alison events; planning + design

Style File: The Alternative Gowns of 2012

2012-01-23T04:00:00.000-08:00

Recently inspired by one of our awesome non-traditional clients who is turning to high fashion for her gown rather than hitting the bridal shops, I thought it would be fun to walk through some of my favorite runway looks from Spring 2012 Ready to Wear that would make amazing wedding gowns off the runway.

From start to finish, here are some of the best gowns caught walking for this season. In the first pairing are dresses by Marchesa and Salvatore Ferragamo (this is actually from the Resort Collection), both of which I think are super romantic and sweet, great for a wedding that's not totally formal, but not casual either. Next duo are dresses from Valentino and Alexander McQueen (also from the Resort Collection), these are definitely a little bohemian, good for an outdoor wedding or something small and maybe a little more casual. The third set of dresses are pretty flashy and fun, great for a formal wedding too, they're by Christian Siriano and Zac Posen. The last set of dresses are from Temperley London and Elie Saab and these two are awesome for a fun spirited wedding because they're very playful.

Packing for a Destination Wedding

2012-01-16T04:00:00.000-08:00

We've been going through some old files doing a little "spring cleaning," because we'd like to think it's always spring in california. And some of the really fun things to note are packing lists for destination weddings. Whether you're getting married in wine country, somewhere tropical or off in the mountains, it's always helpful to know what not to forget when you're packing. So, we've compiled a little list here of some of the most interesting things we encourage people to pack. Let us know if you have anything to add to the list!

-Vitamin C for good measure
-Vitamin E for glowing skin
-Multi-vitamins
-Hoodies and sweats for extra cozy down time
-Shawl or cape for windy nights
-Mini First Aid Kit (include things like benadryl, cold meds, advil, tums, pepto bismol, neosporin, allergy meds, band aids, hand sanitizer, alcohol wipes, vaseline, chapstick, after bite for bug bites, sunscreen, bug spray, airborne, emergen-c, etc.)
-Ginger candy, gum or tea for stomach upset
-Travel umbrella
-iPad loaded with audio books
-Wrist bands for motion sickness
-Super glue, tape, general adhesives (could come in handy if your shoe breaks)
-A great, dependable and comfortable pair of flats
-Black leggings to keep in your purse in case the temperature drops
-Noise canceling headphones
-Ear plugs
-Watch that you can adjust to your new time zone in case you run out of phone battery
-Mophie for the iPhone is great if you need extra battery juice
-Pocket translator/dictionary
-Travel app (see our previous blog post for tips)
-A copy of your passport (make sure you have one with you at all times, but also make sure you leave a copy in the hands of someone at home)
-Granola bars
-Prescription restock if there's anything you take regularly that you might not be able to fill while abroad, especially if you think you might end up traveling longer than planned
-Mini wallet and/or mini purse so you're not clunking around with the usual satchel
-Backup cards for your camera in case you run out of photos
-International adapters if traveling abroad (tip: check that your electronics will be okay at a lower voltage)
-Running shoes
-A great hat for sunny weather
-Shout wipes
-Sewing kit
-Sunglasses!
-A killer pair of heels

Enjoy and safe travels!

Photo Credit: Alison Conklin Photography in a shoot styled by Styled Creative featured on Green Wedding Shoes (a.k.a. adorable engagement shoot)

BHLDN Headquarters

2012-01-09T04:00:00.000-08:00

I recently had the pleasure of taking a stroll through the BHLDN shop in Houston. For those of you who haven't discovered BHLDN yet, it's the brilliant wedding brand backed by Anthropologie. BHLDN is mostly focused on e-commerce, with the majority of the brand focusing on internet sales of wedding and special events gowns and dresses, accessories, jewelry, and some super cute decor and tabletop items. The company opened up their first brick and mortar shop a few months ago in the River Oaks area of Houston, so I just had to swing by last time I was in town to see what all the buzz is about. All I can say is I can't wait for them to open up a shop in San Francisco! One stop shopping? Yes, please.

xo.
a.b.

Mountain Dreamy Destination: Amangani

2011-12-30T04:00:00.000-08:00

Amangani is set 7,000 feet above sea level on the edge of East Gros Ventre Butte in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. It's wonderful to visit anytime of year; during Winter they have excellent skiing, and in the Spring, Summer and Fall you can visit the Grand Teton and the Yellowstone National Parks nearby. Who would have thought life in the mountains could be so luxurious!

Images courtesy of Amangani

Mountain Dreamy Destination: Dunton Hot Springs

2011-12-29T04:00:00.000-08:00

Dunton Hot Springs is located in the San Juan Mountains of the Colorado Rockies, overflowing with natural hot springs. One of the best qualities about this secluded location is that you can rent the entire town exclusively for your wedding! Picture yourself getting married in their open-air wood chapel with views of a 40-foot waterfall, and then leading guests to their classic saloon and dance hall. It's the perfect mountain wedding!

Images courtesy of Dunton Hot Springs

Mountain Dreamy Destination: Brush Creek Ranch

2011-12-28T04:00:00.000-08:00

Brush Creek Ranch is the ultimate American West getaway in the heart of Wyoming's Sierra Madre range. The quintessential log cabins make you feel right at home, the views from the entire property are stunning, and the activities in the outback are endless, perfect for entertaining your family or wedding guests!

Images courtesy of Brush Creek Ranch

Mountain Dreamy Destination: Badrutt's Palace Hotel

2011-12-27T04:00:00.000-08:00

The Badrutt's Palace Hotel is every mountain lovers dream, located in the Swiss Alps in the picturesque town of St. Moritz, Switzerland. Whether you choose to visit during the summer or winter, each season provides a unique experience that will rejuvenate and revive you!

Images courtesy of Badrutt's Palace Hotel

Mountain Dreamy Destination: Blackberry Farm

2011-12-26T04:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays everyone! This week we are featuring our top mountain dreamy destinations, starting off with the Blackberry Farm in Tennessee. Sprawled across 4,200 acres in the Great Smoky Mountains are a total of 51 rooms, allowing for a romantic, intimate getaway in the mountainside. For an authentic outdoor experience, take your pick at one of their many activities including biking, hiking, and fishing, or try eating at one of their tasty restaurants featuring foods from their impressive-sized garden. You can also visit the Great Smokey Mountains National Park, just a few miles down the road!

Images courtesy of Blackberry Farm

Desert Dreamy Destination: Al Maha Desert Resort & Spa

2011-12-23T04:00:00.000-08:00

Our final pick for the most dreamy desert destination is the Al Maha Desert Resort & Spa, in Dubai. It's nestled within a green and aqueos oasis amongst towering dunes and dazzling desert landscapes. It's the most glorious way to experience the Arabian desert's history and hospitality.

Images courtesy of Al Maha

Desert Dreamy Destination: Sanctuary Camelback Mountain

2011-12-22T04:00:00.000-08:00

The Sanctuary Camelback Mountain in the beautiful Paradise Valley, Arizona, is known for it's incredible spa, astounding cuisine and stunning surroundings. Take your pick from the 74 mountainside or 24 spa casitas, and indulge yourself in this luscious desert resort.

Images courtesy of Sanctuary Camelback Mountain

Desert Dreamy Destination: Adrere Amellal

2011-12-21T04:00:00.000-08:00

If you're looking for a truly unique get away filled with peace and quiet, then the Adrere Amellal will surely satisfy your every need. Located at the base of the White Mountain in Egypt’s Siwa Oasis, this luxury resort has no electricity or cell reception to ensure complete seclusion from it all, and it's only a short trip to Cleopatra’s Bath and the charming village of Siwa.

Images courtesy of Adrere Amellal

Desert Dreamy Destination: Korakia Pensione

2011-12-20T04:00:00.000-08:00

This traditional Morrocoan-themed desert retreat is located in the ideal Southern California destination of Palm Springs. The majestic Korakia Pensione emits an intimate and relaxed atmosphere, with a stunning mountain backdrop for the perfect outdoor wedding!

Images courtesy of Meg Smith

Desert Dreamy Destination: Amangiri Resort

2011-12-19T04:00:00.000-08:00

This week we are featuring some of the most magnificent desert dreamy destinations for your special occasion, starting with the extraordinary Amangiri Resort in Southern Utah, near the border of Arizona. The resort is cleverly camouflaged into a protected valley with astonishing views of The Grand Staircase (Utah's National Monument). You'll feel pleasantly isolated from civilization, yet you're only a half hour drive to the nearest town, and an even shorter drive to the beautiful Lake Powell.

Images courtesy of Amangiri Resort

Country Dreamy Destination: The Kildare Hotel

2011-12-16T04:00:00.000-08:00

Upon entering The Kildare Hotel, Spa & Country Club, you'll find yourself experiencing a quintessential Irish country escape. The rooms are furnished with precious antiques, paintings, and furnishings, allowing you to live through all the history the estate has to offer. It's an ancient masterpiece with modern service and amenities.

Images courtesy of The Kildare Hotel

Country Dreamy Destination: Wharekauhau Estate

2011-12-15T04:00:00.000-08:00

There are so many magnificent qualities in the New Zealand countryside, and the Wharekauhau Estate captures it all! On the 5,500 acre property you'll find unique accommodations ranging from an Edwardian Mansion, to cottages overlooking the coast, to a luxurious, family-sized Chateau. There are loads of activities on site, and the cuisine is spectacular. This place is sure to please family and friends of all ages traveling from afar for your special day!

Images courtesy of Wharekauhau Estate

Country Dreamy Destination: Calistoga Ranch

2011-12-14T04:00:00.000-08:00

Calistoga Ranch is another one of our top country destinations, nestled in the infamous Napa Valley hills. Located on 150+ acres, this hidden gem has an incredible spa, a private lake, and a one-of-a kind wine cave. With under 50 free-standing lodges and several different indoor and outdoor spaces, this majestic resort is perfect for an intimate wine country wedding.

