DIY With Star: Creating a Kiss Board

I wanted to share with you a fun little DIY project you could incorporate into the next bachelorette party, bridal shower, baby shower or birthday party you throw.  Create a kiss board for the lovely woman you are celebrating!

A few months ago I threw a baby shower for one of my best friends who was pregnant with a baby girl whose name would be Isla.  In addition to the games I'd planned, I wanted to do something interactive with the guests so I decided to create a "Kisses for Isla" station.  I included various shades of pink lipstick and cotton swabs for applying it, a small mirror, small pieces of paper for each kiss, a pen for labeling the kisses, tissues and instructions.  The shower guests had a great time!  They compared their kisses, took pictures of each other wearing fuchsia lipstick and said to each other jokingly "wow, that is really your color!".  After the shower I collected all of the kisses and framed them for my friend.  She loves this keepsake and has it hanging in her daughter's room.  How sweet that Isla has "kisses" from the most special women in her life all in one place!

This was a perfect project for a baby shower, but would also be great for a bachelorette party or bridal shower (it could say "Kisses for the Happy Couple").  How cool would it be to have a kiss board with all of your Bridesmaid's kisses?!

I loved the project so much I decided to incorporate it into my birthday celebration.  I recently turned the big 3-0 and thought it was the perfect milestone to capture "kisses" from my best girl friends.  These are the girls who have been my friends through thick and thin and I love that I now have their kisses all in one place.  Everyone's kisses are so unique and individual which is what make this project so cool!  I will forever treasure it along with the memories of the fun night we had when we made it.

I hope I've convinced you to make a "kiss board" for an upcoming event with the girls!  A few things to remember: make sure to have plenty of extra papers for the kisses because I can guarantee you that your guests will want a "do over" to get the perfect kiss :)  You could also skip the little pieces of paper all together and just have guests place their kisses directly on a larger piece of paper.  That would look cool too!

XOXO,
Star

Sterling Engagements Inc. Intern Alert!

Sterling Engagements is looking for new interns to join our team for the rest of the 2013 year!  We are a boutique event design and production firm that specializes in weddings, corporate and social events.   

Photo courtesy of Callaway Gable Photography

Think you have what it takes? Here’s what we are looking for:

If you are fun, friendly, curious, well mannered, responsible and enthusiastic, we want to meet you!  We love passion, excitement, attention to detail, those who ask questions and have a keen sense of humor and strong intuition!

We currently are seeking production interns and an office and events intern.  If you have a strong interest in weddings and events; design, details, planning, production and are seriously considering a career in the industry, this may just be the internship for you!

If you meet the below criteria, please send your resume and cover letter to ana@sterlingengagements.com.

(Only inquiries with both cover letters and resumes will be considered, please no phone calls)

Production intern duties include, but are not limited to:

·         Being on-site on event days (often weekends and sometimes weekday evenings)

·         Assistance with setup and break down in all areas of event

·         Setup of wedding and event day details

·         Assistance with vendors, site reps, brides & grooms, bridal party and their families

·         Assistance with timeline management and execution

·         Completion of event summaries for each event worked

·         Completion of Intern project (assigned after completion of 8 events)

Minimum requirements:

·         College credit preferred but not required

·         Strong interest in events, both corporate and social

·         Strong communication skills both oral and written

·         Organized, dependable, punctual and committed

·         Friendly, honest, ability to multi-task, work well with others and has a desire to learn

·         Ability to smile and be pleasant at all times while maintaining a professional appearance

·         Willingness to go the extra mile

·         Ability to problem solve at a moment’s notice

·         Reliable transportation and ability to commit 8-12 hours on event days

·         Can offer a commitment to 10 events (could range between 3-8 months pending availability)

Office and event Intern duties/requirements include, but are not limited to:

·         Researching new venues, vendors, design trends etc.

