9/21/12
Happy Friday everyone! This is Sara.
It’s finally here! Check out our feature on Style Me Pretty’s Little Black Book Blog.
Back in March I had the opportunity to be a part of an inspiration shoot at the beautiful Holman Ranch. The team at Coastside Couture dreamed up a gorgeous Americana themed wedding and I was lucky enough to play bride and groom for the day with my wonderful boyfriend.
Take a look at the incredible photographs by Mike Larson that feature some of the great vendors this area has to offer.
Here are links to the vendor’s websites so you can check them out yourself.
Mike Larson Photography – photographer
Coastside Couture – wedding and event coordinators
http://www.coastsidecouture.com/
Paradise Catering
Laughing Gal Floral
http://www.laughingalfloral.com/
Shawn Cavlan Beauty Co.
http://www.shawncavlanbeautyco.com/
Holman Ranch
Crescent Moon Paper Co.
http://www.crescentmoonpaper.com
Tuesday 7/24/12
Happy Tuesday!
I’ve made it through my first week at Chic Events, and figured it was time to introduce myself. I’m so excited to join the Chic team & work with everyone in the industry. And I’ve known Anthony for years, since before DNA was an actual business & was just 2 high school guys playing music off their laptops. :)
I recently moved back to the area from the east coast, where I got my Master’s degree in Journalism at Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts and worked as a news producer for FOX CT in Hartford, Connecticut. I helped launch & produce a morning TV show, Morning Extra, which directly competed with Good Morning America & the Today Show. But getting up at 1 or 2 in the morning can get a little tiresome, not to mention the winters are brutal. So I packed up my life & came home, which has been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.
I know that my background & experience will be an asset to the team. I look forward to meeting everyone who works with Chic, and continuing the great work the company is doing. Plus, who doesn’t want to live & work in one of the most beautiful places in the world. Cheers!
-Magdalena
7/15/12
Hey everyone,
I hope all is well! I just wanted to share my wonderful start to the morning. Our friends at La Crème surprised us by bringing over this beautiful cheese and cracker tray. It had fresh fruit, assorted cheeses and prosciutto. It was delicious! We are lucky to be in an industry that gives us so many amazing friends in the catering business.
- Sara
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CVR Photo shoot
Hey everyone! It’s Sara. I hope you all had a great holiday weekend!
This week Chic had the pleasure of being a part of a photo shoot at the beautiful Carmel Valley Ranch. I got to experience the authentic ranch feel of CVR in between set up sites when I saw this group of deer standing in the grass next to my car.
We had two days’ worth of set up to transform multiple spaces around CVR into a gorgeous mock wedding. We showcased our brand new bistro chairs in the Clubhouse and our new white washed chiavaris on the Clubhouse lawn for the ceremony.
I got to be a part of some of the set up and had a great time working with our delivery staff. The delivery guys said they were happy to have me there to “put a woman’s touch” on the wall drapery set up in the Redwood Room. Haha.
On the second day I was there, I had the challenging task of hanging bubble vases above our rustic wood tables in the Organic Garden. I have hung them up above our table in the showroom, but doing it outside when the wind was blowing hard enough to make it me feel like I was going to fly off of the table was a whole new experience.
It turned out to be well worth the danger. The bubbles looked gorgeous above the table. I can’t wait to see the professional photos Mike Steelman took!
Other wonderful vendors that worked on this photo shoot were:
Carmel Valley Ranch
http://www.carmelvalleyranch.com/index.aspx
Mike Steelman Photographers
Burst & Bloom
Cakes by Veronica
http://www.weddingwire.com/biz/cakes-by-veronica-montereysantacruz/website/c5893d432ed4457d.html
Shawn Cavlan Beauty Co.
http://www.shawncavlanbeautyco.com/
Big Time Video
Epiphany Boutique
Brenna Catalano Design Studio
http://www.bcdesignstudio.com/home.html
Sara
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Hello everyone,
This is Sara saying I hope you are having a great week and are going to having an enjoyable holiday weekend!
I am involved in other peoples’ wedding every day at Chic but have never experienced what it’s like to be in the bride to be’s shoes. I got a crash course in what it feels like to be a bride this last week while being part of a photo shoot at Holman Ranch.
I had the opportunity to play bride for the day alongside my more than accommodating boyfriend of six years, who got to be my groom. We had a mock wedding for a photo shoot designed by Heidi and Karissa at Coastside Couture and photographed by Mike Larson.
I got the star treatment, complete with hair and makeup by Shawn Cavlan Beauty Co. and a beautiful designer dress. My boyfriend, Tyler, got to get all decked out in a great suit with a bowtie and cowboy hat to match our patriotic wedding theme.
We used our gorgeous rustic tables and tableware, complete with the Santa Fe flatware collection which is my personal favorite. Paradise Catering made us a beautiful spread of food which included artichokes and a salad, which I wish I had gotten to eat. It looked delicious!
