Category: Press

Happy Monday!  A second feature from the 2015 Love & Splendor Workshop is on Green Wedding Shoes TODAY.  We can’t wait for you to take a look at another one of our dinner settings.  For this particular evening, we dined outside the main house at Greengate Ranch and Vineyard.  Our inspiration was the equestrian property itself, bringing in rich autumn colors, masculine textures (such as leather, weathered wood and wrought iron), and luxurious details that made the experience truly special.

I never tire of looking at these photos from Braedon Photography — he captured every moment beautifully.

Make sure to check out the feature on Green Wedding Shoes today!  Now that we’ve been able to share some of the workshop on a larger scale, I’m looking forward to putting together some “closer look”  posts of each day of the workshop.  In those posts, I’ll be able to really focus on every beautiful detail and of course, share an overload of images.  Look out for that recap coming soon!

As always, I couldn’t have done a thing without my PHENOMENAL team…

photography: Braedon Flynn // planning & design: Love & Splendor // venue: Greengate Ranch and Vineyard in San Luis Obispo, California // floral: Wilder Floral Co. // furniture rentals: Found Vintage Rentals // tabletop rentals: Casa de Perrin // linens: La Tavola Fine Linen // décor rentals: Theoni Collection // catering: Trumpet Vine Catering // calligraphy: Anne Robin // paper goods: The Romance Between // donuts: Sugar Lips Mini Donuts // cake + mini desserts: Sweet and Saucy Shop // lighting: All About Events

Hope you all have a wonderful week.  I have a busy one ahead, filled with Skype calls, meetings, filming, and tastings.  In just the next seven days, I’ll get to see three of my couples.  Grateful for the amazing clients I have this year and I can’t wait to bring their unique celebrations to life.

Hi everyone!!  Let’s fast-forward through the requisite apology for not blogging in ages.  It has been an amazing yet action-packed season for me and when something’s gotta give, it is always the blog.  But — I am really looking forward to sharing more in this space in 2016.  Writing here is a great joy for me.

Along those lines, I want to share that we have a gorgeous feature on Green Wedding Shoes today!  My 2015 Love & Splendor workshop took place last fall at stunning Greengate Ranch and Vineyards in San Luis Obispo, California.  I’m ecstatic to FINALLY share some beautiful photos from Braedon Flynn.  Check out the post on GWS today, featuring our farewell dinner.  Next week we have the second part of the feature to share (!), and then I will be blogging about the entire workshop chronologically here.  🙂  For now, just a few teasers…

A huge thank you to Jen of GWS for coming all the way to SLO as a speaker (her second year in a row!) and also continuing to support and share my work.  Love you to pieces!

Thanks for reading & stopping by — much more to come very soon!

{DREAM TEAM for L&S Workshop 2015 Farewell Dinner} photography: Braedon Flynn // planning & design: Love & Splendor // venue: Greengate Ranch and Vineyard in San Luis Obispo, California // floral: Wilder Floral Co. // furniture rentals: Found Vintage Rentals // tabletop rentals: Casa de Perrin // linens: La Tavola Fine Linen // décor rentals: Theoni Collection // catering: Field to Table Events // calligraphy: Anne Robin // paper goods: The Romance Between // die cut gingko placecards: Jen Aitchison // ice cream: Negranti’s Ice Cream Truck // Photo Booth: CamBooth by Cameron Ingalls

PS // Today Noah is ONE (ohmygosh ohmygosh) and I have a sappy post in the works.  Too much excitement for one day, clearly, and I am still processing my mom-feelings.  🙂  Happy birthday to the littlest love of my life!

I have been dying to share this special celebration with you, and I am thrilled that the day has finally arrived!  Tina and Brian’s incredibly creative, colorful, and detail-laden 5-year vow renewal is featured today on Green Wedding Shoes (thank you, sweet Jen!).  Make sure you scoot on over to feast on all the eye candy, courtesy of my talented friend Braedon Flynn.  It is always an honor to be featured on Green Wedding Shoes and I think it’s the perfect venue to debut these stunning images.

I couldn’t resist sharing my own post today, whittled down to some of my favorite images from the day, as well as some extra background and details.  I had the hardest time selecting photos because this event was seriously jam-packed with gorgeous.  Everywhere you turned, there were layers and layers of beauty and visual interest.  I hope you’re pulled up in a comfy chair and ready to dive into all the goodness.

