The Paper Crane Planner

Tiffany & Co. Themed Baby Shower!

2010-08-30T13:53:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone!

You may (or may not, because you also have been busy) be wondering why I have been absent from my blog lately. Well, I started working full-time in the Private Events Department at Porter Valley Country Club this summer, so I have been quite busy there while still planning events for my own company, but mainly I have been blogging so much for the Club I haven't given my own blog much attention. You can keep up with my musings the last few months by following http://www.portervalleyprivateevents.blogspot.com/ but I do hope to spend more time with you all on my personal blog from now on because, well, I can be more personal here :)

So let's start back with this wonderful little baby shower I designed for my coworker, Stacy, who is having her baby boy in a few short weeks... The shower was hosted by our club so we had a fabulous catered lunch & yummy cake from La Creme, one of our favorite preferred vendors because they never make the cake too sweet. But the decor & games were all left up to me, so here's what I came up with using her Tiffany & Co. (or in this case, Stacy & Co.) theme...Hope you like!

For the favors, I thought, what better treat for Stacy's guests than homemade sugar cookies (pregnant women love sugar right?) with teal frosting & marshmallow fondant bows, which I managed to make the night before & had to finish in the wee hours of the morning because I was out for my best friend's bachelorette (which I was also coordinating) that night. It was definitely difficult to do after a night out, but I managed to finish in the nick of time & still got 30 mins. of sleep! Phew! But totally worth it to see this smile from Stacy...

Next, for the decor of the tables, we used white linen with a teal napkin in the center & teal napkins faned out in the water glasses.

I also made these centerpieces to resemble a Tiffany's box using teal wrapping paper I found at Target which I wrapped a square vase in & some white ribbon from Michaels that I taped to the sides, plus the "bow" on top was white hydrangeas that I placed in the vases, & wala! You have a Tiffany's inspired centerpiece!

My good friend, Mars, from Flowers on Mars, stopped by to provide his lighting skills & uplit the entire room with teal lighting as well as spotlighting the cake to make it stand out. I cannot stress enough how important lighting is for events. There is no easier way to transform a room & add a lot of bang for your buck than with lighting effects.

That was pretty much it on the design side, simple but chic. For the games, we played a little Baby Scrabble, Guess the Size of Mommy's Belly (with yarn), & Figure Out How Many Kisses (Hershey's) In the Baby Bottle...Nothing too crazy, because we had a mix of ages of women & I didn't want to grose anyone out with the Guess What's In the Diaper type games. ;) It was definitely a fun time & yes, Stacy, made out really well with tons of useful things on her registry plus a lot of cute clothes! Now, I can't wait to help her plan the 1st Birthday! If only, that little baby would hurry up & be born already! Hehe. Oh well, it's almost time for his grand entrance & I am sure we will enjoy many more parties before his first.

Until the next party, have a fabulous day!

Eco-Friendly Table Decor

2010-04-17T10:23:00.001-07:00

I was very pleased to see these table settings at Bloomingdales using recycled materials just in time for Earth Day. Maybe you can incorporate their creative ideas into your next party or picnic?

Doesn't it look polished? And hardly none of it is actual linen, mostly recycled paper.

The detailed place settings; Names written on leaf shaped recycled paper are perfect.

Cool, modern earthy centerpieces. Very Earth Day appropriate.

Hope these photos inspire you to create your own Eco-chic event! Remember to be kind to this planet; the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day is April 22nd!

Design Inspiration

2010-04-03T00:02:00.001-07:00

Mad Hater Tea Party

Now that I finally watched the new Alice in Wonderland movie (very fun and fantastical by the way), I thought I should post these pictures I took at Bloomingdales of their marvellous Mad Hatter's tea party table setting.

You can use this theme as inspiration for a bridal shower, birthday party, baby shower or even just a fun summer tea party.

The graphic black and white printed linens are a fun contrast with the bright pop of color on the napkins and mismatched floral china. I also love the clear glass apothecary jars with cake displayed inside like a specimen under examination-Tim Burton would approve.

Hanging tea cup, stacked tea pots and cups as centerpieces, along with a house of cards and a topiary plant with a Cheshire cat cutout...the possibilities are endless with this event theme.

My favorite lines from the film, "I like to think six impossible things before breakfast" and "The very best people are (mad)" should incourage you to try to incorporate some of these unique, whimsical ideas into your next event, and feel free to take your guests down the rabbit hole even further wherever your creativity leads you. Anything goes for a Mad Hatter's tea party inspired event; The wilder and weirder, the better!

