Jean, Mike & Pepper at Sylvan Lake Estate

Jean, Mike and their dog Pepper are inseparable. So when Jean and Mike were planning to get married, OF COURSE they chose a dog-friendly venue, the beautiful Sylvan Lake Estate in the Wine Country, close to St. Helena. jmwedding-155

jmwedding-340 What’s next? A dog-friendly wedding planner! Enter my company, A Day Like No Other, the only wedding planning company specializing in dog-friendly weddings in Northern California. With that in place, we were ready to jump right into planning, design development and decor sourcing, vendor booking and all the myriad details that go into a big wedding.

As it happens, life and the couple’s demanding jobs interfered – planning got delayed – and things got pretty hectic toward the “home stretch!” But the effort was totally worth it. Look here how beautiful it all turned out!

Jean’s and Mike’s “home base” was Silverado Resort in Napa where the two were getting ready…

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… and dressing up for the Great Day…

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… with Pepper literally “underfoot!”

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Soon enough, it was time for the much-anticipated “First Look”…

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… and then for lots and lots of photos by The Shalom Imaginative and video coverage by Usman Baporia.

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The pretty bouquets (and later on, ceremony and reception flowers) were a labor of love by family friends.

Meanwhile, preparations for the festivities to come were underway at Sylvan Lake Estate. An arch was decorated for the wedding ceremony…

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… signage and guestbook were installed…

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jmwedding-194… Bekah Juencke and her team of Smokin’ Yankee’s BBQ Catering was cooking up a storm, Bartenders Unlimited set up the bars, and DJ Qzr installed the sound equipment while my assistant Kelsey, Pepper’s “Doggie Mom for the Day,” took Pepper on extended walks around the property.

jmwedding-183These two bonded immediately – we made sure that this was a fun day for Pepper as well! All the while, I had my hands full with arranging all the decor, coordinating vendor arrivals and deliveries, kitchen and table setup and and and… to get it all done before the guests were arriving.

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Time for the ceremony!

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Here comes the flower girl…

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… followed by the bride.

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Just married! An antique bronze bell was rung to announce the happy news, its sound carrying across the valley – it was truly a memorable moment!

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More photos – call this here the “official wedding portrait…”

While the couple was busy with photos and video, and their guests were enjoying Cocktail Hour, more preparations were underway for yet another ceremony: a traditional Korean Pae Baek (bowing ceremony) arranged by KPOP Party.

jmwedding-442Bride and groom changed into colorful traditional Korean garments.

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… and at the conclusion Mike, following tradition, had to carry Jean away “piggyback” – to the enjoyment of all their guests!

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After that, everyone sat down to dinner at long rows of tables, and the newlyweds and their bridal party were presiding from their Head Table.

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The mouthwatering menu was displayed on pretty signage:

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… and following these yummy choices, the couple’s favorite mochi were served AND there was still a whole cake and dessert bar by Sweetie Pies to “dig into!”

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In between, the photographers “stole away” the bride and groom for a few more romantic sunset photos…

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Following that, there was no holding back – the outdoor LED dance floor (by SF Dance Floors) was waiting, and the newlyweds opened it with their First Dance:

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… followed by an elaborate Father-Daughter dance performance.

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DJ Qzr got the crowd on the dance floor in no time – and what a party that was!

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Many happy years together, Jean and Mike, and our best wishes on your way!

And here is the “live” recap of this magical day, captured by videographer Usman Baporia:

 

 

 

Kerry, Howard and Lilly – Elegance and Fun at Cavallo Point Resort

I just returned from one of my all-time favorite weddings – my last one of this year – and I am still all excited about it! Where even to start? Great venues, a lovely couple, a super-cute doggie – and a wonderful surprise…

Bride Kerry approached my company, A Day Like No Other, in Spring for assistance with planning her wedding in November, and it seemed like a lot of time to go. Well – life happened, and planning got delayed – all of a sudden, things got quite hectic, and the last weeks of planning were quite a whirlwind, but in the end this one-of-a-kind celebration was so well worth all the effort. What was so exceptional? Kerry and Howard did not want a typical “wedding with all the bells and whistles and all the fanfare.” No bridesmaids or groomsmen, no bouquet toss, Grand Entrances or formal announcements, for starters.  They’d very much prefer an elegant dinner party vibe, unstuffy and fun for everyone. Did someone say “fun?” What I haven’t mentioned yet is that these two have a wonderful, slightly offbeat (the bride being British…) sense of humor, and so we had to throw in a super-fun surprise: a Tiki bar!

