Weddingbee bios

While I work in entertainment, my husband is a graphic designer/user interface manager by day, and a writer/director/producer for Indi projects and web series by night.

We met at of course one of the most ROMANTIC places on the face of the planet.... "El Torito Mexican Restaurant".  Ironic because I have a strong dislike for Mexican food.  However, at the time when we met in '04, I was a trainee through the Director's Guild of America Training Program, and my class typically met there for drinks after our seminar classes on Saturday for venting.  One of my classmates had a college buddy who lived right up the street and invited him out for dr inks.

The rest I suppose is history.  We ended up lingering after, he asked for my number and I gave it.  Dating process was extremely slow for us.  Very casual for about 9 months before the "L" word was uttered.  But, once we made the leap, we never looked back.  1yr and 2 months into dating, we were engaged... 1yr and 4 months after that, we were married.  He is the best partner, husband and friend a girl could ever ask for.

  

   

  

  

  

Even though Andrew and I have been together for a while, we decided to take advantage of Sara Lindsay's visit to LA.  She's a talanted photographer out of Texas and offered to do some couple shots for a group of us.

We really wanted to show off where we live, and hence had her follow us while we rode the Red Line train to the Disney Concert Hall and Union Station.  These were the results:

 

My bridal party was awesome.  They included:

• My three half brothers who were honor attendants, Stephen, Christopher and Brian (From left to right)
• A friend from LA and wife of our Best Man, Lilas (Far left)
• A good friend from High School, Melissa (Center)
• A dear friend from 7th Grade and my Matron of Honor, Erinn (Far Right)
• The young lady in brown on the left is Andrew's Neice and my Jr. Bridesmaid, McKinlee.
• The little girl is another Neice of Andrew's, London and is one of our flower girls.

Andrew's party was no less amazing.  They were: (from left to right)

• Michael, 3rd oldest brother, groomsman
• Paul, 2nd oldest brother, groomsman
• James, best friend from Texas, Best Man
• Richard, oldest brother, groomsman
• Brian, friend from LA, groomsman
• Todd, frat brother from Texas, groomsman
• Emery (little boy) is Andrew's Nephew and our ring bearer
• The little girl in her daddy's arms is Fiona, Andrew's Neice and our other flower girl.

Below from left to right are the parents involved in raising me.  My father, John, my mother, Margaret, my ex-step mother, Linda and my step father, Jim.

Below are his parents, Hank and Judy, who are still together.  (A rarity these days.)

Our ushers were some very close friends of ours.

 

• Brian is a dear friend of mine from college. (on the Right) 
• Matt is a good friend of Andrew's whom he met in LA. (On the left.)

 

Last of all is our Minister, Gordy.  I met Gordy when I was 9yrs old and convinced him to move out from Michigan to Arizona to come be our minister.  His family has always been very close with mine.  Even though he has since retired back to Michigan, I paid to fly him and his wife out to perform our ceremony... I couldn't imagine anyone else being my officiant.

After doing some initial shopping and being ready to tear my hair out, I stumbled on Bride's Against Breast Cancer.  http://www.makingmemories.org  This is an event that tours the country, the dresses have either been previously worn, or are donated brand new from shops.  They all cost a fraction of what most stores sell them for, and the money goes towards granting wishes for terminally ill women.  It's a wonderful cause, and I had such a great experience with them, I re -donated my dress after the wedding.

I have no idea about the brand of my dress as the tags were cut out, but it's a soft ivory color, and I love the gold thread and yellow beading.  Cost of the dress was $350, and I got the dress altered for free courtesy of the wardrobe ladies of the show I was working on at the time.

 

 

 

Reception Dress:

Being an avid swing dancer, I wanted something I could move in during the reception.  I fell in love with this silk little number from Hepburn's at the Westfield Mall in Sherman Oaks.  Our main colors were chocolate and orange, the bridal party was in chocolate, so having the bride in orange for the reception seemed appropriate.

Bridesmaid dresses were from JC Penny, brand name Bisou Bisou and on sale for $54.  The purses were fromhttp://www.myglassslipper.com and dyed to match the dresses.  They held their flower arrangements to carry down the aisle.  Jewelry was purchased for them from 1928

  

 

The Jr. Bridesmaid

Dress was purchased online and ordered in chocolate with latte trim.  I also got a necklace for her from 1928

 

For the girls we found some great dresses on Ebay $13.  Chocolate baskets were also purchased on Ebay, and I beaded together some necklaces for them to wear.  My Matron of Honor also sewed some chocolate sashes for them to tie around their waist.

