Lake Tahoe Wedding Gift Bags

This past week and weekend we were busy little bees planning Paige and Mike's wedding! It was an absolutely amazing wedding! Guests flew in from all over the country + Australia! As most were unfamiliar with Tahoe, we put together the perfect tour guide in a bag. We delivered the gift bags to the door steps of vacation rentals and hotel rooms of each guest on their arrival date. The ingredients included: a welcome letter from the lovely bride and groom, Lake Tahoe bottled water, Tahoe trail bars, sunscreen, and a doublesided Lake Tahoe Activities card complete with trail locations, beach information, water sport options, and all sorts of other activities and dining options.

Sonoma Wedding with Kate Harrison Photography

We had such a fabulous time helping Erin and Nick plan their absolutely stunning wedding a few weeks ago. I was super nervous about the weather not cooperating, as pretty much everything took place outdoors at the CornerStone Gardens in Sonoma. But, come the wedding day, everything fell into place. The sun came out, the wind died down, and the bride and groom were elated! The wonderful Kate Harrison captured every magical moment throughout the wedding day. Click on the image below to view a sneak peak of Erin and Nick's special day!

Lake Tahoe Wedding Inspiration | Sweet Treats

Boy, have we come a long way since the days of multi-tier white weddings cakes draped with artificial flowers. Today's brides tend to favor designer cakes draped in fondant or covered in lacy, sugary flowers or tables and trays teeming with treats that beckon guests to indulge themselves. Whether your tastes lean more towards a traditional cake or a farm-table full of goodies, here are some ideas to inspire your sweet tooth.

Left: My Wedding, Middle: Jen Williams Photography via The Sweetest Occassion| Advantage Bridal, Right: Martha Stewart Weddings

First Row: Portraits by Lucinda & My Sweet Saucy both via Elizabeth Anne Designs Second Row: Flowertoss Photography via Snippet & Ink | 100 Layer Cake

Engagement Photos | Kate Harrison Photograpy

In a few weeks we have the absolute pleasure of planning Erin and Nick's wedding at the CornerStone Gardens in Sonoma! Words cannot explain how excited I am for this wedding. To start, the venue has 3 separate enticing locations for each celebration. The ceremony will take place in the gardens overlooking the vineyard; dinner will take place under a circular canvas tent; and dancing will take place in the barn with a killer band! Just think of the possibilities for decorating each site! It helps when you have a super creative, fun couple and a very talented photographer on board! Kate Harrison will be capturing the day - you can see a little peak of her work during their engagement photo session below! Stay tuned to see images of the real deal in a couple months!

Tips for Mothers of the Bride | Reno Magazine

Recently, I was asked to write an article for Reno Magazine, a lifestyle magazine focusing on the favorite products, places, and pastimes of their viewers. The focus of this current issue is fitness, travel, and wedding plans! I was honored to receive this invitation. I decided to write about something that is not often discussed - the mother-daughter relationship throughout the planning process.

This can be a delicate topic and is different from one wedding to another, depending on the relationship of the mother and daughter. Any issus nd sensitivities are usually private and personal, and only known to the mother and daughter. In creating this article, I looked back into my years of experience in working with many a bride and a mom that have experienced episodes of not seeing eye-to-eye. I totally get it - it can be really difficult to get along seamlessly when dealing with thousands of dollars, all of your family and friends, and let's not forget ... emotions! Hopefully these Tips for the Mother of the Bride will help avoid any turmoils!

Read the article in full on Reno Magazine's site or read it below.

Avoid Bridal Meltdowns, Tips for Mothers of the Bride As seen in March, 2011 issue of Reno Magazine

When it comes to a wedding celebration, there are oodles of lovely and enjoyable things a mother and daughter can do to plan the perfect day. I have fluffed many a train, defeated Mother Nature’s outbursts, and directed teams of wedding professionals; but when it comes to mothers and their daughters there are a few key points that must be addressed, prior to working with me.

