Happy New Year!

Best wishes for a fabulous new year! Thanks for reading my blog - I have loved sharing my weddings and ideas with all of you. See you in 2010! xo

Save the Date: Gump's Wedding Chic

SF Brides - save the date for Gump's annual bridal event, Sunday February 7th! I'm honored to participate with an elite group of wedding vendors, like the lovely Kathleen Deery. Tickets are available online at Gump's. Don't miss it!

Northern California Dreaming: Sarah + Graham

I'm so excited to share this wedding with you! It's full of amazing personal details that really made this wedding spectacular. When I met with Sarah and Graham, they told me they really wanted a wedding that was an experience for their guests. So, together, we created an amazing Northern California experience that reflected some of the great pastimes of Sarah's upbringing near by. Guests were treated to various activities the day before the wedding, including hiking in Point Lobos, kayaking in the Monterey Bay, a walking tour of Carmel, lavender picking, cooking demonstrations and golf. Guests loved the variety of activities and formed bonds that lasted long after the wedding weekend ended. I'll share more pics the Friday events next week. On to the wedding...

Sarah and Graham's ceremony was held in an ancient redwood grove. The massive trees created a spectacular backdrop for their vows. The groomsmen wore ties handmade by a relative of the couple. Each tie was crafted with Liberty fabric - a favorite of the couple and used repeatedly throughout the wedding (we dressed the escort card table with strips of Liberty & decked out the cake table too!). The groom added another personal touch with cuff links crafted from a piece of a map that bears significance for each of the groomsmen. The bride also used Liberty fabric for her bridesmaids' gift - each received a handmade Bermuda bag made from Liberty fabric. Guests enjoyed dinner under a simple, yet elegant Zephyr Tent. Following dinner, guests moved into the barn for late night dancing and dessert. Their parting gift? A sweet treat of homemade salted caramels (courtesy of the bride's cousin) in vintage jars, finished with none other than Liberty fabric.

My Favorite Detail? I loved the gelato bike from Cici Gelato that rolled in during the late night dancing. Guests were offered a choice of 2 sorbets and 2 gelatos that were homemade from local ingredients. Delicious!

Photography by Gertrude & Mabel. Catering by the Santa Lucia Preserve. Flowers by Kathleen Deery Design. Lighting by Illusions Lighting. Dinner tent by Zephyr Tents. Ceremony music by KLC Music. Dinner music by Tim Hockenberry Trio through Innovative Entertainment. Dance music by the Durell Coleman Band. Invitations and printed materials by A Day in May. Cake from Perfect Endings. Calligraphy by Barbara Callow Calligraphy. Gelato bike by Cici Gelato. Bride's gown by Carolina Herrera.