By Erin Frank

When faced with the cost of fresh flower arrangements versus the look of silk flowers, I’ll choose fresh blooms almost every time but often loathe the expense. A new kind of faux flower has me considering fresh flower alternatives once more—in this case we’re talking about paper blossoms.  SF-based Paper N Plastic creates fabulous paper flowers, along with some amazing decor items like garlands, bunting, cupcake wrappers and more. You’ll find their shop on Etsy.

Check out their style. There will be times you’ll swear you’re looking at the real thing! www.etsy.com/shop/paperNplastic

© William McLeod

A guest at our wedding said, “40, 50, 60 years from now… all you’ll have are memories. So, life should be about creating them.” Your wedding day flies by, and you won’t get to see everything (bride/ groom getting ready, transit to the ceremony, dinner tables etc.).  Photos help you see the things you don’t get to see. Photos help capture the moments and the memories.

Bill McLeod, our wedding photographer, is extremely talented, and he has a diversity of experience. Carol, a dear friend, introducted us to Bill, and they have worked together throughout the years. Bill’s client list includes TIME, Apple, Rolling Stone, GQ, US News, Vanity Fair Travel and more! His wife, Kathy, is also a photographer, and she is known for her lifestyle shots. She has shot for magazines such as San Francisco, TIME, Details, Elle Girl, Fast Company, and Wired. You can learn more about this talented team at http://www.gumgirl.com/

Working with Bill, we learned a lot about wedding photography and preparation. Here are a few tips to help you and your photographer:

• Assign a point person who can gather necessary people for photos (and make sure these people know ahead of time they are in the photos)
• If you have a train on the dress, have someone assigned to help with that.  Have touchup makeup handy
• Pass a list of all of the photos you want (photos with family and friends, detail photos, etc.)
• Pass a list of events, addresses, and contacts to the photographer so he/she knows when and where to be
• Make sure electrical outlets are available
• Have a backup plan for photo shots in the rain
• Arrange a meal for the photographer/s
• Avoid dark suits/ similar coloring clothing next to each other
• Budget enough time to take your photos, and make sure your guests (who are not taking photos) have something to do

We really enjoyed working with Bill, and we are so thankful that Carol introduced us. The very least we can do is pass Bill and Kathy’s contact to you, and this way you can learn more and see why they’re so fantastic to work with. For rates and availability, contact Kathy by calling (415 648-3342), e-mailing (gumgirl@pacbell.net) or viewing the Gum Girl website (http://www.gumgirl.com/). Enjoy!

A fellow bride turned me on to wedding mapper extraordinaire, Genevieve Walker, and just before she left Oakland for the bright lights of New York, I got a chance to meet her over lunch. Genevieve’s super sweet and talented. If you visit her site, you’ll see why — her hand-illustrated wedding maps are just exquisite…and very affordable!

I commissioned Genevieve to create a wedding map for our wedding next month and she did such a fantastic job — adding in elements from our “musically romantic” save-the-date, such as the bird, guitar and teal and orange colors.

To get a feel for how to design the map, Genevieve sent me a questionnaire with questions like, what landmarks did we want featured, whether the map should be “elevated” or “flat”, what were the boundaries (like the immediate area or cover more than one city?), and of course, what color?

Fortunately, since ProjectWedding.com hosts our wedding website, we already had a digital wedding map so that helped me answer Genevieve’s answers fairly quickly. Within a week, she sent back a proof. We had a couple more rounds of edits and we had a finished product!

You can opt to have Genevieve print it or you can buy the digital and print it yourselves.

Click here to see her pricing and in the meantime, enjoy her beautiful work. Ours is the last one below.

Photo credit: Genevieve Walker | San Francisco Wedding Map

Photo credit: Genevieve Walker | Red Wing MN Map

Photo credit: Genevieve Walker | Florida Keys

Photo credit: Vera Devera | Genevieve Walker Sausalito Wedding Map

I went to a shower a few weeks ago and saw what I considered to be the greatest shower gift ever: a baking gift basket!  I was so inspired by it that I decided to try to build my own for my friend’s bridal shower.  I found this fantastic site that gives suggestions for building your own gift baskets: KitchenKrafts.com.  Each suggestion was so simple, and you could customize it based on the recipient to match her interests.  Another great site I found is called The Custom Basket, which has numerous suggestions for themes you could use to build your basket, i.e., a movie, golf, barbeque, etc.

Based on the registry, I chose items that the bride needs and added a couple personal touches to the basket.  Here are the things I chose:

Le Creuset Batter Bowl - Williams Sonoma

The Le Creuset Batter Bowl – is a wonderful mixing bowl that everyone could use, and makes a great bowl to put the rest of the goodies in.

