Star's Inspirations: The Perfect Five Year Anniversary Gift

Last week my husband and I celebrated our five year wedding anniversary.  It was a wonderful day filled with love, memories, talks of the future, and gifts we will both treasure forever.  When we told people we were celebrating our five year anniversary, they congratulated us.  We appreciated the congratulations and agreed that being happily married for five years was definitely something to be proud of and celebrated!

In previous years we kept our anniversary gifts fairly simple but this year I knew I wanted to give my husband something special for this milestone.  Having just celebrated his birthday and Father's Day, I was feeling a bit stumped when it came to choosing his anniversary gift.  I wanted to get him something symbolic and sentimental - not necessarily expensive or luxurious though.  I knew there were symbolic gifts for every anniversary and thought that would be a good place to start (see infoplease.com for a complete list).  The gift for five years is "wood".  Kind of a tricky one in my opinion.  I was recently in Chicago and was fortunate enough to stumble upon Stitch - an amazing designer furnishings and accessories boutique in Bucktown.  There I found various cool "wood" options including clocks, bottle stoppers, and coasters; however, my favorites were their wooden boxes.  They come in a variety of sizes, wood types and finishes and to say they are gorgeous is an understatement!  Each box is unique, finished with a high gloss lacquer, suede lined and hand made in Italy.  They are stunning yet very masculine at the same time.  I ended up choosing a small and simple box with a dark finish.

My husband absolutely loves it!  He likes to empty his pockets as soon as he gets home from work and now he has a nice place to keep his things until morning.  I love that it is a beautiful piece of home decor that will always remind both of us of this milestone.  It was the perfect five year anniversary gift if I do say so myself!  If you are engaged and don't want to wait five years to give one of these beauties to your man, consider giving one as a wedding gift or even as a thank you gift to your groomsmen!

XOXO,

Star

Bold, Chic, and in Love: Picture Perfect

There is probably no other time in your life where you and your fiancee will have as many photos taken as you will during your engagement. Of course you will always look perfect, why not make sure your man does as well?

These two outfits would be great for doing your registry, attending parties together, dropping flowers off to your fiancee at work, attending your menu tasting, and every other event and dinner in between now and the big day. The first look is a little more dressy, while the second is a little more casual. Depending on if your lady is in a dress or jeans, you have an outfit to match.

Photos courtesy of Topman, The Tie Bar, J. Crew, and Nordstroms

{FIRST LOOK}
Blazer: Navy Herringbone Skinny Blazer from Topman
Shirt: BOSS Black Regular Fit Dress Shirt from Nordstroms
Tie: C2 Stripe Tie by Calibrate from Nordstroms
Watch: Timex Andros Watch from J. Crew

This look can be worn to almost any occasion. You can't go wrong with a blazer and crisp white button-up.


{SECOND LOOK}
Sweater: Wallace and Barnes Fircrest Cardigan from J. Crew
Shirt: Indian Cottor Shirt in Bamfield Plaid from J. Crew
Tie: Hartlin Check Tie from J. Crew
Tie bar: Smooth Slide Clasp from The Tie Bar
Tie: Grenafaux Midnight Navy Tie from The Tie Bar

I live in a bubble of belief that men should dress like this every single day. And maybe you can make that a reality! The sweater and plaid button-up can be seen as casual, however when you pair it with the navy tie and tie bar you instantly get a very well put together outfit. This look shows that you pay attention to detail and care about your style.

Many of these pieces are classics and interchangeable and you may not need to buy anything new! Unless you don't already have a white button-up, blazer, tie bar, or awesome collection of ties. If that is the case, start clicking! And always feel free to ask my advice, email me at jocelyn@sterlingengagements.com

This week on The Fashion One:

Brighten up this spring boys! Tips on how to rock bright pants. 

xO
Jocelyn

Bold, Chic, and in Love: All Things Tie

We all know that so much of the big day is all about the bride. However, there is no harm in making sure that at all times and events your groom looks perfectly put together too! Put together means details, so lets start with the basics. Whether it be your engagement party, telling your parents the big news or the rehearsal dinner, let's make sure he always has the perfect tie.

