the wedding lane

Love Story in Dance

2011-02-21T18:24:00.000-08:00

Something different for you today. Here's an episode from LXD, an online dance show on hulu... which is FREAKING AWESOME! I chose this episode for the blog because the dance is so beautiful. I could watch it over and over again. Can you imagine if you had LXD dancers as part of your reception entertainment?

Real Wedding: Neil & Yuka

2011-01-15T14:01:00.000-08:00

It was a day for lots of laughs, tears, and rain. Lots of December rain! The following is a snippet of pictures from my dear friends', Neil and Yukari's, wedding. Congratulations you two! To see more pictures, check out the photographs by the lovely Let of letlovephotography.

Cooking Advice from Celebrity Chefs via Yumsugar

2010-11-24T06:43:00.000-08:00

Oh, I love it. Thank you, Yumsugar!

If I Knew Then What I Know Now... via 99% {business}

2010-11-10T07:00:00.000-08:00

If you've read my "About Me" page, you would have learned I'm in the planning stages of my very own business. Here's some advice from 99% Conference attendees that could apply to anyone.

Ooh la la. Lanvin for H&M {fashion}

2010-11-09T06:27:00.000-08:00

November 2010

I hope Lanvin for H&M comes to San Francisco.

What to Wear to a Winter Wedding from FCUK {fasion}

2010-11-08T07:00:00.000-08:00

Can't believe I just discovered this youtube channel French Connection Youtique. Stylist Louise Roe helps you pick out outfits for various occasions. Genius!

Love it.

Welcome to my weekend: Garlic and Onions {cooking}

2010-11-06T12:06:00.000-07:00

What do you like to do on the weekends? Me? I like preparing for the week ahead by roasting garlic and caramelizing onions. These tasks take time but are ultimately time-savers. Call me weird. It's just one of the ways I like to unwind.

Rouxbe Online Cooking School & Video Recipes

Bust out the Bubbly with Italian Sparkling Wine {food & drink}

2010-11-01T07:28:00.000-07:00

Now that the Halloween is behind us, it's time to start planning for that holiday party with Italian bubbly! It's a great alternative to champagne year-round for that engagement party or wedding reception too. Here's a clip from Popsugarlivingtv featuring Jeff Porter, the sommelier of one of my favorite LA restaurants, Pizzeria Mozza

It's not a party at my house without some Hawaiian infusion so here's a video from "View from the Bay" featuring Jacqueline Patterson, another Hawaii girl living in the Bay Area. She's the bartender at Charles Phan's Heaven's Dog in San Francisco.

On a side note, sadly, "View from the Bay" ran its last episode in September 2010. I loved that show. I'm sure you would have too so I'll be sharing videos with you from time to time.

the PRO Files: C&C Engagements {wedding planner}

2010-10-28T21:49:00.000-07:00

Today you're in for a treat because it's brought to you by to leading ladies, Courtney Coquilla and Christina Lee, the wedding planning duo of C&C Engagements. Keep on reading to get an insider's look into who they are and why they love doing that do--making couples happy on their journey to "I Do!"

Hometown and current location/areas you serve

Tina’s Hometown: Hau’ula, Hawai’i & Santa Rosa

Tina’s Current location: Vallejo

Courtney’s Hometown: Vallejo

Courtney’s Current location: Emeryville

C&C Engagements services the Bay Area & beyond

How you got into wedding industry, how many years in business

We decided to delve into the industry a little over a year ago after realizing it's actually been our niche for quite some time. We've been planning events on a personal and informal level and knew we could really make a difference together as wedding professionals.

Where you see your business going in the future

We definitely plan on staying within the wedding-related field, and we want to see our future in C&C expand toward other avenues such as multiple event planning, and also provide more than just the consultation. By taking in what we learn & experience, we plan to eventually be able to cut out the necessity of reaching out to too many different vendors.

What makes your company different

We understand that planning a wedding is business and people expect their coordinators to be well-oiled machines, but we also understand that the business we’re in is about more than spreadsheets and contracts.

Who is your ideal or perfect client

We can’t expect much from “the perfect client” except to hope that they will allow us to create their dream wedding with the few details they provide.

Wedding industry leaders you admire

We don’t necessarily have any one specific person in mind, but instead have come to admire anyone and everyone we’ve come across. We’ve researched several vendors and read several blogs, and are definitely blown away by the amount of creativity and genuine desire people have to make others happy. We have very good friends who have their own wedding-related businesses and couldn’t be more proud and excited to work with them.

Where you get your wedding inspiration from (person, website, blog, magazine, etc)

Blogs and magazines have definitely been referred to on a number of occasions for our inspiration. More specifically, projectwedding.com, myweddings.com, weddingbee.com, HawaiiWeddingsandEvents.com and TheKnot/NorthernCalifornia magazine. But we’ve come to realize that inspiration can come from anywhere. As time goes by, couples are definitely wanting more originality with their weddings, so we try to keep our minds open to what could potentially be utilized in the future in terms of venues, décor or themes.

What you do to relax

We actually relax by spending quality time together w/ the men in our lives. We’ve double dated to a weekend at Disneyland, countless dinners, and even Tomales Bay with picnic blankets and BBQ oysters. We know we’re always friends before business partners, so we know where and how to separate business and pleasure. With a few more scheduled trips in the near future, relaxing is never an issue for us!

Where do you go shopping (website or location)?

It’s 2010… online! There is an unbelievable amount of options on the internet that it can almost become overwhelming, but it’s definitely a way to always find just what we need. One online store that we refer to on a regular basis is Save-On-Crafts. They have such a great selection that you can easily find what you need to create that perfect centerpiece or wedding favor. Living in the Bay Area, we are also spoiled with an amazing amount of unique shops.

On a more personable level, our favorite clothing stores (if that’s what you were really referring to) is Francesca’s, Old Navy, Gap, H&M, and Urban Outfitters.

Fave food or places to eat around the Bay

Tina: Any good sushi restaurant, Thai Original BBQ restaurant in So. SF, Asian Wok & Grill in American Canyon, Keanu’s in Vacaville, Marica’s in Oakland

Courtney: Marica’s for Seafood in Oakland, Zabu Zabu in Berkeley for shabu-shabu, Mercury Lounge in San Francisco for Asian Fusion, Canto do Brasil in San Francisco for Brazilian, Champa Garden in Oakland for Thai/Laoatian. None of these are chain restaurants, but they’re all unbelievably delicious.

How you stay fit

Tina: Thanks to my husband Jay, I’ve been trying to keep up with my P90X Workout dvds. I’m trying to learn to enjoy the Core Synergistics, but it kicks my butt. My favorite is the Ab Ripper X. I also want to get into more yoga next semester, and get out on the tennis courts again.

Courtney: Shake Weight. I heart anything on TV. Haha! I also have a gym trainer who I love because he allows me to make up training sessions when I get too lazy. But when I really feel like getting crazy, I do Insanity with my boyfriend at home. We also just bought bikes and recently took them from the AT&T ballpark to Sausalito. For me it’s quite a challenging (but amazing) ride.

Wedding trends-what's hot now or your forecast for future

We think some people are going back to the simplicity of a natural wedding to fit their personality, whether it be a hopeless romantic, to a vintage-retro style wedding. For the future, we see couples wanting to branch toward going Green with their wedding planning.

If you are married, one thing you learned from your engagement process/wedding/being married. If you're not married, one thing you wish brides could learn.

Tina: The whole engagement process is one of the more important events you don’t want to let slip away without enjoying it. We all know that planning a wedding can be stressful at times, but being able to sit back and take pleasure in being an engaged couple is a key factor to keeping the happiness buzzing during the stressful times. During the planning and wedding, I’m proud that I was able to ask for help even when I thought I could handle it. Sometimes, you’re better off passing along a certain duty to someone who is willing and there to help. Also, don’t forget to take a break and sit down during the latter part of your wedding festivities. I was able to sit for a few minutes in the back with Courtney and glance over at the dance floor to find all the people who mean so much to Jay & I. It put nothing but big smiles on our faces. For the marriage part, like they say, “don’t sweat the small stuff”. And although it’s hard, I’ve learned to do just that along the way. It all comes down to the real fact that you married the person for who they are and you can only help them change if they’re willing to.

Courtney: Being unmarried, I definitely can’t comment on personal planning experiences. But what I do want brides to remember is that oftentimes men really don’t know what they’re roll is in this process. They never sat down with their bros and started out a sentence with “When I get married, I want…” Thus, let them offer up suggestions, but make sure to turn them down…lovingly. In addition, I know that parents are usually the major financiers so sometimes they use this as an opportunity to be too involved. Please remember that it’s your wedding, and take their opinions with a grain of salt. You will always make the ultimate decisions.

How you de-stress (something that brides could do too).

We feel the best way to de-stress is by getting away from the madness and taking a short weekend getaway. Even if this trip consists of a couple hours drive out to Lake Tahoe, Monterey, or even Stinson Beach, sometimes being in the midst of something so natural as a body of water can be extremely calming. If you really can’t find the time for a getaway, try a massage, wine tasting, listen to your favorite music, or hang out with friends and talk about non-related wedding topics only. Remember friends are the ultimate stress reliever!

