A Romantic Summer Garden Party for Isheeta and Alex

If ever there was a super-busy young couple planning their wedding, it’s THEM! Groom Alex is working long hours as a software engineer. Bride Isheeta was completing Medical School during our planning time and took her final exams just weeks before her wedding. Together they managed TWO cross-country moves while we were collaborating on their Big Day. Small wonder they needed the help of my company, A Day Like No Other, to plan their wedding celebration!

They had fallen in love with one of the most romantic venues in all of the San Francisco Bay Area, Thomas Fogarty Winery. Nestled into rolling vineyards, and perched high up on a mountain ridge, with endless views from the San Francisco skyline to Silicon Valley – it clearly spoke to these two nature lovers!

After nearly a year of diligent planning, the Great Day had finally arrived – a beautiful, sunny early summer day under blue skies and with a slight breeze. Just perfect.

For bride Isheeta, the day began with hair and makeup services by Vivian Sampson Beauty

… followed by dressing up with the help of her Mom – the quintessential Mother-Daughter moment!

And likewise, groom Alex and HIS Mom had THEIR moment.

Photographer Melissa Floriano and Avalos Films videographers captured all these precious scenes, from start to finish.

The first big highlight of the day was, of course, the couple’s First Look…

…. followed by many, many photos of the bride and groom…

… also with their bridal party.

Meanwhile, the teams of A Day Like No Other, Continental Caterers, Green Petal Designs florals and Big Fun Disc Jockeys were hard at work setting up the ceremony area, decorating and cooking and making sure that both the bar and the sound systems were in place in time.

Florist Janelle of Green Petal Designs had created stunning bouquets and floral arrangements with the bride’s favorite flowers – orchids and roses. So elegant… Time was going by so quickly, guests were arriving (via shuttles from Corinthian Ground Transportation), and then – the ceremony began. Groom Alex was escorted by both his parents…

… a super cute flower girl (with an orchid flower crown!) stole the show…

… and after her, bride Isheeta appeared with her parents.

Always such an emotional moment… and the scenery was simply breathtaking.

The ceremony was officiated by a longtime friend of the couple – it doesn’t get much more personal than that!

“You May Now Kiss the Bride!” – and there they are, just married!

While guests were enjoying cocktails and hors d’oeuvres supplied by Continental Catering, serenaded by DJ Woody of Big Fun Disc Jockeys and entertaining themselves with making a Polaroid scrapbook for the couple ….

… the newlyweds had more pictures to take.

Dinner time! Our catering team had set up dinner tables in the open Pavilion with elegant chairs and tabletop items from Hensley Event Resources

… shimmering linens and napkins from Napa Valley Linens

…. and dominated by potted Phalaenopsis orchids from Green Petal Designs.

It was a really glamorous dinner setup…. and that was not the only surprise!!

After dinner, more delights awaited – first off: wedding cake and a dessert bar (from La Vie Douce)!

Once the cake had been cut, there was no holding back on dancing. The newlyweds opened the dancefloor with their First Dance…

…. and that was the beginning of one wild dance party!

The open Deck was illuminated by thousands of twinkle lights, the bar was open, and even the non-dancers were having a fabulous time.

Wishing you a lifetime of happiness, Isheeta and Alex!

See it all Live!

And if you desire a wedding just as beautiful as theirs… choose A Day Like No Other – wedding coordination and design.

“When only the best will do!”

Sheida and Homer – a Fairytale right out of 1001 Nights

A whirlwind wedding planning project for a superbusy couple and a fairytale wedding – that was my first task in 2024! Sheida had contracted my wedding planning and design company, A Day Like No Other, after I had planned her older sister’s wedding a few years back – and her first surprise for me was that we only had 7 weeks until the Big Day. The venue (Boulder Ridge Golf Club in San Jose) had been booked… but that was it so far. So we went to work! And time literally flew by…

On the morning of Wedding Day, Sheida and Homer woke up to a gloomy sky and light rain – it was such a disappointment… but they kept their high spirits and got ready for the festivities.

