Cultural Wedding Traditions - The Mexican Lasso

Bridget & Alex, celebrating the Lasso Ceremony at Wayfarer's Chapel in Palos Verdes

Wedding Jeannie embraces couples who recognize their culture, and infuse their traditions into their wedding. I've been honored to be a part of cultural weddings including, Latin, Jewish, African American, Indian, Persian, Chinese, Korean, Japanese....only to name a few. To honor CULTURAL WEDDINGS, I have created this recurring blog post. From time to time, I will feature another tradition that my clients have shared with me. I hope you'll check back often and enjoy each new feature.

Today's feature is the Mexican Lasso. Traditionally a white cord/rope in a figure eight is used, but most commonly, it is a double rosary. The lasso itself signifies the love that binds the couple in marriage.

To signify UNITY, the lasso is placed around the shoulders of the bride and groom by a designated couple, usually referred to as "Padrinos" (sponsors). In modern times, we find that our couples are choosing to give this honor to the persons in their lives that mean the most to them. In the case of Bridget and Alex above, they chose Bridget's sisters. For the remainder of the service, the lasso remains on the couple's shoulders, in unity. At the end of the ceremony, the lasso is removed by either the couple which placed the lasso on the couple, or the priest. The lasso is given to the Bride as a memento of her becoming the mistress of the groom’s heart and home.

This is one of my favorite cultural wedding traditions, because it is a reminder of the responsibility both the bride and groom will share in their marriage. They are intertwined during the ceremony, and reminded that this invisible yet indelible bond lives with them forever.

Not only Mexico observes this beautiful tradition. It's shared by the many Latin American cultures, such as Guatemala and The Phillipines.

Sneak Peek - Rita & Charles

Happy and Relaxed are the words that describe Rita and Charles on their wedding day. My heart just bursts with joy when I see them enjoying a happy moment. Rita and Charles were married in November, in Santa Monica. The ceremony was held at St. Monica's with their reception to follow at The Fairmont Miramar.

I'm dying to share more photos of their wedding with you. It was a GREEN wedding. From the paper products to the flowers Rita wanted to ensure that she didn't leave a large carbon footprint behind her. Photography was provided by Suthi Picotte Photography. She is a talented and fun fun fun photographer. I'm bursting at the seams to show you the rest of her work. The talented Suthi submitted the photos to an amazing publication that features Cultural Weddings (my favorite). So, until they are published, this is all you get. Check back soon to see them all.

What will your Wedding Say about You?

So I got a package in the mail that totally caught my attention, it was a large brown package with "Mab Libs" style fill in the blank everything! And I loved it! I emailed the owner of the company immediately told him that I loved him, his product, and I wanted to marry him. And thus begins my love affair with Write on Riot. Their website is under construction... so be patient, but their product will have you laughing until you pee yourself.



Fair warning, I wrote the below card on a sample I was sent, this is my handwriting, my words, my reeeedikulousness... don't judge a company by my dorkyness.

Now I'll turn my blog over to Rob Dalton, the owner of Write on Riot.



Chances are, if you’re reading this you’re somewhere between dreaming about your future wedding and putting the finishing touches on the smallest details of your big day.





For most brides and couples, personalization is the most important aspect of the planning process. You want your wedding and reception to be creative, special and uniquely… well… you.



So, what if an element of your reception could truly be one-of-a-kind? What if your guests were part of the creativity and fun? And, what if a reception could be a lot more awesomtastic (word used with permission, 2011 Melissa DiStefano) for not a lot more money? That’s what we asked ourselves when we created our fill-in-the-blank Wedding Reception Wish Cards.



Write On Riot™ is a new company dedicated to celebration, belonging and fun. Our Wish Cards are a way for your guests to tell you how much they love you in their own personal (and often hilarious) way. The header of each card says, To the happy couple, on this special day I wish for you… (followed by) enough ___________ to last a lifetime, a love like the song __________, in-laws that never __________, excitement like the movie _______, good health so you can still _________ when you’re 100, and more.



Every completed card is a unique expression of belonging and love. Your college roommate will fill in the blanks in a completely different way than, say, your Aunt Helen will. The answers are sweet, funny, thoughtful and always personal.



How Wish Cards can start your reception on a fun note: Place one Wish Card at each reception table place setting. (It’s a good idea to buy fresh pens and leave one for every two guests at each table as well.) Most of your guests will fill out their Wish Cards right away because they’re fun and they’re great conversation starters.