·         Data entry and management

·         Weekly organizational projects

·         Inventory maintenance

·         Completion of Intern project (chosen at beginning of internship)

·         Completion of event summaries for each event

·         Assistance on most event days (see Production intern duties above)

·         Correspondence with Sterling team, vendors and clients

·         Assistance with social media, blogging and website updates

Minimum requirements:

·         A minimum commitment to 2 days (or 16 hours) a week through December 2013

·         Strong interest in events, both corporate and social

·         Reliable transportation

·         Strong communication skills both oral and written

·         Organized, dependable, punctual and committed

·         Extreme attention to detail

·         Friendly, honest, patient, ability to multi-task, work well with others and has a desire to learn

·         Ability to work under pressure, deadlines and prioritize projects

·         Ability to problem solve at a moment’s notice

·         Ability to smile and be pleasant at all times while maintaining a professional appearance

·         Self-starter, independent and motivated

·         Willingness to go the extra mile

·         Commitment to total client satisfaction
·         Must be comfortable with dogs (we have a dog that comes to our office)

Still interested?  Great!  We’d love to hear from you!  Please make sure to include your favorite restaurant, movie and clothing designer when you contact us... =)

Star's Favorite Sweets: Smore Pops

Summer is right around the corner which has me craving smores!  The combination of gooey marshmallows, creamy chocolate and crunchy graham crackers is just perfect and the ultimate American classic!  I happen to think everything is better on a stick so I thought I'd give smore pops a try.  I must admit they were quite delicious, super simple to make and really pretty!  These smore pops are less messy than camp fire smores and can me made ahead of time which makes them the perfect party treat.

To make these pops, I simply stuck lollypop sticks into marshmallows, dipped them in melted chocolate and rolled the bottoms in crushed graham crackers.  Thats it!  These would be perfect to serve at a Memorial Day BBQ, bridal shower or birthday party.  You could even wrap them up in little cellophane bags, the the with a pretty ribbon and use them as favors.

To make the little flags, I wrapped a bit of washi decorative tape around the tip of the lollypop sticks before I inserted them into the marshmallows.  Washi tape comes in every color an pattern you could imagine so its really easy to customize this treat to your event.  I happen to love the blue and white, especially for this time of year.  Enjoy!!

XOXO,
Star

Sterling Engagements Featured at Urban Unveiled LA - Great Gatsby Theme Hosted at Vibiana

We (along with everyone else) are currently obsessed with all things Gatsby.  The style, the romance, the excitement of the Roaring Twenties... we can't get enough of it!  We were recently invited to participate in Urban Unveiled LA, hosted by Vibiana.  We were trilled at the opportunity to participate in this exciting high end bridal experience.  This year Urban Unveiled was Great Gatsby themed.  On May 1st, Vibiana was transformed into an Old Hollywood 1920s speakeasy.  All of the vendor's booths were decked out and oozed glitz and glamour!  Check out this video - it is a quick way to show what this event was all about!

The Gatsby era, known for its unprecedented economic prosperity, flapper culture, jazz music and glamour was the inspiration behind our design.  Our booth, which included a tablescape and lounge area, was a collaboration between Alexandra, our creative director, Shawna of Shawna Yamamoto Event Design and Amber of Amber Event Production.  We implemented the show palette of black, creams and gold; but of course had to put our own spin on it.  It was important to us that we took the style and grace of the Gatsby era but also added a modern twist and feel to it.  We accomplished this by utilizing various textures, dimension and lots of sparkle.  Calla lilies, orchids, and hydrangeas covered the table which was draped by gorgeous linens from Designer Specialty Linens.  A show stopping chandelier, gold flatware and stunning signage topped it all off.  The lounge furniture topped with luxe pillows and surrounded by gorgeous draping was enhanced by amber uplighting which created a very romantic feel.

Photos courtesy of Duke Photography

Photos courtesy of Isabel Lawrence

Photos courtesy of Duke Photography

We couldn't have been more thrilled to have been part of such an extraordinary event and are looking forward to next year!

Event Design and Production: Sterling Engagements
Event Design and Decor, Florals and Backdrop: Shawna Yamamoto Event Design
Lighting and Draping: Amber Event Production 
Linens: Designer Specialty Linens
Lounge furniture: Lounge Appeal
Photography: Isabel Lawrence and Duke Photography
Rentals: Classic Party Rentals
Stationary and Signage: Calligraphy Katrina

Sneak Peek: Amena and Brandon Say "I Do" at Vibiana

Amena and I worked together on her and Brandon's day for what seemed like forever.  It's now been just over a month since her and Brandon tied the knot... I can honestly say that's seemed like forever, as I miss them both dearly!

They chose Vibiana as their wedding venue and it was the perfect backdrop for the day.  Daniel Boswell of Imagique shot an amazing same day edit and today I wanted to share it with you!    