  

The Groom and Groomsmen

The boys wore these great chocolate brown suits by After Six called 'Summit'.  We rented the suits from a shop called LeTux in North Hollywood, and we got a great deal on them.  Groom wore an ivory tie instead of a brown one.  Ushers and fathers also wore brown suits.

The Ringbearer

Ringbearer's suit was purchased from http://www.everythingnicefinechildrensclothing.com/  The pillow was purchased from ebay, and I added the crystal square to the ribbon.

 

Crinoline: Was also purchased from Bride's Against Breast Cancer and dyed in my washing machine by me.

Garter: Was purchased as a set online using search terms of "Bronze" and  "Garter"

 

Jewelry: -The necklace and earrings were purchased from http://www.smartbrideonline.com  The bracelet was my something borrowed from my sister in law.  The watch was a wedding gift from my mother in law, vintage wind-up belonging to her mom.    

My rings are white gold and came as a set.  The larger diamond is a family heirloom.  His ring we got on sale for $55 from http://www.titaniumera.com and is engraved with "Mo Anam Cara" and our initials which means 'Soulmates'

Shoes:  The gold ones for the ceremony I already owned.  For the reception, I changed into a pair of dance sneakers from DSW.

 

Veil: Purchased from http://www.veilshop.com I loved how the edge matched the bead and thread work

 

Flowers for me were a complete DIY project for several reasons.

1. Florists are expensive!

2. I'm a type A personality and really wanted to minimize my vendor list.

3. I like arranging flowers.

However, I'm not crazy, and knew I wanted to go the fake flower route so I could make things in advance and not kill myself with arrangements the night before and morning of the wedding. 

Stats in Pasadena (Located a couple places in SoCal) is a great place to get crafty stuff.  I went in there and abolutely fell in love with their soft touch orange orchids.  I knew in a second this would be my main flower.  All the other flower stuff I got from Michaels.

Orange Orchids

My flower to do list was huge it included:

• My bouquet
• Toss Bouquet
• 3 Bridesmaid Arrangements
• 1 Jr Bridesmaid Pomander
• 16 Bouts
• 3 Wrist Corsages
• 12 Centerpieces
• 6 Pew Arrangements
• 3 Barrettes
• Extra Flowers for the Gazebo

Making the Bride's Cascade Bouquet - Looking in various flower arrangement books, I fell in love with the photo to the left.  I loved the use of orchids and how it was so dramatic.  The photo on the right was my efforts and included a little bit of dogwood mixed in amongst the orchids.

  

Bridesmaid Purse Bouquets - I was completely inspired by the photo on the left and thought, what it was an adorable way for the girls to cary their purses.  Plus, after the wedding, the flowers could be removed and the purses used with the dress for future use.  The photo on the right is my version.

  

Jr. Bridesmaid Pomander.  - It's the one and only pomander I made, slightly longer to put together, but worth it.

   

Mother's Corsages - These were wrist corsages that I created for them using a bit of black elastic for the wrist and a bunch of patience.

  

Flower Girl Barrettes - I also created some barette arrangements to go in the FG and Jr. Bridesmaid's hair.  Also, I made some flower pins to go on the sashes of the FG Dresses

Bouts - These were the easiest to make.  A single corsage with a few rose leaves and some bear grass.  Chinese takeout boxes were a great way to store them!

  

Pew Arrangements - These were relatively small and simply tied to the sides of the chairs on the 1st, 3rd and 5th row.

Decorating the Gazebo - In the morning, we wrapped the pillars in the same fabric we used to make the aisle runner.  We then pinned orchids to the fabric.  Two centerpieces also were on either side of the gazebo.

Centerpieces!!! - This was probalby the most complex project.  The first photo is my inspiration photo.  I loved it so much, but I knew if I went to a pro to get it done, I'd be chared at least $65 or more per centerpiece.  So, I chose to make my own. 

Pots were bought from Stats.  A round styrofoam disc was glued in the middle and then plaster of Paris added to weigh it down.  Pots were also painted and decorated in our wedding colors, along with having our name and date on the bottom.  Curly willow tips came from Whole Foods and dried out a few days.  They were then inserted into the styrofoam and glued in.  Base was covered in moss and then decorated with orchids and a few river rocks on which we had painted key words about what being married meant to us... including "Love", "Trust", "Honor", "Friendship", "Cherish".  Flowers were then wired onto the branches.

  

 

  

  

 

Our wedding invitations was truly a labor of love.  Andrew is a graphic designer, and Marla is fairly "crafty" inclined and thus we wanted to make an impression.