You want to enjoy both the wedding planning process and the wedding day, thus before you get too involved, it is very important that you have a simple conversation with your daughter, mainly discussing one little but ultra imperative question, “How can I help?” You may be thinking, “I’m her mother, why would I need to ask this?” Well, I don’t want to burst your bubble, but I do want to help you avoid many mother-of-the-bride-bridal-breakdown moments! First and foremost, the purpose of a wedding is to celebrate the bride and the groom; regardless of how simple or extravagant this wedding becomes, always keep this in the front of your mind. The wedding should reflect the bride and groom’s personalities. Out of a hundred and something weddings I have had two mothers take it upon themselves to plan a wedding that reflected their individual styles, wishes, and personalities. In both cases the bride couldn’t wait for the whole thing to be over and didn’t enjoy much of the celebration at all. To prevent this from happening to you, I have created a list of tips and helpful pointers.

UNROMANTIC, BUT IMPERATIVE DETAILS

1. Who’s paying? First and foremost determine who is paying for the wedding. If you are splitting the bill, make sure you note on a word or excel doc how much each person is contributing. If you would like your money to go towards a very specific part of the wedding, note this in the document as well. But, keep in mind that footing the entire or partial bill doesn’t mean you can control every aspect and design every part of the event.
2. What's Your Budget? It is absolutely essential to set an overall budget prior to booking any vendors and seeking venues. Allocate specific funds to each category and consult with your planner for suggestions.
3. Prioritize! After solidifying the above, determine the bride and groom’s priorities (great band, the wine, the décor, etc). Select 3 – 4 and spend a higher percentage of your budget here.

ENJOY THE PLANNING PROCESS

1. Blend style and decor -Discover your daughter’s style - if she is a tomboy, don’t force ultra girly-girl ideas on her. Figure out her style and find things that enhance it, not transform it.
2. Be a helping hand - Offer your assistance, but don’t require that your opinions and ideas must be put in place. Agree to compromise on the aspects that are really important to each of you.
3. Play favorites - Create a list of things you would like to help with. Ask her to choose a few things from your list.
4. Avoid Comparisons - Try not to compare this wedding to ones in the past like yours, or your sister's wedding 10 years ago. Trends change and styles differ; your daughter will only grow to be frustrated if she thinks you are trying to create your own wedding day.

How to Obtain a Marriage License in Lake Tahoe

I recently wrote this article for Tahoe Unveiled and since every Tahoe bride and groom needs to know how to obtain a marriage license, I am posting the bits and bobs here too!

Prior to saying your "I do's" you have to obtain one very important piece of paper - a Marriage License! The main rule of thumb is to apply for the license in the same county as your ceremony location. In the small region that covers Lake Tahoe, there are a total of five counties. To help you find the correct office based on your ceremony county, we have listed the towns and counties below, along with a list of requirements.

Counties

Placer County Olympic Valley, Tahoe City, Carnelian Bay, Tahoe Vista, Kings Beach, Homewood (the beginning of the west shore), and part of Truckee Nevada County Nevada County covers part of Truckee (inquire with your venue to find out if the location falls in Placer County or Nevada County) El Dorado County Tahoma and South Lake Tahoe Washoe County Incline Village and Reno Douglas County Glenbrook, Zephyr Cove, and Stateline

Requirements

* Call in advance to schedule an appointment * Both the bride and groom must be present * Government issued identification * Proof of divorce if previously married * Cash or check for full payment * Application is valid for 90 days

Feel free to leave a comment with any questions!

Little Black Book Member | Style Me Pretty

Yahoo! We have been invited to be a member of Style Me Pretty's Little Black Book! I am so thrilled, excited, and honored to be included in this coveted collection of wedding professionals! To check out One Fine Day's profile, click on the image below!

One Fine Day Wins the Bride's Choice Award

We are so very excited to WIN the 2011 Bride's Choice Award from weddingwire.com!!! Very exciting! Thank you so much to all of our wonderful clients and fans! We are honored!

Rue Magazine

I just discovered this new lifestyle magazine titled, Rue. Designed for interior designers, this mag features the finest designs for living rooms, kitchens, and the home. I often ask my clients to send me their tear sheets - pages from magazines that reflect a theme, color palette, or even accesories that reflect the look, style, ambiance, or color scheme they would like at their wedding. Sometimes it's easier to relate to magazines that don't dawn beautiful weddings, but instead beautiful home interiors. Whether it be a Pottery Barn living room or an Elle Decor kitchen, it is important to show your planner and designer what you love, hate, and most importantly the look you would like your wedding to reflect. Rue's simplistic layout, soft palette, and phenomenal designs, will provide oodles of inspiration!

