OC's Finest Blog has Moved!

That's right! I've got a new and improved Blog! Come see & make note of the new address! http://www.blog.ocsfinestweddings.com/

Coming soon to the new blog: My attendance at the "Orange Coast Weddings Magazine Launch Party" at the Montage in Laguna Beach!

Orange County Goes Green!

I was overjoyed to be present at the Launch of The Green Event Studio presented by The Spiraled Stem Floral Design & Foscari Events & Catering. The event was to benefit Brides Against Breast Cancer, a charity that has deeply touched my heart! As I watch my friend Carol battle Breast Cancer every day, I am so touched to see all the ways women, young and old, are showing their support! Christine of Spiraled Stem and Foscari Catering teamed up to showcase their spectacular new GREEN space. The studio is a fabulous resource center to inspire GREEN weddings and events. Starting with eco-friendly flower design and catering, the studio will feature a full range of products and services by Summer of 08’. The studio is a place where event planners can come to learn more about how to create environmentally conscious weddings and events for their clients. Vendors who showed amazing support by offering their services were Wildfower Linens, Veriflora, D’lsh Design, Atmosphere Entertainment, and the COOLEST CAT, and one of my favorite photographers, Christine Farah! She was so sweet to let me use some of the event pics! Thanks Crissy!

Overall….This is what inspiration looks like to me. Christine of Spiraled Stem started her business around the same time I started mine. I met her at a couple ABC functions and worked on several weddings with her and always noticed her DRIVE! She’s come a long way and worked her tail off and I was so excited for her when she shared her vision and opened this Studio! Inspiration comes in many forms…..Christine’s Aunt was an inspiration for her. She lost her battle to Breast Cancer before Christine’s wedding and she shared her heart and soul with us by telling her story. My inspiration is my husband who has endlessly supported me through the ups and downs of starting your own business and has sacrificed a lot these last few years by allowing me to go after my dream. I could not PUSH forward without him! (I love you Donny!)

Here are a few AMAZING shots captured be the always amazing Crissy – Christine Farah Photography. I was thrilled to attend an event that brings GREEN to California!

Kristen & Alan- Nixon Library

I have been on pins and needles waiting for these gorgeous images from Orange County’s famous photographer Aaron Delesie….and BOY, was it worth the wait! Did I mention that Aaron was the photographer behind Orange County's most anticipated TV Wedding...... Housewives or Orange County on Bravo? He did remarkable work on Laurie & George's Wedding last summer! Thank you Aaron and team for sharing these with me! I was so excited about this wedding from beginning to end. Kristen and Alan are one of those couples that just emulate love and affection. When I first met them to discuss their wedding I knew right away that we’d have a blast creating a fantastically FUN Wedding at the Nixon Library in Yorba Linda. A location very close to my home, it was the first time I was able to do a reception in their amazing ballroom! Great timing for a patriotic style event eh? This place was literally a blank canvas of BEAUTIFUL space! From top to bottom, the spectacular chandeliers, enormously large windows and spacious floors were a sight to see! The Nixon library is a Wedding Planner’s Dream come true. Jason’s Catering brought in the taste of perfection in every way. The food was fabulous and their banquet manager Natalie and I worked amazingly together! The vision really came together when the flowers and candles arrived from Cheryl at Unique Florist. The gorgeous amber and red up- lighting was brought in by the wonderful Mark of Sterling DJ’s and I even had my favorite Videographer Joe of Today’s the Day capturing all the juicy moments and funny speeches! Lot’s of fabulous vendors……lots of dreams coming true!

Thank you Kristen and Alan for letting help plan your gorgeous wedding day!

The Greatest Speech Ever......The Best Man Sang/Rapped a Song proclaiming his love for his best buddy. There were lots of blushing and lots of laughter!

Venue Location: The Nixon Library, Yorba Linda
Catering: Jason’s Catering
Photographer: Aaron Delesie Photography
Videographer: Joe of Today’s the Day Weddings
Florist: Cheryl, Unique Florist
DJ & Lighting: Marc of Sterling DJ’s

Fundraiser Fun!

