New Registry with A Great Affair

So often do I have clients asking me how to register for items other than those at Macy's, Pottery Barn etc... There are so many options out there nowadays with Honeymoon Registries, Photography Registries and more... How do you choose?

While it is not in proper etiquette to ask for cash for your wedding. A registry like A Great Affair, gives you the option of asking for what you really want, while still not literally asking for cash.



So if you are one of those couples out there who has been nesting for long enough that your house is pleasantly full and you want another option... Here is a great way to kindly request what you truly would like for your wedding gifts!

Happy Registry!

My Fave Mondays: Fantasy Frostings

Something to appreciate about Leslie Maynor and Fantasy Frostings is her passion and desire to make a dessert and not just the wedding cake. So often we find clients interested in doing dessert bars, candy bars, a dessert within their coursed meal, cupcakes etc... While these are all delicious, the one thing these items happen to do is take away from that fabulous wedding cake! What we love most about Leslie and her team at Fantasy Frostings is they make beautiful cakes that taste just as decadent as they look! This is why they are our favorite pick this week.


Fantasy Frostings is a family owned and operated business on the West Coast, opened by Joyce Maynor 30 years ago. While they do bake up whatever you wish to order, they definitely specialize in Wedding Cakes. They understand that an unforgettable cake is essential to any wonderful event. It embodies all the elements of style, beauty, and taste that a party represents.




















Their attention to detail, outstanding customer service, and unmistakable taste have earned Fantasy Frostings recognition from some of the nations most prestigious food, wedding, and lifestyle magazines including:
● In Style
● InStyle Weddings
● Bride’s Magazine
● Los Angeles Times Magazine
● Elegant Bride
● Los Angeles Magazine
● People
● Modern Bride
● Angeles Magazine
● Grace Ormonde Wedding Style 2003


Numerous wedding books have also highlighted Fantasy Frostings’ cakes including:
● Weddings a Celebration - Beverly Clark
● Town & Country - Elegant Weddings
● Here Comes the Guide - Wedding and Reception Sites


The Fantasy Frostings Menu includes the following...
We love the Chocolate Fudge Surprise and Marble Chip!

White Satin
A moist, luscious, old fashioned white cake sprinkled gently with Grand Marnier and filled with layers of white chocolate mousse and shaved dark chocolate alternating with Raspberries on a bed of whipped crème.

Chocolate Fudge Surprise
Dense, Dark Chocolate layers glorified with hand beaten fudge, dark chocolate mousse and a rich layer of ganache with crushed English toffee. Our tribute to all world class chocolate lovers.

Lemon Squeeze
A sunny lemon pound cake enhanced with a perky lemon sauce and filled with a tart English Lemon Curd alternating with tangy lemonade mousse for a great taste sensation.

Banana Walnut
A rich cake batter laden with fresh bananas and walnuts, lightly spiced and filled with fresh bananas and whipped cream or if you prefer a soft banana cream.

New Orleans Spice
A soft, lightly textured cake generously flavored with cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves with a gentle splash of brandy before baking. A soft cream mousse is the favored filling.

14 Karat
Pineapple, walnuts, cinnamon, and carrots make this a heavy favorite. Cream cheese frosting is the popular choice but for a change of pace we suggest our thick apricot filling.

Red Velvet
A light chocolate cake flavor with a deep red color create a unique dessert, filled with a cream cheese frosting or cream mousse is favored as the grooms cake in many southern states.

Marble Chip
Swirls of white and chocolate cake gracefully mingle together. Sliced bananas folded into a rich chocolate mousse, alternating with fudge complete this dessert.


Here's a peak at Kendra Wilkinson's cake which Fantasy Frostings designed for her wedding last month. Photo Courtesy of The Bridal Bar.

Happy Tasting

Festive Fridays:

Since Fridays so often are a day where festivities for events begin, we are starting another new segment called Festive Fridays. Every Friday we will be posting blogs which exemplify festivity. Be it celebrations, happy photographs or simply inspiration in a spirited way, Sterling is now adding a little extra sunshine for our readers every Friday.

To start the series off right, why not do it with an adorable picture from one of our new favorite photographers, Chrissy Farah!



So sweet and happy!

Happy Friday!

Jason David's Corner Foundation: NFL Celebrity Golf Tournament Weekend SNEAK PEAK!

We had a blast working with Jason David's Corner Foundation this year on their annual NFL Celebrity Golf Tournament Weekend. There are so many fabulous photographs documenting the weekend, so look forward to some great posts coming up. In the meantime, here are a few great shots that caught our attention!







Stay tuned for more to come...

Happy Viewing!

