A True Fairytale Wedding: Michelle and Philipp

Posted on October 16, 2012 by jlammerts

Michelle and Philipp did not only have a fairytale wedding – more of that in a moment – but just as much a fairytale courtship: born and raised at opposite ends of the world (Michelle in Inner Mongolia, Philipp in Germany), the two met in College, at the University of Southern California, literally during their first week in their first semester. Despite all that might have stood in their way, like having no language in common and coming from vastly different cultural backgrounds, they were inseparable from day one. They were truly made for one another! And they did everything together, studying, movies, playing sports:

And that’s why they decided to get married just out of College, and they made me their wedding planner. They entrusted to me the design as well as the organization of their wedding celebration, literally everything from their invitations to their Rehearsal Dinner, choice of venue to guest accommodations, from the dress to the groomsmen gifts, and, of course, the Great Day itself. They choose Tiffany blue as their wedding color – and this idea then carried through to all the details, the invitations, the bridesmaids dresses, the linens, the favors, the jewelry – and even the cake.

The wedding was held at Stonepine Estate, an equestrian estate in Carmel Valley – 330 acres of rolling hills and forests, vineyards and horse trails, and a French-Mediterranean chateau in the middle, surrounded by formal gardens.

Definitely an appropriately magnificent setting for a fairytale wedding!

Here is the dress (by Priscilla of Boston) displayed with gorgeous bouquets from Christine Cater Floral Design:

… and here is the bride getting ready for the great moment:

Bride and groom were transported to the ceremony in style: in a horse drawn carriage:

Guests arrived from all over the world – Germany, France, China, Canada, the East Coast – to attend their outdoor ceremony in the formal gardens of the Chateau:

“You may now kiss the bride!”

Now happily married, the two proceeded to cut their cake (by Cake Coquette) and enjoy their First Dance, but first the husband carried his young wife across the water…

… to the Pool Pavilion, where, serenaded by a String Quartet, the two proceeded to perform their official first task together: cutting the cake which not only resembled a stack of Tiffany boxes, but actually contained ONE real box, filled with a pearl bracelet (the cake had to be guarded until the bride found her special gift!)

Then it was time for their First Dance, traditionally to the tune of Johann Strauss’ “Blue Danube,” music that even Michelle’s parents had come to know and love in China. Videographer Andrew Hsu captured every precious moment.

While their guests enjoyed an al fresco reception under blue skies, the couple had a photo shoot with photographer Kevin Chin in the Stonepine park…

… some official ones…

… some right out of “Alice in Wonderland” – but also some riskier poses on the diving board:

The two did NOT take the plunge, but returned to join their guests on the lawn…

… where their beloved four-legged companion, Buzz, was already waiting for them.

Everyone then took a short break…

Peekaboo!

Buzz couldn’t wait to finally sit down with closest friends and family for the wedding dinner on the loggia (well, Buzz, seated with his dog walker, dined a little bit away from the party, but got to enjoy the same entree of Filet Mignon…)

It was a wonderful conclusion to a one-of-a-kind day:

Congratulations and best wishes, Michelle, Philipp and Buzz! Your wedding was a fairytale – may your married life be one, too!

Michelle and Philipp | Stonepine Estates from andrew msv on Vimeo.

Wedding Coordination and Design: A Day Like No Other

Thanks to my Dream Team:

Venue and Catering: Stonepine Estate

Invitations: The Desk Set

Dress: Priscilla of Boston

Jewelry: Tiffany

Cake: Cake Coquette

Hair and Makeup: Triple Twist

Flowers: Christine Cater Floral Design

Photography: Kevin Chin Photography

Videography: Andrew Hsu / Studio MSV

Ceremony and Reception Music: Karsten Windt String Quartet

Dinner Music: Matisse Freimark, ph. 831-722-8131

Transportation: City Express Limousine Service

Cultural Education plus Culinary Revelation at Cavallo Point: a WIPA Event

Posted on October 10, 2012 by jlammerts

Today I attended another one of the fabulous professional education events that the Wedding Industry Professionals Association (WIPA for short), a professional organization whose member I am, is organizing several times a year, every time at a spectacular, one-of-a-kind venue. Today was no exception: we met at Cavallo Point Lodge in Sausalito, a short drive from San Francisco across the Golden Gate Bridge. And although I have made San Francisco my hometown for more than a decade, I had never been there – what a wonderful opportunity to finally visit this enchanted spot so close by! It was a Golden October day all over the Bay Area, sunny, warm, with a slight breeze from the water, showcasing the gorgeous venue to its best advantage:

