{Engagement Shoot} Lily & Blake

I first met Lily last October when she called me to inquire about wedding planning services after seeing one of my weddings featured on Style Me Pretty.  She was calling from Houston and was very interested in Holman Ranch as a venue for her 2012 fall wedding. She loved all the photos she'd seen online, loved the style of wedding I had created for Eileen & Stephen, and was looking for a wedding planner to help her throughout her planning process.

After talking for about an hour, we hit it off right away. Lily already had a very clear vision of the feeling, tone and formality of her intimate affair, and I quickly begin to help shape it by knowing which vendors and resources would align perfectly with her taste and style.

Within one week of signing on as her wedding planner, Lily traveled to Carmel Valley for a sight tour at Holman Ranch. As a preferred wedding planner for the property, I started helping her dream through all the possibilities the property could offer for her sized guest list. She was in love with "The Ranch" by the time we finished the tour and all she had to do was convince Blake that, "IT WAS IT". It all aligned perfectly with everything she wanted. By the end of the week, we had her date locked into September, one of the best months of the wedding season in Carmel Valley. During Fall,  it's always warm, the sunset is spectacular, the gardens are lush and vineyards are full and ready for the harvest.

After we toured Holman, we had dinner together down the road at Carmel Valley Ranch - one of my favorite resorts in all of the Carmel, Carmel Valley and Pebble Beach area. It was a warm evening and we sat outside on the terrace overlooking Carmel Valley. Over some great local Chardonnay and fantastic food, we talked about how Blake proposed to her. She beamed throughout the entire story (talking about a Casanova!). I won't go into too much detail as I like to keep very special client moments private, but it did entail breakfast in bed, a love letter, a wax seal and her gorgeous diamond.

Over this past year, Lily, Blake and I, partnered together on creating their dreamy, romantic and high-style affair of everything they loved the most. Their wedding was over-the-top beautiful and their style was woven throughout every detail.

My good friend and super talented photographer, Delbarr Moradi, captured the day perfectly. All throughout their wedding she kept exchanging glances with me saying she couldn't get enough of all the special details.

Only two weeks have passed since their wedding day at Holman Ranch, but I'm still living in Blake and Lily nostalgia. They are that wonderful... 

Below is a selection of Lily and Blake's engagements taken last year by Delbarr  - without a doubt they are in love and roll in style.

Enjoy some seriously lovely photos of two people who I am honored to call my friends.

~simone

 

{Engagement Shoot} Jen & Yatish

Photo taken by Allyson Magda

When I first meet with a bride, I begin to notice each of  her gorgeous attributes - hair, eyes, skin tone, personality and energy. As we start to get to know each other, I begin envisioning the feeling of her wedding day and what she's going to look like. After all, she is the star of the show and I want to nail every detail she's dreaming of.

I met Jen at Blue Bottle Cafe in San Francisco's Ferry Building late last summer. When I entered into the cafe, I immediately took notice of this very tall, very striking brunette with green eyes and long flowing hair. I knew it was her. After we got to talking for a bit, I thought to myself, "Lucky me. She's not only gorgeous, but she's awesome". As a planner, I'm pretty much a straight shooter in regards to my approach in communication, and so is Jen, so I think we really understand each other on that level. She also is incredibly detailed oriented and grounded, again, qualities I love in my brides. I know I mentioned that's she beautiful, but I think I neglected to mention she's also scientist at Berkeley. With brains and beauty like this, Yastish (her fiance) definitely hit a home run.

I first met Yatish at Pastries and Petals in Carmel during their wedding cake tasting. When Jen introduced me, all I could do was smile, shake his hand and think "Nice job, Girl. He's a total hunk and this is going to be fun".

Jen and Yatish have selected Holman Ranch in Carmel Valley as their wedding venue. If you're an avid follower of my BLOG, then you're familiar with my love of the property and staff. Needless to say, I can't be more excited about their wedding day to come this August.

Jen and Yatish decided to take their engagement photos in Carmel Valley last Fall at Berndarus Winery and Earthbound Farms. Enjoy their gorgeous images taken by photographer, Allyson Magda.

Real Wedding {Jessica & Trevor} - Carmel Valley, CA

Jessica, a Los Angeles based stylist, tied the knot with her long time fiance, Trevor, at the beginning of June at the Church of Wayfarer in Carmel, CA.

Being a total "glamor girl", Jessica looked absolutely stunning in an ivory Chantilly lace trumpet gown, hair swept to the side and wearing some unbelievable jewelry. As a stylist for the E! channel, I felt it would be only fitting for her to wear some statement jewelry pieces worthy for a Hollywood red carpet. Luckily, I was able to call in a favor from Fourtane Jewelers -- Carmel's legendary luxury jewelery powerhouse -- and after an afternoon of trying on diamonds and pearls, Jessica selected an amazing suite of wedding day jewelry. One word: A-mazing.

Having the ceremony at The Church of Wayfarer was very important to Jessica because the church has such a special significance to her side of the family. Both her parents and grandparents were married there (all of which were in attendance) and she wanted to carry out their tradition. It was such a special moment to see all three couples ringing the church bell together immediately after the ceremony signifying to the entire town of Carmel that a wedding was taking place.

Jessica and Trevor love the wine country so hosting their wedding reception at Chateau Julien in Carmel Valley was a perfect fit. The estate's vineyards were green and lush and added a beautiful wine country backdrop to their photos.

Take a peek at their big day below.

Happy planning!

 

 

 

Vendors & Credits:
Wedding Planning & Coordination: Soiree by Simone
Jewelry: Fourtane Jewelers, Carmel, CA
Photography: Tia & Claire Studios
Floral and Event Design: Christine Cater Event & Floral Design
Rentals: Chic Event Rentals
Linens: La Tavola
Music: DNA Entertainment
Cake: Friend of the Bride's Family
Ceremony Venue: The Church of the Wayfarer, Carmel, Ca
Reception Venue: Chateau Julien, Carmel Valley, CA
Hair and Make: Emily Nguyen, A-list Make-up & Hair
Transportation: Main Event Limousine
Accommodations: Cypress Inn