Simply Modern Weddings

i was so excited to hear that one of my favorite florists, carissa from jl designs, just launched a super cool holiday collection. these couture, sustainable, botanical pieces are little beautiful gifts of art. they are going to make great gifts for my hard to shop for peeps! carissa is also partnering with melody from my sweet and saucy, so that you can pickup these lovelies in her shop starting december 11th. desserts and decor…yes please!

seriously, i can’t even pick a favorite piece…i love the simplicity of the metro and quartzica, the beauty of the lhuiller, and i can’t take my eyes off this cool piece from the organica collection. balsa wood flowers are like my best friends right now! i want to do these pieces for a wedding!

i need to stock up on these for my home and studio, and guess what?! they are 100% sustainable and will never die. yup…never! so i can have carissa’s creative fabulousness in my home always!

for more info and to view all the collections, make sure to check out her site.

congrats to carissa on such an amazing venture…i am so excited for you girlie!

as bridal fashion week continues, let’s learn a bit more about how to get designer wedding gowns for less! when i first met julie, i was intrigued with how she is changing the way we see used wedding dresses. so who is this julie, and what is encore bridal anyway?

Julie Jones is the president and founder of Encore Bridal LLC. Encore Bridal is an e-Boutique that specializes in new, sample, and used couture wedding dresses that have been hand-selected for the discerning bride. You can view Encore Bridal’s current collection on their website.

SMW: What was your concept behind creating Encore Bridal?
EB: Initially I wanted to be involved in something that I felt passionate about and as a helpless romantic knew that would likely lead me to working in the bridal industry. Initially I did not think about opening a high-end consignment bridal e-Boutique. In 2004 I married the love of my life and had to find the perfect dress for my wedding. I went to nearly every bridal salon in Southern California as well as many in other states. Having always had an eye for fashion and a love for luxury goods finding a dress that I could afford became a real challenge. Soon after my now husband and I were married, I started Encore Bridal.com. I wanted to bring the best of the best wedding dresses within reach for more brides. At the same time I was also becoming more eco-conscious so I loved the idea of selling eco-friendly “recycled” couture.

SMW: Tell us about your new showroom in manhattan beach?
EB: I can’t tell you how excited I am that our dresses now have a beautiful “home” and we have an inviting space to meet with brides! I worked with a designer who helped me build-out the space and have it completely furnished within 2 weeks of signing the lease. It has a “beachy” elegant theme. Considering our values, the walls were painted in No VOC paint, we purchased as much used furniture and fixtures as we could find, and I found the perfect recycled aluminum table. We were budget conscious yet style savvy–just like many of our brides. The feedback on our new space has been fantastic. As an online boutique we don’t have store hours, but do open our showroom on the second and last Sundays of every month for walk-ins. We also have monthly events. During the last weekend of August we are having a veil and jewelry trunk show.

SMW: What can brides expect when shopping for a gown with Encore Bridal?
EB: Brides should expect to be “wow’d”. The most common comment we have is, “I can’t believe these are pre-owned”. The majority of our well-edited inventory is no older than 3 years, has labels from the most sought after designers (think Vera Wang, Monique Lhuillier, Reem Acra and others), and has been fully refreshed to be in walk-down the aisle condition. We have intimate knowledge of each gown in our boutique and after working with so many brides are uniquely qualified to provide styling advice. Brides-to-be can benefit from our style know-how whether they are in our showroom or browsing online. We’re only a phone call or email away!

SMW: How much time should a bride allow herself when buying a gown with Encore Bridal?
EB: Encore Bridal sells wedding dresses “off the rack” so once a bride-to-be finds the perfect dress it can be hers the same day as purchasing it. No need to wait 5 months or more. Most gowns will require alterations though, so I do recommend brides try to purchase their gown from us at least 2 months before their wedding date. The average “VIB” private styling consultation in our showroom takes 1-2 hours.

thank you so much julie for chatting with us more about encore bridal. i absolutely love what you have done to change how brides shop for gowns!

so we are finally back home! the trip was nothing short of amazing, and we absolutely fell in the love with the city!

we ended up leaving ny the day bridal fashion week started, and i was so sad to miss out on all the fun. but i do love the exciting tweets and photo sneak peeks from all the fashion shows. nothing like a little runway action to get me jazzed up for the fall 2010 collections!

