Allow me to share with you the visually and spiritually beautiful wedding of Sonia and Danny. I met Sonia through a referral from a trusted colleague. We met in late December 2009, and we hit it off instantly, and I couldn’t wait to starting working with her to create an Indian/American wedding, that reflected a sense of love, family and respect for tradition and customs.

There was only one catch. We had to do it all in THREE MONTHS!! The only thing she had was her venue. The magnificent St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort in Dana Point. I knew I needed every vendor to be the absolute best to pull this off. I went to my database and chose the creme de la creme of Southern California wedding professionals.

It was a wild ride and here are the pictures to show how TRULY SPECIAL this wedding was. They images of the day were captured beautifully by Jen Bierman of Photojenic Photography. What was more amazing was these two beautiful souls and their families sharing this union. Sonia and Danny share their hearts with everyone they know so completely. They did with me. and I feel blessed to have not only been a part of their celebration, but I’m looking forward to the precious friendship that has come from it.

Venue & Catering & Cake: St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort, Dana Point
Photography: Jen Bierman of Photojenic Photography
Videography: Thomas Buckley of Buckley Videography
Floral Design & Decor: Chris Crisolongo of Paradise Delight Floral & Event Styling
Lighting: PSAV Presentation Services
Entertainment/DJ: Ajay Mantakala of Special Occasions DJ & Lighting
Bhangra Dancers: Bhangra Regiment
Stationery: Artiface

Last week this is where I had lunch. How lucky am I? My wonderful clients from New York will be getting married at The Huntley Hotel. The Penthouse restaurant is where the reception will take place. They actually had their first date here.

I met my colleague, the amazing florist Chris Crisolongo of Paradise Delight Florist. We were brainstorming on creating a design that will enhance the penthouse and give our clients that “Organic-Urban Chic” direction they desire. So we sat and feasted in the very place our clients and their loved ones will be sitting.

It’s so bright and airy. You can see the ocean in all it’s magnificence. Wow, what a great way to work. We’re not only designing florals. Instead we are creating an experience. We walked away with fresh ideas inspired by all that we saw around us. I’m so excited to share it with our wonderful couple. This wedding takes place in August. Stay tuned….I’ll definately be posting pictures.

Wondering how to incorporate your love of color into your wedding? Dress your maids in the same shade and let them each carry different bouquets. We share how to make it work from our “real wedding” of Jennifer and Ian. Our delightful bride, Jennifer wanted her wedding to  have an essence of whimsy. Her girls all wore beautiful champagne, knee length gowns. No matching shoes for these gals. Their personalities came alive when wearing shoes in their favorite color. This spunky bride chose bouquets to match their shoes. The posey style bouquets were bright and fun, just like the girls who wore them. You can see from these photos taken by CherieFoto that Jennifer’s plan of whimsy and individuality pleased her maids.

Not to be overshadowed by her bridesmaids, we’ll share photos of Jennifer and Ian. Such a special couple and such a beautiful wedding.

Jennifer’s love of color comes through again in her shoes and her bouquet. Great contrast against her diamond white gown.

Wedding Jeannie is welcoming 2010 with open arms. Let’s face it 2009 was a tough year for so many people. Weddings were impacted in a huge way. Engaged couples decided it wasn’t wise to get married in 2009 and have held off for 2010. For those of you who waited and are ready to marry in 2010, WE’RE WAITING FOR YOU!

There is so much to be excited about. We have some very interesting weddings coming up. Veronica and I are thrilled about what is to come. Some Cultural weddings include Indian, West African and Latin. We love the rich traditions that cultural weddings bring to our lives. Some of the venues where you will find us this year include Arbor Terrance in Fallbrook, The Huntley in Santa Monica, The Museum of Latin American Art in Long Beach, The St. Regis in Laguna Beach, and the historic Park Plaza in downtown Los Angeles. Wow! I’m excited thinking about it.

2010 also brings another new beginning for us. We created THE CONFIDENT BRIDE WORKSHOP in response to the confusion brides have told us they are experiencing. Wedding Jeannie believes that every bride should be a CONFIDENT bride. The World Wide Web has made wedding planning more confusing than ever. There are hundreds of websites available. It’s where YOU look for advice and vendors. Unfortunately those vendors are not always reputable. Our workshops strip planning down to the basics. We teach you how to choose qualified vendors, budgeting for your particular needs, organization and the critical 30 Day countdown. Join us as we bring you the best vendors in Southern California sharing their expertise with you. Our workshops are NOT a bridal show. Nothing to buy, no hardsell. Only free advice! Why would we do this? Because there is alot of bad advice out there and we want all brides to have a positive planning experience, whether they decide to use a planner or not.

