Website down temporarily

I was just made aware that my server at the company that hosts the PWBK website is down. My apologies for any inconvenience. It should be back up by the end of the day, so please check back then. Thanks!

**7:05 PM UPDATE: Hooray- the site is back up! BUT my e-mail apparently was down as well from around 11 am until 3 pm today. If you sent an e-mail between that timeframe and I do not respond by tomorrow morning, I would resend it just to be safe. Thank you!**

Katy + Ty at All Saints Church and the Westin Pasadena

From the first moment that Katy's mom Sue contacted me, I knew I was going to be a part of a fun day filled with lots of love and family. With both Ty and Katy super busy with all of life's demands (he is stationed in Texas serving in the military and she is finishing up her schooling to become a pastry chef), Sue was my 'wedding liason' and it warmed my heart how much she wanted nothing but the best for her daughter and future son in law. When I did finally get to meet Katy, it was apparent that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree- she is not only gorgeous, but so genuine and sweet. And Ty, who I didn't get to meet until the wedding day due to his military commitments, is quite the gentleman. When Katy's feet were starting to ache from her beautiful new shoes, Ty came to the recue and gallantly swept her off her up and literally carried her off into the sunset- so romantic!

For your viewing pleasure, here are a few images from the love-filled day; but be sure and head over to Sarah's blog for many more fabulous pictures.

Sue made all of the bridesmaid's bouquets- aren't they gorgeous?!

Katy=stunning (and she hadn't even gotten into her gown yet!)

All Saints has the most magical feel to it- I just love it

The newlyweds exited to an army of party poppers. There was confetti everywhere- such a perfect ending to their Big Day

A special thanks to the following fabulous team:
Sarah K. Chen, Photographer
Val with VIP DJ
Liz with Spectacular Florist
Melissa at All Saints
Tricia at the Westin Pasadena

A green wedding in the making

One of my wonderful couples (Michelle and Derek) that I am having a blast with planning their August wedding in Santa Barbara, has decided to go green with as many elements of the wedding as possible. This was a very exciting challenge for me as I had yet to plan a green wedding. They have done a wonderul job of teaching me tons of unique ways to make a wedding more environmentally friendly. I wanted to pass some of their fabulous ideas along (with their approval, of course) in the hopes that other couples will be inspired to incorporate something green into their Big Day as well. Here are just a few of their many ideas:

• Using less paper or green paper for invites and offering an online RSVP

The paper details can add a lot to a wedding but there are ways to make just as big of an impact without them. Instead of placecards, have one seating chart. Use natural elements for table numbers; for example, find gorgeous stones and paint the table numbers on them. Michelle and Derek had Joceybella design a gorgeous map for guests, but instead of printing one out to include in the invites, they are directing guests to their wedding website to print off only if necessary.

• Incorporating sustainable and organic food and drink

One catering company that is fabulous about ensuring their food is sustainable and working to include as many green items as possible is Good Gracious. They worked with Michelle and Derek to put together a custom menu including vegan and vegetarian options with an emphasis on fun family style food. Guests will also be able to enjoy the organic wines the couple select.

• Limiting utensils used for food

This one is pretty self-explanatory; have fun with the cocktail hour food by choosing bite sized morsels that don't require utensils or serving vessels.

• Providing green favors for guests

Some ideas include potted plants or seeds to be replanted. This is a gift that will keep on giving, and not just something that may or may not be used ever again.

• Having green options on the registry

Michelle and Derek are encouraging guests to donate to charity as a part of their registry. For those guests that wish to buy them a gift, they made sure to select registries that allowed a portion of the gift price to go to various charities. They even found a store that has a line of eco-friendly furniture (check out Crate & Barrel for more info).

• Using less flowers or veriflora certified flowers

Instead of providing bouquets for each of the bridesmaids, Michelle selected a variety of brightly colored shoes for each of the girls to choose from. This will be their fun accessory and help the girls to stand out as the bouquets would have done. The guys will be skipping the boutonnieres and instead will be wearing fun and hip attire that will add the extra pizzazz needed. For reception flowers, actual flowers will be minimal and the color will come from bright linens, fresh fruit in glass vases, and lighting.

Planning a wedding with as many green elements a possible is no easy task, but it can be done. All it takes is a little creativity and a lot of inspiration. I am proud to say that working with Michelle and Derek has even encouraged me to be more environmentally aware in my daily life. Thanks, you two:)

Boudoir or not to boudoir?

You may have caught wind of the steadily growing trend for bridal boudoir sessions as a gift to the groom. What guy wouldn't be thrilled to see pictures of his lovely wife looking hot to trot, right? But running around practically naked in front of a photographer often seems daunting and nerve-wracking to many girls. This feeling is completely legitimate, but I would like to offer some food for thought in the hopes of encouraging any girls out there *thinking* about doing b-pics to just go for it!

• You don't necessarily need to be 'half naked'.

There are many attire options that can be great for boudoir, without being to risque (if risque isn't your thing). Is your honey a sports fanatic? Throw on his favorite team's jersey and some cute booty shorts. Voila- instant sexy! Or do you love the look of bridal white lingerie, just not the whole garter get up? You can find some gorgeous satin slips that are elegant and still scream hot mama. Whatever you choose to wear, be sure you are comfortable because you will ultimately look more relaxed if you are confident in what you have on.

• Consider this- the shoot can be just as much for you as it will be for him.

