Join Experian Tomorrow afternoon for A Wedding Q&A Cocktail Hour

Save the date! The Wedding Q&A Cocktail Hour is coming to Twitter! Join Maxine Sweet, Vice President Public Education for Experian, and Kimberly Schlegel Whitman, Wedding Planning Expert, on June 14, 2011.


Maxine and Kimberly will be online from 4-6 pm PT (7-9 pm ET) answering questions on how to Live Credit Smart as a couple! It all starts with planning a wedding on a budget which leads to joint checking accounts, major purchases and saving for retirement. The decisions couples make now can impact their credit and financial future, so couples should start their life together on the right financial foot by getting educated!

Those who submit a question will be entered to win one of five $250 American Express gift cards. It’s the perfect little boost for that wedding budget, a helpful extra payment toward paying down debt or it could be used for something fun during this special time!

Tweet your questions by using #happilyeverafter and @Experian_US!


For additional information, please visit the Experian US Facebook page.

Trunk Alert: Monique Lhuillier's Spring 2012 Collection

Our friend Megan McKenna Volkening over at Monique Lhuillier's Melrose Place salon has sent us an invitation for a private trunk show to share with our brides.


Come see Monique's Spring 2012 collection and prepare to be dazzled. Market is going on right now and this will be the first opportunity for you to view these gowns in person for an amazing trunk show!

Appointment's must be made, so call Megan today to secure your spot.

Featured Events: Herbalife's Green and White Gala PART 2 - The Concept

Most events of this caliber could take over a year to produce to perfection. Somehow we managed to pull it off in under four months and it all began with a concept.

It was Herbalife's 30th Anniversary and there were events globally to celebrate such a big year. The perfect venue had to accommodate the event's size and be central to downtown Los Angeles, yet also provide a blank canvas for us to produce an event designed to impress.
 
After scouting for several months, the California Science Center was chosen to be the perfect backdrop for this black tie affair. The one-of-a-kind venue offered a dramatic setting filled with interesting exhibits, science & nature, plus a significant amount of open space to create. With multiple wings, a ballroom and several levels, we knew designing a variety of spaces would be crucial.


To find my inspiration for the concept, I found myself visiting the California Science Center multiple times and spending hours walking the space to brainstorm. After about a week, since time was extremely limited, I decided to emphasize the nature aspect of the center. There is a brand new wing called Ecosystems which focuses on various environments and there's also an entire outdoor area attached filled with greenery, which in the future will become an even greener forest for visitors. As I combed the exhibits and multiple spaces, the concept became clear. I would design the event to bring the outdoors in using trees and plants, letting the science aspect rely on the exhibits. Because this was an elegant gala, it was important to also bring the glamor and drama to the design.

This gala would be an enchanted forest with modern elements that brought in a degree of grandness and whimsical designs. It would be stunning with chandeliers, crystals, a massive amount of glass and at the same time, I would contrast it with trees, branches and moss.

I worked side by side with each of my decor vendors including Shawna Yamamoto on the floral design and installations, Rick Barton with regard to lighting, Dahlia Wexler on linens, Ruth Bubba on all stationary, Carol Saunders on signage and so many more. Even the ever so patient Bryan Phelps at Classic Party Rentals played a crucial role in assisting me with getting everything just right for our 48 pages of rentals.

Once the concept and design was developed, I assembled a packet which described each space down to the very last detail. These are always beyond helpful not only for my client but also our internal team and my vendors. I then brought in Kelli Manthei, my artist extraordinaire, to work with me in transforming my vision into an illustration I could provide my client with.
Here are the sketches we created to help paint the picture and transition us to the next stage. I always find renderings for events of this size and importance to be a necessity. Everyone knows I'm details obsessed and typically I do a very thorough job in describing everything and usually more, in my packets but visuals always do a little more than even my descriptive words can do.

Check out these amazing illustrations sketching out elements from each space for the this event...

The Grand Entrance

The Main Floor

The Loker Conference Room
 

The Latin Lounge

 
Check in tomorrow as we focus on the delicious food and beverage for this very special event. This will be one post you won't want to miss!

Best of 2009: Victorian Chic on Halloween

So since we knew the end of the year was near, we saved this featured event so it could be our final blog before the new year. We worked on this event for 11 months and what began as just a color scheme blossomed into pure magic!

So... What do you get when you combine the newly remodeled Barn at Camarillo Ranch, an artistically talented client and our team at Sterling Engagements?

Our answer... A Stunning Candlelit Victorian Chic Wonderland where guests arrived in period dress fit to the tee for the occasion.


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Happy Viewing!

Souly Wedding Vendors: It's A Bride Thing Event

We are so happy to be part of the Souly Wedding Vendors family! What a great group of wedding professionals!


