Sealed With A Kiss Events Blog

Vordale Wedding

2011-02-21T20:28:00.000-08:00

It was such a pleasure to coordinate the Vordale wedding yesterday (Sunday February 20, 2011) at the Cabrillo Arts Pavillion in Santa Barbara! Karen and Daniel are just the sweetest people and the whole room was just so full of love and support. Photos to come. :)

I am BOOKED!

2011-02-01T18:02:00.000-08:00

Hi friends and followers!

Great news: I am booked through the summer! If you have any friends getting married from september on, please send them my way, I would love to meet with them and see how I can help make their wedding day amazing. Thank you for your continued support, prayers, and encouragement. My business dream is now a reality!

God bless,

Lara

Tarr -McKenna Wedding

2011-01-11T10:37:00.000-08:00

Hi followers!
I am so excited to hear that so many of you continue to check my blog! I had no idea i had such a following, so I figure it might be good to write more often...

I was so excited to get this kind message from my last bride Kimberly the other day in regard to her wedding in August 2010. It reads:

"In one word, Lara is impressive. As a highly-organized bride-to-be with my fair share of event planning experience, I was hesitant to turn over the reigns to someone else on my wedding day but I knew that it was essential for us to enjoy the day. There were so many little details that I had worked on for months and I wanted to be sure that they were executed. Lara put me at ease immediately; she is able to command a situation in an unassuming manner, a skill not many possess. She is calm and poised and, even when things seem stressful, she has a smile on her face and a presence that communicates, "don't worry -- I got it!" Not only did she help us set up the day before our wedding, but she also ran our rehearsal to ensure that everyone knew their places for their procession. Our wedding day ran so smoothly and Lara made it look effortless, but we know the truth: there was a lot of hard work that went into making it such a lovely celebration and we owe a large part of our gratitude to her. She went above and beyond our expectations, ensuring that all of the proverbial T's were crossed, and I's dotted. We would recommend Lara in a heartbeat to those in search of a professional, organized, and efficient day-of coordinator."

--Kimberly Tarr & Matthew McKenna

Wow! How amazing. I am so blessed to have so much support and great reviews from my clients! Here are some of my favorite detail shots I got a chance to take at their wedding.

April Pete of April Flowers in San Luis Obispo (http://www.aprilflowersslo.com/April_Flowers/home..html) did an AMAZING job with the flowers at this wedding. She had some herbs on the table with was a unique touch that I just LOVED.

The Cake display was just too fun. there were several different flavors of cake instead of just one and my favorite was the carrot cake with figs on top. The color and texture of the figs was just divine.

The food was amazing too! Pacific Harvest Catering (http://www.pacificharvestcatering.com/) did an amazing job, going above and beyond the call of duty. they made a massize platter on a huge granite stone for cocktail hour. Looked delicious!

YUMMMMMM!

I cant wait to get some pictures from Elisa Ahlin (http://www.ahlinphotography.com/)! I was so excited to find out she was a Cal Poly Alumni! SO FUN!

Hope you find a reason to smile today!
Lara

Rachel and Seth's Wedding Details

2010-11-08T16:20:00.000-08:00

Daniel Lemkuhl ( http://daniellehmkuhlphoto.blogspot.com/ ) is the amazing photographer behind these beautiful pictures of Rachel and Seth's lovely wedding. I love all the sweet simple details. The wedding took place at Santa Margarita Ranch in Santa Margarita, CA.

Cathedral Length Veils... LOVE

2010-10-16T16:45:00.000-07:00

Cathedral length veils are BACK, and I am LOVING it! Veil length is something every bride needs to consider when she purchases her dress. While the short net and hair decor is still all the rage, the cathedral length (longest, and often times most expensive option... of course) is making debuts in weddings all over!
Cathedral Length positives and negatives:
Positives: elegant, lengthening (for the body)
Negatives: expensive, high maintenance for photos, may get stepped on (it happens)

Still.. Im in love. not surprising considering I have expensive taste.. but knowing me I will try to find a deal ;)

Christos!

