Soiree by Simone Mt. La Salle Wedding Publishd by IDoVenues.com

Ashley and Dave's wedding ceremony at Mt. La Salle Christian Brothers Church was featured on their BLOG today. Check it out here!

Check out all the beautiful ceremony images by Enluce Photography!

See complete slideshow of their ceremony here.

Fall Holman Ranch Wedding - Simplistic Beauty At It's Finest

Photo Credit: Isaac Mosquera (friend of groom)

Photo Credit: Isaac Mosquera (friend of groom)

Photo Credit: Isaac Mosquera (friend of groom)

It's always such a treat to actually attend a wedding as a guest since we plan and execute so many weddings each season. I love the excitement of showing up not knowing what to expect and seeing all the special touches couples create for their big day. It's even sweeter to attend a wedding at venue that we know so well, like Holman Ranch in Carmel Valley.

One of the biggest draws to this venue is that you really don't need much to have an extraordinary wedding as the property and grounds are so unique and beautiful. Some of the venues that we work at need a pretty aggressive decor installation to transform the space, but not at Holman.

Our friends were married on the overlook using only two simple rustic arrangement to frame them in and their bridal party flowers and it was breathtaking.

Dinner was held in the Rose Patio where the bride used burlap table runners, vintage chargers in different designs (she told me she spent 6 months collecting them from secondhand stores) and simple Italian strung lighting. With space heaters pumping out heat, we didn't even realize it was 43 degrees when the sunset.

A cool surprise in the evening actually came in the form of a reconnection with an old friend from high school who was catering the event. I love small world coincidences. Our friends used RibWhip, a well-known San Francisco based BBQ specialty food truck, to cater the dinner reception (if you are an SF native, you can find them during Off The Grid gatherings). My old friend, Marcel Neal, and his team cooked up an amazing spread of Kobe beef brisket, Cajun Mac 'n Cheese, cole slaw, beans and beef ribs with all the fixings. Guests went through the buffet at least twice and no one seemed to mind licking their fingers.

It just goes to show that if you pick the right venue, great vendors and have amazing friends and family to share in the special occasion, you really don't need a whole to have a great wedding.

Congrats to the new Mr. & Mrs. Brian Orosco!

Vintage Estates Wedding by Soiree by Simone Featured on IDoVenues.com

 Our clients' gorgeous Yountville wedding at Vintage Estates at the Villagio's Inn and Spa was featured by IDoVenues this week! This was one of our favorite weddings and couples all season.

Thanks for the recognition Gloria and Thea. See full feature here.

Gorgeous photos by Dana and Gina of  Enluce Photography.

{Engagement Shoot} Bob & Natalie

It's been a treat spending so much time this week planning the wedding for this uber cool client couple! Natalie and Bob are the quintessential generation Y couple with a city chic style with a slightly technical but super artistic prospective to their nuptials.

Natalie is stylish, artistic and absolutely stunning (see photos below). Bob is reserved, witty, charmingly handsome and provides a refreshingly analytical approach to wedding planning. Together, we have selected an incredible vendor line up for their Cavallo Point wedding next June.

To satisfy this couple's vision about a detailed and thoughtful design, we've pulled in a top event designer to put together a truly unique, cutting edge design for their wedding style. I always feel honored to work next to such industry visionaries on event design as their ideas, inspirations and style reflect total brilliance and awe. This will be a very exciting wedding to unveil to our couple as I know they will be nothing short of a feeling of bliss.

As you can see, the gorgeous images from their engagement shoot were taken by the talented and well known Jerry Yoon, and we're just as ecstatic about him capturing all the details of their big day. There really is no better fit.

Yasmin from Floral Theory will be our floral visionary to execute this high styled affair and we're looking forward to her aesthetic and skill set here. She creates some jaw dropping floral treatments and her energy is infectious.

We also can't forget to mention the most perfect dessert ending... the amazing wedding cake. Perfect Endings will be providing just that!

Please contact me if you are interested in receiving information on any of our talented vendor team!
Enjoy the gorgeous photos by Jerry Yoon below.

Hello Lucky! 10% Off Discount Code

If you want a little break for the wallet on some seriously pretty paper goods - invites, save-the-dates, menus, escorts, thank you cards...etc. - take advantage of a sweet little 10% off deal from one of my favorite stores Hello Lucky!.

