This is what your wedding vendors do on Monday

Saturday we work your wedding, Sunday we meet with potential and current clients, and Monday we party and compare battle stories....I mean, network with other wedding vendors. It takes a special type of person to be a wedding vendor. We love what we do. If we didn't, we would work corporate events and make more money! (so I've heard)

I decided to use my nifty little iPhone to blog last night's Association of Bridal Consultants April networking event at the Riviera Country Club in the Pacific Palisades.

Hmmm, not sure if my outfit was "proper", but I sure thought it was cute...

Below is a picture of myself with the wonderful Beth Helmstetter of Beth Helmstetter Events. Beth is a fabulous coordinator who I highly recommend hiring if I am already booked!
It's fun to be good friends with The Competition.... ;)



The event was held in the Crystal Ballroom at the Riviera Country Club'. The Riviera just finished up some renovations and they were a wonderful host to our group. The food was good and the bar was open. Always a good thing. Entertainment was provided by Leonard Neil Productions and Scott Topper Productions. Leonard can provide musical acts from string trios up to 40 piece orchestras. Scott Topper is a very well known LA DJ who has also just added a photo booth to his company services.




Jacqueline Phung and account executive with Brides.com and Asgier Bollason, owner of Asgier Fotographica, enjoying the carving station.














Owner Laura Grier of Beautiful Day Photography, Beth Helmstetter of Beth Helmstetter Events , and cake baker extraordinaire NancyKay of NancyKay's Confections enjoying a drink. Sorry for capturing you with a funny face, Laura, but I had to toast the fact that you were just added as one of the The Bridal Bar's photographers! Congratulations!

The lovely Lina Wallace of A Stunning Affair exchanging business cards with Lee of Hey Mister DJ. I also highly recommending Lina as your wedding coordinator if I am already booked! Lee was a first timer to ABC, so he got the fab purple ribbon. First place!










Some of our other showcase companies were Lansing Switch Productions, Chamelion Chairs, AB Elements, Elegant Designs, NancyKay's Confections, Lettering by Leslie, Red Loft Studios, and Bella Vista Designs.

All great companies. It is an honor to call them associates.

Need to laugh? Spend some time on Craigslist

I like to see what people are posting in the event services section on Craisglist as I've stumbled across a few gems (UCLA music students performing as a string quartet at affordable prices, etc) and today when I was browsing around I laughed out loud so many times. Maybe my funny bone is primed today? I don't know, but these cracked me up!!!

The Secret to a Fabulous Wedding (LA/National)

---

We are wedding coaches here to help the bride with the inner journey of the wedding planning, ceremony and beyond.. not just the outer circumstances.
We give brides specific techniques to help with wedding stress, overwhelm, bridal jitters, fears, and other emotions that come up during this special time of transformation from me to we..

Our new book "The Secret to a Fabulous Wedding" is a step by step guide with advice, techniques, stories, resources, tips for relaxation, weight loss, and inner and outer health, - How to be a relaxed & radiant bride. Bridezzilla NOT! Includes a wedding planner.

Enquire about our wedding coaching program and our self hypnosis CD's and MP3's for brides and grooms

Inner journey of wedding planning? Wedding Coaching Program? Self Hypnosis? Huh?

As seen on "the wedding date" , just better..

---

You need THAT someone special...
-do you want to impress your friends? -don't want to go by yourself?

-you need someone to come with you to that event you are looking for?
wedding/ business meeting/ or just tired of going out by yourself...?

-you want security escorting/driving you to the club to feel save at night?

-you need a personal assistance for your daytime?

-you need a personal trainer to join you at the gym?

-you need a (handsome, se*y) handyman for some maintaining jobs on your house, or car?

-life would just be so much easier for you with a male around?

I am your very handsome, cute (&very se*y) date. white, 36 m, 5'10, muscular, black hair, brown/green eyes, very clean, funny, decent, respectful, trust worthy, very good manners in every way, cute accent, good listener, dependable, great looking in suit or jeans... simply the right guy to feel good with.

Spoil yourself, why not, you deserve it... (contact me for details)

Please, tell me about you. Don't be shy.. You know that I am on your side.

