The Magic of Light and Water: Tina and Eric

Posted on October 27, 2013 by jlammerts

Both Tina and Eric had taken their time, trying to find the one person to share their lives with… and had already nearly given up! In Eric’s words… he was tired of dating and seriously considering “just to stay home with the cat!” Well, he tried it just one more time, and he’s so grateful he did it. Because that’s when love struck. Unexpectedly, immediately – they both “just knew.” Neither Tina nor Eric could believe their incredible luck right away. But with every time they met, they kept discovering more things to love in one another. And their relationship became a true whirlwind romance: engagement after four months, and wedding after another three – today!

I was honored that they chose my company, A Day Like No Other, for their coordination and design needs. The two had found a spectacular spot on the California Coast – the Beach House Hotel in Half Moon Bay, right on the sand, and Sam’s Chowder House, a time-honored “cult” seafood restaurant next door – for their celebration.

Their wedding day turned out to be overcast, with the sun only peeking out through the clouds here and there… the light was sheer magic, light like an impressionist painting… pearly grey, soft, ethereal.

Tina did not want Eric to see her before the ceremony. Here is her spectacular ruched and beaded dress…

… her jeweled Cinderella slippers…

… and her Grandmother’s pearls.

In Hollywood-worthy hair and makeup by Vinnia Tjhin and with her bridal bouquet in her signature colors of vivid natural blues and purples by Gingerleaf Floral …

… Tina was ready for the ceremony, held at “High Noon” directly on the water, officiated by Rev. Raymond Teague and attended by 70 of their closest friends and family members. Harpist Krista Strader‘s beautiful music provided an elegant accompaniment to the intimate ceremony.

“You may now kiss the bride!”

Just married!

For Tina and Eric, it was now “photo time!” with Ryan Willis. After the requisite family photos, they could finally enjoy their first quiet moment as husband and wife …

… and then, they took a stroll through the dunes…

… and when a fence got in their way, Eric simply lifted Tina across!

From there, the two embarked on their wedded journey together…

First stop: Wedding Reception! A long table had been set with a pale blue and tan patterned runner, napkins in blue, turquoise and purple hues in a chic ombre progression (so “of the moment!”) and grouped varied arrangements of blue and purple flowers, decorative shells and hundreds of sparkling glass gems catching the midday light.

The newlyweds presided in the middle…

,,, looking out over the shimmering waters of Half Moon Bay. And everyone very much enjoyed the hot chowder that Sam’s Chowder House is rightfully famous for, followed by more delicious seafood and, finally, of course: THE CAKE! A little piece of edible art by Mazzetti’s Bakery, decorated with tiny buttercream flowers in Tina’s and Eric’s wedding colors:

Cutting – and eating! – the cake concluded the festivities, and everyone was really happy, me included! Here is why I love my job so much…

Congratulations, Tina and Eric, and many happy years together!

An Andy Warhol-themed Bachelor Party by A Day Like No Other

Posted on September 16, 2013 by jlammerts

Here is a short video clip of an Andy Warhol-themed bachelor party – complete with three beauties styled like Sixties fashion icons (think Twiggy!) whom our bachelor took around town in his fire-engine red original 1965 Mustang convertible and who went partying with him afterwards in one of San Francisco’s hippest bars – all decorated with Andy Warhol artwork – where everyone went dancing to the top hits of the Sixties and Seventies. The master himself (we admit it was a look-alike…) was around to take photos – have a look!

That party was a huge success!

A film by Michael Loeb.

Stacy and Ian – Coastal Elegance at the Intercontinental, Monterey

Posted on September 9, 2013 by jlammerts

I just returned from coordinating a wedding that qualifies for the “Dream Wedding” category on all counts – a beautiful couple, a spectacular location, incredible weather… and then some!

So, let’s start at the beginning – with Stacy and Ian: both of them seasoned singles, wildly successful in their respective careers, independent spirits. They had everything in their lives except for… well, that “significant other.” And then, on January 27 of 2013 (yes, 2013!!), Love struck. Suddenly, unexpectedly. Stacy met Ian – and later that same day, she called her mother and said, “I have met the man with whom I want to share the rest of my life.” Love at first sight, nothing less! From then on, the two had a true whirlwind romance.

