Yearly Archives: 2012

A Fabulous Family Festivity: Nicole and Isaac’s Wedding Celebration

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Every couple dreams of a wedding that’s one-of-a-kind and a reflection of who they are and what they treasure. Nicole and Isaac, the couple whose wedding I had the pleasure of coordinating yesterday, definitely did a fantastic job in making their celebration all their own.

Where to start? With the venue, perhaps – the historic Trocadero Clubhouse, a charming Victorian in a secluded Redwood Grove, a former officer’s club with a slight whiff of all the decadent pleasures of yesteryear still lingering in the brass and dark-red bar…

The 100 guests at their wedding were without exception all their personal friends and family; everyone knew everyone else – no introduction needed! And what’s more, Nicole’s and Isaac’s families came together to help them with all the Do-it-Yourself projects for their decorations. They made all the flower arrangements and the bouquets and boutonnieres for the bridal party.

The bride and groom, as a charming nod to their professional lives – they are both teachers – crafted miles and miles of paper chains for decor…

 

…and they designed, printed and embellished the ceremony programs themselves.

The tiny trees in burlap sacks doubled as escort cards and favors – and will serve guests as a living memory of the beautiful ceremony under the Redwoods for decades to come!

To document their Great Day, the couple enlisted photographer Nima Salimi who from the first portraits and family photos tirelessly captured every moment of the Great Day.

In their ceremony, Nicole and Isaac honored both their close family ties, their Jewish tradition and the bride’s German heritage – under a beautiful chuppah handcrafted by the Mother of the Bride, Officiant Zehava Dahan presided over an intensely personal ceremony that included elements of the Jewish faith as well as a reading of a famous German love poem by Rainer Maria Rilke, “Wie Soll Ich Meine Seele Halten…” – read by Nicole’s beloved Grandmother.

Following the ceremony, the newlyweds joined their guests for cocktails on the loggia of the Clubhouse as dusk fell and the setting turned truly magical:

Guests were treated to delicious organic food – appetizers to accompany the cocktails, followed by dinner in a truly joyous and colorful setting:

(Note: in keeping with the “German” inspiration, the table flowers were arranged in historic beer steins from the Mother of the Bride’s extensive collection!)

After getting started on organic heirloom tomato salad (see above), guests literally devoured the delicious authentic Italian pizza and lasagna prepared by Kristin Houk of All Good Pizza (she learned her trade in Sienna, Italy, and it shows, or – rather – tastes!) While guests were dining, DJ Aaron “Goldmyne” entertained the crowd with music from his collection of original ’45 vinyls – and the rousing favorite was the repeated Bavarian drink song “Ein Prosit der Gemuetlichkeit!” (as far as that can be translated into American culture: “Cheers to – everything like good times, camaraderie, and coziness…”), and that definitely captured the exuberant mood of the evening.

Nicole’s and Isaac’s First Dance…

… was just the beginning of a huge dance party where really everyone joined in, with breaks only for a quick visit to the bar…

… and to grab one of the delicious cupcakes by Elspeth Peliccica- the vanilla ones were my personal favorite – soft, airy cake topped by a luscious, creamy frosting with an intense and really satisfying vanilla flavor, not too sweet – a perfect balance!

The party was so beautiful that guests stayed on until the very last minute…

… to wave the newlyweds goodbye, taking off to their mini-Honeymoon.

Congratulations, Nicole and Isaac, to a wonderful wedding, a fabulous party – and our very best wishes on the way for the two of you!

 

Wedding Coordination and Design Consultation: A Day Like No Other www.daylikenoother.com

Thanks to my Dream Team of the day:

Venue:  Trocadero Clubhouse, Stern Grove, San Francisco

Officiant: Zehava Dahan, Life Cycle Events, [email protected]

Caterer: All Good Pizza, www.allgoodpizza.com

Dessert: Elspeth Peliccica, [email protected]

Photographer: Nima Salimi, [email protected]

Florals and Decor: DIY – bride, groom, and families

Entertainment: DJ Goldmyne, [email protected]

Rentals: Classic Party Rentals, www.classicpartyrentals.com

 

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Alexa’s and Sean’s Dream Wedding: General’s Residence, Fort Mason, SF

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Last week, I had the pleasure of coordinating a big wedding I had been working on for many months – and not only me! Especially Alexa, the bride, and her Mom, Cindy, were very actively involved in every aspect of the planning process. To be precise: Alexa had been working on it for all of her engagement time. Sixteen months! And finally, finally, the Great Day arrived – and what a day it was! San Francisco and the Bay showed themselves from their very best side, under a clear blue sky, golden Sun, and light breeze; a dream come true.

Let’s step back in time, at least for one day: to Rehearsal Dinner! Sean’s, the groom’s, parents had invited not only the bridal party, closest friends and family, but also all out-of-town guests (and those were many!) to Il Fornaio Restaurant on the SF waterfront, an Italian institution in the City. And with good reason: the food is just delicious, and the indoor-outdoor setup has so much atmosphere. When darkness fell, the setting turned just magical:

Guests feasted and celebrated until nearly midnight – and got into the right festive mood for the Great Day ahead!

That day began for the bride and her bridesmaids at Milvali Hair Salon, from where they arrived at the wedding venue, the General’s Residence at Fort Mason. Fort Mason had originally been built as a military outpost to protect the City of San Francisco, and our beautiful wedding venue, built in 1878, was the mansion where the Commanding General resided with his family. Hence the name, and hence the architectural beauty and luxury! The General’s Residence overlooks the SF Bay with Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge in the distance, and Alexa and Sean chose to tie the knot on the back lawn; see above.

So, Alexa and her eight bridesmaids enjoyed a late-morning treatment in our on-site beauty salon, receiving professional make-up by Jennifer Granatelli and her assistant in the former General’s living room.

Then it was time to get into that fantasy of a wedding dress – Reem Acra, with crystal embellishments – and present herself to her groom:

After that, I had to rush the two out to the back lawn where 200 guests had gathered in anticipation of the ceremony, officiated by a long-time family friend and teacher of Sean’s, Kathy Gannon Briggs.

“You may now kiss the bride!” –

Another romantic image at sunset, captured by our wonderful photographer Jennifer and, of course, videographer Gusto:

At the same time, the groomsmen were having fun with one of the antique cannons, left over from military times:

But: you haven’t seen the bouquet yet, have you? It’s a labor of love by the bride’s Mom, and it took more than a year to make:

And the rings…

Aren’t these beautiful?

And here is the official wedding photo:

From there – off to an elegant cocktail reception, followed by a festive dinner, provided by Carrie Dove Catering. Guests found their seats on escort cards, each hung on a single peacock feather, forming an impressive arrangement:

In keeping with the “Vintage/Glamour San Francisco” theme, guests enjoyed food stations showcasing iconic San Francisco neighborhoods like “North Beach” (Italian), “The Mission” (Mexican) and “Chinatown” as well as a blue-and-golden dessert buffet themed on another San Francisco institution: Ghirardelli chocolates. The tables were decorated with jewel-toned flower arrangements by Diana from Stems Floral Boutique who also provided the bridesmaids’ bouquets. All that glamour and indulgence was complemented by light-hearted fun at the Grand Entrance of the Bridal Party – look here:

Guests had a blast with a photo booth provided by Swag Bunch:

More merriment to follow with DJ Brian Holmes (Denon and Doyle Entertainment) and his rousing dance music, kicked off by this romantic First Dance:

Sheer happiness – wishing you the traditional Italian blessing quoted by Alexa’s Mom in her toast: “May you fall in love many, many times – always with each other!”

 

Wedding Coordination and design: A Day Like No Other, [email protected]

Many, many thanks to my “Dream Team:”

Kathy Gannon Briggs, officiant;

Brianna Hussey, Site Coordinator [email protected]

Jennifer Granatelli, [email protected]

Milvali Hair Salon, Alicia – www.milvali.com

Carrie Dove Catering, Amanda Fabbri, [email protected]

Photographer: Jennifer Michelson, [email protected]

Videographer: Gusto Lopez, [email protected]

Floral arrangements: Diana Rasta, Stems Floral Boutique, [email protected]

Entertainment and Lighting: Brian Holmes, [email protected]

Photo booth: www.swagbunch.com

Transportation: City Express Limousine Service, [email protected]

 

 

 

 

Downtown Design (plus Dog!) – fab fetes @ sfdc

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This weekend I had the honor and the pleasure to assist my friend Duncan – none less than the famed Duncan Reyes of Events by Design (www.duncanreyes.com) – in a very hip wedding celebration at the San Francisco Design Center. You didn’t know that was possible at all, I bet! It’s a pretty spectacular and ubercool venue, I can tell you that much. AND, Wedding WOOF readers listen up: it’s dog-friendly! Unbelievable.

First things first. sfdc is located in the heart of the Design District in San Francisco at 101 Henry Adams Street – a historic brick warehouse from the outside…

…and totally hip and cutting-edge modern from the inside:

The ground floor holds up to 1,000 guests (yes, you got that right!) and the four floors rising above hold another 200 each. That should be plenty for any wedding celebration! You can rent either the first floor only or the first floor and additional floors. And the first floor is, lo and behold, dog friendly! As long as Fido is leashed and supervised, he (or she…) is welcome. So, brides and grooms, bring your beloved four-legged companion to your nuptials! Just make sure your darling can leave before the music gets too loud (not good at all for sensitive doggie ears!) or dinner is served (SF Health Code gets in the way…) You could still pack a doggie bag for doggie and send him/her home with a loving caregiver while you are dining, drinking, and dancing the night away!

Organizing a fabulous fete at sfdc isn’t that hard: They offer tables and chairs, in-house bar service, and dramatic in-house lighting. Add catering, florals, and music – there you go! Julia Wagner, Galleria Events Manager, will take care of all your needs ([email protected]), and Chuck Davis is in charge of the lighting ([email protected]).

Our wonderful couple – Mo and Jason – and fabulous Duncan Reyes added quite some more; from additional atmosphere lighting and table pinspotting (www.atmospherelights.showitsite.com)…

custom linens and stunning florals from Tanjeeryn Designs (www.tanjeeryn-designs.com)

to delicacies from Melons Catering (www.melonscatering.com) and a beautiful wedding cake from Chef Bala at The Cakemaker (www.cakemaker.net). The festivities were documented by well-known photographer Guru Khalsa ([email protected]) and first-rate musical entertainment for their guests was provided  by Synchronicity Strings (www.synchrostrings.com, ceremony and reception music)…

…followed by DJ Jason Mitchell performing (www.msdjs.net) – and, WOW, did he get the crowd going! Mo and Jason had the time of their lives, that’s for sure.

They used the sfdc ground floor for their ceremony – second floor for cocktail hour – then back to the ground floor for the rest of the evening with dinner and dancing. Perfect!

And here are a few more impressions of what YOUR wedding at the sfdc could look like:

or…

So – inspired, all your hip, urban-chic, dog-loving brides and grooms? Go for it! Happy planning!

 

Pretty Design by A Day Like No Other: Welcome Bags for Out-of-Town Wedding Guests

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For a recent wedding with a black-and-shocking-pink color theme, I designed welcome bags for out-of-town wedding guests. It was such a nice idea of the couple to greet them with a very personal welcome bag, waiting in their hotel rooms. (Their response was overwhelming, by the way!) I just thought of what they might enjoy most after a possibly long trip: water, snacks, something typical of the area, a local map, some advice regarding sightseeing and restaurants, and, of course, some personal words of welcome from the bride and groom. Here is what went into my bags:

The local flavor of the San Francisco Bay Area comes from the Ghirardelli chocolates, and even the water bottles are from the nearby Sierra. A walking map of the area where the wedding was held rounds out the local information – ask at your local Chamber of Commerce. Mine were free!

And here is my material:

High-gloss black paper bags, hot pink tissue paper and sateen ribbon and personalized hang tags in a decidedly modern styling: bold with lowercase lettering.

Here are my bags, rows and rows of them, filled with goodies, decoratively stuffed with color-coordinated tissue paper on top…

… and of course a nice bow, tied with the hang tag.

 

It’s a Dog’s Life…

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Dear readers who keep coming back to Wedding Woof mainly because of the “Woof” part – here’s to you!

Our own “woof,” Buzz, has a beautiful girlfriend (of course) whom he goes to visit regularly – Sage – and she sent him a boudoir shot of herself today – in diva pose! It’s the incarnation of sheer bliss… I’ll come back as a dog!!

Diva Sage

Real Weddings: A Diamond Anniversary and a Lifetime of Love

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A Diamond Anniversary – that’s sixty years of marriage, a whole lifetime. Needless to say how rare and special it is for a couple to celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary!

We are honored to be guests at one of these very, very special occasions: Dr. Peter   Zude Pan, 88, born in Shanghai, and Dr. Rosie Yan Tang, 87, born in Wuxi, China, celebrated six decades as husband and wife at the romantic Forest Hill Clubhouse in San Francisco on August 11. Here they are:

The couple and their children shared their amazing life story with us, and here it is:

Peter and Rosie are both MDs, Peter a general surgeon and editor of a medical magazine, and Rosie an internist. They met at St. John’s University’s Medical School in Shanghai, on an organized excursion to the Yellow Mountain in Anhui Province. Peter – then in his third year at Medical School – was instantly impressed with Rosie’s poise, graciousness, and bravery. Later Peter started his internships at St. Luke Hospital, where Rosie worked,  and they quickly became friends. Soon enough, they fell in love, and shortly before his graduation from Medical School, Peter proposed. On August 10, 1952, their wedding was held at Jinjiang Hotel in Shanghai, with about 200 guests attending.

Soon the young couple welcomed their children: daughters Annie and Julia and son Paul. They were happy. Life was good.

But in 1966, their country was thrown into turmoil by Mao Zedong’s Cultural Revolution, and their family had to suffer enormous hardship. As intellectuals, they were especially targeted as possible ‘enemies of the revolution.’ With tremendous fortitude, Peter and Rosie endured all the unfair criticism, unjustified accusations and constant mistreatment they were subjected to. Their children were not even permitted to finish their elementary school education. Annie was sent to work on a faraway farm (She later became a ‘barefoot doctor.’) Julia was assigned to work at a textile factory, and Paul at a photo studio. It was a horrible ten years. But somehow Rosie and Peter were able to keep their family together. They made sure all their children would receive higher education and starting in 1979, they sent them to the U.S. and Canada.

Peter and Rosie kept working in health care in China. After professional careers spanning more than four decades, they fully retired in 1992 and moved from Shanghai to San Francisco to join their children – as well as son-in-law John and grandchildren Isaac, Sarah and Franz. They really enjoy and embrace beautiful San Francisco, their new home for the last 20 years. They celebrated their 40th and 50th anniversaries at Annie and John’s home in Los Angeles.

Rosie’s and Peter’s “Ruby” Anniversary – 40 years

Rosie’s and Peter’s Golden Anniversary: 50 years

And on 8/11/12, nearly on the day sixty years after that festive wedding in Shanghai, they had a gathering with 70 guests for their 60th wedding anniversary at the beautiful Forest Hill Clubhouse in San Francisco. They received greetings from Mayor Lee, Governor Brown and President and Mrs. Obama.

With nearly half of all marriages in the United States failing, we wanted to know what the secret of their long-lasting and successful marriage is? How did they manage to stay together despite all the hardship they had to go through?

And here are their answers: it helps to have a similar family background, similar education and profession, and a similar appreciation of family values. They also share hobbies, especially a love of reading and writing. For their 50th anniversary, they even self-published a book, titled “The Traces of Our Life,” a compilation of their essays. While Rosie enjoys travel and museum visits, Peter is fond of music and singing, movies and sport. And that’s another one of their secrets: appreciate what you have in common, but respect your differences. And don’t ever forget to be giving and forgiving. True words of wisdom! We will take all that to heart…

But that’s not all yet about Rosie and Peter: it would seem they were truly destined for one another.  The stars were obviously aligned for their union… how could that be? Listen to the most amazing ‘background’ love story you’ve ever heard!

Peter’s father and Rosie’s parents had met socially shortly after Peter was born, and while Rosie’s mother was expecting Rosie. They liked one another, so all of the parents silently thought how nice it would be if their children would get together… but since arranged marriage had been officially abolished by that time, none of them ever mentioned that idea aloud. 27 years later that baby boy and that baby girl happened to meet and to fall in love all on their own… It was meant to be!

Congratulations and our very best wishes, Rosie and Peter, for many more happy years together and with your family!

 

Photos courtesy of Paul Pan Photography

 

Real Weddings: Westie Wedding with WOW!

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It was a warm July day when Pharmacist Dr. Banjie Quiambao married her Prince Charming, Ed Vergara, JD. The traditional Catholic ceremony took place at St. Mary’s Parish in Gilroy with Father Dan Derry presiding.
Waiting in the wings, donned in his tuxedo and boutonniere and looking like the most handsome boy in the world, was their fur-baby, Riley, a Westie-Terrier mix with the perfect piggie-pink nose.  Once the wedding got started, wedding planner Patty Speirs of Every Last Detail went back to to the bride’s house to pick up the Pup of Honor, who was as cool as a cucumber riding shotgun.  Once at the church, he nearly stole the show with all the oo’s and ahh’s and plenty of smiles and pats on the head as the ceremony progressed.
As the New Mr. and Mrs. Vergara walked back down the aisle, Riley was there to congratulate them.
After the formal photographs at the church, Riley took an early leave…
..and headed home while Mom and Dad headed to the reception in style via classic Rolls Royce, chauffeured by George from Elegant Journey Limousine.
The bride and groom arrived at the Monterey Embassy Suites in time to sneak into the ballroom to see it in all its beauty and splendor with decor provided by LauraT decor.  The tables were named after prescription drugs, a nod to Banjie’s career…
… and the favors were medicine vials full of yummy candies – with special prescription labels and instructions to take two a day for happiness! (No bitter medicine today…)
The guests imbibed with Banja-lini’s and Vergartini’s – signature drinks named after the bride and groom – and had a blast letting loose in the photobooth provided by Peninsula Photo Booth.
The cake was created by Freedom Bakery, and the WOW factor was a surprise visit and performances by Dean Martin, on loan from the Rat Pack.

Dean Martin with wedding planner Patty

All in all, a classy, elegant and fun wedding celebration with WOW and WOOF!
Wedding Planner: Every Last Detail, eldweddings.com
Transportation: Elegant Journey, www.ejlimo.com
Venue: Monterey Embassy Suites, www.embassysuites.hilton.com/Monterey
Peninsula Photo Booth, www.peninsulaphotobooths.com
Freedom Bakery, www.fbandc.com

Food and Wine, Sun and Fun: a Sonoma “Daycation!”

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Let me share with you the absolutely wonderful day I had today, fleeing the San Francisco summer fog for the mediterranean sun of the Wine Country!

My dear friend and mentor Joyce Scardina Becker of Events of Distinction, founding president of WIPA (Wedding Industry Professionals Association), invited me to join her for one of their fabulous events, this time at Annadel Estate Winery in Sonoma (Joyce’s assistant, Pelin, even gave us a ride – and she is a fantastic chauffeuse!) So, off we went, leaving the cold and fog behind to enjoy true joie de vivre. 

Annadel Winery itself is a sight to behold – 35 acres of beautiful scenery, old stone walls, and lush greenery; complete with a rustic barn…

and a cozy cottage for the bride (the perfect get-ready spot!)

Guests were greeted at a welcome reception on the scenic lawn, beautifully outfitted with antique items by Wine Country Party and Events, and treated to delicious small plates and wine.

I had the pleasure not only of meeting friends again, like Dina Balatti of Bella Celebrations who co-chaired this gathering (and had to work hard while everyone else was partying…) and Pat Gibbons who just added a line of cute handpainted and kiln-fired glass gem magnets (to go on escort cards) to her creative selection – but also finally met Emily Dreblow, the creative genius behind Soulflower Design. I had admired her floral creations in Ceremony Magazine and finally had the opportunity to tell her that in person! Speaking of Ceremony Magazine: editor-in-chief Amy Harris also attended, radiant as always. (Quite an A-list gathering of the Bay Area Wedding World, I can tell you…)

For lunch we all gathered in the “ruin courtyard,” where the original winery had once been – and the remaining walls lend the space an air of romantic seclusion and nostalgic charm. Round tables and benches under market umbrellas, beautiful tablecloths from Sharon Dexmier’s Napa Valley Linens (who as the current president of WIPA was the hostess of the day) and floral arrangements of green hydrangeas and yellow tea roses – from the extensive flower fields on the Annadel grounds – created an ambiance of carefree, rustic, yet VERY upscale summer leisure.

While we were feasting on a light lunch, Guest Speaker Liene Stevens educated us on the challenges we are facing with the “Millenials,” the current generation of brides and grooms who have grown up with computers, are relying heavily on social media and often base their decisions more on their own research and on the input of their Facebook friends than on established reputations. Often raised in the belief that they not only ARE special but DESERVE special treatment, they expect the best and want a unique, standout event for their wedding; not necessarily to put themselves in the spotlight, but to ultimately WOW their guests. So: custom and one-of-a-kind are becoming the new standard and the unspoken expectation. Get used to it…

Conversation around the tables swirled and proved right away how spot-on today’s lecture topic is! But aside from the learning experience of the lecture, we all had, of course, also the meeting experience: new colleagues and connections, that is! For me it was the team of Here Comes The Guide, everyone’s “bible” of venues and vendors: Denise Auerbach, Jenna Miller, and Angela Mullan. Who wouldn’t want to be in there?! And then I finally came to meet in person event planners Gloria Wong Tritasavit and Jubilee Lau who had invited me to so many great events and whom I had so far only “known” by email. Face-to-face is still better! Young mothers, both of them, they often cooperate which gives them more time around their little ones. That’s the way to do it! Last but not least, I had the pleasure of connecting with Isabelle Adams (also a co-chair of the event), Director of Special Events at Wilson Artisan Wineries, a company that owns several properties in the Wine Country, ALL of them – listen up, “Woof” people among the Wedding Woof crowd! – open for dog-friendly weddings. Can’t wait to do one with her in the beautiful scenery and in the sun… (we’ll provide water and shade for Fido, promise!)

To conclude the festivities, we all raided the dessert buffet, provided by Crisp Bake Shop. My favorites were the melt-in-your-mouth shortbread cookies filled with a beautifully balanced salted dulce de leche cream. Delicious!

And here is a little preview of what a wedding at Annadel can look like:

 

I think it’s magical… What a day!

 

Annadel Winery www.annadelestatewinery.com

Events of Distinction www.eventsofdistinction.com

Wine Country Party and Events www.winecountryparty.com

Bella Celebrations www.bellacelebrations.com

Pat Gibbons www.patgibbonsfloral.com

Soulflower Design, soulflowersf.com

Ceremony Magazine, www.CeremonyMagazine.com

Napa Valley Linens www.nvlinens.com

Here Comes The Guide www.HereComesTheGuide.com

Gloria Wong Design www.gloriawongdesign.com

Jubilee Lau Events www.jubileelauevents.com

Isabelle Adams www.sodarockwinery.com

Crisp Bake Shop www.crispbakeshop.com

Live from Duncan’s Downtown Birthday “Madness!”

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A minute ago I returned  home from a FABULOUS event, and I’m still all giddy about it – Duncan’s Downtown Bday party! Duncan – who? Duncan Reyes, of course – who certainly does NOT need any kind of introduction. But, should you by any chance not belong to the 99.9% of people “in the know” who he is: he is the “wedding guru of the Bay Area,” as quite a few of his guests reverently referred to him. And, believe me, he deserves every bit of that honorary title!

Just back from orchestrating a HUGE wedding in Mumbai, India (the talk of the evening was a whispered total cost in the 7-digit range…), Duncan used his regular “Martini Madness” events for colleagues and friends for an early Birthday celebration – and tout le (chic!) monde flocked to Infusion Lounge in downtown San Francisco to join in the celebration. And I was lucky enough to be one of them!

Duncan, the devoted doggie Dad (to his diva, “Bella”) and I, equally devoted doggie Mom to “Buzz,”  (the “Woof” in Wedding Woof) immediately found out that we are sharing a big interest! Here he is with his furry muse:

Beautiful, no?

Well, “beautiful” was definitely the motto of the evening… starting with the location: Infusion Lounge, an ultra-hip bar in the heart of San Francisco, bathed in truly magical lighting:

Talk about chic… and the guests were definitely a crowd to match – a Who’s Who of the Bay Area’s foremost wedding professionals: fellow event coordinator Tony White of Extreme Elegance, BluBungalow Event Studio founder Hazel Bourget, Anastasia Alvarado of Grace Street Catering, event and catering managers Cristina Lopez of Kimpton Hotels and Katie Orndorff and Siba Tarassoly of Marriott – who assured me that both all Kimpton Hotels (Argonaut, Harbor Court, and Tuscan Inn in SF) and the downtown Marriott are, in fact, very dog-friendly! So listen up, all the “Woof” fans of Wedding Woof… that’s for you and your four-legged darlings! On to Robbie Schlosser of Magnolia Jazz Band who has been entertaining guests in the Bay Area since 1975 and rightfully considers himself a “veteran” – and whom, in fact, absolutely everyone greeted affectionately – “everyone knows Robbie!” Olympic Gold for the highest presence by sheer numbers, however, goes to the photographers who transform all these incredible events into tangible memories: Alex Ho, Auey Santos, Orbie Pullen and husband-and-wife team Ariel and Samuel Soto-Suver of Bowerbird Photography, “senior statesman” Richard Mayer, and Mike Steelman with the one-of-a kind steel (!) engraved business card… as I said – le Beau Monde, and brimming with creativity!

Birthday Boy Duncan took personal care of each and every one of his guests, inviting them to fun photo shoots in a photo booth with lots of hilarious props (think masks, hats, neon feather boas…) while his Mom and Sis were proudly looking on. He certainly is the quintessential, perfect party host!

Thanks for having us all, Duncan, and have a wonderful, successful and totally happy new year in your life!

 

Duncan Reyes/ Events by Design, www.duncanreyes.com

Infusion Lounge, infusionlounge.com

Tony White/ Extreme Elegance, extremeelegancebytony.com

Hazel Bourget/ BluBungalow,www.blubungalow.com

Anastasia Alvarado/ Grace Street Catering, www.gracestreet.wordpress.com

Cristina Lopez/Kimpton Hotels, [email protected]

Katie Orndorff/Marriott SF, [email protected]

Siba Tarassoly/Marriott SF, [email protected]

Robbie Schlosser, Magnolia Jazz Band, MagnoliaJazz.com

Alex Ho, alexhophotography.com

Auey Santos/Photograffiti, www.photograffiti.net

Orbie Pullen, orbiepullen.com

Ariel and Samuel Soto-Suver/Bowerbird Photography, www.bowerbirdphotography.com

Richard Mayer, www.MayerPhoto.com

Mike Steelman, mikesteelman.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Live from: City Scene Soiree by Ceremony Magazine!

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I’ve just come home from a really, really special event – by invitation only – hosted by Amy and James Harrick of Ceremony Magazine for Bay Area wedding pros (www.ceremonymagazine.com). First of all: thanks for having me, Amy and James! It was quite spectacular, and for me the evening was full of discoveries. Hard to believe, but even for me, the longtime San Franciscan by choice, the location was my first discovery: I had never been on Treasure Island in 13 years! Treasure Island is an artificial island in the middle of the San Francisco Bay, where the Bay Bridge takes a little rest before hopping all the way across to Oakland on the other side. Easy to imagine, the views from Treasure Island are just breathtaking – the whole San Francisco skyline just across the water!

The venue itself is a pavilion – but what a pavilion (www.pavilionbythebay.com)! It comes with all the bells and whistles:

It’s a huge event space inside ( capacity up to 440 seated!) that lends itself to all sorts of decorations and lighting (provided today by allegra entertainment and events, allegraevents.com) – changing colors like a chameleon at the push of a button! Tonight’s fabulous party showcased some of the best wedding vendors in the Bay Area, and of course “tout le monde” was flocking toward the “soiree du jour!” Not only did I have the pleasure of meeting quite a few of the luminaries of the SF wedding scene – Joyce Scardina Becker of Events of Distinction (eventsofdistinction.com), for example, and Dina Balatti from Bella Celebrations (www.bellacelebrations.com); florist Pat Gibbons (www.patgibbonsfloral.com); photographers Kevin Chin (www.kevinchin.com) and Catherine Hall (catherinehall.net) and and and… – I also enjoyed tremendously all the displays and the incredible food. Speaking of which: passed hors d’oeuvres (tiny pieces of art!) and melt-in-your-mouth scallops on oh-so-creamy risotto were provided by Wine Valley Catering (www.winevalleycatering.com, associated with the venue, Pavilion by the Bay), and complemented by delicious cupcakes from Sift:

Mouthwatering, no? And they come in some 15 (fifteen!) different flavors… Will definitely file that information away for future (wedding dessert buffet planning) use! (siftcupcakes.com)

And since I’ve already progressed to dessert, I’ll round that out with the coffee revelation of the day. As is nearly a cliche, we San Franciscans always have our hands full, one of them constantly holding a cup of coffee. I am no exception, not at all! I am actually a coffee addict of sorts… and so Travelin’ Joe’s espresso bar was exactly what I needed right there and then (lattesandwaffles.com)! Just imagine how that’ll look and feel at a wedding reception: all the specialty coffees you crave, from lattes to espressos, AND fresh-baked waffles to go with them… doesn’t get much better than that!

So that you don’t get the impression I went there only for the food – I also discovered stunning floral design:

Over-the-top centerpiece by Flower Divas

II especially loved the table settings to go with that huge centerpiece with a rhinestone “belt” around the napkin and menu (flowerdivas.com):

Rhinestones and orchids

Lastly, my personal discovery of the night: I do love color!! You know, I always used to consider myself a “pastel” person with a preference for subdued color schemes. But I may have to reconsider! Look at this incredible table arrangement by Michael Daigian Design (www.michaeldaigian.com):

That stunning display could turn me into a true believer! One more proof that there is nothing like too much of a good thing…