Category Archives: Design

A Union of Two Globetrotters – Tina and Paul at Thomas Fogarty Winery

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If there is one thing that ties Tina and Paul together (aside from their love for one another, of course!) it’s traveling and good food. They have been to places most people can only dream of: Iceland, Galapagos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Kilimanjaro. Always out for an adventure! So when they decided to tie the proverbial knot, it had to be at a special place, of course. They found it at Thomas Fogarty Winery in Woodside – a spectacular venue with endless view of vineyards and all of Silicon Valley in the distance.

Needless to say, they also chose a great caterer – Toast Catering – and to add to their impressive gallery of photos taken all over the world, they picked a fantastic wedding photographer, Todd Rafalovich.  My company, A Day Like No Other, helped with all these myriad choices and details and with pulling it all together into that one Great Day with my Coordinator Mary-Kate in charge – last Sunday!

It turned out to be an unusually warm and sunny autumn day, blue skies, a slight breeze – just perfect for Tina’s and Paul’s celebration. For Tina and her bridesmaids, the day began with hair and makeup styling by Elizabeth Chang of Skyla Arts.

The bride had chosen a classic white lace dress, strapless, with a “Sweetheart” neckline and rhinestone belt:

 

Her bridal bouquet and all other flowers were provided by her personal friend Sarah Fisher – a true labor of love!

… and with that, Tina was ready to meet her “Prince Charming!”

Paul had likewise dressed up with the help of his groomsmen…

… made sure he had the rings…

… and so – the First Look of the couple could happen!

The ceremony was held on a lawn with endless views,  officiated by a personal friend of bride and groom, and with soft music provided by DJ Kevin Combs of Elite Entertainment.

 

Guests then enjoyed Cocktail Hour on an expansive patio, followed by an alfresco dinner in the open-air pavilion. In lieu of a conventional guest book, Tina and Paul had chosen artwork showing a tree, with guests signing along its branches.

For their table assignments, Tina and Paul got inspired by another shared passion: Lego! Each guest got to take home a little Lego figurine. Let’s see who else gets “bitten by the Lego bug!”

 

And here is the dining pavilion, from above…

… with beautifully set tables awaiting the couple’s guests:

Table numbers? Quirky, whimsical and “original Tina and Paul” of course! Simple table numbers would not do for these two world travelers – they named their tables after their favorite destinations! Have a look:

The favorite of all guests was the Dim Sum station with a constant waiting line of at least 20 people!

Tina and Paul snuck out one more time with their photographer for sunset photos…


… before it was time to cut their super-cute “Wanderlust” cake by Cake Expressions:

… and everyone got to dig into delicious cupcakes!

After that, there was no holding back the crowd from the dance floor where DJ Kevin “let it rip”.. what a party!

Many happy years and exciting travel adventures on your journey together, Tina and Paul!

Let us create YOUR unique wedding celebration, too!

♥ Visit A Day Like No Other and enjoy our brochure!  ♥

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An Homage to San Francisco – Olivia’s and Jake’s Nuptials

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Olivia and Jake love their city. They are living in a historic neighborhood, they are exploring the city via bike, they are fully immersed. Small wonder then that for their wedding day, they chose iconic locations to make it truly meaningful to them and to their loved ones – some of whom (the bride’s parents, to start with) had come as far as from Taiwan.

When Olivia approached my company, A Day Like No Other, for help in her wedding planning, I realized very quickly that this would not be a “run-of-the-mill” affair. It would be very personal, very intimate, and very “San Francisco.”

And finally, last Saturday, it all came together beautifully on a glorious autumn day under a blue sky and a light breeze – San Francisco at its very best!

For Olivia and her Matron of Honor, the day began with hair and makeup services by Chau of A-List Hair and Makeup. She transformed two pretty young women into drop-dead gorgeous red-carpet stars! Olivia had chosen a classic ivory  lace dress and a bouquet from Le Bouquet Flower Shop in elegant dark reds, blush pink and eucalyptus greens:

 

Ready to present herself to her fiance with a First Look! Adam of City Express Limousine chauffeured her to the Legion of Honor Museum – one of San Francisco’s most iconic institutions, with one of the largest collections of Rodin sculptures worldwide:

What better spot for their First Look but the classic colonnades of the courtyard…

Photographer Frank Lee with assistant and the video team of Amor in Motion captured every moment, as Olivia gently tapped Jake on the shoulder…

And here they are!