Just eight weeks later, on April 1st, Ian proposed in a historic castle outside Rotterdam, the Netherlands – beginning with: “This is not an April Fool’s joke…” and putting a huge “rock” on Stacy’s finger. Another four months later, the two got married, and I had the honor of being their wedding coordinator.

For their venue, they chose a spectacular waterfront setting in Monterey: the Intercontinental The Clement Hotel, literally built on the water’s edge.

The morning of Wedding Day was dedicated to pampering and hair and makeup appointments at The Spa at Intercontinental, and the results for the bride, her mother and her bridesmaids were simply beautiful!

The ceremony, officiated by John Kelly, was held on the oceanfront terrace at 5 in the afternoon, in the presence of 70 of Stacy’s and Ian’s closest friends and family members.

An arch, beautifully decorated by Stems Floral Boutique, with the Pacific Ocean as backdrop, and 725 roses in a symphony of sunset colors lining the aisle provided a truly glorious ceremony setting.

With the Abbott Brothers, a bluegrass band, performing Beatles classics for the processional and recessional, bride, groom and all their guests were immediately transported into a festive and joyful mood.

“Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da…” (with the lyrics ever so slightly modified to “Ian and Stacy”) and for the guests to sing along – I’ve never seen a couple happier than these two, dancing down the aisle!

And that was just the beginning… while Stacy and Ian went off for their requisite photo session, guests were enjoying …

cocktail hour in the ballroom…

… lovingly decorated in the couple’s maritime wedding theme: corals, starfish and sand dollars!

And the icing on the cake: a quirky, one-of-a-kind “sardine tin” photo booth!

For the newlyweds, it was still “photo time!” And look, what incredible photos they got from their photographer, Randy Tunnell…

And then it was already time for dinner under the stars – out on the patio with a view of the sunset over the Ocean.

The couple, breaking with tradition, enjoyed their First Dance right then and there!

The couple presided over dinner at their rose-bedecked sweetheart table:

Guest tables were decorated with beautiful antique lanterns from the bride’s extensive collection and with nautical rope, sand dollars and corals. Guests were guided to their tables not by conventional escort cards, but – true to the wedding theme – by sand dollars with their names and table numbers tied on:

Every table setting was topped by a favor: a pretty burlap pouch, decorated with – what else? a mini sand dollar! …and containing chocolate bars to satisfy any sweet cravings until cake-cutting time.

When night fell, the ambiance turned romantic…

Following dinner, everyone congregated in the ballroom for dancing to the tunes of DJ Darion of DNA Entertainment, beginning with the traditional Father-Daughter dance. One of the bride’s earliest and dearest memories is her Dad teaching her to dance when she was perhaps five years old, with her feet resting on his to learn the steps – to the sound of “New York, New York.” Needless to say that this was the song chosen for this special dance, and it became a truly magical moment!

Then there was more dancing, and a cake to cut – a little masterpiece by Freedom Bakery, decorated with rope motifs, seashells and sand dollars – so beautiful and so delicious!

Stacy’s and Ian’s first official task as husband and wife: cutting the cake and feeding each other! Guests loved it… and photographer Randy Tunnell recorded every precious moment throughout the day.

It was a beautiful, elegant, joyful, romantic wedding- and I was reminded one more time why I love my job so much!

Thanks, Stacy and Ian, for letting me be a part of your Great Day, and a long and happy life together!

Andy Warhol & The Factory @ Infusion Lounge!

Posted on August 9, 2013 by jlammerts

As a fitting – and upbeat! – tribute to what would have been Andy Warhol’s 85th birthday (on August 6, 2013), the San Francisco Bay Area Wedding Pro’s met for their August party in the spirit of the Master… at Infusion Lounge, a super chic, hip bar in dowtown San Francisco. Gwenn Connolly created our logo (and more…you’ll see!):

To kick off the festivities, “Andy” (aka model Diana) posed with 3 “go-go girls” (models Brittany, Ryann and Maria, all expertly made up and styled by Marine Vaisset of Belle by Marine) in an original 1965 Mustang convertible – driving around San Francisco …

…

andy photogr union sq 3

taking “photos” of his girls, and then pulling up at the iconic Sir Francis Drake Hotel…

…and posing in front of his own artwork, displayed on a billboard ad.

