A New Spin on an Old Tradition on Valley & Co.

We posted an absolutely incredible + fun age-old wedding tradition over on Valley & Co. - you really must check it out! It's something anyone can incorporate and is so memorable!

*Photo from Llanes Weddings

Cheers! Aleah + Nick

Sneak Peek: Martha's Vineyard Wedding on Valley & Co.

Hop on over to our new {and, might we add, fabulous} blog! Valley & Co. features daily inspiration!

*Photo from Chung Li

Sweet + Simple: Kale

*Photo from My Home Ideas

Expert Advice: think about your guest list in depth

We know creating your guest list can be daunting and you might be dreading it.
Over the years we always caution our clients to think very carefully about their guest lists. This is one of the few things we can't really help clients with, except for these key pieces of advice:

1. Please do not assume that your entire family from the East Coast won't fly out to your Southern California wedding and invite them anyway. We have clients who made this assumption and they ended up going over their intended number of guests by 30 people - that's a large overage! Instead, think about sending them an announcement after the fact, especially if they are distant.
2. Consider what it actually costs to host each guest. Would you be willing to take your old high school teammate you haven't talked to in 10 years to a $500 dinner? Didn't think so! Consider who is most important to you both and nix those from the list who don't fit the bill.

Happy Planning
Aleah + Nick

*Save the date from Wedding Paper Divas

Have you been by for a peek?

We are so thrilled that Valley & Co. has a brand-spanking new look and we think you're going to love it!
Stop on over and let us know what you think!
Cheers, Aleah + Nick

A Must-Have Giveaway via Get Hitched Give Hope

We've said it before and we'll say it again: brides - please, please trade in that dreaded plastic hanger for a lovely one to show off your worn-once-in-a-lifetime beautiful wedding gown! It's such a small detail that is easy to overlook, but makes a world of difference in those important dress shots!

Check out this brilliant Lila Frances lovely hanger giveaway from the amazing team behind Get Hitched Get Hope. Hop on over to the GHGH site to enter to win! Hurry, the contest ends on the 25th!

Cheers, Aleah + Nick

Inspiration: Costa Rican Fun

We saw this styled photo shoot over on Style Me Pretty and had to share! Love this!

How fun are the chair adornments? Just perfect for a Costa Rican wedding! Happy Planning,

Aleah + Nick

Super Fun Find!

Check out these totally fun mugs found on Etsy! Too cute as party favors at a casual outdoor bash!

Have you been by Valley & Co. to say hello?

There's some total goodness going on over at our other blog, Valley & Co.! Some totally stunning real weddings, advice from Nick, and sunny inspiration!
Here's a peek:

*Photos from Sarah Rhoads

Monday Coffee: Keeping it Light

With summer weddings just around the corner, we're finalizing menus with our clients and  encouraging them to keeping it light. Offer your guests lighter summer fare {while still offering an abundance of food} like summer salads with lighter dressings, fresh fish, and stations that allow for guests to nosh through the celebration, rather than sitting down to a full plated {and heavy} meal. Crudites, charcuterie platters, seafood, and other stations not only allow guests to pick and choose what they want to eat, but it also allows for a really fun roaming celebration.

 Keep in mind, if you choose to do a heavy hors d' oeuvres-style reception, spell that out in your invitations so that your guests come knowing what to expect. Cheers! Aleah + Nick
*Photo from Alex Studios

I know, I know. We've been neglecting TGL's blog just a wee bit. We'll it's because we've been working hard over at Valley & Co. to bring you the best inspiration out there!
Haven't been over there yet? We'd love for you to come by and check us out! A sampling of what's cooking:

Cheers! *Photo from Focus Photography

Calling all Brides: You are Cordially Invited!

Be sure to répondez s'il vous plaît for this fun dress up event, hosted by B. Mookie Jewelry and Allyson Simone Custom Gowns at the Bridal Bar in La Jolla.

We hope you have a fun + safe Memorial Day weekend. We'll take this weekend to remember those who have fought and served our country.

If you haven't already, check out the fun stuff over at Valley & Co.! A Cannes wedding, Memorial Day celebrations 3 ways, and a sweet lollipop-inspired bridal shower! Cheers! Aleah + Nick

Quick Tip of the Day

This is a tip for everyone: DIY brides, planners, florists, and catering staff. When you're setting up candles at your wedding {or party} pull the wicks up in advance! There's nothing worse than having to dig into a tall hurricane or mason jar to pull the wicks up to light 1,000 candles! We've come across this a few times over the years and it slows down the setup process.