Invitation kits were purchased from a great website containing recycled paper.  All graphics were created by Andrew.  This included: Invitation, Map, Hotel Info, RSVP Card and Monogram.  Card stock was printed at home, cut at Kinkos and then mounted on 12x6" chocolate card stock which had been folded in half.  Exterior paper was also edged with gold nail polish and then brushed with eyeshadow to create a shimmer effect.  Red paper was wrapped around the invitations a nd then lovingly tied with a chocolate satin ribbon.  Exterior envelopes were then crowned with a stamp that had been custom made, the photo being from our trip to Sundance Ski Resort.

We were thrilled with our end result, and received tons of compliments from guests

Vendors

Paper Kit:  http://www.invitesite.com - Ours was called "Carmine".  They also sell matching thank you cards, programs and guest books.  

Paper: Bazzill chocolate card stock - This paper was originally 12x12 card stock that we purchased from a scrapbook store.  It was then cut into 12x6 and folded in half to form small books for the invitation.  We loved the quality and price.

Graphics: http://www.istockphoto.com - Base for the graphics came from this website.  Search terms were "Vector, floral, grunge."

Design: Andrew Deutsch

Ribbon: http://www.jkmribbon.com - Fantastic price with several options.

Stamp: http://www.zazzle.com - We really enjoyed making our stamps, just make sure your image is light enough.

Font: http://www.veer.com - Declaration and Pabst

Printer:  At home.  HP Inkjet.

Paper Cut:  Kinkos

  

  

  

The talented and amazing fiancee, Andrew worked long and hard on these.  Graphics were purchased again fromhttp://www.istockphoto.com  I particularly love our wedding quote in the front, and Andrew came up with a touching thank you note on the back.  Paper was again purchased from http://www.invitesite.com to match our invitations.  I love the mango leaf Mulberry paper and the recycled husk card stock.  Plus they were sweet enough to provide a shimmery brown ribbon to tie it all together.  I love them!

Inside Spread

Outside Spread

Our engagement announcement card, the photo was taken by a friend in the park.  We then created these through I-photo.  I was really pleased with the speed and quality of these!

 

I really didn't like any of the thank you cards I found out there.  So, I went to Papyrus, bought some blank parchment cards and scrap booked my own.  Orange, chocolate and gold marbled paper was also from Papyrus and hand ripped to create an edge to it.  Ribbon came from Michaels along with the thank you stamp and chocolate ink pad.  Ribbon for the bow was left over from our programs.  

Andrew and I put a lot of thought into our ceremony and music choices.  After much reading and consideration, we opted to write not only our own vows, but our ceremony as well.  Here is how it turned out:

Prelude Music: While guests were seated.
Harp & Chamber Music by Shawna Selline

Ushers then unrolled the aisle runner.
Processional Music:
Romance II Andante by Mozart - while the mothers were escorted.  They lit their candles before sitting down.

The Raiders March by John Williams - for the bridal par ty entrance.

Trumpet Voluntary by Jeremiah Clarke - for the bride's entrance.

Introduction: 
Welcome family and friends.  We are gathered here today in the sight of God to celebrate Andrew and Marla's love for each other and to honor and celebrate their decision to make a life long commitment to one another.  They are h appy that so many friends and family members are here to share and celebrate with them today.    

We rejoice with Andrew Deutsch and Marla Hudnall in the making of this important commitment.  There comes a moment in life when two people are drawn together by an irresistible attraction.  They want to never again be divided by time or space.  They choose to marry, to make a public statement of this love, this commitment, and to make public the vows they have already made within their hearts.  There are many kinds of love, but true love is unconditional.  They are both taking this union of marriage  very seriously, that is why their pledge to join and their confidence in the future brings them before us today to enter into this covenant.  A marriage is a holy covenant between two persons who love one another in a very special w ay, and who believe that their love will be strong enough to last a lifetime.  Marriage symbolizes the intimate sharing of two lives, yet a sharing that does not diminish, but rather enhances, the individuality of each partner. 
Thus, it becomes possible to share not only the joys and successes, but also the trials and disappointments that life may bring to bear.

Marriage is an extraordinary event.  Andrew and Marla present a relationship that has been challenged by t ime and personal change.  Their love has prevailed by virtue of it's strengths.  Yet marriage adds a new dimension, which they approach with enthusiasm and deepening love.  Today Andrew and Marla start a new life together, different from the togetherness they have shared so far.

Candle Ceremony: 
At this time, I ask both Andrew and Marla to step forward, to light the center candle.

The two outside candles have been lit by their mothers to represent their lives to this moment.  The lights, representing the faith, wisdom and love they have received from their parents, are distinct, each burning alone.  Please light the center candle to symbolize the union of your lives.  As this one light burns undivided, so shall your love be one.  From now own your thoughts shall be for each other rather than for your individual selves.  Your  joys and sorrows shall be shared alike.  May the radiance of this one light and your journey together be a testimony of your unity.

