A PIANO AS A GUEST BOOK...?

When Christine and Steve told me they planned to use a piano as a guest book, I was not too surprised. Christine is a concert pianist, who also teaches piano from her home, and she and Steve are known among their friends for throwing the best musical evenings in the area. But I must say, my logistical wedding planner side was wondering how this idea could be carried out! I am happy to report that not only was it possible to use a piano as a guest book, but having such an interactive focus for the evening was one of the best parts of the wedding celebration!

Steve and Christine found an "almost free" piano on Craig's List, had it tuned, and then delivered it themselves to Allied Arts Guild on the day before their wedding; we covered it securely with waterproof tarps, because it needed to be outside overnight. The next morning we carefully uncovered it and rolled it out to take a prominent position on the patio where cocktails would be hosted later in the afternoon.

Here Steve is making a bold move and writing his guest book entry on the key board: "I love my wife", signed by the groom, is a fitting reminder of their wedding day!

Christine and Steve searched for the perfect markers, designed to become permanent on wood, and bought every color available so their guests would feel free to be wildly creative; once the first brave soul wrote on the piano, it was a constant focus throughout the afternoon and evening.

One of the real treasures for me was watching two of Christine's piano students, who had been the ring bearer and flower girl in her wedding, sit and proudly play the "guest book" with their adoring teacher.

I was on the sidelines here, capturing the moments between teacher and student both in photos and in my memory.

The flower girl is having her turn to play for the guests, as the ring bearer tries to wait patiently for his chance!

I love this photo of small fingers moving quickly to keep up with the masterful experienced hand of his teacher; a strong visual message of what patience and teaching by example can accomplish.

Following in the teacher's footsteps is what these fortunate young musicians will hopefully want to do; being in Christine's wedding was big step towards making musictheir passion. And who knows, maybe these two young pianists will have their own wedding one day. I wonder what THEY will use as a guest book...... :)


Thank you Steve and Christine for including me in the fun of helping plan and carry out your musical and intensely personal wedding celebration!

Hollywood Romance in SF Set!

"I recently coordinated an incredibly unique wedding in San Francisco, on Treasure Island, which had such a wonderful story behind it that every detail of the design incorporated part of the story. Gloria Wong, the designer, Nancy Liu Chin, the florist, and Peculiar Pair Press, the stationer, were the design team who took the couple's vision and made their dream come true in the details....." This is a quote from my October blog post about Felecia and Jim's October wedding in San Francisco.

I have just received Catherine Hall's SLIDE SHOW of Felecia and Jim's wedding; I invite you to enjoy the images of a Hollywood-themed wedding with a San Francisco "set".

I also have some new images from Catherine which capture the joy between the bride and groom, as well as the dramatic surroundings and decor which served as a backdrop for each part of the wedding day.

Felecia and Jim at their wedding reception

Perfect Endings Wedding Cake with edible feathers!

Felecia and Jim's guest book was a tribute to Classic Hollywood.

Above and below, Paparazzi from A Cast of Thousands, greeted Felecia and Jim as they arrived at Casa de la Vista, and just before they were introduced into dinner; what could be more "Hollywood" than paparazzi, clamoring for a shot of the arriving "stars!"

Drama was included in the decor...black, white, silver, feathers and bling, as well as the view of the Bay Bridge and San Francisco Bay!

The menu and table settings dripped "over the top Hollywood glamor"!

Every escort card was hand addressed and embellished with a bling encrusted feather!

Felecia and Jim considered the guests comfort on a cool San Francisco evening.

A Sunset Shot to remember, thanks to Nature's dramatic wind and clouds

Felecia and Jim's Wedding Programs; another tribute to the world of theatre.

The next four images show the pre-ceremony shots of Jim and Felecia with the old world beauty and drama of Grace Cathedral, the Historic Intercontinental Mark Hopkins.

Jim, sporting his beloved Texas Cowboy boots, waits for the first look at his bride, in the most famous corner of the Top of the Mark, at the Mark Hopkins hotel on Nob Hill.

A perfect day and a perfect moment for the first meeting of Jim and Felecia; as you can imagine arranging the private use of this space with the hotel management and restaurant guests was nothing short of miraculous. (This is a story for another day, with the title: What Wedding Coordinators Coordinate "Behind the Scenes"!)

Felecia and Jim ready to leave for Treasure Island, and their official wedding celebration!

Thanks for the Memories, Jim and Felecia! You both win an Academy Award in my book for starring roles in your real life love story!

Thank you Catherine Hall!

Stacie and her father as they were entering the ceremony; so much warmth and connection captured by Catherine Hall!

I am so grateful for the relationships that form within the wedding community! As a planner, I enjoy becoming close to the brides and grooms whom I serve each year; at the same time, I develop strong ties of respect and love for the colleagues who work alongside me during the months of planning as well as the day of the wedding.

Please enjoy the blog post by Catherine Hall, describing our beloved Stacie and Ron, whose Fall Thomas Fogarty Winery wedding I featured in my previous blog.

