Saturday, July 31, 2010

Thoughtful Wedding Party Favor Idea for Coffee Loving Couples


Two hearts swirled in your guests' cups...just perfect at a wedding!
Photo by Tonx from Flickr.com
For couples that are big coffee lovers or who just want to give their guests a little pick me up before they hit the road, why not have a coffee cart on the way out where guests can pick up a latte or mocha? The picture below illustrates the idea perfectly (it is actually an ornament I found, but I think "Two For The Road" would be a cute memo to write on your to go trays for a wedding reception). If you want to make this the favor, give out personalized to go mugs with a message for your guests to remember the evening by like your favorite romantic quote or simply get them in your wedding colors. They will appreciate the gesture and leave your party feeling warm and satisfied (especially coffee fans like me!). 

Image from http://www.squido.com/
I recommend creating a special experience at the exit whether you serve coffee to go or have a surprise waiting in the cars when the valet pulls them up (how about a CD of your favorite songs playing or a warm blanket so they can curl up on their couch when they get home and rest after all the dancing?). Always add a special thank you note with the gift to make sure you give your guests a proper farewell and send them off feeling glad they came. At Porter Valley it is a big part of our philosophy to always provide each guest with a fond farewell. Remember, it's the last impression that they will remember the longest!

Friday, July 30, 2010

Celebrating Glenna's 80th Birthday With Summery Style

Though we are known for our large scale, glamorous weddings, we also are the site for many more intimate affairs like this lovely 80th Birthday for Glenna. They chose to use our banquet chairs, ivory linen with mustard yellow napkins and pretty purple hydrangeas for a punch of color.
This napkin fold in a tea cup is perfect for any shower, brunch, or birthday, like this one. It gives the table a fun, whimsical feel. Very Alice in Wonderland (which I'm obsessed with)!

Our self service beverage table insured no guest went thirsty.
And  yes, I tried the lovely cake. I just had to, it had banana custard filling! Tasted as good as my mom's banana creme pie. So refreshing and light for the summer. Yum!

Happy Birthday Glenna!
We were so happy to see you and all your loved ones enjoying your party. We hope you got your birthday wish!

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

If You Love Weddings, Vote For Our Blog!

We love sharing stories about our real weddings on our blog with you, now you can give us some love back and vote for us to win the Blog Guru Award for best wedding blogs! Just click below, find Porter Valley Private Events in the list (likely under recently added) and click the arrow next to our name.
Please spread the word to help us win!

 Weddings - Wedding Vendor Reviews - Wedding Tips - Wedding Events - Wedding Dresses- Wedding Cakes- Wedding Venues
Thanks so much for the support!

Monday, July 26, 2010

We Loved Meeting The New Brides & Grooms At The Expo Bridal Show!

This weekend's Expo Bridal Show at the Universal Hilton was a big success. We spoke to many excited couples about their upcoming weddings and had over 50 brides & grooms enter in our drawing for a romantic dinner for two. I am happy to announce the winners have been selected. Drum roll please... Linda & Robert from Virginia! Congratulations! We look forward to having you come by for dinner to celebrate your engagement. Congratulations to all the other couples who are newly engaged too! We hope you will come by to see us to find out if Porter Valley is your dream wedding location (I think you will fall in love with it, but don't just take my word for it, make an appointment to see it in person)!
We had a lovely time with our preferred vendors from La Creme there with us to give out samples of their delicious cake, our lighting and design guru Mars hooked up the booth and made it look awesome, and one of our preferred florists Tina's gave us a beautiful centerpiece to show the brides what they can get with our packages. Here are some highlights of the day...Enjoy!

Our booth looked amazing, thanks Mars!
We had a raffle for a dinner for two at our club, which the brides and grooms were excited to try to win. Plus a slideshow of our beautiful wedding photos playing for them to watch while sitting in our lounge.
Tina's Flowers made a gorgeous arrangement. I loved the feminine color choices. Perfect for any wedding!
The women from La Creme really helped us get the couples in our booth with their yummy cake samples. They screen printed a photo of our lake view which gave them a great intro to talk about our club. Smart women! And the cake was a show favorite. Not too sweet, but still decadent.
Julie, our Private Events Director, with a soon to be bride explaining our packages. We had many interested couples who were surprised by our competitive pricing. We take care of all the details in our all inclusive packages without the high cost that a lot of other venues charge.
We had a great time meeting new brides and grooms in this relaxed environment and look forward to showing them our location in person soon. As much as brides and grooms like seeing all the options at these shows, nothing beats coming in to the venues to see what they really look and feel like to make your choice. I definitely recommend shopping around and hearing what everyone offers before you decide so you are sure you are making the best choice for your wedding day. As someone who's worked in this industry for a while now, I am confident our packages, ammenities, and gorgeous space will win anyone over who comes here but I always like to know that the couples have made an educated decision and looked at what others offer before they choose us. Your wedding is a big deal to us and we know it is to you too, so always explore your options then let us know how we can help you make your day perfect!

Saturday, July 24, 2010

Almost Time For The Big Bridal Show! Sunday, July 25th!