Homily:  At this point, Gordy, our minister said a few words. 

Ceremony of Rings:  
Traditionally, the marking of the passage of title status of husband and wife is marked by the exchange of rings.  These rings are a symbol of the unbroken circle of love.  Love freely given has no beginning and no end, no giver and receiver for each is the giver and the receiver.  May these rings always remind you of the vows you have taken.
Exchange of Rings: ___ as you place the ring on ___'s finger, repeat after me:

I give you this ring.  Wear it with love and joy.  As this ring has no end, neither shall my love for you.  I choose you to be my wife/husband this day and all the days  before us.

Invocation: 
In this sacred and jo yful moment we call upon you, Lord, to bless this couple, Andrew and Marla to help them to strive to be the best partner they can for one another.  Andrew and Marla, for you we ask every blessing of this moment: a confirmation of the wisdom of your choice, great happiness on the path that is set before you, discretion, kindness, and care as you walk upon it; strength to live out your purpose; grace and peace through each step of your journey; and beloved friends to support you.  May y ou be filled with joy; may you keep your promises with ease; may love abide with you always.

Expression of  Intent and Sharing of Vows:Andrew and Marla, please join your right hands and declare your intentions in the presence of God and this gathering.

Vows:
Marla, 
So here we are, finally, at last we've made it.  We've both been through many trials and challenges in our lives and, I know, before us lie many more.  But I'm here today, in front of our friends and family, to let you know of my purpose.  Because when telling a story a hero must go through many stages.  One in particular is a stage that every hero must go through: its name is "Crossing the Threshold".  

This stage signifies that he is finally committed to the journey before him.  This event raises the stakes and propels the story forward and the hero has to make a choice on how he wants to proceed. 

Well, I plan to enter this stage of our lives whip cracking and guns blazing.  I enter it with clarity and confidence.  With desire and passion.  You are everything to me.  And you need to know that you have given me purpose beyond anything I've ever done before.  The purpose that no matter what challenge lies ahead, I will be there, everyday, by your side, hoping to be your hero.  I love you.

Andrew, 
Throughout life, you are told to "chose the right partner."  I believe the other side of that coin is to BE the right partner.  When you asked me to marry you, there was no hesitation, no doubt.  I enter this marriage with clarity and confidence that you are my dearest love and my best friend.

I will always strive to help us to grow and change for the better.  I look forward to the joy we will find in ou r successes both separate and shared, and I welcome the challenge of whatever obstacles we encounter, knowing we face them together.    

I pledge that I will always be there for you, to listen, to laugh, to comfort, to encourage, to be your refuge of strength and to love.  I will be faithful to you all my days, honest with you always and will cherish and adore you every moment of my life.  I love you

Rose Ceremony:
Andrew and Marla , you will remember this day for the rest of your lives.  Those of us who are already married know that marriage, like life, brings with it many joys and also many challenges.  We also know that love, while beautiful, does not always show its prettiest face.  

There are days when we may find it hard to express the depth of our love for one another.  It is my hope and prayer that the two of you will set aside a special place in your home for roses, ancient symbols of love.  When words fail you, or when the challenges of life or marriage begin to weigh on you, go out and get a rose, and put it in that special place in your home, so that the other will be reminded of this moment, and of the love you feel for one another.  

As a token of that love, I would like to ask you to make these roses your first gifts to one another as a married couple.

The couple would also like to present roses to their parents, a public acknowledgement and thanks for all they have given them.. Without them, they would not be the people they are today.

While we gave roses to each of our parents as a way of thank you the DJ 
played Bouree by Handel.  

First Kiss and Presentation of Bride and Groom.

Recessional:
Throne Room & End Title by John Williams.

 

Ceremony Elements: There were a few things other than writing out our ceremony and vows that we had specifically for the ceremony.

• Candles - I was worried about the flame blowing out since it was an outdoor wedding.  I didn't like any of the hurricane lamps I saw.  Hence I chose to purchase extra fat candles in our wedding colors from Urban Home at the Sherman Oaks Galleria.  I burned these candles down in advance and dumped/carved the melted wax out so that the flame then sat about half way down the candle and was protected from the wind.
• Fresh Roses - These were the only fresh flowers used for the rose ceremony.  I picked them up the day of.  Two red roses for us to give to each other.  6 Salmon colored roses for us to give to our parents.
• Orange bud vase - Also from Urban Home to use as part of the rose ceremony to hold our two red roses.
• Aisle Runner - Created by me using curtain panels from IKEA and fabric from JoAnns
• My Rings - They came as a set.  White gold with mini diamonds.  The larger diamond belongs to Andrew's family and used to be in a necklace setting belonging to his grandmother.
• His Ring - Purchased on sale at http://www.titaniumera.com for $55.  Brushed finish, wide band, titanium.  Inside is engraved with our initials and the line "Mo Anam Cara" which means 'soulmates' in Gaelic.