Off to many more photos and video footage – to Fort Point (at the Golden Gate Bridge) and the Lyon Street Steps (with breathtaking views of the Bay) – a whole picture book of San Francisco scenery!

 

 

Meanwhile, frantic preparations were underway to get both the ceremony site – a lawn in the historic Fort Mason area overlooking the Bay – and the reception venue – the Captain’s Room at the iconic McCormick & Kuleto’s restaurant at Ghirardelli Square – ready on time. The team of YPR delivered the ceremony chairs. DJ Ron Israel of Legendmakers made sure we had sound and music both out on the lawn and at the restaurant. My assistant Myrtle held out in the cold (wind and fog came up in the afternoon) guarding the fully set-up ceremony site. I was busy at the restaurant setting up decor. Team captain Larissa at the restaurant had the tables set up perfectly and the bar going.

Finally, Bride and groom arrived at their ceremony site shortly before their ceremony which was officiated by Minister Maggie Beretz – so personal and so warm! Here comes the (windswept) Bride:

 

 

Just married! Now we’ll have a photo with each and every guest:

After the ceremony, guests walked over to McCormick & Kuleto’s for cocktails and yummy hors d’oeuvres (Tuna tartare wontons and crab cakes – need I say more?!), and for the incredible views of the Aquatic Park with the historic tall ship “Balclutha” and of Alcatraz.

It was the “Golden Hour” before sunset, and the newlyweds took their time walking over with lots and lots of more photos.

 

Guests were meanwhile busy finding their table assignments by Olivia’s handmade chart…

… sharing their words of wisdom on prepared Q & A cards…

… and admiring Olivia’s and Jake’s engagement photos displayed in a huge, impressive coffee-table book.

Grand Entrance!

Dinner time!

Everyone swooned about the fresh seafood for which McCormick & Kuleto’s is famous. But that was not all. In addition to the elegant dessert (a rich espresso custard), there was THE CAKE! This beauty in the bride’s favorite colors, ombre from blush pink to deepest wine red, came from Cake Coquette:

The new husband and wife were clearly reluctant to even cut into it – but when they did, they revealed a luscious red velvet cake with buttercream filling underneath. So delicious!

To the amusement of all guests, Olivia and Jake sat down for the traditional “shoe game” of guessing their similarities and differences as a couple. Each one held one shoe of the bride and one of the groom in their hands and answered questions by holding up the appropriate shoe: “Who of you takes longer in the shower?” “Who is the better driver?” “Who is the better cook?” – Let’s say, Olivia and Jake did well in that game – with just a few very funny disagreements.

And when the party came to a close, everyone went home happy. It was a great celebration of love and togetherness.

Many, many years of shared happiness to Olivia and Jake!

Let us create YOUR unique wedding celebration, too!

♥ Visit A Day Like No Other and enjoy our brochure!  ♥

 

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Stephanie and Josh: Family, Friends, Food and Fun

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When Stephanie and Josh approached my company, A Day Like No Other, to help them with their wedding planning, they had set a date and booked their venue… and we had five months to go. They would have their ceremony at the spectacular Valley Presbyterian Church in Portola Valley, the bride’s home parish. And then they would celebrate at the nearby Portola Valley Town Center, a modern event hall with stunning architecture.

So far, so good! Bride and groom are both super busy – both are physicians – so the time they could realistically devote to planning was limited. And so… our planning and design work got quite intense! Luckily we were able to pull together a stellar team of vendors, and yesterday all that hard work paid off, big time! The weather gods were also smiling upon us with blue skies and sunshine. It was a glorious summer day.

For Stephanie and her five bridesmaids the day began with hair and makeup services by Nancy and Kathryn of Wowpretty Salon – and the six pretty ladies and two mothers emerged ready for the red carpet – just glamorous!

Stephanie complemented her classic white wedding dress …… with a summery, feminine bouquet in ivory, blush pink and peach …

… by Vicky of Queen Bridal – not only our florist for all floral decor throughout, but also our decorator who worked true magic on the reception spaces inside and out… more of that later.

Then there were her “pretty-in-pink” shoes …

… and the rings, of course!

Josh was also getting ready with some help from his Dad …

… and he was very moved by his bride’s early-morning love letter.

Next: pin on one of Vicky’s beautiful boutonnieres, and – ready for First Look!

