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It was a family affair!

All photos by Greycard Photography.

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This past October I again had the honor and privilege of being a part of someone’s very special day, and a family-friend none-the-less!  I’ve known Roxy, the bride, since we were born, really: she’s the daughter of my uncle-in-laws sister, and our families hung out together all the time when we were growing up.  Although our lives have taken different paths and we’ve settled in different cities, I still remember slumber parties at her house, playing in her parents driveway, and going for walks and bike rides around their neighborhood.

Roxy came over to my house one night just to get some pointers and advice for her wedding day, and I was truly honored when a few weeks later she asked if I could help with Day Of Coordination.  HECK YES!

This wedding was so special because I already knew so many of the guests, many of whom I hadn’t seen in years-so I was so excited to provide my expertise for someone I care a lot for, while also catching up with so many childhood friends.

The strong family ties and friendships on both sides was a constant theme throughout the day.  I loved seeing Roxy and Michael’s family and friends helping and coming together for both of them.  It was a true testament to how great they each are.

Roxy and Michael worked so hard to make this day beautiful-and their hard work truly paid off.  All the little details came together perfectly to create an elegant look.

Roxy and Michael also entrusted Nuestras Manos with a special project…

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We were so happy to be able to hand craft this special touch for their wedding, and their home!

As always, this day would not have been possible without a great vendor team:

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There’s always a first.

*All photos by Carsten Tice Photography

I’ve officiated lots of weddings since I officiated the wedding of a dear law school friend back  in 2010, and I’ve coordinated lots of weddings with Events by Katherine since I met her while officiating a wedding back in 2012.  But I’ve never done both, and on my own.

There’s always a first.

I’m happy to say it all went well, and I loved every minute.  It was, as most wedding days are, a long and tiring day.  But all day as I was running around constantly, all I could think was “I love this.”  At one point in the night, at the height of the madness, one of the chefs asked me how I was doing.  Out of who-knows-where, I answered “I’m great, I live for these moments!”  I realized as soon as I said it that it sounded super cheesy, , but it was a genuine statement, and I meant every word.  I was in my element, and I loved every moment of it.

But enough about me…

This wedding was so special in so many way.  Patricia and David reached out to me from New York, to officiate their wedding.  After our initial consultation they decided they also needed a day-of-coordinator, and they entrusted me to do both.  I can never thank them enough for taking that leap of faith.

The wedding took place in Patricia’s parents spacious backyard–Patricia’s grandmother is unable to travel, so they brought the wedding to her.  It was such a beautiful touch of the whole night: that this wedding was taking place here because of the love and importance of one human being.

I’ve learned that these table set ups are one of my favorite things to do on wedding day.

The whole wedding was a true group effort: the groomsmen were in charge of making the bouquets and decorating the ceremony arch (I’m not going to lie, I was a little nervous about this one, but they did a fantastic job!  And much better than I would have been able to do–florals are my weakness!).  Patricia’s cousin, Tina, was a stellar, all-around helper on wedding day, and she potted each of the succulents that were given to guests as gifts.  Family on both sides were tremendous help in getting the house ready, or shipping leis from Hawaii for the bridal party and family members. And the bride and groom spent countless hours making and canning homemade chili as another gift for guests.

The most amazing dessert

There is no doubt that the main attraction for this wedding, aside from Patricia and David, obviously, was the food.  Justin and Dave are both chefs from New York City, and they flew in just to cook up a storm for Patrica and David’s wedding.  They had been prepping all week, scouring the markets of LA for ingredients, and even smoking the brisket in their hotel room!   They did not disappoint.  I did not hear a single guest complain about the 3-hour dinner.  Course after course was plated by the talented chefs, brought out by my wonderful helpers, and platter after platter was brought back to the kitchen completely empty.

I can’t thank all the vendors enough for a beautiful and seamless evening.

 

Reception: Bells & Whistles!

So most receptions have the standard “must-haves”: music, food, CAKE!  Lately I’v noticed that photo booths have moved into the “standard” category for most weddings.  Some wedding receptions like to add something extra special, and although it increases the budget a bit, they DO make the guests quite happy!  A couple “extras” that I have LOVED from weddings I coordinated last year:

Chunk n Chip: what’s better than cake?  Or ice cream?  Or cookies?  COOKIE ICE CREAM SANDWICHES.  They have your favorite fresh baked cookies, with unique and delicious ice cream flavors (horchata or french toast with candied spiced bacon anyone?), in any possible combination that you want.  They also have an adorable set up for private events and weddings.

chunk n chip cookies
chunk n chip sandwich

Churro Borough: same concept as Chunk n Chip, but with CHURROS.  I mean..C’MON!  Flavors like vanilla custard, horchata sherbet, and black forest cheesecake sherbet.  YUM.  They also offer paletas, churro fries, milkshakes, and pastries.

