ISES WINE COUNTRY TOUR 2009
This year, for the Annual ISES Northern California Chapter’s Wine Country Tour, we went to Pine Ridge Winery located in the heart of Napa Valley and the infamous Villagio Inn & Spa in Yountville.
Early that Tuesday morning of the tour, guests boarded two complimentary shuttles in San Francisco to promote car pooling. Once the shuttles were full, they began their scenic journey into the Wine Country.
Upon their arrival at Pine Ridge Winery, guests were welcomed into the cocktail hour on the lush green front lawn by soothing sounds of live guitar music. Towards the end of the cocktail hour, guests were invited to tour the grounds for a behind-the-scenes peak of the inner workings of Pine Ridge Winery As the tour worked its way into the barrel rooms and through the caves, guests were excited to see that they would be dining in the caves themselves. The tables were covered in a deep warm fabric and napkins were golden yellow to compliment the romantically uplit wine barrels and Chihuly glass sculptures.
Executive Chef Kevin Miller of Villagio’s off-site catering service began lunch with a butter lettuce salad with strawberries, skyhill chevre, candied hazlenuts, champagne vinagrette and a glass of the 2006 Pine Ridge Dijon Clones Chardonnay. The star of the show was the mouth-watering 5-star Coq Au Vin with wild mushrooms, roasted heirloom potatoes and red wine chicken jus as the main course which was beautifully paired with the 2005 Pine Ridge Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon. Between the Coq Au Vin and Artisan Cheese Plate featuring Pierre Robert, Montbriac, Fig, Almond Cake, Blackberry honey, complimented by the 2005 Pine Ridge Stags Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon, guest speaker and foodie, GraceAnn Walden, entertained guests with stories of the adventures upon which she embarked throughout her career. I’m sure the laughter is still echoing in the caves.
Once lunch wrapped up, guests were transported to the Villagio Resort for desert. Here, guests sipped on wine from Chimney Rock, Chalk Hill, Castello di Amorosa and One Hope upon classic Napa Valley lounge furniture draped in fresh spring citrus colors.
To see more images from the trip, please visit “The Scene” at Allure West Studios.
The Team
the designer | morgan doan of events by morgan
the speaker | graceann walden
the rentals and linens | classic party rentals
the transportation | pure luxury transportation
the wineries | pine ridge winery & villagio inn & spa
the guitar | star sound productions
the audio and lighting | lux productions
the florals at pine ridge | michael daigian design
the florals at villagio | julie stevens design
the photographer | natalie wi of allure west studios
TREASURE CHEST BIRTHDAY CAKE
Bijan Bakery Pirate's Treasure Chest Cake
I was blown away yesterday when I saw my son’s Pirate Treasure Chest Cake at Bijan Bakery in Saratoga, CA. He was thrilled with the design and it tied in perfectly with his pirate-themed birthday party.
We work with Mitra and Bijan Bakery on both a professional and personal level. No matter the reason for the visit, Mitra and the rest of the staff go out of their way to make us feel like superstars. The entire process is utterly enjoyable, down to the last bite of cake.
When I was ready to place the order for my son’s birthday cake, I drove him to Bijan’s Saratoga location (they also have a gorgeous new location in downtown San Jose, pictured above) for a tasting. After several pieces of cake, he chose the smooth Chocolate Mousse cake (although he already knew that’s what he wanted before we even got there). The only request I had was that the cake match the theme of the party and gave Bijan’s creative power.
I had no idea what to expect when we arrived to pick up the cake, but I was obviously ecstatic about the result!
2nd QUARTER BAWN EVENT | GUILD HALL AT PIEDMONT COMMUNITY CHURCH
Click on the Image to See the Flash Slideshow
Click the image above to view the flash slideshow.
I am proud to say that I hold the privilege of photographing the 2nd Quarter BAWN Event at the majestic Guild Hall at Piedmont Community Church. The venue itself was breathtaking and once all the pros had done their work, the grounds were transformed into a magical wedding venue.
