beloved

kelly + chad

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany Michelle) — Sun, 02 Feb 2014 08:07:00 +0000

05.25.13 -- It was a beautiful day for Chad and Kelly's seaside affair with sweeping views of the ocean. The day began at the Neighborhood Church in Palos Verdes, overlooking the beautiful California Coast. Following the ceremony, guests were able to enjoy the view before heading to Marina Del Rey for the reception.

One of my favorite parts about weddings is witnessing so many friends and family coming together to support the day, both by their attendance and their help in the planning process. Friends and family provided the cake, the flowers, the desserts, and helped to set up all the table centerpieces the night before (which were live beta fish, by the way!). I could truly see how loved Chad and Kelly were by the people around them and their wedding was a celebration of not only their marriage, but of the people that have walked alongside them through their relationship and will continue to support them. I'm so thankful I got to be part of their special day, and look forward to the next wedding I get to coordinate in Marina Del Rey (coming up in May! stay posted!).

Thank you to Ian Elston Photography for the beautiful pictures!

Vendors

Ceremony Venue: Neighborhood Church
Reception Venue: Marina City Club, Candace Miller
Catering: Marina City Club, Candace Miller
Photography: Ian Elston Photography
Florist: Christy Villasenor
Cake: Jeanette Kayne
Cupcakes: Pat Willliams
Photobooth: My Fantastic Event, Edith Pena
DJ: Battleson Entertainment, Gus Garcia

cru. fellowship dinner

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany Michelle) — Fri, 17 May 2013 03:50:00 +0000

04.19.13 - I had the opportunity to provide and design the décor for the Cru. Fellowship dinner at the Santa Monica Woman's Bay Club. Working at a university, the style of décor I can design is often limited, so I always jump at the opportunity to design other non-elegant, classic styles. Cru. also has a special place in my heart, and I was very involved in the organization as a student for four years, so I was more than happy to serve them again in another capacity, and honored that they would ask me to help.

With a budget of only about $10/table and complete control of whatever I wanted to do, I was excited to challenge myself to create something beautiful, yet cost effective. It was a labor of love, but something I truly love doing. I'll be honest though -- the creative process is difficult by yourself, especially when you're given the option to do, well, anything.

The most challenging point is where to start. I began with the idea of doing submerged flowers and floating candles, but soon that idea became more costly than I anticipated and I had to go back to the drawing board (and back to Ross to return all the vases). After finally deciding on a mint linen (and many hours of indecision on google images and pinterest), and to pursue a vintage look for the dinner, the small details began to come together, as if by divine design. From there on out it was just a matter of putting everything together!

Having never arranged centerpieces for an event before, I decided to do a trial run, which included getting up at 6 a.m. to go to the L.A. Flower Market and do some research. Despite my reluctance to wake up so early, the minute I arrived I couldn't help but smile at all the colors and textures of the flowers. I loved every minute of it.

I'm so thrilled with how this event turned out. It's always a joy to see everything come together in the end and a blessing to help create a beautiful atmosphere for the guests. And the event was a success -- raising $21,000 for USC's Cru.

A special thank you to Vanessa for graciously lending me her collection of jars and Delano for lending his height to help me set up.

VENDORS
Catering: Derek Dickenson Events
Décor: Beloved Events & Weddings
Linens: Elegant Design Specialty Linens

be[love]d: kate spade saturday

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany Michelle) — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 20:43:00 +0000

In addition to creativity in events, one of my other creative passions is fashion. Often times, my inspiration for color combinations comes from the fashion world so I was excited when I came across a new brand from Kate Spade, Kate Spade Saturday! It combines everything I've been loving recently -- bold graphic prints and bright, punchy colors. And on top of that it's a little more affordable (which I love bc I'm super thrifty)! Can't wait to incorporate this style into one of my events. Below are a few of my favorites --

Image credit: Kate Spade Saturday

Be sure to check it out! Now, who wants to go shopping?

inspiration board: industrial glam

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany Michelle) — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 00:36:00 +0000

I don't know about you, but it seems like it's engagement season in my side of the world. So you know what that means -- more weddings!

I have the great honor to work on my co-worker, Michelle, and her fiance, Walt's wedding this upcoming June. I always enjoy the designing and creative process for an event, especially for a wedding (since I often don't have the time to bc I'm juggling a full-time job). Visiting linen warehouses, rental showrooms, site walkthroughs, etc. -- the real joy comes in seeing all the inspiration come together.

