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Curtis and Jill's wedding gave us all the feels! From their pretty in pink bridesmaids dresses and floral arrangements to their adorable first look photos and heartfelt prayer circle surrounded by loved ones to the stunning decor and dessert display created by the bride's beautiful and talented mother. We couldn't have been happier for these two and to have been part of such a wonderful moment in their lives!           Thank you to the team of wedding professionals who worked together to make this day unforgettable for the Bride and Groom:
Planning & Coordination: Gatherings for Good Ceremony Venue: Santa Barbara Courthouse Reception Venue: The Narrative Loft Ceremony Rentals: Just 4 Fun Party Rentals Catering/Rentals/Bar/Event Staffing: Tamara's Catering Ceremony & Reception DJ: AMS Entertainment Flowers: Emma Rose Floral Photography: Elise Nicole Photography Cake: The Bride's Mother Bride's Hair & Makeup: Carlyle Salon
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A Wedding Planner's Wedding. The Inspiration, The Challenges and The Story Behind Our Big Day!10/10/2017  Today is our anniversary! I usually write blogs about other people's weddings and today I realized I never wrote a blog about my own wedding so here it is! My husband and I were married on October 10, 2015. As a bride, I can say that my wedding day was everything I wanted it to be. Beautiful, elegant, fun, romantic and memorable. It was all of those things from the location, the decor, the fashion, the food, the entertainment and of course the people who came to celebrate with us. Our wedding was not without challenges. As the wedding day was getting closer, I remember being so frustrated and tired that at one point I threatened to cancel everything, It was so overwhelming at times that I didn't think I could it it anymore. I was doing most of the planning and design on my own as my husband was away for work quite a bit during that time. Every day I spent hours online looking at photos on Pinterest, collecting ideas and buying decorations from Amazon and Etsy and making countless trips to the local Michael's store trying to piece everything together down to the very last detail. What started out being fun and exciting ended up feeling more like a heavy burden to carry and I just wanted it to be over already! As a Wedding Planner, I know a lot of couples go through a stressful time during the planning stages and it is very common to feel overwhelmed with everything there is to do. It can be hard to wrap your head around all the little details that go into planning the "perfect" day. You want to make everyone happy but in doing that you can easily wear yourself out. There are endless lists of tasks to complete from choosing a venue to the numerous phone calls and emails to vendors, selecting and designing invitations and programs, buying gifts for the wedding party, choosing and printing photos, creating signage, creating a wedding website and registry, putting together a play list for the DJ and a shot list for the photographer, assembling favors.... and on and on and on. Not only do those things that wear you out, you also have to make sure out of town guests secure their travel arrangements, collect RSVPs, attend food tastings, design a seating chart, and deal with two separate families and groups of friends who always have an opinion about everything! It is exhausting! I decided early on that I wasn't going to discuss any of the details about the wedding with family or friends for two reasons. 1. I didn't want to hear everyone's opinions and have to explain any of my decisions and 2. I wanted everyone who came to the wedding to be surprised when they walked in not knowing what to expect. I had an image in my mind of our guests walking into the room and saying "wow, this is amazing!" Or "wow, this is so beautiful!" I think it's important for any bride or groom to be able to plan the wedding they want to have without worrying about what everyone else thinks. It is very hard to plan a the wedding of YOUR dreams when you are trying to make everyone else happy, Just remember it is your day and you are only going to do it once so do it right! Don't have regrets later on and think, "I should have or I wish I had..." If your family loves you and truly wants you to be happy (which I am sure they do) they will understand. I am not saying to ignore your guests needs and only think about yourself. I am simply saying don't let other people's opinions get in the way of having the wedding you always wanted. I tried very hard to be accommodating to our guests and to make them feel welcome. I tried to make sure they were taken care of while still planning the wedding the way I wanted to from the design, the colors, the attire, the food choices, the hotel accommodations and their overall experience, especially those who came from out of town (or out of the country in our case). I had a vision for how I wanted our wedding to look and I wasn't going to be deterred from that easily. It is important to have a vision and to imagine all the things you want to have on the wedding day - what does it look like when it's all said and done? What colors do you see? What is everyone doing? What music is playing? Are you outside or inside? What does your dress look like? What kind of flowers do you have? Who is in your wedding? Creating a vision board is a good way to start collecting all your ideas and help you make decisions about what you want and what you don't want. Ok, back to our wedding! We chose the beautiful and historic Santa Barbara Club located in downtown Santa Barbara. My husband and I both knew this was the right venue for us after we went to see it. It had the look and feel we wanted, it was just the right size for our guest count which was around 100 people, it had both indoor and outdoor space, it was private and exclusive just to our wedding guests.  