DIY: Easy seating with popsicle sticks

Spotted this clever idea on Hi-Fi Weddings. Looks like the bride stamped popsicle sticks with letters and used them to help alphabetize her guests' favors. Thankfully, she also placed an alpha-list next to the favors box.

{Via Hi-Fi Weddings}

Inspiration #77: An Altar Made of Bookcases

Happy Friday. This idea is swoonworthy. Guitar Fred reads a book everyday and an altar made of books could be one way to pay homage to his reading addiction on our big day. 

We have our first meeting with our minister today. I doubt he'll let us bring books onto the altar. Boo. 

If I were to achieve this look on a budget, I'd scour second-hand or salvage stores for bookcases and glue gift wrap to the back of the bookcases. Buy a box of old books for $20 from Half Price Books or Salvation Army and decorate with fresh flowers or potted petunias and hydrangeas.

{Design, concept and styling: Megan Gray of Honey and Poppies, as seen via 100 Layer Cake}

Inspiration #76: My Anthropologie Teacups

A dear friend gave me monogram teacups from Anthropologie for my birthday. I can fill them with ranunculus and roses to get this look using the books I got from Half Price Books:

 {Photo by Jessica Claire, as seen on Style Me Pretty}

Meet Le's Kitchen Catering

{Photo from Le's Kitchen Catering}

My friend, Patrina, introduced me to Ava Le of Le's Kitchen Catering a couple years ago and ever since, I've been a fan and have even hired her for a couple events. If you're looking for contemporary Asian cuisine, look no further. [By the way, the banh mi, or Petite Asian Chicken Baguettes (see above; sliced and marinated chicken in five spices served with pickled cucumbers, carrots and daikon radish over buttered French baguette) are amazing!]

Here's my interview with Ava:

1.  Why did you decide to go into catering? What are you passionate about?

I was very fortunate to grow up in a large family where the culture of food was a staple in and of itself. My mother has been a chef ever since I can remember, so growing up, I consistently found myself in the family kitchen or at my mother's restaurant watching her create delicious meals that brought so many people together.  Even after graduating from college with a degree in business and economics, culinary arts continued to play a large role in my everyday life.  So it was natural that I ended up back where it all began for me and ventured into business with my mother.  With my business and management background, and her culinary excellence, we created Le’s Kitchen (she is the Le of Le’s Kitchen!); a boutique family-run catering company with a passion for bringing together the very best flavors from my childhood memories and her rich history.  In my experience, nothing brings people closer together than warm and inviting meals, whether you are creating them, or simply enjoying them together.

 

2.  How would you describe your style? What do you think sets you apart from other caterers?

Traditional yet Elegant and Simple.  I believe Le’s Kitchen has been successful because we have been able to bridge together the gap between today’s chic generation of Asian Americans with that of our parents and ancestors.  We are one of the very few offsite Asian wedding caterers, and we are able to take the traditional Asian wedding banquet out of the restaurant and bring it into our couple’s beautiful venue of choice, whether it is a winery, grand ballroom, art gallery, museum, or even their  backyard. It’s a win-win situation for everyone.  We allow our couples to honor their families with a traditional banquet, and at the same time, the couple can bring in their own contemporary style and sophistication.

3.  What is your favorite part of a wedding?

For me it would have to be the dancing portion.  When all the “I do’s” are said, people are fed, drinks are served, and cake is cut, it’s time for people to let loose and just relax.  By this time of the evening, the bride and groom are fully relaxed with most of the day's activities behind them.  Everyone just gets on the dance floor and you can feel the energy, love, and relief of pressure exuding from the dance floor. 

4.  What has been your favorite wedding so far? What made it so special?

I don’t know if I can pick a favorite wedding, but I definitely have favorite moments from the weddings we’ve catered over the years. I catered a wedding where the couple was probably the most reserved people you’ll ever meet.  But when the day came, they surprised their guests with a live serenade while both playing the guitar. Both had been taking lessons! All the guests were shocked and amazed when they took the stage.  It was a great gift from such an unlikely couple!

