Category: Vendors

If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve already seen and heard about my new foray into the world of calligraphy.  I have always been obsessed with lettering and penmanship.  As a child, I was crazy about the Do It Yourself Lettering Book (can’t believe I found it on Amazon!).  I’d spend hours trying to mimic the unique and quirky lettering styles on its pages.  In my teens, I spent way too many hours meticulously penning 7 page letters to my friends, complete with flourishes, i’s dotted with hearts and a gross overuse of acronyms.  LYLAS!  (Please tell me someone knows what that means!)  I think I’ve always had pretty nice handwriting and many people comment on it in my day-to-day life.  I have had clients ask me to make chalkboards and signs for them, but I certainly am no calligrapher.  I leave that to the REAL masters of lettering… like my friend Anne Robin.

pals 🙂

When my clients are looking for gorgeous, fresh, modern-feeling calligraphy, I direct them to Anne.  She is incredibly talented with both classic and contemporary styles and is such a sweetheart to boot.  She occasionally teaches calligraphy classes and I made it very clear to my husband that I was dying to go.  He took the hint and bought me a seat at her most recent beginner’s class as a Mother’s Day gift.  The class took place this past Saturday and I’m still glowing from the experience.

There were about 16 of us in the class and Anne did such a wonderful job.  We were given a fun neon-splattered tote bag filled with all the essential supplies (nibs, ink, pens and a pad of paper) as well as a lettering guide.  I especially loved my name written by Anne, translated to laser-cut wood by Pitbulls and Posies.  What a special keepsake!!  She also gave us a beautiful print that reads, “Never Stop Learning.”  I love the sentiment and couldn’t agree more.  🙂

Anne used a chalkboard to help us go through each letter of the alphabet, both upper and lowercase.  As we got the hang of using our pens and nibs, she would walk around to evaluate our work and give suggestions and corrections as needed.  She answered all of our questions honestly and patiently.  Anne is such a natural teacher and is so approachable, kind and eager to help.

I totally made her pose for this photo.

Lunch was catered by Tender Greens (YUM) along with my new obsession: Brazilian truffle-like treats called brigadeiro from Simply Brigadeiro.  You guys.  They are so ridiculously cute and they taste even better.  I wish I had one (dozen…) now!

The class was five hours long (including lunch) but it flew by for me; I could have stayed much longer just doodling.  My classmates were all creative, inspiring women and I enjoyed getting to know some of them while we worked.  It was the perfect “escape” for me in a very busy time of year.

As you can guess, I’m completely smitten on lettering once again.  I wrote out this week’s meal plan and grocery list in calligraphy and am looking for any excuse to pull out the nib and inkwell to write something!  Practice, practice, practice.

I certainly do not plan to become a calligrapher (Anne joked at how tightly I grasp the pen — a big no no — can you imagine the cramps and arthritis I’d acquire?!) but am so excited to use my new skills in writing notes, addressing envelopes and adding an extra special touch to gifts and projects.  You can bet that I will be at Anne’s next intermediate class!

For more information on upcoming workshops, you can follow Anne on Instagram or check out her blog.

Have any of you tried calligraphy?  It’s never to late to learn something new!  In our age of technology, there’s something so charming about the physically-written word.  Let’s be pen pals? 🙂

In most years, I’ll start my wedding season in March or April, with a few scattered events until peak season between June and October.  This year, however, we got off to a running start in January with the special wedding of my precious high school friend, Teresa.  Our last wedding of 2013 was in late December so we never really took a breath around here!  Teresa has been a treasured pal for 15+ years and it was an honor to work with her on her wedding at Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Downtown Los Angeles.

Can I just kick off the post with this engagement photo?  It instantly brings a smile to my face!

If you’ve ever been to The Music Center, you’ll know that it features lots of natural light, towering walls of windows and stunning architecture and design.  Upon entering the lobby, you are transported to a classically elegant, timeless and luxurious setting.  The marble floors, golden columns and my favorite, the gigantic Bavarian crystal chandeliers, make a dramatic statement.  To top it off, you have scrumptious in-house catering by Patina Group!