Signature LA Direct Magazine release parties

2010-02-25T11:57:00.001-08:00

We gladly accepted an invitation to attend Signature Magazine's latest issue release party (for the Sex Issue) on February 5th with the promise in the invitation that it would be the "sexiest event of the year". How can we say no to that?

Me with former Xenii coworker/model Galina Liss and also former coworker/current Smaknews Editor, Gina Mom.

Unfortunately, all it offered was an entrance into a club and an excuse to go out with your friends. No magazines to be found or special event elements such as lingerie clad dancers/servers or even anything as simple as sensual imagery projected on walls. But we made the best of it and danced for a while before heading out.

Us leaving the mirror like hall that you pass coming in and out of the club.

A bit of a dissapointment production-wise (Signature's crowd is always pretty cool), but we were glad to see an invitation for another release party February 20th at Delux which was being produced by Vita Luna Group.

I was glad to see this bookcase with copies of the new issue as soon as we walked in. Also there was a hosted vodka bar the first hour and horderves passed from time to time. Definitely an improvement from the last party. Maybe the first really was just an excuse to go out?

Me joined by Seng, designer of the super chic women's wear line Georgie, Mel the mastermind behind many websites, and Leila from Laga Handbags (beautiful, unique handbags for a great cause, please support them).

For more info on Laga's cause go to www.laga-handbags.com

Me with a group of friends, including Vera designer and owner of Verameat jewelry (holding the magazine). Her stuff is amazing! Must see: www.verameat.com (You will love her smart, ironic designs like Paint the Town Red, below.)

All in all, a fun night of friends and fashion (though I still have yet to meet the editor of the magazine, Hellen Kay). Hopefully for the next event we can meet the people responsible for this beautifully photographed and well edited fashion and luxury lifestyle magazine. Maybe a little more formality, such as a short speech from the editor to introduce the new issue and concepts they worked on would be a welcome addition to the next event? Just a thought. Us event planners never turn our brains off party planning mode! You all should definitely pick up this issue; it's extremely sexy as promised!

Bizbash's Winter Bicoastal Issue Party

2010-02-01T13:01:00.001-08:00

We were invited to the Winter Bicoastal Issue Party and had a fabulous time! Look out for me and fellow wedding planner Katie Lee in the upcoming Bizbash magazine ;)

On the computer, of course, Gina Mom, Editrix of Smaknews.com came with me to enjoy the festivities and mingle with the event industry's best including the fabulous President of Bizbash, Richard Aaron. Check her site out for some great gossip, celebrity news, and important women's issues- www.smaknews.com and stay in the loop by joining her legion of fans on Twitter- follow Smaknews!

Gina and I in the cool, color changing Igloos from Town & Country rentals.

Us in the 360 photo sphere pictures: a fun, new take on the photo booth concept where a group of people are photographed at once inside a room.

The flowing drinks, appetizers, live music and aerial performance all added to the festive flair of the night. Another job well done for Richard! Thanks again for the invitation and amazing time.

Don't forget to visit the next Bizbash trade show if you are in the industry or looking to be inspired for your next event! Details for the Bizbash Expo can be found at www.bizbash.com.

MasterChef audition in LA

2010-01-31T20:52:00.001-08:00

So my lovely followers, I have been away from my blog for a while being busy working on my audition for a new cooking reality show, working full-time, and the madness of buying our first house (with my first big kitchen; finally I'll have some space to cook!). But I promise to be in touch more often!

Here I am with two of my "fans"/good friends who came out to support me at the MasterChef audition, which I decided to try out for to share my passion for cooking with the world.

And for those of you curious about the dish I cooked up, here's the picture of my dish (minus the extra cilantro I placed on the albondigas soup spoon and on top of my jimaca slaw when I presented it to the judges, which I left off when I quickly took this picture before the audition).

Pictured Above: My Abuelita Ceci's albondigas soup, mom's pork tamales with salsa verde, and a colorful, refreshing jicama slaw to balance the taste of all the spicy flavors of the soup and tamales. Hope you like my presentation!

I'll make sure to share our secret family recipes in the next post, so you can prepare these amazing, authentic Mexican favorites from scratch for your familia.

Also, keep you posted on what happens with the audition if I get any news. Wish me luck!

Thanks so much to all my friends, family and husband for supporting me on this journey.

