Jenny + Ravi {Wedding Reception}

The girl said "I do" and the boy kissed his girl, so now we celebrate.  The wedding ceremony was a dream turned reality of true love, and the reception was to continue well into the night. Guests arrived to the Garden of Bammel Lane where an outdoor space and a glass house were to be our playground.  Ah, the details of that glorious night!

Guests were tempted with signature cocktails called the Twilight Sparkle served in clear etched flute glasses while cello and acoustic guitar tunes filled the air. Delicious kimchi, arancini, and tomato bisque shots were indeed something to write home about.  The welcome table included oversized letters spelling Silly Willy (Jenny + Ravi's nickname for each other) which will become an art piece in their new home along with the purple paper flowers adorning the entry area.  In addition, over 1000 colorful paper cranes folded by Jenny, representing good luck and the length of their of courtship was  showcased in a wooden lantern. The escort table was a sea of several hundred crysthanamum flowers, a design that was so fluffy one might have crawled into it if given the chance.   

Surrounded by purple paper lanterns above, decorative lighting, and floral accents the guests anxiously awaited the arrival of the Mr. + Mrs. Shah. Little did they know what was in store for them.   A custom song creation of Everything by Lighthouse started off as a sweet ballad with a beautifully choreographed dance,  climaxed into a dramatic explosion.  Think continuous confetti cannon shooting into the night sky and the guests' voices rejoiced in excitement   Think a concert production.  It was a moment.  It was a very perfect moment. It was the definition of what they will consider to be the best day of their life. 

Awe-inspiring is what one would say upon entering the glass house.  A royal table fit for a king and queen with an unbelievable floor to table floral garland running the length of twenty-four feet.  Above, a little candle light twinkle and suspended wreaths completed the design.  The guest tables were just as royal with tall cylinders filled with soft ivory hydrangeas and cascading phalaenopsis orchids along with floating candles. With purple hue ceiling lighting and perfectly pin-spotted tables, it was an amazing place for a feast.

I was personally excited about the vegetarian experience awaiting them.  Celebrating their cultures, the delivery of this masterpiece was also worth writing home about.    The culinary adventure started off with an artichoke chevre torta garnished with olives and sun-dried tomatoes showcased on glorious purple and silver swirled linen surrounded by platinum-rimmed glassware and clear beaded chargers.  The mosaic salad accented with micro-greens was just the warm up to the finale, a flawless roasted acorn squash filled with apples, walnuts, caramelized onions, and sage accompany by an apple-chutney and a warm salsa Verde sauce. Delish, as one would say.  

Upon completion of dinner, guests were once again welcomed under the starry night for a lavish dessert spread of chocolate cake balls, mini butter raspberry cupcakes, cinnamon cake shots, and hazelnut baklava.  The 2-tier butter-cream cake with purple ribbon accent and sugar flowers was showcased on an eggplant heirloom linen.   

The night would not be complete without a tip of the hat to Jenny's Korean heritage.  A quick change into a custom traditional hanbok and an new up-do,  the adventure of dancing the night away began.  Boy, was there dancing!   As a token to remember the occasion, Jenny + Ravi made personalized luggage tags as the party favor.

With Part I, Part II, and now Part III in the memory vault, this is by no means the end of their story, but just the beginning.   Cheers!

 Ingredients for this perfect recipe of love:

Enjoy Events:  event design + planning

A Finer Event:  china rentals

Acoustic Production:  cocktail music

Any Occasion:  tent frame   

Brickner Dance Floor:  white dance floor 

Bright Star:  lighting production  

Catering by Culinaire: catering + bar service 

Delphine:  stationary

Dream Bouquet:  floral 

Elegant Beginnings:  linens 

Greenway Coffee:  coffee bar 

LG Entertainment:  MC/Music Production   

Balushka Paper Flower Artistry:  purple paper flowers 

Phoenicia:  hazelnut baklava 

Steve Lee:  photo + video

Swift & Co:  china rentals

Gardens of Bammel Lane:  venue

Who Made The Cake:  cake + desserts 

Your Beautiful Face:  hair + makeup

 

Jenny + Ravi {Wedding Ceremony}

There was once a boy who meet a girl. They were from completely different worlds.  Different family beliefs. Different traditions.  Different Gods.  Just different.  But, they liked each other.  A lot.  They quickly fell in love even though all odds were against them.  But, no diversity could break the destiny.  The love.  The love they had for each other.  It would speak. It would whisper.  Eventually people understood what Ravi + Jenny already knew. This guy loved this girl and this girl loved this guy.  It was to be their bond.   Then, they got married.  

There are moments when I get to witness the power of friendship and love so grand that it inspires me to be a better person, a better wife, and a better mother.  I am happy that fate brought us together.  It was indeed fate.  I am better knowing Ravi + Jenny.  Quite simply, they are genuinely remarkable people.