Dessert Lab OC : I think you can see a pattern on what my weaknesses are.  But seriously: 30 different flavors of cheesecake ( including french toast cheesecake with bacon!)?!  This was used for a dessert table rather than something in addition to it, but the desserts were so unique that I just loved the idea.  The couple ordered an assortment of cheesecakes and different desserts, and they went SO QUICK.

Do you have a favorite vendor that you used or will be using for your event that helped put your event over the top?  Share in the comments!

Planning a Friendsgiving Dinner

This is a little untimely, but it’s been on my to-write list for over a year and I’m finally finding the inspiration to get it done…and hey, who says you have to wait until November to throw a Friendsgiving dinner?! 🙂

For all non-wedding events that I plan, I’ve developed this template to keep track of things.  It helps me make sure I’ve covered all bases (food, activities/entertainment, decor, etc.) and I can keep a list of things I need to do/make/buy/bring.

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We didn’t have too much space to work with in our little home, so the tables were a bit crowded but I was pretty happy with my decor/set up.  Some of my inspiration:

Things to think about: centerpieces, decor for food/dessert tables and drink station, accents for each table setting (leaves, or in my case, individual labels that each said “Friendsgiving 2015,” “Be Thankful,” “Gratitude,” or something similar).  I also placed ice water carafes at each table (with lemon and cucumber) which worked out great so people didn’t have to get up during dinner for a refill (which means you need a glass at each table setting).

This was the sixth or seventh year that we’d had a Friendsgiving, so part of my decor was framed pictures of past Friendsgivings: it was amazing to see how our group has grown with husbands/wives, children, and more friends!

Note to self: make sure your photo background is large enough for group photos…

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For entertainment, we borrowed a friend’s giant Jenga and had that in the backyard, along with a fire pit surrounded by chairs and blankets.  Corn hole would be a good addition.

But I guess most important of all at a Friendsgiving dinner is….THE FOOD.  We do a potluck style dinner every year, but it does require some organization.  Enter: google docs.  I love google docs.  I have this template on a google sheet and add a new tab every year (or you could clear it out every year, or make a new one every year-although with a new doc you have worry about re-sharing it with everyone) and share it with everyone, and people can sign up for whatever they want to bring.  This helps to ensure you don’t end up with 20 desserts but zero side dishes, and that everything is covered before the big day.

If you’re a traditionalist, your menu has to include: turkey and gravy (!), green bean casserole, sweet potatoes of some kind, mac n cheese, stuffing, cranberry sauce, bread rolls, and some pumpkin pies!

Here are some other appetizers and sides that have been huge hits in the past:

  • ham sliders
  • cheesy spinach rollups
  • cheese tray
  • chips & dips
  • mashed potatoes
  • salad
  • roasted veggies
  • brussel sprouts
  • creamed corn
  • German potato salad

Obviously, anything edible is fair game!

My favorite part of Friendsgiving, aside from the food (I could eat Thanksgiving dinners all year), is that after everyone has served themselves, we go around the tables and everyone shares what they’re thankful for.  It’s a great time to reflect on the year and what’s happened in our lives since the last Friendsgiving, and find the things that made that year great.

Do you celebrate a Friendsgiving?  What are your favorite traditions or ideas?

 

Bouquet Toss Alternative

On Saturday I saw a bouquet toss alternative that was so cute and different that I had to share!

Instead of tossing the bouquet, the bouquet was placed inside a bird cage which was locked.  There was a display of vintage keys on an easel, that was moved to the dance floor along with the bird cage, and all the single ladies lined up to pick a key and see if it unlocked the bird cage.  There were enough keys for almost two rounds, and it seemed like the ladies enjoyed this much more than standing and trying to catch the bouquet–and subsequently there was no injury to the bouquet!

bouquet-key-picking

This and That…

I started this on The Merry Ministers website, but now I think it’s more appropriate on this website, since I include random wedding stuff (not just ceremony specific), so from now on I’ll try to share my favorite wedding bits from the internet world a little more frequently 😉

I’m loving this new trend of having a frame or something to post instant pictures onto (a recent wedding I worked had bicycle frames to put pictures on because the bride and groom were avid cyclers!).

lasting memories

 

Same idea for seating cards is also great!

seating chart

I’ve seen plenty of small vases for center pieces (usually mason jars), but I really like this idea of using votive candle jars with wild flowers:

center pieces

What are your favorite ideas and trends?

 

Getting the Gift that Gives

Do you already have everything you need for your home?  Do you have a passion for giving or volunteering?  Then maybe instead of doing a traditional wedding registry you should do a charitable wedding registry or charitable favors!  This idea seems to be gaining popularity, so there are several websites that provide this service so you don’t have to take care of anything other than registering and picking your charity!

IMPACT favors

“IMPACT Favors promotes nonprofit organizations at weddings and events by utilizing IMPACT Favor cards to ignite a ripple effect of awareness and donations.”  This is a charitable favors wedding, meaning that instead of spending money on favors that possibly will never be used, you purchase favor cards after making a donation to the organization of your choice ($50 for 100 cards).  These favor cards are placed at each table setting, and the hope is that your guests will make donations as well!  The organizations you can chose from (as of May 6, 2015) are: Angelman Syndrome Foundation, Safe Families for Children, Wish Upon A Wedding, and Pathways to Independence.  There are no fees taken or added to donations.

