Keeping it Simple

San Francisco-based floral designer Nancy Liu Chin's work is just fabulous! You need to check out her website to see some of her works!!! I love the simplicity of the arrangements and how no one element overpowers any other. More is most definitely NOT always better....






Speaking of keeping things simple, here are some simple DIY arrangements that are great for cocktail rounds.

Photo Credit: Trista Lerit Photography
You can purchase black pebbles at Ikea, World Market, or Moskatel's in Downtown LA and throw some cymbidium orchids & candles. You can purchase the orchids for $12-$15 dollars per stem and it should have 7-8 orchids in one stem if you get lucky. :)

I have no idea where I got this photo from (shoot me an email if you do, so I can give a proper photo credit) but I thought this little arrangement will go perfectly with the cocktail rounds for Hyun Ju's wedding. So here's a shot while Leena was working on this project and I was busy running around setting up the tables for the wedding.

I purchased 8 small square vases ($2 dollars each) and some moss ($5 dollars a bag) from Moskatel's in downtown LA. I first filled up slices of limes & lemons and cut the limes in half and placed them in each corner by securing them with toothpicks (I do recommend using longer sticks) Then I filled up the spaces with some moss and gently placed cymbidium orchids on top. Pretty simple and easy right? Total Cost: $55 dollars

Viola! Here's the final product - I should have taken out the seeds before taking the picture but oh well... pro shots from Studio 104 will be uploaded soon... :)

Another image missing a photo credit. (I sometimes have hard time keeping track of where I get these images from. But isn't this cute and budget friendly?)

So, here's what I came up with last weekend. Candles were purchased from Ikea and I wrapped it with Paper Source wrapping paper.

Get with the program

I posted an entry couple days ago about overall day-of schedule. Today, I'll be posting what to include in a wedding program. A wedding program is a nice way to help your guests follow along with the ceremony, understand cultural traditions and also become familiar with your bridal party! It's also a great opportunity for the couple to give dedication and thanks to guests and serve as a wonderful keepsake too.
Although a program can contain as much or as little detail as you wish, here is a general guideline of what can be included:

A Title page (1st page)
"The Marriage Celebration of...."

Date

Ceremony location/Reception location

Wedding Participants: (2nd page)
Officiant

Parents of the Bride

Parents of the Groom

Wedding Party

Readers

Musician

Ushers

Wedding Coordinator and etc...

The Ceremony: (3rd page)
Prelude (songs - titles, composer listed)

Processional (songs)

Opening Words

Readings (mention titles)

Homily/message

Wedding Vows

Exchange of the Rings

Pronouncement

Blessing

Announcements

Benediction(optional)

Recessional (songs)

Optional Inserts: (4th page)
Explanation of traditions (religious, cultural, family, etc.)

Thanks (friends and family members who helped out, specific vendors, etc)

Map/Directions to reception (if different location)

Dedications

Tip: Include fun details & facts about each person in your bridal party - how long you have known them, where they live, etc.
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Tip: If the two of you will be moving to a new home around the wedding, include your new address somewhere in the program
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Tip: Fill space at the bottom/inside cover or back with favorite love or wedding appropriate

quotes

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*** Bethel Printing located in K-town does an excellent job of designing bilingual wedding programs that are clean & simple. If you need assistance, email Janet from Bethel Printing (bethelcardpaper@gmail.com) to send you some sample copies.

Wedding Timeline

Planning a good timeline on the day of your wedding makes a world of difference. Here's a generalized timeline of a traditional wedding schedule, but I'm sure you will need to revise it depending on the location & type of wedding you're having. Now days, there's no "right or wrong way" to put your wedding together. If you want garter toss or skip the whole thing, it's up to you, but just make sure your photographer captures all the important elements you have planned. Whatever you do, enjoy your day, don’t let the little things upset you. It’s a little late at this point to worry about things not being perfect, so just go with the flow and have fun!!

