Friday, October 19, 2012

All-Star Bar Mitzvah



Please forgive my hiatus from the Laurie Arons Blog this summer. I had one very full event season and had to put my brides before the blog for a few months. But fortunately this means I'll have many exciting events to share with you soon. 

With the beloved San Francisco Giants in the NLCS right now, I couldn't miss a chance to post the amazing bar mitzvah I had the pleasure of planning earlier this year. The guest of honor Ashton is a huge Giants fan, so his parents celebrated his right of passage with a blow-out bar mitzvah at AT&T Park in San Francisco.

The Giants-inspired design featured black and orange, and an "AF" logo (his initials) to replicate the Giants' SF logo. We had a great time carrying this throughout every imaginable inch of the event - from the "orange" carpet grand entrance, to the custom hotdog wrappers, to the over-the-top baseball-themed dessert buffet (complete with a spot-on replica World Series Trophy cake).

The night kicked off with cocktails in the dugouts, serving specialty drinks like the Splash Hit, the Ground Rule Double and the No-Hitter. A special surprise awaited the kids in the Giants locker room - their names on lockers stocked with great personalized gear. The Jumbotron then played an ESPN-style profile montage of Ashton, produced by Hart Pictures. It was one of the most spectacularly produced videos I've ever seen.

For dinner, the kids enjoyed ballpark fare straight out of the working Giants concession stands, while the adults were treated to an elegant sit-down dinner on the Club Level of the park. The DJ turned up the music after dinner to get everyone on the dance floor, and the kids enjoyed visiting the graffiti artists, airbrush tattoos, caricaturists and photobooth set up around the stadium.



Photography by Angie Silvy

Friday, March 30, 2012

As Seen In: Style Me Pretty



Thanks so much to Abby and the team at Style Me Pretty for the wonderful feature on Jenny & Jordan's September wedding at Durham Ranch. There is so much I love about this wedding, from the beautiful couple to the breezy yet elegant design to the mouth-watering fried chicken served up by Tyler Florence for the wedding dinner.

Meg Smith and her associates captured this special wedding perfectly; I'm so glad Style Me Pretty shared so many wonderful images from the day.

Friday, March 9, 2012

Olive Branches + Modern Touches



My clients looked all over the globe for their wedding location before ultimately realizing there was no place more perfect for them than Napa Valley. They chose my newest exclusive property Z Modern Estate in St. Helena for its sweeping views and clean modern lines.

The bride loved a look that was simple and elegant, so we selected Napa's second most popular plant, the olive tree, to carry as a theme throughout the wedding. Upon a fresh palette of white, Kathleen Deery Design incorporated delicate olive branches and green succulents into the arrangements. I brainstormed with Kathleen and Illusions Lighting to devise a unique lighting fixture for their dinner under the stars. Illusions erected long white poles and draped beautiful string lights wrapped in garlands of olive branches. As the sun went down, the glow from the dinner area was simply magical.

Guests danced the night away to the Durell Coleman Band before moving into a late night after party tent where DJ Dojah spun the groom's favorite music. 

Photography by Meg Smith. Catering by Paula LeDuc Fine Catering. Cake by Perfect Endings. Tabletop and tenting by Classic Party Rentals.

Friday, February 3, 2012

SF Happenings: Gump's Bridal Event



San Francisco brides simply must stop by Gump's on Sunday February 12th for their annual bridal event.  Gump's is one of my favorites for bridal registries - guests feel like they're buying something truly special that the couple will treasure for a lifetime. I'll be there, along with the lovely and talented Kathleen Deery. Sip sparkling wine and enjoy a continental brunch by Taste Catering as you take in all the beautiful tabletop items. Hope to see you then!

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Q + A with Jim Avila + Darlene Carlson



A couple weeks ago, Huffington Post Weddings featured an article I wrote about wedding day beauty. I hope it proved to be an educational read for brides-to-be and their wedding parties.

The article shares advice from two of my highly recommended Bay Area wedding stylists, Jim Avila and Darlene Carlson. I had an enjoyable time interviewing them for the story, and wanted to share their full Q + A for even more tips on how to achieve a peaceful, beautiful wedding day.


What do you think makes a beautiful bride?

DC: Inner peace and calm reflects your true beauty,and gives you the chance to enjoy the love and happiness of your wedding day.


What is the best thing a bride can do beauty-wise to prepare for the wedding day?

DC: Arrange to have your hair and makeup done professionally on site. You won’t have to fight traffic and possible delays going to a salon. Instead spend your
time enjoying family and friends. You will have a fun and relaxing start to your wedding day.


On a wedding day, what are some of your secrets for a successful flow to getting ready?