Last Friday some of my wonderful friends and past brides held a Wine & Fondue Fundraiser to raise money for the LA Marathon run this coming March 3rd! The response was amazing and so many friends and fellow vendors came out to support the amazing cause! The LA Marathon Run is for Lymphoma & Leukemia research and holds a very special place in my heart. My husband was diagnosed with Lymphoma the first Christmas after we got married and we were absolutely scared and saddened that a HEALTHY man could suddenly grow a 7cm tumor in his chest. While it was a scary time, we both learned a lot and my hubs fought his tush off and was Lymphoma free after 7 months of chemo and radiation. We are so thrilled that with GREAT care and a great attitude, my husband has been cancer free now for 2 years! A lot of these ladies were there to support us during that unsure time and I was elated to support THEM while they RAN for such a good cause. Fusion Linens generously donated all the chocolate satin linens and the Lovely Allison of Flower Allie Weddings donated the gorgeous centerpieces that were later raffled off! Overall, it was an amazing evening with fun filled memories and I was so impressed by the beautiful job all the runners did in making this a classy and successful fundraiser! The Raffle was an ABSOLUTE blast and there were so many amazing prizes donated! Special props to the hosts Caitlin & her husband Robert who shared their beautiful home with us! Robert was the fondue man of the night and I am still dreaming of that cheese! YUUUUUM Cheese!! I yanked a few of these photos from some of the girls so credit goes to Aline, Jessica, Diane, Claire, Kim, Kate, and Cat...hope I didn't leave anyone out!

The Runners!The Fondue Man
The Raffle Prizes......There were so many amazing goodies in here!

It's Raffle Time!!

Jessica did an amazing job at MC'ing the Raffle

The Winners.....
Gorgeous centerpieces from Flower Allie

The Supporters! Good TImes!

December Delights! Adelaide & Ed

December was my last wedding of 07' and I had the pleasure of coordinating a beautiful Wedding Celebration for Adelaide & Ed! It was an absolutely stunning event! Adelaide is from New York and travels quite frequently and her fiance resided in Houston so she really needed my help in keeping her organized and SANE! :) We had a great time pulling together the details and they were such a delightful couple to meet!

The Ceremony took place at the gorgeous Mission Inn of Riverside. I love their charming chapel and I even got chills when the boys choir sang as part of the processional.....all 40 of them! The Reception then followed at The Crestmore Manor in Riverside.....a hidden gem with a BLANK canvas of NEW space! It was a beautiful yet crisp day. Renee Broughton shared some pro photos of the fab details and I have a few that one of my assistant's Kelli took and sproused up. :) There was a great team behind this big day and I want to thank ALL the fabulous wedding pro that were part of this amazing celebration! Credits at bottom!

The ever-popular shoe picture! I think this may be one of my favs!

There was this amazingly TALL and gorgeous tree at the Crestmore Manor.

Renee captured a beauty of an angle here!

Trying to pronounce this devine "Sweet Art" was an accomplishment. Say it with me "Croquembouche" - Pronounced "Crock-OM-Booosh" Yay!!

The linens were made by the brides mom and were a dramatic backdrop for these vibrant centerpieces.

The gorgeous Manzanita Branch Centerpieces were designed by Christine from Spiraled Stem.

Below are some non-pro pics that my assistant Kelli (aka Linen Guru) took.

The Placecard Table

The Wedding Pros!

Ceremony Location: The Mission Inn of Riverside

Reception Location: Crestmore Manor

Photography: Renee Broughton

Videography: Joe of Today's the Day Weddings

Florist: The Spiraled Stem

Bakery: Suzanne of "The Sweet Art"

Hair & Makeup Team- Joyce Luck

Spanish Guitarist: Roger Espinoza

New Years In Denver!

Happy New Year Everyone! I know my blog has been a little empty lately and stay tuned for a couple weddings from 07' that I haven't had a chance to blog just yet! I usually try to keep this blog wedding related, but what the heck......I did something semi romantic so I guess this qualifies! My husband is a HUGE Denver Bronco fan. I decided to surprise him with a trip to Denver CO for his Xmas gift with 2 rad tickets to the Broncos Final game of the season. They won...in overtime....it snowed...Burrrrrrrrrr.....but we had a blast! You will notice that in nearly EVERY picture, I am wearing a beanie.....it was necessary, trust me. It was a COLD weekend!

So we started our adventure by renting this adorable shoe...err, car. Hey the gas milage was unreal so it worked. Although going over 70mph is not recommended. I think we caught air at 55mph.

