Tuesday, January 31, 2012

    Vibiana Wedding: Allison and Danny

    Meet Allison and Danny: An energetic lovely duo madly in love. They wanted a classic yet grandiose space to accommodate friends and family from near and far. Vibiana in downtown Los Angeles seemed like a perfect fit!

    This wedding wasn't only going to be beautiful, but it had to be personal to them also.
      Allison and Danny decided to commemorate their loved ones by assigning a table full of photos in ornate frames. That's just the start of things! Statement pieces, such as their red carpet runner, cozy love seat for dinner, black chandelier, and the many stringed lights above the crowd made this wedding totally them.   Please enjoy. I know we did. 






    The team that made the magic:


    Venue: Vibiana
    Event Design and Coordination: Amber Gustafson of Amber Events
    Photography: Skyeblue 
    Florist: Holly Flora
    Videography: Russell Fowler
    DJ: Nahchey of Dash Entertainment
    Hair: Joseph Ledda
    Lighting: OCAV
    Linens & Chairs: Designer Specialty Linens

    Tuesday, January 24, 2012

    Pretty Pictures: Temptation


    The holiday season seems now, long gone. I reminisce all the good feelings and warm thoughts. The generosity and happiness seeping through our pores ... Sigh... Yet this is not always the case.  You and I alike are allotted our moments of greediness and temptation and I am sure we all had a moment or two of it. Hence my longer workout sessions these days.
    I remember being so organized and having all my gifts done before Black Friday! Then, Black Friday rolls around, and I feel inclined to shop. For who? Well me of course!!!! Like many women who work hard, I said to myself, "I deserve this." It's kind of a greedy way to think I guess. I'm still not so sure of it myself. 
    My finances don't really allow me to splurge the way I wish. After all, saving is very important this day in age.  As I look down the strip of high end stores and ready to seize them, I have a feeling of temptation to splurge. Can I do it? Yes. Should I. No. 
    All creatures on this earth are tested the same way, as displayed here below by Anita Meezen.
    This cute kitty, is so patiently savoring the idea of getting to that gold fish. Just as I stood gazing down at my empty arms.  I took a moment to imagine myself coming home with armfuls of goodies and do like the many other consumers that would pass me by.
    Temptation is just a seizing few fleeting moments. If one actually took the time to stop and THINK, a lot of catastrophes in history would be avoided: like my maxed out credit card bills. 
    Let's just say I was a good girl this past holiday season...Mr. Kitty however, I'm still not so sure.




      


    Julian & Summer featured on Ruffled Blog


    Brace yourself, for another blog feature, hooray! Please meet Summer and Julian here and on the Ruffled Blog. This couple envisioned an Art Deco inspired wedding and Cicada seemed like the perfect place! We had a custom built stage, cigar girls, pin up dancers, big band, and oh so many spot lights. Our bride, Summer, even surprised her hubby with a sexy pin up dance! Oooo La La. 
    Enjoy!















    The Team that made the magic:

    Venue: Cicada
    Event Design and Coordination: Amber Gustafson of Amber Events
    Photography: Natalie Moser
    Florist: Holly Flora 
    Videography: Isabel Gonzalez
    Cake & Dessert: Fantasy Frostings
    Pin Up Dancers: Satin Dolls 
    Big Band and DJ: No Vacancy Orchestra
    Stage Construction: Joe Edelson
    Lighting: Aspect Lighting 
    Ron Ruben: Cigar Girls

    Wednesday, January 18, 2012

    Rancho del Cielo wedding: Chia-Ming and Patrick


    Chia-Ming attended her friend Eva’s wedding (also at Rancho del Cielo) two years prior to her wedding and found me that way. When I first met with her and her then fiancé Patrick at our first meeting and I asked them what their hobbies were and they told me they loved to fish, I was tickled. When they then told me that by fishing they meant 3-4 days out in international waters deep sea fishing I was awed. They were so damn cute!