Cheers and Happy Planning! Aleah + Nick

Photo from Colonial Candle

Monday Coffee: How to be a Gracious Host

We've talked quite a bit about how to be a gracious guest and host, and these topics are incredibly popular. We have the job of advising our clients on what to do to make their wedding a true experience and, perhaps more importantly, what not to do.

Some clients insist on having a 2+ hour cocktail hour post-ceremony, during which their guests will be drinking, noshing on hors d' oeuvres, and visiting. Our friendly, expert advice: please do not extend cocktail hour much past it's given name - an hour.

During most cocktail time our clients use it as an escape either to relax or take more photos. Over the years we have seen too many guests drinking too much during this period, getting bored waiting for the bride and groom, and leaving shortly after dinner as the wedding is "taking too long." You certainly don't want the memory of your wedding to be that!
The biggest issue can be a lack of activities, but moreover, your guests want to visit with you. Why not keep cocktail hour a short and sweet time in between the ceremony and the reception, let guests eat and drink a bit, but make a point to show your guest an amazing time, visit, dance, and spend time with them doing more fun activities, all while avoiding a strange lag-time?
Cheers! Aleah + Nick
*Photo from Alex Studios

I adore this image snapped by Llanes Weddings at our mega shoot a few months back. This particular shoot was seen on Rock 'n Roll Bride in London and was so much fun to put together!

Click here to see the full feature and read about our inspiration. Cheers! Aleah

And the glassybaby winner is....(via Random.org) Nicole!

We are so thrilled with the entries and hope you stay tuned for more blog goodness, giveaways, and lots of fun stuff! Thank you so much for entering and also for the awesome comments! We're ecstatic that you love our work! Cheers, Aleah + Nick

Nicole-please email us your full name, mailing address, and whether you'd like Studio 54 or Hide + Sleek glassybaby. Congratulations!

Photo Love: Alex Studios

I love this shot of Renee's I Do shoe jewels! Aleah

We are beyond excited to announce the launch of Valley & Co.!

Valley & Co. is our new blog featuring unique, stylish, and exquisite wedding and lifestyle inspiration. Here's a sampling of what you'll find over there! www.valleyandco.blogspot.com Head on over and let us know what you think! Of course, keep the Good Life on your list of daily reads; we'll continue to post our Monday Coffee, Nick's picks, and other fun details!   Photo by Llanes Weddings

Tip of the Day

With so much beautiful wedding inspiration on the web and in magazines, we know it's easy to get swept up in DIY projects. But we have some words of advice: please, do not take on too much in terms of DIY-ing on your wedding day. There is a big difference between sweet + simple DIY projects and taking on your entire wedding from a DIY standpoint.

Think about what you will be sticking your family and friends with and whether that's an "honor" or a burden. Asking them to show up five hours early on your wedding day to set up tables, hang your 50 tea-stained garlands, create 20 centerpieces, and make sure everything is in order just isn't fair (yes, we have heard this request). Sure, your family, bridesmaids, and friends love to help out and support you and likely won't decline the bride-to-be, but just don't ask too much and know when you are taking advantage.


Save your own sanity: we've heard about too many brides rushing around on their big day trying to make sure the homemade centerpieces, dessert display, and candy buffet are placed just right instead of relaxing.  Utilize whatever team you have assembled: your planning team, your design team, florists, and lighting team are professionals and you hired them for a reason. If you have a vision of a sweet dessert set up, relay this to your baker. Have an idea for take-home gifts and want to make them yourselves? That's great but just make sure you finish the project and give them to your banquet manager ahead of the wedding to pass out after dinner. Try to avoid adding on duties for your wedding party; they should be spending time with you and relaxing the morning of your wedding, not running around supervising.


The key to staying sane and not having a heart attack is to control how many projects you're taking on and, if you insist on doing them all, please, please make sure that your projects are completed well before your wedding. There are countless ways to personalize your big day without creating too much to do.  The last thing we want is for you to get so far in that you're to stressed to enjoy your day and the celebration.
Cheers, Aleah + Nick

Quick Tip of the Day

We're taking a break from our Monday Coffee session this week (stay tuned; we're working on something very exciting!). Instead, we bring you this quick tip of the day:

Brides, please make sure your wedding dress is hanging from a pretty hanger on your big day! It will be seen in photos over and over again, so if your frock didn't come with a lovely one, ditch the plastic hanger and spring for a padded one. It's a small detail, but each and every detail counts!
Cheers, Aleah
*Image from Furious Photographers

Shining a New Light on Baby's Breath

I know, I know. Baby's Breath has long been looked at as nothing special; simply filler. Well it's making a name for itself and for the right wedding it can be positively lovely. Here are examples of baby's breath used 4 ways:

It's striking on its own as a ceremony piece, lovely tucked into a more modern bouquet, whimsical in milk glass vases as centerpieces, and just plain pretty when made into a wreath. Enjoy! Aleah

Images from: 1. Real Simple 2. Wreath Palace 3. Pacific Weddings 4. Flower Advisor

Oh, Paris. How I Love Thee!