Lake Tahoe Estate Wedding | Buttercups and Lovebirds

I love looking back at weddings from the recent summer. Kathryn and Christopher are the sweetest couple that just make you fall head over heels in love with love! They were married at the Fitzhaven Estate in August on a somewhat precarious day. The forecast predicted blue skies and high temperatures...we received dark looming clouds, wind, and a few rain drops. You just never know what to expect here in Tahoe, but nothing could damper these lovebird's special day!

The theme was a garden party with pops of bright yellows and navy blues. Blue and white checked linens covered the dinner tables, flower pots that are now planted in their garden were used for centerpieces, yellow and blue pashminas kept the ladies wamr, and yellow parasols were provided to protect the guests from sun... but actually protected them from a few rain drops!

Kathryn and Christopher didn't want a traditional wedding, so we played with the food, entertainment, and setup to provide various levels of excitement. Kathryn's brother offiiciated a profound, beautiful, and emotional service. After the service, guest's quickly wiped their eyes to start enjoying the festivities. Bocce ball, horse shoes, and a photo booth accompanied by various oversized props provided endless entertainment! Dinner was a huge priority for the bride and groom, so to remove the old theory that all wedding food is the same boring steak and fish, we worked with the catering company to serve something totally unique to weddings - A Groumet Burger Bar! A large chalkboard detailed the various options for this yummy meal. Guest's were ecstatic and commented on how perfectly the meal complimented the wedding and the couple's personalities.

After the bride and groom impressed us all with their perfectly choreogrpahed first dance, Chapin from We Ain't Saints kept everyone boogying on the dance floor all night long!

Vendors

Photography | Focus Photo Tahoe

Venue | Fitzhaven Estate

Music | We Ain't Saints

Photo Booth | Reno Photo Booth

Bouquet | Green with Envy | 530.587.7488

Rentals | EventMasters

Bridesmaid dresses...that they'll wear again!

It is time to banish the dreaded "bridesmaid dress" in favor of something that can be worn for more than just one day!  While it is becoming common knowledge that some mainstream retailers such as Jcrew, Anthropologie, and White House Black Market have great options, if not dedicated wedding lines, we'd like to introduce you to a few other stores that provide great alternatives.

Piperlime-

The little sister of Banana Republic, Piperlime offers a collection that ranges from flirty and fun to sophisticated, with styles from familiar labels.

Zara & Mango-

These European imports, Zara and Mango, carry trendy styles that allow you to mix different dresses from within the same collection for a not too matchy look.

Thread & Lela Rose-

While these are indeed bridesmaid dresses, both Thread and Lela Rose offer an amazing level of personalization that will satisfy a variety of styles!

Infinity Dress-

Last but not least, the dress that can be fit to flatter every body-type without the help of a seamstress! Available everywhere from Target to Saks, the infinity dress allows you to have a consistent look while keeping all your bridesmaids happy.

How to Pack for Your Destination Wedding Or Honeymoon!

A few weeks ago, I created this 'how to' post for my Tahoe Unveiled viewers. It was such a big hit, that I thought my One Fine Day viewers would like it to!

Packing a suitcase for any occasion is always a challenge. But, Martha Stewart featured a fabulous article in her destination magazine that I just have to share with all you honeymooners - how to pack efficiently!

Layer One -  Shoes, Jeans, & Jackets

Line the bottom with shoes and tech gear in bags. Fill the center with rolled-up jeans and jacket. Martha stores all of her shoes in felt bags - this could be a great favor idea ladies!

Layer Two - Dresses

Lay dresses and pants lengthwise on top of the first layer, letting the ends hang over the sides of the luggage.

Layer Three - Shirts & Sweaters

Roll shirts and sweaters. Place them on top of the second layer. Cover them with the ends of the dresses and pants from the layer underneath.

