From Mark Padgett Event Design … Chelsea came to me with a fun color palette all picked out and a great Save the Date that she had designed herself and we ran with it. I like to start with fashion then design so we decided on the palette for bridesmaids dresses and groom and groomsmen’s suits and ties first then the floral palette.

Chelsea’s love for succulents and the fact that she grew up as a farmer’s daughter flushed out the theme which ultimately became ”Modern California Ranch.”

Chelsea and Drew were child-like in their playfulness and so fun to design for. I loved the block letters in their Save the Date and incorporated them wherever I could in the theme. We carved a rather large heart out of recycled wood and printed C+D as an entrance statement to Holland Ranch, made two large letter and suspended from the barn ceiling with kissing balls I made from succulents had some small hearts made for Chelsea’s bouquet & Drew’s boutonniere. 

From the Bride … Drew likes to play tricks on me. I usually fall for them and even when they’re pretty far fetched. So when he pulled out a ring with the ten dollar price tag still on, I wasn’t going to be fooled. Well the joke was still on me because after about a minute of me saying “I can’t tell if you’re serious,” he just asked me to please say yes or no and the rest is history.

Our wedding planner was a lifesaver. I’m terrible at making decisions so I was slightly dreading planning a wedding. We had a few things that gave it a Ketelsen feel. I got to walk down the aisle to “Tupelo Honey,” my Dad’s favorite song. Drew danced with his mom to “She Loves me like a Rock” which made her tear up instantly. The father daughter dance was a song written by my brother that got the whole crowd dancing with us. 

Photography: Rosenthal Photography / Flowers: Flowers by Denise / Event Design: Mark Padgett Event Design / Event Planning: Mark Padgett Event Design / Ceremony & Reception Location: Holland Ranch, San Luis Obispo / Invitations: Paper Sky / Dress: BHLDN

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Post tags: BHLDN, California, California Weddings, Flowers by Denise, Holland Ranch, Mark Padgett Event Design, Outdoor Ceremony, Outdoor Wedding, Paper Sky, Rosenthal Photography, Rustic Chic, San Luis Obispo, Wedding Planners & Designers
Post categories: Little Black Book Blog, Wedding Planners & Designers

From Coordinately Yours … Bryce Gahagan, contestant on The Apprentice Season 5, wed Katie in June at the picturesque home he designed and built for his parents.  Pre-ceremony refreshments, including the bride’s favorite, Sweet Tea Vodka Lemonade, were served as guests entered the ceremony.  The bride and groom exchanged “I do’s” at the lower level of the property lined with freshly planted impatiens and candlelit trees.  At the conclusion of the ceremony, the groom’s daughter, and flower girl, ran and jumped on the groom in excitement.

During the first dance, the groom surprised his bride (and all of the guests) by adorning the bride’s finger with yet another ring. As the marriage certificate was being signed, the quartet along with the band played “The Devil Went Down in Georgia.” Candlelit vases and glass bulbs hung in trees lined the paths and the reception space.  The pool was filled with hand blown glass bubbles, creating a beautiful reflection.  A large chandelier hung over the dance floor providing romantic lighting that is now displayed in the dining room of the bride and groom’s home.  A truly memorable piece!

A direction card to accompany the invitations was printed on bookcloth and adhered to card stock for texture and a hint of luxury.  The bride and groom offered their custom blend of local Roasterie Coffee along with personalized donut pouches as favors.

Photography: RPM Photography / Flowers: Fresh Fleur / Event Design: Coordinately Yours / Event Planning: Coordinately Yours / Invitations: Lilah Paper, Coordinately Yours / Dress: Jim Hjelm / Flower Girl’s Dress: J.Crew / Ties: Burberry

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Post tags: Backyard Weddings, Bryce Gahagan, burberry, Candles, Coordinately Yours, Flower girls, Fresh Fleur, J. Crew, Jim Hjelm, Kansas City, Neutral Color Palette, Outdoor Ceremony, Outdoor Wedding, Ring Bearers, RPM Photography, Tented Reception, The Apprentice, The Apprentice Season 5, The Apprentice Wedding, Wedding Planners & Designers
Post categories: Little Black Book Blog, Wedding Planners & Designers

Eugene and I were high school sweethearts. We got married during Labor Day Weekend because we had started officially dating on Labor Day fifteen years earlier.  Eugene proposed to me two years ago on Labor Day Weekend on an anniversary trip to Washington D.C. in front of the Reflective Pool between the Lincoln Memorial and the World War II Memorial.

