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!

Porter Valley Country Club Wedding & Events Venue Open House Tonight!

Please Join Us Tonight (2/24/11)

For Our Winter 2011 Wedding & Special Events Showcase!

Are you looking for a wedding or event venue?

Do you need some inspiration for your table decor?

Have you been looking for an excuse to get out with your fiance & celebrate your engagement?

Want to try some amazing hors d'oeuvres, cake, chocolate fountain, and cappucino bar?

Don't have anything to do tonight after work between 5:30 & 7:30?

...then come to our Showcase!

Please call 818-360-1071 ext. 231 to RSVP to Ana or Julie.

Dress code: No jeans, tank tops, or tube tops, & men must wear collared shirts.

19216 Singing Hills Drive

Porter Ranch, CA 91326

http://www.portervalley.com/

Directions to our Club

Inspiring Event Recap: Porter Valley's Wedding & Private Events Showcase

This month Porter Valley hosted a fabulous Wedding & Private Events Showcase for our clients who are planning weddings, birthdays, or corporate events here to give them fresh decor inspiration & share some of our upgrade options with them.

Here are the highlights for those of you who missed it!

Don't dismay if you couldn't make it, we have another event coming up soon!

Join us for our next Showcase February 24, 2011.

Save the date!



Our cheery greeters, Claire (the club's receptionist) & Melanie (our Membership Director)

Introducing some of the many upgrade options (to compliment & enhance our included options in our wedding & special event packages) you can choose from to impress your guests:

Falling For Fall

Option #1: Choose the included colored napkins & white chair covers, add sashes & upgraded textured pin tuck table cloth as well as pay a little extra for the larger floral upgrade. A little goes a long way to up the chic factor. This table is perfect for Fall in chocolate brown!

Red Romance

Option #2: Stick with an included floral arrangement that is perfectly dramatic with red roses and white lilies. Use our included white chair covers & also our included choice of colored cotton linen, plus pay an extra buck for the double napkin fold to add height & add chair sashes for a finished look.



Purple Passion

Option #3: Go all out! I adore the upgraded purple pin tuck table cloth, silver chargers, mirror below the upgraded centerpieces that make them stand out from the table, plus silver chaivari chairs with beaded slip covers. Insider tip: Texture is your best friend when creating a luxurious special event table setup. Add lots of interest to your table by combining different textures in your main two contrasting hues to keep it modern & stylish, like the tables I designed for our Showcase.

Gold Fever

Option #4 Another fully upgraded table with a rich chocolate brown silk table cloth, gold chargers, an elegant but whimsical tuxedo fold napkin, mirrors below the slightly upgraded floral arrangements, & of course gold chaivari chairs with the custom beaded slip covers that I love. I can't tell you enough what a different these upgrades make, but you can see for yourself in these pictures! 



Sweet Lovin'

Option #5: No bride & groom should overlook the upgrade options for their sweetheart table. It is the most looked at part of the room (mainly because you, the new Mr. & Mrs., are seated there), so if you can't afford to upgrade anything else, spend just a little extra & give your sweetheart table the royal treatment. With a gorgeous textured white overlay draped over a white underlay, we made a big statement at a minimal cost. Also the centerpiece is the one we normally bring in from the arbor to help our couple's save money. Insider tip: After you are done taking pictures during cocktail hour, ask your venue if they can swiftly take down the center spray from the arbor & bring it to your head table. No one is the wiser, & it looks like you spent a ton to decorate your sweet heart table! I also recommend lots of candles, chargers, special toasting flutes & of course a ton of rose petals to really make your first dinner as husband & wife memorable.



Sugar High

Option #5: OK, maybe I lied. The cake table (and the ever so popular dessert table) are also the most heavily photographed & looked at tables at your event, so don't forget to upgrade what you can there too! Unfortunately my camera didn't capture the amazing table cloth we used (provided by Flowers on Mars), but it has roses sewn all over the chocolate brown silk fabric which make it look extremely luxurious. Also Mars loaned us the blinged out cake stand which added more glamour to the already beautiful cake & we lit several votive candles to add soft lighting to the table. Anything you can do to make this table look fabulous should not be overlooked if you want to make a statement. And don't forget your cake knife & server (preferably ones that match your toasting flutes)!

Meet the amazing vendors that make it all possible:

Our fav bakery, La Creme, giving out samples of their delicious cakes.

Cute bridal cookie favors by La Creme. I am a big believer in only doing favors one can eat or actually use.

Cupcake tower or cake? Why not both? I like a combo of the two with the top layer of cake above a tower of cupcakes. Here are the two traditional options by La Creme, but I say, mix it up!





A few more upgrades & add-ons to personalize your event...

Another hit at any event, the chocolate fountain, will satisfy the biggest sweeth tooth.



Time for some coffee with all those sweets? Upgrade your coffee service to a cappuccino bar! This is a great option to have on the way out too in to-go cups for your guests to stay alert on their drive home.



One of the most popular photographers on our preferred vendors list, Ann Rotsten



The increasingly popular photo booth option for your special event will add tons of fun for you & your guests, while also providing you with a wonderful keepsake...



Our photo booth vendors include a scrap book for your guests to add a copy of their photos to & write you a personal note!



Meet Eric, our fantastic preferred DJ! He also does THE best job as the MC for your special event making sure the event flows perfectly.