Sheida’s day started with hair and makeup services by Adelina Eidelman, and bridesmaids and mothers simultaneously enjoyed services by Faces by Emily.

Danny Dong Photography

Sheida had chosen a romantic Savin of London wedding dress with lavender rose applique… a real dream! (One that we were lucky enough to secure at such short notice, thanks to our friends at Nouvelle Vogue Bridal Salon).

Danny Dong Photography

Isn’t it fabulous? All her other accessories played into this theme of romance, elegance and soft lavender hues.

Danny Dong Photography

Photographers Danny and Julia Dong and Frame Story videographers were there from the get-go to capture every beautiful detail throughout the day.

Danny Dong Photography

With help from her bridesmaids, Sheida got all dressed up …

Danny Dong Photography
Danny Dong Photography

… and groom Homer got into his elegant dinner jacket – ready for their First Look!

Danny Dong Photography

That happened at their getting-ready location, the historic Dolce-Hayes Mansion in San Jose.

Danny Dong Photography
Danny Dong Photography

Then a little meteorological miracle happened, and the skies literally smiled on our couple: the sun came out, and the rain stopped! Just in the nick of time to prepare for their elaborate ceremony outdoors, as originally planned.

And here is their stunning sofreh-aghd (by Aroosi by Lili), honoring the bride’s Persian heriage, with every single element full of symbolism:

Danny Dong Photography
Danny Dong Photography
Danny Dong Photography

Here comes the bride, on her proud Dad’s arm, serenaded by violinist Pourya Khademi.

Danny Dong Photography

During the ceremony, female family members rub sugar over the couple’s heads – symbolizing the sweetness of marriage (over a thin cloth, actually – to prevent everything getting too sticky…)

Danny Dong Photography

It was a beautiful scene – with the sun coming out behind the clouds… drama!

Danny Dong Photography

After the ceremony, guests were treated to unforgettable entertainment – starting with an authentic Lion Dance, a nod to the groom’s Chinese heritage.

Danny Dong Photography

Meanwhile, a number of vendor teams had been working their magic behind the scenes to transform the dining room at the Club into a gorgeous scene – with draping all around, ceiling swags and twinkle lights, and suspended greenery and chandeliers over the dancefloor (all by Fine Linen Creation)…

Danny Dong Photography
Danny Dong Photography

… and stunning tall centerpieces from Blackistone Florist (all personal flowers and all floral decor). The couple’s Sweetheart Table received special treatment, of course!

Danny Dong Photography

DJ AMP had the music going, and the kitchen at Boulder Ridge Golf Club was ready to serve dinner.

Danny Dong Photography

On their place settings, guests found a traditional Persian bowl as their keepsake, and there were elegant chocolates as well…

Danny Dong Photography

… in addition to all the delicious Persian sweets from the sofreh.

True to form, the couple’s Grand Entrance to dinner was anything but standard: Niosha Dance Academy, a Persian dance troupe, performed to the delight of all their guests.

Danny Dong Photography

After dinner, guests were treated to an elegant wedding cake

Danny Dong Photography

… which the bride and groom cut expertly, as their first official task as a married couple.

Danny Dong Photography

Finally, what everyone had been waiting for: dancing started! The newlyweds opened the dance floor with a choreographed routine…

Danny Dong Photography
Danny Dong Photography

… and that was the start of a wild dance party for everyone – including a Bouquet Toss! To keep everyone energized, Bun Me Up served bao buns as late-night snacks.

Danny Dong Photography

Sheida and Homer snuck out for a few moments with photographers and videographers for some more nighttime photos…

Danny Dong Photography
Danny Dong Photography

Wishing you a lifetime of happiness together, Sheida and Homer – and keep celebrating!

Taylor and Sheldon’s Joyful Summer Wedding

Taylor and Sheldon are a busy professional couple, living out of state – and for planning and designing their wedding, they enlisted the help of my company, A Day Like No Other. They had chosen a venue close to where the bride grew up and where her parents are still living: Thomas Fogarty Winery in Woodside. Simply perfect for the garden-themed summer wedding the couple was envisioning, elegant and romantic in ivory and lilac hues, with a few metallic gold accents.