New Venue: Terranea Resort in Rancho Palos Verdes

If you have not heard about the new Terranea Resort, it is definitely a new venue worth seeing! These pictures definitely do not do this stunning oceanfront resort justice, but they do give you a sneak peak at this picturesque location. It's absolutely gorgeous and now available for all of your wedding and special event needs.


The Resort is unrivaled in its scenic beauty and romantic allure, with each of
its rolling lawns and romantic gardens designed to bring the magic of the ocean into every event. The Resort's stunning wedding venues provide the most unforgettable nuptial locales with gracious terraces, breathtaking ocean views and manicured gardens.


We cannot wait to begin working with Leslie and her team over at Terranea!

Happy Viewing!

My Fave Mondays: Robert Edward Woodworking

Robert Edward Woodworking, specializes in designing and building unique wedding cake and cupcake stands. Each of his stands are completely handmade and exquisitely detailed. From a custom vintage design to a retro inspired eye-catcher, REW definitely creates a custom look for each wedding or event their work is a part of. That's why they are our pick for today's spotlight.
Standard designs as well as custom stands are available. Custom designs can include a stand that focuses on the design of the cake. For instance, if the cake contains a floral pattern, the stand could subtly suggest a certain element of the design, such as a flower or vine. Another option would be to include an architectural element or logo of a particular venue you are working with. The design possibilities are virtually unlimited!
Whether one of their exquisite standard designs or a spectacular custom design is preferred, I can assure you this type of stand cannot be found anywhere else! Be sure to visit the Robert Edward Woodworking website or contact Robert directly at (201) 393-0507 for more information.

Happy Standing!

Special Mementos for Your Special Day from Not Just Any Old Day!

So for quite some time, we have been admiring the beautiful and utterly sentimental gifts and jewelry from Not Just Any Old Day. Their adorable items are so sweet and stylish, plus truly capture the essence of any special occasion. Whether you are celebrating a Wedding or Mitzvah, Anniversary or any other special event these mementos are just fabulous!



The calendar keepsake charms are a fun and unique way to celebrate and cherish life’s celebrations. Marked with a genuine Swarovski crystal on the month and day of your choice, the keepsake pieces are the perfect gift to yourself or someone else — it will forever hold special meaning.

The Not Just Any Old Day collection includes a wide variety of jewelry and gift ideas perfect for so many of life’s special celebrations.

To celebrate a special date in your life or the life of a loved one, there is no more charming gift than our timeless jewelry and gift line. “The new Calendar Key incorporates our “signature” calendar charm into a hip, stylish accessory that is not only unique and beautiful but a wonderful conversation piece” says Not Just Any Old Day designer and creator, Michele Esposito.


“Sentimental keepsakes have such incredible appeal because they bring an element of heartfelt thought to a gift” says Michele. A Not Just Any Old Day calendar keepsake can be customized for a wedding or anniversary, Bar/Bat Mitzvah, birthday or any other holiday or even just because.

Their prices range anywhere from $98-$1,595. We even think this is a great gift to give to a bride from all her bridesmaids!


Happy Shopping!

Sweet and Sentimental: True Love even after all these years

We can't help but post these adorably sweet photographs captured by Michael Norwood from Lauren and Kyle's Wedding! The hopeless romantic will not be able to get enough of these precious pics!





Happy Moments!

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!

Shoe Shot Sunday: Chelsea + Tec

We absolutely love this dainty and oh so sweet shoe shot! It's from the amazing Jose Villa of course! How great is it that her yellow shoes match the pinstripe in his socks!


Happy Feet!

My Fave Mondays: The Cappuccino Connection

This week my favorite Monday vendor pick is The Cappuccino Connection. They are located in Santa Barbara, but available to serve all of Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. Adding a bit of luxury to your event always proves successful when The Cappuccino Connection is serving your guests...



Established in 1989, The Cappuccino Connection is widely recognized as the premier West Coast espresso catering company. With brass domes, silver trays, samovar urns and fine decoratives, they always add to the ambiance of the occasion. Elegant in presentation, yet affordable in price, this trendsetting beverage service offers a wide selection of both hot and iced blended beverages for every season of the year.

They have a very extensive client list and in years past, participated with the Emmy's, Golden Globes and The Academy Awards. It is worth noting that at every venue, it is the guests themselves who appreciate the addition of the espresso bar as a wonderful moderating alternative to the alcoholic beverages, and compliment their participation as a great catering idea.



Here is a sneak peak of their Menu options.