    Chia-Ming and Patrick wanted a romantic and organic wedding on the mountaintop Rancho del Cielo, but they also wanted to bring their love of fishing into their wedding décor. Check out their wedding featured today on Style Me Pretty to see the loveliness that was created!








    The team that made the magic
    Planning- Amber Events (with special thanks to Nira & Rozie & Katelynn)
    Photography- Brandon David
    Videography- Vu Thai
    Music- Vox Dj's
    Catering-Auntie Em's
    Makeup/hair-Fiore Beauty & Rene Agurcia
    Bar- Sunseris



    Pretty Pictures-Pretty China


    I'm turning a bit obsessed with this photographer: Carmen Moreno.


    Tea and Coffee seem to be a universal reason to get together and chit chat. A business meeting or even a casual date can call for such an event. In the US, this goes way deeper, especially with .... coffee. It is an obsession for most. Getting up and making a cup of Folgers at home. Pouring it in your overpriced Starbucks tumbler you impulsively bought while waiting in line. A minute later and you're out the door for your 9-5.
    For the connoisseur, a very detailed espresso machine may be available to you. Frothy cappuccinos and lattes. Yes quite expensive, but are to die for sometimes.


    What better way to celebrate energy in a cup but with the prettiest of cups! The look of it can revive you and set a mood. Fancy tea with Duchess Kate? Or are you feeling a bit more modern and bold today?  Either way, it can be enjoyed with others or better yet, cozied up to a good book.


    Pretty things like pretty cups really make me happy. It's all in the simple things I guess.



    Thursday, January 12, 2012

    Post Wedding Survey: Colleen & Roger

    The wonderful Collen and Roger took time out of the busy schedule to write this for us. Much love to the happy couple. Enjoy!






    Q. What was the best part of your wedding day?

    A. By far, the best part of our wedding day was getting a moment alone right after the ceremony.  We were able to be lovey-dovey and share in the excitement of being husband and wife without any cameras or interruptions.  It was SO important to have this time together because it was the only time we were able to spend alone the whole night.  The rest of the evening was full of chatting with guests and posing for pictures.

    Q. What do you feel was totally unnecessary?

    A.Spending so much money.  Every detail that we put together during our eight month engagement was, without a doubt, absolutely perfect.  The tables, flowers, lighting, and rentals were divine, but what made the day perfect was marrying each other, not the setting or the amount of money that we spent creating such a gorgeous event.

    Q. What would you change, if anything?


    A. I would change our vision of the day.  I would have put more focus on making the day about our marriage and our family and close friends and not on the décor.  I also wish I would have put my foot down more to only invite guests that we, not our parents, wanted to invite.

    Q. Who was your dress made by?

    A. My dress was called Detalle and made by La Sposa.  I got it at Pebbles Bridal in Woodland Hills.

    Q. What was unexpected that you loved?


    A. That a lot of our bridal party had never met before, but are now SUCH great friends!

    Q. What are your fondest memories of your wedding day?


    A. Aside from actually getting married and spending time alone together immediately after our ceremony, we loved our first look.  It was so special to the two of us – it calmed us down and got us excited for the day.  It was such an emotional moment to be with each other all dressed and ready to marry each other.

    Q. Is there anything you wish you had spent more time or money on?


    A. Nope.

    Q. Is there anything you wish you had spent less time or money on?


    A. Overall, I wish we had spent much less money!!

    Q. Were there any unexpected surprises or issues?


    A. Nope, the entire day ran INCREDIBLY smooth!!  All thanks to Amber and her team for this!!  Our main goal for hiring a wedding planner was to allow us to enjoy our wedding day and not have to worry about putting all the little details together.  It was truly amazing how well-organized the day was; even our guests after the wedding mentioned how everything was so well planned!

    Q. What's your number #1 tip for future engaged couples?


    A. I know this is obvious, but really try to plan your wedding around your marriage and what makes you as a couple so undeniably perfect for each other.  Think about what will make you happy and not how you can throw a perfect party for your guests.