Teresa opted for a feminine and romantic look for her wedding, embracing shades of blush, sage green and creamy ivories, paired with gold accents.  Everything was ladylike and dreamy and soft and lovely.  What a sweet, sweet day to see such a long-standing and cherished friend get married to a wonderful man.  Congratulations, Teresa and James!!

Enjoy these beautiful photos from Erin Hearts Court.  They always knock it out of the park and I love working with them.

Teresa’s bouquet featured a locket with photos of her late Halmunee (grandmother).

First look!

Teresa and her maids, which included her sister (whose wedding we also did!) and five sweet gals from high school.

bright, airy, refreshing.

scenes from their traditional Korean paebaek ceremony

One of my favorite images of Teresa from that day — love the lighting and her expression.

framed engagement photos and gilded votive holders were placed near the elevators

Teresa and I found the perfect peachy blush silk dupioni and beaded trim for these boxes on half of the guest tables.  I loved how they turned out!

{ Vendor Team }

Ceremony and Reception Venue: Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Music Center | Catering: Patina Group | Planning and Coordination: Love and Splendor | Photography: Erin Hearts Court | Linens: La Tavola Fine Linen | Flowers: Flower Allie | Desserts: The Scootabaker | Draping and Lighting: Amber Event Production | DJ/MC: Thousand Words Events | Bride’s hair and makeup and bridesmaids’ hair: Kelly Zhang | Bridesmaids’ makeup: Jen Wang | Ceremony musicians: Fiddlestix | Calligraphy: Jane Park

I hope you all are having a great Thursday!  While Olive is napping, I’m going to speed-clean the house and marinate some skirt steak for dinner — yum!  See you again soon.

Happy Friday, everyone!  At this time one week ago, I was fluffing pillows and chopping veggies and preparing for a sweet little weekend with our dear friends, the Kaisers.  I met Nate and Jaclyn (photographers behind The Image is Found) in 2006 when we were all young and fresh-faced in the industry, as we worked with some amazing clients on a posh Hollywood Hills estate wedding.  We had an instant click that night and over the course of the last 8 years (!) we have made some awesome memories together.  They have photographed us multiple times, most notably for this bride & groom session we shot in a dried out lake bed in the rain in early 2007.  😉  My friendship with Nate and Jac has always been so natural and easy.  We just get each other.  We can go months without seeing each other and then boom — we get together and laugh until we cry like we never were apart.  Jac has also been such a loving and supportive friend to me through hard times.  When I had my first miscarriage in 2011, she was the first to send me a little love package, an encouraging book, and a heartfelt note.  To know the Kaisers is to love the Kaisers and I am so grateful they are in my life.

circa 2010??

When we used to live in LA and they lived in SD/Oceanside, we would meet in Orange County for catch up lunches.  Now that they live in the mountains and we live further up the coast, our visits have been fewer and farther between.  So, I was thrilled to have them stay with us for a few days while they shot a wedding in Paso Robles last weekend.  They arrived on Friday and we shared a scrumptious homemade vegetarian meal (butternut squash ravioli and sundried tomato soup!) together before staying up late giggling and catching up.  On Saturday, we had a delicious brunch at The Natural Cafe in SLO before Nate and Jac headed off to shoot their wedding.  Erik and I took the three kiddos (Grace, Jasper, and Olive) to Avila Valley Barn where we visited adorable animals (including alpacas and goats), enjoyed saltwater taffy and local honey, and took a requisite hayride.  Back at home, Erik took Jasper and Olive in the backyard to hunt for four-leafed clovers (we found 7 in under 15 minutes!  Isn’t that amazing?!  I don’t think I ever found one as a kid.) while Grace and I made a batch of homemade caramel ice cream.  You guys — it turned out to be the most decadent and luscious ice cream ever.  Recipe coming soon!!