After all that fun, it was time for the party to get started!

Infusion Lounge, bathed in purple, turquoise and orange mood lighting, was decorated with Andy Warhol posters…

…and matching floral decor by Ornamento (think Warhol’s famous “Daisies” serial prints…)

To round it out, video installations by Metamora Designs and by Michael Loeb photography displayed iconic Andy Warhol artwork. All the while, DJ Jerry Schultz of Portable Party kept the energy going with the most famous Sixties/Seventies pop hits – on his karaoke machine!

Guests dressed up to the nines (or better: the Sixties!) danced the night away…

… and I took the opportunity to finally wear my vintage Courreges dress!

Guests only took a break from dancing to nibble on Chicken Wings and Spring Rolls (courtesy of Infusion Lounge), accompanied by a glowing red “Triple Andy” (a specialty cocktail created for our party by Triple9 Vodka), followed by a handful of Ray Richmond’s purple, turquoise and orange “Super Accurate Fortune Cookies” containing a variety of Andy Warhol quotes – rather than the usual fortune cookie “wisdom!”

Auey Santos of Photograffiti and Michael Loeb of Michael Loeb Photography captured our Swingin’ Sixties party on film and video – and guests went home smiling, swinging and humming! It was a great party… thanks to all who contributed! (And so that you can connect to all our wonderful party sponsors, Gwenn Connolly also created a sponsor list in true Warhol style!

Ceremony Soiree: Pure Wedding Ingenuity!

Posted on June 28, 2013 by jlammerts

Elegant, fashionable, glossy Ceremony Magazine invited to their annual SF party 2013 – and “tout le (wedding) monde” showed up – that is: the lucky ones who received one of the coveted invitations. And yes, I was lucky!! Definitely an occasion not to be missed AND one to dress up – and off I went for a fun-filled evening of meeting longtime colleagues, making new friends and a ton of exciting discoveries.

What I mean by “discoveries?” Just wait. Amy Harrick, publisher and editor-in-chief of Ceremony Magazine (and just as stylish and beautiful herself as if she’d stepped out of the pages of her latest issue!)…

… had again outdone herself in attracting a crew of wonderful vendors.

To start with: an urban winery! Although I’d lived in SF for more than a decade… I have to admit I didn’t know it. So: Refer to invitation – First point on tonight’s agenda: DISCOVER A CLEVER NEW WEDDING SPACE. “Dogpatch Wine Works” offers the full winery experience (well, minus the vineyards outside) – complete with stacks of beautiful wine barrels:

And of course you can taste their wines – mmhhh!

But – what would a good wine be without equally good food to accompany it? Moot point, of course. Agenda point no. 2: SAVOR MASTERFUL FOOD AND DRINK! Indeed – Michi Catering and Global Gourmet Catering took care of that, perfectly.

Michi’s surprised again with their modern interpretation of classic Asian fare…

… and Global Gourmet served a selection of colorful plates:

‘C’est Delectable’ rounded it out with authentic French macaroons (plus additional flavor infusion from a dropper, if desired!), luscious chocolates and to-die-for parfaits…

And for those who absolutely couldn’t get enough sweets, there even was a beautiful Ceremony Candy Bar:

But of course the evening was not all about food and drink – refer to program: BEHOLD INNOVATIVE FLORAL DESIGNS!

Right – from Michael Daigian‘s trademark lush arrangements in vibrant colors…

…and Very Merry tablescapes in white and green under dramatic metalweave orbs …

…to Nicole Ha‘s innovative aisle decor:

…and some “Gorgeous Greens!”

And amidst all that beauty and luxury, we checked off our last agenda items: CONNECT WITH THE BAY AREA’S MOST BRILLIANT WEDDING VENDORS! Yes, indeed – and it was such a pleasure catching up with so many of my dear colleagues all of whom had made an effort to attend: Linda Hylen of Julia Morgan Ballroom, Sharon Dexmier – whose Napa Valley Linens Company had sponsored all the gorgeous linens – and Diana Cardenas, photographer Kevin Chin and his wife, florist extraordinaire Nancy Liu Chin… and so many others! My dear friend Christine Cater of Christine Cater Floral and Event Design had even come all the way from Carmel to… ENJOY AN EXCEPTIONAL 3RD ANNUAL CEREMONY SOIREE. Last point on the agenda: check!

