about 3 years ago; since then Catherine and I have become close friends, great fans of each other's work, and comrades in many ways.

Let the party begin!

Gustavo Fernandez and Natasha Miller, both fantastic dancers and entertainers!

Gustavo using my camera to capture us on the dance floor!

Between dances, Elle, Jean and Catherine; quite the trio!

Loved having a chance to move on the dance floor with Michelle Walker and Anna Williams.

There are many wonderful benefits of working hard with talented, dedicated professionals throughout the year--strong friendships that are based on mutual respect and a wonderful sense of play and celebration, when the time is right. Stay tuned for more episodes of "Jean is on the Loose Again", or "Fun with Friends, December, 2010"!

Wedding Season Thank Yous!

2010-11-27T14:31:00.000-08:00

At the end of a wedding season it is encouraging to go back over some of the thank you notes I have received from my clients after we successfully completed the planning and carrying out of their wedding celebration. I am deeply thankful for the privilege of having been alongside them during such an exciting and potentially stressful time, so it is a double blessing when they are equally thankful for my help!

Charlotte and Peter, Fogarty Winery, 2010; Photo by Catherine Hall

Hi Jean,

You are absolutely amazing. I am so in awe of your talent at making everything (and I do mean everything) come together for the wedding. I really don't know how to put in words how grateful we are to have had you around, and I don't know what we would have done without you.

It wasn't even just the big picture stuff, but also every single small detail. You made it all happen without a hitch. And thanks also to your fabulous assistants for the help with Polaroids, the beautiful guestbook and escort card display (my goodness, I was so impressed and surprised!)

Best, Char

Brenna and Jared, Rosewood Sand Hill, 2010

Dear Jean,

Thank you so much for all of you help in the planning and carrying out of our wedding day! Your time management is amazing! I am really impressed that we were able to fit everything in, and the ceremony began right on time. Nothing felt rushed, everything flowed so smoothly and peacefully.

I really appreciated that you made sure Jared and I were taking time to slow down at moments and really absorb everything that was happening and about to happen; this was golden! If you hadn't been there to pull us away at these moments, I could see how the moments would have easily slipped by.

Specifically, when you pulled us away after the ketubah and before the ceremony to spend a few moments together alone. I also really appreciated that you made sure we were eating and hydrated. This also made me feel more in the moment of everything without getting spacey and tired.

Your calm and your confidence really made me relax and keep things in perspective. And your emergency kit was also great, thank goodness for those band aids!
With hugs, Brenna and Jared

Will and Megan, Rosewood Sand Hill, 2010

Dear Jean,

Thank you again for all your help this past Saturday!! What an event! We are still coming out of a "wedding daze" but are so grateful for your assistance. It would not have been such a stress-free event without your work; and the set up at the cottage upon our return was delightful!

We shall provide the most positive yelp review! :-) I do appreciate your picking up the left wine glass favors at the end of the night; it was mentioned to us by one regretful guest on Sunday that she had left hers behind, so we will be glad to have the extras!

I hope that you've had time to recover from all of your work this past weekend. Thank you again.

The very grateful and appreciative Prices

Hugs,

Megan & Will

And this year, I have even received thank you notes from some couples whom I was NOT able to work with because I am already booked for their wedding date in 2011! The one below, from a May 7th client, particularly made me smile:

Dear Jean,

Thank you so much for calling this morning to check in with us. I really appreciate it! We really loved getting to know you; you have a rare gift for connecting with people and making us feel like you want the very best for us. If you can recommend any vendors with whom we would be in good hands, especially ones who connect with and care about their clients as much as you do, we would be so grateful

Thanks again so much for your advice and help; we want to reiterate once again how sad we are that we can't be planning this process with you. You are a wonderful person, and I am sure you will continue to make other brides' dreams come true for as long you remain in this profession!
All the best, bride and groom for May 7, 2011.

