Holiday Inspiration

Now that the holidays are wrapping up it's time to think back to all the decor you've seen over the last month. The holidays are a great time to get wedding inspiration. Here's one idea I'm pulling out of the camera...

My husband and I were out during the day and saw these things hanging in the trees. Of course, I had to check it out. They were satin sacks filled with clear Christmas lights. It looked interesting enough in the daylight; I made the hubbs go back that night so I could see the full effect. My camera doesn't do justice to this person's creativity.

For an outdoor reception, which we have many of here in CA, what a neat alternative to wrapping the trees with white lights. Although, I am a sucker for tasteful twinkle lights. Enjoy!

Merry Christmas!

Wishing you a joy filled Christmas! May you and yours find peace, love, and many blessings.

"And the angel said unto them, 'Fear not. I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. Unto you, born this day, a savior which is Christ the Lord.'" Luke 2:10-11

Pottery Barn Inspiration

I was in Pottery Barn over the weekend and found some nifty place card holders. They are little silver packages. The bow holds the place card, and you can open the box. Perfect for the bride looking to make the place card holder and the favor one and the same. You could fill them with candies in your wedding colors or whatever your heart can dream up. I haven't been able to find them at PotteryBarn.com, so if you're interested I'd run out and find them. They are on holiday clearance. Heck, if you want them, call me and I'll go out and get them for you. :-) Too cute!

Holiday Time On the Waterfront

Whether you live in the South Bay or not, I've got a fun holiday event for you--and it's free!

The Port of Los Angeles is lighting up their fountains coordinated to holiday music. While the fountains run throughout the week, the best time to go is on Friday nights from 7-9pm. Songs play regularly, instead of 20 minutes apart, not to mention that there is live choral entertainment and vendors are on hand.

Ryan and I checked it out last weekend and stayed the whole time. Just bundle up. FYI, you can even bring your own hot coco.

For more info. you can check out the Daily Breeze.

Enjoy, and a merry Christmas season to everyone!

Happy Thanksgiving!

In this week of celebration I hope that you and yours have much to be thankful for and that you receive endless blessings as we move towards the end of 2008.

In planning events I am continually reminded just how little the actual 'things' mean and how important the moments are.

I am truly blessed and have many things to be thankful for. Just a few include my husband, who is always supporting me in everything and at all times. The laughter and joy he brings to each day. My mom who is my cheerleader, and my brother who is a true friend. My friends, two in particular ;-), who are like sisters. And thank you to all of you for allowing this to be my life's work. Happy Thanksgiving!

Simple

Simple can often be the most pleasing... Just something to think about.

Polka Dot Bride Blog

Happy Friday to all!

I'm always looking for inspiration, gathering ideas, and working hard to find new elements of joy for your event.

Today, I'd like to share with you a great place for inspiration--the Polka Dot Bride. It is an Australian blog that offers many fresh and inspiring ideas for weddings of all kinds (not just those with polka dots). You could absolutely spend days, if not weeks, pouring over her exquisite posts. I'd suggest starting with the ABC of Weddings. I love her writing style her creative technique.

See something that inspires you? Let us know, and we will run with that inspiration.

Capturing the Details

When it comes to event planning, I'm never not working. No matter where I'm at I'm taking in ideas for color palates, accents, favors, themes, and more. Now I've got a new camera to capture it all for you! As I come across inspirational pieces, I'll be posting them here to share with you. Please bear with me. There is a reason I'm a wedding coordinator and not a wedding photographer.

Target Bridal

Target has long been a common place for the bride and groom to register. However, they are also quickly becoming a place to shop for bridal party attire. While they may not be for everyone (color and selection is still a bit limited), Target's bridal fashions by Issac Mizrahi offer unique style as well as comfort for your bridal party's pocket books. What more can you ask for?

