Fabulous Los Angeles wedding venues by Los Angeles Wedding Planner

Los Angeles is a big, beautiful city! And there are lots of wedding venues to choose from. Depending on your budget, style and guest count, there are numerous choices to look at, and some that are not so well known. From lavish gala affairs to sophisticated and chic weddings, here are three unique Los Angeles wedding venue choices:

1. Oviatt Penthouse, Downtown Los Angeles
An art deco inspired venue with spectacular views of the Downtown LA skyline, and delicious food catered by Truly Yours Catering make this a unique and very special choice.

2. Marvimon, Los Angeles
An 80-year old building with exposed vintage bricks and a lush garden ceremony setting, completely run by solar power (LOVE!). This venue has that "lofty" feel with amazing wood trusses and other unique details. Perfect for an eclectic, chic or vintage style wedding with an intimate feel and guest count.

3. The Langham Huntington Hotel in Pasadena (formerly the Ritz-Carlton)
A grand five star hotel surround by 23 acres of beautiful scenery and set within a quiet, upscale residential neighborhood This choice boasts romantic ballrooms and lush gardens. Opulent without being garish. A perfect option for a lavish affair.

Tres Chic! Parisian-inspired wedding, Pasadena Wedding Planner

As you will see from the photos, Trey and Kay exude love for each other and these pictures don't lie! A true Southern gentleman, Trey really treats Kay like a Queen and wanted her to have nothing but the best for their big day! We came up with a subtle Parisian theme for their wedding, inspired by their honeymoon to Paris.

Using lots of feathers, gold, and Parisian accents, their dream day came to life! We even found a large eiffel tower to use as their "wish tree" and it was an amazing feast for the eyes! Guests had their caricatures drawn by a cartoonist and took them home for favors. A beautiful day it was!

Katie & Kevin's (Sweet) Pasadena Wedding! Pasadena Wedding Planner

Katie and Kevin had been trying to plan their wedding for almost two years, but since Kevin was in the Army and stationed in the Middle East for continuous deployments, they had to keep pushing back their wedding date. Once they were sure he was coming home by the middle of 2010, they set their wedding date and Katie called us for help. Katie wanted to make sure all details were accounted for since they had been waiting so long for this day to finally arrive. She wanted to enjoy Kevin coming home and not have to worry about all the wedding details, and understandably so!

When I met Katie, she was adorable, peppy, and full of ideas. Afterall, she had been planning this wedding for a long time! Her color palette was teal and yellow; a pretty cool choice to match her fun personality! Actually, the wedding planning process and wedding day ended up being ALL about fun (as you will see by the pictures below).

Katie and Kevin wanted to relax after their ceremony, and so they changed into jeans and t-shirts with converse tennis shoes for most of their reception. They also gave all of their bridal party t-shirts to change in to, and everyone was stoked while they rocked out to tunes from ETC Entertainment (Cory Alamedia). The photobooth and candy buffet were also lots of fun for everyone, and we finished out the evening with tray-passed cookies and milk shooters. Sweet!

California Vintage Wedding with Hollywood Glamour, Los Angeles Wedding Planner

Victoria and Mario were married on a beautiful August day at Little Bridges Hall of Music in Claremont. The music hall on the Claremont Colleges campus is a little-known gem of a wedding ceremony location, and is exquisitely beautiful. It was the perfect fit for their chic wedding with a vintage twist. After their emotional vows, their guests enjoyed the reception at a gorgeous estate not far away. With touches of succulents, lace, and vintage embellishments, this wedding was elegant without being overdone. The Bride, Victoria, scoured antique marts and craigslist to find alot of the vintage touches that were incorporated into her wedding, and it made a lovely day that much more personal.

Winner winner, chicken dinner! Los Angeles Wedding Planner

Okay, that is a silly title for such an awesome award! But we are really thrilled that the ever-popular "Wedding Wire" website (part of the Martha Stewart wedding network), named us for their "Brides Choice Awards, 2011"! And, what's even better, is that this means that we are in the top 5% percent of Wedding Planners nationwide!