Images courtesy of Calistoga Ranch

Country Dreamy Destination: Post Ranch Inn

2011-12-13T04:00:00.000-08:00

The stylish accommodations in the Post Ranch Inn in Big Sur, California, consist mainly of separate houses set atop a cliff, each with a fireplace, jacuzzi spa tub, private deck, and breathtaking ocean and mountain views. Only 3 hours south of San Francisco, this is an incredibly cozy and romantic luxury resort that makes you feel like you're worlds away.

Images courtesy of Post Ranch Inn

Country Dreamy Destination: The Dylan Amsterdam

2011-12-12T04:00:00.000-08:00

This week's blog posts will feature destinations around the world that are either in the countryside or have that feel to them.

We're starting in the Netherlands, with The Dylan Amsterdam. It's located in - you guessed it - Amsterdam. The Dylan is tucked right in the city's center along the Keizersgracht canal. While the location is urban, the boutique hotel feels very provincial.

With 49 rooms, the Dylan is a good size for a group. While the suites allow more privacy and would be great for those looking to Honeymoon in the Netherlands, it's probably better suited for a destination wedding.

Images courtesy of The Dylan Amsterdam

Beach Dreamy Destination: Hotelito Desconocido

2011-12-09T04:00:00.000-08:00

Tucked away in a lush, green area in Jalisco, Mexico, is our last beach dreamy destination of the week, Hotelito Desconocido. There are 27 bungalows available on either the white-sand beach or in the lavishly green lagoon. Combine this with the three ecovillages within the property, and you'll feel like you're staying in the most luxurious jungle Mexico has to offer.

Images courtesy of Hotelito Desconocido

Beach Dreamy Destination: Esencia

2011-12-08T04:00:00.001-08:00

Stretched out across 50 acres of one of the most beautiful beaches in the Riviera Maya, is the luxurious sea-side escape, Esencia. We love Esencia because it's super cozy, with amazing food and impeccable service. Tulum is one of the prettiest up and coming tourist zones of Mexico. It's about 2 hours south of Cancun, situated right along the Riviera Maya. So, you're surrounded by white-sand beaches and within a close walk to the historic ruins of the old town.

Images Courtesy of Esencia Hotel

Beach Dreamy Destination: Travaasa Hana

2011-12-07T04:00:00.000-08:00

Located on the island of Maui,Travaasa Hana is a small collection of cottages and condo-like suites that overlook the greenery of Hawaii, with the Pacific Ocean as a backdrop. While Maui is one of the more popular tourist destinations, Hana is a serene and secluded getaway, perfect for a honeymoon or a little anniversary getaway. We were sold at the lava-rock whirlpool and ukelele and hula classes, but also stellar is the fact that you can fly right into Hana Airport, so it's super easy to get to.

Image courtesy of Travaasa Hana

Beach Dreamy Destination: Katikies

2011-12-06T04:00:00.000-08:00

Another one of our top favorite beach destinations is Katikies, located on the Cyclades Islands in Greece. Set atop a cliff overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, this luxurious getaway reflects a modern approach to a traditional Greek hotel. It's a boutique escape, with less than 25 rooms on property, settled at the edge of a cute little grecian town. The white-washed walls contrasting with the deep blue water views provide a truly breathtaking Greek setting!

Images courtesy of Katikies Hotel

Beach Dreamy Destination: Cotton House, Caribbean

2011-12-05T04:00:00.000-08:00

This week we are featuring our top five favorite beach destinations and some cool hotels in each location. Enjoy!

Cotton House is one of our favorite getaways in all of the Caribbean Islands, it's located in Mustique, which is part of the Grenadines. It's a small, boutique style hotel with less than 20 rooms, so it's super intimate and cozy. The design is modern meets colonial style, with a true island feel. We love this place for a honeymoon or a romantic getaway!

Image courtesy of Cotton House

Dreamy December Destination Wedding Inspiration

2011-12-02T13:04:00.000-08:00

In honor of our favorite month, we've decided to spend every day posting a destination we're obsessed with. We're addicted to the Travel and Leisure guide to hot new places and can't get enough travel books in our office, so figured we'd share some of the cool places we've discovered in the past year with all of you. Starting on Monday, December 5th, we'll be posting a new dreamy destination every weekday through the end of the year. Some of the destinations will be pretty venues, some mountainous hotels, some desert based vacation spots and great ideas for honeymoons. We hope you enjoy this little labor of love project and we'd love to hear your feedback as you read about each location.

Happy Holidays from the team!

xoxo,
Alison, Kelsey, Alyssa and Susie

New Press: Anthology Magazine

2011-11-28T04:00:00.000-08:00

We are SOOOOO excited about this new press! Alison was featured in an interview piece in one of our all time favorite magazine, Anthology. They cover tons of info about her favorite parties and gives some awesome tips on how to throw the best party. Check it out!

Also loving the article featuring our friend Sabrina from Hello!Lucky. Cute!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-21T04:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving week! In honor of one of our favorite all American holidays, we've decided to show off some interesting tabletops that inspire our own holiday decor. Inkeeping with the traditional feeling of Thanksgiving, we love decorating our party tables to look rustic, simple and modern. Simple ceramics and lots of woods and whites can make that feeling feel complete.

If you still haven't nailed down your Thanksgiving table look, be sure to check out the Apartment Therapy article on where to shop for modern Thanksgiving tabletop goodies. They list out some great sources for ceramics and table linens as well as candles, glassware, etc.

Below are a few photos of tables inspired and designed by some really talented designers, to help get you inspired to create your own Thanksgiving dinner decor. Enjoy your turkey and pie and have a wonderful, happy and full Thanksgiving!

[credit where it's due: photo no. 1 from Sweet Bits, photo no. 2 from Martha Stewart, photo no. 3 from Sacramento Street, photo no. 4 from Susan Becher, photo no. 5 from Alchemy Events, photo no. 6 from Brad Ford, photo no. 7 from Eddie Ross and Jaithon Kochar]

Ram's Gate Winery Opening

2011-11-14T04:00:00.001-08:00

This past September we were lucky enough to be brought on board to plan the opening party for the new Ram's Gate Winery in Sonoma. The place is AMAZING. Seriously. If you haven't been up there yet, it's definitely worth a day trip and if you have been up and just driven past it, you should have turned around. First of all, the location is to die for. It's basically right at the foot of Sonoma, so only about 45 minute, hour tops drive from SF. Second of all, the decor is gorgeous, sophisticated and a nice modern twist on wine country. Thirdly, the wine is the bomb. And I mean that in a very, very good way. If I were more of a wino, I'd get into the tasting notes and all that jazz, but in the interest of being PC, I will instead say you should just go there and check it all out for yourself.

The opening party, which was a blast, was catered by Componere. They created a menu to pair perfectly with all of the wines people were tasting in different areas and zones. Grant and Co. did the flowers for the night, which were stunning and perfectly complemented the space and architecture in the winery. Refraction did an always phenomenal job on lighting and audio. And these lovely photos were taken by Orange Photography.

Enjoy the photos and hopefully we'll see you at Ram's Gate sometime soon!

xoxo.
a.b.

Kardashianomics

2011-11-07T04:00:00.000-08:00

We usually try to stay out of the musings of pop culture on our blog, but this article from the NYTimes Blog is just too interesting not to talk about. The gist... Kim Kardashian made an estimated $10,358.80 per hour of her marriage just for being married to Kris Humphries (by the way, did anyone even know who he was before he got looped into the Kardashian clan?). It's fascinating if you read the breakdown of it all, but in a nutshell, during their 72 days of marriage, they brought in $17.9 million. So, if you do the math, that breaks out to over $10k per hour. We're not saying that was her motive or anything, just find it totally fascinating and thought the article was pretty legit reading for a Monday morning.

Have a great week!

xo
a.b.

Vendor Spotlight: Hello!Lucky

2011-10-31T04:00:00.000-07:00

Hello!Lucky is one of our favorite San Francisco design companies. They do a lot of our paper goods, from save the dates and invitations to menu cards, custom printed napkins and more. Their stock designs are pretty awesome if you're looking to get something out the door quickly, but if you have the opportunity to work with them on a custom basis, their designers are super creative and easy to work with.

Last week, Hello!Lucky launched their new website, which makes online ordering a breeze. The site is also a really helpful tool for brides looking for info about invitation wording and etiquette or just general inspiration. You absolutely have to check out their holiday cards if you haven't already ordered yours.

Oh, and lest we forget to mention, we're currently working on a book with the lovely ladies of Hello!Lucky that will be published by Chronicle Books in 2013. Stay tuned for more info about that!!

Venue Spotlight: Brush Creek Ranch

2011-10-24T04:00:00.000-07:00

Okay, so we've been coveting the photos of this ranch forever because it's so insanely gorgeous and we don't want anyone to know about it but us, buttttt we also really want you all to see this epic destination wedding spot because it's the most amazing and romantic and fun venue ever. No seriously, we've been nonstop talking about this place since we went out to scout it in March and it's really on our brains now that winter is creeping up on us again.

Brush Creek Ranch is located in Saratoga, Wyoming, which is about an hour and a half outside of Denver. So, your guests can fly into DEN, pick up a rental car from there and take the scenic route to Saratoga. Once on property, there's really no reason to leave the ranch. Brush Creek is an all-inclusive resort, so all your meals and activities are part of the package. Their food is unbelievably delicious (this coming from the SF food snobs we are) and activities on-site include horseback riding, fly fishing, skeet shooting, and more. You can even arrange a paint ball competition. On property, there are a number of event spaces, meeting rooms and outdoor spaces to check out for weddings or even for corporate off-sites.

In short, we're obsessed with this place. It's rustic yet modern, elegant yet down-to-earth, and we're just dying for the right couple to choose this as their wedding destination. Call us if you're interested ;)

Dress Designer Spotlight: Jenny Packham

2011-10-17T04:00:00.000-07:00

I just recently discovered these gorgeous dresses from Jenny Packham. I love how feminine and ethereal they are, they're so old world feeling. This British designer's gowns are only sold in her flagship stores in London, but you can purchase some of the dresses and accessories online. The boudoir collection is also pretty killer and is sold online through Net-a-Porter. Enjoy!

