What do brown paper lunch bags and pink elephants have in common?
… you’ll just have to wait until next Monday to find out! 
~ A Lil’ Wedding Planner ~
Are you tired of seeing the same ol’ engagement session photos at places like the beach, the park, or by downtown city lights? Don’t get me wrong – these are all beautifully gorgeous places! But recently I’ve had couples come to me asking for ideas for a unique engagement photo session for the pictures they’ll remember for a lifetime.
Here are 5 ideas for your next e-sesh… or anniversary sesh?… or trash the dress sesh… or family sesh?? 
Any occasion to take photos or throw a celebration is fine by me!
*Photo courtesy of Jihan Abdalla Photography
So I have to credit my husband for #5 I thought of it because every time I browse the stores in our neighborhood for pretty things like vases, baskets or random decor for a wedding, my hubby goes across the street to Home Depot. Why not combine both worlds?
Now please promise me that if you ever have a photo sesh at Home Depot, you will please email me the photos. It would make me so happy! Thank you.
I know. It’s the middle of winter right now; you’re likely buried under a few feet of snow or cuddled in a blanket with a hot mug of tea in your hands.
So WHY am I torturing you with wedding photos of a summer wedding, on the cliffs… over looking the sunset on the Pacific Ocean, at the beach? Well… consider it a gift, not torture. A little summer and sunshine in the middle of winter for you, from this lil’ wedding planner. …..Enjoy!
Jenna and Pedro took advantage of the glorious San Diego weather with their summer wedding on Sunset Cliffs. Over looking the Pacific Ocean until the horizon dropped from view, they shared their vows while a close family friend married them.
*Photo courtesy of Fonyat Photography
With a natural setting as gorgeous as the sunlight over the glittering ocean, you often don’t need much more decor to get a “wow” factor. I think nature “wows” us enough! Jenna chose a great color palette to complement the scene – softly colored flowers with a “vintage romantic” feel for the day.
*Photo courtesy of Fonyat Photography
The bride’s bouquet:
And who says only the bride wears a veil? Gifts to her bridesmaids, Jenna embellished their peacock-blue dresses with complementing veils in a similar style that she wore, and bracelets for each of the girls. Fashionista? YES! =D
*Photos courtesy of Fonyat Photography
*Photo courtesy of Fonyat Photography
It’s quite impossible to not be swept up in the beauty of this wedding ceremony. The setting was a little … magical .. and knowing a large majority of guests flew in from places like Spain shows the love that surrounds the newlyweds.
Congratulations Jenna and Pedro! May you two enjoy every day with each other!
Wedding Coordination: A Lil’ Wedding Planner
Thank you to the following:
Photographer: Julio Fonyat Photography
Florals: BarLiz Flowers
Ceremony Venue: Luscomb Point @ Sunset Cliffs, San Diego
Ceremony Musicians: Innocenti Strings
Pre-Marital Counseling: San Diego Institute for Couples
Wedding Transportation: Grand Pacific Charter
Rentals: Anar’s Party Supplies
It’s only 5 days away from Christmas… and tonight, get ready… is the winter solstice! (Which means if you head outside around 11:41PM PST you can see a very cool lunar eclipse outside!). So in honor of our end of the year festivities, I bring you Christmas-time decor.. and how you can incorporate that into your festive winter wedding!
Ornamental centerpieces, anyone? I love the diversity of cylinder vases and what you can do with them … ornaments in a monochromatic scheme can create an impact as a centerpiece, and if you need a little bit of light, incorporate light strands with garland in your vases as well!
I know.. I know.. some of you red and green Christmas-time color lovers are planning a rebellion against me, but have you ever thought of how beautiful the color blue is for the season? Different shades of blue paired with holiday decor still strikes that magical feel of the holidays inside. (And Happy Hanukkah to you too!) 
For favors, consider an ornament. You can choose an ornament that is characteristic of you and yours, or go with something festive that everyone can enjoy hanging on their tree. In the above photo, this lil’ wedding planner lives in “sunny San Diego” and has a personal flair for stars, so why not incorporate it all… with a seashell star ornament? Unique, personal and I’m sure is going to be great on your tree.
You might also consider words of inspiration like “hope”, “love”, or “joy”. Better yet, consider giving your guests a different ornament each!
On another note, we shall end this blog post with what Christmas looks like on my fireplace. =D My friends Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus and all of their friends join us in my living room for the month. But there’s always a few things you can use for your own decor:
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year everyone! Stay warm, cuddle with your loved ones, and sip hot cocoa while watching the twinkling lights.
On the epic date of 10-2-10, my best friend got married. =D
As I had said in my speech to her that night in a definition of a best friend (from UrbanDictionary.com), “Best Friends are very special people in your life. They are the first people you think about when you make plans. They are the first people you go to when you need someone to talk to. You will phone them up just to talk about nothing, or the most important things in your life. When you’re sad they will try their hardest to cheer you up. They give the best hugs in the world! They are the shoulder to cry on, because you know that they truly care about you. And in most cases they would take a bullet for you, because it would be too painful to watch you get hurt.”
A bit ago I had blogged about her bridal shower and every day since then it was an exciting journey to see my best friend grow that-much-more-closer to marrying her husband and new best friend in her life. =D
Watching her wedding video reminds me of the love and care behind and in each and every wedding day. You wouldn’t know it from the video (which is a true testament to Deb’s beauty and videographer’s editing), but Deb wasn’t feeling too well that day which put a slight damper on the photo session and reception. But… Deb (since I know you’re reading this) – I hope when you watch your video and look at your wedding photos, you’re not thinking about what you might have missed out on, but that what you remember is the love of your friends and family who surrounded you on that special day, the grace that carried you through it, and the wonderful husband who was by your side and will continue to be by your side, through many special days in your lives!
Congratulations Deb and Joe!
And Tom & team from Aquavivus Productions – what a beautiful job you’ve done yet again! I first met Tom when he was just graduating college and launching his company and loved his creativity with wedding videos. To see his videography and work grow by endless amounts of beauty is awesome! So if you need a videographer…..