We had so much fun – it was such a wonderful evening – thanks, Amy Harrick and Ceremony Magazine!

Something old, something new, something borrowed, something GREEN!

Posted on May 11, 2013 by jlammerts

When Pantone announced the color of the year 2013, I got all excited, and inspired!

“PANTONE 17-5641 Emerald: Lively. Radiant. Lush… A color of elegance and beauty that enhances our sense of well-being, balance and harmony,” read the official introduction.

I began brainstorming immediately. How would the new “color of the year” star in a stylish wedding? With sparkling emeralds, of course – but also in so many more creative ways! I decided to plan a styled photo shoot together with my friend, photographer Majesta Patterson, and we would showcase green in all its glory, in all its different hues and styles, from pastel mint to deepest teal, from spring green to olive, from sheer luxury to earthy elegance. And so our inspiration shoot began to take shape. We found a gorgeous model (Aryan, with delicate features and raven-black hair, enhanced by Beauty by Cherise) and photographed her in a sun-dappled park,

a green orchid in her updo, showcasing an elegant green bridal bouquet by Natasha Kolenko:

Photo: Majesta Patterson

On her sweetheart table, a graceful arrangement of Natasha’s green flowers complemented a luxurious wedding cake by Cake Coquette, decorated with green sugar gems, and served on antique white-and-green china…

… and in no time we got completely carried away with our vision in glorious green!

We caught our bride playfully noshing green candy from a mini candy bar – arranged in cut-crystal glasses on a silver tray full of sparkling glass gems.

Then she arranged a rustic-elegant green centerpiece for a simple meal on a weathered garden table, a dreamy setting for an intimate tete-a-tete or a romantic Rehearsal Dinner.

Photo: Majesta Patterson

In the afternoon, it was time for our bride to select jewelry for her Great Day: real Colombian emeralds, cut to brilliant perfection and set as a ring, pendant, and earrings:

Georgie at Gleim Jewelers pre-selected for Aryan her most luxurious pieces of jewelry to try on and to truly feel like a princess! We all could have spent hours in this treasure trove of precious gemstones, diamonds, gold and platinum…

Aryan concluded her day of bridal preparations with a visit to Nouvelle Vogue Bridal Salon, where owners Chantal and Saida are presiding over a hand-picked collection of the most exquisite wedding dresses – a one-shoulder silk-crepe dream by Kevin Gao, in perfect simplicity;

Photography: Majesta Patterson

embroidered-lace gowns with an illusion neckline by Jenny Packham…

and one-of-a-kind dresses by Francesca Miranda, short and sweet for the bride …

Photography: Majesta Patterson

… or elegant and luxurious for the mothers in a light green silk embroidered with beads:

Photography: Majesta Patterson

From boxes and boxes of wedding shoes, our bride chose the perfect green strappy sandals to go with her favorite dresses for a graceful walk down the aisle, and for dancing the night away afterwards…

Photography: Majesta Patterson

It was the perfect day for a bride-to-be, with something old, something new, something borrowed – and many things green, gloriously green!

Great Gatsby Bachelorette Bash

Posted on April 25, 2013 by jlammerts

Inspired by this season’s fascinating Great Gatsby movie remake, I created an elegant bachelorette party in Great Gatsby style – complete with professional hair and makeup in the style of the period, typical flapper dresses and jewelry, a historic venue, Jazz and Charleston… everything to transport revelers into bygone times – unabashed glamour, wild dancing, retro chic!

Our venue was the former printing plant of the Hearst newspaper empire, now transformed into a hip urban event space, slightly gritty with lots of character:

Our bachelorette, Katrina, was radiant as a fragile Twenties beauty…

… and her partying girlfriends likewise slipped into the style of this glamorous period:

Ready to party! The space was resplendent in glittery black tablecloths covered in thousands of sequins and feather and floral arrangements dripping with crystals and illuminated from within…

A Jazz band set the right musical mood of the times…

…and a professional choreographer instructed guests in dancing the Charleston!

