Archive for January 2012
Motif Private Dining Room/St Regis
Last Saturday I had the pleasure of seeing through a lovely intimate celebration at the St Regis. Couple of things others may see as challenges with this one, but not me, never a worry. The groom called me 10 days before the big day to say he had booked a wedding at the St Regis and had invited the 16 guests and had taken care of their flights and accommodation, but that was all he had done, no vendors in line/plan/vision and we had the threat of rain looming over the day for most of those 10 days.
I got right on it, within 48 hours we had meet with and booked a photographer, florist and linens/chargers. Then we detailed the timeline for the wedding day, I booked a harpist, ordered white carpet for the runner, we hired a videographer, and had them meet with a papergoods lady for menu cards/placecards/programs and a chocolatierre for favors, and by the Monday the week of the wedding we were in great shape. We had a meeting with the hotel on the Tuesday to ensure the food & beverage was taken care of, and then we waited for Saturday to come and the rain to go away.
The ceremony was timed for 2:30pm which was fabulous, at 9am it was raining, by noon it was grey sky but rain was gone, but 2:30pm we actually had a bit of blue sky and some warmth. See, good things always happen to good people. The couple got to take photos around the grounds and the guests got to relax a bit, then they all met up for the dinner in the Motif Private Dining room.. It all came together beautifully and the couple and I were very happy. Thanks to www.Joelaustell.com for the photos below and for being so easy to work with. They did not keep him on for the dining portion, so the table pictures below look good but not as fabulous as it really looked later when all the glassware and silverware were in place, the table glimmered, it was lovely. The florals were by Nisie of course, Nisie’s Enchanted Florist, always a beautiful environment created with her and the team. And of course thanks to the team at Motif and the St Regis who did what they do fabulously.
My bride made my day, she did not speak much english at all, but when they left that night she stopped me and said ‘Lisa it looked nice, thank you’. I know the effort that took for her and it was appreciated and I agree.
Till next time
Lisa
714 305 7112
1 comment January 26, 2012
How lucky am I
Spoke with some lovely brides for 2012 and mom’s too today.
It’s going to be great year I believe for lovely weddings.
Add a comment January 19, 2012
This Saturday
Rain rain stay away, too pretty a cere created and bride has come too far to have to get married inside. Do you hear me up there!!!
Add a comment January 18, 2012
Caught up
Ok, well I have blogged everything from 2011 and anything else I thought could be of interest/relevent and for today for about a month, have nothing to add.
Probably a good thing, looks like it is going to be a great 2012, so between inquiries and getting brides started, the time goes. I have a lovely wedding next weekend so will blog that once I get some pics. But apart from that, as 2012 goes along if something seems of interest I will blog it, and I will post/blog on any lovely decor/look that I am proud of/happy with/thrilled with how it turned out.
Till the next one, can’t wait to see what it will be on!!!
Lisa
714 305 7112
Add a comment January 14, 2012
Romantic Europe
I was lucky enough earlier in 2011 to pop over to Europe and see some parts that are a bit more unique, ie not on the normal tourist trail, as well as the more known. When it comes to weddings/honeymoons and romance, Europe jumps right in and says ‘ here I am’, and as I travelled along there were just so many great places I could see intimate weddings happening, or larger groups, all being able to inhale the experience and come away with memories for all to cherish. With everyone seeming to be spread out over great distances, thinking about a wedding in Europe doesn’t mean more expense/travel anymore, especially with airfare wars, hotel cost and if the guests are making it a long weekend or extending their time if the wedding was in say Florida or the Caribbean, why not make it Europe.
Here is where I went, and if any of these locations are appealing to you for a wedding, let me know and we can chat and see where we go from there …..
I started in Lisbon, Portugal, fabulous old city, and drove up the coast to a golf resort on the coast which has something for everyone especially when it comes to a wedding or vacation following a wedding.
Then to Cartagena, Spain, on the coast, a lovely town where they are still finding ruins under the ground, and they are keeping the facades from the old buildings as the building crumbles behind, and will build new buildings behind, very clever, and it ensures the town keeps the ‘old’ feel. Lots of lovely backdrops for a ceremony here and then off to a courtyard/piazza for that fun celebration.
Malta, wow, like being in a different world, going back in time. Doesn’t that sound exotic, wouldn’t your guests make that a must go to celebration, giving them a jump off place for a longer trip around Europe if they wanted.
Split, Croatia – not quite as I imagined it to be, ended up at a small island village that was definately the ‘old world’ feel I was looking for, but I hear Dubrovnik and other parts of Croatia are worth the visit or thought anyway.