Meanwhile we were joined by Dusty and Amy of Drozian Photoworks  and by the team of Pure Devotion video. They captured all the precious moments during the day.

At the church, our hostess Becky Preimesberger was waiting for us, organizing the bride’s party, the groom’s party, parents, flower girl and ring bearer with poise and calm precision, while the church musicians played prelude music for the arriving guests. And here comes the Bride! A wonderful mother-daughter moment…

… shortly before Stephanie was walking down the aisle …

… toward the spectacular, all-glass altar space where her groom was waiting.

The service was officiated by Jeff Gaines, a Presbyterian pastor, and James Baraz, a Buddhist monk – and it was one of the most personal, heartfelt and joyful ceremonies I’ve ever seen. Just beautiful!

And here is the official wedding photo!!

At the nearby Town Center, frantic preparations were meanwhile under way. Vicky’s team from Queen Bridal had installed dramatic draperies around the entrance (to hide several unsightly pillars)…

… and on the inside (to hide an equally unsightly extendable partition that marred the middle of the prominent wall in the reception hall). But Vicky didn’t stop at just hiding. She made everything look elegant and polished, including a lighted canopy over the couple’s Sweetheart Table:

Next: beautiful centerpieces…

 

… and “Save the Bees” favors made of seeded paper (the nature-loving couple had made a donation to this organization in honor of their guests).

Jessica, Savannah and the whole team from Elaine Bell Catering had set up a large buffet…

… of mouthwatering dinner options – followed by the absolute showstopper: a mini donut machine!

And – not to forget: a beautiful cake was awaiting the guests as well! The cute cake topper actually gave away one of the favorite hobbies bride and groom have been sharing for years: they both love to dance!

On the patio, decorated with string lights by Queen Bridal, a well-stocked bar was waiting  for guests to arrive for Cocktail Hour. DJ Sammy Lam provided music throughout, starting with Cocktail Hour on the patio. My assistants Jessica  and Lisa and myself were busy coordinating the setup and a lot of personal decor items, from guest book to family photos…

Hand-calligraphed table assignment boards by A Day Like No Other helped guests to find their seats, and fluffy pillows in the wedding colors – ivory, blush pink and sage green – made the built-in benches on the patio cozy and comfortable.

During the evening, Phil’s photo booth was open, and guests had a lot of fun with outrageous props and poses. Over dinner, the bride’s family entertained the guests with an Ukulele performance…

… and the groom’s mother and sister (both professional musicians) gave a rousing rendition of an Andrea Bocelli love song.

The last highlight of the evening: the couple’s First Dance, an elaborate dance routine that they had been practicing for months! (Forgive any blurry pictures – they were twirling so fast!)

 

 

 

It was a true love fest for the newlyweds! And all guests had the time of their lives. It was an unforgettable celebration.

Stephanie and Josh: dance on – into a lifetime of happiness!

Let us create YOUR unique wedding celebration, too!

♥ Visit A Day Like No Other and enjoy our brochure!  ♥

Liz and Nicco – Sheer Elegance at the Intercontinental Mark Hopkins

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When Liz and Nicco asked my company, A Day Like No Other, for assistance with planning their wedding celebration – a Black Tie event for 150 guests, all in ivory, gold and navy blue, at the IC Mark Hopkins in San Francisco – I was immediately on board. This was exactly what I love: a historic landmark and high elegance!

Last weekend it all came together beautifully, and the Weather Gods were also all in favor: we had a glorious, warm and sunny summer day (a rare exception in San Francisco!) with a slight breeze and endless views. It was simply perfect.

For Liz and her bridesmaids, the day began with hair and makeup services by.Kathryn Horen of Bay Area Beautiful and her team in a penthouse suite at the Mark Hopkins – with million-dollar views across downtown San Francisco and the SF Bay.

Liz had chosen a breathtaking Sottero Midgley dress …

… with lace appliqué and crystal embroidery, a gorgeous veil edged with crystals …

… and matching strappy sandals. Here are the rings…

… and the earrings…

And with the help of her bridesmaids, Liz got ready in time to meet Nicco – who had been dressing up as well, of course.

And here he is – dapper groom!

… and together with his groomsmen.

Ready for their First Look which would take place “in the streets of San Francisco.”