New Wedding: Laura and Justin, Carmel

2011-10-10T04:00:00.000-07:00

As promised, here are some more photos of the wedding we did at the Santa Lucia Preserve last October. You can find this wedding in Martha Stewart Weddings Magazine on stands right now. Check it out!

Photos are by Lovebird Photography.

New Wedding: Laura and Justin in Carmel, CA

2011-10-03T04:00:00.000-07:00

Take a peek at Laura and Justin's Santa Lucia Preserve wedding we produced last October, currently featured in Martha Stewart Weddings. This is one of our all time favorite destination weddings. Laura and Justin tied the knot in Carmel, California, amongst family and friends who flew in from around the country to witness their big day.

Their ceremony took place in a redwood grove, with a grand piano playing in the background. The seating was a mix of natural wood chairs and brightly painted modern chairs, which designated the seats for the readers in their ceremony. Their good friend Dave Metts led the ceremony, which was full of laughter.

Dinner and dancing followed in an old barn on the property, which was decorated with bold, modern colors and furniture to create a stark contrast against the natural dark woods of the buildings. Jenny Pennywood's custom printed canvas runners created a pop on the tables, while Danielle Rowe's pink hued flowers complemented the tabletop perfectly.

Dancing finished off the night, with DJ Blue spinning for a few hours, encouraging more than a few people to hit the floor and do the worm. Yep, the worm.

You can find more photos on the Martha Stewart Weddings website. We'll also post some additional photos throughout the next week.

Location and Catering: The Santa Lucia Preserve

Event Planning and Design: Alison Events

Flowers: Brown Paper Design

Cake: Earthbound Farm

Additional Sweets: Edith Meyer Organic Cakes

Stationery, Textiles, and Artwork: Jenny Pennywood

Wedding Photographer: Jesse Leake

Gown: Monique Lhuillier (ceremony); Lanvin (reception)

Jewelry: Doyle & Doyle (wedding band); Fourtaine (earrings)

Menswear: Astor & Black (shirt)

Rentals: Classic Party Rentals (chairs and chandeliers); La Tavola Fine Linen (linens); Small Masterpiece (tabletop); Chairtastic (specialty chairs)

New Wedding: Dawn Ranch Lodge

2011-09-26T04:00:00.000-07:00

This past summer we had the delight of working with a couple who had taken the entire year leading up to their wedding to travel the world together. In turn, this actually meant planning their wedding from afar, which was really incredible for us because we were able to ride alongside their adventures through places like Spain, Italy, Thailand and off onto little islands and countries we'd never even heard of. It was a fascinating journey to hear bits and pieces of and upon their return, the two got married at Dawn Ranch Lodge in Guerneville, during a weekend full of celebrating with friends and family from near and far. The wedding was featured on Martha Stewart Weddings last week and we thought you'd enjoy seeing a few more photos from the big celebration.

Photos by: B & N Photo
Planning by: K Sheofsky of Alison Events
Floral Design by: Brown Paper Design
Music by: Ever Music Group
Paper by: Hello Lucky
Rentals: Classic Party Rentals
Linens by: La Tavola
Hair and Makeup by: Nellie Muganda of Neja Cosmetics

New Press: SF Wedding at the Flood Mansion in Brides

2011-09-19T04:00:00.000-07:00

Check out our Flood Mansion wedding in SF that was recently featured in Brides Northern California! This was a gorgeous wedding in February that we did with Kathleen Deery, Lisa Lefkowitz, Perfect Endings, DJ Sol, and Paula Le Duc Fine Catering. We loved how classic and elegant the evening turned out to be. It was just stunning and Liz was such a beautiful bride and a delight to work with. Enjoy the photos!

Destination Wedding: Idaho Rocky Mountain Ranch

2011-09-12T04:00:00.000-07:00

Since we specialize in destination weddings, we're always on the lookout for the coolest new places to have weddings. A big topic of conversation over the past couple of years has been ranch weddings. We're not talking about weddings on chic, modern ranches, but rather the kind of place you can take the whole family for a weekend getaway filled with horseback riding, mountain biking, hiking, fly fishing, whitewater rafting and just simple relaxation. As total city folk, there's nothing more idyllic and utterly appealing than running off to a place that's off the charts for a few days free of cell phone service and quite frankly, noise. As much as we love the hum drum of city life, there's something so refreshingly romantic about the countryside, especially if you're surrounded by big blue skies and mountains.

The Idaho Rocky Mountain Ranch is an amazing old world guest ranch that's tucked away in the sawtooth mountains, about an hour outside of Sun Valley, in a little town called Stanley (pop: 2,703). The ranch was built back in the 1920s and is a series of small log cabins with modern amenities that remains architecturally very true to its original structure.

In a way, the place almost invokes a summer camp type feel, in the sense that there are so many activities you can take part in, whether it's a crash course in fly fishing or a storytelling hour with a local novelist, there's always something going on. Yet, there's also space for down time if you need to just check out for a while.

We love the idea of doing a four day wedding at the ranch, because you can map out optional activitiesr each day, which can be customized according to the events you think your group might be interested in. Then, you can go off-site for the evening wedding events. There are plenty of big, expansive open fields in the area if you wanted to dine in the grass or under a tent. Plus, the ranch itself has a pretty darn cute restaurant for a reception.

Okay, I'm going to stop gushing about how much I love big, beautiful, blue skyed Idaho with all its golden hills and big mountains and trees. In the meantime, let us know if you're considering a ranch venue for your wedding, we'd be happy to share many other venues that might interest you!

xo,

a.b.

Best Wedding Books, Part I

2011-09-06T04:00:00.000-07:00

As Alison is now working on writing her second book with Chronicle Books, we've been doing a lot of book reading and checking out books by some of our much respected colleagues in the wedding world. So, we thought it would be fun to share some of these books with you. We'll show you a few others throughout the month, but here are our top five favorites. Enjoy!

Jose Villa's Fine Art Wedding Photography
Peter Callahan's Bite by Bite
Handmade Weddings by the lovely ladies at Hello!Lucky
Print Workshop by Christine Schmidt of Yellow Owl Workshop
Michelle Rago's Signature Weddings

Vendor Spotlight: Peter Langner

2011-08-29T04:00:00.000-07:00

Peter Langner is an amazing gown designer based out of Italy and he does the most gorgeous work. The fits, fabrics, designs, embellishments are all timeless and elegant and to die for. One of our clients who recently got married in Italy actually met Peter at a trunk show in SF, where she bought her wedding gown. She was able to have Peter attend her wedding in Ravello to help her get into her dress and he happily saw her down the aisle (photo above). Peter recently gave Alyssa a little interview and we were dying to share. So, here goes...

AB: Should brides choose their venue before or after the dress?

PL: I think that it's very important to know the location of the wedding, the type of wedding and the timing of it in order to pick out your dress. I would suggest first finding your location then getting the gown and accessories. Nothing is worse than having the wrong dress for your location.

AB: How many fittings do most people go for and how should they be timed?

PL: The number of fittings really depends on the bride's body type and her needs as well as the service that's provided by the store. I would strongly recommend against having too many fittings, as the gown "gets old," as well call it, meaning it can start to look worn before it's big debut. That said, the gown does need to look like it fits you right, so one to three fittings should do the trick. Also take into consideration that each gown design has limitations. Not every pattern can be altered, as it has been designed to look a particular way. Additionally, it's important not to do the fitting too early. Most brides will lose weight prior to their wedding. If that's the case and you did your fittings months prior to the wedding, the dress won't fit the same after your weight loss and you'll have to start all over again. So, I recommend doing the fitting 8-10 weeks prior to the wedding, unless otherwise advised by the store in which you're purchasing your dress, as all stores operate on their own timelines.

AB: How long before the wedding should the dress be purchased?

PL: When you find the right dress of course! Don't think that the more you look, the better it gets. Normally you end up just getting more overwhelmed and confused about what you want. So, trust your instincts.

AB: At the end of the night, a lot of our brides end up with dresses that are dirty, torn, even ripped in places. What's the best way to preserve the dress after the wedding?

PL: There are a few companies that specialize in wedding gown preservation. I highly recommend J. Scheer and they have offices in New York and Los Angeles.

AB: When should the dress be bustled? Should it be done right after the ceremony? Before or after dinner?

PL: I'm based in Italy and over here we rarely bustle the gown. But, you should do your bustle when you feel you need to. There's no specific timing, it just depends on your event and location, the timing of the night, and your comfort level.

PL: As an aside, I would recommend to enjoy your wedding as best as you can and let things happen as they do. You can plan things as best you as you want, but at a certain point you have to let go and go with the flow. As terrible as it might sound to have a glass of merlot spilled on your wedding gown, in good time you'll laugh about it and remember the moment you realized your wedding wasn't just about the gown. So, smile and relax and move on.

Thanks, Peter, for the awesome words of insight and advice!

Photos by Thayer Allyson Gowdy

Dreamy Destination: St. Barth's

2011-08-15T04:00:00.000-07:00

We're so fortunate to be working with a client we adore who is planning to get married in Harbor Island later this year. So, we've been abuzz with talk of island weddings and dreamy locations where we'd love to do weddings and this hotel called La Banane fell on our radar, making an instant impact. It's located in St. Barth's and is a very retro-chic hotel that was founded by french cabaret legend Jean-Marie Riviere back in the 50s, welcoming the likes of Brigitte Bardot, Zaza Gabour and many other legendary ladies. The hotel has been redone in recent years, but still captures that modernist charm in each of the nine bungalows.

We're still searching for the perfect St. Barth's wedding venue, but stumbling upon these amazing hotels along the way is pretty awesome. Do I sense a scout trip coming on? Perhaps! Other hotels on the island that might be worth checking out are the Taiwana and Hotel Le Toiny.

AE East

2011-08-08T04:00:00.000-07:00

Well, it's official, we're bicoastal! Thought you all might enjoy some preview photos of our East Coast Launch party at Flea from last week, since you've heard so much leading up to it. Check out the space, the photos, etc. and let us know what you think. And hey, if you know anyone who is planning a wedding or even a small party in Connecticut, Martha's Vineyard, Cape Cod, Nantucket, Montauk, or any other coastal town on the eastside, let us know! More photos coming soon (and some with people too)...