While Olive napped, Erik and I played Monopoly with the Kaiser kiddos.  We had heard Jasper was a fierce competitor (and he was!), but Erik took no prisoners and destroyed us all (typical).  Around sunset, we headed to one of my favorite local parks (overlooking the vast Pacific) to run off some energy and explore the shores as the tide came in.  Then we picked up some delicious local pizza and ate it on a blanket spread out in the living room, picnic-style, while watching Frozen.  It was such a sweet and simple day.  The kids got along SO well.  I think I pinched Erik a few times throughout the day and whispered how much I’d love to have three kids one day.  😉

Nate and Jac got home after the kids were tucked in, and we sat up late (again), devouring caramel ice cream and cracking up over hilarious stories about our awkward teen years.  Oh geez!

They set off for Solvang on Sunday so I had Grace snap this quick photo on our steps before church.  I love hosting guests in our home but even more than that, I love nourishing enduring relationships with wonderful friends.  Thank you, Kaisers, for such a wonderful time!  We love you and can’t wait to come see you in the mountains!

I hope you all have a great weekend!  I’m speaking at the sold-out Enjoy Events Co. workshop on Sunday and will be up tonight putting the final touches on my presentation.  Yay!  If you haven’t entered our blog/site launch giveaway, make sure to do so before Sunday night!  Thanks for stopping by — see you again soon.  🙂

I have to start by saying THANK YOU to all of you for your overwhelming love and support in light of our big logo + website + blog launch !  If you haven’t seen the new site and blog yet, please make sure to take a peek and enter our celebration giveaway!  I truly am grateful for the sweet words and encouragement so many of you have shared with me.  THANK you for making it such an exciting week!

Today I wanted to feature one of my previously-unseen weddings that debuted in a new website gallery: the beautiful Paso Robles nuptials of Tiffany and Leo.  This dream of a wedding started with an enthusiastic email from the sweet bride.  Bliss and excitement oozed from every line of that first message.  It concluded with the simple yet bold statement: “You will love working with us.”  And guess what?  She was SO right.  I cannot tell you what a pleasure it was to meet and work with these two lovebirds.  They have hearts of gold, incredible taste, and SO.MUCH.LOVE.  I was taken aback by their beautiful love for one another, the tenderness in their interactions, the sincerity and kindness with which they treated everyone throughout the planning process.  And now, these two are expecting their first little babe and I couldn’t be happier for them.  <3  I LOVE you two, Tiffany and Leo, and I am seriously hoping to make it to Austin to visit you!!!

Their wedding took place at the picturesque Denner Vineyards, nestled in the rolling hills of Paso Robles.  A heartfelt ceremony took place overlooking the heavy golden vines (right amidst harvest season), performed by their hilarious friend, Patrick.  Hanging in the nearby trees were windows that were salvaged from St. Leo’s Church in Murray, Kansas, which was founded and built by Leo’s grandparents in 1943.  I loved this personal touch.  Vintage church pews and a lovely golden arch from {found} vintage rentals helped round out their outdoor ‘chapel.’  The sunset cocktail hour featured fun music from the Get Down Boys and bocce ball.  Cozy lounge vignettes from {found} added to the celebratory scene.

For dinner, guests enjoyed a stunning meal of seasonal fare presented by Chef Charlie, gathered around farm tables set with the loveliest Casa de Perrin china, flatware and glassware.  Their botanical collection added such an approachable elegance to the placesettings.  I still can’t get over the jadeite and crystal salt and pepper cellars!  One of my favorite moments of the night was a surprise serenade for the couple by singer Josh Krajcik, who had been flown in by the groom’s brother and best man.  As dinner wound down, we enjoyed the beautiful voice of Ray Fortune, who is one of my favorite local musicians.  Cake and cupcakes were provided by the one and only Enjoy Cupcakes (yum!) and guests closed out the evening by rocking to the totally rad stylings of 80’s throwback band The Spazmatics.

Soak in all the beauty of their day through these glowing images from the talented and gracious Allyson Magda….

I’ve shared it before but please, PLEASE take a moment to watch this gorgeous film of their day from my dear friends Ben & Drew  of Cana Family:

Leo and Tiffany Married in Beautiful Paso Robles, CA from The Cana Family on Vimeo.

