HOTEL MAYA HOSTS JOIE OF WEDDINGS

Hotel Maya is hosting the Joie of Weddings, a bridal show in Long Beach this weekend!

Sunday, March 14th, 2010 from 11 am - 3 pm.

Ceremony Magazine

California Wedding Wave

Hotel Maya Long Beach

FASHION INSPIRATION :: CHANEL

Being fashionable never goes out of style. My love for fashion began when I was little girl. I remember asking my mom to buy fashion magazines for me so I could admire the world's greatest fashion icons. I would spend hours looking through the endless pages of VOGUE and BAZAAR. I was fascinated with the world of fashion and inspired by so many designers who weren't afraid to dream. Fashion is all about breaking the rules, dressing it up or rocking it out...

photos :: CHANEL

TripleCord Photography Workshops

It is finally here! TripleCord Photography has opened registration to all professional wedding photographers who are looking to take their business to the next level. This is a three-day workshop in Ladera Ranch location with all three TripleCord photographers; Annette Biggers, Colin Michael and Annie White and special guest, Gloria McCune owner of Grand Engagements.

In an industry saturated by talented artists of all kinds, we find ourselves spreading life so thin to keep our artwork cutting-edge amongst our peers, impressive to the masses, and captivating to our clients. What if the secret to epic transcendent masterpieces were found in a much simpler life? A life deeper in meaning and richer in resources. What if, by redirecting your focus, you could attain an abundant life too much to contain?

Designed and inspired with your heart in mind...

REGISTER TODAY!!
{ space is limited }

TripleCord Photography :: Fairy Tale Bridal Shoot

When a photo shoot of epic proportions comes together it is incredible. Every once in a while, we are greeted by Mother Nature's extreme weather that allow us to capture her glory. Then I realized how crazy I was to actually go up to the mountains and experience it to get the perfect shot.

Traveling up the mountains on windy road on a sunny day is one thing - driving up in a snow storm is something else. I have been to the mountains many times and nothing prepared me for what we were about to experience.

Once we reached our destination it was as if we were in a fairy tale of a winter dream. Everything was white and beautiful. I was so excited to help produce & stylize this photo shoot with TripleCord Photography.

photography :: TripleCord
dress :: Mon Amie Bridal Salon
florals :: Jen K Floral Design

JL Designs :: Valentine's Day Edition

JLDesigns is at it again! Carissa has an eye for beauty and it shows for this Valentine's Day 2010! With a luxurious line for both women & men -- make this Valentine's one to remember for the L♥VE of your life!

For more information visit :: JL Designs :: Valentine's Edition

TripleCord + Grand Engagements Photo Shoot

TripleCord Photography & Grand Engagements are teaming up for a fabulous shoot in the mountains. Yesterday, we were on our way to the snow as we were scouting locations with Annette, Annie & Colin. The day couldn't have been any more perfect as we got to grab Starbucks, laugh in the car, run around in the snow and even throw some snow balls...then we were greated by a gentle beast of the forest.

Enjoy a sneak peak of what is yet to come...

Valentine's Day Tips

Ah, the day of L♥VE...For many, it is the day when restaurants are overbooked, florists are busy with endless orders of red roses and somehow it doesn't end up quite as romantic as you many have pictured it to be. Since this magical holiday of cupid comes around once a year, we often forget that having a plan for Valentine's Day is a must. Don't be a victim of a successful Valentine's Day gone wrong. Here is why...

RESTAURANTS

Problem :: Most restaurants aren't there to create a romantic atmosphere. Sure, they want your business, they want you to order the best steak & lobster, wine, dessert and get you out of there a.s.a.p.! Your server is focused on what they call "camping" at their table, which means staying longer than needed, which is 30-45 minutes tops. They may even have an attitude because they have to work and you "camping" isn't helping overcome it - potentially making them less money. You don't want a grumpy server for your romantic evening.

If you are plannning on proposing, remember you aren't the only one who may propose. I have seen it happen many times; a couple want to feel like all eyes are on them right before a proposal and the table next to them does the same thing. You don't want to make one of the most cherished days of your life cut short because someone else did it right next to you, so make it special and unique.

Solution :: Here are some options to help make your Valentine's Day a success: 1. Reconsider dinner plans by celebrating Valentine's Dinner early in the week or after the holiday, 2. Make reservations at a restaurant that you know will take care of you and your significant other or 3. Create a romantic atmosphere at your place that will give you all the time in the world to have a wonderful romantic evening.