East Coast Launch Party on Thursday!!

2011-08-01T04:00:00.000-07:00

If you're on the East Coast, please come and hang out with us in Rowayton, CT on Thursday! We're throwing a party at our adorable new Connecticut studio and would love to see you there. Details about the party below and a map of our office too. Don't forget to RSVP!

EAST COAST HERE WE COME!!!

2011-07-29T04:00:00.000-07:00

To officially launch our Connecticut office, Alison and Alyssa will be spending next week on the East Coast. We have a big launch party on Thursday night (see previous post for the invite) and we're doing a garden lobster bash for a client on Saturday. So, we thought highlighting some of our favorite photos from the past year would get you all a little excited along with us. Enjoy!!

In order of appearance, photos by: Thayer Allyson Gowdy, Paco & Betty, Lovebird Photo, Our Labor of Love

East Coast Party Next Week!!!!

2011-07-28T04:00:00.000-07:00

If you're on the East Coast, please come and hang out with us next week! We're throwing a party at our adorable new Connecticut studio and would love to see you there. Details about the party below and a map of our office too. Don't forget to RSVP!

NY Gay Marriage in the News

2011-07-27T04:00:00.001-07:00

So, it's no secret that NY legalized Gay Marriage and it went into effect earlier this week... But, we've been reading articles from all over the place that are in full support of same-sex marriage and it's nothing short of completely awesome. So, thought we'd keep you on top of current events by sharing some articles we've really enjoyed reading so far. Also, how great is the cover of the New Yorker this week?! We're headed in such a great direction and can't wait for the rest of the country to follow suit.

You can read about Pop-Up Ribbon Chapels in NYC on Refinery29

You can check out an awesome slideshow from New York Magazine of gay weddings and happenings on the streets of NYC this week

The Huffington Post wrote an interesting article about the economic boost gay marriage could potentially supply for the state of New York

Fascinating poll on the New York Times website, surveying young New Yorkers and their opinions of gay marriage

Last one, but this is interesting article from NPR about the impact New York may or may not have on the rest of the country's outlook on gay marriage

Celebrating Same-Sex Weddings in NY

2011-07-26T04:00:00.000-07:00

As mentioned yesterday, we're taking this week to celebrate the legality of same-sex weddings in New York State.

These photos are from a wedding we did a couple of years ago at Ventana Inn in Big Sur, California. Margo and Dawn got married during the short period of time here in California during which same-sex weddings were legal. Their wedding was a beautiful celebration of their family, as they had already adopted two gorgeous little boys together.

Hope you enjoy these photos by Thayer Allyson Gowdy.

YAY! Same Sex weddings legal in NY

2011-07-25T04:00:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, hundreds of same-sex couples, from retirees to college students, rushed to town hall offices across New York to legally wed for the first time in the state's history. New York is the sixth and largest state to allow same-sex marriage and we hope California won't fall far behind. As you all remember we were very close a couple of years ago, but the rights were promptly taken away.

To celebrate New York's victory, we wanted to post some of our favorite weddings from California. Today, we are featuring two of the most gorgeous men we know, Joe and Lallo. Stay tuned for the beautiful Margo and Dawn later this week!

Back when we were CLOSE to becoming legal in SF, Alison was interviewd by both CBS and NBC. Click here for a link to that interview.

Thanks to Adi Nevo for her beautiful photos.

Flower Market Fun in Italy

2011-07-18T04:00:00.000-07:00

For our recent wedding in Italy, our Creative Director, Kelsey, and Danielle from Brown Paper Design took a trip to the flower market in Pompei to make some last minute purchases. When pre-ordering flowers in foreign countries we don't always get what we ask for so the local flower market is essential for filling in the blanks. It's also a really fun way to learn about what grows locally in an area. Kelsey and Danielle hired a driver to take them to the market and act as their translator while shopping. He even helped carry out all the purchases and pack the trunk full of flowers. What a sport!

Gorgeous sunrise on the way to the market.

Danielle making a deal.

Packing the Jag. It almost didn't all fit.

Success!

AE Favorite Travel Apps for iPhones

2011-07-11T04:00:00.000-07:00

Top 10 Useful iPhone/iPad Apps for Traveling Abroad

1. Skype

You need to be connected to Wifi to use it, but a $10 Skype credit lasts a pretty long while. An hour long talk with someone in the states will typically cost around $.05. You can use it for face time calls or just plain old phone calls.

2. Currency

It's always nice to be able to quickly convert the bill from foreign currency into US dollars so you know how much you're spending. The good thing is you don't need a wifi connection for it to work after the first time you use it, it will just use the most recently updated exchange rate.

3. Lonely Planet Spanish

You should probably go through some of these phrases on the plane as a quick refresher for Spanish. It's also nice to have in your pocket if you completely blank on how to say something like, "Donde esta el bano?" This one costs $6 and it's worth it, but if you'd rather not shell out the coin there are plenty of decent free spanish phrase apps on the app store. Lonely Planet offers many additional languages.

4. Google Translate or iTranslate

Speak English into your phone and have your phone spit out the spanish - it's just like Star Trek. The only downside is you need a wifi connection for it to work.

5. Word Lens

This may be more of a novelty than it's actually a useful translation tool, but it's pretty amazing to hold your phone's camera up to a spanish language menu and see the words translated to English in real time!

6. The Weather Channel

It's always nice to have the forecast at your fingertips, no matter where you're traveling.

7. Yelp

Yelp is awesome when you're in unfamiliar territory. It's sort of like finding out about a great restaurant or cool bar by word of mouth - but in the modern way, where you don't have to actually interact with anyone.

8. WhatsApp Messenger
PingChat!
Textie (only one also built for iPad)

These are all free SMS like apps that are free if you're on Wifi. They're all cross platform apps so you can text people on different devices and different networks. They all work well.

9. FlightTrack (for ipad as well)
GateGuru

Track your flight in realtime, find your gate, departure info, find delays, rebooked your flight - it works pretty well most of the time.

10. Sit or Squat: Bathroom Finder

Last but not least, it is as advertised - a network to locate and rate good, clean, public restrooms all over the world.

BONUS: Best Photo Apps
Camera+
Hipstamatic
Instagram (also a social network for photos)

Most people with iPhones already have one of these apps. If you don't do yourself a favor and download one of them. Make your low res phone photos actually look good - by covering them in a layer of vintage camera effects.

NOTE: Major props to Pete McCoubrey for contributing to this list

Happy Summer!

2011-07-04T04:00:00.000-07:00

What a fantastic week we've had here at AE! Just did a wedding in Ravello, Italy this past weekend that was to die for. Take a peek at our gorgeous bride walking through the gardens to Villa Cimbrone. We absolutely LOVE the Amalfi Coast and working there over the past year and half has been such a dream. Can't wait to return!

This past weekend we also celebrated Miss Susie's birthday. For those of you who don't know her, Susie is the AE west coast studio manager. We had a blast celebrating her birthday in the office, so you can check that out too. Happy Birthday, Susie! And to everyone else, Happy Fourth of July! Have a fun one!

California Love

2011-06-27T04:00:00.001-07:00

Okay, so to be honest, this has nothing to do with weddings or events or venues or any of the subjects we usually cover here on the AE blog. BUT, it does fit into the category of about us because we totally identify with this. Living in CA we can totally appreciate this dude. Hope you find this as funny as we do!

Thanks DJ DAVE for posting this on Fog and Smog!

Happy Anniversary Glenda and Henry!

2011-06-20T04:00:00.000-07:00

Happy anniversary to our awesome clients who got married three years ago at Meadowsweet Dairy, their gorgeous art studio in Marin County. Congrats on three beautiful years, Glenda and Henry!

Vendor Spotlight: Jason Murakawa

2011-06-13T04:00:00.000-07:00

As any wedding planner will tell you, the one thing you simply can't sacrifice when planning a wedding is a beautiful tabletop. There's an art to setting a table so that it looks not only picture perfect, but also welcoming and comfortable and warm. A great way to add an element of charm to a table is to mix and match vintage pieces. Jason Murakawa, of Small Masterpiece, does just that. Jason owns a vintage tabletop rental company and has mastered the art of tabletop styling. Jason's crew literally sets the tables at events, ensuring that all of their gorgeous Limoges china, antique silverware and eclectic mix of glassware is handled properly. We recently asked Jason some questions about gathering inspiration for a wedding and thought we'd share some of his great ideas with you. Enjoy!

AE: With all the wedding blogs, web sites and magazines out there, how do you recommend sticking to one specific theme or style?

JM: Start with 4 themes and gather imagery for each. As you start to narrow your different themes, having explored this area extensively will help provide a solid direction to this process. Monitor your excitement and enthusiasm, it will indicate where your heart lies regarding the perfect theme for your wedding.

AE: Can a non-design savvy person still plan a pretty wedding that’s unique?

JM: The designs are already out there in the blogs or magazines. What will make your wedding unique is how you interpret these design ideas and make it your own. Keep your eyes and mind open, you may stumble upon a concept in the most unlikely places! Beauty can be found in the most simple things in our day to day lives.

AE: If a bride is overwhelmed by the beautiful imagery out there in the wedding world, how can she make it work within her budget?

JM: Style and beauty don’t equal great expense. If you design your wedding with purpose and confidence, you can walk down the ailse in a white t-shirt and $4000.00 skirt. Be deliberate about your choices. Sometimes great creativity comes from a limited budget. It makes a person explore more and forces options.

AE: How do you suggest defining a specific color palette?

JM: Let the time of day dictate your color palette. Pastel colors for mornings and pastel or medium level saturated colors for afternoons. Evenings have greater flexiblity to dress “up” pastel colors or go with a stronger color palette. Within the pastels and saturated colors, you have a rainbow of colors to choose from.

AE: What’s a good example of turning inspiration into reality?

JM: When professionals in the wedding business can make the inspiration of a bride’s wish a reality!

