Real Wedding... Jillian & Kevin, Shutters on the Beach

Jillian and Kevin tied the knot at the beautiful Shutters on the Beach in Santa Monica, California.  To keep with Shutters beach chic ambience, they had a sea shell canopy at their ceremony, and kept their color palette clean and crisp with bright whites and Tiffany blue.

Much thanks to Michelle of Mi Belle Photographer for the beautiful photos!

Event Planner: Annette Garcia Kerslake for Simply Natural Events

Photographer: Mi Belle

Venue: Shutters on the Beach

Florist: GD Designers

Cake: Vanilla Bake Shop

Lighting: Luna Park Rental

DJ: Invisible Touch

Videographer: Manifest Videography

Jewerly: Tiffany & Co

Twlight Wedding Inspirations

I found this elegant Twilight inspired wedding from Hostess with the Mostess. So Bella and Edward!

Signature Cocktails: A Sip of Perfection

A signature cocktail is almost the norm at parties these days. It's a great way to personalize your event. Jonathan Pogash a New York based mixologist offers his top tips in creating the prefect signature cocktail for your wedding.

1. The theme of your day – Whether it’s ‘Hamptons beach party’ or ‘70’s retro-disco’, align your specialty libation with what your day will hold forth.
2. Color – If this is a large part of your theme, consider it for your cocktails: Purple, pink, yellow, green, silver – all colors can be recreated in the liquid form.
3. What liquor do I use? – Ask yourselves what your favorite spirits are, and decide from there. The possibilities are endless. A trend nowadays is back towards classic cocktails, so if you’re lovers of Gin, Rum, and Rye or Bourbon, think about using those as your base spirits.
4. Save $$$ - By offering one or two specialty cocktails, you can limit your guests’ drinking habits. Even better, offer only your specialty cocktails during cocktail hour, and beer and wine during dinner.
5. Ease of preparation – If you’re fortunate enough to have caterers who are experienced in fine dining, you may not have an issue with this. But for the most part, catering bartenders don’t have much experience with specialty cocktails, let alone custom-made specialty cocktails. Think about using simple, ready-made and easily accessible ingredients. Even submitting a recipe for a batched or pitcher version of your drink would ease the bartender’s nerves, and ensure a perfect, consistent cocktail every time.
6. Always have non-alcoholic versions of your alcoholic cocktails readily available for your guests. It usually just entails eliminating the alcoholic portion of the drink, and adding in a bit more of the mixers.

French Martini

What You Need

• 1 oz. citrus vodka
• 1 oz. pineapple juice
• 1/2 oz. Chambord
• Lime wedge, for garnish

How to Make It

• Shake vodka, pineapple juice, and Chambord well with ice in a shaker.
• Strain into a chilled martini glass.
• Garnish with lime wedge.

Image Via the Knot

Jet Set: Rustic Eco Chic - Sundance Resort, Utah

Image Via Willduris.blogspot.com
The Sundance Resort is perfect for a chic, rustic destination wedding or honeymoon anytime of the year. The atmosphere is romantic, yet the area is an adventure playground. Winter is perfect for skiing and snowboarding, and the rest of the year you can hike, bike, horseback ride, even kayak down the river. If you're not the adventurous type, don't worry. You can relax at the spa or unleash your creative side at the art shack workshop. The restaurants offer 5 star dining and terrific wine lists.

Sundance has several areas to hold a ceremony and reception. My favorite area for the reception is the Rehearsal Hall. It holds up to 250 guest and has a beautiful view of the pond.


Sundance Resort has a long standing history of Green policies, dating back to the property's original purchase (1969).

Guests who stay at Sundance can participate in our linen re-use program, saving water, energy and waste. All Sundance rooms are cleaned using non-toxic cleaning supplies, and rooms are stocked with natural products from Sprout Out, as well as Sundance’s own organic soaps made in the Art Shack.

