Real Wedding Inspiration: Jenny & Rene's Sunny On a Rainy Day Wedding

With how unpredictable the weather has been lately, I thought it fitting to post this recap of a wedding we had at our Club this past November where the weather turned sour, but the wedding stayed sunny. This goes to show that just because the weather forecast calls for storms, doesn't mean you have to let your wedding turn gloomy!

For this wedding, we fit the entire ceremony under the terrace and pulled down the clear plastic partitions to keep out the rain, but still allowed for the guests to admire the view. Plus with heaters under the terrace keeping the guests toasty and the sunshine yellow color scheme the bride picked out, you almost forgot that it was pouring outside!

The weather turned out nice for this couple and the rain stopped just in time for the ceremony, so they were very blessed with a bright, beautiful wedding after all!

These were the stylish programs they had made that also acted as fans (though today it didn't end up being hot, it's a very pretty presentation). We had people handing them out as they walked in and just before the ceremony I had a small table placed near the door and put a few spare rose petals on the table so late guests could pick one up as they walked in.

Speaking of walking in, this was the reception table that guests were greeted with as they arrived. The couple chose not to have it covered with linen to show the natural wood grain of the table that went well with their theme.

I thought this fingerprint tree was a nice idea for them to have as a keepsake. They asked their guests to stamp their fingerprint on the canvas. They didn't have anywhere to put the trash from the wipes they thoughtfully provided their guests to clean their fingers off from the paint, so I brought out this small basket that worked perfectly.

Also in lieu of a traditional guest book, the couple chose to have their guests sign this decorative plate and leave them a message that they could appreciate for years to come.

Instead of seating cards waiting at the front for guests to find out what table they were at, they went with one of my preferred ways to do it, having the names listed alphabetically by last name on a seating chart board. They decorated it according to their theme and it looked really nice, plus I think it's faster than searching through cards for your name and makes everything much more organized and streamlined.



They did have seating cards though, which were placed at the individuals' tables for them to find once they came in from the ceremony. They handmade their seating cards with cute yellow paper owls & a swirly tree branch. Also in this photo below you can see the fun table number signs they made and the favors, which coincidentally I used to love eating when I was younger-Pocky sticks! They bought the dipped cookie sticks in two flavors (only the best, chocolate and strawberry!) which I made sure to place on the tables alternating each color so that everyone had a different flavor by their place setting (in case they wanted to trade and it looked nicer).

Another special request for the bride, we set up a small table near the front so they could place their bingo game that they planned to play during the reception. This was a first for us, but your wish is our command!

Also in the room, the couple rented a photo booth which normally would be out on the terrace but due to the weather we thought it worked best inside. Since it was white, it actually blended in well with the decor of the room and would be used more than if it were outside and it started to get cold.

These were the beautiful tall yellow and white centerpieces that they chose for their wedding which made the room look really bright and sunny.

The sweetheart table also looked lovely with the additional flowers that were brought in from the arbor after the ceremony was over. It was definitely still bright inside and out as you can see despite the earlier threat of rain.

Finally, my favorite aspect of any great wedding. The cake! I loved how it was decorated with yellow orchids and we added the flowers around the table from the ceremony arbor as well to make it look spectacular. Our Club also added a chocolate dipped strawberry to each plate, so the guest got an extra special treat!

We hope you are enjoying your happily ever after Jenny & Rene- Congrats again on a gorgeous wedding & best wishes for your life together!

Real Wedding Inspiration: Planner Bree Jones Ups the Style Anty

One of our largest weddings this year (275 guests), also made one of the biggest style statements thanks to the added touches by event planner, Bree Jones of JSG Management. She was a pleasure to work with and thanks to her industry contacts, she was able to help this couple create a luxurious, upscale event design at a huge savings to them. Our packages include all the basics you will need for your dream wedding, though Ms. Jones took it one step further and helped make this bride's glamorous fantasy wedding a reality.

The reception table was complete with chic decor elements, a framed photo of the couple to be signed by guests, as well as attendants to help direct guests to their seats.

Insider tip: It is always a good idea to have at least one attendant to make sure your guest book is signed and that guests aren't held up at the reception table having trouble finding their escort card or table number. If you can't afford to hire an extra staff member from your planner, recruit younger family members such as cousins. They will be happy to be able to be involved and help out with the wedding and will make sure the entrance into your reception room runs smoothly.

