Mr. & Mrs. Withers

In California, we never get to fully experience the Autumn season. Lucky for me, I spent my Halloween weekend in Chicago to coordinate Dawne & Mike’s wedding at the Cheney Mansion in Oak Park, Illinois. Everywhere the leaves were falling, covering the ground in vibrant colors of red, orange and yellow. This provided a perfect atmosphere for the Autumn wedding that Dawne and Mike have been endlessly preparing for!

The couple lives in Los Angeles, but since Dawne is originally from Chicago, they decided to get hitched in her hometown. We kept a close eye on the weather all last week. Dawne told me that it had to be at least 60 degrees for the ceremony to be held outdoors on the Cheney patio. At the Halloween Costume Dress Rehearsal, the sun was shining and the weather was absolutely perfect so we planned for the outdoor ceremony. Unfortunately, you never know in Chicago, and Saturday arrived with temperatures in the low 50′s. We quickly went along with “Plan B,” and the ceremony unfolded beautifully indoors.

The Cheney Mansion was decorated with Autumn floral arrangements created by Ebony Lashay Smith. I loved the Renaissance music that was provided by harpist Annette Bjorling and clarinetist Kurt Bjorling during the ceremony. Pianist Kathie Nicolet played on the grand piano for the rest of the evening. Catered by Design provided guests with a delightful buffet meal, including festive orange and black pumpkin ravioli and a mini mashed potato/mashed sweet potato bar that was heavenly! Bonnie from Catered by Design was so kind and generous to surprise the couple with the Champagne Tree, something that I have never seen before! It was definitely impressive. The “Cupcake Wedding Cake” and the Red Velvet cutting cake were ordered from Swirlz Cupcakes and were a big hit among the guests.

Congratulations, Dawne & Mike! Have a fabulous time in Antigua!

The following photos have been provided by Mike & Dawne Withers; photographed by Bella Photography.

Mr. & Mrs. Masuko

I met with Wayde, Alison, and Alison’s parents, Chris and Nancy back in June. This was the first time I had parents join the consultation meeting, and to be completely honest, I was a bit nervous! Fortunately, Chris and Nancy were wonderful and we all got along great.

It’s hard to predict Southern California weather in October. During the days leading up to the wedding, we anxiously kept our eyes on the forecast. It was bright and sunny during the dress rehearsal, but rain was predicted for the big day. Since Wayde and Alison were planning for an outdoor wedding, everyone was definitely a bit apprehensive.  Luckily, there was no rain! It was a little overcast, but as long as the raindrops weren’t falling, we were happy!

The couple were wed at the Fullerton Arboretum in Fullerton, California. The ceremony music was beautifully performed by Batavia Strings. I absolutely loved the rose ball bouquets created by Flower Allie which hung right above the bride and groom as they recited their vows.  The reception was also held outdoors, with luminaries and candlelight creating a romantic atmosphere. Wayde and Alison began the festivities by presenting lei’s to their parents and the entire bridal party. Guests enjoyed their meals from Country Garden Caterers while live music was provided by a San Diego based band  The Mar Dels throughout the entire evening.

Congratulations, Wayde and Alison! I hope you had a wonderful time in Jamaica!

Photos provided by Wayde & Alison Masuko; photographs taken by Drew B Photography.

Mr. & Mrs. Davis

I was especially looking forward to Jessica & Jason’s wedding because it would be my first wedding coordination in Chicago. Since Jessica had gotten in touch with me only six weeks prior to the big day, we tackled every last wedding detail by phone and e-mail.

The wedding took place at the beautiful Redfield Estate at The Grove in Glenview, Illinois. The venue is perfect for a small, intimate wedding. Jessica’s fabulous girlfriends arrived early to assist me with the setup. As Jessica would say, they are truly “indispensable.” Guests followed a candlelit path to the enclosed grassy area for the ceremony. Excerpts from E.E. Cummings, I Carry Your Heart With Me and Carl Sagan’s, Pale Blue Dot were read by the couple’s close friends, Anna and Ryan. As the sun began to set, guests mingled on the patio during cocktail hour. Everyone was encouraged to try the couple’s specialty drinks, which were named after their cat and dog, Ned & Lindy, respectively. So adorable!