Traditional Wedding Schedule with a 5:00 pm Ceremony
* Hair & Make up can be done as early as 10am
12:30 Photo/Video Arrive
Bridesmaids to be ready for photos & take getting ready shots
1:00 Bride to step into dress
*TIP* Get a nice hanger for your dress. Have shoes, rings (clean please), and bouquet ready for photos.
1:30 Groom & Groomsmen getting ready shots
2:00 Staged Meeting/First Look (Continue photo session with the bridal party until 3:30pm)
*TIP* Arrange with your photographer where you would like to take photos with the bridal party before the ceremony.
3:30 Moving time
3:45 Arrive to church/ceremony site & take photos with immediate family members.
*TIP* Please tell all your family members to arrive by no later than 3:30pm so the photographer can be ready to take family pictures.
4:40 Relax with yours bridesmaids at the bridal lounge
*TIP* Make sure you drink plenty of water, eat some healthy snacks & go to the restroom :)
4:45 Start Ushering
5:00 Ceremony
5:40 Friends Portraits (you can skip this part if you want and take pictures with extended family)
*TIP* Inform family members, wedding party and friends to stay close after the ceremony.
5:40 Cocktail Hour
*TIP* Please allow moving time if your reception is at a different location. IMPORTANT: If 70% of your guests are Korean adults invited by your parents/parents-in-law, keep the cocktail hour to 30-40 minutes. We all know they hate waiting for food...^^
6:30 Grand Entrance
*TIP* Make sure you get all the line ups and bridal party names pronounced correctly from your DJ.
6:35 First Dance
6:45 Salads Plated and Speeches
*TIP* Serve salads BEFORE speeches. Speeches that run long make for wilting salads and put dinner behind schedule.
7:10 Entrées Served
*TIP* You may show slideshow/video presentation during dinner or play some games (talk to your DJ) towards end of dinner time.
7:45 Father/Daughter and Mother/Son Dances (optional)
8:30 Cake Cutting/Bouquet & Garter
8:45 Open dance (Get the actual party started!!)

*TIP* If you wish to have a pe-bek ceremony, you can do it during cocktail hour OR after reception. It usually takes about 10-15 minutes for the bride and groom to get dressed and 20-30 minutes for the pe-bek ceremony. I prefer having it after the reception only because you don't have to get dressed again for the reception and it gets pretty tiring. Some parents want this ceremony to be private so discuss with your parents first.

Young & Tim's Wedding Part II

There were so many shots Jules Bianchi team took that it was hard for me to decide which ones I wanted to post.
So be sure to click here to check out their wedding highlights!! I watched it at least three times already!!!


I love this shot!!




Bridal party having fun in the limo before getting to the church



I loved loved her little cocktail dress she wore for the dancing hour....

(all images courtesy of Jules Bianchi)
Young and Tim by end of the night... they look pretty tired from having too much fun.. huh! :) Congrats once again to both of you and thank you for entrusting me with all the details on your wedding day.

P.S Check back with us soon to find out upcoming NEWS & more real wedding stories...

Sylvia & Dongmin's E-session

I met with Sylvia and Dongmin last month at Cafe Pinot where they will tie the knot in April of next year. We instantly clicked and knew that we would be a great match. They both work as an architect and that's where they met each other one year ago. It was actually their one year anniversary when I met with them for the first time and I heard through Sylvia later that she got proposed THAT night!! They're one of the stylish couples I've met and it's gonna be one stylish & modern wedding with FULL of details! I can't wait... They're also having another wedding in Singapore for Sylvia's relatives & friends back home.
They recently had an engagement session with talented Jennifer S. Rau and when Sylvia sent me the link to her photos today, I literally gasped!!! They both came out sooo sexy and hot!!! They went over and above with their fabulous styled outfits and props and not to mention her sexy heels & hair pieces she purchased from Etsy. Huge thanks to Jennifer Rau who turned them into fierce models! :)

Now with the photos...

my fav #1 (there's something about this pose so sexy yet serene)

this is their dog, yogi.. isn't he so cute?


my fav #2


a cover shoot for America's Next Top Model.... :)

my fav #3

I love love love her little hair piece!!

This is the ROCK I didn't see when I first met with them :)

Do you see a little kid in Dongmin's face??? Is it just me or what...

my fav #4 ( I gotta say... I'm in love with this shot! her legs came out too gorgeous)

Stay tuned for more fabulous pictures from other clients!!