As a wedding photographer, I just love the different angles, perspectives and rooms that are all within a few steps of each other at Guild Hall. At Guild Hall, you have the luxury of convenience and the opportunity for each part of your wedding to look like it was shot at a different location.
So what is BAWN you ask? BAWN (The Bay Area Wedding Network) is a group of wedding and event professionals who wish to promote growth in the wedding industry through education, networking and building strong relationships among peers. BAWN events are for the benefit of the wedding and event industry and are produced by Marie Rios, Owner Creative Occasions and Gwen Helbush, President of Where to Start, Inc. Wedding & Event Management. BAWN events are intended to provide networking and educational opportunities, as well as, the opportunity to build and strengthen relationships between event professionals.
The Team
the photographer | natalie wi | allure west studios
the planners | marie rios | creative occasions // gwen helbush | where to start, inc. wedding & event management
the invitation | sabrina moyle | hello!lucky
the calligraphy | michele papineau | papineau calligraphy
the rentals | jennifer khan | blue water party rentals
the piano | frederick hodges | frederick hodges music productions
the band | benjamin wanicur | golden gate jazz trio
the videography | jonathan metcalf | metmedia creative digital video & multimedia
the chocolates | deirdre stewart | scharffen berger chocolate maker & dagoba organic chocolates
the service staff | susan sheinkopf | the party staff, inc.
the sound | michael peterson | weddings with michael peterson
the beverage service | madeleine amodeo | best beverage catering
the furnishings & floral design | selyca medford | blueprint studios, the studio collection
the lighting | megan woods | enhanced lighting & sound
the lunch & service | alicia slater | global gourmet catering
the venue | carol leslie special events | guild hall at piedmont community church
the staff | kristjan gavin | in good company meetings & events
the sanctuary florals | orna maymon | ornamento, llc
the centerpieces in guild hall | paige benjamin | passiflora designs
the centerpieces in the courtyard | constance shrecengost | sunshine flowers
the cake | judy chadwick | true confectionse cake | the display cake was a four-tier square cake finished in ivory fondant and decorated with white chocolate draping edged in copper luster dust and white chocolate roses edged in claret luster dust with dark chocolate leaves | cake was chocolate butter cake filled with Espresso Bavarian Cream and Bittersweet Chocolate Ganache
the education | shawn jackson, esq. | california business development center
NESTING NEWBIES™, A BEHIND THE SCENES PEAK AT A VERY TWEET SHOW & ITS “HOW TO” COMPANION
As told by Jodi Murphy
It’s time to tweet about two exciting project in the works – Nesting Newbies and The Lea Show. A team of very talented people have been working to produce two internet shows. Nesting Newbies is a cooking, entertaining and decorating show featuring Lea McIntosh who is using her culinary training to teach newlyweds and those newly out on their own how to cook great food and entertain in style…and on a budget.
We always say “Leave it to Lea” when we need to find great resources for, well, anything and we’re showcasing her discoveries in The Lea Show. Experts and interesting talents show Lea how to do what they do on each episode. Lea asks the questions and the audience learns great insights, tips and “how tos” right along with her.
On Sunday April 19th the team – James Burkart of Burkart Video, Lea McIntosh, Natalie Wi of Allure West Studios, David Braddy of Vine-agra, Vanessa Rockey, Pat Campbell and Betsy Rose (best crew ever!) and I – took over the Rutt of Los Altos showroom to re-film the first episode of Nesting Newbies and the second episode of The Lea Show.
Lea and Vanessa arrived bright and early to begin hair and make-up while Pat and Betsy started food prepping and setting up. Natalie Wi was there to photograph the day’s events, including all the behind the scenes pandemonium. I arrived with the items on loan from Bloomingdale’s Stanford so that we could create our featured “Bella Notte Bistro Chic” tabletop. I had challenged David Braddy, a florist extraordinaire, to come up with something magical. I was doing the “happy dance” when he arrived because he had woven curly willow together anchored by two urns to create an arch over the table with a lantern attached in the center. It was beautiful, easy to make, and inexpensive! Perfect, since the goal is to show “newbies” how to stylishly entertain without breaking their budgets.
