Northern California Wedding Planner | Butte Creek Country Club ~ Ashley & Jon

Connecting with our couples is what we treasure most, and Ashley was a bride who we just clicked with right from the start.  While they had already selected Butte Creek Country Club for their wedding venue, Ashley and Jon were very busy with blooming careers so it was important to them to have support with planning their wedding. Ashley was an organized bride who stayed on top of her to-do list and was great at making decisions so her vendor selections were a no-brainer.  Cambray Rose did an amazing job bringing Ashley's vision to life for her bridal bouquet, the greenery with a hint of gold was swoon-worthy.

We loved all of the details that Ashley and Jon incorporated into their wedding day.  The ceremony and reception were held at Butte Creek Country Club, photographed by Anna Perevertaylo Photography.  From the gorgeous wedding gown to the soft and elegant floral designs, we had to share some of these gorgeous highlight images! 

Ceremony Site: Butte Creek Country Club

Photographer: Anna Perevertaylo Photography 

Catering: New Hock Catering 

Wedding Planner: The 530 Bride 

Cake/Desserts: Upper Crust Bakery

Flowers: Cambray Rose 

Hair: Wildflower Salon

Make-up: Sana Khan

DJ/Lighting: The Wedding DJ 

Décor Rentals: WeDo Designs 

Honeymoon Location: Mexico 

11.07.15 Jacyln + Kevin | Tuscan Ridge Golf Course Wedding

Jackie & Kevin shared their love story with their wedding guests in a unique way, their photographer Christopher Armstrong captured a short video during their engagement session asking questions of how they met, how they knew that the other was "the one".  It was intimate and heartfelt, just like this sweet couple.  We were honored to be a part of their wedding day! 

Jackie & Kevin Rings
Rustic Ceremony Details
Jackie & Kevin Ceremony
Jackie & Kevin Ceremony Photo
jackie and kevin centerpiece
Jackie & Kevin Wedding Cake
Jackie & Kevin Wedding Party
Jackie and Kevin Wedding Day

Venue: Tuscan Ridge Golf Course // Coordination: The 530 Bride // Wedding Cake: Cinful Desserts // Photography: Christopher Armstrong Photography // Video: Luke Scherba // Flowers: MC Floral Dreamworks 
 

Congratulations to Mr. & Mrs. Dorenzo!

We first introduced the couple and their engagement story with you in April of this year, and we are excited to congratulate the couple on their marriage and their wedding day on July 3rd 2011.  If you missed our post "On the road to I Do' Melissa & Gavin", Click here to check it out! Melissa is a DIY bride all the way, she arrived at The Palms Pavilion and started decorating at 05:45 a.m on the day of her wedding!

Thinking ahead, Melissa did much of the work before hand such as folding the napkins, creating the programs, and creating personal touches like her picture board featuring many pictures of her and Gavin.

Her table settings included brown table linens with pink runners, which matched her centerpieces that she also created herself. Square Glass Vases filled with glass beads and adorned with different variations of Gerbera Daisy's and Roses.

Melissa made her table number cards and her programs, she was a busy girl!

The lovely head table!

It was a very warm day, but The Palms Pavilion made a beautiful backdrop for Melissa & Gavin's Big Day.

Gavin and his groomsmen had no problem entertaining themselves while his beautiful bride was getting ready!

The Bridesmaids looked lovely in their dresses which were made by the Bride's mother Cathy.

Okay we know you have been waiting to get a glimpse of the bride, and here she is getting ready.

The guests have all arrived and it is time for the ceremony to begin.

 

It's official everyone, these two have tied the knot!

The Wedding Cake was a beautiful 3 tier cake with paper lanterns hung in the corner, which gave a fun focal point to the room.

The Cocktail Hour gave couples a chance to take some fun and silly pictures in the Photobooth, and then the couple made their grand entrance. Mr. & Mrs Dorenzo walked down the stairs as husband and wife and they got a very warm welcome by all of their guests.

The Reception was kicked off with a great slide-show of pictures of the couple, from all of the their adorable baby pictures up to photos of them when they started dating and of course their engagement pictures. This couple has something magical and it shows! After Dinner, the couple made their way around the room and visited with guests. These love birds were just glowing with happiness. The evening continued with a playful cutting of the cake and of course dancing! The Dance

We want to wish these two the best and may they always smile as brightly as they did on this day!