Tina and Brian are a very special couple to me, because we go way, way back to 2009.  Tina had been a blog follower even before her engagement, and I was blown away when she contacted me to help her style her nearly 800-guest wedding in Taipei, Taiwan (!!!) *and* her stateside reception in Los Angeles.  We clicked from the very start, and I can tell you that she truly become one of my most precious friends since then.  When she told me she wanted to throw a 5-year vow renewal celebration, and wanted me to be a part of it again, I was over the moon.  Tina, for you — any party, anytime, I’m there.  😉  It is a dream working with a friend/client who is so creative and stylish herself, yet also yields to her vendors an amazing amount of trust.  She had such a strong sense of vision from the get-go, and all we had to do was embellish and breathe life into it!

For this occasion, I had the pleasure of collaborating with  my dear friend, Tori Hendrix of Sitting in a Tree Design, on the design for the celebration.  We had a perfect creative synergy and had a blast working together!  The vow renewal was drenched in rich colors embracing a jewel-toned palette (inspired by Tina’s background as a gemologist) that included sapphire, emerald green, deepest purple, oxblood, onyx and metallic accents.  Texture also played a big part in the overall event design, and elements such as leather, ponyhair hide, herringbone tweed and velvet all made their way into the look of the day.

Tina blew us away right out of the gate by setting the tone with her one-of-a-kind invitations.  You guys, it was the kind of invitation that you wonder how you can display forever.  (No wonder, since Tina is a gifted calligrapher and hand lettering artist that goes by Miss Multee.)  A custom black acrylic box was topped with a geode “handle” like a sleek jewelry box.  Inside upon a velvet pillow, an agate slice was hand-lettered in gold ink.  Accessory cards were also done in Tina’s calligraphy, letterpressed and foil stamped by Copper Willow.  A black leather tag wrapped around the entire box on a length of black suede cord.  It took my breath away!  Best of all, Tina had thoughtfully chosen each geode and agate slice to match the style and sensibilities of the recipient.  No two were alike.

They invited 30 of their nearest and dearest to be present for this momentous occasion.  Though the celebration was intimately-sized, the details were larger than life and styled for maximum impact.  Upon arrival, guests encountered a station with an array of floral crowns and boutonnieres to adorn themselves.  They grabbed a beverage and followed a path through a set of striking green vintage doors to enter the ceremony space, where sumptuous upholstered furniture from Found Vintage Rentals faced a bougainvillea-draped arch by Siren Floral Co.  Overhead, hundreds of agate slices were strung as linear garlands, creating an aerial “cloud” (one of our earliest design ideas).

The incredible dinner, artfully prepared by Chef Matt of Heirloom LA, was entirely vegetarian (and mostly vegan).  Tina and Brian, both vegetarians, were excited to share an inventive meatless meal with their guests.  Creative courses included beet greens ravioli, coddled eggs and potatoes served in miniature mason jars, and the tiniest casserole dishes filled with vegetarian bibimbap: a spicy and savory Korean rice dish.  Sweets were plentiful, with macaron ice cream sandwiches by Sweet and Saucy Shop and Sweet Lucie’s, as well as an assortment of mini desserts and cakes by The Scootabaker.

Guests enjoyed the evening at one of four uniquely-designed tablescapes.  Each table featured a unique color story and design details.  It looked like a veritable showcase of the Casa de Perrin inventory, because we were able to play with so many incredible pieces from their collection.  One table featured ponyhair, succulents, airplants, cement, clear glass, corrugated zinc and wood.  A second table was topped with black leather placemats (made by Tori), sapphire blue glassware and milkglass budvases filled with bursts of berry-colored florals.  The third table showcased green glass demijohns from Found, filled with bougainvillea.  Black taper candles in brass candlesticks completed the moody look.  The couple themselves joined their friends at the fourth vignette: a breathtaking green wooden table topped with dazzling gold details, aubergine glassware and a literal treasure chest overflowing with florals.  Rachael of Siren Floral Co. beautifully executed the floral vision to capture the wild, romantic, lush feel of the day.  Although each table felt distinct, they were tied together in the scale of their design.  I spent most of the day debating which one was my favorite and I think I changed my mind 100 times!

Tina and Brian are a truly unique couple, inspiring those around them with their impeccable taste as well as their generous and loving hearts.  Everyone present, myself included, felt blessed to be a part of such a special celebration.  Sitting down as a guest that evening was the ultimate gift, because I am thankful to be invited into their lives after all these years.  I wish Tina and Brian only the best for the future and am already counting down until their 10-year anniversary!