Menu

Espresso

Macchiato

Cappuccino

Latte

Mocha (hot or iced blended)

Café Royale (embellished with fine flavors or liqueurs)

Hot Chocolate

Herbal and Black Teas

European Roast Coffee

Also available: Iced Chai Latte, Strawberry Lemonade, Fruit Smoothies and Tropical Iced Teas.

Please don't hesitate to call or e-mail The Cappuccino Connection for a price quote and to book their espresso catering services.

Ken Cohen & Julie Russell
The Cappuccino Connection
1-800 270-0188

Happy Monday!

Happy Father's Day!

Today is a very special yet hard day. For everyone out there with their Father still alive, I wish you a Happy Holiday and make sure you hug your father and tell him that you love him!


Here are a couple of my favorite poems and quotes!

"We may not shower him with praise
Nor mention his name in song,
And sometimes it seems that we forget
The joy he spreads as he goes along,
But it doesn’t mean that we don’t know
The wonderful role that he has had.
And away down deep in every heart
There’s a place that is just for Dad....."
- Author Unknown

A Dad is
"A Dad is respected because he gives his children leadership.
A Dad is appreciated because he gives his children care.
A Dad is valued because he gives his children time.
A Dad is loved because he gives his children the one thing they treasure most - himself."
- Author Unknown

F.A.T.H.E.R.S.
"F" aithful.
"A" lways there.
"T" rustworthy.
"H" onoring.
"E" ver-loving.
"R" ighteous.
"S" upportive.
- Author Unknown

A truly rich man is one whose children run into his arms when his hands are empty.
- Author Unknown

Happy Father's Day
"Happy Father's Day" means more than have a happy day.
Within those words lie lots of things we never get to say.
It means we love you first of all,
Then thanks for all you do.
It means you mean a lot to us,
And that we honor you.

But most of all, I guess it means that we are thinking of...
Your happiness on this, your day,
with pleasure and with love.
- Author Unknown

"My father died many years ago, and yet when something special happens to me, I talk to him secretly not really knowing whether he hears, but it makes me feel better to half believe it."
– Natasha Josefowitz


While my father is no longer with me, I know he is up above smiling down and so proud! For those of you that don't know, Sterling Engagements is named after him, so Father's Day is always really special around here.

And again... Happy Father's Day!

Sterling Wins Second Place at The Angels of the Alliance Luncheon!

We are thrilled to showcase our gorgeous "Royal Opulence" tablescape that we designed for the 10th Annual Angels Luncheon yesterday at the Four Seasons Westlake Village. This amazing event benefits the Alliance for the Arts and helps raise funds to bring Preforming Arts into children's lives.

When we first learned of the event it was literally less than a week before the event. We quickly rushed together to come up with a concept and are so pleased with how fabulous it came out. Not only did the table look gorgeous, but we also were able to win an award for how beautiful it was and won 2nd place in the professional category.

The "Royal Opulence" concept came to play when we envisioned the ballroom at the Four Seasons, with such a regal ambiance, we knew we had to go big! After deciding to play off of the regal and royalty theme, we brainstormed to decipher what elements we wanted to incorporate. It was fairly easy to determine that this was a table that would incorporate a color palette of reds and maroons, golds, oranges and even purple. Flowers would be easy to design with such a vibrant group of colors and we go into detail about this further down in the post. The very next thing to come to mind was Linens! Immediately, we knew that this was a table that had to have the stunning designs of Wildflower Linens.

After selecting linens, the rest seemed to just fall into place. Classic Party Rentals was able to assist us with all of our china and rental needs. Between the chargers, glassware and amazing flatware the visual just continued to get better and better. Implementing the luxurious weaved baskets of fresh fruit was an addition that was a must. When we picture royalty and feasts, fruit just had to be on the table as part of the decor. Plus, the additional textures each type of fruit was able to add was great.

This table was all about extravagance. Each element of the design contributed something different. In addition to the overall table, it was important for us to highlight the individual seat as well. We chose to do this in two separate ways. The first was to add a small trio roses, which complimented the color scheme from the centerpiece in the middle, to each chair. This looked beautiful against the red satin chair covers and additionally enhanced the centerpiece by extending a small piece of it to each individual.
The second way was to add a sweet treat for each guest to feast on from our friends at Jamaica's Cakes. We described our tablescape to Jamaica and collaborated in designing mini cakes with royal designs on the exterior and rich delicious flavors inside. The cakes were a huge hit and ever so tasty as well!

Now, last but not least, we have the flowers! The flowers were our favorite aspect of this table. Together, with Stephanie and Kelly at Far East Wholesale Flowers, we designed a royal centerpiece using an array of Sumatra Lilies, Orchids and 4 different kinds of Roses. We used an array of two-toned crystals to drape from the centerpiece and glimmer as the light hit certain angles. Kelly took our inspiration and created an extraordinary piece exceeding our expectations.