Perusing the web in the last few weeks, I've found more and more brides talking about the line. From what I've heard so far, the line is comfortable and classy. As the fashions are currently only available online, items tend to arrive in a very wrinkled state / at first glance it can be a bit worrisome. However, a quick steam seems to do wonders. The only complaint I've heard is that the boning in some of the dresses can be a bit uncomfortable depending on your body.

You be the judge. Check out their bridesmaid , formal , special occasion, and even bridal dresses. Here are a few of my favorites:

The simple elegance of this dress can be left as-is or embellished with great accessories. The pink, below, is currently a very popular wedding color.

However, I'm a sucker for this dress in rich Spanish Brown.

This satin A-line piece falls right in line with current fashion trends by adding a full skirt that falls at the knee. Furthermore, the on-seam pockets match a fashions currently gracing runways and red carpets everywhere. Can we say great place to stash lipstick? ;-)

For the more formal affair, I love that this strapless sheath can be tied into your wedding design with an optional sash.

The details on the back add another level to the design.

Introducing www.MeganKocher.com!

It is with great joy that I announce the launch of our new website: http://www.megankocher.com/. May you enjoy dancing around the pages...

Happy Halloween!

I hope that everyone has been having a fantastic fall thus far.
You know, one classic Halloween treat is the caramel apple. However, this delicious dessert isn't just for trick or treaters. In the past several years, it has become an increasingly popular wedding favor. Why not give your guests extra sweet memories to take home with them?

I love how each one is a work of art.

They can be beautifully elegant.


You can tie in a theme.

Embellishments are easy.

I love these creative creations!


You can jazz up the sticks to fit your design scheme.



Or, you can never go wrong with the classical look.


Wishing you happy sweetness!

Happy Birthday Ryan!

Yes, I celebrate occasions as a living and enjoy every single event. However, there are a few that are near and dear to my heart. Today is one such celebration...

Happy Birthday to my wonderful husband!!! I am so glad that you were born, and I'm especially glad that I've gotten to be a part of 6 years of your life. Here's to the happiest of years to come! I love you!

Great Bridal Expo, November 1st

Los Angeles brides and grooms, the Great Bridal Expo is coming up on Saturday, November 1st. While I don't recommend going so that you can book all your vendors in one day (vendors should always be thoroughly researched and based off of recommendations you find), this is a great place to get your feet wet in the planning process. Attending a bridal fair will give you an overall idea of what's out there and what people are charging for particular services. You can also take away a lot of inspiration from the various displays and fashion shows that will be set up. Lastly, and best of all, you may win some free stuff for your wedding.

So if you are feeling the need to feed your wedding appetite, go check it out and have some fun. A little extra tip, there are lots of promo codes for free tickets. Hop on Google and check them out. ;-)

Everything Wedding

I'm always looking to save you time, money, and your sanity. Thus, I love passing along good deals! Borders Books is clearing out old copies of The Everything Wedding Book. They are in the clearance bins for $3.99. If you are looking for somewhere to start in all the planning, this book has lots of checklists, worksheets, and advice for every wedding related topic. Plus, it keeps things light hearted. Here's an excerpt from the the the preface (yes, some are sarcastic):

Top Ten Utterances of the Bride Who Didn't Consult This Book

1. 'What do you mean I should have registered at a store? I registered to vote!'
2. 'Thanks for coming to my shower. Sorry I can't invite you to my wedding. Great gift, though!'
3. 'Gee, you know what? There's just no way to save money when you're planning a wedding.'
4. 'Sure, I invited my ex and his whole family. We're all friends!'
5. 'Why should I ask my fiance's parents what they want?'
6. 'Wedding planners do the same thing that I could do...and I will do, after I'm done working eighty hours this week.'
7. 'I'll just go ahead and bake my own wedding cake. I'll make it from brownie mix and just pile it all up like a big tower.'
8. 'Even though my fiance has wild tastes and we're having a traditional wedding, I trust him to pick out his own tux.'
9. 'Out honeymoon is going to be absolutely perfect, or it will mean that we made a big mistake getting married.'
10. 'Adjusting to married life? Piece of cake!'