A peak into their gallery of events including their signature candy buffet.

See more at the C&C Engagements.

Get 'Mad Men' 50s Lady Inspired Makeup

2010-10-26T18:26:00.000-07:00

Many designers for their Fall 2010 lines turned to the 1950’s for inspiration. I drooled over the full skirts and sweater sets that Louis Vuitton and Prada sent down the runway. The styles are demure but it’s very sexy at the same time because emphasis is placed on perfect fit. For example, Christina Hendricks on Mad Men does not really show cleavage but is still damn hot because the clothing shows off all those wonderful curves. Just goes to show that you don’t need to wear minimal material to ooze sexiness.

Louis Vuitton Fall 2010

--- Guest post by Shellbelle of Shellbelle's world.

I heart Noelani Designs {jewelry}

2010-10-23T07:07:00.000-07:00

I love love love Noelani Designs. My favorite piece of jewelry by Noelani are these Ligia earrings which I featured here. See for yourself why I love this jewelry line by checking out her video lookbook below. She also just launched her new website and is having a sale. 30% off all jewelry! I just had to share.

the PRO Files: Tamra-Marie Johnson of Tamra-Marie Artistry {makeup}

2010-10-21T20:54:00.000-07:00

We're back on the West Coast for this edition of the Pro Files. Today we're glad to welcome Tamra-Marie Johnson, a professional makeup artist out of San Francisco, California. With over ten years of experience in anything from runway shows, red carpet appearances, celebrity photo shoots to weddings, Tamra -Marie is a master of all things beauty. It's so easy to see why she is in high demand after checking out her work on facebook and by following her g-l-a-m-o-r-o-u-s tweets on twitter. Keep reading to learn more about this incredibly busy and stylish woman behind the makeup.

Hometown and current location/areas you serve

Bay Area

What word best describes your work

Can I have two: "Fresh & Clean"

What made you become a makeup artist

I fell into this industry and haven't looked back since

How would you best advise a Bride to personalize her wedding day makeup

Sift thru magazines then add personal style - wahla!

Who is your ideal or perfect client // Which iconic brides wedding day makeup would you like to do Michelle Obama

Wedding industry leaders you admire

Preston Bailey, Diane Valentine, Jessica Starr

Where you get your inspiration from

Mostly magazines & tons of them

What has been your proudest moment

Being selected to do a 13 page spread for Harper's Bazaar Magazine

Where do you go shopping

Mostly vintage stores

Fave food or places to eat around the Bay

YELP feeds me a fluid list

Go to outfit other than the classic LBD

Boho chic jumpsuit

Wedding hair/beauty trends-what's hot now or your trend prediction

TREND prediction - red carpet moves to the bridal world

Fave beauty or style tip

There's no "glamour without proper false lashes"

How you de-stress (something that brides could do too)

YOGA

What makes the perfect wedding day gift

anything PERSONALIZED

Favorite cocktail

Grapefruit elixir

Ideal wedding venue

ANY destination venue

Are false eyelashes a must for a Bride on her wedding day

No question, YES!!

Distracted Living. Could you be in this video?

2010-10-19T20:35:00.000-07:00

Oprah has led a campaign against distracted driving. What about distracted walking?

Or just being distracted in general? Perhaps the people in this video and maybe even you need to learn some Zen Habits.This awesome blog and now book, Zen Habits, is on my must-read list. With all the craziness in my life, it motivates me to take a time out. A good time out. One in which I stop and think about all the clutter, both physical and mental, and help clear it. Recently, I sat through almost two hours (yes, two precious hours) watching a zen-focused panel comprised of the Zen Habits' author himself, Leo Babuata, and friends. One other lifestyle ~~guru~~ celebrity (I like to call them) on that panel was no other than Tim Ferriss, the author of "The 4-Hour Workweek," one of my favorite books. Check out the video of the panel at Tim's blog here.

So whether you're planning your wedding or helping someone else with theirs, take a breather and remember to focus on what's important. Your body and your mind will thank you.

San Francisco and Napa - Eat like a food blogger

2010-10-14T22:02:00.000-07:00

I'm spoiled. Yup, I said it. And so are you. Well, that's if you live in or ever visit the Bay Area. I'm talking about food! With fresh organic farms and world-renowned wineries nearby, culinary delights choices here are plenty. But how do you decide where to go? How do you know which cuisine reigns supreme (sorry watched too much Iron Chef)?

Being "new" to the Bay Area, I rely on food blogs and twitter heavily (no pun intended) to find the latest and greatest hole-in-the-wall to Michelin-starred restaurant. A little help from a local magazine here and there doesn't hurt either.

LISTS AND LINKS:
101 cookbooks - San Francisco Favorites
Epicurean Zealot - Best Dishes in San Francisco Part 1
Epicurean Zealot - Best Dishes in San Francisco Part 2
7x7 - 2010 Eat Drink Readers Choice Awards
7x7 - Big Eat SF 100 things to try before you die

FOOD BLOGS

101 Cookbooks

A Marin Foodie's Diary - WineAndFoodWorld.com

Chez Pim

Cooking with Amy: A Food Blog

Cooking With The Single Guy

Everyday Food | Simply Recipes
Food Gal
Heather in SF

Inuyaki

Ono Kine Grindz (see his September/October trip to SF 2010 for places to eat on that special occasion)

Alexis' Napa

The Cork Board

The Epicurean Zealot

STILL ON MY TO-DO LIST
SF Food Tours with Lisa

How do you find where the "best" places are to eat in your city?

Ten points for naming where I took these photos and one for naming the SF neighborhood featured in the first picture... Bon appetit!

DIY: Wedding Program Fans

2010-10-12T07:00:00.000-07:00

Need paper goodies for your wedding? This DIY project multitasks as a wedding ceremony and reception program, menu, thank you letter, and fan!

I recommend using 110lb (or heavier) cover stock 8.5×11 along with 3/16″ eyelets

1) Click on the image to download it in its original size.

2) Add your own design.

3) Cut on solid straight lines with a paper cutter or X-acto knife. Use scissors for the curved lines. Cut the top border with your choice of decorative scissors. I used Fiskars Paper Edgers "Majestic."

4) Click here for instructions on how to set the eyelet. To save time, I used the Crop-A-Dile to punch and set the eyelet.

5) Tie a ribbon through the eyelet hole.

You can also create fans of a similar style with multiple panels. Check out Aylee's tutorial.

Photo credit: Visionari

PINK links - 25th Anniversary of Breast Cancer Awareness Month

2010-10-10T19:32:00.000-07:00

This month marks the 25th Anniversary of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Having an aunt who is a breast cancer survivor, spreading awareness about this disease is very important to me. You can join in on the educational and advocacy efforts by checking out my roundup of links below.

LEARN
Click on the toolbar to download and print.
SHOP
Think pink - Cheap Chicas
Get the Look - Ceci New York

BONUS: Receive a 15% discount on any pink Ceci New York product for the month of October. Ceci Johnson is also donating proceeds to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

Donate all year-round with Moxsie

BID
For the Good of the Pink Pony - Modelinia

GIVE
Exclusive Bridesmaid Clutches from Lauren Merkin - Merci New York

PARTY
Domaine Chandon's Drink Pink Party via Romantic Napa Valley

and FOR FUN - FOR THE LOVE OF PINK {WEDDINGS}

How to be a {California} locavore with your iPhone

2010-10-06T08:04:00.000-07:00

I'm not talking about Yelp. I'm talking about the California Farmers' Market Finder. It's how I found these babies:

Eat local. Read the five easy steps at eatlocalchallenge.com.

Party Planner: 5 Steps to Making a Splash at Your Wedding

2010-09-29T21:39:00.000-07:00

Wedding inspiration for all the surfers, divers, mermaids, and other water babies of the world:

Step 1: Have Nick Pugay photograph your engagement shoot underwater

Photography by Nick Pugay

Step 2: Send Message in a Bottle Invitations

DIY Tutorial via Project Weddings

Step 3: Start your wedding day with a dive like Martin and Lila as filmed by Threelogy

Martin and Lila from Bong Sare on Vimeo via Threelogy

Step 4: Make your surfboard the wedding guest book

via Cunningham Photo Artists series - Cara and Dom's Wedding

Step 4: Struggle to cut the cake because this adorable turtle is sitting on your cake table.

Cake design by Rick Reichart of cakelava
Photo by Stephen Ludwig Photography

Step 5: Honeymoon underwater at Conrad Maldives Rangali Island.


via Martha Stewart Weddings Honeymoons: Room With a View

Any other steps you'd like to add?

Why you need krazy glue in your wedding emergency kit

2010-09-28T06:52:00.000-07:00

Yes, that's my mini-me by Nicole Clark that I wrote about in my other post. But it's my mini-me status post neck fracture.

