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Nari and Wyatt are such a special couple to me. Their wedding was my very first rainy wedding, and I have to say that God REALLY wanted to test me that day! Haha it didn’t sprinkle… it poured and hailed! What a way to be initiated… I think that accomplishing what we did (moving the entire dinner reception indoors during cocktail hour, including ordering all new linens 10 minutes before the nearest rental company closed) made the experience very special to me. In a way, the wedding felt even *more* triumphant because we hadn’t allowed nature to ruin the plans. I feel like I was able to really flex my coordination skills by thinking on my feet and most importantly, keeping a smile on my face. I just had this inner peace and knew we would still have a magnificent event! (and we did!) beyond all of this external “success” of the day. I feel most accomplished in the relationship I built with Nari during the months we worked together. We shared that “click” from the start, and I am honored to call her a friend today. I am pretty sure we have a lunch date + trip at Anthropologie in our future together. Maybe we can get another matching sweater??

Nari & Wyatt - it was a true blessing working with you two! I had a blast and was delighted to play a role in your day. If your wedding is any indication of the future, I know you can weather anything! (sorry, I couldn’t resist the pun!!)

Now on to those pics!!

Wyatt & Nari’s first look! I love the composition of this photo.
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A few weeks ago, Erik and I were photographed by the fabbbulous amelia lyon & her too-much-fun hub, Justin. We wanted to get a unique pic for our annual Christmas card and came away with these stunnnnning images. Amelia is an immensely talented photographer who always produces the most lovely, modern-yet-vintage-feeling photos. She also has a fresh, innate sense of style that comes through in all of her images. I LOVE her work for weddings and portraits! Hip, stylish and full of emotion. Make sure to check her out!

After our shoot, we went for a delightful double-date at the scrumptious Thai eatery, Daisy Mint. Good times + good food! Looking forward to doing it again soon! amelia — thank you for sharing your incredible gift with us!

Here’s a peek at a few pics from the shoot!

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I hope you’re ready for some deeeelicious eye candy today!! Suthi & Sanjay’s November wedding was one of my very favorite of the year, no question about it. I first met suthi in 2006. She was the 2nd shooter for the fab Danielle Biel of Skye Blu Photography and we hit it off immediately. Suthi now runs Picotte Photography; check her out! I loved seeing her at events and having her as a colleague, but I was touched, honored and delighted when she asked me to help her plan and coordinate her own wedding. It was a DREAM working with her as she and i share a very similar aesthetic and style. She and Sanjay are both artists (he is a filmmaker) so creativity oozed from every detail of this wedding.

We had an INCREDIBLE dream team of vendors on board that day, so check for details at the end of the post! The event unfolded at the uber-hip Marvimon in Los Angeles. It was the ideal backdrop for their bold and colorful event. Now enjoy this look at the day through the lenses of the amazingly talented Amy & Stuart. I ADORE this husband + wife photography team and their stylish, emotive work. Their photos blew me away and I had the hardest time picking my favorites. I hope you don’t mind me indulging myself with a very photo-heavy post.

Suthi’s wedding gown was a beauteous confection of ruffles and pleats.
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When some brides initially contact me, they’re not sure if they’re looking for a coordinator or a planner. I thought I’d use this post to explain how I *personally* distinguish between the two!

A wedding planner is a seasoned professional who can confidently guide you through the entire wedding planning process. From engagement to the grand exit, they are your experienced guides in the world of all things wedding! Although there are levels of service you can commission with a wedding planner, most will assist you (at least to some degree) with venue selection, vendor referrals, production of a detailed checklist of things to do, production of a detailed day-of timeline and communication with all vendors leading up to the big day. They help you plot the course down the aisle and are there to answer questions all along the way. Often a wedding planner will also have a hand in event design. They will proffer ideas and inspiration for the “look and feel” of your event and help you secure vendors who will contribute to that cohesive vision.

A wedding coordinator, by contrast, is not necessarily deeply involved with the wedding plans. Their primary function is to facilitate a smooth-running event on the wedding day itself. They often jump into the picture a month or so before the wedding to gather key information and create a timeline. They may help you iron out final details and contact your vendors to confirm contract obligations. On the day-of, they run the show and ensure that things go according to plan.

Many times people will use the terms coordinator & planner interchangeably. It is somewhat understandable, as a wedding planner is always a wedding coordinator. BUT, a wedding coordinator is not always a wedding planner. It’s important to determine what your needs and desires are before you begin contacting potential planners/coordinators. Make sure that your “wants” line up with what is being offered. This also ensures that you are comparing apples to apples once you price out a few options.
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Every girl needs her own favorite beauty finds. I love swapping products with my sister and girlfriends, as well as reading reviews of new items online. In honor of the wonderful discoveries I’ve made in this arena, it’s time for a beauty-inspired installment of fab finds! Please join me in little virtual swap here on the blog. Below are some of the fabulous things that rock my beautiful world; make sure to share your favorites in the comment section!

fab find: kiss me mascara by blinc

It was a mixture of fear and curiosity that overcame me when I first read about this mascara. On the company’s website, a funny animation demonstrates how the mascara does not “paint” lashes, but “tubes” them by creating water-resistant tubes around each one. The result is perfectly primped and natural-looking lashes with zero clumping. To remove, you simply use warm water and “gentle pressure” to slide the tubes off.

