Was it Beshert? Tell us your love stories and we'll help you on your wedding day!

While visiting with a friend today, I was reminded just how much fate factors in who end up with as lifetime partners. So the topic of this long awaited blog entry is actually not about weddings, but how we all got there.

As a wedding planner, I've been fortunate enough to share in the joy that a couple shares as they embark on their new journey as husband and wife. One of the best parts of being a wedding planner is hearing their love stories. :) This little wedding planner is a hopeless romantic...

As some of you might know, a best friend and a close family member of mine both got engaged this past weekend, but both had very different stories. They did however, both begin with similar starts....a set-up. My cousin Nancy was set up with Dave by her mom's friend. They started off slow at first, both being busy professionals, and over the period of two years, it grew into something beautiful and lasting.

One of my best friends, Caitlin was actually set-up by me (yes I'm the culprit) 10 years ago. Her fiance, James, was a co-worker of mine and even though she was planning on going back east for her masters program, I thought it wouldn't hurt for the two to meet and see where things went. And while the relationship didn't last the distance the first time around...the two reconnected almost 6 years later in a long distance relationship that eventually prompted a her to move back to California and in with him. Ten years...relationships in between...and yet they somehow found their way back to each other. How's that for fate?

So let's talk about destiny, shall we? My new friend, Daniella, is a talented make-up artist. She and I have both bonded over how much we both just love working weddings and or general affinity for all things girly, pretty, and full of bling. Today, I finally had a chance to ask her just how she met her husband...and all I could think of was...it was beshert.

Daniella met her husband at a wedding...although they were always meant to be in the eyes of many of their mutual friends, the couple didn't actually meet until a few years after one of their mutual friends got married. At the time her now husband had been living in Sweden...who knew, that the love of her life and future husband was hiding in Sweden? On that fateful day, Daniella actually caught the bride's bouquet and her husband caught the garter...and of course they were the next couple among their friends to get married. If that isn't meant to be, I don't know what is. ;)

This blog entry was posted with every intention to get a response...from you! Tell us your love stories! Did you two meet in Vegas? Where you high school sweethearts? Where you united by the modern marvels of online dating?

From now until July 31st, On the Dot Event Planning would like to hear how you got to your engagement. Send in your stories to info@onthedoteventplanning.com and if we choose your love story as our favorite, we will include it in our blog and the lucky bride will receive a 50% discount on day of coordination services for their upcoming Los Angeles or Orange County wedding in 2014. Please include your preferred wedding date and venue in your e-mail entry with the subject line "2014 Day of Coordination Contest." Good luck to all those who decide to participate!

And for those who may still be out in the dating world and are still holding out hope that they may someday find the right person to spend their life with...I wanted to share this special quote from Deepak Chopra.

“Whatever relationships you have attracted in your life at this moment, are precisely the ones you need in your life at this moment. There is a hidden meaning behind all events, and this hidden meaning is serving your own evolution.” 

So maybe the one you're with right now, just may be the one....you never know. ;)

Signing off for now and throwing caution to the wind...

-Angie :)

Your Song - Zina and Drew - October 13, 2012

On the Dot first met Zina and Drew back in September 2011. At first the couple was hoping to hold their wedding at a winery in Temecula, close to the groom's family. However, after a couple of weeks of trying to find their "perfect" venue, they decided on Castle Green in Pasadena, California, as their venue of choice.

Castle Green was built in 1898 as an annex for the famous Hotel Green. This seven story Moorish Colonial and Spanish style building is located adjacent to Central Park in Pasadena and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the State Historic Register, and the City of Pasadena's list of Historic Places. With the help of all of  her wonderful vendors, we were able to pull off an amazing wedding day for Zina and Drew on Saturday, October 13, 2012.

Zina's special day started bright and early at 7 a.m. for hair and make-up. Her bridesmaids Jennifer, Joy, Holly, and Audrey, and Maid of Honor, Allyson, joined Zina in her bridal suite at the Pasadena Marriott.

Zina with her wedding party

After donning her gorgeous mermaid style Lazaro 3002 gown, the bride and her her bridal party met Drew and his groomsmen, Jon, Aaron, Marc, Brad, and Ryan, for their first look at Pasadena City Hall.