Their invitations set the tone:

The bride and her bridesmaids were getting ready at the house of the bride’s parents, with hair and makeup services by Aqua Beauty Lounge.

A timeless mother-daughter moment…

Not to forget the jewelry…

And here she is… dramatic!

Lastly – the bridal bouquet (all florals by Laurel & Vine):

And with that, Taylor was ready to present herself to her husband-to-be.

Sheldon had meanwhile also dressed up…

…. and was ready for the “First Look.”

Always such a touching moment…

Time for many, many photos with photographer Kevin Chin and for video with videographer Martin Meyer!

Official wedding photo, right?

Meanwhile, the ceremony area had been set up, officiant Chris Thielen had arrived, and DJ Paul Burchfield of Big Fun Disc Jockeys had the music going as guests began to arrive (via shuttles from Corinthian Ground Transportation). It was the perfect summer day, warm and sunny under a cloudless blue sky, and with a slight breeze.

The ceremony lawn offers endless views, from the San Francisco skyline all the way to Silicon Valley.

And here comes the bride, on her father’s arm.

After her father formally “gave her away” to Sheldon, Taylor joined him and officiant Chris Thielen for the ceremony.

Ring exchange…

… and “You may now kiss your bride!”

Just married!! And off to many more photos and video …

… while guests enjoyed Fogarty wines and hors d’oeuvres (all food and bar services by Melons Catering) on the open Deck at Fogarty Winery.

The Melons Catering team had meanwhile set up dinner in the open Pavilion…

… with elegant china, placemats, glassware and cutlery from Hensley Event Resources, on beautiful linens by Napa Valley Linens.

Impressive centerpieces (by Laurel & Vine) were the stunning focal point of each table.

All elements had been carefully chosen to complement the overall look of summery elegance and luxury – including the seating chart for guests…

… and beautifully packaged favors in the wedding colors.

The Head Table, of course, got extra-special treatment!

After a delicious dinner (by Melons Catering)…

and many toasts and speeches…

… AND a group photo with all their guests…

… it was definitely time for dancing and for cutting the cake (by Susie Cakes)!

The newlyweds completed this time-honored first task in their marriage with bravura.

For her choreographed First Dance, the bride had changed into an “easier” (but no less stunning!) dress…

Applause!! Next up – Bouquet Toss…

… and Garter Toss!

And what followed then, was a truly EPIC dance party!

What a celebration! Our best wishes on your way, Taylor and Sheldon!

Gianna’s and Kyle’s “heavenly” nuptials at Nestldown

Gianna and Kyle had something like a whirlwind romance – Kyle proposed just a year and a half into their relationship, and a month later, the two had brought my company, A Day Like No Other, on board for their wedding planning. Their dream venue – Nestldown Estate in Los Gatos – was booked, and off we went on a yearlong endeavor to make their wedding celebration truly special, memorable, and above all, uniquely theirs.

Last October, the big day had finally come. Bride and groom were getting ready at Hotel Valencia in San Jose …

…. and the bride and her bridesmaids enjoyed hair and makeup services by stylists from Wowpretty Salon.

Gianna had chosen a very feminine, romantic wedding dress.

Photographer Melissa Floriano and videographer Sean Kurtela joined the bridal party to capture all the precious moments – AND the gorgeous details!

As avid “stargazers,” bride and groom chose a celestial motif for their invitations – a glittery starry sky, actually, and the bride’s earrings reflect the same “heavenly” taste!

Bride Gianna got into her dress with the assistance of her bridesmaids …

… while in a suite at the other end of the hotel, groom Kyle and his groomsmen were likewise dressing up.

Time to transfer to the venue (via Corinthian Ground Transportation) for the couple’s First Look and many photos and video footage! As their First Look location, Gianna and Kyle had chosen the charming Fairytale Cottage onsite.

Next up: couple’s portraits and bridal party photos.