… and everybody was definitely having a great time!

Then it was time for a little break to check out the bar…

… and dig into platters and platters of delicious appetizers:

… followed by a cake decorated in beautiful Art Deco style…

…which was as delicious as it was beautiful to look at!

For favors, we had gilded cake pops – it certainly doesn’t get much more decadent than that…

One thing’s for sure: these girls had a lot of fun!

Design and Coordination: A Day Like No Other; Venue: The Box SF; Hair and Make-up: Bella Bridal; Catering: Knights Catering; Cake: Pretty Please; Cake Pops: Sweet Lauren Cakes; Flowers: SullivanBotello Designs; Music: Magnolia Jazz Band; Choreography: Dance with Glinka; Photography: rc & tess.

“Inspire/Imagine/Ignite” – Hartmann’s Gorgeous Customer Party

Posted on March 28, 2013 by jlammerts

I feel lucky. I got invited to an incredible party – Hartmann Studio‘s customer appreciation party, tonight, at Fort Mason Center in SF. And I can tell you: with THAT party, I as a customer do feel appreciated! Hartmann Studios, one of the leading rental companies, and Impact Lighting, their sister company for all things “lighting,” pulled off a glorious show with what they do best, and they did it to perfection: Hartmann transformed the Festival Pavilion into a series of exciting event spaces, and Impact lit up the entrance – and the sky! But of that later.

Hartmann Studios had invited dozens of caterers and florists to elevate their furnished, draped and lighted event spaces to a living, breathing, inspiring party experience.

So many discoveries to be made, so many beautiful surprises! What caught my eye first were the gorgeous floral designs – Nancy Liu Chin‘s totally over-the-top glamorous, gold-and-black table installation complete with black chandeliers to start with.

Then there were the dramatic supersized trophy vase arrangements by Hunt Littlefield

and a surreal vignette by Spiral Hand Floral and Event Design.

Asiel had come up with a light show behind a chain curtain as a backdrop to a futuristic arrangement;

Nicole Ha Designs got inspired by Alice in Wonderland,

Montbretia shone with a more traditonal, beautifully composed arrangement,

and Mandy Scott showed a spring-inspired design in hues of yellow and green that was at once utterly beautiful, fresh, elegant and optimistic!

Having feasted my eyes on all these beautiful designs, I had to try the food as well – 17 catering companies offered delicious bites; impossible to sample them all! Therefore, the selection here is highly incomplete… but nevertheless: here are my personal highlights: Taste Catering, Wolfgang Puck and Melons – gold standards in the area; and my personal discoveries: Thomas John Events with a breathtakingly beautiful presentation of, among other things, beet and goat cheese bites with edible flowers,

and, for dessert, Tout Sweet, with super-rich dark chocolate pastries of heavenly intensity and texture, passionfruit tartlets, macaroons and sandwich cookies… to die for!

I sampled until literally I could eat no more… what a feast! But it was not over yet! Stepping out on their way home, guests were greeted by a celestial light show of sorts – serious competition for Aurora borealis.

That’s what I call a party – one that, in fact, was inspiring, full of imagination, and delivered the promised “ignition!!”

Art and Fun, Food and Wine: Peggy’s and Jose’s Wedding

Posted on March 26, 2013 by jlammerts

Peggy and Jose had taken their time with an extended courtship,

… and when they decided to get married, they knew exactly how they wanted to celebrate: nothing formal or stuffy – but a joyous party with friends and family, good food and wine, music and dance… and a very personal touch! Peggy, a High School art teacher, immediately jumped in design mode, and I was lucky enough to be included from the get-go. Together we created a unified design concept, and Peggy the artist literally created and crafted all aspects of the decor elements, starting with the invitations:

Once the venue had been chosen – a charming historic structure under mature trees…

… Peggy decided on her wedding colors: soft blues, greens and turquoise sea glass hues to complement her favorite “flowers” – succulents! And as Peggy is not only artistic but also super organized (a rare combination of talents!), she started a veritable succulent farm in her garden six months ahead of time. She made her bouquet and matching boutonnieres for the gentlemen herself, and she hand-dyed neckties and scarves in sea glass colors for her bridal party.

