i saw that going differently in my mind: a sand ceremony

Photo by Kevin Schmidt www.flickr.com/photos/kevincharles

The sand ceremony: two different colors of sand are poured by the bride and groom into a single container.  It’s a beautiful symbol of two lives coming together to create something more intricate and wonderful than if they had stayed apart…and once they are joined, there is no going back and trying to separate them.  (No really…you do not want to try and separate two colors of mixed sand from one container…)

I’ve seen the sand ceremony many times, and have always appreciated it.  And, as a coordinator, I am often the one who sets it up prior to the ceremony: the empty container goes in the middle, the container with the bride’s sand goes on the left, and the container with the groom’s sand goes on the right.  Easy enough.

So when I went to set up one particular sand ceremony one day, and found a rock in the same bag with the sand and containers, it seemed a bit curious to me.  ”Gabrielle, do you know if this is supposed to be here? [The bride] didn’t happen to mention anything about a rock to me.”  ”Nope, it probably just fell into the bag from something else.”  Good enough for me.  I set up the sand, and put the bag with the rock away.

Fast forward.  The ceremony has started.  The parents have been seated.  The landing of a large staircase is serving as the altar, and so the pastor and the groom are set to come down the stairs from around a bend, with the bride and the rest of the wedding party entering from behind, and going up the stairs. Quite beautiful, actually.  But the cue for the pastor and the groom to descend comes…and goes…

…and the music plays…and the photographer who is staged up the stairs to get an overhead shot looks down at me, and I look at her and motion toward the groom…and she goes over to him…and the music plays…and all of the guests are just sitting there…and Gabrielle is waiting outside for my cue to send the bridal party down the aisle…and the music plays…

…and so, it just had to be done.  I walk up the aisle in between the guests, up the stairs in front of the guests, and around the bend where the pastor and groom are waiting.  ”Is something wrong?” I ask.  The pastor replies, “there was supposed to be a rock on the sand ceremony table.”  Oh dear.  ”Is that absolutely necessary for us to begin?” “Well…yes…I mean, it’s symbolic, and I talk about it during the ceremony, and so…can you…do you know where to find a rock?” Yes, I know exactly where to find a rock. Could you not have mentioned this before the ceremony started? “Sure.  I’ll take care of it.”  So I walk down the stairs in front of the guests, and down to the room where all of our extra stuff was stored, and I retrieve the rock, and I walk back up the stairs in front of all the guests, and I place the rock on the table, and I motion to the pastor that we’re all set, and I walk back down the stairs in front of all the guests, and I walk back down the aisle in between the guests…and the music plays…

And then they came down the stairs, and the ceremony proceeded, and the bride made a beautiful and grand entrance, and I’m sure that by that point, no one really cared about the woman who kept going up and down the stairs.

But I kinda saw that going differently in my mind…

holiday dinner party redefined

When 3Ones, Inc. came to us for their company holiday party, the last thing they had on their mind was Santa Clause, candy canes, and jingle bells.  Leave your ugly Christmas sweaters at home for this one, folks.

Instead, imagine a private dining experience in an upscale modern kitchen showroom downtown, with sleek and contemporary decor and a gourmet four course feast.

The beautiful Bulthaup showroom provided the perfect setting for the occasion.

Mono-thematic design elements consisting of cinnamon, chestnuts, and pine cones gave a subtle nod to the season.

Due to the nature of the venue, we were able to provide an interactive experience for the guests: their dinner was prepared in the main show kitchen adjoining the banquet table.  As they enjoyed beverages from the bar and savory hors d’oeuvres, they could also observe our resident culinary expert, Gabrielle, in her element (perhaps with the help of a willing…if not quite as talented…sous chef).

It was a beautiful and celebratory evening, complete with good food, good drink, and great conversation.

Special thanks to:

Stephanie Abbott, Bulthaup: Venue

Concepts Event Design: Linens

Adorations Botanical Artistry: Glassware Rentals

Kate Bauer, He and She Photo: Photography

a wedding! or…not… a NotWedding!

So, as a bride-to-be, you get all these invitations to various wedding shows and showcases where you can meet vendors, perhaps snack on an appetizer or two, and enjoy a glass of champagne.  But do you ever leave thinking, “Well, that DJ sure was nice, but I wonder what he’d be like at a real wedding…”? Or perhaps, “That stuffed mushroom was quite tasty, but I wonder what their food is like when it’s a whole dinner prepared for a wedding reception of 150 people…”?

If you’ve got a wedding planner (ahem…hint, hint), she can steer you in the right direction, but sometimes you wish you could just be a fly on a wall at a wedding these vendors actually put on…just to see how it really, really, is…

Enter The NotWedding.