To go inside the bowl I chose the following:

Rubber Spatulas - Target

Rubber spatulas

A whisk

Good Grips Whisk - Bed Bath and Beyond

Measuring Cups

Good Grips Measuring Cups - Bed Bath and Beyond

To add a little something unexpected I found the cutest apron from Anthropologie and a cookbook.  If your friend is not the apron-wearing type then the cookbook and some cookie/cake mix would also look great.

This YouTube video will help show you how to wrap your basket and make it look perfect:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFUlzb-vWGA

The vintage wedding theme is everywhere. Whether you DIY and create your own vintage look or you are searching for that perfect twisted birdcage to house the cards on your gift table, or longing to find a shabby but sweet suitcase for your place cards – the look is all over the blogs and mags. I love the soft romantic vibe it lends to weddings – to me it exclaims true soul mates are getting married here today. The personal touches that you can add are limitless. But, what happens when all of your big blue sky design plans are foiled because you can’t find THE perfect suitcase or the JUST RIGHT twisted birdcage? You have spent countless hours combing estate sales and flea markets and yet again you have come up empty handed – what is a bride to do? That ’s when you reach out to Jeni of Found, a sweet little event decor and prop house that carries the best of the best when it comes to having a vintage vibe.

The inventory is always changing, so if you see something you love on her site that you want to rent for your big day, make sure you give her a ring. As we all know too well, as much as the adventure of hunting down the perfect green velvet chair for your wedding day portraits sounds fun the first 3 times, it gets frustrating quick. And you usually end up with more stuff than you actually wanted and no room in the garage for the car.

Here are some of my fav finds from Jeni’s recent collection…

Photo by Studio EMP

Photo by Studio EMP

Photo by Studio EMP

By Erin Frank, Photos by Thor Swift of Thor Swift Photography

Just two hours from San Francisco, in Hopland, CA, lies Campovida, a gorgeous, historic property that has been given a new lease on life thanks to its latest owners.  Campovida is the ultimate wine country retreat, filled with vineyards, graceful Valley Oaks, 13 acres of organic gardens, wisteria and grape arbors, private accommodations for weddings and events, and a wine tasting room highlighting the local biodynamic wines of Mendocino’s Magnanimus Wine Group. Throughout its history, Campovida has had only nine property owners—including current owners Gary Breen and Anna Beusilink—since the Pomo Indians. The famous Fetzer family began growing grapes on the property in the 60’s, and eventually created a food and wine education center (Valley Oaks) in the early 80’s, which was host to some of the nation’s top chefs. After being closed for the past few years, Gary and Anna have restored the 50-plus acres of property. Campovida now produces its own honey and olive oil and uses its own fresh herbs and produce to create wine pairings and meals. The garden consists of over 13 acres of organic plants including herbs, vegetables, more than 100 olive trees, over 100 apple trees, plus pear trees, fig and persimmon trees, and groves of organic lavender.

Hold your ceremony or reception in the garden, perhaps in the walled Tuscan Garden which has a wisteria arbor, lawn and an area for dancing under the stars. An old growth grape arbor at Campovida can create a natural cathedral-like effect for ceremonies, or you’ll find other romantic romantic settings like the lake or pavilion.  You and you close family and friends can stay overnight in Campovida’s 10 rooms comprised of suites, smaller rooms, a one-room cottage and 3-room farmhouse. Nearby hotels and guest houses offer additional options for guests in and around Hopland. Your guests will love exploring the region, which offers activities like wine tasting, river kayaking and canoeing, beach walks, scenic hikes, farmer’s market visits and more.

Campovida espouses a mission of sustainability and thoughtful stewardship of the earth. In addition to their organic goodies on the table, you’ll find eco-conscious efforts all over the property, from solar panels that power the water heaters, to reclaimed or re-purposed wood and furniture, to carefully cultivated honey bee colonies. If you’re a bride looking to have a “greener” wedding, Campovida works with partners such as Park Avenue Catering, one of wine country’s only certified green caterers, and Green Mary, a company dedicated to making events 100% compostable. At Campovida, you’ll have a wedding you can feel good about down to the smallest detail.

One of the best reasons to incorporate different ceremonies into your wedding day is to share a new culture and/or tradition with your wedding guests. One of the challenging things, however, is finding all of the special clothing and ceremony items.

We had two additional ceremonies, a military sword arch and the Korean traditional wedding ceremony (called “pae baek” (peh-behk)), and we are so thankful that we rented all of the necessary items for the Korean traditional wedding ceremony–it would have been too expensive to purchase all of these items for a one time use. For the Korean ceremony, you need special wedding hanbok (Korean traditional clothing), a formal table with specific foods, a mat for bowing, and more!

Esther Kim, owner of My Bride’s Story Wedding and Events, introduced us to Bok Shin Hanbok. Bok Shin Hanbok provides the whole Korean traditional ceremony package. They have the a wide variety of hanbok (for men and women) to choose from (more than what’s pictured on the website). They also provide and setup the table, food for the table, bowing mat, decorative folding screen, and more. Plus, they give you Korean dduk (Korean rice cake) and snacks, too!