Diane Phillips of DK Designs dropped by to deliver two of her floral creations for the set of The Lea Show. Diane was the first guest artisan featured on The Lea Show (soon to be aired) and it was great to have her beautiful work decorate this episode’s set.
We learned so much from the first taping of Nesting Newbies that we decided to redo it and asked our first newbies, Lacee and Tejas Naik to come back again. The energy was high and when it was time for “Quiet on the Set” we were all in awe of what we were seeing. The chemistry between Chef Lea and the newbies was fantastic and the interaction, inspirational. Lea invited the Newbies into the cooking process and I think we all learned something new. Personally, I discovered how to properly cut an onion and hold a knife properly…and I’m not a newbie!
Jonathan Murphy dropped by to meet everyone in person as he will be doing the voiceover opening for the shows.
Soon Jung Wi, Natalie’s husband arrived with their three adorable kids who were quickly called into “crew” duties while Jung prepared for his segment on The Lea Show. Jung and Natalie own Allure West Studios and Jung, a master photographer, also teaches people how to get the most out of their digital cameras. He busted so many “megapixel myths” and taught Lea (and us) what to look for when buying a digital camera. With so much valuable information, Lea invited him back for a future episode to teach her (and the audience) how to take better digital shots.
By the time we wrapped it was a long day but one that was fulfilling and fun! James is editing the shows, the opening illustrations are being created and soon we will launch the first episodes of Nesting Newbies and The Lea Show. Sweet! – JM
WHICH PEN?
So now that you have your beautiful new guest registry, you’re wondering which pen to use.
I suggest using an Extra Fine Point Sharpie, pictured in the foreground here and not to be confused with the Ultra Fine Point Sharpie, pictured in the background. The Extra Fine Point Sharpie will leave smooth lines and will not bleed through to the other side of the page.
Scatter a few extra on the table. I can guarantee that you’ll have a crowd over the book.
AN URBAN GUEST REGISTRY
I am addicted to Asuka Books right now. Here’s the latest. A guest registry I designed for Marilyn & Danny using images from our San Francisco Engagement Session. Our contributing author, Melissa Napoleon, penned a beautiful poem to compliment the pictures.
Marilyn and Danny will use their book as a guest registry at their wedding. They will be married on May 17th at the luxurious Hotel Valencia located in European-inspired Santana Row.
A STATELY COFFEE TABLE BOOK
Ever since Carolyn and Michael’s Asuka Coffee Table Book arrived the other day, I long to open it and turn the thick silky pages.
This is one of our custom designed coffee table books in which we use our images to illustrate a story told by the bride and groom.
Carolyn and Michael were married at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Washington, D.C. and held their reception at Belle Haven Country Club in Alexandria, Virginia.
THE FILMING OF TWO INTERNET SHOWS, PHOTOGRAPHING FOR A COFFEE TABLE BOOK, TABLESCAPING, AND A LOS ALTOS POWER ANOMOLY…HOW WAS YOUR SATURDAY?
As told by Jodi Murphy
The Filming of Two Shows
Leave it to Lea McIntosh to bring a talented team together to each focus on and do what they do best. It begins at 7 AM when Lea and her faithful crew, Pat, Betsy & Aunt Lonni, arrive at the beautiful Rutt of Los Altos showroom to begin setting up a cooking segment for an exciting new internet show (to be announced soon!) aimed at newlyweds, almost weds and those who are living away from mom & dad’s for the very first time.
James Burkart of Burkart Videography shows up with his lovely wife, Amy, to set up cameras and lighting. Filming will take place in three separate areas of the Rutt showroom. Meanwhile, Vanessa Rockey – a rockin’ hair stylist from Updo Artistry/Hair by Ness starts taming Lea’s raven tresses, and Tiffany Chiang, DesignHer Image , gets Lea’s face camera ready. Lacee and Diane (more about them later) wait in the wings for their turns.