The couple paid homage to their beloved hometown with many more iconic photos…

Meanwhile, preparations were underway to get everything ready in time for the celebration. At the Intercontinental Mark Hopkins, the elegant Room of the Don’s was outfitted for the ceremony and adorned with lavish flower arrangements by Jinger Leonard of The Flower House.

The ceremony was officiated by Father Charles Regal of the White-Robed Monks. His very personal ceremony was warm, lighthearted, and full of joy – a truly moving moment for everyone present!

And for a special “polished” touch, the Mersonacta string quartet played all ceremony music, accompanying the bride’s processional with a string version of Pachelbel’s famous Canon in D.

Afterwards, Liz and her Dad shared a “Proud Dad and happy daughter” moment… Then it was off to many photos with Jackson Tyler Eddy and Amy Stemper of A Frame Forward for the couple, their bridesmaids and groomsmen.

Dakota Baylacq of Thomas Hughes Films was meanwhile capturing every precious moment on video.

Meanwhile, Chrissy Wolfman, Mario Montenero and the whole Mark Hopkins team had completed the setup of the Peacock Court for cocktails and of the Peacock Ballroom for dinner, Jason Nall and team leader Martin of Impact Lighting had installed uplights that bathed the ballroom in a soft golden glow, the Flowerhouse crew had installed centerpieces, and our own Day Like No Other team with myself, Kelsey Holtzinger, Mary-Kate Greenberg and Lisa Siyuan had taken care of all the details, from escort and menu cards  to the golden favor boxes (filled with 0h-so-yummy See’s chocolates).

 

Steve Bloom and his band HipService had set up on the stage of the Peacock Ballroom – in short, we were ready for Liz’ and Nicco’s guests!

After dinner, it was time for Cake cutting – traditionally the newlyweds’ first task together, which these two executed with bravura.

What else? Their First Dance, of course! Such an emotional moment…

… followed by a wild dance party to music by Hip Service!

And as we speak, Liz and Nicco are honeymooning in Italy. Buon viaggio e molta felicita!

Let us create YOUR unique wedding celebration, too!

♥ Visit A Day Like No Other and enjoy our brochure!  ♥

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Ann and Ed’s Wedding – their Once-in-a-Lifetime Event!

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Ann and Ed approached my company, A Day Like No Other, more than a year ago for help with planning their wedding. Their BIG wedding, actually. They both have large, extended families, and with their wonderful cultural tradition (both are of Filipino heritage) of relatives sponsoring weddings – acting as primary sponsors, secondary sponsors, veil and cord sponsors… – and many children participating – as ring bearers, coin bearers, sign and bible bearers, flower girls – the guest list quickly went way beyond 200!

The two had chosen their home parish, St. Elizabeth’s Church in Milpitas, for their wedding ceremony, and the elegant San Jose Downtown Marriott hotel for their reception. With that as a starting point, we began pulling things together. Fast-forward to July 8: finally the Great Day had arrived, and everything was coming together beautifully.

For Ann and her bridesmaids, the day began with hair and makeup services by Fiona Tsang of Imagi and assistants.

Ann had chosen an elegant lace dress with illusion back and complemented that with bridal shoes fit for a queen:

Her breathtaking cascading bouquet (by Janelle Jacky-Litt of Green Petal Designs, who created the floral decor throughout) featured white and blush garden roses, peonies, dahlias, orchids and wisps of climbing jasmine, trailing and fluttering in the breeze.

And here is Ann, being helped into her dress by her bridesmaids (many, many tiny buttons…)

With that, Ann was ready for church, where Ed and his groomsmen were already waiting.

The two had a full Catholic wedding mass, with an impressive defilee of sponsors, attendants, coin bearer, ring bearer, sign bearer and flower girls. And when they exited the church as newlyweds, their two doggies Koni and Bear were waiting for them with their “Doggie Mom for the Day” Liz Murray in tow! The videographers from Collideskope captured it all throughout the day and evening.

From there, it was off to photos in a nearby park with their photographer extraordinaire Duy Ho (he already shared a few of his artistic photos with us for this feature – see his signature on the bottom – and the rest are just snapshots from me… just wait until you see Duy’s whole collection!).

 

 

Meanwhile, frantic preparations were under way at their reception venue, the San Jose Marriott, with Emily Heiler and her team setting up the ballroom and foyer for cocktails and dinner, Terry of Fine Linen Creation draping the entire walls of the ballroom, all three entrances and the Sweetheart Table, and setting up lighting…

… and florist Janelle Jacky-Litt of Green Petal Designs installing her gorgeous centerpieces on the dining tables.