We decided to check out the Coors Brewing Factory. They give you an AMAZING free tour and even hook you up with 3 beer samples at the end. What a deal!

Where Beer Magic is made......Donny being silly......We headed back to check into our hotel at the Curtis. This place is super funky and oober creative. Each Floor has a different theme. We were on the "Dance Floor"....where "Nobody puts baby in the corner......" Muah, showing off the lovely view from one of the windows....Sunday was THE GAME....Donny was pumped....Like a kid in a candy store! This was my thank you kiss....

See the pretty snow topped mountains in the background. It was such a stunning view ALL game long....even when it started snowing on us.

Donny bought me this Bronco Beanie because I lost my brand new Oakley Beannie at the Airport. I am still crying about that beannie, but he replaced it with FAN pride!

New Years Eve we decided to walk ALL over downtown.....I mean EVERYWHERE. We found the baseball field "Coors Field" where the Rockies Play.....again, Donny was overjoyed.... After all the walking in zero temperatures we worked up an appetite and grabbed some sushi at a neato restaurant down town......Afterwards we caught some fireworks downtown with thousands of locals! Good times!


Downtown Denver is one of the beautiful cities I've ever been to at Christmas time! The people were warm and friendly, the service everywhere was outstanding and we are REALLY looking forward to coming back to see another DENVER BRONCO game and enjoy the city!

Happy Turkey Day!

It was the first year in our new home so I decided to host Thanksgiving!! Yay!! All of this 5 days after our BIG & CRAZY FUN Housewarming Party. What was I thinking? I know.....I am a party girl who loves having friends and family over. Any excuse to make my Turkey Placecards, I was all over it!! If I had ONE big thing to be Thankful for, it was the weather. It was such a beautiful day! Since I didn't have enough space inside for a table of 10 I was forced to throw my guests outside. The set up turned out beautifully and after my crafty MS Turkey Placecards and oober Perty Kate Spade Napkins were on the table, there was hope after all. I love Martha Stewart's Living Magazine....so many colorful ideas...Of course, if you'd completely look past the green patio chairs, I would appreciate it. I doubt Martha would approve those:) .......And who knew that the dollar section at Target would supply my fun yet simple dinner and salad plates? I looooooove Target! Total Cost for this table set up $73.00! Whohoo! Overall, FABULOUS time with family!

We even busted out the marshmellows for some smoores at the end of the evening. Yumm!

These are the Rafia Wrapped Turkey Placecards for everyone. Lots of cutting, double side stickytaping and overall timeconsuming...... but adorable!

How do you reuse Halloween Pumpkins? Easy, just carve out a small circle and stick a tealight candle inside. Viola....instant table ambiance!

Even our pup Roxy had a GREAT Time!

Dinner & Salad Plates $1.00 (Target)

Kate Spade Napkins $1.00 (BB&B clearance Section)

Carnations $5.00 (Costco)

Chocolate Linens $30.00 (Bed Bath & Beyond)

Water Goblets $8.00 (for set of 12) BB&B

Andrea + Erik 10.20.07

Andrea and Erik are such a warm and loving couple. Every time we got together to talk about their wedding, I would notice these LOVE BIRDS catch a glimpse of each other across the table. TRUE LOVE right there! I was so excited to coordinate their gorgeous wedding at Bowers Museum. You will see by the pictures that this bride LOVES touches of fall and her favorite holiday is Halloween! How do you pull off a wedding with a pinch of Halloween in a classy way? VERY SIMPLE…..Lot’s and Lot’s of candles, mini-pumpkin place cards and fun scattered pumpkin lanterns all over the courtyard! This Navy and Orange Color Scheme really came together beautifully. Andrea has exquisitely charming taste! LUCKY for us this was just 24 hours before Orange County saw the biggest windstorm and fires ever! Not only am I thankful that this outdoor wedding was wind & fire free, but I thanked Mother Nature for keeping all our families and friends safe during that scary time.

I again, had the opportunity to work with the amazing Renee Broughton and her husband Brandon who make a fab photog-couple! They are always such a blast to work with! Renee even shared some pics for me to blog! Yay Renee! The Bride purchased these amazing vases and Allison of Flower Allie Weddings did ALL the florals bringing the vibrance into Bowers Museum!