The Santa Barbara Club is also an inclusive space that provides tables, chairs, linens and all the basics we needed for our formal dinner service and they even have their own chef! This was something that was important to us. It meant we didn't need to worry about spending too much money or time on rentals or hire an outside caterer. Having so much available in one space just made things a bit easier for us. We also loved the central location to State Street close to many hotels, shops, restaurants and nightlife for guests to enjoy before and after the wedding.       We chose to have our wedding ceremony outside on the lawn with a reception inside the main dining room. We chose classic and timeless colors which included navy blue, white, gold, silver and a hint of blush pink. The bridesmaids wore a navy blue dresses with lace detail and the groomsmen wore light grey suits with matching bow ties. The same colors were represented throughout the wedding in our decor and wedding details from the color of our table linens, napkins, flowers, and even the smallest details of our wedding favors.          Since my husband is from England I wanted to incorporate some British inspired details into the wedding without it feeling like a "British" theme wedding. We decided to have the groomsmen and father of the groom who are also from England wear British flag suspenders and socks which was a simple and fun detail that complemented the grey suits very well. I also added a few other British details into the decor sprinkled throughout the venue which was just the right amount without going overboard! My husband and his English family and friends who attended the wedding appreciated the blending of both cultures and loved having their country represented in our day. My husband along with his groomsmen proudly posed with their home flag which is a white rose, the inspiration behind the white flowers we chose for our wedding.       A small red telephone booth and a few personal photos were placed on the bar to complement our ongoing British theme. I also found some really cute toothpicks with the British flag on them which we used for our assortment of mini desserts. The British flag custom cocktail napkins from Zazzle were perfect for the wait staff to pass out during cocktail hour and to display on the bar.      My husband and I both wanted to have a classic and timeless look at our wedding which we accomplished using mostly white flowers in small arrangements as to not overpower or crowd the reception space. We chose not to have matching centerpieces on every table and instead the tables were a mixture of flowers and candles in a variety of arrangements.    An elegant paper flower display over the sweetheart table was the perfect backdrop for the bride and groom and tied the look together, beautifully crafted by Fanciful Designs. The venue is so beautiful on its own that we didn't want to take away from the richness of the architecture and felt simple and clean was the way to go.   Aside from the decor and beautiful design of the wedding details, what people are still talking about years later is the food and how much fun the wedding was. That was something that was very important to both my husband and I. We really wanted our guests to have a great time and be well fed and we accomplished both! The chef did an amazing job from our appetizers to our entrees to the dessert station. It was beyond what we expected and surpassed our expectations by far!  These cute meal choice stickers from Etsy were placed on each guests's escort card and worked great. They let the wait staff know what entree to serve them as we had choices of beef, chicken or a vegetarian dish. For entertainment, local DJ Danny Vasquez of Elite Disc Jockeys got everyone dancing and helped us keep everything on schedule as our Emcee. He did an amazing job playing music and kept the party going late into the night. Our photo booth was a huge hit and was busy all night long. There was never a dull moment and always something fun to do! What I loved most about the wedding was all the people who came together to celebrate with us from places near and far. The question many people have asked me is, "did you have a wedding Coordinator?" The answer: YES! Of course I did! There is no way I was going to do everything myself on my wedding day or have my friends or family do anything except come to the wedding and have fun. I hired Alegria By Design for Wedding Day Coordination only. Armando is amazing and I have known him for many years. I trusted him to take care of all the wedding day details and he did help me with questions during the planning stages along the way. It was great having his support and guidance throughout the process and to lean on when things started to get overwhelming. Even someone like me who plans weddings for a living needed help and I wasn't afraid to ask for it. I knew it was going to be a lot for me to tackle on my own. I am lucky to have a great network of people in the industry here in Santa Barbara to utilize which I am very grateful for! All of the wedding vendors I hired did an outstanding job and I think that is one of the reasons everything went so well. Good, reliable, experienced wedding professionals are a must! I cannot tell you enough what a difference it makes. Was our wedding perfect? No. But I wasn't planning for perfection. We set out to have a fun day full of love and laughter and we ended up having the time of our lives! Yes there are things I would change if I could do it again (a future blog post). But overall I couldn't have asked for a better wedding or a better group of people to share it with. We loved every moment!            Marriages are not perfect and you shouldn't expect your wedding to be either. Plan for the unexpected. Accept the challenges and face them head on. Enjoy every moment, even the hard ones. The wedding day goes by so fast and if you aren't careful, you will miss it.  THANK YOU to all the OUTSTANDING wedding professionals I had the pleasure of working with and who made our day absolutely beautiful!
