Bridal Open House

Marty and Bravo July 31, 2010

Being in this business I get to see alot of weddings and know alot of familie's. One family I have gotten to know throughout the years I have been here at Friendly Hills Country Club is the Bravo family. David Bravo and his wife Rhiannon were married here back in 2006, I formed a great friendship with his mother Socorro who is one of the most wonderful, beautiful mother's I know. She is here at the club about once a month and will always go out of her way to stop in and say hi to me. I was honored when she came back to me and asked if I had dates open for her daughter Socorro's wedding.

Socorro's daughter trusted her mother so much she allowed her to completly plan her whole wedding down to the decor. She choose to keep everything simple and elegant and went with Ivory as her color. I fell in love with the tall, lighted centerpieces that just made the room glow once it began to get dark outside.

Socorro choose picture frames as her place card's which also served as a keepsake. I tried to get a better picture of the place card (being the professional photographer that I am lol!) but was unable to capture just how cute these truly were...so you will just have to take my word for it!

The cake was (and I say was because it was sooo good it diddn't last long after we started cutting it!) a gorgeous 4 tiered masterpiece. It was adorned with white roses and little crystals.

Socorro if you are reading this it was once again an extreme pleasure working with you again and like David's wedding, you arranged everything just perfectly, I look forward to hopefully working with you again in the future. God bless you and your family.

Little Socorro and Joseph I wish you many years of wedded bliss!

Bridal Open House March 2010

Every March I put together a Open House for all my brides and grooms that I have booked for the current year as well as any couples looking for a venue. It is an event that I look forward to every year.

Not only is it the one day that my couples are able to sample hors d oeuvres but I also have many of my preferred vendors here as well as both bakeries so my couples are able to taste the cakes that come with their wedding packages.

I also will have 6 tables dressed up with the years popular wedding colors and themes as well as a chocolate fountain, cappucino station, martini luge, cinderella carriage, photo booth and tons of other things to see and do.

Photos by Harvard Photography

Flowers by Shannon G's and Heavenly Blooms

Duran & Sartini 5/29/2010

Giselle and Richard were married on Saturday, May 29, 2010. Giselle was a bride after my own heart, her attention to detail was impeccable. I met with Richard first which was really neat because it is usually the bride who selects the venue, but Richard knew her so well he was able to ask all of the questions she would have and select a venue that was everything she was looking for. After working with the two of them I was very happy it was my venue.

Giselle went with silver satin floor length tablecloths, white chair covers with silver satin sashes and added silver charger plates to add that finishing touch to her tables.

One of the great things about our Upper Level dining room is our Baby Grand piano. I love when my events utilize the piano and place pictures of their journey to marriage on it for guests to see during cocktail hour.

I love how Giselle broke tradition and opted to have a round reception table for her guests to not only retreive their reception card but also write some words of wisdom for her and Richard.

 

Many years of happiness to the two of you.

Doi and Yamada Saturday, May 29, 2010

What a fun wedding this one was! Faye and Jeffrey were absolutly amazing to work with! Faye wanted to go with a Hawaiian theme wedding and she got her dream right down to the menu.

The guests enjoyed a Mandarin Chicken Salad to start and then moved onto Macadamia Nut Crusted Chicken with Mango Relish Blackened with a Passion Fruit Beurre Blanc for dinner and yes it tastes as good as it sounds!!

Faye went with Pineapple centerpieces with 3 smaller glass vases adorned with Cymbidium Orchids and flower petals. Instead of table numbers Faye used the names of Hawaiian landmarks.

Even the staff got into the theme!!

The cake was from King's Hawaiian Bakery.

I caught a quick of picture of Faye and Jeffrey right before the kiss...

I see weddings here almost every weekend but it never ceases to amaze me how much a couples personality can determine the look and feel of a wedding!

Chavez & Mendez 5/24/2009

I met with Adriana and Rick back in July of 2008.  My first impression of this couple was how sweet and in love they were.  Their guests choose from a split menu of Santa Maria Style Tri Tip and Stuffed Chicken, split menus are not normally something I suggest a bride and groom choose for their menu but Adriana was so organized it went without a hitch.

I loved her choice in colors from the soft champagne in the

 chair covers to the warm sage green in the overlays

Their photographer, Charles Fretzin, was a pleasure to work with;

his photos obviously speak for themselves, stunning!

Thank you for the pleasure of working with you.  I wish you both nothing but years of love and happiness!

Photography: Charles Fretzin

Arrington Ceremony & Reception 8/13/2006

I met Wendy and Danny back in October of 2005. This is one of my favorite weddings that still takes my breath away everytime I look at the pictures. Wendy and her mother Sherri were such a pleasure to work with. They were both very hands on and made most of the items that were used for decoration including the tablecloths!

The decor consisted of gold satin tablecloths with white napkins. Each table had 10 candles of various shapes and sizes, 2 candles floating in water dyed red to match the full red roses which were sitting atop a golden candleabra. The head table was saturated with red rose petals and adorned with 50 votive candles. The entire room was aglow with golden candlelight, it was breathtaking. Wendy was one of the first brides that placed candles on the fireplace, illuminating it without turning the fireplace on (not something you want to do in the summer months!)

Wendy is one of those brides that you miss when the wedding day has come and gone, it is one of my older weddings but still one of my favorites!

I like how the colonade perfectly frames the ceremony site without taking away from our beautiful view.

The water stood perfectly still for this picture capturing their reflection in the lake.

Sharing their first dance!

Flowers: Heavenly Blooms

Photography: Harvard Photography