2010-10-10T21:03:00.000-07:00

Holy Guacamole!!!!
I am obsessed with Christos' new line! http://www.christosbridal.com/ I love the simplicity of the designs, and the detail... sigh....im in love. These are almost all on my website.. but I just love them. That is pretty much it. LOVE.

Lara :)

Four Weddings on TLC

2010-10-09T11:49:00.000-07:00

So if you are any-sort-of into reading my blog about weddings, I think it is fair to assume you have at least HEARD of Four Weddings on TLC. After taking several courses on event planning, and especially after watching that show, it makes me wonder how much brides (and sometimes even planners) forget to consider how the guest experience will be when they choose a venue, a menu, and a DJ. The premise of the show, if you have not seen it, is that four brides attend each others wedding, and rate several aspects of the wedding including dress, venue, food, and overall experience. (for more info here is the link: Four Weddings

They are all different brides from different cultures, with different budgets, and they can't make it so they win because after they give scores they have to rate their favorites from 1-3.

The thing I find most fascinating is that just because a bride spends more money, or has more glamorous decor doesn't always translate to a "better time" for the guests. I saw an episode last night of brides in Texas... who had weddings outdoors in AUGUST.... Hello!! are you kidding me?? If you want to get married outdoors in august (and in Texas) then you should definitely consider providing shade and/or fans for your guest, and if you choose an indoor venue for the reception, choose a venue with AIR CONDITIONING!

I can definitely understand why someone would want to get married outside, there is so much beauty outside, the greenery, the scenery... BEAUTIFUL... heck I would love to get married outside eventually, but half the time the guest is too hot, too cold, there are bugs at cocktail hour, the wind blows of the flowers, etc.

All I am saying is that I hope that the show makes more brides (especially those planning the wedding on their own) consider the common downfalls of a wedding. Cold/ gross food, bad/no dance floor, and venues.

Traditions, and ANYTHING but Cupcakes...PLEASE

2010-10-06T18:29:00.000-07:00

Hello party people!

Thank you for checking out my site! (www.sealedwithakissevents.com) I look forward to the opportunities it will bring! As you may have noticed, I haven't posted to this blog in quite a while. Therefore.. drum-roll please... I am posting something!

So you may have gathered from previous posts that my taste is ever-evolving... right now I see a lot of really pretty weddings (thank you SMP for keeping me entertained every day!) but nearly every bride has the "anthropologie style"- a fun pattern with maybe unconventionally paired colors... that somehow works together... and I cant help but wonder when there will be a bride that sets a new standard... I want to be able to look at wedding photos and be able to get a glimpse of who the couple is through the event details, make wedding traditions your OWN.

While it may seem like I am a proponent for an unconventional wedding, I am really into the traditions. I think it is really fascinating that, for instance, flowers were originally at weddings to cover the stench of the unbathed wedding party and guests, and bridesmaids were there to walk down the aisle before the bride to confuse evil spirits from bothering the real bride. All I am saying is that before you chose to follow a wedding tradition, ask yourself why you are choosing to do it. If your answer is simply "because its a tradition" than thats fine, because some traditions make a wedding a wedding and not a party.

That being said, I need to vent about cupcakes...again. Cupcakes, while convenient to hand out (you don't need to rent extra plates) and "cute", in my opinion they are the absolute worst trend in weddings... and just as the puffy cinderella sleeve was a popular trend in 80's wedding dresses, I see cupcakes as being a "regret" down the line. When I think of cupcakes I think of a first grader's birthday party, not a wedding. If you aren't a fan of cake, serve your favorite dessert. here are a few fun and sometimes "cheaper" alternatives to cake that are NOT cupcakes:

PIE! We all have it at Thanksgiving and Christmas (both family gatherings, when you think about it), so why not have it at your wedding? Have all kinds! Make it yourself and save some money! The only downfall of this dessert? You can't save it for your first anniversary... sad.

Brownies and hot coco! (or coffee.. or ICED coffee!) This was one catering presentation I was really excited about!

HELLOOOOO!!!! A cookie Bar?! How fantastic!! Have a baking party with your bridal party a few days prior to the wedding and your guests will be salivating! Make it more personal by asking friends and family for their favorite recipes and make sure to give them credit on the label. they aren't just ANY cookies, they are Grandma Ellen's Chocolate Chip Cookies!