One more day until the Expo Bridal show!

Dear Future Mr. & Mrs.,
Please make sure you get your tickets today and don't miss out on meeting some amazing wedding vendors, professionals, and location managers in person!


I, for one, have been inspired by celebrity wedding planner, Mindy Weiss', breath taking wedding (below) to find a couple that wants to go all out on the decor at their wedding. Any takers?? ;) I can't even imagine how amazing our club would look like with romantic draping, fabulous lighting, and of course over the top flowers! We just added lighting packages to our offerings, so our brides & grooms can choose to get just a few lights to spotlight the cake and add color to the dance floor or go for a full on Hollywood glamor effect transforming the room and highlighting the beautiful architecture of the building. We even can have custom gobos made with your initials to personalize the look of your wedding. I am so excited for all our future brides & grooms to have the opportunity to make their day extra special with our new exclusive lighting packages, but our club is gorgeous even without the added bells and whistles, so you can't go wrong even if your budget only allows the basic package. We have something for everyone here! See you at the show!
Warmly,
Ana Vick

Photo from www.MindyWeiss.com/blog

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Lucy & Patrick's Wedding Reception With Floral Flair

This lovely couple had a friend help design their flower arrangements, though as he told me, "I'm just a friend who likes to play with flowers". But I say he did an awesome job & should consider making this his day job!

I loved the 3 levels of arrangements, especially the monochromatic ones with roses of all the same pink & white hues. Very classic & modern at the same time.

The menus were also professionally printed with an elegant design & tucked in to an ivory napkin with a traditional pocket fold.
 

How cute are these little shot glass favors doubling as seating card holders? The flower in the "pots" tied in the couple's pink color scheme.

The sweetheart table with a Garden of Eden style makeover.
Just gorgeous!

And yes, there was a stunning cake! It was adorned perfectly with pink & white colored flowers. Also, I have to point out how cute the cake by Delicious Bakery was with its bows, just like a gift box! That's one gift I know I'd like!
Have A Great First Year of Marriage Lucy & Patrick!

We hope you had a wonderful time with your loving family & totally amazing friends here at Porter Valley. It's definitely good to have friends like yours! Congrats!

Monday, July 19, 2010

Excited For The Expo Bridal Show This Sunday, July 25th in Universal City, CA?

There is little I love more than bridal shows, & I'm already married! I guess it's because I've always been obsessed with planning the perfect wedding, even if it's not mine. I am sure many of our brides out there share my sentiment. What could be better than tons of great venues, gowns, cakes, florist, photographers & other amazing vendors under one roof to make your wedding planning, well, a piece of cake? Nothing! Okay, maybe there are some things, but I just can't wait for us to be at the Expo Bridal Show this Sunday & hope to meet all you newly engaged brides & grooms there too! Congratulations by the way!

We have several little surprises for our new bookings, but you will have to come to find out! I will just say this, it will save you a lot of money and be one less thing on your list to worry about, so you will want to be there to take advantage of this one time offer.
We are getting booked up fast for next summer, so don't hesitate to call us today if you want to see our gorgeous banquet rooms & outdoor reception area with a terrace. Either I, your charming blogger & Private Events Assistant, Ana, or my rock star Private Events Director, Julie are here all week (yes, you can certainly stop by on weekends too-we know this is usually the best time for you & your fiance because you are off work, but also you can often catch another wedding setup in progress & get a better feel for what the room would look like on your day).
Call us at 818-360-1071 ext. 231 or 232 or send me a quick email ana.vick@ourclub.com to schedule your appointment. Otherwise, I will hopefully see you in person this weekend!

Happy wedding planning!

Photo by Christopher Glenn

Sunday, July 18, 2010

Cute & Creative Baby Shower For Katherine

The weather has been really nice, but almost too hot here in Porter Valley, CA. What better time to come inside to cool off & enjoy a luncheon with your favorite women?
One of our members, Lu, sponsored her niece Angela so she could host her daughter-in-law Katherine's baby shower at our club. Angela planned every last detail to perfection to help Katherine prepare for the arrival of her baby girl.
Of course the linen of choice was pink for the baby shower...
But you have to see these centerpieces! Each one contained items the mommy would need for her baby at different stages (this basket was for the baby when she's 6 months). So all the basics were covered before Katherine even opened the first gift from her guests. Plus it doubled as a cute centerpiece. Genius!

Here's what it looked like with the table set...Instead of spending the money on flowers, this centerpiece will give the mommy something she can actually use for the year to come.
I'm telling you ladies, this is the way to go! Great thinking Angela!
To me, no party is complete without a yummy cake (I didn't get to try this one, but I have to control myself from tasting all of them with all the parties we have here or I will start to look pregnant! :) Yikes! Good thing we have a nice gym here too!)
A gift table at the entrance is always a smart choice, so guests can drop their presents off on the way to their tables. I am sure Katherine is even more excited to welcome her new bundle of joy with all the sweet baby girl gifts she received.
Congratulations to you & your family Katherine!