Both Eugene and I really wanted to incorporate Filipino and family traditions in our wedding as well as make sure the day was still a reflection of us.  We got married at the same beautiful Catholic church – St. Brendan’s in Los Angeles – that my parents had gotten married in thirty years ago.  Both my brother and I were baptized there as well.  We exchanged the same “arras” or coins as my parents.  Our cord was used by other family members at their weddings as well.  It is about 28 years old.  Our Bible Bearer carried my grandfather’s bible from 1968.  My grandfather passed away in 2002.  Eugene and the groomsmen changed from their tuxes into the traditional Filipino formalwear – the barong – for the reception.

Although we wanted our reception to be beautiful, we also wanted to ensure that our guests had fun.  We had a photobooth, a silhouette artist, and a flip book station.  Our guests loved the flip book station.  As guests arrived, waiters served them with drinks and hors d’oeuvres.  We had a few Filipino appetizers served, which all of our guests really enjoyed. We also set-up a candy buffet and had an old school popcorn cart.  Our inspiration was “vintage chic.”

Purple is my favorite color.   Gold, yellows, and champagne were our accent colors because the Villa del Sol d’Oro means House of the Golden Sun. My husband is also a huge Laker fan.  We had our reception at the Villa because there was ample room for our guests to walk around and mingle.  I had one guest tell me he was in his seat for only 20 minutes to eat and that was it; which was exactly what we wanted.   It was the first venue I visited, we then visited ten others… I also fell in love with the idea of having cocktails and the bar in the old library.

Antique keys (also bottle openers) served as our escort cards and favors.  With the help of my bridesmaids, we turned picture frames into cork boards with lace.  We also added purple lace to candles and jars to give everything a romantic feeling and make them “pop”.  Our bridal car was a vintage 1968 Bentley.  I love the picture of my husband and groomsmen around the car.  Our flowers were beautiful!   Our guests went gaga over them.  Instead of using the traditional guestbook, we had a photo guestbook and a wish tree.

My favorite part of the day was the father-daughter dance.  My dad was singing along to Stevie Wonder’s “You Are My Sunshine of My Life” during the entire dance. Our wedding day is a day that I will always remember as amazing.

Wedding Photography: Phoebe Joy Photography / Wedding Videography: DP Weddings / Florals: Daily Petal / Ceremony: St. Brendan Church / Reception Location: Villa del Sol D’ Oro / Caterer: Santa Anita Gardens / Wedding Gown: Custom / Hair & Makeup: Valerie St. George of de Cielo Salon & Spa / Wedding Cake: Cakery Bakery / Photobooth: Instabooths / Flipbooks: Thumb Theater / Silhouette Artist: Sylhouettes by Sylvia / Vintage Bentley: Five Diamond Limo / Chairs & Linens: Elegant Chiavari Chairs 4 Rent / Wedding Coordination: Kristeen LaBrot Events

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Post tags: Bentley, Cakery Bakerym, California, Color Palette Purple, Custom Gown, Custom Wedding Gown, Daily Petal, de Cielo Salon & Spa, DP Weddings, Elegant Chiavari Chairs 4 Rent, Filipino Wedding, Five Diamond Limo, Flip Books, Instabooths, Kristeen LaBrot Events, Lace, Los Angeles, Outdoor Reception, Outdoor Wedding, Phoebe Joy Photography, photobooth, Santa Anita Gardens, Silhouettes, St. Brendan Church, Sylhouettes by Sylvia, Thumb Theater, Villa del Sol d'Oro, Vintage Keys, Wedding Planners & Designers
Post categories: Little Black Book Blog, Wedding Planners & Designers

Ivan and I met in high school through mutual friends but didn’t really get to know each other until we were both in college at the University of Texas in Austin. At first, we started studying together and slowly got to know each other. After several study dates we began eating dinner together, watching movies, and going on many more adventures around Austin. Our shared love of music, food, and serving others really brought us together. After graduation, we both moved back to live with our families in our hometown of Houston.

Over the past few years we’ve shared many meals at each others’ houses and gotten to know each other’s families very well. As our relationship progressed, I eagerly anticipated the day when we would join our families together! Ivan proposed on my birthday last year and now we’re counting down the days to the wedding! We can’t wait for all that lies ahead of us in the future.

Even though our wedding day is a month away, I know it will be awesome with friends like Jona and Jerry Blackwell of Forever Photography Studio and Kelly Balfour with Eventology Weddings at our side. I feel so fortunate to have them in my life and I am thrilled that they are getting the attention they deserve with all the hard work they have done for me!

