Top Five Maid of Honor Duties

October 21, 2012 1 Comment

The maid of honor plays a very special and important role for the whole wedding process, from planning the details, to the big day.  So, choosing a maid of honor is an important decision for a bride. The maid of honor is the bride’s right hand woman and will be with the bride every step of the way. Whether the bride chooses the maid of honor because she is a cousin, sister, or best friend, she will choose who she feels can best support her. What does a maid of honor do? Lets find out!

 

Party Planner: Plan and coordinate both the bridal shower and bachelorette party. This may be planned with some of the bridesmaids or family, however you have to make sure it happens! Be social, have fun, and most importantly, make sure the bride is having a great time.

Emotional Support: Be there for the bride is she is has a breakdown.  Accompany her to the final fitting and make sure she feels beautiful. On the wedding day, just smile, so when she is looking for support, she knows she can count on you!

Bouquet time: Hold the bride’s bouquet during the ceremony and return it to her at the end of the ceremony. After the grand entrance, make sure the bouquet is placed on the sweetheart table.

Be Responsible: Attend the rehearsal, rehearsal dinner, and all events related to the wedding. On the day of the wedding be responsible for your own gown and accessories. A very important responsibility is holding the groom’s ring until the exchange of the rings. Don’t lose the ring!

Personal Assistant: Assist the bride with phone calls, errands, helping her with whatever is needed.  Before she walks down the aisle, check her makeup, hair, and adjust her veil and train. Make her feel amazing!

 

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Top Five Questions to Ask the Officiant

October 20, 2012 Leave a Comment

You have all your wedding details done, however still need to book your officiant? Your officiant is part of your wedding day, specifically the ceremony. Your ceremony is the most important part because this is where you are legally married. The ceremony is very personal and is shared with your closest friends and family. So when you are choosing who will marry you, you want to make sure it is someone who is just right. How do you choose an officiant?

There are some very important questions to ask, however let’s take a look at the top five:

  • Fees: You have set a budget (hopefully!), for every part of  your wedding, including one for your officiant. What is their fee and does it include the rehearsal? Also what is their refund policy if the wedding needs to be postponed?
  • Meeting time: Your officiant can make your ceremony special or not. Since the ceremony is such a special element of the wedding day, you want to  have the opportunity to meet with them to create that relationship.  How many times will they meet with you prior to the wedding day?
  • Rules: It is a good idea to ask if they have any rules or procedures they need to follow when performing the wedding ceremony. Do they have any restrictions with respect to the music, prayers, readings, etc.?
  • Ceremony program:  Will the officiant provide a copy of the ceremony script before the wedding day? As a follow-up, can changes be made to the script?
  • Personal:  Many couples these days like to make their ceremony even more personal by writing their own vows and sharing them at the ceremony. A question to ask to ask, is can personal vows can be included in the ceremony?

Remember this is your day, so take the time to make it special!

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Redwoods Wedding from Jorge Roberto Ramirez Photography

October 19, 2012 Leave a Comment

A walk through the deep Redwoods of Santa Cruz, California sets the perfect scene for an outdoor wedding.  A bride who grew up surrounded by forest mountains, and her groom who enjoys morning surfs, fall in love and celebrate their wedding surrounded by nature.  A ceremony under the trees, Persian food and desserts, Hawaiian music, and a gorgeous venue, create a beautiful wedding full of love and laughter.  Jorge Roberto Ramirez Photography captures all the beauty of this nature loving wedding.

What our bride told us…

Kiro and I had a “bi-cultural budget” wedding. We were both college students. Kiro grew up in Hawaii and I am Iranian, so we wanted to blend our cultures in our wedding. We did that in a few great ways. All the men wore Hawaiian leis during the ceremony, which looked so beautiful. We had  bags of macadamia nuts for guests. We had a few of my young relatives learn a Hawaiian dance and perform it during the reception. I think this was a huge hit. We played a lot of Hawaiian/reggae music throughout the night. The cake had a Hawaiian influence with orchids and bamboo design. We also had a cardboard cutout of a guy surfing and holding a brunette. Guests had a lot of fun taking pictures with the cutout.For the Iranian influence, we had Persian food and most of the desserts were Persian. There were Persian readings during the ceremony.  My grandfather, who was executed in Iran for being a Baha’i, was included in the ceremony by playing a recording of him chanting.  Also, lots of Persian music throughout the night.We got married at Bosch Baha’i School, which was actually where we first met 5 years earlier. The venue had a special significance to our relationship. It was an outdoor venue, so after the ceremony, Kiro picked me up and carried me down the dirt path. It was a fun way to go down the aisle as a married couple.
We made a fun CD for the guests of our favorite songs as a couple, which were also featured throughout the wedding (e.g. during the ceremony, first dance, bouquet toss, etc..)

We really had a lot of help from friends and family to pull off the wedding for 180 guests under $6,000. My aunt and a friend’s mom did the flowers. My friend took pictures. My mom cooked all the food. My family made deserts. My friend got me a great deal on a DJ.

