Ana + Gina’s Colorful Rustic Handcrafted Wedding (07*14*12)

As you can see by the date in the blog title, I’m just slightly behind in sharing the weddings I’ve been working on. 😉  But in truth, I realized that I’d started this blog post a while back.  I was encouraged to publish it finally after last week’s marriage equality ruling.  And see?  I’m trying to keep my promise for moar!blogging!

Ana and Gina are one of my favorite couples.  They have such wonderful energy and chemistry, and I immediately liked them.  Mind you, I have a LOT of incredible couples that I like immediately – it’s something I am proud that I can say about just about everyone – but I still remember our first phone call.  Ana had just e-mailed me and set up a time to talk.  They lived in the Bay Area and couldn’t meet in person.  She hadn’t mentioned anything about Gina at all.  “My fiancé is here and wants to meet you too!” she said, as we were introducing ourselves on the phone.  I heard Gina’s voice, and my heart leapt.  It seems a bit silly now, but in 2011 marriage equality was still such an uphill battle.  I’d always wanted to do weddings for everyone, but you can’t really pick and choose your clients.  So I had to wait for someone to choose me.  I remember getting off that phone call and dancing around.  They liked me!  They really liked me!  And I liked them!  This was happening!

Over the next several months, we worked together on decor plans for their wedding.  We always had the most fun when we were together; it felt comfortable, like we had been friends for a long time.  The venue, Hidden Valley Retreat and Spa (which is no longer), was one where literally everything was do-it-yourself.  It was lovely, but challenging, especially given their tight budget, so we had to get creative!  You can see the results in the photos – lots of paper and streamers…  But it was so very lovely.  I’m so proud of the way their whole day looked!  I loved how colorful it was (they were inspired by a painting they loved), and how many fun details we were able to bring in.

On the wedding day, I had a team of four working from 10 am to 7:30 pm (when the reception was already starting, we were still finishing up the cake table that was, thankfully, in the other room), hanging lights and lanterns, setting up tables and chairs, doing table settings, putting together a DIY Photo Booth, and so much more.  We’d have been there sooner to get started, but we were running last-second errands for the wedding!  It is actually because of this wedding that I require additional assistants for venues that aren’t “set up” for weddings, since simply placing, setting up, and dressing tables for 60 guests took two of my staff several hours to complete!

At any rate, the wedding itself was incredible.  Happy and gorgeous couple, happy friends and family, heartfelt vows, beautiful decor, and a great party!  Kaysha Weiner took the most stunning photographs (more on my website).  It’s no wonder that Ana and Gina were featured on Equally Wed!

Ana + Gina’s Colorful Rustic Handcrafted Wedding (07*14*12)

• Wedding Design + Coordination: Events by Elisa
• Stationery: Paper Doll Design | Studio
• Photography: Kaysha Weiner Photography
• Cake: San Diego Desserts
• Cupcakes: Calculated Whisk
• Ceremony Music: Ocdamia Strings
• Reception Music: DJ Carmin Wong
• Hair and Makeup: Charlyn Sanchez

Modern Rustic Snow White Inspiration Shoot

This post is long overdue.  Like, more than a year.

Yeah, sorry…  That happened last year.

Anyway, I’m trying to get back on the blogging bandwagon.  Starting here.  With one of my favorite photo shoots I’ve done to date.  My Modern Rustic Snow White Inspiration Shoot from June 2012!

This shoot grew out of the Inspired Bridal Bowl table that Desiree of Penny Blooms Floral Design and I did together.  We played with moss and wood, added in some pops of white and red, and created a fun and whimsical look.  Of course, we had to step it up once we made it a “proper” photo shoot.  So we called on a little help from our friends. 🙂

We had no less than ten wedding vendors, a fantastic venue, and a couple of amazing boutiques involved in this shoot, plus a couple of seriously gorgeous models.  Throw in perfect San Diego weather, and  I guess it’s no wonder that this shoot has been featured on Lover.ly, Every Last Detail, and San Diego Style Weddings!

Melissa Biador snapped these exquisite photographs, and Porcelain Rose Productions filmed the day (linked at the end)…  And what a day it was…

Nic.Roc.Designs created some AMAZING stationery (including this fabulous wooden invitation!).

And of course we had a sweets buffet replete with goodies, from the INSANELY beautiful cake (OMG mini frames!) by Hey There, Cupcake!…

To the apple cake pops and cake ball gems by Calculated Whisk…

To the marbled macarons by La Reine des Macarons

To the delectable (and beautiful!) apple pie pops and mini mason jar pies from Wicked Spoon!