Michelle and Walt chose the Art Share, L.A. a local gallery downtown with a very industrial feel. Using a color scheme of taupe, gold, and greys, along with string lights and lots of metallic fringe, we're going transform this art gallery into a fun party atmosphere as we celebrate these two! Below is a sneak peek into what we have planned. Stay tuned for the wedding!

Source: 1// ceremony 2// lighted love sign 3// chandelier 4// pipe stool 5// flowers 6// bridesmaids dresses 7//string light backdrop

another charles dickens dinner

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany Michelle) — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 22:13:00 +0000

12.14.12 -- Dickens has come and gone, again. And thankfully with a little more ease this time. This year's Dickens wasn't accompanied by as much stress and craziness as past years, and I'm hoping that's a sign of experience. It also helped that the structure and flow of the evening remained pretty much the same from last year, a definite blessing considering I had more events that normal in the two months leading up to the event.

Over these past three years I have been able to develop some great relationships with the staff at the Biltmore, and it is these relationships that make the long days more bearable. I'm so thankful for their hospitality and how helpful they have been from year to year -- there's definitely a sense of comfort I feel knowing who I'll be working with and knowing I can trust them. I'm sure many event planners who work with the same venues and vendors over and over feel the same way.

This year we honored James Newton Howard and Wells Fargo. The night was narrated by opera star baritone Rod Gilfry and highlighted by performances by our talented USC Thornton students. I chose to go back to a traditional red and green color scheme, with copper accents in my centerpieces (I was thankful that the Biltmore also decided to decorate with copper--what a blessing!) which resulted in a very rich and Christmas-y room. So thankful for the wonderful success of this event year after year!

Here are some pictures from the beautiful evening.

Vendors
Venue, Catering, & Valet: Millennium Biltmore Hotel, Valerie Lehman & Olivia Manzo
Linens: Elegant Design Specialty Linens
Florals: Dellarobbia Design Studio & Flower Market, Jolene Reynolds
Lighting, Production, Sound: Thinkwell Design & Production, Jamie Hamlin
Rentals: Classic Party Rentals
Sound: PRG Audio
Photography: Steve Cohn Photography

symphonic hall dedication

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany Michelle) — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 22:35:00 +0000

10.28.12 -- My most challenging event of the year, but also one of my most involved events as well. The reason for this dedication was to celebrate the generous donor, Alice Schoenfeld, who gave $3 million to help renovate and name the Lloyd Sound Stage into a new symphonic rehearsal hall for the USC Thornton Symphony and other music ensembles at USC Thornton. For about two months, I worked closely with the client, with almost daily meetings and phone calls to go over guests lists, confirm the performances, discuss the program, etc. During these meetings I developed a wonderful relationship with this woman, hearing stories about her sister, her time in Germany, and I am glad I got the opportunity to meet and work with. Those are the connections that make my job so enjoyable.

It's always such a blessing to see everything come together on the day-of and to hear that the event was everything they envisioned. so much of my job is not about what I personally like, or would want, but taking my client's vision and making it a reality. I had the help of Thornton's amazing production team (Jeff, Tori, Heather, and Michelle -- you guys rock!), whose company and jokes throughout the evening made the 18-hour day, yes, I said it, fun!

Complete with a red carpet, I transformed our loading dock into an elegant reception space for the reveal of the new name of the symphonic hall. After the unveiling, guests were ushered inside to enjoy a concert featuring world-renown artists and then served a delicious three-course meal by Barbara West Catering.

One of the biggest blessings of being the only event planner at the music school is the opportunity to learn about different components of events in more detail because they're all under my responsibility. For example, we wanted to create a memorabilia piece for the donor in order for future students who entered the hall to know the legacy of Alice and Eleonore Schoenfeld. In the process of trying to figure out how to frame these pictures, I learned a lot about foam core and different mounting materials, something I wouldn't have thought to research otherwise. Additionally, I personally designed the invitation, menu, and program cards for the event, a task that allows me to exercise me creative side.

As always, no post is complete without pictures. Thanks to Vanessa Preziose for these beautiful pictures! For more information on this transformative gift, read this article here.
Also, my apologies for the blogging hiatus -- I hope to be posting more frequently in the new year!