The Day Like No Other team was busy putting the finishing touches on, from distributing the pink, navy and gold-colored macaroon favors…to setting up signage (all by Ryanne Steele of Steele My Heart)

Oran Cohen of Night Owl Photo Booth and DJ Eugene Macala of Macala Entertainment were ready as guests were arriving for Cocktail Hour, and the fun started right there!

Next up: dinner! And what a dinner that was… in between, the newlyweds stole away for sunset photos…

… then joined their guests again for this joyful celebration…

What else? A cake from Cake Expressions. And ice cream! Ann and Ed are huge ice cream fans, and so they invited Tucker’s Ice Cream, their all-time favorite vendor, to serve their best flavors:

And, of course, dancing, dancing, dancing! Including the traditional Money Dance where guests “pay” for dancing with the bride and the groom, by pinning bank notes on them. But the best of all was Ann’s and Ed’s First Dance. So romantic… 

It truly was a “once-in-a-lifetime” celebration. And from there, our newlyweds went on to their “once-in-a-lifetime” Honeymoon: to the St.Regis in Bora Bora!

Wishing you a lifetime of happiness, Ann and Ed!

Let us create YOUR unique wedding celebration, too!

♥ Visit A Day Like No Other and enjoy our brochure!  ♥

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Cristina and Jason – Glamour and Caribbean Spice at Cavallo Point Resort

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Cristina is a powerhouse, a force of nature, a whirlwind. She has a stellar career. And she had finally found her soulmate and was ready to commit herself to that relationship, heart and soul. What I didn’t know when she first approached my company, A Day Like No Other, for help with planning her wedding: once Cristina has set her mind to something, she’s unstoppable. She wanted to get married within three months. We started planning. A family emergency forced her to put all her plans on hold and postpone to June 24th. When she was finally able to get back into planning mode, months later, we had about four weeks left to pull everything together.

Almost every bride I’ve been working with so far would have given up. Not Cristina. She was undeterred and more determined than ever! So was I. And we pulled it off – beautifully!

Cristina and her fiance Jason had chosen a spectacular venue for their celebration: Cavallo Point Resort in Sausalito, with unobstructed views of the Golden Gate Bridge and the San Francisco skyline. That’s what Cristina saw when her wedding day began…

… with hair and makeup by her longtime stylist Terrell Mullin.

In accordance with her glamorous champagne-colored, jeweled wedding dress from Nouvelle Vogue Salon, Cristina opted for finger-waves and a classic “Hollywood style” makeup…

Spectacular, isn’t it? A true “silver screen goddess!” And the cathedral-length veil made Cristina look like a real princess.

And of course, there was THE RING.

Then there were the accessories: her bridal shoes! With a color palette of ivory, blush pink and merlot, Cristina went all out with her merlot suede stilettos:

… and, not to forget, her garters!Florist Janelle Jacky-Litt of Green Petal Designs created Cristina’s dream bouquet of blush and ivory roses and peonies, merlot dahlias and a few wisps of greenery …

… and her church and reception decor as well.

Groom Jason was busy with his own preparations – and getting his son prepared, as well!

The ceremony was held in the onsite chapel – Cavallo Point Resort is housed on the site and in the buildings of a historic military outpost, complete with a beautiful chapel.

The bride was escorted by her brother…

For this special day, the chapel was transformed into a garden with blooming trees; the aisle lined with ivory and blush rose petals and lanterns. Guests found little paper cones filled with merlot rose petals on their chairs – you’ll see!

DJ Aykut and the bride’s son Brent – a DJ himself – played all the music that Cristina and Jason had enjoyed together during their courtship, and the ceremony was officiated by a longtime friend of the couple, Rev. Lynne Herod-DeVerges.

And here she and her groom are saying their very personal vows to one another:

“You may kiss the bride!” (and he did… )

 

Just married and SOOO happy! The newlyweds are leaving the chapel, showered with handfuls of fragrant rose petals..

The couple had a lot of photos to take with their photographer extraordinaire Tuan Bui.

