loving this chandelier

I apologize for being so MiA...and trust me when I tell you that I've missed sharing the love on StellinaStellina. I promise to figure out a way to share here and live this dream of mine...but until then...
I wanted to share this amazing chandelier I saw on Style Me Pretty this am by Jeff and Julia Woods Photography! Isn't it amazing???

SBC glitzpick inspired: Mexico inspired wedding

My Santa Barbara Chic glitzpick was all about the bold! And since I'm loving the bright/bold colors of the latin world this week, I knew this versatile Ippolita ring would be a perfect piece! This wedding incorporate a colorful mix of red, turqouise, gold, pink and dark blue, perhaps held at a beachside hacienda or hotel. Guests would dine al fresco, complimented by individualized margarita bar. This wedding would be super festive, and last way into the night. Perfecto!

a little wedding blogger vacation comes to an END

Happy Monday everyone! Last week, I took an unexpected, yet much needed break from wedding blogging (except, of course, for my Santa Barbara Chic inspired post). Today starts a new week, with a new round of wedding inspiration...{and} I'm excited to share with you what I've been up to, and how things are going.

Since this week is supposed to be so gloomy outside, I thought we all might need a little sunshine! All this week I'll be going Latin....so first...here are some long awaited top pics from my trip to Mexico last month:

Wouldn't this be a gorgeous wedding arch?

A contrast in colors (and my five seconds (literally) of model fame!)

Doesn't one of these sound great right now?

Perhaps a little sunscreen might be in order?

Yummy deep fried beach treats...mmmm. Thanks 36Thirty for these great shots...& for organizing such a great trip (can we go again...now???). Doreenie and Halli--xoxox always! More to come this week!

SBC glitzpick inspired: spanish inspired celebration

This week's Santa Barbara Chic glitzpick necklace is bold and daring...perfect for the confident bride with a little edge. Designed by Jose and Maria Barrera, this jewelry invokes the vision of a spanish-style wedding in the country, complete with an outdoor Catholic mass, tones of faded turquoise and brick, and a decadent feast of  olive inspired dishes. Imagine dancing the night away to the hypnotic sounds of an acoustic spanish guitar, followed by a night cap of decadent cigars. Muy Fantastico!

for the love of the wedding night: Strumpet & Pink bloomers!

Underwear is Underwear...but these 100% silk bloomers from Strumpet & Pink are works of art. Handmade in Great Britain, each piece is truly unique and evokes a fun, playful vibe in various themes. Perfect for the shy...

...made for the frisky...

...these bloomers are great accompaniments for any bride and her wedding dress (not to mention perfect additions to the wedding trousseau). 

You can purchase these gorgeous Strumpet & Pink bloomers, here & here & here.

photography: 1) urbantakeout 2) embelezzia 3) eve without adam 4) lingni-net 5) phillip a fioretti 6) threadme 7) petite coquette

thoughts from a passion-filled life.

All that keeps repeating in my mind is: tired, tired, tired! *
It's amazing how exhausting working can become, especially when you're sort of doing three jobs in one. Having spent the first few months of this journey working from home...by myself...I had forgotten how demanding working at an office can become, both physically and emotionally. Now that I'm working from home AND working in an office, I feel almost overwhelmed sometimes with how much wedding information I have stirring around in my brain. *
Don't get me wrong...I love every minute of it!! But doing what you love in such a manner does take its toll! Like right now...my desk, my room...they look like war zones. I always think that I'll have an afternoon on the weekend to get organized, but then (as if in some perfect tradition), my weekend gets full. For example, since I've been out of town for the last two weekends, this Saturday and Sunday were supposed to be relaxation time, spent lounging by the pool with family & watching movies cuddled on the couch with my dog. Now...I'm heading out for date number 2 with a great guy, driving to Santa Barbara for alumnae sorority work and some wedding location scouting, and working to develop and create the remainder of this month's blog calendar. Oye! *
I AM tired, but there's no way I'd give it all up, or choose to slow down. I keep repeating the same vision over and over in my head--&, it's that vision that makes the piling laundry and physical exhaustion worth every second of the craziness. *
photographer unknown

daily wedding night cap.

"The loving are the daring."
~Bayard Taylor
engagement photography by Brightwood Photography

SBC glitzpick inspired: victorian, sea glass wedding by-the-sea

This morning's glitzpick on Santa Barbara Chic is all about sea glass, the gorgeous jewels formed from antique treasures tossed away years ago at sea. The jewelry, designed by GhostShip, invokes a feeling of peaceful-natural beauty, and immediately I felt a strong desire to design a Victorian-inspired beach wedding in tones of sea glass-blue, cream and white (with subtle hints of soft pink). The victorian era was all about restriction, so my goal was to create a wedding that felt Victorian, yet also felt peaceful and free. I would imagine this to be a small wedding (an intimate gathering of family and friends), perhaps held on the shore of a New England seaside estate.  Guests would dine on Lobster, caught by the brides brothers earlier that morning, and sip champagne via the glow of old lanterns. Magical!

daily wedding night cap.