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“I Do Foundation helps engaged couples celebrate generously by making charity a part of their wedding.  I Do Foundation has two primary goals: 1) Help couples raise donations for a charity of their choice; 2) Change the culture of the bridal industry so that charity becomes an accepted and expected part of weddings.”  Like IMPACT Favors, you make a donation to a selected charity through the I Do Foundation, and I Do provides you with place cards for each table setting (you can purchase the cards through The Knot Shop starting at $19.95 or you can print them yourself with a template that is emailed to you).  I Do Foundation also has selected charities in the following areas: Children, Youth, and Families, Community Development, Education, Environment, Health, and Social Justice. There is an 8% fee that is added to a guest’s donation when they make a donation online.

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Truffles For a Cause is a way to donate AND give to your guests: you can make a donation or pay a portion per truffle, and get a favor card as well as a truffle for each guest.  You can find a list of the charities to chose from here (you can even pick two different charities).  Their pricing can be a bit tricky, as each option (DIY, DIY boxed, caramel, foil, etc.) is different and each option has three payment options: you can make your own donation in addition to the cost of the truffles, you can donate a portion of the cost of each truffle, or you can make no donation at all (which defeats the purpose, in my opinion, hehe).

Want to go beyond wedding favors?  Check out this list from Bridal Guide and see how many little details of your wedding can be reused or re-thought, from donating your flowers to a local nursing home/hospital, to involving your bridal party in a volunteer event and more!

Hopefully I’ll be able to add some more resources to this post in the future!  Do you have a website that you used for your wedding?  Let us know in the comments!

Winter Formal: Winter Wonderland

So every Christmas, since I was about 15 years old, I get a bunch of friends together and we make gingerbread houses, out of graham crackers.  It’s always a stressful but fun event (if you haven’t done these before, getting those walls to stay up using just frosting is a bit of a challenge!), and it’s gotten more fun with the introduction of wine.

Last year was the first year that I tried to do this along with a baby (Jake was 4 months old), and I gotta admit, it just wasn’t as enjoyable, haha.  Other friends have babies as well, and keeping them away from all the candy and frosting is just not really worth the satisfaction of seeing your completed gingerbread house!  I’m excited to get this tradition going again once the kids get a little older and they can make gingerbread houses of their on, but for now we decided to switch to an adults only holiday dinner.  So this year we had our very first Winter Formal!

I was able to book a reservation over a month in advance with Cucina Enoteca at the Irvine Spectrum, and I worked closely with their event coordinator, Ruth, to make sure I could bring all sorts of little details and decorations.  I got started with centerpieces and decorations far enough in advance so I wouldn’t be freaking out the day before!

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Found these plastic reindeer at Michael’s, and I’m pretty sure I snatched up the last ones in the whole area.  I went back to several stores to try to buy more and they were all gone.  Glad I bought the ones I did when I did!  I added a little silver spray paint and they looked great!
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I collected branches and pine cones and did a bottom layer of white spray paint, then I used spray adhesive to get some good layers of epsom salts on there, then did a final layer of glitter to give them a little glimmer.  I ended up putting the branches in two separate clear vases to have to large centerpieces, and they looked great!  I will say that these need to be done close to the event, because the epsom salts can dry out!

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I also made a photo back drop using a large baby blue cloth, and added some Christmas trees that Jeff drew out and cut out for me (Christmas trees are NOT one of my strengths), a couple gold stars, some glitterey white fabric for snow, and some snowflakes.  I added some stuffing to the trees and snow to give it a little more form, and I must say, I’m pretty happy with the outcome!
chalk sign

On the day of, I packed up a few boxes with all my goodies, and thankfully had Jeff’s help to unload and carry everything over to Cucina Enoteca to get set up before everyone arrived.  Above is my first attempt at some chalk art 😉 (credit also goes to Jeff who helped with some key elements!).

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Testing out the photo backdrop 🙂
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Cucina Enoteca provided an extra table for photo props as well as this little set up, where guests wrote out what they loved the most about Christmas on a paper ornament, then hung their ornament on one of the branch centerpieces.  During dessert, we went around and read these aloud and tried to guess who wrote each one.

cucina enoteca Each plate also had a hand-picked bunch of pine needles to add a little Winter Wonderland feel 🙂  We even had a personalized menu, eek!
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I brought silver charges to add to the table set up, as well as silver candle holders, both of which really added a nice look to the table.
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I didn’t get any pictures of the food, but it was all delicious, the service was great…

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And the company was quite spectacular ❤jeff and iMe and my #1 helper and supporter!

I had such a great time putting this event together, and from what I can tell, everyone that attended had a good time as well.  Glad our first year sans gingerbread houses went ok!