while my mind is on bridal designers, it reminded me that this post is definitely long overdue. julie with encore bridal and i met in wipa, and i just love that she has completely transformed the notion of used wedding dresses. encore bridal is a super cute boutique that sells fabulous designer gowns at a fraction of the cost. sounds too good to be true right? well i am looking at a beautiful gown from the vera wang luxe collection which normally retails for $10,700, and is selling for $3,900. now you can see why i am so excited to share this during bridal fashion week! because while we all love the designer looks, sometimes it can be a bit of a stretch to pay designer dollar.

stay tuned for tomorrow’s interview with julie, where we will learn more about encore bridal, and their great little boutique in manhattan beach. in the meantime, here are some designs currently listed on their site. (yes…they have sassy headpieces too!)

you would go absolutely delirious when you try one of Melody’s cake pops! This is what I tell my couples when talking about the yummy-delicious-goodness of My Sweet and Saucy.

Oooh…there are no words that can explain the heaven that I felt when I first bit into her white chocolate carrot cake pop. This is coming from a person who hates chocolate and isn’t really much of a sweets person, but when something is THAT GOOD I can’t help but think about it all the time. I am actually drooling on myself as I type this blog.

What I love about her desserts for weddings, is that it can be so much more than a pretty wedding cake…so much more than doing trendy cupcakes. You can have a dessert FIESTA! I’m talking cupcakes, key lime pies, meringues, cake pops, monogrammed cookies, chocolate dipped pretzels, cotton candy, and also have a beautiful mini wedding cake to cut into. It’s just paradise on a table!

If you haven’t tried Melody’s fabulousness…don’t worry. She just opened her super cute dessert studio in Long Beach last week. They are also having a Grand Opening Party on Saturday August 16th, so head out there to show your support and try her delicious treats! The address is 6400 Stearns Street Long Beach CA 90815.

For a daily dose of yummy reading, check out My Sweet and Saucy’s blog!

One of the best things about any great wedding planner, is that we have a knowledge of “hidden gems” in the industry. Whether it’s a fabulous letterpress studio that is also budget friendly, who to call if you want “glam” mirrored tables for your reception, or where to find an amazing wedding location that is different from the typical hotel ballroom…we are sure to have something in our bag of tricks! Now I can’t go giving all my secrets away but I will share with you my all time favorite beachfront venue.

The Sunset Restaurant is a beautiful venue nestled on Zuma Beach in Malibu. It’s one of the very few locations where you can actually have your ceremony right on the sand! With their recent renovation, the restaurant has a very SMW look to it, lots of white and blues…very simple chic interior.

Rather than rambling on and on about how fab they are, I thought I would invite Kelly Ann, the Sunset’s event manager to chat a bit about their location. I have worked with her team for the past 3 years, and she is such a gem…I absolutely ADORE working with her!

SMW: Tell us something “simply modern” about having a wedding at The Sunset?
KA: That’s funny…that’s our slogan…”Simplicity is more at The Sunset!” The food and venue is modern, fresh, simple, affordable and is steps from the sand. The Sunsets are stunning and the ocean’s sound is enchanting. It is the Malibu’s “simply modern” restaurant and special event venue!

SMW: What size weddings is the Sunset best suited for?
KA: 100-120, Any larger requires a tent. 200 max for sit-down.

SMW: What cuisine is the specialty at the Sunset?
KA: Farmers Market driven produce with sustainable proteins are created into fresh and innovative dishes by Executive Chef Jake Rojas. An step towards the Slo Food Movement!

SMW: What advice/tips do you have for couples still looking for the perfect venue?
KA: 1. Know who you are together and apart.
2. Each of you write down on paper your top 5 wedding venues
3. Show each other
4. Factor in the x factor (the families suggestions/opinions )
5. Join together by choosing the top five and go and make an appointment.
6. Get as much info and then research the venue after you leave.
7. Make sure you’ve met the person you’ll be dealing with at the venue.
8 Finances together…do these places fit your entire budget?
9. All other items have been budgeted
10. If the guest count fits…..get your name on their books!! BOOK!

Kelly Ann…thank you so much for taking the time to share more about your beautiful property!

P.S. Not looking for a location? Stop by the Sunset for lunch or dinner…they have the YUMMIEST food!

(clockwise): my client’s beautiful wedding ceremony-Kim Fox Photography; bar/lounge area-Chris Schmitt Photography; ballroom reception-Chris Schmitt Photography; beach photo-Henshall Photography; cocktails on the patio-Chris Schmitt Photography; tented reception-Chris Schmitt Photography

A couple weeks ago, I attended Fusion Linens Grand Opening celebration of their LA showroom. Fusion has been one of my preferred linen companies for over 3 years. Not just because they have beautiful linens, but they also have the BEST customer service ever! If I ever run into a question, or problem…I know that they will take care of me and my clients. I have actually had to call on them to help out in a situation where my client’s original linen company failed to deliver. Angel, Danielle, and Veronica…you guys are true rockSTARS at what you do!