Gianna wore a star-studded hairpiece to complement her earrings, and for her bridal bouquet, she had chosen ivory and dark red blooms in an effortlessly feminine style (all florals by Lotus & Lily Floral Design). Dark red was also the color of choice for the bridesmaids’ dresses…

… while the gentlemen wore classic charcoal grey (with honey-colored dress shoes!).

And here is the whole impressive lineup of 8 bridesmaids and 8 groomsmen plus officiant!

Bridal party having fun!

In the meantime, the ceremony area in the “Chapel,” a dramatic redwood grove, had been set up and decorated with a circular arch, embellished with gorgeous flowers.

At the entrance to the aisle, little containers with bubbles waited for the guests, to blow bubbles on the newlyweds after the ceremony.

And here is the “aisle” – a dramatic stairway descending down a wooded hill into the Redwood clearing.

Soon enough, guests began arriving, greeted by a customized Welcome sign.

The ceremony, officiated by a close friend of the couple, began on time, with the processional of the groom…

… and HERE COMES THE BRIDE!

Los Gatos DJs provided beautiful wedding music (and for the groom’s entrance, a march out of “Star Wars!”)

“You may now kiss the bride!”

Just married! The parents of the groom walked out with the “guest of honor” of the day – the couple’s puppy dog “Muffin.”

While the newlyweds had many more photos and videos to take…

… their guests were treated to cocktails and hors d’oeuvres (by Eisenhauer’s Catering) and to musical entertainment and photo booth fun (both by Los Gatos DJs). When it was time for dinner, guests found their seating assignments on a pretty seating chart…

… on the way to the Great Lawn where dinner tables had been set up. There were also baskets with cozy blankets to keep everyone warm.

Dark blue and maroon, accented by metallic gold, set an elegant tone. The newlyweds presided over the whole “congregation” from their special Sweetheart Table, adorned (like all guest tables) with lavish floral centerpieces by Lotus & Lily.

As dusk was falling, the lights in the surrounding trees came on, and the atmosphere turned magical.

After dinner, guests were invited to dancing in the Barn, the central building at Nestldown. A “barn” only by architectural style, it is a truly unique and elegant event space…

… crowned by an enormous crystal chandelier. This is where Gianna and Kyle enjoyed their First Dance as a married couple…

… and where they cut their “heavenly” cake (by Cake Expressions).

A photo gallery on the antique hutch displayed family photos from several generations back…

… and an open-air bar under twinkling lights and the photo booth provided entertainment in addition to dancing.

The evening came to its conclusion on another high point: an (LED-) sparkler send-off to the “Nestldown Trademark” vintage London Taxi to whisk the newlyweds away into their married bliss!

Off to a lifetime of shared happiness – that’s what we wish for you, Gianna and Kyle!

Sarah and Patrick – an elegant Fall wedding

After nearly a full year of long-distance planning, Sarah’s and Patrick’s big day finally arrived. Living and working in New York, they had chosen my company, A Day Like No Other, to help them with the planning and coordination of their wedding.

For the bride, her bridesmaids and the mothers, the day began with hair and makeup services by Tiffany Chiang of Design Her Image – and the results were truly stunning! Here is the bride, with a beautiful glow…

… and here are her bridesmaids!

Her two Maids-of-Honor helped her to get into her lace-encrusted, ballgown-style dress…

… and sparkly wedding shoes.

Green Petal Designs delivered a gorgeous bridal bouquet…

… as well as bridesmaids bouquets, wrist corsages, boutonnieres (and the floral decor for the reception), and with that, the bride was ready for her First Look.

Corinthian Ground Transportation took her and (separately!) the groom and bridal party to the church where both the First Look and the wedding ceremony would be held: Valley Presbyterian Church in Portola Valley, a spectacular church set in a Redwood grove where the bride’s parents had gotten married 35 years ago.

Nearly there – as Sarah is approaching Patrick, videographer Martin Meyer of martinFILMS and photographers Manali and Kaitlin of Manali Anne Photography are capturing every moment (just wait until you see THEIR photos! For the time being, all we have are my snapshots…)

Happiness!

Very soon, guests were arriving (all transported in style by Corinthian Ground Transportation), and the ceremony began. Following tradition, the bride was escorted in by her father.