What is most important to me about my wedding planning work is the strong bond and friendships I am able to make with my clients, and now even some I am not able to have as clients!
I can't wait to get to know and love my 2011 clients in the months ahead!

My Uncle Jimmy is 92!

2010-11-17T21:15:00.001-08:00

Planning celebrations is what I do as a professional, but it is also what I do for my wonderful family members like my Uncle Jimmy, who turned 92 this month! Jimmy has made some wonderful friends in the Palo Alto area where we live, and last week I invited about 15 of them to our home in Palo Alto for pizza, pasta, puzzles and lots of cake and ice cream!

Uncle Jimmy was born deaf, as a result of his mother having German Measles when she was pregnant with him. In 1918 when he was born, deafness was considered a handicap which required constant care, so Jimmy was not able to go to public school or college and he never married because his family thought he would not be able to support a wife.

As it turns out, Jimmy became an amazing carpenter, took care of his mother the last years of her life in the Boston area. Rather than needing care, Jimmy became the one to take care of others. When both his mother, and my mother died, Jimmy moved out here to California to be with me and my family. We are forever grateful that he did so because he has been a major part of our lives, spearheading 20 years ago the project to totally remodel our 1906 home, playing with my two children from the day they were born and into the present moments....Jimmy always makes us laugh with his slapstick humor and silly faces and comments about everything.

This group of neighbors, community store owners, friends from the Senior Center where Jimmy eats lunch daily, my daughter Kim and husband Jeff, all wished Uncle Jimmy a happy 92nd birthday and helped blow out the candles.

My daughter Kim chose an expensive bottle of well-aged bourbon for Jimmy's birthday gift...here he is making one of his familiar exaggerated grins to let her know how much he will enjoy the warmth of a good glass of whiskey on the cold winter nights ahead!

This photo exemplifies the way my Uncle Jimmy had found love in the community where we live; this hug is coming from the woman who works at the Senior Center, and sees Jimmy every day when he comes in for lunch. They tell me that he always has a smile and a joke for them at the desk. Without hearing a sound for 92 years, Jimmy has learned how to communicate with humor and genuine care for others. I am so proud to be his niece!

This was the gift I gave Jimmy: a framed enlargement of his meeting with the clown and the clown's 1 year old son, at the Zoppe Family Circus, in Redwood City last month.

I wanted to take Jimmy to the circus because so much of a circus is entertainment without words...that is what a deaf person needs! The owner of the Zoppe Italian Family Circus noticed Jimmy's enthusiastic applause and intense involvement with every moment of the performance, and actually came up to Jimmy at the end of the show to give him a high five...again, communicating without words a connection that needed no words.

I wanted Jimmy to have this photo in his tiny house (he still lives on his own, just 5 blocks down the street from me) to remind him of our visit to the circus, and the new friends he made there.

I wonder if I inherited my sense of humor from Jimmy...I would love to think I also inherited his gentle heart and warm spirit. Happy Birthday, Uncle Jimmy!

Peter and Charlotte, by Catherine Hall!

2010-10-19T19:48:00.000-07:00

I am forever in Awe of Photographer Catherine Hall! she captured the joy and beauty of my beloved couple Peter and Charlotte perfectly, and made Fogarty Winery, and the wedding day stand out as one of the most enchanting weddings of my 2010 season. Thank you Catherine, for the images, and peter and Charlotte, thank you for trusting me to guide you in your wedding planning adventure. The work was so worth it, don't you think! Congratulations!!!

Please click here to see Catherine's blog post about the wedding, and then make time to view the entire slide show, set to the classic "Dancing Cheek to Cheek"!

The Details Tell the Story, Part Two

2010-10-13T19:06:00.000-07:00

Recently I coordinated an incredibly unique wedding in San Francisco, on Treasure Island, which had such a wonderful story behind it that every detail of the design incorporated part of the story. Gloria Wong, the designer, Nancy Liu Chin, the florist, and Peculiar Pair Press, the stationer, were the design team who took the couple's vision and made their dream come true in the details! I love working with such creative artists!