I don't know how it happened. All I know is that she sustained a neck injury at some point during all the wedding craziness. Luckily, my wedding coordinator had krazy glue in her emergency kit. There are lists for wedding emergency kits galore all over the web so instead of rehashing all the items here, let's take a look at less common items you'd might want to consider in yours and why:

Tampons or pads | someone in your bridal party might forget about their time of the month
Floss | your white-themed wedding can't possibly extend to your entire menu
Blotting powder / blotting sheets | your sebaceous glands will likely be working overtime
Candy or protein/granola bar | in case of hypoglycemia
Paper bag | don't know anyone to have an anxiety attack but in case anyone starts hyperventilating
Tweezers | for that random hair that decides on your wedding day to be the center of attention
Eye drops including those for contacts | in case you aren't emo enough to start crying
Ziploc bags | I don't know. Someone always needs a bag for something
Cash | tip envelope(s) are nowhere to be found

What are other not-so-popular but oh-so-helpful things that belong on the list?

Move over, candles. Brasa Fire takes the spotlight now

2010-09-26T18:25:00.000-07:00

Anyone remember Sasha Souza's Fire and Ice themed wedding? I think awesome is an understatement. Imagine being a guest and waiting for your drink at a bar completely made of ice. Or picking up an appetizer being warmed by flames sans chafing dish? Swoon. Pretty came at a hefty price at that wedding--it cost $300,000! See Mrs. Plum's recap of it on weddingbee. Well, if Ms. Souza or anyone else out there is entertaining the idea of a fire and ice themed wedding (again), may I suggest Brasa Fire?

Brasa Fire via Design Milk

Starting at $165, Brasa Fire's fire lamps can be displayed as centerpieces or as subtle accents to add some kapow to the room. They're easily portable and burn on bioethanol; shedding light on green form meeting function.

Groomsmen Gift Idea

2010-09-22T07:50:00.000-07:00

Today we're following with another post on gift ideas. This time it's for groomsmen. This is what I got in my inbox this morning:

Hello,

Initially I was going to ask my groomsmen about groomsmen gift ideas but then I thought better of it. I think you would probably come up with better ideas. I was wondering if you had any ideas for groomsmen gifts. Something that they'd actually like and use. I did google searches and stuff but they all seem kind of the usual like cuff links, key chains, leather flasks, money clips. so any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

Since I happen to personally know this groom, two of his groomsmen, and their love for beer, I think personalized pilsner glasses are a great idea. I googled "personalized pilsner" and found a shop wiki site with tons of links to online stores. Personalizing the glasses with the groomsmen's last names in calligraphy would be cool and timeless.

You could pay for etching or engraving but it looks pretty easy to do some etching yourself. Look at what Centsational Girl did to her water carafes, soap jars, coffee bean jar, and even her bathroom glass cabinet doors. For more tips and tricks, check out Martha's Craft Department on Glass Etching.

Image: Flickr Creative Commons by isforinsects

Wedding Favors: Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2010-09-21T06:00:00.000-07:00

How cute are these? $5 a bottle from The Olive Press. Spotted at the Oxbow Public Market in Napa.

the PRO Files: Deena Tearney of UMEE Designs {fashion}

2010-09-20T07:07:00.000-07:00

Welcome to a new series of posts on the wedding lane called the PRO Files where we feature professionals from all over the wedding industry. Today we're proud to present our very first one. Give a big aloha to Deena White Tearney of Umee Honolulu. I found Umee while searching for bridesmaid dresses for my friend's destination wedding. To my pleasant surprise, her entire line offers what I've been looking for - a way to wear my island pride in a subtle and elegant way.

What makes Umee's style different?

The UMEE style is all about simple sophistication with a touch of pacific inspiration. I guess you could say our style has a slight retro feel too... maybe that’s because I have an attraction to the sophistication of Jackie Onassis and Audrey Hepburn. They (seemingly effortlessly) defined classic beauty and timeless style. I would like to imagine that they would like my line. :)

I’m also really proud of the fact that all our designs are made in Hawaii. In a way, it is part of our style, and it thrills me when a woman who wears my line appreciates knowing that it’s made in Hawaii. I call that ‘aloha pride’. That concept makes sense for me since I’m a Texan and have lots of Texas pride! In my mind, the concept of ‘aloha pride’ is sort of a similar thing. It’s all about having this internal pride of being associated to the interesting people, places, products, etc... that come from these gorgeous islands.

Who do you design for
I used to come to Hawaii on vacation as a tourist when I was working in Los Angeles. I wanted to find clothes while on vacation that I could wear back at the office - something with a ‘Hawaii’ feel but not too over the top or impractical. It was hard! I actually never bought anything! So, when I moved to Honolulu, I created a line to offer women like myself just that - simple and uniquely Hawaii designs wearable when the vacation was over.

Fave food or places to eat in Honolulu
Wow, I have so many favorite places to eat in Honolulu! Stage and Hiroshi are two places that my husband and I frequent. If I had to pick one place in Waikiki, I would choose Michel’s. I love restaurants that have a distinct style and then infuse a bit of “Hawaii”. Hmm... sounds sort of like my brand ;)

If you are married, what is one thing you learned from your engagement process/wedding/being married
I’m married and grateful every day to have found true love. When I lived in Dallas, the pastor of our church had an idea that I really liked - frame your wedding vows and hang them in your bedroom. It’s a great reminder throughout the years of the commitment made on your wedding day. Of course when I heard the idea, a bunch of designs started to run through my head - calligraphy, cute letter press, fun frames, etc...! I also think that this idea can be a meaningful gift to give to your friends and family at anniversaries! I’m embarrassed to admit that I haven’t done this yet so if anyone who does cool calligraphy wants to help me check this off my “to do” list, DM me ;)

Just What the Doctor Ordered: 4 Physicians to Follow for Women's Health & Beauty

2010-09-15T10:45:00.000-07:00

Image: Creative Commons (clevercupcakes)

Florst? Check. Videographer? Check. Wedding Coordinator? Check. Doctor?

Let's hope you won't need on-site physicians for your big day but they sure can help you prepare for it and your life happily-ever-after. Doctors have joined the social media party and I have learned so much from following doctors on my twitter and/or RSS feed. Here are a few of my favorite doctors to follow:

@Dermdoc of The Dermatology Blog

Dr. Jeff Benabio is my trusty physician resource for all things Health- and Beauty-related. How he manages to answer my questions before I ask them is beyond me:

Ten Things You Need to Know About Laser Hair Removal

Is Mineral Makeup Better for Your Skin?

How to Avoid Razor Bumps (for Men and Women)

A New Drug, Latisse, Makes Eyelashes Grow Longer, Thicker

5 Questions to Ask At Your Medical Spa

@Joannadolgoffmd of Drdolgoff.com

Craving that 3rd cupcake? Yes indeed, I said third but I'm sure you've shared my struggle to resist the temptation at one time or another. As the creator of a weight management program for children and teenagers, Dr. Joanna Dolgoff tweets tips on tossing sweets (say that ten times fast) and keeping your diet in order.

@tbtam of The Blog That Ate Manhattan

Dr. obstetrician-gynecologist, is the author of a unique blog that covers recipes and Women's Health issues. Ever been the victim of honeymoon cystitis? You have got to read her "Eat, Pray, Love and the UTI." If that doesn't catch your attention, I don't know what will. A gyno-food blog sounds gross but, believe me, you'll go back for more.

@DrVal of Better Health

Dr. Val Jones created Better Health which in my opinion is the leading news aggregate of blogs by physicians and other health professionals. Enough said.

Love it or leave it: Basket of Toiletries for Your Guest Bathroom

2010-09-14T10:51:00.000-07:00

If you've been wondering about my decline in posts over the past two weeks, it's because I've been moving into our new home and doing a lot of traveling (including a mini-honeymoon to sunny Southern California, yay). Less than two days back from our trip, I'm already having guests from out of town here tomorrow. Yikes!

Anyway, during my mad dash to get my place in order, I tried to get organize my collection of hotel bath samples. Following the advice of Erin Doland of Unclutterer.com, I made my "basket" of toiletries. In her post, "Ask Unclutterer: Overflowing lotion bottles," she suggests putting samples into a basket in a guest bathroom with a sign “For Our Guests: Help yourself!” on it.

I thought it was a wonderful idea. However, when my husband came home, he laughed at it. He would rather have the three to four bottles displayed as a set each time a guest comes over. Our compromise? Right now, our bathroom counter top shows both my vase of samples and his little set. Help me settle our little bathroom debate. What do you think? Love it or leave it?

Getting Schooled: Learning how to be a {Wedding} Floral Design Star from Nancy Liu Chin

2010-09-14T08:47:00.000-07:00

Nancy Liu Chin

Maybe you could teach Martha Stewart a thing or two about hand-tying a bouquet and now you're ready to take the next step into your own wedding floral business. Or maybe things haven't been all roses lately. It's a jungle out there and, whether it's time you sow the seeds or try to get out of the woods, any budding or seasoned wedding floral designer should consider attending Nancy Liu Chin's Wedding Floral Academy (WFA).