Photographer: Forever Photography Studio / Styling, Planning & Event Coordination: Eventology Weddings / Venue: Recollection Vintage / Floral: Special Arrangements / Chiavari chairs: Aztec Events & Tents / Tablecloths: Over the Top Linens / Catering: GrandMere’s Catering / Cake: Cakes by Julie / Handkerchief Invitations: Handmade Collective / Fabric Bunting: Little Kitten Homemade / Fabric Circle Garland: Paisley Handmade / Cookies: Dainty Delights / Macarons: Maison Burdisso / Calligraphy: Lindsay Letters

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Post tags: Aztec Events & Tents, Birdcages, Bridal Shower, Cake Stands, Cakes by Julie, Color Palette Pink Blue, Cupcakes, Dessert Buffet, Etsy, Eventology Weddings, Forever Photography Studio, GrandMere's Catering, Handmade Collective, macarons, Over the Top Linens, Recollection Vintage, Special Arrangements, Striped Straws, Vintage Chic, Wedding Planners & Designers, Wedding Shower
Post categories: Little Black Book Blog, Wedding Planners & Designers

We are Nick and Aleah Valley of Valley & Co., the award-winning husband and wife wedding + event planning and design duo™ since 2003. We’re just thrilled to offer our planning tips and advice that we’ve found invaluable over our years to Style Me Pretty readers!

In no particular order of importance, these are some of our most cherished tips that we encourage our couples to incorporate into their big day and planning process:

1. Delight in the simplest of ways. Greeting your guests with tray passed wine and cocktails is a wonderful way to start off your celebration, but don’t forget simple things like tray passed iced water. Dress it up by infusing with lemon or cucumber or garnish with frozen grape skewers. Welcome your guests to their place settings with a fresh fruit plate or gourmetcheese board. It’s all about unexpected {simple} ways to delight your guests.

2. Give thanks. Thanking your guests for coming to show their love and support is such a sweet and important thing to do. It can be as simple as printing up {or hand-writing} thank you notes that you slip into each place setting. If friends or family have traveled from afar, give thanks to them in your toast.

3. Divide and conquer. Talk to your fiancé about what’s most important to each of you during the wedding planning process and on your big day. Divvy up tasks based on what you both love and enjoy and come together for duties like your cake tasting, menu planning, and logistics. Spice up the planning and let each other plan one surprise for the big day.

4. Appease the senses. When designing the flow and ambiance of your wedding, bring inunexpected textures, flavors, and scents in subtle ways to create a true experience. Ta pinto the senses: an abundance of candlelight is always aesthetically appeasing. Enhance taste with fresh seasonal dishes and a palate cleanser like a basil lemon sorbet before your entrees. Bring in beautifully textured linens and napkins and incorporate natural elements in your centerpieces.

5. Break the rules. While some wedding traditions should always be, break the rules and go with what you enjoy and love.

6. Entertain. Surprise your guests with entertaining elements like a steel drummer during cocktail hour, a raspy jazz singer during dinner, or fire or hula dancers to kick off your dance floor. Tie in a fun and funky piece of entertainment based on your hobbies, places you love to travel, or something quirky you both enjoy. If you’re on a tighter budget, source local schools for musicians or tap into your neighborhood community center.

7. Roll with the elements. Sometimes the most wonderfully planned weddings are thrown a curveball with the weather. Plan ahead as best as you can: for chilly or windy evening celebrations, gift the ladies in attendance rolled up shawls cinched with fanciful ribbon or place vintage blankets stowed in oversized wicker baskets to encourage cozying up to enjoy the night. For hot summer soirees, stage galvanized tubs with Limonata drinks and sparkling water to keep guests cool. Provide paper parasols for them to use while they wait for you to sashay down the aisle.

8. Bond with your team. Bring on talented, experienced wedding artists who understand your vision and whom you click with. You’ll be spending a lot of time with each vendor so developing a comfortable relationship will ensure a fun planning process and a smooth,beautiful day. We typically spend up to a year with our marvelous clients and know how important it is for them to click with us and for us to enjoy them as well. These relationships will play an important role in your big day.

9. Savor every moment. Enjoy the planning process and document it! Take photos, keep menus and swatches, and have fun! The planning process is an experience in itself and,when done properly, you’ll be left excited for your big day! This is the start of your new adventure together so savoring and enjoying the planning process is a key to kicking off your marriage on the right foot.