So of course I wanted to be there to celebrate in their expansion, which was very exciting because I know they truly deserve all their success! There were also some fun pieces in their 2009 collection that I couldn’t wait to see.

Below are some photos captured by “the man” Jason Q Tran. See his blog for more photos and a list of the vendors who made this event a great success!

I have been so excited to share this blog post with you! Over a year ago my good friend and collegue, Caroline Chang with Serenity Events clued me in on a project that she was working on. Since then, I have been anticipating its release…and now that day is finally here!

Introducing Serendipity, the first wedding magazine geared toward Asian brides. With our large Asian community in SoCal, it’s so great to see a magazine targeted for their specific wants and needs. To help introduce the magazine, I have invited Caroline to speak with us a bit further about Serendipity.

SMW: Tell us a bit about the concept behind launching Serendipity?
CC: The Asian community within Southern California has grown so large that it has become one of the defining characteristics of the region itself. So as we developed this idea, we wanted to specifically target the needs and desires of the Asian bride, as well as to be a fresh source of inspiration for all of our brides, whether they are of Asian descent or not.

A motivating factor for us in creating this publication was–we wanted to acknowledge the importance of an Asian community that has contributed so richly to the culture of Southern California; we wanted to be the voice for Asian brides who wish to pay homage to the time-honored traditions of their revered heritages. So in our own effort to represent this presence, we felt it would be wonderful to give Asian brides a resource in which they could see Asian faces like their own, and in which their unique interests and concerns would be addressed.

SMW: What can readers expect with regards to content?
CC: We will do the homework and provide you with knowledgeable information on Asian customs and wedding traditions. We will also be a guide to trusted and reputable vendors in the area who cater to Asian weddings.

Aside from providing insight to Asian cultures, our foremost priority is to be an all-around, reliable source for any bride planning her big day. We will cover everything from the engagement to the honeymoon, and every little detail in between! Whether you are an Asian bride, or a bride looking for Asian inspiration for your wedding, Serendipity Magazine was created just for you, so enjoy!

SMW: How often will it be released and where can readers find it?
CC: We will start off producing the magazine twice a year and once it becomes more popular we will publish quarterly. For now, our magazines can be found at a variety of venues, bridal salons, vendors and bridal shows. Our next issue will be sold at Barnes and Nobles so keep a look out for our next issue this summer!

Congratulations on the launch and thank you so much to Caroline for chatting with us!

Now for the fun…I have copies of Serendipity’s 1st issue to share with 5 lucky blog readers.

All you have to do is leave me a blog comment with your wedding date and what cultural aspects you are planning to incorporate for your wedding. The first 5 of you to do this will receive your very own copy of Serendipity to enjoy!

One photographer I have fell in love with over the years is Elizabeth Messina. She is such a down-to-earth, wonderfully gifted artist…with an amazing eye for catching the beauty of a wedding day!

So I am totally drooling over her new site kiss the groom which “celebrates life, love & kisses…..through photographs and personal insights….honoring weddings, family and other love stories”. If you are new to seeing Elizabeth’s work, definitely take a stroll through her website for more eye-candy!

The photo below is just a taste of her beautiful work, and of course this amazing wedding was designed by my mentor Lisa Vorce with Oh How Charming!

Now that sweet little Roma is 7 months old, James and I wanted to have some photos taken with our girl. So we headed out to the middle of nowhere, went off trail, and trekked through knee-deep twigs to find the perfect “un-typical” OC photo location. Then after about 45 minutes…we were kicked out! (no dogs allowed) Oh well, that was a fun adventure. Then off we went to another location, did some serious hiking up a hill to find another great spot for photos. We were very determined to catch the sunset!

Brian Khang was super fun to hang with and did such a FAB job on the photos! I worked with him on a wedding last year, and was so excited to have him shoot our little family. Big props to him for finding the perfect location for us! It’s exactly what I envisioned: fun, bright, nature. Thank you so much again Brian! For more photos, and to see more of Brian’s work, check out his cool blog-site!

In keeping with this week’s feature on Lisa’s work, I decided the photo below from Sara and Ian’s wedding would be perfect for photo Friday. This image was shot by Laura Kleinhenz with Docuvitae. I just love how she captured laughter from the toasts in this shot!