Spring is coming quickly, and if you live in Los Angeles or are planning a Los Angeles Wedding it is basically spring weather year around. Here are some great, colorful ties and bow ties that are perfect for your man this season.

Photos Courtesy of Brooks Brothers, The Tie Bar, Barneys, Bloomingdales, J. Crew and Nordstroms.

1- Bow Tie from Brooks Brothers
This bow tie is pretty safe and standard. It comes in different colors that can be a little more daring, but it is a great classic choice.

2-  One Inch Matte Tie Bar from The Tie Bar 
The tie bar is a must have for your groom. They really complete the look and show attention to detail. This specific one is better for a skinny tie, as it is one inch and you never want to have at tie bar that is longer than the width of your tie.
**The rule with tie bars is that you clip them  in between the third and fourth button of your shirt.

3- Macartney Stripe-Linen Cotton Tie from J. Crew 
This tie is so fun! It comes in a pretty green, blue and this red. Really adds a pop of color, even if you are to wear it with a simple white button up.

4- Butterfly Knit Bow from Brooks Brothers
This is such a beautiful green, your man will look absolutely stunning in it! It is a bold choice, so make sure you wear something bold too!

5- Paul Smith Moon Dot Tie from Bloomingdale's
What is more fun than polka dots? I love how they add the perfect amount of fun to an otherwise very simple tie.

6- Silver Shot 1 1/2 inch tie bar from The Tie Bar 
 This tie bar is better for your wider tie. One of the great things about The Tie Bar is that it is so affordable! These tie bars are only $15 and ship out the next day. GQ swears by The Tie Bar, you can find them in every months magazine.

7- Dot Bow Tie from Brooks Brothers 
This red pops so much, which pairs well with the subtle polka dots. Another very bold choice.

8- Michael Kors Stripe Silk Tie from Nordstroms 
This tie is probably the most classic choice so far, but still leaves room for fun! I am convinced that lavender is the perfect color to compliment anyone and everyone. Plus, its a very beautiful choice for spring.  

9- Barneys Tie Bar
This tie bar is a little more fun and edgy than the normal, simple silver one. I enjoy the style. It can either add a little to a solid colored tie or funk up a already colorful and bold tie.

You may notice that none of these bow ties are clip-on. That is because it is very important that every man learns how to tie one themselves! Here is a video GQ did with Swizz Beats on how to tie your own bow tie.  I just love it and think you will too!

Video courtesy of GQ

Remember to have fun looking great, and of course let me know if you ever have any style questions!

XO,
Jocelyn

Festive Fridays: Shawn + Colleen - As you wish...

I'm so excited to share today's post with you as it's a special one and a tear jerker if you're emotional like some of us (ahem, ahem).  I absolutely adore how sweet Shawn was in creating the most special day ever for Colleen.

Check it out!

Don't you just love a good surprise!

Festive Fridays: Taking the Plunge Video

Documented proposals are more popular than ever and I love the creativity behind so many of them! Today my fiance Jonathan sent me over a very cute video someone in his office made about his journey to I do from a very interesting perspective. I loved this video and think most of my groom's will too, but any sports fan really will get a kick out of this! Super unique, funny and lighthearted.

Check it out!

All About the Ring - watch more funny videos

Happy Friday and stay clear of the roads this weekend if you can!

Behind the Bowtie: Our Venue

So one of the first things you’re supposed to do (according to Alex) when planning a wedding is figure out where. Where will we get married? We didn’t want to make people go from one place to another. It’s a lot easier for everyone to be in one place for the entire evening. The last thing we want is our guest’s complaining about the traffic from the ceremony site to the reception. People in LA love to complain about traffic, and this would no doubt occupy the majority of conversation during cocktail hour, when they should be talking about how shiny my shoes are, or how beautiful the bride is. (Probably the ladder)