Both visitors and lodging guests get to participate in our resort-wide recycling program. Sundance Resort has its own glass works kiln. Glass bottles are not only recycled, but turned into decorative art and housewares, for use around the property. Sundance uses hybrid vehicles on property to promote the conservation of energy and lessening of polluting emissions.

Sundance Resort mountain staff implement ongoing mitigation projects each year aimed at restoring the mountain to its natural state by working to eliminate noxious weeds on the mountain, laying erosion blankets and restoring vegetation where seasonal land use has altered the terrain.

What I like...Country Tins

I took advantage of working in Salt Lake City, Utah, this week and booked a stay at Robert Redford's Sundance Resort for the next few days. It's been simply wonderful to decompress and take in nature at one of the most beautiful resorts in North America.

I happened upon these hanging vintage tin milk cans from Farmhouse Wares, which fit perfectly with my mood. I can't wait to use them for one of my weddings. They are simply sweet and make unique, rustic centerpieces. And the fun doesn't stop there. They're perfect for stylish storage in the home, whether they're repurposed to hold tools, pens, keys, or other odds and ends. How perfectly green!

Real Weddings: Amber & Greg

This beautiful couple from San Francisco created a simply elegant outdoor wedding among the oak and pine trees at an all organic restaurant in Topanga, CA.


The groom is also a photographer who shot all the photos that served as the table numbers.


Stay tuned for more photos tomorrow!

The beautiful photography is the work of Clarie Barrett.

Succulent Succulents

Images Via: Lovely Morning, Beth Beljon, With this Ring, Housemartin 

Succulents make the perfect eco-friendly option for flowers. They don't take much water and can be replanted after your wedding, so nothing is wasted. And there's something so romantic in the idea that you can walk into your garden and be reminded of your special day.

Image Via: Dandelion Ranch, Sugar Plum Invitations, Toast & Tables,Unknown

Succulents come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors.  They are a perfect choice in summer heat, but are great in the fall and winter too, when many flowers are out of season.

Images Via: With this Ring, Housemartin, Martha Stewart, Allyson Magda

Happy Cinco De Mayo

Since it's Cinco De Mayo, I thought I would give you some inspiration for a Mexican wedding. Bright colors, festive music and spicy food create the setting for a hot Latin night! Decorate with Mexican paper flags, paper flowers, and pinatas.  The pinatas can be filled with fun goodies that serve as your guest favors.  Mariachis playing for the cocktail and traditional Mexican folk dancers for entertainment. Food should be traditional with a creative twist. Taco bar, mini green tamales, and, for dessert, tres leche cake and Mexican wedding cookies.  Ole!

Images: Top Row: Cake, Favor and Table from Brides.com, Folk Dancer from Mexico Lindo 

Second Row: Tile Placecards from Laura Hopper, Dress image from  Simply Smitten Brides, Mexican Cookies from Sprinkles and Jimmies

Third Row: Margarita image from Edible Portland, Table Setting image from Snippet and Ink

Forth Row:  Paper Flowers from Diversity Store, Bar Image from Simply Natural Events, Mariachis image from, Pinata image from Flickr

Neat Napkins Treatments

A simple way to add wow to your table is by doing a napkin treatment. They can add texture and layer to your table.  It can be a simple ribbon tied around the napkin,  a floral stem laid across the each napkin, or a sprig of herbs.  Get creative!

   

Top Row: Project Wedding, Country Living

Middle Row: Project Wedding

Bottom Row: Project Wedding

Happy Easter

Have a lovely Easter full of love, laughter and joy!

Images: Martha Stewart

Real Wedding: Marisa & Stephen, part 2

More fab photos from Marisa & Stephen's wedding.  Marisa chose a beautiful wedding gown from Kristin Kelly for Disney Fairy Tale Weddings.  It fit her like a glove!

               

The venue was swagged with a champagne silk fabric.  A crystal chandelier hung from the center, and twinkle lights illuminated the trees, along with pillar and votive candles.