Vendor Dream Team

photography: Braedon Photography // wedding planning + design: Love & Splendor // venue: The couple’s home in Los Angeles, California // wedding design + styling: Sitting in a Tree Events // florals: Siren Floral Co. // videography: Elysium Productions // invitations, favors + calligraphy: bride, Miss Multee // printing studio: Copper Willow Paper Studio // makeup: e2beauty // hair: 1011 Makeup // furniture rentals: Found Vintage Rentals // tabletop rentals: Casa de Perrin // welcome drinks + dessert bar rentals: The Hostess Haven // table linens: La Tavola // geodes, agates + crystals: All sourced by bride // concrete planters: Concrete Geometric // bar: Please & Thank You Bar // catering: Heirloom LA // desserts: The Scootabaker // macaron ice cream sandwiches: Sweet & Saucy Shop + Sweet Lucie’s // bride’s gowns: Rachel Gilbert // bride’s shoes: ValentinoStella McCartney // bride’s headpieces: Twigs & Honey // groom’s suit: Club Monaco // shirts: Club Monaco(multee)project // shoes: Cole Haan // watch: Rolex // live musician: Kevin Miso

And I can’t end this post without sneaking these personal photos of us at the celebration.  See that ridiculous swing that Rachael made??  Braedon snapped a dozen photos of Olive on it and they’re easily some of my favorites of my little girl!  Thanks also to Erica of 10.11 Makeup who did my hair and makeup as a gift from Tina (!!!).

 

Hey everyone!  If you couldn’t tell by the gap between posts, wedding season is upon us and I am busy busy busy prepping for our summer of beautiful events.  🙂  For this reason, my guest post on Sugar and Charm yesterday is perfectly timed.  Click over and check out my 5 tips for planning a charming wedding.  All photos in the post are courtesy of my incredibly talented pal, Ryan Ray.

If you haven’t discovered Eden and Sugar and Charm yet, go subscribe and thank me later.  She is a dear friend and writes the loveliest blog full of recipes, entertaining ideas and local (southern California) lifestyle posts.  After reading a few posts you’ll feel like you’re chatting with an old friend.  I’m so grateful she’s in my life!

Is anyone out there planning a wedding?  Let me know if you have any planning questions; I’d love to address them in a future installment of The Nuptial Primer.  😉

Enjoy the rest of your Thursday and see you again soon!

We’re so excited to have the absolutely beautiful vow renewal of Hannah & Matt up on Style Me Pretty today!  Please click over and visit their featured post and leave us some love there, won’t ya?  😉

I was truly so blessed in working with Hannah and Matt on their vow renewal this summer.  Hannah and I actually went to high school together (different years, but we served on ASB together!) so it was a fabulous blast from the past when she reached out to me about this special day!  They chose Chateau Le Dome at my beloved Saddlerock Ranch as the site for their intimate celebration, and brought on some of our favorite vendors to bring the day to life.  I loved the soft and romantic palette she selected (dusty mauves + blush + sage + kraft), which perfectly complements the natural setting.  Hannah and Matt integrated a subtle travel theme into the details of the day, which was perfect for this jet-setting couple.  I also loved how they brought in elements of their cultures and personalities to make the day truly unique.  My favorite example is with the dessert bar; in addition to the rustic cake from Vanilla Bake Shop and dainty macarons from ‘lette, they served Marie Callender’s apple pie because it was something the groom enjoyed as a kid with his late father.  So, so special.  And delish!

It was a day full of belly laughs and joy; you can see the genuine heart and soul of this couple in every photograph, stunningly captured by Sara of One Love Photography.

I’m about to inundate you with gorgeous photos… Enjoy!

the breathtaking bride

sweet vintage hankie invites

I could post pics of this cute couple all day…

love the bridesmaids’ expressions in the background!

every cake deserves a perch as pretty as this one from {found}

grand entrance

Fabulous Vendors:

Photography: Onelove Photography | Designer & Coordinator: Angel Swanson of Love and Splendor | Venue: Saddlerock Ranch | Cake: Vanilla Bakeshop | Bridesmaids Dresses: Joanna August | Caterering: Command Performance Catering | Hair and Makeup: Kelly Zhang | DJ: Red Shoe LA (DJ WesLee) | Groom’s Attire: Custom Suits by Modern Tailor | Cake plates and stands: Casa de Perrin | Dress: Custom Gown by Seo Ho Seok of Shin Bu Bridal | Floral: SEED Floral Couture | French Macarons: ‘lette | Vintage Rentals: Found Vintage Rentals | Rentals: A Rental Connection| Security: Sandman Security | Shoes: Jimmy Choo | Valet: Premiere Valet

Hannah & Matt — We love you guys!!  Your love and joy is contagious and we all left inspired.  Watching you two love on one another reminded us of the importance of laughter and companionship.  Thank you for bringing us on board such a special celebration; it was such a delight to work with you and your families!!  xo

being goofy in our hedley & bennett team aprons!