Natalie Wi – incredible photographer and co-owner of Allure West Studios – is snapping shots at every turn, documenting the day. She is collaborating with Lea on a future coffee table book. I arrive around 9:00 AM in Penelope (my MINI Cooper) filled to the brim with china, crystal, flatware, & linens I borrowed from Bloomingdale’s Stanford , along with seashells and tea lights for staging a fresh take on a Mediterranean seaside table setting. Just as I show up, David Braddy, floral designer , pulls up – thank heavens, because I need the help to unload. He’s made lovely arrangements for the kitchen set display and tablescape.
It’s a happy pandemonium inside, and you can just feel the creative energy everywhere. Carl Mindling, Lea’s on-air co-host for the cooking show, is working with Betsy to get everything prepped and ready to go. Lacee and Tejas Naik, newlyweds, are joining Lea and Carl on camera. They’re getting miked so they can ask questions while Lea and Carl demonstrate easy ways to cook and entertain. Amy Burkart, the director, is reviewing the script and making last minute notations.
Diane Phillips of DK Designs is setting up in another area. She’s arranging her custom clay floral pieces and laying out her tools to get ready for the filming of the “how to” show. She’s so organized! She’ll be teaching Lea how to create a dendrobium orchid favor box. Diane will be the premiere guest on Lea’s new show (to be announced soon!) featuring creative people & their work..
By 11 AM it’s LIGHTS! CAMERAS!…and NO action! We all hear ‘bleep’ just as the power goes out. I know what you’re thinking…we blew a fuse; but on this sunny Saturday morning there is an anomalous power outage in downtown Los Altos. There’s an estimate of TWO hours until it’s fixed…oh, and did I forget to mention that Lacee and Tejas have to leave for the airport by 12:30?
Well, as the rest of the gang try to figure out a Plan B, Natalie takes shots of the tablescape, and I take advantage of her downtime to do a kitchen vignette shot with sock monkey for Rutt of Los Altos…part of their new ad campaign Lea & I developed. It sounds like an odd idea, but it’s really getting a great reaction after the first ad we recently launched : )
Lea is about to release the newlyweds and send them on their way when – ‘bleep’ – power’s back on! Cooking segment begins, and even with several takes (it was the first time, you know), Lacee & Tejas get out the door at 12:30…okay it’s 12:38, but who noticed?
Diane and Lea are up now and the rest of us watched in awe at how adept Diane is at making flowers out of this unique soft clay. Lea was an impressive first-timer but it is clear that Diane is a master artist, especially when you see how she hand-crafts each flower one petal at a time. It was a great session!
After some pick up shots, a short segment describing the table setting, more photographs, lots of clean up, the day was a wrap at 6 PM. The two new shows will air on The Wedding Chat and soon Newbies will learn to nest and we’ll all learn insights into others’ creative pursuits…yes, Leave it to Lea – JM
ALLURE WEST STUDIOS PUBLISHED IN BRIDES NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
ALLURE WEST STUDIOS IN BRIDES NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
Gabrielle Feuersinger of Cake Coquette and I are in the Spring/Summer 2009 Issue of Brides Northern California! See us on page 128.
CUSTOM DESIGNED COFFEE TABLE BOOK
Custom Designed Hard-Cover Coffee Table Book
Here are a few of my favorite pages from a hard-cover coffee table book that I designed for Carolyn Kearney and Mike Stone’s wedding.
I asked Carolyn and Mike to to send me some of their thoughts and feelings from their wedding day and I incorporated those quotes into an elegant coffee table book that supplements their feature wedding album.
On the day of the wedding, I met Carolyn in her hotel room at the Ritz-Carlton, Pentagon City, Arlington, Virginia and was absolutely floored at how beautiful she looked. She had her hair and nails done at Elizabeth Arden’s Red Door on Pentagon Row and was preparing to slip on an exquisitely feminine strapless Melissa Sweet at Kleinfeld A-Line, French Lace wedding dress.
Bella Figura’s Classic Calligraphy Eco-Friendly Wind-Powered Letterpress Invitations and delicate florals from Brookhill Florist fit perfectly with Carolyn’s historical D.C. style wedding.