These were the cute escort card holders shaped like thrones, perfect for this royal affair. The escort cards were also personally printed by a calligrapher. A very classy touch.

I always think it's clever when couples choose names of something meaningful to them instead of using the traditional table numbers. The table names Ms. Jones helped this couple come up with were named after movies the couple love as well as wedding themed movies like this "Just Married" table.

The color scheme for the wedding was rich purples, dusty rose, and reds to give a dramatic, royal look to the room. I liked the choice of the light lavender linen overlay with dark purple napkins to add a bit more color and contrast to the tables.

Another interesting element, Ms. Jones decided to rent oval shaped tables to not only add more seating in our 300 person capacity room, but it also created a more appealing layout with various shape and size tables scattered around the room. The couple also splurged for renting silver chiavari chairs to go with the elegant style of the rest of the wedding's decor.

Insider tip: oval tables can seat up to 12 guests, whereas the traditional 60" round tables normally seat 8 to 10 guests. You can get 80" round tables to seat 12 guests, but they take up a larger area than an oval table, so if you are trying to fit more people in, go for the oval ones.

The sweet heart table was all dressed up, full of different height floral arrangements, tall, modern candelabras, and had the opposite linen combination as the rest of the tables to make it stand out. Ms. Jones also placed a mirror under glass chargers for the Bride & Groom's settings to make it extra special.

A quick snap shot of the bouquets, all of white or lavender roses. Simple, but elegant. The flower arrangements for this wedding were all expertly designed by Mark's Garden.

The room looked stunning with the varied heights of centerpieces. The glass vases Mark's Flowers used for the tall centerpieces where a good choice because guests could see straight through them.

Insider tip: The number one rule for centerpieces is to make sure they do not obstruct your guest's view across the table. So make sure your arrangements are low, or thin and tall, or clear enough for everyone to be able to see through and carry on a conversation.

At this wedding, we had our stellar banquet captain, Chris, looking over the room and making sure everything is perfect. We always have a banquet captain on duty, aside from either myself or Julie there to coordinate the set up of the wedding and ceremony so that it all runs seamlessly.

The menus were printed and framed in glamorous white as well as black frosted glass frames. Menus are always a nice touch so your guests know what to expect to be served and can prepare any questions for our servers about the menu before their meal is brought out.

The dance floor, which is usually placed in the middle of the Pine Hurst room was moved into the Homestead room so the couple's guests could be seated as close to them as possible. With different size parties we can create new room layout schematics that would best suit your guest count and desired setup in our two spacious, adjoining banquet rooms.

In this case we also moved the cake table from its usual corner spot and placed it in the area which our DJ is usually set up in since the DJ for this party was in the Homestead room by the dance floor. Having the cake in this position made it more of a focal point and also got it out of the way to leave more space on the floor for additional tables for this large party.

The cake by one of Ms. Jone's favorite bakeries, Nancy Kay Confections, was so perfect, I thought it was fake! But Ms. Jones assured me it was a real cake. All the details were so exquisite, from the perfectly formed white roses to the diamond studs adding a bit of bling. Also, by placing a mirror behind the cake, Ms. Jones made it possible for everyone to get a 360 degree view of the cake. This is a well thought out detail because with all the work that goes into your wedding cake, you should make sure everyone can see every inch of it.

                                                                                                                                                     

A walk down the aisle, in our beautiful outdoor ceremony location is made even more special with a ribbon at the end making sure the bridal party are the only ones that walk down the aisle. I always like to have guests fill in from the sides, but a simple ribbon at the end ensures that no one sneaks past and walks down the aisle before your wedding party does!

Crystals hanging from the arbor twinkled in the light. Also they matched our chandeliers inside perfectly.

These floral arrangements along the aisles were a beautiful accent to the ceremony setup. The arbor was full of flowers making for a dramatic spot for the couple to say "I do". And I do think that it was the perfect wedding, don't you?

Congrats to the new couple and especially to Ms. Jones for a job well done. (Also, I have to give a nod to our staff who is always on point and delivered another flawless event even with such a huge guest list.) This wedding goes to show how detailed planning, a lot of organization, good connections, and a ton of talent can go a long way to make your wedding day a success. You may not need an event planner at our club because we handle all the details and can give you your dream wedding at a very reasonable cost, but if you have the extra money it is a worthwhile investment if you want to go that extra step and add in a lot of personal design touches like this couple did with their awesome planner, Ms. Bree Jones. Kudos to Bree for this stylish wedding design!