I am blogging about this wedding in 3 parts, because the wedding was described in the program as "A Wedding in Three Acts".

Part 2, Pre Ceremony to Cocktail hour

The bridesmaid bouquets with the program for the wedding, strategically placed for a wonderful "detail shot, in the window of the Bridal Suite. The view overlooked Huntington Park and Grace Cathedral on Nob Hill; what could be more classic SF?! Note the black feathers, crystals, and a bit of bling included in the bouquets.

But, speaking of bling, the bride's bouquet was a statement of the grandeur of old Hollywood, and took her breath away when she first saw it. All the florals and colors for the ceremony were in rich shades of magenta, deep purple, lavender and maroon; a dramatic background for what was referred to as Act One of the wedding day.

(Because I was so busy coordinating the wedding itself, I did not have a chance to take any photos of the ceremony. But it was as rich with color and elegance as these bouquets. Nancy Liu Chin used multiple shades of bright magenta, rich purple, and brilliant pink in her elaborate Altar and Entrance arrangements; when combined with the elegant purple velvet draping installed by Enhanced Lighting, and the abundance of multi height candles on the Altar, the Chapel at Treasure Island was completely transformed.)

For the reception, Gloria and the couple chose a cool black, white and silver color palette, accented by night club-like pin spots and deep blue uplighting (provided by Enhanced Lighting), to set the tone for Acts 2 and 3 (Dinner and Dancing). During this part of the wedding celebration, the details tell a story by changing the mood entirely from the intensely colorful design of the ceremony decor, to the understated tones of a 1930's club. This transition seemed to mirror the way many of the movies filmed by the groom were totally different in tone, feel, and background.

The Guest Book was an actual book with photos of the stars of the Golden Age of Hollywood. Guests could write a note to the newly weds using the picture of their favorite Hollywood star as the background.

This view of the guest book, open to invite guests to write a note, also shows the hand made, over-the-top style of the escort cards...feathers and bling were everywhere, yet always presented tastefully and in an understated way. Great job, Gloria and team!

Awaiting the guest to enter from cocktails was the amazing wedding cake, created and designed by Perfect Endings Bakery in Napa, with black and white edible feathers. I can say from first-hand experience, this work or art tasted as wonderful as it looked!

Gloria and Nancy's staff, putting finishing touches on the Head Table before the guests are invited in from cocktails. An elegant combination of hundreds of white roses, feathers, bling, and silver accents....as they entered, the bride, groom, and all the guests, were captivated by the design and detail of the reception room where they would have dinner, and then enjoy dancing to the sounds of SBX Dance Band.

Part 3: The Reception and Dancing

This was the entrance into the Casa de la Vista, where guests were welcomed into a scene of beauty and old Hollywood charm.

White branches, decorated with thousands of crystals, hanging lights and and abundance of white flowers, provide the background for one wall of Casa de la Vista.

After dinner, the dancing went on until midnight, when the guests returned to their hotels via chartered shuttles and limousines, and the bride and groom were transported back to the Mark Hopkins in a Classic vintage Packard; one last detail requested by the bride and groom...a grand Hollywood exit!

I took this photo from the outside Casa de la Vista, during the beginning of the dancing portion of the evening. The bride and groom redefined the classic parents' dances, by having the Mother/Son dance be the bride dancing with each of her adult twin sons, and the Father/Daughter dance being the groom dancing with each of his adult daughters; just another way this wedding told a story, by honoring the children of the bride and groom, since their own parents are not here...now the romantic, Hollywood-like story continues, with a new chapter to be written by them as man and wife!

Other vendors who made this wedding day so perfect, include:

Sherri Long, Hair and Makeup

Wine Valley Catering

Intercontinental Mark Hopkins, Bridal Suite

The Fisherman's Wharf Hilton, guest rooms

Cast of Thousands (we had Paparazzi actors as the bride and groom entered dinner!)

