Weddingbee PRO

I am thrilled to share these dreamy photos with you from a wedding I planned & coordinated last September at the breathtaking Adamson House in Malibu. Rose and I connected in July and we planned the entire shindig in 7 weeks! The vision was for a casual yet elegant affair by the sea. The priorities: great food, a sense of ease and fun, and a killer view. Everything fell into place beautifully on the big day and it was a joy to see the culmination of our plans in such a short span of time. I have planned a number of complete weddings in under 2 months. It just goes to prove that where there's a will, there really is a way.

Many thanks to Rose & Rod for inspiring me with their beautiful and tender relationship. I have a lot of lovey, affectionate couples, but Rose & Rod take the cake. Watching them interact made me grateful for what I have in my own life. It moved me. Their love was palpable and evident to everyone around them. I think each guest was deeply impacted by witnessing their powerful bond. I bet you (reader) can even feel a bit of that love just looking at these photos. seriously…how blessed am I to do this for a living??

All photos are courtesy of the talented duo Marlin & Marlene Munoz. they are a dream to work with: easy going, passionate about their work, and able to produce stunning images like these…

Perfect lighting at Surfriders Beach. rRse's romantic bouquet of red roses & a collar of magnolia leaves was crafted by Weddingbee PRO Kristin of The Treasured Petal.
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Your wedding coordinator should come equipped with many things: boundless enthusiasm, quick thinking, a great sense of style and of course… a well-stocked emergency kit. When I first started out, I used a large-sized stitched suitcase from paper-source.
It was pink, totally adorable, and very portable. I've now graduated to a much larger chartreuse suitcase, also from paper-source…

It offers much more space and durability, but is a tad bulky. I think I have a new solution for 2009, though! I will keep you posted on that front!
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Happy new year, everyone! I love the freshness that comes with a brand new year. Although every day holds the same opportunities and possibilities that you find with a new year, I find that somehow I am especially optimistic around January 1st. i am looking forward to a spectacular 2009 filled with amazing times shared with people I love. Here's a look back to a very special wedding of two people I love… Heijin + Dean.

When I met Heijin for our consultation, it was a match made in heaven. We were instant friends, chatting about ideas and inspiration for her wedding to Dean. She hired me to help with every aspect of the wedding planning and I relished and enjoyed each part of the process! From addressing envelopes to collecting responses, to folding origami cranes and making menus… it was a true labor of love working on this wedding.

Enjoy the color, creativity and love bursting from the seams of this wedding via images courtesy of rockin' photographers The Image is Found. Nate + Jac knocked my socks off (per usual!) with these pics and i hope you enjoy!

Meet the fabulous Heijin + Dean… always SO much fun.
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Megan and Peter are an extraordinary couple, and are perfectly suited for one another. They both share a love for travel and are deeply committed to their families. It was a treat getting to know them both throughout the planning process, and I felt that the wedding really reflected the joy and ease they enjoy in their relationship. Since Megan and Peter met (on a bus!) in Guatemala, they wanted to incorporate some colorful, Latin-inspired elements into their wedding celebration. We started with a warm palette of burnished oranges, deep reds and accents of earthy khaki. The look was elegant yet unpretentious.

Here is a glimpse of their wedding day..

The gorgeous couple. Doesn't Megan bear an uncanny resemblance to Claire Danes??

Bridal portraits took place near Pasadena City Hall. I LOVED Megan's bouquet, created by the talented Michelle Brue of Flora by Fauna. Mango callas and two-tone tulips made for a rich, luscious, textural bouquet.
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It all begain at (the lovely) Literati Cafe… Stef had emailed me a month out from her wedding and was looking for some last-minute inspiration and guidance. When I found out that both the bride and groom were Cal grads, we had instant clickage! Most importantly, I was quickly enamored with Stef's vision for the day and was delighted at the thought of being able to contribute to the design of the wedding this late in the game. Together, we adopted a design direction for the day. The feel would be classic and elegant, suggesting a Victorian garden. Florals would be natural and loosely gathered, rich with texture. And the colors would range from cream to lavender to deep purples, accented by cool silver. We enlisted my favorite floral visionary, Kristin of The Treasured Petal, to help bring our charming vision to life. The results were magical!