Vendors
Catering: Barbara West Catering
Valet: USC Transportation, Pablo Sahugun
Linens & Napkins: Elegant Design Specialty Linens
Florals: Dellarobbia Design Studio & Flower Market
Rentals and Lighting: ELM Concierge, Mark Vanis
Photography: Vanessa Preziose

be[love]d venue: studio 1342

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany Michelle) — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 19:48:00 +0000

i've never done a venue spotlight, but this venue deserves one. i recently visited Studio 1342 after seeing a wedding there featured on 100 Layer Cake and it caught my eye for many reasons.

1. succulents. recently landscaped with the guidance of landscape architect Rob Steiner, the garden and outdoor patio is lush with succulents of varying kinds that gives the space a modern organic feel.

2. bright colors. bright painted murals. bright patio furniture. they create excellent backdrops for pictures and well, i'm a sucker for bright things.

3. a unique indoor space. it's fully equipped with track lights on dimmers, a projector, and a kitchen. its blank palette allows clients to dress it up however they like. i love the little shelves built into the walls, perfect for displaying pictures of the bride and groom.

the pictures don't do this wonderful space justice. i personally can't wait for the opportunity to coordinate an event here! for more information visit their website! happy monday everyone :)

preview: lisa + byron

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany Michelle) — Sun, 21 Oct 2012 19:03:00 +0000

Congratulations to my cousin Lisa and my new cousin Byron! Here's a sneak preview into their beautiful handmande Disney wedding that I helped coordinate yesterday. Can't wait to share more of the glittery details with you. Thank you to Taky of LA Color for putting together this wonderful video!

Lisa and Byron - Same Day Edit from L.A. Color on Vimeo.

melissa + garland

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany Michelle) — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 23:41:00 +0000

08.03.12 -- I had the honor and privilege of coordinating Melissa & Garland's wedding this past August. It was my first event to kick off the "school year" (working for a university I still think in terms of school years) so there was a lot more mental preparation going into this event just because I had a more relaxed summer doing more research and design work than actual event coordination. It was long, but completely God-centered wedding, and we only had a couple snags along the way.

The wedding took place at the Vibiana downtown, a Los Angeles Cultural Monument, and L.A.'s first cathedral. A beautiful venue in and of itself, the hall is completely transformed when the sun goes down and the colored lighting highlight the architectural columns and details of the space.

My favorite detail was the white cherry blossom trees that Garland and Melissa brought in to frame the aisle and line the sides of the room. They helped create a more intimate and elegant feel to the space. Simple potted orchids served as the centerpieces and hand sewn table runners were just a small detail that kept the tables from looking empty.

The reception started off with an incredibly energetic and choreographed first dance by the couple, whose energy carried the guests to the dance floor by the end of the evening. It was a great time for everyone there.

Thank you, Melissa and Garland, for giving me the opportunity to share in your special day! Hope you're both enjoying married life!

All photos are courtesy of Nate Goins Photography. For more photos, click here.

Vendors
Venue: Vibiana, Nicole Kingston
Lounge Furniture: AFR Furniture Rental, Rhonda Boyer
Catering: Jay's Catering, Patti Robledo
Photography: Nate Goins Photography
Video: Anthony Ma
Lighting & Audio: Amber Events
Officiant: Kenny Peavy

retirement celebration

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany Michelle) — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 16:43:00 +0000

As with every university, there comes a point when a faculty member decides to retire, and so as a special events coordinator, retirement parties fall under my job description. I had the opportunity to put together a small, intimate retirement party for one of our dear faculty members to thank and celebrate his 14 years at USC Thornton. Because it was a small gathering, I took on the challenge of doing the floral arrangements on my own as I had a lot of vases left over from past events.

With every DIY project I take on, I gain a new found appreciation for all the vendors I work with to help me put together a great event. And florals are no exception. I would like to say I have a pretty good eye for color combinations and textures (a lot of that creativity and design manifests itself in my personal style) but it's different when those colors and textures are in the form of flowers. My office turned into a temporary garden before the event, displaying my different options in various vases across my desk.

I've been truly enjoying the opportunity to explore different areas of events, and not simply the coordination and organization aspect. I hope to continue to improve my own personal skills in these arenas such as floral and invitation design in order to better serve my clients and create something new and exciting with every event I plan. Thanks for looking!