Use discount code SWOON2011 to receive 10% off your purchase (expires 12/31/2011).

Here are some of my favorite Fall invitations suites:

Heirloom Harvest

Visit San Francisco

Orchid

Happy shopping!!

Signature Cocktail Inspired by the Fall Season - Apple Pie

I can't believe it's almost November (it feels like we were just having our April showers yesterday!) which means we're in full swing of everything Fall. Gorgeous harvest produce, tree leaves turning beautiful colors, the evening chill and talk of the holidays.

Some of my most favorite weddings happen in the Fall with color schemes of neutral tones and browns with pops of orange, red and yellow. Warm soups made from harvest squash, salads with delicious apples and warm nuts, and dinners of roasted game and root vegetables. Meals that warm us inside made from generational recipes. That's my kind of Fall. 

If you know me, you know by now that I love a good Signature Cocktail. When it comes to selecting a cocktail for your wedding day, always select what is in season. Seasonal ingredients are going to be the most delicious and cost-effective, and whatever you do, don't be afraid of being creative with the presentation. After all, weddings are all about the details. 

Here is a fabulous Fall inspired cocktail to serve at a wedding or any Fall celebration or party:

Apple Pie Cocktail

Apple Pie

Ingredients:

• 2 apple slices
• 1/2 oz. agave nectar
• 1 pinch Apple Pie Spice (store-bought in the spice section)
• 1/2 oz. fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 oz. Core vodka (Hudson Valley Apples)
• Thinly sliced red apple, for garnish

Directions:

• Muddle apple slices in agave, spice, and lemon juice.
• Add ice and vodka and shake well.
• Strain over ice in an old-fashioned glass.
• Garnish with thinly sliced red apple.

Enjoy!!

Bridal Fashion 2012 - Fav Designer Gowns & Major Trends

In September, top designers such as Oscar de la Renta, Armani, Monique Lhuillier, Vera Wang, Badgley Mischka and Carolina Herrera, worked overtime by debuting not only their seasonal fashion collections, but bridal collections as well. Bridal is fashion and a bride's wedding gown sets the tone and style of her wedding and these designers really set the trends for each season.

It was evident through the unveiling of their Spring 2012 collections that top designers were more inspired than usual by their robust lines of beautifully handmade couture gowns. Each season we expect around twelve to fifteen gowns per collection, but designers such as Monique Lhuillier and Oscar de la Renta exceeded the norm by putting out collections around twenty to twenty-five gowns. All amazing, completely cohesive and incredibly unique.

Here are the top bridal trends heading into 2012:

Color.
Heading into 2012, the big trend in bridal is color. Gowns of lilac, blush, peach, honey and sage are huge this coming year. I know this sounds super scary to traditional brides, but once you see these amazing pieces, there will be no doubt in any body's mind who the bride is on her big, regardless of color.

Illusion Neck Line.
Kate Middleton's dress at her Royal Wedding no doubt executed this trend exceptionally well by Alexander McQueen's Sarah Burton. It's all about sophistication and regality in this detail but still adds a touch of sheer sexiness. The illusion style, in which a sheer, delicate, and often embellished layer of fabric veils skin that would otherwise be exposed.

Two Tiered Skirt.
This season, designers focused on hemlines, creating skirts with two distinct tiers. Call it an exaggerated form of the peplum detail from previous seasons, and this time, it's superflattering—the top tier is a genius way to camouflage wider hips.

Extra Voluminous Ballgown Skirts.
Brides who love the traditional ballgown are in for a big treat this coming season, and when we say big, we mean it. Ballgowns are exceptionally full in 2012 so if you are looking to make a princess statement, this is your year to do so.

Here are my favorite dresses by style from top designers' Spring 2012 collections recently debuted! I can't wait to see some of my brides in them next season... yay!

Favorite Ballgowns:

Ines de Santo

Marchesa

Monique Lhuillier

Monique Lhuillier

Oscar de la Renta

Vera Wang

Favorite Trumpets:

Ines de Santos

Amsale

Oscar de la Renta

Vera Wang

Favorite A-Line:

Marchesa

Monique Lhuillier

Monique Lhuiller

Amsale

Favorite Sheaths:

Lazaro

Monique Lhuillier

Temperley London