We had never participated in or watched a Korean traditional ceremony, but the team at Bok Shin Hanbok helped us with the whole process. They helped us get into costume, and they explained the cultural significance of the ceremony to our guests. They also helped make sure everyone knew what to do when. Most of the explanation was in Korean, but we had friends help with the translation, who also helped ensured everything flowed smoothly.

The whole event is both a learning experience and fun for all. If you have an additional ceremony to incorporate into your celebration, we highly recommend including it, and we also highly recommend to those with Korean background Bok Shin Hanbok who can be reached at:

Bok Shin Hanbok
21735 Gail Drive
Castro Valley CA 94546
510-415-7211 Ph.
http://www.bokshinhanbok.com/

I just wrapped up coordinating Angelica and Daniel’s interfaith wedding at St. Vincent’s School for Boys in San Rafael and I was enthralled by the classic architecture of the building as well as the rustic charm of its gardens. They hosted their reception in the courtyard behind the church. The church features painted wooden ceilings and marble. My favorite part was the side garden, where cocktail hour was held — it felt like a “secret garden.” Check out the photos from my walk-through and I hope to post the “real wedding” photos from this wedding in a few weeks!

You can bring in your own caterer and rent it for the entire day. Call (415) 507-2000 for more information.

St. Vincent's School for Boys - Courtyard for outdoor reception

St. Vincent's School for Boys Church

Dramatic corridors are perfect photo opps!

Path leading to the "secret garden"

Rustic pergola in garden

Escort cards attached the wrought iron gate

The courtyard easily accommodated 160 guests and could've fit more!

I am in love with Cat Seto’s little boutique and paper studio on Polk Street in Russian Hill, SF (my old hood!). There you can find the perfect wedding invite, bridal shower invite, baby announcement or just the cutest note and thank you cards. Her shop has adorable clothing items, accessories and gifts. Her studio next door is where you can design custom invitations. All collections feature Cat’s hand illustrated designs and watercolors and they are just beautiful! I am one of those gals who loves sparklies so I was thrilled when I found out you can add Swarovski crystals and give your paper some extra bling.

One of my favorite things about the invitation process here is that there are so many options! She has printables for the DIY gal, she has flat printing, letterpress or you can chose from something already designed in the huge pile of example books as well as create something custom. You can find her paper products out and about and at places like Anthro but for the biggest selection and just to see all the stunning examples you should try and make it to the store. Her website is pretty good (and her blog is great!) but there is a much wider selection in store. Make sure you stop by and find that perfect paper piece!

Hope everyone had a fabulous Labor Day Weekend!

Cat Seto Boutique Studio
2406 Polk Street
San Francisco, CA 94109
415.749.1988

Paper Studio
2430 Polk Street
San Francisco, CA 94109
415.749.1988

mail: 

Photo source: Author’s personal collection

By Erin Frank

Looking for a fun, saucy idea for a bachelorette party? Try a retro pin-up theme! Recently a group of girls got together to celebrate a friend’s upcoming wedding and went all out with retro, pin-up fun. From red lipstick to a signature cocktail (champagne, vodka, and cherry juice garnished with a strawberry), it was a glam and girly night. Here are a few DIY ideas for creating a successful pin-up themed party of your own.

Theme

If you’re doing a pin-up party let fashion be your inspiration. For this soiree, guests were encouraged to wear red, white or black. The bachelorette and bridesmaids embraced the theme with retro dresses from Trashy Diva and PinUpGirlClothing.com. Red lipstick and nail polish, liquid eyeliner, and mascara were available for guests to get all dolled up (grab a few extra lip brushes and mascara wands to keep things clean). Stockings and suspenders are encouraged.

Decor

Red and white polka dots set the tone in the hotel room—you can find the napkins and paper at Paper Source. Black and red/white polka dot ribbons rounded out the theme. Ribbons are an amazing, affordable way to carry out a look. Transform bottles and containers by covering labels or adding ribbon edging. A wide ribbon can become an easy table runner. An online image search for pin-up images offered great options for printing pictures to hang on the walls and turn into cake toppers. A few of the cupcakes were topped with flags made from washi paper tape in a black and white polka dot design.

Favors

In addition to makeup, party guests were given flowers to wear in their hair (simply adhere fake flowers to barrettes in advance with a strong glue) and temporary tattoos. Tattoo styles that work include anchors, swallows, hearts, roses and stars. Providing wearable accessories for guests is a great way to unify a group without guests having to invest in a new outfit (and you’ll love the photos!).

Finally, adorn the bride with a fun sash. In a nod to pin-up calendars, this one said Miss October 2nd—the bride’s wedding date. What other fun pin-up party ideas do you have?