Thanks for the insight, Jason! You can view more of his collection on the Small Masterpiece website.

Tabletop photos by Thayer Allyson Gowdy; photo of Jason courtesy of LA Magazine.

Creative Save the Dates

2011-06-06T04:00:00.000-07:00

Save The Date! from Meredith and David on Vimeo.

We're so stoked about the creative and FUN clients we're working with this year! Check out a couple of our favorite save the dates that are silly and playful. We LOVE the video Meredith and David had their friend shoot. Dave is so rad he even edited it himself.

And Caroline and Blair's save the date is a classic wine bottle with their own label, but to make it even more awesome, the wine inside is from the bride's family's winery and it's accompanied by an old world prescription sheet with all the save the date details (all designed by Hello!Lucky).

New Press: Martha Stewart Weddings

2011-05-31T10:38:00.000-07:00

Check out our adorable fall wedding on Martha Stewart Weddings! Our Labor of Love shot some gorgeous photos, not all of which made it to Martha, so we thought we'd share a few more with you here.

Dana and Quinn were an absolute delight to work with. They both currently live in LA, but Quinn is from Jamestowne, Virginia and thought what better place to have a wedding than on the historical grounds of the Historic Jamestowne archeological dig site, just up the road from the home he and his family grew up in. So, we flew out to Virginia, checked out the grounds and realized we couldn't have agreed with him more!

Jamestowne was the first permanent English settlement in America, meaning that it was the first real town settled back in the early 17th century. Complete with ruins of an old church, cemetery and the original fort, the grounds are a striking reminder of how this country began (pretty awesome history lesson to follow up Memorial Day, if I may say so myself). Smack in the middle of the grounds is a sprawling lawn, perfect for pitching up a massive Sperry Tent for a wedding reception. So, that's just what we did.

It was an amazing night full of dancing, a la Dexter Lake Club Band, delicious food with a menu created by Matt Poley of Heirloom LA and excellent service provided by Design Cuisine. The floral design by Beehive Events was to die for, a brilliant mix of gardeny seasonal colors and a touch of whimsy. They really pulled off the ultimate fall wedding without making it feel too themey or over the top. Oh, and did we mention how incredible the fall foliage was in Virginia? Every possible color you can imagine in those trees--made for the perfect wedding color palette.

For more photos and the rest of the story, be sure to check out the Martha post. Thanks again to an extremely talented crew:

Planning & Design: Yours Truly
Photography: Our Labor of Love
Videography: Hello Super 8
Florist: Beehive Events
Music: The Dexter Lake Club Band
Catering: Heirloom LA; Design Cuisine
Hair: Nicole Ternosky of Byron & Tracey Salon; Dawn Tracey
Makeup: Nam Vo
Cake: Cakes by Charlie
Stationery: Mr. Boddington's Studio
Rentals: Skyline Tent Company; Beehive Events
Transportation: A Goff Transportation
The Beautiful Tent (and the gorgeous photos of it, courtesy of Mr. Miles Hingeley): Skyline Tents

Happy Americana Day!

2011-05-27T04:00:00.000-07:00

Memorial Day always has me day dreaming of bike rides along the beaches of Cape Cod, fresh lobster and crab, salty dogs... I could keep going, but I'll spare you my sentimentality. In short, I'm in the mood for an East Coast wedding. I'd love to escape to Woods Hole for a weekend and throw a party on the coastline. For those unfamiliar with Woods Hole, it's the sleepiest little town on the coast with an amazing bakery called Pie in the Sky, that has been around well over twenty years and bakes the most delicious cinnamon buns (dare I say, in the whole world). There are amazing little bike trails all along the beaches and through sweet little patches of town as well. If that's not enough to keep you busy, of course there's also surfing, golf, bonfires, whale watching, sailing, or just lounging on the beach with a good old book.

The Cape is very family oriented, so if you have a wedding out there, guests traveling with kids will love you, but those traveling without kids can find plenty of romantic getaway options that are kid-free as well. You can kick the weekend off with a big outdoor lobster bash, complete with arnold palmers and easy to drink salt-rimmed greyhounds for the adults. Then, you can set up a big, white Sperry tent on the beach for the wedding day and spend the night dancing away with the sounds of the ocean in the background, maybe you even set up a bonfire on the beach to end the night with s'mores and fireworks. On Sunday, you can let people recoup on their own by the shore line, or you can throw a farewell feast, plentiful with homemade pies and quiches (or pick some up from Pie in the Sky).

Takes me back to our photo shoot that was featured in Elegant Bride circa 2009. Also very east coast feeling...

Credit where it's due: lobster + beach shots by the unstoppable Thayer Allyson Gowdy, cute whale pillow from West Elm, Cape Cod Tote from Map Totes, yummy drink shot by Mel Barlow

xo.
alyssa

Brilliant Beach Ceremony Decor

2011-05-23T04:00:00.000-07:00

After a week of all things Mexico, we're still in a bit of a beachy brain fuzz. We stumbled upon the artwork of Andres Amador not too long ago and absolutely love what this man does with sand. Of course there are many people who do sand art, but we particularly love his style of creating bold, graphic patterns on wide spans of beach sand. Can't help but think some of these would provide the perfect grounding for a ceremony. Might be a little too new agey for some of you, but with the right pattern and the right decor, this could be a really fun and playful way to create an unexpected ambience for a beach wedding.

AE Loves Mexico!

2011-05-20T04:00:00.002-07:00

El Tabano is one of our absolute favorite places in Mexico. It's a little roadside restaurant right in the heart of Tulum. The owner, Laura, is fabulous and has cultivated an amazing group of local Mexican women to prepare the food in their open air kitchen. This traditional Mexican food is served Tapas style (Laura is Spanish) and the larger your group, the more delicious dishes you can sample. They also make fantastic artisan cocktails like cucumber margaritas and mojitos. The level of service and food are so amazing that you almost forget you are in the middle of the jungle until the lights dim when the blender is turned on. Now that's true Tulum style.

Style Me Pretty Post Today!

2011-05-19T04:00:00.000-07:00

Check us out on Style Me Pretty today! These photos are from a wedding we did a few months back in Tulum, Mexico. Lovely photos were shot by the amazing duo Paco and Betty, based out of SF. Jamie and Justin were such a blast to work with and if you can't tell from the photos, just oh so in love. You can catch the full story on SMP.

AE Loves Mexico!

2011-05-18T04:00:00.000-07:00

Okay, so we're doing a week of postings about how much we love Mexico and here is just one more reason that really takes the cake. This is Alex. Alex owns a company called Pura Vida, right on the beach in Tulum. He makes smoothies with a blender that's powered by his bicycle. It's such a ridiculously awesome concept, we simply can't keep it to ourselves. Check it out. Alex makes us want to drink more smoothies in life.

AE Loves Mexico!

2011-05-17T04:00:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, we had the joy of doing a wedding in Tulum, Mexico, inspiring this full week of blog posts centered around Mexico. While we can't show you the full shebang in all its glory just yet, we are happy to share a few preview photos. Hope you enjoy them!

This particular wedding took place at Be Tulum, an amazing resort in Tulum. The hotel is very boutique, so perfect for a wedding with 30-50 guests. The hotel itself is really nicely done, the rooms are modern and clean, the staff is great and the wedding venue is a great space as well. There are plenty of options nearby for rehearsal dinner, as Tulum has an abundance of fantastic restaurants.

Full story about this couple and more actual wedding photos to come soon, we promise.

AE Loves Mexico!

2011-05-16T04:00:00.000-07:00

Being that destination weddings are our specialty, people ask us all the time what our favorite destination is. While it's a really tough question to answer, we all agree that Mexico is the best location for a destination wedding. It's gorgeous, tropical, easy to get to, affordable, rich in culture, and delicious. In celebration of our love for all things Mexico, we'll be posting a set of photos each day this week featuring weddings and locations we love in the big MX.

Reasons to have a destination wedding: you'll have lots of extra time to spend with family and friends since they'll likely spend the whole weekend with you, you'll probably end up with a lower guest count since not everyone will be able to travel (i.e. lower cost for you), no pressure on any of your family members to entertain, and it's so relaxing to be far removed from your every day norm.

If you're considering a wedding in Mexico, we highly recommend Tulum, Saladita and Zihuatanejo (Troncones Beach is amazing and there's a cute town called Saladita nearby for day trips). Each town has its own personality and culture, from the quiet little surf town of Saladita to the more action-oriented Cabo and Tulum, which falls somewhere between the two. Virgin America flies direct from SF to Cabo and Cancun (about an hour and a half drive from Tulum). Zihuatanejo has its own airport. Virgin also flies direct from NYC to Cabo and from LA to Cancun.

Check back tomorrow for setup photos from a wedding we did in Tulum this past weekend!

Venue Spotlight: Encantado Resort in Santa Fe

2011-05-09T04:00:00.000-07:00

If you've ever thought of having a desert oasis wedding, you absolutely have to check out Encantado Resort in Santa Fe. The property is a typical Auberge Resort, encompassing the luxury hotel brand's reputation for creating places that are private, secluded and luxurious while still having a very down to earth, natural and welcoming setting. The beautiful Sangre de Cristo Mountains mark the surrounding skyline and the grounds of the resort are rich in the natural beauty uniquely New Mexico.

What we really love about Encantado is the peaceful atmosphere that almost seems to transport you to another world. Being the city folk we are, it's such an amazing feeling to escape and run out to the desert to relax. There are 65 small villas, or casitas, as they call them, on the property. So, it's a perfect size for a destination wedding if you're planning an escape for about 130 guests.

Also, we love how modern and simple the property is. Everything is made up of clean, modern lines with plenty of white walls and natural wood. It's a wedding planner's dream canvas.

Anyway, we're just dying over all the property has to offer, both as a hotel and as a wedding venue. Seems like the perfect long weekend getaway to us. Check out the photos and let us know what you think!

Cinco de Mayo Giveaway with Ceci NY!