The details tell the story! Part one.

2010-10-07T22:47:00.000-07:00

Recently I coordinated a wedding which had such a wonderful story behind it that every detail of the design incorporated part of the story. Gloria Wong, the designer, Nancy Liu Chin, the florist, and Peculiar Pair Press were the vendors who took the couples' vision and made the dream come true in the details! I love working with such a creative team! I will be blogging about this wedding in 3 parts, because there is so much to share!

Part 1, Pre wedding:

In the bride's suite, as she had her hair and makeup done, I created a display of the customized printed materials and other special wedding details, so that our photographer, Catherine Hall, could capture detail shots early in the day, before the fast paced wedding action began. The light in the Terrace of the suite was so wonderful, I decided to set up the "collage" there.

Because the groom has spent 40+ years as a cameraman for Hollywood film makers, the theme of the wedding centered around Old Hollywood, and all the drama, glitz, and romance of those Golden years. There were lots of feathers, flourishes, romantic lighting, and reminders of the stars with whom the groom worked each day on different studio sets in Hollywood.

The view of San Francisco, from Nob Hill's Intercontinental Mark Hopkins, was dramatically beautiful on this sunny October day! The bride stayed in the historic Mark Hopkins Suite, on the 17th floor; what a treat for her bridal party to have their hair and makeup done, and to get dressed together, with a perfect SF panorama all around.
At the end of the evening, the bride and the groom came back to this lovely terrace off the Mark Hopkins Suite, for a surprise late night dinner, with Champagne, and Duck Horn Merlot, their favorite wine. The cameras were not rolling, but the scene was set!

Here the groom's wedding band is displayed beside the custom-made stamp showing a sketch of the white dinner jacked tailored for his wedding day; it is no accident that the dinner jacket very closely resembles the dinner jacket worn by Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca...even the bow tie was hand tied, a la Bogart!

The bride designed her own wedding gown, with the help of a well known New York dress designer; the designer actually sketched the drawing shown on this stamp, and gave it to the bride after the last fitting in New York. Randy Fenoli of Seinfelds in NY, did the detail work and final fitting, so he also has had a big part in creating the overall look of this gorgeous dress.

I love the extra thought taken by the bride and groom, to make both the tuxedo and gown drawings into stamps, which were used on all of the invitations, RSVP cards. Beginning with the invitation, guests knew this would be a unique wedding celebration!

Coming next, Part 2..The First Look and Wedding Ceremony.

A Team Effort

2010-09-20T18:22:00.000-07:00

Recently I was privileged to assist my good friend Jubilee Lau in the coordination of an amazing wedding celebration at City Hall in San Francisco. Each and every guest at the wedding could not help but be overwhelmed by the elegance, beauty, personalization and complexity of this celebration.

The Rotunda was the location for the wedding as well as for dinner. Lavender carpet was installed just for the wedding. The centerpieces and column decorations topped 10 feet tall...everything was magnificent!

The guests were welcomed into the Thai-themed cocktail hour, by 2 carnation encrusted elephants, a shower of orchid blooms and a silver stone pond with giant water lilies..all created for this event by Nancy Liu Chin Design.

A Food Court, inside the dancing/lounge area, offered guests a Sushi Bar, a Patisserie, an Espresso shop, and of course, a Pub!

The Stage and custom-designed dance floor occupied the other end of the lounge/dancing area, which was not opened until after dinner, as a special surprise for the guests.

So what does it take to produce an event like this?

I can only speak for the logistics team, who assisted Jubilee, but all 10 of us were involved for weeks before the event in discussing the details of the event, having walkthroughs at City Hall, as well as sharing meals together to fine tune each area of the wedding day from the logistical side: load in and break down, entertainment, coordination of the events of the day itself, transportation, assisting family members, communication with hotels, etc.

