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!

Food, Wine, and Love

When I first met Paula earlier this year, one thing really stood out to me. She had an incredible spark of love in her eyes. It was apparent that she had found the true love of her life and she had the sweetest smile when she spoke of her fiance Harry.
We had just a little over 6 months to plan their wedding, and they selected one of the most charming venues in the Bay Area--Thomas Fogarty Winery. Food and wine were the priorities, as Paula was not only a food lover but also a great chef at home! I had the perfect caterer to match them up with, and it was indeed a match made in heaven. Paula and Harry fell in love with Ethan Mantle of Componere Fine Catering at the very first meeting/tasting. His impressive background in the culinary industry, along with his warm personality and exceptional food, really blew the couple away. They knew immediately that they wanted Ethan to cater their wedding. We had so much fun creating a customized menu together as Ethan worked hard to really understand Paula and Harry's tastes and preferences. Creating the menu and pairing it with the perfect wines from Fogarty were definitely the couple's favorite part of the wedding planning.

The wedding day took place on a hot summer day in July. Despite the heat, there was a nice breeze at all times since Fogarty is located high in the mountains. Guests gasped in awe upon arrival when they saw the magnificent panoramic view in front of them. Reverend Ed Holt performed a warm and touching ceremony that incorporated Harry's two sons and Paula's brother, acknowledging the coming together of two families. Following that, guests enjoyed delicious hors d'oeurves and a wine tasting experience with Patrick Meier's band playing smooth jazz music in the background. One of the highlights of the day was certainly the impressive four course dinner prepared by Componere, followed by a selection of creative desserts in the Hill House. It was definitely a beautiful day of great food, wine and company....just what Paula and Harry wanted!

Pictures were taken by the AWESOME Lisa Leigh, who can put even the most nervous, camera shy person at ease in front of her camera! Paula and her bridesmaids' makeup and hair were done by Armando of Get Your Do Up. All the flowers were the creative products of Mandy Scott Flowers, and the gorgeous (and tasty!) cake was the creation of Sonya Hong of Butterfly Cakes. All paper products (menu cards, escort cards, and programs) were designed and printed by the talented Lisa Wong Jackson of Good on Paper.