The apse of the church behind the altar is all glass, looking out onto the Redwoods. It is truly a spectacular sight.

The brother of the bride, a classically trained Baritone, gave a moving performance during the ceremony.

Just married!!

While the couple had many more “official” wedding photos taken with their family members, guests were shuttled to the reception at Thomas Fogarty Winery, high up on a mountain ridge overlooking all of Silicon Valley.

The teams of Continental Catering, Green Petal Designs and Just De’Lights (lighting installation) as well as my tireless assistant Stephanie had been hard at work for hours to get everything ready in time. The weather gods threw us a curveball – low-hanging clouds settled on the mountain ridge, and it got chilly, foggy and wet… so we had to move cocktails inside. But that did not dampen anyone’s spirits!

With space heaters in place, dinner could still happen in the open Pavilion…

… with elegant place settings and cute candle favors for each guest.

When darkness fell during dinner, the scene turned really magical…

… and the couple enjoyed their First Dance as husband and wife right there, on a balcony overlooking the vineyard.

After that, the whole party moved inside for Cake Cutting (cake by Susie Cakes)…

… and a lot of dancing to tunes by DJ Paul Burchfield of Big Fun Disc Jockeys. Everything eventually comes to an end… but this party ended on a decidedly high note with a private Last Dance for the newlyweds while guests were gathering outside for a spectacular sparkler send-off!

What a night! Sarah and Patrick are going on their Honeymoon – to Hawaii! And then off to a lifetime of joy, laughter and happiness… that’s what we are wishing for you!

Our First Post-COVID Wedding: Trisha and Bryan

Trisha’s and Bryan’s wedding had been in the making for a full twelve years! That’s how long these two have been together. To be fair – they decided to get married after ten years, started their planning, found their venue – and then COVID hit. Everything came to a halt. They postponed their wedding date, and then had to postpone again. They had to cut their guest count dramatically – then, they were suddenly allowed more guests again. In short, it was a rollercoaster ride.

As a longtime friend and collaborator of the bride (who used to be the Director of Events at a venue where I frequently work), I was honored that she chose my company, A Day Like No Other, to coordinate her Great Day, and so I took that rollercoaster planning ride with her, from start to finish.

Last weekend, we finally hit the finish line – on a glorious day and with a perfect event. Trisha (and Bryan) were truly overjoyed!

For the bride and her bridesmaids, the day began with hair services by Shawna Jarnagin, the “Girl with a Curling Iron” and with Makeup by Nett.

Once that was done, the bride was ready to inspect her glamorous wedding dress:

… which she combined with delicate, blush-pink Badgley-Mischka princess slippers:

Her bridesmaids (and “bridesman”) helped to put her in her dress.

Star photographers Danny and Julia Dong and Wild Atlantic Films videographers captured every precious moment – for the time being, all I have to offer are my snapshots; just wait until you see THEIR photos and footage!

The couple’s chosen venue – The Club at Ruby Hill, an elegant golf and country club in the SF East Bay –

is nestled in an elegant parklike setting…

… of utmost privacy and tranquillity. It feels like a million miles away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. A true oasis!

The ceremony took place in the open courtyard of the venue…

… with over 100 guests in attendance (all vaccinated!) – a relief after COVID regulations allowing for just a handful of family members to participate in wedding ceremonies, for more than a year. Impressive altar arrangements by FlowerStory flanked the ceremony spot.

Finally, the great moment had arrived. With music provided by Big Fun Disc Jockeys, the bride was accompanied to the ceremony by her parents.

And after a full twelve years, Trisha and Bryan said “I Do!”

Just married!

The ceremony was live-streamed by Kevin and Megan of Fantasy Sound to allow remote guests to witness the festivities and offer their well-wishes to the newlyweds.