We each had our roles, and because everyone on the team was an experienced wedding professional, Jubilee could focus on the big picture, knowing we would carry out what had been assigned to us, and contact her immediately if something unexpected came up which needed her input.

Five of our team members going down the elegant stairway from the rotunda, during our walk through at City Hall 10 days before the wedding.

Our dinner after the walk through, used as a social and work time; we were able to get to know each other better as we discussed our responsibilities in greater detail.

Behind the Scenes: This is the Food Court in process:

Setting up the head table took a huge team!

The Dining area and Ceremony Site almost guest ready!

After 3 full days of setup by fantastic SF vendors including Enhanced Lighting, McCall's Catering, Blueprint Studios, Gloria Wong Design, Wildflower Linen, and a support staff of over 100 people...we are ready to open the doors for the guests!

The guests have arrived and are finding their escort cards. This tree was designed to replicate a tree that would grow in Thailand.

The guest tables are set and ready! Let the celebration begin!!!

Jubilee in the midst of our setting up the Head Table...she seemed cool, calm and trusting her team to take care of all the meticulous plans she and Gloria had been working on for almost a year to bring their clients dream into reality!

Congratulations, Jubilee! Thanks for including me in your team!

Todd Fiscus, tips for designers!

2010-09-20T17:07:00.000-07:00

Please take a look at what is coming through Wedding 360 from Todd Fiscus, owner of Todd Events! His first video in a series of three filmed on-site at his Dallas studio, will be released this week, exclusively through Wedding 360 !

I flew out to Texas in July to film the episodes with Jubilee Lau, my partner in Wedding 360, and Andrew Hsu, our fantastic cinematographer. He is almost ready to release the first episode. I will be sharing more soon!

Where to have the "First Look"?

2010-09-14T21:34:00.000-07:00

What do wedding planners do when they are not on-site coordinating weddings during this busy Fall wedding season? We are often out doing the background work needed before the wedding actually happens, to be sure every aspect of the wedding day is thought through and prepared for with care. Because I love to be personally involved with each aspect of my clients' wedding priorities, I often find myself doing some interesting research work. This week I scheduled a tour of a San Francisco landmark, The Intercontinental Mark Hopkins, with a particular goal in mind: Where should Felecia and Jim see each other for the first time, on their wedding day before the pre-ceremony photos?

Tucked in the back of Top of the Mark, this nook is where we hope to stage the First Look for Jim and Felecia. Though the view is extremely beautiful, the spot is known as Weepers Corner, because during WW 2, wives and girlfriends would go to this very spot to stand and weep as they saw their men head out in military ships to war.

This bride and groom are particularly interested in finding a dramatic, as well as photographically beautiful spot, for their first look; Jim has spent decades behind a motion picture camera, shooting hundreds of movies, many of them here in San Francisco, so he has a practiced eye for composition and understands the importance of location. Since Felecia will be getting ready at the Mark Hopkins, before going over to Treasure Island for the wedding and reception, it made sense to have the two of them meet somewhere in the hotel.

I offered to scout the property with Catherine Hall, my good friend, and the amazing photographer for this wedding, and Jordan Nimura, the Director of Romance (aka. Catering Manager Specializing in Weddings) for the Mark Hopkins, to find the perfect spot!

It was a beautiful day for our visit, and we were able to enjoy a wonderful view as we had tea at Top of the Mark, discussing what would be the best spot in the hotel for Felecia and Jim's first look. Jordan is helping us think what is the least busy time for the restaurant, and Catherine is discussing what kind of lighting to bring so the sun will not create a "blown out" look for the photos. This is the kind of forethought that needs to go into creating such a perfect moment for a couple, and then capturing in perfectly to be treasured in the years ahead.