Of course, putting it all together was fun…

Then of course there were Desiree’s florals.  Seriously, Penny Blooms Floral Design is one of my favorite vendors for a variety of reasons…  But one of the biggest is because she isn’t afraid to play around with different ideas, try different things, go out on a limb, and be downright creative.  We always talk about creativity and innovation in our business, but Desiree consistently does it.  And pushes me to, as well. 🙂

Then we have the flawless makeup and hair by Blush Makeup Artistry and Beth Whitfield:

And the ombre dress – absolute perfection – from Bliss Bride:

And our handsome groom’s suit, from A Better Deal Designer Tuxedo and Suit Rentals:

Of course, our models – Taylor and Ben – aren’t too shabby either.

Scratch that.  They are gorgeous!!!!!!

We hung frames and mirrors from the trees…

And cut slits into apples to use as place card holders…

Didn’t skimp out on details…

And even had a little play acting at the end…

Ooh, you can see the edge of her phenomenal dress in this shot! 😉

At the end of the day, we were just seriously blessed by all the stunning pieces to this photo shoot.  This is still one of my very favorite projects I’ve gotten to work on.  Ever.

We’ve been trying to get the same team back together for another round…  But due to unfortunate timing it hasn’t worked out.  Cross your fingers for a second fairy tale fabulous photo shoot!

Oh yes…  And don’t forget to check out the film!!!!

Snow White: Rustic Styled Shoot from Porcelain Rose Productions on Vimeo.

Modern Rustic Snow White Inspiration Shoot Vendor Credits:

• Planning, Design & Styling: Events by Elisa
• Florals, Design & Styling: Penny Blooms Floral Design
• Photography: Melissa Biador Photography
• Videography: Porcelain Rose Productions
• Stationery: Nic.Roc. Designs
• Cake: Hey there, Cupcake!
• Sweets: Wicked Spoon Desserts, Calculated Whisk, La Reine des Macarons
• Makeup: Blush Makeup Artistry By Laura Crivello
• Hair: Beth Whitfield
• Dress: bliss bride
• Suit: A better Deal Tuxedos & Suit Rentals
  Rentals: Classic Party Rentals, Hall Weddings + Events
• Details: Summer Wind Soy, Sparrow Bridal
• Venue: Villa De Flores

Where Have I Been and Other Catching Up…

Oof.  It’s been over six moths since my last post.  Yeah, that wasn’t intentional, I swear.

You may have been wondering where I’ve been (although if you follow me on Facebook – and if you don’t, you really should – you probably know).  The short answer is that I’ve been EVERYWHERE.  I’m pulled in about a zillion directions right now.  It’s fantastic, and I’ve never been happier, but it’s definitely left very little time for blogging!

The long answer, of course, is that I had a baby girl in early April.  She was an eagerly-anticipated member of our family, but any new parent will tell you that it’s a big adjustment!  Baby A has grown so much in the last several months; it’s almost impossible for me to imagine that she was ever just 7 lbs!   We used this fantastic photo from Chrystal Cienfuegos Photography for our Christmas photos last year:

Before she was born, I had some beautiful maternity pictures taken by Melissa McClure Photography, and did a Baby Wishes video with Murasaki Media.  If you or someone you know is expecting a baby, I highly recommend doing both photos and a video before the baby is born; I am so happy we did!

Once she arrived, we had more photos taken, this time by Gabrielle Fox Photography.  She’s so tiny here!!!

Most recently we had photos taken of Baby A by TWO fantastic photographers (it just sort of happened that way!), Sarah Layne Photography and flutter glass PHOTOGRAPHY:

Gah, I can hardly stand the cute!!

She sits up consistently now, is eating some solid foods, and is learning to crawl (exciting and scary at the same time) and teething (awful).  She also wants constant attention!  Baby A is quite the demanding boss, so Mommy hasn’t had much time for blogging.

In the mean time, of course, the first anniversaries came and went for Julianna + Kyle, Soila + Steven, Chris + Emma, Stacy + Tyler, Alexis + Chris, and Ana + Gina!  And next week will be the first anniversary for Cindy + Neal, followed by first anniversaries for Diana + Julian and Richelle + Matthew…  It’s hard to believe that a year has flown by!  Unfortunately I am still missing quite a few photos from the weddings above (something about last Spring, especially, and getting pictures from photographers), but here’s one of my favorites, by the lovely Stacy Alberto Photography (formerly Sunday Romance Photography):

Richelle, this is easily one of the best faces I’ve seen in a wedding photo! 😉

Fun fact; I actually had three weddings scheduled this past spring, two for fellow wedding pros.  I was thrilled to find out last summer that I was pregnant with Baby A, but sad to have to miss out on Alia, Jenna, and Liz’ weddings!