Designer spotlight

2009-11-13T11:37:00.000-08:00

1. Jobyna's Bridal by Ines Di Santo

I was thrilled to be invited to attend the unveiling of the new Ines Di Santo bridal boutique at the Americana yesterday evening. An opportunity to meet the fabulous designer, gorgeous gowns on display, a rooftop candlelit after party, poolside fashion show, and champagne flowing-what more can you ask for? Brides-to-be, this is a boutique you will definitely want to visit!

Feathers on the train and detailed bodice-Divine!

So romantic, elegant, and sexy. Ines knocked this one out of the park!

I hope you enjoy shopping for the most important day of your life at Jobyna's Bridal and get inspired browsing through the jaw dropping dresses by Ines Di Santo. Check out their websites to see more for yourself!

http://www.jobynas.com/

http://www.inesdisanto.com/

Event Design Inspiration

2009-09-23T10:25:00.000-07:00

2. PopFlowers (Handmade synthetic flower arrangments)

So you are planning an event but you or a guest is allergic to flowers? Do you ditch using flowers in your centerpieces? If you love flowers, I say no! Check out PopFlowers with their colorful, synthetic bouquets that are dirt resistant, hypoallergenic, fragrance-free, and have easy to mold wire stems for molding into varying arrangements they are the perfect subsitute for the real thing. I'd recommend this choice for a no-fuss wedding or event where you don't want to worry about the flowers wilting in the sun. They can even be raffled off or given away to one guest at each table at the end of your event for an extra surprise. They add a whimsical feel to your event and can be reused for a future celebration.

Beautiful Iris and Lili mix bouquet: $52.oo, Pink baby green mix: $32.00 (great for a new born baby gift too for hospitals where they don't allow fresh flowers), Poinsettias in a silver pail: $36.00 (Use them at your Christmas dinner or as a hostess gift)

Try these adorable Make-Your-Own kits for a fun birthday party activity at your child's next spring or summer time birthdays. ($22.95/$17.50 each)

www.popflowershop.com/

Busy summer of weddings

2009-09-20T15:06:00.000-07:00

I've spent the summer so busy with weddings that I haven't had a chance to sit still and blog about them! Here's a brief recap of my favorite moments and ideas to get you inspired for your upcoming wedding or special event. :)

One wedding I enjoyed working on was a unique equestrian themed wedding complete with personalized menus and invitations with a horse silhouete motife designed by Katie Lee from Bella Destinee (whom I frequently assist with her beautiful upscale weddings). Katie incorporated their love of horses into every aspect of the wedding including a white picket fence box filled with grass where horse shaped lolipops were placed holding the escort cards for each guest. The location was also well picked at Calamigos Equestrian in Burbank with the wedding ceremony set up in a u shape on the lawn with horse stables in the background. Kerim from My Wedding Blooms made a fabulous nature inspired arch at the entrance of the ceremony and stenciled large shapes on the ground with flower petals. It was a beautiful sunny day for this equestrian themed wedding!

Check out my friend Katie at: http://www.belladestinee.com/
Don't forget to contact Kerim for a quote on his beautiful floral creations and look at his website for pictures of the floral decor I mentioned above: http://www.myweddingblooms.com/

Me and my good friend at her milangi, pre-wedding ritual ceremony.

Another of my favorites was my good high school friend's wedding in the outskirts of New York. I helped her coordinate the Indian wedding ceremony which consisted of 24 bridesmaids and groomsmen including junior bridesmaids and groomsmen, two adorable flower girls, and a tiny tot pulled up the aisle on a wagon carrying the rings on a pillow.

The large wedding party awaiting the bride

Gorgeous tropical colored bouquets and traditional Henna art on all the women's hands

Me with my two high school friends/bridesmaids in their Indian Saris

At the cocktail hour with other guest in traditional Indian attire under one of my favorite decor details at this venue-the flower balls of white roses hanging down from the arc at the entrance

Candles also hung amongst the flower balls added to the romantic atmosphere

Enjoying the delicious dinner and wonderful attentive service at the reception with friends

I have many more great memories from the weddings I worked on this year and looking forward to sharing many more "big days" this Fall and in 2010 including a Korean wedding in Guatemala, an intimate low key affair in Northern California, and an all out celebration in Vegas. Check out my blog for updates and inspiration from these and other real weddings.

Have Your Cake

2009-05-21T23:53:00.001-07:00

1. Jean Philippe Patisseri

After a relaxing afternoon strolling through Bellagio's Botanical Gardens and a quick glimpse of the gift shop, we ended up at the hotel's fabulous bakery, Jean Philippe Patisseri. If you want some fresh ideas for your wedding or birthday cakes, check out what their masterful chefs came up with!