Olalin has the most amazing gowns inspired by Paris. Love.

Saturday fun with cake

Erica + Rodney are such a sweet couple and they wanted to personalize each detail of their wedding, like the script on the cake! Talk about lovely and sentimental. Photo by Kate McElwee

Photo Love: Alex Studios

Our bride, Sandy, looked so ethereal on her big day. I love this image captured by Alex Studios. Enjoy! Aleah

Quick tip of the day: remember to eat and stay hydrated on your big day! This goes for wedding artists, too!

Just lovely: fern bouquet

I love this fern bouquet; sweet, whimsical, and truly unique! Photo from Acorn Cottage

 Our quick tip of the day: remember to have FUN during your planning process. Don't sweat the small stuff!

True Romance: candle centerpieces

A while back we wrote about some lovely tips to decorate properly with candles (read here). Today we wanted to share some inspiration for candle centerpieces that are striking. Many of our clients are encouraged to alternate centerpieces; they'll dress up half of their dining tables with a candle centerpiece and half with lush flowers. Not only does it add great interest and something unexpected, but it can be less expensive than going with all-floral pieces.

For Emily + Ryen's wedding, Floressence created a nearly candle-only centerpiece, but adorned each of these arrangements with curly willow + simple lilies. The floating candles and moss accents were just lovely. Photo from Amore Studios.

This candle-only display is really stunning, and perfect for not only weddings, but intimate dinner celebrations. It's just so  warm and inviting. This image found here

I've always loved this image from a past issue of Martha Stewart Living. Floating candles + orchids come together to create an unusual, yet striking, display.

Happy Planning! Aleah

Fresh Summertime Menu Ideas

Our clients Stephanie + Coby had an incredibly fun wedding. Stephanie was all about smells, tastes, and textures at the wedding. From the invitations to the centerpieces and menu, each detail was a reflection of this vision. She wanted to provide their guests with a fun + unique experience. From the dueling pianos to the amazing menu, the wedding was outrageously fun, delicious, and really them. With about 250 guests present, we wanted to showcase a truly tantalizing menu.

Basil-lemon sorbet was served up to each guest in between their amuse bouche and entrée courses to cleanse the palette. After the dinner plates were cleared, the catering staff brought out miniature cakes for each table. They cut into the cakes, but guests had the fun of serving up their own slices. Stephanie + Coby cut into their own miniature cake - their guests raved about what a unique idea it was!

It's so much fun to think outside the box and provide your guests with sweet and unexpected touches to create a memorable dining experience.

Cheers! Aleah + Nick

Photos by the amazing Frank Ross

Quick Tip of the Day

We've gotten such great feedback from our readers about the expert planning tips we write about, so we've decided that today will mark our first day of quick tips! We'd love to hear what you think! Let us know if you have planning questions you'd like us to answer!

-Tip of the Day:  If you're trying to trim your guest list (whether it's because of your budget or limited space), think about whether you'd invite that long lost high school friend over for dinner in your home. Furthermore, would you take them (and a date) out to a dinner that would cost anywhere from $200-$1,000 (or more) per head? If not, you might want to think twice about inviting them.

When all is said and done, each guest you invite adds cost, and not just the cost of their entree and drinks. Each chair, specialty napkin, and favor add up. It's not just about cost either. Think about how intimate you want your wedding to be. Every additional guest beyond your family + friends (think: bosses and neighbors) means more guests you will need to tend to and greet. It's more people to entertain. When it comes down to it, you want to truly enjoy your wedding with those you love + cherish. Happy Planning! Aleah + Nick

Gorgeous Confections, Part III

In this final installation of these lovely, frothy confections, I wanted to show off this dress with a statementsash. I just love the look; it's so glamorous, yet a bit understated. It's from Etsy seller Oumo and called Allison Wonderland; it's a steal at $580!

