Ian and Lucia

Sometimes I enjoy just doing the little details!  My good friend Lucia had a pretty good handle on planning her wedding and certainly didn't need my help!  But I did get to make her programs for her and I was so happy to be a tiny part of her special day. : )

Dustin and Rina's Mountain Engagement

I was thrilled to be asked by my friend Dustin to set the stage for his proposal to Rina.  Apparently my rose petal overload is a big hit for proposals!  I was told that he would be proposing on a hill with a pretty view...what I was NOT told was that his spot was on the top of a mountain that could only be reached by a very steep 20 minute hike...and the fact that I was 6 months pregnant did not help matters.  But I made it to the top and I'm so glad I did and that I got to be a part of their special day. : )

Roy and Cynthia

Usually only photographers get the pleasure of working with couples for both their engagement and their wedding...but I also had that opportunity with my friends Roy and Cynthia!  I was very honored to help them plan their wedding...and I had way too much fun doing it!

I made their wedding invitations from 5X7 pictures, printed vellum and ribbon.

Their ceremony was held at Grace Baptist Church in Santa Clarita.  The stage was home to a large choir loft with lots of chairs, so I made curtains to cover them.  The white arch was the church's but I dressed it up with organza and flowers.

I made the flower balls that hung in the aisles to match the bridesmaids bouquets.

I hung their initials for a personalized touch.

Unity Candle table.

The wedding favors were different flavors of candy suckers.  Each girl in the wedding party decorated a pot and the guests grabbed a sucker from a pot on their way out.  It was a personalized touch and each pot was so cute and different! 

The beautiful Bride and Groom at their sweetheart table at the reception.
Photos by wedding photographer Charles Zablan (www.f8imaging.com).

Surprise!

My Mom and her good friend Nadine have birthdays just a few days apart.  Nadine's daughter Caitlyn and I decided that throwing them a surprise party would be the perfect way to celebrate!  We used their favorite colors: pink and purple and I cooked...and unfortunately my cooking isn't as good as my decorating and the oven started smoking five minutes before the guests arrived!  But it was a lovely day and I don't think anyone noticed...

Bachelorette at the Beach

Bachelorette parties in my world are very, uh, non-traditional.  I much prefer a girl's night in watching movies or a day at the spa...and we did both of those things at Cynthia's bachelorette weekend!

My In-laws generously allowed me to use their beach house in San Diego and I had a blast "redecorating" each room and planning our fun weekend in Cynthia's wedding colors: yellow and blue.

Part of my yellow and blue redecoration.

Had to have snacks ready for the girls when they arrived at the beach house...it was a two hour drive!

Every girl got a bag with essentials for the weekend: flip flops, a beach towel, a journal, body wash and a
Bride/Maid of Honor/Bridesmaid tank top...all yellow and blue!

We ate dinner our first night on the balcony overlooking the beach.  I had so much fun putting this table setting together and making the dessert: "Sandy" Beach Mousse in sand pails!

The centerpieces

Our tank tops!

Roy and Cynthia's Yellow Engagement

My Husband and I were among the first of all our friends to get married.  So when Roy came to us and announced that he'd be proposing to Cynthia, we were so excited!  And when he asked if I'd help him "set the stage" for his proposal, I jumped at the chance.  He gave me very little instructions.  All he said was that he wanted rose petals and when I would try to get more details he would say, "I trust you"...which of course made me crazy nervous because what if he didn't like it?!
Well, I knew Cynthia's favorite color was yellow, so I basically covered the lobby of our church where he was proposing in yellow roses and rose petals...and I must have done okay, because she said yes!  Although, I'm sure her answer had less to do with my decorating and more to do with the guy who proposed. : )

The Start of it All...

It has been said that I am slightly obsessive compulsive and that I have control issues...and I think the fact that I planned my wedding in June, 2008 on my own is proof of that!  My Husband, bless his heart, only made two requests for the entire event: the Pastor friend of ours that performed the ceremony and a Funfetti flavored wedding cake...two requests that I was more than happy to accommodate.  The rest of the details were completely me: the planning, the ordering, the mailing, the listing, the DIY, the meeting, and the designing...kind of a huge task that most people would either flat out refuse to do on their own or vow never to do again.  But I, however, couldn't get enough of it!  Months after our wedding was over, I found myself still flipping through wedding magazines, looking at wedding photography blogs and drinking in every detail of the weddings of friends and family, eagerly gathering ideas for our 10 year vow renewal that my Husband hasn't even decided we can have yet!  So, the only clear choice was to help friends that needed help planning their own weddings...and when I realized I could possibly make a living doing the things I loved the most, there was no turning back!  So here you have it: the Event that started it all and will hopefully lead to many more...my first taste of wedding design, that also happens to be the happiest day of my life to date. : )

The backdrop for our ceremony: Shepherd of the Hills Church.  I used candles, twinkle lights and pink and silver fabric.  

Bridesmaid's bouquets, stargazer lilies and pink roses, made by The Flower Pot.

Maid of Honor bouquet, pink peonies and stargazer lilies-The Flower Pot

Corsages and boutonnieres-The Flower Pot

My Usherettes carried single cabbage roses-The Flower Pot

I wrapped plain white baskets with pink and silver ribbon for my Flower Girls.

My Bridal bouquet! White peonies, lilies and roses-The Flower Pot

The Ring Bearer pillow, handmade by my Aunt Paula.

I designed our programs with our engagement picture! 

Our reception at Bel Air Presbyterian Church...I transformed their Discipleship Center into a sea of pink and sliver!

Our extra-long Bridal Party table...

A close up on the place settings.  Our favors were silver picture frames with thank you notes inside at every seat.

Our amazing wedding cake by Jill's Cake Creations.  The topper, of course, was from Disneyland.

One of my favorite photos from our wedding, captured by our amazing
photographer Shannon Harthen (www.harthenstudios.com).
We had the BEST (and the probably the largest) wedding party in the world!
Bridesmaid's dresses by Alfred Angelo, Tuxes by Friar Tux and Bride's Gown by Demetrios.