Although my time was brief with these two, SO much was achieved together. Stef and I also became quick friends and I look forward to keeping in touch with this darling pair!

I'm excited to walk you through the day with beautiful photos courtesy of Christine Marie Photography. Christine perfectly captured the elegance and romance of the day in each and every frame…

How perfect is this vintage-feeling portrait of the bride??
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I first met Jenny at my beloved Coffee Bean. She was joined by her then-fiancé, along with both of her parents. It was an INSTANT click. Seriously. I knew right away that we were a match made in wedding planning heaven! Jenny envisioned an elegant, luxurious event with great music, great food, and a beautiful atmosphere that inspired each guest. We settled on a cool & crisp palette of soft sage and celery greens paired with creamy whites. I would characterize Jenny's style as modern traditional: she carries herself with the grace of a bygone era, but also embodies a more whimsical aesthetic all her own. She has always reminded me of the late Jackie Kennedy, with her glowing smile and impeccable fashion sense. (Jenny wins the “client whose closet i'd like to raid” award.. haha.) Her wedding was much like one of her perfectly pulled together outfits: tailored, preppy, and charming.

It was a DELIGHT working with Jenny, Andrew, and their families over the months. I was honored to attend both her bridal shower as well as the day-after taco fiesta at the home of her parents.  I even received a tear-jerker email from her aunt after the wedding week, which was full of very kind words. The entire process was a true labor of love. All of our ideas and inspiration came together beautifully, and the ultra-fab Jasmine Star (accompanied by her sweet husband, JD) was there to capture it! Many thanks to Jasmine for these delicious images… she always knocks it out of the park!! It was an honor (and a blast!!) working alongside her.

Jenny's romantic bouquet featured fluffy hydrangea, crisp green cybidium ochids, and a handful of intensely fragrant gardenia blooms.

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How do I love Stacie + Todd? Let me count the ways… actually, I won't do that because I would never get around to posting the fab pictures from this wedding!! I'll just say that I heart this couple SO much. I first met Stacie for our consult at a Coffee Bean in Huntington Beach. We clicked INSTANTLY and had the best time gushing over ideas and inspiration photos she had brought. Over the course of her planning, we swapped HUNDREDS of emails about every last detail of the big day. Stacie is a insanely creative graphic designer (mostly working in the web design field… check her out!) and hand-crafted all of her stationery, printed ephemera and signage. She also had a fresh, offbeat style and vision for her day that really inspired me. I knew her event would be one-of-a-kind and like nothing I had done before.

Stacie + Todd are both avid surfers and the ocean was the backdrop of their blossoming love story. It was no surprise, then, when they chose the hip + beachy W Hotel in San Diego for their venue. They were wed on the hotel's rooftop “beach” (complete with sand and surfboard bar) and then set the scene for a swanky lounge-inspired reception in the great room. To create a unique, club-like vibe for their reception, we dismissed the idea of fixed guest seating and tables. Instead, we brought in dozens of white leather couches and loveseats, paired with clear ghost chairs and LED-lit cube tables. Add a sleek black dance floor, dozens of Chinese paper lanterns and modern arrangements of orchids and wheatgrass… and you had an ultra stylish space that facilitated a fabulous party.

Guests enjoyed heavy tray passed hors d'oeuvres along with a selection of tasty food stations: 3 types of salads, made-to-order Pad Thai (YUMMM) served in Chinese takeout boxes, freshly prepared sushi and a carving station for the meat lovers. The perfect sweet ending to the evening: a decadent dessert display with nostalgic treats in the couple's signature chocolate + chartreuse palette. One of my favorite bands, Masta, kept the energy up and guests on the dance floor!