 

  

  

 

Vendors:  I think we can all agree that a little help goes a LOOONG way.  These were the guys that helped make the ceremony so awesome.

• My DJ - Christopher Gauntt.  He is a fellow swing dancer and we met while dancing at Joe's American Bar and Grill in Burbank.  He was so increadibly patient helping Andrew and I pick out songs.  He also went to rehearsal with me on a tech run for his music and custom edited several songs to make them the proper length.  In adition to playing songs for the cremony and reception, he had a great lighting package setup, AND danced with the guests.
• My Day of Wedding Coordinator- Colleen.  She works with Westlake Village Inn (My venue) and was great for making sure all the elements and things I wanted on the day were there.
• My Photographer - Kerry Corcoran.  We found Kerry through David Michael's Photography in Woodland Hills.  He's a great artist and wonderful to work with.
• My Minister - Gordon Nelson.  I've known Gordy since I was 9yrs old when he moved out to AZ preach at my church.  Even though I moved away 3yrs later, I still couldn't imagine any one else officiating the wedding.  Gordy had since retired to Michigan with his wife.  I flew them both out to attend the wedding and was so glad they could make it.

Our cake was an amazing creation by Let Them Eat Cake in Costa Mesa, CA.  The bakers and artists there were outstanding.  http://www.letthemeatcake.net  From the moment I saw their portfolio, I knew I wanted to try them.  The tasting confirmed it.  

Our cake was the Pistachio Pear Fizz - Batter marinated in pear liqueur and with layers of champagne, pear and pistachio mousse. 

For the design, we gave them a copy of our invitations and the flowers and photos of our centerpieces and said "make something that incorporates that stuff."  They did that and more.  It was an extremely tasty cake with flowers made from pure sugar and hand painted.  I love how they used the graphic from the invitation and our monogram.  In addition, we got a free cake for our 1yr anniversary!

Initial concept design:

Finished Product:

 

 

 

• Old - The watch pictured above given by my FMIL
• New - My dress, veil, necklace, etc.
• Borrowed - Bracelet pictured above borrowed from one of my FSIL
• Blue - Toe nail polish!

It's all about the location.  For us we wanted a venue that was convenient with the ceremony and reception at the same place and housing nearby for guests.  Knowing that all of our family was from out of town, we wanted to find a venue with some great exteriors to showcase our amazing California scenery.

Ultimately, we chose Westlake Village Inn in Westlake Village, CA.  They had delicious food, and their site had several lovely photo opportunities around each corner.

  

 

  

For our ceremony location, we chose the "Wishing Well"which later became the "Tuscan Garden". On our initial tour of the venue, we were informed that the site would undergo construction, and basically signed our contract for the place sight unseen... a huge risk, but we were able to get the old price out of the deal

Before                                         After

  

 

Our reception was held in the "Lakeside Room" with a beautiful patio near the lake. This was perfect to have cocktail hour out on the patio and then eat inside. The huge fireplace out there was also a big plus.

 

Rehearsal dinner was in the "Fairway Room" which was located up above the "Lakeside Room" and a delicious farewell brunch was at the "Mediterraneo". A spectacular setting.

We also reserved a suite for us to stay at for Friday and Saturday night. (This way I had a place to get ready.) Several other guests stayed at the hotel. For guests on tighter budgets, we also reserved blocks of rooms at the Hampton Inn and Suites and the Renaissance Hotel, both on the same street as the venue only 2 miles east.

Weddings also involve giving gifts to bridal party members, family, those that help etc.

 

OOT Guests:

Knowing most guests were checking in on Friday afternoon or evening, I wanted to put something together some snacks to help them get through the day without spending a pretty penny on the hotel mini fridge.  Snacks varied from healthy to not, and I also included a welcome note with an itinerary about the weekend including info about the rehearsal dinner and farewell brunch.

Contents:

 

• Welcome note
• 4 mini bottles of water
• 1 mini bottle of red wine (screw top), 1 mini bottle of white wine (screw top)
• 2 plastic wine glasses
• Assorted crackers
• Hummus spread
• Wine infused cheese spread
• Summer sausage
• 2 Cliff bars
• Trail mix
• Girlscout cookies (our two favorites)
• Chocolates
• Popcorn (either cheddar or carmel)
• Pack of gum
• Mini can of Pringles

 

 

 

Bridesmaids:

For the girls, I purchased their purses which held the flower arrangements I made for them.  After the wedding, they were able to remove the flowers and re-use the purse with their dress.  I also got them a set of earrings and a necklace to wear on the day from 1928.