Carolyn and Mike were married at St. Peter’s Catholic Church on Capitol Hill and after the ceremony, we closed off C Street at 3rd and took some surreal shots of Carolyn and Mike and their wedding party with the Capitol as their backdrop.
We headed over to Belle Haven Country Club in Alexandria, Virginia for the reception. Here, Carolyn and Mike were led into the cocktail hour by a bagpiper and were introduced for the first time as husband and wife on the terrace overlooking the green.
After their indulging in their delectable Alexandria Pasty Shop wedding cake, Carolyn and Mike left through a gate of sparklers and paused for a romantic embrace before whisking away in their getaway car.
We photographed Carolyn’s brother’s wedding 5 years ago at the Ritz-Carlton at Tyson’s Corner, Virginia and since their wedding, are proud to say that the Kearneys have been part of our extended family. We love watching their family grow and are honored to be a part of it as it happens.
ALLURE WEST IN SPECIAL EVENTS MAGAZINE
ALLURE WEST STUDIOS IN SPECIAL EVENT MAGAZINE
I recently photographed Kristjan Gavin, President of In Good Company Meetings & Events, for his feature article in the February issue of Special Events Magazine titled Hospitality Starts Here.
In his article, Kristjan discusses the hospitality experience and challenges each of us to take a step back and reflect upon our own projections.
How many times have you stepped off an airplane and proclaimed that you will never fly that airline again because of the flight attendant’s terrible attitude? Or how many times have you gone out to eat and left a meager tip because you felt the service was subpar?
What we each have to come to realize is that change begins within ourselves. If we are not happy with a particular situation, the first finger pointed must be at ourselves. If you find yourself in what you feel to be a compromising situation, take a deep breath and ask yourself how you can carry yourself differently. The slightest change in your own attitude could make all the difference in how another person treats you in return.
So as a wise friend once told me, change comes from within.
ALLURE WEST IN TODAY’S BRIDE
TODAY'S BRIDE WINTER 2009
I’m proud to announce that we’re in the Winter 2009 issue of Today’s Bride. Images #3 and #4. Image #3 is a centerpiece designed by Spiral Hand Floral + Event Design and image #4 is a centerpiece designed by Hunt Littlefield. Both of these beautiful arrangements were featured at the 2008 ISES Gala at the City View Metreon in San Francisco for which I was the PR Co-Chair and Photography Co-Chair.
ALLURE WEST IN GENTRY
ALLURE WEST &CAKE COQUETTE IN GENTRY
I photographed this beautiful Vintage Bird Cake made by Gabrielle Feuersinger of Cake Coquette at Forest Hill Club House in November and here it is featured in Gentry’s February Bridal Issue. Gabby drew her inspiration from a vintage handbag that had jade and gold beads making a partridge in a pear tree relief.
WEDDING WALKERS
Wedding Walkers
This morning I went for a 6-mile walk with Stacie Tamaki of The Flirty Guide (see us on the Flirty Guide), Lea McIntosh of Lea McIntosh – Extraordinary Events & Weddings and Lea’s sister, Christina, who was visiting from Sacramento.
We met at 7:30 am and walked the Los Gatos Creek Trail in Campbell. It took us a little over 2 hours to walk 6 miles, but it literally felt as if only minutes had passed. It was such a great opportunity to catch up and share ideas while doing something healthy for ourselves.
After our super calorie-burning walk, we indulged ourselves in a sumptuous breakfast at Stacks in Campbell. While Lea was smart and ordered the yogurt sundae, I went with the crab crepe. Well, the way I see it is that it evens out and makes it as if I didn’t walk or eat this morning. Sound good? Works for me!
ELLEN + DANE
Ellen + Dane were introduced to us by Jean Marks of Jean Marks Weddings and when we met them, we could see that they were true soul mates by the way they smiled at each other.
And when we photographed their wedding, they embraced us that warmth and kindness.
Ellen + Dane began their day at the luxurious Mediterranean-style Hotel Los Gatos, which sits at the foot of the Santa Cruz Mountains and when I arrived on the scene, Shawn Cavlan of Shawn Cavlan Beauty Co. was applying the final touches of Ellen’s makeup. Ellen was simply luminous as she bathed in the warm sunlight streaming in through the large windows of the Vasona Room.