Stay tuned for a follow up post with photos soon from the always amazing Callaway Gable!  In the meantime, you must see Amena and Brandon's incredible engagement photos!

This was one of my personal favorites...

Sterling Buzz: Happy 8th to Sterling Engagements!!!

8 years ago today I made the decision to launch my company, the Sterling Engagements journey has been nothing short of extraordinary and today I feel incredibly humbled by it all.  We are so blessed to have 8 years of incredible events, memories and experiences with both our clients, colleagues and supporters.

Photo courtesy of Vinography

As some of you may know or were able to read last year, there's a very special story that goes alongside it all.  If you haven't had the opportunity, be sure to check out last year's post.  

2013 will be a very special year as we unveil our new brand.  Get ready for an exciting new look and new website very soon!  We've been working ferociously with Jennifer Ebert of Prim and Pixie and CANNOT WAIT to share it!!!  In the meantime, here's a sneak peek!

  

Inspired by All White Weddings & Events!

Spring is in full force for Sterling Engagements and we have been busy bee's prepping for all our amazing Spring and Summer weddings.  But with all the chaos, I still find myself more inspired then ever even by just seeing a window display or reading a magazine.  It's incredible how inspiration just magically appears in the most unconventional of ways and I always challenge myself with what I want to do with it.

Today, I had to share one of my favorite looks with you as we have several designs inspired by this coming up that are very white!!!!  There's something so pure and serene about all white.  It could be simply designed or extraordinarily over the top, either direction always ends in one result, truly stunning!

Whether it's an all white wedding or event, everything white always excites my mind and with that being said... I have to share a few of my favorite images that I've been lusting after lately.

I love the lighting installations on this one.  Notice how on the actual tabletop it's more simple and understated but adding that extra design element from above just takes it to a whole new level!

Photo courtesy of  Bridal Banter

Again, simple but elegant with a more understated ceiling installation.  When you are designing with an all white palette it doesn't always have to be or need to be over the top and this image shows us that...  Yet view how beautiful it is!


 

Photo courtesy of Damon Tucci Photography

Then of course we go over the top and look how amazing that can be!  It's whimsical, romantic and oh so angelic.  I just adore this ceremony setup.
  

Photo courtesy of  Pinterest

So classic, so timeless, so garden romantic!


Photo courtesy of  Pinterest

 I just love how the fabric draping begins from the very top of the ceiling.  It makes such a difference to the eye... I also love the potted arrangements flanking the sides while they still have a more simple tie back in combination with it.  So beautiful!

 Photo courtesy of  Pinterest

This image just makes me want to drift away right now to Palm Springs where the event actually took place!  It's stunning, modern, elegant and sexy!  Both the acrylic columns and the covered ones add such great dimension to this look.  Dimension and texture are always a favorite of mine...

 Photo courtesy of  Pinterest

 I just adore this period!  There's obviously a lot going on between the candles and the lighting plus the florals with the textured linens... but events like this whisk you away to a far away place, a happy place.  A place where guests are just enamored with their surroundings and that's an incredible experience to provide.

 Photo courtesy of Once Wed

I love the balance of this cake.  How it's a heavier base with roses and as you go further up it gets lighter and more simple.  Yet it still has just the right amount of detail to wow you.

Photo courtesy of  Pinterest

Again the most simple of tabletops with all the action above eye level to blow you away!  Just extraordinary!

 Photo courtesy of  Pinterest

I love everything mirror, so of course this one's in my top 3 of the bunch!  From floor to ceiling it's just incredible!

Photo courtesy of  Unique Bridal Dresses

I love all the different white textures going on here.  Controlling the lighting with blue and even purple hues when doing an all white palette is always breathtaking as you can see below!
 

Photo courtesy of Shawna Yamamoto Event Design

Today I'd like to try something different.  I'm going to end this post with a challenge.  I challenge you to get inspired this week over something unconventional.  Let something out of the ordinary or that you find in a unique way inspire you and be creative with it!  Creativity for myself is just there.  It's very apparent everywhere I look, design, touch and feel.  For some, they relate, for others it's more of a challenge than that.  Push yourself to be inspired and be creative with it this week.  Let us know what you find and what you do by commenting below.  I'd love to see you push outside your comfort zone whether it's for your wedding or event, professionally or even personally and do something amazing with it.  I can't wait to check back and hear what you've done... =)