Vendor Credits
Venue: Town & Gown
Catering: USC Hospitality
Flowers: Trader Joe's
Awards: SoCal Trophy

the great train race

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany Michelle) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 18:48:00 +0000

I had the wonderful opportunity to produce my boss's reception following his DMA flute recital on February 24, 2012. Instantly, I knew I wanted to try my hand at designing a themed dessert bar, similar to many of the ones I've seen done by Sweet and Saucy Shop or Amy Atlas Events. I was most excited for the chance to be creative, down to the small details like signage and table design. My inspiration drew from a vintage train look, incorporating dark brown, tan, with accent colors of red and sky blue.

This event was a labor of love for me -- a complete do-it-yourself endeavor, and I loved the experience. I came away with a greater appreciation for caterers, bakers, designers, and every hand that is involved in producing an event.

Having never produced a reception of this size (about 70 people) on my own without the help of a catering company and on a very limited budget (I produced this "in-house" for about $120), I took on the challenge of baking many of the sweets for this reception including sugar cookies, cupcakes, and cake pops. A lot of time was spent planning the menu and testing my baking capabilities to ensure that the desserts I presented had a professional look to them. Hence, round one consisted of me "test-baking" cake pops and mini cupcakes to see if I could really pull this off. (Note: cake pops are a LOT harder than they look!) My department got to enjoy the spoils of my first attempt, and because of the great response, I went ahead as planned. Round two was finding the perfect consistency of icing for the train sugar cookies -- too thin and it'll drip off the sides; too thick and it won't dry smooth.

The next challenge was finding the appropriate serving ware to display everything with a variation of levels. Because I wanted to create a vintage look, not everything had to match. A lot of the serveware was borrowed from friends (you may recognize some of the same ones from the Valentine's tea party). I also really liked the idea of using frames as serving platter like at Ziza and Seth's wedding, so out came the glass in a few of the picture frames I had in my office. In order to create more levels with plates I had, I used a couple of the floating flower vases and placed them below the plates.

I put my arts and crafts skills to work with the final touches which included small signs propped up by clothespins describing the different food items, and a large sign made of handcut matted letters that spelled "The Great Train Race" to tie the whole display together. It's amazing what you can do with a cutting board, cardstock, and a glue stick!

I could not have put this event on without the help of my sister, boyfriend, and friends, who dedicated their time and energy in the preparation and setup of this event, so a HUGE thank you to the both of them! Thanks for looking!

"Vendor" Credits

Styling, Printables & Decoration: Beloved Events & Weddings, Tiffany Yu

Rentals & Serveware: Anna Rogers, Vanessa Rhue

Cookies, Brownies & Fruit: Costco

Cake pops & Baking: Karissa Yu

Event set-up & tear down: Delano Meriwether

be[love]d: vintage art deco engagement rings

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany Michelle) — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 18:27:00 +0000

Photo Credit: 1. Paris Hotel Boutique//2. Mellows//3. Trocadero

I've always been drawn to those items with small details that make it different from your mainstream fashion -- an asymmetrical hem, a zipper detail, a pop of color. I've recently been loving the small details of these vintage art deco engagement rings, characterized by their "highly stylized geometric shapes and strong use of symmety," that make them unique and different from your standard diamond ring.

valentine's tea party

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany Michelle) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 21:04:00 +0000

You know you're an event planner when...you incessantly comment on every tiny detail in someone's house because it's a real life display of a style you've seen on wedding and event blogs. Yeah, that was me the other day. It was like an inspiration board come to life. And a style that in my current position, will never get the opportunity to implement.

It's almost embarrassing to recount the sheer amazement and excitement I had over the details of the tea party I went to hosted by one of the members of my community group. As a result of perusing so many wedding and event blogs over the past year, I have developed a small (okay, maybe more like huge) obsession and love for the rustic/vintage/romantic style of event. I think it's the way that so many random pieces can come together to create something beautiful, so eclectic. I can't help but swoon over the mismatched serving ware, the wood slice boards, the lace, the succulents, the hanging terrariums. And swoon I did over every little detail of my friend's quaint house, exclaiming "oh my gosh" at, well, let's be honest, everything. It was a perfect setting for an afternoon tea party complete with scones, cucumber sandwiches, biscotti, and of course, quality girl bonding time.

Dickens Dinner Round 2

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany Michelle) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 00:57:00 +0000

December 9, 2011 -- Another year has come and gone, and so has another Charles Dickens Dinner, or as Dean Cutietta accidentally called it, The 25th Annual Charles "Chickens" Dinner. And in about six months the cycle will begin all over again. Another six months of planning, two hour long production meetings, last minute changes, and yet another chance to grow as an event planner, gaining new experiences and skills with each challenge.

