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 of the Week: Cherice and Michael – Crafty, Creative and Charming!

Posted on March 16, 2013 by jlammerts

“My” couple Cherice and Michael are doing things their way, and they are doing them all themselves! From the get-go, the two knew exactly what they wanted: a wedding that would bring together their families and closest friends; a charming, historic venue with a lot of character; DIY decor for their personal touch from the invitations to the favors; and a rustic, nostalgic atmosphere throughout.

For their venue, they chose the century-old Forest Hill Clubhouse, a hidden gem in San Francisco, surrounded by lush greenery. Here is a peek into the Great Room, with wedding dress:

The ceremony was held on the brick patio, centered on an arrangement of tree stumps and Cherice’s favorite flowers, Ranunculus in a rainbow of colors:

Handmade signs (old windows, transformed with chalkboard paint…) directed guests throughout the festivities; offering programs and bubble bottles on the way to the ceremony:

Cherice had hand-crafted invitations, programs and escort cards from brown paper and red-and-white twine, a design theme used throughout the decor…

… for example for the escort cards – luggage tags hung from tree branches in a nostalgic tin tub:

The bride’s vibrant bouquet was handmade from – you guessed it! – ranunculus flowers:

A longtime friend presided over the ceremony:

… which was short and sweet! And here is the official wedding photo:

Guests were immediately treated to a well-stocked self-service bar inside:

… and, of course, a handwritten chalkboard explaining all the choices!

While the newlyweds were still busy with having their official wedding photos taken, guests were asked to write their good wishes on brown paper slips and place them in a mason jar in lieu of a conventional guest book:

… and then everyone had fun with a home-made Polaroid photo booth.

Soon enough, the newlyweds joined their guests for a delicious, rustic BBQ dinner at long tables, set with gray tablecloths, ranunculus flowers, and – of course! – red and white napkins as well as favor packets wrapped in brown paper and red-and-white twine:

A collection of (self-emptied!) wine bottles served as water carafes, and one guest at each table found a special note on his or her escort card: “Congratulations! You have won the honor of opening the Champagne for your table!” – Very clever! No wait staff needed…

Michael’s Dad, Cherice’s brother, and a small army of their friends had hung string lights across the Great Room in the Clubhouse, casting a magical glow over the dinner party:

… and Cherice’s Mom had made the delicious wedding cake for her daughter herself:

…supplemented by lots more of sheet cakes from the kitchen! The grand finale was, however, yet to come:

….and guests actually used up each and every single one!! Cherice and Michael were, indeed, sent off in style to their married life. I am so happy I could be part of their planning, preparation, design process – and ultimately their great day! And here is why I love what I am doing:

Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs.!! And many, many happy years together!

Hot News from the Four Seasons SF Wedding Fair!

Posted on January 20, 2013 by jlammerts

I just returned from another glamorous Wedding Fair – at the luxurious Four Seasons Hotel in downtown San Francisco. Stepping into the foyer, guests were greeted by Synchronicity Strings, a classical string quartet, performing wedding classics – when I arrived, it was Pachelbel’s Canon in D. My all-time favorite!

Floating on the wings of this beautiful tune, and entering the first exhibit room, I was totally blown away by the floral artistry of my friend Laura Little of Floramor Studios. Laura had again outdone herself… this time, taking her inspiration from Showbiz stars like Britney Spears – just have a look! Her “Britney” table, my total favorite, took a full three days to put together:

… and there was so much more to see – here’s the “Taylor Swift” table:

Just one more:

Laura is just sooo creative! Can’t wait to work with her!

The next wonderful discovery was awaiting right in the next room: Juillard-educated harpist Bertina Mitchell with a wide repertoire ranging from Bach to Debussy, experienced at accompanying wedding ceremonies from prelude to recessional… and what could be more romantic at a wedding than harp music?

Right across from Bertina, Classic Party Rentals went right over the uber-glamorous top with this table arrangement of shimmering cream damask linens, crystal-encrusted chair covers, and golden flatware, gold-rimmed wine glasses, gold-beaded chargers… and, to top it off, one of Classic’s fabulous appliquéd linens playing wedding dress in the background!

From extreme elegance to sweet nostalgia: an ice cream cart, lovingly hand-crafted by John of Sweet Springs Rentals! But then John went far beyond nostalgia and our sweet childhood memories and created decidedly grown-up ice cream flavors to be served from this cute cart – and I can tell you: my favorite, blackberry Cabernet (!!), is to die for! John has even more grown-up delicacies to offer from equally romantic settings: an Espresso Bar, hand-crafted from reclaimed wood; and a Margarita machine and chocolate fountain. Indulge till you drop!!

And on to more discoveries: custom-made arbors!