Talk to you soon. Joe

Dude, Joe. How about you just post in the Men Seeking Women section like everyone else, hmmmm? Or did that not get you anywhere again? Your post is waaaaay skeevy. If you were as fabulous an se*y as your infomercial proclaims, you wouldn't be looking desperate on Craigslist. "Spoil yourself, why not, you deserve it" . Seriously?


Conscious Fairy Harpist Creates Value and Elevates Childrens Party (Los Angeles)

---

Help your children and their friends connect to a deeper wellspring of truth. Conscious Fairy godmother speaks a guides your child's imagination over Live harp music and creates an atmosphere of peace and fun.
Your child will come back to you with more than just a "sugar high".
Your fairy godmother is a licensed mental health professional.
Child will take home a tangible fairy gift that helps them remember the "journey" they experienced.
Adults in the party usually benefit and experience deep peace and joy.
Best for kids 5-10, but suitable for all ages.

A Conscious Fairy godmother that plays the harp? That is exactly what I was looking for! What do you wear? Fairy wings? And I love knowing that you are a licensed mental health professional--do you also do animal therapy? My cat Milton has been a bit depressed lately and I really think that a harp playing conscious fairy godmother would perk him right up. Now this one, this one is too good to be true....

Funeral Services-Traveling Wailers, Proud & Loud
We will travel anywhere in the USA to proudly and loudly weep at your loved ones funeral. We are a troop of 8 people. Supply your own script or we will write one or will preform without one. We will even throw ourselves on the casket. Also fainting.
If your loved one had few friends-CALL US, Don't be afraid no one will show up at YOUR funeral and PRE-BOOK today. You will rule the graveyard with our old fashioned WAILING. Its time AMERICA to start Wailing for dead uncle Fred and let Proud & Loud Wailing wail for you.

Special $100.00 per wailer. full wailing service=4 hrs. 10-20% tip mandatory
Robert Patterson & The Wailers

Oh Rob. Rob, Rob, Rob. If I weren't already married, I would marry you right now. You melodramatic wake-loving soulmate of mine. How, how I ask, did you come up with this brilliant idea? Funerals ARE so totally sterile these days! Why didn't I think of this idea????? I would be soooo good wailing like a banshee at services all across America as well. When was the last time anybody saw a good old fashion display of teeth gnashing and hair tearing at a funeral? But Rob, honey....$100? For all across America? What about your travel fees? I really think you're on to something but I think you might be short changing yourself. At least you'll have a 10-20% mandatory tip. Do you think you're going to be busy in about......oh...50 years? Because I totally want to book you for the day that I peace out. I am going to have one wild Irish wake of a funeral. Can you wail with a brogue? Kisses!

Malibu Sunday

This past weekend was so needed. I slept in every day, finished up the paperwork for a 300 person wedding this Saturday, cleaned out my closet, got a Thai massage, and took multiple naps. Last week just kicked my butt. Oh yeah, and it was 100 degrees here in LA and yesterday's walk through for an August wedding out at Calamigos Ranch in Malibu was the perfect opportunity to drag the husband along so we could head to the beach after the meeting. He crashed a birthday party and snagged some corn on the cob while I was in the 2 hour meeting. Trust me, it wasn't as bad as it sounds--he's such a cool guy that he makes friends wherever he goes, so he was actually offered the corn on the cob and invited to the party!
"Crashing" just sounds more exciting. He never fails to create an adventure wherever he goes!

Calamigos Ranch as 3 or 4 locations that are gorgeous for weddings, yet the Ranch House, where my August bride is getting married is my favorite. It is like an enchanted forest with the waterfalls, whimsical statuary, and twinkle lights hanging down from the gigantic oak trees. It is so great to have a venue that is so spectacular on its own you really don't have to do much in terms of decor. It's going to be a great wedding. With a gorgeous venue, great food, and the premium bar package chosen, you can't go wrong!


After our meeting, the husband and I went to one of the beaches in Malibu, along with everyone else in Los Angeles. It was waaaaay too crowded for us. Ugh. We didn't want to double back to get to the Thai restaurant on PCH that we love, so we settled for the Malibu Inn. Settled is the right term. My fish tacos were bad and the service was worse.