Your wedding planner (ahem, hire MasterPiece Weddings) or attendant can collect the cards and pens before dinner is served, and store them for you in a safe place. Make it a keepsake. The cards can be inserted into a photo album made for 4" by 6" photos. Some couples place each Wish Card across from a photo of the guest who filled it out.



Skip the Guest Book and find out what your guests really want to tell you on your special day. Wish Cards cost just $7 for a pack of 25. There are four designs to choose from, and three colors of each design. You can buy Wish Cards at writeonriot.com/wedding as well as our fun, fill-in-the-blank shower invitations.



Congratulations on your upcoming wedding!



(PS - Be on the lookout for a giveway and a discount code exclusive to MasterPiece Weddings!!!)

MasterPiece Weddings was in no way compensated for this post, we just love this company and wanted to share the awesomeness with you. Because we like to share cool things with our readers not because we were compensated in anyway.

Design Inspiration - Lavendar and Pink @ Ebell LA

On January 19th, The Ebell of Los Angeles hosted a tasting for their clients, called "Taste of The Ebell". I was asked to design all of the tablescapes. I created 5 themed tables for the event. Here are the final two tables. They are called Antique Lavendar and Guns and Roses.

Antique Lavendar was designed to be a mix of modern and vintage. We used an lavendar satin linen, with a lace overlay. To futher the vintage feel, we used the modern Chameleon Chair with a 20's retro design, and a velvet chair pad in lavendar.The china had an old world feel with the silver design. The floral design consisted of antique roses in lavendar, deep purple, stock and ornamental cabbage.



And finally, Guns and Roses. A gunmetal satin linen was topped with a lace overlay. Hot pink napkins and roses gave the table a pop of color to liven the senses. Accents of metal were carried through the charger plate, china, silverware, and glassware. I love how the floral design was made in a metal footed container.



Designing is where I live. It allows me to showcase my talents. There's nothing more exciting to me than showing my clients how they can bring many elements together to create a cohesive reception. I hope you found some inspiration for your own wedding.

Your guests spend the majority of their time seated at the dinner table. Make sure it's dressed for the party.

VENDOR LOVE:
Photos courtesy of Marianne Lozano of Studio Lozano
Floral Design: Commerce Flowers
Linens & Chairs: Elegant Design Specialty Linens
Rentals: Classic Party Rentals
Lighting: G2 Audio and Lighting

My Mojuba

I would love to say that I know everything about everything weddings. And I would love to say that I know everything and every vendor that pops up online, every minute of every day, but I would be exaggerating. Slightly.



But, I recently found out about this awesome fun new site called My Mojuba - its' super fun! They specialize in emergency kits for the bride and groom! That are super swank, totally useful!



Now, keep in mind, that on your wedding day, I'll have my Wedding Emergency Bag with everything you could possibly need... but what about your bridal shower, or bachelorette party, or just everyday in general... I mean geez you never know when you'll need tissues stain removal kit, nail files, polish, or shoe shine or a shave kit!



And for a limited time, use the code KISSME at checkout for $25 off your purchase at My Mojuba.

(MasterPiece Weddings was not in any way paid for this post, we wanted to mention this product to you because we think it's cool and it's something you can definitely use, not because we were compensated in anyway)

Real Simple Weddings - Spring 2011

I was sent a copy of Real Simple Weddings to review, in all honestly, they sent me this magazine for free, so that I could tell you my thoughts and opinions of it. Honest. Thoughts and opinions.



And I hope you know, by now, that you come to our blog for real, honest, and heart felt advice and opinions on all things weddings.



And frankly, I love Real Simple, I buy (like pay for, with real money) their cookbooks, magazines, love their website and tips, follow them on twitter...but I was left a little, well, underwhelmed with this issue.



The cover is gorgeous, and the shoes are frankly, amazing. I want a pair in all colors. But inside is a lot of the same as last year. In fact, a lot of the same images, and articles. I would think that a new season would bring, new ideas, new cakes, new bouquets and new gowns, but this was just a lot of the same as the issue before. I mean the exact same images. Strange, right.



It was also filled with a ton of new information and new ideas, which I love. But I was left a little sad that they couldn't feature a new cake, or a new table number idea. If you are going to roll an idea over from another season, my feeling is to wait at least a few seasons.



I know there are new brides everyday, people get engaged by the dozens hourly... so this magazine may not look like a re-run to a lot of brides, but some may feel the same way I do.



What do you think?

Style Unveiled Features - Mayra & Tramon

In November, Mayra & Tramon were married at The Museum of Latin American Art, in Long Beach. Their wedding was a colorful homage to their Latin American cultures. If you're looking for inspiration for your Latin themed wedding, look no further.