Photo Courtesy of Miss Taylor Cast

We only looked at 3 venues for the wedding. The first was Hummingbird Nest Ranch in Simi Valley. My first thought was “Wow, I can’t wait to put Simi Valley on the wedding invitations!”. But as we drove up a windy, tree-lined road to the estate, it began to grow on me. It’s hidden, it’s quiet, and it should have it’s own zip code. The house itself was not so big, but the entire estate was massive. There are all sorts of lodging at this venue too. Alex liked one of their lower areas with a bunch of trees for the ceremony site called Sitting Bull, and then she wanted the reception in another, which was a nice hike to get to. We would have had to hire a shuttle service to caravan our guests up the hill from one end of the property to the other. It would have been a “Survivor” challenge otherwise. Plus, it’s windy in the mountains, so she wanted to tent. We would have had to spend way too much money ON the venue after spending FOR the venue. In the back of the property is a grass area the size of 10 football fields. Seriously. 10. Maybe more.

Photo Courtesy of Bloomberg Business Week

They probably lost their bid for the 2016 Olympic games, but only because of the Simi Valley address. In the end, the place was beautiful, but too big, and not quite us.

Photo Courtesy of The Back Nine

Then it was off to Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks. Yes, we saw both in the same day. It’s a wonderful place, I go there every year for a golf tournament and love it. It’s very luxurious, high-end, etc. Again though, was not really us. It wasn’t as expensive as I would have imagined, but it was booking up fast and the weekend we wanted wasn’t even available. So we moved on.

Photo Courtesy of Carcano DJ

The following weekend we went to Downtown LA to see Vibiana. This was our winner. It was surprising because it was nothing amazing from the street, but the outdoor courtyard is perfect for a ceremony and the tall vaulted ceilings inside can let Alex go crazy with design and décor. I know she’s going to go absolutely crazy in there, I promise. Vibiana used to be Los Angeles’ oldest cathedral, but has been converted into a venue. The irony of a Jewish Wedding at a former cathedral is not the worse thing I’ve ever heard, just try to ignore the confessionals in the walls if that sort of thing bothers you. My High School actually just had their Senior Prom there. Not quite sure how that makes me feel. There are tall pillars inside, lots of space, and it’s perfect for what Alex wanted. Mission accomplished.

Too Sweet Not To Share: A Movie Theater Trailer Proposal

It's no surprise that I'm a hopeless romantic nor that I tear up consistently at almost every single wedding I produce. I just love love, love to love and the whole idea of any man or woman showing their affection, especially in a BIG way, always give me the chills.

Today's post is a proposal and it's so sweet and features one of my favorite songs ever right now, "Marry Me" by Train.

Check it out!



How sweet is Matt? I love his words about "making the movies jealous". They are so adorable and already have over 12 million viewers that have seen his proposal video. The response has been so large that they now not only have their own YouTube Channel, but also have a website dedicated to all their updates to follow up on their planning process, you can learn about everything Matt and Ginny here.

This super sweet photo was one of their engagement photos captured by Audrey Fotografie. How precious are they!

An Introduction... I'm Finally the Groom

As the Groom of a Wedding Planner who is planning her own wedding, one would think the process is going to be seamless. However, I don’t think anything happening isn’t out of the ordinary for a typical Bride and Groom.

Alex is the love of my life, and I could never imagine my life without her. We’ve been together for nearly a decade, unfortunately, the time and effort we’ve put into our relationship has no effect on the obstacle that is: planning a wedding.

Photo Courtesy of OnceWed

I’ve watched her establish her company with much success over the past several years, helped her along the way and witnessed firsthand, on many occasions what goes into a wedding. I’d like to say I could count the number of centerpieces I’ve carried, the chairs I’ve moved, or the chargers I’ve set up, but the numbers are much larger than one can remember. And I have a great memory.

Because Alex is a wedding planner, she and everyone else is expecting so much out of our wedding, it’s putting a tremendous amount of pressure on Alex and myself to deliver an event that is nothing less than mind-blowing. Is this fair? No, of course not, but life isn’t fair, and neither are weddings. They’re expensive, time-consuming, and the number one cause of migraines among men ages 25-31.

Alex is also the bride in this case, not just the wedding planner. I tried to order the partial-planning package, but I just didn’t think it suited my needs, nor was it a realistic option. I have been awarded the full service, in your face, going to make you do things you never imagined package and I’m okay with that. Hence, here I am, writing a wedding blog, on a wedding website, for my fiancé, the wedding planner.