2011-05-03T04:00:00.000-07:00

Inspired by warm weather and upcoming Cinco de Mayo celebrations, Ceci New York and friends are giving away $4500 in gifts to one lucky fan! Here’s your chance to win a package of amazing gifts and offers from all the experts in the current issue of CeciStyle, including yours truly.

Here’s the full list of prizes:

30% off any Ceci ready-to-order invitations
$500 off Luxe Destination travel services*
$2500 off AE Event Planning + Design*
Autographed copies of best-selling books from Karen Bussen, Fany Gerson and Alison Hotchkiss
Plus, a handbag from Mar y Sol!
The contest will run all week, from Tuesday, May 3 to Monday, May 9. To enter, all you have to do is subscribe to CeciStyle magazine (if you haven’t already), “like” the Ceci New York Facebook page and comment on the post, sharing with us your favorite place to travel in the world. Can’t take full advantage of this amazing offer? Forward it to a friend! The winner will be announced on the Ceci New York Facebook page on May 10th so, again, be sure you become a fan and “like” Ceci New York. What are you waiting for? Enter now. And good luck!

Cinco de Mayo Giveaway with Ceci NY!

2011-04-29T19:36:00.000-07:00

Inspired by warm weather and upcoming Cinco de Mayo celebrations, we're joining forces with Ceci New York and friends to give away $4500 in gifts to one lucky fan! Make sure to check back Tuesday, May 3rd for full rules and details for a chance to win! Or join the Ceci New York mailing list to receive first notice of the promotion.

Royal Blush

2011-04-29T12:50:00.000-07:00

Everyone is gushing about the Royal wedding of Kate and William, so figured we should join in the dialog as well. I don't have a ton to say other than that the entire wedding was flawless. Oh, and that I could DIE over Sarah Burton's gown design. I love that Kate chose to honor McQueen in her designer choice. He was an icon and in spite of his premature death, clearly his relevance as a designer, but also as a brand continues.

Just to recap for those of you who haven't gotten the full story, the english and french chantilly lace on the gown was made of hand cut flowers, the ivory satin jacquard train was nine feet long and the dress had 58 buttons along the backside. Oh, and lest I forget to mention that her "something blue" was sewn right into the gown. It's a dream dress, a modern twist on the classic formal gown. I can't wait to see all the new wedding collections inspired by this dress, but I have to say, Kate looked absolutely stunning.

And to think, all this out of a college romance. Maybe we should all go back to school. Sigh...

Wedding Wine

2011-04-24T04:00:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, I had the delightful experience of visiting the adorable Sip Shoppe at Swanson Vineyards for a lovely little luncheon with some other ladies who blog. It was really fun to meet the faces behind the blogs and it was also quite a delicious treat getting out of SF for the afternoon and sneaking off for some wine. Swanson recently launched a brand of wedding centric wine labels, which would make a very sweet and fun gift for either welcome bags or for the Newlyweds. Check it out when you have a sec and don't forget to stop by the Shoppe next time you're in Napa. They're right in Rutherford.

Eat Cake + Print

2011-04-18T04:00:00.000-07:00

Olivia of Olive-Route and Kelsey of The Whole Cake threw an awesome party at the Olive-Route letterpress studio a few weeks ago. Kelsey is a cake baker and we adore her approach to baking cakes that are playful and modern. Her design sense is really savvy and her cakes are ridiculously delicious, super moist and just sweet enough. Olivia is a rockstar invitation designer. We work with Olivia on a lot of our custom invitations and day-of paper materials. She's a creative genius and a life saver when we're in a pinch. Both of these ladies are talented beyond words, check out the photos below for more solid proof.

These photos were taken by the eye behind the lens at Photo Lab Pet Photography. See that cute pup in the picture above? Perfect example of their fun work.

Dream Destination: Zihuatanejo, Mexico

2011-04-11T04:00:00.000-07:00

Mexico is such a perfect place for a destination wedding. It's tropical, romantic, gorgeous and so rich in culture. Right now we're particularly loving Zihuatanejo, a small town on the Pacific side of Mexico. You can fly direct into Zihuatanejo via United, Continental and Alaska, so it's an easy trip for you and your wedding guests. Plus, there are tons of places to stay. Our favorite hotels in the area are the Tides Hotel, Amuleto Hotel and Casa Que Canta. And if you'd prefer to get married off the beaten path, there are quite a few private estates and villas you can rent as well.

Photos below are from a villa Alison recently visited on her Spring Break trip to Zihuatanejo. It would be perfect for a wedding of about 50 guests. The views of the harbor are phenomenal and you can do dinner and dancing all outside overlooking the bay. The luxurious property sleeps 12 guests and has lovely rooms and amenities and there are homes on both sides that can also be rented for guests.

Inspired by Mexico

2011-04-04T04:00:00.000-07:00

In celebration of spring, Alison headed off to Mexico for a surf and relaxation trip with some friends a few weeks ago. Our friend, the insanely talented photographer Thayer Allyson Gowdy, was along for the ride and shot these drool worthy photos. Maybe next week I'll give you some destination wedding inspiration to play off these photos, but for now, just loving the sunshine in these shots. This makes me soooo excited for our three weddings in Riviera Maya this year!

Classic Party Rentals

2011-03-28T04:00:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, Classic Party Rentals threw a big party to launch their new collection at the Burlingame warehouse and we saw some really great stuff that we're thrilled about renting in 2011. It's always exciting for us when we're inspired by new rental options, since you know we get bored so quickly when we have the same rentals all the time. Anyway, here are some of our favorite new pieces.

This chair is officially our favorite thing we saw at the warehouse. It's AH-MAZING. Would be completely perfect at the end of a table with bench seating on the sides or even banquettes of some type. Love the wood. Love the rattan. Love the shape. These chairs make me swoon.

The new farm tables are also fab not only because they are made of gorgeous reclaimed wood, but also because they're narrower than the farm tables other rental companies have. They're actually considered Queen's tables, not King's tables, so they'll be great outdoors in more narrow spaces. Now they come in rounds too, which no other local rental company currently offers. Pretty awesome!

Kelsey here modeling some great new burlap pillows from Classic. These are a great size, just 18 inches as opposed to 22 inches, which many specialty linen companies offer. We dig. I wonder if they're removable...

Also really like this pillow. The pattern is cool and kinda funky, also comes in a runner, which is pretty cute too. The chair cover here is adorable as well, in a khaki linen fabric. It's a great neutral and would look so good with those new farm tables!

Vendor Spotlight: Ethan Mantle of Componere Fine Catering

2011-03-21T04:00:00.000-07:00

This month's vendor spotlight is on one of our all time favorite chefs, Ethan Mantle, owner of Componere Fine Catering. Ethan reminds us that food can be interesting, playful and still delicious. He's always coming up with new ideas and pushing boundaries that other caterers wouldn't think to push. We recently sat Ethan down for a quickie Q&A to get his thoughts on today's food business. Enjoy!

How did you get started in the catering industry?
Friends started asking me to cater their weddings when I was working in
restaurants. I looked down on catering as being for hacks until I actually
started doing it and realized you didn’t have to take the short cuts commonly
associated with catering.

What’s your favorite type of event to do?
It’s not as much about the type as what the client is like. I love what I do so if
they’re enjoyable to work with and appreciate good food I’m happy to do the
event. That said, I appreciate the “high stakes” of wedding catering. People
care about what happens on their wedding day and are looking for a dining
experience worth remembering.

What's your favorite restaurant in San Francisco? East Bay? NYC?
SF – Benu was probably the best meal I’ve had on the West Coast. Dottie’s
Blue Ribbon Café is awesome for breakfast and I always enjoy eating at
Nopalito and flour+water. The okra at Shalimar is worth an occasional trip to
the Tenderloin. In the East Bay, Commis, Plum, and the Chez Panisse Café are
three of my favorites. I went on an eating trip to NY last year and had good
meals at Momofuko Saam Bar, Eleven Madison Park, Scarpetta and Nextamle.
Four star food is sometimes disappointing but the best meal of my life was at
Daniel in 1998.

When you’re not in the kitchen, what’s your favorite thing to eat?
Really depends on my mood but I love fruit and am always game for a good
taco.

What's your favorite breakfast food?
Multi-grain blueberry pancakes with maple syrup.

Favorite brewer?
Speakeasy

Know of any hot new chefs we should be on the lookout for?
Matt Hegel, my chef de cuisine. That’s why I hired him!

What's your favorite venue in the Bay Area to work at?
I prefer outdoor venues and the load in is brutal but the seriously awesome
kitchen at the Julia Morgan Ballroom might make it my favorite.

What's one food trend you’re sick of seeing?
Tuna tartar in a cone or on a wonton.

Food trend you’ll never get sick of?
Bacon.

You can also check out Ethan's organic garden at Kunde Winery next time you're in Sonoma.

for japan with love

2011-03-18T13:28:00.000-07:00

For Japan With Love

In honor of the victims of Japan's devastating earthquake, bloggers have united for a day of silence. In the past week, we've all heard the horror stories, seen the unbelievable images and been rocked emotionally by this disaster. Ever Ours and Utterly Engaged put together a great site for donations, which you can access by clicking this link. Proceeds will go to Shelter Box USA, providing disaster relief to victims of natural disasters around the world.

We're now faced with daily sensational reports of the next big quake, predicted to hit close to home for us Northern Californians and while there's no certainty to the predictions, we do think it's important for everyone to be prepared at all times. So, we ask that if you live in the Bay Area, please visit 72 Hours for guidance in how to put together an emergency plan for you and your loved ones. You can also register for text alerts and get tips about what you should do during an earthquake at home, in the office, driving, etc.

Our hearts go out to all of our friends in Japan...

xo.
ae

Outstanding In the Field 2011

2011-03-14T04:00:00.000-07:00

YAHOOOO!!!! We're so stoked! Outstanding in the Field just released their dates for the 2011 tour and we cannot wait to hop on board for a Northern CA dinner! For those of you who aren't familiar with OITF, you absolutely HAVE TO check them out. The concept is amazing, the food is fantastic and the company is unbeatable. So, basically, the entire experience is worth writing home about.