Style Unveiled, the award winning blog that provides inspiration for brides and grooms, featured this beautiful wedding. The photographs provided by Natalie Moser, express Mayra & Tramon's love of each other, and their cultures.



VENDOR LOVE:

Venue: Museum of Latin American Art
Catering: TGIS Catering
Floral Design: Commerce Flowers
Photography: Natalie Moser Photography
Bakery: Rossmoor Pastries
Beauty: Design Visage

Ashley and Jordan - Again

Jordan and Ashley Wedding from Parallel Media on Vimeo.



There were so many amazing details from this wedding, and Drew from Parallel Media did such a great a job capturing the emotion of the day.



So many brides these days are opting out of video because they feel the photographs can capture the emotions, and frankly they can capture some of it. But that hug your Grandfather gives you and whispers in your ear how much he loves you and how proud he is of you... isn't caught in still images the same way.



Take a peek and let me know what you think.

Pink and Brown Wedding

Ashley and Jordan were just one of those couples that I knew instantly I would love. And I had the honor and privledge of writing a ceremony for them, and officiating their beautiful Gainesville Wedding.



Caroline Johnson photographed this beautiful wedding, that would make any gal swoon! Ashley tied in modern elegance with a classic twist. And it turned out beautiful!



And a huge Thank You to Every Last Detail for featuring our wedding!!!!



What do you think?

Wedding Planner: MasterPiece Weddings

Florals and Linens: The Unforgettable Event

Ceremony Venue: The Baughman Center

Reception Venue:Plantation Hall at Haile

Photography: Caroline Johnson

Video: Parallel Media, CO

Catering: Dragonfly

Cake: KB Kakes

Design Inspiration - Twist of Lime @ Ebell LA

On January 19th, The Ebell of Los Angeles hosted a tasting for their clients, called "Taste of The Ebell". I was asked to design all of the tablescapes. I created 5 themed tables for the event. Here is the third feature called "Twist of Lime".



Glamour was my inspiration for this table. From day one, I knew I wanted it to be a black and white theme. But I wanted it to have a pop of color. I was debating on what color to use. I looked over at my glass of sparkling water with a lime wedge, and BOOM. Light bulb moment.

Isn't the linen fantastic? A black glimmer charger created the bold contrast against the linen. White china assured the look wasn't to dark and heavy. The "Twist of Lime" came out in the lime green silkari napkin and matching chair pad. We accented the look by using black water goblets and a cut glass wine and champagne class. The glassware really set the formal tone for the table. To take the look one step further I used a black handled flatware set. It has a curly edge, that adds a little whimsy.

With such a bold table, I needed a showstopping centerpiece. A grand black candelabra graced the table and was filled with a mound of white flowers. It consisted of hydrangea, roses, gardenias (my personal favorite), and orchids. I wish you could smell it. Oh it's glorious.

Do you love this table as much as I do? I hope so, I really enjoyed creating it.

VENDOR LOVE:
Photos courtesy of Marianne Lozano of Studio Lozano
Floral Design: Commerce Flowers
Linens & Chairs: Elegant Design Specialty Linens
Rentals: Classic Party Rentals
Lighting: G2 Audio and Lighting

Design Inspiration - Spring Sorbet @ Ebell LA

On January 19th, The Ebell of Los Angeles hosted a tasting for their clients, called "Taste of The Ebell". I was asked to design all of the tablescapes. I created 5 themed tables for the event (see Champagne lace below), and they were all so fun.

Design #2 - Spring Sorbet


Peach Sorbet inspired this design. To carry through the feeling of a cool and icy sorbet, I chose a Cinderella blue satin line. The feeling of ice came through in the frosted charger plate, with silver beading. One of my favorite elements of the table was the dinner plate. It looked like ice ice baby. Spring is almost here and I wanted to use one of the hottest colors of the season...PEACH. Our raw silk napkin looked like yummy peach sorbet, with a twist. Both sides of the napkin were used, bringing out a deeper shade of color and adding drama. Finishing off the look was a clear crystal chiavari chair with a ivory satin chair pad. Roses, carnations, and spider mums were arranged in a vessel that looked like an ice cream sundae cup.

Hope you enjoy the table. I'm kinda craving a sweet sorbet. How about you? Keep your eyes open for Table #3 called "Twist of Lime".

