Lion Dancers, Table Tennis, and a Sari

I loved working with Simon and Shamim during the brief 8 weeks we had to plan their lovely wedding celebration at Allied Arts Guild in Menlo Park. Both Simon and Shamim are from England, though Simon is of Chinese descent, and Shamim of Indian.

Since Simon and Shamim both grew up in England (met at Oxford University as freshmen), the perfect vehicle to deliver Simon and Shamim to their wedding venue was a British 1927 Stutz.

When they began planning their intimate, culturally blended wedding celebration in early February, Simon and Shamim quickly realized they were not familiar with the American ways of planning and carrying out weddings, so they began to look for a wedding planner. I am so grateful that they chose me to be their guide and friend for the next 8 busy weeks!

One of Simon's passions is table tennis, so we brought in 2 ping pong tables for guests to enjoy throughout the afternoon and evening.

Grant Rector wrapping a bridesmaid bouquet on site at Allied Arts.

One of the first vendors I suggested to Simon and Shamim was Grant Rector as the florist/designer; he was a very good choice! Grant was on site all day on the wedding day, creating wedding bouquets, hanging lanterns, setting up a lounge for after dinner, guiding the lighting team, and generally supporting every aspect of the wedding day. Even on the day before the wedding, when we needed to bring in a tent for dinner, Grant was with me to determine the best placement and layout for the tent and the dining tables.

The ceremony was set up in the Blue Garden, one of many stunning garden areas at Allied Arts Guild.

Simon and Shamim began their wedding ceremony by serving tea to the parents; this Chinese custom is a way of showing honor to the generation who raised the bride or groom. Here Shamim and Simon are kneeling before Simon's parents, while one of Shamim's friends holds the tea set and tray for them.



During the ceremony, the dinner area was being set up in the clear tent on the other side of the gardens; we needed to revise our reception layout several times during the weeks of unstable weather preceding the wedding, but in the end, having the tent for dinner was a perfect solution to the occasional showers and gusts of wind, between patches of sunshine and pleasant skies.

Simon and Shamim named their tables for stops on the London subway line; after spending so many hours on the "tube", these names became very familiar to them!

When I first met with Simon and Shamim, they had an idea to combine the two S's of their first names to make a monogram suggesting two swans. We were able to not only create an image they liked,



but also made it into a wax stamp to seal their invitations, programs, and as decor on their menus. Thank you to Rachel Hanson for working closely with us to create just what Simon and Shamim were envisioning.


As a surprise to the guests, we brought in the West Coast Lion Troupe to perform at the end of cocktails, to salute the bride and groom with drums, dancing and streamers, and then lead the guests into dinner!

A side view of our colorful lions as they move closer to the Bride and Groom to congratulate them on their marriage!

The last surprise for guests would be the beautiful dance and lounge area set up just beyond the tent where dinner was enjoyed. Grant Rector had covered the glass doors from the inside to keep this area a secret. When dinner was over the guests would be invited into this final location for the last part of the celebration. Within an hour of this photo, Bhangra music was pounding, and Shamim's culture was being expressed on a very full and active dance floor. It was fun to see Simon dancing the Bhangra with his new wife, British relatives, and multi cultural friends.

I am so grateful to have the richness of multi cultural clients, and to enjoy the uniqueness each one brings to both the relationship they forge, and the celebration of that relationship.


Thank you to my wonderful vendors!
Tiana Wong, www.alliedartsguild.org, venue manager
Hartmann Studios, www.hartmannstudios.com, tent, linens, table top decor
Grant Rector, www.grantandco.com, florist/designer
Ava Tran, www.leskitchen.com, caterer of 8 course chinese meal!
BethAnn Goldberg, www.studiocake.com, wedding cake and petite desserts
Lisa Lefkowitz, www.lisalefkowitz.com, photography
Ron Grandia, www.rongrandia.com, DJ and Bhangra tune master
Terry Adams, www.nobhillensembles.com, ceremony/cocktail music
George Rose, www.elegantjourney.com, owner and driver of the Stutz
Armando Sarabia, www.getyourdoup.com, hair and makeup
Amanda Chan, www.westcoastlions.net, Lead lion dancer
Eddie, www.eventmagic.com, ping pong tables
Natalia, www.got-light.com, warm ambiance throughout
Rachel Hanson, www.rachelhansondesigns.com
Denis Kilen, www.elithomasformen.com, tuxedos for groom and groomsmen
Jesse Bresnahan, www.gardencourt.com, hotel for guests

Walk through for a street wedding...