How much fun would it be to get glammed up and have a talented photographer capture the beauty that is you from all the right angles? Super fun- and totally liberating! Most boudoir photographers love what they do because you leave the shoot feeling like a gorgeous woman, which is exactly how you should feel every day.

• Boudoir doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg.

Be smart about your outfits, and limit yourself to a few awesome choices instead of going for a zillion costume changes. (Trust me- your hubs won't be counting outfits when he sees the pictures). And get creative if you want to avoid paying a bunch for your shoot location. Consider doing the shoot on a week day, if possible- many hotels have discounted weekday rates. Or even find a friend who is looking to do b-pics as well, and offer for her to use the room for one portion of the day while you use it for the other half. Just be sure you consider your surroundings so that your photographer has plenty of unique and picturesque options to work with.

Two of my recent brides inspired this post after I spotted their killer boudoir pictures on Sarah K. Chen's blog. My two favorites that Sarah posted are below; simply gorgeous, if I do say so myself!

Venue spotlight: Villa del Sol d'Oro, Sierra Madre

I love venues that take you to a different place and time; places where you really have no idea that you are even in California and you are able to let yourself get swept up in the overwhelming grandeur and romance that surrounds you. The Villa del Sol d'Oro in Sierra Madre (just outside Pasadena) is this type of magical place. The Santa Anita Gardens Catering (the venue's caterer) website explains why this magic comes so easy: "The Alverno Villa is a duplicate of the Villa Collazzi located on the outskirts of Florence Italy... legend has it that the Villa is the only one ever designed by the immortal Michelangelo. The Villa del Sol d’Oro is one―quarter scale to the original. Nestled at the foot of the beautiful San Gabriel Mountains in the picturesque City of Sierra Madre, the Villa was built in the “pure” Italian Renaissance Style in 1922 by the famous Pasadena architect Wallace Neff and was completed by 1928. The estate was built by Dr. Jarvis Barlow for his wife, who had visited the Villa Collazzi and wanted a house just like it." The pictures most definitely speak for themsleves:

Watch out, here it comes!

"Wedding season", that is! The time of year that all of us wedding professionals scurry around doing what we do best and have a blast while we're at it. Sleep? Nahhh...we can do that in November:) I started out the year with a list of venues that I am very excited to be working at over the course of 2008, but the list has gotten even better since then so of course I had to share. I am thrilled to also have weddings at the following venues this year:

Rancho Dos Pueblos (a most enchanting private estate in Santa Barbara)
Lake Arrowhead Resort & Spa
Ritz-Carlton Marina del Rey
The Madison
Casa Romantica
Wayfarer's Chapel
Museum of Latin American Art

Among some other fun surprises (I can't go giving away ALL my secrets now, can I ?). Stay tuned- the fun is just beginning!!

Why I heart The Wedding Chicks

There are many reasons why I love The Wedding Chicks, purveyors of all things wedding-fabulous, and last night I got to add the following reason to my ever growing list: they know how to throw one heck of a party! The Wedding Chicks (Jocey and Amy, together they are one dynamic duo) hosted their launch party at Arroyo Trabuco last night and it was such a fantastic mix of amazing people, delicious food, and fun music. Some of the highlights included a photo booth from Foto Cabina, beautiful linens from Fusion accented by gorgeous lighting from Atmosphere Entertainment, and the biggest hit- mini-donuts provided by the Fry Girl. This was my first time experiencing these tasty little treats and trust me when I tell you they were soooooo good! It also turned out to be a great event because there were tons of other wedding professionals in attendance that I had gotten to know via e-mail or from their blogs, but had yet to officially meet in person. Here's a few pictures from the night:

Sarah (of Sarah K. Chen Photography) was there (sporting the most adorable pink jacket, I might add)

I adore The Wedding Chicks logo; this was one of two ice sculptures featuring the infamous little chicks!

I was thrilled to finally get a picture with the two fellow coordinators who never fail to bring a smile to my face; Amy (of In the Moment Weddings & Events) and Christina (of Simply Modern Weddings)

It was nice to catch up with one of my favorite florists Christine (of The Spiraled Stem), even though we didn't get nearly enough time to chat- lunch soon!

Heather (of Vallentyne Photography), Jocey, and Kiley (of Kiley Walker Events) were so much fun to talk with- I definitely hope to see these girls out and about again soon!

I leave you with the most scrumptious little cupcakes that came complete with The Wedding Chicks' logo. If there are cupcakes at an event, you know I'll find them!

Exquisite invitations are just a mouse-click away

Wedding invitations may not stand out as being an important choice to make during the planning process; but really, they serve as your guests' first glimpse into the look and feel of your Big Day. Choices you make from the formality of the wording all the way down to the font selected give out subtle clues to the message you want to relay such as 'this will be a chic, sophisticated soiree' or even 'bring your dancing shoes- we are going to have a fun time and par-tay!'. So have fun with your selection and design process and remember that even the little decisions form together to paint the bigger picture.

I recently discovered Minted, a new online store that offers a fabulous selection of fine invitation ensembles and stationery from prestigious independent custom brands such as Oblation, Ceci New York, Dauphine, Wiley Valentine, and more! The site is super easy to navigate and I love that you can narrow your search based on a variety of factors- price, color, style and brand to name a few of them. To make the process as seamless as possible for already busy Brides they even offer calligraphy services (love that!). Here are a few invitations offered on the Minted website that caught my eye: