Work hard – Play hard at “Bespoke!”

Posted on April 24, 2015 by jlammerts

The SF Bay Area and especially Silicon Valley are famous for their “Work hard/play hard” attitude – and we all got the perfect venue for that lifestyle delivered to our doorstep!

My friend Fernando Ciurlizza of La Bonne Cuisine got me one of the coveted invitations to opening night at Bespoke (Mille merci, Fernando!) and there I was, in the middle of ONE. IMPRESSIVE. SPACE. But I am definitely getting ahead of myself… a few more explanations!

Bespoke is an entirely new concept, bringing together cutting-edge, high-tech work space for 250 and (equally high-tech) party space for up to 1200 (!!) in a super-central, convenient location: the upscale Westfield Shopping Mall in the heart of San Francisco:

Easy to reach, and – while unexpected as a location – just so convenient to shops…

Bespoke occupies a good part of the 4th floor, alongside a collection of restaurants, right under the impressive cupola.

Work spaces at Bespoke offer each and every technical highlight one might require…

from single work stations to small conference rooms – and the design is impeccable. To me, that makes working a lot more enjoyable!

Speaking of which – here’s the party space, tricked out with all the bells and whistles of A/V, lighting and data connectivity:

Fashion show, anyone? Projection? Conference setup? Or rather dining?

And after dining – the party’s kicking loose for good! Look at these light effects…

Isn’t that fun? Throw in some music… and people will refuse to leave. I guarantee it!

While I assume that Bespoke will be the biggest hit with the “hi-tech crowd,” I can well imagine a “techie” couple throwing a wild dance party here for their nuptials… the design and entertainment possibilities are pretty endless at Bespoke!

Whirlwind Planning for a Beautiful Wedding: Catherine and Jithun

Posted on April 18, 2015 by jlammerts

Last December, Catherine and Jithun enlisted my company, A Day Like No Other, to help them plan their wedding in August of this year, complete with traditional elements from Jithun’s native India – a Sangeet (dance party) a day before, for example… and of course a big Western style wedding. The even bigger Indian wedding would then follow shortly after, organized and hosted by the groom’s family in India. We were already right in the middle of all this planning … when the unexpected happened. A serious illness in the family forced Catherine and Jithun to move their wedding date up: to the following Sunday! Suddenly, we did not have another four months for planning, but a mere four DAYS.

Definitely a challenge! And definitely time to call in favors within my network of fantastic vendors – many of whom have become my friends over the years. I started making phone calls, and what happened was nothing short of a little miracle- everyone was immediately on board, and everyone agreed: we will make sure that these two wonderful young people will get more than an “emergency affair.” No, we would give them a joyful, memorable wedding celebration with all the bells and whistles we’d be able to muster!

First order of the day: find a new venue! On our first day of emergency planning, I received three offers, and Catherine chose the elegant Casa Madrona Hotel in Sausalito …

… just across the Golden Gate Bridge …

… and overlooking the San Francisco Bay and the Sausalito Yacht Harbor:

Catering would be provided by Poggio Trattoria next door – they cater all of Casa Madrona’s special events, and their food is simply stellar.

Catherine’s childhood Rabbi made himself available for an evening wedding ceremony, and florist Deidre Rastelli of Tutti Fiori provided a beautiful antique chuppah which she decorated over and over with the flowers of the bride’s choice.

And of course she made a bridal bouquet exactly as Catherine had envisioned it, in a saturated maroon color (her second accent color, together with an aquamarine blue). And boutonnieres. And bridesmaids’ bouquets. And centerpieces. Everything!

Jira of Wowpretty Salon sent two senior stylists…

and a wedding dress (the original one won’t get ready until May…) and pretty sandals were rush-ordered; the bride would wear her own stunning aquamarine jewelry… here we go! Catherine, more beautiful and radiant than ever…

And what a dapper groom she has!

My assistant Kelsey jumped in at the last minute and accompanied bride and groom and their families and guests throughout the day, from setup and hair/makeup session to ceremony, dinner and dancing – and provided our first photos of the day, until we get all the “real” ones from our photographer, Shhivika Chauhan. (We got a few from her already as a little preview – you see how fantastic they are!). Shhivika was already booked by another couple until early afternoon of that same day, but for her there was no question whatsoever: she headed over directly from her morning job to shoot Catherine’s wedding!

The Casa Madrona staff under the guidance of catering manager Stacey Turner did a beautiful job setting up the ceremony with a view of the yacht harbor, with the chuppah outside and the guest seating sheltered, inside.

Cellist Suellen Primost gathered her Espiritu Ensemble for elegant ceremony music, and then the great moment had come…

Thomas Hughes Films live-streamed the ceremony for all those who hadn’t been able to attend at such short notice (and of course, they covered the festivities following the ceremony as well…)

Just married!

Aren’t they a handsome couple?!

Cocktails were served on the adjacent patio, with guests watching the golden light of the sunset.

Meanwhile, my assistant Kelsey, catering manager Stacey and her team set up the dining room…

complete with Catherine’s dream cake by Cake Coquette and favor boxes with French macarons from Chantal Guillon, all in her favorite wedding colors!

DJ Paul Burchfield of BigFunDJs got his equipment ready first for soft background music during dinner and then exuberant dance music, ranging from Frank Sinatra to Bollywood hits (yes!) and, of course, the Hora Dance:

It was a magical night…

Thank you to all who made it possible, and congratulations and many happy years together to Catherine and Jithun!

A Midsummernight’s Dream for Katherine and David

Posted on April 16, 2015 by jlammerts

When Katherine and David, then just engaged …

… chose my company, A Day Like No Other, for their wedding coordination and design more than a year back, Katherine’s guideline was, “a Midsummernight’s Dream celebration.”

I loved that idea! Just a few stumbling blocks on the way… among others, that the wedding wouldn’t happen in summer, rather – in late spring. And that the venue needed to hold 200 guests, the original number envisioned by the couple. And that their first choice venue didn’t work out. So… I had a chance to jump into action right away! I happened to know a venue that was quite similar in ambiance, just a little further away, but in a geographic area with a very stable, warm climate, as our guarantee for the “midsummer” weather: Holman Ranch in Carmel Valley! This romantic, beautiful property amid rolling hills and vineyards was love at first sight for Katherine and David.

Once that was in place, the hard work started in earnest. First off: choose catering! The two wanted a relaxed dinner with food stations, “honest, yummy food” and free seating, and they found Paradise Catering, providing them with a BBQ station, salad station, and grilled cheese and tomato soup station (my total favorite!!), delicious hors d’oeuvres and a full bar, of course. The seating – wooden benches and coffee tables along with traditional dining tables – came from Chic Event Rentals (as did the professional lighting). Wedding cakes and cookies on a beautifully decorated buffet were provided by Nga.Che ([email protected]).

Speaking of decor… here we tapped into the couple’s shared profession! They are both pharmacists, so table decor consisted of a variety of apothecary jars serving as terrariums as well as antique medicine bottles…

… and for wedding favors, guests received miniature mortars and pestles, the tools of the pharmaceutical trade!

Katherine chose stylist/florist Natasha Kolenko for her flowers to complement the lush greenery and blooming rose hedges on property and to evoke a feminine, romantic feel in muted colors of apricot, silvery green, and ivory.

And here is our bride, in full hair and make-up by Hanh Nguyen of Beauteme ([email protected])…

… and a dramatic dream wedding dress by Galia Lahav. Time to meet her groom: First Look!

Guests were meanwhile arriving at the ceremony lawn, welcomed by a refreshment station, guestbook and gift table.

Finally the great moment had come: the bride was escorted to the ceremony by both her parents.

After their “I Do’s,” the couple went off for photos with acclaimed photographer Clane Gessel and videographer Doug Davis (DPWeddings) who captured the whole day from start to finish. Just wait until you see their photos and video!!

Guests meanwhile enjoyed cocktails under a beautiful arbor and lawn games…

… music by DJ Darion Bonnet and entertainment at the Photo Booth with Nick Napoli (both: DNA Entertainment). Meanwhile all the little ones (a lot of them!) had fun in the game room playing and doing craft projects with babysitter Rachelle Parrs ([email protected]).

With dusk and then night falling, the atmosphere turned downright magical, and after dinner everyone was in the mood for dancing in the historic Carriage House! They were directed there by the signage I had designed in exactly the same style as the wedding invitations…

First, of course, went our couple:

… opening the dance floor to everyone. The rest of the evening went by way too fast with dancing, cake cutting…

… bouquet and garter tosses, a Grand Exit with glow sticks and a decorated getaway car … “a true whirlwind,” as Katherine put it. Exactly the “Midsummernight’s Dream” she had wished for!

Many happy years together, Katherine and David, and our best wishes on your way!

Spring Awakening at the Bently Reserve

Posted on April 2, 2015 by jlammerts

One of the most prestigious San Francisco event venues, the venerable Bently Reserve, and the go-to event entertainment company in SF – Entire Productions – had both something to celebrate (their new look!), and they joined forces and did it together… beautifully so, as was to be expected!

Yesterday night, their “Spring Awakening” party drew a prestigious crowd, a true “Who’s Who” of the top Bay Area event professionals. (Wasn’t I lucky to be invited?!). Just in the first hour I met hostess Natasha Miller of Entire Productions, who had brought a whole army of her entertainers –

starting with a violinist on the mezzanine, looking down on the Great Room…

… where the “415s” kept the crowd going.

Who else was there? My friends and fellow wedding planners Duncan Reyes of Events by Design, Fred Sullivan and Jaime Botello of Sullivan & Botello Events; caterers John Silva of Culinary Eye and Fernando Ciurlizza of La Bonne Cuisine, while Ranjan Dey’s New Delhi Restaurant was busy serving delicious paneer bites, as were Janet Weisberg of Ladies Who Lunch and 49Square:

To wash it all down, guests could help themselves to a glass of champagne from the strolling “Champagne Skirt”, again provided by Entire Productions:

Guests might go on watching the stunning contortionist performance courtesy of Entire Productions…

… from a comfortable lounge area provided by Blueprint Studios and decorated with floral arrangements from Michael Daigian Design and Amy Burke Designs:

Susan Sheinkopf’s Party Staff made sure all guests were perfectly taken care of, and I and all my other friends that I met – catering managers Mariell Rahmani of the Fairmont SF, Chrissy Wolfman of the Intercontinental Mark Hopkins, Helen Wu of the Presidio Trust; photographers Misti Layne and Clane Gessel, florist Pat Gibbons and videographer extraordinaire Thomas Hughes – we helped ourselves to all the delicacies including yummy mini cupcakes from The Whole Cake.

Photographer Colson Griffith and cameraman Patrick Sedillo captured it all, while wedding media queen Cristine Thomas of Today’s Bride certainly found a lot of news and eye candy to report on! And what’s so great about events like this – not only do they give us the pleasure of coming together with our longtime friends and colleagues outside of our work environment, not only are we being pampered to no end (as described!) – every time I make new discoveries! There is always a business I haven’t worked with yet at my wedding events but that’s so fantastic it immediately lands on my “radar,” and, of course, new contacts and friends. Last night, for example, I was introduced to Bailey Nakano of the Regency Center, and we immediately hatched a plan to do an event there together. Such is the vibrancy of the SF Bay Area wedding pro’s community! I love it…. Thanks again, Natasha, for having us all, and for having me last night!

WIPA Kickoff Meeting 2015 – Food, Wine and Education at Tank18!

Posted on February 26, 2015 by jlammerts

Not to forget the fun and the networking, of course! As the Regional Director of Programs for WIPA, I had – again! – the pleasure to put together a great start into the year, our annual kickoff meeting. This year, the meeting was hosted by Tank18, an urban winery in San Francisco (yes, that does exist!), whose motto is “Food, Wine and Fun!”

That about sums it up – except that WIPA is all about education, and so we have a speaker at every meeting. This time was no exception – except: we had none less than the famous Sasha Souza!

Event planner to the “rich and famous,” frequent speaker and book author (she signed her new book for us!)

… Sasha shared some of her insider tips with us: “Vision (the bride’s and groom’s) to Reality” (here is where the event planner comes in!). Sasha is so knowledgable as a planner and at the same time so engaging as a speaker! We all took away valuable insights – how to read between the lines, how to find the right color for those who actually don’t have a favorite color (or so they say…) and generally to express the couple’s wishes in their wedding celebration more elaborately and distinctly than they knew them themselves. Which is an art form in its own right…

Well, in our case the “vision” was triggered by the unique venue we were invited to: a huge space with exposed beams, raw concrete floors and walls exuding “industrial charm,” and wine bottles lining the walls.

My first idea was – we need a huge, striking floral arrangement hanging from the rafters! The highly creative team at Mandy Scott Events made that a stunning reality …

… with a 20-foot arrangement of manzanita branches adorned with countless yellow tulips. These found their match in rows of small, matching but not identical, centerpieces lining the axis of the dining tables …

… and occasional arrangements throughout the event space:

We certainly brought the “vision” of “Spring in the City” to life here!

But an urban winery still has its roots in viniculture, which evoked in me “visions” of harvest tables and simple wooden chairs… Stuart Rental Company made that a reality …

… with rows and rows of wooden tables and chairs, china, silver flatware, Riedel stemware and amber water goblets – it all fit perfectly! To make it look even fresher, we provided a subtle aqua accent with runners and coordinated linens and napkins from Napa Valley Linens.

You might be wondering where these patterned plates came from? Where to Start Wedding and Event Management sponsored them (it works with clings from underneath!) – a really nice touch for our kick-off meeting!

More visions… Cocktail Hour in such an industrial-cool looking space? That needs some “shabby-chic” accents – which came, courtesy of Designer8 Furniture Rentals, in the shape of vintage sofas…

Guests got to enjoy their delicious hors d’oeuvres (by Global Gourmet Catering) here (fantastically juicy little bites – no one could stop noshing!) together with cocktails from the bar:

The menu for our festive lunch? The three gourmet entree choices were created for us by up-and-coming chef Chris Kronner of Kronnerburger, and guests kept raving about the food.

… and a yummy dessert, again from Global Gourmet:

The “menu card,” true to our overall “vision,” took a whimsical shape as well. In true wine-country style, chalkboard artist Ryanne Steele of Steele My Heart painted it on an oversize blackboard …

(just read that and get envious!!) – and threw in some large-scale art on yet another chalkboard, as a striking backdrop to Sasha Souza’s book signing table:

What you haven’t seen yet is the stunning accompaniment to after-dinner coffee:

…and …

… petit fours, both from Chantal Guillon next door, converting our “color vision” of green, brown and yellow into oh-so-delicious reality!

And there was so much more – live music (singer/guitarist Marcus Cappellazzo)

was provided by Entire Productions, and beautiful custom-designed printed programs in our “Wine Country” theme came from Invitation Story:

Photographer Clane Gessel and videographer James Ferrandini of Thomas Hughes Films recorded our 2015 spring celebration on film. Guests were treated to a prize drawing, and many went home with gifts ranging from wine to golf vouchers. And of course everyone got the latest edition of Today’s Bride Magazine (our media sponsor – so that everyone out there always knows what the SF Bay Area WIPA Chapter is up to!) What guests couldn’t decide, though, was what they liked best – the food? the wine? the decor? the networking? the fantastic speaker? But everyone agreed it was a super fun event, and our next one will be on May 12 at the Omni Hotel in San Francisco. Hope you are coming!

Fanfare Wedding Faire at Kohl Mansion: One-stop Shopping for the Elegant Bride!

Posted on February 3, 2015 by jlammerts

Never heard of Fanfare Weddings? No? Then it’s about time!

Fanfare Weddings is a group of luxury wedding vendors in the Greater San Francisco Bay Area whose specialties cover everything a couple might ever need for their wedding celebration – one high-end business of each category (me being the wedding planner/designer). And for more than two decades, this group has hosted its own elegant, well-curated wedding fairs twice a year, mostly at the historic Kohl Mansion in Burlingame.

The Winter Show 2015 took place on January 29 – and it was the best-attended winter show ever. Nearly a hundred brides, grooms, future bridesmaids and proud parents came to sip champagne, find elegant vendors for their upcoming wedding, win prizes and enjoy performances. It was more an elegant soiree than a classic wedding fair and everyone literally wore a big smile along with a goodie bag packed with glossy magazines and little favors.

Right at the entrance, they were greeted by a shiny white Maserati courtesy of Club Sportiva – the ultimate getaway car for the newlyweds!

And they were invited inside in style by Gabriel’s Trumpets Trio (Brassworks) – a truly regal sound.

Step into the grand mansion, and find gorgeous flowers by Plan Decor (and many more breathtaking arrangements to come – you’ll see!)…

Right in the first room, I was waiting at my booth with armfuls of roses for those brides …

… and photo books of my many weddings for inspiration.

I was flanked by Jessica Morton of Miabel Hair and Makeup Artistry and by Aria Bella, a classical trio of harp (Anna Maria Mendieta), Violin (Joyce Lee) and soprano (Gloria Mendieta Gazave).

Then there was a display of breathtaking wedding dresses by my friends Saida and Chantal from Nouvelle Vogue Bridal Salon:

Guests admired the beautiful light effects by Enhanced Lighting and got to enjoy yummy food by La Bocca Fina…

… accompanied by wine and champagne by Mills Wine Group, with dessert (cake bites) from Have Your Cake:

… the exact same delicious cake that’s hiding under these gorgeous wedding cake confections:

Bill Choy of Travelin’ Joe served the most delicious coffee varieties to go with these cakes, and guests then proceeded to meet officiant Minister Maggie and the team from the nearby Westin SFO hotel, and to swoon over classic invitations by Hyegraph …

… and a beautiful dining table designed by Classic Party Rentals …

… with flowers from Plan Decor:

Then it was time for the vendor presentation in the mansion’s soaring double-height Great Room – with Woody Miraglia of BigFunDJs as our MC – but not just some presentation!

There were musical performances by Gabriel’s Trumpets and Aria Bella Trio, there was a mini dance lesson by choreographer and dance instructor Cynthia Glinka of Dance with Glinka (get ready for your First Dance, brides and grooms!) …

… Plan Decor raffled away a dreamy white bridal bouquet…

…and Have Your Cake gave away a cake… and, yes, the Westin gave away a weekend stay for two! Of course we also have a world-class videographer (Thomas Hughes) and photographer (Teresa Halton) to round it all off – as I said, one-stop shopping for the luxurious bride… and now we’ll all go to work planning these elegant weddings, and that’s the most fun work ever!

Jeff and Adam, inseparable

Posted on January 24, 2015 by jlammerts

Partners in life and partners in business, there was not a hint of a doubt for Jeff and Adam that they belong together – and so getting married was just the logical next step. Easy? Well, yes – somehow. What the two found out pretty quickly is that there is a big difference between the idea and its actual execution… and that’s where my company, A Day Like No Other – Wedding Coordination and Design, comes in.

Jeff and Adam had pretty clear-cut ideas of how they wanted their wedding to look and to feel. Being the super busy businessmen that they are, the one thing most precious in their lives is – quality time, together, and together with their families. So they were envisioning a long wedding weekend with their families, in complete privacy and tranquillity, with fabulous food and wine. They found their dream venue at the far end of beautiful Carmel Valley – Mesa del Sol Vineyards, a private estate among rolling hills and verdant vineyards, with a beautifully restored luxury farmhouse big enough for their families, with a courtyard shaded by mature trees, a professional outdoor BBQ, a bocce ball court, a swimming pool… heaven!

Jeff and Adam had rented the property from Thursday to Monday, and they had already planned for a whole succession of family events … but with their busy schedules of (separate!) worldwide traveling there was simply no way they could do all the planning by themselves. And that’s how my team came to work with one of our favorite couples ever!

We helped Jeff and Adam finalize their plans from a welcome BBQ to wedding day to a send-off brunch, and the two even knew who would cook up a veritable storm for them and their guests: their personal friend, caterer Ben Lillywhite, who would move in with them and take over the state-of-the art kitchen to pamper their 45+ guests.

Speaking of guests… while Mesa del Sol is beautifully equipped, it’s not equipped for that many guests! From ceremony seating under a huge old olive tree (hay bales from a local feed store, hand-woven saddle blankets) to long farm tables for an outdoor dinner (Chic Party Rentals)…

… from lighting to music (DNA Entertainment) and beautiful floral decor (Natasha Kolenko) – not to forget a first-rate photographer (Sandra Fazzino) – there was a lot to plan and design in a mere 10 weeks!

Invitations were sent out… And then the Great Day had come!

Here the two are getting ready together…

…dapper and stylish as they both are!

They had requested a masculine version of the classic boutonniere, and that’s what they got…

Ready to go!

Last minute checkup on the vows…

… and then the moment had come!

Sheer happiness… I Do!

Time for a true farm-to-table dinner:

The kids were having fun, too…

… but definitely returned to the table when Ben’s incredible pies were served!

As dusk fell, the scene turned downright magical:

… and everyone around the table shared memories of the couple and funny stories!

Jeff, Adam and their guests truly enjoyed a day like no other… Many happy years together!

Feminine Charm and Grace – with Parasols by Design!

Posted on November 17, 2014 by jlammerts

I have lately come across the most charming accessory for summer weddings: paper parasols! Not just any… but parasols by the design of Grace Dougan. They are surprisingly sturdy, they provide much-needed shade at summery outdoor weddings, and they are simply pretty!

Have a look:

Bride and Maid of Honor hiding behind elegant taupe swirls…and “peekaboo!” here they are – it’s just such a playful accessory!
Of course, wedding photographers love it as it frames the face and mitigates harsh light. Just look at these beautiful patterns – they come in taupe, peach, gold, green, yellow or porcelain blue on ivory, in peach or porcelain blue solids AND even with the inscription of the couples’ names and wedding date! View the collection… plus they make fantastic wedding favors! They can be personalized with a hangtag on the handle, reminding the recipient of the couples’ names and wedding date. One more close-up…

… and even little princesses love them!

I am sure you are now totally smitten, too! Look them up on Parasols by Design. I showcased them at my last festive WIPA event, and they were a real hit! I’ll definitely use them in my own wedding designs, that’s for sure – and if I’ll hang them from the ceiling for a whimsical decor!

Trends in Wedding Bouquets – 2014 and Beyond

Posted on November 14, 2014 by jlammerts

A “trend” is defined as a direction – and mostly understood as “something new,” like in “Fashion Trend.” Looking back on the 2014 wedding season, and especially on the variety of beautiful and unexpected dress choices my brides had made, I was wondering about their flowers. Trends? Not really. When it came to their wedding flowers, my brides were surprisingly conservative! The undisputed winner of the year 2014 was the classic hand tied bouquet – mostly based on ivory and green, with accent colors. Very, very few exceptions… have a look for yourself.

Here’s the first textbook classic:

Angie’s ivory-and blush pink bouquet of roses and peonies to accompany her elegant summer wedding.

Here are more in a similar style:

Shaina had likewise chosen pink hues for her accent color, and her and her bridesmaids’ bouquets (see those below) were based on English roses and hydrangeas in ivory and various shades of pink.

Erica added fresh green accents with Bells of Ireland and green-tinged hydrangea…

Pam opted for peach (English roses, dahlias) for her rustic-nostalgic nuptials…

Lauren added a tina touch of blue to her otherwise elegantly simple and classic bouquet of ivory Vendela roses…

… and Laura chose hot pink as one of her accent colors, and her hand-tied bouquet consisted of stargazer lilies, roses and hydrangeas all in this color family.

Last but not least, one bride went for ultra-classical with a spherical all-red, all-rose bouquet with a glass handle and matching bridesmaids’ bouquets:

Which shows the versatility of this style! But still – wasn’t there a more adventurous style out there?

A little…

My “other” Laura went for a more relaxed, “wild” style for her outdoors vineyard wedding, with eucalyptus, succulents and berries mixed into the roses and lisianthus flowers. If any “trend” crystallizes here, it’s the succulents which have gained favor not only in table arrangements, but have made their way into the bridal bouquets, too.

Here’s another one:

Amy fell in love with a combination of succulents, eucalyptus, ranunculus and exotic protea blooms in saturated pinks for her nostalgic outdoor celebration.

Michele had variegated euonimus greenery added to her summery bouquet for her garden wedding, with sunny yellow as her accent color…

… and Vannie took it one step further: her bouquets were really “hand-tied” by herself, and with twine!

Only two couples did something totally unique. One, Alan, was actually a groom in a same-sex wedding who hand-crafted paper flowers:

… and the other one was bride Courtney’s handcrafted brooch bouquet:

What was NOT chosen? Well… no elegant straight bouquet of sculptural flowers (like calla lilies or long-stemmed roses); no cascading bouquets; and nothing “outrageous” like a flower lei in lieu of a bouquet.

