The proper term is "patina of age"; meaning all that is chipped, scratched, faded and or rusted in it's appearance. Erin and Jason had envisioned a beautiful outdoor vintage ceremony; and by using all good things which are faded and rusted, created a romantic  wedding in that vision.



The vintage rustic motif was so sweet and the couple equally darling! The Inn at Ranch Santa Fe offered the perfect backdrop for the wedding, with it's early California style architecture and outdoor setting. As can really only be done in S. Cal in October, they held the entire wedding outdoors.  The ceremony occurred underneath a huge old oak tree that Blush Botanicals strung with ribbons.  The ribbons wafting in the breeze throughout the ceremony were dramatic!  Erin & Jason asked guests to write them sweet wishes that were placed in a vintage bird cage.  A rustic tin held the programs.  Notice, also, the succulents in Erin's bouquet that added to the rustic feel.


Following the ceremony, the cocktail hour occurred on an adjacent terrace and lawn.  Erin and Jason created signature "Mr." and "Mrs." drinks that were tray-passed with either pink or grey and white striped straws.  During the cocktail hour, guests (and particularly the children!) played croquet on the lawn.  Michael Tiernan entertained with his fantastic singer-songwriter style.  It was a perfect October day with the Santa Ana winds lightly blowing to keep the temperature warm into the evening.

As the sun began to set, guests were invited to move to a third lawn where twinkle lights zig-zagged and the pink, ivory, burlap, and gold decor created a perfectly romantic feel.  Erin and Jason also put together two seating areas with vintage furniture for their guests to enjoy--with one having a camera and tripod to take photo keepsakes.  The Kicks band kept the dance floor full and guests dined on the Inn's amazing food and special miniature sweets and cupcakes made by a family friend.  Special thanks to Joie La La Photography for so beautifully capturing this amazing wedding!

Steal This Idea:

Burlap. Ribbons. And Yarn. Oh my! These three textiles, are the main ingredients in order to create your own rustic wedding. Whether it's hanging from a tree, mantle, or wrapped around bottles and vases, these keynotes create the pure vintage package.   And the best vintage items are the ones that are found.  Erin scoured her own family's attics for old candle sticks, frames, books, tin containers, and even a radio flyer wagon which she incorporated into her decor.  The best vintage is found vintage for sure!  If you can add to your own family's memories and pull out old photos or favorite vintage pieces to display, it will add a personal touch that honors your family in a very sweet way!

 

Amanda and Mike, exchanged their wedding vows at the historical Grande Colonial Hotel in the heart of La Jolla, CA. Having only twenty-six guests attending the wedding, the Grande Colonial was the perfect choice.  There is no venue I love more for an intimate weddings. The hotel has a wonderful mix of old world elegance and modern flair, and when mixed with the location in the heart of the village, the incredibly gracious staff, and world class food (9-10 restaurant provides the multiple course meals served at all of the Grand Colonial's events), an experience there is unmatchable.   Amanda came to me just three months before the proposed wedding date and it was a true pleasure to assist her in planning every aspect of her wedding day.  Sara France Photography captured the day beautifully.  And Amanda was, as always, stunning.
  
The ceremony took place just outside the lobby on the terrace steps, with peak ocean views of the La Jolla Cove below.  Patti of Thistle Dew created all of the floral decor.  Amanda wanted to use a mixture of purples and ivories and create a romantic and dramatic look. 
  
Shown above, on Amanda's left shoulder is a tattoo of a pink pixie and "Malinda" in Old-English text. Malinda was Amanda's grandmother - a woman she adored. Notice how the tatoo and flowers perfectly match!

Cocktails took place in the terrace and by the fireplace in the lobby, and the reception took place in the intimate and beautiful La Jolla room.  We created one long table for all the guests and placed Amanda and Mike in the center.  To create atmosphere and energy, a live pianist entertained throughout the evening.  But the four-course meal and personal toasts were all the entertainment truly needed.  It was a very sweet affair!
  
  
The in-house pastry chef from the Grande Colonial provided the cake and I think it is the best wedding cake I have yet tasted!  I was so surprised!  The hotel bills their pastry chef as only providing "simple cakes" so all my previous clients there have brought theirs in.  Never again!  I want Grand Colonial wedding cake from now on! Thank you, as always, to the Grande Colonial for such a wonderful event.

