Here are a few last bits of eye candy for all of you. If you are anything like me, this will not be nearly enough…so head on over to Jose Villa’s blog in just a bit to check out even more images, Jessica Claire’s blog to get even more behind the scenes details from Jessica herself and Angel Swanson’s blog for the designer’s perspective. The full list of vendors is below.

From Angel Swanson…

Guests collected their seating arrangements on the most fabulous escort card display, created using a salvaged door, some metal hooks, vintage keys and tea-stained tags. Each guest’s name was written on the door in metallic gold ink, and stationer Kari Dyas installed hooks next to each name. On the hook, a guest would find an aged skeleton key attached to a tea-stained tag simply noting their table assignment. The door was propped up against an old piano for the perfect makeshift stand.

The dining space itself was an area mowed out (in the shape of a keyhole, no less!!) in a meadow of tall grass. The site owners at 3 Stones graciously went along with our request to let the rest of the meadow run wild with the growth of the tall grass so it was like an outdoor “room” surrounded by walls of wispy stalks of grass. Incredible. Guests entered the area by crossing the threshold of an old door (still attached to its frame!), completely bedecked with magnolia leaves and florals by Gilly and his team. An old coat rack proffered various shawls and scarves, as well as vintage hats, to “rent” for the evening. A vintage suitcase sat at the rack’s base to collect the accessories at night’s end.

Guest seating was at a mix of long and square rough-hewn wooden tables, topped with custom-made burlap runners edged in lengths of wide velvet ribbon. We brought in a playful selection of mismatched china for the placesettings, where guests discovered personalized menus that had been aged with tea, letterpressed and designed with burned edges and a wine glass stain. It was yet another genius element brought to life by stationer and artist Kari Dyas.

Lush tablescapes brimming with whimsical details graced each table. An astounding collection of vintage tins, copper vessels and apothecary glass were was pieced together for months and Gilly Flowers filled each one with wild, organic-feeling arrangements using uncommon blooms, branches and foliage. Jeweled bug brooches were gingerly poised amongst the florals as another layer of delightful design. There was a fabulous detail everywhere you turned!

The decadent dinner menu featured butternut squash soup, roasted halibut, and lamb chops with a pomegranate orange reduction. A masterful cake created by Napa’s own renowned bakery, Perfect Endings, was an ideal dessert paired with fresh milk shooters and an assortment of freshly baked cookies. The cake’s fondant design was inspired by the wedding china, Jeff’s shoes, and the ubiquitous skeleton keys. Jessica’s favorite singer, Kyler England, entertained guests with two live music sets and DJ Mark of Denon & Doyle kept the dance floor packed until the couple’s formal grand exit at the end of the night.

It was a perfect day from start to finish and guests were truly immersed in an extraordinarily styled environment that oozed inspiration. Not a single thing was left undesigned. Watching Jess and Jeff sway back and forth during their first dance (performed by Jeff’s brother, photographer Michael Norwood!), lovingly gazing at one another, is a poignant memory. It was a joy to be a part of and I will never forget the way I felt as the sun set and we dined under the stars.

Vendors
Venue: 3 Stones / Photography: Jose Villa / Wedding Planner & Event Designer: Angel Swanson of Events of Love and Splendor / Event Stylist: Kabrel Polak / Florist Gilly Flowers / Catering: Alex’s Catering / Cake by Perfect Endings / Videography by Elysium Productions / Rentals by Classic Party Rentals, Town and Country Rentals / Stationery by Kari Dyas / Lighting: Got Light / Custom Linens: Cindy Guillermo / Signage: Family Attics Shop / Candy Girl: Peachy’s Puffs / DJ: Denon and Doyl

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Post tags: 3 Stones, Alex's Catering, Classic Party Rentals, Denon and Dyol, Eclectic, Elysium Productions, Family Attics Shop, Gilly Flowers, Got Light, Jessica Claire, Jose Villa, Kari Davis, Love and Splendor, Napa Valley, Peachy's Puffs, Perfect Endings, Vintage
Post categories: Casual Elegance, Traditional Elegance, Vintage Chic

We are both lovers of jazz and found an awesome band that played classic jazz hits during the ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception.  I walked down the aisle to Miles Davis’ “It Never Entered My Mind.”  We couldn’t decide on a song for the first dance for the longest time and Ken insisted that he pick it.  I was very hesitant at first, but I decided to trust him because the wedding was only 2 days away.  After our welcome speech to our guests, he had three young guests join us on the dance floor and read to everyone his version of our fairy tale.  Our first dance was “Someday My Prince Will Come” and also by Miles Davis.  He really took me by surprise and I couldn’t stop crying (some of our guests too).  So it really did feel like a fairy tale…

SWOON. Well, the gorgeousness doesn’t end here. I have saved some of the VERY best, absolutely gorgeous, ridiculously lovely details for our Style Circle Details Feature. It’s a shameless way to get you guys to visit our new social network, I admit. BUT, it’s also the place that is all about wedding style so it just made sense.

We are going to be doing a Look For Less feature over there this afternoon too, where we are featuring tips and ideas to make this look come alive on a budget!