It is becoming more common now for couples to schedule that "first look" moment, usually envisioned as when the bride walks down the aisle, and her groom sees her for the first time, for a private time earlier in the day in a place which is special to the two of them, away from the pre-wedding activity. When couples choose this plan, I see them fresh and excited about the day ahead, looking more relaxed than ever in front of the camera. Now the couple can begin their romantic photos and wedding party photos before the ceremony, allowing them to join their friends at the cocktail hour, and most importantly, they can rejoice together, before the day even unfolds, that they are soon to be husband and wife.

Catherine, Jordan and I took several hours out of our Fall wedding push (Fall in California is always the busiest time for wedding professionals), to meet and lay the groundwork for an unforgetable moment for our beloved clients. As we spent time together, we felt a kinship forming, because we all share the desire to serve our clients with excellence in every detail of their wedding day, as well as the planning leading up to that day...we never want to get too busy for extra's like this, not to mention the fun of being together at Top of the Mark!

We really hope that the weather for Felecia and Jim's first look will be as lovely as it was for our tour; but we are romantics enough to know that when Jim sees Felecia for the first time in her wedding gown, the sun will come out on his face!

Fall wedding at Rosewood Sand Hill

2010-09-07T16:54:00.000-07:00

It was a perfect day for an outside wedding ceremony at Rosewood Sand Hill this weekend! I had the joy of working with Brenna and Jared to ensure that all the well-planned details they had been working on for months, came together perfectly for their wedding day.

The Chuppah, set up and decorated by Amy Burke Design, was a beautiful focal point for the bride, groom and their families to stand before their friends, and pledge their lives to one another.

Brenna and Jared's rich orange, peach, apricot wedding colors, seen here in the bridesmaid bouquets, matched perfectly the decor at Rosewood Sand Hill, as did the invitations and escort cards, which were hand-made by Brenna. As an artist, when she and Jared booked the hotel for their wedding venue, Brenna knew exactly how she would incorporate the style and aesthetic of Rosewood into her wedding design.

The escort cards were crafted with the same paper detail detail as that used in the invitations; each guest's meal choice was designated by where on the card the color detail was positioned. It was a very creative way to help the servers know what meal to serve each guest; the result was both beautiful in design, and clear in communication. Well done, Brenna and Jared!

The chargers and menus at each place setting were another connection to the wedding design, which mirrored the overall decor at Rosewood Sand Hill. The small boxes of 4 truffles, selected by Brenna and Jared, were a thank you gift for each guest...a sweet reminder of their wedding day!

Following the ceremony after a few moments alone, Brenna and Jared head out to the garden areas at Rosewood Sand Hill for photos with Jessica Lifland, before joining their guests for cocktails.

Soon the indoor part of the celebration began, and that was also amazing! Brenna and Jared were introduced into dinner by her father, welcomed with toasts, and along with their guests enjoyed a delicious 4 course meal,

before opening the dance floor with their first dance, which was followed by the Parents' dances, and...

...the Hora!

Once The Fundamentals got everyone up for the Hora, the dance floor never emptied until the party ended at Midnight!

No one wanted to say goodbye after the wonderful celebration of Brenna and Jared's wedding day, so they said "....see you tomorrow!", because Brenna's family hosted a Brunch on the Rosewood Sand Hill portico for all the guests who could join them. I understand the patio was full!

On Top of the World!

2010-08-09T22:32:00.000-07:00

Charlotte and Peter could not have had a more perfect day for their wedding at Fogarty Winery, just off of Skyline Boulevard in Woodside! The feeling of being "on top of the world" was a gift to each of Peter and Charlotte's guests, but imagine how it felt to Peter and Charlotte as they exchanged vows in this setting! I will share more about the wedding when I have the images taken by Catherine Hall, but for now, mine will give you a sense of the Mountain top experience!

We set the ceremony table just as Peter and Charlotte had requested it, with the Chinese Tea Service (the pot is missing here, because the tea was being brewed) for the Tea Ceremony to honor the parents, as well as with a bottle of wine, and 2 crystal goblets, so the couple could honor each other with a warm and loving wedding toast.