A former military outpost guarding the Bay, this already looks like a world away from the hustle and bustle of the City, but turn around and look across the water…

…and turn still a little further and look again:

As you can imagine, in this setting the day already felt like a little vacation – I could have stayed there much longer! Just look at the Reception building:

And here are more rooms in romantic small houses scattered across an expanse of lawn overlooking the San Francisco Bay:

Isn’t that incredibly romantic? But here is the really, totally unbelievable good news for all us dog lovers on Wedding Woof: this property is dog-friendly! Without size restrictions, even… Cavallo Point Lodge is open for dog-friendly weddings with your beloved canine as part of your ceremony (not only out on the lawn, but even in the chapel!), he/she is allowed around during your champagne reception, and during your festive dinner Fido is permitted to sit outside with his/her handler on the patio and indulge in whatever you want served to your pooch on your Great Day! After dinner, your darling can retire to a dog-friendly room (all the rooms on the first floor are dog-friendly, so take your pick!) with his/her dog sitter while Bride, Groom and guests are dancing the night away. It doesn’t get much better than this! And I can’t wait to put on a dog-friendly wedding (my specialty!) in this gorgeous place.

Now I got totally carried away by the spectacular venue – while at least one part of the purpose of today’s meeting was professional education (the other part was eating, fun, and meeting people!) The subject of today’s lecture was “Your Passport to Success in a Multi-Cultural World,” and who better to talk about it than Therese Cole-Hubbs who is, hands down, the authority on multi-cultural weddings, be it Indian, Thai, Hispanic, Jewish – you name it.

With 27 years of experience and more than 600 multicultural celebrations – many of them huge affairs – “under her belt,” Therese has an inexhaustible wealth of professional wisdom to share. And since the San Francisco Bay Area from Berkeley to Silicon Valley is such a vibrant melting pot of different cultures, all with their own customs, foods, ceremony traditions and so forth, Therese had her audience totally captivated. Core lessons: in many cultures, the fathers are still the decision makers when it comes to the budget; the mothers take pride in doing the “wedding planning” – so call yourself a “wedding designer” rather than a “planner” – be respectful of all cultural traditions, especially the wedding ceremony itself; and never forget: all the decor, design and entertainment, lavish as it might be, only serves the one purpose to create an environment where moments of deep emotion become possible for the couple who are committing to a lifetime with one another, and also for their guests. Therese is certainly a master of that art – and her slides showcased a selection of her extraordinary designs that make a celebration both meaningful and unique, transcultural and unforgettable. Thank you so much for sharing your expertise, Therese!

With our professional education done for the day, WIPA President Sharon Dexmier invited us all to a delicious lunch catered by the Cavallo Point Lodge, where – as always at WIPA events – industry professionals were sponsoring all the aspects of the event. Sharon’s own company, Napa Valley Linens, had contributed the beautiful tablecloths, and Ornamento had arranged the flowers:

Julie Kay Kelly of JK Life Stories Photography and Kevin Dennis of Fantasy Sound Event Services captured every moment of our meeting – and documented how we all enjoyed “Crab Cake Croquettes” (little balls with a crispy, golden crust holding the creamiest, most delicious crab cake filling), mixed greens in truffle vinaigrette, a vegetarian risotto (for me – among the best I’ve ever had, including Italy!) or chicken – and a dessert bar to die for… that alone would have made the trip worthwhile! But – what makes a great party is the great company, and that we certainly had! It was a wonderful setting to reconnect with cherished friends and colleagues and to meet new ones. Let’s see who was there – among many others, fellow wedding planners Isabelle of Bonjour Isabelle and Joyce Scardina Becker of Events of Distinction; Interfaith Officiant Yehudit Steinberg, Event Coordinator Molly Quinn of Palm Event Center and Baker Judy Chadwick of True Confections; Kelsey Pavao of Entire Productions Entertainment Company as well as Margret Scott of California Wedding Day Magazine. Plus, of course, the fabulous Jessica Winthrop, Catering Manager at Cavallo Point, who made it all happen!

It was a wonderful day – we learned something, we met friends, we ate well (very well!), and we enjoyed a venue so close and yet so far away from our everyday… a mini vacation! Thank you!