There's something stunning for every style of event here-from this modern and funky tea pot cake, to this fantastic cake perfect for a golf loving groom, to this Sponge Bob cupcake cake which is sure to be a hit with the kids, and many more. These cakes are so cute you might have a hard time cutting into them!

Here's a glimpse of their yummy pastries which you can choose to have at your event in place of cake. These beautiful desserts are sure to satisfy any one's sweet tooth and are stunning as well.

Visit their website to see Jean Philippe's other creations and check out their chocolate fountain, which is officially the largest one in the world!

http://www.jpchocolates.com/

Photos by my husband, Joshua Vick (Warner Brothers cinematographer) :)

Event Design Inspiration

2009-05-18T22:58:00.001-07:00

1. Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Gardens

Inspiration for your next party can be found anywhere you go. Check out these whimsical floral designs created by the expert horticulturalists at the Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Gardens in Las Vegas. I was there this weekend just before they finished the installation of their summer exhibit for a sneak peak. It is free and open to the public, so I would recommend you see the gardens for yourself to get some ideas for your summer or spring wedding or special event. Go to their website for more details: http://www.bellagio.com/amenities/botanical-garden.aspx

But if you can't get to Vegas, here are the highlights...

Here I am taking a stroll by the Ferris wheel that had seats filled with sunflowers!

The hot air balloons soaring over the greenhouse were just as impressive. Can you just imagine saying your "I do's" flying over a sea of flowers in the spring time? How romantic!

Nothing says summer like a cold glass of lemonade! Make your guests a tall pitcher served from a lemonade stand to keep them cool during your summer ceremony before you arrive for your walk down the aisle.

This cute as a button bear wearing a bright vest of flowers brought up memories from my youth of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. You can give your guests a similar sense of childhood wonder by incorporating story tale characters that fit your party's theme in to your decor.

Although live birds may not suit every event, imagine using a bird cage full of colorful parrots as the center of an exotic flower arrangement at a tropical themed party? Your event planner can find animal trainers to rent them from who will make sure they are comfortable while your guests admire their beauty.

Borrowing one element for your floral arrangements, such as the adorable ladybugs, below, created out of bright red roses nestled amongst a garden of beautiful purple hydrangeas in full bloom, will surely make your party the talk of the town!

If your floral budget doesn't allow you to go as big in scale as these magnificent Bellagio Botanical Garden creations you can ask your florist to incorporate a fun touch such as a small lady bug perched amongst your centerpieces or go for the same ideas as these but substitute in less expensive flowers. Your florist may be able to come up with a completely unique idea that will be even more spectacular and fit better in your budget, so be open to their suggestions and have fun getting creative with your arrangements!

Gorgeous Wedding Locations

2009-05-12T22:13:00.000-07:00

2. Hakone Gardens

Located in the beautiful and exclusive hills of Saratoga, CA this Japanese Garden is perfect for an outdoor wedding. I brought my mother and grandmother here for a stroll on Mother's Day and we were leaving just as a weekend wedding was setting up. With a beautiful lawn for the ceremony near a Koi pond and many areas going up the hill where you can take gorgeous wedding pictures amongst the blossoming flowers in so many amazing colors, this is definitely a place you should check out!

Here are a few photos we took there so you can see what I mean. Visit their website to see more and stop by for a tour. It'll be a relaxing way to spend a weekend, even if you don't chose it for your wedding location. http://www.hakone.com/

Dōmo arigatō for visiting with us!

Messages of wisdom from the Paper Crane Planner

2009-04-09T12:00:00.001-07:00

2. Don't underestimate the importance of your event planner

I just came back from my cousin's beautiful wedding in sunny Florida. Despite having to use an event planner that was a part of her new family to not offend her, she probably would have rather had a wedding planner who was more in sync with her vision and style. This caused great friction in the decision making process and disconnect with the final outcome and her requests since the planner wanted to do one thing and my cousin had in mind something completely different. Luckily we were all there to help her and she was strong enough to put her foot down on things that mattered to her, but certain things, like her bouquet, which she specifically requested to be a certain way came out completely different. Fortunately it all came out beautiful anyway and the celebration of the marriage went off without any major hitches. It was truly an amazing day for a wedding on the beach and the important thing is that everyone had a great time celebrating their wedding day.