My favorite part of the night had to be the slide show my cousin created, which told our story through pictures, songs, and funny moments.

Overall, our wedding was a memorable night, and we wouldn’t have been able to pull it off without all the love and support of our friends and family.

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Top Five Bridal Makeup Trends

October 18, 2012 Leave a Comment

Makeup is essential for your wedding day! Your photos will turn out even more gorgeous! Whether you normally wear makeup or not, you will need to find the right look.  What look will you go for? Want to find out what the hottest makeup trends are?

We asked make-up expert, Gina Ludwig who is the director and owner of Hair Comes the Bride to tell us. Ready to find out whats hot?

  • Vintage Inspired: Vintage inspiration is everywhere!  When doing a vintage look, add modern elements so your look doesn’t end up looking like a costume. Just beautiful!
  • Fresh Face with Bright Lip: If you are going to wear a dark, deep or bright lip, make sure and keep the rest of your makeup fresh and clean. I love this look!

  • Lots of Lashes: This is what we call the Kim Kardashian look.  For a more natural look, use individual lashes, and for a more dramatic look, go for the strips. Check out these fabulous lashes!

  • Earthy Metallics: Metallic eyeshadow is hot,  but stick to earthy tones such as gold, copper and bronze for an organic yet modern look. Stunning!

  • Smokey Eyes: Smokey eyes are still the hottest makeup look right now.  Just remember to stick to deep earth tones as opposed to blacks or grays for a more timeless “bridal” appropriate look. This look is hot!
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Cocktails & Refreshments: Open House at Invisible Touch Events

October 17, 2012 Leave a Comment

Are you engaged and looking to make your wedding a unforgettable event?  Well you are in luck! Invisible Touch Events is inviting you to their open house to meet their professional DJs, MCs, and to see an amazing lighting demonstration. You will be able to see how lighting can make your wedding fabulous! There is also a chance of winning a prize for free lighting and a Monogram package for your wedding.  Amazing right?

Invisible Touch Events provides DJ‘s, MCs, Live Entertainment, and Lighting for weddings. They have been providing these services for over 23 years, so you know you will have experienced professionals.

Come and enjoy cocktails and refreshments on Tuesday, October 23rd from 7:00PM-9:30PM.  The event is free to attend,  just RSVP by calling 949-450-9950 or email at rarthur@invisibletouchevents.com.

 

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Personal Bridesmaid Gifts

October 16, 2012 2 Comments
Looking for the perfect bridesmaid gift? Want to give something unique and personal with a little twist and sparkle? York Design Company has the perfect gift for you! They have these incredible needlepoint cuff bracelets which are amazing! These bracelets are flexible wrist cuffs with needlepoint embroidered designs, backed on the inside with genuine cowhide leather.
Brides want to give their bridesmaids something special and personal for their special day. More and more brides are giving needlepoint cuff bracelets to their bridesmaids. Why? Well, because these bracelets can be customized with the wedding colors, the bridesmaid’s favorite colors, personal designs, or monograms for each bridesmaid! Laura DiLibero, owner of York Design Company told us that we work hard to give our customers exactly what they envision!
Check out these super cute designs!
Perfect for a navy blue and pink wedding. This one is so stylish!
Look how cute this one is! I love the nail polish design.
Give your bridesmaids something stylish, chic, and personal!
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Tommy Bahama Wedding Venue

October 15, 2012 Leave a Comment

A wedding event at Tommy Bahama? Who would have thought? You may be familiar with Tommy Bahama clothing, however did you know they also offer fabulous dining? I recently had the opportunity to visit Tommy Bahama’s Island Grille located in beautiful Newport Beach, CA. When I walked in, I instantly felt like I was back in Hawaii, a feeling of the island.

If you love Tommy Bahama’s clothing, then you will absolutely  love the food! I could not wait to try it! I sat in the outside patio enjoying the beautiful Southern California weather. My first taste of the food was the delicious bread and butter. The breads are made fresh everyday and it was brought out fresh and warm. It was really good!

I was trying to decide what to order and I could not decide! Everything on the menu looked so good, I wish I could have tried everything! After drooling over the menu, I finally decided to order. Do you want to know what I ordered? Check it out!

Is your mouth watering?  This was one of the best burgers I have ever had! This is the Bungalow Cheeseburger which is a burger with proprietary grind, white cheddar, panchetta, Avocado, topped with pineapple relish and thousand island and side of french fries. All the flavors blended perfectly to create a delicious burger. I loved it! It was delicious. This burger is one of many choices that you can choose from for your guests to enjoy at your wedding. There are a variety of menu options for you and your guests to enjoy.

What was next? Dessert of course! Again, I could not decide! Which one would you choose?

Being a chocolate lover, I went with the  Chocolate Malted Pie. What do you think?