Hope you all are having a great Wednesday afternoon & evening!  See you soon!

Hello everyone!!  I’m excited that today I’m featured on The Effortless Chic (a lovely lifestyle + fashion + home blog) for the Savvy Girl’s Guide to Hosting a Stress-Free Holiday Party!  Definitely mosey over to their blog to check out the post and read my simple tips for keeping holiday stress to a minimum, and face-time with your guests at a premium.  😉

I LOVE entertaining, especially during the holidays, and it’s kinda coincidental that I’m having a dinner party for 8 tonight!  I mentioned in the guest post that one of my fall/winter entertaining staples is my hot apple cider.  It is utterly delicious and I will take any excuse to make it.  I am definitely making a batch for tonight’s festivities and I hope you give it a try, too.  It’s wonderfully simple, makes the house smell divine and is an instant mood lifter!  I always feel festive sipping a mug of cider, even if I’m alone in my PJ’s!  I add fresh whipped cream and a drizzle of caramel to my cup but this delicious cider is sweet enough to enjoy on its own by the ladleful.  Enjoy!

Hot Apple Cider (12 servings)

*I make this cider in a crockpot but feel free to use a large saucepan or dutch oven — any non-reactive pot should work on a low simmer!*

Ingredients

  • 2 quarts of apple cider (I use raw and unpasteurized fresh-pressed Gopher Glen cider made with local apples grown only 10 miles from my house!)
  • 2 cups of orange juice (I squeeze my own organic oranges)
  • 1 medium orange (separate from the ones you squeezed)
  • 15-20 whole cloves
  • 4 cinnamon sticks
  • 2 tsp of allspice
  • pinch of ginger
  • pinch of nutmeg
  • optional: 1/4c of brown sugar, fresh whipped cream, caramel for drizzling
  1. In a large crockpot, saucepan or dutch oven, combine the cider and OJ.  
  2. Slice the medium orange (five or six slices) and press the cloves into the slices (sort of like studding them!  I like to press them in a pretty pattern).  
  3. Float the clove-studded orange slices on top of the cider mixture.
  4. Add all of your spices and the cinnamon sticks.  Stir gently to combine.
  5. If desired, stir in 1/4c of brown sugar.
  6. In your crockpot, heat on low for 3-4 hours.  If using a saucepan or dutch oven, bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes to 2 hours.  The key is to keep the heat LOW.
  7. Ladle in to cups and add whipped cream and carmel drizzle as desired.  😉  Fresh cinnamon sticks make a lovely garnish as well!

Enjoy!!  Let me know if you make some yummy cider for your holiday gathering!  And don’t forget to check out the feature post on The Effortless Chic!

Hello everyone!  Today we’re delighted to share a beautiful 2012 wedding with you, which was recently featured on Style Me Pretty California!  It is always an honor to have our weddings showcased on SMP — thank you Abby & co. for your years of support!

Since last year was “the year of Olive” for me (Angel), I was incredibly fortunate to pass the reins off to my lovely Michelle (planner extraordinaire!) for most of my 2012 events.  I had the pleasure of meeting Bri & Jeff at their wedding, but Michelle guided them through the planning process and made sure their day was flawless.  Their sweet and rustic celebration took place at Calamigos Ranch in Malibu.  Here is Michelle’s recap, followed by photos from two of my favorite people on the planet: Nate & Jaclyn Kaiser of The Image is Found.

The minute I met Bri and Jeff, I instantly fell in love with them.  their love, their laughter, and their infectious vibe — it was everything I look for when meeting with a couple to see if we “fit” together. I remember calling Angel immediately afterwards saying I couldn’t wait to work with them on their wedding day!  And over the course of the next few months, they not only became a favorite couple, but true friends.  It’s those clients I cherish the most when it doesn’t really feel like work, but just months of fun together.  They were such a joy to work with and so completely laid back which was a blessing in disguise come the night of their wedding!  