Meanwhile, the Cavallo Point Crew under the leadership of Cheryl Fleming, myself and my two tireless assistants Kelsey Holtzinger and Myrtle Ventura had our hands full with preparations for Cocktail Hour and reception in the Callippe ballroom and patio where the onsite crew of PSAV had installed extensive lighting…

… and tables were gleaming in a variety of shimmering and glittering linens (from Napa Valley Linens). Taking inspiration from the couple’s invitation cards of rose-gold print on pearlescent ivory card stock, we used rose gold as metallic accent throughout…

… with chargers, flatware and even dining chairs playing along (all from Hensley Event Resources). The gorgeous centerpieces and large and small flower arrangements, mirrored chargers and mercury-gold votives came all from Green Petal Designs.

 

Guests found their table assignment on a calligraphed mirror and on mirrored table numbers by Mariko Giverink of BeeCurious Designs,

and while all tables looked fabulous, the couple’s Sweetheart Table was, of course, the best! In between, the couple stole away for a few moments for sunset photos…

Over dinner,  Cristina’s and Jason’s sons proposed the first toasts to their newlywed parents, expressing gratitude for making each other happier than they had ever seen them… listening to that, we all had to dab our eyes. It was very emotional, and very beautiful – and then many more impromptu toasts and speeches followed, a veritable love fest for Cristina and Jason! They were both beaming, visiting tables and way too excited to eat. But they did cut their cake (from the in-house patissier at Cavallo Point).

Their first official collaboration as a married couple: completed with bravura!

 

Guests had so much more to enjoy even after that: the photo booth (by Photo-Matica) was a huge hit, with everyone crowding around it; dancing to a mix of tunes – heavy on Reggae as a nod to both Cristina’s and Jason’s heritage – by DJ Aykut, and late-night snacks… and sitting around the fire pit on the patio under string lights and a huge moon light… Everyone loved this party!

Photographer Tuan Bui and Videographer Andrew Hsu of Studio MSV captured every precious moment – make sure to watch the wedding video here!

While their guests were still lingering around the fire, Cristina and Jason snuck away, hand in hand… Wishing you a lifetime of happiness and priceless memories of this day filled with joy and laughter!

Let us create YOUR unique wedding celebration, too!

♥ Visit A Day Like No Other and enjoy our brochure!  ♥

 

 

Kathryn and Jeff’s wedding: simplicity and joie de vivre!

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Kathryn and Jeff are young Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, partners in business and partners in life. They love extreme sports (and are darn good at them), they are doggie parents, and the Great Outdoors is literally their second home. When they decided to get married, one thing was clear from the get-go: this would NOT be any conventional, slightly stuffy affair. It would be all relaxed, and all fun. My company, A Day Like No Other, helped Kathryn to bring that vision to life and to make it a reality.

For their venue, the couple had chosen Walden West Nature Preserve – gorgeous forests, meadows and a pond, no surprise here! From there, things became even more unconventional, with friends and family chipping in and making this celebration as personal as it could possibly be. On wedding day, our coordinators  – Senior Coordinators Kelsey Holtzinger and Haneen Saideh assisted by Jessica Buse – were super busy behind the scenes, setting up decor and flowers and juggling the myriad details that go into a celebration as unconventional as this one.

For the bride and her nine bridesmaids, the day began with hair by Angela Cattaneo of Beyond the Ponytail and makeup services by Michele Orozco of Brush by Michele:

Kathryn complemented her classic ivory wedding dress with pearl jewelry and – unconventional, simple and comfortable wedges!

Bridal bouquet (and all other bouquets and floral decor)? A crafty friend made everything onsite from bulk-bought summer flowers in a riot of happy, bright colors, totally unpretentious and totally fun!

And here is the bride, ready to meet her “Prince Charming:”

Lots of photos from First Look on, but this is hands-down one of my favorites:

Shortly before the ceremony – officiated by a friend of the couple, of course! – the bridal party was complete and photo-ready:

Then finally the great moment had come…

And here they are – just married!

While more family photos by Daniel Neal ensued for the couple, guests were treated to cocktails and lawn games, followed by a rustic dinner by Caterman (under the expert leadership of Kayla Grizzle) complete with yummy desserts:

and a candy bar courtesy of yet another friend of the couple.

 

Photographer Daniel Neal and videographer Amy Heater of Sweet Tea Films stole the newlyweds away for spectacular sunset photos…

before everyone hit the dance floor, to the tunes of DJ Frank Loera of Sound in Motion and illuminated by lots and lots of string lights (by A Party Place).