Venice, well who doesn’t think romance when they think of Venice. The great thing about Venice is that you don’t have to stay in the expensive accommodation along the canals, you can stay a short bus ride away and pay much less, yet go in and out of Venice itself enjoying it very easily (so any guest with any budget is taken care of). Great food, places to sit and people watch, and atmosphere. From a small ceremony followed by an intimate meal somewhere, to the larger celebration this is an easy option to pull together.
Can’t you imagine a small destination wedding having had a ceremony somewhere else in Venice now having a lovely Italian meal at a restaurant like the one above. Aaaaah.
Then off to Rome, via Sienna and a night in a Tuscany hilltop village. These are the memories you or your guests will savor forever. It’s all about time, enjoying it, enjoying the people sitting around with you, eating, drinking, just taking time. Of course a location like Tuscany is easy for anyone to get to and then they can go wherever they want to after and visit other places before heading home. Can you imagine your wedding backdrop being hills and hills of wineries in Tuscany, and everyone staying on a piazza at the top of a hilltop village for two nights, fantastic.
Rome of course, fabulous, all the major hotels, so if what is known is what you prefer, as well as the nightlife, and options all close at hand, this is the place for you. Trevi Fountain where you and your guests toss a coin, ensuring a return trip at some point. Whether by day or at night, the photo ops this city will give you in your album after, fab u lous.
Let me know where you want to go/what your dream is, and we can make it a reality.
Till next time
Lisa
714 305 7112
Add a comment January 13, 2012
US Virgin Islands – Weddings
Have you thought about a tropical location for a wedding, but are worried that exotic may not work for your guests. They like hotels they know the name of and what to expect inside, they like being able to order food in English and know what they are going to be getting and eating, and they like feeling safe. Well …. the US Virgin Islands may be the place for your intimate or large wedding celebration.
Easy to get to from anywhere and easy to travel inbetween if needed. I happen to have visited each of the three islands several times, with the last trip to all three at once this past summer. St Thomas, St John and St Croix. All different which means there is something for everyone. Take the Marriott complex in St Thomas, not far from town and there are three properties that have a shuttle service inbetween them, a vacation club (so you can have up to 8 in a unit with full kitchen facilities for those that want to save money or just be together), to the Reef on the hill with great views looking down the harbor to the town, to the Morningstar Resort that has a more quiet/tropical feel for those that want to be out of the hub bub but visit the hub bub when they want, then retreat easily. You could get married at any one of the three, have your after celebration at a different one of the three, and then people go back to wherever they are staying of the three, or even elsewhere. Perfect for all.
For a destination like this, you could have St Thomas as the key place, but charter a yacht and do a day trip for just your group over to St John, or even a jeep convoy trip around the island with a stop in Megan’s Bay, one of the top beaches in the world.
St Croix may be where you go after leaving everyone else behind. It’s a seaplane/plane flight to get there, so that may hinder some folks and keep them from following you, but here you have a nice mix of smaller town feel from St Thomas, and then head to a resort where you have rainforest all the way down to the buildings you are staying in, with beach and ocean infront, very unique. Some really nice accommodation options in St Croix depending on what you are wanting to do, where you want to be, and whether it is just the two of you or a whole group.
As I know these islands and area well (you can even take a boat over to the British Virgin islands which I love also and can help you with planning a wedding at any of those islands), this can be a nice easy process for you and you will never be wondering what it is like, is it what the pictures on the internet show etc.
Let’s do it
Till next time
Lisa
714 305 7112
Add a comment January 12, 2012
Unique Vendor
When I come across someone out there that is offering something different to most or something I think a bride out there may not find/be looking for, I am going to give a wee ‘shout out’.
If you are a bride looking for a bling wedding, then Jan at Floral Fusion in Costa Mesa is your lady.
A bride and I visited with her (it turned out to be a bit too blingy for this particular bride) and were both taken with all the bling Jan can incorporate into your celebration. Complete crystal centerpieces with a touch of floral if wanted, mirror table tops, crystals wrapped around everything. And per her company name, she does do florals. Walking into her store is like walking into a girls fairyland, made you smile/feel happy. Aaaaaah.
Till next time
Lisa
714 305 7112
Add a comment January 11, 2012
We are referred by ….