Their wedding took place on a Friday evening, the same night as the massive wildfires near the Getty Museum shut down multiple lanes of the 405 freeway and caused hours of delays.  Their shuttles, loaded with all of their guests, were stuck in that horrendous traffic jam.  Yet, Bri and Jeff remained calm despite it all and the wedding couldn’t have been filled with more happiness once everyone arrived and the ceremony was underway.  The photos speak for themselves on how the rest of the night went: a true blast from start to finish!  

Bri and Jeff — I was honored to be a part of your wedding and I’m thankful for the friendship we still have to this day.  

Until next time, find what you love and truly enjoy it — I know I have been!!  xo, Michelle

Bri is the quintessential California beauty!

Vendors: Photography: Event Planning: Events of Love and Splendor |Photography: The Image is Found | Wedding Venue + Catering: Calamigos Ranch | Flowers: Tanya Parker Mitchell | Wedding Cake + Cupcakes: SusieCakes | DJ: Ian Gotler / Red Shoe LA | Shoes: Nina Shoes | Dress: Monique Lhuillier | Hair: Jennifer Ballard | Make-up: Alex George | Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Bill Levkoff | Guest Favors: Plant a Memory Tree Seeds

Psst: If you’re reading this before 9p today, you need to scroll down to the next post and make sure you enter our Casa de Perrin giveaway!

I hope you are all having a lovely week!  Today I’m excited to share an interview I did with the Central Coast Wedding Standard — a great blog/site all about the fabulous wedding community here on the central coast of California!  I had answered the interview questions last fall so re-reading my answers today made me smile.  I like how I predicted Pantone‘s color of the year!  (Not joking… you can ask my friends Ryan, Jeni and Diana who know I was fixated on emerald green last year when we starting planning our winter gathering shoot last October!)

If you are thinking about a central coast wedding, you’ve gotta check out Central Coast Wedding Standard.  It has an incredibly thorough venue search tool, a blog full of inspiration and real weddings, and lots of artist interviews, helping you get to know the fabulous vendors out here.  I have to say that this stretch of California coast is home to a lot of industry giants and I am truly humbled and honored to join this vibrant community of creatives.

Take a peek at my interview and hopefully you’ll learn something new about me!  There are also lots of pics of me and Olive shot by Cameron Ingalls, the site’s creator and curator.  😉

Thank you again, Cameron, for this great feature!  Grateful to know you and call you friend!

Everyone else — I’ll be back soon to announce the giveaway winner *and* will share more photos of me and Olive from this impromptu shoot with Cameron!  And you know those post-partum baby hairs??  I’m finally doing something about them today.  It’s time for a new look!

xoxo, Angel

Remember how my sister’s wedding was published in the spring/summer issue of Martha Stewart Weddings magazine??  Well today we are thrilled that a lot more of its gorgeous, vibrant, citrus-hued details are featured on Style Me Pretty!  We couldn’t be more excited about this extra exposure and are so thankful to Abby for sharing it with her readers!

I have been chomping at the bit to share more about her wedding with you — from the design process to the fine point details.  I look forward to highlighting some of those items in coming posts!  Today, it is going to be a lot of eye candy.  Lots and lots of scrumptious eye candy.  If you love photos of people in love, gorgeous florals and pretty settings, you are in for a treat.  🙂  Thank you (again and again!) to my dear friend Ryan Ray, who perfectly captured the beauty and emotion of the day.

Here’s my little write-up, for those of you interested in the background.  I promise not to mind if you simply skip to the photos!!  😉

Anna and Sean are an extra-special couple to me, because Anna is my beloved younger sister!  It was a complete delight to plan and design her intimate Ojai wedding to Sean, my now-brother-in-law.  The two of them had been friends in college years ago, and I remember her telling me about her freckled crush back then.  They reunited in the fall of 2011 and knew right away that it was “it.”  Only a few months later, they were engaged and we began planning their springtime wedding!

do you see that tear that ryan captured??!