"I love rain, actually."
~Bill Rodgers
engagement session photography by Kristin Joy Photography

foodie report. the wedding cupcake-32 flavors of desserts & counting

Meet Ming Makes Cupcakes! 32 flavors of the most complex and flavored cupcakes you will ever eat. Before my journey into the wedding world, I spent one crazy summer in high school working at a chain ice cream store. For the sweets lover, getting a job that allowed you to take home $3.50 in ice cream each night was a blessing. For the teenage girl living in Los Angeles, the 20+ lbs I packed on in 3 months was more like a curse. Suffice it to say, I have a passion for sweets, which is why the wedding dessert is always at the forefront of my mind. Imagine my excitement, then, when I came across Ming's site. The blog itself is like an art gallery of dessert photographs combined with the efficiency of a recipe card catalogue.

Wait...Hate cupcakes? No worries! There are cookie recipes & savory scone and muffin recipes, too!

This blog is perfect for the foodie bride or groom looking to DIY your wedding desserts. With 32 unique cupcake flavors to choose from (my fav? number 18: Sour Cream Apricot Cupcakes with Marscapone frosting & Toasted Almonds shown above), you're sure to find a treat to satisfy bride, groom, & wedding guests alike!  Visit this amazing blog-your guests will thank you!

daily wedding night cap.

"Many are the stars I see, but in my eye no star like thee"
~English Saying
wedding photography by Turn Loose the Art

Kelly Oshiro Events weds a new look and name!

Good morning blog fans! The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and it's another beautiful day in the world of weddings. Over the weekend, one of the best wedding and event designers launched a brand new company logo and brand, and I have to say I'm loving the new design.

Introducing...Kelly Oshiro Design (formally Kelly Oshiro Events). Check out the new webpage, and new blog, here (and for those of you who haven't seen the blog yet...every Tuesday is Shoesday! Get a look at some of the best designed shoes you'll ever see [perfect for your upcoming wedding!]).

daily night cap.

"Love one another and you will be happy. It's as simple and as difficult as that."

~Michael Leunig

wedding photography by Missy Cochran Photography

for the love of the wedding night: Javier VallHonrat

Brides spend hours (and perhaps years) attempting to find the perfect wedding dress. But what's often overlooked is the importance of your wedding night "look", including the boudoir intimates underneath that glowing bridal gown. Photographer Javier VallHonrat truly captures the beauty and sensuality of all parts of the wedding outfit in these breathtaking photographs. Stunning!

daily night cap.

"A hundred hearts would be too few, to carry all my love for you."
~Anonymous
Bouquet and Bridesmaid Photographed by Melissa Diep Photography

thoughts from a passion-filled life.

Here we are...another Thursday, and I'm forcing myself to contemplate life. And this morning, I'm somewhat resisting have to admit what I think needs to be said. As anyone having lived through an intentional life transition might attest, part of moving forward requires letting go. Throughout my life, the universe seems to always supply what I've needed. In college, that desire was for a feeling of validation--that I had something to offer the world beyond my simple existence. That validation came through the leadership opportunities in my sorority, and I've been forever attempting to repay my gratitutde ever since. Last year I was asked to be part of an amazing committee dedicated to educating and empowering our sororoity women, and I've had the most amazing and personally empowering experience over the last year as a contributor to this team. Yet...here I am, embarking on a major life transition, and I find myself at a point where I'm letting my committee members down in my commitments, as the result of a new life/work schedule that leaves very little time for much beyond all-things-wedding. Admittedly, I've always had difficulty saying no or moving-on, which often creates procrastination and disappoint. And despite every personal intention not to, I seem to have done it again. For those I've let down, I truly apologize. Please know...while not reflected in my actions, I've forever grateful and humbled for getting to be in the presence of such amazing women.
photograph by onelovephotography

daily night cap.

"You call it madness, but I call it love!"
~Diane Arbus
photography by Jessica Stout

glitzpick inspired: peach/grey beach

When I first laid eyes on the Alexis Bittar bangle that I featured this morning on Santa Barbara Chic, my immediate thought was seaside elegance. The colors are so bold, yet so subdued...similar to the feel of an afternoon by a beach in the middle of summer. The color of grey and peach offer a softness to the opulent nature of this wedding's details....and I don't know about you, but I'm dying to get an invite to this wedding!

foodie report: the BIGGEST cupcakes (and desserts) in the world

...and perhaps the most expensive!