When planning a wedding it is always important to have a "walk through" at the ceremony site to be sure that the engaged couple have conveyed their desires for the set up, decor and flow of their wedding ceremony. Equally important is that each member of the team executing their wedding know what is expected of them on the wedding day.

Pictured here are: Jenna, the bride; Christine one of my assistants; Jenna's mother; Julie Briggs Dunn and Alice Grisez, my two other assistants for the wedding day; and Justin's mother.

When a wedding ceremony will be in a crosswalk on a San Francisco street, it is even more important to be sure that each detail of the ceremony has been discussed thoroughly!

This week I met with my clients, Jenna and Justin, who will be married this summer in the crosswalk where Justin proposed to Jenna, at the very spot where he proposed. My team of assistants (each a professional wedding planner herself) the sound technician for the wedding, and both Jenna and Justin's mothers joined us for the walk through.


During this meeting we discussed where to place the barricades to block off traffic, how to disguise the generator for sound, location of the AV speakers, and of course, when the police would post the No Parking Signs!

This is the location for the wedding...there will be a platform just to the right of center (we have to leave an opening for emergency vehicles); the entire block will be closed off to parking and traffic for 7 hours while we set up for the wedding, bring all 200 guests up on shuttles, have the wedding, and then transport the guests to the reception at Julia Morgan Ballroom, while the wedding party and parents have a photo session at another SF location.

Jenna and her mother, with Justin and his mother, at the very spot where the their "children" will be married in just a few weeks!

Oh, and another important question, where do you have the rehearsal for a wedding in the middle of an intersection, the day before, when the block will not yet be closed off?


How about the terrace of the hotel where the bride and family members will be staying on the night before the wedding?

The groom and his mother, at the spot where we will have the wedding rehearsal.

My idea for the rehearsal location was embraced by Jenna, Justin and the family members, as well as the staff at the hotel, so the second part of our walk through was at the Hotel Vitale, where we viewed the rehearsal site, the terrace near Jenna's wedding suite.

We needed to be sure the 20+ members of the wedding party would fit, as well as having space to create an aisle with chairs for the family members to sit. We drew out where everyone would stand or sit on the terrace for the rehearsal, hoping that the pattern would transfer the next day to the Crosswalk at an intersection atop Potrero Hill.

Here I am with the groom, the mothers, and my team, discussing how best to use this lovely terrace for the wedding rehearsal the afternoon before the wedding.

We concluded that the Terrace at Hotel Vitale will work perfectly for the rehearsal, and that every detail we can think of so far about the street intersection wedding has been addressed.

Now, it is just a matter of determining how to duplicate on the wedding day the amazing weather we had for the walk through!

Stay tuned for more behind the scenes stories about my most unique professional challenge to date; to plan the first Mid-Street Wedding Ceremony ever issued a permit by the City of San Francisco!

An Evening of Inspiration

Thank you so much to the creative team at Hartmann Studios for creating such an inspirational and elegant party for all of us who enjoy partnering with you in events and weddings here in the SF Bay Area!

Fort Mason was the location for an extravagant evening where Hartmann Studios partnered with many of the premier caterers and floral designers in the Bay Area to completely fill the expanse with vignettes, and full party set ups, which inspired and delighted all who attended.

Spiral Hand Floral Design Studio created a vignette in purples, blacks and reds that evoked mystery and romance.

Colorful Events used bright colors and abundance of textures in shades of apricot, peach, orange, and pinks to evoke a bright Tuscan wedding celebration.

The lively party lounge included a DJ on a raised platform with sparkling beads masking him from view, numerous bars offering a myriad of exotic cocktails, and food stations with every delicacy from Duck Confit to pot de creme.

The more subdued and sultry red lounge area showed off Hartmann's custom lanterns and rich table settings.