This year we honored Richard Carpenter of the GRAMMY®-award winning duo, The Carpenters, with the USC Thornton Legacy Award and the GRAMMY Foundation® with the John C. Argue Dickens Medal of Honor. Randy and Gretchen Newman served as our dinner chairs and their playful interaction on stage (completely off-script) had everyone laughing, myself included, creating a warm and comfortable environment.

The evening was highlighted by featured performances from our choral, opera, popular music, classical guitar, and early music departments, giving guests a broad sampling of the talent that exists at the Thornton School of Music. Rod Gilfry, baritone opera star and USC Faculty member narrated the evening with snippets of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol.

It's interesting to look back and reflect on where I was last year when this event happened. It was a huge milestone in my career and the success of the event was such an encouragement and affirmation that I'm right where I'm supposed to be. This year was a huge test of my patience as I waited for all the loose ends to come together, many of which I had no control over. There are always last minute seating changes, personnel changes, conflict in scheduling and the production flow, and it's in those moments where the ability to make decisions and act quickly are key factors when managing an event. I know the only reason I felt so calm the entire week leading up to the event was because my peace was not from myself, but from God. I feel truly blessed to get to spread that peace and in doing so create an atmosphere where others around me -- people on the production team, the hotel staff, the guests -- are able to experience that same sense of ease. What I was reminded of at Dickens is how much my attitude and demeanor affect everyone involved in the process. If I am stressed out, my team feels that anxiety and so do the guests (that last people I want feeling stressed out).

Some of my favorite moments were the times I stepped aside from the event itself and invested in the people around me: an encouraging phone call with a friend, a short chat with the security guard while waiting for the linens to be placed, conversations with the crew from Classic Party Rentals, escorting lost guests to the VIP reception, greeting donors and guests at their tables, laughing at the awkward moments from the stage, joking around with my co-workers -- together they all made this Dickens Dinner so enjoyable despite working 18 hours, my day beginning at 5:45am and ending at about midnight the same day. It's what allows me to smile at the end of the day.

I couldn't be happier at how Dickens came together, awkward moments and all. I'm thankful that the autograph auction turned out better than I expected. I'm thankful that all the decor came together to create my winter wonderland theme. I'm thankful that I got the chance to eat lunch AND dinner. I'm thankful for my amazing team of vendors and production crew. I'm thankful for all the encouraging texts from my friends. I'm thankful that my family came to support me. And lastly, I'm thankful for the opportunity to plan and oversee an event of this magnitude at this point in my life.

I hope you enjoy the pictures and Merry Christmas!

Vendors
Venue, Catering, & Valet: Millennium Biltmore Hotel, Valerie Lehman
Linens: Elegant Design Specialty Linens
Florals: Dellarobbia Design Studio & Flower Market
Lighting, Production, Sound: Thinkwell Design & Production
PR: M2M
Rentals: Classic Party Rentals
Sound: PRG Audio

brie + robert

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany Michelle) — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 02:37:00 +0000

I had the privilege of coordinating Brie and Robert's wedding in the beginning of October at the beautiful Majestic Halls downtown. A newer venue to the Los Angeles area, this historic bank created the perfect backdrop for Brie and Robert's special day. Close friends and freelance set designers Seth Bauer (I help coordinate his and Ziza's, the matron of honor, wedding last November -- see the post here!) and Christian Snell did an amazing job transforming the space with tall trees lining the room and black duvetyne draping from the balconies. The tables were adorned with bountiful amounts of fruits on vintage platters couple with chandeliers to create a classic and vintage look.

See the beautiful photos below by Joseph and Jenny Llanes -- it was great working with you two again!

Brie and Robert, thanks for letting me be part of your special day!