VENDOR LOVE:
Photos courtesy of Marianne Lozano of http://www.studiolozano.com/
Floral Design: Commerce Flowers
Linens & Chairs: Elegant Design Specialty Linens
Rentals: Classic Party Rentals
Lighting: G2 Audio and Lighting

Adorn Jewelry - Valentine's Day Contest Winner

Congratulations to Maureen & Marco. Maureen was the winner of our Valentine's Day - Adorn Brides Jewelry Contest. Lucky Maureen will be dripping in diamonds, as she weds her fiance Marco. I asked Maureen to tell us a little bit about their engagement story, and upcoming wedding plans. Enjoy their story in her words.

"Marco and I had been dating for just over 3 and a half years when we closed on our first
home. We spent the first couple of weeks after closing cleaning, tearing
wallpaper down, and painting to get it move-in ready. Just as we were ready
to move out of our apartment and into the new house, Marco and I woke up one
morning and he said "I think we should see other people... those people
being a priest." He got down on one knee, opened the ring box and said those
words I had been *dying* to hear "Will you marry me?"
I was so shocked, it took me a couple of minutes to compose myself enough to
say yes!

We have been excitedly planning the wedding for the past few months
and set the big day for September 4th, 2011 at the Grand Ballroom at the
Rochester Plaza Hotel in Rochester, NY. We are focusing on making the
wedding a true expression of ourselves. Marco is a Chef and will be planning
and preparing most of the food for the reception (I hope I can keep him out
of the kitchen on the big day!). I am a Graphic Designer www.maureenmanley.net)
and will be designing our wedding invitations. Ourgoal is for our guests to be
amazed by great food, tired from endlessdancing, and smiling about all the fun
they’ve had. I'm ecstatic to be wearing Adorn's diamonds on my wedding day
to make it even more special!!"

Wedding Jeannie would like to extend thanks to Nadine Zuan of Adorn for collaborating with me on this contest. I enjoyed hearing the beautiful Valentine stories and spreading the word about the valuable service Adorn offers.

Design Inspiration - Tablescapes



Ebell LA Dining Room Decor by Wedding Jeannie

The Ebell of Los Angeles is a crown jewel of wedding venues, in Southern California. I'm honored to be one of their preferred vendors. When Melissa Allen, the director of Special Events at the Ebell approached me to design tablescapes for their new tasting series, I couldn't wait to sink my teeth into it. "A Taste Of The Ebell" took place, January 19th. It gave couples the opportunity to partake in inspired decor, taste The Ebell's culinary delights, meet qualified vendors, and enjoy everything this legendary venue has to offer.

Melissa gave me the task of creating 5 different tablescapes for the Dining Room. My design themes were Champagne Lace, Antique Lavender, Guns & Roses, Twist of Lime, and Spring Sherbet. It was a blast coming up with the themes. Using The Ebell's preferred vendors, I chose centerpieces, linens, specialty chairs, china, glassware and even flatware, and even stationery to make each theme come to life.

Champagne Lace was my first design theme. Luxury and Elegance were the key words when I dreamed of this table.

Champagne Lace Table Decor

A satin ivory lace linen graces the table, accented by a lace overlay with gold stitching. The glass with gold edge charger plate was complimented by china with a gold scroll pattern. Polished gold flatware gave the table setting a formal feel. Even the glassware had a gold rimmed edge. We topped it off with a beautiful crushed ivory satin napkin, in a beautiful pocket fold. My luscious floral centerpiece consisted of white hydrangea, roses, and a phaleonopsis orchid cascade, in an elegant gold cylinder. To finish the look, I used a fruitwood chiavari chair covered in a sheer organza chair cover, and a satin ivory chair pad.

Don't you agree that all of the elements combined, brought CHAMPAGNE LACE to life? The look is elegant and formal enough for a Royal Wedding. I think this table is worthy of William and Kate.

Thank you to Marianne Lozano of Studio Lozano Photography for captured the details of our work. Check back soon, there are four more table designs to come.

Design elements provided by the following vendors:

Floral Design: Commerce Flowers
Linens & Chairs: Elegant Design Specialty Linens
Rentals: Classic Party Rentals
Lighting: G2 Audio and Lighting
Stationery Accents: Petalos Di Pauli

Love Wedd Party!

Are you going to be there? The Love Wedd:: A Love Affair party is Thursday!

I can't wait, it's going to be so much fun, come, drink,eat, and dance with us!

Run out of Food

Worst case scenario, you run out of food at your reception. Whether you are serving cake and champagne, small plates, stations, full sit down dinner, or a buffet, the last thing you want is for your guests to leave hungry.



One way to avoid this is to be clear with your caterer as to your expectations, "Hey, Mr. or Mrs. Caterer, our guests are expecting a full meal, and they eat, so make sure we don't run out of food!"



