Nautica Moderne Design

The Waterfront Hilton in Huntington Beach is one of my favorite beach front resorts. In February my wonderful couple Felicity & Jeff married there. One of the best things to come out of that wedding, was the new relationship with the catering department at the resort.

If you are considering the venue, you are in for a treat. They have a cozy and elegant Wedding Lounge where you can view the previous weddings that have taken place there. Wedding Jeannie was honored to be asked to redesign the room for them. You know me....I LOVE COLOR, so I went with two of my favorites orange and blue.

Above is a little peek into the design we created. I can't give you too much because all the images will be featured next week on the famous wedding blog Style Unveiled. I hope this is enough to wet your appetite for more. Christopher Todd is the talented photographer who took the above images. Lucky me, I get to work with him again next week at the wedding of Dana & James in Santa Barbara. Can you imagine what those images will be like?

Not to be forgotten, here is a list of the creative partners who helped me bring this vision of Nautica Moderne to life.

Venue: Waterfront Resort, Huntington Beach
Design & Coordination: Wedding Jeannie
Floral Stylist: Paradise Delight
Tabletop Rentals: Classic Party Rentals
Lounge & Chair Rentals: Lounge Appeal
Specialty Linens: Designer Specialty Linens
Candy Buffet: Candee by Sandee
Photography: Christopher Todd Studios

Sneak Peek - Diana & David

Vintage 1927 Packard Limousine by www.classiclimo.com

The wedding of Diana & David Dominguez took place last Saturday. Veronica was their lead coordinator, and took this photo of them arriving at their reception in a Vintage 1927 Packard Limousine. David surprised his blushing bride with this stylish ride. Imagine her surprise as she stepped out of the church with her new husband. This impressive car whisked them away to take photos at the beach.

There will many more professional pics coming soon by the talented and always fun Natalie Moser Photography. It was a "fairtytale" wedding. The word "fairytale" came from David. He told me he wanted to give Diana a "fairytale" wedding. What a guy! They married at St. Lawrence Martyr Church in Redondo beach followed by a French themed reception at Verandas in Manhattan Beach.

Check back soon to see the full portfolio. Thank you to the following vendors for their hard work and passion:

Venue: The beautiful Verandas in Manhattan Beach
Catering: New York Food
Photography: Natalie Moser Photography
Videography: Isabel Cinemathique
Mariachi: Mariachi De Mi Tierra
DJ: Scott Topper Productions
Specialty Linens: Designer Specialty Linens
Lighting: Verandas
Wedding Cake: Torrance Bakery
Photo Lounge: Mobile Photo Lounge
Limousine: Classic Limos
Tuxedos: Friar Tux
Hair & Make-up: Design Visage 
Wedding Coordinator: Veronica Medrano & Shanelle Doughlin, for Wedding Jeannie

Groom's Corner - Tasting & Cigar Bars

Hey guys..why are you letting your fiance have all the fun? It's your BIG DAY too. Get involved in the planning, and put your personal stamp on the wedding day. I don't mean picking out flowers and linens, or deciding on the favors your guest will take home. I'm talking about something just for you.

Imagine your reception. It's lovely, everyone has eaten and the dancing has begun. But it's hot in that suit you're wearing. You want to escape outside with the boys. Wouldn't this be a great place to set up a cigar bar and liquor station? Don't get bent out of shape if the girls want to join the party. Because let's face it. Cigars are still SEXY. In fact sexier than ever. So are liquor bars. I suggest a rum, tequila or scotch tasting bar.

How can you be the coolest host, and have a cigar bar regardless of your budget? Follow my simple tips below, and your party will be better than the rest.

Big Budget - Hire a cigar roller. They come to your wedding day with tobacco leaves and cigar blends. Guests can watch them roll a cigar just for them. That's first class.
Medium Budget - Cigar companies will come to your wedding with 3 - 5 specific cigars varieties. They are usually set up on a table where the attendance will cut and light their cigar.
Modest Budget - Buy your own boxes of cigars and set them up on a table for the reception. Have matches and cigar cutters available for your guests. Everyone just helps themselves and enjoys the fun.

Maybe cigars aren't your thing. Try the latest trend that has taken over clubs all over LA and Orange County hip spots. Unless you're hiding under a rock, you've tried hookah. Even I have. You can actually rent them for your own wedding. The service comes complete with an attendant who will help you choose your flavor of tobacco and light the hookah.

Before you decide to have a cigar or hookah bar, there are a few things you need to consider:

You’ll need a wedding venue with an outside area.

• Have your planner check the local rules about smoking near entryways and window.
• Create a lounge in the outdoor area with rented furniture.
• Be prepared to sign a damage waiver on the rentals.
• Customizing matchboxes is a great photo-op and take away from the wedding.
• The area will gain a life of its own.
• Get regular cigars for the guys, petite cigars for the ladies.
• If using hookah, make sure to choose varieties of tobacco all of your guests will enjoy.

I've enjoyed sharing images of some of our previous events. Hopefully, they inspired you to get outside and have fun.

Pinterest & Your Wedding

Unless you've been stranded on an island with no form of communication, you've heard of Pinterest. Maybe you've heard of it, but aren't sure what it is. Pinterest is an invitation only, photo sharing site. It gives you the ability to create inspiration boards by category.

In a very short time Pinterest has become the #1 resource for brides researching ideas for their weddings. Why has it become so popular? There are many reasons. First and foremost we live in a world of rapidly changing technology. Through our smart phones and tablets, we can access the internet like never before. Pinterest has apps for both of these media.

In the past when I've met a bride planning her wedding she would come to me armed with stacks of bridal magazines, or a binder filled with photos. Now, when I meet with brides, they come to me with tablet in hand. They immediately show me their Pinterest page filled with inspiration for flowers, gowns, hairstyles, and oh so much more. It's quickly becoming the preferred source for planning, over publications. Not to say it's not magical to hold a glossy magazine in your hand. But let's admit it, it's much easier to carry your tablet with all your inspiration organized neatly and beautifully, all in one place.

On a recent design meeting with one of my clients, and florists, Pinterest was the key factor in a seamless meeting. Our bride and our florist both used their IPads and Pinterest pages to hone in on the brides perfect vision for her day.

Wedding Jeannie has a Pinterest page as well. Here, you'll learn a bit more about me. You'll learn about my favorite foods, my clothing style, people who inspire me, and of course our real weddings.

As you plan your wedding, I encourage you to use Pinterest. It will help you to show your vendors exactly what you want, leaving nothing to chance. Be careful not to give away to much information. You wouldn't want to post a picture of your actual gown, as many of your wedding guests may be following you. If used wisely it's a valuable tool. It's the new frontier in wedding planning.

I would love to follow you, and have you follow me. You can find me at the following link If you don't have an invitation yet, email me at weddingjeannie@hotmail.comweddingjeannie@hotmail.com I'd love to send you and invitation to connect.

Happy Pinning. I'll see you there!