 

 

Groomsmen/Ushers/Honor Attendants:

For the boys we wanted to get them something interesting and fun.  We opted to go with pin up girl cufflinks by Simon Carter.  They had about 6 different designs, so everyone had something different.  This way they always have a pretty lady on their arm.

 

 

Jr. Bridesmaid:

For her I wanted to get something that a young lady would appreciate, something sparkly and pretty, yet still had a touch of whimsy.  I settled on this necklace from 1928.

 

Flower Girls:

I got this great bag of fun stuff for them from the Oriental Trading Company.  In addition, I hand beaded some necklaces and bracelets for them to wear on the wedding day that was similar to the necklace style above, but made of glass vs crystals.

 

Ring Bearer

I got him this great bag of toys for him to play with also from the Oriental Trading Comapny

 

Parents:

I'm working on this!  I promise!  EVENTUALLY I'll get an official wedding picture book thing together. 

 

Anne:

She was not part of the bridal party, but she really should have been.  She was one of my most amazing friends during this process.  She helped dress shop, she burned her fingers helping put together the aisle runner, and she spent a good weekend with me putting together OOT gift bags.  I love her.  Anne is obsessed with pirates, so when we saw the game "Pirateology", we KNEW this was the right present for her.

 

Bride & Groom:

While I wrote him a love note and sent it to him on the day, we chose not to get gifts for each other until the honeymoon.  We wanted something that would be totally awesome and help show off our trip.  His we got at a great shop in Kyoto.  Mine, we picked up in an antique shop on Miyajima Island.  They are displayed on dress forms purchased from JoAnne's.  Here's what we got:

 

Andrew is the youngest of four boys and remembers fondly growing up with them.  However, boys grow up, move, get married and have kids of their own.  Hence, the boys are pretty scattered and times when all four are together are extremely rare.  So, when they all made the trek for the wedding, Andrew really wanted to have time with his brothers and dad.  

"Marla!  I have the PERFECT idea!!"  He could hardly contain his excitement.

"Um... what is that?" I asked.

"There's a place where you can learn take boxing lessons and then spend the day sparring against each other.  Doesn't that sound great?"

It did not sound 'great' to me.  All I could think about was black eyes and chipped teeth for wedding photos due to the fun and games.  Fortunately for me, the guys chose the convenient route.  We were after all staying at a place known for it's golf course for the wedding.  So, the guys got up early and hit some rounds of golf.  They even dragged their 6yr old nephew with them into the game.

  

A couple months ago I hosted a garden tea party bridal shower for my friend Rose. (I'm her MOH.)  Ladies were asked to wear dresses and froofy large hats and a pretty darn girly event was thrown. is very well loved by all of her friends for which I am extremely lucky because I had a TON of offers to help. Of course I accepted. (Momma didn't raise no fool!)

Anywho on to the party!

Invitations

Reminder, these were the invitations which I created based on a kit from Mimio in Pasadena and then accentuated with items from Paper Source.

Prep and Details

The style for this shower has been kinda brewing for a while. It got reinforced when I spoke to a girl who wanted to do a vintage style theme for her wedding and so I started collecting milk glass and depression glass. Much of the olive green glass is actually owned by duckierose . So, I figured green and pink would be a good combo with accents of yellow. And of course, when I saw the gorgeous blue glass at the flea market, I knew that had to be used too.

 

The hostess snack plates I found at a few thrift stores with some hunting. I was really lucky in that the plates and cups come in a set of four and each set I got was intact. The plates date back to around the 50's and are by the Federal Glass Company. I got each set for around $5 per set.

 

The pink satin linens were purchased from http://www.cvlinens.com and were actually cheaper to purchase from them than to rent them. Initially I tried to sew my own napkins. HA HA HA HA HA!!! THAT was a joke. My fabric was super slick and it took me over an hour just to make ONE. Since I was already renting chairs, I called up Jennifer at http://www.dressmychair.com and rented satin apple green napkins at $1 each. The runners however, I did make on my own. Fabric was 40% off at JoAnne 's.

I also wanted to hang some adorable shabby chic mini chandeliers above the table. I got these babies for a great price at http://www.amazon.com using my gift card. The bottom I accentuated with a slightly larger crystal drop from the flower market, and then put roses in the candle holders. (I learned my lesson from the last event and used floral glue to make sure they didn't blow out. Love that stuff, doesn't damage the flowers, still holds it in, SUPER easy to clean off.)