I certainly could have used some advice like that when I was engaged!  I especially love the tip about enjoying the engagement and planning process.  It all goes by so fast!  You know what else went by too fast?  This month’s segment with Nick and Aleah.  But don’t dispair!  Leave a comment with your ultimate wedding planning question and Valley & Co. will be back in October to give you the lowdown!

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Post tags: Advice, California, Planners, planning, Q + A, San Diego, Tips, Valley & Co., wedding
Post categories: California Weddings, Wedding Planners & Designers, Wedding Resources

1. Location: Keep your location in mind when deciding on style, color, and decor. The aesthetics of your wedding or event should coordinate with it’s surroundings. This might sound odd, but don’t forget about parking or local events occurring on your wedding date.

2. Budget: Keeping your guest count to a minimum is a great way to save money and keep within your budget. It allows you the opportunity to splurge on a few things that will make the day special for you and your  guests. The small, we’ll thought-out details are what connects your guests to you and this milestone in your life.

3. Inspiration: Finding inspiration on blogs and tearing out pages of wedding magazines is a lot of fun and very useful; however, don’t be afraid to look outside the box. Inspiration can come from anywhere — a piece of fabric, furniture or even an article of clothing.

4. Details: Speaking of details, paying attention to the small things will set your wedding apart from the rest. Serving a signature cocktail as guests arrive in your color palette, a unique escort display, or the prettiest paper details awaiting guests on the tables are all examples of details that will have your guests talking through the night. Guests appreciate seeing in the time and effort you spent to entertain them.

5. Dress: There are so many gorgeous gowns out there making it even harder for brides to find “the one”. Find a bridal salon and let the sales staff help you find a gown that fits your body perfectly. Be sure not to forget proper undergarments.

6. Lighting: Light can really change the overall look and mood of your wedding. The difference between candlelight and overheard fluorescent lighting is obvious. Lighting can create a mood where people want to interact and connect with one another Remember lighting when planning your decor. If your budget doesn’t allow you to do an elaborate lighting schematic, speak with your  florist or event designer about  doing one focal point, and make it special.

7. Music: If there’s one area where a couple can express themselves freely, it’s with music.  Give the event a dose of your personality. Whether you make a playlist for your ipod, or select songs to be played by a band,  and make sure it is played at the appropriate volume for the reception space. Your guests shouldn’t have to shout or whisper to carry on a conversation.

8. Love your vendors: Choosing the right vendors is key in planning your wedding. Let me say that again. Choosing the right vendors is key in planning your wedding. You will enjoy the process if you have vendors  who understand you, and that you like. When they understand you and your vision, they will produce the wedding you want, and probably make it a lot more than you ever thought it could be.  Wedding vendors are creative people. Their energy and passion is in everything they do. So if you “connect” with a vendor, but are still shopping around, don’t discount that connection. There are times when a vendor’s personality, sense of humor, or quick wit will lift you out of the planning trenches. Most of all, trust the people you’ve chosen to deliver. You’ll be amazed at what they can do.

Planning tips: Shelby Peaden Events / Photography: Lauren Kinsey Photography, Candice K Photography, Meg Baisden Photography, Pure 7 Studios, Loving Legacy Photography

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Post tags: planning, shelby peadon, Tips, wedding
Post categories: Florida Weddings, Wedding Planners & Designers

I think in many ways, the driving force for our wedding was family and friends.  We wanted our wedding to be a celebration not only of our life together but of all the people who have shaped our lives and our relationship.  We tried to weave family elements into the details of our wedding whenever we could.  Matt’s uncle presided over our ceremony, his aunt sang Bach’s Ave Marie for our mothers and grandparents as they came down the aisle, and his father selected the exsultate jubilate for our recessional.

I chose my long veil to be reminiscent of the handmade lace one my grandmother wore in her wedding in the 1930′s, but the one I wore had alonson lace to reflect my mother’s wedding gown.  My bouquet held two peonies from my great grandmother’s peony bush and was wrapped in a lace handkerchief from my father’s mother.  The peonies, which were much of the inspiration behind our wedding decor, came from a peony bush that had been transported from my great grandmother’s garden, to my grandmother’s garden, to my mother’s garden.

Family elements continued at the reception, where we used clothes pins to string up old family photos.  Our cake-topper was my great -great aunt’s from her flapper wedding in the 1920s and we cut the cake with the cake cutter my parent’s used at their wedding. What has been particularly special is seeing some of our wedding traditions now continue with our family and friends.  My sister wore my stephinotis hair pins in her wedding this past November, and my friend Andrea wore them in her wedding this spring.