...and the milk shot to top it off?? AMAZING!

Cheesecake!!! MY FAVORITE! My good friends the Clough Family did this at their oldest daughter's wedding, and it was AMAZING! Best wedding dessert EVER! (mini creme brulee would ALSO be amazing)

All that being said... im not a cupcake hater, I just think brides need to realize that there are other options... if you want to have an alternative dessert to cake, talk to your planner or caterer to get some ideas for presentation to make it just as exciting!

This might very well be one of my longest posts! I am really excited to be working with some new clients in the next few months for day-of wedding planning! Kim and Matt are closing in on their wedding set for October 23, 2010. It is going to be absolutely BEAUTIFUL! I cant wait to share pics with you!

Until next time,

Lara

weddings weddings weddings

2010-05-02T22:53:00.000-07:00

oh goodness. wedding season is in bloom! This season I am noticing some trends:
1. Grey is the new chocolate brown. Chocolate brown is great, but it was overdone. Grey will soon be overdone, and I am gonna go out on a limb and call navy as the new grey once people go to too many weddings with grey as the base neutral.
2. DIY brides are hitting up www.etsy.com... its awesome and personalized, and also helping local artisans make a living. i am a fan
3. organic centerpieces- wildflower look and succulents are in.
4. Cupcakes - i am not a fan at ALL. yes, they may be a cheaper option, but there is something about cutting into a cake that makes a wedding for me. not matter how cute the display, i still think it is tacky and will be a "what was I thinking" trend of the millennia

My ideas:
Challenge the status quo. Do something totally different. Talk with your fiance about the typical wedding traditions and how you can play with them. Allow your guests to ohh an ahh about something new!
Try using materials other than flowers, mix it up with bridesmaids and groomsmen, try new and unconventional cake-toppers... you are creative!

OK so i change my mind all the time but....

2009-10-25T23:42:00.001-07:00

ok so if you know me at all, you know that I never make up my mind on what I want for my own wedding. I never like the same colors or the same flowers, I am like a chameleon and i change my mind like every day. I have recently become obsessed with stylemepretty.com and LOVE all the fun posts. I get so inspired and freak out about every little thing. I recently decided that bridesmaids are one tradition no one seems to understand and just assumes that oh. you have to have them... and oh, they HAVE to wear the same freakin color.... false. I challenge any bride to look up the tradition. Half of the reason they had bridesmaids back in the day was to "trick" the groom and make sure he was marrying the right girl. Now its just like.. oh who are my best friends.. lets put them in ugly dresses, all the same color, and make them stand there while I get married... lame. I have recently decided that the new "thing" I am into is letting my bridesmaids wear whatever the heck they want because on MY day, I want the girls I love to feel as beautiful as they can feel! so cheers to the bride on stylemepretty.com who let her bridesmaid do the same. you rock chica!

If you want to see the picture I am referring to check it out on this link:

http://www.stylemepretty.com/2009/10/21/jessica-claire-wedding-by-jose-villa-iv/

SMILE! :)

2009-10-13T17:52:00.000-07:00

Ok so I have this idea and I would really love some feedback!

Guys- when you ask a girl to marry you, do you realize that they way you ask is just as important, if not as important as the ring you choose?

Girls- The first question you ask your friends who get engaged is "how did he propose?"

and the SECOND question is "what does the ring look like?"

Guys - feel the pressure? what do you think about this...

I would like to help guys find creative and personal ways to get engaged to their girlfriends!

I would make all necessary arrangements for them, help them set up the area they will propose at, and even hire a photographer to get it all on camera!

Things I would like to know:

Would anyone be willing to pay for a service like this? If so, how much would you pay?

Do you think there is a market for this?

Please send me some feedback!

I would love some input!

SMILE :)

October 10th wedding

2009-10-13T17:18:00.000-07:00

Hello all!

I was the day-of coordinator for Michelle and Justin's wedding at Vina Robles Winery in Paso Robles. It was such an amazing wedding and SO incredibly beautiful! here are some shots I took while we were setting up for their big day. The flowers were stunning, both high and low arrangements were used and they didn't go with the traditional "sunset" colors of fall, there were some blues and greens thrown in which made it so much more unique. The red orchids were a nice touch of color and texture.