Creating Your Wedding Playlist

Have you hired a DJ, live band, string quartet, or orchestra for your wedding? Or maybe are you going to take charge of your own music for your event by using CD's or your Ipod.  Either way, you should still try to get a play-list together to make sure you have songs picked out for some of the highlights of your wedding.  What kind of music have you always dreamed of hearing as you walk down the aisle? Are you looking for a DJ who will also serve as an MC for your wedding? This person will essentially be the voice of your wedding, as he or she will be keeping the event flowing and announcing your entrance, first dance, cake cutting etc. A good DJ has finesse, and can get all of your guests onto the dance floor, and keep the party going.  Take the opportunity to meet potential DJ companies to ensure that you feel comfortable with their level of professionalism. Don't be shy about what your expectations are, and determine what equipment is included such as a cordless microphone, lighting effects etc.  Last, make sure your wedding venue has accessible power outlets for the DJ to set up their equipment.

Next, take the opportunity to define your personalities, and set a tone for your event  by choosing great music.  First, make sure you know the basics of wedding ceremony music. TheKnot.com has a great article about wedding music, so we have provided an excerpt here for you. "The most basic wedding ceremony music setup involves a minimum of three types of songs: preludes, processionals, and recessionals. Prelude music is light, ambient music that sets the mood while guests are being seated and waiting for the ceremony to begin. It usually begins when the doors open, or as early as 45 minutes prior to but no later than 20 minutes before the beginning of the ceremony.

Next is the processional, which accompanies the entry of the extended wedding party-- family, bridal party, and bride. The same song can be used for each, but we love the idea of changing to another song when the bride enters to add drama and highlight her entrance. At the conclusion of the ceremony, the recessional plays. As the name implies, this music accompanies you as you recess (that is, make your exit) and is traditionally bright and lively -- a reflection of your joy. " (TheKnot.com)

There are tons of resources for lists of traditional, contemporary and modern wedding music, and these are a few we found to be really helpful. www.TheKnot.com www.WeddingWire.com www.Weddingvendors.com www.Projectwedding.com www.Ourweddingsongs.com

If you plan on using some of the more traditional wedding processional songs such as (Wedding Day at Troldhaugen by Edvard Grieg, or one of the many versions of "The Wedding March,") a piece of advice is to listen to the song using YouTube, so that you can hear the song first.

A handful of great classical/traditional songs:

Romance ( Op. 44, No. 1) Anton Rubenstein Vocalise - Sergei Rachmaninoff The Maestro -  Composed by Hans Zimmer Bridal Procession - Edvard Grieg All I Ask Of You - Phantom of the Opera, (Piano) Canon in D - J Pachelbel Ave Maria - (There are several beautiful instrumental versions)

Here is a list of some recommended songs, from many different genres.

Marry Me - Train Somewhere Over The Rainbow - Israel Kamakawiwo'Ole This Year's Love - David Gray I Do - Colbie Caillat Rhythm of Love - Plain White T's All You Need Is Love - The Beatles Your Guardian Angel - Red Jumpsuit Apparatus Time of My Life - David Cook Lucky - Jason Mraz & Colbie Caillat I'm Yours - Jason Mraz Better Together - Jack Johnson She's Everything - Brad Paisley Why Wait - Rascal Flatts Are you Gonna Kiss Me or Not - Thompson Square Mama's Song - Carrie Underwood Only You Can Love Me This Way - Keith Urban Wishn and Hopin - Dusty Springfield Fly Me To The Moon - Frank Sinatra I loved Her First - Heartland (Great Father Daughter Dance Song) The Way You Look Tonight - Frank Sinatra Spend My Life With You - Eric Benet I Do - Boys II Men L-O-V-E - Nat Cole King I Cant Help Falling In Love – Elvis That’s what makes it a love song – Miranda Lambert Better Half – Keith Urban Oh Love - Brad Paisley & Carrie Underwood Our Love is Here To Stay - Frank Sinatra or Ella Fitzgerald Versions I Could Not Ask For More - Edward McCain Sail Away - David Gray The Only Exception - Paramore Forever - Chris Brown Wedding Bells - Coldplay (This song is not yet released, but has an anticipated release date of late 2011)

Don't forget to check out our Vendor Directory, to find great DJ's and other Entertainment.