For decor around the yard, I reused fabric banners I had made for a previous event. I also reused the fabric strips I had cut for another event to decorate the chairs but never got to fully use. Hooray for recycling! 

For the main centerpiece, I have this wrought iron tree with votive candles that I got from Illuminaries several years back. I spray painted the tree to match the blue glass, added roses into the votives, and hung dessert teas from the branches by Tea Forte, the Dolce Vita collection. (LOVE their Coco Truffle and Vienna Cinnamon tea!) 

Amongst the vintage vases, I had large vintage style gate keys which I got online from Pottery Barn. 

For napkin rings, I had Julie and Anne make mini tissue balls. Thanks Martha Stewart! Favors included tea for one sets from http://www.englishteastore.com and tea trays from http://www.teaforte.com. ALSO, Rose's mom brought down extra virgin olive oil, and blue cheese or garlic stuffed olives from Napa (where she lives). SOOO yummy.  

Another detail that was made in advance was a recipe book. Duckierose recently remodeled her kitchen and she wanted useful gifts that she could use, but didn't really want anyone to spend money. So, I suggested a cookbook where each girl could contribute a recipe or two, and that way guests who couldn't make the shower could still participate. I collected the recipes and made the book via http://www.blurb.com 

Activities!

Duckierose collects two things.... snow globes and rubber ducks. I knew she had gotten her hands on a bunch of blank rubber ducks with the intention of doing 'something' with them. I asked to use them thinking how appropriate it would be for each girl to decorate one to add to her collection so she could remember her shower each time she saw them.

Also, if you know this couple at all... costumes and photo sets are a BIG thing for all of their parties. (One of the reasons why I requested big hats from everyone.) I also thought it appropriate to create a simple photo set for her shower. Duckierose's brother, Sky owns Red Dawn Media http://www.reddawnmedia.com/ He was kind enough to come over and set up a white back drop, lights and a camera in the garage. and then made huge tissue paper pom poms using the 20x30 tissue paper I pur chased from Nashville Wraps http://www.nashvillewraps.com/ 

Food!

Julie and Duckierose's mom were amazing in the kitchen. I set them loose in there after handing off recipes and ran away to the office to go put flowers together. Everything was so tasty! We tried to be good keeping in mind we had some restrictions, including the guest of honor not able to eat dairy or liking onions, a vegan friend, and a pregnant woman.

Menu included:

1. Egg Salad Sandwiches 
2. Cucumber Mint Tea Sandwiches http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Cucumber-Mint-Tea-Sandwiches-12337 
3. Minted Radish Tea Sandwiches with Lemon Mayonnaisehttp://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Minted-Radish-Tea-Sandwiches-with-Lemon-Mayonnaise-11856 
4. Smoked-Turkey Tea Sandwiches with Arugula Mayonnaisehttp://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Smoked-Turkey-Tea-Sandwiches-with-Arugula-Mayonnaise-101681 
5. Mini hot dogs wrapped in buns (Trader Joes) 
6. Veggie Platter with dairy free creamy garlic dressing 
7. Fresh fruit platter 
8. Lemon Tea Cakes and Cranberry Tea Cakes (From Martino's Bakery) 
9. Mini Cannolis (Martino's. Seriously, I didn't like cannolis until I had one from here, AMAZING) 
10. Fruit Tarts (Portos) 
11. Flowerless Chocolate Cake (Portos) 
12. Lemon Bars (Meg) 

Quick note, I also got these fantastic little chalk boards from an Etsy seller gfout. http://www.etsy.com/shop/gfoutHe was fast, and they were adorable. Perfect for putting signs next to food! 

The trays which we used to display desserts were on loan from Kristeen of http://www.kristeenlabrotevents.com 

For drinks we had:

1. Wine from Napa
2. Hot tea 
3. Basil Lemonade (Had my doubts on this one while making the syrup.... but SO GOOOOD!!!) (Can sub in Agave.) http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/drink/views/Basil-Lemonade-238928 
4. Iced tea using half ceylon gold and half pomegranate blackberry iced tea bags from tea forte. 
5. Strawberry Peach Sangria http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/drink/views/Strawberry-and-Peach-Sangria-232542 

The apothecary drink dispenser was on loan from Kristeen. (She got it from Z-Gallery.) The other two dispensers I got from Amazon thanks to my gift card!

Full Party Setup!

Food Table

A HUGE shout-out goes to Julie for going with me at 5AM on Friday to the Flower Market down town, keeping my floral budget in check, and helping prep the flowers.

Girls in hats!

The Guest of Honor

Time to eat!

Tea drinking!

Very serious duck decorating!

Gift Opening!