Then, of course, I’ve been working on this year’s weddings.

First, we had Megan + Mike at Condor’s Nest Ranch, with a photo by Faithfully Focused Photography:

I did all their decor/design, and boy was it gorgeous!  It was recently featured on Rustic Wedding Chic, and I love how the feature shows off all the lovely details we came up with!

Then was Damaris and Omar’s wedding at 94th Aero Squadron, with beautiful photography by Jessica Chavez.

You may recognize Damaris and Omar from their styled wedding shoot that I did back in March (yes, at 9 months pregnant) at Presidio Park with Erica of Les Amis Photography.  It was recently featured on Bisou Bride!

Unfortunately I haven’t gotten photos back from either September wedding I did, but speaking of features, the shoot I did i February with former clients Stacy + Tyler and the ladies at Chris Wojdak Photography, Penny Blooms Floral Design, Unbridled Beauty, and Mili’s Sweets at Condor’s Nest Ranch got a lot of press this summer!  It was featured on Sweet Violet Bride, Things Festive, Trendy Bride, and Storyboard Wedding!

Of course I have a busy few months ahead of me; I have two more weddings and a birthday party (or two) left this year.  And next year I’m already quite booked – I don’t have any availability until late April, and even then I’m pretty booked until the Fall!

Oh yes…  And I have not one but two big things in the works.  To be announced soon.  Stay tuned!!! 😉

No, seriously… The Boho Glam Shoot was Featured AGAIN.

I’m flabbergasted.  Seriously.  I feel like Sally Field.  “You like me!  You really like me!!”  It’s hysterical.  This little shoot that Desiree of Penny Blooms Floral Design and I put together in a week…  The one where I dragged my sister in to be our model in the biting January wind (it doesn’t look like it but the poor thing was shivering!)…  The one where I designed the stationery suite in less than a day…  It’s been published again.

This time on Kiss My Tulle, where owner Cris commented specifically on Desiree’s fantastic purple painted horses (and here I was last year questioning her choice…  Not after I saw them, but I kept thinking before they were finished that they should be gold).  Yup.  They’re still gorgeous.

Yes, this makes six features for this one shoot.

I think I need to find an appropriate way to celebrate. 🙂  More photoshoots, anyone? 😉

Events by Elisa in PRINT! Our Snow White Shoot Featured in San Diego Style Weddings!!!

Ok, with everything that happened last week I didn’t have a chance to share my other piece of news.  This one’s pretty amazing too.

I’ve been published in my first magazine!!!!  Now, obviously *I* am not the only one responsible for this amazing shoot (which, again, I promise to share in more detail here!), and, actually I worked very closely with Desiree of Penny Blooms Floral Design to make it gorgeous.  There are some INCREDIBLE vendors that gave their all too!  But still, it was thrilling to see my business name and the work I am so proud to have done in a magazine!

We got a whole page spread of photographs, beautifully taken by Melissa Biador!  (And special thanks to Nikki of Calculated Whisk for sharing this photo – I have my copy of the magazine but keep forgetting to take a photo of the spread!). 🙂

Check it out in the huge 25th Anniversary San Diego Style Weddings magazine (available on newsstands NOW!). 🙂

Modern Rustic Snow White Shoot Featured on Lover.ly!

You know how it is when you get some momentum?  You work and work and work and suddenly your work starts to sort of take on a life of its own.  I’m not a runner, but I hear it’s tough to get started a first, and eventually just becomes a way of life.  That’s kind of how all the work I put into the first half of this year has gone.  Features just seem to keep rolling in!!  Not that it was easy, mind you.  It was a ton of work (which is why I’m taking it a bit easier until my wedding season re-starts next month).  But I’m loving how the momentum of January through July of this year has started to take on a life of its own.  Seems like every time I turn around I see another fabulous review or feature!  Today is no different.

Yup, this happened this weekend:

 

So excited to be featured on lover.ly!!!  Check out the whole post!

Our Snow White Shoot – “Get The Look” Feature on Every Last Detail!

Did you catch yesterday’s Modern Rustic Snow White Inspiration Shoot, featured on Every Last Detail?  It’s getting a lot of great attention, and if you haven’t checked it out yet, you should.  You already did, you say, and you loved it?  You’re in luck, then!  Lauren is starting a new feature along with photoshoots, and we’re the first ones to get in on the action!  She asked me last week if I’d be interested in participating in her new “Get The Look” series, and of course I said yes!  I am a big believer in transparency and helping people get the best wedding they can have…  So I went back through our receipts to find out the prices for all the pieces we used, and Lauren wrote them up.

