Simply Modern Weddings

as we count down the days until christmas, i thought it would be cool to do a fun little spin on the advent calendar. these posts will just be quick little peeks at my fun holiday wish list.

today is world aid’s day! in support of the fight against aids, i am absolutely in love with these (nike) red laces. i know they are designed for football (aka soccer) cleats but who cares! they are super cool looking, and most importantly…100% of the profit from the laces go to the global fund and to support soccer based programs to fight aids in africa. click here for more info and to buy your own.

“lace up. save lives.” i love this!

If you are still looking for a dress, head down to the Anaheim Marriott this weekend for Brides Against Breast Cancer’s annual gown sale.

These gowns have either been donated by brides or donated brand new from the bridal designers and retailers, so you have a chance to get a gown 25-75% below retail cost! So not only are you saving money, the proceeds from the sale are going to support the Making Memories Breast Cancer Foundation.

When:
Friday, February 27, 10:00 am to 12:00 pm (power hours)
Friday, February 27, 12:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Saturday, February 28, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm

Where:
Anaheim Marriott Suites Hotel
12015 Harbor Blvd
Garden Grove, CA

Registration:
Click here to register for sneak preview at Power Hours
Click here to register for general admission

Costs:
Power Hours: $20
General Admission: FREE (yay!)

BONUS!
A coupon for $25 off any gown priced $250-499 or $50 off any gown over $500 will be printed in the Orange County Register and the LA Times: Orange County Edition on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday for additional savings! (you must present the coupon clipped from the newspaper to redeem the discount)

Make sure to wear some pink to show your support!

I love hearing when people have found ways to “give back” to others. So imagine my joy when I learned of this wonderful “Say I Do With a Big Do” contest for a bride who has lost their hair due to breast cancer treatment.

What a special gift to the lucky bride who will win over $10,000 worth of services for their wedding, including human hair extensions, floral design, wedding coordination, and more! Christine with the Spiraled Stem is always ahead of the curve when it comes to giving back…which is why we LOVE her so much! Head over to her site to learn more about this wonderful contest.

I love hearing when people have found ways to “give back” to others. So imagine my joy when I learned of this wonderful “Say I Do With a Big Do” contest for a bride who has lost their hair due to breast cancer treatment.

What a special gift to the lucky bride who will win over $10,000 worth of services for their wedding, including human hair extensions, floral design, wedding coordination, and more! Christine with the Spiraled Stem is always ahead of the curve when it comes to giving back…which is why we LOVE her so much! Head over to her site to learn more about this wonderful contest.

In honor of today’s Earth Day, I have designed an “Eco-Consious Wedding” inspiration board. For more green wedding ideas, check out Brides.com, Eco Chic Weddings, and Portovert. Together we can all contribute to making the world a better place for generations to come!

(left to right) Row 1: centerpiece–Earth Friendly Wedding; conflict-free diamonds–Brilliant Earth; favors–Pear and Peony; Row 2: gown–Encore Bridal; invitations-Earthly Affair; hors d’oeuvres–Tres LA Catering; Row 3: vodka-Square One Organic Vodka; cake–Brides.com; table setup-Wildflower Linens; organic dress-Deborah Lindquist

A HUGE congratulations to Kristy and Sinisha on winning the “Big Give” wedding coordination contest! They are getting married this November at Castle Green in Pasadena. Kristy has already added on additional design/decor consultation to their package to assist them with creating the perfect atmosphere to match their wedding vision. Here is their winning entry:

Sinisha and I met through friends from college about 7 years ago. He had just moved to LA a few years earlier from Croatia and I instantly fell in love with his accent and adorable charm. Before coming to LA, Sin lived in Bosnia/Croatia (ex-Yugoslavia) throughout most of his life until his country went into a horrible long drawn-out war. Sin lived most of his teen years through the war and came to LA to make a better life for himself.

The funny thing is when we first started dating, we just KNEW that we were meant to be with each other. After 6 months of dating, we moved in together and bought a pug (who we absolutely adore!) I can’t wait to grow old together and continue this journey of life with him! He is absolutely the love of my life!

Here is a photo of the happy couple!

Congratulations again Kristy and Sinisha, I am looking forward to helping you both create the wedding of your dreams!

Only a little over a week left to get your entries in for the free wedding coordination contest. So make sure to have them in by the April 1st deadline. I am so excited to see everyone’s stories! Click here for more information about the contest.

For some eye candy, here is a lovely inspiration board from Elizabeth Anne Designs. How cute are those shoes?!

Watching Oprah’s Big Give has given me a lot to think about with regards to the blessings I have in my life. As I sat crying during the 1st episode I wondered what I could do to help someone in need. Then it hit me…

From now until April 1st, I will be running a contest to give my “Simple” package to 1 lucky couple. This package is for my wedding coordination services, which is wrapping up all the final details with regards to your wedding, as well as coordinating the wedding rehearsal and wedding day.

Send me the story of a couple that you believe has overcome great odds and are deserving of something special to help them on their wedding day. Maybe that couple is you…if so, I would love to hear your story. I am looking forward to reading all the entries and truly helping to make a difference in someone’s day!

basic rules/info for the contest:
1. entries must be 300 words max and include a photo of the couple
2. wedding must take place between May 2008 and May 2009, (based on availability)
3. wedding must be located in OC or LA
4. you can nominate yourself or a friend (please, no fake stories)
5. email your entries to info@simplymodernweddings.com by 7pm PST on April 1, 2008

I will post the top 3 entries on the blog and the winner will be selected by myself and a team of judges. Good luck!!!

MiShi! Congratulations on winning the Pinko giveaway! Because you had the sweetest pickup line (and was the lucky number drawn), you will be receiving 2 boxes of these yummy treats. I will email you to get your shipping information for the cookies.

For those that didn’t win the giveaway, don’t fret…you can still order your Pinko cookies by February 10th for the Valentine’s release. Yum-yum!!!

Besides, look at this lovely box…it’s just dying for you to take it home (you know you want it)!!!

Happy Lunar New Year everyone! It’s the Year of the Rat…which from what I hear, is the protector and bringer of material prosperity. Wishing you all a year of love and success!

It’s about time for a giveaway around here! In honor of all things sweet for Valentine’s Day, we are giving away yummy Pinko Cookies!

Pinko is a fabulous cookie company created by Jennifer Kobata from a family recipe that goes back over 20 years. These toffee and pecan bites of heaven are packaged in adorable little takeout boxes. So they look chic and taste great! One of my favorite things about them, is every cookie release benefits a different charity or cause. A portion of the Valentine’s release will go towards helping Mrs. Kim’s 4th grade class purchase art supplies.

They are only released during special times of the year, like Valentine’s and Christmas. The trick is, you shouldn’t wait to order these babies…once they become available to order, you have to snatch them up before it’s too late. For the special Valentine’s release, you must place your order by February 8th. BUT, the winner of this contest will receive 2 large boxes of Pinko cookies to enjoy…1 for you, and 1 for your sweetie!

To enter the contest, all you have to do is leave a comment with your sweetest pick-up line! This contest will run for one week, so be sure to enter by 7pm PST on February 6th. Good Luck!

Here are some photos from Pinko’s glam shoot with the wonderful Mel Barlow!