The leadership and staff of Hartmann Studio put their creative design energy and multi-faceted event experience to work on this Showcase, and their efforts were appreciated and enjoyed by over 1500 guests. I am so grateful to have been one of them!

However, the most amazing display presented that evening had to be the sunset which I enjoyed at the very end of the Fort Mason dock. For this gift, I am thankful to God for displaying the wonder of His design in all its beauty!

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!

2011 Resolutions

I always make New Year's Resolutions early in January, and by this time in February I have almost forgotten what they were! This year I am going on the record, with photos to prove it, that I have already made some decisions that support my Promises to Jean, for 2011.

1. MORE TIME TO ENJOY FRIENDS

Baby Shower for Gloria Wong Tritasavit! Friends Nancy Liu Chin, Jubilee Lau, Gloria and Baby Taylor Tritasavit, soon to arrive, Bev Yip, and Lisa Lefkowitz

Bridgette, Jubilee's daughter, John Woods and Jubilee at Gloria's shower.

Janece Shelloe, myself and Ellie Platis...a reunion at the Claremont Resort and Spa!

A toast to the year ahead followed by a beautiful sunset overlooking the SF Bay.

2. MORE TIME DOING SPECIAL THINGS WITH MY UNCLE JIMMY!

Uncle Jimmy with his friend the neighborhood milkman, Michal, at Jimmy's 92nd birthday party at my house. Michal sees Jimmy every day walking to get his coffee at the local coffee shop and they have struck up a strong friendship, through sign language and jokes, since Jimmy is totally deaf.

Taking Jimmy to the Italian Zuppe Family Circus was a special treat; the son and grandson of the owners of the Zuppe family connected with Jimmy in the audience because Jimmy was so enthusiastic about the slapstick humor and amazing acrobatics of Arnoldi Zuppe and his 1 year old son.

3. MORE TIME TO ENJOY MY HUSBAND JEFF AND STRENGTHEN OUR MARRIAGE.


We took a 3 day trip to Capitola recently to hike, relax, and reconnect with each other; it was great to slow down and enjoy the simple things we don't always make time for in our busy lives. I am so thankful for our 30 years of marriage; our solid faith in God and wacky sense of humor have sustained and encouraged all along the way!


The rainbow was a bonus...how could we complain about a rainy weekend when you can only see rainbows at those times?!

Sunset time at Capitola Harbor

1. MORE TIME FOR MY GARDEN!

I found my photo of a Spring arrangement I made completely from flowers in my garden; seeing this bouquet encouraged me to get out and rediscover my garden and care for the 35 Roses, mounds of Feverfew, Forget me Nots and other perennials which are all still in my garden, just waiting for attention!

A few weeks ago Jeff and I weeded, pruned, and put wonderful smelly mulch all around my flower beds, just before the big rains hit--perfect timing! Last year I was too busy to do any of this! The floral results of my gardening care and the abundance of rain should be spectacular! Stay tuned for 2011 bouquets on my blog!

So I have set a precedent, and now I must keep up with my resolutions. Along with caring for my beloved wedding clients, I will also spend time with friends, family and in my garden!

Wedding 360 Update

It is with some sadness, yet with clear assurance that we are making the right choice, that Jubilee and I recently sent out the letter copied below. The photo was taken a year ago when Wedding 360 was producing both Wedding University at the Four Seasons, Silicon Valley, and the Academy for Planners + Designers, at the St. Regis in San Francisco. Both events were amazingly successful, and Jubilee and I are proud to have provided rich educational opportunities for both engaged couples and wedding professionals. The letter below explains our plans for 2011 and beyond.

January 2010, TV Interview about Wedding 360 with Julie (Four Seasons Silicon Valley), Jubilee and
Jean

A Personal Letter from Jean and Jubilee

January 27th, 2011

Dear Friends of Wedding 360,

A little over 2 years ago we started out to raise the bar for wedding planning and design; we wanted to help engaged couples learn from experts as they planned their own weddings, and we as Wedding Professionals wanted to learn from the best in the field so we could become better Planners and Designers ourselves.

In the process of creating the Wedding University, Wedding 360, and the Academy for Planners + Designers, we have learned that our passion is still in helping couples plan and design their own weddings.