Wedding Day Coordination: Alegria By Design Wedding Venue: Santa Barbara Club Rentals: Party Pleasers Ceremony Music: Monica Cremona DJ: Elite Disc Jockeys Photo Booth: 805 Party Pix Flowers: Ella and Louie Photography: James & Jess Cake: Your Cake Baker Transportation: SB Trolley Vintage Car: Santa Barbara Tours a la Carte Bride's Hair: MiSalon Bride's Makeup: Spa Escape Men's Attire: Mission Tuxedos Accommodations: Fess Parker Double Tree Hotel If I had to sum up Taylor and Ryan's wedding day I would have to say that is was definitely not boring! This wedding had A LOT going on including a very brief (yet scary) microburst storm that sent tourists scattering from beaches, umbrellas flying in the air, street lights that lost power and fallen tree branches and debris in the roadways causing major traffic in downtown Santa Barbara. Here is a quick video of some of the destruction this storm caused (which is also a good reminder why it is important to check the weather report before your wedding day and always have a backup plan)! Thankfully the storm was brief and the sun came out shortly after. As a Wedding Coordinator it is my job to be prepared for anything! I was fully prepared to move the ceremony indoors if necessary. Luckily we did not have to do that and we were able to still have the ceremony at the beautiful Winslow Maxwell Overlook at Santa Barbara City College overlooking the breathtaking Santa Barbara Harbor with endless ocean and mountain views.  Nothing was going to take away from Taylor and Ryan's day, not even a little rain in the forecast! This young and vibrant couple were able to celebrate their love among family and friends who got to see Santa Barbara in style courtesy of Santa Barbara Trolley. Once they arrived at the ceremony site, guests enjoyed the view and music from a mariachi trio who set the tone for a beautiful and joyous occasion!  Once the bridal party arrived and guests were seated, the ceremony was quickly underway. The officiants who happen to be close friends with the bride and groom got everyone laughing and kept guests fully entertained with the couple of honor taking part in the fun themselves!     After the ceremony, the fun continued at the Cabrillo Pavilion Arts Center where guests enjoyed a delicious dinner served from LA based food truck, Shrimp vs. Chef. Dessert came in the form of refreshing Hawaiian shave ice in a variety of flavors from ParadICE Shave Ice and Welcome Coffee Cart kept everyone fueled with caffeine and dancing all night serving up coffee to order.     The most entertaining part of the night (and gets my vote for most creative grand entrance of 2017) was when the entire bridal party entered the reception to their wrestler alter ego and was announced by the bride's uncle, in his best wrestling announcer voice! The bride and groom, who are huge wrestling fans, came up with the idea and even got their parents involved!  This wedding was full of surprises. All jokes aside, I am so happy for these two and was thrilled to be part of their special day!   Thank you to the following vendors! Ceremony Venue: Santa Barbara City College Winslow Maxwell Overlook
Reception Venue: Cabrillo Pavilion Arts Center Coordinator: Gatherings for Good Catering: Shrimp vs. Chef Coffee Service: Welcome Coffee Cart Bar/Event Staffing: Simply Cocktails Photographer: Bob Faulkner Photography Transportation: Santa Barbara Trolley Rentals: Discount Party Rentals Hair: Sequel Salon Dessert: ParadICE Shave Ice Bride & Groom's Hotel: Hyatt Centric Santa Barbara Melanie and Tetlo are a fun-loving couple with a unique style all their own! Their wedding day was a celebration of food, family and fun which you can clearly see in these photos by Chelsea Elizabeth Photography who captured it all so perfectly! Melanie and Tetlo chose to have their wedding at Imagine Park at Alpha Resource Center, a private outdoor space which complimented their love and appreciation for natural beauty and rustic elements. The bride's DIY flower arrangements in mix and match vases, along with potted plants and succulents used as centerpieces gave just the right amount of color and style to enhance the already beautiful landscape.     The intimate ceremony was set in front of the greenhouse which is flanked by an abundance of lush green trees and plants. The decor was minimal in order to preserve the venue's rustic, earthy appeal. Guests were greeted with glasses of champagne as they waited for the bride and groom to arrive. During the ceremony the couple performed a traditional planting ceremony to symbolize how they will nurture each other and the love they share in the years to come.   After the ceremony the couple along with members of their families joined together to perform a traditional Botswana wedding dance as they made their way into the reception. Their VERY grand entrance was followed by the couple's first dance together as husband and wife.   Once it was time for dinner guests feasted on a delicious BBQ buffet from Simply Marvelous BBQ followed by as assortment of desserts including a traditional wedding cake, homemade pies and a variety of fresh baked donuts. DJ Kacy Wilson kept the party going late into the night with a fun mix of dance tunes suited perfectly for this family affair!     Thank you to all the talented wedding and event professionals who made this day so special!