We can't wait to meet your baby soon & hope she felt all the love you were showered with at your party.

Friday, July 16, 2010

Traditional Indian Wedding With Modern Twists

The ceremony for Liza & Ratna had many cultural elements including traditional Indian songs performed during the ceremony and of course, traditional Indian cuisine (I was dying to try one of the samosas, they looked delish)! The arbor looked glamorous as usual dressed up with sheer white fabric and red & white roses to go with their color scheme. One of our officiants, Pastor Shawn from Shepherd of the Hills, did a wonderful job with the ceremony which included a sand ceremony where the couple mixed red & white sand symbolizing becoming one. This is a nice keepsake for couples to remember the day long after the wedding has past.
A delicious cake, by Delicious Bakery!
Red & white were everywhere, pulling the whole room together.
A modern element, these stones were laid out so guests could write wishes for the couple & place them in the vases before entering the reception room.
Another keepsake idea, this frame had a beautiful engagement photo and a mat for guests to sign & leave a message to the couple.
Happy Honeymoon to Liza & Ratna!
We hope you are enjoying your married life!

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Wedding With Pretty In Pink Peonies & Brown Accents

My favorite flowers are peonies, so you can bet I was excited when I saw this cake come in our doors! Gorgeous details and, yes, pink peonies!
Kudos to La Creme Bakery on this elegant creation!
The bride & groom for this wedding went with brown accents which I think are lovely with the pink & white flower arrangements. Don't you?
The Pinehurst room, in all its glory, awaiting the first guests...
What a lovely day for an outdoor wedding! The couple had one of our preferred florist, Van Nuys Flowers, turn our arbor into a glamorous chuppah with sheer gold fabric and beautiful flower arrangements. They also dressed up the aisle with arrangements which the couple asked us to move inside in order to cut cost for the centerpieces. The flowers on the chuppah were also brought in for the sweetheart table. You have to know where to spend and where to cut corners in this economy! This was the perfect solution so the couple could get more expensive flowers like peonies & hydrangeas in all their arrangements.
Congratulations to the newlyweds!

Saturday, July 10, 2010

Celebrating 60 Years of Love

We have so many weddings here at Porter Valley & then send our couples off hoping they will have a lifetime of happiness together, so I am thrilled to see couples come in who have been married for many years who are still so in love. True love last forever folks! This was very much the case with the Hampton's who invited their family & friends to our club for their
60th Wedding Anniversary!

The escort table included a series of photos from the couple's wedding & their certificate of marriage. It was fun for guests to see these photos when they walked in & take a little walk down memory lane with the Hamptons
Our tiki bar was ready for guests to enjoy cocktails alfresco on the TerraceThe pretty peach napkins & colorful roses complimented each other nicelyJordan almonds (confetti) were at each place setting-a nice traditional touch which reminded guests of the bitter & sweet nature of marriageAnd of course, a towering wedding cake fit for such a momentous anniversary!Congratulations Mr. & Mrs. Hampton!

We hope you have many more years of wonderful moments together.

Friday, July 2, 2010

Porter Valley Wishes You A Happy 4th!

Porter Valley is all abuzz as we are getting ready to celebrate the 4th.
We have over 400 members coming to our big festival on the driving range to enjoy fun games, a water slide, jump house & of course several All-American summer favorites: BBQ, snow cones, funnel cakes & more!
Hope you all are getting into the patriotic spirit too!
We wish you a relaxing & enjoyable weekend watching fireworks with family & friends, remembering all the things that make this country great & taking some time to smell the roses!*
Have a safe & Happy 4th of July!
*This mesmerizing arrangement is by the amazingly creative & talented Carly of Flour LA who specializes in high-end, custom designed arrangements & runs an eco-conscious/sustainable business. Check out the rest of her jaw-dropping collection here:
http://www.flourla.com/
Blogs will not be posted next week while I am in Denver celebrating with my family, but check back soon for some more gagagorgous wedding pictures!


Thursday, July 1, 2010

Asian Inspired Wedding Reception

Another fabulous wedding at our club, this time with an Asian flair! We loved Tasame & Michael's red & black color scheme and the escort table with robins perched on branches of a handmade "tree" were an adorable welcome to their guests.

The escort cards were also intricately designed with calligraphy & a hand drawn flower design.
One of our courteous banquet captains, Chris, ready to serve the champagne punch. He also designed this area adjoining the main dinning room in the Homestead room where guest could come relax, although most were enjoying the weather on our Terrace too much to come in! Chris managed this event to perfection making sure all the couple's needs were met & that the guests were having a great experience. Kuddos to Chris!
The Pinehurst room looking stunning in classic red & black...
Even the favor boxes coordinated with their color scheme. The arrangements were bold red & made a big statement next to the black linen.
The newlyweds outside on our lawn returning from their portrait session. Such great colors & light out there, I can't wait to see their photos!
And yet another jaw-dropping cake from La Creme Bakery! You guys never disappoint!

Congratulations to Michael & Tasame!

We hope you are enjoying your marriage after starting it off with such a lovely wedding day!