My cousin the beautiful bride and I toasting to her marriage on the limo ride to their ceremony on the beach.

Congratulations to the new Mr. and Mrs. Roache and family!

Lessons to be learned:

A) Make sure you have a solid contract! Don't think that things will naturally be done by your wedding planner. Ex. If you expect her to set up and tear down the wedding ceremony sites and the reception hall you should clearly specify it in your contract.

B) Meet with your wedding planner well before any preparations are made to make sure you are on the same page. You don't want her to start planning how your flowers are going to look without you getting to tell her what you had in mind and then it may be too late to order the flowers you really wanted, etc.

C) Ask to see samples of any work the planner is doing on her own. Ex. If she is making your bouquet, see if she can show you examples of her work or at least provide her with pictures of what you want so there is no confusion. Your idea of classy and understated could be completely different from hers!

D) Remember, the bride comes first! If she is not seeing things the way you are, ask to meet with her and figure out where you are not communicating your desires and make sure she realizes this is your day, so if you want something she doesn't agree with you still get what you want. She has more experience than you with planning events so hear out her advice, but in the end, you and your fiance should make all the calls because this is your big day.

E) If things don't go exactly according to plan, relax and enjoy the moment. You only get married once and the little things you think went wrong won't matter in the long run. No one will remember the bubbles that weren't passed out for your exit or the wedding programs that got left at the back of the church and no one got to see (the later happened at my wedding and I still have all the programs). What matters most is you and your fiance's commitment to each other and the joining of two families on this blessed occasion.

So pick your planner wisely and try to enjoy the occasion with your fiance, family, and friends. Everything will come together and as long as you have fun, everything else is just icing on the cake!

My gorgeous and delicious wedding cake by Torrance Bakery.

Unique Gift Ideas

2009-03-14T15:12:00.000-07:00

2. Rabbit Corkscrew Gift Set

For a wedding, anniversary party, housewarming, or even your boss' birthday...this gift is well suited for just about every occasion. Just make sure the person you're gifting it to drinks wine! But even if they will use it only from time to time to open up a celebratory bottle of wine, they will be happy to have it. We got one for our wedding and I have to tell you it makes you wonder why anyone would want to open a bottle with out it; it's that much easier! It costs $69.95 and is well worth it for the years of hassle free bottle opening to come. Bonus: It even puts the cork back in the bottle too!

Cheers!

Buy it at most speciality home stores including online at CrateandBarrel.com: http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=210&f=23609&q=rabbit&fromLocation=Search&DIMID=400001&SearchPage=1

Arts & Crafts Addictions

2009-02-21T23:46:00.000-08:00

1. Paper cranes

It should be clear by my blogger name that I love making paper cranes so it will come as no surprise to you that it is one of my favorite crafts. Not only is it stimulating to your brain to fold origami and create these lovely paper birds, but it's also a meaningful activity.

It is said in Japanese legend that by folding 1000 paper cranes (and hanging them together on a string in what is called a senbazuru) you will be granted one wish. Also, senbazuru can be given to wish someone a speedy recovery when they are ill or to wish good luck to someone that you choose to give the senbazuru to. After the story of Sadako Sasaki, a young girl who folded a thousand paper cranes but died from leukemia following the bombing of Hiroshima, it has also become a symbol for world peace.

So whether you plan to make just a few cranes to pass the time and sharpen your mind or 1000 to ask for a special wish for you or a friend, I think you'll enjoy this simple craft. They also make adorable gift tags on presents, tied to a bottle of wine for a hostess gift, or can be used to decorate your dinning room for a festive Japanese themed party. Even just one paper crane in a color that complements the rest of your decor placed on top of a neatly folded napkin at each place setting will do if you don't want to spend too much time folding.

I did my table, pictured below, in just a few minutes and it was quite fun (plus it helped me pass the time as my husband finished playing a game of football on his Xbox. The boy has to play sometime!).

Here are the steps I found on www.wikihow.com/Fold-a-Paper-Crane, but if you get stuck send me a comment and I'll try to help you out! It may seem like a lot of steps, but it is mostly repetition and is pretty easy. Check out their site for pictures to help you along the way (that makes it easier to follow the steps but it would take too long for me to post all the pictures in this blog).

1) Start with a square sheet of paper. (I used Aitoh origami paper from Michael's craft store that comes in a pack of neon colors in the typical square size, but you can cut your own squares from normal paper bigger or smaller depending on what size crane you want to make.) The front of your paper (the side you want to show in the end) corresponds to the blue side of the paper in the photo. The hidden back of the paper is white in the photo (see the website link above for the photos).