Maybe you, dear readers, are up for that? Let me know your favorites!

Small Business Marketing Gone Glam: WIPA at the Shattuck Plaza in Berkeley

Posted on October 30, 2014 by jlammerts

As the Regional Director of Programs at WIPA, Wedding Industry Professionals Association, I have the pleasure (and the obligation…) to organize four festive events throughout the year, and we just concluded the year of 2014 on a really high note: with an elegant luncheon in the Crystal Ballroom of Berkeley’s storied Shattuck Plaza Hotel.

As always, we offered both fun and education – our speaker, Carolyn Higgins, founder of Fortune Marketing Company and an expert advisor for small businesses, presented “Four Pillars of Small Business Marketing Success,” and all attendees agreed: they were taking home valuable insights!

But we are getting ahead of ourselves! After registration and a display of our numerous sponsors…

… guests received beautiful program books (by Wedcrafted.com)

… and then the event began with an elegant Cocktail reception:

… with my friend (and recent bride!), Erica Messer, playing the harp for us.

Guests were treated to delicious hors d’oeuvres…

… and to a big surprise: Liz Smith of Beau Ties of Vermont, purveyor of the finest handmade silk bow ties, presented a variety of options for the stylish groom, groomsmen, fathers etc. AND gave away one classic black bow tie to every guest!

That put a big smile on everyone’s face!

As did the elegant decor to match the extraordinary character of the Crystal Ballroom – walls covered in bold black-and-white stripes and adorned with oversized mirrored panels, reminding me of a huge conservatory. With that, the decor idea was born: we decorated with huge palm trees (courtesy of Interior Plant Design) and hedges (from Stuart Rental Company) and added to these charming firefly lights (from Firefly Magic). Centerpieces and smaller arrangements (from Katharina Stuart Floral Art and Design) throughout picked up the “green and white/modern conservatory” theme beautifully…

… and reached truly glamorous heights on the dining tables which were all aglitter in “Paris” silver sequined linens from Napa Valley Linens.

Add to that chic and modern dining chairs (from Hartmann Studios – as was the stunning lounge furniture we used for our dessert lounge; more of that later…) – and beautifully calligraphed menu cards in charcoal and silver (by Sally Laporta of Monks of Age)…

… and handmade traditional Hungarian gingerbread heart favors (by Tunde’s Creations) …

… and you see – it’s quite stunning! Even more so thanks to the elegant ceiling wash (provided by our A/V sponsor, Fantasy Sound):

Then it was time for speeches (here it’s me in action…)

… and of course for the speaker presentation we had all been eagerly awaiting. Carolyn Higgins proved to be not only a highly knowledgeable expert in her field, but also an engaging speaker, with the rare gift of making a “dry” topic come alive and be real fun to learn!

That’s the presentation style everybody just loved!

And then we had a fabulous lunch… and the much-anticipated prize drawing (probably the biggest one in WIPA history!) with chalkboard art (from Steele My Heart) and fused-glass “sun catchers” (from Pat Gibbons) for the home, a wine gift (from Wente Vineyards), a big box of top-of-the-line skincare from my favorite Kiehl’s store at the San Mateo Hillsdale Mall, an elegant bridal headpiece (from Poppyhearts) and beautiful parasols for weddings (by Parasols by Design). There were also coveted “Travel and Leisure” prizes: a “Vine to Wine” experience (at Holman Ranch), a Foursome of Golf (at The Bridges Golf Club), and a stay for two at Purple Orchid Wine Country Resort and Spa, and at two five-star resorts: Cavallo Point and Four Seasons San Francisco. All of our guests decidedly enjoyed this type of lunch entertainment!

But our event was far from over: it concluded with coffee and dessert in our elegant dessert lounge …

… where a glamorous silver and white multi tier cake from Torino Baking was waiting:

Pastry artist Julie Durkee herself cut her creation to reveal an oh-so-delicious super-rich chocolate cake underneath:

I can say, all our guests…

… were having a good time! It definitely was a special event – documented in photos by Gustavo Fernandez and videotaped by Level 2 Productions.

Our next festive event will be on February 24 of 2015 – we sure hope to welcome you there!

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