But I am getting way ahead of myself. Let’s start with the wedding day: an unusually warm, sunny November day that felt more like late Summer – simply perfect, with San Francisco showing itself from its most beautiful side. Kerry started the day with getting her hair done by Ernest Stout of Patrick Richards Salon – an elegant, but not extravagant updo in perfect proportion with her delicate features. Makeup artist Chris McDonald gave Kerry a natural look and accentuated her beautiful eyes with – yes! – faux lashes, and Kerry, although in general not a fan of makeup, could not believe how gorgeous she looked!

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Add to that an elegant, understated lace dress and hot-pink, drop-dead nubuck high heels…

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… AND an elegant bridal bouquet by Janelle Jacky-Litt of Green Petal Designs … in the bride’s favorite colors of soft dusty rose and mauve…

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… and we’re ready to go! Bill Snyder of Bauer’s IT Transportation drove her to the historic Swedenborgian Church in San Francisco’s Presidio Heights District, all decked out with candles,

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and Church hostess Holly Gottschalk snuck her in unseen through the back door, while both groom Howard and many wedding guests were already enjoying an alfresco reception in the Church courtyard with wine, beer and champagne served by Carlos Kronen’s  Bartender Company. Music by members of the Lucky Devils Band – solo guitar for the reception, a string trio for the ceremony – rounded out the happy gathering.

When the time came for the ceremony, the true star of the day – was not the bride (sorry, Kerry!) and not the groom either… but the couple’s dog Lilly, freshly groomed and adorned with a flower collar, who fulfilled her duties as a “flower pup” (dropping silk petals from a tiny basket hanging from her collar) with poise and irresistible charm.

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My assistant Quan, her “doggie Mom for the day,” made sure that Lilly enjoyed the day as much as her parents…

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My other two assistants, Annie and Christine, were meanwhile busy “behind the scenes,” helping me with everything from bar setup and breakdown to putting the finishing touches on our surprise Tiki bar. We were all quite busy!

After their ceremony, the newlyweds mingled with their guests in the Church courtyard for more cocktails, before being driven to their reception venue, the Cavallo Point Resort (the best SF Bay Area hotel by Travel & Leisure – and they do know!), where Catering Manager Lorraine Salceda and her team had prepared the Callippe Ballroom for dining…

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… with shimmering chocolate brown crinkle linens that the bride had purchased specifically for this event, and florist Janelle had adorned the long rows of tables with a profusion of candles and low arrangements mirroring the bride’s bouquet.

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Monique Albert of Just De’Lights had installed uplights that bathed the room in a dark amber glow, and the Lucky Devils were out in full force onstage to keep the whole party entertained, beginning with Cocktail Hour on the patio. Guests were treated to the famously delicious Cavallo Point cuisine, immediately followed by a slice of wedding cake…

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… from the venue’s in-house patissier (of French Laundry fame…). Once that was done, the couple had just a few more things to do: thank their guests…

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…  open the dance floor with their First Dance…

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… and unveil the big fun surprise of the evening: the Tiki bar in the adjacent Silverspot room:

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… complete with thatched umbrellas, a carved Tiki bench, real palm trees (all meticulously planned with Kenzi Blalock of Blueprint Studios) and a real Shuffleboard table (from Video Amusement)!

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Guests donned flower leis and sipped Mai Tais and Pineapple Margaritas from Tiki mugs and Pineapple Coconut martinis from hollowed-out coconuts, all served by bartender Steven clad in a Hawaiian shirt. That’s what I call a party!

Those who needed a break from dancing or a bit of fresh air were lounging around the fire pit on the patio under Monique’s string lights, feasting on a late-night snack of truffle fries, pulled-pork sliders and mini pizza.
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Not to forget, our photographers – Oscar Urizar from Red Eye Collection and his assistant- were tirelessly shooting all day – and night – to record those precious moments. Just wait until you see THEIR photos!

The only fault with this party – it had to come to an end at some point; way too early! One thing’s for sure: everyone had a great time, and this was, hands down, the most “fun” wedding of the year!