A huge thank you to Catherine, who has given Stacie and Ron incredible memories of the wedding of their dreams. It was my privilege to grow closer to Stacie, Ron, their family members, Catherine and all of my fantastic team as we shared the joy of serving well a couple we treasured. Enjoy the reminders of family connections, enduring love, and a beautiful wedding celebration!

The "first look", arranged before the ceremony by Catherine and me so the special moment could be savored with a moment alone.

Stacie and Ron at Fogarty...Sigh!

I had the privilege of helping Stacie and Ron plan their elegant Fall wedding at Fogarty Winery, as well as the joy of getting to know them in the process. What an exquisitely beautiful bride is Stacie, and so in love with her handsome groom. Usually I would take time to describe the amazing decor, elegant dinner, and the details of the day; for this wedding, I will allow Catherine Hall's pictures to tell the story. Please enjoy the "eye candy" and know that the inside of this wonderful couple is as beautiful as the outside.

Thank you to my wonderful team who worked so hard to plan and carry out the wedding Stacie and Ron had been dreaming of; and thank you Catherine for capturing the beauty so lovingly!

Location: Thomas Fogarty Winery

Caterer: Componere Fine Catering

Florist: Precious and Blooming

Stationery: Rachel Hanson Design

Ceremony Music: Mori Achen Trio

DJ: Big Fun DJ's

Officiant: John Sullivan

Cake: Elegant Cheesecake

Hair: Alli Dunnam

Makeup: Jenna Perry

Transportation: Lone Star Limousine

Rentals: Hartmann Studios

Wedding Day: Janece Shellooe

Wedding Season Thank Yous!

At the end of a wedding season it is encouraging to go back over some of the thank you notes I have received from my clients after we successfully completed the planning and carrying out of their wedding celebration. I am deeply thankful for the privilege of having been alongside them during such an exciting and potentially stressful time, so it is a double blessing when they are equally thankful for my help!

Charlotte and Peter, Fogarty Winery, 2010; Photo by Catherine Hall

Hi Jean,

You are absolutely amazing. I am so in awe of your talent at making everything (and I do mean everything) come together for the wedding. I really don't know how to put in words how grateful we are to have had you around, and I don't know what we would have done without you.

It wasn't even just the big picture stuff, but also every single small detail. You made it all happen without a hitch. And thanks also to your fabulous assistants for the help with Polaroids, the beautiful guestbook and escort card display (my goodness, I was so impressed and surprised!)

Best, Char

Brenna and Jared, Rosewood Sand Hill, 2010

Dear Jean,

Thank you so much for all of you help in the planning and carrying out of our wedding day! Your time management is amazing! I am really impressed that we were able to fit everything in, and the ceremony began right on time. Nothing felt rushed, everything flowed so smoothly and peacefully.

I really appreciated that you made sure Jared and I were taking time to slow down at moments and really absorb everything that was happening and about to happen; this was golden! If you hadn't been there to pull us away at these moments, I could see how the moments would have easily slipped by.

Specifically, when you pulled us away after the ketubah and before the ceremony to spend a few moments together alone. I also really appreciated that you made sure we were eating and hydrated. This also made me feel more in the moment of everything without getting spacey and tired.

Your calm and your confidence really made me relax and keep things in perspective. And your emergency kit was also great, thank goodness for those band aids!

With hugs, Brenna and Jared

Will and Megan, Rosewood Sand Hill, 2010

Dear Jean,

Thank you again for all your help this past Saturday!! What an event! We are still coming out of a "wedding daze" but are so grateful for your assistance. It would not have been such a stress-free event without your work; and the set up at the cottage upon our return was delightful!

We shall provide the most positive yelp review! :-) I do appreciate your picking up the left wine glass favors at the end of the night; it was mentioned to us by one regretful guest on Sunday that she had left hers behind, so we will be glad to have the extras!

I hope that you've had time to recover from all of your work this past weekend. Thank you again.

The very grateful and appreciative Prices

Hugs,

Megan & Will

And this year, I have even received thank you notes from some couples whom I was NOT able to work with because I am already booked for their wedding date in 2011! The one below, from a May 7th client, particularly made me smile:

Dear Jean,

Thank you so much for calling this morning to check in with us. I really appreciate it! We really loved getting to know you; you have a rare gift for connecting with people and making us feel like you want the very best for us. If you can recommend any vendors with whom we would be in good hands, especially ones who connect with and care about their clients as much as you do, we would be so grateful

Thanks again so much for your advice and help; we want to reiterate once again how sad we are that we can't be planning this process with you. You are a wonderful person, and I am sure you will continue to make other brides' dreams come true for as long you remain in this profession!
All the best, bride and groom for May 7, 2011.

What is most important to me about my wedding planning work is the strong bond and friendships I am able to make with my clients, and now even some I am not able to have as clients!

I can't wait to get to know and love my 2011 clients in the months ahead!