The aisle was strewn with green and turquoise silk petals, and I came up with a floating canopy as a ceremony backdrop, held up by helium-filled balloons in – of course! – seaglass colors.

The ceremony was captured on film by Tony Nguyen of Portraits by Tony and Thomas Dowrie of Video Impressions…

… with this highlight: “You may now kiss your bride!”

And here they are, Just Married! Singing and dancing to the Beatles tune, “When I’m Sixty-Four,” with their dog Lucky…

… and off to the official wedding photos by Portraits by Tony!

Guests meanwhile enjoyed a cocktail hour with appetizers, wine and beer from Mark Stahlnecker‘s bar, and music by DJ Peter Haley of the Spinheads who kept the crowd entertained throughout dinner and beyond.

Tables were decorated with hand-stitched blue-green moire ribbons, succulent centerpieces from Peggy’s own nursery, planted in bowls thrown and glazed – by Peggy, of course!

As a nod to the groom’s heritage, an authentic Mexican dinner was provided by Mexican Taco Party to the sounds of Buena Vista Social Club – and then a wild dance party ensued! Guests only took a break to applaud the newlyweds cutting their supersize cupcake by Sibby’s Cupcakery (sitting on a stand painted turquoise by, you guessed it, the bride herself!).

Afterward the couple enjoyed their First Dance…

… followed by the Father-Daughter dance…

… and a glorious Grand Exit with supersize sparklers!

Guests took home their champagne flutes as favors, with a little thank-you card (mimicking the save-the-dates) tied on with personalized ribbon.

Cheers and best wishes, Peggy and Jose!

A Mediterranean-Style Summer Party

Posted on March 25, 2013 by jlammerts

A historic Mediterranean Estate surrounded by lush gardens and a manicured park was the scene of an elegant late-summer party, complete with lunch on the patio, hand-calligraphed menu cards, a one-of-a-kind vintage Packard limousine, and even a harpist.

What could be a more beautiful setting for a leisurely late-summer lunch party than a historic country estate in a park? That’s why I chose the famed Villa Montalvo in Saratoga as the venue for a festive luncheon – with cocktails in the enclosed courtyard centered around antique fountains….

… and harp music to set an elegant mood and a decidedly “polished” atmosphere.

Guests were then invited to a three-course lunch menu on the intimate covered patio, looking out onto the extensive park surrounding the Villa.

Guests found hand-calligraphed, pentagram-shaped menu cards on their place settings,

announcing a gourmet meal of organic vegetables and lean meats…

Starting with a … bisque…. and continuing with an heirloom tomato salad accompanied by goat cheese, adorned by tiny edible flowers, in the rust-and-burnt-orange colors of the “upscale-rustic” checkered silk linens…

… and concluding with a turkey or vegetarian entrée that looked and was equally delicious.

Tables were decorated with beautiful antique Tuscan-style stone urns filled with yellow and orange late-summer blooms and fruits – a small cornucopia on each table!

Following lunch, guests enjoyed coffee

and two varieties of delicious cake

in the Villa’s solarium and on the side patio.

To round it off, departing guests received an unexpected party favor: hand-calligraphed seeded paper –

ready to plant and bloom for a beautiful memory of a gorgeous day!

Event Design: A Day Like No Other; Venue: Montalvo Arts Center; Catering: Culinary Eye; Music: Krista Strader; Florals: Tutti Fiori; Cake: True Confections; Calligraphy: Monks of Age; Vintage Limousine: Elegant Journey; Photography: photograffiti

Wedding Woof

Category Archives: Design

The Magic of Light and Water: Tina and Eric

An Andy Warhol-themed Bachelor Party by A Day Like No Other

Stacy and Ian – Coastal Elegance at the Intercontinental, Monterey

Andy Warhol & The Factory @ Infusion Lounge!

Ceremony Soiree: Pure Wedding Ingenuity!

Something old, something new, something borrowed, something GREEN!

Great Gatsby Bachelorette Bash

“Inspire/Imagine/Ignite” – Hartmann’s Gorgeous Customer Party

Art and Fun, Food and Wine: Peggy’s and Jose’s Wedding

A Mediterranean-Style Summer Party