Where to have the "First Look"?

What do wedding planners do when they are not on-site coordinating weddings during this busy Fall wedding season? We are often out doing the background work needed before the wedding actually happens, to be sure every aspect of the wedding day is thought through and prepared for with care. Because I love to be personally involved with each aspect of my clients' wedding priorities, I often find myself doing some interesting research work. This week I scheduled a tour of a San Francisco landmark, The Intercontinental Mark Hopkins, with a particular goal in mind: Where should Felecia and Jim see each other for the first time, on their wedding day before the pre-ceremony photos?

Tucked in the back of Top of the Mark, this nook is where we hope to stage the First Look for Jim and Felecia. Though the view is extremely beautiful, the spot is known as Weepers Corner, because during WW 2, wives and girlfriends would go to this very spot to stand and weep as they saw their men head out in military ships to war.

This bride and groom are particularly interested in finding a dramatic, as well as photographically beautiful spot, for their first look; Jim has spent decades behind a motion picture camera, shooting hundreds of movies, many of them here in San Francisco, so he has a practiced eye for composition and understands the importance of location. Since Felecia will be getting ready at the Mark Hopkins, before going over to Treasure Island for the wedding and reception, it made sense to have the two of them meet somewhere in the hotel.

I offered to scout the property with Catherine Hall, my good friend, and the amazing photographer for this wedding, and Jordan Nimura, the Director of Romance (aka. Catering Manager Specializing in Weddings) for the Mark Hopkins, to find the perfect spot!

It was a beautiful day for our visit, and we were able to enjoy a wonderful view as we had tea at Top of the Mark, discussing what would be the best spot in the hotel for Felecia and Jim's first look. Jordan is helping us think what is the least busy time for the restaurant, and Catherine is discussing what kind of lighting to bring so the sun will not create a "blown out" look for the photos. This is the kind of forethought that needs to go into creating such a perfect moment for a couple, and then capturing in perfectly to be treasured in the years ahead.

It is becoming more common now for couples to schedule that "first look" moment, usually envisioned as when the bride walks down the aisle, and her groom sees her for the first time, for a private time earlier in the day in a place which is special to the two of them, away from the pre-wedding activity. When couples choose this plan, I see them fresh and excited about the day ahead, looking more relaxed than ever in front of the camera. Now the couple can begin their romantic photos and wedding party photos before the ceremony, allowing them to join their friends at the cocktail hour, and most importantly, they can rejoice together, before the day even unfolds, that they are soon to be husband and wife.

Catherine, Jordan and I took several hours out of our Fall wedding push (Fall in California is always the busiest time for wedding professionals), to meet and lay the groundwork for an unforgetable moment for our beloved clients. As we spent time together, we felt a kinship forming, because we all share the desire to serve our clients with excellence in every detail of their wedding day, as well as the planning leading up to that day...we never want to get too busy for extra's like this, not to mention the fun of being together at Top of the Mark!

We really hope that the weather for Felecia and Jim's first look will be as lovely as it was for our tour; but we are romantics enough to know that when Jim sees Felecia for the first time in her wedding gown, the sun will come out on his face!

All in a day's work...

....what do wedding planners DO when they aren't at a wedding???

The three appointments I had this week with my current clients show the variety of activities and meetings I arrange and attend...this must be one of the most interesting jobs in the world! First I was at a tasting with a gourmet catering company, for a November wedding; then I found myself selecting elegant dinnerware for a French-inspired wedding dinner coming up in September; and finally, meeting with family and vendors for a "walk through" at Nestldown, for a large and exciting August wedding.

First, the food!


Ethan Mantle, owner and chef, of Componere Fine Catering, creates a tasting not to be missed! He provided my clients, Tiffany and Darren, with the exact meal, including appetizers and wine, which their guests will be served at Kohl Mansion in November! Yum! Naturally, I had to come along to help with the "work" of testing the menu....as they say, hard work, but someone has to do it!

I am going to look up the names of these appetizers to add to my post, as Ethan also gave us a formal menu, but for now the pictures are worth a lot of words!

Every prawn should have its own customized dipping bowl for fancy sauces, don't you think? Tiffany was pleased to show it off for me!

A creative and personal time I enjoy with my clients, is meeting at rental companies to "play" with options for their table decor. We get to try different combinations of linens, china, glassware, and napkin treatments, to see exactly how the bride and groom want their guest's tables to look for the celebration dinner.

Kimberly and Steven are planning a Parisian themed wedding dinner for their September celebration at Ralston Hall, in Belmont; last week, Kim and I met with Bernadette, at Classic Party Rental, where we selected a table setting worthy of Louis the 14th! I can't wait to see all the gold rimmed crystal, gold edged chargers, and brocade linens decorating the tables in the already ornate Ballroom at Ralston Hall!

I took this photo of Kim, toasting her fiance Steven, since he couldn't join us to choose the table setting elements...he will see it all for himself, sitting beside his new bride, in just six weeks!

Finally, at the end of my week, I had a "walk through" at Nestldown, with the parents of the bride for an August wedding. Courtney lives in Southern California, so her parents, Suzanne and Gregg, have worked closely with me in firming up all the details for the wedding.

Suzanne, Gregg and I going down the trail to the chapel where Peter and Courtney will have their August wedding ceremony.

As the wedding day approaches, visiting the wedding location with the clients, to finalize where everything will be placed, and to discuss the flow of the event, is a very important part of what a wedding planner offers. We call this the "walk through", because we literally walk through and discuss each aspect of the wedding day, fine tuning the floor plans, the timeline, and taking down each and every detail from the client; now they can relax, knowing they have passed on to someone they trust, ALL the details which have swirled in their head for months!

Here the proud parents stop to pose in the very place Gregg will be walking his daughter down the aisle to marry Peter...there were a few tears from dad, quickly disappearing into a proud smile!

I am explaining how the wedding party and family members will enter, where the grandparents will sit, and how guests will be welcomed and seated, before the ceremony begins...the chapel was set up for a wedding that day, so we were able to visualize exactly how eveything will look for Peter and Courtney's wedding.

We then headed up the to Koi Pond area to discuss the details of the cocktail hour, which eill immediately follow the ceremony; we determined where the guest book, stringed quartet, cocktail seating, and escort card table will be positioned to make the best use of the space, and to provide optimal comfort for the guests.

Finally, we met in the barn to discuss with Frank Goldstein, whose band Manhattan Towers will provide dinner and dance music, where to place the band, the speakers, and the lighting, to provide adequate dancing space, as well as seating areas, for those who prefer to "watch the action"!

Each of my clients was encouraged by the meetings I was able to set up and attend with them; this is one of my favorite parts of my job...creating the assurance for the couples I work with that what they see, taste and experience on their wedding day is exactly what they have been planning for and dreaming about. All in a day's work!