tom + clarissa :: saúde

around this time of year, we're reminded of the things we have to be grateful for. after coordinating the wedding this weekend for my dear friends clarissa and tom, i was given a clear cue that good friends are one thing i'm so thankful to have in my life. isn't everything just better when those friends you love dearly are involved? there were so many events that occurred leading up to the nuptials that could have thrown some into a whirlwhind, but not with those participating saturday. all worked out the way it was supposed to and resulted in nothing short of a fabulous celebration. 

the ceremony and reception took place at el capitan state beach. you may think it a risky location for december knot-tying, but this bride and groom are lovers of the ocean (one an avid sailor and the other a marine scientist) and the location was too perfect to pass up. on this chilly and blustery day the guests, appropriately dressed in fashionable knee high boots and long textured coats, warmed up before the ceremony with passed caipirinhas, butternut squash soup and  pumpkin empanadas.  the vows were taken seaside, just past the pre-ceremony reception. we all intimately huddled together to keenly listen in on the sweet words carefully prepared by the bride and groom.  after the i do's, the guests headed up to a group camp site, on cliffs edge, that was transformed into a rustic-chic dinner party. animal print blankets and pillows were positioned just-so on picnic tables that surrounded fire pits...for late night cozying up by the fire. bare bulbs were strung to create a canopy over the dinner tables and bossa nova played live. pure joy put together a delicious meal, jessica foster, a guest and well known santa barbara confectioner, provided the delectable after dinner treats and dj fab provided the non-stop brazilian beats. clarissa performed a special flamenco tribute to her new husband and more than one talented dancer took center stage to showcase their samba moves...

saúde to tom and clarissa as you sail off into the sunset.
a shout out to chantal, alec, diegas, amy, mike, shawn, vanessa and dawna!

35 to 5...Parents

with football season underway, i can't help but think of this year's anniversary in terms of a sports game. my parents have been married 35 years, yesterday (congratulations mom and pops!). my hubby and i mere rookies, bringing up the rear with 5 years under our belt . i feel so proud of my parents. they've put in dedication, passion and effort season after season. they do it all while remaining friends and executing their team challenges with grace. i aspire to face the future matches with my partner in life, with the same fervor. none of this chip eating, couch slouching, empty yelling approach, but instead a get-up-on-your-feet, chest pumping, hand slapping - tackle each day with gusto, kind of lineup! i look forward to the next 30 years and 30 years after that...married to the love of my life. and hats off to all the other long standing records we're surrounded by.

T: together E: everyone A: achieves M: more.

we celebrated 5 years this month at bouchon restaurant, downtown santa barbara. i have longed to try this cuisine for almost a decade. often recommending it to visitors, but never going there myself. i thought this to be the perfect occasion. (brides take note, they have a private dining room, the "cork room" that is so intimate and perfect for a small rehearsal dinner). our meal and wine were outstanding and the service exceptional. they even greeted us with rose petals on our table for our celebratory dinner. we were so satisfied from dinner that we couldn't possibly have dessert, so our waiter brought out a complimentary and delicious fruit plate complete with a candle. above and beyond! thank you bouchon.

поздравление adrea + alan

what a beautiful site to see, my dear friend adrea and her debonair beau, alan tied the knot yesterday. from the perfectly chosen date of 10.10.10 to mother nature's sublime weather of 85 degrees, it was truly special. set inside the mural room at santa barbara's county courthouse and a reception following at the covarrubias adobe, the setting (and the couple!) were easy on the eye. dinner family style, with long tables partly under a grapevine covered trellis allowed guests to feast in the filtered afternoon sunlight. grapefruit margaritas to quench the insatiable. string lighting and moroccan lanterns hung from the trees and lit the intimate space as the sky turned to night. the adobe door open leading to a small cool space where the desserts and delicious cake were on display among a candle lit mantel and cocktail rounds. a sweet speech by dear ian, father of the bride, with an emphasis on just how "happy" he was for this special day, his adoring daughter and his new son-in-law (it brought joyful tears to the eyes of many). amy, the maid of honor covered all the bases in an eloquent speech recounting the history of her friendship with adrea. a great dj, brian, that spun old lp's allowing me to reminisce of yesteryear shared with those close friends i was celebrating with; neneh cherry - buffalo (!) remember that one? or the goodies of pulp fiction's soundtrack. more than anything, what stood out most was being with dear friends, my sisters and husband as we joined in celebration for adrea and alan's santa barbara nuptials! congrats my dear friend! i'm so happy the two of you found each other and love!

katie + dave = wyoming wonderland

where do i begin (brides you may want to take notes!)? i have been to several weddings (even planned a few!), but never have i attended a more fabulous week of wedding events. picture the vast land of wyoming, snow capped tetons, quaint town of jackson, winding rivers and wildlife. then picture a gorgeous bride (my beautiful cousin katie), handsome groom (dave) and several handfuls of genuine and friendly guests and "wha-la," the best wedding celebration ever! below are details from this grand affair, along with a few photos captured along the way...