While Trisha and Bryan had many more photos (and video footage) taken, their guests enjoyed cocktails, and many work crews put their finishing touches on the festive setup – the venue team headed by Events Director Janan Ali, the florist team of Kim’s FlowerStory…

… the lighting team of Fantasy Sound. Primrose Bakery delivered the cake …

… and The Joyful Whisk delivered cupcakes; friends of the couple installed a Sweetheart Table backdrop of hundreds of handmade paper cranes and a photo booth backdrop for the booth by The Black Tent; my assistant Quan and I were busy helping to set up the dessert room (yes, a whole room!) …

… and keeping everything organized and on track. But it was all so worth the effort – have a look:

In lieu of place cards, the couple had prepared personalized favor boxes for the guests – containing a scented candle with their favorite fragrance (an enticing aroma of a fresh latte!)

After dinner, the newlyweds opened the dance floor with their choreographed First Dance:

… and the rest of the evening was spent dancing, enjoying desserts and wedding cake and having fun with the photo booth. Everyone agreed: what a wedding!!

Wishing you a lifetime of happiness, Trisha and Bryan!

See it all on film here!

Stacey and Michael – at Last…!

… at Thomas Fogarty Winery in Woodside! The two had been together a full seven years, were parents to three cats (the youngest kitten having been adopted two weeks before their wedding!) – so all their friends agreed: it was about time! Stacey and Michael are super busy young professionals, so when they decided in Spring to “make it official” in October of 2018, they were looking for help. A lot of help! My company, A Day Like No Other, was entrusted with all the preparations, and off we went…

The two had chosen their venue, a spectacular winery overlooking all of Silicon Valley with endless views, and a day that turned out to be proverbial “Bay Area Golden October:” sunny, with blue skies, and warm. Just perfect.

The bride arrived at the venue in full hair and makeup (by A-List Makeup) and all she needed to do was get into her gorgeous wedding dress with the help of her bridesmaids…

… pick up her vibrant, Fall-colored, richly textured bridal bouquet (from Laurel & Vine)…

… and here she is, ready for her First Look:

Groom Michael and his groomsmen were meanwhile also getting ready…

… donned their boutonnieres, and the Best Man took care of the rings.

With that, Bride and Groom were ready for their official First Look:

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Time for many, many photos with bridesmaids and groomsmen (by Sandra Fazzino Photography) and video (by Sway Media) while the teams of Thomas Fogarty Winery, Laurel & Vine Florals, and Toast Catering were busy with preparations. DJ Justin of JustIntertainment set up their sound systems while my assistant Trisha and I set up decorations and made sure that all went smoothly and on time.

Very soon, the first guests were arriving – they were greeted by a vintage baby-blue typewriter to leave their messages and well-wishes for the couple.

In addition to the (already quirky) typewriter in lieu of a conventional guestbook, we had provided a map for all guests to mark from where they had traveled to be with Stacey and Michael on their special day…

… and here they see the first of many kittens that would pop up throughout that whole wedding celebration in honor of the couple’s beloved felines!

Time for the ceremony which was officiated by a longtime friend of the couple, aided by more friends who read passages from Antoine de St. Exupery’s “Le Petit Prince” during the ceremony.

You may now kiss the bride! And here they are, just married… and so happy!

For the couple, it meant… more photos! And for their guests, cocktails and hors d’oeuvres on the open deck, with gorgeous views.

For “escort cards,” the couple had come up with yet another quirky and unexpected idea: custom cookies decorated in the “College colors” of each particular guest! A smart idea as most of their guests were their friends from college…

Dining tables in the beautiful open “Pavilion” were adorned with centerpieces matching the bride’s bouquet, and the table numbers were another loving nod to the couple’s cat babies.

The couple’s Sweetheart Table got, of course, a little extra-special treatment!

Time for the Grand Entrance of the newlyweds!

… and for speeches…

… and then, for dessert! Another quirky choice: delicious, fragrant mini donuts (by Harvey’s Donuts) – everyone decided to “re-start the diet tomorrow!”

The couple “wowed” everyone with their elaborate First Dance …

… which opened the dance floor to everyone and to an epic dance party!

Everyone – young and old – had a great time, and then we gave the newlyweds a Grand Send-Off in style, with glowsticks:

Dance on, Stacey and Michael … for a lifetime of happiness!