Enjoy! Aleah

Gorgeous Confections, Part II

How lovely + sweet is this Blushing in Pink dress by Ouma on Etsy, $840?

Talk about taking your breath away; any bride would look absolutely stunning in this whimsical confection.

Gorgeous Confections, Part I

For summer brides, I tend to think of ethereal, light, and gorgeous dresses. This striped carnival party dress fits the bill for a rehearsal dinner on a warm summer night. It's fun, it's frothy, and it's just lovely! At $188 from Etsy seller Ouma, you can't go wrong!

Cheers! Aleah

Sweet tea tin arrangements

I just adore these sweet arrangements placed in vintage tea tins. They're so simple, yet so charming and lovely.
Yellow + green images from Crear Weddings
Navy tea tin image from Tea With Friends

Cheers! Aleah

Part III: Wrapping Up Our Wedding Planning Process

Continued from our posts last week, we wanted to shed some light on how we worked together to plan our 2003 wedding. We felt it was important to give our readers and clients a look into what we felt was most important to us during the planning process. Being full-time (and married) event planners who work with each other + our couples on an intimate level with each wedding we plan, we know more than perhaps anyone how important it is to come together during certain aspects of the planning process.

Here a the Top 3 Rules we lived by when planning our own wedding 7 years ago:

1. Divide. Let the creative juices flow but divvy up the tasks if you both have something you want to work on. Let your spouse-to-be lend ideas where they are comfortable but come together on items you both care about equally.

2. Ask. Ask your fiance what matters most to them. Even if they aren't interested in flowers, ask their opinions on color choices and what they think about the centerpiece option you chose. Even though they might not care and want you to take the lead, they'll appreciate that you value their opinion.

3. Laugh! Wedding planning should be a fun, lighthearted, and special time in your lives. Don't sweat the small stuff. You'll look back 5, 10, or 50 years from now and not only remember what an amazing wedding celebration you had, but what an unforgettable time you had planning it together!

Cheers,

Aleah + Nick

Happy Mother's Day!

We hope you have a wonderful Mother's Day! Aleah + Nick
*Photo from Be Imbued

Happy Mother

Photo love: Meghan Aileen

These images from a Santa Barbara wedding by Meghan Aileen just make me happy. The romance and the true happiness really shine through!

Be sure to check out her site for more eye candy! Aleah

Another glassybaby giveaway!

We just love glassybaby and our readers + clients had so much fun with the last giveaway that we've partnered with them again! The glassybaby of your choice could be yours!

Here's the scoop:

-Anyone can enter but you need to be a fan of ours on Facebook +/or Twitter

-Visit glassybaby's website and check out their assortment of vessels.

-Come back to our site and comment on this post, telling us which glassybaby you'd like (also give us your name - no anonymous posts!).

Voilà! A winner will be chosen on Friday, May 21st - if you're a fan of ours on both Facebook + Twitter, let us know and you'll receive 2 entries!

Good luck!

Part II: Our Wedding 7 Years Ago - How We Planned

...Continued from Tuesday's post.
Once we set our wedding date and determined what was most important to each of us, we set out to divvy up what that meant for our planning process.

Much like how we work today, Nick dealt with the logistics of our big day: the music, the food, and the party aspect. Aleah worked on selecting our flowers, color palette, linens, and special touches that would not only set our wedding apart but make it totally us.

This is perhaps the most golden piece of advice we give our clients today. No matter where you get your inspiration from, what your wedding looks like, or the type of venue your bash will be held at, be sure that your wedding is a true reflection of you.

How did we incorporate us into our wedding in addition to our style + the overall vision? We got creative, thought outside of the box, and just made things plain fun. We knew we wanted our guests to remember dancing like crazy so we created an awesome play list for our band that was totally Nick + Aleah. We also peppered in some rap, classic rock, Frank Sinatra, Van Morrison, and all sorts of fun mixes that all of our guests boogied to.

Up next...how we brought our individual ideas together and our best tips for working together and remembering your planning process for the fun time it was.

One of our local brew kegs; having a fully stocked bar was very important to us!

Our wedding flower market

For the third issue of Nonpareil Magazine, we envisioned and brought to life a totally out-of-the-box idea for wedding favors: a wedding flower market. It was inspired by trips to European flower markets and dessert buffets: the perfect hybrid to entertain guests and give them something fun to remember. Click here to see our feature.