It makes me so happy to know that I'm doing what I love for people in love, and those people are happy with our services! Thanks for all your continued support and referrals! It truly means so much to me...

~Laurel

Dia de los Muertos (Day Of The Dead) Wedding, Los Angeles Wedding Planner

Dia de los Muertos is often thought to be a "spooky" or somber day, but it is actually just the opposite! A celebration in Central and South American cultures, Dia de los Muertos or "Day of the Dead" is full of color, food and fun festivities.

I had the honor of helping design some of the elements for Kasey and Charles' "Day of the Dead" wedding, held this past May. Not every couple wants to follow the traditonal path when it comes to their wedding day, and it makes my job that much more fun and interesting when they don't!

Kasey hand-made all of her sugar skulls as the table centerpieces! Her save the date cards were hand-stamped by yours truly with a handmade stamp fashioned into a bride and groom skull couple!

Alice In Wonderland Wedding at Disneyland, with vintage touches

Inspired by the recent re-release of the movie, this wedding theme is so whimsical and fun, and definitely not for the average couple!

To achieve this look, here are some tips:

Find all different chairs at garage sales and antique stores--Don't be afraid to use color, and lots of it!---Consider having the Groom wear a top hat, reminiscent of the "Mad Hatter", and for their attendant gifts, fun cuff links for all the groomsmen---A great (yet pricey) option is to hold your Alice In Wonderland reception at Disneyland, where you can actually hire Alice, and all the characters, to be your entertainment!---A less pricey option, yet still alot of fun, is to purchase a giant chess set. This is sure to be a hit with your guests, young and old!

candy buffet: beautiful blooms,"alice" hairpiece: thefrenchmouse (etsy), cheshire cat cufflinks:littleangelsjewlery (etsy),giant chess set: drugstore.com, bridal dresses: sohomade, "eat me" pinkcherrymama (etsy.com) ,reception/centerpieces: grand californian hotel, disneyland

How deliciously divine is this? Edible glitter!

I absolutely adore this idea for weddings, showers, sweet sixteens, bat mitzvah and little princess parties! Definitely adds a touch of glamour!

Thanks to Hansen's Cakes in Los Angeles for this yummy idea and equally delicious cakes!

Vintage Country Chic Spring Wedding

courtesy "the happy wedding", shannon medley designs (stationery), Stephanie Allin (dress), Brides Magazine (table)

Vintage Country Chic

...sweet, romantic...perfect for Spring!

Ahhh...Spring is officially here! Such a beautiful and perfect time of the year for weddings and other special life events, as this season traditionally represents new beginnings...new blossoms...and new life.

Lovely colors for Spring time weddings consist of softer shades, such as: whites, golds and silvers paired with pastel shades, such as lavender, pink, peaches and yellow. Add green for a modern and fresh twist!

If you are hoping for your wedding design to exude romance and a princess-like quality, with some vintage touches, then the table setting above is a perfect choice. This is such a simply shabby chic display of Spring! Soft shades of peaches, greens, pinks and ivory are lovely for this effect. And the imperfection of this setting CREATES the perfection!

Some tips to achieve this look:

Find containers at your local thrift/antique store (don't worry about matching them). This is also a eco-friendly idea!
Mason jars can be found at Michael's craft stores or thrift stores; fill these with more flowers, candles or candy (in pastel shades).

Add throw pillows in pastel shades and romantic prints to some of your chairs. Your guests will appreciate the comfortable and stylish seating!

Using china of all different patterns from thrift and antique stores is another option!

Silver buckets (at any craft store) also work great for floral containers. Use the mini silver buckets with gingham (checked) ribbon for cute escort card holders or favor containers.

Instead of wedding cake, or in addition to it, consider serving up assorted flavors of pie! Find an old cupboard at the antique shop and display all the pies! This is a cute country-chic look!

Offer your guests pink lemonade prior to your ceremony from glass beverage dispensers. Serve them in mason jars for a unique look.

Consider hanging vintage chandeliers from above! Especially chic if hanging from trees

Use lots of candles and soft light to create an etheral glow

I sure hope this gives you some inspiration and useful ideas for your country-chic wedding!

Until next time,

Laurel