2) Fold the sheet in half, into a rectangle. Be sure to crisply crease your folds.

3) Note that the previous crease is perpendicular to this one.Unfold, and fold in half the other way.

4) Unfold your rectangle. Turn the paper over and fold in half into a triangle. You should see the back of your paper. Unfold and repeat along the other diagonal.

5) Unfold your paper and turn it back over. You should see the diagonal creases create "valleys" and the perpendicular creases create "mountains".

6) Bring the corners together. Allow the valley creases to come together in the middle.

7) You should have a vertical crease running down the middle of your square. Align the square. By flattening two opposite sides, you should find yourself with a square that is open on the bottom. Make sure your square is rotated so that the opening is on the bottom, as shown in the picture.

8) Bring the right corner of the top flap to the middle crease, so that the lower right edge lines up with the crease.

9) Repeat this action on the left, so that the top looks like a kite.

10) It should look like a gem. Fold down the top corner to make the crease lie along the horizontal line created in the previous two steps.

11) Unfold. In doing so, you return to having a square with an opening facing down.

12) Take the bottom corner of the square and start to fold it up along the horizontal crease you made in the previous two steps.

13) As you fold, notice the four diagonal creases on the inside that you made earlier. You will need to reverse the two creases on the upper flap. To reverse a crease, fold it in the opposite direction that it naturally folds.

14) Bring the outer edges to the middle and flatten, so that you have a diamond.

15) Turn your paper over, and repeat the previous five steps.

16) Fold the edges to the middle crease.

17) Repeat on the other side.

18) Fold the right flap over to the left (in the same manner as turning the page of a book). Turn over and repeat on the back.

19) Take the bottom tip of the top flap and fold it up to the top corner. Turn over and repeat on the other side.

20) Fold the right flap over to the left (in the same manner as turning the page of a book). Turn over and repeat on the back. Now the head and tail are nestled in between what will become the wings.

21) Fold the wings down so that they are perpendicular to the body, head and tail.

22) Fold the tip of the head down.

23) Pull the head and tail out so that they line up with the outer edges of the body.

24) Create 3D volume. If you want a three dimensional body, you can grasp the opposite corners on the bottom of the body and gently pull to create the desired volume.

25) Give away, hang, string, or simply enjoy!

Unique Gift Ideas

2009-02-21T10:39:00.000-08:00

1. Gianna Rose Atelier Couture Soaps!

Ok, so some of you will probably think I'm crazy but my latest obsession is soap. I'm not talking about the creatively named and yummy smelling Soaptopia bars of soap that we shower with or the fancy European soaps you find in expensive hotels. I am in love with these animal and dog shaped soaps! Take a look at a few I found while shopping at Neiman Marcus and Bloomingdales.

These will make a perfect wedding shower, housewarming or hostess gift at around $20-$25 each. I always like giving things that I find amusing but maybe wouldn't splurge on for myself because honestly paying over $20 bucks for a soap isn't my idea of being smart with money, but how could I not love receiving one of these adorable Black Labs as a gift for my powder room? Check them out for yourself and just try to stop yourself from smiling when you see how cute they are!

And I had to post these for my friends-Tamara who just got a new Dachshund puppy and Anastasia who has two little toy Chihuahuas. Don't you just want one?!

They can also be purchased online at http://www.giannarose.com/ so feel free to browse the site; There are many other adorable animals and objects to choose from like Maltese pups, owls, rabbits, pears, robin's eggs, sea shells and more!

Gorgeous Wedding Locations

2009-02-20T22:51:00.001-08:00

1. Wayfarer's Chapel

I've been asked by one of my readers to post more photos from our wedding, which I will do soon because I have many beautiful pictures that our wedding photographer, Felix Foto, took. Despite my disappointment in not having a single shot of me in my wedding dress and a few group shots that were missed, he did an amazing job capturing the day and I am so thankful for his pictures, so I definitely want to share those with you too!

But before I do that I wanted to post some photographs that Felix took of the location that we were married at so you can see how beautiful this chapel is. Wayfarer's Chapel is along the Pacific Coast in Rancho Palos Verdes, California, high up on a cliff overlooking the ocean and is a beautiful church made out of glass so you feel like you are outside when you are in it surrounded by trees and lots of greenery. We were married there on a gorgeous, sunny day with the light shinning down on us (making my dress sparkle under the light), but they also have romantic weddings at night with candlelight.