The WFA offers three day workshops on floral design and business development. Topics include Nancy's own tips and tricks and how to get your branding to turn a new leaf. The Fall 2010 session is already full but the Spring 2011 is completely open so save the date for April 11 - 13 in San Francisco. Contact WFA for details.

As if the WFA wasn't enough, Nancy shows she's no rolling stone that gathers no moss. She released her own iPhone app, Nancy Liu Chin Designs, earlier this summer. You can check out her wedding galleries with ease and stay on top of her blog and twitter feed.

I promise this is all not just flowery speech. Go check out these links and help your business bloom.

Carol Hannah's Wedding Collection Reminds Me of Martha's Seven-Minute Frosting

2010-09-08T14:41:00.000-07:00

Carol Hannah's Wedding Collection left me speechless. It did. Then I stumbled upon the perfect words on page 150 and 191 of Martha Stewart Living's September issue under "Seven-Minute Frosting,"

Incredibly light... delicate... excellent... for the girl wants to be the... center of attention.

For wedding dresses, Carol Hannah simply takes the cake if you want to dress to frill...

(yes a little cheesy but I couldn't help it. I love cheese :)

Party Planner: When Geeks Get Married

2010-09-06T21:31:00.000-07:00

Geek meets Chic. Geek falls in love. Chic ignores Geek. Geek gets tired of the chase. Geek creates startup. Geek becomes millionaire. Chic then finally realizes Geek is the love of his/her life. Chic + Geek get married and have a fabulous wedding. What? That's not the story goes? Well, if it did, here are ideas for their fabulous unconventional wedding.

Multitask:
Woman Gives USB Wedding Ring to Her Geeky Fiance

Pay Tribute to the Galaxy Far, Far Away:
Star Wars Save the Date: A New Invitation via Offbeat Bride

Dress to Impress:
Cuff links with Lego, Star Wars, and other geeky themes on Etsy

Keep the Tradition Alive:
Arch of Lightsabers a la Arch of Sabers

Enhance Your Learning Environment:
Hold your reception at the Experience Music Project

Show Off Signature Drinks:
Brain ice: too cool for words via Darya Pino to keep cocktails cool

Taste Buds Take on a Science Major:
Dine on cuisine engineered by the Voltaggio Brothers (I miss watching those guys on Top Chef), Richard Blais, or by the godfather of molecular gastronomy, Wylie Dufresne

Applied Mathematics for Dessert
xkcd Comic Wedding Cake (pic above) by Pink Cake Box
"Firefly/Serenity" Spaceship by Cakelava
Super Mario Wedding Cakes via Weddingbee

Get Zero No Shows:
Big screens showing the live twitter stream like Evan Williams at TED, Ustream of the reception or clips of guests' coverage of the ceremony.
A fine example:

michael & janice - shot with an iphone 3g from phoeben teocson on Vimeo via We Heart Weddings

Show off:
Can't by camera shy if you want to broadcast your videos to one of the largest video screens in the world, the NASDAQ tower in Times Square

Never Get Bored:
Gaming Room with all the Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo games galore

DJs are sooo last century:
Have (talented) guests play Rockband or Karaoke

Video Games Not Your Thing? Show You Don't Have Two Left Feet:
Dance Dance Revolution dancefloor

Craving for a cocktail but can't leave the dance floor?
Order your drink via an app that identifies your location with GPS and have the server bring your drink to you

Avoid having guests too drunk to drive:
Monitor with an Alcohol breathalyzer

Gifts for guests or bridal party
Star Wars USB Flash Drives from Mimoco via Moxsie

Wedding Registry:

Split Obsession

Star Wars shoyu (soy sauce) bottles, shampoo bottles & pepper mills from Japan that you can find at Split Obsession in Honolulu
Gift cards to Gamestop
PlayStation Controller Coffee Table

Real {Nerdy} Weddings:
petri dishes & test tube wedding | The Wedding Chicks
Cat and Andrew's sci-fi, gamer nerd wedding goodness | Offbeat Bride

Get Reel - ly Inspired by Jason Magbanua | Wedding Videographer

2010-09-02T22:32:00.000-07:00

LJ AND JIM: SDE from Jason Magbanua on Vimeo.

It's no surprise if you follow my blog that I love wedding videos, especially those from the Philippines. They're breathtaking and polished with an easy elegance about them. This video is no exception. Its style embodies features of wedding videos I admire. Three years ago, I wrote about my personal rants and raves about videos in my wedding planning blog (it's reposted below). I'm glad that I'm finding more great videographers out there now but, as a whole, American wedding videography has a long way to go.

Wedding video: what's hot and what's not

As far back as the late 80s, I remember my family featuring slideshows and videos at our parties. They've been at parties for weddings, graduations, retirement parties, and even funeral anniversaries. Maybe it's a Hawaii thing? Or my family is weird like that? So I'm super picky about what I want for my wedding video. I'm the first client of my videographer's to make such requests so I hope's he briiiinnnngsss it! Here's my list of what's hot and what's not in my book of wedding video:

Hot: Theatrical orchestral music or classical music with techno beat or electronic guitar e.g. Pachabel's Canon in D with electronic guitar.

Not: Pearl Jam/Eddie Vedder wannabe ballads. I'm not mentioning band or ballad names but they're all over the radio these days.

Hot: Music continues softly in the background while person talking e.g. during vows . We need continuity!

Not: Music...stop. Person talking... stop. Music restarts.

Hot: Enacting how your relationship started and developed.

Not: Enacting how your relationship started and developed. Some people need to leave the acting to those getting paid the big bucks in Hollywood. Maybe avoid having people do a whole dialogue and creatively edit the re-enactment instead?

Hot: Changing pictures/video according to the song rhythm.

Not: Fast forwarding through video when fast songs are playing. People look like they're speed walking through the video. Not cool, people. Not cool.

Hot: Transitioning by simply showing the picture.

Not: Transitioning with side effects like a checkerboard, phasing in and out, picture turning as if it were a page, flying pictures across the screen.

Wish me luck!

On another note, on top of being drop-dead gorgeous and touching, this outdoor wedding ceremony included Filipino wedding traditions. It's the first time I saw them done outside of a church setting. Congratulations to this beautiful couple and a round of applause for Jason Magbanua.

Boutique Wishlist: Wine Country Casual to Cocktail Chic

2010-09-02T11:42:00.000-07:00

One of the reasons I enjoy living in the Bay Area is its proximity to Wine Country. Napa, Sonoma, Healdsburg… I love them all. At one point, my husband and I were frequenting Wine Country almost every weekend for a couple months. Crazy, I know. Unfortunately, Napa Valley’s reputation for catering to the rich and hi maka maka (my use of pidgin in this blog is long overdue so you can look up the meaning here) precedes it. In the last three years, I’ve learned you can visit hidden, affordable spots to luxurious, jaw-dropping gems. I’ll save my travel guide to wineries for another post. Let’s start with what I would like to wear for my next visit.

This outfit was inspired by my last trip to Cuvaison and their 2008 Espiritu Dessert Wine. It’s sweet but, not overly so, unlike other dessert wines rich in caramel and butterscotch. This one simply reminds me of a really good berry pie. Its color is so amazing. You can see by the tiny drop I have left in the picture above (no, I’m not a lush. Thanks for asking).

The colors I wear to Napa Valley are usually grape and earthy tones. Not just because they’re pretty but because I’m a klutz and wine stains on white are not so flattering. I also like wearing things that are loose but still elegant and edgy. That’s why I love Fighting Eel’s "Tube Uri" dress from their Fall 2010 collection so much.

I also don’t like fussing with a huge purse to lug around. This Alexander McQueen clutch comes with a detachable glove. Yes, it’s weird but practical for the lady with an insane amount of money.

On the other hand, the Cydwoq boot is something that I might just splurge on because... well, it’s fabulous! Kidding aside, I love Cydwoq. I have two pairs of Cydwoq shoes and they fit my God-made-me-expensive feet. My feet are unusually narrow and I find it extremely difficult to find nice shoes. Regardless if your feet were destined for a sandal shoe ad or not, Cydwoq prides itself on making shoes that are comfortable, stylish, and durable.

Alas, my outfit is not yet complete. Any suggestions for jacket and accessories?

Filipino Wedding Ceremony Traditions: the Rites of Marriage

2010-08-30T21:21:00.000-07:00

Photo by Adam Sparkes Photographry via TwoFoot Creative

Filipino wedding ceremonies are characterized by a series of traditional rites that signify the basic virtues of marriage and the important role that family and friends play in their transmission. Similar rites are found in Catholic Latin America and Europe.

You can include the following into your wedding programs and substitute the couple's names for Bride and Groom.

Blessing and exchange of rings

The ring, a never-ending circle, is a symbol of eternal love and represents the everlasting commitment of marriage between Bride and Groom.

Placing of the veil

The veil placed over the shoulder of Bride and Groom to represent the unity of their two families as one. It also signifies Groom’s pledge of strength and protection to Bride.