Mark Your Calendars

The Palms Pavilion in Chico will be having an open house at their beautiful venue, on May 10th, 2011.  The admission is free, and as if that wasn't exciting enough, each couple will each receive a free engagement photo!  If you have never visited The Palms, check out all of these great amenities included in their wedding package. AMENITIES: •   Luxuriously furnished, private bride and groom dressing rooms •   Fully equipped catering kitchen • Air-conditioned and fully lighted pavilion space, accommodating up to 300 guests •   Built-in beverage service bar •   Portable stage with overhead lighting •   Parking spaces for 250 automobiles •   Multiple ceremony spaces throughout the landscaped gardens •   Tiki torches light up evening celebrations •   Koi ponds and fountains provide water features.

Enjoy h'orderves and champagne, while you take in the scenery and  mingle with other engaged couples.  WeDo Designs is the on-site wedding designer, and Rabina Khan along with her team are sure to wow you with their elegant designs and modern innovations to wedding decor.   Many brides watch shows like Platinum Weddings, or My Fair Wedding with David Tutera and feel like those weddings are just a fairytale. Let us assure you that with the right vendors, you can have the Platinum Wedding you have dreamed of without breaking the bank! Check out WeDo Designs, for picture galleries, pricing and available services.

So mark you calendars, and make sure to attend this great Open House at The Palms Pavilion.  May 10th, 2011 from 4 to 7pm.

The Palms Pavilion is located at 2947 Nord Avenue, Chico CA 95973

For more information contact:

Rabina Khan, WeDo Designs (530) 566 - 7603 2947 Nord Ave Chico, CA 95973

Real Northern California Weddings

Veronica & DanielChico, CA 10.10.10

With all of the planning leading up to my wedding day in October, I had begun to get overwhelmed with all of the details. Eventually, I let myself stop stressing and try to enjoy everything that was happening. I knew my vendors had everything under control so it was time for me to just be a Bride!

Initially I had wanted to hire a wedding coordinator, but I had confidence that I could handle organizing the details myself, and although there were a few rough patches I must say everything went rather smooth!  (Believe me when I say I was far from a DIY Bride)

My theme was black and white damask, with an accent of red. (Oh and of course some bling)  When I booked WeDo Designs, I knew that the owner, Rabina Khan really understood my vision and from samples of her work I knew she would be able to exceed my expectations.

The wedding venue was The Card Center in Chico, which offers an outdoor area for the ceremony as well as indoor reception area with a patio for the cocktail hour.   The Card Center staff provided me with a floor plan of the reception area, and we were able to work on the layout and plan out how the tables and chairs would be set up.  We also decided we would use floor to ceiling fabric, and up-lighting to really transform the room. See the before and after photos below.

When I met Lisa Hunter of Lisa’s Flor Décor, I was hooked on her artistic creations with flowers and centerpieces. I had so many different pictures of designs I liked, but she was able to choose designs and flowers that were cohesive with my wedding theme. She made sure that the centerpieces were an appropriate height for the room and really accomplished what I had asked of her. I loved that she was willing to mix things up and play with different heights and centerpiece ideas. When it came to the altar, Lisa brought my vision to life and I couldn’t have been happier with how it turned out.

I really loved our aisle, and Lisa's Flor Decor made a beautiful Monogrammed "E" covered in Roses.

Speaking of flowers, every bride dreams of walking down the aisle holding her beautiful bouquet! I loved the mix of flowers used in the my bouquet, and the Gerbera Daisy’s had a dark center which matched the bridesmaid dresses.

I wore a Casa Blanca wedding gown and the Bridesmaids wore Black Alfred Angelo gowns with Red Accents.

Daniel wore a black Tuxedo with a White Vest, and the Groomsmen wore Black Tuxedos with Red Accents from Mens Wearhouse.

What is a wedding celebration without appetizers and a delicious dinnner? Leslie with Shelly’s Creative Catering really brought her A game to the wedding and not only was the food amazing but she was also great at keeping the festivities on schedule. The cocktail hour consisted of an open bar, fruits, cheese and crackers, and veggies, followed by a tri-tip and chicken buffet dinner.

Christy, with Christy's Creations created a cake that tasted amazing and fit perfectly into our theme. It was a three-tierd white cake with fondant. The photo-booth was a blast, and the photos served as our wedding favors. Chico Photo and Video brought the booth to the reception, provided props and also a cd of the photos for us to be able to see all of the pictures. Having the props really added to the fun, and since there was no limit on how many pictures we could take I think the kids at the wedding probably went in the booth over 20 times! Tracy with Tracy Lynn Photography captured some great shots, and really made us feel comfortable in front of the camera. She knew I wasn't a picture person so she really had a challenge on her hands!

Cheers!