the welcome dinner was our first introduction to the double l ranch, a private residential community set on acres of some of the most picturesque land i've seen. the nuptials took place on this property four days after we arrived.

the second evening, a western chic rehearsal dinner, just outside jackson, q's roadhouse. it was so well done it could have been the wedding! during cocktail hour a line dance coach and prop-filled photo booth occupied guests, if they weren't busy feasting on the delicious passed apps or filling their glasses at the bar. the dinner menu, family style platters of ribs, tea brined fried chicken, steak, pulled-pork beans and cornbread filled our tummies. for dessert a sundae bar, fire pits bordered with haystack benches for marshmallow roasting and s'mores making...the entire evening was decorated to perfection. it was over-the-top. thank you merritts! (a little birdie tells me images of the rehearsal, taken by their amazing photographer jessica claire will be featured this month on style me pretty)!

the wedding day was nothing short of spectacular! a few sprinkles moistened the earth right before the processional began. moments later sun shone between white cotton ball clouds casting rays of warm light for katie's walk down the aisle. the ceremony was short and sweet before katie and dave were whisked off via horse drawn carriage across the covered bridge to the reception.

upon arriving at the reception, servers passed huckleberry martinis, champagne and old fashioned mini bottles of coca cola. a fun cocktail hour activity was a wishing tree with mad-lib esq well-wishes for the bride and groom. 

oysters on the half shell and an array of the most delicious passed hors d'ouevres: bite-size lobster macaroni and cheese, ahi tartar in a flavorful veggie filled wonton, figs with a dollop of blue cheese and drizzle of honey, prosciutto wrapped figs, pulled pork sliders, and crostini topped with goat cheese, mushroom and delicately drizzled with truffle oil. my mouth is watering recounting the foodie-details. check out the menus from this fabulous caterer, maho hakoshima.

in lieu of favors donations made to the humane society and flip-flops available for those late night sore toes that come with a fun-filled wedding. guests were also offered carriage rides to see the sweeping views of star valley. 

once inside the tent, dinner was another fabulous food experience. a live band with three piece horn section kept the party-goers dancing, followed by some pretty tasty butter cake and a fireworks show that was comparable to our city's own display. i overheard a few guests mentioning their enthusiasm for the "late night" sliders, french fries and mini milk shakes...(katie, you thought of every detail!)

brunch on sunday, along the river was the final event of this fabulous wedding week. i couldn't have asked for a better time...visiting with our wonderful family the ciccarelli's, seeing yellowstone and the outdoors (thanks chris for playing tour guide) and above all celebrating the happy marriage of katie and dave. congrats you two!  
see the photos by jessica claire now posted on "style me pretty!"

leigh + dave

i profiled shelly vinson photography earlier this year, after she did the engagement photos for a couple of my summer brides. summer is now coming to a close, the weddings were spectacular and shelly sent a few photo-tasters - WOW i had to share. shelly captures those special moments and sweet details. the images above are from leigh and dave's ceremony at the four seasons biltmore!

gloria + wes

a perfectly delicious wedding it was. the wedding took place at the montecito country club. ceremony and cocktails on the lawn followed by dinner and dancing in the club. gloria collected vintage decor ideas over this last year and when her vision was realized - it was breathtaking. feathers tied to the back of each ceremony chair instructed guests to wave them as they were pronounced husband and wife, handmade cupcake towers, a nephew in charge of poloroids, displayed for all to see, an old-fashioned typewriter for guests to "sign-in" their love notes and vintage hankies to dry their eyes - these were just a few of the clever elements of the day. live music by area 51, celebratory toasts and a formal exit in a vintage rolls rounded out the soiree. it was absolutely delightful. images above captured by shelly vinson! and a shout out to my hard working assistant chanel, couldn't have done it without you!

amanda + ian

beautiful and happy couple, amanda and ian

handsome little t

what a weekend for merriment! i coordinated a wedding for one of my dearest friends and watched her tie the knot! she and ian along with their families hosted an amazing weekend of events. from the rehearsal dinner, to wine tasting in the valley and a beach bbq bash on sunday - it was a perfect slice of santa barbara for the guests who had traveled so far. east coasters, ian's family from canada and amanda's brother and wife traveled from japan (with their precious taisei!). their sweet ceremony took place at the santa barbara unitarian society. they continued the celebration on santa barbara's waterfront. just viewed the images captured from this special evening by fotocielo...see tasters above.

natalie + dan

a little taster of images to come, from the wedding last saturday, june 26. natalie and dan, along with their wedding party - arrived at the harbor on the lil'toot, santa barbara's water taxi. i have to say it was the cutest entrance, i've ever seen! after a beautiful and entertaining ceremony at santa barbara's historical mission, natalie and dan continued their celebration with a cocktail reception on the steps of the maritime museum and dinner and dancing inside. nothing like a gorgeous summer day in santa barbara to tie the knot! congratulations!