Blessing and Giving of Coins

The thirteen coins, also known as arras [ah-ras] or arrhae [ar-rah-he] are presented to Bride by Groom. This act represents the groom’s dedication to the welfare of his bride and signifies their commitment to mutually contribute to their

relationship, their children, and to their community.

Lighting of the Unity Candle

The candles symbolize the light of Christ, the same light that Bride and Groom received at baptism and now receive again to lead them in their new lives

as a couple. A single candle will be lit to symbolize their new lives together, kindled as one.

Placing of the Cord

The cord, which is draped over the shoulders of Bride and Groom in the form of a figure-eight, is a symbol of the bride and groom’s bond of marriage, a lifelong union bound by mutual love, fidelity, and friendship.

Godparents/Sponsors

Commonly referred to as ninongs and ninangs (godfathers and godmothers), these are men and women whom the newlyweds admire. They are, as in the early days of the Church, sponsors attesting to the couple’s readiness of marriage and the freedom to marry. After the wedding, they serve as the couple’s role models and advisors in the ways of husband and wife.

The Rite of Marriage occur after the Homily and before the Prayers of the Faithful. Here is a sample "script."

Pastor:
Our beloved friends, Bride and Groom, you have come together in this Church so that the Lord may seal and strengthen your love in the presence of the Church minister and this community. Christ abundantly blesses this love. He has already consecrated you in baptism and now he enriches and strengthens you by a special sacrament that you may assume the duties of marriage in mutual and lasting fidelity. And so, in the presence of the Church, I ask you to state your intentions.

Pastor to Bride:
Bride, did you come here of your own free will, to bind yourself to each other in the Sacrament of Marriage?

Bride:
Yes, Father.

Pastor to Groom:
Groom, did you come here of your own free will, to bind yourself to each other in the sacrament of Marriage?

Groom:
Yes, Father.

Pastor to Both:
Will you promise to love and honor each other as husband and wife for the rest of your life?

Bride and Groom:
Yes, Father.

Pastor to Both:
Will you accept the children lovingly from God and bring them up according to the Laws of Christ and His Church?

Bride and Groom:
Yes, Father.

Exchange of Vows
Pastor:
Since it is your intentions to enter into marriage, join your hands and declare your consent before God and His Church.

Groom to Bride:
I, Groom, take you Bride for my lawful wife. To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part.

Bride to Groom:
I, Bride, take you Groom for my lawful husband. To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part.

Pastor:
And by the authority of the Church, calling on all here present as witnesses, I confirm and bless this marriage, which you have contracted. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Blessing and Exchange of Rings
Pastor:
Lord, bless these rings, which we bless in your name. Grant that those who wear them may always have a deep faith in each other. May they do your will and always live together in peace, goodwill and love. We ask this through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

Groom:
Bride, take this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Bride: Groom, take this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Blessing and Acceptance of Arrhae
Pastor:
This arrhae represent the fruit of man's labors and the sum of material possessions which you share with each other. May the offering and acceptance of the arrhae that you now make, be the seal of your generous, total, and complete giving of yourselves to each other.

Groom:
Bride, receive this arrhae as a symbol of all that I am and all that I have. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Bride:
I accept them. In the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Lighting of the Unity Candle
Pastor:
As Bride and Groom start their lives as husband and wife, the candles on the altar are lit. When they were baptized, they were given a candle symbolizing their new life in Christ. Now may the married life of Bride and Groom be a light to al they meet; may it burn brightly, showing Christ to all.

Placing of the Veil
Pastor:
Bride and Groom are now clothed with a white veil, as in baptism they were given a white garment, the outward sign of their new creation. Having been clothed in Christ and of their Christian dignity, they are now clothed again in Christ who unites them in love, compassion, kindness, and patience. The veil is also a symbol of Christ's presence at home, under the same roof, which they now share in their married life.

Placing of the Cord
Pastor:
As Bride and Groom have been united as one in Christ, they were given His yoke. Jesus said, "Shoulder my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart." May Bride and Groom share their lives in mutual gentleness and humility.

Prayers and Promises of Godparents
Pastor/Godparents:
Our beloved Bride and Groom, heaven and Earth are now witnessing your vows and the Christian community gathered here. We testify that you are married in the eyes of God and His people. With open hearts, we accept you, and promise to pray for you all the time and rest assured of our support in your time of needs. We offer you in God's glory now and forever. AMEN.

Red Carpet Fashion for your Wedding

2010-08-30T12:51:00.000-07:00

Catch the Emmys last night? I didn't so I have a lot of catching up to do. I did get to see a few of the fashion-forward fabulosity (yes, there I go with alliterations again and I have Kimora Lee Simmons to thank for that one). However, I was disappointed. I actually liked last year's gowns more.

See the full slideshow on modelinia.com

One of my faves is the jeweled gown by Badgley Mischka. Wouldn't it be awesome if you could have a gown like that as a bridesmaid dress? It's so figure flattering for so many body types. I wouldn't mind wearing that dress again and again.

If you're looking for celebrity-inspired fashion for an upcoming wedding, I have two words for you. Coco Myles. At Coco Myles, you can browse through their selection of Red Carpet gowns and customize them to your color and size. I actually used Coco Myles for my wedding and my bridesmaids were thrilled with the selection. Their customer service was really outstanding too. Coco Myles sent me a fabric swatches before I picked a color and they also gave my bridesmaids extra yards of fabric in case they wanted alterations done. You can even coordinate the groomsmen's ties with their new Men's Wear line. Need jewelry, custom dresses, or maternity dresses? Coco Myles has that too. No need to be scared of the price tag. The dresses are affordable. You can also follow them @cocomyles so you can catch their next sale. :)

Inspiration Board to Real Wedding: Tropical Pink & Orange

2010-08-28T12:37:00.000-07:00

While cleaning up my old computer, I found all the inspiration boards I created for my wedding. Man, I clipped a lot of pictures! Keep scrolling to see how my florist, Fong of Floral Inspirations, transformed these boards into reality. It would be great to have a series of blog posts like this so email me if you want to share your inspiration boards and real wedding pictures.

top row: Michelle Rago
middle row: Pacific Aisles
bottom row: Orlando (left), tick tock (right)

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my REAL WEDDING flowers by Fong of Floral Inspirations

So what do you think? Did Fong deliver or what?! Heck yeah! The flowers she used included cymbidiums (my favorite), mokara orchids, mini callas, dahlias, roses, lisianthus, and freesia. These are just a few of the fabulous photos I have. Check back again soon for more floral inspiration.:)

Photos by Visionari (first 4 pics) and my cousin (last pic)

A heartfelt Thank You for the fab ladies who commented on: Wedding Bloggers: Yay or Nay. See their comments here

2010-08-27T17:18:00.000-07:00

Alright, I don't know what happened but I guess my blog does not want to get along with IntenseDebate's comment system so I'm reposting the comments to the question I posed in my previous post here. I'm also going back to the traditional Blogger comment system which doesn't have all the fancy IntenseDebate features, but hey, at least it works.

Earlier this week, I asked wedding pros what they thought of wedding blogs. It was a general question really. See what they wrote!

Michelle of Sage Wedding Pros

I think blog editorial can be helpful in increasing business. I also think that paid ads on blogs and wedding websites can also be a source of leads. But, often Wedding Pros focus so much on the ad, when they should focus first on their own company, image, branding, and website... refine these first... so that when a potential customer follows the link from the wedding website to your page, they are impressed. It'd be a shame to lose all that investment $ made in advertising by having a poor website.

I also think that blog editorial is great at getting leads... but it must be a TRUE match for your client. So many people want to be listed on the top wedding blogs... but their niche is elsewhere. Who is your client? What are they reading? Where do they get information?

theweddinglane

Great advice, as expected of course! Thank you so much for sharing. I wholeheartedly agree with focusing on their own company first. There's too many vendors out there with websites that need updating. It's unfortunate when you know vendors' talents are not reflected on their website.

AmyJean

I love wedding blogs, but i think as a wedding blogger its very hard to stay true to your own voice when you are out and about in the blogosphere reading other blogs. You get inspired, but sometimes you start to compare yourself with others, or your wedding with others, and its easy to blur the lines of what/who you are and want and what you like, merely b/c you saw it somewhere else. This has been my own struggle - where i see other great blogs and get inspired, but also feel that i lose myself in other great posts at times too. So staying true to me is my focus.

Wedding blogs are great. It's a great place to share ideas, get tips and suggestions and also give them. From here, a wedding blog can help be a place to launch your own business... I think the main thing is to remember your focus, your aspirations, and your inspirations and to never lose sight of that!

Lastly, transparency is key - always let your readers know when you are doing a sponsored or paid for post - let them make up their minds about the product or service, but knowing where you stand helps your audience and i think that is essential in any type of blog!

Shayna of Williamsburg Wedding Design

I think blogs are valuable for wedding businesses when you use them as part of a strategy. You have to have a goal for your blog - is it to gain readers for a product pitch later? Gain leads for an offline business? Is it just to hear yourself speak? Any paid advertisement has to be a good match, like Michelle mentioned - doesn't matter if it reaches 10 people or 10,000. It only takes a couple dozen qualified leads to make an ad profitable, but thousands of the wrong ones will waste your time and money.