Cheers! Aleah + Nick *Photo by Shannon Lee Images

Our Wedding Planning: 7 years later

Planning a wedding from our point of view:

We were married almost 7 years ago (!); the summer we graduated from university. This made for a super busy, but fun year - shuttling across the state back to the city for dress fittings, cake tastings, and all things wedding, while studying hard and getting ready to graduate.

We often get asked what our wedding was like and how we planned, so here's Part I of a few part series to give you all some insight and shine light on how to make your planning a fun, stress-free, and joint venture!

Nick proposed on a trip to Oahu, Hawaii, and after the cloud of fun celebrations, congratulations, and the overall excitement died down just a bit, we set a date 11 months down the road. Knowing the summer of 2003 would be crazy already, we made it even crazier and set our date as July 26th. We had known for some time that we'd be married at Aleah's family home on a charming island in Admiralty Inlet in Washington. Venue, check.

Getting these two items out of the way immediately was #1 on our list, given that we were gearing up for a crazy last year of university. We set out to get incredibly organized with our planning before the insanity of school began, and laid out what was most important to each of us. For Aleah, it was about the celebration, but the focus was on the ambiance and feeling of the wedding; coastal elegance. For Nick it was about the party aspect; showing our guests a totally unforgettable time and (the food, the drinks, and the band), being the fun-loving people we are!.......

Stay tuned for how we broke up our tasks, came together on certain planning details, and more planning tips! Cheers, Aleah + Nick

*My veil!

Photo Love: Frank Ross

I've always just loved this image from Stephanie + Coby's wedding! It's so carefree and reminds me of what fun their wedding was! Cheers, Aleah

*Photo by Frank Ross Photographic

One of our favorites: a cocktail party where a wedding "happened"

Mako + Booth are some of our all-time favorite clients who wanted their 2007 wedding to be a cocktail party where a wedding "happened." Talk about awesome!

There was no ceremony seating (just a few chairs set out for grandparents) and their ceremony + reception were held in the same loft space that we turned into a fun party scene. The only thing that signified the start to the ceremony was the surprise bagpiper we arranged to play - the groom had no idea! Guests naturally formed an aisle and the bride and groom walked down together. It was such a sweet ceremony and the perfect example of planning your wedding your way.
Cheers! Aleah + Nick
*Photo by La Luz Photography

Monday Coffee: Our Top 3 Tips to get your design ball in motion

We know often times the hardest part in starting to design your wedding is just getting started Here are our Top 3 Helpful Tips to help you get that design process started:

1. Talk to your spouse-to-be about the feeling you want your guests to experience when celebrating with you. Do you want a black-tie event where guests are wowed by amazing, lush centerpieces and floral installations? Do you want your guests to relax in a laid-back setting and adorn dining tables with low, more understated centerpieces? Concentrate on that feeling and map out how you can make that happen.

2. Look around for inspiration. This can start at home; look at the colors on your walls, any paintings you might have, or vacation photos from that romantic trip to the South of France or a romantic trip in New England. Inspiration can come from anywhere; you just need to keep an open mind and start collecting magazine clippings, online photos, and browse through inspirational design books. Think about how you can implement styles you find in books or online and make them your own.

3. We always tell our clients (and continue to say this in our posts): stay true to you. Inspiration can be found anywhere but your wedding should be a reflection of you, not an exact replication of a wedding you saw online. Draw from inspiration you've found and implement key pieces how you like. If it's a gorgeous striped linen from Provence, France you picked up on a trip, talk to your linen provider about providing coordinating napkins. If you have a photo of some fun writing on a sign (like this) you snapped, have a designer tie that into your stationery goods.
*Photo I snapped in Monaco Happy Planning! Aleah + Nick

Sunday Simplicity

Lavender bundles at the Vieux Nice market

Photo from our most recent trip to the South of France

Happy May Day!

I love the simplicity of this topiary in a julep cup - perfect for May Day an in celebration of the Kentucky Derby!
Cheers, Aleah

*Photo from theknot.com

This Just In!

We were so thrilled when Nonpareil Magazine jumped at our out-of-the-box idea for their third issue. We wanted to breathe new life into the popular candy and dessert buffet idea and give brides and grooms a fun project and favor display to wow their guests: a wedding flower market.

Check out the current issue (just released yesterday!) and stay tuned to our blog for more photos and a continuation of our wedding flower market. A special thank you to the amazing Kristy Rice from Momental Designs for creating the lovely flower tags and an awesome wedding sign (we'll post soon) and the amazing Shannon Lee from Shannon Lee Images for capturing our design so well!

Happy Planning! Aleah + Nick