Isn't this amazing?! A few weekends ago my family and I took a drive down to Malibu for an afternoon at the beach. On the way home, we stopped by one of my favorite dessert hot-spots, Malibu Kitchen and Gourmet Country Market. While the market itself is jam packed full of specialty food, sandwiches, and old-time candies, what stood out the most were their amazing cupcakes and frosted treats!

Can you see the amazing gummi-bear yumminess in the top left of the case?! Delish!

Chocolate mouse...berry tart...walnut carmel cheese torte?! Oh my! What a great way to spice up the wedding cake tradition with something you might actually order with your sweetie on a Saturday night. Mmmmmm. Be sure to check out these sweet treats on your next trip to Malibu.

daily night cap.

"My bounty is as boundless as the sea, my love as deep; the more I give to thee the more I have, for both are intimate"

~Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet

photograph by Beaux Arts Photographie

sleepy monday

The Brass Petal did an amazing blog this morning about beds...amazing for the beauty, not so amazing for a tired woman on Monday morning. Remember the days of being a little girl and dreaming of a flowing canopy bed? Yeah....they make them for adults, and these are probably the most beautiful you will ever see. Check it out! In the meantime, I'm off for another long day immersed in weddings...yippee!
photograph via pia jane

daily night cap.

"Love makes your soul crawl out from its hiding place."

~Zora Neale Hurston

photography by Steve DePino 

for the love of the wedding night: Shibue, the miracle strapless panty!

She's wearing one...are you? For all of you who've ever dealt with the oh-so-annoying issue of a panty line (hello bridesmaids!!!), the solution has finally arrived! Meet your new best friend, The Shibue Strapless Panty.

It's easy to apply and take-off, completely indiscreet and comes in three colors (black, nude & red).

Amazing! Make sure to visit their website for a simple tutorial by the designer, Jenny Buettner!
photographs: 1)fashionroar 2) Shibue 3)Luxemix

daily night cap.

"Where there is love, there is life."
~Gahndi
photograph by Lilia Photography

thoughts from a passion-filled life.

This post is perhaps my first intentional opportunity to sit down and reflect about this crazy journey thus-far, and believe me when I tell you I've somewhat been dreading it. I've had so many mixed emotions over the last three months, from pure jubilation to shear terror, and I've been navigating this wedding industry with mostly enthusiasm and part caution. The fact of the matter is at the end of the day, I could look at wedding venues, lunch with industry professionals, and edit blog/magazine content till I'm blue in the face, and that passion alone is the only thing keeping me going. But there are some days when the fear of the "hows" creep in...how I'm going to make enough money to pay my bills, become financially abundant, own a home, and move-out of my parents house?! I have this amazing vision in my mind that I can see and feel if I close my eyes...I'm sitting on a grey velvet couch-lounger in my own 3 bedroom bungalow, reading the latest YWD mag with my two puppbabies in my lap (Frankie and his future brother Beans), waiting for my gorgeous and adorable husband to finish making breakfast so we can eat before our baby girl wakes up from her crib. Its an amazing vision that's so detailed I can feel the cold espresso colored wood floors, and marble kitchen counter tops, and....

ahhh...pure bliss.
Still...the "hows" stresses get so much sometimes that it makes it hard to breathe & last month I even went to the hospital, convinced I was having a heart-attack. The anxiety is insane, and on many occasions I've questioned my choice to make this crazy move at 30. Then again, I think about the alternative. I have never been one to stick with something that makes me unhappy (as can be evidenced by my 21+moves since 1998), and I refuse to stay in a career/job that is limiting and stifles my creativity.  So for now, I balance my time as an associate wedding planner for Kelly Oshiro Events, and as the Executive Assistant to the Editor at Your Wedding Day. I'm also trying to grow my blog, and I'm in the process of working on an upcoming photoshoot with one-love photography and some pretty amazing LA staples. I have booked three clients for 2010 with Kelly, have assisted in an amazing photoshoot, visited some pretty outstanding estates and ranches in Santa Barbara, and toured the mecca of fabric stores in downtown. And...in just 4 days at YWD, I've attended planning meetings and site visits for some future YWD events, developed & edited content for our upcoming spring/summer 2010 issue, and have been in contact with some pretty amazing vendors! Seeing it all written down is pretty amazing...and makes me wonder how I keep up with it all (admittedly some days better than others). But as my faith teaches, the "hows" aren't really up to us. As long as I stick with passion, stick with those things that make me happy and help me grow, the answer to the "hows" will appear. I guess that's really all I can do for now. As Wayne Dyer reminds: "When you engage Spirit, your regain the power of your ultimate Source." And that is just what I intend to do.
photography: 1)GemmaCommas; 2&3) unknown(if these are yours, please let me know so I can credit)

daily night cap.

"Age does not protect you from love, but love to some extent protects you from age."
~Jeanne Moreau
photograph by Halberg Photographers