JA: Work with a wedding planner or designer whom you know and trust. Do your homework before hiring them, then let them make decisions on the day so all you have to do is be calm and beautiful.

Have a trial with your hair and makeup artist before the big day, you don't want any surprises. Eat and drink your favorite things, but not too much. Brides tend not to eat and that can lead to you passing out.


What are your tips for jewelry on the wedding day for the bride and bridal party?

JA:  Don't wear too much! I don't recommending wearing a headpiece, necklace AND earrings - two pieces are good, three is too much. If you have on too much bling, people look at that and not you.  Your engagement and wedding rings are the most important pieces you will wear that day.

If you have family heirloom pieces, sometimes they work well with the bride's look and sometimes they do not. If it's important to your family that you wear them, consider wearing them only down the aisle or perhaps only at the reception, but not all day.

For bridesmaids, my advice is don't give each one the same thing. They are individuals, so it's nice to give each of these special people in your life something special too.


What are common mistakes brides make with regards to wedding day hair and makeup?

JA: Too much, too big, too overdone. You should look like you did the best job ever on yourself. You do not want to look like you were beat up at a make-up counter and tortured at the hair salon.  Think about how he likes to see you. 

My goal is to make each bride look elegant, chic, sophisticated and a little sexy. Remember this -- women get married, girls don't.

DC: Don’t date your wedding day by picking a trendy style for your hair or makeup. You don’t want to shudder when you see photographs years later.

Any other advice for brides?

JA: In the weeks leading up to the wedding, wear sunscreen on all parts of your body. exposed to the sun. The last things you want are tan lines and sunburns in your photos. If your groom is going to play sports to relieve stress, make sure he wears sunscreen too.

And speaking of grooms, don't let them groom get a haircut on the wedding day. In the week before, yes. But the day of, NO.

Photography by: Elizabeth Messina, kissthegroom.com


Tuesday, January 3, 2012

As Seen In: San Francisco Brides



I'm excited and honored to be included in the beautiful new edition of San Francisco Brides magazine - such a fun start to the new year.

San Francisco Brides features one of my favorite couples Noelle and Ken, and their elegant winter wedding at City Hall. Creating their creamy white and silver wonderland look was such a pleasure, and I'm excited to get to share it with readers.

The magazine also interviewed celebrity chef Tyler Florence about our wedding partnership. Tyler shares some wonderful insights about his philosophies for a spectacular wedding meal, not to mention a mouth-watering sample menu for a Spring affair.

Be sure to pick it up on newsstands, or flip through the online version as well.



Monday, December 12, 2011

Words of Wisdom: Unique Holiday Shopping in Mill Valley


{vintage cookbook wreath from Tyler Florence Shop, Mill Valley}

Holiday shopping can seem a little stressful and daunting for some, especially if it evokes images of crowded malls and busy parking lots. I wanted to share my recommendations for a perfectly delightful day of gift-buying, one that will leave you with a smile on your face and charming little trinkets to present to your family and friends. 

For fun and unique items discovered off-the-beaten path, I highly recommend heading to one of my favorite little Bay Area towns, Mill Valley. The downtown area is filled with wonderful small businesses, and I always love supporting local purveyors this time of year. Street parking is easy (and it's free for the holiday season!).  Take in the fresh air and enjoy the holiday decorations as you stroll the streets and peruse the quant shops in the area. Here are some of my must-stops:


{Summer House ~ 27 Throckmorton Avenue.
Summer House 57, the newer furniture shop ~ 57 Throckmorton} 
Great eclectic things for the home including unique antiques, cozy linens, scarfs from Europe, great furniture and pottery from Soule Studio in Petaluma (that I happen to use every day and love it).



Moss & Daughters 
{Two El Paseo Lane} 
Opening this week, Moss and Daughters looks to be the perfect stop for a hostess gift this holiday season. The shop carries an assortment of house plants, orchids, wreaths, as well as charming antiques.


{One El Paseo Lane}   
This little antique shop has wonderful gifts, statement pieces, books, and home & garden items...and on Friday nights proprietor Larry Moss treats shoppers to wine and live piano music on the shop's baby grand.



{59 Throckmorton}
One of the best kitchen stores out there, this shop goes way beyond the typical. For food lovers in your life, a stop here is a MUST. They have some of the most beautiful and creative gift baskets I've ever seen - throw in some of Tyler's own products like cookbooks, cutlery, tasty sauces and spice rubs.


{108 Throckmorton Avenue}
Lovely home and garden shop with French roots, the owner Yasmine fills the shop with treasures and fun things for gifts of all ages.









Once you've collected all your treasures, pop into the bar at El Paseo for a bottle of champagne and the restaurant's new caviar service...after all, you deserve a little treat yourself.

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