ROSES

Problem :: When it comes to buying red roses for Valentine's Day, avoid waiting until the last minute. They may be overpriced and poor quality. Granted, it is the thought that counts, but getting roses at the grocery store doesn't seem like much thought was put into it.

Solution :: If you are reading this and you still haven't made an order for roses, contact one of these incredible florists a.s.a.p.

JL Designs

Jen K Floral Designs

Nisie's Enchanted Forest

Ceremony Magazine

It's here! The latest issue of Ceremony Magazine Orange County 2010.

photography :: Jasmine Star Photography

Winter Escape

Deciding where to have a wedding is such an exciting part of the planning process. Your wedding location can take place just about anywhere in the world. Having a wedding in the mountains creates such an amazing vibe for your guests. There is so much around to pull inspiration from, you would end up with hundreds of amazing ideas. Whether you decide to have your wedding indoors or outdoors, you can bring nature's beauty anywhere.

I escape to the mountains to relax, play and dream. So, I thought it would be fun to do a table setup with a wintery and elegant feel. The colors of inspiration are this year's hot Pantone color of the year, turquiose and I added one of my favorites, gold. Enjoy!

Photography :: AGI Photo
Florals :: Jen K Floral Design
Linens & Chairs :: Fusion Linens

A Birthday Surpise...

In spring last year, my husband told me to not plan anything around my birthday and that I wasn't allowed to ask any questions. After he said that, the suspense was killing me. I love knowing what is going on...I am a planner and not knowing my schedule isn't easy for me to let go of.

Now it is Christmas time and as we are to the last present. There is always one gift that ends up being like a puzzle filled with riddles. I have no idea where this tradition came from but there is always a gift that takes forever to open because it is covered in what seems like miles of clear duct tape and may be wrapped in a disguised box. You think you are getting one thing and it ends up being something totally different. It was fun to say the least. Once I got down to opening the box there were mardi gras beads in it. I looked at my husband in confusion because I had no idea why he would wrap this up for me. I thought that maybe it was a mistake and he meant to give it to our son, Ryder. At this moment, I still had no idea what my surprise was and Cory just keeps looking at me hoping that I could fit the pieces together.

I tried to remember all the places that you could possibly get tons of mardi gras beads and I asked him in confusion, "Are we going to New Orleans?" Then he replies, "Yes, we are!" It was a pleasant surprise.

So, we were headed off on a trip to celebrate my birthday with friends in N'awlins a.k.a. The Big Easy! This was one place in the world I have always wanted to visit because of it's history, music, food and people. Some of the highlights of my trip were shopping in the French Quarter, visitng local antique stores, eatting beignets from Cafe du Monde {yummy}, going to some of the best restaurants in town and strolling through Bourbon Street. Everywhere I looked there was so much to see and do. One of the places we visited was at Hotel Monteleone and it had a Carousel Bar that actually rotates. There is nothing like Southern Charm, everyone was so warm & friendly. It was sad to know that vacations don't last forever, but we can always go back!

JL Designs :: Couture Holiday Collection

What can you give to the person who has everything...? Gift them with a gorgeous botanical from the JL Designs Glamazon Collection! JL Designs has put together these lovely items that make giving botanical couture a MUST HAVE! Available for a limited time at Sweet and Saucy Shop - this is one item, I simply cannot live without! For more information visit JL Designs Holiday Collection or email carissa@jldesignsandevents.com.

Happy Holidays!

Vera Wang Spring 2010 Bridesmaid Dresses

Vera Wang Bridesmaid Dresses - Spring 2010

Ever After...

And so the story goes, I got married years ago and it was a perfect day. I was so excited about our wedding day I couldn't wait to get back our wedding pictures. The pictures I got back from my photographer seemed effortless and I was disappointed.

I am a huge dreamer and a perfectionist. Sometimes my philosophy is all or nothing...and that was the case with our wedding photos. I have incredible images that my Mom took of our wedding who is also a photographer, but since she was in the wedding, it wasn't fair to have her hold a camera while walking me down the aisle. I have cherished the images that she captured since it had the quality of work I was looking for. I was just sad that I had spent money that was thrown away...

To this day, it is one of the most important points I make to couples who do not have a Wedding Planner when they are selecting vendors for their wedding; be extremely picky, visit with 3 at the very least and make sure you check references. I was so excited about getting married that when I was looking at this photographer I didn't ask the right questions and just gave a deposit instead. If only I knew then what I know now, especially now that I have my own company, things would have been different, but the story gets better.

Fast forward to present day, Annette from Triple Cord Photography told me that one day I should redo my wedding pictures because of the situation I went through. I knew she was right and that when the moment was right, it would happen. This past weekend, we had the joy of capturing that moment all over again. I got my dress out of the attic and started to get ready for this magical day that I have always dreamt of.