Every queen for a day should have a talented beauty team on their side! Makeup artist to the stars, Mary, top stylist, Xavier, & Beverly Hills' Vito Esposito Salon owner, Vito Esposito, demonstrated their handiwork on a model & offered discounted rates for brides who hired them at the show.



Want to add ambiance to your event? Hire a guitarist or other live music performer to serenade your guests during cocktail hour. Also, upgrade the atmosphere by having our preferred design team, Flowers on Mars, transform the terrace into a romantic cabana with flowing white sheer fabric. I would even add uplights to the drapes to really make your guests say "Wow"!



Almost forgot to take a picture of the ceremony setup while chatting with our guests. Here's an interesting twist on petals thrown randomly down the aisle...have your florist create a design on your pathway to the alter. It costs a bit more because it will take a lot more petals to stencil a design on the ground, but I think it's worth it to add another dramatic element to your ceremony.

And here's the florist that did all the lovely arrangements at the Showcase! Elizabeth from Van Nuys Flowers always does an amazing job in making her bride's visions a reality. Let her know your budget & your preferences & she will create the perfect arrangements for your dream wedding.

The Private Events Director, Julie, & I, the Events Assistant, Ana, enjoying one of our favorite upgraded tables at the event. Thanks for stopping by to see us & if you haven't visited the Club yet, give us a ring!

Hope you all enjoyed the Private Events Wedding & Special Events Showcase, whether you attended in person or virtually through this blog. Mark your calendars for the next one on February 24th, or follow my blog for highlights if you are far away.

As always, more real wedding & private event recaps will be posted regularly to give you inspiration for your special event. Whatever you budget, if you focus on making each aspect of the event memorable & personalized, you will be thrilled with the results. Plus, a few upgrades added in for good measure (where it counts) can help make your event extra amazing! Have a wonderful day!

Real Wedding Inspiration: Judy & Brandon's Elegant Silver, Lavendar & Pink Wedding

Here are the highlights of yet another wonderful wedding at our Club to help give you some inspiration for your wedding. I really liked the silver, lavender, & pink color scheme they chose. This was a very romantic wedding with several personal details that turned out perfectly.

The couple had one of their great engagement photos framed with a large white mat so the guests could sign & leave them their well wishes. Great keepsake!

An outdoor wedding is always a favorite. Here the aisle was dressed up with sheer white fabric hung over pedestals with beautiful flower arrangements on top (insider tip: these can be moved inside to a few of the reception tables before your guests enter the room to save money).

Our four post arbor was dressed up with sheer white swagging to enhance the romantic look along with a center spray of flowers & two bunches on the side to even out the look (insider tip: these too can be moved inside for the flowers on the sweetheart table to help with costs).

The bridesmaids were in gorgeous silver gowns, groomsmen wore handsome tuxes, & the bride wore a lovely strapless white gown. Even the little ones were dressed to the nines in their wedding attire with their own coordinating boutonniere & flower basket. 

The getaway horse! This is one of the offerings we include in our evening packages which I have come to love. It gives the wedding such a fun, fairytale element.

The room always looks elegant with our crystal chandeliers & choice of linen. This couple went with ivory overlays & silver napkins so that their flowers (by our preferred vendor Pure Elegance) would be the pop of color bringing in their lavender & pink color scheme.

Each guests found a frame with their name on it on the reception table on their way in to the reception room. This served both as their escort card letting them know which table to set at as well as a cute party favor.

The cake, by Delicious bakery, was uber girly & sweet (literally)! I love the double heart design-perfect for two people in love like Judy & Brandon!

Congratulations Judy & Brandon on a beautiful wedding & we hope your lifetime together is just as amazing!

Marilyn & Tracy's Blue Summer's Day Wedding Reception

All our weddings are special to us at Porter Valley & this one gave us a great deal of joy because we were celebrating one of our own! Porter Valley's Golf Pro, Tracy, had his wedding reception here this month with his beautiful bride Marilyn, the daughter of one of our beloved Banquet Captains, Maria. We were so honored to welcome their families & friends to witness their marital bliss & enjoy this gorgeous summer reception.

The radiantly happy couple, Marilyn & Tracy

Guests were treated to a performance by this wonderful Mariachi group while enjoying their cocktails & congratulating the new Mr. & Mrs. on the TerraceThese welcoming cafe tables were setup by the band, which is always a good idea in case someone wants to sit down (obviously this group was having too much fun to sit!)Our professional wait staff making sure the final details are perfect before the party entered the roomThe sweetheart table looked gorgeous with an abundance of flowers; fit for the queen & king of this elegant affair

Marilyn & Tracy chose various shades of blue for their color scheme. The high centerpieces on glass vases complimented the decor & insured guests could see across the table to talk to each other

For favors, they chose personalized blue boxes with their names & wedding date with delictable assorted cakes covered in chocolate inside (I tried the cheesecake one-delish!). Perfect choice for such a sweet couple! The room before guests entered for dinner looked impicable. I am amazed at how any color choice goes so well with the room
Last but not least, the icing on the cake for this wedding-A four tiered cake with lots of details; a wonderful job by Delicious Bakery

Your family at Porter Valley wishes you a lifetime of happy memories together Tracy & Marilyn! Congratulations!