Layer Four - Delicates & Toiletries

Fold delicates. Place toiletries and lingerie into separate bags. Set it all on top. Flight 001 "F1 Spacepak Lingerie" bag

One Fine Day Featured on Catherine Hall’s Blog

One Fine Day is featured on Catherine Hall Studios' blog about the issue many brides and grooms have about inviting kids. You can view the post below or go to Catherine's new site:

Kids or no Kids: A Wedding Conundrum

Event planner Stephanie Anderson of One Fine Day and the brand-new wedding site, Tahoe Unveiled, authored a guest post for my blog. Stephanie is a talented professional with a gift for producing off-the-charts events. Today, she addresses a couple's inevitiable wedding conundrum.

Inviting kids to a wedding? A few of my brides have inquired about the difficulties of guests with kids. Although kids are lovely and can be very endearing, you may not want to hear crying and screaming on your wedding day. In addition, it can be pretty tricky to invite your friends and not their kids, especially if travel is involved. To avoid the hassle, the arguments, and any hard feelings, try one of these ideas:

1. Hire a babysitter. Inform your guests that a babysitter will take care of your kids throughout the ceremony and reception. For your slightly paranoid parents, you may want to hire someone with First Aid certification or from an agency. Ask your venue if they have a spare room you can use as the kid's room.

2. Kiddie Corner. Designate one or two tables at the reception to kids only. Garnish the table with GI Joes, coloring books, Pretty Pretty Princess, and Hungry Hippo (clearly my childhood favorites). If you are worried about the kids wandering off, hire a babysitter to sit at the table with them.

3. Hire a magician! Kids are easily distracted, so if games won’t cut it, then hire a clown or a magician to keep them entertained and away from your lime light!

Thank you Catherine for featuring One Fine Day on your blog!

To view Catherine Hall's new website or to learn more about One Fine Day, click on the following: www.catherinehall.net www.onefinedayevents.com

How Important is an Engagement Session?

Not too long ago, I met with Tourine Johnstone of Johnstone Studios to discuss the meaning, purpose, and importance of engagement photo shoots. The final interview was posted on Tahoe Unveiled's blog. Here's a little teaser, to read the entire interview, click here.

What is an engagement session?

An engagement session is an opportunity to receive an informal series of professional images of you two as a couple. The goal being to capture you as a couple: having fun, being yourselves, and capturing a moment in time as you are starting your venture as a new family. It's a relaxed practice run that provides you the experience of being in front of the lens and having professional photos taken.

How is an engagement session beneficial? This is a prime opportunity to critique and assess what you love and don't love about yourself in photos, while anticipating what will come on the wedding day. Working with your photographer ahead of time undoubtedly provides you with confidence in their abilities,professional direction, and an intimate look at yourself through the eye of a photographer.

Part of the beauty of engagement sessions is that they are candid, real time, non- studio events focused on evoking emotion and capturing you in a beautiful setting with flattering light....read more.

Unique Wedding Favors

A little Tahoe Unveiled advice & inspiration for you today - unique wedding favors!

From wearable to edible, these unique wedding favors are some of the fun useful ways to thank your wedding guests!

For a destination wedding:

Help your guests out by providing favors that they may have forgotten such as, flip flops for a beach wedding, shawls for a chilly mountain setting or, hats for a where it is nice and sunny. Another fun idea is to create visitors packages using a cute container like these little red suitcases. Fill them with locally made treats and visitors information or even a candle with a scent that will remind them of the wedding's local.

clockwise: jones sodas - mast brothers chocolate - suitcase gift boxes - flip-flops personalized beer - posh pocket puzzle books - shawls

For a personal touch:

If you want to add a personal touch to your gifts, consider creating your own beer, wine, matchbooks or sodas with your photos as labels. You could even give a classy key shaped bottle opener. Some other favors that can be personalized to your wedding motif include soaps, cookie cutters, or even posh puzzle books that come in a variety of styles.

clockwise: pear cookie cutters - key bottle opener - vintage hats - matchboxes - xo soaps B.R. Cohn olive oil - tatine candle

Style Me Pretty at its Finest!

Ahhh such an exciting day. As I was doing my daily blog perusing, I came across Style Me Pretty's latest and greatest accomplishment - their digital magazine compiling their favorites of all favorite weddings. It is gorgeous, uber chic, and soooo inspiring! To top it off, they feature a 'buyer's guide' for each wedding. So not only can you ooh and ahh over all of the thoughtful accesories, but now you can find out where they all come from! Thanks SMP!