Sometimes you look a quote for a caterer and notice the prices are pretty low, sometimes too good to be true. And that's because you are expecting a full dinner and they are pricing the meal out as light hors devours.



This would not a good scenario for anyone. So remember to be clear. 50% of your budget will be spent on food, you should get what you are paying for.

Get-a-Way Wedding!

Um,mmmmmm! Helllllooooo, I wanna go! What a deal!



Or if you want to get married, an all inclusive deal:

MasterPiece Weddings was not paid or endorsed in anyway for this promotion - but for the record, I'd love to go on a trip to Bimini Bay.

Cultural Wedding Traditions - Persian Sofreh Aghd

Persian Wedding at The Westlake Village Inn

Wedding Jeannie welcomes you to the recurring blog feature, called CULTURAL WEDDING TRADITIONS. Living and working in Los Angeles has given me the opportunity to work for clients from many interesting cultures. Most often, our clients are blending two cultures, and rely on me for advice in doing so. They understand that I embrace my own Latin Heritage, and I encourage them to incoporate their culture into their wedding. You're invited to come by from time to time, and learn about the beautiful traditions my clients have shared with me along my journey as a wedding planner. So grab a latte, or a glass of wine and let's begin with a Persian Wedding tradition.

Persian Wedding Sofreh Aghd

Afsoon & Henry were married at The Westlake Village Inn. They had a very elaborate and elegant Sofreh Aghd. The Sofreh Aghd is the legal ceremony in the Iranian culture. The Sofreh altar (spread) is a detailed display of items believed to bring the bride and groom blessings in their life and marriage. The altar is displayed on the floor, facing the east, with the couple facing the light. Cushions are placed in front of the altar, as the bride and groom are seated throughout the ceremony. Each item on the sofreh has symbolism for the qualities the couple should possess in their marriage. Common items may be honey, coins, spices, candles, a mirror, and The Koran. Traditionally they are placed in a specific order, shown below.

Whether a sofreh is elaborate or modest, is the personal choice of the couple and their families. Symbolism of the items is what carries the most importance. The ceremony itself is filled with meaningful traditions that may not be fully understood if two cultures are being blended. For that reason I recommend a ceremony program that explains the importance of the sofreh, and the ceremony order.

Afsoon and Henry's wedding was so meaningful to me. How lucky I was to experience these amazing traditions. Afsoon's generosity in teaching me about her culture and her family traditions were a gift to me. She gave me the ability and confidence to plan Persian weddings in the future.

The beautiful photos of Afsoon and Henry's wedding and sofreh were provided courtesy of Simon & Martin Photography http://www.simonemartin.com/

Resources: Persian Mirror Magazine http://www.persianmirror.com/

Valentines Sweets!

The perfect sweets for your sweetie! KB's now famous Kake Truffles are being offered when you order flowers from Prange's Florist and The Plant Shoppe!



And as always you can order these amazing confections from Dorn's Wine Warehouse. Or KB can ship them anywhere in the United States!



So, now there are no excuses as to why you can't have these yummylicious treats for your yummylicious valentine!

Love Affair

Are you ready to party? After all this planning, details, and vendor selection, and planning (did I mention planning?) You deserve a party!



Love Wedd is hosting a party, a super fun night, filled with food, dancing, entertainment, and THOUSANDS of dollars worth of prizes!!



And it's free! You just need to contact Love Wedd for tickets. For more events hosted by Love Wedd check out our FaceBook Page.

Wedding First Look

One of the biggest debates for today's bride is to see her groom before the wedding or not to see him. For some it's an unequivocal no. And for others, it's a wellllllllllll, maybe, I'm not sure, what difference will it make, no, yes, wait I'm not sure.



I am not here to tell you to do it, or not to do it, but to tell you the pro's to having a "first look". And of course show you some pretty images from a first look.



My personal feelings on a first look is DO IT! Don't even think about it, do it. (Unless you feel like a bazillion years of bad luck will fall on you like a brick wall, and you will never see straight again if you see your groom before you walk down the aisle)

There is alot of emotion on your wedding day, and alot of that emotion and stress comes from not seeing your groom, your best friend, the man you've relied on your whole relationship. So the opportunity to spend 15 minutes before your wedding with him, holding him, in private, being able to look him in the eyes and see the man you love, kiss him, and tell him how handsome he looks, is a special moment. One you will never forget.



And make your day, so much more fun! And you'll get some great picture time!

Images by Jimmy Ho