Wedding Jeannie is renewed and ready to take 2010 by the tail. Why not come along with us? We accept a limited number of weddings per year. This means we are booking up quickly. What does that mean to you? It means we can focus our energy and expertise on your wedding and individual needs.

We wish to congratulate you on your engagement. You have an exciting 2010 ahead of you. If you find that you need the assistance of a qualified, creative and enthusiastic team of wedding planners, call us today. We can’t wait to be your partner in planning.

Welcome to the latest venue spotlight. The Belamar Hotel in Manhattan Beach was chosen for several reasons. Primarily because it’s the venue for our 104.3 My Wedding In a Week Contest. More importantly I chose it because I’m enamoured by it. My first visit was with my brother. With time to spare on the way to LAX, we stopped for a cocktail. The restaurant bar is called The Second Story. So cozy and inviting. I love it. My Bloody Mary was delicious and one of the largest I’ve ever had. Very generous indeed. I was a grateful patron indeed.

The minute I walked in the door, it was like coming home. Why? Because the style and colors of the lobby matched my logo. The entire hotel has a chic retro feel. It’s like the 70’s, but updated for today. Wait until you see the rooms. So fun and funky. My favorite touches are the unique paintings. Barbie Doll portraits and chihuahuas! My favorite is the portrait over the fireplace at the pool. The little pooch is wearing swimming goggles. What a great way to escape life for a while and enjoy some lighthearted fun.

Now let’s talk about weddings. For the Ultra-Chic, Modern Bride, this is THE place for your wedding. I’ve been wishing for a wedding at this venue. Can you imagine how excited I am? The outdoor gazebo and patio are the perfect oasis for a sunny Southern California Wedding.

You may want to hear directly from Marie Blomquist, The Belamar’s Catering Manager, who answered a few questions for me about her fresh and fun venue. Marie…..take it away!

What is the history of your venue?
The Belamar is known for it beautiful courtyard and ballroom.
 

How many guests can you accommodate for ceremony? In the courtyard 170 people.  
 Reception? The ballroom with the dance floor 120 people, outside in the courtyard 170 people.

 Do you provide In-House Catering?
Yes.

Is parking provided on-site?

We have complimentary parking

Do you book more than one event per day? How will that affect my event?
Yes, we have a daytime and evening hours. There is a 2 hour of time between events.

What is your favorite feature of your venue?
Our courtyard and ballroom.

Give us the top three reasons why couples should book your venue for their wedding/reception.
Locations, beautiful outdoor reception or indoors, courtyard has 2 different areas where you can be married, the Fountain or Gazebo.

Thank you Marie. We know the winners of the “Wedding In A Week” contest, are going to be treated to an unforgettable wedding experience at The Belamar.

WeddingWire.com and 104.3 My FM are giving one lucky couple a free Wedding! The contest officially begins Monday, October 12. Would you like to win a free wedding? Maybe you know of a deserving couple. Visit the 104.3 My FM contest page for more details.

On the heels of the I DO ReDo Wedding of Jayann and Perry Hampton for WeddingWire and KTLA5 earlier this year, we’re ready to do it all over again. The Wedding Jeannie team together with Megan Hermeling of WeddngWire have assembled a dream team of vendors that will make this wedding a dream come true for the winning couple.

The Belamar Hotel in Manhattan Beach will be the venue for the nuptials and reception. It’s one of the hippest spots in the South Bay. What an amazing place for a wedding. It’s my first thought when the phrase “Retro-Chic” is used. I’ve been wanted to do a wedding here for a very long time, so you can be sure I’m am tickled pink.

This wedding package includes photography by Jen Bierman of Photojenic. Jen is one of the most sought after and talented photographers in Southern California. Not only does she shoot weddings in California, but has traveled the world for destination weddings. Lucky couple!

The rest of the dream team includes:

Thomas Buckley of Buckley Videography, Rebecca Salimpour of Natural Charms Florals, Dress My Party, Charles Kerr of Music On The Move, (He is SIMPLY THE BEST), Bridal Elegance Salon in Torrance, Rossmoor Pastries, Reverend Clint Hufft, Yana Beauty Studio, Friar Tux, Icing on The Ring,  and FINALLY…the honeymoon package is from The Fairmont Miramar Santa Monica.