Zina's dream gown - Lazaro 3002

Zina's mom, Chris helping her with her gown

 

Shots of Zina with her mom, Chris.

 

Zina and her wedding party, all dressed and ready to go!

Make-up and hair done by Susie Chhuor - http://www.susiechhuor.com/

 

Zina's Lazaro 3002 wedding gown and her blinged out bridal bouquet. Zina kept Drew's dad and her dad close to her heart as she walked down the aisle with their framed pictures attached to her beautiful bouquet.

Zina in her gorgeous dress, before the first look

 

Maid of Honor, Allyson, holding a bridesmaids bouquet and Zina's bridal bouquet.

Floral design by City of Commerce Flowers - http://commerceflowers.com/

 

Meeting by the fountain in the courtyard of Pasadena City Hall, Drew took one look at his bride and couldn't help but shed a tear. It was quite possibly the sweetest moment of the day.

Cheers to the whole bridal party!

The bride and groom took a gorgeous photo highlighting the amazing ceiling at Pasadena City Hall.

The bride and groom in the hallways of Pasadena City Hall.

Give us some bridal party love!

One of my favorites. The bridal party strikes a pose from the Kristin Wiig's movie, Bridesmaids!

The bride and groom photographed on the stairway at Castle Green.

 

Zina and Drew photographed next to Castle Green's ornate elevator.

 

At precisely 6 p.m. that Saturday, the Zina was escorted down the aisle by her mother and brother. The lawn at Castle Green, served as their ceremony site and was decorated with white rose petals in a lovely swirl design. The aisles were framed with purple and white floral nosegays and a string trio added a classy touch for such an elegant venue.

 The couple decided to get married under a tree that had been decorated with sparkle lights, a departure from the usual focal point at Castle Green's lawn, the fountain. The bride and groom also honored their two deceased fathers with a lighting of a memorial candles.

Drew and Zina decided on personal vows. It was a special treat them share their love and respect for eachother.

Mr. and Mrs! Let the party begin!

 

 Placecards for their 170 guests

Appetizers that were served during their cocktail hour

Catering by The Ultimate Affaire - http://www.theultimateaffaire.com/home.html

 

Zina and Drew's guests were welcomed into Castle Green's historic ballroom for their reception. The bride chose ivory floor length linens with lilac sheer overlays to complement her color scheme of ivory and purple. The gold chiavari chairs and the mix of high and low floral centerpieces was an elegant final touch.

Wedding Cake: Cakes by Tricia Faye - http://www.cakesbytriciafaye.net/

 

 

Close ups of the tall  and short floral arrangments by Commerce Flowers

Zina and Drew danced to their first dance to the song, Your Song by Ellie Goulding, which was made famous originally by Elton John.

 

 

All the guests were having a blast dancing at the beginning of the reception. However, the party really got kicked off when the DJ played Gangnam Style by Korean rapper, Psy. Everyone young and old flooded the dance floor at that time and ridiculously fun dancing ensued. Zina's wedding was a blast! At one point in the evening. Our head planner even joined some of the groomsmen on the dance floor for some merengue and swing dancing.









 



For wedding favors, the bride and groom decided on a photo booth for their guests, courtesy of Cotton Love Studios, who also did the videography and photography for their wedding.

 

We at On the Dot Event Planning, wish Zina and Drew a lifetime of happiness as husband and wife. It was an absolute pleasure getting to know you both, your friends, and your family and we are honored to have shared this special day with you!

 

Signing off for now!

 

-Angie =)

 



Cute little gifts for the Bride to Be...

While perusing the internet for a stylish new laptop case for my 13-inch Macbook Air, I came across some cute little items perfect for the bride to be courtesy of Kate Spade!