--Hagen, Shelly. The Everything Wedding Book, Massachusetts: 2004.

Store Closing Sale

I just received the following notice that Paulette's Ambiance is having a 'Store Closing Sale.' I have never been there before, so I cannot vouch for anything. However, for anyone interested in checking it out, here are the details:




October 18-19, 2008
Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Sunday 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Everything must go!Wedding gowns, bridesmaid dresses, mothers' attire, veils, and headpieces — all up to 90% off!

Hurry in for the best selection! First come, first served.

Paulette's Ambiance
824 E. California Blvd.
Pasadena, CA 91106(626) 638-7575

Event Kit

Let's face it, emergencies happen. However, the last thing I want is for an emergency to impact your celebratory day. I absolutely love taking stress out of your planning process, and part of my job is to take care of every last detail so that you don't have to worry about a single thing. That's where the Event Kit comes in. I spent this past summer putting a new kit together and making sure I've got something for any surprise that may come along.

Here's a peek at the new kit, which I always have on hand for events:

Recently, at one wedding, we used the stain stick to get berry filling out of the mother of the groom's dress, the masking tape was handy for the flower girl's headpiece when she lost a rose minutes before going down the aisle, the shoe shine kit (yes, the shoe shine kit) put the bride at ease after she got out of the limo only to get black all over the bottom of her dress, and the bride and groom each enjoyed a quick mint before the ceremony.

Here's to smooth sailing!

6 Years Ago Today...

Ryan and I went on our first date. Since I have the honor of witnessing many of your love stories, here's a part of ours...

We met in the dorms before classes even started. Quickly becoming friends, he asked me out. Although, he had already bought me two dinners (a bowl of chicken soup after my car was hit while I was driving over a bridge, and an In-N-Out burger after I gave him a ride to the dentist in my newly damaged car).

For the 'first date' he showed up at my door with chocolate Hostess doughnuts and a bag of M&Ms. Two of my favorites. I wore a red sweater but in my excitement forgot deodorant. Ryan wore enough cologne for the both of us ;-). Thanks baby! We ate at what is now our favorite restaurant but didn't order any of our favorite things. We talked a lot and walked a lot. My feet were covered in blisters from borrowing a pair of 'cute' shoes from a friend.

It was a perfect first date!

I figured I'd end up dating several men in college, but God had a different plan in mind.

Thanks Ryan, for asking me out. It has been a wonderful six years of dates, and I love you!

Joy

One can never have too much happiness in her life, and that's why I'm excited to tell you about the 'Joy' page, which will be a feature of our new website. Here's a sneak peek at our first offer:

'Pay It Forward: Refer us to a friend. If they sign a contract, not only will they get 10% off, but you will also get 10% off your current balance due.'

I truly find it an honor to have this job, and it is a privilege to be a part of your celebration. I know that the costs of putting an event together can add up quickly. As an event coordinator, part of my job is to help you save money wherever possible and help you find the best deals. I hope that the 'Joy' page will add to that.

More website excitement coming soon. In the meantime, I'm wishing you a week full of good moments!

Kimberly and Kristian; A Sneak Peek

Thanks to Amanda for sending us a sneak peek from Kim and Kristian's wedding! She typically works out of San Diego, so if you would like to get in touch with her just let me know and I'll put you in touch. Enjoy!

The day begins...

Before Kim and Kristian saw each other on Saturday, they were both filled with nervous excitement. As soon as they were together, a calm came over them. True love at first sight.

All day people awed over Kim's Gone With the Wind / Scarlett O'Hara look.

Taking in every moment.

Let the dancing begin.

Later, after the traditional father/daughter dance, the father of the bride came back out on the dance floor to live it up and truly celebrate this joyous day.

Kim and Kristian really made sure to enjoy every last moment.

Wishing you a very happily ever after!