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Thanks to Jenna Lam and Four Seasons Resorts Scottsdale for making everything look gorgeous and flow beautifully.

Marriage Equality For All.

So, picking up where we left off… (here is part 1, in case you need to catch up.)  The next stop on our Beyond Blu Bungalow Peninsula tour was Thomas Fogarty Winery, a story-book pretty site perched amidst the Santa Cruz mountains that offers amazing views of the entire Bay Area.  We were lucky to have perfectly clear (if a bit crisp!) weather and the view really knocked our socks off!  Becky showed off the many areas available for use at the winery, including the ceremony lawn at the edge of the mountain, and the gorgeous, huge covered Pavilion that can be used if the weather demands it, where guests are a bit more sheltered but still can still enjoy the incredible surroundings.

The PavilionHappy group!Janece & Lori of Every Elegant Detail along with Karen at Huckleberry Karen Designs devised this striking table, using many of the items we’d seen earlier in the day at Classic Party Rentals.  I always love sunny, happy yellow hues and they look fabulous juxtaposed with the teal-y turquoise (tealquoise?) seat cushions and accents.  Huckleberry Karen making sure everything is juuuust right…
Janece and Lori from Every Elegant Detail join Karen in discussing their design choices.
Solo guitarist Gabriel Navia (courtesy of Entire Productions) serenaded us as we settled in for a delectable lunch prepared by Thomas John Events.  Thomas himself spoke with the group and shared his commitment to using fresh, local ingredients and discussed all the steps that is taking to make Thomas John Events a green-certified company.

Gabriel Navia (booked through Entire Productions) and Cinematt, both hard at work.Thomas John explains his company’s philosophy.I do love a good beet salad!Not to mention seared halibut over sweet potato gnocchi…

And along with the delicious food, we enjoyed some really killer wine!  (I know, I know, my job is REALLY hard sometimes!)  I’m usually more of a red person, but in this instance, my favorite was the chardonnay (2008, if you care to try some yourself).  Mmmm!Carrie and Annie with  Thomas John Events took excellent care of us.The gang.

After that, it was back down the mountain to the day’s final destination, La Costanera, a very cool, Michelin-star rated Peruvian restaurant located right on the edge of the ocean in Montara, just north of Half Moon Bay.  As I mentioned, it was a perfect, clear day and the ocean view from this site is very, very special indeed.  This is one of the very few places in the Bay Area where one can get married right on the beach… or, if you don’t want sand in your toes, you can use the patio and still enjoy the view!

Eric, our host at La Costanera, showed us all the different spaces available and explained the many ways they can be used for weddings both large and small.  And we had another very special treat… DJ Eric Yee and his Spintronix team were set up with some tunes, and Annemarie of 8 Count (offering fun, low-key dance instruction for couples, wedding parties, and more) showed everyone a few moves to get loose and comfortable on the dance floor.The ladies are adding the hip smack!

We then settled in around the patio firepit and watched the sun sink into the horizon as Eric brought us plate after plate of amazing La Costanera delectables.  The food was truly to die for, and with the gorgeous setting and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the ocean, it’s not hard to understand why La Costanera is such a popular wedding site.

We were all a bit stuffed and sleepy for the ride back  (at least, I was!) but the day wasn’t quite finished yet.  Wine and nibbles awaited at Blu Bungalow, as well as lovely Liliana and her signature mobile spa party (SPArty!).

We were treated to our choice of three mini-spa sessions – truly, the perfect way to end a perfect day.  I’m telling you, Hazel and Blu Bungalow really know how to rock a site tour!  Thanks for a wonderful time!

Upon arrival, ladies were treated to coffee, pastries, and mimosas as well as mini beauty treatments and fresh lashes with Elizabeth of Skyla Arts and Nicole at Blush…

 …before walking the Blu carpet to board Pure Luxury’s immaculate shuttle.

As an example of how well thought out this event was, during our transit times Hazel planned for the various wedding pros on board to speak with participants about their area of expertise.  I discussed how to approach wedding photography, how to find the right photographer for you, etc. and we had a great question-and-answer session.  Matthieu of Cinematt gave a similar talk with regards to wedding cinematography.  And Jamie Chang of Mango Muse Events briefed everyone with information and details about each site prior to our arrival, so that we could maximize the time we had at each place.  Such a great idea!

First Stop:  Classic Party Rentals, where Mindy Roark hosted a tour of their Burlingame showroom, bursting with all the necessary elements to create your own, personal wedding decor nirvana.

A beautiful sample table…

A rainbow of seatcushions…

Just a small sampling of dishware…

And Mindy and Hazel, yucking it up.

Next, we visited Rosewood Sand Hill, where Todd Outhouse and his staff greeted us with big smiles – and pomegranate champagne cocktails.

We toured the many different available spaces at the hotel, which offers a truly luxurious experience and an aesthetic that is very clean and modern, while at the same time warm, rustic and inviting.

Gorgeous lobby.

The outdoor spaces are incredible!

 In the ballroom, two sample tables created by Huckleberry Karen Designs and Jamie Chang of Mango Muse Events helped guests envision the possibilities, and Karen spoke with the group about selecting flowers and working with a floral designer (remember, if have your heart set on peonies, you’d better plan on a June wedding!)

So, so pretty, and I love banquet-style tables…Such beautiful details!

And I MUST show you these two gorgeous bouquets that Karen designed:

It was time to say good-bye, but not before Todd provided everyone with swag bags full of beauty and spa goodies!  And I must share a few more images of Rosewood – I really love their artwork…

Tune in tomorrow for the rest of the day’s adventures at incredibly picturesque Thomas Fogarty Winery and very cool La Costanera, right at the edge of the ocean!  We’ll see more  lovely decor from Janece and Lori at Every Elegant Detail, eat a wonderful meal courtesy of Thomas John Events, boogie to the sounds of Spintronix, get a dance lesson from Annemarie and 8 Count, and last but not least, enjoy a little end-of-day spa pampering from Liliana and her SPArty.  What a day, right??

Vroom, vroom!  Our brides and grooms have been really clever at coming up with unique ways to transport themselves to and from wedding day affairs.  Suzy loves to get shots of her couples in the car as well as it serves as a fun moment for everyone and a candid photography style comes through.

These couples loved their transportation so much that Suzy found a way to create a candid moment out of it.  The old car in the country grass makes this wedding feel like it is in an English countryside.  With retro and vintage flares, a car can add that final touch, and we love how our clients embraced the moment.

These are some of our favorite transportation ideas and photography from our clients that we hope inspires you on your wedding day.

The selected type of beverage for cocktail hour can tell a variety of stories. Who the couple is, what their style is, if they have a signature cocktail, and also add a discussion point for guests.  The glasses used to serve beverages can be as personalized as one likes them and serve any kind of bubbling, fizzy delight.

A wedding isn’t a wedding without some champagne bubbly as well.  How gorgeous are these champagne glasses filled with a variety of sparkling choices for guests?

Fresh lemonade, cider, and fruity drinks are also equally popular for a wedding cocktail hour.  Some clients have chosen to have self-serve areas for such cocktails and have turned even the serving dispenser into a clever detail.

Thirsty, anyone?  These beverages look fresh, crisp, and refreshing.  We hope you enjoy planning your wedding cocktail hour and that these beverages might inspire you!