Emma and Camille had a "best of the best" wedding in La Jolla, California, using some of the most stunning venues La Jolla has to offer.  They were married in La Jolla Presbyterian Church, located in the heart of the village, and had their reception at the La Jolla Country Club, which boasts class and views unmatched.  These two venues are some of my absolute favorites and combining them was such a treat!  Sara France photography perfectly captured the beauty of the day in the photos below.
    

I love the above and below photos with the golf balls.  Golf is a huge part of both Emma and Camille's lives.  I also love the photo of the two of them by the tree below.  Kuddos to Sara, as always.
  
  

This simple yet stunning event was completed by the perfect sweet cake!  And a couple that were all smiles.  Congratulations to this wonderful pair!

    For the upcoming issue of San Diego Style Weddings Magazine, be sure to keep an eye out for our feature in the table top section.  Here's a little sneak peak! My goal for this photo shoot was to create a whimsical look which combined a touch of country and vintage decor. We worked with Chris of Indulge Weddings and Events, Erin Hall of Hall Vintage rentals, Concepts Event Design for the peach linen (mom's closet for the lace!), and Nicole of Nic Roc Designs to create a design that my assistant says is very Secret Garden in style (children's book by Frances Hodgson Burnett). We used a palate of peach, light teal, and ivory and added lace, mismatched china, and distressed wooden details, plus hung a chandelier from the tree overhead.  

    The gorgeous combination of flowers along with the long the wooden crate holding them in was provided by Indulge Flowers..

    The acrylic designs for the table number and name setting, along with the menus placed on each chair were created by the lovely Nicole from Nic. Roc. Designs. These little details formed a whimsical bond for the overall photo shoot. Nicole's inventive new turn on acrylic table numbers and name setting's really gave a sweet touch!
 
       These gorgeous table cloths were adopted from Concepts Event Designs-gurus of linens! The lace harmonized beautifully with the peach cloth showing underneath.

    Look for our spread in the new Fall edition of San Diego Style Weddings magazine as well as client's Sara and Chris' featured outdoor rustic wedding!

We have blogged about Tammy and Tad's amazing wedding but have just now received photos from it to post. We are super excited to show off photos from this gorgeous, whimsical affair.  The entire wedding, both the ceremony and reception, took place at the Prado in Balboa Park, where the vintage atmosphere went perfectly with the couple's whimsical Anthropologie-inspired theme. Tammy, being of Chinese and Thai descent, and Tad, of Japanese descent, mixed both of their traditions to create an incredible wedding.
The bridesmaids attire consisted of gray dresses, teal shoes, yellow bouquets...and these fantastic yellow balloons!  Tammy loved this idea and had the balloons delivered to the Prado as a perfect prop for some of her photos.

The wedding began with a traditional American ceremony (where Tammy wore a gorgeous white gown with teal shoes) and then proceeded to a Thai ceremony, known as a sinsod (which of course included an outfit change!), in which the couple are interlinked by their elders and community.


For the Japanese side, Tammy (and her nurses) made 1000 origami cranes that were used as seating cards and which we strung from the balcony during the cocktail hour. She added Japanese tea tins to further incorporate a little Japanese culture in a nostalgic way.


Tammy wanted a whimsical garden feel to her decor so we focused on bird cages, natural wood, and lots of candles to create natural light.  Check out the bird bath cake table that Chris, from Indulge Flowers created.  I am now completely over standard cake tables.  The bird bath was amazing!  The centerpieces were a mixture of bird cages, wood lanterns, and these amazing ginormous trees!


During the reception, a Chinese tea ceremony took place, in which the newlyweds served green tea to their primary family (and involved another outfit change!). At this point Tammy had, yes, count them, three dresses (each of them unique and gorgeous on their own).  And then she added a fourth!  Tammy finished the evening in a tea-length 50's style dress which perfectly accented her and Tad's choreographed swing "first dance."



We heart Tammy & Tad and are so inspired by Tammy's love for nastalgic details and whimsical touches!