While Ellen’s girls were helping her primp, Dane was greeting his family and best friend, who had just flown in from Canada for his wedding and after a few family portraits at the hotel, friends and family left for the church and we went to Vasona Lake with Ellen + Dane for a creative, private portrait session.
When our session wrapped, we progressed forward to the Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Saratoga, where Ellen’s uncle married Ellen + Dane. After the ceremony, guests made their way to the newly remodeled, contemporary Plumed Horse in downtown Saratoga for an intimate dinner celebration.
Ellen + Dane were surrounded by their closest family and friends on their wedding day and we thank them and their guests for their warm reception. We’re proud to have been asked to be a part of their amazing day and to have made such wonderful new friends.
Happy Valentine’s Day, Ellen + Dane!
The Team
the planner | jean marks | jean marks weddings
the invitation| out of the envelope
the makeup artist | shawn cavlan | shawn cavlan beauty co.
the flowers | susan groves | in full bloom
the hotel | hotel los gatos
the church | prince of peace lutheran church
the restaurant | the plumed horse
the cake | the plumed horse
2009 HELLO!LUCKY WEDDING STATIONARY PREVIEW
I recently had the privilege of photographing Hello!Lucky’s 2009 Stationary Preview featuring their newest wedding stationary line, Handmade Hellos,
their book recently published by Chronicle Books and the new face of their website.
Beautiful standing floral arrangements designed by Sharla Flock and soft white uplit drape hung by Got Light? invited guests to walk down a luxurious red carpet into Hello!Lucky’s brand new SOMA studio in San Francisco. Here, guests enjoyed poured wine provided by Andronico’s Market at a modern purple illuminated Blueprint Studio Collection bar. As guests sipped their wine, a technician hand-fed fine art paper through the 3 beautiful vintage Heidelberg presses that Hello!Lucky uses to create their sensuous invitations.
Several samples of these elegant wedding stationary designs by Joel Dewberry, Lab Partners and EIEIO lined the walls leading to the second floor, where guests listened to expert music mixing by DJ John Jow, were served tantalizing hors d’oeuvres, including bite-sized crab cakes, empinadas and mushroom tartlets catered by Jane Hammond Events, as well as fine company from several of the leading wedding professionals in San Francisco.
At the end of the evening, guests picked up goodie bags sitting atop a Wildflower Linen’s gorgeous diamond taffeta in chocolate and graciously filled by Sabrina and Eunice with 2 packs of blank thank you cards, a sponsor booklet and an informational pamphlet about Hello!Lucky and pricing for their new budget-friendly line.
This amazingly successful evening would never have come together so effortlessly without the design expertise and vision of prominent urban designer Morgan Doan of Events by Morgan.
Hello!Lucky is a leading specialty letterpress printer and design studio, based in San Francisco’s SOMA district, with an office in London. They have been creating wedding invitations, greeting cards and personalized stationary since 2003. Their worldwide clientele includes Anthropologie, Kate’s Paperie and Liberty of London.
Sisters Eunice and Sabrina Moyle co-founded Hello!Lucky with a vintage Vandercook press in Eunice’s garage in 2003. Since those humble beginnings, they have collaborated with leading stylists and event designers around the world. Their designs have appeared in publications including Martha Stewart Weddings, Daily Candy, InStyle, Lukcy, Real Simple, Marie Clare and inStyle Weddings.
Their team of 14 creative professionals relish in creating unique designs for their clients, ranging from vintage to modern. Their services cover the range from budget-friendly digital designs to high-end letterpress and hand-crafted invitations.
DILEK SEZEN CITY CLUB SHOWCASE
Dilek Sezen is one of the amazing Union Street professionals I’ve gotten to know quite well since we started working on the Union Street Wedding Ring. She is most certainly a true professional and I admire her passion for her work and her drive for her business.
This is a slideshow of her highly successful showcase at the City Club in San Francisco.
