I'm tickled pink

One of the benefits of working in the wedding industry is the fact that I become friends with a lot of the people I work with. So when I need/want pictures taken, it costs me a bottle of wine and dinner. In return, I get lovely images and a good company.

The lovely and talented Suthi Picotte of Picotte Photography took the following film images of my new office for me. The office isn't totally finished yet---I plan to fill the wall over the bench with clocks...you know, because I'm a professional timekeeper. Professionally. In my personal life, I'm 15 minutes late to everything.

Since I'm meeting clients in my home, I added signeage in the hallway where my office is located. Custom made by the talented Darlene of The Back Porch Shoppe on Etsy.com, the signs make me smile every time I see them, especially the sign on our bedroom door. Darlene makes awesome signage for weddings and I love using her stuff.

 

Suthi also snapped some pictures of me and my handsome husband. I think we have our Christmas card photo all set this year.

Amber Events in Southern California Meetings and Events Magazine

Sneak Peek

I am in love with this photo from Jen and Tim's June 12 wedding at The Smog Shoppe. I can't WAIT to see the rest of Natalie Moser's photos!

Athenaeum Pasadena Wedding: Nicole & Rocco

Nicole and Rocco are high school sweethearts that have been together for over 8 years. Everyone pause and go "awwwwww!"

Busy with their careers and both of their master's program, they contacted me at the beginning of their engagement and we went through the entire process together: venue scouts, budget snags, vendor decisions, decor, design, and details, details, details! Thankfully, not only are Rocco and Nicole warm and kind people, but both of their mothers are gracious and lovely women as well. We had a great time over a period of about 15 months.
 
Nicole & Rocco chose the gorgeous Athenaeum at Caltech for their Italian/Old World inspired wedding and reception to be held. They had a Catholic style ceremony officiated by Father Mike Javor, a Priest with the Good Shepherd Church. Nicole wore a Pronovias dress and was escorted down the aisle by both her mother and father.
 

Ceremony and cocktail hour music was provided by Nicole's father's favorite Jazz band Elements Revolution. Elements played an instrumental version of "Ribbon in the Sky" by Stevie Wonder for the family and bridal party processional, "The Bridal Chorus" by Wagner for Nicole, and an incredible version of Etta James' "At Last" for their processional. The soloist nailed that song!
 
Elements Revolution entertained the almost 200 guests during the cocktail hour that was held inside in the lounge.
 
The reception was held out doors and guests sat at a mixture of round and long feasting tables covered with a plum colored taffeta linen from La Tavola Linen. The floral, done by the incredible Holly Flora, incorporated grapes, pears, plums, and crab apples into the mauve and sepia colored peonies, garden roses, herbs, geranium, lisianthus, ranunculus, and vines trailing out of the vintage silver and brass containers. The cake by A Sweet Design was decorated with similar flowers and sugared fruit to tie in with the fruit in the centerpieces.

As the sun went down, the uplights against the columns and the lavender ironwork patterns projected onto the walls made everything glow beautifully. After Nicole danced to "Butterfly Kisses"  by Bob Carlisle with her dad,  Rocco's dad Tony sang " Portrait of my love" by Steve Lawrence as Rocco and his mom danced together. The rest of the evening was a full on dance party orchestrated by DJ Michael Antonia of The Flashdance.

 
The gorgeous photos were captured by Carolyn Troadec of Troadec Photography and videography by Video Artistry.
 
Vendor Team
 
The Athenaeum at Cal Tech - Venue
Father Mike Javor - Church of the Good Shepherd
Carolyn Troadec - Troadec Photography
Michael Antonia - The Flashdance
Holly Flora - Florist
Video Artistry - Videography
Elements Revolution - Ceremony & cocktail music
A Sweet Design - Wedding Cake
Donna Flores - Candy Bouquet
Fiore Beauty  - Bridal Makeup
Jaclyn Gonzales - Bridal Hair
Aspect Lighting - Reception lighting
La Tavola - Linens  
The Langham - Wedding night accommodations

And a special thank you to my associate Krista and my interns Sacha, Neusha, and Nira. I could not have done it without you!

Random Wine Blog: player pianos, literal videos, Bump-its, Spies, Brothers, Pandora, and cats

This random wine blog is brought to you by a 2007 Saint-Emilion fancy pantsy French wine. It should have been brought to you by a Sterling Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon that was given to me by clients from last weekend's wedding, but I drank it already. So, in a roundabout way, this random wine blog is dedicated to my lovely clients from last weekend: Kelly & Brandon and Kelly's parents Patty and Dave. Can't wait to see the pictures from the wedding!

On to my random thoughts/musings/opinions

• My husband has purchased the coolest thing ever: an upright player piano complete with a box of old ragtime tunes to play on it. The scrolls even have lyrics printed on them, so every now and then we have an old-fashioned sing-along. Sunday morning started off with "Surrey with the Fringe on Top" from Oklahoma! I think I might be able to convince him to love musicals as we are now starring in one of our own? Stay tuned (pun intended)      

• Since this has been on YouTube for a year, which is like 10 years in human time, this literal music video has probably been seen by everyone and their grandma. but I just saw it for the first time and I can't stop laughing.
  
• I bought, and wore, a Bump-it! In my hair yesterday. I think I did go "from flat to fabulous in 2 seconds!". My dentist told me I looked like a princess. I don't know if he was referring to the 2" of height on my head or the sparkly headband purchased at Forever 21. He tends to be a bit of a flirt, regardless. 
• The other day I picked up from the drycleaners: a black suit and a black corset. If this wedding planning gig goes south I think I could always be a spy. But I better start practicing my Russian. 
• I swear that since I've paid Pandora the $.99 a month I'm getting more commercials and a shorter play time. What gives, Pandora?
• My little brother, the bass player for Fayetteville, AR bluegrass band Cletus Got Shot was interviewed for THIS article. The comments at the end of the article are so funny to me. I think I'll plan weddings for a tank of gas and some beer. 
• My older brother, who is living on a sailboat somewhere in the Gulf of Mexico, is thankfully still alive and kicking and headed to the keys in Florida (I think) 
• I have a sick kitty on my lap right now and it makes me sad. He's allergic to life and so we're medicating him to death. 
• Toddlers and Tiaras has started a new season, and for this I am morbidly thrilled.