Truth be told, I was freaked out at the prospect of pulling little tubes off of my eyelashes. BUT, when Santa left me this mascara in my stocking last Christmas, I had to give it a whirl. I LOVE this mascara and don’t think I could use anything else now. It really makes you look like you just have incredibly long and lovely natural lashes. And the formerly-dreaded tube removal?? Though nervous at first, I’ve become a total pro. The “tubes” are black and just look like individual false lashes. I haven’t ripped out any real lashes… yet.

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Just in case you don’t already stalk THE BLOG of fab-photographers The Image is Found (and if you don’t… you SHOULD), I thought I’d share with you some pics they took of me & my husband Erik earlier this year.

In March, Erik and I headed down to Oceanside to model for their Shootshop: a cool one-day seminar for photographers. It was so much fun watching Nate & Jac in their element, really opening up to all of the attendees and answering each and every question. We also just adore Nate & Jac as wonderful friends, so it is always a treat getting to see them! As the ultimo bonus, we came away with these utterly incredible pics of us.

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When I first became a wedding planner, I had a lot of friends and family members approach me with quizzical looks. “What exactly do you do as a wedding planner??” They were either genuinely curious OR still coming to grips with my crazy life/career change ;-), but either way I was happy to answer their questions. First, here are a few replies to FAQs.

How much do you actually work?
I work a lot, but it never feels like work. It sounds cliché, but it’s true! I spend hours each day answering emails, researching vendors and obtaining quotes for clients, and drafting various paperwork (e.g. time lines, checklists, inspiration cheat-sheets for other vendors). I probably am on the computer a minimum of 5 hours a day. The rest of the time I am typically in my car, driving to client & vendor meetings all around southern California. Other times you will find me sourcing the perfect ribbon in downtown LA, assembling programs and paper goods for clients, or touring new venues and vendor showrooms. On an actual wedding day, I spend a minimum of 12 hours working (set up, event, tear down). It averages around 16, although I have done amazing weddings (with very intense set-ups) that have kept me on my feet for 22 hours from start to finish.

What hours do you keep?
I try to stick to a 9a to 6p schedule (during the week) as much as possible. I work from home (and love it!), so it is tempting to scoot over in front of the TV and just hang out instead of work. But, I want to have time to be with friends, keep my home looking lovely and cook dinner each night. So, I really try to stay on top of my work during the day. Erik and I spend at least an hour just “hanging out” each night. Once that is done and my dishes are put away, I like to sneak in another hour or two of emails. That said, I do not consider myself a 40-hour-a-week kinda girl. So much of my job is wrapped up in my loves/hobbies that it’s really difficult to feel like I’m slaving away when I’m surrounded by flowers and fabrics and all things beautiful.
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I’m so excited to share this lovely wedding with you through the lens of Mary Jane photography. Let’s get right into it!

Selena and I share a love of lace. Her beautiful dress had a timeless vintage feel to it, and her matching mantilla was the perfect complement. Selena also chose to wear a custom Twigs & Honey hairpiece. Darling!! I love Myra’s handiwork.
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This June wedding at the Walt Disney Concert Hall was a New York-inspired affair, full of personal touches and vibrant color. This couple was one of my favorites… and two of my biggest fans. Their devotion to my blog made me blush!! It’s now their turn to shine here~

For the ceremony, we embraced a citrusy palette of colors including orange, yellow, and chartreuse green. Everything felt fresh and joyful! The actual ceremony took place in the Blue Ribbon Garden at the Disney Center, in front of a giant rose-shaped fountain made of mosaic delft tiles. Surrounded by the towering buildings of downtown L.A., the garden was a peaceful oasis. Of course the signature curvaceous lines of the Disney Center added a modern feel to the entire event.

All photos are courtesy of the ultra fabulous (and completely unpretentious), super star photographer Bil Zelman. He is renowned for his incredible portrait work (having shot many of my fave musicians, including Jason Mraz and John Legend) as well as his emotive, vintage-feeling wedding photography. I loved poring over these images; each one is brimming with so much emotion!

The ceremony site had a striking and completely modern focal point: three abstract, spindly, free-form poles covered in moss and exotic florals. I spy billy balls, hanging amaranthus, mango calla lillies, james storei orchids, button mums and protea, among other items! They were the handiwork of passionate floral visionary, Bobbe Vagell.
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Wowowow am I excited to share this post with you!! Thank you sooo much to Jerry Yoon + Ingrid for their hard work and incredible eyes for detail. I am swooning over all of these pics!!

Veronica is a dear college friend of mine. Her wedding at the breathtaking Villa del Sol d’oro in Sierra Madre was truly special to me, and it was an honor and privilege to play this role in designing, planning and coordinating it. My husband Erik and I were also guests (although truth be told, I barely sat down that evening!), so we had a blast catching up with old pals. Without further ado, here are the pics…

A delicious detail collage! I especially adore the close-up shots of my beloved library cards and the stack of books wedged underneath the altar arrangements. We used children’s encyclopedias for the altar pieces, and I love their cheerful, colorful spines.
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