This first and ONLY picture is from my camera because

I loved the satellite arrangements around the main centerpiece.

All the pictures below are images by Renee Broughton.

A "Blue" Galaxy Wedding......

This past Saturday I had a blast at Belinda & Chris's wedding! We started in Laguna Beach at a quaint little church that had a peekaboo glance at the ocean. The reception followed in Costa Mesa at the Super Swanky, Center Club. This place is a hidden gem with a great layout, spectacular food, and impeccable service. The cocktail reception was all about Indy music, Star Wars touches, and lots of laughter. Outside we had a fire kindling and cozy couches to create a laid back, yet FUN celebration. It was such a GORGEOUS day ALL day.....this was probably the most perfect wedding weather I've experienced yet! I had a great time working with a talented photographer who's pictures are priceless! Eric J. Cotter has an edge to his work that I love! His artsy, yet in-the-moment shots are always beautifully captured. Such a pro! He even shared some sneak peeks with me! Thanks Eric! As usual, Allison of Flower Allie Weddings did not disappoint with her Floral design.
Up-lighting was provided by Mi Media Productions in Irvine and I cannot stress enough how GREAT LED lights are in a room! Such a transformation! I had a great time meeting and sharing ideas with the bride and groom and I will definitely miss our fun conversations! Have a GREAT Honeymoon you two!

Belinda & Chris had a log cutting ceremony right outside the church...

It's a German family tradition and I LOVED the idea!

Chris & Belinda wanted a very Unique Martini Luge!

The Most Fun Grand Entrance, about 30 guests held light sabors.

Can you tell they are StarWars fans yet?

Couldnt Help but post some pictures I took with my camera of the other goodies & details:

My NON Pro Pics Below:

I took about 20 pictures of this BLUE Candy Table and

I still couldn't capture the crisp blues we got from this table.

Beautiful Glass + Pretty Candy = FAB Candy Buffet

Venue: Center Club in Costa Mesa

Photographer: Eric J Cotter Photography

Floral Design: Flower Allie Weddings

Lighting: Mi Media Productions - Irvine CA.

DJ: Mike Bocek -

Paradise at the Hyatt!

I feel absolutely lucky to have met this smart, sophisticated, and stunning couple! Caroline and Terry have it all.....looks, brains and absolute adoration for each other! It seems like yesterday that we met for lunch to talk about their dreams for the big day! There were alot of out of town guests from all over the US so what a better destination than the beach! My dream team of wedding professionals were apart of this spectacular paradise. I was elated to work with "THE Jim Kennedy" of Jim Kennedy Photographers. This morning I was super thrilled that he filled my inbox with his artistic snapshots of the day. It is always so great to relive the moments this quickly! Jim, you are a Rockstar! Floral design by the talented Allison Becker of Flower Allie Weddings! She always impresses and when she stayed to move the ceremony arch into the ballroom I was more than thankful. The palms were heavy, but brought the outside in....When the bride and groom walked in for their private "first see" they were ecstatic! I am also a firm believer that Chivari Chairs can make the room and the proof is in the pictures! Chair Rentals & Runners by Fusion Linen. Overall, I couldn't have asked for a more gorgeous setting for this couple! Their guests had a blast....Their parents were beaming.....and I was proud as punch to be there! Congratulations Caroline & Terry! Have fun on your honeymoon!

Starting off with my favorite picture of the bride!

Caroline's mom Ginni was ALL Smiles and such a sweet presence in the bridal suite.I love FUN Flower Girl Baskets Peeking out at the ceremony set up.......

Terry is such warm, friendly and genuine man.......who clearly loves Caroline!

I love this shot!