I am a hopeless romantic and the type to dream of meeting her prince charming since I was little. Triple Cord was the perfect match and their style reminds me of the images I would paint in my mind of a princess meeting her prince. A perfect fairy tale come true...

A special Thank You to Annette, Colin, Erika, La Vonne, Nisie, Janelle, Danny and Jennifer
for making this day perfect once again!

To view more of this photoshoot, visit the Triple Cord Blog.

Wedding Photography :: Triple Cord
Flowers :: Nisie's Enchanted Florist

City Fashion Chic meets European Romance

I LOVE LOVE! It is what I live for - it is the air that I breathe. I dream with brides, I design their dream wedding. No two brides are alike as are any two weddings.

As with any design, my heart and soul are poured into it. I played around with inspiration that surrounds me and collaborated with some of the finest in the wedding industry to bring it all together. So, when it was time to come up with some fun ideas for a photo shoot - I turned to a photographer who I knew would capture my vision and bring it to life... Jasmine Star. There is something magical that happens once Jasmine takes a picture. It is not like anyone can put a camera in front of their eyes and capture the magic. Trust me, I try and it doesn't work the same way. ;o)

This shoot is very special to me because it was very personal. It is a reflection of who I am. I think every wedding should tell a story and take you on a journey. Allison, from The Innovation Companies, was a huge inspiration in helping me share the bigger picture. When we met to discuss invitation styles and concepts, it was more than talking about colors and fonts. She wanted to know about me. Allison is beyond fun and fabulous when she is with clients. She is an amazing listener and designer. She knows how to ask all the right questions. From selecting the venue to the dress you have to question yourself and ask "What does it mean to me?" It will help pull the overall concept together. I believe that everything we do in life has a story behind it. While working with Allison, she made it so fun to brainstorm all these ideas that I had and asked me "Tell me a little about yourself and what is important to you?" To read more about it, visit Allison's blog.

While working on floral concepts & designs, I got in touch with the ever-so-charming Carissa from JL Designs to complete the vibe of urban chic. Her creative style is never overdone and far from boring. She is brilliant in her approach and keeps everything fresh and modern...not to mention - GORGEOUS!

What can I say? Melody from Sweet and Saucy Shop shop did it again. This cake was all about being fashion forward...and I LOVED IT! Her decadent confections take me to heaven and make me craving her pumpkin cupcakes everyday and twice on Sundays. ;o)

To all that helped make this vision come to life - Thank you from the bottom of my ♥!

Venue :: The London Hotel West Hollywood
Floral Design :: Carissa Jones - JL Events and Design
Cakes :: Melody Brandon - Sweet and Saucy
Chairs + Settings :: Classic Party Rentals
Hair + Makeup :: Janelle Contreras for Nirvana Salon
Bridal Veil :: Linda Ly - Whimsical Designs Boutique
Linen :: Wildflower Linen
Stationary :: Allison Howell - The Innovation Company
Photography: Jasmine Star
Event Design + Production :: Gloria McCune - Grand Engagements

Importance of a Wedding Planner + Wedding DJ's

Weddings are surrounded by love, laughter and music. What would a wedding be like without good music? Funny thing, not everyone planning their wedding ends up with a wedding DJ that is amazing and keeps their wedding guests dancing all night long. A benefit to hiring a professional wedding planner is that we will help you screen DJ's to ensure your night does not end up like these...

Imagine having a wedding, where the DJ uses CD's to play at the wedding reception. During the whole reception, songs are skipping and guests had no idea if it was a special remix or if the CD/DJ was actually bad. There are moments of silence while the new CD had to be loaded before the next playlists began. When you think that wasn't bad enough, the dance floor ends up empty because no one wanted to dance to the music the DJ was playing. Scary!

How about attending a wedding where the DJ puts a CD in a small walkman to play the playlists for the processional & recessional. He disappears during the vows and forgets to come back to play the recessional music. The Bride & Groom stand there in silence at the altar until the DJ is located and is asked to continue the music. Then you head into the reception to only find the DJ continuing to lose the music that the Bride & Groom had requested for the evening...

Moments like these can be a Bride & Groom's worst nightmare. Let's forget even talking about DJ's who make you feel like you are in a roller skating rink. Cheesy!!! This is another reason why hiring a wedding planner is so important and a great investment. We have seen and heard it all. Specializing in weddings, we know how to find fantastic DJ's who will help make your event one you will never forget...and in a good way!

Just some things to think about when selecting a DJ...