 

Everyone agreed – it was a fabulous party, and Kathryn and Jeff were simply overwhelmed and happy. Off to this new adventure for many, many happy years together!

Let us create YOUR unique wedding celebration, too!

♥ Visit A Day Like No Other and enjoy our brochure!  ♥

Victoria’s and Ryan’s Magical Garden Wedding

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When Victoria approached my company, A Day Like No Other, for planning help, her wedding was still nearly a year away – and then it had to be postponed by another six months. Plenty of time to get it all perfect! And yesterday, finally, it all came together in a truly magical celebration on a picture-perfect day in May.

For their venue, the couple had chosen a veritable hidden gem in the Wine Country: Sylvan Lake, a private estate tucked away in the mountains above St. Helena. From a narrow, winding mountain road completely encased in dense foliage, you enter through an unassuming gate, and only halfway down the driveway does this garden paradise reveal itself…

Passing through an impressive wrought-iron gate, a vista of manicured lawns and decades-old boxwood hedges opens up, accentuated with a profusion of multicolored roses. It is truly a breathtaking place.

The bride and her bridesmaids got made up and dressed in a cozy cottage on property, hidden from any spying glances – Victoria was adamant: no First Look for her! Ryan would see her at the ceremony for the first time on their wedding day, not a minute earlier!

Here she is getting into her gorgeous lace trumpet dress:

… a true mother-and-daughter moment!

The ceremony was held overlooking the lush vineyards at Sylvan Lake. Here comes the bride, true to tradition on her father’s arm:

The ceremony was officiated by a personal friend of the couple’s. The bridesmaids wore floor length dresses in shades of lilac and mauve, and the groomsmen wore elegant grey suits.

I do! The moment Victoria and Ryan were pronounced husband and wife, the historic bronze bell at Sylvan Lake was rung, its glorious sound carrying through all of Napa Valley – for all the world to know!

While the couple had their photos taken by photographer Megan Reeves, guests were enjoying Cocktail Hour with lawn games and open bar and appetizers by S’Wine Country BBQ – just a glimpse into the hearty dinner to come!

Tables stretched across the lawn in long rows, presided over by the couple’s Sweetheart Table under the low-hanging branches of a centuries-old olive tree.

Fittingly, wedding favors were little bottles of olive oil which adorned the dinner tables, adding extra color to the elegant green garlands, hurricanes, votives and casual arrangements of roses, lisianthus, eucalyptus and wheat stems in antique glass bottles (all by EV Florals, as were the bride’s bouquet and bridesmaids’ bouquets).

Guests were guided to their tables by a handwritten seating chart on an antique window pane:

propped up on an equally antique chair amidst the flourishing greenery.

After dinner, there was yet another surprise for Victoria’s and Ryan’s guests: a donut truck from Johnny Donuts, serving super-fresh pastries and piping-hot coffee. The line literally wound around the block!

Then it was time for dancing, and the Lucky Devils Band under bandleader Jefferson got the crowd going! The result? Nobody wanted to go home!

The bride was beaming and happy… and that is why I love my job so much:

The groom exclaimed, “I LOVE this party – I am staying!” – but everything has to come to an end, eventually… Happy, tired partygoers were safely  shuttled to their hotels by Beau Wine Tours. And everyone agreed with the groom: they all loved this party!

Many happy years together, Victoria and Ryan!

Let us create YOUR unique wedding celebration, too!

♥ Visit A Day Like No Other and enjoy our brochure!  ♥

 

Julia and Charlie’s enchanted summer wedding at Hakone Gardens

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Julia is an organizer. She does it for a living, and she has a hard time giving up the reins on anything. But for her own wedding day, she was willing to entrust these reins to my company, A Day Like No Other. By that time, she and her fiance had already chosen their venue: Hakone Gardens in Saratoga, the oldest Japanese park in the Western hemisphere. It is glorious, especially in late Spring/early Summer. You’ll see!