gloria + wes

gloria and wes - what a gorgeous couple! their engagement session with santa barbara based wedding photographer, shelly vinson is spectacular and belongs on the pages of a premier wedding magazine. i will keep you waiting with anticipation for the unique details and touches gloria will incorporate into her day, sure to compliment the tone she has already set with these photos. stay tuned for those images captured at their wedding celebration later this summer at the montecito country club! to see additional photos of gloria and wes' engagement shoot go to http://shellyvinson.bigfolioblog.com/

my sweet

our precious baby girl, was born april 6. she was 7lbs. 11oz and 21 inches long. she has been the most amazing blessing...we just can't get enough of her sweet gestures, loving eyes and kissable skin. one fun fact: at two weeks old, our adventurous little bundle attended her first wedding (congrats gary and cassie!).

although i took a little break, this month i return to the exciting world of wedding planning. can't wait to see all my summer brides - thank you for your enthusiasm for our little one - she looks forward to meeting you!

classic santa barbara wedding locations

last friday, i was fortunate to do a few site visits with a beautiful bride-to-be and her mama, at some of santa barbara's most classic locations. for those of you that haven't seen these venues before, below are photos with a couple details to perk your interest.

the santa barbara historical museum was first on our agenda, located in the heart of downtown. within walking distance to boutique hotels and santa barbara's lively state street, the sbhm is an unparalleled architectural venue. the structure, built of adobe, allows the use of outdoor private courtyards, with native foliage and trickling fountains. one fun perk, the two courtyards can function as your whole wedding celebration location - with the ceremony in one courtyard and your reception in the other!

next stop was the canary hotel. although very different from the age old adobe, this structure has also been a downtown santa barbara favorite only a block from state street. the canary offers a wide variety of wedding packages to host your ultimate all inclusive wedding celebration. food and beverage from their well known coast restaurant, a wedding night suite for the bride and groom, along with a breakfast-in-bed option the next morning. to top off the eclectic vintage decor on the interior are the stunning views, from the rooftop ceremony location. the canary's perk: 360 degree downtown santa barbara views!

one of the last locations we visited was the infamous montecito country club. along with a rich history, this venue boasts spectacular views of santa barbara's coastline. perched on a golf course, every room and outdoor location is complete with the twinkling pacific ocean, palm lined coast and redtile rooftops of downtown as the picturesque backdrop. one of the country club's perks: the use of their entire venue the day of your wedding. everything from the grand forier, fireplaces, the bridal suite and the ballroom are yours for the celebration!

i heart ojai

this weekend my husband and i celebrated valentine's quietly with good food, laughter and time together. as a high-note, we were treated by the in-laws to a generous and fabulous get-away to ojai, for some much needed r&r (thank you mike and terri!). the city of ojai is just 30 minutes south of santa barbara, tucked away in a gorgeous valley of rolling hills and shady oaks. i wanted to share this special place with you, because not only does the inn we stayed in serve as a romantic little b&b, but can be an ideal location for intimate outdoor weddings.

the lavender inn is located in the heart of ojai, with all of ojai's quaint boutiques, restaurants (try osteria monte grappa - absolutely fabulous!) and activities, literally out the front door. there are 7 guest rooms + one cottage for accommodations and a small adjacent on-site cottage, providing massage and skincare treatments. the afternoon wine and cheese hour and daily homemade breakfast are delicious. the grounds (complete with a pond) are well maintained and private. a fun little historical fact: the inn was ojai's first schoolhouse built in 1874. if you chose to rent out the inn for immediate family, there are a number of other small inns or the luxury ojai valley inn and spa to host friends and relatives nearby. one of our favorite parts of the experience was a chorus of frogs that chirped us to sleep after the sun went down. the frogs in addition to the sound of the trickling garden fountain, was a magical moment during our stay. look into ojai and the lavender inn for your next romantic retreat or wedding venue. happy love day!

pour some sugar on me

with valentine's day approaching, i thought i would share a fun and usable treat i made last month. it's a perfect gift for valentine's and you can enjoy the spa experience at home. you + special someone + bath + sugar = valentine's day luxury. this is also a great home exfoliating treatment to use a few days to one week before your wedding. 

homemade brown sugar body scrub

1 c brown sugar

1/2 c olive oil

drops of essential oils
(i chose cinnamon oil for a spicy-warm fragrance and tangerine for a refreshing-invigorating one)

add brown sugar to mixing bowl, pour in olive oil, use dropper to add essential oil (amount at your discretion) and mix together. chose jars that can get wet. i found great glass jars at the craft store that did the trick. the final touch, if you use labels or decorative paper, is to modge-podge over it to keep the ink from running. enjoy!