Join Us for an Exclusive Wedding & Special Events Showcase at Porter Valley!

For all our loyal readers who are still trying to find that perfect venue for your wedding or private event, Porter Valley County Club would like to invite you to our upcoming Winter Showcase on February 24th at 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM. We will have the room decked out to give you lots of upscale decor inspiration for your event as well as samples of our hand passed hors d'oeuvres, custom cakes, chocolate fountain and complimentary cocktails to help you celebrate your engagement or other special moment in your life.

Join us for a night to remember at our Club!

Please RSVP to ana.vick@ourclub.com to attend.

Thank yous

We just received another wonderfully sweet note from one of our happy brides & grooms that brightened our day & we wanted to share it with all of you. We love getting your feedback & hearing we are succeeding at our goal of making magic moments for couples that are married at Porter Valley.

If you had your wedding or event here, please post your review on http://www.theknot.com/, http://www.herecomestheguide.com/ or  http://www.weddingwire.com/ to share your experience with other soon-to-be brides. And thank you for celebrating with us!

Dear Julie,
We can't thank you and your staff enough for making our wedding day everything we could have wanted! We had so much fun and have so many great memories because of your hard work.
Gratefully,
Nico & Christina Marinelli

Don't you just love custom stationary? No better way to announce your new last name than with a classy thank you note like this!

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!

New Memorable Table Name Ideas

In the past weekend at Porter Valley, two of our brides & grooms decided to use the same exact table names, which is what inspired me to write this post to all of you. The bride who was dropping off her cards for us to set up for her the next day saw the other bride's seating chart with the exact same names as she was using & pointed it out to me. It's definitely a popular trend to use words instead of numbers to add a bit more personality to the reception, so consider these ideas in planning your wedding...

Table names with cute phrases are fun for a personal touch at your wedding.
Photo & card by Etsy user Dazzle0604

I think it's nice to use descriptive words like they did such as laughter, generosity, and friendship, which are all representative of a good marriage. I also enjoy it when brides name the tables after locations the couple have been to, like we did for my friend's wedding reception, which helped to tie it in to her travel theme too. We used photographs of the couple with the names of the places they visited & put them in nice rustic frames on each table. You can also name the tables after types of wines, like a friend of ours did for his wedding at a Napa vineyard. They even had a cork personalized with their wedding date & names which was cut so that they could hold the place cards. It was perfect for the theme of the party & suited them well since they both come from family's with their own vineyards! It's a subtle way to incorporate your relationship's story & add in your personal style, so don't overlook the table names when you are planning your reception.

My escort card & holder which I saved from the Napa wedding because it was so different. Yes, my name was mispelled, but I forgive them because there were over 200 guests! ;)

Be creative & figure out names that will be meaningful to you & your fiance. Think of names that tell your guests something about you. They help set the tone for your reception & are just another way for you to put your personal stamp on your wedding!

Happy Planning!

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!

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!

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!

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.

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!