Ending the Season with a BANG!

I just realized that for the past several years, I've ended my wedding season with a wedding at the Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay. Funny how that happened, but it is definitely one of my favorite places to work at! This year, my final wedding for the season was Emily and Danny's and boy, it was one of the most complex but spectacular weddings I've ever done!

As a planner, I follow the weather reports a lot, especially during the fall and winter season. Weather can really affect an event, even if it is not being held outdoors. It can affect flights at the airport, local traffic, and other components crucial to the success of a fabulous wedding. For this particular weekend, it was especially imperative to be aware of the weather ahead of time. All week long, the reports predicted rain, rain, and more rain. I spent many hours pow-wowing with my partners for this event to creatively devise a Plan B and Plan C. By Friday at rehearsal, we were almost certain that it will rain on Saturday and we would need to go to Plan B but the clients took great comfort in knowing we had such a solid backup plan in place. We all continued to pray that night.

Sometimes, I really think there is a Wedding God up there....watching out for those sweet brides to make sure their wedding doesn't get rained on. All night Friday and the morning of Saturday, there were showers in Half Moon Bay, but right when we were ready to make the final weather call at noon, the skies completely cleared up! We courageously and excitedly decided to go with Plan A, allowing the couple to have their dream ceremony right by the coast. Just when Emily got ready to walk down the aisle, the sun came out!

The gazebo at the Ritz-Carlton was draped in stunning satin green fabric, with a cluster of lanterns hanging from center. Nancy Liu Chin flanked the 'altar' area with two beautiful and lush arrangements, full of hydrangeas, dahlias, roses, and orchids.

The dinner was held in the grand ballroom, which was completely draped in champagne fabric by John Woods of Enhanced Lighting. Square and rectangular lanterns hung above the dance floor which had a bamboo pattern projected across it. A combination of round tables, queens' tables and king's table filled the room and Nancy again did her magic with the striking centerpieces and square votives. The focal point of the room was the 24 x 16 stage featuring The Cheeseballs!

After dinner, the band quickly got the party started but for those that were not interested in dancing they hung out by the scrapbook table next to the photobooth. The biggest WOW factor came when the dessert buffet was set out, featuring custom desserts such as Green Tea Panna Cotta, Matcha Tea Creamy Coconut Tapioca, Candied Lychee, Passion Mango Gel, Almost Infused Creme Brulee, Earl Grey Chocolate Cake, French Macaroons, and many more! As if that wasn't enough for everyone's sweet tooth, they got to devour the delicious wedding cake that was in three different flavors!

This wedding definitely ended my season with a bang. I can now look forward to my upcoming trip to Hong Kong and Japan, AND the planning of more fabulous events for 2009!

Kudos to a really hard working, dedicated, and creative team for this amazing wedding:

Hair and Makeup--Taylor Pham
Photographer--Lisa Leigh
Cinematographer--Chuck and Jewel Savadelis
Lighting and Draping--John Woods of Enhanced Lighting
Wedding Cake--Elegant Cheesecakes
Photobooth--Photoboof!
All food and beverages--Ritz Carlton Half Moon Bay
Floral Designer--Nancy Liu Chin
Paper Goods--Peculiar Pair Press
Officiant--Heron Freed Toor
Band--The Cheeseballs
String Quartet--Nob Hill Ensembles

Thank you Lisa for the 'sneak preview' of your fabulous photos. I will definitely post more later!