    Q. How did you feel after the wedding?


    A. Utterly in-love and so unbelievably happy!  It is such a wonderful feeling to call your best friend your husband or your wife!

    Callaway Gable


    Wednesday, January 11, 2012

    Pretty Pictures: A timeless woman




    Jacques Henri Lartigue is notable for photographing cars, planes, and amongst many other possible subjects.... women.  The photo below, depicts one the many women he was able to memorialize. This one happens to be a stunning Parisian woman at the turn of the century. I don't know who she is and that's fine. I like a little mystery. For all I know, she could have been a stranger that caught his eye, and so willingly posed for the camera.

    I love how she gazes away, pretending she didn't know anyone was looking. Every girl is guilty to that. Look at her big floppy hat and matching trousers. It seems so simple, yet not so modest.  This girl was looking to make a statement! 
    Without words she's telling the world: "Look at me! I am a woman! A confident, beautiful woman with a figure and I'm proud of it." 

    Pictures like this really make me smile. I become conscience of the fact that a woman is like a super hero sometimes. The power being her delicious charm .What a burden to have such abilities. Horrible, I know.



    Tuesday, January 10, 2012

    Post Wedding Survey: Kelly & Nick


     Photo by Aileen Secord
    Q. What was the best part of your wedding day?
    A. Getting married! Honestly, everything was fantastic.

    Q. What do you feel was totally unnecessary?
    A. Maybe the heat lamps. I thought it would be cooler- at the same time, I think there were a few people who were sitting throughout the evening who appreciated them.

    Q. What would you change, if anything?
    A. My painful shoes during the ceremony…loved the shoes, hated the pain. Nick helped me out of them immediately after the ceremony.

    Q. Who was your dress made by?
    A. Vera Wang. It was love at first “site” (as in, saw it on the website and was hooked)
     
    Q. What was unexpected that you loved?
    A. Our friends requesting the song “Sweet Caroline” and singing it all around us.

    Q. What are your fondest memories of your wedding day?
    A. The ceremony, the dancing at the reception, the crowd of guests looking at our cake toppers (I adore them!) We’re just so happy that all the little details we did by hand flowed together so perfectly.  The day truly was a representation of who we are.

    Q. Is there anything you wish you had spent more time or money on?
    A. Not at all- it was absolutely perfect.  I spent a lot of time working on the place cards, table numbers, programs, etc.  I don’t think I needed any more time to make them even cooler!

    Q. Is there anything you wish you had spent less time or money on?
    A. No. Judging by the rave reviews we got on the wedding, we wouldn’t have changed a thing. I also spent a lot of time working on the place cards, table numbers, programs, etc.  It turned out so well though, I’m happy to have thrown myself into those projects. 

    Q. Were there any unexpected surprises or issues?
    A. Not at all!

    Q. What's your number #1 tip for future engaged couples?
    A. Let your creative self shine! Have fun with your planning and stick to your guns! If you have a vision, do it and don’t feel pressured to do more or less than what is right for you and your spouse to be!

    Q. How did you feel after the wedding?
    A. Like I want the wedding day to keep going! Also, like we now need to figure out how to fill in all the extra time we have (wait…I can focus on studying now!)

    Monday, January 9, 2012

    L.A. River Center & Gardens Wedding: Kelly and Nick

    Kelly and Nick had this summer wedding at Los Angeles River Center and Gardens. It's a hidden jewel in the middle of Los Angeles. A location filled with wrought iron gates, arched entry ways, and walls covered in ivy. What a dream! I loved how this union was able to happily unite families of different cultures, races, and religions. I have to say, one of the biggest hits that night was their adorable cake topper! Aileen Secord captured the images below. Congrats Kelly and Nick! May you have a long and happy marriage!


    The team that made the magic
    Planning- Amber Events (with special thanks to Nira & Keithlyn)
    Photography- Aileen Secord
    Music- Hey Mr. DJ
    Catering-Auntie Em's
    Makeup/hair-Stacey Herman
    Bar- Sunseris