They decided early on that they wanted to have a semi-destination wedding: a celebration that was close enough to their native Los Angeles for easy guest travel, but unique enough to feel like a getaway.  They landed on the charming hillside town of Ojai, known for an excellent farmer’s market, quaint shops, and organic produce.  Ojai is also famous for their dramatic pink-tinged sunsets, created when the sun is setting across the Topatopa Bluffs.  Anna and Sean selected the fabulous Ojai Valley Inn and Spa as the setting for their nuptials because it is the perfect balance of luxury and that signature Ojai charm.  The sprawling property features an incredible full-service spa and wellness center, great golf (Erik may or may not have gone everyday that we were there!), meandering bike baths, beautiful gardens and fabulous dining.  Most of the wedding guests ended up staying with us at the property and I think I speak for everyone when I say no one was ready to leave!

Anna envisioned a small, intimate wedding set in the Herb Garden, where they would exchange vows and then dine al fresco under a gorgeous vine-covered pergola.  She and Sean drew up a guestlist of closest family and friends, and then really gave me the reins to create the beautiful day for them.  I was completely ecstatic to run with my vision for their wedding; I can’t tell you how fun it is to plan a wedding for your sister, a person you know so well!  Anna has worked with me planning and designing weddings for years, so I had picked up on her style over time.  Anna has a vibrant and vivacious personality, so I knew that we wanted to embrace a bright and cheery palette for the wedding.  She completely entrusted me with most of the details, which allowed me to really get creative.  We began with a lovely range of citrus-inspired hues: coral, raspberry, tangerine and yellow.  Ojai, the setting of the celebration, is known for their citrus (especially their pixie tangerines — in season now!), so I wanted to reference that in the design of the wedding.  I enlisted talented illustrator and graphic designer Julie Song, of Julie Song Ink, to create a beautiful watercolor stationery suite for their invitations.  She incorporated images of lemons, coral charm peonies, sunflowers (a nod to Anna’s favorite bloom) and of course the magnificent pink-tinged Ojai sunsets in her pieces.  The hand-lettering and whimsical feel of the stationery really set the tone for the playful look of the wedding.

Guests arrived at the Herb Garden for the ceremony, and discovered an enchanting set up of vintage settees and sofas in lieu of traditional chair seating.  With the gorgeous inventory of vintage furniture of {found} vintage rentals, we were able to design a much cozier and elegant space for exchanging vows.  Each settee was unique, but the arrangement felt cohesive in feel, with lots of feminine and neutral colors, luxe fabrics like velvet and linen, and button-tufting and gilded details.  Small side tables were placed amongst the upholstered seating for guests to set down their watermelon lemonades once the ceremony was underway.  In keeping with the residential feel, a stunning vintage mantel from {found} was the focal point of the ceremony, covered with framed photos of the couple and copious candlelight, flowers, and garland from Heavenly Blooms.  With such an intimately-sized group, it felt like a gathering at someone’s home.

A vintage vanity was used as a guest sign-in station, and guests tucked handwritten well wishes into the drawers.  A welcome beverage station was decked out with stunning citrus topiaries and featured fresh watermelon lemonade, iced tea and citrus & cucumber water.  Classical guitarist Brandt Jacobus played in the background, completing the idyllic scene.

There ceremony was a traditional Christian ceremony, and the bridal party was made up of only siblings: me and Sean’s brother.  I walked in with my husband and 3-month-old daughter (their new niece!) and Anna was escorted in by my mom and stepfather.  Brandt played Beatles songs including “Across the Universe” and “Here Comes the Sun” for the processional.  There were joyful tears shed as they exchanged vows, and they recessed to “Better Together” by Jack Johnson, also performed by the guitarist.

Cocktail hour took place on a lower lawn where guests could enjoy a phenomenal spread of California artisan cheeses, truffle honey, local citrus chutneys, nuts and more.  Passed hors d’oeuvres included some of Anna and Sean’s favorite treats, including bacon-wrapped dates stuffed with gorgonzola and double smoked bacon-wrapped scallops with maple glaze (sensing a trend?).  Bocce ball and croquet were also set up for guests to enjoy as the sun slipped behind the mountains for that magical “pink moment.”

As the sun set, guests were invited back up to the garden underneath the long covered portico.  We had a local singer and guitarist, Ray Fortune, play for this portion of the evening.  His beautiful voice was the perfect accompaniment to the setting we created.  All 39 guests were seated a long table (created using multiple vintage dining tables) in an eclectic mix of upholstered and bistro-style vintage chairs.  Overhead, delicate crepe paper blooms (which I handmade) were strung alongside glass spheres sparkling with light.  The scene was positively enchanting.  A citrus “chandelier” was suspended over the cake at one end of the portico, and the bar was placed at the opposite end.