They had a vision of a wedding from a little movie called twilight.  Not regarding hungry wolves and lustful vampires, but rather a breathtaking masterpiece of suspended floral in soft white surrounded by trees.  What could be better than hundred year old manzanita and oak trees as your playground, so I thought.  With whimsical invitations of purple hues blended with grey, Ravi + Jenny selected the River Oaks Garden Club as Part II of their wedding adventure.  Check out Part I, which was a celebration to Ravi's Indian heritage, filled with vibrantly beautiful colors of red and orange.

 As guests  arrived they were welcomed into the water garden to enjoy  refreshing lavender sodas.  It was the perfect moment to rekindle old friendships and create new prior to the ceremony. As guest moved to the ceremony area, they were each taken back by the flawless ceiling design of ribbons, garden roses, and orchids suspended from the ceiling. There was something quite magical about the 25'x40' grid above our heads as we witnessed the power of true love come together.   There was also something spectacular about the meaning of flowers.  While the groomsmen showcased a dark purple dendrobium orchid with lavender accents on their JoS. A. Bank suites, the bridesmaids presented a different floral bouquet to Ravi as they approached the alter. While Clair de Lune by Debussy filled the air, the meaning of each flower was spoken:  White stock, representing a symbol of happy life and contended existence; Gardenia, representing femine grace, purity, and joy; Orchid, a flower of magnificence that brings universal message of love, beauty, thoughtfulness, luxury, and strength; and, Chrysanthemum, representing hope.  The final bouquet presented by the Jenny was the white rose, the flower of light which stands for the mortal power of love. Rosemary and Lavender were accents with their meaning of remembrance and renewal.  Together, Ravi and Jenny tied the bouquet together symbolizing the unity of their cultures and the foundation of their relationship.

But, it wasn't all seriousness and mushy meanings.  With the heavens above tempting us with a little rain, we had umbrellas on hand for the back-up plan. After all, the show must go on.  The Gods were indeed watching  over us as there was no rain on this wedding day but, alas, some fun umbrellas must be used.   Just because we can.

Ravi + Jenny both wore Rado, Jubile-style watches, gifts from the groom's parents as they exchanged their Tiffany and Co platinum wedding bands, which were engraved with their nicknames for each other:  Silly Willy.  Their vows were from their heart and  there was not a dry eye in this intimate setting of close friends and family.  I would be remissed if I did not mention Ravi's Kenneth Cole shoes.  That boy loves those shoes! And, he finally got his girl.
  
Ingredients for this perfect recipe of love:

Enjoy Events:  event design + planning
Dream Bouquet:  floral
Steve Lee:  Photography
Acoustic Production:  ceremony music
A Finer Event:  rentals
Catering by Culinaire:  beverages
Your Beautiful Face:  hair + makeup
Parvani Vida:  gown
JoS. A. Bank Clothiers:  suites
Tiffany and Co:  wedding bands 
River Oaks Garden Club:  venue
Delphine Press:  stationary

Stay tune for Part III of this epic adventure. 

Jenny + Ravi {Indian Celebration}

Part 1 of a two-day celebration began for Jenny and Ravi as they brought two cultures together.  The journey of roadblocks because of differences in their diversity, one Indian and one Korean, ended with triumph showing the world that love can truly prevail.   I am beyond thrilled to have shared this experience with them. It was an epic experience on so many levels.  

The Hare Krishna Dham was the playground selected for this celebration.  Upon arrival,  the Rangoli, folk art from India, representing good luck welcomed the guests to a space filled with specialty red lighting and decorative patterns on the ceiling. The mandap was designed to be a large square structure covered in beautiful swags of cream and copper fabric, and accented with vibrant orange and red flowers.  With both wearing custom outfits from India, they were surrounded  by candlelight and lush floral arrangements as they gathered with friends and family to commiserate the traditional rituals of the wedding ceremony.  Jenny was adorned with traditional Henna tattooing along with an all white gold and diamond Mangalsutra, the most

revered token of love and respect offered to the bride during the marriage ceremony.  Friends and family joined in the traditions thus continually celebrating this true-love-cultural-breakthrough. 

The dinner reception was a feast of the finest Indian cuisine.  The pasha metallic tablecloth was the perfect foundation for the mercury glass centerpieces with lush arrangements of vibrant colors.  The look was completed with silver chavari chairs with red shantung napkins and sashes.   Room decor accents completed the design with mirror walls and custom window coverings matching the table linen. The evening would not yet be complete without hours of Raas, Garba, and Ice Cream.

Congrats my friends.  

Ingredients for the perfect recipe of love:

Enjoy Events:  design + planning

Steve Lee Photography:  photography:  

Plants + Petals:  floral + mandap

Darryl & Co:   room decor

Elegant Beginnings:  linens

Bright Star:  lighting

A Finer Event:  china rentals  

Your Beautiful Face:  hair and makeup