You can find these adorable items on Katespade.com. If you sign up to be on their mailing list you will also receive a discounted offer for your first purchase. You can also find a selection of these items at Nordstroms and Bloomingdales. Happy shopping! =)

Cheers!
-Angie

Wining and Dining - Get to Know On the Dot's in-house Wine Expert

The holiday season has officially ended, and we at On the Dot have participated in our share of holiday parties this season! Holiday season, is of course, engagement season! We hope all of you brides out there got the ring (and the man) of your dreams! ; )

While January is usually a slow month for most folks, it's a busy one for brides who have set their wedding dates for this upcoming spring, summer, and even fall! On the Dot and their clients are occupied with their brides by helping them select anything from their ideal florist to their perfect photographer! In honor of the new year and the start of the upcoming wedding season...On the Dot is offering a limited time offer of 25% off day of services for weddings in January through April. Book us for day of coordination and forget about the stress! : )

For the month of January, I'd like to introduce our first in a series of blogs featuring Kevin, On the Dot's in-house wine consultant. His tips are not only great for hosting your in-home parties, but also fabulous if you are one of the lucky few that have chosen a venue that allows you to bring in your own wine and champagne.
Kevin is a good friend of ours and an amazing wine connoiseur. Our wine expert spends his weekends at the "office" (or rather, any local wine shop) researching his craft...and serving as the leader of a wine club he founded in Orange County. ; ) He's already provided wine pairing recommendations for several weddings, and the demand for his services continually grow. You can read his blog, Bread & Water, at http://nervouskitchen.wordpress.com/. Kevin was nice enough to answer some of our questions.

When did your appreciation for wine start?  

I don’t think I really appreciated  wine until roughly ten years ago when I  enrolled in a "Wines Of the World" extension course at the  University of California in Irvine.   Our instructor was a lot of fun and his enthusiasm for the subject was infectious.  That was when I started to understand wine as an accompaniment or enhancement to a  meal, rather than just an alternative to beer or spirits.

What are your favorite wine varietals and why?

That’s a tough question, because there are too many varietals, too many geographic regions growing world class wine and too many good winemakers.  Ultimately, I have to look at this subjectively and say in the white category, I love Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand and Albarino from Spain.  They are both very unique white wines.  On the red side of things, I really enjoy a Pinot Noir from Oregon, or a Syrah from the Central Coast of California.  Also, I love Malbecs from Argentina and Cabernet Sauvignon from NapaValley.  I’m excluding favorite wine blends and thus I haven’t really talked about Bordeauxor red wines from Tuscany.    As for why I like these, I guess it brings back good memories of a dinner I had or the company I drank the wine with.

For brides that don't know that much about wine, what are your  recommendations for a red wine and a white wine that would go with just about everything?

I think you want to have the combination of an elegant, versatile and cost-friendly wine.  Elegant, because you want your guests to say “Mmmm. This  is good wine!”   Versatile, because you want something which will taste good with what you’re serving your guests for lunch or dinner.  Cost-friendly, because you really shouldn’t be worried about the wine overly impacting your wedding budget.  As a result, I’m always inclined to recommend a Riesling or an unoaked Chardonnay for white wine, because they fit these categories.  Pinot Noir,  Barbaresco from Italy and a French Gamay from the Beaujolais region of France are also versatile reds.

For brides who are holding weddings that are more ethnic in nature,  perhaps a Chinese wedding or Indian wedding, what would you recommend that they pair with their food?

The type of food served offers really fun pairings.  Both types of food benefit from a Riesling or Gewurztraminer as far as good white wines.   Zinfandel is a robust and slightly spicy red varietal which is very successful with heartier dishes.

 What's the difference between Champagne, sparkling wine, and prosecco?

The difference is primarily geographic. Champagne is made in a region of Franceof the same name.  Only wines from this region can legally be called “Champagne.”  “Prosecco” hales from Italyand is named after the grape from which it is made.  “Cava” is a name given to sparkling wines from Spain. “Sparkling wine” is what you name bubbly from places where there is no geographic designation. California and Oregon make world class sparkling wine.

For brides that decide to go the more casual route in cuisine, say a barbeque or comfort food, what would be the best wine to serve with that type of food and what brands would you recommend that would be at a reasonable price?