Vendors
Venue: Majestic Halls, Ashley Cole
Catering: Dean Kahn Catering
Photography: Llanes Weddings
Video: Paperback Weddings -- check out their beautiful video here!
Florals: Claudia Johnston
Hair & Makeup: Lorena
Decor: Seth Bauer and Christian Snell
Officiant: Tim Chaddick
Dress: Vera Wang

'tis the season for Dickens

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany Michelle) — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 20:14:00 +0000

Yes, it's that time of year again -- The Charles Dickens Dinner is in full swing becuase we only have about one more month until the big day! This year I decided to choose a winter wonderland theme for the decor, and to spark the creative process, I created an inspiration board. I recommend creating one anytime you have to visually design an event because it not only helped me visualize different color combinations, centerpiece ideas, and invitation designs, but it also allowed me to better inform and communicate with my vendors (graphic designer, linens, florists) exactly what I was looking for. It makes the process so much more enjoyable for everyone, and through it I expanded my knowledge of color themes I could try (other than your Christmas green and red), as well as current trends in the event industry. I'm so excited to see how the room will look with all the pieces together!

Photo Credit: 1. Elegant Design Specialty Linens // 2. Wedding Centerpiece Ideas // 3. Forever Photography // 4. Weddings by Kristi 6. Do-it-yourself Weddings 7. Google Images 8. Asian Wedding Blog // 9. The Free Wedding // 10. I do Inspiration // 11. Google Images // 12. Blue Guava // 13. Forever Photography // 14. Chisar // 15. Decor8 // 16. Sweet Chic Events

larry livingston reception

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany Michelle) — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 21:14:00 +0000

It was a perfect evening for an outdoor reception to celebrate Larry Livingston's 25 years at the USC Thornton School of Music. I'll admit, rain is my worst enemy as an event planner, and the downpour the previous weekend had me praying for clear skies. Thankfully, there was nothing to worry about as the ninety-degree day cooled off to a comfortable temperature for everyone.

The beautiful cafe lights strung from the Moreton Fig tree created a classy ambiance for the reception. Simple floating rose centerpieces and votives added an elegant touch. Moreton Fig restaurant served a delicious assortment of tray-passed appetizers -- my personal favorite was the wild mushroom arrancini with a roasted tomato fondue. The staff were so helpful in setting up, so they made my job easier! Part of putting on a successful event is having an awesome team (it's far from a one-woman show).

The event concluded with a few remarks from Larry Livingston and of course the evening wouldn't be complete without cake (a massive strawberry shortcake cake from Porto's Bakery). Special thanks to my boyfriend for graciously helping me carry that (extremely heavy and large) cake safely from my car to the highest shelf in Moreton Fig's refrigerator.

I'm going to be honest -- I wish the event lasted a little longer (despite working a 13.5 hour day -- yes, I'm serious). It seemed like the event ended just as quickly as it began, guests only enjoying a reception I started planning a month and a half ago, and setting up on the day-of at 1 p.m. It'd be easy for me to feel like all my efforts were wasted, or not fully appreciated, but I have to remind myself that my job is not just about the results or what I've accomplished, but also about the journey, and the things I learned in the process. It's easy to become so focused on the outcome and the goal that I miss the little blessings along the way. I love the opportunity to work with new vendors and develop new relationships, as well as the chance to serve a different group of people.

Yes, it's a little insane that the length of the event was just a fraction of time it took to actually make the event happen, but it was just a reminder that although to the guests the outcome is all that matters, to me there's so much more to my job that I can find joy and purpose in.

Below are some detail shots of the event! Thanks for looking!

jacqueline + jake

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany Michelle) — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 00:40:00 +0000

Hello, readers. I apologize for my extremely long absence from this blog, but I'm back and will be posting more weddings and events in the coming months! First up is a beautiful wedding photographed by my friend, Lauren Hom of Hom Photography. Jacqueline is a fellow Trojan alum so I'm excited to share this with you!

Lauren and her brother began doing photography together less than a year ago -- since last spring. However, it is a passion that has run through the family. They have one of their grandfather's old cameras and pictures he took during WWII. He was intrigued by it his whole life, even in his last days! Her dad actually pursued photography in his college studies, and so they both grew up learning the basics because of it. Thankfully, their dad kept a lot of his stuff, which they are able to use even today -- so cool!

It's amazing how much emotion you can capture in each picture, and Lauren and Bryan definitely showcased how great they are at what they do with each and every picture from this wedding. My favorite is the joy that you feel as Jacqueline and Jake and recessing down the aisle. Such a great picture! Be sure to check out their website here!

anna + andre

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany Michelle) — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 05:18:00 +0000

I'm so excited to get to share this real "lovebird" wedding with you! I met Anna and Andre through my community group at Reality LA and it has been such a blessing to see both their love for each other and love for God grow.