The brainchild of my dear friend Callie Murray over at Achor and Eden Photography, this is a wedding show like none you’ve ever seen.  It’s a real wedding.  There’s a real ceremony.  With a real couple (okay, so they’re already married, and they’re just acting, but still…).  And a real reception with a real sit-down dinner and dancing.  And you’re invited.  I’m telling you, this is as close as it gets to seeing vendors in action without being a wedding crasher (and as fun as it might seem to be a wedding crasher, it won’t be so fun when I catch you…).

Until this year, you’d have to make your way to Atlanta to attend this beautiful affair…but fear not!  Callie and her amazing team are bringing The NotWedding to San Diego!  So check out the website.  Watch the video.  Buy your tickets.  This is one wedding you will NOT want to miss!  (See what I did there?)

And be sure to come find Gabrielle and me…we’ll probably be cuttin’ a rug on the dance floor…

where business gets done

You may think that the business of event planning happens at venues, or in the meeting spaces of vendors, or even sitting around the kitchen table…and you wouldn’t be entirely incorrect.  But for A Joy Forever, there is a place near and dear to our hearts which has housed some of our best brainstorming sessions, business assessments, and post-event debriefings.

It’s a place where we can walk in wearing our most professional business attire, or our “I’ve been working in the home office all day, and only just got out of my pajamas” attire.  It’s a place where the waitress is no longer just a waitress…she’s now our friend, who greets us with a kiss on the cheek, and sits down at our table to take our order.  It’s a place where try as we might to branch out, we just can’t seem to get away from ordering the pancetta, fig and blue cheese flatbread or the board four with the best combination of cheese and fruit you’ll ever try: a humbolt fog with apple jam.  It’s a place where the only dilemma truly lies in which wine to drink tonight.  Because they’re all good.  (Well…the red ones are all good.  It’s hard to say whether the white ones are good or not…I’ve never ordered a glass of one myself…)

It’s Counterpoint…”a place for people.”

Image via www.counterpointsd.com

I’m telling you, some of our best partnership meetings have taken place here over a glass of the Montepulciano…or the Zinfandel…or the Petite Sirah… (what can I say?  They’re all good.)   Stop by and see for yourselves.  And be sure to check upstairs…because we just might be at our regular table, planning the next incredible event…

Yep, that's Gab's iPad...and this photo was taken with my iPhone...

treehouse escape: mike and rianne’s rehearsal dinner

An impending wedding? Check. A gorgeous bride and dashing groom? Check. A real, live, actual treehouse? Check.

Mike and Rianne planned a picturesque wedding on the grounds of the Fallbrook Treehouse…a gorgeous venue perfect for their rustic vintage theme.  And while the treehouse itself was available for their use, it could not accommodate the size of the wedding.  It just so happens that the treehouse’s beautiful stone patio was the perfect size for an intimate rehearsal dinner the night before the wedding.  Enter A Joy Forever.

The wedding party, family and friends first rehearsed at the ceremony site: a lovely open lawn backed by a serene lake.

They then made their way up the hill to feast and celebrate before the big day.  The treehouse’s surrounding natural beauty didn’t need much embellishment, with sweet garden flowers in various mason jars and bud vases bringing just a hint of color to the lush green.

The father of the bride provided a special home brew, complete with Mike and Rianne on the label, and the evening was spent sharing lots of laughter with family and friends.

Rianne and her brother didn’t intentionally coordinate…and they didn’t intentionally match our printed thank-you notes…but we loved the happy coincidence and the vibrant pop of color.

One of our favorite things about rehearsal dinners?  They’re only just the beginning of the celebration to come.  Congratulations, Mike and Rianne!

Photos by the fabulous Luke and Kate Bauer of He and She Photography

autumn comfort

What is it about pie in the fall?  I mean, even for a girl such as I, who grew up in the desert of Phoenix, and now lives in the moderate climate of San Diego…there’s just something about baking pies that makes it feel like the weather must be changing…it must be time to light up the fireplace…it must be time to snuggle on the couch with a loved one…it must be time to forget calorie-counting, because that second slice of pumpkin pie with a large dollop of whipped cream is just too good to pass up.

So when the folks at Flood Church asked us to do a commencement dessert for one of their fall classes, we couldn’t help ourselves…we had to do a pie bar.  Pumpkin, apple, and a pear cranberry pie to die for.  And don’t forget the freshly whipped cream…

Time to go cozy up with a fleece blanket, a cup of coffee, a good book…and of course, a piece of pie.

real wedding: rick and lisa

What a delight these two were!  Rick and Lisa are fun loving, young at heart, and full of joy.  Their wedding day could not have been more perfect: a crystal clear sky with the sun shining down and a bit of an ocean breeze (we ordered that especially…to keep it from being too hot).  Surrounded by family and friends, they exchanged their vows in the beautiful quaint garden of Point Loma’s Thursday Club.  Then the party moved inside…and the crowd was so into gettin’ down, that we ended up moving some tables aside to make more room for the dance floor!