Tickets go on sale this Sunday, March 20th and we will be the first in line!

How Did You Know Project

2011-03-07T04:00:00.000-08:00

Our friend Amelia recently started this totally inspiring blog called the How Did You Know Project. The basic premise of the site is that people write in about pivotal moments in their lives in an attempt to unravel the way different people experience and handle "aha moments". It's pretty rad, especially when it comes to the moments in which people decide they want to get married. So, we thought you might enjoy reading some of the stories. They're not all related and Alison just posted one about her career too, so check it out.

Oh, and Happy Mardi Gras from my hometown!!

xo.
alyssa

Wedding Communication Breakdown

2011-02-28T04:00:00.000-08:00

What's the most important part of a wedding that often gets overlooked? Your communication line with guests.

After years of planning, we've learned that communicating with 80, 150 or even 350 guests is no small task. The idea of calling everyone individually to answer their millions of questions (i.e. What should I wear? What's the mother of the bride wearing? How do I get there? Is there parking?) is terribly daunting. Even emailing everyone isn't easy!

This year, we have a few clients that are creating Twitter accounts for their wedding so they can send updates and info to guests, keeping everyone in the loop about decisions they make along the way. It's such a fun way to share the experience of planning a wedding, especially if you have lots of friends and family from out of town. You can upload photos of dress ideas and flowers, plus you can get inspired following other brides, designers and planners.

The wedding website is also a HUGE communication tool that isn't just a fad. Nearly all of our clients create wedding websites, which they announce when they send out their Save the Dates. The website is a perfect platform to tell guests about accommodations, travel arrangements, events throughout the wedding weekend and local attractions. It's also a great place to post photos of the two of you with your friends and family and a lot of sites conveniently allow you to track RSVPs.

A lot of our clients opt to have custom websites made, but the prefabricated website options are nearly endless. Here are a few of our favorite template sites: Project Wedding, My Wedding (particularly the Brooklyn Bride templates), Wedding Window, and Mod Wedding.

AE Loves Fabric

2011-02-21T04:00:00.000-08:00

We love mixing things up every now and then. Rather than reusing and pulling from the same linen rentals all the time, we occasionally have table runners, table drapes and/or pillows custom made to add a little extra touch of uniqueness to a wedding or small event. We often scour the racks at Britex and Discount Fabrics in SF to find a pattern or texture we love, then we send the fabric off to be sewn down to the right size for an overlay, runner or throw pillow.

This year, we're searching for extra special linens for a few of our destination weddings, including one in Italy and two in Mexico. The fabric options in the Bay Area are quite extensive, so finding the perfect linen for each location is no small feat, but we have a blast searching for something that complements the location and venue of the event.

Check out our most recent trip to Discount Fabrics and you'll get a sense of the types of patterns, colors and textures we really dig.

Anthropologie's BHLDN Launched on this Sweet Day

2011-02-14T13:00:00.000-08:00

We are completely in love with this new wedding brand by Anthropologie! BHLDN is unreal.

Town and Country Wedding Advisor Launches Today!

2011-02-14T04:00:00.000-08:00

The new Town and Country Wedding Advisor website has officially launched!! Check it out at www.townandcountryweddingadvisor.com!

We're looking forward to sharing tips and trends alongside some of the most amazing planners.

Oh, and Happy Valentine's Day!!

Image designed by the oh so talented team at Rifle Paper Co.

An Extra Special Valentine

2011-02-07T04:00:00.000-08:00

We're extremely honored to be a part of Town and Country's new Weddings Advisory Board!! It'll be launching on Valentine's Day and will feature tips and tid bits from some of the best in the industry. We are super excited and hope you all check it out once it launches. Proud to rep the West Coast with miss Lyndsey Hamilton and Lisa Vorce!

Coming to the internet browser nearest you on 02.14.11
townandcountryweddingadvisor.com

Sonoma Eco-Friendly Wedding by AE

2011-01-31T04:00:00.000-08:00

Check out our most recent wedding that was published on Style Me Pretty.

Abbey and John tied the knot this past summer at Annadel Estate Winery in Sonoma, California. They celebrated their vows with a Buddhist inspired ceremony in the property’s nineteenth century ruins, then cocktailed in the oak lined grove, and dined on the sprawling green lawn, under the shade of scattered market umbrellas.

The wedding revolved around an appropriate theme of longevity, so all of the decor was designed to incorporate everlasting floral elements, such as billy balls, manzanita, succulents and scabiosa. Sustainability was also a key feature of the wedding. The table numbers were named after potted herbs, which guests took home at the end of the night, along with the succulents that were strewn throughout. Guests were encouraged to find a way to replant or repurpose all of the floral elements.

Children were not only present, but involved throughout the wedding day and had an absolute blast. The two dapper young ring bearers walked down the aisle with fishing poles that had the rings tied onto the lures, following three lovely flower girls toting baskets full of flowers. They later joined the rest of the kids for dinner picnic style, sitting atop pillows in the grass. John took a particular interest in the design of the paper materials, while Abbey focused on the rest of the decor. Their joint love of food and wine made the catering choice a fun one. John visits Kitchenette (run by Living Room Events) in San Francisco daily for lunch, so hiring Living Room Events to cater was a no-brainer.

Planning and Design: Kelsey Sheofsky of AE Planning and Design
Photography: Lauren Ross
Venue: Annadel Estate
Flowers: Atelier Joya
Catering: Living Room Events
Paper Materials: Hello!Lucky
Lighting: Refraction
Rentals: Classic Party Rentals

Our Pretty Pretty Office

2011-01-24T04:00:00.000-08:00

Check out these adorable photos of our office space (and us acting like total nerds) shot by the lovely Edyta Szyszlo. We likey like. So warm and colorful and inviting. For those of you who haven't been to our Potrero Hill Studio, we hope this gives you a better sense of our space. Enjoy!

AE Wedding in Mendocino: Kelle+Gregg

2011-01-20T08:00:00.000-08:00

Check out our new wedding posted on 100 Layer Cake today. Here's a bit more of the back story for you to enjoy as well.

Kelle and Gregg were married on Labor Day weekend in a non-traditional water ceremony on a golden Mendocino bluff, overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The couple’s children were an integral part of the ceremony, reflecting the significance of the joining of their two families. The groom was actually escorted down the aisle by his two sons, toting their younger sister in a red Radio Flyer wagon, while Kelle made her way down the aisle with her father and her favorite P!nk song playing in the background.

Following the ceremony, guests were invited to Spring Ranch for the reception. They cocktailed inside the property’s nineteenth century barn, followed by dinner in a Zephyr sperry cloth tent. They dined on Zephyr’s handmade wooden farm tables, which Natalie Bowen artfully decorated with deeply hued flowers, unique pieces of driftwood and quite a few succulents in varying shades of green and purple. To develop the color palette, Kelle drew her inspiration from the wine country’s deep reds, burgundy and plum tones, reflecting the upcoming fall season. These hues were mostly incorporated through the linens and flowers, bringing an element of color to the woodsy, ornate venue, which is decorated with some red tones of its own.

One of the really unique things about the Spring Ranch property is the owner’s incredible collection of antiques from around the world. Kelle and Gregg absolutely love his eye for vintage and thought it would be fun to tie in some of those elements throughout the wedding. So the AE Planning + Design team went to work collecting some old doors, wrought iron pieces and vintage medicine bottles and tins from the property to use as décor components. The bottles and tins were great centerpieces for the cocktail tables inside the barn, while a decorative piece of ironwork made a perfect focal point for the escort card table, with a few succulents strewn into it.

The paper materials, designed by Hello Lucky, were tied together with the couple’s wedding logo, “out of many, one,” and their RSVP cards featured pictures of their kids giving a thumbs up or thumbs down to reply. Rather than asking for gifts, Kelle and Gregg thought it would be fun to ask their guests to give their best marital advice, which was displayed on a khaki linen pinboard at the wedding reception. This proved to be a pretty hilarious exercise, which led to plenty of things for people to talk about.

Planning and Design: Yours truly, AE Planning + Design
Photographer: Kate Webber
Florist: Natalie Bowen
Catering: Jessica Lasky Catering
DJ: DJ Sol
Paper Materials: Hello!Lucky
Rentals: Classic Party Rentals, Zephyr Tents, La Tavola Linen
Hair and Make-Up: Neja Cosmetics
Croquembouche: Mendo Cakes

AE Holiday Wrap Up

2011-01-17T04:00:00.000-08:00

The adventures never end here at AE. After an amazingly successful 2010, we decided to shut down our headquarters for two weeks in celebration of Christmas and the welcoming of 2011. So, we each took off on different trips around the country.

To clarify for those of you who don't know us very well, AE Planning + Design is comprised of four very different, creative and lovely women (and so humble too). Alison is the big picture maker, Kelsey is the creative head, Alyssa is the details editor and Lindsay is the all around ninja. We all assume many different roles on a daily basis, but what makes us work as such a great team is the fact that we each play off each others' strengths, so all of our projects end up being a very collaborative effort. We work really hard, but we also take our free time very seriously and the holidays were no exception, as we covered a total of 13,825 miles of American soil between the four of us.

Alison spent week one in Aspen, skiing with her friends and soaking up the fresh snow and mountain sunshine. Then, she flew off to Connecticut to be with her family and bake cookies with her adorable niece Phoebe. A couple of snow storms later, she was able to get back to SF for New Year's Eve with friends.

Kelsey and her husband Mike went on a road trip to Portland for Christmas before heading up to Seattle to ring in the New Year. They spent a lot of time relaxing with friends and got to meet their friend's sweet little infant baby for the first time.

Alyssa spent the full two weeks in New Orleans, eating too much, dancing to too much loud music, and riding her yellow cruiser bike every second she could get. She also got to spend some time with her family and her adorable little toddler cousin Maxwell, with whom she is quite obsessed.

Lindsay spent her holidays in Arizona with family, bouncing from town to town, totaling out at sleeping in five different towns in the short week she was there. She also made it a point to not only support, but encourage her younger sister's obsession with Harry Potter.