We used a mixture of vintage/thrifted pieces and new ones, including mirrors, chargers, and plates from Wal-Mart; moss, wood, and other supplies from Save-on-Crafts and the local flower market; and candle holders (used to hold succulents) from IKEA.

Check out our “Get The Look” feature on Every Last Detail today!

Snow White Shoot Featured on Every Last Detail!

I’ve got to catch up on blogging my own shoots and weddings… But in the mean time, I’m being featured all over the place!!! 🙂  I’m SO thrilled to announce that our Rustic Modern Snow White inspiration shoot (no, it still hasn’t been blogged here, but I promise it will be soon!), photographed by Melissa Biador Photography, is featured today on Every Last Detail!  I have to admit that ELD is probably my favorite wedding blog to read (if you follow me on Facebook you’ll notice I do a lot of linking to Lauren’s posts).  I was SO thrilled to find out that we were going to be featured!!!

And there is no shortage of gorgeous on the blog today, including the utter fabulosity of the florals by Penny Blooms Floral Design (just… wow), custom stationery by Nic.Roc. Designs, custom cake by Hey There, Cupcake! (seriously…  I about fell over when I saw it), as well as the marbled macarons by La Reine des Macarons, the apple pie pops by Wicked Spoon, and the apple cake pops and gemstone cake balls by Calculated Whisk!  Lauren even posted a link to the behind-the-scenes video by Porcelain Rose Productions!

I am so happy our hard work (and over 9 months of planning!) paid off with this gorgeous shoot! 🙂  I swear I’ll blog it soon! 😉  Check out the whole shoot feature on Every Last Detail!!! <3!

Rock & Roll Elopement Shoot Featured on Poptastic Bride!!!

I haven’t featured this shoot yet, since I knew it was scheduled to run sometime soon on Poptastic Bride and they wanted exclusivity.  So this might be your first look at it (unless you happened to see it on Facebook!). 🙂

Back in late May, Desiree of Penny Blooms Floral Design and Alyssa of Hybrid Photography and I met up for dinner.  Desiree had worked with us both and thought we’d get along well and wanted to introduce us.  Sure enough, it was as though we’d known each other forever – just like when I first met Desiree, we couldn’t stop chattering about projects we’d do together!!!

Alyssa was planning to have a booth at a bridal show in early July and wanted to style the booth after a shoot, so we started throwing around ideas. I have to admit that our first idea had to be put on hold, as our venue didn’t work out during the time period we needed, but we had so much fun creating this faux elopement!!!

I created the announcement (with a kind of graffiti-inspired vibe and lots of black!) and did a lot of the styling; Desiree did a ton of spray painting in addition to the florals (and you’ve never seen peonies like this!!); Ashley from Unbridled Beauty created a fun retro look with the makeup.  Unique Vintage, Pettiskirt Style, Whole Foods Hillcrest, and Serendipity Party Shop rounded out our look (the latter the night before the shoot – thanks ladies!!!) And of course Alyssa did a fantastic job with the photos!  Our models (especially our “bride”!) were troopers, as it happened to be an extremely cold June morning at Centennial Park!!!

My favorite element, I have to admit, was the snack cake “wedding cake.”  I’d been wanting to do something completely nontraditional for a while, and this was the perfect venue.  We used a drum (that happened to have pink flames on it!) that I’d purchased for my husband’s classroom at a thrift store topped with an old record, and three different types of snack cakes stacked precariously on top of each other (thanks to judicious use of toothpicks!).  I had waaaaay too much fun styling it!!!

Check out our whole feature on Poptastic Bride!

Rock & Roll Elopement Picnic Shoot Vendors:

• Location: Centennial Park, Coronado CA
• Photography: Hybrid Photography
• Styling and Stationery: Events by Elisa
• Styling and florals: Penny Blooms
• Hair and Makeup: Unbridled Beauty
• Dress: Unique Vintage
• Pettiskirts: Pettiskirt Style
• Straws: Serendipity Party Shop

Another Feature – Aidan’s Birthday Party on Baby Lifestyles!

Lauren, the editor of Baby Lifestyles, spotted Aidan’s First Birthday on my blog and fell in love with it.  “OMG so cute!” she said.  “Can we feature it?”

I said yes, of course! 😉

Check out our feature today on Baby Lifestyles!