You're really asking two questions - should pros write blogs? Yes, if they are willing to invest the time and research into what they are writing, no if it's just a vanity thing. Should they advertise on blogs? If their target audience is reading them, absolutely.

I agree with my friends Shayna and Michelle that blogging is a strategy that works when you have a plan, like most things in life. Having a tightly niched blog with well targeted readers is worth it's weight in gold. It's not instant gratification like hitting the lottery. It's more like having your own mine where you can dig for years to come. No doubt, it's work but so worth it because you're building a more substantial foundation for your business.

82% of brides use websites to inform their buying decisions. So if your site is lame, not updated, has bad design, you've given a bride an excellent reason to ignore you and move on to another wedding site. I started offering Taste Tests to combat the helplessness I heard from clients who want to upgrade/update but don't know how. Having a functional site that attracts the right bride is so much simpler than most wedding pros think.

Dina of Positively Wed
As for ads, well, I'm just beginning to explore both sides of that coin. We're accepting ads now, mostly for products and services I've experienced. I don't do sponsored posts, although I suppose I could. My Friday finds are just that- my discoveries. I've actually turned about folks who asked to be featured. My readers trust me to be a reliable resource so I'm gonna be very careful about who I accept for ads or talk about.

My question back to you is: why aren't more wedding bloggers/vendors looking for sponsors?

theweddinglane

Thanks for all your responses ladies. I really appreciate your time and effort.

As for why aren't more wedding bloggers or vendors looking for sponsors? I think it's because 1) they don't know how or 2) they don't think their content is good enough.

Dina of Positively Wed
True enough, but hopefully both those things will change.

Q for Wedding Pros: What do you think about wedding bloggers? Yay or Nay

2010-08-23T03:00:00.000-07:00

Like & Dislike by Nation

I know. I know. I'm a wedding blogger too. I also hope to become a wedding vendor someday so, like a dutiful young padawan, I try to do my homework by reading up on running a business in the wedding industry. Last week, the Sage Wedding Pros posted "What if you got rid of your advertising budget?" It got me thinking about the advertising in wedding blogs and wedding blogs in general. With what seems like an infinite number of wedding blogs and vendors, how does one get noticed? How is the bride supposed to pick a vendor from wedding directories with incredibly long lists or cluttered sidebars? I wonder how much return wedding vendors get back from wedding blogs, whether it be through paid advertisements or from an endorsement in a post. Then I started to wonder about other aspects of wedding blogs that might bug wedding pros. Let's take the beloved inspiration board as an example. Brides, bloggers, and pros alike love clipping photos here and there but I have seen way too many photos without proper credit. Don't get me wrong. I'm sure I have been guilty of it myself. To bloggers' defense, the "source" often times does not provide proper credit as well. With all that said, wedding blogs are a never-ending source of inspiration and engaging editorial. Now that I have provided you with some of my opinions on wedding blogs, what's yours? Please add your own rants and raves to the comments below. Brides, I would like to hear your opinion too.

This exercise is not to demean wedding bloggers in any way. I want it to be a learning exercise in order to improve the collaboration between wedding blogs and wedding pros in order to make wedding planning as efficient and effective as possible.

On a side note, do you like those stamps featured above? I found them through Girly Nerds. You can find them at the Nation's online store.

Dear Chloe Dao, Please make my wedding gown

2010-08-21T07:01:00.000-07:00

Too bad I'm already married. Seriously, if you haven't seen Chloe Dao's Bridal Collection, where have you been? This Project Runway Season 2 winner still makes it work by crafting ethereal and modern designs with silk, charmeuse, chiffon, and organza. Their price tags are also easy on the eyes; probably much less than the average at Kleinfeld's. What kind of bride would match Chloe's dreamy dresses? Probably one who wants to put a pretty Etsy thing in her hair :)

BONUS if you can visit Lot 8 today or tomorrow:
According to @Lot8DCD, it's Tax Free Weekend! "Come in for no tax on items under $100. And take 20% off your entire purchase with a valid student ID"

Going Green Without Going Granola

2010-08-19T10:13:00.000-07:00

One of my first experiences with the eco-friendly culture of the Bay Area was shopping at Berkeley Bowl. The variety of produce there is astounding. Bumping into other customers? Not so pleasant. If you don't know anything about Berkeley, let's just say I wish there were free green deodorants at the entrance rather than shopping cart sanitizers. Slightly miffed at experiences like these, I easily dismissed the green lifestyle. Fortunately, after living here for a couple of years, those stereotypes have been broken for good. Lucky for you, you don't have to live here to learn how. Below is a roundup of local to international ~~hippie~~ hip picks to help you become a green goddess.Yes, I do love alliterations.

Shop
Ri Couture
This fashion line by Heather G Arcega and Janu Arasu transforms traditional Indian Saris into cute flirty dresses.

Moxsie's Eco Shop
Did I tell you I love Moxsie? Moxsie features independent designers and has a site dedicated to organic, recycled, and sustainable clothes.

Blissmo
Blissmo is like Groupon but for sustainable businesses. They offer savings on the local and national level. Contact them if you want to get more deals in your area.

SF approved
Browse the list of household products from cleaning products to office supplies that received the City of San Francisco's stamp of approval.

Read TreeHugger
Dubbed as the "green CNN," you can come here to read about you can malama ka 'aina (respect the land). TreeHugger even has a fashion and beauty section.

Attend the Kokua Festival
Speaking of malama ka 'aina, you can support the Kokua Hawai'i Foundation, a non-profit organization that supports environmental education in Hawaii's schools and communities, by watching Jack Johnson in concert. Need I say more?

Read, watch, and get inspired.
FASHION me GREEN

The SF Project: Eco-Fashion Makeover with Jennine Jacob from FASHIONmeGREEN on Vimeo.

When you talk about wedding pOhrn*, you make me feel so...

2010-08-19T08:18:00.000-07:00

Can't we use another expression?

Image courtesy of my bro (taken in Paris)

Cinema: My first love’s name was Angel

2010-08-18T08:53:00.001-07:00

I bet you clicked on the link thinking you would see a picture of my ex or a 1980s movie star. Haha. This post is about the first wedding videographer cinematographer I fell in love with.

I don't know why I keep blogging about wedding films which you can see here and here. Maybe it's because I wish it was my own wedding video that I was watching over and over again. No, I'm not bitter. Not at all. Actually, of course I am but just a little and I'll save that rant for another blog post. Well, that's enough of my rambling.

I introduce you to films by Angel De Armas. His films are magical. They pull at your heartstrings and beautifully capture the emotion of the wedding day. The following are actually non-wedding videos he made. I wanted to show you something different but reveal how talented this cinematographer is.

About us from angel de armas on Vimeo.

Ferry from angel de armas on Vimeo.

I love this one because it brings back fond memories of my college days when I took the ferry across the Puget Sound with my girlfriend for a lovely weekend at her parents' home.

Toys never sleep from angel de armas on Vimeo.

Who doesn't love Toy Story? I wonder if anyone at Pixar has ever seen this yet.

My trip to Paris...

2010-08-17T00:01:00.000-07:00

from my living room.

What? A girl can dream right?

I never really thought of Paris until I moved to the Bay Area. Then, one day, I realized I fell in love with the city without ever getting on a plane. Maybe it was because I ate too many croissants from my local bakery or watched one too many episodes of Ina making her herb-baked eggs. In any case, I live in an area full of Francophiles and I became one of them. *sigh* My dream honeymoon will have to wait until the recession is over and my honey gets a job. Until then, I get a smidgen of Paris from David Lebovitz and Design*Sponge... oh, and my brother (who took the picture above).

One more treat is this music video featuring China-born, Paris-raised singer Beilei singing the official theme song of the 2010 Shanghai World Expo's French Pavilion. I didn't understand a single word but I enjoyed taking a tour of the city.

via We Heart Weddings

Ideas for Signature Drinks

2010-08-16T12:29:00.000-07:00

Guess what? It's Cocktail Week on the kitchn! To join in the festivities and pick up the dreary Monday mood (and no, I do not endorse getting drunk to help your workday go by), I'm giving you a roundup of ideas for signature drinks.

Let's start off with the signature drink I had at my wedding, X-rated Fusion Liqueur and Sprite (see recipe below under Fusion Fizz). The liqueur contains French vodka, blood orange, mango, and passion fruit. It's like someone combined my favorite Hawaiian Sun flavors and added alcohol (if you haven't tried POG yet, ask for it the next time you travel on Hawaiian Airlines or you can order it from Amazon). The Sprite balances the sweetness with some tartness and fizz. Yum! Another great thing about this recipe is that it's simple. When choosing signature cocktails for your wedding, I would advise against having more than 4 ingredients unless you are having a small reception. Trust me, your bartender will thank you. What was the price tag for this signature drink? I bought a dozen bottles of X-rated for about $22 a bottle. The corkage fee was $12/bottle and 12 bottles was more than enough for my 260 guest wedding. It works out to $1.57 a drink if each guest got 1 drink . I say that's a deal if you can't afford an open bar.