The wedding was catered by Hel’s Kitchen. Hydrangeas, candles, and lanterns filled the place and created a warm, cozy atmosphere. Since Jessica has a gluten-free diet, the party favors were gluten-free cookies made by Whole Bakers. The wedding cake was also a flourless chocolate cake from Trader Joe’s. For everyone with a regular sweet tooth (including me!), a delicious assortment of treats was set up at the fruit and dessert station.

The couple was so sweet to send me home with a beautiful hydrangea centerpiece… Thank you, Jessica and Jason! Congratulations to you both! I hope you had a wonderful time in Italy!

The following photos have been provided by Jason Davis & Jessica Manvell; photographs taken by Michael Rastall Photography.

Mr. & Mrs. Yoon

Yong and Hee Sun were already married when I first met with them. They wed back in November 2007 but planned to have a wedding celebration with their family and friends during the upcoming summer. Hee Sun is a fellow UCI Alumni, which was exciting to learn. Go Anteaters! Zot! Zot!

The wedding took place at the Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort and Spa. Being an Orange County resident, I have always passed this hotel driving along PCH or walking around bustling Main Street in Huntington Beach. But, I never realized just how gorgeous this venue is! Everyone from the Hyatt, including the Banquet Captain, the Catering Manager, the bartenders, and the bellman were so helpful and definitely made my job easier!

The couple integrated tons of creative ideas for their special day. Instead of a traditional guestbook, they used Yong’s guitar that guests were welcomed to sign, and would be later displayed in their home. Of course, this meant that Yong was able to buy a brand new guitar for himself, which he was very happy about! The party favors were California Lottery Scratchers sealed in gold envelopes with engraved guitar pics. The pics were used to scratch the ticket. There was even a $5.00 winner among the guests! How exciting!

Music was provided by DJ Mark from Epic Entertainment. Although it was an early afternoon wedding, he was great at encouraging the guests to get down on the dance floor. The wedding cake was created by Rockwell’s Creative Cakes and was decorated with fresh flowers by Florist Won Kim. You can reach her for more information at flortistwon@hanmail.net.

Photos provided by Yong & Hee Sun Yoon; photographs taken by Brandon Park from Kappa Photo Studio. You can contact Brandon for more information at youngleephoto@yahoo.com.

Here are some photos that I took myself…

And here is a photo of me and the lovely bride Hee Sun…

Mr. & Mrs. Zisook

I met Kerry exactly two weeks before her big day. We immediately clicked and I was able to help her crank out the final details leading up to the wedding…

Kerry and Dan’s wedding took place at the Levy Land in Carlsbad, California. The ceremony was first held on the beach, with the Pacific Ocean providing a beautiful back drop for the intimate gathering as guests stood barefoot in the sand and Dan’s father officiated.

The reception had a casual beach theme with sand dollar place cards and seashells adorning the reception tables. The party favors were margarita glasses that guests used to toast the bride and groom. The margarita added a nice touch to the delicious and authentic Mexican food catered by El Indio Catering. The cupcakes were baked by Kerry’s dear friend Emily who worked arduously in the Levy Land kitchen for the three days leading up to the wedding… now that is what you call a fabulous friend!

Music was provided throughout the evening by musician Trent Hancock. His voice was absolutely amazing! Feel free to contact him at trenthancock@gmail.com. At one point during the night, a swarm of mosquitoes came from out of nowhere… Poor Trent stayed outside and finished his performance and got bit everywhere! As for me, I got bit about five times, including two bites on my face! Ouch!

Congratulations, Kerry and Dan!

Photos provided by Kerry & Dan Zisook; photographed by Aaron Thompson at AS Photography.

And a photo of me with the newlyweds!