We tried to capture a casually elegant feel throughout the wedding, and wanted a relaxed garden party reception, where everyone could kick back and relax and just have a grand time.  All of our flowers were relaxed and natural – I wanted flowers that really looked like flowers – loose and luscious and joyous. The grounds were so beautiful, and we wanted people to wander and explore all that the gardens had to offer – so a big bucket of flip flops was a must.We set up lawn games like croquet and bacchi ball and horse shoes around the grounds so that people had fun things to do. Others took advantage of the old fashioned rocking chairs to sit on the porch and enjoy the views of the Potomac.

The meal was meant to reflect east coast summer time cooking at it’s best – garden tomato and goat cheese salad, simple roasted summer vegetables, and a heavenly seafood pot pie.  Big pitchers of lemonade and iced teas were particular hits since it end up being a hot day.  For a surprise, we served cookies with mini school-days style milk cartons along with wedding cake for dessert.

In terms of decor, details were important to me.  I wanted to have a lot of unexpected details, but to have them blend easily into our wedding.  I felt like it wasn’t about the details, but that they could really enhanced our guest’s experience.  Our welcome bags were filled with treats from my native Maryland – Utz chips, Rhebs candies, and Bergers cookies, and lists with our favorite things to do in DC, so our out of town family and friends could enjoy our favorite parts of the city.  Our programs were all hand made, as was our guest book at the reception. I also hand made the table markers.  To reflect the garden theme, we selected flower names which we printed, posted, and “planted” in moss covered planters to look like garden markers. We had cocktail napkins with our joint monogram – CMB, and drink sticks stamped with peonies. To reflect the causally elegant garden feel, we went with rough burlap table cloths covered in a crisp white linen topper with eclectic antique china and old fashioned wine and champagne glasses. Our favors were absurdly delicious shortbread cookies that I’m proud to say Matt made from scratch – all 400 or so of them!

In terms of my favorite memories from the day, I’d have to say having a relaxed morning with mom, sister, and the rest of my bridesmaids, including my friend who flew back from Afghanistan to be there, seeing Matt when the doors opened at Holy Trinity – it was every bit as heart stopping as everyone says it will be, taking pictures at the Monuments, particularly on the back of the Lincoln Memorial where we got engaged, playing croquet barefoot with my bridesmaids, and sitting out in the garden watching the fire flies as dusk fell over the Potomac at the end of the night.

Event Planner: A. Dominick Events / Florist: Sidra Forman / Ceremony Venue: Holy Trinity Catholic Church / Reception Venue:  George Washington River Farm / Catering: Design Cuisine / Photography: Love Life Images / Videography: Blue Sky Films

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Post tags: A. Dominick Events, Alexandria, Blue Sky Films, Design Cuisine, George Washington River Farm, Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Love Life Images, Peonies, Sidra Forman, Vintage Cake Topper, Vintage Chic, Virginia, Washington D.C., Wedding Photography, Wedding Planners & Designers
Post categories: Little Black Book Blog, Wedding Planners & Designers

From Unique Weddings by Alexis … This wedding felt elegant without being stuffy. It was a classy, yet had a fun and inviting atmosphere for the guests. The couple really took care to build the wedding around the natural surrounds of Quechee, Vermont.

Elegance and care of the guests were top priorities for this couple and you could see this in all aspects of the wedding. The fun color scheme of bright orange was refreshing and unique compared to the more traditional autumn colors at many September weddings.

And it was the details which really made this event unforgettable! They had custom designed CD favors at each place setting, Vermont-themed hotel welcome baskets for all of their guests, wooden signage for the wedding throughout the town, chalkboard setting charts, popcorn machine and the cutest restroom amenity baskets in their luxurious executive trailers!

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Post tags: A to Z Cakes, Alternate Angles Photography, Blue Guava, Chalkboards, Color Palette Orange, Dave's Septic Service, horses, Junko Yoshioka, Katrina Hess, Lanterns, Quechee, Quechee Community Church, Rain of Shine Tent and Events Company, Rentals Unlimited, Ring Bearers, Sultans of Swing, Tent, The Quechee Club, Thread Bridesmaid, Unique Weddings by Alexis, Vermont, Wedding Photography, Wedding Planners & Designers
Post categories: Little Black Book Blog, Wedding Photography, Wedding Planners & Designers