Cobalt blue, brown, and white, Peter and Charlotte's wedding colors, were beautifully carried out by Amy Burke Designs. It was uncanny how the blue of the sky that day was a perfect match for Amy's flowers!

After the ceremony, Peter and Charlotte joined their family and friends for dinner, again "On Top of the World"...the pavilion, where Componere Fine Catering served a delicious dinner, has the same view as the ceremony lawn, just a bit further down the hill.

Peter and Charlotte's colors were carried out in the floral centerpieces as well ase menus, designed and printed by Hello Lucky, who also provided their Save the Date, Invitaiton, Escort Cards, and Table Names.

A delicious almond/ginger cake was created and decorated by BethAnn of Studio Cake, with hand made flowers, and ribbon to match the linens used in the dancing/dessert part of the celebraton.

The Hill House at Fogarty Winery provides another opportunity to be "On Top of the World"! I always encourage my clients to provide lounge furniture (this was rented from Hartmann Studios) in a spot like the Hill House. It is so nice to have an area for guests to relax with a glass of wine, while taking in the panorama of the view below them.

Within minutes of my taking this photo, Peter and Charlotte's guests were filling the area, eating wedding cake, dancing to the music of DJ Raffi, and of course, enjoying their "On Top of the World" view!

I was so grateful for the opportunity to help Peter and Charlotte prepare and plan for each part of their incredible wedding celebration. I cannot take any credit for the clear day, the beautiful view, or the delightful family and guests who gathered to celebrate with Peter and Charlotte. But I was very happy to see everything come together so perfectly.... I did get to sit down in this lovely lounge environment, only briefly, just to see how it would feel to be one of Peter and Charlotte's guests, soaking in the view. It was like a dream to slow down for a moment and realize that I get to work "On Top of the World"!

Congratulations, Peter and Charlotte!

W360 goes to Dallas!

2010-07-23T10:27:00.000-07:00

Recently Wedding 360 went to Dallas to film 3 brand new teaching sessions with Todd Fiscus, the creative genius behind Todd Events, a multi-tiered, award winning design studio. Todd was one of our professors in March for the Academy for Planners and Designers in San Francisco. His content was so popular with the wedding professionals who watched it on our Online Academy, that we took Andrew Hsu, our W360 Videographer, and went to Todd's studio to capture on film more of Todd's boundless design and business expertise.

The Wedding 360 Filming team: Andrew Hsu, Todd Fiscus, Jubilee Lau, and Jean Marks (Jubilee and Jean are the founders of Wedding 360 LLC)

This is the headquarters and hub of the wedding and event planning division of Todd Events; we were able to use The Apartment, a popular event venue owned by Todd Events, for our filming.

A reminder to the dozens of busy staff members who were working at the Todd Events headquarters, that Todd was being filmed for Wedding 360!

Andrew in action, on set with Todd Fiscus. This sequence was part of the segment on table top design.

For another segment, Todd begins with an overview of the kinds of floral design he prefers, and quickly launches into how he could take these concepts and create designs of gigantic proportion, still based on what he has done on the smaller scale. Consistency, says Todd, is the most important part of design, no matter what the scale.

Todd is a master of design and detail, so even the displays for his Wedding 360 presentation had to be perfect.

Todd changed his jacket for the actual filming of this segment, so students watching different videos will realize he is now presenting an entirely new area for their learning.

Before and after the filming Todd and his Todd Events team made sure the Wedding 360 crew was fed and entertained well. We had dinner at Tillman's Roadhouse, a trendy, upscale Texas bistro owned by Todd Events. We were treated to signature cocktails, three flavors of French fries, ribs, Chicken Fried Steak, but don't forget.....

...... those comfort food desserts, created by Todd, such as Peanut Butter Cookie Sundae, with Homemade Bittersweet Fudge Sauce! Here Todd pours on the sauce himself for our table to share; there was more...in fact, s'more...