One of my favorite elements of the set-up was the fact that the couple didn't have round tables... what's the deal with round tables anyway? the square and rectangular tables were actually really fun and added a modern twist, but wasn't too overbearing.

The family really went all out for this affair and the attention to detail and overwhelming sense of love and romance was so evident. with over 400 candles and even some sparklers at the end of the night, who couldn't be affected by the spark between Justin and Michelle?

The vendors were all great!:

Flowers to You by Jessica

David Pascolla Photography

Drew Renner, PROvideoFX

Beau Kramer, DJ/ MC

Vina Robles Winery: Venue= AMAZING staff, location, and of course WINE!

I got my first comment today! If you are viewing this blog and someone has told you about me, please let me know! I would like to give credit where credit s due! speaking of whom, I would like to throw a shoutout to Ken Kienow, an amazing photographer here in San Luis Obispo!

Crazy or creepy?

2009-08-11T10:40:00.000-07:00

http://www.asylum.com/2009/07/27/couple-weds-while-covered-in-bees/

my mom sent me this today and on the subject line wrote: "They need a planner" I thought it was fun and different, but most people might think it was weird and creepy. you go bee couple! way to think outside of the box and incorporate what you love in your wedding!

SMILE

2009-03-15T22:18:00.000-07:00

Ok, like I really needed an excuse to buy a bizillion mini vases?!?!?!? I already have a terrible obsession with buying random vases...Well, now I have one excuse. This is fun, modern, and takes up a huge amount of space as a centerpiece. It is classy and I love the tulips. I bet you could re-create something like this pretty easily via IKEA...

thank you thank you thank you

2009-03-10T19:36:00.000-07:00

THANK YOU so very very much to the following people for making my dreams come true and helping me start my business and website:

Technical Writing:

Ashley B.

Pareesa A.

Riley G.

Kristin H.

Jeremy G.

Creative Designs:

Molly C. (logo design)

Kristen S. (web design)

Mom and Dad. Thank you for your constant support.

2009-03-09T20:13:00.000-07:00

HOW FUN!! they just took old tea tins and put fun variations of flowers in each! its modern but also eclectic! so fun! im kind of obsessed with those poppies too.. such a hot flower! I think to pull of a similar look, a lot of goodwill and swap-meet searches are in need as well as a large floral budget.

SMILE

Lara :)

2009-03-03T13:01:00.000-08:00

THIS IS SO FUN!

Mixing hot and cold, modern and classy... I dont think I would have used ivory candles like this picture shows, but how fun!

this would be great at a winter wedding or event and if the same design was used, i might add etching in the tallest pillar or maybe even see if they can freeze some florals inside the ice.

SMILE

Lara :)

Bright and Cheery country

2009-02-27T21:02:00.000-08:00

The burlap table cloth is suuuuper fun! who knew you could use a lemon as a placard? Everything is so fun, creative, bright, and cheery. Even the small detail of a yellow handkerchief is the napkin! SO fun for a summer garden wedding!

Even if you just took a fun colored tablecloth with brown paper bags from the dollar store, you could pull off this fun look for any garden wedding or event. It would even be fun for a wedding shower!

LOVE IT

SMILE

Lara :)

2009-02-27T00:28:00.000-08:00

I love the colors and natural look of this table-scape. I wonder why natural wood tables are not more accessible to rent.

Even the grey wood on the table just makes the blue and green pop. A grey tablecloth may be able to capture the same feeling but i love how simply chic this whole design is.

Why I love orange so much right now is a mystery to me. it goes so well with that light sea-foam green and looks to fabulously anthropologie.. i just love it.

2009-02-26T23:53:00.000-08:00

Hello family, friends, and people in love! I have created a blog!

My whole idea behind this blog is to have a forum where people can see what I am inspired by and I can see what other people think as far as event design and planning. I plan on posting photos, videos, and fun quotes to get the creative juices flowing. My amazing and talented sister Molly created a LOGO for Sealed With a Kiss Events thats is just amazing!

I have never blogged before, but I figure it is a trend worth trying out.

SMILE

Lara :)