Real Wedding Inspiration: Veronica & Brian's Romantic Lavender Wedding

While eggplant purple was a popular color last Fall, the more subtle, lavender, tone this charming couple chose suited them very well & gave their wedding a nice, soft, elegant look.

This neat little box with inserts for photos of the couple was the perfect card box.

Also at the reception table, guests found their place cards which were delicately decorated with gem stones to add sparkle.

 For their glamorous ceremony, the couple also upgraded their aisle decor with these pedestals & sheer draped white fabric, designed by one of our preferred floral vendors, Pure Elegance. The flowers on top of the pedestal were later moved inside during cocktail hour for 6 of the tables as was the center spray on the arbor, which doubled as the sweetheart table arrangement. 

Insider tip: to save money, make your ceremony flowers do double duty! Ask your florist & venue for help in making the most out of your floral budget by helping you move pieces from the ceremony setup inside while you mingle with your guests after the ceremony.

The room looked very pretty when it was all set before the guests came in from cocktail hour. They chose lavender overlays & white napkins to incorporate their color scheme.

The head table with the center spray from the arbor was fit for a king & his queen.

As their favors, the couple chose mini customized bottles of olive oil & balsamic vinegar. I really appreciate when you get something at a wedding that you can actually use, or in this case eat!

And of course, the cake! This gorgeous one was designed by my personal favorite preferred bakery, La Creme, which means it also tasted great!

Insider tip: Remember when you go on your cake tasting appointment, that the taste of the cake really does matter. It'll be the last impression you leave on your guests & though a fondant & diamond decorated cake might look great for pictures, there's nothing like a tough, dry tasting cake to spoil the evening.

But obviously, this gorgeous, moist, buttercream frosted La Creme creation was to die for!

Congratulations again to our fun loving couple Veronica & Brian!

We hope you enjoyed your day & continue to celebrate your milestone moments with us.

Real Wedding Inspiration: Rebecca & John's Romantic Red & Black Wedding

It's time for a little more real wedding inspiration for you from our past brides & grooms!

This wedding was for a super sweet couple & lovely family... 

Rebecca & John decided to go with a very romantic red & black color scheme for their wedding.

For the seating chart, they went a more modern, less fussy route opting for a seating chart list of names, instead of the usual individual seating cards (grouping guests under the first letters of the last names to make it easier for everyone to locate their names).



A fun touch to decorate the area around the guest book-The groom used his artistic talent to sketch the couple's images on these canvases that were propped up around the reception table. The red rose petals & candles also helped to set the mood from the moment the guests arrived at this romantic affair.



The white arbor got a black tie upgrade with black fabric draped over the front & two large arrangements on the side & top corner. I like that it's not symmetrical because it made it look very chic & modern. Elizabeth at Van Nuys Flowers (one of our preferred vendors who did all the flowers for this wedding) always knocks it out of the park!



That walk down the aisle sure looks pretty with red rose petals tossed on the bright green grass leading up to the arbor! Outdoor weddings are so picturesque...

Case in point, this killer view! I took this photo with my simple point & shoot camera, so just imagine what your photographer can capture on your big day!

Normally I don't show photos of our clients, but this photo is abstract enough to keep the bride's identity private & the train on her dress just has to be seen! Such a gorgeous & happy bride too!

(By the way, that's Julie, our Private Events Director, on the left sending the bride off with her dad for her big moment!)

The room, looking sophisticated & stylish with black chair covers, black linen table cloths to the floor, white napkins with a pocket fold, & all red roses in the arrangements...

The square vase of the arrangements & candles made for a clean, streamlined look.

For the favor, the couple gave each guests a heart shaped wine bottle stopper with personalized ribbon with their names & wedding date. A perfect parting gift to remind guests of their loving celebration!

The sweetheart table had the prettiest white draping that really made it stand out from the rest of the tables.

And for the couple's wedding toast...personalized flutes of course!

Now moving closer to the cake, one of the most anticipated elements of every reception...

Served with no less than this elegant personalized server & cake knife...

And what a gorgeous cake it was! Notice all the detailed scroll work by Jaqki's Bakery? No wonder our brides love her cakes. The black ribbon & red roses topping the cake are the perfect touch.

Would you like a piece?

Congratulations again Rebecca & John!

Thank you for celebrating your special day at Porter Valley!

Royal Blue Inspiration Board From A Real Wedding

Photos from Porter Valley Country Club except bride's photo which is from Panachbridalbeverlyhills.com


This is a gorgeous regal, royal blue wedding color scheme from Dawn & Jim's wedding at Porter Valley. Everything coordinated from the chair sashes, to the napkins, to the candles, to the favors (which were cute engraved shot glasses that had their names & wedding date & were filled with M&M's that were also personalized), to the gorgeous cake (which looked super elegant & fit their upscale wedding style).

I have to say this couple was super sweet & totally deserved the perfect wedding that they had. They chose to have a lovely outdoor ceremony on the lawn across from our golf course & enjoyed a delicious lunch in our Pinehurst room which has panoramic views of the course & lake.

Congratulation to Dawn & Jim!

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!

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!

Wendy & Gerardo's Brown & Gold Wedding Reception

Wedding season is in full swing at Porter Valley so we wanted to give you a quick glimpse at one of our favorite weddings this month.

Wendy & Gerardo were a lovely couple that chose brown & gold for their color scheme & we think it all looked amazing!

Guests signed in & wrote down their wishes for the couple on a custom photo album
The table numbers with photos from their engagement session added a sweet, personal touch. These cute wedding favors in brown boxes awaited the 140 guests at their tables
The four tiered cake from one of our preferred vendors Delicious Bakery was elegant & complimented the room's upscale decor perfectly

Brown chair sashes tied the look all together
Our club's resident geese were out by the fountain enjoying the gorgeous day. This was the guests' view as they were on the Terrace having a cocktail & appetizers or seated inside having dinner in our Pinehurst Room
Our beautiful bride Wendy taking her portrait on the immaculate golf course
Congratulations to the new Mr. & Mrs.!
Thank you for choosing Porter Valley for your big day.
We hope you had an amazing time!