Here are the list of vendors that Catherine and Ken used…

Florist: David Hahn of Willem-Aidan / Event coordinator: Linda Chow of Lavish Celebrations / Photography: Karen Wise / Videography: Blue Sky Videos / Catering: The Kitchen for Exploring Foods / Cake: Vanilla Bakeshop /  Party Rentals: Classic Party Rentals / Jazz Band: Evan Stone Productions / Wedding gown by Lazaro and cocktail dress by Dior / Shoes by Rene Caovilla and Christian Louboutin / Groom’s Suit by Ermenegildo Zegna

Click here to read our Style Circle Feature filled with more details from this affair…think invitations, flowers, place cards, decor, the works!

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 9 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Blue Sky Video, Christian Louboutin, Classic Party Rentals, Dior, Ermenegildo Zegna, Evan Stone Productions, Karen Wise, Lavish Celebrations, Lazaro, Malibu, The Kitchen for Exploring Food, Vanilla Bakeshop, Willem-Aiden
Post categories: Style Circle, Traditional Elegance

Here are a few quick screen shots from the film…

First, a little bit from Jewel Savadelis …

Emily and Danny, a well traveled couple that share a passion for great food and company, held their nuptuals at the beautiful Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Half Moon Bay on October 7, 2008. Emily celebrated her independence by choosing to walk down the aisle by herself, before exchanging personalized vows with Danny on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Emily’s favorite uncle sketched the ceremony as it was happening and presented the newlyweds the finished drawing during the reception. Their wedding featured a modern Asian Zen garden theme with details such as Taiwanese mung beans creatively incorporated into the floral arrangements that represented their culture and heritage. The ballroom at the Ritz-Carlton was transformed into a warm and inviting setting, with champagne colored drapery, Asian lanterns hung above the dance floor, and a mixture of kings, queens, and round tables topped by orchids, hydrangeas, roses, and river rocks. The 260 guests were treated to an elaborate 4-course dinner consisting of unique choices like Lobster Salad, Crispy Suckling Pig with Cassoulet, Baby Lamb Chops and Seared Sea Bass. After dinner, the guests took to the dance floor, piled into the photo booth, and enjoyed the elaborate dessert buffet which featured 17 specialty items such as green tea panna cotta, coconut tapioca, and passion mango gel.

So now … be prepared to grin for three straight minutes as you watch their movie! {make sure the sound is on}

How fantastic was that! SO fun.

If you <click> over to Savadelis Films’ website, you’ll see that one primary concern of Chuck and Jewel’s is that they want to get to know you before your wedding day. They’re not just there to take a video of the events … they’re there to capture the emotions, the expressions, the feelings … of the entire celebration! But that is a mere fraction of the art of their movie-making … after all is recorded on film, the real artistry begins. Putting it all together in a fashion that is unique and suited to each couple’s personalities is when the real skill comes in.  And that is where the Savadelis’ shine. A huge thanks to Chuck and Jewel for sharing Emily & Danny’s movie with us!

Vendor Credits: The Cheeseballs, Jubilee Lau Events, Taylor Pham, Enhanced Lighting, Classic Party Rentals, Heron Freed Toor, Lisa Leigh Photography

Little Black Book Members - Elegant Cheesecakes, Nancy Liu Chin Designs and Peculiar Pair Press. Fantastic Work!!

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 5 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Classic Party Rentals, Elegant Cheesecakes, Enhanced Lighting, Heron Freed Toor, Jubilee Lau Events, Lisa Leigh Photography, Nancy Liu Chin Designs, Peculiar Pair Press, Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Savadelis Films, Taylor Pham, The Cheeseballs
Post categories: Little Black Book Blog, Wedding Photography, Wedding Style

photographs by Lisa Franchot

From Lisa at Oh How Charming!

The draping that we chose for the dinner reception tent was such a beautiful shade of blue. It created the most serene atmosphere. We combined the soft beachy blue hues of the wedding with “beach chic” elements from Classic Party Rentals such as bamboo folding chairs, wicker chargers, bamboo flatware, and wood tables. I had Barker Decor add their amazing bamboo dance floor and stage, and my absolute favorite…7500 square feet of their sisal flooring in the tent. It was extraordinary!! The sisal mixed with the blue draping was such a gorgeous combo.

For the florals – we struggled a bit to really figure out what Courtney loved. Everything we came up with was pretty — but just didn’t have that “wow” factor. So — at the very last second — we collectively decided to change the florals (it was very exciting!) to ALL daisies. The amazingly talented Mindy Rice and I were SO excited that Courtney was daring enough to let us rock out the daisies. There were daisies everywhere! Mindy did beautifully aged galvanized buckets of daisies, and peppered in some super sweet hand tied bouquets of chamomile and feverfew. Mindy also painted all the weathered signs that we had throughout the wedding.

Carlos and Anna at Tabella did a fabulous combination of washed linen and delicate embroidered silk runners on the wood tables. They were stunning. Amy and Jeremy at Vanilla Bake Shop did yet another extraordinary dessert display and a spectacular cake!!! Everything was captured beautifully by the super talented Lisa Franchot. Aside from all the beautiful decor, the wedding was truly stunning because of Courtney and Andrew and their awesome families and friends. It was an event filled with a ton of love and laughter. We were delighted to be a part of it!

© Style Me Pretty : The Ultimate Wedding Blog, 2008. | Permalink | 13 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Barker Decor, Classic Party Rentals, Daisies, Lisa Franchot, Mindy Rice, Oh How Charming, Tabella Design, Table Settings, Vanilla Bake Shop
Post categories: Casual Elegance, Real Weddings