5.  What would be your dream wedding to cater?

Over the years we have catered for so many wonderful clients and in many beautiful venues.  But I would have to say any destination wedding would be lovely.

Pingg for cool, free online invites

Recently, I've become a fan of pingg.com. It's a free online invitation and e-card service and I'm loving the modern and indie designs. Plus, you can also send the online invitation via snail mail if you like (for $1.50 each in a clear, glassine envelope). 

Their invitations and e-cards look so refreshingly cool because Pinggs asks artists, photographers, illustrators and stationery designers to submit their work so that we can choose unique designs. Now we can save a LOT of money on invitations. Yippee!

Here's an e-card I recently sent to my bridal party:

 ["Caught" by Lindsay Brackeen]

I am digging the indie vintage feel of this one by Jenean Morrison:

This is a cute one for an engagement announcement:

I really want this one for my bridal shower invitation:

Here's one that would also be fun for a girl's night out:

 ["Bows and Knickers" by Claire Cimbora]

What else is happening on 10/10/10

I usually don't blog about political issues, but this one hits close to home and also on our wedding date, 10/10/10!

Guitar Fred hails from St. Petersburg, FL, and although he's all for President Obama, he was extremely against the president's support of offshore drilling. As you know, the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is devastating not only for the ocean's health and the creatures that live in it, but also for the people and communities whose livelihoods depend on the Gulf. If you haven't already, please sign 350.org's petition calling for real leadership on clean energy and a ban on new offshore drilling. http://www.350.org/drilling-ban 

350.org is also organizing a national day of action on October 10, 2010, starting at 10:10. We're obviously going to be getting married that day, but if you find yourself wanting to do something and make a difference, consider this.

Working with our friends at the 10:10 campaign, we're going to make the tenth day of the tenth month of the millennium's tenth year a real starting point for concrete action. We're calling it the 10/10 Global Work Party, and in every corner of the world we hope communities will put up solar panels, insulate homes, erect windmills, plant trees, paint bikepaths, launch or harvest local gardens. We'll make sure the world sees this huge day of effort--and we'll use it to send a simple message to our leaders:  "We're working--what about you? If we can cover the roof of the school with solar panels, surely you can pass the legislation or sign the treaty that will spread our work everywhere, and confront the climate crisis in time." 10/10/10 will take a snapshot of a clean energy future -- the world of 350 ppm -- and show people why it's worth fighting for.  It's not too early to sign up here: www.350.org/oct10

Inspiration #75: Retro Disney for table "numbers"

Guitar Fred and I spent our first Valentine's Day together at Disneyland and we both picked up litho prints by the artist Shag. They have a distinct mid-century pop look.

For our seating chart, I'd really love to riff off of Shag's 50th Anniversary Disneyland map (below). We'd use push pins with tags attached (the blue ones I got at the Center for Creative Reuse) so guests could find their seats. Tables would be named after rides or "lands" like Frontierland, the Haunted Mansion, Adventureland, etc. Each table would have a frame with a Shag print denoting their table.

Signature Drink: Mint Juleps

To honor Guitar Fred's southern roots, we're going to offer a signature drink: the mint julep!

Here are a few recipes from 7x7 I'm considering. Since the Kentucky Derby is this weekend, we might as well try 'em. The Honey Stone looks like a winner!

Three No-Fail Mint Julep Recipes from Rickhouse's Erick Castro

It's Kentucky Derby time, which means the pressure is on to make a killer mint julep.
So in the name of great Derby parties citywide, we're teaming up with Liquor.com to bring you three no-fail julep recipes from Erick Castro, bartender and general manager of Rickhouse. Check out the recipes below and read the full article on Liquor.com.