Only downside is that because it's such a gorgeous place, it's extremely popular and hard to get a date (we got lucky because someone didn't pay their deposit and ended up canceling so we got a date six months after our engagement; normally it takes more than a year!). Also they book weddings back to back on the weekends making it a short turn around time so you have only about 30 minutes before and after the ceremony to get ready and take group pictures on the church grounds. This was the main reason why we didn't get a chance to get all the photos we wanted because we spent too much time trying to get a large group photo instead of getting the "money shots" of me and my husband in our wedding attire (although we did get a few photos in front of a tree outside the church which I am very happy to have and will post later as well).

I do recommend you check the location out for your wedding, but keep in mind the time constraints and plan accordingly if you choose this chapel. Also note there is a required donation ($2.5k at the time of our wedding) to use this church, so that should be worked in to your budget. They were very helpful in the planning process and the service is non-denominational so you can ask to work in your favorite readings or even different languages to make the service fit your unique needs (our minister, Rev. Jonathan Mitchell, recited part of the ceremony in Spanish so my family members who were there that were native Spanish speakers could connect to the ceremony). The minister we got was funny and caring, so we felt very comfortable with him marrying us since neither one of us had a childhood minister to go to.

We had a friend, Jordi Sanchez, play and sing our song ("Follow Through" by Gavin Degraw) for us during part of the ceremony and you can arrange to have a choir or musical performances of your own, depending on how big your budget is, to customize the experience even more. They had a great speaker system though which you can use to play your favorite music from a CD if you are on a tighter budget and it is just as effective in setting a mood while your guests wait for you to arrive or depart. We were so in love with the chapel when we saw it that we looked no further and had to be married there. You'll know when you find your wedding location because it will just feel right.

Wayfarer's Chapel

http://www.wayfarerschapel.org/

310-377-1650

5755 Palos Verdes Drive South

Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275

Visit the chapel even if you're not planning a wedding; It's so peaceful and has a beautiful view!

Messages of wisdom from the Paper Crane Planner

2009-02-19T22:31:00.000-08:00

1. Don't underestimate the role of the photographer

Most people know that one of the most important elements to consider for your wedding is picking your photographer. But what I want to make sure you don't forget is to meet with your photographer before the wedding and, in detail, outline who you want photographed, what parts of the ceremony and reception, and in what locations, as well as any special group photos you want to make sure to capture. My photographer was a colleague and I made the mistake of assuming he would know what was important. But when it comes down to it, even the most seasoned wedding photographer can miss a shot that you would love to have if you don't make it clear to them before hand that it's a must have (ex. you and your grandmother or how about just you by yourself in your wedding gown? Believe it or not, my photographer missed taking a single shot of me alone showing my full gown and what a pity to not have that photograph in your album to preserve the memory of your wedding dress forever.) To make matters worse, in our situation, our venue rushed us through the post-wedding photographs, so make sure that you plan out which pictures are going to be taken especially when you have a time constraint.

But if you're swept away with work, guests in town, and other wedding issues and you miss a few important photographs like I did, don't despair. It is an additional cost to fix, but I felt it was important to have more portraits with my husband in our wedding attire at the church and of myself alone in the dress so we simply recreated the event. True, it wasn't the day of the wedding (in fact we hesitated and didn't do it until 6 months later when finally it was clear to me that my wedding album wouldn't feel complete to me with out these pictures) but many brides choose to do the formal photographs before the actual wedding to avoid the rush and stress of doing it all on the wedding day when all your guests are around. So whatever you do, make sure you plan ahead. If you miss a shot, don't worry because the memories you have will last forever and if you can't live with out them, just throw on your dress, get your husband's tux ready and have the pictures taken after the wedding! Happy snapping!

Believe it or not, this is probably the best full length picture of me by myself in my dress on the actual wedding day... Below are the photos taken by Judy Hailey (www.haileystudios.com) that I think are absolutely beautiful and were definitely worth the effort of getting my hair done the same way as at our wedding and getting the dress dry-cleaned all over again, etc. I loved working with Judy on them, she was so accommodating and took the most creative pictures that made our album complete. No regrets now! (The last thing you'd want is to look at your album years later when it's too late to take the pictures again and feel like you're missing some crucial photos that you wish you had taken!) My husband embraced it as well because he knew how important they were to me and Judy made it as painless as possible for him. Actually, he had fun with it!