They got married on a beautiful summer day at Hartley Botanica, a beautiful garden venue located in Simi Valley. Her inspiration for the bird theme came from Matthew 10:29 --

"Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father."

With the wedding being in a garden she knew she wanted to incorporate that verse and her love for birds. Most of her inspiration came from Etsy (an excellent resource), nature, and her husband's New Zealand heritage. For example, the candy in the favor bags were from New Zealand.

I loved the hanging flowers in mason jars during the ceremony, such a beautiful backdrop for their wedding. Here are some pictures from their wedding!

Favorite moment of the day: Our first kiss ever!

Any planning advice for future brides? Don't be afraid to ask friends for help (one friend sang, another did my makeup, and another made the invites and seating chart). Also, don't be super picky about little details - it will keep things more relaxed.

I hear it again and again, that it's not so much about the wedding as it is about the marriage. Keep that in mind when things start to feel a little (or really) stressful or hectic. The wedding is a celebration of your marriage, so let it be a memory that you can look back on with joy -- as a time spent growing in your relationship with your fiance.

be[love]d: wire hangers

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany Michelle) — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 00:17:00 +0000

Photo credit: Cynthia Rose Photography

Photo credit: lilafrances via Etsy

Currently loving these personalized wire hangers -- a small detail that gives the dress a special touch. Have a great weekend everyone!

she said "Yes!"

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany Michelle) — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 19:34:00 +0000

No, this post isn't about chipmunks, but this was way too cute to pass up :)

Every marriage begins with a story--a creative and unique proposal that hopefully ends with a resounding "Yes!" and of course, a beautiful diamond ring. The Jewelry Information Center is on a quest to find the Ultimate Proposal Story, and the winner is decided by your votes! Over 700 stories were entered, and they've narrowed them down to the Top 10. The couple who submitted the story that receives most votes will win a Grand Prize package valued at nearly $10,000 that includes a 7-night Caribbean cruise on Norwegian Cruise Line and diamond-and-platinum rings from MaeVona. Pretty awesome, right?

In addition to hosting the contest, JIC also serves as an excellent resource for anything jewelry related for those looking to tie the knot. Considered as the objective authority on fine jewelry and watches, they provide information about fine jewelry, savvy shopping tips, care and cleaning information, jewelry history and fashion trends.

Of course, this post wouldn't be complete without sharing which proposal gets my vote. I love this story for two reasons. One being that it involves traveling to another country, and I love traveling. The other reason being that every detail was carefully thought out and planned to perfection, with each letter cleverly directing Piper where to go. As an event planner, I know how much hard work and energy went into putting together every piece of this amazing proposal. I hope you enjoy the story!

Long Distance Relationship Goes the Distance

Piper & Rob

I got the surprise of a lifetime when my long distance boyfriend of 4 years sent me on a romantic adventure half way across the world to propose!

Rob & I met when we were teaching music to children in the UK. After we decided to stop touring our relationship became long distance. Rob started his television production career in Los Angeles & I went to study Music Business at Berklee College of Music in Boston.

The weekend before my last Spring Break in college Rob sent me a package with numerous envelopes, each with specific instructions. He asked to me document my trip with a Flipcam.

He sent a car to take me to the airport. I suddenly found myself at the International terminal at Logan Airport without my passport! Luckily, my now fiance, thought of everything. The next envelope held my flight itinerary to LONDON, my passport and another romantic letter. I was now heading to my favorite city in the world!!

He chose my seat number: 25K. When I got on board the plane, I opened another note saying "This trip is partially to celebrate your birthday! You are going to be 25, k?"

After I landed in England, I opened the next envelope. This one had train schedules, detailed instructions to get to the stations and enough British pounds to make it all happen! I had nothing to worry about, he had taken care of everything!

The train took me to Canterbury, England, where we had our first date. When I arrived there I opened the last package: a copy of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. He told me to check our anniversary, February 23. (pg 223) On that page I found a picture I had taken 4 years earlier from a tiny bridge in a garden in Canterbury. On the back of the photo he had written, "Meet Me Here" and included walking instructions, in case I forgot.

I arrived at the bridge and it all looked the same!! We embraced and he told me that there was one more surprise on the trip. He got down on one knee and asked me to marry him!!!! I said YES!

We spent the next few days enjoying my favorite city in the world and even got to spend some time in Dublin during the St. Patty's festivities.