The magnificent table was overflowing with stunning floral arrangements nestled in pressed glass goblets and footed bowls.  Tangerines and lemons were nestled amongst peonies, amaryllis, garden roses, bougainvillea, craspedia and more.  The look was lush and abundant, feminine and romantic, yet also youthful and fresh.  Of course, tons of candlelight added drama and mood to the table.  The entire setting was sparkling!  Placesettings featured the white-on-white lacy designs of gorgeous Spode Jewel china, via Casa de Perrin tabletop rentals, as well as their clear pressed glassware.  Guests found their assigned seats via dainty paper “lemon slices” affixed to each wine glass like a little garnish.  Cherry yellow and white patterned napkins from La Tavola added a touch of fun.  Guests also discovered an amazing menu atop their plates.  I teamed up once again with Julie Song on these labors of love.  Her charming illustrations and hand-lettering were designed in a menu that was over 2′ long printed on crisp white linen.  I handcut each menu and then sewed them along the top to roll up as a scroll on porcelain branches (actually drink stirrers I repurposed from BHLDN!).  I hand-dyed lace trim as a tie to each scrolled menu.  I loved hearing the gasps of delight as each guests unfurled their scrolls at the dining table, stunned at the dramatic display of the feast to come!  The memorable meal included a crab and corn chowder with green chile corn fritters, a composed tomato and burrata salad, merlot braised short ribs with garlicky prawns, a berry trifle and a delectable wedding cake made with Ojai’s signature pixie tangerines.

The meal was punctuated by a welcome by our stepfather, a prayer by my husband, Erik, and toasts by both siblings (me and Brian).  Anna and Sean shared a simple first dance to Ray Fortune’s creative rendition of “Honeybee” by Blake Shelton.  After the meal, guests lingered over coffee and cake, enjoying conversation and laughter with one another in the magical setting.  It was a natural ending to a truly impeccable day.  I remember stepping back and feeling so overwhelmed with the beauty of what I saw.  The setting was dripping in details and aesthetic beauty, but it also radiated with the unspeakable joy of the newlyweds and their loved ones.  The night was unforgettable in every way, and I am so grateful I could be a part of creating it for my darling sis!

{vendors}

Location, Catering, and Cake: Ojai Valley Inn & Spa  – Sarah in catering is AMAZING.
Event Planning and Design: Events of Love and Splendor
Photography: Ryan Ray  – our talented and dear friend, who is more like family to me!
Flowers: Heavenly Blooms  – Jaclyne always goes way way above and beyond!
Rentals: Found Vintage Rentals  – Jeni’s beautiful furniture set the stage.  Her styling is impeccable!
Tabletop Rentals: Casa de Perrin  – CdP’s wares made the tabletops shine.  I wish every meal was served on their beautiful china, and every toast made with their gorgeous glasses!
Stationery, Menu, and Calligraphy: Julie Song Ink  – such a sweetheart and a brilliant artist!
Videography: Elysium Productions – Julie shot my wedding, my mom’s wedding, and now Anna’s wedding!  The circle is complete!
Music: Brandt Jacobus and Ray Fortune  – two people you NEED to hire.
Linens: La Tavola Linen  – always my pick for lovely linens!
Hair and Makeup: Nicole Deanne  – our cherished friend helped us look our best!  Loved her being there on the big day!!

Hope you guys enjoyed this special & more detailed look at such a special day for my family.  If you have any questions, let me know!  See you all very soon — enjoy your Thursday!!  xoxo, Angel

Happy Monday, everyone!!  First things first, congrats to the 3 winners of Olive’s birthday giveaway: Vivian, Delia and May!  I’ve contacted the three of you so check your email so we can get your goodies out to you!  I’ll be sending out all the giveaway prizes (these 3 + the 2 winners of the Martha Stewart Weddings giveaway) on Thursday!

Today I’m thrilled to have a guest post up on the WhatToExpect.com Blog “Word of Mom.”  It’s a fun blog with original content from the WTE editors as well as real moms like me!  I was so honored when they reached out to me in January (I was in Big Bear at the time and remember squealing on the couch, in fact) and really enjoyed writing this post for them.  The post centers on 5 lessons I learned during my first year as a mom, and I’d love if you went over to check it out!

I’ll be back later this week with some wedding sneak peeks (yay!  So overdue!) and Olive’s official 12-month summary post!  Enjoy this beautiful day!

xoxo, Angel