{ Vendor Team }

Event Planning and Design: Love & Splendor | Venue: Denner Vineyards | Photography: Allyson Magda | Videography: Cana Family |  Ceremony Music: Santa Barbara String Trio | Cocktail Hour Music: The Get Down Boys | Special Music: Josh Krajcik | Guitarist/Singer: Ray Fortune | Reception Band: The Spazmatics | Cake and cupcakes: Enjoy Cupcakes | Pies: Linn’s of Cambria | Rentals: Classic Party Rentals | Vintage furniture and rentals: {found} vintage rentals | Tabletop rentals: Casa de Perrin | Catering: Chef Charlie | Floral: Camilla Svensson Burns | Paper Goods: Le Partie Sugar | Hair and Makeup: TEAM Hair and Makeup | Bride’s Gown: Jenny Packham| Placecard Calligraphy: Anne Robin

// See you all again soon!

Love_and_Splendor_FULL_LOGO_low-restightcrop If you’re reading this post in bloglovin or another similar subscription box, today is the day to click over to the actual blog and take a look around. I’m SO thrilled to finally unveil the long-awaited (and long-overdue) new branding and sites for Love & Splendor. HOORAY!

My old site was built in 2007 and slightly updated in 2008. Yikes! Although I launched a new(er) blog in 2011, I never updated the website because I knew it would take a lot more than a facelift. We needed something completely fresh and new. As I embarked on my rebranding journey, I reached out to my incredibly talented and dear friend Julie Song Ink. I am coming up on 2 years of having Julie in my world and she still wows me every single time. She is truly one of the most innately gifted illustrators/artists I have ever known, yet she has the most humble demeanor. I poured out my vision to her in the form of run-on sentences and an excessive amount of adjectives, colors, images, etc. She thoughtfully took in every single word and brought to life exactly what I had desired. Every stroke and detail was beautifully executed and somehow, I felt very personally connected to each bit (as if she had dipped her brush straight into my heart and let it spill out on the page). The new L&S logo is truly representative of both my personal aesthetic and our wedding design brand. See the dainty ginkgo leaves? I love how she integrated them as they come from my favorite tree. The site is clean (lots of white space) but the logo gives it that splash of signature L&S whimsy, charm, and exuberance. Playful with polish.  In addition to the dramatic Love and Splendor logo, Julie is responsible for the beautiful header on the new blog as well as all the pretty hand lettering you’ll find around the sites.  Julie // I can’t thank you enough for working so hard to bring this logo to life.  Your meticulous, careful, attentive nature paired with your natural talent bring about magic.  Pure magic.  No one else could have captured my heart in this way; you are the only person I would have wanted for this project.  I adore you so much and am thankful to call you a friend!!  Love you!!

Thanks are also due to the ever-patient and hard-working Steph Anne of Yellow and Savvy (along with programmer Raz) who helped design and code both the website and blog.  Steph Anne actually did my previous blog (in 2011) and I love working with her.  She has a great eye and offered lots of helpful advice along the way, while staying true to my vision.  I am grateful for all the effort and heart she put into this project and I absolutely could not have done it without her.

Thank you to my amazing colleagues (photographers, floral designers, etc.) for helping me bring this site to life.  The images that you see on my website and on the blog are the results of heartfelt collaboration.  It takes a village to put on a flawless event and I am blessed with the best of the best.  Working alongside amazing artists fuels my own creativity.

Finally, a huge thank you to my precious clients and blog readers who allow me to do what I love everyday.  I count it a tremendous blessing to have been in this industry for nearly 9 years, still working and being inspired and enjoying every minute.  I am also so humbled by each of you who take the time to stop and visit me here on the blog, and those who have written me encouraging notes and comments over the years.  From the bottom of my heart, thank you for your love and support.

Still coming:  new team photos (woohoo!) and even more beautiful images for our portfolio.  Is it funny that I already know this season will turn out weddings that will become portfolio galleries?  😉  Get ready for a great year!

To celebrate the ALL NEW website and blog, I wanted to share a little giveaway!  Simply leave a comment below letting me know how you found my blog (or how do you know me, anyway??) and you’ll be entered to win a random assortment of some of my recent favorite things: an Emily Isabella tea towel, Maybelline BabyLips and a few other surprises.  😉

white_folded

You have until 9pm PST this Sunday, April 13th, to enter.  The randomly selected winner will be announced on Monday morning (the 14th).  Good luck and thank you again for celebrating with me!!!