We at CZ Events, were thrilled to hear from former client, Tammy; and how she had recommended us to someone close to her. Not only were we working with Tammy again, this time CZ Events would be orchestrating Tammy's brother, Steve's wedding! Just like his sister's whimsical affair, Steve and Evelyn created a kaleidoscopic celebration which will always be remembered! On the beautiful spring evening of March 25, 2011, Evelyn Diggs and Steve Pratummas exchanged their vows and stated their "I Dos" at MOLAA, Museum of Latin American Art at Long Beach, California.

Above Left: Red heart-shaped grips, were added underneath to Evelyn's oh so cute heels!
Above Right: A red clutch purse in the shape of a rose, gave her tea-length dress a sweet touch.


The Museum of Latin American Art, complimented the couple's bubbly personality perfectly! Everything from
the fuschia-pink walls, ocean-colored tiles, spanish-sculpture garden, all coordinated beautifully with the yellow, gray, and red color scheme, that the couple picked out.

Check out the bride's maids yellow heels...totally cute with the bride's red pumps and neutral gray dresses!

LOVE LOVE LOVE the guys grey Converse shoes with their grey suits and yellow ties!  We think it's awesome that guys are starting to be more creative with their wedding attire.  These guys rock!



Both Evelyn and Steve decided that they wanted to wear matching shoes. While Evelyn wore her adorable red pumps, Steve sported custom-made grey Chuck Taylor's with red trimming and shoe laces! How cute!

Eat surrounded by the ones you love. Drink in the moments that take your breath away. Be Married to the one you can't live without.

We were truly honored to re-connect with the Pratummas family and even more honored to create a special bond with Evelyn and her lovely family too!

My beautiful and amazing clients Tammy and Tad were just featured in San Diego Style Weddings Spring and Summer insert.  Look at these fantastic photos detailing their wedding day at the historic Prado in Balboa Park.  I love the ginormous yellow balloons and all the quirky details Tammy included.  The photos don't entirely do the centerpieces justice--they were amazing.  And check out the bird bath cake table we created.  How fun to have clients with such an adventurous taste in decor.  All I can say is I heart Tammy & Tad!  Click on the link below:

Tammy & Tad Featured in San Diego Style Weddings!

Do you have panic attacks about wedding day catastrophes?  Check out this hilarious article from the Wedding Channel!  I want to subtitle their article: The Top 10 Reasons to Hire a CZ Events Wedding Planner!  Here's a teaser. Click the link for the full article.

The 10 Worst Things That Could Happen on Your Wedding Day

And you thought dealing with your future mother-in-law was bad! Here are the top 10 wedding day disasters -- and how you can prepare ahead of time to avoid them from ever happening.

Disaster 1. A bridesmaid, guest, or you spill a drink and it stains your wedding dress.
Avoid it: Repeat after us: I will not drink pinot noir or cosmopolitans on my wedding night. For the day of, stick to champagne, white wine, or better yet -- seltzer or water. And though you can't stay away from every red wine drinker in the room, just try to stay aware of where their drink is.
If it's too late: Try not to let it ruin your night. The person who spilled the drink is probably sufficiently mortified, so there's no reason to get angry. Try using a damp cloth to blot out what you can, and then get back out on the dance floor. If you're worried about preserving the gown, there are bridal companies that specialize in cleaning and preserving gowns and can work wonders these days. Worst case scenario is this happens before your photos and you'll just have one more excuse to put the dress back on for another photo op with your new husband.

http://weddings.weddingchannel.com/wedding-planning-ideas/wedding-etiquette/articles/worst-things-that-could-happen-on-your-wedding-day.aspx?cm_ven=Responsys&cm_cat=EngagingNews&cm_ite=July%2027,%202010&MsdVisit=1

My gorgeous destination clients Julia and Scott were featured by Exquisite Magazine, an incredibly beautiful San Diego based wedding magazine. 

{Their Love Story}

An eHarmony and Disneyland romance, these two are the perfect match. Nothing could be more creative and charming than Mitch’s 17 hour proposal adventure or the personal details this couple added to their special day. Building a beautiful custom home together, sharing a love of people and a passion for triathalons, they will begin a new life already sweetly entwined...

Ceremony Magazine just featured my beautiful clients Karen and Mitch!  Click the link for all the details and gorgeous photos by Bauman Photography,  The stunning decor was created by Kathy Wright!

http://www.californiaweddingwave.com/2011/03/28/san-diego-ceremony-magazine-2011-karen-mitch/