Today is my Birthday...

Here I am in my 33rd year of life or at least will be in 2 hours and 32 minutes. I have alot to be proud of. I am a wife to a wonderful husband. I have three of the most gorgoues children in the world. We have a wonderful home. I have my dream job that I actually love and I AM HEALTHY!

Although times seem stressful in what I do, it is realizing all that I have that makes me thankful to be alive and to be who I am.

Do I feel any different...no. My daughter calls me old lady. More because I think she believes she is being funny. She laughs hard each time she says it. There are a few gray hairs, nothing to dye my hair over. Although I do not think I would as I have never been big on coloring my hair.

Goals for my 33rd year in life...none different than last year really. Keep working hard. Working harder to become even more successful. Maybe work on more destination events. I love those and the challenges they bring.

By the way I share this day with two friends of mine. Jesse who I believe is my brother from another mother. He and I are born not only on the exact day, but same year. Happy Birthday to you Jesse!

My other friend is Tori, she is a few years older. So she is my older sister with the same birth date. In celebration of our birthday we went and had a spa day on Sunday. It was nice to have a bit of relaxation after coming off a busy work weekend, especially having to start the week with back to back craziness. Happy Birthday to you Tori!

Time for me to make a wish....

AIDS Walk San Francisco 2007

We do more than weddings! We support those in need as well. Yesterday Elegant Weddings & Events by Design walked 6 miles for AIDS Walk San Francisco. We were very excited about the event. As we all know, this is a very important issue to us so we set an ambitious fundraising goal of $1500. We wanted to do as much as we could to make a difference in the lives of men, women, and children affected by HIV and AIDS. Even though there has been a lot of publicity about drug treatments which are prolonging some people's lives, they don't work for everyone and there is still no cure in sight. Moreover, young people are still getting infected at alarmingly high rates.

This year my 3 children (Miguel - 16, Mechiala - 13 & Mechella - 8) also raised money on their own. This caught the attention of a few people at AIDS Walk Headquarters. My son Miguel, who is 16, was interviewed about his efforts. I will have to attach a copy of the interview that was published in the news article passed out during the walk. Thanks again to all of our friend's and vendors that contributed and supported our efforts. We raised $1675!!! It's not too late to contribute. It's not to late to help make a change!

Jeanine & Bryan - Negril - 12.9.06

Well it has truly been awhile. I know! I know! Things have been non-stop since the last time I posted. Well we are in the heat of the season, but I wanted to catch you up with what's been going on.

Well December brought me Jamaica. That's right!! I spent several lovely days with two wonderful people, Jeanine and Bryan.

Surrounded by 35 of their closest family and friends, they exchanged nuptials at beautiful Tensing Pen Resort on the west end of Negril. The setting was amazing with the Caribbean Sea as our natural backdrop.

Pink and chocolate brown was Jeanine's choice of color. Let me tell you, this girl know what she wants! We brought in a lot of decor with us from California. From the parasols to the pink, to the candy buffet to the brown pillows we set-up in the lounge area. The scene was truly fabulous!

Being long distance was not a problem for us as the couple was completely excited with every detail. One thing couples must remember is that just because you are getting married at an "All Inclusive" site does not mean you have to stick with the recommended services provided by the resort. Our florist, photographer and cake designer were all outside vendors. They did a wonderful job as well.

Vendors:

Site: Tensing Pen http://www.tensingpen.com/
Photographer: Sungold Photography http://www.sungoldphoto.com/

Florist: Floral Fantasy http://www.floralfantasiesjamiaca.com/
Cake: Edgy Creations http://www.edgycreations.com/

The Chocolate Passion - Chocolate Fountain

Did you know that Chocolate Fountains are becoming the most sought after dessert attraction at weddings, parties and corporate events? I added the Chocolate Fountain as a separate part of my business only two years ago. It is an amazing machine! Just seeing the reaction of the guests is exciting. I don't get to go out as often as I used to, but I still love hearing the comments and responses from guests, that my team brings back from the events they manage.

If you are looking for something unique & elegant, then a chocolate fountain is the answer. Imagine the reaction of your guests when they see and smell rich, creamy Belgian Chocolate cascading down a decorative fountain. Add a fountain of tantalizing chocolate to your next event and make a lasting impression on your guest.

Reshma & Taha - Fremont - 7.2.06

A truly exquisite affair and so was the couple! The event took place at the home of Reshma's parents. There were 480 guests in attendance at the residence. Working with the bride was a wonderful experience! She really had a keen eye for style. Everything about this event was spectacular. I was happy to work alongside some of the industries most talented vendors.

Vendors:

Photographer: Ron Henry www.ronhenryphotography.com

Florist: Michael Daigian www.michaeldaigian.com

Catering: Gaylord's www.gaylords.com

Lighting: Illusions Lighting www.illusionslighting.com

Elizabeth & Frank - San Martin - 6.10.06

Saucy!! This describes one of my favorite couples so far this year. I met Elizabeth over a year ago and I have to admit that I am sad to see that the planning is over. Elizabeth and her daughter Claudia were a blast to with.

I remember our first road trip together in search of the perfect location for upcoming big day. The first place we reached was Clos la Chance Winery in San Martin. Elizabeth immediately fell in love and wanted to end our trek there. However, being the trooper she was, she allowed me to drag her to the other two sites. All the while she never waivered from her first love. Clos la Chance was the one!

This was pretty much how the rest of the planning process went with her. I was able to hit the nail on the pretty much with all of her vendors. She fell in love with the first one of each selection, but she still allowed me to drag her to other appointments. She didn't argue or object either. Maybe it was because she realized she could only use her tactics as a lawyer only in the court room and not on me.

The day was beautiful, from the beautiful accompaniment of Spanish Guitarist for the ceremony, to the Flamenco Dancer during Cocktail Hour, to the Salsa Band during dinner. This was truly a hot event!

Vendors:

Site: Clos la Chance Winery www.closlachance.com

Florist: Ingela's Floral Design www.ingelasdesign.com

Photography: Michael Hawk Photography: www.michaelhawkphotography.com

Cake Designer: I Do Cakes! www.morganhillbakery.com

Kelly & Matt - San Francisco - 4.29.06

Oh the cutest! Okay maybe I say that about everyone one. But they were. Kelly came to me on the recommendation of a previous client whose event I did the year prior. She was very clear about everything she wanted. Matt was too. He knew exactly what music from the beginning that he wanted the trio to play. He also had great attention to detail. Matt was also very specific on photo opportunity. He said "Please remember to tell the photographer at that at the end of our first dance, I am going to dip Kelly. Please make sure he is ready for the shot." Talk about a man who knows what he wants.

Funny story, Matt has a twin brother, and he is identical. All the way down to their shaved bald heads. They were so identical that on that day that I have to admit, even I got them confused. However, my little secret weapon against embarrassing and calling out the wrong name was their boutonniere. Thank goodness they were different!

Vendors:
Photographer: Chung Chung Photography www.chungphoto.com
Florist: Rosedal Florist
Site: Omni Hotel www.omnihotels.com