Double Happiness- Katie & Kam

Two Ceremonies and a Big Reception! What an Amazing Celebration! We started the morning early with a tea ceremony and an amazing hosted lunch at Katie's family home. At 9:00am it was nearly reaching 90 degrees and guess who was ALL smiles and glowing? You guessed it! Katie and Kam! The gowns were absolutely stunning! Katie looked breathtaking and the fun started when Kam and his men arrived to go through the traditional games by the bridal party. I LOVED the giggles, the banter, and the pure JOY and admiration that filled the morning air! The Tea Ceremony was followed by the Western Ceremony at the Crowne Plaza. I had my fantastic OC's Finest Team, Brianna & Caitlyn there to assist and I couldn't have done it without them. A lot of logistics and they were my right and left arm! (Thanks girls). The reception followed in a gorgeously lit ballroom with spectacular ochid pot centerpieces, and a lavish backdrop. Flowers were done by the talented Kim Chi and I loved how the room pulled together! The night was ever eventful as there were amaznig performances, a tango dance by Katie and her father, and a scrumptious looking White Chocolate Fountain. YUUUUM!! I also had the pleasure to work with the oober talented Trista Lerit who captured the loving essence of the entire day and did not miss a beat! She is a true artist and I have been dreaming to do a wedding with her for a long time....she lived up to that spectacular reputation! Love her! She quickly shared with me her sneak peeks! Thank you Trista! You are a Rockstar! Enjoy!

Photography: Trista Lerit Photography

Venue: Crowne Plaza Hotel, Anaheim

Catering: Furiwa Seafood Restaurant

Floral Design: Kim Chi Flowers

Entertainment: Young Brother's Band

Officiant: Greg Mohr, You May Kiss the Bride

Lighting: Rainbow Lights and Sound

Ceremony Musicians: Karen Garrity String Ensemble

Transportation: A Limo King

BEACH SIDE BLISS!!

Sorrrrrrrry ladies and gents, I am a little behind on blogging, but had to share a few pictures from a wedding I did last July 27th. Todd and Clara are an exceptionally LOVEABLE couple. Everytime I met with them, they became closer than clients and more like GOOD friends that are planning a fun party together! They have a great connection and compliment each other so well that it was always awesome to be in their presence! We had LOTS of fun together before and even AFTER their BIG DAY! Some of my favorite moments with my bride & groom's is talking about the "behind the scene action" and we were elated with FUN stories and happy moments from the after bliss! Miss them already!!

Their wedding day could not have been more beautiful, touching, inspiring, and heart felt.....Oh and did I mention, it was ON the beach? La Palapa is a hidden gem in Belmont Shore that has a fab view of the ocean and a ballroom above their restaurant for the reception. What a GREAT set up!! I had such a blast helping them save lots of mooolah by creating these fab apothacary wish jar centerpieces! It took several trips to the local discount glass store, but we did SCORE didnt we guys?!! Oh, and this is officially the FIRST wedding that showcased a Magician during cocktail hour? Jeff Palmer was amazing! Think David Blaine & Chris Angel, with a Willy Wonka personality!!TOO FUN!! And who doesn't love a color coordinated candy buffet? I had fun with this one!

The ever talented Photographer Renee Broughton captured the sweet moments and details and sent me a few to share for your viewing pleasure! Thanks Renee!! There are also some OBVIOUS non -pro pics in here as well, but I'm sure you'll see the difference.....

My Best Friend's Wedding!!

Of all the weddings I’ve planned, helping my best friend plan her gorgeous destination wedding in Cambria has to be my favorite! When Nicole & Matt decided to choose outside of the OC to wed, I knew exactly why! They wanted a get-away for their guests and Cambria happened to be where Matt proposed. Awwwwwwww! Matt dropped down on one knee off the cliffs of beautiful Ragged Point in Cambria and later that evening while celebrating their engagement at Cambria Pines Lodge with good food & yummy wines, they knew this was the spot to say “I DO”. The weekend was absolutely memorable and wildly romantic! EVEN the rehearsal dinner hosted by the grooms parents at Eberly Winery in Paso Robles was TOP Notch!! We enjoyed a wine tour and fine dining in a cave gorgeous!! So amazing! I think I can get used to this wine tasting stuff!

The wedding day was absolutely stunning. The sun gave the perfect glow and Nicole couldn’t have been MORE beautiful!! I was so proud to be the Maid of Honor for the big day and this was such a FUN weekend! Flowers were done by Adornments and gave that WOW factor! They were vibrant, funky, and even added the right textures to give it the modern twist that Nicole wanted. I’ll be sharing more pictures soon, but here are a few sneak peeks taken by the amazing David Pascolla.

I LOVED Nicole's bouquet! Fun Feathers and Vibrant colors! Work of art!I love this picture of Nicole looking back at the camera with her parents looking at her lovingly. Melts my heart! This was NOT posed and we were literally waiting for the coordinator to tell us WHEN to walk down the aisle when this shot was taken.