.....it was by far the "Cook at your Table S'mores" with house-made graham crackers, 3 flavors of homemade marshmallows and dark Belgian chocolate that brought the most joy to my partner Jubilee....Andrew wasn't too disappointed either!

There was one more special treat we enjoyed with Todd Events in Dallas; Todd had just welcomed Pippa, a 7 week old Pug puppy into the Todd Events family. Here Pippa is enjoying the loving attention of one of Todd's administrative team...Pippa seemed to never be out of someones arms... but when Todd went home, Pippa was ready to be with Daddy!

It was a privilege to be a part of the Todd Events family for 3 days; we learned more than we realized there was to learn about the wedding and event design business! All of it is now on film, for us to share via Wedding 360 Online Academy, with designers and planners who want to grow their business and stretch their creativity! We will have release dates available soon!

A Garden Wedding

2010-07-11T22:31:00.000-07:00

When Christine and Stephen hired me to help them plan their October Garden wedding, I was really excited to know we would be working with Allied Arts in Menlo Park! As a gardener and floral photographer myself, I love any chance to be in one of my favorite gardens. But the more I get to know this couple, the more excited I am to see all their fun plans come together.

Looking over the rustic fence into the Blue Garden in Allied Arts.

The ceremony will be in the Blue Garden, but the orientation of the focus of the wedding was our mission last Saturday, when we visited Allied Arts.

We discussed the different options as we stood in the middle of the Blue Garden.

Should it be here.........

..or here......

or here....??! You will have to wait to see, as the decision is still under discussion!

The hydrangeas won't be as blue in October, but they will have a tinge of blue mixed with some lovely antique looking burgundy and grey shades... the natural backdrop will be perfect for Christine's color palette of blues, purples, and burgundy shades, with some bright green and cream for contrast.

Stephen is British, and comes from a long line of English gardeners; his family will certainly enjoy the charm of this California version of formal garden, with hundreds of roses, perennial borders, fountains, stone and brick pathways, and of course a place for tea in the center!

Christine is a concert pianist, whose friends, all professional musicians themselves, will be providing ceremony and cocktail music. One of our decisions during our visit was where to place the Stringed Quartet; the music for Christine and Stephen's wedding will not be background, but rather the musicians will be taking a primary role throughout, so we needed to be sure they could be both seen and heard! The bride, groom and musicians will be the key players at this wedding!

I will be writing more about the developing plans for Stephen and Christine's wedding celebration; creative ideas in the works to blend musicians, gardeners, Brits and family friends, for an unforgettable Garden Wedding.

Elegance at the Bently Reserve

2010-07-08T20:43:00.000-07:00

It was a treat to get out this week in support of my good friends Bev Yip and

Michelle Barrionnuevo-Mazzini, in their fourth year of Promises and Pearls, an upscale wedding event enjoyed by both engaged couples and wedding vendors. Thank you for all the hard work, Bev and MB!

I had a great time with Bev Yip, Especially Yours Chair Covers., Elisheva Basseri, A Bride's Best Friend, and Kristine Tobin, of Palo Alto Sheraton Hotel

The Bently Reserve was elaborately decorated by Hartmann Studios,

Enhanced Lighting, and Asiel Designs, among other vendors.

Mary Phan, Very Merry Events, Elisheva and Kristina enjoying the ambiance at Promises and Pearls

Asiel Design created some amazing tablescapes (above and below) to give us all inspiration for the weddings ahead this year!

Chantal, owner of Nouvelle Vogue, poses with Elisheva, near the booth where Chantal and her partner, Saida, displayed several of the designer wedding gowns available in their San Mateo Bridal Salon.

The San Francisco Bay Area is a wonderful place to be a wedding professional! Each time I go to an event like this I am reminded of the vast amount of creativity, energy, and enthusiasm spread among the artists and vendors with whom I have become friends. I am proud to be a part of this dedicated group!