Enjoy another photo-overload post courtesy of my ultra-fabulous and amazing photographer friends, Nate + Jac of The Image is Found. If you've been reading my blog for any length of time, you know they are 2 of my fave people on the planet. They are also two of the most creative folks in the biz, always pushing the envelope with their images. On top of all of this, they are a TON of fun and I loooove working with people I love! Check their radtastic blog for lots of eye candy! Here we go…
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The afterglow of the engagement has begun to wane and reality sets in: you have a wedding to plan!! Although most brides are excited to dream up ideas for their big day, many are daunted by the task of planning, designing and coordinating one of the biggest parties of their lives. After all, this is probably the first (and hopefully the only!) wedding you will ever plan. It's at this point that many people decide to enlist the guidance and expertise of a wedding planner. In honor of what many people believe to be the hottest engagement season of the year (the holidays!), I thought I'd write up a little post on how you should go about picking the perfect planner for YOU.

1) The sooner the better. I strongly recommend hiring a planner as early in the process as possible. A great planner will be able to assist you with key initial tasks like drawing up a realistic budget, scouting for the perfect venue, and providing you with personalized referrals for the best vendors around. Also, if you intend to utilize a planner for event design, you will want them around as you begin considering palettes, floral designs, etc. Once you decide you want a wedding planner (or even a coordinator) on-board, begin researching fab ones in your area.

2) Make a list of your “wants.” What exactly do you want your planner to do for you? Make a list of basic duties you'd like to delegate to him/her. This will help you as you research local options and sort through their lists of services. A key question to consider is: How involved do you want your planner to be in the design of the wedding day? Do you need a creative visionary to shower you with unique, custom-tailored ideas and personalized service? Or do you see yourself just needing an industry “insider” as a sounding board for your own ideas? Having a clear picture of what you want your planner to do will help you find him/her!
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Peggy & Johnny and I met in Beverly Hills, and I was instantly drawn to their vision for a classic and elegant wedding at the historic Greystone Mansion. Peggy is actually an incredibly talented graphic designer, so she knew she would want to play a large role in creating the lovely printed ephemera for her day. We discussed a cool, crisp color palette that would focus on soft pastels. Sage green and sky blue would be prominently featured against accents of chocolate and gold, keeping the overall feel of the event fresh and polished.

We brought Kate Baker onto our team of vendors for all the floral design. Her arrangements perfectly evoked the romantic and graceful mood we sought for the wedding. Peggy also ended up developing a lovely theme for all of the wedding stationery that suggested the idea of a love story or book. The invitations were designed to look like a book, and the programs and menus were later “chapters” of the same love story. Check out the incredible outcome below! Peggy & Johnny's wedding was truly a stunning affair, that delighted on both a visual and emotional level.

I have to begin with these precious portraits of Peggy. Check out the darling scalloped hem of her gown, and the scrumptious bouquet featuring ivory peonies and roses, accented by soft blue tufts of hydrangea. Ribbons dotted with rosebuds trailed daintily below the base of the bouquet.
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I can't think of a better way to celebrate love than reminisce about one of my fabulous weddings.  This darling couple are such a special pair and I have been *dying* to share these photos with you! What do you get when a graphic designer marries an architect/landscape architect?? Pure creativity, and a wedding dripping with details. I could barely contain myself as i waited for guests to arrive for the ceremony. It was everything I could've ever dreamed of for them and their reaction was priceless.

I'll walk you through the heartfelt ceremony. It took place on the back lawn at Rancho Sol Del Pacifico, a private estate in Malibu. The azure skies seemed to melt into the horizon and you could barely distinguish sky from sea. A grouping of olive trees created a focal point for the ceremony, where the couple was married by a couple whose marriage and love they admire.

The gorgeous photos below are courtesy of my pal Jay Reilly, a fantastic photographer out of Oceanside.

the bride makes her way down the stairs for the processional
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