What's a good source for drink recipes? Two words. Drinks Mixer. I wish I found this website before. It's one huge database of drink recipes. Recipes come along with videos, nutritional information, and even suggestions on what type of glass to serve your drink in. Try Drink Mixer's widget below to find some drink recipes.

Other go-to drink guides:

Food & Wine's Cocktail Guide

Yumsugar's Happy Hour

Don't forget to check out the kitchn this week!

Not in the mood to make your own drink? If you're in the Bay, you can stop by the new restaurant owned by that guy making the Champagne Cocktail in the video up above. I hear master mixologists have taken up residence there and serve kick-a$$ cocktails. I haven't had the chance to go there yet but judging from this local blogger's review, I can't wait.

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Addendum:
Just found the BEST resource so far: the Cocktail Guru. Check out the link. You can have an accomplished Mixologist to design your signature drink. How divine!

Inspiration Board: Purple & Silver

2010-08-15T12:03:00.000-07:00

I made this inspiration board for my friend whose wedding colors are purple and silver. She hopes to have orchids as her main flower and will be getting married in an elegant hotel in San Francisco in 2011.

1st row: Invitations Ceci New York

2nd row: Bridesmaid dresses by Mich Dulce, Photography by MangoRed; Flowers by Nancy Liu Chin via Very Merry Events.
See more of Nancy's designs from this event on her blog

3rd row: Flowers by Badang Rueda, Photography: Metro Photo via Brideandbreakfast

4th row: Vosges Chocolates; Signature drink: Stoli blueberry vodka, crushed blueberries, a splash of lemon by Skates on the Bay

Jojo & Ciara from Bong Sare on Vimeo.

Here's a wonderful video by Threelogy who filmed Jojo's and Ciara's wedding. (2nd row) . Their wedding was beyond beautiful, complete with an orchestra. OMG.

Rubik's cube photo puzzle gift

2010-08-14T07:14:00.000-07:00

Isn't this amazing? My friend made this for his wife. This would make a perfect gift for the someone special in your life or a great gift to the bride and groom. There's 18 photos in this thing!

Food Truck Friday

2010-08-13T08:35:00.001-07:00

Who says you can't eat well on a budget? If you're lucky enough to live in the Fog City, your tummy and your wallet will thank you if you go to tonight's Off the Grid at the Fort Mason Center. It's where the mobile food carts serve up gourmet delights by chefs like William Pilz of HapaSF.

Hapa SF
Photography by Jun Belen

Hubba hubba.
I mean the food! What are you looking at? :P

Two food trucks in my neck of the woods are Jon's Street Eats and Seoul on Wheels. Jon serves up restaurant quality food and I love love love his food. It's too bad we haven't seen him recently but that might be because he's busy setting up his new project. To meet my street food craving, I finally had my first taste of Seoul on Wheels by Julie Yoon earlier this week. I would definitely go back for her bulgogi which was incredibly tasty and tender. Don't live in the Bay Area? Oh, you poor thing. I kid! You can recreate her famous bulgogi by following her recipe on Food & Wine.

Here's my roundup of links on our favorite traveling eateries:

"Off the Grid" by Amy Sherman of Cooking with Amy

Yumsugar's Food Truck Love Slideshow

"Cool Trucks" by Hayan Café (via Design Sponge)

"The New Airstream Cuisine" by Food & Wine

The Food Network's Food Truck Race

TLC's Best Food Ever Fab Food Carts TLC's website doesn't have any more scheduled listings but some of the carts they loved were The Treats Truck in New York, Maximus Minimus in Seattle, and Bay Area's very own Seoul On Wheels. The show though snubbed LA's roaring food truck scene. How can TLC ignore this Best New Chef?

DIY: Lauhala Ring Pillow

2010-08-12T03:00:00.000-07:00

What better way to follow up a budget bride post than a DIY project?

Photo by Visionari

My Two Cents on How to Save $ on Your Wedding

2010-08-11T13:53:00.000-07:00

Who wants to have a beautiful wedding without breaking the bank? Who doesn't, right? I must admit that I'm still paying for my wedding and that was three-ish years ago. Sad but true. I banked on recouping much of the wedding costs through our wedding gifts (we didn't have a gift registry so most of our gifts were cash) and selling my wedding dress. My plan failed and my dress is still in my closet. Well, enough with this sob story. I hope you brides out there listen to my lil' roundup of links from around the web and learn how to have a fashionably frugal wedding. :)

Wedding Advice: Budget-Friendly Wedding Cake & Dessert Options for Your Reception by Shawn Rabideau via SmartBrideBoutique

This article features a lot of great points but there are some things he recommends that I would be really careful with:

Having a variety of desserts. Stacking a dessert bar with cupcakes, smores, candies, and/or cookies can add up especially if you're using different vendors. Just watch it.
Trick cake. I don't know one person who was able to do this. My cake vendor said it would actually take more money to create false upper layers and sheet cakes. It does make sense if your cake baker does not usually make fake layer cakes.
Cupcakes? I heard they were going out of style.

SavvySugar - Weddings

Savvy Sugar is part of the uber-popular "insanely addictive" PopSugar Network. This site is full of incredibly useful wedding posts.

LearnVest's Ways-To-Save

LearnVest aims to help women take control of their finances. Check out their 8 step checklist to wedding planning. Don't be dissuaded by their first tip, buffet-haters! I fed my guests buffet-style and my guests loved it but it might just be a cultural thing. See what Mr. Bailey says about Buffet vs Sit Down here.

Still want the Rolls Royce, open bar, and honeymoon in Monte Carlo? Platinum weddings are so 2007.

Wedding Report

A backyard wedding seems like the in thing to do these days and the wedding blogosphere is eating it up. Check out two beautiful backyard weddings at Recycled Bride and the Ruffled blog.

These last three links are sites are non-wedding-related but can help you now and during your post-wedding bliss:

The Cheap Chica's Guide to Style

Lilliana is featured in Elle's September issue which is out on newsstands today.

Mint

I use this online application to keep track of my spending. There were so many features I love like identifying what you spend the bulk of your budget on. It blew my mind how much we spent on food and drink (hey, what can I say? I live near Yountville where there's more Michelin Star restaurants per capita than anywhere in the world). The best part of Mint is that's it's free!

Oprah's Debt Diet

I haven't actually used this debt diet but there were tons of great pointers on the show. It's definitely worth your time checking out.

Gallery: Fantasy is what...

2010-08-10T12:13:00.000-07:00

Wedding planners, this one's for you. You probably had experience working with difficult challenging brides who demand the impossible. Here's an art piece to hang in your office.

Art work by Design Freedom

Cinema: Threelogy

2010-08-10T10:44:00.000-07:00

Sit back, put up your feet, and relax. Get ready to watch some awesome wedding video. These clips are from Threelogy which is based in the Philippines where brides often book the videographer before the photographer. Imagine that! I love Threelogy because the films feel so fresh, vivid, and dynamic. The way Threelogy manipulates the camera angles, framing, and camera movements makes me feel like I'm watching a movie. You just have to see for yourself. According to their website, they charge less than $3000 for the HD package. I'm sure the cost to fly Threelogy to the US must be $$$ but if I had my wedding again I would hire them (and yes, I would totally marry the same guy)!

Apple and Diday from Bong Sare on Vimeo.

An upeat feel good video

Carlo and Jo from Bong Sare on Vimeo.

Talk about beautiful views. Who knew that the soundtrack to House would match?

I would love to know who you consider a great wedding videographer.

Cafe: Cannellini bean, leek, and spinach soup

2010-08-09T20:15:00.000-07:00

Eating a good amount of fried food over the weekend made me feel sluggish and made my face feel greasy. Oh well, I was yearning for comfort food and paid the price for it. To make up for those diet missteps, here's a recipe for Cannellini bean soup. This is a recipe from my husband. The original source is - yikes, he doesn't know. I'm not a big fan of soups but this one's satisfying and my tummy is full now. The following recipe is perfect for two people, maybe three. Mmm, next time, I'm going to try adding salmon collar into the soup. Maybe I'll have a fancy camera by then and be featured in my favorite food p0hrn [sic] website, tastespotting.

Cannelini bean, leek, and spinach soup

1 tsp olive oil

2 leeks

4 gloves garlic (we love garlic)

1.5 cups chicken broth (I'm sure vegetable broth would be a fine substitute)

1 bay leaf

1 cup of fresh spinach

1 fifteen oz can of cannellini beans

salt and peper

Heat oil in large stockpot over medium heat. Add leeks and garlic; saute for a few minutes until the leeks become translucent (about 3-5 minutes). Add cumin, then broth, then beans and bay leaf. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low and simmer for about 5 minutes. Stir in spinach leaves. Season with salt and pepper to your liking. Remove bay leaf before serving.