Mint Julep
Contributed by: Erick Castro

INGREDIENTS:
* 2 oz Bourbon
* .25 oz Raw sugar simple syrup (one part water, one part raw sugar)
* 8 Mint leaves
* Garnish: Mint sprig
* Glass: Julep

PREPARATION:
Lightly muddle the mint and simple syrup in a julep cup. Add bourbon and pack tightly with crushed ice. Stir until the cup is frosted on the outside.  Top with more crushed ice to form an ice dome and garnish with a mint sprig.


Georgia Mint Julep
Contributed by: Erick Castro

INGREDIENTS:
* 1.5 oz VS Cognac
* .75 oz Peach liqueur (Mathilde)
* 8 Mint leaves
* Dash raw sugar simple syrup (one part water, one part raw sugar)
* Garnish: Pineapple wedge and mint sprig
* Glass: Julep

PREPARATION:
Lightly muddle the mint and simple syrup in a julep cup. Add the remaining ingredients and pack tightly with crushed ice. Garnish the drink with a pineapple wedge and mint sprig.

Honey Stone Julep
Contributed by: Erick Castro

INGREDIENTS:
* 2 oz Bourbon
* .5 oz Honey syrup (one part honey, one part water)
* .5 oz Apricot liqueur (Rothman & Winter)
* 8 Mint leaves
* Garnish: Pineapple wedge and mint sprig
* Glass: Julep

PREPARATION:
Lightly muddle the mint and honey in a julep cup. Add the remaining ingredients and pack tightly with crushed ice. Garnish the drink with a pineapple wedge and mint sprig.

By Liquor.com

Tags

Erick Castro, Kentucky Derby, Liquor.com, Mint Juleps, rickhouse

A Visit with the Mr. and Mrs. of Aerialist Press

{Photo by Alexandra, Aerialist Press}

An August bride recently told me she was considering Aerialist Press, for affordable letterpress invitations. Affordable?! I was intrigued.

I scheduled a visit with Alexandra and Craig, the lovely couple behind Aerialist Press, in their chic studio in Emeryville (just down the street from Pixar).

As I entered their studio, to my right was a wall adorned with beautiful invitation suites and Bun, their huggable pet bunny, kept guard at the door. 

 {Bun}

As I inspected their work, they shared with me how they had been doing letterpress for only a year and a half -- basically since they had begun planning for their own "vineyard-feathers-and-twigs" wedding on a budget at Sattui Winery. Alexandra had taken letterpress classes in college and she fell in love with the art. She and Craig share artistic license and Craig handles the heavy machinery -- two presses (one's named Roxie!) dating from the early 19th century.

One of the designs they shared with me was inspired by a vintage fabric swatch their client had given them. Aerialist Press digitally rendered the floral shapes of the fabric and created the plate. The result is beautiful.

{Photo of couture invitation by the Aerialist Press}

So, there really is such a thing as affordable and beautiful letterpress thanks to Aerialist Press. Their house invitation designs start at $225 (for 50 one-color) or $325 (for 50 two-color) and up to $325 (for 250 one-color) or $425 (250 two-color). Digitally printed envelopes start at $0.75 per envelope or else $1.00 for letterpress treatment.

Visit their website to see more of their awesome work and pricing.

Bridesmaids get-together: Green Gulch

{Photo from Sunset Magazine}

I'm getting excited about a daytrip I'm planning to take with my four bridesmaids -- they all don't know each other very well so I thought heading to Green Gulch Zen Center would be a nice introduction.

I read about the Center in a recent issue of Sunset Magazine. Here's a snippet of the suggested itinerary. [Fortunately, you don't have to do all the activities -- as they told me, you can come and go as you please. How Zen is that? :)]

A DAY AT GREEN GULCH
8:15 am: Just be still
Make your way down a path to the zendo, a Japanese-style meditation hall converted from a barn. Clasp your hands and remove your shoes for an hour of instruction.When it’s time for meditation, cross your legs. Sit up straight. Gaze softly ahead. Breathe normally. Don’t sleep. Thoughts will arise: Let them. After 45 minutes of silence, a bell rings.