Real Wedding Inspiration: Kyoko & Patrick's Detailed Japanese & Greek Culture Infused Wedding

The last wedding we had in August this year was definitely worthy of the beautiful weather we had that day. Kyoko & Patrick's Wedding Reception at Porter Valley Country Club was one to rival the best this Club has seen. They took a great deal of pride & care in planning every aspect of their wedding & it showed. Check out the highlights below!

The escort table welcomed guests reflecting Kyoko's Japanese heritage with a gorgeous Asian purple paper umbrella (in the couple's color scheme) & wooden frames with photos of the couple to add a personal touch.

The escort cards were perfectly in theme with tiny origami paper cranes that Kyoko made herself perched on each card. Paper cranes are a symbol of peace & it is said whoever folds a thousand paper cranes will have their heart's desire. Perfect for her to start on that quest with this happy occasion!

Next the guests were escorted out to our terrace to enjoy wine, champagne, & a multitude of hors d'oeuvres selected by this gracious couple for their family & friends to enjoy.

After going outside for refreshments & appetizers, guests began moving in to the lounge that Patrick & Kyoko designed in our Homestead Room which incorporated their wedding colors with purple throw pillows & white modern lounge furniture. Plus some extra tables for seating were set up for those who wanted to mingle inside.

Guests were then welcomed in to our grand banquet room to be seated for a lovely dinner. The couple decided to go the extra step to make the room look customized & upscale by renting natural wood chivari chairs. The usual white chair covers with colored sashes look very nice too, but the chivari chairs change the whole look of the room & make it much more complimentary to the Asian Zen feel they wanted.

No details were overlooked in this wedding, even the linen was upgraded to this gorgeous textured ivory linen rented for a minimal cost. (insider tip: Ask your rental company or venue to find out how much they would charge for an upgraded linen with a texture or pattern that compliments your decor style. Prices can range from $10 and up to the hundreds for custom made linen, so the sky is the limit of what you can create depending on your budget. The overall effect of this upgrade makes a wedding look so much more luxurious, it is certainly worth the extra amount to get this result for your wedding.)

The couple's table setting with special coordinating ivory napkin linen for the bride & groom

At each place setting guests found a menu card designed by Kyoko along with the traditional Greek favor, Jordan Almonds, that are usually given in an odd number which are as indivisible as the new married couple should be

The table numbers were also chosen by the couple & looked adorable resting on their small easels with an added bow with pearl detail that matched the menus perfectly.

The sweetheart table was given the royal treatment with speciality linen & swagging across the front to create a dramatic effect. Also the three floral arrangements & purple votive candles brought in the couple's color scheme & made the table look especially romantic. (insider tip: Votive candles are very inexpensive but add such a warm, romantic mood to the room that all couples should consider using them for their evening weddings.) Not to be left out, their chivari chairs were further dressed up with matching upscale sashes tied sweetly with a rose on top of the bows that matched the detail of the table swagging. A table fit for a queen & king!

To satisfy their guests with a sweet tooth, Kyoko & Patrick thoughtfully picked out their favorite sweets from both of their cultures. Not only were they delicious, but also the mini sized treats made for a beautiful display...

The mouth watering close-ups...

Yummy Greek Baklava!
Photo credit: Allen King

Another Greek fav, Kourabiedes (sugar cookies) were amazing as well.
Photo credit: Allen King

Japanese wafers called Monaka with intricate flower designs looked perfectly elegant.
Photo credit: Patrick Martin

Next, the cake table! This time I was thrilled because it was so fancied up, I could faint! I love the extra effort they put in to make it special with the upscale linen & lace billowing over the cake stand like a cloud of fluffy gorgeousness! Ah! Love!

Ok I am calming down a bit now, but wait! I almost left out the bride's beautiful bouquet! Van Nuy's florist, which is one of our recommended vendors, did a lovely job on all the flowers for this wedding & I think this delicate all white bouquet was the perfect choice for the bride's glamorous, princess like gown.

The dinner was marvelous, the dessert table with yummy Japanese imported & Greek desserts was the perfect cultural addition, & of course the whole party was fantastic! Now that this wedding is over, I truly am sad to say good bye to the new Mr. & Mrs. They were so involved with the wedding planning from day one & visited us often to make sure it was perfect. They were a pleasure to work with & we wish them all the best in their picture perfect life together.

Congratulations Kyoko & Partick!