All in all though, it was a lovely Sunday.

GET. IT. IN. WRITING.

I know this is kind of a "duh" post, but I am going though a situation in my personal life that could have been avoidedif I had just HAD IT IN WRITING. Ugh. Hindsight is so 20/20, folks. And lawyers are not cheap. Unfortuantely, I am now speaking from experience.

When it comes to your wedding, take that extra minute after the phone call you had with your florist where she just promised you the aisle petals free to drop an email saying: "Dear Ms. Florist, thank you for the phone call. Just to confirm, you are providing xxx amount of petals for our aisle treatment at no charge. Thank you!" and make sure that email is printed and in your binder and your coordinator gets a copy of it. It's amazing how many things are "forgotten" on a wedding day. Get it in writing. Get it in writing. Get it in writing!! If only I had myself to advise my husband and I five years ago we wouldn't be in the pickle we're in. DUH.

Happy Anniversary Dana and Dan

1 year ago I coordinated my sister's April 21, 2007 wedding in Irene's Adobe at the Twentynine Palms Inn. Not only was it incredibly special because she is my sister, but this is truly one of my favorite weddings as it was so uniquely them. It was earthy, funky, intimate, and fun. I created and submitted this wedding board to (my fav blog) Style Me Pretty's "Unique Weddings Week"
I hope you enjoy!

It's hard work being the hostess

Rockstar Husband's birthday weekend was fabulous. The villa was better than I expected (it would be GREAT for a bachelor or bachelorette party) and we had 21 people there celebrating for 3 days. For the first time ever I played: Croquet, Blackjack (in a Casino!), and Beer Pong. Yes, Beer Pong. I somehow skipped that game in college. I was terrible at all three new games, but this weekend was about the Husband and that's what he wanted!
This is one of my favorite pictures from the weekend. The boys are playing the lawn game Bocce ball, and Erin and I are lounging in the sun.
As much fun as it all was, I was the responsible hostess and always had my eye on our guests and the property. The Husband and I had a long discussion about how we didn't want any of our friends driving, so we needed to make sure to get a house in Palm Springs where we could walk or cab everywhere. It worked out perfectly. The same concerns should be thought about in terms of your wedding guests. If you are having your wedding at a venue that is not at a hotel where ALL of your guests are staying, you really need to think in terms of safety and the fact that a good portion of your guests will not be fit to drive after celebrating your marriage. If you can't afford to hire a shuttle to transport your guests to their hotels, make sure that your coordinator has one of her staff keep an eye out to see if any guests need a cab called for them.

Even though I spent all weekend by a pool in Palm Springs, I was exhausted from acting as the Responsible One, so last night I treated myself to a massage and a bath. It's a tough life :)

Happy Birthday, honey!

This weekend is Rockstar Husband’s 30^th birthday and I am so excited about his party! About 6 months ago I asked him what he wanted and he said “a good party in a good place with good friends” so the search for the good place began. We decided that renting a big house in cool location would be the perfect place for the party. Big Bear? Nope. Ski season is over. Santa Monica or Malibu? Too expensive and too close to home to feel like a getaway. Vegas? Done it already. Ensenada, Mexico? Close, but no cigar-- the 4 hour border crossings on Sunday are quite the buzz kill.

Palm Springs? Perfect! The perfect sunny getaway town AND it's only 2 hours away from LA.

Then the search for the house. We considered a castle, but thought again when we saw the price. We considered many homes in the gated golf communities, but they tend to be so stuffy and prim and proper we figured we’d be too rowdy for them.

Then we found: Villa Altamira. Perfection! It’s in downtown Palm Springs and is walking distance to the casinos, although I don’t plan on moving my albino bum from under an umbrella next to the pool. The only drawback: I’ll have to make my own Pina Coladas. Sometimes life is so hard.
We have 20 friends coming out to celebrate him, and celebrate we will! He requested a slip ‘n’ slide into the swimming pool, so a trip to Toys ‘R’ Us is planned for tonight. I’m also bringing my twister game. Happy Birthday, honey!