Congratulations Sofiya and Josh!

We had such a wonderful afternoon coordinating Sofiya and Josh's wedding at Saddlerock Ranch in Malibu. They chose Chateau Le Dome for the site of their spectacular day and there just aren't enough words to describe how amazing their taste is! We had the pleasure of pairing them with Kim from Art with Nature for their breathtaking florals and wow she did an amazing job! Sofiya and Josh were a pleasure to work with and so was Josh's mom Cheryl. We had such a blast creating their Master Timeline over pizzas and wine at Stonehaus in Westlake Village and it was just always a great time spending time with them. They're simply awesome together and obviously madly in love. We couldn't be happier with how beautifully their day turned out and we love every little detail! It was such a special touch having Josh's father officiate their ceremony and we love that they incorporated dances from each of their respective cultures. Thank you so much for allowing us to be part of your day you two and we wish you the very very best. Congratulations Sofiya and Josh!!

Thank you to Cat from Next Exit Photography for these stunning photos! Thank you also to Sams By The Beach for the delicious meals and presentation, Pretty Vintage Table for these lovely rentals, and to DJ Tendaji for keeping the dance floor packed!

Trend or Tradition? Which Do You Prefer?

We're noticing a rising trend among celebrities who are wearing colored wedding dresses. A few months ago Valerie Bertinelli decided to wear her "something blue" loud and proud by walking down the aisle in a custom blue silk chiffon gown by David Meister. Last weekend Reese Witherspoon walked down the aisle in a custom blush chantilly lace gown by Monique Lhullier. One thing both brides have in common is that they were married at their homes - Valerie at her home in Malibu and Reese at her home in Ojai. I'm not sure if hosting a home wedding gives the event a more personal feel, which in turn encourages the bride to wear a dress with a more personal feel, but it's one theory. They were also second weddings for both of them, so that too could have had something to do with the choice.

We can't say  this is an entirely new trend, as you can see with Sarah Jessica Parker in her black wedding dress in 2007, Gwen Stefani in her pink toned Dior dress in 2002, and with Portia De Rossi's Zac Posen gown in 2008. We've yet to see this trend reflected in any of the weddings we're doing this season. All the brides we are working with are wearing the traditional white. But we're wondering if you think this is a trend that will catch-on and how you feel about the idea of a colored dress. Please comment below to share your thoughts.

 

Congratulations Jackie and Wayne!

Oh my gosh, we still haven't come down from the high that was Jackie and Wayne's wedding this past weekend! Talk about an affair to remember! This amazing couple decided to make it official and tie the knot after 10 whole years together. They were married on Saturday at the breathtaking Rancho del Cielo in Malibu. Although the weather has been slightly uncooperative in the past few months, on Saturday it couldn't have been more perfect. It was in the 80s with a slight breeze and spectacular, unobstructed views of the ocean from everywhere you looked. We began working with Jackie about 9 months ago because her 30-hour shifts as a Resident at a local hospital didn't allow her much time for wedding planning. Early on we decided on a blue color palatte, using different shades of blue to compliment the shades of the sea and sky. We paired it with a bit of merigold, which was also a prominent color at the venue. The owner of the estate told me that when she first arrived in California she saw the blue and yellow license plates and immediately associated those colors with California lifestyle. So they became the official colors of Rancho del Cielo and of Jackie and Wayne's wedding. We added more "pop" to the tables with colorful candies and Malibu postcards for guests to take home as favors. The invitations, escort cards and table names were custom designed by us through our sister site My Little Wish using Jackie's favorite animal - the dolphin - as inspiration. Jackie then personally wrote a message on each favor tag and chose a special love-themed quote to write on the back of each escort card. How thoughtful is she?! The wedding ceremony was absolutely perfect with ocean views all around and the blissful quiet that comes with being way up in the clouds. The ceremony was followed by a lovely cocktail hour with "Blue Dolphins" and "Golden Boys" as signature cocktails. Finally, guests were treated to Italian-style dinner with a manned Pasta Station (the chef created pastas using each guest's favorite toppings), as well as chicken, roasted potatoes, roasted veggies, and so much more. Dinner was followed by dancing under the stars and two beautiful candle-lit lounges by fireplaces. The day couldn't have been more perfect and we are honored to have been able to bring it together for such a special couple. Jackie and Wayne are truly one-of-a-kind and it has been SUCH a pleasure!! Congratulations you two!

Here are a few of the photos courtesy of James Johnson Photography: 

Flowers: Wish Wonder Dream, Music: Feet First Entertainment, Photography: James Johnson Photography, Catering: Truly Yours, Cake: Jamaica's Cakes, Coordination: Whitney Wing Drake, Nida Kowathana, and Daniel Drake for Wish Wonder Dream           

Congratulations Martha and John!

All we can say is WOW! We had such a wonderful time coordinating Martha and John's beautiful Malibu wedding at the West Beach Club last week and it was truly amazing. The amount of thought and consideration that Martha and John gave to each of their guests was incredible. Guests were wined and dined with delicious wines and fabulous meals from the delectable Maison Catering (who we HIGHLY recommend) and Cody from Feet First Entertainment kept the dance floor packed all night. A coffee cart was brought in for late night lattes and espressos and late-night pizzas were even on standby. Guests went home with personal floral arrangements and a delicious macaroon from a friend of the bride's. The ceremony was gorgeous with a private beach as the backdrop. You can't do much better than that! :) And then the deck was transformed into a beautiful lounge lit up in candlelight once the sun went down.

We have really enjoyed getting to know Martha and John. They are such a warm and fun-loving couple, and it doesn't hurt that Martha is ridiculously creative and can make her own wedding dress or that John is absolutely hilarious and can play a mean air guitar. Spend 5 minutes with this couple and you'll know that they are truly in love and it feels good just to be near them. Thanks for making us a part of your special day. It was wonderful!

Here are some shots from the uber talented Heidi Ryder photography. The engagement shots she took of Martha and John can be seen below and the rest of the wedding photos can be seen by clicking here. Heidi, these are gorgeous!

Flowers, Rentals, Decor: CFS Designs, Music: Feet First Entertainment, Photography: Heidi Ryder Photography, Catering: Maison Catering, Coffee Cart: Mocha Kiss, Coordination: Whitney Wing Drake and Daniel Drake for Wish Wonder Dream

Congratulations Alyssa and Matt!

We had SO MUCH FUN coordinating Alyssa and Matt's wedding at The Sunset Restaurant in Malibu over the weekend. They are such a fun and exuberant couple and you can tell from the first moments you spend with them why they are absolutely perfect together. Their wedding was colorful, vibrant, and mixed tropical flavor with vintage flare. It was absolutely gorgeous! The weather gave us a scare when big fat rain drops started coming down 10 minutes before the ceremony was set to begin (in July, can you believe it!). But the weather gods must have been smiling upon them because the rain stopped just as Alyssa began her descent down the aisle. We couldn't have planned it better :) They picked a fantastic team of vendors to work with and we all had such a great time. So congratulations Alyssa and Matt! We wish you all the very best in your new lives together as husband and wife and we hope you're off having a wonderful honeymoon!!

Here are a couple sneak peaks. Professional images are on their way!

Flowers: La Partie Events, Music: Almost Famous DJs, Photography: Jeff Farsai, Cake:Vanilla Bake Shop, Coordination: Whitney Wing Drake, Daniel Drake, and Ashwini Prakash for Wish Wonder Dream