One bite and my eyes rolled in the back of head, and I was in chocolate heaven!  This chocolate dessert is a chocolate cookie crust, malted whipped cream with English toffee crumbles. So good! You can really “wow” your guests if you serve this or any of the other fabulous dessert choices.

After all that amazing eating, I took a walk around to see what this island style restaurant has to offer.  They have an intimate patio, a private dining room, and a stunning garden patio.  The largest space can hold up to 110 guests.

Here is a look at the private dining room. Beautiful!

The garden patio is the perfect setting for a wedding reception. Gorgeous right?

I enjoyed the excellent service, island ambience, and fresh cuisine. Thank you Tommy Bahama’s Island Grille!

 

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Five Ways to Create the Perfect Ambience

October 14, 2012 Leave a Comment

Do you want to know the secret in creating the perfect ambience at your wedding? Its easy! Just use the five senses!

  • Sight:  You want to go from boring to stunning? Lighting is everything and sets the mood. Lighting makes all the wedding details come together. The flowers, cake, ballroom, and reception tables all look better with lighting. Look at this stunning room!
  • Sound: Sound is the most powerful sensation! Whether it is live band or DJ, the sound has a tremendous effect when state of art  sound equipment is used. Music sets the mood, whether it is a steel band emphasizes a Caribbean theme setting a Polynesian feeling, or a Mariachi band setting a Mexican fiesta feeling.
  • Smell: Want to create memories for you and your guests? A smell can be tied to a memory, whether is the warm chocolate chip cookies your mother would bake when you were a child, or hot apple cider simmering on the stove during the holidays, it evokes a happy childhood memory. You can create new memories for you and your guests when scents are incorporated into your wedding. If you love the scent of vanilla and incorporate the scent as vanilla candles at each table, then whenever you smell vanilla it can remind you of your wedding day.
  • Touch: Textures can excite, soothe, satisfy, and create feelings of mystery, luxury, variety and frivolity. Whether it is silk linens, soft chair cushions, or crunchy Tortilla chips, they all bring a certain sensation. Check out this “grass” covered furniture!
  • Taste: The grand finale of all the senses! Taste of the drinks, appetizers, main course, and dessert can either leave a good or bad taste in your mouth.  More than the other four senses, the food and drinks can make your guests happy or not.  If they had the most delicious coconut shrimp, or the tenderest skirt steak, your guests will probably be very happy. However if the shrimp was not seasoned at all, and the steak was overcooked, they may not enjoy it as much. Your guests will leave happier with some good tasting food!

 

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Top Five Questions to Ask the DJ

October 13, 2012 Leave a Comment

Music can make it or break it. Choosing the right DJ for your entertainment can set the mood for your guests. Guests are typically more happy when the music is really good!

When searching for the right DJ for your wedding, there are some questions to ask, however let’s take a look at the top five:

  • Do you DJ full time? This is great opportunity to find out what they do the rest of the week and what  kind of experience, background, and education they have.  It is also good to find out how long they have been a DJ for  weddings. Being a Dj for a club versus a wedding are two different events, so you want to make sure they have wedding experience!
  • What time do you arrive at the venue? This is good information to have and provide to both the venue and wedding coordinator  Weddings are all on a schedule and all parts of the wedding rely on each other. For example, the florist can not start decorating the ceremony site until it is set up.
  • What type of equipment do you bring? You can ask if they offer lighting, sound upgrades, a wireless microphone, and backup equipment.  
  • How many songs are in your music library? If there is a large selection of songs to choose from, then it makes it easier for your requests, and the DJ will not have to try to find that song you really like!
  • What are the reasons to hire you?  This will give a chance to find out more about the DJ’s personality and get a feel for how they are with you. In addition to your photographer, videographer, wedding coordinator  and venue contact person, you will be interacting with the DJ quite a bit on the big day. So you want to make sure you  have the chance to get to know them!
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Top Five BridesMaid’s Duties

October 12, 2012 1 Comment

Brides chose their bridesmaids for various reasons, whether they are a college roommate, sister, or a long time best friend, they choose them because they see their “bridesmaid” quality.  What does a bridesmaid do besides walk down the aisle and stand by the bride at the ceremony? Lets find out!

  • Personal Assistant: Assist in all the pre-wedding festivities, assist the bride with phone calls, errands, and anything she may need.
  • Social Butterfly: Mingle with the guests at the cocktail hour and reception. Dance with the guests!
  • Be Responsible: Be responsible for your own gown, shoes, accessories, and bouquet.
  • Stay Calm: Be on time and keep the bride calm at all times. Time is so important! Be on time to your hair and make-up appointment, the venue, and to the wedding itself! You want to be there for the bride as much as possible. She needs you!
  • Be Happy: Always a bridesmaid, never the bride. Yes we have all heard this saying before.  However this is the bride’s big day and need to have a positive attitude.  Be happy and joyous for the bride and show your support and love! So when your day comes, the bride can do the same for you!

 

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