The New Bridal Booth: Brea Community Center | Table7 Events

Event:  BREA BRIDAL SHOW

Design:  TABLE7 EVENTS, INC.

Vintage Rentals:  {FOUND}

Floral Design:  JENNY B FLORAL DESIGN

As a wedding planner, I am often invited to participate in bridal expos, but more often hesitant to do so.    

In the past I have done styled tables, DIY projects or a phenomenal backdrop.  The responses I get from brides vary: "I don't think I can afford you!", "Who did the flowers?", "Where can I get those chairs?", and the most common, "What do you do?"

Hearing that question, "What do I do?" over and over, show after show, I needed an answer that was straight and to the point, but what was it!  I can tell you about the endless tasks I do, the number of hours I put into an event, the countless contacts I have, but I have a matter of seconds to draw you in.

What can I do???  What "I" can do is SHOW YOU, what "I" do!!!  I am going to show you what I do from start to finish.  I am going to bring my studio to you in an 8x10 space and I am going to draw you in visually and mentally.  I am going to show you, as my bride, where you are standing right now with that sparkling diamond on your finger, where you will end up a year from now, and how it came together.

Let's start with the concept:

I wanted you to feel like you had stepped into my office; cozy, friendly, welcoming and feel like we were here to start planning your day.  

I decided to choose a wedding that I had done this year that had gotten a lot of buzz {Viceroy Palm Springs}, and SHOW YOU the process of planning a wedding.  Starting from the Pinterest board I had created with my couple, then the colors we choose, sample flower textures and other props, and bring it to current day, with the actual framed wedding photo the couple has hanging in their home.  Can you picture it yet?

In my imagination, {found} was written all over this project.  I took my drawing over to the {found} warehouse, held my breath in hopes they would not laugh at my artistry, and when both Jeni Maus and Lauren McWilliams' mouths' dropped, then looked at each other, I knew I had done something new and out-of-the-box.  They were just as excited as I was.  As we ventured through the warehouse and chose the items, everything started falling into place and I was anxious for the date to arrive.

Finally, it was January 26th and time to put this idea into action!  Here's the final product and it's exactly as I imagined.

I loved the bust!  I used it as a mock groom to create a vision of the bout and possible tie options.

Table7 had so many compliments on our set-up from bride's, their mothers and even other vendors that varied from, "You are different than anyone else here," to "That is completely my style, I love you guys!"  I am chalking this "new bridal booth" up to complete success!

Rock N' Roll Wedding / Backyard Wedding: Michelle + Jimmy | Table7 Events

Location:  PRIVATE RESIDENCE, BREA
Photographer:  ANDREA DEE PHOTOGRAPHY
Event Coordination:  TABLE7 EVENTS, INC.
Catering:  CORTINA'S ITALIAN MARKET
Florist:  M'S FLOWERS

It is a very rare occasion when I come across a groom that is so interested in the details and planning, it warms my heart.  Michelle, my relaxed bride's only request was that this wedding be in her parent's backyard.  Jimmy, my involved groom, came to me with so many fantastic ideas:  he had a citrus color scheme on black and white tablecloths, a cookie and candy bar, and a host of other ideas that needed to be wrangled.

Seeing that Jimmy has spent many year's in a band, music continued to pop up during the conversations, and that was decided to be our core.  He had created a playlist for the entire day that started with music from the 20's and changed decades every half hour, so we built the event around that.  He also works at a vinyl record company, so a lot of the decor came from there:  the favors, archway, coasters, and even these really cool platinum albums they used for the sign-in.

{TIP}  Here is an idea for the more reserved and untraditional couple.  Instead of the bouquet toss, I often suggest having all of the married couples come up for a dance.  Once the dancing begins, the MC asks any couple that has been married less than 5 years to have a seat, then less than 10 years, and so on.  Eventually, you will have a handful over 20 years and even fewer over 30.  The true inspiration comes when the final couple is left dancing and it's usually the bride or groom's grandparents.  The bouquet is passed off to them with a kiss, a hug, and a hope that some day you will be dancing in their shoes.

On this day, it was the groom's grandparents, which we already knew would be the last couple standing, so we made sure we were playing "Their Song."

Jimmy + Michelle Engagement Session | Table7 Events

Location:  MARIPOSA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, BREA, CA
Photography:  ANDREA DEE PHOTOGRAPHY
Event Planner:  TABLE7 EVENTS, INC.

As Jimmy, the most involved groom I have ever worked with, said, "We are staring at a John Hughes movie!"  He wasn't kidding.

These photos were taken at Mariposa Elementary School, where Michelle went to school and right down the street from where these two will take their vows, her childhood home.

Employee Recognition Dinner: McCoy Mills Ford | Table7 Events

Location:  TAPS FISH HOUSE

Photography:  TABLE7 EVENTS, INC.

Since the downturn in the economy there have been a lot of cutbacks, and for corporations everywhere, the company parties were one of the first to go.  Jim Miller, the General Manager of McCoy Mills Ford, approached me about bringing back the events that once were.  He commented that during an employee town hall meeting, the most requested item was to bring back the fun.  Together, we established a calendar for 2012 that included on-site bi-monthly BBQ's, an employee recognition dinner, a company picnic including the family, a community involved Halloween event, and of course, the holiday party is coming back.

McCoy Mills Ford, in Fullerton, CA, has been in business since 1930.  It's not a surprise, since the 23 individuals that attended the event have a total of over 400 years of experience and dedication to McCoy Mills Ford.  The dinner was held to honor and recognize the employees that have been with the company for 10 years or more.  Taps Fish House was selected to celebrate these devoted men and women.

Taps has three event spaces including a fantastic outdoor patio space, but the real reason I chose this place was the food.  The menu consisted of New England Clam Chowder or The "Wedgie" for starters.  Followed by a choice of:  Top Sirloin, Drunken Mahi Mahi, Tomato & Scampi Linguini Pasta, or Fulton Valley Farms Free Range Chicken, and finished with the Trio of Divinity.  Full bellies made for happy employees.