Rick designed all of their wedding stationery: invites, programs, menus, etc., and Flour Power repeated his design on the cake.  Lisa’s affection for Old World Venetian art (and the color purple…) inspired the day’s decor, with Adorations Botanical Artistry expertly and beautifully fulfilling her vision.  The folks at Continental Catering kept the food and drink (and sugar, in the form of an awesome candy bar) flowing, and the whole day was captured by Amanda Darosett at Will You Marry Me Photography.

Congratulations, Rick and Lisa!  Thank you for letting us be a part of such a special day!

favorite moments: the love of a father

Photo by Callie Murray www.achorandeden.com

The processional has started.  The groom awaits his bride at the altar; the bridesmaids herald her coming as they make their way down the aisle.  But first the door closes.  And there is just one precious moment when all that’s left is the bride and her father (and perhaps the coordinator, standing by, ready to open the door for the grand entrance…).  He looks at her, often with a tear gleaming in his eye, and this is when it really hits him: his baby girl is about to get married.

It gets me every time…sniffle.

wine a bit…you’ll feel better

We may have discovered a new favorite in small private parties.  Let me rephrase…we’ve definitely discovered a new favorite.

Picture this…20 or so of your good friends come over for an evening of culture.  Your own private sommelier takes you through five different wine and food pairings, teaching you the ins and outs of wine tasting along the way.

We started with a crisp Sauvignon Blanc, paired with toasted rustic bread rounds topped with a dab of apple honey butter and a slice of humboldt fog cheese.   I thought I’d died and gone to heaven right then and there.  Our sommelier, Shane, took us through the basics of wine tasting: appearance, aroma, and taste.

It turns out it really is proper form to get your nose right into the glass when assessing the aroma of a wine…that’s not just something wine connoisseurs tell you to do to make you look ridiculous.

We moved on to the surprising pairing of a sweet Riesling with spicy Kung Pao Chicken.  I never would have thought to put the two together, myself, but I suppose that’s why I’m not the sommelier.  And, in short, it was absolutely delightful.

Then it was time to move on to the reds…my personal favorite.  Lo and behold, there is a time to pair red wine with fish!  The Pinot Noir we had with our smoked salmon and dill pizza was incredible.

Next came my favorite pairing of the night: a Malbec with marinated and grilled flank steak skewers.  Malbec?  Yes please.  Flank steak?  Why thank you.  It was to. die. for.

We finished off with a bit of dessert: sweet and strong Port paired with a fine French chocolate truffle.

What an absolutely delightful evening.  Good food, good wine, good friends, and we learned a little something new in the process.  Gabrielle and I couldn’t stop dreaming of all the possibilities – what a fabulous birthday celebration it would be…or perhaps, a way to connect with your coworkers outside of the office…or why not add a little class to your bridal shower?  But when it comes down to it, do you really need an excuse for such a lovely party?

 

a summer solstice birthday

It doesn’t seem quite fair that I should throw my own birthday party…I mean, why should I get to have all the fun??

Gabrielle and I loved bringing this vision to life…from the Trendi Sorbet table runners to the mini cork bottles filled with wildflower seeds at each place setting.  And what could bring more life to a party than bright and beautiful dahlias, peonies, tulips and daisies?

The backyard garden affair was the perfect setting for a gathering of good friends.  We talked, we laughed, we ate, and we enjoyed the perfect San Diego evening.

One of my favorite little details…bubbles…”guaranteed to keep you young at heart”.

 

The food was delicious, including chicken, shrimp and veggie skewers off the grill, a light and fresh couscous salad, and a sweet summer salad of mixed greens and berries.  An ample supply of beer, ice cold Izzes and a pomegranate-lime signature cocktail that was out of this world kept our guest from going thirsty.  For dessert?  Some of my all-time favorites: fresh fruit tarts and rich mini flourless chocolate cakes.I couldn’t have asked for a more enjoyable way to celebrate my birthday.  Surrounded by good friends in such a beautiful setting…and I didn’t even have to wash the dishes at the end of the night!  How did I get so lucky?

Happy birthday to me.

 

Special thanks to…

Luke and Kate Bauer: Photography

LaVonne Crawford, Adorations Botanical Artistry: Florals