Hey everyone!  I hope you’re having a lovely week!  If you follow me on Instagram, you probably saw that I spent a few days this week on a little retreat with some industry gal pals.  It had been a trip loooong in the making (it all started with an email chain last year!), but finding three open days for a group of wedding planners proved nearly impossible.  I’m glad we finally nailed down some dates because this little escape was SO needed.  Over the course of our trip I got to connect with some of my dear friends (and one new one!) and we simply had a blast.  I am inspired by each of these innovative, hard-working, creative and talented women.

We spent 3 days and 2 nights at the beautiful Bacara Resort and Spa in Goleta, California, just a stone’s throw from Santa Barbara.  Bacara happens to be a favorite venue of mine and was also the site of my mom’s wedding in 2008!  I also have a couple of weddings here this year and I can’t wait to share what we are planning!  Bacara has the perfect balance of luxury and accessibility.  You feel pampered without the pretentiousness.  The property is set up with multiple villas (3 stories each) amongst lush lawns, fountains and tiled stairways.  Every room has a private balcony or patio to enjoy the fresh air and breathtaking views.  It’s definitely a Spanish-inspired resort with its red tiled roofs, wrought iron work and white stucco buildings.  And of course, the stunning California coastline is so close that you can see, hear and smell the sea everywhere.

Upon arrival on Sunday, we met in the new Foley Wine Tasting Room on-site for a welcome reception.  We chatted with our favorite on-site ladies (Hi Tiffany and Shannon!) and caught up with one another.  From there, we headed to the oceanview Bistro for a 3.5 hour dinner filled with uncontrollable laughter and tears.  I wish I had taken some photos of the beautiful and scrumptious food but clearly I was too busy enjoying my company!  I can tell you that the crab trofie pasta was outstanding!

The next day we had breakfast at the Bistro (an emerging pattern) and after a few hours, we realized some of us were getting hungry again.  Our breakfast literally morphed into lunch and in the end, we sat at that table for 5.5 hours (!!!).  We took a brief hour-long jaunt to the pool (while some of the ladies indulged in the decadent spa services on-site) and then migrated to the Ocean Terrace for blanket-clad convos around the fire pit.  We had plans to head into Santa Barbara for dinner but in the end we decided to stay right on property and have dinner at… The Bistro.  We chose a secluded table inside (as to not disturb other patrons!) and had another drawn out meal with great friends.

On our final morning, we gathered for one more breakfast at The Bistro (where else??) where we all wished for just one.more.day together.  I LOVE this group of women.  We already can’t wait to gather for another special trip!

Some photos of our getaway (sporadic and few, because we were just having too much fun together!)…

This was the marvelous view from my room!  I highly recommend villa 17, 3rd floor, for outstanding views and a great location near the pools and Bistro.

Enjoy Cupcakes were a MUST for a central coast getaway!

me and our littlest lady — Lucy Roux (daughter of Kelly from Bash, Please) <3

can’t pick a fave pic of these two!!  I can safely say that having Roux with us gave everyone a bit of baby fever.

Em getting down on some serious smoked salmon

the crew // we’re missing Cortnie here!

THANK YOU to the wonderful Bacara Resort staff for making us feel incredibly welcomed and pampered.  We love you and we will be seeing you soon!  (A special hello to our favorite waiters, Ethan and Melissa, who probably are missing us right about now!  ;-))

Thank you to my amazing gals for your encouragement, transparency, hilarious tales and inspiration.  My wheels are still turning!  There is strength in numbers and I am honored to be amongst this group.  Sweet Sunna said it best: it’s possible to sit at the same table all weekend (literally, we spent all of our time together talking) when your company is amazing women.

Finally, thank you to my sweet Erik for letting me getaway for a few days (it was SO refreshing!) and thank you to my mama for watching Olive so I could be fully engaged with the ladies!

Ladies on this trip: Love & Splendor // Bash, Please // Jesi Haack Design // Sitting in a Tree Design // Enjoy Events Co. // Alison Events // The Venue Report

I hope you’re all having a fabulous day; see you soon!