Venue: Imagine Park at Alpha Resource Center Coordinator: Gatherings for Good Catering: Simply Marvelous BBQ Rentals: Amigo Party Rentals Vintage Rentals: Otis + Pearl Photographer: Chelsea Elizabeth Photography Hair/Makeup: La Rouge Flowers: DIY Cake: Enjoy Cupcakes Donuts: Spudnuts Pies: Simply Marvelous BBQ DJ: Kacy Wilson Lighting: SPARK Creative Events Nikki and Ben were married on a beautiful fall day in October in Santa Barbara, CA. The couple wanted their wedding day to reflect their minimalistic style while also being environmentally conscious, choosing eco-friendly options for their wedding decor as well as reusable and recyclable materials. The clean, uncomplicated design reflected both their personalities while suited perfectly for the venue's natural, rustic appeal. The private, serene setting surrounded by lush greenery and fruit trees was an ideal choice for their friends and family to gather and celebrate the happy couple!  The park-like setting is located at Alpha Resource Center in Santa Barbara, CA. Imagine Park appeals to many couples who want the experience of an outdoor wedding with rustic, natural elements. Proceeds from the cost of renting this space help ensure the Alpha Resource Center can continue the work they do to support children and adults with developmental disabilities in the Santa Barbara community.    Guests enjoyed a festive Mexican buffet provided by Los Agaves Mexican Restaurant followed by decadent chocolate truffles by Twenty-Four Blackbirds.  Thank you to the following team of wedding and event professionals:
Venue: Imagine Park at Alpha Resource Center Coordinator: Gatherings for Good Officiant: Ceremonies by Nanette Catering: Los Agaves Mexican Restaurant Rentals: The Tent Merchant Event Staffing: Top Shelf Photographer: Willhouse Creative Flowers: DIY Dessert: Twenty Four Blackbirds Music: Bear Erickson  I knew the moment I met Blair and Andrew that they were a very special couple - young, happy, in love and excited to plan their big day! It was obvious that this was going to be a fun and memorable wedding and I was very honored to be part of their journey to being husband and wife. The couple chose to have their destination wedding the beautiful Shoreline Park overlooking the ocean and not too far from the Pier where their reception would take place at the Santa Barbara Sea Center. As they and most of their guests were coming from out of town they wanted to make sure their guests had the full Santa Barbara experience and planned the wedding around the idea of having a fun, unique and interactive celebration that everyone would remember.  The bride and groom's first look took place on the steps below Shoreline Park. Photographer Anya Kernes captured the happy couple perfectly as they walked together hand and in hand on the beach sharing a romantic moment before heading down the aisle!    The stunning scenery at Shoreline Park made for the perfect photo backdrop. The bridal party's grey and teal attire and fall-like color palette of the bouquets were the perfect compliment to the outdoor setting of the park's green landscape. The clear blue sky blended perfectly with the blue ocean below. Guests and passersby marvelled at the beauty of the day and the absolute pefection of this romantic union.   After the ceremony guests were picked up by local transporation company Jump on the School Bus and taken to the Santa Barbara Sea Center where they were dropped off on the historic Santa Barbara Pier. Once there, they were greeted with tasty appetizers and beverages from Island View Catering and music from the Los Angeles based band West Coast Edition. Guests were treated to an interactive experience getting up close and personal to Santa Barbara's marine life while enjoying spectacular ocean and mountain views!   After cocktail hour, the bride, groom and their guests enjoyed a delicious buffet and danced under the stars late into the night!    Congratulations to the happy couple! Thank you to the following wedding pros who helped make this day so special!