Amanda at Laughing Girl Floral made us beautiful floral arrangements for the tables as well as my bouquet, which I still have in my apartment.
It was an incredible day of shooting and a great way for me to get to know some of the vendors I work with better. Everyone was amazing and I am lucky to have been a part of the shoot. I owe a huge thank you to Danika who was the best fake maid of honor ever. I couldn’t have walked in that dress without her help! I can’t wait to see how the photos turned out! I will post some once they are available.
-All my best,
Sara
Here are links to the vendor’s websites so you can check them out yourself.
Mike Larson Photography – photographer
Coastside Couture – wedding and event coordinators
http://www.coastsidecouture.com/
Paradise Catering
Laughing Gal Floral
http://www.laughingalfloral.com/
Shawn Cavlan Beauty Co.
http://www.shawncavlanbeautyco.com/
Holman Ranch
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New Wine Barrel Heater
Chic Events is pleased to announce our hand crafted Wine Barrel Heaters/Cocktail Tables. Chic Events is the only rental company on the Monterey Peninsula to carry these unique and practical heaters/table tops and they will be available for rent starting the 1st of April.
These Wine Barrel Heaters are very versatile and can be used anywhere—and look especially amazing in rustic, outdoor venues. Please check out the photo and feel free to stop by our showroom anytime during March/April to view them in person.
If you have any questions, please call us at (831) 375-1055
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Where to Hold your Next Event
The Monterey Peninsula has no shortage of incredible places to get married or hold an event: ocean front, atop a cliff, mountainside, grand ballrooms, exquisite hotels, airplane hangars, private residences, amazing restaurants, churches, halls, fairgrounds, valley fields, and I could go on forever. Lately, many lovely clients have stopped in to Chic wondering where to start their wedding/event planning—and it all begins with your vision, your guest count, and your venue. Wedding and event coordinators and online search engines can help you narrow down your endless venue options in the area after getting a feel for the overall feel you want at your wedding.
To help get you started I have made a little quiz that will help give you an idea of where you may want to have your next event. Of course, feel free to always consult one of us at Chic if you need help with a referral. We can help you determine what may work for your budget and whether it’s better to go with a space where you’re able to bring everything in and completely personalize it, if you’re better off in a full-service venue that takes care of everything, or somewhere in between.
1. Your idea of the perfect date is:
- a. Surprise picnic on the beach
- b. Dinner at Casanova
- c. Horseback riding or hiking at Garland Park in Carmel Valley
- d. Pizza at La Bicyclette followed by a movie
2. Your ideal vacation spot is:
- a. Hawaii and the Caribbean
- b. New York City and Paris
- c. Costa Rica and Sydney
- d. Barcelona and Prague
3. You could never live without:
- a. Sunsets over the ocean
- b. Your little black dress/suit
- c. Vacations
- d. A home cooked meal
4. You think your guest count will be
- a. 0-50
- b. 100-150
- c. Over 150
- d. 50-100
5. You would describe your ultimate vision to be:
- a. Casual, contemporary or relaxed California-style
- b. Elegant, sophisticated and super memorable
- c. Rustic, farm-to-table, unique, vintage or eclectic
- d. Intimate, gourmet food and wine, beautiful
If you chose mostly a’s I would recommend the following venues:
Lover’s Point, Carmel River Beach, Berwick Park, Monterey Beach Resort, Monterey Beach Party, Ventana Inn, Highland’s Inn, Woods Hole in Pebble Beach, Stewart’s Cove, Point Lobos Ridge Vacation Home, Carmel Beach
If you chose mostly b’s I would recommend the following venues:
Monterey Plaza Hotel, Monterey Bay Aquarium, The Clement Monterey, Bernardus Lodge, Highland’s Inn, Pasadera Country Club, Monterey Marriot, Club Del Monte at Naval Post Graduate School
If you chose mostly c’s I would recommend the following venues:
Holman Ranch, Holly Farm, Memory Gardens, Carmel Valley Ranch, Chateau Julien, Hyatt Regency Monterey, Mission Ranch, Bayonet and Blackhorse, Monterey County Fairgrounds, Douglas Ranch
If you chose mostly d’s I would recommend the following venues:
Surf Room at Highlands Inn, The Perry House, Gatherings, Bernardus Lodge, Il Fornaio, Jabberwock Inn, La Mirada Museum of Modern Art, L’Auberge Carmel, Tarpy’s Roadhouse
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“Central Coast Bridal Show Tomorrow from Noon to 4!!”
Please join Chic Events, DNA Entertainment, and 60 other local vendors for the Spectacular Spring Bridal Show at the Hyatt Regency Resort and Spa’s Conference Center. Chic Events will be showcasing not only in our booths, but on the Hyatt’s new patio as well as around the conference center. We are excited to be a part of one of the greatest bridal shows on the Monterey Peninsula and can’t wait to see our fellow vendors and current and potential clients for lots of wedding fun tomorrow!
