Beverly Hills home wedding

Because they're private people, I've been asked not to share any photos of Jenny and Jake, their guests or their families, but I'm excited to share the details of this beautiful wedding set at a home in Beverly Hills this summer. This wedding was a first for me in that the bride Jenny left all planning up to the groom's mother and I! Talk about trust!

The wedding and reception were held in the backyard of the Spanish style home and we knew going into the planning that the swimming pool would have to be covered to be able to fit anything back there. When you cover a pool you pretty much have two choices: either you use Plexiglass or wood. If Plexiglass, you have a contemporary, modern feeling--exactly the opposite of what we wanted to convey. If you use wood, most people then cover it with AstroTurf or carpet then lay down a dance floor on top. Due to the design of the home and the direction we were going with decor, I didn't like either options, so I came up with the idea of painting a Mexican tile design on the pool covering to make it a bold focal point and a part of the beauty of the day. A muralist was hired to paint the floor a robin's egg blue then freehand the tile design on top. It was gorgeous!

Tables were staged and hidden behind hedging and the space was flipped as guests enjoyed cocktail hour inside to a live jazz trio playing music on the home's grand piano.

The buffet, by Auntie Em's Kitchen Catering, is in my opinion what buffets should look like. The food tasted as delicious as it looked!

Every detail of the wedding from the painted "tile" floor to the candle lit stars hung overhead invoked the feeling of a chic Californian fiesta. It was gorgeous! 

The team that made the magic: 

Planning & Design - Amber Events (special thanks to my team Nira, Kaylin, and Michelle!)

Venue - private residence in Beverly Hills

Photography - Justine Ungaro

Floral - Holly Flora

Catering - Auntie Em's Kitchen

Officiant - Rabbi Wolpe 

Ceremony Music - Strings by Reiko 

Cocktail hour music - DeBois Entertainment

Reception music  - Dash Entertainment 

Rentals - Town and Country Event Rentals

Cake - Rosebud Cakes

Chuppah - Happy Chuppah

Lighting - The Lighter Side

A Hollywood Evening

Despite the torrents of rain assaulting Los Angeles, last night was way too cool for school. The evening started with a tasting for one of my May weddings at the new faaaabulous West Hollywood hotel The London. We actually saw the infamous chef Gordon Ramsay as we were tasting in a private room in his restaurant. I don't watch Hell's Kitchen, but I'm familiar with his persona, and I heard from a good source last night that it's not an act!

The London is unbelievably beautiful. I'm a texture loving person and every surface in that building I just want to pet and caress. After Jessie and Zack chose their yummy looking menu, we talked linens, chairs, lighting, and logistics. It is going to be a FABULOUS wedding!

After I left The London I headed over to the new SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills for the Hip Hostess Series hosted by wonderful The Hostess With The Mostest blog and Chambord liquor. Yet another gorgeous new hotel!
Harmony Walton, editor of getmarried.com and owner of The Bridal Bar introduced me to Hostess With the Mostess' owner Jennifer Sbranti and I fell in love with her a little bit more when she told me that her strapless black dress was from Forever 21 and the feather in her hair from Michael's Craft stores! I love a girl who can rock it without feeling the pressure to wear some name brand and has the guts to say it! My kind of girl.


The event at the SLS was great, I picked up some good tips from Jennifer when she spoke about entertaining, and the Chambord and Champagne drink that I had was yummy.

I guess last night was one of the few days where being a wedding planner actually felt a little glamorous. Today I'm back in my PJ's in front of my computer...

All photos taken from the websites of The London and Hostess With the Mostess