We also incorporated gold candelabras that we utilized to bring different levels of height to the table. Each candelabra had a small accent of roses and crystals which were draped from them as well. We then placed smaller red crystal votives in pairs of two, down low at the base of the centerpiece.

There were over 300 guests in attendance and we were so excited to take part in this amazing boutique and luncheon. Less then 2 days prior to the event, we received a call from the committee co-chair who needed quite a bit of last minute help. Given our experience in last minute changes, we knew we had to help, we offered to assist the Angels in decorating an additional 4 tables, giving us 5 tables total. This was a huge challenge but somehow, we pulled it off and were quite pleased with the 48-hour turnaround. Look forward to Part 2 of this post where we highlight the other tables.

Happy Viewing!

Casting Alert: TNT's "Wedding Day"

Sterling Engagements was recently contacted by the Casting Associates for the hot new show coming to TNT "Wedding Day". If you or someone you know fits this description please contact us or their casting contacts before the June 6th, 2009 deadline.



Do you know of a couple who are planning on getting married or would like to marry Summer or Fall of 2009 who really DESERVE an amazing wedding but cannot afford it in these tough economic times?
“Wedding Day”, a new prime-time series premiering June 16th on TNT, is seeking to cast inspirational couples for our next amazing season!

You can view a promo of “Wedding Day” here:

Teachers, real-life heroes, survivors, volunteers, social workers, charity workers, etc. … we want to hear from you!
If you had to downgrade or delay your wedding plans due to job loss, injury, illness or deployment … we want to hear from you!
If you know of a couple who is so busy helping others they deserve someone to help them out … we want to hear from you – Nominate someone today!
Send a brief paragraph about your situation, or another couple’s situation, the current wedding budget, a recent photo of the couple (in .jpg format), and your contact information to:
WeddingDay@markburnettprod.com

Please respond by June 6, 2009.
***Couples may be asked to make a casting video with friends and family.

Happy Casting!

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day! Here are selection of my favorite words of wisdom, specifically in honor of my mom and all of the other mom's out there reading. Hope you all had a wonderful day!


"When you are a mother, you are never really alone in your thoughts. A mother always has to think twice, once for herself and once for her child."
Sophia Loren, Women and Beauty

"The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new."
Rajneesh

"Motherhood brings as much joy as ever, but it still brings boredom, exhaustion, and sorrow too. Nothing else ever will make you as happy or as sad, as proud or as tired, for nothing is quite as hard as helping a person develop his own individuality especially while you struggle to keep your own."
Marguerite Kelly and Elia Parsons

"Most of all the other beautiful things in life come by twos and threes by dozens and hundreds. Plenty of roses, stars, sunsets, rainbows, brothers, and sisters, aunts and cousins, but only one mother in the whole world."
Kate Douglas Wiggin

And again... Happy Mother's Day!

Mitzvahs and More Trade Show coming to Universal Studios in June!

With all of the elements involved in planning a Mitzvah, it is no wonder how overwhelming it can be on both parents and of course the guest of honor. To assist you in all of your planning needs, Mitzvahs and More is a brand new trade show coming to town to rock your world! Mitzvahs and More & The Jewish Journal present a trade show dedicated to making your life easier and guaranteeing you have a good time as well! Join us at the Globe Theatre at Universal Studios Hollywood on Sunday, June 28th, 2009 from 10am - 4pm.

This will be an extraordinary event with the finest vendors in town, all pre-qualified to ensure you are meeting the best of the best! From magicians to musicians, invitations to ice carvers, this show is the place to be for any family planning a mitzvah. Find the best locations to have your reception and cover all the bases for what you want inside. In addition, there will be live entertainment with dance crews performing live for your viewing pleasure. Be sure to partake in the live Question and Answer sessions featuring top event planning professionals giving you advice and speaking about theme ideas.

Last but not least, you will have the opportunity to sample both Kosher and Non-Kosher foods to feast on for your appetite’s pleasure. So please, come in, sample, relax and enjoy the show!

Be sure to visit the website at www.mitzvahsandmore.com . Check it out now, as the 1st 1,000 guests who REGISTER online will receive a free goodie bag.

Sterling Engagements is so excited to participate in the hottest new show around geared specifically towards Mitzvahs! Come check out our booth, as well as all of the other fabulous exhibitors.

We can't wait to see you there and be sure to stop by and see the extra special magic we've designed specifically for this hot new show!!!

Happy Mitzvahs!