No more run-of-the-mill standard arbors! Arbors Ever After offers not only a selection of handcrafted steel constructions, lovingly decorated with leaves and flowers, and powder coated for 25 years of durability in the couple’s garden – they will also custom-design one for a couple, starting with just an idea, a vision, a wedding theme – either using steel or natural materials like wood and branches. Now, here’s something really new!

“Custom” is certainly a big trend, in every aspect of a wedding – but never more preciously so than with custom jewelry. Vittoria d’Aste-Surcouf is an accomplished jewelry designer who three years ago followed her passion for “all things wedding” and since then has been focusing her creative energies exclusively on bridal jewelry.

She is working in precious metals, diamond, gemstones and semi-precious stones, and her pieces are truly one-of-a-kind: my favorites are her yellow diamond pieces….

and a pair of delicate chandelier earrings inspired by the intricate floral beading of a bride’s wedding dress:

Aren’t these beautiful beyond words?

More pretty (AND tasty!) things were awaiting at Alaa and Maya Labban’s Choco Vogue display:

The two transform European chocolates into sparkling gems for glamorous wedding favors, re-packaging and decorating them in any design desired – taking into account wedding style and colors… I can’t imagine any more attractive decor for a dinner napkin at a wedding reception.

Last, but certainly not least, there were the haute bridal couture gowns by Jin Wang to admire:

The designer behind one of the Bay Area’s leading bridal salons offers her own designs as well as the best of the best in bridal couture, and she showed all these dream dresses throughout the Bridal Faire:

Those gowns are dreams come true – only problem: which one to choose… that’s why brides change into a different gown from ceremony to reception to dance party! Now I get it…

All in all, what a day of fabulous discoveries!

Hip Design by A Day Like No Other: Centerpieces for a Historic Factory Venue

Posted on November 26, 2012 by jlammerts

For a post-wedding dance party in a raw, historic industrial space with a somewhat gritty vibe, I designed centerpieces using very few florals – but instead lots of glow and reflection. I picked up the industrial history of the space with mirror bases and polished rocks (sprayed antique gold) and arranged dried branches and pods (some of them also discreetly gilded) together with grouped black/velvety-red roses. Antique-gold hurricanes and amber gems scattered on the mirrored bases lent extra reflection.

For smaller tables, I chose a variety of succulents in stark graphical shapes instead of vases:

The overall effect was one of intimate, golden light and retro-raw décor in the dimly lit dance hall – perfect!

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Romantic Design by A Day Like No Other: Antique Books for Centerpieces

Posted on November 15, 2012 by jlammerts

For a bride who, as a lover of literature in general and antique books in particular, had chosen an “antique books” theme for her wedding, I designed mismatched centerpieces containing beautiful antiques volumes and beautiful items to complement them. Since tables were not numbered, but named after the bride’s favorite authors, some of the centerpieces also contained poems by these respective authors, calligraphed on artificially aged paper scrolls:

While some arrangements contain fresh flowers…

others rely entirely on dried florals, moss, bird nests, and driftwood:

some are more masculine…

… others decidedly feminine with pastel wildflowers, a fan, and a perfume bottle.

Case in point: the possibilities of this theme are endless, and they are all attractive!

Elegant Design by A Day Like No Other: Peacock Feather Escort Card Display

Posted on November 8, 2012 by jlammerts

For a formal and elegant wedding with a “vintage glamour” theme, I designed a stunning escort card display of 200 peacock feathers, fanning out from a vintage wine crate:

Each escort card was hung from one feather, and the feathers were then arranged in alphabetical order in several rows, front to back.

This arrangement was not only a visual focus, but also a conversation piece for guests – and each guest arrived at their seat carrying a beautiful feather…

Luxurious Design by A Day Like No Other: Tiffany-themed Invitations and Favors

Posted on October 29, 2012 by jlammerts

For a very elegant, Tiffany-themed wedding, I designed invitations to set the tone and the expectation for the guests: crystal-embellished ivory silk folders held custom-designed invitations. The folders were ordered directly from the manufacturer in Thailand.

The invitations themselves consisted of layered cards (pearlized ivory cardstock layered on matte chocolate and a wider rim of tiffany blue in a discreet sheen) custom designed for the square folders:

The side inserts in the folder flaps were used as RSVP cards and directions cards. Invitations were wrapped in ivory tissue paper and mailed in white square boxes embellished with custom tiffany-blue address labels matching those used on the – equally custom-made – favors.

For favors, the couple chose home-made organic limoncello in corked and wax-sealed artisan glass bottles, packed “luggage proof” in tissue paper and cardboard tubes and presented in tiffany-blue handlebags with custom labels.

An elegant presentation in keeping with the overall theme and elegance of the celebration – and a hit with the guests!