5 tools for Paperless Wedding Planning

2010-08-09T14:00:00.000-07:00

#1 Google Docs - Wedding

If you haven't started using Google Docs yet for your wedding planning, you're missing out! It's great if you don't want to trek around your wedding binder. I recommend using Style Me Pretty's Google Wedding Docs. SMP + Google, seriously? Come on, who else can beat that?

#2 Evernote

Back when theknot let brides made their own bios, I copied links and pictures like crazy from wedding blogs, photographers, and planners' websites to create my ultimate bio. The stuff I saved from the web were scattered everywhere: on my desktop, my camera, Google Docs, and my wedding binder. It was a chore to find everything. With Evernote, I could have saved all those links and pictures in an online database indexed by notebooks and tags. You can even save pdfs and search for words in that pdf file! Check out how this bride used Evernote here. There's even Evernote for cell phone and for twitter. You can capture information when you're up and about on your bridal tour, at your local bridal show or take pictures of your potential wedding flowers at your local flower mart. Find a cool musician or hear a cool song you want to play at your wedding? Evernote will let you capture audio as well.

#3 Scanner

Another way to reduce paper clutter is by owning a scanner. I learned how to do this from Unclutterer (a terrific blog about getting and staying organized). Just from personal experience, I would recommend the Fujitsu Scan Snap. I don't have to worry about faxing documents ever again if I can just scan and email them instead. The best part is that I can easily scan to Evernote. I scan my business cards so my rolodex is always searchable and accessible online.

#4 USB thumb drive

Picture this - you are meeting a friend after your wedding and you want to show off your wedding pictures - Well, if your pictures are no longer on a website, you can always tote around a USB drive with tons of storage space. My favorite USB drive is the LaCie iamakey. It's sturdy, small, and fits easily on your keychain. There's even a 32 GB one.

#5 Portable Apps

Or you want to show someone your favorite websites but you forgot the name or link-

Not all is lost if you have your trusty USB drive and downloaded a portable app suite onto it. I use PortableApps (one of Lifehacker's Best Portable Apps Suites) which includes a downloadable portable Mozilla Firefox so you can take your bookmarks, extensions and saved passwords wherever you go.

Boutique Wishlist: beach goddess

2010-08-08T15:57:00.000-07:00

Where do you go shopping for cute girly girl outfits? Ever since I moved, I can't say I have found that store yet. Until then, I'll be clipping stuff from around the web into a new series of posts named Boutique Wishlist, full of pretty things from indie designers. This outfit started out with earrings I already own, Ligia earrings from Noelani Designs. I love these earrings. You can even ask Noelani to make customized jewelry and she'll name the new piece after you. DR 332 Animal Print is from Tamara Catz, another Hawaiian island designer. Noelani Designs and Tamara both have lovely bridal collections too. What do you think of this fab clutch to match. I found it on green with glamour. The girl in this outfit is ready for her hot date or meeting her girlfriends for cocktails. Don't you see her sipping a lavaflow at the Royal Hawaiian's Mai Tai Bar? I would love to see your beach goddess outfits. Post a link to them in the comments below.

Noelani Designs

Tamara Catz

green with glamour

I miss you lechon

2010-08-07T19:19:00.000-07:00

"You're Filipino and from Hawaii? You must really love pork," someone once told me. I laughed. I didn't know my people's love for pork was so (in)famous. This was even before the whole Pork Renaissance phenomenon including Anthony Bourdain's show of the Philippines. Well, it's true. Some favorite dishes of Hawaiians and Filipinos alike include lechon, kalua pig, pork adobo, laulau, chicharrones... oh no, this list is getting too long. Now where do I go (in the Bay) to get some?

Painting Your Nails Green: How to Avoid the Toxic Trio

2010-08-06T14:00:00.000-07:00

Image: Creative Commonshttp://www.flickr.com/photos/giovania/

Who doesn't love getting dolled up and pampered, including a trip to your local nail salon? Did you know though that your local nail salon could be a haven for toxic chemicals? These chemicals include dibutyl phthalate, formaldehyde and toluene, dubbed the "Toxic Trio." These chemicals have harmful effects on reproductive, developmental systems and even cause cancer. This trio has gained a lot of popularity lately even in the blogosphere, including a good article at chicklitmd. Can you think of how detrimental these chemicals are on nail salon workers? According to the California Healthy Nail Salon Collaborative, the majority of nail salon worker are Vietnamese women of reproductive age. Hopefully, things will turn start to turn around. In late July, an ordinance was introduced to recognize San Francisco nail salons that use safer products. You can help by not using harmful nail polishes at home and by educating your nail salon with info from the California Healthy Nail Salon Collaborative. Below you'll find a wallet card on how you can to Phase Out the Toxic Trio and information even in Vietnamese you can bring to your nail salon at your next visit.

A Wedding is a Day; a Marriage is a Lifetime: 8 Rules for Arguing Fairly

2010-08-06T08:47:00.000-07:00

Venice, Italy

Wedding planning is not all about pretty flowers and cake, right? There can be lot of stressful times when emotions run high especially when money is a limiting factor. To help you cope, here are some pearls from my Engagement Retreat that can help you and your honey whenever you are arguing about things like buying the new Xbox vs renting table linens.

Rules for Arguing Fairly
1. No name calling.
This includes using affectionate terms sarcastically.
2. No third parties.
The argument is just between the two of you.
3. No past history.
If it's already settled don't bring it up again. You can use the 48 hour rule.
4. Stick to the subject.
Identify the problem. Don't go on to other issues.
5. No cheap shots.
Don't use the other's weakness to gain advantage. You may win the argument, but injure the relationship. No hitting below the belt!
6. Don't go to bed angry.
Finish the argument or call a truce and agree on a time to continue.
7. Maintain a sense of humor.
Don't take yourselves too seriously. Laughter is the best medicine!
8. Hold Hands.
This is difficult because it requires a "decision to love." This helps to keep your focus where it belongs, on the person who means more to you than anyone in the world.

Disclaimer: I don't know the source of these rules so if you ever find the author, let me know so I can properly credit them. Thanks!

Cake toppers

2010-08-05T00:58:00.000-07:00

One of the treasures from my wedding are our cake toppers that I ordered from Nicole W Clark. Working with her was so easy. I asked to her to make miniatures of me and the Mister in our wedding gear with special accessories (and now you might know what I do for a living). She even recreated my wedding hairstyle based on my hair & makeup trial. She's so crazy talented.

Photo by Nicole that she sent for my stamp of approval

If you're wondering about my my mini-me's cracked neck...yes she did in fact sustain a neck injury. Fortunately, my wedding planner had glue handy. Speaking of wedding planners, here's a post by the fab Evonne of Events by Evonne featuring another Canadian cake topper designer.

I love Moxsie

2010-08-04T10:22:00.000-07:00

I just discovered Moxsie and oh boy my wish list is now too long. Check out some of my favorites:

The Harbinger Co

Medium White Blossom Earrings
These are laser cut bamboo earrings made here in the Bay! How adorable.

SPUN

Cowl Neck Olive Dress
made by Spun, a great organic clothing line

Miele Bianco

Miley Hobo Handbag Brown
made by Miele Bianco where you can get vegan, budget-friendly fashion handbags. Melie is also having a summer blowout sale that ends on August 9. Go check out their stuff.

Moxsie features independent designers and donates a portion of their proceeds to charity. Wow. Oh, I wish my shop was already up and running.

for the NASCAR princess bride

2010-08-03T21:20:00.000-07:00

Roberta Oaks

I bet you didn't think NASCAR and princess fit into the same title, huh? Well, check out Roberta Oak's vintage car insignias transformed into jewelry. I can totally see Audrina Patridge wearing the cuff with this outfit.


Image courtesy of Shopstyle

Speaking of recycling... in an effort to keep things green for all you eco-conscious brides, I just wanted to let you know that my blog is carbon neutral! How so? A tree has been planted for my blog courtesy of “My blog is carbon neutral”

Save The Dates - Hibiscus & Shave Ice

2010-08-03T15:42:00.000-07:00

My day job is keeping me pretty busy these days so in an effort to give you a taste of what's to come here's a favorite post of mine from my wedding planning blog. The template now is unavailable but so easy to replicate!

Almost 7 months after sending it out, I finally put together a tutorial of my save-the-dates (STD). Unfortunately, most of my guests didn't read them. Many guests still asked me about things I noted in my STD and didn't take advantage of my Hawaiian Airlines Wedding Wings Program. They didn't get the 10% discount and I don't get my first-class upgrade. :( I wonder if they can call and adjust their reservation. Anyway, hope you enjoy this tutorial. Hopefully, I'll have my invitation tutorial up and running this week. Click on the pictures below in order to see the whole image.

Q: Can you guess where's we're eating?

A: Waiola's Shave Ice!

Welcome

2010-08-03T12:57:00.000-07:00

Four years ago, I got the wedding bug when my fiance popped the question and I have been obsessed with weddings ever since. I want to show you my love of food, pretty things, DIY projects, and how they relate to preparing for your Big Day. I'm working on combining all my interests into a physical space but until that becomes a reality (startups take time and $$$) I would love to share my thoughts and ideas with you right here on this blog.