All in all, we really enjoyed the time off and made it back to SF feeling refreshed, inspired and ready to tackle 2011. Yahoooo! A new year, a new astrological sign, a new east coast office... may the list forever go on.

Free iPad + Big Announcement: AE East Opens in CT!!

2011-01-10T04:00:00.000-08:00

New year? New shop!

That's right, beloved followers, we are officially opening up shop on the East Coast. We've been conspiring a way to do this for years and as our love for fall foliage and lobster boils has grown, so has our ability to work remotely. As such, we will be operating a satellite office out of Rowayton, CT in Fairfield County and are looking to book a limited number of weddings in Fairfield, Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard and Montauk.

Sounds totally random? Maybe if you don't know us well. But, here's the thing: we all hold a little East Coast in our hearts. Alison actually grew up in Connecticut; Alyssa spent a decade living on the East Coast, both in New York and Cape Cod; Kelsey's family hails from Nova Scotia; Lindsay has spent some time on the eastern side of the country and loves the aesthetic and preppy vibe that is synonymous with the culture. And we all LOVE LOVE weddings with a view of the Atlantic Coastline.

Needless to say, we're really excited about sharing this news with you and hope you will help us spread the word around that AE Planning+Design is officially bi-coastal. Here are some sneak peek photos of our new office space, with more interior shots to come soon.

We will be sharing the new space with Laura from Dough Girl Bakery and a new vintage and one-of-a-kind finds shop called Flea, owned by Laura Grabe, one of our previous clients. Both are long-time friends of Alison's and we can't wait to see more of them!

In the meantime...

+FREE IPAD+
For the first person who refers us an East Coast client who books with us for full-service planning before 3.1.11, we will buy you your choice of the following:
1. A custom surfboard from Mollusk
2. A Burton snowboard
3. An iPad with a customized DoDo Case

Cool Couple Alert

2011-01-03T04:00:00.000-08:00

We say it all the time and don't mean to continue bragging, but we are so, so very lucky to have the most interesting, inspiring, well rounded, adventurous people surrounding us, that we call our clients. Laura and Dustin are no exception. This couple got married in a small, private ceremony last year, then embarked on a trip around the world together. By the end of their trip, they will have been gone for 365 days and visited twenty countries. And you thought your honeymoon was cool.

We're looking forward to their safe return at the end of the month, followed by a big welcome home and wedding reception for their friends and family that we'll be cooking up this summer. In the meantime, we thought you too might enjoy reading about this witty couple's travels and oohing and aahing over some of their pretty pictures.

Click here to check out their adventures abroad!

Happy Holidays from AE Planning + Design

2010-12-27T04:00:00.000-08:00

HAPPY HOLIDAYS - from AE PLANNING + DESIGN!

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A very special thanks to Hello!Lucky for designing this adorableness and also to Jon Michaelson of Braincloud Media for building the site!!

xo.

New Buffalo Wedding, Part III

2010-12-24T04:00:00.000-08:00

Major props to Miss Danielle Rowe of AE Planning + Design for working with Kehoe to develop a colorful, whimsical and eclectic theme for the floral design at our New Buffalo, MI wedding this summer. Aren't the flowers just so summery and pretty? We love it. Eat your hearts out, flower lovers.

Happy Holidays from the AE team to you and yours!

Event Planning and Design: Kelsey Sheofsky and Danielle Rowe, AE Planning + Design
Photos: Thayer Allyson Gowdy
Paper Materials: Olive-Route
Tabletop Settings: Small Masterpiece
Tent: Sperry Tents Great Lakes
Flowers: Danielle Rowe
Catering: Blue Plate
Rentals and Lighting: Kehoe
Linens: La Tavola

New Buffalo Wedding, Part II

2010-12-22T04:00:00.000-08:00

One of the things that made our New Buffalo wedding so drop dead gorgeous was the attention that was given to detail. Since paper materials are one of the key details, Olive-Route custom designed all of the paper goodies for this wedding.

Inspired by the old-world Great Gatsby theme, the invitations and welcome letter tied together a sense of classic elegance with a modern twist. Incorporating a botanical element made the suite really pretty and delicate, while choosing Queen Anne's Lace as the floral motif brought in a summery feel. The color palette was mostly gray with splashes of bright yellow and hot pink. So, most of the paper was either gray or white, with black or yellow text and a hot pink hand stitching that bound the pieces together into a booklet format.

The letter pressed and hand calligraphed menus were placed atop unique vintage table settings, part of the Small Masterpiece collection.

Table numbers were die cuts of wood, painted black so they'd stand out against the khaki linen runners and wood tables. The botanical theme was even intertwined into those pieces.

For the seating chart, we used some nineteenth century vintage ephemera lettering to alphabetize guests' names, creating a chart on an old wood framed blackboard.

Event Planning and Design: AE Planning + Design
Photos: Thayer Allyson Gowdy
Paper Materials: Olive-Route
Tabletop Settings: Small Masterpiece
Linens: La Tavola

New Buffalo Wedding

2010-12-20T04:00:00.000-08:00

As 2010 comes to an end, we're excited to share our biggest wedding of the year with you. The wedding was held over three gloriously sunny days in New Buffalo, Michigan this past August and is the epitome of summer elegance. Inspired by the setting of the Great Gatsby, the bride and groom wanted their wedding to feel like a step back in time, reflecting sophistication and simple charm.

The couple exchanged their vows in the backyard of the bride's family home, overlooking Lake Michigan. Guests were then driven in golf carts decorated with pom poms to the reception, which was held inside a Sperry tent on a private golf course in New Buffalo. Everything was stunning, from the handmade wood tables to the sisal carpeted flooring to the bubbly candlelight leading the pathway to the tent.

Lynne Jordan and the Shivers lit the dancefloor on fire, with their epic combination of motown classics and modern hits.

We'll unfold more photos of the details over the next week, so we hope you'll check back throughout the week to see more of this beautiful wedding.

Happy Holidays from the AE team to you and yours!

Event Planning and Design: Kelsey Sheofsky and Danielle Rowe, AE Planning + Design
Photos: Thayer Allyson Gowdy
Paper Materials: Olive-Route
Tabletop Settings: Small Masterpiece
Tent: Sperry Tents Great Lakes
Flowers: Danielle Rowe
Catering: Blue Plate
Rentals and Lighting: Kehoe
Linens: La Tavola

Pretty Venue: San Ysidro Ranch

2010-12-13T04:00:00.000-08:00

Since we're surrounded by a combination of holiday parties and perpetual fog in the Bay Area, I find myself day dreaming of sunshine today. Just outside Santa Barbara, in Montecito, there's this stunning venue called San Ysidro Ranch. It's tucked away in fields of lavender, with a perfect mountain backdrop. The venue has a definite rustic vibe and the grounds make for a beautiful, intimate wedding. These pictures are a lovely reminder that sunny days do exist. We could use a trip to So Cal... Just throwing it out there...

photos by the ridiculously talented jose villa

Happy Holidays!

2010-12-06T04:00:00.000-08:00

In the spirit of the holiday season, we thought it would be fun to mention some of our favorite wedding invitation designers, who also happen to make really awesome holiday cards. Take a look at this amazing collection of colorful, sweet and modern holiday cards that are guaranteed to make the mantel this year.

The who and where:
1. Rifle Paper Co.
2+3. Yellow Owl Workshop
4. Pancake and Franks
5+6. Mr.Boddington's Studio
7. Austin Press
8. Hello!Lucky

Holiday Inspiration Spotlight: Ikea

2010-11-29T04:00:00.000-08:00

In the usual holiday madness, it's so easy to break out the old twinkle lights and matching green and red christmas globes for the plastic tree. But, this year, we encourage you to think beyond the traditions and create new ones! Make it modern, keep it simple and may the holidays feel fresh and clean. No one wants to look at the same thing year after year, so switch it up with a new palette. My new favorite place to get interior inspiration is the Ikea Blog, Livet Hemma. We use Ikea all the time as an event resource because their items are really affordable and great if you need a few splashes of something new. So, it should come as no surprise that their holiday inspired post made my inspiration board for the next month. Take a look at this great shoot and let us know what you think!

New Rehearsal Dinner: Lake Michigan (part 3 of 3)

2010-11-26T04:00:00.000-08:00

Here's the last batch of photos of the tent and ambience from the rehearsal dinner we produced on Lake Michigan this past summer. The ceiling of the tent was draped with a gauzey white fabric and we had custom fans installed to circulate air, as it was a sunny summer day on the Lake. Rather than having icky plastic sidewalls on the tent, we opted for black and white striped fabric draped around the room.

Since the tent was placed in the backyard of the bride's family home, we wanted to keep the grass as safe as possible and didn't want guests walking around on uneven ground, so we had a sub-floor built for the tent and had a mezzanine built for the entryway. The flooring was then whitewashed to give a really clean and crisp look to the whole tent.

Taking advantage of summer in the backyard, we thought it would be fun to set up picnic areas and brought in bright, colorful hammocks to complete the look.

Since no outdoor party is complete without s'mores and a stroll down the beach, we set up a cozy lounge zone on the beach, just below the tent. Bringing in vintage lawn chairs made it feel so uncontrived and homely.

Photos by Thayer Allyson Gowdy
Event Design by our own Kelsey Sheofsky and Danielle Rowe of AE Planning and Design
Tent by Party Time Productions

New Rehearsal Dinner: Lake Michigan (part 2 of 3)

2010-11-24T04:00:00.000-08:00

As promised, here are some more photos of the rehearsal dinner we designed and produced in New Buffalo, Michigan over the summer. Doesn't the sunlight look so dreamy? And the flowers are so simple and yet, so bright and cheerful. Summer on Lake Michigan is our happy place.

What we love so much about this event is that it looks so effortless and down to earth, yet so elegant. The beauty is in the details and the simplicity of it all. Embracing that simplicity makes is feel so romantic and cozy...

More to come on Friday, but in the meantime, Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Photos by Thayer Allyson Gowdy
Event Design by our own Kelsey Sheofsky and Danielle Rowe of AE Planning and Design
Tent by Party Time Productions