If I wasn’t already happily married, I’d register for this contest today. Be listening Monday morning and hear all the details.

Join Inside Weddings Magazine, Bloomingdales, and Wedding Planner Mary Dann for a “Pre-Wedding” Wedding Party. You can choose your registry items, enjoy the latest bridal fashions, enjoy cocktails and yummy hors d’oeuvres, take home a beautiful goodie bag and enter for your chance to win a three day stay in Hawaii. Isn’t it fun to be a bride?

I just received an email from The Langham in Pasadena. What an absolutely amazing hotel. This little tag was attached. I thought I would share it with all of you brides to be. I absolutely love having tea. Tea Parties with my sisters as little girls was one of my favorite past times. A pretty pink plastic tea set was heaven to me. It became my obsession as an adult woman. I began collecting tea pots as a young bride and never stopped. Last Valentine’s Day I hosted a tea party for my sisters and their daughters. We had such a fabulous time. Everyone left with their own tea cup and saucer.

There are two beautiful tea rooms in Pasadena that I frequent. One is The Chado Tea Room introduced to me by my lovely client Cindy Ayala, and the other is The Scarlet Tea Room. Now The Langham is offering Chocolate Afternoon Tea. Chocolate? Tea? Together? Be still my heart. I have a free day on Tuesday, if you need me…..you know where I’ll be. Who wants to come? Send me an email.

As a bride-to-be, you’ve seen Get Married online, and on Lifetime Television. Now they launch the all new Get Married Magazine. Want a free copy? Of course you do! I do! Simply click on http://www.getmarried.com/registration/ and wait for your copy.

Not only will the mag be gorgeous and glossy, it will be interactive. Yup, there’s an app for that! Why? Because let’s face it, we’re all on the go these days. Using Microsoft Tags, you’ll be able to read featured articles right on your Blackberry or IPhone.

Hosted by celebrity event designer Colin Cowie, Get Married’s TV show is a daily half-hour television series airing at 7:30 am ET/PT on Lifetime Television, the leader in women’s television and one of the top-rated basic cable television networks. Video segments from the show are available online 24/7 at GetMarried.com, along with articles, image galleries, bridal blogs and shop. For more information, please visit www.GetMarried.com, and to participate in online dialogues, visit www.BloggerBrides.com

Since we’re on the topic, tune into Get Married TV on September 3rd. Wedding Jeannie will be featured on “My Favorite Wedding”. It’s the wedding of Michelle and Jeremy. They had a vintage yet modern wedding at The Ebell of Long Beach almost one year ago. Tune in to find out why it was my favorite.

Wedding Jeannie in conjunction with Alina Pizzano Couture Bridal, is proud to announce our monthly Wedding Workshops. Do you need advice on planning the perfect wedding? Alina Pizzano is a custom couture designer that will share her secrets to choosing the perfect gown for your figure and budget. The Wedding Jeannie team of Jeannie Ward and Veronica Medrano will give you insider tips on how to design and plan a magical wedding that is everything you’ve wished for. Imagine the finest wedding vendors in Southern California presenting you with their knowledge, in the luxury of Alina’s glittering salon.

The workshops are held the 3rd Thursday of every month, at Alina Pizzano’s salon in Pasadena. Each month a premier wedding professional, will educate you in saving time and money when choosing your vendors. We are excited for you to meet Brian Alexander of Brian Alexander Photo, on August 20th. Future speakers will focus on catering, invitations & calligraphy, videography, floral design, specialty linens, music, wedding cakes, and more. Our years of experience have allowed us to line up a dream team of vendors to bring to you. Can’t make it to the first one, simply check back to my blog to find out who will be featured the following month.

Our workshops will be small, intimate and personalized. Since we only accept a limited amount of brides each month, the focus is on you. You will have one on one time with each Alina, myself and our guest speaker. This means our workshops are filling up quickly. RSVP right away in order to be included in this exclusive opportunity. We look forward to meeting you and sharing our experience and expertise.

People who know me understand how much I love wine. They also know that I adore cupcakes. Sometimes I even have them together. I can’t imagine a better indulgence. While I was shopping for affordable wine at my local market, I stumbled across this fabulous Chardonnay from Cupcake Vineyard. With my club card I paid $8.00 per bottle. Not only did it turn out to be affordble, but delicious.