Julia’s (and her bridesmaids’) day began early with hair and makeup services by Chau from AListMakeup and a church service for closest family members only. After a photo session with 102Studios, the couple arrived at Hakone Gardens, and for Julia that meant: first dress change! She exchanged her traditional Vietnamese outfit for a voluminous Western wedding dress, all lace, sequins and tulle; and got her makeup changed accordingly. In the meantime, everyone was busy with preparations. Onsite manager Tony Barbatti and his team set up the ceremony chairs (with a giant ruler, no joke!! At right angles and to the millimeter)

and helped us in a thousand ways. Ming and his team from Flourishing Gardens catering got ready for a full Chinese banquet. Crafty set up a full bar. Vicky from Queen Bridals installed incredible floral decor – all in golden yellow and rich, dark blues, a tribute to early summer! –

and hung dozens from lanterns from the tree under whose branches the couple’s Sweetheart Table was to be installed. And she transformed the front of that table into a veritable waterfall of flowers, complete with wisteria blooms. It was epic! I was meanwhile busy with the tabletops and the cute “bride” and “groom” favor boxes the bride had chosen, with setting up the dessert bar

and with coordinating all the vendors. Her bridesmaids assembled a table assignment board

at the last minute. DJ Hugh of XGenereration Entertainment and his crew set up the sound equipment and hung string lights. We were all on an adrenaline rush!

And Julia was just beaming!

Finally – time for the ceremony, officiated by a family friend…

with the most beautiful natural backdrop imaginable.

Just married!

Let the festivities begin…

AND let the guests have cake! This piece of art was made by Sharon Bui:

and at the end of the evening not a single crumb was left. As night fell, the scenery turned magical… what a day, and what a night!

 

The newlyweds are already off for their “mini moon” (to Maui) followed by their real Honeymoon later this year, to – you guessed it! – Japan.

Our best wishes on your lifelong journey together!

Let us create YOUR unique wedding celebration, too!

♥ Visit A Day Like No Other and enjoy our brochure!  ♥

Glorious Persian-American Fusion at the Fairmont SF: Bita and Walter

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When Bita and Walter met – not so long ago – it was instantaneous attraction: they have so much in common! They are both engineers, they both love baseball, food, and above all, traveling. Not much later, Walter proposed – on a Christmas trip to Cuba! Immediately after their return home, Bita jumped into action. She wanted to get married in April. Yes, April. In a little over three months from that day on. When she approached my company, A Day Like No Other, for help with that whirlwind project, all she knew was that it should be an elegant wedding with good food, and that it should incorporate elements of her Persian cultural traditions.

Long story short – on  April 29th, all of Bita’s (and Walter’s!) dreams came true at the Fairmont Hotel SF. For Bita, the day began with hair styling (by Tony Nash) and make-up application (by Pretty Girl Makeup) with a glorious view of The City…

Then it was time to get into her breathtaking dress that the talented ladies at Nouvelle Vogue Salon had helped her find at the last minute…

accompanied by true Cinderella slippers!

Nicole Reyes of SF Florist supplied the bridal bouquet (and all other flowers for the event), a dream in Spring pastels:

And with that, Bita was ready for Walter’s First Look at her! Simply saying he was overwhelmed would be a gross understatement…

Just seeing these two so deeply in love and devoted to one another was such an honor and a privilege!

After their first photos (by Myrtle Photography), their celebration began in the majestic Crown Room with an authentic Persian sofreh-aghd (designed by Aroosi by Lili),

officiated by Nilou Nouri, and with music by Persian master violinist Pourya Khademi. For the Persian side of the family, this was a real taste of home – and for the American guests, it was a wonderful introduction into the rich cultural heritage of the bride. Pourya stayed on through Cocktail hour in the Pavilion Room while we finished preparations for dinner in the Gold Room. Escort cards for Bita’s and Walter’s 170 guests, adorned with the same Golden Gate bridge motif as the invitations, were displayed on a bed of rose petals…

tables were decorated with beautiful centerpieces and votives from SF Florist,

and on their place settings guests found favor bags filled with typical SF chocolates  lovingly assembled by the bride herself.

Dinner was, you guessed it, a Persian buffet (by Orchid Catering) and well worth the wait…

and after that, there still was the delicious cake courtesy of the Fairmont’s own pastry chef.

After the couple’s First Dance,

DJ Aykut got the crowd going with the perfect mix of Persian and Western favorites.  Bita and Walter were simply happy, happy, happy… and now, as we speak, they are off to their Honeymoon on the Maldive Islands. What a celebration!

Wishing you a lifetime of happiness on your journey together and many more exciting trips!

Let us create YOUR unique wedding celebration, too!

♥ Visit A Day Like No Other and enjoy our brochure!  ♥