We see that it is impossible for us to provide top level service for our wedding clients and at the same time, lead and manage a second business.
Therefore, as of February 28th, 2011, we will discontinue our partnership as the leaders of Wedding 360 LLC; we are open to passing on the vision and brand we have established should the right successor emerge. However, at this time, we are choosing to focus our energy and professionalism on our individual wedding planning businesses, Jean Marks Weddings and Jubilee Lau Events, which we have spent the last 8 years establishing here in the SF Bay Area.

We are both incredibly grateful to each of you who have encouraged us, and been a part of the planning and execution of two Wedding Universities and the Academy for Planners + Designers. What we treasure most about Wedding 360 are the friendships we have made with so many of you, and we know those friendships will be ongoing. We may now have more time to actually stop and enjoy getting to know you, instead of always scheduling meetings or conference calls!

Our online educational videos will be up until the end of February, and we highly encourage you to view them while they are still available. The third and final teaching by Todd Fiscus, recently filmed at Todd Event Studios, is now available, along with the 2 prior segments. Please do not miss the opportunity to watch all three of these incredibly helpful and inspirational videos, while they are still available. We are sure that watching and learning directly from Todd Fiscus will provide a new burst of enthusiasm and creative energy for your 2011 Wedding Season!

Please feel free to email us; we would love to hear from you!

Warmly,

Jean and Jubilee, Founders of Wedding 360 LLC
jean@jeanmarksweddings.com
jubilee@jubileelauevents.com

Why I love my career!

The tagline of Jean Marks Weddings is "...beside the bride to help as needed." I am encouraged to know that my being alongside the brides (and grooms!) who hire me is of great value to them. Their trust and appreciation, as exemplified in this blog post, are why I love my career!

For me, the most valuable part of helping couples plan their weddings is the warmth and friendship that develops between us as we work together to bring their wedding dreams into reality.

Recently I was encouraged, coincidentally all in the same week, by three of my wonderful Fall 2010 couples; each one reached out in different ways to say Thank You! I had fun taking photos of the gifts and cards sent to me, so I can always have the memories nearby!

First I received this lovely card from Christine and Steve, who were married in October at Allied Arts in Menlo Park; because Steve is from England and Christine has spent years living in the New York area, they are planning celebrations this winter/spring in both Cambridge and Upper New York State...I wish I could help plan those two, but the distance is a bit daunting!

Christine and Steve had a very personal wedding with elements of Christine's passion for music (she is a concert pianist), Steve's love of all things British (he graduated from Cambridge University), and their mutual enjoyment of fine California wine, "English" garden settings, and vintage cars. I will have photos from their wedding soon, and will create a blog to share their many wonderful details.



That same day I had breakfast in Palo Alto with Stacie, who was also married this Fall. She had mentioned that she had something for me, and when I saw her come in with a rose bush, ready to be planted, I was ecstatic! Stacie knows I love to grow roses, and that peach tones are my favorites (my logo has at its center a photo I took of a peach/yellow rose growing in my garden). It is especially endearing that Stacie chose this rose for me because Tropicana was her late grandmother's favorite rose. As Stacie gave the plant to me she said, "Now you can have something in your garden to remind you of Ronnie and me, and of my grandmother whom you never met." Wow, what could I say, except Thank You with a big hug, and a few tears of gratitude. The rose is already planted in it's own pot on my deck, so I can see it every day!

Please take a look at my blog post for a reminder of Stacie and Ron's Fogarty Winery wedding.

And at end of the same day there was one more amazing surprise from another Fall 2010 client: Felecia, who married Jim in October, asked Nancy Liu Chin, who designed the flowers for her wedding day, to create and deliver to me the arrangement and note pictured above; what a delightful and totally enjoyable surprise! Thank you Nancy and Felecia!
I placed the bouquet out on my deck, overlooking my recently pruned roses, to enjoy as I savored a cup of tea and thanked God for the opportunity I have each year to get to know such wonderful couples.
If you have time, check out my blog post about Felecia and Jim's incredible Treasure Island wedding celebration.

Now I am seriously involved in planning weddings for my 2011 clients; we are well on our way to creating life-long friendships as we partner to plan one of the most important events of their life together! I am sure it is evident why I love my career!