I am honored and understand the responsibility we accept when a location has us on their PREFERRED VENDOR lists. You can be taken off as quickly as you may have been put on (and over the years I have seen that happen). Nothing about being placed on the lists below was quick for us, we paid our dues by being seen at the properties working hard and as a team and having happy couples/families after and being in the industry for a long time. As a bride told me, she asked how vendors got on the list of that property and was told ‘they can’t pay their way on, they must earn it’.
Here are some of the hotels in the OC that cover a range of bride’s style and budget whose preferred vendor lists we are on:
Ritz-Carlton Dana Point (Laguna Niguel) – 11 years on the preferred list
St Regis Monarch Beach – since the day the hotel opened
Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach – since the day the hotel opened
Hyatt Regency Newport Beach – around 5 years
As a note, I am the only co-ordinator on all five lists, others are on 1 or 2, maybe 3 of the lists, but I am on all 5.
I am always pleasantly suprised to find out I am on other hotel/wedding location lists, and I know there is a variety of properties out there whose lists I am on, or a location/hotel has suggested to the bride/mom/groom to call me, especially when with most of these properties you are not required to have a co-ordinator.
If we can assist you with your planning/celebration, don’t hesitate to call or email. It would be our pleasure
Lisa
Check my blog out thru my website, you will see a variety of entries on the locations above and the various ceremony locations/reception areas they offer, some of 2011s are the most recent, but check the past blogs for your hotel or banquet space also and you can see some weddings from years past.
714 305 7112
Add a comment January 10, 2012
Placecard tables
My lovely ladies, assistants and I love a good placecard table. We love the rounds (much better for access for the guests) & putting some kind of a teaser piece courtesy of the florist/designer in the center. Below are just a few (the photos I got my hands on the quickest) to give a feel for different looks/feel/colors etc, all to enhance the theme or colors.
We have certainly seen our share of sand or moss boxes, trees with the placecards hanging, shells, rocks, favor/placecard combinations, framed blown up list on easels, your options are actually limitless it seems. Just be careful, what you may see as creative and fun, some of the guests find just plain annoying (we get to hear their comments, you don’t). If they can’t get to it due to ‘Uncle Fred’ taking his time finding his, they move on and either forget to come back or have to come back to the table before entering the room. If the print is too small or the table is in a dark area, it takes longer & people get quite frustrated. Having to check every hanging tag on a tree or board is annoying for them mostly and not really elegant when all you hear is people calling out names of people they have found hoping to be helpful. If the table is outside you must consider a breeze/wind, sometimes those little holders with the card slipped in become like a sail boat and start flying all over, the base must be heavy and the slit for the card big enough to be secure. Most guests don’t keep/do anything with the eiffel towers or whatever the stand is you want the cards to lean against/slot into, so don’t spend too much money, just enough to reinforce the theme and not be upset if you start to notice people leaving their little ‘stands’ on the tables.
As this is really an information card to ensure no seating challenges at the dining area and the guests time at this table should be minimal (just passing/seconds), it should be easy to understand/make sense/quick to grab.
Till next time
Lisa
714 305 7112
Add a comment January 9, 2012
We do Indian Wedding Celebrations
Above are just a few of the Indian ceremonies we have done, these being the photos I got my hands on the quickest.
We have orchestrated Indian wedding celebrations at the Ritz-Carlton/Laguna, St Regis/Monarch Beach (with elephant) and many at the Hyatt Huntington Beach (horses and elephants). A lot of couples/families choose the Hyatt HB due to the outside catering not being a big issue due to multiple kitchens/loadin access etc, and the main road for the hotel is not busy so you can have the groom come down the road on a horse or elephant for the baraat and celebrate in the convention valet area without interfering with any of the regular hotel traffic. A couple of the photos above were inside, one was planned the whole time inside because the next day we did a christian ceremony outside at the same hotel, so we didn’t want to duplicate or use the same area for both ceremonies. The other inside ceremony turned out to be the rainiest day I have ever seen in S CA in February, and due to the coolness outside even if it wasn’t raining it ended up being and would have been a much more comfortable experience for the guests and with the windows behind we still had an outside feel. The red and orange color combination has been very popular for many years, but as you can see above, some of our Indian brides are making it a bit more ‘their’ style/look/wedding. Some are multi day, some we are just doing one day. Always fun to do. I already have a couple for this year, so looking very forward to seeing them come to fruition.
If you are looking for a co-ordinator on preferred vendor lists with the major OC hotels and who is familiar with Indian wedding celebrations and loves doing them, give me a call, we would love to help you with your wedding.
Till next time
Lisa
714 305 7112
Add a comment January 8, 2012
Lisa Simpson Wedding Celebration's Blog 