Jessica Winthrop, Cavallo Point Lodge, [email protected]

Sharon Dexmier, Napa Valley Linens, [email protected]

Therese Cole-Hubbs, Electric Karma, www.electric-karma.com

Julie Kay Kelly, JK Life Stories, [email protected]

Kevin Dennis, Fantasy Sound Event Services, [email protected]

Ornamento, www.ornamento.com

Isabelle Adams, Bonjour Isabelle, www.sodarockwinery.com

Joyce Scardina Becker, Events of Distinction, www.eventsofdistinction.com

Yehudit Steinberg, [email protected]

Molly Quinn, Palm Event Center, [email protected]

Judy Chadwick, True Confections, www.trueconfectionscakes.com

Kelsey Pavao, Entire Productions, [email protected]

Margret Scott, California Wedding Day Magazine, [email protected]

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

Posted on October 7, 2012 by jlammerts

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nicole’s and Isaac’s First Dance…

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thanks to my Dream Team of the day:

Venue: Trocadero Clubhouse, Stern Grove, San Francisco

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

Caterer: All Good Pizza, www.allgoodpizza.com

Dessert: Elspeth Peliccica, [email protected]

Photographer: Nima Salimi, [email protected]

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

Entertainment: DJ Goldmyne, [email protected]

Rentals: Classic Party Rentals, www.classicpartyrentals.com

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

Posted on September 27, 2012 by jlammerts

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“You may now kiss the bride!” –

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

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

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

And the rings…

Aren’t these beautiful?

And here is the official wedding photo:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Many, many thanks to my “Dream Team:”

Kathy Gannon Briggs, officiant;

Brianna Hussey, Site Coordinator [email protected]

Jennifer Granatelli, [email protected]

Milvali Hair Salon, Alicia – www.milvali.com

Carrie Dove Catering, Amanda Fabbri, [email protected]

Photographer: Jennifer Michelson, [email protected]

Videographer: Gusto Lopez, [email protected]

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

Entertainment and Lighting: Brian Holmes, [email protected]

Photo booth: www.swagbunch.com

Transportation: City Express Limousine Service, [email protected]

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

Posted on September 23, 2012 by jlammerts

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

or…

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

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

Posted on September 19, 2012 by jlammerts

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

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

And here is my material:

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

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

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

It’s a Dog’s Life…

Posted on September 11, 2012 by jlammerts

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

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

Diva Sage

Real Weddings: A Diamond Anniversary and a Lifetime of Love

Posted on September 5, 2012 by jlammerts

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Photos courtesy of Paul Pan Photography

Real Weddings: Westie Wedding with WOW!

Posted on August 15, 2012 by jlammerts

It was a warm July day when Pharmacist Dr. Banjie Quiambao married her Prince Charming, Ed Vergara, JD. The traditional Catholic ceremony took place at St. Mary’s Parish in Gilroy with Father Dan Derry presiding.

Waiting in the wings, donned in his tuxedo and boutonniere and looking like the most handsome boy in the world, was their fur-baby, Riley, a Westie-Terrier mix with the perfect piggie-pink nose. Once the wedding got started, wedding planner Patty Speirs of Every Last Detail went back to to the bride’s house to pick up the Pup of Honor, who was as cool as a cucumber riding shotgun. Once at the church, he nearly stole the show with all the oo’s and ahh’s and plenty of smiles and pats on the head as the ceremony progressed.

As the New Mr. and Mrs. Vergara walked back down the aisle, Riley was there to congratulate them.

After the formal photographs at the church, Riley took an early leave…

..and headed home while Mom and Dad headed to the reception in style via classic Rolls Royce, chauffeured by George from Elegant Journey Limousine.

The bride and groom arrived at the Monterey Embassy Suites in time to sneak into the ballroom to see it in all its beauty and splendor with decor provided by LauraT decor. The tables were named after prescription drugs, a nod to Banjie’s career…

… and the favors were medicine vials full of yummy candies – with special prescription labels and instructions to take two a day for happiness! (No bitter medicine today…)

The guests imbibed with Banja-lini’s and Vergartini’s – signature drinks named after the bride and groom – and had a blast letting loose in the photobooth provided by Peninsula Photo Booth.

The cake was created by Freedom Bakery, and the WOW factor was a surprise visit and performances by Dean Martin, on loan from the Rat Pack.

Dean Martin with wedding planner Patty

All in all, a classy, elegant and fun wedding celebration with WOW and WOOF!

Wedding Planner: Every Last Detail, eldweddings.com

Transportation: Elegant Journey, www.ejlimo.com

Venue: Monterey Embassy Suites, www.embassysuites.hilton.com/Monterey

Peninsula Photo Booth, www.peninsulaphotobooths.com

Freedom Bakery, www.fbandc.com

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

Posted on August 7, 2012 by jlammerts

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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