It has been a packed week full of meetings with sweet clients and I am going into the weekend SO excited for all the fun ahead this season.  Just this week, my clients and I did a walkthrough at Bacara, visited Classic Party Rentals and picked out linens at La Tavola, tasted cake at Decadence, met with the talented Tenley Erin Young, visited Presqu’ile Winery and had two trials with TEAM Hair and Makeup.  There was also lots of brainstorming and checklist checking-off and laughs… lots of laughs.  😉

lunch at State + Fig // this arugula, date, apple and pistachio salad was incredible!

picture perfect Bacara

couldn’t stop laughing with these two silly sisters!

I love Presqu’ile!

me and sweet Lauren <3

Although it has been a full & busy week, I feel so grateful to work with such wonderful people.  From my hard-working and creative colleagues to my sweet (and hilarious) clients, I am surrounded by a lot of love all the time.  It is a blessing to be a part of so many special celebrations and I cherish each and every opportunity I have!

I can’t wait to see these weddings come to fruition this summer.  For now, I’m off to put the final touches on a design packet for a very special couple (hi P&S!) and prep the house for some company arriving tonight!  Enjoy the weekend, everyone!

It is such a special treat to see a friend get married.  It’s another special treat to plan the very first wedding at a brand new (absolutely beautiful) venue — in this case, The Loft on Pine in Long Beach.  Put the two together and you’ve got the recipe for a truly SPECIAL day.  Words are failing me here in trying to express how blessed I felt to be a part of this sweet celebration.

I met Justine many years ago when she was a student in Erik’s college group (my husband used to be a college/young adult pastor).  I had her as a student in my small group Bible study as well and she was like a dear younger sister to me.  We shared many laughs and memories together and I have always known Justine to be such a sincere, kind and loving girl.  When I heard she was getting married, I was thrilled for her!  It was truly my pleasure planning with her.  What a treasure she is, and what a great man she has found (and married!).  Justine and Goodwin — I adore you two and am so honored to have been a part of the day bringing you together in marriage.  Praying for you both and God’s continued blessing on your relationship and ministry!  xo

J+G happen to have a circle of friends populated with some very talented people, so it was neat to see how everyone pulled together to make things happen.  Their community of family and friends is really strong and I can see that they have so much love and support around them.  The goal was a simple and lovely celebration that was centered on Christ, and they definitely achieved that.  The first step to achieving a streamlined day is to hire a full service caterer.  Jay’s Catering did a great job with both the food + beverage, as well as basic rentals like tables, chairs, linens, china, etc.  We had the ever-talented Jaclyne from Heavenly Blooms create the personal flowers, cocktail arrangements, and ceremony florals, and then my team did the centerpiece florals (definitely not a typical thing for us, but we still enjoyed making an exception here for Justine!).  We couldn’t have done this without the advice and guidance of Jaclyne (who helped us with the order) — thank you dear!!  Koko and I actually had such a fantastic time working with the stunning blooms like Juliet garden roses, peach amaryllis (one of my favorites), ranunculus and astilbe.  Many memories were made sitting on the floor of her place, snipping and arranging and chatting away.  😉  My favorite {found} rentals provided the perfect ceremony arch (which also framed their sweetheart table during the reception) and various trophy cups for special floral arrangements.  Sweet friends provided all the audio and sound (+ DJ) as well as the stationery and printed goods (Cassie of Red Arrow Lettering).  It was also neat to find out we had mutual friends in Daveed and Courtney Toney — they sang the first dance song as a duet and ended up sitting with us for dinner, so it was a treat to catch up with them!

As a little décor touch, I suggested we create hanging mobile installations using birch branches, my trusty CB2 glass bubbles and delicate paper flowers.  The creative bride got right on board and worked tirelessly on creating each petal of every beautiful flower.  We hung these up lining the ceremony and reception area, filling the glass bubbles with flickering LEDs, and I think they added just enough extra oomph in the space.