11:15 am: Nourish the soul
After a dharma talk on Buddhism or meditation, and before a Q&A with the teacher, it’s break time outside the zendo. Have tea and a fresh muffin or a warm loaf of sesame bread, made from the classic Tassajara Bread Book, from Green Gulch’s parent San Francisco Zen Center.


2:30 pm: Take a hike
The sheltered sands of Muir Beach are just a half-mile walk down valley from the gardens, past the center’s organic farm. For a longer hike, head up the ridge on the Green Gulch Trail to link to the Coastal Trail for a loop back to the center with splendid ocean views (about 3 miles).


Take it home: At the 11:15 tea break, look for baskets of produce grown right here on the farm. In spring, that might be spinach, kale, and chard. You can also pick up a jar of the center’s homemade organic plum or quince jam ($5.50) at the tea break or from the bookstore.

What kind of outings do you have planned with your bridesmaids?

3 tips for taking photos with your entourage

If you don't have the luxury of taking the bride-groom photos before the ceremony, or if you choose to see each other only at the ceremony versus before, you will likely have to take photos with immediate and extended family members as well as the wedding party just after the ceremony. Often times, there's only about an hour -- the cocktail hour -- to take these photos. If you have a large family, this may be daunting.

Here are some observations I have about expediting this process:

1) Ensure you have a shot list of which family members or close family friends you must take photos with (the wedding party is a given). Often, the mother of the bride wants her side with the couple, the father's side of the bride, and so on. Having the shot list will help your photographer assess the best approach for taking photos. For example, if you have tons of group photos, your photographer can work with you on deciding which ones should be priority (must-haves) versus the nice-to-haves.

2) Ensure you have a family member (or close friend) from the groom and bride's sides assigned to each family and gather everyone needed in the photos. Ideally that family member/close friend is familiar with most everyone. Your photographer won't know who Aunt Sally is or who Grandpa Ted is. But your sister, or great-aunt might. So ask that family member to help "herd" each side of the family. And whoever you choose must be assertive!

3) Ask your photographer what their shooting style is for taking these post-ceremony/group photos. In my opinion, the most efficient way is to start with the big groups first and then dismiss family members. The last people standing should be the bride and groom (or else the wedding party). It's more challenging to start with the bride and groom photos first and then try to add family members or other close friends because they are often wandering off to catch up with each other or grab a drink/appetizer.


[Tip #4: Ask your wedding coordinator or catering manager to have refreshments and a few appetizers close at hand for the bride and groom and/or wedding party because these photos often take place outside and the wedding party is already somewhat exhausted/potentially dehydrated from the day's preparations!]

Those are the top three that float to mind. I'm happy to hear more suggestions in case they've escaped me! 

Inspiration #74: A Musical E-session

I'm super excited about coordinating Joanne and Vincent's wedding at the Four Seasons San Francisco this coming Saturday. They're such an adorable couple and here the photos to prove it (thanks to photographer, Caroline Tran). Joanne was also just featured on San Francisco Style Unveiled and even had some kind words to share about me (Va de Vie Events). 

Joanne and Vincent's playful guitar prop has definitely given me and Guitar Fred a few ideas on how our e-session might look.Click here to see more of this fabulous e-session.

 

 {Photos by Caroline Tran; featured on StyleUnveiled.com}

Win a free e-session

My friend Jessica is in her last year at Haas Business School and she happens to be doing a consulting project for a wedding photography company. She and her colleagues would like to hear from you what you find most important in choosing a wedding photographer.

Upon completion, you'll be entered to win a FREE engagement shoot in the SF Bay Area!

This survey should take no more than 5-10 minutes to complete. Please feel free to forward to your engaged friends (please note that we are only looking for respondents who are actively seeking wedding photographers).

Survey link: http://bit.ly/cBpF3A

Good luck in winning. Maybe a bit of my luck will rub off on you! ;)

Inspiration #73: Aisle style

Hello my lovelies. Sorry I've been MIA this past week -- it's been busy with lots of events offline (including my own birthday party on the tennis courts)! I recently coordinated a beautiful wedding atop the hills overlooking the San Francisco Bay Area. The couple played up a garden theme with citrus colors, such as lime green, yellow and orange. I loved how they used fairly inexpensive paper lanterns to line their aisle (prepared by floral designer, Pilar Zuniga, of Gorgeous and Green). Oranges, limes and lemons weighed down the various lanterns.

