Four Seasons Hotel Silicon Valley

I've watched it be built from the ground up. I've passed by it numerous times as I drive up and down Highway 101. I've seen its recognizable logo every time I make my way to University Avenue. But I've never had the opportunity to experience it until today.

It's the Four Seasons Hotel in Palo Alto.

Under the pleasurable company of about 20 other Event Professionals, I spent a relaxing evening by the poolside of the Four Seasons Hotel. We enjoyed sumptuous hors d'oeurves, wine and champagne, and ofcourse.....my favorite dessert bar! The interior of the hotel reminded me of the Four Seasons and St. Regis in San Francisco--very modern and minimalistic, with a sophisticated touch. Ceremonies can take place outdoor and makes you feel like having a beautiful, natural garden wedding in the middle of a chic city. I love seeing the simplicity of clean lines everywhere. The ballroom is unlike the 'typical' hotel ballroom. Its neutral colors make it a blank canvas for any design, and its architecture is sleek and modern. I would love to design a wedding there!

The weather was absolutely perfect this evening, and the poolside was the perfect place to host this cocktail party. Cabanas lined up alongside the pool, leaving us to imagine the amazing spa experience there.....

http://www.fourseasons.com/siliconvalley/


My good friends Jean marks and Carrie Topoian, both wonderful Wedding Coordinators!

Baby's First Step

I'm so excited to share the news that my little Bridgette took her first steps last weekend! Ever since she was about ten months old, we had thought she would be an early walker because her legs were so strong and she loved to stand. We waited...and waited.....but she still did not walk when she turned 1. We decided to relax, and convinced ourselves the time will come. It finally did, last weekend, at 14 months!

It was a pretty funny scenario. My husband Alan and I were playing with Bridgette in her play area. Without excusing himself, Alan got up and walked away from the room because he needed to get a glass of water. Bridgette tried to reach out her hand to ask Alan to stay but he was walking too fast. In her instant urge to make daddy stay Bridgette got up and wobbled after him. She took about 10 steps before she fell down. I was so delightfully surprised and began clapping to cheer her on. She realized that she had made an achievement and laughed out loud, clapping as well. It was definitely a sweet and exciting moment for our family. Since that day, Bridgette can't stop walking and even broke into a run yesterday!

Where are they now?

It always amazes me that I am lucky enough to participate in one of the most special days in people's lives--their wedding day. What amazes me even more is that I get to continue the friendship, and be a part of their journey after the wedding. Whether it's the purchasing of a new home or the beginning of a new business venture, I love staying in touch with my clients and finding out what's new with them from time to time.

I thought I'd dedicate this post to a few of the wonderful, wonderful couples that I have had the good fortune to work with......to share with everyone their exciting lives after the wedding.

Karen and Marc Liu--They got married at the Hotel Nikko in San Francisco on September 25, 2004. Today, three and a half years after their wedding, Karen and Marc are proud parents of Trevor Jet Liu, who will be turning 1 this June. They are also owners of Dream Dinners in San Bruno, a great place (especially for newlyweds) to depend on for your healthy dinner! At Dream Dinners, you can easily assemble healthy and delicious dinners for your family. They supply the pre-cut ingredients and step by step instructions, making it very convenient for their customers. Check out their website at www.dreamdinners.com

Yehbin and Brian Lee--They got married at the Grace Cathedral in San Francisco on July 16, 2005. Today, nearly three years after their wedding, they are enjoying parenthood with their beautiful daughter Cara.

Sylvia and James Chen--They got married at Hakone Gardens in Saratoga on March 25, 2006. Since then, James has been working diligently on an online business venture. He recently launched his website www.utoopia.com which is a website to help consumers make smart purchasing decisions. I just have a feeling that in a few years time, I will see James on the cover of Forbes magazine, or Entrepreneur magazine!

Brittina and Gee Chuang--They got married on March 12, 2004 at Cypress Hotel in Cupertino. Today, they are proud parents of 5 months old Ethan Chuang! Brittina works for Apple as an Analyst, and Gee is working hard on an online business venture at home while being the primary caregiver to little Ethan. Way to go Gee! Just spoke with them today, and they're traveling for the first time with Ethan tomorrow, bringing him to Taipei to visit his grandparents.





Linda and Mike Kuo--They got married at the beautiful St. Ignatius in San Francisco on October 7, 2006. They recently became parents to their first newborn, Cori. Congratulations Linda and Mike!

Teresa and Nathan Chan--They were married at Thomas Fogarty Winery on August 6, 2006 and they are expecting their first child this summer!



More to come in a future posting......

Red Lantern

Have you heard the buzz? There's a new chic restaurant in Redwood City! It's called The Red Lantern, and its grand opening was November, 2007. I had the opportunity to try it with my good friends and fellow colleagues Gloria and Charee of Sash and Sugar and Jean Marks of Jean Marks Weddings. Before entering the new restaurant, I recognized it as an old government building. Once I stepped inside I was awed at the transformation that the building went through. It is now a chic restaurant deep with Asian decor and influence. A collection of modern and massive red lanterns hung from the high ceilings. The lighting was dimmed to create the perfect ambiance. Asian artwork could be admired throughout the restaurant.