Below are some pictures from this bridal show last year :)
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“New Chiavari”
Chic Events is pleased to announce our recent purchase of White Washed Chiavari Chairs. Chic Events is the only rental company on the Monterey Peninsula too carry these very unique chairs and they will be available for rent starting in May 2012.
This White Washed Chiavari Chair is very versatile and can be used anywhere from a rustic, outdoor venue to an elegant, ballroom venue. Please check out the photo and feel free to stop by our showroom anytime during the month of May to view them in person. If you have any questions regarding the chairs, please call us at (831) 375-1055.
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“Our newly designed mahogany front table!”
If you’ve ever had a chance to pass by our showroom I’m sure you’ve taken a peak at our front table through the window. One day our multi-talented staff decided to custom make this mahogany table and it has been a hit ever since. With the growing popularity of rustic themed weddings we have had no problem renting our rustic themed inventory. We try to redesign the table in our showroom once a month to reflect different styles.
This month I decided to go with a Valentine’s theme with our new lace runner and a burlap runner on top. Melody King with Fleurish designs provided us with the hanging bubble vases that really add some magic to the table. We hope you all enjoy it and look forward to catching you sneaking a peak through the window
Sara
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“February’s Window”
Happy Monday everyone! I hope everyone had a good super bowl Sunday!
One of the comments I hear the most at bridal shows is, “Oh, you’re Chic Events! I drive past your window all the time! I love to look because it’s always changing.” This got me thinking that it would be nice to post pictures of our window at the beginning of each month to hopefully inspire people who don’t have the opportunity to drive by. This month we decided to go with a Valentine’s Day themed window. Katelynn and I bounced ideas back and forth about giving it a “Queen of hearts from Alice and Wonderland” feel. At first we had black sequins on the table and gold sequins drapery behind it. After we saw our vision as a reality we decided it didn’t look as good as we hoped. L Haha. Then it was back to brainstorming…
Here’s a picture of Britney putting our window together.
We did want to showcase our new vintage red chairs so we kept them and switched out the drapery and table linens.
Here is the finished product
I apologize for the glare! Who knew how hard it would be to take a picture of a window? Haha. Anyway I hope you all like it and look out for new window designs at the beginning of each month!
Sara
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“What I’ve learned from Wedding Planning”
Well brides, I know how you feel. As a woman about to get married in just a few weeks I can honestly say that planning a wedding is not a task for the weak at heart. With so many choices in vendors, decor, clothing, locations, etc. how is a girl supposed to know how to pick the right places, people and props to make her day just perfect? I might not have all the answers but in a multi-part series over the next few weeks, I thought I’d share my freshly acquired knowledge—most of which I’ve learned the hard way.
Part I:
You have to order bridesmaid dresses WELL in advance. Okay, so I knew that the bride’s dress was really important and you were supposed to choose it months out (especially if you’re having a spring wedding because January is an almost entirely dead month due to Chinese New Year) but I had no idea the same goes for bridesmaid’s dresses. And actually, they will let you “rush” wedding gowns, but this option is not available for most bridesmaid’s dresses. I naively scoured retail websites, Pintrest, and wedding blogs for weeks to find dresses that I thought would be perfect for my favorite girls. Finally—I found it. It was simple but elegant, formal but fun, and the perfect soft blue-gray color I was hoping for.
http://www.amsale.com/bridesmaids/chiffon/G629C.shtml.< The dress that could have been.>
I immediately looked up retailers close by to see how to go about getting an appointment so I could have some of my bridesmaids try it on and order it. The first sales woman I got a hold of almost laughed over the phone. “You want this dress in 8 weeks?” she shrieked over the phone, “No way. Cannot happen.” And thus began my search for dresses off the rack.
Turns out, just after the holidays is a great time to look for dresses at department stores- if you don’t mind fighting crowds. Pretty much everything is on sale and the big retailers like Nordstrom, Bloomingdales, Saks, etc. have a lot of their formalwear discounted. I was lucky enough to find similar (albeit, not the perfect dress I originally found- and the color I had to compromise on) dress at 2/3 of the original price. It needed some alterations because it had straps and some ruffle detailing that I didn’t love but in the end I’m really happy with them. And my bridesmaids all love it—or at least they say they do…
One of my bridesmaids Katie—looking gorgeous!
What I’ve learned from wedding planning:
Lesson #1: EVERYTHING TAKES 3X LONGER THAN YOU THINK IT WILL. PLAN ACCORDINGLY.
Lesson #2: SOMETHINGS ARE JUST NOT WORTH THE STRESS- EXCPECT TO COMPROMISE WITH YOUR EXPECTATIONS.
Katelynn
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Happy Wednesday everyone!
We just received some exciting news that we wanted to share with all of you. Chic Events and DNA Entertainment, along with numerous other amazing Monterey Bay vendors, will be published in the 2012 San Francisco edition of Ceremony Magazine on pages 214 & 215. If you happen to stumble across one of the magazines, be sure to check it out! You can also visit their website, Ceremony Blog, to find out information about all of the fabulous vendors.
Britney