{Photos by Vera Devera}

Real Wedding: Tee Time for Karen + Yu-Ming

Here's a real wedding that took place at the Ranch Golf Club in San Jose. The view was breathtaking and the bride and groom were lucky that their wedding date -- also the first day of spring -- was sunny! All images by Nancy Rothstein photography. 

Working behind-the-scenes:

• Venue: The Ranch Golf Club, San Jose (event manager, Satra, and her team rock!)
• Wedding Coordination: Va de Vie Events (moi!)
• Photography: Nancy Rothstein Photography (a pleasure to work with!)
• Wedding Cake: Jen's Cakes (Amaretto Italian Cream was heavenly)
• Makeup and hair: A-List Makeup (yay! everyone's makeup and hair stayed put)
• Accommodations: The Cypress Hotel Cupertino
• DJ: Hayes Kolb

Destination for DIY Divas: Workshop SF

I got today's Workshop SF newsletter and I'm driving myself crazy trying to decide which class to take. If only every major city had its own Workshop (and if you do, let me know!).

Here's the scoop: 

Located in an airy eight-hundred square foot space on the corner of Baker and McAllister, Workshop offers affordable DIY classes to the public, taught by many of the fabulous, creative folks from the Indie Mart, local designers, and of course, Kelly Malone. Classes range from the single class for the commitment-phobics, to the more detailed, multi-day classes for those truly desiring to learn their craft. Workshop is equipped with a complete silk screening facility, sewing machines, button machines,and lots of tools for cutting, printing, building, and making. Workshop also offers a library stocked with how-to books, design books, and old magazines to turn the light bulb over your head to ON.

The list of classes you can take are tantalizing -- and affordable. I've got an inquiry too on their private party offerings (like bachelorette and bridal showers -- woo hoo!).

• DIY Mixology: Limoncello, Atholl Brose, and Absinthe Infusions $38 
• Screening Stationary and Cards $25 
• Late Night Screening $38 
• Heavy Metal Aerobics $10
• Screen And Sew: Pet Pillows $34
• Shrinky Dink Personalized Gifts $25
• Glass Jar Terrariums $30
• Sewing 101: Machine And Hand Basics $30
   

  

Inspiration #72: An Anthropologie Wedding

I can't hardly believe this wedding took place in the fall. The pastel blues and orange are cheery and the DIY details are enviable. So happy it's spring!

{All photos by Simply Bloom Wedding Photography}

Upping the ante with uplighting

Uplighting can make a big difference in creating ambiance for your event. Are you using uplights? If so, are you using a neutral color like amber (which we might go for), or color?

{Blue uplighting; photo from BizBash}

{Orange uplighting (what we're considering); photo from Love and Splendor}

{Soft pink uplighting; photo from Hannah Days}

{Purple uplighting; photo from It's Your Night}

 {Green uplighting; photo from Pacific Weddings}

Inspiration #71: A Bold Bouquet

Yum! This gorgeous bouquet belongs to a bold couple -- in fact, the bride wore red cowboy boots with her wedding dress. When in doubt, wear red!

See more on Olivia Leigh Photographie's blog.  

Etsy Find: Romantic Garden Inspired Necklaces

The Perfect Palette recently featured a cowboy themed inspiration board and a necklace featuring a large flower caught my eye.

I ended up buying this one, but how cute are the other designs? And good news, they're extremely affordable (average price $29-32).

Here's the Mod Owl Necklace ($29.95) I just bought:

The necklace featured on Perfect Palette (Waverly, $32):

I adore this one (Teal Crystalia Gardens, $29.95):

This one's cheery (Sarita Butterfly Gardens, $29.95):

 

Mod Romantique, $29.95