April gave Rose the most AWESOME gift ever. She made the picture herself, drawing Rose complete with a race number (she loves running and races), her viking hat from the Warrior Dash (an obstacle course race), mud run type clothing, her fav color as a background and of course, rubber ducks.

Rose also collects knee socks. As in, she used to do a sock of the day photo. I think she had enough socks to wear new socks for almost a year and post photos. Julie and I helped add to her collection, including some socks she could wear while getting ready for her wedding.

I love this sweet 1st edition cook book that Joanna gave her. It has old school recipes along with advice for being a good wife.

And of COURSE, we took photos in the photo set! There were a ton of props to play with also.    

Mother and Daughter. And the girls in the family!

 

Rose and two of her bridal party, myself and Julie

 

Then we started playing with props...

         

Showing off our ducks!

       

A huge thank you and shout out go to:

1. Rose for being awesome and helping clean up. 
2. Julie for going to the flower market, prep, setup and cooking. 
3. Anne for setting up, ironing and clean up 
4. My husband Andrew for being so tolerant of our home being used to host, helping set up, and being our photographer. 
5. April for helping clean up 
6. Kristeen of http://www.kristeenlabrotevents.com for loaning her pretty food trays and dispenser, and using her contacts to get my chairs from http://www.dressmychair.com 
7. Sky of http://www.reddawnmedia.com for setting up and loaning equipment for the photo area 
8. Louann for buying food, bringing down delicious Napa treats and helping out in the kitchen 
9. Stela for being an awesome sugar momma 
10. Meg for her delicious lemon bars. 

 Seriously, none of this would have been as awesome without their help.

For me, personally, I really wasn't planning on having a shower.  However, my two girlfriends really wanted to throw something together.  

"What do you want to do?" they asked.  

"You know what I really need?  Help take me away from wedding planning for the day!" I replied.

And that's what they did.  Two weeks before the wedding, a few of us gals got together for brunch at my favorite place, Mi Piace in Pasadena.  Then we walked over to Burke Williams Day Spa for a day of beauty where I was forced to turn off my cell phone and relax.  (The horror, I tell you!)  The girls were so thoughtful and all chipped in as a gift for a spa treatment for me.  I always walk about of that place feeling refreshed.

Seeing as how most of our friends are either married or seriously dating, we opted to have a co-ed bachelor/bachelorette party.  And what better way than to partake in one of our favorite activities?  Skiing for 4 days at Mammoth Mountain Resort.  We rented a huge condo where everyone could stay at Snow Creek Resort, went skiing during the day, and then hung out and played games at night.  We had an absolute blast.

 

 

 

Friday, the day before the wedding was extremely busy for us.  This included packing up the car with all our DIY projects, and schlepping over to the venue which is an hour away from us and checking in, then meeting with our officiant, and REHEARSAL!!

Rehearsal went smoothly.  Dad kept making faces, only because he didn't want to get all mushy, which I thought was sweet.  We kept cracking each other up while walking down the aisle and getting instructions from Colleen, our day of coordinator, on how he was supposed to hand me over to Andrew.

For rehearsal I wore a little number by http://www.stopstaringclothing.com as pictured below, only in reverse, so white with black polka dots and black bows and belt.

My DJ, Chris was also there to work out the music, and make sure his equipment was going to work smoothly on the big day, which I thought was fantastic..  The day was warm, and everyone was in good spirits as we all lined up in the Tuscan Gardens at Westlake Village Inn.

  

  

  

Then it was off to the Fairway Room for some rehearsal dinner.  In addition to inviting the members of the bridal party and their significant others... we also invited all of our family members who had come in from out of town to celebrate with us.  The meal was a Mediterranian theme buffet, and was delicious:

• Whole slow-roasted chicken rubbed with herbs du provence
• Baked whitefish with tomatoes, basil, olives and capers
• Parmesan Risotto with porcini mushrooms
• Grilled asparagus spears with blue chease in a red wine vinaigrette
• Vegetable ratatouille with eggplant and zucchini
• Marinated imported olives with feta cheese and artichoke hearts
• Seasonal greens tossed in parmesan balsamic vinaigrette
• Caramel napoleons and vanilla creme brulee

We also took that time while visiting with family, to present our bridal party with gifts and to show a dvd Andrew put together of photos of us growing up and being together.   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGNHuzdtV3o

  

Because we knew this would be one of the rare occasions in which all of our family and out of town friends would be in the same area, we wanted to spend as much time with them as possible.  For this reason, we had a no host farewell brunch on Sunday at the Mediterraneo located onsite at Westlake Village Inn.

Brunch was a huge buffet style with absolutely anything and everything you could possibly wish for.  We had the whole back patio to ourselves.  It was nice to hang out with people casually before they had to head off to the airport.