Being the first wedding at a venue means you learn as you go, you adapt to the construction schedule, you keep things flexible.  We got down to the wire with construction timing but on the day of, J+G were just thrilled to be getting married and the site looked stunning.  I know The Loft is going to blow up and I feel honored to have been the one to break it in.  😉  Thank you, sweet Mary (site coordinator) for all of your care and assistance along the way!!

Without further ado, here are some snippets of the day via Hom Photography, a brother & sister duo!  Bryant was actually one of the groomsmen so props to his sister Lauren for all her hard work that day.

dapper gents

these guys had some serious sock + shoe game

sweetest girls!  5 out of the 8 girls were in my small group and I love them so!

cutest flower girls!

first look!

seeded eucalyptus for days <3

the groom led worship during the ceremony (here singing “Amazing Grace (my chains are gone)” by Chris Tomlin) and it gave me goosebumps!

married!!

we “flipped” the ceremony area for dinner during cocktail hour.  Love this space!

And just for fun… I have to add in this photo of Olive giving the groom a smooch before the wedding (I’m sure Justine will understand, haha!).  Erik and Olive were guests at the wedding so it was fun having them, even if it means Olive was at my heels the entire night.  😉

Photography: Hom Photography | Planning & Design: Love and Splendor | Venue: The Loft on Pine | Caterering: Jay’s Catering | Hair and Makeup: Shauna Funk for makeup // Alexa Brodsky for hair | Groom and Groomsmen Outfitted by: General Quarters | Floral: Heavenly Blooms Designs + Love and Splendor | Vintage Rentals: Found Vintage Rentals

I hope you’re all having a wonderful week!  I’m having such a great one, filled with inspiring work, meeting new friends, sweet time with old friends and lots of time in the marvelous sunshine.  My heart breaks for anyone in tough weather across the country, but I won’t lie… we went to the beach yesterday.  🙂

Thanks for stopping by; 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!

It was a month or so ago when I first visited the Dallidet Adobe and Gardens in San Luis Obispo.  My dear friend, Lauren, invited me and Olive to join her and her daughter, Jetta, for a mid-morning adventure.  When we first pulled up, I wondered if she had missed a turn.  We had to be lost, right?  All I could see what a dead-end residential street and an odd industrial-looking office building.  After we parked, I followed Lauren as we crossed the office parking lot and into some iron gates.  And behind these iron gates, I could not believe the secret garden we had found.

This place is SUCH a (literally) hidden gem.  The adobe was built in the 1850s by Pierre Hypolite Dallidet and it was his family home for over 100 years.  The home is still filled with mostly original furniture, left undisturbed since it was occupied.  Surrounding the adobe, there is a lush and varied garden. Southern magnolia trees, manicured roses, spectacularly colorful crape myrtle, olives, plums, avocados, poppies, sweet peas, irises, wisteria, and coast live oaks all live in harmony here, blooming in season and keeping the property stunning year-round.  In 1953, Pierre’s son, Paul, deeded the property to the San Luis Obispo County Historical Society.  Today it is a beautiful oasis, tucked among the suburban landscape that sprouted up around it, that is home to a small museum, a lovely garden and a charming venue for special events and weddings.

I could not turn off my wedding brain when I stepped foot on this property.  It is SO adorable!! Everywhere you turn there is a photo opportunity, a meandering pathway, an ancient tree.  I was so excited that I went home and boldly emailed one of my 2014 clients (who had already booked another venue in town!) and told her I felt it was my duty to at least mention this place!  (Guess what? She changed her venue!!!  Ahhh!).

I revisited the adobe and gardens today for a private tour (they are closing up shop for the season but public tours will resume in March) and am buzzing with ideas for the wedding I’ll be planning and designing in this lovely space.  Olive is quite taken with it, as well.  (It could also be the resident golden retriever, Diesel, that has captured her heart.)

If you are in SLO between March and November, make sure you carve out some time to explore this charming spot.  They do offer private tours outside of those months, when available.  For now, enjoy a little glimpse of some quick iPhone photos I snapped (on both trips):

This little guy caught my eye, on the side of a storage shed!

I love her tiny shadow!

I’m so grateful to live in a place where there are historical treasures still to discover.  Hope you’re all having a wonderful afternoon!