Souly Wedding Vendors is a creative circle of new and established Ventura County wedding vendors, all committed to the same level of professionalism. Every other month, at a new and exciting location, we host a themed party for engaged couples. This gives the clients the opportunity to meet, mix and mingle with Souly Wedding Vendors in a comfortable and relaxed atmosphere.

This month's event will be the best one yet! Be sure to stop by and at least check it out.

“It’s a Bride Thing”

BRIDAL SOIREE FASHION SHOW
By Camarillo Bridal

Thursday, August 20th, 2009
6:00pm to 8:30pm


Hosted at:
McCormick Home Ranch
2034 East Fifth Street
Camarillo

Fashion Show
Complete Information Resource for Brides-to-be
Hands on Experience with Hair, Makeup & Mobile Tanning Vendors
Meet & Mingle with Preferred Ventura County Vendors
Complementary Beverages & Hors d’oeuvres

Bring one complimentary guest with the purchase of one $5.00 admission
If purchased by August 18th 2009

PURCHASE TICKETS AT:
SoulMates Bridal Boutique
2068 Ventura Blvd, Old Town Camarillo
805-388-7363

Camarillo Bridal
2121 Pickwick Dr, Camarillo
805-389-1515

*Admission will be $5.00 per person at the door*

Happy Mingling!

My Fave Mondays: Raj Tents

If you want to take your wedding or event to the next level, Raj Tents is the company to help you accomplish that! We absolutely love adding these stylish tents to our designs and that is exactly why they are our favorite pick for this week!


Raj Tents has become the leading luxury tent rental company looking after discerning clients tenting and décor needs in California and nationwide from their offices in Los Angeles and San Francisco. With an exclusive and unique inventory, Raj Tents fills the gap in high-end, detail oriented and just simply beautiful tenting to make weddings and events stand out from the crowd.


Raj Tents can provide tenting for a variety of themes, including Moroccan, Indian, eclectic modern, beach chic through to French provincial and the understated elegance of ivory and gold. Raj’s inventory ranges from smaller, immaculate Pergolas and Pavilions for lounges, food or bar service and that work wonderfully as focal points for ballrooms, all the way to large frame tent linings to transform standard white vinyl tents into palatial settings for your nuptial celebrations.


Our favorites are the Maharaja range of traditional pole tents – just about as romantic as you can get. We also love the Chandeliers, it is such a beautiful accent!


Check out the Raj Tents web site to view more of their stunning sensations. They are consistently written up in the press for their Oh So Chic and Glamorous designs. Raj Tents are definitely the company to call when you don’t want to compromise on style or quality. If you have questions you can always contact them at their main office in Los Angeles at (310) 320-6600


Happy Tenting!

NFL Celebrity Golf Tournament Benefiting Jason David’s Corner Foundation

Please come support Jason David's Corner Foundation, as the non-profit organization embarks on a journey to continue to give back to the community. The foundation was created by New Orleans Saints Cornerback and California native, Jason David. Jason was drafted into the NFL in 2004 contributing to the Indianapolis Colt's Super Bowl XLI Championship in 2007. Jason's mission is to bring faith and courage to every corner in the community by motivating youth to stay positive and have self respect at an early age, encouraging youth to see the importance in education and to see that they have the opportunity to go to college, and being a role model by inspiring youth to work hard, be persistent and to set goals. Jason is able to do this by hosting events geared toward engaging and inspiring youth to have fun, but to also learn by conducting community service activities that will engage the youth in positive activity to direct them down a progressive path and continuing to demonstrate the importance of service learning and giving back to the community. To continue to make all this possible the foundation needs your help!


Please join us on Friday, June 26th, 2009 in Pasadena at Brookside Golf Course for the 1st Annual NFL Celebrity Golf Tournament. Join Jason David, special guest emcee ABC7 news anchor, Phillip Palmer, NFL players, business professionals and community members for a day of golfing, networking and supporting the foundation's cause to increase the awareness and research of kidney disease. Golfers will be treated to a quick massage between holes, enticing food samples from the on-site restaurant, and of course the chance to win fabulous prizes. Each participant will have the opportunity to play with NFL players, receive a commemorative photo and gift bag. It’s extremely reasonable to play and if you register a foursome your rate is discounted too!

Sterling Engagements has joined forces with this wonderful organization to assist in event logistics as well as fabulous sponsorships. We are currently looking for additional sponsors for the event as well as the tournament gift bags. Please visit the website to learn more about participating in the tournament and available sponsorship opportunities.

If you are interested in sponsoring, please contact Alexandra directly at Alexandra@sterlingengagements.com or (818) 889-8900.