Ceremony Venue: Shoreline Park Reception Venue: Santa Barbara Sea Center Coordinator: Gatherings for Good Catering: Island View Catering Rentals: The Tent Merchant Photographer: Anya Kernes Photography Flowers: DIY Makeup: Elena Adorno Transportation: Jump on the School Bus Dessert: Edoughable Reception Music: West Coast Edition Katherine and Matt are Santa Barbara natives. Although they no longer live in Santa Barbara they chose to come back to celebrate their big day with friends and family in a beautiful park setting in a city that is close to their heart. The couple chose to have their wedding in September which is always a popular time of year as the fall months are known to be sunny and warm! The ceremony location they chose was the beautiful and historic Alice Keck Park Memorial Gardens in the heart of downtown. The picturesque landscape makes for a perfect setting for such an occasion with lush green lawns and an abundance of hearty trees, plants and blooming flowers. The park is centrally located to many of Santa Barbara's hotels, restaurants and infamous landmarks as well as a short distance to the beach - great for out of town guests who want to do some exploring! Katherine and Matt's color choice of baby blue, soft peach, ivory and a delicate shade of purple, popped against the green backdrop of the park. The gorgeous floral arrangements from The Twisted Twig and scattered flower petals down the aisle gave it a fresh look, setting the tone for a romantic and happy day!     After the ceremony, the wedding party and guests traveled to the Santa Barbara Hyatt Centric Hotel for a reception where they enjoyed cocktails and hors d'oeuvres followed by a delicious dinner set inside the El Cabrillo Ballroom which offers scenic ocean views of Santa Barbara's East Beach. The room was full and lively late into the evening with guests enjoying plenty of music and dancing courtesy of the amazing DJ Crash!    It truly was a magical day for these two lovebirds! Here are some of their gorgeous portraits from Qi Wong Photography!    Congratulations to the happy couple! Thank you to the following wedding pros who helped make this day so special! Ceremony Venue: Alice Keck Park Memorial Gardens Reception Venue: Hyatt Centric Hotel Coordinator: Gatherings for Good Photographer: Qi Wong Photography Florist: The Twisted Twig Officiant: Barbara Rose Sherman Cake: Your Cake Baker Hair/Makeup: Jackie Romero Transportation: D&D Limo DJ: DJ Crash To start planning your Santa Barbara destination wedding, contact us today!