Next time you’re on Union Street, please do visit her at 1757 Union Street, First Floor, Suite 2 (follow her signs down the alley).
OUR NEW BUSINESS CARDS
We have a lot of new things happening this week! Check out these new cards Suzie McKig of Twig & Fig :: Couture Invitations designed for us. She was a dream to work with and knew exactly what we needed to spruce things up a bit.
Here are some pictures I took of their store at 2110 Vine Street in Berkeley:
OUR NEW WEDDING RINGS
I’ve been holding up lines everywhere these past few days since I just can’t seem to stop admiring my new wedding ring!
I asked my lovely friend and Union Street Wedding Ring colleague, Dilek Sezen of Dilek Sezen Objet D’Art, to design these beautiful rings for us using my original engagement diamond.
I just love how the rings feels and looks on my finger and Jung has been raving about his ever since he slipped it on.
These exquisite rings sit atop an elegant arrangement created by my other lovely friend and Union Street Wedding Ring colleague, Mandy Scott of Mandy Scott Flowers.
The Perfect Wedding Gift
Give your Bride and Groom the everlasting gift of portrait enlargements. Your Bride and Groom can apply this gift card towards portrait enlargements or towards their wedding album. We are currently running a promotion offering up to 10 cards per customer with a 10% discount. Call us at 415.513.5925 or email us today to place your order!
Wendy Hearts Michael
Wow! What an amazing day we had shooting Wendy and Michael’s engagement session in Monterey. The weather and the setting were both perfect. We started off on the pier where Wendy and Michael enjoyed a glass of wine and shared a bag of cotton candy. After they were full, we drove down to Lover’s Point. Again, I repeat, WOW. We could’ve spent days shooting them there. It was amazing how many different scenes were available in that one location. But really, Wendy and Michael deserve all the credit for an extremely successful shoot. They are so in love and so outgoing and all we had to do was document the day as they enjoyed it together.
Our wonderful friend and videographer, David Ethridge of A Video Reflection, also joined us on the shoot that day. He is compiling a documentary of us and we look forward to sharing that with you soon!
Allure West Studios in YWD Fall 2008
We’re proud to announce that we have been published in Your Wedding Day Fall 2008 Issue.
As you saw in a previous post, this past spring, Jung and I were asked by Michelle Barrionuevo-Mazzini of MB Wedding Design and Events and Beverly Yip of Especially Yours Chair Covers to photograph their 2nd Annual Promises and Pearls Bridal Soiree. This year, we soireed with the finest at the SF Design Center Galleria–a great raw space!
Some of the finest included Cake Coquette (my cohort in Project Wedding Cake), Glass Slipper Gourment, Hartmann Studios, Impact Lighting, Spiral Hand Floral and Event Design (Spiral Hand also showcased at the ISES Gala), The Flirty Guide (I took her profile shot and she’s definitely a top model!), amongst several fine others.
We’re looking forward to being blown away at the 3rd Annual!
Project Wedding Cake at the Julia Morgan Ballroom
Cake Designer, Gabrielle Feuersinger, of Cake Coquette in San Francisco has created a collection of Fabergé-inspired egg cake toppers. These intricate ornamental keepsakes can be personalized with portraits of the bride and groom and customized with hand-painted and elaborately gilded themes to make a truly original finishing touch for your wedding cake.
This is the latest wedding cake she’s designed featuring her Fabergé-inspired egg cake toppers and the latest set of images that Gabby and I have added to our project.
This cake was designed for a Russian bride and her groom who is on the SF Police Force (see the fabulous Groom’s Cake!) who were married at the Julia Morgan Ballroom.
Stay tuned to see where we take Project Wedding Cake next!
Allure West Studios published in the Bride and Bloom Magazine
Allure West Studios published in the Fall 2008 issue of the Bride and Bloom Magazine
My lovely friend, Gabrielle Feuersinger, of Cake Coquette and I partnered on this shoot and my photograph of her cake was published in the pairing section of the Fall 2008 issue of the Bride and Bloom magazine. We’re working on more projects, so stayed tuned!