Happy New Year!

Happy 2011 Everyone! After a very successful 2010 we decided it was only proper to invite a mascot onto the One Fine Day team! Meet Tessa, our cuddly Bernese Mountain Dog! She is making lots of new friends in our office building and can't wait to meet all of our 2011 brides and grooms!

2010 was filled with many achievements and much excitement. I can't believe the year is already over, but as we look back it sure was a good one! In a nut shell the highlights include: being interviewed on the local news segment of the Today Show, featured on Utterly Engaged's Magazine, producing and coordinating Tahoe Unveiled, and of course planning oodles of  beautiful weddings for our lovely clients.

We are looking forward to planning, designing, and producing many more exciting events this year. Thank you to everyone we worked with, we are so fortunate to have such wonderful clients and vendors!

Lakefront Wedding | Playful Paradise

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everyone. We will be closing our office for the rest of the year and will reopen on January 2nd with lots of exciting new and savvy wedding content! To end the year on a nice note, we have this uber gorgeous wedding from the one and only, Catherine Hall Studios!

The ceremony took place on the private beach. Crux Events & Party Rents built custom wooden benches designed to reflect the shape of a tree trunk on its side. White cushions and gold ribbons adorned the benches to add a little comfort with style!

Angela and Jeremy spend a chunk of their summers traveling to Tahoe with their dog Murphy. So, they felt it only appropriate to celebrate their wedding on the shores of Tahoe. After viewing a few estates, we decided on the perfect private lakefront. Several decks, a small lawn, and a private beach provided the perfect grounds for their circus themed wedding. Angela and Jeremy really didn't want a routine and traditional wedding. They felt it had been done far too many times and it was time to shake it up a bit and provide more than just dinner and dancing. Instead, we offered guests an interactive photo booth, ping-pong, horse shoes, bocce ball, corn hole, dancing, drinks, and soooo much food! From ice cream cones to pancakes, the guests were wined and dined to perfection!

We worked closely with Bellissima Floral to create a design that reflected the modern couple, while complimenting the 100 year old estate. Lanterns in different shapes and sizes hung from the grappling tree branches, lounge furniture provided comfortable seating throughout the venue, and oodles of unexpected elements added to the creative and playful theme.

Vendors

Photography | Catherine Hall Studios

Florist | Bellissima Floral

Music | We Ain't Saints

Linens | La Tavola Fine Linens

Rental Furniture | Crux Events & Party Rents

Transportation | North Tahoe Executive Shuttle

Catering | Blue Onion Catering

Resort at Squaw Creek Wedding | Spring Fling

A few weeks ago I posted a couple sneak peaks of this wedding on our blog...now we have the entire collection ready for you to view! Lots of bright, fresh, and vibrant colors (courtesy of Annie X Photographie and A Bud and Beyond); organic accents, and an amazing band (The Cheeseballs) are just a few of the many highlights!

Sam and Tim were looking for a great party in an atmosphere that reflected the mountains. Guests traveled from all over the US to enjoy a three day celebration including golfing, swimming, eating, drinking....and the World Cup! Sandy’s Pub, the resort’s sports bar, turned out to be the stomping ground for this party – guests were glued to their bar stools watching the game. On the wedding day, the game went into overtime…which happened to be photo time! I pinned the groomsmen’s boutonniere’s as they watched on in anticipation. Fortunately, the game ended right before the ceremony....not so fortunately, the US lost.

We started the day with a beautiful ceremony lead by their family priest at the Squaw Valley Chapel. Fruitwood chivaris and delicate wreaths (designed by A Bud and Beyond) added rustic elegance to the very 70's style chapel. After the ceremony, shuttles transported guests to the cocktail reception, which took place on the balcony at theResort at Squaw Creek. A little bit later, The Cheeseballs knocked the socks off each individual guest! Dancers, singers, and hits from the last 3 decades kept the party going all night. To ease the hangovers and hungry tummies, guests were invited to a lovely brunch the following day on the resort's deck. A perfect way to end a weekend of festivities!

Vendors Photography  |  Annie X Photographie Wedding Coordination | One Fine Day Venue | Resort at Squaw Creek Flowers | A Bud and Beyond Music | The Cheesballs