Nichole + Mike, Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort & Spa

Nichole's mom Brenda actually summed it up best in her impossibly sweet (and incredibly flattering!) thank you note she sent me- "you're like family", she wrote, " we will miss you!". Over the course of nine months- I worked closely with Nichole (and sometimes Brenda:) ) to help bring all of her and Mike's dreams and ideas to reality. So closely that yes, I would agree; they felt like family.

The initial vision we set out with was pretty much no holds barred. They wanted bling and dramatic colors. They wanted a fun party for all. They wanted over the top gorgeousness. And they wanted it all to be unique and in a fantastic beach setting. And I am sure you would agree- from the looks of the images captured by the fabulous Amy Squires of Amy Squires Photography, Nichole and Mike got everything they could have hoped for, and then some. Mike even got his only specific request honored- a Patron shot for all, in lieu of the traditional champagne toast. Patron? Yes, Patron. Needless to say, it was indeed a fun party for all.

Some eye candy for you to enjoy:

There's some of that bling I was talking about- Kristin from The Treasured Petal so rocked the flower design.

Nichole looked stunning in her fab Ines Di Santo gown. Mike cleans up pretty well too:)

Gor-geous-ness! Times ten!

Just as the sun dipped behind the coastline, they newlyweds snuck away for some portraits alone. Sigh...

Details? I love me some good details; especially when Jocey is involved on the paper design. Nichole came up with a fun twist on place cards; she incorporated a nod to her cultural heritage with bright red Chopsticks to which the guest's place card was attached. We then stuck the chopsticks into take-out boxes filled to the brim with aqua colored candies and...voila! Place cards and favors all in one.

The whole 'no holds barred' thing definitely applied to the lighting. Atmosphere pulled out all the stops with LED uplighting (which we changed from aqua to deep red once dinner was finished), pin-spotting, and intelligent lighting including a custom gobo and texture gobos on the dance floor. You can spy some of the brilliant red uplights behind Nichole's one-of-a-kind cake. The topper was a Nichole must have; just love that girl!

The night would not have been complete without their first dance, which they danced to 'on the clouds'...

A special thank you to the following fabulous team:

Amy Squires Photography
Elysium Productions
Atmosphere Entertainment
The Treasured Petal
Fusion Linens, who provided the linens and chiavaris
Joceybella Invites
Rockwell's Creative Cakes
Tina with Flawless Faces
Darlene from Mane Moves and Body Works in Huntington Beach
M Bride, where Nichole purchased her gown
And last but DEFINITELY never least, the uber-fabulous Cheryl Martin and the incredible staff at the Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort & Spa

Crystal + Chris, The Movie

Crystal and Chris had a fun and family filled wedding last year, and it brought a big old smile to my face watching this amazing montage of their day. Thank you to Zack of Frequent Flyer Productions for sharing the film- he truly did a fantastic job capturing the spirit and excitement of the day. Now, on with the show!

Andrea + Erik, to-be-wed

These two are getting married just around the corner in May. I still can't believe May is coming up so fast- seriously, where are the months disappearing to? Andrea sent over a few of her favorite engagement pictures taken by Galvan Photography- and of course, I wanted to give them a little blog love:)

Casey + Kyle, Wilson Creek Winery & Vineyards, Temecula

When Casey and Kyle met with me for our initial consultation back in July, we literally talked for hours. It was like seeing old friends that I hadn't talked to in awhile- there was just so much to catch up on, and so much to say! And besides the easy connection we all shared from the get-go, there were some pretty crazy coincidences; the strangest of which is that Casey's birthday is just a few days after mine, and Kyle's is a few days away from Greg's. Talking with them, it became very apparent that their relationship mirrored my own marriage on some many levels.

Needless to say- it was an easy fit bringing me on as their wedding coordinator. And personally, I couldn't have been more thrilled since they had an overwhelming abundance of creative ideas for their Big Day and an enthusiasm for the whole planning experience to match. So when Valentine's Day rolled around, I couldn't believe that all their planning and hard work was coming to fruition- their day had arrived!

Lucky for all of us, Tony Florez of Tony Florez Photography was there to document the day. Here are my favorites from the disc of images he was kind enough to pass along to me (thanks again, Tony!).

I loved that Casey had her florist incorporate an heirloom rosary into the design of her bouquet

She also had these super fun Betsey Johnson heels that she rocked under her wedding gown

Casey has the best smile!

Casey and 'her girls' (in their sassy black cocktail dresses)

Kyle and 'his guys'

Walking down the aisle with her daddy

These two were so overjoyed to finally be married- they literally boogied back down the aisle to the music

Thus was such a neat idea- Casey and Kyle provided paints and a blank canvas for their guest to decorate during the cocktail hour. They planned to hang the finished product in their home as their first piece of art.

The cocktail hour was held in the super intimate barrel room. I adore this space!

Before we opened up the doors to the ballroom, Casey and Kyle snuck in and got to take it all in. They also took a moment to exchange personal vows with one another at this time; it was a nice break from the action and very meaningful to the both of them.

Their cake was spectacular!! Sweet Gems did such a great job!

They worked with a choreographer to put together a high energy, ridiculously fun grand entrance dance. They literally krumped a one point- so classic seeing Casey in her elegant wedding gown, throwin' it down!

A special thanks to the following fabulous team:

Tony Florez Photography
The fabulous Peter Merry with Merry Weddings
Studio West Video
Standing Ovation Flowers
Reverend Clint Hufft
Design Visage
Sweet Gems
The wonderful team at the Wilson Creek Winery & Vineyards

Kathy + Gregg, The French Estate, Orange

From the minute I first met Kathy and Gregg, I knew their wedding was going to be such a charming, personal affair filled with fun, family and friends, and good BBQ. Yes, I said BBQ- one of the coolest elements of their day was the on-site BBQ provided by Jay's Catering. So perfect for the BBQ-loving couple. It was a huge hit, not to mention hugely delicious!

Leading up to the wedding we had a blast planning out the look of the day. With the vintage setting of The French Estate as the backdrop, it only made sense to bring in whimsical and rustic touches in the flowers and decor. Kristin from The Treasured Petal did an amazing job of working with us to bring the vision to life, including Kathy's luscious bouquet wrapped in antique-looking lace, a huge floral wreath that hung from the front doors on the porch of the house (where the ceremony was held), and an assortment of hanging glass containers that were hung over the cake (no pictures of the wreath or cake table yet- but trust me, TOTALLY charming).

To top everything off, we had Gabriel and Carlie from gabriel.ryan.photographer there to photograph the day. Not only did they photograph the heck out of it, they added to the awesome vibe with their fun-loving and warm personalities. Check out a preview of the day- more to come!

Love love LOVED their first look. It was like no one else was around them- they were so at ease, and literally seemed like they could have just stayed there, talking and enjoying the moment, forever!

Aren't they adorable?

A special thanks to the following fabulous team:

gabriel.ryan.photographer
The Treasured Petal
Jay's Catering
Rossmoor Pastries
Fusion Linens, who provided the chiavari chairs for the reception
Ashley, who did an awesome job on Kathy's hair and make-up (e-mail me for info)
And of course, the fabulous ladies at The French Estate- Sarah and Susan, thank you!!