You definitely don’t want to invest in a complicated, high end wine, because the subtleties in flavors in these bottles will be lost when paired with a burger or with ribs.  It’s generally a good idea with casual lunches and dinners to get wines which emphasize fruit.  In wine lingo, they’re called “fruit bombs.” It’s difficult to give one or two suggestions, because of the variety of food and wine combinations.   One recommendation is to look in the Southern Hemisphere.  For example, Argentina produces an amazing white wine varietal called Torrontes which is aromatic and refreshing.  Most wines retail for less than $15 a bottle. Australia is well known for producing Semillon, which goes great with vegetables and salad. Again, you can find relatively inexpensive wines.  Chilean red wines like Carmenere ar e an even better value.  You can find excellent Carmenere which goes exceptionally well with hamburgers at $10 or less.

Thanks for stopping in visiting with us at On the Dot Event Planning! We hope to feature Kevin in future blogs. Please send us your wine related questions to info@onthedoteventplanning.com and we would be happy to help you pick the best wine pairing for your wedding menu!

Cheers!
-Angie

"It's Showtime!" - Amy and Young - October 29, 2011

On Saturday, October 29, 2011, Amy and Young celebrated their marriage with a traditional Chinese banquet reception at 888 Seafood Restaurant (a San Gabriel institution). However, the reception was probably the most traditional part of the evening's events, because the 430 guests that were lucky to attend their reception were treated not only to fabulous dinner, but a great show..and no I'm not talking about the entertainment they hired. ; )

I like to begin where they started, which was 13 years ago in a courtyard outside a dormitory at San Jose State University. They started out as friends, but Young always knew a good thing when he saw one. After years of platonic friendship, the pair finally found themselves both in the Southern California area and both needing a roommate...and after getting over some initial fears of losing a great friendship for a chance at a great relationship, Amy and Young fell in love. =)

Of course who would expect any less? Amy is the quintessential low maintenance, go with the flow kind of girl with a great head on her shoulders...a kind of girl that every guy dreams about...and Young? Well, he's determined, kind, and a gentleman through and through. They are in my eyes, a "power couple" or in maybe Young's words, they are "Yamy" (a combination of Young & Amy). ; )

So on the night of October 29, 2011, "Yamy" treated their guests to lobster, duck, and other delights common of a Chinese banquet, and photo booth outfitted with funny costumes (courtesy of Herman Au and his group at Herman Au Photography).  Everyone was having a blast eating, drinking, and taking silly photos with their friends. During the reception, the DJ even sang a couple of tunes.

Photo booth complete with costumes (Herman Au Photography)

However, it wasn't the DJ that got the crowd going that evening...

Mother and Father of the Groom:

 

Members of the wedding party:

Moments after the parents, groomsmen, and bridesmaids, were announced by the DJ during the beginning of the reception, the groom proudly strutted into the reception hall to the song "Sweet Child of Mine" by Guns and Roses. Donning a gold championship wrestling belt and a pair of shades, the groom (the ultimate showman) got the crowd going with his gratuitous arm flexing and confident swagger.

Following behind him was his "personal assistant" to help him take off the massive wrestling belt around his waist and to hold it up for the groom so he could check out his reflection before putting on his dinner coat. The cheers that were heard in that room were deafening. We at On the Dot were so surprised by this "grand entrance" we actually forgot to document it on camera! We were in too much awe, and we have Young to thank for that! =)

Bride and Groom:

The rest of the evening was a breeze, from their first dance to "Somewhere Only We Know" by Keane, to the customary cutting of the cake, tossing of the bouquet, and removal of the garter. The bride looked amazing that evening. Hair and make-up was professionally done for the women in the bridal party by Susie Chhuor and her team of experts, and the flowers were gorgeously arranged by the folks at Commerce Flowers.

First dance:

Sharing some wedding cake:

It was a pleasure witnessing this couple take their next steps into married life!

Here are some shots from their wedding for you to enjoy and hopefully draw some inspiration from.

Wedding cake (Diamond Bakery)

 Chinese style guest book:

Photo area for guests of the bride and groom:

Small head table arrangement:

Manzanita tree with red and gold flowers (a must for the groom):

Large head table arrangement:

Bridal Bouquet:

 Bridesmaid's bouquet:

Simple centerpiece:

We at On the Dot Event Planning wish Amy and Young many years of happiness!!

Signing off for now....

-Angie