Brittany and Eddie's stunning wedding at the Bacara Resort & Spa was a destination dream! The couple who lives in San Francisco wanted to wow their out of town guests who all came to Santa Barbara to celebrate and party in style!. From the gorgeous ocean view ceremony to the lavish dinner reception on the Courtyard Terrace to the hip and stylish lounge where they partied the night away under a dome of lush fabric draping, rose colored uplighting and music from an upbeat dance band - this couple went all out for their big day!    The bride looked absolutely picture perfect in her fitted lace gown with open back, sexy stiletto heels and hair and makeup by the talented artists at Makeup Therapy. The groom wore a classic black tux and white bow tie with a twist - red converse to show off his fun side! The bridesmaids looked glamorous in their gowns which were a blend of deep reds, pinks and purples that popped against their gorgeous floral bouquets from RTTO!      The rotunda at the Bacara Resort & Spa was transformed into a stylish and elegant lounge complete with white leather couches, chandelier and fabric draping hanging from the ceiling courtesy of BAM Speciality Draping. Rose colored uplights from Spark Creative Events gave the room a romantic feel while the stage and dance floor finished the look and gave everyone a feeling of excitement for the fun dance party that would take place later in the evening!    After dinner, the guests enjoyed a delicious 4-tiered cake by the talented Christine Dahl, but not before the bride and groom got to taste it first!  The Los Angeles based band from JMV Entertainment played a variety of popular dance music for everyone to enjoy. The bride and groom got the party started by performing a sultry Tango while friends and family gathered around and later joined in!    This wedding will be one to remember! Thank you to the following vendors who helped this gorgeous wedding come to life! Venue: Bacara Resort & Spa Coordinator: Gatherings for Good Lighting: Spark Creative Events Fabric Draping: BAM Specialty Draping Photographer: Grace Tyler Photography Florist: RTTO Officiant: Weddings by Bill Cake: Christine Dahl Pastries Hair/Makeup: Makeup Therapy Violinist: Brooksley Bishop Band: JMV Entertainment To start planning your dream wedding, contact us today!
Monica and Crister are two of the nicest people and I was so excited to help them plan their country themed wedding! The ranch located in Lompoc, CA is close to their heart and they knew it would be the perfect setting to say I Do. The private residence boasts many beautiful, natural elements which they incorporated into their big day with the sprawling lavender fields and rustic barn being two of the main backdrops.     The barn was transformed into an intimate, rustic ceremony space complete with area rugs down the aisle, wildflowers and a gorgeous green garland hanging above the altar. The couple incorporated many personal touches into their ceremony with special songs, readings and prayers by family and friends. After, they enjoyed cocktails and tray passed appetizers before leading a parade to their beautiful reception space which was set with long feasting tables, head table, dance floor and sparkling string lights. The 200+ guests were served a delicious dinner from Full of Life Flatbread and danced to music from DJ Bill Egan.             Monica and Crister's day couldn't have been more perfect! Thank you to all the vendors for making it so special!
Venue: Private Residence, Lompoc, CA Coordinator: Gatherings for Good Catering: Full of Life Flatbread Bar/Event Staffing: Top Shelf Rentals & Lighting: Santa Ynez Valley Elite Events Photographer: Cole Garrett Photo Hair/Makeup: Dolce Vista Salon DJ: Bill Egan / Egan Entertainment Restrooms, Trash & Recycling: Marborg Industries Angela and Damon are one of the most fun and lively couples I have worked with thus far! Their sparkling personalities and radiant charm compliment each other so perfectly, it is easy to see how much they love and care for each other. Damon's unique sense of humor and attention to detail was matched perfectly with Angela's practicality and decisiveness. We instantly had a great connection and I knew right away this would be a fun wedding! Our partnership began a year before their wedding. The majority of our communication was done through email with very few in person meetings. Their first meeting with me in Santa Barbara was to scout locations, pick the perfect venue and choose a date - all of which was accomplished over one short weekend visit! Both Angela and Damon wanted to give their guests the "Santa Barbara Experience" by creating something unique, elegant and memorable. This destination wedding was an intimate affair with less than 60 guests, all of whom came from out of town to witness their special day. Ultimately they decided on the beautiful Santa Barbara Zoo which had everything they wanted including the ocean view from the hilltop, lush gardens, and cool ocean breeze. They chose a Friday in July to say "I Do" which allowed their out of town guests to have an entire weekend to celebrate and enjoy everything Santa Barbara has to offer!            Thank you to all the vendors for making Angela and Damon's wedding so special!
Venue: The Santa Barbara Zoological Gardens Coordinator: Gatherings for Good Officiant: Jono Shaffer Rentals and Catering: Rincon Events Flowers: Emma Rose Floral Photographer: Jade Elora Photo Videographer: Andrew Fels Productions Cake: Your Cake Baker DJ: Bouquet Sound Makeup: Shanie Crosbie Hotel Accommodations: The Fess Parker Double Tree Resort |
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September 2018
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Brenda Cali is a professionally trained Wedding Consultant and plans a variety of social and corporate events. 
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