Unique

Posted on: Wednesday, November 11th, 2009

JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, I KNOW I BREAK THE BLOG RULE BY WRITING A LOT (LIKE MY TIMELINES TONS OF INFO) MY FEELINGS WON’T BE HURT IF YOU ARE JUST GOING THRU THE BLOG LOOKING AT THE PICTURES!!

Okay, so today I am going to chat about some not so ‘run of the mill’ options people may know of, or think about.

Attended a lovely luncheon at the new Pacific Club in Costa Mesa last week.  Last time I was there was probably 8 years ago, it was old and darkish.  They then closed for 2 years and rebuilt basically.  The result is fabulous.  Great ballroom for your celebration and a ceremony site that overlooks their lake.  The food was excellent, the chef uses items you don’t see a lot and I loved the end results.  We honored Joanie Scott and Barbara Wallace, friends for many years of mine, that are no longer actively planning weddings.  A lovely event for two lovely ladies.

Brooch Bouquets – My friend Amanda of www.fantasyfloraldesigns.com has always like to add some bling to her designs and can be unique in the designs she creates with the bride, and loves to use brooches when and where she can.  So it was no suprise to me when she created these brooch bouquets, what did suprise me was how fabulous they turned out.  When I saw them I was blown away, and I have to say I don’t think the photo does them any justice at all, to see them in reality makes you think why ever do a live floral bouquet again, but of course, we will.  The three looks are cool, one I called the Kate Spade look and  one was very romantic/antique feeling.  When she showed them to me she wasn’t sure what was going to happen, but since then she has put them out there and has orders from all over the country, one from London last I heard, and where she was going to create them based on the style you wanted and she would find the brooches and make it, she is even making them when the bride provides her with all the brooches, which means the cost is less.  A unique bouquet and one that lasts forever.

www.ritzcarlton.com/lagunaniguel – So mid season I had a couple who were planning a large celebration in October at a different location in CA, contact me to say that due to a very special family member being ill they were moving their celebration up and were going to do it at the Ritz-Carlton, Laguna, in a few weeks and could I help them with the final touches.  They were doing it on a Sunday night and due to this were able to be a bit creative with the location.  For the ceremoy they picked my favorite Sunset Terrace (for the lovely intimate ceremonies where you feel you can reach out and touch the ocean below), and as they did not want to do the dinner/dance inside a room, picked the Fountain Courtyard as the location for the dining and dancing.  With an outdoor event like this, the music has to stop at 10pm, but we were able to get all the important moments into the celebration and have some dancing time, and when 10pm came, they were all ready to go to bed.  It really was a lovely event surrounded by the fountain and greenery and felt like being in a courtyard in New Orleans or Italy, and we even had a band, and the dancing was done on the stone flooring.  Holly from the hotel thought some green uplights would add some pop, and they did.  It really was a pretty, natural event, and everything everyone at the event was hoping for.  Intimate, memorable and special.

Joel Eckman Maus from www.studioemp.com was great to work with on this event, as it really required vendors who could work with whatever we needed to do, when we needed to do it, due to the ailing family member.  Amanda of www.fantasyfloraldesigns.com did the tropical look florals that totally fitted with the location/occasion.

A location you don’t hear a lot about these days, but  a property that has a lovely plantation/resort feel and is ocean close, is the Hyatt Newport Beach on Jamboree www.newportbeach.hyatt.com – Earlier in the season I had Will and Bethany’s celebration at this resort.  They wanted the formal structured look of the Ampitheatre ceremony site, but were then able to have cocktails in the relaxed courtyard with the trees/hanging lights, and firepit, and then everyone moved into the Garden Room which has lovely windows and patio doors and a fireplace all of which help create an intimate atmosphere for an evening celebration-dinner/dance. The guests really got to experience a different vibe with each event of the celebration.  The area/room at the side of the Garden Room was a great spot for the candy station to be displayed, and later we added a french fry station and a specialty coffee station.

Allison of www.bleucotton.com was our key shooter on this wedding, but her husband wasn’t busy that night, so he came along as her second, so lucky Bethany got two great photographers, her album is going to be awesome.  Elaine and the gang from Naples www.napleschambermusic.com provided the cere & cocktail music, and Amanda www.fantasyfloraldesigns.com did the florals for this one too (boy I am just realising how many of my couples pick Amanda to do their florals, must be her creative streak they love), and Fusion provided the chaircovers, that really softened the room and gave a romantic feel with all the candles and fireplace going.

You will notice that I am big about the cake being centered in the room, not off to the corner.  A concern to the bride sometimes, but have never had a mishap.  I love all the guests having access to see it and it being a focal when they walk into a beautiful room.

Until next time.

Lisa

www.lisasimpsonweddings.com

Tags: newportbeach.hyatt.com, Ritz-Carlton Laguna, www.fantasyfloraldesigns.com