...And of course I got several "glamour shots" with my husband since we didn't get too many beautiful formal photos before due to the rush out of the chapel grounds...

I would post all of our portrait photos because I love them so much, but I won't take up all your bandwidth! Needless to say I highly recommend Judy if you are having a wedding in Southern California or have the budget to fly her out to your location. Thanks again Judy for these wonderful photos!

Wine tasting events at Bottle Rock in LA

2009-02-18T23:53:00.000-08:00

I currently am on the board of the LA ADPi Alumnae Association as their VP of Development (ie. event planner), so we are working on putting together our first fabulous mixer at Bottle Rock in Culver City. It's a wonderful venue for a wine tasting and their sommelier, George, who has a very fitting European accent, is helping us pick out wines and foods for the tasting and will be sharing with us his knowledge. They have weekly tastings on Saturdays as well that anyone can go to. Check it out!

Italian Tasting: February 23rd at 7 PM
BottleRock: 3847 Main St.Culver City, California 90232

(310)836.9463

Re(Define) (Real)ity Charity Fashion Show

2009-02-18T23:30:00.001-08:00

Re(Define) (Real)ity Event recap

The event included a purple carpet, fashion show with celebrity models (like America's Top Model Whitney Thompson), musical performances, and an after party which ended up having an open bar to celebrate the designers of Little in The Middle (LITM) jeans' fashion show. The women of LITM were all lovely ladies with big hearts that are making jeans to fit a curvier, healthy figure with more room in the thighs and smaller waists, much like how many woman are built, so they fit perfectly. I was brought on initially as the show runner, but I ended up also helping with the fittings of the models and picking out their outfits (they teamed up with Paco Chicano and Ed Hardy for many of the shirts that were worn on the runway, along with shirts supporting The Alliance charity and LITM tank tops). It was a great event with lots of press and celebrities in attendance to raise awareness about positive body image and preventing eating disorders sponsored by the charity, The Alliance for Eating Disorder Awareness (http://www.eatingdisorderinfo.org/). Visit their website to learn more about eating disorders and what you can do about them. If you can also please donate to support the cause!

Me (the show runner) behind Daisy in the center (the show's stylist) with the dressers back stage after the show

Obama supporters know how to party!

2008-10-16T01:12:00.000-07:00

The Obama supporters held a debate viewing event at the same venue where we will be having the fashion show tomorrow-Boulevard 3 in Hollywood. It's a great place to party, but apparently also to watch the debates with all their flat screen tv's they had throughout the venue. Although despite the various rooms inside and out with booths (mostly reserved) to sit in, there were plenty of people standing...always a good sign! It was just big enough to hold all the dedicated Young Democrats-a much bigger crowd than I expected being my first Young Democrats meeting and not really knowing what to expect. All I have to say is good for us, after all everyone has to do in our busy days we should get a pat on the back for taking time to focus on politics like so many others in America are doing right now. It's time for change, and without putting two much of my own political views out there I just want to ask everyone to please do what you can to help elect the right person for the job and PLEASE don't forget to register to vote by October 20th (for CA)!

My Beginning

2008-10-14T22:39:00.000-07:00

Since blogging is the "It" way to get your creative ideas out there, here is my first timid attempt at this form of expression...

The best way for me to show you what I'm about is to start at the beginning...I began the event planning business as the Office and Event Manger at Xenii, a special event company, which specialized in large scale events for our exclusive members-only and A-list celebrity crowd.

Here are a few pictures of some of my favorite events (taken by either Dan Smarg- www.mfilmworks.com, Felix Foto, or Brad Baker, all of whom photographed our events throughout the years-if any of you recognize which pictures are yours, please let me know so I can credit them properly or remove them if you wouldn't like them posted).

Each event had its own creative theme and was produced from start to finish by our stellar staff

From pool parties at private residences to large scale events at sound stages

Including world class talent and performances by the best entertainers

With the best DJ's keeping the crowd dancing and, of course, promotional opportunities.

But one of the most fun events was full of last minute changes which included the addition of the Gypsy Kings performing for Ed Hardy designer Christian Audigier's birthday party that was hosted by Xenii at a sound stage in Downtown LA. Everyone had such a blast dancing the night away. Nothing like live music and an open bar to make it a great event!

The memories abound after working on these parties every single weekend for almost 2 years...Around 80 total! Honestly, you can make any event a success, whether big or small in as little time as a week with the right team, so don't lose hope if you have a lot to do in preparation for your next special event...just hire the best event planner that can help make it all come together!