Their cuisine is described as home-style Southeast Asian cuisine which includes items from Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, and other countries in the region. Charee is Filipino, and she agreed that it was true Filipino style food!

Being Wedding Planners, we ofcourse immediately thought of utilizing the space for special events! We got a tour of the restaurant, and was excited to find that they have a semi-private mezzanine upstairs that would be perfect for rehearsal dinners! It overlooks the main dining room, but there are drapery that could be closed off for added privacy. Personally, I thought having the drapes tied back made the ambiance more inviting because guests would be able to share the excitement of the main dining room and bar downstairs, yet be 'away' from it all. The drapes could easily be closed off for the toasts! The mezzanine can seat up to 40, or if it's a standing cocktail reception, up to 60.

Ofcourse, I just HAD to post some dessert pictures....



http://www.redlanternrwc.com/

Be Inspired!

Are you trying to get inspirations for your wedding design? Consider starting at the 4 stories high Britax Fabric store in downtown San Francisco. There are so many different colors, materials, and patterns. You can feel the different textures of the fabric, note down the colors and patterns that draw your attention the most, and envision your wedding in different color palettes.

I was there last week, and spent nearly 2 hours there! I got really excited about the different patterns that were available, and had fun just envisioning different tabletop designs with those patterns. It's amazing how one color, or one pattern, can lead to a full blown wedding design.....from the bride's bouquet, to the linens on the tables, to the menu cards on the chargers. It's definitely one of the best parts of wedding planning!

Wedding Coordinators

I had to post this picture because it's such a GREAT picture of my fellow colleagues and I! This picture was taken recently at the Wildflower Linen open house in San Francisco. From left to right is Rebekah Wood of The Wood Tavern, Alice Grisez of Grisez & Co., Jenne Hohn of Jenne Hohn Events, Morgan Doan of Events by Morgan, MOI, and Jean Marks of Jean Marks Weddings.

Surprised that 'competitors' can be such good friends? Well, there are a lot of wonderful Wedding Coordinators in the industry, and together we strive to set the bar high. True, we really are competitors but in a positive way. We encourage and motivate each other, and often help each other out by sharing our knowledge and experiences. If a couple picks one of us over the others, we realize that they picked the one that they felt most connected with and that's how it should be!

Picture taken by Arrowood Photography www.arrowoodphotography.com

Presentation Matters

I love accompanying my clients to their tastings, not because I get to eat great food, but I love to see how excited they get and how the wedding becomes more 'real' to them. My cute Denver couple, Erin and Nick, recently came back for the tasting with their fabulous caterer and Erin's parents as well as sister Shannon from Honolulu joined us.

Ethan Mantle, the owner and chef of Componere Fine Catering, is amazing. He's never failed to impress my clients, not only because of his impressive training and experience but because he is so passionate about helping his clients customize a menu that is perfect for their unique wedding. You can feel his genuine interest in creating your menu, and he takes great pride of his phenomenal quality of food and service. Although he has only been in business for a few years, he has received much recognition from Event Planners, reputable Venues, and many publications like the San Francisco magazine for his success.

One of the reasons that I love working with Ethan is because he understands that it is just as much about food as it is about presentation. His food is like a work of art, but not in an artificial kind of way. It creates awe, and becomes a conversation piece, sometimes even an ice breaker! There's a lot more that goes into it than one can see. Ethan has a lot of different plates and platters to present his food on, making the presentation perfect-o! Erin, Nick, and their family could not have been happier with the tasting. Because many of their guests are vegetarians, it was of utmost important to them that the vegetarian entree is just as fabulous as the filet mignon and the halibut. They did not want their vegetarian guests to feel like they were an after-thought. Ethan understood this, and worked hard to design several ultra special vegetarian entrees for them to choose from. It was NOT an easy decision. They loved all of them!

I'm not going to reveal too much more about this wedding, as it is coming up in June and I have no idea if any of their guests may come across my blog! I will definitely post pictures of this wedding when it is over--stay tuned!

www.componerefinecatering.com

Spring Prettiness

One of the fun parts of my job is getting to see new trends. Classic Party Rentals, the largest rental company in the Bay Area, recently had a Spring Open House to showcase their new products and I eagerly took advantage of this opportunity to get inspirations for my weddings.

Classics showcased many different table designs-- some lavish, over the top tables and some rustic, natural tables. I loved them all!! My favorite new linen is the Castella Blue. I would love to design a table around this beautiful linen. The new line of Bengaline linens is also fabulous. It's medium priced, so more expensive than the polycotton but less expensive than the specialty linens. It comes in a various of fun, fresh colors and have a nice texture to them.

The upstairs of Classics was transformed to different lounge areas, featuring a lot of different lighting and draping options, as well as furniture rental. I definitely feel that draping and lighting are becoming 'necessities' for every event. It enhances the venue, and can create the ambiance that you are looking for. Try softening entryways with draping--it makes the 'entrance' so much more elegant and inviting! Set different ambiances in the same room by changing the lighting at different points of the day and evening--it really transforms the space!