Photo Courtesy of Chiq Weddings

Thanks for reading, there will be more to come over the next 6 months. I'm sure it will get more interesting. I don't see how it couldn't.

Groom Love: Introducing Tuxedo Tuesdays by Whitney!

Hello Everyone! My name is Whitney Brianna Boyle. As many of you may know, I am the Production Coordinator for The Sterling Team. Here’s a little more about me! I’m basically just a California girl! A native Los Angelina, who loves the outdoors, beach, forest, city life and desert! I’ve always had a passion for culture and the arts, from theater, to fashion, to travel, to music. I have a bit of a wild side too, I’m very adventurous, and would try almost any food or ritual if in the right place, at the right time. I have a lot of energy, and love to be active; like surfing, bike riding, snowboarding and swimming. My favorite thing to do is to laugh, and make others laugh! I like to keep positive and enjoy my family, friends, work and travels.

Photo courtesy of Callaway Gable Photography

I’m writing to you today to tell you about a new edition to our blog that I’m so thrilled about doing and hope you will be to! This is my first contribution to The Sterling Engagements blog and I can’t wait to begin this new and exciting journey with each of you!

As I continue to work in the Wedding industry, I consistently tend to notice that a significant amount of everything wedding is all about the woman. Now, don’t get me wrong, a bride on her wedding day is one of the most important parts of any wedding! There are just so many fun parts of a wedding that include the groom, or from the male’s side of things, that we are dedicating our Tuesdays to blog about all things Groom!

Photo courtesy of Danielle Klebanow Photography

Introducing, Tuxedo Tuesdays! Special thoughts, advice and tips for all the F.O.G.’s, G.O.G.’s, and of course, the very important “G”. Take an adventure as we explore shoes, accessories, tuxes, ties, BM tributes, Groomsmen gifts, parties, advice, and inspiration, unique and original style. So, Grooms and Brides, and everyone in between; join us weekly as we honor of all the boys to men and toughen up the wedding world with a some manly love for roles they play on the big day!

Photo courtesy of Austin & Dara Photography

So, why is a girl blogging about all things Groom?!
Growing up in the Boyle household- sports and ESPN were 2nd nature and Super Bowl was as big as Christmas. Being a Daddy’s girl and having two athletic, macho brothers gave me many insights on the male species-from habits to likes & dislikes to behaviors, attitudes and thoughts. I always had a handful of great girlfriends, and have definitely had my girly moments; what woman doesn’t like to dress up and go shopping, right?? However….I always tended to gravitate to the boys! Sure, some called it boy crazy; after all, I AM a Libra ruled by Venus- the planet of love. Whatever the reason, I tended to relate and hang better with the boys. Whether it was guy friends to watch sports with, give the “girl” perspective to, or play the wing girl, I was a girl in boy’s world and I loved it!

Anyway, I'm very excited for our first official post starting next Tuesday! Be sure to check it out and comment to let me know what you think and what you want to see!


*Whitney*

Bridal Premiere Question 6

Question: As a Groom, how can I get my points across to my Bride and her Mother? - Ryan McGill

Answer: Ryan, such a brave question and I'm so pleased to answer it for those that do not always feel comfortable stepping out and letting us know how or what they are thinking.


The truth is though, the best thing you can do is to just be honest and vocal. Your words will be much appreciated because when it comes down to it, this is your day too! There is nothing that your bride and family will want more than to know that your opinion has been heard and reflects in this day also. While it may sometimes seem difficult to get a word in with all the typical chaos of planning a wedding, most brides love it when their groom takes an active role in the process. So, please speak up and be proud to do it!

If you feel that when you try, your points are not addressed or not heard, try speaking to your planner and she may aid in making this easier.

Also, there are many websites which offer helpful tips and advice for Grooms. This trend is somewhat newer but definitely worth checking out when you are a groom and have questions. Some of my favorites are Groom Grove, The Man Registry and Groom's Club.

Good Luck and please feel free to email me if you have any additional questions or concerns.

Happy Speaking!