To top it all off, he even arranged for us to travel to New Jersey to see his family and Nebraska to see mine before I had to be back to school. We got to celebrate all over again with family and loved ones! I am the luckiest girl in the world!

Rob designed my beautiful ring with a center princess cut 1.2 ct diamond. The double band intertwines with diamonds and aquamarines (my birthstone). He wanted the weaving band to subtly reflect the Celtic jewelry from the place where we fell in love.

Thanks to Amanda, one of JIC's jewelry experts, for letting me feature one of these amazing stories!

real engagement: kasey + josh

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany Michelle) — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 23:06:00 +0000

It's always special to share engagements for individuals whom I know personally. I love how this video totally captures the affection Kasey and Josh have for one another, and how much joy they share when they're together. Each "scene" showcases a little piece of their relationship and who they are as a couple. And as a Trojan myself, how can I NOT love the Trojan representation in this shoot? Anyways, here's a behind the scenes look at my friend, Kasey's engagement session with CeanOne Photography!

Bowles Engagement from Cean One Photography Films on Vimeo.

For photos from their session and to see more of CeanOne's amazing work, go to their blog!

Congrats Kasey & Josh! I wish you both the best in your marriage!

do you want s'more?

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany Michelle) — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 00:35:00 +0000

Summer is quickly approaching, and that means it's time for those outdoor barbeques, camping trips, and of course, beach bonfires. And what better way to end a summer night than with a perfectly roasted marshmallow sandwiched between two Honey Maid Graham crackers and Hershey's dark chocolate. With dessert bars gaining popularity at weddings and events nowadays, the s'more bar is the perfect end to an outdoor wedding or event.

Photo Credit: Marien Mae Blog

You can also leave your guest with a S'more kit to enjoy on their own time!

Photo Credit: La Belle Bride

Photo Credit: Meg Perrotti Photography

Photo Credit: Love in October

These delicious s'muffins are from Gotta Have S'more, a dessert company that have taken the beautiful flavors of a s'more and use it as the basis for their desserts. Check out more at their website!

Photo Credit: Bridal Bar vis Gotta Have S'More

S'more for everyone! What creative dessert bars have you seen?

be[love]d: graffitti proposal

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany Michelle) — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 17:16:00 +0000

I'm consistently blown away at the creativity of marriage proposals. I really love this one -- it spoke to the artist/painter in me. Hope you enjoy!

honors convocation 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Tiffany Michelle) — Tue, 31 May 2011 21:33:00 +0000

Every year, the USC Thornton School of Music holds their annual Honors Convocation, an awards ceremony that recognizes students, faculty, and staff for their outstanding achievements. This was my final event for the school year, and as with every event I've coordinated, it came with its own set of challenges and learning experiences.

It's always a challenge stepping into the role of planning an event with a lot of history. For me, Honors Convocation was on its 56th annual, and with that, comes a certain expectation from all the faculty and upper administration of how it's supposed to be done. I'll admit -- my approach to this event wasn't the most organized, nor the least stressful. At the same time I was "researching" how the event was done in the past, I was also trying to plan the event simultaneously. Everything for this event happens comes together in the time span of about a month and a half -- invitations, programs, flowers, musicians, etc. -- and at the same time I was also trying to put the finishing details on Singers on the Verge, which added an extra challenge.

Instead of being proactive in nature, I was reactive -- immediately responding to every request or change that was thrown my way without thinking if it could wait, or notating the changes. The result was feeling like I had a million disconnected thoughts and tasks floating around in my head. There was no method to the madness, it was just madness. Let's just say I learned the importance of creating a detailed timeline with specific deadlines (even if they're estimates). The process not only helps you organize your thoughts, but it allows you to think through all the details you'll be coordinating upfront so they're on your mind as you move forward. That way, questions that come up as you plan can be addressed ahead of time, not as deadlines are quickly approaching (or past). I ended up creating one halfway through April, and instantly I felt more at peace and collected about the event, but I know it would have been a lot less stressful had a taken the time to think everything through carefully from the start.

Thankfully, the entire event came together very smoothly, the students and faculty received their awards, and 1pm on May 12, 2011 I finally breathed a sigh of relief. It's crazy how quickly this year has gone by -- I never would have imagined a year ago I would be planning the events I used to drive carts for as a workstudy student, and on top of that plan two weddings on my own. Definitely excited for all that the rest of 2011 has to hold!

All photos credit of Dan Avila Photography.