The golden fluid in my glass, glistening in the sunshine inspired me. The elegant yet fun label kept catching my eye. If you’ve opened a bridal magazine recently, you know that yellow is “what’s in” for weddings. Back to the label…it’s navy blue and yellow and soooo cute. BAM! I am thinking about a navy and yellow wedding theme, with a satin navy linen, rows of Cupcake Chardonnay and Cabernet. Next to it a white cupcake stand, brimming with sunny yellow cupcakes. The table is adorned in yellow petals and sunflowers. Can you say OUTDOOR WEDDING! I got so inpsired that I put together some ideas for the dream wedding of mine. I hope you enjoy it.

Photos courtesy: Toast and Tables

Inspiration Board: Snipet and Ink

Weddings are constantly changing with the latest trends. The newest trend in decor for weddings is paper flowers. Before you say “that’s so cheap”, take a look at the latest in paper flowers for weddings. You can use them for ceremony decor, reception centerpieces, favors, backrops for you cake table and so much more. Have I peaked your interest? Let me give you two more reasons to think paper……they are eco-friendly and they are much less inexpensive than fresh florals.

Paper flowers make me smile. They remind me of my youth. As a young girl in a large Latin family, our lives seemed to revolve around weddings. There was always a cousin or sister who was getting married. As young ladies, we were kept busy by making paper flowers. Who knew we were ‘trendy’! We spent days creating crepe paper flowers in vibrant colors. We then strung them together for ceremony decor and even decorated all the vehicles that would be escorting the bridal party to the church. No one is more please than me. to see the pages of the latest bridal magazines like Martha Stewart Weddings, filled with the most beautiful and creative design ideas using paper flowers. I can’t wait to dig in and channel my inner child and make some today.

The wedding of Jayann and Perry Hampton took place on Friday, June 26th, at The Ebell Club of Los Angeles. The lucky couple won the KTLA I Do ReDo contest, sponsored by WeddingWire. Wedding Jeannie was honored to be the planner chosen to create a dream wedding for this lucky couple. Enjoy the amazing photography of Cherie Steinberg of CherieFoto.com









What a “once in a lifetime” experience this was for me and my entire team. We work for the best clients anyone could have. But this was special. Jayann and Perry’s first wedding was a real disaster. We were able to give them a dream wedding, in only one week! I couldn’t have done it without the support of every vendor involved. Their amazing talents and willingness to give of themselves and do it NOW, made this wedding perfect. Nathan Prince of Prince Weddings Video, gave us a sneek peek http://princeweddings.net/blog/ We hope you enjoy it.

Congratulations to Jayann and Perry Hampton. They are the lucky winners of the KTLA I Do ReDo Contest. The public heard all the wedding disaster stories and decided they were most deserving of a dream second wedding. Their wedding will be televised live on KTLA, Friday, June 26th at 9:00am. Stay tuned every morning to see the progress of the planning. Wedding Jeannie is proud to be the coordinator who will put this wedding together for this fabulous couple.

After the announcement, we whisked Jayann to Mon Amie Bridal Salon to try on gowns. She narrowed her choices down to three and the public will decide which she will win. If you want to vote, visit www.ktla.com/wedding

Brides.com is doing a fun new contest. This one is for the guys only. The winnings are very cool. And better yet, it’s an opportunity for you to show off your guy. Why do you think he’s so wonderful? Well you know all the reasons. Now share it with the world. Tell your guy to enter right away for The Groom of The Year. He simply needs to answer 6 questions to get started. Judges will pick the finalists and they will be announced on March 22nd to coincide with the NCAA Basketball Tournament.

Finalists will be featured on the Brides.com website. Each grooms must convince online voters why they should win by revealing details of your courtship and engagement. When the contestants are narrowed down to two, it gets really fun. Each groom must submit a video testimonial to convince voters why he is the most deserving groom.

Prizes are valued at $10,000. The include his and her wedding bands from Tacori, tuxedos for your wedding from Men’s Wearhouse, a 40-inch flat screen TV, a romantic honeymoon at the Montelucia Resort & Spa in Scottsdale Arizona, and an entertainment console from Macy’s.

Wedding Jeannie is looking forward to logging on and voting for my favorite. Will it be your man? I hope so.

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